CCO (Cosmetic Company Outlet) Haul!

This was actually the very first time going to a Cosmetic Company Outlet (CCO) and I had no idea what to expect. I didn't know it was going to be such a small shop with so many shelves of different brands of makeup. I pictured it to be completely different. I saw so much stuff I wanted to buy. Mainly MAC and Bobbi Brown, but I tried to keep my purchases within budget. I bought some things from MAC which I am pretty excited about. All things I've had on my wish list.

MAC Fad-dabulous Mineralize Blush

MAC Fad-dabulous Mineralize Blush

This has been on my wish list for a long time and I didn't to the extreme of how pretty this blush is. In the pot it doesn't look like anything special, it looks like a sparkly plum with some gold veining. BUT, When I swatched it on my hand, its a total different story. I don't know how to explain it.. its like a shimmery plummy, rosy, pink. It has to be one of my prettiest, if not the prettiest blush I own & my current favorite. I've been wearing it every day.

My New Nicole Lee USA Handbag!

I was shopping today at TJMaxx with my friend and ran across a few cute bags. I ended up buying one that I really liked. It's by Nicole Lee and it was $39.99. I don't really ever purchase synthetic bags, but I really liked the style and color of this one. The color is a peach pink (which is one of my favorite colors) In the following pictures it looks a little lighter. I took a look at the website and there are a ton of cute bags!

http://www.nicoleleeonline.com/home.php

A lot of them are kind of expensive though for synthetic leather. I definitely wouldn't pay nearly $100. I can't wait to wear this one! :)

NOTD: OPI You Don't Know Jacques!

Let me introduce you to my new favorite nail polish. It's very similar to "Over the Taupe" (previous NOTD post). You Don't Know Jacques! is a deep gray brown with no pearl or shimmer. Love, love, love this color. It's very pigmented and is almost completely opaque with one coat and 100% opaque with two.

This is with only one coat of You Don't Know Jacques! & no top coat. 

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion Review & Giveaway!

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion

So, I'm sure you all have recently seen this little white bottle with the red cap all over beauty blogs. I have at least. I was sent this lotion a few weeks ago to test out and review from Skin MD.

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion is a lightweight, non greasy and hydrating sheiding lotion that can be used on the hands and body. It is said to actually strengthen the skin's natural barrier, offering additional protection from toxins, irritants, & other skin drying substances while helping to retain skin's own natural oils. 

• Vegan
• Hypoallergenic
• Fragrance-Free
• No parabens or colorants

What makes this shielding lotion more effective than other lotions out there?

"Conventional lotions are only effective in the short-term by adding artificial moisture to the skin in an effort to replace natural moisture. The problem is that they are very easily removed and need to be reapplied continuously. This sends a signal to the moisture producing parts of the skin that enough moisture is in present, while in reality the skin doesn’t produce enough moisture to resolve a dry skin problem. Skin responds to this message by decreasing moisture production and thus becomes addicted to the artificial moisturizer. If the lotion stops being reapplied, the skin can go through a phase of getting even drier than before the first application of an artificial moisturizer (conventional moisturizing lotion). Additionally, conventional lotions sit on the surface of the skin, may be greasy or sticky, thus attracting dirt that may contribute to clogged pores." - Wikipedia.org

During winter, my hands get incredibly dry - especially my knuckles. I usually use scrubs and apply heavy moisturizers at night and hand creams throughout the day, but the problem is, I wash my hands SO many times a day, that I'm continuously washing off my moisturizer & re-applying it. So I was excited to give this lotion a try.

The directions are to apply a small amount every 2-8 hours until moisture level improves. Then, just once every 12-24 hours.

The consistency of the moisturizer is very thin and runny. Within seconds of applying this, my hands feel slippery, but they soak up the moisture completely. My hands don't feel oily or greasy. They don't give a silky feeling like a regular lotion may because there is no residue. It dries completely. But, I can feel that my hands are slightly softer with each application, and I really like the cooling, satiny feeling this lotion gives while application.

I tested this out by applying it to my hands and then washing my hands right after. The moisturizer didn't rinse off my hands. My hands stayed moisturized. Yay!

I mainly have been using this on my face (you can use it on your face, body & hands) as a moisturizer before my foundation. I prefer this more for a facial moisturizer rather than a hand/body moisturizer because I don't have the patience to apply lotion to my hands so many times throughout the day. I like applying Vaseline or very heavy creams to my hands at night and wear moisture gloves and get rid of the dryness in one shot.

For my face, I like light, runny moisturizers rather than heavy creams because I don't like my face getting greasy. So for me, this stuff is perfect for my face. Its very light and makes my face feel very fresh and prepped for an even makeup application. It hasn't broken me out. It actually reminds me A LOT of Laura Gellar's Spackle Primer ($25 for 2 fl oz) which happens to be an old favorite of mine.

The Verdict: I do like this stuff, but a this time I'm unsure If I would re-purchase it. Mainly because I always manage to get my hands on GWP (Gift with purchase) moisturizers and I use a lot of generics. It's $18 (4 oz) which isn't bad for a facial moisturizer. Time will tell with this stuff. Once I run out of it, I may want more. :)

Now, it's your turn to try SkinMD Natural! One person will receive a full sized bottle to see for themselves!

Rules:
1) You have be a follower of my blog
2) Post a comment what your all time favorite/s moisturizer is! I'd love to hear what you guys use & love!

I'm thinking this contest will end Friday at 12AM Central US Time. If this happens to change, I'll keep you posted!