Product Rave and skincare routine

I don't know about you guys, but when I get breakouts (which is fairly rare, but when I do they are BAD!) I find it very hard to get the spots to go away in a timely fashion. The last time I had a major breakout (about two months ago) the blemishes were still there after three weeks. Three weeks! It was horrendous and I felt so self conscious. None of my usual "quick fixes" were working.

image from neutrogena.com

So while I was at Ulta I picked up the Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Eliminating Spot Gel. I usually don't have much confidence when it comes to spot eliminators that sound like miracle products since my homemade remedies seem to suit my skin much better. I have to say though, this stuff is AMAZING. I showered in the evening and put this on my face before bed. In the morning I noticed a dramatic difference in my skin. I still had many spots, but they were much smaller and the tiniest ones were completely gone. At about the three day mark my skin was back to being clear.

Now I put this on any areas where I notice a blemish is about to surface...and it makes it go away! I love this stuff and it really worked for me. Hopefully one of you will have good luck with this product.

Since we're on the topic of skin I think I'll tell you about my current skincare routine. For those of you that have followed for a while you might already know my skin type and love of homemade face products because I used to talk about it all the time, but for all the newbies I'll recap. I think skincare is the most important part of any beauty routine. If your skin looks beautiful then you'll look gorgeous no matter what makeup you have on. My skin gets very dry in the winter months and this year it is worse than ever! My usual scrub of olive oil, sugar and honey is not enough anymore!

image from Sephora.com

First I start out in the shower by cleansing my face with Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash. I use a little silicone cleansing pad from Sephora to make sure all the nasties are out of my pores. Then I use my homemade scrub of olive oil, honey, and sugar to do some more exfoliating and deep moisturizing. By the way I do not use a makeup remover, olive oil is quite good at removing waterproof mascara. When I get out of the shower I put on spot remover if I need to and let it set. Then I slather my neck and face with Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturizer. Then I take a rather large portion of Nivea cream (in the blue tin) and put it all over my face, but not my neck. This product is kind of...oily? and I don't like having a dewey neck. My skin sucks this stuff up like a sponge! It is the only moisturizer I have found that really hydrates my skin and doesn't give my dry patches in the morning. In the morning I usually put more Nivea cream on to get a nice base for my foundation.

Well...that was a rather long-winded post, sorry :P I hope it helps someone out!

I also have a new foundation routine coming up, as I've found products that let my dry skin achieve that perfect dewey look. I will take pictures on a day where I don't have to get up at the crack of dawn :]

1950s style fail

I tried to do two 1950s looks right after I got my hair cut. They were hard to do considering how short my bangs are, but for a first try I guess it's alright. As for makeup it was simple red lips and black liner.

I think you can see the loops better in this one

This is the first one. I tried to do pin curls with a fluffy side pony. I wish my inspiration for these looks had some before I cut my hair, trying to get those loops to stay put with my tiny fringe was impossible! It's quite a mess, but I still kind of like it :]

This is the second look. I haven't a clue what this is actually called, but it's just rolled up bangs. This one was even harder to do with short bangs. I don't think it suits me anyway.

I'm sorry I've been gone so long, but I will have an update on my life coming up soon. I hope everyone has been doing well!

Old-ish haul :P

Hey guys! Here's some stuff from a transdesign order that I haven't showed you guys :P I've since made and received another order but I didn't take any pictures T.T

A few OPIs, can you guess what they are?

The entire Orly FX collection. I got them for $5 each, but now on TD they're $10

Some China Glaze. Pool Party, Lubu Heels, and Atlantis

My first New York summers!

I hope everyone is having fun this october! I might be doing some Halloween looks if I find the time :]

I finally got a haircut!

Hi guys! Well, I have been putting off getting my hair cut for weeks and I finally got it done last week. You see, the stylist I usually go to, Liz, does not work at the salon anymore and I have not been able to track her down yet. So...I put off my haircut to the last minute. I'm always so nervous going to a new stylist! When I find a good one I stick with them. Anyways I made an appointment with a salon I don't usually go to.

