Are Amazon Deals Always a Great Bargain?

November 3, 2018November 3, 2018 by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Amazon and I are practically besties. They have everything, I mean EVERYTHING, are usually competitive in their pricing, anything ordered shows up at your doorstep typically in 3-5 days (at least), and their customer service is top notch. So, are those “deals” really good deals? For the most part I’ve had great success with Amazon. If their prices aren’t cheaper than most retailers they’re at least close to brick and mortar prices. There’s also the added benefit of not spending time and gas going to said store, which to me is a win in and of itself. I have purchased a large variety of things from Amazon from food to diapers and everything in between. I’ll share a few odd things I’ve purchased from Amazon recently and why I chose to purchase them from Amazon over any other company or brick and mortar store.

Shapewear

Yep… I know that’s really odd, but I have yet to find shapewear that meets my expectations. I fell into the Facebook Shapermint ad trap. Don’t do it. Just. Don’t. You will be so disappointed. Instead, I found awesome shapewear that rolls very little, doesn’t impede breathing (kind of important…), looks great under clothing, and isn’t uncomfortable to wear all day every day. Two kids make finding clothes that look cute but not lumpy difficult (those little boogers are lucky they’re freaking adorable because they did a number on my figure). Ready for the price? $10.99. No, that’s not a typo! Probably the only negative for this shapewear is that it is made of a silky material that makes some clothing like pants or tights slide down, but that’s not a deal breaker for me.

If the material is a deal breaker I do have a second type of shapewear that I also use from Amazon. This is a little more expensive at $17.04, but it also does the job and is a great price for a name brand item (Maidenform). This shapewear tends to be a little more restrictive, but works great. It might tend to roll a little more than the first one mentioned, but it’s also great shapewear at a great price.

The key to great shapewear is fit. Always review the size charts provided on Amazon. Some of the sizing of shapewear is crazy, so make sure you take note of measurements before purchasing!

Lounge Bras

Have you noticed a trend here? I HATE shopping for shapewear and undergarments. So, off to Amazon I go. I previously had Jockey lounge bras and they were great, but didn’t wash well. They became discolored after wearing darker clothing over them, became very pilled after wearing, and were extremely expensive considering they were only lounge bras. I figured surely Amazon had a cheaper option and of course I was right! Just like the Jockey version they have removable cups, they wash much better, and the price tag of $21.98 for four bras is incredible. Definitely a great purchase!

Side Slit Cognac Booties

I’ve actually had great luck with shoes on Amazon. The best advice I have for shoe buying (or any other wardrobe purchases) on Amazon is to read the customer reviews, the fit guide, and the fit section. Purchasers are usually very truthful and helpful in providing fit feedback. I also always view all photos uploaded by reviewers to see how the product actually looks on and if it seems of high quality in the submitted photos.

Back to the boots… I was searching for cognac or camel colored booties with the trendy side slit. I looked everywhere (ok… everywhere online… kids, work… I don’t have time to get out much, people) and couldn’t find anything in a great color with the side slit. Amazon had what I was looking for! I don’t typically like paying much for trendy shoes, but I figured $32.99 wasn’t terrible for boots I would get a lot of wear out of, so I sprung for them and I’m glad I did! They’re no the most insulated or comfortable boots, but they’re great to complete an outfit. They don’t have a very high heel, which makes them even more comfortable.

Kodiak Muffins

Yes, muffins. Muffins you can make in the microwave with only water in one minute. Need I say more? You can find these guys (in addition to Kodiak flapjacks in a cup, pancake, flapjacks, and muffin mix) in local grocery stores like Kroger and Meijer, but this particular variety is cheaper on Amazon AND it comes right to your door. Sold.

We love these things so much that we should actually be paid for endorsements. My husband and I make them at work and everyone comes to the kitchen to ask what in the world we’re making because it smells so good. These muffins are amazing!

Car Seat Protectors

Car seats and gym going takes a toll on my car seats and I hate seat covers, so I figured there had to be a better alternative than old towels that wouldn’t stay on my car seats. Seat protectors to the rescue! These have been great for protecting the seat from kiddie feet climbing in and out of the car, car seat indentations, and sweaty gym sessions. This particular style isn’t currently available, but there are plenty of other options to choose from.

Batteries

Amazon batteries are a great deal. They’re so much cheaper than name brand batteries, they last about as long as name brand batteries, and it’s easy to keep them stocked up when toy batteries die every 5 minutes (not that that ever happens at our house or anything…).

iPhone and iPad Cases

I typically don’t switch phone cases all that often. I find one that’s very protective (kids…) and just stick with it until it looks like it’s been through a world war then search for a replacement. I’ve found that cell phone cases are always cheaper on Amazon, even for name brands like LifeProof and OtterBox. Of course, you also have to have the fun waterfall cases, because… glitter.

So, there you have it. Some recent things I’ve found on Amazon that were great deals that I’ve found extremely useful. I’ll let you know what else I find!

Tory Burch and Kendra Scott on the Cheap. No… Really.

October 22, 2018October 22, 2018 by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Ugh! Poshmark. Staaaaaaaahhhhhhhp. Look what you’ve done to me! I promised myself I wouldn’t purchase anything, but my word. I’ve never seen so many pretty things at such prices in my life. It’s a struggle, guys.

I have wanted a pair of Tory Burch flats for… forever. I’m a ballet flat kind of girl. They’re my go-to nearly every day. Now, I have to preface this post with the fact that I never spend more than $20 (and that’s steep for me…) on a pair of flats. Ever. EVER. No, seriously, I won’t do it. Why? Prepare to be grossed out-I was blessed with hyperhydrosis (fancy name for your feet sweat like you regularly walk on coals… not flattering… thanks a lot, dad!). So, guess what happens to all of my adorable little ballet flats? They become filled with puddles. Yep-disgusting. After a season of flats I throw those babies out and feel no shame.

