Target Haul - e.l.f Cosmetics

Sorry I have been away for so long. I came back from my vacation to Vermont this past Labor Day weekend and spent all of it relaxing and just enjoying being away from work and NY. I have a lot of posts to catch up on and had lots of packages when I got home. So I'll do my best to get writing and reviewing. I miss Vermont already but it feels good to be back, besides being super, crazy busy at work.

Here is my latest Target haul.  I did have an item to review from the last haul which was a movie, but I'm not really good at writing about movies. Especially without giving away the whole movie plot so I decided to skip on that item. (Sorry!)

But I had gone to Target during one of my lunch breaks and picked up some items off the clearance shelf in the Health & Beauty section. There were some Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail polish strips with some okay pattern, but what really caught my eye was the e.l.f. cosmetics, which stands for eyes, lips & face. I've never used this brand before but it is one of the inexpensive brands that Target sells.  For all the items I got, I spend $6 + tax. I figured at that price, why not give it a try.

e.l.f Get The Look Beach Beauty, 28 piece day palette (Limited Edition) - This palette retails on e.l.f.'s website for $6.00; I got it for $3.00. It's a nice small, compact makeup palette. It comes with a little mirror, small eye sponge and lip gloss brush duo. It has two blushes, two bronzers, 16 eyeshadows and 8 lip glosses. The eye shadows are very light and shimmery. The blush really pops with just a little dab and the bronzer went well with my skin tone. I've only used one of the lip glosses. It's not super sticky but does moisturize my lips. I'm not a huge lip gloss fan but I like that the one I've used just gives me a hint of color and compliments my natural lip color. I actually brought this up to Vermont and it was super convenient and was easy for me to use while up there.

e.l.f Jumbo Eyeshadow Stick - I got these for $1.00 each; They originally retail for $2.00. I got them in Like a Boss, a dark, rich blue and Check me out, a sparkly plum. They are a creamy eyeshadow and go on smooth.  I have not used it yet but I see it being easy to swipe on my eyelids and go out the door, quick and easy.

 e.l.f. Essential Triple Tip Waterproof Eyeliner Pen - This retails for $2.00 and I got it for $1.00. It has this unique tip that looks like three little prongs. You can swipe it on thin or thick and angle it to get different strokes. It's kind of like having a calligraphy pen. The harder your push the more saturated the color. It's pretty cool and I see myself putting it to good use when I draw on some winged-eyeliner looks. 

Point is...
I give these products 10 out of 10. I'm really happy that I finally got a chance to try out this brand of cosmetics and I got it for 50% off their original price. The quality is amazing for a low cost. Great way to keep your own budget and still get great products. I'm really interested in trying other products from e.l.f. Next, I'm going to look into their foundations.

Target Haul - Review [#3]

Time to review another product from my Target Haul. I had picked up Starbucks Via Ready Brew Refreshers in Very Berry Hibiscus. I've had the one in Starbucks before and I figured this is an alternative to driving to Starbucks. 

This box comes with 6 packets, each makes 16 oz. of water. It's naturally sweetened with Stevia leaf and made with real fruit. Unsure of the percentage of real fruit in it. It also uses green coffee extract to give you that energy boost.

The package says this drink has blackberry, hints of hibiscus, ginger, and lemongrass. It sounds really refreshing and sweet. I like the package design. It's simple and branded well to fit the other Via Ready Brew packages. The drink is right in your face and the colors are bold.  The information is easy to find and read. I like that it is thin and stands up in my desk draw in between the boxes of snacks.

My Wicked cup from the show holds 16 oz. I'm not sure when its at 16 oz., so I filled it almost to the top.  

I poured the powder in and it turned a dark red violet. It was a little clumpy on the bottom but dissolved with stirring.  

I took a few sips and it really hits the tastebuds with a POW! It's very sweet, but it could be because I'm drinking from the bottom where the powder clumped together. The blackberry is the sweetest taste and then you get an after taste of the lemongrass, the spice of the ginger, and the floral notes of hibiscus.

