Too Faced Everything Nice Palette Unboxing

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I listed the limited edition Everything Nice Palette from Too Faced in my 2014 Prestige Makeup (Holiday) Gifts. Fortunately, my awesome husband not only got it for me, but gave it to me early (we’re kind of bad about that). I’ve had a few weeks to play with it now, and I have a ton to say – but for now, we’ll just unbox the Everything Nice Palette to avoid TL;DR.

Here’s the box, front (left) and back (right):

Too Faced Everything Nice Palette - Box Front and Back

Let’s crack it open. It says, #own your pretty. Or is it #ownyourpretty?

Too Faced Everything Nice Palette - Unboxing 1 - #ownyourpretty

The glittery, hot pink clutch is safely tucked in along with a deluxe sample tube of Too Faced Better than Sex mascara.

Too Faced Everything Nice Palette - Unboxing 2

Get rid of those and lift the flap…bingo!

Too Faced Everything Nice Palette - Unboxing 3

“That’s what pretty girls are made of,”

Too Faced Everything Nice PaletteEverything Nice Palette by Too Faced

Glorious makeup, out of its box. Twenty shadows, two blushes, a bronzer, a highlight, three brushes, and an impossibly glittery clutch.

Too Faced Everything Nice Palette - All Unboxed

For cheap tools included with a value palette, the three included brushes aren’t bad. It includes a shader, an angled brush, and a flat face brush.

Too Faced Everything Nice Palette - Tools and Clutch Detail

And here’s a closer, top-down view of the Everything Nice Palette, opened:

Too Faced Everything Nice Palette - Top Down

Although the Everything Nice Palette is similar in format and color scheme to last year’s Too Faced mega palette (which was Too Faced My Favorite Things), it is different enough to be worth buying if you have last year’s edition (I do not have it). Retailing exclusively at Sephora, it goes for $56 in stores and online (when it isn’t sold out)! I’m curious to see if it will linger after the holidays for a little while as its predecessor did.

Review and swatches to come soon!

Ulta Salon Visit

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We interrupt this Wednesday’s regularly scheduled programming in favor of a review of my recent Ulta Salon visit experience. Monthly Favorites will run next Wednesday.

A couple years ago, a stylist did a shoddy job with some layering work – they were way too short in comparison to my overall length, placed awkwardly, and not at all the cut I sought despite showing pictures. I spent two years growing them out, ending up with hair past my waist for my wedding, getting trims here and there (surely not the recommended 6-8 weeks) to even it up. Shortly after the wedding, I hacked about four inches off (it was heavy and more hassle than I cared to deal with) but it was still veeeeeeeery long (middle of my ribcage). Although I like my hair long, I still found myself at odds with it at this length – drying took forever, styling was a joke, etc.

I had been wanting another cut for a while and decided to take advantage of a 30% off offer from the nearby Ulta Salon – I set an appointment for after work and scurried  right over over. I was greeted by an Ulta employee who let my stylist know I was there; the same woman offered to take my coat and get me a coffee. While I waited, I checked out the Spa Ritual polish display that sat in front of the salon area.

Ulta Salon Visit - Haircut Inspiration

My stylist led me back to a chair and asked what I was looking for. I presented her with the above photo and explained that I was looking to:

  • Stay long
  • Reduce some weight
  • Add some movement via LONG layers
  • Taper into a slight V shape (like the picture shows).

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ck one mascara by Calvin Klein – First Impression

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ck one mascarack one mascara

The Ulta Rewards member birthday gift for 2014 was a full-sized tube of Calvin Klein’s ck one mascara. I ran through my last test subject, Guerlain Maxi-Lash pretty quickly and this one was next in line.

ck one mascara wand

Available exclusively at Ulta, ck one mascara features a wand that can be adjusted via a twist of the cap depending on what effect you wish for your lashes – definition or volume. Before actually opening it, I was under the impression that when the cap was twisted that an additional set of bristles would protrude from the wand; I was intrigued by what I perceived to be a cool meetup of engineering and beauty. When I opened it, it was the first thing I examined.

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Protein Treatments (Hair) – Revisited

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Neutrogena Triple Repair - Protein Treatments

Because I have yet to find my unicorn when it comes to shampoo and conditioner, I am on the hunt. I decided to try an offering from Neutrogena, recently, their Triple Repair line.

