The Budget Beauty Blog

There's no doubt that serums are the rockstars of your skincare routine. Their lightweight texture helps them to absorb deep into the skin to start repairing and healing, while thicker creams sit on top and keep moisture in. Well have you ever thought about a serum for your body? If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my post from Walgreens last week showing a new line of body serums from Vaseline Intensive Care ($8.99) called Healing Serum.

Healing serum comes in three formulations...

Deep Repair heals rough, cracked skin and has a rich scent of amber and jasmine.
Advanced Relief heals and repairs severely dry skin and has a scent of rose and amber.
Radiance Restore contains cocoa butter to repair and restore radiance to dull, dry skin and has a scent of cocoa butter and black currant.

Vaseline was kind enough to send me the Advanced Relief to try, since I have super dry skin. These serums contain:

PPAR Activators help penetrate the skin to replenish lipids and moisturize to boost the skin’s natural renewal cycle.
Elastomers provide a premium sensory experience with ingredients that deliver a luxurious silky, smooth feel.
Micro-droplets of Vaseline® Jelly form a protective layer to prevent moisture loss

For some reason, I was expecting a clear, gel-like serum (kind of like the ones you use for your face) but this has a creamy texture that's super lightweight, sort of a cross between a lotion and a mousse. It absorbs lightning fast and makes my skin feel smooth immediately and also throughout the day. One thing I noticed is that I didn't feel a layer of moisturizer sitting on top of my skin all day, my skin just felt soft and hydrated. So if you're the type of person that doesn't like that heavy, moisturizer feeling, you'll love this!

As a person with really dry skin, I'm used to using thick creams and butters on my body so I wasn't sure that this would provide enough moisture for me since it's so lightweight. Well, I was wrong, it packs a serious punch and was able to tackle even my ultra-dry skin.

The only thing I didn't like was the scent. I liked it at first...it was a soft, warm rose scent, but it didn't disappear like a lot of scents do- it stuck around and I started to dislike it after a while. So if you're sensitive to scents as I know a lot of people are, you may not like that aspect of it. I'm really hoping they'll come out with an unscented version, because this serum is incredible and will be especially great going into summer because it dries so quickly.
I'm not sensitive to fragrances, it was just more of a personal preference for me, so I plan to try the other two and see if I like one of the other fragrances more.

Have you seen or tried Vaseline's new Healing Serums yet? I'd love to hear what you think!

**Disclosure- This sample was provided to me by a brand or PR agency, which in no way influenced my opinion on this product. I was not paid to write this review**

I was so happy with the Elf Elsa Snow and Ice Eyeshadow Palette I picked up at Walgreens last week, I wanted to go back and try more! So I bought this Icicle Face Palette for $6.99...it contains a highlighter, blush and bronzer in one. Let's take a look!

This palette comes in one shade choice and has three fairly large pans of product inside.

All three shades are shimmery, so no mattes here. The bronzer is a lighter, more golden shade that works well with fair skin tones. I'm happy about that, because so many bronzers are too dark or too orange for my pale, cool-toned skin. The blush is a peachy pink with a hint of shimmer and the highlighter is a frosty off-white shade.

The bronzer and highlighter were very pigmented, but sadly, the blush was very faint and sheer. It barely showed up on my skin, so I think those with darker skin tones won't see it at all.

This little palette reminded me quite a bit of the Naked Flushed palette from Urban Decay and the Makeup Revolution Ultra Sculpt and Contour Kit, so I wanted to swatch them all side by side and do some comparisons.

Urban Decay Flushed, Elf Elsa, Makeup Revolution Sculpt and Contour

The bronzer in the Elf palette looks gold next to the others, while the Makeup Revolution bronzer is more brown based. In comparison, the Urban Decay bronzer looks a bit orange on my skin.

The Elf blush is definitely disappointing...it's a very sheer, shimmery peachy pink. The Urban Decay blush actually appears matte, while the Makeup Revolution is a pink with gold shimmer.

Even the highlighters are very different shades...the Elf shade looks super white next to the others, while the Urban Decay looks like a golden bronze and the Makeup Revolution is a champagne color.

Needless to say, this palette isn't a dupe for either palette like I thought it might be. It's the same idea, but the shades are all very different. Overall, it's a nice palette for the price...but I wish the blush was more pigmented.
What do you think, have you tried this palette? Or are you thinking about buying it?

The Blushed Nudes ($9.99) from Maybelline is a brand new, exclusive to Walmart palette for Spring 2015. I thought it was interesting that Maybelline had decided to make their palettes (other than the Nudes) exclusive to certain stores only- the Smokes palette is exclusive to Walgreens, while the Brights palette is exclusive to Target, and now this one can only be found at Walmart. So let's take a look!

This palette contains rosy-hued neutrals, reminiscent of the Naked 3 palette (more on that below). There are also a few mossy green shades that look gorgeous in the pan. The back of the palette has diagrams that show suggestions on which shades can be used together. They have them grouped in suggested quads, trios and duos.

The Blushed Nudes contains 12 shadows and two small sponge-tipped applicators. The outside is a peachy nude shade and there's no mirror inside.

The majority of the shades are satins or shimmers with one matte shade (the fourth one in the top row).

The top row really surprised me. You all know I wasn't a big fan of the Nudes palette, but when I started swatching these, I was really happy because it seemed as though they had changed the formula a bit. The first four shades felt dry and powdery with some fallout, but they were really pigmented...even the really light shades took almost no effort to get them to show up on my skin! The last two shades on the right were a totally different formula- they felt buttery and soft and had a shimmery finish to them.

