Happy FALL!!

 

Quick and dirty on cheap mascaras..

About a month ago, I picked up a few tubes of mascara from Target and decided to give them all a test run to see if I could find a cheap, daily-use mascara that I liked. Here's what I found out..

Absolutely no mascara (please excuse the wild eyebrows)

L'oreal Voluminous Power Volume 24-hour Mascara

 

• I wasn't especially thrilled or overly disappointed with this mascara. It promised "extreme results" that ended up being a little more extremely globby than anything. The consistency of the mascara was clumpy and dry. It may have been partially the odd brush that, to me, looked like a miniature version of either the big spinning cloth thing in the car wash or a Swiffer duster. I was able to build it and get a little more of a dramatic look, but it just wasn't working out, and I wouldn't put this stuff in my daily rotation. I actually gave it to a girl I work with who was going out after work and needed mascara. I won't miss it! Overall: I give it 2 out of 5 stars. Nothing spectacular, but what nonetheless it stayed on fairly well, however it did get flaky.

L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara

• Another from L'oreal Voluminous line. I had read about this mascara on another blog and decided to see if it measured up to all the hype. And it didn't disappoint. For 9 smackers, it's not bad! It applied easily. I like the brush much better..it's elastomer rather than a fiber brush, however it -so- wobbly that it makes precise application a pain. It got a little sticky and clumpy when I decided to go over my lashes a time or two more, but as long as you're careful and the brush isn't super-loaded, you should be good. This is for sure a mascara I would fall back on if I ran out of my usuals. Overall: I give this stuff a 3 of 5 stars. It's a good mascara. If they had put a better brush on it, or at least a less flexible one, I'd like it a lot more!

Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara

• This stuff was probably my favorite of the bunch. I liked the brush better than the actual mascara. It's a straight, fiber bristle that you can get in the tight areas and really hit those hard to cover lashes. The mascara itself is a little ho-hum, but it gets the job done. I used it for three days during the week, and it wasn't half bad. It lasted fairly well through the day up until the third day when a flake got in my eye and then it was all downhill from there. Overall: I'll say 3.75 stars of 5 on this one. It's good. Just don't get it in your eyes..paaaaiiinn!!

Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies Mascara

• This was another blog-recommended mascara. Bottom line..there is no truth the these falsies! After about four coats of this stuff, my lashes were covered, clumpy, and nothing close to what I wanted. It's dry. The flex brush is terrible - I honestly almost took it back before I used it, thinking the wand was broken. And I had a one-way ticket to TFB raccoon city. Overall: 1 of 5 stars. I do not recommend this stuff. Period.

Hard Candy Lash Ink 4 Day Lash Stain Mascara

• I picked this mascara up on a midnight trip to Walmart for almond milk (gee thanks Walgreens for not having it). First off, as the name implies, this is a stain. Nothing about this mascara, if you even want to call it that, will give you those dreamy long lashes that every girl would die for. It's a stain. And stain, it does. It reminded me of ink, which basically I guess it could be considered cosmetic grade ink. It's almost runny, but it goes on fairly well with the exception that it will get on your eyelids. The brush is a teeny-tiny, pencil thin dense spiral fiber that gets into and in between the lashes for good coverage. My eyes did burn a little when I first started applying this mascara, but I think it may have been more so from the odd smell than the actual product going on my lashes. It's almost a hair-dye smell. Good stuff though. I would recommend removing it nightly because it may stay on four days, but it'll also put some lovely black smudges on pillow cases if you wallow around in your sleep like I do. Overall: 3.5 of 5 stars. If they could incorporated this into a lash building mascara, it would be awesome!

None of these mascaras were anything really out of the ordinary, but considering they were all under $10 a piece, I was surprised to find a couple that I actually do use fairly often (Illegal Length and the Hard Candy stain). This was a fun review though! 

If I could recommend any mascara right now, it would absolutely be Benefit Cosmetics They're Real.

I love it!!

(Note: No compensation was received for reviewing any of these products.)

Just another weekend..

Just another weekend..that pretty much sums it up. We did manage to get out of work yesterday due to a nice little winter storm with .001" of accumulation. There was actually a little more than that, and the roads were surprisingly bad, so I guess I shouldn't be too sarcastic. Finally got to put my Jeep in four-wheel drive and felt like I was in a tank on the drive home.

massive icicles lol

 And despite not having to stay at work yesterday, I did have to go in this morning, bright and early. No Starbucks either, seeing that the small amount of snow/sleet/frozen mess turned the roads into ice skating rinks and it took me all of 45 minutes to get to work.

a lovely mess..this is the very reason why I normally am still asleep on saturday mornings 

my thoughts exactly

I also decided to try out a tortilla/taco soup recipe that Shasta Anne posted back in September of last year. I love to cook..I just rarely actually ever do, so this was kind of a big deal. Don't get me wrong, there were no incredible culinary skills involved, but me actually taking the time to use my stove is pretty much a big deal. Most people that know me would agree that the best thing I make for dinner is a reservation.

the corn was MIA for this picture. it rolled under the seat in my jeep, and i didn't realize
 until everything was cooking that i'd forgotten it. 

It's very simple..

• 1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15.25 oz) can of sweet corn, drained
• 1 (14.5 oz) can of petite diced tomatoes
• 1 (10.75 oz) can of cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10 oz) can of green enchilada sauce
• 1 (14 oz) can of chicken broth
• 1 packet of taco seasoning (i used Old El Paso)

Then, it's basically heat and eat. Dump everything in a large pot and let it cook until warm or to your desired thickness. I let my come to a low boil and then turned it on low for around 20 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips. Next time, I may try throwing in some kidney beans instead of black beans. You could also add chicken or beef, or even a spicy kielbasa to make it a little more hardy. I also thought about adding some rice to give it a little variety, but decided to be lazy. It's delicious though, if I must say so myself! And so freakin' easy!

before i remembered that the corn was missing..it got prettier after adding the corn, but i forgot to take a picture.

