New In: Sephora Favorites Draw the Line Gift Set

Hi everyone! First, I want to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers.  And no matter where you are from, I just want to let you know that I am so thankful for all of you who take the time to read my blog :-)

Today I just wanted to share with you this awesome eyeliner set that I recently got from Sephora.  It would make a great holiday gift for makeup obsessed friends and family.

I am not a big Sephora shopper, so I was totally unaware of the amazing gift sets that they offer for the holidays.  I had planned to buy my sister a Makeup For Ever liner for her birthday, but then I came across a post about Draw the Line from one of the bloggers that I follow.  For $30, you get 6 different name-brand eyeliners (7 if you count the fact that the Urban Decay 24/7 liner is double-sided!) 5 black, 1 brown, and one deep plum. The set comes with one black and one brown liquid liner.  

When I told my sister about Draw the Line, she said she would get me one too, since my birthday is coming up.  So, here is a peek at my newest toy!
    

The box is pretty cute if you plan to give it as a gift.

Nars Cosmetics Via Veneto Larger Than Life Long Wear Eyeliner (black) 

Kat Von D Deluxe Tattoo liner in Trooper (black liquid) 

Sephora Collection Contour Eye Pencil 12 HR Wear in Black Lace 

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Double Ended Eye Pencil in Perversion and Rockstar

stila Cosmetics Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Dark Brown 

Deluxe Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner in Blacquer 

I may write a review once I try them all out.  If you want to know more about each liner, this is a review that I found very helpful when deciding whether this set was a good investment or not. 

The fun part about shopping at Sephora.com is the gifts and samples! 

I got these three samples with my purchase.

They also had a free gift offer on orders over $25.  I got this 8 piece set and bag.  It includes Lancome mascara, Marc Jacobs lip gloss (which I LOVE btw), Kat Von D lip stain, Smashbox shadow primer, Philosophy lotion, Urban Decay eyeliner, and 2 perfume samples. 

The shipping was super-fast, too!  Overall, I love my Draw the Line set, and my shopping experience on Sephora.com.

So, what holiday gift set is on your wishlist this year?

Review: Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream

Hi Everyone, today I have a review of Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream.  

First, this is what Ulta.com had to say about the product:

Maybelline's 1st blemish fighting BB cream helps clear skin with 8 great skin benefits! With 2% salicylic acid. For combination and/or blemish-prone skin.

Why You'll Love It: Their Dream Pure BB Cream is a 1-step wonder for healthy-looking skin today and clearer skin tomorrow.

Benefits:

• Clears acne
• Conceals
• Imperfections
• Minimizes look of pores
• Reduces appearance of redness
• Adjusts to skin tone
• Hydrates and smoothes
• Enhances and clarifies skin
• Is oil-free, with a lightweight feel

2% salicylic acid is one of the highest percentages of this powerful blemish-fighter that you can get without a prescription, yet it's gentle enough to use every day.

For Best Results: Apply a thin layer of Dream Pure BB cream on skin. Can be used with or without a moisturizer.


This is what I have to say about Maybelline Dream Pure BB:

Well, this review almost didn't happen!  I found a sample of this BB cream in Seventeen Magazine.  I'm always really excited to find free samples in magazines, but I was less-than-stoked about this particular freebie score.  I have never had acne, even as a teenager.  So, I knew this this product was not for me even before trying it.  That, coupled with the fact that I had previously sampled Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB Cream and did not like it, made me want to just toss the sample.  (You can check out my review for Maybelline's Dream Fressh BB cream here.)

However, curiosity made me give the Dream Pure BB a try, despite the fact that it was not for my normal to dry skin and was from a product line I found to be disappointing in the past. To my surprise, this turned out to be a pretty decent BB Cream.

The sample was fairly generous, so I was able to use it three times.  The first two times I used it with my L'Oreal Youth Code Pore Vanisher as a base.  (You can see my review of Youth Code Pore Vanisher here.)  Since the Pore Vanisher is moisturizing, I decided to try the BB cream alone one day to see how it performed solo.

A swatch of Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream in Light/Medium

The sample color was light/medium, which is the color I would usually choose.  I found that it had a decidedly orange tone.  While this orange undertone might be great on an oompa loompa, it wasn't the best match for my skin.  The orange color wasn't that apparent after the product was blended, but I still felt like this shade was not a great match for my skin.  You might want to sample colors if you consider buying this product.

Oompa Loompas

The product is thicker and creamier than the Dream Fresh BB Cream.  It has good coverage.  I'd say it is a heavier light coverage or a very light medium.  If you need extra coverage due to acne scarring, I don't think this product alone would work for you.  It has much better coverage than the Dream Fresh BB, though.  It dried to a matte finish. Despite containing 2% salicylic acid, during the three days I tried it, I did not find that it dried out my skin.  Of course, I can't say if this would remain the case over a longer period.  It worked better for me with a base, though.  When I wore it alone, it did not look quite as smooth and it settled into my fine lines.  Since I don't have oily skin or acne, which is the type of skin this product is intended for, I can't tell you how this BB fares for those conditions.  I can say it was gentle enough for my normal to slightly dry skin. 

Overall, I feel this was a much better BB Cream than Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB.  The quality is fair for its low price.  There are probably better BB creams for acne out there, but this product exceeded my expectations.  If you are looking for a budget friendly BB for acne that is not overly drying or irritating, this is a decent product.

Have you tried Maybelline's Dream Pure BB Cream? What did you think?

New In: Marshall's Sweaters Mini-haul

Hi Everyone. Today I have a sweater mini-haul from Marshall's.  On my latest trip to Marshall's, there were so many cute sweaters to chose from!  A lot of the junior's sweaters were mall store brands: Abercrombie and Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, and Hollister.  All of the sweaters I picked out were under $25.  Had I not been under a self-imposed shopping ban, I could have easily left with 10 amazing brand-name sweaters, all between $13 and $25 each.  However, I managed to control myself a little and left with only three.  If you are looking for some cute cozy sweaters for the holidays and don't have the patience to wait for the winter sales, Marshall's is a great place to stock up on better-quality sweaters for resonable prices.  

Brand: American Eagle Outfitters
Price: $12.99
This light weight gray marled sweater has silver threading that gives it a subtle shimmer.  It also has a rounded slightly high-low bottom.  Similar sweaters are currently selling on American Eagle's website for around $40. 

Brand: Abercrombie and Fitch
Price: $16.99
This soft drapey open knit cardigan makes a great not-so-basic basic.  It has a bit of personality but there are still so many ways to wear it.  I could wear this with all black and a tribal statement necklace for an edgier look, or pair it with tan knee boots, jeggings, and a white tee for a classic look.  Abercrombie currently has some draped cardigans on its website for $40

Brand: Hollister
Price: $24.99
This sweater is warm, soft, and cozy. I love the simple shape and the cable knit.  This is my favorite sweater of the haul because I can picture myself wearing it all the time.  It would be cute under a pink textured coat.  As much as I love this sweater, it wasn't as good of a deal as the others.  Hollister currently has a similar cable-knit sweater on sale for $28.


So, do you ever shop at Marshall's? What are your favorite items to purchase there? Have you gotten any steals at Marshall's lately?