The dirty truth about washing your brushes.

   If you use makeup brushes, I'm sure you've noticed that there are a lot of opinions about how to clean your brushes and what to use. Sigma just came out with a $40 silicone oven mitt to scrub your brushes with, if you're curious about what the market for this type of thing is like. Beauty companies know you have to do this, and they have no problem charging you too much money to do it. While almost all of them will certainly work, I personally don't think it's worth throwing a ton of money at. After going through some pricier products, I've found one that is perfect for me that I feel everyone should know about.


Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Soap: $2.99 for 2 floz.
   I purchased this little guy at my local piercing shop, but you can find it online as well as Target and Whole Foods. It does come in other scents, but for things that are going on your skin, I always opt for the sensitive/mild version. This bottle is very small, but you really need the tiniest amount. It's not diluted, and even the smallest bit creates a great lather. There's no residue to be left behind, which is definitely a plus. Here's a quick rundown of how I use this.

Step 1: Use lukewarm water and wet the bristles of the brush. It's not the end of the world if you get some on the ferrule (metal part) of the brush, but try not to. Getting too much water inside will eventually loosen the glue, and will turn your brush into a shedding animal.

Step 2: Squirt a bit of the soap into the palm of your hand, and start massaging the bristles into it. I like to do circular motions, working it into a lather. You'll notice right away that the soap will turn into whatever color you're washing off of the brush, and that's good!

Step 3: Rinse away the soap from the bristles until the water runs clean. For foundation brushes, I repeat the cleansing process, especially if it's a more long wearing formula. I like to squeeze out the excess water and soap, it won't hurt. Rest your brushes on a horizontal surface to dry (no wire hangers no vertical drying!) and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Have a drink, you earned it.

   Ease of use is important. If it's a pain in the ass then it's a chore that will be avoided, and you really don't want to avoid cleaning your brushes. No matter what product or method you pick, it should really be something that isn't a hassle. Especially if you're the type of person that has double digits worth of brushes to clean, don't make it more of a process than it needs to be.

Hello, my name is Sara, and I have too many video games. (Hi, Sara.)

My video game shelf. Gaze upon the void.

   Gaming, for me, has changed a lot since I was younger. I think most people can say that for various reasons, but for me the rate I play games has really slowed down. When I was little I'd get a game, which was bought by my mother, and I'd sit and I'd play it until I beat it. We were fairly comfortable financially, but I still wasn't allowed to get whatever game I wanted until I got everything out of the ones I already had. Fair enough, right? Fast forward, and I'm 26 and I currently own 82 games on various consoles. W h a t?

   Adults are busy. They go to work, they have social obligations, etc. Even when I have time to play games, I tend to do other things I need to do in that free time. Chores, errands, boring adult stuff. Or I'll be so tired from doing all my adult stuff that all I want to do is veg out in front of the computer/television for hours until it's time to go to bed. I buy a lot of games on sale, or even right when they're released sometimes in some cases. Two games off the top of my head that I bought at launch are Red Dead Redemption and Skyrim, neither of which I've finished. I'm also a creature of habit, if I don't play a game for a couple days it's very easy for me to get out of the habit of playing it, and I'll let it sit on the shelf for another 3 months before I remember to pick it up again.

   Recently, unfortunately, I became out of a job. Now I have absolutely too much free time, as opposed to small bits everyday. Obviously I'm spending a lot of time looking for work, but if I let it take up every waking moment I get a little bit stir crazy, so I decided to try and organize a system for getting through some of my backlog. In the process of looking for solution, I found a website called the Backloggery. You can input all the games you own that you need to finish, and it makes a visual representation of your terrible life choices. There's even a little part of the website that will let you randomize a game out of your collection to play, if you really don't know where to get started. You can check out my page here, and see how out of hand my life has gotten. There are plenty of people on this site that have triple and quadruple the amount of games that I do, which is something that I feel would just keep me up at night.

