Thumbs Up Thursday!

Hey guys!

I realized some time ago that a friend and  I send selfies to each other and thumbs up are usually involved! I'm pretty sure that's why my favorites posts are labeled Thumbs Up.  I've got several fun things to share this week.

I purchased the Revealed palette by Coastal Scents in a special package that included a travel brush set, a blush palette, a kabuki brush and a black liquid eyeliner for $24.95! This palette alone retails for $19.99. I got an incredible deal and am quite pleased with all of the items I received, but the main reason for the purchase was for this palette. 

It comes with 20 shadows in mostly nude/brown/gold tones. These shades are comparable to the colors in the Urban Decay Naked palettes. I do not own any of the Urban Decay Naked palettes so I can't exactly say how the quality/texture/finish adds up. I do however feel that for $19.99 this palette is awesome. Most of the colors are very pigmented and apply smoothly. The shimmers are beautiful and it includes several mattes to blend. 

These swatches are in order from left to right. No flash or primer was used. The black is definitely not too pigmented but would work for a smokey eye. The matte cream color on the top furthest left mostly blends into my skin tone but would be great for blending or a matte brow bone color. The shimmer cream next to it is a beautiful soft highlight. None of the shimmers have glitter chunks and they all give a nice glow to the eyelid. These shadows are very versatile and this palette is going to be part of my daily routine. 

These lip glosses from BH Cosmetics are creamy, glossy, give a bit of color to the lips and come in a great variety of colors to go with any occasion. I believe I picked them up for $2.95. 

Top left: Classy Gal, top right: Plain Jane

Bottom left: Studious, bottom right: Copper Crush.

Plain Jane is an amazing nude gloss. I ware it on bare lips and pair it with dramatic smokey eyes. Copper Crush is very glam. It has a slight metalic shimmer to it. This is a great girls night out shade. Classy Gal is a bright fun color and is great for the upcoming spring and summer months. The color looks more red in the tube but it translates to a poppy pink color on my lips. Studious is that perfect petal pink for when you want a kiss if color without feeling overboard. It's still a very natural color and I find myself grabbing this one to take to work with me. These glosses keep my lips hydrated and last well without having to constantly reapply. 

This nail polish is Mint Chip from Forever21. It was on sale for $1.95 and the prospect of mint chip ice cream nails was just too cute to pass up. This is such a fun color and applys fairly well although you do need at least 3 coats to make the mint opaque. I can't wait to play with different looks using this color. I'm thinking red hearts with gold heart stud for valentines? I'll have to test it to see how it looks, but will post if that combo works out. 

Thumbs up to this restaurant that just opened recently near my work. This amazing combo of fresh fruit cocktail (papaya, strawberry, grape, blackberry, pineapple, blueberries) with plain Greek yogurt, honey drizzle, and chopped pecans is my favorite breakfast. I eat it almost every day! 

At the end of a long day I love to unwind with a hot soothing cup of chamomile tea. I found this blend by Celestial Seasoning that includes spearmint and lemongrass with natural vanilla flavor. It's called Sleepytime because the combination of these herbals should promote relaxation and help fall asleep easier. I have found I seem to sleep deeper the nights that I drink this tea before bed. Since I have been drinking it nightly I wake up easier too because I think I am getting better rest at night. Maybe it's all in my head but if it works or not I still absolutely love sitting with the piping, sweet cup of tea while my body and mind relax from the days events. I also have a mug addiction and any excuse to use one of my lovely mugs is welcome in my book. Thumbs up to the mint colored hand glazed owl mug I found on ModCloth. I think it was around $12 and was offered in a few colors. I am just infatuated with the sheer cuteness of him. 

My thumbs down this week was a product that several years ago I had given a huge thumbs up to and worked great for me. 

I first received the Makeup Forever Sens'Eyes waterproof eye makeup remover in a gift set for Christmas about 5 years ago. It was a small deluxe sample size. As soon as I used it I fell in love. It worked amazing at removing all of my eye makeup and did not irritate my eyes. At the time I did not have the funds to purchase the full size which retails for $24. Just recently I had a gift card for sephora and decided I wanted to purchase this product because I loved it so much years ago. I have no idea if their formula changed, or if my skin changed, but there were several things wrong with this remover. It does not seem to remove any of my mascara from my lashes without having to rub vigorously. I noticed the more I used this the more raw my eyes felt and the skin around my eye began to sting and turn red. I did not have this problem before and I am extremely disappointed that for some reason it just doesn't work out any more. 

My #TBT this week is from my "little" brothers graduation!

I'm 5 years his senior and he's 5 ft taller than me! This was 3 years ago or so. 

Hope you enjoyed my favorites this week, I know I did!

Thanks for stopping by!

