Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Small Walgreens Haul

The title of this post should be: How you know Jeweled Thumb hit traffic on the way home from work!

Since there obviously aren't Walgreens (or any stores for that matter) right on the highway, I get impatient and take the scenic route which drives me through lots of shopping (and probably 10+ Starbucks).
My loot:
Rapid Lash Serum $12.25 (was $49)
Chi Keratin Mist $7.50 (was $15)
and Revlon Black With Envy nail polish (full price)

(and a Diet Dr. Pepper - unpictured)

Seriously guys, if these last two hauls weren't any indication, stop by your local Walgreens for some potentially awesome deals!

Monday, May 30, 2011

Review: Queen Helene Royal Curl Line

You have all seen the beast that is my hair and I'm always up for trying the newest items in the haircare world. So when Beauty Stat sent an e-mail mentioning easing frizz and improving curls, I was absolutely up for the challenge.

Not like trying out a new hair care range is challenging, especially when it comes tied to the tried and true (Mint Julep Masque anyone?) Queen Helene's range.

Their new Royal Curl line, hits the web and Whole Foods this week and comes with the very reasonable price of $8.99 a product.

I am going to come right out and say that while I was intrigued, I wasn't sure this was going to work on my hair. While it is dry, frizzy and curly; it is not truly coarse. I can't use anything too heavy as it will weigh my hair down and my hair is capable of getting greasy.

The line comes with 4 different products:
Royal Curl Stay Clean Shampoo 12 oz.
Royal Curl Moisture Rich Conditioner 12 oz.
Queen Helene Royal Curl Shaping Crème 15 oz.
Royal Curl Smoothing Oil 4 oz.

All items are free of sulfates, petrolatum, parabens and phthalates
The Stay Clean Shampoo lathered well and made my hair feel clean, yet not stripped. The scent took me back to the neighborhood pool for some reason. I can swear it smells like old school Herbal Essences (back when they only had one "flavor"). My only issue is the fact this isn't anti-dandruff and I can't use it most times I shower or else I have to bring out the dreaded T-gel, which makes my bathroom, hair and towels smell like tar for a good 12 hours. Otherwise, if you have no dandruff issues and have drier hair, I'd pick this up next time you need a good moisturizing, yet not heavy shampoo.
I was really impressed by the Moisture Rich Conditioner. Again, I was kind of expecting something super heavy and something that weighed my hair down. The texture of this is so light, almost like a gel and it is not heavy or greasy. A lot of moisturizing conditioners are thick and creamy in the shower, which is nice every so often, but not for a daily conditioner. This is something that I could use each time I washed my hair. The telltale sign for me of something being too heavy is if my curls don't start to spring right out of the shower, when the hair is still fairly saturated with water. This passed that test.
The Curl Shaping Creme terrified me. It is a giant massive vat of bouncy gel-like goo. Ok, that might not be the most appetizing, marketable description for this product, but they were my first thoughts! I was nervous, yes, but I did notice some of the ingredients. Things like aloe vera which I've used as a frizz taming product in the past, agave nectar and green tea. All good things. My first fear was that it was going to be thick and sticky. It's actually very light and not sticky at all. You are instructed to apply it to slightly wet hair and then style as usual. I felt this did a good job of cutting down the frizz. It reminded me of one of my favorite products, the Garnier Smoothing Milk which has a similar texture (though this is more liquidy). To deal with the yuck of sticking fingers into the pot, I give it a little shake so some of the product winds up on the lid and grab the product from that. I will say even if the huge pot is generous with the product amount, I'd rather have a squeeze tube like the Garnier comes in. But this will last forever. I use about an almond's worth of product and start from the ends and move up.
The Curl Smoothing Oil is pretty similar to the other oils on the market (Morrocan, Argan, etc.) with slightly different ingredients and the same scent as the others in the Royal Curl line. I don't find this heavier than any other oils and I like the fruity scent this has. And of course, the price can't be beat. My only complaint would the pop top lets out a bit more product than you need, as it's fairly liquidy. Otherwise, a great alternative to other more expensive oils. This one has corn, meadowfoam oils and green tea.

