Maybelline Diamonds eyeshadows+mascara on clearance at my Target

I was perusing Target this evening, and happened upon the LE Maybelline Diamonds eyeshadow duos and The Colossal Volum' Express Diamonds mascara in the Maybelline display.  The eyeshadows were on clearance for $2.08, and the mascara for $3.14.  The eyeshadows come in the colors Turquoise Diamond (A shimmery gold-turquoise and white highlight), Copper Diamond (A shimmery gold-brown and copper), and the one I purchased, Amethyst Diamond (A shimmery gold-reddish purple and cream highlight).
The "amethyst" color in the duo didn't jump out at me while I was in the store, but when I put it on at home, it's simply gorgeous!  Now, I just applied it not an hour ago so I can't tell you the quality of the eyeshadow, but the color is just divine.  It's a unique deep burgundy with gold shimmer throughout.

I took some pictures of me wearing it today, shown below, but I don't think they totally do it justice.  You just have to trust me that it's pretty.  :)

Now, the Colossal Diamonds mascara is a little different story.  I had read pretty much all terrible reviews of this online when it launched.  This is why I didn't buy it full price.  $3.14 is reasonable, though, and it's hard for me to pass up a glittery mascara.

1) The glitter is pretty much non-existent on my lashes.  I read that other bloggers couldn't see the glitter from far away, but I can't even see it up close, LOL.  So in that area, thumbs down.
2) It does a pretty fair job to make my lashes look dramatic.  The only thing I don't like is that I have to apply like 5 coats for it to get this way (Which basically makes this another thumbs down for me).  Even though I LOVE the look after I apply all those coats, it's such a waste.
3) The formula gets a little clumpy even on the first coat.  After 3-4 coats you can kind of "cover up" the clumps, but I don't like that.  My lashes look dramatic, but they don't have the "separated and combed" look, if that makes sense.

After all that, I was on-the-edge about whether or not I liked this mascara.  The end result WAS dramatic and what I was looking for.  However, I think I have a deal breaker...
My eyes are a little irritated.  I'm 99.9% sure it's the "diamonds".  It's not an overpowering irritation, but ever-so-slight that I can feel the mascara.  Not good, guys.

I should have taken other bloggers' advice and stayed away from this one.  I'm going to Target tomorrow to see if I can return it (Along with some earrings that I tried and found are too heavy).
Do you think they'll give me my money back if I tell them it irritated my eyes?  That's really what happened, too, lol.  I don't know if they're like Walgreens though and will take used makeup.

Sorry again about not having pictures here.  I don't think we have batteries right now, so it'll have to wait until tomorrow or Friday.

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Just a girl... just an ordinary girl..

I had such a fun day with my babies today and thought I'd share some pictures. We went to the Hands On Museum... every kids dream. It was a lot of fun but I am soooo tired! :::yawn::::

Running after these kids... what a workout! :)

PS- I don't know why I picked that for my title... couldn't think of anything else and I have that darn song stuck in my head for some odd reason. :)

Just a simple make up day:

"One tired looking momma"

My face looks weird and bumpy because I did an at home facial peel a few days ago...blah

Chanel Vitalumiere, MAC MSF Natural, NYX Bronze #2, Benefit Coralista, Benefit Speed Brow, UD 24 7 liner in zero, MAC Painterly Paint Pot, MAC Shroom, L'Oreal Voluminous,  YSL Rouge Volupte #26

This looks like a senior picture... ha ha ha

Shirt $15 from Aerie (super comfy!!!) and pants also from Aerie $19

....kisses from my prince.....

Me and my sons... seems like I'm the only one sitting still for the picture. :)

Hope you all had just as fun of a day as I did!!

MUCH LOVE!!!!

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Review: Wet 'n' Wild Mega Volume mascara

I think it's time to declare this week "Wet 'n' Wild Week" on my blog!  :)

I'm happy to finally get this post up, because I don't know about you, but I've been curious about Wet 'n' Wild's new mascaras.  The other products they've revamped (Namely the eyeshadows and lipsticks) have proven to be of great quality, and I just wasn't sure how the mascaras would perform.
This is the Mega Volume mascara in the only color it comes in, Black.  They also have Mega Length, Mega Plump, Lash Intense (The one I returned today), Mega Protein, and Mega Wink mascaras.

You get 0.27oz of product for $2.99.  Just as a comparison, Maybelline's The Colossal Volum' Express mascara gives you .31oz.  So this mascara is smaller in size than a typical volumizing mascara.

A look at the brush:

The brush is what you'd expect from an average volumizing mascara.  It's large, fluffy, and pretty generic.

One thing I don't like about the packaging is that the opening of the tube is a little small for the size of the brush.  Extra product accumulates at the top every time I take the wand out of the tube.

A look at its performance:

(Bare eye, lashes not curled)

(One coat, lashes curled)

(Two coats)

As you can see, this mascara does hardly anything for my lashes.  It doesn't "cling" to them as I apply it, and it definitely doesn't volumize.  From far away you can barely tell I have mascara on.  Personally, I'd rather not even wear mascara if it produces no results!

Pros:

-After re-reading the description, it DOES say it gives you "natural-looking volume".  I'll give it to Wet 'n' Wild that it makes my lashes look natural- but like I'm not wearing anything.

-It won't dent your wallet at only $2.99.  And if you get it as part of a BOGO like I did, you can get it half-priced or free.

-The packaging is small, so it's good if you like something easily portable (Although this is a negative for me too because I'm not getting as much product).

Cons:

-Doesn't add volume

-Formula isn't very buildable (You can tell a slight difference between the 1st and 2nd coats, but not much)

-Doesn't "cling" to my lashes well and isn't noticeable

I got this mascara BOGO 50% off with my purchase of their Lash Intense mascara.  However, since this mascara was such a fail, I returned that one.  Their others may be better than the Mega Volume, but I'll let you decide for yourself if it's worth $2.99.  I think I'm staying far away from their mascaras after this!

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Children's Place Monster Sale 50% select styles

I LOVE The Children Place. I think they have great prices and nice clothes anyway but I especially love it when they have sales. They have their Monster Sale going on with 50% select styles. www.childrensplace.com
Look for the "Monster Sale" banner towards the bottom of the main page.  They have sunglasses for kids for $1.50, $2 flip flops, jean shorts for $7.25 (for big boys) and more.





Free Stuff, Fun Sites, Contests, and More

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Upcoming review of CSN Stores

I know some of you have seen information lately about CSNstores.com. I decided to check them out. Looking through CSNstores.com I saw an array of products. Just about anything you might be looking for, for you home like lights for instance.  My husband and I are always looking for cost effective ways to improve our home,  lights are an easy and cost effective way to increase the look and warmth of the inside or outside  of your home. When adding outdoor lights it can also increase the safety of the outside of your home.  Walkways are more visible.  You're able to see who's is coming toward your house.  Your children can play in the backyard just a little longer with a good flood light.  Set the ambiance of your outdoor pond or garden with accent lights. There's a lot of things that adding lighting to your home can do.  They don't have to be expensive to serve the purpose.

                                                                Kichler accent spotlights



My husband and I were talking about wall sconces in our foyer.  I think these ones from www.csnlighting.com/
are beautiful and inexpensive.

                                                                               Coventry 1 light wall sconce pewter

 

Westinghouse wall sconce brushed nickel

These are only a couple examples of csnstore.com's great lighting selection.  www.csnstores.com has over 200+ stores to choose from.  If your looking for say, toys for your child's upcoming birthday, they have that.

Maybe your looking at meeting your fitness goals and want to look at exercise equipment. Yea, they have that too.  

Me I'm in the market for a new 2 quart saucepan.  I used the only 1 I had to make candles now I can't use it to cook in. Though, it's going to be tough choosing since we also need an exhaust fan in our bathroom and this one is just too cute in the  lights section.

Stop in to  http://www.csnlighting.com/   
or any of the other 200+ stores that www.csnstores.com has to offer.  You're sure to find what you were looking for.  Or maybe something will find you.  

Have you added lighting somewhere inside or outside of your home? How did it change the look and quality of the space?






Free Stuff, Fun Sites, Contests, and More

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Collective Haul and Review!

Hi girls!

Thanks for checking out this post!

Without further ado, let's get this thing going! (Not necessarily in the order shown in the video!)

