ELF Haul: Product Overviews & Swatches

Hey everyone! I just got my ELF order (from their free shipping special) in today and wanted to share some swatches and a little bit about the products and my thoughts on them. I was also supposed to get one of their new $1 lipsticks in "Seductive," but apparently this was sold out even though it went through when I made the order :(

Anywho, here is what I got:
Back to School Eyeshadow Set - Natural Shadows & Brush ($3),
Back to School Concealer Kit - Zit Zapper ($3),
and Studio Small Angled Brush ($3)

Shimmer Eyeliner Pencils ($1)

First off, the Shimmer Eyeliner Pencils. I mentioned that I was a little hesitant to try these because all of the ELF eyeliners I own smudge on me really quickly... I was betting on these being no different. But... they are just so pretty looking! So I decided to play guinea pig and order a bunch.

The caps have a built in sharpener, like their Studio Concealer Pencils. Very convenient. However, the cap doesn't really stay on that well... I find it pulls off a little TOO easily.


I like how the color of the pencil is pretty much the actual color of the liner.

These pencils are very, very smooth and easy to apply. However, it is because they are VERY VERY soft. That's why I'm a little wary about the cap being so flimsy because you can easily smush the tip, and it'll probably be hard to sharpen since it's so soft.

L-R:
Twinkle Teal, Gunmetal, Iconic Ivory, Plum Passion, Boldly Bronzed, Grassy Green

However, the colors really are quite beautiful in person. The swatches on the ELF website are actually pretty accurate, except for Grassy Green. On the website, Grassy Green looks like a really bright, kelly green. But it is actually a dark, forest green IRL. Still very pretty though.

So far, I have only tried the Grassy Green one. It did not show up on my waterline very well, but it did show up nicely on my lashline though. I've only been wearing it for a few hours, but smudging has been minimal so far. Will continue to test the rest of the colors and see how they do. On the ELF website, it shows these liners being used more like eyeshadows, applied over the entire eyelid. I think I'll try them like that instead of just liners and see how they do as an eyeshadow or shadow base instead.

This is one of their Back To School Eyeshadow Sets, the Natural Shadows set.

I really like the packaging, it's very cute, sleek, and sturdy. I love the little windows on the outside so you can see the shadows. The inside has a little mirror. The tiny brush is pretty much useless though.


The shadows look quite pretty, no? I love neutral, natural shades so I thought this would be perfect. There are 3 matte shades (top left, top right, bottom right) and 3 shimmery shades (top middle, bottom left, bottom middle).

However, I must say, these shadows kind of suck. I was pretty disappointed with this product. The shadows are super soft and buttery, but also SUPER powdery and chalky and majorly lacking in pigmentation. At first swipe, they look alright I guess...

...But after some furious swatching, this is all you get:

This took about 5 layers to get the color to show up this much. I know this is supposed to be a "Natural" set, but I still wish it packed more pigmentation. I've been much more satisfied with their $1 Brightening Eyeshadow Quads. Out of the 6 shades, I can only really use one -- the dark brown one. The rest of the shadows are too sheer and shimmery for my liking, so I can only use them as highlights.


Here is the Back to School Concealer Kit. I got this mainly to try the Zit Zapper. I had also been wanting to try a lighter shade of the Tone Correcting Concealer, so I figured I might as well get the whole set. I have not tried the Zit Zapper yet but I will be back with a review soon!

Here's swatches of the Tone Correcting Concealer in Light Beige. I think it's an alright match for my skin tone. Haven't tried it on my dark circles yet. I semi-hate how just about everything in the $1 line has that strong citrusy scent though. This concealer is especially scented.


Here is the Studio Small Angled Brush. I've been religiously using my Wet N Wild Mega Eyes Creme Eyeliner lately, using Sephora and Coastal Scents bent angled eyeliner brushes, which are starting to get caked up and stiff. So I decided I would try an angled liner brush instead. I didn't really expect it to be so "long," but it is super soft. Have not tried it yet but I hear good things about it so I hope I'll like it :)

I was mostly disappointed that I didn't get my lipstick though... :( Was really looking forward to trying that out. Oh well, next time...

Have you hauled anything from ELF recently?

Forever21 Clothes Haul + How to save your money: Opt-out of the magazine subscription! + PROMO CODE!