Sunday adventures in Plaza-Midwood..

So I decided to take advantage of the weird warm January weather this afternoon and wander around the Plaza-Midwood area in Charlotte. 
The neighborhood initially began as a suburb of the city that developed around the streetcar lines that ran from the core of the city. It thrived up until the 1950's, when the neighborhood saw a major decline, but by 1975, interest in protecting and preserving the area grew. By the mid-90's, many of the dilapidated homes had been restored and are now some very funky urban dwellings and some very interesting retail shops ranging from antique stores and some really retro furniture stores to head shops and tattoo places. The restaurants on Central Avenue are pretty great too!

A few interesting things that caught my eye...

 

(Moose antlers..a must in any home)

(worn out buffet - i really liked this, but it needed a lot of tlc)

(one diverse collection of cassette tapes..where's my walkman??)

This was probably the most memorable thing I saw. Who doesn't need a furry tribal lamp, right?

We stopped at Zada Jane's Corner Cafe for a non-trad late lunch - ZJ's is known for their breakfast/brunch menu. But I def recommend the Kool Kipp's Nachos..soooo yummy and fresh!! 

Zada Jane's..great food and they use honey in their tea, which i looove!

   

     

(crazy weird $5 cat cut-outs..strange.)

One great store on Central is Buffalo Exchange..which is a great resale shop. You have to dig through everything, but there are some real hidden gems!!

 So yeah..Sunday Funday was a success!

Lately..

Finally the holidays are over! The craziness and food and festivities have slowed down, and oh wow, we're already smack dab in the middle of boring, blah January. Between work and Starbucks and more work, I've had a little time to pick up a few great products here and there that I have really enjoyed!

1) Formula 10.0.6 Deep Down Detox Ultra Cleansing Mud Mask

Talk about el cheapo! I grabbed this stuff last minute as I was checking out at Ulta. This stuff is ah-may-zhing!! It has a great citrusy smell, which I love, and left my skin feeling so clean and refreshed. I currently use this 2-3 times a week. I've def gotta give myself a pat on the back for grabbing it! And for $5.99, you really can't beat it! 

2) Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control Power-Foam Wash

Another great cheapy I picked up at Ulta. After seeing raves on Instagram and Twitter about this product, I decided to give it a go. I've been a die-hard Clinique girl since late Spring of 2012, but I must say, this stuff is awesome! It does a great job. My skin has been a little on the dry side since using it..I'm not sure if it is the product or the crazy weather, or both. 

3) It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Plus Keratin

It's a miracle for sure. After deciding to go all-out fake ginger and putting my hair through the torture treatment of coloring every 3 weeks, I'm pretty sure this stuff is the reason my hair is still surviving. It sometimes leaves my hair feeling slightly heavy and weighed down, but I think my conditioner is partly to blame.

4) Benefit Cosmetics They're Real Mascara

I picked up the travel size at Ulta and have been really impressed! The brush is great. The mascara goes on very smooth, and you can build up your lashes without it getting clump or cakey. No TFB eyes. Period. I have both the full size and the travel size, and I actually like the travel size better. It has the full size brush but the wand is hardly two inches long, so, for me, I can be a little more precise with the application. Great mascara either way!

5) Bliss Travel Size High Intensity Hand Cream

Grabbed a few of these in the travel size to keep in my purse, in my car, at work. It's winter and we all know what that means..dry, dry, dry skin. I have a weird thing about dry hands - it creeps me out and this lotion keeps them quenched and soft. It has a pleasant smell and leaves your hands feeling moisturized, but not greasy.

In other news..

I joined Planet Fitness on a whim several months ago, and I've finally managed to take the time to actually go. I've never been a fan of gyms and health clubs, but with my work schedule, PF works out fairly well, as it is open 24-hours. I went with the upgraded Black Card option so I could have the option of *gasp* tanning, but I've actually been using the UV-free Beauty Angel. I'm still not sold, but I'm willing enough to stick with it to see what happens. And the vibrating plate that you stand on it a complete trip..it's supposed to help tighten your skin and improve muscle tone, but all I know is it makes my thighs jiggle. The company says the vibrations are similar to what astronauts use to keep their muscles toned while in space..when it started vibrating, I'm pretty sure "Houston, we have a problem," was more what crossed my mind than anything.

I've also officially converted by to the dark side..of hair color that is. I loved my red hair. It suited me so well, but the upkeep was pretty much ridiculous. I like clean hair. If I'm holed up my house for the weekend, it's one thing to skip washing my hair, but it's two-day hair max any other time. And the second day, it's usually pulled up. I literally cannot stand dirty hair. Thus, away washed my beautiful ginger color, and I was left with a weird reddish blah mess. So brunette I went..

Weird faded red..

 

Much better brunette..

What can I say? I needed a change.  :)

'Tis the season..

So my employer's annual Christmas party was this weekend (December 8th), and was an absolute hit! It was a Las Vegas themed, and boy did we live it up! Getting up Sunday morning was rough to say the least (lol).

(Vegas-themed outfit ideas)

After buying four different dresses, I settle on a more modest, black, 3/4 length sleeve sheath dress that has been one of my favorites for a long time. Grabbed a pair of black Spanx, a pair of giraffe heels, a few *bling* accessories, and I was set.