Makeup & Beauty | Jeweled Thumb

Review: Karess Krafters Chai Tea Sugar Scrub

2012-01-27T22:05:00.000-05:00

I forget who actually introduced me to Heartsy, but I've been scoping the sales for several months now and have partaken in some deals. If you haven't heard about Heartsy, it's very similar to Groupon however the sales are for small independent web shops or for Etsy sellers. To be honest, I've run into good and bad through Heartsy (and Etsy for that matter). For as much as I like to support small business owners and especially artisans, sometimes the level of customer service isn't up to snuff or the goods themselves are substandard. Right now I'm actually dealing with a shop that never sent my order from November and it's been quite a headache. Karess Krafters was a good experience and I would definitely recommend their web shop to purchase from.

The shop itself has several different types of products; I ordered soap and scrubs (if you've been reading for any length of time that won't seem unusual at all to you). The sugar scrubs come with 5oz of product and retail for $7.99 which I feel is very reasonable. The plastic tubs are sturdy and the labels are water resistant. Each tub is sealed as well. The Chai Latte scent is milky slightly spicy scent, but stops from being overwhelming and doesn't burn or irritate the skin.

The scrub itself is nice and thick with lots of exfoliating particles and it seems as though the sugar crystals are either larger than in other scrubs or they haven't been doused with liquids that dissolve them before you actually use the scrub. This is not a bubbling scrub like the Haus of Gloi version and skin needs to be cleansed after using this (while the HoG is really a soap and a scrub in one). It also makes my shower floor a tiny bit slippery but not as bad as the LUSH scrub.

The scrub itself leaves my skin exfoliated but not stripped or irritated. It doesn't dissolve immediately during use either so you can get a nice exfoliation.

All in all, I'm fairly pleased with this product and the customer service I received from the shop. Definitely check out Karess Krafters if you've been looking for a new indie bath & body line to support!

Ingredients: Sugar, Shea Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, Safflower Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Jojoba Oil, Polysorbate 20, Fragrance, Orange Peel Powder, Non-Paraben Preservative

Disclosure: Referral links were used.

Stila Love At First Blush Palette + Giveaway

2012-01-25T20:24:00.000-05:00

I was in ULTA doing a bit of retail therapy and happened upon these new Stila Love At First Blush Palettes. Stila came out with a similar blush palette for Valentine's Day last year and I was definitely bummed when I missed out on it. This year, they are back though they haven't quite made their way onto the Sephora site which made me really excited to find them! I picked up one for me and one for you guys. If you don't care how the product swatches, then you can simply scroll down to the rafflecopter application and enter to win your very own.

The Stila Love At First Blush Palette comes housed in a sturdy plastic case and comes with 6.2 grams of product at a very reasonable price of $14. Inside is a light shimmery pink, a matte/satin brighter pink, and a shimmery hot pink. Honestly, I could do without the shimmer as it has a bit of glitter but it can easily buffed away.

These are the colors heavily swatched. They aren't super pigmented, the hot pink is the most pigmented of the bunch though it makes the product a lot more wearable and goof proof. I know a lot of people love pigmented blushes but sometimes, a slightly less pigmented product is easier to deal with, especially rushing around in the morning before a busy work day.

You can kind of see the colors swirled together on top but I think I got most of the lighter shimmer color in my swatch. You could definitely angle your brush more towards the hot pink to get more color.

I could do without the glitter to be honest, but otherwise, I think this is a nice treat, especially for the price and it is so adorable with the little raised heart design.

When I was little, my favorite holiday was Valentine's Day. I just loved giving out cards to the kids at school, dressing in my very stylish red heart dotted outfit and decorating cupcakes with little red hots. Oh how I miss those days before adulthood and responsibilities!

Now onto the giveaway...

One lucky Jeweled Thumb reader will win their very own Stila Love At First Blush Palette. Please fill out the Rafflecopter application below and be sure to follow the instructions. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Current Nail Favorites

2012-01-22T20:49:00.001-05:00

There have been a lot of meetings at work lately so I've gone for something super polished that doesn't require much maintenance. Also, with the cold, my nails have been very brittle so I've been using treatments to get them back into shape. I've been using an old favorite and a newer nail treatment item I received in one of my Julep boxes.

The Barielle Natural Nail Camouflage is something I discovered a couple years ago and I love it. It's a great ridge filling base coat and it also provides just enough color to make nails look polished if you choose not to apply color on top. The Julep Nail Therapy is just a clear treatment that can be used as a base coat. What I like about it is even as a treatment, the nails look shiny and it stays on for quite awhile so very little maintenance is required if you wear it alone.

I know this is a rather safe look, but I've been alternating - actually I'm wearing both of them right now - between the Barielle & the Julep and it is very work appropriate. I also haven't gotten one break or tear.

Don't mind the cuticles. That's my next project!

Disclosure: Julep referral link used.

CVS Milani 75% off Sale + Haul

2012-01-21T18:06:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Nouveau Cheap, I found out that CVS has put quite a bit of the Milani line on clearance at 75% off (my CVS wasn't marked but the price scanner confirmed the discount so scan if you're unsure). I was pretty well behaved and only picked up 4 items, the HD Advanced Concealer which I have been wanting to try but not at nearly $10 regular price, the Liquif-eye Metallic Eye Liner in Silver, the Nail Lacquer Neon in Techno Red, and the Lip Mixer in Lip Party. Milani products rarely go on sale more than B1G150% so this is great if you've been wanting to try some things. Definitely check the list before you go or pull it up on your iPhone like I did! Happy shopping.

Cracking The Skincare Code

2012-01-20T21:49:00.000-05:00

Crystal from Valentine Kisses commented on my skincare "Cleansing Hunter" post about mixing cleansers. Honestly, the idea had never occurred to me before. Sure, we mix other things, like foundations with other foundations, foundations with moisturizers to create your perfect tinted moisturizer shade, color correcting products with others. For me there was the concern of things interacting but so far I haven't run into any problems. The best part, is I think I've cracked the Cleanser Hunt.

Lately, what I've been doing is taking a little squirt of the Ahava Gentle Cleansing Cream (received in the October Birchbox) and an equal sized pump of the Philosophy Purity and use that to cleanse my face. The more moisturizing properties of the Ahava keep the Purity from drying me out meanwhile I get the deeper cleanse that the Purity provides.

I won't say this is "Holy Grail" cause let's face it, we all want an all-in-one product. It's cheaper and it's more convenient. But since I have cleansers sitting around that need to be used and I know which do the job best and where they are potentially lacking, I can fill in with other products to get my "perfect" cleanser.

Have you ever mixed cleansers (or other products) to get a cocktail that best suits you?

Review: Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream Light/Medium

2012-01-18T19:53:00.001-05:00

The Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream was something I picked up at Walgreens a week or so ago. I am a big fan of BB Creams and I've tried a few on the market but none from the drugstore. I believe Garnier is the first big brand available at US drugstores that has come out with a BB Cream though I'm sure we'll see more in the future. The Garnier version promises to instantly renew, brighten and even the skin while also being hydrating. As a dry-skinned person, this is the kind of thing I look for in a tinted moisturizer which is what a BB Cream is like. I believe I paid $12.99 for the Garnier version but as with all drugstore products, the price will vary depending on the actual store and the area.

The Miracle Skin Perfector (BB Cream) comes in two color selections, Light/Medium and Medium/Dark, I obviously picked the lighter of the two being fair. It contains 2.5 floz of product which makes the price point fairly reasonable as most foundation-type products, Asian BB Creams included, come with 1floz of product. It's an opaque squeeze tube with a flip top which is nice.

The problem lies with the color...

Uh oh...

Uh...

This is supposed to go on my face?!

Alright, so the color is quite dark. Granted, if you use a tiny amount for your whole face, it mostly disappears; however, if you want to cover anything you need to add more than just a little dot and when you do that, you get an orange jaw line which is not very becoming on my ~nw10 skin tone.

So would I recommend this product? Not if you're actually light. Not if you want coverage if you're light; though really you're not going to get a lot of coverage if you're medium toned. This is definitely lighter coverage than a lot of BB Creams on the market (compared to the Missha for instance, this is practically non-existent in terms of coverage). What I do like is it's scented like the Garnier line so it's a very pleasant non-offensive scent and it does keep me well moisturized throughout the day. That being said, I'd look much better if I just used a clear moisturizer instead of this.

Final thoughts? I'm returning this.

Janurary Birchbox

2012-01-17T20:04:00.001-05:00

I was so excited about my January Birchbox but it seemed to take forever and a day to get to me so by the time I actually received it, I wasn't so excited anymore (also, I'm still a bit jealous of some of the ladies that received Origins cleansers in their boxes and decent sized ones to boot). That being said, the box is pretty amazing as it is.

I received:
* Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Liner in Peacock (full sized and retails for $20!)
* Jouer Body Butter no size but looks to be between 1/4-1/2 ounce (full size 3.32oz|$32)
* Borghese CuraForte Moisture Intensifier .25.floz (full size 1.7floz|$67.50)
* Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy sample
* Larabar Coconut Cream Pie bar

The Jouer comes in a heavy frosted (what appears to be glass) jar. Is it sad I'm looking forward to using it as a sample refill container more than using the actual product (it's very floral so not my usual style)? Nice to see a full sized makeup product in this box, especially the Smudge Sticks - already love these!

Disclosure: Birchbox referral link used.

Make It Work

2012-01-15T22:20:00.000-05:00

Even though I wasn't the biggest fan of the Philosophy Purity cleanser (it is drying on me), it's a decent cleanser and absolutely fine if I moisturize after and also I have a 12oz bottle from the Sephora F&F 100 point perk sitting around to be used. I was determined to use this cleanser but the packaging was really bothering me as the flip top on a bottle of that size isn't really the best.

The other day, I happened into a Bath & Body Works and on the 75% off table, I saw a pump. Granted, I could always purchase one off of the Philosophy website but there I would need to pay shipping and I also couldn't confirm whether any of the normal sized bottle pumps would actually fit the slightly awkward 12oz bottle. Pump bought for all of 25 cents, I went home fairly pleased with my cleverness.

I got home and stuck my pump in the bottle only to find that the pump itself wouldn't unlock. Read a couple of reviews online of people having similar issues but kept trying. About 20 minutes later and having attempted to utilize various tools, I gave up, cleaned the pump and set it aside. The next day, I went into a Bath & Body Works, gave them the pump, and the sales associate said that she had heard of quite a few people having issues with the pumps and demonstrated how to unlock it. I gasped. I then thanked her profusely, went home and secured the pump on my Purity bottle. It's not an exact fit, but it fits fairly snugly and works quite well!

For reference, to unlock these Bath & Body Works pumps, one needs to hold the bottom portion firmly and then spin the top and it will pop up.

If you have the same sized bottle and were as frustrated as I was, go to your Bath & Body Works store and grab yourself a pump for 25 cents and before you leave, you might want to ask your local sales associate to unlock the pump for you.

Julep Hayden

2012-01-14T21:13:00.000-05:00

Julep describes Hayden as simply "neon peach" which is right on the money. It looks like a pastel peach in the bottle but when it dries, it is definitely takes on a slightly more bright-in-your-face look; it is not matte like many neon polishes on the market though not as shiny as some other Juleps and it should be noted that it looks slightly brighter in person than in the above swatch. This was 2 very poorly done coats as it was my right hand and I'm right handed. It is important to note that if you've been using Julep polishes for awhile, this used to be named Amanda. I'm not sure what caused the name change but if you have an Amanda lying around in your collection, it's the same polish.

As with all of the Julep polishes I've tried so far, this was opaque in 2 coats and dried very quickly compared to other lacquers on the market. That is the reason I've since kept my Julep subscription service as I tend to do my polish at night and these don't need a quick-dry top coat. Even with the price, if I can cut out a step, I'm a happy girl.

The Julep Maven program can be gotten for $5 with code MAVEN5 if there's interest. This post includes my referral link.

Black Eye Liner Comparison

2012-01-13T20:43:00.001-05:00

Socialite Dreams asked if I knew of any shiny black liners on my Laura Geller Inkwell Review. I keep on hearing how exasperated sigh it is (like) so hard to find matte gel/liquid liners. Totally.

Honestly, I'm not the biggest fan of non-pencil type liners. I'm usually in a rush so my hand is usually shaky and that does not work well with liquid or gels! I was at Sephora doing "blog research". Thanks for giving me an excuse to go in there, Socialite Dreams!

Seriously, I don't know how Karla Sugar does it cause doing this gave me the weirdest looks in Sephora. Also, ignore the "gel pencil" liner on the far right. That was the Tarte one and it kept on breaking while I swatched/wrote. Ok, that aside, the swatches in the order of shininess are...

1. Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner - You might not be able to see this from the swatch but this is the most opaque and the shiniest (you can kind of see it compared to the one next to it, the MUFE liner - which looks much more flat/matte).
2. Sephora Long Lasting Eye Liner - This is not the true black shade but it is 2nd in shininess compared to the Stila.
3. & 4. Make Up Forever Aqua Liner and the Hourglass Calligraphy Liquid Eye Liner - These two aren't a flat black but again not as shiny as the Stila.

With Flash.

I hope this was helpful!

JT Asks: Intense Debate Or Blogger?

2012-01-12T21:27:00.000-05:00

As some of you may know, Blogger recently came out with a "reply" function in the comments section. I think the reply feature is the reason many (including yours truly) stopped using the Blogger comment section entirely and switched over to one of the stand alone comment systems you can install on your blog. Granted, it doesn't make keeping track of comments any easier but it allows you to get notified only when someone responds to your particular comment (whereas blogger would send you an e-mail every single time anyone else commented on the post - annoying!) and it also has Comment Luv. That being said, I know that there are some people that don't like signing up for those sorts of system and the blogger commenting system is very easy to use. So I'm asking Jeweled Thumb readers!

Keep Intense Debate?
or
Go back to the Blogger commenting system?

Leave your thoughts below. As always, I truly appreciate all of you.

Julep Leah

2012-01-10T09:04:00.000-05:00

Julep describes Leah as "Vivid and refreshing grass green with a hint of shimmer" and that is a fairly accurate description. This is a bright green and not a color I generally go far but it's very pretty. I'm always worried about greens giving me "lobster hands" as I'm quite pale and prone to redness. While the touch of silver shimmer is evident in the bottle and quite pretty, I didn't find it translated to the nail so the effect is more of a green cream. I find that in certain lighting Leah looks more minty as shown below which is nice but a little strange.

As with all of the Julep polishes I've tried so far, this was opaque in 2 coats and dried very quickly compared to other lacquers on the market. That is the reason I've since kept my Julep subscription service as I tend to do my polish at night and these don't need a quick-dry top coat. Even with the price, if I can cut out a step, I'm a happy girl. I got some bubbling with this as you can probably see and you can blame yours truly as I didn't keep the bottles upright before swatching.

The Julep Maven program can be gotten for $5 with code MAVEN5 if there's interest. This post includes my referral link.

Drugstore Sightings: Physicians Formula Youthful Wear

2012-01-09T20:46:00.003-05:00

*edit* The Youthful Wear powder also comes in a matte variety - don't feel as though they limited the range if you don't prefer dewy products - although to be fair, this is one of the most subtle highlighting powders, I've seen.

If you have the misfortune of being up when I normally get to work, you saw a photo of these products that I snapped with my iPhone and tweeted already. If not, I found a new display this morning, the new Physicians Formula Youthful Wear line. I picked up the foundation and the powder to test out. Physicians Formula is Buy1Get150% and at CVS it is a participating item in the buy $30 get a $10 CVS cash card, and of course you can see the "try me free" sticker above and the powder came with a $3 off sticker attached to it. New
products for close to free? I was all over that.

The line promises that you can look up to 10 years younger, instantly. This isn't necessarily something I am worried about at my age but products for more mature skin tend to be better for us drier gals so I was pretty excited. I picked up the Youthful Wear Cosmeceutical Youth-Boosting Foundation and Brush and the Youthful Wear Cosmeceutical Youth-Boosting Powder. There is also an under eye concealer/treatment in the line which I think I'll be picking up tomorrow. The packaging is super cute. Everything is a metallic purple and it reminds me of the other newer lines in the range. The foundation tube looks similar to the Cover Girl Natureluxe foundation. I hope the formulas aren't similar as the Cover Girl oxidized horribly on me!

I picked up the foundation in the shade Fair. It comes with a foundation brush which I won't likely use. It's a squeezey tube and holds the standard 1oz of product.

The swatch looks a bit yellow.

It seems to blend in ok, but you can probably see a slightly yellow cast.

Now the star of the show. The pressed powder promises an illuminating finish. Honestly, this appears to be a perfect highlighter! I wouldn't wear this all over. It is silky smooth, super soft and finely milled and blends like a dream though I haven't actually worn it for a full day.

It's just glowy enough to be a good highlight without being crazy glitter-bomb or chunky glitter like some of the MAC Mineralized Skin Finishes.

Super cute packaging as I mentioned.

Can you see the refined glow? Ignore the other swatches (the black stuff is remnants of the Laura Geller eye liners I swatched ages ago - that's 2 showers and multiple hand washings people). Anyway, this is the way my ideal highlighter would look cause it's very hard to mess up and doesn't accentuate fine lines or pores. Granted, the Physicians Formula line is not exactly inexpensive. If I remember correctly and I best find my receipt so I can submit my freebie for the foundation, the foundation was $15 and the powder $14 which is a bit ridiculous all things considered but with the BOGO50% deal, the CVS Cash Card and the freebie/$3 off stickers, it's brings the price down considerably.

As I mentioned I haven't really worn these products but I'll keep you updated. My guess is I'm not going to be a fan of the foundation as it's loaded with silicones. The powder on the other hand, seems perfect.

Have you spotted these yet? It's a bit disturbing how excited I get when I spot new drugstore products!

Review: Laura Geller Inkwell Waterproof Gel Liner Duo

2012-01-08T20:47:00.000-05:00

I was recently sent a new product from the Laura Geller line to try out as part of the Beauty Stat Blogger program. The Inkwell Waterproof Gel Line Duo is a new launch in the line for 2012 and priced at $33 for 2 gel liners.

The cool thing about this product is that there is a liner brush housed with each gel liner. One of the reasons I don't use gel liners is that I need to go digging for a brush and it's not very travel friendly. This solves that particular issue (it should be noted that other lines are coming out with similar products, Revlon just launched one that is ~$10 at drugstores). The $33 covers a basic black liner as well as a slightly more out there color (the purple in this case though I hope she comes out with more color combinations).

Each little pot comes with 2.5 grams of product and comes in a sturdy plastic jar.

The basic black cream isn't very special but it is more of a matte or satin which is a nice departure from some of the more shiny black liners out there. The purple is really nice, it definitely has a shimmer to it which sometimes looks a bit blue. It stays fairly neutral and I think it will look good with most skin and eye colors.

The brush itself can be short if you remove the top part or longer depending on your preference. Personally, I like a shorter brush as I feel it allows me more control when I'm drawing my line. This isn't a great picture to show the brush as it looks like a thin liner brush. It kind of looks like a very small lip brush which is great for thin liner (as you can turn it on its side) or a slightly thicker liner if applying liner with the brush flat.

As far as pigmentation is concerned, the purple liner is lacking but it can be built up. In this case, I did run into a little transferring on my upper lid while I waited for it to dry. The black did a bit better in that regard. The texture of these is very soft which makes application easy but I did feel I needed to wipe some of the product on the side of the jar so I didn't wind up with a big goopy brush. Application with the included brush was very easy once coated evenly with product; I was able to do a wing with ease. I found these wore evenly throughout the day with minimal flaking.

Feel free to ignore the colors being off in this picture. I was tired as it was the end of the day and I just wanted a clear picture. I am horrible at taking clear "face of the days" as my hands get shaky and so the photo is nearly always out of focus! You can see that the liner lasted really well though.

As you can see (as the color is a bit more true in this picture), it's just purple enough to be purple without being 'wham!' in your face purple.

I think these are a nice addition to the Laura Geller line and I'm hoping they pop up in one of her Today Special Values on QVC. I also wish she sold these separately as well. Not everyone needs another black liner. For me personally, I'm not sure if I'd go out of my way to repurchase but if they came in a TSV in the near future, I certainly wouldn't complain!

For more information on Laura Geller products, please visit http://www.LauraGeller.com

Disclosure: This product was received for review purposes as I'm part of the Beauty Stat Blogger Program.

December Empties

2012-01-08T13:24:00.001-05:00

It's now the beginning of 2012 and I'm here once again with my empties post for the prior month. I'm definitely going to continue these into 2012 and hope to use up even more products in 2012.

I've learned that items like skincare, body care and lip balm are things that I know I will use up. Makeup is a little harder. I've tried to devote my weekdays to specifically using products I want to use up, with some flexibility of course. I also never have more than 1 mascara in rotation. Who knows if I will ever use up an eyeshadow, it's not looking likely at this point though technically I have the whole year in front of me.

Nuance by Salma Hayek Detoxifying Facial Cleansing & Toning Towelettes - I know my initial review of these wasn't super favorable but I've since bought a few more packs on sale and I quite like them. Due to the packaging, even if I don't use these every day, they seem to remain more moist going towards the bottom of the pack. I mentioned them again when I reviewed the Ponds wipes. Also, the last time I was at Big Lots, I couldn't find my beloved Epielle due to the massive Christmas beauty sets so I'm hoping the next time I'm there, they will make a reappearance. As much as I like the Nuance ones, I would never pay full price!
CVS Soft Cloths Supreme Unscented - I'm sure you've all heard at one point or another that baby wipes can double as makeup removing towelettes. It's true. These are really nice and very cheap.

Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer - I swear this bottle never ended. I will try to stop buying these 10floz bottles! It also left a bit of a film on my skin and never seemed to fully penetrate. Neither I nor my husband was a fan of the scent and because it didn't truly sink in, the lotion (and the scent) stuck to our sheets. Very happy to see this empty! I won't be repurchasing!
The Body Shop Cranberry Joy Body Butter - This on the other hand, I love! It's a great fruity tart scent that sticks around after applying but not in a bad way like the Jergens! This is the smaller 50ml size I brought with us to Georgia. It feels light on the skin but is extremely moisturizing and sinks in quickly. I love The Body Shop body butters and will continue to repurchase them!
Mor Basil & Grape and Sugar Rose Tiger Lily Hand Cream sample packets - Oh my goodness. I'm so glad I discovered the Mor brand as I've enjoyed everything I've tried from them thus far. These scents are to die for, the texture is rich and moisturizing yet sinks into the skin. I've never been a big fan of rose scents, but even I like the Sugar Rose Tiger Lily likely due to the sweetness of it. The Basil & Grape isn't something I would normally be attracted to, but it's a nice sweet, yet fresh scent. I am definitely going to be buying more Mor (teehee) in the future. Really enjoyed these. I received these both in one of my recent Bloom orders as the Bloom Bonus.

On10 Schweppes Club Soda lip balm - The On10 made a brief debut in Sephora but has since disappeared. This lip balm is very nice and also something I took with me to Georgia. It is lightly scented/flavored and has the slightly thicker more waxier texture I enjoyed. It is reminiscent of the Fresh Sugar or the Caudalie as far as texture is concerned. And one can not fault the cute bottle cap inspired sleek metal packaging. I would repurchase if it was available.
Woody's Citrus Lip Ice - I really like this lip balm, as with the prior, it is a slightly thicker textured balm. I know this balm can be gotten online but I think the Woody's line might have discontinued it as I haven't seen it in stores. I know it's a mens line but this lip balm is really great for everyone.
Becca Luminous Skin Color in Sand - If you remember, I finished the Porcelain shade of this back in June. This is basically a fancy expensive tinted moisturizer. Even though the Sand shade is a tiny bit darker, I feel as though it didn't oxidize as much as the lighter, more pinker shade. As I mentioned in June, I don't think I'll repurchase as less expensive BB Creams such as the Missha offer a similar product at a fraction of the cost.

Not too shabby. I will be happy to discard the Becca as the emptier it gets, the harder it is for the product to come out! Onto the next foundation/tinted moisturizer victim!

Is there anything that you've finished recently? Feel free to link your own empties posts below! I love to look!

Review: Softsoap Bar Soap in Coconut Scrub

2012-01-07T22:25:00.000-05:00

The Softsoap Bar Soap in Coconut Scrub came in the Influenster Holiday Vox Box as I previously mentioned. Due to numerous CVS sales including this product, I already had a decent sized stash of them but I figured I'd review them either way as they are inexpensive and readily available at least to those in the states.

As some of you may know, I am a bar soap kind of gal. I find it much easier to use and like that it doesn't require something like a loofah in the shower as I have limited space (also the bars are significantly smaller than body wash bottles). My favorite kind of soap is one with some scrubby bits in it as it can do double duty. Unfortunately, the Coconut Scrub soap doesn't have tons of scrubby bits so I wouldn't truly classify it as an exfoliating soap but it's still nice. It is very creamy and quite soft. This is kind of a double-edged sword, it lathers up beautifully, it's non-drying but due to the soft texture, it needs to be kept far from water so it doesn't disintegrate.

The coconut scent is very light and pleasant and it doesn't leave my skin dry or tight, nor feel like it is coated in a film after showering. All in all, it's a nice soap for a very reasonable price. You can get a pack of 4 soaps (each weighing 4oz - they didn't skimp) for just over $4 making them around $1 each.

Disclosure: This was received for review purposes and I have also bought quite a few myself.

Julep Megan

2012-01-07T21:03:00.001-05:00

Julep describes Megan as a "A playful and sultry Mediterranean aquamarine shimmer" and I agree with the color description, but I feel this more of a frost formula and for that reason, it does have the tendency of being prone to brush strokes. I don't find it as bad with the color Leighton that was in my intro box but it is something that I feel needs mentioning.

Review: Yes To Carrots C Me Smile Lip Butter Melon

2012-01-05T21:35:00.000-05:00

I mentioned that as part of my Bloom Bonus, I received a full retail size of the Yes To Carrots C Me Smile Lip Butter in the Melon flavor. Yes To Carrots is a line that is all natural and for the most part organic. Even though I haven't had the best of luck with the range, I was excited to try this lip butter and even happier that it came free with my order.

This is aptly named a lip butter as it is thinner and slightly more oily than other lip balms on the market. I prefer my balms on the waxier side (not like rubbing a candle all over your lips but thick enough that they stay put). I find the thinner the balm, the easier it rubs off and the less it truly moisturizes for me. This is so thin and even slathering it on overnight, my lips were dry and flaky in the morning. The scent is really nice but I use lip balm to moisturize my lips, not dry them out!

Kind of disappointing as the natural ingredients and the very reasonable price were quite attractive. One day I'm going to figure out which ingredient(s) just don't work for me so I can stop being disappointed and just buy what I know will already work. Until then, you all will get the reviews, the good and the bad.

Organic Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Organic Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Organic Cera Alba (Beeswax), Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Flavor, Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Organic Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Organic Linalool, Organic Limonene, Organic Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Extract, Organic Cucumis Melo Cantalupensis (Melon) Seed Extract, Organic Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Seed Extract, Organic Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Organic Citral, Organic Geraniol, Organic Eugenol

Julep Maven It Girl January Box

2012-01-04T20:48:00.000-05:00

My Julep January box arrived in the mail. This is my first "real" box as a full $19.99 paying member. I opted to do a "shelf pull" for January as the It Girl boxes from now on will be all polish. They were also running a promotion allowing a free upgrade in January with an option for 1 of 3 different products (2 nail colors and the nail treatment). I actually elected to chose one of the polish colors so I was a little annoyed to see the nail treatment in my box; however, searching further, I found a little card that apologized as the color I had selected had sold out and offering this and a coupon for a free nail polish of my choice!

This month's box included 3 different nail colors and a sample of their nail polish remover pads. Considering each polish normally retails for $14, I think the $19.99 price is pretty reasonable. The colors included Hayden (a peach cream), Megan (a shimmery teal-aqua) and Leah (a bright grassy green with what appears to be silver shimmer). I haven't tested these out yet but swatches will be coming soon.

Use code MAVEN5 to get your first Julep box for $5 - not quite the steal I posted in my first box post, but a good deal nonetheless.

Disclosure: Referral link used.

Sephora 2012 Deluxe Sample Code

2012-01-04T20:20:00.000-05:00

Sephora sent out a little e-mail today indicating that with the code 2012, you can score yourself 2 deluxe samples with any $25 or more purchase on their website. I was super excited about this because clearly I love receiving samples, especially free ones and deluxe samples are the best (also the Tome Ford Violet Blonde is something I've been meaning to try and the cute little bottle was calling my name). Come to find out that while some of them are really generous (if you've been wanting to try the Amore Pacific Eye Gel, the Bobbi Brown Eye Cream, Tom Ford Violet Blonde, the Kate Somerville Quench Serum or use self tanner and want to try the St. Tropez or already use it and love it and want a travel size this is your deal) others are just pitiful. Could they have been more stingy with the Bare Escentuals Purifying Facial Cleanser, .23oz, really? Nonetheless, if you have some Christmas money lying around or have something you need to purchase, now wouldn't be a bad time.

Again, with code 2012 you can get two of the items listed below:

The Art of Shaving Pre-Shave Oil - Unscented for Sensitive Skin (0.5 oz), Philosophy Purity Made Simple (1 oz), St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Lotion (2.85 oz), Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream (0.1 oz), Too Faced Shadow Insurance (0.11 oz), Smashbox Photo Finish Luminizing Foundation Primer (0.2 oz), Bare Escentuals Purifying Facial Cleanser (0.23 oz), Tom Ford Violet Blonde Eau de Parfum Spray (0.14 oz), Lancome Defincils Precious Cells HighDefinition Amplifying Mascara (0.07 oz), Alterna Bamboo Color Care UV+ Fade-Proof Fluide (0.25 oz), Amore Pacific Rejuvenating Eye Treatment Gel (0.1 oz), or Kate Somerville Quench Oil Free Hydrating Face Serum (0.25 oz).

Review: Lierac Hydrofilia Fluid Body Cream For Dry Atopic Skin

2012-01-03T10:25:00.002-05:00

I picked this up on a whim at my local CVS one day as it seemed right up my alley. The Lierac Hydrofilia Fluid Body Cream is specifically formulated for dry and atopic skin and promises "immediate comfort" and "prolonged hydration". If you didn't already know by now, I have dry skin. While the skin is dry on my face, it's even worse on my body (it's so dry when I pull on tights, I get a cloud of dry skin - sorry TMI and gross but true). The issue that I've had recently is that some lotions that say they are formulated for dry skin simply leave a film on top of the skin and don't truly hydrate it. The Fluid Body Cream is a great name for it, as it's thick but once on the skin, it becomes thinner and more fluid and rubs in quite easily. It sinks in quickly and doesn't leave a sticky residue like other lotions. The best part is it has done a great job of keeping my skin hydrated and I rarely have periods of intense itching when I use this.

The smell is a light floral and isn't offensive however the lotion is definitely fragranced so those sensitive to scents or fragrance additives should probably steer clear. I quite like this lotion, although for the price, I would prefer a few more ounces. It looks as though it was repackaged recently and now comes in a 4.97 oz pump bottle for $32.00 (I have the squeeze tube which was probably the same retail price but I got on sale).

If you suffer from extremely dry, itchy, flaky skin yet don't like super heavy, greasy and sticky lotions (who does really), I would consider giving this a try. I'm not sure I'd repurchase only because I tend to get tired of different lotions and potions, but I'd definitely consider it cause this stuff works (even with the crazy price tag).

Ingredients: WATER( AQUA). LECITHIN.GLYERCIN.BUTYLENE GLYCOL. GLYCERL STEARATE. PEG-100 STEARATE. CYCLOMETHICONE. ETHYLHEXYL ETHYLHEXANOATE. CHONDRUS CRISPUS (CARRAGEENAN). GLUCOSE. XANTHAN GUM. MINERAL OIL (PARAFFINUM LIQUIDUM). MENTHA PIPERITA (PEPPERMINT) EXTRACT. HYDROGENATED COCONUT OIL. PROPYLENE GLYCOL. STEAROXY DIMETHICONE. DIMETHICONE. POLYACRYLAMIND. C13-14 ISOPARAFFIN. LAURETH-7. CAMELLIA KISSISEED OIL. HYDROGENATED POLYISOBUTENE. TOCOPHEROL. PEG-10 RAPESEED STEROL. FRAGRANCE (PARFUM). PHENOXYETHANOL. METHYLPARABEN. ETHYLPARABEN. BUTLPARABEN. ISOBUTYLPARABEN. PROPYLPARABENBOTANICAL ORIGIN (D’ORIGINE VÉGÉTALE)

Cleanser Hunting

2012-01-02T08:20:00.003-05:00

I'm currently on the hunt for the Best Cleanser Ever (TM). I've used quite a few and there's several I've liked but for some reason, I feel this urge to find a new even better one.

I'm hoping to find a double duty cleanser that also aids in makeup removal. As a drier skinned (especially in the winter) person, this is apparently quite a feat as most of the gentle cleansers I've tried do not remove makeup.

Recently, I've tried two cleansers that are supposed to be good for those with all skin tones (if not specifically for dry skin) and remove makeup. I thought I'd share my thoughts just in case you are in a similar boat.

I know quite a few people rave about Philosophy Purity Made Simple. It promises to dissolve dirt and makeup while still soothing dry and sensitive skins. The scent wasn't something I was expecting but it did a good job of cleaning my face, didn't burn my eyes and managed to remove the majority if not all of my makeup. Only problem is immediately after washing my skin was dry, not just dry, but visibly flaky, especially around my nose and cheeks.

The Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel was recommended to me by a Sephora sales associate when I mentioned that I was looking for a cleanser that removed makeup but that Purity was drying for me. I expressed my concern of the "purifying" part of the name as that is generally a no-no for drier skin types. She indicated that it was for all skin types but would make me a sample. Well, surprise surprise, I tried it out and my skin felt very tight after finishing my cleanse. Can't speak for the makeup removal properties as I didn't wear makeup the day I tried it out.

Next on my list to try is the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser which I received a sample of from the (speaking of which, very nice) Sephora sales associate. Sephora really needs to do a better job of training their staff as she indicated that it was all natural and free of parabens. The ingredient list shows 5 different parabens - this sort of thing doesn't bother me but I'm sure it bothers some!

As I have my HG eye makeup remover already, Makeup Forever Sens'Eyes, I don't need it to dissolve waterproof eye makeup and mascara the way the Makeup Forever does, but removing foundation would be a plus so perhaps one day I can remove the wipes from my routine entirely and do a double cleanse with my cleanser (definitely better for the environment).

Any cleansers you love?

Followup: Broadway ImPress Press on Manicure #56897

2012-01-01T22:45:00.000-05:00

Well I thought I'd update you all on how I got on with the ImPress Press On Nails. As I mentioned, it was a little strange having them on my nails. My biggest complaint was because the adhesive was already on the nails, there was a bit of adhesive that peeked out on top of my natural nail which attracted a bit of grime. Having dirt under my nails is a big pet peeve of mine so it was uncomfortable as I couldn't really clean the underside out and everything stuck to it! They lasted for about 24 hours but I'll attribute that to cleaning that I did today as well as food preparation (to be honest, I didn't feel very comfortable having them on for that so it's just as well that one peeled off and I subsequently removed the others in lieu of getting some nail glue and popping it back on).

Even with the easy of application, I'm not sure I'd consider press-on nails in the future. Your mileage may vary.

Disclosure: Received in the holiday Influenster Vox Box.

