50% off Studio makeup from e.l.f. with $25 purchase

Today through March 4. Use code STUDIO50.

Most of their best stuff is from the Studio line. Check out my e.l.f. tag to see what I've reviewed and suggestions for what to try or avoid.

Transparency

By the way, none of the shit I've reviewed so far has been sent to me to review for free, other than the BzzAgent stuff. I think I've been clear about those posts, and I don't usually give them glowing reviews anyway. I mean, I'm honest about what I think. But anyone can sign up for BzzAgent and have them send you crap. It's not exclusive.

I'm not saying I wouldn't accept some free samples for review - I would, because it gets expensive to keep buying more things myself to test, and I'm beginning to feel like a hoarder, for real. But I would be clear about where I got the samples and honest about my opinion. Otherwise what's the point? This blog is a hobby. I have a real career. I just started it to bestow my beneficent wisdom on the masses.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure no companies are going to send me swag, because they don't want to be associated with a blog with the word "fuck" right in the title. I'm serious. It doesn't pass the first inspection.

$60 worth of NYX cosmetics for $30

Saw this on Nouveau Cheap's blog. You buy a voucher (Groupon-style) and then use it to shop on the NYX website. Plus free shipping! Hmmmm. I doubt I need that much stuff right now. Do you?

An AMAZING holy-shit guide to buying pencil makeup products (from Beauty and the Bullshit)

This is mandatory reading. Seriously.

Some highlights:

• 'Your brands do not manufacture your pencils. They all source from the same suppliers. [...] There is no exclusivity.' [Ed.: HELLO DUPES. Dupes are frequently exactly the same product, then. Holy shit.]
• 'Sharpening has its advantages you know. [...] In automatic pencils, the lead hangs inside the plastic container unlike in wooden pencils which is totally embedded/supported by the wood.  This has an implication to the texture.  That means that the texture should be hard enough so that even if it is thin, it will not break inside the plastic encasing.'
• '...a good rule of thumb is that the more sophisticated (read, better) formula will be in a plastic "wooden" pencil with airtight caps [i.e. ones you have to sharpen].'

Blew my fucking mind, even though it's all so logical once you think about it.

Another reason to look for affordable sunscreen

Think about it. If you buy a $40 tube of sunscreen, even if it's wonderful, aren't you going to have the urge, at least a little bit, to be stingy with it? To make it last? To not go overboard, not use more than absolutely necessary, not have to replace it right away?

That totally defeats the purpose of sunscreen. You are supposed to apply it liberally and thoroughly. Everywhere on your face and neck that's exposed. Everywhere else that's exposed too! You can't do that if it hurts you to squeeze out a huge glob from your fancyass "prestige" tube.

And there are perfectly good sunscreens available at all price points. Just a do a little searching on a site like Beautypedia and find one that does what you want it to do. And then USE it.

More half-price shit: Pur Minerals is on Hautelook today

I have some credits, so I'm going to try some. The Pressed Mineral Makeup gets really good reviews on Beautypedia and elsewhere, and it's been a while since I tried a powder foundation.

You need an account to browse HauteLook, so here's my invitation link, if you don't already have one.

Have you tried PurMinerals? What do you think?

Schick Intuition refill cartridges almost half price

I've already professed my love for the Schick Intuition razor around here, as well as my commitment to never buying the refills at full price. Right now you can get a 3-pack of the sensitive skin refills (the best ones, in my opinion - most lubricating) for $7 from Tanga when you use the code MEGA20. Usually a 3-pack is around $13 (or more). Stock up! Shipping is free.

Fix Your Face: Avon Glazewear Lip Gloss Swatches

UPDATE: New swatches have been posted here.

Help Jen (a.k.a. bitchslap-barbie) find a foundation that works for her "weird-ass skin"!

