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

Closet Costume Challenge - #1 - Betty Rizzo, Grease

Hello, beautiful people! Welcome to the first costume in the Closet Costume Challenge! In case you haven't read about it, this means that this month I'm creating Halloween costumes using items only from my own wardrobe! To read more about the CCC, click here.

Today's costume is Betty Rizzo from the musical/movie Grease. This costume is based on Rizzo's outfit from her first scene in the film ("We're gonna rule the school.")

Click to enlarge

Jacket - Charlotte Russe

Shirt - Wet Seal

Belt - Vintage

Skirt - Byergirl (I don't remember where I got it. I have had it since I was 12 or 13 and it still fits.)

Earrings - Vintage

Shoes - Calvin Klein (TJ Maxx)

None of these items are currently available in stores, but many of you likely have similar clothing. This outfit would basically work for all the Pink Ladies. You could switch out the black T-shirt and skirt with cream or peach versions if you wanted to be Frenchy. Personally, if I were going to be Jan or Marty, I would add some color or patterns (i.e., Jan's tartan skirt) to the outfit.

I added the earrings for a little flair, and I decided to wear black shoes instead of red because I thought they went with the outfit better.

What are you planning to be for Halloween? What kind of costumes would you like to see me try to make from my wardrobe? And if you create your own closet costumes, make sure to use the Twitter hashtag #pleatherandpolish.

I hope you're starting to get inspired for your next masterpiece! See you soon!!

xx Samantha

Black and White and Red all Over

 

Click photos to enlarge

Hello, everyone!! I was looking for a chance to wear this new skirt, so I decided on this fun but comfortable outfit for my trips to the DOT and the library today.

Shirt - Target (not currently available)

Skirt (part of a set) - Forever 21

Tights - JCPenney (no longer available)

Shoes - KMart

Earrings - eBay (vintage)

Necklace - my mother's (vintage)

Rings - Forever 21

Belt - vintage

Bracelet - Claire's (no longer available)

The lip color is Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon.

Hope you're having a great Wednesday!

Samantha

Closet Costume Challenge!!

Hey, everyone! Just letting you know that I'm starting a Closet Costume Challenge this month! I'm going to be going through my closet and seeing what Halloween costumes I can make just from items in my wardrobe!!

While I already have my Halloween costume planned out (Ariel from The Little Mermaid), I thought this would be a good idea to help broke college students or people who are invited to a party last-minute. You never know who's in your closet! Har har.

If you want to join in, please feel free to post what you create in the comments or on Twitter with the hashtag #pleatherandpolish.

See you soon with the first costume!!

xx Samantha

September Favorites

Hey, everyone! October is here, and you know what that means...

That means that I share with you what I've been loving this month.

Once again, all opinions are my own. Ain't nobody paying me to butter them up.

Bath/Body:

Lady Gaga Fame:

I could link you to an online retailer, but if you can get this at a Marshalls or TJ Maxx, you're really doing yourself a favor. If you really want to spend a lot of money, you can buy this most places where fragrances are sold.

For my mini-review/haul, click here.

Bath and Body Works Dreamy Vanilla Woods Shower Gel and Fine Fragrance Mist: 

(click to enlarge)

This product is not currently in production, but I don't feel like this would be a true "favorites" without me including it. You can probably tell from the picture that I've used over half the shower gel.

This stuff is what I use when I want something a little sweeter than Lady Gaga Fame. If you've ever used Warm Vanilla Sugar, this smells a lot less like dessert. In addition to vanilla, this scent incorporates white orchid and saffron. It's a little sexier than your basic vanilla, and I like that (while still loving the WVS).

Makeup:

Crummy swatches from left to right: NYX Maple Blondie, NYX Tiramisu, L'Oreal Fairest Nude. (click to enlarge)

Nyx Butter Gloss in Maple Blondie and Tiramisu: I love the Butter Glosses. They are lustrous, highly pigmented, smell like cookies, and they melt on your lips. Application is easy and the product feels good on your lips. There is a decent color range, too. Maple Blondie is a peachy pink, and Tiramisu is a caramel brown-based nude. I also have Cherry Pie, which is a red, but I prefer these two colors because when they melt, they blend more seamlessly with your neutral lip color. I would highly recommend these to anyone who likes a very pigmented, non-sticky gloss.

