Review: Glamglow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment

Hey guys! Today I'm going to be reviewing one of my new favorite masks right now, the Glamglow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment mask. I've really been enjoying this mask quite a bit lately even though I've only used it a few times.

The packaging is a beautiful blue color that reminds me of crystal clear ocean water. I love it and it makes me want to use it even more because of it. This 1.7 ounce size typically retails for $69, but there is now a 0.5 ounce size for $19 if you want to try it out before splurging on the big size. I ended up getting this size at Sephora in the Glamglow Gift Sexy kit. That was $69 and it also came with two smaller sizes of the Youthmud and Supermud treatments, so those were essentially free! You can find Glamglow at many different stores, but my preference is Sephora.

Here is a description of the product along with some of the ingredients in this, taken from the Sephora website:

THIRSTYMUD™ uses the newest, most advanced, and extreme hydration active technologies. It moisturizes, restores, replenishes, and calms the skin. Dewdration™ boosts and locks in moisture for a dewy and youthful result while HydraPack™ leaves skin with an instant silky, soft, and supple feel. GreenEnergy™ smooths and energizes the skin, giving you a healthy-looking, glowing complexion 

-Dewdration™: A blend of actives containing hyaluronic acid and citric acid for deep hydration; boosts and locks in moisture for a dewy, youthful look.
-Hydrapack™: A blend of actives containing botanimoist, moisturizing sugars and acids from apples, oat bete glucan to soothe and calm the skin, and hydraclay to trap and retain moisture in the skin.
-GreenEnergy™: A blend of actives containing raw honey and ginger root for radiance and detoxifying; coconut provides immediate skin conditioning.
-Teaoxi Olive Leaf: Delivers naturally moisturizing linoleic acid.  

The description and ingredients make it sound so fancy, and to be honest, it kinda is! I absolutely love how hydrating this feels on my skin. It smells like coconut too, which is a plus for me! I typically use this mask after I've used a clay mask, or a mask that helps with breakouts, oil and the like. I just feel like this puts good moisture back into my skin after the other mask takes it away. I will say though, I personally feel a slight tingle when I apply this, and it's either because my skin is sensitive or it's the ginger root in this. There are different directions on how long to leave it on for, but I've been leaving it on for 20-30 minutes and removing it with a warm washcloth. You can use a thin layer and leave it on overnight and it also says you can use it before you get on a plane during travel to help prevent dehydrated skin. Since I've been using this in conjunction with other masks, I do notice that my skin has been looking better and more clear. If I do have breakouts, they're gone the morning after doing my mask routine. I only use masks once or twice a week depending on how my skin is, but you can use this mask on its own 2 or 3 times a week, or as needed. I find this mask to be great for any skin type and you honestly don't need alot of product to get the job done, so it could last a while if you don't use it too often. I'm still using a little sample size I have and probably have another use or two out of it. 

Obviously you can tell I love, love, love this mask. I will continue to use and repurchase this product, especially since Winter is coming and my skin hates Winter.

Have you tried this mask before? If not, does it seem like something you'd like to try?

Fall Face Feat. Lorac Mega Pro Palette

Hello everyone! Today I wanted to show you guys a nice Fall inspired look I did using the Lorac Mega Pro Palette. It hasn't really been feeling like Fall this week since it's been a bit warm, but it's cooling down by the weekend! I used the products shown above and I must say, I'm very happy with how the look turned out!

Since I knew I wanted to use liner and shadow on the bottom of my eyes, I did my eyes first, then went to foundation, and back to the lower eyes. The first color I used is called Sepia and I ran that all through my crease. I then took the color Apricot and patted that all over my lids. For some more definition, I took the beautiful shade called Merlot and used that on the outer corners and ran it a bit through my crease. For a highlight, I used a combination of Cream and Vanilla. For once in my life I used eyeliner, and the one I used is by Urban Decay and it's their 24/7 liner in the color Corrupt. I also used that on my lower lash line. I did also use Perversion to tightline and used a bit on my waterline. I just forgot to picture it! To blend out the eyeliner on my top lashline, I took a color called Maroon, and slightly blended it out. To blend out the lower lashline, I took a combination of Maroon and Merlot and smoked it out a bit. For mascara, I used my new found favorite, Lancome Grandiose, which I did a review on here if you want to check it out!

