Recently when I stopped in at Dollar General I saw the above on sale near the registers for $1.75 so I decided to give it a try.
It is an L.A. Colors, a discount cruelty-free makeup company matte liquid lip color in a color called "Vixen" which is a nude color with a slight pinkish undertone.
"Smooth, easy to apply liquid formula dries to a super matte finish. Long wearing formula is perfect for all day wear with minimal touch-up"
It looks similar to a lipgloss once you unscrew the top as it has a sponge tip applicator attached. When you put it on your lips it feels like a lip gloss and it does go on sleek and smells a little like coconut but it began to dry and got drier and drier and drier until it felt like my lips were being mummified.
I immediately put on lip balm and that feeling went away.
It did dry matte and did last most of the day without touching up and didn't come off in a glob like lipgloss does on a glass or mug. If you use a lip balm, it still looks rather matte.
I considered tossing it but I actually received a compliment on the shade from a cashier at the grocery store and she said it looked great on me so I decide I will keep it.
PROS;
Cruelty-Free company
Lovely, Matte, Nude Pinkish Peachy Color
Glides on easily
Coconut Scent
Long Lasting
CONS:
Goes dry very quickly after initial application giving your lips a Mummy like feeling.
Need to apply a lip balm on top of it to get rid of the dry feeling
I do advise being sure your lips are clean before applying because if you apply it on top of a lipstick it gets gritty and starts feeling Mummy-like again.
This was on Facebook and I thought I would share it here as there are a few tips and tricks I had not seen before, like using a fork to make pleats when sewing or gluing magnets under a plate to turn into a straight pin holder.
I have used the zigzagging over a cord to gather fabric before and it works very well, but you have to be sure you secure the end that you are not pulling on (I suggest using a safety pin through the middle of the cord and fabric on the end) and it had to be precise because if you sew into the cord, obviously it is not going to move.
One thing that I don't recommend is using the compressed air to clean out as it can force debris into your machine and gum up the works.
Have you ever tried any of these hacks? If so, how did they work out for you? If not, which one do you think you would like to try?
I spotted this video on Youtube by world-renowned makeup artist Bobbi Brown where she does an Ultimate makeup lesson is 10 step in a little over 10 minutes.
She is known best for her "no makeup "look minimalist natural look so it surprised me that there is many products use to achieve this look and some steps are different than I how I had learned to do makeup, but she has so steps I will try in the future and it is a beautiful, natural look, like the double lining of the eyes and concealer just underneath lower lashes.
When I began using makeup in the mid to late '70s and there was only a fraction of the products or information that is on the market and available today.
Here would be my routine and that of many others:
Skincare: Wash face with a bar of Ivory soap and a washcloth. Only older women I knew used
Nivea or Oil of Olay
Corrector/
Concealer: None.
Foundation: A bottle of Covergirl and I think there were 4-5 shades to choose from. We didn't
have beauty blenders back then, but we did have makeup sponges, although I usually
just used my fingertips.
Powder: Coty loose face powder or Maybelline pressed powder just around the nose area to
keep it from getting shiny.
Bronzer: None - I don't think it even existed
Blush: There used to be a lot of cream and gel "pots: that they don't make today - I had one in a funky orangish color called "Sex Pot" I used to wear and thought it was cool (I think
I used it as lipgloss in the above pic.. Also used pressed powder Maybelline and Avon
in pink tones.
Lips: Sheer flavored Bonnie Bell Lip Gloss and more cream and gel" pots" until Senior year
I bought a dark wine almost black lipstick at Hill's Dept. store that was designed for
ethnic coloring - was another thing I thought was cool at the time.
Eyebrows: No product used. My Mom gave me a Studio Girl pressed black powder that had a
small stiff angled brush but it was too dark for my coloring at the time.
Eyeshadow: A bright blue iridescent cream from lid to brow all through Jr. High - don't recall the
brand but it came in a small round "pot".
I don't recall there being the palettes like today - mostly was individual eyeshadow
and the one color would go in the lid and the crease. A sponge-tipped applicator was
included in most powder shadows and I didn't know of anyone with a set of makeup
brushes.
