Haul: Ulta

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A few weeks ago hubby and I were planning a day trip to a city that also happened to have my nearest Ulta (which really is not near) so I went online to look at the weekly ad and made a list of items I wanted to get, well when I got there I could not find anything that I had on my list! Actually I was quite disappointed with my experience, a lot of the shelves were hardly even stocked with product and there was no one around to ask for help locating items. When I don't want to be bothered in a store there are all kinds of sales people coming up and asking if I need help, but the one time I really wanted some help there was no one.

Anywho, I just decided I would make an online purchase, I was able to find everything that I had on my list plus one extra item! A few of the items I ordered were on sale, plus I had a $3.50 off coupon! I will more than likely do a review on each of the products I purchased.

The first thing I got was the Eclos

Empties: March 2013

I'm pretty proud of myself, for the second month in a row I have a few products that I was able to finish up!

During the month of March I finished my Not Your Mother's Way to Grow conditioner, last month I used up the shampoo and I have really been able to tell it. My hair is back to being frizzy and unruly and breaking like crazy! Must repurchase LOL.

I finished up three bottles of soap from Bath & Body Works. Berry Twinkle, Peach Bellini, and Candy Cane Bliss. The last two hubby threw the bottles away before I got them put in to my empties basket. I would repurchase all of these soaps, I love them.

I finished up my Proactiv toner. I would not repurchase this, just because you have to purchase the entire three step system in order to get it and I don't need the other two products. I replaced it with a L'Oreal toner.

I finally finished up my bottle of Avon eye makeup remover. I really like this stuff and repurchased it months before I ran out when they had it on sale for $.99

I also finished up two hand creams, my EOS cucumber melon and my Avon Vita Moist. I like the EOS, but it's not something I would repurchase simply because it's a little pricey for me. I will repurchase the Avon hand cream.

I also finished up a non beauty related item and I wanted to add it because I had blogged about it, and that is my Palmolive Fresh Infusions dish soap. Love this stuff and will be repurchasing.

What products did you use up? Leave me a link to your post, I would love to check it out.

Empties 2013 #2

I usually don't do Empties post every month, but for a change I had empties two months in a row! Yay me LOL :)

This month I only used up four products, but I still think that is pretty good.

First up is my Olay Complete face moisturizer. For the most part I really liked this moisturizer, really have no complaints about it, but probably not something I would repurchase. I'll probably stick with my Cetaphil.

I also used up my Not Your Mother's Way to Grow long and strong shampoo. I LOVE this shampoo I have a full review of it if you would like to read my thoughts about it. I would repurchase this.

I used up my Aussie Catch the Wave mousse with leave in conditioner. I like this product, but I have found another mousse that I like better, so I most likely will not repurchase this product.

Lastly I used up my Suave Touchable finish Extra Hold hairspray. This is my all time favorite hairspray and will be a product that I purchase time and time again.

What products did you use up this month?

Review: Not Your Mother's Way to Grow Long & Strong Shampoo & Conditioner

Not Your Mother's Way to Grow Long and Strong Shampoo is made with essential vitamins, herbs and bio-active extracts. It's a salon formula that will have your hair stronger, healthier and in turn longer. It's also a sulfate free shampoo. Claims you'll get longer hair faster, strengthens hair, anti breakage formula. Conditioner claims it will strengthen, moisturize and give your hair a silky texture. Intense moisturizing for all hair types. Says it can be used for chemically treated hair as well.

I think it's really cute that they added on the bottler that Grow Long and Strong was for already existing hair, that it did not grow new hair.

I think this shampoo and conditioner smells amazing, makes me think of strawberries! I feel like this shampoo and conditioner has definitely improved the quality of my hair. I think my hair looks and feels so much more healthier. I think I have way less breakage as well. Both the shampoo and conditioner say to massage into your scalp for 2-3 minutes. I did this with both the first time I used them, but I felt like it took too much time, so for the rest of the time that I've been using these products, I just lathered up the shampoo real good, rinsed, then applied the conditioner on my hair and leave it in while I finish with my shower routine, then I'll rinse it out well. The shampoo and conditioner are both a thicker consistency than any other I've used before. The conditioner though is the thickest conditioner that I've ever seen.

I've never used a sulfate free shampoo before because I've heard they do  not lather like regular shampoos, and I like my shampoo to be very sudsy, otherwise I feel like it's not getting my hair clean. I was very please that this shampoo had a very good sudsy lather to it even though it is sulfate free.

Final Thoughts: I really like this shampoo and conditioner and I may make it my new go to shampoo and conditioner. At Walmart this retails for $4.97 each for a 8oz bottle. The cost is a little higher at places like CVS, which kind of puts me off, but I feel like the few extra dollars I would be spending on this product would be worth it in the long run for the health of my hair.

Quality: 5/5

Price: 4/5

Packaging: 5/5

Scent: 5/5

Overall: 19/20

Shampoo ingredients

Conditioner ingredients

Shampoo on the left, conditioner on the right.