Hello everyone! Just wanted to share a recent order I made with F21. This time, I am happy to say that I am more or less satisfied with EVERYTHING I ordered. And this is a good thing because in my past unsatisfactory orders; I have come to discover the complete lack of customer service F21 has! So needless to say, I don't even bother contacting F21 anymore if I have complaints... because they don't reply to me at all, or if they do, their reply is never helpful! ...But I still love shopping there :P

***Another little tidbit about myself... I pretty much always buy stuff on sale, or with a promo code, or if there's some kind of special going on. So basically everything I buy from F21 is either on sale, a Fabulous Find, or from their Daily Specials. Some may call that "cheap-ass"... but I call it "shopping smart" ;)

So anywho, here's what I ordered:

Fab Denim Shorts -- $10.50
Embossed Pocket Denim Shorts (Daily Special) -- $14.24

Fab Plaid Dress -- $9.50

Mineral Royal Tee -- $9.99
(on sale from $19)

Fab Zippered Pocket Skinny Jeans -- $14.50

Fab Ribbed Knit Tank x2 (black & coral) -- $3.50 ea.
Fab Loop Buttoned Pocket Short (black) -- $8.50

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Also, I have been receiving so many free magazine subscriptions from online stores I shop at... and it's been driving me nuts! I guess I never read the fine print about automatically getting a free sub with $XX purchase. But no, I do not want to read Teen Vogue or OK or Lucky! Ugh!

So this time, I decided to read the terms and conditions of the subscription offer upon checkout at F21. And I don't know if this is common knowledge and I am the only one behind on it (lol)... but as it turns out, you can opt-out of the magazine subscription and get money back for what the subscription was worth! $10, infact! :D All you have to do is fill out a form and mail it to F21 with a copy of your invoice within 30 days. Easy peasy.

I haven't mailed it out yet but better get it! -_-; But I have faith that they'll come through.
(Or else I'll launch a relentless angry email spree on them!!!)

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Oh and don't forget, F21 is having free shipping with promo code STANDOUT on orders of $40+ until this Sunday!

Review: My experience with CSN Stores + Product Overviews

Hello everyone! Here today to share my experience with CSN Stores and review one of their products. I have never shopped with CSN Stores before, so I wanted to have the whole customer experience, first hand!

As I mentioned in the Review Preview post, CSN Stores is made up of OVER 200 STORES and they are one of the top 3 online U.S. retailer of home and office goods. CSN Stores offers furniture, home decor, housewares, home improvement, outdoor, baby & kids, shoes, bags, & luggage, health & fitness, pet, office, and school-related products. They have everything from beds to bakeware; strollers to shoes; handbags to home decor, and more! They even have FREE SHIPPING on just about everything!

The good stuff:

• User friendly website. Easy to navigate; everything is categorized
• HUGE selection of products; over 200 different stores to choose from
• Reasonable prices, hassle free returns, and free shipping on just about everything.
• Great customer service!!! Very helpful, patient, and willing to go the extra mile.

The low-down:

• Not everyone is eligible for free shipping :(

My take: since I have never shopped with CSN Stores before, I was eager to find out how they would compete with my other online shopping experiences -- which often times, were negative.

Since I live in Hawaii, I'm constantly subjected to surcharges, higher shipping rates, and no free shipping or other affordable shipping options. I didn't read CSN Stores' fine print until AFTER I had decided what I wanted to buy. So no, I do not qualify for free shipping :( -- But you mainland people do!!!

Aside from the no free shipping, I was having trouble placing my order. I was getting an error telling me that since I was shipping to Hawaii, I needed to choose "only HI shipping options." Uh, I wasn't quite sure what that meant. Ground shipping, Next Day Air, and 3 day shipping prices were ASTRONOMICAL (3 day ended up as like $11K for some reason!! WTF?!) So for whatever reason, 2nd Day Air was the cheapest option. But even when I selected that option, it gave me the same error message and wouldn't let me place my order.

So here is where CSN Stores' great customer service comes in. I've griped here quite a few times about dealing with poor customer service from big-name companies such as Forever 21 (especially!), so I wasn't really expecting anything impressive from CSN Stores. However, I called customer service (toll free) and was quickly connected to a very helpful, patient, and understanding CS Rep. He said he had never encountered such an error and that it probably was a glitch with the particular item I wanted to buy. I could either wait until possibly Monday for their tech team to fix the problem, or he could try to put my order through from his end. Since the item was low stock, I decided to put the order through.

He had to do some major workarounds to get me the correct shipping price and allow the order to go through -- So although I did not get the 2 Day Air shipping, I got the same low price; except with ground shipping.

The Rep was very understanding and willing to take the extra steps to fulfill my order. Was on the phone for nearly 20 minutes and didn't feel rushed, pressured, or hassled the entire time. He assured me that they would get the shipping issue resolved as soon as possible.

My order was all set and ready to go, and this is what I was going to get:

Kathy Van Zeeland Crown Princess Nappa Belt Shopper in Platinum...because it has been on my wishlist for awhile.

However, here's the sad, sad, SAD part... several days later, I got an email stating that my order had been cancelled because apparently, the bag had been discontinued by the manufacturer and CSN Stores hadn't updated their stock -- Also probably what had caused my previous ordering issues. Not gonna lie, I actually wanted to cry, since I've been having THE WORST luck with online shopping lately. And most of you know that I'm a bag-whore... so it was pretty devestating for me :( So anyway, I had to scrap that idea and make a new order.

...Which I guess was a "good" thing because I decided to choose more things that I could make better use of and were a better value for the price. But that was STILL not the end of my ordering problems. I was still having trouble putting my new order through. So Jess of the CSN Promo Team offered to put my order through for me, so I wouldn't have to deal with any more shipping and ordering hassles myself. She put my order through the very next day AND upgraded my shipping with no extra charge, so my order came within a few days. Case in point why I am so satisfied with their customer service -- they truly do go the extra mile for you.

I got my order in two shipments through UPS. Everything was packed up securely and nothing was damaged or missing when I received it.

So here's what I ended up getting:

Post it note tabs and mechanical pencils for the upcoming school semester, Aveeno Essential Moisture Lip Conditioner with SPF 15, and a bottle of Greenworks spray cleaner (not pictured... gave it to my mom).

Will do a review on the Aveeno lip balm in a bit. So far, so good... except for the taste. But other than that, it is buttery smooth and uber moisturizing!

And two Goodhope bags in gold and black.

I'm a sucker for quilted fabric!
Was planning to add some deco-touches to these bags... ribbons, bows?
Not sure what I'm gonna do yet.

I did not anticipate these bags to be so HUGE though. I am tiny (5'0") so I kind of look funny when I carry around a huge bag. I guess it's a good thing though because I can carry my laptop around now :P

The lining is a faux Burberry-esque print. Cute deviation from the norm, solid color interior. Very roomy with one zip pocket on the inside that can fit pens pencils, phone, etc... a lot of stuff. The top zips up as well. The entire bag is very sturdy and feels well made. I can fit my dog in here! The straps feel strong as well and are a good length.

The only thing with these bags is that THEY SMELL!!!! Really bad. They have a very strong chemically manufactured scent. Not pleasant at all. So I'm airing them out at the moment and hoping the smell goes away before school starts :(

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In the end, I am glad that I chose to do a review instead of a giveaway because I was able to go through the entire customer experience for myself. Even though I encountered several issues with ordering, I still would consider my experience with CSN Stores a positive one. I discovered that:

• Their free shipping does not apply to everyone
• Sometimes they have glitches with shipping costs
• Sometimes they have out-of-stock items
• Their customer service is fantastic
• They will do their best to make your shopping experience a pleasant one
  

Disclaimer: CSN Stores sponsored this purchase. I was not paid by nor am I affiliated with this company.
This review is based upon my honest experience with CSN Stores and my honest opinion about their products.

ELF & Sephora Haul: Pics + Swatches

Hello loves! Here to share an ELF & Sephora order that I received yesterday.

What I hauled from ELF:

Studio Blushes (Berry Merry, Mellow Mauve, Blushing Rose), Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder, Studio Cool Bronzer, Nail polish in Mango Madness, Studio Mineral Infused Face Primer, Blending wedges, Blushing/Bronzing/Blending brush, and Studio Blush brush.

Random: I have this habit where I only spend $21-22 on my ELF orders :P Every single time I order from ELF, I'll always spend that much AND I make sure I have some kind of promo code to use :P

Mineral Infused Face Primer - $6

Got this for my mom. Will wait until she tries it out to try it out for myself. Heard mixed reviews about this! I honestly thought it would be REALLY tiny. I guess it can be considered "small" but it was A LOT bigger than I expected! Still, the packaging is quite deceiving.

Nail polish in Mango Madness - $1

Apparently, this was mislabeled "Passion Pink" but it is supposed to be Mango Madness. I had to email ELF to find this out. I mean; they could have indicated this mix-up on my invoice, right??

Studio Blushes - $3
L-R: Mellow Mauve, Berry Merry, Blushing Rose.

Finally completed my collection of ELF Studio Blushes! I really like these. They are smooth and long lasting and FABULOUS for the price!! Some are better than others though. For example, my Mellow Mauve is not too pigmented... but my Blushing Rose and Berry Merry are UBER pigmented. But like the rest of my ELF Studio blushes, they are all quite buildable.

Mellow Mauve

Berry Merry


Blushing Rose

L-R: Blushing Rose, Berry Merry, Mellow Mauve

Studio Blush and Bronzing Powder - $3

I actually had the one that came in the ELF Studio Mini Makeup Collection, but I hate having to open up the whole thing every time I want to use this product. So I figured I might as well buy it separately! Love this duo. Very smooth and finely milled. A little more powdery than the Studio blushes but no biggie. Gorgeous pigmentation. And of course, it's known to be a close dupe for NARS Orgasm/Laguna ;)

Studio Cool Bronzer - $3

I figured I might as well complete my collection of ELF Studio bronzers as well; so I ended up picking up the the Cool Bronzer. Originally, I wasn't too interested in the shades. But since the Golden and Warm bronzers are both shimmery; I wanted to try matte. I haven't used this swirled together yet (not really intending to) because I'd rather use all the shades individually. The two brown shades are great for contouring, the pink shade makes a nice blush, and the white shade is a nice highlight.