Eyeliner: Maybelline black liquid liner all around the eye was popular and I jumped on that
bandwagon but it usually seemed smudged under my eyes by midday.
Mascara: These were the days of colored mascaras. I specifically recall a dark green Maybelline
Mascara that had a stiff plastic comb/wand to apply that I loved. Electric Blue was
another popular color.
Eyelash curlers were also as popular then as they are now.
Back then, the only souce of makeup application was in magazines or a few books on the subject. The first "celebrity" makeup artist I knew of was Way Bandy, who had started out as a portrait painter before becoming a makeup artist and had also been an English teacher for 4 years. I bought his book "Designing Your Face" (link below) and it completely changed my outlook and the way I did my makeup.
What tips did you learn from Bobbi's video that you think you might use? What makeup products or techniques did you use when you were in Junior High & High School?
Way Bandy's "Designing Your Face".
Available on Amazon, but might be able to find it cheaper on EBAY or other sites as it now seems to be a Collector's item.
Photo: Source I am posting this deal as I purchased a set last year for Marv for Christmas and he liked it so much he asked me where I got as he wanted to buy more. Slick Deals, a site that posts deals and some user submitted like this one, where if you purchase the PACE 6 COMBO SET and enter code SDEALS118A.
To enter the coupon code I had to go to the blue "View or Edit Your Cart" button and it takes you to a screen where you can enter it at the bottom. Although the site indicates there will be $1.99 shipping when I entered the code the shipping went to zero and the total I paid was $10. With this set you get the handle and 10 blades. Each cartridge has 6 blades and the strip at the top has Chamomile, Olive Oil and Allantoin to protect the skin and helps the blade easily for a close shave. Another nice this is you can use Paypal to pay for your purchase so you don't have to give out your credit card information.
If interested, you might want to order quickly as I have no idea how long this offer will last and it is not indicated on Slick Deals.
Most of us learn to cook by watching a parent or caregiver, then classes in school or perhaps places we have worked, but I always find it interesting to watch tips from people who work in professional kitchens as they usually have shortcuts for time and to reduce waste.
Although the title of his video indicates 10, I think he counts the first two as one tip since they are both herbs, but there are really 11.
The tips are:
Chopping herbs for maximum flavor
Chop Coriander/Cilantro
Ripen fruit quickly with a banana and a paper bag.
Peel and cut a mango quickly
Get rid of heat from chilis on your finger with lemon juice.
Boil potatoes starting with cold water
Peeling a Kiwi
Cutting a Bell Pepper
Check if a pineapple is ripe
Scoring meat to cook faster and allow marinades to infuse
Stop apples and avocados from going brown with lemon juice
While I already knew a few of these, like 1, 5, 10 and 11, some will be a challenge to teach an old dog (me) new tricks.
For example, I grew up seeing potatoes added to boiling water, not cold.
In chopping bell peppers, my mom just chopped it in half, removed the seeds from both sides then diced them. When I had to do a lot of them as a prep cook, I cut around the center to remove the center and seeds then chopped the peppers into halves, then quarters.
I have never cut a fresh mango before and the only time I did a kiwi was pre-internet for a fruit pizza and hacked the heck out of it to get the peel off; Gordon's method is exponentially easier and I am sure a lot quicker.
Are there any tips he shared do you think you would find useful? What are some habits you have that would be hard to change because you have learned a different way?
This is Burger King's newest sandwich offering called the FARMHOUSE KING™ Burger.
It is advertised as being a 1/2 pound flame-grilled burger topped with thick cut bacon, American Cheese, Crispy Onions, ketchup, a signature creamy sauce and a fried eg on a toasted sesame seed bun.
I purchased the meal that included french fries and a drink for $10.67.
When saw the wrapper I knew it was going to be a big sandwich and when I opened it some bits of bacon and the few pieces of Crispy Onion that were on the sandwich fell out when I opened the wrapper fell off the sandwich which is the first clue it would be a messy sandwich to eat. You almost need a knife and fork to eat it.
With there being two large double beef patties I have no doubt it was a 1/2 lbs sandwich and it was so big I could barely get it in my mouth. There was so much burger that it drowned out the egg, bacon and any sauce that might be on the burger.
