Highly Textured

Hey chicas,

I know it's been a minute, but this past week has truly been a sad one, with the passing of someone that was so important in all of our lives -- especially mine. But I'm back now, with "Off The Wall" in constant rotation in my iPod, smiling and happy again. Peace is a wonderful thing.

Anywhoo, I needed to tell you about a little gem of a find I picked up in Target the other day. My lips have been EXTREMELY DRY since I misplaced my pot of Neutrogena Honey Rescue Lip Balm. I mean, just dreadful. But when I went to pick up a replacement pot, I found out -- my precious Honey Rescue is discontinued.

How.

DARE.

THEY?!!

Are you serious?! My world has been turned topsy-turvy and worst of all, my LIPS ARE DRY! It's unacceptable. Simply unacceptable.

Luckily, a little fairy whispered in my ear and made me pick up Milani's tiny $4 tube of Crystal Gloss for Lips. And finally, my kisser is returning to normal. It doesn't give the same intense nourishment of Honey Rescue (which forever will be the prototype), but it gives better moisture than most other glosses that just sit on top of the lips, even if they're cracked. (Don't you hate that? It's so gross.)

I picked up a tube in Whisper, and it gives my lips a great, baby pink shine without looking washed out. There are a bunch of other shades, and I've read that "Serendipity" is supposed to be a decent dupe for MAC's "Oh Baby."

What about you? Have you found any replacements for discontinued favorites?

I don't know anyone who frequents Bed Bath and Beyond nearly as much as I do. And no, that's not because I have some addiction to shams and duvet covers. Last year, I discovered the BB&B actually has quite the extensive beauty department. I'm talking every makeup, body, and hair care brand that you find in the drugstore, and even some brands that you only find in salons and spas.

There's a store near my house, and also one near my job, and both stay full stocked with lipsticks, lotions and leave-ins. I've even found Giovanni, Mizani and CurlFriends products there. And it's quite incredible for anyone who walks into the store only expecting to see sheets.

Not only do they offer a wide product selection, but the prices are rather wallet-friendly. Products there are often a dollar or so cheaper than you would find in a drugstore, or even in Target. It's so bad now that I think BB&B is my new addiction. But I figure I can atone for it by telling you guys about the wonderfulness of it all.

Do you have your own surprise beauty spots? Tell us about them.

A message for all you hair and beauty bloggers out there:

Stop making me buy stuff!

Stop it, I say!!!

The Internet is a beautiful thing. People build communities and establish friendships and share expertise. But dammit if that doesn't come with a price. And that price is what you pay when you run out to buy a product another blogger is raving about.

It's insane! I never knew I could be so easily influenced! Malleable, that's me. Scandalous Beauty sang about Kissable Couture, so I upped and ordered a set. Fafinettex3 raved about Revlon Colorstay, so I got some of that too. I ordered fifty bucks worth of discounted Lorac products thanks to ItsMsHeatherNicole, and went back for more when I realized they added more the clearance section.
I'm becoming a one-blogger stimulus package. Someone may need to confiscate my laptop and my check card.

Stop telling me about all these great products! Stop it, I say!

:o)

Have you fallen victim to product junkie peer pressure? What have you bought because of it?

Yes, yes it can, if it's Kissable Couture.

Scandalous Beauty was kind enough to let us know that the lipgloss line by Keisha Whitaker and makeup artist A.J. Crimson is having a Mother's Day sale. You'll get 40% off your purchase when you enter the code MOM at checkout. Of course I started browsing the site... and started drooling.

How could you not, with choices like these?

"Innocence" from the Nudes Collection


"Fantasties"


"Bliss"
And of course, there's a shade inspired by everyone's latest style icon...

"First Lady"
I'm loving Bliss, and I'm coveting Horizon too, but think I'll be snapping up the Mini Smooches collection -- a perfect buy for indecisive lip gloss junkies like myself.

Which Kissable shade are you?

Could it be...? Have I found that perfect gloss?

Methinks I have.
On a random (and totally unnecessary) run to CVS, I picked up Milani's new Lip Mixer lip gloss in "Lip Stir." Now, those of you who've seen my purse know that I really don't need another lip gloss. But when I saw it, I felt some stir deep within my soul, yearning and longing for a connection to this new concoction.

Why? 'Cause it's pretty.

It's a pretty cool product -- a base of creamy color, topped with two shades of shimmer. The three combine forces when you pull the doe-foot applicator out of the tube.

No sooner than when I bought it (along with a replacement Vanilla Silk conditioner and an Almond Joy) was I in my car trying it on. Nope, I couldn't wait. And I fell. In. Love.

For my skin tone, the Lip Stir color the perfect neutral. It's described as terracotta with a peach shimmer and beige shine. The mixture of warms and cools seems to work well for me, since my skintone doesn't easily lend itself to temperature matching. (It's maddening, quite honestly). The colors creates a shade that doesn't wash my lips out, but it doesn't look like a fussy, painted-on gloss either. Plus, it has just enough shimmer and more than enough shine. And it lasts -- at least it has since I tried it on about four hours ago. Haven't eaten with it yet.

Actually, that's a lie. I had that Almond Joy.

So yeah, color me happy... and glossy. I forsee this coming out every morning before I head out the door to work.

And for those of you who are wondering -- I've gone on a makeup tangent the last couple of days because I've done nothing with my hair. Whoops. :o) But once I figure out what I'm going to do with it this week, I'll be back in action. I promise.

First reaction when I saw this: "Oooooooooh."

Actually, that was after I wiped the drool from my lip.

It's giving me "beach" -- sand, sun, water, and a bronze-y deliciousness. It's part of the aptly-named Bronze Goddess collection from Estee Lauder, and it's $38. What say you, beauty buffs?

And by the way, there was huge ad in today's Washington Post... if you make a purchase of $27.50 or more at an Estee Lauder counter, you get a $75-value seven-piece gift set -- lipstick, eye quad, face cream, mascara, eye makeup remover, and two cosmetic bag -- for free. Yes. Free. Or, you can ask for a "2-Minute Touch-up" -- a quickie makeover -- and you'll get a complimentary 1o-days supply of foundation and mascara.

I'm just sayin'....