What's in my bag?

Time again for my monthly "What's in my Bag?" feature where I tell you about the beauty products in my purse at the moment. The handbag above is actually not my bag (this is a Fossil bag that you can find here for $142) but I have a very similar hobo in brown that I got at Mervyn's (RIP) before it closed for about $15.

So, not too many additions or subtractions from last month's bag, however I do want to tell you about some new things that I'm liking very much at the moment.

1) Revlon ColorStay Pressed Powder in "Light". Why did it take me so long to try this? This powder leaves such a lovely finish on the skin and even though it does have pigment, it doesn't leave too much color on the skin (it really wears more like a translucent powder) and it sets your foundation no matter what product you're using. I've used it with Cover Girl Aqua Smooth foundation, I've used it with Prestige Wet/Dry Powder Foundation, and I've of course used it with ColorStay foundations and the result is always the same. It's never cakey, it's never chalky; it's just a nice, smooth "seal" to your foundation. "Light" is a perfect match for my NC20 skin, and I highly recommend giving this a try, especially in the warm months ahead when makeup tends to melt.

Also: Definitely throw away the horrible puff that comes with the compact and use a nice makeup sponge instead. I like getting my sponges at Japanese specialty stores such as Marukai and Mitsuwa. They have the BEST sponges and you can get a 2-pack for $1. These sponges are far better than any kind I've purchased at the drugstore because they never shed (even after several washings) and they help apply your makeup very evenly.

2) I really struggled with mentioning this next product but I feel that I must. I hope it doesn't offend anyone, but really my goal for this blog is to help my readers in any way possible, and I think that this just might help some out so I'm going for it.

I was a product-tester for a while, and a few years ago I was given a "toilet drop" product to review. At first I thought, "toilet drop?" What the? But then after reading the fine print, I understood its use. You add a few drops of this liquid into the toilet before you do your business and all odors are eliminated. Now, I hope I haven't offended anyone by mentioning this, but if you are new to a job and share a small restroom with your fellow employees, this can be a potential lifesaver. Or what if you're a guest at someone's home and someone's waiting outside in the hall to use the restroom after you? I can think of many scenarios where something like this could come in handy, so that's why I'm sharing it. :)

Some of the "toilet drop" products currently on the market have some really awful names (given the tacky name of the product I tested, it's no surprise that I cannot even locate that product on the internet now). But one of them, "One Drop" sold at Marukaiestore.com, is probably the least obnoxious of all, and actually has the lowest price of any toilet drop product I could locate on the internet ($4.85). I don't know about you, but "One Drop" sounds a heck of a lot better than Poo-pourri (no, I'm not joking), Poof Drops or Fresh Throne. "One Drop" is pretty simple: It's a tiny bottle that slips discreetly in your bag, it smells like mint and one or two drops is all you need to avoid an embarrassing moment.

Moving on...

3) New Orbit Mist Gum. I am an absolute sucker for any and all new chewing gums. I've tried every flavor of Orbit on the market (Mint Mojito and Sangria Fresca being my favorites) so when "Orbit Mist" came out I was embarrassingly excited to give it a whirl.

Um, what a letdown! According to the ads, Orbit Mist "contains Micro-Bursts(TM) to deliver a hydrating sensation to consumers". I guess I was expecting some kind of mini-explosion in my mouth, but all I got was regular Orbit gum with a few sand-like particles mixed in. Ick. Yes, I'm still going to chew it until I'm finished with the pack, but I will not repurchase. Just wanted to pass that along to my fellow gum junkies out there.

That's it for this month. If you've tried any of these products, leave me a comment and tell me what you think!