Category Archives: Pamela

First Impressions – Glossier Cloud Paint

Posted on by Pamela
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As you already know, I am in love with Glossier.  Everything about the brand….. the products, the colors and formulas, the packaging… all of it.  So when they released information stating that they were going to be developing a blush, I was beyond excited for it.  Then I found out it was going to be a gel formula and was even more excited!  The day it went live I ordered two of the four colors (they currently have a code for buy 2 for $30, so I had to get 2 – no brainer), and I can tell you after just using it for the past couple of days…. I reeeeally love it!  

They’re packaged in tubes that look like acrylic paints! (image from glossier)

The colors I chose are Beam and Puff.  Beam is a peachy coral and Puff is a light pink.  I’ve always been a fan of cream blushes as I sometimes feel like powder blushes look too chalky or, er… powdery on my skin – I don’t use setting powders ever for that very reason. Basically, my skin can use all the extra hydration it can get, and with specific ingredients to hydrate the skin, the gel-cream formula is plumping, lightweight and super blendable.  It looks just like a natural flush, and is very buildable.  I really want the other two colors now, actually.   I’ll stay strong and hold off, using these two for a while, but for who knows how long???  Of course I would highly recommend trying at least one (BUT there’s that code for 2 for $30!)  PSSST!!  Use this code for 20% off your first purchase!

Our first jobs–or how we made our first paychecks

Posted on by Lyn
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In my Ipsy bag this month, I got a red NYX lipstick in the color, Lifeguard. Seeing that lipstick totally set me on a nostalgic turn thinking of my first job, being a lifeguard at the Phillips Community Pool. I immediately wanted to listen to a 90s playlist and reminisce about my days up in the chair. And it started me thinking about how much that first job informed who I am today.

The lipstick that started the conversation–Lifeguard by NYX. Photo courtesy of nyxcosmetics.com

It also dawned on me that I wasn’t sure I knew what Pamela or Jess’ first jobs were–I did!–but I was curious how they felt their first jobs had influenced them.

So this is the story of our first paychecks: where we got them, what we did and how those experiences imprinted who we would become.

Continue reading →

2016 Faves & Fails

Posted on by Jess
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When you have a problem, er, penchant rather, for feeding your beauty and pop culture addictions, you’re bound to find some gems along the way! But, more often than we’d like to admit, every once and a while you get a real bad egg*. We want to feel good about everything we acquire, so here are some things we discovered last year that we really really loved, and a couple of bummers that you might want to think twice about:

Pamela

Best:

MV Organics Gentle Cream Cleanser

This is sooooo pricey I’m almost embarrassed to admit I spent $58.00 on 2.4 fl.oz. of cleanser. But it works wonders for my skin in winter. I discovered this last January when my skin was freaking out….. it had become red, dry, super sensitive and very breakout prone. It was a mess. I had heard really good things about this cleanser via a couple different YouTubers and I was willing to try anything to get my skin calmed down. And it worked. So well. I chalked things up to a bad winter last year and never repurchased….. until last month when my skin started to do the same thing it did last winter. Once again this cleanser is working and I feel like things are back under control. Bonus: it smells so amazing.

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipsticks

I know. Can we really talk about the Jeffree Star liquid lipsticks one more time? Yes. We can. Last year all three of us were introduced to these and as we have mentioned in previous posts, they are the best. Maybe this is too obvious of a choice for one of my “best off” picks, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t say out of everything I bought in 2016 these were one of my very favorites. So if you still have not tried one, DO IT. My personal favorite happens to be Celebrity Skin. PS. Oil cleansers or micellar water work best to remove these lipsticks…. because they really do wear forever.

Bummer:

Algenist GENIUS Ultimate Anti-Aging Melting Cleanser

This was an impulse purchase. I felt that it would be amazing though, based on my feelings about the GENIUS eye cream that I love so much.  I feel like for the $38.00 price tag, this was not worth the money. It’s nothing special. I did not feel or see any great differences in my skin. I have many cleansers that are just as good if not better than this one.

Lyn

Best:

The Hunt for the Wilderpeople

I’m still working through the list of Oscar buzzed movies, but even as I tick them off the list, none have changed my mind on my favorite movie of 2016, The Hunt for the Wilderpeople. I hadn’t heard anything about this film but remembered my friend, Rob Thomas recommending it to me, which was enough to persuade some friends to see it on a whim. (I actually think they were talking about seeing something I wasn’t feeling and threw this one out for suggestion.) None of us knew what we were getting into–but we left completely on a high and totally smitten by this film. I think it’s best not to know too much about it when you see it, but you must see it. (Full disclosure–I’m ridiculous so there were two scenes I had to look away for–but there’s plenty of time to do so.) And it has been 100% loved by everyone who has seen it on my recommendation and brightens up the darkest day.  Be prepared to be charmed and to have a new song to sing for birthday parties.

Song Exploder

Rob Thomas strikes again! I’m not huge into podcasts. I have a few that I follow but I’m not a rabid consumer of them. So when Rob brought this one up to me on our drive back from Lollapalooza, I kinda forgot about it or filed it in the way back. But it came up again a few weeks later by my brother-in-law, Matt (or New Matt as we affectionately call him.) And I’m so glad it did. This podcast might be the greatest thing I discovered in 2016–even though it’s been around longer. Each episode is only about 15 minutes long and comes around every two weeks or so. It is definitely a low commitment podcast. Each episode features an artist breaking down one of their songs. Warning: this is serious nerd territory. They talk about samples they use, influences they were drawing from before recording, the lyrical meanings and many of the different textures that make a song great that you might not have noticed before. The first episode I listened to was MGMT talking about Time to Pretend. I am not kidding–I cried. And it wouldn’t be the last time I was so moved by the story behind the music I wept on my steering wheel. Many of my favorite songs of 2016 had episodes featured on the podcast. Would they have made the list had I not learned about the production on You Don’t Get Me High Anymore or the backstory to Your Best American Girl? Probably? But frankly–I don’t care. Because these stories give me a much deeper appreciation to the song’s artistry and all the tiny decisions that are made to put together something that seems like magic. Subscribe to this podcast today.

Bummer:

Urban Decay Cosmetics Blackmail Vice Lipstick Palette

This seemed like such an awesome deal–twelve shades from the incredible new Urban Decay lipstick launch–in one palette. Perfect for travel. Perfect for sampling. Perfect for expanding your collection of colors. Nope. The palette itself is really clunky. It’s too thick and heavy to stash in your purse. And while the colors look like a nice variety of options, the formulas do not work the same as in the tube. They felt really gloppy to apply and the more pigmented shades were patchy, requiring multiple coats. Maybe it’s because I’m obsessed with the Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipsticks so everything else has taken a back seat, but I brought just this palette and two Jeffree Star colors (Gemini, REDRUM) when I traveled to Tokyo for 8 days in September and I only touched this palette once–and I haven’t used it since. It’s only $20, but just get a full sized UD Vice lipstick in a shade you love and skip this collection.

Jess:

Best:

Makeup Revolution Radiance Palette

via Ulta.com

Ok ok- this palette snuck into my basket somehow during my holi-dazed shopping at Ulta, and I have been reaching for it almost daily ever since. This is not a super glittery, shine-from-space type of highlighter, but rather, it adds a really soft, subtle, lit from within glow. I love using the lightest shade (“breathe”) as an under eye setting powder (gives me life on early mornings), the middle shade (“exhale”) for my cheekbones and brow bone, and the darkest shade (“glow”) to bump up my bronzer, or as a sheer wash on my eyelids. THIS PALETTE IS $15!!!, and it rivals the Ambient Lighting palette by Hourglass. The formula is a beautiful creamy powder, and can be applied subtly for a daytime, perfect “Snapchat filter” glow. You can get even more shine and staying power out of it if you apply it with a brush dampened with some setting spray. Bonus: the palette is made of quality plastic and comes with a nice, huge mirror.

Stranger Things

I know, it’s such an obvious pick! But in a year of really stand out television, this one really resonated with me. Maybe it’s because I am a child of the 80’s, and remember living in a world where we were latch-key kids and rode our bikes all over town. Everything has already been said about this show- it’s a love letter to the 80’s, it’s Stephen King meets Steven Spielberg, the kids (who are so freaking fantastic) actually look like real kids- it all hits me in just the right nostalgia feels. I spent a good week listening to nothing but Joy Division and New Order after devouring this series over the course of 48 hours, and you know, it just felt right. Plus Winona Ryder!! YYYAAAAASSSSS!!!

For those keeping score, I’m still obsessed with this mascara, this deodorant, and this yogurt (which is now much easier to find!)

Bummer:

Jeffree Star Beauty Killer Eyeshadow Palette

via jeffreestarcosmetics.com

After falling in love with the aforementioned liquid lipsticks, I had big hopes and dreams for this palette. I even set an alarm for the release, and bought it from my phone while brushing my teeth (this was expected to- and did- sell out quickly). I was excited about the quirky mix of neutrals, mattes, glitters, and electric shades. The pan sizes were huge. YouTubers were raving. The day my box arrived, I opened it up and… oh. It’s made of cardboard. But whatever the pans are huge and the colors swatched so vividly! But then I actually tried to put together looks. And tried. And tried. None of these colors made sense, at least on my face. Maybe that’s a personal failing. Of my face. Another weird thing: they did not last. Where does eyeshadow even go? It even faded under the power of a shadow primer AND a setting spray. I wanted to love this, but I’ll stick to collecting lip colors from this line.

What are some of your favorite discoveries of 2016? What products bummed you out? Let us know in the comments!

As always, we bought all of this stuff with our own dumb money. Photos are from product websites unless otherwise noted.

*Ricky Baker is our favorite bad egg.

Oh Hi, 2017.

