fashionCHICsta

I felt 'forced' to make a purchase in order of maintaining my Sephora VIB status. I had to spend $70 in the next 35 days and knowing I can level up to Rouge next year I had to shelf the conflict of not wanting to lose my current position with not needing to buy more beauty products. Fortunately that $20 gift card came my way and I sucked it up and pulled the plug on a final 2013 purchase. It wouldn't have left such an aftertaste of regret had every single box not been opened, as evident by the torn corners. Just leads a gal to wonder where they were before my house. *shivers* Anyhoo...

Tantalizing and feminine, Deco is a vibrant coral . I love this creamy shade. It applies cleanly and streak-free needing 2 coats for full opacity and has a quick dry-down. I accent this look with Alchemy , a flamboyant gold . I like it so much I won't buy any other gold as they could never top this one. Also covering opaquely with 2 coats, it dries shiny and amazing. Deco and Alchemy lasted 3 days before the first chips appeared. Simply delicious. I love these shades apart as much as I love them together. I rate Deco 4.5 out of 5 stars and Alchemy a coveted 5 stars. I'll get much more wear out of Alchemy . Comment below and tell me which LVX (pronunced Luxe) shades you own or have used and don't forget to +1 to share the swatches with your circles! xoxo •Nancy-Lee

While this was not my first experience with Lakur by Londontown , (swatches of Purple Reign are on my Instagram) it also wasn't the same outcome. I make mention of this because had it been my first, at $22 a bottle, it would have been my last. Guarded Jewel : Protected in the Tower of London, the crown jewels are an essence of British culture that merits guarding.

How could I have prevented this from happening in the first place and how can I prevent a future disaster? Simple: Had I layered the palette with flat cotton squares or cotton rounds to take up the additional space between the product and mirror, the pan would not have come loose and exploded! xoxo •Nancy-Lee

Tis the season for skin that glows! Freeman Beauty has done it again!! More IS merrier with Freeman Beauty 's limited edition Best of Beauty Seasonal Set . These 12 fabulously fragrant treats are perfect for prepping skin before a big night out or for soothing your skin as you settle in for a warm winter evening. Valued over $70, it’s all yours for just $17.99 . The Best of Beauty Seasonal Set Includes:

From #iFabboSFcon I present swatches from the 18 shade collection of Radiant Skin Satin Finish Foundation by BECCA Cosmetics. A medium coverage formula, this buildable foundation is packed full of skin-loving antioxidants and feels very lightweight. The perfect product to use on your One Perfecting Brush! Light Collection. Click to enlarge image.

From my iFabbo shop, this body butter is made from the honey of African Black Bees and blended with Royal Jelly. Unscrew the plastic tub and you will discover a luxurious white cream . Imperial Honey Body Butter is very moisturizing - perfect for these winter months - yet it does not leave a greasy residue on my skin. It has a soft, almost powdery feeling once it dries down. Imperial Honey Body Butter by Perlier keeps my very dry body skin moist and comfortable for several hours so I only have to apply it out of the shower. Since I wash my hands several times a day I find it most comfortable to reapply this butter after each washing. I will note to not over-apply, it can 'ball up' a bit.

Love me some Klout Perks . This one, brought to you by People Magazine , is the People VIP kit. My perks allows me to enjoy 3 months of PEOPLE magazine with full digital access and a deluxe gift box with 5 Editor's Picks: •Rembrandt Intense Stain dissolving strips. •Jamberry Nails ombre nailpolish stickers. •Animal Print Scarf. •Designer Note Cards, set of 5. •Washi Tape trio. •Blue Bangle. Oh so Kate Spade! Want your own V.I.P. subscription?

