Mini Dollar Tree Haul!

I popped into the Dollar Tree last week to pick up a few things and to also see what they had. While there I picked up a few things … because frankly, when can I go into a store and not buy something?  I noticed in the beauty aisle they had a few Elf matte lip colors, so I picked up 2 shades I don’t own.  I also spotted these SUPER adorable Disney q-tip tins that had Mickey and Minnie Mouse on them.  I quite honestly didn’t need them, but they were too cute to pass up … plus for $1 why not, right?

Here’s what I snagged:

-          Mickey and Minnie Mouse Cotton Swabs in metaltins

-          Elf Studio Matte Lip Color in Coral

-          Elf Studio Matte Lip Color in Praline

QUESTION:

Have you picked up any goodies at the Dollar Tree as of late?

The Body Shop Nutriganics Haul

This is the product of an online sale and a $10 off $20 Groupon. I happen to be a huge The Body Shop fan and I am trying to steer towards more natural skincare products. I realize with my acne prone skin that can sometime be a little daunting but I’m trying to give it a go as much as I possible can.

Lately I’ve been concerned with reducing the signs of aging. I realize I’m in my late 20’s and this is one of the prime times to begin trying to combat the effects of aging on the skin. I’m trying to collectively battle two wars at the same time – acne and aging.  With that, this Nutriganics line caught my attention as I was browsing the website.  It sounded promising and the reviews on the website were pretty positive.  It also helped that the line was 40% off online which made for even bigger savings along with my $10 off.  I opted to get three products to give it a go.

Here’s what I picked up:

-          Nutriganics Smoothing Serum

-          Nutriganics Smoothing Eye Cream

-          Nutriganics Smoothing Day Cream

QUESTION:

Have you tried the Nutriganics line?

Walgreen’s Haul ft. Wet n Wild & Rimmel!

This is actually a little bit of an older haul which I’ve been slacking on posting.  I popped into Walgreen’s one day because I needed some medication, plus they were having a buy one get one 50% off sale on Rimmel products. I typically find sales on Rimmel at the drugstore can be pretty few and far between.  The Rimmel Show Off lip lacquers had dropped a few weeks prior and I wanted to get my hands on a few colors.  I really blame my lusting for these lip lacquers on the number of blog posts and Instagram photos I saw raving about them.  Paying full price for all the shades I wanted was ridiculous so I waited … and I’m glad I did because with the sale and $1 off manufacturer coupons I was able to score a pretty fabulous deal.

Also while there I spotted the red Wet n Wild Megalast nail polish I had been wanting.  Since it was in this trio pack, I decided it was a great deal so I picked it up. Not like I need anymore nail polish – but they’re pretty!

Here’s what I picked up:

-          Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer in Light Year

-          Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer in Solstice

-          Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer in Galaxy

-          Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer in Comet

-          Wet n Wild Megalast Trio ft. I Red a Good Book, a gorgeous red, black and silver glitter polish and a clear top coat

QUESTION:

Have you picked up any of the Rimmel Show Off lip lacquers or any new Wet n Wild polishes?

Avon Calling … Avon Haul!

This is what happens when you order one thing from an Avon catalog and your Avon representative gives you the next campaign catalog along with a sample of a lipstick. Checking out the sample you then try it, love the color and decide to order it … along with other things that you may OR may not need.  Story of my life, particularly when it comes to Avon ordering because Avon sucks you in every time!

Here’s what I picked up:

Avon Totally Kissable Lipstick in Mauve Allure

Avon Totally Kissable Lip Gloss in Mauve Kiss

Avon Totally Kissable Lip Gloss in Sweetly Peach

Avon Glimmerstick Lip Liner in Mystery Mauve

QUESTION:

What is one of your favorite Avon products?

CVS Beauty Club Rimmel Twitter Giveaway

I entered a Twitter giveaway through CVS Beauty Club.  In order to be entered to win, all I had to do was re-tweet CVS Beauty tweet about the giveaway. After the giveaway ended, I was sent a direct message from CVS Beauty Club and I’ll be honest I was completely surprised!

