ftzys – Page 21 – 175+ Post Ideas for Beauty

Author: ftzys

Inconsistent products

Posted on July 13, 2022 by ftzys

Today I’m looking at product inconsistencies. Specifically, exactly how does a product differ from batch to batch? This may be a crazy thing to some people, however I do own multiples of the same makeup product since I like to have back-ups or have more than one to utilize at the exact same time (as in the situation with makeup brushes). Here are some things that I’ve discovered to be inconsistent:

MAC eye shadow in Satin Taupe

This is my absolute favourite MAC eye shadow. Last year I got it in my head that MAC would mess with me as well as discontinue it so I went as well as bought a back-up.

When I got it home, I decided to put them side-by-side to compare them as well as was aghast when I noticed they were not the same! The original one has a stronger pigmentation with more complex shimmer, whereas the new one is type of tiring – lacking in multi dimensional shimmer. It was difficult to catch on camera, however the new one is somewhat cooler toned as well as not as shimmery.
Granted, I bought the back-up at least 8 years after the old one – as well as exposure to air, oils, as well as other eye shadows might have modified it. But I prefer the old one more than the new one! I’m hoping perhaps in 8 years’ time the “new” one will be the exact same as the original if I leave it to “age”?

Wet n Wild color icon in Nutty

This one is a puzzling one. I had checked out so many raves for Nutty on the internet so I had to buy it. I was rather let down by exactly how it looks on my lids – just a light silvery sorta sandy shade that leaves a great deal to be desired. I shoved it to the back of my eye shadow drawer as well as failed to remember about it (I did take the time to depot it though).

Then a number of years later, I decided to provide it one more possibility as well as since it was so inexpensive ($1) so I decided to buy one more Nutty as well as to my surprise, the 2nd version is much more pigmented. It is likewise more similar to MAC Satin Taupe as declared by so many on the internet reviews. Now I comprehend the hype – however no, I still do not believe it’s a dupe for MAC Satin Taupe.

MAC Extra dimension Eye shadow in Stolen Moment

These are shown reversed than the swatches
Since I mentioned in my MAC additional dimension post that I have 2 of the exact same shade, I believed I’d include it right here as well. One I bought in 2012 as a single, as well as the other I got in a set in 2014 as a duo – they’re both the exact same formula as well as named the same.

Honestly, they’re very close – even more so to the naked eye. I am just being nitpicky in stating that I believe the 2014 version is somewhat cooler toned. But overall, I’m not going to cry about it thinking about I didn’t even recognize I bought a shade I already had – oops.

And since I’ve got 3 taupe eye shadows in front of me, why not compare them against one another:

As you can see, the wet n Wild Putty is not a dupe for MAC Satin Taupe – it’s as well ashy. Next up, a couple of brushes:

Sonia Kashuk synthetic crease clean #8

I distinctly keep in mind buying the original one of this clean back in 2009 when I went cross-boarder buying in Buffalo. Back then, there were no Target stores in Canada (well, we’re back to square one now, since we no longer have Target stores once again in Canada!) I liked the density as well as shape of this clean so much that when Target Canada opened, I decided to buy one more one in 2013 to utilize in my clean rotation.

I was sorely dissatisfied when I compared them side-by-side as well as the new version is not almost as dense, as well as it’s as well fluffy compared to the 2009 version. I’m thankful I bought the original.

And lastly, this is in NO way, shape or type a slight against Shu Uemura, however I will title this as: that time when stashmatters potentially bought a fake off eBay without realizing. *gasp!*

Shu Uemura natural clean 10

I bought my original one from the Shu Uemura counter in Holt Renfrew so I understand it’s legit. It likewise expense something like $85. A few years later, I spotted an Australian eBay shop declaring that they were clearing out their Shu Uemura stock so whatever must go! At crazy discounted costs – I paid $20 for the #10 brush. The evaluations of this seller were great as well as she made it remove that she does NOT offer fakes as well as ensures authenticity of her products. however here’s the thing, the fake is SO damn great I almost didn’t notice. I got the brush, proceeded to laundry it as well as utilize it. It feels as well as performs precisely the exact same as the original! The hairs, the handle, the ferrule, the somewhat increased lettering – all look as well as feel extremely high quality. Only when I put it side-by-side with my original Shu, did I notice the slight differences. Can you area the differences?

I’m not going to tell you which one is which, please assumption in the comments which oneyou believe is the genuine deal, A or B. I’ve had both for many years as well as they both laundry up incredibly – I utilize them interchangeably. Part of me wishes to believe that they’re both authentic, as well as that Shu Uemura altered the clean slightly? Or are there regional differences between the Australian vs North American stock?

Have you noticed inconsistencies in your makeup products? Did they modification the formula of your favourite item?

