Holiday Gifts from Space NK & Giveaway!

The holidays are fast approaching, and I think any beauty junkie knows just what that means... GIFT SETS! There are definitely some stellar ones out there this year, and after discovering quite a few on the Space NK site over the last few weeks, I thought I should share them with you. :) 

Oribe Purse Collection (Affiliate Link)

The first that caught my eye was this cute little bag of goodies from Oribe. Four purse sprays of some of their cult favorites make for a great introduction to the brand or the perfect travel companion for an Oribe fan!

African Botanics The Marula Ritual (Affiliate Link)

And you should have seen my face when I spotted this 'Marula Ritual' kit from African Botanics. You may have heard me go on about the wonders of their Intense Skin Repair Balm, which is included in the kit, and the other products sound quite good too!

Laura Mercier Shimmer Effects Mini Caviar Stick Collection (Affiliate Link) 

Lastly, who can say no to mini Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks? I know I cant, and this little collection of popular shades has already come home with me. 

Now you may know that this month is bronzer bunny's 2 year anniversary, and I've decided to celebrate with some giveaways for all of you! One lucky US reader will be able to take home all kinds of goodies with the help of a $150 gift card courtesy of Space NK! (International friends, don't worry - there's more to come and something for you too!) 

Do enter the giveaway below and tell me all about your holiday wishlist! :) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Beauty Resolutions

I'm all for making resolutions (New Year's anyone?) but it is much, much harder to keep them. I figured that while everyone is off celebrating Halloween, it is the perfect time for me to commit to a few new challenges and recommit to a few old ones. :)  

1. Wear makeup every day.
Now you may be shocked to hear that I haven't worn makeup in at least two weeks. Maybe more. Oops. I'm a habitual snooze-r, so mornings are always hard. The brilliant Gummy suggested I pick a few products that I must wear, to make it easier on myself in the mornings. So I've selected my 3 product categories - base, lip & eye - and I'm committed to applying at least 1 product from each category every day. 

2. Stop buying mascara! 
I've been reminded of the numerous mascara samples in my sample drawer, so I think it is about time I use them up. Plus, I never finish a full size mascara anyway, so no need to waste money. No more buying mascaras for me until I run out! 

3. Stop buying skincare! 
Not only do I have numerous open skincare products but I have quite a BIG stash of skincare samples too. So no more buying skincare until I run out of something necessary. Seriously.  

4. Focus on low buy.
Yes, for a while there, I sort of ignored my low/no buy. I was feeling OK about my stash and content with my spending habits, and SO over it. Even so, I should really focus on using things up and acquiring less, so I'm recommitting. Gift cards/points only, and very little else until the end of the year. Maybe in 2014 I'll recommit to a very small monthly beauty budget. HMMM. 

What are your thoughts on my beauty resolutions? Any tips or tricks? How about you, what challenges are working on??  I'd love to know! :)

October Sampler Recap

At the beginning of October, Gummy and I decided to make an effort to try and use up samples. I suspect everyone else did better than I did, but oh well - check out that original post here. 

Here's a look at my empties from the October Sampler - not bad, I think?? Read on to see how I did and what my highlights were!

1. Hair & Shower
As you can see from the before and after pictures below, I didn't get very far on this one. I only managed to use up the Jo Malone Orange Blossom Hand & Shower Gel, which I quite liked. The Orange Blossom perfume makes me sneeze, but in shower gel form I quite like the scent! Not sure if I will buy it though, as it is quite expensive. 

Before

After

2. Cleansers & Masks
I liked the Sunday Riley Cleansers, and I enjoyed the Omorovicza as well, but I'm really hoping I like less expensive cleansers too. I tried a sample of Skinfood Honey Black Tea Jelly Foam Cleanser, but they were sold out when I went to buy it and I picked up the Cleansing Milk instead. Since I had an extra tube of Ren Micro Polish Cleanser, I gave that to a coworker. I also kind of liked the Chantecaille Jasmine & Lily Healing Mask but I'm afraid to even check how much that costs!

