Review: Almay Intense iColor in Trio of Browns + Get OPI Black Shatter!

Excellent pics from A is for Awesome (colors are so accurate).

This was my first eyeshadow palette, so I have a soft spot for it :D This is the Almay Intense iColor in Trio of Browns, from their series that targets specific eye colors. The one above is the current version of the palette I have and I haven't tried the "new" version so I don't know if there has been any formula changes since.

This is my (crazy old) version :}  I still like it a lot though....yah for shadows not having expiration dates :D I forgot about it for awhile but I've dug it up recently and been playing with the lovely peach-beige color on top :D  It's really good as a subtle inner eye highlighter for yellow-toned peeps especially. It reminds me strongly of a very shimmery (and slightly more powder-y) version of Rock & Republic Caret actually.

Cost: $6-7 @ drugstores

Packaging: Pretty good, remarkably sturdy.  The new packaging looks pretty similar to the old one, except it's a lot prettier with that sweet embossing. I wish it came with another sponge tip though, since there are three colors and only one sponge.

Texture: Very creamy and smooth.  Better than Maybelline Quads I'm surprised to say.  Essentially no fallout though it clumps if you try to pick up too much at once.

Staying Power: Not good.  These colors are so creamy that they fade really fast without primer. Maybe 2-3 hours max if used alone, especially that soft lilac color.

Colors/Pay-Off: Good! Pretty good indeed, especially the brown and beige colors.  The lilac is the least pigmented (and fades the soonest) but the other two glide on really nicely.  It's too bad they're not long lasting.  I really like the strong shimmer on all of them, even though I wish the color had more complexity to them.

Blendability: Excellent. Blends really smoothly.  And that little chip of purple was a chunk of shadow my nail left behind -_- not really the shadow's fault.

Good:
- Good color pay off.
- Blends well.
- Really wearable for everyday.
- Sturdy packaging.
- Texture is really creamy and smooth.
- The lilac is light and shimmery enough to ensure you never look like you've been "punched in the face, " which I think is a problem that happens often with purple shadows ^_^

Bad:
- Not long lasting, colors fade fast.
- Among the most dupable colors I've ever seen -_- So common, except for the lilac I suppose.

Overall
Price-wise, it's slightly more expensive than Maybelline I think - Maybelline Quads run $6-7 for 4 colors, $4-5 for trios - but I do think the Almay formula is little better and they give more of each color.  There's more color payoff in Almay and the texture is distinctly creamier.  Yet both Maybelline & Almay are not very long lasting (aka 4-5 hours w/o primer. 6-7 w/ primer).   In the end, I think it all comes down to whether you want the colors in the palette or not ^^ Overall, all the weaknesses can be worked with easily enough and as a drugstore brand, this palette is really not bad at all.  I recommend these for peeps looking for colors with slight shimmer, no fuss, and want easily wearable colors since it's pretty hard to mess up with such blendable, neutral colors.

However, personally, I wouldn't buy an Almay palette unless I fell in love with a particular color.  I happen to like Maybelline shadow palettes better strictly because they are a lot better at putting color mixes together and offer both shimmery and matte shades all in one palette.  All the colors in these iColor palettes appear shimmery and the colors are so very basic - great for those looking for everyday slightly shimmery looks (the shimmer mostly blends out), but not for me ^_^  I generally find the Almay colors a little uninspired :P (though I don't really blame them, these palettes are supposed to be for everyday looks) and three colors in one palette isn't enough for me.

* * * *

Also quick OPI Black Shatter alert!  Pretty & Cute just stocked the whole OPI Katy Perry collection - most importantly, 20 bottles of Black Shatter for only $7 each (UPDATE 2/10: Price raised to $9/each).  I know people are just hankering for this so I just thought I'd let you guys know xD  Speaking of shatter nail polishes - if you're just not feeling Black Shatter or keep missing out on it - fear not cuz China Glaze is releasing their own Crackle Collection!

