Makeup Fashion Style

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Save 30% At Gap.com

****UPDATE**** I found out yesterday when I tried to use this code that only single use codes were released. How all bad is that? I've texted my friend asking her what's the deal with that, but have yet to hear from her. I'm sorry we missed out on this!

I've just received word from a friend who works at Gap that from tomorrow through December 3rd it's friends and family time at Gap.com. Use the coupon / promo code D1QTCW77L8KP and save a huge 30% off your entire purchase!!! That is unbelievable! I'm so excited because over the weekend I received a $100 gift card to the Gap when I cashed in some of my American Express card points. What a perfect time to use them! Coupon codes for Gap.com do not come around often, so make sure you take advantage of this one. Make sure you check out their SALE departments too, because they have got a ton of great deals. Happy Shopping!


Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Benefit Benetint v. Tarte Cheek Stain

Recently, I have been getting a lot of inquires for comparisons of Benefit Benetint and Tarte Cheek Stain. I can honestly say that I love both products. I use both religiously. And while they both have many similarities (including price), I personally think that each one has a major difference.

Benefit Benetint was the first product that I tried by Benefit. I fell in love with it immediately. It gives your cheeks that perfect, fresh from working-out flush that looks so natural. It goes on so smooth and it feels like you have nothing on at all. What's the major difference that Benetint has? You can also use it as a lip stain. Some people get scared at the fact that the liquid looks very red in the container, but trust me, it turns into the perfect shade when you put it on your lips or cheeks and rub it in. Benetint also comes in the super handy Benefit Benetint Pocket Pal, which has a very nice clear gloss on the opposite end of the Benetint. Pair the two together and you get incredible looking lips. Word to the wise, make sure you wait for the Benetint to dry before lathering on the clear gloss on top. Otherwise, you'll be mixing the tint together with the clear gloss on the brush and your clear gloss will become pinkish. It's not the end of the world if that happens, but I know that are many people out there who are anal about keeping everything separate.


If I was on a desert island and had a limited choice of make-up items to take with me, Tarte Cheek Stain would be one of those must haves. I have to admit, the first time I saw this product, I walked right on by. I was immediately turned off by the darkness of almost every shade. As I looked at the dark gel in it's push-up tube I thought, "Do they really expect me to put this on my face?!?!" It wasn't until after I was watching Maureen Kelly (founder of Tarte) doing a make-over on television that I exclaimed I must try that! Best decision ever made! I have since been hooked on the entire Tarte line, with the Cheek Stain being my favorite. Just like Benetint, it gives your cheeks that perfect work-out flush (I guess that's why one shade is called Flush!) and makes your skin feel so light and airy like you have nothing on it. What gives this product a huge leg up on Benetint is the wide arrange of shades available. Benetint only comes in the original rosey shade, but Tarte Cheek Stains come in at least 10 shades that I know of. One shade, Bronze Goddess, even acts as a sort of bronzer and makes your tan stand out. Each shade also smells extremely yummy (strawberries, coconut, peach, and many more). Tarte also puts out sets all of the time that contain samplers of the Cheek Stains, so you can try more than one shade. It's also nice to have the minis that you can throw in your bag and have on you constantly.

So, if I had to choose between either Benefit Benetint or Tarte Cheek Stain, I think I would lean more towards the Cheek Stain. I love the wide array of colors and the look of my cheeks with Tarte. I still love Benetint and highly recommend it, but if I could only pick one, Tarte would be the winner. Oh! Another thing to let everyone know is that these products are so long lasting; both on your face and in the container. You will not run out of any of these products quickly.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Breast Cancer Christmas Gifts

Okay, I know that October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month) is long gone, but as my mother, a Breast Cancer Survivor always says, "Breast Cancer Awareness Month is every month." So while doing a little internet shopping this Cyber Monday I have come across a ton of Breast Cancer related merchandise. A lot of these items are completely new to me. It's nice to see that more and more companies are donating to charities.

My absolute favorite new item is Susan G. Komen Barbie Doll. I stumbled upon her this morning. I can't believe I didn't know about this before. Barbie is dressed in a beautiful pink gown and of course has the perfect accessory...a pink ribbon. I cannot wait to give to my Mom on Christmas. I know she is going to love it. Mattel is going to donate $2.50 from each sale to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The best part is the price of this gorgeous doll...$24.88 with $0.97 shipping!!! This same doll is being sold between $50 and $75 on tons of other websites. I can't wait to get this! I'm sure she looks even more gorgeous in person.