Posted on by Jess
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Welcome 2017! You will either be the year that turns this ship around, or burns everything to the ground. Either way, we welcome this fresh start with open arms. Don’t you just love a fresh start? We here at E&N are old enough to know that resolutions don’t always work for everyone, but we still embrace the idea of the blank page of a new year to help us reflect and make some changes to (hopefully!) better ourselves. What do we have in mind?

Pamela:

One of the things that I often do at the beginning of the year is start some deep cleaning, and purge my house of things I don’t need or that are not being used anymore.  This year I am focusing on my closet, dressers and jewelry…… so basically my whole wardrobe.  I recently discovered the  Be More With Less website and hope to use her method of closet cleaning, which is taking everything out of your closets and drawers and putting it all on your bed and then sorting it all into piles.  A pile of things you LOVE- you wear them often and they fit you and your life really well, a pile of things that are a MAYBE – you want to keep it but you’re not yet sure why, a DONATION pile – things that don’t fit or haven’t been worn or used in a very long time and a pile for the TRASH – things that are just not in good shape anymore and therefore don’t ever get worn or used.  This method has me a little (A LOT) freaked out, but I really feel like it could help me navigate this closet cleaning process and in the end figure out of all that I do have, what are the things that I really love.  Wish me luck…. I imagine with the amount of tee shirts I own, I’ll need it.

Lyn:

Doesn’t it seem like years are flying by? 2016 was rough–on a number of levels–but it still seems like it was just New Year’s Day 2016 five minutes ago. One of the things I want to focus on this year is to look at life on a more comprehensive scale. Right now–I’m very day to day. As a result of this practice–I totally overschedule life–yet can’t figure out why it’s happening. I started using a planner–the old school write it down kind–last summer and it really brought some clarity. I thought I was starting to lose my mind–advancing age, obviously–but really–it was too much to try and remember in my head. I’m bad at putting things into an online calendar–and even worse at checking one. After Jess’ bullet journal post, I decided to upgrade my 2017 planner to one that allows me space to write more notes and look at the week, month, year at a glance. My goal is to be more thoughtful with how I schedule my time. I don’t want to plan trips back-to-back-to back and I don’t want to miss things because I’ve already committed to something else. It’s going to be quite the change–but I’m ready for it.

And I also want to clean out my closet…

Jess:

Here’s what I’m working on: being less of a disaster. Doesn’t this sound like an impossible, overwhelming mountain?? I always feel “too busy” or “to messy” or “too late” or “vice president of the over-scheduled club” or just generally like one of those used car arm-waving inflatable tube guys. This is becoming stressful; I am coming to terms with the fact that I don’t like feeling this way, but change is hard! So I’m taking the advise of my good friend Annie and trying her #tinychangeninja challenge. The idea is that you don’t do any massive overhauls, but rather tweak a thing here, a thing there, until before you know it, a new habit has formed and you didn’t even notice! I’ve been working on: 1) Trying to be better about not having tons of shit in my car- I did a major clean out last Fall, and now I’m trying to be good about removing whatever garbage and hoodies and water bottles I brought in daily, before it becomes a problem. 2) Leaving just 5 minutes earlier for work, which is harder than I expected, but when I do it, it feels really good to not be freaking out at every red light or rafter of turkeys crossing the street (I literally just learned that a group of turkeys is called a rafter, btw) that slow me down. 3) Putting away my phone more. So far I’ve been pretty good at keeping it away during dinners out with friends, but it still creeps out toward the end of family gatherings and group hangouts, and too often before bed, so I’m just trying to be aware of it for now, and asking “what am I even looking for?” If the answer is “…uummm…..?” then I put it away.

And yeah, my closet? I have a pile of jeans… I don’t even know what decade they came from.

What about you? Did you make any resolutions, or plan to make any changes? How’s your closet? Tell us in the comments!!

Drink It Like It’s Hot….

Posted on by Jess
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Well, it’s finally winter. Snow is on the ground, icy air is obnoxiously slapping us in the face, the humidifier has been employed in the bedroom, and fashion is reduced to “but is it warm??” Also, it’s dark out at 4:30. It’s basically midnight before Wheel of Fortune is on. So, to save our sanity, we are reaching for warm, cozy beverages… like tea! It’s a hug in a cup! What’s in our tea cupboards??

Pamela:

I would have to say that my favorite tea is earl grey. I sometimes feel like there isn’t a brand that I haven’t tried their earl grey (of course this is not true, but you see where I’m going…. I’ve tried a lot.)  One of my favorite places to pick up tea is TJ Maxx, which is where I have picked up and am often able repurchase Clipper organic earl grey. I feel like it has the perfect amount of bergamot, is really smooth, and with a splash of milk, pretty much perfection.

Say Celestial Seasonings and sleepy time and lemon zinger tea is what I think of – I’ve honestly never been a fan. Which is why I was surprised to find they have a slightly more posh range within their line now. I stumbled upon the Dirty Chai at Target, and decided to impulse purchase it. It’s a masala chai tea with espresso. Do you remember General Foods International coffees? With a little milk and honey, this tastes just like that. It satisfies my caffeine needs when I can’t choose if I’d rather have tea or have coffee and is pretty good, actually!

