How To Sell On Ebay

My mini shopping addiction is really bad news for my skinny wallet. Especially whenever I hang with my bud Tiffany (that B***h~~~~~ I kid) Anyways, as a means to cushion the credit card damage and to clear up closet space I have one rule: if I buy something, I must sell something. I often sell preloved items in great and wearable conditions. Mostly Shoes, Clothes, and Handbags.


I've been doing this for a few years now and came up with a couple of rules.

Rule #1 Take Good Pictures
This is one of the most important rules. Potential buyers want to see exactly what they are buying. If your picture is unclear, blurry, or visually unappealing, other of the same items are just a click away. Take all kinds of pictures: full shot of the item, close up details that buyers might want to see, even things like tear and wear. Having a full and detailed set of pictures shows that you are a responsible buyer.

Rule #2 Describe Your Item In Detail
I do not mean a descriptive essay from English101, but the more important details that buyers should know. For example, if I am selling a dress, the following details should be included:

Brand
Size
Condition (include details about wear and tear, be honest to avoid bad feedbacks and returns)
Measurements
Color
Features or Other Important Details (something a buyer might want to know, like the dress has a side zipper)


Rule #3 List Your Conditions
If returns are not accept for any reasons, list it.
If you only ship in the US, list it.

Rule #4 Keep It Simple
I avoid writing paragraphs. Who wants to read a block of text? Online retailers list their item details and so should you. Keep it clear and simple, that way buyers know exactly what they are bidding for.

Rule #5 Be Responsive and Be Nice
This is almost a no brainer. You want to keep your buyers happy so they might be more willing to leave a good feedback if they decide to leave one at all. Feedbacks are very important to your reputation as a seller. Good feedbacks increases the chance of buyers choosing you over another seller since you will look more responsible.

These people do not know you, they only have your feedbacks to evaluate your business ethics. Which leads to my other point, when asked a question, respond in a timely manner. And, do not forget to leave a feedback for the buyer as well - keeps the relationship healthy.

Hope this helps

Just so you know, this entry is  my segway to Things I am Selling entries since I am kind of desperate.

Happy Ebaying!!

-Bao

M.A.C. Snack

For this spring MAC released a line of limited edition COOK MAC Fluidline that includes three colors: Midnight Snack, Added Goodness, and Wholesome. I am a huge fan of Mac Fluidline gel liners because of the long lasting and creamy application. And, it the little pot of liner lasts forever! Long story short, I went to the MAC store and got my mac fix. I feel in love with Midnight Snack, a gunmetal color eye liner.

Swatch: compared to Blacktrack, the staple black eyeliner from MAC.

It's a beautiful color. Definitely can go thicker with this eyeliner without looking too harsh.

-Bao

FEB FAVES PART 2 - Tiffany's Favorites

Since I'm currently in the process of moving, I wasn't really able to buy much (if you don't count furniture) but I did get some goodies that I wanted to share. I decided to do something different this month with my favorites by putting them into different categories. I have skin care, nail, jewelry, and of course makeup and I like to share with you my favorites from each category.

SKIN CARE:

I have been loving this water cleanser from Lancome called Eau Fraiche Douceur Cleansing Water. I prefer using this rather than regular makeup remover because it's a water base, hence, it feels lighter on my face. Also, it leaves a rather nice fragrance on my face after use.  Though it's water base, it takes off everything, including heavy eye makeup as well. This takes everything off your face and you can see it on your cotton pads (don't look, it may not be pretty) but overall, I would definitely re-purchase this item. I use it everyday before I shower to remove any type of makeup and/or dirt off my face. It does wonders trust me, you'll notice a huge difference in your skincare routine if you add this step.

