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Free for Haul Friday, Volume #333
Share any beauty goodies you may have picked up in the last week or so, or maybe what’s on your way or on your wish list for next week or month. 🙂
- Haul: MAC eyeshadows, Too Faced Melted Mattes
- Weekend plans: Business as usual, which pretty much means swatching/editing/writing 🙂 I’m excited and happy for it, because the last two weekends I’ve spent with family, so it is good to be getting back into my regular routine!
- What’s been your go-to accessory during March?: I’ve noticed I have worn my light pink/pearl earrings quite a bit this month!! (From Bella Anela Jewelry!)
Share your pet photos to the Temptalia Pets flickr group! 🙂
This week’s Mellan photo…
P.S. — I love seeing everyone interact with each other here, so I am also going approve comments without replying (with the intention of still replying personally!) as I can so that you can see each others comments ASAP!
Haul: Garnier Micellar water (the pink-topped one); MAC Shadows in Ricepaper and Cork; Bumble & bumble Repair Blow Dry hair “stuff”; more La Roche Posay Antheltios (they’ve got bonus packages at SDM; I bought one a few weeks ago thinking it was the light facial sunscreen but it was a double pack of the cream version, so I picked up the right stuff this past week); it seems that I bought some more stuff but I can’t remember what!
Weekend plans: my older son is home for a week and a bit; he’s being deployed at the end of summer and will be very busy until then so I hope to savor every moment with him here.
Go to accessory this month: probably the pashminas I got in India; the weather here has been very changeable so I find having them on me during a week day/work day is very versatile. Plus, they’re so beautiful and they remind me of the most amazing 2 weeks.
Ricepaper! yay! 🙂
Enjoy having your older son home, Mariella! I know how happy you must be for him to be home.
Anti-Haul: I returned the Gwen Stefani blush palette 🙁 . I hated to, because it is a really beautiful palette with some unique colors that coordinate well, and the packaging and price are amazing. Even the shades I wasn’t sure would work on me (Lo-Fi, OC) ended up being great colors. But…. the blushes unfortunately just looked too powdery on me (many blush formulas do). On the bright side, I’m so in love with the Wet n Wild bronzer I got (Ticket to Brazil). Not powdery at all, and I can pack it on. Still looks luminous. My favorite purchase in recent memory 🙂
Weekend: Easter dinner with family
Go-to accessory: Scarfs!
Well, money saved? Maybe? I mean, return UD blush palette, love WNW bronzer seems like a massive net gain 😉
Haul:
MAC: Cheek Pollen blush and Naked Lunch eye shadow. I’m obsessed with Naked Lunch, it looks perfect on my skin and lasts all day. I want to order more MAC shadows but I don’t know which ones to pick. I think we need a top 25 MAC eyeshadow post!
Ulta: I got the Too Faced Flush Blushes in Something About Berry and Candy Glow. I saw Christine wearing Too Face’s La Creme in Jelly Bean with Something about Berry, loved the combo, so I got the lip color too. I Got the Dermadoctor Kakadu C Serum and face creme, it was too good of a price to pass. I got the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water, which is an excellent finishing spray (even though it is supposed to be a primer). I absolutely love the Purminerals 4-in-1 pressed mineral make up, it is perfect for late afternoon touch up when my make up is getting tired. Now I need a good travel-friendly brush to carry with me for touch-ups. Any suggestions?
Weekend plans: I would like to start depotting some of my eyeshadow sand blushes. I was wondering what magnets work best and how people label the products? I want to be able to know what colors I have, on the off chance I ever want to reorder anything.
Accessory: I just wear my wedding rings, a watch and earrings. In spring I wear pearl earrings fairly often.
Naked Lunch has a great sheen! How have you been wearing it, Tammy?
Today I have Naked Lunch all over lid with Cork in my crease. Just a hint of liquid liner on my upper lash line and black mascara. Perfect casual Friday eye look?
Tammy, not sure what you like in a brush, but I carry the travel-size MUFE brush with me (comes in a small pouch) or the small IT brush I got from Ulta ($12) or a set is $19.50.
Thanks for the tip, Michelle. I will check those out?
Tammy, I love the TF Perfect Flush Blushes! I have all 3 and wore Candy Glow on my wedding day ☺️
I have been depotting like a madwoman lately to reduce my number of small and rarely used palettes, I really like using z-palettes since they are already magnetized and come with included metal stickers so any non-steel pans can stick. As for the labeling, if your compacts have a label on the back (singles), you can use a hairdryer or straightening iron to loosen the adhesive, peel off the label, and then stick or glue it directly onto the bottom of the pan or metal sticker. Works great for UD, City Color and the like. If you are depotting from a palette I would recommend just buying a little sheet of dot stickers from the office section of target etc, then write the shade name on it and plop onto the pan/ sticker. The magnets in the z palette are strong enough that the sticker layer won’t affect the “cling”. Good luck!
Thanks for the advice! I didn’t know Z palettes already came with magnetic stickers. Problem solved.
Haul: Natasha Denona cream stick highlighter
Weekend: visiting the fam on the cape (cape cod), drinking lots of wine.
Accessories: I’ve been wearing my pearl earrings hubby gave me for our first Valentine’s day a lot lately. They go with everything!
Have fun visiting Cape Cod! 🙂
What do you think about the cream highlighter?
Enjoy your visit!
I like it! It’s very “wet” looking, so a little goes along way. I actually have been using it as an under eye brightener under my concealer and it works well for me because I’m fair and the highlighter has pinky undertones. I’m happy with it, but I don’t know if it’s worth the $45 price tag. It’s very dupable and comparable to Becca.
I like that it isn’t sparkly but more of a dewiness.
Yay! Sounds like it’s a slightly different finish than her powder highlighter which is more of a glow to me. I like the fact that you describe it as having some pink undertones but it is more expensive than the powder highlighter. Based on your thoughts, I think I’ll pass on it. I’m actually planning on trying to get the new Pat McGrath highlighter set (Skin Fetish 003) when it releases at the end of April (in Sephora in May). It’s more expensive than the Denona, coming in at $72, BUT with the set you get a dual ended highlighter (one side is highlighter shade and the other balm), a highlighter pigment powder, and a blending brush. I recently bought 2 of her individual releases from Phantom 002 (some shades sold out in minutes and the entire collection was gone in hours) and the pigments are truly extraordinary. I anticipate the highlighter set (comes in 2 shades: gold and nude) to be really good.
Haul: I was getting serious FOMO about Becca Gypsy when it was being discussed on a comment board, so I bit the bullet and bought from eBay. No regrets, it’s beautiful! Also have started in on my MAC eyeshadow project (building the perfect z palette)
Weekend plans: 3 day weekennnd! Going to try to choose and shop for some new packed-lunch options for work since I am tired of my old routine. Hoping to grill out for Easter, but with Chicago weather you never know. We had about 30 minutes of heavy snow yesterday even though the week was pretty mild!
What’s been your go-to accessory during March?: Lightweight scarves! They are the perfect spring accessory. I have been sporting my favorite one a lot lately, it has a sort of water color print on it of bright oranges -the actual fruit 🙂 and it’s just so cheerful!
I love when a product I’ve been coveting ends up being totally worth it in the end! Happy for you and your new blush, Julia 🙂
Julia, what do you find works well for you for packed lunches? I want to pack my lunches when I start school next month, but haven’t in a long time. I don’t eat meat, but need to get more protein than carbs in at lunch time or I’ll be fighting to stay awake through my afternoon classes. I’m figuring on Greek yogurt (that I flavor myself to keep the sugar down) for dessert to up the protein, with half a sandwich of peanut butter or egg salad or homemade cheddar cheese/cream cheese/olive spread and a big salad with some feta cheese thrown in (or a fruit salad with added nuts) as a basic framework, and a little bit of nuts and dried fruit for a snack for later if I need it. At home I keep my lunches pretty small, but I’m going to be getting up earlier and walking a lot more to and from the train, so I’m thinking I’ll need a bit more.
I always pack in 4 parts: fruit, veg, yogurt, main. I buy things that are either pre-portioned, or pre-portion them myself so in the morning I can just grab each part and throw into my lunch bag. Cherry tomatoes are my fave veg (I grow my own in season 🙂 ), and I keep V8 cans on hand for if I run out of fresh veggies. I buy the little yogurt smoothies from Traders Joes and I love them. For the main, I was buying the frozen fried rice from TJ’s for a looonngg time, and I just portioned each bag into 3 containers in the freezer (with a squirt of soy sauce). Microwave at work for 2 minutes, voila! They make both a veggie and a chicken version. But I think I am going to switch back to sammies for a while now that it’s warm enough to eat cold lunches. When I was in college I would pack cheese cubes and triscuit or wheat thin crackers, a lot too. I’m always running late in the mornings, so convenience is key for me. Actually, it sounds like you already have a good, healthy plan in place!
Isn’t Gypsy gorgeous??? So glad you got your hands on one! Thanks to Christine’s review, I managed to snag one of the last ones before they DC’d it, and have NO idea why they DC’d it, so hard to dupe too !
What colors have you chosen for your MAC Z palette so far?
Shimmery neutrals are my happy place! So far some of my faves are: Phloof!, Jest, All That Glitters, Twinks, and Sable. I am adding Cranberry and Expensive Pink for a little bit of color.
Haul: It’s been a slow beauty buy week for me. I’ve been taking advantage of lots of Spring clothing sales and clearances.
Kevin Murphy (Buy 2 Get 1 Free): Maxi Wash Detox Shampoo (2), Shimmer Shine Repairing Shine Mist (1) [All back-ups]
MAC (2 Orders): Air of Style Rollerball, Studio Nail Lacquer (Simply Swinging and Blog This), Prep & Prime Sample (2), Pro Eye Makeup Remover Sample (2). OMG, Air of Style smells like hairspray to me (*gags*, actually I did gag when I smelled it!) Not sure but typically that odor comes from benzyl acetate. I gave it away already. It does NOT smell “sweeter than YSL Black Opium” as the MUA claimed. In fact, it smells nothing like Black Opium. For anyone that likes the scent, sorry, just not a scent my nose cares for. Simply Swinging was received damaged (actually MAC QC missed an issue with the shade blending) so they are re-shipping.
Neiman Marcus ($25 Off): Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line Reducing Eye Brightening Concentrate, Christian Dior 3 Piece Deluxe Samples (GWP)
Saks (15% Off): Molton Brown Gingerlily (Body Wash, Replenishing Hand Cream, Body Lotio), Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line Reducing Concentrate [All back-ups]
Ulta: LORAC Alter Ego Lipgloss (Sex Kitten: Sale $8), Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water: Beauty Deal (I actually use this on my makeup sponge), Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear (All Bright, Tickled Pink, Blue Away!, Pacific Blue: Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off…I figured I’d give them a try since I use the SH quick dry top coat.)
Weekend plans: I have a hair appointment at 7 am tomorrow morning and then somehow I got talked into going with my daughter to look for plants for her yard. Weekend mani (of course). Possibly write a couple of reviews. If I get a chance, I might do a TJ Maxx run to see if they have anything new and interesting in. Want to get into playing with the Pat McGrath Phantom 002 single pigments I got in this week too.
What’s been your go-to accessory during March?: I rarely have “go-to” accessories because I like to switch things up all the time. I do really like the new DVF ring I bought during her 25% off sale though – will probably wear that over the weekend.
Hope you can return the MAC perfume, Michele! That sounds like no good!
Michele, I finally tested out the new Sephora Rouge Gel Lip Liners and like them. I mainly use them to outline my lips. They are very smooth (no dragging/tugging), super-pigmented, prevented lipstick from bleeding/ feathering, comfortable to wear. It’s a twist up pencil and there’s a built-in sharpener at the end. Sephora had a nice display with all 18 shades. I tried Wine (berry red), The Red (bright orangey red) and Aubergine Dream (berry purple on my hand but looks like a reddish plum on my lips). Since purple lipsticks tend to be a slippery, I would’ve preferred if Aubergine Dream was a little drier, but it worked ok if I outline my lips, then swipe a few strokes on my lips. Will definitely pick up a few more shades at next Sephora sale. I saw your review of the Tony Moly Cat powder compact -oh my goodness, it’s too cute! If I need a matte powder for summer, that one’s going on my buy list, will try your roll technique with my current powder puff. And as soon as I saw the swatches for UD Aura Highlighter, I thought, that would look great on Michele!
I have a good wine pencil (Lipstick Queen that I got free with my LQ wine lipstick purchase) and several red ones…but oh that aubergine looks so pretty! I think I may try that one plus the dragonfruit and cashmere pink. If they work for me I may also get the “the pink of things” and wino-o. Thanks for your thoughts on these! A good lip pencil for $12 – can’t beat that 🙂
I think Mellan missed you!
Haul: I went a bit crazy this week…
City Color: my first order, six eyeshadows — two blues (Breezy and It’s a Boy!), two greens (Hint of Mint and Beach Cottage), a yellow (New Year, New Me), and a pinky-red (not my usual color, but It’s a Girl! just swatched so beautifully here). Love the colors, have had some creasing with my usual primer, will have to experiment some more.
MakeUp Geek: my first order, four eyeshadows — two greens (Typhoon and Charmed), a silver (High Wire), and a purple (Blacklight); so far I’ve worn High Wire all over the mobile lid with Blacklight layered on top in the center, and was very pleased — today I’ve got Blacklight on with one of the greys from NARS L’Amour, Toujours L’Amour.
MAC: I ordered the Tinashe palette — when I swatched these I was worried, because they felt much drier and stiffer than my favorite eyeshadows, but was really pleased with the two greens (Flame and All Hands on Deck) and the mid-tone matte (Quarry). Revelry as a liner resulted in some fallout.
ColourPop: five Ultra Satin colors: Petit Four (gorgeous on me, but where will I find the courage to wear it?), Marshmallow (a bit light for me, will be used to lighten up/tone down/cool off other shades), Lyin’ King, Panda, The Rabbit — all beautiful. Panda looks a bit dramatic/dressy/fall-winter on me because it’s a bit dark, so I mixed it on my lips with Marshmallow today over Murad Rapid Collagen Infusion for Lips rather than my usual lip balm — someone on this forum mentioned this product under liquid lipsticks — and it has worked well so far. Definitely only for days when I won’t need to touch up away from home, though — it’s a bit fussy of a process for that. also Super Shock Cheek in Hippo — my first super shock cheek — and I really like it! I’ve been a bit concerned about application with these, as applying with my fingers over all my layers seemed like a recipe for a mess, but it went on beautifully with my usual Hourglass No. 2 foundation/blush brush. Not the method to use if you want intense color, for sure; but for my preferred subtle cheeks, it worked wonderfully! Very pleased with this order — now we just have to see if I can get myself to use liquid lipsticks on a regular basis. I do prefer applying them with a lip brush, which seems fussy for touch-ups away from home. Plus I have trouble getting all the pigment out of my lip brushes. Maybe I can get used to it with practice!
Beauty.com 20% off: Murad Rapid Collagen Infusion for Lips; Paula’s Choice Moisture Boost One Step Face Cleanser, Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner, Clear Regular Strength Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution 2% Salicylic Acid, and Resist UltraLight Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum; and First Aid Beauty Daily Face Cream. I’m happy when I can back up my skin care goodies at 20% off. Trying the PC cleanser to see if it cleans as well as the First Aid Beauty one does when I’m getting makeup and sunscreen off, but without making my eyes sting. I’m a little concerned about the sodium laureth sulfate in it, but I like the rest of the formula and didn’t have any difficulty with the sample I tried.
Maybe since it’s spring I just had to have six new green eyeshadows — I really did go a bit nuts. I think it’s pre-school jitters. I’m really terrified about starting school in a week and a half. Went down there the other day to pay tuition and look around again — I always feel happy when I’m there.
Weekend plans: hoping to keep making some progress on my room re-organization. It’s amazing how much time and energy it takes! Dinner with friends this evening.
Go-to accessory: I’ve been wearing my necklaces more often. 🙂
So glad you’re loving the Tinashe palette, Fran! It’s a very interesting combination – like muted pastels almost!
Good luck on your ongoing reorganization!
Thanks, Christine 🙂
Wow – great haul!
What are you going to school for (if you care to share)?
Thanks, Michele. I’m going to school for ten weeks to get my esthetician’s license. I plan to add makeup artistry to that. Going for a second career for my sixtieth birthday 🙂
That’s so cool! I’m sure you’ll do great. Rock the green eyeshadow and Petit Four lipstick. Maybe not together, though. 😉
Thank you for the vote of confidence, Rachel! What worries me most is health problems getting in the way — I haven’t been able to work full-time in almost twenty years, and school is seven hours a day plus a commute (fortunately, I can take the train). The last time I went back to school (part-time, online) a bunch of new health problems (including breast cancer) piled on, and I only completed one semester, had to quit partway through the second. It’s made me almost superstitious about trying again. So I’m pushing through a lot of anxiety. But I’m doing it.
Fran, I think it’s so awesome you’re going back to school and trying a new career ! And I hope no health issues this time. And it’s so admirable how you are fighting through your anxiety and fears to do it. Even if it doesn’t work out, at least you’ve tried. We’re rooting for you!
Fran, that’s so wonderful! I wish you luck. Keep us posted on your success. If you get in with a salon or counter, please let us know. I think you’re a couple hour drive from me (PA, right?) and in good weather, it’s a lovely drive. I’ve gotten talked into going to the Hershey Spa several times with my gfs. (Too bad your 10 months is just after my 50th or we could have made it a double birthday!)
Katherine and Michele, thank you both for your good wishes. I figure that, if I don’t try, I’ll always kick myself, wondering ‘what if I had tried to do what I wanted and gone back to school? Once I get my esthetician’s license, I want to take at least a week-long course in makeup artistry and work primarily in facials and makeup rather than body waxing and massage.
Michele, I’m just outside Philly. My course is for only ten weeks starting April 5th. I turn 60 in August, so I hope to be an esthetician by then 🙂
I’m in WV (Eastern Panhandle), 15 minutes from the MD border. Philly is roughly 3 hours from me because my friends and I do the backroads – we take 11 North and then cut over on 30 East. We sometimes do Philly for the weekend although last year we bought a Groupon and stayed at the casino in Valley Forge. Oh, and my 50th is just after your b-day – Sept. 1st.