With a name like Teapigs, even without trying any of their teas, how can you not already love them? Having tried several of their teas through the pick and mix sample box, there’s not one I don’t like. The herbal teas they offer are particularly great. I love the Super Fruit at night, when I don’t want any caffeine, but I want something sweet. It’s delicious on it’s own and even better with milk.

Jess:

Real talk: I’m a coffee girl, first and foremost. But in the past 5-10 years, I can only deal with coffee in the morning. Granted, it is ESSENTIAL in the morning, but come 10:30 or 11:00am, and I enjoy it less and less. If I have coffee after noon, forget it- I just want to chew my face off, and then I won’t fall asleep until 2am. BEING OLD IS THE WORST.

Before I got old and lazy, I used to be a super tea person. Like, I would buy bulk, whole leaf loose tea, I had a dedicated tea infuser, knew all the temperatures and steeping times for my teas… it was pretty great really. I loved a company called SpecialTeas, which is now Teavana (uuugh. read: Starbucks). Green tea was my jam (straight up Dragonwell is delightful!), and Pamela got me hooked on the Earl Grey Creme, which is a softer, less astringent version of an Earl Grey. These are, in fact, special teas, so I don’t reach for them as often as I would like to, but they are around if I have some time and want a treat (and need a little non-coffee boost in the afternoon).

While technically not actually tea, per se, I always keep some kind (any kind!) of peppermint tea on hand. It’s not caffeinated, so it’s a great after-dinner digestive. Also, it saved my (future) marriage when I had my wisdom teeth removed, and was forbidden from brushing my teeth for several days (DAYS!!!). Also also, it’s great to have on had if you have a crum tum.

Have you ever had a hot toddy? Like, for realsies? It’s honey, lemon, and ginger diluted in hot water. It’s like a hug that punches you in the face, but it’s perfect if you’re feeling a bit under the weather, which is likely this time of year. Our local co-op makes an AMAZING hot toddy (non-alcoholic) in their coffee/juice bar- here is the recipe– it’s probably amazing (and even more medicinal) with a little sploosh of rum or whiskey. 😉

Lyn:

I do not drink coffee. It’s a constant battle because I drive long, long distances late at night and sometimes drinking coffee would be a good idea–but I get crabby about the caffeine and the taste–so I don’t. But tea? I’m crazy for tea. Pamela and I bonded over our tea obsession when we were first introduced by Jess. In fact–buried in my tea collection is the Teapigs sample box Pamela mentioned above–which is a super fun way to try a bunch of new varieties.

2016-12-08-11-01-56

Most of the teas from my desk drawer. Yeah–it’s a problem.

I drink tea all day long. As much of it as I drink, unlike Jess, I don’t know any of the metrics of making tea. Nor do I have a tea making process. I just fill my mug with hot water from the dispenser and put a tea bag in. And then I refill it throughout the day until I’m basically drinking hot water. At some point, I’ll start over with a new tea bag and begin the process again. Very fancy.

2016-12-08-13-56-53

My “Baby I’m a Star” original mug–painted by yours truly in the Dells a million years ago–with my signature lipstick stain.

But I start every day at the office the same way–with my favorite tea of all time–Harney and Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea. I am straight up addicted. In fact–half of my office is now, too–even my tea averse business partner is converted. This tea is exactly as the name says–it’s very cinnamony–and makes you feel all warm–with spicy kick. I’ve tried a ton of other teas to try and find an appropriate dup, and I can’t. I’m not sure what makes it so special. But it is. Nothing I have tried even comes close. It is a black tea–so it does have some caffeine–but the decaffeinated version is still really good. I have both and will sometimes just switch to the decaf in the afternoon. It is pricey for a tea–but soooo worth it. (Honorable mention in the Harney and Sons line is their Paris tea.)

Almost every aspect of my life uses my voice: talking at work (and life), teaching dance, singing in choir (or in the car or at a concert). So my voice takes a beating. I don’t know what I would do without the classic Traditional Medicinal Throat Coat Tea. I love black licorice so I have no issues with the flavor of the tea and it works wonders on giving your voice life again. If you like licorice, the Yogi Eqyptian Licorice is wonderful, but not as medicinal.

At night, my favorite tea to unwind with is the get some zzz’s from The Republic of Tea. I have a lot of their teas and really love the canister presentation. I have a bunch of them just because I’m a sucker for the packaging and love trying them. But I find this nighttime tea perfect to relieve stress and get ready for bed.

Are you more tea or coffee? Do you have any favorites that we need to put in our cupboard or desk drawer? Please comment below! And hey–stay warm out there, folks!

Like all things, we have purchased these teas with our own money and are not being paid for our drinking habits.

 

We have a winner!

Posted on by Lyn
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Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!! We are so grateful to this wonderful, caring community–filled with friends we’ve known forever and some we’ve never actually met in person–that give us a space to share thoughts, ideas, insecurities and obsessions.  In a relatively short amount of time, we feel we’ve taped into something real and we are proud to be on this journey with you. Thank you for traveling with us!

