Spring/Summer 2014 Beauty Haul

HEY KIDDOS!

For any of you reading who may not have known, we had a few loses in our family in the last month so I want to apologize for my lack of updates. But since my last post I have bought a-freaking-lot of crap I shouldn’t have, and also received another Ipsy Glam Bag. Yes, I do have a problem. And yes, I have enough makeup. But I don’t care! HA! Things are so pretty, and some of the stuff I got from Sephora was on clearance! I love everything I got. I’ll try to recall where I bought everything and for how much. Sooooo let’s crack on….

Right. Yeah. I bought all this stuff. NOT all at once, mind you. Over the past about two months when I was out and about I found them here and there. Pictured from the left to right, well kind of clockwise; are the Sephora’s Pantone Color of the Year brush set, Divergent palette by Sephora, Sephora neon eyelash curlers with rubber replacements, L’Oreal Colour Riche in 176 Sunset Angora, NYC Expert Last Lip Color in 405 Blue Rose , NYC Applelicious Glossy Lip Balm in 355 Applelicious Pink, another NYC Expert Last Lip Color in 442 Berry Me, the gold lipstick laying in front of the other lip products is a Milani lipstick in 21 Sangria (Matte), back up to the polish next to the NYC lipstick is Milani nail polish in A Rose Mylady, MAC Disney’s Maleficent (limited edition) lipstick in True Love’s Kiss (Amplified), Urban Decay Naked Skin foundation in shade 1.0, Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish in 710 Sunny Days (Yellow) and 210 Mintilicious, Deborah Lippmann Nail Polish in Boom Boom Pow. Down to the bits laying in front; Jordana FabuLiner Liquid Eyeliner in black, MAC Eyebrow pencil in Fling, Milani Eyeliner in Baby Blue, and Milani Lipstick in Vivacious Fuchsia (cream formula I believe). So that’s everything from that haul!

First of all, I got these bad boys on clearance! When first released their retail price was $68, but I got them for $22  (clearance price being $29.99, plus my associate discount)!! The main reason I purchased them though was the fact it included a crease brush and the angled blush brush. I had been in the market for those brushes for a while and why not get them in a cute case, in a cute color, with cute friends to accompany them, at a cute price! All the brushes are synthetic, except the stippling brush, which I believe it is a duo synthetic/natural fiber brush. They are all soooo soft and they work beautifully. Another perk, was having all the brushes you would need in the case which also fit the Divergent palette in it for traveling with my family to Kentucky. The brushes are brilliant, and all the makeup I needed fit in the case (minus my beauty blender and eyelash curler, of course)! So I’m in LOVE!!

I always go overboard with lip products… it is quite sad. But most of these products are very affordable with the exception of the MAC lipstick. I got all of these from different places. I think the first purchase of this lot was the MAC lipstick, which I just had to have as soon as I heard they were releasing the Maleficent collection. I believe the price was $16 or $17.50 or something. I don’t remember because frankly I didn’t care because as always this lipstick is wonderful and I wanted it! It is one of MAC’s amplified formulas, and most people aren’t the biggest fan of that formula.This is my first so I don’t really have anything to base it on. I think this shade is an exception. It is a nice red lipstick with blue undertones and subtle sheen to it. It just works perfectly for my skin tone and I just adore it. In the swatch photo to the right, it is the fifth swatch from the top.

The next purchases were the NYC lot. And let me just tell you I am completely surprised by these Expert Last lipsticks. Happily surprised, that is! Very happy. I went to Walmart to get the Blue Rose one first as I had been recommended it by a friend thinking it would be a lovely shade on me. Well, of course, when I went to my local Walmart they were out of that shade so I purchased something I thought could be a  nice neutral shade for daily wear, Berry Me (second from top in swatch photo). Berry Me, is presumably a redish berry shade with just a little sheen to it. The color pay off on my lips is a bit darker than the swatch. Unfortunately, I had to take a trip to Target to finally get the shade of Blue Rose (third swatch from top) I wanted, which is a lovely fuchsia tone with a blue sheen undertone.  I am just floored at how nice these lipsticks are for $1.96 price tag!!! They are extremely creamy, very pigmented, smell quite good, and they really do last all day!! I just have to touch up after lunch or a drink. If you are not a lipstick person and just want to try some color out without setting you back a lot of money, try one of these. If you don’t end up liking it you only spent $2 not $20. Another perk, the Blue Rose matches another one of the Rimmel 60 Seconds nail polishs I have. They are nearly the same color!! The other NYC product is the Applelicious Glossy Lip Balm (fourth swatch from the top). This a very fresh smelling balm with just a little bit of a red tint to it. Very moisturizing, and is nice for lazy days to give yourself a “my lips but better” shiny, sheer tint for about $2.96. Yes, a dollar more than the lipstick, but you get a lot of product in that tube.

