Purchase: Adidas Stan Smith (White/Black)

I know I am three years late... but I finally bought myself a pair of Stan Smiths! I remember when it was first released and the only colors that were available were green, red, and navy. In order to get a black colored tongue and heel, my friend had to customize hers. Well today, I found the white/black combo on sale at Macy's for $60 in my size. After my gift cards and cash-back, it was FREE! Better late (and free) than never, right?

via macys.com

First Impression: Charlotte's Magic Cream

I got a sample of Charlotte's Magic Cream a few months ago and finally tried it today. I have to confess that I am terrible at trying new skincare products because I am very particular about what I use on my skin. But when I just found out that the full-size version of this cream was a hundy dollars, I was curious to test it. For starters, the cream is white and very thick. It heavily smells of roses- great for those who love rose scented things, but not so much for those who dislike fragrance. (While I love the scent of roses, I personally do not like putting fragrance on my face.) The highlight ingredients are BioNymph peptide (Charlotte Tilbury's patented anti-aging ingredient), vitamin E, damask rose water, rose hip oil, camellia oil, hyaluronic acid, and frangipani. I felt that while the cream moisturized my face, it left my pores looking very enlarged and my face shiny. I used this product in the evening and can attest that the shine did disappear by morning. I like that hyaluronic acid and vitamin E was moderately high in the ingredient list. Shea butter was even higher on the list but the company failed to include it as one of the star ingredients. There were some other anti-aging ingredients such as ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), but I would say this product is more moisturizing than anti-aging. I cannot imagine paying $100 for this cream when there are cheaper alternatives.

Ingredients:
Water (Aqua), Homosalate , Glyceryl Stearate SE, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octocrylene, Cetyl Alcohol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Steareth-21, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Carbomer, Dimethiconol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Michelia Alba Leaf Oil, Sodium Lactate, Coco-Glucoside, PEG-8, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Plumeria Rubra Flower Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Nicotiana Sylvestris Leaf Cell Culture, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniola

Target 25% off all Beauty

This is a late post for those in the East Coast but for peeps in a different time zone where it is still 11/22, don't forget to check out Target's beauty section in-store and/or online. The 25% off promo applies to clearance items too so check your endcaps. I scored a NYX blush for 75% off.

25% off beauty on 11/22/2016

Target 90% Off Summer Clearance

Shucks! I forgot to hit the publish button from a month ago but I still want to share this old haul of mine below.

From July 17th, 2016:
This past Saturday, I stopped by Target to see if the summer clearance hit 90% at my local store. Indeed it did and I managed to grab a few things for my upcoming camping trip. Can't wait to gift the extras to my friends camping with me! I got some grilling forks, s'more melting trays, and a jumbo floating mat. Miscellaneous items included fedora and banner for next year's Fourth of July party.

Japanese Sunscreen Edition: First Day of Summer!

Say hello to my sunscreen stash for this summer!

From left to right:
Biore UV Perfect Milk SPF 50+ PA++++
Omi Sun Bears Strong Super Plus SPF 50+ PA++++
Kanebo Allie UV Mineral Moist Neo SPF 50+ PA++++
Biore UV Perfect Face Milk SPF 50+ PA++++
Omi Solanoveil Perfect Milk SPF 50+ PA++++

(Mini reviews to come.)

Dollar Tree Beauty FInds

While waiting for my doctor's appointment, I stopped by the Dollar Tree store nearby to kill some time. Boy, I was SO shocked to find CeraVe at my Dollar Tree!!!! Did I mention I love CeraVe as a brand? Here is a picture of my mini haul:

Apologies for the blurry pic- I was in a hurry...

I have never used CeraVe's Intensive Stretch Marks Cream but for a buck each I will gladly use this all over my body (and not to mention that everything I own from CeraVe are holy grails). The ingredients list looks pretty impressive. There were only four on the shelf and I grabbed them all, oops. Also with manufacturer coupons, they were practically free.

