Claire's 10 for $10 Haul

I know, I've been bad... another haul... but this one was a great deal! Everything was $1 because its from the 10 for $10 clearance deal! I thought I was in the market for some new earrings because I have been kinda bored and uninspired about my jewelry so I though this would be a cheap way to help re-inspire my jewelry habits. I also got the cute ear warmers which I thought looked kinda Hello Kitty like, no? I picked up the hair ties and the lip balm because I actually needed more of both, and because none of the other Claire jewelry interested me I threw in the French Twist thing just to round out the 10 and thought that if it worked for me, it would be a fun way to revamp my hair clip hair look into something more adult.

What about you guys? Do you like Claire's jewelry? Or do you have to dig and dig and dig through the children's style stuff that it just isn't worth it? I wait for these 10 for 10 sales and then venture in and try to find the few things there that are my style. If I can't find 10 things I usually just get nothing, but this time I was lucky!

UPDATE: The hairbands sucked, and the French Twist fell apart the first time I tried to use it, haha. So those were 2 wasted dollars, otherwise I am loving all the earrings! The 1st pair in the 1st row are especially awesome in person because I think they look sooo House of Harlow, don't you think? :)

Steals and Deals: Half Off Hair Haul!

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Hye guys, I know I am on a no buy, and I especially don't need more hair styling products, but this hauling opportunity was something I just couldn't miss! Plus, I am going to keep this stuff under my sink and only use them after I use up more hair products, like, my current shampoo is almost done so since I don't have any other shampoos I'll use the Rockaholic Shampoo next, etc.

The source of my splendor? My local Trade Secrets was going out of business, which is bitter sweet since I won't have a close Trade Secrets anymore (but there is an Ulta like 20mins away so that isn't terrible), but because they were closing, pretty much everything in the store was 50%! Ridiculous right? I thought so to! Because of this amazing unexpected deal i decided that now was the time to try out a bunch of products I have always want to try, and because even the trial/travel sizes were 50% I figured now was the time. I managed to get everything here for the price I would have paid for pretty much just the Bed Head Headrush and the Big Sexy Hair Backcomb in a Bottle by themselves. CRAZY deal I know :) Here is a list of the full names of everything if you are interested:

Rockaholic Living the Dream Sulfate Free Shampoo + Energy
Bed Head Headrush Shine Adrenaline with a Superfine Mist
Big Sexy Hair What  tease Backcomb in a Bottle
Joico K-Pak Reconstruct Deep-Penetrating Reconstructor
Paul Mitchell Smoothing Super Skinny Serum
It's a 10 Miracle Leave in Product
Big Sexy Hair Powder Play Volumizing and Texturizing Powder
Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

The Great Product Massacre!

Talk about spring cleaning right!? I am so proud of myself! :) (Plus I am excited to be allowed to buy some new things, yippie!)

1. Curel Daily Moisture Original Lotion for Dry Skin
I originally bought this specifically for my trip to Florida this past winter so I could moisturize after tanning but also not have to bring a huge bottle of lotion with me on my trip. I really liked it as a moisturizer. The smell left something to be desired, but in some respects I liked that the smell was kinda eh because it didn't last very long so it didn't ever compete with my perfume or anything. Will I buy it again? Quite possibly I will for another trip or something. Until then I am going to try out some more brands (Nivea lotion maybe?)


2. Revlon Calcium Gel Nail Hardener
This baby lasted me forEVER! I am pretty sure that I have had it since the summer of 2010, maybe before then? It was a decent base coat, and I think it might have helped my nails to harden. At the very least it served the job as a base coat to protect my sensitive nails from my colored polish because colored polish tends to dry out and cause my nails to separate (not cute I know! But whatcha gonna do eh?). I may buy it again some day, but I am going to try out another brand next just for the fun of it (maybe an Essie one? Or that Sally Hansen one people like?)


3. Kate Spade Twirl Body Cream
This came with my beloved perfume. I liked it as a lotion ok, but I would say that it does smell a little different than the perfume itself. I did like the different smell but the lotion was kinda eh when it came to moisturizing. I am pretty sure I would never buy this on its own because I reckon that it is probably way to pricey to justify the purchase when I already have the perfume, but if I got is as a gift, I would definitely use it and enjoy it.


