Birthday Haul 2014 :) w/mini reviews

I started my birthday haul a little early because Beauty Brands was having a mascara sale and they had several different mascaras on sale for $10.99, including my Holy Grail so I had to place an order! 🙂

Gifted Amazonian Clay Mascara – Tarte – Normally Retails for $20 a piece, I paid $10.99 a piece during the sale

I review this product in my June Favorites post HERE if you’re interested. 🙂 It’s amazing.

Lash Perfection Gel – Per-fekt – Normally retails for $28.50, but I paid $10.99

Kirstin from ItsKeerstin on YouTube made a video talking about this sale and mentioned that she loved this mascara so I decided to pick it up and try it. I’ve never tried it before so we’ll see!

Mega Pro Palette – Lorac – Retails for $59.00 if you can find one! Sheesh. – Limited edition

I don’t have either of the Pro palettes and I purposely didn’t get the Pro palette 2 because I was waiting to get my hands on this “little” guy, but I didn’t realize that the launch would be so terribly done. For those who don’t know it was suppose to be released on October 7th exclusively to the Lorac website and Amazon, but the Lorac website glitches and it became available a day early, which means that it was sold out even faster than normal on the actual “release day.” Then, for some reason Lorac didn’t get any more shipments in, but Amazon has had it available off and on ever since the 7th. The only catch is that there is no announcement anywhere to let you know when it is available and when it’s not so you just have to check back often (trust me…very often…lol) and hope that you can catch it while it’s available for long enough to finish a transaction. There were 4 separate times that I had this in my Amazon cart and it sold out before I finished checking out! Lastly, the first few shipments that Amazon sent were shipped in manilla folders without any protection so some of the palettes were received bent (it’s a cardboard palette) and some shadows were broken and Amazon only offered a partial refund for some reason.

I will say that my palette arrived in a cardboard box surrounded in bubble wrap and as you can see it’s in perfect condition so thankfully they seem to have listened to the packaging complaints. Also, I’m not going to swatch all 32 shadows because my lighting and camera quality are not the greatest and there are tons of other blog posts with way better swatches than I could ever give you. 🙂 I hope that you understand! *Long winded explanation over* I’m so excited to play with this palette!!

 

Balance-n-Brighten Baked Color Correcting Foundation in Fair – Laura Geller – Retails for $33.00

I have this foundation in Medium that I have been wearing in the summer, but it’s a little bit too dark for me right now so I picked up Fair for the fall and winter months. I meant to get it during ULTA’s 21 days of beauty when they had them on sale, but I missed them so I had to pay full price. Lol It’s worth it to me though because it’s so easy to apply and it really does color correct while looking and feeling like you aren’t wearing anything on your face. I throw this on with a little concealer before work most mornings.

Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lip Color in Touch of Spice – Maybelline – Retails for $7.99 at ULTA (No swatch because I suck and I left it at work in my desk drawer……lol)

I love this lip stick and have worn it a few times already and received several compliments on it (even one from the cashier at Sephora *high five*) every time I’ve had it on. It is matte, but feels really comfortable on my lips and lasts for hours without drying them out. I wish that it came it more shades that I wanted! I might pick up the Lust for Blush and Divine Wine shades next time I’m at the drugstore and just pray that they come out with more.

Fit Me Concealer in Light – Maybelline – Retails for $6.99 at ULTA

I have been using this concealer too and it’s actually going to show up in my November favorites at the end of this month…sorry this post is going up so late! 🙂 It is suppose to be a drugstore dupe of NARS creamy concealer, but I’ve never tried it. I will say that it has great coverage and is really creamy, but blends out nicely and doesn’t crease if you set it. I’ve really been liking it so far!

Visible Lift Serum Absolute Foundation in Classic Ivory – L’Oreal – Retails for $11.99 at ULTA

I haven’t tried this or even swatched it to see if I color matched myself right over the internet…Haha, but I heard some good things about it via YouTube so I figured I would pick it up and give it a try. I’m always looking for a new foundation for some reason. 🙂 I’ll keep y’all posted.

Next up, I swung by Sephora during the VIB 20% off Sale to use up my gift cards.

 

 

Formula X Shifters Nail Polish in Heroic – Sephora – Retails for $12.50 – On Sale for $2.99 plus 20% off…yes, seriously.

I always like to cruise by the sale rack at the Sephora. My Sephora is inside a JC Penney so it isn’t very big and their sale rack usually sucks, but they had some Formula X polishes on there this time around, which surprised me. This one was the only shade that I would actually wear and they were marked down to $5.99, but when she rang me up it rang up at $2.99 plus the sale. I almost went back and cleaned them out, but I restrained myself. Lol The picture isn’t very good, but it will be in a nails of the week (NOTW) post I’m sure and it’s described as a lilac and gold metallic on the website. If you click on the link you can get a better stock picture there. 🙂

 

Coconut Watercolor Eyeshadow in Rio de Rose Gold – Josie Maran – Retails for $18.00

I have had my eye on these shadows for months now and decided to pick one up during the sale. I haven’t used it yet, but I’m already in love just from the swatches. 🙂 The top swatch is just applied straight from the bottle using the doe foot applicator and the bottom swatch is what it looks like blended out using just my finger. I am excited to play around with this more and will more than likely be picking up more colors.

 

Best Bite Remix – Bite Beauty – Out of Stock, but you can still buy the full size pencils for $24/each!

