HUGE Jewelry Haul! Cato, Walmart, Beauty Supply Store, Goodwill......

Hey Everyone!!

I've been hauling jewelry lately since things are being marked down. I've also just picking up pieces here and there and it has all became a haul! A big one! LOL!

 Cato

I actually got this stuff today. lol! I popped in to check out the markdowns on shoes and messed around bought jewelry. That red necklace was the creme de la creme buy for me!! Only 6.99! The beading is gorgeous and good quality. The bangles are x-large bangles. Cato, with its sister store, It's Fashion, sells x-large bangles for us large handed gals. I have wide palm that's a challenge for wearing bangles.

 BSS ( Beauty Supply Store) 

All these goodies are from different BSS' aroung the area. Just picking up $1 jewelry here and there. This is not actually all of it, I've been wearing some of the pieces I've been buying within the last week.

 BSS

That first necklace (red, turquiose and gold) is a dupe of a necklace I've seen before. I can't put my finger on what store.

 Walmart

Walmart finally marked down those $10 statement necklaces and I went it several times just picking and choosing carefully the ones I wanted instead of massive hauling them. Plus, no one was buying them at my Walmart anyway, they were not moving even at $10. In the end, I got 7 necklaces( one is missing, it's on my neck:)) for $35. You can't buy $35 statement necklace at Macy's or Belk's or Target!

The picture above, these two necklaces are very J. Crew/Anthropologie to me.

 I've seen the necklace on the far right end on Pinterest. Yes!!

 This one reminded me of something Kate Spade makes.

Goodwill

Got this great jeweled cuff for $2.

Nail Polish Blog Sale!!!

Hey Everyone!!

I have a couple of polishes on my Nail Polish Sale Board on Pinterest. All prices include your shipping and tracking!!

Click HERE to check out the board and BUY!! Thanks!!!

Pin Of The Week!!! How To Blog Pinterest Board.....

Hey Everyone!

I've been wanting to put a Pinterest board together for the longest about blogging and all the fun that comes with it. Just an easy,reference to all the blogging tips I come across on a daily basis that I love on one board. Feel free to follow this board, pin and share!! 

Click How To Blog Board to follow!

Here's a great Pin I came across the other day......Click HERE to Pin it!

A Fresh Coat of Polish: L'Oreal Extraordinaire Gel Color in Miss Luster-ess....

Hey Everyone!!

So I got this L'Oreal Gel Polish at the Goodwill. Yep, the Goodwill. They always have Target stuff, including unopened makeup and beauty products there. I did see the base or the top coat to this polish so I just applied it  the way I apply regular polish. Miss Luster-ess( strange name) went on like a regular polish too. I'm waiting to see how this polish will hold up, I'll keep ya'll updated!

NYX Wonder Stick Highlight and Contour Stick in Deep Swatches and Review.....

Hey Everyone!!!

I picked up the NYX Wonder Stick in Deep thinking I would not like it. Yep, I just knew I was going to dislike it because I don't like cream contour with a heavy dark concealer and overly light highlighting. I didn't research not one review or video on this product, just went in head FIRST! I also kept  the receipt just in case.....

 My Ulta actually had the darkest shade in Deep. They never have the deep shades in NOTHING NYX. smh. I think I might have bought it because it was the only one left. 

 Highlight stick and Contour stick

The texture is like a cream powder. It's not oily or overly creamy but it has powder texture to it. It also set like a powder on the skin but it's very blendable.

 Here's a face map of my highlighting and contouring. I don't contour my nose but I do highlight the bridge.

 Here's the side view. I already had on a foundation, Maybelline Matte Fit Me.

 I blended out the Wonder Stick with a Real Techniques sponge.

 Side view of my face with the Wonder Stick blended out.

Then I set Wonder Stick with my Black Radiance Soft Focus Powders!

I  CAN NOT believe I LOVE this product!!! The highlight stick blends out very subtle but brightening to the face. The contour stick is a perfect shade, it's not too dark and it allows you to go over it with a powder or dark powder and set it perfectly. The Wonder Stick also worked well over all my BB Creams and foundations...ALL OF THEM. Bravo NYX for a great product!

