paint by numbers

i have become obsessed with makeup.  like, seriously obsessed.  i've ordered it online, driven to macon to go to ulta, shopped in every discount store in town.  i've compared countless brushes, bought a drawer organizer at the church yard sale, and filled the drawers with baskets and products.

my drawers look like they belong to a makeup artist.  and it makes me happy.

i've discovered two high quality and inexpensive lines recently.  one is elf, or eyeslipsface.  it can be found at target, kmart and even the dollar tree (shout out to kathryn for finding it there the other night) or online at eyeslipsface.com.  i've tried products from two of their lines, the essentials line and the studio line.  (i don't wear mineral makeup because i have fairly oily skin.)  i. love. it.  i have primers and bronzers and powders and brushes from both lines, and i am super impressed.  the brushes are soft and full, and they have a wide range of different shapes.  the makeup is great, too.  they have a contouring bronzer and blush combo that looks like an exact duplicate for the nars orgasm and laguna duo.  i've also used their matifying powder, because again--oily skin.  works as well as the more expensive powders i've tried.  i'm also super impressed with their eyeshadow primer...i think it is as good as the urban decay primer potion.  the best part about elf products?  the price!  everything in the studio line is only $3, and the essentials line?  $1.

yes, you read that right.  one dollar.  four quarters.  10 dimes.  100 pennies.  (pennies are practically obsolete these days, aren't they?  i can't remember the last time i used a penny.  i have a bunch jingling around in the bottom of my purse...probably enough to buy something from elf!)

the other company whose products i have been hoarding is nyx.  ulta carries this line, as does one of the beauty supply stores in warner robins and a couple in macon.  nyx cosmetics can be purchased online as well.  nyxcosmetics.com is their official site, but i have seen better prices at cherryculture.com and beautyjoint.com. in fact, i just placed an order with cherry culture because they had a 20% off coupon code and a free shipping deal.  i got several things i couldn't find at ulta, so i'm excited.  i can't say enough good things about this company.  cruelty free, tons of gorgeous colors to choose from, and fairly inexpensive.  the shadow trios at ulta run about $8, and i picked up a 5 color palette from cherry culture for $7.50.  not bad for five colors, especially when you consider the cost of single shadows of decent quality in the drugstore.  the colors are very pigmented and go on so smoothly.  i have so much fun matching them up and playing with combinations. the lip products are awesome, too.  rich lipsticks and vibrant, nonsticky glosses.  i even love their blushes, and i've never been much of a blush girl. in fact, just tonight i ordered my very first cream blush.  we'll see how that goes.

thomas told me earlier that he had read about something called the 'lipstick index'. basically, the chairman of estee lauder stated once that women were more likely to purchase lipstick instead of higher cost items in times of economic trouble.  the idea has been proven false, but the psychology behind it makes sense to me.  i know that i am much more likely to brighten my mood by buying a $4 lipstick than a $20 dress or pair of shoes.  just making that little change and adding that pop of color improves my mood quite a bit.  even now, as sick as i feel (i have a throat infection that makes me feel like i'm swallowing razor blades), organizing my makeup collection in my new drawers and putting away my latest nyx haul from ulta cheers me up.  of course, then i choke on my own saliva (lovely image, i know) and my cheer dissipates.  oh well.  medication can cure what makeup can't.  in the meantime, i think i'll check out some smoky eye tutorials on youtube...