YAY! I finally found these fun Crystal Light flavors in stores! They made their debut last summer for a limited time, but they somehow never made it to little ol' Indiana. So as soon as I heard they were coming back, I was on the lookout--and finally found them at the grocery store!
I tried the margarita and it was GOOD, so I'm going back for more. I think there's also a Peach Bellini and maybe more? Why not have some fun w/ a sugar-free drink?!
I'm still in love with B&BW's Pink Chiffon lotion/spray. For real. This feels like a lifelong love affair. If you haven't smelled it, you need to. If you are a guy, go buy some for your girl. Trust me. :)
But I also love Avon/Mark's whipped up lemon butter. It's greasier going on than I usually like, but the smell.....intoxicating! Most of my lotions are repulsive to my silly dog and he will walk away when I'm putting it on, but when I put on this lemon butter, he literally sits next to me DROOLING. Really gross, but hilarious. I guess that's a compliment to Avon. :)
Estee Lauder's Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara may be on the record books for the longest makeup title, but it's also an amazing product. I have been on a hunt for the perfect mascara for about 6 months now, and this is where I've landed. It also comes off easily (w/o using the special eye makeup remover stuff that makes me break out) and does not clump. It's about twice as expensive as its drugstore counterparts, but I've had great luck finding it on Amazon. (I've read that you should avoid buying liquid makeups on reseller shops like Amazon b/c you don't know how old it is or they stored it or what it was exposed to, but I've had great luck buying mascara online.) If I did have to buy it at the dept store for full price, I probably would still fork over the $23 b/c this stuff is amazing.
I saw these Peeps&T-shirts sets in the store and was almost compelled to grab one...almost. Totally cracked me up. Some good marketing.
I'm trying to drink more milk in the morning (and less Diet Dr. Pepper....and mocha frappes....and S*bucks iced mochas...) but milk isn't my fave thing all by itself. So these little iced latte packets are a great compromise. Just add to a glass of milk w/ a couple ice cubes, and voila--a great drink w/ way less calories and w/o the guilt of a $5 latte. The whole box of 6 packets was about $2.30.
Last month I posted about this Prevage moisturizer stuff that was liquid gold--amazing product but way over my beauty budget at $130. My skin has become so dry that a moisturizer is essential. So I called my lovely Avon rep and dear friend Helen and ordered some of their ANEW products. I've been using the moisturizers for 2 days now, so a little too early to have a serious opinion, but so far it's very good. The price is more doable than the Elizabeth Arden line, too. The trial kit was just $20, and the full size products range from $30-60. And AVON has fantastic deals all the time, so I rarely pay full price for anything.
Bath & Body Work's latest scent is Pink Chiffon. First of all, I love their new intro bottles that are just a buck--or even FREE which we got during their promo weekend. It's a great idea--I'll try any new scent for $1. And I really like this one! More floraly than I usually like, but it's nice, soft, not any of the old-lady-florals going on here. My only complaint seems to not really be a complaint at all--it's very strong. Luckily the scent is amazing, but it lasts forever and sometimes you don't want that. I put on this lotion and hours later I'm still smelling it. That should be a plus, right? Depends on my mood.
My Pretty Hot perfume bottle for Christmas came with a cute little handbag and samples of other Elizabeth Arden products. Again, sample-size products are brilliant marketing. I've been using their Prevage Ultra Moisturizer and holy cow--this stuff is amazing! My face has been so dry this winter, even w/ the mild temps, but after just 2 days of this stuff, my skin feels like silk. No kidding. I use just a little every morning before I put on makeup, and at bedtime when I wash my face, my skin still feels silky, soft and fabulous! (I haven't landed any modeling contracts or anything, but it FEELs great!) So I looked it up to see how much a full-size bottle sells for....and it retails for $129. Wow. Must be liquid gold or something. Not sure I can justify over $100 for face cream, but it certainly does live up to its claims.
I got a sample from my AVON rep for their soon-to-be-released Shine Attract Lipstick, a lipstick w/ a rich, creamy color center wrapped in a clear shiny gloss. I tried the Rose Bouquet and Passion Red colors. The idea is great--color and gloss--and it goes on nicely, but it doesn't last long and I felt like I had to put a lot on to see any color. So if you want brilliant color, this isn't the lipstick for you. On the other hand, if you like a hint of color w/ some shine, this would be a great lipstick to stash in your purse when you just need a touchup. I personally prefer more of the latter, as I'm usually putting on lipcolor sans mirror w/ one hand as I'm running out the door.
My bedtime ritual always includes face cream, hand lotion, and lip moisturizer, especially during these killer-dry winter months. Carmex has long been a fave of mine, but I recently tried this Blistex Complete Moisture and LOVE IT! I can't figure out the scent, but it's amazing. And you don't have to use a lot to feel the moisture. Gonna keep this stuff on hand.