The girl was nice and good at cutting hair, but I don't think I'll be going back to her. She was much too tame for me and she had her own vision for my hair and didn't really listen to what I wanted. I showed her pictures of what I wanted, one of them was even of me from right after Liz had done my hair! She saw this and still pretty much just started to give me long layers and long side-swept bangs, like everyone else has. I do like that look, but not really on me. I prefer having some short layers in my long hair and shorter angled bangs. I cut about 5 inches off my length and I wanted my layers and bangs to get even shorter too, something Liz and I had been talking about the last few times I got my hair done.

Shorter. I had to tell her that seriously 50 times. Each time she would take off about a millimeter of hair... I finally just let her finish my hair. It's not that I don't like the result, I do, but I don't love it and It's not what I pictured. Sorry for all the gabbing :P here's my hair...

Bangs

Length

Oh and I've another exciting bit of news. I went to my mac counter on thursday (for the Venomous Villains collection of course) and got the last bottle of Bad Fairy. I really like it and I'll do a post when I can get some good light :P

Did you guys pick anything up from the VV collection?

China Glaze Joy with Revlon Star

My nails have been naked lately, so here's a picture of a mani I did a few weeks ago. My nails have been reshaped a bit and gotten longer since then so I'll have to take pictures of my next manicure and compare them.

Hope everyone's doing well!

Vintage Finds

A few weeks ago my boyfriend and I went to our local "antique" mall. I used "" because lots of the stuff there is junk from the 80's and early 90's and shouldn't really be considered antique. Anywhoo I found a few things I really like, so I'll show you! :]

Aren't these stone owls cute? At $3 I couldn't resist!

I also stared recollecting Fire King dishes. I had collected some before but they all got broken one way or another. I bought two pieces. A bowl with a long handle and a bowl with two short little handle things. I like them and I'm on the lookout for more!

Well I hope you guys like seeing my nerdy antiquing :]

Have you had any great finds lately?

Black Lips and Pizza

Hey guys! I've been playing around with makeup a lot lately so I thought I'd show you some silly stuff. I generally don't wear dark colors on my lips and I probably wouldn't wear either or these looks out in public, I just felt like messing around :P

First I just did some dark berry lips. It isn't anything wild, but still much darker than anything I usually wear. I'm always afraid I'll get lipstick on my teeth!

Next I used black eyeliner and some gloss. I like the idea of black lips, I just can't pull them off. In my opinion they look best on very pale or very dark people, not those in between like myself. I also think it would look better with a creamy, slightly matte (but not chalky!) finish but I couldn't get the eyeliner to look that way. Hmm perhaps I'll do black lips for Halloween.

The other day I made pizza for my family and if I must say, it was delicious. It's just regular crust, sauce and cheese, but it's topped with caramelized onions and garlic. I love onions in pretty much all variations, but I get frustrated when pizza kitchens throw raw onions on a pizza. The texture takes on this odd not quite raw, but not cooked either feeling. In some things it might be good, like in a sauce, but not on top of pizza. I cooked the onions and garlic in olive oil with some salt until they were brown and tender, then set them on the pizza during it's last 5-10 minutes of baking. It isn't the prettiest pizza, but it was yummy!

Long time, no post!

Hey guys! I'm sorry it's been so long since I last posted, I really thought I would have more free time this summer! I can't believe school is starting again, it seems like sumer just began. It's hard to get back into the swing of blogging again after being away for so long, but I'm going to try to post regularly again. I have so much to blog about, I just haven't taken the pictures yet :P

Anyways, today I have for you a pretty glitter polish. I haven't much been a fan of glitters until recently and now I just can't get enough! This is 3 coats of sinful colors Nail Junkie (great name, huh? :P ) over one coat of Wet 'n' Wild Caribbean Frost. I think it really looks like the bottle, which can sometimes be hard to do when working with glitters since they look opaque in the bottle but are actually suspended in transparent jelly.

So everyone, how has your summer been? What are your plans for the upcoming months?

Another little MAC haul

Hey guys! I stopped by the MAC counter again :P Here is what I purchased:

Lipsticks:

-Creme d 'Nude

-Go For It

-Viva Glam Gaga

Eyeshadow:

-Tempting

I really like everything I bought. My favorite of the lipsticks is Go For It. It looks daunting in the tube, but it goes on pretty sheer so it's very wearable especially if you pair it with a neutral gloss.