L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Lipcolour in Fairest Nude: This has got to be the creamiest lipstick I've ever used. It's a pinkish nude that is a bit lighter than my natural lip color, but it's closer to it than a brown-based nude (nothing wrong with a brown-based nude - see Tiramisu above!), which is nice for minimal makeup days. This lipstick is highly pigmented and looks good on a variety of skintones. It is a little drying, but nothing too serious.

Fashion:

Flower Garland Headwrap from Icing: I prefer headwraps and scarves to headbands. I have a pixie cut, so hard headbands hurt my head. This has become one of my favorite hair accessories. It's so soft and pretty, and it makes me feel like a princess or the Greek goddess Demeter.

Ring set from Forever 21: (I can't find the link to these, but they should still be in stores)

(click to enlarge; nail polish is Orly Nail Lacquer in Haute Red)

I love the woodsy, ethereal look to these. This is the first midi ring I've ever had, and I absolutely love the trend. The tips of the "twigs" don't poke, either. If I remember correctly, there is also a set in silver.

And that's my faves for this month! Have you used or purchased any of these products? If so, what do you think of them? Let me know in the comments!

xx Samantha

Social Media Mistakes Cosmetics Companies are Making

Obviously, makeup is one of my favorite things, and I love that we live in a day and age where we can keep up with our favorite cosmetics and beauty companies via social media. However, I have noticed that beauty giants really haven't gotten the hang of it yet.

Today's post is going in a different direction. I'm going to be talking about some of the biggest mistakes these companies are making on Facebook and other social media.

1. Posting pictures of a product without including the name or color.

This is one of the most common faux pas I've seen. All the beauty companies do it. They post a cute picture of a product with a slogan or a beauty tip, but they leave out a key piece of information.

For example, this photo was posted on the L'Oreal Paris USA Facebook page on September 27, 2013, with the caption "#ProTip: Your pretty fall nails are ripe for the painting. Go matte."

Original source

Wow! This nail polish is beautiful! I would love to have it for my collection!

But wait a minute...this post isn't telling me what the color is. What is the purpose of this photo if it isn't an advertisement? You would think companies would be jumping at the chance to sell more nail polish, but posts like this often prod people to ask for the color name in the comments box.

2. Responding to complaints/criticism with copy-and-paste responses.

One of the most frustrating things is leaving a complaint on a beauty company's Facebook page and receiving a generic response. They generally use the same message for everyone - they give you a customer service phone number if you didn't like a product or offer you a coupon/similar product if your favorite item was discontinued. The only thing unique between messages is the insertion of your name.

Either way, you can tell they didn't really read your post. Which leads me to:

3. Failing to understand the customers' wants and needs.

For the most part, I like Maybelline, but they are making a HUGE mistake with their customers on Facebook. This caught my attention even though I have never tried the product at the center of this debacle.

Floods of people are posting about their disappointment with the discontinuation of the PureStay powder foundation. Maybelline keeps posting the same cut-and-paste response to anyone who voices their disapproval - "Hey name, from time to time we have to discontinue products to make room for new ones. If you loved PureStay, we recommend checking out our new FIT me Foundation. http://www.maybelline.com/FitMe.aspx If you'd like to talk to someone directly please call us at 1-877-456-5287. We hope this helps!"

If the commenter states that they don't like the FIT Me, Maybelline leaves a similar message, but this one begins with "Hey name, sorry to hear that you're upset! From time to time we have to discontinue products to make room for new ones."


Maybelline has also been offering coupons to disgruntled customers. They don't want the coupon. They want their PureStay. Maybelline hasn't addressed the fact that they are being overrun with posts about PureStay. They just continue to offer the generic response.