I also found a ton of makeup from the discontinued Fergie line by Wet n Wild but only bought the A226 Milano palette after great self-restraint. I remember hearing about the good pigmentation from these eyeshadows.

I think the Dollar Tree is my new favorite store ha ha ha.

Target Beauty 70% Off Clearance

My 70% off beauty finds from Target!

Brands featured:
Bed Head, Real Techniques, Ecotools, Sally Hansen, and Savannah Bee Company!

Amazon's Early Black Friday Deal

A whopping 30% off code from Amazon! Below is a screenshot of the terms and conditions:















So what did I purchase? Ever since my very first shoe fitting at a running store during my high school track days, I have been loyal to the brand Mizuno. (Could it be that I am scared of change???) Anyways, the Wave Rider 19 just came out a month ago so I am ecstatic to get it at 30% off!!! Because I have wide feet, I am always limited by colorway choices but I am digging the fuschia purple and silver! Cannot wait to try them out and do a test run in them!

Mizuno Women's Wave Rider 19

Oh and if you have Chase Freedom, there is 10% cashback for all Amazon purchases~

Victoria's Secret Deal

A good VS deal for flat chested me! I just ordered a push-up bra, panty, and two secret reward cards (worth at least $10 each) for a total of $20.99!

PS: I have not blogged in a hot minute but I am trying to get back into the groove of things. Plus, I just had to share this!

Forever21 40% Off + Free Shipping With No Minimum Purchase

Enjoy free shipping today at Forever 21 and don't forget to check your email to see if you are eligible to use the promo code EMAIL40 for 40% off a regular priced item.

Rave Session: Macy's Beauty Department

I have not posted in ages but I just had to gush about Macy's growing beauty department! I have never shopped at Macy's for beauty products just because I always thought it was so limited in brand selection. However, because I had an incentive to shop there after receiving a gift card from my dear mother, I decided to pop in the Flushing and Herald Square locations in search for a concealer. I have to say that Macy's beauty department impressed me with its higher end beauty brand offerings. The Flushing location has less brands to purchase from than its website but I was so shocked to find a Clé de Peau counter. Clé de Peau sure ain't on Macy's website and apparently the counter has been there for about a year. I went straight for its award-winning concealer, but sadly, the lightest shade (ivory) was super dark on me. The sales associate informed me that new shades were coming out soon so hopefully there will be a matching shade for me in the future. I do not know if I would ever splurge on a $70 concealer with my own money, but if I got another gift card in the future... Does my logic even make sense? Haha.

The Herald Square location has most of the makeup brands featured on the Macy's website but guess what I stumbled upon? A YSL counter! At this point, I am sure makeup junkies in NYC will know that I am a noob because the counter has been there forever. I was about to ditch my search for a concealer and just purchase a YSL lipstick. But since I already had a list of concealers in mind to test out thanks to Lisa Eldridge, I focused back on my original mission (which was to find the perfect heavy duty concealer that would mask my blemishes and hyperpigmentation).

In general, the majority of beauty associates at Macy's Herald Square are just snobs. I know this location has the most traffic, but they are so rude, rude, rude! I only received satisfactory customer service from the Benefit counter and that experience actually made me more inclined to purchase from the brand. Anyways, the employees at the Flushing branch are much more friendly and helpful. By the end of my search, I had tested concealers from Clé de Peau, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder, Benefit, and Laura Mercier. I guess my main criteria was the correct shade match, followed by texture and finish. Boy am I a picky buyer. After a zillion swatches + stepping in and out of the store to see the shades in natural lighting, I came out of Macy's with the Benefit Boi-ing concealer in 01 and the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in SC-2. Reviews to come shortly~

Rant of the Month: Rite Aid Is Absolutely Awful

Rite Aid is horrible and I am not shopping there again. Within the last two weeks, I made three purchases at three different stores and they screwed up all three of my purchases. I was overcharged twice and my UP Points were not deducted from my purchase the third time. All three times I had to return to the stores to get my purchases corrected. They need to freaking update their registers because last time I checked it's a violation of NYC law to charge more than the posted price. And all customer service when says when I call is I do not know why your points did not apply to your purchase. Well that makes the two of us. Girl can't even go to Rite Aid and buy her drugstore cosmetics without stress anymore. Lesson learned.

