Let's Talk Customer Service

Customer service is one of the most important things to me, not only as an avid shopper, but as someone who is studying Marketing. Word-of-mouth is possibly the most effective form of advertisement, with negative reviews garnering more attention than positive ones. With increased attention to bloggers and vloggers who share their honest opinions on products and their individual experiences with companies, there are some who really need to step-up their game. The customer is, amazingly, not always correct, but they do need to be kept happy to ensure repeat business. There are a few places that I don't actually shop with in-store (Sephora, I'm looking at you), some employees that I try to avoid altogether (streaky blue-haired useless boy at Ulta, you know who you are), and some stores that I will no longer shop with all together (CVS) due to varying forms of poor service.
Today's focus is on the level of customer service that e.l.f. provides. As ya'll know, I placed an order with them a few weeks ago and have been pretty happy with the products I received. Unfortunately, my tube of Posh arrived damaged, so I emailed their CS department to see if there was anyway I could return it for a replacement. The next morning, I woke up to an email from them that said:

We apologize for the item(s) damaged from your order.

We are sending the item(s) to you as quickly as possible and apologize for any inconvenience.


Sincerely,
the e.l.f. team

e.l.f. Cosmetics Affordable Luxury

Okay, so pretty general and to the point, but I guess not everyone can be verbose with an amazing command of the English language. Modesty. I gots it.
Anyway, ten days later, I had a lovely little parcel in my mail box that contained an unbroken tube of my beloved Posh, and I did a gleeful dance.
e.l.f. has proven themselves to be a great company to order from, not just because of their products, but because they seem to actually care whether their customers are happy, and want to fix issues before they turn into large problems.

XOXO,
Ashleigh

Take It All Off

It's pretty safe to say that a consistent theme of my blog are things that are quick and easy. I think beauty products should not only make our lives and our exteriors prettier, but I think they should make our lives a little easier as well, so that's why I get so excited when I find one that's not only easy, but effective. Enter Neutrogena Eye Make Up Remover Lotion. Gah, that's a bit of a mouthful, but it's okay, because it's an awesome product.



I wear quite a bit of mascara, and usually a slick of black, winged out liner on a regular basis, and I have absolutely no problem getting every trace of it off with a pea sized amount of the Neutrogena. I just squeeze a tiny dab on my fingertips, massage it in a circular motion into my eyelids and eye area, then use a cotton ball to clean it all up.



 I was expecting this to maybe leave a little bit of a greasy feel to my skin, since it's a lotion base, but once I get everything wiped up, there's no funky residue.
I love that this so easily obliterates my make up while simultaneously being gentle on my skin, since the eye area is so delicate and the constant pulling and tugging we do while removing eye make up and washing our faces can cause premature wrinkles.



As you can probably tell, I have absolutely no make up on in that picture, not even a trace of foundation left under my eye to cover that dark circle there!

You should be able to pick up a tube at most major retailers, like Walmart, Target, Walgreens, etc. for around $4.

XOXO,
Ashleigh

And visions of sugar plums danced in their head!

My inner five-year-old loves flavored lipglosses; so much so that I have a box full of them. Vanilla and mint are my end-all-beat-all favorite, but every so often, I like to get something a little outside of my comfort zone. I was delighted a few weeks ago at work (Pier 1) when I saw that we got Sugared Plum lipgloss in stock just in time for the holidays.



As the name suggests, it tastes sugary, but not so much on the plum. I do like how it wears, though, because it's slightly shimmery, yet not gritty, and my lips feel moisturized without being a sticky trap for my hair to get stuck in.
I was a little worried when I opened the tube and saw that the gloss itself is an opalescent shade of lilac. Uh, corpse lips? No, thanks! I got over that phase when I was about twelve. But I applied anyway and was pretty pleased with it. It applies sheer with just a touch of the opalescent shimmer, so if you just like your glosses to shine, this one is for you.



For just two bucks, it's a cheapy cheap way of brightening your day.

XOXO,
Ashleigh

Organic deodorant?

Are you one of the many girls (or guys!) that's unlucky enough to have a bad reaction to conventional deodorant? Yeah, me, too. For years I've gone back and forth between all different kinds, trying to find one that didn't make my underarms itch or burn or break out in nasty little bumps. I was always really self concious of wearing tanktops, even around the house, because I felt like everyone would be staring at the bumps that would seemingly multiply. I tried Ban, Dove, Secret, Mitchem... none of them really worked for me. Anytime I would buy another stick of the same product, I knew I was just resigning myself to discomfort, but here in Texas, deo is a must.
One of my girlfriends finally suggested that I try organic deoderant, so off I went to H.E.B, in search of organic deodorant that didn't smell like flowers-and-butt and wasn't going to break the bank. Enter Tom's deoderant. At less than five dollars a stick with a light lemongrass scent, I was all over this.
Since Tom's is organic, it does not contain aluminum, something that a lot of people (like me!) have reactions to in deodorant. In your typical stick of, oh, say, Dove, aluminum works to close essentially close your pores so you don't sweat and stink up the joint. In lieu of aluminum, Tom's uses hops which works to prohibit the growth of bacteria, the biggest source of underarm funk.
Tom's works pretty well as a deodorant, but I do want to point out that it's not an antipersperant, so if that's what you're looking for, you may want to keep searching.

XOXO,
Ashleigh

What Product Has You Buzzin'?

This week, I'm all about Burt's Bees Hand Salve. It's packed with things like sweet almond oil,  olive oil, bee's wax, and vitamin E with a healthy dose of Eucalyptus oil so it's not only super nourishing for your skin, but it also has a slight medicinal smell in a completely pleasant way.



I really like the metal tin that it comes in, partly because I'm a sucker for cool packaging, and it's also pretty handy for me to tuck into my purse and not worry about it leaking all over the place and turning everything into a gooey mess.
Since it's a salve and not a lotion, it does go on pretty thickly and takes a few minutes to sink in. Once it does, though, it makes a huge difference. My hands are much softer, visibly smoother, and are lightly scented. If you're like me and you're the kind of gal that worries about different fragrances mixing, don't fret; it doesn't last long. If you're busy doing a lot of things with your hands, I would reccomend waiting until you have a few minutes to rub it in and let it absorb completely so it doesn't get that greasy feel.
The colder the weather gets, the more I'll be using it and applying it to not only my hands, but my elbows, knees, ankles and feet to keep them pretty and supple through the Winter.

Over all, I'd give it a solid A. You can usually pick up Burt's Bees products at Target, Walmart, Walgreens, and most other major retailers with most of the products under $15.

XOXO,
Ashleigh

PS: Burt's Bees does not test on animals, so that's another few points in their favor.

Healthy Flush

I like my blushes to be pretty, pink, and healthy looking- never clownish like some of the girls I see when I'm out and about.
I picked up some of Boots Blush Tint Creme in Blossom at Target a few weeks ago, and I really love the blush, because it's in solid, stick form which is perfect for portability. I blush to admit (no pun intended) that most of the time, my make up is done on the run and since this Blush Tint Creme is solid, I don't have to worry about spilling it all over myself or the car. It has a smooth, creamy finish that blends seamlessly into my skin. I just use two quick swipes across my cheek bones, blend with my fingertips, and I'm good to go!


Before blending


After blending

Blush Tint Creme is hypoallergenic and, according to Target's website, comes in at least three different shades, though I'm relatively certain I saw more actually in store.


Swatch on my wrist so you can see the actual colour of it.


Price: $9.99 at Target
Grade: A

And don't forget to bring your own Merlot!

I love mint, especially when it's added to lipglosses and lipsticks, so it's no surprise that I adore C.O. Bigelow's line of mint infused lip products.

On days that I want to wear my "signature" red lips, but don't want a bold lip, I turn to C.O. Bigelow's Vitamin Mentha Tinted Lip Balm in Merlot. Merlot is a beautiful, sheer, wine coloured red that softly defines my lips while conditioning them and freshening my breath.



According to the Bath and Body Works website, Bigelow's Tinted Lip Balm is packed with nourishing vitamins, mineral, and goji berry extract, which explains why my lips always feel so soft and supple after use.
Since I'm the kind of gal who likes to coordinate my nails and lipsticks, the Tinted Lip Balm is great, because it's sheer formula is such a no-brainer and looks wonderful with just about anything.



The only thing I don't particularly love about Tinted Lip Balm is that it's very soft and has a tendency to break on me, so my lipstick is always slightly tilted and I have to look in a mirror while applying.



Cost: $7.50 at Bath and Body Works
Grade: B+

Maaaaaarvelips!

Soap and Glory's Marvelips is so phenomenal (both in name and product) that I don't feel the need to try to be witty or clever with the blog title tonight.



I've been a big fan of Soap and Glory for quite some time now, because the products have consistently exceeded my expectations and been quite easy on my wallet.
Marvelips is a double-ended lip pencil with a rosy-pink shade on one side and an almost pearly-white highlighter on the other side. The end results give you full, kissable looking lips without being too heavy.
I start out by lining just along my lip line- however, if you want your lips to look a bit fuller, line just outside your natural lip line. Make sure you don't line too heavy handed, or else it'll look very obvious.



I then fill in my lips, both top and bottom, and use the highlighting end on my cupid's bow, right in the peaks, and I draw an upside "T" on my lower lip. This helps to softly define the centre of your mouth, drawing attention to it and giving the illusion of fullness. (Added bonus, the pearly-white highlighter makes your teeth look brighter!)



(Do, please, excuse the hoodie and Cheshire grin. I've been working all day and am running on caffeine)

As you can see, Marvelips is not a super-bold, in-your-face lipstick. It's a very subtle way to draw attention to your lips and give a bit of beautiful definition.

Cost: $9.99 at Target
Grade: A

Right Said Red

I was wondering around Walmart Monday night, perusing the make up aisles as I often do, when I stopped in front of a Sally Hansen display. At first, it looked like they were just reissues of old favourites just in time for the holiday, but then I actually read the sign- Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure. It's supposed to be base coat, nail colour, and top coat in one simple step, which is great for me, because I hate the drying time between layers.
I actually really liked Complete Salon Manicure, which surprised me, because I typically have an on-again-off-again relationship with Sally Hansen products. Complete Salon Manicure has a wider brush that tapers into a slightly thinner point, which means that the polish gets better, more even application across the nail bed, without painting your cuticles. I'm pretty sure Miss Manners says that's a no-no.



If I had one complaint about the polish, though, I would have to say that I don't particularly like the drying time, but that's more because I want my polish to dry like it was yesterday. It will take a little bit of time to get used to not having to apply topcoat at the end.



Cost: $6.49 at Walmart
Is It Worth It: Yes