stila all over shimmer liquid luminizer: Swatches + Review!

I know, I know, I'm recycling photos again (you can see my first offense here).

But darn it, they're my photos (from my November Birchbox blog post) and they're perfectly good ones so I hope you all don't mind; I wasn't completely lazy anyways and included some new ones at the end for your viewing pleasure :)

So take the usual jump below to see my full review on this (SPOILER ALERT) gorgeous product!!

Firmoo.com Giveaway... 20 WINNERS!! (CLOSED)

I am SO excited to present this giveaway to you all today. 

Not only is it a wonderful opportunity for 20 of my lovely readers to win a prize (I'm not kidding: there will be TWENTY winners!), but I also get to celebrate something really special to me...

I reached 100 followers!!

To many people this may not seem like a lot but to me this is more than I could have ever dreamed for my little corner of the internet; I started ThriftThick at the beginning of this past summer, a mere five months ago, in order to inspire and inform anyone interested in the same things I am: thrifting, beauty, D.I.Y.'s... and Galileo, of course (#proudmammamoment).

So, as my way of saying thank you, I decided to host this amazing giveaway by Firmoo.

After working with them not too long ago (you can see my review of their glasses/service here) I was so happy when they contacted me again since it would be the perfect way of thanking my readers!!

As a girl who wears glasses everyday I think it's important for everyone to have access to glasses that are not only chic but AFFORDABLE!! Firmoo does just that (frames WITH LENSES start at $8, which is how much my pair [pictured above] from them cost!!) so I really want to spread the word of such a wonderful company to anyone in need of such a service :) 

And, like said, they sell sunglasses as well so all of you 20/20 readers out there can get your kicks as well if you win ;)

This contest is running until December 15th so that I can announce the winner before Christmas day (whether you celebrate Christmas or not doesn't matter, it'll just be a nice treat this holiday season!)!!
Just use the Rafflecopter widget below to get yourself entered; the only requirement is that you're a follower of mine and then voila! You've got yourself a chance at winning 1 of 20 gift vouchers worth $25 to use on Firmoo.com.  

Good luck!!

xoxo - Cassie

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NOTD: Vintage Floral Nails

Well, my blog is turning into a nail polish/nail art blog again... you all know what that means, don't you?

I'm stressed.

Up the wazoo.

Basically, long explanations (read: excuses) aside, finals are coming up so I've been crushed for time between school, work, taking care of Galileo, etc. So, to ease this stress, I followed a nail tutorial on YouTube (by the lovely BubzBeauty) and created these cute and girly nails!!

From L-R:  L'Oreal "i will!", Revlon "BUTTERCUP", Sally Hansen "Sorbet", NYC "Greenwich Village", Revlon "Jaded", Revlon "Posh"

I think what I love most about these nails is the addition of the two polkadot nails and all the different background colors. It's just something a little unique and special that Bubz came up with that I absolutely adore!!

And another thing I adore?

This guy:

It's been awhile since you've all seen Galileo (aside from his cameos in my YouTube videos), hasn't it? This was just from the other day when he was having a shnooze on the couch behind me... 

he also just had a vet checkup/shots and he's almost 8 pounds!! He's only six months old and already weighs this much so I can only imagine how much he's going to weigh in the future (I'd be lying if I said I didn't want him to be a 20 pound Siberian like some of them get to be... a girl like me needs a MANLY man-cat to protect her and her home, after all!).

How has everyone been?

Have you ever rocked floral nails with a bit of a quirky design?

Do you prefer big pets (Great Danes, Siberians, etc.) or little pets (Toy Poodles, Singapuras, etc.)?

Do share!!

xoxo - Cassie

November Favorites Up On YouTube!!

It's a long one, but I've got some products that I'm really thrilled with this month so, as per usual, here's my monthly installment of "Best & Worst of Beauty"!

I hope you enjoy(ed) and please let me know what your favorite (and not so favorite) products of the month were; I'd love to hear from you! :)

xoxo - Cassie

NOTD: O.P.I. Schnapps Out Of It!

I hope you all are alright with a quickie because after working an insane Black Friday weekend of retail  h*** it's about all I've got the patience and energy for. 

So muster up the rest of your strength to take the jump below! On three:

One...

...twooooo...

...THREE (oofta)!

Model Co. FIBRE LASHXTEND Mascara: Swatches + Review!

Am I allowed to recycle photos when blogging?

Too late!!

But seriously, I hope you don't mind... it's only a few photos from when I opened my November Birchbox and, since they were perfectly good pictures of this mascara I'm about to review, I figured it was acceptable to use them again instead of just taking, essentially, the same Glamour Shots part deux.

e.l.f. Single Eyeshadows: Swatches + Review!

Geeeeeeez, I feel like I haven't posted in forever (though it's only been a few days)!!

