Nail of the Day: Yes, We Can Pink! By Essie

Over the last few days, I've been giving my nails a break from nail polish because they were in REALLY bad shape after polishing them continuously a few too many times (I read somewhere that it's important to give your bare nails a chance to breathe every once in a while). After three days though, I couldn't take the no nail polish look any longer and just had to do something! I chose Essie's "Yes We Can, Pink" (a shade created for the organization Living Beyond Breast Cancer) because I wanted a fairly neutral polish that would be easy to remove once I was ready so I could avoid having to douse my fingernails in the harsh chemicals of polish remover (it also doesn't hurt that I got it on sale at ULTA for $2.99!). But then it took FOUR COATS to get the opaque look seen in the picture above! Normally I use just two coats of polish, but with this shade, it's SO sheer that two coats still looks like bare nails. By three, you start to achieve coverage, but you can still see the line between your nail bed's pink/white portions. After four coats I finally achieved the opaqueness I was going for, but of course then it becomes a lot easier to smudge your nails because of the thickness of the layers. I just can't win! ;) Needless to say, I like the color, but wish there was a faster way to achieve it.

Feature: BeautyTicket.com!

Although they carry brand-name products at steep discounts, BeautyTicket.com is NOT just another online cosmetics boutique. First and foremost, what immediately sets them apart is the inventory: they carry amazing high-end brands like YSL, Urban Decay, Too Faced and Smashbox at prices that are 50% or more off of retail (the site claims that the discounts can go up to 85% off). In my extensive online beauty shopping experience I've found that many e-commerce cosmetics sites carry only lower-end products or provide such a limited selection that you can never find a color that suits your skin tone. While BeautyTicket's variety still isn't as vast as if you were to visit ULTA or Sephora, the selection does provide options for light and dark skin tones, as well as neutral and/or colorful tastes.

In addition to their everday inventory, BeautyTicket also holds 3-day Private Sales each Wednesday-Friday featuring a new brand (or two!) every week (in June, they featured NARS, Josie Maran, Twilight, DuWop, Hourglass and next week it's one of my favorites: Urban Decay). Just in case the name seems confusing, Private Sales are actually free to view and open to anyone, as long as you register with the site! Once you're a BeautyTicket.com "Member", you'll receive an e-mail when the sale begins, and from there it's first-come, first-serve until the merchandise is gone (and I've noticed that the most sought after items go really fast, so it's smart to be near a computer when the sale begins!). Although I haven't done an item-by-item comparison, the discounts seems to be just as good on flash sale items as they are on regular inventory.

Of course, any reasonable consumer will start to wonder: "What's the catch? High-end, new cosmetics for 85% off retail?" and thankfully, BeautyTicket.com seems to make this fairly transparent through their F.A.Q, About Me, and Checkout pages. First and foremost, the site warns you that products may come without the original outer packaging (like the box around a tube of lipstick), or the packaging might be slightly dented, scratched or marked. Secondly, the products may be packaged differently from how they are currently sold in retail stores, or they may "appear" to be colors from last season's collection (they caveat this by noting that sometimes manufacturers sell a collection at a different time overseas -- they guarantee that products are new, unopened and not expired). What this basically breaks down to is that BeautyTicket.com purchases surpluses from manufacturers when they are changing packaging or have just produced too much of a particular item. They also purchase items that, while 100% fully functional, somehow ended up with damaged packaging in the manufacturing process, and therefore can no longer feasibly be sold to distributors for full price. Since the site is able to purchase these products at such low prices (when there are major surpluses, manufacturers will do almost anything to make money off of a product since they already spent the money to produce it, even if that means selling at or below cost), they are passing the savings onto you.

Now, after lingering for about a week, I decided to test out the company's ordering and shipping processes, and I wanted to see if the products I received were of high quality. So I placed an order for a Rusk "Being Smooth" Hair Smoothing Creme for $7.99 (retail price: $25) and an MD Skincare Antioxidant Firming Face Serum for $39.99 (retail price: $80). Shipping is a flat rate of $6.95 to the US (no size or weight limits). I did find a coupon code online for 10% off my purchase, so my total with shipping came to just $50. I placed my order on a Wednesday and by Saturday (today!) I had my package in hand. Keep in mind that I ordered a package from ULTA.com not minutes after I placed my BeautyTicket.com order, and I have still not received that one!

When I opened the box, I saw that my items were well packaged and were cushioned with pretty pink shredded paper. Furthermore, the company took the care to place my hair product into a sealed plastic ziploc bag in case it spilled (a special touch that I loved!). Once I took everything out of the box, I started examining, and right away noticed that the packaging is, indeed, not perfect. My hair creme tube is a bit marked up -- it looks like light black scuff marks on the side -- and the MD Skincare serum box is a bit dented on the side and has marks/scratches on the front. Other than that, my items seem to be in PERFECT condition -- the serum is still sealed and the hair creme nozzle was clean and unopened. I have not yet actually tried the products out, but I have no doubt that they are of brand new, high quality (and I will actually do a review on each of them once I've had time to try them out).

