What to Buy: It Cosmetics *And What Not to Buy!*

Today I wanted to dive in on what is worth buying from the “It Cosmetics” line. Over the years I’ve been testing many of their products and noticed some major hits while others aren't reaching the “you must own this” mark. Here are the products I feel everyone needs in their makeup and skincare bag.

Continue below to see What to Buy: It Cosmetics!

Buy

- Confidence in a Cleanser 
I really enjoy using this product. The overall texture of this cleanser is nice and I feel for the price its totally worth it.

- Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer

Seriously this concealer is amazing. I noticed a major difference with my under eye area when I used this. I also use this concealer to touch up small areas that need extra love as well.

- Bye Bye Under Eye Cream
I’m currently using this and so far I’ve enjoyed the product. I will have to update it the future. Currently, it does do the job on some under eye wrinkles but as of now it doesn’t irritate my skin, has little to no fragrance, and leaves me feeling positive about my future results. 

- It Cosmetics Foundation

My girlfriends all use this product and all claim its worth the investment. I personally haven't tried it yet because I'm currently on foundation overload but as soon as I empty one of the foundation bottles I will hop on the 'it cosmetics foundation' bandwagon and grab me some too!




Avoid

- Brow Power Universal Eye Pencil

I honestly didn’t see much amazement in this. I felt it was like a regular eye pencil that if you wanted to make darker you just needed to press down harder. Stick with a Covergirl pencil and save your money.

- Super Hero Volumizing Mascara

I bought the full size of this hoping to do wonders. Honestly, I didn’t see much difference and noticed it had a weird odor. In a recent shopping trip, I was given a small deluxe sample which I plan to try again and see if they improved the formula.

- Confidence in a Cream:

This product is generally an okay product. But I didn't notice much of a difference compared to other drugstore face creams. 

- Bye Bye Melting 3-in-1 Cleansing Balm
Seriously this is my #1 on the worst things to get. Maybe better for someone with dry skin that needs an oily/balm-like product on their skin but for me it sat on my skin and didn’t melt the makeup off. I plan to keep trying the product but I haven’t enjoyed it at all. And super scared to use my Clarisonic with it. 

I hope this post gave some insight into what I feel is the hits and fails of the It Cosmetics collection! Now I would like to ask everyone; What to Buy from It Cosmetics that I didn't mention! I love trying new makeup so drop me some suggestions! 

Also don't forget to follow the Instagram: @brittmcadenmills! I post daily fashion, beauty, and lifestyle! I appreciate all the love and support as I try to grow this side hustle.

- Brittney 

Store Credit Cards - Are they worth it?

The other day I went to Tjmaxx to get diapers and at the register the sales clerk asked “Would you like to sign up for the Tjmaxx credit card and get 30% off your purchase today?”  I said “30% off 3 packs of diapers? Really?? No”.
Then 45 minutes later Victoria’s Secret asked if I owned the 'Exclusive Angels Card' when I said “Yes, but I’m no longer using it” The girl spent 10 minutes explaining why I should use my credit card today.
Anyways, I went into 3 more stores and all asked me the same question.

After my drive home I peered into my wallet to see what 'Store Credit Cards' I owned and if they are even worth owning. 

You see, I have collected quite a few “Store Credit Cards” and all are either cut in half or locked in the safe. This is because overtime I realized store credit cards aren't worth owning. Below you will see my reasons behind this statement, a list of what cards I own, and which I feel is okay to own. 

Why these cards SUCK.
- Rewards are 99.99% only for that store/brand. Unlike regular credit cards where you can redeem for flyer miles, gift cards, or cash back - store cards are just ‘points’ off your next purchase to the actual store itself. 

- The interest is triple what a regular credit card would be. (This is no joke. One store card is 40.25% interest vs my discover which is only 11% interest). 

- Many require you to meet a certain yearly purchase rate to even get some ‘perks’. For example: Ulta requires you to spend 450$ just to get your points to NOT expire for 1 calendar year. And you have to keep that 450$ track record going every year or your points will be erased. 

- A lot of cards claim you will be invited to ‘exclusive events’ but be warned; so is EVERYONE else who owns that card. Which is A LOT of people. One VS PINK event I went to had 400 people waiting to get in. By the time I got in the ‘drinks and free gifts’ were gone. 

- Having a card or not, they still only want ONE thing from you - money.

- A lot of stores use the credit card sales as ‘bonus’s’ for the associates. So the constant pressure to get you to sign up is so that associate will get an extra vacation day or extra $20.00 on their quarterly sales goal. 

- If your card gets stolen and used; store cards normally don’t refund you AKA: they still expect you to pay off the balance - even if your card was stolen. This happened to me at Express and I still to this day refuse to shop at Express.

