I intended to post a list of my top 10 polishes but as I started to compile the list I realized that there was no way I could narrow it down to
only 10, and a few of my absolute must-haves weren't even from 2013 (Ruby Pumps, for example.) So, I decided to list the top 10 products and things that I absolutely loved this year with the hope that you find something on here that inspires you to try something new. Grab some coffee and settle in while I present to you, in no particular order, my Top 10 Loves of 2013!
Mary Kay Satin Hands Set in Peach - $34.00
Fragrance-Free Satin Hands® Hand Softener, 2.1 oz.
Peach Satin Hands® Satin Smoothie® Hand Scrub, 7.75 oz.
Peach Satin Hands® Hand Cream, 3 oz.
I used to sell Mary Kay (back in the day ya'll!) so I know the drill and to be honest was a little 'Eehhh' about using their products again, but during my time as a consultant I wasn't at all interested in the way my hands looked. I 100% over looked this little gem until I met my new
MK Consultant, Heidi, at a local fair and told her about my blog. We discussed Mary Kay nail polish and random skin care products and I remembered the
Satin Hands set and decided to snag it. OH MY HELL! After the first use I noticed a marked difference in my cuticles, and the over all state of my hands just felt better - plus the peach smells AMAZING. Even Mr. Fox commented on how soft they were. This set also comes in a fragrance free version if you're sensitive to scents and perfumes, but the Peach scent is just so freaking cheery I couldn't pass it up. You can order it from your local consultant, or click here to order it through
Ms. Heidi's site.
How I use it: Apply a dab of the Satin Hands® Hand Softener to your dry hands and rub it around really well (its kind of waxy), then on top of that (don't rinse the softener off!) use a pump of the Satin Smoothie® Hand Scrub and give it a good, gentle scrub to exfoliate. Rinse your hands with warm water, pat dry, and apply the Satin Hands® Hand Cream. Stand back and marvel at your new hands!
Umberto Dry Clean Dry Shampoo - $12.99
About a year ago I really got into using dry shampoo as a way to keep my hair (specifically my bangs) looking fresh between washes. As I've gotten older my hair has become quite a bit oilier and daily showers were wrecking it, causing fizz and drying it out. I started out with Kenra's dry shampoo which was good but really pricey so I went on the hunt to find a less expensive alternative. After going through what felt like every option Walmart had to offer (Dove's dry shampoo was alright, Sexy Hair's Volumizing dry shampoo was AWFUL) I stumbled on the Umberto brand at Target and decided to give it a shot. YES YES YES! YES! I fell in LOVE! It leaves my hair soft and smooth (no hairspray or tacky feeling at all!), shiny but not oily, adds the perfect amount of volume, and it brushes out completely so there's no white residue left over to sprinkle out on your clothes later. I'd pay $20 for this stuff, its that good!
How I use it: Spray into hair near scalp wherever it feels oily or needs a little voluminous boost. Let sit for a minute or so. Flip hair over and massive into hair and scalp and work through to ends. Flip hair back over and style as usual.
Too Cuteicle 'Foxy' 15ml - $6.00
Okay lets just be real here, how could I not include this little beauty? Too Cute-icle created 'Foxy', a raspberry pink jelly holo, for my one year blog anniversary! When Jess told me she was going to create a polish inspired by me I immediately knew it was going to be 2 things; pink and sparkly! She
did not disappoint! The holo is really pretty and it does not overpower the color which I really love! And its pink...I mean HELLO!! Its a 2-3 coater and applies like you would expect a good quality polish to apply - not too thick, not too thin. You can check out some gorgeous swatches of Foxy courtesy of
Pinked Polish and
Cosmetic Sanctuary (Thanks for letting me use your photo, Lisa!)
Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm in Quenched - $2.99
You can find Baby Lips pretty much anywhere Maybelline is sold.