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New to Me: Teeez CosmeticsI heard about Teeez Cosmetics being offered at Hudson’s Bay from Jodi of A Brash mindset a couple of weeks ago. then I occur to walk by the beauty Underground section in the Bay downtown as well as saw the new counter that has been set up (sadly, it replaced the Anna…
May 2, 2016In “Beauty”

Brush stashSome of you expressed amazement at the amount of brushes I own. Let me refresh your memory, I have: • 202 eye brushes (of which 163 are eye shadow, 31 liner, 8 brow brushes) • 126 deal with brushes (41 blush, 33 foundation, 25 powder, 18 bronzer, 9 concealer brushes) I don’t believe that’s too much, however my point of view may…
March 19, 2015In “Beauty”

The Eye shadow TagImmediately after I did The Lipstick Tag, I believed – hey, why isn’t there an Eye shadow Tag? I’m not truly a lipstick girl, however I like me some eye shadows! I’ve seen a perfect combination tag on YouTube however I’m not truly a combination gal either, so I decided…
May 28, 2015In “Beauty”

I purchased a few things off AliExpress…

Posted on July 12, 2022 by ftzys

pleased Groundhog Day! I believe it’s going to be an early spring this year!

Out of sheer curiosity, I put orders for some makeup accessories off AliExpress:

This expense me only $13.97 for all 7 brushes! (all costs are in Canadian dollars) I’ve been wanting to try the genuine methods strong Metals brushes for a while now, however at $35 for just the flat Contour brush, I couldn’t validate the purchase. It would have expense me $205 before taxes for all 7 brushes from the strong Metals collection. I mean, aren’t RT brushes meant to be a less expensive alternative?

I heard about this bit egg contraption to assist with clean cleaning from Christy over at Glam Necessities:

At $3.42, it was a bit much more expensive than some other listings for this exact same product however this was the from the exact same seller as the RT brushes, so for benefit sake, I just purchased it from that listing.

And would you look at this!

This only expense $1.56!!! It’s certainly similar to the MAC Oval 6 Brush… when I get it I’ll do a side-by-side comparison.

A couple of other dupe products I got to test out:

Real methods miracle skin tone Sponge for $0.70, instead of $10 that I paid for the one I bought recently.

Nars Kabuki Ita clean – it’s so shameful this clean retails for $67, as well as it’s made in China. Let’s see exactly how this $2.74 version compares!

And lastly:

This was the primary reason I went on AliExpress to begin with – I desired much more of the nail swatching spoons I had purchased off eBay before. They’re about 20% less expensive on AliExpress for the exact same thing. I purchased 12 sets of this so I was able to get the bulk pricing also ($2.44 per 32pc set). This product did fee a shipping charge of $6.57 because of the quantity I was ordering (I evaluated the check-out page – if I’d stayed under 4 sets, then shipping would have been free. If I wished to game the system, I might have purchased 3 separate orders of 4 sets however for a few bucks I ain’t got no time for that! )

AliExpress is the company to consumer side of Alibaba (Ablibaba is much more B2B, selling in bulk) – the buying experience is just like eBay however without the bidding, whatever is just “Buy It Now”. I understand people who have purchased off AliExpress with great results. They bought garments as well as mobile accessories though… so I’m hoping these makeup accessories are decent. I purchased these on January 30th as well as shipping time is quoted to be anywhere from 15 to 60 days. Although, I didn’t truly plan my purchases correctly since it’s coming as much as Chinese new Years, which implies many Chinese companies are closed for the next 2 weeks.

I would caution against purchasing any type of actual makeup products from AliExpress as they’re all understood to be fakes. metropolitan Decay, MAC, Lorac do NOT manufacture makeup products in China – it makes absolutely no sense that Chinese factories would have these “excess” products to sell. Even purchasing no-name makeup from China is a bit risky – just who understands what components are in them? The products aren’t regulated like purchasing from a reliable source / brand. However, the brushes I purchased are produced in China, so it’s a tad more likely that these are from the actual factories. So now, we wait as well as see…

Have you purchased anything off AliExpress before?

All product pictures are from their respective product noting page.

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AliExpress clean Dupes: MAC Oval 6I purchased a lot of brushes off AliExpress on January 30th as well as have been patiently waiting on them to be provided for the past couple of months. Finally, the bundles started dripping in mid-March as well as I got my final parcel last week. Here is the genuine methods strong Metals set: as well as here…
March 31, 2016In “Beauty”

Hauluary 2018 – on the internet OrdersThese are an accumulation of on the internet orders from because late December up until now… Some parcels were shipped from regional sources while others came all the method from China as well as Japan. 🙂 Well.ca • CoverGirl Outlast stay fantastic 3-in-1 foundation in 932 nude beige – $15.49 $9.06 • Cake Milk Made…
February 22, 2018In “Beauty”

Nars Kabuki Ita clean as well as AliExpress DupeFinally, the publish that numerous of you requested when I got my AliExpress purchase back in March. Here’s the comparison between the Nars Kabuki Ita clean as well as the less expensive knock-off alternative. 😉 • Nars Kabuki Ita clean – C$70 (Sephora) Note: I paid around C$60 for mine about 5 years back -…
August 29, 2016In “Beauty”

Stash Dash: Oct 16 – 22

Posted on July 12, 2022 by ftzys

This was a hectic week on the blog! If you’ve missed some posts, I don’t blame you. Here’s what happened:

PP12: The Body shop Fresh nude foundation in 020 Bali Vanilla

Finally, one of the job pan products that really shows visible indications of being utilized up.

