Open Season For... Razors?!

Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel, Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Nail Polish, Quaker Oatmeal Squares, Crest Toothpaste, Bounty Basic Paper Towels, Peanut Butter M&M's, Venus Razors.

Being a woman in summer means upping your stakes in the battle against basically any kind of body hair. This also means razors are coming and going a lot faster than they would at any other time of the year, and they are freakin' expensive! I found an amazing deal at Rite Aid this weekend, though. 3-packs of Venus razors normally retail for $11.99. They were on sale for $7.49, and part of a promotion where if you spend $30, you get back $10. I also had in my hot, little hands a "Buy 1, Get 1 Free" coupon for Venus razors. I ended up getting 4 packs of razors- plus 1 roll of Bounty Paper Towels- for $9.92 (I also had $6 in rewards from last week). 4 packs of razors for less than the price of 1? Yes, please! Here's the breakdown for the rest of the haul:

CVS

Peanut Butter M&M's, $0.99
-used a $0.99 Mars candy CVS store coupon
Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel, $8.99 (Buy $15 in Garnier, Receive $5 in ECB's)
-used a $5 off 2 Garnier moisturizers coupon
Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Nail Polish, $5.79 (Spend $10 in Sally Hansen, Receive $5 in ECB's)
-used a Buy 1, Get 1 Free Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Nail Polish coupon
Crest, $3.49 (Buy 1, Receive $1 in ECB's)
-used a $1 off Crest toothpaste coupon

-Used $17 in ECB's from last week, paid $6.05 out of pocket, and made $11 in ECB's for next week.

Rite Aid

*Purchases part of "Spend $30 on Select P&G Products, Receive $10 in UP's" promotion*

Venus Razors, $7.49
-used (2) Buy 1, Get 1 Free Venus Razors coupon
Bounty Basic Paper Towels, $0.99
-used a $0.25 Bounty Paper Towels coupon

-Used $6 in UP's from last week, spent $9.92 out of pocket, and made $10 in UP's for next week.

Kroger

Quaker Oatmeal Squares cereal, $1.88
-used (2) $0.75 off Quaker cereal coupons

-Spent $2.26

Total Spent- $18.23 on $92.77 worth of product. Savings of 80%.

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend!

A Good Day To Save A Buck (Or Two)

Red Gold Canned Tomatoes, Dial Handsoap, Keebler Pretzel Bites, Crest White Strips, Rosarita Refried Beans, Olay Face Cleansers, Right Guard Deodorant

I just got done doing the math on this haul, and I couldn't believe the retail price. $119.03 to be exact. You wouldn't think it by looking at it, but it's true. The Crest White Strips alone retail for $42. Uh, that's cray-cray. I got a crazy deal on them, however. They were on sale for $10 off at CVS, I had a CVS store coupon for $10 off Crest White Strips, a $7 manufacturer coupon, plus they were part of a $15 rebate deal. That's my kind of price :) I wouldn't normally get the pretzel bites, but I had a coupon and I knew the hubby would like them. And let's face it, who doesn't like refried beans? Regular for the hubby, fat-free for me. I also skipped Rite Aid this week, I wasn't impressed with the sales. Here's the breakdown for the week:

CVS-

*Olay and Crest part of CVS's P&G Beauty Rebate, "Buy $50 of Select Products, Get a $15 Rebate"

Crest Whitestrips, $31.99
-used a $7 manufacturer coupon, and a $10 off CVS store coupon
Olay Facial Cleansers, $4.99
-used (2) $3 off 2 Olay cleansers coupons
Right Guard Deodorants, $3 (Buy 2, Receive $1 in ECB's)
-used (2) $2 off 2 Right Guard deodorants coupons

*used a $10 off a $50 purchase CVS store coupon

-Used $16.49 in ECB's from last week, spent $10.46 out of pocket, made $2 in ECB's for next week, and earned a $15 rebate.

Kroger-

Dial Hand Soaps, $1
-used (4) $0.35 any Dial Hand Soap coupons (doubled to $0.70)
Rosarita Refried Beans, $1
-used (2) $0.55 off 2 Rosarita Refried Beans coupons
Red Gold Canned Tomatoes, $1
-used (4) $1 off 2 Red Gold Canned Tomatoes coupons
Keebler Pretzel Bites, $2.99
-used (2) $1 off Keebler Pretzel Bites coupons

-Paid $11.08

Total Spent- $21.59 for $119.03 worth of product. Savings of 82%.

I hope everyone had a great weekend! May you save long, and prosper :)

Product Review: L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation and More

Time for some more product reviews! The makeup sales haven't been incredibely stellar lately, so I feel like I haven't been picking up as much stuff to try. Which sucks. But have no fear! We are getting close to that time of year when the cosmetics sales are good, and the coupons released for said-cosmetics are better. In the meantime, I do have a couple of new products that I've tested out :)

1. L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation

Drugstore foundation is a tricky, not to mention touchy, subject. Not only are you usually dealing with inferior formulas (as compared to the high end products), you're also trying to pick out the correct shade without trying it on. I've tested many, many drugstore foundations and hated 95% of them. I go back to Revlon Colorstay every time. Every. Time. Much to my surprise, I like this foundation. It was inferred from the word "luminous" on the front of the bottle that this was not a matte foundation. I bought it with the intention of using it as a highlighter. Some people like the dewy look, but I'm not one of them. To me, my face just looks shiny. So I bought this product a shade lighter than my normal color. I've been using it under my eyes, down the bridge of my nose, and in the center of my forehead and chin. The dispenser is a pump bottle, which perfectly dispenses the small amount I use. For a luminous foundation (which is drugstore lingo for "shimmer"), there's actually not a hideous amount of shimmer. The texture is very creamy, and seems to melt right into my skin. I use a slightly darker foundation on my cheeks, sides of nose, and around the outer edge of my face, and I've had no problem blending this product with my normal foundation. I like the highlighting effect that this gives me, and I've had no problem with the durability of the product. It can really hold on till the end of the day. The verdict? I would definitely buy this again. I think this one bottle is going to last me quite a long time, but I wouldn't be adverse to picking up more in the future.

2. CoverGirl Outlast Nail Polish in Smokey Taupe, 215

I'm in love with taupe nail polish at the moment. I just can't get enough! A couple of weeks ago, I picked this up for super-cheap during one of couponing excursions. My eye was drawn immediately to this shade. I scooped it up pretty quickly. I'm not huge on CoverGirl products, there are very few of their products that I like. But I like this polish. The brush is a good size, comparable to Maybelline's Color Show Nail Polish brushes. The formula goes on smoothly, with even coverage. 2 thin coats were sufficient to achieve a uniform appearance. I've been very pleased with the ability of this polish to resist chipping. I painted my toes with this color 2 weeks ago, and just today got my first chip. I'm actually thinking about painting my toes this color again, which if you know me, is highly unusual. I change my colors a lot. A lot, a lot, a lot (except for a phase in college where I did a French manicure on my toes for 2 years-straight). This is a perfect neutral in my mind, the color goes with just about everything. You'd be hard-pressed to find something to not match with this. The best part? It's a completely affordable nail polish. The verdict? Yes, please! I'll probably try more shades in the line as well. After I get this taupe out of my system, of course :)

3. L'Oreal Eversleek Humidity Defying Leave-In Creme

Leave-in conditioner is an absolute must for me. I've got what most people would call "horse hair". It's dry, prone to frizz, and feels rough to the touch. In all fairness, I do abuse my hair. Dry it, straighten it, curl it, etc. All on a daily basis. Not only do I use a leave-in conditioner after every shampooing, I also use a conditioning mask about twice a week. I'm actually almost to the bottom of this bottle, and I'm kind-of sad. I've had a good run with this product, but I've got countless new kinds of products to try out. The creme itself is fairly thick, but evens out nicely when you rub it between your hands for a few minutes before distributing throughout your hair. I've been using this product throughout the winter, so I can't comment on the humidity control, but it is a great winter product. It always leaves my hair a little bit softer. I wouldn't call this a miracle product, I've used many other brands that seem to work better, but it's a decent and affordable choice. The verdict? This creme wasn't outstanding enough for me to seek it out to buy again. I'd probably pick up some more if I got it for free, though.

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

2/3/13: Coupon Haul

Cottonelle Toilet Paper, Palmolive Dish Soap, Scott Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Sally Hansen Gel Polish Strips, Mr Clean Magic Erasers, RevitaLens Contact Solution, Rapid Sleep PM, Clear Shampoo and Conditioner, Lady Speedstick Deodorant.

This may look like a small haul, but the retail value of it is surprisingly high. I really hit it hard with the coupons this week, and my hard work paid off. I had a coupon for almost every item in this picture (except the sleep aid, which was free at CVS). I couldn't believe, after crunching numbers on my receipts, that the retail on this haul would have been $107.68! The contact solution is normally ~$11, the Cottonelle is normally $13, and the gel-color nail strips are normally $15. You'll have to finish reading this post to see how much I paid out of pocket :) Here's the breakdown:

CVS-

*Note: The Cottonelle, Scott, Kleenex, Palmolive, and Magic Eraser's were part of CVS's promotion of "Spend $30 on Select Products, Get $10 Back"*

Cottonelle, $10
-used a $0.25 off Cottonelle coupon
Scott Toilet Paper, $7.49
-used a $1 off Scott Toilet Paper coupon
Kleenex, $0.99
-used (2) $0.50 off 3 boxes of Kleenex manufacturer coupon, and a $1.50 off a $5 Kleenex purchase CVS store coupon
Palmolive, $0.99
-used (4) $0.25 off Palmolive coupons
Lady Speedstick Deodorant, $1.99
-used (2) $0.50 off Speedstick manufacturer coupon, and a $2 off any 2 deodorants CVS store coupon
Sally Hansen Gel-Color strips, $14.99 (Buy $10 in Sally Hansen products, Get $3 in ECB's)
-used a $5 off Sally Hansen gel strips coupon, and a $3 off a $10 Sally Hansen purchase CVS store coupon
Rapid Sleep PM, $1.99 (Buy 1, Get $1.99 in ECB's)

*Used a $10 off a $50 purchase CVS store coupon, and (2) $4 off a $20 purchase CVS store coupons

-Used $12 in ECB's from last week, paid $5.59 out of pocket, and made $15.99 in ECB's for next week.

Rite Aid-

RevitaLens Contact Solution, $8.49 (Buy 1, Get $1 in UP's back)
-used (2) $4 off RevitaLens contact solution coupons
Clear Shampoo and Conditioner, $4.99 (Buy 1, Get $2 in UP's back)
-used a Buy 1, Get 1 Free Clear Shampoo and Conditioner coupon

-used $8 in UP's from last week, paid $5.97 out of pocket, and made $6 in UP's for next week.

-Total Spent- $11.56 on $107.68 worth of product. Savings of 89%. Yowza!

Product Review: Clairol Shine Happy Hair Glaze and More

It's been a busy week! I'm still attempting to get in shape, and I've been working hard this week. Long workouts that have been leaving me exhausted, and with really no motivation to blog. I've been in the kitchen a lot, but I haven't quite figured out the light in this new house. This leaves me frustrated. My big-girl camera also leaves me frustrated. Photography is hard, people! I'm making muffins today though, so I will be taking another stab at food photography. Hopefully, all these bad pictures will make me a better person :)

In the meantime, I've got a couple of new product reviews:

1. Clairol Shine Happy Hair Glaze-

I love me a good hair glaze. I haven't really tried one since John Frieda's years ago when it first came out. I'm not even sure they make that product anymore, although they should because I always got tons of compliments when I used it. This product also fetches some compliments. Let me be clear, this is not hair dye. It's a clear rinse. It will not add color to your hair. It's super easy- you simply apply it to wet hair, leave it on for 10 minutes, and wash out. The kit also comes with 5 weeks of conditioning treatments to use once a week. The glaze has a nice, fresh scent to it, which I love. After rinsing the glaze out and applying the conditioner, my hair felt so soft (big plus for me!) My hair still felt very soft after blowdrying my hair, and the product definitely brightened up my color. My hair looked like it had just been colored, minus the grow out at the roots :) I picked this up super-cheap on one of my couponing excursions, so in my opinion for the price, I would pick this up again. I've got another box in my stockpile, and I will be pulling it out in another couple of weeks. The verdict? Good price, adds shine, brightens color. I would buy this again.

2. Revlon ColorStay Pressed Powder

I was pleasantly surprised by this product. I love and use Revlon's ColorStay Foundation, so I'm not sure why I was so surprised by this product. I know a lot of people set their foundation with loose powder (most probably), but I've yet to find a drugstore loose powder that provides me the coverage I like. For the last couple of month's I've been setting my foundation with a Shiseido pressed powder that my friend gave me. I was not entirely satisfied with the Shiseido powder as for one, it looked cakey. Number two, the coverage didn't last long at all. I felt like I was constantly touching up. I finally ran out of that product, and moved on to the ColorStay. I'm very satisfied with this product. It provides excellent coverage, which for me in the winter, has to be full. I've also been dealing with some breakouts lately, so the coverage is much needed right now. I also find myself touching up a lot less than I had been with the Shiseido, and not having to touchup as soon. I really have only been doing one touchup a day with the Colorstay, and that I love. The verdict? If you are a full-coverage kind of girl, this is a great powder for the price. I'm glad I bought a couple of these, so I've got some backups. I'll be buying this again.

