Drugstore

September 2016 Favorites

by
September 2016 FavoritesUrban Decay All Nighter, $29-39 / MUJI 5 Drawer Acrylic, $35 / EcoTools Eye Enhancing Duo, $5 /
Hot Tools Titanium Digital Flat Iron, $60 / OPI Bubble Bath,$8

It’s October! I got my Halloween decorations up over the weekend. I went to Starbucks on Saturday around 10AM – when it was 65+ degrees in my area – and facepalmed at all the hot PSLs taking up the baristas’ time. Well, at least it’s legitimately seasonally appropriate, even if it isn’t weather-appropriate.

Note: My ribbing of PSL-drinkings is in good spirits – if you enjoy the drink, that’s awesome. I’ve got to say, though, give a flat white a try – they’re tasty. You can add your pumpkin spice goop to it, too, and I bet you’d like it at least as much.

Details on my September 2016 Favorites…

Read more

Batiste Dry Shampoo

by
Batiste Dry Shampoo
Batiste Dry Shampoo / Tropical / $6

For several years, I was a devotee of Psssst! dry shampoo. It took me a long time to find and settle on it, sifting through failures from Pantene and Dove, the lackluster one from Not Your Mother’s, and through an incredibly-awesome-but-usually-out-of-my-budget KMS Hair Play. Psssst! was out of stock when I went to replenish, so I decided to try Batiste. If you caught my August Favorites, you saw that it earned a place as one of them.

Application

That pressure, though – depressing the nozzle of a Batiste bottle releases a quick, forceful burst of product where you want it to go. No wimpy, aimless mists here – Batiste’s fine, powdery spray is targeted. Batiste is on a mission. This is awesome if you’re like me and tend to need to concentrate dry shampoo in certain areas – for instance, towards the back of my crown is the spot that usually needs the first, and repeat, attention. Being able to direct product there means less product goes to waste – and it means that areas that don’t need help aren’t risking unnecessary build-up.

Read more

August 2016 Favorites

by

August 2016 Favorites

August 2016 Favorites
Gillette Satin Care Ultra Sensitive, $4 / Hair, Skin, & Nails Gummies, $15 /
Batiste Tropical, $7 / Tree Hut Scrub, $17 for 3 / Skinfix Ultra Rich Hand Cream, $10

It’s been more about health, hair, and skin this month! Check out my thoughts on my August 2016 Favorites after the jump!

Read more

Swisspers Facial Cotton

by
Swisspers Facial CottonSwisspers Facial Cotton, $4

Have you joined me in taking the Micellar Water Challenge?

When I started, I only kept some cotton-rounds in the house. The rounds were textured on one side and plush on the other. Somehow, the layers are bound together. The process that does so, however, results in an edge that has a sharp quality to it. That sharp edge + applying facial products = ow.

It’s a good rule of thumb to avoid products that can create micro-cuts on the skin – bacteria doesn’t need much, after all, to cause chaos.

To replace them, I picked up these Swisspers Facial Cotton. They’ve been FAR kinder to my skin than the rounds, and I’m considering clearing the shelf of my local stores because I love them. I hear the Shiseido Facial Cotton pads are the cotton pads, but I can’t bring myself to spend nearly $10 on the damn things.

How do you apply Micellar Water or toner? I’ve tried tissue and it made me crazy.

Trim Portable Manicure System

by
Trim Portable Manicure SystemTrim Portable Manicure System, $8

I had something similar to this cheap, battery-operated electric file years ago. The motor ultimately burned out, and I hadn’t seen a replacement until I came across the Trim Portable Manicure System while out and about.. Admittedly, I didn’t give the tool much scrutiny in the store when I picked it up. For under $8 and running on non-included AA batteries, my expectations were low.

First Impression

Upon unboxing the tool I confirmed that its construction matched its price-point. The body is made of cheap, lightweight plastic. The handle is long (read: awkward to handle), and it doesn’t seem as though the bits have a locking mechanism to hold them in place. The battery compartment was easily accessible, but there aren’t any markers to indicate which way to insert them. I determined that negative should face the bottom of the compartment, positive towards the top.

No dial, switch, or series of buttons means no variable speed control. This little guy is a one-speed.

Read more

One Month Micellar Water Challenge

by

Micellar WaterWhen I shared my skincare arsenal overhaul earlier this year, I mentioned that I was considering ditching makeup wipes. I was consistently using micellar water to remove my makeup, but at the end of a long day I was letting myself reach for the convenient option.

Well, I’m finally out of makeup wipes. I’m choosing to prioritize my skin over convenience for one month. Since last Friday (August 19) I have exclusively been using the Garnier Micellar Water I wrote about in April.

Read more