The Body Shop Semi-Annual Sale

2012-01-01T14:52:00.001-05:00

It's that time again. The Body Shop's Semi Annual Sale is now on! This year's sale doesn't seem to be quite as good as previous years. The offerings at this point aren't highly discounted, especially when you compare the prices to recent deals they've had (their recent buy 2 get 2 free promotion gave you up to 50% off most items anyway). Nonetheless, I'm going to share my suggestions if you were thinking of picking anything up for the sale.

As with prior years, they are offering a few items in their makeup line 3 for $10 or $5 individually. There are currently a few brushes in the offerings this year and since their brushes are amazing, I would highly consider ordering the 3 on the sale page! If that's all that interests you, FREEJOY will give you free shipping on your purchase!

If you've ever considered trying out their skincare, they are currently offering the starter kits for $18. I highly rate the Seaweed Skin Care line and I know the slightly pricier Nutriganics line gets a lot of love.

From the holiday line, I love the Cranberry scent; however, as I mentioned 50% off isn't that great of a deal.

Use FREEJOY for free shipping (no known minimum) or JOY10 for 10% off depending on how much you spend - there's automatic free shipping over $50. And don't forget Mr. Rebates at 7% cashback!

Disclosure: Mr. Rebates referral link used.

First Impression: Broadway ImPress Press on Manicure #56897

2011-12-31T21:02:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned in my Influenster Holiday Vox Box post, I've never used press-on nails before. I've been blessed with pretty decent nails. They aren't perfect, mind you - but I can grow them to a nice length and really have never had the need for press-on nails. Given that I have no expectations or preconceived notions about press-on nails, I thought I would share my first impression of putting these on. The ImPress nails promise a fast and easy application. I believe most press-on nails utilize a glue that needs to be brushed on, while these are basically a slightly thick sticker for your nail.

The individual nails come in a little nail polish shaped "bottle" complete with a cap which is pretty adorable.

I was able to find sizes that fit my nail beds but some are a tiny bit larger or a tiny bit smaller than I would have liked. Nonetheless, there were definitely enough choices for my nails.

Application was fairly easy. My only complaint was as more of the nails went on, the harder it was to pull the little tab so the adhesive was visible and could stick. It's a lot harder to grasp things with these nails, even if they are fairly thin and more pliable than I would imagine some press-on nails to be.

When all was said and done, I managed to get these on. Admittedly, it feels a little weird having these on my natural nails but I'll see how they wear and if I would consider wearing press-on nails in the future.

Disclosure: These were sent for review in my Holiday Influenster Vox Box.

Review: Pond's Wet Cleansing Towelettes Evening Soothe

2011-12-29T21:20:00.001-05:00

The Pond's Evening Soothe Cleansing Towelettes came in the target beauty bag from a few months ago. I was in the middle of working through a package of the Salma Hayek Nuance Detoxifying and Toning Wipes which I started liking more than my review would lead you to believe as every time the Salma Hayek line goes on sale, I have been picking up a pack or two of them (very mini review - the packaging keeps the wipes moist all the way to the last one which makes the price a little easier to handle - with the sales they've been comparable to the other wipes I mentioned in the original review and they remove makeup and eye makeup well and they don't irritate my eyes/skin and if I don't cleanse afterwards due to laziness they do not break me out). Anyway, I did finish the Salma Hayek ones and I'm supposed to be reviewing the Pond's so let's get to it!

The Pond's generally retail for around $6 but can often be gotten on sale or in multi-packs which brings the price down significantly. The wipes are quite saturated with product but are a little soapy. The smell isn't my favorite as it's the chamomile and white tea mixed with soap. I don't mind soapy smells especially in cleansing products, but I hate when they add other scents to try to cover them up. The wipes removed makeup well but really burned my eyes. Even though I use my old standby, Makeup Forever Sens-eyes, I still like to quickly run the wipe of the moment over the eye area to catch anything the Q-tips didn't pick up. I wouldn't be able to do that with this makeup wipe and for that reason I would not repurchase. I'm sure those with less sensitive eyes would be fine but for me it's a no-go.

Review: Physician's Formula Healthy Wear Healthy Wear™ SPF 50 Powder Foundation

2011-12-28T22:14:00.001-05:00

Nouveau Cheap has been professing her love for this powder and has bought quite a few of these during the CVS semi-annual beauty sale. For $3.99 a pop, why not? She has light-medium toned skin and it's very oily. I, on the other hand, have very fair dry skin so I thought I'd share my thoughts on it while you may still be able to get your hands on it.

Translucent Light is a very good match for my skin (~NW10 or thereabouts). It does a good job of covering redness and evens out my skin tone. It's not amazing at acne/breakout coverage and can tend to collect on dry patches. That being said, I've found this manages to stay less flaky and dry and patchy throughout the day then other powder foundations that I've used (it beats MAC Studio Fix Powder and Bare Escentuals Regular by far). It definitely looks the most natural and I tend to get "your skin looks great" with this rather than "oh you're wearing makeup". It's easy to reapply and blends out well. I've found the little sponge included is actually very nice at applying the product though obviously you can only use it so much before it has to be tossed or carefully cleansed.

Basically, I want to let everyone know that's been curious that this is not just for those with oily skin. It works very well on my dry skin and lasts during the day with minimal flaky or patchiness. It's definitely worth picking up with the discount and let's just say I'm slowly collecting enough to rival Ms. G's little backup collection. For under $4 with the 75% off sale, it simply can't be beat.

PS The bronzer I originally posted about here is also very nice and the Light one is the perfect all over bronzing color for us pale ladies.

In other news, sorry for the lack of pictures. I am having technical (ie computer) difficulties and one day sometime in the near future (hopefully), a new machine will be on its way to me!

Julep Maven American Girl Intro Box (December)

2011-12-26T12:19:00.000-05:00

Julep recently had a pretty amazing promotion and finally convinced me to try the program. Usually, each box is $19.99 however for a certain number of sign ups, you could get the first box for 1 cent (the code is SHAREON but I'm not sure if it's still working or not). I couldn't pass the deal and signed up.

In the first box I received the following:
* Julep Nail Vernis Demi (red)
* Julep Nail Vernis Leighton (silver)
* Julep Glycolic Hand Scrub
* red flaky glitter sample
* age defying hand brightener sample
* spf 30 hand cream sample

While I can appreciate the aesthetic appeal of the shape of the polish bottles, the tall and skinny shape requires care as they are very easy to knock over. I managed to keep that from happening but I had a few near misses. The brush is very nice and I managed to get a nice opaque finish in one coat. I did two out of habit and also to attempt to get out the brush strokes from Leighton (though it was unsuccessful).

Bathroom "A" lighting

Demi is a burgundy that borders on raspberry and looks different in various lighting. To me, it has a bit of a jelly finish but has full coverage.

Leighton is a metallic silver and has awful brush strokes. I'm not a fan of this and would only use it for layering purposes.

Both covered in under 2 coats and they dried fairly quickly (even without a topcoat). I haven't truly worn them to determine wear, so your mileage may vary.

Natural light, in the shade.

Natural light.

Bathroom "B" lighting

Demi is definitely a bit of a chameleon. The box also game with the flaky red glitter sample which looks cool but I doubt I'll ever use.

I haven't tried the hand scrub yet but I've heard good things about it. Also, I've decided to stay subscribed for at least the January box. They sent out an e-mail message saying current subscribers could upgrade and get another polish for that box so I've decided to pay the $19.99 for at least one more month. As with Birchbox, I like the idea of getting a few items a month to play with and $20 is less than I would spend if I were to order from a place like transdesign when I get the polish urge, though in reality, I doubt this will curb my polish binges especially when OPI, Essie or China Glaze come out with new collections.

Disclosure: I've included my referral link but you do not have to click it if you're interested in trying Julep.

The normal website is simply http://www.julep.com.

Review: blinc Eyeliner in Black

2011-12-25T22:37:00.000-05:00

The blinc Eyeliner in Black came in the December Birchbox and I gave it the ultimate test today. Since we're Jewish and don't celebrate Christmas, we have a long-standing tradition of going to the movies and this year we saw War Horse. Even though it's set during a world war, there is an emotional undertone and I bawled for the last 20 minutes or so (I went through 3 tissues). After the movie, on the ride over to my parent's house, I asked my husband how my makeup looked, "surprisingly good" he said. It is now 10 hours past application, and similarly to the blinc mascara which I didn't care for, this has the tendency of flaking a bit and there's some black specks underneath my eye (though I'd say this held up pretty well considering all of the crying) This picture was taken about 15 minutes ago.

This is a very black eyeliner. It's fairly opaque though because the brush is very long and the sample tube allows more product on the brush than you actually need (or want) application is a bit tricky. I had to take off the excess on the side of the tube which then gets on the wand of the brush and can spot your lids if you're not careful. The brush is very thin and allows you to make a nice wing.

At $24, it's quite pricey. I'm not the biggest liquid liner fan. I prefer pencils and gels. This is a pretty decent one, although I hope the stopper on the full size works better than on the sample. It does last a long time and is certainly watery-eyes (or tears) proof!

Some swatches. The farthest to the left was when the brush was fairly (if not overly) saturated with liner and the farther over you go, the less product is on the brush. It is easier to control the liner the less product is on it, so opacity may be an issue in that case. For me, I'd rather go over the line once or twice rather than risk a big blob of liner on my lid!

In closing, I'll continue to use this until it's finished but I'm not sure I'd repurchase.

Disclosure: Birchbox referral link used.

Missha Deal

2011-12-25T11:43:00.000-05:00

Missha is offering a pretty nifty Christmas deal. Pick the M Perfect Cover BB Cream (all shades!), the Misa Cho Bo Yang BB Cream (both shades) or the M Signature Real Complete BB Cream (all shades!) for $9.99. There is a limit of 1 per order until stock lasts. The M Signature Real Complete BB Cream and the Misa Cho Bo Yang BB Cream are usually $45.99 so this is a great deal! If that weren't enough, Missha is having a 40% off sale storewide and as always, free shipping over $40.

Sephora 20% Off Sale Code Live

2011-12-24T19:47:00.001-05:00

After Christmas is definitely a time to get bargains. As with prior years, Sephora puts the offerings on their sale page with an additional discount of 20% off. This year's code is EXTRA. Now would be a prime time to get some of the holiday gift sets if you have some spending money after tomorrow morning.

Don't forget Ebates which is currently at 8% cash back!

Disclosure: Ebates link is a referral link.

PSA DO NOT BUY THESE (Review CVS Nail Polish Remover Pads Regular)

2011-12-22T19:54:00.001-05:00

It's seldom that I'll hate something so much, I'll feel the need to tell everyone about my disdain for a particular product. This is mostly because I know that even if I think something is horrible, there are plenty of people who probably love the product (ie. most color cosmetics, hair items, body moisturizers, etc). With this, really don't even bother trying it, especially if you're fair.

Let me explain.

I completely forgot to remove the very chipped fingernail polish that I was wearing before my meeting today. I'm taking on a new role at work and wanted to err on the side of caution. I figured I'd stop at CVS in the morning as I tend to do, purchase some nail polish remover and quickly take it off before getting into the office. These little pads looked perfect. There are 10 in the pack and one pad promises to be moist enough to do all 20 nails (tips and toes). The price wasn't amazing but at $4.49 it wasn't ridiculous. The convenience of the wipes plus little need for clean up made them ideal.

So I bought the pads, finished my drive to work, parked and got to it. I started removing the polish and the little red felt wipe was doing a great job until I realized something. It was turning my hands red. I couldn't very well stop at this point though. I had to finish the job.

I'm pretty sure I cursed. Just my luck that the pads dye your hands red!!!

So I got into work and shared my story with my coworkers. One of the male ones asked to see the pads and put it on top of a piece of paper. Yes, instant staining. How did the CVS quality control not catch this?!

In closing, don't buy these. Unless you want one of your worst enemies to be dyed pink while traveling.

Sorry for the iPhone pictures. It was the nearest photo taking device after my fingertips got dyed red!

For your information, my cuticles are still pink but most of the red got worn away after multiple hand washings. Still, the "For natural nails. Great for travel. Portable, quick & easy" claims are just kind of laughable at this point.

Influenster Holiday Vox Box

2011-12-20T20:39:00.000-05:00

My Influenster Holiday Vox Box recently arrived in the mail and here are the contents. As I've previously mentioned, Influenster is a website community and the more "influence" or reach you have, the more likely you are to receive these boxes. The idea is to try out the contents and spread the word regarding the products. When I opened the box I had mixed feelings. Don't get me wrong, I am absolutely honored to receive these products for review; however, I already have the majority of these items in my house at this very moment (for example, I now have 10 bars of Softsoap Coconut Scrub soap - thanks Influenster? - it is good soap sothereyougo).

The contents spread out a bit. Included was:
* Larabar in Apple Pie (I have eaten my fair share of the peanut butter of these!)
* Montagne Jennesse Fruit Smoothie Mask
* Softsoap Coconut Scrub bar soap
* ImPress Press On Manicure
* New York Color (NYC) Liquid Lipshine in Nude York City
& Mentos Chewing Gum (my husband stole this when I got the package and it is now empty - he said it was very good!)

I've honestly never used press-on nails before but at least these came in an attractive, not over the top design.

The New York Color lip gloss is quite nice. It look as though they recently changed the packaging of these. The new long flexible want kind of reminds me of the Revlon Colorburst line. The color Nude York City is a sheer peachy nude with subtle shimmer.

So I've used everything before (aside from the press-on nails and the gum, can't chew, I have TMJ) and what I haven't (ie. gum) my husband has gleefully stole from my grasp (the tube in the above picture is empty). I'm now going to go eat that Larabar... mmm.

Disclosure: I received these items from Influenster however I've bought them as well (aside from gum, nails) so I like them. I am also very tired as work has been crazy and I doubt some of the sentences in this post make any sense.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil Stash Deal!

2011-12-18T12:56:00.001-05:00

I don't know if this is only a regional thing or if the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil Stash is marked down at all ULTA stores, but I wanted to pop on here to say that at my particular store, this pencil set was marked down to $23.80 (it was not actually marked but was this price when the girl at the register was ringing me up). I was going to buy it anyway cause $34 is a pretty good price plus ULTA recently sent out a 20% coupon on practically the whole store and this set was currently giving back 3x the rewards points and I had another coupon giving me 3x the reward points on my whole purchase. Whew! Anyway, basically, I got this set for $19.04 plus tax and got a boatload of rewards points and a free mini Delinquent pencil GWP.

The set contains:
5 x 0.088 oz travel size 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil in:
- Delinquent (dark purple with bright purple sparkle)
- Rehab (taupe)
- Juju (frosted taupe)
- Sin (champagne)
- Clash (bright turquoise with silver sparkle)

The full size pencils are .1oz and retail for $20 so the set is a great value. I've been wanting one of these since I swatched them in ULTA when they first came out and this set contains some great neutral tones and a couple more "out there" shades.

I hope you can find this on sale at your ULTA too!

NOTD: Revlon Glitz & Glam #530

2011-12-17T20:46:00.000-05:00

Revlon Glitz & Glam came out in the same Spice it Up collection as Mistletoe. Glitz & Glam is a pink jelly base jam packed with tons of pink and silver glitter. This is definitely a two coat glitter. It goes on a little patchy at first, but by the second coat you're good to go. I am finding the glitter version of the Top Speed line easier to work with than the creams. And a plus, these do not need a top coat so it's a much faster process than other manicures. As with most chunkier glitters, the nails are not smooth but it doesn't bother me. If it bothers you can just put on some Seche Vite!

Another reason why I selected this color is starting tomorrow, Revlon polish is on sale for $4.99 plus $3 in Extrabucks back at CVS - limit 6! Combine that with some of the Top Speed coupons floating around and you can get a few bottles of this for only 99 cents a piece! Bargain.

Julep Maven for .01!

2011-12-17T19:31:00.000-05:00

I've been seeing videos for the Julep Maven program and I've been tempted. Similar to Birchbox, Julep Maven centers around nail polish and other nail care items. When someone on YouTube posted about this deal, I couldn't resist. She indicated that it was good for the first 1,000 orders and I'm not sure if it's still working but I thought I'd post about it nonetheless. It's only good for first time Julep Maven members. The code is SHAREON and you can get the first month for 1 cent, it's $19.99 a month after that. I figured, what the hey? If I dislike it, I can always cancel after receiving the first month.

Disclosure: It's a referral link but you don't have to use it, just go to julep.com and sign up and use the code.

Review: Haus of Gloi Plotter's Breakfast Bubbling Scrub

2011-12-15T20:07:00.000-05:00

I treated myself to a small Haus of Gloi Soft Bubbling Scrub haul last week. I have missed this scrub! It's the perfect consistency and since it's "bubbling" it washes away and doesn't leave any sort of residue. The one I used first was the Plotter's Breakfast scent, described by Haus of Gloi as "Oatey porridge, stove smoke, kindling wood, a hint of gunpowder and pinch of sweet pipe tobacco" this definitely made my think of another version of Snow Wolf - a favorite of mine.

To me this smells exactly like a fireplace. If Haus of Gloi ever got into home fragrances, this would be the ideal scent for candles during the winter season, especially for those of us that don't have fireplaces. It misses the wearable vanilla and cedar notes of Snow Wolf so I wouldn't actually want to wear this as a fragrance which makes me happy I didn't buy the body butters or perfume oils with this scent. Only a tiny bit of smokiness stays around after using it, but it's very faint. I really like this and would repurchase but not consider wearing it for any lingering fragrance purposes.

December Birchbox

2011-12-14T20:16:00.001-05:00

My Birchbox arrived in the mail a couple days ago and here was my loot! For all those wondering, when I've received my second Test Tube I'm going to do a comparison between the two. At this point, I don't feel any great need to subscribe to another monthly subscription service but I may change my mind - it does seem to keep me from hauling a bit as I know I can expect at least one package in the mail a month!