I have been on a roll with my savings at CVS and this trip was no different. Stacking the ExtraBucks and Beauty Rewards I earned last week with Manufacture coupons on top of a $6 off $30 Beauty Purchase eCoupon, I scored $99.06 in product which I paid $15.53 out of pocket and earned $22 in ExtraBucks for my next shopping trip! It feels like I was paid $6.47 to shop! There is a 12 pack of Bounty paper towels and a 16 roll pack of Charmin toilet paper not pictured. How did we do it? Danny purchased Bounty paper towels, Charmin toilet paper & Dawn (these 3 items earned $5EB), Clear shampoo (on clearance for $2.39 - $2 CVS coupon = 39¢), Carefree panty liners and (1) Tom's deodorant (on sale for $3.69 and he earned a $1EB). He paid using $17.77EB, 25¢ MFCoupon, $5 off $25 purchase bringing his out of pocket to $1.31 and he has $6EB for next time.

Pantone announced the 2014 Color of the Year, Radiant Orchid. What are your thoughts? xoxo •Nancy-Lee

A shade that summons the beaches of Summer's past, it is perfect for a Fall fling, too... just make sure you're ok with one night stands because this shade chipped the very next day. About 12 hours to be exact. I applied 1 coat of basecoat but did not finish my nails with a topcoat. Sunbaker offers the rare 1 coat coverage but I preferred the second coat for a richer look. The shade is an amazing rusted orange shimmer. Not glitter, a fine golden shimmer. Because of the significant chipping, I rate Sunbaker 3.5 stars. It's not the first shade that I would grab if I were painting my nails the night before an event. xoxo •Nancy-Lee

Yes, there is a difference between Over The Top root lift spray and 'hairspray '. Holding the can about 3" away, I spray directly at my roots and use my fingers in a shake-lift motion to lift my hair adding height and volume. Over The Top does not leave my hair or fingers sticky like hairspray, it feels more like it has been treated with a dry shampoo that stiffens. Like all GG Gatsby products, this root lifting spray smells like a very light citrus floral. UV filters protect colour from fading and it is p araben and phthalate free . Since I am channeling David Bowie , Over The Top is my new 4.5 star BFF! And my hair even matches the can! Shazam! I won this $12.99 wonder from a GG Gatsby Instagram giveaway and I will absolutely replenish once it is gone. Or they have a sale I can't resist! And since it is available in Target, replenishment just became easier!! xoxo •Nancy-Lee

Creating a smokey eye has never been so easy! I'm doing it with Studio Gear Cosmetics Holiday Palette. Shop now and save 10% off your purchase. Use code SGHOLIDAY . Comment below and tell me, what are your go-to smokey eye products. xoxo •Nancy-Lee

Hey Kittens, I have compiled a list of our favourite brand's Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday promotions. Please note, these are not affiliate links. Ready to shop? Click the Brand to be redirected to that Brand's site. Please +1 this post to share these awesome deals!  #ShopSmall

I received a packette of Chocolate & Strawberry mask in my Freeman Beauty Mystery Bag and it is amazing. This light brown clay based mask has a creamy scent of milk chocolate and strawberries. You need only a small dollop, I rib my fingers together to warm the mask for easier application. Focusing on my t-zone, it dries quickly and removes cleanly. My skin looks amazing after this mask. While I'm not noticing it clearing up any acne, it does not cause any additional blemishes, which is always a bonus! (I prefer to spot treat acne, why treat area where I do not have blemishes?) I like that my skin feels clean but not stripped. I will absolutely replenish this mask, plus you cant beat the prices: $1.99 for the try me packette and $3.99 for the full size tube. I was able to use the packette 4 times . I rate this little little chocolate wonder a solid 4 stars. Have you tried this or other Freeman Beauty masks? Tell me below which one(s) and your thoughts. xoxo •Nancy-Lee

Click image to enlarge for detail. This is my first of 3 Revlon Parfumerie nail polish reviews. These shades translate from the bottle to the nail perfectly. The scent, the scent is a spicy floral, comes after the lacquer starts to dry and lasts for about 12 hours. I did not find it overpowering but it was noticeable. Moonlit Woods is a gorgeous metallic steel purple. This formula is thin which causes a sheer, streaky finish. I applied 3 coats to reach the full opacity I was looking for, though, disappointingly it started to wear off the edges by the first nights end. I did not apply a top coat because I did not want it to interfere with the scent . Wearing for 3 days, it was very easy to remove and did not stain my nails. I must admit that I love the vessel! There is something awesome about the shape and size of the jar and knob top, which I find comfortable to hold. I rate Moonlit Woods 3.5 stars out of 5. While the shade is beautiful, I wish this lacquer offered 2 coat cov...

