How I Scored AWESOME Samples at Sephora!

I am so excited about some of the great samples I got today at Sephora!  I am thinking about changing up my foundation routine soon, so I stopped in Sephora today "just to browse."  The nice gentleman working there was so helpful and sent me home with three awesome samples:

• Stila One Step Primer
• Dior Hydra Life Skin Perfect Moisturizer
• Dior Skin Flash Concealer

Check out my video for tips on how to get great samples for yourself and see the other fun things I picked up at the mall today!

BTW, what's up with the crazy face shadows???  I am seriously never filming in my kitchen again!  So sorry about that!

XOXO

Ulta Haul and How I Saved Money!

I love this YouTube thing!  Haha!  I guess I'm just a few years late on the trend but seriously, it is so cool!  You can learn about ANYTHING you want and it is FREE!  I have a feeling I am going to become addicted to filming my own videos.  Originally, I said I would try to do one each week, but I have already made two in two days! 

I hit up Ulta today and I wanted to share what I found and how I saved some ching-ching!  Enjoy!

XOXO

I'm a YouTuber!

K-Dubblicious is officially a channel on YouTube!  Woot woot!  Check it out at TheKDubblicious!  I decided that I am a better talker than a writer and I can review and show products better on YouTube.  Especially since my photography skills are seriously lacking.  Hope you like it!

XOXO

Christmas 2011 Wish List

The following are the items I hope Santa drops down my chimney on Christmas Eve.  I promise I was a good girl this year!

MacBook Air (With Printer)

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Tory Burch Reva Flats in Black Leather with Gold Logo

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Lisa Taubes Rose Fill Link Chain Necklace (42 Inch)

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Gold Bangle Bracelets

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Louis Vuitton Keychain

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Hot Tools 1 1/2 Inch Curling Iron

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1 Year Subscription to InStyle Magazine

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Victoria's Secret Pajamas

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Pretty Little Liars Book Set

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XOXO

Deals and Steals

Have I mentioned before that I love saving money?  Really, is there anything better?  I stopped by the mall this evening after work and I am so very pleased with my purchases!

Victoria's Secret

A few weeks ago I purchased a couple new bras at VS (review to come) and I also received a gift card, but I had to bring it in during the month of December to find out how much it was worth.  It could be worth $10, $20, $50 or $500!  Obviously I only got the $10 gift card but I'm not complaining.  In addition to that gift card, I received a coupon in the mail for $10 off any purchase (with no spending requirement).  I wasn't sure if it would work, but I asked the nice girl working the register if I could use both $10 cards for two different transactions.  And believe it or not, she let me!  So I chose two different shower gels for $10 each.  It ended up costing me a whopping 84 cents! 

The scents all smelled very similiar to one another so I had trouble picking ones I liked.  I finally decided on Ravishing Love and Be Seduced which are both lovely.  I have been using Target's Up and Up brand body wash for a long time so it will be nice to switch it up a bit.  As you can see, my receipts prove my total bill was a mere 84 cents!

Banana Republic

Banana has awesome sales and coupons!  I have trouble ever paying full price for anything there because as soon as I do, it moves to the sale rack OR they make the entire store 40% off!  That is frustrating!  I have needed new black pants for a while now but I was waiting for a good sale or a good coupon, which I finally had today.  I received a coupon in the mail a couple weeks ago for 40% all full priced items but it didn't start until today... so I've been hanging on to that puppy and couldn't wait to use it.  Not only was I looking forward to 40% off, but I also had my $20 rewards certificate.  I believe you get one for every $200 you spend on your Banana Republic card. 

So of course I found more than JUST black pants...

These little gems were on the sale rack for $74.99, so I figured with $20 it was a great deal.  Originally, these pants were priced at $89.50.  BTW, they are much cuter on than they look in these photos.

And here are the black pants I went in search of.  I needed a new pair of simple black slacks that I can wear with flats.  This is embarassing to admit, but my very favorite black pants are almost 5 years old and they are busted up!  They are Tahari brand, purchased from T.J. Maxx and fit PERFECTLY.  Unfortunately, they look terrible so I knew it was time to replace them.  The replacements are very simple, straight leg with nice fabric and a thick waist band (which helps with the muffin top situation).  The style is the Sloan Fit which has some stretch to it, which I like.  These were originally priced at $89.50 as well, but with my 40% discount I got them for $45.35.  CANNOT beat that!

