Lovin the Lamo

In the days that I was home from work due to Sandy, I realized that QVC+Easy Pay=DANGEROUS!!!!!
The best example of this I can come up with are my new Lamo boots, which were a recent TSV.

From what I've seen in past presentations Lamo is a brand that's reminiscent of Uggs...but much cheaper.

These were ordered on a Monday and delivered to my door that following Wednesday, which was
perfect timing considering we were due for a snowstorm.

I have been wearing these boots basically everyday and am absolutely obsessed with them, in fact, I'm actually debating on ordering a second pair to keep at work.

They're so warm and cozy, not to mention incredibly comfortable. I even had my mom talking about how she might want to get a pair for herself.

My only complaint is that I ordered them thinking they could be used as snow boots, however, after hearing a lot of mixed information in regards to what kind of conditions these can handle, I've decided not to take them out in anything worse than a light rain.

For two payments of $20, I think this was a good purchase.

If you're interested, you can learn more about this brand and order HERE.

Today is my 1 year anniversary!!!!!

Truth be told, it wasn't until this morning that I realized today marks exactly one year that I've had this blog. Yes, many people still don't understand the point and from time to time I get "Oh, you're still doing that?" but I'm really proud and excited.

Having watched numerous beauty gurus, one day on my way to work I had a thought-why can't I do that? One simple question snowballed into this very site.

I just wanted to take a moment to thank each end every person out there who has either subscribed or stopped by for a brief visit. It means more than you could ever know...I especially wanted to give a special shout out to my fiance, Jason, who has given his full support throughout this entire process.

Thank you again, and here's to another year of beauty!


(Click here for my very first post)

p.s. Only 2 more days until TSO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lorac's Sweet Temptations Lip Gloss Collection

A while back I vented about the fact that the post office lost a package of mine (you can read about it HERE). Well, here it is...

This set is part of Lorac's Sweet Temptations holiday collection, not to mention my first purchase from the brand in general.

~What It Is~

A set of six full sized lip glosses that are each scented after their names.

~Shades~

*Candy Apple=warm red

*Frosted Gumdrop=bright pink

*Pumpkin Spice=Barbie doll pink

*Cotton Candy=medium pink

*Butterscotch=pale peach

*Creme Brulee=light pink

Note: These are jam packed with glitter/shimmer.

The glosses feel extremely light and last a decent amount of time.
I noticed that the lighter shades looked a lot smoother while the darker colors applied streaky, but it did help if I layered them on top of  lipstick.

Overall, while the shades are really nice, these glosses really did not impress much.
Don't let my opinion push you away, though. If you want to try them out you can find them at the following:
*lorac.com
*sephora.com
*Sephora
*ulta.com
*Ulta

As always, thank you for reading my blog :)
2 More Days Until TSO!!!!!!!!

P.S. I really need to stop taking photos when I'm tired...I think the exhaustion shows :(

Note: I purchased these products with my own money. The opinions expressed in this post are those of my own. I have never accepted any kind of compensation in exchange for a positive review. For more information, please check out my Disclaimer.

Bag of The Month: December

This month I'm carrying my Isaac Mizrahi leather shoulder bag, which is one of my favorites in my collection.

I have a lot of bags so I generally carry them once a month, this one, however, usually gets taken out several times throughout the year. The color is so versatile, not to mention it's so big and roomy inside....love it!!!!!!

I bought this from QVC a couple years ago and it's still available (and marked down!!!)
If you're interested, you can find out more information and order by clicking here.


As always, I thank you for visiting my blog :)

Note: I purchased this product with my own money. The opinions expressed in this post are those of my own. I have never accepted any kind of compensation in exchange for a positive review. For more information, please check out my Disclaimer.

This Week's Nail Polish: 12/14-12/21

This week I decided to go with Root of All Evil from Wet n Wild's Mega Last line (not sure if this is part of a new collection), which is a metallic deep blue tone, with Kaleidoscope  (also W&W) focused mainly on the tips, which gives off a pretty snowy effect..
I've used several other glittery polishes from the brand, but I have to say, this is certainly one of my favorites!

