Lipstick and EyeShadow and Nail Polish, Oh My!

So last week I did a little bit of shopping and found some awesome deals at Ulta (no shock there) and of all places, Big Lots!  Ulta has a great clearance selection at my store right now!  I was able to pick up these four things all for less than $5!  I had a coupon for $3.50 off a $10 purchase (which they will let you use on clearance items by the way!) so my sister and I paid for our stuff together so we could use the coupon.

Here’s what I got.

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lipstick-Kate Moss Collection shade 103; Regular Price $5.49, I paid $.64 – This was just a pretty pink color and I had never tried this line before so I figured why not!  The formula is very smooth and the lipstick itself smells really good!  It reminds me of something but I can't quite place it.  It's definitely something fruity!  A lot of lipsticks smell/taste really bad but this one was a pleasant surprise!  Disclaimer: I am not eating my lipstick, but if you have something on your lips you’re bound to ingest it some at some point!

Essence EyeShadow in Get Ready (brown) and Dance all Night (champagne); Regular Price $2.49 each, I paid $.86 each - This eyeshadow is wonderful!  I didn't think that the color would be very intense with how cheap these were to begin with, but I was actually really impressed!  The brown is great for adding some definition and I use the lighter color as a highlight and in my inner corners.  They also both have a bit of a shimmer to them that makes them even more fun!  I’m definitely going to check out some other products from this brand after this great experience!

L'ORÉAL Colour Riche Nail Color Berry Jealous!; Regular Price $5.99, I paid $1.97 – This color is amazing!  I have been looking for a great pink like this for a long time and am so excited that I finally found one!  I've never tried this kind of nail polish before so I was a little hesitant to buy it, but now I am so glad that I did!  It lasted 5 days without chipping and then the only reason it chipped was because I was trying to get the back off of my watch to change the battery.  (Even after ruining my manicure I have yet to get that stupid back off.  If anyone has some advice on how to do that yourself, please share!)  Anyway, I absolutely love this color!  It’s definitely my new go to!

So now onto the amazing find at Big Lots!  Big Lots is a closeout store which means that they get items in bulk from the manufacturers when there’s a surplus.  If you haven’t been there in a while I highly suggest making the trip.  Not all of it is cheaper than if you got it at another store but every now and then, you’ll find a steal like I did!

Maybelline Expert Wear Trios Eyeshadow in Bronze Haze Regular Price $5.99, I paid $1.20! - I’m guessing Big Lots got these because Maybelline recently changed the packaging on this product.  The product itself is fine and let me tell you; this. eyeshadow. is. amazing!!!!  I definitely did not expect to love this as much as I do!  I like to line my bottom lash line with brown eyeshadow rather than eyeliner and the brown in this set has a great color payoff so it’s perfect for that!  The other two colors that it comes with are great for creating a natural look for every day.  I’m planning to go back to Big Lots soon to see if there are any other sets I can get my hands on!

Thanks for reading!!

~Sarah

July 2014 Ipsy Bag

I know you have all been holding your breath waiting for my July Ipsy bag post!  To be honest, I was freaking out last week because it was already halfway through the month and I hadn’t even gotten my tracking information yet.  I spent my days stalking my email and its spam folder for the tracking, searching for pictures of other people’s bags on instagram, and eating my feelings in the form of cookie dough.  Then last Wednesday when I checked the mail, there it sat!  The next day I got my tracking code email.  Tracking Fail.

If getting full size and deluxe makeup samples of quality brands in the mail sounds at all appealing to you, seriously check out Ipsy!  For $10 a month you get 4-5 items as well as a makeup bag and online coupon codes for the featured brands.  You can either subscribe month to month so you can cancel at any time or subscribe for a year at a discounted rate!

This month’s theme was Sensationally Sun Kissed.  The items came in a bright pink square makeup bag with scalloped edges.  The bag is so cute and I will definitely get lots of use out of it!  I was also really happy with the items I got this month!