Jen (a.k.a. bitchslap-barbie) asks:
I have a question for you. I *do* know the Monistat primer trick (screw Smashbox!), but it doesn't help me all so well due to my weird-ass skin. In summer, my face has more oil than Texas. In winter, it's so dry it visibly flakes, and I have tried everything short of dumping all my savings at a dermatologist to fix that. (Also, my skin only registers summer or winter. There is nothing else.) So getting foundation - REALLY tricky. 

I know this is a tough one. But do you or any of your lovely readers have any suggestions on foundations that will work? I'm fine with having to need two. I just wanna stop looking like a dermatological example of what NOT to do.

My response:

I have a terrible time with foundations, personally. They all look awful and cakey on me and wear off unevenly. They emphasize my fine lines and get greasy (yes, I've tried the ones designed for oily skin). Bleh. I've given up on finding something full coverage that I don't hate, which is okay with me since my skin is fairly even. I've been using the Sephora Tinted Moisturizer (which I wrote about here), and it works great for me. I apply it with a foundation brush, spreading it more or less evenly over my face, and then I sort of buff it in with some Maybelline Mineral Power Finishing Veil Translucent Loose Powder in a swirly circular motion, with a flat top brush. (Both brushes are from the this e.l.f. set which is still $3 with a $30 purchase until tomorrow, Feb. 25.) That step both makes sure the coverage is really even and gives me a matte (but not powdery) finish.

The Sephora stuff isn't cheap, but it's a really good product for oily skin, AND it's moisturizing, so maybe it would help with both of your problems. I'd recommend going to a Sephora store, if you have one nearby, and asking for a sample. They'll give you several days worth, and you can figure out that way if it does any good before you invest.

But that's the only suggestion I have, since it's the only thing I've found to work for me personally. It's not full coverage, though, so if that's important, this isn't the right option. Your face is not my face! So here's where I ask for some more help from the crowd. Anyone out there have a similar skin type to Jen's? What have you found that works? What should she avoid?

Please give your recommendations in the comments!

Badass Hair Review: John Frieda Full Repair Touch-Up Flyaway Tamer

I'd been wanting to try this for a while, since short, broken pieces of hair that stand on end are the bane of my otherwise smooth hair's existence. So when it went on sale on Amazon for less than $2, I was on it. Right now it's about $4 on Amazon, but that is still the best place to get it, since it is usually $7-9 elsewhere.

It's not a lot of product, but it works. It contains a little more than your average tube of mascara and has a similar style brush, though quite a bit fatter. You just take the brush and swipe it over the flyaways in the direction you want them to lie, and that's it. It's simple. At first, it can look a little wet where you've used the product, but that disappears quickly. Make sure not to drag the brush right through your hair from the scalp - just catch the flyaways and lightly comb them against the top of your hair. Use a light touch, or you'll leave too much behind. It keeps the pieces in place really fucking well. The three photos below were all taken on the same day.

Ten Worst Reasons to Buy Cosmetics (from Beauty and the Bullshit)

How to weed out marketing bullshit and avoid wasting your money on empty hype. Awesome! Also: New favorite blog?? Maybe! Be still my foul-mouthed heart.

There are some weirdly awesome pieces of jewelry on HauteLook right now

Pretty cheap, too. Here's my invite link, since you need to sign in to see the rest (go to: "Stock Up: Jewelry Blowout").

Octopus bracelet

Winged skeleton necklace

The Budget Babe finds some great new clothes at Target

These are good! I find with Target clothes, you really have to try them on, because they're not very consistent, even within the same brand, size, and even style. But it can be worth it.

Fix Your Face Review: e.l.f. Studio 3-in-1 Mascara (A $3 Tubing Mascara!?)

Disclosure: Affiliate links.
Spoiler: I've already revealed that I love this stuff, so you know what the outcome is going to be. Let me get straight to why.

First things first: I believe this is a tubing formula (here's a pretty good description of what that is). So if you like tubing mascaras, you should try this out. If you don't, it might not be for you. I have never personally used a tubing mascara, and I don't own one, and I'm not willing to spend the money right now to buy one just to compare with this. But if you have tried any of the tubing mascaras out there, like Blinc or the one from Too Faced or L'Oreal's, and you've tried this e.l.f. mascara, I would love to hear from you. If it is directly comparable, then what we have here is a $3 version of a type of mascara that usually costs $10-30.