Oh, dear baby Jesus, I have more to talk about these lippies! Next, Milani products. I have purchased one other lipsticks before. I have the shade 01 Sweet Nectar (cream), which is a bright orange I rave about. To me, they are similar to MAC lipsticks, but they are $5.99 and can get them at Walgreens or CVS. But I must cool my jets a bit because I am not over the moon with this second purchase. First, I bought the wrong damn shade! I wanted Black Cherry (a deep, almost blackish red), and accidentally grabbed Sangria (a deep purple). At first, I was fine with it because I also really liked the purple hue. No…..no, no. Second, I do not like their matte formula at all. Sangria is matte (second to last swatch in photo). The only sangria I have not liked crossing my lips! It is not easy to apply because it is a dryer formula. It drys out your lips while you wear it, and accumulates in a sticky line where your lips touch. Leaving you with blotchy lips. A total bummer!!! After telling my sister, Kallie, this plight she asked, “Did you know they sell some Milani products at Dollar Tree?” SCCCHHAAAWHHAATT?!!? I did not know this so I just HAD to go check out my local Dollar Tree to see if they sold it there! And yes, they do! The one I went to only carried the lipstick I purchased, one other shade, and then different eyeliners, which I also purchased. All the products just a dollar. The Vivacious Fuchsia (bottom swatch in photo) I purchased is in different packaging than the familiar Milani gold so I am not certain what the formula is, but it is MMMUUCCHH more creamy than the matte one, and has more shine than the cream! Beautiful color, smells the same fruity way as their other lipsticks, but the con is it doesn’t last as long during the day. Between the $5.99 matte Milani and the $1 mystery Milani, though it doesn’t keep color as long, I will definitely chose the $1!!

Last, but not least, the L’Oreal Colour Riche (top swatch in photo). Purchased on a whim while on our family trip to Kentucky. We stopped by Walmart after dinner to take our minds off things for a little while and found these little babies on clearance for $3.99 down from like $7.49! They are similar to the Maybelline Color Whispers and Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters bright, sheer balmy formula. Lovely, moisturizing coral lip for summer days. ENOUGH ALREADY WITH LIPS RUTHIE, CARRY ON!   

Now for talon decorations!! I am loving all the Rimmel 60 Second nail polishes I have so I picked up two more. They are only $1.50 and have lots of fun, bright, summery colors. Only drawback, they dry quickly so you have to paint quickly or they do kind of bubble between coats. But I just love the brushes because they are flat and wide so they cover most of your nail quickly. Only two coats needed as they are pigmented and the color you see in the bottle you get on your nails. The photo to the right is the Mintilicious (with another Deborah Lippmann accent polish in Mermaid’s Dream, which I will talk about soon). Next, the Milani polish in A Rose Mylady was another clearance buy. I wanted to give it a try as I am always looking for a nice neutral nail polish. Let’s just say, I still haven’t found a good one. It looks much better in the bottle than on the nail. In the bottle it looks like a nice neutral with rose gold sheen. I did not notice the sheen when on my nails. So moving on. The Deborah Lippmann in Boom Boom Pow was a nice little score! On clearance in Sephora for $3.99 (plus my discount)! It’s a gold glitter polish with different size glitter flecks. Oh, wait!! Did I mention there is 24K gold flecks in it, as well?!!? Oh yes! Pure class. S.W.A.N.K.Y.

Now on to eye products. So some exchanges were made at Sephora, and I came out with the eyelash curlers (because my others were bent) and the Deborah Lippmann in Boom Boom Pow. The eyelash curlers work amazingly and the best part was they came with extra rubber rings for the handle, and two extra rubber pads for the eyelash base. Next in the photo is the MAC eyebrow pencil in Fling. I thought it was going to be too light of a shade, but is perfect! It is a cream formula, very long wearing, and the tip is very small to help with precision application. I am just absolutely loving it right now. The Milani Baby Blue eyeliner came from the escapade to Dollar Tree. It was $1, it’s blue, and it cranks up! Not a whole lot to say! ;P Last eye product is the Jordana Fabu Liner Liquid Eyeliner in black. It is pretty nice liquid liner for the price about $3. My qualm, the felt tip of it is not very flexible and dries out quick so you have to stop let it re-saturate...and then finish. Just a damper.  