Nailtini in Mango Rita Full Size $13.00 – I was a less than enthused about this pale orange color when I first opened my bag.  I'm more of a pink and red nail polish kind of girl but it's slowly starting to grow on me.  The color has a hint of sparkle in it and I definitely don’t own another color like it.  I've never tried Nailtini before, so I’m very interested to see how well it holds up.  For $13 a bottle you would think it would be pretty high quality, but we'll see.  https://www.tinibeauty.com/product/mango-rita_regular/

Bare Minerals 5 in 1 in Divine Wine; Full Size 3 ml $18.00, Deluxe Sample 1 ml $6.00 – My first impression of this eye shadow is that it looked like mud.  Icky brown mud.  I usually stick to neutrals anyway but this brown is kind of grey and dingy.  However, I've used it a couple times now and when you layer other brighter colors on top of it, it doesn't look so blah.  I was also a little disappointed in the formula.  After wearing for about 8 hours, I could see creases in my eye shadow from where my eyelids close.  Definitely not the look I was going for!  I’m going to try using a  little less next time so maybe that will fix the issue! 

http://www.bareescentuals.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-BareEscentuals-Site/en_US/Experience-Show?cgid=BE_BB_CREAM_EYESHADOW

Hang Ten Dark Tanning Oil SPF 08; Full Size 8 oz. $11.99, Deluxe Sample 1 oz. $1.49 – I don’t normally use tanning oil, but I will definitely give this a try!  It’s the same brand as the sunscreen that I got in my bag a couple months ago and I love using that!  Plus, this is the perfect size to bring on my cruise!  https://hangtensunscreen.com/shop/dark-tanning-oil-spf-08/

Clear Clinic Vanished; Full Size 7.5 ml $35.00, Deluxe Sample 2 ml $9.32 – This product is supposed to help diminish the appearance of facial blemishes.  I was really excited that I got this, but now I'm just disappointed.  I've been using it for almost a week straight now on a few spots on my face and they have yet to go away!  I would definitely not waste my money on this!  http://clearcliniclabs.com/product/vanished/

Elizabeth Mott Tints & Sass in Cherry; Full Size $22.99 – This is definitely my favorite product this month!  And can we just take a minute to admire the name?   I’d never tried a tint before so I was really excited to get one.  This is a great red color and I've already used it several times on my lips.  It stays all day, although it does fade a bit through eating and drinking which is to be expected.  I haven’t tried this on my cheeks yet and to be honest I’m a little intimidated by that idea.  It's very pigmented so I'm pretty sure I would just end up with two red dots on my cheeks and not be able to blend it in. For now, I'll just use it on my lips!  http://www.elizabethmott.com/shop/tints-and-sass-lip-tint/

This month the total value of the products in my bag was $52.80!  I am so pleased with Ipsy!  It’s a great affordable way to try new things that I otherwise wouldn't get to try!  If you want to see what all the fuss is about, here’s my referral link!  http://www.ipsy.com/r/6b49

Thanks for reading!!

~Sarah

It's in the Bag

Now that summer is in full swing, hopefully you've had the chance to spend some time soaking up some sun!  Anytime I head to the beach or the pool I always have a bag full of goodies to get me through the day.  I thought it would be fun to share my beach bag must haves!

The first thing you need is a great beach bag.  I prefer a bag that zips at the top to avoid sand getting in or anything else falling out.  I don’t currently have one with a zipper, so in the meantime I’m using this bag that I got for free last week after spending way too much money in Victoria’s Secret. (oops!)

A very important part of any day in the sun is sunscreen!  Right now I’m using Hang Ten Classic Sport SPF 50 on my face.   I got this in an Ipsy bag a couple months ago. My favorite sunscreen for the rest of my body is Coppertone Sport AccuSpray SPF 15.  I hate traditional sunscreen lotion because it takes forever to apply and I always seem to miss a spot.  Plus I hate the greasy feeling it leaves.  The spray is so much faster and easier!  The SPF 15 is also the perfect amount to tan but not burn!  Seriously this stuff is amazing!  I would definitely recommend that you pick up some of this!  You can find it for around $7.00 a bottle. 

It’s also a good idea to have Chapstick so your lips don’t burn.  I always carry the Chapstick Classic in Cherry with SPF 4.

  

I love reading while I'm lying in the sun so I always have a book or magazine with me!  This summer I've got three great books on my list.

The One by Kiera Cass – This is the third and final book in the Selection Series.  I absolutely love this series!  The best way to describe it is a mix between the Hunger Games and the Bachelor.  It's set in a futuristic society with 35 girls all competing for the love of one prince.  If you’re looking for a new series to get into, I would definitely check this out!

