Show Me How to Say No to This
How could I say no to $25 off $50? Show me how to say no to this…
I tricked my husband into a Sephora visit by suggesting we kill time at JC Penney while my daughter was at a UIL Competition…sneaky me. I decided to look for a new powder foundation – I needed a sheerer one than the MAC and Kat Von D ones I have. The castmember steered me towards one I hadn’t considered before – bareMinerals Bare BAREPRO Performance Wear Powder Foundation ($30). We had a hard time matching by swatching, so we tried by my Color IQ…and then went a shade lighter to pick “Aspen 04”. It goes on lighter than the other powder foundations I’ve tried and it’s a perfect match for my skintone. I was skeptical at first, since I used to use the original bareMinerals and had to stop once I started getting cow’s feet – that shit is horrible about settling in fine lines. I’ve worn BAREPRO a few days though and I’m loving it.
I also picked up Sephora Favorites Lip Temptations ($32) – I really wanted Kat Von D Studded Kiss “Mercy” and they didn’t have it in full size. Also in the kit: Bite Beauty Lip Crayon in “Aubergine”; Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in “714” (one of their new Vice bullets – full size!); NARS Lipstick in “Jungle Red”; Sephora Lipstick in “#49”; and Know Cosmetics No Bleeding Lips Secret Lip Liner. I didn’t really need 3 new red lipsticks, but whatever.
About $40 after tax – I don’t say no to this. No, no, no.
Well, My Stars…
…and here we go – Xmas nails! Nothing but holiday-ready nails. All. Month. Long.
First off, I’m digging into the new polishes I just got. After Sinful Colors Base Coat, I did two coats of Sinful Colors “You Just Wait”, a sheer, pearly polish. It’s mostly pale pink, but shifts gold and green. It almost reminds me of mother-of-pearl. It’s got decent coverage, without a lot of brush drag marks. That’s the one frustrating thing about pearly polishes – brush marks.
I topped with a single coat of Sinful Colors “Star Studded”. It’s different sizes of gold and silver glitter, with silver stars. I was able to get a decent amount of stars on the brush without too much trouble…after I held the bottle upside down for a minute or so before doing each hand. i wonder what it would look like over a dark polish – like the Milky Way? Extra shine from “HK Girl”.
What’s next?
Little Pink Dress
Every girl needs a little pink dress.
I finally tried out Barbie “Little Pink Dress”. I was surprised that it turned out to be a matte finish, with a very slight shimmer. It’s a summery pink, reminding me of pink grapefruit.
This is just two coats over Sinful Colors Base Coat. I was surprised at how delicate this polish is – when I woke up the next morning, there were slight dents and impressions, even though my nails had been dry and rock hard at least an hour before I went to bed.
This was my last regular manicure before jumping head-first into Xmas nails. Get ready!
Black Friday Haul
I usually stay far, far away from stores on Black Friday – I am too delicate to get trampled to death! Oh, I shop…online. I ordered a few things on Thanksgiving Day, but I don’t think I actually got anything online on Black Friday.
I made a special exception this past Black Friday – I ran by Walgreen’s to take advantage of 5/$5 Sinful Colors Nail Polish. As per usual, my closest Walgreen’s didn’t have any of the new Holiday polishes – fuck ’em. I dragged Logan to the one across from HEB and they had them.
I picked up a core collection polish that I’d never noticed before – “You Just Wait” and 4 of the Holiday polishes – “Flake Out”, “Star Studded”, “Velvet Ribbon” and “Holly At Me”.
Time for Xmas manicures!
FINALLY!
FINALLY! Jumpin’ Jesus on a Pogo Stick, it took almost a month for this box to make it across the pond from Scotland. Mailed on October 28th, it finally arrived on Black Friday, November 25th. (The second box she sent was mailed a week later and arrived within 10 days!) Sally has been fighting with USPS for weeks, with USPS claiming that it never made it off the shipping container in Chicago. As a matter of fact, they still don’t know where it is – they are still telling her that they don’t know where it is. Thanks, USPS!
The box was a big beat up, but it was well packed and everything arrived safely and undamaged. I was only positive on one of the gifts – Makeup Revolution‘s new Halloween palette: “The Dead Are Alive” – its 16 beautiful graveyard colors. I’ve been using it for the last several days straight. I was pleasantly surprised with another Halloween palette – “Give Them Darkness” and Halloween lipstick – the “Beyond Vamp” Matte Lipstick Collection (I’ve only tried “Give Them Darkness” so far – I thought it was black, but it is dark blue on me). I was also treated to another Makeup Revolution Precision Brush – this time the cheek brush – and the Makeup Revolution Ultra Base Corrector Palette – every color corrector I could ever need!
In addition to all the best new Makeup Revolution products, there were a few pressed glitters from OPV Glitter – “Hot Miss”, “Xpoze”, and “Charmed”. I have never used pressed glitter before, but it’s not nearly as scary as I thought. As long as you use a good shadow primer, it sticks right on.
Thank you Sally for sending me TWO amazing boxes of Makeup Revolution goodies…Rest assured, I will be returning the favor.
Oh Lord, Won’t You Buy Me a Mercedes Benz
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends…
Not really – I actually don’t know anyone who drives a Porsche – or a Mercedes Benz, for that matter. I do have a few friends that drive BMWs, but I have forgiven them.
Julep “Mercedes” has a unique finish – described as “canyon rose metallic” – it’s like a mixture of copper, gold and silver pigments that haven’t quite mixed all the way. It looks a bit like a glitter, but it’s not a glitter at all – it’s completely smooth.
This is two coats with Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat, finished with “HK Girl”.
I wonder if I’ll ever get me a night out on the town?
Sephora Play! November 2016 – Best in Glow
I’ve been slacking…I’m finally getting around to posting my last subscription box of the month – just days before I start receiving my December boxes.
“Best in Glow” is November’s theme, products to stave off winter dullness. I don’t know about you, but down here in Texas, we haven’t seen a whole lot of winter. We had frost on the ground one day last weekend and that’s it.
I’m most excited about Stella McCartney POP – I’ve been wanting to try it since I love Stella so much. It’s very floral and sharp smelling. I could see myself using free samples, but not buying it. Also in my box: Sephora Ultra Shine Lip Gel in “Pin-up Pink”; The Estee Edit by Estee Lauder Dissolve the Drama Makeup Remover; Cover FX Illuminating Primer; Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in “Rose Gold”; and GlamGlow SuperMud Clearing Treatment (please send me GlamGlow in every subscription box, please and thank you).
If you haven’t signed up yet – you’re a turkey! This is by far the best subscription box I get every month. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
Walk the Walk
I tried to play it cool on Thanksgiving.
“Oh look, my nails match my dress.” My husband was buying none of my bullshit. “You know you were planning it all along.” Yeah. I was. The only choice I made that morning was lipstick – “Masochist” or “Richblood” – and I chose “Masochist”.
I knew I would be wearing the new red dress to Thanksgiving, so I painted my nails with Sinful Colors “Walk the Walk” from the “Luxe Fragments” Collection. It’s a cool-toned red jelly with glitter shards. It’s really almost a cranberry – fitting for Thanksgiving.
This is two coats – not quite full coverage – over Sinful Colors Base Coat and under “HK Girl”.
November Birchbox – The Finishing Touch
I am thankful for…my subscription boxes.
I didn’t choose the curated box this month – instead I picked just one product and got this month’s “The Finishing Touch” box. The product I chose was Chella Eyebrow Color Pencil in “Tantalizing Taupe”. I hope it’s not too light for me.
Also in this month’s box: Avène Soothing Moisturizing Mask (I got this in my October 2015 ipsy bag, but don’t think I ever used it); Number 4 Jour d’Automne Smoothing Balm; Supergoop! Forever Young Hand Cream with SPF 40; and TokyoMilk Light “Awaken Within” (a VERY strong jasmine scent).
If you would like to try Birchbox, click on my referral link – https://www.birchbox.com/invite/5453f – I’ll get 50 points if you join.
November Ipsy Bag – Rock Starlet
Ipsy arrived first this month. I was excited to see that fuchsia bubble mailer!
“Rock Starlet” is this month’s theme. I received the gold and navy constellation-print neoprene bag – there was also one with silver print. Jewelry, I am ALL silver…but I tend to go for gold in accessories, like my current phone case.
Inside my “Rock Starlet” bag: Luxie Beauty Rose Gold Small Duo Fiber Brush (this is one of the most unique brushes I’ve ever seen – there’s a thin layer of extra long fibers on the end for a lighter touch – I’m excited to try it with a highlighter); Japonesque Pixelated Finishing Powder (not sure what to do with this – is it a highlighter or for my whole face?); Adesse New York Brightening Base Coat (interested to try it); ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (huh?); and theBalm Cosmetics Mad Lash Mascara.
These are very sophisticated products – I will be cycling ALL of these into my routine soon, except maybe the mascara.
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.