I was advised I would receive my prize within 4-6 weeks.  That timeframe had actually passed by a few weeks, so I sent a direct message back asking if perhaps it was sent out and got delivered to the incorrect address.  A few days later, I received a next-day air package from CVS Beauty Club containing my goodies.

Here’s what I received:

-          Rimmel BB Cream 9-in-1 Skin Perfecting Super Makeup w/ SPF25 in Medium

-          Rimmel Stay Glossy in 160 Stay My Rose

-          Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Stick in 004 Guilty Grey

-          Rimmel Scandaleyes Sow Off Mascara in Extreme Black

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of these Rimmel products?

Review: Olay Fresh Effects {BB Cream!} Skin Perfecting Tinted Moisturizer with SPF15

I received a tube of Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream for reviewing purposes from Influenster.  I admit I was quite excited because I have been eyeing the new Olay Fresh Effects line at Target for weeks upon weeks, but kept telling myself I didn’t need anything right now.  Upon opening my box and realizing I received the Light to Medium shade I was a little hesitant.  Typically I purchase medium to deep BB creams since my skin is really no where near light, but I decided I’d give it a go.  Worst case scenario I’d have to wash my face after application if it didn’t match..

PACKAGING & PRICE

Product is packaged in a long, sleek 2.5 fl ounce tube.  It has a twist off cap which allows for easy control of how much product you dispense onto your hand.  I do enjoy how thin the tube is, which makes storing a lot easier because nobody truly enjoys big bulky packaging.  Price wise, it of course varies depending on where you shop.  Typically prices range anywhere between $10.97 up to $13.99.

PRODUCT

After looking into the product, low and behold, it is only sold in two color combinations: Fair to Light and Light to Medium.  The Light to Medium was suitable for my skin tone. I have not gotten much sun this spring and summer so I’m on the lighter side of the spectrum but if I were to catch any sun this product would be too light for my face – but I could potentially make it work with a good amount of bronzer.  The BB cream itself does have a very pleasant sent to it.  I was expecting a chemically smell that sometimes comes with foundations/BB creams, but this one was a very clean scent almost florally.  It kind of reminded me of mountain rain scented laundry detergent (I love that scent, so that’s a good thing!).  The scent certainly doesn’t linger, as you begin to massage the product into your face, the scent dissipates, or at least becomes far less apparent.

PURCHASING

This is available for purchase at all retail pharmacy locations – CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, while it’s also available at supercenters such as Target, Walmart and Kmart.  It can also be purchased from select online retailers such as Drugstore.com, Walmart.com, and Amazon.

OVERALL

Overall, I find the BB Cream is okay but nothing to brag about.  I prefer a medium coverage BB Cream but this particular BB cream is very light coverage.  It did cover a tiny bit of redness on my face (around my nose) but it didn’t cover my acne scars or even any of my current acne flare ups.  I realize BB creams are not designed to conceal blemishes, but I find with my Garnier BB cream, it has more coverage and will conceal my acne far more than the Olay Fresh Effects did.  It does leave my face feeling moisturized although it is very unforgiving for oily skinned individuals (which is me to a T).  This is undoubtedly a product I need to wear a powder with to reduce the sheen that shines through almost instantly after application.  This is a give or take product for me … it’s not something I love, but it’s not something I hate neither.

RATING

C

Bath & Body Works Semi-Annual Clearance Haul (#2)

So this is my second and final Bath and Body Works Semi-Annual Clearance haul!  Every time these sales come around I tell myself I don’t need anything … but alas, I find myself on the website “window shopping” and I then find myself in the store, buying things.  Happens every time without fail!  I have no self control … and certainly no self control when it comes to a really good sale.

I combined my $10 off $30 coupon to get even bigger bang for my buck with this haul.  The great thing with those coupons is you get them one very single Bath and Body Works receipt AND they never expire!  I think they do this on purpose to trigger my mind (and yours too) into thinking “you’re saving more the more you spend”.

So here’s what I picked up:

• Wild Peach Poppies body spray
• Arbua Coconut body wash
• Seaside Escape wall flowers, double pack
• Bahama Fizz wall flowers, double pack
• Twilight Woods wall flowers, double pack
• Fresh Linen wall flowers, double pack

I’m all stocked up now … I’ve still got a few body washes and sprays from the last semi annual clearance haul (around Christmas) and I’ve certainly got enough wall flowers to last me for a while.

