Tuesday, July 26, 2011

July Favorites

Since its almost the end of July I though I would post some items that I've been using this month that I think are great.  Here they are in no particular order:

1) Revlon Peach Smoothie Scented Nail Enamel $5
I just bought this nail polish and tried it this afternoon.  I was skeptical at the store whether or not the polish would smell good but the color was so pretty I thought it was worth a try.  The color is a very light pastel coral with tiny gold flecks.  Amazingly the scent was very pleasing as well!  The color payout is okay.  I needed at least 3 layers to make it fully opaque without any streaks showing.

2) Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge

The pink egg on the left is the Beauty Blender and the blue misshaped egg is the Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge.  The Beauty Blender is about $20 while the Sonia Kashuk is about $10.  Quite a price difference for very similar results.  Before diving in and paying full price for the Beauty Blender I wanted to see if I would like the "airbrush" results that are promised from these sponge.  I opted for the more economical sponge and I'm obsessed with the results!  These sponges are best used when dampened. By blotting the sponge in your foundation you can stipple your makeup on with a seamless effect.  The first day I tried the Sonia Kashuk sponge I wore drugstore Maybelline makeup and one of the first things anyone said to me that day was that my skin was flawless.  My skin is NOT flawless.  I have adult acne, scars, and skin discoloration.  To have someone tell me that they love how my skin loves and assume its not b/c of makeup feels wonderful!  Although I love the Sonia Kashuk sponge I do want to try the Beauty Blender.  Its been reviewed many times and most reviewers say that the texture and consistency of the Beauty Blender can not be replicated by any other imitation sponge. 

3) Olay ProX Spin Brush $30

This little spin brush is awesome.  Its a very economical alternative to the Clarisonic Mia or DDF spin brush.  Its more closely related to the DDF due to the fact that both devises spin, but the price difference is drastically different.  The DDF can cost upwards of $90 while the Olay ProX is only $30.  Refills for the replaceable brush heads are also much more affordable via Olay.  After just one use of the Olay ProX my skin was noticeably softer and I feel that it has helped keep my skin clearer as well.  I was very interested in buying the Clarisonic and or DDF but I'm completely satisfied with this product I now have no desire to spend excessive money on the more expensive versions.  On a side note I did see a knock off Clarisonic face brush at TJMaxx - it was a similar shape and look with the sonic cleaning feature.  I thought about buying it but then realized that finding a replacement head for it would be near to impossible.  Keep that in mind when you make a decision for high price items.  If replacement parts are super expensive you may want to try a cheaper route, but if the cheaper route does not offer any replacement parts you may be better off with something more expensive. 


4) L'Oreal Deep Cream Facial Cleanser $5-8

I've tried two out of the four facial cleanser shown above.  The first facial cleanser I tried was the pink one.  I actually hated it when I first tried it due to the intense smell but after giving it a second chance I love it.  The whole reason why I bought the cleanser in the first place was due to the pink scrubby thing... which is really nice.  The cream cleanser works really well at taking off makeup and there's a nice tingly feeling afterwards.  The green cleanser however SUCKS!!! I pretty much made this decision when I realized there was makeup junked up my my ProX cleanser after washing my face with the green cleanser.  I then tried washing off the makeup with more green cleanser ... over and over and over again. The makeup would NOT come off.  I tried my pink cleanser with the ProX in the shower the next day and discovered that the pink face cleanser was actually striping the makeup off the ProX.  So if the green "face wash" can't clean makeup from the ProX then how much makeup is being left on my skin?  Gross!

5) TOMS Red Bimini Youth Classics $38


So I actually bought these in the youth size.  Its a lot more affordable and you still get the One for One deal.  Little side note.  I have a pair of 7.5 women's pair that fit a little big and I bought these in a size Youth 6 that is a lot big.  I probably should have ordered a size 5 or 5.5 youth.  
  

Another little Anthropologie Haul

I love me some Anthropologie!  And I LOVE it when they have some stuff on sale that I want to buy.  I recently had a tough day at work so I treated myself to a little shopping.  I found so many cute items for a good deal!!!






Perennial Awakening Blouse

(Originally $138, Sale $39.95)

I love this shirt so much.  I've actually been keeping my eye on it for over 2 months.  It was recently on sale for $69.95, but at that price I still thought it was too expensive.  The nice thing about this shirt is that it fits more like a tunic for me so I have the option of wearing it as a shirt with skinny jeans or with a slip as a dress.  Its a great length for a petite girl!






Lacy Turning Cami 


Originally $34.00, Now $ 9.95

This is a nice cami to own if you want something that is just a little bit dressier than the average tanktop.  Although I think this was meant to be worn to bed its opaque enough to wear in public.  Its made of a nice soft silky knit that very flattering on.  I paired it with the cardigan I purchased below. 






Billowing Stitches Cardigan

(Originally $118.00, Now $29.95)


I bought this specifically for the fickle summer weather in the bay area.  This is a very light weight knit/crochet cardigan.  Its much to baggy to be worn alone so I paired it with a thick black belt. 





Van Wrinkle Sweater
Originally:  $118, Now: $9.98!!!

I almost fell over when I saw the price on this sweater.  I LOVE IT.  Its so unique and quirky... exactly the type of item I look for at Anthropologie.  Its sales like this that make me an Anthroholic. 





Cerro Bonete Top

(Originally $58.00, Now $29.95)

This is another quirky top, may not be everyone's taste.  I'm still on the fence but I've worn it once already. 





Daughters Of The Liberation Dark Denim High Waist Trouser

(Originally $98.00, Now $29.95)

I got a crazy good deal on these jeans.  BTW, this is a shot of the back of the jeans.  Anywho, I had to return a shirt I bought in the wrong size that happened to be $29.95.  Well I wanted to get a pair of Joes Jean Trousers that were on sale but unfortunately they did not have them in my size.  I found these jeans priced $59.95.  I tried them on, a little snug but they have an incredible amount of stretch to them so I'm sure they'll stretch out easily. Imagine how stunned I was when they rang up $29.95 at the register.  I only had to pay $0.08 due to the tax difference... but basically I got a pair of jeans for the price of a shirt.  Yowza! 




Valotta Lilly Barrette

$15

This was not on sale but I could not pass it up.  








Plait & Pleat Skirt

(Originally: $78.00, Now: $19.95)This is a fairly standard white skirt but it has some nice details.  With pockets and a removable woven belt its fairly functional.  The length is very flattering as well.  






Summer Grasses Belt

(Originally: $52.00, Now: $9.95)
This belt as a nice yellow hue and is very flattering with cardigans and sweaters. 


Happy Shopping Friends!  Always check out the SALE section at your local Anthropologie for hidden gems.   New items go on sale every Tuesday.