Long Week, Chit-Chat

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It’s been an extraordinarily trying week for me. Wrapping up a big project at work, had a 17 hour day Wednesday, found out that a family member is having an unexpected medical situation, plus I’m running a weekend-long (starting today!) event at which I will be on my feet for at least 16 hours today, tomorrow, and 8 on Sunday.

Needless to say, I took Monday off. I’m going to give myself some grace here, too, and take Monday off from the blog.

Here’s a round-up of some stuff I wanted to chit-chat about but don’t have enough to warrant a full post.

Wizarding World of…Winged Liner?

potterbrushes

You’ve probably already seen these Harry Potter-inspired brushes. Their wand-like handles are novel, but I question their functionality and quality. Custom design like this is generally expensive. Though they’re fun for those who have affinity for the wizarding world, they also don’t look very ergonomically-friendly; if you’re blending like a boss, your hands are going to be uncomfortable far faster.

Project Pan

depottingresult

I’m trying to Project Pan half of TFEN. I’ve been playing with it for the last couple weeks and even though my initial impressions were good, I’m not getting the performance I now crave. I still adore Totally Fetch and Live it Up, but I can’t wear those most of the time.

History Repeats Itself

theyrereal

There’s a big misconception that Benefit’s they’re Real! Big Sexy Eye Kit is innovative and fresh. Bzzt, wrong – this similar product from L’Oreal came out and was discontinued years ago. It was plagued with the same issues that this product is. I’m all for making beauty routines efficient (read: I am lazy), but some things are worth spending time/effort on. Unfortunately, the attempts at the eyeshadow version of Goober PB&J (which is legit) just aren’t great.

Easier Manicure Clean-Up

liquidlatex

I just bought this liquid latex to use as a barrier when I’m doing my nails. I’m generally a tidy DIY manicurist but I’ve been experimenting with sponge-on application, and I’m trying to limit my messmaking. To use it, I’ll decant it into clean, empty nail polish bottles with an oral medicine syringe.

Banish Blemishes

nexcare

I bit the curiosity bullet and bought these hydrocolloidal bandaids from Nexcare to help tackle any blemishes I might get. I’m interested in observing their performance, and will report back.

Seems Legit: Galaxy Lash

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I don’t tend to buy a ton of makeup from Amazon. Generally, my criteria is that it must be shipped from and sold by Amazon.com, or at least sold by a highly-rated third-party Amazon seller. I check reviews, I only buy products that pass muster. That doesn’t mean I don’t come across random and questionable products. Case in point? Galaxy Lash Serum

Seems Legit: Galaxy LashSeems Legit: ‘Galaxy Lash’ Serum

I’m skeptical of lash serums in the first place, but a three-star-rated, normally $89-but-on-‘sale’-for-$41 serum for sale by some random third party…

…that is shamelessly, unabashedly, ripping off Samsung. Seriously? Why would you even do that? Oh, wait, it’s because the product is shady as hell and you (company) can’t even be bothered to establish your own brand.

samsunglogo
Oops

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Why I Canceled Sephora Play

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Several months ago, I signed up for my first beauty subscription box, Sephora Play. Optimistic that retail beauty giant Sephora would have the insight required to kick ass and take names in the sub box arena, I eagerly signed up.

After four boxes, I’ve canceled my subscription. I will receive and review October’s box, but that is the fifth and final Sephora Play box I will receive. Unfortunately, I found that Sephora Play is plagued by the same issues as any other beauty subscription box – for now, at least. My optimism, unfortunately, was unfounded.

Where I Take Issue

To date, it seems as though Sephora concocts two boxes based on the profile you create at sign up. The product selections are made for you; they spin this as a convenience. Personally, I’d rather take five minutes to pick from a pool of samples (like when you place a normal order) than have someone pick for me and make choices that don’t work for me.

They spin the fragrances as a bonus but they aren’t really. Let’s be honest, those vials are included in the $10 per month valuation.

There’s this big hoopla about the box being a surprise, even though manufactured leaks occur – there are several Sephora Play, “spoilers,” sites out there.

Instead of consistently getting exciting content in the boxes, they have people creating Spotify playlists. Seriously? Who is actually jumping at the chance to listen to this stuff? I’m a Sephora customer because I’m interested in beauty products, not because I’m seeking sweet hipster tunes.

Sephora Play List

To give you an idea of why I’m canceling, here are my hits, misses, and OKs.

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Discuss: Beauty Blunders

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Not to be confused with one of the best damn beauty tools to exist, the beautyblender…

We’ve all made some beauty blunders over the years; some have had more lasting effects (read: consequences) than others. I didn’t really wear makeup in high school, so I can’t chronicle or demonstrate for you how bad it was. I CAN, however, share other beauty blunders of mine with you.

Maybe it was Mimi-style eyeshadow. Perhaps it was a haphazard DIY haircut done with compromised judgment. Maybe you tanned with the help of Crisco. Perhaps it was an overzealous facial regimen that caused more harm than help, a perm in the 80s, or eyebrows plucked razor-thin.

Laugh at my expense!

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LUSH Bath Bombs

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In September, I visited a LUSH store for the first time. I’m familiar with the brand, of course, but had never tried their products – shopping for such things requires at least one physical visit before retreating to the internet for future purchases.

I rarely take baths, but I knew I wanted bath bombs. From there, I had no idea. Luckily for me, I encountered a friendly, knowledgeable employee (whose name, I regret, I do not remember) who asked me some questions to make recommendations:

“Do you like glitter?” Woman, is that even a question? Of course it is – plenty of customers don’t care for glitter. That’s fine, more for me. “What kind of fragrances do you like? Clean? Warm? Vanilla-y? Citrus? What else?” There were a few more – but she led me to two. The Experimenter, which is vanilla and tonka…

LUSH - The ExperimenterLUSH Cosmetics – Experimenter Bath Bomb

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Essie Penny Talk & Other Metallics

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Essie Penny Talk

Essie Penny Talk, $9

I haven’t been buying a ton of nail polish lately, but a few different trusted sources recommended Essie Penny Talk. I saw swatches, really liked it, so I picked it up on sale.

The color is really lovely, but Essie Penny Talk isn’t for me.

Somewhere along the way I forgot how much of a ridiculous pain in the ass frosty, metallic nail polish is. It streaks like a drunkard who managed to get onto the field at a sporting event. I stopped buying polishes like this ages ago; even when I was in the thick of my polish obsession (color changes every 1-2 days, spending hours, etc), I couldn’t get over how annoying application was. Seriously, what’s the secret? What mystical sacrifice is required to get this polish, and others like it, to apply well?

If I didn’t have bothers to give then, I definitely don’t have the time or bothers to give now!

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