On my other blog TonsOfGiftIdeas.com, I have mentioned how my family (myself included) are Sudoku nuts. I kid you not when I say that my boyfriend and I go head to head to see who can finish the puzzle faster. Let me also say that I usually kick the Red Eye Sudoku Ninja's ass everytime! I purchased a the regular version of this Breast Cancer Sudoku Electronic Touch Screen Handheld Game and absolutely love it. My boyfriend and I fight over who gets to play with it. I'm picking one of these up for my Mom and one for me. I love the snazzy pink color! My boyfriend can keep the orange one. It's only $14.99 with FREE SHIPPING!!!

Everytime you open a sales ad around Christmas time there seems to be a bunch of different throw blankets. I love fleece throws so I was happy to see this Susan G Komen Fleece Throw. The beautiful pink fleece features an embroidered pink ribbon. There is nothing like lighting a bunch of candles and cuddling up on the couch after a long day with a fleece blanket to watch some TV. This blanket is huge and measures 50" x 70". It's on sale for only $7.99! Great deal.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Sephora Promo / Coupon Codes

Sephora is being very generous this holiday season with the freebies. Just when I thought they were done with the free sample coupon codes (what with the super generous deluxe gift bags they are currently giving away...cirque2 is the coupon code for that one), I have come across two more great deluxe free samples from Sephora. Enter SUGARCOOKIE in the promotion code box at checkout to receive a super generous 4 oz. deluxe sample of Philosophy Powdered Sugar Cookie 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath. I love this fragrance! It is one of my favorite from the Philosophy. Unfortunately, I hardly get to use it because my boyfriend ends up using it all up! If you enter GREETINGS in the promotion code box at checkout, you will receive a free deluxe sample of Lip Fusion. That's a whopping $12 value. I know, I know...it's going to be hard to choose which sample you want! If Sephora continues this generosity trend and continues to offer even more freebies, you know I will post the coupon codes as soon as they become available! Happy Shopping!

Friday, November 24, 2006

Nars Rose Birman Lip Gloss

So the UPS Man dropped off a box from Sephora.com the other day, and I finally got to test out the new Nars Lip Gloss in Rose Birman. I will be the first to admit that I almost over looked this product because the image makes the color look so dark...I'm talking gothic dark. Thank God I heard someone else rave about it because I love it. It is a divine berry shade. It seems like berry shades are very hot right now, as they should be, because they seem to compliment everyone's skin tone. The problem is finding the right shade of berry. There are some that seem to be more fuschia than berry and others that seem to be too pink. I've been wearing this shade for 3 days now and I love it! I've also received a few compliments on it. I'm hoping that this shade is going to be around for awhile. It came out as part of their holiday collection, but it doesn't say limited edition. Fingers crossed that this is a permanent piece of the collection.

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Happy Thanksgiving


Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope everyone's day is full of turkey and happiness! Get plenty of rest and gear up for a big day of shopping tomorrow!

Sunday, November 19, 2006

20% Off At Sephora

Just came across a rare 20% off coupon / promo code for Sephora.com. Use the code ff2006 and receive 20% off your entire purchase. Take advantage of this, because money off codes and coupons do not come often from Sephora.

Sephora.com, Inc.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

DuWop Fierce Glosses Venom Lip Gloss Set

Have you guys seen this DuWop Fierce Glosses Venom Lip Gloss Set? I can't believe I missed this kit the first time I posted about new make-up kits for the holiday season. DuWop Venon Gloss is one of my absolute favorite products. Some people complain about the tingling feeling that is left on your lips, but I think that is the best part. I purchased the gift set from DuWop last year, which only contained 3 tubes of gloss that were in much brighter colors. This year, they are offering the shades Creamsicle, Fig, Wisteria, and Bronze Goddess, which are all shades that are very suitable for the fall and winter seasons. You receive FREE SHIPPING with orders of $49 or more and you receive $10 off orders of $100 or more. I just ordered mine and will definately post a more detailed review once I receive it, but I already know I will love it!

