Lucy Learns...

Life Updates // Hour Reduction + Test Studying!

Today’s post is short. I’m in the process of doing a lot in terms of life things, and I simply don’t have a lot of time as of late, but I wanted to update anybody who cares on a few things. The first little update I have is that I have dropped my hours at work. I’ve gone from full time (working three days a week, 12.5 hours a shift) to what we call Casual Part Time, working four hours every…

First Impressions + Packaging: The packaging is very easy to use. It twists up when you need more product. It’s about the size I expect from a crayon tinted balm, fitting easily in my pocket, but it isn’t as small as a typical lip balm. I like this because I lose normal balms way too easily. The cap is a cheap, tinted clear plastic, and I’m worried it will fall off often.

Shade + Tone: This color is a berry- a medium magenta/slightly purply-pink red color. It’s not muted, but it’s not overly bright. It is moderately sheer; my lip color does peek through, but there is a definite tint. I would describe the tint as neutral; I notice my natural lip’s tones shining through, and it isn’t overly warm or overly cool itself. It can be built up for a better effect. Runs low risk of looking sloppy if used as a balm (without a mirror), but it has more pigment than many other tinted balms.

Finish: Medium shine, cream. Can appear almost glossy, but it doesn’t have high shine.

Application: This product is easy to apply. You can twist it up easily from the bottom. Because it’s medium sheer, it’s easy to apply quickly without a mirror- low risk of looking sloppy!

Performance + Feel: I believe in the past I’ve included finish in this section, as part of “look,” but I wanted to separate “finish” and “look;” look is more about how it performs rather than how shiny or matte it is. Anyway, this product looks pretty darn good. I don’t notice it settling into any lines. It doesn’t break up. It look over-done. It’s nice! This is slightly slick, but a little waxy- reminds me of normal lip balms but perhaps a hair thicker on the lips. Feels hydrating. I noticed no peeling or cracking throughout the day (a huge plus for me). My lips feel more hydrated after using this regularly for a day vs not putting anything on them, but they do not feel as hydrating as some specific balms (like pure lanolin).

Transfer: Being so sheer, I hardly notice transfer. It transfers like a balm, where I notice transfer in term of the waxy/balmy bits, but I don’t notice much color transfer because of how sheer this is.

Longevity: The balm itself lasts a while, but it doesn’t hold up to eating. I find I reapply this balm often throughout the day simply for the hydrating and moisturization effect. It leaves behind a minor stain.

Overall: I’m surprised to say that I give this product a 9/10. It’s so easy to use, looks really nice on me, is decently hydrating, and best of all, it’s inexpensive at anywhere from $4-$5. I’m only knocking it a point because the smell can be a bit overwhelming over time.

Just for the few who I miss but don’t have on any other socials...

I decided to almost quit my job. By this I mean I’m dropping down to casual part time, where I work one four-hour shift a week + a four-hour shift every third Saturday and Sunday. I can pick up as the hospital needs but it’ll be much better for my mental health I think so be able to actually do more of life, you know? 13 hour shifts are difficult when I’m doing absolutely nothing cerebral. I’m bored but stressed simultaneously to the point where I’m just stagnant and it’s annoying. I have four more work days left! Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday

In the meantime, I’m studying to take a mock MCAT. If I do well, I’ll take the real MCATs and then think about applying to medical schools.

The other day, my parents were in town and took Rob and me out to a late lunch. Later that night, Rob is playing video games with a friend while on speakerphone. Friend asks about dinner and then says, “But you got a chance to talk to Bill, right?” and Rob looks over at me, then says, “No, I didn’t get a chance to catch him alone.” Bill is my dad. My parents may have mentioned to us that Dad wants to be “asked” before Rob proposes. I mean I don’t know for sure that’s what is going on, but...

We are visiting my family next weekend... Rob wanted to go.

I have a new gym membership at a really nice gym. They have AMTs and I’ve been loving them.

I’m down ~5 lbs from about 3 weeks ago, which feels nice. Yay, AMTs.

I decided to try this behavior modification thingy out where I earn makeup and beauty rewards for doing healthy habits. This is a huge part of my success of sticking to together the last almost three weeks.

Fragrances // TWP “AHH-vocado!”

Brand: Twisted Wonderland Perfumery Perfume Name: AHH-vocado! Indie or Mainstream: Indie Cost and size: $13.50 for 5ml perfume oil , $15 for 10ml eau de parfum. Available as soaps ($5), sugar scrubs ($8.50), 2oz body mists ($8), and lotion ($9.50). Small oil samples are $13.50 for 5 samples ($2.70 each + shipping). Availability: Permanent as part of the Oh, The Horror collection. Shop…

The first thing I notice about this palette is the lack of diverse finishes. All of the shades are shimmery- there’s not much variation at all in the level of shimmer, even. For a five-pan palette, I’m not expecting much, but for those who like matte transition shades, this could never be a standalone palette. The second thing I noticed is how similar the colors were. While they are all distinct colors, they are quite close together. This isn’t inherently negative; these color are all cohesive. In the pans, these colors look more neutral-toned; on my arm, they all looked much warmer. Here are my descriptions of the colors, in pan and on my arm:

Orpime: In pan, a shimmery medium bronze. On my wrist, slightly more golden.

Rhodini: In pan, a shimmery medium magenta. On my wrist, it appears much more warm, with red and even some orange showing.

Vanadini: In pan, a neutral light rose-gold. On my wrist, it just appears slightly darker.

Autuni: In pan, a medium to light shimmery gold that is a bit muted. On my wrist, the warmth is increased.

Sphene: In pan, a shimmery neutral-to-warm light golden highlight shade. On my wrist, it appears much more yellow.

Let’s talk about shade names for a moment. While you don’t see the shade names on the palette while using it, there are names printed on the back of the palette. I find these names confusing, and I had to look them up to see if there was any meaning.

Orpime is the name of a specific antibiotic, and orpiment is a type of mineral/rock that is bright orange due to a high arsenic concentration… The color of Orpime is not the color of orpiment.

Rhodini was hard to find online; the closest thing I could come up with was a restaurant of the name and E. Rhodini, a stream turtle. I don’t see how either of these leads to this color. When I looked up Rhodinite, I did find a mineral that is a bright pinky-red or rose-pink color, which is similar to the color of Rhodini in pan.

Vanadini was also hard to find, and it bright me to vanadinite, a crystal that can is usually bright red or red-orange. The color of vanadinite reminds me more of Rhodini’s color once swatched on my skin

Autuni might be representative of the crystal/mineral autunite, which oddly can be primary found at the base of Mt. Spokane, where I grew up. Autunite is a lemon-yellow or greenish-yellow to pale green crystal, normally- not this slightly muted golden color I see in this shadow. However, there is some green in Autuni, so there’s that I guess.

And finally, we have Sphene. Sphene is actually a gemstone of titanite (why not call it Titani, Blinc?). Sphene stones are usually some shade of chartreuse, and yellow-green color.

So, I think that these shades are named after different crystalline minerals, which makes sense as Blinc calls this palette “jewel tone.” However, I think the execution of this inspiration is awful! While I am grateful that these shades work well together and are wearable, I don’t see the crystal inspiration in these shades at all, and I think this would be better as a cherry-pie themed palette, honestly.

Onto performance! 

Pigmentation: I would say all of these have great pigmentation. There is more pigmentation in these than in any drugstore shadow I’ve used!

Consistency: During my initial finger swatch, these shadows felt creamy and buttery, not chalky or dusty at all. Even when grabbing the product with a brush, I didn’t notice any kickback. I did not observe much if any fall out at all with these shadows during application.

Blending: I was able to easily blend these, even with my subpar blending skills. However, I did use a stiffer and more dense blending brush. It should be noted here that while they blended easily, I did not accidentally blend it all away, as I have a habit of doing with most other shadows.

And finally, the look I managed to create:

Let’s start out this weekly review post by doing going day-to-day on the rewards I earned.

Day 8: Three small rewards; one medium.

Smashbox PhotoFinish Primer, FP. Not a bad primer, but it’s one I’ve used before, which means I’m kinda meh about writing a formal review.

Almay Liquid Lip Balm in 400 Lilac Love. Top swatch. I’m excited for this as it really does feel more smoothing rather than a sticky gloopy gloss.

TWP Ahh-vocado! Sample Vial. One word currently: YES. Review to come soon (hopefully, if I can ever get my stuff together and stop re-applying it every hour just because I love the smell).

Julep Lip Gloss

Day 9: Three small and one large reward

This day was the first day I got “nothing” as a reward for doing a behavior (5/5 goals achieved, but note only 4 rewards). I felt a little irritated, despite knowing it was a possibility. That said, I also knew I could get a reward the next time, so I didn’t feel unmotivated, which is the point of the system. Anyway, this day, I got:

Missha All Around Safe Waterproof Sun Milk. I used this on Saturday, and I think I like it but I’m not sure. It was very thin and easily rubbed into my skin. I will most likely not do a full review, but it is added to my list of potential sunscreens to repurchase.

Etude House Double Lasting Foundation Foils in Fair, Vanilla, and Ivory. I received a couple packets last week in a few other shades, and I believe I have one packet left to “complete” the collection. Once it’s complete, I’ll do swatches and a wear test on a color, if one is close enough to my skin tone.

Korres Wild Rose Vitamin C Brightening Oil. I’ll be honest; I’m scared to use this. It’s in my queue, though.

Anskin Cool-Ice Modeling Mask. This was my “large” reward, and I’m very excited. I haven’t used it yet because I told a friend that once I earned it, I would wait to use it until we could try it together! I still haven’t told her 😛

Day 10: One small reward.

This day was a particularly hard day, in which I had a rough day while Boyfriend was at work, didn’t go to the gym due to a miscommunication, and then proceeded to eat too much because we ordered in dinner and I didn’t even bother attempting to estimate what I ate.

That said, I did drink enough water, and I earned Revlon’s Lipstick in 660 Berry Haute, which is a definite berry shade on me and one I am excited to review. My HG lipstick is this formula (Mauvy Night), just as an FYI. I’m biased.

Day 11: One small, one medium, and one large reward (+ one “nothing”).

After Day 10, Day 11 felt much better. It started off with going to the gym, and even though it involved too much ice cream and eating out with my parents, I felt much happier and did manage to talk myself into tracking what I ate, even though I felt ashamed to admit just how much ice cream I consumed… I still did 4/5 behaviors and earned 3 rewards for it!

CoverGirl Katy Kat Matte Lipstick in Kitty Purry. This is the top swatch, and it… well, it looks an awful lot like Delicious, a color I got last week. Still excited though! I picked this color out very thoughtfully.

Too Cool for School Dinoplatz Lip Balm in #1 Spilled Wine. This is the second swatch. It’s a grape-jelly smelling gel-like lip balm that is tinted to look like a dark red wine (“spilled wine”) but provides a lovely slight berry stain. I have two more colors waiting to be earned, and once I do, there will definitely be full reviews.

Etude House Play Color Eyes in Juice Bar. After being disappointed with the Blend quad, I was a little nervous about this. So far, it has swatched nicely, but it is quite warm with quite a bit of oranges! I’m interested in seeing how these work on my eyes.

Day 12: One small, one medium, and one large reward

1/2 Medium Reward for my small reward- I realized I have a lot of medium products compared to the most likely scenario, and I can’t seem to find much more small rewards to reach that most likely scenario. So I added a bunch of these!

CoverGirl TruNaked Roses Palette. Swatches off to the side. I have done a look with this already, and I find that it works really well with my eyes.

Blinc Electric Eyes Palette. This is the one I got from my Boxycharm this week, so I’m really excited to get this so soon! It swatched beautifully (not shown).

Day 13: Three small rewards and one medium.

1/2 Medium Reward- another one!! This is the second “1/2 medium” I’ve gotten this week, but I waited until the end of the week to “cash” these in.

CoverGirl InstantCheekBones in 230 Refined Rose. Swatches are there on the bottom right. I’ve been wanting to try these trios because I’m curious about their formula (compared to the other Cheekers). Hopefully will be reviewing!

The Organic Pharmacy Lip + Eye Cream. This is a deluxe sample tube, and I’m not sure if I want to open it yet. I’m currently working on a 5ml tube of eye cream, and it’s taking forever to pan.

Dinoplatz Lip Balm in #5 Pinky Pie. What’s the probability that I’d get two of these this week?! (Answer: about 0.2% chance). However, I’m pretty excited. I used this on Tuesday throughout work, and it’s a beautiful light tint on my lips! You can see the slight tint on that top right swatch. I can’t wait to do a full-on review of these lip balms!

Day 14: Three small rewards (+ one “nothing”).

(2) 1/2 Medium Rewards- which means another full medium prize to pick!

Twisted Wonderland Perfumery “Stay Puft.” This is a very marshmallowy scent- so sweet! Can’t wait to do a review!

My Additional Rewards:

TonyMoly Pikachu Mini Cover Cushion. It’s a pikachu-themed cushion foundation! I have opened it up and (shockingly), it might be too light for me right now.

Too Cool for School Egg Mousse Pack. This stuff claims to make “rough, dull skin smooth and radiant in 5 minutes.” I don’t know why I haven’t tried this yet, but it’s probably due to the overwhelming about of open deluxe sample face masks I have…

Weekly Thoughts and Recap

This week I lost another couple pounds, so I’m down just over five. I don’t like getting too specific into the numbers, but at the beginning as I’m still planning my food intake and exercise, I do feel the need to hone in fast-enough-but-not-too-fast, you know? I think about 2/week is a good pace.

This week I had two days in which I did not meet my energy balance awareness goals- Friday and Saturday. On Friday, Boyfriend and I miscommunicated about the gym and we ended up not going and instead ordering food (he wasn’t going to eat a real dinner… sorry, honey, but diet orange soda has no nutrients). I couldn’t even guess at what was in my dinner nutrition-wise, so I didn’t. On Saturday, my parents were in town and we went out to eat. I did guess at that one, but I ended up splitting a giant thing of ice cream with my sister, parents, and Boyfriend because I’d rather have memories and fun with people I love than lose an extra half a pound, tbh.

In terms of how I think the program is going: this was the first week in which I had the possibility of getting no reward for doing a behavior. I did notice feeling disappointment the three times that happened, but that isn’t what kept me away from my goals. I’ve noticed that my anxiety is one thing that keeps me from the gym. I don’t know how to adjust rewards to deal with this; I just need to work through some of that anxiety. I know that even if I were to insta-give myself a large reward (even the large ones I’m very excited for), I would probably still not go to the gym when my issue is anxiety, and I still wouldn’t be more energy-minded if Boyfriend’s health/happiness was on the line or if I hadn’t seen my family in several weeks and we were going out to eat. I am 100% okay with this, as I still want to live my life. The main point of this behavior mod is to be mindful of energy and choose non-food coping skills when my emotions are unbalanced.

Next week, there will be a higher chance of getting a “nothing” reward, and I’m a little scared honestly that my motivation will start to fail. I have four more work days (Sat, Sun, Mon, and then Wednesday), and I’m nervous that with the group of kids we have currently, I’ll be coming home so drained that without massive rewards, I’ll just ruin my goals ): I’m going to try positive talk though so counteract this.

Unboxing // BoxyCharm July 2017

Hello, and welcome back! Rounding up this month’s unboxings, I’m going to be unboxing BoxyCharm! The theme this month is “Cutie Pie,” and it’s a wonderful box, honestly!! Here’s what came this month: Blinc Electric Eyes Palette. I love that BoxyCharm has been sending full-size shadows and palettes out lately, and I love that this isn’t the typical neutrals. While I disagree on the “jewel tone”…

Wrist Swatches: Indoor under “Daylight” light bulbs, without and with flash.

Top to bottom, we have:

Missha Perfect Cover #13

EH Precious Minerals Moist in Vanilla

EH Precious Minerals Moist in Petal

EH precious Minerals Moist in Beige

BareMinerals Complexion Rescue in Opal

Jaw/Neck/Cheek Swatches: Indoor under “daylight” bulbs; without and with flash.

Left to right: (chin to ear)

BareMinerals Opal

EH Beige

EH Petal

EH Vanilla

Missha #13

And, for giggles, I do have a couple other pictures taken (in the same orders) by a window, trying to show natural light.

Based on these swatches, I’m unsure what I will try first. I’m thinking I will first try Vanilla, even though it looks too warm, because Petal looks like it might end up too dark for me.

Anyway, this month’s theme for the Vanishing Cabinet was 80’s fun via The Wedding Singer.

The box came with a blush and three shadows (all mini sizes), plus a $10 off any purchase code (sorry- no sharing allowed; only open to VC subscribers. I love you all, but I also love helping indie brands/real people be profitable).

Here’s some info on them all:

Church Kiss (blush). I would describe this as a very shimmery mid-tone medium cool pink. I do like it, but I think it is just too shimmery and too dark on me to be an everyday blush. However, it did need a few swatches (as I was scared of getting “too much” product knocked out of the sifter), so I’m sure I can sheer it out quite easily.

