time for a little late night jewelry lusting. for the past week i have been thoroughly enjoying my recent knot ring i purchased on etsy:
this has sparked a bit of a frenzy in me since for the past few days i have been obsessively looking at jewelry pieces to add alongside my dainty ring.
MY PICKS
the main themes of what i have been eying have been CHEVRON, HAND PIECES, ENGRAVED, and CROSSES
CHEVRON
i love me some chevron. such a simple design but the playful V shapes make me so happy. the stacking bracelets shown are by a brand called TOMTOM that i recently stumble upon. i am more interested in this ring, but these bracelets are fun as well.
HAND PIECES
slave bracelets, hand pieces, ring-bracelets, whatever you want to call it i love it all. i hate falling in love with a design that is older and now sold out like this LOW LUV by ERIN WASSON metal hand piece pictured. i have been scouring the web for a worthy design to get and this is my ideal fit but alas it isnt available anymore from what i've researched. the designer behind the brand is erin wasson, a model you probably would recognize due to maybelline ads. how much creativity she actually puts into the pieces i am unsure of, but i am sure that i love almost everything in the line.
ENGRAVED
engraved jewelry really tugs at my heartstrings. this double engraved ring by house of harlow especially. i love how it is a connected ring, the chunkiness of the metal and the engraved aztec details. as most of you know, house of harlow is nicole richie's jewelry line. i am a massive fan of her pieces. some of the jewelry is a bit too over-sized for me (search sunburst ring) but overall i cant seem to stay away from the brand.
CROSSES
i have long been obsessed with crosses. something so simple yet beautiful. i am very picky about cross jewelry though. so picky that i dont own any cross pieces because i am very particular. these asos stacking rings are nice to look at but i am afraid of the quality being horrible since the price is so cheap ($14). i recently made a cross ring purchase, but alas i shan't tell until it arrives :)
so far in all my internet surfing, my favorite brands have been house of harlow, LUV AJ, LOW LUV by ERIN WASSON, and TOMTOM. all beautiful but all will cost you a shiny penny. i didnt show any LUV AJ jewelry but it might be my favorite line of all i mentioned. the designer is AJ Thomas, who is only 23! blows my mind that someone around my age is full of such insane, brilliant creativity. my favorites from her are her studded hand piece, crystal rings, and any of the body chains. if only...sigh.
luv aj crystal rings (source) i wonder what nail polish this is...
what is your jewelry style/lustings? now i shall go to sleep dreaming of chains, engraving designs, and chevron patterns...
btw, if you were wondering, THIS is the seller i bought my knot ring from. i ordered a size 3 to fit it above my knuckle (my normal ring size ranges from 6-7) and it is a perfect fit. i would recommend both the seller and the ring but keep in mind that the overall shipping/processing took about 3 weeks since she makes all her jewelry pieces.
time for another post of items i've used up. one of my favorite posts to read on other blogs and one of the most satisfying posts for me to write up. onto the mini reviews!
HAIR
V05 CHAMOMILE TEA THERAPY CONDITIONER
this is always in my shower. i love this stuff for three reasons. for one, it serves as a multipurpose product for me. i use it in place of shaving cream, as a detangler, and of course as a conditioner. i should mention this isnt rich; on the contrary i find it pretty fluid so i almost never use this alone in my hair. i mix it with any lackluster conditioner im trying out at the moment or i dilute it into a leave in conditioner. secondly, it smells so good. i cant describe the scent but i love it. and thirdly, it is so incredibly cheap. i usually stock up whenever it is on sale for around 79 cents.
SN: while examining the bottle i realized this has no parabens or sulfates in the ingredient list. i find that interesting because usually when a product doesn't have said products in it the brand will broadcast it all over the bottle yet there are no claims anywhere on the label.
BATISTE DRY SHAMPOO
the hunt for a dry shampoo i actually enjoy continues! i dont care for this. it works well at absorbing oil and it adds a nice touch of volume but i dont like the smell and it adds a lot of unnecessary build up in my hair. i would say so far this is the second worst dry shampoo ive tried. tresemme takes the prize for the worst.
GIOVANNI SMOOTH AS SILK CONDITIONER
I really enjoyed using this. it left my hair smelling faintly like tangerines and it made my hair so soft. i would repurchase this again because i noticed it really added moisture to my ends, which are really dry. i went through this very quickly though.
SKINCARE
NEUTROGENA RAPID CLEAR CLEANSER
not a fan. i think i am the only person on this planet that doesnt care for neutrogena skincare. i have tried their amber colored bar soap, their pore refining cleanser, and their cream cleanser. i either break out more or have other adverse effects. this one made my skin SO dry. i was determined to use it up so i only used it every few days so my skin didnt go crazy from dryness. i think my skin eventually got used to this so in the end it was tolerable.
LA ROCHE POSAY EFFACLAR DUO
this is definitely a staple for me. i even cut it open to use every last drop. i use this on areas that are prone to breakouts (chins, temples) and my large pore areas (nose). it is amazing at unclogging my skin. my complexion is noticeably different when i stop using this. i can't go without this.
CERAVE CLEANSER
this bottle has seen better days. it is a VERY basic cleanser, think along the lines of cetaphil. the moisturizer, if you couldn't tell by now, i absolutely love. the cleanser is just...ok. the consistency is a milky gel that doesn't lather. it is gentle, doesn't break me out, it doesn't over strip my skin's moisture...BUT i feel like it doesn't benefit my skin in the long run. it doesn't prevent breakouts, nor does it exfoliate. it just removes whatever crap i happen to have on my face whether it be makeup or sebum build up. to be fair it doesn't promise to do anything special, just to clean gently. if you are looking for a gentle cleanser with no fuss this is as good a choice as any. i prefer cleansers with more benefits involved but every now and then ill pick this up because it is so basic.
SOAPS/REMOVERS
DR. BRONNER'S LAVENDER PURE CASTILE BAR SOAP
i really enjoyed this and will definitely repurchase from the brand. i have certain dry patches on my body that, no matter what soap i use, gets irritated and itchy all day even after i add lotion. this has banished that problem! i did try using this all over my body and i didn't like the result. it gave me that too "squeaky" clean feeling which i hate so i stuck with concentrated cleansing of my dry patches. i plan to try out the liquid version of dr. bronner's soaps to see if i get the same results since bar soaps are a pain. plus i want to experiment by mixing it with other body washes.
PHILOSOPHY BIRTHDAY CAKE BODY WASH
about time i used this up. this was sephora's free birthday gift last year. it has been sitting in my bathroom closet. it was ok. it foamed nicely and made my skin feel normal after i got out of the shower but the scent was mediocre (borderline offensive). it was free and it cleaned well but it didnt make me want to try out any other philosophy products.
ESTEE LAUDER TAKE IT AWAY MAKEUP REMOVER
i have about three of these samples in my pile of things ive abandoned in my bathroom closet. i like this. i wouldn't purchase the full size as im sure it is expensive and i have tried better removers that are more affordable. it comes out as a powder blue cream that smells faintly sweet. i find the best results are spreading a bit on a cotton round and using it on the eyes. i tried using this with my fingers all over my face and eyes as i would with a cleaning oil and didnt like it one bit. it doesn't burn my eyes and it takes off eye makeup easily with a cotton round so i will use up my other samples with no complaints.
MAKEUP/NAILS
CND STICKEY BASE COAT
so far my favorite base coat. it adds to the longevity of my manicures and it makes my nails not peel as much. i have already repurchased this but after i use up my second bottle i plan to try something else as i am curious about other brand offerings.
MAC FELINE KOHL LINER
my favorite pencil is down to a tiny unsharpenable (not a word) stub. if i could dedicate a song to this product, it would be...
bwahahaha...
but seriously, everything i've tried isn't black enough or gets all over my contacts so i cant see all day. forever my love! it is a very finicky product though. i lot of people hate it because it smudges like crazy on them. for some reason feline really WORKS on me and i don't even set it. i like it more than smolder since it is blacker and doesnt smudge as easily. this is my favorite for the waterline as it glides on so easily and sticks around most of the day. i use it in every FOTD you see on my blog. i used this practically every day for almost two years so i definitely got my money's worth. i already have a back up and i hear this is permanent now. thank the lord! is that enough gushing? probably eh?
STILA MINI LIP GLAZE IN GUMDROP
another one of these minis down, four more to go. i must say although i initially hated these lip glazes, the second time around gave me time to reflect on the product. it isn't as terrible as i first reviewed it. would i buy the full size? negative. will i use up the last few shades i have without hating myself? affirmative. although it is very sticky, the stickiness adds to the unbelievable staying power of the gloss. and the color range is nice. all in all i shouldn't have judged it so harshly before but i still don't recommend it.
such a long post! did you get through it all? hope you all have a great weekend!
recently sephora had a 15% off your purchase sale so of course i had to take advantage. i thought i would share my picks.
CHANEL CHANCE EAU FRAICHE
i tend to pick up a fragrance whenever sephora has a sale since it is very rare perfumes ever get a discount. i have been eying this scent for some time ever since my sister brought home a sample. it is a very invigorating scent and not at all heavy. to me it first opens citrusy with a hint of floral. as it dries down during the day on my skin it blossoms into a more jasmine with a slight musk scent. i love it. it isnt long lasting unfortunately. it lingers away from me around the 4 to 5 hour mark. but it makes for a great day scent, i highly recommend it.
MINI FRESH SUGAR BALMS
these were free as my birthday was this past sunday. if you are a beauty insider or VIB at sephora you get a free gift around your birthday. these are nice. i doubt i would ever purchase the full size as the price is outrageous for just a lip balm. regardless i will enjoy using the samples up.
LAURA MERCIER SECRET CAMOUFLAGE CONCEALER
i figured it was time for me to try this cult product out. im pretty sure this is going to last me forever. the texture is so different than what i expected! i expected a soft creamy consistency but in reality this is hard and waxy. im not complaining but it did surprise me. this blends into the skin nicely and covers well. i have been using it for redness and blemishes. for application i use a synthetic concealer brush by revlon. i find finger application isnt as great as with a brush.
KOH GEN DO CLEANSING WATER
this was in the checking out section of minis that sephora always has. that section always gets me! i am curious about this brand and i saw it in the check out so i decided to try it out. i am guessing this is along the same idea as bioderma, which i have not tried. this feels exactly like water so there is no oiliness or separation. ive used it a few times soaked on a cotton round and so far it is nothing special. it burns my eyes slightly and doesnt remove very thoroughly. i dont recommend it.
DIORSKIN SCULPT CONCEALER
i am a novice when it comes to any type of under eye concealer. so far i have only tried maybelline age rewind concealer which i wasnt impressed with because the coverage wasn't great. i have heard great things about this concealer so i picked it up in shade 1. so far i am not sure. it tends to crease on me and exaggerate (i thought nonexistent) fine lines under my eyes. perhaps it is my application and how much i use? i will play around with it more and see.
DIOR ADDICT EXTREME in INCOGNITO
my first dior lip product. i really like the feel of this and the finish. the extreme line is slightly more pigmented than the regular addict line. the shade is a slightly rosy beige. i want to try out another shade as i am unsure if this is flattering on me or not.
NARS dolce vita lipstick vs DIOR ingognito addict extreme dolce vita is definitely rosier and sheerer. of the two i prefer dolce vita just because it is my favorite lipstick EVER and it looks more...fleshy? hmm, not the best choice of words. if you want to see what dolce vita looks like on me, check out my post HERE.
WEARING INCOGNITO for some reason this shade pulls a bit brown on me. i am on the fence if i enjoy this shade or not. some days i like the way it looks others i think it is too brown. what do you guys think of it?
SN: i also tried on (and almost bought) dior's addict ultra gloss in black tie plum. i am regretting not picking it up as it is a gorgeous shade. i am thinking i will pick it up soon or i will wait until the sephora friends and family sale this fall, as it is is a more fall appropriate lip. black tie plum is also available in the addict extreme lipstick line but i didnt try it out.
WEARING BLACK TIE PLUM
this is a very light layer. the color is so rich you dont need much for payoff. i imagine i would enjoy wearing it sheer as well as full impact depending on my mood.
OJON DAMAGE REVERSE SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER
this i just picked up today, not during the sale, but i thought i would mention it as i bought it from sephora. i just finished my shampoo and conditioner (products ive used up post coming soon!) so i was in the market for something new. i have no HG products when it comes to hair care so i am constantly experimenting with different brands. i chose the damage reverse line as it promises to revive dry over processed hair which my hair definitely is. will keep you guys posted on my thoughts.
and that's all! what did you guys pick up from the sale?
