Review of It! Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Celebration Matte Luxe Transforming Eyeshadow Palette

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I have been on the hunt for matte eyeshadows lately—they are harder to find than you would think. I saw a post on Nouveau Cheap that the It! Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Celebration Matte Luxe Transforming Eyeshadow Palette was not only on sale, but that there was a coupon code for 20% off and free shipping! I jumped right on it!

The palette is originally $42 and is currently on sale for $25.50. The coupon code will bring the palette down to $20.16, with free shipping. And where it shipped from is close to me so I got it within a day or two.

The packaging is an iridescent cardboard with a magnetic closure. The mirror is big and would be good to use if you’re traveling. The shadows can be used dry or wet, with or without the radiance ribbon (more on that in a second).

The palette contains 14 matte eyeshadows: 11 neutrals (ranging from a bone colored highlight to a deep brown), one purple, one navy blue and one black. There is also a “Transforming Ombre Radiance Ribbon” that can transform any matte shadow into a shimmer. The shadows are not highly pigmented so if you like really pigmented shadows; this will not be a palette for you. Personally, I don’t mind that the shadows aren’t highly pigmented. I like to be able to build the color and I find that I don’t overdo it as much as opposed to when I use a highly pigmented shadow. I tend to like a more subtle, neutral eyeshadow look.

Here’s a breakdown of the color selection (color description taken from It! Cosmetics website):

• Snow Angel: Matte soft cream (good for under the brow bone or in the inner corners)
• Champagne: Matte pale peach (good under the brow bone or inner corners, but also all over the lid)
• Cozy: Matte soft ginger (all over lid or crease)
• Warm Wishes: Matte beige (all over lid or crease)
• Miracle: Matte smoky melon (crease or outer corner)
• Peace: Matte tea rose (crease or outer corner)
• Wonderland: Matte smoky lavender (crease or outer corner)
• Hot Cocoa: Matte mocha brown (crease with a light hand, outer corner, or liner on the lower lash line)
• Gingerbread: Matte topaz brown (crease or outer corner)
• Toasty: Matte smoky rose (crease or outer corner)
• Spice: Matte cinnamon brown (crease with a light hand, outer corner, or liner on the lower lash line)
• Sugar Plum: Rich matte purple (crease with a light hand, outer corner or as a liner on the lower lash line)
• Starry Night: Rich muted navy (great for accentuating the outer corner or as a liner on the lower lash line)
• Coal: Deep matte slate (liner on the lower lash line)
• Transforming Ombre Radiance Ribbon: This would be good on its own as a highlight shade (ranges from light to medium in color). I find that it more masks the color of the eyeshadow if you just put this on top of one of the other eyeshadows. You’d have to mix them around or layer a few times in order not to lose the color of the shadow.

My best attempt as swatching all the colors, the lighting was not cooperating with me!

Overall I would recommend this palette. The colors are gorgeous (and matte!), you can build up the pigmentation to your desired level and the shadows are long-lasting.

If you’d like to purchase this palette it’s still on sale and the coupon code (LOVEIT20) is still working! Just go here. FYI, this is a limited edition palette.

   

Disclaimer: These items were purchased with my own money and all opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment and none of the above links are affiliate links. Products that work for me may not necessarily work for you.

Saving Series: Super Quick Saturday, February 28, 2015

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CVS is my favorite store to grab great beauty deals. If you haven’t already, sign up for their ExtraCare card. You can swipe it in the front of the store at a kiosk and get tons of store coupons (that you can combine with manufacturer’s coupons). CVS will also email you coupons (e.g., $3 off a $15 dollar purchase, 30% off your regular price purchase) and you can get ExtraCare Bucks—these are essentially money, just money you can only use at CVS. You get ExtraCare Bucks by buying certain products (e.g., spend $12 on Revlon products and get $4 in ExtraCare Bucks back). You can use the ECBs on your next purchase. Also, if you sign up for CVS’s Beauty Club you get $5 ECBs when you spend $50 on beauty products. The $50 total is BEFORE coupons!

So sales + coupons + ECBs make CVS my favorite couponing spot.

Just one product this week, but here’s the deal I snagged to save 84% on makeup!

 

I’ve been wanting to try the Almay Smart Shade Butter Kiss Lipsticks for a while (to compare to Revlon Lip Butters) and there was a $3 coupon in Sunday’s paper—huzzah! The Butter Kiss line is available in nude, pink, berry and red, and you are supposed to pick shades by skin tone (they only have light, light-medium and medium…nothing for darker skin tones… What’s up with that Almay??). I picked the berry in light-medium even though I have a very light skin tone because the color looked prettier.

The Butter Kisses are normally $6.99 at CVS. I didn’t see a sale advertised, but it rang up at $5.49. Here’s the breakdown:

            $1.50 off (CVS sale)

            $3.00 off (manufacturer’s coupon)

            $1.39 off (CVS 20% off coupon)

Total before taxes: $1.10. That’s an 84% savings! Not too shabby. I could have used by ECBs, but I decided to hold onto those for a bigger purchase next week. Even if you don’t have the 20% off CVS coupon it’s a good deal if you can get your hands on the $3 Almay coupon.

Let me know in the comments below beauty deals you’ve picked up recently. Happy couponing!!

Disclaimer: This item were purchased with my own money and all opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment. Products that work for me may not necessarily work for you.

Couponing 101: The Stockpile

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The Couponing 101 series continues with a foundational definition when it comes to couponing—the stockpile. What is a stockpile, you ask?

A stockpile is having multiples of each product you use. BUT, you get the multiples when there is a really good deal. For example, instead of buying shaving cream every time you need it, you stock up (i.e., get multiples) when it is on sale and you have a coupon.

Last year, there was a $6 off of 3 Gillette shaving creams coupon. Gillette shaving creams are $2 each at Target. Total score! I went to a local library and got a bunch of these coupons and stocked up—I ended up getting dozens of shaving creams for free!! It was couponing heaven. I saved a bunch for me and my husband, gave some to my friends and then donated the rest to a shelter.

Since I stockpiled the shaving cream, we haven’t had to purchase it in months. Now I can wait for another spectacular sale to come around again before getting shaving cream.

The take home message is: Stockpile when you can get a really good deal on a product, then you’ll never have to pay full price for an item because you can wait for the next time a deal comes around. 

Happy Couponing!

If you suck at liquid eyeliner (like me)…

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No matter how hard I try, I still haven’t been able to master (or even remotely pull off) liquid eyeliner. I know I’m not the only one either. I have three product suggestions that will help you either mimic the look of liquid eyeliner or help you in your quest to master liquid eyeliner.

1. Revlon ColorStay Crème Gel Eye Liner in 001 Black

This is a gel liner that is applied with a brush that is contained within the product’s top (so convenient). The brush is good quality and applies the product nicely. This gel liner mimics the look of liquid eyeliner, is easy to apply and has lasting power. I get a little bit on the brush and press it into my lash line. It is also easier for me to draw on different looks (e.g., cat eye) with the brush than it is for me to use pen-style liquid liner. I picked this up from CVS during one of my Savings Series trips.   

Brush located in product top.

Brush connects to product top.

                                                                   

2. Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real! Push-Up Liner in 01 Black

            I talked about this gel liner in my February Product Empties. It is a good intermediate step between a gel liner applied with a brush and liquid liner because it is pen-style, but the applicator is slanted like an eyeliner brush to make applying the product super easy. It takes a few tries to get used to this product and how much liner to twist up into the applicator. It is very long lasting. From reviews online (e.g., Sephora, YouTube) this is a love it or hate it product, and I happen to like it.

Slanted applicator (Sorry it's messy!)

3. Jordana FabuLiner Liquid Eye Liner in Black

            This brand can be found at Walgreens and this liquid eyeliner was around $3. The FabuLiner washes off very easily so I suggest using it to practice applying liquid liner. If you mess up, no worries, just wipe it off. I use this to practice drawing a cat eye and to get used to holding a pen-style liner. It is easy to very the thickness of the line. It tends to fade throughout the day so I would suggest tracing the liner with a longer lasting liner if you are happy with the look you created. This is definitely my suggestion for liquid liner beginners.

Disclaimer: These items were purchased with my own money or by my lovely husband and all opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment. Products that work for me may not necessarily work for you.

My Current Skin Care Routine: Morning

I try to keep things pretty simple in the morning since I get up so early for work. I really only use four skin care products in the morning—very low maintenance compared to my nighttime skin care routine. Below are the products that I use every morning.

The Quick Summary:

1. Face Cleanser

2. Eye Cream

3. Moisturizer

4. Face Primer

Specific Products I Use:

1. Face Cleanser: Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash

            I got this as part of an Origins gift set. You need the tiniest amount to wash your face. I have been using a 1 oz. size for months and there is still a ton left. This cleanser rinses off more easily than any face wash I have used before so I use it whenever I’m washing my face over the sink. It is good for all skin times and has certain ingredients to balance oily and dry skin. I got this at Sephora. It’s a little expensive for a face cleanser, but you only need a pea size amount so it’ll last forever. I have used this both when I do and do not have makeup on and it always performs.

         

2. Eye Cream: Kate Somerville Age Arrest Eye Cream

            I got this at Sephora after I tried a sample. I really liked it the first few times I liked it and decided to purchase the full-size product. After awhile I didn’t feel like it really did anything special, but it definitely keeps my undereye area moisturized. It dries fairly quickly too so I can get on with putting on my makeup. I have really sensitive skin and eyes and this product has never bothered me. I put this on from my undereye area to my brows.

3. Moisturizer: eco-beauty  good day. day moisturizer

            I got this moisturizer in an ipsy bag and I love it! I may purchase the full-size if I ever get through the other moisturizers I have. It’s got peptides, hylauronic acid, vitamins—all that good stuff, plus it’s cruelty free. It is very hydrating but dries fast, again, good for the morning when I don’t have a lot of time for products to dry. Using an eye cream and a moisturizer help even out skin texture to provide a smooth base for your foundation, blush, etc.

           

4. Face Primer: bareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer in Original

            Lastly, I put on a primer. I consider a primer skin care for me. I wear primer even when I don’t put foundation on. It creates a barrier between my skin and dirt, pollution, etc. and helps lock in my moisturizer. I also notice that when I don’t wear a primer I tend to get blemishes. So, this truly is a skin care step for me. My Holy Grail primer is the bareMinerals Prime Time in the original formula. It is moisturizing and helps my makeup stay put. This primer doesn’t really blur pores, etc. like a lot of others do (e.g., Smashbox Photo Finish); however, it does not accentuate dry spots like pore minimizing primers do.

What's your morning skincare routine? Let me know in the comments below and let me know if you’d like to see my nighttime skincare routine!

Disclaimer: These items were purchased with my own money and all opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment. Products that work for me may not necessarily work for you.

Review of February 2015 Birchbox

Birchbox is a $10/month subscription box. You get around 5 sample or deluxe-size samples of beauty (makeup, skin care, hair care) products. Like ipsy, you take a quiz to customize your box. Birchbox lets you choose one of the samples you will receive each month, a curated box (you'll know all the contents ahead of time), or a box based on your personalized profile. I wanted to try out Birchbox since it is a similar price point to ipsy. Like ipsy and Boxycharm, you get points for reviewing products in your box and for referrals that you can use to “buy” products on the Birchbox website.

Birchbox comes packaged in a box within a box. The box is actually quite sturdy and has a chevron print on the inside. I will use it to organize my makeup. Score for not having to buy makeup organizers!

The box also contains a card detailing the items and the (full-size) value of each item. This month, there was also a coupon for $30 off at Rent the Runway and a coupon for a free Benefit Porefessional Primer Deluxe Mini with any full-size Benefit purchase at Birchbox.com

Product #1: Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle Leave In Conditioner (0.5 oz.?)

            This is nothing I would ever buy on my own. I own like zero hair care products outside of shampoo, conditioner and a new addition, dry shampoo (and the hairspray I got in my February ipsy). This leave-in condition smells really nice; it’s hard to actually describe what it smells like (helpful, I know), but it’s nice. Clean with a hint of something… It worked well in detangling my hair after showering and left my hair soft, so that alone makes it worth it to me.

Value: $1.37

Product #2: BeeKind Shampoo (1 oz.)

            I was not too thrilled to see a shampoo in the box. Shampoo is just not very exciting to me. It’s a good size for a shampoo sample though—I’ll definitely get several uses out of this. It smells very good, like lemon verbena. It contains none of the bad stuff (e.g., parabens, phthalates) and contains honey and red clover extract. Plus, a portion of the proceeds go toward helping honey bees survive!

Value: $1.88

Product #3: Cynthia Rowley Beauty Eyeliner in Black (0.03 oz.)

            This is very creamy and black. I like it for tightlining. I would not recommend it on the lower lash line or in the waterline. It transferred immediately on me. I even tried setting it with a black eyeshadow, but it still smudged a lot and not a good smudge. I will definitely use this, just only on my upper lash line.

Value: $12

Product #4: Harvey Prince Hello Body Crème (0.50 oz.)

            Smells so, so good! The notes are lemon, mandarin and plumeria. I used this on my hands and it left them very soft. The scent stayed around, which I like in a body crème—especially since this one smells so good. I will probably use this more as a hand cream since the size isn’t really big enough to use as a body cream more than once. This is something I would consider buying.

Value: $1.83

Product #5: Supergoop! Daily Correct SPF 35 CC Cream in Light/Medium (3ml)

            It’s hard for me to give an assessment of this product for a couple of reasons. One, the color is way off. I put a little on to test and it looked like I had a horrible fake tan. I wish Birchbox had sent me the Fair/Light color instead of Light/Medicum as I am nowhere near Medium in skin tone. Second, the sample is so tiny I’m not even sure there would be enough to cover my whole face. So, this was a miss for me. It’s nice that face products are getting on the bandwagon and including higher SPF (physical only, not chemical) sunscreen.

Value: $2.04

Overall Value: $19.12. The majority of the value came from the eyeliner. Overall, it’s an okay box for me. It’s probably not good when the thing I’m most excited about is the box that the items came in... This was my first Birchbox so I’ll give it a few months before deciding if it’s a box I would like to keep.

What are your thoughts on Birchbox? If you’d like to sign-up for Birchbox, feel free to use my referral link.

Disclaimer: This bag was purchased with my own money and all opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment. I do receive points if you sign-up for a subscription using my referral link; however, I am not affiliated with Birchbox.

Review of February 2015 Boxycharm

Boxycharm is a $21/month subscription box. You get around 5 full-size products (sometimes deluxe sample sizes) of higher-end beauty (makeup, skin care, haircare) products. I’ve been scoping this box out for a while and since my POPSUGAR Must Have Box subscription is up I figured I’d give it a try. Like ipsy, you get points for reviewing products in your box, and for referrals, that you can use to “buy” products from the Boxycharm website.

Boxycharm comes in a cardboard box (surprise!) and includes a card that details the products inside and the value of each product.

Here’s what I received in my February 2015 Boxycharm and my first impression of the products:

Product #1: Modern Minerals Duo Fiber Mini Round Brush (Full Size)

            This is a stiffer brush that would be good for the crease or outer corner. I don’t have many brushes that are on the stiffer side so this is a great addition to my collection. It is super soft too.

Value: $15

Product #2: Mullein & Sparrow Mini Facial Mask (1 oz. Deluxe Sample Size)

            The packaging on this mask is awesome. I will keep this bottle out on my countertop even after the product is gone. It is a clay-based mask so it will be good for deep cleaning your pores and taking care of any excess oil or breakouts. It is a powder that you mix with water to form a paste. You then apply the paste to your cleansed face, let dry and then rinse off. It is all organic and contains only 7 ingredients—4 types of clay, aloe vera, rose and lavender essential oil. You need quite a bit of powder and just the tiniest amount of water to make enough paste to cover your face. It dries and rinses off quickly which makes this a convenient mask. It left my skin a little tight but soft and clean feeling. I don’t have oily skin so I don’t normally use a clay mask, but this is good to have on hand and I’ve been wanting to try a clay mask.

Value: $15

Product #3: ncLA Nail Lacquer in Heart Attack (Full Size)

            Perfect for Valentine’s Day (though I received my box after Valentine’s Day), this clear polish contains pink and red heart “glitters.” Not many of the hearts are picked up on the brush so you’ll either need to apply many layers, or layer this over another polish.

Value: $16

Product #4: Jing Ai Velvet Shine Lip Jewel in Pink A Boo

            This is a highly pigmented lip crayon. The color I got is a very bright bubblegum pink. This isn’t a color I would normally go for, but I actually liked this color on me. I saw that some people received a classic red color, so it looks like the color varies by box. This didn’t dry out my lips and has good staying power. This will be a good color for spring.

Value: $22

Product #5: Mistura Beauty Solutions C-2-P Complexion Corrector (Full Size)

            This is a “one color fits all” concealer stick. It goes on creamy, but dries to a powder finish. I’ve tried this and I like it. It initially looked way to dark for my skin tone, but once I blended it out and it turned to a powder it matched my skin tone very well. It contains coconut oil and shea butter so it is supposed to be hydrating. I’ve been wanting a stick concealer so I’m very happy to have gotten this.

Value: $21.50

Overall Value: $79.50

This was my first Boxycharm and I really liked it. I will use all the products. I wouldn’t normally have bought the nail polish or the lip crayon, but I will use them. I am loving the other 3 products!

What are your thoughts on Boxycharm? If you’d like to sign-up for Boxycharm, feel free to use my referral link. At checkout enter the following code:

M3d2Q1dTT21MR1RTNWJ0KzhRWUo0Z0lWWWtoRnVrZmk0NGNOVWY0MVBHRT0=

Disclaimer: This bag was purchased with my own money and all opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment. I do receive points if you sign-up for a subscription using my referral link; however, I am not affiliated with Boxycharm.

Bye Bye Beauty: Maybelline Lash Sensational Full Fan Effect Volume Mascara in 00 Blackest Black

This mascara is new at the drugstore and I usually like Maybelline’s mascaras, but this one was just not good. My first impression of the mascara was that it had the potential to be my new favorite. My favorite mascara is Maybelline’s Great Lash (the one in the iconic hot pink and lime green tube). But, as the day went on, it became apparent that this mascara was a miss.

The mascara is a wetter formula, which I prefer to a drier formula. The brush is slightly curved and one side has long bristles and the other has short bristles. The short bristles are supposed to get right up to your lash line (they did) and the long bristles are supposed to fan your lashes out (they did). After I applied this it looked like I had false eyelashes on (in a good way). There was great volume and lengthening—I was loving this mascara.

The top bristles are shorter to get close to the lash line, the bottom bristles are longer to fan our your lashes.

But then…

I arrived at Flake City. And I wanted to leave. Fast. So much of the product ended up on my cheeks. I had to keep checking in a mirror to make sure I didn’t have mascara on my face. Then it started to travel under my eyes, and I don’t put mascara on my lower lashes. I tried this a few times and the result was the same.

And then it came time to take my makeup off. This is not a waterproof mascara, but it did not want to budge. I ended up peeling it off my eyelashes (I’m not kidding); kind of like when you get glue on your hand and peel it off. It had encapsulated my lashes and did not want to leave. And I would wake up with it smudged under my eyes and flaking even after I had peeled it off!

And it gets better! It made my eyelashes really dry and a bunch fell out. So, I would definitely not recommend this mascara. I was surprised because Maybelline Great Lash is such a staple in my makeup bag. I’ve heard this sentiment echoed in other places, so I know I’m not alone.

Luckily, I picked this up as part of my Saving Series so I didn’t spend much on it.

Disclaimer: This item was purchased with my own money and all opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment. Products that work for me may not necessarily work for you (and products that don’t work for me may work for you!).

Favorite 5: Books Series & The Series I’m Currently Reading

I love reading. I especially love reading series. Usually, the longer the series the better. I really like getting invested with characters, understanding their world and then sticking with them for awhile. Unfortunately, that can lead to a lot of sadness when a series ends (J.K. Rowling, please make a series featuring the generation before Harry Potter! Please!). Below are my five favorite book series and a brief description of the series I am just beginning to read. I won’t go into too much detail, because I don’t want to give anything away.

5 Favorite Book Series (in a particular order):

1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (7 books)

            No description needed. A must read! The Half-Blood Prince (Book #6) is my favorite.

2. The Century Trilogy by Ken Follett (3 books)

Follows five families in varying countries through the 1900s. From World War I to the Cold War, you become engrossed in the lives and relationships of these families, and how the families’ experiences overlap.

3. A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin (aka Game of Thrones; 5 books currently, 2 more expected)

            First off, the books are much different than the TV series. Second, there are lots and lots of families, making the family tree listing in the book very helpful. If you like mostly reality meets some fantasy, this is a good series for you. The first four books were excellent, I felt the 5^th dragged but I can’t wait for the 6^th. Unfortunately, Martin is notorious for taking years to publish a book in this series. I’m not kidding, the last book came out in 2011 and there’s absolutely no word on when the next will be done. The good thing is he does publish mini-stories that are connected to the series in edited volumes and he’s heavily involved creatively with the writing on the show. Then again, that’s probably why it takes so long to get the actual book out.

4. The Tudor Saga by Jean Plaidy (9-11 books depending on who you ask; Her real name is Eleanor Hibbert and she wrote under many pen names)

            This series chronicles the life and times of the Tudor family. From their rise to power during the War of the Roses to the infamous Henry VIII (and his wives) and the reigns of Henry VIII’s children, Elizabeth I and Mary. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to read and Plaidy brings in a lot of historical fact without making it boring (but does not embellish either).

5. Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon (8 books and counting)

            This series follows Claire as she travels back in time through history (mainly in Scotland/England and America). I highly recommend these if you like a long and involved series. The last two books have dragged, but the first 6 are excellent. I haven’t seen the TV series so I don’t know how they compare. Like A Song of Ice and Fire, it can take several years for the next book in the series to come out, but just like Martin, Gabaldon has written short stores in edited volumes. Fun fact: They even contributed to the same volume, Dangerous Women.

Honorable Mentions: The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins, Cormoran Strike Novels by J. K. Rowling, Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich (very easy beach reads),  The Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy by Laini Taylor (inventive, but begins to drag), Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson (aka The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo).

The Book Series I’m Currently Reading:

Splintered Trilogy by A.G. Howard (published by Amulet Books)

This series follows Alyssa Gardner as she tries to break a family curse. She and her mother can hear bugs, flowers, etc. talk, and this curse has landed Alyssa’s mother in an institution. Alyssa’s great-great-great grandmother is the Alice who inspired Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. To break the curse, Alyssa must go back into Wonderland to tame its unruliness. It wouldn’t be a young adult series without a love triangle, and Splintered is no exception. I’m excited to see what develops…

What are your favorite book series? Let me know if the comments below. I’m always looking for a new series to read!

Saving Series: Thursday, February 19, 2015

CVS is my favorite store to grab great beauty deals. If you haven’t already, sign up for their ExtraCare card. You can swipe it in the front of the store at a kiosk and get tons of store coupons (that you can combine with manufacturer’s coupons). CVS will also email you coupons (e.g., $3 off a $15 dollar purchase, 30% off your regular price purchase) and you can get ExtraCare Bucks—these are essentially money, just money you can only use at CVS. You get ExtraCare Bucks by buying certain products (e.g., spend $12 on Revlon products and get $4 in ExtraCare Bucks back). You can use the ECBs on your next purchase. Also, if you sign up for CVS’s Beauty Club you get $5 ECBs when you spend $50 on beauty products. The $50 total is BEFORE coupons!

So sales + coupons + ECBs make CVS my favorite couponing spot.

Just two products this week, but here’s the deal I snagged to save just about 100% on makeup!

This week, Maybelline was buy one get one 50% off. I got the Maybelline Define-A-Brow Eyebrow Pencil in 644 Light Brown ($8.39) and the 24 Hr Color Tattoo in 140 Rose Riot ($7.49). This Color Tattoo is a Spring 2015 limited edition color so I was very excited to find it!

 We also picked up a gallon of milk ($3.99), which was on sale with 1 ECB back.

Limited Edition Maybelline Color Tattoo in 140 Rose Riot

Breakdown: Before coupons, sales and taxes, my total would have been $19.87.  Sales and coupons used:

            $5/15 CVS Coupon off any cosmetics purchase (from the Magic Coupon Machine—everyone gets this coupon this week; this coupon applies to your spending before sales and coupons, CVS is so coupon-friendly)

            $5 Extra Care Bucks (from spending over $50 [before coupons] on beauty items)

            $5 Extra Care Bucks (from spending over $50 [before coupons] on beauty items)

            $0.50 CVS Coupon off a gallon of milk (also from the Magic Coupon Machine)

            $0.40 off milk (CVS sale)

            $3.75 off the Color Tattoo (CVS sale)

I paid $0.22 (before tax) for three items—a 99% savings!!  Even if you don’t have ECBs, the $5/15 off cosmetics CVS coupon is still a 33% savings.

After all that, I also have $3 in ECBs from last week that I didn’t use and $1 ECB from purchasing milk!

Couponing Tip:

This week I had to decide if I should buy $15 worth of cosmetics that I wasn’t that excited about, but could receive ECBs from buying or to buy things I really wanted and not get any ECBs back. After a few minutes going back and forth, I went with getting what I really wanted. What’s the point of getting stuff you don’t want just to get ECBs to buy more stuff you don’t want?  Sometimes I have to remember to follow my own couponing tips—don’t buy things you won’t use just because of coupons! I’m glad I went with what I wanted because I now have the super pretty limited edition Rose Riot Color Tattoo!

Let me know in the comments below beauty deals you’ve picked up recently. Happy couponing!!

Disclaimer: This item was purchased with my own money and all opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment. Products that work for me may not necessarily work for you (and products that don’t work for me may work for you!.

Review of February 2015 ipsy Bag

ipsy is a monthly subscription box company created by Michelle Phan and is $10 a month. You get a mix of makeup, skincare and hair care items, usually 4-5 full- or deluxe sample size products in a makeup bag. When you sign up for ipsy, you take a quiz in order for bags to be customized to your skin type/tone, and your general preferences. You can retake the quiz as many times as you like. You can also review each product in your bag to help ipsy further customize your future bags.

Below are the items I received, along with mini-reviews.

Bag: I think the bag is cute. I like the graphic detail. And like last month, it’s vinyl with a lining on the inside, making it easy to clean if any makeup spills occur.

Product #1: eva-nyc Up All Night Volumizing Spray (1 oz.)

            This is a volumizing and texturizing spray for all hair types that you can use with wet or dry hair. I don’t own any other hairspray so I don’t have anything to compare it to. I applied it to dry hair today. It smells really nice and didn’t make my hair crunchy or sticky. I didn’t really notice any added volume or texture, but maybe if I apply it on wet hair or apply more it may have better results.

Value: $3

Product #2: Emite Make Up Professional Eye Lash Curler

            I was excited to see an eyelash curler, they tend to be on the expensive side. I just started using a new eyelash curler so I didn’t want to try this one out and get makeup on it, etc. I like that it came with 3 replacement pads, which will make the product last longer.

Value: $25!

Product #3: Mitchell and Peach Flora No. 1 Fine Radiance Face Oil (0.34 oz)

            Face oils are so popular right now. And despite what you may think, a lot of face oils are good for dry, normal and oily skin. Putting oil on your skin actually helps your skin regulate its own oil production. This face oil is fragranced with Mitchell & Peach’s Flora No. 1 perfume, and I am not a fan of the scent. I also don’t want to put fragrance on my face (I have very sensitive skin) so I am hesitant to use this. I will put this in line to use, but I’ve been using a new moisturizer (from my ipsy bag last month) and a new face cleanser so I don’t want to add a third new product to my face right now. I did apply it to the back of my hand and it left my skin very soft, but I couldn’t get past the fragrance L Too bad, as this seems to be a high-end European brand.

Value: $23

Product #4: City Color Cream Lip Stain in Flirtini (0.078 oz)

            This is a really good size lip stain. It isn’t sticky at all, is definitely creamy and leaves a lip gloss-like shine. It left a slight tint to the lips, but I didn’t have it on for long because…unfortunately, the color isn’t the best on me and it smells absolutely horrible. It has a very chemically smell that is very off-putting so I did not want to keep in on for long. I’ll likely be passing this on if one of my friends can deal with the smell.

Value: $5 (full size)

Product #5: Model Co Blush Cheek Powder in 01 Cosmopolitan

            I like to end on a high note so I saved the best for last. This blush is gorgeous! It is a nice soft, but bright, pinky coral on me (if that makes sense). It is very smooth and finely milled. It is highly pigmented so a little goes a long way, definitely use a light hand when applying. I’ve been digging blush lately so I was very happy to have a new one to try out along with the Tarte blush I got in my February POPSUGAR Must Have Box. It wore well throughout the day and didn’t lose its pigmentation. Overall, I’m happy with this product so far.

Value: $11? (I’m guessing it is half a full-size)

Overall Value: around $67

            For the $10 price tag this is an awesome value. I just don’t see myself getting much use out of some of the products so that’s really disappointing. I will definitely use the blush and the eye lash curler, but I don’t see myself using the face oil and I won’t be using the lip stain. The hairspray is a tossup. Last month’s bag was so great so I was a little disappointed this month. Hopefully next month will be better.

If you subscribe to ipsy, what did you get in your bag? I’m curious to see if we received the same items!

If you’re interested in signing up for ipsy, feel free to use my referral link J

Disclaimer: This bag was purchased with my own money and all opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment.