FragranceNet Haul: Perfume & HairCare: Innocent, Vince Camuto for Women,...

If you love perfume and amazing hair care products as much as I do, be sure to check out my most recent haul/review on some products I picked up from FragranceNet! 

Picture of the goodies I got on sale!

During their recent sales (BlackFriday/CyberMonday), I ordered two perfumes and two hair care products. They had the absolute best prices out of every single website I looked at. I was also able to use coupon/promo codes in addition to the sales, AND got free shipping, so needless to say, I was very happy with the value they offer on their products. I also appreciated that they have a secure website, which made me more comfortable ordering through them. Shipping was FAST too! I just had the free standard shipping, and my package arrived within three days. They also included quite a few free samples, so I thought that was a nice touch as well. Overall, I'd absolutely recommend ordering through FragranceNet for perfume/haircare items! I will definitely reorder through them again. If you sign up for their email list, they are also terrific about sending out promo codes that you can use towards a discount on your order.

Items mentioned in the video:

-Marrakesh by marrakesh x original leave-in treatment & detangler with hemp & argan oils 

-Vince Camuto (for Women) by Vince Camuto eau de parfum spray 

-Angel Innocent by Thierry Mugler eau de parfum spray  for Women 

-It's A 10 by It's a 10 miracle leave in product 

All about Candles! (Reviews, Hauls, and Re-purposing those used candle jars!)

Do you love candles? I sure do! They're one of my absolute favorite little guilty pleasures in life! They help you relax, they smell divine, add ambiance to your environment, and they really just make your home a more cozy, inviting place! Today, I thought it would be fun to share a few of my recent candle video reviews with all of you! I will have be making some more video/ blog reviews soon, as I am expecting a new order to arrive sometime in the next week from the huge Candles by Victoria sale she recently had. I also need to play catch up and review some of my past orders, so be on the look out for several new candle-themed videos in the near future! (There are more brands than the ones mentioned in the video below covered in my future reviews! I burn everything from Walmart's "Mainstay" candles to "Lafco" candles, and in between. 

I really think that candle making is such an amazing art form. It's so spectacular when companies are able to achieve perfection in candle form with the way their candles burn, throw scent, and preform. It's definitely safe to say that I'm a candle addict! Out of all the potential addictions a person could have though, I'd say this is a pretty delicious one! ;)

Lets start this off with what I hope will be a helpful tutorial: How to clean/remove wax from your empty jar candles. I loved making this video because I really enjoy getting to re-purpose the things I use on a regular basis. Why be wasteful and throw these gorgeous jars away, when you can clean them up and give them a new life! They make amazing storage containers, excellent containers for presents, you name it! :)

Below is my recent Slatkin & Co / Bath & Body Works Haul Video and Review! In this video, I explain a bit about the  three "Test Scent Stores" in the US, and the 2/$20 sales. I also tell you how you can order seasonal scents from these special stores weeks/months before they are ever available in the regular stores! Enjoy!! (I'll also let you know which Fall fragrances are my absolute favorite!)

Another Bath & Body Works mini-haul and review! In this video I cover some of the mini-candles and the soap sale! Pay attention to the very end of the video! It explains why you should NEVER throw away those B&BW receipts! (At the end of every receipt is a survey that you can do: You will receive a $10 off coupon towards your next purchase. It NEVER expires!). I really like the customer service that Bath and Body works provides; they are always so terrific about addressing any concern or question you might have, and are so polite! Their shipping is also very prompt, regardless of if you order from a Test Store, or online.

Below are two reviews on one of my FAVORITE companies: Candles by Victoria! I absolutely adore this company. They are US based, and have such great customer service; they are so friendly, and just a joy to order from. Did I mention that they have over 750 fragrances to chose from, you can pick your own wax colors, add glitter or use any container your heart desires, and oh my goodness...the list goes on and on! They hand pour all of their candles and scent shots fresh with each order, so you never have to worry about the freshness or fragrance throw! There are so many options that they even have a terrific message board set up where people can talk about their favorite products and give reviews! Their candles and scent shots (tarts) smell amazing, and are very affordable! (I link information about coupon codes,etc in the videos, so watch closely!) I REALLY need to catch up on my Candles by Victoria reviews and show some of the candles/scent shots that I own. There are quite a bit lol! This company is absolutely fantastic! I can't recommend them enough! Go check them out: www.candlesbyvictoria.com:

Candles by Victoria Review: Amber Romance Jar Candle

Candles by Victoria: Scent Shot (tart) review: Cinnamon Gingerbread Latte 

(It's AMAZING!)

