Beauty

[Oshare-girl]

I've been using some of Stowaway Cosmetics since they started a few years ago.  This is the brand that makes "right-sized" products, as in mini sizes so you can actually finish them.  I always thought they were kinda expensive for the size but the quality is actually pretty great.  I only buy from them when there is a sale.  But the last sale a few weeks ago had said something new is coming.  Well, the new has arrived.  It's not really new products but new pricing.

I'm not promoting the brand but take a look at their website if you have a chance.  They are claiming to be transparent in their costs and pricing.  They have dropped the prices of all their products a few dollars.  And they are showing the production costs for their products which also shows how much is "wasted" when we don't finish our products.  They don't include the operating costs, which someone mentioned in Instagram comments. But the basic premise is interesting. They claim that the costs are pretty much the same for luxury brands as well.  So we are looking at a 10-11 times markup.  When we don't finish these products, that's a big chunk of change wasted.

It's definitely added to my determination to not buy products until I need them.  I feel a little sick that I'm wasting so much "markup". This came at the right time for me as the Memorial Day sales are starting to pop up.  Nope, I'm not going to buy anything that I don't need today. There will be more sales later when I do need something.  And I'm not saying that I won't buy luxury items.  I just want to make sure that I use up what I buy.

[aprilskies]

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@Oshare-girl wrote:

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@aprilskies wrote:

@Oshare-girl, glad to hear you are okay and not affected. I cant believe what is going on in Hawaii. That is just crazy.  I cant imagine having hot lava come down the street. I feel for those folks.

@just bee - how is your decluttering going?

@geezerette - I hope you are doing well.  How is the monster dog?  Still watching over you?

To all the new posters - welcome. I hope you continue to post. I love to read everyone's stories. It always helps.

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@aprilskies Isn't it wild?  It looks like it's from a movie.  I haven't been to the Big Island for a while, but all the elementary and middle school kids go on trips for their Hawaiiana classes.  My kids are older now but I wonder what happened to this year's trips? Did the kids get to go? They usually stay at Kilauea Military Reserve dormitories which is right by the volcano. In Honolulu we are getting some of the vog when the southern winds are blowing. Other than that, we are like the rest of the world, watching in awe.

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@Oshare-girl, yes just crazy.  One video I caught did not show destruction just the fiery red orange lava coming down the road near trees filling the screen.  It was crashing like waves. It was almost soothing and mesmerizing until it dawned on me it was real. 

[aprilskies]

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@Oshare-girl wrote:

I've been using some of Stowaway Cosmetics since they started a few years ago.  This is the brand that makes "right-sized" products, as in mini sizes so you can actually finish them.  I always thought they were kinda expensive for the size but the quality is actually pretty great.  I only buy from them when there is a sale.  But the last sale a few weeks ago had said something new is coming.  Well, the new has arrived.  It's not really new products but new pricing.

I'm not promoting the brand but take a look at their website if you have a chance.  They are claiming to be transparent in their costs and pricing.  They have dropped the prices of all their products a few dollars.  And they are showing the production costs for their products which also shows how much is "wasted" when we don't finish our products.  They don't include the operating costs, which someone mentioned in Instagram comments. But the basic premise is interesting. They claim that the costs are pretty much the same for luxury brands as well.  So we are looking at a 10-11 times markup.  When we don't finish these products, that's a big chunk of change wasted.

It's definitely added to my determination to not buy products until I need them.  I feel a little sick that I'm wasting so much "markup". This came at the right time for me as the Memorial Day sales are starting to pop up.  Nope, I'm not going to buy anything that I don't need today. There will be more sales later when I do need something.  And I'm not saying that I won't buy luxury items.  I just want to make sure that I use up what I buy.

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@Oshare-girl, that was interesting and I totally agree.  Especially if you want to try a variety of things.  Everyone’s collections are too big these days to get through anything. 

I have been struggling with makeup lately. I am getting the urge to buy, not sure why.  So bought a concealor that I do need - sort of- but that hasn’t squelched the urge. ☹️   I don’t even use what I have so I am going to sit tight.  I think I will play with my collection a bit.  Hopefully that will take care of it.  Everything coming out just looks so pretty and I keep envisioning all of these looks that I will never get around to creating. 😆

[just bee]

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@KaySD wrote:

@just bee, mourning doves and ladders is a new one for me to add to my collection!

Well, all my plans just went south with the sudden death of my water heater. Water and dirt everywhere, and right at the start of a holiday weekend, of course. When did those darn things get so expensive, I wanna know? 

I had had a sudden inspiration to check into a hotel and take a nice ht shower, until I checked the price--299 a night at a Motel 6? Are they kidding me right now? 

So I'm tired, dirty, and let's see, oh yeah, grateful for the opportunity to practice equanimity. 

Have a great holiday weekend, everyone! 

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@KaySD

I can tell you when the price went up.  It was about 36 hours before we replaced ours.

Ours lasted longer than we expected but the suspense was killing me.  I decided I couldn't wait for it to give up the ghost so we just went ahead and replaced it.

Now we're looking at the fridge.  Tick-tock, tick-tock...

[just bee]

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@Oshare-girl wrote:

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@just bee wrote:

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And that's right.  Jojoba is a wax. And the price has become ridiculous! My first bottle lasted so long that when I went to repurchase it, I was shocked at the price.

I just finished a mini of the Drunk Elephant marula oil. I don't see the hype... It's a thicker oil than what I prefer on my face so I ended up using it on my body.  Kinda pricey to do that but I didn't want it to go bad.  One thing going for Drunk Elephant is their packaging.  It is so clever.  Gets me every time.  

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@Oshare-girl

I was just looking at the Drunk Elephant website.  Before that I was watching coverage of the volcano.  I don't know which was more horrifying: Lava destroying everything in its path or the price of an ounce of marula oil.

