This + That: Grape Jelly

I think I've mentioned before (probably multiple times) that I do not like purple. I don't know what it is about the color, but I just am not attracted to it at all. I also loathe grape flavored things. I quite like real grapes, but I always avoid grape flavored stuff. I don't even own the grape Baby Lips!

Things might be changing though because I've recently been loving Zoya's Katherine nail polish. It's slightly dusky, grape-y purple with a jelly finish. The Zoya website describes it as "a sheer, dark, red-toned aubergine, oxblood." Two coats gives you good, streak-free coverage, without losing the sheer jelly quality.

To go with your Katherine tips, might I suggest Urban Decay's Lip Love in Stung on your lips? It looks frightening in the tube, but Stung is also very sheer and leaves your lips with just a hint of reddsh plum tint. Lip Love is described as "honey infused lip therapy"so of course it wouldn't be complete without a delicious honey flavor!

Hmm... I might be coming around to this whole purple thing. Grape Baby Lips - you're next!

Spending Ban Haul

Remember that spending ban I was on? You know the one from less than a month ago? Well... it hasn't been going all that great. I bought a couple of things which I'm not proud of, but apparently I just can't resist a good sale!

Bifesta Cleansing Express - This is a cleansing water that is supposed to be better than Bioderma. I was at Mitsuwa (Japanese grocer store) over the weekend and saw it was on sale for $10.99 so I picked up a bottle. Hey - I'm just trying to save money here!

Fringe Holder - This is the pink Hello Kitty looking ribbon on the lower right. I wanted to try this ever since I saw something similar on Jen at From Head to Toe. It's basically just the grippy side of velcro and it keeps hair out of your face when you're cleansing or putting on makeup. I have super thick hair so while it does the job, it just somehow doesn't look quite right. Also on sale at Mitsuwa for $3.99.

Anastasia Kisses On My List - I was thinking that I didn't have enough lip glosses in my collection, but now I have way too many. I picked this up at Nordstrom Rack for $15 and I think the original price was $30. $15 for 6 glosses is cheap! The three shades on the right side are color adjusting so they change a little after application and they are GORGEOUS! The only thing I don't love is the plastic wand/spatula type applicator.

Zoya Polishes in Cho, Katherine and Tracie - If you want to get technical, these were free. There was a deal on Zoya to get 3 free polishes, all you need to pay is shipping. So there, I paid $10 for shipping, not on any beauty products. I was slightly annoyed though because shipping is usually $6.50, but they upped it to $10 for this offer! BAH! But I really like Zoya polishes and I'm very pleased with these three colors.

Maybelline Limited Edition Baby Lips - This was my one "allowed" purchase because I had been looking for these since before the ban. I just could not find these anywhere in store and had to resort to ebay to get them. They were a little pricey at $6.50 each, plus $1.50 for shipping, but I figured it was probably the same as wasting gas driving around town looking for these. Expect a separate updated Baby Lips collection coming up soon.

So that's it! My ban is back in full force. Although I did purchase a Diptyque candle on HauteLook this morning (half off!), but I don't think candles are really beauty products even though beauty bloggers talk about them all the time. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

December Glossybox

This is a bit overdue, but hey, better late than never, right? I was a bit disappointed with the packaging of December's Glossybox because I was hoping it would be red or something rather than just holiday tissue and a red ribbon. Apparently January is a special silver Man Repeller edition, which I am totally looking forward to. Let's take a looksie at what was in my box.

Denise Richards Volume Extend by Christophe Finishing Spray (full size $20) - Okay, Denise Richards?? Barf. Why would anyone want to collaborate with her? I'm not sure how much use I will get out of this since I rarely use hair spray. Maybe I should start?

Heartland Fragrance Co Bath Salts (full size $10) - I also don't really take baths that often because I hate just sitting there getting hot. I meant to take this to Vegas to use in the ginormous Wynn tubs, but I forgot. I received the white tea scent which smells really nice.

mark. Lipclick Luxe Lipstick in m.powerment petal (full size $12) - I really like the pink packaging the magnetic closure which closes with a satisfying click. The color is also a nice berry pink, but I found the formula quite drying.

Please Please by Issey Miyake (full size $92) - I'm not sure what the notes are in this, but it smells very floral. I haven't heard much about Pleats Please recently, so I'm glad they're still around.

Wella Velvet Amplifier (full size $16) - This tiny packet is a styling primer. Not quite sure what to do with it, but does hair really need to be primed for more products??

Zoya Nail Lacquer (full size $8) - I received Electra which is a clear base packed full of tiny silver bar glitters. I wore this on the tips over a navy blue polish and it looked very festive!

JewelMint Ring ($29.99) - JewelMint is like the jewelry version of Glossybox. Basically you pay $29.99/month and receive a piece of jewelry each month. I'm not that into jewelry so I think $29.99 is a bit much to spend every month. I like the ring I received, but I would never pay $30 for it - it seems more like a $5 Forever 21 piece to me.

And that's all! This was another just okay box for me. I'm looking forward to January though!