   Right now, I'm playing the newest game I've purchased, Lollipop Chainsaw. I've wanted it for a really long time, and I saw it for fairly cheap so I picked it up (despite my said problem). I really like Grasshopper Manufacture, they do great games, and this one's no exception. I take all the stress of being unemployed and put it to good use by Sparkle Hunting, ie. cutting apart zombies until rainbows come out. It's a fairly short game with a lot of collectibles, which is always a lot of fun for me. I'm a completionist at heart, and I like being able to try to beat scores and collect items and all that mindless stuff that achievements are made of.

  I thought this would be a cool thing to share, I don't think everyone knows about the website. Even if you don't have an absurd amount of games, it's good to be organized. I think it really helps to see a list of the games you need to play, especially if you're watching your budget. A lot of awesome games are coming out soon, but I'm not in the position to buy them, so it's good to "shop your stash." This also applies to makeup, too. Instead of going out and spending money you shouldn't be spending on a new game/book/movie/lipstick, go through all that crap you've barely touched yet! I have a shelf full of books I nabbed from Borders that were going out of business, I'm maybe 1/3 done with reading them. No more books for me either. One of the better things about being an adult is being able to buy whatever you want with no questions asked, but that can also get really out of hand. Having a lot of stuff is okay, as long as you're getting your use out of it.

My Lipsticks: Part I

   I never thought I'd be the type of person who wears lipstick regularly. I always thought it was an "old lady" thing when I was younger, something you didn't wear until you were someone's grandmother. When I was around 20, I decided to see what all the fuss was about, and ordered some of my first MAC lipsticks. I can't say I've been the same since, and I rarely do a full face of makeup and neglect to pick something out to put on my lips! My lipstick stash is into the double digits now, and while it's really fun to buy new ones, I think I'm done. I really want to use up some of them, and lipsticks can take a pretty long time to finish. The great thing about MAC is that you can give them 6 empty containers, and they give you a free lipstick out of the deal, which sounds like the perfect way to continue my everlasting circle of obsession. Challenge accepted.

L to R: Rebel, Dark Deed, Viva Glam I, Russian Red, Lady Danger, Craving, Ronnie Red

   Rebel: Probably the most used lipstick in this lineup, Rebel is one of my absolute favorite shades by MAC. It's a Satin finish lipstick, which is matte with a bit of a sheen to it. It's not as drying as the matte formula, but it also doesn't look super glossy on the lips. This is a color that will pull different on everyone, depending on your skin tone and lip color. On me it's a dark berry color, but I've seen it go more purple or pink on other people. I think it's vampy while still being a great everyday color. If people ask me what lipstick they need from MAC, this is usually my answer.

  Dark Deed [LE]: An Amplified shade, this is very opaque and creamy with a more glossy finish. Probably the darkest lipstick I own, I reach for it the least amount. I really love the look of it, but it's a bit of a pain to apply because sloppiness shows very easily with colors like this. It's a very dark brownish red, and unfortunately not available anymore. Media, also by MAC, seems to be it's closest cousin. I'm the kind of person that would wear this day or night, Summer or Winter. A lot of people would probably only pull out this kind of color in the Winter, but I think letting seasons dictate what colors you wear is kind of silly. Let your inner goth become your outer goth, I say.

   Viva Glam I: A Matte finish, dry lips beware! I really love matte shades, but your lips have to be in the right shape to pull these off. This was actually my first red lipstick, and is probably the reason I own so many today. It's a classic deep red, with some brown and blue undertones. It's considered a very universal shade, and if you're looking for a more grown-up red, I think this is perfect. The best part, is that every cent of the proceeds go to helping those around the world suffering from HIV/AIDS. That goes for the rest of the Viva Glam shades as well!

   Russian Red: Another Matte finish, I think this is a really iconic red color. It's a deep, vivid red, blue being the main undertone. Some would argue that blue reds are more for the pale skinned, but it's still considered a very universal color. Reds are a personal thing, you really need to try them to see if they will work for you. I consider this a fairly neutral red, so if you're looking to dive into the great wide world of bright red lipsticks, I really think this should be the first one you try.