I was pleased with this line, but not blown away. The price point, given the quality and the amount of product is very reasonable. The packaging is quite simple and plain but works. My favorite product was definitely the conditioner. I loved the scent of the full line and thought the products worked well together, though I would definitely choose either the oil or the curl shaping creme, not both and I'd chose the shaping creme more if it came in a squeeze tube! If I happened to find any of these on sale, I'd probably pick them up again but I'm not sure I'd seek them out to repurchase.

For more information on the Royal Curl line of products and where you can buy them, please visit www.queenhelene.com 

Disclosure: These products were received for review purposes from Beauty Stat as part of their Blogger Network.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Bloom Memorial Day Deal

Bloom is running another promo! Spend $70 get $40 Bloom Dollars back in your account, spend $40 get $20 Bloom Dollars back in your account. The promotion ends May 31st so be quick!


I've already placed my order.

I bought the Sircuit Skin Problem Skin Cleanser I reviewed yesterday, a back up of the Sircuit Skin Fixzit and a backup of the Jane Iredale Lip Drink I reviewed here. And now I have another $40 Bloom Dollars in my account to use for the next promotion! Can't beat that.

Are you going to be buying anything? These 50% "cash" back promotions are doing horrible things to my wallet!

Disclosure: This post includes my referral link.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Review: Sircuit Cosmeceuticals

After my review of the Sircuit Cosmeceuticals Fixzit Blemish Drying Serum (which I purchased myself as you know), I was contacted by the company and asked if I wanted to try some more of their products. As I had already had amazing results, I was absolutely thrilled. I've been using these products for about 2 weeks and I thought I'd share my thoughts.
First I was sent their Savior Problem Skin Cleanser (.5oz $6|4oz $38)
I was hesitant about trying a product formulated for oily skin. While I do break out, my skin remains more dry than oily and most cleansers formulated for oily skin strip the skin of ALL oil and leave a dry tight mess for me. This is probably the most gentle of all products I have ever tried to get rid of break outs. It is sulfate-free so it doesn't really foam or produce much of a lather. The texture is very light and somewhat liquidy and very little is needed to wash the full face and jaw area. I'm going to be purchasing a full size of this. I received the .5oz sample size to review.

Next, Sircuit Agent Anti-Aging Serum for Blemished Skin (1/8oz $15|1oz $95)I'll be completely honest and say I was slightly horrified of liking this product. To buy the full size is a considerable chunk of change and at my age (27 for those unaware), the idea of spending nearly $100 for an anti-aging product seemed a bit extreme. I do like this but I'm not sure I'd actually spring for the full size. This is a slightly thicker serum and it does tingle and feel like it is firming upon application. This did not seem to aggravate the rosacea I have on my cheeks and left my skin quite smooth though I didn't see the insanely awesome extreme results I found with the Fixzit. I may consider buying this in the future but my wallet is not rich enough at the moment.
The last item I was sent was the Youth Accelerator Pumpkin Enzyme Peel 4ml $9.50|40ml $75This mask smells absolutely delicious and my skin felt very soft after using it. It looks like pumpkin puree and smells like it too, but you can feel it start to work a bit when it's on your skin. I didn't feel like it made my skin overly sensitive and feel uncomfortable like other masks I've tried in the past. The small sample size jar has quite a few uses it in. I tend to only use masks once a week or less even if I don't have the time. I'd recommend buying the sample size. I'd say it contains at the very least 3 uses, possibly 4 and for items that are more natural, I'd rather do that than buy the enormous full size and it possibly go to waste. I'd buy the sample size of this again.

Review Wrap Up:
I enjoyed using these products and I think they are especially good for those with sensitive break out prone skin which tends to react badly to harsh chemical ingredients found in other products. These can be bought on the Sircuit Skin website and other e-tailers and many other spas across the country. And to my UK readers, Sircuit Skin ships to the UK.