This Naked Skin foundation is a re-purchase ($39 minus my discount) because I ran out of my other bottle. I tried other foundations for a while, but I found this is a nice, light to medium coverage foundation that sinks right in and doesn’t melt off your face on SMOLDERING HOT summer days. Bonus- it doesn’t freak my sensitive skin out! Now this palette, I adore it! Not a lot I can say. As I said before it was just perfect for for travelling because it contains, three eye shadows, bronzer, blush, and lip gloss. It is made by Sephora so the pigment is great, and I got it for about $11 (on clearance for $15, marked down from about $32)!!! Great summer colors for a natural glow. DONE!  

Above is the June 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag, which came in a Rebecca Minkoff bag! Whoot! As always, I love everything featured in it! Beach Spray for your hair, which I don’t know how well it will work in my straight-ass hair? Oh well. A lovely darker brow pencil be OFRA will be nice for more intense eye looks. You know, at da club?! HA! Right! NYX Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee. LOVE LOVE FREAKIN’ LOVE! One of the best glosses ever! Be a Bombshell mascara in Lash Out, which is a drier formula than I normally use so I wasn’t overly impressed, but I’ll still try to use it. Never even heard of the last brand, Realtree solid perfume stick? But is smell sooooo fresh and deliSHH!! Why not? Give it a go!! That’s what a beauty subscription is for right?!?

I picked this Summer Stash from Sephora because for several days it was on sale for $25 down from $42, which to me is sooooo worth on sale especially when I actually got it for $20! Woo wo wooo! This bag featured NARS bronzer in Laguna (yes, I jumped on the bandwagon, and I’m totally ADDICTED), Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector (haven’t used it yet, but can be used as a highlight or mix a little with your foundation for more of a dewy look), Urban Decay Makeup Setting Spray (for those particularly melty days), Make Up For Ever waterproof eyeliner in Aqua ( such a great color and did not budge), Stila Magnificent Metals Eye Shadow in Kitten (REALLY LOVE! And the price of this whole bag worth just this sample because the individual ones sell for about $38! Definitely need to wear an eye primer though.), Deborah Lippmann polish in Mermaid’s Dream ( Seen in the polish look photo above. A wonderful summer look, and really does look like Ariel’s tail. Use 3 coats though), and finally, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Stained Gloss in New Wave and applicator brush ( How summer appropriate is this name?? Have not used it yet, but their other lip tars are just freaking amazing!!) Oh yeah, it also came with a deluxe sample size of They’re Real Lashes mascara by Benefit, but I gave it to my friend who was having a crummy bum day at work to brighten her day! :) (Don't tell her I'm allergic to it too though!)

So to finish the LONGEST blog ever, I wanted to share about how I ran out of the Lush Ultrabland I was using. Went to the mall to get more. Realized when I got into said mall that they didn’t have a Lush. Really needed something. Wasn’t as impressed with the Lush results as I had hoped. It didn’t do anything bad, but there also wasn’t much improvement. Heard good things about Elizabeth Arden. Liking the new idea of creams because of the Lush wash so I went with the Ceramide Purifying Cream Cleanser because the lady at the counter said it was just perfect for sensitive skin. It is $29.50, but that is the same price as the larger tub of Ultrabland. And the Clarins Instant Eye Make-up Remover is another re-purchase, $28. This eye makeup remover is AHHHMAZING! If you wear waterproof liners, mascaras, tar, or any other long wearing eye makeup this is definitely worth it to get it allll off!

THAT’S IT!! I know this was really, really long. Thanks for sticking around if you did! Just had a lot of time between posts and I won’t let that happen again because I buy too much ish obviously! So more frequent, shorter updates should be a thing, right!?

Spring/Summer Fashion Haul coming up next!! As always, follow me on Instagram @ruthiejeankahl; Twitter @ruthiejeankahl; and on Facebook, facebook.com/ruthiejeankahl

Check you later!

-RuthieJeanJellieBean

FIRST LUSH AND MAC PURCHASE! (And Other What-nots)

Hey Kiddos!!

I bought all this this passed weekend...

(Method Pure Naked Body Wash in Ocean Surf, MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW15, MAC Satin Lipstick in Snob, Lush Ultrabland Facial Cleanser, A sample of Lush Ocean Salt Face/Body Scrub, Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser, and EOS Shaving Cream in Pomegranate Raspberry) 

On Friday, I popped into Target to get a few odds and ends because I was practically out of everything-- body wash, makeup remover, shaving stuff, deodorant-- and I didn't want to be a big stink! So these things I won't go into depth about they are just stuffs to keep me going. However, I will mention the Biore cleanser (about $5 with a $1 off coupon on the bottle!) I got and used once, and just after that use I did really like! It smells really good and it seemed to do what it said it would, my pores appeared smaller and blackheads seemed a bit less noticeable after the first use. It did have a cooling, tingling feeling to it, which I enjoyed. I am going to forego use of this for now because of my Lush purchase, but I do not have any qualms with it so far. I will update this once I use it again.