3. Pantene RootLifter Hair Gel-

I'm forever on the quest for the perfect volumizer. This product falls a little flat in the face of the competition. Pantene even makes better products than this one. I've been using this one the same as all the other volumizers, spritzing the roots before blowdrying. I'm not getting nearly the volume I usually get. I'm also finding my roots greasier the next day than usual. I haven't changed any of my other hair products, so I'm pinning that problem on this product. I prefer Pantene's Volumizing Hair Spray to this product. I've got so many other voumizers in my stockpile, I might not even finish the bottle on this one. For me, that's when you know it really doesn't work! The verdict? Ditch. I won't be buying this again.

The First Haul of 2013: 1/6/13

Red Gold diced tomatoes, Kashi Go Lean cereal, Finish dishwashing gel pacs, Barilla Whole Grain Pasta, All laundry detergent, Herbal Essence shampoo and conditioner, Good-N-Natural protein bars, Nivea lip balm, Nivea body lotion, Lysol toilet bowl cleaners.

This is actually my first big haul since September of last year! It's crazy to think that I was out of the game for so long. I must say though, the deals just weren't there at the end of last year, and coupons (especially good ones!) were few and far between. I cleaned out my binders after New Year's, and I feel like I shipped out 75% of what was in them! I was feeling very, very coupon deprived until the new inserts came out yesterday. There were 5 inserts in each paper, and I got 5 papers! That's 25 inserts! So many coupons came out yesterday, my head is spinning. Definitely dreading cutting those babies up. Anyways, we had a very good haul yesterday, and so much healthy food! Kashi cereal, protein bars, whole grain pasta, Greek yogurt, etc. Whoever tells you you can't buy healthy food with coupons, don't even listen to them. You absolutely can. Here's the breakdown for yesterday's haul:
CVS-
~Everything I bought at CVS was part of their "Spend $30 on Selected Products, Get $10 in ECB's Back"~
Finish Dishwashing Gelpacs, 2 for $8
-used (2) $2.15 off Finish Dishwashing Gelpacs coupons
All Laundry Detergent, 2 for $8
-used (2) $2 off 2 All products coupon
Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner, 2 for $6
-used a $0.50 off 2 Lysol Cleaners coupon

-used $9.50 in ECB's from last week, paid $11.70 out of pocket, and received $10 in ECB's for next week.

Rite Aid-
Nivea Lip Balm, 2 for $5 (Spend $15 on Nivea products, Receive $8 in UP rewards)
-used (2) $3 off 2 Nivea Lip Balm products coupon
Nivea Body Lotion, $5.99
-used a $2 off any Nivea Body Lotion coupon

-used $8 in UP's from last week, paid $1.99 out of pocket, and received $8 in UP rewards for next week.

Kroger-
Barilla Pasta, 4 for $5
-used (1) $1 off 3 Barilla pastas coupon
Kashi Cereal, $1.99
Yoplait Greek Yogurt, $1
-used (2) $1 off 2 Yoplait Greek yogurt coupons
Good-N-Natural Bars, $1
-used (5) free Good-N-Natural bar coupons
Red Gold diced tomatoes, $0.59
Herbal Essence Shampoo and Conditioner, $1.74
-used (3) $1 off 1 Herbal Essence product coupons

-paid $18.84 out of pocket.

Total Spent- $32.53 on $121.55 worth of product. Savings of 73%.

What a good start to the year, and a good start to my coupon savings account :) Have a happy week everyone!

Product Review: Blistex Moisture Melt and More

It's been awhile since I reviewed some beauty products. It's taking some time to delve back into blog-mode after taking such a long break. However, the house is mostly unpacked, cleaning is under control, and I've gotten a handle on cooking here. Therefore, I have more time to blog :) Let's dive right in, shall we?

1. Blistex Moisture Melt

It's unusual for me to find chap sticks that work for me. I always, always have the Chapstick brand chap stick( the blue kind) on my person, because that's what works all the time. What's a girl with a love of new products to do? I just keep trying them anyway. And this one works. It's got shea butter in it, and it never dries out my lips. And I put chap stick on like, 50 times a day. A regular addict, I am. This formula has little blue beads of moisture in it, which I will admit, made me nervous at first. No worries though, the little blue beads disappear as soon as they hit your lips. This product leaves my lips look soft, shiny, and a tiny bit glossy. I hate wearing lipstick in the winter, because it always seems to look cakey on my dry, wintery lips. I've been wearing this all by itself. It's definitely a more natural, nude look, and I like that sometimes. The verdict? A new must-have for me, and it's super affordable. You can get it at the drugstore for under $2 when it goes on sale. I will be buying this again.

2. Revlon PhotoReady Powder

I wanted to like this powder, I really did. I got it back in the summer with Revlon's $5 off 1 face product coupon, so I got it super cheap. I like Revlon's face products, I regularly use Revlon's ColorStay Foundation, and I love Revlon's PhotoReady Primer. Whatever the reason, I'm not overly fond of this powder. A couple of reasons- 1. It looks cakey on my skin. I apply it with a soft powder brush and gently swirl it onto my skin, but as soon as I get close to the mirror, you can see it caked on my skin. Yuck. Not a good look for natural light. 2. It does not control shine. My shininess seems to show through in about an hour. I can usually get a couple of hours before I need to retouch my makeup with my normal powder, which is L'Oreal True Match powder. 3. It doesn't even out my complexion as nicely as the L'Oreal powder. After application, my skin didn't look as even as normal. Maybe it's the winter weather, but this powder is not working for me. The verdict? I will not be repurchasing this.

3. CoverGirl Lash Exact Mascara

This mascara is very well-received online. I read tons of reviews that said this was the best mascara that CoverGirl makes. In my opinion, this just doesn't bode well for CoverGirl mascaras (none of which have ever been my favorite). I scored a sweet deal on this mascara, so I decided to give it a try. I bought the waterproof formula (no surprise there, right?) in Very Black. Overall, this product was better than other CoverGirl mascaras I've tried. The formula was not clumpy, and the little bristles on the brush did make it easy to coat hard-to-reach lashes. It also darkens my lashes accordingly. My one complaint, and the reason I won't be buying this again? The formula flakes. A couple of hours after I put this on, I inevitably look in the mirror and have little black flakes under my eyes. Not cool. Or pretty. It happens every time. The verdict? I'm sticking with Maybelline mascaras, I will not be repurchasing this one.

21 Days

Photo courtesy of http://photo.esolar.com

I must confess, I'm one of those people who loves making New Year's resolutions. I love the idea of making a fresh start and having a clean slate. January 1st is one of those days when I feel like I can do anything, while December 31st feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders. I know many people hate making New Year's resolutions because they never keep them. I'm pretty good at keeping up my resolutions for a while. But you know what? "A while" is worth it. They say it only takes 21 days to make a habit. Well, bring on 21 days! Here's what I'm looking to accomplish in 2013:

1. Get Back In Shape- 

2012 was a tough year. The hubby and I didn't have our own home for 6 months. Whilst this is no excuse to have fallen off the wagon as bad as I did, it happened. I was doing fabulously until October, working out 4-5 days a week. Then I left to go to Oregon for a month, and I went into vacation mode. When I returned from Oregon, I was still in vacation mode, plus I was eating pretty bad food. At the beginning of December, the hubby and I moved into our house and pretty much all my free time was spent unpacking and organizing. No more excuses. Time to whip this flabby, 30-year old butt into shape :) My goal for Week 1 is 30 minutes of cardio, 4 times this week. 

2. Keep A Food Diary-

I kept a food diary for a couple of months last year, and it was an excellent way to hold myself accountable for what I was eating. Needless to say, I've gained a couple lb's from my lifestyle at the end of 2012, so I'm going to need to keep track of calories to get back where I was.

3. Finally Learn How-To Roast a Chicken-

Those damn birds. I'll get a victory in 2013, watch me!

4. Improve My Photography-

After reading the Pioneer Woman's series on photography, I'm bound and determined to learn how to use my digital camera and in turn, create better pictures for my blog. I'm also going to be spending some time with Photoshop, and figure out how to improve the food images that I use.

5. Save More Money-

Last year, I had $3300 in my couponing account before the hubby and I used that money as a down payment on our new appliances. What a difference having that down payment made! We'll have our appliances payed off in 10 months, rather than doubling that amount of time. My goal for the year is $3500, which I think is a do-able goal.

There's 2013 in a nutshell for year. All my goals make sense for my lifestyle and the way I live, so I don't think I will have a problem accomplishing any of them this year. Well, the chicken is the only thing that keeps besting me...

But I'll get it :)

Product Review: Dove Nourishing Curls Whipped Cream Mousse and More!

Time for more product reviews!

1. Dove Nourishing Curls Whipped Cream Mousse

This summer, I've been trying to go with my hair's natural tendency. Somewhere between wavy and curly, and always frizzy. I feel like I'd tried everything to get my hair to look healthier. I was so envious of women who could get out of the shower, let their hair air dry, and it would look soft and shiny. Meanwhile, I would have a frizzy mass on top of my head. I tried something completely new-to-me per lately- the no-poo method (that's the no-shampoo method, if inquiring minds want to know). I've been doing it for about a month and a half, and I feel like I've finally discovered something I should have always known. My hair feels soft, it's shiny, and best of all, no more frizz! I basically just wash my hair with water, do a pretty thorough scalp rubdown, and wash with conditioner. This method is not for everyone, but I have extremely coarse, dry hair. And no, it doesn't look greasy. Anyways, I've been scrunching this into my hair after getting out of the shower, along with some leave-in conditioner. This produces pretty waves that hold, but feel soft. Not like you dumped a jar of gel on your head. It also doesn't give hair that sticky feeling, which I love. I picked up a couple of cans of this while couponing, and I'm glad! I've almost went through one can, and definitely want to keep using it. The verdict? Great for wavy/curly hair. Produces soft, but not overly styled hair. You can get it for a great price. I will be buying this again.

2. Revlon Colorstay Lipliner in Nude

I've recently forayed in lip liner. I've become obsessed with Revlon's Colorstay Just Bitten Kissable Balm stain. I've got half a dozen colors, which I pretty much use everyday. My only complaint about the product is that it gets a little blurry at the edges. I hate when lipstick bleeds outside the natural line of my lips. It just looks messy and sloppy. Serious dislike! I decided I need to give a lipliner a try to see if this would solve my problem. I've always felt kind of iffy about lipliner, specifically because when I was in middle school it was in style to outline to the shape of your lips with a dark lipliner, and leave it like that. Dislike even more! This lipliner, however, completely matches my lips. None of that dreaded too-dark look. Lately, I've been running this lipliner all over my lips before putting on my stain, so the stain lasts even longer. Love! This formula is pretty creamy, it doesn't dry out my lips. I've read that you should buy a lipliner pencil that you can sharpen, because these self-sharpening pencils dry out. I haven't found that to be the case with Revlon's formula. The verdict? A great tool to keep lipstick from bleeding, which you can get a reasonable price. I'd definitely buy this again.

3. CoverGirl Expert Wear Eye Shadow Singles in Shimmering Onyx

OK, so recently I was at the library. I was trying to help my husband find a book in non-fiction when I came across a section devoted to makeup. I was instantly enthralled. I found a makeup how-to book by Bobbi Brown. I, of course, checked it out. I started reading the book immediately upon returning to the car. The book talked a lot about smokey eyes, a look I've never been able to master. Not for lack of trying, but I always try the smokey eye a few times, decide I hate it, and go back to my usual look. No more, I decided. I started playing with my makeup that night, just putting it on to practice my smokey eye. My first look was a disaster. It looked like I had black eyes. Ick. My second look wasn't much better. But I finally got a finished smokey eye look that looked... like a smokey eye! That was with brown shadow. The next time I tried, I tried a purple smokey eye. The first purple look sucked, frankly. The second one was perfect. Finally, I tried a darker smokey eye, using darker browns. I used this black CoverGirl eyeshadow in the very corner of my eye, blending completely. The look turned out good. I'm not so fond of this shadow though. I used an eyeshadow primer, as well as MAC paint before applying this eyeshadow, but there isn't a lot of pigment to this shadow. It actually goes on kind of gray, instead of black. I had to layer this shadow a ton to get anywhere near the color I wanted. Besides the lack of pigment to this product, it otherwise worked just fine. No creasing, which is always a concern. The verdict? Eh, I probably won't buy this again, since I probably won't use this whole eyeshadow. However, if you are looking for a more subtle look at a good price, this might work for you.

Labor Day Couponing

LA Looks hair gel, ReNu contact solution, Wisk laundry detergent,  Nivea lotion, Skintimate shave gel, Glade candles, Dial handsoap

Who coupons on Labor Day? Me! It looks like a small haul, but I didn't include 30 Gatorades and (4) 24 packs of Diet Pepsi. Those were the mainstay's of my haul that I decided not to include in my couponing picture. Other than that, I saved a lot on the rest. Here's this week's breakdown:
CVS
Glade Candles, 2 for $6; Spend $12 on Glade products, receive $4 in ECB's
-used (2) $2 off 2 Glade candles, received $4 ECB's
Wisk, $4.99
-used (2) $2 off Wisk coupons
Nivea Lotion, $6; Spend $10 on Nivea, receive $3 in ECB's
-used (2) $2 off Nivea lotion

-used $20 in ECB's from last week, paid $1.98, and received $7 in ECB's.

Rite Aid
LA Looks Gel, $2.99; Buy 1, Receive $2 in UP's
-used a $1 off LA Looks coupon, received $2 in UP's
ReNu Contact Solution, $7.99; Buy 1, Receive $7 in UP's
-used a $2 off ReNu coupon, received $7 in UP's
Skintimate Shave Gel, Buy 1, Get 1 50% off; Buy 2, Receive $2 in UP's
-used (2) $0.55 off Skintimate, received $2 in UP's

-used $7 in UP's from last week, paid $5.11, and received $10 in UP's.