What cards do I own? *All Cards are no longer in use*
-Victoria’s Secret
- Ulta Beauty
- Nordstrom
- Express
- Amazon 

Honest Opinion on Which I'd Keep

Out of all these cards the only one worth having would be the Amazon because you get a cash back percentage back on all purchases + points to use on your future Amazon purchases.
Express I refuse to use because of the situation I mentioned above.
Nordstrom you get “Nordy Points” to use on your future Nordstrom purchases but to move up you have to spend THOUSANDS of dollars and keep up yearly or your will be bumped down.
Ulta Beauty you get 2x the points on Ulta purchases (which they do double points days already; so this is a worthless perk), 1 point PER 3 Dollars outside Ulta (Do the math $3 for gallon of gas = 1 point). You must spend 450$ to move to level 2 and actually keep your points longer than 1 year. 
Victoria’s Secret has went DOWN HILL. At one point you got monthly coupons for things like $10 off a bra, Free panty your choice, 40% off a beauty purchase, etc. Now they moved to a tier level where you must spend so many hundreds of dollars to move to the 2nd level and only get $15 off a credit card purchase reward.

So, if you’re thinking about building your credit, stick to a boring card that gives you cash back or where you can redeem for gift cards ANYWHERE. I know the store cards might be pretty and make you feel ‘exclusive’ BUT remember what I said before…. At the end of the day with or WITHOUT a card - they still just want you to buy something. 

Get the MOST out of your Lush Cosmetics Experience

Like most people, I love treating myself with some skincare/bath items and a store I can’t avoid is LUSH Cosmetics. First of all, the smell! Ya’ll complained about smelling Abercrombie and Fitch a mile away, oh LUSH has that same effect. And like most, I notice the prices of these bath bombs and bubble bars... These things aren’t cheap! 

Today I’m giving out my tips on getting the MOST out of your Lush! So you too can enjoy LUSH the way I do.

1: Check the web-shop beforehand
This tip is major. If you walk into a LUSH without an idea on what you want - the associates will take you for a spin and your shopping basket will be packed to the top. What I do is browse the site to see what is new, the prices, and create a list on what I really want and what I just want to ‘look’ at.

2: Pick a side and shop in a circle
If you run around in circles the associates quick thinking is “oh she’s lost. Let me guide her to products” and that is where you can feel pressured or overwhelmed. Pick one side (left or right) and work your way around until you make a full circle of the store.

3: If you need help, ask the associates 
These workers are TRAINED to know everything about every product. So if you are confused or curious about a product - ask.

4: Wanna facial? Foot Treatment? Hand Treatment? Makeup routine? Get one on demand!
The staff is trained to do any type of in-house spa treatment free of charge! They do appreciate if you are purchasing something (it can be an item they used or something else) but do indulge on some spa time if you wish!

5: They are always down to give GENEROUS free samples!
See a soap bar you want to try? Or a face wash? Maybe a lotion? They're always down to give you a product to sample. Just ask. I noticed if you have good vibes and conversations with the associate they’ll give multiple samples (I left once with 5 samples!).

6: Don’t be fooled by the gift sets
Remember when I said visit the web-shop first? Compare prices on buying the products separately VERSUS a gift set. The year round gift sets are a better deal than buying the products separately. But the Holiday gift sets are MORE EXPENSIVE than buying each item separately. I was told this by an actual associate at my local Lush. 

7: Once you’re home, break up the bars
You heard me right! Those giant bubble bars can be cut up into 3, 4, even 6 pieces to create multiple baths! Lush associates will tell you to just crumble a chunk off; but I prefer cutting mine. 
My TIP - get a sharp metal knife, cutting board, and carefully cut slices to the size you wish. Put the pieces into zip bags for easy and dry storage.

8: Bathbombs can be chopped into 2 pieces
Be VERY VERY careful but you can separate bath bombs. My biggest tip if you want to separate your bath bombs is select bath bombs in store that are already separating or have a drastic crack in the middle. Take a butter knife and carefully separate the two. *You can also find videos on Youtube for guidance!*

So there's a few of my tips to get the most out of your LUSH visit. If you have any questions please ask me! And as always follow the instagram for daily posts on fashion, beauty and lifestyle!

-Brittney 

What to Expect on the Pomp and Palms Blog now

Now that the “Wedding Series” is coming to a close I have to start planning out a new direction for the blog. For my new followers and current followers I always post 2 (sometimes 3 times) a week. My posts generally are going to rotate around from fashion, beauty + skincare, and lifestyle. Below I will bullet list some of what you’ll see. 

