So I first got a Mirenesse Lip Bomb in a sampler and fell immediately in love. I didn't fall for Hubband this hard. Then I got a Glossy Kiss to renew my vows. I couldn't take it anymore- had to find out more about this Australian company that was suddenly on my radar! I went onto their site to discover that they have these brief flash sales where stuff is SUPER DUPER CHEAP. Such as....
4 Full sized products- I PAID $ 9.99
1. Clearly Pink Eternal Gloss -retail $26.95
2. Secret Weapon Mascara -retail $35.00
3. Cat Eyes Kohl Black Eyeliner and Smudger Pencil (one of these is in the giveaway!)- retail $26.95
4. Black Bomb Shadow Crayon - retail, no idea- these aren't a regular Mirenesse product These were a promotional item for an Australian band I've never heard of, but who cares? $9.99!!!!!! For 4 full sized items that normally cost double that per item! Woot! You can see swatches and in depth reviews in the video, but let's just say that I ADORE all of it. To be able to throw a full face on in 5 minutes? Golden. Easiest smoky eye ever. The gloss lasts forever and is super shiny, the mascara makes my lashes touch my eyebrows, and the pencil does an amazing job emphasizing my eyes and making them look HUGE and there's no smudging. YAY for a black eyeliner that doesn't turn me into a raccoon! Lip Bomb #3 I now have something like 6 of these. They're addictive. A stain, a gloss, and a lip lacquer in one. They last FOREVER and it takes only the teeny tinest, itty bitty bit. These will wind up being willed to my grandchildren....
Crystal Glow Hydrating Powder- retail $49.95
Feels amazingly soft on your skin, like velvet, and your skin glows like that lil chandelier on the applicator got installed in your face. I recommend applying with a brush for a more natural look, save the sponge for when you're going dramatic. I love that It's solid so it doesn't spill everywhere but then you get to apply it like a loose powder. I wish more companies did their powders like this!
So now
The Giveaway- (retail prices sound a bit odd because these are the prices converted from Australian to American dollars) $76 value!
Cat Eyes liner in Minx Black -retail $26.95 PLUS
lash comb/Liner Brush Duo -retail $26.55
Seamless Velvet Shadow Duo in Indian Princess- retail $22.46
is one of my absolute FAVORITE shopping sites. Very affordable, VERY comfortable stylish clothes designed by Mary Kate & Ashley (who knew those little rugrats would grow up to be so high stylin?) These clothes make the perfect base for outfits, I find myself inspired by their simplicity. I got so used to always buying really wacky, over the top stuff then discovering I had nothing to pair it with, and now, thanks to Stylemint, I have the basics to pull together any outfit. I also have easy pieces to grab and go when I'm in a hurry. I'm officially addicted. And with the coupon code NEWSM40, you get 40% off your first purchase!
$59.99 retail
The Larchmont Hoodie in Stylemint Size 4 (basically a women's XL) can be yours! (Do I REALLY need 2 of them?) Not an XL? As you can see, they actually have the model wearing an oversized one for the baggy look, which is pretty darn cute :-)
I so miss last year's Pantone Color Of The Year. Sigh...... These orange tipped brushes have been delightful. Top of the line quality, no shedding, excellent application, and I love the roll for easy travel. These guys go with me everywhere. I particularly love the fan brush for removing any debris from mineral shadows. So light and delicate! Of course, you can still get Sephora brushes, just not my pretty orange ones. Jealous?
The Pantone set for the Emerald color of the year is quite lovely too.
Sephora Hot Hues Mini Train Case is another staple in my travel arsenal. The perfect size for all of the necessities without being too big and bulky. I love that it locks so I can take it on a plane or the bus without worrying about it getting monkeyed with. The inner dividers are removable, so I took mine out to have room for longer items. Incredibly sturdy and the aluminum is lightweight and not at all bulky. Seriously one of the best investments I ever made.
I don't see that they have the minis like this currently, but if you're looking for a bigger one, this one is totally groovy.
I am one of the happiest girls in the world that someone invented nail wraps. They are the easiest thing on the planet to use and always elicit oohs and ahs. My husband likes that I can do my nails in the car on the way somewhere without possibly killing us both with noxious fumes. So awesome that OPI makes these! There are some out there in the drugstores that start to veer way off into cheap topless bar dancer land and these are unique and interesting while still retaining a bit of modish style. I can make these last for about 10 days, usually.
Givenchy Mister Light I was really impressed with what a wonderful concealer this is. It takes just the eensiest tinest bit for amazing and natural looking coverage. I put this under my eyes when I had shadows worthy of a horror movie and actually had someone at work comment on how refreshed I look! You seriously can't tell that you're wearing a concealer.