QUESTION:

Did you pick up anything from Bath and Body Works during their clearance sale?

Maybelline Electro Baby Lips Haul

I was browsing through the blogs that I follow and stumbled upon a blog post by EmilyNoel83 featuring the new Maybelline Electro Baby Lips and it immediately sent me into motion.  I wasn’t even aware this new collection dropped but seeing the gorgeous pigmentation, I knew I needed to have them.  Emily only had purchased 3 shades so I looked up other blog posts to see swatches of all 6 shades available.  After online browsing for a few days, I decided I was going to stick with the 3 most pigmented shades and leave the other 3 behind even though they’re gorgeous in the packaging.

I do want to point out that these are placed right alongside the Baby Lips, not on a new display or anything.  I have only been able to spot them at Walmart locations – but Targets website states they are sold in stores, but my store did not carry them.

First of all the packaging is super adorable.  It’s a black casing with a clear cover which has bold neon print on the tube.  I like a sleek looking packaging and I have to admit, I like this packaging more than the original packaging for the baby lips.

The 3 shades I picked up are:

Pink Shock

Oh! Orange!

Strike a Rose

QUESTION:

Have you picked up any of the new Baby Lips?

Goody Ouchless Hair Ribbons

I received a pack of Goody Ouchless Hair Ribbons from Influenster for review purposes.  I admit when I received these, I was intrigued because I have heard so many great things about hair ribbons. Since I tend to wear my hair back in a ponytail, bun, etc. I felt I’d get some good use out of these.

Because I always have my hair tied back I am constantly purchasing hair elastics.  Goody makes some of the best particularly their Ouchless line.  I remember growing up and having hair elastics with the metal connector and it’d get tangled in my hair and rip portions of my hair out.  Trying to avoid that as much as possibly, I only purchase smooth edged hair elastics.

Firstly, these hair ribbons are adorable.  They fit perfectly over the wrist and give your arm some décor and I find they fit a lot nicer over the wrist and don’t “cut” into the wrist as regular elastics tend to do. The hair ribbons act as regular hair elastics do – you simply tie your hair back angling the end of the ribbon wherever you wish.  I find the ribbons do keep my hair back and they don't stretch out as easily as regular hair elastics

These are good for any age, at least in my opinion and come in a wide variety of colors to go with any outfit. Or if you’re into that sort of thing you can just wear them as “arm candy”.

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of the Goody Ouchless Hair Ribbons?

Trader Joe’s Beauty Haul

I love shopping for grocery items at Trader Joe’s but I also enjoy trying out their selection of beauty products.  Many of their products are hidden jewels and I have grown to enjoy quite a number of the items I’ve tried.  You may consider them pricey but if you compare the price to drug store brands they’re really quite comparable.  On this trip I picked up 3 items I have not tried before and wanted to try out.  Here’s what I got:

Trader Joe’s Spa Face Wash with Tea Tree Oil

Trader Joe’s Refresh Citrus Body Wash with Vitamin C

Trader Joe’s Nourish Oil-Free Antioxidant Facial Moisturizer

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of these Trader Joe’s items?

I received my Influenster Sunkissed Voxbox!

I received my Influenster Sunkissed Voxbox!

I received an e-mail to complete a survey to see if I qualified for the box a couple months ago and a few weeks later received an e-mail advising that I was chosen to receive the Sunkissed Voxbox from Influenster!  I was pumped because I haven’t received a Voxbox in a while.  I had seen voxbox unboxings on Instagram and on blogs but those were for other voxboxes not the Sunkissed.

Low and behold the mail man was REALLY nice to me the other day because not only did he deliver my voxbox, but he also delivered a number of items I ordered from Target (sadly, they’re not for me, BUT they are for my niece).