We’re pretty close, then, Michele! Next time you come to Philly or Valley Forge maybe we can find a way to meet up 🙂 I’m about a half hour from Rte. 30., near where the Blue Route and I-95 meet.
Somehow I forgot my Sephora haul — after I went to see the school on Wednesday, I had lunch with a friend, and found I’d forgotten to put my makeup bag in my purse! Luckily I had some Yu-Be ointment in there, because my lips can chap in a few minutes, but who wants to walk around without lipstick on? Not me! So in addition to the Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral broad spectrum portable sunscreen powder, I looked for Bite’s Amuse Bouche lipsticks, and my local Sephora had very few shades! Not the ones I was interested in. So I thought I’d buy a new Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural in N27, Iridescent Blue Pink, which I’ve almost used up and is one of my go-to shades, and they didn’t have that in the store, either! So I got MUFE Rouge Artist Natural in N31, Soft Fuschia, and in N45, Red (Satin). I like them both.
Oh no, sorry to hear the City Color Shimmer Shadows creased on you 🙁 I have really oily lids, and they’ve been fine with my usual WNW Fergie primer. I really hope you can get them to work, as you picked some great colors there. I’ve been eyeing the MUG Foiled shadows in Typhoon and Charmed for a while, was thinking of putting an order in. Was wondering if you had any issues with creasing on the MUG ones, as I heard the 2 formulas were similar. I have really oily lids and always worry about creasing.
I’m going to try the WNW Fergie, since I’ve heard so many good things about it. My lids are hooded and wrinkly as well as oily. I haven’t had a chance to try Typhoon and Charmed yet, but Blacklight and High Wire didn’t crease on me. I think it can be a pretty individual thing.
The WNW Fergie primer got discontinued 🙁 but it’s suppose to be repackaged without the Fergie name (think her contract with WNW ended) and the new one is called Photo Focus, but I haven’t tried the new one yet to see if it’s the same one, but I sure hope so. But good to hear the 2 MUG shadows you tried didn’t crease on you, gives me some hope, I was going to put in a small order to see if their shadows will work for me. Thanks!
Haul: Stila Spirit palette and a couple of the sale items with Convertible Colors.
Weekend plans: Going to Boston for the weekend for my husband’s birthday and to visit friends who just had a baby! Any exciting things to do in Boston, Temptalia friends?
What’s been your go-to accessory during March?: I don’t wear accessories. Just my wedding & engagement rings, necklace from my husband a million years ago, and rosegold watch.
Have a blast in Boston, Joyce! I haven’t played tourist there myself, but hopefully someone can chime in with a few things to do 😉
I’ve only been to Boston once on a business trip, but if the weather is nice Faneuil Hall Marketplace is fun for a little browsing and eating!
Used to work in Boston. Have you visited before? If not, def walk the Freedom Trail, go to Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall, and the waterfront/Boston Harbor. New Englanders will be out no matter the weather, and I hear it’s been relatively mild up there this season, lol. Great walking town, enjoy!
Haul: Nothing! Haha I’m probably going to pick up a few things soon as I’m running low on essentials like concealer
Weekend plans: Geocaching and hiking waterfalls pending weather with the boy 😉
What’s been your go-to accessory during March?: I don’t really change up my accessories. I tend to wear the same things over and over.
Have fun geocaching, Monica!
Haul: Major Ulta haul to include a re-up on my Mally Beauty face Defender Compact; lots of drugstore stuff. Last big haul until June 1, as I started a no-buy! 🙁
Wknd: deal with hair, clean
Go-to accessory: always my watch and lately a hair band to tie my hair in a ponytail which I never really did until recently
Congrats on getting started with your no-buy!
Hellooo Mellan finding good places to be.
Haul: Tom Ford Golden Peach and a 2015 version of Tom Ford’s Platinum, which I ADORE! Christine, am curious about your review of the 2016 Golden Peach and Naked Bronze cream shadow. Wondering if the consistency is like the 2016 versions (emollient) or the 2016 thicker consistency.
Weekend Plans: Easter and taxes.
March Accessory: I’m wearing more shimmering plum lipsticks these days – a touch in winter and a touch in Spring.
Happy Easter, everyone!
Christine, I meant ask if you’ve noticed if the Tom Ford 2016 Golden Peach has the same consistency as the 2016 eye creams (emollient) or the 2015 eye creams (thicker consistency).
Sorry, I did not purchase any of the duos this year since they look exactly the same – I only had Platinum to compare as they sent me a press sample of it (I didn’t re-purchase)!
Haul: the Atelier Cologne box with 7 different scents, another bottle of Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse, and a purse in a gorgeous jade green at Target!
Plans: a concert Saturday night, no other plans!
Go-to accessory: my glasses… with my pollen allergies I’ve had a very hard time tolerating my contacts :/
Have fun at the concert, Lulle!
Haul: Shockingly, nothing!
Weekend plans: Movie tomorrow, and Easter Egg Hunt with my kiddo on Sunday
What’s been your go-to accessory during March?: Scarves, all day, everyday!
Have fun on Easter! 🙂
He wants attention. My cat would do that too.
He does!!
Haul-Lise Watier Havana matte bronzer, MAC Cheek Pollen blush and Viva Glam V lipstick on order. Also ordered UD Aura highlighter. Drug store haul was an Essence bronzer and blush from the $1 clearance bin at Shoppers Drug Mart.
My son is home for the weekend and I plan to just enjoy spending time with him. He’s a few hours away and has a busy job so visits are so precious.
How do you like the new bronzer, Stephanie?
The Havana bronzer is silky and finely milled. Not powdery at all, just satiny. And not orange either. I have yellow undertones that really accentuate any orange tones.
Haul: Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Cream Kit in Fair & Liquid Lipstick in Milkshake. I feel stupid excited to have access to Anastasia in store at Sephora now. Although I’m sad that neither of the Glow Kits work for my skin tone… all the shades are way to dark for me. lol
Weekend plans: Mastering Primer Pro, great program but my computer is way to slow to work with it. The preview is kind of useless. Need a new one next year for sure.
Sleeping in guilt free….
