Five Below Finds
I discovered a new store! It’s called Five Below and it’s a dollar store – or technically, a five dollar store – because everything is under five dollars. Five Below is bright and clean and full of cheap crap from China, so in other words – very dangerous for me.
I got a Frozen T-shirt and some hair clips for my daughter.
I got macaroni and cheese duck tape and a “No Farting” button for my son.
I got matching Jason Hockey mask socks for my BFF and I…what am I forgetting?
OH YEAH…nail polish. Five Below has an exclusive brand of nail polish called “Funky Fingers”, which is produced by Color Club. The regular colors are 3/$5, but I picked up a couple of bottles from the solar collection at 2/$5.
“Cowabunga” is a hot pink that is supposed to turn red in the sun. “Gnarly, Dude” is a clear base with pink and black glitter that is supposed to turn darker in the sun. Internet scuttlebutt is that they don’t work so well, but we shall see…
$2 off Revlon
I was supposed to be getting something to eat for dinner, but like a recovering crackhead, my feet took me to the cosmetics section before my head realized I was there.
The first thing I looked for was Orly Bonder, but there was an empty spot on the shelf. At least I know I should try to find it at HEB at $6.99 instead of $10 at Ulta.
Did you know that HEB now carries Sinful Colors? $1.98, so I gotta wait for a sale…
Then I noticed that there were store coupons for $2 off any Revlon product over $3.50. I took this as a sign that I should snatch up Revlon’s Quick Dry Base Coat and Quick Dry Top Coat, regularly $4.31, now $2.31 each. I also picked up Revlon Leather Cuir “Motorcycle Jacket” from the Spring 2014 “Leather & Tweed Collection”, regularly $4.28, now $2.28. I had been eyeing it the last few times I had been at HEB. It wasn’t in its own display, just mixed in with the “Amazing Spider-Man 2” Display…but this lonely bottle has been patiently waiting for me for several months…and now it’s mine!
I love a good coupon…my feet have the urge to go back to HEB soon…
Modern Mermaid in the Blue Lagoon
I went full mermaid this morning.
Captain Blankenship “Mermaid Mane” Sea Salt Spray in my hair – in a loose, wavy bun. After showering with Bath & Body Works “White Citrus”, I tried Atelier Cologne “Cédrat Enivrant” Cologne Absolue. I played a tense game of “eyeliner chicken” with my Vasanti Kajal Extreme Intense Eye Pencil in “Electric Navy” – luckily I won. (“Eyeliner Chicken” is when you keep putting on more eyeliner, trying to get it even. You know you’ve lost when you look like a raccoon.) The most important part was my mermaid manicure…
This is RUFFIAN “Blue Lagoon”. As beautiful as it is, it is a very unforgiving polish. I got full coverage in one coat, but it shows every imperfection. I have a few peeled tips on my right hand and they show. I also gave Sally Hansen “Diamond Shine” another try as a top coat…it didn’t dry fast enough and I got a few bubbles. Next time, I’ll use a faster drying top coat to try to avoid the bubbles. “Diamond Shine” can kiss my ass.
Modern Mermaid & More
If Birchbox keeps sending me coupon codes for 20% off my first purchase, I’m going to keep using them. Is that unethical?
I finally got a product in one of my monthly boxes that I loved enough to purchase. If you had told me a month ago that I would spend $36 on moisturizer/sunscreen, I would have laughed in your face…but then I tried COOLA Tinted Matte SPF 30 for Face. It goes on smooth – my face feel like velvet and stays matte and shine free all day. This is the holy grail of face products.
I had been lusting after the Limited Edition “Modern Mermaid” Box ($44) and I finally made the plunge. In the box: a deluxe sample of Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Genius Waterproof Topcoat (which I probably will never use); a travel size spray of Atelier Cologne “Cédrat Enivrant” Cologne Absolue (citrusy and woodsy – another scent my mother would have loved…and I love it too); Captain Blankenship “Mermaid Mane” Sea Salt Spray (I need to devote a post to all my sea salt sprays – I use them every day); COOLA Liplux SPF 30 Original Formula; RUFFIAN Endless Summer Collection – Nail Polish Trio: “Blue Lagoon” – a metallic blue, “Endless Love” – a metallic pink and “Sahara” – a metallic nude; Vasanti Kajal Extreme Intense Eye Pencil in “Electric Navy” (dunno about this one…); and a Stephanie Johnson Mermaid Round Snap Mirror, which is exceedingly cute. I think I will use everything in the box, except the waterproof mascara top coat – I don’t want all my eyelashes to fall out!
I also got 2 free samples in my box: another air repair “Rescue Balm” and eyeko “Skinny Mini” black liquid eyeliner, which I am excited to try out.
With my coupon and another $10 in Birchbox point, I only paid $54…sweet deal!
Click my referral link – https://www.birchbox.com/invite/5453f – I’ll get 50 points if you join!
Bestest Bestie ever!
Did you know that I have the bestest bestie ever?
I was freaking out last week because she was in Vegas and we hadn’t hung out in a few weeks. At least we were still texting and I was living vicariously through her facebook posts. The problem was that she kept checking into Sephora to taunt me. I had been lusting after the Kat Von D Butterfly palettes for months, but I hadn’t even had a chance to go check it out in person yet…
So instead of a lame T-shirt or bumper sticker, she just bought my the Kat Von D “Chrysalis” palette! I got all verklempt and shit…
My vacation will be to Alaska in a few weeks…I don’t even think they have Sephora or Ulta there, so I guess I’ll be bringing her back Moose Jerky or Whale Blubber Soap or something?
