Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Glamour Doll Eyes Of The Month July 2013 Review

Yep, you all guessed it- I'm trying out another subscription!  While this is not a "new" subscription service, it is new to me, and I'm excited to share it with you!

Glamour Doll Eyes OTM (Of the Month) is a beauty subscription service that sends out a limited edition eye shadow loose pigment each month, for $8.  You can sign up for a 1, 2, 3, or 6 month subscription, on the 8th of each month.  Glamour Doll Eyes only offers 100 subscriptions of each month- you have to be quick to sign up to receive an OTM sub!  Each order from GDE comes with extras- samples of pigments with regular orders, and other extras with a OTM subscription.  Glamour Doll Eyes also has a shop with beautiful shades of eye shadow pigments, that are safe for the eyes, lips, face and nails.  Check out GDE today, and head over HERE to sign up to get an email reminding you to sign up for OTM on the 8th!


My package arrived safely in about a week or so, in a brown bubble mailer, shipped via USPS.  USPS misdirected my package, so it might have arrived sooner, but I'm still happy with the shipping time.

July 2013 OTM
I love how the OTM is packaged in a pretty organza bag- what a nice touch!



Insert Card

GDE sends cute business card sized insert cards, with information about the shade of shadow that you are receiving.  This month's shade was designed by Rachel, one of many ladies asked to create their own unique pigment color.



Back of the card

The back of the insert card talks about the extras included this month.

Additional cards
My package also included a couple GDE business cards, a card from Kiss My Sass Cosmetics (one of the extras this month is from them!), and a card from Sedona Lace.  Feel free to check these cosmetic companies out: at Kiss My Sass, coupon code GDEOTM0713 will save you 20% off your order, until 8/31/13, one time use; at Sedona Lace, promo code glamourdoll will earn you $4 off your next order (no expiration date listed).  I love me some discounts, so I will definitely be checking these sites out!

GDE ships all of their pigments shrink wrapped, and I really love that idea.  I know my little pots of color will make it to me safely!  As this is my first experience with GDE, let me just say that I am really impressed by both the size and quality of the pigments that I received. 



Sherbert July 2013 by Glamour Doll Eyes

I seriously love Sherbert in the summer- it's so rich and creamy, with a light orange taste.  This shadow seriously captures that feeling.

Swatch of Sherbert
This shimmery coral-orange shade has green micro glitter and is so pretty.  A little goes a long way, and this pretty shade is perfect for the summer- pair it with a green for a mermaid eye!

Casen July 2013 by Glamour Doll Eyes
Casen is a gorgeous blue, and is named for the newborn son of Sherbert's creator, Rachel.  While I think that sherbert is beautiful, Casen is definitely the star of this month's bag, in my opinion.  



Swatch of Casen
This beautiful baby/medium blue also has green micro glitter.  I seriously love this shade!



Emma Lipstick by Kiss My Sass Cosmetics sample

I love me some lippies, and was exicted to see this sample in my bag.  This pretty coral shade tastes like pink lemonade, and glides on smoothly.  

Swatch of Emma
I love how this lipstick is lightly pigmented, and while the sample looks small, there is actually plenty in the little pot- enough for several wears.  I'm going to check out Kiss My Sass' site soon!

Starbursts!
I seriously love me some Starburst candies, and I thought it was sweet that GDE included some in my bag.  What a sweet summer treat!

Glamour Doll Eyes OTM July 2013
For a monthly subscription that was under $10, I am very impressed.  I will definitely be ordering from GDE again, and trying out some of their other pigment shades.  One thing that I forgot to mention, is that everything that I received in my bag is 100% vegan, and cruelty free.  This makes me SO happy, that I have found another company that is choosy about what ingredients they use, and don't test on our animal friends.

So, tell me, have you ordered from Glamour Doll Eyes before?  What did you think of them?  I signed up to be an affiliate for them, so stay tuned for referral links!

Until next time, my lovelies- stay average!

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Disclaimer: I purchased these items with my own money my husband's money, and any gifts with purchase were because I met the purchase requirements to receive them.  I was neither requested nor required to review these items, and all links in this post are NOT referral links.  I strive for honesty.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

How To Repair a Broken Blush or Eyeshadow The Only Average Way

Recently, I was at my local Ulta store and received a sample of Cargo blush.  As I was walking into my house, the bag slipped from my fingers and fell, crashing to the ground.  Everything that i had purchased was just fine, with one exception.  The pretty Cargo blush sample that I had received was a broken mess.  I shed no tears, though, because I had learned a trick a long time ago: how to repair a broken pan of shadow or blush!  I can't wait to share this simple trick!

Things you need: 



  • rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol)- the higher the content the better; I used 91%
  • toothpick or other tool to crush and smooth the broken powder
  • cloth to press the powder, and a coin if one will fit nicely in the shadow pan
  • The broken makeup


First, take your toothpick and break up the rest of the makeup in the pan.