Kroger
Dial Handsoap, $0.88
-used (4) $0.35 off coupons (doubled to $0.70 off)

-paid $0.72

Total Spent- $7.81 on $79.08 worth of product. Savings of 91%.

Fantabulous Couponing!

Suave shampoo and conditioner, Crest toothpaste, Hunt's Snack Packs, Quakes, Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats, Olay body wash, Mentos gum, Revlon eyeliner and lipliner, Dove hair stylers, Aussie hair stylers, L'Oreal Everstyle hair stylers, Suave Men's body wash, Olay Daily Facial Cloths

It was a good weekend for couponing. I got some good buys, didn't spend a lot of moola, and added to my ever-growing stockpile. The hubby's aunt suggested that I make baskets for the female family members at Christmas time, stuffed with body products, hair products, makeup, chocolate, etc. I thought that was a good idea. I probably will have more in my stockpile that I will use this year, so why shouldn't everyone enjoy free beauty products? I think it's a go. Here's the breakdown for the week:


CVS
Mentos gum, 2 for $5
-used (3) $1 off coupons, received $2 in ECB's
Aussie styling products, 2 for $6
-used a $1 off 2 CVS store coupon, a $1 off a 2 manufacturer coupon, and received $1 in ECB's
Olay Daily Facial Cloths, $3.74
-used (2) Buy Daily Facial Cloths, Receive A Free Olay Body Wash coupons (priced at $5.99)
L'Oreal Everstyle products, $7.29 (Buy 2, Receive $5 in ECB's)
- used (2) $2 off coupons, received $5 in ECB's

-used (2) $4 off a $20 purchase CVS store coupons, used $13 in ECB's from last week, paid $5.86, and received $8 in ECB's.

Rite Aid
Crest toothpaste, $3
-used a $0.75 off coupon, received $3 in UP's
Revlon eyeliner and lipliner, $7.29 (Buy 1, Get 1 50% off and Spend $10, Get $4 in UP's)
-used (2) $1 off coupons, received $4 in UP's
Dove Styling Products, 2 for $6 (part of Suave deal)
Suave Men's body wash, 2 for $4
Suave Shampoo and Conditioner, 3 for $5 (Spend $15 on Select Products, Get $5 in UP's)
-used a $3 off 2 Dove products coupon, (2) $0.75 off Suave body wash coupons, and (3) $0.25 off Suave shampoo or conditioner coupons

-used $10 in UP's from last week, paid $12.93, and received $12 in UP's.


Kroger
Quakes, $1
Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats, $1.99
-used a $1 off 2 coupon
Hunt's Snack Packs, $1
-used a Buy 3, Get 1 Free coupon

-paid $8.98


Total Spent- $27.77 on $133.80 worth of product. Savings of 79%.


My couponing account is growing by leaps and bounds! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Product Review: Maybelline Volum' Express Mega Plush Mascara and More

I've been picking up lots of new products to try lately. I guess the summer beauty sales have been good to me. There are so many coupon deals going on right now, I can hardly choose which ones I'm going to do. Makes me wish I could do them all! Let's dive right in, shall we? :)

1. Maybelline Volum' Express Mega Plush Mascara

This mascara is being touted as the next big thing, thanks to it's gel-mousse formula. I picked up the waterproof formula to try out (of course!). I've been using this for a couple of weeks now and here's what I think. If you have tried Maybelline's Volum' Express One-By-One mascara, you've tried this one. I love, love, love One-By-One, it's my absolute favorite. I found this formula to look and feel essentially the same. The only difference I can tell is between the two brushes. The Mega Plush has a large brush, with a flexible wand. One-By-One's brush is rubber and is designed to coat every lash. Due to the brush, I also find that the One-By-One goes on more evenly, and with less clumps. Both formula's stay put and don't smudge. Both are not heavy formula's, and really look like my lashes, but better. Both hold curl very well. The verdict? Due to the similarity to my favorite mascara and an unfavorable brush/wand, I won't be buying this one again. I'm sticking with the One-By-One.

2. CoverGirl's NatureLuxe Silk Foundation

I am not a CoverGirl fan. There are very few CoverGirl products that I like and would buy again, especially their foundations. That's why I was so surprised to love this product. It's a lightweight foundation, and in my opinion would be in-between tinted moisturizer and a fuller coverage foundation. The product is very creamy, and easy to blend in to the skin. I always look super-close at my pores after putting on foundation, to make sure it doesn't look like I'm caked in makeup. I was shocked that this covered flaws and evened out my skin, but didn't look like a mask. It also lasted all day, with me only having to do one mid-day touch-up. I think this is an appropriate foundation to wear when you are wanting more of a polished look than tinted moisturizer, like for a lunch date or shopping, but probably not for an evening going-out look. I'm sticking with tinted moisturizer for most of the time this summer, mainly because I don't look like my makeup is melting in this summer heat and humidity. But I'll be using this one on occasion, and probably even more in the fall. The verdict? This one is going in my arsenal, thanks to its light texture and amazing coverage.

3. Garnier Moroccan Sleek Oil Treatment

I'm torn on this product. I've been trying it out for a couple of weeks now, and I've tried it with many different hairstyles. Blown out, straightened, wavy, curly, and pulled back. The product works. It makes my hair feel soft and really does add a lot of shine. I especially like it with wavy and curly hairstyles which can stand to use something to help with the frizz. Here's my one downside with this product. I think it clogs my pores. As in, if you touch your face before you wash your hands and if you have acne-prone skin, you better watch out. It may even be this product getting on my pillow, and then getting on my face at night. If there's one thing I hate more than frizz, it's breakouts. Not pretty. I'll take some frizz over a breakout. That being said, John Frieda's Frizz Ease Serum works just as good as this and doesn't clog my pores. The verdict? If you have acne-prone skin, be super careful about getting this anywhere near your face. Due to said skin issues, I will not be purchasing this again.

Product Review: Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish in Shocking Seas and More

I love all the products in this roundup! I've just been having really good luck with new products lately, I guess. I hope it continues, I'm picking up a couple of new products today that I've never tried. I am, of course, super excited to go pick out some new products. As usual :) Hope my good luck streak continues!

1. Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish in Shocking Seas

I spotted this beauty at CVS this week. I've been on the lookout for a blue/green polish, good for summer. I saw the Maybelline Color Show display, and there were actually quite a few colors I liked. The colors in this line are very bold and have deep, rich colors. I'm looking forward to trying some more colors. In the meantime, I gave this color a whirl. Love it! The only complaints I have are the brush and the coverage. The brush is pretty small, it wasn't easy to get enough paint on the brush for my big toe. Therefore, my coats ended up being very thin and still looked a bit streaky at 2 coats. I ended up doing 3 coats to achieve the color I was after. After 3 coats though, I loved the look. This is the first turquoise color I've tried, and I think it's perfect for summer. I painted my toes on Tuesday, and I still don't have a single chip. The pedicure still looks fantastic. The verdict? I would buy this color again. It's a cute summer color, and I think the polish is quality for the price. I will probably end up buying more Color Show colors before I purchase this color again, though.

2. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic

I love, love, love this product! I tried this stain in Sweetheart, and ended up with neon pink 80's lips. This color is perfect for me, though. The color applies lighter than it looks, and is a bit of a coral color on my lips. When first applied, the color is darker than I would like. I wait 10 minutes, and then run my finger over my lips to lighten the color a bit. The color is so perfect after that. And it lasts forever! Plus, the stain fades away to a natural looking flush of color on my lips. It looks like my lips, only better. This stayed on for hours, even after dinner and drinks. So low maintenance, that's definitely a product for me! The color is build-able, so I could put on another layer to get an even brighter look. I'm not into this, but I know other's can be. I also really liked the look of putting a gloss over the stain. The stain underneath seemed to make my lip gloss look more even. I'm excited to get another stain, maybe a more nude-ish one for a very natural look. The verdict? Romantic will be one of my staples, and I will be purchasing this product again in another couple of colors. I can't wait to try more colors! I think this is a very good product for your money. I haven't tried the more expensive Tarte version, but I can't imagine paying $24 for that version when this product is on the market.

3. Olay Age Defying Body Wash

I ended up getting this body wash for a $1.50 at CVS during one of my deals. It normally retails for $8.99! I wouldn't have payed that much for body wash, but since I got such a good deal, I decided to give this a try. I must say, I really like it. The body wash is nice and thick, something I like in a body wash. The thicker washes seem to be more moisturizing. It also has a fresh, light scent. I like that I don't have to put much of the product on a loofah to get lots of lather. Some products you just have to use so much of the product to get the results you want. Not this. Now, the body wash claims to give you younger looking skin in 4 uses. I remain skeptical on this point. My skin is very well moisturized, but I wouldn't say it looks younger. However, I'm still pretty young and I'm pretty vigilant about sunscreen. My skin doesn't look old, or have sun damage. It's possible someone with a bit more skin damage, might see more results in the anti-aging department. The verdict? This body wash works just as well as other cheaper body washes such as Olay, Dove, Softsoap, etc. Unless I can get a killer deal again on this, I wouldn't specifically seek this out. But, I do really like this product. No complaints :)

25 Things You May Not Know About Me

1. I start every day with 2 cups of coffee.
2. I'm secretly a Miley Cyrus fan. I love to work out to her music.
3. I coached club volleyball when I was in college.
4. I don't like tomato based chili. I prefer mine Texas-style. With elbow macaroni.
5. My celebrity crush is Timothy Olyphant aka Raylan Givens.

6. I wear flip-flops 365 days a year.
7. I have 5 tattoos.
8. I used to have my belly button pierced, as well as my nose.
9. I worked at Baskin Robbins in college. And I ate ice cream every time I worked.

10. I hated avocados when I was a kid. Now, I would eat them every day.
11. I used to make fun of my mom for couponing when I was a kid. Oh boy, that one has come back to bite me in the butt!
12. I love salsa. I go through a 48-oz container in a week.
13. Mexican food is my favorite cuisine.

14. I have horrible vision. My eye doctor told me I'm nearing the point where there won't be a prescription for me anymore, and I will have to have Lasik.
15. The thought of Lasik makes my skin crawl.
16. My first car was a 1984 Nissan Pulsar. Baby Blue. It was hideous. I named it "Satan".

17. My second car was a black 1991 Toyota Celica that I called "The Batmobile".

18. I rang in my 21st birthday in the middle of an 8-day power outage due to an ice storm.
19. I'm super picky about purses. I haven't bought one in 2 years because I can't find one I like.
20. I'm not super picky about shoes. I gave away about 30 pairs when I left Oregon (not enough room in the moving truck to bring another 30 pairs of shoes).
21. I hate beets.

22. I've never owned a home. But I'm getting ready to! :)
23. I hate rain.
24. I love snow.
25. I'm a horrible skier. The first time I skied was when I was 24 years old. It took me 3 hours to do my first run. The hubby was maaaaaad!

Product Review: Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain + Balm and More

Ugh, I'm really missing blogging about cooking. I haven't been trying too many recipes lately, mostly sticking to the tried and true while I'm cooking for the hubby's aunt and uncle. I think I'll have a couple of recipes to try this week, but we'll see...
New beauty products? Now that, I've had time for :) A couple of weeks ago I bought some Physician's Formula skincare, and I've been loving it! I don't know if I will be able to find a sale that amazing again, but again, we'll see. Anyhoo, here's what I've tried lately:

1. Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain + Balm

I tried Revlon's new lipstain in Sweetheart. I love the idea of a lipstain, color that lasts for hours and that you don't have to worry about touching up. It's the carrying out of that concept that I have a problem with. I've never found a lipstain whose color doesn't get blotchy on my lips after applying it. I was very pleased with Revlon's formula. The product itself goes on smoothly, and doesn't look or feel dry. I would say it's a good marriage between a lip balm and a stain. I know you can all hear a "but" coming on. But... the color? Wow. This was florescent, neon pink on my lips. I couldn't even handle the color. This color is pretty similar to most pinks I wear, so I was really surprised by how bright this is. I had to run my finger over my lips multiple times to blend the product down from it's original color. The color looked pretty good after I had worn it down, but I have to say, the stain doesn't last as long this way. I just bought this product in Romantic, which is more of a coral-y color. We'll see if this more my style. I'm hoping so, because I do think this product has great potential. The verdict? If I can find a color I like, I will probably be using this a lot. And would I buy this again? Obviously, I did :)

2. Physicians Formula Deep Wrinkle Corrector Day & Night Cream

Wow, that's a really long name! I bought this about 3 weeks ago, and have been falling in love a little more each day. There's nothing to dislike about this cream. I find this cream comparable to Olay's Regenerist Micro-Scuplting Cream. Olay's cream usually retails for around $25, and I picked up this Physician's Formula cream for $3! Hopefully, I can find a deal this amazing again, because I want to keep using it. The cream has a very thick texture, but smooths on amazingly well. A little bit goes a long way. Because of its thick texture, I use this as a night cream only. After the first night of using this, I couldn't believe how soft and glow-y my face was the next morning. I was instantly hooked. It's very humid here this time of year, so I am using this every other night to avoid the "greasies". Every other night, I use my Garnier gel cream which is very light. This moisturizes my skin so effectively, it's making my face makeup apply better. Especially in the under-eye area. I've noticed a lot less settling of the makeup into the fine lines around my eyes, thus bringing less notice to the not-so-many wrinkles I have. The verdict? Love, love, love! I don't know if I can bring myself to pay full price, but who knows? I might go into withdrawals without.

3. Dove Nourishing Oil Care Leave-In Smoothing Cream

I've had a really good round up of products this time. This summer, my hair has been super-dry. To the point where I look in the mirror, and I'm disgusted. I've spent some considerable time growing my hair out, so chopping it all off and starting over is not something I want to do. I've been wanting to try this product since I read about it on Nouveau Cheap's website. For a drugstore leave-in conditioner, this is a top-notch product. I've been using this for about a week, with amazing results. I did a conditioning mask earlier in the week, and have been using this ever since. My hair is noticeably softer, even the hubby thought so. It has a nice, thick texture and a quarter size amount takes care of all my hair. Which is numerous. I warm it up between my hands, spread it through my hair, and then comb it all through to even it out. My hair is so soft after I blow it out, I've been giving my flat-iron a rest. This is good for my flat-iron, as well as my hair. A win-win. The verdict? I will be buying this again. It's pretty cheap already, and I can always find Dove coupons.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Product Review: Salma Hayek Nuance Cooling Eye Gel and More

I've got a couple of new products standing by that I've tried. I tried a new eye gel that I find very comparable to my Olay product, a straightening balm that flattened my hair (dislike!), and a skin-lightening lotion with a lot of promise. I love trying new products. Does anyone want to hire me to be a beauty product tester? :)

1. Salma Hayek Nuance Cooling Eye Gel

I got this product during a fabulous sale at CVS, and have been trying it out for the last couple of weeks. I usually use Olay's Age Defying Revitalizing Eye Gel in the morning, but I've been using this in it's place. I've been using Olay's eye gel since I was 21, so I do have some high standards. I use an eye gel in the morning (to reduce any puffiness) and an anti-aging cream at night for moisturizing. I'm pleased with this product. The applicator is a roller, I love the feeling of rolling on a cool gel in the morning. This absorbs into the skin fast and keeps my eyes moisturized during the day (this is a big plus for me, I hate when makeup settles into dry lines around the eyes). I wouldn't say it's better than the Olay gel, because to be honest, I haven't noticed any differences. It's nice to know that there's another option if I can't find the Olay on sale. I will note that this product is normally pretty expensive when it's not on sale, so this would need to be a good price for me to buy it again. The verdict? If I can get this cheaper than Olay's eye gel, I will probably end up buying more. Otherwise, I'm sticking to the tried and true.

2. Garnier Sleek and Shine Blow Dry Perfector Straightening Balm

Such a long name for this product. I was excited to try this product, I'm always on the lookout for products that protect against heat. I use a straightener almost every day, it's pretty much a requirement for me to use something to protect against the heat. My fave I've tried is Tresemme's Heat Tamer Protective Spray, but it's not always on sale. I picked this up instead to give it a try. This is a serious dislike for me. I knew I was in trouble when I put a little bit in my hand, and rubbed my hands together. It felt thick. Thick usually equates to weighing my hair down, for me. Sure enough, I was right. After applying this and blowdrying, I put my hair up in my large velcro rollers for 30 minutes. When I took out the rollers, my volume lasted... maybe, an hour. Same thing happened the next day, and the day after. Thinking it may have been the weather, I used it one more time before blowdrying. I had 3 more days of flat hair. Sigh. I loathe flat hair. I have a round face, and I need a head-full of fluffy hair to thin out my cheeks. It's not a good look for me to have hair pasted against my face. The verdict? If you have very thick hair, this may be the product for you. I have a lot of hair, but it's on the finer side so I can't be using something like this without ending up with flat hair. If you have fine hair, this is not the product for you. I won't be buying this again.

3. Proactiv Skin Lightening Lotion

I was rooting around in my closet about a month ago when I found an unopened box. Curious, I tore into it. I found about a year's worth of Proactiv products as well as some one-off Proactiv products, such as this one. I was stoked! I don't know why I forgot about this box, but I was eager to try this product out. I've been using it for a month now with excellent results. I've never had really bad acne, but I still suffer from occasional breakouts that have left some dark marks on my skin. I hate those spots! I've been applying this lotion to my spots twice a day, once before my morning moisturizer and once before my nightly moisturizer. While none of the marks are gone, they are definitely lighter. This product also hasn't been clogging my pores, another big problem for me. It's hard to add facial products to my arsenal since a lot of products clog my pores. I'm loving that this is lightening some of my spots. Due to the hot, humid weather here and the fact that I've been sporting BB cream lately instead of foundation, my skin needs to look its best. No layers of makeup to hide under! The verdict? I will probably end up getting some more. I just found out today that you can buy Proactiv products on www.QVC.com without having to sign-up for a Proactiv account. I'm also stoked about this! I'm not sure when I will have to buy more though, because I only to have to put a tiny smidge on my spots and this is a really large tube. It may take me quite awhile to go through this tube. I don't see any problem with that though :)

April A-Musings

It was a busy month had by all!

The hubby and I decided to build a house, Gizmo acted weird for almost 3 weeks,  I continued to practice my baking, I saved $297.87 couponing, I participated in a 5k walk for charity, we celebrated 3 family birthday's, and Haloti enjoyed every minute of the whole, crazy ride.

We finalized our plans to build a house in April. We've had multiple inspections, including by the health department and the builder. We moved dirt and laid out the flow of the house. We finalized things with our bank. Next week, we sign our contract for the house and sometime next month, we will sign documents for the construction loan. And by far the best news? On May 14th, we will have only 30 days left in the rental!!! Yikes, I better start packing!

Gizmo and Haloti got groomed on April 9th. Gizmo immediately got a skin rash that had to be treated with anti-biotics and a steroid. He sulked and pouted for almost 3 weeks, all while doing none of his favorite things. No Blue Monkey, no sleeping in his bed, no cuddling with Mom and Dad, no walks, and no desire for carrots (our version of doggie treats). After keeping him a little bit dopey on Benedryl for a week to keep him from rubbing his skin raw and licking himself raw, Gizmo began to act more like himself last Friday. The hubby and I both gave a sigh of relief to have our puppy back. It was also decided that Gizmo will never go to the groomer again.

Haloti could care less he got groomed, and to be honest, I think he rather enjoyed the social time with the other dogs, as he was allowed to hang out with the "friendly" dogs after getting groomed. When I went to pick him up, he was sitting next to a very gentle Mastiff that was the size of a horse :)

We bought these bones to distract Gizmo from his woes. It worked!

I baked a lot in April. 3 family birthday's (brother's, hubby's aunt, and hubby's mother), with 2 requests for baked goods. I made Dark Chocolate Cherry Nut Cookies for the brother's birthday and the Red Velvet cupcakes below for my mother-in-law's birthday. The peanut butter cookies pictured above? Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. I made these for my Dad's birthday (tomorrow!) and shipped them out to Oregon.

I experimented with yeast in April. I made Mini Doughnuts (twice) and worked on Cinnamon Roll Bread. The doughnut above is a Raspberry Filled Mini Doughnut. Experimenting with yeast this month turned out pretty delicious :)

Red Velvet Cupcakes for the mother-in-law's birthday.

Last Saturday, my sister-in-law (to the far left), also named Jessica, and I walked a 5k for the March of Dimes. Jessica's friend Shannon (middle) is a nurse at the local hospital. The nurses in her unit had setup a team of about 7-8 girls. Jessica and I both donated to her unit, and volunteered to walk. The walk was at 9 am on Saturday. I awoke that morning at 7 am to a thunderstorm right over Ashland. It was also very cold. But the march did go on, and Jessica and I powered through. Cold, wet feet and all. There was a surprisingly large crowd, despite the inhospitable weather.

Rocking a poncho at the March of Dimes! And yes, that is a Duck's hoodie under my poncho!

I can't believe April is over, this year is flying by. Hopefully I will blink, it will be October, and we will be in our new house! Hey, a girl can wish, can't she? :)

And, oh yes, the hubby and I put back $297.87 into our couponing account. On to May!

Product Review: Garnier BB Cream & More

I've been getting a lot of beauty coupons lately that are matching up with good sales. As a result, I've been picking up a lot of new products to try. It's a glorious time :) I picked up a couple of products from Salma Hayek's Nuance line last week, but I haven't had time to try them yet. I will have to save those for the next review.

1. Garnier BB Cream

I've been looking forward to trying this product since I first read about BB (beauty balm) creams, apparently all the rage in Europe. I came to understand that this is a tinted moisturizer. I've never had luck with tinted moisturizers, but I got such a good deal on this I didn't mind dipping my toe in the water. I first tried a tinted moisturizer when Covergirl came out with their CG Smoother's Tinted Moisturizer. Hated it! I even tried Laura Mercier's Tined Moisturizer, which all the celebs rave about. Hated that too! Well, I am officially a tinted moisturizer fan now. I love this stuff! It's my new go-to product for summer. The coverage is very light, but yet it really does even out my skin tone. It definitely doesn't have enough coverage for winter, but in summer you want something light anyways. I will say that this is supposed to take the place of your primer, but I did not find that to be the case. The couple of days I wore this without primer, I got a very dewy look. Some people like the dewy look, I'm not one of them! When I started using this with primer, I found the perfect look. Verdict? I will definitely be purchasing this again, but will stick with my normal foundation for winter. 

2. L'Oreal EverCreme Cleansing Conditioner

So the deal with this product is that you're supposed to be able to skip shampoo with this cleansing conditioner. It provides a low lather that when rinsed away leaves the hair with a soft feeling. The first time I used this, I used this with the intent of blowing my hair out and straightening it. After I had blown out my hair, I noticed the roots were definitely greasy. My hair was not as clean as normal. Not a look I covet when I'm wearing my hair straight. However, the second time I used this I used it with the intent of wearing my hair wavy. This product is perfect for that! I don't like to shampoo when I wear my hair wavy anyway, and this product took care of all my baby hair's and frizz. I've done a lot of research on the Curly Girl Method and I think this product fits that regiment perfectly. The verdict? I will buy this again, with the intent of using this in my wavy hair regiment. I will not be using this for a straight hair look again.

3. L'Oreal Color Riche LeGloss in Raspberry

I bought this #1 because it was on sale, #2 because I needed more dollars added to my L'Oreal deal to get ECB's back, and #3 because the color is so similar to Clinique's Superbalm Moisturizing Lip Gloss in Raspberry. This product is about $10 cheaper than Clinique so I was really hoping to like it. After using this for 2 weeks, I have a good idea of the product. First of all, the color is perfect. It's completely comparable to Clinique's Superbalm. The L'Oreal version does have a light smattering of shimmer in it, whereas the Clinique does not. The L'Oreal version is not as moisturizing as the Clinique though. I can put on Clinique's without chapstick and it's perfectly moisturizing. Not so with the L'Oreal, I definitely need chapstick pre-application. My other complaint with the L'Oreal? The longevity. It doesn't last nearly as long as the Clinique, plus as the Clinique fades it leaves a subtle hint of color behind. In the long run, if you have to apply the L'Oreal 3 times more, are you really saving that much money? The verdict? I'm sticking with Clinique, there are just too many things I love about Clinique to abandon it.

Product Review: L'Oreal Everpure Conditioner & More

Thanks to couponing, I've tried out several products I love this month... and some not so much (Samy FatFoam Hair Color, ahem).

1. L'Oreal Everpure Conditioner

I thought I would hate this product. I'm the weirdo that hates rosemary (gasp! A cardinal sin of cooking!). However, since I spent so much money at the salon getting my hair color corrected and I saw this product that said "sulfate-free" in my stockpile, I decided to pull it out and give it awhirl. Shockingly, I love this conditioner! It doesn't smell too much like rosemary, it smells much more strongly of mint. The minty smell puts me in a good mood every time I use it. I also like that this conditioner doesn't feel that heavy, so it doesn't weigh my hair down for the rest of the day but at the same time, leaves my hair with plenty of shine. Cons? I don't think it's as moisturizing as other conditioners I've tried. It's also expensive if you don't have a good coupon and can't find a good sale on it. The verdict? I won't be paying full price for this but if I can get an amazing deal on this again, I will buy it.

2. Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream

I got a great deal on Garnier skin products a couple of weeks ago, so I have been testing this out. I usually only use Olay on my skin but Olay is expensive, even with coupons and sales. My problem is combo-skin. An oily T-zone that is prone to breakouts while having dry skin everywhere else. I stick to Olay because it's one of the only products that doesn't make my T-zone breakout. I've been using this for a couple of weeks with good results though. No breakouts to report. I love the way it feels going on, very silky. It absorbs into the skin right away, another feature I love. Cons? It's very lightweight (as gel-creams are).  We've had summer weather the last couple of weeks, so I can get away with a gel-cream at night right now. I can tell this product won't be effective in the winter. The verdict? A good summer product and good for anyone with acne-prone skin.

3. Samy FatFoam Hair Color

I don't think I've ever used a hair color product that I hate as much as this one! That's saying a lot because I think I've tried every hair color product on the market. I won't be recommending this product to anyone, especially a hair color newbie. I've been putting my own hair color on my hair since I was 16, so I like to think I'm pretty good at it. You wouldn't know that from this product. I spent quite a while putting this on my hair to insure it was even but the color still came out... the best word to describe it was spotty. The color came out terribly uneven. It also made my hair feel like straw. My hair was still dry after I used a conditioning mask on it a couple of days post-color. I use so many hair color products that don't dry out my hair, why would I ever use this one again? I got quite a good deal on this product, but after you consider that I had to go to a salon for color correction, it's the most expensive drug store hair color I've ever tried. The verdict? I will never use this product again. Nor would I recommend it!