Are you kidding me?  They want $72 for an ounce of oil?  I thought $7.99 (50% off) for Acure's marula was steep.

More proof that I am ancient.  We were talking about college tuition last night at work and when I said I paid $69 a quarter for a university education my coworkers looked confused.

I probably had the same look when my mother told me her father struggled to pay his mortgage during the Depression.  A crushing $17 a month.

I can't even get a pizza for $17.

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@just bee Oh yes, the cost of the DE marula oil is ridiculous! I got mine in a kit so it wasn't too painfully pricey. I can't recommend the product, especially for THAT price.  I'm still enjoying squalane oil, the Timeless one that is nice and affordable. And my current favorite is Jordan Samuel's Etoile with Retinol oil for night use.

My DD just finished her freshman year of high school.  College is looming in the near future.  We have been saving but in reality, we probably only have enough for 2 years IF she gets a good amount of scholarships and grants. It's a shame that education has to cost a lifetime of savings. And forget getting a PhD for a field like social work.  Why would anyone do that?? You are never going to make enough from your career to justify the cost of that PhD. How do these people do it? They have such big hearts to care for others and hopefully huge wallets to take care of themselves.

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@Oshare-girl

It's funny.  BH and I were talking last night and somehow the conversation took a turn and he described what it would have been like if we had had kids.  In his minimalist way, he summed it up in three words:

"Homeschool, trade school."

I have three degrees and three completely different experiences: University education away from home (Bachelor of Arts), community college (Associate of Science in Nursing?) and online program (Bachelor of Science in Nursing).

My university still sends me email and magazines -- and calls me begging for money.  I don't even recognize that school anymore.  They've done away with many of their traditional majors -- the ones that drew students to them back when I was looking at schools.

A few years ago they axed their nursing program.  Now my community college is trying to phase out theirs.  I don't even remember if I have an ASN, AASN or ADN from them at this point, but whatever they were selling then they're trying to make it go away now.

Why?  Because nurses are pushed into one degree program after another.  Most nurses now can't get hired without at least a BSN or with the agreement they'll complete one soon after hire. 

I have a problem with this.  We keep hearing about the nursing shortage crisis (yes, yet another crisis for you to wring your hands about) and all I want to know is this: How does eliminating the Associate degree program help that shortage?

They've already eliminated the old diploma program.  There was a time a person could become a nurse practically out of high school.  The older nurses -- the ones who are diploma or Associate degree holders -- are forced to go back to school at a time when they're struggling to put their kids through it.

If tuition costs have skyrocketed and students have to work while they attend class, a degree can drag on for years.  It took me less time (and less money) to earn a university degree with a double major, a minor and a teaching credential than my Associate degree.

If that's the case and older nurses are forced into retirement and younger nurses are still in school, who's actually in the hospitals taking care of patients?

[just bee]

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@Oshare-girl wrote:

I've been using some of Stowaway Cosmetics since they started a few years ago.  This is the brand that makes "right-sized" products, as in mini sizes so you can actually finish them. 

@Oshare-girl

And that's why I was attracted to e.l.f. products.

And I still can't get through those!

[just bee]

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@aprilskies wrote:

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Oshare-girl, that was interesting and I totally agree.  Especially if you want to try a variety of things.  Everyone’s collections are too big these days to get through anything. 

I have been struggling with makeup lately. I am getting the urge to buy, not sure why.  So bought a concealor that I do need - sort of- but that hasn’t squelched the urge. ☹️   I don’t even use what I have so I am going to sit tight.  I think I will play with my collection a bit.  Hopefully that will take care of it.  Everything coming out just looks so pretty and I keep envisioning all of these looks that I will never get around to creating. 😆

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@aprilskies

I had that urge earlier in the week when I saw that Walgreens had my wet n wild kohl liners on sale for 71 cents.

Clearly I spare no expense when it comes to my appearance.

Anyway, the urge passed.

[just bee]

You know, I'm really glad we removed the skylight on our patio.  If we hadn't, that mourning dove would be cooked by now.

I don't even know if there are eggs in that nest and I have no way to find out.

Can't climb up on a ladder to check out what's on top of my ladder, now can I?

Could be worse, I guess...

[just bee]

[aprilskies]

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@just bee wrote:

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@aprilskies wrote:

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Oshare-girl, that was interesting and I totally agree.  Especially if you want to try a variety of things.  Everyone’s collections are too big these days to get through anything. 

I have been struggling with makeup lately. I am getting the urge to buy, not sure why.  So bought a concealor that I do need - sort of- but that hasn’t squelched the urge. ☹️   I don’t even use what I have so I am going to sit tight.  I think I will play with my collection a bit.  Hopefully that will take care of it.  Everything coming out just looks so pretty and I keep envisioning all of these looks that I will never get around to creating. 😆

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@aprilskies

I had that urge earlier in the week when I saw that Walgreens had my wet n wild kohl liners on sale for 71 cents.

Clearly I spare no expense when it comes to my appearance.

Anyway, the urge passed.

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@just bee,  LOL!!!!!   I managed to wait out my urge and it felt really good. The only thing I bought was the concealor.  I had a couple things in my grubby little hands but I put them back where I found them. Awesome. 

I just reorganized my mu and just did a deep cleaning on my dirty brushes.  It feels so good when those brushes are clean.  Why then do I procrastinate.   I finally got sick of it being on my to do list, I just got up and got to it. 

I also finally cleaned off my off my dining room table and finally put my computer monitor together.  I even rearranged my kitchen and storage room some. It was a productive weekend, I just hope I can keep the momentum.  It feels good and I am liking that things are looking less cluttered. 

I hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend.  Saturday was nice but Sunday rained pretty hard in the morning and then tapered off.