My New Favorite Product: XFusion Keratin Hair Fibers For Hair Loss

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Tool Tuesday: Shower Comb

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Facial Wipe Wednesday: L'oreal's Revitalift Cleansing Towelettes

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Chick Nail Polish: Raven's Egg

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Random Fun Stuff

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China Glaze - Kaleidoscope Him Out

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SoFlaJo Dewdrop

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Kari Cares - Autism Awareness Mani

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Kari Cares - Mental Health Awareness Month 2012

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May 2012 Influenster VoxBox

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My perfect summer neon: Jesse's Girl Carolina Beach

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I'm not really a neon nail person, but that's only because I've had trouble finding the perfect retina-scorching shade to go with my skintone. Until now, that is!
A few weeks ago, I showed you the new Rock Star Collection from Jesse's Girl, which contains one NEW nail polish called Carolina Beach. After my initial post, My contact at Jesse's Girl confirmed for me that Carolina Beach, as well as the lipglosses from the Rock Star Collection are, for the time being, exclusive to Rite Aid and will not be available for sale on the Jesse's Girl website. 
So...if you want Carolina Beach, get over to your local Rite Aid and look for this display. That's where I found and purchased my bottle, and I'm absolutely in LOVE with this color. By the way, the Jesse's Girl JulieG shade Bikini looks like it could be a dupe for Carolina Beach, but I haven't swatched them side-by-side to 100% confirm this.


 Jesse's Girl High Intensity Nail Color in Carolina Beach(retail: $3.99 at Rite Aid, 0.35 oz)
As we all know, neon polishes are impossible to photograph, but with a little help from my editing software, I was able to come close to what I see on my nails in real life in these photos. But in real life, this one is BRIGHT and 100% neon in nature. 
Carolina Beach is a beautiful hot pink with peachy-coral undertones (it looks a teeny bit warmer in my pics, but it's not a cool shade by any means). As with all neons, I applied a layer of white creme polish as a base, followed by two coats of Carolina Beach and one layer of top coat (again, as with most neons, Carolina Beach dries to a matte finish without the help of top coat). I've also tried skipping the white creme base color but I'm afraid that this one is streaky even after three coats on its own, so I really suggest applying a white creme base first (I suggest that with all neon polishes, by the way--it really speeds up the process of achieving a streak-free, opaque look).



Love, love, love this one! It was well-worth the $3.99 and I recommend looking for it if you love neon pinks.
What are your favorite polishes from Jesse's Girl?

The Weekly Beauty Sales at Ulta, Target & Kmart (7/8 - 7/14)

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Time again for the weekly beauty deals at Ulta, Target and Kmart. As always, this post is a "best of" and not a complete listing of all sales for the week. Please consult the weekly ads (links below) if you have any questions or need further information.   Weekly Sales for 7/8 -7/14


Ulta's Friends & Family sale starts July 15th and runs through July 21st. Check out Mandy's blog for details about the special coupon for this sale.


Click hereto view this week's ad. Click here for a coupon (good online or in-store) for $3.50 off a $10 purchase (read fine print for exclusions).
NOTE: this week's sales are the same as last week's. They run through 7/21, so they'll be the same again next week.

The new Limited Edition Ulta Exclusive OPI shades are 2/$12 again this week. These shades all seem to be dupes of previous shades from OPI. For a list of all the shades in this new Ulta Collection with their corresponding ORIGINAL names, check out Mara's post here. 

Also, it looks like Ulta might be revamping their house-brand makeup soon, because EVERYTHING'S on sale:
$1: Ulta automatic eye and lip liners and kohl liners and lip pencils$2: Ulta lipsticks, salon nail lacquers, single eyeshadows, smoky eye liners or precision liquid liners$3: Ulta cheek colors, Extreme Wear cheek stains or Extreme Wear mousse blushes$4: Ulta baked eyeshadow duos & trios, Extreme Wear whipped eyeshadows, Extreme Wear gel eyeliners, Extreme Wear cream eyeshadows, gel eyeliner pencils, eye makeup remover, Hydroshine lip gel, lip & eye crayons, or lip glosses$5: Ulta foundation & primer, pressed powders, concealers, Extreme Wear lip color & stain, eyeshadow quads, mascaras or Ulta Professional nail lacquers
BOGO1/2OFF:NYX cosmetics L'Oreal cosmeticsMaybelline cosmeticsNeutrogena cosmeticsPhysicians Formula cosmetics and Anti-Aging skincareRevlon cosmeticsCoverGirl cosmeticsAlmay cosmeticsPrestige cosmeticsPalladio cosmeticsGeoGirl cosmetics Lip SmackersKaty Perry Eye LashesJaponesque brushesAeroMinerale foundations Select acne skincare products from Clean & Clear, Neutrogena, 10-0-6 and NoxzemaAcne Free skincareBiore skincareSt. Ives skincareBellaboo skincareZeno acne skincareOlay Total Effects skincareOlay Regenerist skincareSelect skincare from Lumene, Yes To, Swisa, Derma E, Raw or ZinnUlta brand skincareUlta haircareJohn Frieda haircareOrganix and FX haircareSelect haircare from TRESemme, Marc Anthony, Sally Hershberger and Lee Strafford
B2G1FREE:Ulta brand bath, anti-bac and candles Professional brand styling and finishing products15% off:Select Boots No7 skincareL'Oreal skincareGarnier skincareGud skincareAveeno skincare
Other sales:
Ulta 52-piece Beauty Retreat kit $19.99 Butter London Lips and Tips set (polish and lip gloss) $25 Pixel polish 2/$4Redken, Matrix, Joico, Brocato, AG Haircare, ABBA, Bonacure and Kentra 1-liter bottles $14.99 each (limit 4 per customer)TIGI Bedhead Tweens (25.36 oz bottles) $12.99 each (limit 4 per customer)American Crew, Rusk, Sexy Hair or Wella liter bottles $12.99 each (limit 4 per customer)Click here for Target printable beauty coupons, and remember that you can combine Target coupons with any manufacturer's coupons you might have for even more savings. Click here to view this week's ad. Also, don't forget to check the Personal Care section of the Target printable coupons page because there are other beauty-related coupons in that section.

$5 each: L'Oreal Colour Riche Balm or Le Gloss, Almay Intense i-color liner or eyeshadow
$8 each: 14-ct. Bioré strips or 16-oz. Cetaphil cleanser
$8 each: Schick Hydro Silk Women's Razor or Schick Hydro 5 Blade Razor
2/$9: 23.7-oz. Herbal Essences shampoo or conditioner 
2/$11: Aveeno Daily Facial Scrub
2/$11: 12-pk. Irish Spring bars or selected Olay body wash or bars.
Click here for Kmart coupons. Click here for free samples. Click here to view this week's circulars.

As I did last week, I want to call you attention to something I spotted in the weekly circular:

I don't know WHAT will be on clearance at YOUR local Kmart, but keep your eyes peeled for the above products and maybe other things that have also been spotted on clearance at CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, etc.

BOGO1/2OFF:
Maybelline cosmetics
Image Essentials beauty products, beauty tools or nail care
Garnier skincare
Banana Boat or Hawaiian Tropic suncare
Olay skincare
Coppertone suncare
Skin Below The Chin products
Select Veet and Nair products
Select Palmer's hand lotion, body lotion and skincare
Select Nivea, Eucerin and Aquaphor skincare
Select Pantene haircare

Nicole by OPI Kardashian Collection Nail Polish - $6.99
Dove haircare - $3.79
Jergens Natural Glow - $7.99
Clear shampoo, conditioner or treatments - $4.99
Caress, St. Ives or Lever body wash - $3.99
Suave deodorant twin-packs - $3.49

Elite Models fragrances - $25% off
Body Fantasies body spray or lotion - $1 off

TRESemme haircare 2/$6
Softsoap body wash - 2/$6
Dial NutriSKin lotion 2/$6
Finesse haircare - 2/$7

Spotted: New NYC Limited Edition Color Rush! Collection

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I spotted the new NYC Limited Edition Color Rush! Collection at Rite Aid the other day, so of course I wanted to share (plus, I'm including a bonus polish comparison at the end of this post):
 NYC Limited Edition Color Rush! Collection
NYC Expert Last Nail Colors first made an appearance in Spring 2011 and they're BACK! It looks like NYC is going to save this formula for Limited Edition collections, since I never saw them added to the core collection wall displays in my area (have you?). Anyway, there's a whole new crop of LE shades to show you and LE eyeshadow palettes too:


I didn't jot down the shade names, but I can tell you what these colors are like in person:

Gold with fine glitter, orange creme, orange with fine glitter.

Green creme, hot pink creme, blue creme.

White creme, teal creme, cherry red creme.

Silver metallic, lavender creme, clear.

Rose pink creme, purple creme.

It's hard to know without swatching these, but in both of these palettes, it looks like MOST of the colors are mattes (or maybe satins).

And there's a tear-pad with coupons on this display too:

Now for the comparison. I took the orange from the NYC display and wanted to show you what it looked like compared to a few other popular orange shades:

L to R: Sinful Colors Citrine, NYC Traffic Jam Orange, Sinful Colors Clementine, Essie Fear or Desire
In my photo, Sinful Colors Citrine looks like it has a lot more pink to it than it does in real life. In person, Citrine and NYC Traffic Jam Orange actually look a lot alike. So if you haven't been able to find Citrine, this may be a good alternative.

Have you spotted the NYC Color Rush! collection in your area yet? I've been very happy with the NYC Expert Last Nail Polishes I already own from last spring (click here for swatches) so I'm excited to pick up some more.

Review: New Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser

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To date, I have only spotted this new cleanser from Neutrogena at the bottom of a new-product end-cap at one Rite Aid in my area. I've looked for it at Target, CVS and Walgreens but have yet to locate it, so if you don't see it in your area right now, give it a few weeks and hopefully it will start to pop up soon. If you're looking to buy it online, I've only seen it on Amazon as of the time of this post.
I'm always in the market for new facial cleansers, especially ones that claim to be gentle and non-drying yet can still remover oil, grime and of course makeup. In the past, I've had good luck (Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Cleanser) and bad luck with Neutrogena cleansers (Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser dried out my skin), so I was very interested to see how this new formula would work for me. I've been putting this one to the test for a few weeks now and I'm finally ready to give you my verdict!
 New Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser(retail: $8.99, 12 oz)

I purchased this product at Rite Aid for $8.99. You get 12 whopping ounces here, compared to the usual 6-8 oz that you tend to get from other drugstore cleansers. So you're basically getting twice the amount for roughly the same price as many other drugstore facial cleansers.

I love the ingredients list. No parabens, no sulfates, and glycerin is the second ingredient (helps to lock moisture into the skin, and it's something my skin in particular seems to love).  I also love that, unlike MANY drugstore facial cleansers on the market, this one does not contain menthol (skincare products with menthol break me out). In fact, looking for new skincare products to test and review on this blog, you have no idea how difficult it is to find cleansers and moisturizers that do not contain parabens OR menthol. So many drugstore cleansers contain either one or the other (or both), so again, I'm very happy that this one contains neither.
I suspect that this cleanser is replacing Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser, which contains two forms of parabens, so if you're on paraben-watch, this should make you happy.

