Friday, January 31, 2014

Yes To HAUL!



Okay okay, I know I've had quite a few "haul" posts this month, but this is one haul I don't feel even the slightest bit of guilt about. I got all of this stuff WAYYYY back in November, as part of Yes To's Black Friday sale. If any of you tried to shop their "$2 for 2 hours" sale that crashed their whole site on Black Friday, you know why you're only just seeing this post now. They ended up having the sale a couple weeks after the mishap in order to honor the offer that hardly anyone got to redeem, and it took a solid month to find these goodies at my door. And then, once they did get to my door, a couple of the products broke open because it was -10F degrees and it compromised the packaging so then they had to send me replacements. Uff da. I'm just happy to finally have these things in their complete packaging!

So why don't I feel guilty? I paid just $2 for each item. You do the math.... some of these products retail for $10 and higher! What a STEAL! I love Yes To because their products are almost entirely natural and most of them smell awesome, too. And I'm just a skincare junkie

Here's what I picked up...



  • Yes To Tomatoes Skin Clearing Facial Mask - Claims to block free radicals and keep skin balanced. Fruit acids help clear complexion naturally. I'm also doing a happy dance because this retails for $14.99 and I paid just $2!
  • Yes To Grapefruit CC Cream in light - I really like this CC cream. I've used it a couple times already and it has good moisturizing qualities with a hint of color. 
  • Yes To Cucumbers Calming Night Cream - I've been using this and so far so good! This is supposed to provide antioxidant-rich moisture and calm the skin. This also retails for $15.99. Score!
  • Yes To Blueberries Eye Firming Treatment - This claims to reduce the look of fine lines in 7 days. I haven't used it yet so I can't verify if this is true. For $2, this is totally worth trying (since it retails for $19.99!)
  • Yes To Carrots Color Balm in Rosy Bloom - This doesn't provide a great wash of color, but it does hydrate and feels nice on the lips!

  • Yes To Blueberries Ultra Hydrating Body Wash - This body wash has a blueberry and lavender scent that is super refreshing, plus it has a creamy consistency that looks very hydrating but I have yet to test that theory. 
  • Yes To Cucumbers Gentle Milk Cleanser - This smells awesome, just like all the products in the cucumber line. This is supposed to cleanse, hydrate and calm the skin. It's won a slew of beauty awards, so I'm excited to try this out. 


Most of these items are discounted right now on www.yestocarrots.com so if anything is piquing your interest, give 'em a shot! All the links in this post will take you right to where you can purchase them. And no, I don't get a commission or make anything when you click the link and buy something. Give it a go - I'd highly recommend this brand! 

Have you tried any Yes To products? Tell me what you love!

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

A tinted lip balm better than Maybelline Baby Lips???


I feel like the majority of YouTube and the beauty blogging world are obsessed with Maybelline Baby Lips. I admit, I have a handful of different Baby Lips myself, but what I've come to notice is they're not very hydrating and I actually think using them makes my lips chapped! If you've used any of the Baby Lips, you've probably noticed they have a very thin formula that sits on the lips and doesn't sink in to provide any hydration. I love them for just a natural, quick, no-mirror-necessary pop of color - but I just find it disappointing that they're drying and don't provide the necessary nourishment that my lips need.


This weekend I stumbled upon a tinted lip balm that I'm loving even MORE than Maybelline Baby Lips (yeah, I said it!) because they're truly hydrating, they provide a subtle color and they don't make my lips feel chapped! Enter the NYX Color Lip Balms! ($3.75 for 0.14oz) These have been in the drugstore for some time now, but only now have I had the sense to grab a few!

I picked up four colors: Asante, Merci, Obrigado and Shukran. 

NYX Color Lip Balm in Asante
NYX Color Lip Balm in Merci
NYX Color Lip Balm in Obrigado
NYX Color Lip Balm in Shukran

I am loving these balms! They are now replacing Baby Lips in my purse, and my lips couldn't be happier! 

What are your favorite tinted lip balms?

Monday, January 27, 2014

My Skincare Routine

I'm a bit of a skincare fanatic. I love to try new things and switch up my routine with the seasons. With the brutal cold winter, I've been doing what I can to keep my skin nourished, hydrated and healthy and I've been pretty successful with my current routine. Here's what I've been using recently.



In the morning, my routine is pretty simple. My goal is to clean off any grime my face has expelled while sleeping and start with a fresh canvas for the day. 

I start with the Lush Buche De Noel facial cleanser, which you might remember from my recent Lush Haul. This cleanser is the consistency of cookie dough, so what you do is break off a chunk and go to town rubbing it all over your face. This smells heavenly, sort of like an almond cookie. There are actual cranberries and chopped almonds to exfoliate skin. I'm loving this face wash at the moment.  

To make sure any remaining grime is taken care of, I use the Simple Soothing Facial Toner. I put a bit of this on a cotton pad and swipe all over my face and neck. This is a really pleasant toner that doesn't make your skin feel uncomfortably tight but does the job to clean the skin.

The last step in prepping my face for the day is to moisturize. I've been using the Juicy Beauty Oil-Free Moisturizer. This is a deluxe sample size, but I've been using this for the last few weeks so I've really been able to get a feel for this moisturizer. It's very lightweight but is deeply hydrating. The added bonus is it's formulated with a blend of organic ingredients - woo! I love a good natural product.



My evening skincare is a bit more involved than what I do in the morning. I begin by removing my makeup with a cleansing wipe (not pictured) to get rid of my makeup, followed by eye makeup remover applied with a cotton pad. 

Once I've removed my makeup, I go in with my the Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser, one of my absolute favorites. Every other day I use this cleanser with my Clarisonic Mia 2 for a deep clean. On days that I don't use my Clarisonic, I simply use my hands to massage the cleanser in to my skin. 

After my skin is thoroughly cleansed, I treat myself to a face mask. I do this once or twice a week. I've got a few different ones that I rotate between, but one of my favorites is the Michael Todd Pumpkin Nutrient-Rich Facial Mask. This smells just like pumpkin pie, and has a spicy tingle on the skin thanks to the pumpkin enzyme and glycolic acid getting rid of dead skin and clogged pores. Loooove this stuff.

To cap off my evening skincare, I like to use a heavy moisturizer. Lately, I've been loving the Josie Maran Argan Oil. I take a few drops of the oil and rub it all over my face. I know it sounds scary to rub oil all over your face, but even if your skin is oil-prone, this oil is light enough to use. It soaks in to the skin and doesn't leave the skin feeling greasy. It makes my skin super soft and doesn't break me out.


What products make up your daily skincare routine? I'd love to know!


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Friday, January 24, 2014

Sephora Love | Roseville



Back in my interning days in college, I worked with an awesome gal named Natalie. Natalie now works for the Sephora in Rosedale Mall in Roseville, Minnesota. This used to be my local Sephora and I miss it SO much! The ladies there, especially Natalie, will take good care of you - so you know who to talk to on your next visit! Natalie and the girls there sent me some skin care goodies that I can't wait to try out, and I had to share with you! Let me know if you've given any of these products a try before!  Thank you, Natalie!!!! This is like one big awesome Sephora Birchbox! 







Amore Pacific Vitalizing Masque | Nude ProGenius treatment oil | Caudalie Vine Body Butter | Caudalie Broad Spectrum SPF15 Radiance Day Fluid | Caudalie Purifying Mask | Caudalie Intense Moisture Rescue Cream | Caudalie The Eye Cream | Murad Clarifying Wipes | Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture | Murad Acne & Wrinkle Reducer | Origins GinZing refreshing eye cream | fresh Black Tea Age-Delay cream | fresh Rose Face Mask | fresh Seaberry Moisturizing face oil | fresh Soy Face Cleanser | Rosa Centifolia Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser | Dr Dennis Gross alpha beta peel original formula | First Aid Beauty face cleanser | Clarisonic Acne Daily Clarifying Cleanser | Josie Maran Argan Infinity Cream | GlamGlow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment | GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Treatment | Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

MUA Fabulous Everyday Star Cream | Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.



I may be on the early side of my 20's, but I'm always on the look out  for a good wrinkle cream for prevention. I already have fine lines, and if I can keep any deep wrinkles at bay, I'll be happy. That's where this wrinkle remover comes in, MUA's Fabulous Everyday Star Cream ($14.99 for 0.7 oz). 

This is a Korean product with a cool concept. The product is meant to be applied in the "star zone", or the forehead, eyes, and mouth lines. I think the idea of the "star zone" is so creative - I've never heard that before! The Star Cream contains 6% Chitin Liquid which helps hydrate, remove wrinkles, and add elasticity, and it also claims to smooth skin texture and brighten skin tone.



I used this product for 3 weeks, and began using it in my star zone both morning and night. I did get some small bumps on my forehead, which I assumed were from the Star Cream as it was the only skin care item I changed in my daily regimen, so I discontinued using it anywhere except my eyes. (I do have sensitive skin, so others who are less prone to breakouts may have no issue with this at all)

My eyes are my biggest area of concern, and the spot where I have the most fine lines on my face, so I knew if it was going to work, I would see this wrinkle remover in action on my under-eye area more than anywhere else. 



While the before and after may be difficult to really discern any changes, I can definitely tell this eye cream has softened some of my fine lines. (Also, ignore my crazy eye in the after picture.... I had a heck of a time trying to get a tiny fiber from a scarf out of my eye.... ugh) I don't think this is a product that will erase wrinkles entirely, especially in just one tube, but you may see some noticeable softening of lines like I have.

To purchase this wrinkle remover, and to shop for more beauty products, visit www.wishtrend.com. Like Wishtrend on Facebook to check beauty trends & secrets now! For more information, visit WishtrendTV.com

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Monday, January 20, 2014

January 2014: Birchbox vs. Ipsy

It's here, it's here! The monthly battle between Birchbox and Ipsy. Let me know in the comments who YOU think had the better box this month.




This month's box includes...
  • Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Day Lotion with Clary Sage - This is a super hydrating facial moisturizer that smells really fresh and nice. If you didn't get this in your Birchbox this month, I saw this exact sample for sale at Target for something like $2.
  • Inika Mineral Eyeshadow in Eternal Marine - WHY do companies always send blue eyeshadows as a sample? I don't wear blue eyeshadow, damnit! For those of you who do, this is a decent-sized sample!
  • Nail Rock Velvet Manicure - This is one of those textured polish deals. From the look of it, you dip your nail in to velvety powder for a textured finish. I have yet to jump on the textured polish bandwagon, but maybe I'll give this a go. 
  • Harvey Prince Journey perfume - The packaging says, "Savor the delicate notes of South African freesia, Japanese orange flower and Moroccan rose." Not a huge fan of this scent, but it is a larger perfume sample.
  • Serge Normant Meta Revive Dry Conditioner - This isn't the first time Serge Normant has graced my Birchbox. (you may remember seeing this brand here) One thing remains true, this brand's products are super smelly but they smell good. I've got the dry shampoo, so it will be nice to have the dry conditioner as well.


This month's Glam Bag includes...
  • Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-What Leave In Conditioner - I have tried a couple Big Sexy Hair things, but nothing from the Soy Tri-Wheat collection. I don't like the smell (just from sniffing it in the bottle) but I will gladly use up a leave in conditioner. 
  • MicaBeauty Tinted Lip Balm - This tinted lip balm is a mauvey-brown color. It's light on the lips, not super hydrating, but it's a pretty foolproof balm to throw in your purse for use without a mirror.
  • Elizabeth Mott Smooth Shadow Creamy Eye Pencil in Pearl - This brand is new to me. It's a gorgeous champagne color, but it's not retractable so all you get is what you see.... which is not very much.
  • Epice Purifying Exfoliant - This is also a new brand to me. I like that it's a nice big sample, perfect to take traveling. I'll definitely get use out of this.
  • Proactiv Mark Fading Pads - This is the first time I've gotten tear-open samples from Ipsy and I'm kind of disappointed. This is part of Proactiv's line, so I'm not really sure I'm going to get a "true" test of how well these work when they're not used with the other products.
I can't say I'm very impressed with either Birchbox or Ipsy this month. I guess when it comes down to it, I'll get the most use out of the stuff in my Ipsy Glam Bag. Although I do have to note, this month's bag smells super gross! The blue bag smells like a nasty mix of chemicals and plastic. Not cool!

You can receive these samples monthly for just $10 per subscription box per month. If you're interested in starting a beauty subscription, my personal recommendation would be to start with Ipsy. Ipsy seems to have consistently good bags each month. Click any of the hyperlinked "Birchbox" or "Ipsy" links in this post to get started!


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Wednesday, January 15, 2014

LUSH GOODIES!!


Ohhhh Lush. Lush Lush Lush!! One of my favorite brands ever. If there was one sale I was looking forward to after Christmas, it was the Lush buy one get one sale. Can you tell?

In my new home, I've got a claw-foot tub that is so amazingly big and warm and relaxing. It's been the only tub I've had in my adult life that is long enough to fit in, and I have been using it quite frequently. And so, I justified a splurge at Lush on some deliciously scented bath bombs... among other things. I haven't tried many of their bath bombs, so let me know if you've tried any of the ones I got (or which ones I NEED to get) and let me know how you like them!

Here's what I got...



These two products were from the holiday Blooming Beautiful gift set.

  • The green guy on the left is the Pop in the Bath Bubble Bar. This smells SO good...so so good. The scent is comprised of orange flower and mandarin and will make tons of bubbles in the tub!
  • The flowery pink bath bomb is simply called the "Pink Bath Bomb", which also smells absolutely amazing with notes of tonka bean, vanilla and neroli. This claims to explode with confetti hearts... I can't WAIT to try this!



  • How cute is this Melting Snowman bath bomb? It has notes of vanilla and marzipan, reminiscent of Christmas cake. Mmm!
  • I have wanted to get my hands on the Sikkim Girls body lotion for quite some time now. Smelling of Darjeeling tea, jasmine, and vanilla, I honestly can't tell if it smells kind of old-ladyish or super hip. I don't even care, because I love the scent. This is highly scented and the smell lasts all day long on the skin. 


These two bath bombs are from the limited edition Snowman Invasion holiday gift set.

  • The snowman in the background is the Snowman Bath Bomb. This smells amazing, like ylang ylang and vanilla, and there's also cocoa butter to moisturize the skin. This is a BIG bath bomb that can easily be cut in half for double the use!
  • On the left is the Cinders bath bomb, the holiday bath bomb I wanted most! This smells like cinnamon, almond and sweet orange and I think there's little pop rocks in it for a sizzling bath. Both Cinders and the Snowman bath bomb are limited edition for the holidays and are no longer available to purchase online.
  • It's been a long time since I've used any Lush facial skincare, so I thought I'd give this Buche De Noel cleanser a try. It looks like a pile of cookie dough filled with real cranberries and smells like cake. This is also a limited edition item.

The bath bomb and bar of soap are from the holiday Buttercup gift set.
  • It's no secret that Snow Fairy body wash is a cult favorite. It's available only at Christmas time and people absolutely rave about it. I expected to like the scent of this more than I do. It's sickly sweet and smells of cotton candy. The best part of this body wash is it is jam packed with purple glitter. Love it! 
  • The soap bar in the back is the "Honey I Washed the Kids" soap, which smells like (you guessed it)... honey. I don't often use bar soap, but this is a pretty popular Lush soap bar so I'm happy to see what the hype is all about.
  • My favorite scented bath bomb of the bunch is this Butterball bath bomb which smells like vanilla. This is a nice soft, warm scent. Butterball is also big enough to be chopped in half to get a couple uses from.
Have you tried any of these Lush products? Let me know your favorites below!

Monday, January 13, 2014

Maybelline Color Show - Paint The Town


First and foremost - check out my thriving aloe plant! I am pretty proud I haven't killed this plant yet, and I've had it for 3 months or so. *bows*

Anyway, on to the important stuff - the polish! The polish you see above is "Paint the Town", part of Maybelline's Color Show line. This line isn't anything to write home about, but they're cheap and they've got a pretty big color selection, so now and then I can't help but pick one up -- even though I know they aren't the greatest quality nail polish. OH WELL. Such is the life of a beauty blogger.


Paint the Town is a basic deep red creme polish. It applied relatively opaque with one coat, but there were some spots that needed some evening out, so I applied two coats for good measure. (topped off with Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat)


There's not anything overly exciting about this color. It's a pretty red - end of story. One downside is it chipped within a couple days, but what do you really expect for $3.99 or whatever these cost... (I can't remember).

What do you think?




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Friday, January 10, 2014

FOTD - January 10, 2014


Remember that Coastal Scents haul from Wednesday? I had fun playing around with some of the new shadows I purchased, and thought I'd give you a look-see!




For today's look, I went with a coppery-orange eye, a more natural cheek color and matte nearly-neutral lips. Here's what I used to create the look.


  • Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation in 110 Ivory
  • Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof eyeliner in Nude (on the waterline)
  • Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Transparent 
  • Essence I Heart Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara
  • Wet n Wild Mega Liner in Black
  • NYX Lipstick in Minimalism
  • Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion 
  • Milani Illuminating Face Powder in Amber Nectar (cheeks)
  • L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Iced Latte (inner corner of eye and lightly on inner third of eye)

From left to right:
  • Coastal Scents eye shadow in Bronze Peach (blended in to crease)
  • Coastal Scents eye shadow in Cajun Craze (all over lid and lower lash-line)
  • Crown Brush unnamed brown (outer corner for dimension)
  • e.l.f. unnamed nude (from this palette) (brow-bone highlight)
Check back for more FOTDs, and let me know what kind of look you'd like to see next!


Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Coastal Scents Haul + Swatches!


You know how it goes - right after Christmas there are sales galore! I didn't go crazy in stores, but I did hit the jackpot online with some really great sales (stay tuned for some more good stuff which I'll show you here soon!) I'm REALLY excited about the purchases I'm going to show you today, which is an assortment of goodies from Coastal Scents. I've heard good things about this brand, but had yet to try anything until now. Shortly after Christmas there was a 40% off site-wide sale on the Coastal Scents website, so I finally indulged.



What really convinced me to buy some stuff from Coastal Scents was these concealer hot pots. They reminded me of the Sonia Kashuk concealers, but they come in far more colors (which if you've seen some of my other posts, you'll know the Sonia Kashuk concealer is just a tad too dark for me). It turns out these perform very similarly, and they are much closer to my skin tone!  


L to R: Concealer No.1, Concealer No. 2
I got shades No. 1 and No. 2, the two lightest shades. These are super creamy, and very pigmented. They provide awesome coverage,I've been using these primarily to conceal any spots or discoloration. 


L to R: BR-C-N17 brush, BR-250 blush
I don't know much about Coastal Scents brushes, aside from this one which I received in an Ipsy bag. I feel like I can always use another blending brush in my collection (so I can go longer without cleaning, because I'm lazy like that) and I've been wanting to try out a new eyeliner brush. I've already tried out the blending brush and I liked it - it reminds me a lot of the Sigma E-25 brush.



Coastal Scents eyeshadow hot pots each come individually, and you can buy a palette like this one, to store them in. The hot pots and the palette are magnetic, so they pop in and out really nicely. I got an assortment of 15 shadows to try out, and as you can see, I made a neutral palette comprised of a couple mattes and a bunch of shimmers in various pink and brown shades. 

First row, L to R: Oatmeal Tan, Bronze Peach, Earth Rose, Peachy Copper, Cajun Craze, Kokomo Cafe, Mai Tai

Second row, L to R: Deep Merlot, Southern Wood, Burnished Wine, Amaretto, Rich Walnut, Chai Spice, Gypsy Night

Third Row: Deep Cider


Swatches shown over NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk 
The awesome thing about these eyeshadows is they cost next to nothing ($1.95 each) but the quality rivals many high-end eyeshadows I've tried. They're buttery, highly pigmented and they blend like a charm. I couldn't be happier! 

The swatches below follow the same order seen in the palette photo above.






I also got a little sample of eyeshadows. These colors are MUCH too bright for me, but will be fun to have for halloween costumes or whenever else crazy makeup is used.


Top row, L to R: Steel Blue, Sterling
Bottom row, L to R: Python Green, Lakeshore



Have you tried anything from Coastal Scents before? Let me know what your favorites are!

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