This was a little set of 4 minis of Bite Beauty’s High Pigment Pencils, but it’s not available online anymore. You might still be able to find it in stores at your Sephora or you can purchase the full size pencils here. I really love Bite Beauty and originally I got one of their High Pigment Pencils in Meritage in Sephora’s Give Me Lip set and fell in love so when I heard EmilyNoel83 talking about this kit on her YouTube channel I knew that I needed it. These pencils are really creamy and last all day without drying out my lips. They are very comfortable and have a matte finish. I feel comfortable wearing them at work in scrubs without feeling like I have too much makeup on if that makes any sense. Plus, Bite Beauty has all of those good ingredients in them, which doesn’t hurt. 🙂

 

Cheeky Sweet Spot Blush Palette – Benefit Cosmetics – Retails for $36

I got this from Sephora, but it’s only still available at Macy’s at the moment. At least that’s the only place online that I could find it…again, you can always check your brick and mortar Sephora stores. Anyway, this is another holiday set that I heard EmilyNoel83 talking about that I added to my musthave list because I have always wanted to try Benefit’s box blushes, but have never been able to get over the $28 price tag so I just never bought any of them. I have a Watts Up and a Hoola bronzer and love both of them, but have never tried any of the blushes. I was really shocked that this set was only $36 because these blushes are nearly full size! Granted, this packaging is bulky and I won’t be traveling with it anytime soon I am very thankful to own this palette. 🙂

 

The X Look: Holiday Edition – Sephora – Retails for $25.00

I haven’t used these yet, but again…I’m sure that they are amazing because I love the Formula X formula…if that makes sense. Lol I really loved the colors for fall & winter and will get plenty of use out of these lil guys.

 

Veil Mineral Primer – Hourglass – Retails for $18.00

I already know that I love this stuff, but I just picked up this little one for my sister’s wedding in May. 🙂

 

 

I got my little VIB bday goodie from Sephora as well this month. This year it’s a little baby Smoky Extravagant mascara & Rogue Artist Natural lipstick in N9 Copper Pink from Make Up For Ever. I’m excited to try these because I’ve never tried anything from this brand before & the lipstick looks really pretty.

 

Skincare Sunday: Yumi Beautiful Rose Hip Seed Oil Review (Pumped)

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Rose Hip Seed Oil – Yumi Beautiful – Retails for $9.95 on Amazon & they’re currently offering 2 for $14.95 with the code 2FOR1495

Product Description:

“Organic, cold-pressed rosehip oil is a natural source of antioxidants, Vitamin C, and Trans-Retinoic Acid (a type of vitamin A that retinol converts to).

What you’ll love about RoseHip Oil is how beautifully and easily it absorbs into your skin to help keep your skin hydrated and elastic, minimizing the appearance of flaws.

* Bring vitality to dehydrated, sensitive and mature skin.
* Reduce the appearance of scars, stretch marks and fine lines over time.
* Perfect for environmental stressors that can lead to wrinkles.
* Awesome as a spot treatment for discoloration.

• LIGHT & EASILY ABSORBED – What you’ll love about our Rosehip Oil is how beautifully and easily it absorbs into your skin to help keep your skin hydrated and elastic, minimizing the appearance of flaws.
• COLD-PRESSED, PREMIUM BOTANICAL OIL – Pure, Organic Rose Hip Oil from the Southern Andes Mountains of Chile. It’s ECO Certified Organic, the highest quality rosehips seed oil for your face and neck, anywhere. Naturally paraben, alcohol, and fragrance free.
• DON’T BE FOOLED. Bigger isn’t better! Others sell big bottles so consumers think you’re getting more, but once opened, rosehip oil oxidizes quickly. Stop! Don’t buy low quality, bulk bottles or heat-processed oil. Treat your skin the way it deserves to be treated, with organic rose hip seed oil of the highest quality.
• HYDRATES, LIFTS & PLUMPS – Rose Hip Oil is a godsend, making skin appear younger and more luminous. Bring vitality to dehydrated, sensitive and mature skin. Reduce the appearance of scars, stretch marks and fine lines over time.
• YOUR TOTAL SATISFACTION IS OUR PASSION – Your purchase is 100% Risk FREE. Backed by the Yümi Love It, Money Back Guarantee! What that means is you can click “add to cart”, and purchase this premium, organic skin care product with confidence. If you don’t love it, simply send the product back to us at any time for any reason, and you will receive a full refund. So, what are you waiting for? Read our reviews and place your order. You’ll be happy too.”

Ingredients: Organic Rose Hip Seed Oil, 100% Pure and Cold-Pressed from the Southern Andes Mountains of Chile. Nothing Added. Paraben, Alcohol, Dye and Fragrance Free. Packaged in an amber glass “eye dropper” bottle. Used historically in apothecaries for precise dispensing of drops, the amber glass bottle provides ultra-violet protection to keep your organic rose hip seed oil fresher, longer.

Directions: FOR FACE: Apply a few drops to clean face and neck in the morning as a hydrating facial oil and in the evening as a night treatment. Avoid contact with eyes. For external use only. FOR ALL SKIN TYPES: Massage into hands, elbows, feet and knees to soften and moisturize. FOR HAIR: Add a few drops to your favorite conditioner. Refrigerate after opening. Organic rosehip oil oxidizes quickly. Discard any unused portion after 4 weeks.

I’ve been using this oil for about two weeks now and I must say that at first I rolled my eyes because it has to be kept in the refrigerator, which is kind of inconvenient when you’re doing your nighttime routine, but it’s not so bad. Also, it does eventually absorb into my skin, but it doesn’t absorb as quickly as my Jack Black oil does so I wasn’t sure how well I would like it because it looked greasy on my skin at first. It does have a smell, but it doesn’t smell terrible or anything, just “natural”…like flax seeds actually if you ask me. It doesn’t bother me at all. I haven’t tried this in the morning because it is a heavier moisturizer than I need during the day and I don’t think that it would do well under makeup (on my skin anyway), but it works great at night. My skin feels very smooth and hydrated when I wake up in the morning and it isn’t greasy or oily at all. 

I have also noticed that some of my dark spots from old acne scars have faded since using this oil so that is impressive as well. You don’t need very much at all to cover your entire face and neck, just a couple of drops, so this bottle should last quite awhile. The price point is great and I am pumped about this facial oil! 