It's a pretty good drink for when you want to stay away from energy drinks and coffee.  I did feel more energized from drinking it, but that may be the sugar talking. I'd probably dilute it with more water; maybe 20 oz. instead of 16. They do have another flavor, Cool Lime. I've had this one as well at Starbucks and the lime was very overwhelming. 

Point is...

Very Berry Hibiscus is a delicious drink for the summer. Very refreshing and the flavors really give you an energy boost. If you like sweet drinks, this will satisfy that sweet tooth. I give this an 8 out of 10. Easy to use, rejuvenating, a little too sweet for my taste, but overall very satisfying. 

Any one else try this drink before? Did you get it in Starbucks or have you tried the Via Ready Brew packets? 

Target Beauty Box

I'm sure many of you have already read reviews and have seen what comes in the Target Beauty Box, but I wanted to post about it anyway. 

The Beauty Box was released back in May. I jumped at the chance to get one. As you all know by now, I love Target and I was excited that they decided to put together this box full of health and beauty products. And for only $5, I had to get one. 

This box was just a test for the company. They had no idea that so many people would order this box. They sold out very quickly and many people are hoping that this will turn into a monthly subscription box. 

Here is how the box looks like. It's a paper cover with a white box inside.

They wrapped the items with red tissue paper.

Here is what I got in my box.

List of products:

• La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo.  This is a small sample of their duo acne treatment. It was in Allure magazine in 2012 and is now available at Target. I'll probably put this to good use. I'm still prone to breakouts here and there. And I do try to change up my acne treatments/cleansers so my skin doesn't get too use to one. Currently, Target sells their 1.35oz tube for $36.99. The sample is .17oz.
• Fekkai Glossing Cream. It is to add shine to your hair and keep the frizz away. I don't usually have frizzy hair and my hair tends to become greasy, especially my bangs, so I might not use this at all. I'm afraid it will weigh down my hair and make it even more greasy. If anyone would like to try it, let me know. I'd be willing it to give it to someone who would put it to good use. They currently sell the shampoo and conditioner at Target. The 2 oz. glossing cream sells for about $10 at other stores and online.
• Gillette Venus and Olay Razor Pack. It has one blade, the handle, and a holder. I actually use Venus and I've been wanting to try the ones with Olay in it so I was pretty excited to see this in the box.  This one also has 5 blades and is a new scent, Sugarberry. These packs are currently valued at $8.99.
• L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream is a sample size, .025oz., in Light. I'm not sure how this will look on my skin since I'm a medium. I did get tan this weekend too so it might be too light for my skin. I'll have to try this and post an update about it. BB cream is just so easy to put on and saves me a lot of time when I put on makeup. A 1oz. tube is $7.99 at Target.
• Last but not least, Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips. I got Lust-rous, which is a black gloss with flecks of gold and silver in medium hexagons and fine glitter. It's definitely my style of nail polish. I've used these strips before. I think they are a little thick, but maybe they improved them (We shall see). Also, I have very tiny nails and I have to cut these strips down a lot to use. But the benefit is it can be time consuming to make some of the designs these strips come in, by hand. I tend to have left overs so I can usually cover a nail or two again as an accent nail. These sell between $7.59 - $11.99 depending on the style.

This box also came with a $3 off a $15 purchase, online or in-store. Also I heard from some other bloggers that Target extended the coupon because it should have expired the 22nd of June but many people received the box late. I hope they go forward with these boxes and hopefully expand on the products or maybe different category boxes.

Subscription boxes/bags have become a big hit. There are a lot of different types with all kinds of products at varying price points. I just recently signed up to become a Maven on Julep. Julep is a beauty company that mostly sells nail polish. They do have other products, such as for hair and skin. With this subscription box, you can get beauty products or nail polish in different colors. They also have a survey to place you in one of their style categories but you can choose one as well. I like that with Julep, I can skip a month or so if I don't like that month's products or just have to conserve my finances. Also being a Maven, you can purchase their products at a discounted price.  If you are interested in becoming a Maven, I'd appreciate it if you'd go through my refer-a-friend link - click here.

Also I just signed up for My Cotton Bunny, a subscription box for when you are "waving the Japanese flag" (I just like that saying. Tee hee) I think it's such a cute idea. I know as a woman, you just need to treat yourself around that time. I'm going to give it a try and see how I like it. 

Point is...

It's a growing trend. There are so many choices, it's hard to decide which ones are the best. There are plenty of blogs that review all kinds of subscription boxes so you have a chance to see what it's like before you commit.  I think it's a great idea and really helps you try different products without spending a lot of money on them first. 

What do you think?

What subscription boxes do you currently subscribe too? What are some you have subscribed to and cancelled? What do you like/don't like about them.

Target Haul - Review [#2]

I'm back to give a review on the items from my Target haul. You may have read my previous post about Simply Balanced Popcorn Chips Sun-dried Tomato, and how I was sorely disappointed in them.

I have found out that Simply Balanced is part of Target's Archer Farms brand and is developing organic snacks and healthy drinks that will be released over the next 6 months. This is part of their launch to get more organic foods on their shelves.

I also bought Simply Balanced Sea Salt & Pepper Baked Potato Crisps. I bought this 8oz. bag for $2.99. (For a 5oz. back of the Popcorn Chips was $2.99) 

And I'm in love with these. The brand has kept with the same colors except for the circle in the middle. They took the color from the bowl as the accent color. These are also low sodium and fat compared to other brands.

Here is a picture on the front

Here is what the crisps look like. Don't they look delicous!

They look just like the picture on the bag. It's peppery & salty and very crispy, so I feel they have the name down pat. Great to munch on as a snack at work, but you just have to keep an eye out on how many you start eating. Some chips can be really salty or peppery. I've had my moments where I'm inhaling them too quickly and start to choke up a bit as the pepper gets stuck in my throat.

Point is...

I'm enjoying my new snack and I look forward to see what other types of food they come out with. I give it a 8 out of 10.

Target Haul - Review [#1]

So as I stated before, I'm going to start a review some items I buy from Target. 

Here is a few items from my latest haul.

So far, I've only eaten the Simply Balances Popcorn Chips, Sun-dried Tomato and honestly, I was disappointed.

The bag and the design looks great. It's colorful and  it makes you feel like you are about to eat something a little healthier and is light and crispy. Nutritional wise, low in fat and sodium compared to other snacks. It also is resealable to keep it fresh. And that's where it went downhill. I poured them out onto my plate and I was welcomed with a sad sight. they were very, very flat and the seasoning on them was unbalanced.

If you look at the image on the bag, these chips look flavorful and full of texture. 

Here is a side by side comparison of the chips found in this bag.

One clearly a little crunchier with more texture and seasoning on it. And the other very concave, flat, and lacking in any seasoning. They do have a crunch to it and taste like popcorn and tomato basil, but it wasn't the most delicious snack I've eaten. I mostly just ate them to just munch on something. 

Point is...

I give them 4 out of 10. Great crunch and flavor when you bite into a great chip, great packaging, but uneven seasoning and chips make this a snack that you are only eating because you are trying to be healthy or boredom eating.

Target 101

So I have been a customer of Target for some time. I love shopping there and tend to find myself there many late nights with friends or when my boyfriend is at the gym and I wanted to get out of the house too.

The one by my house is open till 11PM or midnight, so when everything else is closing, I usually end up there. I try to just peruse, but I mostly end up spending money. I buy clothes, accessories, food, movies, beauty supplies, random items, and gifts. I go there so often, it was a benefit for me to open a credit card with them just to save 5% on everything I buy.

I do love a lot of their brands and the brands they sell. I love that I can go there to shop for clothes and food all at once. It's super convenient. (There is two by my job as well.) So I go there on my lunch break when I need to resupply my snack draw.

Point is...

Since I go there often, I would like to  write some post about what I get there and how the products fair. Whether I love or hate, I'll give my honest opinion.

I will talk about some of the items I bought today in my next post.