The bottom row is where it all fell apart...the color payoff just wasn't there. To get the color you see in the swatches below, I had to swipe my finger several times, going back and forth to the pan- they were chalky and sheer with not as much pigmentation as the top row. That's what I didn't like about the Nudes palette and I just feel like these shades could be a bit more vibrant, especially the greens (1, 2 and 4 below).

But despite it's shortcomings, this palette is a Naked 3 dupe...well, at least 6 out of 12 shades are! It doesn't surprise me since L'oreal owns both Maybelline and Urban Decay. I was amazed at how close these are...even the black shades have the same pink micro-glitter in them (though it's a little hard to pick that up in the photos). Here, I've swatched them below... the Maybelline shadows are numbered based on where they are in the palette starting in the top row and going across from left to right.

So overall, this palette isn't a total bust...it definitely has it's shortcomings, but the shades are beautiful and half of them are almost spot-on Naked 3 dupes. I'm actually glad that they didn't dupe the whole palette because there are 6 other shades that I don't have!

Have you tried this palette yet? Or are you planning to buy it (or not)?

The It Cosmetics CC+ Your Way To Radiant Skin Collection is a new 5-Piece Collection that features the new Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream Illumination! It'll be available on March 27th, 2015 on QVC.

I'm so excited because the Original CC+ is one of my favorite foundations! It has amazing coverage (like a full coverage foundation) yet feels moisturizing like a CC Cream so it doesn't cake or sink into fine lines. I honestly didn't think they could top the original because it's perfect, but an illuminating version is even more exciting to me because I have dry, dull skin that could always use some brightening.

The entire Your Way To Radiant Skin Collection includes the following products:

It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better® Anti-Aging Full Coverage Physical SPF 50 CC+ Cream Illumination
Experience your cult-favorite multitasking beauty miracle, now in an illuminating formula that gives you the appearance of a lit-from-within glow. It’s full coverage foundation, SPF 50+ UVA/UVB sunscreen, brightening color corrector, anti-aging serum, pore-minimizing primer, dark spot corrector and moisturizing day cream all in one step!
It Cosmetics Anti-Aging Vitality Face Disc
Discover your most radiant, youthful look with this anti-aging powerhouse! It includes a Matte Bronzer, Illuminating Powder and Blush Stain, formulated with anti-aging, skin-loving ingredients and talc-free, high-performance pigments.
It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Radiance Wand Brush (New Brush)
Get your most radiant look with the stroke of a brush! This ultra-luxe, domed brush is designed for flawless application of your bronzing, illuminating and blush shades.
It Cosmetics Luxe High-Performance Anti-Aging Eye Shadow Trio in Pretty In Spring (New Shade)
Give your eyelids the naturally pretty, anti-aging, skin-loving shades they deserve! This eyeshadow trio is packed with high-performance pigments and anti-aging ingredients that help blur away the look of imperfections. The trio includes three new spring-inspired shades.
It Cosmetics No-Tug Dual Airbrush Eyeshadow Brush
Give your eyelids an airbrushed finish! This cutting-edge, dual-ended eyeshadow brush applies shades flawlessly without tugging on the delicate skin of your eyelids.

This entire collection will be launching on QVC on March 27th! I don't have pricing information yet but will pass it along as soon as I get it. Are you guys as excited as I am about this?

You may also like:

I'm fairly new to Colourpop, but I recently hauled a few items from them including their Super Shock Eyeshadows and Blush and I absolutely loved everything! So naturally, I also wanted to try their Lippie Stix...they have rave reviews online and they're only $5 a pop. Let's take a look!

Lippie Stix come in skinny, twist up tubes, rather than the shorter lipstick tube we're used to. The lipstick itself is skinnier than what I'm used to applying, which is good in the sense that you have more control over it and can get right up to the edges of your lips easily without going outside the lines, but it's bad in the sense that it takes more time to cover your lips.
Lippie Stix come in 5 different finishes and formulations: Cream, Glossy, Hyper-Glossy, Matte, Pearlized, and Satin. I chose three shades that ended up being three different finishes, so I was happy about that!

Left to Right: Lumiere (matte), Frida (Satin), Bound (Glossy)

Lippie Stix have a yummy vanilla scent and all three formulas are extremely pigmented and medium to full coverage depending on the type. A glossy shade does not mean sheer...Bound (the glossy shade I chose) goes on opaque.

Bound (glossy), Frida (satin), Lumiere (matte)

Boundis described as a "light nude pink with a glossy finish". The formula contains shea butter, mango seed butter, avocado oil, soybean oil and glycerin to keep your lips feeling nourished. It has a glossy finish that's not as shiny as a lip gloss, but leaves a beautiful sheen on the lips. It has medium-full coverage and even though it has the shortest wear time of the shades I chose, it still lasts for hours!
The color is the perfect pinky nude for fair skin like mine. It has enough pink that it doesn't wash me out like other nudes do, and it's not so much pink that it looks like that candy/bubblegum type of shade. It's perfectly balanced and I love it!

Bound

Frida is a "warm, mid-tone nude pink with a satin finish" and was created in collaboration with YouTube guru Dani (from Coffee Break With Dani). I absolutely adore her and her videos and this shade is amazing too. Next to Bound, this looks peachy pink and the formula also contains shea butter, mango seed butter and avocado oil, so it's super comfortable to wear. The satin finish might be my favorite of the three because it's non-drying, stays comfy and lasts forever! It's also full coverage.

