Uncategorized – Page 2 – Creating the Good Life

October 31, 2015November 4, 2015

My Alter Ego – October Glam Bag

Muahahahahaha!

Oh, sorry…I mean, Happy Halloween!

My October Glam Bag was ghoulishly delightful and I’m pretty excited to see what kind of character I can turn into with the help of all my new goodies.

The first treat came from theBalm Cosmetics – Meet Matt(e) Hughes Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in the shade: Committed (a pinky nude). Love the color. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I am not a lipstick person. But, this month is “Alter Ego” so maybe it’s time I try something bold. After all, it is October – Halloween month – let’s get spooky!

thebalm.com sells their 0.25 oz. bottle at $17 (0.25 oz.) so this smaller size (0.04 oz.) rang in at a nice $2.72.

I fell in love with Aromachology a few months ago so I was pretty stoked to see another bottle arrive. Their Exotic & Spicy Eau de Parfum boasts hints of nutmeg, honeysuckle and blossoming peonies.

This is one of the most sophisticated perfumes I’ve had the pleasure of sniffing. I put some on my wrists and neck this morning and was ready to take on the world!

On myaromachology.com, it came in at $70 (1.7 oz.). This smaller size was a sweet deal at $4.94(0.12 oz.).

I’m all a-buzz for the Hey Honey collection, so their Come Clean: Propolis & Minerals Facial Scrub was a treat to find in my bag. I loved the Hey Honey Serum – I’m guessing the facial scrub won’t disappoint me either. The website, heyhoney.com sells the 2.2 oz. for $23 (2.2 oz.), making this 0.5 oz. only $5.22.

Perfect timing – my old mascara has run its course. IT Cosmetics – Hello Lashes Clinically Proven 5-in-1 Mascara (0.16 oz.) is paraben-free, fragrance-free, phthalate-free, sulfate-free. It almost feels like I’m getting it for free with all the great deals I’ve received so far in my bag this month. Ulta.com sells the bigger size for$24 (0.33 fl. oz.). At almost half the size it was less than half the price = $11.63. I can’t wait to see how this lives up to its 5-in-1 promise.

My last treat was the Touch in Sol – Mini Browza Super Proof Gel Brow Pencil (0.02 oz.) in the shade: Mink Wink (a medium to dark brown).

I’m not one for brow pencils. Heck, I barely pluck the stray hairs in that area, but once again, it’s Alter Ego month. Time to continue branching out of my comfort zone. Bring on fuller, darker brows!

On Sephora.com this size (0.017 oz.) is $19.

Total would have been $43.51 at full price and size. Thanks again, Glam Bag! I’m still getting a boo-tiful deal at $10.

July 18, 2015July 19, 2015

Summer Lovin’ – July 2015 Glam Bag

Every month the $10 I spend on my little pink Ipsy bag I get in the mail amazes me. And I wasn’t disappointed with July’s Glam Bag either.

The Jersey Shore Cosmetics – Mongongo Vanilla Coconut Cream Lip Conditioner (0.15 oz.) smells like I just walked onto the Gold Coast with its coconutty deliciousness. And it glides on so smoothly. I can already feel the pampering my lips are receiving the instant I put it on. At $10 on jerseyshoresun.com for this exact size, this lip balm already hits the mark. Bonus points…it’s 100% natural & USDA certified organic! Yay!

The coppery shimmer of the OFRA Cosmetics – Bliss Eyeshadow is heavenly. I’m so ready to wear this out on the town. This is size came in at 4 grams. Retail-size on ofracosmetics.com is $15. This item also boasts being hypoallergenic and animal cruelty-free.

I’m really excited to try the Coolway – Beachy Salt Spray. As I’ve mentioned before, with my wavy hair I’ll try just about anything to keep it manageable. I’ve tried sea salt sprays before. Time will tell how Coolway will match up to the others I’ve used. This 0.5 oz. bottle rings in at $1.96. The retail size of 3.3 oz. sells for $12.95 on coolwayhair.com.

This next item is the one I’m most nervous about trying – BelláPierre Cosmetics’ Mineral Lipstick. Why? you ask….well, I’m not much of a lipstick wearer. And while this particular shade by the name of P.I.NK. seems harmless, lipstick has always had a bit of an intimidation factor for me. I’m a lip balm gal. A lip gloss lady. Not a lipstick femme fatale. But alas, I’ll give it a go. And it sounds like once I get it on, this shade will be there all day. It also claims to be super hydrating – composed of natural oils and waxes. Maybe my lip gloss wearing days are over. This same size tube (3.5 gram) retails on bellapierre.com for $20. (Bonus – it smells sweet, like I just stepped into a cupcake factory…yum!)

I love bronzer. There…i said it…and it’s completely true. I am a pasty person and I need all the help I can get. So I hope the deluxe Amazonian clay waterproof bronzer from tarte doesn’t let me down. Whether I get a nice, subtle glow or not, i’ll still be set for my vitamin E – woot! This smaller version (0.11 oz.) is worth $10.31 compared to the retail size (0.32 oz.) on tartecosmetics.com at $30. The color I received was park ave princess.

Ipsy, you win again. My total would have been right around $57.27, but I got so much more for my $10 – plus, a cute bag. Thanks!

June 16, 2015June 18, 2015

Storm season continues

Some wonderful little clouds came into our lives during the beginning of May and by the end of the month we had the makings of a very gorgeous storm season brewing in front of us.

We saw some gorgeous color and scenery during our first storm of the month.

Cruising through beautiful Midwestern countryside and small towns…here is a video from May 3, 2015:

June 16, 2015July 14, 2015

Swim into Beauty – June Glam Bag

This month’s Glam Bag is sure to please…me! I actually was quite excited when I saw what was in store for me in my little black bag.

