Fat Mexican Needs Makeup

August Empties

2014-08-30T19:53:00.000-05:00

Long time no post, I know. Health reasons and school reasons and life reasons kept me from posting, but I'm back and here with an empties post for the last couple of months. So: onward to the post!

I don't know if I'm just a mutant compared to the rest of the blogging world, but I just do not go through product as fast as the rest of y'all. Maybe it's because I have a billionty of everything and use a little from all of it, but for some reason it takes a lot for me to go through a whole product. I also just suck at using samples or foilies, but oh well. Add to that my tendency to forget to keep my empties, and you have a lame looking empties post. But I'm going to try. Just like blogging, man.

Here's what I went through in the last couple of months:

See what I mean? I just suck compared to those people who use like, four things of face wash and eight bottles of shampoo a month. I just can't do it! And this was for probably July and August. Whups.

1) Etude House: AC Clinic Daily Acne Foam Cleanser (9.90 USD @ BeatuynetKorea.com)

So this is basically my HG face cleanser. This is probably my third or fourth bottle of it, and it's just the best if you've got oily and/or acne prone skin. It's a thick cream that builds to a light foam. It smells clean, not overly medicinal, which is so important if you're using a lot of acne products. Why do all of them smell like feet? It works great in a Clarisonic, on a Foreo Luna, or even with a sponge.

Rating: A+++, will buy it again, already did buy it again. I'm halfway through my next bottle.

2) Boscia: Konjac Cleansing Sponge with Bamboo Charcoal (15.00 USD @Sephora)

This is going to make me sound like a skincare blasphemer, but I'm not really the biggest Clarisonic fan. For what it does, it's great, sure. But it's not the be all end all product to help my skin. I used it religiously for a year, and I didn't see any market improvement versus not using it. I don't know if I'm a mutant or something, but finding the right cleanser did way more for my skin than the Clarisonic itself. Now that I do have the right cleanser, the Clarisonic seems like overkill for my face. That, and the waste. Augh, the waste! I'm such a hippie, throwing out a brush every month hurts my heart.

So I got the konjac sponge, and it's been working out really well. It's super gentle in terms of exfoliation, and it's not too drying in combination with my cleanser. That, and it's biodegradable. Fuck yeah! I'm not too keen on the price, but fortunately there's lots of konjac sponges out on the market that aren't attached to the Boscia label and are much cheaper.

Rating: A+ for product, but C- for price. I've bought a similar product from another manufacturer already.

3) Josie Maran: Whipped Argan Oil Intensive Hand Cream in Vanilla Apricot (2.37 ounces for 22.00 USD @ Sephora)

This lotion is really nice. It's whipped and creamy, just like you'd expect from the name, and it's hella hydrating like you'd expect from the Josie Maran brand. Argan oil is something I love and have long sung its hydrating praises. It works great, but honestly? For the price, I'd expect it to work so well that angels came to give it to me every time I opened the bottle. I'd expect it to clean my flat as I slathered it on my legs.

Rating: A for product, but F for pricing. I'm not rich, and even if I was, I'd be buying property or investing my wealth as opposed to spending 22.00 USD for 2.37 ounces of product. Sorry, not sorry.

4) Etude House: Mini Jam Jam Hand Lotioin in #3 Steam Milk (I paid 5.99 USD for it @ RoseRoseShop about six months ago. They're sold out of this scent now, but what they do have they're selling for about 3.15 USD right now.)

This is hand lotion. It's not too watery or too thick. It didn't smell particularly like steamed milk, but it didn't stink either. It just kind of smelled like off brand drugstore hand lotion. It also made no marked difference in the hydration of my hands. It's weird, it was like the idea of hand lotion more than actual hand lotion. But the packaging was adorable?

Rating: C. I'm not going to repurchase this, even though it was adorable, because it just didn't really do anything.

5) Josie Maran: Argan Oil Hair Serum - Model Citizen: Ian Somerhalder Foundation (2 ounces for 30.00 USD @Sephora)

My love of Josie Maran's Argan Oil Hair Seurm is known. It's amazing, I've written its praises before, and probably will again. (But if you want it, here's my post about how amazing this product is.)

The only difference between the standard hair serum and the Model Citizen imprint is that once a year, Josie Maran's company picks a non-profit organization and partners with them to release versions of the Josie Maran products that will benefit the NPO. It's a great idea. The differences in the Model Citizen product is that there's usually a different scent. This is last year's Model Citizen product, and it benefited the Ian Somerhalder Foundation. They in turn help out a lot of animals and try to raise awareness and activism for various green earth charities. I've donated them money before, so getting this for my anual bottle of hair serum was a no-brainer.

The scent was a little different, kind of a honey and chamomile thing, and it allegedly had some "luminizing essence" which ended up just being glittery stuff that stayed in the bottom of the bottle. It didn't make a difference in my end use, so whatever.

Rating: A++++, as always. I go through about a two ounce bottle of this stuff per year, and I immediately repurchase. This is my HG hair product, and I will literally weep if it goes away.

6) Yu-Be: Moisturizing Skin Cream (1.25 ounces for 16.00 USD @ Sephora)

I got a deluxe sample of this stuff with a purchase I made at Sephora a while ago, and recently I'd noticed that my elbows were really hurting me with how dry they were. Clearly, my standard lotion wasn't working, and it was time to bring out some big guns.

This stuff smells like Tylenol taste if you let them melt on your tongue: painful and awful. My roommate actually had to leave the room after I put this on, because the smell made her gag. For all that stink, I'd hoped it would have a corresponding medicinal effect on my skin. It didn't. It moisturized well enough, but I have Eucerin balm that does a better job with minimal scent. Screw this stuff.

Rating: F for smelling like a funeral home. I will pay you to not put this on around me.

7) The Face Shop: Rice Water Bright Cleansing Foam (6.83 USD at Korea Depart)

This is a foilie I got from a f2plus1 purchase I made a while ago. I thought I'd try it as I love The Face Shop's Rice Water Bright Cleansing Oil and use that on the daily. It was a cream that goes to a foam, as can be expected. It smells the same as the cleansing oil - kind of an old lady floral perfume smell that fades quickly as it's applied. I can't say how well the product works as I only got one use out of it, but it foamed well and played nice with my konjac sponge.