Thanks so much for reading! If I missed something and you have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me. 🙂 

❤

Ashlee

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using <a href=”http://www.tomoson.com/?code=BOTTOMe5e610cf43163b464efc4a4ef025ecc6&#8243; rel=”nofollow”>Tomoson.com</a>. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Fall Haul :) ULTA, Sephora, Fortune Cookie Soap

Quick, someone take my debit card! 🙂 Jkjk…we all know that I haven’t paid full price for anything. Lol

First, I got an email that ULTA was having a Beauty Break and offering a FREE 6 piece Lip Sampler with and $50 purchase. Now…I am a sucker for lip products and I had already had my eye on the Too Faced Complete Matte Eye Collection, which is an online exclusive so I decided that I would consider it an early birthday present and get it. (My birthday isn’t until November 9th…LOL whatev). I also decided to pick up a handful of other things that I have been wanting to try out because I had the $3.50 off coupon as well as $3.00 in rewards points.

The Complete Matte Eye Collection – Too Faced – Online Only – Retails for $45.00

Includes:

 

Shadow Insurance Primer – Too Faced – Retails for $20.00

Perfect Eyes Waterproof Eye Liner in Black – Too Faced – Retails for $18.00

 

Size Queen Mascara Black – Too Faced – Retails for $21.00

Swatches L to R: Tufted Suede, Velveteen Bunny, Fresh Linen, Vintage Violet, Pebbles, Chinchilla, Coffee Bean, London Fog, Midnight

 

Modern Mattes Palette – Too Faced – Retails for $38.00

 

Cube 5-in-1 Lip Care in Fresh Mint – Softlips – Retails for $3.49, I paid $2.49

Miracle Gel Top Coat – Sally Hansen – Retails for $9.99, I paid $7.49

Control Freak Eyebrow Gel – NYX – Retails for $5.99

 

Roll On Shimmer in Chestnut – NYX – Retails for $$3.99, I paid $2.00

 

Automatic Lip Liner in Spice – ULTA – Retails for $8.00, I paid $4.00

This is the Lip Sampler that I got for free for spending $50+.

 

Lip Lustre Gloss in Peach – Lorac – Full size retails for $15.00

 

Soft Matte Lip Cream in Buenos Aires – NYX – Retails for $5.99

 

Moxie Buttercream Lip Gloss in Must Have Pink – Bareminerals – Full size (this is half size) retails for $18.00

 

Moisture Renew Lipstick in Not Hill Nude – Rimmel London – Retails for $6.99

Ultra Moisturizing Herbal Lip Balm SPF 15 – Hempz – Retails for $9.00

Moisture Smooth Color Stick in Plum Perfect – Neutrogena – Retails for $8.99

So essentially I got about $107 worth of free stuff in that order. ;-P

Next up, I had some Sephora gift cards so I decided to pick up some things using those.

 

 

Give Me Some Lip – Sephora Favorites – Retails for $25.00

Because I clearly need more lip products….I may have a slight addiction…Lol this set includes:

From L to R: Marc Jacobs Mini Lust for Lacquer in Kissability, Urban Decay Mini Naked Revolution Lipstick, Deluxe Bite High Pigment Lip Pencil in Meritage, Full-size Smashbox Be Legendary Gloss in Pout, Nars Deluxe Orgasm Lip Gloss, Buxom Mini Full On Lip Cream in White Russian.

 

Full-On Lip Cream in Mudslide – Buxom – Retails for $19.00

Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25 – Jack Black – Retails for $7.50

 

Argan Infinity Cream Intensive Creamy Oil – Josie Maran – Retails for $10.00

I found a $10 voucher from my last Fortune Cookie Soap box so I decided to finally put it to use and pick up something from the Harry Potter collection. 🙂

 

 

 

Butterbeer Body Butter – Fortune Cookie Soap – Retails for $10.99, so I paid $0.99 plus shipping. 🙂

I’m also waiting for an elf order so look out for that haul post! Thanks so much for reading, have a great weekend!

❤

Ashlee

HAUL TIME!! – Sephora, CVS, Bath & Body Works

So since I’ve been doing such a good job (*pats self on back*) of using up so many products I decided to end my no-buy and pick up some things that I’ve been wanting. We’ll start with Sephora:

 

Naked Flushed in Streak – Urban Decay – Retails for $30.00

The palette is described as having a pale matte bronzer, a peachy shimmer highlighter and a bright coral blush. Those are the three things I look for in cheek products so I figured that this would be perfect for me. 🙂

Hydrate – Formula X – Retails for $14.00

I actually have been using OPI’s Nail Envy for awhile, but my nails are still splitting so I decided to try something else and this had really good reviews. I have really liked Formula X products in the past so I figured I would try it out.

CVS: I had a coupon for 25% off of my entire purchase and $2 in ExtraCare Bucks 🙂

Expert Selection Keratin 7 Day Smooth Shampoo & Conditioner – Tresemme – Retails for $5.79 each – I paid $6.52 for both

These were on sale for BOGO 50% off and then I had a coupon to where if I bought these then I got this next item for free

 

Expert Selection Keratin Smooth 7 Day Smooth System Heat Activated Treatment – Tresemme – Retails for $8.99 – I paid $0

Now…I don’t have curly hair or even hair where I would need this…lol, but since I had the coupons I went ahead and picked it up for my friend.

 

Brushes – Conair – Retails for $4.99 each – I paid $3.74 for both because they were BOGO free plus my 25% off coupon

I needed a brush for my purse now that I’m growing my hair out and I got an extra one for free so heeeeyyyy.

Naked Dry Shampoo – Herbal Essences – Retails for $5.49 – I paid $3.37 because I had a $1 off coupon plus my 25% coupon

 

Dry Shampoo – Pantene Pro-V – Retails for $6.29 – I paid $3.97 because I had a $1 off coupon plus my 25% off coupon

I needed dry shampoo and I figured that I would give these two a try since I had some coupons. I’ll be updating y’all on how they work out.

Wet Mopping Cloths – Total Home – Retails for $4.99 – I paid $3.74

NO PICTURE

Tampax Pearl Tampons 18 ct box – Retails for $5.79/each – I paid $3.20 for two boxes!! 🙂 I thought it was weird to add pictures of the boxes, but then once I realized how much of a deal I got I had to add it on. LOL

So I had the 25% off of my entire order, then I had a $2 off/2 boxes of Tampax Pearl tampons coupon and I also had a CVS coupon for 30% off of any tampon or pad purchase.

CVS TOTAL: I spent $27.91 and saved $22.36

Bath & Body Works: I had a coupon for a free trial size product and $10 off $30 or more

The entire reason I went into Bath & Body Works was to get their We ❤ Pumpkin pail. 🙂 It was filled with $77.50 worth of products for $25 when you purchased $30 or more. I of course already ripped my pail open so here is the link to see it all packaged up nicely. http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/product/index.jsp?productId=46238316&cp=4090263

And here’s what was inside:

How stinking cute is this?

True story….All of that for $25! All I had to do was to pick out $30 worth of other stuff, which took me about 4 minutes or less. Lol

Deep Cleansing Hand Soap – Retails for $6.50 – These were on sale for $3.00, but right now are 4 for $18 or 6 for $24

I didn’t take the time to smell any of these hand soaps, but the descriptions sounded amazing so I figured why not! Haha.

These candles were 50% off at $11.25 a piece so I picked them up to stash away for next summer. I’ve already made up my mind and have made the switch to fall scents even though it’s still 100+ degrees outside down here. Haha.

Mango Coconut Cooler & Peach Cilantro Twist 

 

Beautiful Day Travel Size Body Lotion – Retails for $5.00 – I paid $0 with coupon

I got this to throw in my purse or to keep at my desk at work, but for now it will go in with my spring/summer scents. 🙂

BBW TOTAL: Spent $49.76 and saved $90.50!

Thanks so much for reading 🙂 I hope that you enjoyed my haul. I know that I didn’t pick up hardly any makeup items, but I will probably be heading back to Sephora and into Ulta soon so keep your eyes open!

Have a great week!!

❤

Ashlee

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Palette Review (Pumped)

Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Palette – Too Faced – Retails for $49.00 (I got mine for $29.00 shipped plus a full size Shadow Insurance, find out how here)

“Too Faced Co-Founder and Creative Director Jerrod Blandino was inspired to combine the power of antioxidant-rich cocoa powder and makeup while having a chocolate facial and learning about the benefits of cocoa at a Hawaiian spa. Based on this inspiration we created our best-selling bronzer Chocolate Soleil and then Milk Chocolate Soleil and have now added the Chocolate Bar Eye Shadow Palette.”

Ingredients: Cherry Cordial, Crème Brulee, Hazelnut, Milk Chocolate, Triple Fudge, White Chocolate Talc, Mica, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Zinc Stearate, Sodium Saccharin, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Polyethylene, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Silica, Sorbic Acid, Vanillin, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Fruit Powder, Boron Nitride. May Contain/Peut Contenir/(+/-): Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Copper Powder (CI 77400), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Bronze Powder (CI 77400), Manganese Violet (CI 77742). Amaretto, Black Forest Truffle, Champagne Truffle, Haute Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Semi-Sweet, Strawberry Bon Bon Talc, Mica, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Zinc Stearate, Sodium Saccharin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Polyethylene, Sorbic Acid, Vanillin, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Fruit Powder, Tin Oxide, Boron Nitride, Carmine (CI 75470). May Contain/Peut Contenir/(+/-): Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Copper Powder (CI 77400), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140) Aluminum Powder (CI 77000). Candied Violet, Gilded Ganache, Marzipan Mica, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Talc, Zinc Stearate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Sodium Saccharin, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Silica, Boron Nitride, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Polyethylene, Sorbic Acid, Vanillin, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Fruit Powder, Tin Oxide , Carmine (CI 75470). May Contain/Peut Contenir/(+/-): Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Bronze Powder (CI 77400).

This palette comes with 16 different shades, which range from matte to satin to sparkly. Each of the 16 shades have cocoa powder in them so the shadows actually smell like chocolate! I like how there are mostly neutral shades, but they threw a few pops of color in there as well such as the Candied Violet and the Cherry Cordial.

From L to R: Gilded Ganache, White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Black Forest Truffle, Triple Fudge, Amaretto

From L to R: Candied Violet, Strawberry Bon Bon, Semi-Sweet, Marzipan

From L to R: Salted Caramel, Hazelnut, Creme Brûlée

From L to R: Haute Chocolate, Cherry Cordial, Champagne Truffle

I know that my lighting isn’t very good because I rely on natural lighting, but the shimmery shades are very shimmery and go on really smoothly. I do wear a base under them to prevent fall out. Also, a few of the matte shades go on patchy at first, but with some work they eventually blend in pretty nicely. Overall, I am very impressed with this palette and am pumped about this product!!

Thanks for reading, if there is anything you would like me to cover in my next review please let me know.

Bye-Bye No Buy/Graduation Haul | Sephora, Sally Beauty, ULTA

So to end my ‘No Buy’ and to celebrate my graduation I decided to pick up a “few” things. 🙂 Let’s start with Sephora…I had my eye on this Buxom Lip-gloss set for awhile and I decided to get it and threw in a few other things for good measure.

Nail Lacquer in Deven Green – Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics – Retails for $10.00

I mean…this color is almost neon green and it is opaque in one coat, which almost never happens with neon formulas. We ALL know I do not need anymore polishes, but of course there are a few in this haul.

Meet Your Match – Sephora Favorites – Retails for $25.00

These are all minis, like deluxe sample sizes and it comes with a Deborah Lippman polish in Girls Just Want to Have Fun, a Lipsurgence Lip Tint in Elite, a Formula X polish in Invincible, an Hourglass lip gloss in Child, a Nails Inc polish in Devonshire Row and a Bite Beauty lip gloss in Strangefruit.

I did some math and figured out that these are about half the size of the full size products and the retail value equals approximately $45.52. Sephora has it valued at $52 somehow, but I still think $25 is a good price for what you’re getting.

Lush Fruit Lip Gloss in Strangefruit – Bite Beauty – Full Size Retails for $22.00 – Sample Worth $8.46

Nail Polish in Devonshire Row – nails inc. – Full Size Retails for $9.50 – Sample Worth $3.80 (Unfortunately, they don’t make this color in full size because it’s beautiful.)

 

Nail Polish in Invincible – Formula X for Sephora – Full Size Retails for $10.50 – Sample Worth $4.20

 

Nail Polish in Girls Just Want to Have Fun – Deborah Lippman – Full Size Retails for $18.00 – Sample Worth $9.72

Lipsurgence Lip Tint in Elite – Tarte – Full Size Retails for $24.00 – Sample Worth $14.40

Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss in Child – Hourglass Cosmetics – Full Size Retails for $28.00 – Sample Worth $4.94

The Deborah Lippman went on smooth, but sheer; the nails inc. went on opaque and smooth; the Formula X was pretty clumpy/unsmooth so we’ll see how it works on an actual nail; the OCC went on opaque and really smooth.

The top swatch is the Lipsurgence, the middle one is the Bite Beauty gloss and the bottom is the Hourglass gloss. They all swatched very smooth and I’m excited to try them!

Full-Bodied Lip Gloss Collection – Nudes And Brights – Buxom – Retails for $32.00

This set comes with 6 of Buxom’s mini Full-Bodied Lip Glosses in the shades MWAH, Dolly, Yes You, Cha Cha Cha, Strut It, and Pucker Up. Full Size glosses retail for $19.00 making each individual mini gloss worth $7.60. When you multiply that by 6 this set’s retail value is $45.60. Again, Sephora has it valued at $51, which I don’t understand but you’re still saving money. Plus, you’re able to try out 6 different shades without having to purchase 6 full size glosses.

There’s your poorly lit, rainy day swatch. Trust me they are beautiful and not sticky. 🙂

I cashed in some of my points and got this little kit. I don’t think that I own any Laura Mercier products so I figured it would be a good way to try some of her line. After my calculations these samples are pretty good sizes and their retail value came to $62.76! I thought that was pretty good for a 500 point reward.

Foundation Primer – Radiance – Laura Mercier – Full Size (1 oz) Retails for $19.50 – Sample Worth $9.75

Tinted Moisturizer in Nude – Laura Mercier – Full Size Retails for $43.00 – Sample Worth $21.50

Matte Radiance Baked Powder Compact in Highlight – Laura Mercier – Full Size Retails for $38.00 – Sample Worth $11.08

Flawless Skin Face Polish – Laura Mercier – Full Size Retails for $32.00 – Sample Worth – $3.76

Lip Glace in Rose – Laura Mercier – Full Size Retails for $25.00 – Sample Worth $16.67

The Lip Glace and the baked highlighter…the picture doesn’t do either of them justice. They are beautiful. The gloss is not sticky and it has a hint of shimmer, but it isn’t too over the top and the highlighter is very smooth and creamy. I’m excited to try both of these.

Next up, Sally Beauty sent me a $10 off a purchase of $20 or more for my 1/2 birthday. I thought this was strange, but awesome because I needed to go get some hair color anyway. Also, EmilyNoel83 just got done raving about their Sally Girl eyeshadow singles so I thought I’d pick some up….apparently some =13 to me… 0_o

Eye Shadow Connecting Compacts – Sally Girl – Retails for 0.94 each

You guys…they’re only 0.94 each. Lol They connect together on the sides, but they are sold separately. They seem like they’re really good quality shadows too. I’ve only swatched them, but they were really creamy, not powdery and they were pigmented.

I only swatched three, but I may do a review over the line and swatch them all after I wear them. The top left swatch is Cinnamon, the top right is Forest and the bottom isn’t really picking up on camera, but it’s a dark burgundy/purple color called Wine.

Exfoliating Gloves – Bath Secrets – Retails for $2.99

I love these, but I already have some. I picked these up to put together a little gift basket. 🙂

Shea Butter with Olive Oil Hand Cream – Silk Elements – Retails for $3.19

I picked this up for the gift basket as well, it had really good reviews on the site.

Color Charm Liquid Permanent Hair Color in Medium Brown – Wella – Retails for $4.89

Lol incase you care what kind of hair color I use. I’ve never used this color before, but I’m trying to get the red out for now.

Now on to ULTA…I have no excuse or story for this one. I just wanted this stuff. LOL

Kiss and Makeup 5 pc Amazonian Butter Lipstick Set – Tarte – Retails for $33.00 (Online Only)

So this set comes with 5 full size Amazonian Butter Lipsticks and I knew that I loved the formulation so I had to get it. It comes with Angelic Nude, Sweet Peach, Merry Berry, Pink Poinsettia, and Candy Red. The lipsticks retail for $16.00 a piece so this set’s retail value is $80!

From top to bottom is Angelic Nude, Sweet Peach, Merry Berry

The top swatch is Pink Poinsettia and the bottom is Candy Red. I’m so excited about this set.

Color Tattoo Metal in Inked in Pink – Maybelline – Retails for $6.99

Color Tattoo in Tough as Taupe – Maybelline – Retails for $6.99

They also had their Maybelline products on sale for BOGO 50% off so I picked up a couple more of the color tattoos to try out.

I swatched these, but the colors were not coming across on the camera. The Inked in pink is a metallic pink/mauve color and it’s really pretty. I think it will go really well under the shadows that are in my Naked 3 palette. The Tough as Taupe is pretty dark, I didn’t expect it to be that dark for some reason and I may actually return it if it doesn’t blend out some when I apply it to my eye. It has a matte finish and is more of a gray based taupe…idk how I feel about it.

Thanks so much for reading! 🙂

ULTA 40% Sale…so much for my No Buy… :-/

 

So ULTA is having 40% off all Maybelline, Revlon, Almay, Physicians Formula & Jane Cosmetics until Saturday 4/19. I have had a couple things that I have had my eyes on so I broke my no buy and placed an order. *sigh* I didn’t go crazy or anything, but I did get some things that I have been wanting to try out and I took advantage of the sale prices and got some back ups of products that I already know that I love. So, needless to say, I’ll have a haul post up in a couple weeks once my order comes in. And my NO BUY starts NOOOOWWW haha. For real this time. No seriously.

