Jae Raids the Drugstore! Best (and Worst!) Beauty Buys

So my vanity drawer is overflowing with stuff I've bought in the last little while, so that definitely means it's time for beauty reviews: The good, the bad, and the "why did I ever spend money on that?"

Let's just go for it because we're headed out for the weekend and I have mucho stuff to do!

BellaPierre Waterproof Gel Eyeliner Pencil ($14.99)

This was a sleeper hit for me. Usually an eyeliner is an eyeliner, but this gel-based one is super soft so I've been using it for tightlining (where you line the waterline of your eye). And seriously, once it's on it doesn't budge until you use soap, so it's a major winner. I'll be rebuying this when it's done -- I feel like it'll be genius in the summer when we're in and out of water all day. 

Glycolix Elite Ultra Gentle Cleanser ($15)

I've used Glycolix stuff in the past and have always been happy, so I started looking for a daily treatment option. This cleanser is supafantastic because it has all the glycolic acid goodness, but it's not irritating like the pads are (seriously I love them but they burn like the dickens). I've used this every night for like, two months and am super happy. Really great if you have the dreaded combo skin like me where you break out if anything is too moisturizing but turn in to the motherfudging (sorry I've been mainlining Kimmy Schmidt on Netflix) Sahara when it's not hydrating enough.


Si by Giorgio Armani ($28) 

YOU GUYS. I know for a fact that someone here recommended this fragrance back around Christmas, but I can't remember who. But if it was you, you're a beautiful angel from heaven because this stuff is so good. If you're into vanilla scents (which I very much am) this is such an excellent balance between vanilla and a little bit of musk so it's not too sweet. My husband got me the rollerball (I throw them in my purse and take them everywhere) and I've worn it on the daily ever since.

Cils D'enfer Maxi Lash So Volume! ($30)

In my neverending quest to try every mascara ever made (and seriously don't try and tell me about lash extensions. One of my friends just had a reaction to hers and it was so bad it literally caused her eyelashes to pop out of her skin. It's not my bag.) I tried this super FRAWNCH mascara and it was only OK. It's more lengthening than it is volumizing and my eyelashes are pretty long already so it leaned on the spidery side. For $30 I'd expect more. Something has yet to topple Dior Iconic Overcurl and L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes as my top faves.

Revlon Parfumerie in Spun Sugar ($3.29)

I picked this up on a grocery store run while my husband drove me around looking for cheese bagels. My usual store was out and that is not acceptable. I really like cheese bagels, you guys. Anyway, this stuff swears that it smells like sugar but I don't really smell anything. I love the color though, and it was almost opaque after one coat. I've also had it on my toes for two weeks and I think it'll probably last through the Armageddon, so that's nice.

Benefit High Brow Glow ($22)

Aaaaand massive disappointment of the month goes to: This stupid $22 shimmer stick I bought the last time I was at Sephora! I was looking for something to help define my brows because they are crazy and unwieldy. And somehow I got talked into this (seriously are the women who work at Sephora hypnotists? Because this is not what I wanted AT ALL) and when I got home realized that I'd spent way too much on something that wasn't as good as the next product for like, a third of the price.

It's OK. Just... OK. I don't see why it would ever need to be $22 though.

e.l.f. Shimmer Palette ($8)

Look guys, I'm not even trying to be dramatic, I just want to be buried with this palette when I die. Seriously, I use it every day without fail. I love that the shimmer comes in different shades, so you can add some without looking like you're ready for Elsa cosplay. I use the pink on the Cupid's bow above my lips and on my cheekbones, and then use the champagne one for my brow bones and inner eyes NO THANKS TO YOU, $22 BENEFIT PENCIL. A little goes a looooooong way. Like, for my cheeks I literally just tap the shimmer lightly and then brush my fingers across my cheekbones and all of a sudden, it's like you're a dewy ballerina-type. Such a fan.

Palladio Herbal Gel Crayon in In the Buff ($6)

So THIS is what I wanted when I went into Sephora looking for brow help. I actually wanted a matte color that was a shade lighter than my own skin that I could use on the tops of my brows to define them. I didn't want shimmer, jerks. And I love that this fat little pencil does exactly what I ask. I'll be buying it again. I clean up my brows, fill 'em in, and then use a swipe of this on top (and blend) to make them look even more defined. Thanks, you adorable little $6 crayon, you.