#1: The Body Shop cucumber cleansing milk

I'm really enjoying this. It's very light and feels so fresh on my oily skin, especially my t-zone. It also stays liquidy on the skin for quite a while, so it's great for facial massages! I use this roughly every other day, depending on my acne situation (as of June 29th, I'm on the verge of a minor breakout, so I'm fighting it with a more powerful cleanser). It's SO gentle, but I found it removes dirt and makeup really really well. Great for sensitive skin!

#2: The Body Shop Banana conditioner

I love the smell, and I’m not usually one for banana scented things! It leaves my hair feeling very soft, but I’m not sure it’s any better than a regular, less expensive conditioner. I haven’t been using it long enough to be sure though. I’ll update on this product a bit later!

#3: Body Shop Amlika leave-in conditioner

Amazing. Absolutely amazing. It's so lightweight, but is a powerful moisturizer for my hair. It makes it feel SO soft, and my hands aren't left with a sticky or oily feeling like many other leave-ins. I highly recommend this!! Two pumps are enough for my almost-waist-length hair, so this should last me a while!

#4 : Body Shop matte primer

I'm still on the fence about this one. It was much better as a mattifyer than the Sephora one I tried (and returned). Granted, my t-zone can get VERY oily, so I've pretty much accepted the fact that my face will never be completely matte in the summer. Paired with my silica powder as a setter, this works quite well. I like the gel consistency, but use a very small amount, or else it can start to feel a bit greasy (until it dries/sinks in) which can be a bit scary and off-putting.

#5: Body Shop DeoDry deodorant

Kind of on the fence about this one too. I like the scent, but it feels very wet when I put it on. My armpits have to be 100% dry when I put this on or else this stuff will never dry. I have to leave my arms up in the air for a couple minutes to let it dry completely, which is kind of annoying. They also offer a roll-on option with alcohol in it, maybe that one dries faster?
Anyway, I don't know yet if the lack of aluminum has saved any of my shirts. I'd better get a new white shirt and see for sure :P


#6: C.O Bigelow mentha organics lip gloss in Just Blushed

I love the texture/consistency of this gloss, and it stays on my lips a very long time without feeling sticky. It's so smooth. The mint is there, but not overpowering at all. A nice minty smell follows me around :P The colour is pretty sheer, so I don't really have a comment on that!


#7: Bobbi Brown corrector in porcelain bisque

I adore this so far. Very creamy, so I have to be careful not to put too much or else it WILL crease! Applied with a MAC 217 brush, or any other fluffy brush! The colour is perfect on me (NW15 in MAC). It looks as though it would be too light, but it is a corrector, not a concealer. It's to be layered under your regular concealer, like my MAC studio finish concealer in NW15. This covers up my hereditary dark circles amazingly. They've never disappeared like that before.
A bit pricey ($33 CDN I think!) but such a small amount is used, I'd say mine will last a while. And IMO, it's totally worth it!!

#8: Covergirl fruit spritzers in Fig Splash

This one was really weird for me. I bought it because it looked fab on MakeupByTiffanyD. Under the brown-ish tint, there's a silvery undertone. To wear this and not look like a disco space martian, I have to apply a very thin coat, then blot. Kind of annoying for a basic lip gloss. But, it does work okay on top of lipsticks.

#9: Revlon colorburst lipsticks in Soft Nude and Blush, MAC lipstick in Creme Cup, TheBalm lipstick in Scoop

Left to right: TheBalm in Scoop, MAC Creme Cup, Revlon Blush, Revlon Soft Nude

Let's start with TheBalm. Holy packaging, Batman! So cute! The colour is nice and sheer too (but was less so in the store!). BUT the freaking thing broke the first time I tried to wear it. The lipstick part broke in half. How RUDE. I tried to fix it with a hairdryer, but to no avail. Still useable, but kind of a pain in the butt!!

Now MAC Creme Cup. Gorgeous soft pink colour with a lovely creamy texture. But... makes my teeth look horrendously yellow. I'm on a whitening mission now.

Revlon Blush. Beautiful. A really really wearable neutral that gives my lips a hint of toned-down colour. My lips are really red naturally, so this takes the colour down a few notches. Great texture and staying power, doesn't dry out my lips at all!

Revlon Soft Nude. A gorgeous nude with a hint of peachy-pink that makes it way more wearable than most nudes. Unlike other nudes (like MAC Blankety or GOSH Darling) I don't need to line my lips much, or use my Laura Geller lip spackle to wear this. As I said above, my lips are RED. But this works with the colour, not against it, and leaves me with a really nice and creamy nude that doesn't make me look like a zombie.

#9: OPI and China Glaze Nail polishes in (L-R) - Melon of Troy (OPI), Barefoot in Barcelona (OPI) and Four Leaf Clover (China Glaze)

Melon of Troy: It can be a bit streaky, so a few coats are a must, but the colour is GORGEOUS. Great for summer, and I can't think of any skin tone that it wouldn't suit!

Barefoot in Barcelona: A nude brown with pink undertones. Definitely not as universal as Melon of Troy, but a really really nice nude polish. Not streaky, and covers the nail really well!

Four Leaf Clover: The colour in the bottle is misleading. It looks almost turquoise, but on the nails it comes out as a bright green, with no blue/turquoise at all. Still a nice colour, but I was hoping for the colour in the bottle. Really good staying power though, I've had it on my toes for 2 weeks and it's still in great shape.

#10: Ombrelle sunscreen SPF 45

Surprise surprise, another sunscreen for Chloe. This one will be for my body so I can preserve my lovely and amazing La Roche Posay SPF 60 sunscreen for my face. This one's a bit liquidier than the LRP, so it will go a bit further I think. Also does not contain oxybenzone.


#11: Trucco lip pencil in soft plum (no picture)

Gorgeous colour. I used it in my Taylor Swift video with Melanie. Needs to be blended after lining the lips (on me at least!) or it can look a little harsh against my pinky pale skin!

#12: MAC Opulash

Please see my video review for more info! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C1LlSqsn3M


Thanks so much for reading!
Have a lovely day!

xox Chloe

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Collective post of some good coupons/deals I've spotted (Online)

Good morning!  I just woke up not too long ago lol; I worked 8pm-12am last night, but we didn't get out of there until after midnight.  And then I couldn't fall asleep until 2:30am.  I was definitely sleeping in this morning.

Anyway, I've spotted some new beauty coupons out and about on various websites, and I wanted to show them to you all in one place.  I've posted about a couple of them in random posts, but that gets kind of disorganized.

Allyou.com/coupons- 
Brand new (To me as of this morning) is a Neutrogena coupon for $3.00 off any cosmetics item.
CeraVe $2.00 off any item.
NYC cosmetics $1.00 any item more than $1.72.
*As of today, it looks like they took down the $2.00 off Rimmel coupon that was up there earlier this week. Please correct me if I'm wrong!


Redplum.com-
Sally Hansen Lip treatments $1.00 off.
Rimmel $1.00 off any item.
L'Oreal Paris $1.00 off any cosmetics item.

Dove.com-
You have to search the site a bit, but I found coupons for $1.00 off any Dove body wash and $1.50 off either deodorant or fragrance spray.  Just click through the slideshow on the main page and you'll find them, too!  And if you buy one at Target, go to Target.com and print off the $1.00 off select Dove products coupon.  You can combine these and get it for really cheap!

Aveeno.com-
Go towards the bottom of the main page, and click on the small picture that says "Nourish+Shine Shampoo/Conditioner" and "Get A Free Sample and Instant Savings".  It'll take you to a page where you fill in your information and choose whether you want a free sample, or a $1.00 off coupon for either the shampoo/conditioner or styling products.

eyeslipsface.com-
Since a bunch of their promotions just ended, I'm sure they'll have up more new ones shortly.  But if you enter the code NEWCUSTOMER before checkout, you'll get free shipping.  Also, the code ECD21 will get you 50% off the Studio Line.  And I just tried it on items I currently have in my bag, and it got me up to $18.00 off.  So it doesn't look like it stops at $7.50 or so, like a lot of them do.

I will keep this updated if I find any more good deals soon!  I'm sure most of you already know about these, too, but I just couldn't help but share just incase.

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It's Complete!

Today I got the last Wet 'n' Wild 6 eyeshadow palette that I needed to complete my set: Vanity.  I know this isn't groundbreaking or anything (There are only 4 palettes), but I've never had all of one type of makeup collection.  I'm happy! :)  The best part about this was the price I got it for.  I purchased it at my local grocery store, and while the sticker said $4.99, it rang up on sale for $3.74.  I saved $1.25!

