February 22, 2015 by gn0mel0ver

Finally, The Best Mascara

If you remember, and why wouldn’t you, it was a monumental declaration, over a year ago I declared that I would go through a giant box of sample mascaras and do an experiment on which one I thought was the best.

And as with all of my best intentions, I managed to document only three of them before I simply resorted to trying them on and then declining most of them forever. Mascara is no joke.

The mascara needs to look natural. It needs to separate the lashes, lift my short spindly genetic shortfalls, from the hovels of my face and mold the shacks of my eyelashes into skyscrapers. I want the structure to last all day but easily tear down at night.

I tried all of the mascaras in Sephora’s 2013 Lash Stash box listed here:

Benefit They’re Real Mascara (which I all ready loved previously)
Blinc Mascara
Buxom Lash Mascara
Clinique High Impact Mascara
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara
Sephora Outrageous Mascara
Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant
Tarte Lights, Camera, Flashes Mascara
Yves Saint Laurent Volume Effect Mascara

I also tried MAC’s Zoom Fast Mascara, Clinique’s Lash Doubling Mascara, Maybelline’s Great Lash, Lancome’s Hypnose Doll Lashes, Benefit Bad Gal, and Bobbi Brown’s Everything Mascara through various samples and purchases.

It was quite a task, which is why it took me over a year to complete.

And at the end of it, I had narrowed my choices down to Benefit’s They’re Real Mascara (my old favorite) and Bobbi Brown’s Everything Mascara.

But then something unexpected happened.

I tried one of my last mascaras, Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant Mascara.

AND I LOVED IT.

It was everything I liked about Benefit’s They’re Real Mascara without the residual clumping that is hard to remove at the end of the day.

I could not wait to order a full size of it.

That is when I ran into a problem. I was not the only one who adored their trial of Make Up Forever Mascara from Sephora (I believe Sephora gave out samples in their birthday gifts last year). And I was not the only one who had decided to jump and order the full size version. However, before I did, I read the reviews. Many of them declared that for whatever the reason, the full size version did not live up to the smaller size.

Thankfully, you can order a travel size version. And that is what I have been doing for the last six months.

So, oddly, the travel sized Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant Mascara is the winner of my mascara trials. It lengthens lashes dramatically without being too stiff. It removes easily. It stays on all day without any flaking. It separates well. It is the mascara I will and have been exclusively buying for myself. Although, my daughter received the same kit. Her heart still belongs to Benefit’s They’re Real Mascara. So, that is the brand I buy for her.

Have you tried any of these mascaras? What is your favorite mascara? Have you done eyelash extensions? Or that eyelash growth serum? Or do you ever use fake eyelashes? I have tried the fake eyelashes once. But I have not perfected it. Maybe one day I will try again.

*This post is based on my own use of the different mascaras. Your experience may vary from my own. All photos here are unfiltered to truly show the way the product looks when I first apply it and the lighting I apply it in.

December 21, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

It’s The Little Things: Tights

One of my favorite aspects of the wintertime are the tights. Dresses that might normally be too short can be transformed with the addition of another layer. I love to play with different colors, but sometimes the very best tights are simply black and grey.

Cable knit tights are fabulous, however, I am often guilty of rushing when I put them on. The pattern will creep up my legs in a different angle than its twin and can feel discombobulated and look sloppy.

My go-to tights this year have been Nordstrom Rack’s Free Press Plush Tights. They are thick. They are cozy. They have a fuzzy lining that feels like tight sweatpants but in the very best possible way. They come in a tights version and leggings. My daughter prefers the leggings, while I prefer the tights.

More information on the above outfit can be found in this post.

I even walked down to my mailbox the other night in these tights. I knew I was getting a package. A sequel to this book and I was so very excited that I ran out of the house minus shoes. The tights kept my feet warm and did not snag at all on the pavement. I would not recommend testing your tights in this manner, but it is nice to know they can stand up to a delivery excitement.

The tights claim to be handwash only. I am not a rule follower. And I have to be able to machine wash tights and leggings, otherwise I would never wash them. I have estimated that I have machine washed and dried each of my pairs approximately six times. My daughter and I each have four pairs of these, so it is impossible to tell which ones are which when washing, but they have all held up well. I do not expect them to last forever, but for their low cost, I have been impressed with their wear.

More information on this outfit can be found in this post.

The tights are around $8. I took a M/L. They do have some minuses. I wish they were labeled somehow on the inside, because with four XS/S in the house and four M/L sizes, I have to guess as to whose tights are whose when I finally get around to folding clothes, which I should be doing this exact moment, but instead I am writing this post.

More information on the above outfit can be found this post.

Do you have a go-to pair of tights? Do you have a secret to putting on cable knit tights so the pattern isn’t a weird mark on your legs? Do you ever run to the mailbox barefoot or in stockings in great anticipation of the package that could be inside?

It’s the little things: leg coverings that are both durable, comfortable and affordable. It doesn’t get much better than that.

