I used the LA Colors Beauty Pots in Love Triangle and Trifecta today as the main characters, and the darkest shade from Marie Claire Eyebrow & Hairline powder in the crease as well black shade from LA Colors Smokey palette in “Supernatural”.

I didn’t show yesterday’s look because the gray shade in the LA Colors 4 Color Baked Eyeshadow “Nightlife” created a HAWT mess, and not in a good way. It migrated everywhere and wasn’t up to par to share.

I’ll elaborate as soon as I can, but today’s eyeshadow is a great improvement from yesterday’s!

I figured it would be easier to lay out what I exactly did than be caught up in my explanations. I was overthinking when I’d say I’ll write up the steps, so I hope this is clearer.

What do you think?

WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS I was opening up the blush to swatch tomorrow, and since my nails are long, I usually open it up with tweezers but since I didn’t have tweezers nearby, I used my teeth and I didn’t expect for it to be so WELL FILLED where the product went SPLAT!!! inside my mouth, on my palm, so it’s as dusty as dusty pink in 2012-2014! This is a golden era Tumblr pink!

I wasn’t even squeezing the damn tube yet a 5th of it ended up on my teeth! Pro or con??

I don’t know.

Well filled, shimmer underneath as you blend (hard to see, I’ll try to photograph better tomorrow) and I’ll have to find out how I’d use something so dusty.

I was so confuzzled leaving work today, because it’s usually tumbleweeds on the way there and in the parking lot, and I’m like, “WHAT is going on?? It’s like Monday traffic here,” then I see cards and balloons and feel silly I forgot what the day was.

Sundays I usually have no traffic, free time to browse without shoulder bumping and a wide selection, but no, it looks like a tornado went through there and most things were gone since this was no normal Sunday.

Before I went to checkout, I went BACK to the basics that weren’t empty since I try new things to see if it helps with skin or burns my face off, since I rather have a hard time at Dollar Tree with everyone else grabbing in bulk than buying something more mainstream, and same results of helping or burning my face.

Since the psychology with buying something cheap, if it burns your face it’s because it’s cheaply made and low quality.

The psychology for premium to expensive and burns your face, the actives or ingredients were too strong, so what the F??

That thinking is outdated now.

Happy Sunday (my Monday) and happy Mother’s Day if you’re a mother, and to your mother, whether biological or chosen!

I’ll have to write up how I used the 4 palettes after work as usual (and 2 DT runs) but shimmer palettes by itself aren’t my strong suit since I usually do a solid color + shimmer color, not a shimmer as a base and more shimmer.

My powder is kind of bright today but hopefully the TN heat will melt it in 😂 and I did try the aloe soothing mist as setting spray, but after my normal setting spray in case anything melted off, but it melted in my makeup more, and left a tacky feel.

Talk to you all later!

I’m getting ready for work tomorrow since your Sunday is my Monday so Fridays are my Saturdays 😂😂 the cloth is from drying my makeup brushes.

You may think “BAAWDDY lotion you use on your face??”
Yes, yes I do. The textures are of a thick face lotion, since if they repackaged those same BODY lotions as face lotions in a smaller pump bottle, y’all would still buy it! I spread everything I use downwards anyways.

The rest is upstairs in my bathroom or nightstand. “Whaat?? More?? What about for everyone else?? No one can use all of that, you have 1 body” These aren’t* *scarce, especially the lotions, so you can buy the same.

In case it wasn’t apparent, I’m vain, sorry to spoil it for ya and I decreased my discretionary spending with Dollar Tree products, and you can too!

It really started last year when the car I had for 7 years broke down due to transmission issues, after I spent $150 on 2 new tires for it to go downhill (literally, rolling back in traffic, tires squealing when attempting to accelerate, the transmission knocking back & forth against the frame) and literally the same year my grandma passed unexpectedly, not sick AT ALL.

I understand when people have major events (because 2025 was horrible, on the 23rd day my parent got laid off 2 weeks before her 24th job anniversary and the 24th day grandma passed) and financial setbacks usually mean you have to cut back, stop the fun and wants, full survival mode, compounded by grief and I told myself “no, you’re not going to race to the bottom and give in to a setback.”

I chose even longer, extravagant nails and wore more makeup than before because I didn’t want to associate pleasure and things I did before with scarcity and stress.

I built myself up from the VERY basic, the 1.88 store and improved my makeup skills I never honed because it was based on beauty store sales and if I was going to spend 2 hours of my check on light concealer or setting powders I didn’t know how to use, when there’s others who have looked put together for much less, because it’s based on TECHNIQUE.

The second picture is from last year when I finally caught on to laying my powder and misting.

3rd picture is from last year, 2 months after the 2nd pic, after I learned how to lay my setting powder and powder blushes well for a blurring effect.

I did get distracted telling my backstory.

That’s why I’m so passionate about this sub, because last year it began with cheap makeup, through that I mastered my concealer, bronzer, contour, powders and this year, Dollar Tree having both cheap makeup and skincare.

Just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean you’ll look cheap.