My obsession w/ Bath-n-Body Works continues, I'm sad to say. I try to limit my visits/shops to once a month, but then someone asks me to go along, and there I am, smelling these new divine scents and doling out $5.00 here, $10 there....until I have a ridiculous stash of handsoap and lotions. On one recent trip to B-n-BW, I took Grace w/ me and realized immediately what a mistake it was. The girl is obsessed w/ smelly things almost as much as I am, and discovered their newest thing--shimmer body butter! For real. We snagged one of those for FREE w/ a special coupon I had, and only walked out paying $1.00 for a travel bottle. Grace was so happy, she pretty much bounced out of the store. I've had to ration the shimmer body butter, b/c she would cover herself from head-to-toe if left to her own devices. (Side note: Jacob asked if the shimmer was so she could sparkle like Edward in Twilight. Grace had no comment.)
Anyhow, one of their newest scents is "Be Enchanted". It's similar to "Secret Wonderland" but less fruity. I only have the travel size bottle of lotion, so I definitely need to go back for a full-size bottle.
Another new line of scents for the holidays are 3 drink scents--I only picked up a sample bottle of the Vanilla Tini, and can't remember the other 2. They are not online yet, only samples in stores. This vanilla is very light and sweet.
ULTA is still my go-to-store for makeup, and they introduced a line of tinted lip balms that I was eager to try. Carmex used to have this amazing tinted lip balm several years ago--I carried it w/ me everywhere!!!--but like all products that I love, somehow they discontinued it. Bummer! So I was happy to try the ULTA brand and was impressed w/ it.
I've been wearing the "Glow" balm, which is a nice caramel color. It's very moisturizing and you don't have to use much.
And last week while at the grand opening of a new department store here, I got a sample of Pretty Hot by Elizabeth Arden perfume. Actually the store clerk handed me a sample and said, "You gotta smell this--it's pretty hot!" which seemed kinda odd for her to describe it that way, but I smelled it and liked it and said, "You're right--this is pretty hot!" and she laughed and said, "No, that's the actual name, not just my opinion."
This perfume will definitely be on my Christmas list. I love it! The bottle is cute, too.
It's a good thing I am not employed by Bath&BodyWorks b/c I would rarely bring home a paycheck! I was bored w/ their products a couple years ago, and then they launched some new things and brought me back w/ their amazing scented soaps and lotions. I had a fabulous coupon, so I went back, the other day, and of course, they had some of their fall line already out. Oh. My.Word. Their 'pumpkin caramel latte' scented soap is to die for! Good grief! I will be washing my hands just for the fun of it like a toddler.
They brought back the 'creamy pumpkin' too, which is great and sold out really quick last year. (So if you want some, go NOW!) I also snagged a FREE 'secret wonderland' lotion, a scent I've had my eye on and decided to grab before they sell out. You never know when they will discontinue a certain scent, which is annoying but brilliant as a marketing scheme. A "once-they're-gone-they're-gone" mentality is hard for me to resist!
Their other new line, 'Paris Amour', is very nice! Obviously the draw for me was the Eiffel Tower on the bottle, but it smells pretty good. Perhaps a bit too floral-y for me to use it all the time, but nice. And in the stores, they have these adorable pink Eiffel Tower cardboard displays all over. I WANT ONE! So I asked the sales lady if I could buy one when they were done w/ the displays, and she just laughed. I said, "No, for real, I'm serious." and she fumbled around and said, "Uhhh, yah, I don't think so." Ummm, why not???!!! They're probably just going to throw them out, so why not sell them? A giant 4 foot pink Eiffel tower is just what our office needs, don't you think, Hubby? :) I was going to get my phone out and take a pic of the display, but since the sales lady already thought I was weird, I opted not to. Bummer.
My absolute fave BB&W scent right now is still 'Dark Kiss'. The sales lady did say that one has been a huge hit, so *fingers crossed* they will not discontinue it anytime soon.
Extra introduced a new Dessert Delights gum flavor--Apple Pie. I'm not usually a fan of apple flavored stuff; I think apple is better as a scented candle. But I had to try it, and it is actually very good. I wouldn't arm wrestle anyone to get the last piece or anything, but it's a good flavor and impressed me. The mint chocolate chip gum is defintely still my fave, though.
Look what I found at ULTA today on the clearance table--limited-edition Chocolate Cherries Shower Smoothie, regularly priced $14.99, on clearance for $7.99, and I had a $3.50 coupon. So my total cost for this ginormous bottle of dedacent shower gel = $4.49! Woohoo! Oh and did I mention it smells divine???
I know I blog a lot about ULTA products, and no, I don't model for them or get kick-backs. They just have some good products, so I give them lots of bloggin' love.
ULTA's line of Shower Smoothies is amazing! Not only is this stuff a cool 3-in-1 product--shampoo, body wash, and bubble bath--but the scents are wonderful. It's also a pretty good value--$10 for a huge 24 oz. pump bottle, and trust me that 24 oz. will last a long time--a little goes a long ways. Right now I have the chocolate milkshake scent, and I have to keep Grace out of it. :) The pink champagne is soft and nice, and I also love the tangerine dream and--DUH--the buttercream frosting. (Some people don't like to smell like pastries, but I am NOT one of those people. HA!) ULTA runs BOGO deals on these frequently, so get on their mailing list.
