Again, Get Thee to the Walmarts

I'm very very behind on my magazine reading, especially beauty mags, although I have been finding time to read US and TV Guide. I can explain my priority ranking of TV Guide because we all know it's important to know when The Amazing Race starts, but I'm not sure why it's important for me to know who Justin Timberlake is dating. Some things you just can't explain.

Moving on..... The downside of my failure to keep up with Glamour was that I was totally clueless about the launch of Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase...... a drugstore version of one of my favorite high-end lines, Kinerase. I actually just ran across it on the shelves at Walmart last week.

And here's what you really need to know.... the Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase products are budget-friendly versions of the very-very-very expensive products in regular Kinerase line.

For example, let's do a comparison.

Kinerase Under Eye Rescue

$78 for .7 oz (equivalent to $111 per ounce)

Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase Under Eye Recovery

$25 for .5 oz (equivalent to $50 per ounce)

From what I can tell, both products have similar ingredients as well as claims. I've used both and honestly love them equally. I've also been testing out the Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase Lift & Resculpt Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream (also $25) in the evenings and am impressed with it as well.

Bottom line: I would definitely recommend stopping by your local Walmart and giving this line a try- they seem to be well-priced versions of high-quality expensive products.

Disclosure: I actually have nothing to disclose, I purchased all products discussed above myself.

Interview

Today Allison at Running With Mascara has posted an interview she did with me. Stop by if you get the chance- she has a great blog!

Budget Makeup- Hard Candy at Walmart

Trolling the aisles at The Walmarts, I ran across some new boxed blushers by Hard Candy called "Fox In a BOX" for just $6 that suspiciously looked like Benefit boxed powders, which retail for $28.

In fact, I was sure one of them was a Sugarbomb dupe.

(left to right, Spicy & Sweet, Hot Flash, and Smooth Talker)

and yup, look at that! The colors of Smooth Talker are identical to Benefit Sugarbomb! (Sugarbomb is on the left and Smooth Talker on the right)

Now, the brush in the Hard Candy box is pretty useless- it's tiny and you'd never get a good application of blush with it. I've been using my Sonia Kashuk Skunk Brush (discussed and pictured here) and find that's the perfect type of brush since this blush is quite pigmented.

I think these are a fabulous find and quite a steal. I'd suggest a trip to Walmart is in order for you to pick these up!

February in Review

Again a month slipped by.... The horror! Let's take a look at February and where it went.....

My beautiful in-real-life friend Megan at Sorta Crunchy often does a month in review post and I'd thought I'd join in.

On My Nightstand: not nearly as important and what's on my bed..... new bedding!

(via Walmart)

Our bedroom needed a little updating and since I have The Spring Fever, this Better Homes & Garden Citrus Blossoms Damask Bedding Comforter Set from The Walmarts fit the bill. I'm impressed with the quality, and I actually found it on sale because it looks like they don't plan on carrying it in-store any longer.

TV Show Worth Watching:

Of course, The Amazing Race. It has my hometown boys on it (their momma is a photographer and took my picture oh-so-many years ago!) and I'm excited to see how they do this go-around.

Movie I've Seen (in or out of the theater):

Sadly, none.... but I really really want to watch Best in Show but haven't a chance since I picked it up during Christmas Shopping Extravaganza. Maybe this weekend?

In My Kitchen:

Last night the kids and I made Picky Palate's Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Pudding Cookies and they simply rocked. Yum-o. Can't wait until I get off work and can eat another one.


In My Ears:

Glee: The Music, Volume 4 has been on repeat in the family van and I'm loving it. Faves right now are Teenage Dream, Forget You (*I* forgot Gwyneth could sing!), Marry You, and Valerie. Volume 5 comes out next Tuesday and I'm looking forward to it like a little girl. Damn, I wish I could sing!

Three Newest Blog Reads:

1. So glad to have found Shasta Anne again. She's just darling and always glad to answer my beauty questions.


2. Hollywood Housewife is a fellow Okie transplanted to the big CA and I enjoy her blog so much. It's a little bit of everything.
3. Coupon Closet is going to be a tool I use quite a bit as I try to get back full-force into couponing. I've missed it and so has my wallet!

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month: Spring! And my second half marathon.

New Candle Find: Febreze Sweet Citrus and Zest

I know we talked before about candles, and I think you know my love for the Febreze products- especially the glass jar candles- they are the bomb! My prior favorites are Winds and Springtime, and pretty much any of the fall or Christmas red/orange colored holiday scents. LOVE them all and have them burning all the time. I think they rival Yankee in terms of scent, and they burn down perfectly and last for-ev-er (say it in your best Sandlot voice). And for $4-5, you just can't beat them.

My newest find is Sweet Citrus & Zest and I am stressing out a little that I can't find any more. I picked this one up at the Walmarts a few months ago and got it out this weekend since I have The Spring Fever. Instant love! But of course, Walmart doesn't have anymore and neither does Target.

HOWEVER, this scent is on Febreze's site (holla! to their marketing/PR dept) so I'm assuming it's permanent and I will forever be scouring the shelves for this one. It's that good.

Description from febreze.com: Enjoy the sparkling effervescent freshness of citrus with key limes and mandarin oranges blended with sweet kiwi and a touch of coconut.

Yum. I'll take a Lava Flow with that, please sir. (that part was not from febreze.com)

What is your favorite candle scent?

I Need a Drink

It's just one of those days. Although I'm super-busy each year during these first few months, I'm always so so glad I didn't go into tax accounting, because I know it could be worse.

(photo via Advertising Age)


I'll be counting down the days until May, when Miller rolls out their new MGD 64 Lemonade. How good does that sound? Until then, I think I'll try mixing regular MGD 64 half-and-half with Crystal Light. Sounds yummy and refreshing, huh?

(photo via Ocean Spray's Facebook page, since they haven't updated their website with info on their newest product- they are pulling a Hershey and need to hire *me* to keep their website up-to-date)

And I've discovered that drinking Ocean Spray's new Diet Sparkling Cranberry juice at work makes me feel like I am sipping on something a bit stronger. And even if it's just pretend, it helps.

Are you drinking anything new these days?

Running Update

In just about a month, I'll be running my second half, the Dallas Rock 'n' Roll Half. I better get my ass in gear, huh? Actually, I think I'll be ready. I ran 8 miles this Saturday, and plan to run 9, 10, and 11 over the next three Saturdays, with at least three 4-6 mile runs during each week on the weekdays. I think I've got a random case of tennis elbow but it doesn't seem to be affecting my running so I'm not worrying too much about that. It's also not affecting my beer drinking, so that's good too.


In other running news, since I typically run by myself, I took Skinny Runner's advice and ordered myself a Road ID Wrist ID Elite ($29.99). Of course, I got pink. Road ID sent me a coupon code to share that's good for $1 off- ThanksSasha4202709. I've never had my own coupon code before and feel like I've "arrived".

My allergies (penicillin, tetanus shots and sulfa drugs) took up two lines so there was no room for a motto, and I'm not sure that "I love Jesus, but I drink a little" would have fit anyway.

I recently discovered that my beloved Luna Sport Moons are discontinued, so I asked the fabulous Chic Runner what she would suggest as a replacement. She suggested Sharkies so I ordered some a few weeks ago from Amazon because they had the best price I could find.

I tried them on Saturday and I loved them! Very similar to the Luna Moons.

Due to my boiling blood and my ability to overheat in 10 seconds, I run in a sleeveless C9 shell no matter what the weather. The underside of my upper arms often gets chafed from rubbing against my shirt.

I've been using a product I was sent to review, EverStride's Anti Chafing Sport Stick (SRP: $15), and it's been a lifesaver. It looks like deodorant, but it's a moisturizing stick that totally takes care of the friction problem for me if I apply it before a run.

I'd love to know if there's a fitness product you use that you'd recommend. Jump in on the comments if you have something to share.

Disclosure: The Everstride product was sent to me for review purposes.

Editor's Choice Awards: Drugstore Beauty

Welcome to the Sasha Says Editor's Choice Awards! We'll be sharing with you our favorite products in many different categories.

(Please know that this is very tongue-in-cheek. "We" is just me, and it's actually just a list of *my* favorite products. There's no nomination process, voting, or scoring. Just a simple list of things I like and use myself.)

Today's category is "Drugstore Beauty". Last week before Sunday school started, a few of us were having a discussion on beauty products and how expensive they can be. I shared that I had quite a few products that I loved that were not high-end. I am all about shopping at Wags, CVS, Target, and the Walmarts.

On of my new favorite blogs is Nouveau Cheap, and her tagline is "You don't have to compromise on beauty just because you're on a budget....."

Agreed!
So here we go..... A entire look for you..... all from the drugstore.

1. Foundation. The foundation I am reaching for most days is Revlon PhotoReady. I apply it with a damp foundation brush and really like the light to medium coverage I get. I wear Shell and I believe this is about $14.

2. Powder. I am still loving Physicians Formula Happy Booster Face Powder in Translucent ($12.67 at Walmart).

3. Blush. Also still loving Physicians Formula Happy Booster Blush in Rose ($10.63 at Walmart).

4. Eye Shadow. A new find for me are these awesome, super-cheap, but high quality Wet n Wild palettes. The top 8 pan is called Comfort Zone and it retails for $5 at Walmart and Walgreens. The bottom 3 pan is called Walking on Eggshells and is $3.

5. Eyeliner. I've been using Physicians Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum lately and loving it. It's super easy to apply and the thin felt tip applicator makes it easy to get a nice fine line and even to do a wing at the end. It's about $11. This stuff doesn't budge either- it's intact even after a run!

6. Mascara. I still think Maybelline's Full N' Soft ($6.50) is one of the greatest mascaras. Full, soft, thick, just as promised.
7. Lipstick. My no-fail, been-using-it-for-years lipstick is Revlon's Colorstay Overtime Sheer ($10) in Sheer Pomegranate. It appears it might be a discontinued shade.... damn it.

The Browns

Some friends of mine from college, Tyson and Christy Brown (a Chi O sorority sister), have been led to begin the process of adopting a little girl from Ethiopia. I am so excited for them..... they have two beautiful boys, Wyatt and Winston, who are very excited about having a little sister in their family! They are such a wonderful Christian family and this is one of the verses that laid God's plan for their family out so clearly:

".... once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act." ~Proverbs 24:12

Christy runs an adorable gift and clothing shop in Ada, Oklahoma, called The Brown Box. They have begun selling special bracelets and T-shirts through their store specifically to raise money for their adoption fund.

This is the women's T-shirt they are selling and I just ordered one- they have such a great message and adoption has a special place in my heart since my dad was adopted as an infant.

Can you keep the Brown family in your prayers? And if you feel led to make a purchase, know that this is a wonderful family and a wonderful cause.

Little Debbie Has a Snack For You!

Last week I was lamenting that none of my local grocery stores stocked my most favorite Little Debbie treat ever- the Marshmallow Supremes. Every single time I go the store, any store, I check to see if they might have these tasty treats. I'm usually out of luck. Every now and then Big Lots has a rogue package and I of course snatch it up. Those times are few and far between.

Yesterday I had a box waiting on me when I got home from work - the kind people at Little Debbie sent me a fabulous package containing Marshmallow Supremes! They also included the Easter Marshmallow Puffs, which are also on my favorite list. (I've already eaten one of each, since you asked.) Do they have ESP??????

The Cloud Cakes are their newest offering, and they look fabulous, although we haven't tried them yet. The kiddos did split a brownie last night and P gave me a nibble, and they were dense and so so so chocolaty. Yum!

Thanks Little Debbie! You've got a fan for life!

Found

Found WC on the living room floor the other night after bath, fast asleep.

So peaceful. Thanks Melatonin.....

Jackass, Elementary-School Style

You may have to click to enlarge the pic, but that's a rope from the bike to the scooter....... too funny. Luckily, no one was harmed in this experiment.

Lookie!

Last night P and I made Picky Palate's Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies and we had so much fun! That's a pic of our efforts above, and I think they turned out great! And they *are* quite yummy.

I have to be honest and tell you I can't remember the last time I made homemade cookie dough. Is that terrible? I usually go the semi-homemade route and get the pre-made dough, but I thought that P would love doing it from scratch, and he did. Now, this did involve a trip to the store to get real vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Don't judge!

While we were baking, P said "I haven't decided yet if I want to be a policeman, a roofer, or a chef." I kept a straight face and said he could be whatever he wanted to be, but I certainly wouldn't mind if he baked some yummy stuff for me along the way.

The cookies were for my work dessert contest, and P wanted to know how big the trophy would be if we won. Sadly, there are no trophies involved, but if we do place, we'll get a gift certificate to a local restaurant, and he seemed pleased by that prospect.

So wish us well!

Happy Valentine's Day

My super-sweet husband gave me these gorgeous earrings last night for Valentine's Day. We've both always been like that- if we've purchased a gift we are excited about, we can't wait until the designated calendar day to give the gift. Too funny that we are just alike like that.

Of course, being the super-slacker that I am, I hadn't gotten around to picking up anything for him yet. I had grand plans of taking care of it yesterday afternoon, but things just didn't work out that way.

I *did* have a card, so props to me for that!

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Drugstore Find: Powder Brush

A few weeks ago I went north a bit to another town to check out their Super Walmart's beauty department. I had heard that Walmart was going to be stocking Essie polish, but for some reason my 2 local Walmarts weren't part of the roll out. A quick online search told me that the town next to us had them so I headed up there.

And I did find the Essies.

But..... I also found some brushes I had been hearing about, that again my local Walmart did not carry. I should tell you that I'm in a pretty big college town, and it's amazing that our does not carry these two things.

At any rate, here's a pic of the brush. It's super soft and I use it to apply my finishing powder.

The line is called High Definition, and although I can't seem to put my hands on my receipt, I do know the brush was less than $10.

It's absolutely amazing and as soon as I can get up there again I'll be picking up some more brushes from the line.

Look who is getting fluffy

Bella when we got her at the end of November, 9 months old and shaved

Bella now, 1 year old next week, and fluffy

I *do* think her little face needs some trimming, don't you? Her beard gets awfully wet when she get a drink.

Editor's Choice Awards: Nail Products

Welcome to the Sasha Says Editor's Choice Awards! We'll be sharing with you our favorite products in many different categories.

(Please know that this is very tongue-in-cheek. "We" is just me, and it's actually just a list of *my* favorite products. There's no nomination process, voting, or scoring. Just a simple list of things I like and use myself.)

So without further ado, here are my favorite nail products, shown in order of use for the perfect salon-quality mani:

1. Sally Hanson Instant Cuticle Remover. I apply this all around my cuticles, wait a bit (you can wait longer that it says), then use the thumbnail of my opposite hand to push back/scrape the cuticles. I typically do this twice.

2. Wash your hands and dry them well.

3. Orly Bonder. This is fab- it overrides any oily residue on your nails and gives your polish something to stick to. Key to a long-lasting mani.

4. Sally Hanson Nailgrowth Miracle in the gold bottle. Love this as a basecoat. Watch for CVS/Wags to have their BOGO or BOGO half off on SH products and stock up.


5. 2 coats of color. OPI polish is one of my favorite brands.

6. Seche Vite top coat. I won't use any other top coat. This is a super-fast dry topcoat with a fab shine. Expensive, but worth it!





7. Creative Nail Design Cuticle Eraser. Keeping your cuticles neat and clean is one of the keys to making your manicure last longer. This product is fabulous and I massage this into my cuticles a few times a day to prevent hangnails and prevent cuticle buildup.

Also, I love nail polish so much that I've got a separate blog just for my nail polish review and pictures! Visit me at http://www.manicuremommas.com/ if you like nail polish as much as I do!


Any other suggestions for categories for the Sasha Says Editor's Choice Awards?

PSA: Tattoo Removal

Saturday night was the local Daddy/Daughter dance and WC was SO excited.

About 2 pm, I told her we'd better get her bath done and hair washed so we could have time to get it dried and curled.

She undressed, climbed into the bathtub and I did a double-take...... there was a giant pirate tattoo on her forearm, and since her dress was short-sleeved, that was a problem! (I had no idea the tattoo was there, since she is quite skilled at applying them herself and often does it on the downlow.)

(note this is not a pic from Saturday, just a prior pic showing an illustration of her love of tattoos)

We usually just let them wear off, so I don't have much experience with removal..... I knew that baby oil worked, but we don't have any of that around. I tried some eye makeup remover, shampoo, conditioner.... all to no avail.

I finally smeared some Aquaphor on there and scrubbed with a washcloth- and eureka! it worked. Phew. Crisis averted. File that info away for later use- you'll need it sometime.

Can you imagine this pretty dress with a giant pirate tattoo? Me neither!

I love that she's a tomboy and a girly-girl rolled into one. She talked me into letting her wear a bit of Stila Kitten eyeshadow, Physicians Formula Happy Booster Blush, and some Too Faced Mood Swing lip gloss. It's certainly no Toddlers and Tiaras, and I'll argue it was age-appropriate.

Review: L'Oreal Paris Youth Code Skincare

L'Oreal Youth Code Skincare

I wanted to like this, I really did. But I have tried it twice (with a few weeks separating the trials) and have gotten terrible, painful breakouts both times- in strange places, like my cheeks. So it's a no-go for me.

I purchased a kit containing three of the products (Day/Night cream, Day Lotion, and Eye cream) for about $25 at Walgreen's.

I suspect it was the Day Lotion that broke me out. But I also found the Eye cream to be absolutely useless- the cream was not moisturizing at all, and actually settled in my lines under my eye and dried white without soaking in. I actually had to wipe off the dried product with a tissue.

I am back to my beloved Avon Rejuvenate line- I just don't think there is anything better for those of us in our 30s.

Snowpocalypse Now!

We've been snowed in for days, although we did make it out for P's eye muscle surgery this morning. It went well and he is resting in our bed with a milkshake and Disney channel. His eyes are swollen and very red, but they assure us he'll feel fine tomorrow. Of course, I doubt there is school tomorrow anyway- the roads are getting no better and we are only having high temps in the teens. And you know it was 70 on Saturday, right? Oh, the joy of Oklahoma living!

But the REAL problem with this weather we've been having?

My copy of The Pioneer Woman's new book wasn't delivered on Tuesday (the release date) like it was supposed to be!

January in Review

IT'S FEBRUARY? The horror. I still haven't finished up '11 in 11! Well, let's take a look at January and where it went.....



My beautiful in-real-life friend Megan at Sorta Crunchy often does a month in review post and I'd thought I'd join in.

On My Nightstand: My new Beth Moore bible study: Breaking Free. Because I need to. (from mommy guilt specifically)

TV Show Worth Watching: I am *finally* caught up on Greek (all of the sudden Beaver is my favorite character) and am slowly catching up on Glee. Also so excited to see that the cowboys will be on the new seasons of The Amazing Race in February- my hometown boys!

Movie I've Seen (in or out of the theater): Holy crap I have an answer for this this month! The kids and I saw Megamind on Friday at the dollar movie and it was great. Of course, any movie that's $1 would have to be pretty bad for me to complain about it!

In My Kitchen: The recipe for Picky Palate's Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookie Sandwiches..... my next dessert contest entry! Stay tuned for Feb 15.....

In My Ears: Met a friend at a local brewhouse a few weeks ago and saw Kylie Morgan.... at 15, she is unbelievably talented. Of course I purchased a CD and can't quit listening to "Saturday Night" (It's Saturday night, the time is 1 am, we're already missing curfew again.......oh the memories!)

Three Newest Blog Reads:

1. Nouveau Cheap. Tagline: You don't have to compromise on beauty just because you're on a budget.


2. Centsational Girl. She has a cool style!


3. Crazy Running Legs. My long-lost sister- shes runs, and loves Veronica Mars and Alias- we were meant to be friends!

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month: This crazy snow to melt! Our town is at a standstill today.

$50 at Beauty.com for $25 at Plum District

I've been under a rock and didn't know about Plum District, but I joined today so I could get $50 at Beauty.com for $25! Beauty.com carries some of my favorite makeup brands, like Urban Decay, Too Faced and theBalm. I've talked incesseantly about those brands in my makeup reviews..... so sorry for that!

At any rate, if you sign up today and get in on the deal, Plum District says you'll "get $5 Plum Dollars towards your first Plum purchase".

More Blush!

I ordered the Stila Make Me Blush Palette and it is just darling. I read a few reviews that said the gold hearts you see in the promo pic above are just an overspray..... so I wiped the gold off with a cotton ball before I used it- you can see that in my pic above. This does lean pretty coral, but is so so pretty.

The code STILAVIP will get it to you for $12.12, shipped free!

By the way, if you ever order from Stila online, remember that they are on ebates and you get 6% back...... here's my referral link- you get $5, I get $5.

And I found the other Physician Formula Happy Booster blush- Rose is on the left and Natural on the right- both are GORGEOUS! Locals, the Brookhaven CVS has them right now, and there are two things that make this a great deal. First, there's a $3 peelie sticker on them, AND CVS has a great ExtraBuck deal.... spend $10 on PF cosmetics, and get $7 back. Basically, you get it for $3 out of pocket.

Any other new beauty products I need to try? (Remember, I'm on a lippie no-buy for 2011!)