 Before

After

3. Skincare Deluxe Samples 
I managed to use up a good number of these, I think! I gave away the Ren and Shiseido because they didn't work for me, and I managed to use up a few too. I didn't care for the Armani which seemed very artificially fragranced, and I think the Guerlain eye cream even made my eyes itch. Yuck. I used up the Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum, and that really didn't seem to do anything either and it barely seemed to moisturize. I may consider the By Terry Cellularose Brightening Serum however, because I suspect it helped my dehydration and redness. 

 Before

After

4. Miscellaneous Samples
I did not like the Juara Candlenut Body Cream or the Goldfaden Moisturizer, but I did enjoy using the Jack Black Epic Moisture Body Hydrator - Jack Black seems to be a totally underrated and affordable brand for skincare. I thought I liked the Zelens Z Matrix Moisture Infusion, but I'll pretend that never happened as it is SO EXPENSIVE. I also gave away the Lalique perfume sample, as it is totally not for me. And I seemed to have gathered more packets somehow... :)

Before

After

5. Complexion Perfectors
It was harder to get through these than I thought, but I managed to give a way the Armani Maestro and Givenchy Mister Light samples. I was surprised by the limited shade selection of Burberry Sheer Concealer, and I actually liked the Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream, which I may actually buy if the light shade is appropriate for me. I really didn't get on with the Marc Jacobs Gel Foundation (icky finish) and I may take another look at Benefit the Porefessional. 

 Before

 After

Very few items made it onto my shopping list, and the only one I ran out for was the Skinfood cleanser. The items on my "to consider buying later" list are:

• Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream
• By Terry Cellularose Brightening Serum
• Chantecaille Jasmine & Lily Healing Mask
• Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm
• Sunday Riley Charisma Creme Cleanser
• Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser

So all in all, I think I did an OK job but could've totally done better. :) I definitely have to make even more of an effort getting through samples, as I have a few Ikea Helmer drawers full of them at home (which I've just managed to purge a bit this weekend). I don't know, it just seems impossible, as the above before photos were really collected in the span of 2 months and I had even given some away. o.O

What do you think of the October Sampler? Did any of these samples catch your eye? How do you manage to use up samples? 

Quick & Easy Travel Bag Essentials

As you're reading this, I'm probably on the plane flying back to Chicago after nearly 6 months of staying in California for work. Since I had to pare down the ridiculous amount of products in my purse, I thought I'd show you what's staying in my purse today. Besides what I'm showing you here, I'll also have my blog notebook, a few pens, my wallet, headphones, iPhone & iPad mini. :)  

The Makeup Attempt
I had a few makeup bits rolling around in my bag, and I thought I'd hold on to them so I could attempt to look slightly more put together. I definitely could use Benefit Eye Bright & Watt's Up to perk up my tired eyes, and I'll top it off with Marc Jacobs Highliner in Ro(Cocoa). 

The Always in My Bag Must Haves
I kind of love my mini glass nail file from Sephora for those on the go nail emergencies, and I always have a hand cream (Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve) and a lip balm (Hourglass N28 Lip Oil). I also have a compact mirror and Boscia Peppermint blotting linens, which somehow happen to be items I very rarely use but think I desperately need.

The Add-Ons
When traveling into cold weather, my biggest concern is how horribly dry my skin may feel once I reach my destination. Ugh. So I added in a deluxe sample of moisturizer - Somme Institute Double Defense, which sounds promising. 

I can't help but mention that I have a horrible fear of feeling dirty while I travel, and if I'm traveling with my fiance as I am today, that fear morphs into a much more realistic one where food/drink/something random and sticky will end up on him, me, or our stuff. So i've packed some Dial antibacterial hand stuff I love the scent/feel of, and Wet Ones. Haha! 

I hope my picks are very pared down and practical, but who knows. Maybe I could've pared down more, but my suitcases are stuffed! What do you think of these picks? I'm super curious to know what you bring with you when you're flying!  

P.S. I'm alarmed to report that I am bringing home an entire suitcase of products and it must be only 50% of my collection. o.O Anyway take a peek at this week's posts while I'm in the air and let me know what you think! 

Posts This Week: LA Beauty Discoveries // Is It Love? Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Crayon // Blush Fiends Fall: Stila Convertible Color in Poppy