Old Faithful (My Top Go To Brands & Products)

Good morning!!

Yesterday my friend and I got to talking and she asked me if I had a list compiled of what I use and always go back to when making purchases.  Um.....can you believe I don't??  With all the subscriptions I have and all the things that I have tried, it is a great question!

I mean, hey, I love experimenting with different colors and textures but there are certain things that I have to have.  Ya know, if you could bring one thing on a deserted island....blah, blah, blah :)

The very first thing I put on my face is Murad's Oil Control Mattfier to prevent oil slicks on my face.

This truly is a miracle product for oily skin.  On the surface it reduces shine and underneath it controls breakouts.  Before using this I was using those oil blotting sheets several times a day and I haven't had to use one since!  Make sure you are patting this on your face, not rubbing it in, I find it is much more effective that way.

Next up is Benefit's POREFESSIONAL for my primer.

This fills in my pores that are the size of potholes and fine lines.  It provides a smooth canvas for makeup application and keeps my makeup from sliding off my face during the day.  It is flesh colored and can be used after makeup for touch ups but I have never needed to do that :) Some primers that I have tried are oily going on or tend to "ball up" on my face and this one has never let me down.  I also like to use Laura Mercier's Radiance Bronze Primer too if my skin is way too white in the winter.  I would put it on before my Porefessional.

Next up is my concealer, IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye.

I have hereditary dark circles (thanks Mom!) and my trick to help keep them covered is to put my concealer on before my foundation.  That way I get double coverage and am able to blend them both together for a seamless finish.  Now, if I was up all night with my new puppy, which I have been lately, sometimes I may need a dab over my foundation too!  70% of women are Neutral Medium.  This is a cream concealer, not a liquid so a little goes a long way.  I use my IT Cosmetics Brush to dab it on, not rub it, for an airbrush like finish.

I did order Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclait Concealer from Sephora and it will be here today.  This is the Creme de la Creme of concealers and I really wanted to try it and review it for ya'll so that will be coming soon!  I have heard rumors of dupes out there so I wanted to do some testing myself. :)

Foundation......depends on the season and I am actually still trying to find the perfect summer one.  I just ordered Becca's Radiant Skin Satin Finish Foundation and will review that soon, too.  In the fall and winter I use Hourglass Immaculate Mattifying Oil Free Foundation and it is my favorite!  And currently I am using Jouer's Luminizing Moisture Tint (read review here).

For blush, I LOVE Benefit's Benetint.

It is both a cheek and lip stain and it works for both!  As a cheek stain, it gives me a sexy flush and lasts all day long!  3 swipes on the apples of my cheeks and I'm done! I would love a sample of Cha Cha Tint as I love coral colors too :)

Eyebrows....I tried a ton of products and keep going back to IT Cosmetics Universal Brow Power Pencil.

The biggest pro for me is the color.  It can be as light or as dark as I want but it is closest to the natural taupe color of my brows.  Plus for every one sold, IT Cosmetics will donate one to the Look Good, Feel Better Foundation for women fighting cancer, which is a subject very close to my heart.

Here is my makeup of the day today!!

I am wearing all of the above and Benefit's They're Real Push Up Gel Liner. This will be another go to product from here out.  Read my latest review on it, HERE!

For eyeshadow, I am wearing Covergirl Bombshell in Ice Queen as an eyelid primer and ELF's mineral eyeshadow in Smoldering. My lashes are wearing Benefit's They're Real Mascara.  I go back and forth between black and colored mascaras and honestly I have not had to buy mascara in ages because I have so many!

I am wearing my Laura Mercier Highlighter from my latest Sample Society box and Benefit's Hoola Bronzer.Lips are wearing Bella Pierre Vanilla Pink from one of my Glossyboxes.

So.....ya think I am the poster girl for Benefit or what??  They were truly the first brand I trusted and used when I started my makeup obsession and I will continue to love them.  The only product they have ever let me down on was the Boing concealer...but that is a topic for another day!

I would love to know what ya'll use as a setting powder for your makeup.  I am still looking for the "One".

Let me know in the comments below!!

Also, don't forget, we still have a HUGE giveaway going on until next week so enter on the Mudpipes & Glitter Facebook page's Giveaway tab or click HERE!