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin – I started watching Game of Thrones last fall so I decided to start reading this last Christmas on my trip to Japan.  Sadly I’m still only halfway through, but I’m determined to finish this by the end of my cruise in September!  My goal is to eventually read all of them, but at this point I’m not overly optimistic that this is an attainable goal.

 I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends by Courtney Robertson – this is probably the book I’m most excited about reading.  This is a tell-all memoir on Courtney Robertson’s experience on the Bachelor.  Anyone who knows me knows that I love the Bachelor so I can’t wait to read all the juicy details in this!!  I wish everyone who went on the show wrote one of these books because I would read every single one!

Here are a few other things I always have in my bag;

•  My iPod.  In case I’d rather snooze than read.
•  A cheap pair of sunglasses.  This way if they get scratched or dropped, I don’t ruin my good pair!
•  Baseball Hat.  To avoid burning my scalp or getting tan lines on my face if I’m wearing sunglasses.  Also to keep the sun out of my eyes if I don't feel like wearing sunglasses.
•  Hair ties.  I use the thinner Goody Ouchless.  You can get a pack of these for less than $2.00.  It’s always good to carry extras of these because you never know when you or someone you’re with may need one!  And let’s face it, we all want to be able to rescue a friend in need!
•  Bobby Pins.  I also always have bobby pins just in case!  I started using Sally Beauty MetaGrip Premium Mini Bob Pins when I was in high school and never looked back!  These are smaller than traditional bobby pins and they just seem to hold so much tighter.  You can get a box of these at Sally for $3.49.  They have 2 or 3 different colors to choose from to match your hair color.  Here's a picture of my bobby pin on top next to a regular bobby pin to show the size difference.  You can also see the difference of how tight they are.  These come in this handy box so they're easier to travel with and I'm not as likely to lose them!

I’m guessing that most of you have similar items in your bag!  You never know what you’re going to want or need, so my motto is be prepared!

Thanks for reading!!

~Sarah

To Shampoo, or Dry Shampoo?

That is the question.  So what’s the deal with dry shampoo anyway?  I don’t claim to be an expert by any means, but I have tried a few different kinds of dry shampoo.  It’s a great way to keep your hair looking and feeling clean without washing it every day.  Yea, you read that right, I’m gonna let you in on a little secret; I don’t usually wash my hair every day. (Pause for shock factor) 

The main reason I only wash it every other day is because I have to blow dry and straighten it every time I wash it, and all that heat is very damaging on hair.  Before you freak out, it is completely possible to only wash your hair every other day without it becoming greasy.  Some people even go longer than that!  You just have to train your hair!  Most of the time, I don’t even have to use dry shampoo on my second day hair now! 

Nevertheless, every now and then I break it out, so the question is, what kind do I reach for?  I’ve tried four different kinds and thought I’d offer a little advice/insight on the different kinds I’ve tried if you’re thinking about trying it for the first time!

Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo; $2.88 – This was the first kind of dry shampoo that I ever used.  The price is what initially drew me in.  Why pay more if you can get the result you want for less?  I actually purchased this several times before I realized that this is not the dry shampoo for me.  While it does do a great job of minimizing grease, I just couldn’t get over the smell!  It is so strong and on the days that I used it, it’s all I could smell all day.  I also tried the Keratin Infusion version of this which smells even worse and I’m pretty sure what ruined me for Suave dry shampoo. 

Tresemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo; $4.49 – I was talking to one of my friends a couple months ago about dry shampoo and the next day she brought me this to try.  While it doesn’t have the strong smell like the Suave, this formula was not a good fit for me.  It really seemed to weigh down my hair and made it feel greasier than it did to begin with.

Batiste Dry Shampoo (Cherry scent); $7.99 – I first heard about this on youtube and was very intrigued by the different scents it comes in!  This is probably my favorite dry shampoo that I’ve tried so far.  The scent is not overpowering at all.  In fact, I hardly smell it after the initial application.  The only downside to this, as is the case with most dry shampoos is that it comes out white.  All you have to do is work it in with your fingers, which is fairly easy to do (and doing this also gives you great volume without having to tease!).  Batiste does make tinted versions for several hair colors.  I haven’t tried that yet, but if it’s the same formula as this I’d say it’s definitely worth trying if the white tint freaks you out!