NAILS:

I have been obsessed this month with nail care because well, I keep chipping/ breaking nails with moving, building things, etc and I wanted to find a better way to care for my nails. I shopped around, watched youtube videos and finally figured out a good method on which to care for my nails. The top picture basically shows what I use minus the polish. I am trying to film my nail care tutorial but in an attempt to try before, I failed because the camera just wouldn't focus correctly. Basically, I got a new base coat, OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener, which does wonders for your nails. Not only does it leave a smooth application for your polish but it keeps them from yellowing and I've noticed my nails are chipping alot less after using this a couple of time. I also got a new top coat that I absolutely love called Seche Vite which is a small miracle in itself. You are able to use this topcoat without having to wait for the polish to dry. It won't smudge or smear your polish at all and it cuts the drying time in half. Another product is something I think is called Drying One Drop and it does what it says. It uses an eye dropper and drops some kind of liquid on your nails that dries your nails instantly. I've tested it and I wouldn't touch it right away but I does dry within or less than a few minutes. It has cut my drying time in half. Another product that I've found is Essie Disappearing Cuticle Trick which basically does what it says. It takes a few tries to get it right but it's alot better than pushing them back with a cuticle pusher and trying to snip off your cuticles. It's a lot less painful and a lot better results. My nails have never looked better.

JEWELRY:

I've finally given in and entered the Jewelmint craze and I love it! I bought the Forever Audrey Earrings above and I can't tell you how much I love these earrings. They're a classic piece that dresses up any outfit. It's nice adding a statement piece to a simple outfit to jazz it up. It's a subscription base company where you take a few quizzes and every month, they pick out jewelry that best fits you according to your quiz results. You don't have to buy every month and you can always request alternates. I usually wait and watch youtube to see the different styles that other people received in their showroom before making my choices. They're made well, some are chunky but that's how the pieces are suppose to be. They're alot better quality than like H&M and Forever21 pieces and it's only $29.99 per piece. They're pretty worth it on the quality that you receive.

MAKEUP:

This is the result of my first purchase on Hautelook.com. It's the Urban Decay Book of Shadows 4. I love 90% of the colors in this book but when I swatched them, I fell in love with all of them. Some of the colors such as green and blue I thought I'd never use but when they're swatched, they come up alot lighter than expected. The quality is pretty good, I don't really have a problem and the colors are pretty true to what they look like for most of them. I was pretty happy with this purchase especially after my Naked Palette, this would be my 2nd Urban Decay purchase.

All in all, not a bad month of goodies. Hopefully next month, I'll have more interesting things to share. Happy Shopping :)

Layering Lip Colors

Last year I experienced a sudden obsession with lipstick. I experienced mostly with reds, pinks, and nudes. I was not very experienced with wearing lipsticks so I had a lot of hits and misses. Those shades that did not work ended up in a pile in the back corner of my drawers. A few days ago I rediscovered them and did not have the heart to throw them out. They cost money after all. So I decided to experiment with layering to make the shades more suitable for me. I was quite happy with the results  because not only was I able to save the lipsticks, but the colors came out surprisingly well. I encourage everyone to try this to revive tired lip colors.

So during the frenzy over the Revlon Lip Butter, I went a little overboard and purchased many shades. I wasn't too fond of how Creamsicle, Creme Brulee, and Strawberry Shortcake looked on me. Both Creamsicle and Creme Brulee were too nude for me and made me look a little sick, even a little ganguro. And Strawberry Shortcake was too bubblegum pink for my taste. So here's what I did:

I put on Creme Brulee on first. It is more nude/brown than Creamsicle. It made my my lips pale. So to give it a pop of color I layered on Strawberry Shortcake.

Strawberry Shortcake gave my palely coated lips a pop of color, while Creme Brulee toned down the pink. I loved the results!

For the following I layered on Dior Lip Glow and Creamsicle:

Creamsicle is more of a peachy nude, but nonetheless still too pale for me.

I layered Dior Lip Glow on top. Lip Glow gives my lips a bright pink tint, but the nude color tones it down to a color more fitted to me.

Overall, its all about experimenting. So experiment until you find the right combination.

- Bao

February Favorites

I know we have been mia for a while. Both Tiffany and I have been quite busy for the past few weeks. Tiffany just moved into her first apartment ever (Congrats! =]) and I've been busy updating my portfolio and putting together my website - I had absolutely no idea how time consuming putting together a custom website could be.

Anyways, back to subject of this post: February Favorites! This is only my list of favorites. We decided to do separate entries to cover more products.