Rating: Ehn. C, based on what I know from one use. I probably won't buy this. Too many cleansers to try already.

8) Jurlique: Lavender Hand Cream (40 ml for 25.00 @Jurlique's web site)

I didn't purchase this for myself; this is something my mother gave me when I last saw her. Whenever I see my mom, whatever beauty purchases she made for herself that she's not feeling? I inherit. This was one of those. She realized belatedly she had more hand cream than anyone needed and snuck it into my purse. I always have a tube or three of hand cream in my purse, if only because when I'm a job, I turn into a compulsive hand washer. I don't want to get sick.

This hand cream was thicker than I'd expected, and really creamy. It felt luxurious, almost. Absorption was a lot faster than I expected it to be for how thick it was, and it smelled soothingly lavender-y. Think less old lady and more field in Provence. Unfortunately, this is one of those little luxuries that my mother can afford, and I just can't.

Rating: A for the product itself, but C when you take into account the price tag. I'd love this as a gift, and might rebuy it as a little luxury, but not as my daily go-to purse lotion.

9) Tokyomilk Dark: Tainted Love No. 62 Handcreme (.75 ounces for 8.00 USD @ Sephora)

I got this because I was looking for new fragrances. (Let's be honest, I'm always looking for new fragrances.) I'd heard good things about Tokyomilk and got this sample sized hand cream and a bottle of the perfume. The perfume was nice, but faded super fast and I ended up giving it to my sister. The lotion went into my purse and got used.

It smelled all right - really teenage girl on a vanilla binge at Bath and Body Works with just a hint of hippie wearing too much sandalwood to make it more "adult". But even if I'd been in love with the scent, it faded too fast to really get worked up about.

Rating: D. It smelled nice enough but faded so fast I may as well have been borrowing the scent instead of buying it. Tokyomilk Dark, in my experience, does that, and it's enough for me to have written off the brand. No repurchasing.

Disclaimer: All products were purchased by me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. I am not affiliated with any retailers mentioned here.

Whatever I Want Wednesdays - Lioele L’cret Miracle Lipstick

2014-03-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

I am an Asian skincare and makeup nut. For some reason, it just seems better than our stuff over here, at least the drugstore brands. For what it's worth, my skin reacts better to it, so I spend most of my beauty dollars on various websites and then wait a month or so for my loot to arrive.

That's why I can't 100% remember where I bought my three Lioele L'cret Miracle Lipsticks from. I just know I love them. (I suspect it was from f2plus1 where they're currently retailing for 6.68 USD each.)

So, what's the miracle? They change color. I know, how cute is that? It's not really a friggin' miracle, but I just like how excited they are about it.

I got colors 01 (Sexy Red), 02 (Elegant Purple), and 05 (Fresh Orange).

01 goes from a DEAR GOD BRIGHT to a more muted pinky-red. This one just isn't my color, but it also was scented really ... florally. Dear god, it smells like perfume that grandmas wear only it's on your mouth so it feels like you're tasting it. Pass.

02, Elegant Purple, is far more my speed. The bullet is EEE PURPLE, but it ends up being a gentle, more sheer pink on the mouth. The fragrance is a bit more mellow and tolerable on this one, which means I wear the shit out of it constantly.

05, Fresh Orange, is a "this is never gonna work" orange in the tube, but it's a really wearable peachy color on the mouth. The fragrance on this one is allegedly orange, but I can't smell it at all.

It has a more balmy texture than most American lipsticks which is something I absolutely love. And if you're worried about how long that would last - those swatches were on my arm, and even after rubbing at my arm with a makeup removal wipe, the colors were noticeable the next day after I woke up.

What kind of lipsticks are your miracle? Do you enjoy hyperbole? Let me know in the comments!

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. I am not affiliated with any retailers mentioned here.

Nail MADNESS Mondays - Julep "Angela"

2014-03-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

I think I accrue Julep nail polishes the way some people save for retirement: slowly, until one day you look around and think "hot damn, that's a lotta stuff!". Only in my case, it's not entirely as useful as a 401k, but hey, it's shiny?

... I just depressed myself with a metaphor. MOVING ON.

This is Julep's "Angela", which I recently got in one of their surprise packs. (The surprise pack was about 30.00 USD, and I got a bunch of stuff in it so I think this ended up being about 5.00 USD all told.) It's a really pretty sort of peacocky blue that has greens in it when you move it around. It's not fully holographic, but it's got microglitter out the wazoo.

There's only two layers on the swatch, no topcoat, indoor lighting. This is absolutely something that I'll wear when I get around to it because dear god I have too much nail polish.

Do you subscribe to the Julep Maven program? Do you trip over your polish horde sometimes? Tell me stuff!

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. I am not affiliated with any retailers mentioned here.

Whatever I Want Wednesdays - Spring Smells

2014-03-19T00:48:00.000-05:00

So, even though it's about twenty degrees outside as I type this (poor Chicago grass!), it's technically almost Spring. And that means the annual change from my Winter perfumes to my Spring ones. I have two that are my old faithfuls, but one that I got for Christmas that I'm loving lately.

from tocca.com

According to Tocca's website, this perfume is:

Top Notes: Italian Bergamot, Grapefruit Leaves, Green Pear, Apple
Middle Notes: Ivory Gardenia, Crushed Violet Petals, Jasmine, Tuberose, Blue Iris
Bottom Notes: Blonde Wood, White Musk

For me, it just literally smells like Spring. I get the grapefruit and then all of the middle floral notes. It smells like growing things and makes me feel feminine and pretty, yet also somehow very young. I'm on my third bottle of this. (eau de parfum, 1.7 oz, 68.00 USD)

from ateliercologne.com

This says it's cologne, but it's absolutely unisex, I promise you. According to Atelier:

Top Notes: blood orange from Italy, bitter orange from Spain, red mandarin from Italy
Heart Notes: jasmine from Egypt, geranium from South Africa, black pepper from Madagascar
Base Notes: tonka bean from Brazil, sandalwood from Indonesia, cedarwood from Texas

I'm sure all of that is in there. What do I get? At first, blood and bitter oranges, and then as it wears, I get more of the jasmine and geranium. It reminds me of being clean and of growing things. However, it should be noted - the only reason I have a bottle of this is because my family got it for me. It's way too rich for my blood, usually. (100ml, 105.00 USD)

from fragrantica.com

The newest perfume I dig for spring is hella embarrassing. It's Minajesty, Nicki Minaj's perfume. I don't know about the bottle (it's terrifying) but the perfume is floral and fruity and vanilla-y all at the same time, don't ask me how. I just like it, and tend to wear it around the house or to bed. (eau de parfum, 1.7oz, 49.50)

Am I crazy for changing with the seasons? Do you do it? What fragrance do you wear?

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. I am not affiliated with any retailers mentioned here.

Nail MADNESS Mondays - Chanel "Paparazzi"

2014-03-18T00:33:00.000-05:00

Chanel nail polishes are kind of hit or miss for me. I confess, I own Peridot, Black Pearl, and Graphite. When Vamp came out? I was first in line even though I was only sixteen. When Metallic Vamp came out (which I wish they'd bring back FFS), I got two bottles of it and two lipsticks. Because backups are important.

But those are their "offbeat" colors. Most of Chanel's colors are kinda boring, IMHO, which is why when my mother gifted me a Chanel polish I hadn't been coveting, I was sort of ambivalent. My instincts were dead on.

You'd think with a name like Paparazzi it would be more interesting, no? But nope, it's a dusky rose with some microglitter in it. Ho hum.

Nothing super interesting to see here. I expect this will be one of the few Chanels I bust out for nail art. Don't get me wrong, it's awesome to get expensive nail polish as a gift. But on the other hand, Chanel needs to release another "must have" polish for this tightwad to fork out her own money. (I don't know exactly how much Mom spent on this, but Chanel on their own website sell this color for 27.00 USD a bottle.)

What about you guys? Do you spend money on "high end" polish, or are you strictly a drugstore fan?

Disclaimer: This product was gifted to me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. I am not affiliated with this company.

Curiosities: Skin Food Oatmeal Hand Mask

2014-02-08T22:17:00.006-06:00

I'm horrible at keeping up with this blog, and I'm so sorry. Being unemployed, moving to another state, job hunting, stints in the hospital - my life's been a friggin' mess. But I'm shooting to update this three times a week with things that aren't all beauty related, and a lot of reviews of old stuff that I haven't used yet. (I have about 500 nail polishes and I swear I've only used like, fifty.)

So! Here's something I tried ages ago, took photos for, and never got around to writing up. Asian beauty bloggers and fans alike are pretty familiar with sheet masks for our face, but when I saw one for my hands, I did a quick double take before purchasing it as an oddity.

They're basically just like the gloves you get when you do at home hair color, except they have the papery sheet mask material inside coated with essence. They didn't smell too bad, just a clean sort of oaty smell that I didn't mind at all. Skin Food recommends rubbing your hands together to massage the essence in, which I did. Did I do it for the whole fifteen minutes they recommended? Hell no, I've got things to do.

Did they work? Eh. Yeah, my hands were softer after I used these. Were they softer than if I'd just used lotion? Not really. And therein lies the problem. If these had made my hands amazing and if I'd not been able to live without them, sure. I'd recommend them. If you really want to try them out, feel free to grab them on a lark. But I wouldn't get these if you have really painfully dry hands. Just snag some Eucerin.

I think I got these from RoseRose Shop for around 2.00 USD, but I honestly don't remember.

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. I am not affiliated with this seller.

Skin Care Saturdays: Etude House AC Clinic Intense Mask Sheet

2013-12-14T02:10:00.000-06:00

My skin, as I get older, tends to behave itself more. This is a blessing. But when my skin doesn't behave, I get these super painful cystic pimples that are the size of a mountain - but all under the skin for about a week. Then they explode into outer mountains that are made of pus and gross and make me feel like I should run up into a church steeple and ring bells.

This, obviously, is undesirable.

One of the things that helps quite a bit is putting on one of these Etude House sheet masks when I feel one of these pimples coming on.

They're sized pretty generously for sheet masks, as you can see. Standard packaging too. One thing I always notice right away is that these are hella saturated. There's lquid all the heck over, and a lot in the package too. I'll take that over not enough liquid, but jeezy creezy, it seems like a waste having so much left in the package.

Also: this smells terrible. It works, but dear god, at what cost?

I can only recommend this to people who have awful, painful pimples like me. If they're sort of annoying, don't bother - get something that doesn't smell like a tea tree is exploding in your nose. But if they hurt, if they make you want to rip your face off, go for it. Just don't say I didn't warn you.

I got these from KoreaDepart for 10.00 for five of them USD, so about two bucks each before shipping. If you only want one or so at a time, pretty much any korean reseller should have these.

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. I am not affiliated with this seller.

Quick and Dirty - Work Makeup

2013-11-24T00:49:00.000-06:00

Crap. You just woke up, and you're running late for work. Awesome. You're not already late, so you could in theory do your makeup, but you only have about ten minutes - and you're not the best in the world with the makeup. Some people would say that is not enough time.

Those people are dumb. Ten minutes is plenty of time. Here's what I use to get my OH CRAP work makeup face on. Roommate clocked me at eight and a half minutes, and I wouldn't say any of it is really that hard. Ka-bam.

First thing I do is bust out the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (20.00 USD). I like Sin, because it looks pretty on its own if I'm feeling super knackered, but any primer will work. Don't have primer? Put a bit of concealer on your lids with a finger. HURRY UP YOU'RE RUNNING LATE.

picture from urbandecay.com

While the primer is setting a bit (I don't ever put eye shadow directly onto just-wet primer), I put on Skin79 Hot Pink BB Cream (24.99 USD direct from Skin79, I paid 12.99 USD from a reseller on eBay).

picture from skin79northamerica.com

I like this because it knocks out about 75% of my flaws in one go, it keeps my skin matte, and I've genuinely noticed a difference in how it helps with dark marks left by my cystic acne. (I'll go more into BB creams in a later post, but until then, Musings of a Muse is the internet authority on them. Go read for extra credit!) You could also use a tinted moisturizer or face primer at this step. A lot of it depends on how good your skin is. Just rub that stuff on your face, focusing on your problem areas.

Hokay, we've got that spackled on. Let's go back to the eyes. For work in a hurry, we're not doing one of those five-shadow looks. You've got places to be. We're using two. For me, I use Urban Decay Eye Shadow in Scratch (18.00 USD) all over the eye.

picture from urbandecay.com

You don't even need to use a little brush, a crease brush here will work (one of those bigger fluffy ones). Screw it, use your finger if you wanna.

Done. Now, for some fun and some pop, I use Sugarpill loose powder in Decora (12.00 USD).

picture from sugarpillshop.com

(Please note: I'm a pretty tan girl with big glasses. If Decora's too much of a bright girl for you, you could also try Birthday Girl (12.00 USD) the same way.) Use the same fluffy brush and put that in the crease, going up as far as you want to toward your browbone.

You can curl your lashes, depending on how much time you have. Slap some eyeliner on (I use Sephora's kohl liner in black because it's easy to apply in time crunches, and because it was 3.00 USD on clearance when I bought it.) Put some mascara on - I use Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes! (19.00 USD) religiously because I don't have to curl my lashes when I'm in a hurry when I use it.

from tarte.com

Okay, eyes done. Let's cover up the rest of my terribad face. I use Benefit's Play Sticks in Tea Party (36.00 USD) since it's got good enough coverage to function as a concealer and a foundation at the same time.

from benefitcosmetics.com

I just use this under my eyes and on any problem areas and then spackle it on with a densely packed brush. You can use your fingers, depending on how big of a hurry you're in. Slap on some powder to set it (any sort of translucent powder will do, but if you have awful skin like me, you can use some pressed powder with a fluffy brush - I use Hello, Flawless! by Benefit in Honey (34.00 USD)).

Okay, face done. Blush. When I'm in a hurry, the last thing I want to do is mess around with powder. I use Majolica Majorca Blood On (I paid 12.00 USD on eBay), a sheer gel blush that makes me look naturally flushed. I use it on my lips, too.

Speaking of lips - use a stain or if you're using a gel/cream blush, slap that on there. If you're using a stain, pop some lip balm on there. You're going to work, hooker, not the club. Chapstick, whatever, just something to make your mouth look dewy.

BAM. Done. Hopefully it took you less than ten minutes. NOW RUN.

Not dead yet!

2013-11-24T00:17:00.002-06:00

I suck at this. Well. Not entirely. I was in the hospital off and on from May through August, then September and October I spent gearing up for a move from Texas to Illinois. SO. Now that I'm settled, I'm going to shoot for updating this two to three times a week. I am, however, starting a job soon too, so that may end up being two times more often than I'd like.

Blah blah, I'm so sorry, NAKED 3 GET UN-SOLD OUT PLEASE, yadda yadda.

Skin Care Saturdays - Etude House Moistfull Collagen Firming Eye Cream

2013-08-03T19:50:00.002-05:00

I'm slowly but surely turning into a nail polish & Asian skin care blog. Whatever. YOLO, or something kids of this day and age would say. I'm just really in love with what skin care products and makeup I've gotten from Japan and South Korea, and nail polish is my thing.

My long hiatus was due to spending the past two months in and out of the hospital off and on. My stomach was killing me - it felt like I was being stabbed - and we're only finally just now figuring out what the heck is the matter. Hopefully I'll be able to blog more in future.

Anyway! Eye cream! I don't really use these often, but while I was back here in the apartment after a hospital visit, I noticed I had dark, hollow circles under my eyes that made me look like a corpse. Not cute. I had a sample of this stuff, Etude House's Moistfull Collagen Firming Eye Cream, and I tried it. The next day, I looked human again. That's a got to have product for me, so I ordered the full size the next day.

The packaging isn't anything special compared to other Etude House offerings, but what the heck do you want from them? It's friggen eye cream.

It's a bit on the thicker side of a gel, almost like a gel that's en route to being a cream. This is helped by its fairly quick absorption.

I never thought I'd buy anything that had "moistfull" in the description, but this has been helping loads with my dark circles and undereye droopy. It smells super flowery and girlie almost to the point of being overpowering. Fortunately the smell fades quickly and leaves a nice aftersmell (think aftertaste but for your nose). I got mine for about 11.00 USD from an eBay seller, but you'll be able to find it online anywhere from 11.00 USD to 15.00 USD for the full sized jar (50 ml).

Skin Care Saturdays - The Face Shop Vitamin B Hydro Gel Mask Sheet

2013-07-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

I'm a fan of sheet masks, but I was unfamiliar with the "hydro gel" mask. So what the hell, I figured, let's do it and try it out.

The packaging is also adorable as fuck.

Okay, so I could handle this. Basically, it's a sheet mask that has this plastic backing on it. You stick the part that had the backing on your face, just like a sheet mask, only the mask itself is made of a more plasticky material. One thing I did like about this mask is that it came in two parts, so it seemed to fit a lot better on my face.

It also makes you look like a serial killer. But that's fine! It smelled pretty decent, not fruity like you'd expect from a star fruit product, but just the sort of clean smell I've come to expect from Face Shop products. After twenty minutes, most of the essence was absorbed into my skin and I didn't have much left over. It also seemed to help with my dark circles, somehow. The only downside to this is that it was more expensive than other sheet masks I've gotten from The Face Shop.

If you're a serial killer on the go who wants a little extra hydration, these are a must. I guess if you're a normal person, it's good for you too.

