Product Line Rave: Michael Todd True Organics

 So obviously by the title you can tell that I'm in love with a new line of skincare! I have been using the Michael Todd True Organics line since December and can confidently say I attribute my improved skin to their products. Not only do I love that their products are formulated without all the bad stuff, but they are effective products for my acne prone and blemished skin which is awesome!

The picture above shows all the products I have tried from the line, minus one other bottle which I think I threw away already. It's crazy to think that I have positive things to say about each product! I am not affiliated with the brand what so ever,  I seriously just love the products!

Tarte: Maracuja Lip Exfoliant

Dry, chapped, flaky...words I never want someone to utter when referring to my lips.

I could never get myself to spend money on a lip scrub so I always went the DIY route: olive oil, honey, and sugar as well as the occasional tooth brush on the lips. The homemade scrub worked but it was pretty messy and I was always too lazy to make a new batch every couple months (sad, I know). The toothbrush method worked as well but it didn't always exfoliate my lips as much as I wanted it to.

So I was always back and forth: should I get the Lush lip scrub, or maybe the Fresh one, or maybe the Sara Happ one, or maybe my favorite from back in the day; The Body Shop Lip Scuff... ahh, it was just annoying really that I couldn't get myself to spend the money on any of them! Of course, put anything that has a panda on it in front of me and I'll justify the purchase. Ridiculous.

Anyways, a few months back, Ulta had their 20% off anything in the store coupon so of course I had to decided to pick up some new products to try. One of those items: Tarte's Maracuja Lip Exfoliant for $16! What? How? I don't know what I was thinking, well I wasn't thinking...I swear, that rare 20% off makes you feel like you have gold or something!

Not gonna lie, I mainly bought it because I thought the packaging was super cute and I like almost everything I have tried from Tarte, and again that damn 20% off...it made me do it.

So the verdict?

UPDATE: Essence Eyeliner Pen

Almost a month ago, I posted a review on the Essence Eyeliner Pen. Since that review, I have ordered a new one from Ulta.com and tested the pen out again. I can confidently say I finally have a final verdict on this product!

So how did this pen fare?

Put the champagne away, there isn't gonna be a celebration. 

So the first couple of days using the pen was great. Easy to use, extremely black, and it reminded me yet again why I liked the pen so much. Then day 4 or 5 came around and the pen started drying out again. It was to the point that I could line one eye fine but then I would have to put the cap back on, wait a couple minutes, and then use it for my second eye. I was so bummed. I only use the pen once per day, so for the pen to dry out that quickly is ridiculous. 

So even for $2.99, this product is a waste of money. Even the ELF eyeliner pen lasts almost a month before drying out and you can get that for $1! 

I definitely would not recommend this pen and the search for an inexpensive Stila Eyeliner dupe continues...

Panda & Polka Dot Nails

If you know me, you know I'm obsessed with Pandas. For as long as I can remember, they have been my favorite. One time, I seriously debated buying panda ping pong balls from ebay and I don't play ping pong.

Anyhoo, if you follow me on Instagram, you will also notice I like doing nail art as well. So what better combo than my love of nail art featuring my love of pandas! I decided to just do an accent panda nail to match my panda phone case...totally normal right? Yea, I thought so.

Instagram: GaudyGlam

Sephora: 1000-point reward!

Back in February I received an email from Sephora letting me know there was a new 1000-point reward available! I hardly ever redeem my points so I had accumulated quite the balance. I was excited to see that the reward was a 20% off card for one entire purchase. If you are a Sephora shopper, you know that 20% off is as good as it gets!

I noticed this is only available in California and Texas right now, so if you live in either of these two states, you have until May 26th to redeem your points for the card (in-store) and 60 days after you get the card to use it. I assume they are testing this out in these two states before releasing it to a larger demographic. I'm quite pleased with this option but if Sephora wants to increase the % off, that would be even better (obviously). 

So I'm coming up on my 60 days and I have accumulated quite the list of items I need to re-stock on and new items I want to try. I'd love to know what you are loving or think is worth trying! Aside from my re-stock "essentials," this is my list of new things to try:

Must Have Nail Polish Remover!!!

CVS Instant Polish Remover, $3.29 at CVS (Duh.)

I mention in my April 2013 Favorites that I have become quite obsessed with this product! As a nail polish addict, I paint my nails at least 2-3 times a week and sometimes 2-3 times a day! I've always used pure acetone that you can find at beauty supply stores because it's the quickest way to take off polish. Seriously, once you go acetone, you don't go back...ain't nobody got time for that!

If you have ever used pure acetone, you know that it dries the crap out of your nails and the skin around it. For me, it was a small price to pay for how fast it took off polish. Then I came across this little gem and holy F, I'm in love!

April 2013 Favorites

April was yet another month where I loved so many things! My skin was definitely acting cray this month so I did tend to focus more on my skincare and I'll have reviews up shortly of what worked and what didn't . The weather also started getting much warmer and that meant a little less make up for me... just a little. Let's not kid ourselves, I'm a full face make up kind of girl but I started to bust out more of my nude pink lipsticks and less of my beloved brights. Eye make up was pretty much the same everyday and some days it was just mascara, liner, and lip balm. 

I think I have mentioned most of these items before but here's what I used and abused in April!

*Disclaimer: I'm not associated with any of the brands mentioned and all opinions are my own. Direct links have been provided to make shopping easier. Some links are provided via ShopSense*