Candle Review: Dollar Tree Luminesscence Wax Melts in Fresh Linen and Tealights

I'm a big fan of many Dollar Tree products.  These wax melts are not in that list.  They hardly give off any scent.  The Walmart brand are a much better deal. 

The Luminessence unscented tealights are also not that great.  The tealights are tiny and don't have much of a burn time to them.  I found a better deal at Big Lots.

What's On My Face

I stumbled across Ms. Gold Girl's youtube videos while watching Flylady videos.  Ms. Gold Girl (or Marnie) vlogs about organization, cleaning, shopping, budgeting but she's really passionate about make up. 


This past year I haven't really been keen on the whole serious personal grooming and make up.   It's been a hard year with the loss of my Mom and moving.   Most of the time I was content (or lazy) to leave the house wearing only moisturizer and chap stick.  But, I've found I really feel a lot better when I am a little made up. 

So, I'm going to list what I put on my face today.  Sorry about the lack of photos.  My camera is being weird (or just needs new batteries but I think I need a new one).

Moisturizer/Foundation-  I never wear foundation.  I don't like how it makes my face feel and I'm ok with my skin condition.  I bought Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 in fair to light as a sort of compromise.  It is $14.97 on Walmart's website.  I used coupons so I know I didn't spend that much.  It is pretty thick and very pigmented.  It needs a lot of blending and doesn't feel great on my skin.  I just came back from a vacation in Florida so my skin is a bit darker than normal.  Right now it looks ok but in the winter months it will probably be too dark on me.  I won't buy this again.  I will stick with my Olay SPF 15 for sensitive skin.

Concealer-   Lancome Effacernes Waterproof Under Eye Concealer  in Clair II .  $29.50 is the most I've ever spent on concealer but I think I scored a bunch on samples and goodies with this purchase.  I wear concealer occasionally but was sick of how sweaty my face gets during the summer and my make up would melt.  This stuff is waterproof.  It has great staying power.  It blends wells and a little bit goes a long way.  I'm unsure if I'll buy this again but I think the little tube is going to last me a long time.

Eye Liner- BonneBell Eyestyle Precise Liner in Espresso Brown.  It's very soft and smudges easily.  Staying power isn't great but ok.  Don't love it, don't hate it.  I bought this as part of a make up set online from Toys R US clearance (yep, a toy store).   I think it's a great deal for so much make up.  I don't really like make up being sold at a toy store though.
I used Palladio Shadow and Liner Herbal Crayon in espresso on my top lids.  I bought it at Sally Beauty for $1.99.  It has great staying power and goes on nicely.  It's a little too fat for easy under eye application.  I would buy this again.  It's a nice light brown with a hint of shimmer.  Not too bold for daytime. 

Eye Shadow- Wet N Wild Walking on Eggshells trio.  This is a new purchase I made after watching Ms. Gold Girl.  I paid $3.99 at Walgreens for this.  I used the application suggestion on the back.  Looks good.  It has decent pigmentation and a soft application.  I don't know how well it wears during the day but so far I'm liking it.  And the price is nice.  I wish it was a little more matte.   I also picked up a pretty light bronze .99 lipstick from Wet N Wild yesterday and I love it.  Not wearing it today though because I stuck it in my purse.  Had a hard time wiping it off last night before bed.  Score!

Mascara-  L.A. Colors mini mascara in black.  I used to wear this mascara in the lash building formula all the time.  It washes off well and looks nice after a few applications.  Lately I'm just not loving this tube though.  I like the Bonne Bell from the Toys R US make up kit better.  It's decent for the price though.  You can get it at The Dollar Store or Family Dollar.

Eye Brow Gel-  My eyebrows need a little taming to look nice so I use a clear mascara on them.  Cover Girl Professional Natural Lash Mascara in Clear is what I used today.  Works great.  Isn't gummy and I will definitely buy this again.  I think this is around $3 or $4 at Walmart.  There are always coupons for Cover Girl in the paper.

Blush/Highlighter-  I used the Blend 'n Glow compact from the Bonne Bell kit.  It's a bit too shimmery but it adds a nice glow to my pale face.  I don't know if I'll buy it again but I do plan on using it up.  It goes on great.  Not at all orangey like so many other bronzers.   I used a Mary Kay retractable blush brush for application.

Lips-  Clinique Different Lipstick in #51 Think Bronze (as part of a duo with Air Kiss lipgloss) and Bonne Bell Liplites gloss in cappuccino.
I love the lipstick.  It's soft and goes on great.  It has a nice peachy brown tone that looks great on me.  I don't love the clinique lip gloss attached to it.  It's too gummy. 
The Liplites is another Bonne Bell kit goodie.  It has a nice nude color and a great smell.  It doesn't last long though.  I prefer the lip smacker version of cappuccino. 