Let me talk about the qualities this stuff has that lead me to believe it is a tubing mascara, which are also some of the things I like about it. Once you put this mascara on and it sets, it's not going anywhere. It's not waterproof, but it will not run from tears or rain, etc. I also have a bad habit of touching my face, and I have oily skin, and I always wear sunscreen, etc. Despite that, this doesn't smear. Basically, it doesn't dissolve. If I happen to I wake up in the morning with this mascara still on, it hasn't transferred to my pillow and it's barely flaked. It's still there. Now, I know that no one's necessarily looking for a mascara that will hold up over night, but I think that's a good demonstration of its tenacity.

LORAC makeup is on HauteLook today

There are some really good sets, from $12-28, of lipgloss, eyeliner, and/or eyeshadow. It seems like you get good deal of stuff in each set. I've tried a few LORAC products, including the baked eyeshadow. The "Rockstar" trio is on sale here for $5, down from $26, but I have only used the "Movie Star" trio, which is great. It's too bad that their eyeshadow primer isn't included! It's fucking awesome stuff.

Anyway, I am going to google some of these things and see if there's anything I need ("need" ha), but I thought I'd let you know now, before things start selling out.

If you don't have an account, here's my invite link. As always, be warned that when you buy things from sites like HauteLook, they can take a long time to ship. You have to suffer to be cheaply beautiful, I guess.

Fix Your Face: Recent ULTA brand makeup purchases (swatches and review)

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
I bought a few ULTA brand products recently, so I thought I'd show you swatches, in case you're interested in your own spree. These are all good options.

From left to right in the photos below: (1) Metallic Automatic Eyeliner in Starlet; (2) Metallic Automatic Eyeliner in Golden Eyes; (3) Automatic Eyeliner in Teal Blue; (4) Smokey Eyes Automatic Eyeliner in Cobalt; (5) Automatic Lip Liner in Bloom; (6) Lip Crayon in Fashionista; and (7) Cheek Stain in Desire.

In natural light (colors of the gold and teal eyeliner and pink lipliner aren't quite right).

Save Your Skin Quickie: Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen

Just a reminder: when buying a product that claims to have SPF, make sure it also says "broad-spectrum" on the package. If you end up with something that protects from UVB rays alone, you're protected from sunburn but not from the UVA rays that cause skin damage and aging. Look twice, because not all products that claim to protect your skin from the sun do both. If you want to use something without UVA protection, because you like the formula or whatever, I highly recommend using a separate, broad-spectrum sunscreen under it. You'll be happier in the long run (unless you want wrinkles, then, sure, tan it up, baby).

Here's an article from the Mayo Clinic on how to identify a broad-spectrum sunscreen and why they're best.

Reminder: 11-piece e.l.f. brush set for $3 with $30 purchase this week

Use code BRUSHUP to get the set for $3 with a $30 order.

Here is some info about that kickass brush set, and check out my e.l.f. tag to get some ideas about what you else should try or avoid.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

New and Improved! Posts you might have have missed

I've been going through my old posts from back when I was only on Tumblr and cleaning up the formatting, links, etc. I thought I'd give you a list of some good ones in case you missed them the first time around.

• Some Dove leave-in shit that will make your hair better than it is now.
• The best-smelling body wash ever. EVER.
• Glimmery dupes and near dupes for Zoya polishes.
• Awesome cheap lip gloss and a dupe for Mac Viva Glam VI Lipglass.
• Websites for the cheap as fuck (but stay tuned for new post on how to shop for cheap makeup and skincare products online in the next week.)
• Monistat as a dupe for fucking expensive foundation primers.
• $3 dupe for Nars Orgasm blush.
• Really good $7 earbuds for weirdos like me with tiny ear holes.
• 100 eyeshadows palette for less than $10.
• A holographic topcoat that turns all of your ordinary nail polishes into holos.
• The best $3 drugstore nail polish.
• $4 dry shampoo that works (and holy fuck did I have a lot of freckles in the summer!)
• $3 eyebrow kit. My first love, and still my favorite.
• My skincare routine.
• A $2 flakie nail polish (fucking pretty).
• How to remove your makeup without buying makeup remover.
• My favorite hand cream. (I just bought 2 more tubes of this for $3. Looooooooove.)
• Really fucking good tea.
• $7+ prescription glasses.
• Hair thingies that will work even for sad people who can't master a simple ponytail (e.g. me).
• Cheap and awesome duochrome nail polish.