Want to know the one thing that I don't like about BeautyTicket.com? They don't accept returns (although they do ask for you to contact them if you are dissatisfied with a product, which perhaps indicates that they might offer a site credit or attempt some other form of compensation to resolve the problem). Now, I totally understand why they CAN'T accept returns -- a normal retailer like ULTA would "damage out" a product and send it back to the manufacturer, but because BeautyTicket.com is buying surplus inventory, they have no recourse to get their money back if you return a product. Despite this, the policy does inhibit impulse/experimental purchases to a degree, because I'm less keen to try a new shade or product if I know I can go to ULTA, buy something similar and bring it back for a full refund if it doesn't suit me.

For me, the no returns issue is especially problematic with their "Mystery Bags," which I'd honestly love to try! For $15-$20, you can get a "lot" of products (usually 4-6 items) that BeautyTicket.com chooses for you. Sometimes the brand name of the products is listed (i.e. they had Stila mystery bags recently) and sometimes it's just listed as being appropriate for a certain skin tone or complexion. Despite the super cheap price, I'd be wary to spend my money on something like this without knowing if I was receiving five high-quality items that I could put to use (i.e. colors that would look good on me). If returns were allowed, or if at the very least there were reviews of these mystery bags on the site, I'd be more apt to give it a try.

All in all, I'm really a big fan of BeautyTicket.com and had a good first experience ordering products from the site. I encourage you all to check it out (http://www.beautyticket.com/) and hopefully find some steals and deals that work for you!!

FTC Disclaimer: BeautyTicket.com is in no way affiliated with, or sponsoring, this post. I paid for these items on my own and these are my true and honest opinions about the experience! In general, any time a post is sponsored, or a product is complimentary, on the Beauty Babble site, it will be clearly indicated!

Review: Clinique Acne Solutions Foundation

As many of you know, I recently tried Clinique's Even Better foundation after reading rave reviews online, but was sorely disappointed when it totally made my face break out (despite the excellent coverage and smooth, moisturizing formula; you can read my review of that product here). When I went to bring the foundation back to the counter, the Clinique representative suggested that I try their Acne Solutions formula instead, since it would also help treat my skincare concerns.

The most important thing to know is that this formula contains Salicylic Acid as its active ingredient, so if you are already using other skincare treatments with this ingredient, doubling up with the Acne Solutions foundation could cause your skin to become overly dry. As it is, Clinique only recommends this formula for Skin Types 2, 3 and 4, which are their Combination-Dry, Combination-Oily and Oily types.

Here's what the Clinique Web site says about this product:

Feels so fresh, looks so natural. Non-irritating, oil-free makeup helps blend away blemishes, neutralize redness. Medicated ingredients help treat existing breakouts and keep them from coming back.

Skin Types: 2 - Dry Combination, 3 - Oily, 4 - Very Oily

Formula: Liquid

Coverage: Moderate

Benefits: Covers and treats acne

Here's what I think:

Unfortunately, the coverage in this product is not as good as that of the Even Better formulation -- it's definitely a sheer-to-moderate finish rather than a moderate-to-full finish, and I found that it doesn't actually build very well to a full coverage, even with repeated application (because of the salicylic acid in this product, I found that it dried VERY quickly, which made layering the foundation look cakey if you didn't do it immediately). Also, since I am a number 2 (Combination-Dry), I definitely found this formula to be too drying for my skin. Although for the most part, it went on smoothly, it was difficult to blend around the hairline and in the corners of my nose, and when it dried it made my skin feel too taut and uncomfortable.

The second bad thing? The first time I used this foundation, I used my Sigma stippling brush to apply it and didn't wash the foundation off until several hours later. When I did this, I noticed that it turned all of the synthetic bristles a nasty shade of neon green! The next day, I tried using my foundation brush instead, thinking that maybe the white bristles were just particularly sensitive, but it also left a green tint to that brush! In the end, it meant that I had to apply this foundation with my fingers, which with acne prone skin, isn't something I like to do because I think the oils in my hands lead to a higher frequency of breakouts. Furthermore, Clinique should issue some sort of warning that the salicylic acid (or whatever ingredient it is!) can ruin your brushes as I think this is a BIG concern, especially if you have spent a lot of money buying professional grade brushes.

The third and final bad thing? Instead of clearing up my acne, this product made it TEN TIMES WORSE! If I thought the Even Better formula didn't agree with my skin, then that was the understatement of the year! By day 2 of using this product, I started to notice an uneveness in my cheeks. By day 3, I had full-on acne on my cheeks, including pistules (those red pimples with puss sitting on the top). By day 4, I had pistules on my cheeks, nose, chin and jawline. Now, I do have acne-prone skin, but normally I ONLY break out on my chin, and almost never see pimples on my cheeks or nose. I confirmed that the foundation was causing the breakout by not using any other new products on my face while trying it, and by seeing that my skin immediately began to heal the day after switching back to my regular Lancome foundation.