Pretty Pretty Please. This is the fuscia-looking eyeshadow. It appears to have a slightly more purple shift to it. It’s not quite neon but still very 80s inspired.

Whoopity Doo. This is that blue shade! It’s darker than the typical 80s blue, making it look way more wearable for today, but it’s still, you know, blue.

Grade-A. This is that silvery-grey shade on the bottom there. It actually has a strong pink shift to it that I totally failed to capture appropriately.

Overall: I don’t usually do retail value for NMVC unboxings, as the value for me is in supporting an indie business. This box contains all minis: $4 value for the blush and $2.75 for each shadow. This makes the box’s value lower than the price, but when you factor in the shipping, it’s still a good deal, and it’s fun.  The colors in this definitely do say “80s” but a bit more low-key; I probably won’t wear the products all together, but for a pop of color once in a while, I will reach for them.

Anyway, let’s get into this month’s Sephora Play! sub:

This month, I received:

It Cosmetics Superhero Mascara. I understand why these are included in boxes. I do. I’m not angry; I’m just uninspired. I know many who love this formula, but for me, if it isn’t waterproof, it’s not a mascara I will (ever) use. To a friend this one goes. Deluxe sample size; size not listed on packaging. Retail value: ~$12? (based on travel size)

BareMinerals GenNude Matte Liquid Lip Color in Swag. This is actually a product I’ve been wanting to try and perhaps the only item I’m truly excited for, as it’s one of the few new lipsticks in this brand’s line that doesn’t have shea butter. It’s going into my rewards system, but I did swatch it, and I think it might end up being a really nice color on me. Bonus: it smells like vanilla frosting. Deluxe sample size; 2ml. Retail value: $9.38

Briogeo Rosarco Milk Conditioning Spray. I’ve actually had this exact sample before, twice. One bottle is almost finished and another one is still unopened. I like it, and I was using it a lot in rotation with a few other sprays when my hair was bleached. Now, though, I don’t need a spray like this. Deluxe sample; 22ml. Retail value: $2.99

Boscia Charcoal Pore Pudding. I’m on the fence about this one at the moment; I’m not sure if I should try it or give it away. There’s nothing in it that I know my skin can’t handle, but I don’t know if it’ll be too stripping for my skin. It’ll probably go to the rewards program tbh. Deluxe sample; 25ml. Retail value: $11.18

Milk Cooling Water. I’m honestly intrigued by this. It smells a bit funny, but I am very interested in trying it out, so it’ll go into the rewards program too. Deluxe sample; 3ml. Retail value: $2.12

Atelier Cologne in Orange Sanguine. I actually own a 4ml travel spray of this and I never use it. It’s not a bad smell, and it’s not overly manly, it’s just not my favorite. Sample vial; ~$1.30 (based on large size).

Overall: Retail value: $38.97. I think most of the time with sample boxes, I end up feeling very ambivalent. I’m interested in some of these products, but I’m not really inspired by them; curious, but not enthralled. Many of these products also just don’t have the sample sizes that really make this value seem “all there,” you know? I think, for the price I paid, I’m getting my value, but I’m not jumping because of the “deal.”

The first unboxing I want to share with you is from Ipsy! I’ll be honest; I was not 100% thrilled with everything this month, but let’s talk about it a bit.

This month, I received:

Gudetama Bag. I’m not a huge Gudetama fan, but I love the art style and I can relate to this little depressed egg a bit. I oddly like it! I also like the reverse side (unpictured)… he’s got little bum cheeks! However, I don’t like how this bag smells. It has that “plastic pool toy” smell to it. Gross. Unvalued.

So Susan Blending Brush. I have such a love-hate relationship with brushes. Currently I’m in a hate stage, simply because my storage space is at a premium. Unless it’s an amazing brush that I don’t have (or will replace one I do), I don’t want it. I don’t think this brush will replace my current blending brushes, tbh. Full size, but unable to find online. Retail value: ~$15, based on other brushes and the typical brush “value” for Ipsy.

Ofra Eyeshadow in Victory. This is not my first Ofra eyeshadow, and quite frankly, I do like their formula. I’m happy I received this shade, Victory, which is a bit more bronze and muted than Gold Rush, which pairs slightly better with my skin. It looks similar to an Ofra shadow I already have but a touch warmer/golder (I don’t know the name of that one, but I know it’s not Victory). Medium full size. Retail value: $10

Top: Mulberry liquid lip. Bottom: Victory, blended out with the So Susan brush on the right.

Tarte Deep Dive Cleansing Gel. This product came basically exploded in my bag. A look at the ingredients shows me that while I can use it (no allergens or things my skin hates), there’s lavender in it, which is a scent I typically hate. A friend of mine wants it, so it’s going to her. Deluxe sample; 7.5ml. Retail value: $1.25

Caudalie Vino Source Moisturizing Sorbet. Not only do I already have a sample of this from something else, but I can’t use it because it contains shea butter. It’s going to a friend who wants to try it out. Deluxe sample; 10ml. Retail value: $9.75

Cougar Beauty Liquid Lipstick in Mulberry. I haven’t used this on my lips yet (as it’s going to be part of my rewards system for my behavior mod program), but I can tell you two things: I like how it smells (reminds me of cake batter), and the color when swatched on my wrist is totally up my ally. It also appears to dry well on my wrist without smudging, so we’ll see how it holds up on the lips. Full size. Retail value: $9.07, based on (my) current exchange rate.

Overall: Retail value of about $45.07, but personal value a lot lower. The only product I really like so far is the liquid lipstick, which is nice, but I also don’t think it’s a very different color or product than some liquid lips I currently have. Even looking through possible products this month, I feel so uninspired. I think this month was just a dud for me!

Bonus! I redeemed some points for a Paula’s Choice cheek palette… Here’s a preview!

Day 1: Five “small” rewards

Pink Bubbly Vaseline: this stuff is basically just vaseline with some wine extract and additional flavor mixed in. I’ll probably do a review of this!

Clinique Dramatically Different Moistruizing Lotion + (for dry/combo skin), foil packet. I have not used this yet… It’s not that I don’t want to, but I just didn’t have the energy all week to actually use it.

elf Lip Stain in Berry Blush. I have a different one of these, and I like it enough- this will be another review product, I think.

Etude House Moisturizing Honey Jelly Lips Patch. Can I just say how terrible I am at actually rewarding myself with single-use items. I put this in here because I keep avoiding using it because “special occasion” or whatever… and now? I *earned* this, darn it, but I find I’m still saving it for a special occasion.

Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream Moist, Foil Packet. This is actually one of two of these, so I’m waiting to get the second one in order to actually try this out. First will be swatches, then I’ll do a full wear test with the best-matching color (I believe the colors are vanilla, petal, and beige).

Day 2: Three “small” rewards

Clinique For Men Moisturizing Lotion, Foil Packet. I have a few lotion/emulsions in here, but honestly I feel like I’ve been getting a disproportionate amount as rewards. On my list of things to try, but I’m also working through some larger moisturizers that are *almost* out.

Banila Co. it Radiant Lace Hydrogel Eye Patch. It was fun to use but I don’t think I saw any difference in my eyes; probably will not review.

Clinique Moisture Surge, travel size. Another moisturizer? I got this a while back when I wanted to add some hyaluronic acid to my routine- at the same time, I also got a “pure” hyaluronic acid product (I mean, it was diluted, but it wasn’t meant to have many other ingredients) to mix with foundation. I ended up using that one for pure skincare purposes, so this has been sitting… Well, I ran out of my old HA, so this is a nice addition!

Day 3: Three “small” and two “medium” rewards

Julep One-Step Polish Remover Pads (two foil packets- what are the odds I got both?!). Truth time: I haven’t had time to paint my nails, so I haven’t had a need for these 😛

DevaCurl One Condition Ultra Creamy Conditioner, FP. It’s technically a foil packet (and maybe for those with very curly, very course hair this would be one use), but I think I can stretch it, so it doens’t seem to be a good gym bag add. I’m waiting until one of my current conditioners is out to use this at home (I usually keep 2-3 at a time and alternate what I want to use based on the day)

Etude House Blend For4 Eyes Eyeshadow Tone&Pink. This was one of the medium items, and I was very, very excited to open it up and try it out!! I was overall a bit disappointed with the product itself (just not great quality shadows), but I LOVED trying it out and I’m excited to make time to do a full on review.

Dinoplatz Magic Wand for Lip & Eye. These came in a beauty box a few months ago, and I’ve always had that “there’s only 20, and it’s expensive, so if I like them…” idea. I’m still struggling with the idea that I “earned” this one and I can use them.

