Friday, March 31, 2017

3/31 First and Finals

Firsts
*Buxom full-on lip polish in Dolly  Great color as a top coat!  A little tingle when you put it on, but in a good way. ;)  I didn't notice any plumping action, but it isn't sticky, which is a big plus.
*Dermdoctor Kakadu C intensive Vitamin C peel pad    I could see a difference when I used it, my face looked bright and fresh.  It's not drying, it doesn't burn, I like everything but the price.I will watch for a sale on these, definitely.
*elf HD under eye setting powder  This is okay, very take it or leave it for me.  It does set concealer, but I don't think it does any better than just regular powder.  It's only $3, so it's a good item to throw in if you need to hit a threshold at Ulta, imo.
*Jergens Natural Glow Wet Skin Moisturizer  This is a gradual self-tanner you use after the shower, before drying off.  The color was not good on me, it was orangey, which is never a good look.
*YSL Glossy Stain  The color was dark in the pot, but super sheer on.  I used two coats and still could barely see it.  And it was sticky like molasses.  ALL day!  The color faded, but my lips were still sticky.  Hard pass on this!

Finals
*GlamGlow Powermud dual cleanse treatment  This has an odd smell to it, almost like not-quite-gone-bad produce.  It's not awful, but it's not good, either.  It goes on creamy, then dries in about 10 minutes like a clay mask.  When you rinse it off, it turns into an oily cleanser.  It leaves my face very soft and refreshed looking.
*Mario Badescu products  The company had an offer a few weeks back, complete a survey and they would send you samples of products tailored to you.  I haven't been without a bottle of the rosewater spray for years, so I decided to try a few more of the product line.  The samples were quite generous and I've used these for almost a week.
-Almond & Honey Face Scrub  Very gentle.  I'm not sure you can call it a 'scrub' when it has no scrubbing action.  The company even calls it 'non-abrasive'?  It is moisturizing.
-Aloe Lotion  I really liked this toner and would use it again.
-Buttermilk Moisturizer  Really feels good on the face.  It's a gorgeous blue color, which was a little surprising.  The smell is fresh and very light.  I liked this a lot.
-Dermonectin Eye Cream  This was also blue.  It absorbed very fast and didn't sting my eyes at all.  It was good at night, but too greasy for a day eye cream.
-Orange Cleansing Soap  Very creamy and gentle cleanser.
-Seaweed Night Cream  This was a gorgeous sea foam color.  Not the gross slimy green of actual seaweed, but more of a Disney-fied version.  It smells fresh, too.  I wouldn't call it a night 'cream', though.  This feels more like a night 'mask'.  It's not greasy, but it's thick and I can feel it on my face.  It did make me look like I got more sleep, which is good.  I think this would be a good product for winter for me, but not during the summer.  I do think it would be great for someone with dry skin, though.

Faves
* Buxom Dolly, Dermdoctor pads

Flops
* Jergens after shower tanner, YSL stain

Monday, March 27, 2017

3/27 Money Monday

I redeemed a few Mobisave rebates and cashed out my Ibotta account, adding to the money currently parked at Paypal.

I resisted the Ulta sale this week, although $10 tarte mascara was hard to leave on the table!


Friday, March 24, 2017

3/24 Firsts and Finals

Firsts
*Almay Healthy Glow makeup + gradual self tan  I like the makeup, it's full coverage without feeling cakey.  I haven't used it enough to judge the gradual self tan, though.
*Maybelline The Colossal Big Shot Volum'Express mascara  First, I love that gold tube.  Gorgeous!  The mascara is better than average, but won't steal my heart from Perversion. ;)  It's good for everyday, though.
*theBalm The Manizer Sisters  I had this on my radar for a while, and finally snapped it up when BirchBox had it on sale.  The bronze is too shimmery for me to use as a bronzer, but it's a beautiful eye shadow.  The champagne and rose colors are both lovely highlighters.  I'm happy to have this and *very* happy to have paid less than half-price.
*Tocca perfume in Florence  This is lovely, bergamot, violet, iris, and blonde wood.  It's feminine, but not girly, has depth to it.

Finals
*Givenchy Dahlia Divin  This perfume was very nice.
*Tocca hand cream in Giulietta  Hand cream is okay, fairly average, but the smell is fantastic, pink tulip and green apple.  One of my favorite scents from Tocca, it's fresh but not precious.
*up & up Premium cotton rounds  I'm happy with the 'regular' version.  The premium version costs more and fell apart if it got too wet.  I'll stick with the cheaper kind.

Faves
*The Manizer Sisters

Flops
*up & up cotton rounds

Monday, March 20, 2017

3/20 Monday Money

I sold a couple of stamp sets for $20.  The best part of that sale is that it happened on 3/13, so that $20 paid for 2 Papa Murphy's on Pi Day. :)  Convenient that Pi Day fell on $10 Tuesday this year and *super* convenient I made $20 the day before. haha

I sold some science books for $15, making a little space on the bookshelf and adding to the $5 Tin.

I redeemed a few Mobisave rebates, adding to the money sitting at Paypal for hubby to shop with.

I sold a preschool learning lot for $10.

Friday, March 17, 2017

3/17 Firsts and Finals

Firsts
*MAC Lipglass in Short and Snappy  I'm not a big lip gloss user, but a friend recommended this.  It.Is.NOT.Sticky!  As a long haired girl, I can't stand sticky lip gloss because my hair gets stuck in it. Gross.  The lipglass is so very shiny, but not at all sticky.  I love this and it now appears to be unavailable. lol  The color is a beautiful bright pink for spring.  I have a feeling I'm going to wear this a lot in the next month or so.
*MISSHA Time Revolution First Treatment Essence Intensive  This is a liquid essence and my face just drinks it up.  It's pricey, but there's a GC with purchase right now.
*StriVectin TL Advanced Tightening Neck Cream  I can feel the tightening, not sure I see a difference.  At $95/jar I won't be purchasing.

Finals
*benefit they're Real! push-up liner  I've now tried 2 different samples of this product.  I thought the first one was dried out before I opened it.  After trying the second one, it wasn't.  This is a gel liner, but it doesn't glide.  You have to almost press it in.  It has a little plug that you put back in to help it not dry out, but I found it was completely dry in just a few days.  I'm no novice with eyeliner and I would much rather use one of the many other options.  I would never buy this.
*elf Smudge Pot in Brownie Points  This was a beautiful copper cream eye shadow.  It lasted all day with no fade or smudging.  At $3 each, I will buy this again at some point because the formula is excellent.
*philosophy miracle worker overnight  Very nice night cream.  I would rebuy, on sale.
*philosophy renewed hope in a jar  I like this, but didn't notice any difference from the original formula (which I already love).

Faves
*MAC Lipglass, MISSHA essence

Flops
*benefit liner

Monday, March 13, 2017

3/13 Monday Money

I booked our cabin for vacation (splurge).  I remembered to check Ebates and we got $10 back (bits).  That's probably my favorite thing about Ebates, how easy it is to get a percentage back on something I was going to purchase anyway!  Yes, it's only $10, but it's $10 more than I would have if I hadn't checked.

Our new mattress is wonderful, well worth the money to buy a new one.  I was super happy to find deep pocket, king sheets at Target regularly $60, but on sale for $40.  Then I checked our local Here Today.  There I found sheet sets for $20.  I bought two and returned the two sets I had purchased at Target.  Side by side, you couldn't tell which set was which so I am VERY happy with my $20 sets.

I sold a makeup lot for $15, which added a $5 to the $5 Tin.