Christmas 2011 Wish List to come soon!

XOXO

My Happiest Place On Earth

If I could pick only one store to shop at for the rest of my life, it would probably be Costco.  Well, that may be a bit of a stretch, but I LOVE myself some Costco.  When I am bored and have nothing to do, I will go there just to browse the gigantic aisles.  Target used to be the place that I could never make it out for under $100, but now that place has become Costco.  Unfortunately the oversized items equal an oversized bill as well. 

So why am I talking about Costco, you ask?  Because I found the deal of the SEASON there this past weekend!  Allen and I had been planning to drive out to the boonies to cut down our own Christmas tree this yeat, but with the craziness of Thanksgiving and various holiday parties, it just wasn't going to fit into the schedule.  My mom, sister and I popped into Costco on Black Friday for a couple items and I saw they had Frasier Fir Christmas trees on sale beginning November 26th.  $29.99 for an 8-foot Frasier Fir... can you believe this?  I saw the exact same trees at Whole Foods on Sunday for $59.99!  God, I love saving money and outsmarting retailers!

Here is our Christmas tree story in the form of pictures.  I am very proud.

BTW, getting this sucker up was a lot harder than it looks.  We were complete rookies when it comes to setting up a real tree so it took several hours to get it right.  It's a miracle we are still speaking to one another! ;)

I am so pleased with my decorating skills this year.  Never again will the Williams household have an artificial tree!

XOXO

November Favorites (Part 2)

For part two of my November favorites, I have two beauty products that I have absolutey fallen in love with!  What took me so long to find these things?  I seriously don't know how I survived 27 years of life without these products!

L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Lipgloss

This stuff literally blows my mind.  I have never, ever found a lipgloss that stays on like this stuff.  And believe me, I have tried a LOT of lipglosses.  Anyone that knows me knows that I have a slight obsession with all things LIPS... glosses, sticks, balms, anything.  The longest I can go without reapplying a lip product is probably 30 minutes - I HATE the feeling of dry lips. 

My very favorite thing about this lipgloss is that it is easily accessible since the brand is L'Oreal.  I believe I purchased mine at Ulta but you can pick it up at any drugstore.  AND, the price point is unbeatable at under $10.  I hate to even think about what I have spent on expensive glosses in the past that end up completely disappointing me... 

The color I chose is called Bloom and it is a really gorgeous color.  In my opinion, the level of pigmentation is perfect.  I am pretty difficult to please in terms of color but this shade does the trick.  It goes on smooth, the color is flattering, and it stays super glossy for hours!

The first time I wore the Infallible Lipgloss was before a busy day at work.  I had a meeting first thing in the morning where I was talking a ton and drinking coffee and water.  By the time I got back to the office it was almost noon and the stuff still looked amazing.  This has never happened before!  I was in total disbelief and thought it had to be a fluke.  So, the second time I wore the gloss I paid close attention to what I was eating, drinking, how much I was talking and how well it stayed on.  Same thing - the stuff did not move!  Needless to say, I plan on stocking up on every single shade of this stuff and will probably never buy another lipgloss again.

Benefit Instant Brow Pencil

This product is something that I picked up as an impulse buy during an Ulta haul and I was pretty hesitant to spend $22 on something I knew nothing about.  I despise my eyebrows and am desperate to find something that helps my pathetic eyebrow situation.  I'm not sure exactly what has happened over the years, but extensive tweezing and waxing has left my eyebrows thin and disfigured.  I cannot, for the life of me, get my brows to fill out so that I can reshape them.  I hate getting them professionally waxed because the esthetician is forced to thin them even more than they already are to get even the slightest bit of an arch.  Well, I think my eyebrow problems have been solved.  This little pencil is a miracle.  I chose the darker of the two color options and it seems to match my hair color perfectly.  I know people say your brows should be a shade or two darker than your hair color, but because my hair is already pretty dark, I prefer to just match it. 

The pencil end is super soft and pigmented.  It goes on very smooth and is so easy to apply.  The only thing that surprised me is that the pencils dulls after just two or three uses and you will have to sharpen it frequently.  The opposite end of the pencil is a little spoolie brush that is used to soften and even out the color.  When I tested the product at Ulta, I didn't read the instructions and I used the spool end first and then the pencil.  Doing it the other way around makes a huge difference.  The spool does a great job of smoothing the color and makes your new brows look so natural. 

