Swatch Sunday # 5 | Physician's Formula

SWATCH SUNDAY # 5 | PHYSICIAN'S FORMULA

I know you're going to start thinking that I am in love with this brand, but I actually have just amassed a large collection from Dollar Tree hauls (and one EPIC Burlington Coat Factory haul).  This week, I had a special guest swatching along with me - my husband! 

I often, in my YouTube videos, mention that cosmetics products can appear drastically different on deeper versus lighter skin tones.  Well, we finally had the brilliant idea to do double swatches, and I am SO excited that we did!

Here are some highlights from this week's Swatch Sunday video.

Pictured above are the Physician's Formula Felt Tip Eye Definer marker.  The tip is a pointed brush that is long, firm, and actually does create a defined line.  These typically retailed between $5-8 and appear to be discontinued.  I found these for just $1 at the Dollar Tree.

These are moist, defined, and pigmented to show up on deeper skin tones.  I've had them for several months (open and in use) and they haven't yet dried out.  However (and the experts at Makeup Alley tend to agree), these don't have great staying power.  Good for a dinner date, but not for all-day office eye looks.  The Makeup Alley reviews also call this brush difficult to work with, and I didn't find this to be the case. 

Bottom line: buyer beware.  You may love these, and at the $1 price point, it's worth a gamble.

All three Physician's Formula Eye Definer Flat Automatic Pencils pictured above were purchased at the Dollar Tree.

I actually really love the formula of these pencils, and the colors came across beautifully on both skin tones.  I have used Black Raisin as a smoked-out shadow liner (I didn't even bother trying to line, as I could tell by swatching that these would budge easily), and it worked beautifully.  I also use the Warm Black and Dark Brown as eyebrow pencils and they are simply awesome for creating the shape I love.

Bottom line: I love these pencils and would recommend them!

The Physician's Formula Loose-To-Go powder was purchased at Dollar Tree.  The Magic Mosaic powder was purchased in a set during the Burlington Coat Factory haul referenced above.

These powders both give off a slight wash over deep color, and the Loose-To-Go powder offers a bit of shimmer as well. 

Bottom line: there's not much pigmentation in this palette - skip it unless you're very fair.

Left to right: Mineral Wear FaceBrightener, Gentle Wear Bronzer, Les Botaniques Bronzer

All three of these products were purchased at Burlington Coat Factory as a part of a set.  The sets cost $2-3 each, which is a huge savings from the typical Physician's Formula price of $10-13 per item. 

These actually do show up on both skin tones (some more than others), but the color being given off by the first two is not something I would describe as bronzer spectrum. 

Bottom line: If you're interested in trying one of these bronzers, I'd recommend the Les Botaniques line.  It actually looks like a bromzer on fairer tones, and works as a totally respectable highlighter on deeper skin.

 

I purchased this 3-in-1 Shimmer Strips product at Dollar Tree, where it was- of course- just one dollar.

As pictured above, the lighter colors appear to be a great highlighter and bronzer set, and they could function as eyeshadows as well.

Bottom line: I like this product a lot, and actually to intend to try these powders as shadows, highlighters, and bronzers.  There's not a ton of product included, but for $1, that's not a deal-breaker.




Shimmer Strips blushes in Sunkissed Glow (left) and Rosy Glow (right)

I purchased these Shimmer Strips blushes at Burlington Coat Factory (left) and Dollar Tree (right).

These swatches were specifically for Instagram, because I wanted to get good photos of the product in the same lighting and directly next to each other for better comparison.  We also applied these wet inadvertently (I had cleaned off the swatch surface with a wet wipe just prior to swatching and LOVED the effect), which ended up being a great thing.

As you can see, these colors are absolute magic for both skin tones.  Applying wet makes the color rich and intense.  These could easily double as eyeshadows as well. 

Bottom line: GET THESE!  I would actually dare to say these may be worth the asking price.


Believe it or not, there are actually even more swatches in the YouTube video, so be sure to check it out!  If you've used any of these products, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. 

Thanks, as always, for reading!  See you next time.  :)

 

Thrifty Thursday # 5 | Big Lots

 

THRIFTY THURSDAY # 5 | BIG LOTS

Recently, Big Lots has been stocking some great fragrance mists from brands I know and trust- like Calgon, Parfums du Coeur, and Bodycology.  I typically only shop sales, so I'm not sure if these fragrances have been around and I just missed them, but they all looked new to me!

I was especially excited because there was a huge diversity in the scent profiles: sweet, floral, musky, tropical, herbal, marine - literally a little of everything!  I held back on the lotions, but grabbed one of each fragrance mist I was interested in trying.  I'm going to try to test them out over the next week or so, and if one or two really strike my fancy, I'll be heading back for backups.  :)


Here's a high-level look at a few scents from each brand.  For a look at everything I hauled, check out the YouTube video.

From Parfums du Coeur:

NOTES: sparkling raspberries, juicy apples and succulent peaches




NOTES: wild strawberries, succulent peaches, and voluptuous vanilla

 

Both scents pictured above are currently available for sale - the retail price is $5-10 per full-size (8 ounce) bottle.  Check out the Body Fantasies website for a list of locations where these products can be purchased.


From Calgon:

NOTES: lush tangerine, crisp water lily and creamy sandalwood.

NOTES: sweet florals

Both scents pictured above are currently available for sale and retail for about $5 per full-size (8 ounce) bottle.  Check out Walmart online for tons of Calgon bath and body products.

Instead of sharing additional information about the Preferred Fragrance brand, just a heads-up that this brand has apparently gone through several lawsuits due to their dupery.  Check out First Nerve's post on this topic, here.


Next up, from BioSecrets:




NOTES: refreshing bergamot, soothing rose, and ylang & ylang on a sweet and exciting bed of vanilla & musk.



 

 

 

NOTES: exotic papaya, pomegranate, kiwi and pear on a beautiful floral blend of mimosa and jasmine with a heart warming drydown of musk and amber

These fragrances are currently being sold for $7 each online.  At Big Lots, however, you can find the full-size bottles for just $1.50 apiece!


There's more in the haul video, so be sure to check that out.  Thanks for reading- I'll see you next week!

WIshlist Wednesday #4 | Dollar Tree

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY #3 | DOLLAR TREE 

 

 

If you're anything like me, you've probably made mental lists of all the awesome finds you've seen hauled at Dollar Tree in hopes that one sweet day you'll find them, too.  I'm no different - except I actually make visuals to help me keep track and I update them every week as new sightings occur.

 

On each of the items, I listed the Instagram account of the person who found them.  I also linked all the accounts in the caption so you can check out their other posts and follow them!

 

 

https://instagram.com/dollartreecrazy
https://instagram.com/amandaa28_
https://instagram.com/bargainbeauty
https://instagram.com/jessicaestrlla
https://instagram.com/beaute_07
https://instagram.com/prettynflawed
https://instagram.com/soleiluna09
https://instagram.com/sensationalfinds
 

 

 

 

Duck Tape brand duct tape has been popping up at Dollar Tree for about a year, and lots of different designs have been spotted.

 

 

 

 

These retail for $5-6 normally, so $1 is a great price.  They come with 10 yards of tape, so if you're shipping out a lot of boxes, or if you plan to use these to make duct tape crafts, now's the time to load up!

 

Next up, Amanda over at Fabb TV hauled a Soft Whisper body wash that I've never come across at Dollar Tree.

 

Several months ago, I found two different varieties of body washes that look like the ones pictured below:

 

I really regret not getting more when they were available.  The Pomegranate body wash pictured above was awesome - lathered up well, the texture was nice and thick, and it gave off a lovely scent.

There was also a peach or nectarine scent that I hauled that I adored.  So SOOOO bummed that I didn't purchase more.  They totally rival Bath and Body Works in my opinion.

 

 

These NYC City Proof Intense Lipcolors are also popping up at Dollar Tree.  I believe I picked up a few of these on clearance some months ago, so I'll be digging through my stash to try to find them so I can swatch them in a future Swatch Sunday.

 

 

There look to be about a dozen shades total, although finding a complete set at Dollar Tree is typically near impossible.  But I'm on the case!  :)

Annnnnd, it looks like the L'Oreal Magic Perfecting Base has once again been found at Dollar Tree!  YAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!

I was lucky enough to find several of these last year, and I've been very happy with this product's performance as a primer.  True, it does need a little work to get it completely blended, BUT! It's totally a win in my opinion.  And, since the .5 ounce full-sized product retails for $8-12 dollars (the 3-week sample size, which is being sold at Dollar Tree, is .17 ounce and retails for ~$4).

The reviewers of Makeup Alley are unconvinced.

One major con - which was referenced quite often in negative reviews on MakeupAlley.com, is that this is packaged in a tub, which means that you're constantly sticking your fingers inside and exposing the product to germs, dirt, water, etc.  Some reviewers also referenced how difficult it is to blend (it is), but that's not a deal-breaker for me. 

 

 

Next up, the gawjus Miss Jessica Estrella of YouTube infamy found and IG-blasted a bunch of elf products.  I shared reviews online, but the bottom line is- reception to these two products is largely positive.

 

Both products are from the Studio line, which typically retails $2-5.  And even better, elf has 50% off sales a couple of times a year, which brings the prices down even further.

 

 

 

These lotion wipes come 15 to a pack and normally retail for $3. They're actually still being sold, and are available in three different scents, although only the Coconut Vanilla has been spotted at Dollar Tree.  Largely, the reviews were positive, and I'd be interested in trying them just to experience the whole lotion wipe trend.

 

 

The elf HD blush is a product I've actually be wanting to try for some time, so I'm very excited that it's made its way to DT!

 

 

 

Reviewers have called this product a bit watery but incredibly pigmented.  I'm not sure how easy it is to blend these out, but I did share reviewer commentary and photographs in my YouTube video, so be sure to check it out!

 

 

There's not much more I can say about Ritz crackers or the books pictured above, except that I want them (!), and if you're a long-term Wishlist reader, you've already been alerted to the awesome Skintimate product pictured below. 

 

 

Check out my most recent Wishlist Wednesday blog for more about this product!

 

 

 

 

Those are the highlights!  So, what's on your wish list this week?  Comment below to share your must-finds. :)

Thanks for reading - see you next time!

Swatch Sunday #4 | Physician's Formula

SWATCH SUNDAY #4 | PHYSICIAN'S FORMULA

 

Over the last several months, I have found tons of Physician's Formula makeup items at Dollar Tree.  Not just a large quantity, but also a large variety.  Below, I'll share photos and quick reviews, and also head over to YouTube to see live swatches.



Baked Sands looks like it would be perfect as a highlight/contour palette for me.

I haven't yet used these wet, but they're excellent dry, so I'm very hopeful!

Next up are these Physician's Formula Natural Origin blushes.  I found five different shades at Dollar Tree.

Top to bottom: Blushing Organics, Mauve Organics, Natural Organics

 

Top to bottom: Pink Organics, Warming Organics

 

 

I broke Blushing Organics (it fell out of the pan and shattered), and repaired it (ish) by saturating with rubbing alcohol and allowing it to dry.

 

A swatch of "Blushing Organics" after alcohol repair.  Actually more pigmented!

 
There are a ton more swatches in my video (the longest video yet!) so take a look.  If you've used any of these products, please let me know in the comments section below. :)

Thanks for reading!  I'll see you next time!

Thrifty Thursday # 4 | Dollar Tree

 

THRIFTY THURSDAY # 4 | DOLLAR TREE

This week, I found such a random assortment of items, I'm not even sure where to start.  So, let's just focus on beauty items.

First up:  I purchased two Greenbriar products.  The jumbo elastics don't have any metal pieces to get stuck in hair, so I love using them for hair styling, like bantu knots.  I'm going to be doing a tutorial on this, but bottom line - it's a great way to "cheat" effortless curls. 

I haven't yet tried the Sassy + Chic beauty blender-style sponge, but since I'm not familiar with the official Beauty Blender, my standards are lower.  ;)  I'll be sure to come back with a review.

 

Next, I found a couple of LA Colors products.  The first were Color Craze nail polishes.  These are a standard fixture at Dollar Tree, but this was my first time seeing these shades.  They swatched beautifully, and I'm so glad they came home with me!

