happy (huge) HAUL-idays! yay for corny puns!

I'm a crazy shopping machine during the holidays. But I just can't resist all the awesomeness combined with great sales and coupons. Plus, I like shopping for others, too, and in shopping for others, I always manage to stumble upon things that I want, too.  Oy. Anyways, here's the damage I've done in the past few weeks:

• West Elm: Santa mug (20% off), Owl mug (20% off), and fox ornament
• Ulta: Revlon Peach Petal nail polish, Revlon Gum Drop scented nail polish, Macadamia Deep Repair Masque (can't wait to try this!) --$5 off $15 coupon (these items didn't total $15, but I also got a gift *shh!*)

• Bath & Body Works: Slatkin & Co. Toasted Pistachio Delight candle, Iced Gingerbread foaming hand soap, Fresh Balsam wallflower (shaped like a Christmas tree!) --$10 off $30 coupon

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - Bath & Body Works has upped their game 200% this year. The gingerbread soap smells EXACTLY like sweet, spicy gingerbread men - I LOVE it. And the candle? Pistachio with a hint of strawberry and cream. If you like Laura Mercier's Pistachio line, you'll love this. And even if you don't, seriously, give this a whiff if you can. So, so yum.  The Fresh Balsam plug-in was necessary - I don't have any "holiday" plug-in scents (had Vanilla Bean Noel and Winter Candy Apple, but used both already). I was having a tough time deciding between Spice and Fresh Balsam, but when I saw the tree-shaped one, my mind was made.

• Howie D, Back To Me --my favorite Backstreet Boy's first solo album! Mom pre-ordered this for me - thanks, Mama :)
• Drake, Take Care --been a fan since his run on Degrassi - I loved his rapping then, and I still love it now... 

I don't buy music all that often, and I tend to gravitate towards female singers, so two albums by fellas in one week is a pretty big achievement for me. So far, loving them both. :) And yes, I still buy CDs. I mostly listen to music in my car, and don't want to mess with my iPod. 

• Happy Endings: The Complete First Season -- one of my favorite shows at the moment. I only saw two or three episodes of the first season, so I want to catch up!
• Book of Dragons/Gift of the Night Fury (two new How to Train Your Dragon shorts) - HTTYD was my favorite movie from last year, so when I saw this on the new release display, I threw it in my cart without thinking - hope it doesn't suck!

• Tokidoki x Hello Kitty cosmetic bag 

• Forever21 for Hello Kitty cosmetic bag (only $6.80!)

So, funny story, I picked up the tokidoki x Hello Kitty cosmetic bag from the Sanrio store, and then, browsing the mall, I noticed a Hello Kitty display at the front of Forever21. And... I bought another cosmetic bag. Just what I need! >_< I'll probably save this one to use for traveling. So, I walk into the mall owning zero Hello Kitty makeup bags, and I walk out with two. The end. 

• Butter London Leopard Nail Skin Stickers

I have a love/hate relationship with nail stickers (cute designs/easy to remove but also chip easily, complicated to apply), but these Butter London ones were so screamingly me that I couldn't resist. We'll see how it goes.

• Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters in Tutti Frutti, Creme Brulee, and Gumdrop 

Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti

Revlon Lip Butter in Creme Brulee

Revlon Lip Butter in Gumdrop (reminds me of YSL RVP in Celestial Mauve!)

• Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Peach Parfait 

Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait (sooo much prettier on than I expected!)

• MAC Sheen Supreme in Gotta Dash (back2Mac'd for this - gotta love free lipsticks!)

MAC Sheen Supreme in Gotta Dash

MAC Gotta Dash; Revlon Tutti Frutti, Creme Brulee, and Gumdrop

• Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss in Eggnog

Revlon Eggnog wand + swatch

Revlon Colorburst lip gloss in Eggnog

• LUSH: Gingerbread House Tin -- contains So White and Cinders bath bombs, Gingerbread House and Candy Mountain bubble bars. I love that it can be re-used as a bank! Although I like the idea of storing my holiday bath products in it each year, too. :) 

contents of the Gingerbread House Tin

• LUSH: I Love Juicy shampoo, Vanilla Dee-Lite lotion sample -- I Love Juicy is one of the best-smelling shampoos I've ever used. Plus, it works magic on my hair! I've skipped using Moroccanoil several times this week because my hair was already soft and smooth without it! After shampooing, I use Aussie 3 Minute Miracle and I'm good to go.

