Today's Damage. #HumpdayHaul

Just a little #HumpdayHaul 

(lol idk if thats an actual thing but if its not...now it is.)

Didn't end up doing too much today. 

Got some stuff done around the apt.

Made some calls.

Organized some paperwork.

Went through some emails.

Then we decided to head to the mall to run errands. 

(Picked up my Chanel Flats that were being repaired. I ended up returning them anyway because they are so uncomfortable and now that I have the Chloe Flats that I posted about yesterday I wanted nothing to do with the Chanel - plus the Chanel Flats are $625 before tax which is way too much in my opinion for a pair of flats. 

(I had returned a pair of Manolos when I had purchased the Chanels so at the timeeee it didn't see bad as I only paid like $100 additional))

but I digress....

We grabbed some quick dinner & Steve tried on a few pairs jeans at Lucky Brand. 
(I bought him 2 pairs that look great on him for his Birthday/Valentines Day) 

Now for the part you will actually be interested in >_< 
(hey, you guys are always asking for daily vlogs - I am horrible at daily vlogs so this is what you get! lol)

Last two places we stopped: Nordstrom & Target.

Then this happened.

I've always kind of wanted to get one of these BCBGeneration Bracelets and I know they aren't superrr popular anymore but I don't care I wanted to get one anyway. 

Of course I chose the gold and white - it says DREAM which...I'm not overly passionate about but the only other ones they had were 'True <3' - no. And now looking back I can't remember what the other one said but I thought this was something positive (that no one could take offensively lol). (not to mention white and gold is typically mahh thannggg)

(they really need to make a 'Cat Lover' or 'Shiba Owner' bracelet and then I'll be all over it. LOL)

Retail: $18


(You can view other styles and sayings HERE - I just saw one that says INSPIRE - I would have preferred that one. 

Now this was TOTALLY inspired by one of my favorite ladies to watch on YouTube, LisaLisaD1

She uses this every day and always raves about it so I wanted to give it a go. (Made sure I purchased it from Nordstrom so if I don't like it I can bring it back!) 

Hopefully it will help me banish my dark circles, for the day at least! >_<

I chose the color 1 corrector because that's what Lisa uses and also because the other looks very dark for my skintone. (It only comes in 2 shades) 

I've never had much luck with these salmon colored products but I have hope that this may work. The consistency is really light and really easy to blend from what I can tell so far. 

(I just got these products today so you'll have to wait for next month's Hits & Misses video to find out how it goes)

Giorgio Armani Master Corrector 

Retails: $37 

(I actually had a return so it only cost me $18 & change additional out of pocket)

Then a quick stop at MAC.

If you watched my January Empties Video you know that I am currently going through my collection to get rid of and use up some of my stuff. I had a few MAC empties I had been holding on to (finished before I started these videos) and found a few MAC lipglasses which I calculated I 've had for about...9 years. It was time to let those go. lol. 

I had enough to get one Back 2 MAC item 

and I ALWAYS go for the eyeshadows! It's really the best deal. 

(If you are not familiar with what Back 2 MAC is basically when you have SIX empty plastic or glass MAC containers you can trade them in for 1 Lipstick/1 Lipglass/1 Eyeshadow. I think getting an eyeshadow is the best choice because it will last the longest)

I ended up going with Charcoal Brown which is a matte shade. I've never had this before but I feel like I hear people talk about it and overall it just looks like a shade I would be into these days. (my how times change) 

MAC Charcoal Brown Eyeshadow

Matte

Retails: $18

(but I got it for FREE with the Back 2 MAC Program)

Then it was off to Target...

I bought another one of these Maybelline ColorSensational Vivids Limited Edition lipsticks because...I have no damn self control lol. I have SIX from this collection now. WAYY more than I had anticipated purchasing. I thought maybe 2-3 but...this happened. 

Anyway....

To be fair this is the second shade I wanted when I purchased my first one but it was sold out and continued to be sold out at every store I went to. Naturally my curiosity got the best of me. 

The color I picked up this time is Vibrant Mandarin and much to my surprise it looks even better than I expected. Not sure when I will wear it but I'm glad I have it.

On my lips it looks more like an orangey red which is why I think I like it better than I thought it was going to. They also have a straight up orange one but I am going to pass on that. 

(If you're wondering my favorites from the collection are Neon Red and Brazen Berry - I find them to be the most flattering on me.)