I am a fool, though, because when I skimmed the ingredients list I somehow missed that this line does include protein treatments. The clue-in should’ve been right in the name, “repair.” Alas, many, “repairing,” products fortify the hair with protein…but as I mentioned before, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

Things were smooth sailing for two weeks and then took a dive; my tresses went psycho again, rife with dryness and tangles and rage.

When your hair is lower-ribcage length angry snarls are seriously no fun. I’d brush my hair our before bed, wake up with a horrific knotted mass (that is not normally the case for me).

The lightbulb flashes, I went to the bathroom and scoured the labels of the shampoo and conditioner, already realizing what I’d done. The conditioner…

Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dimethylpabamidopropyl Laurdimonium Tosylate, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Hydrolyzed Lupine Seed Extract, Amodimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-37, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Fragrance

Noooooo. My suspicions were confirmed; I made a mistake. My unreasonably protein-sensitive hair was having a tantrum again due to this innocuous-seeming ingredient. Not even halfway through the tubes!

The shampoo contains some oat and wheat components, which typically do indicate protein. As far as I know it is okay with wheat stuff (I really loved the Aveeno Nourish and Soothe [now discontinued]), unsure about oat though.

No sass about the products – they cleaned well, and were kind to my scalp. My hair was shiny, soft, and had an almost, “fluffy,” quality before it decided it was over the protein. Just a heads-up in case your hair is sassy like mine and doesn’t care for protein – pass this one up.

Clarisonic Mia 2: A Year of Use

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clarisonic

Clarisonic Mia 2: A Year of Use

A post on a Thursday? This must be special, right?. I alluded in my Weekend Trip Skincare and October Favorites posts, I own a Clarisonic Mia 2. At long last, I am so damn pleased to share this with you. I have used my Clarisonic Mia 2 to cleanse my skin daily for over a year just so I could get out of the device’s, “OMIGAW I LOVE THIS THING!!!” It was very important to me to deliver an assessment that isn’t penned with rose-colored lenses in the way; I feel that happens all too often when we make investment or luxury purchases.

You can check out my extensive assessment: Clarisonic Mia 2: A Year of Use skincare device here. (Originally shared as a guest post on a now-defunct blog that went down for shady reasons; I removed the references to it as the content was my own.)

I address:

  • the product’s performance in comparison with its claims (as always)
  • its pros and cons
  • brush and battery-charge lifespan
  • whether or not I think it is a good value
  • and if I would repurchase the Clarisonic Mia 2, if I had to do it over again

…among other things.

Glambot Procedure Inquiry

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Glambot Procedure Inquiry

In June, I published a three part series on my experience with used cosmetic retailer, Glambot.

Overall, I was satisfied with the items I received. They are genuine, undamaged, and accurately depicted for the most part (and always accurately described). I was impressed by the level of care taken to package the items.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

I hop on every now and then mostly to see if I can snag a good deal on a tub of MAC pigment (Rushmetal has me hooked), but have not made any additional purchases – either they haven’t listed one I’m interested in, or they had a listing but it was sold out, or the timing just wasn’t right for me.

In Monday’s makeup destashing post, I mentioned I was destashing a MAC lipstick (to Back2MAC) that I had purchased from them as a part of that haul — Cosmo, to be specific. Since I last used it, it has gone from MAC’s signature pleasant vaguely-vanilla scent to smelling like old, cheap crayons. It bums me out because I really dig the color (don’t let my infrequent use fool you – I don’t wear lipcolor daily). I didn’t think much of it – after all, Glambot procedures surely will not include carbon-dating a lipstick, and most packaging doesn’t have a date-stamp (though that would be really helpful, manufacturers!).

A reader pointed out that batch numbers of products certainly could (and perhaps should) be cross-referenced as part of Glambot procedures to ensure that a seemingly-good product wouldn’t be on the brink of expiration. I have reached out to Glambot to confirm their procedure for certifying such products before accepting/reselling them.

Once I hear back and have a solid answer regarding my Glambot procedure inquiry, I will be sure to post an update so you can have a better idea of the length to which Glambot goes to verify product age before resale. All of my other products from my Glambot haul are fine (including the other lipstick, which still smells of vanilla and happiness).

 

EDIT: I have gotten a response. Check this post for details.