Til next time,

Trish

Thumbs Up Yesterday!

::TAKE TWO::

Hey guys!

It's Friday and this would have been posted yesterday but some unfortunate technical difficulties delayed post til today. 

I've given big thumbs up to some pretty awesome products this week. 

Here is a Le Métier De Beaute Kaleidescope eye shadow set in color Pretty in Punk. These retail for $95! Granted I am IN LOVE with these ultra pigmented shadows, my budget conscious self can not possibly fathom spending that amount of money on any singular item let alone a piece of makeup.

I was privileged to receive this in my Limited edition Neiman Marcus Popsugar box and am thrilled to get to try something so luxurious.  I looked around to find the names of these colors but nothing surfaced. The website does have different color combinations for the Kaleidescope set and you can find YouTube videos about how to apply the shadows to really take advantage of the multidimensional "Kaleidescope" effect.

http://www.lemetierdebeaute.com/ in case you'd like to check them out!

The shadows were swatched with primer. I love the density of these. The light beige-gold color on the left is now my favorite highlight and inner corner color. It has a hint of peachy to it and when applied lightly just gives a nice soft shimmer. The bright bold pinks in the middle are great for the outer lid and crease and blend really well together to create a beautiful ombré effect. This black shadow is something else. I have mixed feelings here. It is finicky but oh so fierce! I have learned that I must apply this shadow before ANY other makeup due to its fallout. Fallout that cannot be simply brushed away. Fallout that smears black streaks across your face anywhere it falls. Despite this downfall I LOVE this black. It is intense, sultry, bold, and smoky. When all necessary precautions are taken to avoid streaks this black makes an awesome outer V color. Once applied it DOES NOT BUDGE. At all. All day. Seriously.

Here I used scotch tape to create a sharp cat eye with the black shadow. I used the dark pink right above the black and blended with the light pink toward the crease. I smoked out the black shadow a bit and applied the beigey golden shimmer to the inner corner and brow bone. I took these photos after an 10 hour work day and you can see the shadows are still complete, no smudging under my eye. This color combination would be perfect for a Valentines look. 

I love these shadows and I find myself reaching for them daily. 

I have always loved wine hued nail polishes. Deep burgundies reminiscent of a bold glass of Merlot. I layered this deep berry cream color from Nails Inc. with a smokey sheer black with red shimmer polish from Julep. The combination of the 2 creates a rich full-bodied burgundy. 

I received the Nails Inc polish in a Glossybox and am a Julep Maven subscriber where I get a few new polishes each month.

Both of these boxes are great and they have really made it possible for me to try out awesome products. 

While organizing my Julep collection I stumbled upon these gems that I ordered on sale shortly after Halloween. I have never used crackle nail polishes before so I picked these up to try them out. 

I decided to layer them over a hot pink base to hopefully make the crackle pop!

I love how the texture came out after only a few swipes of the brush. The orange combination is perfect for a fun beachy summer look. I think I will paint my nails with either the black or the silver for valentines day, although the white would be awesome with a red heart painted on top! 

I love food! A big thumbs up for these herbed French bread pizza toasts. I took a loaf of rosemary olive oil French bread from Target and placed them under the broiler just until the edges began to brown. I slathered each toast with a roasted red pepper tapenade, laid a few thin slices of muenster cheese, and topped each with some pepperoni slices. Back under the broiler until the cheese is hot, bubbly, and brown around the edges. Holy yum! 

This is a delicious indulgence any time of the day!

My thumbs down this week is also somewhat food related.

I grew up drinking artificial sweeteners and Splenda was always the first choice for taste. The last few years I had found a new sweetener called Ideal. It is amazing. Simply sweet and very natural tasting, better than real sugar! One day a few weeks ago I ran out and kept putting off buying more. Honey to sweeten my coffee just wasn't cutting it and I really try to stay away from refined white sugar. I finally broke down and ran to the nearest store to get more sweetener. All they had was this bag of Splenda granules. I knew I previously likes Splenda so I picked it up. When I tried this in my espresso I nearly spit it out! It was disgusting! I used the same Splenda to sweeten iced tea and it tasted fine. I don't know if the acidic nature of the bold espresso I make caused the flavor to warp or what, but very time I add it to my coffee I want to gag. 

Thumbs down to Splenda sweetened espresso! 

Even though it is Friday, I was going to include these #TBT pictures in my post yesterday so I will still add them today!

My circle of friends at our highschool graduation.

Some more of us striking a pose on our way to project Graduation.

Good times!

Hope you enjoyed reading this post!

(albeit a day later)

Til next time,

Trish

Thumbs Up Thursday!

Hey guys!

I've got another post about items I thought deserved a big thumbs up this week. I've been feeling a bit under the weather and wasn't able to photograph all the items I wanted so there's a few less than usual. 

