HELLO!!!!!!!!!!....
I feel like I haven't posted anything in FOREVER (which is true)!!!
I apologize! Things have been so busy at work, but I can't complain. Busy in my industry is a good sign that everything is going well!
But, I'm BACK...and I have a HUGE haul that I can't wait to share with you guys!!!
Let go, Yo!
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| ...where my troubles begin! |
**Walgreens**
In Houston, there is a Walgreens across the street from our mega mall, The Galleria, that is super awesome! This particular location has something called "The Look Boutique," which has a small extension to the store that has a Sephora/Ulta feel to it. It's not the size of a Sephora or an Ulta, nor does it have the selections. However, they do carry brands like Cargo, The Balm, Pur Minerals, and Klorane (who makes my fave dry shampoo). I didm't have a mission during this trip, so I spent a good 20 minutes aimlessly wandering until I came across the set-up of NAIL WRAPS!!! Nail wraps are great! Easy to apply, no dry time, and they last on your nails for a long time.
I wanted to buy them all, but eventually I dwindled my choices to these 3...Ooooohhhh! They're cute!
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| Sally Hansen Salon Effects in Done to Scale |
This one is part of Sally Hansen's spring line, Mermaid's Tide (Isn't that a cute name?). It's called "Done to Scale." The texture is fun without being overly flashy, so if you wanted to wear something fresh and trendy on your nails, but still be work appropriate..."Done to Scale" has you set.
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| Revlon Nail Art 3D Jewel Appliques Candy Vibes in Sprinkes |
My favorite of the 3!!! Fun, girly, and pretty. This is Revlon's Nail Art 3D Jewel Appliques from their Candy Vibes line. Meet "Sprinkles", y'all! My excitement level is at a 25 out of 10!!!
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| Sally Hansen Salon Effects in Walk the Plank |
I love SKULLS! I love coral!...Put them together, I am SOLD! Touche, Sally Hansen! You got me again! This one is called "Walk the Plank" which is also from their "Mermaid's Tides" line.
**Sephora**
I am sorry that I'm not sorry about being a VIB Rouge member, 'cause there are perks! Recently, Sephora hosted a Rouge exclusive event where they opened up the store early and had different vendors come in to conduct mini-master class and for Rouge members to shop with a 15% discount. I can assure you that I was behaving myself and did not go too overboard...but you can be the judge.
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| Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Dim Infusion |
I *heart* Hourglass and their Ambient Lighting powders. Recently, they released the Ambient Lighting Blushes and they are just as great. Gives you a great complexion boost while adding beautiful color to your cheeks - and the colors are very universal to all skin types. The one I bought is in Dim Infusion. I also own Radiant Magenta, which I purchased prior....OMG. So pretty! Go try! You'll love!
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| Nails Inc. Gel Effect Polish (l to r) Downtown, Soho Place |
My obsession with nail polish is an understatement! It's just one thing I think I ALWAYS need more of...But seriously, these 2 by Nails Inc. are different!!! They are gel-like polishes that do not need a UV light to cure. And, boy are they DA BOMB {dot} com! I tried the pink ones on my toes and they have remained unchipped and lusterous for 2 weeks! However, my feet look like crap right now, so you'll just have to trust me!
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| Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream |
This is a re-purchase for me. I needed new eye cream, so I picked this one by Origins. It's fantastic, especially in the mornings. There is a slight peach tone to it that helps with canceling the darkness under the eyes, as well as a hint of sheen so light reflects right above the orbital bone to give a brightened and more awakened look.
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| Bite Neutral Luminous Creme Lipstick Duo in Musk (l) and Lychee (r) |
There's not much for me to say here as to why I got this except for the fact that I was suckered in by the million of bins surrounding the checkout line. However, I do have to say that the product is good to throw in the purse or your clutch for an easy and convenient touch up. The colors are neutral and can go with almost anything.
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| Jack Black Beard Lube Conditioning Shave |
What I failed to mention about this Sephora event was that it was on a Sunday at 9 in the morning across town. So, essentially, I snuck out of bed early and left my husband hanging just to buy makeup. Oh, Jennifer! Where are your priorities in life?...Well, as an excuse to say that my trip was not purely self-serving, I decided to find a product for my husband...and I found this! It's a pre-shave oil, shave cream, and skin conditioner that is all in one product. Jack Black makes some really great products, and they make great gifts for guys. If my husband likes them, trust me, any guy would like them, too!
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Alterna Bamboo Style Cleanse Extend Translucent Dry Shampoo in Mango Coconut
....Because you can never have enough dry shampoo. Case closed!...Just kidding! - People, I am always on the hunt for a good dry shampoo, and unfortunately, many are iffy to me. Klorane is still my #1! Other than ordering online, I can only find it at my *SPECIAL* Walgreens. So, in the case the world has gone crazy and Klorane has ceased production, I would like to know I can turn to another brand. What caught me on this one was the scent and the fact that they claim to be translucent...We shall see! |
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| Becca Matte Skin Shine Proof Foundation in Cashmere |
As may be the case for many of you, my skin is much lighter during and immediately after the winter than during spring and summer...and so, I needed new foundation that matched my current skin tone. This one sounded good. It says it's matte and shine proof. I'm crossing my fingers that it is indeed matte and shine proof.
**QVC**
No, I'm not a habitual Home Shopping Network or QVC shopping goober! In fact, this the first ever product that I have purchased from a company of that sort. I was watching Rachel Talbott on YouTube (Check out her channel, CheckInTheMirror) and she had talked about the swag bag she received from the QVC Oscars party she attended. One of the items in her bag was a Halo Pocket Power charger.
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| Halo Pocket Power Portable Devices Charger |
I was instantly like "Ooooooooh!!!" The story is this...my homegirl, Monique, has something similar and immediately, I wanted one too 'cause I suck at charging my phone. However, I forgot about it and that's when I watched Rachel's video months later. Ladies, this is cute and multi-functional! You can basically charge any mobile or portable device with this thing (look at the number of connectors it comes with) at anytime. The charger itself holds a lot of juice, it charges my iphone fast, and you only need a USB port to re-charge the charger battery. If this size doesn't work for you, the Halo website has a variety of sizes and types you can choose from. However, QVC has some exclusive patterns that are more fashion forward, FYI.
**Sigma Beauty**
I've been hearing for years about how great Sigma brushes are, but my brain cells never triggered me to buy any of them until now. I have to say that they are very affordable (think Real Techniques or Eco Tools) and the variety of brushes is expansive. Also, the brushes are of great quality and very very soft!
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| F40 Large Angled Contour |
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| F80 Flat Kabuki |
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| FREE GIFT: E05 Travel Size Eyeliner Brush |
**Ulta**
Around the time the whole Sephora event was going on, Ulta sent a 20% off EERRR-thang coupon in the mail...that lasted...2...weeks! So what did I do? I went online and ordered me some stuff!
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| Peter Thomas Roth Oilless Oil 100% Purified Squaline Oil |
I heard someone talk about this oilless oil and I thought I would try it out. All winter long, I have been adding a few drops of Tarte's Maracuja Oil to my moisturizer and have been noticing that my skin has been much softer in the mornings. However, maracuja oil can be a little heavy in the warmer months, so I got this squaline oil, which is said to be lightweight, to see if I would get the same effects.
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| Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Lionfish (l) and Turquoise (r) |
Stila makes one of my favorite automatic eyeliner, especially in the color Lionfish - a pretty plum brown. Since I had the 20% off coupon, I thought I would get another Lionfish and try the turquoise color I have been eyeing forever! I know a bright color like turquoise may seem ridiculous to wear, but trust me. Pop it on your waterline, on your lower lashline, or layering your eyeliners will really help your eyes stand out and keep things fun for the spring and summer. What's great about these eyeliners is that they are smooth, creamy, and lasts all day!
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| It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream in Medium |
In preparation for the warmer weather that Houston has already started to receive, I am on the hunt (as always) for a quick foundation that I can throw on and will not melt off my face...seriously! So, I was excited to hear raves about the It Cosmetics CC cream. It is a color correcting (CC) cream that offers the benefits of sun protection, anti-aging, and full-coverage. I have tried quite a few varieties of BB's, CC's, and tinted moisturizers and very few have really impressed me. For some reason, they tend to not sit well on my skin and start to break through half way through the day. But I have high hopes for this one.
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| LORAC After Glo Eyeshadow Palette |
This was definitely an impulse buy! First off, I have an affinity to Lorac since my first official blush and eye palette I purchased was from this line. Second, their shadows are amazing and smooth. So, the moment I saw this fun palette of pretty colors, I felt destined to get it! You can see that there are also some pretty neutral shades that will help tone down and blend out the bolder hues. I can't wait!!! P.S. The packaging alone is just gorgeous!
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| Too Faced Candlelight (l) and Candlelight Glow (r) |
In light of my recent quest to get better at highlighting, I have added to my Too Faced collection Candlelight and Candlelight Glow. I haven't done much research on highlighters, but in the past year, through my numerous trips to Sephora and Ulta, I am always overhearing associates talking to each other about how much they love these 2 products. The difference is that Candlelight gives a very soft "lit from within" look- very much like Diffused Light from Hourglass. So you can use this all over the face at the high points. Candlelight Glow has some shimmer to it, so it really gives a glow and would go nicely above the cheekbones and at the cupid's bow. It's also great if you want to go for a bronzed look.
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| Anastasia #7 Eyebrow Brush and Spoolie |
Filling and grooming your brows, I have found, is the easiest way for me to polish the way I look without having to wear more makeup. I have been using the Anastasia Brow Duo in Dark Brown for a long time with a dual-ended brush I got with a Smashbox palette. It gets the job done, but this Anastasia #7 brush is WAY more convenient since it has the brush and spoolie in one tool.
Last, but certainly not least, my friend, Monique and I met for lunch one day and she SURPRISED me with a bag of goodies!!! There are a couple serum samples from Algenist and Murad, she got me my fave brow powder - Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Dark Brown...and then a Nars blush in Daydream!!! This girl is wayyyyy tooo good to me and I thank her for the goodies and her continual support for me and this blog!
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| My swag bag from Monique! |
Well people, that is my gigant-O haul!!! I hope I have inspired you to try something. Please comment below if you want to see a review on something I have mentioned on this post. Also all of the stuff mentioned will be on my Luvocracy page (click link below)....if you buy something online, do it through eBates (there's a link below, too!) and earn cash back....AND...
Have a great weekend and Happy Easter, PEEPS!!!
- Jen
Link to eBates:
http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=iXW0QLqEGN3d3Se1xzQF6w%3D%3D
Check me out on Luvocracy:
