I'm so random, I can't be categorized. I write, I cry, I live, I love, I learn, I laugh, I am. I'm LIFE. I'm LOVE. Here you will find a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Oh, and I love Zumba! I've recently become obsessed with Health & Fitness. And, I love makeup--even though I don't have much time to wear it. This is MackIZMs. Get familiar.

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Philosophy One Step Facial Cleanser $20 (smallest bottle) I really wanted to like this stuff after watching a review on this product. It doesn’t have a bad smell and I love the texture. It is also great at softening the skin and making it feel good afterward. However, it is way too harsh for my skin and I don’t have very sensitive skin. There are patches of my skin that feel so raw and dry. I thought it may have been the transition from Cetaphil to this, but my skin is only getting worse with each use. I’ve been using it for a little over a week to give it a fair chance, but I can’t bring myself to like it. Thank goodness I have a back-up plan until I get to Sephora to try to return it. I’m hoping they will take it back and use it as a sample as I haven’t used much of it at all. I hear Sephora is pretty good about allowing customers to return products that don’t work out for them. I guess I’ll be sticking to my trusty Cetaphil. I’ll never try anything else again. :-(

Philosophy One Step Facial Cleanser $20 (smallest bottle)

I really wanted to like this stuff after watching a review on this product. It doesn’t have a bad smell and I love the texture. It is also great at softening the skin and making it feel good afterward. However, it is way too harsh for my skin and I don’t have very sensitive skin. There are patches of my skin that feel so raw and dry. I thought it may have been the transition from Cetaphil to this, but my skin is only getting worse with each use. I’ve been using it for a little over a week to give it a fair chance, but I can’t bring myself to like it. Thank goodness I have a back-up plan until I get to Sephora to try to return it. I’m hoping they will take it back and use it as a sample as I haven’t used much of it at all. I hear Sephora is pretty good about allowing customers to return products that don’t work out for them. I guess I’ll be sticking to my trusty Cetaphil. I’ll never try anything else again. :-(

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Purchases I made at Sephora yesterday:

Philosophy Purity Face Wash

Urban Decay Primer Potion (original—in the new squeeze tube)

I’m excited about these purchases.  I seen a review on the Philosophy Purity face wash and I’ve also read it is good for combination skin.  I started using it last night.  I’m excited about it because it was only $20 and I pay $15 for Cetaphil anyway.  Cetaphil is pretty good, but I think it was time for a change.  Sometimes we use things so long, they don’t have the same effect they used to on our skin.  It was hard to find something that would be good for combination skin that wasn’t an outrageous price.

I’ve been using a sample of Urban Decay Primer Potion for almost 2 weeks.  I am absolutely in love.  My weekdays are long and I need something that will last 12-14 hours.  This stuff has done the trick.  I do have backups for when I don’t need to keep my makeup on as long—ShadowWorx & ELF eyelid primer—but, I will be using this primarily during the week.

I also got a sample of the Too Faced Shadow Insurance while there.  I’m going to use that all next week and see how I like that.  :-)

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e.l.f. 100 color palette $10 (online only) www.eyeslipsface.com I’ve been using this palette since last week and I’m absolutely in love with it. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around how cheap this palette is. I fully expected low quality eyeshadows for the price I paid, but I was so wrong. There is a great variety of colors from brights to neutrals, and they have good pigmentation. I own several palettes (BH, Coastal Scents, etc.) and I have to admit that this is my absolute favorite. I’m sorry I doubted it because I wouldn’t have bought my 120 color palette or 88 neutral palettes if I had known. I really hope this isn’t a limited time item. I need to find out because I’ll buy a few of them! The only thing I wasn’t too pleased with is the cheap packaging, but who really cares after getting so much for my money. I was considering a high-end color palette purchase, but this e.l.f. palette has completed my eyeshadow collection. I won’t need anything else for years. I also purchased several of the mineral eyeshadows from their studio line. When I get some free time, I’ll play in those and write a review.

e.l.f. 100 color palette $10 (online only) www.eyeslipsface.com

I’ve been using this palette since last week and I’m absolutely in love with it. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around how cheap this palette is. I fully expected low quality eyeshadows for the price I paid, but I was so wrong. There is a great variety of colors from brights to neutrals, and they have good pigmentation. I own several palettes (BH, Coastal Scents, etc.) and I have to admit that this is my absolute favorite. I’m sorry I doubted it because I wouldn’t have bought my 120 color palette or 88 neutral palettes if I had known. I really hope this isn’t a limited time item. I need to find out because I’ll buy a few of them! The only thing I wasn’t too pleased with is the cheap packaging, but who really cares after getting so much for my money. I was considering a high-end color palette purchase, but this e.l.f. palette has completed my eyeshadow collection. I won’t need anything else for years.

I also purchased several of the mineral eyeshadows from their studio line. When I get some free time, I’ll play in those and write a review.

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Laura Mercier oil-free tinted moisturizer $42 at Sephora I have combination skin, so this is perfect for me. I have been using it everyday since I got it, and I love it! I am oily around my t-zone, so the fact that this moisturizer has sort of a matte finish is perfect for me. I have found that I have to use another moisturizer underneath, because the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer doesn’t do well on dry skin. However, I would take this over foundation any day. It blends well, there is no foul smell, and has light coverage! I am told the regular (with oil mosturizers) lotion leaves more of a dewy finish. I’m sorry, but I’m shiny enough. I don’t need anymore help. Hell, I set the lotion with a small amount of powder, LOL. I attempted to try a drugstore brand prior to the high-end brand, but it didn’t work out well, and I have an entire bottle of Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted moisturizer collecting dust in one of my bins. I’ll never use it again! I’ll have to definitely stick to high-end products for certain things. Hope this helps!

Laura Mercier oil-free tinted moisturizer $42 at Sephora

I have combination skin, so this is perfect for me. I have been using it everyday since I got it, and I love it! I am oily around my t-zone, so the fact that this moisturizer has sort of a matte finish is perfect for me. I have found that I have to use another moisturizer underneath, because the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer doesn’t do well on dry skin. However, I would take this over foundation any day. It blends well, there is no foul smell, and has light coverage! I am told the regular (with oil mosturizers) lotion leaves more of a dewy finish. I’m sorry, but I’m shiny enough. I don’t need anymore help. Hell, I set the lotion with a small amount of powder, LOL.

I attempted to try a drugstore brand prior to the high-end brand, but it didn’t work out well, and I have an entire bottle of Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted moisturizer collecting dust in one of my bins. I’ll never use it again! I’ll have to definitely stick to high-end products for certain things.

Hope this helps!

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