What I Bought in February

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What is it about blogger hauls that makes us want to watch those cliche Youtube videos? I know 90% of those vids are probably either sponsored of they’re actually PR samples disguised as a haul, and yet I can’t look away. I bet it’s because we’re nosy, and because we’re girls who love shopping 🙂 While I don’t have a Youtube channel [yet!], I thought I would write a blog post and show you a couple of things I bought during the month of February. It’s mostly clothes, some home accessories, and a couple beauty products. I am actually trying to resist buying any more skincare and makeup, because I still need to use up everything I have. It looks like a lot of the products in my stash are set to expire either at the end of this year or next year, so I need to start actively using them.

My first February purchase was a new bra from The Bra Lab. Their bras are very unique, because you can buy cups, backs, and straps separately. Visible bra straps peeking from under your clothing are considered by some to be tacky, but The Bra Lab actually encourages women to show off the straps. With dozens of fun designs and materials to choose from, you can customize your piece with removable backs, straps, and cups to match your outfit. They offer smooth t-shirt bra cups for those who like to keep things simple, lace cups for a touch of luxury, and deep plunge/push-up bras for wearing with deep v-necks. Most of the backs completely transform the bra from a piece of undergarment into a fashion statement [like this one with fringe, or this one with cotton mesh], so you can forget worrying about backless pieces.

I already own several sets of backs and straps, so this time around I just bought the Interchangeable Christina Black Push Up Plunge Cup, since my other pieces are just regular t-shirt cups. I don’t know how I feel about it. Due to my recent weight gain I had to size up from a C to a D, and the bigger cup feels so much different. I also feel like the bra has weird uneven edges in some spots, even though none of my other pieces have any defects. I didn’t send it back for some reason, but maybe I should have exchanged it while I still could. It’s not the end of the world, because those edges aren’t seen or felt under the clothes. It still kind of bugs me.

Moving on to my next purchase, this one you’ve already seen mentioned on the blog. I bought Mono B Ice Capri with Curved Line that I got in my February Wantable Style Edit. It was a pretty successful one, I must say! If you want to see what I got, go read the full blog post. On the topic of the leggings, I already took them out for a spin, literally. The weather here was finally good enough to ride a bike, so I wore them on my 1-hour long ride, twice, and they held up well. I’m happy I got them!

Now, I know I promised not to buy any more skincare or makeup, however, MAC was having a GWP promotion for Select members for one free full-sized Patentpolish Lip Pencil with any purchase, and I couldn’t pass on that! I bought Eye Shadow refill in Brun for my Pro Palette and got the free pencil, all for just 6 bucks + tax. I’ve always wanted to get this classic matte color, because it seems very versatile. I can see myself using it for my brows and as an eyeliner, too. Patentpolish Lip Pencils got pretty bad reviews, but there were a couple shades that scored high marks on temptalia. I chose Kittenish, which turned out to be stunning in person: a rich, rosy mauve with medium to full pigmentation and juicy, glossy finish. Once the gloss wears off, the formula leaves a slight stain, so the lips never look naked.

Another beauty product I ended up buying is a 6-pack of Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Creams for Mr. Glamorable. He swears by this lightweight moisturizer and refuses to use anything else in the AM. This gel works really well for his combination skin, keeping it hydrated, balanced, and breakout-free, thanks to a great mix of repairing snail slime filtrate, nourishing emollients, and soothing Centella Asiatica extract. If you want to read about his full grooming routine, check out this blog post. I bought Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream on BeautyNet Korea, but this product is also available on Amazon, and some sellers offer Prime shipping. It’s cheaper through BNK, but you might have to wait a month or even longer for the order to arrive.

I placed my Asos and H&M orders back to back, I believe. Right now I am in spring shopping mood, so I’m slowly updating my wardrobe with light and airy pieces. Asos was offering an extra 10% off clearance and free shipping, so I picked up a few items that were pretty heavily discounted and got a great deal on the whole bundle. Pleated skirts have been in for a couple seasons now, but I kept hesitating getting one because I didn’t think it would look good on me. I am slightly curvy, and heavier on the bottom, plus my legs are short. But, you know, when the skirt is like 16 bucks + tax, I think it’s worth a shot! I’m still not completely comfortable in Pull&Bear Pleated Metallic Midi Skirt, but pulling it off is just a matter of confidence.

P.S.: I also bought the beige striped shirt [on the right, above], but it’s part of my Stitch Fix, that I plan to write a separate blog post for.

Athleisure is not going anywhere, and spring will make this trend even trendier. I got Monki Raw Edge Boxy Sweat Top in Cream color, because I liked the oversized fit, wide sleeves, and fitted crew neck, which makes it all look intentional. Sometimes oversized clothes can look like hand-me-downs from your older sibling, so to me that neckline was pretty important. The color is darker and warmer in real life than it appears on the website, but such is the nature of online shopping. I would have liked it better if it was more cool-toned and lighter, I think.

Last but not least, I needed to restock my hair ties, so I bought a stack of beige ASOS Basics Pack of 40 Hair Ties, and Gray Floral Brocade Baseball Cap. I loved my old H&M cap, with pretty rhinestones shaped in a star pattern. Unfortunately, they started falling off, so now my star has a lot of bald patches, and the whole thing looks kind of raggedy. Love this new brocade cap, it goes so well with the rest of my sporty clothes!

I periodically check H&M to see what’s on sale, because they always have some kind of promotion going on. I took advantage of the President’s Day sale this year, and bought a few trinkets for the home and for myself. I have plenty of scarves, but I really need to pare down my collection, because I never wear some of them anymore. I bought this lilac & gray Woven Scarf, because it will go so well with my new baseball cap, and I just love these colors in general. The scarf looks a lot bigger/wider in person than I imagined, even though the website clearly states the dimensions. It’s pretty good quality and size for the price! I also bought Striped Jersey Top, mostly because I liked the price, but I was very happy with the quality once I received it. The fit was perfect! I had to size up based on the size chart on H&M website, and it was spot on. Very happy with this purchase!

H&M is my go-to place for trays, but I only buy them on sale. I bought a couple during my last haul, but this time I finally decided to grab this white Rectangular Wooden Box for my cooking oils. It was on my wishlist for ages! Probably not the smartest idea, considering that traces of oil can seep into the wood, I know, so we’ll see how that plays out. I definitely didn’t think this one through 🙂 This box goes in and out of stock constantly, so I really didn’t have time to think about it. And it was on sale for just 5 bucks! The box is really well-made and thoroughly painted, no weird splotches, messy paint splashes, and imperfections anywhere. I like it a lot!

I bought a bunch of tealight candles during one of the Black Friday sales last year, and soon realized that I only have three tealight holders. I thought about it when I saw these cute white and gold Small Metal Tealight Holders on sale, and bought two of each for a contrasting look that goes with my interior. Love the quality of these as well, but wasn’t too happy with the stickers that I had to remove extra carefully. These are available in a ton of colors, including rose gold.

And finally, I got another metal basket. Guys, I love these baskets! Ever since I bought one a few months ago, I got 3 more, and now another one. This Large Metal Wire Basket is the perfect size for facial towels and a large beauty products, like body lotions and hair styling supplies, so I plan to play around with it to see which way I like to use it best. One thing is for certain – I know it’s a versatile and practical piece of decor that I am surely going to enjoy.

Did you make any fun/whimsical purchases in February? Have you shopped at H&M or Asos before? Let me know in the comments!

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