Texture and consistency: As you can see, this is a clear cleanser, but I want to note here that it's not thin or watery. It's on the thick side, and it feels rich and luxurious on the skin. When I apply it to damp skin, it takes a minute or two to get a lather going, but once I do, it's a thick, rich lather and I really feel like this cleanser works well to cover my entire face, penetrating every little nook and cranny. Sometimes with a thinner, more watery cleanser, it feels like you're not really able to spread it effectively onto your face, but that's not the case with this one. To me, this feels like a higher-end cleanser in that it's thicker, more subtantial, and just feels luxurious on the skin.
Efficacy and performance: This cleanser does exactly what it claims to do. I've been using it every night and morning for the past few weeks, and I could not be happier with its ability to thoroughly cleanse my skin without ever leaving it feeling dry or tight. I have very oily skin and, combined with the hot weather, it's no small feat to make my skin feel clean, yet not over-stripped. THIS product does just that. It removes every trace of my primer, foundation, concealer and eye makeup (no problems with washable mascara, but you'll need to use a separate eye makeup remover if you use waterproof mascara). Let me explain how I can personally tell that this product is not over-stripping my skin. My little test that seems to be a great indicator (for me personally) is that, when I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is touch my nose and my T-zone. If that area of my face feels super greasy or oily, then I know that the cleanser I used the night before stripped my skin of its natural oils to the point where my skin then felt the need to over-compensate and produce even MORE oil. When I touch my t-zone in the morning after using this cleanser the night before, my face just feels...clean. Normal. Not excessively oily. And the same thing happens during the daytime when I use this cleanser in the morning. My T-zone isn't ridiculously oily--I just see the normal amount of oil that's usually there. I wouldn't call this product an oil-CONTROL product, but it's not ADDING to the oils on my face either, which is a good thing. Also, I have not experienced any breakouts or irritation since using this product.
Fragrance: There is added fragrance to this product, which is the only thing that I would warn you of in case you're sensitive to fragrance in your skincare products. The fragrance might be considered strong by some, but I find it moderate (although I've never been one to be irritated by fragrance, so your opinion may differ). To me, it smells like a light floral fragrance, combined with the scent of baby shampoo. Not offensive or strange, but not something that makes me say, "Oooh, YUMMY!" every time I use it. It's a pretty standard fragrance.
FINAL VERDICT:  Neutrogena knocked it out of the park with this one. This new cleanser is a home-run for me, and I haven't been reaching for any of my other cleansers since the day I first started using this one. The value (around $8.99) and size (did I mention that this bottle is huge?), combined with the fact that it's paraben- and sulfate-free make this a product that looks good on paper, but the results I've been able to achieve also make this a good product in reality. It effectively and gently cleanses my skin, it doesn't strip my skin of its natural oils, and it leaves my face feeling clean and lightly hydrated without feeling sticky or greasy (please note though that I have very oily skin, so I cannot vouch for how this product will work for normal or dry skin--I'm HOPING you will have similar results even if your skin is very dry, but again it's difficult for me to gauge that). I haven't had any breakouts since I've been using this product and it removes my makeup quite well. You'll need a separate eye makeup remover if you use waterproof mascara, but I haven't had any issues with removing washable mascaras. I also think this cleanser would work well for Clarisonic users. For me, this one's a win-win. Hopefully it becomes more widely available SOON so you can give it a try for yourself. The only people I wouldn't recommend this to are those who are extra sensitive to fragrance--this definitely has added fragrance that might be considered strong by some, but for me it's moderate.
Have you spotted the new Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser in your area yet? Do you think this might be a good fit for your particular skincare needs?

Swatches: Sinful Colors Leap Flog

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The only TRULY new shade in the new Sinful Colors Study In Style display (this collection also includes the much-loved and hard-to-find Winterberry), I had to buy Leap Flog the moment I saw it at my local Walgreens. (NOTE: starting 7/22 and running through 7/28, Sinful Colors polishes will be on sale at Walgreens for $0.99 each, no coupon required.)
Leap Flog is a mysterious, murky, blue-green-gray. It's a dusty shade with a creme finish, and I can honestly say that I don't have another shade quite like it. In certain lights in looks more green, while in others it looks more blue. Indoors, the gray in this polish seems to come out more, giving it an even dustier feel. 
As I mentioned yesterday, there MIGHT be a dupe for Leap Flog in the new Revlon Top Speed color called After Party. This is not surprising given that Revlon owns Sinful Colors, but I just thought it was worth repeating in case you're having a hard time finding Leap Flog in your area.
Let's take a peek:
 Sinful Colors Leap Flog(retail: $1.99 at Walgreens, 0.5 oz)
I wanted to show you this color in a variety of different lights, so that you could get an idea of how it changes depending on the lighting, time of day, etc. In all of these photos, I applied two coats of Leap Flog, followed by one coat of clear top coat.






The formula on this one was a little thick, but in a good way. Meaning, this could be a one-coater if you didn't wipe down your brush too much (it's completely opaque at one coat). However, if you're a chronic two-coater like me, the thickness of the formula means that you'll half to wipe down your brush on the sides of the bottle a little more than you're probably used to. But the good thing is that it's not so thick that it's goopy, and I haven't experienced any bubbling either.
If you're attracted to blue-greens or shades that have a lot of gray to them, I think this one's a must-have. It's got an industrial feel to it that I tend to like very much--it almost feels like something the characters in George Orwell's 1984 might wear, but not in a Big-Brother-Mind-Control type of way--just in a very utilitarian, futuristic way, I guess is what I'm trying to say.
Have you spotted/purchased Leap Flog yet? If so, how do you like it? If not, is it on your must-have list or are you planning on skipping this one?

NYX Candy Glitter Liners- Summertime

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These are the newest addition in our glitter liner stash. Perfect colours for the summer and the more brighter looks! They're incredible vivid but so hard to capture on photo! Take a look here to see a longer review of the NYX Candy Glitter Liner!

Hot Yellow, Lime, Hot Orange, Passion 

You can buy the goodies at these places:
Joy's Cosmetics
East End Cosmetic

Enjoy!
Phlox & Azure

Paranoid Hot Orange Eyes

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Thought it was about time for some orange smokey eyes with tons of glitter. I know I've said it before but the NYX Candy Glitter Liners are a joy to work with and just so simple to spice up your eye make up! I actually got my hands on some new Candy Glitter Liners that I just have to show you, they're divine colours for the summer! Also, tossing on some glitter is just perfect to make your eye make up last longer, awesome for hot summer days!!



Products:Primer - Illamasqua's Fat Pencil in PerverseShadows - Inglot Eyeshadow Matte 361 & 366, Inglot Eyeshadow in D.S. 365 Illamasqua Powder Eyeshadow in Lestat, Mad Mineral Multi Use Mineral  Colors in Paranoid & Whisper Gold, Sugarpill Pressed Eyeshadow in TakoEyeliner - Precision Ink in Abyss from IllamasquaEyepencil -  Illamasqua S.O.P.H.I.E pencilGlitter - NYX Candy Glitter Liner in Gold & Hot OrangeMascara - Helena Rubinstein Mascara Lash Queen in Feather in BlackBrows - Fine Pencil Eerie from Illamasqua 
Enjoy!Phlox

Sleek Bright Matte Eyes

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My new best friends are the new palettes from Sleek, the Ultra Mattes. I simply adore the combination of colours and every time I look at them I just get tons of inspiration. I also wanted to try the new Eau La La Liners and what could possible be better than combining them both?!


Products:Primer - Illamasqua's Fat Pencil in PerverseShadows - Sleek Ultra Matte Palette in V1; Dragon Fly, Bamm! & Cricket and V2; Fern, MadMineral Mulit Use Pigment in Whisper Gold & Whisper MintEyeliner - Sleek Eau La La Liner in Blue Moon with V2 Fern on topEyepencil - Sleek Eau La La Liner in Canary YellowMascara - Helena Rubinstein Mascara Lash Queen in Feather in BlackBrows - Illamasqua's Fine Pencil in Eerie with Yaby Brow Shade No.2 on top
Enjoy!Phlox

Silver Glittery Blue Eyes

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Time for a smokey blue look with glitter on. Perhaps a bit more daring during the summer, but hey! don't let that stop you!!
Products:Primer - Medusa Stick It! Shadows - Sleek Palette in Bad Girl, Sugarpill Pressed Eyeshadow in Afterparty & Tako, Sugarpill Loose Eyeshadow in Tiara, Mad Mineral Multi Use Mineral  Colors in WeddingEyeliner - Precision Ink in Abyss from IllamasquaEyepencil - S.O.P.H.I.E pencil also from IllamasquaGlitter - Collection 2000 Glam Crystals Dazzling Gel Liners in GlitzMascara - Helena Rubinstein Mascara Lash Queen in Feather in BlackBrows - Fine Pencil Eerie from Illamasqua 
Enjoy!Phlox