What’s been your go-to accessory during March?: … Northing really just try to stay awake pull two weeks of long hours. lol
I’m so glad Anastasia expanded into Ulta/Sephora!
I’m was jus stupid happy to also see they had the Contour Cream Kit in Fair there. Perfect shades for me although I wish one of the two matte highlighter was lighter still. The white one is just a pearl shimmer highlighter. lol
Haul: MAC eye shadows in Fig 1., Copperplate, Handwritten, and Blanc Type (can you tell I’m upset that they’re discontinuing the Matte2 formula?), Anastasia Beverly Hills shadows in Pink Champagne, Chocolate Crumble, Metal, Ash Brown, and Stone, the Esteé Edit Flash Illuminator in Spotlight, and Radha Argan Oil off of Amazon. My NARS order that I placed a while ago arrived too: 413 BLKR illuminator, the Hot Sand/Laguna duo (LE), and the Audacious lipstick in Vivien.
I got the Cover FX drops in N10 a few weeks ago, and mixing it with the 413 BLKR illuminator is my new favorite “foundation!” I thought the drops were kind of gimmicky, but they’re really great, full coverage but lightweight and comfortable. I just hope they start making them in G10, which is my real shade.
Weekend plans: Grocery shopping! And studying, but that’s not as much fun.
Go-to accessory this month: I got a necklace with a UFO pendant that says “I want to believe” on it! I’ve been wearing that a lot. I also have a pendant with a picture of a galaxy on it, and another pendant with a piece of amethyst.
The Matte2 formula is so good, too 🙁 I don’t understand it at all!
The ONLY way I can see this being a good thing is if they reformulate the regular Matte formula to be the Matte2 formula, but knowing MAC that won’t happen.
We can only hope 🙁 Haven’t seen any of the old Matte2s ever come back so I am pretty down about the whole situation, lol!
I seriously wish MAC would do precisely that; reformulate ALL their matte eyeshadows into Matte 2! Because then they would definitely be at the top of the matte eyeshadow game in the industry. Well them, and Lorac turns out some fantastic ones too. I may need to grab up Copperplate and Fig 1.
I love Vivien, hope you like it, too!
Awww, is Mellan sitting at your feet while you’re typing away? LOL
**Haul – Natasha Denona shadow in Golden Rose came back in stock at Beautylish, and I finally got my greedy little paws on it, OMG, beautiful! It’s a duo chrome light rose pink infused with gold shimmer, really makes my brown eyes pop, paired it with soft rose blush and dark burgundy purple lipstick, was a totally stunning look! I think it can also be used as a blush or as a rose gold highlighter. I used my regular WNW Fergie eye primer and applied it with foam applicators, as it seemed too soft for a brush. It started out very metallic, but faded quite a bit by the 4th hour, but it was a nice fade ( looked pretty & soft) , and lasted 12 hours on my oily lids with no creasing. The packaging is ridiculously cheap and flimsy plastic (reminds me of those cheap plastic pill boxes at DS) , WNW looks luxurious compared to it . With the fading and cheap packaging, it’s definitely not worth $29, but I’m really in love with the color, very flattering on me, so will keep. But at $29 a pop, I would only go for the most unique colors that aren’t easily dupe-able.
*Weekend -Had crazy week at work. Taking Friday off to rest and do some spring cleaning on my makeup stash. Might walk around the mall, need to find some new clothes for work and try to stay away from any makeup stores, although I will probably get lured to a MAC counter with $6 shadows. Glad you hauled more MAC shadows to review 🙂
**Fave accessory – I’m not into accessories very much, which is probably good, b/c that means more money for makeup LOL Guess my makeup is my accessory, as I change my looks every day
Yes! He was so needy. I don’t mind, but it’s times like that where I just can’t figure out what he needs in particular!
I’m glad there was no creasing at least! 🙂
Haul: L’Oreal Brow Stylist, Glossier Boy Brow, and Physicians Formula Argan Lip Oil.
Weekend plans: Easter egg hunts! Tomorrow at a farm with friends and Sunday is the family one with brunch.
March go to accessory: Spring jacket, hooray!
Ooh, how fun! I haven’t done an egg hunt in eons!
It’s especially fun with my little man, his buddies and my nephew! But I def like it for the extra chocolate! 😉
Haul: just received an e.l.f. order I placed last week; I got the new aqua beauty lip gel stain things, HD powder in translucent and shimmer, a couple more tubes of eyeshadow primer, a couple of HD blushes (can’t remember which ones off the top of my head), stipple and eyeliner brushes (my old ones seem to have fallen into a black hole), the hydrating bubble mask and the aqua beauty primer must. I also got the freebie mystery bundle with another tube of shadow primer (sooo much primer!), the c eyeshadow brush, lengthening mascara, and a sadly lackluster baked eyeshadow palette.
Weekend plans: I have a big paper due Monday so I’ll be working on that.
Go-to accessory: I have a lovely black straw boat hat that I’ve been wearing nearly non-stop lately. It’s super cute and it’s extra sun protection!
Are there a few winners in your haul, Thiel? I see that the baked palette was a let-down but hopefully there are some good things in the haul!
Good luck on your paper!
A lot of things in my haul are old faves- the powder, eyeshadow primer, and the brushes are products I’ve known and loved for years. So far I’m seriously loving the lip stains, although they seem to be more in tune with last spring’s trends than current ones. I don’t mind; I’m not too much of s trend-chaser anyway. I also really like the face mist and I’m super excited for the mask- I’ve heard some good things about it and bubble masks tend to be prohibitively expensive so it’s great that there’s one in the drugstore price range. I’ve also wanted to try the blushes for a long time, I just never got around to buying them before now. The eyeshadow is very sad but since I got it for free, I don’t mind all that much!
Ahh, gotcha! A freebie that doesn’t work out isn’t so bad then at all 🙂
Definitely not! 🙂
Haul: City Color Cosmetics — Sprinkle Palette (this will be a pretty but not too pastel palette for spring, I think); Shimmer Shadows in Beach Cottage, It’s a Girl, Marsala, Ladylike, and Hint of Mint. Wet n Wild (online) — New Romantics e/s trio; the four Stay Wild! e/s trios; Mega Glo Illuminating Powder in Spotlight Peach and Strike-a-Pose Rose; Color Icon Blush in Arpi-Cot in the Middle; Mega Liner in Indigo Blue, Turquoise, and Plum. Notoriously Morbid eyeshadows in Douglas Firs, Chaos Reigns, and Pale Gloom.
Weekend plans: I still have to do Easter shopping! Celebrate Easter. It won’t be much this year, with my younger son still being so ill.
What’s been your go-to accessory during March?: My wedding ring, of course, and my sterling silver criss-cross ring. I change the rest of my jewelry every day. I tend to keep the same purse though. It’s been my BP Washed Tote for awhile. It’s more neutral and Boho than my normal style, but it’s such a great bag. I may change to something more colorful for spring and summer, though.
It never fails! No matter what time I post my haul, my mail comes. lol Add Looxi Beauty Highlighter in Pandora and Venom, and Looxi Aurora e/s in Noir, Prom Queen, Hyjinx, Orion, Nova, Omega, Glazed and Confused, Limelight, and Eclipse. Unfortunately, a few shades were sold out for good by the time I got my paycheck on Tuesday. Oh, well. I also got the Walmart Beauty Box for this quarter.
How do you like the trios, Rachel? The only thing I’ve tried from them were the Shimmer Shadows.
Christine, I got a City Color Shadow Trio free with my order, it’s a purple/plum /white color, will be testing it. Also got one of their Matte Singles (Aubergine, a purple) but haven’t tested that one yet. Will report back. But I did test one of their Single Shadows (big round one) called Pool Side (silver gray teal ), and I liked it, it’s a traditional powder formula, but it was very smooth, good pigment, and held up well on my oily lids with primer.
The trios I bought this time were from Wet N Wild.
I got the City Color trio in Falling Leaves in an Ipsy bag a couple months ago. It’s got some fallout, so I’ve got to tap off my brush, but nothing excessive. The pigmentation is great and it blends really well. I wear primer, so I can’t speak to wear time w/o it. I’m keeping it.
Oh Rachel, can you let me know what you think of the City Color Sprinkles palette? I’ve been eyeing it, such pretty pastels! Is it the same formula as the Shimmer Shadows and Intense Shine palette? Or is it more of a traditional powder formula? Is it pigmented?
I like it a lot, but unfortunately it is not the same formula as the Shimmer Shadows and Intense Shine. It’s more of a traditional formula. It’s all shimmers and satins. The pigmentation is really good on most of the shades. The hot pink is amazing! The two oranges are kind of light, but they build up. The bright orchid color looks a bit light and patchy swatched, but it builds up and blends out on the eye really nicely. It has a little bit of fallout, so I tap my brush off first. I think it’s a really pretty palette, especially considering the price.
Thanks Rachel for your thoughts on the Sprinkles palette! It’s really hard to find any kind of pastels or bright colors that perform decently, and my goodness, you can’t beat the $6 price for 10 shadows! I need some pastels to go with my bolder shadows, and pops of color to go with my neutrals, so it’s going to be in my next City Color order. BTW, glad to hear your older son has recovered, and your younger one is doing better. Hope you get some much needed rest soon.
How is your son going? Is he getting better?
That’s so sweet of you to ask. The oldest one is fully recovered now. The younger one is still pretty sick, but is more able to keep food down and has been able to sit up and play on his computer a bit and take baths. He’s definitely improving.
Rachel, your kids were really sick! I hope they’re completely recovered soon!
Thank you, Fran! This virus is nasty. I feel bad for anyone that has it and doesn’t have anyone to help take care of them.
Oh no! I’m so sorry. I hope they feel better soon. Keeping your family in my prayers Rachel. XO
Thank you, Nicole! That’s so sweet of you to think of us with all you have going on. <3
Aww!!! They think EVERYWHERE is their personal territory!!! (Bathroom Sink-Beast?)
Haul: Nothing that I purchased myself, but a beautifully put together gift package surprise from a good friend! The BH Cosmetics Foil Eyes palette (AMAZING!), 2 Ofra liquid lipsticks in VERY cool shades that do NOT dry out my lips into prunes, very comfy! And Too Faced Lash Injection Mascara. 😀
Weekend plans: My hair routine, definitely. Meeting on Sunday. Pop into SFS later today and go food shopping at the Walmart out on the Reservation. That one is so well maintained and clean!
Go-to accessory for March: Other than my always present nameplate necklace, two silver rings, silver hoops & studs….hmmm. Been wearing more of my long dangley earrings of late. Starting my usual spring/summer bag switching, used a white one for the first time this year last Sunday. And my golden pewter one Monday.
Oh, I’ve been eyeing that BH Foil Palette! It’s got a nice mix of pastels and more unique colors. Glad to hear you’re loving it. Do you think it’s similar to the MUG Foil formula?
Hi Katherine, I don’t own any of MUG ‘s Foiled shadows, or actually any MUG products yet, so I can’t compare them. I wore a look today using several of the shades, and CAN tell you that the formula is fantastic! Easy to blend, great pigmentation (of course, with my oily hooded lids, over primer!), reminds me of some of the MUFE or MAC Veluxe Pearl (the good ones like Woodwinked or Lucky Green) eye shadows? I really love them!
Thanks for the feedback Nancy! Will put on my buy list for next BH Haul. I’ve only tried their Party Girl Waterproof Gel Eyeliners and they are awesome! They’re pigmented, smooth, last +12 hrs on my oily lids w/primer, and are dirt cheap. I have 4 of the 5 colors– the dark brown, blue, and purple are my faves.
Aww, what a lovely surprise, Nancy! 🙂 You must have been over the moon with new goodies to try!
Oh, I am!!!?
Haul: Ulta: Cargo Land Down Under Eyeshadow Palette, Neutrogena Healthy Skin blush in Vibrant, Flushed, Luminous and Rosy (Rosy was broken on arrival, so I’ll have to exchange that one).
Glossier: Perfecting Skin Tint and Stretch Concealer in Medium. Glossier’s shade finder thing recommended Medium for me-I was worried it would be way too dark, but because it’s so sheer it really isn’t. I’ve already put in another order for the Light shade concealer and skin tint though. I want to see if it’s better, since apparently Glossier lets you return items if they’re only very lightly used.
