Holy Pigment Batman!! (Urban Decay Shadow Box Review)

.So, I just purchased a few new makeup items that all came in today. One of those items was the Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box palette.

 This Palette was on sale for 10.00 on Ulta.com and I figured I would pick it up and... Man.... I'm just blown away. Here is a photo of what the inside of the palette looks like: 

These colors seemed very vibrant and felt very smooth but nothing special which is why I always passed on purchasing it before now; but then...I swatched them and 

 HOLY PIGMENT BATMAN!! These shadows are vibrant, smooth, and I am OVER THE MOON that I got this palette on such a good deal!!!! I cannot WAIT to see what eye looks I get with these babies! If it is still on sale at Ulta, I will place the link below! Thanks for reading!!!

Link for Palette on Ulta.com: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?skuId=2151347&productId=prod2151347&navAction=push&navCount=1&categoryId=cat80045%20cat940003

E.L.F Neutral Eye Shadow Palette Review!

So not too long ago, I was in my local Target store and went into the makeup section ( as always ) and found this item on the end cap:

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 This is the Eyes Lips Face neutral eye shadow palette. This palette retails at target for $15.00, but I found this baby on clearance for $5.99!! I could not believe my luck when I saw all the shades that this palette had to offer:

 This palette comes with 144 shades and ALL of them are neutral!! There is not ONE neutral eye look that you cannot do with these shades. Now, even though I believe this is a steal even at regular price, I must be realistic about the quality. 

 They are pigmented yes, but not to the quality of say Urban Decay or Mac, BUT ( and for effect, again I say BUT ) by adding a primer to your eyes and applying to color as you would ANY high end eye shadow, with a little work, the end results will be the same.

This palette was my go-to palette for fall because the colors are so warm and it was inexpensive enough to wear day to day without feeling as if I was wasting it. Again I say, these shadows are BEST when applied over a primer, but then again, what makeup DOESN'T  look better over a primer? I am of the opinion that this palette is worth it, and for the shade range as well as the price (even at regular price) you can't beat this deal with a stick!!! Thanks for reading! Links to where you can purchase this palette below!

Purchase the Palette at TARGET: http://www.target.com/p/e-l-f-neutral-eyeshadow-set-144-pc/-/A-14184484#prodSlot=medium_1_3&term=ELF+NEUTRAL+EYESHADOW+PALETTE

or

Purchase the Palette on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/l-f-Piece-Eyeshadow-Palette-Neutral/dp/B009Q1YPTG/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1377736305&sr=1-1&keywords=elf+neutral+eyeshadow+palette

Coupons!!!

So, this blog is titled beauty and coupons and as of late, I have had a lot of beauty posts ( which is what this blog is mostly used for) but not anything having to do with coupons and the two do tie in together so I wanted to share with you how I save money to afford things I otherwise may not be able to.

Now, I got turned onto the website http://thekrazycouponlady.com/ after seeing them on one of the shows they did promo's on and I believe there was an excerpt of them doing a segment and talking about their couponing methods, and promoting their website.

After going on their website and poking around, I found their coupon binder that was available for download and I downloaded it!

 The categories are separated and organized by number so all that is left to do is cut the coupons and place them in the appropriate places in the folder which looks like this. I DO NOT leave the house unless this binder is in my car just in case I need to go to the store unexpectedly. I, on average,save about 50% of my total grocery bill every single month . Saving money on the things that I HAVE to buy, ( food, toiletries, etc..) means that I have more money for things I WANT to buy. 

 I purchased this case/ binder at a local discount store for $15.00 and filled it with baseball card inserts to separate the coupons in each section . 

The picture above shows my makeup section of the coupon binder. Coupons for Almay, Cover Girl and Maybelline are the most popular and found in Sunday inserts or in the mailers we get weekly. When stores such Ulta are having their buy one get one half off for their non-prestige items, using these coupons in conjunction with their coupons ( you can use a store coupon AND a manufacturers coupon on one item, unless the store specifies differently) for $3.50 of of $10.00 or even their 20% off coupons adds up to UNBELIEVABLE savings.

So my point in putting this post up is that I have come to the conclusion that anyone,regardless of income,can save money on necessities and have more money for enjoyable things which is what I, and  the majority of people I know want. 

