Drugstore.com 21 DAYS OF BEAUTY: DAY 13 DEALS ARE LIVE

Day 13 of the Drug 21 Days of Beauty event is here! Below are the deals that are now live (plus some new Holiday 2016 gift sets listed at the bottom of this post).

(Platinum members: don't forget that you get free shipping on all Beauty Steals.)

Get BOTH of the following freebies with ANY online order (while supplies last):

(NEW!) FREE WITH ANY ONLINE ORDER: add this Living Proof Travel Size Timeless Pre-Shampoo Treatment to your cart and once you add anything else to your cart, it will go from $10 to FREE. (Thanks to several of you for the tip, and thanks to reader Marcy for the link!)

FREE WITH ANY ONLINE ORDER: add this Matrix Travel Size Total Results Color Obsessed Shampoo & Conditioner Duo to your cart and once you add anything else to your cart, it will go from $10 to FREE. (Thanks to reader Kate Feathers for the tip!)

BEAUTY STEALS (ONE-DAY-ONLY DEALS AVAILABLE IN-STORE AND ONLINE):

• THURSDAY SEPT 15:
• Laura Geller Baked Balance-N-Brighten Foundation - $16 (reg $33)
• FREE Pout Perfection Waterproof Lip Liner in Spice with any $35 Laura Geller purchase
• Dermalogica Clear Start Kit - $21 (reg $42)
• FREE Fall Skin Renewal Set with any $65 Dermalogica purchase

HOT BUYS (DEALS AVAILABLE FROM 9/4 THROUGH 9/24 IN-STORE AND ONLINE):

• All Fiona Stiles Foundations and Concealers - 40% off; $14.40-18 (reg $24-30)

• Japonesque Velvet Touch Finishing Powder and Pixilated Finishing Powder - $19 (reg $26)
• (FREE deluxe Velvet Touch Blush in Shade 02 with any $35 Japonesque Color purchase)

• Pur Cosmetics Strobe Palette - $20 (reg $34) (I didn't know until today that this was classified as a Hot Buy, which means it will be this price for the duration of the event. 
• (FREE deluxe Fully Charged Mascara with any $35 Pur Cosmetics purchase)

• Tarte Colored Clay CC Undereye Corrector - $15 (reg $24)
• (FREE deluxe Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara and Tarteist Glossy Lip Paint in Goals with any $35 Tarte purchase) 

• LORAC Front of the Line PRO Eye Pencils - $10 (reg $20)
• (FREE deluxe Alter Ego Lip Gloss with any $25 Lorac purchase)

• Butter London Limited Edition Beauty Clutch Shadow & Blush Palette and all other Beauty Clutch Palettes - $24 (reg $39)

• bareMinerals Perfecting Face Brush - $14 (reg $28)
• (5x points on all bareMinerals purchases; sign into your account and check your "My Rewards" tab to see if you have this offer available to activate.) 

• Honest Beauty Travel Kit - $27 (reg $45)
• (FREE Skincare Sampler Set with any $30 Honest Beauty purchase)

• Laura Geller Iconic Baked Sculpting Lipstick - $15 (reg $21)
• (FREE Pout Perfection Waterproof Lip Liner in Spice with any $35 Laura Geller purchase)

• Dermablend Compact Setting Powder - $13.50 (reg $27)
• (FREE Derma-Blender Precision Applicator with any $38 Dermablend purchase)

• Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener - $10 (reg $20)
• (FREE Donald Robertson Cosmetic Bag with a deluxe Classic Primer and Be Legendary Lipgloss with any $35 Smashbox purchase)

• Julep It's Whipped Matte Lip Mousse - $12 (reg $20)
• (FREE deluxe mini Length Matters Mascara with any $30 Julep purchase)

• Algenist Firming & Lifting Retinol Serum - $51 (reg $102)

• Strivectin Intense Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles - $34.50 (reg $69)
• (FREE Skin Renewing Trio with any StriVectin purchase)

• Perricone MD Cold Plasma Platinum Collection - $125.30 (reg $179)
• (FREE deluxe sample Face Finishing Moisturizer with any $95 Perricone MD purchase)

• Dr. Brandt Power Dose Vit C and Power Dose Vit D - $27.50-34.50 (reg $55-69)
• (FREE deluxe sample 3-D Filler Mask with ANY Dr. Brandt purchase)

• Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Face Gels - $17.50 (reg $35)
• (FREE sample packette Icelandic Relief Eye Cream with any Skyn Iceland purchase)

ULTA BEAUTY COLLECTION WEEKLY BEAUTY STEALS (IN-STORE AND ONLINE):

• THURSDAYS (9/8, 9/15 AND 9/22)
• Ulta Beauty Lipstick and Lip Gloss - $3.50 (reg $8-9)

OTHER NOTEWORTHY DEALS AND NEW RELEASES:

• Coming one week from today (on 9/20): Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics All-Matte Palette ($54)

• NEW Holiday 2016 gift sets from bareMinerals, Butter LONDON, Honest Beauty, and Laura Geller

• NEW Tarte Online Only Goddess Essentials Set (contains two full-size products and one deluxe item) - $30 ($68 value) (Thanks to reader Jenna MC for the tip!)
• (FREE deluxe Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara and Tarteist Glossy Lip Paint in Goals with any $35 Tarte purchase) 

• NEW Benefit Limited Edition Dolly Darling Best of Benefit Kit (includes three full-size items and one deluxe item) - $39 ($91 value)
• (FREE deluxe Sample Matte Rescue 0.25 oz. with any $40 Benefit Cosmetics purchase, FREE deluxe sample POREfessional with any $40 Benefit Cosmetics purchase, and FREE Benefit Bag with any $40 Benefit Cosmetics purchase)

• NEW Urban Decay Blackmail Vice Lipstick Palette - $35
• (FREE deluxe sample Fireball Eyeshadow with any $40 Urban Decay purchase and FREE deluxe sample Original Eyeshadow Primer Potion with any $40 Urban Decay purchase.)

• NEW Real Techniques Miracle Sculpting Sponge - $5.99
• NEW Real Techniques Miracle Mini Eraser Sponges - $5.99
• (BOGO1/2OFF all Real Techniques through 9/24 and don't forget you can also use code 308920 for $3.50 off $10 non-prestige purchases; code valid online only)

• NEW LORAC Alter Ego Dynamic Duo Set (two shade options) - $26 ($66 value)
• (FREE deluxe Alter Ego Lip Gloss with any $25 Lorac purchase)

• Free shipping on select bare Minerals purchases (look for notation below item listing)
• (5x points on all bareMinerals purchases; sign into your account and check your "My Rewards" tab to see if you have this offer available to activate.) 

Drugstore.com coupon code: Trying DIY Skincare

So, due to my initial frustration with trying to find good natural makeup options that were safe for acne prone skin…

Drugstore Coupon Save Up To 40% OFF Health Essentials & Solution Basics

I decided to start going down the path of DIY makeup and skin care in order to make something that satisfied all my requirements.

So I ordered a whole shwackload of ingredients and set to work messing around in the cosmetic kitchen for the first time ever!

My first haul of ingredients… zinc oxide, iron oxides, shea butter, argan oil, vitamin e oil, niacinimide, and a variety of essential oils

In the meantime, luckily I did end up finding some good pre-made makeup options to recommend. This was a relief since

• a. I knew it might take me a while to hit on a winner DIY recipe, and
• b. I knew that DIY isn’t going to be everyone’s bag

So far, I have tried a tinted moisturizer sunscreen, a foundation, a concealer, and a moisturizer concoction.

I’ve honestly been having so much fun! I can’t believe how not-difficult it is to make something wearable.

Despite that, I haven’t quite hit on my absolute winner recipes yet.

The tinted moisturizer sunscreen looked pretty good, but it also felt very oily and I started worrying the shea butter I used (despite being 0 comedogenic rating) would be too heavy for acne prone skin.

My concealer was almost a winner, but felt too drying around my eyes.

So I’m still going to work on that stuff, but my favourite thing so far has been my moisturizer concoction.

So far it contains argan oil, aloe vera, a little vitamin e oil, niacinimide (Vitamin B3) powder, and a variety of essential oils (currently lavender, frankincense, myrhh, and lemongrass… or maybe ylang ylang too, I can’t remember!)