To show our appreciation–we offered one email subscriber a gift pack of Our Drugstore MVPs–picked at random, today, Thanksgiving Day, 2016. Using a very scientific “Random Number Generator”–it’s on the Internet so it must be legit, right?–we selected one number and matched it to our email subscriber list. And the winner…Rachel F!!

Thank you to all our email subscribers, Facebook fans, casual blog readers and generally awesome people we love! We hope you are having a wonderful Thanksgiving–and from Jess, Pam and me–we think you are all winners!!

Now–it’s back to eating and schooling the fam at cards for me! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! xoxoxo

 

Our Drugstore MVPs: WIN THEM!

Posted on by Jess
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You guys!!! WE ARE HAVING A GIVEAWAY!!!

We love ALL the products–but we have a special place in our hearts for the ones that keep a little extra cash in our wallets. Regardless of cost, our mantra is: if it works, it works. And some of our MVP products happen to be of the drugstore variety.

To celebrate our MVP drugstore faves–and to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us since we’ve launched our blog–we are offering one blog subscriber a gift pack featuring ALL of our favorite drugstore products shared below!

So check out what we love at the drugstore, make sure you’re subscribed to our blog, and we will pick our winner on Thanksgiving, November 24th. And if you like our blog–please share it with friends–and make sure you’re a fan of our Facebook page, too!

And without further adieu, our MVP drugstore faves:

Pam:

I love my high end body washes that smell amazing and feel so fancy and luxurious. But in addition to those extravagances, I need something that is going to just do the work that I need it to at an inexpensive price point with no frills about it. That product for me is Neutrogena Body Clear body wash. I am prone to keratosis pilaris (KP) not only in the winter, but also sometimes in the summer months.  If you’re unfamiliar with KP, I’m talking about the “chicken skin” that can develop on the backs of arms and in my case, on my legs – specifically the insides of my knees. With this wash having 2% salicylic acid, it effectively but gently exfoliates and smooths away the bumps without drying my skin out. It is one of the things that is always in our shower (in fact, we all use it!)

L’Oreal Brow Stylist is also on my list of drugstore finds I won’t stop using anytime soon.  For whatever reason it always seems a little hard to find it, but totally worth the hunt.  I feel like I have different versions of this product which are all good. And there’s not one I would say is better or worse, but at $9.99, this is a staple for me.  It works so well to fill in, tame and set my brows.  I use it almost everyday (and on the off days I use my Glossier Boy Brow of course, which I also cannot live without). And in addition to it coming in two shades, it comes in transparent, which is really great if you are just needing to tame and set what you have created with your other brow pencils and pomades.

Lyn:

I feel like I’m working through a hundred mascara samples right now–but my tried and true, nobody does it better, accept no imitations is the L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lash Mascara in Blackest Black. Nothing makes my lashes look longer and fuller with less mess and more staying power than this classic–high end products included. It’s my gold standard that none of the samples have been able to exceed.

My lipstick collection is ridiculous. But one of my favorites–whether it’s from the drugstore or department store–is the Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lip Color. The color payoff is rich, the matte finish is legit and it has the benefits of a liquid lip in that you don’t have to reapply it crazy often, but it’s not drying. My favorite colors are Divine Wine and Touch of Spice. But I have a few and they are all great.

Jess:

Need to add a little life to your face after a flight? Soften up your powder? Set your makeup? Wake up? Refresh at the gym? Prep your face for moisturizer?? This product is beyond MVP around here- if we could buy it by the gallon, we would: Mario Badescu Facial Spray. It’s cheap, gets the job done, and just generally makes us very happy.

The holidays are a great time to play with a dramatic eye, so I would also love to give you my favorite drugstore eyeliner- the Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum in Ultra Black by Physicians Formula. As I’ve told you before, this liquid eyeliner pen with a brush tip is a PERFECT dupe for my holy grail (well, second place holy grail now!) Kat Von D Tattoo Liner. I promise it’s easy to use, too!

Want to win all of this awesome stuff?? Just hit that subscribe button below and include a valid email address– if you’re already subscribed, you’re good to go! We really appreciate everyone who reads and joins the conversation here- thanks for sticking with us and helping us grow! Remember- we will announce the winner on Thanksgiving Day, and yes, we will be wearing stretchy pants.

xoxo

We really love these things! We have bought them with our own money more than once. Now we will buy them for you! What are your drugstore MVPs that keep you coming back?? Tell us in the comments!

Test Drives: Drugstore Eye Creams

Posted on by Lyn
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We love getting requests for reviews and post ideas. Nothing makes us happier than hearing you are reading our articles and want more! (That and sharing E&N with your friends, hint hint.) But we will admit–we were really nervous when we got asked on our Facebook page if we could recommend some cost-effective eye creams. Generally, eye creams are the type of product we are willing to spend a little more money on. None of us had a drugstore eye cream we felt comfortable recommending. So we each agreed to abandon our nighttime under eye routines and test drive a drugstore eye cream for one month. Since we are all in our 40s, keeping signs of aging at bay is a shared concern. But–we decided our love for you was worth risking increased bags, circles and lines.

