Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Rassafrackin' Arglebargle!!!!!!!!
I've been trying to post ONE POST for going on a week. Blogger is not being nice to me. Right now, I'm composing in HTML (which I know zilch about), so no pics, no fonts, no spacing, no nothing. Please bear with me. I'm working on it.
Thanks for your continued patience.
Monday, July 22, 2013
While I Was Out: Random Phone Pictures Edition!
As any of you who have been following for a while know, things are never quite "normal" at my house. For crying out loud, this happened in my backyard:
So, we made a mascot head. This is (just the head) of Punchy the Fighting Owl. The rest of the costume is still in progress, but the hard part is done. In case you're wondering, we made the body out of insulation foam and a hard hat, the eyes out of layers of screen door mesh and acrylic paint, and the whole thing is covered in polyfill, felt, and furry cloth. Oh--and about 612 hot glue sticks. We ended up sort of making the whole thing up as we went along, but the inspiration for the design came from this Instructable.
No. I did not make my own DIY Redneck Wine Glass (sold in other stores for $15.99, apparently). We're in pre-production for a couple of shorts, so my "grocery" lists are a little...funky. I had to run into Dollar Tree to look for a laser pointer, a car phone charger, some rubber snakes, glass stones, paint supplies, and a fake goldfish. (Oddly enough, the hardest to find item on that list has been the bag of rubber snakes.) I saw this set-up and couldn't resist snapping a picture. Then, I went home and glued (no kidding) 436 amber rhinestones onto leopard material.
I know I've mentioned it about a gazillion times on here, but Thomas and I have been working really hard to clean up our backyard. Because we're gluttons for punishment, we decided to add a water feature to this strange little random patch of dirt that lay in the middle of a rockwork embankment. Here it is at the OMG-I'm-almost-finished-with-this-bleepidy-bleep-bleep-thing-and-I-ran-out-of-rock-! stage. It's finished now, though, so I'll have to take a picture and let you guys see it in all it's waterfall-y glory.
Good Lord, we need to power wash the courtyard! Here's Thomas, doing his best Vanna White impression to show off the piece de resistance in our backyard makeover: the movie screen. It was a DIY project, made from movie screen material bought off of Amazon, and some lightweight wood pieces from Lowe's. It took about five minutes to screw together the wooden frame, and then the fabric is just stretched over it and stapled. We've hung it onto a couple of fence posts using picture hanging hooks, and the screen lives indoors when not in use.
And, most exciting of all, I took the puppy to the vet. Trust me, he wasn't anywhere near as happy as he looks.
 |
| Krampus Peek-a-Boo! I see you! |
That's my sweet, adorable hubby, by the way. He was the stunt double for our creature actor. Truth be told, though, I think he just wanted an excuse to run around the backyard and scare people.
Now, that was back in...February? I think? Anyway, things are still bonkers around the Smith crib (see? I'm hip and with it), which is one reason I've been MIA so much around here. I thought, for fun, I'd sift through my camera phone pics and see what popped up. Maybe they'll better illustrate the weird.
So, we made a mascot head. This is (just the head) of Punchy the Fighting Owl. The rest of the costume is still in progress, but the hard part is done. In case you're wondering, we made the body out of insulation foam and a hard hat, the eyes out of layers of screen door mesh and acrylic paint, and the whole thing is covered in polyfill, felt, and furry cloth. Oh--and about 612 hot glue sticks. We ended up sort of making the whole thing up as we went along, but the inspiration for the design came from this Instructable.
No. I did not make my own DIY Redneck Wine Glass (sold in other stores for $15.99, apparently). We're in pre-production for a couple of shorts, so my "grocery" lists are a little...funky. I had to run into Dollar Tree to look for a laser pointer, a car phone charger, some rubber snakes, glass stones, paint supplies, and a fake goldfish. (Oddly enough, the hardest to find item on that list has been the bag of rubber snakes.) I saw this set-up and couldn't resist snapping a picture. Then, I went home and glued (no kidding) 436 amber rhinestones onto leopard material.
I know I've mentioned it about a gazillion times on here, but Thomas and I have been working really hard to clean up our backyard. Because we're gluttons for punishment, we decided to add a water feature to this strange little random patch of dirt that lay in the middle of a rockwork embankment. Here it is at the OMG-I'm-almost-finished-with-this-bleepidy-bleep-bleep-thing-and-I-ran-out-of-rock-! stage. It's finished now, though, so I'll have to take a picture and let you guys see it in all it's waterfall-y glory.
