Biore Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser in the Fall? Yep. Plus a Giveaway!

So the weather is changing and so are my skin's needs.  It's an odd thing what a few degrees will do to the skin.  Since it's not super cold, I still don't need my heavy duty stuff.  But my skin is getting drier.

For cleansers, I will always need some sort of clarifying formula to use a couple times a week.  I was using a sample of 3 Lab's Perfect Face Wash (which you can find here) and I absolutely love it.  However, at $50 I couldn't justify getting it.  Instead I purchased Biore Ice Cleanser to fill my void.  Hopefully it works well and I won't miss the 3 Lab cleanser too much.

Will this work or will this suck?

My lips also got super chapped.  Not flaky per se, but it was rough and felt like I had a mask on my lips that I tried to scrub off but couldn't.  It's almost gone after 2 weeks of applying my Blistex Lip Ointment.  I love this stuff!  I know some people are sensitive to menthol but this is my holy grail of lip balms.

Holy Grail healing lip balm.  Take that Carmex!

Speaking of lip balms,  Nivea has a new one called A Kiss of Olive Oil and Lemon.  I got this balm a couple of weeks ago. It applied like butter but didn't smell at all like olive oil or lemon to me.  It smelled more floral, kind of like jasmine tea but more floral.

Sounds tasty.

Looks tasty too!

Anyways...... I've noticed (by looking at other blogs' comments) that some people are having a hard time finding this.  So I decided to do a little giveaway of this balm.  All you have to do is follow my blog and comment on this post.  This will run until Friday 11/2/12.  I will pick a winner and contact them.  This will only be open to the U.S. residents only.  Sorry about that, but when I have a bigger giveaway I promise I will make it for both domestic and international residents.

 

This one can be yours!

So that's it for today.  If you follow baseball, then Yay Giants! (I'm an SF girl born and raised)

Other than that, have a great week, a safe Halloween and live happy! 

Mini Back 2 MAC Haul

So this past weekend I did a good deal of shopping.  But I also did a little recycling as well.

If you read the title then you know I went to MAC to redeem some recycle-ables.

If you aren't familiar with Back 2 MAC then here's the basics:

For every 6 containers you bring back to them, you get a free lipstick, lipglass or eyeshadow.  This depends on the location.  Pro stores will let you redeem for all of the above.  Most department store counters will only let you get lipstick.  I heard free-standing stores give you the option of lipstick or lipglass but I'm not 100% sure.

In the past I was able to redeem for any lipgloss (not just lipglass) and was able to get lipsticks that weren't part of the permanent collection (like All's Fair) and other types of lipsticks like the Slimshines.  But I think they changed the rules.

Also you can't redeem for any Viva Glam product.

So what can you redeem for free stuff?

Basically anything that is made of plastic or glass.  One thing I know you can't redeem are the caps to pencils that you can sharpen.  The automatic pencils can be recycled.  Lipstick, lipgloss, eyeshadow (only if it's in a container, the pans that go into the palette don't count), blush and powder compacts, skincare bottles and tubes, mascara, false lash containers, packaging to the make-up remover wipes, nail polish bottles, shadesticks, liquid eyeliners, paint tubes (if you still have them), paint pots, lip balm containers, gel liner pots, etc.....

There's a lot that can be redeemed.

Is there a limit?

I have been told that there is a maximum of 4 redemptions per visit.  I like to hoard my empties and get 4 items at once.  Feels so good to come out of a MAC store with 4 items and spending $0.

Where do I find containers?

There are people that swap for empties on sites like MakeUpAlley.  I don't normally go through that route because I am a make-up junkie.  To make the costs a little more bearable, I do go to places like CCO to buy MAC at a discount.  I also tend to buy more of the cheaper basics that need faster replenishing such as mascara (love my Opulash!) or remover wipes.

Can't I just buy the lipstick?

Yes you can!  But in case you have 6 empties (they don't have to be empty) or can wait until you do, why not get it for free.  MAC tends to put out a new collection once every other week.  For me that puts priority on the new collections and I tend to overlook the core line.  This allows me to get the items from the core line and be able to buy from new collections when it suits me.

So what did I get?

I got 3 lipsticks in Midimauve, Lovelorn and Plink!

I've been on a MLBB kick and I love how the Lustre formula wears on my lips.  Plus neutral lips look so polished and go with any look.

That's all for now.  Live Happy!

Dior Holiday 2012 Collection: Diva x 2

So if anyone hasn't seen the Grand Bal Collection from Dior go take a look at it here.  I absolutely love how the collection is presented because it has such a retro vibe that I remember Dior Cosmetics having when I first noticed them in high school.

However, being that I indeed have a crap-load of make up, I decided to only let myself get a polish and a lipstick from this collection.  The polishes are beautiful orbs that look like the perfect ornament.  The lipsticks look like fancy candlestick holders (or something similar).  While I think that the collection is very impressive, I look at the items and think to myself that they're too pretty to use.  Really, it's awful to think that way because after all it's purpose and meaning is to be used.

 

 

So, I got both the nail polish and lipstick in Diva.  The nail color is a gorgeous black polish with hidden golden sparkle.  This keeps it from looking too Halloween-ish and more black-tie.  One thing is that the handle on the brush is short.  This might be a problem for some because the way you grip the handle will be different but the brush is a full-sized brush so at least you have that.

  

The lipstick is a bold true red that isn't too bright and leans a little blue when compared to the other shades in the collection.  This collection is a red lipstick lovers dream.  They vary from a warmer red-orange to a pinker magenta-rose.  The lipsticks are well pigmented and apply smoothly.

If you love retro glamor and art deco then I urge you to check this collection out.  It has a glamorous elegance to it that almost makes it feel a bit Great Gatsby like to me.