Caboodles

I finally found a Caboodle in store that wasn't the new variety with the train case. I wanted something as similar to the old school 1980's Caboodle I rocked back in the day. I even went on Ebay in search of an old one, but people were trying to rape on shipping. $15 for the Caboodle, sweet. $15 for shipping, ahhhh no. Not spending $30 on some plastic. Especially old used plastic. So I FINALLY found a brand spanking new one at Target for only $12! Had to have it! It fits all my make up in there perfectly. So excited. Best part is now my make up won't be hap hazardly scattered all over the bathroom, and my oldest tween who has discovered make up can't "borrow" my items if I keep them in my bedroom. Winning!

Cafe Escapes

Apparently I entered Ken and myself into some contest for Café Escapes because we wont 2 packs of their samplers. I don't remember, but I enter a lot of contests so it's not surprising. This comes with Chai Latte, Caramel, Vanilla & Mocha  varieties. They retail for $11.99 for a 12 count box at your local grocery store/ chain retailer. They are about 70 calories per k cup, because the flavoring/creamer is already built in. As far as the taste goes... it's okay and that's being generous. It doesn't taste bad, but it's a weak cup of coffee with just a hint of flavoring. I much prefer my dark roasts with half & half and a packet of Stevia. I can't say that I am going to rush out and buy these but I am happy I got to try them in the sampler pack. If I was  giving a 4 star rating, this would get 2 maybe 1. The price is bull crap for the taste.

BB Creams Reviewed

I thought I would review some of the bb creams I have tried recently.

Boscia BB Cream retails for $38. It comes in one shade. It is self adjusting. It gives a slight sheen to the face for a really natural, illuminated finish. Oil free & spf 27. It also has a botanical base. I got the most compliments from wearing this cream. 

Dr Jart Premium + BB Cream retails for $39. It also comes in one self adjusting shade. It contains an spf 45. It is antioxidant rich, and contains a lot of collagen. It's mean to be a restorative anti aging wearable treatment. The smell is not the greatest, but it's still a nice finish. Not too illuminated, but not a matte either.

Tarte Tinted 12 Hour Treatment BB retails for $34 and is available in 4 shades from pale to tan. It contains spf 30. What I like about this one is it is indeed a more matte finish than any other beauty balm. It's probably because I think it has more coverage/priming capabilities than any other. When I didn't want to wear foundation, but needed more than traditional bb creams this is my go to.

Jolly Vox Box

I received my Jolly Vox Box today from Influenster. If you're not signed up, I really urge you to. By completing surveys, and reviewing products you can qualify to become a product tester for certain boxes they put together.
This box is pretty exciting. It contains:
Puffs Ultra Soft & Strong To Go tissues. Retail value $0.50. These are super strong, and perfect to toss in your purse, car, or anywhere you'll be on the go.
NYC Color HD Trio Eyeshadow. Retail value $2.99 It's a silky, light weight shadow in a wonderful neutral Long Beach Sands 781 variety. It's perfect for that smokey eye look. Has the highlighter for under the brow bone, your all over the lid shade, and then your crease. Pair it with a nice chocolate or coffee liner, and you have a fantastically inexpensive look!
Rimmel London Show Off Lip Lacquer. Retail value $5.99. This is absolutely amazing. The color is rich and intense. It has the feel of a lipstick but the shine of a gloss. There is a good amount of shade selection as well. This particular color is a nice rosey pink. Celestial 101.
Ducklings Mini Duct Tape Roll. Retail value $2.00. Excellent for crafting. My children LOVE making things out of duct tape. Tears easily by hand, and is easily pliable. Great at adhereing as well.
Skinny Cow Divine Chocolates. Retail value $3.99 per box. There are 6 single serving pouches per box of almost too good to be true candy. There are only 130 calories per snack pack, so you don't have to feel guilty enjoying a sweet treat.

