More Cheap Makeup Storage!

Yay for almost school time! Office Depot & Staples have storage on sale every week lately and they advertise it as dorm and office storage. Gotta love it!

First at Staples, slightly different from last week, they have the 5-drawer and 6-drawer organizers on sale for $14.99 (originally $29.99). I can totally vouch for the quality of these. I have a 5-drawer one that I've had for ages and it has moved houses twice and still hasn't broken (which is more than I can say for my ombre Home Depot 10-drawer ones). Totally worth it. The deal is only good in-store.

The 5-drawer cart is great because the bottom drawer is a great size for hair tools, fragrances, and other taller bottle products. Meanwhile, the 6 drawer simply put, holds a ton. 

And once again the 10-drawer Real Space organizer is on sale at Office Depot this week for $39.99 if you missed out on it last week. It's nice, but is not sturdy. One of my drawers already has a gauge in it from one of the metal runners. It still functions but I'm worried it will eventually tear off and become unusable. If you still want it and like the opaque-ness of it (which is what drew it to me in the first place), it is pretty heavily discounted as well.

Apothica Giveaway Ends Soon!

I want to apologize for my absence. I went almost a full week without a new post and I will blame that on the major sinus infection I had. I'm nearly back to snuff (thanks to some heavy duty antibiotics) and have quite a few posts planned out so there will be more content soon!

If you haven't already entered my Apothica giveaway, check it out here. It ends 11:59EST on Sunday the 31st (that's tomorrow)!

Bloom Voucher Promo

I was really confused with how Bloom was running this promo. I would add the $100 item and then $100 of product into my cart and it was deducting the $50 and I was so confused ($100 worth of beauty products for $50 sounds pretty clear cut). Then the servers crashed and well finally I have figured out what this deal really is.

Well, what they are offering is like a groupon except on their own site. So you add the $100 item (in essence a gift certificate) and you use the code SHARE50 and you then wind up paying $50 for a $100 credit on your Bloom account.

You don't need to add any product to your cart, just the $100 "item". These $100 of Bloom Dollars don't expire till 2012 so there's no rush to use them (which is great although the deal still wound up crashing the site likely because people did what I did and added product to their cart in addition to the voucher).

So my instructions.
1. Join Bloom Circle (bloom.com)   if you haven't already (this is my referral link)
2. Go to their facebook page, like it and register for the deal.
3. Either click through the link they provide or simply search for a $100 item in the search box (the voucher will be the only item that pops up)
4. Add it to your cart.
5. Enter code SHARE50
6. Checkout. You're done and $100 Bloom Dollars, bucks, etc. will be added to your account.

If you have never joined Bloom Circle (bloom.com) before, I would advise you to make an order $40 or more to get the $20 credit which is only for new orders/customers. Aka after you do the $100 voucher deal the $20 back on $40 likely won't work.

Honestly, given the perks of the site, I'm willing to let go the fact that the servers crashed. My order went through fairly smoothly just moments ago. Any questions, just ask but I'm off to see Wicked so responses might not be prompt!

Cheap Makeup Storage This Week Only!

Back to school time is always good for makeup storage, especially cheaper options. I was perusing the Sunday paper and noticed a couple deals this week that could easily double as makeup storage. First up is the 4 drawer cart at Staples above. Originally $29.99, this week the carts are only $9.99 in store! And at the front of the add, there's a $5 off $25 or more purchase. That's quite a significant savings.

And the old standby in many a makeup collection video is this Real Space 10 drawer cart. This week at Office Depot the cart has been reduced by $20 to $39.99.

These sale prices are good through July 30th and may depend on your local ad. Either way, the school supply buying season is a great time to look out for good deals when it comes to makeup storage (or really any organization).