Have a great day!!

Smiley 360 Missions-COUPONS INSIDE!!

As mentioned in a previous post (you can read it here), I love free stuff and work with several companies trying out the latest and greatest! I love trying new products and being able to share my thoughts with everyone.  Smiley 360 is one of the better sites out there for quality campaigns.  As long as you are willing to have a big mouth (I think I actually got in trouble for that in school a lot) they will keep sending you stuff to review!

This is my 3rd and 4th mission.  First, let's talk about Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant mission.

They sent me the following.....

 A FULL SIZE tube of Truly Radiant and a FULL SIZE electronic toothbrush!

Before I got the tooth paste, I asked around to see if anyone currently uses this and what they think. See, I have very sensitive chompers and have used Sensodyne for a while.  I also use Crest White Strips monthly.If I can use this toothpaste and still use the white strips, then I know the toothpaste is not contributing to my sensitivity issue.

It was the consensus that this is a great toothpaste.

When we got it,my husband tried it too.  Right now we are paying double on toothpaste since he does not like to use my toothpaste.  I think he also forgot that this was a campaign and I received the product free for testing purposes.  He just assumed I grabbed whatever was on sale. :)  He said he LOVED this toothpaste.  What man cares about toothpaste??  He said that he liked that it foamed in his mouth and was super fresh!  SCORE!  More positive feedback :)

I myself tried it and agreed.  Plus, this toothpaste goes BEYOND the surface and repairs enamel.  If you guzzle on soda all day though, it is not going to help much.  Another thing worth mentioning is Truly Radiant is made with baking soda so it is gentle whitening on your teeth but you will get results.  I did within 5 days!

As for the toothbrush, I let my husband try that for me (ya know, the whole sensitive teeth thing) and he said he felt it reached the back of his back teeth better than other electronic brushes he has tried before.  I think the last one he used was a Spiderman one I got him as a stocking stuffer but still :)   Using the toothpaste and the toothbrush together is also supposed to be proven to whiten teeth better than using them alone.

Try it today and get your .50 OFF coupon for Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant HERE!!

The second campaign I received this week is the Caltrate Gummy Bites mission.  This one I am really excited about.  :)

This is what they sent me.....

They sent me a ton of samples to share with ya'll and a PEDOMETER (step counter)! How cool is that?? The first thing I did was grab Paisley and take her for a walk.  Stay tuned to see how many steps I took :)

Caltrate Gummy Bites are gummy calcium and Vitamin D supplements.  I don't know about you but I cannot stand taking huge horse pills every morning!!  We have used gummy vitamins and gummy B Complex for a while now.  Caltrate does have an easy to swallow option if you do prefer taking a pill and they also have a non dairy option.

The gummies come in 3 different flavors: Black Cherry, Orange and Strawberry.  I received all 3 flavors free for testing purposes and I think I like Strawberry the best.  81% of women do not get enough calcium from food alone and will eventually need a supplement to prevent osteoporosis.  This can help you!

I think a supplement is pretty self explanatory but let me know if you have any questions on them by posting below!

The first 5 people to comment on this blog post will get a sample mailed to them!

Get your $2.00 OFF coupon for Caltrate Gummy Bites HERE!!

Oh and this is how many steps we took on our walk!!

Is it double for Paisley since she has 4 legs?? :)

Stay tuned for the next Smiley 360 campaign which is for Pepcid AC.  If you enjoy spicy stuff as much as Nick and I do, you're gonna wanna check that one out!

Have a great day!!

Beauty Package Giveaway #2

Good morning, ya'll!!  As promised (when our Facebook page reached 200 likes), we are having another giveaway!

We are quickly surpassing this amount and I am almost to 300 likes! Thank you again for your support!  I am super excited about having another giveaway because I love sharing my wealth with ya'll!

Please enter below, starting at 10am CT (or on the Giveaway tab on the facebook page) and the more entries you complete, the better your chances are!  We will have the giveaway for one week, just like last time!!

Good luck and have fun!!

Of course if you have any questions, let me know!

Have a great day!!


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Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint Review

Happy Monday Ya'll!!!  And a big, big welcome to all of our new followers!  This weekend so many new people joined and I just want to say hello and thank you!!  Now that we have made it past the 200 mark, I can get everything ready for the Beauty Giveaway contest!!

As I said in my July Birchbox unboxing post, this past Birchbox was my favorite so far.  I was so pleased with all of the brands and samples that I got.

One of the samples I received was Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint.  They actually sent me the sample in Deep Bronze.  Had it been a warmer summer so far (which I am really upset about, so don't get me started!), I would be super tan and be able to use it.  But, alas, it is not so they actually gave me 100 BB points ($10 in the shop!) as a way to make up for it.

Well, they knew what they were doing!  Because of that, I made a full size purchase of the product! And this time I got it in Bronze which was a much better summer choice for me.

Here is the difference in the color they sent me and what I bought....

HUGE difference!  I may use the darker one for an upcoming contour tutorial so it doesn't go to waste.

Okay, now on to the reason I made the full size purchase.  In the summer months, you know you have to switch up the makeup that you wear.  I, for one, do it for two reasons.  One, I want a lighter foundation on my face since I am sweating sometimes and two, my regular foundation is so darn expensive I don't want to waste it!!  Here is my guide to makeup for an oily face.

This product is light to medium coverage depending on how many layers you put on.  It did not clog my pores and make me break out, nor was it "sticky" (like some BB creams can be).  It feels so light on my face even with more than one layer and it gave me that "glow" that we all want.  It's really great!  You can get it here!

When I bought it they also had a promo going on where you could get a free Jouer Lip Conditoning Treatment.  I snagged that right up!

This product not only plumps up my lips but also minimizes the appearance of fine lines while keeping them hydrated with good stuff like Shea butter.

This is my first time using any Jouer products and I am very pleased with the results.  They also have a matte version of this that you can get here.  My only critique would be that I wish there was more product in the tube for the price of $38.

Have you used Jouer products before?

I'd love to try more from this brand......What product am I missing out on?

Let me know in the comments below!!

Have a great day!!

July 2014 GlossyBox-Spoilers Inside!!

I was going through subscription withdrawal as always towards the end of the month and voila! My July 2014 Glossybox has arrived! Glossybox is a mix of beauty, hair and skin care from deluxe brands that always comes with at least one FULL size product.  It is $21 a month.  This month one of the full size products was $45 which is more than double the cost of the box, so always well worth it in my opinion.  Sign up HERE!

I always love getting the nice boxes they send  because I have used each box for something :)

This is what I saw when I opened it.....

They always include a nice pamphlet with the full size price of each item and how to use each item.  Ipsy is the only subscription I get that actually doesn't do that.

I love surprises so I never look at the sneak peeks of what we are getting when they are posted on social media BUT this month I did see one on accident but was super happy!

GlamGlow YouthMud Tinglexfoliate Treatment Mask!!  I have had this sample several times from Sephora and love it.  It is a wonderful mud mask that cleans out pores and tightens skin.  It is made with French Sea Clay, Green Tea Leaves (there are actual pieces in there) and Volcanic Pumice Rock.  I use it several times a week.  There is a small and large size you can test out at Sephora.  Get it HERE.

Now, the star......

Skin, Inc. Anti Aging Serum.  This bad boy right here is $45!!!!  It says it will promote elasticity and log lasting hydration improving the quality of my skin.  Um, SCORE!! :)

Philip B Detangling Toning Mist.  They have sent Philip B products before and they are great.  This will remove unwanted residue and deposits (like facial toner) and because it has apple cider vinegar in it, it will increase shine by sealing the cuticle.  I was worried about the smell, but it says it goes away after a minute, so we will see!

MITCHELL and PEACH Body Cream.  I am British, enough said....whenever I get lotions like this or smells like this (this has English honey, cocoa powder and shea butter), it always brings my grandmother right there next to me.  She always comforted me and this smell is just like her.

Malin+Goetz Mojito Lip Balm.  Another full size product, valued at $12!!  First thing I thought of was drinking a mojito so I guess that was a good thing :)  That is the flavor, duh and says it will protect, hydrate and offer some shine without stickiness!

And there ya have it!

I was sad that there was no makeup this time but I was happy with 4 out of 5 so I think this month was a good box.  Last month's box was incredible so I will give them some slack!

Were you happy with your Glossybox this month?

Have a great day!

Friday Flash Giveaway-Mario Badescu & Murad Skin Care Samples

TGIF Everyone!!

It has been a busy, busy week!!

So today I want to share some skin care samples with you to help your skin detox!!

Mario Badescu is one of the TOP skin care lines and is used by many celebrities.  They NEVER test on animals (which will make or break me buying a product) and use all natural ingredients.  Plus if you love the samples, they are all available at ULTA!

They sent me samples a few months ago and I loved them all!  And now, they have sent me more samples to share with you!!

Today's giveaway will include:

Strawberry Face Scrub
Special Cucumber Toning Lotion
Collagen Moisturizer SPF 15
Cucumber Tonic Mask
Enzyme Cleansing Gel
Ceramide Eye Gel

You can read more about the skin care line HERE and while these samples are for all skin types, they have products targeted for specific concerns or problem areas.

Also, I am including some Murad Acne Clearing samples. It is a 6 day regimen and you should see clearer skin after the first 72 hours!

Enter today and Good Luck as we will have a winner chosen later today at 4:30 Central Time!!!

Also, remember that the BIG Beauty Package giveaway will happen at 200 likes and we are almost there!

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Have a great day!!

Benefit's They're Real Push Up Liner Review & Ulta Haul

Hey ya'll!! Okay, so, every once in a while, Ulta has an a-MA-zing free gift with purchase.  Usually you need to spend a certain dollar amount to get the free gift of course.  This week's free gift was a makeup bag filled with beauty products, with a $60 purchase.  They also just recently sent out a 20% off your entire order coupon plus the discounts being an Ulta member gets you (points accrued=dollars off orders).  So I made a killing on both my purchase and the free samples I received.  I did this about two months ago too and wish I would have taken pics of everything I got then.

So let's go over my Ulta haul!!  Hopefully this will get you enticed to get one yourself next time it is available. You can create an account online or in store for nothing and just sign up for their emails.  This promotion was gone so quick I know my poor bestie cousin wasn't able to score one :(

First, here is what I ordered to take advantage of the promo!  Two of my favs and one new product!

First item is Macademia Oil Flawless.  As you know, I am obsessed with sulfate free products.  This product is amazing, revolutionary even! ;) I received it as a sample before in my New Beauty Test Tube.  At first I wasn't sure about it since I was afraid it would make my hair oily.  But it didn't!! It is shampoo and conditioner in one and has both macademia and argan oil in it.  It makes hair smooth and shiny and when I brush my hair out of the shower, not a strand comes out! Of course, it is similar to sulfate free in that there are no suds so that takes some getting used to but it is an amazing product that I strongly recommend!!

Next I got Benefit's Porefessional.  Benefit is still my favorite brand and I have loved everything I have ever gotten from them.  As I have gotten older the pores on my face are turning into sinkholes...its horrible! My mama says it is genetic.....doesn't make it better though!  This product is amazing.  It is not greasy like some are, it doesn't change the color of the other products on my face and it is flesh colored.  It goes on so smooth. I put it on clean skin before anything but if I need a touch up during the day it can go right over my makeup.  I haven't had to ever touch up during the day though :)  They have a full size online and a mini to try it out.  I got the mini and it lasts a while!

Now on to the star and what I was really excited about!

Benefit's They're Real Push-Up Liner!!!  I already love their They're Real Mascara because the wand gets every single lash and makes them much fuller which I need, since they are so sparse and thin.  This was advertised so much before it came out and I could not wait!  I wanted it because it is supposed to make the perfect cat eye effortlessly!!  And who doesn't want that?  I can do a cat eye but each eye usually looks different so I wanted something to make them consistent!!  I will get to my review later in this post but you can watch the video HERE to learn how to use it :)

Now here are the free gifts that I got with the purchase of these 3 items!!

AAAAHHHH!!!! Beauty Heaven!!!  I LOVE surprises more than I love a good deal and I got both with this!

First the bag is pink and it is vinyl! They had an orangey bag choice and if I knew it was more coral I would have gotten it.

Now the breakdown!!

The first item I was super excited about is........

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara!!  I have heard great things about this mascara so am super excited to try it out!  I mean with a product name like that it HAS to be good, right??

Style Sexy Hair Spray Clay is next.  I love texturizing sprays and have been using Rusk's version so I am interested to see how this compares.  If you have never used a spray like this, do it!  It gives your hair volume and that piecey, fresh from the salon look :) Super sexy!

Laura Geller's BB Cream in Medium.  First I was excited it was in my shade!  Second I was happy because it is summer and I have only been using BB creams and tinted moisturizers :)  I used it this morning and I was happy with it.  Very light coverage so if I was not as tan as I am I might have needed to layer this on.

Mally Waterproof Eyeliner in Caribbean Sea. Blues and Teals are all the rage this summer so this is another one for my collection! And waterproof is always a plus!

Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Booster Serum. I hope I don't fall in love with this product because full size is $75 but I have also heard this was an amazing brand.  This serum increases dermal firmness (don't I sound smart) and eliminates deep wrinkles.  I am a firm believer in starting a good skin care regimen young!!

Cloud 9 Miracle Repair Shampoo.  I have not heard of this brand before but the description sounds like a dream, sulfate free product that gives body, bounce and shine.

Murad T-Zone Refining Serum and Pore & Line Minimzing Hydrator. Both clear skin and reduce pores and lines.  My go to product with them is their Oil Mattifier.  It keeps my skin matte and shine free ALL DAY so hopefully these products will be just as good.

John Freida Frizz Ease Smoothing Creme.  Excited to use this when I do my morning blowouts and see if it keeps my hair thick, straight and of course frizz free!

La Roche-Posay Mela-D Pigment Control Serum.  Hmmmm, I am pretty sure I have gotten this product before and liked it....maybe not because I feel I would remember :) It says it reduces dark spots and skin discoloration.  I don't really have that but it also says it can be used on other parts of the body like hands! So that is exciting because I know those suckers are coming!

Dolce and Gabana Dolce perfume.  Of course I like a $90 scent!! It is pretty.  It is more flowery than I usually like though.

Urban Decay Maxi-Lip Lipstick sampler.  I love the third color so can't wait to try these out!

Ulta Brilliant Color Lip Gloss.  This may be too pink for me though. I think it is Guava so it might be coral, too.  I will swatch it and might put in the giveaway.

Lastly are two little throw in things, some hand sanitizer and some sugary sweet perfume (Pink Sugar).  It is $45 so I may just have to test it to see what it is all about for that price because the packaging it not appealing.  So maybe it isn't a throw in after all lol

Wasn't that exciting!!?!??!

Oh and of course the 3 samples I picked for my order, I chose all perfume since I knew I was getting all this makeup and skincare and this is what they sent me.

First, they sent me two samples of men's cologne, Polo Red and Gucci Gulity which will go to Nick of course.  The third is Escada Born in Paradise.  Someone told me this was really nice so I can't wait to try it.

Okay, so of course this morning, I ran to my vanity like I was a kid on Christmas morning and ripped open my Benefit They're Real eyeliner!!

Took off the top and saw the wonderful pointed tip!!

It says to turn the product several times to get the gel to the top.  I counted 50 times, so it may be different for all of us.

I tried it on my hand first, which I recommend as I had no idea how much would come out or how Amy Winehouse the line would be either.  It was completely controllable.  I turned it to how much product I wanted on the tip and was able to do both eyes with it.  If you want more, just click it again.

I started in the middle of my eye.

Perfect, even line!

So I kept going and then flicked it at the end (it says to stamp it on your eye but I need to practice more when I am not rushed in the morning)....

Then went back to my inner eye and evened it out!! I am SO HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS!!!

Now of course this was my first time so I will only get better but my eyes look bigger and great!!  I mean, just being able to apply an even straight line on BOTH eyes is a miracle for me!!

Have you gotten Benefit's Push Up Liner yet??

What do you think and are you happy with the results??

Let me know in the comments below!

Also, stay tuned because tomorrow is Flash Friday and a giveaway contest is coming!! Also, I am still having another LARGE beauty giveaway at 200 likes so spread the word and get to likin' HERE :)

Have a great night!!