Bzz Review: CoverGirl Blast FlipStick

I was so stoked when I received the invitation to join the Bzz group for CoverGirl's Blast FlipStick. Oddly enough I have wanted to try this ever since I saw it advertised about a year ago, but just never got around to buying one. Funny, huh? 

Well, Bzz Agent sent me 3 shades to try in my Bzz Kit: Vixen, Stunner, and Minx.

The coolest part about these lipsticks is that they are pretty customize-able. Each lipstick includes 2 colors - one is a basic color and the other is a lighter or different shade with a shimmer or some other added touch. So, you can use it as a normal color in the daytime and just apply the shimmer for a night look. You can also layer the color on to make it as bold as you want. Neat, huh?

As far as the colors go, there was a clear winner for me. I was originally attracted to the Stunner shade (it's the one in all the advertisements) and it's not bad on my complexion but not my favorite. The Minx was just strange - it's no joke chocolate brown. It looked like I was a clown or something. The Vixen on the other hand was really perfect for me. It's a mauve/pink on one side with a lighter shimmery pink on the other side. I like these shades by themselves or layer on top of each other. They are a middle of the road type color so I can wear this to work but they are still bold so it looks very polished.

I give this product 4 out of 5 stars! I love the whole idea of this lipstick. It's 2 in one and easy to use. It applies very smoothly and stays on very well. I love that I can customize how I want the color to look and add a little extra shimmer if I feel like it :) I've been wearing this out lately and received compliments each time so I know it's not just me who thinks this. I'm so glad I finally got to try this out! Go out and grab one - they are available most everywhere and they are only $8.99! Totally worth giving a try :)

* I received 3 shades of CoverGirl Blast FlipStick from Bzz Agent to facilitate my review but all opinions expressed are 100% my own and not influenced in any way.

Haute Look: Great Deals on Pop & Pixi Beauty Products!

I am so bummed I didn't find out about this sale earlier today - a bunch of things were sold out that I would have wanted - but Haute Look has a HUGE sale on Pop and Pixi Beauty products today :) I found it hard to restrain myself, frankly.

There are nail polishes at $2 or $3, Pixi Lip & Lip for $5, Flawless Beauty Powder for $7.50. I'm really impressed by how extensive the sale is and the prices are all at least 67% off. From the Pixi products I Have tried already, I am really excited to try more. They are great quality and I can't wait for my new items to arrive.

Hurry Over Here to grab the items you want at great prices!

SneakPeeq: Winks By Georgie Sale + Halloween Treat!

SneakPeeq has a great sale on Wink by Georgie eye lashes today :) Not only do you get them at a nice discount (about $22) but also anyone who peeqs today gets a Halloween treat discount!

I got to try these several months ago for Bloom (see my review here) and I really love these lashes. Very comfy and natural looking but they give such an amped up look!

Anyway, I just wanted to share the news :) I highly recommend these if you are wanting to look fantastic for any holiday parties coming up!

Free Target Beauty Bag (New Offer!)

Target is offering a new link to grab their last ever beauty bag! Even if you got the one on Facebook, you would still be able to snag this one too :) The site is going extremely slow, so be patient and it will eventually load. Hurry to grab it - it will be the last chance!

My Great Pixi Beauty Find

So, I had to go to Target on Saturday night and I hit a mega score on the back aisle clearance stuff.

I got all of these Pixi products for 50% off! Plus I grabbed some sweet new nail polish colors. I had never really used anything from Pixi before I got the Lip & Line in my Bloom Ambassador box. I was really impressed with the quality of the lip stick (if not in love with the color). So, when I saw these for so cheap I had to grab them and give them a full try out too. Here's what I got:

• Shade Quartette in Shades of Taupe - $11.00
• Large Lash Mascara - $9.00
• Lash Line Ink - $8.00
• Natural Brow Duo - $9.00

The funny thing about all 4 of these products is that they are still listed as new products both on Bloom.com and on PixiBeauty.com - yet they were already 1/2 price at Target. I'm not complaining though :)

I decided to try all my new products together today. These are the results!

I really love the shadow quartette. The colors are all surprisingly blendable - even when I use a primer underneath. The shades look really nice - not too over the top, just a nice a slightly smokey look. The shadows have just a touch of shimmer and it really makes my eyes pop. The liner was crazy easy to use - so smooth. The brow crayon worked great. I'll be honest - I've never filled in my eye brows before. I've never really needed to, but I am surprised at how much I like the look. It just fills in the space so you don't see underneath the hairs.

