Tag: makeup

2014 Beauty Favorites

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A piece written for Nikki’s blog!

Check her out: Beauty Box Beginners

Beauty Box Beginners

Make up can get real old right? One day, you have a fantastic on “fleek” day, and then you fail…miserably. You may do the same routine, and get different results. If you’re anything like me, you get over things real quick…and discover a new item you just can’t get enough of. Needless to say, I get you…and I’ve got you covered. Nikki is kind enough to let me rant and rave about my faves from the past month her page. She’s into beauty boxes…and I am too. I’m really into trying new things, binge watching beauty YouTube gurus, and perfecting my winged eyeliner.

In 2014, because we’re a little late for monthly favorites, I loved approximately 65 beauty products. No, I won’t be evaluating most of them…because I don’t remember the ones that I was over after a week.

Primer

Ok, so I never actually realized that primer was as…

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Latest Dupes for High End Fashion/Beauty

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Let’s face it, if you are a fashion and beauty lover like me, sometimes it can be hard to not get the actual product…but OUCH! For that price?! I’m owning up to the fact that I LOVE whipping out my MAC or NARS lipstick in front of my friends and being the most “chic” girl…

I am so guilty of instant gratification, as well as cute Instagram pictures. So, when I see a product I love, I tend to spend the money, no matter the cost, to get what I want. Let’s stop this shall we? I’ve compiled a list (let’s call it part one) of items that are super cute or super expensive…and “dupes” for said products.

  1. MAC’s “Snob” lipstick–Revlon’s “Pink Pout”
  2. MAC’s “Ravishing” lipstick–Revlon’s “Smoked Peach”
  3. MAC’s “Russian Red” lipstick–Revlon’s “Really Red”
  4. OPI’s “Mod About You” nail color– China Glaze’s “Something Sweet”
  5. Essie’s “Turquoise and Caicos” nail color– China Glaze’s “For Audrey”
  6. L’Occitane’s “Crème Mains Hand Cream”– Burt’s Bee’s “Shea Butter Hand Repair Cream”
  7. Benefit’s “Hoola” Bronzer– NYC’s Smooth Skin in “Sunny” Bronzer
  8. NARS’ Blush in “Orgasm”– Milani’s Baked Blush in “Luminoso”
  9. MOROCCANOIL Treatment (Hair treatment)– Garneir Fructis Moroccan Sleek Oil Treatment
  10. Chi Silk Infusion (Hair)– Got 2b Smooth Operator Lustre Lotion

That’s all for part one… stay tuned…for picture comparisons! Sigh, I know it’s hard…but your wallet will thank you!

 

Happy “dupe-ing!”

 

The Adjustment Bureau…Makeup Edition

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That’s right, this is going to tell you the hard truth about makeup. As much as I am SUCH a hypocrite in that I have more makeup than anyone, I still do have a couple of ideas in order to tighten up makeup collections and help rationalize not buying more. Time to control yourself and learn to manage with what you have.

First things first, take all of your makeup OUT of your current storage. This way, you will be able to see everything you have, including things you may have *ahem* forgotten about. Next, conquer your storage compartments. Clean them out, take a Lysol wipe to them and make sure to clean up all the old, spilled makeup.

Reorganization:

  1. Part ONE- Look at your foundations. Any that are your wrong shade? Any empty bottles? Throw it out. Have you found a certain brand that you like? Make sure you have enough.
  2. Part ONE A- Look at your eye and face primers. Ask the same questions as above and continue to throw out old or empty tubes. I feel like as avid makeup users, we tend to accumulate samples and different types of products just to have them. Break the habit! It’s not worth the space or the money!!
  3. Part TWO- Check your bronzers and blushes. Do you have two of the same? Is there a shade you didn’t like and just kept? Guess what? Different stores that sell makeup do indeed have a return policy. If you waited a while after your purchase, you lost out on your money. Learn to speak up! You don’t like something? RETURN IT.
  4. Part THREE- Okay, confession time. Eye shadows are my kryptonite. I am SO weak..SO weak. Le sigh. Look through them, I know it’s hard…but just do it. If you find a palette or shade you don’t use, throw it out. I wouldn’t suggest giving it to a friend, because of germs, but if you haven’t used it…go ahead! I stick to Urban Decay eye shadows…if you like a specific brand, just stick to your colors. Let’s face it, you’re never going to try that hip, cool, and new way of doing your eyes…so let’s stop fooling ourselves.
  5. Part FOUR- Lipstick. My love, my obsession, my downfall. Last thing to look at would be your lipstick collection. I know, I know…open each lip color and see if you’ve used it…if you don’t recognize it, guess what? You haven’t used it…throw it out. If you have three kinds of the same pink or red…give one to a friend.