Good Lord, we need to power wash the courtyard! Here's Thomas, doing his best Vanna White impression to show off the piece de resistance in our backyard makeover: the movie screen. It was a DIY project, made from movie screen material bought off of Amazon, and some lightweight wood pieces from Lowe's. It took about five minutes to screw together the wooden frame, and then the fabric is just stretched over it and stapled. We've hung it onto a couple of fence posts using picture hanging hooks, and the screen lives indoors when not in use.
And, because I've just been so bored, I decided to completely renovate my closet. This is still at the "in progress" stage. I've still got a ways to go on organizing, and then I have to empty it all out and paint. Expect a blog post on this when it's done...if it's done...
And, most exciting of all, I took the puppy to the vet. Trust me, he wasn't anywhere near as happy as he looks.
There's a lot of really cool stuff coming up in the next few weeks. Fighting Owl Films is doing a panel at Pensacola Paracon, and then Thomas and I are (most likely) going to the Sidewalk Moving Pictures Festival. Our short, C.U.P.I.D., was accepted, so if you're in the area in August, you should go check it (and the rest of the festival--should be awesome) out.
Have a great Monday, y'all!
Friday, July 19, 2013
Frugal Friday: My Favorite New(-ish) E.L.F. Blush/Bronzer Duos
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start with the packaging. Each duo comes housed in a smooth, black, hard plastic compact, with the ELF logo and product name printed on the lid in white. Inside, you'll find the product, itself, along with a large, fully-functional mirror--not one of those cheapo, fun-house-looking pieces of garbage. All in all, the packaging reminds me (a lot) of NARS, except that the NARS has more heft to it, and the outside is rubberized.
Okay, now for the products. The cream blush is a warm, rosy peach, and the bronzer is a golden medium brown. Neither has any shimmer or sheen, but by nature of the cream, they do impart a nice glow. As we've seen, they're HIGHLY pigmented, so only the teeny-tiniest amount is needed. By that, I mean, don't use your fingers! Obviously, you can, if you want. I won't stand there behind you screaming, or anything like that. That would be creepy, and a little bit illegal, most likely. Grab a stipple brush and barely tap it onto the product. You can always add more, but taking it away's a pain. It's not impossible (said the girl who went to town with concealer and powder after tapping her brush too hard this morning), but it's better to avoid having to.
The shades, themselves, are lovely. The blush is pretty much universal, as far as working with different skintones; the bronzer, less so. This would work on light to medium skintones, but no darker. I also would not recommend this as a contour shade, since it is so warm. It borders on orange-y, and that's just not a good look for a contour. It is wonderful, however, for warming up the skin. Once you've tapped your stipple brush onto (not into, onto) the bronzer, apply the product to the areas of your face where sunlight would naturally hit--just as you would a powder bronzer. The end effect is very natural and sunkissed.
Now, I purchased Turks & Caicos because I'd heard from several places that the blush side was actually more of a highlight shade, and I thought that a travel-friendly highlight/bronzer combo would be awesome to have for out-of-town trips. Apparently, I had gone temporarily insane, and totally forgot that I'm so white, I'm day-glo. My skin lights up on the dark rides at Disney. The only highlighters I can wear are either white, gold, or translucent shimmer. Almost nothing that could be classified as a blush is going to work as a highlighter on me. But I digress...
Anyhoo, the blush is gorgeous, even if it isn't a viable highlighter for me, personally. The shade is a very tawney...I hate to call it pink, because it's just barely pink, but it's not really brown, either. This is a hard shade to describe, but applied lightly, it gives just enough color to wake up the skin, but not enough to compete with, say, a bold lip or a smokey eye. Unfortunately, it's not a universal color, in the slightest. If you're often confused for Casper the Friendly Ghost, then this is gorgeous, and I highly recommend rushing out to pick one up. Medium skintones and up might consider using it as a highlighter, but, sadly, I'd just say skip it.
The bronzer is scary. It looks brown; like chocolate brownie brown. However, if you use a super fluffy brush and an extremely light hand, you can use this as a bronzer (not a contour. Neither of these bronzers are contour shades. I don't know what ELF was thinking calling them "contouring".) even if you're lily-white. This shade could probably work on medium skin, as well, but again, if you're darker, you might want to pass on this. There are tiny flecks of gold shimmer in both the blush and bronzer, but they don't transfer to the skin in an obvious way. You end up with a little glow. Again, the end result is very natural and just downright pretty. I probably don't need to say it, but I will, anyway: these puppies are crazy pigmented! If you use a heavy hand, you're going to look like you've been playing in the dirt. Go easy, and add more as you need to.
