The Tale of the Mysterious Package.

Today was a long day for me. Up early to take the kids to a local flea market with my mom, brother, sister, and their kids (10 all together).

We had fun, and the kids got to pick one item to get to bring home with them. Even the adults broke down and got something for themselves. My was a pretty summer dress, that ended up not fitting me, so it will go to my mom or sister. Yes, summer dress. It's still 90F here.

When I got home, there was two packages waiting for me. The first was the pretty pink envelope from ispy. The other a plain package. I was only expecting ipsy, so I had no clue as to what the second was. 

I sat down with the Bumblebee and we opened the ipsy together. She likes to oh and ah over everything, and always asks to have the pink envelope when I'm done with it. Next I open the second package; it's a Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara. I am so confused. I didn't order this. It's not Secret Santa time yet. Time to research...

Step one: Who is this from? I google "marina maher communications". They are a company that markets to women. No help there.

Oh look, a client list. Covergirl is on it. Again, no help.

Step two: Now what contests have I entered? Ten minutes later I stop laughing at myself and spend a couple minutes wondering if I should start tracking all the contests I've entered, and how would that spreadsheet or database look like, and in the middle of all this my brain says "what was Allure giving away back in August? Isn't that stuff supposed to mailed this month or something?"

Got it brain, head to Allure website. Five minutes of poking around trying to find the old info, and it's time to google the list. Please let some beauty blogger have the list. Someone must have the...SCORE!

So, yeah, I won the mascara from the August 2015 Allure giveaway. Thank you Allure! And thank  you Slickdeals.net for popping up first in the googling for the list!

Ipsy October 2015 Preview - Alter Ego

The sneak peeks are out and here is what I'm getting.

AURORA Gel Effect Nail Polish in Inky Dinky ($9) - This looks like it will be a dark purple. Happy dancing over here...and now joined by the purple loving Bumblebee.

theBalm Cosmetics Meet Matt(e) Hughes Long-Lasting Liquid Lipstick in Committed (pinky nude) (Full size $17) - I'm not thrilled about getting a pink, but as it is a pink nude, I am hoping it makes up for last month's deathly nude lippie I received from ipsy.

Balanced Guru Scrub Me Body Scrub (Sample ~2.87. Full size $22.99) - This has coffee is it. As I'm not a fan of coffee (please no lynching) so I'm hoping it does not smell like coffee.

Emité Make Up PROFESSIONAL SLANT TWEEZER (200 Danish Krone, roughly $30) - I need a new pair of tweezers. My son and hubby have used mine (I don't want to know what for) and I still get the willies even after cleaning it with alcohol. Since these look like they will be pink, my son won't touch them. I just have to hide them from hubby.

Nourish Organic Pure Hydrating Argan Face Serum (sample ~17.14, full size $23.99) - This is for dry to normal skin. My skin is oily to East Texas oil well oily. I may try this in the dead of Texas winter (around the beginning of February) or have one of my drier skinned family members use it.


All in all I am anticipating this month's bag. A complete opposite from last month.

Ipsy September 2015 Arrival

I'm a week behind getting this up. It's been a busy week around the homestead. 
My first initial reaction to seeing everything in the package - small and brown. 

You can review my preliminary thoughts in the Ipsy September 2015 - Preview thread.

Pixi by Petra swatch

tre'StiQue Lip swatch

NYX Trio 

Pixi by Petra Brow Powder Trio
Awwww, They took it away from it's mommy! Seriously, look at how small it is. I'd say it would be good for touch-ups to my brows during the day, if needed, but it already got lost in my makeup bag.

Color wise, obviously the dark brown is too dark for me, but the other two colors work. Although the two light shade completely disappears on me. Can you even see it in the swatch? It's closest to the right. Swatching on the skin for a brow product, may have been a bad idea.

I still like my E.L.F. brow kit better though; it's colors look more natural on me, I think. But I'm willing to let them duel it out on my face for a day or two.

NYX Cosmetics ipsy Eye Shadow Trio

I'm not thrilled with the colors, but it is a new brand for my to try. I'll come up with some quick neutral eye to use it with, but it screams to me for more color. Swatched the shadow went on smoothly, and the two lighter colors are shimmery.

I was considering trading this, until the TeenBoy decided to be funny and act like he was putting on the black shadow. The result has now been dubbed PandaBoy and involved much laughter as he was trying to get it off. Oh this shadow does not come off easy with water! I did feel his pain and finally convinced him to use my eye makeup remover; it came right off then.


Eau Thermale Avène Soothing Moisture Mask
To try during the winter when my skin is drier.  Or to try on the Bumblebee's face because her skin get cracking dry in the winter. (I'm usually covering her in lanolin three times a day in the winter)

tre'StiQue Mini Matte Lip Crayon

Ummm, this is too pale for me! I may have to try an ombre lip to see if I like it then, but right now, not so much.

Crown Brush Oval Concealer Brush (C224)
Makeup brush!!! You CAN have too many brushes when the brush is bad. However, I love this brush! Picked up my powder concealer and put on my face wonderfully. I'll try it on the cream concealer when it gets colder out. I am now trying to convince myself into tossing my old concealer brush. but one end still works great.

As a whole, the bag selection was blah, but I like the bag itself. It is obviously a fall basics bag, but fall around here still involves "egg cooking on the sidewalk" hot weather, and I need bright colors. Even when I dress in all black, I have one thing that is brightly colored.

Maybe that is what my problem is with the bag. I still need summer makeup.

Ipsy September 2015 Preview

Ipsy previews came out yesterday, and this is what I'm getting.

Ipsy descriptions italicized.

Pixi by Petra Brow Powder Trio
Define & highlight for an instant brow lift! With three matte shades to mix and match, this palette lets you customize for the perfect brow color to instantly frame your face.
This "define your brow" thing is new to me. I've got me some thick eye brows, so I never really thought about doing anything with them until recently, when I started to get grey in brows. So I picked me up an E.L.F. Eyebrow Kit, and have been practicing. I think I, doing okay, but what on earth do I know. Now I'm getting a product from someone else to test against. Before shots, comparison using one on each brow...

NYX Cosmetics ipsy Eye Shadow Trio
This 3-color eye shadow palette gives you go-anywhere intensity day or night thanks to the highly pigmented formulations. Provides intense eye colors with a silky texture for seamless application for any eye look that you desire. It consists of 3 complementing eye shadows to wear together or alone.

• Each eye shadow provides great color payoff with every application.
• Create any look on the go with the help of the dual applicator that allows you to apply, smudge and line your eyes effortlessly.
• Exclusive palette designed by NYX just for ipsters!

When I first starting seeing the spoilers for this one, I was drooling over the pretty dark green shadow in the pallette along with the gold and cream colors. Now seeing a closer picture, I don't think that is green! or gold. It looks like cream, brown and a dark brown or black. I already have several cream colors, and too many browns of various shades (light to dark and every shade between) so I'm not so thrilled now.

Eau Thermale Avène Soothing Moisture Mask
This rich, creamy, non-setting skincare mask provides intensive soothing care to dehydrated and over-stressed skin. Its unique formula deeply penetrates skin and in minutes, sensitive or tired skin can become supple, soft and radiant again. It also offers instant relief for burns, sunburns, redness and tightness.

• Replenishes moisture to dehydrated skin and helps restore skin’s barrier
• Minimizes redness
• Paraben-free, Hypoallergenic, Non-Comedogenic, Vegan and Gluten-Free

MASK!!! I have no facial masks in my possession, so bonus!

tre'StiQue Mini Matte Lip Crayon
Fall in love with this new matte lip color. It’s buttery soft, rich, yet light as air and uber comfortable with a futuristic vibrant finish. Infused with Vitamin E, and Monoi Tahiti Butter for moisturization and antioxidant properties

• Deposits rich color that you can build
• Contains Vitamin E and Monoi Tahiti Butter
• Modern radiant matte finish

Note to self, that is the lid; don't freak out when you see that in the bag. I guess I'm getting the nude color pictured. Eh. Not sure I'm a fan of the color.

Crown Brush Oval Concealer Brush (C224)
The Crown Brush Oval Concealer Brush is made of 100% Flexible Japanese Torray Taklon Bristles (synthetic). The brush can be used for application and blending of all concealer formulas, emollient products and for applying cream based shadows. The tapered tip is for precision placement and great for use around the lip area to conceal when wearing bold colors.
A girl can never have too many brushes, and the concealer brush I do have is shedding like a huskie in the south.

All in all, I'm not sure how I feel about this month's bag. All are new products by brands I've never tried. On the other hand, such dull neutrals. Is there a plan for a vibrant October bag?

I'm a Fabzilla Winner!

Last week TheFabZilla was having a giveaway for a Beauty Junkees  5-piece Large Kabuki Set, and I won!
It arrived in the mail today, and I am in love.

These brushes are so soft! I'll be putting at least one of these to use tomorrow. (Probably after an initial cleaning, because I'm not the only one around here who loves how soft they are. The Bumblebee snagged one and is "painting" her face.) And the brush holder! It snaps together for packing in your travel bag, and when open, you have two containers.

I've already added the  8-Piece Eye Brush Set to my wishlist.

Samples Received - August 2015

Biossance The Revitalizer - Squalane, the world’s leading moisturizer, replenishes your skin by using a moisturizer found naturally within you. The Revitalizer leaves you feeling instantly nourished and noticeably revitalized. Dermatologist tested, non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, and paraben-free.
Product claims:

• 93% of women agreed that their skin felt instantly hydrated
• 95% of women agreed that their skin appeared softer and smoother after 1 week
• 84% of women agreed that their skin felt revitalized after 2 weeks

My experience: I am glad I put this on at night. I followed the directions and used 2 - 3 drops on my face after cleaning and toning, which was hard with the sample bottle is used. It felt moisturizing on my fingers but left my face oily. My face normal ends up an oil slick during the day and immediately this was worse. I want to wipe it off, but I'm trying to last until morning.

Morning after: Ugh, my face. And the pillow cases had to be washed. This is not for me. Think it might be for you? You can get a free trail at Biossance.

PinchMe August 2015 Arrival

I'm not sure why, but two PinchMe boxes, with the same items in each, arrived on the thunder stormy day.

Summer's Eve Night-time Cleansing Cloths and Wash in Lavender (one use sample) - I think every adult female knows what cleansing wash is, so I won't go into that. My guess is this will smell like lavender. The cloths, I'm guessing, are for on the go (at the gym?).

DenTek Comfort Clean Floss Picks (one use sample) - According to DenTek, these floss picks are ultra-silky floss tape that slides smoothly between teeth with a textured pick to deep clean between teeth and stimulate gums, a tongue cleaner helps fight bad breath, and minty flavor leaves your mouth feeling fresh.
My teeth tend to rip up floss quickly. It will be interesting to see how this holds up.

Gold Bond Ultimate Skin Therapy Cream Strength & Resilience (0.75 oz tube)
Gold Bond Ultimate Skin Therapy Cream Healing (0.75 oz tube)
My teen son took off with these before I had a chance to finish typing what they are. I'm good with this as he has suffered from eczema since he was a baby, and I think I can get a decent review from him.

$100 Wine Voucher from nakedwines.com - This is $100 off a purchase of $160 within 30 days of receipt. I am already in a wine club and have plenty on hand, but if I had the funds, I'd be all over this. Wine works as great gifts with the family.