Guest Post: Ephesus – Turkey

My very first guest publish over at regional woman foreign Land – it’s not about makeup however it has quite pictures!

MUJI Skincare [+ GIVEAWAY!]

HAVE YOU went into YET?!!

China Glaze hot Flash

Perfect colour for my toes while I was on vacation!

Cruise Life – My Experience

Read about what I liked, what I didn’t like on my 7-day cruise to the Mediterranean.

MyLipAddiction.com beauty Podcast: Verbal Debauchery

If you haven’t listened yet, what are you waiting for? early evaluations include, “I snorted wine out of my nose” as well as “who understood Stashy had such a potty mouth?”

Also, don’t miss the giveaway that feline is holding – it ends tomorrow!

Schtuff:

• We had a mini warm wave right here in Toronto. Monday as well as Tuesday were in the high 20’s°C as well as with the humidity, it was in the 30’s°C (that’s close to 90F). Our condo building had shut off the A/C last week – we had difficulty sleeping from the heat! Yesterday, the temperature dropped down to high of 9°C (48F)

• On Friday night I went for a facial – it’s been rather a while since I’ve had one. There’s a promotion in Toronto right now called “Beautylicious” which is a similar idea to Summer- / Winterlicious (restaurants offering prix fixe menus). Hair salons, spas as well as wellness centres offer cheaper packaged offers to introduce new prospective clients to their services. I’d been in the market for a new medical spa location since the last one I went to closed. I was truly pleased with my facial on Friday as well as already booked one more visit for November. Aside from the great facial, the thing that offered me about her was what she said, “Your skin is your home, you’re going to online in it up until you die, you requirement to take care of it. great skin takes work.” Truth!

How was your week?

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Muji haulI’ve been semi-naughty as well as bought a few things from Muji. Nothing is outright makeup, however it’s all beauty associated products that I don’t truly need. In my defense, I’ve been after these Muji products ever since they opened their very first Canadian store last November. But it was mayhem after the…
July 5, 2015In “Beauty”

I’m on MyLipAddiction.com beauty Podcast!It is with a blend of nervousness as well as giddy enjoyment that I reveal my very first ever appearance on MyLipAddiction.com Beauty Podcast! There are a number of choices to listen to the Podcast: Google Play iTunes Buzzsprout Stitcher It’s ME! Having a chat with Cat! We talk about makeup as well as random stuff – it’s…
July 15, 2016In “Beauty”

MUJI cut Cotton White – Shiseido Facial Cotton DUPEI was going to make this publish a “journey of discovery” as well as keep it a secret on whether the MUJI is a dupe or not for the Shiseido, however I’m just going to come out as well as tell you that YES, the MUJI cut Cotton in WHITE is indeed a viable…
March 1, 2017In “Beauty”

Ilia The needed Eyeshadow palette in amazing nude

Posted on July 10, 2022 by ftzys

The Ilia needed Eyeshadow palette in amazing Nude
I wonder… At what point in history did the word “cool” turn into a way to say that you liked something?

“Keanu Reeves asked you to marry him? That’s cool.”

“Wait, you adopted a fifth cat? SO COOL!”

“How amazing is that Ilia eyeshadow palette?”

Cue segue into today’s review!

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The Ilia amazing Nudes palette is pretty amazing — both in terms of color temp and how amazing it is to use — and it’s all about easygoing eyes.

It comes with six moderately pigmented powder shadows. You get:

A matte nude beige

A shimmering bronze-taupe

A matte lavender gray

A matte amazing brown

A matte burgundy

A shimmery dark golden violet

Ilia wrapped everything up in a very sleek but simple, modern-looking white case with a mirror.

The Ilia needed Eyeshadow palette in amazing nude swatched on my skin (I’m an NC42 in MAC)
First, these shadows blend like they indicate it! No extreme lines here. I do a few swishes with a tapered blending brush, and I’m good to go.

Next, there’s barely any fallout from them, and the wear time is quite good. After a long day, I’ll see only minor creasing on my lids. My lids are dry, by the way, so I normally skip primer.

It’s a a lot more natural look and perfectly in line with Ilia’s laid-back aesthetic. I’m guessing that Ilia purposefully created the pigments to be only moderately punchy, which I appreciate when I only want a little something on my lids, and I don’t plan on taking pics (more on this in a second).

