BH Cosmetics Haul

Damn you BH Cosmetics!! I really wanted the Carlie Bybel deluxe edition palette, which lead me to buy a bunch of other crap. And I swear the very next day, Ulta started carrying this palette. And then BH Cosmetics dropped the Solar Flare palette! ARGH!! I didn't like having money any way I suppose.

Here is what I got sucked into buying on this order:

First up, the very hyped up Carlie Bybel deluxe edition palette:

Holy. CRAP. No pictures or swatches will ever do this baby justice. I am in love. I have not been this excited about a palette since...probably Too Faced Peanut Butter & Jelly. It is so good. All of the shades are gorgeous and apply like a dream. They are a little softer than other BH Cosmetic shades, but nothing too crazy powdery. They also blend like a dream. The highlighter trend appears to be going strong, and I have no problem with that.

Next, I got sucked into a 48 hour haul that got me both the Foil Eyes 2 and Essential Eyes palettes, plus a fluffy blending brush all for $16.99

Foil Eyes 2 is giving me major Morphe + Jaclyn Hill vibes here.

 I also got a little 6 color shadow set and a liquid liner for free, and lippies were BOGO so I decided to try the shades Icon and Lust.

Ulta Platinum GWP Bag

I recently achieved Ulta Platinum status and blew my points on a massive order. This allowed me to get this 28 piece gift bag for free. And this thing is MASSIVE.

Also, I love the holographic material. I don't like it as much as my Tarte unicorn skin bag, but it is still fun. I don't even hate the tassel.

There is so much going on in here. I think the $268 value estimate is definitely accurate.

My favorites so far include the Becca highlighter, a Tarteist lip paint, Stila lippy, and an ABH stick foundation. The foundation is too dark for me, of course, but I think I can use it as a cream contour.
 

Dollar General Find

 

$7 vs $3.50!

May 2017 Empties

Why yes! I am way behind! Here is what I went through in May:

Hair stuff:

John Frieda Frizz Ease Hair Spray
Opinion: I go through a mini can of hair spray about twice a year. This worked I guess. I am just not enough of a hair spray user to give a decent review.
Purchase?: Nope. I probably have 2-4 more mini cans of hair spray, so I am goo for another year or two.

Marc Anthony argan or some kind of other oil
Opinion: I like hair oil for my dry ends. This was suitable.
Purchase?: Nah. I'll stick to my samples or just buy more Hask.

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Overnight Protector
Opinion: This was nice. I liked leaving it in my hair overnight and waking up to super moisturized locks.
Purchase?: Not for the price this brand runs at. Ouch.

Skin care:

Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment
Opinion: DAMN YOU GLAM GLOW!! This shit was GOOD. I used it on my nose to rip out all of my nasty blackheads. I don't know what kind of witchcraft Glam Glow uses to make their products but DAMN does it work!
Purchase?: I totally would but it is SOOOOO expensive! I wish Ulta carried it so I can cash in my points on it!

Dr. Brandt Poredermabrasion Pore Perfecting Exfoliator
Opinion: I liked this a lot. It really got in there and did some deep down scrubby things to my face. A little went a long way so this sample lasted a while.
Purchase?: I can scratch up my face for a lot less money, so no thank you.

First Aid Beauty Deep Cleanser
Opinion: This worked well enough. I liked the fact that it had clay added to help combat my greasies. It did leave my face feeling a little tight after using it.
Purchase?: Not my favorite cleanser, so no.

Lancome Advanved Genifique serum type thingy
Opinion: I love getting samples of this, because I will never splash out on the full sized version.
Purchase?: See above.

Miscellaneous skin and body:

Suave Visible Glow Self Tanning Body Lotion
Opinion: I think this may be better than Jergens for one reason. It's thinner and applies faster. I hate spending time rubbing lotion into my skin.
Repurchase?: My self tanner loving dumb ass probably will.

Pure Silk Shave Cream
Opinion: BORING.
Repurchase?: Nope. I have been shaving with a giant bottle of Wen conditioner and liking that more. Plus, it has the added bonus of maybe making my leg hair fall out!

Marvis Toothpaste
Opinion: Luxury toothpaste. Huh. This was fine I suppose.
Purchase?: Not as long as the hubby keeps buying massive packs of toothpaste at Costco. This was a nice sample though.

