Samantha fills out a Beauty Questionnaire

Hello, all. I apologize for having neglected my blog this week. I've been busy with rehearsals for Peter Pan at my local community theatre, so I haven't had a lot of free time, and I haven't been wearing my normal clothes (I'm wearing danceable stuff).

I've recently found a beauty questionnaire on the Sephora message boards, and I thought it would give you all an overall better view of where I'm coming from skin-wise and in the way of makeup preference if I filled it out.

SKINCARE
-What skin type do you have? Combination. Every once in a while it'll lean more toward dry, and sometimes (like now) it's more oily.
-How many times do you wash your face daily? Twice.
-What is your current facial wash? I just use the Dove White Beauty Bar.
-Do you exfoliate? Yes, generally at least once a week.
-What brand do you use? I use the Neutrogena Wave Exfoliating Pads.
-What moisturizer do you use? Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream. I also have a sample of Clinique Dramatically Different that's almost gone. But it's also good, and it's lightweight.
-Do you have freckles? Just a dusting across the bridge of my nose.
-Do you use eye cream? No.
-Do you or did you have acne prone skin? It was bad when I was a teenager, but it's under control now. I will get a breakout occasionally, but it's good overall.
-Did you ever use Proactiv? I've tried the Blackhead Dissolving Gel (which didn't work for me), but otherwise, no.

MAKE-UP
-What foundation do you use? I generally don't use foundation. I generally just use concealers. But I do like Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB.
-How about concealer? Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circles and Maybelline FitMe
-Do you know your undertone color? I think blue. But I'm not 100% sure.
-What do you think of fake eyelashes? I personally don't wear them, but I think they're a fun thing for a special event.
-Did you know that you are suppose to change your mascara every 3 months? Yes. But I don't always do it.
-What brand of mascara do you use? Benefit They're Real!, a sample of Smashbox Photo Op, and L'Oreal Voluminous
-What makeup tools do you use in make up application? Foundation brush (for powder), blush brush, eyebrow/mascara brush, cotton cosmetic applicators, eyeliner brush, eyeshadow brushes, lip brush (on occasion), blending sponge
-Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes? Yes. If I'm wearing shadow, I'll use the e.l.f. Shadow Primer. It's supposed to be a near-exact dupe for the Urban Decay Primer Potion. If I'm not wearing shadow, I'll just use concealer on my lids.
-What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)? That's really hard to choose. I'll have to go with black because I love the drama it creates. But I also love both neutrals and vivid colors.
-Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner? Both. But lately, I've been skipping liner for my daily look. It's probably because I've been working in the morning and I have a hard time waking up, so I don't have a lot of time to do makeup.
-How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil? Never. But I've poked my eyes with mascara wands.
-What do you think of pigment eyeshadows? I've never used a pigment eyeshadow, but I've used powder blush, and while I like the product, I hate the mess it makes.
-Do you use mineral makeup? No.
-What is your favorite lipstick? Rimmel, Revlon, L'Oreal
-How about lipgloss? Rimmel Stay Glossy and Nyx Butter Gloss.
-What is your favorite blush to use? NYX

-Do you buy your makeup on ebay? No, but I got my e.l.f. Studio Blush in Gotta Glow from Amazon because I couldn't find it in local stores, and as an eBay fan, I'm not completely against getting makeup there.
-Do you like drugstore makeup? Yes. Most of my makeup is drugstore.
-Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets) No
-Did you ever consider taking make-up classes? I took a stage makeup class in college as a requirement for my musical theatre degree. But I've never thought about taking a class for cosmetics.
-Are you clumsy in putting on makeup? Every once and a while, I'll still goof near the eyes. My hands could be steadier. But the rest of the face is fine.
-Name a makeup crime that you hate? Not blending bronzer well enough...and I saw a woman recently whose lip look consisted of only red lip liner around the lips. That was icky.
-Do you like colorful shades of makeup? Yes. I love to play with them.
-Which celebrity always has great make up? Love her or hate her...(I love her, as you know)...Lady Gaga does some hella cool stuff with makeup. I like a lot of Emma Watson's looks. Cara Delevingne has worn a lot of cool looks, but I don't always like the way her eyebrows are done. And...while she's been gone a long time...Audrey Hepburn always looked amazing.
-If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item, what would you use? Mascara.
-Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on? Yes. I have on occasion, to do errands. But I prefer not to.
-Do you think you look good even without any makeup on? Sometimes. It depends on the day.
-In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line? I don't think there's a best. I have different things I like from different makeup lines.
-What do you think of Makeup?? I love makeup. I like creating different looks for each day. It's like art that you wear on your face. There's such fun in colors, like a bold lip or colorful eye. I am happy that I have makeup to enrich my life.


