{Question} Do you ever feel guilty about buying beauty products?

The reason I ask this question is because this has been something I've been struggling with for a while now. I love trying out new products and saving on good deals, but sometimes even spending as little as five or ten dollars leaves me feeling guilty because I know I don't really need a lot of what I purchase and I can use that money on something more worthwhile.

I'm not irresponsible with my money--I never spend more than I can afford. I've heard about some people buying large amounts of MAC and other brands using their credit cards, which is crazy to me. I know I'm not spending money I don't have, but I still feel bad about buying that extra lipstick or eyeshadow. When I shop, I get that little happy high--especially when I feel like I've gotten a great deal. Then I get home and actually think about what I bought and feel bad. And online shopping is the worst! Such a great idea at first, especially when shipping is free or there's 20% off, but I just feel bad after.

That's one of the main reasons I've been trying to use up a lot of my products lately--I don't feel as guilty if I buy something. That, and I've been trying to commit to a spending ban. I'm not going to purchase anything beauty related from the beginning of September to the end of December, except when absolutely necessary (ie makeup remover). I have so much of everything that when I look at how much money I've spent over the years it kinda scares me lol. I still have a few hauls to share with you (and I'll admit a few of them are still on their way haha), but after that no more! I invite any of my readers who wish to join me as well! Wish me luck!

So you tell me: does buying beauty products ever make you feel guilty??? Let me know in comments!

{Review} Korres Pomegranate Lip Butter

Hey there! This is a review for another one of those products that I've had forever but never got around to reviewing. I know that the Korres Lip Butters are some of the most popular products from the brand and I purchased the Pomegranate one a while back. I used to never wear stuff on my lips (outside of clear balms) because to me it was just such a hassle to have to reapply so often. The past couple of years I've been experimenting with lip products because I wear contacts and it feels better to go easier on the eyes and heavier on the lips. These butters are a nice alternative to lipsticks because they give some color to the lips, but also look more natural and leave the lips feeling soft and moisturized.

I got the shade Pomegranate. It looks like a nice midtoned pink in the jar, but it applies more like a sheer pinky red.

As you can see in the swatch, the texture of these balms is very nice. It applies with a glossy finish, and the shade is sheer. Honestly, if I could go back in time I would have picked another shade. This one is so close to my natural lip color that it really doesn't look like I'm wearing much at all. I would have gone with a deeper shade or the baby pink one. For some reason Pomegranate looks odd on me.

The formula of this balm, however, is phenomenal. It's thinner than The Body Shops lip butters, which surprised me, but it's just as moisturizing. These feel very nice on the lips--never too heavy or greasy. The pigemntation is great too--not too much, but also not too sheer. Other tinted balms, like the Burt's Bees ones then to be so pigmented that they are more like lipsticks in my opinion. The Korres ones are perfectly in between. They don't wear too long, but they do leave some color on the lips after the balm has sunken in. Another thing I like is how they smell--kinda fruity. For the price you really can't go wrong with this balm. Give it a try the next time you're on the hunt for a new lip balm! And these are also a great choice if you are trying to go more natural!


Info:

Price: $12

Ingredients: Polybutene, Trimethylolpropane Triisostearate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Polyethylene, Hydroxystearic Acid, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Tocopherol, Flavor (Aroma), Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax, Punica Granatum Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter Extract. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Red 7 Lake, Red 6, Iron Oxides.

{Review} Head & Shoulders Classic Clean Shampoo (My Favorite Shampoo!)

If you've been following my blog for a while now, you know I'm not that crazy about shampoo, especially high end shampoo. I don't mind spending money on conditioners, but as far as regular shampoos go, they're all the same to me. Outside of special treatment shampoos (purple toning shampoos, clarifying shampoos, etc) I don't really see much of a difference in my hair when I use a cheap shampoo or an expensive shampoo, and trust me, I've bought a lot of the expensive ones in the past to come to this conclusion.


One of the reasons I'm unwilling to spend a lot of money on shampoo is that a few years ago I made a discovery: Head & Shoulders Classic Clean Shampoo. I love it so much that I've repurchased the massive bulk size from Costco time and time again. It's fairly inexpensive, but leaves my hair feeling amazing. What more could I ask for???