• LUSH: Rocketeer, Golden Wonder, and Twilight bath bombs; Snowglobe soap sample (really big for a sample!); Dorothy bubble bar (this one and The Comforter are my all-time faves)

I'd never been a huge fan of bath bombs. However, I've recently gotten into watching demonstration videos on YouTube... and now I'm hooked. I used Golden Wonder the other day and it blew my mind! It was like a night sky, complete with little golden stars (made of soap) and planet-shaped spheres (also soap). How freaking cool. Watch this video (not mine) and you'll see what I mean:

Please, sir, may I have another?? (I presume Mouse liked it, too, as he stared from the side of the tub the whole time, and dipped his paw in several times - he's never done that before!)

Okay, so that is the end of my wee little haul (psh, NOT!). If you can believe it, I've actually managed to buy gifts for other people, and some Toys for Tots gifts, too. Yes, going broke is clearly my goal.  Anyways, I hope you all are having a great holiday week so far.  NO Black Friday shopping for me, my friends! I hate crowds and lines as much as I hate bad grammar/spelling (which is a LOT). I'm all about Cyber Monday, though! What are your shopping plans, friends? Do tell! :D

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,
<3 Jess

P.S. I had such a great weekend - some family came to visit, and we went to Sea World (my first time since I was little!) and Benihana for dinner. I was so spoiled! I took loads of pics - I'll be doing a post very soon. :) <3 Shamu <3 Okay, I'm done now for real. Love you ladies!!

haul (sephora, lush, topshop, drugstore)

Some things I gave in to from the past few weeks...

bareMinerals Pretty Amazing Lipcolor (in Free Will), Buxom Stay-There Eyeshadow in Mutt, Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof liner in Rose Platine, Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner #11

I went to Sephora to make a return (YSL Volupte Sheer Candy in #3 Juicy Grapefruit - really disappointing!), but you know how that goes... They had loads of new products in stock, and after a loooong browse, I decided on three things. I'm happy to say I was really pleased with my little haul! The bareMinerals Pretty Amazing Lipcolor is like a lipstick/lipgloss in one, and the shade Free Will is a really flattering pinky nude (not brown at ALL, which is what I feared!). I've been using the Buxom Stay-There eyeshadow in Mutt over a base of MUFE Aqua Cream in #13 (a metallic beige) - I really love this combo!

I wanted the MUFE Aqua Liner in #4 (the teal/turquoise), but it was out of stock. Upon swatching the other shades, I fell in love with #11, a really unique burgundy. I rarely stray from black liquid liner on the lid, but shockingly, I've used this almost every day since I got it. It's surprisingly versatile, and I'm not joking, it does NOT move, smudge, smear, or flake. I still want #4, but I'm thinking I need a black, too.  It's that good.

While I was at the mall, I popped into Nordstrom, wanting to swatch the Chanel Rose Platine liner. Well, of coooourse it was gorgeous, and I couldn't walk away without it. So here we are.

Buxom Mutt, bareMinerals Free Will, MUFE Aqua Liner #11, Chanel Rose Platine

Buxom Stay-There eyeshadow in Mutt (I love the texture - spongey?)

bareMinerals Pretty Amazing Lipcolor in Free Will

 

MUFE Aqua Liner - such a precise point!

Lush Dark Angels cleanser, Ocean Salt (sample), Catastrophe Cosmetic face mask

I haven't bought anything from Lush in ages, but sometimes I like to go in the shop and scope out the face masks. I'd always wanted to try the Catastrophe Cosmetic mask (the blueberry one), but whenever I checked, it'd be out of stock! There happened to be one in stock that day, so I grabbed it, along with what is probably my favorite face cleanser/exfoliator ever, Dark Angels. I loooove this stuff (I've repurchased three times at least!). You only need a tiny amount, so this tub will last a good month or more (because I tend to use it daily...). It really helps keep my skin clear - I just have to be sure to rinse really well so there's no black residue left behind. And be warned, this is NOT to be used in the sink - way too messy!