I hope you found my answers interesting. And if you take this survey, either leave it in the comments below, or link your survey in the comments. I can't wait to see what you write.

xx Samantha

October Favorites

It's November. I'm definitely sad that Halloween is over.

But you know what this means! It's time for another favorites post. Here are some of the things I've been loving this month:

Makeup:

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Pro Primer: I don't know what's happened to my skin lately, but it's been getting oilier. Having rarely used primer, I decided to pix up an inexpensive one to see if it would help. This stuff is great. It keeps skin matte longer. I don't find myself needing to reach for blotting strips nearly as much, and I'm less shiny. This product only retails for about $5.99, so it's a good deal for a nice primer. Definitely worth a try.

Nyx Powder Blush in Pinched: I wore this with my Halloween costume. It's a shimmery peachy-pink color that's similar to Nars Orgasm. It would work well on a variety of skin tones. The Nyx Powder Blushes are about $5 a pop. They have a clean powder finish without the mess of loose powder, and they go on fairly sheer. The one thing to watch out for is overdoing it - you can put on too much.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Bordeaux - This is a deep red shade. It's a really nice dark lipstick that's trendy without going too vampy. It also works well as a stain if you blot it. It doesn't dry out your lips, either - I like that about Rimmel lipsticks.

Fashion:

I've been wearing these stinkin' Target leggings and combat boots all the time. It's a problem. I need to step away.

Merona winter hat from Target - This thing has been a great thing to have. I throw it on when my hair looks bad, or sometimes I just like to wear it because it's cute. It'll come in handy as the winter months come, too.

What have you been loving lately? Let me know in the comments below, and don't forget to follow on Facebook or Bloglovin or subscribe via e-mail. The links for all these actions are on the side of the page.

xx Samantha

My Halloween Costume

Happy Halloween!

I'd like to start off by noting that Pleather and Polish now has a Facebook page, which can be found here. If you like my blog, please like the page or follow me on Bloglovin!

Now for my Halloween costume. This year, I was Ariel from The Little Mermaid. This was a great year to do this costume - because of the Blu-Ray/DVD release, there is a lot of TLM merch out and I scored this great wig in the toy department at Target!!

(Click to enlarge)

Wig - Target

Bra -Target

You may notice the "tail" (which really was just a skirt) is the dress from my second Closet Costume Challenge post. I just tucked the top half in.

The Sebastian plush is from my childhood.

(Click to enlarge)

I handed out candy to the trick-or-treaters. The only other princess I saw was a sweet little toddler dressed as Merida. The wig was much too big for her, and she wouldn't talk to me because she had seen a scary mask earlier that evening.

But what was funny is the parents liked my costume more than the kids did, despite the attempt by one mother to point me out to her child as "her favorite." The kids just wanted their darn candy.

But I do it for me, anyway. When I have children, I will be the mom that wears a costume when she accompanies her children.