I have had an egg on a Prince of Royal Burger at Steak N Shake and I liked that layer of flavor that it added, but obviously if you don't like eggs or you are trying to keep your cholesterol down or you might not like this additional flavor on a sandwich. I might have liked it on this sandwich but as I said, too much burger to everything else ratio.
Unless you are a growing teenager or very athletic it is really too much sandwich for one person and at 1220 calories (per bk.com's website) it takes up more than 1/2 of the recommended daily allowance for calories.
I think this product would be much better if the eliminated one of the burgers, skipped the ketchup and just had their special sauce.
Pros:
Is a whole lotta burger - you could probably easily split this between two people.
Several pieces of thick, crispy bacon
Is high in protein 63g, so most people could meet or exceed their recommended daily allowance for that with just this sandwich
Cons:
Too much and too messy of a Burger to eat while driving; almost need a fork and a knife so it doesn't get all over your clothes.
High in calories at 1200 calories. Is also high in fat at 80g and cholesteral at 62g
Expensive - is almost as much as two of the value meals on sale.
Too much burger to everything else ratio - it drowns out the other flavors.
In summation, if you order this burger, I recommend asking that one of the burgers be left off and see what discount on the sandwich or meal is without it.
This limited edition "I Want Candy" eye shadow palette is a collaboration of makeup company, Too Faced and makeup artist/Youtube blogger, Kandee Johnson.
I have never tried a Too Faced product before, but I am a fan of Kandee Johnson and I like all of the shades and I had enough points on my Ulta card to purchase. I also liked every shade and believe I would use them all, not just some of them like some palettes.
Although I purchased this product the day it came out on Ulta's website for $45, I haven't really used the product to say I can attest beyond first impressions.
I usually wait for a sale before buying higher end products and find myself saving it, which defeats the purpose of buying it in the first place. I have told myself I will try it out on the weekend when I have more time and someplace special to wear it to, but when the weekend comes I don't want to use it if I am just Krogering and end up defaulting to know what works instead of trying this product. Does anyone else do this?
Here are my impressions:
Pros:
You get 12 eye shadows and 3 highlight shades, which works out to be $3 per shadow.
The tin is sturdy and something that can be used to hold trinkets once the products is gone.
The colors are very pretty and give you options for a wide variety of looks.
It is scented once you start to use the product - it is sort of chocolaty scent, but by first impression was "Circus" types of sweets, including chocolate when I first smelled it.
Shades blend well.
Cons
Product has a quite a bit of fallout - you want to do your eyes first.
Did not smell anything until brushes a crossed product.
If scents bother you, you might not like this product.
Cost seems a bit high - Most other blogger palettes I have seen run $13.50 to $30 and think they could have sold a lot more product by having a lower price point, especially since the higher fan base is probably going to be teens to early 20's.
Limited edition product - once it is gone, it is gone.
No mirror inside the box. For $45, I expected there to a mirror.
No brush or applicator is included
Overall I think you have to accept it for what it is - a novelty item and something with a little bit of fun to it, but you are paying a premium for packaging and the novelty.
Here is a swatch on paper next to the product (below are swatches on my forearm). I was surprised at how much loose dust of product there was when swatching.
Beauty "Recipes" booklet
"Recipe" of one of the looks called Cotton Kandee. I love that there are pictures, if you are going to have a booklet I think you need to gear it to someone who may not know terminology from the videos like "Smoke". Also, as she is a video blogger, I would think it might have been best to have a look book of the different looks and have a step-by-step video tutorial online for each look and direct users there.
Front of outer box
Back of outer box - I think the colors o the box are much darker than the actual product
Front of inner tin containing products. I like that it does look like a box of girly candies.The lid is convex and rounded on the top which is unique, but it does make it hard to stack with other shadow palettes.
Back of inner tin containing product. Although key that looks like a box of chocolates is cute.
Inner tin with product opened. Disappointed there was no mirror or applicator but like the Vellum protective paper indicating what the product adds a touch of class to the tin.
Here is the product swatched on my forearm. The first color on the top, Butterscotched, turned out so faint that when I went to swatch the line below they don't line up as I started underneath the 2nd shade, Pastry and I ran out of room for the bottom highlighting powders.