I somehow became rather addicted to my cognac colored pair. They go with black, white, navy, you name it… can’t go wrong! They dress up, they dress down, they always look classy with whatever they are paired with. Thanks, Target… you rock for carrying them for years! And yes… I do now have them in nearly every color they manufacture…

Alright… now that you have the weird background of my ballet flat obsession, here’s where a used shoe Purchase comes in. When I began my Poshmark closet, I made a pact with myself. I said, “Self, I will NOT purchase any used clothing. If I find a GREAT (and I mean this has to be the deal of the century) deal on an item that is new with tags, I will THINK about making a purchase”.

Now, I have had my eye on Tory Burch flats for years, but would never dare pay $250 for a pair. Are you kidding? They would be filled with a puddle in 30 seconds and I would cry because I practically gave my first born to pay for those shoes. No, sir. I eyed several pairs of NWT (new with tags) pairs of Tory Burch flats on Poshmark and even countered an offer, but no dice. I stopped checking out the listings for a few days and out of the blue the former Roomie shoots me a text: “What do you think about these shoes on Poshmark?”. Well, they’re used. That was my thought. Used shoes? Then I took a look at them. Sam Edelmans. They looked BRAND NEW. For $38. Hmmm… you know, not everyone creates puddles while standing. There just may be something to this. I shot her a text back and said I don’t do used shoes, but they’re in amazing shape and you’ve wanted those shoes for a long time… buy the shoes.

Reluctantly, I opened my Poshmark app to take a look at new Tory Burch shoe listings. There. They. Were. “Used” Tory Burch flats in my beloved cognac color. $100. I thought “uh huh… bet those things look like they’ve been through WWIII”. I took a look through the photos. These things looked brand spanking new. Ughhhh… ok. I “liked” them. A few hours after liking that pair I received an offer: $75 with free shipping. After selling a few pairs of jeans I’ll never fit in again, I have around $15 credit on Poshmark that I was considering just withdrawing for cash, but if I were to apply it to this purchase, these shoes would be about $60 even. Not. Bad. Alright, I don’t even know if these things will fit! I decided to look at some reviews. Most people complained that they’re snug and said to size up AT LEAST half a size. I asked the seller what her opinion was. She suggested looking at other reviews, but from her experience they fit very true to size. Dang. I give in. Shoes ordered. Anddddddd I wait.

The shoes shipped very quickly, were packaged with such care, and were absolutely perfect. These shoes looked like they had been worn no more than once. Indoors. Such minimal wear on the sole, no scratches or visible wear on the leather, and so adorable. Now, to see if they fit. The moment of truth, y’all. I put some no-show socks on so I don’t ruin the poor things within 5 seconds of trying them on with my puddle producing feet.

Well, I do believe the reviews were correct. They are snug. After having babies my feet grew and never quite returned to their size 8 status. They’re now more like an 8 1/2 almost 9 most days, so overall these aren’t too far off from true to size. However, since they haven’t been broken in I’ll have to say, they just may be the most uncomfortable shoes I’ve ever worn. They darn near bruised my poor feet the first day I wore them. They are so stiff from not being broken in I think me and the Torys will need to spend some quality time while I’m home and wear them with some very thick socks to do some leather stretching. BUT… would it even matter if they were so small I couldn’t walk? Nope. They’re too darn cute!

After wearing them more they’ve stretched a significant amount. I also don’t wear no-show socks with them any longer because I believe that may have been exacerbating the problem. Exacerbating? Did I just use that word? I need a nap, guys… I did, however, invest in a pair of Gekks.

What are Gekks you ask? The most amazing no show socks EVER. They are seriously life changing for flats, heels, and loafers. I found them from a Facebook ad (don’t judge… I know you’re judging) and they were a little pricey, but with my sweaty feet problem I’m always willing to give options a try. I have to say, they live up to the hype. They have made my shoes so much more comfortable and I don’t feel like I’m completely ruining every pair of shoes I own.

After being so used to my cheap Target flats I have to say these flats are VERY well made. The leather is beautiful, the Tory Burch medallions add such a great touch of style without standing out too much, and they’ll go with literally anything. These were a great purchase at an even greater price.

So, of course after I found these I HAD to keep looking at Tory Burch shoes. Well, I also found an adorable pair of Tory Burch wedges I had to have. I got them for $40 and I know these have never been worn. The soles are pristine and the canvas isn’t stretched or discolored in the slightest.

You know, if you have great shoes, you then need other awesome accessories. It’s kind of like “If you give a mouse a cookie” or “If you give a moose a muffin”. Don’t pretend you don’t know those books… by the way, Amazon Prime Video has an “If you give a mouse a cookie” series, guys and it’s adorable. Play it for your kids! Ok… I digress.

Tory Burch earrings and a Kendra Scott necklace completed my collection nicely. I have wanted a Kendra Scott necklace for a long time, but never really wanted to pay the (according to me) high price for something so simple. They never go on sale, so I figured I was out of luck. Until Poshmark! I scored an Elisa necklace for $30.

When I started Poshmark I promised myself I wouldn’t purchase anything, let alone used shoes. Well, I broke my promise. Poshmark, you’ve made me a believer!