Current Fave: Garnier Nutritioniste Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller

A few months ago I had given the undereye concealer version of the eye roller a try but had to return it since it was too yellow. The regular Garnier Nutritioniste Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller is absolutely wonderful though! I'm not sure if it has actually does anything as far as dark circles are concerned, but after a long day in the current summer heat, nothing quite beats rolling this under my tired, puffy and allergy-ridden eyes. Rolling this over areas where sinus passages are helps relieve the pressure and the cold ball feels so wonderful. It also doesn't irritate the sensitive eye area.

This retails from anywhere from $10 to $15 at drugstores nationwide and is often on sale. I'll continue to buy this when my current one runs out. It just feels so good.

Review: Reviva Labs Hyaluronic Acid Serum

I was recently contacted by Reviva Labs and was offered to try a few items from their skincare line. One of the items I chose was the Hyaluronic Acid Serum. One of my biggest issues is throughout the day my skin soaks up whatever product I have on my face and I get large areas of dry patches which can get flaky. Rich moisturizers are great but very few go the distance and last throughout the day so I thought a serum might do the trick.

The Hyaluronic Acid Serum retails for $19 and comes with 1floz of product, housed in a really nice pump bottle. The pump makes it very easy to control the amount of product you dispense.


I'm not a scientist by any means but I think all of the binding agents and the silicone in the product just don't play well with my skin. If applied under foundation, the foundation starts to pill on top and eventually rubs itself off (many but not all). I feel as though it doesn't truly sink into my skin, it's as though there is a thin layer of the product covering my skin but not really moisturizing it. I think it may be the simethicone. I can tolerate -scones but I nearly always have to wash them off at the end of the day unless I want to break out. Something about them almost seems suffocating. So as a skincare item, this just doesn't work for me. I would have almost preferred it to just be the few main ingredients and maybe 1 binding agent. But it seems those agents almost overwhelm the active ingredients. I don't know. Again, I'm not a scientist but I think those and the -scones are the culprits.

Which is a shame since I really wanted to love this product.

Back to the drawing board.


I'll probably continue to use this as a primer for the foundations this works with, but I'm always going to wash it off at night.

Ingredients: Demineralized spring water, glycerine (vegetable), hyaluronic acid, polysorbate 20, hydrolyzed mucopolysaccharides, green tea extract, hydroxyethylcellulose, simethicone, carmelized sugar, methylparaben, propylparaben.

Disclosure: The item was sent for review from Reviva Labs.

Intense Debate Has Landed

If you've gone to comment on Jeweled Thumb in the last couple of days, I assume you already know what's been changed. I decided to install Intense Debate on Jeweled Thumb and Comment Luv! It's easier to track and it doesn't require you to check back should you want to see my individual response to you and the best part is if you use Comment Luv, it will post your most recent blog post if you're a blogger! More love to go around is always good.

I love to hear your thoughts so don't hesitate to post a comment, good or bad. I want to make sure the content on here is of interest. Any brands or products you want me to review (within reason)? What kind of giveaways do you guys want to see? I'm all ears.

Check Your Mailboxes! ULTA Coupon

This 20% off ULTA coupon came in my mailbox today so if you haven't gotten it already, you should be soon. It includes nearly everything in store with very minimal restrictions (unlike their other coupons). It's good from July 24th through July 30th.

Also something of importance, please be sure to sign up for mailing from ULTA. Not only do you get the coupons but the circulars usually have extra point promotions (for example an extra 5 point per $1 on top of what you would normally accumulate). Buying a few things here or there or using ULTA for makeup staples really adds up! I racked up $20 worth at one point last year and I put that towards a big purchase (for me, the Naked Palette). I know the points systems work differently in certain areas, but be sure when you log in online you get your newsletter!

Any plans for purchases?

Awesome Missha Deal - Today Only!

I know it's a little late for my east coast readers, but there's a little time left for those of you on the west coast. If you've been interested in trying the Missha or you already love it, they are running an amazing sale on the Perfect Cover BB Cream. At this point #31 is already sold out, but all the other colors are available. The deal is this:

Buy 1 M Perfect Cover BB Cream (at $29.99) and get 2 extra ones free! And also, you'll receive a BB Boomer and BB Deep Cleansing Oil free with your purchase! Add $10.01 more dollars and receive free shipping AND the sample set free!