I need to make sure I'm clear in stating that this product will probably not make everyone who tries it break out. Since this is the second Clinique foundation that has irritated my skin, I am starting to think that there is just some ingredient that they use in their formula that my body is allergic to. Therefore, I don't necessarily recommend that you avoid trying this product purely because I had a bad experience. Rather, I'd suggest you just take it with a grain of salt, and perhaps ask the lady at the Clinique counter to provide you with a sample that you can take home and try for a few days before you go out and buy the full size.

To Recap:

Pros:

- Relatively inexpensive for high-end brands at $24.50

- Contains Salicylic Acid as an active ingredient, which is helpful in clearing up acne (for some!)

- Quick-drying formula could be good for oily skin types

Cons:

- Turned my makeup brushes neon green

- Quick-drying formula made blending/layering difficult on Combination-Dry skin

- Made my skin break out worse than ever before

Clinique's Acne Solutions Foundation can be purchased on their Web site at www.clinique.com, or through stand-alone makeup counters in your local department store.

40 Beauty Questions Tag! Part Two!

Go here for Part One of this tag!

Makeup, continued...

21) How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?

Haha, I love this question, because it totally seems like the writer is looking to find fellow comrades that continually poke themselves. Unfortunately, I do not. I rarely put eyeliner on my water line though, so I guess I don't have as many chances to poke myself as the average gal. Although, truth be told, I am a contact lense wearer, so I'm probably more used to having things close to/in my eyes, which might also help.

22) What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?

I don't actually own any, for the same reason that I don't like mineral/crushed eyeshadows -- too messy! Whenever I use my Bare Minerals foundation (I'm Fairly Light, in case you were curious), it gets everywhere. Knowing me, I'd knock the pigment over and poof, I'd have a blue countertop and ruined outfit or something!

23) Do you use mineral makeup?

I feel like I just answered this question. I do have a Bare Minerals foundation and a MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural , but I think that's it...

24) What is your favorite lipstick?

Lancome's Color Design lipstick in Camisole, which is a shimmer shade. It's like a mauve pink with gold sparkles and when you put it on, it's just a hair darker than my natural lip color. I wear it all the time, which is why mine is almost completely finished! (Swatch from Lancome.com)

25) What is your favorite lipgloss?

Victoria Secret's Beauty Rush lipgloss in I Want Candy. It's a salmon pink in the tube, but is totally sheer on. The best part is the scent and taste!

26) What is your favorite blush to use?

I'm not actually a huge blush fan since I'm really fair and I find that I tend to look like a clown when I wear blush. Instead, I use bronzers and my favorite is MAC's bronzer in Refined Golden -- just enough sparkle to give you a glow without looking too crazy for daytime.

27) Do you buy makeup on eBay?

Sometimes. I'm an eBay seller myself, and I usually know a lot about the product I am buying, so I think I'd be a pretty good detective when it comes to weeding out the fakes. I stay away from buying MAC on eBay because of all the horrible things I've heard, but I have definitely purchased Lancome, Clinique and Benefit items from sellers with really good feedback ratings and haven't had any problems.

28) Do you like drugstore makeup?

Across the board? Not necessarily. Certain items? Yes. I'm a big fan of drugstore mascaras, and I really like L'Oreal's True Match powders (I'm N1). I've purchased a few of L'Oreals HIP eyeshadows, which aren't bad, but I generally shy away from super cheap makeup because I question what it's made of. Again, I have super sensitive skin, so I have to be really careful of what I purchase. 

29) Do you go to CCOs?

I hadn't until recently, when I found out that there were two in my area. I love them, but find them to be a bit hit or miss when you have something very specific in mind for purchase. If you're just going to browse, though, you can sometimes find some great gems and save yourself a ton of cash!

30) Did you ever consider taking makeup classes?

Not really. For me, makeup is a hobby, not a career, although I have definitely hosted Mary Kay/Avon parties before and those are fun! I also feel like watching YouTube beauty videos is sort of like taking makeup class because of all the awesome tutorials. I have learned a ton of new techniques just from that!

31) Are you clumsy putting on your makeup?

Hmm...well, I'm certainly clumsy in real life, so if this question is referring to whether or not I drop things, that's a definitely yes. I try to apply my makeup neatly, though.

32) Name a makeup crime that you hate.

Cakey foundation. Blech. I understand that some of us (including me) need a more full-coverage finish, but c'mon, you certainly don't want to look like you're wearing a flour mask do you?

33) Do you like colorful shades of makeup or neutral ones?

Both! It all depends on the outfit and occasion. I own all four Coastal Scents palettes, so I certainly have a wide range of colors to choose from.

34) Which celebrity always has great makeup? 

Well, if we're talking awards shows here, I'll go with Natalie Portman. She seems to be a fan of the smoky, smoldering eye, keeping the rest of her face pretty neutral. I just think she looks gorgeous all the time.

35) If you could leave the house using just one makeup item, what would you use?

Lipgloss, and not really because of the way it looks, but more because of the way it feels. I absolutely hate that dry, chapped feeling on my lips.

36) Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?

Sure, but I wouldn't feel too good about myself, quite honestly. At minimum, I like to wear concealer, a bit of matte powder, mascara, lipgloss and some bronzer. I don't always do a full face with foundation and tons of eye makeup, but my skin is so uneven that I feel pretty self-conscious with a completely clean face.

37) Do you think you look good without any makeup on?

No, not really. Like I said, my skin is fairly uneven, with a number of blemishes and red spots, plus I have really dark circles under my eyes. And I'm also quite pasty pale, so I need some color added artificially. I certainly don't look like a monster, but I don't feel pretty either.

38) In your opinion, what is the best makeup line?

To be totally honest, I don't think any one brand has got it completely right across their product line. I like Clinique best for skin care, MAC best for eyeshadows and lipsticks, Victoria's Secret for lipglosses, L'Oreal for mascara, and perhaps Lancome for foundation.

39) What do you think of makeup?

If I didn't like makeup, would I be filling out this survey?

Where's question 40? Haha, I missed one somewhere, so I'm adding one of my own:

40) What are your favorite hair care products?

I'm in love with the Coloresse line that you can only get at Sally's Beauty Supply stores. I use the shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner and smoothing balm for "severely dry, damaged hair." My hair certainly isn't severely dry or damaged, although the bleach that I get my hair highlighted with definitely strips out some moisture, but I like that these products are particularly moisturizing and hydrating without leaving your hair heavy or greasy. They are also all sulfate free and formulated for colored hair, which is perfect for me. And they're only like $6 a bottle! Perfect :)

Tag, you're it!

I hope that you enjoyed this tag. I'm going to tag my friend at the blog Glamour Sage to do this as well! If anyone else wants to do this tag, leave a link to your blog in the comments section so I can check your post out as well.

This Week in TV: 6/21-6/25

The Bachelorette

Was anyone else incredibly bored by this week's episode? (Preface: My apologies for the lame photo -- this was the only one ABC.com had up from the whole episode - a boring photo for a boring two hours.) I don't know if it was just me, but I seriously thought the two hours dragged without any exciting new revelations, except perhaps Kasey showing Ali that G-d awful tattoo! I was happy to see her let him go this week, but I also don't think that Justin deserved to stay, considering Ali doesn't seem to have much romantic chemistry with him either. And what was with the Icelandic love poem contest just a week after the Lion King serenading contest? Seems repetitive and a bit stupid if you ask me!

So what to say about this episode? I still love Frank and am rooting for him to go far, even though it's obvious that the competition is getting really, really hard for him. Kirk seems like a really nice guy, and I actually thought it was incredibly snobby and judgmental for Ali to say she was " so concerned" to hear that Kirk hadn't dated anyone in the last year. I was glad to see Ty get the spotlight a little bit, although I don't think he's a good fit for Ali. And Chris? The poor guy never had a chance, and somehow I think he was edited to look dumb and speechless during that last rose ceremony.

Overall, I'm excited to see that next week the "scandal" is going to be revealed -- thank goodness, we need some firecrackers to shake this show up a bit! (P-S: ABC.com is currently airing a "first look" at next week's episode, so if you want to watch the first 11 minutes of the show, head on over!).

So You Think You Can Dance

I am actually really happy that they sent Cristina home, because sweet as she was, she certainly was not up to par with the other dancers. You could tell, though, that the producers were trying to save her by blessing her with a ballroom routine after she was in the bottom three last week (yes, I believe that part of the competition is fixed to give some dancers the advantage). It was even more obvious when Nigel praised the heck out of a so-so Paso Doble that probably looked better purely because the fantastic Pasha was her partner. Goes to show you that the voting audience wasn't fooled though, and I think that Mia and Adam made the right choice in letting her go, even though I think Melinda's time on the show is up, too, and I predict she'll be gone next week.

As for the routines I did like, I thought Kent's Jazz with Courtney was lots of fun (and sexy, although did anyone notice they left him until last, indicating he's an obvious favorite that will keep viewers watching until the end of the broadcast?). I thought Lauren's hip-hop was SO emotion-packed and very well executed, and I even liked Alex Wong's Fosse routine, although I'm definitely biased because he's just an incredible dancer overall. Ashley, for some reason, I'm not connecting to, so I don't find her dances enjoyable to watch and she just fades into oblivion for me. Adechike is another one I'm not connecting to, and Billy Bell's crump was just awkward this week. Robert is one I didn't think deserved to be in the bottom three, but I think in some ways ballroom is the kiss of death because the audience isn't as wowed as they are by a superb contemporary or hip-hop routine.

So, yeah, this week was kind of boring in the land of television, so my entry is more abbreviated than usual (What? Gabby doesn't have something to say? Ludicrous!). Hopefully next week will up the ante and we'll have more to discuss! See you then for another This Week in TV.

Collective Review: Coastal Scents 88 Palettes

Coastal Scents palettes get a LOT of buzz on YouTube, and I think it's because the products are reasonably priced and offer a wide variety of shadow colors with generally good pigmentation/color payoff. Naturally, I gave into the hype and ordered all four Coastal Scents 88 Palettes about 3 months ago (the company offers free shipping on orders over $75 to the continental U.S., and the four palettes just hit around $80). I've now had plenty of time to use each palette and thought I'd share my opinions with you all because I think many of the YouTube beauty gurus are a bit biased and (without malice) are overhyping the products (this makes sense when you consider that Coastal Scents sends many of these gurus palettes for free, and I truly believe that it's a human tendency to like something more when you didn't have to spend your own money on it!). I'm going to review each of the palettes separately, as my opinions differ among them, and then at the end I'll talk about my general thoughts on the company as a whole.

Metal Mania Palette ($24.95)

 The Metal Mania palette contains very wearable shades, most of which have a metallic finish. The colors range from "sunset" type warmer colors on the right (peaches, pinks, mauves, golds) to slightly cooler colors in the middle (purples, periwinkles) and then your more typical "metal" shades on the left (silvers, slates, bronzes). There's a great variety of lid colors, crease colors and a few highlight colors in the upper left hand corner. Overall, I think this palette is best used for night looks when the metallics can be applied to their full color payoff. Right now I find that many of the colors are a little too "out there" for a working professional. Also, I think this variety will be more appealing to those who like warmer colors, as there are very few blues, greens and yellows, while there are many pinks, oranges, corals, and reds. This is also the most expensive palette that Coastal Scents sells (same price as the Warm palette), and is my favorite for evening looks.

Warm Palette ($24.95)

The 88 Warm Palette has a mix of 42 matte shades and 46 shimmer/pearl shades, all with more muted, neutral tones. The most predominant color is definitely brown, with the right half of the palette done almost exclusively in different brown shades. The left side of the palette has many more color options, with lots of silvers, blues and grays, and the middle of the palette has a really nice variety of tan, sand, white and light pink shades for highlights. The palette also comes with a matte black and a shimmer black (well, it's a dark, dark gray). This is by far my favorite of the four palettes and definitely the best for daytime looks or for people who don't enjoy experimenting with crazy colors.

Ultra Shimmer Palette ($19.95)

This palette is absolutely stunning to look at -- I felt like a kid in a candy store when I opened this one -- so many fun shades to try! Unfortunately, I've found many of the colors to be simply unwearable on my very fair skin, and even though I'm more neutral toned than warm/cool toned, I simply can't pull off many of the ultra bright colors. And that perhaps is what has disappointed me most in this palette. Yes, you get 88 shades of eyeshadow, but many of the 88 are more clown makeup than anything else! For example, I am a strong purple eyeshadow lover, yet I couldn't find a nice purple shade in this whole kit! Same goes for the greens and pinks -- in their quest to make the palette LOOK pretty, they chose shades that actually aren't pretty on a face. I have enjoyed the corals/peaches in this palette, as well as the brown/neutral/highlight shades, but truth be told, I think these are mostly replicated in either the Warm or Metal Mania palettes.

Matte Palette ($18.95)

The final palette that Coastal Scents sells is also the cheapest at $18.95, and I assume this lower price is due to the fact that people tend to find matte shades harder to wear than shimmer shades. Personally, I don't really understand or agree with this mentality, as I find matte shades more professional looking if you are in your 20s like me, or at least for work/day time. Although my dislike of shade colors in the Ultra Shimmer palette still holds to a degree with the matte palette (I don't touch the blue or green rows), I actually find more of the pinks and purples wearable without the shimmer for some reason. I also really love the matte black shade that comes in this palette, and since I like matte highlighting shades over shimmer shades, I find myself reaching for the highlight colors in this palette more than the shimmer version.

Generally speaking...

The best part about Coastal Scents palettes is certainly the price (although I believe they have driven their prices up lately, at least on the Metal Mania and Warm palettes, probably as a result of the YouTube hype) -- for just $88.80 you get 352 eye shadow shades, minus some obviously overlap between the palettes. I've found the quality of the makeup to be pretty standard -- there is quite a bit of fall out on the brighter shades, but the makeup hasn't made my eyes itch or turn red or anything.

What I like...

The products were shipped promptly and were packaged very securely. Each palette comes in a plastic box, which is then wrapped in bubble wrap and surrounded by packing paper. The palettes themselves are also thin, which makes them easy to store on a vanity or in a drawer. I also like that each palette comes with a mirror.

What I dislike...

Firstly, Coastal Scents does not accept returns, so if you get the product and don't like it for whatever reason, you're stuck with it. And although I understand fully that once they mail a palette out, it can't be resold if returned, their policy discourages experimentation if customers are unsure of the product quality or usability of the given shades.

Secondly, although I haven't had a problem with the quality of the shadows ON MY EYES, you can tell that this product is obviously very cheaply made. I notice that many times when I open the palette, the mirror is very dirty, which means that the eyeshadows are crumbling with normal use, and if the palette is flipped on its side or upside down, the crumbles are falling out onto the other shades in the palette (which can affect the color). Also, two of my palettes have pans that aren't well glued and constantly pop out of place or fall out entirely. The foam tip applicators are also very cheaply secured and also pop out of place, or are difficult to pop back into place.