Facebook Ads Are Officially Killing My Bank Account

October 18, 2018October 18, 2018 by Engineered Mama ♥ 6 Comments

I hate to admit it, but Facebook ads seriously suck me in. Props to you, marketing geniuses. I have fallen hook, line, and sinker for so many of your ads. I’ll have to say I haven’t been duped… yet. I’m sure my time is coming, but for now I’ve been very happy with purchases I’ve made after seeing a Facebook ad… for the most part. I’ll dish on what products I’ve purchased (some for “free”… you guys, nothing is free… don’t fall for it… just know you’re paying SOMETHING, even if it’s disguised as “shipping”), if they were worth it, and if I’d consider them a worthwhile investment.

Several things I have bought because they were “free”. We all know they’re not free, but honestly, paying $7.99 “shipping and handling” for a pair of leather baby moccasins is totally fine with me. They were adorable, we got a lot of use out of them, and they were only $7.99, so that’s a win in my book. I have also purchased “free” items such as an adorable bar necklace with a mama bear and two baby bears that says “Mama Bear” and a titanium rose gold ring that I paid $13.99 “shipping and handling” for. Overall, the products have been cute and cheap, so no issues yet!

Some larger purchases I’ve made now (if you can even really consider them “large” purchases), are Force of Nature Cleaning System, Ritual multivitamins (which I also love), Shapermint shapewear (because… babies ruin your body…), and Gekks No Show socks (sweaty feet make it difficult to walk in heels, guys…).

I already shared my thoughts on Force of Nature and Ritual in previous posts (A Force to be Reckoned With and Maybe not a Ritual, But Definitely a Habit), but I’ll tell you how I feel about Shapermint and Gekks.

I ordered Shapermint shaper shorts and Gekks around the same time and they were both fairly slow to ship. Well, that’s probably because I’m spoiled with Prime shipping, but hey… they were a little slower to arrive. Anyways, I received my Shapermint Shaper Shorts first. I opened them and was pretty excited to try them out, but a little confused by the packaging. Nowhere on the paperwork did it say “Shapermint”, but it had a rather generic company name and generic packing slip. Odd to say the least. Well, they looked exactly like the photos in the listing on their website, so I figured, hey… if they work, whatever the tag says doesn’t matter. They seemed very soft and that they might not be as prone to roll as other brands that I’ve tried and the short portion seemed to be forgiving enough to not cut into your thighs while wearing them. I was immediately disappointed when I put them on. They did nothing. In fact, they seemed to be the completely wrong size because the “shaper” portion began nearly at my belly button or higher. So, I figured maybe I could exchange them for the smaller size. By the way, I did check their sizing chart and for my measurements I ordered the “correct” size.

After emailing Shapermint customer service because I couldn’t find any possible way to request a return or exchange, I received an email response in less than 24 hours saying that since mine did not fit they would ship a replacement in a smaller size and to keep the ones I have. KEEP them? Really? Sweeeeeeet. So, to Poshmark they went. I was able to sell them in about a week or so for almost what I paid, so I was a happy camper.

Now, about the replacements… not so happy of a camper after receiving them. Even the smaller size did nothing except make me look worse than before I put them on. Is it possible for a shaper to make you look LARGER? Yeah… not cool. I don’t know that it was necessarily the size, but maybe that they just didn’t have any shaping quality to them whatsoever. The shorts portion was extremely long and again the shaper portion started at the belly button. I’m guessing I may just be too darn short for these shapers. Story of my life… always too short.

Well, I will say that their customer service absolutely rocks. They didn’t even make me return the pair that didn’t fit and sent a new smaller pair very quickly. So, two thumbs up for customer service, two thumbs down for their product.

Gekks. You guys. These are LIFE CHANGING for someone like me who has puddles in their shoes within five minutes. I love ballet flats, but I seriously destroy every pair I own because of my sweaty feet. Well, Gekks have seemingly changed all that. I haven’t tried them in heels yet, but I bought a pair for flats and heels and I’m sure the pair for heels will work just as well as those designed for flats.

I am very happy with my Gekks and I say spring for them-they’re totally worth it. They have sticky heels and bottoms, so they don’t slide and stay in place, but the toe of the “sock” is very stretchy so they fit perfectly. I don’t even notice they’re in my shoes except that my shoes are instantly more comfortable because of them. Buy them. They’re awesome.

So, hats off to you, Facebook ad planters… you win. What Facebook products have you been suckered into trying? Let me know in the comments and make me feel better about my purchases 😉

Free Bathroom Printables!

September 26, 2018September 26, 2018 by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

A newly remodeled bathroom calls for new wall art. So, naturally I headed on over to Pinterest for some inspiration. I found the quirkiest sayings in a great vintage font-perfect! I went with these two, but there were so many cute ones to choose from!

I found all of these adorable printables from The Mountain View Cottage. I chose these two and printed them in a dark grey color to compliment the grey in the vintage frames. Here are a few of my favorites:

Check out the rest of The Mountain View Cottage for more awesome printables!

The Louis Vuitton Pipe Dream: A Posh Authenticate Review

September 21, 2018 by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

You guys. I have looked at every LV bag that has ever made an appearance on Poshmark. For weeks. I have wanted a Louis Vuitton bag for as long as I can remember and I was OBSESSED. So. Many. Great. Bags. As I looked through all of the listings I dreamed of having one and the ones that stood out the most to me were the 90s Alma bags. This is how I remember Louis Vuitton growing up. Classic little structured bags with great leather details in a convenient size that can be carried daintily in the crook of your arm. But we’re talking hundreds of dollars for TWENTY YEAR OLD BAGS. Come again?

I also love the LV Neverfull. A classic tote that you can carry… well, anything in. Downside to the Neverfull? They go for nearly $800 in a fairly close to destroyed state. Yeah… not happening. Practically speaking Neverfulls are usually beat to heck because of their thin leather straps. I don’t have a great experience with thin leather straps-they are used, abused, and destroyed.

So, back to the Alma. I watched, waited, watched some more, researched, and oohed and ahed at every new Alma that was listed. Most of the ones that were in a price range I was willing to pay were nearly destroyed. Until one came along that was a little out of my price range, but the listing title began with “Last Call”. Hmmmm… could this one be obtainable? Surely it has a giant stain, doesn’t come with its lock and key, or isn’t authentic… right?

Wrong. It was in amazing condition, the LV date code checked out (see my post about LV date codes!), there was no staining, no wear other than slight rubbing on the corners of the bag, the vachetta leather handles were in amazing condition, the canvas looked like new, and the inside was spotless. It even had its lock and one key. My wallet had hoped otherwise, but this bag was 21 years old and looked like it was made last year. Ugggghhhhhh. I asked the seller a few questions and after answering my (probably insanely annoying) questions, she posted her phone number and said to feel free to text or call her about the bag.

I looked at the phone number and recognized the area code. This bag was located somewhere in my state. Holla. So, I did what any creeper would do and sent her a text with a few questions about the bag and asked if she was located in my state. It’s a Louis Vuitton, guys… I had to. It turned out that she was located a few hours north of me and is from my state. Score! She gave me her bottom price and details of the bag.

You can’t mess with serendipity. It’s bad ju-ju, guys, so I had to buy the bag.

The bag is absolutely amazing. It is in what I would consider immaculate condition-age not even being considered. There are no scratches, no wear other than minor rubbing on some corners, the vachetta is in amazing condition with no watermarks, staining, or scratches, and the brass is even in great condition for the age of the bag. The handles look like they’ve never even been used other than the natural honey patina with no signs of wear or rubbing. Sorry you can’t see the handles-I immediately wrapped those suckers as soon as the bag arrived… sweaty hands have no mercy on LV leather.

Alright… enough about my dream bag… on to the real reason for this post: Posh Authenticate. Poshmark offers a service to authenticate luxury items purchased for a certain amount and offers free shipping on these items. Once an offer is accepted for a luxury item the seller ships the item to Poshmark for authentication by a luxury expert. The authenticity of your item is guaranteed once authenticated, packaged, and shipped to you free of charge. It’s a pretty streamlined process that didn’t add a lot of extra shipping time and I was happy to receive a professionally authenticated item. The bag was packaged with care and a card of authenticity with the expert’s name was included in the box.

If you’re considering buying a luxury item on Poshmark I highly recommend it! The process was simple (no action on your part!) and the program seems to be streamlined and professional. You receive an authentic item at no extra cost to you with free shipping. Cherry on the top 🙂

Louis Vuitton Date Code Authenticity Guide

September 21, 2018September 21, 2018 by Engineered Mama ♥ 6 Comments

Louis Vuitton handbags are beautiful (and expensive!) and some of the most replicated bags out there. So how do you know your bag is authentic? Well, there are a few things that are a dead giveaway: stitching color/quality, monogram imperfections, bright red embossing on handles or leather edges (this one is fairly common and oh so easy to spot… pay attention, guys!), and the ever famous date code. I’ll be talking about date codes and how to spot the real deal in this post. There are many great sites dedicated to authenticating LV bag authenticity using the date code. All of the info in this post comes straight from CoutureUSA and their detailed info on date codes in their A Quick Guide to Authentic Louis Vuitton Date Codes.

No Date Code? May Be an Authentic VINTAGE LV Bag!

Louis Vuitton bags did not have date codes prior to 1982. This makes it very difficult to authenticate older vintage bag.

Three to Four Digit Date Codes

Three to four digit date codes were used between 1982 to the mid 1980s. The first two digits indicates the year while the last digit(s) indicate the the month the bag was made.

3to4digitdatecodes — Photo Credit: CoutureUSA

This date code represents a bag made in March of 1985.

Three to Four Digits and Two Letters

The mid to late 1980s saw a change in the Louis Vuitton date code to mark the location of factories of manufacturing. Like the previous date codes, the first two numbers indicate the year and the next one to two numbers indicate the month of manufacturing. The two letters represent the manufacturing location.

This date code marks a bag manufactured in April 1987 in France.

There are several factory codes that could be used on Louis Vuitton items for factories located in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, United States of America, and there is also a code for Re-Line Items (DK).

Louis Vuitton Date Code Factory Abbreviations

Some bags, like my Alma, have the manufacturing location stamped outside the bag as well. This is a great way to authenticate your bag if your model uses an outer stamp as well.

In this case, the bag was manufactured in France (VI) and the outer stamp matches the manufacturing location in the date code stamp.

Two Letters Followed by Four Digits

The date code changed the numbering system to two letters representing the factory followed by the date between early 1990 and 2006. The date portion of the code was also rearranged with the first and third number representing the date and second and fourth numbers representing the year.

The date code in my Alma pictured above displays a factory location of France (VI) and a bag manufactured in May 1997.

Two Letters Followed by Four Digits (Revised)

Although the date codes appear in the same format beginning in 2007, the date portion of the system was revised. The month the item was manufactured changed to the week an item was manufactured, but still appears in the first and third position of the date portion of the date code.

LV2006datecode — Photo Credit: CoutureUSA

This date code displays a bag made in France the 20th week of 2015.

And there you have it! Happy LV Bag shopping 😉

New Makeup Favorites… and They’re DRUGSTORE Brands!