Anastasia Clear Brow Gel ($22)

If you know what "on fleek" means and you want your brows to go to there, this is the gold standard, folks. And yes, I was on a mission to tame my brows this month. Deal.

Anyway, I use  this after I've filled in my brows with my trusty pencil. I know that might make some brow people weep, but I use it after on purpose because I feel like it helps to smooth out any harshness and kind of airbrush my pencil work. Some people use  brow powder but my crazy brows need boundaries.

This is light, totally unnoticeable (I've had brow gel flake on me before and it's not pretty) and it stays put. That's really all you can ask. It's spendy, but it makes a big enough difference that I can justify the cost.

Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Lip Plumper ($12)

No bueno, you guys, This said it was a "custom color" that conforms to your lips' natural coloring, so I was like, oh great, so it's like my beloved Dior Lip Glow (which I use nonstop), but with plumping. Awesome.

No. No that was not true. In Victoria's Secret land, apparently your "custom color" is like, a garish hot pink that causes you to catch your reflection in your car's rearview mirror and say "WHAT THE HECK" out loud and then frantically wipe it on your sleeves, which may or may not be a real thing that happened. Maybe others have had better luck with their custom color, but my custom color was a jerk and the plumping effect was uber-minimal (I still love this the best for plumping lip colors in Peachy Flush).

Just, yeah. Yikes.


Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Anti-Aging ($24)

I've used this stuff for two years and swear by it, but this time I bought the "anti-aging" kind because, you know, I'm 30. And it's baaaasically worthless. Like, it's fine as a primer, but as far as I can tell the only difference is that this one has a little shimmer in it? Is that what's supposed to stop you from aging? Does Urban Decay think we're all idiots?

Just buy the regular stuff.

Batiste Dry Shampoo - Cherry ($8) 

I try out dry shampoo like I do mascara and I'm really picky about scent. I swear, some smell like the inside of an apartment building lobby where I grew up. Like, kind of like someone smoked in there once and the smell never went away, but by golly, they tried.

I don't think this smells particularly like cherries, but it does smell fresh and it does its job. On a related note, I tried a "tinted" dry shampoo and it made my hair banana yellow. White is fine. Even if you're brunette, you can use white dry shampoo. Just spray it, work it in like real shampoo, and then throw your hair into a loose bun while you hop in the shower or do your makeup and it'll absorb. You can also put it in before bed and sleep in a loose bun and it'll do the same.

And that, my friends, was a tangent.

Pacifica Hand Cream in Tuscan Blood Orange ($8) 

I love Pacifica scents -- they're impactful without being cloying and that might have been the most annoying sentence I've ever typed. But seriously. Their vanilla is another one of my favorite perfumes and I loooove their Indian Coconut stuff. I grabbed this Blood Orange and it's no exception. Seriously Pacifica, you win at scents forever and you're so reasonably priced.

This hand cream goes in my purse and is super light but doesn't skimp on the moisturizing part. Plus, the little tube is adorable and I'm forever handing it out to my friends to use.

Garnier Fructis Marvelous Oil ($4.50) 

I feel like calling this stuff Marvelous Oil was setting it up for failure. Because, I mean, it's pretty good, but it would have to cause my head to sprout mermaid-like gold-plated tresses overnight for it to be Marvelous.

It's a hair oil made with brazilnuts and I guess that's good? I don't know, I can't tell a difference between this and my usual agran oil -- both just get combed through my ends when they're looking rough and that's about it.

Maybelline Color Elixir in Caramel Infused $8.99

So I took Urban Decay's new High Color Lip Gloss (in Failbait) for a test drive. I was immediately obsessed with the color, but I haaaaated the formula. After about 10 minutes of wear, it became unbearably sticky. So, after much drugstore-searching, I found that Maybelline's Color Elixir in Caramel Infused was an almost-perfect match, and the formula is creamy (ugh I hate that word) instead of sticky. This has been my new go-to color for the last two weeks. The only caveat is that the applicator sucks but I can deal.

So, while I'm super disappointed in Urban Decay, it's kind of like meeting your cute husband through his douchey best friend. Like, he's a jerk and you hate the way he laughs but you're still grateful.


Aaaaand that concludes my world record of longest post ever, during which I looked at the clock and realized the bus was rumbling up the street and had to physically push my kids out the door. So, you know, mom stuff.

It's been a slice!

What I Wore: April Roundup

Hey girls hey.

Time for a roundup of all the outfits I wore the last month, especially for those of you who don't follow me on Instagram (which you totally should, you're missing out on stuff like Cool Runnings cocktail dresses and I feel like you can't afford to miss that) or you do follow me on IG and wanted outfit deets.

Also, does anyone else feel like the month of May is brutal when you have elementary-aged kids? We've had two field trips, a track meet yesterday, another field trip tomorrow, and like 9,000 kindergarten graduation dealies which, let's face it, was fun for your first child and a chore for your second.

Especially since my second child could not care less about school. When he comes home every day and I ask him how it went, he will a) shrug or b) make up some lie about how there was a rhinoceros on the playground.

We have communication issues.

ANYWAY. I'm now in weird limbo where I want school to be over but I know that will last approximately five minutes into summer break.

I also have some product posts for you because I've used some awesome products and some that were laughably bad. And I feel like it's my responsibility to share.

Outfits!!

Top: Vince Camuto (here and on sale!) (3/4 length sleeve)

Skirt: Freebird (got mine through zulily) (similar)

Shoes: Guess (similar) (I have a black pair of these too)

Necklace: Bella Ella (similar)

This was for sure my favorite outfit of the month. It came out unintentionally Jessica Rabbit-ish and I'm not mad about it. Also, these are like, top 10 favorite shoes I own, so anytime I can pull 'em out, I'm happy. Also, it was super stretchy and Jae in spandex is a happy Jae indeed. Especially because Jae has to walk to church because it's across the street and Jae complains loudly every Sunday because it puts a reeeeeal cramp in her style when she has to trudge up the hill to church instead of getting to drive like normal people. 

Dress: local boutique (Last worn here and omg I look different) (how pretty is this dress?) (love this one too)

Blazer: F21 (similar) (love this one)

Boots: Ardene - Canada (similar)

Earrings: F21 (pretty!) (come to mama)

I wore this when my family and I got to tour the new Payson Temple, which was super awesome. I specifically wanted to wear something super comfortable because there was a lot of walking involved. Also, we had to wear like, indoor booties to protect the new floors and I'm vain and wanted my dress to cover them. 

Feel free to judge me. 

Top: Buckle (here) (similar) (similar)

Jeans: Calvin Klein (here) 

Boots: Frye (here and on sale!) Seriously, these are a staple for me. Pricey, but just get better with age and wear. (similar)

Ring: Express (similar)

In a perfect world, I would have worn this outfit with heels, but it was on a date with my husband and we were doing a fair amount of walking. From restaurant to restaurant. We went for Italian and then wandered to get frozen yogurt and then did a little shopping. So you know, priorities.

Also, we conversed on IG about how Buckle is a weird store. Nine times out of ten I'll go in there and walk out empty handed, but every so often I land a gem like this top, which I found hidden behind the Steven Tyler-esque clothes at the front of the store. Get your act together, Buckle. 

Tank: c/o modbod

Jacket: Maurice's (here) (similar)
Jeans: Calvin Klein (here)

Booties: Refresh (obsessed with these) (so cute) (moto style)

Watch: Gucci (I'm having trouble finding it nowadays - it's the Twirl)

Fun fact: I wore this to a meeting that happened to be in my husband's office building. I was in the all-glass board room when I saw him go rushing by and the first thing I thought was "Way to say 'hi' to your wife, jerk." But when he came back in, he asked for my Tahoe keys and I was like "Uh, why?" and he informed me that a woman had just totaled her car into my parked SUV. And it was BAD. She had to be taken away on a stretcher and her car was wedged underneath my back bumper. Ultimately, she was OK. But I still apologized profusely to her, despite the fact that my car was parked. Like, I felt bad that my car was so strong and totaled her car? I'm so Canadian sometimes it hurts. 

Even funner fact: My husband (the same one whom I considered a jerk) ordered a new car for me back in like, January and that was the same day it was supposed to be delivered. They had to postpone the delivery one more day, but can you imagine if I had my brand-new car wrecked into on the first day I owned it? Ohhhh small mercies. 