So here's a post on the eyeshadows I've been wearing recently and really loving... I thought it'd be nice to share some cheap thrills with you all :)

Take the usual jump below for all the details!

NOTD: e.l.f. Fair Pink

I've got a fairly short post for you all today... heck, it's not even long enough for a page jump to be inserted!! 

Happy? Sad? YOLO!!

(I don't even know if that's an appropriate usage of 'YOLO'... makes me feel old that I don't completely understand the hip tween lingo #headhangofshame)

I feel like e.l.f. gets a bad rap (chicka-what?? ...that was a rap noise and my attempt at humor #sorry).

And while I can understand the hate e.l.f. receives (some of their products are a little less than stellar) I really don't understand the hate as a whole; their products are dirt cheap so you should pretty much know going into your purchase that you're not paying for quality comparable to tarte or NARS. 

Heck, I even got this nail polish for free in one of my online orders almost a year ago!!

So, here's my two cents: 

Considering this polish is a year old (even some O.P.I. polishes get gloopy after being shelved for that long), cost me absolutely nothing (and even if it did, e.l.f. polishes retail for only $2), and has lasted four days on my nails with VERY minimal wear-and-tear, I'd say e.l.f. has another winning product in my book.

Fair Pink is a creamy baby pink that is neither cool nor warm toned; it's right in the middle of the tonal spectrum so I think it would suit pretty much any skin color. It goes on a little streaky and requires three coats for nearly full opacity but adding a good top coat while the polish is still a little wet takes away streaks and I find that the amount of opacity is perfect for creating a really minimally clean and sophisticated looking nail.

How do you feel about e.l.f. nail polishes?

How about e.l.f. in general?

Any other colors from e.l.f. that I need to check out?

Do share!!

xoxo - Cassie

Late, As Usual...

Will I EVER remember to post my YouTube videos to my blog right after I upload them?

Will I?

WILL I???

...

No need for the suspense I suppose, I clearly won't (#realist).

So here you go; if you haven't seen them already, do watch my two latest OOTW videos if you've been missing the fashion aspect of my blog :)

I hope you enjoy!!

xoxo - Cassie

Liebster Blog Award!

I'm going to go about this blog post all wrong. 

I know I know I know I know I know... please don't kill me. Rules are meant to be broken, am I right (at least that's the motto... but if it's the rule that rules are meant to be broken then I guess rules AREN'T meant to be broken and so on and so forth)?

Ahem.

I was awarded by one of my lovely readers (Emma of Read Bake Stitch) for the Liebster and, if my memory isn't failing me, I was tagged to do this a LONG time ago as well by someone... but they weren't a follower of mine? Haha I found it a little strange so I didn't indulge my answers to them (I'm such a tease, I know).

Essentially, from what I gather, this is an award given out TO bloggers BY bloggers; the requirements?  

1.) Your blog must have below 200 followers, and

2.) You must be tagged (or 'awarded') by another blogger.

Then you are supposed to follow some fancy rules (all in quantities of 11... which I don't understand the importance of, haha):

1.) You must post 11 things about yourself,

2.) You must answer the 11 questions your tagger has asked you (ooo, saucy!!),

3.) You must create 11 new questions to ask other bloggers (wait for it...),

4.) You must tag 11 other bloggers who have under 200 followers (but no tag backs [doesn't saying that just bring out the five year old in us all?]).

Phewfta!! Now that all of that is out of the way, here's where I'm going to be a 'rebel' and break the rules: I'm not tagging anyone. I know, I'm a horrible person; you can throw (soft) things at me. I will, however, mention some (I'm not sure I have 11) lovely bloggers with under 200 followers that I actually THOROUGHLY enjoy so that I can spread the word of their blog to my readers.

So, I'm not asking them any questions either (if they really want me to, they can send me a message and I'll generate some good ones!!), just merely spreading the love :)

So take the jump below if you want to learn a little more about me and see who I would have tagged if I were doing this post properly!!

Maybelline Color Tattoo "Rich Mahogany": Swatches + Review

Like a festive nut mix (I could be referring to the snack or the gathering of family... you decide), this post is going to be a bag of mixed feelings.  

SOOOOO many feelings.

Can you handle it? Take the jump below!!

November '12 Birchbox!

I don't know why, but it feels like forever since I last did a Birchbox post!!

So let's not prolong things any further and jump right in, shall we?

My Holy Grail Hair Routine: Dove + Lee Stafford

It started at birth; I was never the girl with the long, luscious hair that made men weak in the knees and other girls green with envy (or red with rage, depending on their own personal anger management skills).

Heck, my dad even used to call me "his little cue ball" (he was, and still is, an avid pool player) until I finally grew more than a few strands around the age of two... okay, so I'm exaggerating but my dad DID call me that and I WAS awkwardly bald for a long amount of time once outside of the womb. 

However, I finally found my hair treatment match made in heaven. It may have taken 22 years but gosh darn it I found it!! Take the jump below for all the details and more short stories :) 

NOTD: essie "chinchilly" + A Wee Bit Of Nail Art

I know, I know. You were probably sick of seeing essie's chinchilly when it seemed to explode across the blogosphere last Fall. In fact, I too was so sick of it that I didn't even bother to pick it up until recently.

Was I impressed? Was I underwhelmed?

Take the jump below to find out!!

Firmoo Glasses Review

 (all of the above included with your order from Firmoo, apart from Galileo's front left paw... he's a pathological photo-bomber, I can't get him to stop!)

I have a REALLY exciting post for you all today!! 

Not only was Firmoo kind enough to contact me and offer me a new pair of prescription glasses, but now I also get to extend the same offer to my lovely readers!! You too can get yourself a pair on the house (all you'll pay is shipping) from Firmoo! 

Take the jump below if you want the details and if you want to see my new specs :)

How Much Is My Face Worth?

When I first saw this tag getting popular around the blogosphere I was extremely curious to see what my own face was worth. However, nothing irritates me more than when a tag takes over the internet and I didn't want to add my version into the sea of endless daily makeup tallies.

Now that the popularity of this tag has died down though I decided to dive right into it!! I included ALL of my makeup, including tools, that I use on a daily basis to create my school/no-makeup-makeup face. 

So, babble and explanations aside, let's get into it!

Daily Brushes:

e.l.f. Powder Brush - $1.36

e.l.f. Complexion Brush - $1.36

e.l.f. Blush Brush - $1.36

Cover FX #170 Precision Foundation Brush - $36

(the e.l.f brushes came in a set of 11 on sale for $15; they normally retail for $3 per brush)

 Priming & Setting:

Estee Lauder Time Zone Creme - $0 (free deluxe sample)

hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15 - $52

e.l.f. Makeup Mist & Set - $1.50

(e.l.f. Makeup Mist & Set normally retails for $3, but I got it on sale)

 Eyes & Brows:

Benefit Lemon-Aid - $20

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner "Birthday Suit" - $19

Rimmel London Glam Eye Shadow Trio "Orion" - $4.99

Cover Girl Volume Exact Waterproof Mascara "Black/Brown" (DISCONTINUED) - $6.99

Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Waterproof Mascara "Blackest Black" - $8.99

Motives Essential Brow Kit - $0

NYX Eyebrow Marker "Medium" - $9.79

D.I.Y. Brow Brush (Recycled Mascara Wand) - $0

(*I purchased the Rimmel London Eyeshadow Trio in high school and found it during my pack/move to Boston; this is the old packaging [obviously] but I think the shadows in the updated trio are the same!! **The Motives Essential Brow Kit was gifted to me by my Mom. It retails for $29.95)

 Face:

Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller - $10.99

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-In-Place Makeup "Intensity 2.0" - $36

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Flawless Wear Concealer "Light/Medium" - $22

Physicians Formula Multi-Colored Pressed Powder "Buff" - $6.75

e.l.f. Essential Clarifying Pressed Powder "Light Beige" $1

Wet n Wild Color Icon Blusher "Heather Silk" - $2.99

(I got the Physicians Formula Multi-Colored Pressed Powder on sale; it originally retails for $13.49)

So, how much is my face REALLY worth? Drumroll please...

Total Price: $243.07

Oofta. I'm really not too sure how I feel about that, haha. I guess I'll take pride in the fact that I included brushes as well as primers and setting spray, which are all products that many other bloggers leave out of their total. My other justification comes from the mere fact that my higher end products (aka the really expensive things I use) all last me 4+ months... granted, so do my drugstore products but I'm trying to justify here!!

I left out lip products since I change those up everyday based on what I'm wearing SOOOOO I guess we should probably just bump up my grand total to $250 (now please excuse me while I go weep in the realm of reality).

Have you done this tag yet?

What was your grand total?

Do you like to invest in your makeup or only use drugstore products (or both, like me!)?

Do share!!

xoxo - Cassie

NOTD: 'Merica

You may or not know, depending on where you live and how globally educated you keep yourself, but today is Election Day 2012 in the United States of America!!

So, to celebrate the good ol' U.S. of A. I decided to paint my nails as festive as possible for my nation.

Take the jump below if you want to see the details!!

Egads!! It's Been HOW Long Since My Last Entry...?

Almost a week... yarrrrrrg!!

But character slang aside (you know, Shakespeare, pirates... I never make sense; please don't question my sanity now) I've got a new video up on YouTube that kind of explains what I've been up to since my last appearance on Blogger!

Plus, there's a haul (Goodwill, Forever21, and H&M!) so that's always exciting ;)

xoxo - Cassie