I'm also continuing my use of the Perfect Formula kit and so far, I really like what these products have done for my nails. I intend on posting a full review once the 60 day period is over.

Thank you for visiting my blog and have a great week!
5 More days until TSO!!!!!!!!

Note: I purchased these products with my own money. The opinions expressed in this post are those of my own. I have never accepted any kind of compensation in exchange for a positive review. For more information, please check out my Disclaimer.

LG Holiday Italian Marble Lipstick

I had been on the fence about this set for a while mainly because I already have a ton of lip products. The deciding factor was the fact that a portion of the price is being donated to the Red Cross to benefit Hurricane Sandy victims...being a Jersey girl, how could I possibly pass that up?

Already being a lover of Laura Geller's other Italian Marble lipsticks, I knew before even trying these out that I'd enjoy these just as much if not more. They offer a lot of moisturising benefits and glide on like a lip balm, which is absolutely perfect for this time of year.

The difference between these and the other sets I have is that these are extremely pigmented  and really pack on the color while the other shades like Dulce and Riviera are more sheer. I also noticed that while all three had a glossy look to them, Strawberry Toffee and Mixed Berry had a metallic finish, while Honey Bun was more matte.

All in all I think this is a great value, especially considering each lip stick retails for $18 each. As usual, these LG lip products certainly do not disappoint.

{it was only fitting to model using the classic Laura Geller pose}

~Shades~

*Mixed Berry*

Warm pink with pomegranite shades; Applies as a deeper berry tone

*Honey Bun*

Warm melon and glazed cinnamon shades; Applies as a light peach tone

*Strawberry Toffee*

Warm pink with copper undertones; Applies as a magenta shade

Please note: This is what the colors look on my lips and can vary from person to person

I think this is a QVC exclusive...if interested you can check them out HERE.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog :)

Note: I purchased these products with my own money. The opinions expressed in this post are those of my own. I have never accepted any kind of compensation in exchage for a positive review. For more information, please check out my Disclaimer.



Trying Something New + This Week's Nail Polish:12/7-12/14

Last week while watching one of the beauty shows on QVC, I ordered a 4 piece discovery set from Perfect Formula. I have been quite curious about this brand for a while and since it was a decent price, I decided to go for it. For those of you who are unfamiliar, it gears toward strengthening and conditioning nails. You can learn more about the company here.

The set comes with:
*Gel Coat (strengthening base coat)
*Pink Gel Coat (strengthening and brightening base coat)
*Daily Moisture (helps maintain moisture and balance)
*My Favorite Top Coat (high gloss top coat)

Note: These are not full sized, however, you do get 60 days worth of product.

Some of the reviews made me a little worried, however, so far after having used this for a few days, I'm liking it a lot and am interested to see exactly what each product can do over time. I'm thinking about revisiting this subject after the 60 day period is over.

If you're interested in this set, you can find it by clicking here.

You can also find Perfect Formula at the following locations:
*perfectformula.com
*qvc.com
*sephora.com
*Sephora

Onto my polish for the week-Since I used the Pink Gel Coat, I decided to top it with the pale pink Sugar Coat from Wet n Wild's Mega Last line. It's been a couple of days and they still look great!


As always, I thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and have a great week :)


Note: I purchased these products with my own money. The opinions expressed in this post are those of my own. I have never accepted any kind of compensation in exchange for a positive review. For more information, please check out my Disclaimer.

Smashbox Studio Pop Eye Palette and Brush Trio

Last year I missed out on Smashbox's Photo Op Mega Palette so when I saw this, although, slightly smaller, I jumped at the chance to order it.

I'm thrilled because this marks three firsts:
1. First Smashbox eyeshadow
2. First Smashbox palette
3. First holiday '12 makeup set

In the past, all I had tried from this company were the eye liners, which I love. In fact, I've exclusively worn the Limitless Liner in Onyx on my waterline for several years.
I figured that this would be a great value as I could try their shadows, cream liners, and brushes all at once.

To the best of my knowledge this is exclusive to QVC. Yes, I have seen the palette in other locations, however, I haven't been able to find the trio anywhere else.

 The Smashbox Studio Pop Eye Palette and Brush Trio comes with:

-3 Brushes

-Palette consisting of 16 Photo Op shadows and 4 cream liners

-4 Lesson Cards ranging from easy to pro

~Brushes~

* #7 Tapered Shadow Brush: Oh my I love this brush!!!! It's incredibly soft and since the bristles are looser, I use this to apply a lighter shade all over my lids.
* #15 Definer Brush: I like to use this to apply shadow in my outer v blending into my crease. It's small enough and yet, is perfect for a precise application.
* #20 Double-Ended Smudger Brush: It took a little getting used to but I like how easy it is to apply cream liner with the smaller bristles. Even for a first timer like myself, the application looked flawless. I also enjoyed the smaller rubber tip on the other end for smudging pencil liner...it created a cleaner line.

~Shadows~
At first I had a tiny bit of buyers remorse and, while very pretty, I couldn't help but wonder about what the big deal was with these shadows...I quickly found out. Upon first swatch, I was immediately impressed. I have never encountered eye shadow so smooth and pigmented. All I have to do it lightly tap the brush and I get tons of product, but without any fall-out. The quality is just amazing, not to mention the fact that there are a lot of different looks that an be created with this palette.

~Shades~
*Nocturnal: Shimmery Deep Navy
*Lunar: Shimmery Silver
*Emerald: Shimmery Light Green
*Nude: Matte Caramel
*Vanilla: Matte Vanilla (great for highlighting!)
*Obsidian: Shimmery Slate
*Champagne: Shimmery Beige
*Bark: Shimmery Deep Brown
*Cinder: Shimmery Violet
*Pastel: Matte Soft Pink
*Orchid: Matte Dark Purple
*Flamingo: Shimmery Coral
*Smoke: Matte Dark Gray
*Amethyst: Shimmery Violet
*24K: Shimmery Gold
*Nutmeg: Shimmery Golden Bronze

~Cream Liners~
At first I was a little afraid because I had never used any kind of cream liner before, however, I've really been enjoying this product a lot. They've lasted all throughout the day without smudging and is probably the easiest to apply out of all the other liners I've used in the past. My only concern is whether or not they dry out in this palette...time will tell (hopefully not).

~Shades~
*Bronze: Shimmery Bronze
*Royal: Deep Purple
*Picasso: Deep Blue
*Nightlife: Shimmery Black

(shadow swatches)



(liner swatches)



Overall, I can't really find anything wrong with this set. I've been using it for several weeks and continue to find new color combinations...the possibilities seem to be endless. My only complaint it that this came out after my vacations as this is perfect for travel.

Unfortunately, I waited too long to post this as it seems to be no longer available, however, you can get the palette itself at these other locations:
-Macy's
-macys.com
-Nordstrom
-nordstrom.com
-Sephora
-sephora.com
-smashbox.com (I haven't seen this on their site as of yet)
-Ulta
-ulta.com

As always, I thank you for reading my blog.

Note: I purchased these products with my own money. The opinions expressed in this post are those of my own. I have never accepted any kind of compensation in exchage for a positive review. For more information, please check out my Disclaimer.

Philosophy TSV and A No Buy

Who ordered the Philosophy TSV this past weekend?

I did not. I love their 3in1s but can't use anything else because they make me breakout.
I was very proud of myself for not ordering anything this past weekend.

I get the feeling that I'm going to be putting myself on a shower gel no buy in the near future...my collection is taking over. The bathroom is filled, not to mention that I have three baskets full of the non-seasonal scents under my bed.

Yeah, I think I need to use some of these guys up before I buy some new ones....

This Week's Nail Polish: 11/30-12/7

Yay!!!!!! It's December!!!!!!!!!! Wooooooooooooo hoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!
(...annnnd I'm done.)