Dollar Store Winners

These Dollar General brand fudgy coconut cookies are just as tasty as Girl Scout Samoas for only $1.50 a box. A splurge for your waistline, but not your wallet.



This M30 brand of stain remover is always in my laundry room cabinet. It works great on most stains except for really greasy tomato sauce. I bought mine for $1 at Dollar General but you can get it at other dollar stores too. Use an old toothbrush and get your clothes cleaned up.
I bought this great L.A. Colors Lash Building mascara on clearance at Family Dollar for .90 cents. I think it's regularly $1.50. It's big fluffy brush gives me big lashes without flaking and it washes off easily.

This is my newest find. I used to buy Oil of Olay Sensitive Spf 15 formula. This Dollar General brand works just the same and for only $4.50.

Product Review: Clean and Clear Oxygenating Oil-Free Moisturizer

Photo taken from Amazon.com.
I'm so slowly cleaning out my beauty supplies and re-trying things that I had tossed aside in favor of my old standbys (which I am out of or running out of). I had a coupon for a free Johnson & Johnson product a few months ago and this is what I bought.

I try to stick with Spf 15 and higher facial moisturizers. This moisturizer is ultra light. It isn't heavy or greasy but I think I might need more moisturizing than it can provide. A nickel sized amount covers my face and neck decently. The oxygenating part of this lotion is really annoying. It stung the first few times I used it until I got used to it. It really hurts if you get it near your eyes though. The smell isn't overpowering but it is chemically. I am going to use this product up and then happily go back to buying my Oil of Olay (with a coupon of course).

Aldi- What a nice store

We did have a few problems using our check card from our credit union in Italy. Mostly it was due to the time difference and the bank maintenance hour being the morning rush in Rome. And I perhaps should have called the bank to let them know that we had returned to the US- even though- I called them twice to remind them of our departure and return dates.

I guess it shouldn't have surprised me when my debit card was denied at Aldi but I was. Wow, I hadn't had that happen since I was a credit silly college student with no money. I was so embarrassed and scared that perhaps my credit info was being misused.
The cashier was so nice about it- even as I'm turning beat red, with a fussy toddler in tow and a line up of people behind me. He let me leave the store with the full cart (with my boy in the front seat) and push it next door to the ATM. But, that didn't work either. After my defeated return he simply kept my receipt and pushed my full cart into the cooler and told me to come back after I'd ran to the bank. I drove across town to my credit union (and was getting irritated because I was reminded that I should have called to tell them I was going out of the country- ARGH.) and got the problem fixed. With my fist full of fresh twenties I made it back to the Aldi just in time to reclaim my cart, pay for my stuff, and still be on time for preschool pick up. And he was so nice again. No big deal. Just pay when you can. Wow. I love Aldi.

Thank You Allen.. you made my day brighter.

Product Review: Maybelline Lash Discovery Washable Mascara

Photo from Maybelline.com.

I bought this mascara last fall before my beauty product hiatus. I've been using this tube for the better part of three months and now I'm ready to toss it. I packed my mini tube of Lancome mascara (that came free with purchase) for our trip to Rome last week. After a week of that great mascara- going back to the Maybelline made me realize how bad it was. I guess I was using it just because well, I am really trying to use stuff up and I don't have a great stock pile of mascara. But, it's clumpy, not lengthening, flaky and it doesn't wash off well. I will not be buying this product again. Instead I'm wondering if it's worth it to buy the Clinique and Lancome mascaras that always work so well when I finally run out of mascara.

Product Review: Garnier Fructis Curl Shaping Spray Gel

Now that I'm on a personal product buying hiatus for the rest of the year or until I run out of products I am trying 'new' stuff that has been lost in my bathroom cabinets. This shaping spray is probably from a Walgreens freebie that I had stockpiled.

For my lazy sorta bobbed hair style this works great. I have just enough wave in my hair to make curling the ends under a pain without a curling iron or blow dryer. I very seldom use a blow dryer much less the curling iron. This gel is strong enough that I put it on after I comb my wet hair and it holds my 'do in place without feeling too gluey. The smell is pleasant without being too strong or overwhelming.

I would definitely buy this product again.

Libman Sponge Mop: Don't buy 'em.

Learn from my mistake. Don't buy a Libman sponge mop.

This is what happened after it's second use.




Just what I wanted to do after I mopped the kitchen. Re-sweep. Because there are little bits of cellulose sponge all over the kitchen. I'm throwing out the mop head and keeping the handle. Those always come in handy.

Just one more reason why I love my swiffer wet mop (using a old handtowel and squirt of cleaner or course).