True Red from True Blood
Nothing like coming from from a trip to a fun surprise in your mailbox!
Last Sunday was the final season premiere of True Blood. I wasn’t overly excited about it…until I saw the 3 hour special that Zoya posted as the premiere started – free bottle of “Sooki” – bright, clean, crisp cool cherry red cream with a subtle jelly finish – with any $10….AND free shipping.
I finally had a chance to try one of Zoya’s Pixie Dust polishes! I chose “Dahlia” – black beauty with a sugared sparkle. I’m guessing it might be somewhat similar to my tar ball nails?
There were also some other goodies in my envelope: a sample of Lemongrass Ginger Lotion, a Zoya Summer Color Chart and an acrylic sample tray of their summer collections – “Tickled” and “Bubbly”.
Oil Slick Tar Ball
This weekend was our 5th annual Cuzzins Camp, where our family and friends get the kids together at LaLa’s in East Texas to enjoy a weekend of farm living and each other. This year, I couldn’t resist bringing nail polish for a night time activity for the girls. NOTE TO SELF: Bring more polish next time. Lily was insulted that I only brought 6 polishes to choose from!
Unlike Lily – who always wants to paint herself and make a mess, CK asked me to paint her fingers and toes. I was honored! She chose Julep “Jeanne”, “Estelle” and “Oscar” for her fingers. She chose “Caitlin” and “Tatiana” for her toes (not pictured). Lily slopped “Caitlin”, “Yumi” and “Tatiana” all over her feet, and had started on her fingers when I made her stop. She was paying a little too much attention to The Lego Movie and I did not want polish all over the kitchen. I put Sally Hansen “Diamond Shine” on her toes and sent her packing…
For myself, I chose Julep “Estelle”, originally from the Galaxy Mystery Box, but I got it in Golden Ticket Mystery Box #2. Julep’s site describes it as midnight black with holographic shimmer, but doesn’t mentioned that it is a lightly textured polish. It isn’t quite as rough as their stardust finish, but I wasn’t expecting it. As first, I freaked out that there was some weird chemical reaction between the Sally Hansen “Diamond Shine” and “Estelle” – it took over 30 minutes to fully dry! A quick Google confirmed that the polish is supposed to be textured – phew! even so, I am not thinking that “Diamond Shine” is nearly as good as “Diamond Flash”. I’ll have to try it with a few more polishes to be sure…
When my nails were wet, I thought they looked like an oil slick, but as they dried – they totally reminded me of tar balls. We are definitely used to seeing tar balls in Galveston! I don’t hate this polish, but it’s definitely not summery.
Targeting
Even when I have to go to Target for grown-up stuff like dog food and toilet paper, I am going to find some kind of beauty product that I need…
I took advantage of an Olay sale and stocked up on my face shit – Olay Total Effects “Revitalizing Foaming Cleanser” and “Night Firming Cream”. I have no idea if it’s firming anything, but it doesn’t break me out. A $3 off coupon was a nice addition.
For my nails, I picked up a new Trim Buffering Block, because SMOOTH is GOOD. Finally, I decided to try out Sally Hansen “Diamond Shine” Top AND Base Coat. I am a little suspicious of this product doing both, but at $3.99, I figure it will be decent at one of them, at least. I wanted to try Orly Bonder, but they didn’t have it, so I’ll be picking some up at my next Ulta stop…
Speckled
Julep “Kimberly” is from the April 2014 “Speckled for Spring” Mystery Box. I didn’t get this mystery box, but I did pick up “Kimberly” for $2 – couldn’t resist.
“Kimberly” is lavender with black specks. It’s not quite a creme and not quite a jelly, so it’s what the Internet Nail Polish Mafia calls a “crelly”. (Yes, I’ve been googling and educating myself.) The impression one is immediately left with is speckled Easter candy. As soon as I showed my husband, he said, “It looks like Easter candy.” The problem is that it’s June. This one probably won’t come out again until next Spring. I’m sad that I didn’t also order “Emerson” – the same thing in baby blue.
My Julep Oxygen Smoothing Base Coat is almost empty, but I probably have a few more uses left. I used Sally Hansen “Diamond Flash”, so “Kimberly” looks super-shiny. I got a little too much “Kimberly” around the sides of my fingernails and it crinkled under the top coat. The top coat dried before the polish and I had to press it down. Total amateur move.
Red Marker Sale
After harassing my husband about the mail for the past week, I finally received my spoils from the Julep “Red Marker Sale”, back on June 12th. Dozens of polishes for $2-$4, plus a bunch of other random junk – makeup, jewelry, phone cases, etc.
I controlled myself and only got 6 polishes: “Dahlia” from “The Rebel Set” Boho Glam October 2013 box – goldenrod microglitter; “Annemarie” from “The Boudoir Collection” It Girl January 2014 box – warm cocoa crème; “Kimberly” a Boho Glam from the “Speckled for Spring” Mystery Box – lavender with black specks; “Zoe”, a Boho Glam, but I cannot figure out which collection – smoky burnt umber metallic, “Sabrina” from the “Simply Bewitching” Classic with a Twist October 2012 box – zesty orange shimmer crackle; and “Shoshanna” from “The Glitterati Collection” It Girl box – full-coverage yellow holographic glitter. Phew!
I also got Pout Plumping Lip Gloss in “Arousal” – neutral, rosy-brown with pink pearl – $4.
All this for $16, NO SHIT!
I hope you’re looking forward to lots of new pictures of my fingernails!