PSA

The Great Lie: Gel Nail Cleanser

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The Great Lie: Gel Nail Cleanser

This is a legacy post that I’ve given a facelift because who doesn’t want to save money on manicure supplies? Opinions are the same, but is formatted and edited for easier reading and flow.

If you’ve ever gotten a gel polish manicure before, either salon or DIY, you know the final step consists of saturating a pad with gel nail cleanser and wiping off the tacky residue from the newly-cured nail surface. If you’ve done it in a salon, it might be in a nondescript bottle just like the lotions or scrubs may be. At home, it might be part of your gel starter kit. This is often the same solution used to clean the nail before the gel primer is applied.

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How to CRUSH Your No Buy or Low Buy

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Ready to do more with less for a while? Time for a spending fast? Did you go overboard during the holidays? It doesn’t have to be on beauty purchases – it could be anything.

  • Shopping for family and friends?
  • temporarily blacking out on a, “TREAT YOSELF,” spree?
  • Maybe you’re just ready to shop your stash rather than adding to it for a while.
  • …The reason doesn’t matter.

The result is that you’ve committed to or are considering a No Buy to help you reign it in.  Whatever the reason… If that no buy involves something you really enjoy (as they usually do), you will find your willpower tested.

My top tip for how to crush your no buy (or low buy)?

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PSA: NARS at Ulta

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Just before the holidays, we got to see NARS at Ulta. Initially, they had only four shades of blush, the Multiple, and Laguna bronzer. Since then, they have expanded to a range of sixteen products, several of which have multiple shades. Unfortunately, they’re all online-only at this time; I’m uncertain about plans to move them to stores. I can only assume such a move would depend on the brand’s performance at the mixed-range retailer.

NARS at UltaNARS at Ulta

I picked up a blush before the year ended, but I’m delighted to see they’re carrying my favorite eye pencil and the ever-popular Radiant Creamy Concealer (not the full color range, yet, but I imagine they’ll get there). NARS fans will be happy to see a NARSissist palette, Sheer glow, and the Audacious lipsticks stocked, among other things.

My NARS experience is limited to the aforementioned concealer, eye pencil, the foundation I wore for my wedding, and now a blush. They don’t carry the foundation in question because it has been discontinued, but the other products, so far, are absolutely worth the hype – which isn’t something I often get to say.

Are you excited to see NARS at Ulta? The online-only range is only expanding! Or did you prefer the slightly more exclusive nature it had before? Accessibility is good as far as I’m concerned.

 

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Full vs Travel

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Last year, I won a travel sized Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (my post on it here) in Dim Light. I liked it so much that I splashed out for a full-size (on sale, of course). Sites obviously shares the volume of product in each, it can be hard to tell without a side-by-side. My local Sephora store, for instance, does not carry Hourglass – and when I have an idea that I think would have helped me, I like to share.

Side-by-Side

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Full vs TravelHourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Full vs Travel

The difference is pretty comical – so to put numbers to that picture, the left is 0.35 oz (for $46); the right is 0.04 oz (for $22). You’re getting over 8x the product for just over twice the price…and with how long the tiny travel size has lasted me (barely looks used), that is going to last me sometime into the 22nd century.

The Bottom Line

Unless you need the tiny size for some odd reason, skip it – the value just isn’t there. The price-per-ounce is already painfully high in the full size (I keep reminding myself of the fact that this stuff is going to last 2/3 of eternity) at around $131. The travel size comes in at a crushing $550 per ounce. It’s sheer (ha) lunacy.

Swisspers Facial Cotton

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Swisspers Facial CottonSwisspers Facial Cotton, $4

Have you joined me in taking the Micellar Water Challenge?

When I started, I only kept some cotton-rounds in the house. The rounds were textured on one side and plush on the other. Somehow, the layers are bound together. The process that does so, however, results in an edge that has a sharp quality to it. That sharp edge + applying facial products = ow.

It’s a good rule of thumb to avoid products that can create micro-cuts on the skin – bacteria doesn’t need much, after all, to cause chaos.

To replace them, I picked up these Swisspers Facial Cotton. They’ve been FAR kinder to my skin than the rounds, and I’m considering clearing the shelf of my local stores because I love them. I hear the Shiseido Facial Cotton pads are the cotton pads, but I can’t bring myself to spend nearly $10 on the damn things.

How do you apply Micellar Water or toner? I’ve tried tissue and it made me crazy.

Lipstick Is My Vice

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Lipstick Is My ViceUrban Decay Lipstick is my Vice

The title of this post isn’t true. Lipstick isn’t my vice. I enjoy what I enjoy, but I’m definite an eye rather than a lip girl. I didn’t realize it at the time but when I bought F-Bomb for $11, it was because UD is killing the Revolution Lipstick line in favor of their Lipstick Is My Vice / Vice Lipstick line which launches June 5.

It feels, to me, like we lost the Revolution line too soon. After a long time without lipsticks from Urban Decay, many of us rejoiced when the Revolution line came out. They gradually added mattes and sheers to the line to cover a lot of interests when it comes to lipcolor. Well, like so many Game of Thrones characters, their life was cut short.

It isn’t all bad, as I found looking at Temptalia’s swatches. The shades we’ve come to love are staying, with a (supposedly) new and improved formula. There are 100 lipsticks being released, and 74 of them are brand new shades. Furthermore, they will be priced to compete with MAC’s lipsticks – only $17 a tube down from $22 for a Revolution lipstick. Let’s hope a drop in price does not equate to a drop in quality. Additionally, they are revamping many of the lip pencils out there – so if you’re a pencil pusher, that should be good news for you, too.

Get the $11 Revolution Lipsticks while you can from Sephora, Ulta, Macy’s. They are selling out.