The third and final thing that I dislike was brought to my attention by Camille of TalkinMakeup on YouTube. She recently did a video called "Who Sells What to Who" that essentially exposed Coastal Scents as the DISTRIBUTOR but not the MANUFACTURER of these palettes (Camille uses side by side comparisons to show that the CS palettes are identical to those sold by BH Cosmetics and another e-retailer on eBay. Watch her video on this subject here.). What is most concerning about this is that depending on the distributor, you can be paying drastically different prices for the same product, so do your research first and understand that other Coastal Scents products may or may not be created by the same manufacturer as the 88 Palettes and therefore could vary in quality/performance.

Do you really need all four palettes?

Probably not. The Metal Mania and Warm palettes are most usuable for day-to-day looks, and if you want to experiment with color without breaking the bank, it might be good to order either the Ultra Shimmer OR Matte palette. I'll admit I was silly in purchasing all four just to get the free shipping as I doubt I'll ever use up all 352 shades. ;/

Would you buy them again?

At the end of the day, I probably would do some more research before buying these palettes again to see if there are other companies that sell similarly diverse palettes for better prices or quality. Even with the annoying quality issues, I would probably be more apt to re-purchase the Warm or Metal Mania palettes, and would probably forgo purchasing the Ultra Shimmer or Matte palettes, purely because I don't like many of the shades and would rather pick and choose at MAC where I can experiment beforehand.

I hope that you have found this review to be honest and helpful! If you have any additional questions, would like to see close up pictures of the shades, or would like me to provide some swatches, please let me know! :)

Coastal Scents palettes can be purchased on their Web site (PayPal transactions only) at http://www.coastalscents.com/.

Majorly Discounted Drugstore Haul!

As I'm sure many of you know, CVS has recently been holding a HUGE promotion on all makeup brands -- 50-75% off on select items! When I asked the store manager why there was such a major sale, she told me that they refresh their makeup stock every February and July, so to make room for all the new, they have to get rid of the old (and if you think about it, the "old" is really only five months on the shelves!). To be honest, I've been trying to resist this sale for a few weeks now, but yesterday I received $12 in CVS coupons for various products and when I got in there to spend it, unsurprisingly, I got overwhelmed by the amazing selection and came home with more than I bargained for! Now, it seems like I got a LOT here, but my total spend was just $33.57, which is less than I pay for ONE Lancome foundation (why do I compare everything to my Lancome foundation?). It felt good to walk away with some steals and deals, so I wanted to share my finds with all of you. If you have a chance, head to your local CVS and see what gems you can uncover for drastically reduced prices!

Lipsticks 

Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipsticks were 50% off, so each was just $2.75! I picked up three: a coral (right, D160 Cool Watermelon), a sparkly pink (middle, A55 Orchid Frost) and a peachy nude (left, A12 Sugar Plum Ice).

Then I also picked up a Rimmel lipstick in a peach color (right, 202 Crush) for $1.32 (reduced from $5.29). Unfortunately, after trying the color on once I got home, I realized that the Rimmel lipstick actually doesn't suit me at all -- it's much too orange for my skin tone. That's the one bad thing about this sale: no returns are allowed! At least it was only $1.32! ;) 

Last for lips was a Cover Girl Infallible Never Fail Lipstick Duo in 30 Rose (left, it's lipstick plus conditioning topcoat) for $2.99 (reduced from $11.99!).

Here are all the colors swatched  (except the Infallible because I didn't want red marks on my hand all day!) both with and without a flash:

                                  With flash                                                  No flash

Eyes

Eye products are always my favorite, but unfortunately there wasn't a huge selection left to choose from. I still managed to pick up a few items, but in mostly boring shades (although really, the boring shades are usually the most wearable!).

The first thing I picked up was the Maybelline ExpertWear Eyeshadow in Seashell (left, a light pink with a shimmer finish) for $1.99 (reduced from $3.99).

I also picked up the NYC City Duet Eyeshadow in 811A Tribecca Toast (right), which has a pretty shimmery off-white color for a highlight and a dark chocolate brown matte color for contouring. This was .75 cents reduced from $3.00.  

Finally, for eye shadows, I picked up the NYC Color Wheel Mosaic Eye Powder in 824B Purple Rain (left, purples are my favorite eye shades) for $1.25, reduced from $5.00. Unfortunately, I noticed when I got home that this one was a bit broken, but thankfully, still usable!

 

Rounding out the eye products, I picked up a L'Oreal Pencil Perfect Self-Advancing Eyeliner in 140 Sage for $2.12 reduced from $8.49 and a Maybelline Define-A-Lash Waterproof Volume mascara in 832 Brownish Black for $4.15 reduced from $8.29.

Face

Most of the clearance face products weren't available in pasty pale, so I was only able to get one item, the L'Oreal Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Powder in 408 Soft Ivory. Of all the products I purchased, this is the only one I haven't tried yet, but if it's anything like their True Match line, which I like a lot, I'm sure this will be a nice addition to my collection. The best part about this product is that it actually comes with a really nice, soft bristled brush to apply it with. I'm not actually sure that I'll wind up using the brush with powder, as it seems better suited to blush/highlighter, but it's a nice addition nonetheless. And this was probably the best steal in the whole lot: I got the powder for $3.75, reduced from $15 (I'm not sure how they get away with charging $15 for a drugstore powder in the first place)!