Vanity is on the far right, in the front.  It's the brown/gold most-neutral palette of the four.

Swatches (In same order as palette):

I just love these!  So pigmented, and each palette gives you a completely different look.  In my opinion, someone who's not that into makeup or doesn't care to have many different eyeshadows could buy these 4 palettes and call it good for eyeshadow (Like my sister, who pretty much just needs one of every wearable shade and that's enough).

Anyway, when I was at the grocery store I also picked up some new body wash, St. Ives Oatmeal & Shea Butter:

I've been using the Softsoap Juicy Pomegranate & Mango Infusions for like the last 6 months, and I'm finally tiring of it.  This one just has a creamy consistency.  I've been wanting to make my own body scrub by adding some sugar to a body wash, so I thought this would work perfectly.  

And lastly, I thought I'd post about something I did today: I finally lit my Yankee Candle tart warmer!  I got it from a girlfriend a couple years ago, and it's been sitting on my desk unused for the longest time.  I had tarts in Vanilla Lime and Sage & Citrus, and I decided to light the Vanilla Lime.  You put a tea light in the bottom opening, and then set the tart in the top.  Once the candle gets going, it slowly melts the tart.  And your house starts to smell lovely.  :)

My mom & I went to the mall earlier, and I went into Yankee Candle to see if they had any more of the tarts.  They had a bunch for $1, so I picked up one called Spa Fresh.  I also got another car fragrance gel in Pineapple Cilantro.  My car smells awesome, haha.

I'm going to start lighting my tart warmer a lot more from now on.  It's so relaxing.

Hope you're all having a good Monday, and thanks for reading.  :)

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Old Navy SALE

Was shopping around online looking for a cute skirt that's not too short. Went to old navy. As soon as you get to the main page, big ad, 30% entire site. Good until 6/29. Use code: ONBIG30

I love old navy!

Free Stuff, Fun Sites, Contests, and More

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EOTD: Walking On Eggshells with Wet 'n' Wild!

I'm so happy that I bought a couple more of the Wet 'n' Wild Color Icon trio eyeshadows.  When I was at Walgreens earlier, I realized I only had one (Knock On Wood- a deep burgundy, chocolate brown, and darkened pink).  I completely forgot how much I love these you guys!  I'll probably end up buying a couple more this week while WnW is still BOGO.
So since I have all this excitement about these, I decided to do an eye look with one.  For this EOTD I used Walking On Eggshells, which is a light cream for the browbone, a chestnut brown for the crease, and a champagne for the lid.  They are all shimmer, FYI.

(Walking On Eggshells on the right)

Everything I used:

-Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush chubby eye stick in Glampagne all over lid/crease

-Wet 'n' Wild trio Walking On Eggshells, putting the colors where the palette says to

-Wet 'n' Wild cream eyeliner in Black (I never use black eyeliner!) on upper lashline

-Covergirl Exact Eyelights eyeliner in Vivid Ruby on outer lower lashline

-Covergirl LashBlast Volume mascara in Very Black

I love using that Beauty Rush eye stick as a base for champagne-colored shadows.  It really makes them pop!  Although it does increase the shimmery-ness by a lot.

Oh, and one more thing- that champagne color in the Wet 'n' Wild palette really reminds me of MAC Naked Lunch or Stila Kitten (i think?  I've never owned the Stila, but it looks similar from pictures).  Naked Lunch is an old favorite of mine, though.

Thanks for reading again!  

(PS! Redplum.com has a new Rimmel coupon for $1.00 off any product!  Allyou.com has one too, but I've already printed my limit, LOL.  But this one from Redplum is new!  Just a heads up.  Maybe I can snag that new mascara now.)

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A "life savor" when dry hair hits!

My hair was in dire need of softness after my color mishap a few weeks ago...I had tried shampooing it several times to lift the color and that was very damaging to my already dry hair. I stopped into Sally's and found this!

One 'n' Only Brazilian Tech Keratin Smoothing Treatment (7.99)

Deep conditioners can be hit or miss in my opinion! You are either left with super soft sleek hair or greasy tangly hair. This particular deep conditioner does what it says! :::my hair thanks you:::

It's claims: "Brazilian Tech Keratin Smoothing Hair Care by One 'n Only is formulated to keep hair smooth, shiny, and nourished. This high-performance professional line helps restore hair's natural keratin that may be lost or damaged during toutine styling and chemical or color treatments.

Brazilian Tech Keratin Smoothing Treatment protect hair against heat during thermal styling and keeps hair smooth and shiny. Natural keratin protects hair from structural damage, strengthens and revitalizes damaged, stressed hair. Keratin is the primary protein of the hair. Damage to proteins within the cuticle cortex of the hair fiber is caused by external factors-UV light, environmental radicals, chemical services and styling.

Brazilian Tech Keratin Conditioner helps prevent and protect against associated damage by restored the proteins necessary for healthy looking hair. Brazilian Tech Keratin Smoothing Treatment is a deep-penentrating treament that helps improve hair strength."

I have to say that I am very happy with this product. I use it once or twice a week for about 5 minutes. My hair is left feeling really soft and smelling amazing! I love the scent. It's very beachy-tropical. 

Another thing I tried was leaving Argan oil (I used Eden Allure) on my hair over night. This was a win/fail. I heard about this from Michele1218 on twitter... she was raving about it and how soft it left her hair. It does leave your hair SO soft and really manageable the next day but be prepared to be greasier than you've ever been in your life.... like 100 days of no showering greasy! I put it on at night and used a shower cap to protect my pillow... which of course fell off while I was sleeping! ;o/

I was all set to shower and wash it off in the morning when we lost power from a storm. This was not good. It felt so gross. I was finally able to wash it off around 4pm. I don't think I can remember the last time I felt so dirty. But, all this being said it's a great thing to try if you have dry hair! 

What do you use for saving your dry hair and bringing it back to life again?

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Walgreens Wet 'n' Wild BOGO Haul+New Rimmel mascara

Walgreens has Wet 'n' Wild BOGO 50% off this week, so of course I'm all over that.

(Lash Intense mascara, ColorIcon eyeshadow trios in Sweet As Candy (top) and Walking On Eggshells (bottom), Mega Volume mascara)

I thought these were all $2.99.  I'm on a serious budget right now, so I wanted to take advantage of this sale, but I didn't want to buy any one item that over $2.99.  That was my limit.  And I figured that I could get 4 items if they were all $2.99, so I settled on these.  Well, only the Mega Volume mascara and two eyeshadow trios were $2.99.  The Lash Intense mascara was $4.99, which I didn't know, because the mascaras are on this little display that spins and it only shows the price of one $2.99 mascara (I think it was the Mega Blink or something).  I just assumed all of them were $2.99.  My main reason for getting the Lash Intense one was that it had a $1.00 off manufacturer's sticker attached to it.


So I get up to the cashier, she rings it up, and it comes to like $10.68.  I asked her to check everything.  I finally saw that the one mascara was $4.99, not $2.99, but by that time I was just wanting to get out of there.  That one is going to be exchanged tomorrow for something else (I'll get another mascara).
Yes, I'm super cheap, LOL.

I love those Color Icon trios, though- see my review of the one I have here.  I've never tried their mascaras, and for $2.99 I don't expect them to be great, but we'll see!  Any recommendations on which one I should get tomorrow?  Or should I keep the Lash Intense? They also have a Mega Protein one, the Mega Blink (Curling), and a thickening/volumizing one.

Update:
I tried out the Mega Volume mascara and I really dislike it.  It didn't stick to my lashes or anything- you can hardly tell I'm wearing mascara.  I'll do a more in-depth review of this soon, but for now, don't spend your $2.99 on it!  Not worth it!

And last but not least, I saw the new Rimmel Volume Flash Curves mascara:

(Sorry for the poor cell phone picture quality!)

It's in a display with the regular Volume Flash mascara.  Anyone tried this yet?  I'm very curious.  You could get it with the $1.00 Rimmel coupon over at All You's coupon site, if you want to save money.  It's retailing at Walgreen's for $6.99.

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Create a signature for your blog for free

The Frugal Free Gal has a great tutorial on how to make a free blog signature. I'm still gonna mess around with mine and see which style I like best but you can see an example at the bottom of this post. If you want to create your own you can go to her post: http://frugalfreegal.blogspot.com/2010/06/create-free-signature-for-blogger.html


It took me all of 3 minutes to do. thanks!

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