   Lady Danger: Hey, another matte! Who would've guessed. This color is not for the faint of heart, if you're not comfortable with drawing attention to your lips this is the wrong shade for you. An extremely bright orange coral red, I think this color is best suited for warmer skin tones (there are always exceptions to color rules, however). And the name! I'm a sucker for names, and half the reason I even tried it was because it sounded like something a secret agent would wear. I almost always want someone to ask what I'm wearing, so I can tell them. Then they'll think I'm really cool, obviously.

   Craving: An Amplified Cream finish, I'm not sold on this being any different from the Amplified finish. It's a great plummy pink color, which I think is a staple. When you want something more subdued than a red or a deep berry, it's a great neutral shade to pull your look together. If you are afraid of shades like Rebel, I think this is a good starting point towards more bold lipsticks.

   Ronnie Red [LE]: My most recent lipstick purchase, thus being my last for quite awhile. It's a Matte finish red with a strong lean towards pink, with blue undertones. It's bright and vivid like Lady Danger, while still looking very classic like Russian Red. I think it's different enough to validate my purchase of it, but if I buy anymore reds I might be treading into the "these all kind of look the same" category. I also have to say that the lasting power of this goes well beyond my other reds, for whatever reason. This is also a limited edition shade, but MAC likes to re-promote colors like this under different names, so I wouldn't doubt seeing this again in the future.

L to R: Rebel, Dark Deed, Viva Glam I, Russian Red, Lady Danger, Ronnie Red, Craving

   Look at those pro swatches, my goodness. Someday I'll get the hang of it. Part II of my lipstick stash will be forthcoming at some point, as well as some reviews! I hope this was helpful in some capacity, thanks for reading. :)

Happy 2013! We made it!

   I've been getting a little traffic the last week or so, not sure why, but it made me feel a bit guilty about my lack of posts. I had all these grand ideas for posts to draft up last month, and life just kind of threw me for a loop! I spent a lot of time relaxing over Christmas, and then I found myself pretty quickly afterwards with a new job. So, between hastily leaving my old job and heavily training for my new one, I've been pretty tired with little free time. Not a lot of energy to do much at all, including blogging. So, for now I'll just give you a bit of an update. Now that I have a regular schedule, I hope to have some content up next week. Definitely some makeup posts!

   A friend came into town to visit around the holidays, and my boyfriend and I decided to join him in the terribly addicting hobby that is Magic the Gathering. I've been curious about the game for awhile now, and my boyfriend had played it when he was younger in the early 90s and was looking to try it again. We got some cards together, and I quickly found a new money-sink. It's a pretty in depth game, but to keep it short it's a competitive fantasy themed card game. You spend turns building up mana, which you use to cast spells and creatures, and the main goal is to get your opponent's health down from 20 to 0. I've been having a lot of fun with it, even though I don't really have anyone to play with other than my boyfriend. There are local stores that hold events on weekends, but I still feel like a terrible newbie, and that I'm not ready for that quite yet!

   I spent Christmas at the beach in Alabama with my boyfriend's family, which was really nice. Just to get out of town and relax, see new things. We went out of town last Christmas as well, and I think it's a fun tradition. We don't get snow down here in Georgia, so it's hard for it to feel like Christmas to me, but going to new places and making memories is a pretty good substitute. I almost stepped on a dead jellyfish, and we dodged some tornado weather. Pretty eventful, in my opinion.

   Watching TV is one of those things I have a hard time fitting into my day. I tend to come home late from work, so watching it before bed usually results in my rolling over halfway through an episode. However, my boyfriend has been watching a show on Netflix, and while I don't catch every episode (zzz) I'm pretty in love with it. Warehouse 13 is a Syfy original, which means it's totally cheesy  but in the best way. I love all the characters, and the history mixed with sci-fi aspect of it is really entertaining. It's about a secret branch of the government that keeps track of "artifacts," old items that hold special powers. For instance, Marilyn Monroe's hairbrush will turn your hair blonde, and Sylvia Plath's typewriter causes extreme despair to anyone around it.