Savior Problem Skin Cleanser ingredients: Aqua (Water), Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Disodium Cocopolyglucose Sulfosuccinate, Cocamide Betaine, Sorbitol, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Alcohol Denat., Lactic Acid (L), Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Xanthan Gum, Salicylic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Totarol™, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract*, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil*, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil*. *USDA Certified Organic. Certified 1,4 Dioxane free.

Sircuit Agent Anti-Aging Serum for Blemished Skin ingredients: Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Aqua (Water), Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid (L), Menthyl Lactate (L), Fomes Officinalis (Mushroom) Extract, Bisabolol (L-Alpha), Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Soy Isoflavones, Ursolic Acid, Liomastat, Silver Phosphate, Niacinamide, Cholic Acid (D), Limonene (L), Xanthan Gum, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil*, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil*, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil*. *USDA Certified Organic

Youth Accelerator Pumpkin Enzyme Mask ingredients: Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin), Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Wine, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract, Fructooligosaccharides (D-Beta), Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Leaf Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil. 


Free of artificial colors, fragrance, chemical preservatives and always cruelty free.  

Disclosure: These products were sent by the company for review purposes.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Essence Blossoms Etc...

I was in ULTA today perusing around and trying to come up with an item to use my 20% off coupon on and also get 5x the points on and found this: Essence Blossoms etc...

As many of you likely know, the German brand Essence made its way into the US and specifically ULTA stores. The price point is pretty nice. Most products are in the $1-$4 range and their limited edition collections occasionally reach US shores.

I admit, the thought of Essence making a decent scent didn't seem likely but I gave this a spray and then walked around the store while it settled.


I'm not the biggest fan of floral scents, but this doesn't give me a headache and reminded me of something but I couldn't quite place my finger on while in the store.

When I got home, I sniffed quite a few fragrance, Viva La Juicy being one of them and while it's not a dupe, it is very close. And a shocking revelation, my husband actually liked this!
Blossoms etc. is pretty sweet and slightly fruity but has quite a strong violet note to it. I also smell something almost fizzy like it was spiked with fruity Champagne. It has a very slight powdery notes but manages to stay pretty nice and fresh. And whatever floral note gives me a headache, this one doesn't. I have both this and Viva La Juicy on my arm and they meld together very nicely and I think it'll be fantastic layered with vanillas.
And it's only $9.99, $8 with my 20% off coupon.

Another plus, I find the packaging, box, bottle etc. absolutely adorable.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Beauty Blog Link Love - 5/21/11 - #34

Jellyminx presents a bronzer lovers paradise with her ultimate Bronzer Overview.

Missed out on the New York City Makeup Show? Have no fear, for Krasey Beauty has the scoop!

Over at The Pink Sith blog, Joeybunny brings you swatches of the new Dior Rosy Tan Eyeshadow Quint and makes a shocking confession!

Have you tried lining your eyes with traditional kohl/kajal? Kajal Couture did and she shows you how.

Can the cute and new Sephora Hello Kitty-Memoirs Of A Kitty Palette satisfy an ex-punk beauty junkie like Tracy at Beauty Reflections?

Amy Antoinette showcases the prettiest lip balms in her collection.

Beautywoome has found the best light alternative to foundation for summer!

Still a Sugarpill virgin? Beauty's Bad Habit shows you Lumi Chromalust, a pigment which will have you rushing for your credit card!

Lipglossiping falls in love with an eye cream that shows promising results... but like most things in life, it comes at a price!

The Lip Print faces her fear of orange to find this absolute beauty by Tom Ford - that man sure know's how to make a lipstick!

Looking for a perfect bronzer? Check the new Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Powder at Fleurissante.

Unique, unusual and different...find out what perfume Lady Gaga is currently wearing! Read Hellcandy's review of it here.

Tarte's new Amazonian Clay Waterproof Cream Eye Shadows arrive just in time for summer. See how they make eyes shine at Prime Beauty!

Love Chanel Mimosa but not the price? Find out how you can dupe it for under $10 on My Lips But Better.

Are you ready for summer? Anita reviews Guerlain's Terra Inca summer collection over at Pleasureflush.

