Save Money On Razors!

Razors are essential, and we buy them constantly.  But let's face it--they can be pretty pricey for what they are.  In the past, I have always purchased whichever Schick or Gillette razor handle/cartridge refill packages were sold at Costco.  I figured it was the cheapest way to go to get good razors.  Recently when I ran out of razor cartridges, I was about to repurchase when I realized just how expensive these things are.  I'm pretty sure these packages at Costco used to come with 12 cartridges (the Schick Intuition package still does for around $29), but now the two Gillette Venus options only come with eight and sell for $33 and $35!  You can see what I'm talking about on Costco's website: http://www.costco.com/shavers.html.  With the Gillette packages at Costco, you end up paying about $4.25 per cartridge, and even with the cheaper Schick package, you pay around $2.42 per cartridge (I realize that my math is slightly off here because they all include the handle, but because they all include it, these numbers still offer a relatively good basis for comparison).

While paying $35 for razors doesn't break the bank in the grand scheme of things, I thought I'd see if I could find a better value.  I always love finding good deals on things.  And really, who doesn't love to save money?  My first thought was to buy some disposable razors in bulk.  I am a fan of the Schick Quattro Disposable Razors and the Gillette Venus Disposable Razors, so tried to find them in bulk online.  I was unable to find them in large quantities, and the prices I found were still at or around $2 per razor.  There still had to be a better way.

I had heard of Dollar Shave Club but didn't know if it was only for men.  It appears to be geared towards men, and all of their razors have a more masculine design.  Their website says their 4X Razor also works for women.  You get a free handle and four cartridges per month for $6 per month--not bad!  This works out to $1.50 per cartridge.  Honestly, I don't see how any of their options wouldn't work for women, but I still wanted to see if I could find a more feminine-looking alternative.

After a little more searching, I found shavemob.com, which sells razors for men and women.  They have three options for women: a three, four, or six blade razor, all which can be found here: http://shavemob.com/razors-for-women.html.  I decided to go with the four blade option.  You then have three options after you choose your razor--a two month supply (four cartridges), a six month supply (12 cartridges), or a year supply (24 cartridges).  They all include one handle.  I opted for the year supply for $29.99 for the biggest savings, which works out to be $1.25 per cartridge (and a handle).  Shavemob.com is not on Ebates, but I did find a promo code for 15% off on http://www.retailmenot.com/view/shavemob.com, which saved me another $4.50.  Shavemob.com also offers free shipping on all orders, so I ended up paying a whopping $1.06 per cartridge!  I would also like to note the speed of their shipping--I received my package in just a few days.

I've been using the razor for a little while now and have been quite pleased.  The only gripe I have is that it doesn't pivot as much as the Gillette or Schick ones do, but that's just a minor flaw.  The blades are sharp and work just as well as any other razor I've used.  The cartridges came housed in a plastic case (I had six cases of four in my shipment).

The Purist razor from shavemob.com

The Purist four blade cartridges

I'm very pleased with this company and the product, and I would highly recommend them to anybody.  I can't speak to the quality of the men's razors, but the women's razors are great and get the job done.  The choice is yours: $4 per cartridge or $1?  I hope this was helpful, and if you have any money saving tips on razors (or anything!), please feel free to share.

Physicians Formula Eye Booster Instant Lash Extension Kit Review

I recently purchased a new (to me) mascara, the Physicians Formula Eye Booster Instant Eyelash Extension Kit.  It's actually two products: a mascara and a tube of fibers that claim to make your lashes longer, hence giving the appearance of eyelash extensions.  I'm honestly not sure what prompted this purchase; we'll call it an impulse buy.  It retails for around $14, but I found mine on sale at King Soopers for $11.99.  I've never tried a lash extension kit, but I know that there are some on the market including the Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes (retails for $29) and the Too Faced Better Than False Lashes Extreme (retails for $35).  I figured that since this was a cheaper alternative to those two, and since it was on sale, I'd give it a whirl.