Day 4: Four “small” rewards

Clarins Double Serum (FP). Soooo… I made a mistake with this one. I read ingredients for shea butter (as my skin hates it), but I definitely forgot to read for kiwi (a true allergy of mine). Whoops.

Berrisom Timetox Revitalizing Cream (FP). I double checked the ingredients before thinking about putting this one on (it was a free sample, not one I actually bought). It’s good. I still haven’t used it because (see other days about how many friggin’ moisturizers I’m getting in comparison to how many total there are).

Origins Night-A-Mins Cream (FP). So, I did definitely check ingredients in this one, but to be sure, I checked again. Sephora had this lovely disclaimer: “Please be aware that ingredient lists may change or vary from time to time. Please refer to the ingredient list on the product package you receive for the most up to date list of ingredients.” Anddddd now I’m scared.

Burt’s Bees Lip Gloss in Nearly Dusk. It’s 100% my color, and it’s one of the very few Burt’s Bees lip products I can use!!

Day 5: Five “small” rewards

Revlon Balm Kiss in 035 Berry Burst. Smells like my Bonne Bell childhood (read: amazing). Color is sheer, but it’s not sticky and easy to apply.

Visanti BrightenUp! Face Rejuvenator. I haven’t had a day to try this out yet as I don’t exfoliate super often. I did try to smell it though and it didn’t really smell like much, tbh.

It Cosmetics No. 50 Primer. I haven’t used it yet as I am THIS close to finishing another primer, but it’s in my queue!

Berrisom Timetox Cream (again). DO YOU GET WHAT I MEAN ABOUT THE CREAMS. Don’t worry though; this is actually good for this program, as this is getting into the whole “randomized rewards lead to constant anticipation that the next time it might be what I actually want” thing.

Maybelline New York Mono Shadow in 80 Forest Green. I don’t expect much from drugstore shadows, but this one swatched decently, and I think I like the color (but I haven’t had a day since to actually try it out).

Day 6: Three “small” and one “large” reward

Etude House Double Lasting Foundation Foil Packets, Vanilla/Petal/Beigetwo for one!). Pretty sure I have a fair/vanilla/petal in my rewards packet and then a petal/beige/sand or something like that too. I might wait until I have them all to do a big swatch comparison (which is fun). I honestly can’t remember ugh.

CosRX AHA Whitehouse Power Liquid, FP. I’m always hesitant to put new exfoliants into my routine in case I break out. I might try this during my long stretch of time off work.

TWP “Carnival of Souls” sample. OH MY GOODNESS YES. I am super excited for this, as my dad is a huge Carnival of Souls fan (yes, the movie). Also it smells amazing and I can’t wait to do a review!!

TonyMoly Pikachu Honey Moisture Cream. My first “large” reward, and I am THRILLED. I didn’t wanna open it because I didn’t want to ruin the fun by using it… but I did so much research on this line to get an item I could use, so I got myself to open it up and just. Yes.

Day 7: Three “small” rewards

Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster. No comments since I literally JUST got it!

CoverGirl Lipstick in “Delicious.” It looks so pretty!! I can’t wait to use it (tomorrow?!)

EH Precious Mineral etc etc. Didn’t wanna write the whole name out, but it’s the pair to the one I got earlier! Great way to end the week so I can try them out!!

Weekly Recap/How I’m Doing:

I would call this week a success. My biggest “thing” is that on days that I work a full shift, I don’t go to the gym- little can be done to get me to the gym after working for 13 hours. I’m okay with this. Not getting a reward is not a punishment; I’m simply not rewarded, and I’m okay with this. I shouldn’t be rewarded for not going to the gym at this point, at that would reinforce not going in. However, I do reward myself for my “workout” as part of my program is to do my job- and I have that factored in. So, on days I work, work becomes my “workout.”

I’ve done really well staying on track with energy balance. I overate one day, and I don’t feel upset about it. The rewards are motivating enough for day-to-day behavior mod, but I do still want to maintain flexibility on special things.

I have lost ~3 pounds this past week. This seems a bit high, but I think a lot of that is in the GI tract (gross, I know, but honest). I will see how next week goes and modify my plans to reflect a less aggressive, healthier plan if I need.

I have realized that the biggest weakness in this is that I KNOW what the probabilities are for each reward. It’s not a “blind” study in that way, and I think it’s effecting the motivation of the system. However, it still seems to work out decently. Honestly, based on this week alone, I think this would be a good program for other behavior mods (such as cleaning and studying related behaviors).