So...after a horrific day at work on Saturday my crazy self left one mall to go to another! But I went to a better mall, West County. It is a bit more swanky, meaning it has a Nordstrom's, Macy's is stocked with many more luxurious beauty counters, and they have valet parking....schhaawhhattt?!? Besides that, West County is about a halfway point for me and my bestest friend Jenn to meet so I sent her a text saying I am heading that way and would love to see her! She agreed with the condition at some point we go somewhere that serves alcohol. DONE! AND DONE!

Let me first explain my objectives for this trip. 1.Was to get cleansing water from Sephora because both the Sephora inside the JCP I work, and the one in West County were out of stock, which meant I had to swallow the fact I couldn't use my associate discount and go the massive, free-standing Sephora...but really, twist my arm! LOVE THAT PLACE! 2. Check out the MAC counter at either Nordstrom's or Macy's just to see if I want to indulge (because I had a feeling once I started I won't want to stop buying).

Walked into Nordstrom's first...and kept walking. HA! They were doing makeup for girls going to prom. Gross, dealt with girls like that all day already, moving on. So ignoring my doggedly tired feet, I walked to Sephora, popped right in, got the bigger bottle of the cleansing water because I thought 'Why not since it's here?' All the really helpful associates asked if I needed any help, but I explained my mission was to only get this, and I am pretending I have blinders on because I can't buy anything else. (I will soon eat my words and sheepishly walk back in 30 minutes later to return my cleansing water.)

Next stop. Macy's! And what did I do?? Stopped at Lush (with Mac right there in my line of sight)..... Ok, I only stopped because one thing caught my eye, then all of the sudden, a darling little Lush girl jumped around the corner, completely startled me, and we started talking. She was so delightful, and it was her first day! I had a crumby day so why not chat with her and get pampered a bit? She tried out a couple products on me and they all smell sooooo lovely! Everything! Really. I have always wanted to try something from Lush because I knew they used a lot of good, natural ingredients which for me, is amazing! I have super sensitive skin having allergies to a lot of artificial fragrances, dyes, and other weird things like, THE COLD! Yes, I get hives all over my skin when it is cold. Even using an ice pack. Can't hold a cold drink for too long, but luckily I can drink them! ;) Ingesting cold things doesn't really bother me. I do get a bit of a scratchy throat, but no one can take ice cream away from me!!  Anywhovilles, with my Sephora bag in hand I wandered around Lush a bit more, passed most things because they are all bath things and I only have a shower. :/ Oh well, saves me money. Then the Lush girl came back around and asked what I got at Sephora, and I told her it was cleansing water. I love it really! But I use it to take my makeup off and then cleanse after. I could see a sparkle in her eye. She took me over to suggest one more, kind of, all-in-one product...Ultrabland. Dun-duh-da-dun!! This stuff is awesome.! After comparing ingredients and price I decide to go with the Ultrabland ($16.95 for 1.5 oz) as my first Lush purchase! Which brought me to eating my words and returning my cleansing water to Sephora (I can't tell you how guilty I felt doing this because I returned it to one of the girls I talked to in Sephora, embarrassing! Not to mention, it was may main objective for the trip.) and give this a try for a while.

This is more of a cleansing balm, which is something I will have to get used to just because I have been using foaming cleansers for so long. What you do with it is grab a dollop on your finger, and on a dry face rub it in to break down your makeup. I rub it for a while just because it feels pretty good-- you look like a crazy, hot mess with lipstick on your chin and black smudges on your forehead-- but it feels good. Then once you've rubbed your makeup free, you use a washcloth or cotton pads with warm water and just wipe it away. I have been using a washcloth, but I think I am going to switch to cotton pads just because I feel gross using the same washcloth over and over, and I also don't want to dirty a bazillion of them because I hate doing laundry! It leaves my face feeling really moisturized and soft. I totally understand why this is a cult product! The main makeup removing ingredient in this is product? Beeswax! Who knew?! 