Here's a closer, kinda glam, kinda awkward selfie so you can see my makeup:



(Click to enlarge)

Makeup used:

• Rimmel Fix and Perfect Pro Primer
• Maybelline Dream Fresh BB in Light
• Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Concealer + Treatment in Fair
• Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Fair (15)
• Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends in Clear
• Benefit Watt's Up! (highlighter)
• e.l.f. Studio Blush in Gotta Glow
• NYX Powder Blush in Pinched
• e.l.f. Essential Liquid Eyeliner in Black
• Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Liner Pencil in Pure White (on the inner corners)
• Benefit They're Real! Mascara
• Smashbox Photo Op Eye Brightening Mascara (I layer wet and dry formula mascaras for extra volume)
•  e.l.f. Essential Wet Gloss Lash and Brow Clear Mascara (on brows)
• Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic
• NYX Butter Gloss in Cherry Pie

Did you do anything to celebrate this year? Let me know and show me pics in the comments below!

xx Samantha

Closet Costume Challenge #2 - Demeter, Greek Goddess of the Harvest

My second venture into the world of closet costumes transformed me into Demeter, the Greek goddess of grain and the harvest. What's nice about dressing as a deity from any religion is that there are many different depictions and illustrations of them....so pretty much anything goes as long as your outfit reflects the character. I chose the color green and plant motifs, which are reflected in all the accessories. I believe the pin most resembles the harvest. :)

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

Dress - Goodwill

Scarf - Oscar de la Renta (vintage)

Flower crown - Icing

Earrings - Vintage

Ring - Forever 21

Pin - Vintage

Sandals - KMart

The lip gloss is Nyx Butter Gloss in Peaches and Cream.

Remember, if you try out any of these ideas, or if you create a Halloween costume solely from items in your wardrobe, leave pictures or messages in the comments below or on Twitter using the hashtag #PleatherandPolish. I would love to see your ideas!!

And, as Halloween grows closer, I will be sure to post a picture of my real Halloween costume...which was NOT made from items in my wardrobe. Halloween's almost here!!

Samantha xx

One Day I'll Fly Away

The weather is getting colder! I chose a bird-print sweater for my excursion this evening and I paired it with my trusty leggings and combat boots...I really need to move away from those things.

Sweater - Forever 21

Skirt - Forever 21

Leggings - Target

Boots - Target
Necklace - Charlotte Russe

Scarf - Vintage

Rings - Forever 21

Earrings - eBay (vintage)

I promise...the next post will be the second costume for the Closet Costume Challenge! I am working hard to make sure I'm creating costumes that won't be super common at parties.

See you then!

Samantha

Soft Grunge Girl

I love Pinterest. It's a great source for fashion inspiration. Somehow I found myself looking at soft grunge outfits today, and I wanted to put my own spin on it.

Totally posing on my brother's car without his permission. (click to enlarge)

Plaid shirt - Forever 21

Black T-shirt - Target

Shorts - Kohl's

Leggings - Target

 Boots - KMart

Rings - Forever 21

Other jewelry - eBay (vintage)

 





Do you like Pinterest? What inspires you lately? Let me know in the comments below.

xx Samantha

Chilly Day Chic

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Today was the first cool day we've had in a long time. It's finally starting to feel like fall, and of course that means longer sleeves and more layers. I pulled out the top that goes with the skirt from this post, grabbed my leggings and combat boots, and I headed out to get a wireless router and HDMI cables...my house now has Wi-Fi for the first time. It may seem silly to some, but it feels so sci-fi when you've never had this kind of technology before.

 

My brother and I also bought two new video games - Croc 2 for the PlayStation, which is the sequel to Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, which we loved as kids; and Pokémon Coliseum for the Nintendo Gamecube. It's been an electronics kind of day.

 

And this is what I wore. I can't go anywhere in sweatpants and I'm okay with that.

 

 

(Click to enlarge)

Top (part of a set) - Forever 21

T-shirt - Wet Seal (no longer available)

Skirt - Forever 21 (no longer available)

Leggings - Target

Boots - Target (no longer available)

Earrings - eBay (vintage)

Rings - Forever 21

 

 

The eyeliner is Wet n Wild Mega Liner in Turquoise.

 

 



Have you been able to pull out any of your leggings, sweaters, or other warmer clothes yet? What are your staples? Leave your answers in the comments below!

 

And stay tuned for more, including the next Closet Costume Challenge post.

 

xx Samantha