I'm not sure exactly what those who read this post will get from it. I wrote it because I felt the need to vent my annoyance with the person sitting next to me in my favorite spot, the coffee shop. Sorry for the ramble, but happy reading and I hope you chuckle a little too.
I'm thinking of a title for this post and the following rant is definitely not about a prince or Persia. Today I decided to visit my favorite hangout, the coffee shop. I won't state the location or the name of the coffee shop in the off chance that my former neighbor to the right might happen to come across this blog. On a scale of 1 to 10, my annoyance level peaked to around 20. Sometimes one happens to listen in on the conversations around oneself, especially if said person (me) was flying solo for the day. It's like Shikata Ga Nai, "It can't be helped, it must be done."
I had just finished my grading and whisked out my laptop to start writing my review of Black Panther, when a male entered the coffee shop (this is beginning to sound like a police report). Tim, not the Tim I'm married to, but the gentlemen who walked into the coffee shop and sat down next to lucky ol' me. He asked very politely if I could please plug in his laptop. I was sitting by three empty plugs so I was happy to oblige. He proceeded to tell me that he loved sitting in the seat that he chose because it look very regal. I didn't realize I was going to be sitting next to the Prince of Persia or the King of England. He was neither Persian nor English and I highly doubt he was of royal blood. I said I like my chair because it looked comfy and was close to the outlet, my laptop needed some juice. He then told me a strange story about semi-colons and emails, I tried to tune him out. I wished him happy writing and then went about my business.
Suddenly, in walked his friend. She had just come from the gym, but according to my seat neighbor she smelled like she had just done her laundry. He started to tell his friend about a time that he forgot to put his car in park and his car rolled into another car. He said that he was more concerned about his car and didn't care that the other car was damaged. He did leave a note (I wonder if he was the person who hit me in the CVS parking lot while I was picking up a prescription). He said that on the day the accident happened, he walked out of wherever he was, and saw the car crash. He stated that he felt bad for the person who had the car like his, a Mazda Miata, and that his car was better with amazing added features, but upon closer examination, realized the Mazda Miata in the accident was actually his and how unfortunate it was that he had to pay for the damages he caused to the other person's car. WHAT????????
First off yes dude, your new haircut IS STUPID (I heard you ask your friend if she thought so), second, who gave you the award for participating as a bench warmer? (this is why not everyone should get a trophy, because then you create entitled people like this guy) and third, who put it into your head that you're better than everyone else. Maybe these were your insecurities talking, I highly doubt you're insecure. (Run-on rant approaching) You told your friend the only reason you want to run, whatever it is you run, (not a marathon because you're a short distance runner, yes I heard that too, all the while trying to review Black Panther) is because you want to win and you won't compete in a marathon because you can't win a marathon, wow entitled much??
There is an amazing essay written by Marta Salinas that I read with my students called, "The Scholarship Jacket." It's about a young girl, whose family were farmers and couldn't afford to pay for the various sports, extracurricular activities that I know cost parents a fortune. Martha, (the girl in the story) is very studious and at the end of her eight years at her school, is expected the win/earn the scholarship jacket, however, the school wants to give it to another student, one whose father is very prominent in the town that they live. I read this with my students in the hope that they, work hard and don't expect accolades and pats on the back. My students say they can relate to it. One even went so far as to say that when everyone gets an award, it cheapens the meaning for those who truly earn it. Good job kids, you're already doing better than this guy!
Listening to the conversation next to me, I realized that I was basically listening to a grown man talk as if he was a five-year-old. This is our future, thanks planet!! This isn't a Generation X vs Millennial thing, (according to MetLife, I would be considered a millennial. All other sources say I'm GenX thank God for that!). This is a respect people and be humble thing.
I hope that Tim, my seat neighbor, not my husband, realizes how pretentious and entitled he sounded and I hope that he changes his "all about me" outlook on life. He was polite to me and I wish him all the best, but please sir (I'm calling him sir, but I know I'm older than he is) try being a better human.
All summer long I've been playing around with ColourPop's Super Shock Eye Shadow. Some I love and some I will absolutely hate (hate is a harsh word, dislike is better). Some, as a matter of fact, I will probably get rid of before finishing the pot. At only $5 a piece I don't feel too bad about getting rid of the shades I don't like.
I know that I am probably the wrong demographic for this brand. The employees are well versed in Social Media, as am I, but that's neither here nor there. Their announcements are all made on Instagram and Snap Chat. Everything is abundantly colorful, hence the name ColourPop. I have never felt my age until I watched a ColourPop Snap Chat. This is the future for business.... ugh Millennials.
Back to the actual product. The eye shadow comes in a little plastic white pot. The product itself is squishy, velvety and feels both wet and powderey all at the same time. It's hard to use a brush with these eye shadows. Brushes don't pick up the product. I have seen bloggers say to use a synthetic brush to apply the color, but please. Brushes DO NOT work, I've tried and I only use synthetic brushes. You really have to apply the color using your fingers, which sucks and is quite gross. I have an elf brush that blends the crease out nicely, but I have to first put the shadow on my lid with my finger then blend.