Proraso Cream Liquid After Shave Balm
Opinion: I love this. I had this last little sample to use up, now I am on to my big bottle.
Purchase?: Already have.

Makeup things:

Barry M Flawless Matte Finish Foundation
Opinion: I bought this at a train station in London and I loved it!!! I am super sad I cannot buy more.
Repurchase?: You bet your ass I will. The next time I can find it.

Mally Beauty double ended mascara
Opinion: Mascara, along with bronzer, is one of those rare makeup items that just do not excite me. However, I did really like this. The combination of defining and maximizing brushes really made application a breeze.
Repurchase?: I am literally drowning in tubes of mascara. Full sized. Deluxe sized. Sample sized. I will never be able to go through them all. I would definitely buy this if they all suddenly disappeared though.

Ulta Eyebrow Gel
Opinion: Ewwwww!! Never package eyebrow gel in a clear tube! It started to look very nasty very quickly from applying over my pomade. Also, it got gooey and flaking on me after a few uses. That's why there is still goo in this tube. I could not deal anymore.
Purchase?: I am convinced that all eyebrow gel sucks other than ABH.

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner
Opinion: This definitely lives up to the hype! I can almost pull off a decent cat with this liner. And it stays on through almost anything.
Purchase?: I have another sample size going at the moment. Also, I am sure there is a cheaper dupe out there somewhere.

Harvey Prince Hello
Opinion: I liked this well enough. It wasn't my favorite, but it wasn't the worst either.
Purchase?: No, I am trying to use up my other 10,000 perfume samples.

March/April Empties

I barely touched anything in March, so on decided to combine it with some decent progress in April.

There were definitely a few big wins here.

Shower stuff:

Some Matrix shampoo and conditioner 

Opinion: These fell victim to necessity. My water at home is super soft and all of the things that hotel water is not, so it is hard to form an actually analysis of functionality. Either way, these were decent enough.

Purchase?: These worked for travel. I liked them. More than more travel shampoo/conditioner duos. If I ever run out, then maybe.

Jergens Wet Skin Moisturizer

Opinion: Dude. How can this stuff even be real? I am soooo lazy when it comes to applying lotion, so this is a miracle product for me. It did take me a couple of tries to find a scent that wasn't super gross. This one is just a little gross, but I can handle it. I see that they now have a tanning version, and I love me some Jergens fake tan.

Repurchase?: Again and again. Except right now I am trying to use up a Nivea sample.

Face Stuff:

Some more random makeup remover wipes from TJ Maxx
Opinion: They worked!
Repurchase?: I can't resist the makeup wipes at TJ Maxx

Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash
Opinion: I love this. I had to buy a full sized tube after my sister stole my sample sized one last year. It smells nice, is gentle, and left my skin super soft.
Repurchase?: I have skin care ADHD, so probably not. It's not that I don't like it...I just have lots of others to get through before I come back around to anything.

Pacifica Dreamy Youth Day & Night Face Cream
Opinion: This was very very nice. Moisturizing, but not greasy. Also had a very mild pleasingly neutral scent.
Repurchase?: I am up to my eyeballs in moisturizers at the moment, so no.

Chanel Le Lift Firming Anti Wrinkle
Opinion: LUXURY SAMPLE! I am not sure what this was supposed to be. I used it below my eyes.
Purchase?: I am scared to even look up what this costs.

Makeup things:

NARS Bronzer sample in Laguna
Opinion: Bronzer may be the only makeup category I am just not in love with and/or hoard like crazy. HOWEVER, this product was awesome. I got a few uses out of this card and loved it. It was a good color match for me, and it blended out super well.
Purchase?: No way. I will never buy a bronzer. I get too many as it is from subscription boxes. I will say that this is the first NARS product that I have liked, since their lip crayons give me a rash. 

Skyn Iceland Blemish Dots
Opinion: I used this entire pack for a particularly bad pre-period breakout. I am not sure they did anything, BUT! they did stay on my face the entire night while I slept.
Purchase?: I love Skyn Iceland, but these were not worth it to me.

Makeup Forever Step 1 Primer
Opinion: This was a nice, tinted, "slippery" feeling primer. Very comparable to Benefit Prefessional.
Purchase?: Nah, I am already stocked up on other primers. Plus, Makeup Forever products are a little too pricey for me.