Here’s what I received in my Sunkissed Voxbox:

-          Dr. Scholl’s For Her High Heel Insoles

-          SinfulShine with Gel Tech in My Kryptonite

-          Olay Fresh Effects {BB Cream} Skin Perfecting Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 15 in light/medium

-          Goody Ouchless Ribbon Elastics

Bath & Body Works Semi Annual Haul (#1)

I started off the Bath & Body Works semi annual sale saying I don’t need anything.  Well … because I am a sucker for a sale and e-mailed information on sales always gets me, I ended up making a pit stop at Bath & Body Works and buying a few things.

I was completely out of the plug in wall flowers AND hand soap – so I decided to get a few things because honestly, it’s such a great deal.  I love Bath & Body Works hand soaps. I bought a couple bottles during the last sale and since I’m the only one who uses (my boyfriend doesn’t want to smell like a field of flowers – so he uses regular hand soaps) them they can be rationed.

As mentioned I’m a sucker for a sale … I’m also a sucker for a coupon.  I received a $10 off $40 coupon sent to me via text message from Bath and Body Works, so of course I had to put that to use.  Yeah, on the bottom of our receipts we always get a $10 off $30 coupon, but since those don’t expire and this one sent to me via text did, I decided to use that first.  Anyway!  Here’s all that I purchased:

Hand Soaps:

-          Moonlight Path

-          Raspberry Pink Peony

-          Island Margarita

-          Wild Honeysuckle

-          Island Nectar

Body Wash:

-          Wild Peach Poppies

Body Spray:

-          Daisy Dreamgirl

Wallflowers:

-          Peach Bellini (double pack)

-          White Barn Summer

-          Honeysuckle

-          Wallflower Plug-in unit

QUESTION:

Have you purchased anything from the Bath & Body Works semi-annual sale?

Target $5 Beauty Box

Almost 2-months ago the Target Style Facebook page was offering up a select number (I believe 20,000) of introductory $5 beauty boxes.  Since I’ve been a big fan of the free Target beauty bags that have come out containing samples I decided to hop on the band wagon and order myself a box.  All of us Target Beauty Bag lovers who signed up for a box went into it blindly not knowing what we’d be receiving – all that we knew is the box would be more than $5 (not including the cost of shipping – which the $5 did cover).

After waiting weeks that felt like forever, my box finally arrived!  I was quite excited to see what I received. After the highly anticipated unboxing, this is what I received:

-          L’Oreal Magic Perfecting BB Cream (sample pack)

-          La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo

-          Fekkai Glossing Cream (deluxe sample size)

-          Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

-          Gillette Venus & Olay Razor

-          $3 off $15 Beauty Purchase coupon to be used at Target or Target.com

I am most excited about the razor and La Roche-Posay sample. I’m a huge fan of the Gillette Venus & Olay razors (they’re one of my all time favorites) and I hope to be able to get a good judge out product out of the La Roche-Posay sample.

QUESTION:

Did you sign up for a Target Beauty Box?

Haul: Head Massager

I should note I am a sucker for a scalp massage, ever since I was a kid.  When I was tired but couldn’t sleep, I’d ask my mom to rub my scalp and I’d literally fall asleep 5 minutes in.  It’s so relaxing to me.  Of course I do not get remotely the same result if I try to give myself a scalp massage.  These days my chances of getting a scalp massage are slim and far between.  Once in a blue moon I’ll ask my boyfriend and he’ll graciously massage my scalp and it has that same effect on me – I am utterly relaxed and out like a light in under 5 minutes.

So, at Target I spotted this Head Massager in the $1-3 section up front.  I instantly put it into my basket.  I figured for $3 I couldn’t go wrong and I’ve heard great things about these head/scalp massagers.  I realize they’re priced differently at all different stores – some folks can find them for a $1 at some dollar stores, whereas I’ve seen nicer ones for $5+ which kind of “fold shut” and don’t stay open.

Once back home, I opened the box, tried it out and all I can say is OH MY WORD – HEAVEN!  The head massager is stimulating and relaxing.  The prongs stimulate the scalp and really do send a slight tickle down my spine, but it’s definitely relaxing.  All I want to say is “ahhhhh”.  My boyfriend tried it and was in the same state of elation.  I don’t know how I lived without this little device for so long.  It’s fabulousness!

QUESTON:

Have you ever tried a head massager?

Dots Knock-Off Perfume Haul

For a very long time I was anti-knock off perfumes. Almost two years ago I bought a bottle of knock-off Sarah Jessica Parker perfume which smelled EXACTLY like SJP NY and it changed my mind.  I know a lot of people are against buying knock off fragrances but to each their own.  I’ve since purchased a couple different knock-off perfumes from Big Lots.

When at Dots I noticed they had a Hello Kitty knock off perfume.  Now, I LOVE the Hello Kitty perfume but I think the nearly $60 price tag is a little ridiculous, especially for a perfume that would not be an everyday type of perfume for me.  The perfume was marked at $5 a box BUT there was a sale going on 3 for $10 – not including the Dot fragrances (bummer because there was one that was fabulous smelling).

The three perfumes I got are as follows:

-          Yes Yes (Paris Hilton Can-Can Impression)

-          Hello Cutie! (Hello Kitty Impression)

-          Hola! (Marc Jacobs Lola impression)

The Hello Cutie is undoubtedly gorgeous and relatively long lasting on the skin.  I liked the scent of Hola it was nice and floral and the girl that works there told me that Yes, Yes is one of their best sellers and typically sells out, so I decided to get it because it’s more of a fruity summer scent.

QUESTION:

Do you like knock off perfumes?

Amazon Haul: Hair Donut

I was watching YouTube videos and saw a few ladies mentioning using hair donuts to perfect their bun.  So, I went on Amazon and searched for a hair donut and found one for 79 cents – shipping from Hong Kong.  I know there are a few stores that sell hair donuts, but I couldn’t remember what store sells them and when I was looking for them back in March I was getting weird looks asking girls that work in certain stores if they had a hair donut.

I figured for 79 cents I couldn’t go wrong, so I added it to my shopping cart and had it shipped to my house.  It did take about 3-4 weeks to arrive at my house.  It’s a classic hair donut, nothing special about it. You slip your hair through the middle and fan it around the hair donut and pin into place and use a hair tie if you wish.  I’m finding that my hair is almost too thin to use the hair donut.  Granted I’ve tried it once but I’m going to allow myself to get more comfortable with it.  This particular donut would be best suitable for anyone with long hair … my hair is longer (past my shoulder blades) but I think if it were just a tad longer it would work a lot better because I’d have more hair to move around the donut.

QUESTION:

Do you use a hair donut, sock or bun maker to create a flawless bun for yourself?

Hot Buns Haul

I am not much of a hair girl. I’ve never quite learned or taught myself how to do my hair which would explain why my hair is usually up in a ponytail, in a sloppy bun, in a twist or when it’s shorter down.  I saw a video by Emily Noel on YouTube where she hauled the Hot Buns from Sally’s and seeing her talk about it immediately made me want it.  Granted, she didn’t do a full review on the product, but that sent me into motion looking for reviews online and other “how to” videos.

I found the consensus was typically split down the middle.  There were people that loved it, people that hated it and people who could go either way with the product.  I felt from just looking at the product that it would be easy to use – far easier than a sock bun method or even the donut method (which I did purchase from Amazon for like 50 cents).

I wanted to purchase online but every website I went to it was overpriced – even Amazon!  The product is typically $10 but shipping and handling from the Hot Buns website would make it almost $25, Amazon was $15+.  Sally’s sells them but I wasn’t going to go on a mission to Sally’s but surprisingly enough Walmart sells this in their “As Seen on TV” section for $9.88.

My hair is stalk straight.  I only get volume out of my hair by using volume adding shampoo and conditioner.  My hair also gets oily rather quickly, so I do wash my hair daily.  Because my hair isn’t very thick and has absolutely no volume normally I decided Hot Buns may work for me.

I’ve tried it a few times and I find the snaps, as many have mentioned, are truly a pain in the butt.  When you’re looking straight at it, you can clip it and unclip it but when the product is behind your head it can get tricky.  It’s definitely one of those hair products I am going to have to play with to see if I truly like it or if it’s even going to work for me.  Fingers crossed!

QUESTION:

Have you purchased Hot Buns? If so, did you like it or hate it?

Amazon Haul: “Ghetto” Beauty Blenders

I admit, I’ve wanted to try the Beauty Blender, but I just cannot drop $20+ on a sponge. Just. Can’t. Do. It!  While browsing Amazon I started looking at Beauty Blenders, thinking perhaps I’d find them for less online (hopefully).  Nay on that go – but I found knock-off Beauty Blenders in a pack of four, providing 2 tear drop shape and 2 egg shape sponges.  They were shipped from China and I paid like $5.50 with shipping for them to arrive.  It took about 2-3 weeks for delivery.

I admit they are a little bouncy.  I have not tried them yet to see how they apply, but since I haven’t tried the Beauty Blender I have nothing to compare it to.  I typically wear BB Cream or Mineral Powder as my foundation but lately I’ve purchased a few liquid foundations to try out so I figured this would be nice to try with them.  I also wanted to try it with my BB cream to see if it gives me a glowier look.

Dollar Tree Milani Haul

While at Dollar Tree I was quite surprised to find Milani lip products especially because I’ve heard rave reviews about some of the Milani lip liners.  So for $1 who was I to pass up such a great deal?  My local store didn’t have a very wide selection – they had 3 lip liner shades and 2 lip gloss shades.  I’ve read elsewhere online that some stores have had baked eye shadows available as well as additional lip gloss shades available.  So with that, I picked up 3 lip liners and 1 lip gloss shade.  Upon getting home, I was super excited to swatch and was pleasantly surprised with the color payoff on all four products!

Here’s what I picked up:

-          Milani Lip Gloss in Red Delicious

-          Milani Lip Liner in Simply Natural

-          Milani Lip Liner in Berry Charming

-          Milani Lip Liner in Satin Rose

QUESTION:

Have you picked up or spotted any Milani products at Dollar Tree?

Payless Shoe Haul

I am a bit of a sucker for a coupon, especially a coupon that’ll essentially give me a great deal. I received a $10 off $25 purchase coupon in the mail and since I haven’t purchased a pair of shoes in a while, that immediately got me onto the Payless website to check around to see what they had available.  I’ve learned I can get a lot more shoes in my size on their website BUT the downside is their ship-to-store option takes FOREVER.  One time it literally took 3-weeks for me to get the shoes (partly because the store received my shoes and completely forgot to call and let me know).  Since I needed to ensure I found a pair of shoes that were not going to be a problem for my brothers wedding, I decided to pop into the store one late afternoon to browse around.  Thankfully, I struck “gold” and found two pairs of shoes – one for the event I was looking for shoes for and the other because they’d be awesome for spring/summer time.

I picked up a pair of Comfort Plus in the Phillip Mid Wedge Slide style.  They did not have these in the size I needed (they weren’t even an option in a wide or regular) but I found them in a size up and they fit comfortably.  I find sandals, especially sandals/wedges with side straps; they really dig into my feet after a while and make walking a “chore.”  These have a nice, soft kind of stretchy side so I don’t think they’ll be a bother to my feet.  They are originally $24.99 – but I got them on sale for $19.99.

If you’re interested in tis particular style you can find it here: http://www.payless.com/store/product/detail.jsp?catId=&subCatId=&skuId=130910100&productId=72816&lotId=130910&category=&catdisplayName=Womens

Then after bothering the girl that works in the store, asking if they magically hid a pair of plaid boat shoes I ended up spotting these Airwalk “Tom” like flats – in the style Dream Slip On. When I was a little girl, shoes like this (with the laces – which they still sell) were called “skippies” in my area.  I’ve always loved those shoes and have looked for pairs for myself during the spring/summer months (because they’re light on the feet) but as I’ve gotten older and my feet have grown it’s harder to find them.  But when I saw these in my size I snatched them off the shelf.  The true test was to see if they’d fit … and to my surprise they fit PERFECTLY!  They are originally $19.99 – but on sale for $16.99 – so after my coupon I paid $6.99 for these (making my grand total $26.99 for both pair).

If you’re interested in these they can be found here (they also come in a variety of colors): http://www.payless.com/store/product/detail.jsp?catId=&subCatId=&skuId=092802080&productId=71097&lotId=092802&category=&catdisplayName=Womens

QUESTION:

Have you shopped for shoes at Payless in a while?  If so, what have you picked up?