Topshop lipsticks in Nevada, Ooh La La, and Coy - the rest were freebies! (hair pins, black felt liner - which is crap, some not-too-shabby face wipes, and a little bag)

I wasn't planning to buy from Topshop (their usual flat rate shipping is RIDICULOUS!), but they had a rare complimentary shipping promotion, so I took advantage and bought three lipsticks I'd had my eye on. They also had a promotion for a bag of freebies when you buy three cosmetic items - so it was definitely the right time to make a purchase! I really love the bullet lipsticks, but the pencil was a bit disappointing. It's very similar in color to NARS Bolero (which I expected, and as I looove Bolero, was part of why I wanted to try it), but it's much drier and less smooth than NARS Bolero. Oh well, at the least the other two are winners!

Topshop lipsticks in Ooh La La and Nevada

Topshop lipstick in Ooh La La

Topshop lipstick in Nevada

Topshop Coy (similar to NARS Bolero, but not nearly as smooth!)

NARS Bolero lip pencil vs. Topshop Coy - very similar shades!

CoverGirl Lip Perfection lipstick in Fairytale, Revlon Just Tinted nail polish in Dawn, Revlon Grow Luscious lash liner in Emerald

The nail polish purchase was out of sheer curiosity, but I'm so happy with it.  It's like a matte finish jelly, if that makes sense.  I used it with a top coat and it looked so pretty! Don't be fooled by the new lipstain of the same name - it looks like it'd be a pretty coral/orange, but it's actual a dark blood red/brown. Yuck!

Topshop Nevada, Ooh La La, Coy; Revlon Emerald, CG Fairytale

I tested the Revlon Emerald pencil on my upper lashline, and it wore surprisingly well without smudging.  It's also quite pigmented, and such a great shade (put it this way, I'm as much a sucker for this shade in eye products as I am for a nude lipstick).  

CG Fairytale (I didn't apply this very well! haha)

I practically never buy CoverGirl products - aside from their LashBlast mascara, I find most of their products to be below par, and besides, I think they are a brand that does animal testing (boo). However, this shade was hard to ignore after a while, as it looked like a dupe for two of my favorite red/corals, YSL Rouge Volupte #27 Rose Paris and Chanel Rouge Allure in Genial. I also think red corals are pretty universally flattering, and require so much less bravery than a straight up in-your-face red. I've gotta say I like the "flavor" of this lippie, too.  It reminds me of candy necklaces, of all things.

  

top to bottom: CG Fairytale, YSL Rouge Volupte #27 Rose Paris, Chanel Genial

Of all the items in this haul, I have just one regret - the Topshop Coy lipstick pencil. NARS Bolero is just better, in my opinion. But it's not a 100% regret, because having three items in my basket was what enabled me to get all the freebies... I think I'd just rather have purchased a different product from them instead.

What have you all bought lately? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading, lovelies!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

HAUL! ulta, drugstore, the body shop, target, etc.

• Hard Candy Glow All the Way in Doll Face
• Elf Face Booster powder w/brush
• Lime Crime Coquette lipstick (review here)
• Lancome L'Absolu Nu in Pale Petal
• Revlon Fashion Night Pout lipstick (the last one they had, score!)
• Revlon Black with Envy nail polish (I actually grabbed two of these, one will be for a giveaway!)
• Hard Candy Fox in a Box blush in Smooth Talker
• Wet 'n Wild Comfort Zone palette
• Bed Head Superstar sulfate-free shampoo (50% off)

A closer look....

Lancome L'Absolu Nu in Pale Petal, Revlon Fashion Night Pout, Lime Crime Coquette  

swatched in the same order as above pic

I think the consistency and shade of the Lancome's Pale Petal is very similar to that of my favorite lipstick, YSL Rouge Pur Couture #6. Pale Petal is a bit more pink, while the YSL is more peach, and I prefer the packaging and scent/taste of YSL, though Lancome's fades fairly quickly. I think Pale Petal, shade-wise is almost a cross between YSL #6 and MAC Creme Cup, though I didn't realize it until after I did the comparison below, so no photo comparisons, sorry! It also doesn't gather on dry areas or "goop" in the center of lips like so many lipsticks do with time. This is the only lipstick I've tried aside from the YSL that doesn't do that! If you look closely at the Lancome lipstick in the tube, it has a slight shimmer, but I don't find that it translates on lips at all as anything more than shine, which is great because I HATE shimmery lipstick!

