TJ Maxx Finds, ctd.

Continuing with my posts about finds at TJ Maxx, I thought I would go through my collection today to review it all- the good, the bad, and the bottom line.

To begin, I am learning not to buy things simply because they are on sale. I once found both the Too Faced Cat's Eye (or something like that) palette, and the MUFE Artist's palette at very reduced prices, but I did not purchase- knowing I would never have bought them at full-price, knowing I would never use them.

Part of the fun, though, has to do with taking a risk. Sometimes I buy things blindly, and it ends up working out. Sometimes it does not. Let's begin, shall we?

I. Buxom Full Bodied Lipstick in Dolly. Full price, $22. Bought for $6.00. I am so glad I found this. It is a perfect color for me, lasts long, has excellent pigmentation and texture. This was definitely a good buy.

II. Buxom Eyeshadow Brush, bought for $5.00, maybe? retails now for $11.00. I don't use this brush as much as I once did, but its shape and bristle density make application very easy.

III. Soho Naturals Powder Brush, retail price $10.00. I don't know how much I paid for it. It is my oldest brush, and the only brush I have that I feel comfortable applying blush with. Still a very good buy.

IV. Too Faced Bullet Proof 24-Hour Shadow Liner in Mink. Regular retail is more than $20, and I paid half. I have not used this yet, but I have swatched it, and this stuff lasts forever. I am saving it for an occasion where I have to be at work all-day.

V. Kat Von D High Voltage eye primer. This stuff is so gross :( . It smells like paint, and has a yellow tinge that I can see through my eyeshadow. Definitely not as good as any of my other primers. Will declutter.

VI. Marc Jacobs eye palette in The Tease. Regular retail $59.00, bought for $20.00. Definitely a good cool-toned palette with a lot of possibilities. One shade was slightly damaged when I bought it, but I will hold onto it. Not planning on buying any more of these palettes, full-price or no.

VII. Ecotools Brush Cleaner, bought for $3.00, regular retail $7.00. I don't feel as though I am getting a thorough clean with these, but they are good for quick temporary clean.

VII. Boscia Cool Blue Foundation Essence, bought for $12.00. Regular price $20.00. I am not too impressed with this moisturizer, but I do enjoy the cooling sensation. I use it once in a while.

VIII. Stila Jewel Eyeshadow in Topaz. Bought for $6.00, regular $20.00. Nope, not worth it. Haven't really used it, don't want to use it. Depotting did not help.

IX. Algenist Reveal Concentrated Luminzing Drops in Rose, $5.00, regular price..Sephora sold a duo of this for $22, making one worth $11. I LOVE this. I thought this would be a dupe for Nyx's Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator in Sunbeam, as they are both a pale pink with microshimmer. They do appear very similar, with perhaps Algenist having finer shimmer. The difference, though, is that while Nyx's fades quickly, Algenist Drops last ALL DAY. Once blended, that stuff does not budge.

X. Dr. Brandt Save our Skin Comfort Cream, $10.00. Now, a quick google search reveals that the company was sent warning letters from the FDA regarding unsupported/unsupportable claims they made about their product, especially as these claims would suggest that the company is using ingredients not approved by the FDA. I don't know how this issue was resolved, and I would certainly like to know! Save Our Skin comfort cream is sold for $55.00, and I would never EVER pay that kind of money for this kind of product, especially with a government agency sending them warning letters. Not a good look. Still the cream itself is quite "comforting" and does feel good on the skin. I''ll continue to use it when I feel like it.

Decluttered/not pictured:

X. Kat Von D Chrysalis Palette, bought for $20.00
XI. Kat Von D Innerstellar Palette, bought for $20.00

Am I crazy? Quite possibly. I didn't like these palettes because I did not feel they offered enough variety and consistency. Some mattes and shimmers in both were impressive, and I did end up decluttering them. Some I would never use. Both palettes are long gone now.

Palette Review: Marc Jacobs Palette: The Tease

Happy Friday! Today I am going to share a review of an exciting find from TJ Maxx: Marc Jacobs Beauty Style Eye-Con No. 7, in The Tease.

It retailed for $59.00, and I picked it up for $19.99. As I bought it, I thought about Kimberly Clark's advice- that buy something on sale only if you would purchase it at full price.

I agree with that mentality to an extent, and agree that it saves people money in the long-term. If I used this logic, I don't know if I would have bought this palette. It has got some excellent shades, and some not-excellent ones. It also is a purple-toned palette, which is different than anything I own.

Let's start with the finger swatches. The colors don't match up with the layout of the palette as I ran out of room.

Shade #1: This is a metallic cool-toned purple, of nice quality. The shadow itself is soft, and true to color throughout. The purple pigment is not suspended in some kind of cloudy grey base. However, the shade itself is a bit washed out- I would have liked it to be more vibrant and rich.

Shade #2: A matte grey, with an almost satin finish. This is of excellent quality. I have been using it as a transition color for minimal makeup looks. It will pair well with a multitude of shades.

Shade #3: A pink-toned white matte powder. Also very soft, but a bland shade that can be used for highlighting the brow bone.

Shade #4: I am so mad that THIS was the shade that was damaged. It is a beautiful peachy shade with a golden reflect. It is a very soft shadow, and of excellent pigmentation.

Shade #5: I was surprised Temptalia had rated this shade so high. It is a basic frosty light pink. For me, I needed to scrape the top layer off of the shadow, and the quality improved drastically. I am just not impressed with the color.

Shade #6: A matte fuchsia, much more cool toned compared to the shades of the Modern Renaissance that belong to this color family. Very wearable, of good pigment and blend-ability.

Shade #7: This one makes me sad. A gritty brown with glitter. Very dry formula makes working with it difficult.

So there it is- my first experience with a Marc Jacobs palette. Would I ever buy another one? Probably not. I am concerned that the consistency among the different shades in quality varies so greatly. For such a typically high-priced palette, it does not seem worth it.

However, it is worth it for me to hold onto this and use the shades I like. Because I am a collector at heart, I know that this palette will be complementary to the other palettes in my collection!