Uber Haul, aka: Recent Purchases

Ahh! Okay! I have to get this posted now, before I buy more stuff and make this post even longer! I’ve been trying to finish it up ever since exams ended, and I still feel so busy. I blame Christmas shopping.

Also, no, I didn’t buy these all at once, but I think it looks more impressive to post them all in one big post. So here’s everything cosmetic-related that I’ve bought since my last haul post:

Sephora by OPI purple glitter polish (in It’s Bouquet with Me) and white polish (in A-ha! Moment):

Sorry for the blurry picture on this one :(

I got the white to use as a base for when I do nail art. In particular, I bought it so I could do my Togepi nails that I have been dying to try, but so far I’ve used it to make the snowflake nails I did last weekend. The glitter was because of a craving I had a couple weeks ago for crazy glittery nails (you can have cravings for nail polish, right?) I wanted a more pink colour, but this was the prettiest one I found, and its actually not that purple on the nail.

Clinique acne solutions:

I decided to buy this because the only zit treatment I had was the Clinique acne fighting concealer, and one doesn’t always need concealer when one has a zit. I feel so silly putting on concealer before I go to bed, so I grabbed this one for when I don’t need the makeup. I think it was about $18 at Sephora.

False Lashes:

My boyfriend actually bought these for me from one of the little cart shops in the mall. They were 3 for $10, plus the glue (which I don’t remember the price of). They’re really pretty, and I haven’t actually got around to trying these ones yet, partly because they are so much work to put on, and I’m not very good at them, so I need a lot of time. I’m planning to try probably the ones on the bottom on Tuesday night, when my friends and I are dressing up a bit and going to the casino.
One thing I’m a little disappointed about is the glue. I don’t know if it’s good, as I haven’t tried it, but this must be a cheap/ghetto brand or something because, although it says clear, the glue is actually black. Which means if it smudges, it’s going to show. That’s a bit of a problem for me, as I tend to take a couple tries to get the lashes on perfect, so I’m probably going to end up with black glue all over me…

Almay powder:

This is the new powder I bought to replace my ELF powder, which caused my skin to breakout almost as much as working at New York Fries did, years ago. I almost repurchased my Rimmel Mineral Powder, which I’ve bought a couple times and really do like, but I found this for a couple dollars more, and it sounded like a brilliant idea, if it worked. And it does seem to have helped a bit, at the very least, the breaking out has settled down, and my skin is going back to normal.

Nail wheels:

You might be able to guess, from how obviously this is a picture from eBay, that these haven’t arrived yet. I ordered them about a month ago, but I think they’re coming in from Hong Kong, and they were only about $3, so I forgive them. I’m kind of excited for them, in a silly sort of way.

Revlon Lipbutter in Strawberry Shortcake:

This is another picture of a product I don’t currently have in my possession. I googled the colour I bought for this picture. This should arrive next week. I’m never allowed to spend money on makeup again… maybe until January. However, a few of my favourite bloggers have been talking about this, so I wanted to try them out.

Zoya polish:

I noticed a couple days ago that one of the carts in my mall (that used to be a a real store), Escents, was selling Zoya polishes. Today, I decided to get one, since I’d been looking at Zoya online and considering buying a colour or two to try it out for a while. This one is a olive-y green with gold flecks, which I really like. I’ll probably use this as the base for my next Christmas mani.

Cherimoya 2012 polish in Trinity and Extraterrestrial:

I found these ones at my dollar store the other day for only $2.00 each. I’d seen them mentioned on Reddit, and they had some awesome colours, so I grabbed the neon green and a pink.

So yeah, that’s everything (at least everything cosmetics related). I really am going to try to be better about getting my posts up! I have a few sitting, waiting to be completed and posted for your viewing pleasure. As always, I love getting your comments! Tell me about some of your recent purchases, or what you think about any of the products above!

Just a random aside…

Is it bad to be super amused that I have eight followers? I kind of want to do a give away sort of thing, since I think they’re fun to enter…. but that wouldn’t be until I got to somewhere near 50 followers, or else it seems a little silly.

Just something I thought I’d put out there.

My November Favourites

Hey all! As you may have realised, November is over, and, since I love reading posts and watching videos about other people’s monthly favourite products, I thought I would start writing my own such posts! This month’s post will probably be a little bit longer than most months, as I’m including a few of my absolute staples, which aren’t likely to change month to month, but I think you guys should know about them, since they are great products! In the future I’ll try to keep it to less than 10 things.
So anyways, here are a few of the products (cosmetic and otherwise) that I have been loving this month (in no particular order):

1. My Guess wallet:
   
   
   This is the first expensive wallet I have ever bought. I decided that I wanted a designer wallet, and that that would be my Christmas gift to myself. As it is, this wasn’t really very expensive, but it did cost a lot more than I would usually spend on a wallet. Guess wallets usually cost $45, at least here in Canada, but I got mine for 25% off, which was basically the deal-sealer on whether or not I was going to purchase this wallet. I love it, though I’ve had to cut down a little on what I carry, as I used to have this massive, ugly guy’s wallet, and I carried a lot of unnecessary cards and paper.
   
   
2. L’oreal Million Lashes
   
   
   You’ve probably already heard me talk about this if you’ve been reading my blog for a little while, but this is actually a really nice drugstore mascara that I tried after hearing good things about it from stylishandliterate on YouTube. Way better than the Tarte I had before, and only about $11… depending where you buy it!
   
   
3. UD 24/7 Eyeliner in Zero
   
   
   This has been my favourite liner ever since I discovered it a couple of years ago. I’m only on my second pencil, which makes the $22 price tag a little more bearable. It stays put really well, and goes on beautifully! No complaints… I love Urban Decay!
   
   
4. Starbucks (especially eggnog lattes)
   
   
   Starbucks is always a favourite of mine, and that won’t change, but my favourite drink right now is definitely the Eggnog Latte, which is just fantastic!
   
   This is obviously a picture of my Starbucks card, on which I have 16 of the 30 stars I need to get to the Gold Level. If you haven’t heard about the Starbucks Rewards program and want to learn more about it, instead of rambling at you, I’ll link you to their site, where they describe it quite well. If you have questions, I might be able to answer them.
   
   
5. Elf mineral eye shadow primer
   
   
   I’ll admit that when I decided to try this out, I wasn’t expecting too much from it, however, its a really good deal for the $3 price tag! This won’t make your eye shadow last all day, but it definitely will make it last at least twice as long as it would without any primer at all. I really like this, and also how it makes my shadows look: a little brighter and more pigmented!
   
   
6. ELF complexion brush
   
   
   Again, I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with this $3 ELF brush, however, it’s super soft and fluffy, and I absolutely adore it! I know now that I never need to spend more than $3 on a brush, because ELF has beautiful ones, whereas I would be paying closer to $20 each for a cheap brush at Sephora.
   
   
7. Bath and Body Works sanitizers (specifically the choco mint one)
   
   
   I got this one from a giveaway on YouTube, along with a bunch of other stuff, and I’m absolutely in love! The Chocolate Mint scent is so much nicer than the strong citrus scents of most sanitizers, and unlike lots of other ones, this doesn’t leave a putrid taste in my mouth if I use the sanitizer and proceed to eat something with my fingers! I’ve checked these out in store since I received this one, and found out they are $2 each, which is a little more than I want to spend on sanitizers, but after using up almost half of this one already, I’m down to spend that much each to get myself a couple more. Plus some of the other scents smell really good too!!
   
   
   
8. Neutrogena Lip balm
   
   
   No other lip balm or chapstick I have tried before or since purchasing Neutrogena’s Norwegian Formula Lip Moisturizer has made my lips feel so nice. I tried this originally because I was sick of balms that tasted good but didn't do much for my lips, or sticks that made my lips really sticky. I have a hand lotion from the same formula, which I also adore (and need to replace soon), and so I was completely down to try this the moment I saw it. I can’t remember the price, but I’m sure it couldn’t have been more than $3.
   
   
9. “The Wee Free Men” by Terry Pratchett
   
   
   This was actually one of the required textbooks for my Children’s Lit class this semester, and though I’ve been a little slow working my way through it, I’m absolutely in love! I’ve read a couple other Pratchett books, and that was actually the main reason for my choosing this class. This is one of his books aimed at children, rather than adults, but his writing is so funny and so intelligent that the book doesn’t feel like reading a kid’s book. (This cost me about $3 plus shipping online, but I’m sure you can find it in a library, if you want to read it. Which you should.)
   
   
10. OPI Original Nail Envy
    This cost me about $20 at London Drugs, but it was completely necessary. My nails have always been a little dry and prone to peeling, but it was getting even worse, so I decided I had to try something. I wanted to pick up the one specifically formulated for Peeling nails, but they didn’t have it in store, and I was pretty desperate at the time, so I picked up the original. It’s been working wonders on my nails, but I find if I skip it a couple of manicures, then my nails go straight back to peeling like idiots. Still, definitely a must for me!
    
    
11. My Burton Crystal File.
    
    
    I’ve had this thing for years, and I’m absolutely in love. I got it from the PNE one year (the BC version of the CNE, if you’re from eastern Canada. It’s basically a fair, if you aren’t Canadian at all.) and I haven’t used a cardboard or metal file since. This one doesn’t tear your nails, but is actually supposed to help seal together the layers of your nail. Which is great for my poor, peeling nails. Also, they are easy to clean and can’t become infected! There’s nothing bad about this file. It was a little pricey, if I remember correctly, but so worth it. According to their site, one of these is worth $9.99 right now (or $14.99 regular). Here’s the link if you want to check them out: http://www.crystalfiles.com/nail_files.php
    
    
12. 7-year pen
    
    
    This was just a random that I picked up at Chapters one day, but then I fell in love with it. It writes really nice, and its super cute. (I got the black one first.) When I saw more styles in the Chapters in Richmond, I didn’t hesitate long before grabbing another one. I love writing with these. And, if their claim is true, I now have about 14 years worth of ink! Each one cost me $10, which I think is a great deal for a pen with 7 years worth of writing hidden inside it!
    
    
13. My Kinies Grey EZTote Canvas Bag
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Above are the product photos from Kinies’s Etsy shop. As you can see, its a largish, cute, simple, casual bag, with tons of room inside, and lots pockets! Below is a picture of what my bag looks like at the time of posting this, and I bought it about a year ago. Its holding up pretty good, apart from the tiniest bit of wear on one corner that is just beginning to show. And I use this every single day! I love how the grey has got a little discoloured, I think it give it character. And of course I love my buttons, most of which I got at PAX Prime this past summer. The bag cost me $46 CAD, plus $15 shipping, which seems like a lot for a canvas bag, but I completely don’t regret it! Here’s the shop if you wanna check out what else they have: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Kinies.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
14. “Ever After” by Marianas Trench
    
    
    This is the new Marianas Trench album. If you haven’t heard about Marianas Trench, because you’ve been living under a rock, immediately go download their three albums. They are fantastic! And when you fall in love with them, please give them your money and buy their albums!! Cost me ~$13 at HMV.
    
    
15. DAVIDsTEA
    
    
    Finally, DAVIDsTEA is a tea shop that recently opened up in my mall, and I’ve completely fallen in love with them! They have the most amazing and inventive tea blends, and sell not only loose leaf teas, but also hot tea, iced tea, and tea lattes, as well as all sorts of cups, steepers, and thermoses! I’ve already spent way too much there, and I’m really hoping to get some of their teas for Christmas this year!
    

What have you been loving this month? Let me know in the comments!

November Glymm Box Haul!

Hello again!

I received my November Glymm box forever ago now, and I figured I should get this post done and on my blog before my next box arrives! I’ve been kinda busy, which is why I’ve taken so long to post, what with the end of the semester and all. Anyways, his month’s box was fantastic, and I was really happy with my products!

I completely love the pink outer box this month!
Slightly creepy pictures of faces on this month’s card, instead of a bright colour.

I was so happy opening this box! I was having a terrible day, and it was so full of awesome stuff!

Jelly Bellies as always. This month cherry and coffee… Yum!

Ruhua shampoo and conditioner; supposed to be super-hydrating and Gwenyth Paltrow’s favourite… Am I supposed to want my hair to look like Paltrow’s? I haven’t tried this one out yet, but my best friend loved it! Unfortunately, this particular product is $32 for the shampoo, and $34 for the conditioner, which is a little out of my (and most other people’s) spending range! I’ll probably tell you what I thought about it when I finally get around to trying this one out!

I also got another Lise Watier Flash Lift Vial, which I got from my Luxe Box in October. If you want to see what I thought of it, just go check out my Luxe Box review! Anyways, this product is $27 dollars for 7 vials like this sample one.

I also got the Orlane Paris Light Smoothing Cream, which retails for $80 for 50 ml of product (ouch!). Its supposed to be a morning face cream, and its alright, but I preferred the Caudalie one that I received in last month’s box, as this one has a bit of an old woman scent, and feels a little thicker. Also, it’s really expensive, but it’s cool to get to try out such expensive products for almost nothing! In case you were wondering, this sample was 3.5 ml., or 7% of a full size.

This Annabelle Smudge Paint is probably one of the best things in this month’s box. It’s a full size, which retails for $10.95, which is great on it’s own. I got the colour Muddy, which is actually a sort of brown/bronze colour, and much nicer than the name suggests. What’s really cool about this product is the packaging; it’s in a little jar, and the lid screws off and then the skinny part pops out into a brush. Very cute and practical!

I actually like this colour on my skin a lot more than I was expecting to, as browns aren’t really the sort of colour that I generally pick out for myself. I prefer to stick to blues, greens, greys, and blacks. I really like this though, and its also super long-lasting, and goes on beautifully! I might even consider re-purchasing this if I ran out.

Finally, I got this RGB nail polish in Oxblood. This is another full-size product, and I probably love this one even more than the smudge paint! It retails for $18, which is really way more than I could ever justify spending on a polish, which is part of why I love so much that I received it in my Glymm box! The colour’s name is really fitting, because this is a super-deep red, just like blood. I pretty much painted my nails with it immediately after opening my box, I was so in love with the colour! It lasted really well, no chips, and just a little bit of wear at the tips, which is pretty much impossible to prevent anyways, if you don’t wrap the tips. (Which I don’t, by the way, because my nails are usually too short, and it feels really weird and gross.)

     Click to see the pictures bigger. Left is with flash, and right is with the crappy interior lighting in my room.

I also got a card for Brownsshoes.com for $10 any purchase, but I checked out the site, and everything on there is super expensive, so it was kind of useless to me!

Again, I apologize for the delay in getting this post up for you guys. I hope you still enjoyed it, even if you’ve already seen a bunch of other bloggers’ boxes for this month. I have a few post ideas coming up, including pictures of my latest nails, my Christmas wish list, the nail wheels I’ve ordered, my November favourites, and maybe even a Togepi nail art tutorial now that I have my white polish! My semester is just about over, so I should be blogging a lot more very soon, so remember to check back!

Did you get Glymm box this month? What did you love most? I also love hearing about any of  the other subscription boxes, so leave me your comments!

Nail Polish Giveaway Contest

All that is Gorgeous is doing a nailpolish give away contest on her blog for a bunch of Julep products or a pair of Wet n Wild polishes! Check it out!

http://allthatisgorgeous.blogspot.com/2011/12/all-that-is-gorgeous-100-follower.html