August 28, 2018March 4, 2019 by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I’ve ditched a few makeup favorites for drugstore brands (hey… they’re cheaper… and most ended up being better overall for the most part), had to make some changes due to discontinued products (boo!), and added a few newbies to the makeup routine over the past year or so (because, mom skin, y’all… it’s just totally different).

This post will walk you through my typical full coverage makeup regimen, my daily makeup regimen, what has been working well, what could use some improvement, and what products I’d like to try next.

Full Coverage Makeup Regimen

So, since I have been blessed with adult acne, it makes it much harder to get rid of any acne marks quickly. Aging skin and acne just don’t mix, guys. That being said, now add skin that is beginning to wrinkle and the fun begins. Most days I wear fairly minimal makeup, but when I have time I LOVE to play with new trends and see what’s out there that works. Lately I’ve been all in on drugstore dupes. I’ve found that I can usually find drugstore brands that work as well (or better… heck yes!) than pricier brands. I’ve also found that the pricier brands I grew to love changed their lines CONSTANTLY. So, once I found something I loved they discontinued it. Bummer. Here are the steps I take for a full coverage face, what I use, what works, and what isn’t my favorite, but is currently what I use.

Oval Brushes

And I thought I loved my beauty blender. You guys. Oval brushes are a thing and they are LIFE CHANGING. Now, I’ll have to say they’re not great for everything, but here is what I find them most effective for:

foundation
blush
powder

I think my favorite has to be the foundation brush. It makes foundation go on so smoothly without clumping, streaking, or absorbing all of the foundation. I do love the blush and powder brushes for the same reason-effortless blending.

I still use my beauty blender for concealer, highlighter, and contouring. I also use my eyeshadow brushes for eye makeup. I found it extremely hard to use the eye makeup flat brushes as they were hard to get an even application with a flat brush.

African Black Soap for Brush and Beauty Blender Cleaner

I have tried so many products and different methods to clean my brushes and beauty blenders over the years and NOTHING has come close to African Black Soap. It even gets my beauty blender completely clean. The price also can’t be beat! The. Best. Hands. Down.

Maybelline Master Prime Primer

Maybelline’s Master Prime Primer has something for everyone. They have options for dry skin, redness, large pores, you name it, they’ve got you. When I’m using full coverage makeup I typically use the redness control because I tend to have a little more redness in my cheeks as I get older. All of these that I’ve tried have worked better than all expensive primers I’ve tried. A great primer can go a long way to make your foundation look smoother, which helps provide such great coverage.

Maybelline Superstay Better Skin Foundation

So, this stuff is magical. I follow primer up with this foundation. It’s a great full coverage foundation, is extremely light, goes on smoothly, and stays. All. Day. Long. It also doesn’t cause my skin to break out after wearing it like some heavier full coverage makeup I’ve tried. It also has many different shades, so matching a color is fairly easy.

My only beef with this foundation is that I’m pretty sure it’s being discontinued. They do however make a non “better skin” version that is still awesome. I believe the only difference is the normal Superstay version doesn’t contain salicylic acid, which dries your skin anyway.

Maybelline Superstay Concealer

Might as well keep with the Superstay theme… I figure if I’m going to use a a Superstay foundation, I might as well follow it up with a Superstay concealer. This concealer works just as well as the foundation. I use it on blemishes, redness, and sometimes I even use it as an under eye concealer. It’s pretty awesome.

This also seems to be discontinuing, however. I will more than likely replace it with the non-salicylic acid version, which should be just fine.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Concealer

The Superstay concealer works for under eye circles, but I’ve notice that the older I get the worse my dark circles get (yay!). This concealer seems to help combat the dark circles, but my only complaint is that my eyeliner and mascara seem magnetically attracted to this concealer. Like, they’re besties…

I’m still using it for now until I find something that doesn’t stick to my mascara and eyeliner so much.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance (Replaced by Urban Decay Shadow Primer)

I have used Too Faced Shadow Insurance in Champagne for years. I loved it because it doubled as a shadow. It has a slightly shimmery nude base color that’s great for everyday wear or as a shadow primer. Well, in true Too Faced fashion they discontinued it. Fail, Too Faced, huge fail. I’m pretty much on a rally against Too Faced since they’ve discontinued every product of theirs I love.

I received Urban Decay Shadow Primer in a gift from Ulta and it’s serving its purpose well, but I’m not about to shell out a fortune for this stuff. I’m keeping my eye out for a great drugstore dupe and if I find one, you’ll be the first to hear about it!

Maybelline Master Contour Stick

As a contour newbie, I chose this version because 1. it was cheap 2. it had awesome reviews. I was NOT disappointed. It has great color, is easy to blend, and did I mention it’s cheap? Oh… I did? Ok.

If you’ve never contoured you need to try it-it’s not as hard as it sounds, guys and a little goes a long way. Find a YouTube video and try it once-I promise it’s not hard!

What I love about this product is it has great pigmentation, blends fairly easily, but doesn’t just blend away. You know what I mean… I know you’ve all had a product at least once that you put it on, it looks great, then you try to blend it and then think “wait… I just wanted to blend it, where did it go?!”.

My only complaint with this one is that it’s rather odd having a two sided product. It just keeps getting pointier and pointier as I use it. How do you fix that? If you figure it out, let me know…

Maybelline Master Strobing Stick

Meh. I can take or leave this one. It highlights alright, but I always add powder to my finished face anyhow, so it kind of defeats the purpose. I don’t typically use highlighter, so I just figured I’d give this one a try since I was using other Maybelline products.

Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics Eyeshadow Pallette

I know, I know… another pricey one. I can’t help it-I have searched high and low for a drugstore dupe for Urban Decay’s Naked pallets and it just doesn’t exist.

The high pigmentation, last-all-day wear, and awesome shades don’t exist for a drugstore price. Sorry, guys, I promise I tried!

Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso

I’ve actually used a cream blush for a few years, but secretly hated it. Why did I keep using it? I paid so dang much for it. It was a Tarte cream blush that I tried to talk myself into liking. Well, it is now discontinued, so apparently I’m not the only one that couldn’t stand it.

Replacement? Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso. Thanks to my awesome sister-in-law (you know, the one that got me hooked on Poshmark…) I have found the holy grail of blush. It’s cheap, it has high pigmentation, and the shades are gorgeous. Best of all? It’s cheapest on Amazon. Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

Maybelline Shine Free Oil Control Loose Powder & Maybelline FIT ME! Matte and Poreless Powder

When I’m doing full coverage makeup I usually reach for a loose setting powder. Maybelline’s oil control powder is awesome and seems to last nearly all day. My sister-in-law also suggested the Maybelline FIT ME! powder in a compact. It’s. Awesome. It gives a flawless finish weather you’re wearing full coverage makeup or just an every day look. I highly recommend both!

COVERGIRL Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner in Charcoal

I’m not a fan of liquid eyeliner because it tends to look way too harsh around my eyes. I have used this eyeliner for over 10 years. Yeah… that’s a long time. When something works, it works!

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

I’ve tried sooooooooo many different mascaras. My favorite? Chanel. Well, I have expensive taste on a drugstore budget, so Benefit’s Roller Lash is my compromise. It has what I like about Chanel’s mascara at more of a wallet friendly price. No, it definitely isn’t cheap, but I have yet to find a drugstore brand that compares.

What I love about this mascara is that it feels almost waxy when being applied rather than a crunchy spider lash feel. What I don’t like about it is that it always seems to leave marks under my eye later in the day. But, overall I reach for this one every time.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-One Mattifying

Since I rarely wear waterproof mascara I’ve been using Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water for makeup remover. It’s gentle, not oily, and seems to help remove most of my makeup before I was my face at night. It doesn’t, however, remove stubborn waterproof makeup. You’ll have to take more drastic measures for that one, ladies.

Daily Makeup Regimen

I don’t have time for a full coverage face every day. What I do make sure to do is have a moisturizer and at least some eyeliner and mascara so my eyes still look like they exist.

Burt’s Bees BB Cream

The first step I take is a moisturizer followed by a BB cream. I feel like my skin never looks good enough to be naked, so this BB cream always does the trick. Does it cover everything? Nope, but that’s not the point. This moisturizes and has an SPF 15 sunscreen while being slightly tinted to give a little smoother complexion. To further smooth my complexion I add a thin layer of the Maybelline FIT ME! powder I previously mentioned.

I follow up with the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer. This gives my lids some color and smoothness without having to apply layers of eyeshadow. Add the COVERGIRL eyeliner and Benefit Roller Lash mascara and BAM! A less than five minute effortless day-to-day look.

New Products I’ve Tried

Some products were suggested to me, so I figured why not give them a shot. My current full coverage foundation is getting low, so I might as well see if something might be a better replacement.

Maybelline FIT ME! Matte and Poreless Foundation and Maybelline FIT ME! Concealer

My sister-in-law/s makeup always looks flawless, so I figured I would try the other FIT ME! products she suggested from Maybelline. As drugstore products go these were great, but I’m not ready to replace my Superstay with them. I felt they lacked a little coverage compared to the Superstay line. It did however feel a little lighter than the Superstay version if that’s what you’re looking for.

Bottom line: I’m still not ready to switch from Superstay. Yes, it’s still a pretty good foundation, but I still prefer the Superstay from Maybelline.

What I’m Pumped to Try Next

COVERGIRL Clean Matte BB Cream

My Burt’s Bees BB cream is running low, so I’m tempted to try something different. While I love the Burt’s Bees BB cream it has a very oily feel to it. This COVERGIRL version has amazing reviews and is less than half the price of the Burt’s Bees version. I’ll keep you posted on how it holds up!

CC Cream

I’m also ready to try a real CC cream. I have funky things going on with my skin and could really use a little more coverage and correction. I haven’t really found one that is getting great reviews, so I’m open to suggestions! Anyone have any luck with CC creams? Let me know!

T-Shirt Quilt On the Cheap?

August 26, 2018 by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I have wanted to make (ok… have one made… me sew something that complicated? Nope!) a t-shirt quilt practically since the day I graduated high school and realized I had a billion t-shirts I would never wear again, but couldn’t possibly part with. After college I decided I REALLY needed to have a few quilts made. Sorority shirts. Will. Be. The. Death. Of. Me. If we had an event, we had a shirt. Bid Day? Shirt. Formal? Shirt. Recruitment? A shirt for every round of recruitment. You get the idea. Shirts for days. And months. And years. I always see people post their awesome quilts on social media and often inquire as to where they had their quilt made. Many were family members and those that weren’t didn’t really make quilts for just anyone-just for special occasions. If they did do them as a side business they were INSANELY expensive and rightfully so. It takes so much work to create a quilt and t-shirt material is not forgiving. With the number of t-shirts I’ve amassed I might as well have a large tent built out of my shirts.

So, my search continued as a sorted and separated shirts I would want on my quilts. After checking my Amazon lists for price drops on items I may purchase, I remembered that there are hand-made items listed on Amazon. It hit me-maybe, just MAYBE there might be someone out there who makes t-shirt quilts on Amazon. Well, my wish came true. Enter Project Repat.