The only item I'm not completely loving is the mascara. My lashes are certainly not looking 'large'. Also, it was fairly clumpy and I had to use the iLash comb just to get it to look presentable. It's ok - but not my favorite.

So, I highly recommend checking your local Target store to see if they have these items on sale too! I already checked online and they are still normal price everywhere so this is a great find!

Also, Bloom.com is offering 20% off everything on their site! Just use promo code SAVE20 at checkout to save big!

Bloom Review: Stila In The Know Palette

I almost shouted hooray when I opened my Bloom Ambassador box and saw this - a full sized Stila In The Know Palette :) The palette includes 10 colors of eye shadow and an eyeliner in a case with a mirror. 

These colors are right up my alley and I was very excited to try them all out :) I wanted to try several different looks to show what this palette can do.

Look #1 - 

This was the first look I created with the palette. I basically tried what I normally do but with these new colors. I liked the look ... until I saw this photo. The colors seriously accentuate my dark circles and even make my slight wrinkles under my eyes show up way more than normal. Paired with that lip color, I look really old. Yuck - I didn't even want to post these.

Here is a close up of the shadows. I used Air from lid to brow, then Driftwood on the lid, and added Clay as a highlight at the tear duct and around the lid. Please know that my lid is not normally so wrinkly - I was kind of squinting my eye shut. 

So, I had to go back to the drawing board.

Look #2 - 

I decided to play around with the palette when I was going to a local charity dinner :) I must say, I was so much more happy with this look than the first.

I think I look much younger right off the bat :) I wore my favorite 60s style dress (with a pouffy skirt and everything!) and I wanted to really make my eyes pop.

For this look, I followed one of the suggestions in the booklet that came with the palette. It's called Classic Siren. I used Air as a base all over the eye first. I started with Clay from lash to brow, Rain on the lid, and Earth in the crease. I topped it off with Air as a highlight under the brow and at the tear duct. Definitely much better than the first :)

Look #3 - 

I wanted to go a little out of my norm (and try a few products at once) for my last look. I was at home watching The Devil Wears Prada - seriously whenever that comes on I always want to primp in some way. So I went all out on a very dramatic look ... with a winged eye! I used my new Physician's Formula felt tip eyeliner for the first time and I am in love (but that's a whole different review). 

I've never done a winged eyeliner before! Anyway, the Stila palette was the perfect compliment to my bold eyeliner.

This look was another suggestion that came with the palette and it's called Exotic Stare. I used Clay from lash to brow and then used Ebony in the crease but fanned out a bit more than I normally would to create a slightly smokey eye. It looked good just like that, but the example photo seemed to have a bit of a shimmer so I put just a smidge of phlouf! from Mac over all of it to add to the shine. 

Next I followed this tutorial (I came across this on Pinterest) to do my eyeliner. Once the top was done I knew I had to add a harder liner on the bottom than I normally do, so I used the same liner in the bottom lash line but in a much thinner line. And of course, it wouldn't be complete without mascara and I used Voluminous False Lashes by L'Oréal in black (I've been wanting to try this stuff)

I finished off my look with my favorite shade of red lipstick (CoverGirl NatureLux in Peony) to amp up the old school glam factor. Still, there seemed to be something missing...

A more retro-ish hairstyle :) Too bad I had no where to go, lol. Notice the Planet Fitness t-shirt. Oh yeah, so chic. This was definitely my favorite look out of them all. It was fun to do and I felt very glamorous. It's a lot more makeup then I would wear to work, but for a night out it would be awesome!

I give this product 4 out of 5 stars! I love the versatility of this eye shadow palette. The colors are great for everyday wear but can also be easily amped up for a night out depending on your eyeliner and whatnot. The shadows apply nice and smooth and have great color depth especially when paired with a primer. The only reason this didn't get the 5th star is I'm actually not a big fan of the eyeliner that is included in the palette. I think I may be the only person in the world who doesn't like it, but I just don't love Stila's Smudge Sticks - I found it very difficult to apply because it wouldn't glide well and the self sharpening tip just made it hard to get a fine line. Even though I didn't like the liner, I loved the shadows so much that I would still consider buying this palette again!

Go here to learn more about this product and to get one for yourself!

*I received the Stila In The Know palette for free to facilitate my review, but all opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Bloom Review: Pop AM to PM Kit

After I had my skin prepped and then evened out on my at home spa day, the next step: eyes. Not to sound vain or anything here, but I think it's important to realize you best features and play them up. I know that my eyes are my best feature, so that tends to be the area that I use the most makeup. So, when I saw the Pop Am to PM Kit in my Bloom Ambassador box this month, I was excited to play around with it.

This is a really cute set with 2 eye shadow palettes - one is more in the brown realm for a day look and the other is different shades of blue for a night look. Frankly, I am not a blue eye shadow type of person, but I was willing to give it a try (especially given the Pop & Pixi challenge going on on the Bloom Facebook page). But since I wanted to start off simple, I used the AM palette first.

I tried using the palette as it suggests on the box as my first look. The cream/nude as a base, the peach color on my lid, the brown in the crease, and the beige with a slight sparkle as a highlight on my brow and at the tear duct. And as you can see from the photo, I look like I don't have any eye shadow on at all. I even went outside to check out the look.

 

Yeah, these photos were taken in natural sunlight and I can't see any color on my eyes at all. The colors are just too close to my skin color for me to use them the way the box suggests.


So, I decided to try the PM palette. Frankly, I looked like a clown. Blue is really just not a good color on me. So, I decided to use the AM palette and then use the blues from the PM palette to accent the crease.

It was very hard to blend the blue in due to my primer I used. So, I ended up putting more of the AM palette colors on top of it until it was just a slight accent.

 I will say, I didn't hate it as much as I thought I would.

It didn't look bad and I wore a navy blue shirt so it all tied in together.

I give this product 4 out of 5 stars! I had a lot of fun trying out the 2 palettes and trying to combine them so they fit with my usual look. I like how smooth the shadows apply and how well they smooth out. The blue was really just not my color - I'm too pale for such a cool color. Other than that it's a great set and I highly recommend trying it out :)

Go here to learn more about this product and to snag it for yourself :)

*I received the Pop AM to PM kit for free to facilitate my review, but all opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Free Target Beauty Bag (Last One Ever!)

'Like' Target Style on Facebook to claim their free fall beauty bag. This is one of my favorite samples and it says they won't be doing any more after this :( So make sure to grab one for yourself before they are gone forever!

Bloom Review: NIA24 Rapid Depigmentation Serum

This is a review that has been 3 months in the making! I have been using this product since June so I could show a true 12 week before and after comparison. So, if you have dark spots, sun damage and uneven skin, read on!

Back in June, I was give a bottle of NIA24 Rapid Depigmentation Serum to try as a Bloom Ambassador. NIA24 is a line of products designed to help repair moderate to severe sun damaged skin. I do burn incredibly easily with my fair skin, but I am only 27 years old and I hate the outdoors (I live in Florida for crying out loud) so I really don't have more than a few spots on my face to complain of as far as sun damage goes. On top of my few spots, I also have very uneven skin - I have a pink/red undertone is several places and it's really obvious. Now, I'm not one of those people that can't be seen in public without makeup for fear of what others will think, but I do like to look my best whenever possible so I try to never go out without at least a tinted moisturizer or foundation on just to make my skin look not so red and spotty. When I read that this product will even out your skin tone, I was immediately drawn in and wanted to give it a try.

This was the example photo given in the information about the product - looks pretty good to me :)

So, here are my before pictures. I tried to focus on specific areas - unfortunately my camera doesn't like to cooperate to really show my spots and redness. Funny thing I've discovered from doing all these reviews for Bloom is that it's very hard to take self portraits that show specifics. Anyway, the top picture was mainly to show the redness around the bottom edges of my nose (the ditch between my nose and face) as well as the spots at the joint of my lips. It doesn't really matter what I do, I can't seem to even cover up the redness in those areas - it always looks more red than the rest of my face. The bottom photo was to try and show the redness in my t-zone as well as a few spots on my forehead.

How about the application?

This product is a total breeze to use. Just squirt out 1 or 2 pumps of the serum.

Then apply to your face like you would a moisturizer (keep away from your eyes though - it will sting them).

The serum itself is more like a lotion and just absorbs into the skin. It leaves your skin just looking moisturized.

This photo was just after applying the serum. See, you can't even tell :)

The serum is supposed to be applied in the morning and at night and followed by a moisturizer. I really enjoyed adding it to my nightly routine especially since it's nice and quick. Also, it has a very nice faint scent. You really don't smell it while putting it on, but afterwards I always noticed a nice floral smell that was nice to fall asleep to.