Our challenge was to test drive some drugstore eye creams was on. Would we find one that’s pretty good actually? Read and find out!

Pamela: ROC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream

Eye cream is something I don’t generally skimp on price wise. I currently use (and almost through my second pot of)  the Algenist GENIUS Ultimate Anti-aging eye cream which runs $74.00 for .5 oz.  Not cheap.  But does it work?  Oh yes.  HELL yes.  In fact I noticed results only 5 days after I started using it.  I was sold – hook, line and sinker.  So naturally, I had reservations about trying something from the drugstore….. but in the name of blog research, you get what you ask for!  So let us see whatcha got ROC.  Promising to visibly reduce wrinkles around the eyes, crow’s feet, puffiness and dark circles at $19.99 for the same amount of product ( .5 oz.), it was definitely a bargain. First impressions: Smells normal and non offensive and has kind of a thin consistency.  No big problem with that.  I should note that I was initially a little wary of the retinol aspect of it, being so close to the eye, would it irritate them?  Nope. In fact, retinol is down so low on the list of ingredients, I’m sure that there isn’t enough in it to have them even list the percent (which they don’t.)  The first week I was slightly surprised to see it seemed to be doing a pretty good job!  One of the nights I had been out for pho (salt) and wine (not water) and normally my eyes are super puffy the morning after that sort of meal.  Using it that night, I was pleased to see it took care of those unfortunate side effects beautifully….. and I started to wonder if I would have to spend $74 bucks on eye cream ever again!  Well, I wondered too soon. While it seemed to hold it’s own on the moisture front, I was beginning to see that my dark circles were getting darker again.  Then I began to notice makeup settling into my fine lines which clearly showed me that I was indeed slowly but surely losing moisture and plumpness.  It was two weeks in that I threw in the towel and went back to Algenist, again noticing results in just a few days….. and I will never look back…… or at least not for a while.

Jess: Cerave Eye Repair Cream

I’m pretty fairweather about eye creams, since I haven’t found my ride or die, and for some reason eye creams aren’t high on my priority list. My biggest eye-related challenges are oldness (my eyelids are getting crepey) and irritation, especially during allergy season. Because they are so touchy, I am cautious about using anything too hard core- even the most well-meaning products have left my tender eyeball area stinging and red. Not cute. Usually I reach for Simple Soothing Eye Balm. It’s fairly inexpensive (around $10), aroma neutral, and really does soothe and depuff my eyes, but it doesn’t really do much in the anti-aging department. It also doesn’t do well under makeup, so I tend to only use it at night or “as needed”. So for this post, I got brave and tried another drugstore find- Cerave Eye Repair Cream (also around $10- apparently I have a low threshold for spending more than a Hamilton on eye cream). Sadly, this did not knock my socks off. I have used- and liked- other Cerave products in the past, but this eye cream didn’t really seem to do anything, much less any repairing. In fact, I’ve noticed my eyelids feeling more crepey and dehydrated since using it. It’s not terrible, I guess, and it does dry down with a bit of a tack, so it’s ok under makeup. I might throw this in my travel bag, but for now, maybe I’ll go get a sample of that Algenist one… and consider increasing my eye cream budget.

Lyn: Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Eye Swirl Gel Cream Treatment.

Just like my sisters above–I was super nervous about this challenge. I have two eye creams that I’ve been using together regularly: Philosophy Miracle Worker Eye Cream and Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum Synchronized Complex II. (that’s a mouthful!) I put the later on first and the former on after. Both creams are pricey at $69 and $65, respectively. I’m so concerned about my under eye area (which I have previously discussed) I’ve also tried even MORE expensive creams in the hopes of finding magic in a bottle. But the others were disappointing (looking at you, Drunk Elephant Shaba Complex Eye Serum and Caudalie Premier Cru The Eye Cream) so the combo above has been my ride or die for a few years now.

So when we decided to give a drugstore eye cream a one month trial, I feared it would set me back years. But then I remembered that beautypedia.com ends every eye cream review with a disclaimer that eye creams are a hoax–and who know? maybe they are–so I decided to just suck it up and give it a go. In selecting a drugstore eye cream, I had only one requirement: it must be a pump. I hate pots. So with that in mind, I went to Target and settled on the Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Eye Swirl Gel Cream Treatment. (clearly i like products with ridiculously long names.) I felt encouraged–it’s a pump, it’s got a swirl like one of my favorite night creams, Meaningful Beauty Creme de Serum, and I used the Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Daily Anti-Aging Daily Moisturizer throughout my 20s and really liked it. Plus the package says it “firms & brightens for younger-looking eyes” which is exactly what I wanted to hear!

And guess what–it’s pretty good actually!!! It shares my favorite feature of my Philosophy cream–it’s thick. Like super heavy and substantial but not waxy. I don’t like eye creams that are too watery. I feel like they just slide down my face and aren’t focused on the job at hand. And because it’s so thick, even one pump is too much. A half a pump is plenty. To conform to the challenge, I used it alone and didn’t double it up with a serum. And I honestly couldn’t tell the difference between my $68 eye cream and this one–which is pricey for a drugstore at $19.99–but it’s still much cheaper than what I generally throw down.

_eyeswirl_1

We have a winner!

I’m going to continue using the Olay Regenerist even now that the challenge is over but I’m going start partnering it with the Estee Lauder serum to see what happens. But regardless–I totally recommend saving some bucks and checking out this drugstore find!

What’s your ride or die eye cream? Do you have any drugstore eye creams you would recommend? We’d love to hear about them!

(Hoping to save money in the future, we all shelled out some of our own cash to purchase these drugstore eye creams.)

Smells like fall spirit

Posted on by Pamela
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Days are sadly shortening. Jackets are coming out of the closets. Scarves are swinging around our necks. And our fall/winter fragrances are moving to the front of the vanity. These are our go-to scents that signal colder days are here.

Jess:

From September through April is the cold, dark half of the year- a time I refer to as “candy season”. See, this is the time of year when all the major candy holidays fall: Twix ghosts kick it off, then it rolls right into some Snickers Santas, followed by candy hearts, and finally winding down with Cadbury Mini Eggs. Maybe it’s because of this that I gravitate toward sweeter, spicier, darker scents once the days get shorter. I should note that I’m really picky about scents- I do poorly with heavily perfumed or fragranced things, as they either make me crazy sneezy or give me a headache. I tend to go for more subtle scents, preferably made from natural stuff. So like, B&BW lotions and sprays that are like I LOVE CAKE BATTER DON’T YOU LOVE CAKE BATTER YOU CAN SMELL ME FROM A BLOCK AWAY I SMELL LIKE CAKE BATTER aren’t really my bag. Here’s what I do smell like these days:

J.R. Watkins Coconut Milk & Honey Body Oil Mist

Winter skin is a thing that vexes me, but an equally terrible feeling is putting on lotion after a toasty shower only to stand there waiting in a cold bathroom for it to absorb before you put your clothes on. For days when I can’t even with lotion, this is a great solution- it’s a spray on light body oil that absorbs quickly and leaves a pleasant, gentle scent behind. I know, you’re like “Jess, coconut is clearly a summer smell!”. Maybe it’s the honey, but this doesn’t smell like suntan lotion to me at all. More like… I’ve been cozied up baking cookies all day. This is nicely understated and easy to wear every day.

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black

I hate perfume samples. I hate them in magazines, I hate them in subscription boxes, I hate them showing up in the bottom of my Sephora bag. So I can’t explain why, when this sample showed up in a bag from a VIB event, I decided to smell it. Then spray it on my arm. YOU GUYS. I can’t stop smelling myself. This is a beautiful fragrance, brought to you by none other than the Olsen Twins. It’s main notes are violet, sandalwood, and vanilla, and it is described as “sensual, mysterious, and warm”. I made it through about half the sample vial before ponying up for the full size- this is GORGEOUS and I feel like a lady (but still a cool lady with tattoos) wearing it.

 

Pamela:

I don’t really change my fragrances with the seasons a ton.  Having said that, I do have some very obvious spring/summer scents and some very obvious fall/winter scents, the latter of which I gravitate toward throughout the year.  My tastes tend to go for the earthy, musky, woodsy, vanilla, smells. Sandalwood in particular is my absolute favorite. Santal 33 by Le Labo is my go to almost always, but after dropping a brand new bottle last fall and having it break all over the floor (uuuhhhh, what a waste), rather than shelling out another 90 bucks right away I began using my straight up sandalwood singular note from Aveda. While I will eventually re purchase my beloved Santal 33, this does quite a nice job as a less expensive place holder.  Now I should mention that they have since discontinued this singular note.  Everything I like eventually gets discontinued.  Which brings me to my next fragrance, that is also discontinued, but I’m hoarding every last drop!  Lush’s 25:43.  I first smelled this on Lyn during our fall trip to NYC in August of 2012.  I immediately went to the nearest Lush store and purchased it (and apparently should have purchased all of it.)  This was a really special fragrance. It’s half citrus with notes of lime and lemongrass, and then mellowed down a bit with vanilla, tonka bean and ylang ylang.  It is SO GOOD. It is definitely not just another citrus scent, but something altogether more complex.  I will shed a tear when it is finally gone…. and it is getting close. In review, clearly I am in the market for a new fragrance.