When I was a kid I remember my mom being getting so frustrated with me because I would let my lips get so dry that they cracked and bled but I hated lip balm (especially the Vaseline kind mom used to buy.) Sometime around the end of middle school I started hanging out with my BFF Brooke who is the biggest lip product junkie I have ever met and I got hooked on lip balm. Her favorites included a variety of lip smackers flavors while I opted for the SoftLips brand and used it religiously through high school and into my twenties.At some point my lips decided it didn't want SoftLips anymore and man would they burn and react if I used it. I went through a transition phase, I switched to Bert's Bees for awhile but eventually the burn would return. I tried Chapstick brand, Eos, Carmex (ew!), Blistex, etc..etc...and then I found Baby Lips. WIN!!! I started using Baby Lips shortly after the launch last yearish (?) and I have not had an issue since the switch! I specifically like Quenched for its sun protection capabilities (SPF 20) and non 'SPF containing product' taste. I just recently snagged one of their new medicated versions and I like it as well but I'll probably go back to Quenched when it's empty. Baby Lips comes in a number of colors and scents so there is something for everyone. I am NEVER further than arms reach away from this lip balm. Not. Ever.
Shopping Sites - Zulily and Ebates!
www.ebates.com
www.zulily.com
You have no doubt seem me mention both Zulily and Ebates on my page and probably rolled your eyes more than once. True, they both reward you for referrals - meaning that if you use my referral links to sign up and make a purchase, I get credit. This works for you too though because now you can share it with your friends and family and get the perks.
The honest to goodness truth is that I would totally use these sites even if there was no referral program, its a nice perk but its not the BEST part about them.
So what is Zulily?
Zulily is a shopping website that runs 72 hour events and every day there are new events starting and old events ending. What makes this site super fun is that EVERY DAY the site changes. Every time you shop there is something different to look at and every time you look there is a great price on something you need.
Zulily is the site that a couple months ago ran an OPI event that included OPI pairs for $7.99 and some of the pairs had the elusive Black Spotted in it! I have managed to snag some awesome Packer gear for Mr. Fox at a great price (even Ebay and Amazon couldn't beat it), adorbs $5 scarves for me, a large 2 tier cupcake holder for $12 (regularly $24!) and my favorite Burberry perfume for $29.95 (its regularly $80+!!) You benefit most from
Zulily if you're able to check it every few days which sounds like it might be a drag but once you find something you really want at a great price you will totally get in the habit of visiting it again and again. Shipping seems to start at $5.95 and scales up from there depending on how much you purchase HOWEVER once you place an order you get free shipping until midnight. You can beat the system if you're ordering multiple things by completing a purchase on one item, paying the base shipping rate and then going back and ordering the rest of the things you wanted for free!
So what is Ebates? Ebates is a FREAKING BLAST! Basically you get paid to shop online (TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE? NOPE!) I do a lot of online shopping, its just easier for me since all of my family lives on the West Coast.
Ebates has partnered with a ton of companies and every time you purchase something online from one of those companies you get a percentage of your purchase back as long as you initiate the sale from the
Ebates website.
Here's how I do it: Let's say I'm running out of my Clinique foundation. I know that Clinique and
Ebates are partners and there is a 8% Cash Back promo going so I go to the
Ebates site, find the Clinique shop, and click 'Shop Now'. The Clinique site will load in another window (or tab, depending on your browser) and
Ebates creates a tracking code for that tab/window which allows them to verify your purchase. As long as you browse Clinique within that tab/window and complete your purchase there, it will credit your
Ebates account. If you open a new tab/window and complete your purchase there instead,
Ebates has no way of knowing you actually shopped and you won't get credit. It might sound confusing, but its not when you put it into practice. Just make sure you shop in the tab/window that
Ebates created for you.
 |
| My account summary 12/2013 |
Now, you might be saying, "Okay but 8% of $30 is $2.40, who cares?" Uhmm...I do!
That's cash money back to you in the form of a check straight from Ebates at the end of each quarter, and if you learn to use
Ebates every time you shop that money adds up very quickly! Imagine the cash back opportunities for you if you shop Dell (4% cash back) for a new computer or television, or if you are a frequent online shopper at Sephora (8% cash back). On top of the cash back opportunities,
Ebates also lists promo and coupon codes for things like MORE money off, special sales, or free shipping for almost all of their partner stores. Some of their most popular stores are: Amazon, Disney Store, Drugstore.com, Kohl's, Macy's, Nordstrom, Priceline, QVC, Sephora, Staples, Walmart...there are seriously hundreds of e-tailers available.
So why am I telling you this? Because its fun and legit! My first
Ebates check was for almost $40 and that was just for shopping online for things I normally would have purchased anyway. Easy peasy! And then there's the referral system, which as I mentioned above is a great perk but definitely not the best thing about
Ebates. Basically every time I refer someone to
Ebates who makes a purchase I get $5. And every time you refer someone to
Ebates, YOU get $5. And then your friends get $5 when they refer people. Seriously, everyone wins :) So whether you sign up for
Ebates with
my referral link, or you just
sign up,
do it! Its incredibly addicting and you'll get a little extra cash in your pocket!
The Original Beauty Blender - $28.95 (2 pack)
http://www.beautyblender.net/
Also available at premium cosmetics retailers like Sephora
This is not a new product to me but I love it so much I wanted to share it. Before you go all, "I am not spending almost $30 on some freaking make up sponges that I'm just going to throw away you. are. cray," hear me out. This is no ordinary sponge! A few years ago I went hunting for a better way to apply my make up when I switched from mineral powders to liquid foundation. I tried brushes, I tried my fingertips, and I tried those cheap bulk make up wedges I used to use in middle school. While cruising YouTube one day I ran across a review of the Beauty Blender and the beauty blogger seemed pretty happy with it which really got me excited. BUT, it was still $20 for ONE sponge so I looked for a dupe or something similar because it had to be the same right? Wrong. I went through a couple of those
acorn shaped blending sponges and I wasn't really achieving the results that I wanted; results that I was certain I could get with the Beauty Blender so
I went for it and have
never regretted it!
There are plenty of reviews on YouTube that compare the Beauty Blender to other popular sponges so I won't go into all of that but they all say basically the same thing: The Beauty Blender is worth the price tag and you won't be disappointed.
But why do I like it? If you
follow me on Instagram you no doubt saw my post a few weeks ago about it being time for a new Beauty Blender. While applying my make up one day I realized that I had been using the same Beauty Blender sponge for nearly 2 years! 2 years of daily use and weekly cleaning and the only wear and tear you can see is that the shape has changed slightly and the sponge was orange instead of its 'brand new out of the package' bright pink! No rips or tears or hard spots! Try to get that kind of mileage from a cheapo make up wedge. I love the Beauty Blender because it is so soft and easily molds around the contours of my face. I usually use it wet so that my foundation doesn't soak into the sponge as much and for maximum blendability.
ELF Concealer Brush - $1.00
http://www.eyeslipsface.com/
Also found at Target and Kmart
For concealer? No way! I am still surprised when I find someone who doesn't know about this little gem! This inexpensive tool is the best nail polish clean up brush ever! Its tiny head and thin stiff bristles make cleaning your cuticles after polishing a breeze!
How do I use it? I clean each nail immediately after applying polish. Dip the brush in acetone or your favorite polish remover and gently run it around your cuticles, under your nail, or anywhere that polish is but shouldn't be. If you're still using Qtips do yourself a favor and pick one of these up. For a buck a piece you won't regret it.
Door County Candle Company Melting Chips - $1.85
http://www.candleworksdc.com/
This summer Mr. Fox and I took one of our many drives up to
Door County, WI which is the absolutely charming - despite the
reason for its name - peninsula that sticks out into Lake Michigan and forms The Bay of Green Bay (GO PACK!) at its base. Once you get into Door County all the commercial stores, fast food restaurants, and brand names you're used to seeing disappear and its all mom and pop shops and locally owned restaurants and resorts. Its a surprisingly refreshing change of pace. On this particular trip, Mr. Fox FINALLY gave into my not so subtle "I'd really love to stop at that candle place on the way some day" hints and pulled into the parking lot of
Door County Candle Company without me even having to mention it. Along with their impressive variety of candles, candle accessories, and their candle making bar, was a huge wax melt bar! Dozens and dozens of 'smelly good' wax tarts in 1oz sample bags for $1.85 plus a buy 12 get one free promo and it's a mom and pop company with local roots! Yessss I love buying local, and when I can't make it out there I can buy everything I need on their website.
So what exactly do I love about these? Aside from smelling absolutely amazing, the wax melt bags have 16-20 melting chips so you can easily get 2 uses out of each bag with zero mess (no need to chop a big YC tart in half ) and makes mixing and layering scents delightfully easy! Plus at $1.85 they are less expensive than YC tarts with the same or better scent power. Don't get me wrong, there are still a few YC scents that I can't live without (Tahitian Tiare Flower, Grapevine and Oak, Napa Valley Sun), but the
Door County Candle Company melts are so much easier to use, clean, and marginally easier on the wallet. If you love the quality and charm of hand made products and you're a big wax tart fan, please
check them out here.
Snoozies Ballerina Bling Slippers - $9.99 - $19.99
Search For Snoozies!
Can be found all over, including locally and on Ebay!
Mr. Fox and I were fortunate enough to be able to spend Thanksgiving with my family back in Northern California this year and it was FAAAB! During our trip we went to the
Theatre of Lights festival in Old Sacramento with my dad and step mom, J. I think Mr. Fox probably thought we'd go see the lights, have some ice cream and go home but he should know by now that when J and I get together we are going to shop til we drop. Yeaaaah buddy! (P.s. If you live in NorCal and you've never been to Old Sacramento you're crazy! Especially if you have kids and can make it down there for Theatre of Lights - Its magical.)
Anyway, at one of the stores along the historic streets of Old Sac, J and I found these adorable 'Ballerina Bling' Snoozies and I was super juiced when I discovered I could find them relatively easily online (Hellooo one in every color!) These Snoozies have a SUPER soft Sherpa lining, a faux suede bottom, non-skid grippies so you don't slip, and are BLINGED THE FREAK OUT! They are definitely for indoors only but they're perfect for hanging out and lounging. They come in sizes 5-12. I wear an 11 and the 11/12's fit me perfectly. Aren't they adorbs?! Now I've only had them for a couple of weeks so I don't know how well they hold up, but for $14.00 a pair I'll take my chances. They are also, evidently, machine washable.
Northern Star Polish
https://www.etsy.com/shop/NorthernStarPolish
Kristin opened her Etsy shop '
Northern Star Polish' in March of 2012 so shes not 'new', but I didn't discover her until this year! I have been fortunate enough to swatch a couple of
NSP's collections and have loved every. single. one. Even polishes that I was certain were 'not for me' took on a whole new form when I put them on my nails. She
should be a major maker - the quality of her products, the variety she offers (cuticle oil ya'll!), the fresh perspective on glitters, even her customer service is deserving of recognition - but she's not there yet which makes me feel like I know a secret honey hole and I'm keeping it to myself. Except, I can't, because its too awesome not to share. Check her out
here and cruise through her awesome feedback, or snag a couple of your own and decide for yourself.
WHEW!! That was a long one! If you're still reading, THANK YOU for sticking with it for so long! I hope you found something new or exciting to pick up or try. Leave your favorite part of this post in the comments, or let me know if you've tried any of these products and have your own recommendations to share :)
Thanks so much! Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas everyone :)
