FashionNova sending Facebook Messages without even asking

I was looking for jeans and found one I liked on FashionNova. I added it to my cart to save for later and closed the tab. 

Around an hour later, I decide to go on Facebook and noticed I got a message. It was from FashionNova. I do not recall giving away my email address to the website, so how is it that they found me on Facebook? And they even sent me a link to my shopping cart with the item I added.

Their privacy policy includes collecting basically all of the information that can be found on your browser, such as all of the sites you've been to before and whether or not you are actually looking at the FashionNova website.

I feel like a fashion brand website shouldn't be collecting so much information about their users, even if it's solely for advertisement and their business. Seeing "Don't forget this..." on the FashionNova tab when I am on another tab is unsettling, and I wonder if they also have access to what I am typing.

Update: looking back on this, it's scary how much information Google Chrome itself is giving to other websites. 

My AliExpress Purchases (Part 1)

When I first discovered AliExpress, I fell in love immediately. It was difficult for me to go out and buy things that I liked, but the convenience of an online store to ship directly to me was all I had hoped for. Plus, AliExpress had all the anime/lolita/trendy items that were not yet available around me.

After being on this site for almost 3 years with 13 pages of orders, I've learned a few tips and tricks on how to buy on AliExpress. But first, I'd like to focus on the products and experiences I've had. 

I like to go into detail, so there is also some information on how these stores on AliExpress work (shipping, shipping time, packaging, etc.)

Little baby me buying EXO sweaters in 2014 ;)

EXO Sweater
This was my first purchase.  

The store: As you can see, the store name is some randomly generated name. This is the sign that this store does not exist anymore. In fact, it "closed" down quite a while ago. I was sad to see it go, because they had some quality stuff on their store.

This store had the most reviews for this particular sweater, and the pictures and reviews all said was of good quality. I do not have access to my order details anymore (probably because the store closed down), but the estimated shipping time was 15-26 days. I think the package arrived around 20 days. 

Shipping and Packaging: The sweaters were individually packed in those clear bags clothing come in, and both were put inside a gray shipping bag. This was fine with me, since these were sweaters and nothing much was going to happen to them. The bag also felt and looked waterproof. Since everything was being shipped from China, it would make sense that they cheaped out on the packaging (since shipping is high, but I pay nothing--the beauty of AliExpress). 

The product: If you've worn a Gilden hoodie/sweatpants/etc., you will know how this sweater feels. The entire thing was thick and the inside of the sweater was soft and plushy like fleece. It did smell slightly of paint (from the print), but otherwise, the sweater was as good as I expected it to me. The only problem was the sizing. I measured myself and even ordered a size up, but I wish I got an even larger size to make the sweater even baggier. 

The sweater was great for the autumn/chillier weather. I cannot say it would be enough for the snow, but layering on a warm coat will do the trick. After a few times in the washers/dryers, the inside of the material wasn't as soft anymore, but it was still a nice sweater. I actually do still have this sweater, but I don't wear it anymore. I think it shrunk a little bit from the dryer, and I accidentally got a paint stain on it. 

I also got over EXO thus another reason why I stopped wearing it (sorry EXO fans).

Spiral Fake Ear Plugs/Studs
I saw a picture with someone wearing these spiral plugs, and I wanted them too. Do I actually wear them? No, but I love them. 

The store: This store is actually still active, and if I was still into ear plugs, I would continue buying from them. I've made 2 purchases from them, and their items are definitely very good quality. I had one hiccup though, and they were able to talk with me to resolve the problem. More on it later. 

I did a lot of research on gauge sizes, and I had to message the seller to make sure these would fit in my regular, pierced ears. These did kind of stretch them out, but it wasn't anything painful. It just took some time for the ears to adjust.

The product: The plugs felt very durable and strong, though I have to admit the screws to connect them together did not feel as durable. One end of the spiral has a tiny screw that connect to the other side; when you can't see behind your ear, it's hard to keep a steady hand while spinning something in the small space behind your ear. I have been careful though. 

Buying from BBCosmetic.com (Site and product reviews)

Update: 
***
I contacted them about writing this review, and they gave me *I think* 20% money back on my order. This is something they advertise on their site, so honestly, anyone can just write a review/make a video, and send them the link! 

I also added some mini reviews on the products I bought below; it has been about a month since I started using the BHA serum.
***

I recently bought from BBCosmetic.com, and if you live in the USA, you'll be in luck! It has free shipping and they are based in the US! That means that not only will you get good deals, but you won't have to wait weeks and weeks to get your order.

I've been on the hunt for more skincare sites that offer free shipping with reasonable prices on their products. I am a huge fan of Jolse.com and Beautynetkorea.com, but I decided to give BBCosmetic.com a go.

I placed my order on April 2, 2017 and my box arrived on April 7! It took only 5 days! 

I didn't realize the site was based in the US, but honestly though, the site doesn't provide any information about shipping or its location. Usually the "About me" page and "FAQ" is at the bottom of the site, but this one doesn't seem to have one.

I actually didn't order that much because I wasn't so sure about this site. My order was $21.98, and after using a coupon code (I found online on someone else's blog), it ended up being $20.22.

Everything was still well packaged and I got free samples~~

[COSRX] Natural BHA Skin Returning A-Sol 100ml $12.99

[Missha] X Line Friends All around Safe Block Essence Sun 50ml SPF45 PA+++ $8.99

Free samples! Dr. Belmeur cream by The Face Shop. 

Cosmetic-Love Discount Link

So anyone that sees this, they will be like:

This person is sponsored. Or getting some sort of benefit from this.


Yes, and no. I purchased something from cosmetic-love.com for the first time today! And they gave me a discount link even though I didn't email them or ask anything from them.

Secondly, I will be getting store points from this if anyone uses this code. BUT! It is still a pretty good discount for anyone that wants to use it!


So to get a discount, you must purchase from cosmetic-love.com through this link, and you "should" get 15% off of your order! I'm not sure how long this link will last, but I wish I could use this for my order :( I haven't used one of these links before (I found one, but it was expired already), so I can't guarantee it will work. Let me know if it does!

Also, this link is for first time purchases only from this site!

15% Discount Link (Update: this might be expired, sorry! Click to check, just in case :))


I want to share this because after browsing cosmetic-love.com, the site is quite pricey! Even though people say jolse.com (etc. etc.) is expensive, this is even more! However, their "buy more save more" deals are super awesome and actually can help you save and get cheaper deals! 

Enjoy! :) Also, you will get a discount link after your purchase too!

Jolse Cosmetic Haul

After watching ssinnim's "Korean Roadshop one brand makeup" tutorials and reviews, I decided to experiment with makeup with some brands/products she recommended, and some cheaper brands available on Jolse.

Here's just a haul and some swatches, and maybe some first impressions too.

Edit: after testing out some of these, I've included a few mini reviews! 

The box!

 free samples~

another one was hiding under everything :)

I didn't buy more than $50, and I still got a free face mask! This has never happened before (I've bought from Jolse more than 3+ times, and this is the first!)

The container with "Jolse" written on top are oil blotting sheets; they work great!

Dr. Mascara Fixer (Super longlash) by Etude House (6ml)

Clearing Petit BB SPF 50 PA++ by Holika Holika (30ml)

Facetone Creamy Tip Concealer by Tonymoly, shade W02 (6g)

 ssinim recommended this in her Tonymoly video, and I decided to get the same (darkest) shade.

First impressions:

-yellow

-sets quickly, so blend it in!

-a bit too dark for me, even though I am tanned (doesn't match my skintone)

-since it doesn't match me, I have to blend it out a lot more than others, so I decrease the coverage

-other than that, good coverage!

-packaging looks modern and cool!

-if you tried the Elizavecca bubbling clay face mask, that's what this concealer smells like

-a strange, earthy smell

-----(added edit)-----

-matches my face tone but doesn't really work for my dark circles

-this is the darkest shade (W02) and is very yellow

-it kind of accentuates any bumps or pores

Price: $4.78 (after some store discount)

First impressions:

-cool brush, very easy to use!

-has weird fibers inside

-holds the curls super well! feels like a mascara, but no color!

-lengthens due to the fibers

-waterproof!

-packaging is interesting

-----(added edit)-----
-maybe because I don't wear mascara that much, my lashes start hurting and feeling "tired" from being curled for so long. This stays on and holds the curl for at least 5 hours.

Price: $6.38 (with some store discount)

It's hard to tell, but it looked very pinkish.

(I used plastic wrap to spread it out--needed clean fingers for a sandwich)

First impressions:

-pink

-matte

-spreads pretty nicely, not too thin or thick

-brightens skintone

-not too much coverage

-the smell reminds me of shampoo at hair salons

-----(added edit)-----

-it looked powdery and kind of cakey on my skin. 

-after some time, the color melted in with my skin tone

-accentuates any blemishes, especially closed comedones and whiteheads

-covered my blackheads though

-covers red spots/marks/blackheads/veins near nose

-medium-ish coverage (I think)

-but dark spots will still need some concealer

-oxidizes a bit to match your skin color

-oily skin will look oily after a few hours; you'll want to powder

-kind of wears off and blends in with the skin after a few hours

-doesn't exactly rub off, but it scratched off

Concern:

This is supposed to hold 30ml of product

Not sure if the container holds more, and there is just 30ml of product, or I'm not getting however much I should be.

There was no seal on the opening, but the cap does properly seal the container.

This was the cheapest face, cosmetic product on Jolse. There are no shade options, only an option for the "look" you're going for (shiny, dewy, matte, etc.) 

Price: $4.48 (after some store discount)

Peach Sake Pore Pact by Skinfood (9g)

First Impressions (?):

-works like a powder, doesn't really have color

-smells good (sweet and floral)

Price: $7.98 (after some discount)

Saemmul Luminous Multi-Shading by the Saem (8g)

First impressions:

-IMO, best for highlighting/contouring smaller areas by picking specific shades

-IMO, mixing them all together is a light shade and not a suitable color for contouring (kind of reddish from all the pinks)

-it has a pretty strong scent; you notice it when applying 

-the product is "loose" and has fall outs on the container; container gets dirty quickly

Price: $6.73 (after some discount)

The Skinfood comes with a mirror and super soft sponge! I didn't want to get it dirty, so I didn't try the pact yet.

It smells nice; somewhat floral, but not really like peaches.

This looks super cool, and you can use parts of it for highlights and others for contouring! You'll need to get your own brush though!

These two products were shown in ssinnim's videos, so go check her out! They're in the roadshop videos for Skinfood and the Saem!

(I just love her videos and got the idea to purchase these items from her :) I think her reviews really help you decide what kind of cosmetic products you prefer!)

This shows how big everything is. They're all quite tiny.

Perfect UV Protection Cream Triple Care SPF 50+ PA+++ by Innisfree

Charcoal Nose Cleansing Strips (10 strips) by Luke

The sunscreen was the main purpose for this haul/purchase. I actually wanted to buy it from the Innisfree website (buy 1 get 1 free), but the Triple Care one was sold out! Since this is a brand new sunscreen line, there really aren't that many reviews. My skin is combination (normal and oily) skin, so I thought Triple Care would be best for me!

And it was pretty cheap on Jolse, so I got it! They also just restocked too!

I was also a few dollars away from the faster shipping, so I got some nose strips. These aren't my favorite blackhead remover product, but they work and they're cheap.

Sunscreen Price: $7.98 (after some discount)

Strips: $3.58 for 10 strips/box (after some discount)

---added edit---

Luke Charcoal Nose Cleansing Strips review:

These are your typical charcoal strips with a fuzzy side and a shiny side. You make the shiny side wet and apply shiny side down. DO NOT use wet fingers to secure the strip. It will increase the chance of the strip not peeling completely and properly.

-sticks really well, once it's on, it's on

-dries quickly

-be careful when peeling, some parts of the mask can get stuck on your face (read above).

-but you can wash it off afterwards

-blackheads are easily seen and visible

-strip sticks really well on the blackheads so it gets a lot of them out

-also pulls any tiny hairs and fibers

-minimal pain

Pros:

-entire area being covered has chance of getting blackheads pulled out

-dirt cheap on Jolse

-apparently can be found at Forever 21 (google searched it)

-read review above for rest

Cons:

-can get stuck on face = need to wash it off = no blackheads getting pulled out

-a strip can only cover so much of your face = can't pull out blackheads elsewhere unless you use another strip

My rating: 

4.5/5

The lazy (and good) way of getting rid of blackheads. 

---end of edit---

That is it! I also got a free pore strip, which basically comes with every purchase on Jolse!

---added edit---

I've also recently gotten some oil blotting sheets. These work great and there are a ton of them!

I also have the CosRX Honey Ceramide Mask; it has a gel consistency and works great as a moisturizer too!

---end of edit---

I love this store, and I haven't had any problems with them so far! I also have another haul from a while ago, which I hope I will post soon. This one was the most "different" since I never buy make up products :)

Thanks for reading!

I was not sponsored by Jolse.com, but I am simply a huge supporter as they have great prices for their products! And free shipping directly from Korea! Yay!