This review is on a company that I recently discovered called, Shayz Scentz. I am so impressed with this company so far! This was my very first order, and it will definitely not be my last! I recently ordered from Shay when their website had a sale going on (check their website often: they run sales frequently!). Just like CBV, Shayz Scents is also based in Texas. (I love supporting US based small companies!). Out of every single company that I've ordered with, I have to say that hands down they have the BEST customer service! Very prompt, friendly responses to any question you have, insanely fast shipping, and best of all: Very great products! Shayz Scents has a really nice "pink" line of fragrances that I am especially pleased with. I've used a few of her tarts since I placed this order, and I am very pleased with the fragrance throw and the performance! I highly recommend this company! (Just like CBV, Shayz Scents hand pours all of their candles/tarts, so you are getting very fresh products when you order!). Go check out her website!: www.shayzscents.com

Lydia's Tip: Keep those flames and melted tarts away from your furbabies and little ones! Be sure to read the link below with tons of information on EVERYTHING you've ever wanted to know about candles! This link offers TONS of helpful hints on caring for your candles and getting the most out of your money! (Yes, you need to take care of your candles, and yes there is a proper way to burn them, trim wicks, etc!)

 http://www.candlesbyvictoria.com/cbv/faq.html

Walgreens Finds! Sales, Swatches, and More...

While waiting for my prescriptions at Walgreens today, I had quite a bit of time to kill. So, I decided to check out some of their store items that were on sale. As it turns out, some of their sale items that were buy one get one 50% off, and just so happened to match some of the coupons I had in my purse! (I typically keep coupons in a little compartment of my wallet and take them with me wherever I go, just in case I find the item I'm looking for while I'm out. Today I did! SCORE!!! I pretty much got the Revlon items in the pictures below for free!You can't beat that!!! 

Mini Walgreens Haul (mostly sale items!)

1. Goody QuikStyle brush (It's supposed to help your hair dry more quickly after washing). A bit of background: I have thick, wavy hair that takes at least 30 minutes to blow dry...on a good day! So, if this product can cut down on my hair drying time, I'm all for giving it a try! I've had my eye on one for quite a while now and saw quite a few positive YouTube reviews about it. I will do a review soon after I give it a shot.

2. Sally Hansen's Mega Shine top coat. This is my third bottle of this stuff....enough said! It works ladies! No joke, it dries your polish within 60 seconds. It's also less than half the prices of the higher end brands!

3. EOS lip balm in "Strawberry Parfait". I finished off my "sweet mint" one a few weeks ago, so I wanted to try another! This sucker was on sale too, so it was the perfect time to try it!

4. Burt's Bees Mango Lip Balm. This is probably the 4th or 5th time I've bought one of these. It's one of my absolute favorite lip balms, hands down! This was also a sale item.

5. Sally Hansen's Nail Effects "Not a Peep". This one wasn't on sale, but if you know me well, you know that I absolutely adore birds. I couldn't resist this!!! How stinkin' cute!

6. Essie Nail Polishes: Navigate Her, Blanc, and Luxe Effect's Pure Peartfection top coat. I JUST painted my nails this morning, so didn't want to mess them up by doing swatches. (I will do better swatches of these colors on another day, but for now I thought this would work! I love them so far though!)

(Left to right: "Navigate Her", "Blanc", "Pure Peartfection"

7. Revlon Lip Butters and Colorburst Gloss (All of these were buy one get one 50% off...that in combination with the manufacturer's coupons I had in my purse meant I practically got these for free! Love it! 

(Swatches below)

Left to Right: Revlon Lip Butters in: "Tutti Fruitti", "Lollipop", "Cherry Tart", and on the far right: Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss: "Orchid"

Another view of them. Top to bottom: "Tutti Fruitti", "Lollipop", "Cherry Tart", "Orchid"

(I have quite a few of the Revlon Lip Butters and glosses. I absolutely can't rave enough about them. They are fantastic!They are smooth, pigmented, and come in quite a variety of colors. Most of the colors are quite buildable too, so you can make your lip color as sheer or as pigmented as you'd like! So far, I've been able to get them dirt cheap as well thanks to BOGO sales and manufacturer's coupons. If you love pampering your lips, you should really check these little gems out! I will do another blog post soon with swatches of all the colors that I own so that you all can see the different shades! Definitely keep an eye open for coupons on these products!)

~Another beauty savings tip: If you shop at Ulta and have a free membership card, you will get a mailing to your home every few weeks with a coupon usually for 20% or $3 or so off your next purchase. Ulta also sells store brands like Revlon and constantly has BOGO sales. They also take manufacturer's coupons from Revlon that you can usually find in weekly coupon inserts. Do you see where I'm going with this, my lovelies? You can pretty much get these fantastic items for free if you are smart about your shopping! :)