Essie’s In Stitches

I gave this nail polish to Becca for Valentine’s Day cause she’s my best gal, and I’ve been lusting after it ever since. I’m not into pink, but In Stitches is a really rich salmon color with some mauve undertones. It’s hard to go wrong with Essie but I’m really pleased with this one. And it’s one more thing Becca and I can accidentally wear on the same day.

P.S. Thank you to my cool Mark-man for taking the picture for me. Couldn’t exactly get both hands in the photo on my own. I did buy a tripod finally though, so hopefully I’ll have more outfit posts now!

MAC Runaway Red

Even though I have a deep abiding love of lipstick, I’ve never bought a MAC lipstick. After being wonder struck by the lip color in this outfit post from Keiko Lynn, I decided it was finally time.

I can’t wait till Daylight Savings Time is here so I can get good light when I’m home from work because the color is beautiful but I couldn’t capture it perfectly. Just believe me when I say it is awesome and fits my pinky-red skin tone without looking too bright or too dark. It’s Shop MAC Runaway Red, and yes I had to fall for a limited edition lipstick. The lady behind the counter promised that I would find another red when this one is gone.

The texture is satin but it doesn’t come off too glossy. It has excellent staying power and this may sound weird, but it has a nice smell for the lipstick. Is that weird? Even if it is, it’s true. It smells good. This is probably the first in a long line of MAC lipsticks that I will run into the ground.

Desktop

I finally reorganized my desk and fixed the drawer that pulls out the front so I could close it. I’m trying to sit at my desk when I’m writing posts instead of laying in bed like a bag o bones. Now that it’s all cleaned up, I can’t wait to sit here! I cleared off a lot of old bottles and fake flowers that I had in college, and all the paper products (and my wacom) that are in the white organizer used to be stuffed in the broken drawer.

Some of my favorite things about my desk are my Sailor Moon clock (c/o Becca <3), my stand-up animal calendar, and my rabbit headphone hook. I’m really bummed that the rabbit part of my calendar is about to end cause it only shows January and February. March and April are going to be a cow.

Time to work on future posts at my nice clean desk!

Quick Gilded Lip

I saw this look in a magazine and I love me some gold, so I figured I would get out of bed long enough to try it out. It’s cute and not so outrageous that I’d feel silly wearing it for a party or an evening out. I didn’t have a red on hand, so I used Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick in Fuchsia and then patted some CoverGirl Eye Enhancer in Gold Sizzle on the center of my bottom and top lip.

Just a little baby post. I’m working on a big one going over the skin routine I’ve worked up to keep my dry, ruddy skin passably soft and even-toned. It’s gonna be a doozy.

Chanel Nail Color in Peridot

I own two Chanel nail polishes, and Peridot is by far my favorite. I also own Quartz, and it’s lovely in an elegant soft way, but Peridot always feels very glamorous AND edgy. It’s that odd gasoline-bubble sheen it has that really gets me.

Since I wear a lot of black, cream and gold, this goes with about 75 % of my wardrobe. When I’m actually wearing it, it usually looks like a green-gold, but sometimes in the sun it gets that really pretty blue gleam you see on the corners of the bottle.

When I finally went in to purchase it a few months ago, I had to buy their extra tester (which is why my bottle is missing the black top that usually covers the screw on cap) because it was all they had left. This was the second department store I had been to. The first was out completely. I understand why this color is so popular now.

I don’t usually do a good job of keeping up with nail color trends, so I’m gonna keep working this color till the end of time.

P.S. All of the nifty tricks I’m trying with my photos (like the detail circle with gradient and glitter stamp from my Warby Parker post) are tricks I learned on Pugly Pixel. She’s in my links section as well, but she has tons of tips and free goodies, so for anyone looking to spruce up their web visuals, she is an inspiration!

February Birchbox

I got my birchbox for this month! Sometimes I wish they wouldn’t give you sneak peaks of what you could get because they had a couple of goodies that I was keeping my fingers crossed for (I’m looking at you, Violent Lip tattoos and  new Zoya nail polish line).

This was the month of near misses. Everything had great potential, but only a few are things I would consider repeat buying.