Anyway, this week I thought I'd pull out an oldie, but goodie (and somewhat forgotten) Wet n Wild polish-Silvivor, which is a really pretty and shimmery silver shade.I just love how fun this looks and always manages to make me happy and excited when I look down at my hands :)

What can be more of a winter/Christmas shade than silver???


I thank you for reading this and hope you're having a great day :)

It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year...for Sephora VIBs

I've been meaning to post this for a while...
This year's VIB opening party was pretty dead, although, I don't doubt that Sandy and the snowstorm that followed played a role in it. It's a shame, too, because it seemed like my Sephora tried really hard to host a great event. Unlike last year they had a table full of food, a DJ, and all different services throughout the store.

Personally, I only went to redeem my 20% off, especially being with my son who wasn't too thrilled to be there (thank god for Jason, who was kind enough to walk him around while I shopped).

I walked out with...
-Philosophy's Gingerbread Man Hot Salt Scrub
-Philosophy's Snow Angel Hand Cream
-bare Mineral's shadow duo in The Phenomenon
-Tatre's Lights Camera Splashes mascara (HG item!!!)
-Sephora VIB tote

Certainly a much smaller list that last year, which, I'm actually proud of :)


I thank you for reading this (late) post :)
Feel free to share-what was it like in your store and what did you use your 20% (or even $15 and $20 cards) to buy?

Reminder About Sephora Rewards Cards

This week Sephora started mailing out their annual rewards cards via snail mail. I have been anxiously awaiting for mine to arrive, especially since I didn't recieve my 20% off coupon until a week after it expired.

That being said, if you have not gotten your's yet, don't freak because they're also being emailed. This promotion is good from November 29 through December 11.

Don't forget:
Bis get $15 off a $50 purchase
VIBs get $20 off a $50 purchase

Happy shopping, everyone!!!
:)

Philosophy TSV for 12/1

Hello all!!!!

I just wanted to remind all the PFF's out there that Philosophy is having a TSV tomorrow, December 1st on QVC.

Each year they offer these great sets, which I look forward to. Unfortunately, I think I'm going to pass this time around....
Instead of the usual bath and body set, this looks like a mix of all their most popular products.

Included is:
*8oz Purity Made Simple Cleanser
*8oz MicroDelivery Facial Cleanser
*2oz Hope In A Jar
*4oz Hands of Hope
*16oz Candy Cane 3 in 1
*Candy Cane Lip Shine
*05oz Amazing Grace EDT
*8oz Amazing Grace Whipped Body Cream

Total Retail Value: $173
TSV Price: $87.52

I believe the three hosts will be Dara Lynn, Heidi Guest, and Mari Lyn but that has not been confirmed so please don't quote me.

Here are the following show times
*12am-2am
*3am-4am
*2pm-4pm
*5pm-6pm
Please note: The show times might be different than what's listed so please check your local listings.

Already having decided that I really don't need this, I'm quite interested to see if I break and order anyway ;)

I hope all of you have a great weekend and Happy{early} December!!!!!!!!!

No Buy-Perfume Addiction...Erm...I Mean Edition

I've come to the realization that I own a lot (and I do mean a lot) of perfume. In the past couple of years my collection has gone from nonexistent to practically overflowing. My goal is to not buy any new scents until I've used up my entire collection. The only exceptions to this will be anything that's free (i.e. samples, gifts, etc.).

So far I have successfully used up Philosophy's Summer Grace and Amazing Grace, both of which I absolutely love but at the same time have felt a sense of accomplishment upon finishing them up.



(photos courtesy of QVC.com)

I figured I'd post an update every time I open a new bottle and am pretty confident that I can stay strong or at least show more self restraint than when it came to my make-up no buy.
Right now, I've gone back to my Betsey Johnson Too Too rollerball.

Wish me luck and stay tuned!

As always, thank you for supporting my blog :)

Most Favorite Band EVER!!!