Black Radiance Soft Focus Finishing Powder Swatches and Review!

Hey Everyone!!

I've been using the infamous Ben Nye Banana Powder as my setting powder on my concealer and face for a couple of years( just a light dusting works for me). I heard across the Internets about Black Radiance Soft Focus Finishing Powder and actually ran into a display the day I read about them. How's that for beauty blessings!!??

 I found mine on a display with the new products but these powders are permanent.  A few weeks later, they were in my Walmart's Black Radiance display. I initially got one shade, Milk Chocolate Finish but added the other two Golden Almond Finish and Creamy Bronze Finish.

 These powders are very light textured but not powdery. They have no glitters but they have a very, VERY subtle illuminating factor that just "finishes" off your makeup. I used to be a die hard MAC wearer over a decade ago and I would definitely compare these to MAC Studio Fix Powder of that time. I use to wear Studio Fix powder as a foundation.

If you are oily, the Soft Focus Powder will not enhance the oiliness with the illuminating factor. It will be your oils fault if you are oilier. lol! They are NOT mattifying either.

 Swatches:

(left to right)

Golden Almond Finish

Creamy Bronze Finish

Milk Chocolate Finish

I used the Milk Chocolate Finish to set my contour in my cheeks, Golden Almond Finish to set my highlighting concealer in my T-zone and under my eyes and Creamy Bronze Finish all of over. If it is a simple day for me, I just use Creamy Bronze Finish over Black Radiance BB Cream in Cafe.

I believe I paid $4.99-$5.99 for the Soft Focus Powder.

I'm in LOVE with them!!! So glad this a permanent product for Black Radiance. I believe this will be a HIGHLY slept on product. But don't you sleep, my dear....go get you one, two or all THREE!!!

Style Friday!! Didn't Notice Uh? Boo Boo Kitty wears Cookie's Ring on Empire #Empire......

Hey Everyone!!

After watching and live tweeting Empire Wednesday night, this meme showed up on my timeline.

Now I've voiced once before on twitter that Empire needs to work on fashion continuity especially in this throwback scenes with Cookie or Lucious. The clothes need to really reflect the 90s and they do but barely. That irritates me! That's another post for another day. But I wasn't expecting this?!? The same ring?

Now this could be two things....follow me on this:

A) The wardrobe department is slack as hell. I know there were other rings to be used for Boo Boo Kitty's engagement ring. Or ya'll ran out of money after purchasing ( hopefully borrowing) all of Cookie's furs. Social media and the fans of Empire are soooo serious. We notice all the nuances in the show.  Wardrobe gonna need to do better

-OR-

B) This ring coincidence could be part of the storyline. This ring could have been Cookie's ring from Lucious from the past, since it was shown in a past sequence, Lucious had it while Cookie was locked up and he gave it to Boo Boo Kitty as an engagement ring. Yes? No?

A? or B? You tell me. 

Style Friday! $1 Anthropologie Dupe Earrings.....

Hey Everyone!!

Whilst pinning on my beloved Pinterest, I came across these earrings, Anthopologie Pearl Backed Studs. I love the look of the trendy pearl back earring, so clicked on the link and found out that these earrings run $44.00. I'm not shocked at the price, it's Anthropologie, sis.

Later on, I stopped into my favorite BSS( independently owned Beauty Supply Store) in Spartanburg and spotted a dupe of those same earrings!! For ONE DOLLAR! $1! They are not exact but seriously close. I grabbed up this pair and several other colored pearl pair in this style.

That's the thing about expensive jewelry/costume jewelry, if you know the trends, what certain stores carry in styles( ex: JCrew statement necklaces, Anthropologie-esque jewelry), these pieces can be found in a similar styles in less expensive stores and sites.

The real shade is....most of it comes from the same distributor oversees, the mark up is just different. I can't tell you how many times I've seen Charming Charlie $10 earrings in the BSS for a $1 or Target sell a $29.99 statement necklace and a similar necklace is WalMart for $10.

Get to checking your BSS( Beauty Supply Stores, independently owned) in your "neighborhood" or "Da Hood" for these earrings!! Also, I saw alot of similar styles of this earring on www.shopmissa.com. Click HERE to see the styles!