Maybelline ColorSensational 'Vivids' Lipstick

in Vibrant Mandarin

Retails: $5.49 (at Target)

(Plus 5% OFF if you have a RED CARD - you can just link your debit card)

^THIS happens when you start watching other people's empties videos. -__-

I was watching Michele1218's empties video and she had mentioned this Revlon PhotoReady Primer and how much she had enjoyed it. She also said it wasn't a silicone feeling primer (which I HATE and don't use) but more of a moisturizer type. 

I was intrigued. 

I pretty much just carried it around Target deciding if I wanted to purchase it or not and in the end I just went for it. 

When I got home I tried it out on my hands and it's a little greasier feeling than I would have imagined and also has a terrible scent to it >_< ....but I shall try it out anyway. 

Wish me luck. 

Revlon PhotoReady Color Correcting Primer

Retails: $10.49 (at Target)

(Plus 5% OFF if you have a RED CARD - you can just link your debit card)

She had also mentioned some type of body scrub from Target that I became interested in but when I got there I couldn't remember the name or the scent so I just looked around and found this. (I think it might be the same brand?)

Shea Moisture Olive & Green Tea Body Scrub

w/ Green Tea and Avocado

I basically chose this based on scent plus it seemed pretty "natural". (It's organic, no animal testing, no parabens, no synthetic fragrance, no synthetic color, no sulfates, etc.)  Much to my surprise it smells nothing like Olive Oil, Green Tea OR Avocado. I was elated. It actually has a very strong, yet pretty floral scent. (Me likey) 

I'm excited to try this out in the shower tonight when I get back from the gym. (I don't have a set workout routine or schedule - I just try to get some cardio and whatever else I can in when I have some time.)

Shea Moisture Olive & Green Tea Body Scrub

Retails: $10.29 (at Target)

(Plus 5% OFF if you have a RED CARD - you can just link your debit card)

Lastly I picked up a candle. This was just a random buy. I had never seen these before at Target and I had never seen a Cotton Candy scented candle before. I love Cotton Candy! I needed to see how close they had gotten to capturing its sugary sweet scent!

At first whiff I thought they hit the nail right on the head. It was very true to scent and not over powering at all. I has Steve smell it and he liked it as well so it was sold at that point.

I think I got use to the scent though because after a while it didn't really smell too much to me. (Probably had something to do with the fact that I had my nose in the candle for like 5 minutes.)

I am burning it now as we speak.

 (or as I type and you later read) 

I still feel like it's not overly scented but I'll have to step out of the room for a bit and come back in to know for sure. (again I have the candle probably way too close to me. I just wanted to smell it! And it looks pretty.)

We'll see how it goes. I'll try and update on one of my many social networks. 

Scent Portfolio Soy Candle 

in Sweet Spun Sugar

Retails: $10 (at Target)

(Plus 5% OFF if you have a RED CARD - you can just link your debit card)

So that's pretty much it. I also picked up a few odds and ends 

(laundry detergent, packaging tape, orange juice, a few sweaters 

and a bookcase for my shoes.... : )

but we'll save that one for another post ;) 

I hope you enjoyed! 

Thank you for reading and I shall see you back here tomorrow.   

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Chloe Lambskin Flats [Review] Most Comfortable Flats I've EVER Had!

So while returning a pair of shoes at Neimans the other day I stumbled upon a new obsession....

I was waiting for the sales associate to process my transaction and had decided to randomly try on shoes as I normally do. I had seen these Chloe Flats before and didn't think much of them truthfully. Simple design, basic colors and I'm not overly familiar with the brand itself but I had glanced at these during previous visits and were always intrigued with how buttery soft they were. I never thought they would be something I would consider purchasing (especially given the price, but I'll get to that later) but I thought 'what the heck I'll try them on just for fun'...now we all know how that goes! (lol. jk - a lot of times it just confirms how much I dislike the shoe) 

I put them on and it was like a magical moment from a movie - I kid you not. I did NOT expect these flats to be THAT comfortable! 

**please note that after reading this you may not have that magical moment because you will expect them to be as they are. I went in with no real expectations. 

 They are a little less structured than I have come to expect from a shoe but truthfully that is one of the aspects that makes them SO comfortable - they are formfitting.

It is a FULL leather shoe (I have come to really appreciate the difference a leather sole can make) and the lambskin is ridiculously soft. I don't even own anything else that I can really compare it to. It's softer than my Balenciaga City Bag and any other bag I have for that matter so unfortunately I can not really give you a good comparison but they are soft! (Like so soft that I wouldn't even want my skin to feel like that because I think it would rip if someone were to grab my arm. lol) 

Overall the shoe just molds to your foot when you put it on and then just continues to get more comfortable as the leather warms up with your body heat. They conform even further. 

*magic*

The shoe itself is very light weight and flexible which I definitely appreciate. It does remind me a bit of ballet slippers but much more comfortable and 1000000x more high end haha but the fit is similar to me. It's that same secure but not too snug feeling. 

It also features a very small heel and although it does not give you any additional height I think it helps with overall wear and durability of the shoe.

I'm sure the scalloped edges are one of the things most people like about the shoe but truthfully I wasn't that into the design. When I tried it on I didn't think it looked bad but to be honest I was more concerned on how delightful they felt on.

One thing I do like about the design is that there isn't a lot of bulk. It's a very minimalistic flat and I actually appreciate that aspect of them. I find it to be a very flattering style for my foot and I am not typically a fan of flats on me. They even have approval from the boyfriend!

The scalloped edges, while I am still not obsessed with the design, do add a little interest to the shoe. I figure if they were totally plain with just a straight edge they would look rather matronly and also the detail in the scalloping is part of the craftsmanship you are paying for. (The edges of the scalloping are actually sewn all the way around and very close to the edge so I don't think you will need to worry about it separating or peeling back over time.)

I have not had these for an extended period of time so I can not say how they will wear with normal use but I would suggest exercising a little caution with them. Of course if you are spending this much on a pair of flats you obviously don't want to be wearing them in the rain, hiking (not sure why you would wear them hiking but ya know, #justsayin) but I think in normal every day situations these will wear just as you would expect any soft leather item to wear. Of course these will be subject to scratches etc. since they are so soft, just as any lambskin handbag or jacket would be but, it's just a pair of shoes. No one is really getting down to ground level to inspect them so I wouldn't stress about it too much.

 Shoes are made to be worn and enjoyed! 

For me these fit true to size. For reference I am technically considered to have a narrow foot and heel (although to me my foot does not look narrow - I'd say more average or on the smaller side of average) 

I normally take a 36.5 -37 (6.5 - 7) in European styles and 6.5 -7.5 in US brands but I would say usually I am a 7. 

* For reference most people say that European sizes run small for them and they go up about a 1/2 size or so. European sizes actually fit me better than their US counterparts - there is usually less gapping along the sides of the shoe and overall just a more secure and better fit.

The sales associate said that these do stretch a bit (same for most leather shoes but these are especially malleable so I don't doubt these will stretch) but I have not had mine long enough to say how much they will stretch. That being said, I still think this was the correct size choice for me. They fit pretty perfectly now and I think if they were to get broken in, conforming to my foot even further they would be fantastic still.

I did choose black for my first pair (yes - I plan on saving for more!) because I felt as though they would wear the best over time out of all the colors. I am however also in the market to buy a pair of Nude and possibly a Taupe. They have a few other fun colors - a blue, yellow, green, coral, etc. but hey - I'm not rich. I can't collect them all Pokemon style. 

I know that the shoes I wear most are Nude and Black (or any variation of neutral I suppose) so I will just stick with those. 

Now for the part that's going to hurt your wallet (and how you can totally justify it! lol maybe?)

These Retail: $450

...I'll give you a moment. 

At first I was really having second thoughts because of the price but they were just so amazing I had to splurge! I can never find flats that I think are really comfortable and these felt better than if I was just wearing socks. 

(Can you tell I really love these flats? You can imagine what my poor boyfriend had to listen to the first few days I had them haha. Luckily he doesn't mind. If it interests me it interests him. Plus he likes to show off his knowledge to others, I think he likes the shock factor. lol.) 

When you think about it, a pair of Tory Burch Flats are about $255 and up for one pair and many of us have a couple of those. They have kind of become the standard for midrange flats. These are less than 2 pairs of Tory Burch flats! So think of it that way. Personally I love Tory Burch products - I have so many of her flats and accessories but truthfully all of my Tory Burch flats feel like they are made of hard plastic by comparison. So I would GLADLY give up two pairs of Tory Burch flats to own ONE pair of these. I think they are worth it. 

IF of course you are in a position to do so. Obviously I'm not saying don't eat lunch for a month to afford these shoes but if you are someone that would buy flats in the $250+ range don't pass these over just because they seem like they are (about) double the price. I think these will be one of the MOST comfortable flats you will ever own. (I can't say they will be THE most because I haven't tried every brand of flat out there but personally I have never had anything so comfortable.) They are a flat you will LOVE to and WANT to wear. 