Frida

Lumiereis described as a "dusty mauve pink with a matte finish" and was created by YouTuber Kathleen Lights. She says, "I wanted a color that both bold and shy people could wear. It's not a nude...it would look great on EVERYONE". I would say that's totally true! I'm a pretty shy person when it comes to lip colors but this one is just enough color, but I don't feel that my lips are screaming "look at me!" to everyone on the street. This one is a matte shade and still contains the shea and mango seed butters and avocado oil, but they're further down on the list so it doesn't have as much of the moisturizing ingredients that the other two have. Still, it feels comfortable on the lips and has a crazy-long wear time! Unfortunately, even though it never feels dry, it has a tendency to make my already dry lips look parched. So for this review, I layered lip balm underneath, and that's why it appears a little bit glossy in the photo below. By itself it looks totally matte. I actually prefer it with a little shine because matte shades tend to make my lips look smaller.

Lumiere

Overall, Colourpop Lippie Stix are everything people say they are and I can definitely see what everyone is raving about! The color selection and range of finishes is impressive and the fact that they are only $5 is just...wow. I can't wait to try some more shades! I also love that each shade has a corresponding liner, so I'll definitely pick some of those up as well.
What about you, have you tried Lippie Stix? Or any other Colourpop products? I'd love to hear about it!

Hard Candy Natural Eyes Palette ($8, Walmart) is new for Spring 2015 and is one of 3 palettes that were released, which also include Sassy Eyes and Smokey Eyes. These little tins contain 9 eyeshadows, a mini primer, and a mini Take Me Out Eyeliner in Soy (black). Also included is an applicator and step-by-step instructional card. Let's take a look!

This tin has a magnetic closure and feels sturdy and well put together.

Inside, everything has it's place...even the instructional card under the mirror has a little slot to slip it into so it doesn't go anywhere. Three of the shadows are larger than the other six which are actually a little smaller than I'd like them to be. I like to have some room to swipe my finger or a brush around a bit and small eyeshadow pans make that more difficult.

This palette actually reminds me a bit of the Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette ($36), but I don't own that one so I can't really make a comparison. Still, it really looks like it based on the photos!

Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette

The instructional card actually labels the eyeshadows, but the names aren't anywhere else inside the palette. It shows how to get three different looks with drawings and diagrams, then on the reverse side, it shows the looks on real eyes. I really like this idea a lot...it goes a step further than most other palettes like this.

The primer inside is a drier formula and reminds me of NYX Pore Filler or Benefit's Porefessional. I did my swatches over this primer and I wasn't super impressed by it. It was just ok, but the dry finish made it seem like there wasn't much for the eyeshadow to grab on to. It's a yellowish beige color, which does help to even out the eyelid color a bit.

When I started swatching, I was really impressed with the top row...mattes can be difficult to find soft and pigmented, but Hard Candy nailed it! These are just beautiful and took no effort to get dark, pigmented swatches. They did feel dry and powdery with tons of fallout, but they were super soft at the same time.

Tease, Toying, and Minx

The next three shades were also nicely pigmented and felt more buttery than the top row, with less fallout. The one thing I noticed with these was that I had to get past the top layer before I got nice color payoff. The first swatch wasn't impressive, but I pressed harder with my finger and really got into the pan a bit more and underneath that very top layer is a soft, buttery formula. I think sometimes with these shades that contain glitter, a lot of it must settle on top, making them feel a little bit gritty and look less pigmented.

Bashful, Girlie, Philanderer

The bottom row was my least favorite...the first shade had very poor pigmentation and it was difficult to pick up much with my finger at all. The middle shade was nice and buttery, but then the last shade felt dry and chalky and the glitter made it feel gritty, no matter how much I dug in past the top layer.

Chatty, Coy, and Frisky

Overall, this is a nice palette...I wish I were able to compare it to the Too Faced one, because it would definitely be interesting to see if they're similar or not. Most of the shadows were of high quality and there were only two that I really wasn't crazy about. The eyeliner is super dark and glides nicely across my eyelid with no tugging. I'm not crazy about the primer, but it'll do in a pinch.
What do you think of the shades, and this palette in general? Have you tried it or one of the other ones? Please let me know in the comments below!

If you read the post that I did last summer on the Korean skincare routine, you know that I love a double cleanse at night. Before I started doing it, I always woke up in the morning with residual makeup on my face that I was positive I had removed. If you've never heard of double cleansing, it's basically just an extra step in your skincare routine where you use a cleansing oil (or face wipe) to remove your makeup before using your regular cleanser. You would think that washing your face twice would make it dry, but precleanse oils are super nourishing so that doesn't happen.

So needless to say, when I was invited to try Dermalogica's Precleanse Oil and Wipes, I jumped at the chance! I had never tried this brand before, and the only place I've seen it is at Ulta (and I don't have one near me, so I'm not there very often). Let's take a look...

Dermalogica is serious skincare...it was created by Jane Wurwand, the founder of the International Dermal Institute, a training school for skincare professionals. It claims to be the number one choice of skincare professionals worldwide! So while the packaging might look a little bit boring or plain, the ingredients inside are top-notch.

First, I tried the Precleanse Oil which is plant-based and contains Olive and Kukui Oils that melt through excess sebum, sunscreen, pollutants, and waterproof makeup. It has a thin, runny texture and it smells heavenly...like lemons (think lemon-sugar, not bathroom-cleaner lemon).
You are supposed to use this on a dry face with dry hands. I just massage it right in to my entire face, including my eyes (while they're closed, of course) and my makeup literally just melts off. After rinsing, my face feels super soft and smooth. Then I use my Clarisonic with a gentle cleanser to clean deep into my pores. The best part is that since the oil takes my makeup off, I don't have to use a harsh, stripping cleanser afterwards since my makeup has been removed.

Next, I tried the Precleanse Wipes on a night when I was too tired to use the oil. These wipes aren't very wet compared to others I've used in the past...they just felt slightly damp. But then I read that you're supposed to use them all over your face, then wet them under the sink and go back over your face again to emulsify. This worked much better!
These contain the precleanse oils so it's basically cleansing oil in an easy to travel towelette. I've seen reviews from people with oily skin saying that these felt too oily for them so just a heads up if you're oily! I have dry skin so it's no problem for me...especially if I wet the wipe and go over my face again.
The wipes are super soft, like your favorite t-shirt...I love the feel of them! The only thing I'm not crazy about with these is the scent...they smell like alcohol, which made me think they would dry out my skin. Thankfully, they didn't, and they also did a great job at removing all of my makeup.

Overall, I'm really impressed with the Dermologica Precleanse oil and wipes. Now I want to try more products from the line!
Have you tried Dermologica? If so, what products do you like (or not like for that matter?)

To purchase or to find out more, please visit Dermalogica's website.

**Disclosure: These samples were provided to me free of cost by Dermalogica and the iFabbo network. My opinions are all my own and I was not paid to write this review.**

You may also like:

Too Faced has just released some new products for Summer 2015, including #Tfnofilter Selfie Powder ($36, Sephora), to help you look filter-perfect, no filter required. I was at Sephora today and got some swatches to share with you. Let's take a look!

Sunrise brightens and gives a diffused warmth to the skin.

Totally Toasted bronzes with a smoothing glow.

Moon River brings a soft, ethereal glow to the skin.

Sunrise, Totally Toasted, Moon River

I made these swatches heavy so that they'd show up on camera, but these powders are very subtle and lightweight. They cast just the right amount of glow on your skin without looking obvious or like you're wearing makeup.

I can't wait to buy these...what about you? Would you try the Too Faced Selfie Powders or do you think it's gimmicky?

To purchase or to see reviews, please visit Sephora below:

Nars Dual-Intensity Blushes ($45, Sephora) are brand new for Spring 2015 and are formulated with Nars' exclusive Translucent Prismatic Technology which allows for multidimensional effects.

I was able to swatch all six duos while in Sephora today and I was blown away by how soft and pigmented these are! They can also be used wet for an intense watercolor effect.

Here are all the duos up close:

I just couldn't get over how beautiful these are and how soft and silky they feel. There wasn't one shade that was difficult to pick up...they're all really pigmented. I'm dying to buy one now and try it using it with a damp brush to see that "watercolor, second skin" effect but I have no idea what color I want! Decisions, decisions...

To purchase or see reviews, please visit Sephora below:

Clinique is jumping on the contouring bandwagon with two new Chubby Sticks! They're $21 each and come in a bronze contour shade and a highlight shade. Let's take a look!

Sculpting Highlight is an oil-free cream highlighting stick that can be used under or over foundation to spotlight your cheekbones, bridge of the nose, or cupid's bow.

Sculpting Contour is an oil-free contouring stick to add depth to your face in the hollow of your cheeks or along your jawline.

So many brands are coming out with contouring sticks and these are more reasonably priced than some...but I still think you could probably get the same effect with drugstore concealers by purchasing one that's a few shades lighter than your skin to highlight and one a few shades darker to contour.
What do you guys think? Would you buy these, or do you prefer using powders (or some other method?)

A few weeks ago, I reviewed and posted swatches of my first Colourpop haul that included the Super Shock Cheek blush in Between the Sheets (see that here). I was so impressed that I had to order more shades. Between the sheets was a subtle beige pink that looked really pretty on my fair skin but I decided with warmer weather on the way (hopefully soon!) I wanted some brighter pops of color to get me in the mood for Spring.

Holiday, Prenup, Mochi

Just a quick recap on these if you didn't see my previous review...they're $8 each and are a cream-to-powder formula that has an almost bouncy/springy texture (kind of like Play-doh). They're also super long lasting-they last all day with no fading. To me, that's huge because most blushes, even ones that claim to be long-lasting end up fading before the day is over. These don't even claim to be long-wearing but they're the best blush I've ever used in terms of staying power...go figure!

Mochiis a bright blue-pink in a matte finish. You would think that this would be super bright, but it's sooo pretty on your cheeks! Since I have cool pink undertones, I absolutely love cooler shades like this.

Holiday is a true mid-tone peachy pink in a matte finish. I heard somewhere once that peachy pinks are a universally flattering shade for all skin tones. I'm not sure if that's true, but I love this color on me...it's really fresh and pretty.

Prenupis a mid-tone plum pink in a satin finish. It's one of the prettiest blush colors I've ever seen...it's really hard to find this type of mauve-y shade. The cool tones look great with my fair skin too.

I swatched these without blending so you can see the colors, but they're not this intense once they're blended on your cheeks!

Mochi, Prenup, Holiday

Below, you can see what they look like once you start using them...I always hate to "ruin" them by dipping my fingers in, haha. I admit, I'm a little OCD when it comes to my cosmetics so now I feel like it looks messy. Still, I thought this picture really shows what the texture is like. You can see that it looks kind of spongy and playdough-like.

Overall, these blushes are what I'll be wearing every day through the end of the summer! I almost don't even want to look at my other blushes, these are so pretty. Now the only problem I have is which one to wear...when I look at them, I want to wear them all!

Hard Candy Eyes The Limit Smokey Eye Shadow Primer ($5, Walmart) is one of several new products that Hard Candy launched for Spring 2015. Along with this Smokey primer, they also released a Shimmer version which I'll review in a separate post.

This primer is pretty unique, I don't think I've seen one like it! It's a dark base that helps you to turn any eyeshadow into a dark, smoky version of itself. It can also help you to build color much faster...let's say you're using a dark shade that isn't very pigmented- this will help to build that color up to where you want it very quickly, without multiple layers.

It comes in a dark gray squeeze tube with a narrow tip.

The primer itself is a dark gray, almost black shade when first swatched.

Then as you blend it, it becomes lighter and not as opaque. The formula is not like the small tube of primer that comes in the new eyeshadow pallets (Natural, Sassy, and Smokey eyes). I didn't like that primer at all, but this one feels more like your typical eyeshadow primer such as Urban Decay's primer potion. It has a silky, silicone feel that dries down relatively quickly.

Here, I swatched it over a few different eyeshadows so you can see the effect. First, I tried it with a taupe gray from the Tartelette palette called Power Player. The Smokey primer made it much more intense!

Power Player alone, Power Player over Smokey Primer

Next I tried a lighter shade from the Tartelette palette called Best Friend. The primer added some gray to it and shows through quite a bit.

Best Friend alone, Best Friend over Smokey Primer

Finally, I wanted to try it with a super light shimmery shade. This is the third shade from the Maybelline Blushed Nudes palette.

Shade #3 alone, Shade #3 over Smokey Primer

Overall, this definitely works to intensify and deepen just about any eyeshadow shade. I'm sure you could get the same effect by layering a dark gray or black eyeshadow under a lighter color, but this saves you a step since it's built in to the primer. I don't know how much I'll use it since I don't rock a smoky eye all that often anymore, but if you do, this is a really unique way to add some intensity to your eye makeup!

Recently, I was give the opportunity to try some Kushyfoot products. I wasn't familiar with the brand before now, but now I'm so glad I got the chance to try them because they're fantastic! Let's take a look...

My favorite Kushyfoot product has to be Flats to Go ($9.99)! They come in a small plastic package that can fit right into your purse easily. I wish I had discovered these years ago! Before my son was born, my husband and I used to spend Saturday nights out in NYC with friends and I would always wear heels. By the end of the night (after walking all over the city), my feet would be killing me and I always wished I had brought a pair of flats to wear on the train on the way home. These would have been perfect!

They come in many different colors and finishes and I was sent the fleecy leopard ones. I consider leopard print a neutral (it goes with everything!) so I was really excited about these! In the bag, they're folded in half, and when you open them up, they look like a normal ballet flat, they just feel thinner. They have a super soft sole so you can either fold them or roll them up, and there's elastic in the back to keep them snug on your feet.

Now that I'm a stay-at-home Mom and rarely wear heels these days, I've found another use for these! Summer is coming and I wear sandals pretty much every day once the weather turns warm. Well, there have been plenty of times when I would go to someone's house and they asked us to remove our shoes. I would always feel awkward walking around in other people's homes with bare feet...especially if I needed a pedicure. So Flats to Go is my solution! I'll keep these in my bag and they'll be my indoor slippers. Honestly, they're better to wear inside anyway because the soles are very thin and I think you'd feel every bump or pebble if you wore them outside.

Aren't they cute?

Next, I tried the Fleece Trouser Socks ($17.97 for 3 pair). Again, I feel like I should have discovered these years ago! When I worked at Sephora and had to wear the black costume, we had to wear black dress shoes and black socks. I used to wear trouser socks but in the cold weather, my feet would freeze because they're as thin as pantyhose. Not these! They look like dressier trouser socks but are lined with a thin layer of fleece, so they feel as warm as my wool socks. They also have a zig-zag sole that's ribbed and feels so good on your feet as you walk...sort of like a mini massage.

Next, I tried the Opaque Knee Length Trouser sock. They came in a 2-pack with one solid black and one fishnet style. These have graduated compression to prevent your legs from swelling and also feature that zig-zag sole that feels great on your feet.

Here's what the soles look like...

Finally, I got to try the Shaping Tights ($29.97 for 3 pairs). These smooth your tummy, hips and thighs and are actually comfortable to wear. They have the massaging sole built in too! Even though I rarely get dressed up anymore, I have worn them under jeans on days when I feel bloated or when I want to look slimmer and they help my jeans go on easier, almost like I'm a half a size smaller!

Overall, I'm really impressed with Kushyfoot's products...they're so much better than the hosiery I had been using before...they actually solve a lot of the problems I used to have when I got dressed up. I wish I had known about them when I was working and wore tights, trouser socks and heels every day. I would definitely recommend picking some up...they're so worth it!
You can find them at Walgreens and Drugstore.com

**The products in this review were provided to me by a brand or PR agency, and this in no way influenced my opinion. I was not paid to write this review**

Have I told you guys lately how much I love Ebates? If you shop online and you're not on Ebates, you are really missing out! They literally give you free money...it's kind of insane.
I was just looking at my statement and realized that I've earned over $85 for doing nothing but shopping online...even stuff like my contact lenses from Vision Direct...I get cash back for ordering them!

Here's how it works...sign up for free at Ebates.com. Then, every time you want to shop online at, let's say, Ulta, Sephora, Bed, Bath and Beyond etc., just go to Ebates first and look up the store you want. Then click on the store link on the Ebates site for the store you want (this is how they can give you credit). Depending on the store, you can get up to 10% cash back or more, in some cases.
Right now, Sephora has double cash back so you'll get 8% of your purchase price back in cash! Then they'll pay you through Paypal or mail you a check, your choice.

They also offer a bunch of coupon codes for each retailer, so it's always a good idea to stop at Ebates first before you buy anything.
Here are the current Sephora coupon codes:

I placed a Sephora order today that was $100, so I got $8 cash back plus I got the Armani foundation deluxe sample for free...so excited!

So I just had to share because Ebates is like, my favorite site of the moment! Do you shop at Ebates or know of another awesome shopping site you want to tell me and the readers about? Do share!

I couldn't wait to post a review and swatches of the new Makeup Revolution Iconic Pro 2 ($10.47) because it's a dupe for the Lorac Pro 2 palette ($42)! This is one of many Makeup Revolution dupes that I've tested and I would say that this one is the closest dupe by far...it's pretty much exact! Let's take a look...

The Iconic Pro 2 is the second Iconic Pro palette from Makeup Revolution...their Iconic Pro 1 is a dupe for Lorac's Pro 1 palette. This palette comes in a rose gold box and the palette itself is matte black with rose gold lettering. Inside, there's a full mirror and a plastic overlay with the shade names on it. It also comes with a double sided brush...crease on one end and flat eyeshadow brush on the other.

These shades are so beautiful...the top row is all mattes while the bottom row is shimmers.

There are 16 shades in all, and there's such a great variety...lots of neutrals and smoky shades to play with.

The top row of matte shades was very pigmented with hardly any fallout. I've come to expect that with Makeup Revolution's matte shades, they're really good!

The bottom row of shimmery shades had more fallout than the mattes and these didn't feel quite as soft. Usually, shimmers are more buttery but these had a grittier feeling top layer, probably due to tiny glitter particles rising to the top. But once you get past the top layer, they become much more buttery and easy to work with. Even the lightest shades showed up on my arm, and that almost never happens!

Now, on to the comparison with the Lorac Pro 2! The Lorac palette is slightly longer, but not as wide. It's a little slimmer and made of cardboard while the Makeup Revolution is hard plastic. I like the larger mirror in the Makeup Revolution version, plus it comes with a brush, which Lorac doesn't have.

In terms of the shadows, well I mean, look at them...they look identical. I wonder sometimes how Makeup Revolution gets away with it, haha! But anyway, I actually like the larger pans in the Makeup Revolution palette...I'm not a fan of small eyeshadows really- the bigger the better! Although I have to say, formula-wise, Lorac definitely wins. The Lorac Pro 2 shades are some of the most buttery, velvety, pigmented shades I've ever used. That said, the Makeup Revolution ones aren't bad...in fact, they're great! Just not as good as the Lorac ones.

You can see in the comparison swatches below that some of the Lorac shadows are a little more intense...you can really tell when you compare the blue one in the top row, or the dark green in the bottom row. But overall, the Makeup Revolution palette holds it's own in terms of pigmentation.

Top Row

Bottom Row

Overall, I'm so happy to have found a true dupe for the Lorac Pro 2 Palette. The Iconic Pro 2 is definitely a must-own, especially at $10.79!
To see my other Makeup Revolution posts, including dupes for the Urban Decay Naked Palettes and Too Faced Chocolate Bar, click here.

To purchase the Makeup Revolution Pro 2 palette, please visit Makeup Revolution.
To purchase the Lorac Pro 2 palette, please visit Ulta.

I'm always on the lookout for new anti-aging treatments, and there are some new devices on the market that look really promising. But some of them really scare me, like the lasers for example! Recently, I was given the opportunity to try the new EvoDerma Noome (pronouced New-me) Anti-Aging Motion Device and I jumped at the chance because it's completely non-invasive and has no side effects. Later in this post, I'll also share my coupon code that will let you purchase this device at huge savings ($44 off the original price). First, let's take a look at what the Noome does...

The Noome is clinically proven to rejuvenate the skin...it boosts the production of collagen and stimulates cell renewal to help smooth and prevent fine lines using NIST (Non-invasive sub-dermal therapy). NIST is a gentle vacuuming suction that feels amazing on your face...like a mini massage! I really look forward to using this every day...it relaxes tension in your facial muscles and just feels amazing. If you've ever heard of cupping, this is similar to that, but not as strong so it doesn't have the side effects.

It comes with two cups...one soft and one firm. I started out with the soft one, but quickly moved to the firm one because I felt like I was getting more benefit from it. When I first start a treatment, I press the cup firmly on my face until I feel a little bit of suction, then I release the pressure on it and just gently glide it upwards on my face. You can also use it on your neck and decolletage. I've even heard of people using it on their lips to gain fullness!

Inside the box, EvoDerma includes a user's guide that also shows the different suggested ways to move the device along your face. The directions say to use it after cleansing and before your moisturizer, but since I have dry skin, I find that it glides better if I use moisturizer first.

Overall, I'm enjoying the Noome so much! I'm looking forward to seeing if my fine lines and wrinkles will be reduced (most skin treatments take about a month to start seeing results when it comes to building collagen and reducing wrinkles). But I will say, I've noticed a definite tightening of my skin as well as increased blood flow that gives me a healthy glow. I've also gotten a lot of benefit from the massaging aspects of this device because I'm an anxious person by nature and it feels good to relax my facial muscles each night.

The Noome currently sells for $79, but EvoDerma has created a coupon code just for Budget Beauty Blog readers, so you can get the Noome home for only $35! The code is JENNOOME.
To purchase, please click here.

**The product in this review was provided to me for review by a brand or PR agency. This in no way influenced my review and all opinions are my own. I was not paid to write this review.**

Etude House Color in Liquid Lips ($9.50) is brand new for Spring 2015 and is described as a melted liquified lipstick with intense color and high shine and a see-through, light, non-sticky texture. I was so excited when Etude House asked me to review two different shades, and they also sent some fun extras...let's take a look!

I chose the shade PK006 (a bright fuchsia pink) and BE101 (a light pinky nude). The packaging is adorable, like all Etude House products. The tubes look like an upside down lipstick!

The wand reminds me a lot of the L'oreal Infallible glosses with a wide middle, tapered ends, and a hole in the center. I really like this type of applicator because it allows you to lay down a lot of color in one swipe.

Here are the shades swatched on my arm...they pack quite a punch with one swipe! They go on very glossy but quickly settle into a satiny, semi-matte finish. They're super lightweight and remind me of a less-matte version of NYX soft lip creams.

BE101, PK006

BE101 is that perfect pinky nude for a fair skinned girl like me. It's the type of nude I can wear that doesn't totally wash me out. This shade applied a little streaky, but once I built the color a little bit it was fine.

BE101

PK006 is a bright fuchsia that has blue undertones, so that makes this a bolder shade that will go really well with my cool-toned skin. Unlike BE101, this wasn't streaky at all during application and gave intense color right from the start.

To purchase Color in Liquid Lips, click here.

Next, Etude sent me their Lip Plumper called Woo Baby- love the name! Haha. It's $6, and is a high-volume, non-sticky lip plumper that provides plump, juicy lips with it's cooling and tingly menthol mint formula.

This also comes in a pink shimmery version, but this is a clear version (it looks blue, but goes on clear).

It comes with a little rubber spatula as an applicator which is definitely different! I thought I would have a hard time using it, but it's very flexible and soft so I was able to bend it around my lip contours easily enough.

Here's my before and after- I'm not sure it did much in the way to actually plump my lips, looking at the pictures. It felt like my lips were getting bigger by the way it felt, but I can't really tell a difference in photos...maybe just slightly.

Before Woo Baby

After Woo Baby

Next, I got the Kissful Care Lip Scrub ($4.50). This is a gentle sugar-based lip exfoliator that comes in a lip balm tube.

It looks like a clear gloss or balm but has sugar grains in it. It worked really well, despite being very gentle and my lips looked and felt smooth and soft afterwards.

The last product I got to try is the Cherry Lip Gel Patch ($2.50). I've always wanted to try these lip patches so I was excited when I got this. This one is supposed to remove dead skin cells and add moisture and elasticity to the lips.

Sorry for this really scary photo...lol!! But it was much larger than I thought it was going to be. That's actually ok, because it actually treated the skin all the way around my lips too. It feels very soft and rubbery and it took a few tries to get it to stick to my face while I was sitting upright. Once it was secure, it felt a little strange to not open my mouth for 10-15 minutes, but afterwards my lips and the skin around them were really soft and smooth.

Overall, I'm happy with the products I received this month...the only one that didn't really seem to work that well was the Lip Plumper, but I can just use it as a minty gloss or topcoat. What do you think of these Etude House lip products? Are you excited to try any of them?

To check out all of Etude House's products, please visit www.etudehouse.com.

**Disclosure- The products featured in this review were sent to me free of charge by a brand or PR agency. This in no way influenced my opinion of the products and I was not paid to write this review.**

Thanks so much to reader Ali for this great tip...Real Techniques is BOGO 50% off at Kohls, and if you have a Kohls charge, it gets even better.
On top of the BOGO, you can use code BUNNY30 for an additional 30% off...AND code FREE4MVC for free shipping!

I bought the blush brush and sculpting brush for just over $10 with tax. Here's a screenshot of my order:

Remember, you MUST use your Kohls Charge to use the coupon codes. If you don't have a Kohls charge, you still get the BOGO but that's it.

Click here to shop Real Techniques at Kohls.

Last week, I posted a photo on Instagram of a Spring 2015 Limited Edition display from NYC Cosmetics that I spotted at Kmart. It featured three shades of the City Proof Twistable Intense Lip Color, two eyeshadow palettes, colored mascaras, nail polishes, and two shades of the blush sticks that had disappeared from the line a while ago (I was so excited to see those back again and will be reviewing those shortly).

The Twistable Intense Lip Colors ($2.99) in the display were a peachy nude, bright orange, and bright raspberry fuchsia. I'm not really a fan of orange or peachy nude lips (I try to stay with pinky nudes for my skin tone), but that blue-based raspberry color was calling my name!

The shade is called 003 Raspberry Juice and smells exactly like a raspberry popsicle! I've never tried these Twistable Lip Colors from NYC before but I absolutely love how easy they are to use! They glide onto your lips so easily and have great color payoff!

The idea of a crayon you don't have to sharpen is fantastic and I've been keeping the point sharp by applying it on the sides of the tip rather than using the point.

This color is just stunning and the blue undertones make it great for those with fair skin or cool undertones! You can see here that it lays down quite a bit of color in one swipe.

It has a somewhat glossy finish and feels so comfortable...like a balm! And yet it doesn't have a lot of slip, it feels like it'll stay put rather than sliding all over the place, and it really does. This lasted for hours and hours on me...most of the day! I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that after about an hour or so, the gloss wears away and it leaves a beautiful stain behind. My lips felt slightly dry after a few hours but not to the point where they looked overly dry or cracked. It was more of just a feeling like I needed to put on some lip balm.

Overall, I'm really impressed with this formula and definitely want to try more shades! They're so affordable at $2.99, why not? As I said in the beginning of the post, I saw these limited editions at Kmart and that's the only place I've seen them so far. But if you've seen them elsewhere, please drop a comment below!

The It Cosmetics CC+ Your Way To Radiant Skin is a brand new collection debuting on QVC today as the Today's Special Value! This kit is valued at $172, but today only, you can purchase it for only $59.96 (reg. $72.50). There are three new products that are launching with this collection: the Your Skin But Better CC+ Illumination, The Heavenly Luxe Radiance Wand Brush, and the Luxe High Performance Anti Aging Eye Shadow Trio in Pretty In Spring. Let's take a look!

I was so fortunate to receive this kit ahead of time courtesy of It Cosmetics and I've been trying everything out over the past week, so I'm excited to share my thoughts about the products with you!

I'm already a fan of the Your Skin But Better CC+ cream, so when I found out that they were launching a CC+ Illumination formula, I couldn't have been happier. If you haven't tried the original version, it's a CC Cream that acts as a full-coverage color correcting cream, anti-aging serum, and broad-spectrum physical SPF 50+ all in one! I love it because it doesn't crease, settle into lines, or crack even on my super dry skin...it feels moisturizing like a CC cream, yet covers like a full-coverage foundation.
This new Illumination version is the same formula I know and love but it gives your skin a boost of radiance and a lit-from-within glow that's not sparkly or glittery.

I received the shade Fair and it's a little yellow for my skin when swatched (I have pink undertones) but once blended, it looks great. It feels like you're putting on a moisturizer rather than a foundation but it covers just about everything- I didn't even need to use concealer, I just added a second layer of the CC+ under my eyes and it didn't settle into fine lines at all. I just love that it brightens my dull complexion and my skin glows when it catches the light. I didn't think the original CC+ could get any better, but I'm loving this formula even more!

Your Skin But Better CC+ in Fair

The Vitality Face Disc has been around for a while, but it has an almost 5 star rating on QVC for good reason...it's an all-in-one anti-aging palette that's perfect for contouring. It contains the Luxe High Performance Anti-Aging Matte Bronzer, Luminating Radiance Powder, and the Vitality Powder Blush Stain.

I use the matte bronzer (matte bronzers are hard to find, aren't they?) around my hairline, temples, under my cheekbones and down around my chin. Then I apply the Vitality Blush Stain to the apples of my cheeks- it's a powder blush that literally lasts all day. Then I finish up with the Luminating Radiance Powder on the tops of my cheekbones, and down the center of my face for the perfect glow.

The bronzer is the perfect bronze shade...it's not too orange which is something I have to watch out for having light skin. The highlighter is the perfect champagne shade, and the blush stain is such a gorgeous pink.

The Heavenly Luxe Radiance Wand Brush is a brand new brush that's launching with this kit, and it's probably the softest, most luxurious brush I've ever used. It's super fluffy and it's dome-shaped...perfect for applying the powders in the Vitality Face Disc.

The Luxe High-Performance Anti-Aging Eyeshadow Trio in Pretty in Spring is also brand new and launching with the Your Way to Radiant Skin kit. These eyeshadows are packed with high-performance pigments and anti-aging ingredients that help to blur away the look of imperfections. These shades are so beautiful...if I had to pick three shades to put in a palette, this is what I would choose. The pink dusty rose shade is the perfect crease color and the shimmery light creamy color looks beautiful all over the lid up to the brow bone. I used the darker brown shade on my upper and lower lash line and it was super soft and pretty...much less harsh than eyeliner.

The No-Tug Dual Airbrush Eyeshadow Brush is double-ended with an eyeshadow brush on one end and a smudger brush on the other. I used the eyeshadow brush to apply my lid and brow color and then used the smudger end to apply the brown shade from the eyeshadow palette along my lash line. This brush made application so easy.

This is my finished look using all of the products in this kit. The only products I applied that weren't in the kit were lip color and mascara. I used the CC+ cream all over my face, then I used the bronzer along my hairline, under my cheekbones and under my chin. I used the blush on the apples of my cheeks and highlighter just above it. I used the eyeshadow palette on my eyes and also used the brown shade to fill in my brows since it was the perfect color! I love how luminous my skin looks with the CC+ Illumination...my face just has a lit-from-within glow where the light hits it.

Overall, the CC+ Your Way to Radiant kit is an amazing value at only $59.96 for $172 worth of products, and includes 3 new releases, including the CC+ Illumination! The Today's Special Value price is only valid for the next 24 hours, so if you're interested, head on over to QVC to purchase!

**Disclosure- The products mentioned in this review were sent to me for review by It Cosmetics, but all opinions are my own. I was not paid to write this review.**

New Vaseline Intensive Care Advanced Relief Healing Serum Review

ELF Elsa Snow and Ice Icicle Face Palette Review and Swatches

Maybelline The Blushed Nudes Palette Review and Swatches

It Cosmetics CC+ Your Way To Radiant Skin Collection Coming Soon

Colourpop Lippie Stix Review and Swatches- Bound, Frieda, and Lumiere

Hard Candy Natural Eyes Palette Review and Swatches

Dermalogica Precleanse Wipes and Oil Review

Too Faced Selfie Powder Swatches

Nars Dual-Intensity Blush Swatches

New Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour and Highlight

Colourpop Super Shock Cheek Review and Swatches- Mochi, Prenup, Holiday

Hard Candy Smokey Eye Shadow Primer Review and Swatches

Kushyfoot Flats to Go and Legwear Review

TONS of Sephora Coupon Codes plus Double Cash Back at Ebates

Makeup Revolution Iconic Pro 2 Review and Swatches

EvoDerma Noome Anti-Aging Motion Device Review and Coupon Code

Etude House Color In Liquid Lips for Spring 2015

INSANE Deal on Real Techniques at Kohls!

NYC Cosmetics Spring 2015 City Proof Twistable Intense Lip Color Review and Swatches

It Cosmetics CC+ Your Way To Radiant Skin Review- QVC Today's Special Value