The staying power for both duos is top-notch. I've been using them both for a couple of weeks, pretty much exclusively, and haven't had to touch-up at all. I repeat: at all. ELF, as a brand, may be hit or miss, but these are a homerun.
Pros
Cream: gorgeous blush, gorgeous bronzer, highly pigmented, beautiful packaging, fantastic price, natural finish blush, natural finish bronzer, universal blush, glow without glitter
Powder: gorgeous blush, workable bronzer, highly pigmented, beautiful packaging, fantastic price, natural finish blush, natural finish bronzer, slight shimmer without glitter
Cons
Cream: bronzer not universal
Powder: blush not universal, bronzer not universal
Final Verdict: Cream--9 out of 10, Powder--7.5 out of 10. I'd say that these were amazing for three bucks, but they'd still be amazing for a lot more than that.
 |
| Left to Right: Turks & Caicos, Cream #24601...I mean, #83606. Oops. |
A little while back, ELF had a sale on their Studio line, and I took the opportunity to try out a couple of products that I'd been eyeing since they came out a few months ago. For some reason, a buck-fifty each was perfectly reasonable, but three whole dollars (Seriously? Three whole dollars?) was absolutely ree-darn-diculous.
In any case, I picked up the Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder in Turks & Caicos, and the Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzing Cream in...um...Item #83606. That's all I got, folks.
Holy Guacamole, Batman! These suckers are fantastic! Talk about pigmentation! Just look below:
 |
| Left to Right: Turks & Caicos Blush, Bronzer, #8675309...sorry, #83606 Blush, Bronzer. One swipe each. Crikey! |
Okay, now for the products. The cream blush is a warm, rosy peach, and the bronzer is a golden medium brown. Neither has any shimmer or sheen, but by nature of the cream, they do impart a nice glow. As we've seen, they're HIGHLY pigmented, so only the teeny-tiniest amount is needed. By that, I mean, don't use your fingers! Obviously, you can, if you want. I won't stand there behind you screaming, or anything like that. That would be creepy, and a little bit illegal, most likely. Grab a stipple brush and barely tap it onto the product. You can always add more, but taking it away's a pain. It's not impossible (said the girl who went to town with concealer and powder after tapping her brush too hard this morning), but it's better to avoid having to.
The shades, themselves, are lovely. The blush is pretty much universal, as far as working with different skintones; the bronzer, less so. This would work on light to medium skintones, but no darker. I also would not recommend this as a contour shade, since it is so warm. It borders on orange-y, and that's just not a good look for a contour. It is wonderful, however, for warming up the skin. Once you've tapped your stipple brush onto (not into, onto) the bronzer, apply the product to the areas of your face where sunlight would naturally hit--just as you would a powder bronzer. The end effect is very natural and sunkissed.
Now, I purchased Turks & Caicos because I'd heard from several places that the blush side was actually more of a highlight shade, and I thought that a travel-friendly highlight/bronzer combo would be awesome to have for out-of-town trips. Apparently, I had gone temporarily insane, and totally forgot that I'm so white, I'm day-glo. My skin lights up on the dark rides at Disney. The only highlighters I can wear are either white, gold, or translucent shimmer. Almost nothing that could be classified as a blush is going to work as a highlighter on me. But I digress...
Anyhoo, the blush is gorgeous, even if it isn't a viable highlighter for me, personally. The shade is a very tawney...I hate to call it pink, because it's just barely pink, but it's not really brown, either. This is a hard shade to describe, but applied lightly, it gives just enough color to wake up the skin, but not enough to compete with, say, a bold lip or a smokey eye. Unfortunately, it's not a universal color, in the slightest. If you're often confused for Casper the Friendly Ghost, then this is gorgeous, and I highly recommend rushing out to pick one up. Medium skintones and up might consider using it as a highlighter, but, sadly, I'd just say skip it.
