So, seeing as it is finals week, I clearly needed a stress-induced Target run. I think it’s been firmly established that Target is a magical realm where all your troubles fade away (along with your bank balance). That glowing red sign and all those fluorescent lights are strangely comforting. Now before I get too emotional, I should probably talk about these “necessities” I picked up the other day.
Boots Expert Anti-Blemish Night Moisturizer ($5.19)
Who knew that when you turned 20 all of your blemishes didn’t just suddenly disappear? I was completely unaware. Unfortunately, even though I’ve graduated from being a teenager (or nearly have anyway...) I still get blemishes. Shocker. Lately, I’ve been trying to go a bit more natural with my skincare. I use tea tree oil as a spot treatment, and in the past few years have weaned myself off the harsh, stripping cleansers targeted at blemish-prone skin. However as of late, this just hasn't been cutting it for me. My breakouts are sporadic, and not too terrible, but I’ve had it up to here with their shit. So, cue some new products entering my routine. This product boasts clarifying and soothing properties, all thanks to aloe and willow bark. Being prone to redness, I was all for anything that would calm my skin dafuq down and still fight spots. I’ve used this once after cleansing and gently exfoliating, and it’s quite nice. For a night moisturizer, it isn’t incredibly thick – it’s more of a gel texture. Coming up on summer though, that's fine by me. The aloe also makes it fairly tacky on the skin, but I found as time went on it sunk in and became less sticky. I can’t attest to its ability to control breakouts just yet, but I shall keep you updated.
Up & Up Maximum Strength Acne Medication ($3.74)
This stuff is pretty self-explanatory. If you’ve ever had a breakout, it’s likely one of the first products you went to was benzoyl peroxide. This is a 10% concentration formula, which will transform your skin into the god damn Sahara if you aren’t careful. It can also make you more sensitive to the sun, so keep that shit in check. Applied sparingly, it’s mostly just a life saver. I bought the knockoff brand of the Clearasil version, which was a few dollars cheaper. Props to Target for ripping off other brands and calling them out on their overpriced shit. Exactly the same product, mo money in my pocket.
Revlon Colorstay Concealer; 01 Fair ($8.49)
I’ve been using the same janky mineral concealer trio for waaaay too long now, so I thought it was time for an upgrade. I’ve heard a lot about the Colorstay foundation, and I’ve always been impressed with Revlon as a brand. My makeup usually has to last a fair amount of time, so longevity is priority. I opted for this over my various other options because it looks like a grayish neutral shade that could double up for blemishes and under eyes, though I'll probably use it primarily for spots.Upon using it, it’s a bit warmer than I anticipated. I haven’t nailed down the best way to apply it yet or its staying power but again, I will let you know in the future how it has measured up.
For a long while I had a complete aversion to Essie. Yeah, I marveled at their packaging and pretty hues, but I thought nearly $8 for a nail polish was preposterous. Especially when there is a good deal of dupes out there. One day (probably when I was tired, angry, stressed out, or all three) I cracked and bought one. It’s been downhill ever since. Each trip to the drugstore, I justify purchasing another one. I’ve had my eye on Ladylike for a while now, and I can’t wait to have my nails look super classy (to contrast my personality) in the dusky mauve shade.
Maybelline Expert Eyes; Smoked Neutrals ($6.49)
As I was perusing the eyeshadows, as you do, I came across the Sonia Kashuk duo “Down to Earth”. I fell in love with the warm, smoky green shade and just had to have it (the other shadow reminds me of Toasted from my Naked palette). Instead of mindlessly buying the duo, I looked around to make sure I couldn’t find a cheaper alternative. Lo and behold, I found this Maybelline palette which has six more shadows and still cost less than the Sonia Kashuk duo - bottom right was the almost dupe for the green shade. The shadows are velvety soft, and I can see myself using all eight. This product will be a great space saver this summer when I inevitably start to over pack for my various excursions.
xx
Rachel