   Also, to reward myself for getting a new job, I may or may not have bought myself Pokemon White 2. With the announcements for Pokemon X/Y taking over the internet, I felt I should catch up to the current Generation. The last game I played was SoulSilver, so there's a lot of new things to get used to, but it's really fun! I like playing it before I go to bed, really can't beat the portability of the DS. Though I still have plenty of DS games to finish, as well as XBox games... and PS3 games...... and PC games. I need to stop buying games.

   So, that's really all I've been up to lately! Getting settled into my new job, sleeping, watching Netflix, and playing Pokemon. I am a proper adult, my mother would be very proud.

Icona Pop + Marina & the Diamonds at Center Stage Atlanta

  I remember standing in a local pizza shop, waiting in line, looking at the wall of posters for upcoming local shows. Never did I ever think I would see Marina's name on any of those posters. Of course I immediately ran home (after getting my pizza, of course) to buy my tickets.

  Wednesday the 12th was the big day. We ended up getting to the venue a bit late, since I had to wait for my boyfriend to get off work, and we squeezed into the crowd just as Icona Pop was starting to perform. I hadn't heard of them previously, but I ended up getting really into their performance. It was hard not to, they were really enthusiastic and awesome to watch, and they sounded great. Funnily enough, the evening after the concert my boyfriend admitted to listening to their songs on his own. They definitely left a lasting impression.

  I'm not very good with words, truthfully, so I probably can't do Marina's performance any justice. She sounded absolutely amazing, which is no surprise, but I was still pretty blown away. She sounds great on her albums, on acoustic songs I've heard on YouTube, but it doesn't prepare you for how powerful and beautiful her voice is in person. I'm not a dancer by any means, but surrounded by a bunch of energetic fans, I was eventually covered in sweat with a hoarse voice. She sang all of my favorite songs, and being able to sing along with her is something I'll always remember. I pretty much lost all my cool at the start of Shampain, my most anticipated song. That song is just so good, you guys.

  There was a bit during the show where there was a girl in the front row getting squished forward and was crying, and Marina took the time to check on her. Asking if she was alright, was she panicked, etc. It was just really sweet, she clearly cares a lot about her fans, and she ended up getting the girl pulled up over the barrier to sit closer (or on top of, I couldn't see) the stage. I'm sure she made that girl's entire life, and she even invited a few of her friends to join her where they could fit.

  I managed to find my way to the merchandise table after the show, and it felt like an eternity before I got my t-shirt. Ask a bunch of 13-17 year old girls to form a single file line, and you learn very quickly that they would rather just cut in front of you, dragging their friends along the way. I remember being young, so I couldn't be that bothered, but I think back and so many of them were randomly checking Facebook/Twitter during songs that it just boggled my mind. Okay, so this isn't your favorite song, but does that mean you should be playing Angry Birds right now? Kids these days, etc, I'm old, and so on.

  We waited outside a pretty long time for Marina to come out, and it was probably around 11:45pm before she showed up to sign things/take pictures. The security was rushing her along pretty quickly, and I got her to sign my ticket and thank her for a great night. I wanted to ask for a picture but she had moved on to the people next to me, and I wasn't sure if I should bother to ask. She was clearly really tired, though I couldn't tell if she wanted to be as rushed as she was. I ended up finding some rare piece of bravery in my body and asked her for a picture, which she agreed to as long as it was quick. I had my boyfriend to the side with the camera ready, and I was so grateful that she took the time for it. There were probably about 30 people outside that she had to get through, plus however many more were probably hanging around her tour bus. Part of me will always feel weird that I should've just taken the signature and gone, but I think Marina has shown an obvious love for her fans, and in the grand scheme of things I probably didn't bother her that much. It definitely is a weird feeling, you wait so long to meet someone you admire and you don't want that memory to be tainted with "I annoyed the shit out of them, whoops."

  I hope that she comes back to Atlanta in the future, and even if she doesn't, I'm glad I got to see her. I've been such a fan for a long time, and it was worth braving all the sweaty teenagers to make that memory happen.