The bronzer is scary. It looks brown; like chocolate brownie brown. However, if you use a super fluffy brush and an extremely light hand, you can use this as a bronzer (not a contour. Neither of these bronzers are contour shades. I don't know what ELF was thinking calling them "contouring".) even if you're lily-white. This shade could probably work on medium skin, as well, but again, if you're darker, you might want to pass on this. There are tiny flecks of gold shimmer in both the blush and bronzer, but they don't transfer to the skin in an obvious way. You end up with a little glow. Again, the end result is very natural and just downright pretty. I probably don't need to say it, but I will, anyway: these puppies are crazy pigmented! If you use a heavy hand, you're going to look like you've been playing in the dirt. Go easy, and add more as you need to.
The staying power for both duos is top-notch. I've been using them both for a couple of weeks, pretty much exclusively, and haven't had to touch-up at all. I repeat: at all. ELF, as a brand, may be hit or miss, but these are a homerun.
Pros
Cream: gorgeous blush, gorgeous bronzer, highly pigmented, beautiful packaging, fantastic price, natural finish blush, natural finish bronzer, universal blush, glow without glitter
Powder: gorgeous blush, workable bronzer, highly pigmented, beautiful packaging, fantastic price, natural finish blush, natural finish bronzer, slight shimmer without glitter
Cons
Cream: bronzer not universal
Powder: blush not universal, bronzer not universal
Final Verdict: Cream--9 out of 10, Powder--7.5 out of 10. I'd say that these were amazing for three bucks, but they'd still be amazing for a lot more than that.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
'Ip, 'Ip, 'Ooray! July Ipsy Unbagging
It's mid-July, which means that it's time for another Ipsy unbagging! This month's bag arrived much more quickly than the last couple, so I was pleasantly surprised to find this waiting for me when I got home from work yesterday. July's theme was "Beach Beauty", and I think the selected products fit that theme perfectly.
Let's see what we got:
I love this bag! It's a fluorescent pink cylinder, made from a clear, PVC-ish material. It's water-resistent, and wonderful for keeping in your beach bag. Inside the bag, I found Big Sexy Hair Weather Proof hairspray, BH Cosmetics eye shadow mini-palette, Coola Mineral Sunscreen, Demeter perfume oil in Salt Air, and Pop Beauty Pouty Pop Crayon in Coral Crush. So, stuff to keep me frizz-free, fry-free, smelling beachy, and looking Summer-y. I'll take it!
This is my first experience with BH Cosmetics eye shadows. I have lip and concealer palettes (those same ones available from Coastal Scents and Crown Brush and...well, everybody else), and they're fantastic for the price, but I've never used the shadows before. I have to say, they're not the most amazing shadows I've ever used, but they're pretty darn good. I could toss this in a bag and be good to go for a weekend trip. The colors are a little sheer (save for the gold--wowzers!!!), but they apply smoothly and blend well.
I'm a little conflicted about the lippie. On the plus side, it's a gorgeous coral, and I love coral. It's also extremely creamy, easy to apply, feels amazing, and has decent staying power--not phenomenal, but not bad. On the other hand, that gorgeous coral is NEON against my skintone. You can't really tell from the swatch (below), but this is most definitely meant to be a statement lip. I just really don't know how I feel about it. I do know that I'll have to give Pop lip products a second look, though. I've not been impressed with their eye shadows, but this lipstick is a great product, neon or not.
From left to right, we have the Pop Beauty crayon, then the BH eyeshadows in Hollywood, San Francisco, and Malibu. Just look at that Malibu--LOOK AT IT!!!! I'm a gold eye shadow kind of girl, and that rivals a couple of Stila shadows that I absolutely adore.
Pay no attention to the sleep deprivation (my adorable puppy likes to practice his tap-dancing at 3am...on my bed...on top of me). I threw this together this morning, using only the shadows in the mini-palette. I used San Francisco in the crease, outer corner, and lower lashline, Malibu sheered across the lid, and Hollywood as an upper lashliner. I applied these over Urban Decay Primer Potion, and they've stayed put for the past five and a half hours. If there's been any fading, it's so minimal that I can't tell.
I haven't had a chance to use the hairspray, yet, but I'm sure it's going to get a workout. I'm interested to see if it's as good as my Redken 28. That sucker could hold your hair through a hurricane.
This applied smoothly, truly was unscented, and hasn't caused any oiliness or irritation. I just don't know if it's worth the trouble to add SPF 20 when I'm already using a BB Cream with SPF 20. I might just stick with my drugstore SPF 100 (Lord, that doesn't mean anything. They were out of 35 and 50). It's not oily, either, and costs a heckuvalot less.
