Haul from Blueskysunburn's Blog Sale!

I love shopping. This is no secret. I love a bargain, I'm sure many of you can relate:) So I was sooo excited when blueskysunburn posted her amaaaazing Blog Sale!!! There were sooo many things I wanted to buy! But, I kept my list small (the first time around anyway;) and ordered just a few things! They got here super fast and I wanted to share with you my new (very inexpensive) items!!:)

Sephora Cheek Contour Brush

OPI Holland Collection Dutch Treats Mini Pack

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in 001 Transparent

NYX Studio Liquid Liner in Extreme Sapphire

EcoTools Bamboo Finishing Kabuki Brush

I've been trying to build up my brush collection and I was so excited to get these two brushes from her! I've been using a contour brush from elf and it's just gotten so flat, I'm not sure it's doing any contouring at all anymore;) lol.

This is my FIRST EVER KABUKI BRUSH! Ahhh. I love how it feels! It's has taklon bristles--which actually look and feel very horse-like to me:) But yay for cruelty free product, it is synthetic:)

You'll remember in one of my last Flashback Friday posts I talked about how I was using blue eyeliner again to make my brown eyes pop! I picked up the NYX liquid liner to play with it; and if I don't like it, I'm not out that much money:)

The mini polishes are perfect for me! I love having more colors but rarely get through a regular sized bottle of polish. Having the minis gives me more options without having to buy full bottles that may go to waste!:) And p.s. these colors are all gorgeous.

Finally, you can never have too much pressed powder:) Especially in the hot summer months; sometimes you just want a light powder to "powder your nose" and conceal the shine:)

Yay!! Jennifer did a great job getting it packaged up and sent out right away! If you're looking for some fun new makeup, you should definitely check out her sale! I just scrolled through it again, and I see even more stuff I want now... lol. It's going fast, so get over there now!!:)

Have you gotten any really good makeup deals lately? How do you feel about blog sales? Would you sell your gently used/swatched makeup? Have you ever bought someone's used makeup?

How to be Naked for less!

Hi Lovelies! Remember when the Naked2 palette came out? Remember how it seemed like EVERY GIRL IN THE WORLD was buying it and almost every beauty blogger was doing reviews/swatches of it?

Then there was the price tag... $50... *sigh*... and sure, you could rationalize and say welllll for 12 colors, that's only like $4 per color... so it's not that bad...

But let's be honest, especially if you're looking for beauty on a budget, that is just a big chunk of change to throw down for one product. Even if it is a product you just *know* you'll use EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE if you buy it!

Well, that's how I rationalized it (and really, I have been using it pretty much every day;) but still, is there a cheaper way? Or a way to get the same look for less?

Ladies and Gentlemen, I think I may actually have a partial solution if you don't want to throw down the $50 but still want to have the fun neutral looks that other girls are doing with the Naked2 Palette.

May I present to you Caviar and Bubbles by Nyx! ($10)

So here are some of the basic comparisons: Nyx is definitely a smaller palette than the Naked2. It comes in a smaller case that you can easily throw in your purse; whereas the Naked2 is bigger.

Almost all the colors are very similar. Naked2 has two more; and the Nyx one has a pink-ish and a white (which Naked2 does not) but the browns, neutrals, and blacks are very comparable.

Naked2 comes with the fancy double ended brush applicator; Nyx comes with a double ended sponge applicator. I prefer the brush.

You're probably wondering about the big question right now though, how do the products actually compare!? Well, I still think the Naked2 colors are deeper/richer and have more shimmer/shine to them. They just appear more vibrant when applied. However, the Nyx ones are not that much different.

For about a week, I would do one eye with Naked2 and one with the Nyx shadows. When blended, you could hardly tell a difference. Can you tell which eye is which?

.....

The one on the left is Naked2 and the one on the right is Nyx! But it's pretty close, right?

So conclusions? I'm still glad that I have the Naked2 palette; but I do think the Nyx is a decent buy to replicate many of the Naked2 looks! If you don't have the $50 for Naked2, I'd definitely encourage you to pay the $10 to pick up the Nyx one. And even if you already have the Naked2, it doesn't hurt to have the Nyx lying around. Because of the size, you can throw it in a little purse if you're going out and may need to touch up your eye makeup later:)

Have you tried the Nyx shadows? Have you found any other cheaper versions of the Naked2 colors?:)

New e.l.f. stuff!! :)

Hi Lovelies!! Didn't get a chance to blog last night! (I'm sure you noticed, haha:) I pretty much fell asleep right after dinner! (the sleep was MUCH needed and MUCH appreciated!!:)

Anyway, I went shopping again! This time to Target and picked up just a few new e.l.f. products:) Instead of showing all individual pictures, I'm just going to do a group shot and show more pictures of them when I do reviews! :)

 

1. Bronzing Brush -- $1 -- since I'm starting to play around with contouring, I knew it was time to invest in a good bronzer brush to get the right angle so it starts to look like it's supposed to ;) 

2. Luscious Liquid Lipstick -- $1 -- 2111 Baby Lips -- I'm excited about trying this product. A few years back... well... more like eight years back... I remember using something similar to this from Bonne Bell except it had a brush instead of a sponge for the applicator.

3. Eyelid Primer -- $1 -- I've used this product before and it worked pretty good for a primer; I felt like it ran out quite quickly. But, it is only a dollar and only .17fl oz;)

4. Shimmering Facial Whip -- $1 --1205 Lilac Petal -- Not gonna lie, I kinda picked this up just for the name:) I love the words "shimmering" and "whip" :) lol sounds beautiful and delicious! Its use is to highlight cheeks, eyes, and lips (multi-purpose!:)

5.) Nail Polish Remover Pads -- $1 -- I've already reviewed these and LOVE them:) Using cotton balls last week just didn't cut it; I had to buy more!!

And I didn't get all e.l.f. stuff, I also picked up...

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush 45 Orchid Hush

I know, I know. I just got one of these earlier this week and haven't even reviewed that one yet! I'm not even much of a blush wearer, but I'm enjoying it so far and this shade just really intrigues me! It may not look good at all with my skin-tone, but it's such a pretty color!!!:)

That's all for now! I'm hoping to have some time this weekend to catch up on more posts! 

Mini Walmart Makeup Haul

So I'm kinda swerving from the schedule for a bit, but from the survey results I think you all are okay with that;)

Anyway, I did a little shopping and wanted to do a quick mini-haul to show you what I got! Of course there will be full reviews on all the stuff after I've used it enough!

This is all from Walmart... I went for some groceries and just got sidetracked into the makeup section...

In my defense, I really was in need of new mascara;)

Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes in Blackest Black

But along with that, I also got:

150 Classic Ivory

Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam foundation. I know there have been some mixed reviews over this. I'd seen in first in an ad in a magazine and thought the concept was pretty cool. After reading Kelly's post on it, I knew I wanted to try it! I'll save all the details for my full review, but let's just say, day two of use and I'm pretty pleased:)

05 Fresh Pink

Next was another new Maybelline product: the bouncy blush! Everyone said it was actually kinda bouncy! I made the mistake of pressing on it thinking it would spring back up (nope, just left a dent hahaha). First impressions, it's very soft and light.

717A Bronze Gold

This was the most random purchase. I'd been thinking about getting e.l.f.'s highlighter/bronzer duo, but I saw NYC Sun 2 Sun Bronzing Powder and figured I'd pick it up yet. I have not even opened it yet! So no first impressions yet:)

Last but not least, I picked up some more eyebrow waxing strips! I'm not sure if this is the same brand I usually use just in new packaging, but I'm hoping they work just as well! An easy/fast/cheap way to get great shaped eyebrows at home!

So that's it for now! Like I said, full reviews to come soon! How 'bout you? Any shopping lately? Find any fab new products? You must share!:)

Dry Shampoo: Thoughts and Reviews

Hey Lovelies! I have something exciting to share with you tonight! So a few weeks ago on my Wednesday Q&A days, Minnie asked if I could review a dry shampoo. Now let me tell you, I was trying to use "dry shampoo" before it was actually an "in" thing to do. (This was back in the late 90s, early 2000s and it was called "baby powder" lol) The concept was the same... sprinkle/spray something on your hair that dries up the oil and grease so you can get away with day (or two.. or three, I won't judge;) old dirty hair.

from Suave Website

Now, I just got the cheap Suave brand at Walmart for about $3. I've had it for almost three weeks now, and have used it sporadically throughout the time. It's super simple to use! Shake the can, hold 8-10 inches away from head, and spray at the root/hairline where needed. It says to press hands on head if there's a white residue (you can also comb through it).

This is also a great product if you're sweaty from the gym and don't have time to shower before you have to run errands or something. A little spray and you're good as new!

I LOVE the smell of this. It smells citrus'y to me and very fresh! So the hair looks AND smells clean!

I did overdue it one day and it looked like I'd dyed my hair white! lol. But I was able to just rub it right in.

Overall, for the price, smell, convenience, and overall results achieved from this, I would definitely recommned the product. (sidenote, when I was younger, Suave was like THE ONLY product my mom would buy because it was so cheap. But it also was CHEAP in quality [personal opinion]. I believe it has come so far in the past 10 or so years that it is just as good as a lot of the more expensive brands).

Now! Here is the exciting part of the post! DivaMommyTweets of Mommy in the Making was kind enough to share with me her thoughts on the Victoria's Secret Dry Shampoo:

from VS website

So Sexy Style Clean & Go Dry Shampoo
Affordable at $14…smells like most things VS, sweet and girly.
Unlike others it doesn't leave a foggy haze after spraying it. It sprays pretty evenly so no need to focus just on greasy spots. I usually spray in two side parts and brush it through…again doesn't leave hair greasy if you over spray. Its light enough to leave hair stylable. Depending on how much you spray and how often you use it will obviously determine how long the bottle lasts. I use it about twice a week, not ubber-generous, and it lasts me ~3 months. One draw back, some bottle's sprayers break off so you're left with a full can…check the sprayer before you buy! Some VS are really nice if you bring back a light-use bottle and let you exchange for a new one if the sprayer breaks off.

Thanks so much, Diva! 

Now how about you? Have you tried a dry shampoo? What kind? What did you think?

I Heart Garnier Fructis Surf Hair

I think I mentioned a few Monday Hair Posts back that I seem to have a bunch of Garnier Fructis hair products (oh yes, it's true). And what's kinda interesting about it is that none of them were ever bought at the same time. They all were bought for different purposes (depending on what I was bothered about by my hair at the time. lol)

Things I love about Garnier Fructis? The packaging! Everything is green and yellow and bright and fun. They come in good shapes and sizes. The smell! I can't quite say what exactly everything smells like.. kinda fruity, kinda tropical, kinda sweet, but all around delightful. The price! I feel like I can get high end quality results with a lower end priced product. 

If you ever ask me what my favorite product for my wavy hair is, this would be my answer: Garnier Fructis Surf Hair Texture Paste. This stuff is aaaamaaaaazzzinnng!!! It's like light a mousse, but I feel has more hold to my hair. So it's sticky like a gel, but more malleable and doesn't get hard and crunchy. ($4-ish at Walgreens)

The website provides this information:
Got the beach in your soul? Get surf in your hair.

. Messed-up, matte effect style with flexible hold
. Definition and volume without build-up

Hold Level: Strong

How to use: Rub a dime size amount of paste between your palms, apply to slightly damp/dry hair and style. Define individual areas with your fingers.

clearly time for more (but you can see how much I love it!!)

I LOVE the waves I get from it. Parts of my hair actually look curly instead of just wavy. Downsides? I've found that my hair is kinda gross the day after. After sleeping on it it often looks like a mushed up mess and it can be hard to brush/comb through. Also, (this could be how I'm scrunching) my hair tends to frizz A LOT so I NEED to use enough anti-frizz serum/cream/whatever before this product. I'm still trying to get the right combination of products to work together. (note: sometimes I scrunch and blow dry... and my hair ends up HUGE... sometimes I scrunch and air dry. It's sometimes more flat but more curly then. weird)

But definitely try this if you want a fast, easy hair style that will last all day:)

Have you tried this product? Am I the only one that is subconsciously obsessed with Garnier Nuctris???

Sinful Colors Extra Shiny Lipgloss Review

Happy Thursday, friends! OMG, this has only been a three day work week and it feels like it's been going on forever!!! Hope you're having a fab week and have something super planned for the weekend and the New Year's festivities!! I know the schedule says Thursdays are lips or eyes days and I've been doing lips only the past few weeks (however, you will recall that I'm a lipgloss addict, so I think this was to be expected;) I do have some eye products I'm ready to review, but I really wanted to talk about these lip glosses first!

So Hayley7363 posted a video last week and claimed these lip glosses were the "best drugstore lip gloss that I have ever used!" Now, I heart Hayley a lot and I really trust her judgment (plus, I find that I love a lot of the same stuff she loves) so I knew I just had to try these myself!

I went to the Walgreens closest to me and there was only one left. *sigh* I was so disheartened since I was so excited about getting them!! I asked the Beauty Advisor if they had any others anywhere... no... that was it. *sigh* But have no fear! Where I live there are Walgreens on nearly every street corner! So, I went to another one and found a display that still had a bunch left!! I picked up 4 colors all in the pink family: Virginia Beach, Creamsicle Cream, Fushia, and Wink:

with flash (to see sparkle)

no flash

Fushia, Creamsicle Cream, Virginia Beach, Wink (flash)

Fushia, Creamsicle Cream, Virginia Beach, Wink (no flash)

I swatched each of them so you can see the colors, but I must say, Hayley wasn't that far off when she talked about how wonderful they are. It really is the perfect consistency of gloss and color. It's not gloopy or sticky or runny or watery... It has pretty well staying power; I do re-apply throughout the day, but it's not so excessive that it feels out of the ordinary. Now, it does come off pretty easily too.. there are lip marks on every cup I drink out of now;) And be careful who you kiss 'cause you might just be marking that up too lol:)

There is a light sweet smell... almost like frosting... but really no flavor when applied. You can wear them alone or over other colors. I've only been wearing them alone right now, and I looooove how they look.

Fushia is still a little much for me... it's both bright and dark all at the same time (which I know sounds crazy, but that's how I feel when I wear it.) Wink, a soft pink with very little glitter, is by far my all time favorite; and I'll probably run to Walgreens to pick up at least another Wink 'cause I know I'm going to go through it fast!! Virginia Beach and Creamsicle Cream are similar shades with Virginia Beach being a little more "frosty" or lighter and more glimmery (pretty sure that's not a word; but it definitely works to describe it:)

Overall, I would say definitely go to Walgreens (more than one if needed) and pick a couple of these up. Did I mention they're only $1.99???

Have you tried these glosses yet? What brand would you say is your all time favorite drug store lip gloss??

e.l.f. Nail Polish Removers and TEA:)

Oh, what a super fun day! So, the tea place (Tabitha's Tea) was a-maz-ing! There were sooo many tea choices! I got the Queen's Tea and had soup and little tea sandwiches and pastries and UNLIMITED TEA!!! Oooh it was delish! I'm hoping to go back there again soon. 

Today was also a success in getting the things I wanted! I went to Target and could not find the nail polish remover wipes :( sad. Thankfully, another Target did! These are simply genius!! One pad took off the polish of all ten fingers and probably could've kept going!They advertise "Instantly beautiful, healthy-looking nails designed, formulated and tested by our professional team or makeup artists." And it's true! My nails definitely looked and felt clean and healthy! It wasn't a greasy residue left afterwards, just a soft light oily feel. Almost like cuticle oil. There's a light citrus scent which is absolutely lovely! 


My favorite part though (this really made me smile) on the ingredients it says: "foamy agent, alcohol, perfume, purified water"... Foamy agent?? Really?? Is that a technical term? I love it:) 


I'm still going to keep my bottle of acetone around (these pads supposedly aren't good for glitter polishes--of which, I have many;) but I will definitely be stocking up on these wipes! 18 for $1 is a deal I just can't pass up!


Oh! And I did get Wet 'n Wild's holiday palette! But, that's another story for another day;)


xoxo,