So, how did it perform?
I tried my best to get good photos so you can see the difference, but I really don't think these photos do the results justice.

I'm particularly happy with the redness reduction around my nose - it's so much better! I do still have a few spots, but  they do seem lighter to me. I'm almost thinking the fact that I got a little sunburned during the 12 weeks may have affected my dark spots? I guess it's possible, so I'm not unhappy with my results on that. The fact that I can see a small difference is a win to me :)

Here's just a shot of my whole face and it really looks more even toned all the way around.

I give this product 4 out of 5 stars! I'm really happy with the results I got from this. It definitely takes a while to show results, but just with the results I have already seen in 12 weeks I'm confident I will see more change with continued use. I think it's unrealistic to think that a product would instantly change your skin, so I don't hold the time against it. The redness reduction is what I'm really sold on. I can see a big difference in how even my skin tone is especially in my problem areas. If you have a problem with redness or with dark spots and sun damage, I would absolutely recommend giving this product a try :)

Free Bioré Facial Foam Sample

'Like' Bioré on Facebook to request a free sample of their new Facial Foam Cleanser. This is for the first 10,000 only so hurry!

Free Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Repair Moisturizer Sample

'Like' Juice Beauty on Facebook to request a free sample of their Stem Cellular Repair Moisturizer. THis is only for the first 5,000 so hurry to grab one!

CVS: 20% Off Beauty Coupon

'Like' CVS Beauty on Facebook and click on the link in their post to have a 20% off Beauty Shopping Pass sent to your email :) You will need your CVS card number to get it. This is for the first 100,000 to request it, so hurry!

Free StriVectin SD Sample (First 10,000)

'Like' StriVectin on Facebook and click the 'Go' button to 'find your perfect pair' and then sign up to receive a free sample of StriVectin-SD Power Serum for Wrinkles.

SneakPeeq: Lily. B Flash Sale! Great Deals!

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you probably saw my reviews on two Lily. B products that I was given with my Bloom Ambassador box this last month. I was really happy with this company :) I reviewed their Multi Action Rescue Eye Cream and their Red Tea Defense Booster Hydrating Serum and now I am addicted.

I just found a fantastic deal on Lily. B products! SneakPeeq is a daily deal website that works with your Facebook account and they are having a Flash Sale for the next 5 days on Lily. B skincare products! You can get their Rose Hip Infused Cleanse Facial Wash, Multi Action Rescue Eye Cream, Red Tea Defense Booster Hydrating Serum, 24/7 Defense Daily Moisturizer, or Essentials Starter 3-Step Set (with facial wash, moisturizer and eye cream) all for around 50% off the normal price. Even better - you get the Botanical Rich Protection SPF 30 Ultra Defense sunscreen for Free with any Lily. B purchase! That would cost $22.50 just on its own.

I was just able to snag the Red Tea Defense Booster Hydrating Serum (I LOVED this stuff but I only got a small sample with my box) for only $24.30 - this is normally $46.00! I got a badge for free shipping on that order as well as a 10% off badge for sharing the sale with friends on Facebook plus that included the sunscreen for free:) After that purchase, I started thinking I would like to try the face wash too, so I did a separate purchase on that one and shared with more friends to get 20% off - sadly I didn't get the free shipping that time, but I did get the face wash and another sunscreen for $21.15 shipped!

If you would like to grab some Lily. B products at a huge discount GO HERE to sign up for SneakPeeq - it's free to join and I have gotten a few cool items from them in the past. Once you're signed up, click on the Beauty option at the top and select the Lily. B Skincare sale.

Don't miss this opportunity to get some great skincare products for a great price :)

Bloom Review: Lily. B Multi Action Rescue Ultra Eye Cream

Who doesn't love a good eye cream? I am always intrigued by the different products on the market that fall in this category and this month Bloom introduced me to a new brand: Lily. B. I already posted my review of their Red Tea Defense Booster Hydrating Serum (and I loved it). This product is no different in terms of what I thought of it.