Ruelala: Tarina Tarantino Dollskin 4-Pan Cheek Palette, Guerlain High Precision Lip Liner in Terre de Sienne.
Weekend plans: Maybe start posting my for sale makeup on the local buy sell trade facebook sites. Sit out in the sun if there is any. I’ve been reading Fear and Clothing by Cintra Wilson-it’s really good so far (only into the second chapter) so I’d like to keep reading that. I’ve already cleaned most of my home this week so mostly just relaxing.
What’s been your go-to accessory during March?: Floral print sunglasses by Betsey Johnson that I got on zulily for $17.
I’m glad Glossier at least lets you return – a lot of newer brands wouldn’t!
I hope you get some sun this weekend, Nicole 🙂
Isn’t is amazing? I’m so glad they do that.
Thank you! I hope you have a good weekend getting back into your regular routine! I know it can be such a relief after a few weeks of something different, even if the something different was great.
That Cargo palette!!!! Details if you don’t mind ? I saw that on Ulta and loved the color scheme. Do you love it?
I do! I actually got a sample of two of the shadows in my birchbox this month and bought it based solely off of the color Ferry-it’s a matte purple/gray toned color that sometimes looks a little brown as well. It’s really one of the more interesting colors I’ve seen in a while. All in all the palette has five matte colors (Ferry, Koala, Opera, Joey and The Rocks) all of which are really good quality.
Of the other shades, the only one that’s lacking is Beach, which is a pretty typical gold without a whole lot of pigment. It’s one of those colors that has a lot of shimmer attached to a thin base. It could probably be used as a gold wash over something else though. Sand is also a bit thinner pigment wise, but still nice, not as thin as Beach. But the blue shades, the olive green (which has a lovely gold sheen to it ), Suntan and Bridge are all really great. The blues may need a little building up, but they do build up without a whole lot of effort and of course they apply pretty strongly if you’re just using your finger to pat them on. The whole palette together creates this sort of warm-bronze summer scheme, with Ferry and the two blue shades offsetting it so it’s not so overwhelming, if that makes sense.
I’ve used it once since I got it, but I used all the matte colors and the blues, all of which applied beautifully (with not too much effort in the case of the blues). I was actually using the really subpar brush they include in the palette and they applied well with it, so I imagine with better brushes they’ll be even more amazing!
I hope I gave you the info you need! I’m sorry I didn’t respond sooner, but I haven’t been online so much in the last day or so.
Thank you for the detailed information Nicole! It’s on my Spring wish list. You just sealed the deal! Now, I really want it like crazy! 🙂
Haul: I decided to get Bite’s Radish in the full size because using the mini was driving me nuts. I also picked up this really pretty light pink polish while I was at Sephora, Nails Inc Mayfair lane. Hoping to get it one my nails prior to Easter. But, my basement wound up with 4 inches of nasty water in yesterday afternoon! OMG, it’s been a nightmare. This house. I’m so done. Me and this house are not getting along. So,I have a few other orders in boxes that I never actually unboxed because I typically do that on Thur or Fri when I have time to get through it and put it away.
Weekend plans: See above. It is a major back up..restoration people,damage. loss,claims. ugh! Easter brunch with my family
Go to accessory: The Gilded Path wrap bracelet from Stella & Dot..love me some Stella and Dot.
Your poor house, Nicole! I remember you had troubles last year, and now four inches of water? 🙁 So frustrating!
I JUST finished settling my moving claim with Mayflower (note to all: DO NOT RECOMMEND) from my move in October, and I wish you ALL the luck and patience with dealing with this claims/loss process!!
Oh no, what happened with Mayflower??
A lot of my larger furniture (desks, tables, sofas, bookcases) was damaged – enough to be annoying but not totally destroyed – and I had been fighting with claims from late October (2015) until about a week ago to get everything settled. I would go weeks without any responses from Mayflower in the middle of the process, and after a certain point, I would have to call, leave a voice mail, and then magically would get a response via email within 6 hours of calling. This is just on little things like – “Did you receive my receipts?” – weeks of running around and following-up to get an answer on details like that.
Yikes, sounds like an awful nightmare 🙁 And they are a major moving company too. Good thing your hubby hauled your makeup collection in a truck to AZ ! Can you imagine if they were hauling your precious stash??? Eeeeek!!!
You know what’s SO funny?? NOTHING in boxes was damaged at all! Everything we packed came fine. I only had one thing leak at all, and it leaked in the bag we put it in (honey)! All furniture.
I’m just glad it’s over, FINALLY! I don’t think I’ve ever cashed a check that quickly before. I was terrified they would cancel them, LOL!
When I was a kid we moved from Houston to Ky and we used Mayflower. Yes they have been around that long, lol. Anyhow, they damaged a ton of our furniture. I remember one of the pieces was one of those big chests with a record player inside. My mom was heart broken because you could no longer buy them. I went down this morning and realized one if the boxes that had about 5 inches of water was filled with my daughters baby books and memorabilia. I’m not allowed to go through anything until the insurance people check things out. So upset. I think I’m drowning my sorrows in Tom Ford!lol. But, lessons learned- stay away from Mayflower and keep those precious things better protected. I had that box on the floor . So mad at myself!
Oh no 🙁 I hope some of it will be salvageable once you are able to go through those boxes, especially one that had your daughter’s baby things in.
Oh my gosh, I remembered last year, when your plaster ceiling collapsed, lucky no one was hurt. Yikes, can’t believe the bad luck. Hope the water problem gets fixed soon.
Note to self: NEVER, EVER use Mayflower Moving Co.! I remember many years ago, my husband and I had to get a moving company because at that stage, we had a LOT of stuff. And I recall someone telling us to steer clear of Mayflower. But this was back ’99.
Yep. The house is a pit. I’ve decided to sell or demo or gut it and rehab. Idk if I can affor to keep it and rent and it out. If have to fix it one way or the other if I do. It’s a lot . Wishing I would have kept my condo, lol!
So sorry about the flood in your basement! What a huge load of work that generates!
Your so right! But, I wound up hiring ppl to help. So, it’s going to be a huge expense too. I’m a single woman.So, wasn’t going to tackle it on my own. I had the plumber come, he told me the laundry line was backed up. Then the restore guy came and he’s said, no mam, the main line was backed up. So, that means it contained sewage! Everything has to be sanitized or pitched. Yuck. Thanks for your concern Fran.