I have a lot of feelings about Journey.

  I finally picked up a Playstation 3 on Black Friday, something I've been wanting for a very long time. There are so many PS3 exclusives I've been dying to play, it's hard to know where to start. It came bundled with the first two Uncharted and Infamous games, which were definitely on my list, but there was another game. A cheap, short indie game you might have heard of.. Journey.

  Made by Thatgamecompany, Journey came out in March of this year. You play a cloaked figure, your only goal presented to you as the glowing mountain in the distance. There is no narrator, no text, any words are presented in a square-like language. Your explore the desert around you while a beautiful score plays, every sound and action seeming to fit perfectly with it. Small bits of history are hidden through the world, leaving you to interpret what happened before and what may happen in the future. It's a meditative experience, to say the least, and I find myself remembering moments about it days later. What starts out as whimsical and exciting, soon takes a turn for the serious, and I found myself slowly inching closer to my television the farther I got in my journey. It helped that the art is, to say the least, fantastic. Still pictures don't do it enough justice.

  Pressing the O button can make you "chirp", and is your only way to communicate. You can run into other wanderers, who have no names, but can also chirp to you. Being closer to another player recharges your "energy" faster, a white power that resides in your scarf and can be depleted by jumping or flying. This is the part of the game that grabbed me the most, I think. I played for a decent amount of time before I saw another player, and it truly snuck up on me. There was a white light near the edge of my screen that made me turn and look, and there I saw another cloaked figure, chirping their own notes at me. They followed me around, helped me with puzzles, chatting with me along the way. I followed them through at least 3 levels, laughing and jumping and playing, before they got left behind and I was on my own again. It was a weird feeling, I missed them. I missed this random stranger who I couldn't even talk to.

  Every level is another chance to see another player. Some are completely silent, some are helpful, some need helped. There is never more than one other companion, to keep it simple, and I think it's a good choice. You feel connected to this stranger, you both have a common purpose, with no choice but to go forward together. I found myself waiting for my companion if they got behind, which when you think about it is an interesting feeling. You don't know this person, and you can easily complete the game without the help of anyone, but you feel the need to stick with them. Even if your companion seems to ignore you, you still move forward together. The ending is pretty powerful if you happen to be with another player, though it's certainly great without one. Once you've watched the end credits, you get a screen that gives you the PSN IDs of all the players you've met during your journey. I had 6 people total.

  There's not much more I can say about the game without spoiling it. Despite coming out almost 10 months ago, there are still many like me who haven't had a chance to play it yet. The Collector's Edition I bought was $30 USD, but you can pick up the game on it's own for $15 on the Playstation Network. Though if you are interested in Thatgamecompany's other games, I would recommend going for the retail version. It has all of their games (you may have heard of flOw and Flower), some developer commentary, and behind the scenes information, among other things.

  I've read some people saying this game doesn't have much replay value, but I disagree. Even after you've collected every little thing (this nets you an all white robe), gotten every trophy, it's a game I can see playing just to relax at the end of a stressful day. Maybe I'll come across someone playing for the first time, like I was, and make them smile and laugh like I did. It's a charming, visceral experience that I feel is necessary for every video game enthusiast.

What coffee am I drankin'?

   It's getting colder now, so I'm starting to brew coffee at home more often. The Whole Foods nearby had a lot of great options, but very few were decaf, which I'm used to. They did have this Batdorf & Bronson  "Dancing Goats" blend, which I was happy to take home and try. A previous job of mine used their beans, and they are probably the reason I got hooked on specialty coffee. I love the name Dancing Goats, it comes from an old Ethiopian legend of a goatherder who saw his goats dancing after eating the previously undiscovered coffee plant.

   I'm not the type of person who has a super refine palate when it comes to coffee, but the chocolate notes in this are impossible to miss. It's a heavier coffee, being an espresso blend, but it's still plenty drinkable. I dress up my cup with raw sugar and 2% milk, so no coffee is really too strong for me, by the time I'm done with it. I can't do the straight black, I hope you can still respect me.