And there you have it! Eleven drugstore beauty products for less than $35 -- a savings of $50.92 -- unbelievable! If any of you all are able to head to CVS for a discounted haul of your own, please let me know what steals you were able to find in the comments section. Also stay tuned because I'll be doing reviews on some of these products in the near future. :)

Nail of the Day: Funky Dunkey by OPI

Although I certainly don't change my nail polish every day (I wait until it chips), I thought it would be fun to share my Nail of the Day when I do put on a fun, new color. Today's polish is Funky Dunkey by OPI from the Shrek collection. It's a really bold, deep purple and totally fun for summer! I bought this polish at ULTA, where they're currently having a really great sale: If you buy two OPI polishes you get a Spring sample kit free that contains three mini-polishes (one is a top coat). The offer isn't available on the Web site, so be sure to check out your local store if you're interested -- I believe they're also offering an Essie sale right now if that's your brand of choice. :)

Review: Clinique Even Better Foundation

I'm sure by now you realize that I don't have perfect skin and am thus continuously searching for products that will help remedy this. I first heard about Clinique's Even Better makeup in a magazine and had been wanting to try it for several months, since I've use the Even Better serum before and have liked it (although I didn't see dramatic results, really). After reading several reviews and watching some YouTube reviews, I decided to go ahead and try it. The foundation is very affordable compared to other high-end brands at $24.50 for 1 oz. (compare to ~$35 for Estee Lauder Double Wear and ~$42 for Lancome Photogenic Lumessence) and comes packaged in an easy-to-dispense, yet mess-free, bottle (it has a small spout that dispenses a tiny blob of product when squeezed).

According to the Clinique website:

Wear oil-free, dermatologist-developed Even Better Makeup SPF 15 and something amazing happens: Without any makeup, see improved clarity, a more even skin tone, visibly diminished age spots. For all ethnicities. In just 4 to 6 weeks.

- Recommended for Skin Types: 2 - Dry Combination, 3 - Oily

- Coverage: Moderate to Full

- Benefits: De-aging, Covers or treats uneven skin tone, Long wearing, Natural skin-perfecting look, Mineral enriched

What I think:

From an overall perspective, I liked almost everything about this product. The makeup itself is very creamy, but not too thick. My skin is dry-combination, and it went on very smoothly without caking and dried to a very dewy, luminous finish, which I also like, because I enjoy setting foundations with powder and if they are too dry on their own, I turn my face into a powder puff instead of a smooth, even surface. The coverage was also amazing and hid nearly all imperfections with one coat -- I didn't even feel like I really needed concealer on blemishes or under my eyes with this makeup on!

The color I was matched with was their lightest shade, Alabaster, and I'll admit it wasn't a perfect match to my skin tone, but actually a shade or two darker/peachier. It was a bit striking when I first put it on, but once the whole face was blended (and this product was super easy to blend into the hairline/neckline), it matched wonderfully and gave my face just a tiny bit of a glow. If you are very fair skinned; however, and prefer that your foundation matches your skin tone exactly, you may have a difficult time finding the proper color with this product.

I also definitely would not recommend this to women with oily skin, as it's certainly quite moisturizing and would exacerbate oily areas instead of mattefying them. Secondly, if you have dry skin, but still prefer a more matte finish, this might not be the best line for you, unless you are okay with using a separate setting powder.

Now for the only truly bad news: after several uses, the product totally and completely broke me out. Instead of the "Even Better" ingredients creating a more regular surface, I got lots of small red pimples on my cheeks where things had been clear before. Now, I had also used a new MAC MSF with my Even Better, so I discontinued both for a few days and let my skin clear up. Then, I tried using my MSF with my regular foundation (Lancome) and was fine, so a few days later I re-tried the Even Better without the MSF and the same thing happened -- lots of new blemishes and pimples by the end of the day. So obviously, something in this formula didn't work for my skin, and very sadly, I had to return the product (I feel like I am doing a LOT of returning lately, but I'm a firm believer that you shouldn't keep a product that you're not satisfied with, especially if the company has a good return policy and will help you find something else that you will like.).

The woman at the Clinique counter mentioned that I wasn't the first person to return the foundation with that particular complaint, so I wonder if there truly is something in the product that makes certain skin types break out. Instead, she recommended that I try another one of their foundations (the Acne Solutions) line and see if that was a better fit (it has Salicylic Acid in it, so I was worried about using it with my dry skin, but she said it should be fine). I'm going to give this a try next and give you a report in a few weeks about how this is working for me. In the meantime, if there are any foundations that you particularly like (or dislike!), please share your thoughts in the comments section!

To recap:

Pros:

- Very creamy, smooth formula is moisturizing for dry skin and gives a very dewy finish

- Coverage is excellent and hides most imperfections with a single coat

- Package design makes it easy to dispense just the right amount of product without a huge mess

- Among high-end brands, is fairly affordable at $24.50

Cons:
- Color range might be somewhat limited for those with very fair skin tones who want an exact match

- Not appropriate for women with oily skin

- Broke me out after several uses!

Mario Badescu Skin Care? Thoughts wanted!