Update On Secret Clinical Kit

My Secret Clinical Kit arrived today. I received a full size deodorant solid, a sample of Olay's Fresh Effects Shine Free face wash, a coupon for an additional full size deodorant ( my choice solid or gel ), a coupon for a free Venus razor, and some higher value coupons for other P&G products ( Pantene & Covergirl ). Totally worth the $4.99 shipping charges. I've used the deodorant before, and I like it. Especially with my work out routines. This really does work!

Sephora Eyeshadow Palettes

I know I've posted a couple of different Sephora eyeshadow palettes because they are my absolute favorite. Nice color selection, great staying power, and fantastic price. This is my current favorite. I swear it was crafted by black baby Jesus himself for my green eyes. Sephora IT-Nude retails for $32. Comes in a cute faux leatherette case, with a brush ( has both eyeshadow & eyeliner applicator ) plus a kohl eye pencil, 10 eyeshadow shades, and 2 powder liners. The shades are a range of neutrals some with varying shimmer, and some matte in finish. Absolute favorite palette to date!

Aqualina Pink Sugar

More Christmas gifts arrive. My husband every year pretty much says pick out what you want, and here is my credit card to pay for it. Best arrangement ever because he knows he gets one extremely happy wife! So I picked up this set from Ulta. Aqualina Coffret~ Pink Sugar, Simply Pink & Gold Sugar ( all that's missing is Sugar Noir ). This set is amazing because they are full size bottles ( 1oz each ). It retails for $65, and worth every penny. Plus right now Ulta is giving away their holiday robes with any fragrance purchase. I can't tell you how many of these I own. They are awesome. Soft,  velvety, and keeps me nice and toasty.
As for a review of the scents. Gold sugar is like crème brule topped with coconut and a hint of orange. Simply pink is vanilla & strawberries. Super and I mean SUPER sweet. Pink Sugar smells like cotton candy. I love them all, and so does my husband, if you know what I mean.

Thirty-One

I just have to take a moment to talk to you about Thirty-One. Now I've been to a couple parties that friends or friends of friends have hosted. I never really got into all of it, and I was guarded with my purchases given their prices. I wasn't impressed over all with the quality of their products that are featured at the parties, and fabric purses with skirts aren't my thing. However, when I saw they had flat iron cases I was game. I purchased one about 12-18 months ago. At first it was great. It did exactly what it said it would. Protected my flat iron, and other surfaces from said flat iron. Then it just started to crumble. The liner separated from the case. The print of the fabric actually transferred onto my countertop. To say that I was unimpressed is an understatement.

 

 

 

I wrote Thirty-One on multiple occasions and got no response. Their customer service was equally as horrid as their product. Finally, after a final attempt Elizabeth from customer relations sent me an email to see if my issue had been resolved. No, Elizabeth, you're the first person to help me. She informs me that if it had been under 30 days they would have refunded me 1/3 the cost of the case in credit towards other merchandise with their company. That's ridiculous and just not acceptable to me. I didn't think I would get a whole new case, but honestly that's only telling me that they know they make  crappy products and it's not going to last me more than a month. I paid $25 for the case, and the cheapo $10 case I had to go out and get at Target worked better. I informed her of my displeasure with the entire situation and she was shocked. She became very apologetic, and offered to replace the case for me entirely. I guess they had a lot of complaints over it, and they completely redesigned it.
So today my new case arrived. Elizabeth was completely correct in saying she thought that I will be pleased and love this case. It appears to be well constructed, made of completely different materials. Here's to hoping that I can let you guys know in a year that it's still going strong.

Bodycology Holiday Sets

My youngest daughter is such a sweetheart. She asked me for $5 because she wanted to buy me a present for Christmas. Now I'm aware this means I bought my own present, but she's 8 years old, and has a heart of gold. So I gave her $5, and we went to Target. This is what she picked out for me.

