Lacquer: The Best Medicine Giveaway!!

You all know how much I love stuff!! Don't you love free stuff? Today I want to share with you a giveaway from Lacquer: The Best Medicine sponsored by Madison Street Beauty!

Lacquer: The Best Medicine is giving away four polishes and a sheer lip balm by Madison Street Beauty! The four polishes include Island Cove, Pacific Cobalt, Ballet Lesson, and Bubble Bath. The lip balm is in Summer Rose.

I am super excited for the chance to add Madison Street Beauty to my collection. All four polish shades look lovely; however, I'm a sucker for teal and would particularly like to try Island Cove. I also love lip balm and Summer Rose would be the perfect summer shade!

You can purchase these polishes and other goods at MadisonStreetBeauty. You have until July 16th to enter the giveaway. To enter, click here and fill out the Rafflecopter! Good luck!!

Sephora Beauty Splurge Pt. I

My addiction for Sephora is growing. With so many different brands and products to try, there's always something on my wish list. Not only did I find some really nice stuff, but everything I purchased was on sale!

 

My Sephora Beauty Haul

 

 

Illamasqua Nail Varnish Duo (Viridian/ Glitterati): Retail $25.00 on sale for $19.00!

I splurged on this gorgeous limited edition lacquer set. This is a new brand for me- I can't wait to try these rich colors!

 

 

 

SEPHORA by OPI Brush-On Cuticle Oil: Retail $9.00 on sale for $4.50!

 I was in need of some cuticle oil, and thought the tube would make it easy to use!!

 

SEPHORA COLLECTION Pro Lesson Palette: Green Eyes: Retail $20.00 on sale for $9.00!

I'm a big fan of color by number cosmetics. It's great for those who are inexperienced in makeup application or those who don't have a lot of time to get ready. I know my way around a makeup palette, but sometimes it's nice having a predetermined makeup look picked out for you. I love that this palette comes with two looks (Smoky and Natural) to enhance my best asset!

 

 

SEPHORA COLLECTION Colorful Duo Eyeshadow (Color 10 Golden Pink): Retail $16.00 on sale for $5.00!! I'm new to trying Sephora eyeshadow and thought this was a steal to try out. This duo was available in three other combos, but I selected this one because I thought it was the most wearable.

 

Mermaid To Order, Teal We Meet Again, Meet For Drinks, I'm With Brad

 

Retail $9.00 on sale for $4.50 each! Sephora was having a huge sale on all SEPHORA by OPI products since they are replacing the collection with their new SEPHORA X line. There were so many polishes to choose from, but I narrowed it down to the top four colors I most wanted to try.

 

 

 

 

I just had to try my favorite out first: Sephora By OPI Mermaid To Order

 

I just love this color-it definitely reminds me of mermaids!! I wish I tried this collection sooner before finding out it was being discontinued. I know I'm probably missing out on some great colors!!

 

 

Free Samples: Prada Luna Rossa Men's Fragrance, Living Proof Nourishing Styling Cream, Philosophy Cinnamon Buns Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath, Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, & Dior DiorShow Mascara deluxe sample

 

As always, you get 3 free samples with every order, plus I had a promo code for the deluxe sample! Somehow they also threw in the Men's Fragrance sample which I'll give away since I can't use it.

 

Spent: $55.50 plus sales tax. Total Savings: $50.50!! Not bad-almost half off!!

What did you think of my latest Sephora purchase? What's on your wish list?

 

Zoya: Summer Flashback Sale!

I love Zoya nail polish as much as the next girl, but at $8 a pop I only tend to stock up when they have a special promotion. It had been awhile since I've purchased any new Zoya polishes since I skipped their Earth Day Nail Polish Exchange back in April. So when their Summer Flashback Sale came along, I just had to partake! Not only was it a B1G1 FREE on select polishes, but if you purchased 4 bottles (and got 4 free) you also received free shipping. Plus they threw in a free gift with my order!

 

My Zoya Haul

 

 

 

 

Free Gift With Purchase: Zoya Remove Plus Nail Polish Remover 20z

 

I am so excited to get this free with my purchase! I have never tried Zoya's nail polish remover before and it's gotten great reviews! It's a decent size bottle, so it should last me a while!!

 

 

 

 

Zoya Summer 2012 Surf Collection: Kimber, Carly, Myrta, & Meg

 

The only polish I previously purchased from this collection was Zuza, which happens to be one of my favorites! I skipped over the Beach Collection (which consisted of crème polishes) and went right for the Surf Collection due to the foil and metallic finishes!

 

 

 

Zoya Sunshine Collection: Rica & Faye

 

I went with a couple of polishes from this collection as well due to the glowing golden metallic sparkle! The other one from this collection that I can't stop thinking about is Kimmy, so I might need to buy it next time.

 

 

 

Zoya Sparkle Nail Polish Collection: Mimi & Alegra

 

As you all know I love glitter polish, so I was really into these foil-glitter, metallics! I already own Ivanka and Charla from this collection and love them both. Since Gilda wasn't part of the promo and Nidhi didn't have as much sparkle, I went with these two.

 

 

Did you take advantage of Zoya's Summer Flashback Sale? Which polishes did you pick up?

Julep Body Care: Fresh Citrus Skincare Set

As an exfoliating junkie, I was excited to try Julep's Fresh Citrus Skincare Set! The set consisted of a sugar scrub and frosting. Exfoliating is an important part in a skin care routine because it removes dead skin cells and impurities, helping you to achieve healthy skin. It is imperative to not over-exfoliate, so it is recommended to use a scrub no more than 2 to 3 times a week while taking a shower or bath.

First exfoliate the body using the scrub. Apply the scrub to wet skin, massaging in a circular motion over the entire body. Then rise off the scrub thoroughly. There are different types of body scrubs to choose from such as salt, oatmeal, or coffee. In this case I used a sugar scrub. This scrub had a nice grapefruit scent and left my skin feeling silky smooth afterwards.

 

Pink Grapefruit Sugar Scrub

After you will want to use a moisturizer. This step is also important because you will need to help replenish your skin's natural barrier by trapping in moisture. Pat your skin with a towel until it is almost dry. Then apply a generous amount of your favorite moisturizing cream or lotion. In this case, I used a frosting. It did in fact look like what you would find in a can of frosting! It felt very decadent, leaving my skin feeling smooth all over. 

 

 

 

Pink Grapefruit Body Frosting

 

I loved this set so much that I purchased Julep's Pomegranate Body Scrub and Pomegranate Body Crème during their Warehouse Sale! I'll post a review once I receive my order and try them out.

 

Have you tried any of Julep's scrubs? What's your favorite kind/brand of body scrub to use and why?

Julep DD Crème & Concealer Review

I purchased Julep's June Maven box because I was intrigued with the notion of a never seen before DD crème and concealer. With all the hype over BB and CC creams I just had to check it out. However, after trying out the products in my box, I was very disappointed with the results.

The DD Crème was only available in four shades: Light, Medium, Medium-Dark, and Dark. I went with the Light shade, and though I don't consider myself the fairest girl in the world, it was still a bit too dark for my skin tone. If I was having issues with color matching then my fairer sister and mother would definitely have a problem with Julep's color options. I read reviews that others had a similar problem, but I wonder if anyone had the reverse problem with their darkest shade being too light for them. Hopefully, in the future Julep will expand their color range to better suit client needs.

But color wasn't the only problem I had. I also got a ton of shine from using this product. While it's great the product contains SPF, I had to use a loose powder over it to help with the shine. For a product that claims to be a dynamic-do-all, I sure feel I'd get more out benefit using a variety of other products together than using this one crème. The concealer was a bit better, but I didn't feel it was anything to write home about. I didn't see any benefits to justify the price compared to a typical concealer, and the portion size was quite small! Now, I'm really glad I didn't buy their Double Duty Makeup Brush! While the brush may work amazingly well, I already have a few brush sets and would have only purchased the brush to go with the DD products that I ended up disliking.

This was the first time since becoming a Julep Maven that I had been disappointed in their products. Trying a new product before testing it or doing research is always a gamble, so being a conscious shopper is important. Learning how to read ingredient labels and knowing what a product can really do for you is an important part of shopping for cosmetics and skin care products. You can't just trust the claims the brand makes or judge a product based on its packaging. However, I decided to take the risk trying out this product since I would be getting it for a fraction of the cost. But I won't be buying this product again, especially at the retail price. Sometimes, you luck out and other times you end up with a product that doesn't work for you. You have to decide if it's worth the cost to try out a brand new product or if it's better to wait until others have sampled and reviewed it.

While I had my first bad experience with Julep, this doesn't deter me from ever shopping with them again or trying new products. My love for Julep continues-I  just picked up a few new things from their first Warehouse Sale (post to follow)!

Did you try Julep's DD Crème or Concealer? What shade did you try and what did you think of it?

Express: Summer 2012 Collection

I don't usually shop much in Express' beauty section, but I did purchase a nail polish set I found on clearance last year. Here is the Express Summer 2012 Limited Edition Nail Enamel Collection:

 

 

 

 

I couldn't find any polish names on the bottles, but the set included a pink, purple, and orange shade. My mom tested out the pink shade, which wasn't as bright as you might expect a summer shade to be. I'm usually a big fan of pink nail polish, but I was a little disappointed with this color. While I thought the color looked nice on her, I'm not particularly thrilled to try it myself. I prefer hot or bright pinks or light pinks with metallic or pearl finishes.

 

 

I tried the purple shade first and it is my favorite out of the bunch. I'm usually drawn to deeper purples, so I was surprised to find I liked this color more than I thought. The application was nice, being very easy to apply. Even though this shade isn't my typical purple, I find it very suiting for summer and would wear again.

 

 

The orange shade was the brightest of the three colors-it really popped! However, even with multiple coats you could see a visible nail line, so if I'd recommend using underwear with this shade. Even though I wasn't crazy about trying this color since it's not a color I'd typically wear, I feel it's the best summer shade out of the set.

 

 

 

 

Which color is your favorite? Have you ever tried Express nail polish or their other beauty products?

Julep Mystery Box: Miami Destination Box Verison 3

This month Julep offered three mystery boxes, each with a different destination. The choices were Laguna Beach (Trendy, Vibrant, Fun), Miami (Glitzy, Bold, Energetic), and The Hamptons (Classic, Preppy, Glam)! While it would have been nice to have the budget to get all three, I decided to go with Miami since the picture and description was the most appealing.

After looking at some spoilers online, I was hoping to get the box containing the Rock Star Hand Crème, but no such luck. Here was the box I received:

 

The box included Dry Clean Invisible Dry Shampoo, which I would have been psyched about had I not just purchased one from the Secret Store and had my heart set on the Rock Star Hand Crème. But of course if the product ends up being as good as I hope it is, I won't mind having another one for later use!

 

While I didn't get the product I had hoped, Julep did throw in a sample of the Rock Star Hand Crème in my package. I tested it out last night and love it! It leaves your hands feeling hydrated for sure!! I will def be looking to purchase this in the future.

 

 

I also received the Strawberry Mint Lip Balm. I wasn't jumping up and down upon receipt of this because I still have a ton of chap sticks in my collection from the short period of time that I was selling AVON. But they do not come close to this lip balm! The tube's packaging is nice and sleek and the balm glides on smoothly! I can tell that this is going to be my new summer fav!

 

 

 

I got Paris, Isla, and Lauren for my polishes. I'm guessing that Paris is Glitzy, Lauren Bold, and Isla Energetic. I love glitter, metallic, and hot pink shades so these colors may work for me. I'll post my swatches when I test them out.

 

Did you get a mystery box this month? Which destination/version did you get?

Julep: June Secret Store

Every month Julep gives the mavens who've purchased a maven box that month access to their Secret Store. For only 72 hours these mavens can purchase select products for up to 50% off! The discounts just keep coming!! Since I've already received a bunch of new polishes in my maven and mystery box, I decided to focus my sights on non-polish products. Seeing as this was my first time shopping in the Secret Store, I went a little crazy and purchased the products below.

The Beach Ready Pedi Set consists of Julep Instant Warming Foot Scrub, The Best Pedi Prep Ever!, Julep Foot File, Kaylen, and Toe Seperators. While I already have two Mary Kay pedicure sets, I just couldn't resist this one. I'm not dying to try Kaylen, but I can always re-gift it. I also didn't really need another set of toe separators, but I guess it never hurts to have extras. However, I am overdue for a pedicure and am very excited to try out the Instant Warming Foot Scrub and The Best Pedi Prep Ever!
 

 

 

Fresh Citrus Skincare Set includes a Pink Body Scrub and Pink Body Frosting. I absolutely love body scrubs-I'm a bit of an exfoliating junkie! And body frostings seem so lavish-it makes taking a shower or bath feel more luxurious! So I just had to get this duo-I love that it's a pink grapefruit scent. I can't wait to take my next bath!!

The Primped N'  Proper Mani Set includes Glycolic Hand Scrub, Essential Cuticle Oil, Acetone-Free Conditioning Nail Polish Remover, Pink Glitter Pot, and Lauren. While I already had a tube of the Glycolic Hand Scrub and the Acetone-Free Conditioning Nail Polish Remover, I decided to buy this manicure set because of the great value. I figured I'd still be able to use the duplicates when I run out. I just love the scrub so much, I'm happy to have a back up tube! I didn't care about getting Lauren, but was more interested in trying out the Essential Cuticle Oil and Pink Glitter Pot. I'll let you know what I think when I try them out.

Dry Clean Invisible Dry Shampoo. I have fine hair and have to wash it almost every day. I might be able to skip a day, but if I wait too long between washings it can look greasy. I've been in desperate need of a good dry shampoo and was ecstatic to find Julep had one for sale. After watching this video I was sold! I never knew you should first apply dry shampoo to clean hair!! I can't wait to try this out the next time I skip washing my hair.










Did you get anything from the Secret Store this month? Is anyone else going to the upcoming Julep ONLINE Warehouse Sale this Monday?

China Glaze Glitters

I love free stuff. But when I can't get something for free, I love getting a good deal. From reading some polish blog reviews, I came across Trans Design, Inc. which sells nail polish and nail related items galore. After seeing multiple swatches, I decided to restock my collection. Since some of these polishes have been out for a while I got them at a discounted rate. Score!! I'll eventually get around to reviewing all of my new polishes, but here are two new glitters I've recently picked up from China Glaze.

 

 

 

United was part of China Glaze's Breast Cancer Awareness Collection for 2012 called the United In Purpose Collection. I'm a huge fan of glitter nail polish and pretty much anything pink, so I had to get this polish. It looks very similar to Hello Gorgeous!, another color in the collection, but I went with United because it's a bit darker. It can be a bit hard to see the full effect of the glitter, but I love how in the right lighting you can see all the different color flecks in the glitter! So pretty!! I couldn't stop looking at my nails! This glitter is very wearable for day-it's eye catching but not overpowering.

 

 

Glistening Snow was part of China Glaze's Holiday Joy Collection for Holiday 2012. Again, you can't get the full effect of the glitter in these pictures,but it sparkles beautifully in the light just like United. This color is perfect for the holidays, but could also be worn other times of the year. Silver and glitter are a perfect combo, making this polish perfect for wear on a night out on the town. However, while I like this color, I feel I'd get more wear out of United.

 

 

Julep Maven Box: June Modern Beauty

My addiction with Julep is growing. Since my last post I've not only decided to buy a Maven box for June, but shortly after purchased a great deal of items from the Secret Store (post to follow).

I didn't love the polish colors offered in the Bombshell box, but I was very intrigued by the idea of a DD crème. This DD crème is considered a dynamic do-all crème, going beyond a BB crème. Being the first of it's kind and wanting to stay on top of the latest technology, I decided to try it out for myself. All the Maven boxes included the DD crème, but I chose the Modern Beauty box because it also included another DD product instead of polish.

Here was my June box:

 

 

 The box included a DD Crème and DD Concealer, along with a few pieces of candy.

 

 

I have not tested the products as of yet, but will give my opinion of them once I do. I will say that I really like the packaging of the DD crème and concealer though.

 

 

 

Julep also had a Double Duty Makeup Brush offered as one of their add-ons this month. I was tempted to purchase it because the brush was made to go with the DD crème and concealer and it would be convenient to have a 2-in-1 portable brush to take to the gym. However, since I already own 3 brush sets in addition to some other make up brushes, I ended up declining and avoided any add-ons this month! However, when it came time for the Secret Store, I went crazy buying up more Julep goods before I've even tried my newest box contents. Once I receive my order, I'll share with you what I got from the Secret Store!!