September Ipsy bag

Howdy all,

I received my ipsy bag late last week and have spent the weekend playing with my goodies so that I could write first impression reviews. Spoiler alert: This is one of my favorite bags so far.

The goods: 

Sally Hansen Miracle gel nail polish in Redgy and the top coat

Cailyn Art Touch tinted Lip gloss in 09 Basic Instinct 

Be a Bombshell smooth criminal powder

Pacifica eyeliner in fringe 

Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair! deep conditioning mask 

The reviews 

I've been eyeing the Sally Hansen gel polishes fro a while and now I don't have to buy them to try them :) The color I got is perfect for my taste and I think it works as a good color as we transition into Fall. 

The Be a Bombshell powder works great as a setting/finishing powder and has actually done a great job of controlling my oils. It has been better than the powder I have been using. I am so impressed and while I won't need a new powder for a while, this is my go to right now. I want to add that I live in Southern California, where it is really hot and humid and this powder still held up. 

The Pacifica eyeliner takes some time to build up to the intensity that I like but it stays on all day without melting. This is extremely important to me and the fact that it is cruelty free, is a huge plus. 

The Briogeo hair mask is great! I actually bought the full size a couple of weeks ago and I am super happy to have a nice one to travel with :) 

The Cailyn lip gloss is the one product giving me the most trouble. The first time I tried it, I hated it. I just didn't like the consistency of it or the way it feathered. However the second time was not so bad and I just tried it yet again and it's not so horrible but still not something I think that I will be reaching for. 

Overall, I am very pleased with my bag!

Parting thoughts:

- What did you all get in your ipsy bags? How do you like them? 

- I hope everyone is having a great start to the week! 

- If you are going through a rough patch, remember that you are not alone and don't be afraid to lean on friends and family. 

xoxo Cynthia 

Sally Hansen's Reformulation

Howdy all,

This week I have been hearing a lot about the reformulations of a few, much loved Sally Hansen Hard Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color.

Colors being reformulated: 

Pacific Blue
Mellow Yellow
Coral Reef

At least these are the confirmed (by instagramers) reformulations. @youngwildandpolished has the most complete information on this.

Before today these colors were not in my collection but people have been raving about them and the anger about the reformulation has made it clear that they are worth trying. Therefore, I headed over to my local Ulta and CVS to see if I could find any of the old formula.

You can still find the old formula but it is being fazed out and the new formula is definitely out there.

My findings: 

At Ulta I found both the new and old formula but purchased the last older formula of Pacific Blue, Coral Reef was completely sold out but there were only old formulas of the Mellow Yellow. My CVS only had the old formulas though Coral Reef was sold out.

How to tell the difference? The new formula has larger lettering and is visibly darker. For a side by side comparison I will direct you to @youngwildandpolished

My haul: 

I managed to snag two Pacific Blues and one Mellow Yellow (I made sure not to buy out my CVS)

At Ulta Sally Hansen were 50%off making each $2.99 and I used $3.50 off $10 coupon. (I bought a Cover Girl Lipstick as well). In the end I paid $1.56 for each polish, a great deal!

At CVS I was only going to check availability but decided to buy just one more, either as a back up or maybe gift it to someone. At CVS an individual polish is $3.49 (cheaper than the regular price at Ulta) and I used a $1 off manufacturer coupon. With taxes I paid $2.77. The Ulta deals are definitely better but Sally Hansen is buy 1 get 1 50% off and that could turn out really well if you have any extra bucks. 

I have not been able to try the polishes out yet. Stress has made my nails weak and I am currently trying to grow out chipping and yellowness. 

If you love these products I would go hunting for them and make sure to get the best deal possible! Has anyone found any other deals on these babies? I have a Walgreens and Rite-Aid I can check out but wasn't able to check them on the same trip. Plus I knew I had coupons I could use at Ulta and CVS :)

Parting Thoughts:  

- I mentioned @youngwildandpolished a lot she is my go to nail polish authority so go check out her instagram and youtube channel. She is hilarious and no nonsense.