PSSSSSST Instant Dry Shampoo; $5.99 – This dry shampoo is completely invisible so no white residue here!  I really like to use this one if I’m in a hurry and don’t have time to make sure I don’t have any white spots in my hair.  It does weigh my hair down a bit but nothing like the Tresemme and it doesn’t have the strong smell like Suave.  This is definitely a great option!

If you’ve been thinking about trying the second day hair routine, I would first recommend that you start on a weekend.  Don’t wash it on a Saturday and see how it looks!  That way if it is such a greasy mess that you can’t be seen in public without everyone assuming you’re homeless, you’re not in a time crunch to get to work.  You should also pick up some dry shampoo to experiment with!  Suave may be a good option since it’s so much cheaper, but I’d say it’s worth it to try either PSSSSSST or Batiste.  Just make sure to spray it at the roots along your part since your scalp is where the oil originates.  Something I just started doing is spraying my roots and around my face before I go to bed.  This way, the oil is absorbed through the night and I don’t have to use it again in the morning.

I’ve been washing my hair every other day for over a year now and I’ve never looked back!  These are the only dry shampoo’s I’ve tried, but if you have another brand you’re a fan of, let me know so I can try it out!  If my blog has shown you anything it should be that I love trying new things!

Thanks for reading!!

~Sarah

A Tale of Three Wick Candles

After work on Friday, I decided it was time to make a trip to Bath & Body Works.  I realized a day or so earlier that I was running low on hand sanitizer, a very important part of my everyday life.  That’s right folks; I’m a germ-a-phobe.  My family and friends will tell you I’m a little too obsessive about it, but I have seen one too many TV specials about the germs lurking everywhere around to not be. 

Anyway, I found a coupon online for $10 off a $30 purchase and decided that I would also treat myself to a couple candles and some scentportable refills for my car.  I saw online that the candles were on special for $10 a piece and I have been dying to get my hands on a couple more of those Honeysuckle 3-wick candles! 

When I approached the store I couldn’t believe my eyes.  The semi-annual sale was still afoot!  I thought for sure I missed it!  I made the quick decision to only buy lotion, shower gel, hand soap, etc. if it was in the scent Twilight Woods or Honeysuckle.  Let’s be real.  Even if I did find those scents, I have enough of that stuff already to last me until I’m 35 but I wanted to set attainable goals for myself!

My plan was quickly thwarted when I found a candle holder for a 3 wick candle half off.  Crap. I’d wanted one of these for a while and it would only be $3.25 so I decided this would be my “bonus item”.  I did a quick sweep of the rest of the store, decided on my 5 scents of hand sanitizer and my two scentportable refills, picked up my two candles and was headed for the checkout.

Here’s the breakdown of what I got!

•         5 hand sanitizers – 5 for $5, Sticker price $1.75 each (Japanese Cherry Blossom, Caribbean Escape, Pink Chiffon, Coral Reef, and Aqua Blossom)
•         2 Scentportable refills – 2 for $5, Sticker price $3.50 each (Caribbean Escape and Island Margarita)
•         1 Candle holder – $3.25, Sticker price $6.50
•         2  3-wick candles (Honeysuckle. Duh.) - $10, Sticker price $22.50

I successfully made it to the cash register without picking up any other items.  (There was a brief moment when I was going to buy some Japanese Cherry Blossom cream shower gel, but I quickly came to my senses and put it back.)  I gave the cashier my stuff and proudly presented my coupon.

This is the part of the story where I have to say, touché sales girl, touché!  After she rung up my stuff she told me, that since I was already at $35, if I got $15 more worth of products, I would only have to pay $5 more!  Now I usually don’t fall for this kind of sales pitch.  I can do math in my head pretty quickly to calculate what I’m really saving/spending.  However, in my heightened emotional state and moment of self-control-less-ness I lost myself.  I smelled one of the Honeysuckle candles I had already laid on the counter and said “well, OK, maybe just two more candles.” SARAH!  Seriously?!?

I know what you’re thinking.  Wow, can’t believe she fell for that.  But I did, hook line and sinker.

