Products I Regret Buying

I don't think this is every single item I regret buying, but these are what I could pick out from my current collection. I'll do a part 2 if I ever find more!

e.l.f. Luscious Liquid Lipstick "Maple Sugar": I ordered this color on accident. The product itself is okay. I like the mint smell, but it smells a little herbal at the same time. The minty-ness agitates my lips.

NYC 16HR Smooch-Proof Lipstain: I bought this because cosmeticcandiesfyi mentioned she REALLY loved these lipstains, and that they're very cheap. It's not a bad product, I just chose a bad shade and stored it incorrectly (leave the tip facing down to let the stain drip to it. Otherwise, it'll just dry out). Nude's never a good choice for lip stains, I guess.

Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Liner: I HATE THIS! So not worth the $19 I paid for it. Temptalia gave this product an A, so I thought it'd be worth a try. It reminds me of a L'oreal liquid liner I bought a while ago. It's not waterproof at all. I like the color selection in this line. When it comes to black liners, I expect the best. I would repurchase but only in a unique shade.

Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser: Another product I hate. I used this twice and it was so painful. Neutrogena products have not worked for me whatsoever. They all have ripped my skin really badly, and this just followed the tradition. It's weird that it claims to be a natural product, but has a really sickly perfume scent to it. The ingredients aren't very natural either. 

Inglot AMC Mousse Foundation: I went to an Inglot counter at Macy's in SF and the sales associate told me this is the fullest coverage product that Inglot has... When I tried it in store, it looked opaque, however my stupid self forgot I was already wearing foundation and concealer! D'oh! This isn't opaque whatsoever. It's definitely a light coverage foundation.

e.l.f Mineral Blush: This was my first loose powder type of product. The product itself isn't bad, and the color is really pretty. I just really hate working with loose products. It's unbelievably messy. 

Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Setting Powder: This is my sister's favorite powder, and Temptalia gave this an A as well. It definitely mattifies the face, however I have normal to dry skin, and it made my make-up very uncomfortable to wear. I liked that it made my creamy foundations smooth and matte, but what happens to me is I end up producing a lot more oils because my skin was sucked dry of any oil! For some reason my sister's works very nicely. I think I got a bad one.

e.l.f. Brush Shampoo: Eh. It's basically just hand soap. This was a really unnecessary purchase.

e.l.f. Cream Eyeliner: There's always so much excess packaging for e.l.f. studio products in pots. This product dried out in a week. 

Wet'n'Wild Trio in "Walking On Eggshells": When these first came out, I was really excited because many bloggers were raving about them. They're soft and almost buttery, with good color payoff. They're not a bad product, I just don't like the colors. The pink and white color are packed with shimmer, and the brown doesn't show up well on my eyes. Supposedly they're MAC dupes. I'd buy a different trio if I found colors I liked.

Etsy Eyecandy

Etsy has been such a wonderland to me. My favorites are quickly getting filled up with handmade treasures, vintage finds, and unique supplies. I can't help it. I think I'm addicted.

All cases from iCaseSeraSera

Sometimes I wish I had an iPhone just for all the cute cases available for them.

All prints from AvantPrint

I think EVERYONE loves Miyazaki films... right? It's impossible not to!!! AvantPrint actually goes far beyond just Miyazaki films, but I really couldn't resist. Apparently they print on one-of-a-kind vintage book pages. I'd love to have these hanging in my room.

There's actually a lot more I've been drooling over on Etsy, but I figure I'd break them down into multiple installments!

What are your recent Etsy finds? x

Monthly Finishes, One Toss, and Must Finishes!

Sorry for the weird "lighting" and editing, I was REALLY lazy and didn't feel like editing these photos too much... So I just used an older premade action set that I had on Photoshop. I think they turned out okay... Haha.

Anyways, this type of post seems to be popular with a lot of people lately (Youtuber and bloggers alike). My personal favorite bloggers who do these monthly finish type of posts are tinyladylife and essiebutton! I feel like I've finished A LOT more products than the ones shown here, but I was either too lazy to dig them up (wherever they maybe) or I already tossed them. This is a collective finish, ha :P

Empties

Biore Pore Unclogging Scrub: THIS THING IS SO OLD! I used the last bits of it today and noticed it smelled funky, so I decided it was time to part. I really loved this scrub. The smell is really interesting, since it's a blend of melon and mint. It confused me the first time I used it, but made my face feel so so so clean. It has circular scrublets, so it's not harsh. I wouldn't say it removed my clogged pores, but with regular use, it got rid of them! This is my most favorite scrub by far. Unfortunately, Biore changed the packaging and formulation completely, so I'm not sure if the new one will bring the same effects. The original formula is available at CVS in travel sizes.

Olay Definity Moisturizer: I bought this because FutureDerm said it was her second favorite Olay moisturizer. She also mentioned it's supposed to lighten dark spots overtime. I didn't really see any results for that, but the only "dark spots" I have are acne scars, and they probably meant sun-gained freckles and age spots. I do notice that when I stopped using it, it was easier for my skin to scar. I liked the scent and formulation, though I remember this being pricey (for me).

Caudalie Premiere Eye Cream: I got two mini free samples from Sephora one day. I used it for over two weeks daily on my inner bags, (slowly coming) crow's feet, the top inner corners (driest of my eyes), and brow bone. So basically everywhere, haha! It did nothing for the driest parts of my eyes. I think the only place it helped were my crow's feet. I wouldn't buy the full size of this, as I already have many eye problems. It's worth a try if you're looking to prevent eye problems.

It's A 10 Leave-In Conditioner: I really liked this! My hair is very damaged and dry, thanks to a lot of bleaching and dying throughout the years, so I love love love leave-in treatments. I'd leave this in my hair ASAP in my shower. It lasted a while, and conditioned my hair nicely. I'd repurchase this.

Biore Steam Activated Cleanser: Another favorite! This was actually my second bottle. Again, Biore has since then repackaged and reformulated this product, so I'm not sure it's the same. It was very minty, but non-drying! My skin felt very clean and refreshed after using this. I LOVED how fresh it after my showers, but the effects wore off over time. I would repurchase if it were still available, but I'll give the new one a try eventually.

Tossing Out!

Heh... It's a little dusty. It's been sitting around.

MAC Studio Moisture Tint SPF 15: I bought this almost 2 years ago... It was my first MAC skin base product. I had heard a lot of good things about this, such as it's one of the better higher end tinted moisturizer around (before Bobbi Brown's came out, which I hear is good too). I really liked it at first, but over time it just became and okay product. It smells like paint, as do most MAC skin base products do. I think this is better for those who are looking to even out skintone and minor flaws. I wouldn't repurchase this.

Must Finish...

I believe traditionally a post like this would be called "Project Pan," but I honestly can't commit to not buying until I finish these. I'll try, but I can't commit!

That BB Seaweed is actually a finished project, and it slipped my mind when I was taking the photo... it's my favorite LUSH Fresh Face Mask! This was my second time purchasing it, and I loved it just as much as the first time. It smells like roses and mineral goodness, exfoliates, is gentle, softens... I recommend it for all skin types.

I bought the Missha BB Cream last summer for only $8! It was such a great deal, and I got a free one with it. Since it's almost a year old, I figure I need to finish it... The Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse was my first foundation ever. I finished it up really quickly (no idea how! I never wore foundation until last school year), neglected it for a long time, and rediscovered it. There's hardly any left.

The MAC Fluidline in "Blacktrack" is pretty old too. It's a great gel liner, but it's hitting the two years old mark, so I should try and finish it up. It's still good after those two years! The shameful little sticks are Milani Liquif'eye and Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On. They're both okay... I have really watery eyes, so I'm looking for something SUPER waterproof. I hope I finish these up soon!

The Palladio Tinted Lip Balm is a pink bronzey color. I bought it impulsively a year or two ago because of emilynoel83's recommendation. I think I could have chosen a better color, without shimmer. The Olay Beauty Fluid is a classic, and I do like it a lot really. It's great for sensitive skin, but I just have SO many moisturizers, I need to clear things out.

Maybelline Illegal Length and Rimmel Lash Accelerator need to go. Mascaras have short lives, and I feel like buying multiples at a time is such a waste. They all go bad before you can finish them. I have another mascara to finish up too (Revlon Grow Luscious). 

Hopefully I won't purchase any type of product until I finish a different one of the same category! For example, no buying mascaras until I finish the ones I have. Over the years, I've bought countless cosmetics... It feels like such a waste not finishing them up and letting them go bad. Hopefully I can change my ways! :P

Congratulations for reaching the end of this post!