Truly an amazing deal!

Influenster Vox Box Flash Reviews

In lieu of doing full review posts for all of these items, I decided to do one post covering the rest of the items I received from the most recent Vox Box as shown here.

Softsoap Pampered Hands Foaming Hand Soap in Pamper Me Plum
Foaming products are well known to aggravate dryness. I was honestly expecting this soap to do the same but instead found it very gentle. A plus, Softsoap isn't exactly an expensive brand and can be found at drugstores, big box stores and grocery stores and often goes on sale. For me, the scent isn't my favorite but I will try out the other scents if I happened to find this on sale. I also hope they expand the range and include a non-scented version. A nice staple to have. I've been using this in my bathroom. A note: this does contain Sodium Laureth Sulfate.

Barbasol Pure Silk Moisturizing Shave Cream in Raspberry Mist
At an average price of under $3 a can, this is also another reasonably priced item in the last Vox Box. I enjoyed the smell and it was creamy but did not get stuck in my razor blades (that is a major pet peeve of mine!). I found it average as far as moisturizing properties go but it didn't dry out my legs. Given that it is a shave cream, I wasn't expecting miracles and it definitely did the job. They also aren't lying about the rust-proof bottom, thank goodness.

Garden Botanika Anti-Aging Lip Treatment
While I'm not sure I'm the target market for the anti-aging portion of the name, I do like this lip balm. Garden Botanika used to be sold at ULTA and they make really nice quality products, though the price point at time can be a little high for a brand that isn't very popular. The lip treatment is very nice. It is more of a gel consistency and is smooth and not sticky at all. My only qualm is the packaging, I'm just not a fan of pots. For this reason, I've been using this more as a night treatment. No discernible smell or taste. It's actually on sale right now on the Garden Botanika website for $10. This product is paraben and gluten free according to their site which is a plus.

Ingredients:
Polybutene, Isononyl Isononanoate,Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate,Isostearyl Alcohol,Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate,Triethylhexyl Trimellitate,C-30-45 Olefin,Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract,Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil,Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil,Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil,Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate,Tribehenin,Ethylhexyl Palmitate,Sorbitan Isostearate,Palmitoyl Oligopeptide,Phenoxyethanol.

Montagnue Jeunesse Green Tea Peel Off Masque
I have always been a fan of these Montagnue Jeunesse masks! I've bought many of them over the years: 1) They are super cheap 2) They are single use 3) They are great for travel 4) You can find them almost anywhere but the full range is usually available at ULTA. Witness super unflattering picture of one of the sheet masks that I utilized in my tutorial for how to scare your boyfriend or spouse. The Green Tea & Ginger mask smells great and is quite invigorating. I love peel off masks and have had a strange fascination with peeling things. Anyone else used to enjoy peeling dried glue off their hands or am I just crazy? Either way, these are awesome.

As far as the Meaningful Beauty set I reviewed here, I am still loving the cleanser and eye cream and I really wish I could purchase them separately because depending on the price point, I would. However, because everything comes in a set and I can't opt out of some of the other items, it's unfortunately a no-go for me. If you can get your hands on some of the products (via Ebay maybe), I'd give them a shot, but I wouldn't order through the website or the infomercial.

Anyone else get one of these Vox Boxes? What did you think of the products?

Disclosure: These items were sent to me by Influenster for review purposes.

July Birchbox

The July Birchbox got here! I was actually worrying about whether they would put something melt-able in this one. We've been getting record temperatures here lately and we have a communal metal mailbox. It's nice that it fits in it but the last thing I wanted was it getting stuck in there for hours on end while my husband and I were at work! Thankfully, no lipsticks in this one at the very least.

This month Birchbox partnered with Cynthia Rowley and put some of her favorite things in it. I quite liked the changing color scheme. Hot pink is nice but the aqua tissue paper was a fun change.