Nails Inc Magnetic polish in Kensington Palace is the best magnetic polish I've used thus far. It's super easy to use- it has a double cap so you remove the part with the magnet before painting your nails. There's a lip on it so you can rest it on your finger directly over your nail with no worries about trying to hold it steady or accidentally touching the polish. Some I've used barely even showed a ripple, but this gave perfect results the first time. I wore this polish last weekend and got tons of compliments. One girl asked me if it was "an optical illusion". She just couldn't believe that polish could do that so easily. Of course, she was also drunk, but hey, a compliment's a compliment :-)
Nails Inc. Islington Crackle Topcoat is super purty. Pictured is the top coat used over SpaRitual's I feel The Earth Move. This look so fabulous over a dark color. I had previously been perfectly happy with Sally Hansen's crackle coats, but now I'm spoiled. It applies really well and does a perfect crackle no matter how thick or thin you apply the polish. It dries quickly and lasts forever. I just love the color- the first pink one I'd seen. UD Super Saturated Lip Color Adrenaline is just insane. Seriously, it's so freakin pigmented that your lips can be seen from other planets. I love how easily and perfectly it applies, and despite being absolutely insanely glittery, it's quite smooth and doesn't have that glitter grit feel at all. Don't know how they do it, but Urban Decay seemingly has magical elves working for them or something. I also adore how the pencil barrel is the same color as the pencil itself, so if you have multiple colors it's easy to grab the right one. It also lasts FOREVER. I can go pretty much all day without reapplying unless I eat lunch, and even then it sticks around quite a bit. I got some mad love for this stuff. I probably wear this about once a week, because even if you're in a hurry, you look like you put a bit of effort into things with such an insane lipstick color.
Urban Decay 24/7 Liquid Liner in Woodstock is a natural companion piece to the Adrenaline lippie. Well, if you're into bright colors like I am, that is. It's totally waterproof (love!) and has a super skinny applicator so you can do really thin lines or you can do layers for a thicker look. It's sparkly so with a razor thin line it looks subtly fabulous. Best part- despite being glittery there's absolutely no fall out. YAY! Again with the matching tube. In a dream world they'd all do it that way.
Sephora Full Action Extreme Effect mascara is okay, but not the absolute best. It's what I call a "daytime mascara". It defines your lashes and does a great job of separating and not clumping, but I am not sure why they refer to it as 'Extreme Effect" or "Full Action". It doesn't do much for me as far as thickening and I don't really see anything too dramatic in the results department. Like I said, it's okay, but if you want something at all dramatic, you should look elsewhere. This one is perfect for a workday when you want something a bit subtle. Make Up Forever Smoky Lash Extra Black however is FOR SURE dramatic. It makes your lashes look both extra thick AND extra long. Even without a curler you get sky high lashes. I wore this over the weekend and had to actually wear my glasses lower on my nose because my lashes were rubbing on the lens. Since discovering this brand, I am a huge devotee.
Boscia BB Cream SPF 27 is one of the highest rated BBs out there, and I love that it's a natural alternative to traditional BB creams. It actually has a pretty good coverage- it's slightly thicker than some other BBs I've used. I recommend rubbing your hands together with it to warm it up a bit- I found I got a much smoother application that way. When you first put it on it seems a little too thick, you have to wait a few minutes for it to warm up to your skin and suddenly it disappears and you look flawless. I turned a friend of mine onto this while she was visiting and now she's a total convert. it may seem pricey at first glance, but you're replacing a serum, moisturizer, primer and foundation with one single product. Don't know how I lived without it. It's SPF 27 too! When it's time for my next tube, I want to get the one step essentials kit- it has a full sized BB cream, PLUS includes their bad ass eye gel and face cleanser/makeup remover for little more than the cost of the cream all by itself. Bumble & Bumble thickening shampoo & conditioner really works! I was absolutely STARTLED by how thick and full my hair looked with just one shampoo. I asked my husband if he noticed anything different, and I actually got a "Wow!" This duo is on my shopping list as we speak. Especially Escada is an absolutely delightful scent. Elegant, delicate and with a hint of playfulness. It's subtle enough to wear to work or close quarters like the theater, but distinctive enough to not fall into a generic blah category. I think I wore this stuff every single day for like a month! The fragrance opens with a sparkling top note of pear and combines with the exotic notes of ambrette seeds. A luxurious combination of rose and ylang ylang radiates a fresh and natural aura of floral joy and happiness. Light musky notes complete the scent, adding a subtle touch of femininity. Yay for Sephora having it as one of the choices in the Favorites sampler! These are always such an awesome deal, since you get to trade in your certificate for a full sized bottle of your choice while also getting to try out a bunch of different scents. I am addicted to these samplers.
Why can't they do goody bags like this all the time?!?!?!?!?!
The Pantone set for the Emerald color of the year is quite lovely too.
