Beauty.com 20% “Certain Items” Sale Haul

This sale came out right after Sephora ended their 20% of Friends and Family sale.  I didn’t catch their sale in time so I went to Beauty.com and got the same deal.  I only wanted three things, but one of them Sephora didn’t have at the time and Beauty.com doesn’t have at all and that was Gold Member cream blush from NARS.  The other two items I did purchase were Love Joy blush by NARS ($25.00) and that Stila Smudge Pot mini set that came with a tiny liner brush ($36.00) + the 20% discount.  And yes, I paid $5.99 shipping for snail mail.

Anyway, here are my items.  Please excuse my camera, but it was acting out that day…

Smudge Pot colors, top row, from left to right:  Kitten (reminds me of painterly paint pot, but shimmery and creamy) and Starry Night (a deep blue-purple color)

Smudge Pot colors, bottom row, from left to right:  Violet (a dark violet color) and Black (jet black)

Blush:  NARS Love Joy (a shimmery, medium-dark, pink-tan color with gold flects of glitter)

MAC Mini Haul

I couldn’t help it. I had to go back and pick up Cinderfella mineralized eyeshadow. Before the MAC Style Black collection came out I just knew I would go for Young Punk and Blue Flame…but when I saw it in person I wasn’t in awe over it, but I did fall into awe over both Cinderfella and Gilt by Association. These eyeshadows are BEAUTIFUL and I am not crazy about MAC mineralized eyeshadows either. These two are just so unique. Had to have. HAD TO HAVE!!

I also picked up a couple of eyeshadows. I told myself that I will buy at least two eyeshadows every time I get paid to build up my collection. So I picked up Ricepaper and Sketch this time around.  I’m using Ricepaper as a highlighter and I just love love Sketch…beautiful matte, deep purple.

Love!  I’ve been using it in my crease and it just comes out so pretty on my skin.  Once I get a better camera I will start posting swatches…until then I can only show you what I bought.

Here are pics!

A Sinful Colors Haul

At the moment I have to stop wearing nail polish because they are damaging my poor nails.  After years of having strong nails and starting up wearing nail polishes, my nails have taken a very nice hit into the wrong direction.  My nails are peeling and are thinning out.

I’m sure, now, that my base coat that I’m using by O.P.I. for Sephora is not a good base at all.  I’m not sure if this brand is the same as regular O.P.I. and instead of trying to find out I’m just going to take a rest from nail polish all together.  I have had to go find my Sally Hansen Hard on Nails nail hardner so I’m just using that.  I’m trying to repair my nail issues.

Anyway, here is my Sinful Colors nail polish haul from Walgreens.  I haven’t gotten a chance to wear any of these yet.  They were all purchased about three weeks ago.

Sinful Colors from left to right are…”See You Soon” (a really deep teal color with sheen), “What’s Your Name” (a black color with teal flect of glitter in it), “Rich In Heart” (a deep jewel tone burgandy with sheen), “Serena and Chloe” (a burn orange color with a black and gold undertones), “This Is It” (which I love – is a medium dark squash color with a black undertone) and “Toyko Pearl” (a pearl color with a nice meringue type of look – pretty).  The bottle on the far right is just a Top Shine.

Like I said, I haven’t used any of these yet but the colors are all beautiful.  The cashier told me that the first two look just alike, but they don’t.  They are both two different nail polishes.  To the untrained eye they may look alike.  One is a dark teal with sheen and the other is a black color with flects of teal glitter in it.  HUGE DIFFERENCE.  Ha!!!  OK crazy talk is coming out so that means I’ll stop this post right here.

Good night!!!

Costco by Borghese Brushes for $19.99

And of course I couldn’t pass these up because I am in need of back up brushes because I don’t wash (which I should) my brushes everyday so they are necessary for me.  I was going to buy those Sigma brushes because “they” compare them to MAC brushes, but nobody can beat the price tag of $19.99 for these brushes.  So I have kicked the Sigma idea to the curb.  Wait, scratch that.  I will go to Sigma for their travel brushes though because I’ve heard great things about those and I do need a good travel brush set which I still don’t have…keep reading.

Let me start off by telling everybody how VERY SOFTthese brushes are.  I couldn’t stop brushing my powder brush all over my face because it’s so soft.  It’s softer than the MAC 134 (which I still don’t have, but LOVE to DEATH).  The handles are thick and durable.  They are covered by what seems to be a thin layer of rubber.  And the feral is shiney metal of course.  The length of the brushes are comparable to their MAC counterparts which is a plus for me.  I hate short brushes!

This set comes with eight (8) full size makeup brushes and a full size brush roll which can hold all of the full size brushes that comes in this set.  The brush roll is not made of leather, but of a durable material that has a diamond sewn in pattern, the feel is soft and it doesn’t look cheap at all. All of the brushes are dense, even down to the liner brushes and the travel size brushes.

Here are the brushes from left to right…powder brush (my favorite), bronzer brush (I only use this for blush application so far), angled contour brush, (I am only able to contour down the sides of my nose with this brush because it’s very flat and narrow), an eyeshadow brush, blending brush, liner brush, smudge brush and a dual angled liner / lash brush.  All of the brushes are made of synthetic fibers – cruelty free…big plus in my book.  The brushes are white at the top and black going down to the feral.  My powder brush has been used  in my MAC minieralized skinfinish natural as you can see in the picture.

The set also comes with an eyelash curler (which I was in really bad need of – tired of my dollar lash curler already) which features a plastic replacement when the old one goes bad and a travel brush set.

The travel brush set comes with a mini powder brush (which I have been using to blot with – really nice), a mini blending brush, a mini eyehsadow brush and a mini liner brush.  The mini brush roll is made of the same material as the larger brush roll that comes with the set which is padded and durable, not letter but it doesn’t feel or look cheap.

What I don’t like about this travel set is that it only comes with four brushes which means this mini set is meant for daily use vs. travel like going on vaction for a few days.  You couldn’t apply all of your makeup with the brushes in your travel kit.  Just an FYI…

My overall opinion of these brushes are very good brushes, very very soft, does their jobs and for the price of $19.99, you can’t beat it.  I’ve been using them for over three weeks now and I’m really impressed.  I am able to apply all of my makeup with this brush set except for my foundation which is a liquid.  The bronzer brush, which could resemble  the MAC 187, doesn’t work the same way.  I couldn’t even see applying mineral foundation with it and that’s what this brush was made for.  It’s just too small in diameter to work the foundation in – just my opinion.  My best friend ran out to get her set after taking a look and feel of my powder brush.  Love!

I’m so happy I was able to get these brush handles in black.  I saw a set, I think from 2008, where the handles were clear – not good for me all.  If they were any other color besides black I probably wouldn’t have bought them.  I’m just picky like that.  I am still collecting MAC brushes because I love them so, but in the interim, I will be trying out other kinds of brushes to find those that suit my needs.

That’s all for now!!!