I have a problem… actually I have a lot of problems but the one we’re focusing on today is my addiction to beauty products, specifically beauty products I don’t need but I want anyway.

I bought this literally only because it looks pretty. There are chunks of Amaranth floating in it and the oil has a light and pleasant smell. But, I don’t use face oil (except an oil cleanser) but this an all over body oil so I put it on my feet (which are gross and calloused). I haven’t seen much change but it was also less than $10 from Marshalls so it’s not a huge splurge. I generally try to provide links to all my products so people can find them but because I bought this (and a few others) at Marshalls I cannot since Marshalls’ stock is always changing.

Would I Re-Buy: Probably not (only because I don’t need more than one body oil at a time).

 

Another product I found at Marshalls and bought for both the aesthetic and the ingredients. I’ve heard nothing but good things about The Ordinary’s Serum with the same ingredients, the only thing that put me off is the fact that it’s only available online. I saw this Niacinamide + Zinc serum at Marshalls for the same price as The Ordinary’s and thought hey, why not? I’m happy to say this serum has worked or at least hasn’t worked against me. I haven’t seen any new acne since I started using it and my skin looks less red especially in my cheek and forehead area. Urban Outfitters sells this serum for $15 but you’re better off just ordering it from The Ordinary.

Would I Re-Buy: If I could find it again at Marshalls for $6 then yes.

 

Retinol was the reason I made the trek to Marshalls in the first place. I heard that it was best to start using retinol when you’re in your 20s. Retinol is expensive apparently, even drugstore brands sell retinol creams and serums for more than $20 and for me that was too much to pay for a product I just wanted to try out. I knew Marshalls would have me covered because I found this serum for less than $10. I’ve only used this product once (I’m starting with once a week usage and working up from there) but so far I’ve liked it.

Would I Re-Buy: Maybe

 

Sometimes I wish I could be the type of girl who washes her face with Cetaphil and wears mascara and looks amazing all the time. Like a Glossier girl. Instead, I’m the girl who has a beauty regime with steps in the double digits. C’est la vie. Just because I’ll never be that type of natural beauty girl doesn’t mean I can’t use and love Cetaphil. This stuff is amazing and I don’t know why I resisted buying it for so long? Maybe because it didn’t have a gimmick. Cetaphil doesn’t tell me it’s going to make my pores smaller or my face brighter but it does take off all my makeup and soothes my skin.

Would I re-buy: YES!

I bought this primer because I needed a new one but I was really attracted by the name. Insta-ready? Sold. I also like that this has SPF because my foundation doesn’t. I do use a heavier SPF when I know I’ll be outside all day but this primer is usually enough. My one issue is when I first started using this it wouldn’t come out of the opening on top and I had to unscrew it and scoop the product out. I put a few drops of water in there and shook it up and now it’s coming out just fine. I like this primer and even though it has sunscreen it doesn’t make my face oily and my pores look smaller. I don’t know if I’m “Insta-Ready” but I’m a fan of this primer.

Would I Re-Buy: Probably not. Not because I dislike this primer (I like it) but because there are so many primers on the market and by the time I’m buying a new one I’ll want something different.

 

I obviously need another red lipstick (sarcasm) but this Nyx one is so pretty. I have another Soft Matte Lip Cream lipstick in Budapest which I love so it just made sense trying the same formula in a different color. While I like the color and the price I’m finding the formula a little too sheer. It’s also not as buildable (swatch below) because when I apply more than one coat it starts to look uneven on my lips. I can fix this problem by using lip liner to fill in the gaps. I have other red lipsticks that do the job without extra products.

Would I Re-buy: No

 

I’m a sucker for a good matte lipstick and this one delivers. I’ve used Maybelline’s Vivid Matte lipstick before so I’m familiar with their products and lipstick formula. I was intrigued by the name as well. What is matte ink? Well, apparently it’s lipstick that does NOT budge at all. I wore this lipstick out and it lasted through the movies, eating popcorn, eating dinner and probably would have lasted all night if I wore it to bed. I had to use oil and micellar water to get it off. And while it stuck to my lips like glue it didn’t feel heavy or drying at all. In fact, I forgot I was wearing it and figured the popcorn or dinner took it off until I looked in the mirror. I’ve used other matte lipsticks (*cough wet n wild cough*) that are so matte they flake and feel gross but Maybelline seems to have found the elusive combo of matte but not too matte. My only criticism is I’m not a fan of this color. I thought it was going to be a more pink-rose colored lipstick but it comes out more purple. I would re-buy this lipstick in a red though.

Would I Re-buy: YES!

 

I suck at using eyeliner. I think it’s because my vision is really bad but whatever the case may be I’m just not good at it. Luckily Kat Von D has me covered. I bought this eyeliner because I stole it from my mom’s bathroom and liked it so much I needed my very own. Before I bought this one I was using a Physician’s Formula eyeliner which I liked but the tip was starting to flake a bit when I began stealing my moms Kat Von D stuff. As someone with hooded eyes using eyeliner can be a pain because by the end of the day half of it is on my lid while the other half is up near my eyebrows. I resigned myself to that fate because every eyeliner I’ve used has made the great migration upwards but the Tattoo Eyeliner stays put. It’s waterproof and drys fast, so fast that it can be hard to fix mistakes sometimes.

I had to wash this eyeliner off my arm so I could do the lipstick swatches and it did not want to come off. I’m pretty sure I could wear this in the pouring rain and it would not come off and I am here for it. An eyeliner that actually stays on my eyelid? SOLD.

Would I Re-Buy: Yes!

Not pictured (because it’s all gone) but when I was buying this Kat Von D eyeliner at Sephora I asked for a sample of Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask which is a cult beauty favorite. I got 3 uses out of the teeny tiny sample tub and I’m seriously debating if I should buy the full sized version. On one hand, $45 seems like a lot for a sleeping mask especially because I have an Etude House Bubble Tea Sleeping Pack that I never use (oops). On the other hand, I bought a $7o mask from Glamglow so perhaps a watermelon sleeping mask is in my future. Maybe you’ll be seeing it in my next beauty haul post.