Frugal Friday: How Glossy Is Your Box?

...wait...that doesn't sound right...

Hey! There's actually STUFF this Friday!! Check out these deals!

E.L.F.: $1.98 shipping on orders $15 and over. Use code 198SHIP by 5/12/12.

BeautyMint: Get $15 off, plus free blotting papers with your first order. Use code BMBLOT15. Today only.

TooFaced: Friends and Family Sale! Take 20% off your purchase with code FFSPRING12. (Fine print says "select items" but email says "everything". I say, pick what you want and give it a shot.)

And a head's up: Stila sale on Hautelook Monday!! Starts at 10AM CT, and the good stuff will go quickly! Good luck!

Photo Credit: Glossybox

If you're a sample junkie like me, have I got an early Christmas present for you! Glossybox, the sampling program popular in over fifteen countries, has finally made it to the US! I'm not talking those little packet samples that get tossed in with your Sephora purchases, either. These are deluxe mini, travel, and sometimes FULL sized products.

The way it works: Place your order ($21/month, $115/6 months, $220/12 months), and Glossybox will send you five (or possibly more, from what I've seen online) products to play with. Cancel at any time. You'll also fill out a Beauty Profile, which asks about hair and skin, and stuff like that.

I've never used the service before, obviously, but I have signed up for the very first edition as an early birthday present to myself, and will happily share all the details of my experience with you. I can already tell you that this won't be a monthly thing for me, since it's not exactly pocket change, but it might be a nice way to stock up on minis before a vacation. This month's box supposedly holds products from C.O. Bigelow (love them!), O.P.I. (yay!), and Kryolan (oooh! That's stage pro stuff! I can use that!), among others.

Have any of you used a sample service before? Birchbox? Test Tube? How'd it go? Leave your experiences in the comments below. Thanks!

While I Was Out...a Hautelook Mini Haul!

Stupid smartphone!!! I had a mini-Hautelook haul come in yesterday, and I immediately grabbed my phone and snapped shots of the unopened packaging, then each item unopened, opened, and swatched.

Then my phone ate them. AAAAAARGH!!!!!!!

Seriously, there must have been ten pictures, and they're all gone. I'm going to try to recreate what I can, but I've already thrown out the packaging and used the products, so they're not all pristine. I'm sorry, guys.

Anyhoo, before I go any further, here's a quick...

While I Was Out!

For starters, I gave a recital of classical and musical theatre vocal pieces on Friday. Instead of blogging, I took the day off to finish last minute errands and rest my voice. I also had my hair and makeup done by the amazing Jessica Price. She also created the gorgeous pearl and crystal headpiece I wore that night. We had a wonderful turnout, and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. Hopefully, I'll have some audio files up soon.

I also saw The Avengers this weekend, and while I won't post spoilers, I will say that I highly recommend dropping whatever you're doing and running like mad to get to the next showing. It's smart, funny, and incredibly action-packed. I already loved Mark Ruffalo, but now I have a huge celebrity crush on him.

And speaking of awesome movies and audio files, the official soundtrack to The Night Shift is now available to own on CD! You can find it on Amazon, and I'll get a permanent link to it on the sidebar...well, eventually. You know me...

And now...on the to Hautelook mini-haul! (Good Lord, these pictures are nowhere near as good as the ones I took yesterday. Please forgive me...)

Anyhoo, I got in on the Vincent Longo sale that was held about a month, or so, ago. I can't remember the prices, but they were dirt cheap--otherwise, this broke girl wouldn't have bought anything. I picked up the Diamante Quad in Roja and the Hydro Stick in Rosewood Dawn.

The packaging is really luxe, and just screams "high end". I'm not thrilled with the closure on the quad, though. It's only magnetic, and could open very easily if tossed in a purse or bag.



Inside the quad are pink pearl, copper, cool bronze, and rose baked shadows. The hydro stick is a peachy cream blush, similar to NARS Orgasm (sorry, Mom) Multiple, but peachier and without the shimmer.

My first impression of the quad is...meh. It's okay, but if I'd paid anywhere near the retail price for it, I'd be really upset. Dry, the shadows barely show up. Wet, they make a huge mess and aren't true to color. That goregeous pink--the reason I bought the set!--shows up almost white. As soon as I tried to add the copper and bronze to the crease and outer v, it ran, and I ended up with nothing even resembling pink. Now, this was my first time using it, so I might be able to work with it a bit and figure out how to make it do what I want. I just really hate having to "make things work". I'd rather they just work to start with. The sparkle is really pretty, though, it blends (a little too) well, and I haven't had any creasing, yet. So, there's that.

Alrighty, I tried to take a picture of just my cheek with the hydro stick applied, but that turned out about as well as you'd think. The best I could do was snap a pick in my car before I left for work. I do like the hydro stick. A lot. It gives a very subtle glow that looks like a natural flush. The cream texture is perfect for this time of year, too. I'm not the best in the world at applying cream blush, but this one seems to be easier to work with than most, probably due to its light shade. All in all, not a bad haul. 

I won't bore you with all the details of what I'm wearing here, since it's just basic "I threw this on" makeup. The highlights, though, are the Diamante Quad on the eyes, Hydro Stick on the cheeks, and this where-have-you-been-all-my-life Tarte Lipsurgence Natural Lip Tint in Enchanted. I can't stop wearing it!

Question: Trying out Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush mascara on my lashes. What do you think? I have my own opinions, but I'd like to hear yours. Leave them in the comments below, please.

Frugal Friday: Help Me, Hautelook!

It's time for Frugal Friday!!!!!  Yay!!! Here are this week's major deals!!!!

Bath & Body Works: Take 20% off your total with code SPRING2050.

Wow...that was certainly anti-climactic.

I don't know about you, but these days, I am broke. B-R-O-K-E, broke. Most everyone I know is in the same boat, so I'm not beating myself up about it. I just have to tighten things up a bit and be smart about where my money goes. That said, I still like to shop, and still like to have nice things. What's a girl to do?

Well, this girl--a girl who was raised by a Grand Champion bargain hunter, who was raised by Lady High Ruler Of All Things Sale Related--has upped her game a bit, so to speak. You may have noticed me mention a site called Hautelook once or twice on this blog. If you are into designer...well, anything, this site's flash sales may be just the ticket for you.

To give an example: I love Urban Decay cosmetics. All of them. I've yet to use a UD product I didn't just love. Every now and then, Hautelook will run an Urban Decay sale. About a week prior, the announcement will be made. Then, the day of, the sale will start at 8AM Pacific on.the.dot. At that time, the products up for sale will appear onscreen, and they will be heavily discounted. I picked up an Urban Lash set, including a travel 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero, a mascara made specifically for false lashes, and a set of Urban Lashes in Minx for $7. The lashes alone are usually $15. That's what I'm talking about. (And yes, before you ask, I really did need the lashes. See yesterday's post for details.)

Now, not everything from the brand in question will be up for grabs. That is important to remember. You will only have a small selection of items to choose from. In the case of UD, all of the products offered were already on sale at the brand site. Still, the Hautelook price was cheaper. The products won't always be sale items, though. Recently, I picked up a Vincent Longo eyeshadow quad in colors I've been searching for forever. It normally retails for $42. I paid $15.

Stila, Kinerase, TanTowel, DKNY, Calvin Klein, American Apparel, Laura Ashley, Betsey Johnson, William Rast, NYX, Puma...even E.L.F. (and I didn't think they could get any cheaper!) are just some of the brands that host events on Hautelook. You do have to act fast with these sales, though. They only last a few days, and items can sell out quickly. Also, once you place something in your cart, you only have 15 minutes to checkout, so decide on everything you want before you snap up that first item. Shipping rates can vary, but mine have always been in the area of $5. Shipping will take for-freaking-ever (be ye warned!), but it's worth the wait for prices like these. Plus, it's like a mini-Christmas every time I see the Hautelook label in the mail. This site has proven to me that, even though I'm on a budget, I can still have my favorites and save a few bucks at the same time. I don't know how they do it, but I'm not complaining.