YSL Rouge Pur Couture #6 on left, Lancome L'Absolu Nu in Pale Petal on right

YSL on left side on lip, Lancome on right

Hard Candy Glow All the Way in Doll Face - looks scary straight from the tube, but gorgeous when blended!

Hard Candy Smooth Talker (sorry it looks messy from swatching!), Elf Face Booster

Hard Candy Smooth Talker, swatched

• Hershey's Bliss White Chocolate Eggs (note: the bag is empty!!)
• The Body Shop 3 for $28 sale: Coconut body scrub, Cocoa Butter body butter, Almond shower gel

• Boots No7 Radiance Boosting Hot Cloth Cleanser
• Aussie 3 Minute Miracle conditioner
• Disney's Tangled on DVD
• Britney Spears Femme Fatale CD
• Virgo mug (Target)

I'm really loving my purchases from the past month, not one regret or disappointment! I'm a little disappointed in MYSELF, though, because I've been trying to avoid buying products from brands that I know test on animals, and Aussie and Lancome both do according to PETA's list.  I'm always trying to find a mascara that's better than Lancome Hypnose Drama for this reason, but so far I've been unsuccessful. : / I do think Aussie's 3 Minute Miracle is a great product, though, but isn't it ironic that a company with a kangaroo as a mascot tests on animals? I also really love the Lancome lipstick, too.  It's usually easier than you'd think to buy from companies that don't test on animals, but occasionally I am tempted.  It's definitely a personal decision, though, and I wouldn't think of judging anyone who purchases from companies that do. /endserioustalk ;)

Love you guys and talk to you soon!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

haul & swatches, part two (tokidoki, forever 21, revlon, yankee, etc.)

Here's part two, as promised. I'm just gonna jump right in...

Sephora: Tokidoki Bellina blush in Skate Girl, Donutella gelato lip balm, Bellina blush in Siberia

I got the Siberia blush a few weeks ago from Sephora's website, and I've been SO OBSESSED (as you can gather from my recent FOTD posts) that I had to go to the store and see the other one.  Of course, I loved that one too.  I've tried quite a few Tokidoki products and I haven't been that impressed, but the new stuff is awesome! These blushes are great quality, and I love the kawaii packaging, too.  I think the Donutella lip balm is very nice, too.  I prefer a nude lip most days, but this balm is very moisturizing and leaves a nice faint stain as it fades.  I wore it to work the other day, but I think it was too bright - I think I'll save this for the summer!

Tokidoki Bellina blushes in Skate Girl and Siberia

Top: Skate Girl left side, right side

Middle: Siberia left side, right side

Bottom: Skate Girl blended (sorry for the sloppy swatch! lol), Siberia blended

Forever21 Love & Beauty Enchanting eye palette (going to save this for a friend - the colors are really nice neutrals), oversized teddy bear necklace (loooove - wore in my last OOTD post; his joints are studded in the back), Love & Beauty highlight/bronzer powder (has a really pretty gold glitter overspray)

Target leather studded bracelet, B&BW Carried Away travel-size lotion (free!), Revlon Primrose lipstick (this shade is always sold out, so when I saw one on the shelf at Target, I grabbed it without a thought..), Clarins Instant Light lip perfector #3 (thinking I should've gotten #2, but I do really like it), OPI Sparklicious nail polish (gift from Mama), FairyDrops Scandal Queen mascara - how cute is this packaging?

wearing FairyDrops Scandal Queen mascara & Revlon Primrose lipstick

I think Primrose is SO pretty! I imagine this would suit pretty much any skin tone - it's such a nice shade. I always get nervous with drugstore products, because you can't swatch them before buying, but this did NOT disappoint! 

wearing Tokidoki Donutella gelato lip balm

Yankee Candles in Midnight Oasis (smells just like Paco Rabbane 1 Million cologne, which I love) and Pink Lady Slipper (a powdery floral - I go back and forth on whether I actually like this....) - these were buy one, get one 50% off, and a Lalaloopsy doll I got for Valentine's Day from my parents - I love her. :D

Love you guys! See you soon. :)

xoxo,

<3 Jess