Friday, March 10, 2017

3/10 Firsts and Finals

Firsts
*Chanel le Lift eye concentrate  Sadly, I love this.  'Sadly' because it's $115 for .5 oz.  That's just not in my budget....at all...not even close.  However, it IS fantastic, so if you can afford $200+/oz eye cream go for it!  It absorbs quickly, moisturizes, and does have a slight lifting action.  I'm stretching this sample until it squeaks. lol
*Dermalogica Daily Superfoliant  This is so unique.  It's a powder that you mix with a bit of water to form a paste that you then scrub your face with.  I tried the 'super' version thanks to the lady at Ulta.  It definitely exfoliates and cleanses your skin.  I will not use this daily, though, it's powerful.  My face feels clean, but tight after using.  I suspect the 'micro' version is less intense.  A little of the powder goes a long way, so this product will last quite a while.  Little side benefit, you can easily travel with this as it's in powder form.
*Dr. Jart+ Liftra contour cream  It absorbs quickly.  I don't notice any 'lifting' action, but my face does feel tighter.  For the price, though, I will not be repurchasing.
*Dove Refresh+Care dry shampoo  This was a great surprise.  It smells fantastic, works very well, and is cheaper than other favorites.  I will definitely repurchase.
*GRATiAE Replenishing Eye Cream  This smelled very chemically, which is not something I want around my eyes.  It didn't blend well, either.  At $245/oz, this is a very hard pass for me.
*Juice Beauty stem cellular CC cream   This CC cream was okay, not bad, not great.  It comes out of the tube *very* thick, but spreads and blends easily.  Surprisingly, considering how thick it is, this isn't full coverage.  I don't like mask-like full coverage, so I like the fact that my freckles show through.  If you prefer full coverage, this isn't for you.  It wears well, lasts all day.  I would repurchase, if it's 50% off, but not at full retail.  I do love the scent.  It reminds me of a scent that I used in jr high that was only available at a now gone department store, herbal and citrusy.  I would love a lotion in this scent!
*Neutrogena Hydro Boost Lip Shine  It might be moisturizing, but it's so sticky that I won't wear it enough to find out.  I got this in the last Target Beauty Box and was excited to see a lip color I would actually wear.  The color Radiant Rose is gorgeous in the tube, but invisible on me.  I've passed it to my super pale daughter who doesn't mind sticky gloss, so it's a win for her.
*NuFACE Prep n Glow dual-sided cloth  Nope.  The wet side was fine, but the 'textured' side felt like hard plastic rubbing across my face.  I'm sure it does exfoliate, but I very much disliked the process.
*Raw Sugar body wash in coconut mango  This smells like a beach vacation to me.  The wash itself is moisturizing.  At $7 for 25 oz, it's a good price, too.  I will repurchase at some point.
*Skyn Iceland Icelandic Relief Eye Cream  This does help with puffy eyes first thing in the morning and does have a bit of a cooling sensation.  I would purchase at 50% off, but don't think it's worth full retail ($45 for .49 oz).  I didn't have enough of a sample to see a difference as far as dark circles or wrinkles.
*Soap & Glory Face Soap & Clarity Face Wash This is truly a morning face wash.  It smells so vibrant and wakes you up that I wouldn't use it at night.  It makes my face feel fresh and clean.
*tarte Tarteist Glossy Lip Paint in WCW  This color is a very deep berry, so I don't actually use it as a gloss, I use it as a stain.  The application is tricky, it can be patchy so you have to be very precise.  As a gloss, it wears off in a couple of hours.  As a stain, it lasts more like 4-5 hours.  It's not my favorite, but I'm not going to throw it out.

Finals
*Julep Glycolic Hand Scrub  Billed as 'facial for hands', this scrub is supposed to cleanse and exfoliate.  It felt good to use and my hands felt soft after.  I've had it a long time as you only use a small amount.
*Julep Age Defying Hand Brightener  Lotion to use after Hand Scrub.  No better or worse than other hand lotions, nothing special.


Faves
*Dove dry shampoo, Raw Sugar body wash, Soap & Glory face wash

Flops
* GRATiAE eye cream, Neutrogena gloss, NuFACE cloth

Monday, March 6, 2017

3/6 Monday Money

This week I only have a $6 rebate to report.  It was sent to Paypal, where it will sit until the next online purchase.  My husband enjoys those little surprises, when he goes to pay for a purchase and there's money sitting in the Paypal account.

Friday, March 3, 2017

3/3 Firsts and Finals

LOTS this week!

Firsts
*benefit it's potent eye cream  It's just okay, not worth the price for me.  The sample came in the most adorable little 1" jar. Gah! I'm a sucker for cute packaging.
*Dolce & Gabbana light blue eau de toilette  It's okay, almost too powdery for my taste, but it's not bad for a light scent.
*L'Oreal Voluminous Lash Primer  This made a big difference.  I used it with a few lack luster mascaras and it definitely upped their game.  With a power hitter, it looked like I was wearing lashes.
*Michael Kors Wonderlust  I like the scent, just not on me.  I would love it in candle form.  It's my new van-freshener. ;)
*Pixi Nourishing Lip Polish  This is great at night, it removes all trace of any lip product, exfoliates and leaves a nourishing oil to treat lips overnight. Pixi is earning its keep with me!
*Schwarzkopf Gliss Hair Repair shampoo and conditioner  This is for 'heavily damaged hair'.  My hair is highlighted, but in good condition.  This shampoo/conditioner made my hair so shiny and soft.  I imagine if your hair is damaged, you would *really* notice a difference.  The bottles are cool looking, too.  The conditioner bottle is 'upside down', which as a blind-without-my-glasses person I really appreciate!
*Sephora Rose Cleansing Wipes  These smell amazing and make my skin happy, so win win.
*Sunday Riley Good Genes All-in-One Lactic Acid Treatment  Splurge, splurge, splurge.  $175! Wow that cost!  Sephora sent samples, I didn't purchase because yikes!  The smell is awful, but it does make my skin glowy.  But that cost!!! lol  I like this, but at just over $100/oz, I don't think I'll ever be able to justify a purchase, even to myself.
*Ulta Makeup Removing Towel Set  I've debated on buying these for months.  I needed a little something to reach a purchase threshold so I finally added these to my order and I'm so glad I did.  They are amazing!  They are so soft, but work like demons.  I often wear lip stain and I wear a lot of mascara.  This little cloth took it all off with just water and no scrubbing.  I was shocked.  I could travel with just these.  I won't, because I don't travel light, but I *could*.  I feel like buying these for all my friends.
*Ulta Sensitive Skin Facial Cleansing Towelettes  These are SO moist, I need to wipe my face after using the wipe.  They also were terrible at removing eye makeup.  These are a hard pass from me.
*Urban Decay Perversion  Love this mascara.  Super dark, lush, doesn't clump.  And over the Voluminous primer? WOW!  UD says you can reapply after work before heading out at night and it still won't clump.  I tried it, true.  So I put it to the ultimate test.  I applied several coats in the morning, another coat before heading out in the evening, then did not wash it off at night.  I know!  But science!  It still looked good in the morning, very minimal smudging.  Then I applied another coat, like 24 hours after the first coat.  No clumping!  HG status right here.

Finals
*Dessange Purifying Clay shampoo  This was interesting.  If I washed and immediately rinsed my hair, it just looked normal.  If I washed, left the suds on for the rest of my shower, then rinsed at the end, my hair had lots of volume.
*Exuviance Daily Antioxidant Peel pads  There was a little tingle to show it was working and my face felt tight the rest of the evening.  The next morning my skin looked fantastic, without makeup.  That price, though! sigh
*Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate in 104  I don't know when I've actually finished a lipstick before it dried out or I tired of it.  This has been my go-to MLBB, leave in the handbag lip for a very long time.  It's finally down to the metal cap.  RIP #104  I will be repurchasing.
*Vaseline Intensive Care Advanced Repair unscented  This has a permanent spot on my nightstand.  It's perfect for nights when my skin feel extra dry.  It absorbs quickly, heals the dryness.

Faves
*L'Oreal primer, Perversion, Pixi lip polish, Rimmel 104, Schwarzkopf Gliss, Sephora rose wipes, Ulta towels, Vaseline lotion

Flops
* Ulta towelettes