August Over Haul

I'm back to finish my haul!

We have a Lush store in our mall, I'd say for about a year now, but I have yet to go in there to try anything.  I read many blogs and everyone seems to gush over Lush!  So I made a pit stop into Lush to check out their lip scrub.  I don't know about you but I seem to have terribly chapped lips throughout the year, not just during the winter months.  I felt a little overwhelmed when I first went into the store.  There were so many other customers in there looking and trying products.  This was good for me.  It forced me to just bee line it for the lip scrub, rather than peruse the store and purchase more than I needed (you will see how this is a big problem for me as you read this post).  The lip scrub was located at the checkout counter, which was perfect because after I made my purchase I didn't feel like looking around and making another transaction.  I picked up the lip scrub in Bubblegum.  It smells so good!!  I can not wait to use it.  I have a feeling this may not be my first and last purchase at Lush.  Are any of you Lush addicts?  What are your favorites?

I then set off for Sephora.  I wanted to pick up a NARS blush.  I have a few NARS eyeshadows and I love the color pay off, so I thought I would love their blush as well.  I went in with the intention to pick up the more popular blush, Orgasm.  Of course that isn't what I left with though.  Sephora is exclusively selling a limited edition palette called Foreplay which is based off of Orgasm.  The palette contains the colors that make up Orgasm (can I type type that word anymore??).  It has a matte peach, matte pink, gold highlight, and Orgasm.  I'm very happy about this palette!  With 3 blushes and a highlight, I hope it's the only blush I will need to buy for a while.  I may not have come out of Sephora with just an Orgasm blush, but I think Foreplay will give me more bang for my buck ;)

                                               (Peach)                                                     (Gold Highlight)

                                               (Pink)                                                                 (Orgasm)

After my purchase at Sephora, I had a enough points (meaning I've spent enough money) to get a Beauty Insider Reward.  I chose the Benefit Bella Bamba.  It is a pink blush that is described to have a 3D effect?  I'm not sure about the 3D effect, but I do know now that I better not buy blush for a while!  Sephora also threw in a few samples from Amore Pacific.

 Next, I went to the beauty counters!

I went to the Shiseido counter to get a refill of my Night Moisture Recharge.  I also bought a package of Facial Cottons.  I first used the Facial Cottons when the woman at the Shiseido counter gave me a sample of them the last time I was at the counter.  When she said that they were better than the cottons you could buy at the drug store, I thought she was just trying to get me to buy something extra.  I went home and tried the cottons with my Hydro Nourishing-Softener.  It felt way better than using your run of the mill cotton!  You use less product and you only need a little bit of the cotton pad, so you can use the cotton more than once.  It is a little more expensive, but I think this package of 100 will last me a while.

Last stop... Chanel!  The reason I wanted to go to the Chanel counter was to pick up the Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in Emerveille.  I first saw this shadow in a makeup tutorial on a YouTube channel I am subscribed to.  It just so happened that there was a makeup artist at the counter that day.  I had my face glammed up and naturally I did not just buy the eyeshadow.  In addition to the shadow I picked up an eye cream.  This actually was something I needed.  I currently am using the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair, but I don't know that I notice that much of a difference from when I first started using it.  Since I am nearly out of it, I thought I would try Chanel's Ultra Correction Line Repair eye cream.  Hopefully I will have a positive review on this product to come.  I also picked up the powder blush in Rose Initiale the woman used on me.  I'm still debating on whether or not I will keep it, but seeing that I swatched it, I will probably keep it.  I know!! You're saying, "Elisa, you just said you were done buying blushes for a while!"  I know!  I'm really done now!! haha

There you have it!  My excessive makeup haul for the month of August!  I really do hope my subscription to Birchbox and Glossybox keeps my makeup shopping at bay!

Until next time!

*E

Ulta Haul

Hey there!

I've recently had a major beauty haul!  It all started when I got my ULTA beauty points in the mail.  This last quarter I've managed to rack up 12 points!!  I know that's a lot!  That means I've spent $600+.  It makes me a little ill thinking about that again.  Why the massive spendage?  I've always had your basic (or what I thought was basic) makeup supplies: eye liner, mascara, foundation, and a bunch of neutral eye shadows and lipsticks that came in gift sets from different makeup counters.  St. Patrick's Day was approaching and my hubby and I were going to be having a night out with our friends.  Obviously, I'm not Irish, but thought I would get into the spirit of the day.  So I searched the internet, as I do, for a St. Patrick's Day look.  That's when I stumbled upon Mrs. Jenn Marie's blog on this exact look.  And my OBSESSION to expand my beauty supplies grew from there.

Here's my look from St. Patty's Day

When I first received my points I thought I was reading it wrong.  If you are familiar with ULTA's point system, you will know that it only goes up to 6.  I went to the store, and the lady there said that I could mix and match all the point rewards to equal up to 12.  My first stop in the store was to pick up a new perfume, as I had recently run out of J'adore.  For 6 points I could pick a perfume and they would pay up to $40.  After spraying lots of perfumes and sniffing lots of coffee beans, I chose Dior Addict 2.  I love this smell!  It is a mixture of white musk, floral and citrus that are light enough to wear daily.  I also love the packaging.  It's in a pretty pink bottle that looks perfect on my vanity.  The cap at the top of the bottle, you press down to spray, also twists to open and close.  This is great if you decide to travel with this bottle, so that you're not to waste any of the product by spraying everything in your luggage.  Speaking of luggage.  ULTA has a promotion where if you buy a fragrance for more than $30 you get a free roller bag that is said to be valued at $50.  So I also picked up the pink roller bag!

With 6 points used up I had 6 more to go.  So I picked up the teasing brush for 4 points.  I'm not sure if it's any better than any other teasing brush, but it normally retails for $16!  With 2 more points to spend, I picked up the Covergirl Intsense Shadow Blast in Beige Blaze.  Luckily for me, ULTA had a sale on Covergirl products, buy one get one 50% off.  So I picked up Covergirl's Smoky's Shadow Blast in Bronze Fire as well.

Intense Shadow Blast
This was advertised as an intense shadow and primer.  I don't know if I would use it as a primer or all over shadow, but it's a nice highlight for the inner corner of your eye.

Smoky's Shadow Blast
I like the shadow base color, but I think the brown may be a little dark.  Hopefully it blends well.

That's not all folks!  I grabbed a large bottle of ULTA's Smoothie 3-in1 in Pineapple Breeze, to use as a body wash, on clearance.  I love the smell!  Finally, if you ever take ULTA up on their offer to send you free issues of Allure and Glamour, you will find coupons within the pages of the Allure magazine.  Inside my most recent magazine I found a coupon for a free Kenra Platinum Blow-Dry Spray.  I have a bottle of Kenra's Platinum Hot Spray that I love to use when curling or straightening my hair.  So I'm excited to try out the Blow-Dry Spray.  Inside the magazine I also found an ULTA coupon for $5 off $15 that I used to apply towards my entire purchase.  If I had no deals or coupons, everything in total would have costed me $167.97.  However, with my deals and coupons the grand total for my purchase came to... (drum roll please!)... $30!!  This made me so happy, I began to feel less sick about spending so much money in order to receive 12 ULTA points!

Seeing as my ULTA haul is so long, I'll save my other products for another day.  Be sure to subscribe to my blog so you can check out what else I got!

Until next time!

*E

PS.  Have you ever had a good shopping/saving experience like this?  Let me know and leave a comment below!

Diorsnow BB Creme

Hey guys!

So I've decided to join in on the BB cream craze.  A little late, I know.  I'm sure most of you know what they are.  In case you don't, they basically are an all-in-one product: anti-aging serum, moisturizer, primer, and light foundation.  There are also some added benefits to the cream which differ between each brand.  Let's start with why I decided to join the craze...

I work as a pharmacist at a largely well know chain.  My typical work day is about 14-15 hours.  Working long days mean:

1. I am already waking up early to go to work.  So, I'm not a big fan of waking up even earlier to "put my face on".
2. At the end of the day, I feel like my makeup is a mess!  

In the past I was willing to go to work without an ounce of makeup on.  But now that I am the pharmacist, I feel like I should look more professional (as much as I can =p ).  In my mind, makeup helps to finish off the professional look.

During the summer, I like to go with a simple look for work.  I'm not a big fan of wearing foundation during the summer.  I feel like my skin can't breathe between the foundation and all the humidity.  Am I the only one who feels this way?

With all that in mind, I scoured the internet for what I thought would be a good BB cream to try.  I debated between two brands: Estee Lauder and Dior.  After much consideration, I decided I would give Diorsnow BB Creme a try (I may try the Estee Lauder version at another date).  This cream claims to brighten your skin and and reduce dark spots overtime.  It contains Icelandic Glacial Water, which works as a UV filter to help protect the skin through out day.  This product was also tested on Asian skin, which I thought was a bonus for this cream.  

What I love about this product:

It is light weight.  I'd say the cream feels more like a lotion than cream.  Like I said, I'm not a big fan of heavy/occlusive foundations during the summer.  When you put the product on (best to rub between your fingers to heat it up), it blends easily into the skin to give even coverage.  I find this to be fascinating, because this product only comes in one color.  Therefor, Dior had to be careful in choosing a color and formula that would match many skin tones.  Aside from the dark circles under my eyes (don't we all have that??), I have very few blemishes that need to covered, in which case I just use concealer.  The absorption of the product makes it feel like wearing a moisturizer.  Sometimes I forget that I'm even wearing anything.  Another great feature of this cream, is that it already contains SPF.  Especially during the summer months I am conscious to put on extra SPF over my moisturizer that already contains SPF.  However, with this creme there is no need for that!  Diorsnow has an SPF rating of 50 (and remember the Icelandic Glacial Water helps to filter UV too).  On those days and nights I want to amp up my look, I simply use the creme as a primer underneath my foundation.  Although it's like wearing two foundations, it feels no different from wearing the one.  Does any of this tickle your fancy?  Well, I have to be honest.  Not all products will have a 100 percent approval rating...

(Sorry for the shoddy picture, but this is the best one I have to show you the color of the cream)

(I tried to take a picture during the blending process)

What I'm not loving about this product:
There isn't much about this product that I don't love.  However, I do consider this cream to be expensive.  I do manage to splurge on a few products: my creams and potions.  Seeing as Diorsnow is an all-in-one product of anti-aging serum, moisturizer, sunscreen, and foundation I thought this may be worth its price (you get more bang for your buck, right?).  So far I do like it, but I may try to see if I can get my hands on a sample of Estee Lauder's BB Creme, which would help me save a few pennies.  (Has anyone tried it?)  Another reason I'm thinking of trying EL BB Creme is that their formula is oil-free, unlike Diorsnow.  My skin type is normal to combination oily in the t-zone, so I may benefit from the oil free-formula.
While the SPF is an added benefit some of you may find that it isn't.  With a high SPF of 50, I'm sure this cream is likely to give you a white cast in flash photography (SPF reflects light).  I haven't taken flash pictures since I have been using this product.  Maybe I will take one and update this post with a photo.

Before Diorsnow (Don't mind my messy look please!)

After Diorsnow

All that being said, Diorsnow is a product that I reach for daily.  I have managed to "put my face on" in little time before I go to work.  This product, in my opinion, looks fab and feels great on my face.  I hope I don't run out of it too soon.

Have any of you tried this product or any other BB creams?  Let me know what you think in the comments!

Until next time!

*E 

August Glossybox

My August Glossybox is here!!  I've recently have been on a bit of a shopping spree (posts to come) and I was feeling the urge to get some more products.  Just in the nick of time my Glossybox arrived.

My July box was my first Glossybox.  I have to say I was a little disappointed when I opened it up; therefor, I only blogged about one of the products.  I was feeling a bit of regret that I had spent as much as I did for the subscription.  This month is different.  I'm so excited about this month's box!

First of all, what makes me really happy is knowing that some of the products are or nearly full size.  The cost of the products totally exceeds the price of the box itself!

Second of all, the products in the box seem well suited for me.  The theme of the box is pure luxury.  With the summer coming to an end, Glossybox thought our bodies could use some TLC.  I couldn't agree more!

Biolage | Exquisite Oil (0.16 oz) - $22 for 3.1 oz

Before the summer, I had my hair permed... twice. Between that and the summer heat, my hair is in desperate need of repair.  

Ellis Faas | Creamy Lips in L107 (0.095 oz) - $35 for 0.095 oz =)

I love the packaging of this lip cream, it's so unique.  After I swatched the lip cream, my initial thought was that it was too dark for me (the picture below was after I blended the color a little more).  I was brave enough to put it on my lips and I actually like it!  It is described as a chocolate caramel color that just seems to enhance my lip color with a deeper tone.  Creamy Lips is supposed to have a matte finish, but it is loaded with vitamin E so that your lips are left feeling soft and conditioned, not dry.  I would love to get more of these!  I will have to debate my need for it and the cost in my head, until then I will enjoy this lip cream this fall.

(Any other bloggers out there hate how their hand looks in swatch pictures?)

Illamasqua Nail Varnish | Purity (0.5 oz) - $14 for 0.5 oz =)

I love nail polish!!  This summer my nails have been painted with pinks, neons, gel paints, and nail art.  Truth be told, I'm fearful of having yellow nails haha.  So, I've recently taken off all the nail polish on my hands and feet to give my nails a break.  Then I got my Glossybox!  Maybe my nails can handle another week of color?

(Don't mind my poorly painted nails.  I wanted to quick get this picture before the sun went down.)

Ole Henriksen | Truth Serum (0.5 oz) - $48 for 1 oz

Currently I am using the Estee Lauder Advance Night Repair and Idealist Pore Minimizing serums.  I can't say that I routinely use them, so I also can't say if I've noticed a difference or not.  I've read great reviews of the Truth serum, so I hope to give it a fair chance.  A plus to this here serum is that it has a pleasant citrus smell to it (it's the small things in life that make me happy haha).

Touch in Sol | Feel like Honey Moon Skin Base (1.06 oz) - $20 for 1.13 oz

I know everybody love's Smashbox's Photo Finish Foundation Primer, but at $36 for 1 oz of product seems a bit much.  I'm going to be doing makeup for a friend who will be going to a rehearsal dinner for her friend's wedding.  I might try this product out and see if it holds up well for her to use.  I sure hope so because I'd much rather spend $20 for a primer than $36, every penny counts!

And that's my August Glossybox!  I was lucky enough to be 1 of 10 winners of the Glossybox fan giveaway.  It should be arriving sometime next week.  When it does, I will be sure to let you know what I received!

In other exciting news... I have to two, you read it, two subscribers!!  Like I said, it's the little things in life haha.  Anywho, if you enjoy reading this blog be sure to subscribe in the top right corner of this page!

Until next time!

*E

Don't buy it, I'll make it...

Ever go shopping and find something you like?  Then you look at the price tag and say, "What?!?! I could make this same thing for less money!"  Well I do aaalllll the time.  I often say this when I'm shopping with my friends and for many years they thought I was joking around.  Within the past year or two, they have realized there really is an inner Martha Stewart to me.

(Picture taken from marthastewart.com.  Doesn't she look nice here?)

One of my BEST friends, Aeri, asked me the other day, "What is a good present for a one year old girl?"  So I started thinking.  This little girl already has an older sister, so she should have plenty of hand me downs.  A staple go to gift for children are toys.  Having friends that are parents, I've noticed that sometimes a present other than a toy is appreciated (toys = clutter).  So I thought, why not get this little girl something personalized?  Well, Aeri needed to get something within 2 days at some point between her work schedule and visiting family members out of state.  Purchasing a personal gift seemed to be expensive and out of the timeline .  With this in mind, I channeled my inner Martha.

I texted Aeri back and told her how about I make her a tutu?  All she would need to do is get a few accessories that don't always make it as a hand me down: headbands, onesies, and tights.  Aeri thought it was a great idea!  With her okay, I went to scour the internet for a few DIY tutorials.  Naturally, more ideas came to fruition (ooo lala, note the SAT word).  With a plan in mind I set out for my local Walmart and Joann | fabric and craft stores!

Items picked up at Walmart:

• 3/4 inch elastic band - $0.97
• 3 pack of 18 month onesies - $6.97
• 5 pack of hangers - $4.74

Items picked up at Joann's

• 4 x 1 yard of tulle - 4 x $1.99
• 5 yards of 12 gauge aluminum wire - $3.99
• 1/2 yard of jersey fabric - $3.50
• Zebra star decal - $3.29
• Cupcake/Sweetie decal - $3.99

I managed to go to the mall as well since I was in the area.  But more on that at a later post...

I made it back home and got out all my crafting supplies.  There are a lot of DIY tutorials on the internet.  So I will leave my tutorial out of this post.  If you want me to post a DIY on any of these products let me know in the comments below.

(I opted out of using the ribbon for the final product)

A couple of hours later, more than a tutu was made!  After breaking it down, it was about $20 for all things made.  All Aeri had to pick up to complete the gift was some tights.

The generous friend that Aeri is surprised me and got me this lovely gift!!! I'm so excited about it!  Any guesses on what it may be?  Leave a comment below!  I'll let you in on the surprise at a later post!

Until next time!

*E

August Birchbox

My first Birchbox has arrived!!  After being wait listed for what seems like foooorever (insert Sandlot image), I was able to sign up for my Birchbox subscription. Here's a look inside my box...

• Schick Hyrdo Silk - This is the new Schick razor out on the market that retails for $12.99 and $17.49 for the 4 cartridge pack.  This razor has five curve sensing blades, which allows the razor to safely and effectively shave those difficult areas like knees and ankles.  There is also a hypoallergenic moisturizing serum around the blades which helps to keep irritation at bay.  The razor also came with a coupons for the cartridge refills and shaving cream.  This new razor may give my Venus a run for its money!
• Pixi Lip & Line - This is a two in one lip wand that retails for $18.  On one end is the waterproof lip liner and the other is a moisturizing lipstick.  The color I received was Nearly Neutral.  This summer I've been really into pink lips, so I may use this more in the fall/winter.

• Juicy Couture | Viva la Jucy La Fleur sample size - This is Juicy Couture's new scent.  It retails for $70 for the 2.5 oz bottle.  The perfume is described to have smells of mandarin, wild berries, honeysuckle and jasmine.  This is a nice light scent that can be worn daily.  I think this might be my next perfume purchase.
• Yu-Be Moisturing Skin Cream sample size - This a multipurpose cream, retails for $16 for 1.25 oz, that originated from Japan.  This cream can be used for your lips, feet and hands.  I would say that this product is more of a cross between cream and ointment with a bit of a medicinal smell due to the camphor.  I have been using the sample on the back of my hands and have been loving the results.  I'm just not sure if it want to spend $16 for a 1.25 oz bottle. 
• Miss Jessie's Stretch Silkening Creme 2 oz sample - This product is a moisturizing and conditioning curl creme that retails for $22 for 8 oz.  I've recently gotten a digital perm... twice.  The first time my hair barely looked curl.  So I went back to the salon to have it redone.  Needless to say, my hair has been in desperate need of repair and conditioning.  So I do look forward to trying this out. 

Wow! This post went longer than I had planned! I have to say I think this box was well worth the $10 I paid for the razor alone! If you want a thorough review on any of these products let me know in the comments below! 

Until next time!

*E

PS. If you enjoy my posts please don't forget to subscribe to my blog!  =)

Fancy Feet

Hola!

I'm sure many of you have already seen what was in July's GlossyBox.  But I felt compelled to write about the Alessandro Heel Rescue Balm.

Let me start off by saying, I hate feet! I don't know what it is, but there is nothing appealing about feet.  (Those with a foot fetish need not apply here!)  Anywho... I can't say that I have the best looking feet.  My feet have many miles of running on them and many a 14 hour days standing on them.  Oh, and I love to wear sandals/flip-flops for as long as the seasons let me. (I'm sure you now have an image of ugly feet in sandals.  Sorry!)  Needless to say, my feet often long for TLC.  I do love the occasional pedicure; however, my spending habits don't allow me to do it as often as I would like.  Enough ramblings about my feet!

(Courtesty weheartit.com.  I do love to wear heels!)

I do love the results of using heavy creams and wearing gel socks.  But I feel like the soft skin I long for does not last long after taking the socks off.  Let me add that I hate to wear socks, so I rarely manage to keep the socks on for more than 15 minutes.  Enter Heel Rescue Balm.  This is one of the best products I've used on my tootsies to date.  The balm is pretty light so it doesn't leave your feet feeling suffocated.  It instantly softens my skin and lasts ages!  I had a night out in 4 inch stilettos and my feet paid for it in blisters!  I made sure to apply the balm daily and my night of mayhem has left no trace on my feet.  I will also add that the Heel Rescue Balm has a refreshing smell to it that is not too overpowering.

(Courtesy of weheartit.com)

This all sounds lovely, right?  Why of course it does!  But to my chagrin, this product is not sold in the US!!  With luck on my side, my MIL lives in the UK.  I may have to give her a ring and have her send me loads of it!  Until then, I will savor my little sample.

Thanks for reading!

*E