So I'm really not supposed to be shopping...

But I really needed a pair on sunglasses.  My latest pair from the summer have been trashed yet again by my kids and I've been without a pair for months.  The sun is bright down here y'all and squinting is not good for the "fine lines."


It was a bad decision or maybe a good decision to drop by Marshall's.  But at least it wasn't a drugstore!  Oh and if you've noticed my inventory post you will find lots of crossed our product.  Yay!

So off to Marshall's I went in search of a suitable pair of shades to protect my baby blues.  Eyeglasses are unfortunately too close to skincare/makeup but a look wouldn't hurt...

I found way too much!  Ankle weights, a grippy yoga towel, grippy yoga socks, cute hot water bottle for sore muscles of course, tons of the Balm skincare and makeup and Elizabeth Arden goodies.  It was too much for me to handle.  I didn't fill the cart, it wasn't too hard to resist with zero funds but I did splurge.  I'm so weak.

At first I put the sunglasses back to make the trip way less worse, but they were the reason I went in and I promised myself to file our taxes today to make up for it.  Which I did.  Well I just have to hit the submit button, after I check them probably 5 more times.

So without further rambling...  On to the goods!

Better yet, the prices... oh and the sunglasses were $19.99.  Michael Kors!  lol

I've seen a trio in one palette used  in a couple of tutorials and I have searched for it on-line but I couldn't justify the price.  Here they all are, but individual, in one set for $9.99.  They are sold individually for $19 but you can get them on amazon.com for $11.20 not including shipping.  The trio is on ebay for $45 or amazon for $42.50.  Head to TJ's or Marshall's!

The come with a slide off cover to keep them from opening.  However the magnet that keeps it shut is quite strong.  There is also a good size mirror when you open the cover.

Bahama Mama is a bronzer which I will use as a contouring shade as it is quite dark and perfectly matte.   Not a dupe for NARS Laguna as NARS is a bit more warm.  Bahama Mama is quite pigmented.

Hot Mama is your golden shimmery blush or shadow similar to NARS Orgasm but more peach and the gold shows up a little less. Again, very pigmented, slightly powdery.

Sexy Mama is an oil absorbing translucent powder that is supposed to be shine free.  Well we will see about that!  It also looks a bit dark in the pan probably because it is so pigmented.  A little will go a long way with this powder.

I like the cardboard packaging.  They are slim, the magnet is strong but they also have the paper cover to keep everything in place.  I can't wait to try these out!

Also on the shelves was a theBalm mattifying lotion that was screaming out to me, but I left it alone.  I feel the need to go back for it.  Summers here in the NC are quite humid, like nothing I have experienced before.  I did live outside of Washington, DC for 7 years so I know humidity.  I wasn't quite prepared and I must have looked a greasy mess every day last summer until November.

So let me start off with a little story about the next gem.  Rarely does a product blow me away.  I have so many to try and so many coming into my life that something has to be truly special for me to purchase it.  This is one of those special products.  I received a sample in a monthly Birchbox and that very first night of trying them, my skin looked radiant.

Unfortunately in my excitement, I did pick up the wrong product.  What I wanted was the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Gold Ultra Restorative Capsules for Face and Throat.  However, these are just the "plain" no gold ones.  Hopefully they live up to my expectations...

A quick glance at the ingredient list and they differ by 2 ingredients... Linoleic acid  which may improves dryness and thinning of the skin.  Not something I'm worrying about these day and Oleic Acid which is also an essential fatty acid like Linoleic.

So the gold are $68 on the Elizabeth Arden site and I bought these for $29.99.  I'm quite happy.  I have been trying to work out a deal forever and couldn't justify buying them.  I'm happy.  I just hope I like them just as much!

let me tell you, I've been a TJ's girl since as long as I can remember.  My mom would take my sister and I after Sunday bagels at my Grandparents' house.  I loved running around the store picking out clothes and trying them on... most Sundays anyway.  I have carried on the tradition until moving to NC.  No TJ's.  :(  I know Marshall's and TJ's are sisters or cousins maybe, but I still love the feel of a TJ Maxx but Marshall's will have to do for now.

One thing I've noticed.  Their shoe selection is outstanding, but the bag section really needs to be overhauled.  I miss browsing through the purses and bags at TJ's...


Have you just been loving theBalm at TJ's and Marshall's?