So instead of spending $25 after coupon, I spent $35.  However, I can justify this completely because everything that I bought was on sale!  The 4 candles alone are well worth the $35 that I ended up spending!  Plus I got several other things that I “needed”. 

I saved $79 off the sticker price of all these items but technically it was only the $20 that my coupon took off that I actually “saved”.  But hey, that’s two Honeysuckle candles and boy do they smell amazing!

Moral of this story, always go to Bath & Body Works with a plan.  And a coupon.

Thanks for reading!!

~Sarah  

Surfs Up Vox Box

Last week I received another box in the mail full of goodies, compliments of Influenster!  I love to try new things and I seriously cannot get enough free stuff so I absolutely love this website!  All they ask is that after you receive your box, you check it in and review the products after you try them.  Honestly, I could do this kind of stuff all day!

When I got my box in the mail I could hardly wait to see what was in it!  You can sign in to your Influenster account ahead of time and see the products, but in my opinion, that just takes the fun out of it!  Plus it’s always more fun to open packages when someone else is there to get excited with you, so I ended up opening it with my sisters (one sitting right next to me and the other in Japan over Skype.  Have I ever mentioned how amazing Skype is?).  The box I got this time is called the Surf’s Up Voxbox and it included several products that are not only great things to have around for the summer and vacations, but every day as well.  Again, I got all of these items for free, but I wanted to include the prices for reference!

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration After Sun Lotion; Full Size 8 oz. $8.99, 2 oz. Sample included $2.24 – Everyone gets sunburn, but the real question is whether or not you put anything on it! I usually skip the aloe because I absolutely hate the sticky feeling it leaves on my skin!  Not to mention the smell.  This stuff on the other hand smells like coconuts which in itself is pretty great, but it also isn’t sticky like the aloe you normally buy.  It’s basically just like putting on lotion.  Great product!

First Aid Shot Therapy $2.99 – This is a berry flavored shot that is supposed to knock out headaches.  I usually use Excedrin when I get a bad headache, but I’ll try this instead next time!  I don’t think I would ever actually buy these though.  It just seems like a lot of extra money when I’ve already got a product to serve this purpose that works great.   Although, I am very curious about how well it works! (And tastes!)

SinfulColors Professional Nail Polish; Aqua $1.99 – So you all know by now that I love nail polish.  I wouldn’t say I’m at full blown hoarding status, but I’m definitely well on my way!  I was really excited to get this to add to my collection.  It’s a beautiful aqua blue that is a perfect summer color and I don’t have any others like it.  Shocking, I know.  I don’t really use blue a lot on my nails and I’ve never actually used a sinful colors nail polish before but I’m excited to give this a try!

Jamba Juice at home Smoothie Kit; $2.99– Since this is a frozen product and it’s currently 90 degrees outside, they sent me two coupons for this instead of mailing the actual product.  Good call Influenster, good call.  One of the coupons was for a free full size bag/kit, and one for $1 off.  This is a smoothie kit that you can find in the frozen food section at the grocery store and all you have to do is stick it in the blender and add juice.  I liked getting the coupon because I was able to choose the flavor that I wanted!  My grocery store had a very limited selection but I ended up getting the Fruit & Veggie Red Fusion.  My first thought when I tried this was that it tasted like baby food.  Not really sure why.  It was OK, but not really my first choice in smoothie.  I'm going to look at other stores around to see if they carry the kits with only fruit to use my $1.00 off coupon.

Covergirl Bombshell Curvaceous by Lashblast Mascara $11.99 – When I first found out that I was going to get this box, I got an email from Influenster stating that I would potentially be getting this mascara.  They also noted that this formula works like waterproof mascara and that I should use an oil based eye makeup remover when I remove it.  I don’t normally buy waterproof mascara because of the extra effort to take it off, but I’m willing to try anything once!  I will say that this mascara did make my eyelashes look amazing.  It’s two-step mascara which doesn’t bother me because I usually do two coats of mascara anyway.  However, even with my eye makeup remover, this mascara was not giving up easily!  I probably spent over 5 minutes trying to get all of the mascara off, but even with the makeup remover there were still clumps of it in my eyelashes.  I will say that it has great staying power so I think I’ll use this when I go to the beach, theme park, etc. rather than for everyday wear!

On the card that came in my box, they also noted that some people received a travel size Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Conditioner and Shampoo instead of the mascara.  I was completely fine with not getting this since I just recently bought some!  Check out that blog here: http://sarahsbeautyonabudget.blogspot.com/2014/05/memorial-day-and-rebates.html

Overall, this box had over $20 worth of great products in it that I am really excited to use!  I’m hoping for another great box from Influenster in the near future!! 

Thanks for reading!!

Sarah

Disclaimer: I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

June 2014 Ipsy Bag

After some intense USPS tracking stalking, I finally got my June Ipsy bag in the mail last weekend!  Ipsy is pretty much the greatest thing ever!  For $10 a month you get a package in the mail with a makeup bag filled with makeup and other miscellaneous hair and beauty products!  Seriously, what is there not to love!?

The June 2014 bag is themed “Pretty in Paradise” and the bag itself is an adorable floral/pineappley Rebecca Minkoff design.  http://rebeccaminkoff.com/rmedit/2014/06/rm-x-ipsy/  This month I got 5 items, 3 out of 5 being full size, and thank goodness the full size products were all makeup!  WIN!!!! 

Nyx Cosmetics Butter Gloss in Crème Brule; Full Size $5 – The color of this is really great.  It’s just a really good nude color and it smells like cake!  However, the thing I don’t like about this is it's sticky.  I hate sticky lip-gloss.   If you can’t walk outside without your hair getting stuck to your lips when the wind blows, you’ve got a problem! http://www.nyxcosmetics.com/p-191-butter-gloss.aspx

Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray; 125 mL $8.99, 45 mL $3.23 – I haven’t had the opportunity to use this yet, but I was really excited to get it!  I like to wait and try new things with my hair over the weekend in case something goes wrong so I don’t have to go to work looking like a crazy person!  My hair dries with a curly wave to it anyway, so I’m hoping this will make it look a little less unruly.  http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod3120879  

Be A Bombshell Lash Out Mascara; Full Size $15 – I was really excited to get a new mascara to try but I was sadly really disappointed with this one.  I’ve mentioned before that I have very short eyelashes, so I need all the help I can get in that department.  I say if you have short lashes, this is not the mascara for you.  However, my sister (who has long beautiful lashes, seriously, how is that possible?  We have the same genetics!) tried it and it looked great on her!  I’m going to give it another shot, but I’m thinking it may just not be for me! http://beabombshellcosmetics.com/product/mascara/lash-out/

Ofra Eyebrow Pencil; Full Size $13 – I don’t usually use eyebrow pencils.  I had a fiasco when I was in the play Footloose in high school where the lady doing my makeup used eyeliner on my eyebrows and have been terrified ever since.  In fact, I pretty much ignore my eyebrows 99% of the time.  So I’m not really sure if I’ll use this or not.  It’s kind of like the lip liner I got a couple months ago.  I won’t use it all the time, but I guess it will be nice to have one if I ever need one!  http://ofracosmetics.com/absolutebrowpencil.aspx

Realtree for Her; 3.4 oz $19.99; Travel Size Sprayer 5mL $6.99 – I was honestly a little confused about this.  I’m pretty sure the company that makes this is a hunting/camo supply store which would not be the first place I would look for a perfume.  I think it’s actually really weird that they make perfume, but they must have some sort of market that they would sell it in the first place!  While this perfume doesn’t smell bad, I don’t think I’ll ever buy it.  I will however use this travel size when I’m going out of town and don’t want to bring my full size bottles with me!  http://www.realtreebeauty.com/shop-her.html 

After a disappointing May bag, I was really excited to get the products that I did this month.  The total value of the products I received in my June bag was $43.22 (not including the super cute Rebecca Minkoff makeup bag).  Over $30 more than what I paid!  I seriously recommend Ipsy to anyone that is interested in beauty products that loves getting a good deal!  The best part is, it’s a month to month subscription so if you don’t like it, you can cancel at any time!    On the other hand, they also offer a deal where you can subscribe for a year and get a month free!  If you’re interested in subscribing, here’s my referral link!  http://www.ipsy.com/r/6b49

Thanks for reading!!

~Sarah