I know it’s hard to hear…but as I’m writing this I’m laughing. I actually SHOULD do this. By minimalizing your collection, you will be able to be more organized and more prone to use the products you already have, instead of buying more because you can’t see the ones you already have.

…I know what I’m doing tonight. Do you?

And Another One Bites the Dust…

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Since my boyfriend lives so far away from me, I am always on the lookout for cute little things to send him. Unfortunately, those small things end up being much larger purchases. I consider my weakness as another lesson learned.

Lesson learned: do NOT go onto any shopping website with free shipping if you are attempting to save money.

As for what I purchased for my boyfriend, that will remain under wraps due to him reading this 🙂 BUT I will say, I was proud of the “bargain” I got for what I bought.  But…gifts are selfless right?

On the bright side, I have walked in and out of my local drug and beauty stores and not bought a single nail polish! This does not mean I haven’t thought about it. But, I learned that if I bring a friend along, I will not purchase out of guilt. Not the best reasoning, but better than spending frivolous money on items I didn’t need. Looking through my collection, I found I have over 30 bottles of Essie nail polish from different collections and for different seasons. I have justified thus far every bottle as an essential part of my collection.

Rome wasn’t built in a day….right?

Trick Your Mind

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When you get the itch to go shopping, clean your room. I swear it works! If you are as messy as I can be, cleaning off a chair filled with clothing can almost be like shopping, without hurting your wallet. You tend to find things that have been out of your sight for weeks! This goes for periodically cleaning out your dresser and refolding clothing. You are able to rotate your clothes and find a piece that you forgot you had! Sometimes, I am able to go through my whole dresser and find items you never even wore! Last night, I found 3 pairs of Gap pants that I completely forgot I bought, and was able to create fantastic outfits with them! This was from yesterday:

OOTD: Gap Neon Pink Khaki, Chiffon sleeveless shirt from Urban Outfitters and Jack Rogers Platinum sandals.

The benefits of cleaning out your room are endless. You are able to dive into an abyss filled with clothing and come out with a clean, organized room AND “new” clothes! This also goes for “taking inventory” of your make-up and jewelry collection. I am the biggest repeat offender of keeping make-up I don’t use. It’s like I have separation anxiety from it. GET OVER IT AND THROW IT OUT! If it’s old, past it’s expiration date, the wrong color, broken, or empty…throw it OUT! Don’t take up space with items you do not use.

Jewelry is a little bit tricky when it comes to taking inventory. I suggest separating items into expensive and cheap, costume types. After you have done that, examine each piece and determine if there are any broken parts, and if it is worth getting it repaired. If not, throw it out. If you like what’s on the necklace, take the pendants off and save them for a potential future project. As for expensive pieces, hang them or store them away from other pieces. This way, they do not have the potential to be tangled…and you can see everything clearly.

 

Stay tuned for more ideas…and try your hardest not to spend today!

Step Two

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2) Shop, but shop smart. Going to the mall is inevitable, but spending all your money is in your control! In order to stop draining your bank account, go with a friend who knows you’re trying to stop spending money. They will most likely stop you from justifying a dumb purchase. If they don’t, get new friends! Lol.

In my opinion, instant gratification is the sole issue with shopaholics. I want it now, if I don’t get it today…they will disappear forever. I have some news for you, they don’t disappear…and in 2 months, all of them will move to the sale shelf for half off. Get smart! Realize that the item you want can be on sale as fast at 2 weeks! Sometimes, the wait is worth it…because you are able either convince yourself you do NOT want the item anyway…or you can make a reasonable decision about the item.

Let’s do this together, guys! Let’s be rational and smart!