2016 Top.....

For 2016, I'm going to do a top 5 for each category for eyes, lips, face, skincare, nails and body! I'm toying around with don't one just for eyeshadow palettes. I got the idea when emilynoel83 did her 2015 favorites. She broke them up into categories and did a top 10. I am going to stick to 5 items. I'm not sure if  these posts will go up at the end of December or early January. I'm still planning on doing a Top 5 for December. Oye vey. So there's a lot going on. For this I need to make a good old fashioned list! Started writing before I snapped a pic. HA!

Let's see how all this goes! Stay tuned!

November 2016 Top 5 & More

Sorry for the delay but life things have popped up and life is currently in progress. It happens. But I need to take my mind off some things. So I decided to go ahead and finish up this post. Another month has come and gone. Here's the good and bad that got my attention in November.

Top 5

philosophy Candy Cane Shower Gel

QVC got me once again. Didn't need any more shower gel but they had some of their holiday scents in super size and a buy more and save promo. I picked up Gingerbread Man which I am enjoying but they one I am LOVING is Candy Cane. It's just pepperminty goodness that gives you a little kick in the shower. I would definitely use this one year round. Trying to hold off and not get another bottle but I just might and then go on an extended no buy for shower gels. We shall see.

smashbox Mega Photo Op Palette

This was a shop my stash item in November. It's a past favorite and I always enjoyed using it. I hadn't reached for it in a while and I had put in the items in my second Glambot shipment. Well y'all know how that turned out. If not check out my Glambot review post. So once I got it back I said well hell let me use it. Smashbox was one of the first mid range brands that I played around with and I loved their eyeshadows. I had a lot of fun using this palette. In the past when I used it, I stuck with using  it how it's laid out in trios and two quads at the bottom. This time I bounced around all over. I also enjoyed using the highlighters in this palette. I may have used them here and there back with I was "scared" of highlighters. I didn't use any of the cream/lip products. I'm not sure if they're still any good. I did play around with the coral colored blush and it does nothing against my skin tone. But still the eyeshadows and highlighters alone are enough for me to be satisfied with this palette. I think this may be the palette I travel with for 2017.

LaFemme Blushes

Another past favorite. Super pigmented and inexpensive blushes that I always enjoy using whenever I reach for them. The main shade that I reached for is Russet. It's a beautiful shade to wear this time of year. The other shade I used a lot was Bordeaux.

Wen Fall Ginger Pumpkin

This is the Wen seasonal cleansing conditioner that started it all. This is one of my favorites but I hadn't used it in a while. A friend of mine gave me a bottle since she's not a fan of the fall scents. Then I purchased a set from QVC on auto delivery that included the cleansing conditioner, oil and replenishing treatment mist. I love the scent. I you are a pumpkin scented lover then you will love this scent. More so I love how these products feel in my hair and how they work in my hair. The cleansing conditioner is creamy and moisturizing. The oil is phenomenal and the replenishing treatment mist is a nice refresher for my hair that I use daily.

Bobbi Brown Cocoa Eyeshadow

My Bobbi Brown eyeshadows were in the Glambot shipment that came back. Bobbi Brown's Cocoa eyeshadow is another past favorite.This was used a lot in November. I mean a lot! It is described as ashy plum brown. It doesn't look like much but it's the perfect one eyeshadow.  You can use lightly for a light wash of color on the lid. Or you build up it and smoke it out. It really is a versatile shadow.

Yays!

Estee Lauder Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick in Scarlet Siren

One of my author/beauty friends had talked about Estee Lauder on her blog. I had commented that I hadn't tried anything from the brand and she was nice enough to send me a few things. The shade reminds me of Kat Von D's Archangel (burnt red). Scarlet Siren is a creme whereas Archangel is matte. The Pure Color lipstick formula is fantastic! This goes on so smoothly, it's not drying on the lips and the staying power is fantastic. I definitely want to check out more shades from this line.

Estee Lauder Matte Perfecting Primer

I got this is a sample size that I got two uses out of the packet (not pictured). I was really surprised by this. This primer claims are "controls oil and reduces shine so makeup looks smooth, even, flawless." per the Estee Lauder website. I say yes to all of these! It similar to philosophy's The Present which is my current holy grail primer. But after two used of Estee Lauder's primer, it may have a run for its money. I have it saved on my Ulta Favorites list as a reminder. I may pick up a full size when I get through the primers I have on hand.

Boos!

Covergirl Supersizer Mascara Waterproof

This is a past favorite. I did not know when I ordered it from Walgreens that it was the waterproof version. Yea I don't like the waterproof version at all. Mainly due to it being hard to remove and I didn't like how my lashes felt. The only reason I got it was the Star Wars packaging. Dah well.

Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Longwear Foundation Stick

I mentioned this back in February as a favorite. I was going to mention it a favorite this month. It's still a favorite but I noticed when using it that it started bending and there was a crack in it. Then one morning it happened. It broke off while I was applying it. GAHHHH!!!! *wall slides*. So this is the only reason it is a boo for this month. I  may repurchase it at some point when I can get some kind of discount since it is a pricey foundation but I do really really like it.

And there you have it. A lot of past favorites reappeared this month. On to December!

December 2016 Shop My Stash

December! DECEMBER! Oye vey. This year flew by but this year has also been a rough one. So honestly I'm kinda glad to see it go. I decided to keep it kinda of simple this month since this an all over the place month with the holidays thrown in the mix. Here's what I'm playing around with for the month!

Palette Play

For some reason the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette popped in my head. So I'm going to play around with it and some single Bare Minerals shadows.

Polish Play

I'm still playing around with some of the Milani nail polishes I pulled out last month. I'm adding some nail polishes for December that are a little more festive. From OPI, I'm adding Amore at the Grand Canal, Live and Let Die and First Class Desires. From Sephora by OPI, I'm adding Good Tidings We Bling. It's almost on it's last legs *tear* lol! Also I think I have found my holy grail red nail polish with Amore at the Grand Canal. I will definitely do a nail post with this one.

Fragrance Play

For fragrances I plan on reaching for philosophy Living Grace, philosophy Eternal Grace and Boyfriend by Kate Walsh.

Out of My Face

Here is what I used up in November:

• Wen Summer Coconut Lime Verbena Cleansing Conditioner
• Serious Skincare A Force XR Serum Concentrate
• Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Rinse
• philosophy Pure Grace Body Lotion 16oz
• tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Masacara 
• tarte Tarteist Mascara
• Bath & Body Works Nourishing Hand Cream in Limoncello
• NYX HD Concealer in Nutmeg
• Eyeko Visual  Eyes Liiquid Eyeliner in Ebony
• Serious Skincare Ultra-Mare Pure Marine Infusion Concentrated Serum
• Ashea Shea Butter Pomade
• HK Girl Fast Drying & Super Shiny Clear Top Coat
• Serious Skincare A Wash 12oz
• Bioderma Sensibio H2O 500ml
• Arm & Hammer Ultra Max Deodorant in Powder Fresh 

Thanks for following me along as I go through my stash! I plan to keep these posts going for 2017.  I may switch it up a bit. I'm hoping to purge and use more stuff up!

#ManicureMonday Milani Natural Touch & Sangria Rush

Hellllllooooooooo!

If you celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope that you had a good one. I ate way too much but that's nothing new lol!!

Today I am wearing two nail polishes from Milani. I am wearing Natural Touch which comes across as a pinky brown nude against my skin tone. I'm not sure how I feel about it. It's different for me. I'm more used to wearing brown nudes on my nails. We shall see if it's a keeper. Let me know what you think. As an accent nail, I am wearing Sangria Rush is a pretty purple wine color. It is in my nail polish zone. I'm definitely keeping this one and plan on doing a full manicure with it.

TTFN - ta ta for now!

October 2016 Top 5 & More

Hey how you doing, how you been? There a lot of lip products this month. So here we go!

Top 5

MAC Selena Collection

More MAC! I swear MAC has gotten my coins these last couple of months. When I heard that MAC was doing a Selena collection I was SO EXCITED! I luuuuhhhh me some Selena! As usual with MAC, the launch of the collection online was a clusterf*$#! I lucked up and got the three lipsticks. I debated on a few more items in the collection but I got what I knew I would use. The lipsticks in this collection are flipping fantastic and so Selena! AMOR PROHIBIDO is a Glaze lipstick and is described as a pinky midtone brown. This right is a fantastic nude lipstick! I've never tried a Glaze finish lipstick from MAC. It's not too shiny and feels so nice on the lips. COMO LA FLOR is an Amplified lipstick and it's described as a dirty cherry red. This red lipstick right here!  it's so so good! The last lipstick in the collection is Dreaming of You which is a Matte finish. It is described as a deep wine. These three lipsticks shades are in my happy place for lip colors and the packaging is super cute too. I also love the the lipstick names are song titles. It makes it a little more special ya know. If you can get you hands on these check them out! MAC is probably in my top 3 when it comes to lipsticks. Everything is pretty much sold out everywhere but they are supposed to be doing another release in January. Now if MAC will do a collection for Aaliyah, I'll be really really happy!

IMAN Global Chic Runway Glam Perfect Plaid Luxury Wrap

I originally ordered this wrap in two colors. Then I went back for the third. I have one at work and the other two are at home. This wrap is so soft and warm! I've wrapped up in it and it's not too much or doesn't get in the way. You can fashion it so many different ways. I will definitely use on for travel since it's usually cold in airports and on airplanes. Two of the colors are still available at HSN. I think this would make a great Christmas gift. Oye vey Christmas is coming! *cringes*. I didn't take a pic. HSN's product page will do the wrap more just than any pics I could take.

NYX Liquid Suede Lip Cream and Suede Matte Lip Liners

I can't remember if I talked about these or not. I originally picked up Kitten Heels (bright red) and Vintage (plum with mauve undertone) after seeing TheFancyFaced mix the two in a video. Then I got Sandstorm (true nude) on sale from CVS. Then they launched more shades and lip liners. I went Ulta when they had a promo going on (of course) and picked up two more and the lip liners. I picked up Downtown Beauty (walnut brown) and Club Hopper (brown with reddish undertone) in the lip creams. I picked up Downtown Beauty (true brown), Club Hopper (deep purple mauve) and Oh, Put It On (deep dark purple) in the lip liners. These are not liquid lipsticks. They are cream lip colors. So they will transfer some when you eat or drink but I still feel that they still have good wear time. If you're not a fan of liquid lipsticks then check these or their soft matte lip creams out. They don't dry out your lips like liquid lipsticks. I've been a fan of NYX regular lip liners and the Suede Matte ones are just as good. The color range available in both the lip creams and lip liners is quite nice. Some of the deeper shades are calling my name.

tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation SPF 15

I picked this foundation up from Ulta as part of an exchange for a boo item mentioned below. This foundation had been mentioned a lot on Tarte's snapchat and their YouTube channel. When they mention that is comes in 24 shades I was curious about the deeper shade range. I tried this foundation years ago in a Tarte TSV set from QVC, The shade included was called deep and it won't that deep. So I hopped on Sephora website and there is x shades in the  deep rang. When I read that x is deep with a peach undertone I was really curious about it since the Shape Tarte concealer I have been using has a peach undertone and I'm loving it. I don't know why I thought this foundation was $27 but it's actually $39. But you get more than your typical 1oz. Also being that this is a thicker foundation with a more fuller coverage, you don't need a lot. I really like the color match of this shade for my skin tone. When I first wore it, I snapped a pic and sent it to two friends. They said it didn't even look like I had foundation on. I was like score! It id oxidize some throughout the course of the day but it wasn't terrible. For my oily skin, I think it's ok. No matter what foundation I wear, at some point throughout the day I have to blot. If you have super oily skin then you may not like this foundation. I've applied this foundation with a brush and a sponge. I like both but when using a brush, I like to dampen the brush. It helps move the foundation across the face. So score for a new foundation discovery.

Rimmel The Only 1 Lipstick in Oh So Wicked

I got this lipstick in one of the Allure Beauty boxes I ordered. I forgot that I had it. I have items from both boxes at work and have been bringing home items here and there. I was digging through and saw this and what like what is this? I popped the cap off, saw this shade and was like oooooooooohhhhhh!!!!!! I brought it home immediately. I rarely wear the same lip color back to back during the week. I've worn this a bunch of times over the last couple of weeks of October. This is toted as an all in one lip product. that supposed to provide long wearing color, comfort, moisture and wear time. I think it does just that. This shade is nicely pigmented, feels nice on the lips, didn't dry out my lips and wore nicely throughout the day. It reminds me off Revlon's Black Cherry lipstick which has been a long time favorite. But dare I say I like this a tad better. I was going to get some other shades but held off since the shades I was drawn to are similar to shades I already have in my stash. But they may change lol!! If you're looking for some new lipsticks to try then check this line out!

Yays!

No surprise products this month.

Boos!

LORAC Mega Pro 3 Palette

Welp I mentioned earlier in October month that this palette was in rotation with a bunch of other palettes (October 2016 Shop My Stash). I did four looks with this palette and said nope. I returned it to Ulta. I don't own any of the other LORAC Pro palettes. I had the Pro to Go palette which I used here and there and I did like it but not enough to keep it. It was in the first package of items I send to Glambot that they did accept. I've seen a ton of reviews on LORAC eyeshadows. So I already knew that they're very soft and powdery. It's not my favorite eyeshadow formula. The array of colors spoke to me when I saw it in pictures. In person, not to so much. I feel that there are a ton of light shades and it is very dupable palette. Also the eyeshadows would crease on my eyes within a few hours. If you have a pretty decent eyeshadow stash then I don't think this is a must have unless you're a fan of LORAC or a collector of the Mega Pro palettes. I was going to do a few more looks with it and I said no. I am not going to force myself to like it. See progress. So I exchanged it for the Tarte foundation I mentioned earlier and a few other items.

Colour Pop Ultra Glossy Lips

This mix of mehs and boos. I picked up several of Colour Pop's lip glosses during their Labor Day promo. I've listed them in the order of what I like the most to the least.

• Honey B (creme finish) - vivid magenta
• Lychee Me (sheer finish) - warm nude beige
• My Jam (metallic finish) - warm golden nude shimmering with silver and gold
• Fudg'd (sheer finish) - warm saddle brown
• Stain (sheer finish) - soft burgundy 

The sheer finish ones are just that they are very sheer with little to no color. If you just want to add shine to your lip then you could use a clear gloss, Carmex or something else instead. There's nothing warm about Lychee Me (at least again my skin tone) but it is a nice nude gloss that you can layer on top of just about anything. The same goes with Fug'd. I was excited to try this one. It's pretty much nothing on my lips. My Jam is actually nice. I had to be careful with it since it's a metallic finish and a gold shade. I didn't want my lips to appear ashy. I did a swipe on my bottom lip only and blend it. I used Pitch lip liner with it. Honey B is the most pigmented of the ones I have. Overall I'm not a fan of the sheer finish ones. The other ones are ok but I'm not wowed by them. I wore these glosses on their own with a lip liner to test them out. They feel nice on and are not sticky but that's it.  I think there are better glosses out there from NYX, Milani and others within the same price range that you can pick up in store and not pay shipping that are better than these.

November go!

#ManicureMonday OPI Yank My Doodle & Worth a Pretty Penne

Today I am wearing two of the three shades that came in my last OPI auto delivery from HSN. Yank My Doodle is a shade from the OPI Washington DC collection that I did not pick up. It is described as a tawny copper. Worth a Pretty Penne is described as shimmery copper. I like this as an accent nail. Not sure how I feel about on both hands. I may try it out and see. I wearing two coats of both polishes. I think this is a pretty fall nail look.

TTFN - Ta ta for now!

November 2016 Shop My Stash

November....already! Oye vey. Here's what I'm playing around with for the month!

Palette Play 

I got my items back from Glambot on Halloween (and nothing smelled like smoke by the way. Still pissed about my last dealings with them). I noted some items to play with for November. I had some single Bobbi Brown eyeshadows that I snapped into two of her empty palettes. I've played around with them already and have really been enjoying them. One shade is already a front runner for a November favorite. Can you guess which one? I also decided to use the Smashbox Photo Op Mega Palette which is another past favorite item. These items aren't bad. It's just that with having so much makeup and not using them for a while, I decided to pass them on. Buttttt now that they are back I will use them.

Polish Play

I'm going to play around with a bunch of older Milani nail polishes and the newer Color Statement nail polishes that I have. There are a lot of nail polishes in and around this bowl. Some of these I had pulled aside to give away. But then I wanted play around with them again and then decide. Here we have:

• Black Swift
• Peach Innocence 
• Showy Sea Green
• Bolting Blue
• Black Cherry
• Mauve Medley
• Chocolate Sprinkles
• Deep Thoughts
• Vivid Violet
• Vanilla Almond
• Dark Coffee
• Sangria Rush
• Rad Purple
• Natural Touch
• Sugar Cane
• Sugar High
• Spotlight White
• Enchanted Garnet
• Enchanted Sapphire
• Enchanted Emerald
• Dolci
• Gilded Rocks

Since there is a lot here and December is kind of "short"/all over the place month, I may continue using these into December. I may just throw in some glitter polishes that I like to wear around the holidays next month and call it a day.

Fragrance Play

For fragrance I am going to work on trying to use up what I have left of philosophy's Falling in Love. I am also going to play around with the two scents I am from Sofia Vegara in Sofia and Love.

Out of My Face

Here is what I used up in October:

• Serious Skincare A Eye XR
• Serious Skincare A Serum
• Wen 319 Body Treatment
• Simple Micellar Make-up Remover Wipes
• Korres Body Butter in Basil Lemon
• Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean & Fresh Toothpaste in Clean Mint
• philosophy Fresh Cream and Mint Body Lotion
• Colour Pop Lip Liner in Pitch
• Colour Pop Lip Liner in Ellarie
• Bath & Body Works True Blue Spa Shea Butter Super Rich Body Cream Fragrance Free

Sorry for the weird lighting. But remember Google is your friend. Play time go!

#ManicureMonday Milani Black Swift & China Glaze Brand Sparkin' New Year

Happy Monday!

Happy Halloween!

Today I am wearing Milani's High Speed Fast Dry nail polish in Black Swift. It is a black creme. On the bottle it also says one coat formula which I just noticed after I painted my nails. I was going to say this is a one coater. I did use two coats but the second coat really wasn't necessary. This is one of Milani's old nail polishes that have were discontinued when they launched the Color Statement nail polishes. However, I have seen these Milani polishes at The Dollar Tree and I think I saw someone mention that they've seen them at Big Lots. Plus I'm sure you can probably find them online. On top of Black Swift, I am wearing China Glaze's Brand Sparkin' New Year. I lucked up and found it at Sally's on sale for $1.99. I swear that now refuse to pay full price for nail polishes like OPI, Essie, China Glaze, etc. It is described as a deep prismatic purple glitter. I really like it against the black polish. Can't wait to try it with other purple nail polishes.

TTFN - ta ta for now!

Less Stuff Update: Glambot - Hit or Miss

In my Less Stuff update last month, I mentioned that I was going to send some makeup items to Glambot. Glambout accepts used makeup from certain brands. So I went through my stash kinda gingerly at first then I went through like a bandit! I ended up sending them 50 items. I didn't know it was that much lol. You have to send them at least 20 items. Of the 50 I sent, only 2 were not accepted. I was ok with that and I was ok with the amount they offered for the items I sent. You have the option of accepting the cash pay out via Paypal or a store credit to shop with them. Of course I opted for the cash. The process was smooth for me. I request a mailing label and it was emailed to me. Checking the tracking number, Glambot received my items within a couple of days. I received my offer a couple of days after they received my package. I accepted the offer the same day and received the money in my Paypal account the next day.

Sooooooooo since I had such good success with my first box of stuff I sent, I got another round of items to send. I mailed the items October 18. I just got an email from them that my order was REJECTED due the items smelling like cigarette smoke. I DO NOT SMOKE!! I am PISSED. The driver of whatever delivery truck it was on could have been smoking with my box on the truck. Or hell it could have been on of THEIR employees smoking around my box. So now I'm being penalized for it?! I'm hot to trot right now. To get my items back, I have to pay them $15. I will never deal with them again. It's hit or miss. Seriously. Ugh! So try Glambot at your own risk.

#ManicureMonday Zoya Merida

Hellllooooo!!!

Today I am wearing Zoya's Merida from Urban Grunge Fall/Winter collection. Merida is a metallic holo and I LOVE Zoya's holo polishes. I now have 6 and I seriously want all of them. I had to trim down my nails since two broke off last week grrrrrr. When I have shorter nails, I'm very particular about what nail polishes I wear. I think this looks really nice on short nails. Merida is described as "a brilliant lush evergreen scattered holo" and I am wearing two coats. I think this will definitely be one of my go to polishes for the holidays! I think this will pair nicely with a red or silver polish! *swoons* I may take another look at the other 3 metallic holos in the collection that I do not have. I high recommend Zoya's holo polishes. Get chu some!

TTFN - ta ta for now!

September 2016 Top 5 & More

Once upon a time, I was able to get these posts up in their slated month lol. Dah well. There's a lot going on in this post. Like to hear it, here it go!

Top 5

Signature Sedona Lace Travel Tote

I won this in a giveaway some time ago and I never used it. I knew I wouldn't like it for air travel purposes. For my everyday items I bring in the bathroom, I had being using the small Joy Mangano Better Beauty Case. It was cool for a good will but since it's the small size, I was limited in what I could put in it. Also I would usually have too many products in it, so it was hard to shift stuff around to look for items. So I randomly the thought popped in my head to use the Signature Sedona Lace Travel Tote. So I reorganized my items with pencils and mascaras in the brush side. In the zip pouch I have various lippies and lip pencils. In the open space is everything else and a few products in the side pocket. The items in the side pocket don't really stay put. I wish the pocket was cinched. But it's no biggie. I have really been enjoying this for everyday use. I also like that if I had a car trip, I can just throw in foundation, powder and bronzer and go! Sedona Lace is always having some kind of promo and you can also find a $4 promo code from a YouTuber. So you can save some on it if you're interested.

MAC Taraji P. Henson Collection

I'm cheating here with three productions *shrugs*. When I found out that MAC was doing a collection with Taraji P. Henson, I was like GIVE...IT...ME! I was all over this. When I started seeing promo pics I was even more sold on the collection. I picked up two of the lipstick from in the collection called Strip Me Down. It is a matte and described as a deeptone beige. I've paired with Colour Pop liner liners Pitch and Ellarie and I like it with both. The collection has two Mineralize Skinfinishes (MSFs). Highlight the Truth is described as soft bronze coral with golden shimmer. It is a very pretty highlighter. The other is an MSF Natural called Taraji Glow. It is described as a reddish brown. I can wear this shade as a blush. Of course after playing around with the items, I said I wanted backups of the MSFs lol. The one sucky thing is that some of the MSFs were mislabeled. MAC made amends which I thought was cool. I have both of them so I'm not bummed. This lipstick is still available on MAC's site. Both MSFs are still sold out. So I would check a MAC store if you're near one or other retailers that carry MAC.

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Point in Eclair & Extra Dimension Eyeshadow in Havana

More MAC items. I reacquainted myself with these two items when I was digging through my stash from items to send to Glambot. I hadn't used these in a while but I knew they were not leaving my stash. Paired together they create the pretties brown eyeshadow look. Some times I paired it with a darker brown shadow and other times I wore just these two together. Eclair is described as a light chocolate with gold pearl. It was limited edition so it's currently not available. MAC likes to bring items back or you make luck up and find it online. Havana is described as a dirty copper brown and is available from MAC.

Juvia's Place Sheba Eyeshadow

I enjoyed playing around with both Juvia's Place palettes that I pulled out for September. One eyeshadow that got my attention and that I used a lot is Sheba in The Nubian 2 palette. It's the prettiest bronze shade that's not warm and doesn't run red. It's great for everyday. I paired it with Kenya which is also in The Nubian 2 palette. If you're bored with eyeshadows from mainstream brands then check the Juvia's Place palettes and eyeshadows out.

Serious Skincare A Wash Gel-to-Foam Cleanser

I picked up the Serious Skincare Age Defy & Exfoliate Kit from HSN back in June and this cleanser was included. When I first used it, I was just ok to me. The more I used it the more I liked it. It's a gel to foam cleanser. It lightly foams which I like since I don't care for super foamy cleansers. In the morning it enough of a cleanser to prep my skin for the rest of my skincare routine. In the evening with my Clarisonic it get my makeup off. So score! Visit HSN's product information page for more info!

Yays

Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale 

I came across the Harvest Pumpkin Ale at Safeway and said well now. I'm not much of a beer drinker but pumpkin season is upon us, so why not! Also Blue Moon is one beer brand that I do drink here and there. This is actually quite nice. The pumpkin flavor is not too much.

tarte Tartelette Palette

I had meant to mention this last month. This was just sitting on my dresser and I thought it was in my cart with my other palettes. Smh. I got this when I exchanged a Clinique foundation at Sephora. Why can't I just return an item and walk right back out the store? I have looked at this palette off and on for a while now. So I said ok I'll try it and if it doesn't work out it is going back. Well I was surprised just how much I liked this palette. I liked it so much that I got rid of The Balm's Meet Matte Nude palette that has been a past favorite. This palette to me is a lot more versatile that The Balm's palette. If you are a matte eyeshadow lover you HAVE to check this out. These eyeshadows are smooth, not powdery, pigmented and easy to blend. After my experience with this palette, I plan to pick up the Tartelette in Bloom palette at some point.

tarte Maneater Voluptuous Mascara

Another product I meant to talk about last month. Lawdy. This originally launched on QVC UK then a week or two later in launched on QVC here in the US. Leigh from Tarte had talked about this mascara before it launched. So I said why not. This is good everyday mascara. For me it gives me a lot of length. I love the applicator. It a rubber applicator with smaller bristles. Rubber applications work best for my lashes. This mascara is also a great mixer with other Tarte mascaras. I usually don't mix mascaras. I randomly tried it with Lights, Camera Lashes and the Tartetist Lash Paint mascara. I enjoyed it with both. I plan to try it with The Gifted mascara when I crack a tube open. So if you're looking for a new mascara to try then check this out.

Gerard Cosmetics Lipgloss in Wild Orchid

This was given to me by a friend. I had eyed this on their website during one of their sales but didn't get it. If you are a purple lippie lover then I highly recommend this. Even though this is a gloss it wears more like a lip lacquer. It wears nicely throughout the day and doesn't dry out my lips.

Serious Skincare MEGA FORCE™ Liquid Exfoliant

Annnnnd another Vitamin A product form Serious Skincare lol. This is another item that was included in the Serious Skincare Age Defy & Exfoliate Kit. I would say it's comparable to Paula's Choice SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant I have used and liked Paula's Choice liquid exfoliant. So I said ok I'll use this one and then decide which one I'll stick with. I'm sticking with this! This makes my skin so soft and I feel that the skincare products I use afterwards absorbs into my skin better. I compared the ingredient deck and it's somewhat similar. I think the main difference is that this has retinol in it. Again I think since I'm no expert. If you looking for a liquid exfoliant product to add to your skin care routine then I highly recommend this one. For more information check out the HSN's product information page. You can find a better description of the product, reviews and video presentation from the brand reps. I am LOVING everything I have tried from the Vitamin A line. I'm sure you'll see something else mentioned in October. I'm just sayin *shifty eyes*.

Boos

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo & Conditioner

Since I've have been using Wen's Tea Tree Cleansing Conditioner, I have been curious about various Tea Tree shampoos and conditioners. This one but Paul Mitchell has had me curious for a while. So I picked up the mini bottles from Ulta and I probably had a coupon. The shampoo was blah and I felt like I had to use a lot to get my hair clean and my hair didn't really feel clean. The conditioner was just as bad. It didn't add any additional moisture to my hair and it didn't help detangle my hair. Thankfully I used the One n Only Argain Oil Hydrating Mask afterward and that saved my hair. After I took the pic of the bottles for this post, they went in the trash. I'll stick with Wen's Tea Tree Cleansing Conditioner.

Neutrogena Light Cleansing Oil

I got this in one of the Allure Beauty Boxes. I was interested to try it since I've heard good reviews on it. It is light. It's not super thick like some cleansing oils. It did get all my makeup off  but it irritated my eyes the few times I used it. And I had that cloudy feeling too once I rinsed my eyes. This always happens with whatever cleansing oil I use. Overall I'm just not a fan of cleansing oils. I may pass this on to a friend who likes it. I'll stick with makeup remover wipes, cleanser and Clarisonic.

NYX Slide On Eye Pencils in Jet Black and Brown Perfection

I've heard off and on that these are dupes for Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils. Demolition and Perversion are my holy grail brown and black pencil eyeliners. I have some other shades too. I ran out of Demolition and Perversion a while ago. I had been using some other liners I had in my stash. They were just ok. So I said let me try these and see if the dupe title is worthy. Yea um welllll NOPE! They do glide on to the eye with ease. Brown Perfection is not a deep enough brown for my liking. Jet Black is ok but it ain't (yes I said ain't) Perversion. I think I used the black on my waterline and it flaked off something terrible in my eyes! That has never happened to me before. I've already picked up Demolition and I will get Perversion soon. These are going in the trash. I'll pay for what works on my eyes.

Create 365 Happy Planner Ink Pens W/Black Ink 4/Pkg-Black & White Designs

I ordered these from Blitsy. There were part of Me and My Big Ideas planner basics release. I gave one to a friend and kept the other 3. I started writing with the black and white striped one. You can see in the pic that the black stripes started rubbing off. I was like what the what!?!? It writes ok but they're not my favorite pens to write with and for me it's too slim. It's awkward for me to hold. I prefer the Uni-ball Signo and Papermate Inkjoy gel pens. So the two I have not used I'm going to pass on and toss the other one.

And there you have it. Let's see what October brings!

#ManicureMonday OPI "Liv" in the Gray #Kerry4OPI #OPIWashingtonDC

Happy Monday!

Today I am wearing "Liv" in the Gray from the OPI DC Collection. It is described as a sophisticated dark gray. I'm wearing two coats. It's a nice shade. I can't peg the undertone but something is going on in the background. At least against my skin tone I think there's some kind of undertone to the polish. *shrugs* LOL!

TTFN - ta ta for now!

#ManicureMonday OPI Shh...It's Top Secret & Inside the ISABELLEtway #Kerry4OPI #OPIWashingtonDC

Happy Monday!

Oh the awkward hand poses continue -____- lol!

I was going to say I think I have found my go to mani for Fall but I may have found my go to mani period. Today I am wearing Shh...It's Top Secret which is described as a deep, deep brown. I enjoy a nice deep nail polish color year round and this it just that! I'm planning on getting pedicure and I think I want this on my toes. As an accent nail I am wearing Inside the ISABELLEtway and it is described as a caramel creme. It looks deeper than a caramel shade on my skin tone but I think it is a perfect nude for skin tone. I have this one as mini but I think I want a full size bottle. I am wearing two coats of both but honestly I could have used just one. These two polishes instantly caught my eye when I started looking at this collection. I think these two pair very nicely together. I can't wait to flip it and have Inside the ISABELLEtway as my main polish and Shh...It's Top Secret as an accent nail. Will definitely keep this duo in mind for work travel.

TTFN - ta ta for now!

October 2016 Shop My Stash

Happy October! *shakes my head at the fact that it is OCTOBER*

Palette Play

This month I'm going to play around with a bunch palettes. I'm deciding on the remaining palettes I have from of Urban Decay (excluding the Naked palettes), Bobbi Brown and Tarte palettes I got in sets from QVC. I am getting together another batch of items to send to Glambot probably by the end of the month/early November (review coming). I also ordered the LORAC Mega Pro 3 palette from Ulta. I passed on the other two but for some reason the makeup spirits said order it. I've done one look with it already and I'm not all that impressed. So we'll see if I keep it. Annnnnnd I also got the Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics palette which I've already used a few times and I'm really enjoying it. So a lot to play around with this month and decisions to make.

Polish Play

I'm going to continue playing around with the OPI Washington DC Collection and Zoya polishes that I mentioned last month. I'm going to add Toni, Stacy and Jem from Zoya to the mix.

Fragrance Play

For fragrance, I am going to play around with the two Juicy Couture scents I have in Viva la Juicy and Viva la Juicy Rosé.

Out of My Face

Here's what I used up in September:

• Serious Skincare A Defiance A Force XR Retinol Serum Concentrate 1oz 
• Boscia Pink Peppermint Blotting Linens 100 sheets
• NYX Slim Lip Pencil in Espresso 
• Wen Tea Tree Eucalyptus Treatment Oil 4oz
• Skindinavia The Finshing Makeup Spray Oil Control
• Serious Skincare Pure Pep Concentrate  2oz
• One n Only Argan Oil Hydrating Mask
• Influance Stimulating Scalp Oil 
• Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent 
• Serious Skincare A Defiance 4 Million IU A Cream XR 2oz
• Serious Skincare Serious-C C Serum
• Covergirl Queen All Day Flawless Foundation in Mocha
• philosophy Amazing Grace Whipped Body Creme 16oz
• philosophy The Present
• Ulta Enriched Nail Polish Remover

Let's get to it!

Midweek Polish Change: OPI CIA and Pale to the Chief #Kerry4OPI #OPIWashingtonDC

Happy Thursday!

It is a wet and dreary day here in the DC area. A perfect day to stay home *insert long deep sigh*. Anywho!

Today I am wearing CIA = Color is Awesome and Pale to the Chief from the OPI Washington DC collection. CIA is described as a dusky blue and Pale to the Chief is described as nearly nude. I am wearing two coats of both polishes I am really digging Pale to the Chief. Can't wait to try it on both hands instead of just and accent nail.

See you Monday!

#ManicureMonday OPI Never a Dulles Moment & We the Female #Kerry4OPI #OPIWashingtonDC

Happy Monday!

Not the best pics but here we go! Today I am wearing Never a Dulles Moment. It is described as a curry yellow. I definitely had to work with it and had to go in with a third coat on a few fingers. Typical for a yellow nail polish. I am wearing We the Female as an accent nail. It is described as an empowering garnet shade which is very pretty and I really like it. I had no problems with this one and I am wearing two coats.

See you later in the week for another shade combo from the OPI DC Collection!

August 2016 Top 5 & More

Late again. Curses *shakes fist* I was determined to get this up on August. Dah well. Here it tis!

Top 5

philosophy Pure Grace Shampoo, Bath & Shower Gel

Last year, I mentioned how I had really enjoyed using the Pure Grace Whipped Body Creme. Well I ordered the philosophy grace & love 4-piece fragrance set back in June that included a super size of the shampoo, bath & shower gel and regular sizes of the body lotion, olive oil scrub and fragrance. I did auto delivery (surprise surprise) and I got Pure Grace as my first scent. I have been OBSESSED with the shower gel. I ordered the set towards the end of June and I got it the beginning of July. Due to travel I may have used it a few times. So I didn't really get into until maybe the end of July. I've used almost half of the shower gel. This usually does not happen this quickly with supersize shower gels. The Pure Grace scent is described as soap and water clean and it's just that. I've used as my shower gel with other philosophy fragrances and it has mixed well with them, I also used with Wen's Summer Mango Coconut fragrance and it was fine as well. So glad I picked it up.

Laura Mercier Artist Palettes

As I've mentioned in my recent Less Stuff post that I'm planning on sending some items to Glambot. I pulled the two Artist's Palettes that I have which are the first two palettes. The first palette has been a long time favorite and I have traveled with it many times over. I also do really enjoy the second one as well especially the purple shades. There is some overlap with the shades and I hadn't used them in a while. I was ready to write them off since I hadn't reached for them. Then  I said well use the for a week or two and then decide. I did just that and decided that they are staying lol. These are nicely pigmented and smooth eyeshadows. They remind me of Bobbi Brown eyeshadows (more shadows I have not used in a while). The packaging is nice and slim for easy storage and travel.

Essie Strut Your Stuff

I wore this shade multiple times in August. I rarely repeat shades since I pull out so many nail polishes to play around with for the month. I did a Manicure Monday post with this shade. It is described as bright blue creme. It applies nicely with two coats. It was definite favorite polish over the summer.

Butter London Shadow Clutch Palette in Natural Charm

This palette was given to me by a friend and it's available at Ulta. I said ok another neutral palette. I've used every shade in the palette and this is a really nice palette. It's great for everyday and you do have some color in the palette with the coral and olive shades. The shadows are smooth, pigmented and easy to blend. At first I wasn't going to mention this palette but the more and more I used it I said nope gotta talk about it. It goes with the small palette kick I've been on and it's a super easy palette to use. I would definitely travel with this palette. There is another palette available called Pretty Proper. I may swatch it the next time I'm in Ulta. *shifty eyes*

Chapstick Total Hydration in Coconut Hydration

This in an item  I got in the May Allure Beauty Thrill box. I was able to purchase the box on sale. I'll mention more in a bit. This reminds me of the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment but at a fraction of the price of course. This is a 3 in 1 formula. It moisturizes, renews and transforms. I mainly have use this at night. It keeps my lips hydrated and they are nice and soft the next morning. They also come in colors which are sheer. I got Rose Hydration in the August Allure Beauty Thrill box. I haven't cracked it open yet but I cannot wait to try it.

Yays

Allure Beauty Thrills Box

When I was at my work meeting in July, I got an email to pre-order the August box and to get the May box on sale I was having a bad day and said why not and ordered both boxes. The May box was waiting for me when I got back to the office and it was FULL of stuff! There were 3 or 4 products that I knew I would not use. I passed those items on to coworkers. Still with what was left over was a lot. Then I got the August box and was really pleased. There was only one product I passed on. This box had a Wen seasonals cleansing conditioner in it. If you order from their website it costs $40. The August box I paid the normal prince of $49.95. I'm not sure if I'll get another one but if you're somewhat curious about this box, I say give it go. It's totally worth it. Also a portion of the proceeds of both boxes were donated to two different causes. The May box was the Melanoma Research Alliance and the August box was Cancer and Careers. I absolute love beauty with a cause.

Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Toothpaste & Mouthwash

The toothpaste was an item I got in the May Allure Beauty Thrills box. I was curious because I had heard good reviews on this line. I went to Walgreens and got the mouthwash and lucked up on a buy one, get on free sale. I've been using it for a few weeks and I really like it. It gets my teeth clean and it refreshing. I was looking for an alternative to the Super Smile set I got and I've found it. Woohoo! So I am going to cancel the auto delivery set that I was getting from QVC and stick with these prodcuts.

Essie Jiggle Hi, Jiggle Low

This was a random find at Walgreens for $2.99. Walgreens clearance section is quite good check it out the next time you're there. This is a silvery gold  metallic shade with flecks in it and is super pretty. I usually don't like shades like metallic shades. They can be hard to apply and look weird on me. Well I think they looked weird on my. But I rather enjoyed the how it looked when I was done. I think this is my first metallic shade from Essie. Now I'm curious about other metallic shades in their line. It is still available on the Essie website.

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Mad Max Brown

I used up my last Eyeko liquid liner in Mocha and it's discontinued waaaaahhhhh. So I was on the hunt for a new dark brown liquid liner. I went to Sephora and looked at their liner and Kat Von D's. I liked the swatch I did of Kat Von D's more. So I brought it home and have been using it ever since. It reminds me a lot of the Eyeko on so woohoo! When I run out on the black Eyeko liner I have I will purchase the Kat Von D one in Trooper.

Makeup Sponges

After watching Jennifer Wan talk about the Ulta Small Super Blender sponge. I  decided to scoop one up I also got the Super Blender sponge and the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion sponge. I tried the beautyblender years ago and I did not like it all. One thing I like about the Ulta sponges and Real Techniques sponges in that they are inexpensive. I like the way both sponges feel on the face and how they applied my makeup. I was kind of surprised how nice my face makeup looked. The smaller Ulta sponges I used for my undereye concealer. The only drawback I feel is that it seems to take longer to do my face makeup. Maybe once I get more used to using sponges it'll go quicker. My preference is still makeup brushes.

Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew

This has been my go to drink over the summer. The Cold Brew coffee is very smooth. The Vanilla Sweet Cream is just enough sweetness without making it too sweet. If you think other iced drinks at Starbucks are too sweet then give this a go.

Boos

Nothing this month. Woohoo! Makes me happy when I'm enjoying the items that I reach for.

Let's see what September brings! I am determined to get my September post in in September!

#ManicureMonday Zoya Finley

Happy Monday!

I ordered 3 nail polishes from Zoya's Fall/Winter Urban Grunge collection. They came after my shop my stash post. So I couldn't include them but they will get some play this month! I picked up 3 of the Metallic Holos. I picked up Finley, Merida and Britta. Today I am wearing Finley. It is described as a "deep royal purple scattered holo" and it is so pretty! These polishes are my absolute favorite from Zoya. Honestly they are my favorite polishes to wear in general. I forgot to grab the bottle this morning to take a pic of it with my nails. Dah well lol! It is what it is.

See you next Monday!

September 2016 Shop My Stash

It's September. It's really SEPTEMBER!?!??! Where has the year gone? Seriously. Oye vey. Here's what I am playing around with in September!

Palette Play

I'm going to play around with the The Nubian 2 and The Masquerade palettes from Juvia's Place. I've used them a bit here and there. I've had them for a while now but haven't really used them.

Insert rant: It's not really a rant BUT I would like to say that I knew about the Juvia's Place palettes BEFORE certain YouTubers found out about them and others are now on the "bandwagon". I'm excited for the additional business that Juvia's Place is getting but still.

Polish Play

Soooooo OPI has collaborated with Kerry Washington for the OPI Washington DC Collection! When I found about this collection over the summer, I said just take my money! There are 17 polished in the collection. 17! *wall slides and insert deep sigh*. Two of the polishes are exclusive to Ulta (Front Runner and Politically Polished). So I got the two mini sets and 4 full sizes polishes (Squeaker of the House, Suzi - The First Lady of Nails, Shh...It's Top Secret and Front Runner). I got the 4 piece mini set (shades included are: We the Female, Pale to the Chief, CIA = Color is Awesome Never a Dulles Moment) from Sally Beauty and everything else from Ulta. The 3 piece mini set includes: Inside the ISABELLEtway, Kerry Blossom, "Liv" in the Grey. I wasn't able to get Politically Polished but a friend of mine was able to scoop it in store and is sending it to me *twirls*. I will try and do some nail posts since this is recent collection and swatches on deeper skin tones seem non-existent online. I had to trim my nails down, so bare with me.

Fragrance Play

I'm going to show some love to the Lancome fragrances I own, La Vie Est Belle and Tresor. I'm also going to see I can use up the shower gel and body in Cashmere Glow by Bath and Body Works.

Out of My Face

Here's what I used up in August:

• Serious Skincare A Defiance A Force XR Retinol Serum Concentrate 1oz 
• Serious Skincare Vitamin A Retinol Pads 60 pads
• Harmon Face Values Hydrating Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes 
• Wen Cleansing Conditioner in Fig 32oz 
• Covergirl Queen All Day Flawless Foundation in Mocha
• Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Milk Chocolate...FINALLY! Woohoo!
• philosophy Hands of Hope 4oz
• Ambi Even and Clear Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30
• Neutrogena Hydrating Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes
• Influance S3 Spray
• One n Only Argan Oil Treatment 3.4fl oz
• Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Cleanser
• Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Hand Cream
• Bare Minerals Bareskin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer - I didn't finish this but was ready to be down with it. So in the trash it goes

Sorry that the pics aren't the best. Need to figure out an alternative. The change in season is upon us and daylight is getting shorter Waaaaaahhhh!!! As always Google is your friend and I try to mention product names and where I got something/where it is available.

Let the play commence!

Less Stuff - 2016 Update

My last update was over a year ago. So I decided to check in.

Books - I recently donated six tote bags (various sizes) to my library. The bin was about a fourth of the way full. Once I was done it was more than halfway full! Whoops! LOL! I should have snapped a pic. This purge was my "let's get real" purge. I may do another small purge before the year is out. I'm making an effort to read some of the print books I haven't read. I've gotten so used to reading on ereaders and my phone that I don't like reading print books anymore *sigh*. Some books are so awkward to hold especially since I read on my bed,

Clothes - I think it was a few months ago I donated two huge trash bags of clothes. I also tossed items that needed to go. I plan on doing another once over in my closet before the weather gets cold. Now I'm to the point where I have items I do like but a lot of similar items. For instance I have quite a few maxi dresses. I like all the ones I have and the fit fine. But there are some I reach for more than others. So do I get rid of the ones that I do like and wear but not as much? Then I'm kind of at a transition work wise. Where I work now, I can pretty much wear whatever I want. I've been looking here and there for a new job. So I don't want to purge a lot of say my more business causal clothes, if I end up somewhere that I have to "dress up" more than I do now. Then I have some items that I wear for certain activities that I need to keep on hand even though I don't wear them often like suits and some dresses. For suits, I have always wanted a three piece grey suit for the longest time but have never gotten one. So I may look for one. If I find one I like then I may get rid of the other suits I have with maybe the exception of one green one I have. I may do the same for some dressier dresses I have. I may keep two or three and get rid of the rest.

Handbags - *gasp* I know right lol! I've always pulled some to give to family and friends. I was watching one of my favorite YouTubers Jennifer Wan and she mentioned that she was going to sell some stuff to thredUP. I was said bwah?? So I went over to their site and they accept clothing items and accessories from various brands. I've mentioned before that I don't have the patience to try and sell stuff through eBay or Craigslist. So I checked the brands they accept and Dooney & Bourke is on the list. They also send you a packing envelope to mail your items. So I have some bags and accessory pieces pulled aside to send to them. Less expensive bags I'm planning to sent to Change Purse. They accept purses and their efforts help raise awareness and help victims of human trafficking which I think is a totally awesome concept.

Nail polish - I had post a video on Instagram Stories of some of my nail polishes and had gotten a couple of comments from a couple people that I know that really irritated me. I deleted the video. They go away after 24 hours but I didn't want to be bothered by other's comments. One said I should be embarrassed. I know she was "joking" but I didn't find it funny. Anywho. I don't know what to do with nail polish I'm ready to let go of. Most places will not accept used nail polishes. I've given more than enough away to family and friends. So I'm drawing a blank. I know I could just toss them. I may check and see if it's ok with my hairdresser if I bring some to my next appointment and just leave them in her shop and ladies can take what they want and she can trash what no one takes. *shrugs*.

Makeup - this is forever ongoing *sigh*. I think I was watching one Jennifer Wan's vlogs and she was mentioned how she was seriously going through her makeup collection and blog selling items that did not absolutely love. Now she's a totally makeup /shopping girl so I know her actions were not on decluttering or downsizing her stash. So I got inspired to go through mine. I got rid of a TON of lippies. Then while Google searching on what to do with used makeup, I came across the site Glambot. I remember Jennifer mentioning that she sent some makeup to them and from what I remember her experience with them was good. I did search on some reviews for Glambot. The "bad" ones I ran across were from people mad about the amount they got. They felt it should have been more. One review I ran across was sensible and was like look keep an open mind. They are providing you with a service and you're not going to get "full price" for an item. Which makes sense and I'm fine with that. I just want stuff gone and if I can get a little something for it then cool. They provide you with a shipping label which I like. Whatever they give you for the makeup first comes as a credit to use with them to shop and I believe after 14 days you can get the cash. If you're not satisfied with their offer then you can get your stuff back.

So I'm still chugging along. I'm happy with the progress that I have made but still have a ways to go. Hopefully I've given you some ideas on what to do with items that you're ready to part with. I'll follow up on my experiences with thredUP and Glambot.

Onward and upward!

