Hello lovelies! Today I’m going to be doing a Target and Ulta haul with some products I bought and have been trying out.

L’OREAL VOLUMINOUS SMOLDERING EYELINER

First up, we have this L’Oreal eyeliner. After finding out that my favorite eyeliner has been discontinued, I’ve been on the hunt for a replacement and I’m curious to see how this will work out. I saw a YouTuber constantly using it years ago, but I never got around to trying it until now. I do have sensitive eyes, so I hope this won’t cause a reaction.

MAYBELLINE COLOSSAL BIG SHOT MASCARA

Next, I purchased this Maybelline mascara. I’ve been a fan of the Colossal line for a while, and I wanted to try this one out. Honestly, the packaging really drew me into this, so I hope it works just as well as it looks!

In the past, I’ve tried the original formula and the cat eyes one and ended up liking both of them, so I have high hopes for this.

MAYBELLINE FULL ‘N SOFT MASCARA

In addition to the Colossal mascara, I decided to get this one as well because I used it years ago when I was inexperienced with makeup and I wanted to see what I think of it now. I’ve also been leaning more into natural-looking makeup, so I’m hoping this will help with that no-makeup makeup look.

So far, it’s been working pretty well. It coats the lashes with thin layers and they stay curled. At the moment, I’ve been combining it with other mascaras for days when I want more volume, but I think this is great on its own as well because it’s buildable.

ESSENCE PRINCESS LASH SCULPTED VOLUME MASCARA

After hearing so much about this mascara, I finally had to give it a try. From popular websites to Reddit, everyone seems to think of this as a holy grail mascara. However, I haven’t had the best experience with it.

It does give volume and makes my lashes look really pretty, but it doesn’t keep a curl. I have short, straight lashes and I use an eyelash curler to give them some lift, but this formula makes them fall. I would use this on days when my lashes aren’t the focal point of my look and on casual days, but I wouldn’t recommend if you have short, thin lashes. I will keep trying it out though, and I’m hoping it might work better once the formula dries up a little.

E.L.F. SHARPENER

This is a case where you don’t need to spend much to get a good product. I only paid a dollar for this sharpener and it works just as well as my $10 Urban Decay sharpener that broke. The case cracked and fell apart, making it impossible to use because it wouldn’t hold the shavings anymore, so I decided to go the cheaper route and I’m glad I did.

This sharpener has two holes: one for normal-shaped pencils and a larger one for bigger pencils. I’ve had a hard time sharpening gel eyeliner pencils because they have a thicker outer casing, but the blade on this is sharp enough to keep my pencils in good shape.

REVLON ULTRA HD LIP LACQUER: CARNELIAN AND SMOKY QUARTZ

I picked these up because I was curious about them. I meant to try them out during the winter months because they’re darker shades, but I never got around to it. However, I don’t usually follow any rules when it comes to color; if you want to wear a dark lip in the middle of summer, then do it!

The redder shade is called Carnelian; it’s described as a glossy berry purple. I think it looks more like a burgundy with a purple undertone. Either way, I think this would be good to layer on top of darker lipsticks and lip liners.

The other color is Smoky Quartz. I was drawn to this shade because I don’t own anything like it; it’s a glossy brown color with flecks of gold in them. I think it looks really unique and would be nice as a statement lip with a chic outfit.

MAYBELLINE COLOR SENSATIONAL INTI-MATTE NUDE LIPSTICK: HONEY PINK

This lipstick was actually on clearance at Target when I got it, so after checking to make sure it was still in good condition, I ended up buying it for less than $3! It looks like a pinky nude in the tube, but it comes out a bit brighter on your actual lips. I have tried it a couple times but I haven’t gone out with it yet so I’m not sure what it would look like in different kinds of lighting. I’m kind of unsure about how I feel about it, but I might mix other lipliners and glosses so it matches my skin tone better.

MAYBELLINE AGE REWIND CONCEALER IN NEUTRALIZER

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you probably know that I’m a loyal fan of this concealer. I usually use medium, but chose neutralizer this time because I wanted a slightly brighter look. I do enjoy it, but it’s a little too light for me so I apply sparingly. I bought two, so after finishing them, I might go back to medium because it matches my skin tone better and it’s convenient to use one concealer to cover everything instead of needing another shade to hide blemishes.

MAKEUP REVOLUTION CONCEAL AND DEFINE CONCEALER: C7

Since the Maybelline concealer is a little too light for my skin, I repurchased this concealer to cover blemishes. When it comes to hyperpigmentation and acne, it’s better to use a concealer that matches your skin, while concealers that are one to two shades lighter are good for highlighting or to brighten up dark circles. C7 seems to work well for me, so I purchased the same shade again.

CLEAN AND CLEAR OIL ABSORBING SHEETS

I’ve been on a quest to try out all the blotting sheets out there, so I finally picked these up. I saw a lot of positive reviews and recommendations for this over the years, so I thought it’d be worth a try. Personally, I have very oily skin and my makeup will usually break apart if I don’t blot, so I find blotting sheets very helpful.

PIXI GLOW PEEL PADS

As someone who struggles with hyperpigmentation (more commonly known as acne scars), it can be hard to wait for it to fade. And sometimes, as soon as it fades, a new spot is there to take its place. 🙁 Glycolic acid is a chemical exfoliant that helps with cell turnover, so I thought this product might help. I’ve been using the Pixi Glow Tonic for years and it has 5% glycolic acid, so I think my skin can handle a higher percentage. These peels have 20% glycolic acid and according to reviews, people saw their hyperpigmentation fade and their skin got brighter.

The directions seem to say you can use this daily, but I plan on using it only once or twice a week as a special treatment.  I also have sensitive skin, so I’m always careful not to overdo anything to make sure I don’t get bad reactions. If it does end up working, I’ll be sure to update in a product review!

BATISTE DRY SHAMPOO

This is the only non-skincare or makeup product, but I repurchased this dry shampoo because my hair is still oily these days. It’s been over a year since my scalp got a lot oilier and I haven’t figured out the cause yet so I’ve been blasting my hair with dry shampoo every time I leave the house. Needless to say, I’ve been going through a lot of dry shampoo lately, haha.

PIXI GLOW TONIC

Lastly, I repurchased my Pixi Glow Tonic. I’ve been using this for years now (see my empties post to see how many I’ve used up!) and I always come back to it. I love using it in my nighttime skincare routine and I think it does help my skin. My skin usually looks cleaner and the tingly feeling I get makes me feel like the chemical exfoliation is working.

And that’s my haul! Let me know if you’ve used any of these products and what you think of them; thanks so much for reading and I’ll see you lovelies soon!