Mini Haul + DIY Progress

Today my boyfriend and I (I know, so annoying that I refer to him as that, haha. Maybe I should just use his name?) took a spontaneous trip to a small and local thrift store. I really just wanted to be in the area to buy my mom a slice of burnt almond cake, which by the way is divine... Anyways, I picked up three things (not pictured: a Dior [could be fake] sweater for my boyfriend, and a sassy poster of a lionness [I'm not even kidding]).

Vintage daisy dress - $2.50

Can we just take a moment to appreciate this dress? Shall we? Ahhh. It immediately caught my eye in the midst of all the other dresses on the rack! When I looked at it, I couldn't believe how cute it looked. It looked small, and when I felt the material I knew it would either A) be very figure hugging (in a good way) or B) show off all the yucky parts of my mid-section (my biggest insecurity!!!). When I tried it on, I FELL IN LOVE! I'm considering wearing it to a 4th of July party tomorrow.

Neon nautical t-shirt - $1.25

About 1-2 weeks ago, I saw this shirt in the same store. I wasn't sure if I truly wanted it, so I told myself, "If I'm meant to have it, it'll still be here," and it was! So I confidently purchased this, and I'm glad. It was a very oversized t-shirt, but when I got home I cropped it (I might chop off a little more) and began shredding the back. Also, I plan on cutting it into a muscle tank. It's a wee bit away from done. The print is seriously way too cute.

Vintage Cal Bear t-shirt - $1

I purchased this t-shirt about a month ago in hopes of doing a bit of DIY on it, and I only started two days ago! At first I was going to make it a shredded cropped muscle tank, but decided that it looks fine as a t-shirt. It's a work in progress as well.

DIY: High Waisted Quickie

Tired of going to Urban Outfitters and buying high-waisted denim for $50+? Make them yourself! The best part about DIY is customization - you can shred as you please, stud as your please, dye as you please, WHATEVER! However here, I just show you a stupid but simple quick DIY.

I thrifted this at Savers for only $6 or $7 I believe. I don't like to venture too much over $5 because I'm such a cheap-o, haha. Mom jeans are stocked FULL in most thrift stores, and at first glance you're probably like "yeah, no thanks," but they're just basically high-waisted jeans! All you need are scissors, and snip them into shorts.

Here are some tips before cutting:

• Wear them on before you snip, to measure where you want to cut
• Always snip a little more than you need - you can't do do-overs!
• Mind where pockets are, they're hidden under the fabric and you might accidentally snip them
• Watch out for cutting too short... Too often I accidentally make booty shorts that have way too much cheek leak!

And voila! There you go. Again, I know this is such a stupid post since it's such a DUH, but sometimes DUH's slip past people! I'm going to do future posts on ombre-ing, dying, and studding. I figured this post would be a great ~starter~ post to DIY's.

Summer of Paradise

☼ Paradise ♡

This summer calls for PARADISE... I feel like this summer I'm feeling that classic 40s-50s American tourist vibe, where the greeting cards and posters are loud, vibrant, and attractive. The tourists are tacky (as they still are), dressed in a mix of style and comfort, resorts and hotels... Palm trees and beaches - be it Latin America or Florida. 

thrift haul

 denim button-up - $2.90

rust j.crew polo - $1.25 (on sale) *

cranberry j.crew polo - $1.50 (sale)*

tommy hilfiger sweater - $4 *

april77 record "billie texas" - $18

giraffe pleated skirt - $2 (sale)

leather belt - $0.25 (sale)

recently my boyfriend and i went on a spontaneous thrift haul! thank goodness for google maps on phones, hm? we hit up a local thrift store called YSI thrift&gift that had a 50% sale off all clothing and accessories. we took a trip to the salvation army afterwards, and it's pretty large. i can't say i'm a fan since there is a huge lack of organization and the prices are really weird and sporadic. lastly, we headed to my favorite thrift store is savers. 

i have to say this haul was a good bargain! especially the pair of raw denim. my boyfriend spotted it with his denim eagle eyes (he's a huge raw denim junkie). he convinced me there is no way i could pass it up. when we went home, we saw that the jeans retailed for $162! there were no fades or creases in the jeans - perfect condition... man! what a deal.

* - my boyfriend's