That ought to keep you busy for a while!

UPDATED WITH COUPON CODE: Land's End clearance starting at $3.50

Update: Get an additional 30% off if you use coupon code BUDDY and PIN 3026.

Okay, maybe Land's End is not necessarily your style, but I happen to know a NUMBER of very hot women who own this Joan-Holloway-looking dress and look very hot in it. Did I mention it's stretchy? And $25? (If you're in between sizes, pick the lower one - sizes 10-18 are left.)

I'm Breaking Up With Lipstick

I'm stating for the record that I've given up on lipstick. I just don't like it. I mean traditional lipstick in a tube. I'm not going to buy any more. I have tried e.l.f., every drugstore brand out there, MAC . . . I'm just not willing to spend any more money to find out if there is a lipstick I don't hate. Fuck it.

e.l.f.'s free shipping on $15+ orders has been extended through the end of today OR get the 11-piece brush set for $3 with a $30 order starting TOMORROW

Use code PRESDAY for free shipping, today only.

Use code BRUSHUP for the $3 brush set offer with $30 order, starting tomorrow (Feb. 20).

Here is some info about that wonderful brush set, and check out my e.l.f. tag to get some ideas about what you else should try or avoid.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Free shipping on orders $15+ at e.l.f. today only

Use code PRESDAY.

Check out my e.l.f. tag to get some ideas about what you should or should not buy.

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link.

Do I Need This? Fancy Finishing Powder

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Welcome to the first installment of "Do I Need This?", a series about new and trendy beauty products (or just those that might be unfamiliar and baffling to both of us). I'll offer my experience and opinion about whether or not I think that the product under consideration is worth shelling out for. Obviously, you don't need ANY beauty products, so the answer is always going to be no, a little bit. But is it going to change your life (or face)? Is it going to make things easier? Are you going to notice any difference at all if you use it? That's what I'm getting at. You may disagree with my verdict, because we all have different bodies/faces/brains/desires, but I'll try to give you a starting point at least.

Short answer: No.

Drugstore Princess's guide to buying discounted cosmetics online

Handy!

Cheap As Fuck on Twitter

I just started up a Twitter account, so follow me (@cheapasf) for an easy way to be notified of new posts and other news about cheap shit.

My Not-Cheap Favorites (and How to Avoid Paying Full Price for Them, If At All Possible)

See my cheap favorites here.

Okay, I confess, not every makeup/skin care product I use is super cheap. Sometimes I manage to get something fancy for a good price. Other times I haven't found a cheap option that I like as much as the pricier one. I feel like it occasionally makes financial sense to pay the extra $5-10 when you know something is just right, rather than to experiment with a bunch of cheaper options and end up spending more in the process. Your threshold and mine for what is a reasonable price to pay to avoid gambling on something new will differ. For example, I know there are other gel moisturizers that might substitute for the Paula's Choice one I've listed below. For $17 (on sale), I'll just buy the Paula's Choice version, because I love it. If it cost $20+, I would probably look around for a substitute.

I'm linking to all of these products and giving you their regular price, but honestly, I don't think I have ever bought one of them for full price. If I have tips for finding these for cheaper, I've included them below.

The Balm Stainiac in Beauty Queen, $17

This stain has an awesome gel formula, so it doesn't bleed all over the fucking place like Benefit Benetint. That means I can actually use it to outline my lips and then fill them in.  It can be used for cheeks too, but I tend not to use it that way. On my lips it leaves a nice, deep pink stain. Sometimes I wear it under another lip color so that when that inevitably wears off, I'll be left with this. It also feels somehow really soft and luxurious to apply. I know that sounds weird, but I like it. 

I got this for free using my Birchbox points, so if you have any of those saved up, this would be a good choice. At the time I'm writing this, it's $14 on Amazon, which is a little better, at least.

30% off everything in the makeup department at drugstore.com

Until Feb. 22. You heard me.

Shameful Behavior

If you needed more convincing to replace your Smashbox primer with Monistat Chafing Relief Gel, how about this? (Warning: gross fat-shaming behavior at the link.) The main problem, in my view, is how the company handled the issue. Apparently reaching out to her on Facebook, but then never actually contacting her? Shameful. That's the same as endorsing the behavior of that individual.

(If anyone has an update on this story, I'd be glad to hear it, but I assume that nothing more has been done.)

Cheap and flattering stretchy blazer

First of all, everything should be stretchy. It doesn't have to look stretchy, but if it can be stretchy, why not?


Second . . .

Some recent Google searches that got people to this site

• "nail polish storage"

• "best affordable skin care lines"

• "cheap as fuck skin care routine"

• "cat themed clothing"

• "calm your tits bra"

• "beauty lies fuck hd"

• "fuck chanel"

• "hand cream fucking"

• "how to screw over your friends with . . . "

 That last one is cut off in my stats! I don't know how to see how it ends. Do you think they got the information they needed??

BzzAgent Review: Update on Schick Hydro Silk Razor

In my original review of this razor, I gave it 5 out of 5, but said that I would report back about whether or not I could continue to use it without shaving cream.

The results? No, it needs shaving cream. It doesn't lube up nearly as well the second time around. And to be fair, it doesn't claim to be an all-in-one razor. I was just hopeful.

So I would still give it a 5 out of 5 for an ordinary razor, but I won't be replacing my Intuition with this one.

Disclosure: I got these products free from BzzAgent.

Don't Bother With ProActiv (from Slate)

Here's an excerpt from this article on why ProActiv is overpriced at best and a scam at worst:

Marcotte: I suspect a lot of people are wary of buying skin care products sold on TV, but they sign up for Proactiv because the ads do a good job of implying that it is better than anything else on the market for clearing up acne. Is it?

Romanowski: No. They use standard (effective) technology, but their products are not better than the stuff you could buy at Target or Wal-Mart. Anti-acne products are over-the-counter drugs regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are limited in the technologies and claims they can use.

Project Swatch's Comparison of the Old and New Milani Lipstick Formulas

Very useful! Remember when I did this with Milani Black Cherry?

No? It doesn't matter. Apparently the new formula is much better and won't make my lips all weird and patchy like that.

I've heard only really glowing reviews of the new Milani lipsticks. I want some!

Gel Manicure Starter Kit for Less Than Half Price ($30)

If you've been wanting to try one of those at home gel manicure kits, you can get the Red Carpet Manicure Gel Polish Pro Kit for $30 by following these instructions. This deal only works for new customers of Drugstore.com, but if you're not new, you can still get the kit for half price ($40).

It includes the following:

• Professional LED Light - LED gel-curing light (AC power cord adapter included)
• Prep - Max adhesion prep
• Structure - Base Coat Gel
• Brilliance - Seal & shine top coat gel
• Revitalize - Nourishing cuticle oil
• Purify - Pre & post application cleanser
• Erase - Gel nail polish remover
• RCM instructions card

Don't forget to use Ebates to get an extra 6% cash back too (here's my invite link).

Personally, I change my nail polish so fucking often that I don't want it want it to last for weeks! But I've heard good things about these kits, if you are looking for long wear.

Stila on HauteLook today AND 20% off Urban Decay and Too Faced

I don't own anything by Stila except one eyeliner (a Smudge Stick, which is fantastic), so I can't recommend much to you from personal experience. Here is my HauteLook invite link, if you don't already have an account.

The code for the Urban Decay Friends and Family Sale is FFSPRING13. It's good today through Feb. 16 and is valid on sale items too! Everything I've ever tried from UD has been good, but I particularly recommend the eyeshadow primer.

The code for the Too Faced sale is xoxo20 and it's good until Feb. 14. I own absolutely nothing from Too Faced, so you're on your own here. I know that people also like their eyeshadow primer, though. When I tried to use the site earlier today, it was moving very, very slowly, so you might need to exercise some patience.

How Gross Am I? Or: How Long Do You Keep Makeup?

I admit that I don't follow the usual rules when it comes to discarding makeup. I tend to keep things much longer than the guidelines advise. I'm semi-convinced that most of these rules are part of a conspiracy by cosmetic companies to get you to keep buying unnecessary replacement products. I was also raised by a woman who has salad dressing from 2009 in her fridge and tries to tell me, "There's nothing wrong with it! Smell it!" So.

Bloggers are not usually skin care experts, fyi.

If you catch me saying, "You need to do X to have good skin," or "Everyone should use [product] to improve their skin," without linking you to any good studies or articles that cite good studies, please slap me.

Free Orly nail polish or treatment at Sally with any $3 purchase

Ummm. That's pretty sweet. You should get the Orly Bonder basecoat. It works fucking wonders.

Burt's Bees Holiday Grab Bag $15

You get up to 13 products from güd and Burt's Bees and at least 5 of them will be full size. It's supposed to be a $50 value. Shipping is $6.

I like surprises.

Note: The website is running super slow right now, but I eventually got it to work. You may have to wait ~10 minutes for each successive page to load. Good luck!

Fix Your Face Review: e.l.f. Studio Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow

This is an unusual eyeshadow. It's a sort of spongey, moussey, springy texture. It's not super soft or moist, so you don't have to worry about getting a big glob when you stick your finger in it. And it works best when applied with a fingertip. Without primer, it will crease if you have oily lids. But it's worth it, since you can get a nice metallic finish that will last with primer. It's also buildable. In fact, you really need to apply two layers to get a really opaque, solid finish, but you can apply the second layer immediately, so it's no trouble.

Speaking of things that burn . . .

I bought myself this Badger Stress Soother aromatherapy stuff, because . . . I don't know why, honestly. I figured I'd experiment with aromatherapy a bit. Even if it's just a placebo of some kind, maybe I can placebo myself into calming down and writing my fucking dissertation.

On the package, it says to massage it into "hands, temples, or forehead". But since the scent isn't really that strong, I thought I'd rub it right under my nose. It doesn't say to rub it on your nose (though the other varieties suggest that), but it doesn't say not to, either.

HOLY SHIT BAD IDEA. It has several very irritating essential oils in it (e.g. spearmint, tangerine, lavender, etc.). I put it on my nose on Monday afternoon, and it is now Wednesday, and the skin around my nostrils is still red and flaky and sore. Ugh. Not pleasant.

It's totally fine on my hands, though. I've been rubbing it on the back of my hands and sniffing it for the last couple of days. Just be careful of essential oils on sensitive/broken skin or near mucous membranes, folks!

Not sure if it's helping with stress, yet. It smells nice, but the spearmint sort of overpowers the other fragrances, and it's not my favorite of the lot. I also ordered the Focus Balm (which I could only find on the Badger website, Amazon, and eBay), so we'll see what that's like. I'll report back if I experience any miracles.

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link.

Save Your Face Review: Cetaphil Dermacontrol Oil Control Moisturizer with SPF 30

I'm on a mission to find the best possible replacement for my beloved, discontinued sunscreen, and this was my first attempt. Verdict? Fail. And here's why . . .