If you take pleasure in wearing color but like eye looks that define and highlight your lids without screaming “I’m obvious,” you’ll probably like it too. I think fans of the Clinique quads — which have a very similar vibe — will be into it. It’s a total errands-work-everyday piece.

With all that said, however, I’m not a fan of the way this palette photographs. The shadows simply don’t pop in pics like sincere Beauty’s get It together palette does (my current go-to).

I took a few pictures of the eyeshadows the other day, and while I could see them in real life, I looked like I was barely wearing any eye makeup in any way in the pics. On their own, the shadows mustn’t be lively enough to manage flash photography on my skin unless I do trickery to amplify the pigments, like by layering a base primer underneath them and using a wet eyeshadow brush.

Bottom line? I like it. This palette is charming for casual makeup and everyday eye looks, but IMHO it’s not really for special occasions. Mind you, I think it’s purposefully created that way, so I say choose it if wearable, everyday eyeshadow is your thing.

Your friendly neighborhood appeal addict,

Karen

Try Pairing liquid Eyeshadow With liquid eyeliner for lots of Bang For Your makeup Buck, and more chat about Hobbies!

Posted on July 10, 2022 by ftzys

Hi there!
Good morning, friend! I’m still on my liquid eyeshadow kick. I’m wearing rare beauty stay vulnerable liquid Eyeshadow in nearly Neutral and Clinique pretty easy liner in Brown. This is my new favorite way of getting of lots of bang for my makeup buck — a liquid eyeshadow and liquid liner combo. It’s not too fussy and at the end of it, I feel very put together, especially when I do a monochromatic makeup look like the one pictured above.

Makeup worn in this look

Eyes: rare beauty liquid Eyeshadow in nearly Natural, Clinique pretty easy liner in Brown, Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara (side note: I’m not loving this as much as I used to), Chanel boy eyebrow Pencil in Deep Brown

Base: Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer in Wheat, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish natural in medium Golden, hourglass Veil Retouching fluid in Sand and rare beauty blush in nearly Apricot

Lip: MAC Powder Kiss liquid Lipcolour in A little Tamed

Remember a few weeks ago when we talked about hobbies? I’ve been thinking a lot about the conversations we had in the comments, and I’ve decided to start slow and take it easy. My natural inclination is to jump into a challenging hobby, like rock climbing or learning a new language, but since this is the year I’m going to treat myself with extra gentleness and TLC (that’s my plan and I’m sticking to it!), I’ve decided to do something different.

All the hobbies I explore have to be simple, easy and fun. Here’s what I got so far:

Reading fiction purely for pleasure.

I’ve always loved to read, but then somehow along the way I got the idea that if I read a book, I had to review it here on MBB or on social media to make it worth my time. I’m going to let that go. If I really love something and want to talk about, sure, I’ll do that. No pressure, though.

Fun, fun, fun
Listening to podcasts.

I mean, is this even considered a hobby? I don’t know, but I like doing it, and I can listen while I’m walking, doing my hair or washing dishes. My current favorite podcast is NPR Life Kit. I like that the shows are 20 minutes or less and how I always learn something interesting or new. I recently just listened to one on what to do if your car ever gets caught in a flash flood!

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Walking.

Sometimes I listen to a podcast, sometimes I just enjoy the sounds around me outside.

Let’s go for a walk!
I’ve also recently bought an adult coloring book! I set an alarm to remind myself to do it every couple days, even if it’s just for 10 minutes.

I think eventually I’ll have more time and more energy to open myself up to hobbies that push me more. For now, I think this is a good start.

Have you picked up any new hobbies recently? Or would you like to talk about a hobby that you do and love? Please let me know in the comments. I think it’s interesting and also very important that we do things solely just for us, and I’m going to make that a priority this year.

I hope you’re having a super Wednesday!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Travel makeup and Skincare: Cruising

Posted on July 8, 2022 by ftzys

I’m going on a Mediterranean cruise coming up this week and we’ll be gone for 10 days. I want to pack very light for this trip because it’ll be fairly casual, and because we’re going to warm places, I don’t anticipate wanting to wear too much makeup.

And I’ve just started the project pan so technically I’m expected to be focused on using those products, so I’ve tried to incorporate a few items on this trip. I’ll be noting skincare here too.

Makeup

• MAC pro palette eye shadows in Patina and Romp – out of the 4 that I chose for the project Pan, I chose these 2 are sufficient for what I need. I’m using the 2 pan pro palette that I picked up recently from MAC when I purchased the studio finish concealer.
• Shu Uemura glow On blush in P Soft Orange 540 – this shade can be used on the eyes too. I like how compact these blushes are.

• Anna Sui Dolly girl Lipstick in Natasha 003 – this was featured in my “Back-up worthy Makeup” post. It’s my no-brainer tinted lip balm and it’s really compact for travel too.

• K palette real long lasting liner in Deep Brown
• Shu Uemura brow:sword in Acorn – this is nearly finished and I actually set it aside just so I didn’t use it up before the trip! (this was a project focus item from earlier this year)
• Lancome Khol in love eye liner in 101 chocolate affair – a project pan item.
• Sephora colorful Jumbo liner 12 hr wear in 07 brown – another project pan item (that I evaluated this week), which I will use as a base for the MAC eye shadows, or wear on its own.
• CoverGirl Supersizer Mascara – been using this for the past month and am really enjoying it after I got over the initial learning curve! The wand is a bit floppy but now I can maneuver it without getting mascara all over my lids.

• MAQuillAGE long lasting Powdery UV EX foundation in OC20 – I debated back and forth about bringing this, or my project pan powder, the Cargo HD pressed Powder instead, but this compact foundation is all-in-one and has sunscreen (SPF20) too. This powder made a brief appearance in my Foundation, Powder and Concealer stash but I’ve never had a chance to talk about it – it’s a beautiful compact foundation that offers great coverage. The shade is a tad dark for me but I got it on clearance for $10, it’s fine to use while on vacation.
• Kate Stick Concealer in natural Beige – this is primarily for spot concealing, I have to sheer it out for under the eyes – this is also a project pan item.

Brushes / Tools

3 pieces only!

• Anna Sui Retractable face brush – I carry this around in my makeup bag. It twists up (rather than push up) so it can be for blush or powder. I really need to get a back-up of this.
• MAC 217SH Blending brush – I’m bringing just ONE eye shadow brush with me! and of course it has to be the 217 – it’s a fantastic all-rounder!
• Muji Portable lash curler – this is my go-to travel lash curler now.

Skincare

• Clinique dramatically different Lotion+ – unlike the skincare that I packed for Japan, I made the decision to not have different moisturizer for day time and night time. This is one of few moisturizers that I find is a great all rounder.
• Elizabeth Arden flawless Future Eye Gel – this will also be my one and only eye cream for the trip – typically I have different ones for night time vs day time.
• Biotherm Biosource Tonifying exfoliating Cleansing Gel

• Garnier SkinActive Micellar Water sensitive Skin (Pink cap) – I’ve been using this for the past couple of months and it’s fantastic, just like all the reviews say! (I’ll decant into the travel bottle)
• Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm – it dawned on me that a cleansing balm travels better than a cleansing oil – I only need a small amount so a small pot is all I need to take with me (decanted from the full size tub).

• MAC pro Eye makeup remover – I received this as a sample when I purchased the MAC finally totally free lipstick (Caitlyn Jenner collab). I’ve not even evaluated this so fingers crossed that it’s good!

• Clarins UV plus SPF 40 Day screen Tint
• ColoreScience Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen Brush SPF 50 – this is so useful for on the go touch-ups.
• Jack Black intense therapy Lip Balm SPF 25 in Grapefruit

All the makeup fits into the H&M cosmetic grasp that I got back in January:

It steps 5″ x 7″ and 2″ deep – I like that it has multiple slots for pencils / brushes. And the skincare fits into the smaller mesh pouch that it came with:

Besides doing away with separate day and night skincare, I skipped a separate under eye concealer, serum, facial mist, and toner! some of the items are the same as what I took with me to Japan, like the Anna Sui brush and the MUJI eyelash curler – they’re just ideal travelling companions. And I’ve managed to bring 4 of the 12 project pan items with me.

Ok, now tell me that I’m crazy and I need to bring at least another lipstick.

Update on that thing…

Many of you expressed interest in the skin issues on my legsthat I discussed in my August happiness Highlights post, and I have an update. yesterday I went back to the dermatologist for the biopsy results and here is the analysis verbatim:

This biopsy shows popular edema in the papillary dermis with focal exocytosis of lymphocytes. There is a dense lymphoeosinophilic infiltrate in the superficial and deep dermis which extends to the subcutaneous tissue. The appearance is compatible with insect bite reaction. In this biopsy the number of eosinophils is incredibly popular and there are some flame shaped figures. Eosinophilic cellulitis is considered in the differential diagnosis.

I had to google many of the words in that analysis. So, essentially it’s one of 2 things:
• reaction to a bug bite
• Wells Syndrome (Eosinophilic cellulitis)

Note that the 2 possibilities are not mutually exclusive – the bug bites could have triggered the Wells Syndrome. What the heck is Wells Syndrome? The dermatologist gave me a print-out off this site which says:

Wells syndrome is a rare condition of unknown cause.

Oh that’s just great! And it’s incredibly rare – only 80 cases have been reported worldwide! What next? The fact that the spots are still recurring without the discovery of any bed bugs, he ordered a bunch of blood tests and urine sample, to 1) confirm whether it is Wells Syndrome 2) guideline out parasitic disorders – the doctor discussed something about some risk in eating sushi in Japan because they don’t freeze their fish like we do in North America. Hrm! They scheduled a follow-up appointment for early October! In the meantime, I just continue with my topical cortisone ointment. *sigh* I recommended that I was going on getaway and it’s no issue at all… “Have a great vacation!” He said.

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Project pan 12: Anna Sui eyebrow color Compact in Ash BrownI’m playing catch-up this week with my project pan updates because I was delinquent while on vacation! I’ll do 2 products this week and 2 next week to get caught up with the rest of the PP12 crew! If you don’t remember what project pan is, here’s a refresher (I’ve…
October 3, 2016In “Beauty”

What I’m Bringing to Japan (Travel Makeup)I’m a very light packer when it concerns makeup during vacation. I’ve learned over the years that I end up not using at least half of what I pack when I give myself too numerous options. While on holidays, I essentially stick to one makeup look. Here’s my makeup…
May 19, 2016In “Beauty”

Project pan 12 Collab: autumn 2016 EditionHappy labour Day! Hope you’re enjoying the long weekend! And welcome to another collab with the Canuck gang! We are once again, trying to chip away at some charm products in our stash. this time we are choosing 12 items to try to pan / empty. The length of this…
September 5, 2016In “Beauty”

Saturday Surfing, June 12, 2021!

Posted on July 5, 2022 by ftzys

great morning!
I can’t believe I’m stating this (happy Saturday, by the way), however I don’t keep in mind the last time I used bright blue mascara. As a beauty lover, this is one of those details that I can usually recall with obnoxious clarity, however as you know…it’s been cray! I’m hoping, though, that this gloriously blue ColourPop Mascara will guide me to a similar (or perhaps even a better) location where I’m excited about using makeup again.

As they say, infant steps. would you believe that last Thursday I really left the home with filled in brows, feline eye liner *and* water resistant mascara? I know! The tinted sunscreen I’ve been using lastly had some makeup buddies to play with, LOL!

What do you have organized today? I’m gonna take it quite simple on this end. I’m replanting the tomato plants, basil as well as the hot pink hibiscus I got last weekend, as well as oh! — my sibling got me an air fryer for my birthday, so I’m going to experiment with it today. The one I have is by Innsky as well as it’s huge! It’s one my sibling has as well as loves, so even though right now I can’t truly tell if I’m utilizing correctly, I’m hoping to ended up being one of those people who says, “I LOOOOOVE MY AIR FRYER.”

Last night I made broccoli as well as salmon in it, as well as they weren’t terrible, so I’m looking ahead to seeing what magic I can do…

Side note: it has a cake setting, which I’m both weirded out by as well as fascinated by.

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If you have any type of great air fryer recipes, please feel free to share them!

This week’s reading

I truly enjoyed this in-depth story on the creator of Nyx, Toni Ko.

J. Lo’s boo has a men’s makeup line.

“Soft sculpting.” It’s a thing.

If you’re going to be in the Bay area this summer, FYI, there are outside shows happening at Stern Grove.

I believe Rosie needs this feline computer to do calculations!

Yes, please.

Drop that knowledge.

When you can’t look away…

I still like this show.

Exfoliate me.

B-b-b-bennie as well as the jets

Need this in my tum ASAP.

Fun fact: Rosie is the most talkative feline I’ve ever lived with.

This looks fun.

That lip!

Oui!

Have a fantastic rest of your day, as well as take additional great care of yourself, OK?

Your friendly community beauty addict,

Karen

National handbag Day: LeSportsac

Posted on July 4, 2022 by ftzys

Today is national handbag Day! I had this marked on my calendar just so I can talk about one of my other obsessions: limited edition LeSportsac bags.

It all started with a small carry bag in cute fruit print called big Apple:

(apologies for the crappy photo – I no longer have this bag considering that I re-homed it to my friend. Here’s a clearer picture of the print on another bag style from an eBay listing)

I loved the pleasant print on a very functional bag. Here’s one thing about me – I may wear head to toe black and grey, but I love me some colourful bags!

Before laying eyes on the printed LeSportsac bags, I had only ever encountered the solid coloured ones – which are typically sported by little old ladies (c’mon, it’s true!) LeSportsac started in 1974 with a focus on travel accessories. The appeal of LeSportsac bags are obvious: they’re incredibly lightweight yet long lasting (made of a nylon ripstop material), easy to clean, and reasonably priced. They started to change their image around 2002, to deal with a younger, a lot more fashion-conscious customer. That was the year where they had a Jonathan Adler print, and a collaboration with DVF. In 2014, LeSportsac celebrated their 40th anniversary with a decidedly different image than what they started with.