Haul: Origins Original Skin Serum, Atelier Cologne Nécessaire Nomade Collection (also in non-beauty: a ring from Bauble Bar and tea from Teavana)
Weekend plans: not much
What’s been your go-to accessory during March?: Mostly my Skagen watch. LOVE that watch. It’s really simple with a large, but also simple, watch face.
I will have to check out the watch! I love the idea of one, but the one I bought a couple years ago is lovely… but heavy.
Skagen is good. They’ve got bulky ones if you want but also have more lightweight ones like mine (super thin, leather strap, etc). I got the Gitte one (on sale as it was silver with an orangey-leather watchband which I just replaced with a brown one) and there are a lot of similar models. Another site I’d recommend is Watchismo, which has EVERY kind of watch under the sun. Both sites have good sale sections as well so either you can spend a lot less, or possibly get a few different styles for different types of outfits.
Thank you, Anne!
How gorgeous Mellon is – cosying up to you by the computer.
Haul: Skincare products: Neutragena Night time moisturiser and foot cream; QV Daily Moisturiser with SPF 30; Aveeno Moisture Rich Hand cream and a few other bits and pieces.
Weekend plans: having the extended family over for Easter Sunday lunch – planning on having my famous vegetarian lasagne (7 different layers); BBQ Scotch Fillet (for the meat lovers); cucumber salad; Greek salad; roast vegies, fruit salad and an coffee icecream parfait with pecans. I think this should do it…….
Go to Accessory – well I used to wear a lot of lovely necklaces, but since my grand daughter has arrived I have not because I wouldn’t want any to be tugged and broken. Although she is older now, she thinks every necklace is “mine”.
Ooh, I don’t think I have tried Neutrogena’s foot cream! Is this your first time trying it?
Have a great Easter, Genevieve!
Haul: bought a new DHC cleanser yesterday evening!
Weekend plans: Invited to lunch with the professor in an hour! And after that, no idea yet!
What’s been your go-to accessory during March?: My new popsicle earrings 🙂
Popsicle earrings! Those sound cute!
Love the tech support from Mellan!
Haul: MAC eye shadows Fig. 1 and Satellite Dreams, Nocturnelle, Handwritten, MAC Mineralize Blush Gentle, MAC 187 brush, MUG eye shadows Bada Bing, Typhoon, Blacklight, I’m Peachless and Rockstar.
Weekend Plans: Take-out for Friday night – there’s a new barbecue place that opened up right around the corner. Saturday: Clean the house and grocery shop, leftovers and then maybe Easter Sunday at my sister’s house.
What’s been your go-to accessory during March?: Silver hoops!
Aaah! Forgot to include – I FINALLY got off the fence and ordered from ColourPop, eye shadows Lace, Puppy Love, Smash, Puppy Love. I got the email about last call for Puppy Love and I had to order. The pigmentation is wonderful, I’ve just swatched so far, haven’t worn them yet – maybe I’ll play around with them on Saturday. I just hate ruining the pretty, textured finishes of eye shadows 😐
YAYYY!
His solution for all tech problems is to chew on them 😉
Great MAC haul, Pearl! Love the MUG eyeshadows you nabbed, too!
Haul: Like Fran and Rachel R, I put in an order with City Color (but from Boozyshop in the Netherlands, thanks to Clidre who suggested it!). I ordered the same colours, funnily enough – It’s a Girl, Marsala, Ladylike, Hint of Mint, Beach Cottage, but with the addition of All Eyes On Me and Oh, So Naughty. Swatched them almost straightaway and I love them all!
Cult Beauty: Becca Pearl Pressed highlighter. I missed out on the Burberry white highlighter so this was the next best thing. It’s very good, the perfect shade for fair skin. I already have Moonstone poured but it’s pale gold and sometimes I don’t want a colour to my highlighter, just a shimmer. So Pearl is perfect for that. It’s not as strong a shimmer as I feared, it’s enough to show but not like a disco ball! I got a small discount, it being my birthday month so that took care of the P&P plus a little more.
From Birchbox UK: Supergoop! CC cream, ThisWorks Sleep Plus spray and the Tatler collab beauty box. Used the St Patrick’s Day voucher code with that order.
From Zoologist in Canada: Perfume samples set, all inspired by animals. Very unusual, very niche! Think I might buy another set for my sister’s birthday, she loves unusual things.
Today my fiancé treated me to a perfume sampler set from Penhaligon’s for my birthday, it’s classically British. I’m wearing Artemisia today.
I’m now on a low/no buy until end of April! Hopefully I can keep to it lol.
Plans for weekend: Sat: lunch with the girls. One of my friends had her birthday last weekend and I have mine this weekend so we celebrate every year! Our mutual friend also joins in, we have a good laugh and presents are exchanged. Sun: Painting eggs and taking our little girl to roll them down a local hill. She has 4 Easter eggs already and she’s only 2! People love to spoil her, but she isn’t at all spoilt, she’s just lovely ?.
What’s been your go-to accessory during March? I don’t usually wear jewellery, only when I go out. I usually just wear my engagement ring (which I love!) and my Pebble smart watch which my fiancé got me last year for my birthday.
Aww, Mellan, hope he settles down after missing you when you were away.
Forgot to add to my haul: Make Up Revolution eye palette in Fortune Favours the Brave by British Beauty Blogger (Jane Cunningham). I read her excellent blog and she collaborated with MUR on this palette. It’s got a fab collection of colours, she has obviously spent time and care on selecting and coming up with specific shades. They will suit a wide range of ages, she’s over 50 herself. Really impressed with it, the only disappointment is the chemical smell and the small size of the pans. Still, I’m not complaining for £10!
I guess it says something about the quality/depth of those shades that the City Color eyeshadows caught your eye as well, Claire! 🙂
Becca Pearl is gorgeous. I’m happy you picked it up!
LATE TO THE PARTY!
Haul: My Sephora Play Box came!
Weekend: Hubby being home so we’re catching up and a big Sunday gathering that’s just about to start!
Go to accessory: My wallet wristlet!