I am really really loving the idea of just making the PERFECT moisturizer with no chemical fillers; only really healing, nourishing anti-acne and anti-aging ingredients.

I see myself refining this and continually adding and subtracting things until it’s just as nourishing as it can possibly be.

I’m very excited about it!

I Was Never That Into External Skin Care, But I’m Getting Into It…

If you’ve been following me for a long time, you’ll know that I tend to only recommend very simple external skin care ingredients.

Washing with honey. Moisturizing with one ingredient: either jojoba oil or another oil of choice.

That’s what I used to do, and then I started doing ‘the caveman regimen‘ for several years…

This basically means that you just don’t do anything to your skin at all. You don’t wash it, you don’t use any products. You just let nature do it all.

(well, except I do use sunscreen when I’m going to be in the sun for a while – PS I just started using this one for my face and love it.. the ingredients are awesome)

I found that just letting go of all that stuff and going “caveman” was very good for my mental wellbeing… just to stop looking in the mirror so much and disassociate with acne…

It didn’t seem to cause me to get more acne, and I loved the freedom of it. So I stuck with it.

But also…

I was always under the acne philosophy that external skin care could really only do so much.

I believed that most of us are making our acne worse with the products that we use, and the over-washing we’re doing, and the picking and popping…. stripping away all our natural oils and defences, causing all kinds of irritation and inflammation in the process.

So I was always of the opinion that if you got rid of all that stuff… if you were nice to your skin, stopped picking and popping, used only very simple natural things to wash and moisturize, or just did nothing at all ala caveman style …. well then you were basically doing all you could do!

Once you’ve removed the outside issues that could be making things worse, then it was all lifestyle from there.

I believed that what was going on internally was far more important to what your skin looked like than anything you could do for it on the outside.

But, I’m starting to come around and realize that your skin can definitely be nourished from both the inside and the outside!

What happens on the inside is incredibly important to clear skin, and eliminating irritation and damage on the outside is incredibly important too…. but it doesn’t have to stop there!

You can also use the advantage of healing, nourishing ingredients on the outside too to repair your skin and get it functioning properly and looking tip top.

What Sparked This Change?

Well I know I’ve mentioned Melissa Armstrong a whole bunch, but she’s honestly taught me so much.

She is a completely natural esthetician with her own clinic in Illinois, and from what I know, she gets incredible results for her clients’ skin.

Yet her whole strategy focuses on two main things: external natural skin care, and emotional healing.

While of course I encompass these things in my teachings, I have always leaned a little more towards diet and supplements.

So it got me interested, certainly, in what was possible with nourishing external ingredients.

How to Moisturize Properly for Beautiful Acne Free Skin

Alright, so if we want to keep acne at bay, and also have a beautiful, healthy looking complexion, we want the following:

• Skin that is balanced in oil – ie. not too dry or too oily
• Skin that is properly hydrated – ie. contains plenty of water

Skin that is too dry can tighten pores and cause them to become restricted and irritated, and cause your skin produce more clogged pores and breakouts.

Same with dehydrated skin, with the added benefit that it makes your skin look aged like a prune.

Skin that is too oily can get sticky, oxidized and also clog your pores and lead to acne.

So here’s what what you want to do:

Use an Oil to Balance Oil Production

As much as oily people, in particular, don’t want to put more oil on their faces… oils are absolutely the best, most natural, and most nourishing moisturizer for the skin.

After all, healthy skin has a healthy amount of oil. That’s what makes it function properly and look great.

Oil is not the enemy, and the good news it that oil can be used to your advantage to balance everything out and stop those breakouts!

Whether you’re oily or dry, it’s only a matter of choosing the best oil for your skin type.

There is a lot to say on the topic of which oil is best, but to ease you temporarily… hemp seed or jojoba are good for oily skin, argan is a great option for dry.

If your skin is oily, moisturizing with an oil will replace some of your own damaged, oxidized sebum (which may be damaged due to internal factors like hormones or stress or diet, or external things like sunburn, pollution etc) with a healthier, less comedogenic alternative.

This will strengthen the skin barrier function, and better prevent your skin from losing water.