Even though this box doesn't technically involve any full size items (aside from the Kind bar - which by the way, I absolutely love already), I find it's a nice mix of items and generous sizes even if they are samples.

Included:
* Almond Apricot Kind Bar
* Zoya Touch Collection Polish in Pandora (mini .25oz| full size .5oz $8)
* Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Use Dry Oil (10 ml| full size 50ml $29.50)
* Redken Shine Flash Glistening Mist (2.1oz| full size 4.4oz $17)
* Philosophy Purity Cleanser (1oz| full size 8oz $20)

Technically the Redken size is a retail size and these usually go for $5 per ULTA's site. Even though there aren't any true full size items in this box, I'm pretty happy with it. Pandora is pretty much the one polish from the Touch collection I wanted to buy so I'm glad to have a bottle (albeit mini) of it. The Kind bar is going to get eaten soon and those are usually at least $1 at the store individually (not your av-er-age granola bar). The Philosophy Cleanser is similar to the 100 point cash ins at Sephora and great for travel. Especially with shipping included, I think this box is well worth the $10.

JT Wants

It's been awhile since I've done one of these types of posts. To be honest, I haven't had too many things that I was just dying to have and usually if I wait long enough, I no longer want them. However, there are a few things I'm eying.

I have been lusting after the Stila Natureyes Palette ever since the announcement made its way into my e-mail inbox. At $39 it's a good deal either way but I wouldn't mind a little promo before picking it up. It's lovely and neutral and seems to be Stila's response to the Naked palette.

Lip Products from the Semi Precious Collection. I love love love Cremesheen glosses (hate the price) but love the formula and the two middle lipsticks are right up my alley (Gem of Roses and One of a Kind). Deep sheer berries are my favorite lip color as my lips are already a berry shade naturally. I can't really pick up 6 new lip products; I don't need them but I might wind up getting one of the lipsticks at least with some B2M empties.

Non-makeup related but... leather wrap bracelets! Whether it's Chan Luu or via etsy sellers, I am lemming something hard over a leather wrap bracelet. Me being the person I am, I am unwilling to pay the crazy Chan Luu prices, especially because if I actually sat down and took the time to, I could likely make a similar one myself (which is also why I'm unwilling to buy the $30+ ones on etsy since I know they cost about $10 of materials to make). As late as last week, Forever21 had one for $7.80 but it's now gone from the site. If you can find it in your local stores, it might be a lower priced alternative.
Is there anything you're dying to have?

Current Fave: Microfiber Hair Turban

It may look silly, but the microfiber hair turban has made styling my curly less so much less time consuming. It cuts down tremendously on frizz and it keeps my hair out of my face. One of my biggest pet peeves is having a "normal" regular towel hair turban and I move and it falls down. This lets me do whatever I want while my hair dries and is soft and compact. I usually wash my hair at night so I actually wear this to bed and it's far comfier than a hair elastic.

I have the Aquis Mimi's Diva Dryer Hair Turban which I bought at Beauty First for a bargain ($3), but the retail price isn't too bad at $11.99. So worth it if you have curly hair or frizz or both! My only complaint is that the little loop is hard to get around the button but it does ensure it stays put. I looked for a good picture online and find they carry it on drugstore.com.

Probably one of my best purchases ever.

JT Asks: Link Loves

I've been wanting to ask you all this question for awhile. How do you feel about link loves? Is there a better way to have them rather than lists of links? Do you dislike more than one a week? Or how many is acceptable to you? I'd love to hear your throughts and I've attached a quick poll below. Feel free to write more in a comment.

Danger Driving Weather Haul

I had a few hours to kill after work yesterday. The DC Metro area received torrential downpours conveniently timed during rush hour so I could either sit in my car on the beltway and not move, or I could sit in a nice coffee shop or browse a store while I waited for the craziness to die down. I chose the latter.

I went to a few places, but only bought items of importance at ULTA and Marshalls.