NYX Intense Butter Gloss in Berry Strudel Look & Swatches......

Hey Everyone!!

I spotted the new NYX Intense Butter Gloss at Ulta this weekend and decided just to pick up one color, Berry Strudel.

 NYX Intense Butter Gloss in Berry Strudel

I wore this color two day straight and it's gorgeous. The texture of the gloss is very, VERY similar to Maybelline Color Elixir. I swatched this shade with various other bright purple glosses in my collection and I didn't have anything similar in my collection. So, I can say that Berry Strudel is...unique in shade.


I'm interested in other colors now. LOL! And Ulta has a BOGO  1/2 on NYX  lips products so I'll be going back to check out the other Intense Butter Glosses.

So what do you think?? Do you own any Intense Butter Glosses by NYX? Let me know your favorite colors!

Pin Of the Week! Last Minute Valentine's Day Gifts.....

Hey Everyone!!

Valentine's Day is sooooo close and I have created a Last Minute Valentine's Day Gifts board on Pinterest full of ideas for gifts for those who have waited until the last minute. Or you are looking for an inexpensive but thoughtful gift. Or you are just a creative human who expresses their love through art. Whatever you are looking for, this board will have it!!

Check Last Minute Valentine's Day Gifts HERE!!!

DIY Valentine's Day Mug. Check this easy DIY HERE!

Valentine's Day Simple Nails Lookbook! 3 Quick Styles!!

Hey Everyone!!

I put together a simple nail polish lookbook for Valentine's Day. I was scouring Pinterest for nail polish looks and thought some the looks I saw were beautiful but seemed artistically difficult for me. lol! I can't do the designs and what not so I used just glitter polish and polish strips to create simple and fast looks for V'Day! 

Check them out!!

 Rimmel Salon Pro in Moon with Sinful Colors Love Sprinkles.

 Rimmel Salon Pro in Moon with Sinful Colors Love Sprinkles.

 Wet N' Wild Megalast in I Red A Good Book and Sally Hansen Salon Effects Polish Strips in Tattoo Much.

Wet N' Wild Wild Shine in Black Creme and Sally Hansen Salon Effects Polish Strips in I Love Lacey.

Happy Valentine's Day!

A Fresh Coat of Polish: Essie Ladylike......

Hey Everyone!!

I dug Essie Ladylike out of my collection searching for a shade that easy and breezy and wouldn't show much wear and tear. Essie Ladylike is perfect for that! When you need a work shade and you know you can't fool with your nails but you want to be polished....Essie Ladylike is perfection. 

 Ladylike is also great for vacation wear or travel. She has held up over a couple busy days for me.

Maybelline Fit Me! Matte+Poreless Foundation in 355 Coconut Review......

Hey Everyone!!!

I was inspired by an fellow Instagram friend to try the new Maybelline Fit Me! Matte+Poreless Foundation. I haven't been into foundations as of late. I've been in LOVE with my Black Radiance BB Cream in Cafe for over a year.

I chose the shade 355 Coconut because previously( like three years ago) I owned a Fit Me Foundation in the same color and it matched. 355 Coconut also matches me, not flawlessly but good enough where I'm not making a zillion corrections to it with a concealer or  just not wearing it at all.

I found that formula is medium to full coverage but I still need concealer under my eyes for brightening. I wasn't "poreless" but the coverage was smooth.

 As far as being matte, I stayed the "matte-est" when I had my primer (Black Radiance Primer) underneath, avoided my favorite concealer ( LA Girl Pro Conceal in Fawn, it was too watery for the matte formulation of the foundation and the two didn't mix well for an overall matte finish), and set with a powder.


 I stayed a good, three to four hours matte, which is ok for me. I don't do the shine chase. I might blot, I might not!!

I did chose to use a drier concealer on top of Matte+ Poreless. I'm currently playing with NYX Conceal. Correct. Contour in Dark. One of the lighter shades in this palette worked great on top of the foundation for a full face matte look.


So far, so good with Maybelline Fit Me! Matte + Poreless!! Have you tried it?? Let me know!