Free Almay Mascara At Walgreens

Sorry for the lack of posts as well as the lack of response to comments and emails. I have been dealing with a cold that will just not go away. Top that with a coming and going sinus problem that is aggravated by the crazy weather we're having in Chicago right now (really cold to really warm - sunny to rainy and dreary). Truth be told, I've been spending more time at Walgreens and CVS these days than at Sephora and Macy's. However, had I not been sick, I may not have found out about the FREE Almay mascara deal from Walgreens.

For those of you who are not drugstore shoppers (I have just started couponing and as such have just become a drugstore shopper), Walgreens has a rebate book each month. It is a little catalog looking book that is available at the front of the store with the sales ads. Usually, there are one or two items that are free each month after rebate. This month, Almay mascara is completely free after rebate.

This week, Almay Cosmetics are buy one, get one free. So, if at least one of the products that you purchase is the mascara, you can send in for the rebate and get both of them for free. What's even better...if you have an Almay coupon you can turn it into a money maker. I was fortunate enough to have 2 $2 off any Almay product. So I spent $2.99 upfront for 2 Almay mascaras and will receive a rebate of $6.99. Pretty nice, huh?


I'm sure you're wondering why I would want Almay mascara when I would never be able to let go of my Dior and Tarte mascaras. Well, usually I would keep one of these free Almay mascaras in my car, just to have on hand (sorry, but I can't leave such expensive mascaras to just sit in my car knowing that I won't use it that often), but with Christmas quickly approaching, I plan on making up gift baskets for local women's shelters. Like I said before, in the past month or so I have jumped onto the couponing wave (you know, those stories you see on the news more and more often now that the economy is so bad about people who use coupons to get free stuff...yeah, that's me!), I have gotten sooooooooo many health and beauty products for free or just pennies on the dollar. So I plan to make up gift baskets with body washes, lotions, toothpaste, deoderant, make-up, etc. and pass them out to the women in the shelters. It's not much, but it's practical and I'm sure that many women in these shelters would think twice before purchasing some of these more "luxurious" items.


The buy one, get one free Almay deal is only available this week (through Saturday), but the rebate program continues through the month.

Happy Birthday Sephora

It's hard to believe that Sephora has only been around for 10 years. What did we do before Sephora??? I can remember being frustrated when certain Marshall Fields (oh how I long for those days before Macy's took over) only carried certain brands forcing me search all over for coveted cosmetics. I remember the first time I ever walked into a Sephora. It was like Charlie walking into the chocolate factory. Everything shined and seemed to call my name. I wanted one of everything, but surprisingly, I managed to walk out with only a single palette. Now, I'm lucky if I can walk out spending less than $100.

To celebrate Sephora's 10th birthday/anniversary, some of the top cosmetics companies have put together limited edition beauty products and gift sets at great prices. Most of these products are even "Best of Sephora" award winners.

Bare Escentuals has created Mineral Veil On The Go Mineral Veil for the occassion. For the first time, the best selling Mineral Veil is available in a portable device. For those of you who have yet to try Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil, it is a sheer translucent powder that you apply as a finishing powder on your face. It gives skin a flawless, airbrushed look while absorbing oil from your face. I absolutely love the packaging. I will say this though, it is a bit big and bulky. This is not a product that would fit easily in your clutch for touchups during a night on the town. This is a limited edition item that is available for $28.

TIP - If you already have a ton of Mineral Veil (I know I do because it is included in a lot of Bare Escentuals kits) and don't want to pick up this product, but want to have the on the go ability I have a suggestion. Simply take a retractable fact brush, brush it in the Mineral Veil, retract it, put the cap on it, and you're ready to go. Also, most retractable brushes I have seen are smaller than the On The Go product currently available so this tip may prove helpful if you're looking for something smaller to fit in a clutch.

No Sephora celebration would be complete without a gift set from Stila. Stila offers its Stila Loves Sephora 10th Anniversary Can. The can is filled with some Stila's fan favorites including Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer, Convertible Color in Peony, Kajal Eyeliner in Onyx, Mini Multi-Effect Mascara, and Brown Sugar Lip Glaze. There was a time when I would never leave Sephora without getting a new shade of Stila Lip Glaze! This kit totally takes me back to that time. Even if you don't get this kit, I highly, highly, highly recommend the Convertible Color in Peony. This is a multitasker that every beauty addict needs. Use it on you lips, eyes, and cheeks. Its dusty rose hue is perfect for the fall. This kit is a limited edition priced at $40 (with a $90 value).

Another Sephora shoppers favorite brand is Philosophy. Who amongst us hasn't spent many an hour at Sephora smelling her way through the entire Philosophy display telling her girlfriend that the products smell good enough to eat?!?! I know I'm guilty!!! And then comes the dilema of trying to select just one scent to take home. For Sephora's 10th Birthday Philosophy has helped us out with that problem. Introducing the Philosophy Classic Cookbook, a collection of ten of Philosophy's favorite scents. The Classic Cookbook includes 2 oz. bottles of Strawberry Milkshake, Red Velvet Cake, Pumpkin Pie, Senorita Margarita, Coconut Frosting, Cinnamon Buns, Double Rich Hot Cocoa, Raspberry Sorbet, Vanilla Birthday Cake, and Melon Daiquiri. This is a great gift for any Philosophy addict as well as for the person who has never tried Philosophy but has always wanted to. How could you go wrong with 10 of Philosophy's best scents??? This limited edition set is available for $40.

There are many more 10th Anniversary gifts from companies like Fresh, Clinique, Urban Decay, Too Faced, and, of course, Sephora. These were just a few of my favorites that I could personally recommend. All of the 10th Anniversary items are limited edition and are obviously only available at Sephora. Happy Shopping!

The Lash Stash

Hey girls. I've been hitting the books so hard that I've hardly done anything else for the past week and a half. Hopefully, it will pay off. So I decided to take a little break this morning and check my email, which I haven't done in a few days. I was happy to see an email from Sephora. A few new products were highlighted, but I am most excited about one in particular: The Lash Stash. The Lash Stash is an awesome kit that includes 7 travel sized mascaras from some great brands.

0.14 oz Benefit A Little Bit BADgal Lash in Black
0.02 oz Blinc Kiss Me Mascara in Black
0.15 oz LORAC Publicity Stunt Lashes in Black
0.12 oz Smashbox Bionic Mascara in Black
0.24 oz Stila Multi-Effect Mascara in Black
1.0 oz Sephora Brand Lash Plumper in Black
0.17 oz Too Faced Lash Injection in Black

This is a great idea from Sephora. If there is one thing that I hear most people complain about it is the cost of mascara. So many girls want to try out new mascaras, but at $20-something a pop, it's not exactly the most affordable product to test out. On top of it, when you try out mascara in a store, you usually use a generic tester brush and not the brush that would come with the product so how do you really know if you would like the mascara when often the brush is more talked about then the actual make-up? At only $28, this is a great way to try out these products. All of the mascaras listed in this kit have a huge following. I will say that my 2 personal favorites are missing: Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! and Diorshow Mascara. This kit is a limited edition and only available at Sephora. Happy Shopping!

Waterproof Make-Up

I grew up with a pool in my backyard. My parents still have a pool, my apartment building has a pool, and I live right on Lake Shore Drive so the beach is just footsteps away. As much as I love the water, if I'm not wearing waterproof make-up then forget it. Now, obviously when I'm at my parents house or even my apartment and just feel like spending the day lounging around in the pool, I don't even bother with make-up. As much as I love make-up, I'm not one of those people who refuse to leave the house without it. But what about those times when your going to a party at a friend's who has a pool...like there's not a chance someone will got tossed in the pool unexpectedly??? If that someone is me, I don't want to go into the pool looking totally normal and come out looking like Alice Cooper with runny eye make-up. In these situations, water proof make-up is a must.

A few people have been emailing and asking me for some suggestions for waterproof make-up. In my opinion, eye make-up is what you really need to be concerned with when thinking water-proof. Blush and lipgloss usually just wash off and don't leave you with a streaky mess. Mascara and eyeliner, on the other hand, can leave you looking like an extra in a horror movie. A lot of make-up brands offer much of their eye mak-up in both regular and water-proof varities. If you have a favorite brand of eye make-up that you just couldn't live without, just check and see if they offer a water-proof version. If you are looking for something new and waterproof, check out some of my latest finds.

CARGO Swimmables Summer Beach Collection - I came across this set on HSN.com earlier this week. This is an HSN exclusive. This kit is just too cute. I love the name...Swimmables! You get water-proof mascara and eyeliner as well as a lip tint in a handy sports case making it easy to toss into your beach bag. Both the mascara and eyeliner are in shades of black and the lip tint is a berry shade. I just bought this kit for a friend of mine getting married in July (she's a 7-7-07 Bride) who is honeymooning in Hawaii and plans on spending a lot of time on the beach. This kit is available for only $25 with FREE SHIPPING!

Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes! Waterproof Mascara Black - I first tried Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! about a year ago and fell in love with it. I was overjoyed when about two months ago I learned that Tarte had finally come out with a water-proof version. The mascara brush has tons of tiny "lashes" that are able to get in between each and every eyelash and give them a nice even layer. The packaging is adorable too...a very chic denim wrap is adorned with a little anchor patch. Available for $18.

Dior Eye Show - If you're looking for a waterproof eye shadow, Dior Eye Show is your best bet. This cream shadow packs a lot of punch in its color contains just the right amount of shimmer. It's texture is smooth and feels so lightweight you won't even realize you have it on. Available in 6 great shades for $30.