Studio Blush Brush - $3

Unfortunately, I was disappointed with this brush. It is suuuuper soft but the brush head is much too small and flat for my liking. I expected it to be a lot bigger/fluffier but also more dense. It picks up color fine but I just don't like the size/shape. Nothing beats my fav EcoTools blush brush!

Blushing, Bronzing, and Blending Brush - $1

Wasn't expecting TOO much from this brush; but I really liked the shape since I'm looking for an angled brush I can use for contouring. However, like the Studio blush brush; the brush head is quite small, flat, and dense enough. Also, the bristles are suuuper scratchy.

What I hauled from Sephora:
Benefit To Go "Stay Put" Set, Tarte Double Dose in Go Go Goji, and Smith's Rosebud Strawberry Lip balm.

And some samples.

Benefit To Go "Stay Put" Set - $10

This set includes miniature versions of Benefit's Stay Don't Stray, Erase Paste, and Creaseless Cream Shadow. I think it's a GREAT value for the price because you get to try out 3 products for less than the price that ONE of these individual products costs! The pots are about the size of a quarter and I can see them lasting me a really long time. The Stay Don't Stray is VERY tiny though and I think I'll use that up really quickly.

I did a little testing of these products and here's my say so far:

• Creaseless Cream Shadow: The shade RSVP is described as a "Sparkling champagne." It's very light, creamy, and easy to smooth on. It's very shimmery and sheer but buildable. I used it as an eyeshadow base/highlight and it worked nicely. Not something I'd consider a "groundbreaking" product for me, though.
  
  
• Erase Paste: I did a scathing review a couple years ago when I tested a sample of this. I must say; I have to retract half the things I said about it XD My sample must have been a bad one because the pot I have now is A LOT different. It is still a weird pinkish undertone, but it actually blended well with my skintone, covered my dark circles pretty well, and brightened up my undereye area. The texture is still slightly sticky and thick, but NOWHERE near as horrible as the sample I had; the sample was literally like paste... gross. But the one I have now is a lot more smooth, creamy, and easy to apply. Will do more testing of this before updating my review.
  
  
• Stay Don't Stray: I was really interested in trying the full-size of this product, but now I know better. As an eye primer, it does increase the staying power and pigmentation of eyeshadows, but I'd say it's only on par with my ELF Mineral eyeshadow primer. Nothing spectacular and my shadows ended up fading by the end of the day. It's also similar to the ELF primer in that the longer you let it sit; it begins to lose it's "effectiveness." However, it worked better at making my concealer stay put. But again, nothing SO spectacular that it couldn't be achieved without using this product. It did nicely double as a semi-concealer though; and evened out the discoloration around my eye area. Will do more testing; but for now, I don't think the full size is worth it's hefty price tag ($24).

L-R: Creaseless Cream Shadow in RSVP, Erase Paste in Medium, and Stay Don't Stray.

Smith's Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm - $7

It was the adorable packaging that got me!!! But other than that; I'm 50/50 with this product. It smells nice and sweet at first... but then it starts to get a little chemical-y and cloying. When you apply it on your lips, the smell fades quickly but the taste is gross and plastic-y... it's not terribly unbearable but it lingers. The texture is smooth and not hard or waxy like I've read in a couple reviews; but that could have to do with the fact that it's so hot and humid here. It smooths on nicely and feels moisturizing and soothing.... but it's just the smell/taste that slightly irks me. Will keep using it though and see if things change.

Tarte Double Dose in Go Go Goji - $6

I took a chance at getting this since it reminds me a lot of ELF's 2 in 1 Conditioning Gloss; which I didn't have the best experience with. Like the ELF gloss, it is SUPER sticky/tacky. EVERYTHING gets stuck in this gloss. Not the most comfy on lips. However, unlike the ELF gloss, it is quite easy to get the color and clear gloss to come out at the same time AND it is VERY pigmented and shows up on my lips. It feels slightly moisturising and conditioning, but even after the gloss wears off (it lasts FOREVER though); a thin layer of stickyness remains for quite some time -- yucky. Works well as an overnight treatment though.

Go Go Goji is a bright medium-pink with slight shimmers. Shows up nice and glossy on lips. It has a slight sweet minty smell/taste/tingle that's doesn't last long and is not unpleasant at all -- it's quite nice, actually.

And that concludes this super long swatch/pic-fest.
Hope you survived! ;)