First I grabbed Dr. Brandt Skincare – Pores No More Vacuum Cleaner (0.2 oz.). Anything that claims to make my pores smaller, I’m game for. Bring it on Dr. Brandt! This size will run around $9 compared to the full-size, 1-ounce on Sephora.com sitting at $45.

Just like last month’s Balanced Guru – Style Me Hair Oil, I’m pretty freaking excited to see Pure Brazilian – Miracle Leave-In Conditioner (1 oz.) in my Glam Bag. As stated previously, I have naturally wavy hair and anything that can help tame it or make it at least a little more manageable is my friend. Pure Brazilian, I hope you’re my friend. Either way…you smell amazing!

This 1-ounce bottle is sold for $6 on the product’s very own website – purebrazilian.com. Or, if you become enamored, you can grab the 6.78-ounce bottle for $26.

The first product I tried out was the Absolute New York – Nail Lacquer in “Turquoise” (0.57 oz.). Unfortunately, I was unable to get absolutenyproducts.com to work for me on my phone, laptop or tablet but I would imagine this stuff runs anywhere from $6 to $8. (I will try to update as soon as the site gets to working for me). But either way…loved this stuff. The color – awesome. The anti-chip promise – sweet. Ability to match my favorite sweater – accomplished.

This nail polish will chip eventually but compared to regular nail polishes, it seemed to hold up pretty well. Even after I hand-sanded 13 pieces of trim and realized I had sanded off part of the color on my thumb. That’s still the only spot on that finger that is missing color. Now it can’t be perfect, after three days a few others have started to chip but I also did the dishes, cleaned two bathrooms, did the aforementioned sanding, did a couple loads of laundry and showered. For this not being a professional manicure, I’d say the polish stood up well to the elements I exposed it to.

Smashbox Cosmetics – Photo Finish Foundation Primer (0.25 fl. oz.)

I already use a foundation primer from a different company and I love it so I’m hoping I love the Smashbox Cosmetics – Photo Finish Foundation Primer (0.25 fl. oz.) version just as much, especially since I’ve heard such good things about this company. I love the way the primer feels – almost like a gel that feels sort of powdery on your face. Sounds weird, feels fantastic! A 1-fluid ounce bottle goes for $36 on smashbox.com. This smaller version would have cost me $9.

Tre’StiQue – Mini Shadow Crayon “Aspen Green” (0.02 oz.)…love, love, love this color! Enough said. ☺ If you were to grab the three mini trio set on trestique.com, you would spend $32 so for just one mini it costs $10.67.

As usual, Ipsy proved I’m getting more bang for my buck with them. I would have spent anywhere from $40.67 to $42.67 rather than $10. I’m sitting pretty.

May 30, 2015July 18, 2015

Jet Setter – May Glam Bag

20150528_201757 — Jet Setter – May 2015 Ipsy Glam Bag

So, I’m a little behind this month in posting about my May Glam Bag from Ipsy: Jet Setter since I got it back on the 15th but now I have my garden in, my house is getting spring cleaned and I even have pecans roasting in the oven as I type.

The bag my Jet Setter items came in sort of had that ’90s flair. I love it.

I pulled out the Urban Decay – 24/7 Glide on Lip Pencil (0.8g) first. Mostly because it was stuck in the bag a bit and was the only way to get the rest of my items out. I was super excited to see the bonus lip gloss on the card as well.

I’m excited to try out the lip pencil as that is one thing I have a hard time with – getting my lipstick to stay on when I actually do wear it. Now I’m definitely more of a lip balm and lip gloss kind of gal but I live on the wild edge once in a while. The sample lip gloss colors are a little crazier than my regular “blush” or “tan” colors but I’m looking forward to it – you only live once.

The 0.04oz-size lip pencil retails on both Sephora and Urban Decay for $20. But the Revolution High-Color Lip Glosses retail full-size (0.17oz) for $22. So I got these babies on for a steal at $16.

The Balanced Guru – Style Me Hair Oil *organic* (0.5oz) was the one item I was so excited to see in my Glam bag this month. My hair has a natural wave to it and by natural I mean it’s a big pain in the “you-know-what”. I will try just about anything to keep it from frizzing out or being unruly. I am definitely looking forward to seeing what regular use of this does for my hair. After using it just once, it already showed that it can manage my waves. The 1 fl. oz. retails on balancedguru.com for $18.99, so this half-ounce bottle was $9.50.

I’m not really one for coloring in my eyebrows so the next item may not get used by me. But I have a sister who might be interested. I received the full-size (0.09g) Chella – Eyebrow Color Pencil (0.09g), which retails on Chella.com for $18.

I’m a huge fan of going au natural whether that’s for cleaning my house or myself. The NUXE – Rêve de Miel Facial Cleansing & Make-Up Removing Gel boasts 94% of its ingredients are from natural origin. I love it when a product that is marketed to clean something as important as a part of my body, like ma face, is almost completely natural. Woo hoo! The 6.7 fl. oz tube retails on nuxe.com for $19, so this 0.5 fl. oz. (15mL) one goes for around $1.42.

I absolutely adore eye shadow in a dust form. It makes it so easy to apply (as long as you don’t sneeze in it). The Jesse’s Girl – Pure Pigment Eye Dust “Brown Sugar” is wonderfully versatile. How can you go wrong with a neutral?! On jessesgirlcosmetics.com the 2.5g retails at $4.99. This 1.8g would be around $3.59.

Once again, Ipsy wins out. I would have spent around $48.51 on this lovely little $10 beauty bag and it’s amazing contents.