eBay finds - Drew bag dupe

The Drew bag style has been very trendy this year and pretty much every store does their own version of it. I've needed a small black bag for a while now so when I saw this dupe on eBay I was very happy.

The look of the bag is very much like the Chloé bag except the materials and the inside of the bag. This bag has a zip pocket and an open pocket for a phone. The bag feels very sturdy and seems to be very good quality for the money.

This bag works at both cross body and as a hand held bag. The bag is very secure with the lock mechanism and I really like that, plus it looks pretty cool and adds detail to the bag.

If your not into this particular bag Topshop makes a similar one but I absolutely loved the color of it.

The Topshop bag is slightly more girly looking because of the colors and it doesn't have the cool looking lock. Still the bag is beautiful and also had a zip pocket and a pocket for a phone plus a slot for a credit card.

This bag closes with magnets and isn't as secure so I would keep that in mind when your out and about. Other than that it feels sturdy and good quality, and it should because it was twice the price of the eBay one!

Sadly the eBay seller sold out of the bags and hasn't relisted anything new. But I found these that look very much the same here

~Kira

Comparison - Clarisonic, Konjac sponge and Foreo dupe

I've been using cleansing tools for years now, and whenever a new tool comes out I wonder if it's better than what I already have or if it's worth the money, since most of them tend to be very expensive.

The most popular tools I've seen are the Clarisonic, I have the Mia version, and Konjac sponges, and recently I found a Foreo mini dupe. I bought the dupe since I can't afford the real thing but wanted to test if this kind of tool was better than what I had already tried.

Clarisonic: This was my first cleansing tool and I was really happy with it for a long time. Then I had to buy new brush heads and realized that they were very expensive and usually they didn't last the 3 moths they were supposed to. I found them hard to clean and they started smelling funny. It was nice for gently scrubbing my face clean, but only for a short time, because I had a hard time cleaning the brush properly which resulted in bacteria growing in the brush.

Konjac sponge: I bought this after my Clarisonic in hope that this would be as good as the hype said. This sponge blew my mind! It exfoliated my skin so gently but still removed all traces of dirt from my skin. I notice my skin get smoother and clearer. The sponges are super easy to clean and even after 3 months, when they recommend you to change the sponge, it didn't look or smell weird. I do believe the material the Konjac sponge is made of is something bacteria can't grow in, but I'm not sure. I any case I haven't had problems with them at all and I have actually used sponges for 4 months with no problems.

Foreo dupe: I was very curious when I saw the new Foreo cleansing tools that didn't have to be replaced every 3 months and was made so bacteria couldn't grow on the tool. But I had no money, and at the time I was very happy with my Konjac sponges. When I saw this dupe I jumped on it, cause I really wanted to know if it would make a big difference. I tried it a couple times but wasn't impressed. The vibration made my dizzy and I didn't feel like my skin got the exfoliation I wanted. But I stuck it and noticed that the blackheads on my cheeks, forehead and chin were gone. The tool does say the vibration will unclog pores but I didn't think it was possible after I first tried it. I've gotten used to the vibrations now so I don't feel dizzy anymore and I really enjoy using this tool. Because it's made of a rubber material it's super easy to clean.

In my skincare routine right now I use the Foreo dupe and a Konjac sponge. First the Foreo dupe to clean my skin and make sure my pores are unclogged and then I'll use the Konjac sponge to gently exfoliate dead skincells off. This is a winning combo for my skin and I get both the Foreo and the Konjac sponges on eBay for a very good deal. I usually buy Konjac sponges in a pack of 4 which will last me a year since every sponge will last about 3 months. The sponges on eBay are only a couple dollars for a 4 pack and I'm happy to pay that because the Konjac sponge really is a great tool. I got the Foreo dupe a little over a month ago and it's still going strong on it's first charge. 

I recommend Konjac sponges and the Foreo dupe to everyone, they're super great at cleaning your skin and they both come at a very good price.   

Earlier review and eBay link to Konjac sponge is here
Earlier review and eBay link to Foreo dupe is here

I hope this comparison was helpful!

~Kira 

Charlotte Tilbury - The Spy Who Loved Me dupes!

A while ago I bought this little eye and lip/cheek duo from Charlotte Tilbury. When I started swatching it I was pretty sure I had cream blushes that was similar, but it turned out that all my cream blushes were way off in color. However I do have a lip color that matches the color and two eyeshadows that matches as well!