Revlon's new Luxurious Color Smoky Crayon is my new fave eyeliner! It goes on super easy and doesn't smudge or bleed or go anywhere it shouldn't throughout the day--even on these SCORCHING HOT days of summer we're having right now. So far they have introduced 3 colors--Black, Steel and Bronze Smoke--and I'm into the Steel.
My fave product at Bath&BodyWorks is definitely their antibacterial handsoap (and I love their semi-annual sales when I can stock up for the whole year!), but they do have a few other scents and products that get my attention, too. Their "Dark Kiss" scent is on my wish-list, and I hope they don't discontinue it before I get some!
I'm still loving VS's Coconut Passion! It's a yummy scent w/ just enough coconut so you know it's in there, but you don't feel like you belong on the beach.
In the summer I use so much body lotion, and I keep these 2 faves on hand all the time:
Tree Hut's Original Shea Body Butter--I always go for the thicker formulas, like body butter, b/c it really seems to moisturize the best. I put this on right before bed. I've heard the Brazilian Nut Shea Butter is also fabulous. (BTW, this line is available at ULTA.)
2. Vaseline's Intensive Care Cocoa Butter is great to keep on hand for all-day use. I keep a pump of it in the bathroom and use it all the time, especially after washing my hands. The scent is heavenly, and it moisturizes w/o feeling greasy. I can put it on my hands, and 10 seconds later, I'm ready to do whatever. They used to have a thicker formula that was more gooey feeling, and I would use it on my feet during flip-flop season to keep them soft. But I haven't been able to find that anymore.
Speaking of feet, I like Mary Kay's Mint Bliss Energizing Lotion for feet and legs. This stuff really does refresh feet and even tingles a bit. It's great after a foot soak.
ULTA is a new fave makeup brand of mine, and I love the Ulta store that moved in to our shopping center. Last year I discovered their lipgloss and decided it's the perfect gloss out there. No joke! But they have lots of other great products, too--and great sales like BOGO--and Sis and I decided to try another lip product--their Minerals Nourishing Lip Color in Ruby. It's a beautiful, rich shade of red, but it's not overpowering. And this formula goes on like a gloss, but feels like a cross between a lipstick and a lipgloss. I love it! I also like the shade Moonstone.
I'm a dairy/yogurt/pudding girl all the way, so anytime they come out w/ a new flavor or product, I'm all over it! JELLO recently introduced their Temptations, a line of decadent pudding cups in 6 pie-inspired flavors--Double chocolate pie, French silk pie, Strawberry or Raspberry Cheesecake, Lemon meringue pie, or Apple custard pie. Armed w/ some handy coupons, I tried 4 of them, and concluded the apple is not really worth it at all, the Raspberry cheesecake is so-so (I'm not a huge cheesecake fan anyhow), the French silk is pretty good, but the Double chocolate is amazing! (Of course I would pick the chocolate!) I want to try the lemon sometime, too. I still love sugar-free pudding cups the best--how can you beat all that flavor and just 60 calories??!!
Speaking of yogurt, I finally tried Yoplait's Greek yogurt that I've been hearing so much about, and let's just say, it did NOT impress me. ICK! It actually turned my stomach the moment it hit my tongue, and I threw it straight into the trash. Not sweet enough to get my vote, and it had this awful acidic taste, as if they had put sour cream in the cup instead of yogurt. I won't make that mistake again! Some friends have recommended other brands, so perhaps I'll be brave enough to try a different Greek yogurt sometime, one w/ actual flavor I hope!
I've tried a few brands of the newest craze in bagels--bagel thins--and I like Nature's Own whole wheat the best. The Arnold's Sandwich Thins are so-so, a bit tough for my taste, and the Thomas Bagel Thins just don't have much flavor. Nature's Own are the softest, more like bread really, which is sorta contradictory since we're talking bagels, but anyhow....they are great for sandwiches or for breakfast w/ some cream cheese or apple butter. Bagel Thins are a great alternative to an actual bagel b/c you get the flavor w/o the bulk of a big bagel. My kids like 'em, too.
I like to read decorating magazines, but don't like the price of them, so I was super excited to snag a 1-year subscription to Elle Decor magazine for less than the price of a single issue. (Tanga has great magazine subscription deals to watch.) I'm not an interior designer by a long stretch, and I don't have a budget that allows me to purchase a $2500 chair for my sitting room (I don't even have a sitting room!), but I like looking at designs and pieces and seeing how people put rooms together, and this magazine is a great one to flip thru and ooh and ahh! If you like artwork and one-of-a-kind pieces and geometric designs and eclectic decor, this magazine is a good read, even if you just look at the pictures.
I also like the newGarnier Ultra-Life moisturizer. It's silky smooth, leaves my skin feeling good, and has a very light almost-non-existent scent. It's fairly cheap, and if you combine coupons and drug store sales, you can get it for about 1/2 the regular price.
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