Week of Product Reviews: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Treatment Concealer in Fair

After seeing many commercials promoting Maybelline's dark circle concealer, I decided to try it when it went on sale. I am trying to use my Max Factor Pan Stick sparingly, since it is no longer available in the US -- thanks P & G. Anyway, I have been trying out new concealers to see if I can find one that is comparable to Max Factors, which I know probably isn't going to happen. Have any of you US girls had any luck with purchasing Max Factor products online?

I have been using this concealer for about a week now and I have mix feelings about it. I have followed the directions on the tube for how to apply it under your eyes and I still feel it doesn't make much of a difference and isn't anything special. Granted, I do not have a major problem with dark circles, I would still like to cover up what I do have and I don't feel this does any better of a job than other concealers.

I do, however, think it is an excellent blemish concealer and this is what I have been using it for. I like the sponge tip that I can apply directly to my face, eliminating the use for a brush or my fingers.

I haven't found this is be very long lasting. By the end of the day, I can see all the spots I previously covered up, which if I am spending $9 on something, I would hope that it would work, at least for the length of a day.

I am going to use this up and probably never purchase it again. Any ideas on finding a good replacement for my beloved Max Factor Pan Stick?

I have purchased the product discussed above and am not associated with Maybelline, nor was I compensated by any means for this review. This is my own personal opinion of the product.

Week of Product Reviews: NYX Trio Eyeshadow in Sping Leaf/Lime Green/Green Tea

I think it would be a pretty fair assessment that NYX is rapidly becoming my favorite brand of make-up. Up until last week, I have never bought anything from their line and am now wishing I would have sooner. :)

This eyeshadow trio appealed to me because I liked that the colors could theoretically work well on their own or together with the others in the pallet. What I discovered when I tried it for the first time was how creamy the shadow was, yet it still was a powder shadow. The powder just glides on and has a long lasting staying power, without clumping on you later in the day. I really like that I can mix and match the shades and it always seems to work out. I don't think I have ever had this experience with a trio or quad set before.

I have purchased the product discussed above and am not associated with NYX, nor was I compensated by any means for this review. This is my own personal opinion of the product.

Week of Product Reviews: Formula 10.0.6 Best Face Forward Foaming Cleanser

Lately, I have been on a quest to find the right face wash for my ever changing skin. It seems that every one I try either dries out my skin, creates breakouts, or simply doesn't get the job done. The other day while at ULTA, I decided to take the leap and test out Formula 10.0.6's Best Face Forward Foaming Cleanser. I had previously tried a few other products from this company's line with great disappointment, so I didn't have high hopes for the success of this product.

To my surprise, I actually like the product and it is helping with clearing up my skin. The smell is fresh and pleasant; having more of a fruity smell. I don't feel that the face wash really foams, but it does create a nice lather in which a little will go a long way.

I really like how my skin feels after using Best Face Forward. It leaves my skin feeling clean without that drying out effect that so many cleansers seem to have. I also love this product's price point -- at $6.99 it is affordable, even on a grad student's tight budget! :)

I have purchased the product discussed above and am not associated with Formula 10.0.6, nor was I compensated by any means for this review. This is my own personal opinion of the product.

Week of Product Reviews: NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in Auburn/Red

Welcome to a week of product reviews here on Livin' Vintage. I hope you enjoy!

Ever since dying my hair red, I have been meaning to get some new powder to fill in my brows with. After strolling the aisles at ULTA, I came away with NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in Auburn/Red. I must say, I am quite smitten with this product! Not only does it give my brows a more auburn effect, making them blend better with my new hair color, the powder is long lasting and is very pigmented.

I also am in love with the brush the kit supplies. Up until now, I had been using a run-of-the-mill cheap-o eyebrow brush that got the job done. However, since using NYX's, I will never go back to my cheap-o brush. The bristles are stiff, much like on a child's paintbrush, but they hold onto the powder well and apply it to your brow in a wonderful fashion. My only complaint is that the handle is short, to accommodate compact packaging, but that really isn't that big of a deal.

I also like that this kit supplies some eyebrow gel and a lash brush. I don't use this feature of the kit much, but when I have used it, it has worked out great; setting the powder and the shape of my brows for the remainder of the day.

I can't say enough about this product! It also helps that it is pretty cheap ($4.99) without slacking on quality.

I have purchased the product discussed above and am not associated with NYX, nor was I compensated by any means for this review. This is my own personal opinion of the product.

$5 Vintage

One of the vintage clothing stores in the area has been having a $5 per item sale and I stopped by the other day to check out the selection. I found a lot of really great pieces and it was great to see my dollar stretch.

I picked out this house dress because it zipped up the front (a favorite style of mine) and because it still had its original belt -- something I am a complete sucker for! Plus, major bonus points for the sweet rose print and color scheme.

So, next week I am planning a whole week of product reviews, as I have tried a lot of new beauty products lately, some hits some misses, and I wanted to share my experiences with you all.

Hope you all have a great weekend!!