AOYV ponders if Vasanti's Magic Liner really magical?

Mariella at Musing on Beauty has a play with the new Becca Halcyon Palette and tells it all.

Audrey Dao is giving away 3 Julep Jennifer Mani Care Sets, so you can get the perfect manicure!

Head on over to theNotice and enter to win Rae's "holy grail" face powder, a Canadian exclusive that's honestly just really, really lovely.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Jarred Cream or Gel Tip

Wondering how to get stubborn creams and gels out of deep pots?

Frustrated by the amount of product that gets underneath your nails while dipping especially when trying to use half finished products?

Too lazy or cheap to buy a spatula?

This random tip is for you!

Store the jar sideways!
This brings the majority of the product to the top of the tub and thus makes it much easier to get out of the container!

And you can get yours for $14.99 plus shipping and handling. But wait! I'll throw in 2 for the price of 1! That's 2 spatula free dispensers all for $14.99! Call this number now! If you call within the next 30 minutes, I'll throw in another one absolutely free! Must be over 18.

Disclosure: When I'm tired I get crazy and also that H20 eye cream was sent for review and it never ends.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Stila Friends & Family

Looks like it's Stila week over here! 
20% OFF + free shipping with code FRIENDS11
I'm personally very excited about this 20% off sale. For some reason, Stila hasn't had nearly as many promotions as they did last year which I suppose is good for my wallet but I don't think I've bought any new releases recently.

When you order don't forget to use Mr. Rebates (6%) or Ebates (6%)

Disclosure: Referral links included for cash back sites.

Tiny Walgreens Haul

I took the scenic route home today and just so happened to pass by one of the only Walgreens in the area... and I lucked out.
My Walgreens had tons of clearance deals, ranging from skincare to haircare to makeup. I managed to score a few awesome deals and also the Wet n Wild Comfort Zone palette that I've been wanting since the 8-pans launched. I don't live or work by a Walgreens so it's always a bit of a trip to get to one.

From the clearance I got:
Revlon Fire & Ice LE 'Vintage' lipstick $2.24!
Sally Hansen Salon Effects in Squeezed $2.49!

Definitely stop by your local Walgreens and see if you can score any deals.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Nifty Stila Bloom Promo


I was about to make another Bloom.com order to get a back up of my Sircuit Skin Fixzit (as I've discovered I will never be without this product) and I discovered a pretty awesome promotion they are running. Generally their gift with purchase events require a $70 spend, this one is only $40 and it has some pretty nice Stila products in it (and like all of their promotions, you don't have to buy Stila - you can buy anything on their website).

You can chose warm (code: SWM517) or cool sets (code: SCL517). Each one contains 2 eyeshadows, 2 lip liners, a sharpener and a convertible color. Not too shabby.

Disclosure: This post includes a referral link to Bloom (previously Bloom Circle).com.

Review: Qtica Intense Repair Lip Balm

A few months ago, Zoya was offering some sort of promotion on their Qtica brand Intense Lip Repair Balm. So as a lip balm connoisseur, I decided to take the plunge. With a first ingredient of Lanolin, I was super excited to be trying out this lip balm...

Ok, I really can't beat around the bush with you guys.

I hate this.

In fact, I think I might be allergic to one of the ingredients cause just as I put it on, my tongue starts to tingle. That can't be good, right? This causes my lips to dry out more if that's even possible. The menthol gives a tingly sensation which for me is not comforting in the slightest. The only time it feels moisturizing is after the first 2 minutes or so, after that it balls up on the lips, causes them to get dry and flaky and then well, I've mentioned the tingling tongue action.

Basically, this is a pass for me and though it pains me to say it, I'm throwing out my tube.

Don't waste your (oh dear lord, $12 dollars?!)

