 Hi guys, it's Monica, a very, very blonde look again. Gonna talk a little bit about some products and some of the things that I've purchased. So if you're curious to see what I've bought and using and my thoughts on them, especially this, stay tuned. I have been like on a hunt for a cross body bag, right? I wanted to have a cross body bag that I could actually fit stuff in that I would take. Like for me, I have to have my sunblock with me. I want to have a little bit of a touch up, you know, if I need to put lipstick on or something like that, depending on where I'm going, how long I'm going to be gone for. So I've tried a couple of different cross body bags and I really haven't been thrilled with any of them to be honest with you. And then I saw this particular one and it had a number of great reviews. So I decided I would try it. Now it did not come with this chain that I'm showing, but it is, I mean, this is a $20 bag. I don't know if you can see any of the detail. It is sewn, you know, sewn little outer pocket here and it comes with a regular leatherette strap, but I ended up buying a replacement strap because I wanted to have the chain. But what I really like about this, I'm able to fit my sunglasses in, which is important because I wear sunglasses all year round, right? I think it is sort of a really big factor in anti-aging your eyes because even in the winter time, you get that glare of the sun and all that stuff. It big enough to put a full wallet, my full clutch wallet in, which normally I would just be taking a few things out. I wouldn't be carrying this with me the whole time if I was going to be doing a small cross body, my car keys, and like I said, some sunblock, hand cream, any kind of pills I need, a comb is in here. It actually holds a number of stuff and has little tassel, which if that was really cool. So the strap that came with it is probably a better strap than the one I bought to replace it with. So I probably will swap it out. It is an adjustable strap and it's probably more comfortable. However, I probably will buy or look for another version of this particular chain because I do like the chain straps a lot. This is the perfect, I think, side ceremony. I'm gonna enclose a picture that Jay took of me and I have the bag strapped around. We were out at the beach. So as a cross body, this is the perfect length, although this one would go a little bit longer, which is perfectly fine. There is also another chain that comes with some of them that has a little bit of a chain in it. So if you want that one, if you're gonna order this, just make sure you order the right bag. I liked it so much after reading the reviews, I actually bought two of them. So the second one, these things came so well packaged. They have a little bag. It's actually called Lola May, Lola May. And again, it comes with a tassel. It is really pretty. There's a ton of packing paper in here, including the protecting, protecting the tassel. In the very bottom is the strap that I had that comes with it. Again, if you buy a replacement strap, you might want to just be careful to which one you buy because some of them are not. Read the reviews. This one I'm going to like a lot because this is what I said. Some of them come with a chain and some comes without. So on this particular one, the one I ordered has a little bit of the gold chain. So you can just do whatever variation you would like of this handbag. I think the handbag was like 20 bucks. And I was not expecting very much. So here is the regular strap with the chain on the bottom, which I really like. And I wish that I had gotten that for the black one. Again, there's two pockets inside. One is zipped, big enough to hold whatever you want. Your wallet, your credit card, another one, you can put your whatever in. And then you have this flap on the outside for your phone. So anyways, this is my cross body haul, as I call it. And I really, I love these bags. I was amazed at the quality. Again, this is my replacement strap that I bought. I was amazed at the quality of these bags and how much they held. So I think I spent 20 bucks for each bag and then I spent $8 for the strap I bought that I'm not in love with. The reason I'm not in love with it, A number one, it's heavy, which is good because it's good quality, but it also always twists because the clasp twists, right? It's got a little twisty thing here. So the strap is always twisting, which really doesn't super bother me because it's very easy to straighten out. And if you're up and about, you have it around you. You know, if you have it around you, you know, who's really gonna notice much, you know what I mean? So that was an Amazon find. Another Amazon find. And I had mentioned that I was getting this. This is a travel chamber. This only holds nine shadows. So what I've been doing lately is I have an old Z-Palette, that a Z-Palette container that I think I got at the Octolene Network I don't even know how many years ago. And I've just sort of been putting my little individual palettes in it. But it's so poor after all these years because it's just cardboard. It isn't gonna last forever. But I wanted something new for my trip because I didn't want to, number one, I'm not gonna like a ton of eyeshadows around. And I wanted to be able to put the ones that I'm gonna wear in a palette in a container like this that looks good. So this arrived. I mentioned that I was ordering this. This arrived. And I think, don't hold me to it, but I think it was like $15. I really like it a lot. And again, that was from Amazon. So the other thing that I got, my battery died. So I'm probably in a different position. I apologize for that. Anyways, the other thing that I got that I thought was absolutely the most adorable idea. I did get this from Skeapers, aka Octoly. I'm probably in not pronouncing it correct, but I did get this through the Skeapers network and I selected it. And this is a actual holiday gift, I think, ornament. Awesome. Stalking stuffer, you name it. This is from the company called Banila Company, U.S. Banila. I may be pronouncing that wrong as well. I'll put it in the description below via Skeppers via Octoly. And you guys know, those of you that have been following me anyways, that I absolutely love clean and zero. I have used their cleaning bomb for a long time. So when I saw this on Octoly and I said, what a great idea, right? What a great idea for someone who's looking for a gift, a stalking stuffer, something to hang on a tree, a secret Santa gift. I thought it was just an awesome great idea and it's a great product. And of course it's in a smaller size. So, you know, it works perfectly. So if you're looking for that type of a gift, affordable, something that actually does what it says it's supposed to do. It melts all your makeup off. And I think it's amazing. Anyways, I will link the product detail below. Let me open it up because Monica, ooh, Monica loves clean and zero. So I am going to, look at this. This is the container it comes in. Oh my gosh. And I'm going on a trip, right? So this is not only perfect. If you know clean and zero, you know, this really, it doesn't have a fragrance, at least that none that I can detect. It really is a beautiful, beautiful cleansing bomb for your skin. I love this product. But anyways, I'm going on a trip and this will be the perfect size for me to bring with me, right? Because you don't want to be carrying a bunch of big things in your luggage and all that. But how sweet is that? Again, this was given to me complimentary via the, I was going to say octalite, but it's a Skiper's. And from a company called Banila, I think I'm pronouncing it right, company USA. And I got this in exchange for review, complimentary. So I could take a look at it so I could share it with you. So any of you that are looking for holiday gift or ideas, this is perfect. Again, that stocking stuffer, that ornament, anyone that you know, somebody that's traveling, right? And they don't want to sacrifice but not having all the products they want, but they also want to go super light. It is perfect. So a couple of other things that I wanted to mention. Lately, I have gone into sort of my stash and I've been shopping my stash a lot. And some of you have been asking, well, what have I been wearing for eyeshadow? So I've been playing around with eyeshadow, but I had, I don't know how long ago I got this little palette. It is one of those mini palettes. It is some Clarence and it is really a pretty, pretty color. Let's get a mirror and it's got these shades. I don't know if you can see these shades. So I like to do a smoky eye look, right? I like to have a smoky eye look and I like to actually do it with more purple shades rather than brown. I'm in more of the darker purple and then the pink, if possible, around my eyes. I prefer to have a cooler tone than a warmer tone. I think cooler tone colors look better on me. So if I do gravitate to a real smoky eye and I do the browns, I'm gonna do browns and black, which on me sometimes looks too harsh, you know? Especially for real life, real estate, real life, real estate. Well, yeah, real life, right? For real estate and stuff like that. It's just too harsh. Where my Visiot palette, which still hands down, my Visiot amethyst, is still my hands down, my favorite palette, has the perfect blend of colors. But sometimes I want something a little bit darker. And so anyway, so I've been playing around. I rediscovered this and I've been using that. Today, this is all I have. I have the pink, I have the purple and then I have the darker in my crease and I really, really like this. I don't even know if you can get this anymore. But this is a four-palette, a four-pack. And they call it number seven. I don't know, I think it's really nice. So I wanted to share that with you I've been shopping my stash. Many of you know that I have been using the Ferrera, especially the concealer. I absolutely love the concealer. Some of you say you can't even see my scar. Well, I really think that has a lot to do with how well the concealer works on my skin without aging me, without giving me that crinkly look. I love that concealer. Granted, it may not be for everyone. I get that, but I love it. I have dry skin. So for me, it just works perfectly. So they also had sent me and I said I was gonna give this to try it opened up. I've been using this now for two weeks. This is their finishing powder. And I got a brush with it. I love it. I just put this all over afterwards and it just, it gives a really nice finish. I am not a powder gal in no way. The only time I use powder is like if I'm gonna really powder down my shiny face or something. But in general, I am not a powder gal. I don't use finishing powders, but I will tell you I really like this. So it's a small container, but I'm hardly using anything. So I guess maybe it depends on how much of this you use when you'll go through it, but I'm hardly using any of it. Very, very light and I just puff over and it works really well. So I'm really liking that. The other thing on their product that they had sent me, their product line, I was really curious. And I had mentioned to you in one of my previous videos that I use the Timeless Vitamin C and I love it. But I knew that I wanted to try a couple of other vitamin C's that I have, so I have not reordered my Timeless. And I keep waiting for the 50% off sale because that's when I buy my Timeless products. So I don't think I'm gonna have one before Christmas or not. But Fiera sent me their Citrus Stem C serum. So I have a really hard time with vitamin C's. I have had some super expensive vitamin C's that I put on my skin that have not worked well for me. I mean, I'm just talking, I put my vitamin C on in the morning and I'm talking putting other layering other products on top of it like makeup because I wear foundation. So some vitamin C's, even ones that are over $100 on my skin. And that just goes to show you how our skin is all so different, right? I mean, what works for me may not work for you. What works for somebody I know, trusted love on YouTube does not work for me. So we are all super different. But Fiera had sent me, along with the finishing powder, which I'm digging, and they had sent me the Citrus Stem C serum. Now this did not come through accurately like the original Fiera products did. The company sent this directly and they said, we want you to try this. No obligation, not requesting review. There's no tie-in at all. Not being paid, but they sent me this. And I said, okay, sure. So I wasn't gonna open this until I finished my timeless, which I did. So I think I've been using this, I don't know, about a week and a half, maybe two weeks now since I finished my timeless. And that is long enough for me to be able to tell you this plays really nice with my makeup. It has very much a tangerine summer smell. So when you put this on, it's a thick. It's not a thin, I don't wanna waste it, but I'm just, I don't know if you can see it. It's just, it's like a golden, thicker mixture. And then it just spreads so smooth on my skin. And it dries down so quick. And then when it dries down, when I put my makeup on afterwards, or depending on what comes next, it could be sunblock, it could be whatever. But this has played really nice with my additional skincare makeup products that I apply after my vitamin C. So does it brighten my skin? It's too soon to tell. I really believe 100% I will put money on it. Vitamin C has brightened my skin in general. It has helped fade my age spots. I notice a big difference when I stop using vitamin C and then use it again. Like when I had my surgery, I just kind of went on a funk. You know, I had my surgery at the end of June. And I went on a funk for almost what, a month and a half, two months before I really even started to do anything. And then that timeframe, and it could have been too, because I was in such a funk having had my face cut apart and being swollen like this and having that ugly scar on my face. So the funk could have been attributed to how I was feeling that I looked as well. But you know what it is, when you feel that way, you are that way, it reflects on you. So I was feeling crappy. I thought my skin looked crappy. And that's just how I looked at it. So I started to reuse my vitamin C once I got the clearance to, from the doctor to go ahead and start doing stuff on my face. And I was almost at the very tail end of my timeless. So I continued to use that. And I, I love my timeless vitamin C without a doubt. I love it. And 50% off, you can't go wrong. I've been using it for years. And I think it makes a difference. It plays nice with my makeup. And I've tried some of the real super expensive ones. But this, this, I don't know. I just think this is, I don't smell anything. I'm not seeing anything. You know, this absorbed into my hand just in the short time that I was talking to you. I really, really like this. It does have a very, very strong citrus smell. So if you don't like a citrus smell or a summer smell, I call it. Cause I think oranges and tangy, tangy, sorry, oranges and tangerines and things like that. I think of summer. So if that's not something you like, then just be aware of it. But, but they have amazing sales. I think, you know, they've got a sale going on. I don't get, I'm not receiving anything for this. So I don't benefit if you buy through my link or not. I don't have a custom link, but they always have sales. And this is really good. So if you're on the fence about trying another vitamin C, pick it up. Sale price, you might really like it. Again, if you don't like a summer smell, citrus or whatever, then you might want to, you know, hand, you know, stay away. But I really liked it. So lastly, like I said, I've been shopping my stash, right? I've been trying to really curb my spending and trying to really economize. I mean, as we all have to, right? I mean, my electric bill has gone up double next month, they say. And, you know, my gas, we're all in the same boat, right? So I'm trying not to spend a whole lot of money buying stuff. So I happen to have a bunch of stuff in a container that I haven't used. So I have said that I'm going to not shop in Sephora after they, and I'll link that video, the age is something that happened when they sent that survey out. I'm still really upset with Sephora, but there is.