I got my hands on the LE No More Waity, Katey Butter London set. No More Waity, Katey is gorgeous and even though it's more of a fall color, I finally took off my July manicure (which would have lasted more than the week I had it on) and this is definitely going to be next!

I also picked up 3 of the ULTA brand Automatic Eyeliner Pencils. These are fabulous; soft and long lasting and only $1 each in July which is a fab price! I got 3: Olive,  Bronze & Deep Brown.

I also found a great deal in Marshalls. I have been wanting to try the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream for awhile. It has many many fans in the blogging world and on YouTube, but I hadn't gotten around to picking it up.

I found the Eight Hour Cream 100th Anniversary Celebration Set which includes:* 1x Skin Protectant 50g/1.7oz (this alone retails for $17)
* 2x Cream Lip Protectant 12.6g/0.44oz

for $19.99 - not too shabby!


Hope everyone is having a fab weekend. I have a midterm thingy to do but given that I am the queen of procrastination, I am blogging first!

June Empties

It's that time again! I'm actually a bit annoyed as I have maybe 10% of two separate foundations left but I haven't yet officially finished them. I suppose July will be a good month empties wise (or not since I say that every month). Anyway, onward.

The Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care Shampoo - If you know me by now, you should know this is my HG shampoo. This is the large 13.5floz size.
Archipelago Pomegranate Soap (mini from Birchbox) - Reviewed.
Haus of Gloi Valentine's '11 Collection Something Hopeful Soft Bubbling Scrub - As with most HoG scents, I enjoy the slightly dulled down version of the Bubbling Scrub scents over those in the lotions or fragrance oils. This is a slightly floral jasmine-honeysuckle citrus scent. Not bad but not one of my favorites. And I'm thankful the scrub didn't give me a headache like the fragrance oil did!

Brand Unknown Baby Kabuki - Can you "empty" or "finish" a brush? Yes, if you are playing Mortal Kombat (finnnnishhh him!!!). Not really with brushes but this one decided to disengage much like Mortal Kombat and is dead. Hence my search for a super soft travel kabuki! This one was super soft and super dense but was not made for everyday foundation application (clearly).
Revlon Beyond Natural Mascara - This never got to review status since it was only just ok. Not impressed wouldn't repurchase.

Yves Rocher Pure Calmille Comfort Cleansing Cloths - After finishing the Epielle wipes, I found these lurking in my medicine cabinet and decided to try them out. They are nice but not as nice as the Epielle ones (also have to be ordered online, more expensive, only 20 in a pack, etc.) so I won't be repurchasing.
SircuitSkin Cosmeceuticals Savior Problem Skin Cleanser - This was the mini size I received for review and I've since purchased the larger size. I'm not going to toss this. I'm going to keep it for traveling to refill via my big bottle. Just so you're all aware, this stuff lasts forever!
Eucerin Dry Skin Therapy Calming Creme Daily Moisturizer - I am horrible at applying lotions especially during the summer months. I need heavy moisturizers since my skin is really dry but most make you feel sticky or at least a little moist and I hate that feeling! I've been trying to psych myself into using moisturizers by going through my sample (this is only 1oz) travel stash in hopes of being so enticed to use up products that I will apply moisturizer? Yeah, I don't get myself either sometimes.

So that was the bounty for June. Have you finished anything recently? Hopefully next month's post will have more makeup products!

My Crazy July 4th Manicure (NOTD)

Happy 4th of July Weekend!

For those of you in the US.

I decided to be a little crazy and do a special 4th of July manicure and it looks as though many bloggers had the same idea with using crackle polish to do the design.

I used the Sally Hansen Red Crackle and then 10 other polishes for the underneath blotchy bit. In hindsight, I should have used nail art brushes in lieu of the actual nail polish brushes but I was lazy.

Beauty Blog Link Love - 7/02/11 - #37

Are you a fan of NARS blushes? If so, do you own the shade Mata Hari? At Steal My Heart Lovee.com she shares her review.