Empties 2013 #1

Happy February! 

I have went through quite a few products since my last Empties post, so I thought I would share them with you!

Up first are some samples that I had. 

First one is the new Pond's Luminous Clean Cream Cleanser. I really like this stuff! I have already bought the full size product.

Up next is my L'Oreal Youth Code Serum. If you have been reading my blog you know I love this stuff and splurged and bought the full size.

I also tried some serum from Avon's Anew line, hated it! I washed it off my face probably about 5 minutes after I put it on. Left my face feeling sticky. Obviously I will not be purchasing the full size of that.

Another skin care sample I had was Scalisi Anti-Aging Moisturizer that I got in one of my Birchboxes. I finally decided I would finish it up too. Will not be purchasing the full size of this product.

I also finished up my second bottle of Neutrogena Fresh Foaming cleanser. I decided not to repurchase this again  just because I wanted to try the new Pond's cleanser.

I also had a couple of body washes that I finished up. One was a sample of Caress whipped souffle white peach cream. I've had this for probably over a year :/ Probably not anything that I would repurchase.

I also used up my bottler of Softsoap Ultra Rich Shea Butter Creme. I love all the softsoap body washes, they leave your skin feeling so soft. I would repurchase this.

I finished up my little sample bottle of Not Your Mother's Smooth Moves that I received from Influenster. My hubby bought me the full size as a Christmas gift!

I also finished up a bottle of  Vaseline total moisture cocoa radiant lotion. I have already purchased the full size of this. Love it, smells amazing and is very moisturizing!

And if you seen my January Favorites post you already know that I am bummed out about my last empty, which is my Viva La Juicy La Fleur fragrance sample. I couldn't even throw out the empty sample bottle LOL

 I would love to have the full size of this, but it is so far out of my price range.

What products have you used up recently?

January 2013 Favorites

I feel like I say this every month, but seriously, where has this month gone? This month for me has been crazy and stressful. Anywho, I have a few products that I have either loved or just simply reached for the most this month.

I'll start with hair products:

I have been loving my Not Your Mother's Way to Grow Shampoo. I will have a full review of this product up within the next week!

Review: Not Your Mother's Kinky Moves

Not Your Mother's Kinky Moves claims that it helps encourage natural curls by giving them that extra oomph, eliminates frizz and flyaways and adds bounce. It's a curl defining hair cream and is infused with natural grape seed and jasmine.

This is the first curl cream that I have used for what it's made fore. I've used Miss Jessie's but only for taming flyaways when I pull my hair back. Not Your Mother's Kinky Moves works great in my hair. It truly does reduce frizz and flyaways and I feel like it does give my curls a little extra bounce. I like to use it before my hair gets too dry, so I'll just leave my hair up in a towel for just a couple of minutes. The directions say to saturate locks, scrunch curls and style as desired, then blow dry upside down or air dry. I do not like to scrunch my curls, because I feel like it leaves my hair feeling too puffy. So I'll apply the product with my hair upside down, flip my head back up and use my fingers to comb through my hair. I'll let it dry for a little bit, usually while I do my make up, then I like to lightly, well a little more than lightly, spray it with hairspray. I can usually get two good days out of my curls when I use this product. I'll just take some smoothing cream from Got2b and smooth over my curls and I'm good to go!

Smelling the product straight from the tube smells really good, but once I squeeze some out in my hand, I feel like the smell is a little over powering. Once I've got the product in my hair, it does not smell over powering, and I get little whiffs of it throughout the day. I do like the way it smells, reminds me of grape Kool-Aid!

This will be a product that I will most likely repurchase. You can find Not Your Mother's at Walmart for $4.74 The product comes in a 4 fluid ounce tube.

Final Say

Quality: 5/5

Price: 4/5

Packaging: 5/5

Scent: 4/5

Overall: 18/20

December Favorites

This month I had quite a few favorites, so let's just jump right on in!

Face Favorites:
This month a foundation made it's way on to my favorites list, simply because I have not been able to wear foundation lately, until I was introduced Loreal Youth Code Serum. With that being said, obviously the Youth Code Serum is one of my favorites this month. Revlon Color Stay foundation has been my go to foundation this month. I really like the coverage I get from it. Cover Girl CG Smoothers Tinted Mositurizer is also on my favorites list this month. I love using this when I'm in a hurry to get ready or when I only want very light coverage. I have also really been loving my Milani Illuminating face powder in Amber Nectar, gives a nice hint of color to my pale skin.

Eye Favorites: 
This month I have really stuck to a quick and natural looking eye. Staring off with Avon's eye shadow primer, review coming soon. Then I'll take my Milani shadow eyes in champagne toast and cover my lid. Then I've been using the crease shade out of the Wet n Wild Walking on Eggshells trio, for my crease shade. Then using Wet n Wild's single shadow in the shade brulee as my highlight color. Lastly I would use my TheBalm Mary-Lou Manizer to brighten up the inner corners of my eyes.

My favorite eye liner this month was my Sumita contrast eye pencil and my favorite mascara has been my Kiss i-Envy.

Lip Favorites:
My go to lip products this month have been my peppermint Baby Lips and my two Model Co Shine Ultra lip glosses.

Hair Favorites:
I had a couple of hair favorites this month. First up Not Your Mother's Smooth Moves, I can not get enough of this stuff! I have also been using Tresemme heat tamer spray when I flat iron my hair. I used to not use a heat protectant but I've been heat styling my hair a lot more lately so I thought I should start using one.

Other Favorites: 

My favorite fragrance this month has been Paris Amour from Bath & Body Works. It was an early Christmas gift from my friend :) I have also been loving my Vita Moist hand cream that I got from Avon. I have a few tubes scattered about the house, so there is one around when ever I need it.

What were your favorites this month?

Haul: Christmas Gifts

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! I wanted to share with you the beauty related Christmas gifts that I received.

My wonderful husband got me some Not Your Mothers Smooth Moves and Kinky Moves. I love the smooth moves and I'm really excited to try out the Kinky Moves! He also got me six tubes of Baby Lips! I got two Quenched, two Peppermint and two Peach Kiss. He also got me a $20 gift card to Bath & Body Works!

What beauty related items did you get for Christmas?

November Favorites

Oh my goodness, can you believe November is gone! Honestly this year has been flying by so fast. I was going to use Beauty Sets to help me make a pretty little page for my favorites this month, but I couldn't get it to look the way I wanted it too. I only have a handful of favorites this month, I pretty much stuck to the same makeup routine this entire month.

First up I have my Model Co Shine Ultra Lip Gloss in Showgirl Red. By far my most favorite lip gloss. I received this in my November Birchbox and I have been using it all the time! I really like it because it's not sticky, last a really long time and gives me just the right amount of color.

Next I have another product that I received in my November Birchbox. I had mixed feelings about this one to start with, and I still kind of do (review coming soon) it is my Sumita Contrast Eye Pencil in black. I love using this to tight line my eyes.

My next favorite is something that I've had for a while, but I'm still loving it. I-Envy mascara by Kiss has been my go to mascara this month. I really like this one because it's a 'tube' mascara, you know the kind that form little 'tubes' around your lashes. It wears so good, but is also super easy to take off.

My favorite for my eye shadow this month is my Comfort Zone palette by Wet N Wild. I love this palette because you can create a lot of different looks with it or pick out one shadow to wear all over the lid. It's my go to when I'm in a hurry to get ready.

For my foundation this month, and for the last few months actually, has been Cover Girl CG Smoothers Tinted Moisturizer in Light to Medium. I really like this product, it feels super light on my skin and gives me just a hint of coverage.

My hair favorite this month was something that I received in my Influenster VoxBox, Not Your Mothers Smooth Moves. I have used this on my hair practically everyday since I got it. It is great for smoothing out my hair so I have less frizz and it also relaxes my curls.

What were your favorite things from this month? I love to hear about other favorites, good way to get product recommendations :)

Review: Not Your Mother's Smooth Moves Frizz Control Hair Cream

I had never heard of this brand before I received a sample of it in my Beauty Bloggers VoxBox from Influenster to test out and review. I received the Smooth Moves Frizz Control Cream, which it claims it will de-frizz straighten and shine. Also claims it will help reduce styling time. It is a cream product, I love cream products for my hair! It is made with coconut and silk extracts, which makes it smell amazing.

I have naturally curly hair so I was kinda skeptical about what this product could do for my hair, I got surprised. The way I like to use this product is to wash my hair at night, apply the Smooth Moves cream, then comb my hair to evenly distribute the

Beauty Bloggers VoxBox 2012

I am so excited to have been one out of 2500 chosen from Influenster to receive a Beauty Bloggers VoxBox! It is full of amazing goodies that I can't wait to try out!

Here is a run down of what was included in this box.
NYC IndividualEyes Custom Compact: It's an all in one compact with a primer, illuminator, applicator and four eyeshadows. Retail Value $4.99

Kiss Ever Pro Lashes Starter Kit: Complete with eyelashes, adhesive, and applicator. Retail Value $5.99

Bath & Body Works Mini Candle in Cider Lane. Also received a coupon to get one of the large 3 wick candles for $10! Retail Value $3.50

EBOOST: Says it will boost your mood, focus and immunity with natural ingredients and no crash. Available in powder or shot form. Retail Value $28 for a box of 20 powders, $39 for a box of 30 powders, $39 for a box of 12 shots.

Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin: I have been wanting to try one of these for a really long time. Retail Value $7.29

Not Your Mother's Smooth Moves Frizz Control Hair Cream: fights out of control hair and reduces styling time. Has coconut and silk extracts. Retail Value $6.00 for full sized 4-oz bottle.

I will be incorporating these products in to my daily routine over the next week and will be doing reviews on each of the products.

Are you a member of Influenster? If not click here to sign up. If you need an invite email me and I'll send you one. If you are did you get a Beauty Bloggers VoxBox?