I’m optimistic about Week 2, but I’m also a little scared as my “nothing” rewards start coming up… I’m not sure if I will continue to find things motivating, but we will see!!

Health + Fitness // Behavior Modification: Intro

I mentioned a while ago that my boyfriend and I are going on a vacation in October to Mexico. When we first booked the tickets and hotel, I was so excited  that I had all of these grandiose ideas of losing the weight I’ve gained during recovery and looking amazing in photos and… A week later I just kinda plopped and settled back into old habits… I thought about why this happened, and I resigned…

Curate Your Own // “Korean Summer Essentials”

Every once in a while, I get this overwhelming urge to curate my own beauty box. Having many subscriptions for a while, I tend to feel a little bored or underwhelmed by products chosen, especially when they claim to fit a certain theme. While I understand why certain products appear in beauty subscriptions (hello, marketing!), I also believe that there are enough products out there that you…

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to unbox it online, but I figure if I’m going to be trying any new products from this (which I will once I get my new gym membership), I should disclose where I received the items from the beginning. So, let’s unbox!

I love how this box looks- it’s a “millennial pink” kind of peachy color with cute white dots and some black lines- it overall looks summery, clean, and yet still fun. To me, this looks definitely targeted to my demographic of an early-20s female.

Inside, it looks just like any normal subscription box; the products and placement reminds me of the Walmart Beauty Box. Let’s get into the products I received.

Gillette Venus Sensitive Disposable Razor. This is their basic sensitive disposable razor. I usually use the Venus Embrace sensitive razor, which has five blades, versus the three in this. I don’t expect this razor to give me as good of a shave as I’m used to, but it will be useful to pack in a travel bag. Size: one razor. Retail value: $2.33 (a pack of 3 is $6.99 at Target).

Gillette Venus + Olay Shave Gel (Violet Swirl). I believe this same product came in another wellness box a bit ago, or I simply purchased it for my gym or travel bags… and I haven’t used it yet. It will definitely be used eventually, but as I haven’t done much traveling (or going to the gym) lately. Size: Deluxe Sample, 70g. Retail value: $1.05 (based off of $2.97 for a full size at Walmart)

Olay Cooling Body Wash (White Strawberry & Mint). This smells really delicious, and this is another item I’d be happy to put inside my gym bag (I am currently working through some large bottles of body wash). Size: Deluxe Sample, 89mL. Retail value: $1.18 (based off of $5.97 for a full size at Walmart)

Crest Pro Health Whitening Power Toothpaste. Like basically every product in this box, this is another great product to include in a travel or gym bag. It’s a stannous fluoride based toothpaste, which means it’s great for anti-cavity and anti-gingivitis properties while being a bit more gentle than sodium fluoride for sensitive teeth. Size: Travel, 24g. Retail value: $0.98 (at Walmart)

Herbal Essences Bio Renew Hydrate Coconut Milk Shampoo + Conditioner. Two mini, travel-friendly bottles that smell like most coconut-scented hair products- artificial, but not weirdly so. Size: 44ml each. Retail value: $1.30 total (based off of $5.92 for a full size of either one at Walmart).

Olay Eyes Ultimate Eye Cream. This claims to reduce dark circles, wrinkles, and puffiness. There are five of these small packets, but each packet probably has more than enough for two applications, so there is definitely enough here to see how this stuff works. I checked the ingredients list, since nothing is listed on the packets, and it is a silicone-base product that is Shea-free, so I can use it, but I must use it wisely under certain concealers. Size: 5×0.5ml. Retail value: $4.78 (based off of $24.86 for a full size container at Walmart).

Overall value: $11.62. For a totally free box, that’s really great! As I mentioned, this was sent to me after I received a coupon for it with a purchase at Walgreens, so this is a promotional box most likely sent to many people. For this reason, I feel this value is particularly pleasing!

Additional bonus: there are some coupons here as well: $1 off any two Herbal Essences Bio Renew,  $6 off any three Gilette Venus disposable razor packs, and $2 off any one Gillette Venus with Olay shave gel. Coupons are wonderful, but they only hold value if you would be purchasing the products anyway. These coupons are only valid at Walgreens (or Duane Reade), and Walgreens prices tend to be higher than Walmart as is… For instance, the coupon for the razors would make a three-pack about $8.99, which is definitely more expensive than their price at Walmart. This is why I don’t include coupons in value