1. BLK DNM Perfume 11 // I want to like it! It’s trying to be spunky and peppery, but I just don’t love it. It’ll go in my make-up bag for olfactory touch-ups during the day, but I won’t be picking up a full size. It’s so close though! I’m not opposed to more masculine perfumes, but this one is too similar to Marc Jacob’s Bang for me (another scent I wanted to love because I adored the bottle).

2. Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint in Pearl // Remember when I said I’ve never been able to find a tinted moisturizer that I liked? This would have been so perfect if it wasn’t so yellow!

It feels good. It gives even coverage and has a light, luminizing shimmer that isn’t reminiscent of middle school body glitter. Unfortunately for me, this is the lightest shade, and as you can see, it’s a no go for my skin tone. This bummed me out so hard because the formula is great otherwise.

3. Supersmile Powdered Mouthrinse // Some Supersmile toothpaste came in the Birchbox Man set that I got Mark for Christmas, and I love using that, so I hoped their powdered mouthwash would be a slam dunk that I could keep in my make-up bag at work. No dice. The design is very convenient, but the powder doesn’t dissolve very well and has an awful, sweet fluoride taste. What a boner.

4. Eye Rock Designer Liner // Not something I would wear everyday, but it was surprisingly fun. Some of the leftover ones are a little too wild for me, but I figure I can trim them down to a more classic cat eye.

I got a lot of compliments when I wore them to get my hair cut, and no one knew they were stick-ons. The cons are that they started to lose their sticky on the inner corner of my eye pretty early on and that they are kind of hard to apply. The application process might be what made parts lose their adhesive, because I had to adjust them a few times. Overall though, it was fun and I’m looking forward to using them again for some special occasion.

5. Benta Berry G-1 Moisturizing Face Cream // Another face product with these mysterious mattifying properties. It doesn’t work as a day cream for me because it makes my beloved Primed & Poreless Primer pill (sorry, that’s a mouthful). Still nice to put on as a after-work-but-before-bed moisturizer.

6. Birchbox Digital Download of Green River Ordinance // I listened to a few songs and they just aren’t my cup of tea. They’re from Texas so I’m glad they’re apparently about to hit the big time, but I couldn’t get into them.

So there’s February for ya. Not the best but still a good try for Birchbox.

Four-Eyes Forevah (Forevah Evah)

My new Warby Parker glasses came in!

I’ve been a glasses gal since the 7th grade, and I’ve always loved them. Sure my eyesight isn’t perfect, but it almost feels like a privilege. My peepers suck, so as a reward I get to rock an extra accessory every day without fail! In previous posts, you can see my beloved Webb frames in Revolver Black, but now I have a new love that I can rotate into my bespectacled life.

Say hello to my Zagg frames in Tennessee Whiskey! They’ll be making the rounds in future outfit/beauty posts I’m sure. And for anyone fortunate enough to need glasses, I definitely recommend Warby Parker. They send you up to five frames to try on for free, and you can model them for your friends until they are sick of it and make you choose. Most of the time this process involves lots of webcam photos for in-depth comparison. Plus, when you buy a pair they provide a free pair of glasses to someone who couldn’t afford them otherwise.

P.S. Don’t fret, my 20/20 friends. Warby also makes some fancy sunglasses so you too can enjoy cool frames AND your healthy eyes.

Outfit Post: Work It

Shirt – Banana Republic // Pencil Skirt and Blazer: H&M // Heels: Target // Tights: Gift from Becca

I work in an office setting, so sometimes it’s hard to feel like I’m breaking out of the blouse-and-slacks slump I often fall into. Yesterday I felt kind of fancy, very Edgeworth-esque.

Take special note of my cool bandaged hand. I spilled super hot tea on my hand at work yesterday morning and was moping around with my busted self until my manager taught me to the beauty of potato peelings as a remedy. Laid some of those bad boys on my burn, wrapped it with gauze and an ace bandage. It took the sting right out.

I didn’t notice till I got in my pjs that my glasses are crooked in this picture.