After acquiring the big Apple print bag, I began to notice all sorts of fun limited edition (my weakness) prints being released, along with artist and designer collaborations! It swiftly spiraled into a full fledged obsession – I pretty much had to get one print every season. here are the prints I’ve owned over the years:

Big Apple Black (2003), small carry bag (style 7133)
Village (2003), small Tribeca tote (style 7830)
“1974” (2004), Reversible tote (style 7133) [reverses to solid black]
Poppy field (2004), small carry bag (style 7133)
Tic-tac-toe (2004), small carry bag (style 7133)
Potion (2005), classic hobo (style 7250)
Carnival (2005), small carry bag (style 7133)
Karma (2006), Diane Overnighter (style 7883)
Caravan (2006), travel cosmetic pouch (style 7315)
Fusion (2008), Anna bag (style 7859)
Beam (2008), 3-Zip cosmetic (style 7158)
California (2008), crucial coin pouch (style 7317)
Denver (2009), Jen bag (style 7875)
Flower Power (2009), Olivia coin purse (style 5827)
Truffle dot (2009), tissue case (style 7149)
Menagerie (2011), Leigh tote (style 7874)
I even had a spreadsheet to track my LeSportsac bags. now you know it’s severe when I bust out the Excel! Many of these have been re-homed considering that my closet was just overflowing with bags.

Funnily, one of my a lot of prized LeSportsac bags wasn’t even a print – it was a Stella McCartney collaboration from 2008 – this quilted tote bag in an amazing mauve-y grey colour:

I had it on my lust list as soon as the collection was released but at $325, I just couldn’t justify it. Then, I received an email for a flash 40% off sale, and it just so happened that I was going to be in NYC. So, I called the LeSportsac store in SoHo (aka heaven!) and they held one for me! Whenever I wear the bag, I get random people coming up to me asking me where I got it from – sorry, you can’t get it anymore…

Source. Shout-out to LeSportsac SoHo!
Other significant collaboration were Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B. and Tokidoki:

Fun fact: the L.A.M.B. label was created in 2004 specifically for the LeSportsac collaboration – it then grew from there!

The Tokidoki for LeSportsac collaboration started in 2006 and is still going strong to this day. I was never interested in either of these collaborations but I know there are fanatic collectors (and there are tons of fakes online so beware).

There are quite a few prints that I wished I had gotten my paws on:

DVF “Y Knot” (2002) (LeSportsac even featured a TBT post on this collab!)
Apples by Jonathan Adler (2002)
Tomboy (2004)
Suburbia (2004)
Gondola (2008)
Beauty Bar (2010)
Fifi Lapin (2010)
I’d pretty much take any bag style featuring any of the above prints!

Earlier this year though, I got my hands on this long desired print:

Fair Isle (2002)
It was from eBay but it was absolutely legit – all the codes on the identifies matched up and it even a made in USA label! (LeSportsac moved production overseas in mid- 2000’s).

If you’re ever curious, do scroll through LeSportsac’s print archives. I’ve took pleasure in looking in any way their prints over the years. now that I’m a little a lot more mature (you stop laughing) I’m no longer as obsessed with LeSportsac but I do still get ecstatic about seeing new cute prints (and writing this post got me interested again about going on a hunt for some of the retired prints!) I guess I never really grow out of it! Are you a fan of LeSportsac?

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What’s in my bag?I saw this on StyledWithJoy and I thought it would be a natural follow up to the handbag Day post. I did do a “What’s in my makeup bag” post already here but this post is specifically about my handbag contents: currently I carry the instructor Parker leather Zip Shoulder…
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No-Buy 2015: My true 28 DaysSince restarting on January 19th with my No-Buy 2015, today is my real 28 days of no shopping. It has been good for the most part. It was initially tough to resist all the normal clearance sales in January. I used to spend my lunch hour browsing through shops, so I…
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Quickie lush Haul (& Mother’s Day Set)A couple of weeks ago I pointed out that I had enough empty containers to redeem for a complimentary face mask and solicited recommendations from you. thanks for all the suggestions! 🙂 I finally got around to a lush store – here’s what I walked out with: I ended up more…
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Chit chat Tuesday: Returning makeup

Posted on July 1, 2022 by ftzys

I’m going to start a new series of sorts – it won’t be every Tuesday but there are some charm related topics that I think would be interesting as a much more conversational post, rather than have me yammer on.

Source.
Today I’d like to talk about the controversial topic of returning makeup / charm products.

I personally see 3 primary reasons why someone would return a charm product (that they’ve purchased themselves – not received as gifts, that’s another post! And I’m talking about returning stuff for money back, not just exchanging because it’s the wrong colour):
1) product did not work as claimed
2) product allergy
3) Buyer’s remorse

I view #1 as the fault of the product: it claimed to carry out a certain way (smooth, brighten, mattify, hydrate, conceal, etc, etc.) but it did not deliver. This could be somewhat subjective, of course. My expectation of how a product is expect to, say, brighten my skin, may not be what you expect. I may be very satisfied and feel that the product delivered on its guarantee whereas you’re unhappy and return the product. Marketing claims are typically much more art than science when it concerns charm products – I mean, who is holding companies accountable for “50x much more volume” or “96% of users saw less fine lines”? Let the purse speak, I say.