NYX Stay Matte But Not Flat Powder Foundation
Opinion: NYX can do me no wrong! I gave up on this when it was just a little ring around the pan because I felt like it was going to mess up my brushes trying to get the last out of there.
Repurchase?: Heck yes I will! After I use up my BH Cosmetics version. Or maybe I will just repurchase the BH Cosmetics version. Either way, I liked this a lot and will need something like it again soon.

NYX Matte Finished Setting Spray
Opinion: My baby always and forever.
Repurchase? I always have at least two more bottles on standby.

Empty NARS bronzer and NYX powder:

Miscellaneous:

It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product
Opinion: You know what? Screw It's a 10! I have never liked their products and this was no different. I do not enjoy sticky hair.
Purchase?: Absolutely not.

Reese's Flavored Lip Balm
Opinion: Mmmmmm.....Reese's! I had this as my bedside lipbalm and it made me happy to slather it on before bedtime. 
Repurchase?: Maybe the next time I see it. I have been murdering lip balms at an alarming rate recently.

Ecolip Bee Free Lip Balm
Opinion: I liked the application and smell of this, but I had to give up on it. It somehow made my lips drier and gave me a rash. I was stuck in a dry ass hotel for an entire week with only this balm in my purse, and it was horrific. I kept waking up in the middle of the night with dry lips and this just somehow made them worse. 
Purchase?: Heck no this was awful.

Pogo Lip Balm in some minty flavor
Opinion: Pogo know what is up with natural lip balms. I have been happily using these up.
Purchase?: Maybe when I have used all of them from my Organic Authority box. I think I am on the last one now.

Collection: My Non-Black Eyeliners (that I am currently using)

Despite my usual style of being mostly ~goth af~, I do not like to wear black eyeliner on my bottom eyelid. I feel that it makes my eyes look smaller and heavier. Not typically the look I am personally going for, but if it is your thing, you do you. I have a very boring collection of black eyeliners going at any one time, but that's not what this post is about.

BEHOLD. My non-black eyeliners. I do lean heavily towards purple, but I have some other fun ones going at the moment.

My purples:

From left to right:

1. Tarte
2. A cheapo twist up from Beauty Box 5
3. Discontinued L'Oreal from Big Lots
4. Urban Decay
5. Sephora brand

Purples swatched from bottom to top:

Miscellaneous colors:

From left to right:

1. Pretty jade green from Iikia

2. A deep green from Tarte

3. Brown from Sigma

4. NYX Faux Black in Onyx

5. MYX Faux Black in Oxblood

6. A gorgeous coppery orange from Zao

7. Starlooks pencil in amythest

8. A silky silver from Cynthia Rowley

Miscellaneous swatched from bottom to top:

After digging around and swatching these I had the following thoughts:

1. Screw the purple Urban Decay liner. It always flakes off and I find chunks of it sitting on my cheeks all day. On to the fail pile it goes!
2. NYX Faux Blacks rule super hard. I'm not sure what color "onyx" is supposed to be, but I love it.
3. The brown Sigma liner is very close to making a trip to the fail pile. It's hard and just really uncomfortable to apply.
4. Shimmery metallic eyeliners are great in theory. Not when you put them on your lower lid and walk out into the sun and are immediately blinded but the glare.
5. I need a gold eyeliner.
6. I should probably buy some more purple eyeliners.

Brand Spotlight - My Too Faced Palettes

In my vast sea of palettes, I have actually amassed a decent amount from Too Faced:

Putting them all together makes me realize just how fun and silly Too Faced can be. Since I am a cheapo, I did not pay full price for very many of these.

Top Row: from the Grand Cafe holiday set, purchased on HSN using a $20 off of $40 Visa Checkout code.
Cat Eyes: part of the 2016 mystery grab bag
Rock n' Roll: part of the 2015 mystery grab bag
Peanut Butter & Honey and Peanut Butter & Jelly: I actually paid full price for these because I am a peanut butter fanatic IRL.
Sweet Peach: I used another Visa Checkout coupon on HSN for $20 off
#TFNoFilter Selfie Powders: found at Nordstrom Rack for $12!!

Here are all of my pretties opened:

My current obsession is the Sweet Peach palette. While it does not contain a lot of actual peach shades, the entire thing is gorgeous.