I never pay too much attention to my eyebrows until they look great... the right brows make such an incredible difference to the overall appearance of the face.  I am completely sold on this product and I am so happy that I made the last minute impulse buy!

I am working on improving my photography skills so I can post photos of myself with the products I am reviewing.  Especially for the Benefit Brow Pencil, I would love to get a good before and after photo to show how much of a difference it makes.  I never realized just how difficult it is to get the right lighting, angle and all that stuff to make a self photo look decent.  Hopefully I will master this skill soon and can start posting more photos!

XOXO

Oatmeal and Nail Polish

"Oatmeal and Nail Polish" --- a little random but both things I love very much!

Oatmeal - I eat the exact same breakfast every single day of my life.  I am obsessed with it.  I cannot wait to eat this every morning.  When I am at the gym in the morning, I cannot wait to get home, shower and eat oatmeal.  This is funny to me because I have never been a real oatmeal person.  For awhile, I ate steel cut oats quite a bit, but mostly I ate them because I knew they were good for me and it seemed like a healthy breakfast.  I never LOVED them like I now love old fashioned oats.  It wasn't until I discovered this exact combination that I fell in love with oatmeal.  Here's what's in the mix:

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• Little less than 1 cup skim milk
• Sprinkle of cinnamon
• 1/2 tbsp. chia seeds
• Handful of raisins
• 1/2 sliced banana
• Large scoop of peanut butter (1-2 tbsps... I really have no clue... I love PB!)

I mix the oats, milk and cinnamon and then microwave for 2 minutes.  I love this recipe because it is so quick and easy.  I used to do the whole steel cut oats deal on the stove and it was a huge pain in the ass.  Another way of making old fashioned oats is "overnight oats in a jar" (very popular in the food blogosphere) but I prefer the microwave method.  Ecspecially now that it is cold... what could be better than a huge bowl of hot oatmeal?!?

 
Nailpolish - this is a topic I could talk about for days.  I cannot even express in words how much I love nail polish, manis, pedis, acrylic nails, shellac nails, etc.  One of my favorite things in the whole world to do is go get a mani/pedi.  I am a perfectionist by nature, so when my fingernails and toenails look perfect, I am one happy camper.  I am trying to teach myself how to do my own nails a little better, but being such a perfectionist I get very frustrated when it doesn't look amazing.  I should probably get a nail technician license just so I can do my own nails!  Seriously, that is something I would do. 

So for purposes of comparison, I am going to show you the difference between my nail skills and a professional.  The first photo is the one I did myself and it is one of my new favorite colors.  It is Essie Figi and it is a perfect opaque pink shade.  Although I love OPI Bubble Bath and other somewhat transparent nude shades, sometimes an opaque shade is exactly what I'm looking for.  The only thing I do not like about Essie Figi is that it is not easy to apply.  It goes on pretty thin and therefore streaky.  I haven't tried this one on my toes yet but I think it would be an awesome spring/summer shade for my toes! 

The next photo was taken a couple hours after I had a polish change at Ladue Nails.  The shade is OPI You Don't Know Jacques.  I have been wanting to get this shade on my nails for a long time but it's pretty hard to find at the nail salon.  After my nail tech tracked it down this morning, I was thrilled!  My only complaint about this color is that it appeared to be very thin.  I asked the lady to apply three coats but I think it could have even used four.  The only reason I did not ask for a forth coat is because I was worried about a long dry time and bubbling.  Overall, I am really pleased with this color and will probably purchase it soon! (Now that I am looking at the photo, the color seems off.  My skin looks extremely pink so that is how I know the nail color is wrong.  I will have to try to get a better photo.)

xoxo

November Favorites (Part 1)

I've tried a lot of new products throughout the month of November and I think I've found some really great ones!  I love product reviews so I want to mention just a few of the really, really awesome new things I discovered this month.

First of all, I LOVE shoes! The other day I found some super cute, black, lace-up booties by Dolce Vita at Macy's and the best part is they were on sale!  But... OF COURSE, they did not have my size :(  I left the store very disappointed but I could not get them off my mind, so when I got back to the office I was on a mission to find those puppies online!  Well, I didn't find the exact ones but I found something similar on Piperlime.com and they were even the same brand.  What's really exciting is I remembered I got an email that morning for 25% off any purchase from Banana Republic, Gap, or Piperlime (they are all under the same umbrella) so I wasted no time in entering my credit card number and pressing submit.  I really needed something dressier than a flat boot but knew I did not want a pump or something super uncomfortable.  I believe these shoes retail for $89, but with my discount, taxes and shipping I paid a total of $74!  Not bad at all.

The next product I have completely fallen in love with is a new (to me) perfume.  It is called Gucci Flora Eau Fraiche and it is actually quite affordable.  I purchased the 1 oz. bottle at Ulta for $49 which I think is a great price.  This particular formula is eau de toilette which I always thought meant it was cheap and would wear off quickly but that is definitely NOT the case.  I sprayed two sprays (one on my chest and one on my wrist) before work this morning, around 8:00 am, and as I sit here at 7:30 pm I can still smell it!  The thing that pisses me off the most is that I purchased Chloe Rose Edition several months ago from Macy's for around $90 and it does not stay on for shit.  So I guess this disproves my theory that you have to pay a lot for eau de parfum in order to get good quality.  I am honestly not surprised though because Gucci is know for quality and I would be shocked if their perfumes were not up to par.  Anyhow, I have no idea how to describe the scent other than pure heaven.  Here is how Ulta's website describes it:

"Feminine, softly sensual, Flora by Gucci is a fruity floral paean to youthful romance and optimism. Unusually among floral fragrances, it also exudes finesse. Flora by Gucci Eau Fraîche takes this premise and makes it younger, fresher.   The citrus notes in Flora by Gucci Eau Fraîche's opening have been rendered more invigorating with the addition of zestful bergamot and kumquat. Its velvety, petal-laden rose and osmanthus heart has been made still more sensuous by the inclusion of bracing, yet soulful green and water notes. While the scent's evocative sandalwood and patchouli foundation remains unchanged"

Okay, whatever... pure heaven. :)  Oh, and the best part was I got a free gift with purchase which I was not going to even take with me except I remembered that we will probably need no fewer than eight "Rob Your Neighbor" gifts and this would definitely do the trick.  It is a boxed set of two wine glasses and an ice bucket for white wine.  Not really my cup of tea but I'll just wrap that sucker up and take it to a family Christmas party!     

Many, many more favorites to come...

xoxo

Weekend Fun

Last night I went to see the new Twilight movie, Breaking Dawn Part 1, and it was AWESOME!  Definitely my favorite of the whole series, so far.  I read all of the books and although I enjoyed them, I really don't understand the hype.  They were good, but not THAT good.  Most people would say the exact opposite, but I think the movies are better than the books.... yeah, I said it.  Whatever.

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Something else I discovered last night that I absolutely love is the new (to me) Jay-Z and Kanye West album, Watch the Throne.  I've only listened to about four of the sixteen songs on the album but they are all awesome so far.  They have a lot of other artists featured in different songs which is really exciting.  Anything with Beyonce is an automatic favorite for me!  Some of the other artists featured include Frank Ocean (Allen thought he sounded like John Legend, another artist I LOVE) and Otis Redding.  The song featuring Otis Redding is called "Otis" and I've heard it played on the radio recently.  I'm pretty sure this album is going to blow up!

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No big plans for the weekend, which is fine with me!  Lately I have been on a cleaning and organizing spree so I'm sure I will continue with that today and tomorrow.  Allen has to work tonight at 5:00 pm so I will probably get somethings done around here and watch a movie or something lame like that.  My goal is to completely clean and organize each room one-by-one top to bottom.  So far I have accomplished my bathroom which I feel great about - it's amazing how good getting rid of old things and organizing can make you feel.  It's almost like free therapy!  This weekend my goal is to finish my bedroom (nightstand turned junk drawer and closet) and the guest bedroom.  I've already started with the sheets on the bed in there and I will probably get to that closet tonight.  I don't really know what has gotten into me but I'm on a rampage!  Next week is Thanksgiving so I'm sure I won't have much time to get anything done so ideally I will get pretty far with things this weekend and early in the week.  The big feat will be to get Allen down in the basement to help me with that shithole!  Scary!!!

xoxo