Kelly from Gouldylox Reviews shares her first ever makeup tutorial. Part drinking game, part smoky eye, it's easy to do and isn't so over the top you can't wear it to work.

Madame B Fatale shows us her bright eye look using some gorgeous colours!

Musicalhouses swatches the Illamasqua Powder Blushers! Do you prefer the bright, bold blush shades, or the easily wearable, pretty-in-pink shades?

At theNotice, Rae reviews a cult-favourite MAC eyeliner - but isn't feeling the love. Find out why this popular product was such a letdown!

Phyrra falls in love with the Too Faced Eye Love palette and tells you where you can find it.

Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed begins her fall lemmings early with pictures of the Lancôme St-Honoré Fall 2011 Collection - come add to the drool puddle!

Don't forget My Lips But Better's travel must-haves when packing your bag this summer!

Prime Beauty gets in touch with her Inner Flowerchild while falling in love with BECCA's new Mineral Powder Blushes.

Lauren has been going crazy for coral! Check out her latest lipstick additions!

Want a sneak peek at MAC's latest collection, Semi-Precious? Well, Krasey Beauty has pics and swatches, to ooh and ahh over!

Tracy, at Beauty Reflections, discovers an unexpected gem in MAC Prep+Prime Vibrancy Eye Primer and is really glad she decided to try it!

Fleurissante has found a way to the perfect brows with Le Sourcil de Chanel.

Claire swatches OPI Serene Grand Slam Rally Pretty Pink Set over at The Beauty Scoop!

Erin shows you an easy way to create rainbow eyeliner at the Pretty Exclusive.

If you like highlighters, especially at this time of year, Vesna from Beauty addict blog has a few suggestions for you!
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Want glowing, gorgeous skin? Specific Beauty has teamed up with Socialite Dreams to giveaway their full regimen to one lucky reader!

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My Facebook Page

I would certainly appreciate if you liked my page. Also, I have no idea what I'm doing so if you have any pointers, I would certainly appreciate it!

edit: Obviously I need some help since I can't figure how to get my like button over here!

My First Facial: Serenity Zone Medspa Review

As a beauty blogger, I'd imagine it may seem unusual that I have never had a facial. Indeed, when I stepped into Serenity Zone today for my 3:15pm appointment, I was a little apprehensive. Knowing that, it shouldn't come as a surprise that I waited until the absolute last minute to book the facial. I had bought a Groupon last year as a treat for myself for landing my new job at work in December. The Groupon expired yesterday and I called Serenity Zone earlier in the week to book, pretty shocked that they were able to book me for an appointment on Saturday (and technically after the coupon/promo had expired).

Serenity Zone is located in my old stomping grounds of Olney, MD. It's tucked away near one of those "paint your own pottery" type of places, Rita's and a bank. It took about 20 minutes to get to. 

I honestly don't know why I was so nervous about getting a facial. The whole experience was very relaxing; my esthetician, Mary, was lighthearted. She explained everything she was doing, asked questions but didn't lecture. The Fire & Ice facial included an upper arm, neck & face massage, skin cleansing, a glycolic peel, extractions, an aloe mask, and some weird device which Mary said had healing properties. Soothing music was played and lights were dimmed for the majority of the visit. My skin felt super soft, and looked much more radiant after. You could see the light catching off of it which is unusual. When I get dry, my skin looks so dull.

During the visit I also had a face scan to see any damage. Well it looks as though I have a lot more sun damage than I thought, but the overall texture of my skin looks pretty good. Laser treatments were recommended and of course come with a pretty penny attached to them.

I came home and instantly told my husband to touch my forehead. He was able to feel the difference (I definitely could). My forehead tends to get quite rough especially when the dry skin builds up there.

I've already booked my second visit. The Groupon promo price of $79 isn't too far from their usual pricing. The Fire & Ice facial I got is usually $125; the regular facial is $90. All in all, I was pretty impressed and definitely recommend Serenity Zone if you are close by or in the area (and definitely ask for Mary!).