Also, never fear: My Tahoe is in the shop and only had some minor bumper work to be done. It will now be put to pasture, and by "put to pasture" I mean parked in my driveway and only used for boating adventures and taking the dog to groomer because that stinky dog is not allowed in my new car.  So yeah, the smile in this picture is uber-fake. It was like, the second I drove home with a gimpy Tahoe. I was glad, however, that being in a creative position means I get to dress pretty casually and didn't have to deal with a smashed Tahoe in business formal. 

Top: Arizona (here) I bought like, six of these t-shirts for summer.

Jeans: Calvin Klein (hey! at least they're a different jean than my usual ones, right? These have ZIPPERS. (here) Also they're very soft. 

Shoes: Bamboo (I think) (similar) These remind me of the latest Great Gatsby movie and I'm super white girl basic when it comes to my love for that movie. I've watched it seven times. 

Bag: Coach (here but wahh, mine's Chalk and they're sold out of that color. This thing's a friggin' workhorse though.)

Cuff: Buckle (ooh I like this one)

I wore this on an afternoon of Saturday furniture shopping. I HAAAATE furniture shopping for real, you guys. I can't stand the indecision and the back-and-forth. We've been trying to buy a new bedroom set for eons, but we have very specific tastes and measurements, so we had gone like, three times before and never found anything. This day we found something, but it had to be special ordered and I'm still waiting for it. Le sigh. I honestly forget what it looks like. I'm only kind of sure that it has a leather headboard. And maybe some night stands? I don't know. It was a blur. 

ANYWAY, sometimes I just wear a T-shirt and jeans. Especially when arguing over furniture with my husbands. Gotta be comfortable for that. 

Button-down: Gap (similar, since mine has a teeny stripe)

Skirt: Old Navy and literally the only thing I've bought from Old Navy that didn't become a weird square after washing. I have it in polka dot, too. I haven't been in an ON this season... can anyone confirm if these stretch pencil skirts are back?)

Shoes: Roxy (similar) In my house we refer to these as the "Steve Buscemi shoes" because they're so ugly it makes them cute. 

Watch: XOXO (similar)

I felt super prep in this outfit, which is incidentally one of my favorite books (by Curtis Sittenfeld seriously it's such a solid beach/vacation read it's obscene). I basically wanted to get on a sailboat and like, eat oysters all day. I don't know, is that even what preppy kids do? I'm so middle class it hurts. 

Top: Victoria's Secret (here) I buy a couple every time I'm in VS. Size down, peeps!) 

Blazer: Madison and Sixth (similar) (similar)

Jeans: You guessed it (here)

Shoes: Wild Diva (similar) (these are adorable in red)

I wore this on a day when I had mucho running around to do: A couple of video calls, helping in my son's kindy class, a play date, and dinner with friends. I just ditched the blazer for the more casual stuff, which is a trick I use all the time. Put a blazer on it!! 

Extremely bright neon top: Victoria's Secret (here) 

Pants: Calvin Klein (here although I totally bought mine at Costco booyah I mean honestly people still say booyah?)

Boots: Frye (here) Also, just FYI the 12Rs I have are also on sale)

Also, I'm ever-so-casually holding my Calvin Klein jacket (here's a similar one if you feel like you really love the black blob by my knee)

Every time my kids' school does a book sale, it also means they do "Parents and Pastries" which means I have to go in and watch my kids eat donuts before they drag me into the gym to buy overpriced guilt-induced books. And honestly, it's like, 8:30 am and I don't feel like talking to anyone but my BFFs and so sometimes I dress like I have a huge "F off" stamp on my head because really, only my BFFs know that it really just means that I can be highly introverted at 8 am. This outfit helped to accomplish that goal. Praise be to moto jacket, which make that head stamp so much more prevalent. 

I'm an awful human being. 

Holy crap, this took me forever to write. Mostly because I kept finding things I wanted to buy while hunting down links. It's a dirty job, folks. It was fun though! Lately, my life has revolved around things like market research and educational technology which, don't get me wrong, totally blows my skirt up if you know what I mean. But it's still fun to be frivolous sometimes.

Alright, I'm off to finish work and have a way-too-long lunch with friends. It's been real! Check back for some product reviews soon!