Holiday Beauty Gift Guide 2013

          Hi everyone! The title says it all. These are the beauty products I think will make great gifts for all your beauty fanatic friends and family. However, when shopping for others, remember to pick yourself up a little something something :). It will be organized by category and have a range of different price points! I will definitely be adding more as the days go on, you never know what new deals get put out there!

Skincare

Clarisonic: Aria Sonic Skin Cleansing System with Josie Maran Set - $199

• Not only are you getting a Clarisonic, you are also getting a few skincare goodies with it! 

Philosophy: Festive Favorites - $92

• Though this gift is probably one of the most expensive on this list, if you have someone who loves Philosophy, this is filled with many goodies from that brand! So you get just a little of everything :).

Philosophy: Restore & Nourish Kit - $69

• If you can't afford the $92 kit, then maybe this one. Meant to nourish the skin, this is something everyone can benefit from for the Winter! 

H2O Plus: Online Only Editors Pick Beauty Box - $29.50

• This is a mini spa day in a package! Know someone who needs a break pronto? This is definitely the gift to give! 

Body

Sephora Favorites: Fragrance Sampler for Her - $70

• You may think this is a price is hefty for samples, but with this purchase your receiver will get a free full size perfume of their choice! So not only will they get a full size, they will also be getting a bunch of samples. 

Josie Maran: Escape to Morocco Holiday Hair & Body Beautifiers - $39

• This will the the thing to make your skin baby soft! Buy it for yourself so that special someone can't keep their hands off you, or buy it for your special someone so you have a reason to put your hands on them ;). 

Bath and Body Works: Bathtub Gift Set in Secret Wonderland - $35.50 (was $64.50)

• The most amazing scent Bath and Body Works has. It's sweet, it's sexy, it's perfect!

Bath and Body Works: Ultimate Fragrance Fan Gift Set in Eucalyptus Spearmint - $35.50 (was $56)

• This is the perfect gift for just about everyone! Why? Name one person who doesn't shower and isn't always stressed?

The Body Shop: Body Butter Collection Gift - $30

• Have a friend obsessed with smooth skin? This will be the gift for them! Or... split it up, and 6 friends will get body butters!

China Glaze: Online Only Autumn Nights "Gossip Over Gimlets" 6pc Nail Collection - $30

•  For that someone who is very much into dark nail polishes.

China Glaze: Online Only Autumn Nights "Strike Up a Cosmo" 6pc Nail Collection - $30

• Get nails to match that holiday eye look! Best part, you can split this up, give some to friends, and maybe some for yourself?

Elizabeth Arden 4pc Celebrity Fragrance Collection Gift Set - Women's - $30

• Don't want to give just samples, this set will give you 4 of the hottest scents to try in mini sizes.

OPI: Take Ten Mini 10pc - $24.95

• Got a friend obsessed with OPI and mani? Well then, this might be the perfect gift!

Sephora Favorites: Fragrance Rollerball Sampler - $24

• Now, yes $70 is a lot of gift. So this will be a nice substitution for the Fragrance Sampler. Like the fragrance sampler, your receiver will get a full size roller ball of their choice. 

The Body Shop: Shea Shower, Scrub and Soften Collection - $20

• Smooth skin doesn't start after the shower, it begins in the shower.

The Body Shop: Festive Body Butter Trio Gift Set - $15

• Very much a more affordable version of the Body Butter Collection Gift! Definitely, affordable enough to keep to yourself ;). 

Nivea: Smooth Skin On The Go 5pc Gift Set - $7.99

• Finally, a stocking stuffer! Not only are they good for stockings, they are good for those you constantly need to go go go. 

Hair

Bumble and Bumble: The Polished Two Step Set - $35

• Know someone who needs a boost in the hair department? Give the gift that will leave you receiver with a great hair day everyday. 

Philosophy: Peppermint Stick Shampoo, Shower Gel, & Bubble Bath - $16.50

• The product to make you smell of peppermint  from head to toe, literally!!! 

Batiste Dry Shampoo Wild Trio Pack - $9.99

• We all have those days where we forget to shower. So why not take the shower to go?

Organix: Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil 3 pc Starter Kit - $9.99

• Hair care is a year round process baby! Whether it's under a hat, a headband or beanie, it will still feel smooth and silky with this!

Makeup

Eyes

Urban Decay: Ocho Loco 2 - $59

• Have a friend that is crazy over eyeliner? This will be the gift that will last them all of next year! All full-size eyeliner, for the price, it's already a better deal than buy 8 individual eyeliners from UD. 

Lorac Rockin' Red Hot PRO Set - $39

• This set is great! You get the Lorac PRO Palette and eyeshadow primer which retails for $42. Lorac then goes and throws in a liquid liner and lowers the price?? AMAZING

Cargo: Let's Meet in Paris Holiday Eyeshadow Palette - $39

• With great jewel tone eye shadows, you are bound to make a great holiday first impression.

Urban Decay: Black Market 24/7 Glide - On Pencil Set - $36

• This is a great substitute for the Urban Decay: Ocho Loco 2. You don't get as much, but how often does anyone go through color eyeliner anyways?

Tarte: The Best For Lash Deluxe Eye Set - $25

• Falsies with the false lashes? This may be the set for you.

Lorac: Solid Gold Eye Shadow - $12

• For those girls and guys that love neutral eyes, this is your palette. And for $12?? It couldn't get any better unless it was free! 

Face

NARS: Guy Bourdin Holiday Collection Limited Edition One Night Stand Cheek Palette - $65

• 4 blushes, 1 highlighter, 1 bronzer and you have your whole face covered! With a single NARS blush at $29, this product is such a bargain! 

Benefit: Gettin' Cheeky! - $17

• A great intro to liquid products! You get 3 different lip and cheeks tints to play around with. 

Lips

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics: Lip Tar All-Star Mini x 4 Set - $20

• If you are a makeup junkie, then you know.. it takes forever to finish a product. Yes these are minis, but with 4, they are bound to last a while. Besides, you need great lips to get that kiss under the mistletoe!

bareMinerals Hot to Trot - $25

• You get 6 deluxe size lip glosses, from an array of colors! One of the best gift for your lippie obsessed friend!

EOS: Holiday Lip Balm 3pc - $7.99

• This is for the EOS fans out there. 3 EOS balms, with an average price of $2.66, you can't go wrong! (P.S. this will also make a great stocking stuffer!) 

Rimmel: Show Off Lip Lacquer - $5.49

• One of my favorite lip product out there! This is definitely a buy one for you and a friend gift. 

Palettes

Smashbox: The Master Class Palette II - $59

• This palette alone will have all the products you need for an entire face of makeup (well, except for foundation, concealer, mascara....). With 28 eye shadows, 4 cream liners, 3 blushes, 3 bronzers, and 2 highlighters, you have eyes and cheeks covered! 

Too Faced: A Few of My Favorite Things - $56

• Got holiday parties to attend? This is the palette will give you that holiday look everyone will be talking about! 

Smashbox: Wondervision Mega Palette - $49

Everyone is bound to love this palette as it has all the colors under the sun! They also give you 3 blushes and one bronzer, so you can match your blush with any look. 

theBalm: BalmJovi Rockstar Makeup Palette - $39.50

• Give the gift of a full face! Eye shadows, highlighter, blush, and lippies oh my! 

Anastasia Beverly Hills: Lavish Set - $38

• This is the perfect gift for someone who loves to frame their face with their eyes. Not only are you getting eye shadow, you are also getting a complete brow kit 

Gift sets

bareMinerals Bring on the Night - $49

• What is the best way to introduce someone to a makeup brand? Why that would be gifting all the products from the line to complete a full face! 

Tarte: Getaways Portable Palette Set - $48

• The gift set that will last all year round! Ever wonder why there are 4 quadrants? Perhaps one for each season?

Stila: Masterpiece Series Eye & Cheek Palettes - $39

• Stila is bringing out the makeup artist in all of us! A share and keep gift set!

Tarte: Thoughtful Treasures Deluxe Best-Sellers Set - $19

• Though this gift set seems to be all over the place with an oil, blush and lippie, it's the thought that counts right? 

Review: Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick Part 1 of 3

Rimmel Lipsticks Review Part 1 of 3 :)

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipsticks

          Today will be the first of 3 lipstick reviews from the Rimmel line. I have 3 colors the Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick line: Candy (002), Kiss (036), and Airy Fairy (070). Candy is a very shimmery light pink. Kiss is a shimmery bright pink (almost hot pink). Airy Fairy is a nude with a pinky undertone, which a subtle shimmer. According to the Rimmel London website, there are 17 shades. However, not all of these shades are available at one place. From my experiences different drugstores will carry different lipsticks from the line, but never all of them at once (which is quite annoying if you want to pick the ones you want all at one place.) They retail around $5 depending on where you go. Target carries these for $4.79 and Rite Aid carries these for $5.59. You can also get these lipsticks Buy one get one 50% off pretty regularly at your drugstore (i.e. Rite Aid, Walgreens, CVS).

         According to the Rimmel Website, this is how rimmel describes the product:

         "High colour impact for up to 8 hours wear. Colour that turns heads ! Intense long lasting colour up to 8 hours +25% colour impact ! Smooth creamy texture for comfortable wear all day long"

          Do I agree that these lipsticks have color impact that last up to 8 hours? No
          Do I agree that these lipsticks last up to 8 hours? No
          Do I agree that these lipsticks are a creamy texture? Yes
          Do I agree that these lipsticks are comfortable to wear all day long? Comfortable enough

          Some interesting facts about this product:

1. There are parabens in this product (i.e. propylparaben). 
2. Rimmel does test on animals.

          As for my thoughts on this product, I think it's a good product for the price when you get it buy one get one 50% off. However, it lives up to none of it's claims. It definitely does not last 8 hrs, probably 1 hour without fading,  2 hours with fading, and by the time you get to 3 hours you have a slight stain of what use to be a lipstick. If you eat anything, the color disappears even quicker. It probably will last longer with a lip liner, but for the purposes of testing out this product on it's own, I did not use a lip liner. I'm also not sure what Rimmel means but 8 hours + 25% color impact. Do they mean that at 8 hours, the color impact is 25% what it use to be? Not quite sure, so I won't even address that. It does has color impact right when you put it on, and it's very opaque, even for the lighter colors like Airy Fairy and Candy. 

          See for yourself!

L: Candy, M: Kiss, R: Airy Fairy

           As for the formula of the lipstick, it's quite moisturizing when you first put it on. I don't think it's intended to be moisturizing, so this is a plus! As for how comfortable this lipsticks are to wear, on a scale of 0 to 10, they would be an 8. You can feel you are wearing lipstick when you put it on, but that feeling fades with time. Maybe it correlates with the fading color as well? It's not a horrible discomfort, but you do notice you are wearing something on your lips. What I don't notice is bleeding! However, the colors I do have are pretty light, and I have no idea if the darker colors in this line will bleed. But they do transfer, so watch out when you kiss your love with this on! ;)

          So to summarize:
          
          Pros: 

• Relatively cheap and inexpensive
• Relatively easy to find
• Creamy lipsticks
• Range of colors
• Opaque lip color upon first application
• No bleeding
• Comfortable

          Cons:

• No place (I have found) has complete color selection)
• Does not live up to claim of lasting for 8 hours
• Fades quickly
• Transfers

My Overall Rating: 85/100... it's a pretty solid product for the price point. 

If you have tried these, let me know what you think and what colors you own! 

Until next time...

-Cindy

Sale Alert! Aeropostale Online

UPDATE: Aeropostale 30% Off Clearance Sale has been extended to 11/21/2013! Hurray!

         Hey Everyone! I'm here to tell you of a great deal I just got from Aeropostale. I only mention this because I just bought some leggings online, and after receiving them, I realized I got 82.5% off retail price. (Yes you heard me right!!) Both were originally $39.95, but after all the discounts, I got them for $6.59 and $7.00 (It also helped they were already in clearance). How do you get this deal? Well, first off, if you shop the clearance section, you will receive an extra 30% if you enter the code EXTRA30 at checkout. So discount on discount!! If you purchase items not from clearance you will no receive the discount. Now, that is not even the best part. Aeropostale has a shipping promotion right now. If you checkout and pay with paypal, you will get 2-day free shipping instead of paying the $7+ shipping fee! So basically, if you pay with paypal, there is no minimum purchase to qualify for free shipping! To me, free shipping beats going into the store, because you save gas! The discount is also not available in stores (I don't think). So in this instant, you would save more money shopping online than going to a store!
          Now some things to keep in mind. I know you cannot try things on before buying it. I would definitely check the size chart as well as the reviews on the item. Most people will say whether or not the item worked for them and if it fits true to size. If you buy something and it doesn't work, you can return to a store for free, or send it back to Aeropostale, but you must pay a $7 shipping fee that is deducted from your credit card on file. If are weary about buying online also consider the paypal 2-day shipping promotion is going on until 11/15/2013 and the extra 30% off clearance ends 11/18/2013. So these deals will end soon!

So to sum up with key points:

1. Extra 30% off clearance online, use code EXTRA30
2. Free 2-Day shipping if you pay with paypal (no code needed).
3. Deadlines: extra 30% off clearance ends 11/18/2013 and Free 2-Day shipping ends 11/15/2013.

If you are purchasing anything from Aeropostale, leave a comment telling me what you got! Happy Shopping!

Until next time...
-Cindy

*Please know I am not affiliated with Aeropostale in any way. I just wanted to share the news on a great deal!

First Impression: Maybelline Baby Lips Dr. Rescue

          This will be my first impression of the Maybelline Baby Lips Dr. Rescue Menthol External Analgesic Medicated Balm. (Whew! Some title!). I have it in 2 colors, Berry Soft (#60) and Soothing Sorbet (#50). I picked these up from Ulta. They were $4.29, but I got them for buy 1 get one 50% off. Ulta also has a $3.50 off coupon on their website just add a few more items and you can get this even cheaper!

         So right off the bat, these are the claims the product makes on their packaging:
          Quickly soothes
          Provides Relief
          12 hrs hydration

          This is how to use the product according to the packaging:
          For the temporary relief of pain associated with fever blisters and cold sores.

         Active ingredients:
         Menthol 0.5%- external analgesic

         Warnings, according to the packaging:
         External use only
         Do not get in eyes
         Do not swallow (well it says if swallowed get medical help or contact poison control)

         Directions, per packaging:
         For adult use only. Apply to affected area not more than 3 to 4 times daily.

        Now some interesting facts about this product:      

1. No parabens.
2. There is an expiration date.
3. They do test on animals. 

        As for my thoughts on this product, I honestly think this product is very similar to the Baby Lips line in terms of color pay off, wear, texture, and smoothness of the product. The only thing that sets this product off from the others is the Menthol which leaves a somewhat minty, tingle feeling on your lips. I find that to be quite soothing especially on chapped lips. I'm not sure it this will help against fever blisters or cold sores (as I do not get those), but it does soothe chapped lips.

My Overall Rating: 92/100

If you have tried these, what do you think?


UPDATE:
          So after using these for a while, I have notice that formulation wise, these are very different from the actual baby lips line (even the electro line). They don't melt onto your lips like the other baby lips do and the formula is slightly thicker.  However, the differences are VERY VERY minor. Still doesn't change my rating though, because I still think it's a great balm!

Until next time...
-Cindy

First Impression: Revlon Colorstay Shadowlinks

L to R: Oyster, Taupe, Peacock

L to R: Periwinkle, Lilac, Plum

          This will be my first impression of the Revlon Colorstay Shadowlinks. I picked up 6 colors from this collection. The first one is Oyster (#20) which is a metallic finish, Taupe (#60) which is a satin finish, Peacock (#150) which is a pearl finish, Periwinkle (#140) which is a pearl finish, Lilac (#90) which is a pearl finish, and Plum (#110) which is a matte finish. Oyster is shimmery cream color. Taupe is a shimmery light brown color. Peacock is a shimmery dark aqua color. Periwinkle is an in-between purple/blue color with shimmer. Lilac is a shimmery pinky purple color. Plum is a dark cranberry color. There is 0.05oz/1.4gram of product. These were $2.99 at my local Rite Aid. However, I was lucky enough to pick them up buy one, get one 50% off. There is also a Revlon coupon for $2 off any Colorstay product so you can get these for dirt cheap!
          From what I can tell, there are 18 colors in the collection. All of them seem to be muted for fall. I tried to find some information about this product and the claims on the Revlon website, but I guess it is too new to have a webpage decided to it just yet. From what I can tell, there is no parabens (however, the font is so small I may be wrong in this). This product is also made in the USA.
          As for my thoughts on this product, lets start with packaging. The size is quite convenient. It's small, and compared to other trios I have (say Wet n Wild, or NYX Love in Rio palettes) these are compacted and small. As for the linking property of these shadows, they link up well. They seem to slid in and lock in well. However, they aren't as sturdy as I would like them to be. They bend a little once you link them, and I can foresee them breaking off with enough impact. As for the shadows themselves, I was quite disappointed. For $3, they are quite small for single eyeshadows. With $3 you can get a giant baked E.L.F. eyeshadow, Wet n Wild eyeshadow trio, or for a few dollars more you can get a quad from Revlon. They also aren't very buttery, or opaque as I expected them to be. They blend okay, I find that it depends on the shadow. The matte color blends beautifully, while all the shimmery colors takes a bit of work. Also all the satin, pearl, metallic finishes seem to be all the same: full of glitter and shimmer. See for yourself:
     

L to R: Oyster, Taupe, Peacock

L to R: Periwinkle, Lilac, Plum

My Overall Rating: 70/100

So if you picked up these shadows, what is your opinion on them?

Until next time...
-Cindy

September Haul!

          This is a massive collective haul from the month of September! I really enjoy hauls and I think it gives people an idea of what to look out for when they are out shopping. Please keep in mind, some were gifts and some are gifts for other people. Also, none of this was bought at retail price except maybe the Stila Sponge. One last thing... I am in no way bragging, like I said before just giving you an idea of what to look out for when you are out and about :). 

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Gloss

~$5.39 each

(They were actually cheaper than this since Rite Aid was doing $5 cash back for $15 of Maybelline products that was purchased. I happened to get $10 after spending $30. And had a $2 off coupon. As you will see I bought a lot of Maybelline products this month!)

Philosophy Kiss Me Color

Ula Beauty Steals-$5 each

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter

Peach Parfait (#025) ~$3.14 

(This was in the double pack at Target and was on Clearance for ~$6.28)

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick

Bogo 50% with FitMe Foundation-$4.44

L'oreal Color Riche Lipstick and Le Gloss

The Mystic's Kiss (#486) and The Mystic's Shine- $1.99 each 

Maybelline Great Lash

I See Blue, sfss in Violet, So Very Berry

Clearance for $2.69 each

Stila Double-Ended Blending Sponge

$12

Epielle Facial Essence Mask

Collagen with Vitamin E, Green Tea and Aloe, Firming and Lifting with Vitamin C

$0.69 each

NYX Retractable Lip Liner-Jewel

Ulta 40% off plus $3.50 coupon $2.24

NYX  Mechanical Eye Pencil-Deep Blue

Ulta 40% off plus $3.50 coupon $2.24

Wet n Wild Color Icon Trio

I Don't Camoflage, Zero Dark Flirty

Walgreens Sale $2

Essence Eyeshadow- Party All Night

$2.80

Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towelettes 

With $3 off coupon- $3.54

Epielle Aloe Vera Cleansing Tissues

$1.99

Yes To Blueberries Age Refresh Brightening Eye Roller

Clearance for $9.99

Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil

Ulta Beauty Steals-$25

Lady Gaga Fame Eau de Parfum

TJ Maxx clearance- $29

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation Stick

$7.99

NYX HD Photogenic Concealer

Ulta 40% off plus $3.50 coupon $2.49

NYX Stay Matte But Not Flat HD Studio Photogenic Powder Foundation

Golden Beige (SMP08)

Ulta 40% off plus $3.50 coupon $4.97

Revlon ColorStay Whipped Foundation

Medium Beige (#250) 

Ulta 40% off plus $3.50 coupon $5.31

Parallel Worlds Box by NYX

On sale for $12.49 then used $3.50 off Coupon =$8.99

Lorac The Stylist Palette

Hautelook- $15

       
          Maybe went a bit overload with lip products... but this might be my last cosmetic buys for a while. If you have hauled makeup recently I would love to see or hear about what products you picked up and the deals you scored! :)

Review: Essence Silky Touch Blush

          This will be my review on the Essence Silky Touch Blush. You can find Essence at your local Ulta store or online at the Ulta website. The color I have is Natural Beauty (#40). It is a nice dusty rose pink color. There is some glitter in this blush but not an overwhelming amount like some baked blushes may give off. They normally retail for $2.99, but I was lucky enough to pick this up on clearance for $0.79. You also get 5 grams of product. 

         According to the Ulta website, this is the claim about this blush:

         "This innovative Powder Blush has a silky texture that blends evenly and easily. Silky Touch Blush adds a touch of natural freshness to your complexion."

         Do I agree that it blends evenly and easily? Yes, most definitely!
         Does it add a touch of natural freshness? Yes, but only if you use a light hand! Trust me!

         Some interesting facts to note about this product:

1. They do not test on animals according to the Essence website.
2. There are parabens in this product: Methylparaben, Propylparaben.  

          As for what I think about this product, I think it is great for the price! It is highly pigmented, which I was not expecting for this blush! If you apply it with a light hand, it does blend quite evenly and effortlessly. If you apply it with a heavily hand, it is quite hard for to take away product. However, this blush doesn't last all day. After an 8-hr work day, my cheeks had no color whatsoever.

My Overall Rating: 85/100

So.. if you have tried Essence products what do you think? Are the other products just as well made as the blush?

Until next time...
-Cindy