Haulage Before My Last Haul

Not sure what’s up with me, but I’m forgetting to post hauls.  I went on a drugstore / MAC haul maybe a week ago…a day before the haul I posted last.  Ha!  I also got a new Sonia Kashuk Fluffy Eyeshadow brush I forgot to post about as well and I love it.  I won’t post a pic of this because I just bought it one day.  OMG! This reminds me of the Studio Tools medium eyeshadow brush I picked up too.  LOL!  OK so I got two brushes from Target that I am not going to post about, but I’m letting you know that I have them and that I love the Sonia Kashuk brushes better than my one Studio Tools brush.  I honestly haven’t used my Studio Tools medium eyeshadow brush enough yet so I haven’t learned to love it.  I will let you know!  Price: $4.99 (Sonia) and $2.00 (Studio Tools)

OK…moving on!

I was out of eye makeup remover (what a tradegy when you don’t have any and you have to remove your makeup!) so I decided on Clean & Clear Eye Makeup Remover because 1.  I was at Walgreens so I couldn’t get the Target brand ha!, and 2. it was cheaper that Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover by 2 bucks.  It works just like the Target Eye Makeup Remover brand. *shrugs*.  Price: $6.00

Walgreens had Maybelline products as a buy one get one half off so I decided on mascara.  I always wanted to try Colossal and Lash Stiletto mascaras so this was almost a good time (I like BOGO better, but oh well).  I’m in love with Colossal and will pass on the overrated Lash Stilletto because it’s just plain sloppy.  It’s not as sloppy as Rimmel, but it’s sloppy.  Colossal rates higher than the overly overly over rated CoverGirl Lash Blast mascara (which I have but don’t use anymore).  Price: sorry…I forgot what I paid, but it wasn’t much.

I was tired of wasting my MAC Studio Fix Fluid because I was pouring too much out.  Once I pour product on my hand, I do not put it back into the container do product is wasted.  So, to remedy the problem I went to get a foundation pump.  While I was there I thought I’d give that MAC Kohl Power Pencil in Feline, a repromote, from the Style Black collection a try.  I was reading on Specktra that it is the blackest black eye liner MAC has.  I love it.  I’ve been using it everyday since I got it and I will go back to get a back up because I love it so much.  Price: $5.00 (pump) and $14.50 (eye pencil)

Here are pics of my drugstore (Walgreens) and MAC haul:

MAC Face Haulage

So, I decided to just go ahead and make that move from BareMinerals on over to MAC Studio Fix Fluid (SFF).  I ended up having to visit the MAC store two days in a row because on my first visit I wasn’t matched correctly.    I knew it was wrong when I left the store, but I just went with it because my Hubby said it looked fine, which it did.

I got the SFF home, looked at it and got very unhappy.  I was matched with a NW50 and I could tell just by looking at the bottle that it was too dark.  I kept looking at myself in the mirror without foundation on and then looking at the bottle.  It was a no go.

Another thing that got me a little upset is that the MAC makeup artist (MA) said that I didn’t need any concealer.  I have very dark blemishes on my face from breakouts (I go to the Dermatologist tomorrow…thank God) and I felt that I really needed it.  I don’t want to have to build up my foundation.  I want to just even out my skin tone and then conceal my blemishes.  That’s it.  She insisted that I didn’t need it.  She also didn’t know what collection that the eyeshadow Off The Page was from and told me they didn’t have it when I was looking at it, but that is another story.  The store was busy so I’m sure maybe that threw her off a little bit.  She was nice so I can’t complain.

So, on the first visit I purchased Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NW50 because I was told that if I have very oily skin (which I do) not to go with the Studio Sculpt Foundation which I wanted to try.  I took the MA’s advice and went with the SFF.  I also bought the Volcanic Ash Exfoliator because it was on my wantages list.  I didn’t get the mask because my funds was low so I got the eyeshadow that was also on my wantages list, Off The Page…which I LOVE LOVE by the way.  It is very pigmented, it’s easy to work with and it looks vibrant on me and stays that way all day.

Yes, I was upset with my foundation purchase so I went back to MAC the next day.  I also left my beauty notebook there on the first visit so I had to go back to get it anyway.

I get there and I get my notebook….whew!!!!  I showed the MA that went to get my notebook my foundation and he said that it matches me and that he would have picked the same shade by jut looking at me.   The foundation I had on at the time was one from Revlon and it was in “dark” and it was way lighter than NW50.  He was helping another customer before me so I didn’t get to show him my Revlon (yep, I took it to the store with me).

I guess that MA told another MA to help me because she came over and asked me if I needed any help.  Her name is Janelle and she is such a pleasure to work with.  She made all of my problems and worries go away in a matter of minutes.  I took my foundation out and I told her that it’s not right.  I also showed her my bottle of Revlon.  She pumped some Revlon on her hand and worked it into her palm and she said that it’s not right for me and that it’s too light.  She then asked me if she could remove my foundation and I let her.  She then told me that she will do half of my face in NW50 and the other in NC50.  Before she applied my foundation she put concealer under my eyes (which is where I wear my concealer normally anyway – I just apply it after I apply my foundation). She also taught me how to stipple the foundation on using the 187 brush and she told me that since I only have the 188 brush that that brush does the same job.  So now my 188 blush brush has now because my new 188 foundation brush.