I know that Head & Shoulders is know for their anti-dandruff selection. I don't really have a dandruff problem, but I love this stuff all the same. The version I love is specifically their Classic Clean for normal hair.



















The actual product is a milky pale blue shade. It's an interesting texture--not really gel like most shampoos, but more like a thin cream. It lathers beautifully. I've been reading a lot about how sodium laureth sulfate damages hair, but honestly the thought of using a shampoo that doesn't foam is strange. I love how well this one lathers. You only need about half a tbsp to get your entire head (I've got med-long hair). It feels very luxurious and rinses out completely.What I absolutely love love love about this shampoo is that even though it isn't marketed as a two in one shampoo and conditioner, after I use this my hair feels like I've done both. Not heavy, not greasy, just nice and silky and healthy.

I've noticed a visible difference in my hair since I've been using this shampoo. It's more manageable, softer, and less frizzy. I never have any issues whatsoever with dandruff (though to be honest I never have). And my hair smells sooooooo good after I shower!!! The smell lingers--very fresh, suitable for both men and women, but not too strong/offensive.

I don't know how the people at Head & Shoulders came up with such a perfect formula, but I love them for it. This is my go to shampoo especially when I'm in a hurry. Usually, if I don't have enough time to thoroughly condition styling my hair is a nightmare. When I use this, it's like I shampood and deep conditioned--my hair feels that healthy. There is a Classic Clean 2 in 1 formula, but I tried it and I much prefer just the shampoo. I highly recommend this product to everyone out there. And if it doesn't do much for you--well it's inexpensive anyway.

Info:

Price: $5.99 (for 14.2 oz--I buy the jumbo 20 oz at Costco).

Ingredients: Active Ingredients-Pyrithione Zinc - 1 %Anti-Dandruff. Inactive Ingredients-
Water , Sodium Laureth Sulfate , Sodium Lauryl Sulfate , Cocamide MEA , Zinc Carbonate , Glycol Distearate , Dimethicone , Fragrance , Cetyl Alcohol , Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride , Magnesium Sulfate , Sodium Benzoate , Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide , Ammonium Laureth Sulfate , Benzyl Alcohol , Sodium Chloride , Methylchloroisothiazolinone , Methylisothiazolinone , Sodium Xylenesulfonate , Blue 1 , Red 4

{Haul} Nuxe!

Hey there! Today's post is another haul. I haven't tried anything from the brand Nuxe, but when I saw the offer on the Nouveau Cheap blog for 20% off and free shipping and free deluxe samples, I figured I'd give it a try. I wasn't looking to spend a lot of money (their stuff is pricey!), I just wanted to sample a few of their products. I only bought one item, a travel size foaming cleanser, but Nuxe was very generous with the samples.  I'm looking forward to trying out more of their stuff, especially their dry oils!

L-->R: Anti-Fatigue Moisturizing Cream (sample), Face & Body Ultra Rich Cleansing Gel (sample), Multi Usage Dry Oil (sample), and Micellar Foam Cleanser (travel size). 

The item I purchased is the Micellar Foam Cleanser with Rose Petals. I've been on a rose kick lately, and do enjoy a good cleanser. It's made for sensitive, normal to combo skin so I'm hoping this gently cleans my oily skin. I've been going through cleansers like crazy lately and my skin has been thankful for it, if a bit dry at times. We'll see how this works.

I purchased the 50 ml/1.6 fl oz travel size version of this stuff for $11. With my 20% off this entire purchase was a little over $8, including free shipping, and I'm very happy with what I got! The full size of this is $23.50 for 5 oz.

Nuxe included a few very generous samples! The one I'm really looking forward to trying is their Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Usage Dry Oil. I've seen a lot of rave reviews of this stuff on YouTube and have wanted to try it for a while now, but the price always put me off ($46 for 3.3 oz). This cute little 10 ml sample is sure to last me a while and really let me see what all the hype is about. Really looking forward to it!!!

That's it! Really small haul. More to come!