Ingredients: LANOLIN, WATER' CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, BEESWAX, GLYCERIN, SORBITAN SESQUIOLEATE, MENTHOL, CAMPHOR, SODIUM BORATE, PANTHENOL, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, LAURETH-4, BHA, ALOE VERA GEL, RETINYL PALMITATE, CORN OIL

Friday, May 13, 2011

May Birchbox

I caved.
I kept on saying I wasn't going to order these, but they are just so cute. And I clearly can't take a focused picture, anyway...
Adorably wrapped.
The loot:
full size Stila eyeshadow in Terracotta
20 ml Ahava Mineral Hand Cream  (meh, heavily fragranced)
1.1oz Archipelago Pomegranate Soap (yum!)
sample vile of Bulgari Mon Jasmin Noir (only Sephora perfume sample size?)
Tiny Prints greeting card (considering the cost of greeting cards these days, this was a welcome surprise!)

Pretty pleased so far, but was expecting a more deluxe sample of the perfume, though the Stila eyeshadow basically made up for it. And this is actually a color I don't own.
It's also a bit crazy... and pigmented
Pretty though. I blended it out and the metallic quality wasn't so severe and it might actually make a good cheek product.

Do you do Birchbox? I'm doing month-to-month so I can cancel if it gets bad.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

CVS Prestige Skincare Sale!


I just wanted to pop on here to tell those of you that live near a CVS that there's a sale on their higher end skincare products (La Roche Posay, Vichy, Lierac, etc.). If you spend $35 worth of what they deem "Healthy Skin" products, you'll get $10 Extrabucks back, in essence giving you a 30% or thereabouts discount. Combine the sale with a dollar off beauty coupon (recently I got $3 off $10 or more) and other Extrabucks, you are looking at a substantial savings for items that rarely go on sale to begin with.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Review: Sircuit Skin Fixzit Blemish Drying Serum



I've been moaning about my skin for weeks, possibly months. Out of the blue I wound up with a chin covered in inflamed cysts, some pimples, some dermatitis. Generally speaking, my skin was a mess. And so being somewhat intelligent, I tried to do something about it.

Before:
I know a lot of people have worse skin but this was particularly bad for me and very rough and uneven to boot.

After:
Slightly different lighting, but I hope you can notice the extreme difference in my skin and this is no foundation, powder, etc. I had just woken up. Hence the slightly crappy iPhone picture. This was taken approximately 1.5 weeks after the first picture.

Anyway to say I'm thrilled is an understatement. It does tingle or burn upon application but not as bad as some other treatments. I sometimes find salicylic by itself isn't enough and I need something more. I have experienced some peeling with this product likely due to the AHA/Retinol but it hasn't been extreme. I think I'll always have a bottle of this around and for $30 it isn't too bad.


Formulation With (not sure if full ingredient list): Witch Hazel, Alcohol, Water, Glycerin, Azelaic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Salicylic Acid (2%), Wine Extract, Lactic Acid, Retinol, Menthol, Peppermint Oil, Lime Oil, Banana Flower Water

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Review: Miracle Skin Transformer Concealer

I was recently sent the Miracle Skin Transformer Treat & Conceal Concealer to review and I've been testing it out for about a week and thought I'd share my thoughts. If you want a quick review, go to the bottom for my Review Wrap Up.

Treat & Conceal is a natural derived silicon based 3-in-1 concealer meant for both the face and the under eye area. It boasts skin healing benefits as well, containing ingredients like Collagen Vitamin F, Chamomile and Vitamin K to protect and correct as you wear the concealer. It comes in 3 different shades, Light, Light/Medium and Medium and I was sent Light/Medium to review.

If you've been reading Jeweled Thumb with any regularity, you should know that fact should have raised red flags. Light/Medium? I am super pale and this was too dark for me. No matter, I wore it for about a week so I could share how long the product lasted on the skin.
Light/Medium is kind of a mustard-yellow color. This product is quite pigmented but unlike some full coverage concealers, the silicone provides some slip and is not heavy. When smoothed onto the skin, I can barely feel it. I applied this as an undereye concealer (with another skin color product on top) only because it would have looked a bit ridiculous on my face and I was shocked at how long it wore. Even while rubbing my eyes through allergies it lasted for 16 hours. I know. I too was shocked upon removing my makeup at 10pm only to find I still had a full undereye of concealer that I had applied at 6am. It didn't look flawless and I had a little caking but let's be honest, most foundations cake on me. But it had stayed through working, commuting, watery eyes, the whole bit.

I can't say the undereye skin looked better after using this product but it didn't look worse. It did make me feel better knowing I wasn't rubbing something with tons of chemicals near my eyes. My eyes have a tendency of burning or tearing when there's something particularly potent near them and this didn't cause that.
I tried taking pictures of my undereye area for a before and after but my camera under both conditions showed no darkness under my eyes which seems nice but is a lie. You'll just have to take my word for it.

Miracle Skin Transformer Treat & Conceal retails for $36, has no fragrance or parabens and is not tested on animals. It is available at miracleskintransformer.com and as I mentioned comes in 3 different shades.

Review Wrap Up: Quite expensive but is fairly pigmented so a little goes a long way. Needs a larger color range. Was pretty impressed by the longevity though used another product on top to counteract the dark yellowness of it. Didn't find it overly hydrating but most color products aren't on me. Not sure I would buy myself. Kind of worried that even the light would be too dark. Would buy a correcting color, like salmon for the undereye area, the Bobbi Brown product seems too heavy. If they sold this in stores and you could try it before you buy I'd give this a shot, but I wish the website offered samples to color match.

Disclosure: Product sent by PR for review.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Beauty Blog Link Love - 5/07/11 - #33

Got a lipstick too pale to use straight from the bullet? Regretting buying it? Beauty's Bad Habit shows you 10 ways to use pale lipstick with GOSH 'Darling'.

The Pink Sith suffers from Beautyblogitis and ends up purchasing the new Soleil Tan De Chanel Moisturizing Bronzing Powder in Bronze Rose. Does she regret it or is it the perfect cure for what ails her?

Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed likes candy, Yves Saint Laurent Volupte Sheer Candy that is! Come admire her candy lips!

LilBiuty shines the spotlight on NYX eye pencils and lipliners.

Louise watches some TV, and talks about how a childhood touched by disfigurement inspires what she does on Get Lippie today.

Are you wearing sunscreen every single day? Kelly from Gouldylox Reviews finds the perfect SPF for your skin type and reminds you why Tara Reid should not be your skin idol.

AOYV discovers theBalm with a Hot Mama blusher.

Makeup Morsels plays with the gorgeous and versatile Cream Pigments from Illamasqua.

Sarah from IHeartCosmetics checks out Nioxin haircare.

Liquid lipsticks seem to get a bad reputation. Jeweled Thumb shows you how to apply them with no feathering or cracking in her How To post.

It's so easy to fall in love with Inglot AMC Face Blush (shade #86)! Check out what Vesna from Beauty addict blog loves so much about that blush!

theNotice stumbles across a drugstore gem that’s not only ridiculously cheap, but ridiculously high-quality, as well. Find out what Rae’s "holy grail" powder is!

KimmieKarmaLove reviews a brand new mineral makeup company that is vegan and loves what she sees!

Sleek MakeUp released new shades to their True Colour Lipstick Collection, making LaaLaa over at Dolce Vanity want to have a sneak peek at a couple....
***

Daily Polish is giving away the limited edition Jason Wu/CND nail polish set, enter here!!

Kim Porter is giving away a free ticket to The Makeup Show NY!

For more links, please visit the BBLL homepage!

Friday, May 6, 2011

May LUV BBW Club Haul


I was slightly sad to pick up my last ever LUV BBW Club gift! Free stuff is awesome and it is so nice "hauling" every month without spending much of your own cash.

This month's deal was awesome, they definitely ended the program with a bang!
The gift this month was:
1 mini candle (I chose Fresh Picked Cherries)
1 pocket bac
and I of the new Signature Coconut lotions (I bought the other 2 with my own cash since they were only $1 and smell delicious)
Blueberry Pancake Pocket Bac for 4th of the July, very awesome!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Cherry Culture 50% Sale!


