Drugstore Hauling

This past week I did a bit of hauling at my local Rite Aid and Duane Reade drugstores. I wanted to share with you what I picked up!

WetnWild Ultimate Expressions Eyeshadow Palette in "Paradise Cove"

I have heard good things about the Ultimate Expressions palettes, and these are actually discontinued. Luckily, I was still able to find one!

WetnWild MegaGlo Illuminating Powder in "Spotlight Peach"

Cover Girl Eye Enhancers Eyeshadow Palette in "Shimmering Sands"

L'Oreal H.I.P. Color Truth Cream Eyeliner in "Teal"

NEW N.Y.C. Blushable Creme Stick in "Wild Berry"

NEW Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Glosses in "Lilac Pastelle," "Coral Reef," "Peach Petal"

L'Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base and Anti-Redness Primer

David Babaii for Wildaid Amplifying Shampoo and Conditioner and Bohemian Beach Spray

What do you all think of the items I snagged? Have you tried any of them? If you would like reviews on any of the featured products, please let me know!

Sweet 16 (+10): Birthday Fun With Friends...And NARS

Tuesday marked my 26th birthday. Though I'm not usually one to do anything too extravagant for birthdays, I decided to spend some of the late afternoon and evening in NYC. On the agenda was a stop at MAC Pro, a bit of a disappointment since the only thing set on my wishlist, the Lip Erase, was out of stock. All was not lost, though, as the Cupcake Stop , a mobile cupcake vendor, had their truck stationed about a block away from the MAC store. The policy is that you get a free cupcake of your choice on your birthday, so I opted for a scrumptious Red Velvet (see below for a photo from the website...I forgot to snap a picture of the little beauty before I inhaled it lol).

After a bit of solo time, I met up with my beauty "partner in crime" and adopted little sister, Adina of Krasey Beauty for some much needed (OK, so it wasn't really needed) beauty retail therapy. I'm not going to lie. I actually went into SAKS soley with the intention of purchasing a new foundation (I had been debating between NARS Sheer Glow and Armani Luminous Silk). Needless to say, I ended up with a few more items than I had planned (I got caught up in the loveliness at the NARS counter). Behold, the damage....

Sheer Glow Foundation in Mont Blanc

Concealer in Honey

Powder Foundation in Mont Blanc

Douceurs de Paris (Pleasures of Paris) Palette (limited edition)

From L-R, T-B: Nepal, Violetta, Demon Lover, Cordura, Abyssinia, Fez

Lip Laquer in Chelsea Girls

Botan Brush

After some lovely time with Adina, who always seems to have some "NARS-fluence" on me, I headed downtown to meet Aja, of Don't Forget the Lip Gloss, and Nancy, of The Informed Makeup Maven, for some dinner at Buddakan, a very hip and trendy Asian-inspired restaurant (one of my all-time favorite cuisines, I might add!) The food was yummy, the company even better.

It was a really great birthday. Not to sound cheesy (OK, here comes the cheese...), but honestly my most meaningful birthdays are those spent with friends and family. It's not about what I'm doing to celebrate, however, but it's about being with people whose time I value and with whom I can just let myself enjoy being in the moment. **I am through with the sappiness/seeming cliches now**

I will leave you all with some photos of the birthday cake my mom made me. It was (well, actually, it still is...leftovers abound!) a pumpkin spice layer cake with a cream cheese buttercream frosting. It was delicious!

The Damage Has Been Done: Sephora Friends And Family Haul

Sephora's Friends and Family sale has officially arrived! I was determined to get my order out as soon as possible, before items that I wanted had a chance to sell out or the website suffered from traffic overload, so I ended up staying awake until 3 AM EST when the code was released for use. If that's not dedication (or maybe it's just an addiction!) then I don't know what is! My list changed a bit from its original version, but there were products that I have absolutely been waiting to get my hands on with the 20% off sale.

Without further ado...the beauty damage!

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. II, $48 (after sale $38.40)

Stila Kajal Eye Liner in Topaz, $18 (after sale $14.40)

NARS Day and Night Palette, $50 (after sale $40)

NARS The Multiple Coffret (includes Orgasm, Copacabana, and South Beach minis), $40 (after sale $32)

Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Singulier, $30 (after sale $24)

The Urban Decay palette was a no-brainer. I knew I had to have it! Sixteen gorgeous shadows, two mini 24/7 eye liner pencils, and a mini Primer Potion for $48 is a great deal. NARS palettes have yet to disappoint me. I have the Holiday palette from last year and I use it ALL the time. Their shadows are buttery smooth and so easy to use. The other items I added out of curiosity. I was intrigued by the Stila Kajal in Topaz, a nude, peachy pink shade. I thought this could be great to use to brighten up my eyes (I have a lot of dark areas and I don't always like to wear dark liner on my lower lashline/waterline). Also, with my complexion being so fair, I might even be able to use this pencil to spot conceal. As for the set of NARS multiples, I was interested to try out a few of the most popular shades of this universal stick. These minis are perfect to carry in your purse for any touch-ups or pick-me-ups your skin might need during the day. I have never used a YSL mascara before (though I always hear stellar reviews of the Faux Cils!) and while they are pricier, there will never be an opportunity to score one of their lash enhancers at a discount greater than 20%. I decided on their new mascara in black (the colored versions were enticing!)

So, there you have it! I am very happy with my selections, I must say. The only other product I was contemplating was a new foundation. I've been eyeing the NARS Sheer Glow and I have also been hearing some positive feedback on the Philosophy Supernatural Superbeautiful foundation. I'm a bit hesitant to order foundation online without being color matched first, though, so these might have to wait for a later date. Unless, that is, I can get to a store before the sale is over ;-). This could get dangerous!

MAC Haul: Style Black And Dazzleglass Creme Collections

This past Thursday, September 24th, MAC officially launched two new collections in their stores and counters, Style Black and Dazzleglass Creme. Of course, yours truly was on hand to check out the new offerings and to pick up a few (OK, maybe more than a few) of the items that caught my eye. This time around, I enlisted the help of my friend, and fellow beauty blogging lady, Nancy (The Informed Makeup Maven), and we headed to Henri Bendel in NYC to check out the goods. Witness the damage that was done....

Volcanic Ash Exfoliator, $19.50

The infamous Volcanic Ash Exfoliator was a big hit when it launched previously with the Future Earth collection in May 2008. Having missed out on it the first time around, I scooped it up with the re-promote. I can't wait to take it for a spin! This is already selling out quickly.

Mineralize eyeshadows, in, from L-R, Cinderfella and Young Punk, $19.50 each

I was originally not planning to purchase any of the eyeshadows from the Style Black collection. When I saw them in person, however, I quickly changed my mind. These mineralize shadows look amazing when used wet (with Fix +, for example) or when layered on top of the Greasepaint Stick (a black base). The glitter just pops! There is some fallout (to be expected).





Greasepaint Stick in Intense Black, $17.50

This crayon can be used as an intense black eyeshadow base or even as an eyeliner. It is a true deep black with a gorgeous, yet subtle, opalescent purple shimmer. It is very smooth and creamy (creamier than a shadestick). I can't wait to use this with the shadows from the collection. This was (aside from the exfoliator), the product I was most looking forward to purchasing.






Mattene lipstick in Night Violet, $14.50

This is my first time trying the mattene formula and I was drawn to the deep purple color immediately (I am quickly becoming obsessed with more bold lip colors for the new season).





Glimmerglass glosses in, from L-R, Bling Black and Blackfire, $18 each

I think these will be best over lipsticks. Blackfire, with its purple sparkle, will look gorgeous over Night Violet mattene. I am excited to try Bling Black over a red lippie. The gold shimmer should really pop the color.






Dazzleglass Creme in Creme Allure, $18

All of these products, as well as other items from these collections, can be found, as usual, at MAC free-standing stores, at MAC counters, and online at http://www.maccosmetics.com/.

Did you haul anything from these or any other recent MAC collections?

In The Spirit Of Fashion Week: A Little Hauling Marc Jacobs Style

Though Marc Jacobs is getting ready to show his collection at New York's Fashion Week, I don't think I will be priveleged to see the show (though a girl can dream, right?). I was, however, able to snag some cute items from the Jacobs by Marc Jacobs collection while in Boston a few weekends ago. While strolling with Krasey Beauty down Newbury Street, a famous row of great boutiques and cafes in the city, we stumbled upon the Marc Jacobs store. Adina just couldn't say no to stopping inside, and admittedly, I was excited about the prospect of gawking at the gorgeous leather purses, sunglasses, and fashionable attire. I knew I was not in the position to really shop (fabulous items, but way out of my price range!), but I was happy just to be able to browse the offerings. In the end, I did find a few great items out of which I will get lots of use, and I didn't even have to break the bank to purchase them - I picked up three cute items for under $70!

My new acquisitions:

Pink and black faux snake print zip wallet, $21

Grey printed canvas tote with brown suede detail and zip closure, $28

Apparently the grey color is very rare and had never been put on the floor before. I had originally gone for the hot pink, but after hearing this (and thinking that this color would probably be a bit more practical), I opted for the grey.

Red jewelled cocktail ring, $12

My Marc by Marc Jacobs shopping bag! This was free, of course, but it's a nice little reminder that I was indeed in the store! Plus, it made for some very nice arm candy ;-)

It was hard to pass the gorgeous Marc by Marc Jacobs bags by (I still think I can hear their taunting whispers..."buy me," "buy meee"), but I will try to save up for one for a future purchase! I'm happy with the items that I bought and I know I will use them - I love large bags, and a tote with a zipper is perfect for running around the city, I needed a wallet, and who could say no to a cute ring?!?




Do you own any Marc Jacobs pieces? Are you lusting after any?