Huge Collective Spring 2014 Haul | Part Two: Beauty & Skin Care with Dupes and Nail Swatches!!

If you missed Part One click here, I showed you all of my new spring/summer accessories. 🙂 Here are all of the beauty and skin care products I’ve picked up recently over several different orders. First I’ll show you what I got from ULTA when I placed an order during their 21 Days of Beauty. I originally thought I was going to place more than one order, but a little birdie told me that Sephora was going to be having a 15% off VIB coupon so I held off. I kind of went overboard at Sephora though…oh well. I will consider it an early graduation gift to myself. Lol

 

Boots – Botanics Organic Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm – ULTA (online only) – Retails for $8.49 on sale for $7.22

I heard EssieButton on YouTube talking about how much she loves cleansing balms so I figured I would pick this up and give it a shot. We’ll see how I feel about it and I will follow up with a blog post letting y’all know.

L’Oreal – Boost It High Lift Creation Spray – ULTA – Retails for $4.99

I’ve been looking for something to help give me some volume and have seen this get rave reviews so I am hoping that it will work. I have such a hard time getting volume in my hair and I hate to back comb it so we’ll see.

Butter London – 3 Free Nail Lacquer in Slapper and Yummy Mummy – ULTA – Retails for $15.00 each, but this was during their 21 Days of Beauty where they had 2 for $15.00.

I picked these up because I have never tried Butter London polishes before because I couldn’t talk myself into spending $15, but since they were on sale I thought I would give them a try. You’ll see these in upcoming NOTW posts I’m sure.

Tarte – Amazonian butter lipstick in Coral Blossom & Angelic Nude – ULTA – $16.00 each

I love these lipsticks. They are very pigmented and creamy and they moisturize your lips, but they also stay in place really well without bleeding or anything. I may have to do a full review post on these as well.

Too Faced – Everlasting Chocolate Set with Shadow and Primer – HSN.com – Retails for $49.00 w/free shipping, but I paid $29.00 (I did a blog post on how I got this price). It is currently sold out, but you can get placed on a wait list to be notified when it comes back in stock.

This set came with a full size Too Faced Shadow Insurance (Retails for $20) and the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette (Retails for $49.00) so even without the deal that I received you are getting the eye shadow primer for free!

I’m going to do a full blog post with swatches and a review on this palette so keep an eye out for that.

bareMinerals – Double Trouble – Retails for $14.00

I actually got mine on the bareMinerals website, but the shipping took forever and the website is very glitchy so I am going to link this product on the Sephora website. It is the same price and I feel like the shipping and overall experience will be better.

This set comes with a mini Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Smooth Talker and a mini Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Make Your Move.

 

I’m gonna go off on a tangent for a minute, but as soon as I pulled the lipgloss out of the package I realized that it looked exactly like my Mac lip glass in Nymphette so I swatched them side by side. I haven’t wore the bareMinerals one yet to see if they wear the same, but they look basically identical.

I enlarged the picture so you could get a better look, but the Mac lip glass in Nympette is on top and the bareMinerals lipgloss in Smooth Talker is on the bottom. In person Smooth Talker looks more pink, whereas Nymphette has more gold but they are pretty darn close. As far as price goes Nympette is $15 for 0.17 oz and Smooth Talker is $18.00 for 0.15 oz, but this tube is of course the the mini size. Unless the bareMinerals gloss blows me away I will be sticking with my Mac lip glass, I have been repurchasing that shade since high school!

Tweezerman – Slant Tweezers – Retails for $22.00 at Sephora and Tweezerman’s website, but I got these on Amazon for $17.49. They had several different colors, each a different price. I just chose the cheapest ones because I didn’t care what color they were. I have been holding out on getting a pair of these because of their price, but I looked at it as they cost about as much as one wax so I might as well invest in a good pair.

Also, Tweezerman offers free sharpening on all of their products so if these go dull I can just get them sharpened rather than buying a new pair. 🙂

Exactly what I needed, more nail polish!! Haha.

nails inc. – Spring Summer Collection – Retails for $25.00 from Sephora plus I had my VIB 15% coupon so the rest of these purchases that are from Sephora were all 15% off. I paid $21.25 or $3.54/each.

This set is LIMITED EDITION and includes Colville Mews (pale nude), Little George Street (dusky pale blue), William Street (bright aqua), Princes Gate (pale pink), Bruton Lane (peach), Sloane Street (neon pink).

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics – Nail Lacquer in Wasabi – Retails for $10.00 from Sephora.com only, I paid $8.50.

I actually had my eye on a few other shades, but they were sold out so I picked up this one because I thought it would be cool for spring. I ended up having one very similar in my collection already. Smh. I may have to return it, we’ll see.

nails inc. – Nail Polish in Chelsea Physic Garden – Retails for $9.50, on sale for $5.00 at Sephora, I paid $4.25.

I thought it would be another color that would be great for spring, but alas…I had one very similar in my collection. It may go back as well.

nails inc. – Gel Effect Polish in Kensington Passage – Retails for $14.00 at Sephora, I paid $11.90.

I have heard good things about these Gel Effect Polishes so I figured I would give them a try for one of my NOTW posts. I have an at home gel manicure kit, but I hate how it leaves my nails in such terrible condition so I rarely use it anymore. If this really does give the gel effect without the UV light and damage to my nails I will be very impressed. I’ll keep y’all posted.

Here are some swatches from L to R: Wasabi, Chelsea Physic Garden, Kensington Passage, Colville Mews, Princes Gate, William Street, Bruton Lane, Little George Street, Sloane Street.

Here are the nail swatches for OCC Wasabi on the bottom and L’Oreal’s Colour Riche Nail Polish in New Money which retails for $4.49 at Target on the top.

nails inc. Chelsea Physic Garden is on the bottom and Nubar’s Faded Jeans is on the top. Nubar retails for $6.00 on Amazon.

Sephora Collection – Nail Wand in Silver- Retails for $15.00, on sale for $7.00, I paid $5.95.