Mmm, this is what I had for lunch yesterday:

Four cheese manicotti with raspberries. It was really good! The manicotti were by a brand called Michelina's. I had never heard of it before but saw that their little frozen meals were only $1! I had to buy a few to try them out. I'm quite pleased! If you're a student working an almost nonexistent budget I would totally recommend these over ramen. :]

Is anyone else disappointed with the packaging for the Mac Venomous Villains collection? I'm hoping that the leaked pictures are fake and that the real packaging is more glammed up! :P

Ulta Haul

Hey everyone! I hope everyone got to check out the awesome sale Ulta had this week! They had some really great deals! Here is what I picked up:

L'Oreal HiP duos (on sale for $5.59 each, originally $7.99)

-Gilded

-Electrified

Ulta Cheek color (on sale for $3, originally $6.50)

-Fame

Ulta automatic eyeliners (on sale for only $1, originally $7)

-Indigo

-Starlet

-Raisin

-Deep Brown

-Golden Eyes

Ulta automatic lip liner (on sale for $1, originally $7)

-Flesh

NYX Slim Eye Pencil (on sale for $2.51 from $2.99)

-901 black

NYX Jumbo Lip Pencil (on sale for $2.93 from $4.19)

-Pink Nude

NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil (on sale for $2.93, originally $4.19)

-French Fries

NYX Lipstick (on sale for $2.51 from $3.59)

-Tea Rose

Of what I have tried so far, I can say that I am impressed with the Ulta blush and lipliner, but not so thrilled about the NYX Jumbo lip pencil. I've also tried the eyeliner in Starlet and I think it's great!

Have you guys had any good buys lately?

Youknowit.com Jewel Brown Clear contact lenses Review

hi guys! This is the third pair of contact lenses i've tried from YouKnowIt.com and so far they are my favorite! They are very subtle and cute, they just brighten up my eyes. The Jewel Brown Clear contact lenses are mostly clear so your natural eye color shines through. They have a dark rim and then brown patches that make your eyes look like jewels. They were also really comfortable and suitable for wearing in public at any time.

Here are my eyes before:

Here they are with the lenses:

I really like these! They just add a subtle pop :] What do you guys think?

Another Elf Haul/Review

Well, I can't resist low prices so I ordered more stuff from Elf. I wasn't as impressed with some of the products I ordered this time around though. Here's what I got:

Elf Daily Brush Cleaner: I really like the idea of this product, but it just didn't work. I tried spraying it directly on my brushes and spraying it on a towel and then rubbing it on my brushes but it just didn't clean them very well. The scent is quite strong as well, but I don't find it entirely unpleasant.

Eyelash and Brow Wand: I just needed a spooli and got this one since it's only a dollar. It works the way any spooli does, nothing to rant or rave about really.

Natural Lash Kit: I haven't gotten a chance to try these yet, but I thin they're quite cute.

Eyebrow Stencil Kit: I'm in the process of trying to reshape my eyebrows and I bought these to help me keep them even on both sides. My eyebrows are a bit sparse to use it as a plucking guide at the moment; so I've been using it as it was intended to be used, as a stencil to fill in the brows. I rather like these and it comes with four different shapes.

Elf Eyeliner Pens in Plum and Black: I love love love the idea of this. It is so convenient. The plum shade has lived up to all my expectations and I use it more days than not. However the black shade is seriously lacking, it faded within a few hours! I had only a slight grey tint where my eyeliner had once been.

Duo Eye Shadow Cream in Black Licorice: I haven't really worn this throughout the day et, but I have played around with it a bit. I like the shades in this a I think it will make a great base for a smokey eye.

Liquid Eyeliner in Stardust and Black: I ran out of my Mark liquid liner and was hoping that these would be nice replacements. Stardust does what it is supposed to do and the glitter is very pretty. The black is horrid though. The applicator is not pointed, it's all frayed and yucky! I'm not a huge fan of the sponge tip applicators in the first place, but since the one on Stardust was pretty good I expected the same from Black. Pretty disappointed in that one :P

Tinted Moisturizer in Light Beige and Honey: At first I didn't really like these. I thought Honey would be a perfect shade for me because the studio concealer in the same shade was a great match, however this tinted moisturizer is much darker than I expected. After I first tried these I didn't think I would be using them much. Then I had a horrible breakout (seriously I have never in my life had that many spots at once) and started using Light Beige on my face. It worked really well! I got good coverage without feeling like I was wearing a ton of makeup. I'm hoping Honey will work well if/when I get a tan.

Plumping Lip Glaze in Champagne, Fuchsia Fanatic and Fire Coral: I rather like all of these. There isn't anything super special about them, but I like the scent and they don't feel sticky. There are so many colors to choose from too!

Overall I like these products, but will not be buying any of the ELF eyeliners as they seem to be low quality. Except for the plum one that is, I'll be buying that again for sure.

Hope everyone is having a fun summer!

Girlie Nails

Hey guys. I'm sorry I still haven't been posting regularly. I'm having a pretty wretched summer and it seems like I've just been upset the whole time. I haven't even had time to read my all my favorite blogs. Unfortunately stress triggers me to bite my nails, so they are nubbins right now :[

Which is why I bought these darn things to begin with! lol

I figured they would help me stop biting my nails again, but these babies really suck! I literally had these on for less than five minutes and they started to come off. The adhesive doesn't work at all :[

I understand that these are marketed towards younger kids, but I still think the quality is seriously lacking. You can buy less expensive ones that work much better. I purchased these ones because they were the only ones small enough for my tiny nails :P

They are cute though. You might not be able to tell, but the tips are glittery :]

I've found new inspiration to stop biting again though. I got my first MAC nail polish and I found SH Hidden Treasure! I'm going to try to get some more reviews up tomorrow if I get some free time.

Hope everyone is doing well!

New Haircut!

About two weeks ago (i think?) I went to get my hair cut. I chopped off about 6 inches and shortened my layers and bangs. I like it and it's very easy to work with :]

What do y'all think? Do you prefer having long hair or short hair? What kind of hair maintenance do you do?

P.S: Sorry to the Vapur winner! I haven't sent out your package yet :[ but I will get to you soon!

Crazy Dog T-shirt Winner!

Hey guys, sorry for the delay! I've been pretty busy with things around here :P

The winner of the Crazy Dog T-Shirts giveaway is Throuthehaze!

I have sent you an e-mail and am awaiting your reply! :]

Congratulations!

Youknowit.com Mirrored Silver Contact Lenses review

This is my second review of the lenses carried at Youknowit.com , you can read the first here. :]

These Mirrored Silver contact lenses are pretty cool! When I first read the name I instantly thought of The Host by Stephenie Meyer. If you've read the book than you already know that a "soul" invaded body has eyes that reflect in the light. If you haven't read the book (you really should though, it's good!) then I've just told you! :]

By the way...I'm not wearing makeup in this picture, sorry if I scare anyone! :D

The lenses made my eyes a silvery color and they really do catch the light quite nicely. Obviously these are not really for everyday wear (unless you are mighty adventurous), but they are perfect for Halloween or any other type of wild costume party. I'm going to use these lenses in a feminine werewolf costume this year, they're exactly what I was looking for.

Also, these lenses were just as comfortable as the last pair I reviewed and they have a one year life span, so they will still be good when Halloween comes around! I'm so excited for my costume! Even if these lenses aren't really your cup of tea you should check out Youknowit.com because they have a huge selection and you'll probably find something that works for you.

So what do you guys think? Would you wear these? Are you getting decked out for Halloween this year?

Tiny MAC Haul

I was at the mall a couple of days ago and stopped by the MAC counter in Macy's. I only picked up two things, but they're two things I really like!

I got an eyeshadow in a shade called Trax. It's a purply-plummy color with gold shimmer. To me it's like an eyeshadow version of OPI Maine-iac Mauve. I wish I hadn't swapped that! Anyways, in my opinion it's a very wearable shade.

I also got the Lazy Day lipstick from the new To The Beach collection. I finally found a lipstick I really like! The color and formula are great. And the packaging is cute :] Anyone else lemming things from this collection?