As with most Physicians Formula products, the packaging on this one is adorable--it also makes some outrageous claims, such as "WARNING!  Life Changing DIY Lash Extensions" and "May cause: serious lash envy, DIY lash extension addiction, and random compliments from strangers!"  I think most of us know that this is hyperbole, and I hoped for good results but didn't expect anything life changing from this product.

The instructions are as follows:

I first curled my eyelashes.  The mascara has a nice curved brush and was a nice formula.  On its own, it didn't provide much volume or length, but it went on smoothly.

Curved mascara wand

One coat of mascara (no fibers yet) vs. bare (curled) lashes

Ok, now for my thoughts on the extensions--they get EVERYWHERE!  Right when I pulled the wand out of the tube, I saw the little black fibers fly out in all directions.  Annoying!  And this wasn't even the worst part.  When I started applying it to my lashes, the fibers got all over my face and created a huge mess.

Fiber wand--if you look closely at the picture, you can see some of the fibers that flew out onto the countertop

One coat of mascara and fibers vs. bare lashes.  You can see excess fibers on the side of my nose.

I don't think there is any way of stopping this from happening.  The second time I wore this mascara, I tried to learn from the first time and held a tissue over my face below my eyes with one hand as I applied the fibers with the other.  That was better, as the tissue caught most of the fallout, but I still had some fibers on my face that I had to brush off.

I followed the procedure twice (on the top lashes only).  Following it once gave me a nice, fluttery look.  The second application gave me more volume and length.  On my bottom lashes, I used one coat of the mascara only.  Since you are supposed to apply the fibers while the mascara is still wet, I completed both layers on one eye before moving onto the other eye.

Two layers of the mascara and fibers (with even more excess fibers on my face) vs. bare lashes

Two layers of mascara and fiber vs. one layer (and once again, excess fibers on my face)

As I was applying the product, some of the fibers got into my eyes!  It was slightly irritating for a few minutes.  The irritation did stop, but throughout various times of the day, I could feel some of the fibers in my eyes for a minute or so.  I wouldn't say it was horrible or unbearable but more of an annoyance.  I also discovered that when applying the fibers, they had fallen onto my clothes.  This wasn't super noticeable, but I did find it a bit annoying.  As far as the mascara wearing throughout the day, I was pleasantly surprised with its longevity.  It stayed on all day without flaking or doing anything weird (other than the fibers getting into my eyes every so often).  I even worked out with it on, and it was able to withstand that.  It removed easily with my Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm, which I use every night to remove my makeup prior to washing my face.

Final look with two coats of mascara and fibers on both eyes with the excess fibers brushed off my face

Final look with face makeup done

So, what are my final thoughts on this product?  I am quite happy with the final look using two layers.  I like the length and volume it gave me.  I was also impressed by how well it held a curl and how it held up all day, even though a hard workout.  However, it is a bit time consuming, and it is extremely messy--I would definitely recommend doing your face makeup after you've used this product and cleaned the excess fibers off your face.  I don't think I would be willing to put up with it on a day-to-day basis, but it might be nice to use every once in a while when I really want  my lashes to stand out.  I've never had lash extensions, but I do wear false lashes every once in a while, and false lashes still take the cake for providing the most dramatic lash look in my opinion; however, this is a nice alternative.  If you are interested in trying out a lash extension system like this, I would recommend trying this one since it is half the price or less of some of the higher end ones.  I would also like to mention that I have really sensitive eyes and wear contacts, and even when the fibers got into my eyes, I never found them to be overly irritating.

If you've tried this or anything else like it, I'd love to hear about your experiences.  Thank you for reading!  I hope this post was helpful.

Two Favorite Brow Products

Over the last few years, I've tried many different eyebrow products from pencils to powders to creams to gels.  I think I can finally say that I'm to the point where I won't be trying anything new until I run out of these two loves--which could be a while!  These two products achieve different results, which is why I like to have them both in my collection.  For a softer, more natural look when I'm not wearing a lot of makeup (or even no makeup), I use the MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set in Bold Brunette.  When I'm wearing a full face of makeup and want a more defined brow, I use the Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse in Medium Brown.  I will go over some basic information as well as the pros and cons of each below.

MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set
This is a product I decided to try on a whim--I hadn't heard anyone on YouTube talk about it.  I had been using the Benefit Gimme Brow, and I may be the only person on the planet who didn't fall madly in love with that product.  It was so promising.  I loved the idea of using a tinted brow gel with fibers that would lightly fill in my brows on my minimal to no makeup days.  The product only comes in two shades.  I tried them both.  Both were AWFUL on me.  The lighter shade made my brows look grey, and the darker shade made them look jet black.  I'm not sure why the colors just didn't work for me, but they didn't.  So I wanted to find something else like it that was a better color shade.  Enter, MAC Pro Longwear.  The MAC gel in Bold Brunette is a much better shade match for me.  I don't have the Benefit to compare it to, but here's what the MAC gel looks like:

Swatch of the Bold Brunette shade

Pros:
*The price--it's $14 for 0.17 oz, whereas you only get 0.1 oz in the Benefit brow gel for $24.
*The product lasts a long time.  I'm on my second tube, and the first one lasted forever!
*It's buildable.  One layer is fine, but I usually like to use two layers (and brush it out with a spoolie after each layer).  This is completely personal preference; I just think two layers look better on me.
*It provides a nice strong hold, which is important if you have long, crazy brow hairs that want to go all over like me.  And it really is waterproof!  I have put this to the test through multiple workouts where I am busting my ass and dripping with sweat.  The brow gel never moved!  I have to wash it off to get rid of it.
*The brush is bigger than the one on the Benefit brow gel, but it's still pretty small.  I think it's the perfect size for getting the product on your brows, although I suppose this would depend on the thickness of your brows.  For me, it's just fine.
*Bold Brunette is a perfect color match for me.  It comes in six shades, and I think there is a good color match for everyone.  If you're not sure what your color is, I would recommend going to a MAC counter or store so they can pick one out for you.

Cons:
*The product needs to be brushed out right after it's applied in order to distribute it evenly.  This is easy to do but requires a separate tool.  There is nothing better than a good old spoolie to do this.  If you don't have one, ELF makes one for $1, which can be found at Target, Walmart, several drugstores, or here: eyeslipsface.com.
*As with any brow gel that actually provides hold, it feels slightly tacky/crispy throughout the day.  This is not a big deal to me, as I put up with it because I need the hold, but it might be a turn off to some people.
*It doesn't have little fibers like the Benefit brow gel that will make your brows appear fuller.  This is also not a big deal to me, however, because I think it does a good enough job with its pigment alone in filling in my sparse areas.

Overall, I love this brow gel and would highly recommend it!

Left: Naked brows
Right;  Two layers of MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set in Bold Brunette 

Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse
This is a product I had heard about on YouTube before purchasing it.  I knew I wanted to try either this or the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade.  The Anastasia pomade was a better value than the Tarte mousse at $18 for 0.14 oz vs. $29 (it was $28 when I bought it last year!) for 0.12 oz.  However, the Tarte mousse comes with a brush!  And it's a great brush too.  I don't think they sell this particular brush individually, but if they did, it would cost at least $15.  The Anastasia pomade does not come with a brush, and the brush they recommend to use with it sells for $18.  So when you consider that, the Tarte mousse doesn't look all that bad.  Here's what it look like:

The Medium Brown shade in the container.  This stuff lasts forever--I've had it for over a year!

Swatch of the Medium Brown shade

Pros:
*The product glides on and blends easily.  It's not as waterproof as the MAC brow gel mentioned above, but it can withstand a workout much better than a brow powder can.
*You don't need very much.  I've had this little pot for over a year, and it doesn't appear to be going anywhere quickly.  I know it's pricey, but the fact that it will last a very long time makes it worth it.
*The color Medium Brown is perfect for me.  It comes in 5 shades, and I think anyone could find a good color match.  Again, if you are unsure about which color is right for you, go into an Ulta or Sephora and ask one of the associates to help you.
*The brush is great quality, and I love how it's double-ended with a spoolie on the other side.  A spoolie is absolutely essential for anyone and everyone to comb through the brows and blend in the product to distribute it evenly and make it look more natural.  The brush also makes it easy to draw clean, precise lines for a more sculpted brow (which I like to do when I'm wearing a full face of makeup), or you can use it to make tiny strokes to lightly fill in sparse areas.

The brush is nice and thin to give you control.  Fill your brows in lightly, or overdraw them to make them look bigger!  Anything is possible with the right tool. 

Con:
*While the pigmentation and texture of the product is great, it doesn't provide any hold.  This might not be a problem for you, but if your brow hairs are long and unruly like mine, you might need to set them in place with a clear brow gel.  I don't mind this extra step, as it only takes a few seconds.  The Anastasia Brow Gel is fantastic but expensive!  If you want a more budget-friendly option, try the NYX Control Freak Eyebrow Gel, which is also great and costs about a third of the price of Anastasia's.  The hold on the NYX gel is not as strong, but it still does the job and doesn't leave a crispy feel like the Anastasia gel.

Left: Naked brows
Right: Filled in with Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse in Medium Brown and set with NYX Control Freak Eyebrow Gel

I would recommend wiping the angled brush off with a tissue after each use.  You'll want to wash it with shampoo and water as you would any other brush every couple weeks.  When you do wash it, don't forget to wash the spoolie part!  You'd be surprised at how much product accumulates on it.  It's also worth mentioning that when you brush out both the MAC and the Tarte products with a spoolie, some of the product might transfer above or below your brows and onto your skin (which is one reason why you want to clean the spoolie).  This is an easy fix--just clean it up with a q-tip.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my current brow product favorites and found this post helpful!

Current Loves: Summer 2015

We all know I love to experiment with makeup and change up the products I use within my collection frequently.  While I have been playing around with various combinations, there is a certain look I've been going for pretty consistently over the last month or so.

Light Pink Lips

Maybelline Color Whisper in Lust for Blush

I've always been partial to light pink lips--I think they look great on a variety of skin tones.  The lipstick I've been wearing almost every day lately is the Maybelline Color Whisper  in the shade Lust for Blush.  It's so beautiful!  It is a light, neutral pink that looks good with a full face of makeup or no makeup at all.  I loved this color so much that I used up the whole tube!  It's a bit darker than but very similar to MAC Lipstick in the shade Creme Cup, which  also own and love.  It's thinner than the MAC lipstick, but both are fairly moisturizing.  The Maybelline lipstick is also similar to the Revlon Lip Butters, which are hydrating and tend to fall in between the consistency of the Maybelline and MAC lipsticks.

 Blush with Highlighting Qualities

NARS Blush in Orgasm

 My favorite in this category is the ever so famous NARS Orgasm Blush.  I bought this blush for the first time in March.  The verdict?  I do think it's worth all the hype.  It's such a universally flattering peachy pink color with a golden sheen.  I have to be careful with shimmery blushes accentuating my pores, but this one doesn't do that--it just makes your cheeks look flawless.  It's just... so beautiful!  Since it has a sheen, I don't feel the need to use a highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones when I use this blush, which makes it a great product to use when you're on a time crunch.  This blush has been in my day-to-day makeup bag since March, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

 Eyeshadow That Highlights My Eye Color
My eyes look brown to most people, but they are hazel to me.  In the right lighting and up close, you can see specks of green and even blue in my eyes.  I love to enhance the lightness and the green in them by using certain colors.  Purple is a great color for highlighting green eyes, but I've been more into neutral shades.  My favorite combinations have been:

MAC Patina on the lid and MAC Mulch on the outer corner, crease, and lower lashline.

Left: Patina
Right: Mulch

Makeup Geek Shimma Shimma on inner half to two thirds and Makeup Geek Cocoa Bear on
the outer portion, crease, and lower lashline.

Left: Shimma Shimma
Right: Cocoa Bear (matte shade)

For a quick, all-matte eye, I use Makeup Geek Creme Brulee all over the lid and crease and go right over that color with Makeup Geek Latte.  I also like Latte on the lower lashline.