Any size quilt may be purchased from Project Repat. You choose the size, the size of squares on each quilt (12×12 or 14×14), and backing color. All quilts are backed with PolarTec fleece. Easy peasy, right? Well, sort of. Pricing is much, much lower than traditional quilts, but there is some work involved and any mistakes or additions you make can add up fairly quickly. Prices are very competitive because Project Repat has streamlined the t-shirt quilting process. These quilts have no batting like a traditional quilt, but t-shirts are pieced together and backed by fleece, making a much more cost effective product. The reviews on Amazon are very high (5 stars across the board) and all customer images of their quilts look great. Now that I’ve been through the process, I have cost-saving, as well as time-saving, steps for creating your best Project Repat T-Shirt quilt.

Before You Order Your Quilt

Once you’ve decided you have enough shirts to create a quilt (the least number of “squares” a quilt can have is 16), head on over to Amazon. I have found this is the cheapest way initially to create your quilt. The price on Amazon is typically $99, but I have seen them go on sale frequently for at low as $59.99 (heck, yeah!). When you purchase a Project Repat quilt on Amazon, you’ll receive a $110 gift card ($110 discount code on Project Repat, which doesn’t include the cost of shipping your quilt to you), a shipping bag, and a FedEx label to ship your shirts to Project Repat. This is a great deal, considering you would normally have to get your own packaging to ship your shirts in addition to paying to ship the shirts to Project Repat.

Once you’ve ordered your gift card, start gathering shirts you would like to include in your quilt. You are able to use the front and back of t-shirts, which is great for shirts that have slogans that begin on the front and finish on the back or for shirts that have a name on the front or back and a larger logo on the opposite side. However, just know that if you plan to include both the front and back of a shirt, it is not guaranteed that these squares will be placed next to each other. If you’re like me and you really want certain squares next to each other, Project Repat will accept shirts shipped with a large, color photo of the desired placement of shirts for an extra fee (I’ll explain the fee later in my price breakdown).

Ordering From Project Repat

Once you’ve gathered your shirts, here are sizes that are available at Project Repat:

Lap (16 panels)
Twin (24 panels)
Full (30 panels)
Queen (49 panels)
King (64 panels)

I went with the size that was the closest to the number of “squares” I decided on, then shifted front and back panels around to make the number of squares I needed. You also have the option of 12″x12″ panels or 14″x14″ panels. They require 0.5 inch extra for each size square chosen, otherwise a $5 fee will be added for each panel that is not large enough. For example, if you choose 14″x14″ panels there must be 14.5″x14.5″ available. I chose 14″x14″ due to several shirts that had very large sayings on the back. Head over to Project Repat’s website and select the size of squares, size of quilt (number of squares), backing color, and add the quilt to your cart. Once your quilt is added to your cart, enter your gift card number to receive the $110 promotion. The promotion will not cover shipping your quilt to you (the lowest shipping option is $9.99 for a 4-5 week turnaround). Pay the remaining balance for your quilt and Project Repat will send you a confirmation email where you can view instructions on t-shirt preparation and a packing slip. Print your packing slip and make sure that the details on the slip are exactly the specifications you ordered.

Preparing Your Shirts

Next, Project Repat requires that shirts be sent in a very specific condition: cut in half. Simply cut down each side of the shirt to make two haves of a shirt. I will say this is the most labor intensive part of preparing shirts to send to Project Repat. When I ordered my quilt I thought “Awesome… I order the quilt, box up my shirts, and someone else will do the hard part!”. Wrong. So, so wrong. Yes, I will say the “hard part” is definitely cutting the squares and quilting the shirt, but man… when you’re preparing shirts for THREE quilts, your pour little cutting fingers get pretty darn tired.

After your shirts have been cut, lay them out to get a good idea of what the layout will look like and to make sure you have the exact amount of squares you need for your quilt. If you prefer to choose the layout of your quilt, snap picture and print that bad boy out. Make sure it is a large, clear, color photo so there is no confusion when the quilt is assembled.

Packaging and Shipping Your Shirts

Next, you’ll have to package your shirt halves to be sent to Project Repat. I found the easiest way to package the shirts to make sure they fit in the shipping bag is to fold your t-shirt in half vertically, fold the sleeves over, then roll the shirt as tight as possible. Once all shirts are in the shipping bag, include the packing slip (make sure all check marks have been completed and it is signed and dated) and large color photo of the quilt layout (if you have decided to determine the layout yourself), seal the bag, and add the shipping label. Head over to FedEx to ship your shirts and wait for your awesome quilt to arrive!

Cost Breakdown

If the quilt is ordered from Amazon, the initial cost is $99 for a $110 discount code. This is a great deal if you get the quilt on sale at Amazon. Otherwise, Project Repat offers 40% off discount codes for first time buyers. Compare the two to see which deal is best!

Shipping cost: minimum of $9.99 for 4-5 week turnaround
12″x12″ vs 14″x14″ – extra $15+
Size difference (based on 12″x12″ squares)
- Lap (16 squares) – $74.99
- Twin (24 squares) – $109.99
- Full (30 squares) – $129.99
- Queen (49 squares) – $189.99
- King (64 squares) – $239.99
Select layout ($20)
Miscellaneous changes or “fixes” Project Repat makes during production

I was able to purchase my $110 discount code on Amazon for $59, so it made it worth it for me to purchase it there. I paid a total of $129.97 for a 14″x14″ square Full quilt where I chose the layout.

