Birthday Freebies for Novembers

Over the years I've learned a very important lesson regarding picking up my free birthday gifts...do it before Thanksgiving! Aside from when I worked in a mall I generally try to avoid them during the holiday season.  Thank goodness for online shopping.

I've gotten them though from both Sephora and ULTA.  All about the lips this year.  

Must say that I'm pretty happy with the lip gloss from ULTA which is an $18 value and in a pretty pink shade...you can never really have too many lip glosses if you ask me.  I never did receive my birthday e-mail from ULTA and went ahead and used their "Contact Us" info on their website.  Based off some comments I read on FB I'm not the only one who did not receive the e-mail.  

The nice thing about Sephora is that you don't need to have an e-mail redemption code, you just visit the store give them your phone number (or Beauty Insider card...but who carries that around?) and they give you your treat.  This year it was a set of 2 Nars lip pencils.  I'm a little more fond of the lighter shade.  In general Nars is a little out of my price range, but something I do like to splurge on from time to time.  

The super bonus about these is that they are calorie free.  I feel like the majority of birthday clubs come from various restaurants for burgers and desserts.  I'll take the make up every time it lasts longer anyway. 

Cheers to you (& happy birthday to me).

ULTA Spa Day

We get our ULTA catalogs every month.  Every month they have their specials for their salon and spa.  This month I decided to give it a go.

The one I went to didn't have a treatment room, just a small sectioned off space on the main floor.  No worries for me though if I can relax in a class full of people I can relax just about anywhere.  My skin therapist was super nice, we chatted for a bit about schools and such.  She had a very nice touch, gentle and relaxing.  

As far as Dermalogica goes, she used some items from their Ultra Calming line and some from their Age Smart line.  My skin is a little sensitive (it gets red very easily) and I tend to be more dry.  She gave me my face chart to show me her analysis of my skin which is awesome because it tells you exactly which product were used. My favorite product of this skin care session was the Age Smart MultiVitamin Power Firm for my eye area (and a little on the lip area). 

If you haven't checked out your local ULTA for their spa services it's worth looking into.  I think that finding a good skin therapist is a lot like finding the right hair stylist and manicurist.  You've got to try out a few (or a lot) to find the right one for you.  Overall, it was a really good experience.  

21 Days of Beauty...and my best buy

I love when ULTA has their 21 Days of Beauty...I've been trying to watch my budget lately so I didn't indulge myself too much. However, when they had Clarisonic brush heads for buy one get one free...well I could not pass that up.  (Total $27 for two!)

My Clarisonic Mia was probably one of my best purchases when I was a Macy's (employee discount woot woot).  It's been a few years now and I still love it.  Plug in to charge it every once in a while and change out the brush head every few months. Done. I've never tried the other brushes on the market because I've never needed to.  

You can use any type of cleanser you'd like with this brush, lately I've been using it with Murad's Essential-C Cleanser and Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant.  Exfoliating with the brush is really nice, it leaves your skin so soft and smooth.  Bonus being that when you give your skin a nice exfoliation your follow up (serums and moisturizers) will go on more smoothly and penetrate deeper into your skin.   

What has been your best beauty purchase?  

product reviews: deodorants

Cruelty free skin care? Yes.
Cruelty free makeup? Yes.
Cruelty free deodorant? Now that seems a bit trickier.

I've tried the Crystal route...does this one work for anyone? I've never met a single person.  I'm wet and stinky by the end of a normal day (let alone a work out day!?! Eep!) If you're curious it retails for about $5.00 and is available all over the place.

I tried Lavanila.  The 100% healthy deodorant.  Alright, light scent.  Occasionally by the very end of the day, I may feel a little questionable. My fragrance of choice was Vanilla Lavander...side note: must be a fan of Vanilla.  I purchased from Sephora initially, but it's also available on Amazon; retails for $14.00.


Trader Joe's unscented with cotton fibers.  Affordable and ok...it works, but maybe I just prefer the scented route.  Available at Trader Joe's.

In the end I went back to my tried and true deodorant of choice.  It's Donna Karan's Cashmere Mist, and while I sincerely doubt that it is cruelty free (never managed to find a straight up yes/no) and it is on the expensive side ($24.00 a pop) it has never let me down.  Available at Sephora, ULTA, and assorted department stores (in the fragrance section).

I'm still searching for a good cruelty free alternative...if anyone out there has any suggestions please let me know!

Cheers!

Ulta's Mango Tango (quickie review)

Did you know that Ulta's Beauty Smoothies are not tested on animals? I didn't and when I found out it was a pleasant surprise.  Right now they have their Limited Edition Summer Adventures fragrances out and I must say I'm loving the Mango Tango scent. Right now they are running a buy two get two free promotion, and body wash is a good stock up buy. 

I love summer and summer scents...I hate that so many of them are limited editions.  Who doesn't want a light summer feeling around all year long?  Pina Coladas all around all year I say!

Favorite summer scents anyone?  Favorite summer pastimes?  I'd love to hear back! :)

Cheers all!

It never hurts to ask

I remembered my ULTA coupon today! I also brought the entire catalog with me...a little way for me to stay focused.  I wanted to pick up Too Faced's "a la mode eyes" (sexy St. Tropez eye shadow collection). As an added bonus, it qualified for a gift all on it's own. The cashier rang me up and I was about to go about my merry way when I remember the gift, so I pulled out my handy dandy catalog and asked if the gift was still available.  Sadly, it wasn't...but because I asked, the girl behind the counter put together a few little samples just for me.  I ended up with a lip brush, a bareMinerals primer sample packet and 2oz sample of "it's a 10".  I actually have the full size of "it's a 10" and really like it, so all in all it was a pretty decent sample selection.

Too Faced, a la mode eyes

So, when it comes to ULTA's 21 days of Beauty...be sure to know what offers are available, and it doesn't hurt to ask if they're able to sub in some other samples!

foundation factors

At Sephora today, my friend and I were perusing foundations.  I'm pretty evenly running out of 3 different BB creams and one Bobbi Brown foundation.

While I've been online and seen how many brands are cruelty free, it still feels like a very small collection once you are actually standing in the store streaking your hand with makeup.  We reviewed the list as we entered: Tarte, Urban Decay, and Too Faced...there are a few more brands (but it's not like they have blinking lights in the shape of a bunny beckoning you over...how nice would that be?).

Not all brands that are cruelty free carry a bunny logo, so unless you know before you go or carry a list of animal friendly companies with you at all times, you may not know to check them out.  There is also the "parent company" to consider.  Estee Lauder and L'Oreal own a lot of companies out there and the "parents" choose to sell in China (who requires animal testing).  Here I thought the hard part was choosing the right shade in bad lighting!

I didn't end up with anything from Sephora today, but I've got an Ulta coupon all cut out and waiting for me to forget so I'll be heading over there soon.  Maybe I'll bring a list!

Cheers!

I have a blog? Surely you jest!!

It's not that I forgot that I have a blog...I know it's here sitting on the web, just waiting to be read by people all over the world (or hoping that I will come in an update any one of  the drafts that are twiddling their thumbs waiting to be posted).  You know how it is when life and whatnot get in the way...  It's not that my life is so terribly interesting, or even that my sched is packed full of mundane activities...I actually have no real excuses.  So instead here are my random reasons of why I have not posted anything in a while:

1. I discovered Breaking Bad.  I felt the need to watch every episode in order before they began airing the final season on AMC.  Breaking Bad has taken over parts of my life and has even become a screensaver at work (thank you Aaron Paul).

 2. July is a very busy month at work.  Well the second half is super duper busy.

3. I kept forgetting my ULTA coupons, which meant that I avoided going there in general.  Therefore, I had no recent beauty purchases to review.  I would however very much like to try out:

Tarte's Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation 

I think I like the brush too...but do I need another brush?  I also can't tell how it is to clean.  

4.  I have spent a lot of time thinking about how I should be working out...like how I should go to the gym, or at the very least go for a walk...but then again it's been so hot (and HUMID) oi.  Today on my way home at 5 pm it was still 99 degrees!

5. I've had some priorities to attend to (aka: visiting the beach and going to the OC Fair's Damsels of Destruction Demolition Derby)...it is summer.

Seeing as the kiddos are back in school (in general, I myself do not own any) and also that Labor Day is just around the corner, I suppose that my summer vacation is almost over.  I will be posting again soon, so don't fret my dozen or so loyal readers! 

Hope that your summer's have been lovely!  

Cheers~~tam

fake up 'til you wake up (updated 3/25/13)

There are a couple of mornings a week that I have to wake up earlier than I'd like...and no matter how much sleep I've gotten the night before all I can see in the mirror are the dark circles under my eyes.  I stare bleary eyed at them, willing them to go away.  Then I go through this routine: Apply foundation...still there.  Apply concealer...still there. Wonder if perhaps I have the wrong shade of concealer, too late now must go to work, worry about it later. I've done this for a couple of weeks now, and today I chose to do something about it!

I wandered around trying swatches on my inner wrist,  but was unsuccessful as most were super light or dark...I wanted to check out Benefit's new "fake up" concealers and I was in luck because the girl at Benefit said "Can I help you?"  Yes, please.  So basically this concealer comes in one of the lipstick like tubes with concealer in the inner circle and a hydrating outer circle of Vitamin E and Apple Seed Extract...(in the list of ingredients the E is about the 11th down and the Apple is maybe 5 below that).  Anyways, it's supposed to control creases and diffuse fine lines (here's hoping).  I tried it on in the medium shade and liked it.  **Tried it this morning, over my Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation in Sand...quick and east coverage! It's a win.**

I also remembered my ULTA coupon (yay me) and since Benefit is excluded from the savings, I picked up a new gloss (Rimmel's Endless Summer) and Maybelline's Baby Lips (in Quench) just to try them out.  I'm really liking the Maybelline so far, it's got SPF 20 and a nice feel to it.

Endless Summer and Fake Up in Medium, next shot with the Fake Up blended

Tough to see I know, I apologize for the poor lighting...but hey, I'm trying to get more pics in!

extreme couponing, not so much

I love getting my ULTA catalog in the mail...I'm sorry for the trees that are lost on it, but there is just something about flipping though it and know that my nearest ULTA is less than 2 miles away...then there is that handy dandy coupon that beckons "Come to our store, save $3.50" and hey, $3.50 is like lunch (at Taco Bell). 

Then there is the Extreme Couponing show on TLC and these people scour every possible source of coupons and go and get a life time supply of paper towels and a year supply of sports drinks FREE!  They fascinate me... mainly because:

I can't remember to bring a single coupon to the store and save $3.50!

Oi.  I get so excited when it comes and right now, when they're doing their 21 Days of Beauty with extra specials...I keep avoiding there store because I know I have a coupon sitting at home on my counter.  I'm sure I'll remember it...the day after it expires cause that is just how I do things.