This is the Mally Lip Magnifier in color tulip. 

It is seriously amazing. It keeps my lips soft, and seems to make them appear plump without too much shine. It has a subtle color but overall looks best right on bare lips. It creates the softest pink

kissable lips. I received this in a birchbox and would absolutely consider picking up a few more shades because the formula is amazing. Each crayon sells for $20 and this color is perfect for a natural lip and would look awesome with a dark smoky eye. 

The next thing I'm loving this week is a set of soaps that my sister gifted me for Christmas from a local shop. 

These smell fantastic.

My favorite is the Frosted Cranberry. It's fresh and rich and when I showered it left the faintest glimmer of frosty scent and my skin was super soft. It rinsed off well and didn't feel too squeaky or too slick. These are HUGE and should last a while even using daily. I am looking forward to trying the Honey Oatmeal with cornmeal it will be useful for exfoliating. The lemon ginseng smells so fresh and it would be perfect for morning showers to invigorate the senses and wake you up. I looked up the website for information and it seems you can pick these up for $10 a piece. They make a fancy gift and definitely worth the splurge to indulge in these luxurious scented suds. Thumbs up to my sister for such a nice gift, thanks Shell!

As I said before I was hoping to add a few more but I shall talk about the other thumbs up next week. I do have a thumbs down this week. Like last week it's a product I was really hoping to love. It's actually not a complete fail, I just will have to limit use. 

I bought 3 Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector lip treatments. They look VERY nice on my lips and I had been using them all day every day for a week solid. I assumed they were going to be ultra-hydrating for my lips. WRONG. These dried my lips so bad they started to crack and burn whenever I wasn't wearing it. I've read reviews where people layered these over another product to give a slight sheen to the lip and make them look fuller. It absolutely works at making the lips look plump and full. I like that about them. I wish I didn't have to use another product to keep my lips from chapping. Perhaps if I constantly remember to apply my chap stick every night and after application I'll be ok to continue regular use. It seems like a pretty tedious lipgloss though. 

Overall I'm very pleased with the Mally lip crayon and would much rather use it instead of the Clarins, it gives almost the same effect and does not dry out my lips. 

Here's a few #TBT from my highschool prom

We decided to go in a big group of girls and guys so no one had to worry about having a date. 

Lovely ladies!

Thanks for stopping in!

Til next time,

Trish

Thumbs Up Thursday!

Hey there!

Today is another Thumbs Up Thursday, I've got a few products to highlight and a few other things I am just enjoying at the moment. 

This is the Beauty Protector Protect and Detangle leave in conditioning spray. It's AMAZING. I originally received a sample size in a birchbox and instantly fell in love with it. My hair is so soft, silky and smooth. It does not weigh down my hair and does not turn greasy. It says to leave in and use before styling to protect against heat damage. I usually only blow dry my hair but with this, people are always telling me my hair looks so soft. I can't stop running my fingers through it. It's got a pleasant scent too! I've tried to find the product outside of the birchbox website but no luck so I just purchased the full size from them. 

Lately I have been loving plain nonfat Greek yogurt (no particular brand) and find that when mixed with honey, peanut butter, and cinnamon makes an awesome fruit dip, especially with apples. I'm sure it's relatively healthy and has lots of protein and fiber from the fruit. It keeps me full if I eat it for breakfast and tastes more like a dessert. I also like to top mixed fruit (berries, pineapple, papaya, grapes) with the yogurt, drizzle with honey and sprinkle pecans on top. Soo good!

This candle is from Nest Fragrances, it's the Burchwood Pine Luxury Scented Candle. I got it in a Popsugar Must Have box and it is delicious. The candle infuses the whole room with the most pleasant wintery scent even when it's not burning. This photo does not do justice for the beauty of the glass itself. It has a gold leaf pattern design and I cannot wait to use the candle up and have the pretty jar to store makeup brushes or eyeliners atop my vanity. The Popsugar Must Have boxes are really great and I really enjoy the items they send.

This body cream From TokyoMilk (also received in a Popsugar box) smells fantastic. It makes my skin so soft, it applys smooth and absorbs nicely. When I wear this I do not need a perfume because it leaves me with a faint pleasant smell throughout the day. It keeps my skin supple and I like to apply it right from the shower. The jar itself is huge and cleverly designed. A really great find!