Well, on to MAC I went. And from the title of this blog... I did purchase. Haha! What did I get, you ask?? Well, it was in the first picture! Just kidding... I was looking to get a new concealer because everything I have tried creases under my eyes by the end of the day. Well, some instantly. Everything I have read online and watched on YouTube said MAC Pro Longwear Concealer ($19 for 0.3 fl oz) is amazing! And guess what?? It totally is!! Best part about it, comes in a cute little bottle with a pump! It is a tiny bottle but you don't need much at all so it will last for ages! My other purchase was the satin finish lipstick Snob ($16), which I bought on a recommendation from a friend saying it would be the perfect color on me. Also love it! I will probably be wearing this all summer!! 

And here are a couple selfies with both MAC products in use. Apologies, for the quality of the photos they are from my phone, but honestly, the camera on my phone is probably better than my current digital camera. I really like this makeup look for summer! 

And after that really long story most people would say, "...and then you found five dollars?" Hardy-freakin'-har......well, guess what? I DID!! On our way to the Elephant Bar for some dinner and drinks I found not only one five dollar bill on the sidewalk, I found two!!! 10 BUCKS! So suck on that!! Used it to tip our super hot bartender!!!!

So until next time....check you later! 

-RuthieJeanJellieBean

Trying Something New...

Ha! Well, okay! I haven't posted to this blog in a long time. OK, two years! I've been lazy busy! But I am trying to broaden my horizons. I have wanted to do this for a long time, but never had the motivation to do it. So I apologize now if this becomes neglected. My intentions for this fashion/beauty/life blog is to post outfits-of-the-day, new makeup I bought, contents of my beauty subscriptions, thoughts, ideas, new discoveries, adventures, and well, whatever I damn well please! So if anyone cares to read this please give me suggestions on what you would like to see.

New posts to come! Photos! Fun! For now, follow me on Instagram: @ruthiejeankahl, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruthiejeankahl?ref=tn_tnmn or Twitter: @ruthiejeankahl.

Lee in My Room

Before I left my sister, Mallory, told me I should vlog my room and house and such, but I feel like a total moron when I try to make a video so I just took pictures of my room. Ha! But guess what star was so willing to do this shoot free of charge for me?? Lee Kahl! So here are just a few pictures of Lee in my room so everyone can see what it looks like.

That is my room. Later I will try to get the gumption to take a video of the rest of my house. I'm getting there, but I still feel like a doof!

Made It! And Now To Gower!

Sorry, it has been so long since I have update this stinkin' blog! It has just been a crazy time since I have been here. I have been on so many adventures already (Lee has been with me for most of them too) and they just keep coming. Any twizzlers, I will start with the first trip we went on with the pre-sessional course I had to take due to being a silly American to Gower. Sooooooooooooooo b-e-a-utiful!

Gower is one of the most beautiful coast lines in the world. There is a point there called Worm's Head because it looks like just that sticking out of the water. I don't think I got a picture of it very clearly though :/ (womp, womp, wommpp) But I did get a picture of the sheep in the pasture next to the coast line! :)

Since I don't have a picture of Lee with me, I will just show you a picture of me!! Ha!

I will leave you with a photo I shot as we were leaving Gower that evening. And in your head sing the song...."Closing time, time for...blah, blah, blah.........but you can't stay here"

So the Journey Begins....

In approximately 60 hours or so I will be landing in London and taking a bus to Swansea, Wales to start my final college semester at the University of Swansea. I am so nervous, but this is something I have always wanted to do. See the world! Yes, I am just staying in the UK for the majority of this, but I grew up in a town with about 2200 people. Friends who still live there don't quite understand why I am going. To be honest, I don't really either. It just feels right. I am ecstatic to see art, architecture, and culture in-the-round rather than how I commonly see them-- in a two-dimensional atmosphere on the pages of books.

This blog was started as my photography class project, and well, never really came around. So, Mr. Mitchell, here it is now! I will post photographs of the things I have seen, places visited, and my experiences. But in Ruthie-fashion, it will come with a little bit of a twist. Recently, I went shopping with one of my best friends, Jenn! She and I made my first Build-a-Bear...errrmmm...dog! Haha! I made a dog. His name is Lee. Lee is my father's middle name and even though my dad is not with us anymore I wanted a part of him and home to travel with me. My homage to the Midwest, Illinois, and the Kahl clan; Lee is sporting bibbers!!

My first photos of this journey (though I am still in Illinois at the moment):

Lee Kahl: My travel companion!!

(Photo credit: Ruthie Kahl)

University of Swansea

(Photo credit: http://www.bcie.co.uk/uk-university---swansea-university/)

So, kids here is where it begins!! Check my facebook!

Love,

Ruthie