TARTE QVC TSV Journey To Natural Beauty

I absolutely love the Beauty Sets that QVC puts together.  They are always a great value for the price and usually include products that are brand new!  The particular set really caught my eye because it includes an Amazonian Clay blush to add to my collection as well as the Amazonian Clay Foundation I have been wanting to try.

I was actually able to purchase this set before the TSV air date because I stumbled across it on the QVC beauty mobile app while looking for Christmas presents for myself =)  I signed up for the Auto-delivery so I will be receiving the second shipment in June and the last in November.

Tarte QVC Today's Special Value for February 5, 2013.  

Journey to Natural Beauty 6 Piece Collection $59.94 ($168 retail value)

You can still purchase this set for $65.94, item number A231029

This is the makeup bag/clutch that came with the set.  Cute Pattern and quite large.

The first items in the set are the Amazonian Clay 12-hour Full Coverage Foundation 

and Airbrush Finish Foundation Brush.  

The brush retails on its own for $32 and doesn't come in the cute style that this one does, which matches the bag.  It's very Full and soft.

I purchased the foundation in the shade Light.  For color reference I typically wear between NC20-NC25 in MAC foundations and Shade 30 in Makeup Forever Matte Velvet+

It's not a bad match for my skin tone, but a bit more yellow than I prefer.

Next item was an Amazonian Butter Lipstick in Plummy Rose, described as a deep rose 

This is a new product to the Tarte line.  The lipstick glides on nicely and has a nice moisturizing sheen.  The color is a nice everyday wearable shade.



Next is the Amazonian Clay 12-hour blush in the shade Fearless! 

Tarte describes it as a Warm Pink shade.  I love these blushes and I am always happy when QVC had sets like these because the Blush retails for $26 each.

The Brow Architect is another new product launch for Tarte.  It's a 3-in-1 brow product/tool.

One end has a spoolie to help comb and brush the brows into place.

On the other end is a universal brow pencil.

It has a wedge shape to it.

In the middle is a concealer/highlighter in a matte skin tone shade.  I received this in the fair-light to correspond to my foundation shade of choice.  This also comes in medium-tan and deep.

The last product in the set is a new mascara, Lights, Camera, Flashes! Statement Mascara in Black

swatches of the blush, lipstick, brow pencil and highlighter.

As a bonus there was a sample of their Braziliance Self-Tanner

Overall, I am very impressed by the value of the items included in this set.  I love Tarte and this is a great way to try some new products at a great price!  I am looking forward to the future shipments!

Bath & Body Works Fine Fragrance Mist

Thanks to Influenster, I have another Fine Fragrance Mist to add to my small collection

I've always been a fan of Bath and Body Works Body Sprays, but their new bottles are so cute!  I love how they look standing together on my dresser.  They not only come in several amazing fragrances 

they also double as vanity decor =)

They used the retail for $12 but with the Bottle makeover they now retail for $14, 

but luckily Bath and Body Works always has great promotions and coupons!

I need to pick up White Citrus (one of my faves) in the New Bottle too!

http://www.bathandbodyworks.com

*the scent Paris Amor was sent to me as part of the Influenster program.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects

Today I applied these Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips in the Wild Child pattern.

I received these from Influenster to try out and review.

I've tried other nail polish strips before and had a great experience with them, but this is my 

first time using the Sally Hansen ones.

Each set comes with 16 nail strips divided into two packets, 

one set for each hand, an orange wood stick and a nail file.  These retail for around $9.99 and can be found at drugstores or Target and Walmart.

Each strip actually has two ends that are slightly different to help you find

the size and shape that best fits your nails.

Start with clean bare nails, then choose the size that best fits the nail you are working with.

They recommend saving your thumbs for last, which I will agree with because

I used my thumbs to help shape and remove the excess portion of the strip.

Next, peel off the clear protective plastic from on top of the strip.

I find that these work best when warm, so before I peel off the plastic i like to hold the strip

between my palms to warm them up.

Then, peel off the actual nail polish strip.  Try not to over touch the stick side of the strip.

Line up the end of the strip to your cuticle and smooth the strip onto your nail.  

The strips can be gently stretched and repositioned if necessary.

When you are happy with the way the strip is on your nail you can then

take a nail file and file off the excess. I however, prefer to just use the my thumb to tug on the 

excess and use the nail of my thumb along the edge to remove the rest of the nail polish strip.

I find that the excess comes off very easily.  Just make sure to hold down the very edge 

of your nail to make sure the strip covers it completely and doesn't

 tear off as you remove the excess.

And that's it!

Because I cut my nails really short, i was able to use excess, the other side of the same strip, to do another nail! That means twice as many manicures!

If you don't like the look of a complete nail covered in a loud pattern, you can cut up the strips into shapes and apply them to your nail the same way.

I decided to paint my nails a solid color first.

I think these are so much fun!  You can do your whole hand in the design or use it as an accent nail!

They are really easy to apply and there is no dry time!  I'll update the post with how long these wear, but so far I am very pleased.  These are great because you don't have to be a professional to

have awesome designs on your nails.  Because there is no dry time, you can do your nails anywhere, in a moving car or on an airplane, you don't have to worry about spilling polish!

Nail of the Day: Orange with Ombre Gold glitter

I am in love with this combination!  Both polishes are by Julep*, the orange is Parker and the gold glitter is Oscar.  I've been really loving the color orange lately, it just makes me happy =)

*referral link

My New Addiction: CHOCOMIZE

Chocomize Haul #1

Chocomize Haul #2

Chocomize Haul #3

  

Chocomize Haul #4 

On the way =)

So, as you can see, I think I have a little bit of a problem =)  

If you haven't heard of Chocomize before, its the first company in the U.S. that allows you to customize your own chocolate bars.  

First, you start by choosing your Belgian Chocolate: dark, milk, or white chocolate.  I've tried all three from chocomize and their milk chocolate is my favorite!  You can definitely taste the quality in the chocolate, I could order a plain bar and be completely happy.  Having great chocolate to start with makes whatever toppings you decide to include so much better!

Now its time to choose up to 5 ingredients to make the chocolate bar of your dreams.  They have a large selection of the usual chocolate friendly pairings like nuts and dried food.  Then they have fun additions like candy, seasonings and even real bacon or beef jerky!

One of my favorite bars is actually one with real bacon, pretzels, potato chips and sea salt!  Yummy!  You even have the option of naming your creation.  I named this bar, the DanaMyte bar =)  Although I do wish the name appeared in a more prominent spot on the bar, like on the front.

Here are some pictures of the other bars I "chocomized"

Milk Chocolate with butter toffee peanuts, sliced almonds, marshmallows 

and caramelized rice crispies

White chocolate with macadamia nuts, pineapple bits and mango

They also have an "I feel Lucky bar" which is basically a surprise bar, this one was dark chocolate with cookie dough pieces, reese's pieces and toffee

These bars also make great gifts!  They have little plaques that you can add.  This bar I made for my fiance for our anniversary.  Milk chocolate with macadamia nuts, white chocolate chips, marshmallows and vanilla granola, and of course the "happy anniversary" plaque

They are usually very generous with the smaller sized toppings, but the bigger ones that take up more space like pretzels and the potato chips were added sparingly, I like that they put the whole ones on there but it would have been nice if they had crumbled some smaller pieces onto the bar as well.

After 3 orders, and another one on the way, I guess you can say that I am very pleased with Chocomize =)

Their customer service is great too!  They guarantee that their chocolate bars will arrive in good condition, I am able to attest to this because I had an issue with my first order because one of the bars I ordered had a bit of a melting issue

The pop rocks I added to my bar had melted, I was told later on that they may have "popped" due to the humidity but they refunded me for the bar none the less.  They have since taken the pop rocks topping off the website, maybe due to the warm weather, but I hope it returns in the cooler months  because this bar was DELICIOUS! (milk chocolate, pop rocks, sliced almonds and marshmallows, I named this one "Pop Rocky Road," Get it?

So what are you waiting for?  Go play mad chocolate scientist or Willy Wonka and  try out your creation at Chocomize.com

Let them know Danielle, or LePooke sent ya =)

I also ordered from a similar site that is based in Europe, Chocri, here's my haul if you are interested =)