Onto the rest of the face. For foundation, I mixed some of the Clinique Stay Matte Oil-Free Makeup in the color 02 Alabaster and mixed it with the Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in the color Fair. I had to mix those two together because the Clinique foundation is actually too dark for me, so the Sonia Kashuk tinted moisturizer helped out with that problem. To blend it all out, I used my trusty Beauty Blender. For concealer, I ended up using two different ones. I first applied the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in the color 125 Very Fair. It looked a bit yellow for me so I then applied the Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer & Highlighter in the color 125 Fair. Once I blended all that in with my Beauty Blender, everything was good! I topped off the foundation and concealer with the Mirabella Perfecting Loose Powder, which is just a translucent powder. For blush, I used a Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in the color Adventurous. This came in a holiday kit, so I honestly don't know if they sell it regularly. 

The lips are definitely what surprised me! I didn't think a full on dark, berry lip would go well with this look, so I took the Too Faced Melted Lipstick in the color Melted Nude, which did look a little dark on me. I decided to then use the Starlooks Lip Gloss in the color Guilty Pleasure, which added a bit more pink to the look and also made it look less matte. 

Here is the final look! I definitely love how this turned out but I'm so not used to seeing myself with liner on the bottom. Have to get used to that. Otherwise, I really like the color scheme of everything, and the nude/pink lip looks great to me!

Swatches of eyeliner & shadows used in order of application. Sepia, Apricot, Merlot, Cream, Vanilla, Maroon

Swatches of blush, lipstick & lip gloss

What do you guys think of this look? Do you switch up your makeup routine was the weather changes?

Review: Life & Food Garcinia Cambogia Supreme

*Disclosure* This product was sent to me complimentary for review purposes. All opinions are still 100% honest and my own!

Hey everyone! Today's post is a little different. I was contacted for a promotion to be sent a dietary supplement type product called Garcinia Cambogia Supreme by the brand Life & Food. I'm always wary about products like this, but I wanted to try it out as it did seem to be a little better for you. Lets see what I thought!

First of all, it comes in this giant bottle of 180 capsules. There are different directions on how to take them. You can take 2 capsules once a day, 2 capsules twice a day for maximum strength, and for best results take the capsules 20-30 minutes before a meal with 8 ounces of water. I've just been choosing to take 2 capsules once a day, usually after I eat breakfast. 

For me personally, the capsules are kinda big. I tend to have issues if I take vitamins that are larger. I have to put them on my tongue just right and take them with coffee, not water, just so they go down normal. Otherwise, they get stuck in my throat and I have coughing fits. Anyway, the ingredients in these are pretty good if you ask me.

-Garcinia Cambogia Extract that contains 80% hydroxycitric acid. That's supposed to be the ingredient that helps with weight management. Taken from the Amazon website, "studies show HCA in Garcinia can help inhibit glucose absorption as well as promote a balanced, lighter mood by boosting Serotonin levels without the jitters." I found this important because in all honesty, when I was a bit younger, I did take take some weight loss pills. All in all, they didn't work and they made me feel so jittery, like I had drank a whole pot of coffee in 10 minutes. Not a good feeling, plus they didn't work at all with weight. 

-Potassium is a natural diuretic, which helps to eliminate water weight.

-Calcium is said to increase the body's natural fat burning metabolism

-There is also come Chromium in it which is said to help metabolize carbohydrates and regulate blood sugar levels

There are no fillers, binders or artificial ingredients and there is no milk, egg, shellfish, peanuts, wheat, soy, sugar, lactose, fat or cholesterol in these capsules. 

So now I guess the big question is, does this thing really work?! (Grav3yardgirl reference anyone? ;))

In all honesty, I do feel like it has improved my mood a little bit and at times after I take the capsules, I do feel slightly more energized. The effects seems to last a few hours for me, but then I go back to my normal, tired self (working retail does that to you!). With weight loss, I don't think it's done a thing. I don't own a scale, so I only weigh myself whenever I go to my mother-in-law's house, which is every few weeks. I've been taking these for almost a month now, so I thought I would see some improvement in that area, but nope. Now granted, I'm not a beacon of health and the last thing I want to do after working for 8 hours is exercise, but my diet isn't terrible either. I very rarely have fast food, don't drink much soda and I cook dinners at home regularly. These "diet pill" things shouldn't be taken as the main way to lose weight. Obviously I'm not a doctor, so if you do want to try something like this, definitely talk yours and see if this is right for you. The main key is to have a balanced diet and exercise.

If you do feel like this product could be beneficial to you, you can find it here on Amazon for just over $20 and it is Prime eligible! There is also a 90 day guarantee where they will either refund or replace the product if you're not happy with the results. 

What do you think of a product like this? Would you try out dietary supplements?

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Sephora Friends & Family Haul!

Hey guys! Sephora is doing their friends and family haul through the 29th of this month, and I was very lucky to get a code for 20% off my order! Now I honestly don't know if everyone gets codes for this event, or if it's because I'm a Sephora affiliate. Anyways, this purchase finally made me a VIB Rouge member and I'm so excited! So lets see what I purchased!

The first thing I knew I wanted to get was the First Aid Beauty Cheers to Fab Skin set. It comes with their Face Cleanser, Facial Radiance Pads, Ultra Repair Cream, Ultra Repair Lip Therapy and the Eye Duty Triple Remedy. I had originally wanted to just get the Eye Duty, but then saw this kit for $48. I figured this was a much better deal, plus I get to try out a few other products from the brand. Unfortunately, as of today (October 23rd) this product says it's permanently out of stock on the website :(

Next up is a double pack of the Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray. One 4 ounce bottle normally costs $30, but this is a double pack of 4 ounce bottles for only $39. With the extra 20% taken off, you can't beat it! I honestly have never tried this particular setting spray, just the De-Slick for oily skin. I always hear good things about this one though so I have high hopes! This duo says it's limited edition, but it is still in stock!

Next is the VIB Rouge welcome kit, which has a mini tube of Bite Beauty lipstick. I totally forgot to take a picture of it, but it's just a red color. 

Then we have the Sephora Collection Super Smoothing Lip Butter. If you know me, you know I'm a sucker for lip balms/treatments/butters. I just can't help myself. It was only $8 and it's pink, so how could I resist?!

Now for something just too cute for words, the Tony Moly Bbo Bbo Lip Balm in the scent Blueberry. Can we just talk about how adorable the packaging is?! That's what sold me to be honest. I saw Tiffany D talk about one of these in a video and I thought it was flipping adorable. There is also a honey scent, but I have a ton of honey scented lip balms. 

Next up is a total splurge, and it's the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette. This bad boy is $58 but I figured with 20% off, it was reasonable. The powders are gorgeous, but I do have yet to try them. I have a blush of theirs that I also have yet to try out, but this brand always gets amazing reviews, so I'm excited about this.

I've never really bought anything from Anastasia Beverly Hills before, and I saw the Tamanna Palette for only $29. Unfortunately, this palette also says it's permanently out of stock, which stinks because the colors were gorgeous. I will probably end up reviewing this sometime, but since it's out of stock now, I'm on the fence. 

I can never live without the Sephora Collection Daily Brush Cleaner. I spot clean my eye brushes after every use because I have super sensitive eyes and have to be careful with them. This stuff is amazing and lasts a long time too, but it never hurts to get a backup while I had a discount.

The last product is also permanently out of stock (boooo!) and it's the Too Faced Melted Kisses set. It comes with 4 smaller sizes of their Melted Lipsticks, Melted Nude, Melted Peony, Melted Fuchsia and Melted Berry. I've been wanting to try a color or two from this line and when I sw this set for $25 and you got 4, even though they're smaller, that's alright! It gives enough product to where I'll be able to tell if I like them or not. 

I'm so grateful I was able to get a 20% off code to use, and I'm happy I was able to get some of the holiday sets before they sold out! I will link to any of the products I can still find for you guys if you want to purchase anything! :)

I also can't wait for the VIB sale they're going to have sometime in November! I know everyone gets some code for a certain amount off on your purchase, so that's exciting!

Has anything from Sephora caught your eye recently?

Review: Lancome Grandiose Wide-Angle Fan Effect Mascara

Hello everyone! Today I have a mascara review today, and it's the Lancome Grandiose Mascara. I've been hearing some pretty good reviews, along with a few indifferent reviews. I've tested it out and I'm ready to give my thoughts!

The description that I found on the Sephora site says:

What it is:
A first-of-its-kind mascara that provides access to all lashes for bigger, brighter eyes.
What it does:
This revolutionary, Swan Neck™ Wand Mascara provides exceptional length, lift, and volume to all lashes. It features Lancôme's first patented wand, which works with the shape of your face for the easiest application, and the curve of the wand mixes the mascara with each twist open, allowing for formula that stays fresh longer. The specially designed, elastomer-molded brush perfectly deposits formula on each lash, while smaller bristles effortlessly coat even short lashes from root to tip for ultimate volume. The ultra-black, smudge-free formula features Lancôme’s rose cell extract, which nourishes and smooths lashes while providing infinite buildability. This high-gloss, clump-free mascara leaves lashes fanned out with maximum length, and it is designed with long-wearing, flexible polymers, which allow for easy removal. 

I have to say, the packaging of this mascara is just beautiful. I love the shape of the tube, and the rose detail in the cap is amazing. You can tel they put some good thought into packaging, but what makes it unique is the wand itself.

As you can see, the wand isn't in the typical straight form, it's got a neat curve to it. It's supposed to help with the ease of applying mascara and getting the hard to reach outer and inner corner lashes. It's a rubber bristle brush, which I particularly like. I find it helps to coat my lashes more evenly.

Now for some pictures of my eyeball!

I did a very neutral eye look so that you could see my lashes. As you can probably see, my lashes aren't that amazing. I wish I had Tiffany D's eyelashes so bad, but hey, that's what mascara is for! My lashes have a bit of a natural curl to them, but they're very light and barely noticeable. 

This is with one coat of mascara on non-curled lashes without primer. I'd say there's a big difference here! The mascara curled my lashes really well and deposited color evenly. When using the brush, I do find there's a bit of a learning curve to it as you do have to turn the wand different ways to get all the lashes. I do still struggle a bit with getting the very outer corners of my lashes without getting mascara everywhere, but I get that with every mascara I use. I do feel like this gave me really nice length but maybe not the best volume.

Overall, This mascara is a winner in my book. I'm alright with not having a ton of volume as long as there is length. It doesn't get flaky on me but I do notice a few smudges by the end of the day, but I attribute that to my oily skin. It also removes very easily with makeup remover. This mascara costs a whopping $32, but like I said in the beginning of my post, I got it at a discount because of work. I've honestly never really been so excited for a mascara to come out until I heard about this. I find it to be so unique because of the wand and the packaging is really just beautiful. It also only comes in one color, black, but it's very dark which is great. You can find this mascara at Sephora, Lancome's website and department stores where there is a Lancome counter.

What do you think of this mascara?

October 2014 Ipsy Bag

Hey everyone! My Ipsy bag came a little late this month, this past Friday actually. I was just busy all weekend and I can now get to showing you all what I got! I have to say, I'm impressed this month!

For the actual bag the products come in, I love the color! Teals are beautiful. I'm just not a fan of the pattern. I don't really see myself using this bag for anything honestly. The products are what's important!

The first product I received is the Ecru New York Acacia Protein BB Cream Beauty Balm for Hair. I've never heard of this brand before but I had heard of bb creams for hair. I'm definitely looking forward to trying this since I colored my hair a burgundy/auburn color and I want to maintain the health of my hair. 

Next up is Epice International Purifying Exfoliant. I can always use a good exfoliant and with the colder weather coming up, this will come in handy. 

Then I got a Starlooks Lip Gloss in the color Gulity Pleasure. I think the color is great for Fall and compliments my fair skin nicely. When I swatched it however, it did feel a bit sticky. I haven't tried it on my lips yet, but I hope the stickiness isn't too bad once applied. 

I also got a Jessie's Girl Mineralized Baked Shadow Powder in the color Plum Frost. When I swatched this, I was surprised at how pigmented this shadow was. I know this brand is sold in the drugstore, but I was pretty impressed. It's definitely a beautiful color that I can see myself using.

Next up we have a Figs & Rouge Hand Cream in the scent Rose Berry. I have heard of this brand before and it comes out of the UK, which is pretty neat. I'm glad I got a little hand cream because I can take it to work with me and have it not take up too much space in my work bag. It does smell very nice too but I have yet to test it out on my hands. 

Now this sixth product is one that I had used my points for and it's the Eyetini Eye Cordial Cream Shadow Tint & Base. I wasn't too happy that I didn't have many choices when picking out what I wanted, but I had some points expire and I didn't want to lose any more. Believe it or not, I actually really like this product! I used it as a base under eyeshadow and it looked pretty, had good pigmentation, and also made my look last all day! 

Swatches of lip gloss, eyeshadow & eye base

Overall, I'm highly impressed this month! The last couple months were a little meh, and I did consider cancelling my subscription. This bag has totally redeemed itself for me as it has a nice mix of skincare and makeup. 

If you want your own Ipsy bag, use my referral link here! It's only $10 a month, plus shipping for some, and you get a good range of products sent to you every month!

Small(ish) Beauty Haul

Hi guys! Today I have a few beauty bits to share with you all that I've purchased recently. I placed a small Sephora order and also bought something from Amazon, and it's pretty exciting!

First up is the Sephora order. All this month on the Sephora site, they're having this little memory game challenge, where you can gets codes for either 1 of 3 deluxe samples, an extra 150 beauty insider points, or 10% off your order. I tried for days because I wanted the 10% off code and I finally got it! I decided to buy the GlamGlow Gift Sexy Mask kit. It comes with a full size of the Thirstymud mask, and two smaller containers of the Supermud and Youthmud masks. This kit did cost $69, which is typically the cost of one mask by itself. I've been loving the Thirstymud mask so much and wanted the full size, so I was glad to see this set and with the extra 10% off, I'd say it was worth it. 

I also decided I wanted to get the Urban Decay Pulp Fiction palette. As you probably know, Urban Decay is probably my favorite brand of eyeshadows, and their palettes are amazing. At first I didn't want this palette because it's a basic neutral, which I have plenty of. I then saw TiffanyD's tutorial on YouTube using this palette, then I wanted it. When I purchased this, it was actually marked down to $16 from the original price of $34. I think it is still available, and if I can find it, I'll link it in this post. It is definitely a basic neutral palette, but I think it looks really nice. 

*Angels singing* I got the Lorac Mega Pro palette!!! I saw so many teasers of this, and thought that the colors were gorgeous but didn't need it since I have the Pro 1 and 2. However, the day it came out, Lorac was posting that it was selling out super fast and it had only been released for a couple hours, but Amazon still had their stock. I then thought, "Okay, I need this now!" So off I went to the Amazon site, and placed my order. 

This. Is. Stunning! At a whopping $59, I was cringing a little after I bought it, but once received in the mail, that went away. These colors are just so gorgeous, and are the same great quality of the Pro 1 and 2. The first two rows are matte, and the bottom two are shimmer. I've already done some looks with this, and have gotten quite a few compliments as well. Definitely money well spent here! Also, this sold out in I think about 4 hours on the Lorac site as well as Amazon, and Amazon only restocked it once and that sold out super fast.

Let me know if you want reviews of anything! I'm not sure if I want to review the Mega Pro palette, only because it's completely sold out and limited edition. If anyone wants a review though, please let me know!

Review & Swatches: Urban Decay Vice 3 Palette

Hey everyone! It's been a while, I know. I don't really have a good excuse for being away, but life happened so I took a bit of a break. Anyways, I'm back with my review of Urban Decay's Vice 3 Palette, which I've really been enjoying alot lately!

I have to say, the packaging of this palette is flipping beautiful! The color scheme is nice and to me it just looks cool. On the back of the box it comes in, it shows all the colors with their names along with a description of the palette. 

It also comes with this nifty cosmetic bag, that only can really carry this palette. Unless you use it for other things, which you certainly can. I think it's nice they added this so if you travel, it can really come in handy. 

Once you open this palette, you can see the array of amazing colors, from your basic neutrals on the left, to your bright jewel tones in the center, and your smoky shades on the right. Inside, it also comes with a double-ended shadow and crease brush, which is decent quality, and has a huge mirror (sorry I didn't picture it!). If you have either the first or second Vice Palette, both of those mirrors cover the entire lid. 

 Onto the colors!

-Truth: Pale pink-nude matte. I like this shade for highlighting because it's pretty close to my skintone and helps with blending out harsh edges.

-Dragon: Bright metallic green shimmer. This shade swatches pretty well, but I have yet to try it on my eyes. Definitely a beautiful shade for the upcoming holidays!

-Undone: Pink-beige/matte-satin/tonal pearl. That's a long description of the color! I find this to be a great transition color for the crease and it blends out beautifully

-Freeze: Metallic medium blue/multidimensional micro-glitter. This color is beautiful in the pan but I feel it doesn't swatch as well compared to other UD shadows. I haven't tried it on the lids yet, but I'm sure with a primer, it will be better.

-Downfall: Warm light matte brown. This is another great color for the crease and also blends really well. 

-Heroine: Deep navy blue/tonal pearl. This colors looks alot lighter pictured in the pan than swatched. It really is a deep navy color that I have yet to try but it's incredibly pigmented.

-DTF: Taupe matte/pearl. I love this color! Aside from the dirty shade name, it's an awesome color again for the crease, and it's just beautiful.

-Brokedown: Metallic golden brown shimmer/gold micro-glitter. Another stunning color that's really pigmented with one swipe. Haven't used this shade on my eyes yet, but I'm very impressed with the swatch.

-Vanity: Smoky metallic eggplant/multidimensional micro-glitter. This is another color that comes off lighter in pictured pan, but in the swatch it's a very pretty dark purple color. This one swatched pretty well too.

-Alien: Pink-peach/golden shift. This is the one color I was very disappointed in. It feels very chalky to the touch and to me, it doesn't swatch very well either. I had to do a few layers for it to show up.

-Last Sin: Champagne shimmer/silver micro-glitter. This is a pretty lid shade but I feel it's not as pigmented as I'd like personally. This will be good if you want just a sheer wash of color/shimmer on the lids.

-Lucky: Metallic bronze. LOVE this shade! The swatch in the picture is just one swipe and I was highly impressed by the color payoff. For my fair skin, I think this is a bit warm for me, but I want to make it work since it's so gorgeous.

-Alchemy: Deep fuchsia satin. Swatched, this color isn't too great. On the lids though, it's really pigmented! I feel like this shade along with some others work better over a primer. 

-Angel: Light taupe/silver micro-glitter. Again, this is another pretty lid shade but I feel it doesn't swatch as nice as it looks in the pan. I haven't used it on my eyes, so I can't say how it looks yet.

-Reign: Rich brown satin. This color is gorgeous with a single swatch. It's so dark though so I feel like I need a super light hand to control it. 

-Bondage: Deep, smoky burgundy/shimmer. I'm obsessed with this color too. I love purples though since it brings out the little bit of green I have in them. Love this shade!

-Defy: Smoky taupe satin. This shade is quite pigmented and is good for an outer corner color.

-Bobby Dazzle: Metallic white/pale gold micro-glitter. I'm not a huge fan of this shade. It's alright as maybe an inner corner highlight, but there is way too much shimmer as a browbone highlight.

-Sonic: Metallic red-copper. Another gorgeously pigmented shade! I actually really like this color, and I recently colored my hair a dark auburn so I feel like this shade will look nice with it. 

-Revolver: Soft black satin/ iridescent pearl. There is honestly nothing special about this shade, but it will be nice for those smoky looks when you don't want a harsh, dark black color going on. 

Overall, I'm a fan of this palette. Aside from the few colors that aren't as great, I feel like I can get use out of this and will be good for the colder weather. I love how there are a bunch of matte shades to work with and all of those are pretty good quality. The one big downside to this is it has a whole lotta fallout. You really have to make sure to tap your brush after you pick up color. It also kicks up alot of powder as you take your brush to a color. 

This palette costs $60 and I purchased mine from Sephora, but you can also get it on Urban Decay's website and Ulta. 

What do you think of this palette? Will you buy it?

Ulta Haul!

Hey everyone! I did some shopping at Ulta recently, online and in-store. I picked up a few goodies so I wanted to share them with you!

These products are purchases in-store when I went shopping with a friend a couple weeks ago. The first thing I picked up is the Organix Quenched Sea Mineral Moisture Surge Treatment. Now, you know I love the Coconut line within this brand and alot of their products were on sale. This jumped out at me since I'm trying to take better care of my hair more. I hadn't really paid attention to this particular line so I did look it up online after I purchased it, and it's gotten some bad reviews. I'm still going to try this out, but I am wary now. Luckily it was on sale for about $5, so hopefully it won't be a huge loss if I don't like it. 

I also picked up two of the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponges. Real Techniques was BOGO 50% off that day, and I love these beauty sponges alot so I picked up two. I think these are honestly really nice dupes for the Beauty Blender, although I do use both. I figured I'd just buy some more of these since they were on sale. 

The last product I bought is the Tree Hut Shea Sugar Body Scrub in the Coconut Lime scent. This little jar was at the checkout area and it was just so darn cute, plus it smells like coconut, so I couldn't pass it up. 

Ulta recently had a 40% off sale on a few of their brands they carry, so naturally I had to buy some things online. I got a good deal on these too. I had a bunch of points to use toward this purchase, plus I had a $3.50 off a $10 purchase and there was free shipping at $25. After all the discounts and everything, I only spent just over $20, including tax! Woohoo!

Anyway, the first product I got was the Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips Custom All-in-1 Nude Palette for Face and Eyes in the shade Natural. I've heard some pretty good things about this little palette and I think I'm mostly going to use it for eyeshadow. I have pretty oily skin, so using highlighter on my face typically doesn't look too good after a couple hours. 

I also got a Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Bush, also by Physician's Formula, in the shade Rose. I honestly thought the packaging was adorable and it was only about $7 on sale, so I thought I'd try it.

An Ulta haul would never be complete without buying some Nyx Butter Glosses. I picked up the shades Cupcake, which I've wanted for ages but is usually sold out, Peaches and Cream and Red Velvet. I love these glosses so much, they're probably my favorite glosses in the drugstore. Also, at only $2.99, who can pass up a deal like that?!

I added another Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain to my collection and the color I got is called India Intrigue. It's a really pretty berry/pink color but I have yet to try it out. 

Let me know if you'd like reviews of anything here! Also, have you bought anything lately?

September 2014 Empties

Hi guys! It's time for some empties and this will probably be a long one because I used up a decent amount of products. Here we go!

First up is a can of Batiste Dry Shampoo, and this is the one with a hint of color for light and blonde hair. I didn't mind the color of this, which was a light yellow. It rubbed into my hair fine and left no strange color. I love my Batiste and will always repurchase, but probably not this one.

The next product I used up is the Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge Fortifying Shampoo. I didn't use up this whole bottle myself, I had the help of my husband. He's not picky with shampoo, but I did like this. It definitely made my hair feel really clean and it smelled really nice too. I always like shampoos and conditioners from this brand so I'll always repurchase at some time or other.

Next up is a conditioner I've been tying to finish for probably a year or so, and it's the Pantene Sheer Volume Complete Therapy Conditioner. I don't know why this took so long to finish, but I didn't need alot at all to make my hair feel hydrated. This definitely made my hair feel so nice and less tangled. Worth it for how long it lasted, but I was so over it when it was gone!

I also used up the Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Conditioner that also took me ages to use up. This conditioner is really good stuff. It's very thin and liquid-y though so at first I thought it wasn't going to work well. Boy was I wrong! This left my hair feeling so soft and made it smell so darn good! I would repurchase once I use up my stash. 

Oh look, mascaras! I gotta admit, alot of these were just dried up and I couldn't use them. The two Buxom Lash mascaras I've had for I don't even now how long, so they gotta go. The Benefit Badgal Lash I used once, but it seemed off to me. I used it before and liked it, but this tube just wasn't the same. Funny story about the Fresh Supernova mascara. The first time I went to use it, I got one eye done and loved how it turned out. Then the wand proceeded to fly out of my hand onto the carpet. Needless to say, it had hair and dust all over it so I had to toss it and find something else to use. I absolutely hated theBalm's What's Your Type? mascara in "The Body Builder". It did nothing for me at all. I was so in love with the Sephora Atomic Volume mascara and I got a good 3 weeks of use out of it before it started to dry out and not work as well. 

The next product Is actually one I'm throwing away because the color is hideous and it's the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Ultra Lipstick in the color Brick. It's a horrible brick red color that makes me look so sick. This came in a gift with purchase so I'm not worried about throwing it out.

Then we have a Jouer lip gloss and the color is called Birchbox Pink. This obviously came in a Birchbox, but I haven't been subscribed to them in about 2 years, plus this smelled funny, so out it goes!

The bareMinerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer was pretty nice, but my shadows creased on me most days I used it. It wasn't terrible, but enough to be annoying. I did finish all of this and got a little over a month's worth of use out of this little sample. 

I'm just throwing away the J.Cat Beauty Sparkling Cream Palette. This glittery creamy mess is just not good and no one should ever use it. 

Onto some random bits. First up is a foaming hand soap from Bath & Body Works in the scent Coconut Cove. I absolutely loved this scent, obviously because it's coconut. I have about 20 different scents of these soaps because I always stock up during sales. 

Next up is my favorite contact solution, Renu Fresh. I know I've said before, but this is the only brand that doesn't burn my eyes when I put my contacts in, so I can't really buy anything else. This stuff isn't cheap either, so I'm learning to wear my glasses more just to conserve a bit.

I was sad using up this Crest Sensi-Relief Toothpaste, because it was so good! This has to be one of the best toothpastes that have helped my sensitive teeth and gums. This isn't cheap either and I did buy it at Walmart when I had a $1 off coupon to use. Normally I think it's a little over $4, which to me is high. I always feel like I shouldn't pay that much for something like toothpaste. I will repurchase eventually if I don't find something better, or cheaper.

I used up the Body Shop's Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner, which I've been a fan of for years. I love this stuff in the Summer especially, because it's awesome for oily skin. It keeps my skin clear and fresh and I feel it helps with my breakouts. 

I used up my first EOS lip balm and I think the scent is either strawberry or raspberry. It never says on the packaging what scent it is, so I really am guessing. In my truly honest opinion, I think this stuff sucks. I didn't find it moisturizing at all. If anything my lips were drier making me use it constantly. I do have a few more of these lip balms in my stash, but I don't know if I want to just throw them out or not. 

Next up is another product from The Body Shop, the Elderflower Unperfumed Eye Gel. I loved this so much in the Summer because it felt so cooling and nice on hot days. It really has no scent either which for me is nice since I tend to have sensitive eyes. 

I was really sad when I used up this little sample of the Jouer Lip Enhancer Conditioning Lip Treatment. I think I got this in a Birchbox as well, but this seemed good to use. I absolutely loved what this did to my lips. It made them plump and feel so hydrated and lovely. I'm tempted to buy a full size of this honestly but I have plenty of lip balms/treatments to use up first.

The last product I used up is the Almay Oil-Free Makeup Remover Towelettes. I'm on the fence with these. I liked them but I didn't love them. They did seem to remove my makeup well, but they left a bit of a film on my skin and stung my eyes occasionally, which was odd. 

Phew! That was a doozy! If you made it til the end, tell me what you all used up last month! :)

September 2014 Favorites

Hello everyone! It's the end of yet another month which means it's favorites time! Let's see what I was loving in September.

 

The first product I've been loving is the Apothecary Extracts 100% Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil. I wrote up a review if this here, and basically it's amazing! I mentioned in that post that I was using in mixed in my shampoo, and I'm convinced that it's helping with dandruff and itchiness. I also have been using it mixed in the baby shampoo I use to wash my makeup brushes for some extra disinfection.

My next favorite is the Urban Decay Vice 3 Palette. I did a first look type of post here on this, though I will end up fully reviewing this palette in the coming weeks. I love this palette so much. There are a good mix of neutrals and bright colors, and there are also an impressive amount of matte shades. Overall, I'm very impressed. Definitely stay tuned for my review!

Next up is another Urban Decay product and it's their Naked 2 Basics Palette. Check out my full review of this here, but in a nutshell, I love it! I've been more into matte shadows lately and I think this palette is great of you want neutral shades that are more cool than the first, but not so cool to where only a few people can use it. These shades blend like a dream and I have gotten good use out of it. 

Now we have the Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara in the color Jet Black. I think this may have come in a kit of some kind but I honestly can't remember. I was looking for a mascara to use because I had used up the other one I was using but came across ones that were so dried out, they weren't usable. Once I decided on this one and used it, I was pretty impressed with how nice my lashes look. They give decent length and volume, but don't look spidery or clumpy. 

My last favorite of the month is the Tarte Clean Slate 12 hr Smoothing Primer. I've been trying to use up some of my eye primers because 1. I have a ton and 2. I don't wanna use up all of the Urban Decay Primer Potions I have. That stuff is my ultimate favorite so I'm saving it! This little tube came in a gift set of different Tarte primers and to be honest, I actually really like this! It feels so different though, like lotion. I wasn't sure I'd like it because of the thin texture, but this stuff really makes my shadows last longer. Not UDPP long, but longer than if I didn't use primer at all. 

That's everything! What have you been loving lately?