It's been released already in some places but somehow it doesn't seem to be generating as much hype :\  Basically CG Black Mesh is identical to OPI Black Shatter and the other shades are colorful versions of Black Shatter.  I personally am poking over Lightening Bolt and Cracked Concrete since I think those neutral shades would go well with lots of colors :}

So yep, I hope that this update makes up for not updating as often these days~

Review: Lioele Lip products + Nail Polishes

I did a little hauling right after Christmas and picked up some Lioele products - I'm on a nail polish and lipstick kick right now since I'm pretty satisfied with my skin routine.

These are some of the newer products on Pretty & Cute and there haven't been any English reviews about them as far as I can see, so I was pretty eager to try these out.  One thing I like about reviewing nail polishes and l/s is that I don't have to use them for several weeks to know whether they work well or not - a nice change from reviewing skincare stuff ^_^  All products in this review were purchased at Pretty & Cute during their New Years 15% off sale.

Lioele Lip Color Sticks

Starting with the worst of the batch....the Orange Lip Color Stick.  It looked so pretty on the promotional picture I got swayed into buying it even though it was orange.  I like orange-coral tinted l/s anyway so this was actually my most anticipated item...phail >_>  And just let me say that am PISSED at how utterly misleading all the promo pics are....they look nothing like the promo pics in real life.

Lioele Lip Color Stick in Orange #2
Color: A very not-subtle, crayon orange.  It would be nice to draw with. On paper. Maybe it's just my lips but I don't see this working on me. Ever.
Finish: In the promo pics, obviously the intention was creamy. Well, it's more like a bold...crayon. It's a very flat orange with almost no shine.
Lasting power? Poor. You can essentially wipe it away with a napkin. It won't last a meal.
Moisturizing? ....maybe.  It didn't last long enough on my lips for me to be able to tell.
Fine lines? Sinks into every fine line it can find.
Packaging: Cute, cap stays on well. Nothing to write home about though.
Cost/worth: $9.99 but I got it for less during P&C's 15% off sale.  Not worth it. I feel ripped off.

Overall: Do not buy. No redeeming factors.

I think I switched the labels between Flash and No Flash on the lip samples.

I KNEW I should only get 1 product at a time when it comes to trying things out but...I dunno, I just was so sucked in by the beautiful promo pics. 

Lioele Lip Color Stick in Strawberry #3
Color: A milky pink color.  It's not bad actually.  Has a slight silvery shimmer.
Finish: ...Creamy, I'd say.
Lasting power?  Not so good. Wears away fast.
Moisturizing? Yes, actually, due to the creaminess.
Fine lines? Does sink into fine lines, though not as badly as the orange.
Packaging: Nothing great.
Cost/worth: Color is nice, but that's it. Maybe I'd buy it for $1-2. It's not a bad color per se but it's so dupable and the formula is not very good :\ I wouldn't buy this again.

Overall: It's not as bad as the orange but that's not saying much.  This lip color photographs well (seriously, it looks so much better in the picture), but it's really nothing special.  I don't recommend this.

Overall, I don't recommend ANY the Lioele Lip Color Sticks to anybody.  If 2 of the 4 colors were this bad, I have no wish to get near the other two.  A huge disappointment and a waste.  I can't fathom a single instance I would be able to use these, especially the atrocious orange one.  The pink one....maybe as a base.  The only good thing I have to say is that it's kind of fun coloring in your lips ^_^ The pencil shape actually allows you to control the color very well.  I wish they made these with a better formula and more colors - now that'd be something worth trying.

Lioele Real Glam Moisture Lip in #2 Raspberry Pink

Another new lipstick P&C just brought in.  One thing that really stands out to me is the fantastic packaging, but I'll get into that more later.

Link: Lioele Real Glam Moisture Lipstick

Lioele Real Glam Moisture Lip in #2 Raspberry Pink 

(not Red, it's a typo on P&C) - upper right corner

Link: Lioele Real Glam Moisture Lipstick

Color: A kind of dusty pink with purple undertones. No gray undertones thank goodness.  I look hideous in purple/gray undertoned lipsticks but this had an odd sort of vibrant purple undertone that didn't make me look dead. Promo pic is pretty accurate, though it's more vibrant and glossier than it is in real life.

Finish: Right between creamy and matte. It looks bad with flash but it's actually not bad at all.  The lip color in the promo pic is actually quite accurate, though in real life, the finish isn't as glossy. I'm sure the model has a touch of lip gloss on ^^  The perfectly balanced finish between creamy an matte is one of the best characteristics of this l/s.

Lasting power? Not great, but not terrible.  Fades while eating, but leaves a stain on lips.

Moisturizing? Yes it is! Prolly due to the creamy texture.

Fine lines? Sinks into fine lines like a madwoman. This is my least favorite aspect of this lipstick.  Over time it gets better though, since this is a moisturizing lipstick.  But if you put this over dry lips, it will look...awful.

Packaging: AWESOME.  I was shocked by the expensive heft of this product.  If you hold it in your hand you'll know what I mean.  It just feels expensive. The tube is brushed metal and the pink inner tube is a mirrored pink with a Lioele logo stamped on it. Hands down some of the best packaging I've seen on a non-luxury product.  The "Real Glam Moisture Lipstick" stamped on the side isn't that bad either.

Cost/worth: Tis $11 right now though I got it for a bit less.  It's not a bad product and with the excellent packaging I guess it's a fair price, but only if you need that particular color.  Honestly, I could live without this l/s since I have many pink lipsticks and I think this is kind of a dupe-able shade.  The best thing about this is the packaging and how the finish is the perfect balance between creamy and matte.    I don't regret buying this, but I wouldn't buy another. 

Overall: Try this if you really want a particular color but I wouldn't say that this is a must have.  There is a tiny color selection (4) and I don't find the colors to be very unique, but the lovely packaging and decent quality doesn't make it a waste of money.  The shades do seem to be very wearable though...  Personally, I wouldn't purchase these again, but I encourage people to give this a try if you see a color you like.  Since the promo pics are pretty accurate (thank god), you should at least end up with a decent color.

If you don't want to risk it, you might want to try your luck with the next two lemmings I have on my Lioele-Stuff-To-Buy List: the Lioele Dollish Lipstick or Lioele Real Vivid Matte Lipstick.  I haven't tried them myself, but I've recently come across promising reviews (on Korean websites) and the color selection is much wider. 

Lioele Ice Cream Nail Color in #5 Pretty Pink
P&C has this polish labeled as "Princess Nail Color" but the actual promo pics say "2010 Design, Ice Cream Nail Color" so I will go with that.  Both are pretty apt descriptions of the rich pastel colors anyway.  I exercised a bit of wise caution (unlike when I picked up Lip Color Sticks) and only purchased 1 bottle in the most "safe" shade. I'm happy to report that the promo pics are accurate to real life.

Link: Lioele Princess Nail Color

Color: A pure, unadulterated, creamy baby pink with a cool blue undertone.  My personal nail shot is a bit too yellow and dark. The actual color is pretty close to the promo pic :) Yah for accurate promo pics!

Application: Very prone to streaking. As you can see, I keep my nails pretty short (the better to type with eheh) and this is what one coat looks like.  And it beats me why my fingers are so...dry... xD

I admit I was a bit terrified when I saw how streaky it looked at first, but with each coat it went away.  It was bit of an adventure applying this because the brush is uniquely flat (see above). This is good in that it coats a lot of nail at once. But it's bad because the bristles on the end of mine fanned out a bit much and made control/precision work difficult.  Formula is a little runnier (and much worse) than Zoya.  But seriously, it's applying nail polish, not rocket science....it's not terrible, you just need a steadier hand.

Finished Look: Cute! Kawaii!  This very much reminds me of the Dolly Wink brand and all things hime.  A true pastel pink!

Formula: Like I said, much runnier than Zoya.  It's prone to streaking and drying time is a little longer than Zoya. You MUST be patient applying this polish because if you try to apply another coat over a wet polish, the polish balls up irreparably and you need to start all over. It's a very unforgiving nail polish - if you mess up, it'll show through all the layers.  I guess that's where "professional lacquers" and non-pro polishes are different, the pro quality lacquers tend to dry flat and smooth even when you mess up.

# of Coats: 3 to achieve a completely opaque look.  Minimum 2 coats required.

Staying Power: Decent.  I removed it after  though to try out another color but by then, it'd only chipped a bit at the edges. Not bad really.

Packaging/Brush: Packaging is cute, love the curved cap.  The brush is the most interesting, flat and fluffy.  It takes some getting used to and it's not a very precise brush, but the flat wideness does cover a lot at once.

Overall: I am quite pleased. I think the color is just exquisitely and perfectly pastel pink. So feminine and girly (so unlike me haaha).   I confess I would love to eventually pick up the whole range but seriously, what would I do with six pastel polishes -_-;;;?  Next time I would love to get the green, blue and yellow. Can you tell I dig unusual colors ^_^?

I would recommend these to polish collectors since I found this color to be so pleasantly pink and fun.  Those I do NOT recommend this to are those who want a easy-to-apply polish since this does take a bit of work to use.  Also the formula leaves something to be desired (dries slowly and is streaky) so I don't think this would be a good "first polish" for first-time nail polish users.  But for me, yes, I would buy a couple more if time and money allow it.  These would be great for Easter and spring fashion (pastels will be all the rage in Spring 2011 ^_^)!

LT: Un-rubbed.   RT: Residue.

Lioele Aroma Soft Peeling Gel
...the title of this product is a classic example of the Korean love of descriptors >_>   Also, I only got to use this 2x so take this review with a grain of salt.

Link: Lioele Aroma Soft Peeling Gel

Scent: Very pleasant, delicate floral-fruit scent.

This product is very much like the Skinfood Pineapple Peeling Gel or TonyMoly Appletox Massage Cream.  All are gentle lotion-y exfoliators.  The Lioele looks like the Skinfood Pineapple (duh, both are gels) but more liquid-y.  This is an VERY gentle exfoliator so this would be good for those with sensitive skin.  To me it was...too gentle.  I could see only minimal improvement (skin brightened temporaily) and tbh it's expensive - $17.99 and my favorite TM Appletox in $12 on Sasa :\ I'd personally never buy the full size, but that said it left no irritations or adverse effects.  It was quite simply not as effective as I would like.  Since I only used it twice, I can't recommend whether one should buy this, but I personally won't be.

Lioele AC Control Trouble Patch VS The Face Shop Spot Intensive Patch review is here.

A Sweet Post-Christmas All Bundled Up!

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!  Can you believe 2011 is just four days away!?  I spent most of Christmas all bundled up :D  This is the cozy, soft furry blanket that my dad got me~ It's so light yet warm and SO SOFT.  He bought it at Hanaro Food (yes, a grocery store) because he said he noticed I would always stop by to pet it xD  I have the best dad ^_^

Stellamor is apparently the "No. 1 blanket manufacturer in Korea. Other brands: Uno, Aroma, Safari and Stellamor." Their official website (English) shows a lot of really pretty prints (including Disney ^^), but Hanaro only had this old fashioned Oriental-rug print :P  This is an "acrylic mink blanket" and very easy to wash, much easier than a huge comforter, which is why this kind of blanket is usually used in Korea as an extra winter blanket to go between you and your comforter.   Apparently it can be used outdoors (as a picnic blanket) as well. It's a surprisingly light and thin blanket, so even a queen-size fits easily into a washing machine.  It was $39.99 for a Queen-size.