This is not your mother’s Dollar Tree 10 or 20 years ago and I’m sure not even 5.

It’s about the skincare prep, technique, your brushes/applicators, primers (my eyeshadow primer isn’t cheap, my pore blurring face primer is very very cheap) and patience.

If you’re feeling frustrated by DT makeup not laying how you expected, you’re on the right path! I promise.

Y’all know I buy skincare and makeup like it’s going out of style since I think in drag queen, and becoming the best caricature of myself I can be!

It’s not rolling out of bed 1 hour before I leave, a face mist, oil, serum, light face lotion, moisturizer and spf, then makeup. No! I am the whole show and do the works!

My skincare prep takes 45 minutes to an hour because BABY, I’m from Nashville and our 4 seasons change by the day, my car barely blows cold air when it’s HOT outside and work blows dust at me 40 hours a week, yet my MAKEUP LASTS!!! The prep matches what I expect!

I have dry, sensitive skin and I saw this mist the last couple times I went to DT, but I was like, “no, I won’t even spend $1.25 on something that’s going to be scented like aloe vera but filled with alcohol, fragrance and water,” and I was so wrong.

The smell upon first impression was a doozy.. dark cucumber detergent since it has cucumber, liquorice and aloe vera extracts that until now I realize aren’t artificial fragrance (until the bottom of the ingredient list that is fragrance) and the scent lingers for 3-4 minutes.

It sprays in a fine mist, grips and adheres to the skin well, mattifies (ain’t even a word), soothes due to the additional calendula extract and is very hydrating. I’d probably buy 2 every DT visit (I use a heck of a lot of mists)

I was afraid when spraying it on my face, it would react like I kicked an angry beehive but no!

They need to make this in a serum, oil, lotion, mask!

IT IS SO HYDRATING! I can’t believe it’s $1.25!!

I don’t use it by itself since it seals in whatever’s underneath it and I rather it not seal in ashiness.

I spray this in my hands to mix in with my other face mists like Dermasil Hydra Mist and (non-DT) rosewater and oils, like Dermasil Oatmilk Restorative Facial Serum AND also Dermasil Face Serum Oil w/ virgin marula + ceramides, then onwards and onwards, I can make a post on my full skincare prep routine if you want (it’s 97% DT products) and would be pretty long!

I bought the B. Pure Fresh Fig Scented Feminine Body Wash yesterday, and tried it last night only on my body.

Last night is the last time I’ll ever use this! It does have the feminine wash scent & base, but it foams like a son.. and my opinion of it is that it’s a bubble bath masquerading as a feminine wash.

I am SO glad I didn’t even try it down south because FIRST I never smelled fig in it and second, as it rinsed down in the shower, certain spots on my body were like “👀👀??? What is you doing??”” And became EXTREMELY itchy!

Like on my ankle, elbow and any parts of my skin that had a scratch or itch, itchier than an MF! I

After I stepped out of the shower, I used the Smart Care Aloe Vera Soothing mist all over, then like 6-10 drops of the Dermasil Oatmilk Restorative Face Serum on damp skin (from someone’s comment yesterday for what they did for their daughter that has eczema, I was like, “yesss queen let me try that,”) on the affected areas, and they stopped itching, and that was that!

I was more frustrated that it didn’t smell like fig and I got hoodwinked 😂😂 Just soapy bubbles and like other feminine washes or wipes watered down!

I used Marie Claire Eyebrow & Hairline Powder Medium-Dark with the lightest on my lid, middle on the crease and darkest also on the crease. I went over it with the metallic Black from L.A. Colors 4 Color Baked Shadow “Nightlife”

On the crease again, I dotted the whitish silver from** Nightlife **in the middle of the crease to the lid! On the lid I went over it with very light passes of the La Mercerie Sunlight Bronzer (it’s very silky yet powdery, light passes) as well as a light dip of every color from L.A. Colors Baked Shadow in “Praline” across the lid.

I then did a moderate pat on the middle of my lids with the powder from L.A. Colors Sculpting Duo.

I was planning on using the metallic black shade from L.A. Colors “Nightlife” palette and the Marie Claire Eyebrow & Hairline Powder Medium-Dark on my lids, but it didn’t lay down (don’t get me wrong, it’s vibrant and shows up, I’d use this palette for a nude look) solidly like I thought since it is very powdery.

Only the darkest shade laid down like a high quality shadow because it’s both a powder and clay-like in texture.

I may try the light-medium Marie Claire Eyebrow & Hairline Powder’s** **darkest shade to replicate the high end finish I thought every color would hold.

I used L.A. Colors Beauty in Bloom collection Highlighter in “Whimsy” on my cheekbones, forehead and chin. I didn’t show the swatch yesterday (last pic), but it’s 2015-17 rose gold in a nutshell! I was too young then to indulge in the beam highlighters in their heyday!

Again, I’d buy the same medium-dark MC palette again and I’d recommend you buy it as well but for my work where it’s dusty and giant fans blasting in your face, I don’t want to look windswept in a bad way or “Who Did It and Why??” when I’m going to Dollar Tree after 😂😂 and I always have editorial finishes.

Happy Saturday!!

I See a High End Look in Your Future!🔮

Ooooo these are going to be so scrumptdiddlyumptious I’m going to use the baked black shadow on the crease!!!

But beware, I did notice one popped out of the pan when I was in the store (5TH picture) 👀 the more you know 🌠

Why pay celebrity MUA brand prices for a sculpting shadow palette when you can pay $1.25??

Choose your skin shade range and voila!

I’m not sure what to say, except it’s surprising it’s $1.25! I’m impressed by the pigmentation and that I wasn’t digging & packing it on!

I’m surprised!

I bought L.A. Colors Beauty Pot Eyeshadows in shades Love Triangle and Trifecta, and they do have an ultra soft texture and finish.

I wouldn’t say they have smooth like butter finish, (they are NOT gritty in the least bit) but more like a dry oil or aged silk satin fabric. These would give a great high end finish if blended with darker shades!

L.A. Colors Eyeshadow palette in Playful is definitely K-Beauty inspired!

I picked it up because it had pink shadows honestly although the packaging looked boring, and once I swatched it, I was like WOW this looks like something I’d pay $23 (and import duties 🫩 + tax) for from a proxy site! Don’t judge a book by its cover!!

I finally got Marie Claire Smokey Delights to blend without using a non-DT palette, by dipping in the Marie Claire Translucent Setting Powder between powder applications. What I had to do with dip in the setting powder, pack the shadow on the brush including the highlight shade, and pack and pack and pack for 10-12 minutes… for it to pill up 5 hours later.

At first for the demonstration, I was doing it on my right eye but switched to my left since it was clearer on my left eye (yes I have 5.8 lashes) and laid it out. The stone shades have a mind of their own and migrated everywhere 🥲 I didn’t do my brows today since I was getting them waxed after my nail appointment.

I’m shocked my blush today was so stark, but I remembered I didn’t have my heater on in my room for everything to melt in between powdering and misting, I *gasped* seeing it on camera.

I was so happy that the first store I stopped by had the SOL De Janeiro dupes, as well as the XtraCare Hydro Plus Hydrating Cleansing Gel. The face makeup products except for the L.A. Colors “Beauty in Bloom” collection highlighter in “Whimsy” and 2 foot glazes are from there.
I noticed when I came across the baked shadows, one fell out of the pan, so be cautious.

The second store had the Dermasil D. Elephant dupes, so I picked up 2 of each since I was in shock!! I saw the fig feminine body wash there and plan to only use it on me body. I give half to my mom since I’m the guinea pig for trying new products.

I’m curious what brand Skincare is supposed to dupe. I found the L.A. Colors Beauty in Bloom highlighter there, as well as the palette in “Enchanting”, but as soon as I was about to scan it, I noticed it was shattered and the last one! I huffed and puffed putting it on the counter.

The last store I went to, closest to me, only had the pre-shave foaming polish 😐 nuff said.

As you know, I think in drag queen, and skincare prep is a MAJOR part!! It takes 45 minutes to an hour to layer everything, since I do the whole caboodle of makeup:
• Underpainting liquid & serum blushes before foundation and brightening concealer
• Liquids to powder contour and bronzer
• Setting & translucent powders, misting over each layer
• 3 steps for brows
• Building up my eyeshadow and 5 steps for my liner to be ultra black
• Layering powder blushes, then HD setting powders and setting spray

I’ll let you know the results of the new things I picked up as I go through them!

Blushes also from Dollar Tree!! HEHE can’t wait until tomorrow’s spree!!

Edit: thank you for the award!!

I just found out my post didn’t upload 😐

I used many DT eyeshadow palettes and blushes (MC Natural Charm that’s not in frame, MC Smokey Delight, L.A Colors Plush Duo Blush, L.A. Colors Eyeshadows in Cottagecore) since I was planning on going for a Victorian look (but I got distracted and added a dark color to my crease) that ended up turning neo-Victorian. I did quite an editorial liner!

I did use some of my MAC Carbon eyeshadow (same one that I use as the foundation for my ultra black eyeliner) to get the contour shade and 2 stone shades from Marie Claire Smokey Delights to blend, because baby, it did not want to blend!

I’ll have to sit down and really write it out since I used so many colors but after my hair appointment (hair isn’t supposed to be crunchy 🫣) today!

Edit: I’m wondering what type of looks you’d like to see in the future! Tell me below!

From Left to Right: Coral, Peony & Plum

To get any visible color on my face, I’m swiping and swiping and swiping 5-6 times, but Plum is ideally the most vibrant on me.

Good news? These are well pigmented, cooling (if you care about that), an easy learning curve for beginners because it’s very buildable, and hey, it’s $1.25 and makes me wish I didn’t spend $4.99 on an ess*nc- blush stick since B. Pure is way more pigmented for less. I just prefer a clown blush coverage (to underpaint before foundation 🤡) to a natural flush which is why I do so many applications.

Bad news? These aren’t coming off my hand until lunch time tomorrow 😂 I’m glad I wear gloves for work!

Which colors have you tried??