As a gal in her late twenties, I am starting to pay more attention to preventative skin care. Before this last birthday I never really worried about 'fine lines and wrinkles', but I can no longer deny that they are starting to make an appearance on my face. Such is life. While I'm not really thrilled about seeing signs of aging, I am glad that I finally woke up about it so I can begin a skin care regimen to stay fresh and young looking as long as possible :)

I have been using this product morning and night for the last month and I am really happy with it. It keeps my skin moisturized under my eyes which helps my makeup spread smoother (it helps me cover my dark circles well). The main thing I loved most about this product is the scent! I know that sounds like a silly thing to love about an eye cream, but it's an added touch that really makes it feel like a more luxurious product. I actually look forward to putting it on just before bed so I can have that nice scent as I'm falling asleep :)

I really didn't know how to show pictures of me using this product since it soaks into your skin clear and you really can't see it at all. So, this time you will just have to take my word for it :) This cream is wonderful to put on and coincidentally it only takes a small amount with each application and the bottle is quite large so this would last for a very long time - making it definitely worth the price in my book. One of the only things I didn't really notice a difference on was my under eye circles, but I've come to accept that about my eyes. My dark circles are from allergies and other internal issues, so I've never found a skin care product that can fade them. It does make it easier to apply concealer to help hide them a bit though.

I give this product 4 out of 5 stars: I really enjoyed getting to use this product. It feels great, doesn't leave me greasy and helps to prep my skin to apply my makeup. It also smells fantastic and really just feels like a special treat for my skin. I'm really happy to have an under eye product that doesn't make me feel like an old lady for using it :)

If you are interested in learning more about Lily. B products, we will be having a Twitter party tomorrow (8/14) at 2 pm est :) Just check out hash tag #beautychat to get involved in the conversation. Also, everyone who participates in the Twitter party will be eligible to win a signed copy of Colbie Callait's new album (and Colbie herself might even make a tweeting appearance!).

Bloom Review: Dr. Dennis Gross Extra Strength Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel

This was really an interesting product that Bloom sent me in my Ambassador box this month - Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare's Extra Strength Alpha Beta Face Peel. The name strikes a little fear into my heart, but I was curious to see how an at-home peel would turn out :)

First off, this face peel is Extra Strength - a stronger version with more of the Alpha Beta Acids than their other products. The nicest part is that the product says it has added strength without added irritation or redness - this was my biggest concern. When I hear the word 'face peel', it immediately calls to mind the episode of Sex and the City where Samantha gets a facial peel before a big event and ends up wearing a hat with a black veil to cover her raw and oozy looking face. So, the fact that this product promises no extra irritation or redness is a big plus for me as I have had issues with other facial products in the past (like the Alchimie Mask).

Anyway, to really show the side by side results, I started by taking a before picture of my skin.

This is was taken just after removing my makeup and cleaning my face. I do have a few blemishes, but my biggest concern with my face is my pores. My pores are huge and black head filled (ew, I feel gross just typing it). Because of the blackheads, my face doesn't always feel so smooth, so I really wanted to see how this would handle my issues.

The peel comes in the form of 2 individually sealed wipes. You apply the 1st step by rubbing the wipe in a circles on your face. As one section of the wipe would get dry, I would turn it to another spot and keep going. You just keep going around until the whole cloth feels dry. At first the product doesn't feel like anything, but once you go back around and rub the same spot again with the cloth, it does cause a little bit of stinging - nothing major though. I was perfectly fine with the very little irritation it caused. After the first step is applied, you wait 2 minutes before repeating the same rubbing process with the 2nd step - again just rub in circles until the cloth is dry.

And that's it! My face had mild stinging for a few minutes afterward, but then went away and I had no other problems :) The trial I was given was for 5 days, so I took pictures on the 1st and 5th day so we could all see the progress.

I am really pleased with the results! You can clearly see how much the redness of my complexion was reduced. I'm very pink usually, so it was nice to see my skin tone more evened out. Also, if didn't shrink my pores completely, but I can can certainly tell a difference.

Here are some close ups of my skin. The blackheads are still there, but much less noticeable. One thing that may sound gross that I really liked about this peel is that it seemed to force the zits out of my face. It wasn't like a breakout, just each night I would see a small and easily removable zit that was painless to remove. I was able to get rid of my blemishes easily without causing any red spots - how great is that?

I give this product 5 out of 5 stars! Anything that can reduce my redness that much as well as make my pimples more manageable is a-ok in my book :) There is a mild amount of stinging, but it really isn't bad at all and goes away quickly. My pore size was reduced and I'm sure that if I had more than a 5 day trial of this that they would have reduced even more. My skin feels smoother and healthier and I couldn't be happier :)