It smells fantastic. She has good taste. I think she might be a future beauty product addict just like her mother. Not to mention the experience of shopping with her was a blast. Thanks lil Mac. In all honesty though these are great sets. They have so many to choose from everywhere ( Target, Walmart, Meijer, CVS, Walgreens, ect ). I'm considering going back and getting a couple more sets ( if not now, definitely when they start to clearance out the xmas items ) because for the $2-10 each set costs ( depending on content ) that's a steal! XOXO is really light, and smells like raspberry lemonade with a hint of musk.

Benefit Cosmetics Complexion Kit

 

Normally I am a HUGE advocate of just wearing a bb cream. However I wanted something more for the times when I know I will be photographed, like the holiday season. My husband told me to pick out my Christmas gifts, and of course that meant beauty products! I picked up this lil trial kit at Sephora. Benefit Cosmetics: How To Look The Best At Everything in Light retails for $30 ( they have three color varieties ). First in the kit is Pore Professional. It's a lightly tinted beauty balm that smoothes over pores and helps prep the skin for foundation application. Next is Hello Flawless Oxygenated foundation. Light, creamy, and easy to apply. After smoothing over the foundation I applied a tiny bit of the Boi-ing concealer. They include two colors and I used the lighter one to highlight, and the darker one to cover circles under my eyes. Then swept the powder across the face for a finishing touch. Love it! Makes my face look flawless and completely airbrushed. So happy with this purchase and will definitely be getting the full size products!

I' m adding the close up of me. You can see it better, plus my hair is actually done which I think lends to the entire look. I honestly can't wait to get the full size products.
*Update*
People inquired how long the airbrushed finished lasted. I have to preface this by saying this is going to vary depending on your skin type. I have NEVER EVER had ANY make up last more than 4-5 hours on me without having to reapply. This is in line with that. I applied it at noon, and it lasted through dinner and a little after ( we ate at 3pm... so I would say I touched up around 5ish ). I know some people feel that's a horrible time frame, but I think those people are unrealistic. That's a great time frame for me! Still thrilled with the purchase!

Double Secret Deal

Head over to Secret's website  and take advantage of their Double Secret Deal. For $4.99 shipping you get 1 Secret Clinical Strength deodorant, a coupon for a second one for free, an Olay Fresh Effects face wash, and some other P&G  high value/freebie coupons.

L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector

I've always been a big fan of L'Oreal skincare. I have sensitive combination skin ( oily t zone, drier cheeks ) with the occasional break out ( usually hormonal ). My main concerns are fine lines & wrinkles, enlarged pores, and uneven skin tone/texture. I also want a product that has some type of SPF because while I try to avoid the sun at all costs, it's unavoidable.
So with all those requirements I chose L'Oreal Youth Code. I use their daily foaming face wash. It gently exfoliates the skin, plus removes all make up residue. It's oil free too. This retails for $7.99.
Then I go on to using the serum concentrate. It's main ingredient is  LR2412 which honestly I have no idea what that is, but it makes my skin feel amazing. Instantly and visibly tightening pores, diminishing fine lines/wrinkles and revealing soft, even skin texture. This retails for $24.99.
I follow up with their day & night cream. It's main ingredient is Perline-P, and again I don't really know much about the chemistry behind this, but I do know that it works. This cream is non greasy, has a great clean scent, and does exactly what it promises. My skin feels like velvet and looks radiant all at the same time. This retails for $24.99.
I repeat this regime twice a day. In the evening I also use a sensitive skin baby wipe ( Pampers ) to take off my make up first ( especially waterproof eye make up ). The baby wipe is a great alternative to those expensive make up removers. It's gentle enough for a newborn, and a fraction of the cost.
The quality is great too and the products really last. I generally can use these for about 2-3 months before having to rebuy. I usually find them on sale either for $5-10 off ( plus check for coupons in the paper ), or buy one get one 50% off. Target, Walgreens, CVS, Meijer, Ulta, ect always have these on special. There are other products to this line too that I haven't explored, but they aren't targeted towards my skin type. They have Youth Code for dark spot correction, and they also have a try me kit (3 most popular products in travel size  for $24.99 ) of their basic line ( is not aimed at tone &  texture, but is more for the anti aging aspects ). They also carry various BB creams which I haven't tried, yet. I encourage you all to give it a try. You will notice results within a week.