Comes with (from L to R) Red Berries Smoothie, Electroshot, Mirror Mirror, Silver Glitter. The bottoms can snap into the lids of the other bottles if you feel the need to do so. Lol

Nail swatches from L to R: Red Berries Smoothie, Electroshot, Mirror Mirror and Silver Glitter.

Clinque – Cheek Pop in Peach Pop – Retails for $21.00, I paid $17.85.

These blushes are beautiful and very pigmented so I feel like this is going to last me forever. I’ll have a pumped or dumped up on this for sure once I get some use out of it.

Buxom – Lips So Luxe set – Retails for $34.00, I paid 28.90.

This set includes a full size Full-On Lip Cream in Creamsicle, a full size Full-On Lip Tarnish in Wardrobe Malfunction and a full size Full-Bodied Lip Gloss in Boo-Ya for a total retail value of $57.00.

I forgot to take pictures of the applicators when I did the swatches but the lip cream and gloss are both sponge tip applicators and the lip tarish is just like a lip crayon.

I cashed in some points and got these 100 point perks. A huge difference in product size! The Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Sophia is almost half the size of a full size product which retails for $19.00 making it about an $8.00 sample and the Benefit The Big Easy Liquid to Powder foundation sample is only 0.1 fl oz while the full size is 1.18 oz making it about 8.5% of the product. The full size retails for $38.00 making this about a $3 sample. -_- Also, they did not offer different shades so I don’t even know if that shade will match me. Needless to say, I am disappointed in The Big Easy sample being a 100 perk.

The long swatch to the left is the Cheek Pop blush, the C swatch is the lip cream in Creamsicle, the W is the lip tarnish in Wardrobe Malfunction, the B is the lip gloss in Boo-Ya and the S is the lip polish in Sophia.

Tarte – Discover The Amazon 3-Piece Kit – Retails for $34.50, I paid $29.33. LIMITED EDITION ONLINE ONLY

This kit includes a makeup pouch, a full size Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara in Black, a full size Pure Maracuja Oil Rollerball and a 0.8 oz Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation SPF 15, which is about half the full size. This makes the total retail value for this kit $68.00.

Unfortunately, even though the foundation is ‘Light’ it does not match my skin tone right now. I debated taking this kit back, but in reality just the mascara and rollerball are $36 so I would be losing money if I took it back. I will just hold on to it and try and go into a Sephora to get color matched because I have really been wanting to try out this foundation.

Sephora Favorites – Skin Cleanse Vol. 2 – Retails for $45, on sale for $42, I paid $35.70. LIMITED EDITION

I like to get these sample collections to try out different products rather than buying the full size products and being disappointed later on. This kit is said to have a retail value of $112 and comes with the reusable cosmetic bag, 0.7 oz Boscia Luminizing Black Mask, 0.25 oz Dr. Brand Pores No More Pore Refiner, 0.33 oz Dr. Jart Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm SPF 25, 1 oz First Aid Beauty Ltd. Red Clay Deep Cleanser, 0.3 oz GLAMGLOW® SUPERMUD Clearing Treatment, 0.5 oz Kate Somerville Skincare ExfoliKate® Intensive Exfoliating Treatment, 0.33 oz Murad Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15 PA++, 0.5 oz Ole Henriksen Ultimate Lift Eye Gel™, 0.5 oz Peter Thomas Roth FirmX Peeling Gel.

The Murad sample is worth $7.67, the First Aid Beauty sample is worth $5.11 and the Dr. Jart BB sample is worth $7.91.

The Glamglow sample is worth $17.25, the Boscia mask is worth $8.50 and the Peter Thomas Roth sample is worth $7.06.

That’s a heavy sample of the eye gel, it’s 1/2 of the full size which retails for $38.00 so right there I’ve got a $19.00 sample. The Dr. Brandt is 1/4 the size of the full size product which retails for $45 so that sample is worth $11.25 and the Kate Somerville product is actually sold on the site in this size for $22.

After my calculations the products total $105.75 so they must have the bag retailed at $6.25 which I think is fair. I would say that this is a good deal for this kit!

Oh look…another one. Haha I couldn’t decide between the two of these and figured that they had different products, they were both on super sale so why not get both.

Sephora Favorites – Skin Bender Vol. 1 – Retails for $48.00, on sale for $45.00, I paid $38.25. LIMITED EDITION

This kit is said to have a retail value of $115 and comes with a reusable cosmetic bag, 0.23 oz Algenist Advanced Anti-Aging Repairing Oil, 1.9 oz Bliss® High Intensity 24-‘Heaven’™ Healing Body Balm, 0.17 oz Dr. Jart Ceramidin™ Cream, 1 oz First Aid Beauty Ltd. Ultra Repair Cream, 0.5 oz Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil, 0.67 oz Korres Greek Yoghurt Advanced Nourishing Sleeping Facial, 0.3 oz L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream, 0.5 oz Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation®, 1 oz Origins Checks and Balances™ Frothy Face Wash, 0.5 oz Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream SPF 30 in Light-Medium.

The Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream sample is worth $14.12, the L’Occitane hand cream is worth $3.60, and that big ol Bliss Body Balm is worth $8.31.

The Ceramidin cream is worth $5.10, the Algenist oil is worth $18.16, the Josie Maran oil is sold on Sephora’s site in that size for $16.00 and the Origins sample is worth $4.20.

 

The Ole Henriksen sheer transformation is sold on Sephora’s site in this size for $14.00, the First Aid Beauty sample is worth $6.00 and the Korres sample is worth $22.50.

The products came to a total of $111.99 by my calculations, which would make this bag worth $3.01. Idk why it would be cheaper than the first bag because they are the same aside from being different colors. Haha. Either way I am pleased with this purchase as well. 🙂

But as you can see I am definitely in a NO BUY for awhile. Thanks for reading!!

Huge Collective Spring 2014 Haul | Part One: Accessories

So with Spring coming up I have been in desperate need of some new clothes. I have also picked up a few (most loosely used term in this blog post) things that I didn’t necessarily need, but that I have been wanting. New accessories, beauty, skin care products, etc. I am going to break this haul into several different parts so that it isn’t pages and pages long and hopefully doesn’t get redundant and boring to read.