Chloe Flats can be found a number of places - I purchased mine from Neiman Marcus. 

 They come in Full AND 1/2 Sizes depending on the store and I am told these are a permanent style for the brand, one of their classics.

 Chloe London Lambskin Flats - Style CH19170 

Here are a few colors I found online: 

Black

Green
Yellow
Metallic Bronze

Thank you for reading. Let me know if you enjoy seeing posts like this so I can do more in the future. 

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January Empties! Products I've Used Up

My FIRST Empties Post & Video!

Here are a few additional up close pictures to go along with my video (posted below)

For a brief review of all the products shown please watch the coordinating video : )

Everything will be listed & linked both here and in the video's info box.

ENJOY!!!!

Watch the video HERE

Milani The Multitasker Face Power in 04 - Light Tan 

(I also use 02 - Light Medium)

Revlon Photoready Concealer 004 Medium

Physician's Formula Eye Booster Liquid Liner in Ultra Black

Lancome Cils Booster XL Lash Primer

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner

EOS Hand Lotion

And apparently I don't have a picture of the Suave Dry Shampoo Spray? Sorry about that.

What I'm Wearing in my Video:

Sweater: H&M
Earrings: House Of Harlow - http://amzn.to/Vn2w0K
Necklace: House Of Harlow - http://amzn.to/Vlxapk

Nails: Various Revlon Shades - Here's a closer look http://instagram.com/p/U6r5cXCd9Z/
(base color is Revlon Minted)

Makeup:
Eyes: Urban Decay Glinda Palette - http://amzn.to/WvsgcM
(from the 'OZ the Great and Powerful' Limited Edition Collection)
Lips: MAC HoneyLove Lipstick - http://amzn.to/WvsiBo
Milani Nude Lipliner - (NEW Product)
Cheeks: Milani Baked Blush in Corallina - http://amzn.to/14qw7dr 
Face: Urban Decay BB Cream (as a primer - dries transparent) - http://amzn.to/XI8NBR
Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream #23 - http://amzn.to/T5OS3c

Thanks for Watching AND Reading! 

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Cozy Neutrals - Casual Look + VIDEO

Now if you follow me on Instagram you have already seen this picture but I wanted to kick off a fashion post on this blog! (and also didn't want my most recent post to be that darn LUUUX rant lol.)

I have a few more Outfit of the Day posts to upload (but I am trying to space them out video wise. The next one will be up on my YouTube channel this week.) but now that I am blogging again I can post these a little more regularly and I will be sure to take additional shots for you guys as well. But until then.....

Sweater: BCBG MAXAZRIA - http://bit.ly/XMY9dC

Tank: Nordstrom Rack 

(inexpensive one here - http://bit.ly/WmyGdE)

Jeans: American Eagle 

(similar here - http://bit.ly/XN0eGA)

Bag: Alexander Wang Rocco in Graphite 

(similar here - http://bit.ly/Wmx4kb)

Boots: Brian Atwood 

(Nordstrom Rack) (another option - http://bit.ly/WmzCin)

Necklace: Jewelmint Collective Fox Necklace - http://jmnt.me/nBKruO

Earrings: Chanel Studs (not available for purchase authentic/new online)

And here is the coordinating video:

(Don't forget! If you are planning on buying anything online check and see if the site works with Ebates and earn yourself some Cash Back on your purchase! : )

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LUUUX? NO LONGER! Waste of Time! (Policy Update RANT!)

LOL Okay so I just started my blog back up and already with a negative post. (This blog will mainly be for beauty and fashion posts but I felt like this was important because I know I had turned a lot of people on to this site and I wanted to let you know what was up with their RIDICULOUS policy change) I probably wont have many "rant" posts but this one I felt the need to pass along. 

So I just received an email from LUUUX (screen shot above) saying how they would like to offer a free gift or 9,120 LUUUX$ credited to your account. 

Initially I was like - cool! Puts me closer to my goal (you know I am saving for the pair of Louboutins they have in their shop ; ) Christian Louboutin Simple 100mm Pumps 

As I read further I saw that their exchange rate had changed, hence the reason for the gift. So I decided what the heck - might as well read what the changes are...

*SHOCKED*

Their prices have gone up a RIDICULOUS amount! The same pair of Christian Louboutin Simple 100mm Pumps (Retail $625 in the US) USE to be 38,830 LUUUX$ CUT & DRY - that is INCLUDING Shipping, Fees, etc. 