July 2016 Top 5 & More

Finally getting around to this post. So here we go!

Top 5

Buxom  Full-On Lip Cream in Hot Toddy

My YouTube BFF (in my head) Jennifer Wan has mentioned this lippie a lot on her channel and it's been on my list to pick up for a while. I finally picked it up from Ulta and I love it. It's described as a toasty nude. This was the lippie I threw on a lot for no makeup days. It adds a little color to my lips and the Buxom glosses flew so good on the lips. For me, it helps keep mine conditioned through the day. I haven't had this gloss long but I have used quite a bit of already. This is a lippie that I will definitely keep in reach and repurchase when I use this tube up.

MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick in Midnight Mambo

For both of my July trips, I traveled with MAC lipsticks. This lipstick was given to me by a friend. I thought I had used it but when I looked at it, I hadn't used it *head palm*. So I threw it in my makeup bag. It is described as an intense violet shade but it also has some fuchsia vibes going on as well. It's a gorgeous sahde that's right up my alley as an everyday lip color. The Mineralize Rich lipsticks are "A 77-Mineral Moist Complex that instantly nourishes lips with maximum moisture in a lightweight, non-sticky formula." (from MAC's website). When applied it looks like you have on a lipstick and a gloss. This was very comfortable to wear, it didn't dry out my lips and wore nicely throughout the day. I may check out the other shades in this line.

Tarte Young Wild & Free Amazonian Clay Palette

I went to Ulta to use my $10 off birthday coupon. I went to get the Tarlette palette but for whatever reason I wasn't in the mood to pick it up that day (Sidebar: since then I have picked up the Tartelette palette and you'll probably see it in my August Top 5 post). So I walked around and had my hand on a Stila palette that had caught my eye but then I saw this palette. I had seen it in some emails from Tarte and say meh. So I swatched and it was totally surprised. It looks like just another neutral palette but to me it's not a "boring" neutral palette. All the shades are smooth, pigmented and blend so nicely. The only shade I had trouble with is Happy Place. It has a ton of fall out but it's a beautiful shade, so I can overlook that. The palette also smells so good! I traveled with this palette instead of Urban Decay's Naked Smokey palette for my work trip to New Orleans and thoroughly enjoyed using it. For me it is a complete palette and I didn't have to reach for any other shades to complete a look. I used it some more when I got back home and hand to force myself to put it away. This palette is limited edition. So check it out soon if you're interested.

Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer

Ok did I really need another concealer? Nope! This is another item I got when I was in Ulta with my birthday coupon. Tarte was seriously promoting this on their Snapchat before the item launched. When I saw the display in Ulta, I swatched the deep shade and said on my damn. This shade is intended for deep skin with peach undertones. When I swatched it, I notice the undertone be more peach instead of yellow. So was intrigued and bought it. I took it with me on both of my trips and have continued using it since I've been back home. This is a really good concealer. The coverage is fantastic, it blends out nicely and lasts all day. If you're looking for a new concealer with awesome coverage then I highly recommend this one.

Anker PowerCore+ mini 3350mAh Lipstick-Sized Portable Charger

I think this is the best $10 I've spent on an electronic item (right now it's 12.99). I got this from Amazon for my Atlanta trip since I knew I would be using my phone a lot and didn't want to worry about looking for an outlet to charge my phone. This charger is fantastic! It's the perfect size too. It fit in a clutch I had without any issues. It charged my phone super fast and the charger itself held a charge for a really long time. Now I carry it around with me in my purse. You never know when you'll need to charge your phone on the go. If you're looking for a portable charger for your phone then check this on out.

Yays!

Tarte Drink of H2O Hydrating Boost

I ordered the tarte Rainforest of the Sea™ Make A Splash Hydrating Skin Savers back in April from Sephora. It was $10 and include three deluxe samples of their new Rainforest of the Sea skincare products. I had already tried the Cleansing Gel and really enjoyed it. I cracked open the Hydrating Boost and was shocked. This has been toted as a good moisturizer for dry skin. I'm an oily girl and was iffy to try it. I used at night and my skin drank it up. It didn't leave a shine on my face and it made my skin super soft! It didn't break me out and in fact it helped the breakouts I had on my face when I was using it. One day when I was bumming around the house and I put it on during the day since I wasn't going anywhere. I ended up having to run out so I threw an SPF moisturizer on top since I was going outside. I thought for sure my skin would be super oily. To my surprise it wasn't. I would definitely purchase this in a full size.

Camry 110 Lbs Luggage Scale

A friend on mine had this in Atlanta and it was a money saver. When I packed for Atlanta, my larger suitcase was over 50 pounds and this was after shifting some stuff around but the I got away without paying any overage fees. I didn't think I would be so lucky coming back home, Using this helped me shift items between my two bags to get both under 50 pounds I ordered one from Amazon before checking out of the hotel! The size is great to throw in a carry on bag and it's super easy to use. If you have the tendency to over pack or plan to shop on a trip and need to make sure you're luggage is not overweight then I highly recommend picking up a luggage scale.

Boos!

Olay Regenerist Luminous Dark Circle Hydraswirl Eye Cream

I got this in a Target Beauty Box. I started using it in between my two trips since I didn't want to unpack a ton of stuff like skincare items. So I said I can use this for the few days I was home. This is supposed to be a gel to cream formula that reduces the appearance of dark circles and under eye darkness and illuminates the eye area. Ummmm yea no. The consistency is just weird. It takes forever to blend it into the skin and I didn't notice anything being illuminated. This is going in the trash.

There you have it. Short and sweet. A lot of Tarte products for July huh? Let's see what August brings!

August 2016 Shop My Stash

Hellllooooooooo! Long time no see! Travel craziness of July is done. I'm so tired, it's not even funny! Now I'm trying to decompress and get back to "real life". Plus I cannot believe it is August!! So I'm sitting here trying to think about what I am going to play around with for the month. It was nice using the makeup I pulled to play around with for my two trips. Brings me back to decluttering more from my stash. I mean a lot more. Which is going to happen and I cringe at the thought. So here is what I'm playing around with for the month. After this will be my July Top 5 & More post.

Palette Play

For eyes, I'm going to play around with the Morphe 35P palette and a 28 color palette (not sure of it's official name) that I got off of eBay.

Polish Play

I pulled some nail polishes from Essie (Strut Your Stuff, Sure Shot, Dive Bar and Sexy Divide) and some recent OPI polishes (Flip Flops & Crop Tops and She's a Bad Muffuletta!) that I got from HSN.

Fragrance Play

I'm going to continue using the philosophy summer fragrances from last month since I really didn't use them much. I'm hoping that I can use up at least one of the body cremes this month.

Out of My Face

Here's what I used up in July:

• Serious Skincare A Force XR Retinol Serum Concentrate 2oz
• Serious Skincare 4 Million IU A Cream XR 4oz
• Supersmile Whitening Pre-Rinse 16 fl oz
• Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid 
• Eyeko Visual Eyes Liquid Eyeliner in Mocha 

Here we go!