For a more in depth lesson on couponing, head on over to http://thekrazycouponlady.com/ and click on the beginners tab. I am not being paid nor is this a sponsored blog, instead this is just a valuable piece of information that has helped me, and I want to pass it on to you! Thanks for reading!! 

Glossybox August 2013 Unboxing!

So this months Glossybox blew me out of the water, and not so much the products, but their size! ( Insert inappropriate " size matters" comment here :o) lol! ) But seriously, in the world of beauty products, size DOES matter. Here are the items that I got in this months box:

The first item,was a jean makeup bag with "Glossybox" on the front and a "Guess" logo on the back. There is nothing particularly brilliant about the bag but it is a wonderful addition to the already highly valuable box and perfect for someone like me who uses these bags to organize my purse.

The next item I received was the Sue Devitt "Triple C-weed" pressed powder in the color "summer monsoon".

 The powder seems light and not too "cakey" and MOST important, it is in my correct shade!!This little detail means a lot of me because I have many products for your face from various boxes ( some even from Glossybox) that do not match my skin shade because they were not matched to my profile on that companies website. This obviously was matched to me,  and I could not be more pleased! Retail value of this powder is $28.00 for a full size and what we got in the box WAS  a full size product. ( This product alone has exceeded the cost of the box at $21.00/box)

Next we have the "Jelly Pong Pong' lip blush. 

 This has super cute packaging that has become a trademark of various other "chubby sticks" as this item is generalized as. Some other points about this item is that it is advertised as a lip stain and is cruelty free which is a double plus in my book! Here is a swatch of the color: Retail value of this lip blush is $18.00 for a full size and this is a full size item. 

 I will definitely have to play around with it to see how best to wear it but it is a really pretty pale pinky-purple tone. 

Next we have the "Anatomicals" spray misty for me facial spritz.

This item is advertised as a facial refresher infused with rose, lavender, and aloe to name a few. When I sprayed this the one stand out fragrance was lavender for me. I typically do not like the smell of lavender in anything, but its combination with the other scents in this bottle create a fragrance that to my surprise, I really like. Retail value for full size product is $9.00/ bottle and we received this in full size.

Next is an item by the company Novex. It is a "Brazilian Keratin Hair Care Treatment Cream."

 This cream is, as described, a keratin treatment to add more moisture to your hair with the weather changing, and our hair needing extra moisture, shine, and smoothness as we enter the fall season, if this actually does what it says, it is going to be a brilliant product. The retail value of this item in full size is $4.99/bottle and the this is a full size item. 

Now I was supposed to have received the "Airelle" intense repair complex cream but it was not in my box. However, what was in my box in its place was this nail polish: 

 I have never tried an item by Pandora's Polish before so I am looking forward to seeing how their formula is and am so excited to have received this item which I believe is also full size but since it came with no description that is just an educated guess. I would say the approximate value of this nail polish is about $6.00.

As a last extra, we were also given a little card giving us 30% off of our order on guess.com which I cannot WAIT to use! 

So overall this box was an outstanding one because it CLEARLY was of greater retail value that what I paid for the entire box, and even though I got an item that was not listed and did not get an item that was listed, I'll take that any day over a box full of foil packets! Thanks for reading!!

What I paid for the box: $21.00

Retail value of items in the box: $65.99

See my full video unboxing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3uqa3cc9KE

30% off ALL Michael Todd products!

Hey guys! Just wanted to pop on here and let you know Michael Todd is offering 30% off on all their products on their website with the code: BTH30   I am sure this is only gonna be for a limited time and I wanted to let you all know! Now you can try their products for way less than what you would pay retail! Happy shopping, here is the link: http://www.michaeltoddtrueorganics.com/index.php/  

Makeup Storage??

So,  ( I have been starting a lot of these blogs with "so" ) I have been watching a lot of YouTube videos on makeup storage and collection and the one item that a lot of beauty guru's have in common (by ways of storage) is the Alex 9 drawer system from Ikea that looks like this:

 However, I am not sure this is the best system for me because I am what you would call an  " out of sight out of mind" person when it comes to makeup. I am afraid that if I break down and purchase this system, a lot of the makeup that I have will be forgotten about until I have to throw it out. Because the drawers are solid, I am not going to see certain products unless I open the drawer and go through it.  That being said, here is a picture of my my current storage system pure, raw, and uncut lol!! 