Obviously, none of this is going to help. Never underestimate the power of a pissed-off woman. People are starting to switch brands and even boycott Maybelline because of their inability to communicate with their customers via Facebook. You would think that it wouldn't be difficult to hire someone who could offer real assistance. For the sake of good customer service, they definitely should.

Have you ever had any problems with cosmetics companies on any social media outlet? Do you notice any other mistakes they're making? Leave your responses in the comments below.

xx Samantha

Bargain alert!! Lady Gaga Fame and Orly Nail Lacquer

Lady Gaga is not paying me to rave about her perfume. I really love her so I'll do it for free.

My go-to fragrance right now is Lady Gaga Fame (although I'm also digging the Dreamy Vanilla Woods fine fragrance mist from Bath and Body Works). It's dark, sexy and sweet without being overpowering. I have the  .5 fl oz rollerball and the 1 fl oz bottle.

Haus Laboratories, the "fragrance institute" behind Lady Gaga Fame, describes the perfume as "the first ever black eau de parfum," and the notes are "tears of belladonna, crushed heart of tiger orchidea with a black veil of incense, pulverized apricot and the combinative essences of saffron and honey drops."

A unisex fragrance, Lady Gaga Fame appeals to fragrance fans and Little Monsters alike.

Now on to my SCORE.

I swear, the box doesn't look this dirty in person! (click to enlarge)

....and...it looks dirty here too. (click to enlarge)

I found this gift set at Marshalls. It contains a 3.4 fl oz eau de parfum and a 6.7 fl oz body lotion.

Just for reference, I bought my rollerball at Sephora for $19.99, and the 1 fl oz bottle can retail anywhere from $29.99 - $42, depending on where you get it. The 3.4 fl oz bottle sells for $65 at Sephora.

And this baby was only $34.99. Yes, you read that correctly. Boom. CHA-CHING. Needless to say, I will not be buying Lady Gaga Fame at Sephora or mass merchandise stores anymore...:)

(click to enlarge)

I also found this two-pack of Orly Nail Lacquers at TJ Maxx for $6.99, which is awesome considering you can get one of them for $8 at Ulta. This package contains Ruby (left) and Haute Red, both of which should be great colors for fall.

This has rekindled my love for TJ Maxx and Marshalls, and I will definitely be frequenting them for beauty products. What have you found there or in similar stores? Leave your answers in the comments below!!

xx Samantha

Review: Revlon Colorstay Longwear Nail Enamel in Trade Winds

This summer, I was one of the winners of the Revlon Pacific Coast Color Story Contest on Pinterest. (To view my winning board, click here.) I won the entire Pacific Coast Collection by Gucci Westman, and I'm still using these products this fall.  The products in the line range from great to tolerable. One of the latter products is the Colorstay Longwear Nail Enamel.

The colors are nice - I received Jungle, Seashell, Trade Winds, and Sunburst.  Trade Winds, the color I'm wearing right now, is a beautiful beige that somehow manages to have both pink and yellow (but mostly yellow) undertones. It lives up to its promise of lasting a long time, but it bubbles easily, takes a long time to dry, and dries soft. This makes it easy to smudge or indent.

Trade Winds on my nails. (Click image to enlarge)

This is a nice color, and I'll continue to wear it (especially because it was free), but if you're in the market for a quality beige polish, you can do better, even if you just go for a polish in the standard Revlon line. I'd give this product about a 3 out of 5 stars.

Have you tried these polishes? Are you a fan? How did they hold up for you? Let me know in the comments below.

xx Samantha

Welcome to Pleather and Polish!

Hello, beautiful people!

My name is Samantha, and I'm the fashion and beauty fanatic behind this new blog. My goal is to provide my fearless and edgy outlook on style. I'll show you my favorite trends and how to wear them as well as some outfits and looks of the day. When it comes to makeup and beauty products, I'll steer you towards the good and push you away from the bad and the ugly. And I promise to do so with a sense of humor and a sincere desire to consider your requests for new content!

Look for new posts coming soon, and if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them in the comments below!

And don't forget to link your blogs so I can visit you back.

xx Samantha