Have you tried anything from Nuxe? What are your thoughts on their dry oil? What about their Reve De Meil lip balm that I keep hearing about? Let me know in comments!

{Haul} My first Julep Maven Box!!!

Hey there! I've been hauling a lot of stuff lately and thought I'd share. Instead of doing a really really long collective haul that would take me forever to type up, I thought I'd share a few small hauls that don't take me as long to bang out lol.

Now, I've never been one for the monthly beauty subscription boxes, mainly because I don't think they are worth it to me. I'd rather save my money and splurge for a few high end items rather than get a lot of small samples. I'm very surprised when I hear other bloggers reviewing two, three, or even four boxes every month. That's a lot of money to be spending on these boxes every month and honestly, it's not how I see myself spending my money. That being said, when I saw an ad about getting the Julep Maven box for a penny (with free shipping too!), I couldn't resist. I don't have any Julep stuff, but I've heard their products are very good. I'm not sure if I'd ever dish out the $20 a month for this stuff, but for a penny this is a bargain!

**If you want to get your first maven box for a penny, just checkout with the code PENNY. I think this offer is ongoing because I heard about it last year and only just now figured I'd give it a try. And I think it only works for the first month, but Julep is very good with thheir subscription service. You can see what you're getting ahead of time, have your pick of several different boxes, skip any month you want, send it to someone else, etc. **

L-->R: Julep The Best Pdi Creme Ever!, Nail Verenis in Courtney (the green), Hayden (the peach), and two freebie toe thingies.

Everything is full size. I got the box for a penny. The retail value of the box: $50. The hand cream is $22 (for 2 oz) and the polishes are $14 (for 0.27 oz).

Each month they offer a different beauty product. This month, instead of the hand cream you get a nail polish remover. There's also an option every month to get three polishes instead of two and a beauty product.

I've very happy with the shades I got. I looked through all the boxes they had up for the month (and they post swatches on their blog--real swatches, not shitty Sephora like ones haha) and these were the shades that appealed most to me.

Hayden is a pastel peach. It's described on the Julep site as a "neon peach cream" but just by looking at it in the tube, it doesn't really look neon to me. I love peach shades on my hands and feet tho in the summer. It just looks really clean and pretty, but not too over the top for work.

Courteney is a light green shade, described as a "key lime green" on the Julep site. That description is spot on. I don't have a lot of greens and they tend to be minty greens. This one is more warm toned and matte, so I'm looking forward to trying it out.

I know a lot of people are over the matte pastels after spring, but I think these will look pretty during the summer as well, especially Hayden. I'm really happy with my choices!




















The last item in the box is The Best Pedi Creme Ever!, a foot cream. I'm looking forward to trying this out on my feet, but I don't think I will purchase this one for full price because for a little less I can get some from The Body Shop that are absolutely phenomenal to use overnight. I will test this one out and fully review it though.

There you have it! My first Julep Maven box! Anyone else try this out? Are you happy with what you got? Let me know in comments!

{Swatches} Urband Decay Illegal, YDK & Cult Eyeshadows

L-->R: UD Illegal, YDK, and Cult

Hey there! Today I just wanted to share some Urban Decay eyeshadow swatches. I don't own many shadows, probably around 6 or 7, but I'm only sharing 3 of my favorite Urban Decay shades today: Illegal, YDK, and Cult. I wear these more than any other UD shadows, and they work very well together.

L-->R: UD Illegal, YDK, and Cult

Sorry for the over exposure in this pic! Illegal and YDK are a bit darker, but scroll down for better pics.

UD Illegal

UD Illegal

Illegal is a very pretty neutral. It's a warm toned tan shade that is completely matte. The texture is so soft and smooth and buttery. It's so easy to just put this in the crease with a shimmery champagne on the lid. I use this a lot with cult (see below). Here's an EOTD I did last year (click here). Very simple and pretty for everyday or work. And because Illegal is warm toned, it really brings out my blue eyes. Actually, all three of these shades do a good job of bringing out my blue eyes.