While she was working on my face my husband was watching.  He then said, “I think the left side is the right color”.  The right side doesn’t look right.  He then said that the left side matched the rest of my body and the other side didn’t.  WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!  Janelle said she liked the left side better too.  So, ladies and gentz…I AM A MAC NC50.  Yay!!!!  Janelle said that the NW50 has red undertones and the NC50 has more of a yellow tone and that my skin color is on the cooler side and not on the warm side.  That made all the difference.  My confidence level went right back up after that. I gave back the NW50 in exchange for the NC50.

My MA, yes Janelle is now my MAC MA, suggested that if I go with a concealer to go with an NW because it will make my under eye area look warm and not ashy on my skin color.  She was totally spot on.  So, in Studio Fix Concealer I am an NW45.  She also set my foundation with Mineralized Skinfinish Natural (MSFN) in Dark so I bought that too.  That MSFN was on my wantages list as well, but I never got it because I didn’t really need it since I was using BareMineral Foundation.

Thank you Janelle!!!!!  Here are pics from my second visit to the MAC store…

MAC Style Black Collection

I was really wanting that Black Knight lipstick, but after seeing Christine’s swatches on Temptalia I was like ummm no.  It looks a mess even with a Style Black  glimmerglass on top.   The glimmerglasses are very sheer as well and to wear them alone your lips will literally look like they have dirt on them or look dirty.  No thanks.

Side note…what MAC needs to come out with is an orange color blush, more paint pots and cream colour bases.  Bleh.

I’m skipping out on the Style Black collection makeup wise,  unfortunately, but I’m definitely going to try out the MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator and the Mask – I want them!  If I like it I’ll go ahead and I buy backups of both.  Price $19.50 each

My First Ulta Haul

My best friend and I went on our first visit to Ulta today in Holmdel, NJ (great city by the way) and we thought the place was awesome.  As we walked through the front door we noticed that the cosmetics aisles were located on the left and the fragrances were located on the right.  We headed straight for the cosmetics aisles of course. My best friend said that Ulta reminds her of Sephora, but I don’t think so.  Ulta is so much bigger and they carry a wide range of cosmetic lines from high to low and lots of fragrances, skincare and hair care products…A LOT!

We walked around every aisle that held high-end cosmetics and swatched products here and there.  We then watched a MA make up a customer with Urban Decay cosmetics.  The lady’s face came out really cute.

After our little tour of high-end cosmetics was over we went looking for NYX cosmetics.  We both have been wanting that NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk and we were able to snag a couple.  We’ve been wanting this pencil for a long time and could never find it at our fragrance outlet store or anywhere else for that matter – I cannot wait to try them.   I also picked up a dark brown jumbo eye pencil as well and when I got it home, my 22 month old got a hold of it while I was taking haul pics and yeah, she made a little mess of it.  I won’t be able to line my waterline with it now, but it’s OK.  I need the practice filling in my waterline with a brush anyway.  Price $3.99 each, but I got a buy one get 50% the second deal.

We were then off to look around at more low-end cosmetics and we I found Eco-Tools (which was on my list).  I picked up an angled liner brush and a eye shader brush.  Both brushes are synthetic though, but soft and I’ve heard great things about both brushes so I thought I’d give it a try before I go for the MAC equivalent brushes.  I already have the Eco-Tools Powder brush (which is my favorite brush) so why not get more brushes in the same family?? Price $4.99 for each brush.

So, we were off again and I wanted to check out the nail polishes because I’ve been wanting to get my first bottle of China Glaze nail polish and the only color I found interesting within the inventory left was a burn orangey color called “Cruisin”.  It’s a beautiful, sheeny undertone type of burn orange and I love it. *****TOTALLY OFF-TOPIC, BUT I MUST SHARE***I was like I had to get it because today I ordered NARS Blusher in Taj Mahal which is a burnt orange blush and though I have never seen it in real life before, I love it.  I love NYX Cinnamon blush, which is an orange colored blush, but I heard that orange looks great on the cheeks of women of color so I decided to go ahead and order.  I will go more into the story as to why I ordered NARS blusher in Taj Mahal + backup once I get it in the mail.  I’m so excited.****OK NOW BACK TO THE TOPIC AT HAND****  Plus it’s almost Fall so this color fits the season so I’ll be sporting this polish on the 21st.  Price $6.50.

I wanted to get China Glaze base and top coats, but there wasn’t any.   I may have to just order them online.

After I picked up my nail polish, we decided to explore Ulta some more and my best friend eyes got caught upon the cosmetic bags shelf and made my way over to the skincare shelf where the sales where.  I didn’t get much of a sale, but I picked up Cetaphil Facial Cleansar that came with a free squeeze tube of Cetaphil Lotion.  I can’t wait to use it, starting tonight, as I need help with these breakouts I’ve been getting all summer.  I just wish it would stop.  Please excuse the flash off of the Cetaphil bottle in the picture, but it was wrapped in plastic so that’s why the flash bounced off so hard.  Price $9.34

That’s it!  I’m not sure what’s up with my camera today, but it’s actiing crazy.  Here are pics from my first Ulta store haul: