New In: Makeup Freebies + My Free Makeup Collection

Here are my two newest makeup freebies...

I got this Rimmel Volume Accelerator Mascara in a social giveaway. (One of those giveaways where you send a gift to a friend.) It is a good mascara and it does add plenty of volume! I've gotten compliments on my lashes while wearing this mascara. Overall, I've had really positive experiences with Rimmel products. They seem to be very good quality for their price range.

I got this Mary Kay lipstick through a text message giveaway. I was super excited to recieve such a nice full-sized product for free! But when I got a look at this bright orange shade (Citrus Flirt) I was like, "Never mind...don't think this is gonna work!" However, I was really surprised once I gave it a try. I would have never thought I could do the bright orange lip trend, but it turned out to actually be quite pretty and flattering on me. And the formula is perfect: light, yet moisturizing. I've had very limited experience with Mary Kay products in the past, but the couple Mary Kay items that I have tried recently were excellent quality. 

While preparing this post, I noticed that I've amassed a huge free makeup collection over the past year or so! So, I thought I'd show it off.  I got all of these cosmetics for free through contests, giveaways, and couponing

Face

Facial Moisturizers and Fragrance

Mascaras

Lipsticks

Eyeshadows

Eyeliners

Nail Polishes

If you love to discover great new products without the financial risk, it pays to keep your eyes out for giveaways and sales!  

Have you won any beauty swag lately?

Bargain Brag: Stocking Stuffer Edition

I recently scored this haul of beauty products during CVS Drugstore's winter beauty clearance.  CVS was offering 50-75% off of selected merchandise, so I racked up on inexpensive beauty products that make great stocking stuffers!

 After the 75% discount, these NYC eye palettes were just $1.25 each!  They even come with primer and highlighter. 

The 75% off made these NYC nail polishes only 25 cents each.  These four colors were on sale.  I bought ten bottles in all.   

These Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro polishes were a steal!  They came to $1.12 after the 75% off, but I also had $1 off coupons for Rimmel, meaning I paid only 12 cents per bottle!!!  

This entire CVS haul only cost me $5.90.  I bought these about one week ago, but, if you hurry, you might be able to find some clearance bargains still lingering at your local CVS.  

Even better than cheap beauty hauls are freebies.  All of these items in the above picture were completely free!

I got the Suave lotion for free through a Suave Facebook Giveaway.

The body spray is by "Essence of Beauty" which is CVS's store beauty brand.  I got this for free for liking the CVS Minute clinic page.

I found these Nivea lotions at Dollar Tree for $1, and I happened to have $1 off Nivea lotion coupons, making both of them free for me.

I plan to give all of these items as gifts.  I am going to make up little bags of goodies to share with a few friends who I usually don't exchange gifts with.  I like how sale items allow me to stretch my money further and show my friends I was thinking of them during the holidays.

So, what goodies are you planning on giving as stocking stuffers this Christmas?

  

Bargain Brag: Free Makeup with Coupons

Hi everyone.  Today I just wanted to tell you about how I often score free makeup by using coupons.

I recently got all of these items for free at Dollar Tree.  I got Rimmel Glam Eyes HD shadow in two colors: English Rose and Black Cab, and Wet N Wild Mega Protein Mascara.  

I have been using coupons for the past year, and I have come to believe that it is 100% worth the time and effort to shop with coupons.  I get deals like this all the time!  If you want a more in-depth look at how I score free and cheap cosmetics and beauty products check out my previous post on couponing here.

In this case, I had various coupons for different drug-store brand cosmetics.  Most cosmetic coupons are usually for a dollar off of one product.  When I saw the Rimmel shadows for just a dollar at Dollar Tree, I was able to match them to a dollar off any Rimmel eye product coupon I had.  I had multiples of that coupon, so, I was able to score both shadows for nothing!

Same with the Wet N Wild mascara.  Wet N Wild often offers dollar off coupons, which I find curious, since their products have such low prices to begin with.  I have gotten free nail polish from them in the past at CVS, but finding this mascara at Dollar Tree was an even better value since it usually costs $2 or $3 in drug stores.  Thanks to my couponing, this entire shopping spree was free!    

The Rimmel Black Cab palette features shimmery silver/gray/black shadow.  I just read two articles in the November issue of Spanish Cosmopolitan about makeup looks using these shades. 

The English Rose Palette features peachy-pinks/tan/brown.  These colors are very much my style, so I know I will get a lot of use from this shadow set.  Generally, I have become very snobbish lately with makeup.  I tend to stick to my MAC and Naked palette and steer clear of buying drug store brands.  But for free, it doesn't hurt to add a little variety to my makeup bag!

I also got this Mega Protein Mascara by Wet N Wild.  I was a little wary about buying such cheap mascara.  I think the last time I tried Wet N Wild mascara was in my junior high days! However, since the mascara was free, I gave it a shot, and I was very surprised by how nice this product is!  It goes on smooth and without clumps. In fact, it is nothing like the dry and clumpy Wet N Wild mascara I remember from the past.  The effect is not very dramatic though.  The look it gives is rather natural, but I would definitely wear this on days that I want a no-fuss fresh-faced look.    

So, have you found anything cool at the dollar store lately? Do you ever use coupons on makeup?