UD YDK

UD YDK

YDK is a VERY shimmery mid toned brown. The shimmer is silver-y, but the shade borders on metallic. I don't even think the magnitude of the shimmer comes across in the swatch below, but trust me on this. When I wear it during the day, not only do I tap off my brush really well, but I also have to blend it out more than usual to get rid of the excess shimmer. It is stunning for evening or clubbing makeup--especially when paired with any blues. I love it with black or navy liquid liner or just a pencil smudged around the lash line. Makes such an impact and draws attention straight to the eyes. Beautiful shade and if I'm not mistaken, it's included in the Naked 2 palette, for those of you who own it.

UD Cult

UD Cult

Cult is a warm toned matte purple that is also completely matte. In the picture above it looks almost brown, but trust me, it goes on purple. I love to put this around the lash for day looks because it gives that pop of color without being too much. I also sometimes use it with a damp eyeliner brush, and do a pretty wing on the top lash line just with some mascara. So easy and simple but also very pretty.

L-->R: Illegal, YDK and Cult

And finally, some swatches! Illegal and Cult work very well together for everyday looks with a bit of pop. They are more pigmented versions of the Nars Charade Duo (my absolute favorite duo from Nars), only matte. I tend to gravitate to these types of shades on a daily basis, and these three are stunning. This pic doesn't do YDK justice--it;s really a lot more shimmery in real life. Whenever I use it to do my friends makeup for a formal even or just out clubbing, they always want to know what I used because people gave them a lot of compliments on their makeup or how pretty their eyes look. I recommend all three and I do look forward to trying even more eyeshadows from UD (after I finish a bunch of what I already own haha).

Do you guys have a lot of UD shadows? How do you like them? Any shades I absolutely must try out? Let me know in comments!

{Review} Smashbox High Definition Concealer

Hi there! Today's review is for a product I bought a long long time ago that I never got around to reviewing because I honestly wasn't using it enough to get a true opinion on it. I'm talking about the Smashbox High Definition Concealer. I purcahsed it the same time I got their gel liner (full review of that liner here!), but aside from the odd pimple here and there I wasn't using this product on a daily basis. I recently went through my stash, found it again, and really started using it. And I've gotta say, this is a great concealer!

The shade I own this concealer in is fair/light. I don't remember them having a huge selection of shades, but this one fits my skin pretty well.

The dispenser on this product is a slanted tip with a little hole. While it's not bad by any means, I think I would have preferred one of those pointy tip dispensers (like the one on the MUFE concealer). I feel like there is no reason for the slanted tip--I never apply this directly to my skin, I usually put some on my finger and dot it, or use a brush. Also, I need just the smallest amount of this stuff, and this type of dispenser makes it a little more difficult to judge how much is coming out. It's also a bit messier in the cap.

I don't know how well you can tell, but it's a very thin concealer, but very pigmented--full coverage in my opinion. The way I've been using this concealer is to make a tinted moisturizer, but instead of moisturizer I've been mixing it with my primer (a cheepie Rimmel one). It makes such a difference from using foundation and moisturizer. The concealer and primer lasts much longer, sets to a kind of matte velvety finish (which I still powder) and lasts and controls oil better than any foundation I've ever used. If I've worn makeup for the past two months, this is what I've been doing and I'm loving it!

This concealer also works  very well to conceal blemishes and dark circles, which I think is great because usually most concealers work well for one or the other. They'll either look really heavy under the eyes and cover blemishes perfectly, or look horrible over a blemish and amazing under the eyes. No such problems with this one. As long as the shade works for you in both areas, there is no reason to use two or eve three different concealers on your face like I see a lot of beauty gurus doing. The texture of this concealer is perfect--thin, but not runny. It's very comfortable to wear, never looks heavy or cakey, and really lasts all day.

And a little tip for covering blemishes: gently exfoliate the blemish before applying your makeup. A lot of times concealers apply cakey and dry looking on top of a pimple because they exaggerate the dry flakes of skin (as gross as this sounds lol). If you gently exfoliate the blemish, you're reducing the amount of dry skin around it, and therefore your concealer and foundation will apply much more smoothly. Just be careful--if the pimple is scabbing, DO NOT PULL THE SCAB OFF. That's one of the worst things you can do because it will inflame the area, meaning more redness, and it will also cause the pimple to heal slower. And you never really want to apply makeup to open skin, so just don't do it. This tip is more helpful when the pimple is gone, but there is still some dryness and a little red bump in the area.