Also once I gain a large enough number on my Instagram I plan to do contest giveaways; these will be either a gift card or products. Please spread the word for friends and family to follow the Instagram page! That is where I’ll do the giveaways and special treats! 

My list on what you’ll see on the Pomp and Palms blog:

Fashion:

• Current trends
• Stores fashion pieces
• Best Sales/Pop up Sales
• Creating multiple looks with one item

Beauty + Skincare:

• Best beauty/skincare
• Product Reviews
• Sales/Pop up sales
• Drug Store VS Designer
• Beauty/Skincare flops

Lifestyle:

• Life as a mom
• Lifestyle Hacks
• Healthy balance for home
• Fitness
• Cooking
• Home Decor/Holiday Decor
• Gifting

Special Requests: 

• you want to see a certain product, trend, or have a question about anything at all please contact me via: email, Private facebook or Instagram message, comment below on this post, etc. 

As many may know, I’m a housewife who’s also raising a little one but from working in the fashion industry for over a decade (with a monster size resume), I have a savvy skill for trends, fashion, and a personal love for beauty+skincare and lifestyle moments. Please don’t be shy if you have any questions or requests! I can’t wait to see what all happens within the coming months! 

Love, Brittney “Pomp and Palms"

Simple Guide to Trends for Fall + Winter 2018

Fall is here and everyone is scouting every media outlet for the fashion forecast. As a gal with a super busy schedule my best option was looking online for a "Simple Guide" to the fashion forecast but was unsuccessful at finding one.
The guides I found ranged from 200+ images that literally had every end of the spectrum of styles or blogs that was only trends that Author likes (which is cool except what if there's a trend she didn't like but I would?).
Am I the only gal that wants a clean list of what the trend forecast is and a few images of looks. Then I can select which trends will suit me...?

Since I hit this brick wall I thought I would do the homework and create what I was searching for in case anyone else would prefer a “Simple Guide" for the Fall + Winter trends!
Below you'll see trend collages to give some inspo. (all images were found on Bazaar's website from the Paris, London, and Milan Fall 2018 Fashion Week)
I'll also make a list of other trending styles in addition to the inspo collages - then when its time to hit the shops for your new Fall + Winter wardrobe pieces you'll know exactly what to shop for!

Hope you enjoy
Stay Sunny!
- Britt

Additional Trends
- Shearling Coats
- Soft Lilac color
- Denim sets
- Ruching
- Corduroy
- Sequins
- Anything Magenta color
- Ponchos
- Pokie Dot prints
- Logos are back!!!!

As always, follow the Instagram and the official Facebook Page for The Pomp and Palms!
If you have any questions please leave a comment or send a message on any of the pages!

Fall Pieces You Already Own

With Autumn just around the corner a lot of us ladies are preparing for a Autumn wardrobe. We’re scrolling on Pinterest for outfit ideas, constantly checking our favorite store websites to get the newest looks to showcase on our blogs, and creating new trendy posts with catchy quotes to draw attention. But I’m a blogger on a budget. Dumping my entire wardrobe for a new one isn’t going to happen. And my financial state isn’t built for new wardrobe shopping sprees. Luckily, there’s many items from previous years that always makes a reappearance. Today’s post is giving the run down on wardrobe pieces that never go out of style for Autumn that you can wear year after year and still be “on trend”.

- Plaids. Plaids will forever be a ‘it piece’. This very versatile garment can be worn countless ways and the colors of plaids always seem to return year after year with little amount of changes.

- Dark Denim. Dark denim is a staple for the cooler months. Any shades ranging from dark blue, dark grey, or black. You will always see this trend. 

- Trench Coats. This look is a classic. Audrey Hepburn yelling “cat” in an alley or Serena Van Der Woodsen rocking her Burberry on the way to school. Colors like tan, cream, dark green, navy or black. Each year this coat is in trend and the perfect way to shake things up is with new accessories.

Simple plaid. You can wear this look so many ways and the colors are always a classic staple.

Trench coats are literally the best. They are timeless, easy to wear, and can be dressed up or dressed down.

- Boots. Boots are that one shoe that if treated kindly, can last a long time. And boot trends don’t change often either. You’ll always have the ankle boot, mid-boot, knee high’s, and equestrian style. And the colors always stay in the lines of cognac, chocolate brown, black. I have a pair of Ralph Lauren equestrian boots from 5 years ago and I still get compliments on them. 

- Simple cozy sweaters. You know what I’m talking about. That sweater in creamy winter white, blush, hunter green, or soft grey. And that sweater feels like a blanket. These beauties are so perfect when it’s cool out and you’re drinking Starbucks but also a trend that keeps coming back. 

- Knee high socks. I felt this is one of the best accessory pieces to mention. Each year I always see the same exact style of knee-high wool socks. These socks go so well with cozy sweaters and boots. This accessory trend will not fall out of style anytime soon. 

the perfect cozy sweater. In the early fall you can wear with shorts and in the winter leggings and boots!

Boots + Boot Socks combo!

Let's Make Style! #1

One thing I love is having clothing items that can be worn different ways and still look amazing. I mean, who doesn't?! Going to college for my Fashion degree I stumbled into the “too broke for new clothes each week BUT gotta shake up my wardrobe”. For me to feel confident in my projects I needed to ‘play the part’ and have the #ootd looking fresh. With some creativity, I was able to use what I had and successfully create looks for multiple occasions.
I’m going to start rolling out these blog posts that focus on ONE article of clothing. This clothing piece will either be a fashion staple piece that everyone has OR a "HOT trending" item that (sadly) only gets worn 1-3 times because it seems too complicated to make into other outfits. The goal is to show YOU CANcreate many trendy, beautiful, fashion forward looks with the items you most likely already own! And to show those “HOT trend” items we get suckered into buying can be worn multiple ways and have a permanent spot in our closets!

REMEMBER: I'm using what I already own in my closet. Sometimes I'll mention items/ideas I would do IF I owned that particular clothing/accessory. I'm trying to avoid going out and purchasing new items for this and ONLY using items I have already. I will link inspo ideas along with the links of the items I already own OR similar pieces to the items I'm using.

For today I’m starting simple: the basic white tee!
We all have one. And guess what? We’re all just wearing it as a plain boring white tee. But we can change it up to go from day to evening, sports event to Target run, and everywhere in between!
- Also something to keep note: I’m all about affordability. I don’t see the need to drop $75.00 on a white tee shirt. The tee shirt I have for these outfits is from Abercrombie & Fitch. I also recommend Old Navy for some basic tees. Both stores do promotions on fashion basics often so before heading to the shopping center check the store promos!

Look #1: Brunch and Silky Shorts

I'm using the basic white tee to soften this look with the fun printed silk shorts. The trick about prints featured on the bottom is to not overdo it with something bold and crazy on top.

THOUGH, some will ask "why not pull the blood orange color from the swan print?".  The problem with that is if you visualize an orange top instead of white... It just doesn't visually look put together and seems a bit immature. A denim jacket will keep this look from feeling like "tee + silk pj shorts". I accessorized with a metal cuff and these adorable gold knot earrings. I also added my favorite brown flats.

 

Shop some ideas: My white tee , similar white tee, other fun print shorts 1 and 2, My denim jacket, similar denim jacket.

LOOK #2: Edgy plaid.

 

This look is super simple but TOTALLY gives that trendy ready to go vibe! We all can create this look with what we already own in our closet too. I wanted to be photographed in this look in particular to show the edgy silhouette. My simple white tee + comfy distressed shorts (just those two = a bit boring, right?). BUTto make this simple look become edgy & styledI tied a plaid button up that I wear in the fall around my waist and added some jewelry.

Honestly, add as much jewelry as your heart desires! I think some fun metal rings would take this edgy look to a new level! I made sure my purse and shoes were both black which amped up the edgy vibe. The Simi-gloss of the leather shines!

Shop some ideas: my denim shorts, similar denim shorts, my white tee, similar white tee. rings idea 1 & 2 & 3.

LOOK #3: Late Night, Date Night.

 

This final look is perfect for going out downtown or date night. It's all about glamming up our white tee. Sequin party jacket, some jet black super skinny jeans, and the right accessories (like a quilted leather handbag) will do the trick.

 

For shoes, I used my laser cut faux leather booties. I love the detail of the laser cut and the chunky heel. If I owned bright red pumps/heels I would've worn them with this look as well (I feel the bright red would look AMAZING!!)! For jewelry I wanted to show a statement necklace & the option of a simple stone necklace. Both flatter this look well but ultimately depends on what you have in your wardrobe already.

Shop some ideas: similar sequin jacket, my jeans, similar jeans, jewelry idea 1, jewelry idea 2, jewelry idea 3 (CURRENTLY IN MY SHOPPING CART!),  red heels I would wear,

To wrap this up I want to know if this was fun to see? I already created 5 more looks that will be featured but if this is something enjoyable I'll continue to create more! Should I purchase items for these? Or continue ONLY using what I own and give other option ideas with links? My reason for creating this was to do something different. All the fashion bloggers/influencers only do brand new outfits and then they immediately return the items after blog photo shoots. My goal is to show affordable style that can be worn again and again.
If you want to give input please leave a comment or comment/DM on my instagram page Dont forget to follow the instagram page too for up to the minute posts and other exciting things!!!
Have a sunny day!
- pompandpalms