I’ve got some good posts coming up! I got my February Birchbox, I have new glasses from Warby Parker coming in the mail, and I have some new beauty products I’m going to review. Keep checking back!

e.l.f. Cosmetics Review

I got my first request for a blog entry! Albeit from my younger sister and her friends, but I’m more than happy to oblige.

They wanted me to review some products from e.l.f. (eyes lips face y’all), and at first I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to help them out because I thought I didn’t have that many. After digging around my make-up drawer, I realized that I was so wrong. I have more than enough to do a review.

First off, if you asked me what I thought of e.l.f. cosmetics, my response would be, “meh,” because I’ve had some that really let me down, but after thinking about it, I am forgetting how many have gotten the job done, and for only a couple of bucks at that! So I’m gonna review them by love, like, and blegh. Very technical I know.

Tone Correcting Powder, $3 // Studio Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 in Porcelain, $3

Tone Correcting Powder – I know it looks like a weird Easter egg palette, but this powder combo is supposed to help even out skin tone, and since I’ve always had issues with having red blotches, I gave it a shot. It just made my skin look cakey and old. The powder was really obvious on my face, so it got the boot. Part of the problem is that my skin is really dry, so powders and I don’t always get along. This was no exception.

Studio Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 in Porcelain - To be fair, to date I have not found a tinted moisturizer that I like.  This made my skin look streaky, and even though this is the lightest shade they have, it was too dark for me. To top it off, it made my skin break out a little bit after using it for a few days.

Essential Liquid Eyeliner in Black, $1 // Essential Zit Zapper, $1 // Essential Shimmering Facial Whip in Toasted, $1 // Studio Under Eye Concealer & Highlighter in Fair, $3

Essential Liquid Eyeliner in Black – I’m a cat eye enthusiast, so I shouldn’t be as scared of liquid eye liner as I am. This has a nice, precise tip, so if you have a semi-steady hand (like moi) it’s pretty easy to get that nice, crisp line you want. It fades a little bit after a while though, but as long as I’m not crying or sweating heavily (both of which, let’s face it, I probably do more than I’d like to admit) it holds its own pretty well.

Essential Zit Zapper – The only reason this little guy doesn’t make it to the Love List is because I don’t use it that much. One of the few positives about having dry skin is that I don’t break out very often, but if I see a zit starting, this helps shrink it down and keep it from getting really funky.

Essential Shimmering Facial Whip in Toasted – Before I bought my Mac Cream Colour Base (in Pearl), this was my go-to highlighter. It’s great to add some dewy, shimmery goodness to your brow arch, cheek bone, or even cupid’s bow. Unfortunately, after awhile it started to separate really bad, so when I squeezed the little bottle, a bunch of clear liquid would come out before the actual product. Nastay. It’s so cheap that I didn’t mind buying a fresh one, but now I am smitten with my new highlighter.

Studio Under Eye Concealer & Highlighter in Fair – I love my Dad like crazy, but he passed some frustrating Italian genes my way. Enter my freakish under eye circles. I’ll admit to staying up late, but all the sleep in the world can’t get rid of these suckers. This concealer has a nice yellow tint to it that helped neutralize my purple death-bags, and the highlighter was a nice touch to brighten up my brow bone or the inner corner of my eye. There was minimal creasing, and that’s one of my biggest qualifiers for a good under eye product. Unfortunately, like the facial whip, the formula started to go kind of sour after awhile. It had a weird smell to it that made me wary of continuing to use it.

Studio Brush Shampoo, $3 // Studio Eyebrow Kit in Medium, $3 // Studio Eyeshadow “C” Brush, $3 // Essential Foundation Brush, $1

Studio Brush Shampoo – Don’t forget how important it is to wash your brushes! You use them over and over again, and those bristles love to harbor dead skin and bacteria and it’s GROSS. Just work some of this stuff through the bristles from the base outward and rinse until the water runs clear. The shampoo is gentle and doesn’t make bristles fall out. I’m sure there are higher-end brands, but this is one product that has always done right by me.

Studio Eyebrow Kit in Medium – Another thing I inherited from my cool Italian dad were crazy thick eyebrows. Over the years I’ve learned to shape them and love them for the beasts they are, and this kit is a lifesaver when it comes to filling in a random sparse spot. The applicator is thin and precise, so it’s like drawing on however many hairs you need to make your eyebrows not look patchy and scary. The store only had medium when I went in, but it’s plenty dark enough for my brows.

Studio Eyeshadow “C” Brush – It looks like an ordinary eye shadow brush, but it’s so good at blending! Only in the past two years or so have I realized the importance of having the right brush for the job, and in my books, this one can hang with the best of them.

Essential Foundation Brush – No more smoothing on foundation with my bare, gross fingers. This puts it on smooth and even. That’s the long and short of it. Does its job and does it good.

And those are all of the e.l.f. products I’ve ever owned. It’s a great line to look into if you are looking for good value. Sure there are some misses, but considering most of the products are $1 a pop, you can afford to experiment a little. I hope this was helpful! I know I didn’t cover many make-up type items like eyeshadow or lipstick, but if I pick any up in the future I’ll let you guys know what I think.

I’m off to mope about it snowing. Little known fact: I’m not a big fan of snow.

No Longer a Lush Virgin

Becca and I made a trek to a Lush store a few weeks ago. Neither of us had ever been in one or used any of their products, so we just wanted to browse and see what the fuss was about. I’ve heard from some that Lush is overrated and other swear by it, so I wanted to approach it with a neutral mind. After being slathered in lotion and balms by the very attentive employees, we both picked up some bath products and skedaddled.

I purchased some bath bombs, a bubble bar, and one massage bar. I never used to take baths because I have a wimpy standard tub and my caulking it always splitting, so usually I just hop in the shower, scrub good and get out of there, but I finally bit the bath bullet, lit some candles, put on Law and Order, and got to it.

Phoenix Rising Bath Bomb, $6.95

The first one I tried was the Phoenix Rising bath bomb (based on a recommendation from Hannah on xojane.com), which itself was lovely. The only thing that hampered the experience was the fact that my tub ran out of hot water before filling up and I had to hold the stopper down with my foot to keep it from draining. Very swanky.

Despite looking very awkward trying to lay flat under the water, I enjoyed the actually bath bomb a lot! It smelled like cinnamon and apples (probably because there is a cinnamon stick in the bomb) and turned the water purple with a little bit of shimmer. I didn’t know about the second part but I love purple and it made the whole ordeal feel even more luxurious.

I have very dry skin, so I was worried that sitting in a bath would leave me itchy and sad, BUT it has cocoa butter and a few different oils in it so my skin actually felt soft and moisturized when I got out of the tub.

Sunny Side Bubble Bar, $6.95

Today I tried the Sunny Side Bubble Bar and it was amazing! It smelled citrusy and nice, and the water was full of golden shimmers. I thought that more of the shimmer would show up on me afterwards, but they stayed in the water. The bubbles were great and lasted a good 30 minutes.

Strawberry Feels Forever Massage Bar, $9.95

Strawberry Feels Forever is a solid lotion massage bar, and when I use it I smell like a big strawberry candy. It’s almost too much, but I usually rub some on between shower and bed so I don’t assault the public. The solid lotion is an interesting formula, but I’m not crazy about it. It starts to melt in my hand when I rub it on, and eventually it’s kind of hard to hold onto. Storing it is kind of a pain too because I have to hide it where no heat can get to it so it won’t melt.

Space Girl, $4.95 / Sex Bomb, $6.45

These two are sitting under my vanity sink, and I’ll probably try them in the next couple of weeks. Money-wise, these will probably be the last ones I get for awhile even if I love love love them. It’s hard to tell when this Texas winter is going to come to a screeching halt, and I don’t imagine it’s very fun to take a hot bath in the summer, so this might be a cool weather past time that I can save up for during the summer.

I think when it comes to Lush I’m gonna stick to the bath products like bubble bars and bath bombs. Now that I’ve discovered the power of a full on candle-lit bubble bath, I might look into fizzes and bubble products from other places. I’ve heard there are a lot of great vendors on Etsy, so if anyone has recommendations, I’d love to hear them!