How I Spent Valentine's

I meant to post this on Tuesday, but school work caught up to me. Here goes anyway: 

One photo is all you need.

Sorry for the funky lighting, but I just wanted to eat at that point and didn't bother taking more photos. :P

In lieu of competing with all the other couples on V-Day, the bf and I decided it would be cheaper and less of a hassle to cook a meal at home. 

I made: 

Braised lamb shanks wrapped in eggplant (this was delicious, but took hours!)

Roasted garlic mashed potatoes (surprisingly hard to do w/o a potato masher. Oh well, I love lumps!)

BF made: 

Braised lentils

Green salad with sliced apples and walnuts and an awesome balsamic vinaigrette (not pictured, because we gobbled it up already!)

I can be pretty bossy in the kitchen sometimes (read: all the time). But it was nice cooking together, just the two of us in normal clothes and barefoot (no evil high heels). I'm thankful that I have a valentine to spend the day with.

If you can still recall, how was your Valentine's Day?! :)

Mystery Sleek Blush

Back in my brief Sleek Makeup obsession last December, I was scoping out eBay's offerings. And I stumbled upon a mystery blush. 

It wasn't listed on the Sleek website or mentioned in any blogs at the time. What could it be?

Sleek's blush in Life's a Peach! As soon as I read the the name, I knew I would pick it up. I cannot resist peachy blushes! The color just looks so flattering on light-medium warm skin tones. Plus I'm set for this season, looks like orange blushes are back! I picked up for around $11 including shipping. 

Top off

Don't be scared off by the safety cone orange shade in the pan. It is actually a beautiful matte orange peach blush that translates beautifully on your cheeks!

I set about comparing it to the other orange blushes in my collection. 

I picked R&R's blush in Immoral because it looks super orange-y in the pan too and also N.Y.C. Peach Glow Face Powder in apparent memoriam. First off, I must note that the photo makes the blush seem darker than it is, the true color is actually more bright and lively. 

It took a few swipes of Sleek to show up on my arm, whereas it only took a swipe for the other two. However, I wouldn't hold this against Sleek at all. R&R's Immoral is infamously hard to work with since it's so pigmented. You might need more than one light swipe for Life's a Peach to show up on your cheeks, but you'll never look clownish. And though N.Y.C. is slightly more pigmented, the color of Peach Glow seems too subtle. 

Sleek is that awesome combo of seeming totally flattering and the color still coming through on the cheek. It's like Peach Glow and Immoral got together had a mild mannered baby! Immoral has a stronger hint of neon red coral and Peach Glow is a more peachy beige shade.  

It is definitely one of my favorite blushes to wear. I don't worry that it's going to be too flashy for a day look. It's the perfect pop of color on a dreary winter's day. According to Sabina, this shade is limited edition. It's still not on the Sleek website, but there seems to be eBay sellers who have stock. Check it out!

Hearts Don't Break Even: Stila and Physicians Formula Heart Blush Comparison

Happy Valentine's Day!

In honor of this blessed/dreaded holiday, I'll be comparing the two heart blushes rocking the blogosphere this season.

My newest blush acquisition!

Stila's Make Me Blush Palette

I got this last week and I had been waiting patiently for it ever since it got Muse's seal of approval and picked up for 20% off plus free shipping too. Who can resist that?!

Admire it with me! Close-up of the gorgeous-ness. 

Hommina hommina

Top off

So much prettier than actual candy hearts

  

The gold overspray just comes right off! A reviewer dreamyone on Sephora said it would make a great eyeshadow. I tried it and it was gorgeous! Here's a swatch.

It's a beautiful vibrant, orange-y gold shimmery color. If you want the gold color without the blush, Prestige's eyeshadow in Golden Retriever is an exact match. 

And now a comparison swatch with Physicians Formula Happy Booster Blush in Natural. I have a separate review for the PF blush. Check it here. 

See how the Stila blush looks kinda funky in this pic? I dropped it and part of it fell off. :/ It has fake overspray, but I shed real tears!

Here's an indoor swatch.

As you can see, the two blushes are in the same fresh, pink-y shade family. However, Stila definitely has a strong hint of reddish coral.

Swatch in sunlight

The two look even more similar in daylight, but Stila is more pigmented. However, that may or may not be a good thing for you. Stila is a bit harder to work with, I often have to buff it out even after a light application. PF is foolproof.

Blushes blended out

Blended out, they look even more similar, but no dupe. Looking closely, there's a noticeably heavier shimmer in Stila, but nothing too crazy.

As for logistics: 

Price: Stila retails $14 (there was a coupon code for at least 20% off online), PF $11.99 (but there's coupons and sales).

Where to buy: Stila is available online on Sephora, Stila, and Macys, though Sephora and Stila are out of stock right now. It's probably available at retail locations of these stores. I've seen the PF blushes in cardboard display stands at CVS and Rite Aid, though there's only two of each blush shade in each stand. 

Availability: Stila is limited edition (words I can't resist!). And PF is permanent for now. 

Size: Stila is 9.9g and PF is 7g. 

I'm glad I picked up both. They're not so similar that I have buyer's 'morse for getting both.

What about you? Which one do you like? Would you get both? Your thoughts!

wNw 8-Pan Palettes Have FINALLY Arrived!

This is not a test. REPEAT. This is not a test.

I've been lurking around my local Walgreens almost everyday waiting for the new wet N wild 8-Pan palettes to drop. I swear the store manager knows me by face: the weirdo who takes a spin around the beauty aisle and leaves 30 seconds later, looking disappointed. :P

Anyway, tonight I was walking in SF (I have the best drugstore luck there!) and popped into Walgreens to see if they maybe just maybe would pop up.

And there they were:   

Just ignore the ludicrous markup they have for the Color Icon Trio (It is the city after all)

Still untouched, a full set (two of each), calling out to be mine.

Here's a close-up:

WANTED: New or Used!!! Just kidding, I'm going to need them new. :P

So did I haul them? Empty the shelves, then smuggle them to my dark cave, where I would caress the cases and purr unceasingly: Precioussss, My Precioussss?

Unfortunately (or rather, fortunately) no. I've set a beauty budget of $40 a month and I've already blown through $22. I don't know what sales await me this month so I'm hesitant to purchase right now. I'm hoping for a good wet N wild sale at Walgreens (50% off, pretty please?) before I'll decide to partake. Even though they're still quite affordable at $4.99 apiece (I'm shocked that the SF Walgreens didn't put a crazy markup on it), these palettes' spots in the permanent rack let me know that they'll be restocked, so I can bide my time for increased savings!

Read Gianna's epic review on these palettes and you'll understand why people are lemming these like rabid groupies (i.e. me)!

How about you? Will you purchase right away or wait on a good sale? Your thoughts!