Select NYX items on Cherry Culture's website are an additional 50% off with code NMS50! Items will be marked with a little sale tag so you know which will be included in the coupon promotion. The sale consists of the grand majority of the NYX line, so if you've been wanting anything, now is the time to shop.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

April Empties

Yes To Cucumber Facial Towelettes - As I mentioned, I wasn't a huge fan of this and won't be repurchasing. Plus, I've found wipes 1/5 less expensive that work better (hooray for Epielle)!
MAC Microfine Refinisher - Now discontinued but an awesome scrub with super fine exfoliating bits suspended in a non-drying cream. If you can get a hold of this, definitely try it!
Avene Thermal Spring Water - A staple especially when the weather gets warmer. I've gone through so many of these!
Cargo Lash Activator Mascara - I had meant to do a review of this but to be frank, I wasn't the biggest fan. I've heard this is best used as a lash base, however I didn't find it do anything more than weigh down my lashes. It definitely didn't hold a curl, it ran and smudged and it's not the cheapest thing to boot though I bought it on sale. The rubber brush was only ok. The "bristles" are pretty far apart so clumping occurred. All in all, I wouldn't buy this again.
Prada Shielding Lip Balm - This is a discontinued product but I few years ago these Prada lip balms were all the rage and even more the rage when they started popping up at TJmaxx and Marshall stores. Individually packaged and sealed, these tiny balms can easily fit in pockets and the smallest of wallets or clutches. I was happy to find this one hiding in my collection and it hadn't turned! It's very moisturizing, no offensive smell or taste and an SPF of 15. The range had 7 or so other colors, this one was just clear. I hope one of the tinted ones pops up!

I'm a bit frustrated since I am so so so close to finishing 2 separate powder foundations but no dice so far. Let's hope May is slightly more successful! Anything you have finished recently?

Monday, May 2, 2011

Review: Sens'Eyes - Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser


I recently finished a mascara and opened up a fresh one and specifically one that was waterproof. Whether it is tearing from allergies or sweating from the air conditioner not being turned on yet at work, my eye makeup has been all over the place and my (non waterproof) mascara has been smudging under my eyes throughout the work days, something that is definitely the opposite of professional!

I've been testing out the Make Up Forever Aqua Smokey Lash which so far I love everything about but the price. Holds a curl, doesn't flake or smudge, doesn't run and is near impossible to remove.

My Vichy Cleansing Water barely got any of it off so I pulled out the big guns. Make Up Forever Sens'Eyes - Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser. A sample bottle had come with the set I bought that had the mascara so I tested it out.

It is awesome!

Doesn't burn my super sensitive eyes, removes most if not all of the mascara. And it basically disintegrates.

Witness the most unflattering picture ever:

Bye bye mascara (and any eye makeup that had the misfortune of meeting this cleanser)! I apply with a Q-tip and kind of massage it in and then take a damp cotton wool and wipe it all away.

Kaput! Bam! Pow! Gone!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Review: Boots 17 Mirror Shine Lipstick in Belle

Of the many awesome goodies, Kelly of Jellyminx Thinks sent over for our massive swap, I was super excited about receiving one of the Mirror Shine lipsticks from #17. English ladies from all over the blogosphere had been raving about the formula and the finish. She sent me the shade Belle which has been one of the most popular shades.


After trying the lipstick for the first time, I thought it was similar to the texture of the Maybelline Moisture Extreme lipsticks without the cucumber-melon taste or smell. They have a similar balmy and slightly glossy texture as the Maybelline ones and though these aren't discontinued unlike the Maybelline's, they are no easier to find for those of us here in America. One swipe is more of a 'my lips but better' though the color can be built up a bit. Due to the texture it doesn't exactly wear long but I'd rather have a moisturizing formula that might not hold up and need to be reapplied than a dry one that lasts forever.

From what I've remembered of the various blog posts, these are available at Boots stores in the UK and retail for... around £5. Speaking of which, I am continuously amazed at how expensive UK Drugstore (aka highstreet) items are though this is one of the less expensive ones.