If you moisturize with oil, and in tandem you stop using harsh face washes that strip your skin of water and oil, it will signal to your skin that you already have enough oil.

After your skin has gotten used to this routine, it should stop overproducing oil, and also be way less acne prone.

And obviously if your skin is dry (lacking oil), then adding more oil to find a balance makes perfect sense.

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Keeping Water in the Skin

So here’s the trick…

Whether your skin is oily or dry, it can still be dehydrated.

In order for your skin to properly exfoliate itself, it needs water. If the cells are not properly hydrated, they can not push dead skin cells or other junk in the pore up and out.

Instead everything will compact in there, the pore will clog, eventually leading to acne or redness.

It will also accentuate any “fine lines” and accelerate aging.

This is why a strong skin barrier function is important (with the right amount of healthy oil in it), because without it, water in the skin can easily evaporate out.

So what you want to do when you moisturize is introduce water to the skin and let it absorb, and then have the oil lock it in.

My Tips on Properly Moisturizing

• Apply your oil to damp or wet skin. The skin sucks up moisture when you’re in a humid environment, so let your skin soak up the water and then keep it there with the oil. I let my skin air dry after applying.
• You probably only need a couple drops of straight oil for your whole face. You can use more if your skin is quite dry. Either way, the oil should be pretty much completely absorbed within a half hour. If it just sits there on top of your skin forever, you used too much, or it’s not the right oil for your skin type.
• Applying oil at the end of a shower is a very ideal moisturizing time, since a shower is a very humid environment. But remember that long hot showers will suck moisture out of your skin, so turn the temp down and keep your face out of the direct stream.
• If you refuse to be without a super hot shower (I get it), then at least don’t put your face in the stream, and then turn the temp down to luke warm at the end to wash your face
• It can be a challenge to keep your skin hydrated if you live in a very dry climate, or spend your time in dry indoor winter air. If it’s really bad, you might invest in a humidifier.
• For the most part, washing your face with water and not moisturizing after isn’t the best idea especially if you are prone to dry dehydrated skin. Water is very drying on its own, because as it evaporates off your skin, it takes more with it!
• Consider mixing your oil with a humectant like aloe vera gel. Humectants pull moisture into your skin from the surrounding environment.
• Don’t sabotage your moisturizing efforts by using a harsh cleansing face wash that strips your skin of water and oil. There are many options for better alternatives, but an awesome one is smooth raw honey. It’s also a mild humectant!

Along with balancing oil production and locking in moisture, moisturizers are also an ideal vessel for bringing tons of healing ingredients into your skin such as antioxidants and herbal essential oils.

And by making your own, you can pack as much acne healing goodness as you can into one product, without all the junky fillers and chemicals that are typically in formulated skin care products (some of which can definitely sabotage your clear skin efforts).

As I mentioned before, I have been having so much fun messing around with DIY skin care stuff, especially making my perfect moisturizer.

Next week we’ll go over which oils are best for which skin type and how to choose.

And after that, I’ll share with you my acne free moisturizer recipe! The base recipe is incredibly easy to make with minimal ingredients (ie. just two)

From there, you can start experimenting with adding more and more healing ingredients as you wish to make it fully customized!

How to Use Essential Oils in Your Skin Care

I have to say… I am LOVING using essential oils! For all kinds of things.

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Now that I’ve started getting into them, I am shocked I hadn’t really paid them much attention before.

I’m excited to share with you the wide world of essential oils and how to use them for acne and skin healing. Let’s dive in!

What are Essential Oils? What’s so “Essential” About Them?

The name is actually referring to the “essence” of a plant, not, like, the “essentialness” of them. Not that that really explains much more!

But, basically, all the different things that make a plant what it is – the colour, the smell, the basic properties – are due to a unique blend of aromatic compounds, phytonutrients, and organic molecules.

This is extracted from the plant, usually by steam distillation, into a highly concentrated oily liquid that then contains, well, the “essence” of the plant.

Not only do most of these oils smell great, most of them have powerful health benefits too! And since there are so many different plants, you pretty much can find an essential oil (EO for short) to help you with whatever it is that ails you.

And that includes treating acne, acne scars, and healing the skin! Very neat! 

How Do You Use Them?

Essential oils can be used many different ways.

They can be used topically – meaning applied and absorbed through the skin.

Basically me all the time now

You can also inhale them (either by putting a drop or two on a tissue and smelling it, or by using a diffuser).

And if you get super high quality food grade ones, you can also take certain essential oils internally.

We’re going to be talking in this blog post about how to use them topically for skin care.

You can include them in a DIY moisturizer that you’re making, or just add them right into a formulated moisturizer that you already have.

Dilute Those Babies Down!

Something you really need to know and understand about essential oils before you start using them is that they are VERY concentrated, and very powerful.

So you only need a very little bit to get the benefit.

They must be heavily diluted, ideally into what they call ‘carrier oils‘ (like jojoba, argan, or hemp seed, for example) before they can be applied to the skin.

If you don’t, they can lead to skin irritation, sensitivity, and in some cases toxicity. So you have to be smart and use them in the right dose.

What’s the right dose?

No more than 2% of the total amount of moisturizer or lotion should be an essential oil (or a blend of different essential oils). And absolutely no more than 1% if your skin is sensitive.

So if your moisturizer is in a 1 ounce bottle (1 liquid ounce has 591 drops of liquid in it), you would add about 12 drops of EO’s. Six drops if your skin is sensitive.

I know that doesn’t sound like very much, but they are so powerful that it’s honestly all you need.

I know this is very hard for those with acne. We are so used to wanting to fight acne with fire, and we think that if a little of something is good, then more must be better!

But in this case, it isn’t true  So just chill, ladies, and remember that more ain’t better here.

Except Those Super Neat Ones…

There are a couple of exceptions though… certain essential oils can be used what they call “neat”, which means undiluted.

Two famous skin care EO’s, lavender and tea tree oil, can actually be used neat. However, I would still only use them at 2% in a moisturizer.

The only way I would consider using them undiluted would be to gently dab on as a spot treatment. But I would never just spread pure lavender EO all over my face.

What Are the Best Essential Oils for Acne?

There are a lot of different essential oils that have benefits for the skin, anti-aging, and acne in particular.

As I mentioned, lavender and tea tree oil are pretty well known ones. There’s also frankincense, myrrh, helichrysum, chamomile, calendula, sandalwood, rose, geranium, rosemary, clary sage, lemongrass, neroli, and numerous others.

Although describing each in detail is beyond the scope of this post, I invite you to google essential oils for skin and acne and have fun reading about each one.

One pitfall though is that after reading all the benefits of each, you may want to incorporate every single one of them into your skin care all at once! It can definitely get out of hand quickly…

Narrow it down based on which ones are best for your skin type and specific conditions you’re trying to address.

If I had to choose just one or two all arounders to recommend it would probably be lavender and frankincense.

It’s not a good idea to start with too many at once anyway – it’s best to incorporate one at a time so you can see how your skin reacts to each one.

You want to go slow with integrating EO’s and if your skin is sensitive, you want to go even slower. Remember, the point of using essential oils is to heal the skin, not make our skin more irritated and sensitive by overdoing things.

Whichever essential oils you decide to use, whether for skin care or otherwise, it’s very important that you research each one individually to find out everything about it before using it, otherwise it could be dangerous.

Some can be taken internally, most can’t. Some can be used during pregnancy, some can’t. Some can be used undiluted, most can’t.

Find out if each oil is safe in the way that you want to use it, and look up any contraindications.

Something to particularly note for skin care: citrus based essential oils such as lemon, lime, grapefruit, bergamot, and sweet orange should not be used in skin care (particularly daytime application) because they can make your skin more photosensitive over time.

Which Brands of Essential Oils are Best?

When you choose essential oils, you do want to choose a brand that is of good quality. There’s no point in paying for something of low quality that isn’t going to work the way you want.

You also want to make sure whatever you’re buying is 100% pure essential oil. If you see words on bottles like “fragrance oil,” “nature identical oil,” or “perfume oil”, it’s not what you want.

You’ll also find that some essential oils are already premixed with a carrier oil like jojoba. Which may or may not be what you want. Just make sure you read the label so you know what you’re buying!

Some brands that have reputations for high quality are DoTerra, Aura Cacia, Young Living, Essential Vitality, and Mountain Rose Herbs.

I’ve mostly used so far DoTerra and Aura Cacia. I like them both. For skin application, Aura Cacia is generally less expensive and more easily available in local health stores, so I’d probably suggest just starting with that.

If you’re going to get into using any internally, DoTerra seems to be the way to go, as they are made in a food safe facility. I do really like everything I’ve used from DoTerra.

Either way, when you start buying essential oils, you will realize quickly…. they are not cheap!

The price does vary a ton depending on which essential oil you’re buying, but keep in mind that it takes a LOT of plant material to make a small amount of essential oil, and well, quality costs money.

Either way, they can seem ridiculously expensive for the small little bottles you get.

But since they are so powerful that you only need such a small amount, they will last you a long, long time.

It’s also a good reason just to start with one or two, and build up your collection over time if desired.

That is all for now! Have fun and be safe!

Next week I promise I will finally share with your my own DIY moisturizer recipe and you can find out exactly which ingredients and EO’s I’ve decided to stick with for myself.

10 Necessary Recipe Guides That Will Make Your Life Way Easier in the Kitchen

Looking for inspiration for what dessert to bring to a friend’s birthday? A healthy weeknight dinner that you haven’t had a million times? A snack that fills you up but is a little more exciting than almonds? Look no further. Below, we’ve collected 10 of our most useful recipe guides, all of which are chock-full of excellent ideas to try in the kitchen.

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Bookmark this page so you never have to waste 20 minutes searching for the perfect recipe again.

25 Classic Recipes Everyone Should Know How to Make

Whether you’re hosting a dinner party, planning the menu for a date night in, or just seeking reprieve from takeout, these 25 breakfasts, appetizers, entrées, and dessert dishes will never go out of style.

30 Healthy Weekday Lunches You Can Make in 30 Minutes

Relegate weekday takeout to the once-in-a-while status it deserves, and take your Monday through Friday lunch game up a notch. These 30 good-for-you, seriously fast recipes can be whipped up the night (or morning) before work, saving you major time, money, and calories.

25 Low-Carb Dinner Recipes

We’re not saying you shouldn’t ever eat a piece of fruit or a bowl of brown rice, but studies show that cutting down on carbs here and there can result in weight loss and improvements to your body. With these 25 low-carb recipes, you won’t even miss the bread, rice, or pasta.

21 Easy Ways to Cook with Healthy Spices

These great-for-you recipes—from cayenne sweet potato fries to zucchini muffins with nutmeg—will add instant flavor to your diet; plus, each one features a spice with serious health benefits.

20 Simple, Crowd-Pleasing Appetizers

Nothing against cheese and crackers or chips and guac, but these appetizers are so easy, fast, and delicious, you might even want to invite the crew over tonight for an excuse to make them.

50 Incredible, Meal-Stealing Desserts

These 50 dessert recipes that are just as ’Grammable as they are delicious. And, yes, they’re worth every single calorie they impart.

30 Excellent, Easy Vegetarian Recipes

These light, healthy, fill-you-up recipes cover a variety of meals, from breakfast, lunch, and dinner to snacks—and give you tons of options, no matter what you’re in the mood for. Soup? Check. Mexican? Done. Pizza? No problem.

10 Recipes with Proven Mood-Boosting Ingredients

If you’re looking to eat for your health and happiness, these recipes—all packed with proven mood-enhancing ingredients—are a great place to start.

15 Breakfast Recipes That Will Make You Want to Skip Brunch

Whip up these incredible breakfast recipes from the comfort of your home, from the super-indulgent (pancakes!) to the relatively healthy (yogurt with toppings).

30 Healthy Snacks That Slay Hanger Better than Chips

These 30 recipes have something for everyone—from chocoholics to cheese addicts—and still manage to be 90 percent healthier than most other snacks you’d reach for, since they’re protein-rich, carb-light, and homemade.

Drugstore.com coupon code: New City Color Cosmetics Contour Effects Palettes Packaging

They say you can’t reinvent the wheel… but is it possible to make the City Color Cosmetics Contour Effects palettes any better? The answer is yes, because on September 1st, the new packaging for both palettes will be available!

If you’ve been a reader for a while, you know that these are my very favorite contour palettes across budget spectrums. The silky powder and pigmented shades are perfect for beginners and makeup experts alike. If you want to know more about the product and formula itself, plus see swatches, check out my reviews below:

The palettes have received a big makeover though, and while they’re still the same powders we love, they’re getting a way better home. The new packaging is sleek and made of hard plastic with a clip closure, as opposed to the original cardboard palettes with magnetic snaps that were susceptible to dings and falling open. On top of that, while the first palettes had a contouring guide and face chart on the inside, the new palettes house a generous mirror that makes it even better for traveling with on top of its compact size.

What’s most exciting, though, is the fact that the pans are actually slightly larger than the originals, with .20 oz of product in each compared to the old amount of .16 oz.

With more product per pan, sturdier packaging and a large mirror, the price of the palette is only increasing by a few dollars at $16.99 each– though they are on sale for the launch at only $13.99 at Drugstore.com coupon code! Still very much a steal, considering their quality.

To refresh your memory, the first Contour Effects Palette has deeper shades that lean just a cent warmer than the Contour Effects Palette 2, which have more every-day shades in cool undertones. With my medium skin, I prefer using the first for more dramatic looks.

The palettes will be available in their new packaging starting September 1st, 2016 on the City Color Cosmetics website— and don’t forget to use the code SlashedBeauty for an extra 10% off your purchase!

Drugstore.com coupon code: MY LATEST ULTA HAUL | FALL & BACK TO SCHOOL 2016

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This week, I'm partnering with Ulta to bring you my Fall 2016 beauty picks! So whether you're heading back to school soon or just want to refresh your look for the new season, I've got lots of fun products to share with you. I tried to choose a mix of recent favorites that I've been dying to talk about on the blog as well as a few brand new products.

A few weeks ago, I tried the new bareMinerals Gen Nude Buttercream Gloss in the shade Snarky and I fell in love with the creamy texture and hydrating formula. I really wanted to try the Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipsticks, but I hesitated to buy the full-sized version in case it was too drying (I really don't like the feel of most matte lip products). Then I came across this cute Meet Gen Nude set that contains the Buttercream Gloss in the shade Sugar (which I knew I would definitely wear), a nude pink shade and Matte Liquid Lipstick in Bo$$, which is a rosy mauve with a hint of brown in it.

I have to say I'm really impressed with the Gen Nude Matte formula...it feels completely weightless! I didn't feel like I had anything on my lips all day. I put the thinnest layer on my lips and was able to get full coverage color. It dried down immediately with no sticky or tacky feeling whatsoever. If I'm being totally honest, it's a little bit drying (like most matte lipsticks) but it's the least drying of the matte liquid lipsticks I've tried, so that's huge for me. Oh, and it has a delicious cupcake-like scent too! Wear time was really good and it faded very evenly which I loved (I hate when lipsticks fade in the middle and leave a ring around the outside). I love layering the gloss on top as well.
If you've been wanting to try the Gen Nude line, this little set is a great way to try both formulas! (They're half the size of the full-size making this an $18 value).

I've never been too loyal when it comes to hair products...I'm always in search of the next best thing. But then I tried the L'oreal Extraordinary Oil line. This is actually my second time purchasing this shampoo and conditioner (I first tried it back in May) and I will continue to buy it as long as they make it...it's that good. My bleached, damaged hair has never felt so soft! My regular straw-like texture felt super soft and silky after one use and actually looks shiny.
Also, the scent is amazing. It's warm and sweet and I get tons of compliments from friends and family if I see them right after taking a shower. When they hug me, they always ask what perfume I'm wearing, and I'm like, "none, it's just my hair!". If you're heading off to college, your roommate will end up borrowing this all the time...just warning ya!
The only downside is if you have fine hair like me, you may need to use a stronger shampoo every second or third wash or else this will start to weigh your hair down a little bit. I use this twice in a row, then switch to John Frieda's Go Blonder shampoo (but still use the L'oreal conditioner) and it cuts through the buildup so I can go back to using this shampoo again.
This photo below is after I had been using it for a couple of weeks and I love how healthy and shiny my hair looks! This will definitely be a must-have going into the colder weather.