 

I also found several LA Colors Glitter Pop polish kits.  It looks like I'm missing one, and I'm not sure whether I'll go back for it.

 

 
As you can see from the swatches below, these swatched pretty sheer in one coat.  They did build up nicely after a second swatch, and I'm curious to see the coverage on an actual nail.

Above, I swatched one coat of polish and dusted the top with the corresponding glitter for each shade.  The glitter-topped swatches are just one coat.

Next up, I found several Milani products!

As I shared in my Swatch Sunday video, I found several Shadow Eyez eyeshadow pencils in neutral shades. After doing some research with Miss Clearance, we determined that  09/Café Au Lait is a good cheapie substitute for Mac Stone.  It's not quite as deep, and it does have a different finish, since it is matte and Stone has a sheen.  All in all, I think it's a great way to get the look for less. :)

 
I also found one lone Milani Smoothé base coat. I've been looking for this product for years, and now that I've fallen in love with Revlon's base coat, I'm on the hunt for similar products.

 

Smoothé is a milky polish that dries clear and helps to fill in ridges on nails to provide a smooth surface on which to paint. 

According to Milani, Smoothe is “A ridge-filling base coat designed to prime your nails for the perfect color application. This formula was created with a combination of Okoumé AE and Botanical Extract of Bamboo to fight ridged weak and aged nails.”

 

I also hoped to find the Glossé top coat, but I didn't see any.  I'll continue to keep my eyes peeled- it got rave reviews and was compared to Seche Vite because of its high-gloss finish and staying power.

 

Next up from Milani, I found several lip products from different collections: Haute Flash, Crystal, and Glitzy.

 

 

 

My favorite of these three are the Haute Flash lip glosses. They are on the thicker side, but the pigmentation and shine is amazing.  Perfect if you want to make a bold statement.

 

The Crystal lip glosses are great all-purpose glosses in a variety of finishes (jelly, frosted/shimmery, cream) and opacities.  However, you're taking a bit of a risk with these because some of them can skew close to the sticky side of the spectrum.  Just a warning!

 

Last, these Glitzy lip glosses are my runner-up faves of the bunch.  The packaging is adorable, and the pigmentation is good, but not too bold.  Perfect as a standalone lippie for understated- but glossy- color.

 

I haven't yet tried these mini perfume and lotion sets, but let me just tell you why I'm excited.  Typically these Dollar Tree fragrance sets are packaged as mini lotions and rollerballs, and it's really the only negative thing I've had to say.  I've had some issues with rollerballs not dispensing the perfume properly, so I'm really hopeful about these! 

 
 
I picked up just a couple more Revlon Nearly Naked foundations - a couple for me (Caramel), and a couple for a YouTube buddy who is looking for backups in her shade (Chestnut).

 

I also found another satin pillowcase to add to my stash.  I currently have these on my bed's pillows, and I've been super happy with them.

 

I also found the following Studio C products:

This ID pouch is labeled "Rock Star" and is a textured quilted faux patent leather entirely in black.  It has a key ring (to attach to a lanyard or retractable badge hook), and- in addition to the ID window- has a zippered pouch to put in a few essentials.  The zippered section is just slightly too small to hold my iPhone 4.

I also received the middle pattern from my good buddy @thriftysaving and the black pattern from my YT homegirl Miss Clearance.

These Yes to Carrots facial wipes typically retail for $2.99 per 10-count package (this is the travel size), so I purchased a few. 

As soon as I got home, I used one to remove my makeup and it did an awesome job of retaining its shape while still removing tons of makeup. It was also nice and moist, and thick enough that you can actually use both sides. 

Check out the YouTube video to see the pull-test in action.



Next up, I found a few NYC Liquid Lipshine glosses.  I've purchased these at Dollar Tree in the past, and I know that the pigmentation varies based on the collection. 

I'll be swatching my updated (to include these) NYC gloss collection in a future Swatch Sunday.

The last beauty item I found were from Maybelline.  There were tons of these Perfect Pastels eyeshadows, but just in these two colors. 

I have purchased Maybelline eyeshadows at Dollar Tree in the past, so I'll include these in a collective switcheroo in the future.  Stay tuned to my channel for more!

Thanks for reading - I'll see you next time!