Month: May 2018
Schlitternails
This year is an off year for vacations – no big family trips planned, but instead – Schlitterbahn Season Passes! Even though Typhoon Texas is just 20 minutes away, we’d rather drive all the way to New Braunfels to float in the lazy river.
For our inaugural trip on Sunday, I chose Funky Fingers “Salty Kisses”. I’ve had this polish for nearly two years and I haven’t tried it – how is that even possible? It’s a delicious, chrome-y blue. Also, the name of the polish…is…well…questionable. If you don’t get it, I’m not explaining.
This is two coats of “Salty Kisses” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
I did my toes, too. I’ve already changed polish on my fingers – Schlitterbahn tears up your nails, but my toes are still going strong. I’ve gotten too many pedicures this year though – my feet weren’t up to the hot, hot asphalt. So either I need to toughen up my feet or go buy some new watersocks.
Sit on a Cactus
Is it weird that in traffic, when someone annoys me, sometimes I say that I hope that they sit on a cactus? Well, either that…or rectal cancer. It kind of depends…I mean, it’s not like I honk or give them the finger.
This is Julep “Tenaya” – Vibrant Marigold Crème. This was two coats over Julep Oxygen Smoothing Base Coat. It was somewhat streaky, which is exactly what you don’t want in a light polish. I was able to get it mostly under control on the second coat.
…and then I got out the Cactus Decals. They look so itty, bitty on my giant nail beds. I can’t help it that I have gigantic, sasquatch fingers. I feel like they would like cuter on someone with smaller fingernails. On the bright side, the decals were small enough that they didn’t peel up at the edges like some of the other ones. (I used Glisten & Glow Top Coat to hold them down.)
I was curious who “Tenaya” is named after – turns out it’s a brand of special rock climbing shoes. Interesting.
Midweek Target Haul
Sometimes it takes a midweek Target haul to get through a rough week.
I actually had a purpose for this trip – I needed some benadryl cream. But to get to the benadryl cream, I had to walk through the beauty section. I noticed an endcap of bright fuchsia cosmetics on clearance – it was an e.l.f. cosmetics collaboration with fashion designer Christian Siriano. That collab wasn’t even on my radar – how did I miss it? It had to have come out within the last two months?
I didn’t pick up the makeup bag – lord knows I have enough of those – but I did grab the e.l.f. Christian Siriano Eyeshadow Palette ($8.40, down from $12) and e.l.f. Christian Siriano Liquid Matte Lipstick in “Fuchsia” ($4.20, down from $6). The eyeshadow quality is about what you’d expect from e.l.f – meh. The first day, I tried it without primer and although it went on smoothly and blended well, it was very pastel – hardly any pigment. It also faded quickly – it was almost all the way gone when I arrived home from work. The second day I tried it with a primer and had much better results. As soon as my husband got home from work, he said I look like Divine, which is kind of what I look for in a bright colored eye shadow (I was wearing fuchsia on the lid and green in the crease). The lipstick lasts as well as NYX or Wet n Wild, so not bad, but not as high quality as Jeffree or Kat Von D. Good purchases!
I also picked up Love Beauty & Planet Shampoo and Conditioner in “Murumuru Butter & Rose” ($6.99 each). Although I love the SheaMoisture Peace Rose Oil Collection, I don’t know that it is helping my hair much. It’s a bit more pricey ($11.49, but usually BOGO half off) and really, if I get my hair smelling rosy for cheaper – why not? I’ve gotten several Love Beauty & Planet samples in beauty boxes and they shampoo/conditioners seem pretty decent so far. I also have come to the conclusion that I will never find one shampoo/conditioner and stick with it – I’m always looking for a better one.
OH, and I remembered to use my $3 off $15 coupon from this month’s Target Beauty Box. It was even easier since I already had it added to the app.
Sephora Play! May 2018 – Beauty Goals
May’s Sephora Play! box marks the 2nd anniversary of the service and they’ve “compiled the beauty products that have stood the test of time with their incredible formulas and cult following.” (Yes, I snatched that quote directly from the box insert.)
Even though I’m not much of a highlighter girl, I’ll add a bit to my cheeks and browbone when I want to look fancy. I’ve been wanting to try Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in “Champagne Pop” – it really is a cult favorite, at least on Instagram.
I’m not quite as excited about the rest of the box – only because I already have loads of these very same products, not because they products are bad. I have at least 7 or 8 Kat Von D Tattoo Liners in “Trooper” and probably 700 samples of Benefit The POREfessional. I use these products – but just not as much as I receive them. I have never tried Bumble and bumble. Thickening Volume Hairspray – but I use hairspray maybe twice a year?
I am looking forward to trying Sephora Collection Mud Mask Purifying & Clarifying – I love me some mud masks.
My lil sis is getting the Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb – it’s one of her favorite scents.
The denim pouch is also cute. Someone help me figure out what to do with all these pouches I’ve been getting – I’ve used them for panties when I travel, but I could use help figuring out to do with the rest of them.
If you don’t get Sephora Play, join up now. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
In the Mood
Funky Fingers “In the Mood” might be one of the most underwhelming “mood” nail polishes I’ve ever used.
First off, thermal/mood polishes in the summer are a horrible idea – it’s so hard to tell when they’re working. There was no color change running my nails under the tap, so I made up a tall glass of ice water and dunked my whole hand…for like 2 minutes. I barely got a color change…in the nail polish, because my fingers were fucking blue. Well fuck it – I don’t know if it’s the weather or maybe this polish just doesn’t work. I’m kind of thinking the polish doesn’t work.
This is two coats of the very.very thin and sheer “In the Mood” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Even if the polish didn’t “work”, it’s a nice summery hot pink, so there’s that.
Freebies
Soooo…I ordered a birthday gift for my sister from Sephora, but I’m really excited about some of the freebies I got.
I used a promo code to get a deluxe sample of Aerin Mediterranean Honeysuckle. I don’t have much experience with Aerin fragrances, but this one is AMAZING. My husband smelled it and actually said, “Now that smells YUMMY.” That is high praise from a man that gags from most fragrances. I wore it on Monday and spent some time outside in the grass and I felt like I was being attacked by bugs. It’s an ultra-realistic honeysuckle scent.
I also used 100 points to get a deluxe sample of Boscia Pore Pudding – I love that shit!
My usual three samples were Chloe Fleur de Parfum (not as good as Roses de Chloe, but I like it); Guerlain Abeille Royale Youth Watery Oil; and Sephora Collection 10HR wear perfection foundation ( 3 shades – ivory 10, beige 25 and walnut 33).
Just $529 until…
Fish Fry Nails
Here fishy, fishy!
My father-in-law had his big annual fish fry last weekend and I decided to follow the theme with fishy nails.
I started with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and a single coat of Zoya “Remy”. I was gambling that one coat would be enough – and luckily, it was. To get my scales, I topped it with not one, but TWO thick coats of Sally Hansen Pearl Crush “Rainbow Fish”. I really glopped it on there. I finished with a thick coat of Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
“Rainbow Fish” did a great job of lightening up “Remy”. I tried not to get any of the disc glitters on my cuticles, but a few overlapped and I had to peel them off during clean-up.
I couldn’t wear this combo for very long – the edges of those disc glitters are a bit sharp – even with a goopy layer of top coat holding them down. I was starting to want to pick at my nails – that’s a big no-no!
May 2018 Ipsy Bag – Go There
Go there? Go where?
There is wherever the summer takes you and this month’s ipsy picks are designed to go with you. I thought the bag was covered with cute passport stamps, but upon closer inspection, I realized they are postmarks – Par Avion, etc.
The first product that caught my eye were the face masks – Fresh Garden Açai Berry Calming Mask and Pomegranate Firming Mask – they were too big to fit into the ipsy bag. Also in this month’s bag: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in “London” (Ooooooh, I don’t have this one); SLMISSGLAM Sparkle Everyday Glam Beauty Sponge; Tarte Cosmetics Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder (Another good one); and Sugar Cosmetics Arch Arrival Brow Definer in “Taupe Tom”.
Not a bad little bag this month – almost a full face’s worth.
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Target Beauty Box – May 2018
Only one Target Beauty Box this month – I am so spoiled.
This month’s theme is “Hello Indulgence!” and includes a wide variety of pampering products. I am excited to try the St. Ives Cleansing Stick in “Cactus Water & Hibiscus”. Julep’s groundbreaking idea is catching on!
Also in this month’s box: OGX Coconut Miracle Oil Dry Shampoo; La Roche Posay Lipikar Balm Intense Repair Moisturizing Cream; Free & Lovely by Bodycology Body Mist in “Lavender & Amber”; Scunci Spirals (a rip-off of the invisibobble); Soap & Glory The Scrub of Your Life Body Butter (but it’s really a body scrub); and Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Lotion Sunscreen SPF 55 (Yasss, it’s waterproof – I’ll be using this at Schlitterbahn this summer).
Great box!
This box had the usual $3 off a Beauty purchase of $15 or more – but it was a different kind of coupon. It has a QR code to add to the Target app – I LOVE that! The box was $7, with free shipping and 5% off with my Red Card.
My Favorite Daughter
Although she only hears it when she’s in trouble, my daughter Lily’s real name is Lilith. She is my favorite daughter, although my only daughter.
I love Julep “Lilith”, orchid blossom shimmer. It is very similar to “Julep Paulette”, golden lilac tulle shimmer. The difference is in the shimmer. “Lilith” has a cool bluish shimmer, while “Paulette” has a warm gold shimmer.
I was excited to crack open my new Julep Oxygen Smoothing Base Coat. Polish sticks to it really, really well. This is two coats of “Lilith”, then Glisten & Glow Top Coat. I feel like it lasted forever. I put it on Sunday and just took it off an hour or so ago, even though it had very minimal edge wear. Five days with no chips is a miracle for me!
So now I’ve added “Lilith” to my family collection – “Lara” and “Logan”. I wonder what the odds are of a Julep “Russell” polish being released to complete my collection?