Emily

50s House Dress: Chocolate Vintage

Sweater: Target

Tights: Kohls

Boots: Uggs

Selling Vintage at the Ferndale DIY

So, I have been a bit quite lately, but I have a good excuse. Besides starting my final year of grad school a few weeks ago, this past weekend I did my first event selling vintage. I had a blast and it was a very successful weekend!! Ferndale, MI, a super hip area right outside of Detroit, has starting having a yearly street fair featuring a DIY ethic and this year I decided to join in on all the fun. I really enjoyed doing the event, so much so that I am planning on trying to do some more events in the area.

My mom helped me set up my booth (which you can see in its entirety above). I can't remember what blog I saw it on (if it was you, please leave a comment!), but one of the other vintage bloggers out there that does events used a plant stand to showcase some of their items. I thought this was a fantastic idea and decided to do the same in my booth.

Besides selling vintage clothing, I sold a few vintage housewares and some classic movie memorabilia. I also brought Morocco (the lamp above) to find a new home. As my beau has pointed out, I have quite the collection of lamps, so it was time to pass on this one to a new home. He was, however, bought by an antiques dealer whom I know is going to flip this purchase. Oh well; I made quite the profit on him so I am not too bummed about the sale.

It was warm enough one of the days to wear my new hawaiian set that I found at a killer estate sale. What was so crazy about this was I found the exact same set a few weeks earlier in a smaller size at the thrift store. I have only ever come across a few "vintage twins" in my life and this was certainly one of the most exciting. I am looking forward to wearing this set (which came with the most adorable shorts) next summer, but until then, I am loving the dress with my orange tights.

Emily

60s Hawaiian Dress: Estate Sale

Tights: Kohls

Boots: Uggs

Vintage Bakelite: Estate Sales

The Best Spent $25

This past Thursday, I headed to a promising estate sale that claimed to have tons of vintage clothing, accessories and housewares. I got to the sale a little more than an hour after it opened, since I wasn't in the mood to compete with dealers and resellers. I don't know how sales are where you live, but here in MI, the first hour of a sale can be complete chaos. Estate saling really is an extreme sport!

Anyway, I was pleased to discover that the two lucite bags were still available when I got there. I was really surprised, because at only $22 I was sure someone would have snatched these up... apparently not. I thought the price was great and especially since this bag is for my own collection, it was quite the deal. The other bag had a broken handle and the company still wanted $22 for it. The man running the sale tried to convince me that "a little super glue will fix that right up," ummm.... yeah, sure....

I loved the detailing on the top and its honeycomb shape. I also liked that it was marked at the bottom. My other two lucite bags are unmarked. I am thinking that this bag might have been in one of the cheaper lines, since the plastic is thinner and the handle is a bit less sturdy that my other two bags. Regardless, I was thrilled to added another bag to my collection, as they are not easy to find here in MI and have had to rely on the Internet to find my other two.

When I first walked into the sale, which was still in full chaos mode, I checked out the jewelry table and came across these two bangles. I was pretty sure they were bakelite and were the only two bakelite pieces amongst the jewelry. They didn't however have a price tag and I feared that they would be like $15 or $20 each, which is a little high for my taste. Hoping for the best, I continued to clutch these while I shopped the rest of the sale. Much of the vintage clothing was in kinda rough shape and priced too high, but I did find a few pieces for a festival I am selling at this weekend. I also found the cutest little owl light for only $3.

So, when I finally reached the check out, I got a price for the bracelets.... "how does $3 for both sound?" SOLD!! WHen I got home, I checked he bracelets with my semichrome and they passed! Yay!!! :)

This was really some of the best $25 I have spent in a long while.

Have you found any good deals lately?

Emily

What One Can Find in a Basement

I have been slowly moving more of my things into my Grandma's house a.k.a Retroville. I bought this bookcase a month or so ago at an estate sale. It was found in the basement. Like I have said a few posts back, the basement is where I tend to find the best stuff. Estate sale newbies take note! ;) Because of this, I have started to carry a flashlight on a regular basis now, verses only bringing it to sales that look dark. Anyway, back to the bookcase. I talked the lady down from $40 to $30 and was thrilled to get it for that price. Once I get it all filled up with my vintage books, I'll post an updated photo.

The plant stand (also found in the basement at the same sale that the bookcase was found), was a steal at $1. The following weekend, I found the pot (again, in the basement!) and scored it for $2. Fast forward a few weeks, I found the same plant stand (in the basement hehe) at a sale I went to. I got that one for $1 as well. Now I am hoping I can find matching pots to put in them and I will move them to either side of my faux fireplace in the front room.

I promise I will post up close photos of all the stuff in this photo, but for now, let me tell you about those awesome hanging lamps! They used to be the "chandelier" over the dining table, but when my Dad was helping my Grandma redo her house, she decided to get a different light for over the table and moved these to their current spot. There are three of them and my Dad saved the other one, which my mom told me I could have! I can only imagine how cool and mid century modern they looked in the dining area. However, I kinda really like them here too.

Emily

80s does 40s Dress: Value World

Belt: JC Penny

Tennis Shoes: Target