Anyway, back to the review. This is a great multipurpose concealer. A little goes a really long way and it lasts very well.  Although it is more expensive than many drugstore concealers, if you're looking for that one concealer that does it all--check this one out!


Info:


Price: $20 (for 0.27 oz)

Ingredients: Sorry I don't have the package anymore and I can't find them online. If I find them, I will post them. And Smasbox not posting the full ingredients online--not cool!!

{Review} Cosmedicine Healthy Cleanse Foaming Cleanser & Toner in One

Hey there! This review is for a skin care product. I've really been into skin care lately because all the stress and lack of sleep from uni had my skin breaking out really bad. My focus has been on cleansing my skin very well every single day, and removing all makeup. And any product that makes my skin care routine easier and less time consuming is a good idea to me. That's why, when I spotted this cleanser at TJ Maxx several months back for only around five or six dollars, I didn't hesitate to try it.

Now,  I know Cosmedicine is a brand that isn't as widely used simply because it is a more expensive brand. That being said, I think they pulled out of Sephora and a lot of their products were available at Marshall's and TJ Maxx for a while. I think you could probably find some of their products on sale online. They make a lot of products I don't see from other brands, which is why I've been loving trying out some of their stuff at a discount.

The product I'm reviewing today is their Foaming Cleanser & Toner in One. According to the container it "Cleanses away excess oil, dirt, and makeup, removes mascara, doesn't sting eyes." That's a tall order. I don't know if you can tell, but I've actually pretty much finished this product. There is the barest amount in there for me to pump out for this review, but then I'm tossing it.

One thing I love about this product is the dispenser. It is a foam dispenser that is very sanitary and user friendly. I love how light foam cleansers feel on my skin. And if you wanted to, you could probably recycle this product and use it to store your own foaming cleanser. Simply put about an inch of regular liquid cleanser and fill the rest with water. Give it a shake and you're good to go. You can do this with any foaming container, and that's how I reuse my Bath & Body Works foaming soap containers. Not only is it more Earth friendly, but it's also much cheaper too!

The actual foam is very light. Given the manufacturers claim that it will remove makeup, I was a bit unsure at first because it seems very light.

How well does it work? Well is certainly doesn't remove mascara, waterproof or not, that's for sure. That doesn't really bother me because I always, regardless of my cleanser, use my Almay Moisturizing Liquid Eye Makeup Remover. It's my favorite, I'm on my fourth or fifth bottle and I'm not looking for a replacement. As as far as face makeup is concerned, this will remove it all. When I used my regular toner after to see how much of the foundation, concealer, powder, and bronzer was removed, the cotton pad came away clean which is great. It also claims not to sting eyes, but even when I tried removing my mascara with it, I kept my eyes firmly shut. I am a contact wearer with sensitive eyes and I've already had one infection, I'm not looking for another, thank you very much.

As far as this product being a cleanser and a toner, I really can't say much about that claim. I don't regularly use a plain toner. If I do use a toner, I tend to go for more of the astringent ones. They are the only ones I feel really make a difference when I use them. Other toners, while they feel good, don't really do much for my skin. If I don't use them for a week, I really can't tell the difference. That being said, my skin did not feel tight at all after I used it, so perhaps it's just a little bit more moisturizing than the average foaming cleanser.

All in all, this is not a bad cleanser. It got my skin clean, but I can say that I probably wouldn't purchase it for full price. It felt really refreshing, removed my face makeup, didn't have any noxious odor, but that's it. I think I would have liked this product more if the manufacturer hadn't made all of those claims on the package. I review a product based on those claims, and because of that little blurb on the container I find this product lacking. Had it been marketed as a regular cleanser I think I would have reviewed it a bit more positively.

Info:

Price: $24.99 (full price for 4.2 fl oz)

Ingredients: Purified Water, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Cyclomethicone, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben.