Product Review: trèStiQue Matte Color and Shiny Balm Lip Crayon *UPDATE*

Just wanted to post a quick follow-up to my review of trèStiQue's Matte Color and Shiny Balm Lip Crayon! Today, I received my replacement shiny lip balm in the mail. Included was a lovely handwritten note from Jenn, one of trèStiQue's co-founders!

Handwritten note from Jenn!

I cannot say enough about the quality of trèStiQue's lip products and their excellent customer service! They are just wonderful! Thank you again, and I look forward to trying out more products soon!

Product Review: trèStiQue Matte Color and Shiny Balm Lip Crayon

trèStiQue Matte Color and Shiny Balm Lip Crayon

As previously mentioned, I spent a considerable amount of time at the trèStiQue booth during Generation Beauty and fell in love with the makeup they have to offer. As a frequent traveler and someone who spends very little time applying makeup in the morning, I tend to gravitate towards products that are portable and multifunctional. According the website, "trèStiQue was founded by two industry veterans who believe: makeup should be simple for everyday and quick." This philosophy is perfectly in line with my personal habits!

Lip Crayon unboxed

Today, I'll be reviewing trèStiQue's Matte Color and Shiny Balm Lip Crayon in Florence Fig and Rose Balm. This item retails on the trèStiQue site for $28, but I purchased it for 15% off at Generation Beauty.

Lip Crayon in Florence Fig and Rose Balm

With their patent pending 2-in-1 system, trèStiQue uses high quality makeup and employs magnets and tools to create a custom makeup pencil you can take anywhere! While trèStiQue's Matte Color and Shiny Balm Lip Crayon comes with a lip color and a moisturizing balm, you can easily twist off the balm and replace it with a lip brush (sold separately).

Matte Color side in Florence Fig

My favorite part of this lip duo is by far the matte lip color, which is a beautiful neutral pink that enhances my natural lip color. My job's dress code specifically prohibits bright makeup colors, so this is perfect for me! Additionally, the formula glides on smoothly, doesn't bleed, and is pretty moisturizing on its own. If I need additional moisture, I just flip the pencil over and apply the Rose Balm on the other side!

Shiny Balm side in Rose Balm

The balm twists off and can be replaced by a lip brush (sold separately)

The Rose Balm is a sheer pink that can be used over the lip crayon without any color change. I really like how the balm moisturizes your lips and provides shine without the sticky, gooey feeling you get from most lip glosses. I just wish they gave you more balm!

Swatches in sunlight

Swatches under fluorescent bathroom light

My main problem with trèStiQue's Matte Color and Shiny Balm Lip Crayon is the packaging. When removing the magnetic cap from the matte lip color, I have to be careful not to nick the product itself. Unfortunately, the balm side uses a non-magnetic cap that takes some effort to carefully snap off without touching the product. In fact, the first time I took the cap off the balm, I ended up denting the product.

Dented lip balm :(

The second time, I accidentally broke the product off completely, leaving me really, really sad.

Broken lip balm :(

Fortunately, trèStiQue has a return/exchange policy, so I've e-mailed them and am waiting for a response. As much as I'd hate to part with the beautiful Florence Fig, the broken Shiny Balm is pretty much unusable at this point. Next time, I'll have to be a lot more careful, but trèStiQue should really consider making their products completely retractable to avoid damage while removing the caps!
*UPDATE* I received a response from trèStiQue's wonderful customer service and they are sending me a replacement balm! I am so happy! Thank you so much!

Critiques aside, I highly recommended trèStiQue due to their quality, portability, and simplicity of use! I look forward to trying their other products and vastly lightening my makeup load the next time I travel!

(not so) Cheap Social Worker Spends Too Much Money on Disneyland Food (60th Diamond Anniversary Spring Edition)

I usually spend the week after Clockwork Alchemy and Fanime generally feeling down and in the dumps because one of my favorite annual events is done. This year, I decided to temper that sadness by taking a short trip to Disneyland before Generation Beauty! With Disneyland celebrating their 60th Anniversary, I was excited to view the decorations, watch the new shows, and taste more food!

As we all know, Disney parks generally do not have cheap food. However, compared to other parks, Disney puts effort into providing dishes that are generally of good quality. My hope is that through these food posts, you can make a more informed decision on which foods are worth paying for and what to avoid! Please follow my advice at your own discretion and know that I am not affiliated with Disney in any way, shape, or form except for being a fangirl with a season pass! That said, here are the foods I ate during this trip:

*NOTE* ANNUAL PASS HOLDERS: Don't forget to show your annual pass for an extra 10-15% off! Might not seem much, but that savings can at least knock off taxes!

Day 1 (Arrival Day)

Welcome to Disneyland's 60th Birthday Celebration! Where's my cake?

Lunch/Dinner: Plaza Inn Fried Chicken ($15.99 + tax)

After a long Megabus ride to Anaheim, it was time for a late lunch/early dinner. Having perused multiple blogs discussing Disneyland food and read rave reviews, I opted for the fried chicken served by Disneyland's Plaza Inn on Main Street.

Plaza Inn Specialty Fried Chicken

For $14.99 you get three pieces of chicken (wing, thigh, and breast), green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a biscuit. Drinks are extra, so I just had a glass of water. Honey for the biscuits can be found in the condiments section past the cash register.

In all honesty, the green beans and mashed potatoes reminded me of standard hospital cafeteria food and were forgettable. The biscuit was somewhat dry, and would have been better if I found the honey before I finished my meal. The chicken, however, was cooked just how I liked it, with lots of very crispy skin (my favorite part) and juicy meat. While not the best fried chicken I've ever had, I left Plaza Inn feeling satisfied with my meal and quite stuffed. Given the large serving (as it should be for $14.99), I'd bring a friend, order dessert, and split the fried chicken platter next time.

Snack: Honey Bee Frozen Lemonade from Hungry Bear Restaurant ($5.99 + tax)

Honey Bee Frozen Lemonade

Most Disneyland and California Adventure food establishments have released limited edition food items in celebration of Disneyland's 60th birthday. One such specialty drink is the Honey Bee Frozen Lemonade at Disneyland's Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country.

This beverage is essentially a frozen pink lemonade with whipped cream and a hard candy honey stick. Frozen blended lemonade is one of my favorite forms of hydration at Disney (next to the Dole Pineapple float), so this drink did not disappoint. My favorite part is actually the honey stick, which unfortunately only extends about an inch into the whipped cream. The next time I order this drink, I may have to beg the staff for extras! Disney, if you're reading this, please sell those honey sticks individually because they are delicious!

The worst part of this drink is the $5.99 price tag. If you don't care for the honey stick or whipped cream, there are definitely cheaper frozen lemonade options in the park.

Snack: Matterhorn Macaroon ($1.99 + tax) and Abuelita ($2.79 + tax) from Carnation Cafe

Matterhorn Macaroon and Abuelita

After a magnificent fireworks show commemorating Disneyland's 60th Anniversary, it was time for a late night snack before heading out for the day. Having read many reviews about the Matterhorn Macaroon, I decided to head to Disneyland's Carnation Cafe on Main Street try the cookie. Since it was starting to get chilly outside, I also got a cup of Abuelita Mexican hot chocolate.

Matterhorn Macaroon

Not to be confused with a macaron or French macaroon, the Matterhorn Macaroon is a coconut macaroon shaped to look like the ride with its namesake! This cookie incorporates flavors and textures from both coconut and almond, and is dipped in white chocolate for an extra decadent treat. While I am normally not a fan of coconut macaroons, I loved the Matterhorn Macaroon thanks to the inclusion of almond and chocolate flavors. At $1.99, it's something I would get again!

Abuelita

While I typically love Abuelita, I was greatly disappointment in how the Carnation Cafe prepared this beverage. To me, the drink was watery and tasted as if the hot water pot was not fully rinsed out after being soaped. This could be due to the water quality in Southern California, or the staff actually not rinsing the hot water pot adequately after cleaning it. Don't waste your money!

Good night, Main Street!

Day 2


Breakfast: Free Hotel Food!

Hotel Breakfast Food

Even though my parents typically bring a rice cooker and various canned meats when we go to Disneyland, I still attempt to book hotels with hot breakfasts included. Since I'm usually in a hurry to get to the park in the morning, I like the idea of not having to worry about food prep and clean-up. For this trip, I lucked out because I managed to get a heavily discounted room at a place that serves delicious hot breakfast food!

Snack: Cream Cheese Pretzel from Pretzel Cart next to Star Tours ($4.75, no tax, no annual pass discount)

Cream Cheese Pretzel

In my previous Disney food post, I raved about the cream cheese pretzel and stated that I would get my own next time. Well, next time is here, and the cream cheese pretzel is as delicious as ever! At this rate, it may even replace the churro as my go-to snack!

Sweet Cream Cheese Filling

While I purchased this pretzel next to Star Tours in Disneyland's Tomorrowland, I believe there is another cart that sells them along the path leading to It's A Small World in Disneyland's Fantasyland.

Lunch: Chili Cone Queso from Cozy Cone Motel ($7.49 + tax, no annual pass discount)

Chili Cone Queso

Hungry for lunch, but not wanting a large meal, I headed over to California Adventure's Cozy Cone Motel in Cars Land to try out their Chili Cone [sic] Queso. For $7.49 + tax you get a large bread cone filled with beef chili topped with shredded cheddar cheese and corn chips. For those of you who don't like chili or don't want to deal with bloating issues, there's also a bacon macaroni and cheese option and a new chile verde!

Chili Cone Queso side view

Biting into the bread cone

The Cozy Cone Motel does a great job with their chili, and the corn chips provide added crunch and flavor. While the bread cone is generally flavorless, lacks absorbency (for good reason), and has the texture of a flattened loaf of bread, I will admit that it's leak-free and makes for a great conversation starter. Overall, the Chili Cone Queso was a satisfying meal and I look forward to trying other cones in future visits!

Snack: Red's Apple Freeze from Cozy Cone Motel ($4.69 + tax, no annual pass discount)

Red's Apple Freeze

After finishing the Chili Cone Queso, I wanted something cold and refreshing to drink for dessert. I ordered a cup of Red's Apple Freeze, which consists of blended frozen apple juice, marshmallow syrup, and mango-passionfruit whipped cream.

Cozy Cone Motel

On mistake I made was not stirring the marshmallow syrup into the blended frozen apple juice, as my first sip resulted in a mouth full of syrup! After mixing, the concoction tasted somewhat like frozen caramel apple cider. I didn't really care for the mango-passionfruit whipped cream, though, as it tasted like flowers to me. Not sure if I'll order this again, but I'm glad I was able to try it!

Snack: Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus from Bengal Barbeque ($4.19 + tax)

Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus and a cup of water

After eating so many bread and sugar-filled substances, I started craving vegetables. Hence, I headed over to Bengal Barbeque in Disneyland's Adventure to try out their Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus (I never said I wanted healthy vegetables). As I was ordering, I spoke to a cast member named Mike who commented on the greatness of my Citi Forward Credit Card (which gives you 5x reward points for restaurant purchases). If you're out there, Mike, know that you're awesome and have great taste in credit cards!
 

Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

The bacon-wrapped asparagus consisted of chopped asparagus individually wrapped in bacon, grilled, and served with a lemon slice. I especially liked that they chopped the asparagus before wrapping and grilling because it makes it so much easier to eat than a whole asparagus stalk.

While I'd probably order this again, I feel like two orders are needed for an adequate meal, and I'd hesitate to pay $8.38 + tax for something I could easily make at home.

Souvenir: Dinoco Oil Can Sipper w/fountain drink included from Cozy Cone Motel ($10.19 + tax, no annual pass discount)

Dinoco Oil Can Sipper

I spent a good amount of time debating whether to get the Dinoco Oil Can Sipper or Mickey Balloon Popcorn Bucket. In the end, I figured that I could actually use the sipper more often to keep water at work (and confuse/amuse my coworkers). It also helped that I'm a big fan of dinosaurs, and the brontosaurus logo looks similar to the logo on my favorite gas station. Yes, it's my favorite gas station because of the dinosaur (and the fact that the prices are typically the cheapest in my area).

Dinosaur logo at my favorite gas station. See the resemblance?

After finishing up the oil, erm, root beer from my sipper, I was pretty stuffed. Hence, I spent the rest of the day watching shows and going on rides. While I wanted to try the special 60th Anniversary Chocolate Cake, I lost track of time and the restaurants closed! Will have to try again next time!

Carthay Circle Restaurant decorated for the occasion!

Day 3 (Blockout day)

Breakfast: Free Hotel Food! I love biscuits and gravy!

Lunch: Gumbo Ya Ya from Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen Express ($7.99 + tax)

 

Gumbo Ya Ya

Unfortunately, I my season pass was blocked out on day 3, so I spent the morning exploring Downtown Disney before catching the bus to my friend's place. For lunch, I ordered gumbo from Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen Express, the quick service version of the more expensive Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen. Described on the menu as a "rich Roux-based Soup, Chicken and Andouille Sausage", I'm sure this gumbo is identical to the one served inside, except in a plastic takeout bowl at a fraction of the price. Don't forget that the Disney annual pass discount also applies to all Downtown Disney restaurants!

Goodnight, Sleeping Beauty Castle!

As usual, I was sad to leave Disneyland, especially since I am now blocked out until mid-August. However, my family (who all requested shirts) were excited to see my pictures and have every intention of making a trip to Disney before the end of this year. In fact, since coming home I've already booked a family room for November so we could see Diamond Anniversary themed Christmas decorations! I can't wait!

Product Review: Tom's Black Camila Ballet Flats

Given the amount of time I spend standing and walking at work, I should ideally be setting aside more money on better footwear. However, I'm so bad about replacing my shoes that I've been wearing the same Target flats to work for two years (occasionally alternating a 4 year old pair of Clark's boots and another pair of Aerosoles boots I "borrowed" from my mom). Despite my high pain tolerance when it comes to all things footwear, I figured something needed to change given recent foot and leg soreness after work.

During a recent trip to Disneyland for a friend's bachelorette party, my friend fell in love with a pair of Toms another friend was wearing. During a midday run to the mall to get my friend a pair of her own, I tried on the shoes to discover that they were indeed pretty comfortable. On top of that, I learned that the benefit of buying Toms shoes is that for each pair purchased, the company donates a pair to a child in need.  However, I decided to hold off as I didn't have suitcase space, the internet had better prices, and I wasn't 100% on board with the aesthetics.

Upon coming from from Disneyland, I found out that Toms had ballet flats (which are more my style) on sale and purchased a pair of my own.  Here are my thoughts so far:

The shoes are pretty cute and go with almost anything. I anticipate replacing my Target shoes with these as my go-to flat for work. However, if you're expecting thick leather, then you might be disappointed as the shoe is made out of a soft, thin leather attached to a canvas liner.  Another nit-pick I have is that the right shoe bows out, revealing a little of the leopard print liner. I don't mind so much, as that tends to happen with most flats I own. On a more positive note, I'm glad that Toms replaced the blue tag on the heel with a black one!  That means I can now get away with wearing these shoes for dressier events!

Size-wise, this shoe runs a little big, though they probably won't stretch as much as the original Toms. I'd suggest going down one size from your usual, and if you're between sizes I'd go down one size from your larger measurement. When trying on the ballet flats for sizing, I found that my original size fit and was really comfortable, but when I started walking I noticed that the only thing keeping the shoe from falling off was the heel elastic.  Next time, I might go up half a size from what I purchased because I added some foam inserts from the drugstore to avoid "Toms stink", which made them fit rather tightly, though not enough to warrant an exchange.

In terms of comfort, these shoes are initially not as comfortable as the original Tom's.  This is mostly because of the smaller toe box which rubs up against my pinkie toe.  However, I expect this to stretch out as I break in the shoe and not cause me and further problems other than the lack of arch support. In fact, when I went shoe shopping last Friday, I found these pair of Toms to be just as comfortable - if not more so - than brands that cost 2-3 times as much!

Overall, I would not pay $89 for these shoes. Thankfully, I managed to get these shoes on sale and paid significantly less while still allowing a child in need to get a pair of shoes.  I'll probably purchase from Toms again for casual/travel shoes due to their comfort, but for the sake of my future leg health I may have to rotate in brands with more arch support for my work shoes in the future.

If you're interested in trying out Tom's shoes, here's a coupon: $5 off any $25 TOMS purchase with code SPRING15 in the promo code section at checkout on TOMS.com! Valid through 5/31.[affiliate link]

(not so) Cheap Social Worker Spends Too Much Money on Disneyland Food

Last November, I had the opportunity to spend glorious three days at Disneyland with my parents and looKIMsopretty! Disneyland holds a special place in my heart since I have many fond childhood (and young adult) memories from vacationing there. Now, my family and I try to go every 1-2 years thanks to my dad's discounted military tickets.

During this trip, I wanted to try as many new foods as possible since I didn't discover the joys of Disney food until recently. While growing up, my folks would pack a rice cooker, Spam, Vienna Sausages, sardines, and precooked meals stored in Tupperware whenever we went to Disneyland. We'd then leave the park during the day and eat as many meals as possible in the hotel to save money. On top of that, I was usually too excited to go on rides to think about food as a kid!

While my parents still pack a rice cooker and various canned meats, we now enjoy more meals in the park along with snacks like churros (my mom's favorite) and turkey legs (my dad's favorite). My personal favorites are Dole Whips, turkey legs, and churros. Here's a rundown of everything I had over the three days I spent at Disneyland/California Adventure:

Day 0 (Arrival Day)

Dinner: Earl of Sandwich

I first discovered Earl of Sandwich while looking for something cheap to eat in Las Vegas. Since then, I've made it a point to go every time I'm there. I was thrilled to find out that they recently opened an Earl of Sandwich in Downtown Disney and stopped by to get my usual Best BLT ($5.99) after checking into my hotel. Unlike the Las Vegas shop, the one in Downtown Disney has much more seating to accommodate families wanting an affordable meal.

Day 1

Breakfast: NOTHING!
I was in a hurry to get to the park, so I pretty much skipped breakfast. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!

Lunch: Hot-Link Corn Dog from Corn Dog Castle (California Adventure)

For lunch, we headed to Corn Dog Castle! I ordered a Hot-Link Corn Dog ($7.99) which came with your choice of chips or apples (regular hot dogs and cheddar cheese sticks are $7.69). The corn dog itself was just how I like them, with a juicy hot-link surrounded by a generous coating of deep fried cornmeal batter. While the corn dog looks huge, note that there is probably more fried batter than hot dog! Definitely a nice, filling meal to make up for skipping breakfast.

Snack: Dole Whip Float from Disneyland's Tiki Bar

As previously stated, one of my favorite snacks at Disneyland is the Dole Whip Float ($4.79) which is sold outside the Tiki Room. While you can get the pineapple soft serve by itself, I prefer to mix it with pineapple juice for extra flavor and hydration! One tip is to pass the turnstiles into the Tiki Room waiting area, as they have another cashier with typically shorter lines.

Dinner: BBQ Chicken and Slaw Baked Potato from Harbour Galley (Disneyland)

After reading about the BBQ Chicken and Slaw Stuffed Baked Potato on various food blogs, we decided to head to Harbour Galley between New Orleans Square and Critter Country, which is as close as you get to a "hole in the wall" at Disneyland. Let's say that the food blogs were right! Not only do you get a large potato, you also get a GIANT scoop of juicy BBQ chicken topped with coleslaw and sour cream to go with it! For $6.39, this meal is a Disney bargain as it can easily feed two people!

Day 3

Breakfast: Steamed rice, canned sardines, and tomatoes
Our hotel didn't have continental breakfast and I didn't want to pay for breakfast. It's a lot tastier than it sounds, really!

Lunch: BBQ Shrimp and Grits from Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen (Downtown Disney)

The menu describes this as shrimp with "'New Orleans' barbecue sauce, andouille parmesan grits". Tasty and flavorful, and a small enough portion so I didn't have to box anything. For $17.00, this meal is fairly pricey for the size. Big eaters might want to consider the Po' Boy Sandwich for more value.

Snack: Sugar-Free Butter Pecan Ice Cream from Clarabelle's Hand-Scooped Ice Cream (California Adventure) 

I'm usually not one to get sugar-free food, but I was in the mood for something different. Surprisingly, this ice cream did not taste sugar-free at all. However, at $4.69 for a single scoop you'd be better off just going to the grocery store and getting a half gallon of Dreyer's (the brand Disney uses).
Note: If you have kids and their ice cream falls off the cone, bring the empty cone back to the shop for a replacement scoop. Disney likes to keep the kids happy like that.

Dinner: Breakfast at IHOP

My family and I were hungry and tired of wading through crowds, so we just had dinner at the IHOP next to our hotel. Price-wise, we could have gotten comparable food inside one of the parks, but at least here we didn't have to wait to sit down. One of my fondest memories of Disney as a child was a 1am breakfast at Denny's on Easter Sunday after staying in the park until closing and getting to go on rides without waiting in line. Not a bad way to end the day!

Day 3

Breakfast: Steamed rice, canned corn beef, and tomatoes
Don't knock it 'til you've tried it!

Snack: Cream Cheese Pretzel @ Pretzel Cart (Disneyland)

I usually only eat pretzels when my mom buys them and managed to grab a piece of this one. Next time, I might just get my own pretzel because the combination of toasted pretzel with sweet cream cheese was delicious! For $4.75, it's a nice alternative to the churro.

Lunch/Dinner: Monte Cristo Sandwich @ Cafe Orleans (Disneyland)

Since I started reading Disney food reviews a few years ago, I've been wanting to try the Monte Cristo Sandwich. Described in the menu as "Sliced Turkey, Ham, and Swiss fried in a light batter and served with Berry Purée dusted with Powdered Sugar", this famous specialty is served at the Blue Bayou ($26.49) and Cafe Orleans ($18.99). There's also a vegetarian version which uses Swiss, mozzarella, and double crème Brie for the same price.

Having somehow secured a same-day reservation to Cafe Orleans, I went ahead and ordered the Monte Cristo. My dad ordered the vegetarian version and we swapped half of our plates so we could try each. Between the two sandwiches, I definitely like the vegetarian version the best. While delicious, the original Monte Cristo seemed more like a plain sandwich wrapped in a beignet. The vegetarian version was a much more satisfying experience with the rich taste of Brie complimenting the tart berry sauce and the texture of the deep fried batter.

While I'm not sure if I'd ever get the original Monte Cristo again, I'd definitely reorder the vegetarian version. One recommendation I have is to bring a friend, have that person order a soup/appetizer, and split the sandwich as the portions are so huge that I couldn't even finish half!

Day 4

Breakfast: Various Pastries at Porto's Bakery and Cafe (Glendale, CA)

Porto's is a Cuban bakery with several locations in Southern California that has become a place where my family stocks up on snacks for the long drive back to the Bay Area. If you've never been here, I highly recommend them for their array of delicious yet affordable baked goods! My personal favorites are the guava cheese rolls, potato balls, and Dulce de leche kisses. If possible, go early in the morning because there is always a long line!

As usual, I was saddened to leave Disneyland and return to the real world. However, I know that this time I'll be back much sooner than later because I am now a season pass holder, just in time for Disneyland's 60th Anniversary! Looking forward to many more trips, happy memories, and food tastings this year!