Blogger Giveaway - My Newest Addiction!!!!

Hey guys!

Just a quick announcement on a great giveaway that is being run right now by the lovely Laura Jean of My Newest Addiction fame!

Go HERE for all the details and to see awesome pictures of the prizes.  She is giving out some amazing stuff!  Head on over there right now...

Trust me, this is one blog you will not want to miss!

Beauty Bargain - Sonia Kashuk brush set (Target)

Don't you just love when you see this sticker at Target stores?

Sonia Kashuk LE Tools Starter Set

Alright, what we have here is a limited edition set of basic brushes from Sonia Kashuk's line for Target.  These are the black handled brushes.  I really like the white handled brushes, especially since they are such a great bargain, but find the quality of the black handled one to be more consistent and just a bit nicer.

Sonia Kashuk black handled brushes

Kashuk Tools Starter Set includes:

• Blusher brush (retails $17.99 USD)
• Small eye shadow brush (retails $9.99 USD)
• Large Domed eyes shadow brush (retails $9.99 USD)

The price of this LE kit was $24.99, but I got it on clearance for $12.48.  The brushes, if purchased separately would have been $38.00!!!  Holy Bargain Batman!!!!!!

I wanted to make sure that the quality of the brushes was like those that are packaged individually, and they are.  I had some trouble with the small eye shadow brush did shed a bit more than I would have liked, but they are divine.  The blush brush is DIVINE!  So soft...perfect for super pigmented blushes.  I already own the domed eye brush, and it is one of my favorites.  Here are some closeups...

Blush Brush

Small eye shadow brush

Large Domed eye shadow brush

Are there any bargains you have picked up recently?  I am going home this weekend and looking forward to some outlet shopping!

Swatch/Review - Urban Decay Lounge eyeshadow

Here we are with one of the most unique shadows I have in my collection.  Urban Decay's Lounge eyeshadow is a reddish brown with a green, pearl-like sheen.

UD Lounge e/s

This shadow comes in the token packaging that most all but the deluxe shadows have.  The pot contains 0.05g worth of product and it retails for $17.00 USD.  You can find this at Sephora, Ulta, etc.  I have had my shadow for over 2 years and find that I still have not made a dent in it.  

Swatch of UD Lounge eye shadow

UD's Lounge is an extremely pigmented, soft duo chrome eye shadow that lends either a reddish brown effect, or can come off a sheeny grey brown.  This is all dependent on what color base you use, as well as how much of the actual product you use.  I tend to use darker bases for this.  I find that black, dark green, and blue bases give this shadow a slightly different color variation.  For the lid, I tend to layer the shadow heavily which will cast a medium green sheen pearl that really catches the light.  Do make note that because of the reddish tone of this shadow, it can come off as that once blended.  When I use this for a one shadow look, I blend this up into the crease and find that it shows red/brown.  Altogether, it makes for a gorgeous eye!

UD Lounge e/s over black cream base

UD Lounge e/s in natural lighting

What other duo chrome shadows do you like?

Let me introduce you...

Hey there!

So, I have once introduced you to my best friend Radar, the little black kitty who has stolen  my heart time and time again.  You can learn about her here.

She has a younger brother who is also very near and dear to my heart.

Meet Gus, the forever kitty!

Gus the Cat

He is a soft, muted grey kitty, whose fur is as soft as cotton.  His temperament is very sweet though he is also a big scaredy cat.  He does not like the sound of plastic bags crinkling, or thunderstorms.  He enjoys treats and his dad's old socks laying about.

He and Radar play fight all of the time, but at the end of the day, he really loves his sister.

This little boy means the world to me.  I am really glad I have such great kitties!

Product in Motion - Urban Decay Lounge eyeshadow

This has been one of my go to's for what seems like the last month.  I find it to be an awesome fall color, and is especially gorgeous for night time looks.  Urban Decay's Lounge e/s...

This combo here, which is UD Lounge e/s with MAC's Push the Edge pigment lining the bottom lashes is such a pretty, slightly smoky eye. The duochrome effect of Lounge is so unique!  Full story later...

Small Haul 9/30/2011

Meijer/Target Haul

Hey there! :)

Here we are with another small haul, thanks to Target and Meijer.  I had ran out of makeup wipes and since I am on the lookout for a HG wipe, decided to try the store brand from Meijer.  60 wipes for 3.99!!! Holy bargain.  So far so good...I like them.  They are soft, slightly textured and smell nice.  They do a good job at removing most makeup, though did not eat through my WP mascara, which was a bummer :/.  I also scored the Maybelline Baby Lips Repairing lip balm I have been hearing tons of talk about.  I got mine in Cherry Kiss.  I'm really obsessed with this right now.  Smells really good and leaves a nice reddish tint!

At Target, I was happy to pick up One's Sun Drenched Lemon body scrub which is divine.  I got this at a clearance price of 6.00, instead of the 9.99 price.  And because Halloween will be here in about a month, I perused the Halloween section and found this adorable orange Hello Kitty.  Ain't she cute?

What you have guys been hauling?

I am back / Allegan County Fair September 2011

Hello guys and gals!  I have been gone for a while.  It has been a mix of being sick, unmotivated, sad, sick...yeah, that list can go on and on.  Right now, I should be packing for a trip back home (though unfortunately, no stop to the Michigan City CCO :( ) but I decided to change things up a bit and let you know about the fair I went to the other day.

In Allegan, Michigan, roughly half and hour or so from Kalamazoo, during a week in September, the Allegan County Fair is held.  This is my second year going.  Typical fair, you have your 4-H stuff, animals, veggies, crafts and knick knacks.  Let us not forget about the rides, food, and vendors selling everything from velvet paintings to airbrushed license plates.

Me and my boyfriend went on dollar days, which was a sweet deal!  Dollar parking, dollar per person, and regardless of ride, dollar per ride.  That worked out perfectly, as we rode the Tilt-A-Whirl!  OMG! I have not been on a ride in over 8 years!  That was an experience!

The Allegan County Fairgrounds are "protected" by this giant statue which I love... :)

The ride fairway was small and had rides that seemed like only small children could get on.  There were a few that were fitting for adults.  Going around dusk lets all the lights of the rides shine in the nighttime sky, which is a huge plus if you are going to photograph any of them...

And now onto the animals!  I grew up in an urban setting, so being up to animals this close is always a trip.  Most always, anytime we saw animals, they were in zoos.  Ha!  You have to get used to walking from room to room and get the smells to not bother you, but it was so much fun...

Maybe I am a little bit of a country girl after all... ;)