 Please don't mind the roll of paper towels on the window sill, I keep them there in case of those unforeseen emergency spills that me, in all of my clumsy splendor, tends to have on a weekly basis. But I digress, so this storage system has worked well for me in the past few months by forcing me not to purchase too much and keep the clutter to a minimum... almost...

 That is until I discovered that I could store these items in a separate drawer system that I found at Target! Here is a peak inside the drawers..

 And finally the nail drawer up close and personal 

 Now with the amount of makeup that I have (and showing no signs of slowing down with the acquiring of more) the Alex 9 system seems like a good investment and if I can keep in mind that I need to rotate my makeup, I may be able to make it work for me.... Maybe??

So how do you all store your makeup? Do any of you have the Alex 9 drawers and love or hate them? Whatever your opinion, please comment below because I really need to find a new system so that the clutter is not as bad as I have a feeling it is going to get. Thanks for reading!

My "go-to" Favorite Products of the Summer!

So most of us, all have those "go to " products in our makeup collection that have never let us down and allow us to pull together looks that make us feel and look "put together" when we may not feel put together. So with the summer days rapidly passing and the Fall season ( my favorite season btw!!) rapidly approaching, I wanted to pay homage to those products this summer that have never let me down. And so without further adieu, here they are:

The first product is my "Lorac Pro Palette". The colors within the palette are neutral for the most part but they are far from your standard neutral, boring palette.

 The top row of 8 shadows are all matte and the bottom row are all shimmers and the combination of colors makes the looks you are able to create, endless.If I could have just one palette in my entire makeup collection, this baby would be in the top 3 if not the only palette I would choose. 

Next, I have my favorite foundation of the moment and that is my "Chanel Perfection Lumiere" foundation. 

 I own this in the shade 54 Beige Ambre' and I have to say that this foundation is amazing. The coverage is flawless and it works to cover up any imperfections but still allows your natural skin to show through, just an improved version of it. I love the way this foundation feels, smells, and makes my skin look. 

Next I have the powder I use to set my foundation and that is my "Makeup Forever Pro Finish" powder foundation. 

 As you can see, I have "loved" this product quite a bit as I have hit pan on it. This powder is technically a foundation as well as a powder but I find that using it as a setting powder adds an extra layer of coverage while not caking up on my skin to look unnatural. I love this powder and WILL be repurchasing. The color I have is 174 Neutral Saffron.

Next, is a product that I use when I do not feel like adding any color to my lips but want a lot of moisture. That item is my "Dior Creme De Rose" smoothing, plumping, lip balm. 

 This lip balm smells like fresh cut roses and is super moisturizing and stays on your lips without being overly sticky. Even though the price tag on this ( for it being a lip gloss that is) is pretty hefty, I think it is absolutely worth it. My one and only gripe about this product is that I wish they would make it in a stick form and not a pot form. 

Next we have my two favorite blushes: Nars "Orgasm" 

 And the Tarte Amazonian clay blush in the color "Frisky"

 These two colors are my "go-to" colors for different reasons and in different looks. The Nars Orgasm blush is used when I am either doing a heavy eye and want to balance the look out with a lighter more natural blush ( on my skin tone Nars Orgasm is very natural looking) or when I am doing a "no makeup, makeup" look and want to add some color to my cheeks.

The Tarte Blush is used to brighten up my complexion  when I do not have too much going on in the eye area in terms of color and want to add a pop of color somewhere on my face aside from my eyes and mouth. This blush is SUPER pigmented and DOES LAST 12 hours!! I love all the Tarte blushes but this one with just a hint of shimmer has been my go-to summer shade. 

And finally, I have the three shades of lipstick that I reach for far more than I should because I adore all three of them!!

 In order from left to right we have Mac's "Ruby Woo", next we have Mac's "ParaMount" and lastly we have Mac's "Red". These three colors are amazing!

 "Ruby Woo" on my skin tone is a very bright orange/red that is flattering and eye catching. I use this color typically during the day when I am feeling bold and want a bright "in your face" red lip.