4. Sephora Sample: Too Faced Shadow Insurance Lemon Drop Color Correcting Eye Shadow Primer
I loved the idea of this because I have red vein-y eyes, but the color just didn't work for my skin tone I don't think. Just way too yellow that it would look funny and kinda like white cast-ed on my brow bone. Also, and maybe this had to do with the age of the product the sample was taken from, this was a lot thicker than the regular Too Faced Shadow Insurance that I have and love. I am pretty sure that I wouldn't ever buy this, but I do like the concept so would consider buying a different brand/version of a color correcting eye primer.


5. Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover
It may be oil free technically but whatever the top layer of this biphase product is does leave a residue like a oil based product would. It was fine for removing makeup, but the residue issue coupled with it also making my eyes sting plus the fact that I don't really ever need eye makeup remover except on the rare occasion in the year where I wear eyeliner... this all just points to it being a purchase I don't need to make, and won't be something I need to replace any time soon. I am currently using some make up wipes that I am enjoying using whenever I feel the need to remove my makeup before cleansing (which is rare for me). The thing did last me forever though, years and years, because I never needed to use it much haha.


6. Maybelline Wet Shine Lipstick in Crystal Clear
Talk about a blast from the past, this was my first lipstick product (though it applies like a gloss) outside of makeup for theater performances for school. I remember the day my mom brought this home and told me she thought I might find it fun to use as a kind of first step into makeup. Thanks mommy! :) I am pretty sure this product doesn't exist anymore (but there are similar products out there, just check for the clear gloss edition of your favorite lipstick line, a lot of drug store lines have it I think), but even if it did I don't think I would buy it. It wasn't a hardship to use up because it went fast and I just treated it like a lip balm. I am stoked to finish another lip product! Woo hoo go me! I did like the finish it gave though because if you built it up a little it had this nice shimmery sheen on top of the glossiness. I wouldn't buy it again but I would totally buy it as a first makeup product when I have kids :)


7. Wet n Wild Single Eyeshadow in Brulee
Check it out, I used up an eyeshadow! Granted, I did cheat a little because it smashed when I was traveling recently which I didn't realize until I opened it, this causing a hilarious incident of it flying everywhere and into the wet hotel sink, causing most of the crumbs to not be reclaimable. But, I think it is ok because before this incident I would say that I had used up like 75% of the product legitimately and would have actually finished it up. I loved using this as a brow bone highlight because I like matte highlights over shimmery. Will I buy it again? Definitely, especially since it is only $2. Will I run out to buy it? Not yet because I wanna use up more shadows and I like the encouragement of getting one out of my collection even if I might buy it again in a few years. Next I am going to try to make a dent in a shimmery highlight I have but never use. Perhaps I can learn to like it, or at least find a way to make it work for me.


8. PYT Argan Oil Oil Treatment
This was one of those samples that a dude in the mall at a hair straightener cart shoved in my hands and I didn't really want it. I wasn't even going to keep it, but I figured, why not try it. It's one time use, and if it sucks I'll just make sure its a time when I can re-shower to get it out if I have to. The smell was kinda nice, but I didn't notice anything miraculous after use. I have used other oils before and liked the results way more. I am also kinda glad that I didn't like it because I wouldn't want to have to deal with buying it cuz I would have to deal with mall cart business approaches, and me being susceptible to sales associate's pitches if I like the underlying product, I probably would have bought some other things I didn't need. I think just pure argan oil works way better than this which has other stuff in it to.


9. Tretinoin Cream
There should be a national dermatologist recognition day because ever since I went to one and asked for a product for my acne, this product has totally changed my skin! Granted, I still get pimples, mostly at a certain time of the month, but this has greatly reduced them, and made my skin softer. Thanks mom for making me ask about it, because it was actually really easy to get! All I said to the dermatologist was "my mom said that when she was young her dermatologist gave her some face cream that she said amazingly got rid of her acne... do you have anything like that?" and then he prescribed this baby right here. Obviously it hasn't cured me yet, but I think that is also because I think my mom had less acne as a kid that I do. I will definitely be buying ever tube under my prescription and use every last drop! Maybe if I am lucky, after the prescription expires and I use up all my tubes (I think I get 6 total, so 5 left now) I won't need a new prescription because I'll be mostly cured? *crosses fingers* :)


10. Sensodyne Pronamel Tootepaste - Travel Sized
My dentist gave me two little tubes of this when I complained that my teeth were a little sensitive after using a whitening toothpaste. I used this when I was between toothpastes recently, and I quite liked it. It kinda of foamed less and the mint was different in a good way. I also liked that it wasn't gritty at all, more just creamy. I thought I would hate that, but I actually quite like it. Would I buy the full size? Not quite sure yet, but I still have the second tube of this, so after that one I think I might know for sure if I wanna buy the full size. However, after I use up my current toothpaste I wanna try Theodent because it just looks and sounds awesome! Have any of you tried Theodent yet?


