Hey friends!

I have a very loosely connected theme here for this Happy Hour. I wasn’t feeling particularly creative this week, so I grabbed a beer and a beauty product that were both gifts to review.

The Coastal Scents 22 Brush Set, actually went on my trip with me, and I’ve been using it since then. I’ve been dreaming about The Clown Shoes’ Extremely Angry Beast since before my trip. So there you go, gifts and trip. That’s my theme.

I plan to work on the theme for next week’s Happy Hour, but I’m currently experiencing a brain failure after sitting down for my licensure/Big Girl Career test this morning. Now all I can think of is sparkles and a nap.

So enjoy this delirious Happy Hour post!

 

Makeup Product of the Week: Coastal Scents’ 22 Piece Brush Set, $30-33.

I got this kit for Christmas, and while these are not Sigma or MAC brushes, I think they are an affordable option, especially if you travel a lot. The outside case is a nice faux leather cover. Open it up and you get:

This thing spreads out pretty wide, about two feet, so it’s no dainty brush kit. My brushes came wrapped up in plastic, but I took if off to use this set on my trip. As for the brushes:

Wacky cloudy day lighting, you are not my friend!

And here are some of the smaller eye and face brushes. (Well, that’s what I think they’re for, really you could do anything with them.)

And some of the fluffier face brushes. I was really impressed with the quality on these bigger brushes, very soft and fluffy.

There’s a pretty nice variety here, the only thing I found myself lacking was a spooly brush for eyebrows.

I would place the quality of these brushes around my Real Technique brushes, which I love, but the sets are a bit pricier. And these brushes certainly better than e.l.f., and even some of Sephora’s similar kits. Some of the brushes do work better than others, for example, I’m not a big fan of the small angled brush at the end, but overall, they have a nice quality for the price.

I think this is a great deal for $30. Especially if you are just starting your brush collection, or need an overhaul, When I travel, I will be bringing this guy with me from now on.

Beer of the Week: Clown Shoes’ Extremely Angry Beast Imperial Stout

My BOTD this week was also Clown Shoes, so I’m guessing I’m just in a Clown Shoes mood lately. They do have the most hilarious, tongue-in-cheek label art of any beer bottle I’ve yet to see.

So, I’m not actually the hugest fan of Imperial Stouts in general, I usually find them to be too bitter or smokey, but good news: I actually think Extremely Angry Beast is pretty delicious!

It’s a very interesting and complex beer with lots of great flavors going on. I mostly pick up on chocolate, coffee, and bourbon. It’s very smooth, with just a hint of bitterness and smoke that balances well with the sweet notes. The texture is creamy and thick, and I think it makes a good cold winter night kinda of beer.

As Imperial Stouts go, I think this is very drinkable and enjoyable. I probably wouldn’t recommend this to beer beginners, but people wanting to expand their Stout game, should definitely try Extremely Angry Beast.

 

So that’s it for this week!

Next week I start grad classes again, so I’m finishing up some fun posts to get us through that sad time, like a new indie subscription box, my January Wantable Box, and perhaps even a special guest post? 

Until then, have a great weekend!

Love,

Rebs

Question of the Day:
-What are your favorite makeup travel tips?
–What themes would you like to see in Happy Hour?
-Are there any beers you would like me to cover in Happy Hour? Maybe like a beginner’s craft beer series? Or an IPA Extravaganza?