The next color, "Paramount" is an everyday color that is complimentary and adds another layer to the illusion that I have put myself together for work day to day, and a shade I often wear in the office. 

And finally, Mac "Red" is my go to color for a night on the town. Blue tone red's look better on me at night, and this is my go to shade for a night on the town. Mac lipsticks are generally long wearing as well as moisturizing and this shade ( all of these shades) are no exemption.  

So there you go! I hope you liked seeing all of my go to products and feel free to share your go to products with me! Thanks for reading!

Makeup Forever Technicolor Review!

So this morning I was looking through my palette's for something to give me a bright summery look before fall sets in and I came across a palette that I FELL IN LOVE with in the spring and beginning of summer...

My Makeup Forever Technicolor Palette! This is a palette that I KNOW did not get the recognition that it deserved. Inside this palette are 8 beautiful colors ranging from neutral to bright and bold.  

 I created all kinds of looks with this palette, from a spring look with the green and blue, a more neutral look with the light and dark brown on the ends, and even a nighttime look with the brown, white and black shades. The versatility in this palette plus its compact size makes it ideal for travel.  I purchased this palette at Sephora, but they no longer sell it (on their website at least )so I did find it on Amazon in case any of you are interested in trying it out. Here is the link : http://www.amazon.com/MAKE-FOR-EVER-Technicolor-Palette/dp/B00B49CSOC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377123795&sr=8-1&keywords=makeup+forever+technicolor+palette  

Here is a closeup of the swatches: 

 Now the one con that I will say is that these shadows DID have some fallout but that is the only thing I have to say negative about it. The colors are pigmented and go on and blend smoothly and are well worth the cost in my opinion. Doing my eyes first and then my face makeup made the fallout a non-issue thank goodness.  Thanks so much for reading!!

Michael Todd Pumpkin Mask First Impression Review!

So... this morning I decided to film my first impressions video of the application of the Michael Todd Pumpkin mask. ( video will be up AFTER this post goes up )

 So when I opened it and began to apply it to my face, the first thing I noticed was the smell, it smelled like squash baby food which was not too much of an issue for me but it was unexpected. Now, some may say that it should have been  expected because pumpkin is the first and main ingredient but I have never used a mask that smelled anything like a food unless it was a fruit mask like papaya.

The other thing that I noticed right away was that after I applied it, ( after cleaning my face with my clarisonic) was that around my mouth area I started to feel a burning sensation that at a certain point was quite intense. Now as you can see in the picture, the very bottom of the tube says, " moisturizes and nourishes all skin types EXCEPT sensitive." Now I do not think that I have sensitive skin but I think that the deep cleaning of the clarisonic combined with the glycolic acid that is IN the mask contributed to the temporary burning sensation I felt. I have never before used a mask that contained glycolic acid.  The burning  sensation lasted just around my mouth and for less than 2 minutes. 

After rinsing the mask, my skin felt smooth and soft to the touch. That alone sealed the deal for me. In testing a mask when I wash it off and I notice a definitive difference in my skin that is positive, I then know that I will continue to use the mask and like it. So overall I must say that I really like this mask and feel that it hydrated and softened my skin after just one use.

See my full application and review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTlXVl5csBA

Ipsy Unbagging August 2013!!

It's Ipsy TIME!!!!!!

So the theme this month was "Glamour Academy" keeping in line with the back to school theme that is the focus of almost everything at this time of year, every year. This particular Ipsy this month was one that I have been waiting for with anticipation because I have been watching what some other people were getting in their bags and I was soooooooooooo excited to get mine!!

So the products that I got this month were: 1. Pacifica Alight multi-mineral bb cream.

 This is said to be a shade - matching bb cream which is something that I have a hard time believing because we as humans have so many varying skin tones from the fairest of the fair to the deepest of the deep, but I will definitely be giving this item a try to see if it actually adapts to my skin tone. 

The second item that I got this month was the : Pixi Lash Booster Mascara 

 This item does not seem as if it is anything special but because it is claiming to be lash boosting, it is possible that it is a really good mascara. This is a big plus because Pixi is a drugstore brand that is fairly affordable so if this turns out to be amazing, score one for the team!!

My third item is the: Noya all natural lip balm in cherry. 

 I have tried this lip balm out since just receiving it and I do have to say that it seems really moisturizing ( and is that not ALL we ask of a lip balm ) and smells faintly of cherries, which is a plus.(no weird waxy smell ) Most of all, it is an all natural product and I love products that are natural because it makes me feel better about using them. 

The fourth item is from Mica beauty cosmetics shimmer powder in color 17 bronze. 

 Now I really believe that this is a repeat item but I cannot be sure that it was an item that I got from Ipsy before. It very well may have been another bag, but this is a shimmer powder that would be ideal in the summer for an eye look or even an addition in the form of  a sheer layer to your decolletage. 

And last but certainly not least is my most anticipated item that I KNEW or hoped was coming in my box because everyone else got it in theirs, the: Michael Todd Pumpkin nutrient rich facial mask. 

 Now while I was really hoping to get the charcoal mask because I already got this one in my Little Black Bag this month, I realized that with two samples I am afforded the opportunity to try this product quite a few times to get a feel for if I like it enough to purchase full size!

And those my friends are all the products that I got in my Ipsy this month! Super excited and can't wait to see what they come up with next month!! 

See My FULL UNBAGGING VIDEO here!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7XwFdhy0IY

Are Beauty Subscription Services Worth it?

      

This face is the face I get when certain months, I open a beauty subscription box that I have subscribed to and see a bunch of foil packets. UGH!

I currently am subscribed to: Birchbox, Glossybox, Beauty Bar Sample Society, Ipsy and more recently Little Black Bag. I love getting new items every month in the mail but on MORE than one occasion I have asked myself, " Are these subscriptions really worth the money?"

Now despite this face ( see above reference ) OVERALL, I must say that I do believe the beauty boxes are worth the price. For anywhere from 10.00/ month to 21.00 a month ( at least in my range of subscriptions) I am spending less than the value of the boxes that I am getting and 2. these beauty boxes allow me to try products that I may have otherwise never even heard of much less have ever tried. 

So even though some months I am disappointed, there are other months where I get a MICHAEL TODD product or the equivalent of that hot skincare or makeup item of the moment that makes my subscriptions seem all worthwhile. 

And lastly, because of the amount of products that I receive every month from these subscriptions,  I now have a beauty stockpile and have become a veritable treasure trove of makeup and skincare possibilities to my friends!! :0) #IhaveyettomeetabeautyboxIdidnotlike 

BirchBox August 2013 Unboxing!

Ok, so the box for this month's Birchbox was a little bit disappointing. This is my box and the items that I received,

 I recieved the Juice Beauty Moisturizer, La Fresh wipes, Uniq One all in one hair treatment, and finally the Model co Party Proof Matte Lipstick which I loved!!! Here is a swatch of the lipstick:

                                                                                Now there was one item that was supposed to be in this box that was not ,and that was my lifestyle extra the WEI Pomegranate Buffing Beads. Disappointing yes, but detrimental, no. Not a bad box overall, but I hope that the box next month is better. Check out my Unboxing in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg5Q9ggcREo

First Impression of Little Black Bag!

It has been quite a long time, yes I know but I am back!! Lol! So, I joined Little Black Bag this month and picked my first bag which was the " Olivia and Joy" Regards Satchel which I am in love with. The cost of the bag is 49.95 and if you are a VIP member of little Black Bag, you also get three more items included in that price. I got a pair of earrings, a necklace and  Michael Todd face mask of which I cannot WAIT to use!

Now just for curiosity sake, I logged onto the Olivia and Joy website to see what they were charging for this bag alone. Here is the link, http://www.oliviaandjoy.com/item/1752066 and here is a picture of the bag they offer on their website 

 This is called the Regards Black and White and is very similar though not identical to the one being sold by Little Black Bag. This baby lists on the Olivia and Joy website for a cool $78.00. Now when I saw this I suddenly became a bit smug at the thought that I had gotten almost the same identical bag for $49.95( A nice $28.05 savings)  PLUS I received three additional items! Here is a pic of the Bag I just got today to showcase the comparison: 

  

As you can see, the difference in the two bags is noticeable but not by much. My final consensus is that Little Black Bag is not only a bargain, but a great way to beef up you accessory wardrobe! SCORE!  Please check out my full review on my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfFRH3BrM0g Thanks for reading!!!