I got the blue colored blanket (it shows a red blanket on all the packages :P).  I wasn't crazy about the Oriental-carpet-ish pattern, but gosh darn - IT'S SO SOFT.    I washed it right after I opened it since it smelled like plastic from the packaging and there was absolutely no pilling and was still so soft!   Word has it that this blanket is popular since it's never supposed to pill or lose it's softness like fleece does. If you ever see this in your local market/K-town area, I so recommend getting this.  It'd be great for college students (warm, machine washable, very portable since it's thin and light) and I can literally see myself keeping this for the next several years (if not decades :D).  It's just a very high-quality blanket for a remarkably reasonable price.

Since it started snowing in VA today, I did some mini-hauling from the comfort of my home ;)   I picked up a few products from Boscia, Pretty & Cute and a few nail polishes from Ebay. Here are the sales I partook in:

1.) Boscia: A flat $10 off $30+ with free shipping with $45+.  You also get 3 free samples with any purchase (like Sephora ^_^).  I got 2 items that was exactly $45 after the discount, so that I qualified for free shipping.  Overall I was able to pick up both products for $22.50/each~ Not bad since this winter has been really dry and my sheet masks are barely keeping the flakiness at bay.  I need something intensely more hydrating so we'll see if the Intensifying Moisture Pack + does the trick :)  I got the Smooth Facial Polish as well because I can never resist exfoliating products, but this one is supposed to be very gentle - aka perfect for winter.  Ends 12/31/2010.  

2.) Pretty & Cute:  P&C has been bringing in a lot of new things from various brands lately, but I'm only interested in the new Lioele products.  It was a pretty small haul of mostly lip products and the new Lioele Princess nail polishes, which reminded me of beautiful Easter eggs ^_^  Perfect for spring I think!  I'll prolly review them quite soon since nail polishes and lip products are things that don't need to be used long to know if they're "good quality" or not. Ends 12/31/2010.

I also picked up some petit fours from Wegmans!  They came in a box of 8 with 2 of each flavor ^_^ I've always thought petit fours are the cutest thing so I couldn't resist these!  They're basically bite-sized cakes. Don't they look so cute lined up in a row like that :D?  I think the yummiest looking one is the 2nd from the left~

Green: My favorite! Green-tinted white chocolate on the outside and white cake with apricot and a buttercream filling. It's quite sweet but it tastes exactly as a petit four should I think!

Chocolate: It's coated in dark chocolate with chocolate cake and a "white icing" filling. It's good, not too sweet, but rather 'typical' tasting.

Lemon: Vanilla and lemon flavored coating with some kind of fruit filling, raspberry I think. I didn't like this one very much. I think the artificial color and flavor of the pink filling kind of threw me off...it's tart but not...satisfying. It's a weird clash of tastes, lemon and something tart. My least favorite.

Another Chocolate: Dark chocolate coat with yellow cake and a raspberry filling and rum I think. There was definitely some kind of alcohol in it cause it made my throat warm. I wasn't crazy about this one either because I don't like rum in my sweets.  While rum does add a certain complexity to the flavor of chocolate, it just wasn't subtle or pleasing here.

Sweet Pumpkin Pocky, a cute little spin off the classic Pocky I'd say~ I think it's was a seasonal flavor for Fall (Halloween).

Adorable packaging huh ^_^?

Flavor-wise I don't have much to say...it's not pumpkin per se, maybe a sweet pumpkin pie.  The wheat cracker stick is the same as all the other Pocky and the coating is a vanilla-pumpkin pie-esque flavor. The coating is very thin so the taste is quite subtle.  It's yummy, but nothing to write home about.  So if you don't get to try this, rest assured you are not missing out on much.  I just get a craving for Pocky every once in awhile so this fulfilled it :)

And that's all for now!  

UPDATE: And oh yes, today is Boxing Day!  This day is traditionally when people distribute gifts to the needy and public service people; and while everyone should knock themselves out hauling, don't forget to set aside a little something for your mailman/post office or drop off something at the Salvation Army~   I for one, know that my mail peeps deserve a little something....lord knows they lug up enough packages to my doorstep from Hong Kong/Japan/Korea ^_^

Black Friday, Cyber Monday Sales and More~

Hey peeps~
Here it is..... my massive list of sales that I collected left and right for your browsing pleasure ^_^! As you all know, I hunt down sales like a crazy mofo and here's a list of places I am going to be stalking on Friday and Monday~  Many of the places I'm listing actually continue beyond Black Friday.   Anyway, just about every site is having some kind of sale/discount going on but here are a couple I personally  will be checking out with my debit card clutched in my hand xD....

Rock & Republic: Just got this in my email and THEY RESTOCKED BLUSHES!!!   Starting 11/26 @ 12am EST, you can get 70% off (just on the clothes tho).  As usual, here's the lowdown on how to get two blushes for $8/each and a referral link (if you haven't registered already) to get the $25 off your first purchase.  And yes, the 50% off all cosmetics code, ROCKCOSMETICS, still works even though it's not advertised anymore. Also .99 shipping is still available.

I personally recommend Tease and Foreplay, both of which I own.  I just picked up X-rated, a rich berry, today so we'll see how that turns out ;)  Good luck getting the colors you want!

Sugarpill: Ok, I haven't bought anything from this company yet but petrilude and xsparkage pretty much sold me on their loose shadows.  For chrissake, they're just gorgeous and if those guru's makeup are anything to go by, these are fantastically pigmented with minimal fallout (petrilude's reviews of these were very positive)...! I'm dying to own Goldilux especially, it looks like a true gold...

• Black Friday Only: 30% off with PINKWEEKEND
• 11/27-11/29 (Cyber Monday): 20% off with PINKWEEKEND

Benefit: Free U.S. shipping with code GLAMSHIP, 11/24 through 11/29. Free international shipping on $85+ orders with code DEALDAY1, 11/25 through 11/29.

Sephora: Free Haul-iday tote with $25+ orders only on 11/26 (while supplies last). Free shipping on $25+ orders with code SHIPNOW, 11/27 through 11/29.

Smashbox: Free gift every Tuesday and Thursday. Free shipping on all orders.  20% off with code FFSB20, expires 11/29.

Stila:

• Black Friday Only: Free gift set of Stila BEST-SELLERS ($104 value) for purchases $50+.
• Black Friday Only: Free shipping when they spend $50+. 
• Cyber Monday Only: Warehouse Sale, up to 80% off.
• 20% off with code STILALOVES, expires 11/30. 

e.l.f.:

• Black Friday Only: Buy 1,Get 1 50% off with BCGBOGO50.
• Free Shipping on orders over $30 
• Valid only 11/25  - 11/27. 
• Cyber Monday Only: 55% Off site-wide with $25 purchase with BCG55.
• Valid only 11/28 - 11/30.
• 30% off Studio Line on $20+ purchases with code STUD30.

NARS Cosmetics: Free shipping on orders of $25 or more with code 25FREESHIP. Free 2-day shipping on orders of $150+, no code necessary.

Urban Decay:  Two free deluxe samples w/ $65+ purchase, code HFS65.  Selected Urban Decay best-selling eyeshadows, colored mascaras and glosses for just $6, chic nail polish sets and shadow palettes for just $12 from 11/26 (at 3am EST) thru 11/30 (3am EST).  Sneak peek of 15th Anniversary 24/7 Pencil Set on 11/29.

Ann Taylor LOFT: 40% off everything (AMAZING~) both for online and in-store purchases!  Use promo code ENJOY at checkout and no coupon is needed to get the discount in-stores.  Shipping is free on purchases over $125.  No word on expiration date but I don't think it'll last longer than Cyber Monday.

Victoria's Secret is having a couple sales that I like:

1.) Pajama Sale
I actually bought PJs here before, very soft and fleecy.  Slippers are a bit stiff and not "amazing" in quality but a nice bonus.  If you want slippers, buy soon though b/c they will just send a random pair of slippers if they run out of the one that matches your PJs or size.

• Add qualifying sleepwear from the “Most-Loved Gifts” collection plus a qualifying pair of slippers in the color & size of your choice to your shopping bag.
• Enter offer code VS10SLEEP at checkout.  
• The price of your slippers will be adjusted after offer code is applied.  
• Valid through 11:59pm EST on December 22, 2010, while supplies last.

2.) Free scarf with VS sweater
There were two coupon codes up for this, so try them both if one doesn't work.

• Code: VS10SCARF  Free scarf with your qualifying sweater purchase.
• Code: FA1023953  Free scarf with sweater purchase. Expires 12/22/10.

3.) Victoria's Secret is confirmed as being included on National Free Ship Day thus there will be free shipping on 12/17/2010.

View all VS coupons at RetailMeNot here.

Forever21: Get 10% off any sweater at checkout, use code at checkout: COZY. Valid 11/23/10 - 12/13/10 only.

Aeropostale: Everything 50%-70% off.  Free shipping for $75+. Use 10HOLIDAY for $10 OFF orders of $100+.  Expires 1/15/2011.

Banana Republic: 25% off any order with BRTHANKS. Expires 11/28/2010.  Free Shipping on $50+ order at Banana Republic, select "Free Everyday" at checkout.  Expires 12/31/2010.

The Body Shop (in order of expiration date):

• Free shipping on $50+ orders, expires 11/25. 
• 2 for $25 Body Butter and Scrubs, expires 11/25. 
• 3 for $25 Shower Gels and Lotions, 11/27 - 11/28.
• 3 for $30 sitewide + free shipping 6PM EST 11/30 - 12/2.

LUSH: Get free ground shipping with $100+ purchase, free 2-day shipping with purchase of $120+, free 2-day + free 1 oz. limited edition perfume with $150+ purchases. Get $10 LUSH e-gift card with any purchase of $100+. Only on Black Friday, 11/26.

Bath & Body Works has ton of sales going on, no joke.  Be sure to check out all the coupon codes at RetailMeNot because I only listed the ones I liked.

Ok - I am so tempted to buy $40 worth of stuff just for this bag >< ughh maybe I'll buy some candles?!? eheh oh the power of marketing, here I am contemplating buying candles I don't need for a bag I don't need filled with products I don't need ^^ but you have to admit it's a tempting deal! If you are going to be buying something from BB&W though and want this bag, here's the instructions:

But if you don't want the bag or don't want to spend $60+ then there are a bunch of other deals, some of my favorites being:

• Code: SPECIAL20  
• 20% off entire purchase. 
• Valid 11/1/10 through 2/15/11.
• Code: F103373  
• $10 off any $30 purchase. 
• Expires 11/28/10.
• Code: Free4U online or 3672 in US stores  
• Free item with any $10 purchase, up to a $13 value. 
• Expires 12/24/2010.
• Code: F103523  
• Free Signature Collection Travel-Size Item + 20% off entire order. 
• Expires 11/22-12/24/10.
• Code: F102698  
• $10 3-Wick Candles 14.5 oz of your choice. Save $9.50. Limit 5. Add 3 wick candle (s) to your shopping bag and enter promo code at checkout.
• Valid in-stores and online 11/1/2010 - 1/17/2011.

There are a lot of Printable (In-store) coupons too so make sure you look here.

Beauty Ticket: 30% off everything with code CYBER30, valid 11/29 only.

Pretty & Cute is where I got the Lioele products I reviewed before.  I'll personally be picking up some more Lioele AC Trouble Patches (loveeeee) and maybe a few other things since all Lioele stuff are going to be 30% off!!  If you're a first time Lioele shopper, I'd recommend the Silky Highlighter BB Touch and AC Trouble Patches.  Here are the coupons I got in the P&C Newsletter:

I've never tried their lashes but they're so cheap ($1/each) I might give 1-2 of them a try.

For circle lens wearers: Their exclusive section (sells circle lens for mad cheap), which is usually open only for Exclusive Members (those who've spent $1000+ eep!) is going to be open! I've always gotten my GEO lens for $15 minimum (usually adds up to $20) so the prices look amazingly cheap.  I'm not really looking for circle lens and I doubt they'll carry my prescription :\  so I prolly won't be buying any though.

I thought Cherry Culture was the best place to get NYX stuff but I've found a new treasure trove for NYX at Pinkholik. HOLY CRAP it's SO CHEAP.  Some things are literally $1 less than CC, which is a lot when NYX items are only $4-5 to begin with.  The only downside is that the selection isn't as big and the website navigation/checkout is clunky at best :P   You'll see what I mean once you start shopping :\ And their cart auto-clears/empties unless you make an account, so do that before you start shopping.

Their Thanksgiving Sale is 25% off and shipping is free for $40+ (same as CC)!  So basically, you thought CC was a bargain?  Pinkholik just blows it out of the water (price-wise).  This sale also goes till 11/30 so you have a bit more time to pick and choose.

But if there are things that are OOS on Pinkholik, Cherry Culture is also having a store-wide 20% off Thanksgiving Sale, just use TG20. Basically, if you've been eyeballing some NYX stuff, now's the moment to go crazy.  I highly recommend the Round Lipsticks, Single Eyeshadows and Mosaic blushes.  The Cream blushes are very nice too; cream blushes are trickier to apply but super natural.

Happy Cloud Moments is also having a 20% off Black Friday (and Cyber Monday) Sale!  As you may remember this is my favorite Etsy jewelry shop so definitely take a peek! Use code THANKFUL for 20% off. Expires Monday I assume ^^

Julu Jewelry is also having a Black Friday Sale, which ends 11/28 (Sunday), so it doesn't extend into Cyber Monday. She also has free shipping + free studs so SCOREEE~

He Qi Crystal Designs also has a a section for Black Friday Clearance Items.  I don't know how long the section will be up but she does have a lot of items in there so take a gander~

Barnes & Noble: Get an extra 30% off any item. Use P4A4N7P. Valid 11/26/10 (Black Friday) only.

Besides using just coupons, you can also use Ebates to get a certain percentage rebate/cash back back if you click through their store.  This is fantastic for people who will be doing most of their Black Friday shopping online!

Basically, when you want to shop online, go to Ebates, search for the store you want to shop at, and click through their referral link.  When you do that you get a certain percentage of your purchase back into you Ebates account, which you can use for another purchase :D!  You can still use coupon codes on the actual site on top of using the Ebates links.  You can use Ebates for any online purchases, not just Black Friday/Cyber Mondays. Ebates has a ton of stores so make sure you check (Sephora, The Body Shop, Ulta, Coastal Scents, e.l.f. etc) if you're going to be making purchases online.

Your strategy should be:
1.) Pick online stores you want to shop at.
2.) Find store on Ebates, click though their referral link to the specific shop. (Example: Ann Taylor Loft's Ebates page)
3.) Pick items on website, type in promo code. (Example: type in Ann Taylor Loft's 40% off promo code, ENJOY)
4.) Purchase.

This will let you get cash back on Ebates and still allow you to use Black Friday/Cyber Monday promo codes.  Let me know if you have any questions about it ^_^ 

The last thing I wanted to share with you guys is how to get Free 2-day Shipping for a year on Amazon!   All you need is an .edu address :)  I actually used my old uni address and it still worked ^_^!  You do still need to be able access your .edu mailbox to confirm.

*whew* I think that's everything (and that I have no life...)! But Happy Shopping and have a Wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!