I've only used a few of the finishes; Matte, Metallic (there is a lot of fall out), Ultra-Metallic (again they have a lot of fall out), pearlized and pressed pigment. I can deal with the fall out of the metallics, my least favorites have to be the Matte finish shadows, especially the light colors. Most of the light colors, I'll never repurchase again anyway, it's doesn't matter the finish. I'm on the fence with a few. Some colors are very similar, for example Midnight and Hammered, LA LA and Weenie. You don't need both.
I find that using the pink, purple and blue colors are harder for me to create a look for than the neutrals. It may just be because I'm gravitating more to neutral palette than the bright colors. I have so many beautiful BareMineral pigments in pink, purple and blue that I like so much better than these.
I want to make it very clear that these were purchased with my own money. I've heard that YouTubers and Bloggers praise these products just to help the company build its reputation and get free stuff. I'm definitely not one of those people. If I don't like it, I will tell you.
For this list, I'll categorize them by by finish and I'll start with the colors I really like.
The Good (Colors I will repurchase):
Ultra Metallic/Metallic
Lovely: Soft Gold, metallic. This is really pretty over a powder shadow to add some sparkle.
Liberty: Silver, ultra metallic. OMG this is an amazing color all on it. It's like liquid metal. I used it on the 4th of July as an all over the lid color.
Sugar: Silver Blue, metallic. This is a pretty color that I use alone all over the lid. Sugar was one of the first colors I bought. It has a lot of fallout.
I Heart This: Cool Toned Taupe, metallic.This also looks great over a powdered shadow to add a little something special. This is one of my favorite colors. It has a ton of fallout though.
Eye Candy: Lavender, metallic. I really like this color a lot, but as I said earlier purple shades are harder to use, so I'm on the fence with this color.
La La: True Rose Gold, ultra metallic. It's a very pretty color, but similar to Weenie. I like to use LA LA all over the lid.
Krinkle: Smokey Blue, metallic. It's a really pretty color all over the eye.
Bae: Eggplant Purple, metallic. This is a pretty color in the crease.
Hammered: Olive, metallic. This is a pretty color to use on it's own all over the lid.
Bubbly: True pink, metallic. I like to use this color over my BareMineral eye shadow. I am on the fence with this one.
Cricket: Warm plum with cool highlights, metallic. I love this color in the crease. I used it with the e.l.f. baked shadow in Pixie and I Heart This.
So Quiche: Soft olive with gold and pink violet glitter, metallic. I use this on the crease or the outer corner.
3: Cool toned bronze, metallic. This is really pretty as a crease color.
Get Lucky: Rich gold, ultra metallic. This is pretty as an all over color.
Fringe: Champagne with gold and silver, metallic. This is pretty over a powder eye shadow.
Stereo: Black Burgundy, metallic. This is a really pretty crease color.
Nillionaire: Warm bronze, metallic. This is pretty in the crease, but similar to so many other colors I own.
Midnight: Black undertone with gold, metallic. This is a pretty crease color but too similar to Hammered.
Matte
Tink: Charcoal grey. This works good in the crease bit a bit hard to use.
Effect: Teal. Nice in the outer corner
Bill: Plum Beige. This is nice in the crease.
Fairfax: Blackened Brown. Nice crease color.
Hanky Panky: Cool toned taupe. I'm on the fence about this one. The color does not look anything like what's described on the website. This is a problem with some of the colors, buyer beware.
Party Time: Dusty Mauve
Pearlized
Weenie: Rose gold pink: This is so much like La La, but I think I like this one better.
Partridge: Saddle brown: This isn't like what is described on the website. I'm on the fence with this color too.
Mixed Tape: Cool Gray
Coconut: Peacock teal: I'm up in the air with this one. It's a bit hard to use.
Flower Shop: Blue green. This is pretty all over the lid.
The Bad (Colors I'll never repurchase):
Glow: Creamy Vanilla, matte. This has no pigment and is pointless.
Slave 2 Pink: Neon pink. This is a pressed pigment. From what I hear the pressed pigment have chemicals that haven't been approved by the FDA for eye shadow. I didn't know beforehand. I'm throwing it out.
Acorn: Cool toned beige, pearlized. Not enough pigment. I don't like it. I'll never get it again.
Vanity Fair: Brown. Only because I can't find it on the ColourPop website, it may have been discontinued. I liked this in my crease.
Girly: Creamy Vanilla, pearlized. This again is too light and has no pigment.
Colors I'd still like to try:
Matte: Girl Crush, Cop a Feel, Central Perk (Friends is my favorite TV show), Hustle, Pearlized: Luckfully, Lace, Supermodel, Metallic: Envy, Dare, Porter, Sequin, Satin: Cheeky, Truth, Wattles Tie-Dye: Pop Rocks, Meow and Summer Lovin
I'll share my favorite lip products next. I'll separate that into two posts, the lippies and the liquids.