Alrighty, now we're on to my favorite part of the bag! This perfume oil is killer. It smells exactly like the beach. I don't mean, "ooh, it smells of salt and coconut! It's beachy!" I mean, "holy cracker jacks, this smells like the air when I get out of my car at my aunt's beach house. There's some salt, some seaweed, some sunscreen...it's a cooler of fried chicken and cokes away from actually being the beach. It should come with a towel, a boombox, and sand for the floorboard of your car. I'm in love. Pure love. Tara, if you're reading this, your name is all over this bottle.
Here's a look I put together with the stuff in the bag. It's mostly drugstore, since I wanted this to be something you could grab at Walmart or Target while you did the rest of your vacation shopping. There are a couple of exceptions, but just a couple. And yes, my hair is wet. I could tell you it's because this is a beach look, and I wanted you to see how it would look for reals, but honestly, I'm just lazy and didn't feel like blowing my hair dry.
Coola Mineral Sunscreen
Garnier BB Cream Light/Medium
Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser in Brightener and Neutralizer
ELF Studio Body Shimmer in Mystic Moonlight
BH Cosmetics Mini-Palette
ELF Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder in Turks & Caicos
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder
ELF Essential Wet Gloss Lash and Brow Clear Mascara
Pop Beauty Pouty Pop Crayon in Coral Crush
Juice Beauty Lip Gloss in Pink
Buxom Buxom Lash Waterproof Mascara in Black
Let's see what we got:
I love this bag! It's a fluorescent pink cylinder, made from a clear, PVC-ish material. It's water-resistent, and wonderful for keeping in your beach bag. Inside the bag, I found Big Sexy Hair Weather Proof hairspray, BH Cosmetics eye shadow mini-palette, Coola Mineral Sunscreen, Demeter perfume oil in Salt Air, and Pop Beauty Pouty Pop Crayon in Coral Crush. So, stuff to keep me frizz-free, fry-free, smelling beachy, and looking Summer-y. I'll take it!
This is my first experience with BH Cosmetics eye shadows. I have lip and concealer palettes (those same ones available from Coastal Scents and Crown Brush and...well, everybody else), and they're fantastic for the price, but I've never used the shadows before. I have to say, they're not the most amazing shadows I've ever used, but they're pretty darn good. I could toss this in a bag and be good to go for a weekend trip. The colors are a little sheer (save for the gold--wowzers!!!), but they apply smoothly and blend well.
I'm a little conflicted about the lippie. On the plus side, it's a gorgeous coral, and I love coral. It's also extremely creamy, easy to apply, feels amazing, and has decent staying power--not phenomenal, but not bad. On the other hand, that gorgeous coral is NEON against my skintone. You can't really tell from the swatch (below), but this is most definitely meant to be a statement lip. I just really don't know how I feel about it. I do know that I'll have to give Pop lip products a second look, though. I've not been impressed with their eye shadows, but this lipstick is a great product, neon or not.
From left to right, we have the Pop Beauty crayon, then the BH eyeshadows in Hollywood, San Francisco, and Malibu. Just look at that Malibu--LOOK AT IT!!!! I'm a gold eye shadow kind of girl, and that rivals a couple of Stila shadows that I absolutely adore.
Pay no attention to the sleep deprivation (my adorable puppy likes to practice his tap-dancing at 3am...on my bed...on top of me). I threw this together this morning, using only the shadows in the mini-palette. I used San Francisco in the crease, outer corner, and lower lashline, Malibu sheered across the lid, and Hollywood as an upper lashliner. I applied these over Urban Decay Primer Potion, and they've stayed put for the past five and a half hours. If there's been any fading, it's so minimal that I can't tell.
I haven't had a chance to use the hairspray, yet, but I'm sure it's going to get a workout. I'm interested to see if it's as good as my Redken 28. That sucker could hold your hair through a hurricane.
This applied smoothly, truly was unscented, and hasn't caused any oiliness or irritation. I just don't know if it's worth the trouble to add SPF 20 when I'm already using a BB Cream with SPF 20. I might just stick with my drugstore SPF 100 (Lord, that doesn't mean anything. They were out of 35 and 50). It's not oily, either, and costs a heckuvalot less.
Alrighty, now we're on to my favorite part of the bag! This perfume oil is killer. It smells exactly like the beach. I don't mean, "ooh, it smells of salt and coconut! It's beachy!" I mean, "holy cracker jacks, this smells like the air when I get out of my car at my aunt's beach house. There's some salt, some seaweed, some sunscreen...it's a cooler of fried chicken and cokes away from actually being the beach. It should come with a towel, a boombox, and sand for the floorboard of your car. I'm in love. Pure love. Tara, if you're reading this, your name is all over this bottle.
Coola Mineral Sunscreen
Garnier BB Cream Light/Medium
Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser in Brightener and Neutralizer
ELF Studio Body Shimmer in Mystic Moonlight
BH Cosmetics Mini-Palette
ELF Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder in Turks & Caicos
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder
ELF Essential Wet Gloss Lash and Brow Clear Mascara
Pop Beauty Pouty Pop Crayon in Coral Crush
Juice Beauty Lip Gloss in Pink
Buxom Buxom Lash Waterproof Mascara in Black
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Only Skin Deep: Pacifica Purify Coconut Water Cleansing Wipes
 |
| Photo Credit: Pacifica |
That's not good, folks.
Lately, I've become a big fan of the Say Yes to Grapefruit Brightening Facial Wipes. They're not expensive, smell amazing, remove makeup well, and--yes--do actually brighten up dull skin over time. I've repurchased them several times, and have always been very happy with them. The thing is...sometimes familiarity breeds contempt, and somewhere mid-way through the latest pack, I started to get antsy. I needed something different. I needed something exciting. I needed the new Pacifica Facial Wipes!
So, I bought them. When I ran out of those now apparantly loathesome Grapefruit wipes, I bypassed them on the Target shelf, and picked up the beautifully packaged, slightly less expensive (due to a sale--they're normally $6), fancy-schmancy Pacifica wipes. I'm in love with their Indian Coconut Nectar lotion, so these coconut water-infused wipes should be heavenly!
Now, when I say "beautifully packaged", I really mean it. These are, by far, the prettiest facial wipes to look at. Sure, they're housed in the standard snap-top-type packaging that the Say Yes and E.L.F. Studio wipes come in, but it's a highly decorative, fashion forward snap-top-type package. The color scheme is a tranquil blue with fluid yellow lines, swirling into geometric floral patterns, and it's--it's just gorgeous. Even the snap-top looks high-end, with it's frosted, heavy-duty plastic. Then, as if that weren't enough, the entire package is slid into a cardboard stand, making it look like something you'd find in an extraordinarily expensive hotel room, and not sharing counter space with your toothpaste.
On that lovely packaging, it clearly states:
"Easily cleanse, remove makeup, and tone skin without using a drop of water."Well, that's exactly what I needed them for. I hate dealing with water and washcloths and soap and...yeah, I'm lazy. I don't like washing my face when I'm tired and would rather be in bed, but I can't rationalize skipping it when all I have to do is pull out a wipe. Then, as long as I'm in the bathroom and vertical, I might as well slap on some moisturizer and eye cream. Yes, I have a skincare routine, but the wipe is the catalyst that gets me motivated enough to start the process.
So, the first night I went to use a wipe, I was actually super-excited to wash my face. I opened the package, smelled the dreamy coconut scent, wiped down my face with the soft cloth, and...nothing happened. The BB cream I had on came off, for the most part, but my eye makeup was still intact. So, I wiped a little harder. Then, I scrubbed. Eventually, I said, "To heck with it!" and went to bed. This continued in much the same way for a couple of days, so I sat down to write a negative review for the blog.
Well, when I pulled up the Pacifica website to grab a link for you guys, I noticed this on the site. If it was on the physical packaging anywhere, I couldn't find it:
"These wipes can remove most make-up, but due to the fact that we do not use chemical solvants, they will not remove the most water-proof make-up. They are a great follow-up to using a make-up remover as they will remove the residue from your skin leaving it refreshed."Say what?!?!
Just to clarify, the makeup removing wipes should really be used following a makeup remover. Please bear in mind, the eye makeup I had tried to remove was not entirely waterproof. Sure, my mascara and eyeliner were, but last I checked, the powder eyeshadows weren't. Also, I don't own any waterproof blushes--cream or powder. That stuff should have been removed, even without extra help.
Well, in the spirit of fairness, I decided to finish out the pack in conjunction with some Josie Maran Cleansing Oil. Happily, they worked together like a charm. I was able to remove all of my makeup, and my skin felt soft and refreshed afterward. However, that would have still been the case if I'd only used the oil and a damp washcloth. The washcloth wouldn't have smelled like coconut, but would have achieved the same goal.
I am gutted to have to write a less-than-glowing review for this product, given how much I generally like Pacifica, and how beautiful this looked on my counter. Let's just break down the pros and cons:
Pros: Gorgeous packaging, tight snap-top, amazing scent, soft feel, affordable price point, paraben-free, Gluten-free, cruelty-free, and 100% vegan.
Cons: They don't really work.
I re-purchased my Say Yes to Grapefruit wipes. They're not quite as pretty (though the pink packaging is still very cute), but they smell nice and they do what they're supposed to do. I guess it's like I have to remind myself when I have to pick out a new cellphone; it doesn't matter how pretty it is, or how many fancy bells and whistles it has, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work.
Final Verdict: 5 out of 10. They're beautiful, but since you have to use a secondary remover, you're basically paying for a scented, disposable washcloth.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Technical Difficulties
I got halfway through a post when blogger stopped letting me compose. I can't link and I can't post pictures. I'm fairly certain it's the computer, so I'm going to attempt this again on another machine as soon as I can. Thanks for your patience. This has really just gotten annoying...
Posts are backing up, so expect an onslaught when things are back up and running. :)
Thanks again,
Erin
Monday, July 8, 2013
Gah!
Blogger is refusing to let me post right now! I can't even compose on the computer right now. This is coming to you via smartphone, which is no way to write a lengthy review like the one I have...had...for you today (on the new Pacifica face wipes, no less). I'm going to keep trying, but didn't want you to think I'd run off on you. Keep your fingers crossed!
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
The Project
I'm sorry that I haven't written much here lately. It's been...interesting...
Okay, so Thomas and I bought a house. If you've been following me for any length of time, you probably already knew that. You probably also know that the backyard was in shambles, and we've been trying to get it cleaned up, lest Adam the Woo think us abandoned and try to explore our flower beds (in which case we would happily invite him in for a Mountain Dew). Well, getting it cleaned up wasn't the only project. You see, we're attempting to build an outdoor movie theatre.
We're nothing if not ambitious. And mosquito-bitten. Very mosquito-bitten.
So, for the past several weekends (and any other time we could fit in), Thomas has been working on building a fence and screen, we both put together a grill area, and I've been constructing a rock work fountain and some decorating.
We are nowhere near finished. Not even close, but it is starting to take shape. Also, have I mentioned that we have absolutely no construction experience? The set we put together for The Night Shift was mostly foam, and the one wooden piece kept falling apart. The set for SuperFriends was nothing but sheeting, and we couldn't keep that up. This is foreign territory, but it was either DIY or have it all done professionally, and we sure as heck couldn't afford that. I was brought up by parents who taught me that I could do anything I wanted if I used my brain and put forth the effort--be it painting a t-shirt or laying concrete--and they taught me this in true-DIY fashion: by doing it themselves. My fifth birthday was amazing. I had a Rainbow Brite-themed backyard carnival, complete with games, races, and a beautiful cake. All the neighborhood kids were invited, too, so it was huge. My parents couldn't spend a lot of money because my dad was in and out of work, so they made everything. Mom figured out how to pipe Rainbow Brite onto a homemade cake, and sewed little bean bags for the toss game Daddy made out of plywood. I think I even had a little outfit that Mom threw together on the sewing machine. Twenty-eight years later, I still remember that party and how much fun we munchkins had at it.
It seems fitting that I'm carrying on that "well, we'll figure it out" spirit in that same backyard. Every day, I walk through the living room with my parents' wainscot experiment (a success!), into the sun room that my Dad built (it's still standing and up to code...even if I don't know which light switches go to what), out onto the courtyard that Daddy laid, concrete brick by concrete brick, and look at the terracing that he and Mom designed. There are still boards and posts and half-empty bags of mortar lying around, but now they're mine and Thomas'. The yard is still being figured out, just by a new generation.
This weekend, I "finished" the fountain. By "finished", I mean that I've taken the rock that we salvaged from an old, random flower bed, and pieced it together to surround some liners and a pump that Thomas put down, then mortared it all together. You wouldn't think that would be too tough, but it's like putting together a puzzle where you have no idea what the finished picture should look like, and you're not entirely sure that all the pieces in the box are actually from the same puzzle. Oh, and you have to glue it all down as you go. In 100-degree heat. On an angle. And the glue sucks, so the pieces move and knock each other out of place, so you have to start over from time to time. One rock still won't stay down, and the surrounding ground cover hasn't been laid, yet, but I'm calling the fountain, itself, done.
As for the rest of the yard, the gated fence is up, and all the posts for the surrounding fence and movie screen are up and mostly cemented into place. Of course, we now think that we (and by we, I mean Thomas and my brother. I was off cursing at rocks) may have mis-measured and might have to reconfigure those posts. I have no idea where the furniture is going to go (and the paint may or may not have caused me to have an allergic reaction), but the cushions sure are comfy. The misting system and grill are ready and rearing to go, and all I need to do now is order the movie screen material and the projection equipment.
The string lights are awfully pretty.
We've got a long way to go, and no idea what we're doing, but it'll be okay. We'll figure it out.
Okay, so Thomas and I bought a house. If you've been following me for any length of time, you probably already knew that. You probably also know that the backyard was in shambles, and we've been trying to get it cleaned up, lest Adam the Woo think us abandoned and try to explore our flower beds (in which case we would happily invite him in for a Mountain Dew). Well, getting it cleaned up wasn't the only project. You see, we're attempting to build an outdoor movie theatre.
We're nothing if not ambitious. And mosquito-bitten. Very mosquito-bitten.
So, for the past several weekends (and any other time we could fit in), Thomas has been working on building a fence and screen, we both put together a grill area, and I've been constructing a rock work fountain and some decorating.
We are nowhere near finished. Not even close, but it is starting to take shape. Also, have I mentioned that we have absolutely no construction experience? The set we put together for The Night Shift was mostly foam, and the one wooden piece kept falling apart. The set for SuperFriends was nothing but sheeting, and we couldn't keep that up. This is foreign territory, but it was either DIY or have it all done professionally, and we sure as heck couldn't afford that. I was brought up by parents who taught me that I could do anything I wanted if I used my brain and put forth the effort--be it painting a t-shirt or laying concrete--and they taught me this in true-DIY fashion: by doing it themselves. My fifth birthday was amazing. I had a Rainbow Brite-themed backyard carnival, complete with games, races, and a beautiful cake. All the neighborhood kids were invited, too, so it was huge. My parents couldn't spend a lot of money because my dad was in and out of work, so they made everything. Mom figured out how to pipe Rainbow Brite onto a homemade cake, and sewed little bean bags for the toss game Daddy made out of plywood. I think I even had a little outfit that Mom threw together on the sewing machine. Twenty-eight years later, I still remember that party and how much fun we munchkins had at it.
It seems fitting that I'm carrying on that "well, we'll figure it out" spirit in that same backyard. Every day, I walk through the living room with my parents' wainscot experiment (a success!), into the sun room that my Dad built (it's still standing and up to code...even if I don't know which light switches go to what), out onto the courtyard that Daddy laid, concrete brick by concrete brick, and look at the terracing that he and Mom designed. There are still boards and posts and half-empty bags of mortar lying around, but now they're mine and Thomas'. The yard is still being figured out, just by a new generation.
This weekend, I "finished" the fountain. By "finished", I mean that I've taken the rock that we salvaged from an old, random flower bed, and pieced it together to surround some liners and a pump that Thomas put down, then mortared it all together. You wouldn't think that would be too tough, but it's like putting together a puzzle where you have no idea what the finished picture should look like, and you're not entirely sure that all the pieces in the box are actually from the same puzzle. Oh, and you have to glue it all down as you go. In 100-degree heat. On an angle. And the glue sucks, so the pieces move and knock each other out of place, so you have to start over from time to time. One rock still won't stay down, and the surrounding ground cover hasn't been laid, yet, but I'm calling the fountain, itself, done.
As for the rest of the yard, the gated fence is up, and all the posts for the surrounding fence and movie screen are up and mostly cemented into place. Of course, we now think that we (and by we, I mean Thomas and my brother. I was off cursing at rocks) may have mis-measured and might have to reconfigure those posts. I have no idea where the furniture is going to go (and the paint may or may not have caused me to have an allergic reaction), but the cushions sure are comfy. The misting system and grill are ready and rearing to go, and all I need to do now is order the movie screen material and the projection equipment.
The string lights are awfully pretty.
We've got a long way to go, and no idea what we're doing, but it'll be okay. We'll figure it out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
