Hearts and Darts 5.31.13

Hearts

• Watermelon chunks- Watermelon season is upon us and I love it! I've been grabbing a large container of watermelon chunks every time I go to the grocery store to snack on at work.
• Karaoke- I love to sing! During Memorial Day weekend, my best friend and I sang so much karaoke that I didn't have a voice for two days. We might have sounded awful, but who cares?

Us singing "No Scrubs"

• Sunscreen- I have gone on a HUGE sunscreen kick lately which is awesome in the long run. I tan very easily but have decided to take my skin in consideration, especially since numerous family members have had skin cancer removed, and start slathering on sunscreen and making it a point to fake tan regularly. I was lucky enough to score one of Sephora's Sun Kits this season, so I have lots of sunscreens to choose from now.

Darts

• Crazies- I normally have 0% crazies in my life. However, this week I experienced one who called me a "drunk" and "immature" and pretty much told me I was poor and would never amount to anything in life. Yeah. Ok. I work full-time, am going to school full-time to earn my graduate degree, and pay all my bills. But, yeah, you are totally right....CRAZY.
• Airing your dirty laundry on social media-I would love to rant and rave and give details about something that happens to me....example--look above....but no one needs to hear about everything unless they are the other party involved or a close friend.  Blasting info about a divorce, who cheated on you, how trashed you got last night, etc. is just plain trashy.
• No time to read- Summer classes are in full swing and now I have no time to read outside of school. Dan Brown's new book, Inferno, has been sitting on my coffee table for days looking lonely. 

What were your hearts and darts this week?

MAC Viva Glam Cyndi Dupe

I am kicking myself over and over again for not buying at least one backup of MAC's Viva Glam Cyndi lipstick. The coral red shade is a lustre finish which normally applies a bit sheer, but this shade packs lot of shine and color on the lips. I love it for day or night 

but tend to only use it sparingly because I love it so much.

One day I decided to search possible dupes and stumbled upon a couple of posts that said Wet n Wild's  Natural Blend Lip Shimmer in Spice #106 is a close contender. After searching my local CVS, Walgreens, and Wal Mart, I finally found it at the latter.

Here are closeups of the two products. Viva Glam Cyndi is discontinued but sold for either $14.50 or $15.00 (however much MAC lipsticks were running or run these days) and the Wet n Wild was around $1.99-$3.00 (I can't remember the exact price).

Reasons to smile.

One of my best friends surprised me with a sushi lunch and gifts the other weekend for a belated birthday present! Lauren of According To She Designs is the kind of creative I wish I was. She is an amazing jewelry maker (she made the necklace I wore in my wedding), can sew anything, and has an eye for things that can be turned from trash to beauty. Here are the things she surprised me with at lunch. 
Thanks so much, LC. I love you!

She made this cute little pouch herself!

Revlon Lipgloss in Firecracker, Essie's Shine of the Times, Essise Pilates Hotties

She also sent me home with an Ulta gift card! Please go check out her website and all the beautiful, creative jewelry and other items she has on her Etsy store.

CVS Spring Beauty Clearance Sale Haul

Thanks to the lovely G at Noveau Cheap I found out that CVS is currently marking down certain items for their spring beauty sale!   A lot of products are 50-75% off. You can find a master list on her blog here. 

Also, a big thanks to Lauren at According to She Designs for also sending me a picture of some items she grabbed at her local CVS.

Here's what I picked up with the estimated prices. I threw away my receipt on accident.

• Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation in Nutmeg: This was the only shade I saw that was clearanced at 75% off. It was around $2.50. Obviously the shade is way too dark for me, but I figured I could use it to darken any of my winter foundations.
• Covergirl + Olay Simply Ageless Eye Corrector and Eye Concealer: These products are always overpriced at CVS. They were a little over $6 each after the 50% off.
• Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Va Va Violet: I love Revlon's lipsticks! This crazy color was a bit over $2. It turns a very dark purple if you apply more than 3 layers but with a light hand it's a pretty purple shade.
• Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart: This was around $1.99. After swatching and applying, I found that this color isn't as pigmented as some of the other lip butters and I love that. It gives a light red gloss to the lips.

L-R Cherry Tart and Va Va Violet

Cherry Tart and Va Va Violet swatched

Have you picked up anything from the CVS sale yet? If so, please share in the comments!

Real Technique Duo Fiber Collection- Limited Edition

I was browsing through Ulta the other day and stumbled across the new Real Technique's Duo Fiber collection that retails for $20.00 and is limited edition. I snatched them up and referred to them as an early birthday present :). This collection is perfect for me; I love all duo fiber brushes and Real Technique brushes.

The kit comes with three brushes: a face brush, contour brush, and eye brush.

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Little Sister's Graduation

Last weekend Steven and I headed to our hometown (we met at the restaurant we both worked at while we were in high school) to celebrate my little sister's graduation! She graduated from my former high school, so it was nice to be back where I spent four years of my life and see her walk the same stage I did, as well as our brother. 