Friday, November 17, 2006

Black Friday

Can you believe that a week from today is Black Friday?!?! Where does the time go? As I'm sure many of you are, I am so excited about Black Friday. I've already begun to make my game plan. Believe it or not, my Dad is actually a huge shopper while my Mom is not so much. I think we're going to hit up the Midnight Madness Sale at the Chicago Premium Outlets. If you haven't heard yet, many Chelsea Premium Outlet Malls are opening at midnight. I think this is actually pretty cool because it gives you the chance to hit up the sales here and still get to other stores for their early bird specials at 5 am. I included the link directly to the Chicago Premium Outlets, but if you go to that site you can see all of the other Chelsea Outlets and see if the one near you is participating. You can see all the stores that are participating and what type of deals they are offering. At Chicago, Kate Spade is offering 25% off sales of $100 or more, Kenneth Cole is offering 30% off your entire purchase, Wilsons Leather is offering 20% off your entire purchase, Guess is offering 25% off your entire purchase, Banana Republic is offering 40% off the entire store, just to name a few. The Coach store is also participating, but it doesn't say if they are offering anything special or if they are just opening early. I can't wait!

Philosophy Products In The Friday Sale

So, while searching around the Amazon.com Friday Sale I was shocked by what I found. I cannot believe this Philosophy Muffin Man 3 Piece Gift Set in Suitcase is part of the Friday Sale! Rarely do you find any Philosophy products on sale anywhere, as I'm sure most of you are well aware. "Let our favorite man take care of your every need this holiday season. The Muffin man gift set includes a luxurious 6 ounce shower gel and bubble bath, a pampering 3.5 ounce shimmer body souffle, and a delicious .5 ounce flavored lip shine - all infused with Philosophy's famous Muffin scent. The Muffin man is the kind of man you can take to any holiday party with confidence. So, what are you waiting for?" As you know, I am a Philosophy fanatic! Trust me when I say that if you haven't tried Philosophy yet, you will not be disappointed. There products smell so good that you will be tempted to take a taste! Only $25.50 from $38.00 plus FREE SHIPPING.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

There's Only How Many Shopping Days Left Until Christmas!?!?!

Okay, so I know I have the Great Shirts Blog, but I had to share this shirt with my fellow shoppers! This one literally made me laugh out loud. I love the look of fright on this woman's face! There's only how many shopping days left until Christmas?!!? I have actually said that very phrase many times. This shirt is available from Lush Laundry, which I have featured on the other blog many times because I absolutely love their shirts. They have so many fun designs. I just bought this one for me, my mom, and my sister to wear while Christmas shopping on Black Friday. I think they'll be a hit! This design is available on a wide variety of products.

Shopping

Victoria's Secret Free Panty Coupons


While we're on the topic of freebies, let me tell you that I was able to rack up 25 free pairs of Victoria's Secret panties thanks to the free coupons that were implanted within magazines such as Cosmo, Glamour, and Marie Claire as well as the coupons that were mailed to me (see my previous posts on this). I don't know what possessed me to finally count them, but I did and I can't believe I have 25! I walk past Victoria's Secret almost every day, so I just popped in everytime and redeemed another coupon. Perhaps it makes me sound cheap, but let me clarify that I spend so much money at Victoria's Secret as it is that picking up some free panties is something I should be able to do more often! Yes, I really do spend roughly $500 at each semi-annual sale! So that's my next tip of the day...take advantage of freebies! If you consider that each panty retails at $7.50, I saved $187.50 just by redeeming a coupon.

A Quick Story About Freebies And Samples

Just thought I'd share something funny. You know that I live in a high rise apartment in downtown Chicago, so that means I have a small bathroom. I'm always on the look out for new ways to organize and store everything in my bathroom (it doesn't help that I have enough beauty products to stock not 1, but 2 Sephora stores). So anyway, my sister gave me a Care Bears garbage can for Christmas last year and I finally had the idea to use it to hold stuff under my sink as opposed to just throwing stuff under the sink like I normally do. So I went out and bought 3 car washing buckets to hold more stuff under the sink because I figured it one bucket made a huge difference imagine what 4 would do. Anyhoo...So while filling up the buckets with stuff from my bathroom I was amazed at the amount of free samples I have accumulated. Let me just tell you, I literally have enough free samples of shampoo and conditioner to fill an entire bucket! Plus, I was able to fill another bucket just with free samples of make-up and beauty products from Sephora and other make-up counters. So what's the point of this story? Use your free samples! Needless to say, I'm going to save a ton on shampoo and conditioner this year. I used to say I'll just save these samples and take them with me on vacation, but I have so much stuff that I would have to take a vacation for a few years to use it all! Save money! Use the freebies!


One more thing...you don't even want to know how many packages of deoderant I have!

Kate Spade Sample Sale

Hey girls...I just wanted to remind you that the Kate Spade Online Sample Sale starts today. Go to www.katespade.com/sample sale for more information. Since this is a sample sale, remember that quantities are limited.

Monday, November 13, 2006

Free $25 Gift Certificate From Szul

If you've been thinking about getting some new jewelry for yourself or possibly for someone else for Christmas, this free $25 gift certificate from Szul will come in handy. Just click the link to save $25 on a purchase at Szul. No coupon or promo code necessary. I picked up the 1/4 CTW. Round Solitaire Diamond Stud Earrings in 14k White Gold for only $74.99 with this offer. They were originally $200. I picked them up for my sister for Christmas because she's always wanted a pair of diamond studs. For those of you who know her, shhhhhhh! Don't let her know! It's a good thing she won't have access to a computer for awhile! They are item XER0025C1 if you want to take a looksy.

Szul.com

Free Gift With Purchase From eLuxury

Well wouldn't you know it...eLUXURY has jumped on the deluxe samples goody bag with purchase bandwagon. Receive an assortment of your favorite beauty essentials when you spend $85 or more on any beauty purchase. Simply enter promo / coupon code GIFT at checkout.

Beauty GWP

30% Off At Kohls.com

Hey girls...I can't believe I forget to post this over the weekend, but if you have a Kohl's charge card you can save 30% off your entire order at Kohls.com with coupon / promo code GIFT30. This offer expires tomorrow. Plus, shipping is only $5 flat.

120x90 Kohl's $5 Flat Shipping

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Save On Yankee Candles

I had a very long day of outlet mall shopping today. I got a lot of good deals including a ton of Yankee Candles. They had a huge Veterans Day Sale, so I stocked up on candles for Christmas time. When I came home I saw that YankeeCandle.com also had an online sale. While searching around, I came across a great coupon. You can use it online or print it out and take it to the store. It's good for $10 off any purchase of $25 or more. That's huge! I wish I would have had this coupon with me when I was at the Yankee Candle store, but that just gave me an excuse to stock up on a few more candles and accessories online. Hope you guys can use this.

Yankee Candle

Friday, November 10, 2006

Sephora Monopoly Available Online

Sephora Monopoly is finally available online. I cannot tell you how giddy I am about this game. As soon as the UPS man drops this off at my apartment, I am going to have a girls night. We'll whip up a bunch of cosmos and begin building our Sephora monopolies on Blowout Blvd. and Lipstick Lane. Never in a million years did I think there was ever going to be a Sephora edition of Monopoly. Now, I haven't gotten this game yet, but I am wondering what are the houses and hotels referred to as in this version. Sports editions refer to them as stadiums, so will these be Sephora stores? I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Airplane Approve Products

It's time for the 311. No, I'm not talking about Chicago's non-emergency line. The 311 is being used to refer to the new restrictions of liquids and gels onto airplanes. Since many people will be traveling over Thanksgiving and Christmas, I thought this would be a good time to highlight what you can and can't take on your carry on. God knows that I would not want my full size beauty products thrown into the garbage...I'd probably start crying right there in the airport. 311 breaks down like this: 3 oz. or less products, in a 1 quart bag, and you can only have 1 bag. Yes, I know that sounds like a small amount of space, but if you pack and choose your products wisely, you'll be all good. If you can't fit everything into these requirements, you can always pack the items on your checked bags. This restriction is only applicable to your carry-on bags. Also, remember to clean out your purse before you go to the airport. All of those tubes of lip gloss, bottles of hand lotion, and small bottles of perfume need to be placed in the baggie too. The good thing is that there are plenty of health and beauty products that come in the right size and packaging for your trip.

CARGO Cosmetics had a jump on travel products long before any restrictions were imposed. They are truly a frequent flier's best friend. CARGO DailyGloss™ 2, CARGO ColorCards™ ColorCards, and CARGO GlossBox™ GlossBox are three of their best on the go products. All three feature individually packed, one time use products. Get the perfect amount of lip gloss or eye shadow in each piece. What I love about these one time use products is the fact that you don't have to re-pack them for your trip home. Use it and then toss the package. How easy is that. And since these products are from Cargo, you can count on high quality, long lasting make-up in the perfect shades.












If you're someone who is constantly worried about your manicure then these ModelCo Liquid Buds - Nail Polish Remover 36 Buds are perfect for you. Now, I personally am not a fan of nail polish. It's the one beauty product that I never got into, but one of my friend's is absolutely obsessed with her nails. She changes the color of her polish at least once, but sometimes twice a week. She swears by this product and carries a few swabs around with her where ever she goes. I would think these would be great for travel, not only to satisfy the 311 rule, but also to get rid of fears of a bottle of nail polish remover breaking and spilling all over your stuff. Not to mention how horrible the smell would be if that happened.




I think this next product is a must have on red-eye flights or long flights where you might take a nap. Bare Escentuals On The Spot is another swab product, but this one is filled with perfect size amounts of eye make-up remover. You'll obviously need this type of product for your trip, but I say it's great to have on certain types of plane rides because everyone knows that sometimes when you take a cat nap your eye make-up runs or smears. Even though you may have been traveling for 10 hours doesn't mean you have to look like it.



Another product that will help you look fresh after a day of traveling is Boscia Fresh Blotting Linens Original - 100 Sheets. Just blot these sheets over your face to get rid of any oil and shine that has accumulated. You feel so much better when your face feels fresh and clean.



What about shampoos and conditioners? I usually save all of the free samples that I recieve in the mail and in magazines and take those with me whenever I travel. Many companies have even been sending products like gel, mousse, and hair spray. Stock up and save them for your trips.

For your must have products that you just can't live without that do not come in convenient travel size containers, I've got a few suggestions. First, save smaller bottles and refill them. Every Christmas I get at least one gift package from Bath & Body Works that consists of the small try me sized products. I keep those in my purse for everyday use and when I run out, I simply refill them using my full size products. If you don't want to go through the hassle of cleaning these bottles out, especially if you want to fill them with a different product you can find affordable travel cases at many stores. I can't find any pictures of them to post right now, but you know what I'm talking about...a bunch of small bottles and tubes that you can fill up with whatever you want.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Kaepa Shoes

I just had a total flashback! I'm currently bored out of my mind, so I decided to do some "window" shopping online. While browsing the Amazon.com's Clearance Shoe Sale and what do I see but Kaepa Shoes! Now, I remember back in the early 90s when I used to read YM and Sassy magazines (even though I was probably only 11, 12, or 13 and had no clue what they were really talking about in those articles) and always seeing the ads for Kaepa. They so made me want to be a cheerleader. And I remember being stupid and easily persuaded by advertising and thinking how cool it would be to be a cheerleader, get a pair of Kaepa shoes, and have the color triangles match my cheerleading uniform. Yes, go ahead and laugh at me, but don't tell me you didn't think that way too! I just can't believe they still make Kaepa shoes because I haven't heard about them since the days of YM and Sassy. Of course, they must not be big sellers considering that they are on clearance for only $9.99. So that was my blast from the past moment of the day.

Cute Stocking Stuffers From Avon

AVON.com always has tons of cute stocking stuffers for Christmas. It was a good thing that I just received an email from them because I totally forgot. My absolute favorites are the Festive Treats Lip Balm. I purchased a tube in White Chocolate last year and fell in love with it. Of course, when I went online to buy more they were sold out! They're on sale for $0.69 right now and you bet I'm going to stocking up on these. Flavors are Candy Cane, White Chocolate, Gingerbread, and Sugar Cookie. The Gingerbread Man Emery Board is also too cute for words and on sale for $0.69. They've also got a bunch of different hand creams, lotions, bubble baths and shower gels in a wide variety of fragrances for only $0.99. What I love about these low prices is the fact that you can buy a bunch of these products and bundle them up together in a cute celophane bag and pass them out to all the girls at school, work, the gym, whatever. It's amazing how even the simplist gesture really touches people. Just make sure you do get some of the lip balms for yourself! They are sooooooo yummy! Oh, and enter the Coupon / Promo code FREESHIP6 and get FREE SHIPPING ON ANY ORDER. Great deal!!!