Lyn:

Perhaps this is why we get along so well–the three of us smell the same!  We definitely have a similar theme when it comes to our fragrances. Sadly, my bottle of Lush’s 25:43 is just a distant memory. But thanks to a visit to Las Vegas with Pamela, I am also a Le Labo convert. Do yourself a favor and get this Le Labo Discovery Set. For $30–you get samples of their most popular scents–and they are great alone AND layered. And like Jess–I’ve been enjoying the Nirvana Black for a few seasons. (but the Nirvana White is nasty. i haven’t tried the new Nirvana Bourbon or Nirvana Rose that recently launched…)

Since I also tend to gravitate to a warmer, musky, woodsy scents–when the days get shorter–I immediately reach for my old friend, Michael Kors, Michael for Women. I ended up grabbing a rollerball of this one when it first launched and have never been without a full size bottle on my dresser ever since. I even have the lotion for when I’m feeling fancy. It is definitely a heavy scent, but I love it. It is described as “a rich floral scent featuring notes of tuberose, freesia, gardenia, and white lily followed by sophisticated and sensual base notes of sandalwood, suede, amber, and musk.” I actually don’t find it particularly floral, but definitely heavy with the base notes. There are a ton of other Michael Kors fragrances in his line–I like the Sexy Amber for summer–but I find nothing beats the original.

Last year, Sephora had one of their 4x points on fragrances promotions. I used it as an excuse to check out a few new options and ended up grabbing this Bvlgari, Omnia Crystalline Travel Spray. It’s an interesting scent which I find kinda classy and grown-up smelling. It’s technically listed as a mix of “Bamboo, Nashi, Lotus Flower, Balsa Wood.” My daily routine ends with spritzing on a fragrance before I leave for the day, but it still takes me an Eternity to work through a full bottle (see what I did there.) I wore this one regularly in the winter and I still have half of the bottle left. Even though it’s a pretty small size–for $25–I think it’s worth it. And now that I’m back to wearing tights (i’m seriously wearing tights today and i’m very crabby about it) it’s nice to rediscover this new favorite.

Do you switch up your scents seasonally? What scents do you gravitate toward when the weather gets colder? Pamela’s in the market for something new and needs your suggestions–so leave them in the comments below!

(We procured these scents ourselves like the fancy women we love and represent.)

My current favorite highlighters

Posted on by Pamela
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*current favorites because I have sooooo many (otherwise know as “a problem”)

 
I remember a time in my life (the 90’s) when my goal was to keep my skin as flat looking as I possible. I can even be quoted saying “I don’t want to be shiny, I want to be matte”…. such silly words. These days I’m not happy unless you can see my highlight from outer space and my ultimate goal is to look like this snapchat filter always:

snapchat-4280315667471532527-1

 

Here are a few highlights that are helping me achieve said goal….

Mary-Lou Manizer by The Balm

You’ve likely heard of this one.  It seems to me that it has been reviewed and used by every beauty blogger/vlogger out there, and everyone loves it.  With good reason – it really is just that good! It’s very pigmented, but still build-able. It’s a pretty nude champagne shimmer, that remains universally flattering for pretty much any skin tone. Perfect for cheekbones, brow bones, inner corner of the eye, cupids bow….. everything. If you don’t already own this one my only question for you is, what are you waiting for?

Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector – pressed

It’s certain that I will by any makeup with “champagne” in it’s name. But you guys, the hype is real.  Whether you love Jaclyn Hill or can’t stand her, or don’t even know who the heck she is…. there is no denying that she developed one of the prettiest highlights out there at the moment. I actually pre-ordered this one when it was first launched, not even seeing it in person first. It definitely does not disappoint. It is the prettiest gold peachy hue and  as the name suggests, it POPS! Since the release of champagne pop, Becca has expanded the Jaclyn Hill line and I look forward to trying more from the Champagne collection in the future.

Haloscope by Glossier

You might all know by now: I love Glossier.  They have amazing skincare products and all of the perfect makeup products to achieve the dewy “no makeup” makeup look most of us desire. This summer they release a highlight stick called Haloscope, a highlighter and moisturizer in one, and I have been using it on the daily since it arrived. The outer ring highlight is enhanced with real crystals, while the inner core is a solid blend of coconut, castor seed and sweet almond oils to moisturize. It is dewy perfection all on it’s own, or it can be layered under other highlights. I have the quartz shade (a pearly simmer) and as I sit here writing this, decided I must at once order the topaz shade (a golden glow). Oh, and here’s a code for 20% your first order!  Go get it.

Laura Mercier Mineral Illuminating Powder

So, this is meant to be an all over powder, which I’ve tried to use it as, and it’s just a little too pink undertoned for me to use on my entire face (you bet I tried it all over.)  Having said that, as a highlight it knocks my socks off! This glow is simply magical. It is highly pigmented and I can only assume that is due to the actual gemstones – diamonds, emeralds and other semi precious stones – in it. That’s what sold me on it, in fact: REAL GEMSTONES! It’s a loose powder, so it’s a little bit messier to use as a highlighter, but you better believe I can deal with it.

In all honesty this post could have been 72 times longer than it is…..so let me know if you want me to share more! Pretty please also share with us! What are your current favorites? How do you use your highlights? Let us know in the comments and feed our (my) obsession!

*These were all purchased with my own hard earned cash money.