Then, use the toothpick to evenly distribute the powder in the pan.  Try not to spill, but if it's a new product, that is hard to do!



Add a few drops of rubbing alcohol, and mix the powder with it until it makes a paste.  Add more alcohol a drop at a time, if needed, to create the paste.  You want the powder to absorb all of the alcohol, with no puddles in the pan, and no dry spots either.



Smooth out the paste with a toothpick as best you can.  It doesn't need to be perfect, but try to evenly distribute the paste in the pan.  This will make the pressing easier.




Cover the pan with a clean cloth.  If you have  a coin that fits just inside the pan, place it over the cloth.  Quarters work well for many eye shadows.  Press on the cloth covered pan with gently but firm pressure.  You are trying to absorb the excess alcohol, as well as bind the powder together.




Remove the cloth, and the shadow should look smooth and solid.  If not, try pressing again.  The pattern of the weave of the cloth will transfer to the top of the newly pressed powder.  Let the pan sit and dry overnight (or a few hours in the sun).

All done!  Your shadow, powder or blush should work just fine now.  I will say, that this process sometimes can intensify the pigmentation of a product, so the color may not be exactly the same as it was before you pressed it.  However, a little change in shade is a small price to pay to save your broken makeup!


Have you ever tried to fix a broken pan of makeup?  What process did you use, and was it successful?  Shalene's daughter likes to grind makeup into the carpet, after it's broken.  I don't think there is a save for that, but hopefully a good carpet shampooer will at least remove it from the carpet!

Until next time, my lovelies, stay Average!


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Monday, July 29, 2013

Hand-Picked Words Giveaway WINNER- plus discount code!

Hi everyone!

 Over the weekend, Rafflecopter chose a winner for the Hand-Picked Words Giveaway I had posted a couple weeks ago, and I would like to congratulate...



MIRANDA L.!

Miranda, I'll be sending your info over to Dani at Hand-Picked words, so look for an email from her soon!


For the rest of my wonderful Only Average friends (and I had NO idea how many people agree with me that average is just fine!), Dani has offered a FREE MONTH subscription of Hand-Picked Words for each of you, so you ALL can try it out!  Simple enter the code AVERAGEMOM at checkout for your free month.

Thank you to all who entered, and I hope everyone enjoys their free month!



Until next time, my Only Average Friends...


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Disclaimer: Hand-Picked Words provided this prize for me to giveaway at no charge to me.  The links in this post are not referral links and I received no monetary compensation for hosting the giveaway.  No amount of freebies or compensation could EVER influence me to give a review that was NOT my true and honest opinion!

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Summer Urban Decay HAUL!

I love me some Urban Decay cosmetics, I have to tell you.  I also love me a clearance rack full of awesome products.  Urban Decay's SALE section is chock full of awesome products, at a steep discount- how could anyone expect little ole average me pass it up???

My box just arrived, and I can't wait to share my goodies with you all!



Urban Decay Eyeshadow Ammo Shadow Box, sale price $12.00
The first thing that caught my eye is the Ammo Shadow box.  This is an item that UD has re-issued, and I picked up the original palette for only $12.  The cover of this palette is super cute- it's purple velvet embellishment of a smoking gun.  

Ammo Shadow Box
I love these shades, and this box is, in my opinion, a great palette for pretty much any occasion.  Left to right, top to bottom, the shades included are: Smog (bronze shimmer), Mildew (mossy green), Oil Slick (matte black glitter), Last Call (metallic dark purple), Chopper (copper shimmer), Maui Wowie (golden  beige), Shattered (turquoise), Polyester Bride (white with micro glitter), Grifter (lavender), and Sin (champagne).


Swatches of Ammo Shadow Box
Some of these shades have had a bit of fallout for me, but all in all, this is another great palette from Urban Decay.  Love it!


Urban Defense Tinted Moistruizer, in Halo, sale price $9.00
In the summer months, I don't wear foundation unless it's a special occasion.  I tend to gravitate to BB creams and tinted moisturizers.  When I saw that UD had this tinted moisturizer with SPF 20 on sale, I knew I had to have it.
This moisturizer blends well, and feels great on my skin.  I've given this one a true test- a full week of beach time, 3 hours each day, and I have not burned or sweated this stuff off.  This is my new go-to summertime moisturizer.


24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil in Flipside, sale price $9.50
It's no secret on the internet that the 24/7 glide on eye pencils are the most-loved eyeliner out there.  I seriously love the staying power of this liner, and they are the ONLY eye pencils I like to use.  I saw that this pretty teal shade was on sale, and had to pick one up.


Swatch of flipside
This teal pencil has micro glitter in it, and one swipe of this eye liner, a quick blend with my finger, and it is on all day long, even in the summer sun.  I am really happy with this pencil, and kind of sorry I didn't get another one!


Deluxe Eyeshadow in Ransom, sale price $4
I love my UD Deluxe palette, and one of the shades that I use the most is Ransom.  Since I'm close to hitting pan, I picked up this shade to use, after my palette is empty.  At $4, how could I say no?  The packaging is super cute- I love how it looks like a ransom note!

Ransom shadow

Swatch of ransom
I love how creamy and silky the deluxe eyeshadows are.  They stay where you put them, and last all day. This pretty deep purple is great for a purple smoky eye, or as a pretty accent color. 


Urban Decay Stardust eyeshadow, in Moonspoon, Atmosphere and Retrograde, $6.00 each
I love sparkles, but I am sure you know that by now.  The new Moondust shadows are gorgeous, but at $20 a shade, not so good for my pocketbook.  I thought I would give these a try when I saw them on clearance.


Moonspoon, Atmosphere and Retrograde from the Stardust collection
I love how these shadows open- you squeeze the sides and the lid pops up.  These glittery shadows are beautifully pigmented, but watch out for fallout- it's a hazard to any glitter, I think.


Swatches of Moonspoon, Atmosphere and Retrograde Stardust
I seriously love all of these shades, and they pair very well with my Moondust (Space Cowboy).  I can't decide which one i like the best!


De Slick Oil Control Spray, deluxe sample size, free with purchase
I toyed with purchasing this Oil Control Spray, buy decided not to.  Then, when I went to check out my shopping bag, this was in it as a free gift!  I am super excited to try this out!


Steal Our Look Card for Moondust, free with purchase
You know I love the Moondust, and I'm excited to receive a sample of Moonspoon, even if it is a one time sample.


Inside of the card.
The bonus is, that it came with a sample of the infamous Urban Decay Primer Potion.  I'll always take an extra in my package, and this was a nice one.  This sample packet also came with a single use sample of Desperation, to pair with the Moonspoon.


Summer Urban Decay Haul
That pretty much sums up my Summer UD haul.  UD is honestly my favorite makeup brand, and I love everything I received.  Have you shopped UDs summer clearance items?  Find something you like?  Leave a comment and let me know!

Until next time, my friends- Stay average!



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Disclaimer: I purchased these items with my own money my husband's money, and any gifts with purchase were because I met the purchase requirements to receive them.  I was neither requested nor required to review these items, and all links in this post are NOT referral links.  I strive for honesty.


Monday, July 22, 2013

My Latest ULTA Haul- It's all about the HAIR!

I love to shop.  I am sure by now that this is NO secret, and I KNOW that I'm not alone!  If you didn't love to shop too, you probably wouldn't be reading this right now.  Am I right?

Ulta is currently having an awesome sale on their brand of makeup, and on hair care supplies.  Plus, I had a $3.50 off of a $10 purchase coupon.  I had a very strict budget for this shopping trip, and I'm pretty happy with what I purchased, spent and saved.  Are you ready to see my Hair Haul?

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Hair Cream, 4 fl oz (full size), $5.99 (buy 1 get 1 50% off), I paid $4.01 after my discounts.
I live at the beach, and love beach waves.  My hair is very thin and unpredictable, so I like to use things like rough paste to add volume and texture, so I thought that I would give this a try.  It smells really good, but has a weird texture to the cream.  

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Textruizing Sea Salt Spray, 8 fl oz (full size), $5.99 (buy 1 get 1 50% off), I paid $4.01 after my discounts.
Beach waves are the bomb, and since I absolutely LOVE the way my hair feels after I've been swimming in the ocean, I thought that this is the spray for me.  Plus, I was hoping to get the Healthy Sexy Hair version of this spray, but alas, that was not in the cards for me.  I love the idea that I can have beach hair all year long, and even if I don't brave the ocean's briny depths.  

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat leave in conditioner, 1.7 fl oz (travel size), $6 on sale for $3, I paid $2.67 each after my discount (I bought two).

Ipsy turned me on to Healthy Sexy Hair, and I was excited to see the sale on the travel size products at Ulta.  Between my daughters and me, we go through a lot of leave-in conditioners and detanglers each month, so I picked up two of these...one to use and one as a backup for when I forget where I put the first one.  I love using soy in my hair, as it leaves it soft and silky, and feeling healthy.  I tried this on tiny love's unruly locks and I had no issues brushing her hair at all.  LOVE it!!

Big Sexy Hair Spray & Play Volumizing Hairspray, 1.5 oz (travel size), $6 on sale for $3, I paid $2.67 after my discount.
I received this in an Ipsy bag a while back, and I liked it ok.  This size hair spray is perfect for my tween to put in her back pack to take to middle school with her, for a quick touch up.  It's the perfect purse or pack size!



Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Volumizing Spray Mousse, 1.6 oz (travel size), $6 on sale for $3, I paid $2.67 after my discount.
This is another new product for me, but as my hair is super thin, I thought for $3 it was worth giving a try.  

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Mellow Conditioning & Taming foam, 6.7 oz (full size), $16.95, on sale $4.99, except it rang up for $6.99 (just noticed that).  I paid $6.22 after my discount.
I saw this foam on a clearance rack, and just had to buy it.  The price tag on it was very attractive, although it rang up higher than what the sticker said.  Side rant- I HATE that!!!  Ok, over it.  I love mousse to pump up my volume, so I was interested to see how this worked to tame and condition.

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal with Argan Oil, .34 fl oz (sample size), Gift with purchase (Buy $20 or more select hair care brands, receive this as your free gift).
I've tried this before (thanks again, Ipsy!), and loved it- I was happy to receive this as a free sample!  Soy Renewal makes my hair soft and silky and tames my frizz.  I use it on my tiny love, and it makes her hair gorgeous too!  LOVE it!!

Ulta Large Eye Shadow Brush (#1), on sale for $2.  I paid $1.78 after my discounts.
You all know that I can't go to Ulta without buying SOME makeup!  The main point of this trip was to get hair care items, but I could NOT pass up the awesome sale that Ulta has on their brand right now!  I am a brush junkie from way back, and thought I would try out Ulta's eyeshadow brush for $2.  It has soft but firm bristles, and kind of remind me of Urban Decay's brushes.  I'm very happy with this one- it does a great job and feels nice on my skin.

Ulta Precision Liquid Eye Liner in Plum, 0.015 oz (full size), on sale for $2.  I paid $1.78 after my discounts.
I recently lent my purple eyeliner pen to a friend (for some face art lining, NOT on her eyes...eww), and she lost it.  Insert sad face here.  I loved that liner and it was my ONLY purple eyeliner, so when I saw that Ulta's liquid liners were on sale, I HAD to pick one up in purple!  It's a pretty plum color:

Swatch of Ulta's Precision Liquid Eye Liner in Plum
...but darker than what I really wanted to have. It's a pretty deep purple shade, and I will get some use out of it, but for me, I prefer brighter shades, as I feel they set of my very blue eyes.  I will say that the liner has awesome staying power, but it takes a moment to dry.

And that, my friends, is everything on my receipt. 

Not too shabby, if I do say so myself!  But to sweeten the deal, I asked about samples at the checkout (my excuse is always my really sensitive skin), and I was offered TWO deluxe samples (along with my husband's daughter in law, "Shalene")!  
Cargo water resistant blush in IBIZA, .14 oz (deluxe sample); full size is .31 oz and retails for $26.00- this sample has a retail value of $11.74.
I dropped my Ulta shopping bag in the driveway, on my way to the door.  It just slipped from my fingers. Everything survived the fall, except for this blush.  So, I worked my magic, busted out my rubbing alcohol and fixed it.  Let me know if you want a tutorial on how I did this!  Ah, but I digress.  I love the texture of this blush- and it really is water resistant!  This is the perfect blend to wear at the beach or pool.  I rinsed my hand with a swatch on it, and the water just beaded up and ran off.  Awesome!

Swatch of Ibiza waterproof blush by Cargo

This is such a pretty, shimmery hot pink.  What an awesome sample, and I received this just because I asked about it!

Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream in natural glow, .17 fl oz (deluxe sample); full size is 1.7 oz and retails for $39.00.  This sample has a retail value of $3.90
Juice Beauty makes certified organic makeup and skincare items, and I personally love that!  When I saw this packet in the sample drawer, I said, Oooh- what's the Juice Beauty sample?  I opened it up and this 12 in 1 CC cream smells SO good- a nice, fruity scent and not at all floral.  I put some on my face and it went on silky and soft.  I can't say if I've had any results yet, but I will let you know if I do!

Swatch of Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream in natural glow

My Ulta Hair Haul
That sums up my latest Ulta Haul- and I even took a picture of my receipt to show you the final prices of everything:

My receipt (minus my bonus points numbers!)
That just about wraps up my purchase for Ulta this time!  As you can see, my budget was $30, and I OVERSPENT...by $0.18.  I'm very happy with my purchase, I have to say!

Tell me, have you been to Ulta lately?  What do you think of their latest sale?  Leave a comment and let me know!


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Disclaimer: I purchased these items with my own money my husband's money, and any gifts with purchase were because I met the purchase requirements to receive them.  I was neither requested nor required to review these items, and all links in this post are NOT referral links, except the Ipsy ones.  I totally want a free gift for referring friends.  Sorry!