Bourjois Intensely Luminous Waterproof Cream Eyeshadow - This is another great choice for water-proof shadow, especially if the $30 price tag on the Dior Eye Show is just too much for your wallet. These shadows are packed full of pigment, but appear irredescent when applied to your lids. These shadows also stay put without creasing. I absolutely love the Electric Beige shade. It also serves as a great base for layering shadows. Available in five shades for only $13.

Another thing to keep in mind as summer approaches, water-proof make-up is also helpful for those who tend to sweat a lot...especially, obviously, on your face. Now I know most women do not want to admit that they sweat a lot, but come on, we all sweat. In Chicago, where the summers are full of 90 plus degree heat and 1000% humidity, I sometimes sweat just sitting in the shade! Don't be afraid to reach for water-proof make-up when you're off to a BBQ or a fundraiser walk.

Givenchy Arty Color Collection

Have you guys seen the new Givenchy Arty Color Collection? I had the opportunity to play with all of the new products today and was just blown away. Granted, I haven't really spoken about Givenchy products in the past, but I have been a fan of their cosmetic line for quite some time. The only problem that I had with it in the past (and the reason I have never really posted about it before) is the fact that they never really had any products that I found to be unique and awe-inspiring. Thanks to the new Arty Color Collection, I can no longer say that. Inspired by the art of graffiti, features an "explosion of colors." Just in time for spring, vibrant pinks, blues, greens, purples, yellows, and more are found in their eye shadows, lip glosses, masacaras and more. This collection is so unique in the way that they offer such a wide spectrum of colors. Unlike other lines that seem to feature variations of two or three shades, Givenchy takes a bold step forward and offers all of the colors of the rainbow. With all of these great color choices available, you will be able to create a million different looks.

My favorite piece from the new collection by far is the Givenchy Prismissime Eyes - 9-Colors Eyeshadow Arty Palette 53. These are 9 of the brightest colors I have ever seen. Now, don't be scared by the brightness. The nice thing about Givency shadows is that they can be applied as only a sheer hint of color by lightly coating the eye lid or they can be used to create a deep vibrant look by layering the shades. "Shades include: six vivid mat colors with pearly white inlays in pink, green, turquoise, yellow, purple, orange; and three very iridescent shades with an intense metallic finish in pure silver, pearly pink, and precious copper." The silver shade is out of this world.

Blue mascara seems to be a craze lately. Benefit just released Bad Girl Lashes in Blue and now Givenchy has released Givenchy Eyelashcolor Color Gloss For Highlighted Lashes in Blue as well as Green. "Highlighted" is the perfect word to describe this product because it does not give you heavy blue eyelashes but instead highlights your lashes giving you just a subtle hint of color that makes your eyes pop. Girls with blue eyes, you must try the blue shade. My blue eyes practically popped out of my head with this mascara. Not only is the color right, but the mascara wand is full of tiny fibers that are able to coat every nook and cranny of your lashes without creating clumps. If you haven't tried Givenchy mascara in the past, I highly recommend testing it out.

This collection also features two new Givenchy Magic Khol Eye Liner Pencil shades in Blue and Green. Both have a metallic tinge to them. While both shades are nice, they aren't anything too spectacular. I think that the cream liners available from Stila and Smashbox reign supreme in liners in terms of ease of application, look created, long lastingness, and colors. Now, if I received these as a gift I would definately use them, I'm just saying I personally would not go out and pick these up for myself.

The Prisme Again! Blush Quartet in Arty Pink is very interesting. Okay, I don't really get the name because more than pink is featured here. Glimmering Fuschia/ Glimmering Gold/ Glimmering Soft Orange/ Glimmering Vibrant Pink are all crammed into this palette. Use the colors individually or combine them all together. Believe it or not, all 4 compliment each other like I never would have guessed. The fact that the colors cover such a wide spectrum also allows you to create many looks. Go for the girly pink cheeks look or use the orange to get more the sun-kissed glow look. This palette is great for the girl who likes to mix it up and not wear the same color all of the time. Yes, that would be me!

I expect a lot of mixed reviews for the Pop Gloss Syrup Lip Glosses in Raspberry (a sheer watermelon pink shade) and Plum Syrup (a sheer fuscia purple shade). As far as the shades go, I love the Raspberry but was also drawn to the Plum Syrup. I think most will love the shades, but I think that some will not be too fond of the texture of the gloss. Syrup is the key word in the name. They definately have a syrupy/honey like texture in that they are some what thick. I have heard many complaints about thick lip glosses that tend to feel sticky. I personally do not mind lip glosses like that. In all honesty, it makes me more conscious of my lip gloss and I also know when I am in need of a touch up.

I should also mention that all of the products from the Givenchy Arty Color Collection are of course LIMITED EDITIONS. I highly recommend that the next time you are at a store that sells Givenchy cosmetics that you go over to the counter and try out this latest collection. It's tons-o-fun!