TJMaxx Skincare Haul: Shiseido + Plantlife

One of my favorite things is going on Friday night shopping excursions to TJMaxx. Who doesn't love a little retail therapy? There is always something you can find in the store, whether it be a great pair of jeans, or a few skincare gems. But the best thing about TJMaxx, is that they often have high end clothing and skincare for a fraction of the usual cost.

A slew of Shiseido products were stocked on the shelves, which was a rare and exciting treat. I love Shiseido skincare, so I could not resist picking up a few items.

The first thing I acquired was the Shiseido Extra Smooth Sun Protection Lotion for Face/Body. Shiseido sunscreens are famous in the beauty community for providing fast-absorbing, effective sun protection. I've been wanting to try this product out for ages, but I simply could not justify the steep price of thirty-four dollars. When I saw this for nineteen dollars, I had to get it. Expect a review to come.

The next product was a sort of impulse buy. I absolutely love the Shiseido Pureness Cleansing Fluid, so   I was immediately drawn to this product. The Shiseido Pureness Pore Minimizing Gel advertises...well exactly what it says in the title. It is intended to be applied as primer of sorts, smoothing over your pores  to create a nice base for makeup. I tried this on the back of my hand and I must say, I am very impressed. There is an immediate difference to the texture of the skin when applied, making the surface silky smooth. So far, seems to be a good buy.

The last product is the Plantlife 100% Pure Tea Tree Oil. Pure tea tree oil is known as the jack-of-all trades, helping with anything from preventing lice to treating acne. I've been searching for a reasonably priced bottle of pure tea tree oil, and this seems to be it. While five dollars can seem a steep price for such a tiny bottle, it is actually quite cheap in comparison to other brands. I plan to use this to naturally treat the occasional hormonal zit that pops up from time to time.

That concludes this skincare haul, and if you would like to see reviews for any of the products mentioned, simply request one in the comments below.

love,

      io.

Makeup Messing: Dolly Goth + Ramblings

I remember when I used to play with my mother's makeup as a child, thinking what fun it was to paint faces with pretty shades of blue and pink. As I got older and my love for all things makeup and beauty blossomed, I began to discover ways in that makeup could accentuate one's face. I loved shimmering eyeshadows and things that sparkled. Then, I grew older still and grew into who I am today. I found my sense of style, discovered my preferences and views. All of this essentially formed the crux of my current "beauty standing" (Yes, I absolutely did just make that saying up). But after I found what I wanted for myself, I began to look at makeup in a different way. Not just as a way to bring out beauty but as an art form. A makeup look could be a looking glass into the past, an abstract representation, anything. Upon realizing this, I began to experiment, forcing myself to push the boundaries of everyday makeup and turn it into art. So if you made it this far, you are most likely wondering what any of this has to do with the picture below. Well, here is one of my efforts at expressionism, art through makeup. I love messing around like this, trying out new techniques I would never use otherwise. 

What I've done here is created an exaggerated false lash effect by quick strokes of black liner on a fine liner brush. I also added some iridescent teal to give it an interesting twist. I had a lot of fun with this look, and I felt like it really channeled my style, edgy with a bit of grunge messiness. The wispy lower "lashes" focused on the outer edge of my eye really gave it a pretty "doll" look too, hence the title.

This post has been quite rambly, but I guess I'm just saying that sometimes it's easy to fall into a pattern of conformity with makeup. But having a good "messing" with makeup, while sometimes ending up ridiculous, can also help you push out of your comfort zone. You might find something better than what you have been doing before. I wish you all the best messings!

love,

      io.