1) Clinique: Even Better Clinical Spot Corrector

Recently I had a close look in the mirror and discovered that I have quite a few developing sunspots. The only reason why I was willing to give this a try is because I got a fantastic discount with my friend's employee discount; otherwise, it is quite pricey at $49.50 for 1 oz. which supposedly only last four weeks (The sales told me that I can also use it as a spot treatment). I've only just started using it two days ago so I can't say much about its effectiveness. However, it is an excellent serum. Leaves my skin silky and soft, and it absorbs ultra fast! The website says it takes 4 weeks to show results, so that's another post for another day. 

2) Skin 79: Super + Blemish Balm (BB Cream)

So I've been using this product since last summer. It lasts quite a while since I'm still using the same bottle. First off, if you haven't noticed already, there is a typo on the packaging: it spells blemish as "beblesh"; kinda funny, but not to worry because this is not a counterfeit bottle since I purchased this from an authorized retailer. Anyways, I love this product because of its 3 in 1 multipurpose use. BB cream has been quite the rage in Asia and now it's making an appearance her in the US as well. But I generally stick to the Asian brands since they've been doing this for a while. This particular product has whitening, sunblocking, and anti-aging properties. A little goes a long way, making my skin look smooth, even, and naturally milky. I think it comes only in one shade and its on the lighter side. It does adjust to your skin color a little bit after you put it on, but I would not recommend it if you are naturally tanned. 

3) Lancome: Teint Miracle Foundation

This is the one and only liquid foundation that I own right now. When I find something I love, I tend to stick with it just because I know it won't disappoint and this is one of those products for me. Teint Miracle provides moderate coverage, and gives me a natural and dewy finish. And it STAYS ALL DAY! I also love that it is so light weight that I forget I'm wearing makeup. Added bonus: it has spf 15 but does not leave my face shiny.

4) Loreal Infallible Eyeshadow

I know many many MANY people have been raving about Loreal's Infallible Eyeshadow so I caved in and purchased these. I have to say that I am impressed with its quality. I'm a palettes kind of girl and rarely purchase separates, not that there's anything wrong with separates. This is probably the most impressive in terms of quality compared to other drugstore brands. Its so pigmented and have great staying power. The two colors I purchased, Bronze Taupe and Amber Rush, are lovely. So versatile, depending on how much you layer, it can be both daytime and night time make up. And, they absolutely go with the colors in the Naked Palette (still my favorite).

Thanks for reading!

- Bao

Ulta Mini Haul

Had a great time this weekend, finally returning home to Jersey. And what else to do but to go shopping. Since there are no Ultas in the city, my trip home was my chance to go pick up a few things from Ulta. Shopping therapy for the win!

My hair has been pretty brittle lately. Will review soon!

I'm already a fan of the eos lip balms partly because of the cute packaging. And cute packaging did me in again. I already own the cucumber scented hand lotion by eos and found this floral scented one at Ulta. The packaging is about the size of my palms. Its slim and compact, easily fits into the tiniest purses.

Got my hands on Loreal's new line of lipstick/balm, Colour Riche Balm. I finally got my hands on Revlon's Lip Butter. So I will compare them soon.

A lot of time, after I clean my face, there are still hints of mascara smudge under my eyes. These cosmetic swabs are great for cleaning makeup smudges and fallout.

This brush, surprising, my boyfriend convinced me to buy. Says it doesn't tear as much as combs. We'll see about that.


-Tiff

Jason Wu For Target (Yay Second Post!)

I might be a little late on the news, but apparently designer Jason Wu is doing a collaboration with Target. I have never really been excited by the pass designer collaborations. However, this time I'm looking forward to the Jason Wu collection. Particularly because the the pieces are so wearable and can easily blend with my closet. Everything from this collection will range from $19.99 to $59.99 - which is unbelievable! The look book was released a couple of days ago and the following pictures are some of my favorite outfits from the collection.

One of my favorite looks from the collection is this school boy inspired look. It's so laid back but still put together. Nothing tugs at my heart string like a clean silho.

The collection will be released on Feb. 5th, 2012. I'll be in line all night for it.

-Bao