My only real complaint with Birchbox right now is they seem to recycle brands a lot, as in, this is my second Blinc product, my second Jour product and perhaps my 3rd Harvey Prince perfume tiny little sample which I would honestly wouldn't miss if they stopped including. I'm thrilled this month they have gone heavy on the makeup and light on the skincare.

Included this month:
* Benefit The Porefessional sample .25oz (full size .75|$29)
* Harvey Prince Ageless spray sample vial (full size 50ml, 100ml|$55, $98)
* Blinc Eyeliner .02oz (full size .21oz|$24)
* Jouer Moisturizing Lip Gloss in Birchbox Pink .06floz (full size .21oz|$20)
* Show Stoppers Double Stick Tape 2 strips (full size 24 strips|$9.99)
* Recharge EBoost 1 packet (full size 20 packets|$28)

Also included was a coupon code for the Birchbox store for $20 off a $75 purchase or more. Since I've accumulated $30 worth of Birchbox points, I'm tempted! Birchbox is also donating 100% of the profits from full-size sales to Baby Buggy, a non-profit that supplies needy families in the US with essential goods with a guaranteed donation of $25,000.

What did you get in your Birchbox this month? I think everyone received the Jouer lipgloss, it's a Birchbox exclusive!

Disclosure: Birchbox now has a referral code and it's been used in this post.

Review: Klorane Soothing Eye Makeup Remover with Cornflower Water

2011-12-13T08:59:00.003-05:00

A sample of the Klorane Soothing Eye Makeup Remover With Cornflower Water came in my November Birchbox. As I already have a Holy Grail (HG) makeup remover (the Makeup Forever Sens'eyes) I felt no great pull to try this one. But curiosity got the best of me and I'm also trying to weed through the sample sizes currently littering my bathroom counter. The Klorane Soothing Eye Makeup Remover comes in a 3.4oz bottle and retails for $9 - which is fairly reasonable all things considered as it's not a drugstore brand. The problem is it doesn't work. Sure it removes eyeshadow but most regular cleansers do, even ones that don't specify they are for makeup removal.

I took a cotton square, doused it with a generous portion of the remover and set it on my eye and patted. The first time I used it I maybe did that for 10-15 seconds and swiped it away and hardly any of my waterproof mascara came off. So I tried it again and left it on for a full minute. Same thing. Some of it came off but the Qtip that followed with a smidge of the MUFE got it off in a few seconds. Even though the price is very reasonable, I would not repurchase and I wouldn't recommend if you use any waterproof products.

Beauty Bloggers Auction Ends Today!

2011-12-12T08:06:00.002-05:00

To any readers that were planning to or have already bid on some items from the Beautybloggers.org Auction, do remember that it ends today at 5pm CST.

As a reminder, winning bidders will "purchase" their items directly through the Doctors Without Borders secure giving site.

MAC Jazzed is currently at a very reasonable $45. Go go go!

Happy bidding!

Bloom Haul & Why I Love It!

2011-12-11T20:54:00.002-05:00

I've been waiting on one last remaining item to post about my Black Friday Bloom.com haul when they were offering 40% Bloom Bucks back on most purchases. I spent a little over $100 so I was eligible to receive the maximum amount of Bloom Bonus items and I received just over $40 to spend on a future order. The Bloom Bonus is great and something I haven't seen anywhere else. Sephora has something similar with the 100 and 500 point perks but I truly think the Bloom version is superior. You'll see why in a minute.

Depending on how much money you spend, you have the option of selecting free samples with your purchase. There are 3 different levels, Silver, Gold and Platinum. If you buy under $50 worth, you get the typical 3 trial-size (standard Sephora-like) samples. If you spend $50 to $100 you get the 3 trial size and 2 mid size (ie. deluxe) samples and if you spend over $100 you receive 3 trial size, 4 mid-size and 1 full size product!

Here's what I actually paid for. The Glo-Minerals set is a gift for a friend which includes a 8-pan eyeshadow palette, a blush duo, some brushes, a lipgloss and a little makeup bag which sells for $68. This was clearly the majority of my purchase. I also bought a backup of the Sircuit Skin Fixzit Blemish Drying Serum and the Exuviance Purifying Cleansing Gel which I have used before and is great for makeup removal. I'm over halfway done with the NYX All Purpose Makeup Remover Gel and I bought this bottle to replace it.

Now, what I got for free. The Bloom Bonus always comes in a cute yellow drawstring baggy. This time, not all of my freebies fit in the baggy though, I just hate when that happens! :-p

Since I spent over $100, I hit the platinum level Bloom Bonus. During checkout, I selected the following:
For my 5 trial sized:
Mor Sugar Rose Tiger Lily Hand Cream packet, Mor Basil & Grape Hand Cream packet, Mor Honey Nectar Hand Cream packet, Ole Henriksen Herbal Day Creme packet, Babor Pure Day Cream packet
For my 4 mid-sized:
Yes to Carrots Melon C Me Smile Lip Butter (this is full sized and retails for ~$3.69), Cargo lip gloss in Tokyo & Paris (each is .45 grams), Mor Soapette in Snow Gardenia (this is a retail size and sells for $9)
1 full size:
Ever since trying the Mor Belladonna Body Butter, I have been itching to try it in another scent but the price tag made me hesitant to pull the trigger. When this showed up as a freebie I was ecstatic. I'm referring to the Mor Emporium Body Butter in Blood Orange which seems to be more up my alley. It retails for $25.

Being able to pick out my freebies and potentially getting full sized items in an order (plus always getting at least 10% in Bloom Bucks back) has me ordering from Bloom more often than any other e-tailer. My only complaint is they don't stock as many brands as Sephora does. Maybe with time, they'll get even more brands on board.

Disclosure: This post includes my referral link. I receive Bloom Dollars to spend if you click through these links, join the site and make a purchase.

Boscia GWP & Update

2011-12-10T20:33:00.000-05:00

Boscia is running a cool promotion during the holidays. Every few days, they are offering a "stocking stuffer" gift with purchase offer. This weekend's is especially good because it includes generous "samples" of the Luminizing Black Mask, the Clarifying Detox Mask as well as a full size of the Intensifying Moisture Pack with a $35 or more purchase (the two "sample" masks are practically 1/2 a full size). And for a limited time, they are offering free Peppermint blotting sheets with every order ($10 value). The blotting linens are good stocking stuffers themselves and the mask set and the linens would (in my opinion) make a pretty fabulous gift! Free shipping + their usual 3 samples with every order too makes the deal even sweeter.

I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend so far and I apologize for my sporadic posting. I am slowly getting over my case of walking pneumonia (so fun!) and also had some car troubles this week. I might have indulged a bit in the CVS beauty sale which if you haven't heard is currently going on now and Nouveau Cheap has an amazing master list of all the goodies you can get for a fraction of their normal retail price! There will be more posts in the near future.

Review: Yves Rocher Micellar Cleansing Water

2011-12-08T20:35:00.000-05:00

I know Yves Rocher doesn't get a lot of buzz in the beauty blogging world, but so far, I've only experienced good things from the brand. First of all, the price point is very favorable and if the retail price seems a little high the website almost always has sales. For instance, the item I'm reviewing today, the Micellar Cleansing Water, retails for $15 - on par with the Vichy version I was using previously. But right now on the website, it's 45% off making it $8.25 and the site runs dollar off promotions and almost always has free shipping codes.

This Micellar Cleansing Water is very comparable to the Vichy Solution; however, the Vichy might be slightly more gentle. The Yves Rocher doesn't irritate my skin but it is scented. As I've mentioned, I don't use these Micellar Waters for makeup removal, instead I use them in the morning instead of washing my face or during the day when I'm home as a refresher.

I find this one does a good job of cleansing my skin in the morning and doesn't leave it irritated or tight. The bottle contains 6.7oz of product. My only complaint is I wish the hole to pour the product out was a little smaller. I'm always worried about pouring these type of products down my sink!

If you've been curious about trying a few items from the Yves Rocher brand, I'd add this to your cart.

Ingredients: Water, Butylene Glycol, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water (Roman Chamomile), Mangiferin (Mangiferin, a natural polyphenol is known to exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral effects), Glycerin, PEG-40 Glyceryl Cocoate (emulsifier), Betaine (humectant), Sodium Coceth Sulfate (Cleansing Agent), Methlyparaben, Phenoxyethanol (preservative), Oleth-20 (Cleansing Agent), Allantoin (moisturer), Fragrance, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (green tea extract), Tetrasodium Edta (preservative), Rose Canina Fruit Oil (Rose Hip Fruit Oil), Maltodextrin

Made in France

NOTD: Revlon Mistletoe #350

2011-12-05T21:21:00.000-05:00

Even though I don't particularly like the Revlon Top Speed formula, I couldn't resist this new (limited edition?) shade that they just brought out.

It is stunning.

It looks pretty in the bottle, but it really shines on the nail.

The base color is blue (see it!?) and then it has very fine green and gold glitter in it.

A swatch on a piece of paper towel really makes the gorgeousness evident.

Definitely one of those glow from within polishes. Apologies for the cuticles and sloppy painting job. I'm impatient!

See the glow?

If you can still get your hands on it, I'd recommend it! I paid about $1.99 after sale and coupons. This is in the same display as the crazy neon purple colorburst lipgloss in the Revlon Spice It Up collection. A gorgeous subtle green for the holidays.

November Empties

2011-12-04T14:25:00.000-05:00

Another month has flown by. Here are the items I finished in November.

H20 Sea Pure Creamy Facial Cleanser - This lasted forever. I received this for review in 2010 and though I would occasionally use other cleansers, I swear this bottle just kept on giving. Only a pea sized amount is needed for each cleanse. I enjoy it and would repurchase but I have quite a few other cleansers to get through in the meantime.
Bare Escentuals/Minerals RareMinerals Purely Nourishing Facial Moisturizer - I bought this when they were phasing out the original Rare Minerals Skincare and I believe it was on sale. It's an ok moisturizer. I'd consider trying the reformulated version but I'm not rushing out to buy it. I like that this packaging is very hygienic and it has a good quality pump. It looks like that new line has a similar version here. I wonder if it's basically the same but repackaged?
Vichy Cleansing Micellar Solution - This is my second empty bottle of this product and while I didn't find it great with makeup removal, I really like the ease of using it in the morning or throughout the day if I'm home as a refresher. I'm currently trialing another micellar water and I prefer this one by far (it's more gentle). I'll definitely repurchase.
Epielle Cucumber Cleansing Tissues - If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you shouldn't be surprised to see a pack of these in my empties. I love these and at the affordable price tag, I can continue to buy them without any guilt.

La Rocca Champagne & Shimmer Acai Sugar Body Polish - I received this in my November Birchbox and if you remember the review, I was a little conflicted regarding the product. While it makes your skin soft, the texture turns me off a bit. I wouldn't repurchase.
The Body Shop Black Velvet Apricot Body Smoother - This is slightly more scrubby than the Cranberry version but it's not my favorite. I love the scent and wish The Body Shop brought this out this holiday season. I've made an effort to use up some of my shower gels as I prefer soaps in the shower. I treated myself to a little Haus of Gloi Soft Bubbling Scrub haul this morning as a treat.

Two hair oil samples. As I predicted with the Biolage bottle, I've been decanting my sample hair oils into the squeezey bottle (after cleansing it of course). This month I got through two hair oil samples. The one in the packet is .25oz which I hope no one actually uses in one sitting! The plastic one is the Redken All Soft Argan-6 Oil Treatment (.14oz) and the other is the Alterna Bamboo Kendi Oil Pure Treatment Oil. Both were quite nice, though I preferred the Redken. The Alterna one had a stronger scent.

That's all for November. Did you finish anything? Do you also do Empties posts? Definitely link below if you do!

bareMinerals Bare Luxury 8-piece Collection

2011-12-03T18:29:00.000-05:00

I posted about the Bare Minerals Today Special Value Bare Luxury Collection when it was featured, bought it and have played around with it a bit. For everyone's reference, it is still available at a slightly higher price on the QVC site.

It includes quite a few new products. Unpictured is the clutch that is included. My only big disappointment regarding this collection are the brushes. The promo picture makes it look as though at least the eyeshadow brush is a long handle but they are both fairly stubby.

The Marvelous Moxie Lip Glosses remind me of the Buxom Lips also from Bare Escentuals. So if you like those you will enjoy these. I'm not a big fan of tingly lip products but these seem a bit less sticky than the Buxom and also slightly less tingly. Both Dare Devil and Wild One are wearable colors: Dare Devil is a lot less scary than it appears in the tube and is a great berry "red" for those scared of red lips.Wild One is a milky peach color that is flattering on practically all skin tones. Both contain little if any shimmer. I can detect some shimmer in the tube with Dare Devil but it doesn't translate on the lips.

The Round the Clock Waterproof Eyeliners remind me of any of the other long wear pencils on the market. These are creamy and do not budge. I still have a blue line on my hand after vigorously rubbing the swatch and washing my hands twice since applying it! Both Noon and 10pm are fairly safe colors: Noon is a very dark cream navy color and 10pm is a dark brown. I wouldn't say these are unique in color or formulation but they are quite nice nonetheless.

The Phenomenon pressed eyeshadow duo contains a very pale lilac and a shimmery golden apricot shade. Both apply very smoothly - no fall out. I have to admit, I'm in love with these new Bare Minerals pressed shadows! A regular duo retails for $20 so the combination of these with the other parts of the kit make it a nice little deal. With this duo you are meant to wear the shades separately. You can tell one half of the kit leans on the cool side and the other on the warm. I'm not loving that idea but it's seldom that I can create a whole look with 1 eyeshadow palette normally so I'm not complaining. Pretty colors though not as pigmented as some of the other duos available. These shades are very "eye brightening" so if you prefer a more muted, office appropriate look, this kit is quite nice.

Rose Gold Radiance is one of their all over face colors, though I'd argue that this is one seems closer to their blushes and contains very little shimmer unlike some of the other radiances. Usually I shy away from things that are "rose gold" colored as they don't work too well with my skin tone; however, this one is subtle enough and is not too garish and orange. It's very finely milled and I bet it would be flattering on most skin tones.

If you also bought this kit, I'd love to hear your thoughts! These QVC's TSV are a great way to try these mid-high end lines at an affordable price.

We're Back! Holiday Beauty Blogger Giveaway $500 VISA Gift Card!

2011-12-02T20:42:00.000-05:00

All your favorite beauty bloggers are back again with another MEGA giveaway just in time for the holidays! To better serve our international readers, this time the prize is a $500 VISA gift card! Treat yourself AND your loved ones this season!! To enter, wait for the Rafflecopter widget to load below. You’re more than welcome to leave comments, but they will not earn entries into the contest. Each action in the Rafflecopter widget (below) earns you another entry. Actions will only be counted one time – even if you click on the widgets on the other participating blogs. You may tweet once per day – just come back here (or any of the blogs listed above) and submit a new tweet! 18+, International Entries are welcomed!

Participating Blogs, show them some love!

Glitter.Gloss.Garbage
Beauty Swatches
Bright Lights Big Color
Beauty and Fashion Tech
Moxie Reviews
Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom
Beauty Info Zone
Polarbelle
My Beauty Bunny
Gems in a Bottle
Jeweled Thumb
The PolishAholic
The Plastic Diaries
polish insomniac
Nails and Noms
Retrodiva’s Beauty
PolishGalore
Peace Love Lipgloss
Prime Beauty
Opal Stevens

Madre Labs Giveaway Winner!

2011-12-01T21:47:00.001-05:00

The winner of the full set of the Madre Labs Hair and Body Products is...

Allison L.

Allison, I'll be sending you an e-mail shortly. Congratulations and thanks to everyone who entered!

My Favorite Things Giveaway Winner!

2011-12-01T21:43:00.001-05:00

The winner of My Birthday Favorite Things Giveaway Winner is...

Kathleen N.

Kathleen, I'll be sending you an e-mail shortly. Congratulations!

Review: Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream

2011-11-28T22:30:00.000-05:00

I mentioned I picked up a set at TJmaxx of the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream a few (ok more than a few) months ago. I didn't try this till I finished up the Lancome Nutrix Soothing Treatment Cream which I happen to love - er loved past tense since I have since used it up and have not yet re-bought. As you can see by the pan up above, I do really like the 8 Hour Cream. I use it as a night cream when my skin is feeling particularly parched and does a great job of giving it more moisture.

I also find that it doesn't leave my skin as greasy the next morning as the Lancome which I honestly didn't mind as usually I'm super dry and flaky so the grease was a pleasant change!

The texture is a bit strange and the smell is rather odd. It's not bad enough for me to not use the product but it's not a nice smell by any means. Simple yet somehow cute and retro packaging and a lower price tag than the Lancome makes me happy I found this stuff. I haven't used it as a lip moisturizer as I'm not sure I can handle the smell that close to my nose but as a night treatment, it's great.

Worth the hype but I wish they would do something about the smell.

Vacation What I Brought vs What I Used

2011-11-27T13:39:00.000-05:00

I'm a chronic over packer. What can I say? I like to be prepared! For this trip, we were traveling by car so there was no need to worry about airplane regulations and I didn't have to decant all my liquids. Instead of going through all the products I brought, I'm going to do a post of the items that I brought that I actually used! I didn't wear a full face of makeup most days so I didn't pack copious amounts of makeup. What I haven't included is the only lipstick I wore the whole trip, Revlon Pink Truffle which usually lives in my hand bag anyway. Other things you won't see that I packed and used are my deodorant, my toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and a pair of tweezers.

Hair

Probably the only category I didn't over pack was hair. I only straighten my hair occasionally so I only brought products I use when I wash it. I didn't use a hair oil sample that I brought though.

* Bumble & Bumble BB Tonic Shampoo
* Wen Winter Vanilla Mint Cleansing Conditioner - this came in my first test tube
* Madre Labs Leave-In Conditioner - win this!

Makeup

I brought so many lip products and the only thing I actually wore was the Revlon Pink Truffle. No lipgloss, no other lipstick, nada. I also brought another liquid foundation-type thing: Missha BB Cream that I didn't touch. I guess I figured that I may use up the Becca? Obviously I need to rethink my packing habits!

* Becca Luminous Skin Color in Sand
* Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals Original in Fair
* Cargo Blush in Molokai
* Pixi Eye Bright Primer sample - not bad!
* Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil in Almost Famous
* MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Gilded White - great for the waterline
* Revlon 3D Extreme Waterproof mascara
* Stila Naturaleyes Palette
* Geo Girl Pressed Mineral Shadow in See Shells - I bought this on the trip and this is a great all over base color!

Tools

I think the only other product I brought with me and didn't use was a big powder brush. Otherwise it all got used!

* Brush Off Makeup Brush Cleanser
* The Body Shop nail file
* Mally Blush Brush
* Amazing Concealer Eyeshadow Brush
* Sephora Professional Round Crease Brush
* ELF Eye Shadow Brush
* ULTA Retractable Kabuki
* Missha Blending Brush
* Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

Body

I brought a Viktor & Rolf mini that I didn't touch, another The Body Shop body butter and the Mango Mend which I didn't use as I was worried about messing up sheets.

* Victoria's Secret Comfort Body Mist
* La Rocca Champagne & Acai Body Polish - I finished this early on in the trip.
* Philosophy Snow Angel Body Wash - This was in my test tube and I swear it smells exactly like Bath & Body Works Pearberry!
* True Blue Spa Shea Cashmere Hand Cream
* The Body Shop Cranberry Joy Body Butter

Skincare

I didn't do too badly when it came to facial skincare, though I wasn't sure how much face wash I would use so I brought another sample size that I didn't use. Also Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream. Otherwise, not too shabby.

* Nuance Facial Cleansing & Toning Towelettes
* Ahava Cleansing Cream
* Sircuit Skin Fixzit
* On10 Club Soda lipbalm
* Makeup Forever Sens'Eyes Cleanser
* Bare Escentuals Rare Minerals Moisturizer
* H2O Sea Pure Eye Cream

At least now I'll know what I actually need to bring and what's excess! Are you also a serial over-packer? What I used to transport everything was a Missoni for Target travel bag that I managed to find 50% off a week or so before my trip. Score!

Black Friday Promos

2011-11-25T00:37:00.000-05:00

The internet has been a bit reluctant to work out here in the country side (but boy is it beautiful and peaceful) so I haven't been so successful with posting, but I thought I'd check in nonetheless. The household has gone to bed leaving me in post turkey nap alertness alone - well unless you count a orange kitty fuzzball to my left. Somehow the multitude of e-mailing regarding Black Friday sales have continued to come in even though other websites refuse to load so I'm going to share some.

Bloom (perhaps one of my favorite websites ever) isn't having a sale per say, but they are offering 40% back in Bloomdollars (regularly 10%) with every purchase now through Monday, November 28th. I may have already put in an order which says a lot consider the slow state of the internet and my utter lack of patience.

The Body Shop is also having a great Black Friday offer. Not only are they offering practically the entire store at 3 for $30 (including things like fragrance and skincare lines) but with a $30 or more purchase, you can buy the "mistletote" for $25 which contains quite a few additional full sized products. Use code FREEJOY for free shipping on your order if you have a Love Your Body card (you'll save $5.50 which will put you just under the free shipping mark). There's also JOY10 for 10% off your order, but I didn't use that one so I'm not certain it works. Now is definitely a time to try some of the more spendy skincare items or a fragrance or two which will normally set you back $24 or more dollars and rarely get that discounted otherwise.

Missha is offering 40% site wide as well as their infamous Perfect Cover BB Cream at a very sweet price of $8.99.

asos is offering an 20% off everything (including sale items) through Monday, November 28th with code HAPPYBLACKFRIDAY. I highly recommend you check out the beauty sale section here.

TheBalm is offering 40% everything on their site with code BLACKFRIDAY. This particular sale is only for 1 day and ends at 11:59 pm EST on the 25th.

INGLOT is offering 15% off online as well as free shipping. There doesn't appear to be a code and it should be good through Monday.

For even more options, Nouveau Cheap and Temptalia both have super comprehensive lists. Happy shopping!

Beauty Bloggers Charity Auction 2011

2011-11-23T10:39:00.000-05:00

Last year I took part in a great event started by Karla Sugar, the Beauty Bloggers Charity Auction. I'm happy to say that this year's event is bigger and better than the last, showcasing some of the hottest items from this year's holiday collections and some limited edition treasures.

I have donated a very special item and the post on Jeweled Thumb that continues to get the most hits, a new tube of MAC Jazzed lipstick. I'd love to see some of you bid on this and some other fantastic items (including the Laura Mercier highlighter I just mentioned)! Even though you technically can't start bidding until Cyber Monday, I would recommend that you go to the site and create an account as you will be able to bookmark the items that interest you in preparation for the event.

The event will kick off Cyber Monday (Monday, November 28th) and run till December 12th. All winning bidders will make their "purchases" directly through the Doctors Without Borders secure site.

If you have any questions about the event, I'll answer them the best I can but I also recommend checking out the FAQ for the Beauty Bloggers website.

Geo Girl Cosmetics

2011-11-20T21:24:00.001-05:00

I was in a Walmart in the middle of nowhere and convinced DH to follow me into the cosmetic section where I happened upon this brand I had never heard of before. Geo Girl cosmetics is obviously targeted towards a younger market; however, the eco-inspired packaging caught my eye as well as the very reasonable price tag ($3.98 for the lipshine and eyeshadow, $5.98 for the moisturetint). Though I haven't fully worn the items, I'm impressed so far. The lipshine is a tinted lipbalm which comes in several different fruit-flavored shades, all of which smell like their namesakes. I picked up Raspberry which is a sheer pink with very subtle shimmer and quite nice. The Pressed Mineral eyeshadow I've tried is buttery smooth and highly pigmented. I picked up the most neutral and wearable shade: See Shells. I also got the Moisture Tint (ie. tinted moisturizer in the shade Light but I haven't even swatched that yet). I'm kind of regretting not picking up another lipshine in case this is a regional thing. I've never seen this line at my local Walmart!

You can also purchase Geo Girl on drugstore.com. I found this article about the somewhat controversial line here. Whatever their target age range, I think the line is suitable for all ages.

As a side note, catering towards younger girls is nothing new. I started wearing a bit of makeup when I was 12 and Walmart carried the Mary Kate & Ashley line which was also marketed to the tween market about 5 years ago.

Have you seen or tried this brand before? I obviously missed the drama back when it launched earlier this year!

Travels

2011-11-18T21:04:00.002-05:00

It's been about a year and a half since my last real vacation and tomorrow my husband and I are taking part road-trip vacation, part spend time with family (which is surprisingly relaxing itself - I have awesome in-laws - yes I'm very lucky) for about a week. We're taking the round about way down to Georgia where his folks live and going through Tennessee (DH's old stomping grounds). Anyway, there will be posts while I'm gone from Jeweled Thumb HQ but there might only be a couple during the week and I might not be "around" as far as comments and twitter are concerned. I'm definitely planning a 'what's in my makeup bag' type of post though so stay tuned. I figure I'll need some distractions from my final exam that I have to do!

I hope everyone has a fabulous week!

Laura Mercier Face Illuminator

2011-11-17T20:01:00.001-05:00

Even though I hastily made my purchase of the Laura Mercier Face Illuminator, I wasn't absolutely certain it would work on my skin tone. It looked awfully dark and quite gold. I am happy to report that the powder blends out beautifully and now I'm going to show you pretty pictures because I took about 20 right after opening the box. Basically, this post is to show you how gorgeous the powder and also to show you that it definitely works for pale girls!

Really, could it be anymore stunning? It has a rosy glow in certain lighting and I love how the texture looks, you can see that it's going to take quite a few uses for the pattern to wear away.

The full on swatch made me a little nervous, but you can see it applied more lightly to the right.

The right side of my hand has the illuminator and the left is bare skin. It definitely gives a goldy glow but it's not over the top or too yellow or metallic in my opinion.

Again in slightly different lighting.

So if you are pasty and were feeling unsure about the illuminator, I'd definitely recommend it if you're applying the powder in moderation. This is highly pigmented so if you're fair you'll need to be a bit careful but it blends beautifully and is far from chunky or glittery.

Not really a review as I haven't worn it yet but I hope this at least helps some of you!

QVC Bare Escentuals TSV Set In Advance

2011-11-16T19:36:00.000-05:00

I was really excited when I got the e-mail from QVC for the Bare Luxury 8-pc Collection in advance. Reason being is they finally put some of the pressed shadows in a kit. They aren't crazy expensive normally but the kits are always a great value and this is no exception.

In the kit comes:
*The Phenomenon eye shadow duo, 0.05 each of Golden Iris, a prismatic lavender and Azure Iris, an illuminating amber
*0.044-oz Round the Clock Eyeliner in 10pm, a burnished mocha
*0.044-oz Round the Clock Eyeliner in Noon, a deep navy
*0.15-fl-oz Lip Gloss in Wild One, a peach sheen
*0.15-fl-oz Lip Gloss in Daredevil, a berry sorbet
*0.03-oz All-Over Face Color in Radiant Rose Gold, a lustrous rose
*Full, tapered shadow brush
*Flawless face brush
*Cosmetics bag
All for $49.98 plus shipping

That's pretty darn awesome.

For advanced ordering use the links below (they won't work if you simply put the item number into the search on the qvc website)

One time order
Auto-delivery

Don't forget Ebates (3.5%) or Mr. Rebates (4%).

Technical Difficulties

2011-11-15T19:21:00.000-05:00

I had scheduled the Madre Labs Review & Giveaway post last night and this morning when the post went live, everything was fine but somehow over the course of the day, Rafflecopter decided to put the giveaway for My Favorite Things in the Madre Labs post, which means a lot of you entered the My Favorite Things Giveaway when you wanted and should have entered the Madre Labs Giveaway!

Whew, that makes sense right?

Either way, I've gone ahead and re-pasted the script for the Madre Labs Giveaway into the Madre Labs Review post. I hope this works. If you were trying to enter the Madre Labs Giveaway, please enter again.

I apologize for the inconvenience and believe me, this was not intentional!

If you've used rafflecopter before and this has happened to you, please let me know. I'm positively baffled.

Links:
Madre Labs Review & Giveaway
My Favorite Things Birthday Giveaway

Review: Madre Labs Body and Hair Care Line + Giveaway

2011-11-15T07:33:00.004-05:00

I was recently contacted by a representative of iHerb regarding the Madre Labs line of Body & Hair products. iHerb is an established retailer of natural products based out of California. As someone who appreciates the benefits of natural products without tons of preservatives or fillers, I was happy to see that the Madre Labs brand features the "No No-Nos" Seal which means the products are free of sulfates, parabens, dyes, animal ingredients and animal testing. The products are meant to be gentle and the packaging is biodegradable. I know lots of people in the beauty community have made an effort to be more green and while I'm not there quite yet, good affordable products make it that much easier.

I've been testing the products for a number of weeks now and I thought I would share my thoughts and I have very exciting news as well. One lucky reader of Jeweled Thumb will win the complete set of Hair and Body products from the Madre Labs line. Simply scroll down to the rafflecopter widget, wait for it to load and enter to your heart's content!

And if you can't wait to find out if you've won and need one of the products right away (hint leave-in conditioner) you can use the code WOW123 to get $5 off your first order if you're a first time iHerb customer!

Onto the review:

Body care
Moisturizing Body Wash, Rosemary Mint, 12.5 fl oz $12.95
Hand & Body Lotion, Unscented, 12.85 fl oz $10.95
Hand Cream with Argan Nut Oil, Unscented, 2.5 oz $8.95

As many of you probably know, I have very dry and sensitive skin so I was happy to see the majority of the body care range is unscented. I found the moisturizing body wash refreshing without being stripping though as some of you may know, mints are not my favorite in the shower. Both the hand and body lotion and the hand cream are moisturizing without being overly greasy; however, the one negative is while the hand and body lotion is definitely scent free, one of the ingredients in the hand cream give it a bit of an earthy scent. I believe it may be the olive fruit oil - it smells a bit like olives. It didn't bother me but I prefer the hand and body lotion as it is fully unscented.

Haircare
Moisturizing Shampoo, Strawberry Oasis, 12.5 fl oz $13.95
Moisturizing Conditioner, Strawberry Oasis, 12.5 fl oz $10.95
Leave-In Conditioner, Tangerine Melody, 8.7 fl oz $7.95

I'm going to review the Moisturizing Line (& the leave-in) as that's what I used extensively.

While I enjoyed the bath and body range, I was most impressed with the hair range. The moisturizing shampoo and conditioner smell like strawberry bubble yum and are hydrating without wearing hair down. The leave-in spray reminds me of the one I reviewed and loved from Goldwell though instead of a creamsicle scent, the Tangerine Melody is a bit more tart. My hair routine involves shampooing every other time with the moisturizing shampoo in the line and using the conditioner every wash and then spritzing the leave-in generously while my hair is still a bit damp, throwing it up in my microfiber towel and leaving it for the night. By the morning, my hair is soft, bouncy and has formed nice ringlets. My frizz has significantly lessened as well. If you are going to try only one item from the line, I'd definitely order yourself a bottle of the leave-in spray and at $7.95 (it's actually on sale right now for $5.96) it definitely doesn't break the bank!

The two other items in the hair care line are below for your reference:
Balancing Shampoo, Pomegranate & Mellow Mint, For Normal Hair, 12.5 fl oz $12.95
Balancing Conditioner, Pomegranate & Mellow Mint, 12.5 fl oz $9.95

And now for the giveaway!

Review: LaRocca Champagne and Shimmer Acai Sugar Polish

2011-11-14T19:32:00.001-05:00

I know I literally just got this in my November Birchbox but I thought I'd share my first impressions which I imagine will be my long-term impressions of the product as I only have another use out of the sample pot. I'm referring to the LaRocca Skincare Champagne & Shimmer Acai Sugar Polish.

I'm a bit conflicted about this product. First of all, it is super expensive, clocking in at $37.50 for 6.76 ounces. Second, the consistency is quite weird. It's almost like you whipped up some egg whites made meringue and then made it look like it was jelly. Third, it leave a bit of a residue, but not nearly as bad as some of The Body Shop scrubs or at least the last time I tried them. However, after showering and cleansing my body with body wash, my skin was super soft. So soft I didn't feel compelled to slather moisturizer on which is a feat with my dry skin. So, I've got to say it works. I found that this didn't have enough sugar crystals to my liking and they evaporated rather quickly (so I had to use a lot of the scrub) but that simply means it's more gentle. I don't know. If I magically came into a full size jar, I would definitely use it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy this. I prefer the Haus of Gloi Bubbling Scrub just because it's so convenient and is the ultimate in scrubbiness.

If you also received this in your November Birchbox, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Ingredients: Organic Sucrose, Cocoas Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea (Acai) Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, 24K Gold, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Fragrance.
Not tested on animals, paraben free.

On The Way

2011-11-13T20:50:00.000-05:00

The new Laura Mercier Face Illuminator is on its way to me right now and I have to say, I'm really excited. Sorry for the slightly random post. I'm a bit excited and my brain is fried after trying to do things like ANOVA (if you don't know what I'm talking about, thank your lucky stars).

Makeup Rant: Sample Skincare Packets

2011-11-12T23:51:00.000-05:00

I decided I was going to be good and not save some sample packets "for travel" as I rarely do anything more than my commute. After dispensing enough eye cream (er gel) to do both my eyes, I realized that the sample packet was still most of the way full. Of course, as I had ripped it to open it, there was no way to re-adhere it and it was starting to goop out the top either way. So I did what any sane person would do (or maybe not) and applied it all over my face. Speaking of which, there was enough in the little packet to do so. They do say that eye cream is just glorified face cream anyway!

I wasn't going to leave it open and let it expose the product inside to air. And it made me think how annoying those sample packets are. Had the company invested a couple more cents, they could have put the product in a little tube, or maybe a pot and then I could have used it for more than a day. As it stands, I won't really know how it performs and feel no great pull to buy it since you can't tell if something works if you only use it for a night.

Also, it was the the Ole Henriksen Ultimate Lift Eye Gel which from briefly looking at the ingredient list seemed to be overpriced aloe vera gel with a couple additives and is insanely sticky. It was even very pale translucent green like aloe vera. Not impressed just in case you were wondering. Although... now I'm thinking of using aloe vera gel as eye cream, much cheaper than any alternatives! Take that Ole Henriksen!

Right. Do foil sample packets annoy you too or am I just being grouchy that I have yet more statistics homework to do tomorrow?

November Birchbox

2011-11-11T20:23:00.001-05:00

I want to first apologize for my semi-absence. I've been stressing over grad school. You see, it's heading towards the end of the semester and I recently had a paper due in my statistics class worth 30% of my grade. The day after the paper was due, the professor decided to tell us what he wanted on the paper and as he was going through each item, I mentally went over how I failed to do each step he actually wanted. Anyway, he posted my grade on Wednesday, and I passed, but just barely. So, I'm feeling a little more calm and was pleased to see my Birchbox arrived in the mail. Just so you know, I have 2 reviews + giveaways to post about in the upcoming days (and do some more pesky homework). Anyway, onward.

I cheated and looked at videos and blog posts of the November Birchbox and I was feeling a little bummed, so when I opened this month's box, I was pleasantly surprised!

Inside was the following:
Klorane Soothing Eye Makeup Remover with Cornflower .8floz (full size 3.4oz|$9)
LaRocca Skincare Champagne & Shimmer Body Polish .05oz (full size 6.76oz|$35)
Oscar Blandi Jasmine Protein Mist 2oz (full size 250ml|$18)(travel size 2oz|$5)
Zoya Nail Polish in Noel .25oz (full size .5floz|$8)
treat Chuao Chocolatier Firecracker Chocopod
extra Bauble Bar Black Wood Pop Bracelet ($20)

So first of all, I love me a good scrub so I'm excited to try the LaRocca. Second, the Oscar Blandi is an actual retail size (I linked the Sephora listing for it - it's $5), third the Bauble Bar Bracelet has a retail value of $20 (and I'll admit it's pretty adorable)!!? So, I'm pretty happy with this month's box. Every other post I saw had completely different items in it. I hope some of you got mine cause it rocks.

I love the little bit of bling.

I did receive my QVC New Beauty Test Tube and eventually I'm going to do a comparison post between that and Birchbox. Honestly, I'm feeling Birchbox a little more. It might be because this month's box rocked but we'll see.

*edit*
Apparently, the Bauble Bar bracelet was a prize for reviewing products on their site. It wasn't part of the November box. The first 10,000 subscribers to gather points in September and October had the chance to get this bracelet. Still, pretty nifty I actually was one of them! I always review the products on Birchbox.com because you can rack up points to buy full sized products.

Review: Twistband Hair Ties

2011-11-07T20:27:00.000-05:00

Don't laugh. I know everyone did a double take when they received one of the Twistband Hair Ties in their August Birchboxes. First of all, the price made me roll my eyes, I'll admit! My second thought was how are these any better than Goody or Scunci or any other hair tie on the market?

Well, I'll tell you why. I've been wearing the same exact one since August every day for months now and it hasn't snapped in half. That is more than I can say for every other hair tie I've ever worn. As you may know by now, I have thick hair. My hair has snapped its fair share of hair ties. In fact, when hair ties go on sale, I stock up because they tend to last about a week, sometimes two before snapping. I haven't had to buy more of these since it hasn't snapped! Granted, it's stretched out a bit but the elastic still works just fine. Just in case, I've gone ahead and bought the Sephora brand equivalents to see if they are similarly awesome (those are 8 for $8 so a tiny bit cheaper).

I'm converted.

Birthday Giveaway: My Favorite Things!

2011-11-04T21:30:00.003-04:00

“raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens… bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens…brown paper packages tied up with string…these are a few of my favorite things.”

November is my birthday month and I plan on celebrating (the date is the 22nd for those wondering)! I thought the best way of sharing with you was to share (giveaway) some of my favorite things. Most of these items are ones I consider my holy grails (if not the specific item, then the brand). I'm fairly certain I've featured all of these items at least once on my blog.

I'm using Rafflecopter for the first time ever so I hope it makes it easier for everyone to enter. As the rules specify, this is open worldwide*.

The prize pack includes:
The Original Turbie Twist Hair Towel
Epielle Cucumber Cleansing Tisses
The Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care Shampoo 8.4oz
Jane Iredale Lip Drink
Sircuit Cosmeceuticals Fixzit Blemish Drying Serum
Stila The It Girl Palette
Yves Rocher Watercolor Effect Blush in Poppy
Makeup Forever Sens'Eyes 25ml

* I am not responsible for customs nor for lost packages, though if someone in the US wins, it will be shipped with delivery confirmation. =)

Good luck everyone!

Review: Blinc Kiss Me Tubing Mascara

2011-11-03T21:01:00.001-04:00

The Blinc Kiss Me Tubing mascara came in a Birchbox a couple months ago and I hate having two mascaras open at once, so I didn't open my sample till I finished the MUFE one. This mascara has been around for a good decade in the US (and longer overseas) but for some reason, I've never tried it.

As some of you may know, I have fairly long lashes, but they are stick straight. I'll get right to the point. I curled my lashes, applied this mascara and my lashes started to droop. Granted, once the formula dried (it takes awhile, and it will smear prior to drying fully) they stayed where they had drooped to, but I was not happy that it basically uncurled my lashes.

I liked the brush as it was very defining but otherwise, a big skip for me.

NARS Duos $10 at Sephora!

2011-11-02T19:51:00.000-04:00

Sephora seems to be repeating themselves with their holiday deals. Last year we had a NARS single deal and a NARS duo deal and history repeats itself in 2011!

Get your NARS duos here while they last!

Don't forget Friends & Family ends tonight. And there's a new VIB code starting the 10th (code VIBDREAM).

Review: Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Pink Truffle

2011-11-01T20:53:00.000-04:00

The blogosphere has been a-buzz regarding these new Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters and for good reason! With sleek packaging, an array of colors, a moisturizing formula and a nice price tag, it shouldn't be much of a surprise. I picked up a few last week when Revlon products were about 40% off after Extrabucks and the Lip Butters were already reduced from the $8 or so retail price to $6.99. Pink Truffle is the first one I tried and I am in love!

Pink Truffle is a slightly browned pink. It is pretty neutral and is the perfect "my lips but better" shade for girls with some pigment to their lips. This color gives a brightening effect to the face but not in a "woah I'm wearing bright lips" sort of way.

What I really love is the formula. I have dry lips. Whether I drink liters of water a day or drink nothing, my lips are usually dry. I found the Maybelline Baby Lips to be reasonable to wear, but I wouldn't find them moisturizing, in fact, after using them for a few weeks, I'd dare to say they are a bit drying. This on the other hand, actually moisturizes my lips while I'm wearing it with the color that I'd get from a sheer lipstick!

I find this comparable to the Clinique Buttershines and the discontinued Stila High Shines - though the price tag on the Revlon Butter Shines is much better!

Definitely pick these up at your local drugstore if you manage to find them. The good news is I've heard they will be permanent to the Color Burst line in January 2012!

September & October Empties

2011-10-31T18:59:00.000-04:00

I barely finished any products in September so I decided to compile September & October empties into one post. To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed with my progress. And I still haven't managed to finish the H2O cleanser which is a bit insane all things considered! Onward.

Missha Green Tea Sheet Mask - This is a nice, light and refreshing mask. I bought a few of these Pure Source masks when Missha had a sale and they are quite nice. This one is meant to be moisturizing and brightening. I'm not sure I noticed any brightening but it definitely was moisturizing and I didn't need to apply my nighttime moisturizer after using this in the evening.
Dr. Dennis Gross Extra Strength Alpha Beta Peel Pads - I think this might have come in a Birchbox? Either that or one of my Bloom orders. These helped my flakies a bit when I used it but I doubt I'd spring for a full size box of them as they are quite pricey!
Nuance Salma Hayek Detoxifying Facial Cleansing & Toning Towelettes - I know I was a bit lukewarm with these in my review but that's mostly due to the price compared to other towelettes (and my Epielle's) on the market. I actually re-bought them when Nuance was on sale, though these are the original pack. The slight nubby texture on them really helps pick up makeup.

OPI Polish Remover Non Oily - This is a sample size that came in a kit. Not impressed enough to seek this out when I need remover.

The Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care - No one should be surprised finding another one of these in my empties post! Holy grail!
Biolage Delicate Care Organic Certified Oil - This stuff lasted forever! Granted, I've had the opportunity to try loads of different hair oils since trying this out but this one has been pretty nice. Once I get through the copious Birchbox samples and my generic moroccan oil, I'd definitely consider repurchasing this one. The price isn't too bad, it smells nice and the dispenser is probably the best of the ones I've tried. I'm actually tempted to keep this bottle and just decant my other oils into this container!

Lancome Nutrix Soothing Treatment Cream - Great stuff if you have dry and sensitive skin and even though it is very rich, it doesn't break me out. If anything, it calms down the breakouts I have and brings deep painful ones to the surface faster. I'll be using my H2O one now but the Lancome is definitely richer. If you have a recommendation for a similar cream I'd love to hear it (or what will happen is I'll likely just repurchase this one).
Caudalie Nourishing Body Lotion - This is a really nice lotion but I highly doubt I would pay the full retail price which is a bit ridiculous. It has a light slightly citrus scent and sinks in quickly. I wouldn't say it is the most moisturizing lotion on the market but I tend to prefer lighter ones even though I really need one that's heavy duty.
Mor Belladonna Body Butter - This was a sample that came in my last Bloom order. I really like this body butter. It isn't so thick that it is sticky or greasy, but you can definitely tell that your skin is moisturized. The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the scent. It is a nice warm scent but there is a baby powder note that I don't enjoy. But again, these are crazy expensive in the full size and I think they only come in tubs which I don't prefer (though they do make a few lotions in pump bottles). Anyone else remember when they carried Mor at Sephora?

Caudalie Lip Conditioner - I really liked this lip conditioner. What I didn't like was towards the end of the tube, the product is a lot lower than is convenient to actually use. So you either dig all of it out or let it go to waste. I of course dug with a lip brush to get all the product out but it's definitely not convenient to do so.
Makeup Forever Aqua Smoky Lash mascara - I'm actually a bit surprised how long this lasted given the usual consensus regarding MUFE mascaras. I quite liked this. It holds a curl and is definitely waterproof. My only complaint is towards the end of the tube, it started transferring on me which is a bit weird. It's one of the most expensive mascaras I've tried and honestly, it doesn't perform that much better than drugstore mascaras. I'd probably rebuy during a sale or if I had a gift card.

Makeup Forever Sens'eyes Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser - I'm sure you are all shocked, absolutely shocked that I went through the bottle of this. Just teasing! Yes, I used up my mini bottle and now I have a full sized bottle that should last me quite awhile. This is probably one of the most gentle eye makeup removers that truly removes any type of mascara. I love it and will always have a bottle on hand.

Whew. Well another month has passed and I still have not finished eyeshadow or blush. Maybe next time?

Review: Bumble & Bumble Tonic Shampoo

2011-10-28T10:52:00.003-04:00

As you may remember, I got the Bumble & Bumble Tonic Shampoo for an amazing price at Big Lots, $6 versus the $22 the bottle is normally. Sephora describes it as a "daily, stimulating cleanser" that is meant to combat dandruff and "invigorate" the scalp. I've gone over my hair issues before. I have dry, thick hair. Unfortunately, the skin issues I've mentioned before are a major issue on my scalp and I either use scary prescription strength steroid ointments or make do with slightly more abrasive shampoos and heavy conditioners. My holy grail shampoo is The Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care Shampoo which I've also mentioned before. But finding a high end brand at Big Lots in a product you would actually use is so momentous that I had to buy it.

I find this a lot more stripping than The Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care. It tingles more and my hair is "squeaky clean" after washing it out. Personally, with my hair as dry as it is, I can't use this daily as Sephora recommends and instead, I've been alternating it with a regular shampoo. As it is, I do not wash my hair everyday so I use this probably twice a week. It is your standard tea tree anti-dandruff formula (another reason I like TBS's as it smells like ginger - something other than tea tree oil for once!) and is a slightly thicker gel (the TBS is more runny). It definitely tingles and you can feel it a bit after showering which is refreshing.

I feel the price is a bit ridiculous, but then again, it is Bumble & Bumble. I'd probably recommend it if you have dandruff and oily hair. My dry hair doesn't like it so much. I have noticed that my scalp has stayed slightly less itchy but my scalp probably got used to the TBS as I haven't mixed it up in awhile. Either way, you'd be hard pressed to find me paying full price for this. There are tons of tea tree oil shampoos out there that do the same job and are probably less stripping to boot!

Disclosure: Shopsense platform utilized.

New Beauty QVC Test Tube

2011-10-27T20:54:00.001-04:00

Youtube has been a buzz for quite awhile regarding the New Beauty Test Tube program. Many Birchbox subscribers have been switching over and while I tried the New Beauty Test Tube back in 2009, it looks as though it's gotten better since then. Today I received an e-mail from New Beauty indicating that their Test Tube was coming back to QVC tomorrow and after scouring the QVC message boards, I've got the dirt (and the links). You can always buy the New Beauty Test Tube directly from their website, but apparently the QVC one is different as it has products that QVC carries meanwhile the New Beauty could potentially carry anything. The price is $29.96 with the option of 2 easy pays and of course QVC shipping is atrocious so it'll likely be just under $40 with tax.

Algenist Anti-Aging Moisturizer 0.5 oz. - Value $22.50 (Full size is $90)
New Beauty Magazine - Value $9.95
Supersmile Professional Whitening Toothpaste 1.75 oz- Value $8.75
Perricone MD Firming Neck Therapy - Value $11.88 (Full size is $144)
Philosophy Shower Gel in Snow Angel - Value $1.67
Malley Evercolor Liner - Value $15.00
Laura Geller Baked Eye Shadow - Value $23.00
Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil .17 fl.oz.- Value about $3
WEN Cleansing Conditioner 6 fl oz - Value $18.00

I ordered one and I'm blaming a newly discovered youtube guru for this, jalapena2007.

Anyway...
Regular 1-time shipment
Auto Delivery

Don't forget Ebates!

Disclosure: Ebates referral link.

Sephora Haul

2011-10-25T20:23:00.001-04:00

My Sephora Friends & Family order arrived in the mail yesterday and I thought I'd show you what I picked up for myself. There were a few other things in my package for others (a CP and some gifts). I feel as though I did pretty well, definitely stayed under budget. I guess the one time use code isn't so bad after all if it makes me spend less money!

I bought a nice big bottle of the MUFE Sens'Eyes Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser which as you know from me going on about it is awesome, the Fresh Mini Sugar Kissing Trio, the Tarte Lip Service Collection and the 2 NARS nail polishes that are on sale for $8 (Pokerface & Bad Influence). Not to be forgotten is the massive 12oz bottle of the Philosophy Purity 100-point perk.

What did you get for Sephora Friends & Family?

*hint* If you have a post on your haul, feel free to link it below!

Review: Babor Camouflage Cream in Ivory

2011-10-23T20:02:00.000-04:00

As someone that has porcelain skin, I am always on the lookout for the best concealer that actually works with my skin tone. Most concealers are far too dark and wind up simply drawing more attention to blemishes. The ones that I find are light enough are usually thin concealers meant for the under eye area.

In my last Bloom order, I stumbled across the Babor Camouflage Cream and I decided to give it a shot. With Bloom's return policy, I really couldn't go wrong and the price was nice. At $14 for 4.5 grams it's a very reasonably priced concealer from a higher end line. I picked the shade Ivory #6 - the lightest they carry.

The packaging is pretty minimal, the product comes in a plastic jar with a screw top lid. It's very similar to how professional makeup lines tend to look - nothing fancy.

The shade Ivory is a milky yellow and the little pot is literally filled to the brim. There's a white cover over the product so the concealer doesn't get on the lid itself.

As you can see, this is a very pigmented product. It promises to hide discolorations while still looking natural and is smudge proof and waterproof. I've found this is the perfect color for blemishes. And it isn't too dark, too yellow or orange for me.

I've demonstrated a bit with a scar on my hand. Granted, after quickly applying the concealer, the area around the scar now looks much redder, but I hope you can see the subtle difference. Now you can only see the outline of the darkest part of the scar. You should be able to see where I applied the concealer on my hand but not in a cakey way.

If you are pale like me, I'd definitely give this a shot, especially if you have ruddiness or break outs. As I said, most concealers are too dark. I can't wear MAC concealers and the Vichy Opal long-wear one is much too dark as well. Don't even get me started on Lancome or Estee Lauder or any drugstore brands!

I've kind of dubbed this the long-wear high pigmented concealer for pale girls.

Disclosure: This post includes my referral link to Bloom. I've spent... ahem quite a lot of money on that site already and have had nothing but good experiences.

Favorite Fragrances

2011-10-22T17:39:00.002-04:00

I've hinted here and there about some of my top fragrance choices. In general, I tend to prefer warmer scents. I gravitate towards scents with main notes of vanilla but I'm not a fan of smelling like a cupcake. I thought I would share some of my top fragrance choices and since the weather has gotten a bit cooler, I'll bet I'll forget to mention some of my summer picks.

The scent that I've been reaching for lately with the pretty significant weather change here has been the Victoria's Secret Body By Victoria Comfort Body Mist: Warm Vanilla. Even though this is technically a body mist and not an eau de toilette or eau de parfum, this has amazing lasting power. I apply right before dressing around 6am and it's still around when I get ready for bed around 9pm. Unfortunately, this particular scent is discontinued and Victoria's Secret has a habit of discontinuing all of their vanilla scents but Vanilla Lace and Amber Romance are also quite nice.

One of my mainstays is Philosophy's Falling in Love which smells of vanilla & blackberry. This is quite a sweet scent but something that I wore everyday for years. I discovered this in college. Actually, a bit of a story. I think it was my sophomore year that Philosophy offered an amazing promotion of a bottle of this and the shower gel free with any purchase. As I was a poor college student, I didn't usually spring for fragrance but the deal was too good so I got it. I fell in love with the fragrance and have gone through countless bottles of this ever since. I also wore this when I met my husband so he considers this "my" fragrance.

Lolita Lempicka's L eau de parfum is a fragrance I started wearing when I worked at ULTA. Before each shift, I'd walk over to the perfume area, spritz my pulse points with this and then spray Kenzo Amour generously all over. The slightly smoky smell of this mixed with the Amour smelled absolutely delicious. I don't currently own a bottle of Kenzo Amour but it is also one of my favorites. L reminds of me cigar smoke, in a pleasant non-cough-inducing way and also like the first whiff of a Diet Vanilla Coke (which I think they stopped making). Either way, it smells really good and is definitely a more grown up vanilla.

I think that's enough vanillas for now, don't you (though there are plenty of honorable mentions I've not mentioned)? I thought I'd mention two scents that I adore that are no longer available and are slightly different from my normal picks.

I've been shopping at The Body Shop for years as I've mentioned and now you probably believe me as I have a long discontinued but much loved bottle of The Spirit of Moonflower. This I keep stowed away, safe from light and it still smells good and I wear it occasionally. This is one of the few floral scents that I can tolerate and is a great day time scent. Not too powdery, not too sweet, I am still mad at The Body Shop for discontinuing this. I wore this during high school, early college and have gone through multiple bottles.

Fresh Memoirs of a Geisha came out in 2005 with the Memoirs of a Geisha movie (clearly) and was a great light summer fragrance that I still love. It's not quite as sour as their Sake fragrance and is nice and light, great for spring and summer days. I've gone through quite a few bottles of this too, even though it's not my usual fragrance.

Ever since I worked at ULTA in the mid 2000s, I have definitely branched out from my usual mainstays; not to mention the going from a bottle or two of fragrance into a collection. These days, I tend to repurchase my favorites that can still be bought fresh and buy new scents that I enjoy in rollerball format or at the most, the 1 ounce sizes.

What are some of your favorite perfumes?

Sephora Sale +

2011-10-20T21:10:00.000-04:00

As everyone should know by now, the Sephora Friends & Family sale actually happened. Granted, it's not quite as good as from previous years. It involves a one time only code, but something is better than nothing. Simply visit www.sephora.com/friends to get your unique code good on one purchase through November 2nd.

In case you felt a little annoyed at Sephora's dramatic denial of the sale, you might be interested in these other sales:

The Body Shop is offering 20% off from October 20th through 23rd with code FF2011 (that's more like it)!

And for something a little more wallet friendly, Cherry Culture is offering 20% off everything in store through the 23rd with code JTH20.

Happy shopping!

Have You Gotten Your Free Hand Cream Yet?

2011-10-19T12:38:00.000-04:00

L'Occitane hand cream is a cult favorite and they are giving away free coupons for the 30ml size for reaching 250k fans on their facebook page! Simply go to their facebook page, like it, and fill out the form to receive your coupon. I received my coupon already via e-mail and it comes with a 15% off discount for use in store when I pick up the hand cream! This promotion is only available in the US and can only be redeemed (to my knowledge) at L'Occitane boutiques.

Tada Beautysak GC $10 for $20!

2011-10-18T20:56:00.001-04:00

I don't know about you, but I feel like I'm subscribed to 2 million sample sale or flash sale sites. In just moments, my e-mail inbox gets flooded on a daily basis from these sites. However, occasionally, there is a deal worth sharing (I've stopped posting about the Hautelook ones as they have been so underwhelming lately! Please say I'm not the only one who thinks so). Anyway, Tada is having a giftcard sale ending in ~2 days for a site called Beautysak.com in which you pay $10 for a $20 e-gift card and you can buy 2 of them (aka pay $20, get a $40 giftcard). Beautysak offers tons of mid-high end lines and I took a quick look around the site and I'd imagine most people would be able to find something on there!

The link again as I included it in a big body of rambly text

Exclusions/Info
- Get $20 to shop at Beautysak
- Limit 2 per customer; may be stacked and used together on a single purchase or for 2 separate purchases
- Promotional value ($20) expires on 10/18/2012; original purchase value ($10) never expires
- Full value of e-Gift Card must be redeemed in 1 order only
- e-Gift Cards are not returnable or redeemable for cash
- $6.95 flat rate shipping applies; free shipping on orders over $50 after e-Gift Card is applied

The bolded section "free shipping on orders over $50 after e-Gift Card is applied" is the only annoying part of this deal. Basically, if you don't want to spend an additional $50 (and some of you very well might, the holidays are right around the corner), you are going to spend the $6.95 to ship your order so make sure to factor that into the deal. I like that the credit doesn't expire until a year from now. Some sites are really stingy with the time frame and you barely have any time to use it!

Disclosure: Tada doesn't have an affiliate or referral program so I am not making anything from posting about this. And I didn't even post my Hautelook link!

Operation MAC Lipglass

2011-10-17T20:35:00.000-04:00

There comes a time in every makeup lovers life where she realizes that she does not have enough lip real estate in order to apply her lip products. Or really, when reality hits and you have the how-am-I-going-to-use-this-up-before-it-goes-bad minor anxiety attack. Granted, this is probably not an issue for most people with manageable collections and probably isn't an issue for me either unless you're talking about the lip products that I rarely use. Enter MAC lipglass (minor correction, enter all MAC lipgloss). Though I really like their lustreglasses, I don't reach for them as often as my other lip products (also, I've found they leak in my handbag which means I don't carry them with me and they don't get used). And yes, even I own some lipglasses, thanks to either holiday sets or the odd present.

So, I'm going to try to use them more and they may ultimately meet their demise with my Back2MAC bag after going bad but at least I will have made an effort.

I think the above photo shows the majority of them. I may have a couple others floating in makeup bags (if they are lustreglasses it means I need to replace said makeup bag). The above photo has 3 lipglasses, 3 lustreglasses, 1 lustreglass mini and a lipgelee.

Obviously, I hope a few of these empty tubes will make their way into one of my Empties posts. We shall see.

Essie Polishes $4!

2011-10-16T20:04:00.000-04:00

I must have been living under a rock, but I only found out about this through a dear friend, Kelly of Jellyminx Thinks yesterday during her nail polish haul. She mentioned something about Transdesign having Essie polishes for $4. Lo and behold, I go there tonight to check and yes, all of the Essie polishes on the website are $4 including the new fall and winter collections (and I think it might run through the end of October)!

So if you've been wanting some Essie polishes, I would seriously go over and take a look! It's very seldom that one can find Essie polishes on a discount (aside from the buy 2 get 1 free offers Ulta occasionally has).

Review: Salma Hayek Nuance Walnut Facial Scrub

2011-10-15T22:43:00.000-04:00

When I tried and reviewed the Salma Hayek Nuance Walnut Body Scrub, I was really impressed by the texture and thought that it was similar to my much beloved and discontinued MAC Microfine Refinisher. Now, clearly the body scrub is not meant to be used on the face, but the line also contains a Walnut Facial Scrub which I clearly bought as I'm reviewing it for you now. As you can imagine, I'll be comparing the two in this review, especially since I bought it hoping it would be a dupe!

The Nuance Walnut Facial Scrub comes in a thin white squeeze tube and has a flip top and a small hole to squeeze out the product. It comes with 4oz of scrub and retails for approximately $8, though so far I've noticed that the pricing of the line has not been consistent among all CVS stores and their website so you may pay a bit more.

The product is the same unfortunate color of the body scrub which I'll refrain from showing you as it resembles slightly frothy mud. Either way, the product is quite good. As with the MAC Microfine Refinisher, this scrub is a cream with suspended scrubby bits in it. I found the Salma Hayek Nuance one a bit less dense (less scrubby bits) and had a variety of sized particles. This is probably due to the fact that it's actually walnut powder so I would expect there to be differing sizes. However, I did find them very similar. After using the Salma Hayek Nuance scrub, my skin was equally as soft (as one can predict) and did not feel stripped. While there did seem to be less particles suspended in the cream, it wasn't a significant amount and felt just as exfoliating as the MAC. One of my major pet peeves is buying something that claims to be an exfoliating product and there's hardly any particles in it to actually exfoliate! That wasn't the case with this scrub.

I'm pleased that the products are close enough that I can stop worrying about finishing up my MAC backups and scouring at places like the Cosmetic Company Outlet and simply buy the Salma Hayek Nuance one instead. At the $8, it's a third of the price that the MAC one was anyway, so it's a bit of a bargain, really.

So while it's not the exact same product, I'd say it's about the same as far as consistency and scrubbiness are concerned. Really, it's a bit hard to say skincare items are dupes unlike makeup items. Anyway, I'd definitely rebuy this and I'd recommend it as an alternative to the MAC Microfine Refinisher.

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Polyethylene, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Shell Powder, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Bixa Orellana Seed Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Caffeine, Butylene Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Menthol, Caramel, Stearic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Aminomethyl Propanol, Fragrance (Parfum), Phenoxyethanol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Annatto (CI 75120), Red 40 (CI 16035).

Review: TheBalm Balms Away Eye Makeup Break-Up

2011-10-14T21:22:00.000-04:00

There had been talk that quite a bit of The Balm products, or theBalm per the packaging, had made their way to TJmaxx. Well, given that I love a bargain, I took a look and managed to find theBalm Balms Away Eye Makeup Break-Up cleansing balm. I don't think I've ever used one of these softer-solid oil based cleansers to remove my makeup, but I know they are quite popular (Egyptian Magic, straight coconut oil and Albolene are ones I've heard of).

Who could resist the retro packaging, the cute reusable tin or the price? It looks like I missed the majority of theBalm items as this was was on clearance for $8 (regularly $20 at Sephora). Thankfully, I visited a TJmaxx that locks away all of their makeup and skincare items in clear boxes that can only be opened at the cash wrap so everything is pristine (this also comes sealed for those wondering).

But a deal isn't a good deal at all if the product doesn't work. While the texture of this is quite emollient and a bit strange for me after using the cooling gel/lotion texture of the Makeup Forever Sens'Eyes, I was pleasantly surprised that this took off my Makeup Forever Smokey Lash Aqua mascara (which is the true test for makeup removers). I applied a small dollop of the Balms Away, massaged into the eye area for the recommended time frame (30 seconds), took a slightly wet cotton round and held it over the eye and wiped away and everything looked gone. But the true test was I then took a q-tip and applied some of the Sens'Eyes, expecting that there would still be a bit of black on the white tip. Nope. Nothing more came off.

After removing the balm, my eye felt as though it had a bit of residue but in a pleasant way. It felt as though I had applied eye cream that sunk in. Honestly, my eyes would probably prefer if I switched to this remover as my skin breaks in the line under my eyes which feels like a paper cut and is very painful if I'm not careful.

The packaging is absolutely adorable and even though the ingredient list doesn't have the most expensive ingredients (mineral oil is the first ingredient), the product is made in the US which gives me some assurance. Really, it's absolutely adorable and even if I don't repurchase as I prefer the texture and feeling of the MUFE, I'm definitely going to use this quite a bit this winter when I know my skin is going to crying for some much-needed moisture.

My Target Beauty Bag Arrived

2011-10-12T19:17:00.001-04:00

My Target Beauty Bag arrived in the mail today. I was pretty excited. I love getting mail and who doesn't love free stuff!? Anyway, would it be awful and/or annoying to say I was a little disappointed that Maybelline palette that they showed in the original photo wasn't in it? I mean, did I really expect them to put in a full size item? Not really but it would have been nice! Either way, the bounty:

Mostly haircare samples. What I'm most excited about is the coupon book. With the last beauty bag, I got some awesome steals using these coupons on some clearance items. There's even a Sonia Kashuk coupon and Target rarely puts those out! The bag is adorable and I love the print so I'm still pleased and again, who doesn't love free stuff?!

Did you get one of these in the mail?

Current Fave: Mango Mend

2011-10-11T20:08:00.000-04:00

Early on in my blogging "career" if you will, I mentioned the California Mango products. Since then I have continued to use them especially the Mango Mend around my cuticles at night time. While the product comes in a giant vat of a tub normally, every so often they come out with reasonably sized tubes (this one is about the size of my palm). This does an excellent job of softening the cuticles and the skin around my nails and stops hang nails as well. I can tell I really like this because in a fit of unrestful sleep, I managed to knock this off my nightstand and missed it enough to spend a good 20 minutes looking for it and moving it from underneath my bed back to its proper location. Yes, it's a bit greasy and takes some time to sink in completely but it really works. If you have a Sally's near by, I'd definitely look out for the tubes (they generally come out around the holidays) though you can find the regular vat on sites like Amazon (and also on the Sally's website).

October Birchbox

2011-10-10T19:29:00.000-04:00

My October Birchbox arrived and I just got the chance to open it and look through the contents. To be quite honest, I was a bit underwhelmed. Not that I ~~expect~~ hope for full size products in all of the boxes (ok maybe I do a little bit), but when places like Bloom are giving 3 deluxe samples when you spend $50, as much as I love the Birchbox concept, I'm not sure how much longer I'll be a subscriber unless they bring a really awesome box fairly soon.

The contents:
*Ahava Rich Cleansing Cream .68 floz (full size 3.4floz $30)
* Befine Lip Serum .34 floz (full size .5 floz $20)
*Laura Geller Spackle Tinted Under Makeup Primer in Bronze .5oz (full size 2oz $25)
*Orofluido Beauty Elixir .17 floz (full size 3.4 floz $29.99)
extra The Laundress Delicate Wash Laundry Detergent

I'll admit that the Befine Lip Serum is a really good size (more than 1/2 the full size) but the line was originally available at CVS and that has kind of ruined the prestige-ness of the line for me. What I am excited about is the Orofluido Beauty Elixir which is a hair oil. I opened up the vial to sniff and it smells delicious! It's a lovely smokey amber vanilla scent and I'm kind of disappointed it's a hair oil and not a perfume!

So while I was kind of bummed the box didn't hold a full size item, I am excited to try out all of the products and maybe I've been spoiled by my earlier boxes. At least this month didn't have a dinky perfume sample.

What did you get in your October Birchbox?

Halloween Beauty Blogger Giveaway $500 Sephora GC

2011-10-10T10:33:00.001-04:00

I have joined together with a fabulous group of beauty bloggers for an amazing Halloween giveaway! We are giving away a $500 E-Gift Certificate to Sephora!

To enter, wait for the Rafflecopter widget to load below. Comments are welcome but they do not count towards entries. Each action in the Rafflecopter widget below earns you another entry. Actions will only be counted one time – even if you click on the widgets on the other participating blogs. You may tweet once per day – just come back here (or any of the blogs listed above) and submit a new tweet! 18+, International Entries are welcomed!

Please make sure to check out all the great bloggers that contributed to make this happen!

Glitter.Gloss.Garbage

Jeweled Thumb

My Beauty Bunny

Bright Lights Big Color

Beauty and Fashion Tech

Prime Beauty

Pink Sith

The Plastic Diaries

Cosmetically Challenged

Review: Korres Quercetin & Oak Anti-Aging Eye Primer

2011-10-09T22:07:00.001-04:00

As part of the Beauty Stat Blogger program, I was recently sent a sample of the Korres Quercetin & Oak Anti-Aging Eye Primer. It promises to be crease-proof, act as a corrector and also minimizes the appearance of fine line and wrinkles.

I've been testing it out for a couple of weeks and while I don't feel it has the major longevity of the Urban Decay Primer Potion, it does last for a significant time without creasing on my lids (I got a good 6 hours before I had creasing and what I had was minimal). What it does have that many primer products don't is a tint. This is both good and bad. It's great for those of us with fairer skins that could use some concealing on the lids. However, it doesn't work on all skin tones as the clear versions do.

I also found that it was a bit harder to blend color on top of this primer. This is usually a non-issue for me as I don't often wear more than a simple color all over the lid, but lately, I've actually been blending a color into the crease and applying color over the product isn't easy without dusting a light shade or clear powder prior to doing the actual crease work.

What I've really enjoyed using this for is when I'm too lazy to do an actual eye look and I just wear this with mascara. I also don't find this as drying as the Illuminare colors.

The packaging is a standard doe foot applicator and the regular size comes in a slim tube, containing .14oz of product and retails for $21 which I feel is a little bit high. However, Korres is well known for putting out high value sets. For instance, right now you can get the Quercetin & Oak Anti-Aging Eye Primer, the Anti-Aging Face Primer ($33) and the Anti-aging and Anti-wrinkle Concealer ($22) all for $28.

I was impressed by the wear time I got and if you are fair to light, I'd definitely try this as an alternative to some of the other eye primers out there. I'm not sure if those with oily lids would get great wear time but it doesn't hurt to try or seek a sample from a store like Sephora.

For more information on the KORRES® products, please visit www.korresusa.com.

Disclosure: I received this sample from Beauty Stat but all opinions are my own.

Current Skincare Routine

2011-10-05T23:35:00.001-04:00

I thought I would do a post on my current skincare routine because my skin has never looked better. I haven't broken out in anything more significant than a clogged pore which presents itself as a tiny pin-sized whitehead that you can't even see unless you look up close for weeks now. I must be doing something right! As a beauty blogger, I try lots of skincare. Some is sent for review, some I buy myself. The whole reason I started a new routine (which is really a piecemeal of old routines) was to use some products up so this was all by chance. The interesting thing is, my routine concoction is from many different lines; in fact, I'm not sure there's a repeat among the lot!

For reference, my skin is dry, sensitive and prone to breakouts around the time of the month. I do not suffer from "acne" but have seborrhoeic dermatitis which can sometimes mimic acne.

First I remove my makeup. I start with my eye makeup remover, the ever reliable Make Up Forever Sens'Eyes, reviewed here. This takes every lick of mascara, liner and eyeshadow off my eyes and doesn't irritate them. Then I move in with the NYX Makeup Remover Gel Type reviewed here all over the face if I'm wearing a long-wearing foundation or only between around the eyebrows or other particular dry spots if I'm not. I know that sounds a little weird but I noticed I was getting breakouts between my eye brows because foundation was sticking to them even after using a makeup wipe and cleansing my face. The same tends to happen on dry spots or around the hairline for me so I make sure the foundation is long gone before moving on with my routine.

Then I remove all of my face makeup off with the Epielle Cucumber Cleansing Tissues or any other makeup wipe I'm currently testing out (or got on sale). If I applied the NYX Makeup Remover Gel Type, that also comes off with the wipe.

At night, unless I'm showering, I've been using my H2O Sea Pure Creamy Facial Cleanser reviewed here. I don't usually wash my face in the morning but instead go over it with the Vichy Cleansing Micellar Solution (and 2-3 cotton pads so I ensure I'm not rubbing dirt and remnants of moisturizer all over my face) reviewed here. If I haven't overslept (rare) or am not feeling lazy (even more rare), I'll cleanse with the H2O in lieu of the Vichy. The H2O is nearing the end of the tube and it has lasted forever even with daily use! You seriously only need a tiny bit of this to cleanse your face.

For exfoliating purposes (which I tend to do in the shower), I alternate between the MAC Microfine Refinisher reviewed here (and discontinued, I'm working off of backups) and The Body Shop Vitamin Cleanse Face Polish. The Body Shop is the discontinued version and more of a regular facial wash than a heavy duty scrub. So it's perfect for the alternate days where I don't want the heavy duty scrubbiness of the MAC.