11. Target Brand Bamboo Lotus Fragranced Soy Candle
I loved the smell of this, so fresh but also flowery. I liked the way it burned, but I can't decide if it gave me slight headaches or not (sometimes candles do that to me). The price was good if I can recall ($5 maybe?) and when one thinks of how expensive candles can be (heres looking at you Bath and Body Works, and Yankee candle) which I usually find to be ridiculous for what candles are, I think this candle range is just my style (well other than the 2 voodoo candles that I got in New Orleans last year... :) )


12. L'Oreal Go 360 Clean Deep Facial Cleanser for Sensitive Skin
I will not deny that I loved this when I first got it. I thought it was almost god like compared the cleanser I had been using before, which I used to love, but as my skin has gotten dryer recently (probably from my retinol cream), that old standby love of  cleanser was just to harsh for me now. However, since first getting this and while working through it, I have been able to try a few other cream cleansers and I have found that I think I like those better because this one can still be a little drying since it does have sulfates in it. I do love the scrubby thing and will definitely keeping that! I don't think I would try out other cleansers in this line, if only because none of those are creamy and probably will be too sulfate-y for me, but I do like the line generally and would recommend it generally. Plus it did last me for a good long time despite some product lose due to the way the bottle is designed. I think it lasted me about 2.5 months?


13. Boscia Peppermint Blotting Linens
Check it out! I used up a makeup product! I thought this sucker would never end! 100 sheets amazingly last a really long time because I swear I have been using these almost everyday since sometime this summer and it took me months and months and months to get through these. I think they are awesome as a product, I love the peppermint smell, and how it is kinda refreshing on the skin. I never had anything to complain about when it came to its blotting power, it always did want I wanted it to do. I also think this is a great value of a product because I think I got this on sale for $5 instead of the usual $10, and even at $10 I think it is a good deal. Keep an eye out on sephora for a sale on these linens, because usually at least one version of them (but not always the peppermint ones necessarily) are usually on sale at the $5 price. Also, checking my purchase history on Sephora, these lasted me a really long time because I bought them in November of 2010! It wasn't until recently that I started using them everyday (mostly to inspire my using up of my make up products generally), so if you are a casual blotting paper user, then this is even more of a good deal! Especially when you consider that they are around the same price by sheet count (if not maybe cheaper?) than the Clean and Clear sheets that I have tried before but didn't like because they are so plastic-y rather than tissue-y like these are. Will I buy again? Definitely, just have to use up a pack of blotting sheets from a different brand first :)


14. Up & UP (Target) Brand Moisturizing Hand Soap in Milk and Honey
I love me some Target brand! However I didn't think this was very moisturizing. I did like the smell but I wasn't crazy about it, so only bought it for the moisturizing quality. Won't repurchase this exact soap, but I will try another from the Target brand, will just be sure that I buy my next one for the smell since I don't think I am going to find moisture in these soaps (if I want a moisturizing one I think I will turn to Bath and Body Works because I recall trying one of their moisturizing ones and not being disappointed, but I am on a budget this year, so will stick to cheaper ones until I can justify BBW prices for hand soap, haha).

Block Rock Your Socks

Afraid of color-blocking? Maybe just don't have the money to go out and buy a color-blocked dress or pair of shoes? Why not embrace the theme with your feet via socks on the cheap! I got this pair at Target for only $1.50!! Yep, you read it right, One Dollar and Fifty cents for these sexy bad boys! Words can not express my excitement when I stumbled upon these. They even have them in another color set! Run, don't walk to your nearest Target, because you need these socks in your life now!!! :)

Already own this pair? Know of another color-block fashion item on the cheap? Comment below and let me know! :)

7 Beauty Sins :P

I watched a video of this Tag on Youtube and I just thought it was the cutest tag ever so I wanted to do a picture version of it for you guys!


1. GREED: What is your most inexpensive beauty item? What is your most expensive?


Inexpensive (that I have actually purchased):
Wet 'N' Wild Brule $1.99

Expensive:
Kate Spade Twirl $65

2. WRATH: What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with? What product has been the hardest to get?


Love/Hate: 
BE Warmth
I love it because the color pretty much works for me but I hate it because it is never ending and I would like to try out other bronzers!