NOW the same pair of shoes is 193,344 LUUUX$ AND you need to pay Shipping, Taxes/Fees out of your own pocket with a credit card. O_o

NOT TO MENTION - Even with my 20,000+ LUUUX$ the price of the shoes after shipping/fees etc. is over $700....that is more than retail my friend - EVEN WITH USE OF MY POINTS. 

Umm what. 

That is a tremendous price hike! 

They haven't even adjusted the earning scale to compensate for the increase at ALL. You still get:

1 LUUUX$ for Liking a Post (50 LUUUX$ per day cap)

1 LUUUX$ for Commenting a Post

1 LUUUX$ for Sharing your Link & someone clicking on it (1 Unique visit per month)

7 LUUUX$ for Posting Content (with all for LUUUX$ Shop Links used)

10 LUUUX for someone signing up through you

It doesn't take a mathematician to calculate you are going to be on the site for a VERY long time before you will be able to cash in on anything and EVEN THEN - it still costs you money out of your pocket. 

I have a decently large audience and post frequently on the site. I go to the site every day to earn my 50 LUUUX$ for rating other peoples posts. EVEN then it takes me about a year to earn enough points to get one of these prizes - with the price 5X more than what it use to be - I'll have to go on the site everyday for 5 years? Come on now. -__- 

And that's for someone with a following - for someone that doesn't have one it seems nearly IMPOSSIBLE now. 

Now as most of you know I was really into this site for a while. I had even done a video talking to you about it and how it works a couple of years ago. At that time it really was a great thing they had going. 

I think that the points for Liking a post and commenting were the same 1 LUUUX$ 

But here's where it was different:

50 LUUUX$ for sign ups (not sure if that was a limited time thing)

2 LUUUX$ for Link Shares - no limit on the users (i.e. now there is a cap where you can only be credited for one unique users click within a 30 day period - even if you post different posts. Basically it only really pays to post once a month as far as share links are concerned.)

There were (to my knowledge) also no caps on how many likes, etc. you could be credited for. 

All of those things make a WORLD of difference when you are trying to rack up points. 

(Now they don't even have those point values listed from what I can see. I just know from my own experience.)

Listed above are the last two transactions I had through the LUUUX Shop - My last redemption was for a pair of Christian Louboutin Nude Patent Simple 100mm Pumps - you can see the price there and also how long it took me to earn those points. 11 months (thanks in large part to you guys for supporting my posts etc. so THANK YOU!) - that's visiting the site just about EVERY DAY as well as creating and posting content. 

BOTTOM LINE: My advice to you guys is to not waste your time on the site anymore. As sad as that makes me to say since I was really great at one point. I hate to see you guys slaving away trying to earn points from a site that may never give you your prize. It's just too hard to earn enough points now & with the increase almost impossible to get a prize in a reasonable time frame. 

Personally I can't really complain overall - you all know that I earned some great prizes from the site and had enjoyed my stay for the last couple of years. These new changes just are too much and I want to pass on the information to you all, just as I did when the site first started. Luckily I think most people have already stopped using the site but if any of you are like me and still saving up, this post is for you. 

There are other great sites that are legitimate (and will remain legitimate) big company sites that have been around for a while that I would suggest if you are looking to earn a little extra money. No prizes involved but you could save the cash you earn to buy one of these luxe prizes for yourself. I think that would be a better more sure fire way to earn a little something something for your time. 

Let me know if you would like a Blog Post or YouTube video on ways to earn a little extra cash. Right now I would say HANDS DOWN the best one to use is Ebates - I've done a video talking about it before which I will link here (ignore the black Friday/cyber Monday chat since thats already passed but I explain how the site works) I've been a member since 2007 and have never had an issue. (Just started earning within the last year or so - I never use to online shop before)

 Basically Ebates lets you earn a % of your online purchase in Cash Back form and cut you a check every 3 months. I have had many of my viewers tweet me pictures of their first checks any everyone has been pretty happy! Sometimes it's not much but it adds up & if its 10% Cash Back (rates vary from 1.5% to 40% depending on the site) on something you were going to buy anyway then why not! 

Again I'm not going to get too into on this post but I will link Ebates here to sign up if you are interested & want to learn more. 

Another thing I have been doing to earn some money for my 'shoe fund' is re-selling a lot of my stuff. Out with the old to raise funds for the new! An easy iPhone app I have been using is Poshmark. I will leave a link to My Closet if you'd like to check it out. It's been a great way to clear out my apt and consolidate what I have. 

Thanks so much for reading - See you soon with a new video on YouTube

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