Clearance Minx

Last week I snagged these Minx Nail Strips at Ulta on clearance for $5 instead of $18!

I had just been thinking how I never got any super gold or silver polish like I wanted last year. The really mirror finish ones. So when I saw these, I was pretty pumped. Well, on the inside. I can't be too excited in Ulta. I like to play it cool in front of the products.

The patterned set is called Technical Tribal and the silver is called Silver Moons. Both of which I can't find online so I guess they really are clearanced. 

I like the flat cd case type packaging that makes it easy to store. I also like how it opens up to perfectly sized slots for the strip sheets as well as 2 alcohol wipes that you can use to prep your nails. Great packaging for on the go!

These nail strips seem to be taking over really fast and I can totally see why. They're fun. They're easy. There's a great selection and more coming out every day. They're not permanent. But most of all, there's no mess, no nail polish smell and no drying time! As a chronic smudger, this is the best part.

I know a lot more companies have come out with nail strips. Maybelline has recently fallen into line and Essie has come out with some really special ones, complete with rhinestones and studs. Most of the drugstore brands run about$7-$10 a box/envelope, which isn't bad depending how many uses you get from them. I keep my nails short so I can easily get 3 full mani's out of a set but that's not true for all and it depends how careful you are with the strips to save the extra.

Minx is the first set I've seen that includes a set for your toes. Pretty cool! That means I can probably get a lot more uses out of these sets! And for $5 each?? That constitutes a pretty good beauty buy!  (though the regular price of $18 probably wouldn't have stopped me to look at these)

Pro Tip: if you only have tiny bits left, keep 'em! Cut those scraps into shapes or lines to make designs! Boom! Custom Nails!

Adult Crayons

Back in Novemeber the Stila website featured a Warehouse Sale page, which I believe has transitioned into their Exclusive Offers page. But I'm hoping they bring back the Warehouse, because they were selling discontinued shadows for $5! and other things, like this Stila Smudge Crayon Set for $12. Well, I didn't jump on the warehouse page fast enough before the items were sold out and it was taken down, but what I did find, was the same Smudge Crayon Set at Ulta for $15!

 Stila Smudge Crayon set available in store at Ulta

Full size Stila Crayon found here

The crayons are very small. Which can be both good and bad.

Good for throwing in a bag. Bad for trying to find in a big bag.

The colors of the 3 are really great. Black, a nice rich black, Umber,a shimmery burgundy with hints of bronze, and Smoke, a warm pewter.  I loved the colors on my hand and they worked great around my eyes. I really love the Umber color with my brown eyes, but I think it would look good with any eye color. And the smoke is a great highlighting color for the inner corner or just for some spots of really good shine.

People seem to love these crayons and they're a pretty good seller from Stila. The regular size is a good size stick, that comes with a sharpener for $22. These crayons are a thicker liner and a softer formula than regular liners, to allow you to smudge and create a nice smoky eye or well blended look. This is not a crayon for precision work by any means.

Many reviewers say these give them a lot of time to smudge and blend, whereas I'm finding that not to be true. They are most definitely smudgeable, but I have a very limited window to do a bit of tugging and such before it sets on my eye.  This could be just because I've had them for a while and they might be a bit dried out so I need to sharpen them to get to some fresher product, that will probably help.

As for the lasting power, once it's on, it's on!  It says that it's a gel liner with primer, shadow and liner in one. And texture wise, it feels just like that. It feels heavier and thicker than a kohl pencil, more like a thicker shadow stick, but the way it smudges and blends is more like a shadow.

I can't say I'm going to run out and get the rest of the colors of these, but if they happen to put out a kit with more colors in smaller packages that I won't be committed to for life, then yeah, I would give them my money.

The only site I can find this set on is Amazon, but as of last week, my local Ulta still had them in stock on those dangerous Adult Candy Racks by the cashier. You know the racks I'm talking about. The ones with all the cutely and perfectly trial sized packs of what always happens to be every product you ever wanted to try, ever.

I don't even know why I buy full sized anything when those racks exist. 

Defeating The Dark Marks

Okie dokie, so yes, I've been pretty sporadic with posts the last few weeks and I do apologize. 2013 started out fun and productive! I've been busy with random things and the product reviews I have for you are piling up. I've been trying to decide what to bring to your attention first. I have mascaras and liners and brushes... so many things.

But before we go any further. I have to bring you this.

Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum $60 per oz. 

I'm going with this product first because it's the one I'm kicking myself the most for not using sooner. The photo above is actually of a trial version that I won* at Sephora when I got to 100 points back in, what I'm guessing is September.  I tossed it aside at the time because I didn't think my skin could handle adding in a new product, but recently my skin and I have come to a great compromise in which I am good to my skin and in turn it lets me tryout new things without freaking out like a 3rd grader who just lost at kickball.

You guys know about all my new Winter Facial Skincare from Chapter 2 and Chapter 3.  I've been playing around with all those products. Once I found a good routine I added this in because, well I'm ballsy I guess.

Night Routine:
Bare Escentuals Purifying Facial Cleanser
Bare Escentuals Cell Renewal Night Serum
Murad Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum
Olay Pro-X Hydra Firming Cream
Bare Minerals Pure Transformation Night Treatment in clear

Yes. I know that sounds like a ridonkulous amount of products, but this is my Dream Team of Night Routines. I admit to not using all these items every night.  However, after doing that whole routine, I wake up with the best skin I've ever had. My skin is soft and smooth. My dark marks are lighter and my pores look a bit smaller. I don't have any flaky or dry bits. Nothing. It's miracle skin! For me anyways.

I started with this routine sans the Murad and it was working really well. The cell renewal serum and the night treatment were both really helping the moisture and texture of my skin, but when I added the Murad lightening serum, I saw a visible difference the very next day.  In two days, the serum lightened my dark marks more than the serums, creams and treatments had done in the last few weeks and even months!

I haven't been using the Murad serum every night because I've been trying to ration this .25 oz trial bottle out as long as I can because of the full bottle's $60 price tag. I would say the trial is a full month's worth, so a full bottle would get you through a full 4 months, probably more, which makes the price seem not as ridiculous. Can you tell I'm justifying this purchase or am I so good that you believe me too?? Yeah, I like to believe me too. But we'll go with it in a few weeks when I'm done with this little miracle bottle and have to decide what I'm going to do from there.

I mean, the box says people saw reduced spots by 33% in a week and I thought, noo waaay. But way. WAY! There's a reason there's nothing for good reviews all over the internets about this stuff.

I'm so excited to have something that has claims on the box that I can get behind! Yes, I wish the price wasn't so steep and I'm going to keep looking out for this in some kind of kit form....all while I keep an eye out for a coupon I can use.   All I know is, when I look in the mirror in the AM. I think. Fine! Take my money Murad.





* It's free with the points when you have a membership card, which is free, but the word won sounds cooler. 

Do Your Research

I'm a researcher. I research just about every thing. Cars, electronics, clothing and of course, mah beauty products. Had the internets never been invented, I'm not sure how deep this issue would truly run for me, but the fact is, I constantly have all the info I need at my fingertips. And I use it. Partly because it's there and partly because I have an obsession with being as informed as I can about anything I purchase.

Once Amazon came on the scene with their costumer reviews, it changed the world of online buying and content. Suddenly people wanted information and reviews, from other internet wielding people. People who were unbiased and tell others of their trials and tribulations. The review sections of websites slowly became the new campfire.  And I have definitely flocked to the flame.

I still have folders and folders of magazine rip outs of products or homemade concoctions to try from years beginning with 19. That was my research. It was a very crude form of trial and error compared to today. Now I go from website to website and app to app reading reviews and finding out how each item has fared in other lives before even purchasing it! It's a control freak's beautiful dream!

There are a few places I begin my research.

First stop is Makeupalley.com. This online community is great. Lots of tips and swatches and an excellent review board. Membership is free and they even have a smartphone app now so i can read reviews anywhere. A lot of my most prized products i read about on makeup alley in reviews for another product. People leave wonderfully detailed reviews and even give suggestions! So helpful! I also check Amazon, Ulta, drugstore sites, Sephora and as of recently, Birchbox.  There are also so many great makeup and beauty blogs out there that give great info, but it's only one person's point of view and sometimes you're searching for something they don't have.

Last year I noticed that Sephora actually uses your membership number to keep track of all your purchases. It's as easy as a few clicks away to finding out what shade of foundation or lipstick you bought months ago! I love that feature because I'm so bad with remembering which I bought and which I just played with in the store for an hour.

The Sephora site also has a whole Community section. An interactive forum where anyone can ask and answer questions, share photos and ideas and even hear about upcoming events at Sephora. It's really quite genius! What I like the best is the Swatch Board. On The Swatch Board, they show you new makeup collection swatches, usually on a few skin tones. Soooo great!!! After finding out about this, very recently, I've been kind of obsessed with it. This is exactly what I need!!

Example of a Laura Mercier swatch photo

I'm glad Sephora saw the need for something like this and really filled the void. This is definitely ahead of the curve as far as the online makeup retailers go. 

So there you have it. Do your research! And use the Sephora site when doing so. Cuz they're making it pretty awesome! 

I Give A Gift For Me

The week before Christmas I came across this E.L.F. Makeup Brush Set at Target for $10. I really couldn't pass up that offer.

All 10 pieces seem to be in fine shape when I opened them. Nothing was shedding and nothing smelled bad or plasticy or anything.

I knew right away that I wouldn't have much use for the spooley mascara brush, the eyebrow brush, or the large foundation brush, but it's always nice to know they're there. As for the rest, I've been using them since December and have great success with them. The eye brushes are soft and hold onto color really well. I like the flat eyeliner brush and it really helps me smudge my liner instead of using my fingers. I've even been using the lip brush while I play with some new ideas.

Even though I'm only really only using half the brushes, 10 bucks is still a pretty good deal for brushes that I use daily and don't irritate my eyes or skin.

I can't seem to find this collection on sale anywhere at the moment, but if they bring it back next year, I'll definitely be giving these out to a lot of people! And maybe getting a back up set for me too. I mean...for $10...brushes for everyone!

January Birchbox

New Year and a new Birchbox!

January's Box is all about having the best year ever!
So far so good. And this small box of happy is definitely helping so far. 

1. 25 Ways to Make 2013 Awesome. A pull out pamphlet created by the Birchbox team with tons of ideas to keep, or start to make 2013 a great year. Full of tips like Get Cozy with SPF and other things like Leave Your Phone At Home for a day an unplug. Ok, so some are easier than others, but it's never too late to try something new! 
2. Allessanro Cream Rich Hand Spa. A super rich hand cream that smells like papaya sweet tarts! This intensive moisturizer leaves your hands feeling young and soft without being heavy an greasy. 
3. Kerastase Nectar Thermique, 2 samples of this leave in hair heat styling protectant which you use on damp hair and is suppose to help seal your hair's moisture in with heat an other magic ingredients. Can't wait to try this one out!
4. Lashem Double Trouble Mascara in the tiniest little trial size container I've ever seen! Kudos for cute packaging!
5. My Multi-Purpose Mattifying Moisturizer. I'm not usually into the matte look for my face, but I'll give this a shot. If not, it's going to get tested by my panel of judges. AKA sister and random friends. 
6. Harvey Prince Ageless Perfume.This light perfume is like night time tropical vacation. With big hints of pink grapefruit, pomegranate an jasmine, it's tropical and clean, but still bold and dramatic. It does a ton of great things that perfumes should always do. 
7. Birchbox has continued to add their small gift package which is perfect to give something from my Birchbox or my regular stash to one of my Panel Members! Because everything is better when wrapped up nice!

If you're intrigued with Birchbox and want to start receiving your own monthly gift box, sign up here. 

Winter Skincare: The Final Chapter

I know I've thrown a lot of products at you guys this week, but when you're overhauling your skincare, that happens!

Today I bring to you no lotions or treatments but instead a simple drugstore body wash that has done wonders for my skin.

Olay Age Defying Body Wash $6

Please excuse the beat up label as it's been tossed around just a bit.

I picked this up because it had a sticker on the front that said "Contains More Than A Jar Of Olay Moisturizers". For the last 2 years I've been using my St. Ives Mineral Therapy Body Wash and didn't really have a problem with it. But then this year came around and I knew I needed to up the anti with the moisturizing so I gave this a shot. 

It's fairly thick for a body wash, which I figured was a good sign. It felt more like lotion than a wash, another good sign. When I used it the first day I was ever so slightly overwhelmed with the fragrance. I was just not expecting it. For some with sensitive noses, I imagine this would be too much. The scent reminds of me back in the day Olay. It's a very floral perfumey smell which I've come to really like. I didn't hate it ever, just was surprised how strong it was at first.

But the scent issue was knocked right out the window when I got out of the shower and dried off. My skin felt soft. No dry patches, no tightening. I went about my routine and did my face care first. Usually, around this time of year, by the time I get to the body lotion, my shins are already dried out and I can see dry areas forming. Not with this! It was a body wash miracle!! 

I've been using this for about 2 months and it's been totally wonderful. It has really helped make my skin nice and soft and I don't think I will be able to go without this...ever! And with these big bottles for only $6, I don't think I'll have to. 

I don't see how I ever missed this product on the shelves before, I must have tried it at some point in the past. Regardless, we've found our way to each other now and Olay Age Defying Body Wash and I shall run off into the sunset together. Forever. 

But just as friends.