Project Repat Review

Price

I think for the price you receive a quality project. Compared to the time it would take yourself or a loved one to create a custom quilt for you this is definitely a deal. No, it is not “quilt” quality, but all I wanted was a memory that wasn’t sitting in a storage tub.

Ease of Ordering

I do think ordering from Project Repat is as easy as it possibly could be for such a custom product. Options are clearly defined and as long as you follow instructions clearly you should end up with a product you love.

Preparing Shirts

I will say that I was not prepared for the amount of work involved in cutting, piecing together, and packaging the shirts would take. It was a challenge ensuring that I had the required number of squares (front and back, front, or back of shirts) and had an order that made sense. I think this is part of what makes Project Repat’s pricing competitive. You only ship the sides of the shirts you decide to use and they’re already halved to prepare for production.

Would I Recommend Project Repat?

Absolutely. For the price this is a great way to get those old shirts out of storage bins and create a memory you can actually use. Pulling my old shirts out to prepare my quilts brought back a lot of great memories. Go Beavers! Go WSU! Go Greek!

Not to mention, look how awesome they turned out! I think they quality is great for the price, but there is a lot of work involved in preparing your shirts to be assembled.

Maybe Not a Ritual, But Definitely a Habit

August 21, 2018 by Engineered Mama ♥ 1 Comment

Well, I did it. I bought a multivitamin from a Facebook ad. I must officially be a… *gulp*… millennial. What are my thoughts on them? They’re absolutely amazing. Best decision. Ever. Ok, maybe not my best decision ever, but it definitely was a good one.

I’ll be starting my third month of these vitamins tomorrow and I have nothing but good things to say about them. They’re called Ritual and yes, you’ve seen them plastered all over your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and, in my opinion (whatever that’s worth), they definitely live up to the hype. Yes, it is a subscription, but when I know I’ll be taking them every day, I know how long a bottle will last (30 days-there are 60 vitamins, 2 per dose), and I know what I will be charged every month ($30-S$1 per dose), I’ll take it for the sheer convenience of it arriving at my door. To add to the convenience, all of the ingredients in these essentials couldn’t be purchased separately for a cheaper price. Not to mention you’d be taking nine different pills every day just to get what these babies pack in two little capsules.

Bonus? They’re minty. Yes! MINTY. Pretty awesome. These vitamins are backed by scientific evidence of the validity of every ingredient and it’s all laid out on Ritual’s website. I see a lot of reviews that claim that they have given people more energy and I’ll have to agree, I’ve never felt this rested (feel rested… not that I am rested… I’m a mom, you know…) with other multivitamins I’ve taken. I forgot to take them for about three days in a row and man, was I feeling it. These vitamins are awesome. Go. Check. Them. Out.

[Disney] Pin Display DIY

August 16, 2018 by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

When I went to Disney World for the first time as a child, I wore my favorite denim hat full of pins that I had collected (yeah… I was so. darn. cool.). When I arrived at Disney World I became obsessed with finding pins to add to my hat. This was before Disney trading pins were a thing (Wikipedia says Disney pin trading started in 1999… in case you’re curious). You guys, I’m a trend setter. Ok, I know I didn’t start this, but hey, I was doing it before it was cool, so just give me that, alright? Everyone in my family knew about my pin hat and would save their pins for me and even looked for pins to bring me from vacations, their jobs, anywhere they could find them.

Well, recently my mom dug up a few things from my childhood including my famous pin hat (and an N*SYNC bucket hat, which is still cool no matter what anyone says…). Nostalgia took me straight back to walking down Main Street in Magic Kingdom for the first time. I looked at my little denim cap and started thinking that would be pretty awesome to have a way to display my little pins so I could enjoy them every day. So, naturally I Googled “Disney Pin Display” and, naturally, a lot of insanely expensive, hideous options came up. Nope. Next…

Pinterest! Of course… there has to be something I could make to hold my pins. Well, that was also a fail. I found several options, but decided on creating my own. I think it turned out pretty cute for what I wanted-a simple pin display I could glance at and be taken straight back to my childhood that didn’t stick out like a sore thumb (why is this a saying, anyway?).

If you’d like to create your own, here’s a short tutorial:

Materials:

An empty frame (can be an old picture frame, mirror frame, or even a frame you make yourself out of wood scraps)
plastic canvas (see below for example… I had no idea what they were called, but the Google did… you’re welcome)

Burlap (any fabric will do as long as your pins have a point to pierce fabric)
Hot glue gun

Directions:

Remove any backing from your frame.
Trace the inside of your frame onto the back of the fabric as well as the plastic canvas. So there is an edge to fold over to make nice, clean edges, trace a larger version of your traced edge onto the back of the fabric so it can be folded over when glued. If you’re using a picture frame like I did, mark the plastic canvas based on the inner portion of the frame (the portion where the glass would go) so there is something structurally sound to glue the fabric and plastic canvas to. Think of it this way… if you cut the plastic canvas smaller than the hole, it’s going to fall right through. K? K.
Place the plastic canvas on top of the fabric. Add hot glue to the frame and place the fabric and plastic canvas onto the hot glue and hold until set. Next, fold the fabric over the plastic canvas and glue all edges down.
Next, I added a ring of hot glue around all edges to make sure everything stayed in place.
Add your pins for an adorable pin frame!

You could probably skip the plastic canvas as long as the fabric you choose has a fairly rigid stricture in your frame. I knew that burlap is fairly forgiving fabric, so I chose to add the plastic canvas for structural rigidity (yep… the engineer in me is coming out… sorry)

Now, it’s time to take our littles to Disney to add to the collection!

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