All of this for $5.56. This haul happened because I earned so many ExtraBucks form my last shopping trip + I had high value coupons to deepen the discounting. Danny and I each have our own ExtraCare care cards, here is his purchase: The 2 pack of Dove Men soap ($4.49) was on sale for $3.00. He purchased 5 packs to bring his cart to $15. He started the savings with a $5 off $15 CVS eCoupon then redeemed a $2 off bar soap CVS coupon, $2.50 ExtraBucks from last weeks toothpaste purchase and $5.00 in Beauty Rewards. Danny's out of pocket: 50¢. That's right 5 packs of Dove soap - 10 bars total - for a total of 50¢ . And since he spent $15 in Dove during their promo, he earned $3 ExtraBucks!!

Coupons coupons coupons! Here is $62.85 in product from CVS which I couponed down to $32.39. Part of this purchase, 3 items, qualify for 100% MIR (mail in rebate) returning $18.60 back to my wallet bringing my total out of pocket expense to $13.79 for everything pictured. Now you know me, this wasn't my only savings... I earned $20 in CVS ExtraBucks for my next shopping trip : $2.50 on each Colgate and $15.00 in Beauty Rewards! Which I already know how I am going to spend! At the register I used: 3x 50¢ off on the Freeman Masks 2x $1.00 off Kiss My Face soap 1x $2.00 Covergirl coupon + 1x $2.00 CVS 'mascara' coupon and a 40% off CVS products coupon for the cotton rounds. Do you have any questions about couponing? Leave your questions in the comments below, Kitten! xoxo •Nancy-Lee *Danny and I have our own ExtraCare cards, this is our combined purchase.

Intensely clean, smooth and renew! Suspended within this creamy, conditioning cleanser is gentle Walnut Shell Powder, making it perfect for all-over skin smoothing without scratching or drying skin. Ideal for delicately resurfacing and restoring radiance, and amazing on rough elbows and knees that need a little tough love! This is a creamy scrub, almost gel-like in consistency. Personally, I prefer a scrub that's just a scrub, not a cleanser too. It's true, this scrub never felt as though it was scratching my skin as it removed dry and dead skin cells. My moisturizing oils sank in quickly since there wasn't a barrier in the way. This scrub offers a light nutty scent which does not linger on my skin.

Great Gatsby Haircare had an Instagram giveaway and I won! WOOT!! My loot included GG Over The Top root lifting spray, Smashbox Quench Lip Gloss. Max lacquer by Zoya ; crimson-red with pink, coral and orange undertones and lastly, Smashbox Fusion eye and cheek colour in Heatwave ; these colours radiate the natural glow of summer.  Want in on the action? Follow Grest Gastby on Instagram and repost their current giveaway picture, found here . Good luck, Kitten!! xoxo •Nancy-Lee

I have had some amazing luck in the designer shoe area of +Nordstrom Rack . Today I bring you this amazing find: +Diane von Furstenberg   wooden heel wedges. With a white leather and elastic upper, these shoes are super comfortable and the gradient heel is super sexy. I can't wait to rock these with a maxi dress next summer! Retailing for $395 they were at the Rack for $101.95 and I applied a $20 Nordstrom Note bringing the cost to $81.95. But this wasn't my only score...