Makeup Time: Urban Decay Haul

2013-07-18T18:10:00.001-05:00

Urban Decay's been around for like, fifteen years. When I say that, it makes me feel really old, which I suppose I am in terms of bloggers, but sheesh. They've been around since '96. I was sixteen then, and Urban Decay had colors and their colors had names that were absolutely up my alley. I used to wear Asphyxia and Pallor lipsticks at the same time, and I eventually owned every single one of their nail polishes. That's right, UD used to make nail polish. Recently, to celebrate their 15th, they released two nail polishes. I couldn't justify the silver holo to myself, but I sure as hell got the purple shimmery one because yes, even though I've got fifteen purple shimmery polishes, I need more. Dammit. And that lead to a minihaul.

Fishnet, the closest thing I have to a "signature" eye color (I've gone through four of them) is on sale for four dollars. It's a gorgeous shimmery purple color.

I also got Vice, the aforementioned UD nail polish. I haven't worn it yet, but I'll snap a photo when I do! They're 15.00 USD right now, and I believe only on urbandecay.com.

The fucking topper has a skull on it. I could die. I also snagged one of the Revolution lipsticks, since I'm kind of leaning more toward lipstick than lipgloss as I age. I'm just lazy nowadays. These are 22.00 USD.

That for some reason I forgot to swatch. Derp. And because UD reformulated their De-Slick compacts, they're selling the old stock for 16.00 USD. So I grabbed one of those too because one can never de-slick enough when they live in Houston in summertime.

I wish UD would do more nail polishes. Maybe sometime soon?

Skin Care Saturdays - The Face Shop Real Nature Sheet Mask in Kelp

2013-07-13T12:21:00.000-05:00

I love skin care. I wasn't blessed with good skin, so for me, it's honestly less about vanity and more about 'how do I avoid painful cystic acne outbreaks that will take a month or so to resolve'. Emphasis on the painful. So doting on my skin, lovingly putting on toner and masks and creams - that's just me hoping that pimples won't happen. But they always do, because life is cruel and unfair and likes to smash your dreams. (I'm still waiting to become a vampire lawyer, world. Four year old me is disappointed this never happened.) But we'll still always try new stuff.

Which is why I snagged this sheet mask.

Protip for the non-beauty inclined: if you see "purifying" on face stuff, it's good for oily skin / blackheads / pimples nine times out of ten.

I'm sure one of you guys reads Hangul, so have at!

Some of you may be wondering what a sheet mask is. It's basically what it sounds like; it's a sheet of fabric that's soaked in whatever awesome essence that mask is gonna help your face soak in. Some of them will fit well, most of them won't, because we all have different faces. They're way more popular in Asia than here in the US, though.

The first thing I liked about this mask was that it was hella saturated in the mask. Some sheet masks give you a puddle of essence in the package but not much on the mask itself. So I felt I got my three bucks' worth. As for fit, well.

For a sheet mask, this is the best fit I've ever seen. It actually gave me enough room to get it on all of the blackheaddy parts of my nose. (That's a word now. I say so.)

It smelled really good too, which I like. If something's going to be on my face for fifteen minutes, it'd better smell good. I left it on until it dried out, so about thirty minutes, and noticed no ill effects. My skin felt soft and not greasy, and a pimple that had been threatening to surface came to a head - a sure sign that the mask helped extract some gross nasties from my skin.

If you're cursed like me, I highly recommend these. Don't be scared of kelp! It's in your toothpaste, you know. I've seen these for 1.50 each at resellers; I paid 3.00 at The Face Shop directly.

Haul - The Face Shop

2013-07-11T17:07:00.002-05:00

It comes as no surprise to people who read my blog with any amount of regularity that I adore Asian makeup brands. They're just good, and resellers have their stuff on the cheap. But sometimes I don't want to wait three weeks for my stuff. Sometimes, to quote Veruca Salt, I want it now. I'm lucky enough to live in Houston where I can actually do that. There's a Face Shop store about twenty minutes from my house. Instant. Gratification. I love it. What I don't love is that the prices are ridiculously higher; masks that you can get from Roseroseshop or Kocomall are 3.00 each instead of 1.25 (all prices mentioned are USD). One of the items I paid 40.00 for in store, I saw on Amazon from a reseller for 17.00. So, instant gratification does have its price. However: I'm guaranteed that these are all 100% authentic, and oh yeah - NO WAITING FOR A MONTH. Here's my loots!

It's like a beacon of hope!

So. Much. Stuff.

As you can see, I got a metric fucktonne of sheet masks. I also got my beloved Herb Day Cleansing Tissues in the big 75 count size because they tingle and smell awesome. When it's balls hot in Houston (as it always is), it's just the thing for when I've come in from outside.

So these are some of their Real Nature Masks. I just snagged one in every kind they had available because I'm a weirdo and do things like that.

These are Hydro Gel Mask Sheets because that just makes it sound all spiffing and technical and awesome.

How can I live without you, Herb Day Cleansing Tissue? I want to knooooooooow~. Whoops, sorry.

It's hand lotion that's shaped like a cat in a flower pot and smells like baby powder. I don't think I have to say more than that.

And here's a really blurry picture of the CC cream I got. Still - I can cross something off of my covet list. Yay!

Because I spent over a hundred dollars (because boo, retail is expensive!), I got free cotton pads (... yay, I guess?) and an AWESOME sample kit.

The sample kit has a whole sheet mask in it by itself, and some generous face wash / moisturizer samples. All in all, I'm super stoked, and I hope you are too, because you're going to get craploads of sheet mask reviews. YOU'RE WELCOME. *drops mic and leaves*

Things I Desperately Want

2013-07-02T21:12:00.000-05:00

I've seen them called "lemming lists", but for me, they're just things I desperately want right now. This list is partly for you to go 'ooooo' at, but it's also for me for future shopping reference!

1) Tony Moly Floria Active Peeling Gel

2) Etude House Moistfull Collagen Eye Cream

3) Chanel Nail - Taboo

4) Too Cool for School - Smoky Nude Lipcolor

5) Too Cool for School - Max Pack Bag

6) The Face Shop - Face It Aura CC Cream

There'll be other posts like this in the future, but this is all what I can think of off of the top of my head at the moment! What are you guys coveting?