*I am wearing the Free Press Plush Tights in the above pictures. I have stated my experience with the tights, but please wash and handle at your own risk. I was not compensated for writing this post. I simply adore these tights and wanted to share about a product I have enjoyed these last few months. However, some of the links in this post are affiliate links, clicking on or purchasing from certain links on this page will result in a small commission for ~~warmer legs~~ this blog.

November 8, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

It’s The Little Things: Baguettes

Am I really going to do a whole post dedicated to baguettes? Oh yes… I am. I happily eat it any opportunity that I can. With butter. Amen.

I love a good baguette. I am pretty sure I have tried every single baguette offered in our town. I have tried ones shipped from bakeries, ones from local bakeries, and the ones made at all of the grocery stores. None of them have ever compared to the ones by Le Petit Francais that Costco is carrying right now in the freezer section.

GO GET THEM NOW!

Sorry to shout at you. And on a Saturday, no less. But these baguettes do not last long. They are seasonal. I wish I could show you the box, but I threw away all three of my boxes I have purchased this month. Each box contains ten baguettes. Yes, that means that I purchased thirty baguettes this month.

I am seriously contemplating getting an extra freezer just to store more.

No joke.

It is no secret that I am a food hoarder. My husband plays along but never encourages it. The other day I told him we needed to go buy more baguettes at Costco.

He had the car running in five minutes.

I had a panicky moment when I could not find the boxes of baguettes in the freezer section. I saw my husband coming down the aisle in front of me. He had boxes of baguettes in his cart. It was like those romance scenes in meadows where two people meet, only with a grocery cart. In Costco. With baguette babies.

“I love you!” I exclaimed when I reached my husband’s side.

“I love you, too,” he replied. No need to tell him I was speaking to the boxes in his cart.

The bread is just the perfect amount of crispy on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside. Everyone in my family agrees they are the best baguettes they have ever had.

We are not the only ones who feel this way. In looking for these baguettes online, earlier in the year when I ran out of my previous batch, I found a forum with people talking about this sensational bread. I was sad to learn that Costco is the only place that carries these baguettes locally (if you have a Publix near you, I have read they also carry them). And only in certain seasons. Now is the season. You will not find these in the spring and summer at Costco.

The baguettes are actually small in size. About half of the size of a regular sized baguette. This means I bake two for my family of four for a meal. But they are also more compact for easier storage in the freezer. To bake them, you set them on your counter for 15 minutes to defrost and then bake them for ten minutes. Easy peasy.

It’s the little things: The most amazing bread available from your freezer whenever your heart desires.

Have you tried these baguettes? Aren’t they heaven in your mouth? Oh man! I need more! Now I am panicking that they are going to sell out! Forget I ever said anything. Bread is bad. Bad, I say… I need to go buy another freezer.

this post is not sponsored by or affiliated with Costco or Le Petit Francais. I just wanted to innocently share the love I have for this bread.

September 18, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

Winner Of The 18th Blog Giveaway and Cravings

Congratulations to Impracticalinnorth for winning the gift card to Nordstrom Rack! I hope you get something good! : ) Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway! You have me so excited for fall with the things you are looking forward to wearing. It has been in the 100s here in my neck of the woods and it is hard to see ahead to cooler weather. But I am trying…

I am on a clothing shopping ban for September (and since I had unexpected expenses arise, October’s clothing budget is looking bleak as well). This is okay, because quite honestly, I have enough clothes. And it is so much fun pulling out items I have stashed away for this changing weather. This, of course, does not mean that there are not items I am drooling over and waiting patiently for sale on:

H&M’s Short Dress. I love the blank canvas of this dress. The mustard color is rad. The price is great. So many patterned tights would look fantastic with it. I also think the shape would look good on a variety of body types.

I all ready have this Free People’s Shadow Hacci Top in grey. It is one of my favorite tops (a sneak peak of it styled can be found in this post). It layers over slips and fun bras beautifully. Over long maxi skirts, jeans and leggings. I want it in navy, too. It is great. Beware, it snags easily. I typically wear a small in Free People and a medium in most other brands. I tried both the small and the medium in the grey color and kept the medium for a looser fit.

I am in desperate need of some black boots. My other black boots are going on twelve years old. They are a size nine. I wear a seven and a half. Needless to say, they do not get worn. I see a donation in their future. I am really picky about black boots. I want a small heel made of brown wood and a rounded toe. I am leaning towards these Frye boots at an incredible sale price in most sizes (there is also a wide calf version here).

I also love the Dolce Vita Amoux Boots at Anthropologie. Of course they are all sold out, but they are my favorite.

I think the best thing on Anthropologie’s site right now is the Ruffle-back Sweater Dress (besides this dress I own and this vest I drool over in grey). It looks beautiful online. I cannot wait to see it in real life.

For the home, I will be watching these pillows until they hit sale.

Edited on 9/30/2014: I removed a craving due to an experience with customer service. Thank you for your understanding. : )

What are you craving this month? Besides rich chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream oozing over the top, melting faster than you can scoop it and bring it to your mouth. Or is that just me? Ahem.

Gnome Lover

Stumbling through life while still having fun

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Finally, The Best Mascara

It’s The Little Things: Baguettes

Winner Of The 18th Blog Giveaway and Cravings