Invited? Make sure you RSVP. Did you receive an invite to +Nordstrom Rack 's Points Party next weekend? What is a Points Party? It is a chance to earn up to 10 points per dollar. Attend Saturday between 8am and Noon, spend a minimum of $200 (before sales tax) and you will earn 10 points per dollar. Those 10pp$ will convert to 2000 points which earns you a $20 Nordstrom Note! Remember, Kitten, there are all kinds of benefits that come with Fashion Rewards , including a minimum of $100 worth of alternations, per year, for FREE!!! Don't let those opportunities pass you by. Hem those trousers, take in that jacket; Let Nordies help you achieve the perfect fit. Follow me on Instagram  +FashionCHICsta to see fabulous fashion finds.... I'm headed to the designer shoe department, first!! xoxo •Nancy-Lee  

Handcrafted in New York Ginger has been known for centuries for its therapeutic properties. The warm spiciness of ginger enhances skin tone, boosts circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid, increasing the body’s ability to eliminate toxins and absorb vital nutrients. Rich in antioxidants, ginger slows the aging process, regulates our digestion and can help to alleviate pain and inflammation in muscle and connective tissue. Chi the life force present in all living things; look at the nature of yin and yang. This eternal symbol of balance is comprised of two opposing yet complementary forces. GingerChi's goal is to strive for balance since when Chi flows freely, we experience optimal health, well-being and vitality.

The silver hardware accents gray, blue and coral leather. To me, outlet shopping is a lot like thrift store shopping. It requires patience and sometimes a bit of luck. Take my last trip to the Premium Outlet mall in Gilroy. During a visit to the Coach store I scored and scored some more! I found this gorgeous, all leather bag from the Legacy collection on the clearance shelf. Retailing for $298 it was marked down $279 and then BAM! 50% off of clearance. But that's not all. I had a coupon for 40% off of my entire purchase bringing this totally adorbs bag to $55.60! Comment below and tell me your latest and greatest outlet haul! xoxo •Nancy-Lee

I LOVE hosting giveaways and I want to offer another awesome one. I've started a new Facebook page which I want you to follow and to sweeten the deal I am giving you a chance to win the Zoya Cashmere Collection , which retails for $48.

Sometimes when I film, my shirt might not match the strap placement of my bra, so I have developed a little hack using 2 bobby pins and I want to share it with you. This works in a pinch if you have a pesky strap that keeps falling, especially under a blazer. This is my pouty face.

  I am pretty much addicted to this line of lacquer. My second from Ninja Polish , out of several in queue, I bring you Shillelagh (pronounced shuh-LAY-lee). From the Enigma collection, Shillelagh plays homage to it's Irish roots through a rainbow of greens. It took 2 coats for full opacity, dried pretty quick and lasted for 3 days before it chipped. Retailing for $11 you can see the entire 4-free Ninja Polish collection here . This bottle is a dupe for the bottle OPI uses . I rate Shillelagh 4.5 stars out of 5. Out of my personal nail polish collection, this is my favourite shade of green. While perfect for St. Patricks Day, I found it quite appropriate to wear it to Wizard of Oz , too! xoxo •Nancy-Lee

Texture, texture, texture! My first Red Dog Design polish will not be my last! Featuring Coral Beach from the Summer Sands Collection , 2 coats was all I needed for perfectly juicy, sugar coated nails. This lacquer applied easily and smoothly, it did not streak nor did it drag the sandy finish. I was able to achieve full opacity with only 2 coats and I added a high shine topcoat since this lacquer dries semi-matte. Coral Beach made my nails very hard and the polish crazed before it chipped, which happened 2.5 days after application. Click here to see the entire Red Dog assortment, Kitten. I rate Coral Beach a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

Weighing in at more than 3 pounds, I couldn't wait to rip this box open. I was even more delighted when I discovered that the products were wrapped... it felt like Christmas in October! Meet the Freeman Beauty Mystery Bag! For $20 they sent you a mixture of $90 worth of product! I spent just over $25 so I would automatically qualify for free shipping and added the promo code WELCOME to score a free Pssst! Dry Shampoo, worth $2.99!