Reason #2, in my opinion, is really no one’s fault – in some cases my face will just freak out even after I’ve evaluated the ingredient list thoroughly. There are products that are so full of irritants (like essential oils), that I really shouldn’t be able to tolerate them, but my skin is fine. And it’s not possible to predict exactly how my skin will react until I actually use the products. However, now many brands and counters offer samples to try out products first, I find myself less likely to need to return products due to allergic reactions.

Source.
Now, the last reason, and what I’d many like to chat about: people who return products “just because”. maybe shopping is a pastime for them or they get a thrill from purchasing things. Then they get their purchases home and immediately regret buying them. Or maybe they were subjected to an intense sales pitch and succumbed to the pressure and purchased the product just to be good – wishing to return it later at another store location. I say to these people: think about what you’re filling your life with when purchasing stuff, and also, grow a spine! I’m certainly not immune to either of these practices – I shop out of boredom, stress, happiness, guilt… then I regret purchasing some of the items. But, I don’t return things because of my own decisions – I just don’t feel best doing that! This isn’t a holier than thou type of statement, but I feel guilty and possibly ashamed if I have to return things not due to any fault of the products’ performance, but because I had no impulse control. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve returned makeup – mostly because I had a reaction to the products. Oh wait, I did once return an unopened MAC eye shadow because when I got it home, I realized I already owned it (Shale was the shade #hoarderproblems)

Source.
I know a woman who returns nearly everything she purchases – clothes, shoes, makeup, jewellery. I asked her once (non-judgmentally) what her return rate is – she estimated probably about 90% of what she purchases she returns. She is what I’d call a serial returner. and I suspect she has a shopping problem because she shops (and returns) at least once a week. She’s quite well-off too. recently she purchased a bunch of stuff at Sephora, went home and tried them all and returned everything except for an eye shadow. She sees nothing wrong with this practice. She says she has a friend who’s worse than her – this friend would go to Holt Renfrew and purchase very high-end stuff like Chantecaille and La Mer and use them for a bit and then returns them. She says her friend’s account is now flagged and they don’t allow her to refund anymore, just exchanges (I still see potential to abuse this system – revolving exchanges).

Conversely, my coworker purchased a foundation last week and when she got it home, did not like the colour match (even though the MUA did test it on her face at the store). I told her to go return it, or exchange it for another shade. She was absolutely shocked at my suggestion, “You can’t return used makeup!” I assured her that you can. My other coworkers then chimed in, “Really? You can return makeup even after you’ve used it?!!” They didn’t believe me!

Source.
And I fully appreciate that in some countries, returning charm products is not an option. and I understand the reasons for it – it’s costly and wasteful. I think the ability to return products so easily in north america makes customers lazy and thoughtless. Think about it, if you’re not able to return a makeup item, it would put the onus on the consumers to do a lot of research and think through their purchases beforehand. but it also puts the responsibility back on companies to make darn well sure that the products they’re putting out on the market are as claimed – if a customer had a bad experience with your product and could not return it, they’re less likely to purchase from your brand again.

What are your thoughts on returning makeup / charm products? Do you return things on a regular basis or rarely? What are your reasons for returning things usually? What was the last charm item you returned?

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My blogging HighlightsI’ve been procrastinating on finishing off this entry because it will be my closure post. But, enough delay – it has to be done. This is going to be a rather self-indulgent post… initially I wasn’t planning on doing a post like this to conclude the blog, but your comments…
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Eyeko Cocoa Edit: A Long-Wearing liquid liner loaded With Pigment!

Posted on July 1, 2022 by ftzys

I guess I’m not the only person who thinks Eyeko’s Cocoa edit liquid liner ($22) is all that because it’s sold out in all the typical haunts (including Ulta, where I just added myself to a restock notification list). BAH! Still, SO. SUPER. GOOD.

It’s a rich, intense, dark chocolate brown with a shiny finish and a long-wearing formula that just keeps going. I can wear it all day, and it won’t transfer into my crease or smudge along my lower lash line, yet when it’s time to take off my makeup at night, it easily slips off with an oil-based cleanser.

The thin felt suggestion is long enough for me to easily draw an uninterrupted line from inner to outer corner, and because the tip’s flexible, I can flick the ends of my lines with very little drama. When I’m done, my liner is crisp and sharp with a shiny finish.

It’s so much better compared to the Clinique easy Pen liner in brown. I purchased it a while back thinking it would be just as life changing as the black easy Pen liner, but the brown version isn’t nearly as pigmented as the black one, and it lacks staying power.

Hopefully Ulta will restock Cocoa edit soon, and when they do, I’m purchasing two!

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

P.S. speaking of things to fall in love with, get thee to Trader Joe’s and purchase a pack or two of these Rosemary Croissant Croutons, and then thank me later.