I am going to start with accessories because I did pick up several new pieces for the upcoming spring/summer months. I will list where I purchased everything, prices and I am trying to figure out how to get these stinkin’ hyperlinks to work if they are still available if y’all are interested in purchasing them as well.

Lucky Colorful Printed Clay Bead Bracelets – The Pynk Store on Shop Lately – Retails for $7.99 (Currently Sold Out, but you can be added to a wait list to be notified when it is back in stock)

Spring Awakening Teardrop Pendant in Mint Blue – A + O Styles on Shop Lately – Retails for $11.00 currently on sale for $9.99 – Comes in Mint Blue, Mint Green and Pink Opal – chain is 34 inches long with a 3 1/2 inch extension.

Spring Candy Colored Necklace & Earrings Set – Shop Lulu on Shop Lately – Retails for $10.00 (No longer available, but I thought I would share because she has a lot of amazing pieces in her store. Plus, look at her packaging. Adorable.)

Double Layer Colored Chain in Pink – Stack’em Modern Style Boutique on Shop Lately – Retails for $7.99 was on sale for $5.99 – Comes in 6 colors

Dainty Pink Earrings – Daisy Gem on Shop Lately – Retails for $3.00

Mint Green Drop Earrings – Daisy Gem on Shop Lately – Retails for $4.00

Midnight Cat Earrings – Daisy Gem on Shop Lately – Retails for $2.00

Jeweled Owl Necklace – Daisy Gem on Shop Lately – Retails for $6.00 (no longer available)

Multisizes FOUR Midi Ring Set – Opaque Lion on Shop Lately – Retails for $4.00 for all 4!!

Cross Over Midi Ring – gorjana & griffin –  Retails for $25.00 but I only paid $9.00 with free shipping because I had a $25.00 voucher from a PopSugar Must Have box. 18K plated

Gypsy Floral Raw Edge Scarf – Wet Seal – Retails for $10.90, but I had a 40% coupon code so I paid $6.54 this exact scarf is no longer available, but there is a floral scarf on the site that is similar if you are interested.

Basic Glossy Black Wayfarer Sunglasses – Wet Seal – Retails for $7.50,  but I got them for $4.50 with the 40% coupon code.

Gauze Watercolor Print Scarf in Mint – Old Navy – Retails for $16.94, but I paid $12.00 on sale. This particular one is no longer available, but they do have a pretty blue floral one that I will link here.

Low Top Lace Sneaker in Black – Deb Shops – Retails for $14.90

Flat Sandal with Straps and Studs in Sand – Deb Shops – Retails for $28.00, currently on sale for $14.99

That’s it for my accessories!! 🙂 I am working on Part 2 which will include the beauty items I have picked up recently if you are interested in that it should be up in the next couple of days. I am just waiting on my Sephora order to come in the mail…I couldn’t resist the 15% off VIB coupon. Oops! Hehe. Thanks for reading, enjoy your weekend!!

“Where do you get all of your free stuff?”

A lot of people have asked me where I get my freebies from so I figured I would just make a blog post highlighting the most common places.

Crowdtap: Crowdtap is a website that allows consumers a place to voice their opinions about different brands as well as giving brands a place to market their products. You can answer poll questions or complete challenges and missions and earn points. Those who have the top points at the end of the month are chosen to win gift cards (I have won several for Amazon) or you can also be chosen to take part in a Sampling mission. I have received samples from Truvia, Hershey’s spread, a few others and most recently Viva Vantage paper towels. I received 4 rolls of paper towels in the mail today along with a sampling insert with a checklist of what to do. The premise is to share the other three rolls of paper towel and get the word out to your friends and family about the product.

BzzAgent: I am fairly new to this site (signed up the end of January), but I have already received several products from them. I will insert an excerpt straight from their website to explain what they do: “Connecting people and their favorite brands since 2001, BzzAgent is the leading social marketing company. What’s that mean to you? We put products in the hands of hundreds of thousands of real consumers and help them share their opinions about them with friends and family via reviews, Facebook posts, photos and videos, blog posts and more. We wouldn’t call ourselves heroes, but it’s okay if you want to.” It is basically the same idea as Crowdtap except there are less surveys and more campaigns. I currently have received an entire Neutrogena Triple Repair Hair Care System, a box of Starbucks Blonde Roast coffee K-cups and two Special K Coffee House Breakfast Shakes. You earn points by reviewing the products and sharing on Facebook and twitter, etc. Also, with this site they choose which campaigns they invite you to and you choose whether or not to accept them.

PinchMe: This site releases a limited number of samples on a set time on a set day. For example, the next round of samples comes out on April 1st at 12pm EST. They are first come, first serve and if I remember correctly you can only choose one at a time. I have received three samples from this site in the past. A sample size shampoo, hand lotion and 1 k-cup. Once you receive your samples all they ask is that you go onto the website and fill out one short survey to review the sample and let them know what you thought.

Influenster: This is another one that I will insert an excerpt from their website to explain what they do:

“Influenster is a community of tastemakers, social media hotshots, and educated consumers who live to give opinions of products and experiences. In Influenster Nation, influence is currency.

Influenster partners with brands to sample products to members of our social media-savvy community. In turn, members test and review those products on their social networks. Qualified members gain access to the latest products, share their expert opinions and spread the word on their favorite discoveries.”

You have an Influenster score based on how active you are on the site and your connected social networks. You may qualify for a Vox Box, which is a box full of goodies, based on how many badges you unlock, what your Influenster score is, and luck of the draw. I have received two or three Vox Boxes so far. Some of the goodies inside included chocolate, Belvita breakfast biscuits, Dr. Scholl’s boot inserts, Pond’s makeup remover wipes, Kiss nail polish, Rimmel make up, Slim-Fast shakes, and a ton more that I can’t remember. Hehe.

Those are the four most common sites that send me things, all of which are free to sign up. If I can think of anymore I will add them in here later. I hope that this answers some of your questions. If you have anymore please feel free to leave them below and I will do my best to answer them.