Erin,

Congratulations on graduating high school. You have worked so hard in your classes, college courses, and at work. I know you are going to do amazing things in Chattanooga when you get here. Steven and I can't wait to have you in the same city with us again! Love you so much.

Chelsea

Hearts and Darts 5.17.13

Hearts

• The Great Gatsby and Silver Linings Playbook: Steven and I watched both movies this weekend. The Great Gatsby is a must-see with the over-the-top acting, beautiful costumes, and entertaining music selection. Silver Linings Playbook kept me cringing and laughing throughout the entire movie. Go see them!
• Little sister's graduation: My little sister graduates high school today! She'll be attending college in Chattanooga in the fall which means we will finally be in the same city again. I can't wait to head home today to attend graduation and celebrate after.
• Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light: Steven let me splurge on my birthday at Sephora, so I picked up one of the infamous lighting powders. I am obsessed! My acne scars and large pores look softer and my face doesn't get oily throughout the day. Review coming soon!

Darts

• Iron pills: I was told to start taking iron pills after the doctor discovered I was anemic last week. They were fine the first week then all of the sudden starting making me nauseous and sick. I'm trying different things at the moment and hopefully the sickness will subside.
• Rain on the weekends: For some reason in Chattanooga it has only been raining on the weekends. What's up with that?

What were your hearts and darts for the week?

 I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Review: Lush 9 to 5 Cleansing Lotion

Lush says this cleanser is, "Like Dolly says, 9 to 5 is quite the way to make a living. It can take its toll on the skin and leave you looking worn out. Our inventors created this one a long time ago and named it 'Orchid Oil Cleanser.' Our customers had been crying out for a liquid cleanser, so we decided to bring (the newly renamed) 9 to 5 to the LUSH shelves. This gentle cleanser is made with almond oil, dove orchids and everlasting flower absolute to remove your leftover make up, dirt and grime at the end of a long work day.

Product Review: This liquid cleanser has the consistency of a runny lotion. The term "liquid cleanser" is a bit deceiving because you don't actually mix it with water. Instead, you massage a dime size amount of the lotion onto your face and use a damp washcloth or dry cotton rounds/balls to remove. If I am wearing heavy makeup or a lot of mascara I will add a bit more and go through the entire process twice. I'm guessing the almond oil is what helps break everything down. Not only does this cleanser remove all my makeup, but it also leaves my face super soft. Sometimes I use a toner afterwards, but I rarely find traces of makeup left except around my hair line. I reserve this cleanser for lazy nights when I don't feel like taking a shower or washing my face at the sink.

Size of Product: 3.4 oz or 8.5 oz. plastic container

Price: $10.95/$21.95

Would I Repurchase? I would repurchase this for travel use. It's very convenient and removes makeup, dirt, and oil much better than cleansing or makeup removing clothes.

Review & Collection: Wet n Wild Megalast Lipsticks

If you have never used Wet n Wild products before let us please have a moment of silence.  **MOMENT OF SILENCE** You are missing out on some of the best drugstore cosmetics that are so inexpensive! I love their eyeshadows, new Coverall foundation, eyeliner pencil in taupe, and now their lipsticks!

Their Megalast lipstick line is made up of all matte lipsticks that cost a whopping $1.99 at your local Wal Mart, CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, or anywhere else that carries the brand.

I currently own five colors which range from a deeper nude to a plum color.

March & April 2013 Empties

Here are all the products I used up/decided to throw away for the months of March and April. Every item was purchased by me unless specified.

Skincare

Hearts and Darts 5.3.13

Hearts

• It's finally May: I love the month of May. It's my birthday month and the weather in Tennessee is beautiful! Not to mention my little sister will be graduating this month!
• Blue Bloods book series: I finally got around to reading all the Blue Bloods books this past month and I love them! They are young adult literature and give a new twist to other vampire series I've read before.
• Roo cups: I feel like I'm almost a true Chattanoogan. I bought my first Roo cup! Roo cups are sold at Kangaroo gas stations during the summer. You buy a cup for $6.99 and get .25 refills for the summer. It's a pretty big deal here in Chattanooga, so after six years I finally caved in to see how wonderful they are.
• School break: I'm free from the books until May 15 when I begin my two summer classes. I ended my semester with two Bs and one A!

Darts

• Neighborhood sidewalks: I guess all the people in my neighborhood think it's perfectly ok to walk their dogs and let them poop everywhere on the sidewalks without cleaning it up. Just take a plastic bag with you. It's not that hard.
• Summer wardrobe: I'm in desperate need of summer clothing!
• Sock pile: Our sock pile just keep growing and growing. Why can't they magically pair themselves?!

What were your hearts and darts this week?

Natural Skincare: Coconut Oil and Grapeseed Oil

I have been trying to incorporate more natural skincare products into my daily skincare routine. After hearing so much about skincare oils, I decided to try two popular choices: coconut oil and grapeseed oil. I purchased my extra virgin coconut oil from Amazon.com and my grapeseed oil from my local Whole Foods store. You should be able to purchase 

both at any natural food store.