By the way, I'm sorry I haven't done a nail post in ages! Right now I'm working with nubbins! I was stressed out a bit and bit them off. Then right when they started to get presentable again we had several tornadoes in the area and I was so worried I bit them again! (Luckily everyone I know is safe and my house sustained no damage, but not everyone in the area was so fortunate. I'll probably put photos up of the damage soon.) Anywho, when they grow out again I have some fun polishes to show you guys!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Crazydogshirts Review & Giveaway

The nice people at crazydogtshirts.com gave me the chance to not only review a T-shirt of my choice, but also give one to you guys! First off is the review.

Let me just say right off the bat that I was really impressed with the quality of this shirt. Since everything on their website is really affordable I expected the shirt to be super cute, but not high quality. I thought the fabric would be comparable to the logo t-shirts they sell in the college bookstore. Goodness, I was soooo wrong. And I promise that I'm not just saying that! The shirt is ultra soft! I think this fabric makes a more flattering t-shirt than the ones I usually buy at American Apparel. It's so soft and comfortable to wear, but structured enough that you don't look like a frumpy baglady with all your rolls tumbling everywhere!

Now for the design. Come on, who doesn't love the Golden Girls. I adore that show and my boyfriend is obsessed with Betty White! I think I'm going to order one for him. If Golden Girls isn't quite your cup of tea they have a ton of other designs to choose from. For example they have a precious one with a pug on it, a gnome (how cute!), Power Rangers, and if you're a fan of True Blood they have an awesome Merlotte's tee as well. I will be buying that one when I get my boyfriend the Golden Girls shirt :]

I believe most of the shirts are unisex sizes, but there are some woman's fitted shirts as well. My shirt is a unisex size small for reference.

Alright, now for the exciting part! One of you lucky readers will get a shirt of your choice from their website. Here are the rules:

1) You must be a follower of my blog, I will check.

2) Leave a comment below including:

-How you follow

-URL of shirt you would like

-URL of a backup shirt in case your first choice is not available

-Size of shirt

-email address

-any extra entries.

Please try to keep it all in one comment.

3) This giveaway is open to US readers only

4) Contest ends June 13th

Extra Entries:

Blog about this giveaway (include link) (+5)

Become a fan of CrazyDogT-Shirts on Facebook (include your name so I can look it up) (+3)

Join the Crazy Dog T-Shirt group on Facebook (again, include your name) (+3)

Subscribe to the Crazy Dog T-Shirt Mailing list (+3)

Good luck everyone!

*disclaimer- Product was sent to me for consideration. This does not change my opinion, all reviews are 100% honest.

Giveaway Winner and Product Survey

Hey guys, sorry for the delay! The winner of my Vapur Giveaway is l0verlada! Congratulations! I have sent you an email to confirm your address!

I saw this survey on Nails Etc and decided to do it. :]

Shampoo: Dove
Conditioner: Dove
Styling products: Mark by Avon salon straight products
Shower Gel: It varies, sometimes C.O. Bigelow Tea Tree Eucalyptus shower gel, sometimes the green Axe bodywash, sometimes St Ives citrus body wash.
Deodorant: Dove
Fake Tan: I haven't used fake tanning stuff in years, but when I did it was from Bath & Body Works.
Cleanser: Neutrogena
Exfoliator: homemade!
Primer: Tarte clean slate
Foundation brush: I don't use foundation, but I use an Ecotools foundation brush to blend my concealer
Concealer: Elf studio concealer in honey
Powder: I don't usually use one, but if I do it's an old one by NYC
Blusher: one by Mark and Elf All Over Color stick in Pink Lemonade
Bronzer: I don't use one
Highlighter: A huge white eyeliner pencil that isn't very pigmented. I bought it on ebay.
Eyeshadow base: Elf
Eyeshadows: I have a ton.
Eyeliner: covergirl and Wet N Wild creme liner
Curler: i think it's a revlon one
Mascara: covergirl lash blast fusion
Lipstick: I rarely wear lipstick, I can't find ones that look good on me.
Nail Colour: everything!

Youknowit.com Green Manga Contact Lenses review

The people over at YouKnowIt.com were kind enough to send me six pairs of lenses to review. Over the next 6-8 weeks I'll be putting these up. This post is about the Green Manga contact lenses. If you don't already know I love watching anime and as an artist I really appreciate the creativity that goes into making it. Plus it's just so gosh darn cute, throw huge eyes on anything and I'm hooked! I'm a total wasian...I know, I know. (Hmm did I make up that term or do other people actually use that?) Anyway, the gist is that these are totally up my alley.