Hard to Get:
Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream
Ever since I heard about this product out in England, I have been super jealous of all the British beauty bloggers and vloggers that I follow who were able to get it. Then when it was finally released in the US I had some troubling tracking this product down! I never did find it in the drug store and ended up accidently stumbling upon it at Target! I was expecting this to be on an end aisle display or some where prominent, but, nope, this was just in with the other Garnier face moisturizers and stuff. Sneaky little thing! Want to know even more? Check out my blog post about it here.

3. GLUTTONY: What are your most delicious beauty products?
Cover Girl WetSlicks in Peach n Gleam.
This just smells DIVINE! Exactly like its name. I will wear this every now and then just so I can smell it, and it doesn't taste bad either, haha.

4. SLOTH: What beauty product do you neglect, due to laziness?
Eyeliner as a category I neglect, and specifically this one which I have had since like the beginning of my beauty days (and no, I haven't made super progress because it started out as a mini! haha). I neglect this step because I am too lazy to figure out what style of eyeliner looks best on me, because I don't really like the way it looks on me unless I am going for something super dramatic for a formal event or something. Otherwise I can't be bothered for figure out a casual way to wear it, haha.

5. PRIDE: What beauty product gives you the most self confidence?
Blotting papers! Most people say foundation or tinted moisturizer, but I think anti-shine is more important to me. I'd rather be uneven than shinny!

6. LUST: What attributes do you find most attractive in the opposite sex?
Smiles :) Have that adorable and enticing glance with a cute smile (and if you have great teeth, then even better!!).... and I can be smitten before you even say anything :P

7. ENVY: What items would you most like to receive as a gift?
Generally, I would most like to receive a perfume as a gift because I think it can be a personal well thought out gift. Thought into the gift is really important to me :)

TAG YOU'RE IT! I tag all of my lovely followers, all beautiful 11 of you :)

The Smallest of All Vaselines!

Cuteness alert guys! Check out this itty bitty baby Vaseline I found at Target! It was hiding in the lotion/sunblock aisle! Of course this wouldn't be convenient for those of you that are heavy Vaseline users, but as I am not of that sort, this is the perfect size for me because I always feel like those giant tubs go bad before I can use them all! Now, $1.79 might seem excessive for such a product (something like .99 might be better) but I don't mind paying for such cuteness! People pay too much for those weirdo EOS lipbalms that I think are just strange looking and over priced, so comparatively, this isn't a bad deal because EOS lipbalms are like $3 right? And I looked it up, the EOS and this Vaseline have the same amount (volume) of product in oz! So, totally a better deal if you ask me. Both have cuteness/novelty factor, but the Vaseline is cheaper, better, and more universal in use! SCORE!

What do you guys think? Overpriced cuteness? Awesome? Already have 3 in your purse? Comment below! :P

Products I Would Like to Try This Year

Usually people think of things they want to stop doing over the rest of the year, but I think it would be fun to have the goal of trying certain beauty products (within reason, as in, using up products before trying these ;) ), and here is my list:

1. Michael O'Rourke hair care products. I spotted this line for the first time in TJ Maxx in New Hampshire (I shop TJ Maxx all the time everywhere and this was the first time I ever saw this line!) and it really has me intrigued. I am going to be none specific about which product because I kind of want all of them because the packaging is amazingly cute O:). I guess whenever I run out of an essential item I will replace it with something from this line instead of something from Target or the drug store and see how it goes.

2. Laura Geller Balance and Brighten. I know that I have mentioned that I wanted to try this before and maybe if I keep saying it I will use up all my powders so that I finally can! Haha.

3. Origins Vitazing. So many people seem to enjoy this and it seems like my kind of product!

4. Eye creams generally. This year is the first year where I started to notice my eyes needing moisture but my regular face lotion seems to always sting them. I don't know when I developed sensitive eyes because things never used to bother them (even the make up remover that I have always used makes them sting now too!), but because if their special needs I am desperate to find a product that does its job without stinging so I don't have to think about it anymore haha. The problem is, I feel like every eye cream out there is designed for anti-dark circles, and anti-aging, when all I want is moisture! This makes it had to figure out what to try!

5. New Brands. This is also a general thing because I don't want to have to commit to a specific brand. I feel like I avoid certain brands for no particular reason other than the fact that "everyone loves them" but I want to be "different," one manly being MAC, haha.

What about you? What brands or products do you want to try this year? I'd love to read your lists or get any suggestions for things you think I should try! And if you ask nicely, I'll be sure to review them too ;)