With the weather change, my skin has been particularly parched, so as a moisturizer I have been using the Lancome Nutrix Soothing Treatment Cream reviewed here which is very rich but has made my skin look fantastic! It's nearly out and I'll be switching over to the H2O Sea Pure Deep Moisture Cream which I bought another jar of after my "for review" version was finished.

As far as extras are concerned, you should all know by now that for blemishes I absolutely swear by the Sircuit Skin Fixzit Blemish Drying Serum and when I remember to apply something underneath my eyes, it's usually the Garnier Eye Roller. As far as masks and stuff is concerned, I try out new things all the time and very rarely rebuy the same mask twice!

What's your skincare routine?

Disclosure: Received the H2O items for review.

Lip Fusion Super Sale - Hurry!

2011-10-04T21:37:00.000-04:00

Sephora has put their entire stock of Fusion Beauty on sale including the ever popular Lip Fusion! We are talking a serious discount on these pricey products and things are starting to sell out so if you're interested go go go fast (it looks as though things are priced at 75% off or more)! I'll be sitting this crazy clearance sale out as I have enough lip products to last a life time and I'm not a fan of these types of products but don't let that stop you from getting a great deal!

Zoya Promo

2011-10-04T21:06:00.000-04:00

Zoya is running another promo. Buy 1 Zoya nail polish, get 1 free. There is a limit of 2 FREE bottles (you can buy up to 2 and get up to 2 free). The code is BOGO4 and it is good through October 5th.

Review: Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil in #10 Almost Famous

2011-10-03T20:08:00.000-04:00

Whenever I go to ULTA, which I have been visiting lately more often than I should due to their awesome promos, I always pass by the Essence stand, especially if I'm looking for something cheap to get me to the dollar needed to use one of the drugstore coupons. One day I saw this and picked it up. I thought that this long lasting eye pencil in the light pink color would be perfect for the waterline and at $1.99 it's not exactly breaking the bank.

The shade Almost Famous #10 comes packaged in a slim light pink twist up pencil containing .01oz of product. It's basically a pearlescent pink color, very reminiscent of the Benefit Eye Bright chubby pencil.

This is a horrible swatch as it is not a true color representation, but it took me forever to get one that showed up and focused so it's staying!

The difference from the Benefit is this one does have some glitter in it, which I discovered upon removal. Not truly an issue as the pencil isn't terribly soft and is much better suited to the upper lashline. If you like the wide eyed brightening color peeking through your lashes like I do, then you will love this pencil. And it literally stays on all day.

I applied this morning around 7am and I literally just took this picture (it's 8pm) and as you can see, the liner is still going strong! Definitely impressive for $1.99.

Don't forget that if you received an ULTA circular and live in the region where you accrue points to take dollars off a purchase, there should be a 10x multiplier coupon good till the 6th for you to use on your purchases. Spending around $30 should net you just over 1200 points which is good for $10 off your next purchase unless you save them for a larger splurge!

How To: Big Lots

2011-10-02T14:53:00.000-04:00

It's been awhile since I've had a "How To" post here but with the questions I got on my last post, I would share my tips and tricks for shopping at stores like Big Lots (Dollar Tree, Christmas Tree Shoppes, Family Dollar, etc). Actually, some of my advice will be similar to what I recommended on my How To: Ebay post but since you can actually see the products in stores like Big Lots, you are actually at an advantage.

1. Learn Packaging You are likely not looking out for fakes in stores like Big Lots but before buying your favorite body moisturizer, do a bit of research and make sure you are buying something in current packaging. Both drugstore and higher end lines change their packaging every few years and so it should be fairly obvious what is current stock and what you should pass over.
2. Check Expiration Dates For items that tend to put expiration dates on their products, check them before buying! This includes non-cosmetic items as well. However, I also want to point out that I check expiration dates everywhere, not just at stores like Big Lots. Plenty of regular retail stores accidentally put expired stock on the shelves, or accidentally keep stock that doesn't sell well past the expiration date.
3. Nail Polish Is Safe Unless you are worried about wearing nail polish with the Big-3, you can safely buy nail polish at practically any discount warehouse type of store. Nail polish doesn't expire and if it is thick, can be easily restored with nail polish thinner (not remover!). Scrangie has an excellent post about restoring nail polish which is a must-read.
4. Is It Really A Deal? This is a big one. I think there's always the likelihood to overspend at places like Big Lots because you may think you are getting an amazing deal just because the product is in a store like Big Lots to begin with. But often times, items are not priced significantly below drugstore sale prices and really aren't worth buying. Take a Maybelline mascara, for instance. It might be priced at $4 at Big Lots but the same mascara was just on sale at the drugstore for $4 and you can likely use a manufacturers coupon (manufacturers coupons aren't allowed at Big Lots) bringing the price down further. And recently, I saw a Wet n Wild trio in Big Lots for $2.80 when they retail for only $2.99. Wait for any sale and you'll pay less at the drugstore.
5. Powder Products It takes much longer for a powder product to expire, so I rarely decide not to purchase something I'm interested in if the price is good. Obviously use common sense and make your own guidelines when it comes to taking chances with products that don't have expiration dates. It could have just been overstock from a local drugstore that was recently made or it could be past its prime. If something smells funky after you bring it home, throw it out.
6. Manufacturers Packaging If you see a display (for instance the Epielle wipes I buy come in a display from the manufacturer) rather than random scattered bottles, the products may have been newer or packaged appropriately to keep them fresh. To be honest, not every stores or company is great about packaging or storing products to keep them at the best condition. I've had dried up eyeliner from Sephora and mushed together chocolate covered pretzels from CVS during the summer. Always check before purchasing to make sure things weren't sampled, opened or tampered with. This is true in the cheapest of stores and the most expensive!

I think of places like Big Lots as treasure hunts. You won't always find fabulous bargains and will walk out of the stores empty handed or you may find awesome deals. Either way, make sure you do your research and purchase carefully. I've rarely had to throw products out from these type of stores that have gone bad, but then again, I usually stick to items following the above rules. I'll admit, having an iPhone is handy to do quick google searches regarding packaging and prices but it's not absolutely necessary. And if you bring it home and figure out it's old before opening and using it, you can always return it.

Any other tips you'd suggest?

It's Been Awhile...

2011-09-30T22:03:00.000-04:00

I had noticed a serious lack of posts from beauty bloggers that love deals (such as myself) about Big Lots sightings. I figured this was a prime time to spot some fabulous deals that hadn't already been picked over by resellers, beauty bloggers and other makeup fanatics that read beauty blogs! I was right!

Bumble and Bumble BB Tonic Shampoo ($6) which as luck would have it, is their shampoo for dandruff and usually retails for $22 at Sephora and other beauty stores and salons!

They also had these discontinued Cover Girl Boundless Color nailpolishes for a mere 50 cents a piece. My guess is these retailed for $4 when they were in stores. The middle one has holographic glitter!

I had a major flashback when I saw these Naturistics Sweet Lips lipbalms in packs of 2 for $1! I used to absolutely adore these and they have been gone for quite a few years now. I wonder if they are still good? I remember the whole squeeze tube lipgloss trend; Stila also did one that is now long discontinued. Glosses in the foil packaging was very popular for some reason.

I also saw a few EcoTools products (though no brushes) including this bath set for $7 (there were also loofahs available from the line). And next to it was a line that I was intrigued by but didn't buy - the Dead Sea Collection. Anyone heard of this? I did a quick search on google while in the store and I didn't find much though apparently the products are made in Israel.

Of course in addition to the photos I took, there were Epielle Wipes, lots of haircare, the makeup section was slim but there was a ton of the moving Maybelline mascara which didn't seem to sell well at the normal drugstore price.

Have you sighted anything lately at Big Lots? Planning to make a trip now if you have one local?

On Packaging

2011-09-29T20:02:00.000-04:00

Packaging is a major selling strategy for makeup companies. Many makeup lovers who say they care about packaging usually really care about the status the packaging supplies. Who doesn't love the iconic "double c's" of Chanel or the sleek yet functional squared designs of Shu Uemura? And most spend the $30 odd dollars knowing that they will likely never hold one of the iconic quilted Chanel bag or sport any of the luxurious clothing. However, when comparing packaging between high end and drugstore products, Revlon recently added some quilting and imprints to their newest Colorburst line but that doesn't stop people from buying the Chanel.

Honestly, when I finally got a hold of a Chanel Quad, I thought the plastic felt a bit cheap. I was surprised at how lightweight it was, especially at the $57 price point. Still, there's a certain thrill when you use a product so status-worthy. You whip it out of your purse and feel special applying it - friends and coworkers might notice and ask "ooh, is that Chanel?" and you respond positively with an easy grin.

I rarely see packaging that is fun just for the sake of it rather than for reasons of status though many brands tend to draw a common theme with their packaging, especially if the makeup is born from a larger brand (think Tokidoki or Tarina Tarantino).

So I was very surprised to see a line of lip glosses where the packaging is standard but the colors and designs are mostly just for fun.

And where the packaging is less of a status symbol.

I recently had the chance to try one of Lip Savvy! Plumping Lip Glosses and while I wasn't a big fan of the sticky long-wearing formula, I was so intrigued by the packaging. Sure you see the Lip Savvy! written on each tube, but the design on the tubes is so fun and doesn't really scream "I am a brand". The packaging and formula are much like the Stila Lipglazes or MAC Lipglasses. So if you like long-wearing and sticky formulas, I would give these a try. They retail for $18 and come in 22 shades.

It's interesting to see, aside from the name, the lipgloss is not heavily branded. I'm curious how well it will fair among brands that are heavily branded. I think most makeup enthusiasts recognize major brand packaging, even some drugstore packaging. With this, I'm not sure there's any automatic, "Oh yeah, that's Lip Savvy!" so we'll see.

Disclosure: I was sent a Lip Savvy! for review and I didn't care for the tackiness so I didn't want to devote a full review for my blog. However, the idea that the lipgloss packaging was unlike pretty much every brand I've ever seen really piqued my interest and made me think about branding and packaging and what that means for a brand and the consumer. The most deviations from packaging within a particular product in a line has been color - the color of the product might be different in a line of lipglosses or lipsticks, but the rest of the packaging is fairly homogeneous (for example, Revlon Colorburst lipsticks all have the same quilted exterior and the caps have different colors to be able to tell the color of the lipstick inside). What are your thoughts? Have I been in graduate school too long? =p

Maybelline Baby Lips and Unadvertised Deal

2011-09-28T19:01:00.000-04:00

I finally managed to track down the new Baby Lips - the new tinted lip balm from Maybelline. I am a huge fan of tinted lip balm so this was a must find for me. Since Maybelline is buy 1 get 1 50% on all lip and eye products, I didn't feel guilty purchasing these without having my coupons with me (though it would have been an even better deal had I had them). Each was a little over $4 and all 4 cost me about $13. I bought Cherry Me, Peach Kiss, Pink Punch & Grape Vine. I've tried Peach Kiss so far and it smells like peaches and has more pay off than I was expecting. I tried it on super chapped lips (I didn't drink enough water today and it shows - too busy) and it didn't improve them dramatically but it didn't make them worse so I wouldn't say these are intensively moisturizing, but on lips that are already in decent shape they should keep them soft.

Anyway, what really surprised me and made me want to jump on here asap was the unexpected Extrabucks that printed after my purchase. Apparently, there's an unadvertised deal with every $10 or more Maybelline lip & eye purchase, you get $3 in Extrabucks back! And it didn't say that I had met the deal limit on the bottom of my receipt so you may be able to do this multiple times! Pretty awesome if you combine with the current sale and coupons!

Review: Beauty Blender

2011-09-26T21:05:00.000-04:00

If you haven't heard of the Beauty Blender before, you may be living under a beauty rock. The Beauty Blender has garnered much praise from beauty addicts and major publications. I bought the duo + cleanser set in January from Beauty.com so I have had plenty of time to test it. I had a gift card and was curious, what can I say?

First of all, I know some of you would never pay $19.95 for a makeup sponge and that is absolutely fine. As much as I feel as though the right tool can really help achieve a great makeup look, I am the girl who has done paintings with the brushes that come in the Crayola watercolor sets [I was once a poor college student] and most people would never be able to guess.

The Beauty Blender is best suited for a foundation that would usually look unnatural and mask-like if you were to try to apply with your fingers or a foundation brush. It is for the foundation that streaks on your skin and doesn't seem to blend no matter how hard you try. So, in my opinion, this is best used with full coverage foundations, though it works fine with foundation that are lighter.

Wetting the sponge and squeezing out the excess water is recommended. That being said, I find that if I use the sponge to apply my foundation, it doesn't last during the day. The best way of applying it for me is to apply my foundation (with fingers) and then lightly bounce the slightly damp sponge on my face to soften any streaks or cakey spots. I also get the best coverage with this method.

The only major problem that I've had with my sponge is it bleeds.

Every time I wash it.

While the pink color is pleasant, it's not what I was expecting from a $20 sponge. I do have a second sponge in my pack and I haven't tried that to test the bleeding, but I was hoping to keep that as a back up as they do recommend that you replace the sponge (with much more frequency than I plan to be doing).

I think I got a dud but I think there was that little voice in my head saying I'll just try "one more washing" and it should "be fine" and well, it still hasn't stopped bleeding and it's too late to return. At least it hasn't stained my face pink.

Don't get me wrong, I do love the little sponge and use it frequently. I would recommend this or one of the various dupes out there if you want to try using reusable sponges with your foundation. Bleeding aside, my sponge has remained soft and bouncy. It has no tears, has retained its original shape and hasn't gotten discolored. It cleans thoroughly and doesn't stain. It feels soft on the skin dry or damp and it is very helpful when I'm trying to blend something like Makeup Forever Mat Velvet+ which tends to cake.

So, all in all, I do really like the sponge and I sincerely hope my little bleeding issue is merely a defect and doesn't occur on a larger scale. You can buy the Beauty Blender at Sephora, Beauty.com and many other e-tailers. The single sponge sells for $19.95, the duo $25.95 and the duo + cleanser for $39.95.

If you own or have owned a Beauty Blender, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Cherry Culture 25% Sale!

2011-09-26T19:32:00.000-04:00

Take 25% off everything at Cherry Culture with code CC5Y from September 26th through September 30th!

NARS Eyeshadow Steals - $8 at Sephora!

2011-09-24T15:10:00.000-04:00

I was procrastinating from doing homework and surfing on the Sephora website and found this awesome deal. Granted, these are not my colors and I won't be ordering, but if you are warm toned, have green or hazel eyes or generally look good in coppery shades, I would definitely at least pick up California - $8 for a NARS single can't be beat!

You can also get Night Sun for $8 but from looking at the reviews on the site so far, it doesn't look like a shade many would like- still, if you've been tempted to try some NARS, here's your chance at drugstore prices!

Salma Hayek Nuance Line On Sale Again!

2011-09-24T12:50:00.000-04:00

In case you missed the promotion where Salma Hayek Nuance products were buy $20 worth, receive $10 of Extrabucks back, you're in luck. The same promotion is running this week, starting tomorrow. It says limit 1 in the circular but maybe it will be limit 2 again like last time? Either way, I thought I would compile the posts I've done recently for the brand in case you were interested in picking up a thing or two from the line.

Nuance Dark Cacao & Coffee Firming Body Cream, Nuance Flawless Wear Tinted Moisturizer (light swatch only), Nuance Ultra Shine Lip Gloss

Nuance Detoxifying Facial Cleansing & Toning Towelettes

Swatches of the full range of the Nuance Flawless Wear Tinted Moisturizer

Nuance Walnut Body Scrub

Nuance Lights, Camera, Action Eye Trio Pewter/Silver Shimmer 065

Let me know if you have any questions! Happy shopping!

Review: Jouer Lip Enhancer Conditioning Lip Treatment

2011-09-23T21:28:00.000-04:00

As you may remember, the Jouer Lip Enhancer Conditioning Lip Treatment was one of the items in my September Birchbox. I like to call myself a lip balm connoisseur so I was definitely happy this was included in the box. At $14 for .33oz it's on the higher priced end of lip treatments but it's comparably priced to the Caudalie or the Jan Iredale (actually it contains almost twice the product as both these twist up versions so it's a better value). The texture of this manages to be thin but not greasy. It almost has a dry texture which is unusual for a tube lip product. Like some of my comparisons, this makes an excellent lipstick base. It has a very slight rose scent that is far from overpowering and doesn't bother my sensitive nose.

I don't find that this plumps my lips like it claims though if I concentrate really hard, I think I can feel a very slight tingle, but I don't consider my lips thin to begin with. It's a pleasant product but I'll admit, I prefer twist up application methods (even though you typically get less balm for the price) and I don't feel as though this is as moisturizing as some of the other balms I've mentioned. Either way, I was definitely happy to try it out and will happily use up my tube!

Ingredients:
POLYISOBUTENE, OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE, SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS (JOJOBA) SEED OIL, OZOKERITE, BEESWAX (CERA ALBA), BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA BUTTER), RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, ETHYLHEXYL METHOXYCINNAMATE, ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE, TRIBEHENIN, SORBITAN ISOSTEARATE, PALMITOYL OLIGOPEPTIDE, ISOPROPYLPARABEN, ISOBUTYLPARABEN, BUTYLPARABEN, FLAVOR (AROMA). MAY CONTAIN (+/-): TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, 77492, 77499), RED 7 LAKE (CI 15850), YELLOW 5 LAKE (CI 19140)

Stila Friends & Family!

2011-09-22T20:01:00.000-04:00

It's time for Stila Friends & Family! Take 20% off your purchase including free shipping with code FRIENDS2011 through September 27th. Don't forget to use Mr. Rebates (6%) cashback or Ebates (also 6%).

Disclosure: Referral links included.