When I'm not feeling in the mood for coffee (which is rare) but still need a caffeine jolt I reach for a sugar-free energy drink. I've tried most varieties and granted they all taste a bit like the candy Smarties on crack. It's a toss up if this taste is pleasant or not. Either way a friend from work introduced to me the Monster Energy Ultra Zero. This DOES NOT taste like doped up sugary candy. It's mellow, slightly sweet, slightly tart. It reminds me of Squirt soda. It definitely has a hint of grapefruit to it and it seems like although it is still carbonated it isn't extreme fizz like most other energy drinks. This stuff could be dangerous because it doesn't feel like I'm drinking an energy drink, just seems like a refreshing beverage so I've got to be careful not to reach for one right before bed! Overall I love this and it's my go to boost of energy when coffee just won't cut it.

Moving on to the one Thumbs Down for this week.

 I was really kind of bummed out because when I got the BH Cosmetics Contour and Blush Palette it seemed like it was going to be really awesome. I loved the color and when I first applied it everything seemed great. 

Then by the end of the FIRST day wearing it, right above my jaw line a huge pimple surfaced. I don't usually have acne issues and never in that area. I did not wear foundation this day and the only thing I applied there was the brown contour color. I decided to try it a few more days and the breakouts just got worse! I stopped using it and they are starting to go away. I REALLY wanted to love this. I will continue to try the blushes to see if they will still work out but I mainly got the palette for the contour color. BOO. I'm sure not everyone will have this reaction but something in the formula causes me to breakout.

And in the spirit of tradition here's a #TBT for ya!

My dad and I, circa 1989.

:)

Thanks for reading!

Til next time,

Trish 

Thumbs Up Thursday!

Hey guys!

Today is all about what I'm giving a big thumbs up to this week. Each week I'll pick a few products that I just can't get enough of and tell about my experience with them. I'll even throw in a thumbs down or 2! 

My first thumbs up is this mascara by Tarte. It's called Lights, Camera, Flashes. I got this in a Glossybox and was stoked that it was full size (I am always looking for a good mascara). The brush is peculiar and has 2 different sides. One is supposed to deposit the formula and add volume to lashes and the other side is supposed to distribute the product and lengthen lashes. I'm not going to lie I poked myself a few times in the eye trying to figure out the correct process and almost gave this product a total THUMBS DOWN! Luckily I practiced a bit and figured out the correct way to apply and let me tell you it makes my lashes full, long, curled and glamorous!

I will definitely purchase this mascara again once it runs out.

The next thing I'm loving right now is BCBG Maxazria Bon Genre. I also received a sample of this in a glossy box and love the scent, this is the full size that I purchased from the birchbox store. Its my go to everyday scent. It's not too strong, just slightly feminine and has great staying power. It makes me feel fresh not flowery when I wear it. The bottle is a little cheesy but I wear the scent not the packaging! 

This microderm face scrub from Goldfaden MD is FANTASTIC. It makes my skin so soft, smooth, and supple. I received a full size in a Popsugar Must Have box and have since purchased a replacement from theskinstore.com for 20% off. This scrub is pricey but does wonders for my skin. Even Ryan has started using it and I've noticed his face is soft and free of dryness and peeling that he used to have all the time. I use it once a day and finish my routine with the Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve face cream.

I also received the face cream as a sample in Birchbox and have bought the full size from sephora. There is a dramatic improvement in my skins clarity, smoothness, tone, and its helping fill in some of my wrinkles across my forehead (runs in my family). 

At night I use the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser system to remove my makeup. It also makes my skin super soft and my face feels so refreshed after using this, it's a pretty quick cleanse and easy to use with the muslin cloth. The only thing that is a thumbs down here is it does not remove the Tarte Lights Camera Flashes mascara very well. I usually have to use a quick, concentrated eye makeup remover first and then clean my face with the Liz Earle.

Thumbs Down!

I thought I'd have another great thumbs up and it's possible that it could be next week but let me introduce you to my THUMBS DOWN for this week.

This is the Urban Decay face case in Shattered. 

LITERALLY.

Ba dum tss!

I ordered it last week and was super excited when it arrived yesterday. Much to my disappointment it was not packaged properly and was a total mess when I opened the box. The clip that holds it closed is broken, the blush is "shattered" all over the case, and if you look closely at the highlight there is a fingerprint!(not my own) EW, WTF. Absolutely going to go exchange this first thing tomorrow morning. I'm sure I will love the actual product but this unboxing was a total thumbs down!

The last thumbs down for today is a halfway thumbs down.

Ryan so lovingly picked up some spray adhesive for an upcoming DIY project I'm going to work on. Unfortunately it's formulated for more serious heavy duty adhering. The project I'm working on is a little more delicate and I won't be able to use this formula for it. 

See how the spray foams and creates a thick adhesive on this newspaper? I definitely need a finer mist without a noticeable layer inbetween. Kudos and thumbs up to Ryan for being so sweet, for my project though this spray's a thumbs down. 

Here's a quick #TBT for ya,

I think we would make the most adorable tiny persons! 

Thanks for reading!

Til next time,

Trish