Sarah and The Mary Kay Look

2013-06-30T17:24:00.000-05:00

I'm a whore for free stuff, I'm not going to lie to any of you. It's why I've shared reviews of stuff I've gotten from Bzzzagent and Influenster in the past. But this time, Influenster sent me a box that was filled with stuff from Mary Kay. This was like, the holy shit motherload of free stuff, you guys, and I'm nearly giddy.

Mary Kay is a brand I've never really played with before; it seems to be marketed toward a demographic a bit older than I am, and I honestly don't know anyone who sells it. But now that I know I can buy it online, my mind is changing in favor of grabbing some more products. Here's what Influenster sent me.

LOOK AT HOW CUTE THE INSIDE OF THE BOX IS!

Holy shitballs, Batman, that's a lot of stuff!

Well, naturally me being me, I went to open up the cream eye shadow first. I use a lot of loose eyeshadow, and pressed eyeshadows, but not so much creams. Color me intrigued!

That was just one swipe of the cream shadow; it's a very dark purple that I'm hoping will build up to something even prettier. I also got a brush with which to apply cream shadow. I LOVE BRUSHES.

I will always take mascara. I don't know if it'll be able to dethrone my current Holy Grail mascara, Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes!, but we'll see. And lash ... primer? Ohhhhkay. I haven't tried one of those since Origins' Underwear For Lashes didn't do anything back in high school. But like I said, I'll try anything once! (I'll review it once I've given it a go.)

Lastly, I got a lipstick in Pink Cherie. This pink isn't the sort of color I'd usually go for - it's kind of bright on me - but the forumla feels nice. Not too gloopy, almost balm-y, not too waxy either.

All things considered, the cute packaging and the pretty colors are convincing me to give Mary Kay another look. I hope the eye shadow and mascara live up to the hype, and I'd love the lipstick in another color. The lash primer I'm not holding out much hope for, but that's a bias against the idea of lash primer in general, not just Mary Kay.

Do you use Mary Kay? How's your day goin'?

Disclaimer: This product was provided by a third party for reviewing purposes. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

Nail MADNESS - Julep "Joy"

2013-06-28T20:55:00.000-05:00

Here's a quick stamping manicure I threw together using Julep's "Joy", a dusky, nude-y pink, Konad black stamping polish, and my Nailz Craze NC02 stamping plate.

Kind of jacked up my ring finger, but whatever - this was my first try with this plate, and it's gorgeous. Some plates just don't pick up the stamping polish very well, but these work like a dream. Very, very happy.

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. I am not affiliated with this seller.

My Holy Grail BB Cream - Skin79 Hot Pink

2013-06-26T00:51:00.001-05:00

I haven't talked a lot about BB creams here before now. I have a smallish collection, both Korean and US brands. But honestly - and this is just my humble opinion - Asian BB creams are where it's at.

If you're a beauty novice, you may be wondering what in the world a BB cream is, which is understandable. They're pretty new here Stateside. Basically, it's a multitasking cream that was invented in South Korea for people post cosmetic surgery (or at least that's what I gather after reading Wikipedia). It's shorthand for any cream that's going to do at least triple duty. Most BB creams offer light to medium coverage for imperfections, sunblock, and moisturize. Some go further and whiten (for dark spots and/or acne scars) or have anti-wrinkle properties. BB creams are perfect for lazy people like me who maybe want to shave five to ten minutes off of their get ready in the morning routine.

Sounds awesome, right? Sold you, yeah? Well, American BB creams... don't seem to do this. At least not that well. They seem to just be tinted moisturizers - crazy light coverage, some moisture, maybe some sunscreen as an afterthought. Fffff, whatever. So, what BB cream do I use?

This is my HG BB cream, my Holy Grail, my sun and stars - Skin79 Hot Pink Super+ BB. It whitens (and I have noticed a reduction in the dark marks acne leaves behind on my face in the two or so years I've used this product), it has SPF 25, and it allegedly helps with wrinkles. That last claim, I don't know - it's not like I take photos of my face on the daily. But what I do know is that it also does help with oily skin. This is a BB cream meant for people with oily skin and/or acne, and it really does help with shine. And the coverage is far better than any other BB cream I've ever tried, and that includes most Asian ones.

Here's my left hand. I've got a mole and a freckle there. Let's see if we can't cover 'em up some.

This is the approximate amount I'd use to cover my whole face, just one pump of the BB. I know what you're thinking - dear god, is it ever grey! That's nobody's skin color anywhere!

You're still thinking it, huh? How is this ever going to match my skin? Well, most Asian BBs are like this - they oxidize a bit, eventually matching your skin tone. If you've ever used a complexion matching foundation - Almay and Josie Maran make them - it's the same thing as that.

Here's what it looks like blended. The mole would need a little concealer, but overall, this is what I use on my face on a daily basis. Instead of doing primer + foundation + concealer + powder, I use primer + BB cream + concealer but only if I need it so not very often + powder to set. BB also lets me skip moisturizing my skin in the morning so I can just use a face wipe if I overslept like woah.

And there we go! My first BB cream post. I've got like, five other ones to review, but I wanted to let you guys know about my favorite one first. And if you're cringing at the 30.00 price tag - I've never bought mine direct from Skin79, and this is my third bottle. Right now, I'm digging KoCo Mall who has it for 20.99 USD, but pretty much any Asian reseller will have samples for two to ten dollars depending on the size. Get a generous sample before you get the huge size, make sure you like it. Most of the big samples have enough for a week or two of use.

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. I am not affiliated with this seller.

Nail MADNESS - Coco and HexNail Charms

2013-06-22T12:30:00.000-05:00

Quick post today! Just a lazy mani with Julep's "Coco" and a snake nail charm from Hex Nail Jewelry.

I liked it, and got more compliments over it whilst in hospital than I've ever gotten over a mani anywhere. You can get Hex Nail Charms over on their website for around 1.75 a pop. They're reusable and hella fun. This is the Small Snake, and I just love it to bitty pieces.

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

KoreaDepart Haul - Don't Shop While Stoned

2013-06-19T12:18:00.000-05:00

Hello, reader. You may be wondering where I've been! I was doing quite consistent with the updates, then bam! Nothing. Well, I've been in and out of the hospital for the last two weeks. It kind of sucked out loud.

I look about how I felt in that photo, man. So, one night while I was waiting for the angel of death to take me, or sleep, whichever came first, I staggered onto KoreaDepart and started clicking. The next day, I was vaguely aware of having ordered a sleep pack and some food, but that was about it. Well, the box came today. Let's see what I get while out of my gourd on Vicodin, shall we?

Oh. I sure did get food. I got two boxes of Lotte Duffe honey ginger cookies (1.52 each USD), two mozzarella chicken Spam Singles (1.99 each USD), one container of Ottogi spaghetti ramen (1.29 USD), a box (15 count) of Ottogi sweet potato & mixed pumpkin tea (5.86 USD).

Beauty wise, I got The Saem's "Snail Trio #3 Lavender Sleeping Pack" (7.85 USD) and It's Skin Nail Styler Smoothie in GR01 (2.34 USD). I haven't used the sleeping pack yet (it's noon as I write this), but I did sneek a whiff and oh, wow. This is totally going to help me sleep. The polish is a cute mint green crelly with pink and blue glitter.

But can we dig how cute the packaging is on that sleeping pack? Oh my gosh, you guys.

This was my first experience using KoreaDepart. They're a bit different than most other South Korean resellers in that they charge you flat 25.00 USD shipping up front, and once the shipping weight is calculated, refund you the difference. This also lets them default to more expedited shipping with tracking. At first this irritated me, but I'm kind of okay with it now since I got this package in a week. It was also carefully wrapped in bubble wrap, and I got about five samples. I'll order from them again.

So, yes. In case you were wondering where I was, I've been in the hospital and stoned hauling face masks and nail polish. Here's hoping I can be more regular with updating seeing as I'm not dying anymore!

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. I am not affiliated with this seller.

The Honest Company - Baby Balm

2013-06-04T19:49:00.001-05:00

So, I'm kind of a free sample junkie. I love 'em. Even the cheap samples. I can't help but adore getting mail that contains things waiting for me, even if I'm just going to stash them in my medicine cabinet. It's probably the worst habit I have - I'm a hippie, and part of me loathes all of the packaging and fuel waste. So sad.

So when I ordered my Discovery Kit from The Honest Company, I was expecting to just stash it with my other treasures. The Honest Company is a company Jessica Alba started up when she saw how much unhealthy junk is in baby stuff. They also have some bath and body products.

First thing I noticed was how pretty the packaging was. It's shipped in one of those nice cardboard containers, the ones where the outside feels sleek. I got the Essentials Discovery Pack since I don't have a kid.

from thehonestcompany.com

It has a trial size of the healing balm, shampoo & body wash, face & body lotion, laundry detergent, and hand soap. My hands were chapped when I got it, so I immediately opened up the healing balm and slathered some on.

photo from thehonestcompany.com

It's labeled for multiuse, but is marketed primarily as a diaper balm, for baby rash. However, it's also got a lot of other awesome things. QUOTETH THE SITE:

Organic sunflower, olive, & tamanu oils work with enriching shea butter to nourish, moisturize & help protect sensitive & irritated skin

Chamomile, calendula, and lavender gently calm & soothe

Castor oil battles existing diaper rash and prevents future cases by creating a protective barrier against urine

Promotes healthy, supple, soft skin anywhere you need it – top to toes!

No harsh chemicals (ever!) – only powerful, natural, non-toxic ingredients in this must-have salve

Sensitive for infants & everyday use

Hypoallergenic • Certified Organic • Vegetarian • Biodegradable • pH Balanced • Naturally Non-Toxic

That's a lot of awesome claims. I figured it wouldn't live up to them. HOLY CRAP WAS I EVER WRONG. This stuff slogged down into my hands and kept them soft through repeated washings. This stuff smells like a really nice herbal treatment, like a cuppa tea. This stuff, I'd love to pour all over myself all the time. Sadly, I won't, because at 12.95 USD for three ounces, that's ... stiffer than I can afford. So I will bogart my little tube while I still can.

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. Referral link used.

Nail MADNESS - Pistachio Cream Puff Dreams

2013-05-27T20:10:00.001-05:00

L'Oreal had a collection a while ago called Versailles Romance. Now, I don't know about all of that, but I do know that they were pretty cremes and seemed really great for Spring. So I snagged two of them, stuck 'em in my stash, and forgot about them.

Yeah, that's me. Busting out the Spring polishes when it's almost friggin' June. WHATEVER YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME. Ahem. Here's what I came up with!

The teal-y color is Pistachio Dreams, and the buff color is Cream Puff.

As you can see, I've been digging huge ass nail charms too. They're a fun way to dress up nails without being really good at dressing up nails. The only downside is that they tend to come off if you're like me and dick around with 'em.

I got these at Walgreens when they were having a BOGO 50% off sale, so I think I got these for 8 bucks total, USD.

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

Skin Care Saturdays - [TonyMoly] Egg Pore Blackhead Out Oil Gel & Egg Pore Tightening Pack

2013-05-25T14:33:00.000-05:00

Two weeks in a roooow! *feels like a rock star* So, as you may or may not know, I recently was in the hospital. And when you're in the hospital, your focus isn't on your skin. Instead of looking good, your focus is more on "can I make it to the toilet without passing out?" or "how the heck do I unravel my IV cord?" or "what is that beeping omfg make it stop why". When I got out of the hospital, I was sad to find that my face had turned into some sort of plague area. I look like a zombie from Evil Dead.

Coincidentally, I got an order from kocomall.com the other day that contained these two skincare products from [TonyMoly]. They're both designed for large pores (alas, no DEAR GOD MY FACE FIX IT products really exist). Here's my first reaction to them.

The first step in the process was the Egg Pore Blackhead Out Oil Gel. This is ... literally what it says it is. I did it after oil washing my face, and the consistency of this product is basically just a super thick oil wash. It also has some scrubby bits in there. It does the standard 'turns white after a while of use' thing. My roommate, who used it while I did, said it smells like embalming fluid, but I didn't really notice anything. Maybe I'm desensitized due to years of using acne treatments. It hurt my hands to rub this in for three friggin' minutes, though. I was using it on my nose, so it required me to hold my hands in a weird way.

photo from kocomall.com

So, after my fingers uncramped and my skin was sufficiently pummeled, I rinsed. To be honest? I didn't notice any immediate results, nor did I expect any. Blackheads aren't something that're easily treated, and to expect immediate results is a fool's errand.

But, undeterred, I went ahead and popped on the Egg Pore Tightening Pack. To me, it smells like plastic, but again, roommate claims embalming fluid. (She's never smelled it; the real thing is much worse. Trust.) The first thing that I noticed was that it kind of looks ... exactly like baby poop. But, undeterred, I spackled that crap on my face (it's really thick, which I love).

photo from kocomall.com

This? This I loved. My skin really did feel tighter, sebum was reduced for like, two days, and I just don't get that from my Queen Helene or Freeman's masques. I will repurchase this when I finish it up for sure.

You don't have to run out and purchase these right away. Neither is probably going to change your life, nor is there a problem with finding something similar Stateside. But I do defy you to find cuter packaging. That's the draw here, let's be honest.

I give the Egg Pore Blackhead Out Oil Gel a B (if only because it got me to actually work on those jerkoffs). I got it for 5.58 USD.

The Egg Pore Tightening Pack gets an A++ WOULD BUY AGAIN. I got that for 5.58 USD as well. I purchased both products from Kocomall.com

Kocomall.com is a newish South Korean makeup reseller online; they used to have an Amazon store that I used for all of my Skin79 BB Cream purchases. I'm loving their prices and their inventory too. Right now they're running a promotion where if you sign up with their website, you get a 5.00 off coupon (USD).

What have you tried and loved lately? Do you like [TonyMoly]? Why is that name so fun to say?

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. I am not affiliated with this seller.

Haul - Korean Skincare From RoseRose Shop

2013-05-20T23:45:00.002-05:00

I know, I know, I haven't posted in a month. Well, in that month I got accepted to graduate school and had an emergency appendectomy. So I wasn't just sitting here slacking off, promise. I'm going to try to get back into this weekly.

If you know me, you know I love skincare and makeup from South Korea. I get my stuff from a few other places, and one of those is Rose Rose Shop. They're reliable and they have a pretty great selection. I put an order in about a month ago that came in today (it takes about that long for anything to get to me in Texas from Seoul). Here's pictures of what I got. Reviews will come!

I got two of the Missing U hand creams because they're adorable and great to leave around my work desk.

No, seriously, they're the cutest. The left one is a Fairy Penguin (it smells like baby powder) and I think it's from last year's MissingU. It was 4.50 USD The one on the right is a Pink Eagle Owl and it smells like cherries. It was 5.50 USD. They're smaller than you'd think they are - they fit in the palm of one's hand - but hell, I'm not really paying for the lotion. I am paying for the adorables.

I also got Rice Water Bright Cleansing Light Oil from The Face Shop (say that three times fast!). I'm currently in a phase of shopping around, trying to find the right oil cleanser, and I'm hoping this one will fit the bill.

As you can see, it's pretty generously sized - I put a largeish pill bottle next to it for reference. It was 8.90 USD.

Primers are another thing that I shop around for all the time. I love them, and I love how easily they make my BB cream slide onto my face. I got 10 samples of Skin Food's Black Egg Pore Primer for 3.00 USD.

I also got Holika Holika's Cotton Oil Queen Cotton primer (7.92 USD). It's friggin' adorable, you guys, I am not even kidding.

So, yeah, that's what I got recently. I have another couple of orders coming in too, so this should actually give me lots of stuff to review! Yaaaay! What stuff have you guys bought?

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. I am not affiliated with this seller.

Badger (Badger Badger - Ha Ha, It's In Your Head Now)

2013-04-20T22:04:00.002-05:00

I know, I know, I've got to stop doing this Posting Once A Month thing. I'm going to try, but I won't make any promises. You should forgive me. I'm awesome.

ANYWAY.

Down here in Houston, for the last few weeks, the weather's been a bit bipolar. Mid-seventies to mid-eighties during the day, and low forties at night. Work's been cranking the AC and heat to help combat it, which is doing nothing but giving me sinus headaches and pissed off skin. My hands are dry, my elbows are dry, my whole body wants moisture. I'm drinking water out the ying yang, but my hands were still really pissed, as was the skin on my arms.

What's a girl to do? Use it as an excuse to buy more beauty crap. Duh.

I dig hippie organic things because that's how I roll. So after some Googling, I figured I'd try out some stuff from Badger Organic Body Care. Also, because badgers are awesome. I got their Rose Geranium soap and their hallmark Badger Balm.

From badgerbalm.com

This soap is a dream. It's a no frills, grey block of soap that does just what it says it will: it moisturizes and nourishes your skin. It smells lovely, it doesn't make my already dry skin feel tight or angry, and it doesn't leave me feeling slick or stripped the way some shower gels can. I don't use it on my face, because the last thing my face needs is moisture, but for my body? A+, 6.49 USD. Protip: You can use this on your junk. I'm UTI prone, and my outer junkal sections say this is a-okay.

from badgerbalm.com

Badger Balm is a really concentrated balm that I've been using on my hands, cuticles, and elbows. I've noticed a difference after only a few uses, which is impressive. It's concentrated, so two ounces is actually a lot of product. It reminds me of Burt's Bees hand salve in formulation. The smell may be an acquired taste for some people. I like it; it reminds me of camping. The oils that give it its smell are birch and wintergreen, so if you don't like smelling like a forest, try one of their other balms. B, 7.99 USD.

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own.