What a treat. Volcanic Thermo Scrub is the first Perlier product that I have tried, thanks to iFabbo . Blue in colour with a fresh light scent, this scrub is formulated with ingredients rich in mineral salt and Italian thermal water. I can feel the different levels of exfoliation but not in a harsh way; In addition to the salt, there is a noticeable powder base that exfoliates on a gentle level. Volcanic Thermo Scrub leaves my skin super smooth, with an even tone and it has a healthy glow. It does not hurt the thin skin areas like my elbows and knees and it has not irritated my body skin or caused breakouts on my chest or back.

It's more than makeup. And it's much more than a fundraising campaign. It's your chance to play a hand in making motor city, Makeup City. Ante up, Gorgeous.

Want to win this nail polish trio by Chrome Girl Nails ? Simply complete the easy Rafflecopter tasks below to enter. The more tasks you complete, the greater your chance is to win! This $30 prize pack features 3 full size bottles of lacquer: •Bedroom Eyes •Bed Head Blue •Between The Sheets

This is one sexy shade of red. Rubellite Dreams is from NinjaPolish.com 's Gemstone Dreams collection. The red is true, not too blue not too orange, just stunning. It's kissed by silver shimmer that is more obvious in the bottle but offers depth once on the nail. This is not a glittery polish but one that glistens. The pro brush made of an easy, streak-free application and it only required 2 coats for full opacity. 5Free it retails for $9 and lasted 3 full days before the first chip appreared. I can't wait to wear it again! I rate Rubellite Dreams 4.5 stars out of 5. Love love love.

It's funny. I received a $25 gift card to Kohls for Christmas 2011 and was a bit perplexed; I've never shopped Kohls. So I waited and waited... thinking I'd end up using it for new bath towels. Then I heard that Catherine Malandrino was joining DesigNation and knew that *this* is why I have been holding on to the gift card, not boring bath towels ! The Pleated Ponte Dress is created in charcoal and is surprisingly very well constructed and heavy weighted. Now, I know why it was $70! The button detail down the left side covers the snap entry/exit which runs down the dress until the pleated bottom. The dress lies flat and keeps it's shape so you do not have to worry about shifting and revealing. Made in Vietnam of 70% polyester, 25% rayon and 5% elastic, the Pleated Ponte Dress is available online, only. Retailing for $70, I waited until it went on sale and pounced! I was a little away from free shipping ($50 after discounts) so I added Eva NYC Up All Night ...

Worth The Wait is a secret keeper. It's not black, it's not brown and its not wine. It's the best of all those shades. I applied 2 coats of Worth The Wait and topped my ring finger with Essie Matte About You and my other digits with ChromeGirl's high shine top coat.

A colourful eye doesn't have to be too bold or too intimidating. I start with Onyx on my upper and lower waterlines . Jaded Jack lines both my upper and lower lashline in a thicker-than-usual stroke so Cobalt doesn't completely cover the vivid green. I was able to achieve a gentle wingtip and once Cobalt dried, I retraced Jaded Jack, almost enveloping Cobalt. Kitten was added from my crease up to the brow bone where I used Barefoot Contessa to provide a soft filled eyebrow. I pulled it all together with 2 coats of mascara and was on my way! Shopping List: •Stila, Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner, Cobalt, $20. •Stila, Kajal Eye Liner, Onyx, $18 •Stila, Eyeshadow, Kitten, $18 •Stila, Eyeshadow, Barefoot Contessa. * discontinued * •Butter London WINK Eye Pencil in Jaded Jack, $18 •Physicians Formula Organic Wear mascara, Black, $10 xoxo •Nancy-Lee  

This was both fun and easy! I stared with 2 coats of Endless Summer by ChromeGirl and once it fully dried it painted Schmexy on to the thin side of a foundation wedge and sponged on, starting with the base of my nail for full opacity and worked the sponge up the nail giving it more of a tie-dye finish where the 2 shades met in the middle. See my review of Schmexy, here. Endless Summer is a taxi cab yellow with a thin veil of golden shimmer for depth. This is one of those shades the is seasonless; rock it with a maxidress during the summer and pair it with burnt orange or pine grove green in the cooler months.

About 3 months ago I purchased a pair of high waist, wide leg trousers without trying them on. Once I got them home I realized what they were not designed for my body type - short with less than flat abs - so the high waist made me look... well... they looked like maternity pants. So I exchanged them and this is what I exchanged them for: Illume Good Nature tin candle in Avocado Mint: a rich fusion on creamy avocado, fresh lime, mint leaves and a hint of sweet sugarcane.   Featuring 40 hours of burn time, this 8.3oz soy wax candle is made in the USA and retails for $16.00. I can't even describe this scent. It is amazing. The lime and garden mint are perfectly balanced and kissed by sugar sweetness. This is not an artificially sweetened candle, it smells perfectly created by nature. The trick to these candles is to burn them for 15 minutes or so and extinguish the flame. This is when the melted soy becomes most aromatic.

Super exciting news: Make Up For Ever has come to San Jose!! There is a brand new and hot store in Valley Fair and you HAVE to stop in and meet Tobey ! She's a genius!!! After a tour around the shop I purchased the Extravagant Eyes set. A trial sized trio of Sens'Eyes , waterproof sensitive eye cleanser, Smokey Extravagant , a dramatic mascara and Aqua Eyes in Black, a water proof eyeliner.

  It was mini-Missoni-madness! The doors opened promptly at 8:00am and people RAN to the racks. They came in groups - some to secure the products and some to secure a cart to carry it all! It was a bit insane, people pushing and shoving and worse: dropping clothing to the floor and stepping all over it. An employee tried to tell ppl to be respectful but it fell on deaf ears. I was embarrassed to be honest. I mean, they are clothes. This is the epitome of first world problems.

From the 2013 Neons collection, Bouncer, It's me! an intensely vivid blue. Just like Shake Your Money Maker from the same collection, it is gel like in it's application and requires 3 coats for opacity. In the image below, I show you what 1 coat looks like. this polish is very streaky. It also takes a while to cure so I smudged my thumb nail. I added a 4th coat on my thumb to fix the oopsie before I took the picture on the left. This is a sexy shade of blue, almost cobalt. It dries with a matte, slightly dull finish so I topped it off with Hardwear by Butter London , a high shine, quick dry topcoat.

Every so often I like to open a can of get it done and when I do, I can always count on Home Depot to make my DIY dreams come to life. Case in point, my 14 year old console table. An impulse purchase from a Pottery Barn floor sample sale, this table cost me $67 and has been a workhorse from day one. When I trecked from Florida to California, it came with me and it arrived damaged from the cheap moving company I used. It sat in my garage for 2 years until one day I decided to refinish it.

I purchased this limited edition nail polish a few months ago and I hate to say, I forgot to swatch it. I decided to move forward with this post since it is still available on Amazon. I am celebrating the 2013-2014 opening game of the Oakland Raiders with this awesome black lacquer. Drop Dead Gorgeous is a creamy opaque black whose finish comes to life with the addition of silver shimmer. In the vessel, it reminds me of diamond dust nail polish.

Click image to enlarge for detail. First, have you added Cartwheel to your favourite iPhone apps? You MUST! It has a 15% savings for these HOT heels by Xhilaration. Crafted of beige techno-suede and embellished with silver studs and rhinestones, they have a 5" heel with a 2" platform. The amazing thing about these shoes, you achieve the height without the strain. Think about it - I'm only lifting my heel 3" off of the platform. Schmexy sells for $49.99 and I am saving them for the iFabbo event in October. No, they did not come with extra stones, note to Target.