One of my favorite memories was when I was 17 and came home to find a letter with no name or return address that said, "This world you can change it, if you want to arrange it. Pass a favor on if you get the chance." and two tickets to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. All I could do at that moment was cry...I don't mean a tear here and there. I'm talking about hysterically crying.

TSO has been my favorite band ever since I was in middle school when I'd steal my sister's Christmas Eve and Other Stories cd. What started out as an appreciation for the music turned into something much more the older I got. The lyrics really touched my heart and offered support and hope. It's been years since I was a teenager locked up in my room but even now the music continues to lift me up.

The only way I could ever describe that first concert is to call it magical. I had wanted nothing more than to see them live and was granted such an incredible gift thanks to an anonymous stranger with a very big heart. I never found out who it was but think about that person quite often. I still have the letter, in fact, I consider it to be one of my most prized possessions. After all, these moments belong in a Hallmark movie, not in real life.
To that mystery person, whoever he or she may be, I can never truly be able to express my gratitude.

I'm thrilled to report that I'll be seeing TSO in concert this year and this time taking Jason, my fiance. I admit, when the tickets came in I started to cry. This band brings back so many memories and has brought light into the darkness.

So looking forward to 12/22!!!

Treat Yourself To Gorgeous

photo courtesy of QVC

I'm certainly not the first person to report this but today Tarte is having a TSV on QVC...I ordered mine, have you?

It's such an amazing value!

For 49.98 (on easy pay!) you get four maracuja divine shine lip glosses, four cashmere waterproof eyeliners, and 20 amazonian clay eye shadows. Did I mention everything is full sized?

photo courtesy of QVC

The products are separated into three different boxes so they can be broken down as different gifts or can be one giant present because each package is magnetized.

Initially I wasn't going to order because the shadow quality wasn't exactly up to par, however, I'm interested to try the "newer" formulation (I've had a set in the past but don't remember it being made with Amazonian clay).

Can't wait to play around with this set!!!!

If you're interested, you can find more on this set HERE or feel free to check out the presentations on QVC throughout the day.

Maureen Kelly will be presenting throughout the day but will have hour long Tarte shows from 10-11am and 8 to 9pm.

 

Have a great Wednesday everyone and if you like this set I suggest you make a move on it quick because I just heard there have already been over 28,000 ordered!!!  :)

bare Minerals Moxie Holiday Sets

Desperately needing to get out of the house, my mom and I headed off to out local bare Minerals store, where I picked up the Hot to Trot Moxie holiday set. Immediately after trying all six of the different glosses, I realized I had to try the Cool as Ice set as well.

This product makes my lips look amazing, not to mention they do have pretty good staying power (the candy scent is an added bonus). The difference I've noticed between the two is basically "safe" and "out of the box".

~Hot To Trot~
This would be more for the neutral kind of girl.

*Maverick=Rosewood Shimmer

*Crowd Surfer=Cotton Candy Pink

*Smooth Talker=Golden Pink

*Firecracker=Candied Apple

*Smarty Pants=Shell

*Dreamer=Golden Sand

~Cool As Ice~
This is for someone who really likes to make their lips pop.

*Hot Ticket=Electric Pink

*Daredevil=Blackberry

*Fashionably Late=Opal

*Socialite=Pink

*Gutsy=Fuchsia Berry

*Rebel=Pink Mauve

Please Note: Each gloss has shimmer to it...not over the top, but it does add a little extra sparkle.

As predicted, these sets did not disappoint. I highly suggest checking them out, especially if you're new to the brand.

You can read my previous post on an initial review of the glosses and can check out more information anywhere that carries bare Minerals, along with their website.

Also:
1. It's been a while since I initially took these pictures and it wasn't until actually posting them that I realized how horribly exhausted I looked.
2. What was going on with my hair!?!?


As always, thank you for your support...and putting up with some bad photos :)

Note: I purchased these products with my own money. The opinions expressed in this post are those of my own. I have never accepted any kind of compensation in exchage for a good review. For more information, please check out my Disclaimer.