Left: Creme Brulee
Right: Latte

Balayage Hair
For the first time since high school, I have highlights in my hair!  I didn't want the to start at the roots--I wanted a gradual fade, so I opted for a balayage ombre.  I'm so happy with it! I think it looks better with some wave or curl in it, but it looks nice straight as well.  Since the color doesn't start at the roots, it will be lower maintenance than full highlights, and I'll be able to go longer without touching it up.  My hair has been all one color for so long that I wanted something different and exciting.  It's the perfect accessory to every look!

Left: Curled with a Hot Tools 1.25" curling iron
Right:  Blown out with a round brush at the salon

Here's the finished look using the above referenced blush, lipstick, and MAC Patina/Mulch combo:

Thanks for reading; I hope you enjoyed learning about some of my current favorites!

New Favorite Tinted Moisturizer

I am very excited to share a new favorite skincare product!  That product is the Garnier Ultra-Lift Transformer Anti-Age Skin Corrector.  Let me give you some background on what prompted this purchase...

I have to admit that I have completely lost interest in the whole BB/CC/Tinted Moisturizer hype.  I have realized that my search for the perfect one has been unsatisfied because none of them do what I think they should.  To me, the idea behind these products is something very lightweight and light in coverage that you can use as your moisturizer and foundation in one.  Everything I have tried has either not been moisturizing enough, requiring me to use a moisturizer in conjunction with it, or it has felt too heavy and foundation-like.  If I am going to need a moisturizer underneath it, or if it feels too thick and heavy, I honestly don't see the point.  In these scenarios, I might as well just wear a normal foundation.

I was about to give up forever until I remembered that one of my favorite YouTubers, MakeupbyTiffanyD, raved about the Origins VitaZing.  I went back and watched some of her reviews on it, and it sounded exactly like the ideal tinted moisturizer that I had built up in my head but thought did not exist!  Everything about it sounded great--except for the $36 price tag.  I was willing to pay that but thought I should do some research to see if I could find a dupe.  Low and behold, I found one.

 I bought my Garnier cream off www.drugstore.com, which has become one of my new favorite online stores (also, make sure you use Ebates to get cash back if you shop here!).  It was $13.59 for 1.7 fl oz, which is less than half the price of the same amount of product for the Origins VitaZing.  The Garnier cream has a fresh and citrusy (but not overpowering) scent.  If you have ever used Garnier's BB cream, it smells exactly like that.  I really like the scent.  It contains SPF 20, whereas the Origins one contains SPF 15.

Product comes out white

Change in color after rubbing it in 

The product comes out white but magically changes to a skin tone as you rub it in.  The product is marketed as something to work for every skin tone.  While I cannot attest to that claim, it does work for my skin tone.  It feels nice and lightweight.  Unlike any other tinted moisturizer or BB/CC cream I've tried, this feels like a lotion as opposed to foundation, which is exactly what I was looking for!  I use my fingers to apply it to my face and neck and let it set for a couple minutes.  After it sets, it leaves a beautiful glow on my skin.  It does give some coverage, though it is very minimal.  Again, though, this is what I want in a tinted moisturizer!  I love wearing it alone for my no makeup or minimal makeup days, and if I'm running out to the grocery store, it just makes me feel a little more put together than going out completely bare faced.  If I do want more coverage and am wearing eye makeup, I add concealer under my eyes and on blemishes and top it with my Bare Minerals Original Foundation.  I have also tried topping it with my CoverGirl TruBlend Pressed Powder, and I was happy with that look as well.  On days when I wear regular liquid foundation, I skip the Garnier moisturizer and use something without a tint, although I don't think there would be anything wrong with supplementing a liquid foundation with this tinted moisturizer.

Left: My completely bare face!
Right: Wearing the Garnier tinted moisturizer only--no concealer, powder, or anything else.  My skin looks a little more even and bright. 

I am so happy to have discovered this product!!  It really is the perfect tinted moisturizer in the true sense of the words.  I have used it almost every single day since I've purchased it.  If you're looking for a daytime face lotion with just a slight tint, I would highly recommend this product.