Your Claws: Beautifully cheap greens from NYX

If you want to get with the Pantone Color of the Year thing (Emerald), here are a couple of fucking gorgeous options. They're NYX Girls Emerald Forest (left), which is a glass-fleck, shimmery green that shifts to gold. It's similar to Zoya Ivanka or Zoya Apple, but I don't own those, so I can't tell you which one it's a dupe for. Or try NYX Girls Mermaid Green (right), which is an unusual green that's slightly on the blue side, but not teal.

For cheap shit of the clothes and accessories variety, check out my Pinterest

I have a board called "Cheap but Awesome Clothes and Accessories". It is what it says it is. It's updated whenever I really need to procrastinate (i.e. very often).

There are no affiliate links there.

Mostly cheap plum eye makeup look

Urban Decay is on HauteLook today until Wednesday

Now is the time for you to get some Primer Potion for $9. You won't regret it. If you have light skin, get it in Eden for a mostly invisible/neutral matte base for all your eyeshadows. Sin and Greed are shimmery, so Eden might be the most versatile even for darker skin, since the original formula isn't on sale. I'd also recommend the 24/7 Travel Eyeliner set ($9). Good basic black and brown, and they work fucking wonderfully. And of course, pretty much all of the Urban Decay eyeshadows are great, and there are a bunch to choose from.

Also would someone like to buy either the All-Night or De-Slick spray and tell me what they actually do? Thanks so much.

Here's my HauteLook invite link, if you don't already have an account.

As always, be warned that shipments from HauteLook can take quite a bit longer than from other shopping sites. If you don't want to wait, some of these products can be found in the sale section of the Urban Decay website for about the same price, though not all of them.

Review: Schick Hydro Silk Razor Review

 When I'm reviewing a product like this, I tend to consider two main things in my evaluation: (1) the marketing claims made by the packaging, advertising, and/or press kit; and (2) my own expectations and experiences with similar products that I like. Note that I don't have especially sensitive or dry skin, and my leg and armpit hair is fairly fine and light, so your experience may vary.

(Scroll down to the bottom if want to skip ahead to my verdict. Also there's a really fucking useful link to help you extend the life of your razors down there.)

Pillows

I like IKEA pillows. There are a TON of different styles depending on your sleep style. So Mike got a side-sleeper and it's really firm and he loves it. I got a stomach sleeper and it's not as stiff and is really nice and moods to my body.

 twodoxiesandtoomanyshoes

Do they last? Are there different price points? I always end up getting what’s cheapest, because I can’t tell the difference when they’re new!

some are pretty expensive ($60-80!!) but some are more affordable (under $30-40). I always buy pillow encasements ($5-10) to keep the pillows nice and un-head-greasy and you can just throw them in the wash with bleach. Would definitely invest in pillow covers (they're like a quilted pillow encasement with a zipper).

 twodoxiesandtoomanyshoes

Oh god, I had no idea I needed a case to put under my pillowcase. This is getting complicated. But $30 is a way larger investment than I usually make in a pillow, so I’d hope it’d last a few years without flattening.

Help! What kind of pillow should I buy?

I realized I just paid $20 for a pillowcase (more on that later), but I always buy $6 pillows that are flat a few months later. Then I have to buy more. Not very smart.

What is your favorite brand/type? Where do you buy them? I'm not a fan of feather pillows, and I'm a side/stomach sleeper.

I think I have now accumulated enough e.l.f. products to do all of my makeup with just that one brand.

The concealer/powder area is the weakest in my collection, but I could swing it. One of these days soon I'll do a full e.l.f. look and post a photo. It's going to be fucking cool, just you wait.

theBalm is on HauteLook today

I'm not going to buy anything! But you should. I've heard good things about the Meet Matt(e) palette (I've tried one of the shades and liked it), as well as the Nude 'tude palette, which is said to be a good alternative to Urban Decay's Naked palettes. The Mary-Lou Manizer highlight is supposed to be great, too. My favorite theBalm product, Staniac, isn't here, unfortunately. But these prices are significantly lower than on Sephora, etc. The tradeoff is that you often have to wait two weeks or more for purchases from HauteLook to get to you.

Here's my invite link, if you don't already have an account.