Tool Tuesday: Stylist Emery Board

Seriously, not all beauty tools have to be expensive. Take, for instance, this humble nail tool...

I don't even know its' proper name, but what a handy little booger it is! I get these at Sally's Beauty Supply. They are only 25 cents too. And I like that there are fun colors to choose from, like pink, green and purple.

It's a stylist with each end an emery board. I use it to do fine filing on the sides or undersides of my nails. If I get a bit of polish on my skin, next to my nail, I can use this to gently rub it off, after the polish has dried. Some of my nails are bowed at the end. I can use this stylist to file the underneath tip of my nail.

They don't last near as long as a flat and bigger emery board. However, I have them in my nail kit, handy should I need to file in a small area.

Have you seen these? What else do you use yours for?

Sometimes 'Shop' Means More Than Just 'Buy'

When I was younger (not that I'm old now!), I would take the time to comparison shop. That, as opposed to seeing something I like, and buying it without further financial thought. However, let me tell you why I don't do this hardly at all anymore: I know a deal when I see it.


That's a bold statement and a bit boisterous. But, because of my job, I'm in stores almost every day. I have a fairly good idea, in a ballpark sort of way, what the prices are of many items. So, I don't have to waste time and gas (both, which are really expensive) hunting for the best deal. Plus, there is the Internet and smartphone apps to give me all these comparisons, right at my fingertips.


But, I want to share with you something I found. And, I should have taken a photo of my smug mug too. 


There was no way in HELL I was walking out of the store without this...

 

I fancied this right away at Forever 21. At $7.89, I didn't even ask myself if it was something I REALLY needed. No point in asking myself stupid questions.


If you think I treat my makeup like works of art, you win! Yes, I do. I can sit with a new palette of shadows or a brand, new tube of lipstick and just gaze at it. Sigh...the simple pleasures.


It wasn't too many days later, I was at a different mall. I had finished up my work for that day and I loafed shopped looked browsed around. Totally unexpected, I found this at Urban Outfitters...

 

Same thing!!! However, the Urban Outfitter (UO) palette is 34%, or 1/3, more than the one I got at Forever 21. 


There are some surprising ways to think about this. The first one that comes to mind is that Urban Outfitters makes more money on their palette. However, that assumes that UO got theirs for the same price as Forever 21. Depending on either companies' purchasing power, UO may have had to pay more for theirs to begin with. 


Another assumption is that Urban Outfitters needs more per sale because they have more overhead. While this may be true, I don't know for sure. It could be that Forever 21 doesn't want to make as much profit on their merchandise. Nah. That isn't going to happen.


However, there is a twist to this pricing game: Regardless of which business made more money, did I save any money? I actually didn't. Not only am I out $7.89 plus tax, these shadows are just not working for me.


Unless I find a shadow primer that works so these shadows do not crease as wickedly as they have been, I wasted my money.


But then, I could always frame it and mount it on the wall...by the vanity.

Target's Beauty Bag: Coupons and Samples

Last week I got my Target Beauty Bag. I didn't even know if my request had gone through when I applied online so, I was super thrilled when this came in the mail...

 And the answer is "YES"; a grown woman will squeal in delight over a cute, little bag and some sweet samples...

And heck ya, I need coupons to go with it! I dig the stuff Target has in their beauty bags. And, back to the little bag...OMG! OMG! OMG!....

If Libby (my ragdoll cat and mascot of this blog) had gone to college, these would have been her varsity colors!!


Let's take a peek inside, right after I drool some more over this BAG!!!!...

Loreal's Magic Lumi Light Infusing primer (I used it already and will review it on a Sample Sunday post); Nivea Extended Moisture body lotion (smells good!); Neutrogena's Fresh Foaming Cleanser; Pantene's Fine Hair Conditioner; Simple's Cleansing Facial Wipes.


Stand out from this group is Simple's Cleansing Facial Wipes. I read a couple of beauty blogs were the writers felt they were cheating using facial wipes to remove their makeup. I've never felt I was cheating using them. I think cheating would be not washing my face at all!!!! 

So, this got me to thinking about doing a series on cleansing facial wipes. I'll use a brand for 7 days and do a review on it. I'll do a full review on the Simple facial wipes next week. But a sneak peek....I love 'em! Check in next week and see why.


Those coupons are in my purse and ready to be turned in at Target this weekend. Sweet! Oh, and that DARLING BAG!!!!!! Yes, I can go on and on.


Do you get the Target Beauty Bag?

China Glaze: The Hunger Games Collection - Fast Track

As if the movie, The Hunger Games', wasn't popular enough, the collection by the same name from China Glaze is being sold out in stores. I'm glad I got my set early!

If you didn't get any, you can live through my photos...

I was prepared to regret 'Fast Track'. I already have a crate full of taupes. But, this one is special. Yep. And that specialness is a pistol to capture in a photo...

'Fast Track' is a taupe that has a golden shimmer. In fact, when I roll it in the light, it also seems to have a bit of an iridescent shimmer as well.

I have the typical 3 coats and it was a pleasure to apply. Not one bit of a problem...

This is a polish I'd recommend to someone who wants to wear a nude tone but still wants a bit of spice. 'Fast Track' is a charmer.

I have Color Club's Vivid Color Intensifying top coat on to finish off the look...

OK, so I'm going to be an outcast waiting for The Hunger Games to come out on Amazon videos. But, I'm really happy I didn't wait to snag the entire China Glaze polish collection.

Did you get your polishes? Did you get this one?

Central Florida Beauty Bloggers Have A Dinner Date With Brooke From Blushing Noir

Last night, I met up with a few of the awesome ladies of Central Florida Beauty Bloggers. We had dinner at Bahama Breeze, got to meet our 'honorary CFBB' gal, Brooke from Blushing Noir Blog and had lots of blog talk.

 Pamela from Pamela's Closet; Toni from Toni Iz Beauty.

All smiles with Elizabeth from Lacquered Up Glittah; Brittany from Clumps of Mascara.

 Me! and my gal pal, L'Oreal from Make Me Up In HD.

And Brooke, fresh on vacation, taking a moment to visit us. Brooke is from Blushing Noir. I have followed her blog for quite some time so, I was ecstatic to meet her in person.

Zulay from Ellagata; Cat from Beauty by Cat.

And we always get a very accommodating wait staff to play photographer for a couple of group shots...

Everybody say 'GLOSS!'

Brooke, thank you soooo much for taking a few hours from your vacation to have dinner with us. I had so much fun getting together with everyone.