Pretty much these contacts make you look like a character in an anime. They give you huge pupils with a gorgeous ring of color. They just make you look cute and cuddly (I'm such a girl, right?)! I got so many compliments when I wore these. I really like these and they're really affordable! I believe they're a little over $20 USD.

I don't frequently use lenses and the last time I used them was ages ago so putting them in was the hard part for me. After I got them positioned correctly I couldn't feel them at all and taking them out was really easy. I would totally recommend these to anyone wanting to try out something a little different. And, if you aren't so bold to just wear these out like I do, then they would be great for Halloween.

-Also, the shipping was super fast. I couldn't believe how quickly these got to me.

My eyes before :

My eyes after:

What do you guys think? Would you try these out? Are you an anime lover like me? :]

*Disclaimer- Products were sent to me for consideration. I am not paid to give a certain opinion, all reviews are 100% honest.

Quick EOTD and lunch post

Hey everyone! I'm going to try to post more regularly, I've just been really busy and tired lately. I have some more reviews and giveaways coming up. I'll post them once I make forms for them. I wish I could get google docs to work for me! Every time I make a form through google docs something messes up with the embed code. Usually it just won't allow me to copy it and sometimes the code just doesn't work. Arg! That's why I've been using FormSmarts, but they only let you put a certain number of sections in you form. How irritating! Anyone have any suggestions?

Anyways, here's a makeup look I did a few days ago. I used the L'Oreal HIP duo in Forgiving, which is one of my favorite products. I'm only showing you one eye because on the other one the colors were reversed. I liked this side best :]

Mmm I haven't posted food for a while. I don't really have a name for this dish so I'll just describe it to you. It's potatoes (obviously) covered in most of the seasonings in our pantry. There's curry powder, cumin, garlic, extra spicy Mrs. Dash, lemon pepper, turmeric, and probably a few other things I'm forgetting about. Pretty much I just wash the potatoes, but them into like pieces and throw them into a pan with a little oil and cover it. They're sort of steamed and fried. It might be weird (is it? I dunno), but my boyfriend and I find it delicious. Actually my parents like when I make this too.

How was everyone else's week?

Sweets Perfume Review

A few weeks ago I received a few samples of Sweets Perfume to try out. They have a pretty cool deal where you get ten small vials for $9.95. I spelled these fragrances right out of the bottle and then put them on the little paper sticks and let them sit a few hours. The scents really change after some time has elapsed. Below I will list the scents I tried out, the product descriptions from the site with be in quotes and italicized, and my comments will be by them in smaller font.

Green Tea & Cucumber- "A sensual blend of cool citrus and melon with rich florals and a long lasting drydown of musk and cedarwood notes. Compare to the popular Bath and Body Works fragrance." My mum particularly liked this one. It does smell like the Bath and Body works line.

Sparkling Mandarine Tangerine- "A unique, effervescent accord enlivens a juicy fruit complex of lemon, mandarin, and tangerine spiked with hints of fresh ginger." This is another one my mum really liked, but I didn't really care for it. The citrus wasn't very apparent to me.

Citrus Seduction- "Juicy citrus notes atop a fruity floral heart make this fragrance especially delectable. Compare to the popular Victoria's Secret fragrance, Love Spell." I used to use Love Spell all the time years ago, but this doesn't smell anything like it. I didn't much care for this one, I was expecting it to be delightful and lemony but it wasn't very citrusy. My mom really liked this one though.

Flirty- "Designer fragrance inspired by Tommy Girl, the popular Tommy Hilfiger Women's fragrance." I've never tried Tommy Girl, so I don't know if this is anything like it, sorry. My mum and sister both though this one was great though.

Essence of Pomegranate- "A spicy and seductive blend of pomegranate, anise, patchouli, blackberry and cassis. Compare to the Bath and Body Works fragrance Midnight Pomegranate." I didn't like this when I first smelled it right out of the vile, but when I smell the strips after a few hours I really liked it! If you decide to buy a sample set I'd recommend giving this one a shot!

Spiced Apple- "Fresh baked apple with sprinkled cinnamon. A sweet and spicy aroma for the person who loves the scent of apples." I rather enjoyed this one as well. It's rich and smells of apples and cinnamon. Give this one a shot.

Passionfire- "Airy freshness and citrus sparkle refresh a strawberry apple blend woven into jasmine muguet floralcy. Musks sweeten the impression and marry the blend for a richer texture. Compare to the popular Victoria's Secret fragrance Pure Seduction." This one I didn't care for right out of the vile or after letting it sit. My mum and sis didn't like it either.

Green Apple- "This fragrance captures that wonderful smell of fresh green granny smith apple." I liked this one before and after. It smells nice and fresh.

New Romance- "Anytime is a great time to start a new romance. A luscious blend of tangerine and bergamot with ripe apple, peaches and berries. Rose and jasmine warm the heart which is supported by vanilla sweets musks." I didn't care for this one at all, but I could see how it would appeal to other people.

Watermelon Slices- "A real touch of summer. Smells just like the real thing!" This took me back to when I was a little girl and used to buy Smackers lip balms! This smells like candy!

Overall I think these perfumes are a good buy. If you are looking for something affordable, try out the sample set and then get a bigger version of your favorite. The customer service is great so there's another reason to try out Sweets Perfume.

E.L.F. Haul and review

I recently bought quite a few products from ELF cosmetics. Who can resist products for only $1? Anyways, here's what I bought:

-Blending Eye Brush

-Duo Eye Shadow Cream in Butter Pecan

-Eyelid Primer

-Concealer in Honey (Studio line in the black tube)

-All Over Cover Stick in Honey (light)

-All Over Color Sticks in:

Pink Lemonade

Toasted

Spotlight

Persimmon

-Eye Widener

-Plumping Lip Glaze in:

Plum Pout

Peach Passion

-Shine Eraser

Now for my reviews!

Blending brush: pretty good, not amazing quality (hairs come out now and then) but I wasn't expecting anything special for $1 anyway.

Cream eyeshadow duo: I like this more than I thought I would. The colors aren't super pigmented, but they do build pretty well and are great for intensifying powder eyeshadows.

Eyelid primer: It is amazing! Even the cream shadows didn't budge when I put this on. I will definitely be repurchasing this stuff!

Concealer (studio): Another thing I love! I've never worn concealer or foundation before, but I have major under-eye circles and a creepy vein (also under my eye) that I have been longing to cover up. I have a really hard time finding things that blend with my skintone which is why I never bother buying concealer. However, for $3 I thought I would give it a try. I'm glad I did, this is the perfect shade for my skin and it blends super easily. I'm gonna buy backups.

All Over Cover Stick: I bought this to use as under-eye concealer as well. The color is nice, but it doesn't blend as easily as the studio version. I probably won't repurchase this.

All Over Color Sticks: I've been using Pink Lemonade as a cream blush and Toasted & Spotlight under my eyeshadows. The colors are not very pigmented and they don't blend very easily, but they do make for nice bases. They have a citrusy scent that I find quite pleasant. Although I do like these and will continue using them, but I don't really think I'll buy them again.

Eye Widener: Essentially this is just white eyeliner, as you probably guessed. Although I love using white eyeliner in general, I do not like this one very much. It isn't very pigmented and it's...hard! It's difficult to actually get it on, the product just doesn't want to rub off onto your eyes. I won't be buying this again. Almay used to make a twistable Bright Eyes black/white eyeliner duo in which the white was amazing, but alas they don't have it anymore. My search continues...any recommendations?

Plumping Lip Glaze: Let me start off by saying I did not buy these for their plumping qualities, just for the colors. It's a good thing too...because there is no plumping to speak of when I use these! The colors are quite nice though and they aren't sticky like many other glosses. I'll probably try more of these out next time I make an order.

Shine Eraser: These are just oil blotting sheets, a great value at 50 sheets for only $1 and they actually work. I keep these in my purse for extra hot and sweaty days. I'll be repurchasing these.

Overall I'd say the ELF products are a great buy. Despite super cheap packaging the products inside are a good quality. And...well, how can you beat $1?

P.S Don't forget to enter my giveaway!