Neutrogena Nourishing Long Wear Makeup

I received this product for free from Bzz Agent, and I'm really glad that I did!

Bzz Agent provides free (or at a heavy discount) products in return for a review from people like you and me.  It involves posting to websites, social media, etc...

I was really excited when I was invited to the Neutrogena Nourishing Long Wear Makeup (Foundation) campaign!  I don't have a real big-girl foundation, I normally use BB cream or BareMinerals if I need more coverage.

Neutrogena Nourishing Long Wear Makeup

It evened out my skin tone beautifully, and I love the velvety finish. It did not quite last the 12 hours promised, but a few spot touch-ups after 8 hours kept it going strong all night. 


For all the following pictures, I have zero makeup on (except lip gloss).  I applied a thin coat of foundation with my damp Beauty Blender.

Before

After

Classic Ivory was a great match for my skin tone and it looked and felt natural. I wish it wasn't so hard to get the product out of the bottle, though! A pump would be perfect for this foundation. It's not that thick, so the trouble getting it out of the bottle is deceptive.

Before

After

I have normal skin, but I'm very fair and have freckles. This foundation was light on my skin, yet provided medium, buildable coverage. Even with a thin coat, as in the above pictures, you can see how much it evened out my redness.

I did not expect to like this foundation as much as I do. Like I said, I normally use BB cream, but this has been my go-to every morning since I received it. The sun protection is a bonus!

I'm very, very happy with this foundation. It makes me look like I'm wearing a better version of my own skin, which is all you can ask for!  It may not work for everyone, but I'm really glad I found it, and that it is available at drugstores!

No special consideration or compensation was received for this post and all thoughts and opinions are my own. I received this product for free from Bzz Agent.  

Tone Bath and Body Wash Review

This is another product I got for free from BzzAgent.  It was sent to me for free in exchange for honest reviews on various web and social media sites.

Tone Petal Soft Bath and Body Wash

This is Tone Bath and Body Wash in Petal Soft with Pink Peony and Rose Oil.  It is a Dial product.

My first impression was that this smelled like something I would find at Bath and Body Works.  It is heavily scented, and the product is a pink shimmery gel.  It lathered well and made my skin feel clean, but not particularly moisturized.  The ingredients did not really impress me, it was water and a lot of surfactants.

I think I will stick with buying my B&BW shower gels when they are on super-sale ($3!) instead of this.  Don't get me wrong, I will use it up, I just don't feel like it makes my skin soft enough.  It didn't dry me out at all, but if you are prone to very dry skin, I would avoid this.

No special consideration or compensation was received for this post and all thoughts and opinions are my own. The item mentioned within was sent to me for free in exchange for an honest review.

Golden Tote February 2014 Review

Golden Tote February 2014 Review: $149 Tote

It's everyone's favorite time! Golden Tote review day!

The Tote, Itself

Golden Tote is a monthly clothing surprise service.  There are two options: a $49 tote and a $149 tote.  With the smaller tote, you pick one item from a gallery and GT surprises you with 1-3 more items.  This tote usually includes one clothing item and an accessory as the surprises.  The larger tote contains 6-7 items, with you picking the first two.  This tote will almost always include all clothing and zero accessory items (like scarves).  The larger tote will send you dresses more often than the smaller one.

Right now GT has sizes XS-L.  For reference, I order a size small tote and am a size 4 (27) in jeans and usually a small in tops (Old Navy and Target).  Everything always fits me really well.

First Look

This month, I was looking to expand my spring wardrobe.  This means getting away from my winter staple of gray, and into my spring staple of cream.  My two picks represent that mind-set.

Under Skies Dress

Under Skies Embroidered Shift Dress (Step into Spring Creme Dress on the site). ($45)

Under Skies Dress

This was the first item I chose.  I loved the cream color, with black accents.  It is the perfect winter-to-spring transition piece!  It has 3/4 sleeves and is lined.  It hits just above the knee. 

Under Skies Dress, Bow in Front

 I tried tying the belt in both the front and the back, and I like it either way.  I can't wait to wear it!

Under Skies Dress, Bow in Back

Potters Pot Pretty Embroidered Top ($42).

Potter's Pot Top

I couldn't pass up this top! It is cream, and I love sheer tops for this time of year!  I feel like they are very feminine, and that is usually how I try to dress in the spring. 

Potter's Pot Top

 Enough bulky sweaters and snow boots- give me sheer fabrics, soft colors, and delicate details.  I am wearing a pale pink tank top underneath for the pictures. 

Surprise Items:
Priddy by Puella Swing Dress

Priddy by Puella Swing Dress

This swing dress was one of the mystery items that was revealed during the ordering window.  The founders of Golden Tote are the ladies behind the Puella line of clothing (sold at Anthropologie), and it looks like now there is an offshoot of Puella called Priddy.  

Priddy by Puella Swing Dress

All of the dresses I have from Puella are really comfortable and look great on.  I have a 3/4 sleeve swing dress from them already, and was glad to add this full-sleeved one to my closet.  

Swing Dress, not belted

The elbows have lighter patches on them, and the fabric is a medium heathered blue.  It is darker than in the solo pictures.  The color in the first look picture is the most accurate.

Swing Dress, belted

As with most swing dresses, it looks better on me when I have it belted.

Puella Leggings

Puella Leggings.  Now, with 100% more duvet fuzz!

Another Puella item!  These leggings have a ruffled fold-over top and are made of nice, thick fabric.  They are also a lot longer than the other leggings I have!  Most only go down to my ankle bone, but these are longer than that.  I will definitely get some use out of them.

Ruffle Leggings

  I don't believe in leggings as pants, though, so I'm afraid nobody will be able to see the ruffled top.  Leggings are for under dresses and tunics!  Say no to camel toe!  All in all, I can always use more leggings.  I like them.

Under Skies Shirt

Under Skies Shirt

In the past, I have been sent a number of items of clothing by Under Skies, and I have loved them all.  

Under Skies Shirt

I was a little hesitant about this one until I unfolded it! I really like it.  The material is light and silky, and the crossed back adds a little pizzazz.

Under Skies Shirt, Back
with Puella Leggings

Under Skies Shirt, Front
with Puella Leggings

  It drapes nicely and the pattern isn't too garish for me.  I approve! Another win.

In Clover Top

In Clover Top

The last item is the one I was the most afraid of.  I had seen some spoilers online of other people's totes, and I was hoping I would not get this shirt (there were some other items that I didn't want to get, either, but this was the only one that showed up in my tote).  

In Clover Top

Alas, I got it.  I was afraid the patterned placket would be too much for me, but I don't hate it!  It is much nicer in person, and even better on a human.  The shirt itself is nice and soft, and I like the rolled-up sleeves.  I will make it work.

This was a nice tote for me.  I wear the clothing from GT more than anything else in my wardrobe! I went away for this past weekend and just about everything I wore was from one tote or another.  The items are always good quality and fit well.  I like that I can pick out one or two things I know I will love, and get surprised by the rest!  GT has a place for you to create a style profile, so the company can hopefully tailor your tote to your preferences.  It seems to work well for me!

No special consideration or compensation was received for this post and all thoughts and opinions are my own. All items mentioned within were paid for by me.

Ipsy February 2014 Review

Ipsy February 2014 Review

Well, the snowpocalypse that has hit most of central and eastern states has really taken its toll on my subscription boxes!  I know that I don't want to be out in the blizzards and ice storms, so I am definitely cutting the USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc people some slack for late deliveries.  The roads have been miserable and my boxes have been late.  That's life!

Ipsy finally showed up (despite yet another snow storm) yesterday.

Ipsy February 2014

This month's theme is "The Look of Love."  If features a carnation pink bag with a pink animal print interior.

Ipsy February 2014

This month, everyone received two staple items and 3 variable ones based on Ipsy Match.  I guess since I liked the last set of fake lashes, they figured they would send me more! Oh well.  I now have a ton of fake lashes.  At least I wear them every now and then.

J.Cat Eyelashes in style EL13

These lashes are made from 100% human hair and come with a little tube of eyelash glue.  There were a number of styles sent out this month, and while I did not get my first choice, I did not get my last choice either!  These will add some volume to my own lashes without looking too crazy.

These sell for $3.99 on the J.cat website.

Jesse's Girl 9 Pan Eyeshadow Compact in The Eyes Have It

As I just spent a ridiculous amount of money on indie eyeshadow samples in a rainbow of colors, I'm a little eyeshadowed out right now!  Ipsy sent subscribers one of four color palettes from Jesse's Girl, and I ended up with the greens and browns (probably because I have green eyes, and told Ipsy that I do in my survey.)

Palette in The Eyes Have It

The colors look really pretty in the palette itself.  There's even a yellow!  Very unusual for any palette, let alone a drugstore brand.

Swatched twice over bare skin with finger

However, these are lacking in quality.  There are a few dark shades that are pigmented, but the brighter, lighter colors barely show up at all.  A good primer and a white base might help them to pop more, but it's not worth the effort to me.  These are hard, have a powdery texture, and are just about what you would expect for paying so little.

These palettes sell for $3.99 at drugstores (they sell this brand at my local Rite-Aid) and on the Jesse's Girl site.

First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay

I just tried this- the last of my variable items- and it was ok.  I know it says there is red clay in the formula, but I wasn't expecting this gel-formula to be RED.  It's the color of the bottle!  It just surprised me.

The cleanser itself is mediocre, in my opinion.  It left my skin feeling a little tight and dry.  Some face lotion fixed that, but I don't like to strip my skin of all its oils, only to put them back in again.  I'd rather use a more hydrating face wash in the first place!  I have normal skin- it is not dry, it is not oily, and I don't have to worry about blemishes.  If you are on the oily side of the spectrum, this might work better for you, especially after a workout or a hot day.

The sample was 1 oz, and the full size (4.7 oz) is $24 on the First Aid Beauty site.  Sample is worth $5.11.

Next, we have the two items that everyone got, just with color variations.

Pop Beauty Plump Pout Mini in Peony Petal

I have only received Pop beauty products through subscription boxes, and they tend to be hit or miss.  Often, I find the colors and packaging geared toward a much younger audience.  This gloss in Peony Petal (a "pink rose") is something I like more than I expected to.  I did not know that it was supposed to be a plumping gloss until I looked in the mirror.  It works fairly well!  The color is a little bright, but I wear stuff like this from time to time.

Freckle city! Pop Beauty Plump Pout Mini in Peony Petal

This gloss has no stickiness to it, which is nice.  It is a little thick, but has good coverage and doesn't migrate to the outside of the lips or settle into the lines.  It has a weird scent, though, and I can't place it.  The other color option for Ipsy subscribers to received was Fuchsia Freesia, a bright pink.

The sample is 4g, and full sized is 8.5g for $16.  Sample worth $7.53.

Last, is a full-sized polish from Zoya.  I got "Dot" and the other option was "Odette"- a purple orchid color.

Add caption

As always, Zoya polishes come in a box and are 5-free.  This light pink color is really pretty!  Normally with pinks this light, there are coverage issues.  This went on easily, and had full, streak-free coverage with just two coats.

Zoya Dot

I probably have too man light pink polishes, but I don't care!  I'm happy to add another to my collection, especially one that covers so well.

Zoya polishes are $9 for 0.5 fl.oz and are sold on their site, and at Ulta.

February Ipsy

All together, this bag had a total value of $29.62.  This isn't the highest value ever, but it's not bad, especially for $10.  I didn't like the eyeshadow, and the cleanser isn't my thing, but I'm happy enough with the eyelashes, gloss, and nail polish that my money spent was worth it.  

Ipsy is $10 per month and you get sent 4-6 sample and full-sized beauty and makeup items in a little makeup bag.  They do their best to match you based on a survey.  They do have a point system for item reviews, but it is slow going!  Each item you review gets you 10 points, and each referral gets you 250.  You need 1000 points to get a bonus item.

Bonus: Beautyblender and Blendercleanser

Thanks to those of you who were kind enough to use my referral link, I was able to get a bonus item this month!  Many thanks to Caitlyn, Michelle, and Sarah!  I hope you have been enjoying your bags!

If you don't subscribe to Ipsy, please use my link here.  You may be able to skip the waitlist, they occasionally run a "share this link and we'll bump you up" promotion.

This post contains items paid for by me.  All thoughts and opinions are my own, and no special consideration or compensation was received.  This post contains a referral link, see above for details.

Popsugar Must Have February 2014

Popsugar Must Have February 2014

First Look

This month's Popsugar Must Have box had a "pamper yourself oh and also it's Valentine's Day" theme.  This was the month that people could get for $20 using the awesome 50% off code released a few weeks ago.  That made this box an excellent deal for some people, and it caused some of those who paid full price to have a few issues with the box.

PSMH February 2014

Me? I'm indifferent.  This just confirms to me that not renewing my subscription after it expires in March is the way to go.  I already signed up for FabFitFun which is $50 quarterly.  (Get $5 off the Spring box using code ZOE or EARLY5.)

Dial Vitamin Boox Lotion Infused Body Wash

I'm just going to get this one out of the way.  This body wash polarized the internets.  It is listed as a "Special Extra" in the booklet, and is not supposed to count toward the total value of the box.  Fine.  Birchbox does this all the time- they feature drugstore items in addition to the normal content for the month.  I don't have a problem with BB or PSMH doing this.  As long as it is a bonus, great.

Some people found the inclusion of this body was to be insulting.  They felt it devalued the box as a whole, and would have been better to just omit it all together.  It inflated the box weight significantly without contributing to the value.  That's their opinion, and they are entitled to it.

I am just happy to stockpile more bodywash!  This one smells like kiwis and isn't too girly.  

$3?  Price may vary depending on stores and current sales.

Whew!  Onto the "real" stuff...

Nourish Organic Argan Face Serum

Last month Ipsy included a sample of face lotion from this brand in my bag.  It was just ok.  This is better.  Normally when I read "face serum," I think of a thinner, gel-like product.  Serum?  Right?  Something with some viscosity to it? 

No.  This is a mixture of oils and oils alone.  I wouldn't call that a "serum," and it totally squirted all over the place because I was expecting something with a little more heft to it when I pushed on the pump.  Oh well.  Nomenclature notwithstanding, this is a decent mix of oils.  It is mostly safflower, with argan, sweet orange (which contributes the most to the scent), apricot and rosehip seed oils.  It also has vitamin E.  That's it.  No additives or silicones or anything.  It was a little on the heavy side on my skin, and took a little longer than I'd like to absorb, so I won't wear it in the morning.  At night,  this is great.

20 mL is $23.99 on Nourish Organic's site.

Sugarwish Mini Red Cinnamon Hearts

Cinnamon hearts always remind me of my mom.  There were very few candies in the world that our family did not enjoy, but as far as I remember, she was the only one that liked these.  I thought they were too spicy for my delicate baby mouth.  I've since aged a couple decades, and discovered that these are indeed delicious.  They are also small, which is good.  And not chocolate, which is better. 

I don't like chocolate.  It's ok if that makes you not read my blog anymore.  

Sugarwish is a mail-order candygram company.  You send a gift card to someone and they pick out the candy they want, and Sugarwish sends it to them.  The smallest size you can gift is 4 1/4lb bags for $25 including shipping.  They have the kinds of candy you normally see in the bulk-candy mall stores.

The candy hearts we were sent are 1/4lb, giving them a value of $6.25.  I definitely wouldn't pay that much for cinnamon hearts, but they did come in a cute box with a bow.  Packaging is everything!  There was also a 20% coupon. (I also think it's kinda cute that Popsugar included another company with sugar in the name!)

k. hall designs Peony Travel Candle

This is such a cute candle!  I love the tin, I love the scent (I wouldn't normally like a floral), and I will definitely burn this.  Very appropriate for a pampering/Valentine's themed box.  Would a jar candle have been better?  Yes.  But I'll make do.

$11 on k hall designs' site.

ModelCo Lip Pops Duo Lip Gloss and Lipstick

This is a dual-ended lipgloss and lipstick combination product.  Both ends smell like strawberry to me.  The gloss is clear with a little shimmer, even though it is tinted pink in the bottle.  The lipstick is a brown-leaning medium mauve color which will be flattering on most people.  I managed to leave the lipstick twisted-up after this picture and smushed it into the cap.  That is what I get for taking pictures of my stuff while on too much cold medicine.

I could not find this product individually on ModelCo's website.  It looks like this is the nude lipstick/ striptease gloss combination included in this set.  The set is $49 and includes three of these combos and a mascara.  

I'll estimate $12.25 for this by itself.

ncLA Polish in Rodeo Drive Royalty

What could be more massacre-themed than blood-red nail polish?  Not much, and I'm happy to have another ncLA polish to try out.  We got one over the summer in another PSMH box, and I really liked it.  However, that one was a creme formula, and this one is more of a jelly.  I prefer the creme!  This went on unevenly and was tricky for even me to apply.  My bottle does have a wonky brush, though.

Rodeo Drive Royalty in bright light, 2 coats

This picture is a little lighter than the polish looks in real life.  It is closer to the bottle color.  I'd say it is the color of blood before it has a chance to oxidize- like when you are getting blood drawn into a small tube.  That color.

This is $16 on the ncLA site.  They also call it a creme and that it is cran-apple colored.  They may be less-morbid people than me.

Gorjana Brooks Jewelry Roll

This is this month's "big ticket" item: a faux leather jewelry roll from Gorjana + Griffin.  It is a poppy-red color, close to the zipper pulls in the next picture.  There are three zippered compartments inside and it is held together by wrapping some ties around the thing and kinda tying it the best you can.  The edges of that tie are not stitched onto the back of the pouch well, at all.  I also have random glue splotches around the zippers on the inside.  

Gorjana Brooks Jewelry Roll, inside

I don't feel like this would make traveling with jewelry any easier for me.  I don't often bring much with me, and what I do bring, I wear.  I have a small container I put it in while I go through security, and then it goes back on.  I will probably use this as a clutch, instead.  My iPhone fits in a pocket, and I can put my cards and cash in the others.  Voila.

This is $45 on the Gorjana website and this exact color doesn't seem to be listed.  PSMH also included a $25 off-your-next-full-priced-order coupon code.  I have two of these now, and will never use them because shipping is too expensive and I can't combine the codes with each other or with sale items.  If you think this is something you would be interested in, please let me know in the comments! I will email you one of my codes! I have two! Two people can get $25 off codes!  Yay!

PSMH February 2014

All together, this box had a total (approximated) value of $117.49.  More importantly, I'll actually use and enjoy everything included.  I still probably won't renew my subscription.  I'd rather try out other boxes!

Popsugar Must Have is $40 per month, with slight discounts if you prepay for a certain number of months ahead of time.  You get 6 (sometimes with +1 bonus) full-sized items from various categories.  It is a very diverse subscription and you never know what will be included.  It consistently has a value of over $100.

If you want to try PSMH for yourself, please use my referral link here.  I'll get a free month for every so many people who join using that link.

This post contains items purchased by me.  No special consideration or compensation was received and all thoughts and opinions are my own.  This post contains referral links to PSMH and FFF.