There's been some buzz in the YouTube community around Mario Badescu skin care products recently, and just yesterday Lisasz09 talked about a batch that she was sent by the company in a recent haul (see her video here). In the video, Lisa mentioned that if you go onto their Web site, register and then fill out a questionnaire about your skin type, the company would send you samples of all the products they recommend that you buy. Of course, I love free samples, I so immediately went onto the site, found the Skin Analysis and took the quiz (very short, just a few questions). The results recommended NINE products (wow, seems like a lot to use on your skin!), and while I'm excited to receive the samples and see if I like the line, I'd love to know if any of you have tried them and have an opinion to share!

Here's what was suggested for my skin (combination, very fair, weekly breakouts, some fine lines/wrinkles):

If I were to buy this whole system, it would cost me $150 plus shipping, so I only want to make the purchase if some/all of these products are truly worth it!

This Week in TV: 6/14-6/18

The Bachelorette

This picture reminds me of my first kiss: It was in Kindergarten after I taunted this little boy Anthony with a "missed me, missed me, now you've got to kiss me" during a game of tag, and lo and behold, he did. And I was just as stiff as Ali is above, waiting for the moment to be over before it had even started.

In the beginning, I liked Kasey -- Kermit the frog voice and all -- but now I just think he's sort of recently-released-from-the-funny-farm psycho. Who in their right mind gets a tattoo after knowing a girl for about a month? And what was with all the ridiculous singing? If you're going to serenade a girl, you should at least prepare in advance, have a clear melody in mind and continue the whole song without awkward starting and stopping (Example: although he didn't quite sing, an appropriate mentor for Kasey should be Ryan Sutter from the first bachelorette when he wrote Trista that amazing poem and read it to her at SeaWorld. Loved it). The funniest part was Ali's reaction to the whole thing -- you could tell she was trying to be polite by smiling and giggling, but it was SO FAKE and you could see that she was incredibly turned off by the whole thing....which leads me to believe that she kept him another week purely because she HAD to give out 9 roses.

Does it feel like she's eliminating guys so slowly or is that just me? I think it's already obvious who she has a connection with (Roberto, Chris L., Frank, Kirk, maybe Ty and Justin), so she should have been able to just give out six roses and send those other guys on their way. Which brings me to the topic of Chris N.? Why the h-e-double-hockey-sticks is he still on this show and where has he been for the last four weeks? I think I heard him speak for the very first time this week and he only uttered one sentence. Why does the guy get zero screen time? And the same could be said about Craig R. Ali keeps giving him roses, but when do they ever spend time together? I just don't get it!

Regardless, I am looking forward to the Iceland episode next week -- it's a destination that I'd actually like to go to someday. A friend of mine (Hi Tanya!) recently went and said the blue lagoon was awesome -- I think Ali and the boys are headed there in the episode, so keep your eyes peeled!

So You Think You Can Dance

I am SO sad that Alexie was the first to go on SYTYCD and I think the judges made a HUGE mistake. In my opinion, Lexie was one of the most talented girls picked for this season (aside from Lauren, I don't care for any of the other female dancers) -- truth be told, I think they only eliminated her because she's a contemporary dancer, and to their own fault, they picked too many in that style for this season. Now, I agree that her performance with Twitch was subpar, but she wasn't given much to work with. I thought the choreography was SO bland and not hip-hop at all -- they hardly moved and the routine was so slow! -- so I thought it was particularly unfair to put the blame on Alexie for that number. Personally, I thought Cristina should have gone. I couldn't believe that Nigel said she was the only one who "danced for her life" in the solo. She's quite clearly the least talented of the top 11, and if the competition was truly about performance ability and not producer favorites, either she or Melinda (who did a horrible jive -- I've seen non-dancers on DWTS do a better jive than she did), one of the two of them would be gone and Alexie would be performing with the Top 10. 

On the other end of the spectrum we have the absolutely amazingly talented Alex Wong, who is my second favorite this season (behind Kent Boyd who is just so darn cute!). I thought Alex's routine with Allison was flawlessly executed and performed with such emotion. Overall, I actually think the boys this season are particularly strong -- Billy, Kent, Robert and Jose all performed really well. The only one I'm not crazy about is Adechike. Perhaps I'm still jaded that they picked him over Anthony (who I thought was a much better dancer and had a more interesting personality/story), but I just don't think he's up to par. His performance with Kathryn was SO stale even though she was selling it like crazy. I hope he goes next week.

One final commentary: did anyone else think the judges were WAY too harsh on Lauren for her jazz routine with Ade? Personally, I thought she gave a very fun, sexy performance, and was very on point technically. Sure, she looked at the audience a few too many times instead of 100% connecting with Ade, but was it really necessary for Adam Shankman to jump down her throat like that? With Alexie gone, I think she's the only true talent + personality left on the girls side, so I hope she's able to please the judges more next week.

That's all for this week's edition -- if anyone has any recommendations for other summer shows I should be watching, please let me know. With Glee over, I'm out on a Tuesday night TV show, and I also haven't found any truly captivating series for Friday-Sun. Let me know and have a great weekend everyone!