Here we bzz again

My oh my how I've neglected the blogsphere recently. My wedding has been a completely consuming and simultaneously draining event and, instead of taking to my blog, I've just altogether disappeared. Inexcusable!

Thankfully, I found a good excuse to take a few moments to write a blog post - specifically about these Neutrogena cosmetics I was recently given recently (#gotitfree!) to try out as part of a Bzz Campaign.

This was my first ever Bzz Campaign involving cosmetics, so that was a milestone in & of itself. I can't say I wasn't excited to see these products, especially given my collecting tendencies (bordering on hoarding) with makeup.  Two things I can never get enough of - makeup and nail polish.  Not necessarily in that order though. The products I ended up sampling were:
Neutrogena Crease Proof Eyeshadow - Constant Copper and Lasting Taupe
Neutrogena Moisture Smooth Color Stick - Sweet Watermelon
and Neutrogena Healthy Lengths Mascara - Black

I'd like to disclaim here and now that I don't think I can provide a completely fair and well-rounded opinion on these cosmetics based solely on the limited colors I received, and this is mainly because I just don't think the cosmetics I got really compliment my complexion or coloring.  Were it any other product, I don't think these factors would weigh in as heavily at all, but makeup is a different beast.

That said, I liked a few things and I disliked a few things.  Lets accentuate the positives first, shall we?

I liked the application and the formula on everything I tried. The eye shadow was easy to apply and definitely did not crease or clump on my eye lid, which is a nice change from other creme eye shadows I've dealt with. I've had experiences with creme shadows spanning well over 10 years now, since I was in high school, and was largely turned off to them by the creasing issue.  Nobody likes to look like they have stripes on their eyelids within a half hour of applying the eyeshadow.  I have a very defined crease on my eyelid and this has always been an issue for me. 

The lip color also had a very nice, smooth application and made my lips feel moisturized without leaving a sticky or uncomfortable feeling or residue.  I could see myself wearing the product all day if the color hadn't made me look like something out of Pretty Woman :(.

The mascara was, by far, my favorite item and happens to be my favorite cosmetic in general anyway. Why? Well because mascara always makes me look well put together, regardless of what the remainder of my face looks like.  I'm not yet sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.  But anyway, this mascara was quite lovely.  It straightened out my curly lashes, making them appear long and lush without creating a clumpy mess or running on to my eyelids after application (which happens a lot with other mascaras, I end up wearing it as eyeshadow, practically). 

So all of this is well and good, but what didn't I like, you ask?

Well, I'm going to be honest - I could hardly see the eyeshadow when I put it on.  I don't know if I'm just used to pigment rich shadow or if perhaps these two colors were just legitimately a bad fit for me, but aside from a faint shimmer, I didn't see a pronounced difference on my painted lid and my natural lid.  It almost made me wonder why I'd bothered applying eye shadow at all.

As for the lips - I think my biggest bone to pick was the color.  I'm generally more a lip gloss girl anyway or a matte lipstick girl, there's really no in between. I'm not sure this product would have had much appeal to me if I had seen it in the store, but I'd say it's worth another look if I happen upon a more flattering color.

So without further adieu, here are some photos of pieces of my face (how charming) to give you an idea of what all of this babble was about:

So what's my final verdict?
It's worth giving these products a try.  This stuff definitely isn't your cheap, run-of-the-mill dollar store cosmetic.  They've put time into making the right formulas, and that's something I think most Neutrogena-brand fans can appreciate.

What's my Bzz? Benjamin Moore's Aura.

Without any preamble, let me first disclose that this post was made possible by Bzzagent, who provided me with the free can of paint I tested out in the post below.

Having said that...

Periodically, I find myself unhappy with one thing or another in my home, whether it's a lack of attractive storage space, a shabby looking corner or just time taking it's toll on my things -- there's always something to be done or to improve around my place.  Ever since "the big re-decorate" a while back, the place has kind of maintained it's integrity, only needing a few adjustments here and there but certainly showing signs of elapsed time, to be sure.

And still, the one room that's been the bane of my existence since moving in here almost 6 years ago, is my bedroom.  It seems like nothing that I do ever makes it attractive.  It's been a mismatched mess ever since I can remember and since it's so easy to just close the door and ignore it, that's pretty much been the favored solution to the ongoing problem.

Well, while I can't say that the room is really any less messy, I can say it's finally infinitely more attractive.

When we acquired the condo back in 2007, all of the walls were white.  Theoretically, this should have been a perfect opportunity to customize it as we pleased, but it never quite worked out that way.  The first paint these poor walls saw was back when we spruced up the living room and finally gave the place character.  The kitchen followed soon there after but after the trauma I endured getting these areas painted, I was less than invigorated about tackling any other rooms.

Fast forward to very recently, I joined a Bzzagent campaign (https://www.bzzagent.com/member/CampaignHome.do?campaignId=9558742616) to review this Benjamin Moore Aura paint, which I got for free to test and sample.  I've gotta say, I was pleased.  I was really pleased.  At first sight, I read through the package and thought to myself, "I would never, ever, pay this much for a can of paint."  Please keep in mind, I'm frugal by nature and paint has never really figured in at the top of my spending priorities.  I pretty much thought all paint is created equal and there is no compelling reason whatsoever to think otherwise.  Well, this paint has proven to be my compelling reason.

You know all of those commercials you see where the people look all happy and clean while they casually paint their walls in their J Crew clothing and Sperry Topsider shoes? Meanwhile, the walls are all coming out immaculately with a single coat of paint on them and there's not an errant speck to be seen in all the house? Not gonna lie, this is as close to that kind of experience as I've ever come. Of course, we must account for the my natural klutziness and the fact that I don't actually own any J Crew clothing, though if I did, I don't think I'd venture to paint in it, I don't care how good the paint in the can is...

But I digress.
Talk about a different experience.

I went ahead and used their color, 2122-40 Smoke, which made a lovely compliment to my walnut wood furniture, my dark sheets and bedspread, my dark curtains, and the random black accents, like shelves and storage cubes.  There were about a gazillion paint colors to choose from, but the little book that came with my kit provided some nice inspiration and I zeroed in on the color I liked pretty quickly.

The application was fairly painless.  Not completely so, but remember, I'm no professional painter and there's a certainly level of awkwardness that accompanies my holding a paint brush.  The final product was gorgeous.  Rich, even, vibrant and neat - and with only 2 coats.  I was pretty stoked. Compared to the paint job I had to do on the living room and the kitchen, the bedroom was a walk in the park.

So all in all, this whole thing has been a bit of a learning experience for me. I'll tell you why -- I often times go with the bargains and really end up sacrificing quality for it.  This seems like such a simple example of that, but it's been the most prominent for me.  Having a superior quality paint made for a superior quality experience. Sometimes you can get away with sacrificing quality for a better price, but with paint, I think I finally see the light.    This paint made it easy for me to get excited about a home project again.  There was a huge color wheel involved, lots of photos, shopping...basically all things I love. Benjamin Moore paint boasts an environmentally component which I can really get behind, and the finished product leaves you 100% satisfied with the product. I guess you really do get what you pay for.

My bottom line: I won't think twice next time about picking up a can of Aura paint.  I'm definitely a convert.

Feel free to check it out on the Benjamin Moore website for a full list of reasons why this paint is just, quite frankly, a good idea.  

Lol

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
Philadelphia
The South
North Central
The Inland North
Boston
The Northeast
The West
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Return of the Blog.

I miss blogging. I used to write Livejournal posts religiously about the most menial and ridiculous things, but one day, that all just...stopped. I don't know why, and I can't even remember when, but it stopped. Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr -- it's all plenty of fun and plenty time consuming, but it doesn't even come close to the feeling of being able to blog your entire life away. I think at some point, I convinced myself that nobody would want to hear anything I have to say. But recently, I've decided that I don't care whether anybody would want to hear it or not, I'm not twisting any arms to come and read it.

And so, this is the return of my blog; the return of menial and ridiculous posting. Some whining, some sharing, some occassional gloating, maybe. Don't know yet what direction this will go in, but I intend to let it steer itself.

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Love this!

How To Knit The Knit Stitch

How To Knit The Knit Stitch: "Video : Expert knitter Rachel Ong shows you how to knit the knit stitch, which is the most basic stitch and should be preceded by our film How To Cast On. . Knitting."

I think I might finally learn how to knit.