FREE Essence Of Beauty Body Spray

Hurry over the Facebook and like CVS Minute Clinic Page. Then click on  their body mist offer, and print yourself a coupon for a free 2oz body spray. Limit one per Facebook account, so I used everyone in the house's to score all three.  It's a $2.99 value. Reminds me slightly of Bath & Body Works but with far less scent options ( I believe there are only 5 scents to choose from ). It also doesn't last as long as their fragrance mists do. However it's free, and perfect for a quick touch up through out the day. I like their Secret Woods which is similar to Twilight Woods.

Free Essence Of Beauty Body Spray

Black Friday Shopping Score

 I received the $15 gift card in the mail from Ulta for their horrible customer service and website issues with my account. Thanks again to Michelle for her ultra quick and friendly help in fixing the situation. A couple days later I received an email notifying me that I had a little over $9 in rewards from prior purchases, and I had a $3.50 coupon. So armed with my almost $30 I thought let's go shopping! Then it dawned on me. Black Friday/Cyber Monday is right around the corner. Lets wait and see what sales we  can take advantage of.

                                   
First off Organix Hair Care. I know that it's a drugstore product. I know that there is supposed to be some huge taboo against a professional stylist recommending, let alone using something outside of the salon. Well boo f'n hoo cosmetology police. I love it. My hair has never ever looked nor felt better. I've tried just about every single one of them now ( Coconut Oil is great, as is the Biotin & Collagen ) . They retail for about $6.99 each, but you can always find them on sale, usually buy one get one free like Ulta had on Black Friday and if you can find them in the 50% more free bonus sizes even better.

Secondly I bought the NYX Stick Blush in Tea Rose & Mineral Setting Powder in Light/Medium Matte for bogo. I have yet to use either because they just arrived today. They came highly recommended from another fellow beauty product lover. They retail for $9.99 each normally. I'm a huge fan of cream/gel blushes so I can't wait to apply this and see it's results. Plus in purchasing the hair care and face make up I got this lovely Ulta gift  called Here Comes The Sun. It contains an Ulta Collection foaming face wash, eye shadow in Flushing, lip color in Perfectly Nude, Amped Lashes mascara, Super Shiny lip gloss in Flirtini, nail polish in OH!, and some cheap pos brushes ( but hey they were free and now my kid can play make up with them )  packed into a cute lil bag. Estimated value is $40. I've tried their mascara before and it's okay. Not my favorite, but still leaps and bounds better than it's drug store counterparts ( see sometimes I am a product snob ). I LOVE LOVE LOVE their lip glosses though. I would say out of all the lip glosses I own, probably 80% of them are from this line.  You really couldn't ask for more from a lip gloss. True to color glossy finish. Super moisturizing. Pleasant scent & taste. They have so many colors to choose from. They are only $8 a tube, but they are ALWAYS on sale for far less. It's slightly sticky ( incase you don't like that ), but I prefer it because I think it makes it adhere better. I use it alone, or layered on top of my lip sticks.
So thank Ulta again for all the great deals! You're A-Okay in my book... for now.

Suave Family Vox Box

I received a Suave Family Vox Box free from Influentster for myself and my family to try out. Each influenster got a different kit. Mine comes with a Suave Kids styling gel, Suave Professional styling paste, and Suave Professional Keratin Infusion dry shampoo.
The gel is kind of thicker than either one of my daughters would like. I think it would be fantastic for someone with short hair, likely someone seeking to spike.  It definitely is a firmer hold, but it's alcohol free so there is no flaking. It claims it's a cool ocean scent, but it really doesn't have one at all. Retails for approximately $3.49.
The paste reminds me of American Crew Defining Paste. It has a clean fresh scent. I'm curious to use it on my husband. He hasn't used product in forever. Maybe for the holiday. This should last him forever. Retails for approximately $3.99.
The dry shampoo is great. Especially for my oldest daughter. She has physical education first thing in the morning for school. She takes this with her to refresh her hair after sweating. However because it contains keratin it doesn't dry out the hair. I've used it to revive volume in my hair after a long workday or when it's humid. Just aim at the scalp and fluff it up. The scent is a soft powdery floral. Nothing too overwhelming though. Retails for approximately $3.99
Overall the only product I could see us repurchasing would be the dry shampoo.

Lets Here It For Curel

Please do not pay any attention to my chipped nail polish. However do take note that my hands are NOT chapped, chaffed, scaly, dry, bleeding, ect like they normally are by this time in the season. My hands feel amazing and it's all because of Curel Intensive Healing Cream. I know I blogged about this already below, but I thought I'd give you hands on proof. Pun totally intended ;)
*disclaimer... I have to let you know I got this product sample free from Bzzagent. I have since bought a bunch more because it's totally worth it!

Update On Ultra Redemption

For all my issues with Ulta ( both in store and online ) I wrote a letter to them voicing my displeasure with my Ulta experiences. I also required assistance since  I got locked out of my account and wanted to purchase something exclusive to their store. Anyways the girl I dealt with ( Michelle ) was fantastic, and kind of renewed my faith in the chain. I still have wicked hate for my local store ( bunch of drag queen looking snooty bitches ), but at least the online assistance was great. She also sent me a $15 gift card as an apology ( she had no idea why I got locked out, but she had to reset my account and I lost some points because of it ). Kudos ULTA Beauty. I will continue to shop there. In fact I have my eye on a new eye shadow pallet.

Gevalia Kaffe

So I was FINALLY selected from HouseParty.com to host the Gevalia For The Love Of Foam At Home house party. I couldn't wait to dive right into the kit as soon as it arrived. It contained 3 boxes of K Cups for the Keurig ( cappuccino, caramel macchiato & mocha latte ), 2 coupons for free additional boxes, plus $1 off coupons for guests ). I had to just had to know exactly how they taste, so over the next 3 days I tried each one. I considered trying them all on the same day, but I'm a little lactose intolerant, and every single one of these is made with real milk. Though individually I had no issues.
So first things first everything they have in common. They all taste great. As I stated they are all made with real milk. You use the froth packet then brew your espresso k cup over it as you normally would. I like to then give it a light stir to make sure everything melted. You will generate a  good amount of foam this way too. They retail for about $8-12 depending on the box count. Available both online, and in most supermarkets.
Now to the differences. Cappuccino is probably my favorite. It's the least sweet of the bunch. My guests who tried it said that they thought it needed additional sugar. I didn't think so. It's smooth, not sweet, and lightly roasted.  This is for the true coffee connoisseur. Second is the caramel macchiato. It is sweet, but not overly sweet. Very rich, and creamy. It definitely tastes similar to the more expensive Starbucks variety for a fraction of the cost. This was also the second favorite of the majority of guests. Third was the mocha latte. It's a little too sweet for my tastes. It reminds me of hot chocolate more than coffee. It's has a very velvety finish. However, most of my guests who sampled this loved this one the best. It was the only one I didn't have any left over from.
So all in all the party was a success. I found another brand of coffee that I love ( would be my favorite if it was fair trade ). It's easily found in my local store. Inexpensive. It's like a little escape in a cup. For the few minutes I drink my coffee in the early am, I feel relaxed. I bask in it's warmth and deliciousness. As if transported to a café with my own private barista.
Now the actual date of my party is not supposed to be until November 16th. I will have one then, but I already had a pre party too! That's how great this line is! Everyone is talking about how much they LOVE Gevalia Kaffes.

Sephora VIB Status

So by making $350 in beauty purchases at Sephora this year, I gained status of VIB. It comes with a welcome kit that gives me 10% off, free shipping and a free make over. I'm so excited. I can't wait to schedule my make over. I don't even care if I come out of there looking like a drag queen ( hell some of those men look prettier than I do ). I've never had a make over, other than what we did as practice in beauty school.  Now normally I always fall just short of that, but this year I spent more time on Sephora because I chose it as a reward for weight loss ( yeah me... 78lbs gone in a year ). Now my goal for this was at Christmas time they always send a $15 gift card to regular beauty insiders, and I know they send more to the VIBs. I know I probably spent more than I'll receive, but something about that makes it so attractive! Plus I get other perks like special sales and codes, attending private events, new early releases of products, ect. I would have to spend $600 more to unlock the next level, and honestly that's just NOT going to happen. I love hair and make up, but not to the tune of $1000 a year. Some may call this an addiction. I prefer to call it a hobby. ;) The distinguishing difference is I'm not out on the street corner offering my services for a tube of lip gloss. ;)

Trick Or Treat And I Chose Treat

 

I went ahead and ordered the Lash Stash Kit by Sephora. For $45 this set contains:

- 0.10 oz Benefit They're Real Mascara
- 0.141 oz Blinc Mascara
- 0.2 oz BUXOM Lash Mascara
- 0.14 oz Clinique High Impact Mascara
- 0.135 oz Lancôme Hypnôse Drama
- 0.13 oz Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant
- 1 x Sephora Collection False Eye Lashes in Celebrity
- 0.5 oz Sephora Collection Outrageous Mascara
- 0.31 oz Tarte Lights, Camera, Flashes™ Statement Mascara
- 0.17 oz Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
- 0.06 oz Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effect Faux Cils Baby Doll

I am always on the search for the PERFECT mascara. I can not wait to try these! I have used Benefit before and like it, but the others are new to me.  I'm also kinda digging the false lashes. I have very long lashes myself, but I feel they are a lot more sparse than I'd like.  I'm on a mission to have sexy eyes. Now lets just hope I don't glue my eyelids shut.

Ulta Redemption

First things first I HATE going into my local ULTA store. The workers there are just rude, condescending, and make me feel like I'm bothering them by asking where certain products are located. I don't take kindly to that, especially not from someone who looks like a back alley version of Ru Paul meets Miss Piggy. I even interviewed for a salon position there, and turned it down because that's not me. While I can be a bitch, I reserve the right on when, where, and how much...lol So with that said,  I ONLY shop online at Ulta. I received an email telling me I had $12 in rewards about to expire  so I though I should probably use them. Plus there was a bonus of a Fekkai kit. So I log on, only much to my dismay the entire site is down. I try and try and nada. I had to send them an email for assistance because it locked me out of my account. I was about to say f*** it because honestly, saving $12 wasn't worth this hassle. Thankfully though I ended up speaking to a Michelle from customer service and she was awesome. In fact she's the only reason I haven't scrapped the store all together.  She fixed my account ( she didn't know what the issue was either but she  cleared out my cart and reset my information ). She also promised me a gift card for the hassle, but I haven't received that yet. So I wasn't able to participate in the Fekkai promotion because of this, but hopefully that gift card does make up for it. But now onto the review.

I absolutely LOVE Coach fragrances. I couldn't decide whether I wanted the regular coffret or the poppy coffret. Honestly I think I'll eventually end up with both. Coach Poppy is one of my all time favorite scents ( smells like marshmallows ). This particular one retails for $38 ( $26 with my rewards...score! ). It contains Poppy Blossom ( very floral yet really sweet at the same time probably from the strawberries, pralines & vanilla ), Poppy Citrine ( Citrus with green tea, very crisp ), and Poppy Freesia ( my favorite of the bunch since it has brown sugar as the base and fruity/floral undertones of apricots & freesia).  The only thing I wish about Coach perfumes is that they had longer lasting power. I usually have to apply twice. You would think with the price tag attached to Coach they would find a way to make that happen. But with these being small, they are easy to transport ( I use a travel atomizer though ).

I also had to spend $50 to get free shipping ( seriously add a few more bucks or shell out the $8... yeah I'll shoot for the add on ). I decided on a new eyeshadow primer trial since I'm running out of my current favorite ( Too Faced Shadow Insurance ). Everyone I know who loves make up as much as I do has sworn by Urban Decay. I have a few of their eyeshadows ( hello midnight cowboy ) but that's it. This set was $16. Comes with the original version which I find is great for natural, neutral shades. It also contains greed, which is gold based and slightly shimmery. Perfect for those who like a little sparkle/glitter/pop. Both create a great base for applying crease free results. I'm still not sure if I like it more, but I definitely like it as much as Too Faced.

Sephora shopping Haul Review Part 2

This is my shopping haul. Again from Sephora, but this time it was online vs in store. Hence all the amazing samples that they include in the purchase. I haven't even began to try all these samples, but as I do I'm sure I'll update. And I'm still kind of wondering how they can afford to give me all these samples online, but act like I'm demanding the world when I go into the store. But lets save that rant for later.

First is the Sephora Rollerball Collection For Her. Now if you're not familiar with Sephora's Collections what they do is take their most popular fragrances, and put together samples ( or in this case rollerballs ) and include a scent certificate for a full size of one of the fragrances sampled to be redeemed later. For $85 this particular set included:
- 0.40 oz Rollerball in Kate Walsh's Boyfriend
- 0.34 oz Rollerball in Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia
- 0.34 oz Rollerball in Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy
- 0.34 oz Rollerball in Lancôme Trésor
- 0.33 oz Rollerball in Tocca Colette
Plus the pretty handbag it came in. I have to say so far it's a toss up between Viva La Juicy ( fruity & playful ) or Tocca Colette ( spicy but with vanilla undertones to soften ). I'm still trying the rollerballs to decide which I like. I probably will end up getting one of the other ones all together by the time I actually decide. This is part of what I love about sampling this way. Not to mention kits like this run between $35-85 ( again depending on which fragrances, and what sample sizes ) and totally worth it.  It's usually always like a $100-200 value for far less.

Secondly is the Sephora  Collection BBBuzz. Again same concept of being able to try before you buy. Now I'm a HUGE advocate of bb/cc cream vs foundation. I can not tell you the last time I actually wore anything else. Put on my cream, brush a little setting powder and hello flawless looking skin. For $25 this kit contains:
- 0.35 oz Boscia B.B. Cream SPF27 PA ++
- 0.33 oz Dr. Jart Premium Beauty Balm 45 PA+++
- 0.5 oz Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 35 in Light
- 0.34 oz Stila Stay All Day 10-In-One HD Illuminating Beauty Balm with Broad Spectrum SPF 30
- 0.35 oz Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm Multi-Benefit Skin Care Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen in Cream
So far the only one I have tried is Smashbox. It's not as smooth application wise as some of the bb creams I have used in the past, but it is longer lasting. I'm almost done with it ( a sample size lasts about 2 weeks ) and ready to move onto Too Faced ( I love their eye shadow primer! ) As I sample the other ones, I will update on which one has become my favorite.

As you can tell I love being able to try the different kits put together by Sephora. I have my eye on the Lash Stash kit for Christmas. $45 for 11 different types of mascara to sample. I'm still on the search for that perfect lash.

Sephora Shopping Haul Review

I am going to review these items I picked up from my latest shopping trip.

First is La Vie Est Belle from Lancôme. Now when I first received the sample I wasn't sure I was going to like it. I normally go for the vanilla/fruity/powdery scents and this is more oriental hippy patchouli. In fact seeing patchouli as  the primary tone made me envision pot smoking and incense burning even if horseface Julie Roberts is their spokesperson. I'm just glad it didn't make me smell like a hooker.  However I have never ever received as many compliments on my scent as I have with this particular perfume. So either a lot of people toke up, or it combines nicely with my body chemistry. Let's hope for the later.  It's  pretty strong so I only use a bit. I probably would never have purchased it outright because it's about $95 but I had one of those Sephora Scent Certificates so it was worth it.

Secondly is the whole bundle of Sephora brand goodies. The eye shadow pallet in primal instincts is to die for. Now this is my second one I have bought ( first one was the nude baked moon shadows ). Hands down best quality eye shadow I have ever used. I will NEVER purchase another brand again. These pallets range in price from $10-30 and worth every penny. I also picked up their 12 hour waterproof eyeliner. Again this is amazing. It goes on smooth like a crayon, but has the look and feel of a liquid. Be aware you will need an eye make up remover, regular face wash will NOT take this off. And for only $9 with a variety of shades you can't beat that.  Lastly the Sephora Lash Plumping Mascara. ehhh... did the job but wasn't totally impressed. It didn't flake nor clump and I didn't have any raccoon eyes but it didn't give me the volume that I wanted either.  For $15 I expected better than drug store quality which is cheaper and gives better results. They also threw in a sample of Kat Von D's tattoo eyeliner pen. The first day it worked great. Then it kinda just dried up. I think it's a fault of the design of the pen. Wasn't impressed at all, and glad that it was a freebie. Would never purchase it outright because it's about $20. Anyone who buys this is probably just doing so because of the name. She should probably just stick to TV & tattoos.

Lastly I picked up my free  travel lotion from Bath & Body Works ( thanks coupons... get on their mailing list for yours ). I chose Cashmere Glow. This is like a swirl of vanilla, brown sugar and caramel all together. It makes my skin smell great, feel soft and supple, and leaves behind just a hint of shimmer/sheen. I ended up going back for the body wash and spray because I'm in love with this scent. I'm layered up like a French whore on the corner of a pastry shop and don't care.


All in all this was a great haul. Out of all my purchases/freebies almost everything was a hit.

Green Mountain Coffees & Fair Trade

Yes, it's that time again. Got a new campaign from bzzagent and I wanted to review it for you, and tell you a little bit about the cause behind it. I tried the Three Continent Blend from Green Mountain Coffees. It's bold, and has a slightly bitter aftertaste, but one that I actually enjoy. It tastes great, and it supports a great cause being "fair trade certified". That means it meets environmental, labor, and developmental standards. So you can feel good about drinking it knowing you're supporting an excellent cause. Also it's not any more expensive that it's standard counterparts but so much better for everyone involved. You can get more information about it at ChooseFairTrade.com

Tru Moo

I just entered to win the Goosebumps Haunted Hollywood Vacation thanks to TruMoo Milk. Do yourself a favor and head over to https://www.facebook.com/TruMooMilk and click on the Haunted Hollywood Sweepstakes.  Then pick up a gallon of TruMoo Milk. It now has 35% less sugar and the same great taste! Plus TruMoo is made fresh from your local dairy and contains NO artificial growth hormones or high fructose corn syrup. That's what makes TruMoo nutritious AND delicious! My kids absolutely LOVE the taste of TruMoo. They have vanilla and chocolate flavors for whichever you may prefer.

Curel Intensive Healing

So first things first I am a bzzagent. I love it. I get to try products and write reviews and spread the word about various things. First up is this campaign. Curel Intensive Healing Cream. As someone who's hands are constantly being abused ( being a stylist, mother, suffering OCD , ect ) my hands were constantly  a painful, chapped mess.  Add in that I have ultra sensitive skin on top of all the mechanical and chemical distress I put my hands through it's just a recipe for disaster. That is until I came in contact with this cream. I slather it on at night ( also putting it on my feet ). I don't have to be one of those weirdos who sleep in socks and gloves because it's fast absorbing and not greasy. My skin doesn't feel like that of a lizard. Now I have hands that are soft and youthful. It uses ceramide therapy, but it honestly is magical. And I'm not really sure what ceramides are, but they must be made of pixie dust and unicorns.

Short But Sweet Introduction

I guess I should tell you a little about me... I'm opinionated about everything. I judge. I'm not quiet about it. I make no apologies. This will be used as my own tool to vent/review/ramble about people, products, places, ect. If you're easily offended, you probably don't want to continue to come here.