Here you can see the two eyeshadow sticks pointing to the eyeshadow shade in the duo and the lip color pointing to the lip/cheek color in the duo. At first glance it doesn't look like they will match but they really are great dupes!

The Charlotte Tilbury swatches are marked with a "CT". The 3 bottom shades are the eyeshadow and the two on the top are lip color.

Dupes for Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadow shade:

Clinique - Chubby eyeshadow stick in Ample Amber: This dupe is pretty much spot on. The color looks identical and the texture of the product feels very similar. The eyeshadow is great and lasts all night on my eyes with primer. Highly recommend this one!

Rimmel - Kate shadow sticks in 100 Rose gold: When you swatch this it will be way too dark, but when it's blended out the color is very similar to the Charlotte Tilbury shade and it lasts just as long on the eyes with primer. The eyeshadow stick is very pigmented and you only need a little bit to blend it out to look like the more expensive shades. By far the best buy for drugstore makeup!

Dupe for Charlotte Tilbury lip/cheek shade:

Clinique - Chubby stick in Whole lotta honey: This lip color is very similar to the Charlotte Tilbury shade, maybe slightly more on the pink side where the CT shade is a tiny bit more brown in undertone. Also the Clinique stick has a glossy finish where the CT shade dries down matte. Otherwise a very close dupe for the lips.

Hope this was helpful!

~Kira

eBay finds - Hermes bracelet dupe

I've seen a few youtuber's wear bracelets like this and always thought they were really pretty and super cool. The Hermes price tag is not so cool though.

Again my search for something similar lead me to eBay, and sure enough I found the bracelet for way cheaper and in a lot of different colors to choose from. I ordered one in white since I thought that would match most things in my wardrobe.

The bracelet shipped out quickly but somehow got lost in the mail and I had to contact the seller. I was asked to wait another week and if the bracelet didn't arrive by then, I would get a refund. I waited the week and the bracelet wasn't there, I was busy on the exact day so I decided to write the seller the following day. When I got home from work the bracelet had arrived!

Had I not waited that extra day I might have gotten the bracelet for free. but I love the bracelet and I would happily pay for it and more. I just want to let you know that the eBay sellers I've bought from have been really nice and very helpful, so don't worry!

The bracelet is a great size, not too small and not too big that it will fall off your hand. The H twists open and the bracelet can be taken on and off like this. It feels secure and it won't pop open on its own. The bracelet is oval shaped and that makes sure that the H will stay at the front and not twist around on your arm which I really love!

I love this bracelet and I've already planned to buy more in different colors!

I got mine here

~Kira

eBay finds - Foreo dupe

I was very fascinated when I first saw the Foreo cleansing device, but the price was way more than I would ever pay for something like that. Luckily I came across some youtube videos where they reviewed this item and I had to try it for myself.

It looks very much like the Foreo mini but it is a fraction of the price. The box contains the cleansing device and a USB charger.

The device vibrates, and the speed can be adjusted. The device claims to be 100% waterproof.

The device has small nibs on both sides, fine on the front and larger on the back. The back of the device has the charging plug which is covered.

In my honest opinion I didn't see any change in my skin with this device. It's supposed to be really good for getting rid of blackheads since the vibrations should vibrate them out of your pores. But it does clean my skin well otherwise.

If you have thought about getting the Foreo mini I would highly suggest you try this first. It cleans well and gives your face a nice massage while you clean.

I got mine here

~Kira

Easy plant terrarium

The plant terrariums have been a big trend lately,  and I've loved the look of them from the start, especially the geometric terrariums.

I took a trip to my local Plantorama where they have everything in plants for your home, inside and outside, and they even have some home decor. I found this pentagon shaped lantern that was the perfect size for a terrarium for my living room. In the same store they had an offer for 3 small cacti and they turned out to fit perfectly into the terrarium.

I soaked the plants in water before placing them in the terrarium and covered the bottom with some leftover orchid soil I had laying around at home, which I think gives it a nice rustic look.

The only thing to be aware of with this, is that the terrarium is made to be a lantern and therefor not to hold water in. So when you water your plants make sure you have a towel or something under it to soak up the excess water that might escape.

I think cacti is a good option for the terrariums because they don't need much water making the water issue not too big of a hassle. If you want to use other plants you can but cacti is the most popular option I've seen. 

I love this terrarium and I might get some smaller ones in the future and just put one cactus in each, I think that would be pretty too, or maybe even hang them from the ceiling or a shelve.

~Kira