Hong Kong Beauty Haul

Where have I been? In January, I attended a family friend's wedding in Hong Kong and toured Guilin, Longsheng, and Yangshuo in Guangxi. It was super fun and I can't wait to visit China again. And of course, a trip to Hong Kong is not complete without a beauty haul!

Please excuse the blurry pic from my phone. I was too lazy to use my camera, oops!

Products purchased:

My Beauty Diary All-In One Masks (2014 edition)

Sasatinnie Snail Rejuvenating Face Masks

Innisfree It's Real Squeeze Manuka Honey Mask

Banila Co Clean It Zero Special Kit

Laneige BB Cushion Puff

Hada Labo Gokujyun Rich Lotion

Sana Nameraka Soymilk Super Rich Toner + complimentary 90ml refill

Solanoveil Watery Gel SPF 50+ PA++++ Sunscreen

Solanoveil Perfect Milk SPF 50+ PA++++ Sunscreen

Sunkiller Perfect Strong Plus 50+ PA++++ Sunscreen

Kiss Me Heroine Long & Curl Mascara

Samples:

Innisfree Soybean Energy Essence 

Laneige Water Bank Gel Cream EX

Laneige Snow BB Cream No. 2

Besides the Hada Labo Gokujyun lotion (which is my HG), I have never used any of these products. Can't wait to try them all and praying they won't break me out!

Empties: Cerave PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion Review

Earlier this month, I had finished my first bottle of Cerave's PM Facial Moisturizing lotion. Since then, I have stocked up on two more bottles at my local drugstore, so here is my glowing review of this product!

My old, beat up bottle of Cerave PM Lotion

The Cerave PM lotion contains ceramides, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid. For a drugstore brand, this lotion has such enriching products for an affordable price. The retail price is around $15 here in NYC, but with ongoing sales and coupons, I believe I purchased a bottle for $7-8 bucks. And although 3 fl oz is not much, a bottle lasted me almost a year.

The full ingredients are: Purified Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Niacinamide, Behentrimonium Methosulfate and Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20 and Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6-II, Ceramide 1, Phytosphingosine, Hyaluronic Acid, Cholesterol, Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Potassium Phosphate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum.

I had read reviews beforehand and some people had reacted badly to the niacinamide so I was initially scared that this lotion would break me out. Thankfully, I did not have any adverse reactions to any of the ingredients. I heard that niacinamide could be beneficial for rosacea sufferers like me and I seriously think it may have helped calm some of the redness on my face. Also, the consistency is on the light side so it absorbs into the skin quickly. My only concern is that I don't think this product provides enough moisture as a stand alone product, particularly in the winter time. However, I layer quite a few products at night so it fits into my skincare routine well.

My skin loves this product and that is all I have left to say. 

Larry Levine Down Coat Spotted on Sale + Review!

So. Many. Sales.

Today, Amazon's Deal of the Day includes this Larry Levine Down Coat for $69.99 shipped. Other than Amazon, I have only seen this jacket at Macy's and Nordstrom and the prices are usually well over $100. The lowest price drop I have seen second to Amazon is currently at Macy's for $96.99. I bought this jacket in black last month for $77 and I highly recommend it.  I love the silhouette of this jacket, especially the adjustable snaps at the sides to define the waist. It has kept me warm when NYC has dropped to the low 30s so far this winter season. The jacket falls right above my knees (I am about 5'4) and the black color is a true black. I had purchased an x-small and it's snug with a thick sweater. I would say this jacket runs a bit small so size up to layer. The only negative thing I can think of is that the hood is huge. The hood is so deep to the point that it covers my eyes. I guess I have a really small head... but whatever, the faux fur looks best resting on the shoulders anyways right? haha. Last but not least, I am too lazy to upload a picture of myself modeling the jacket but I think this picture from Nordstrom captures how shape of the jacket looks on me:

Source: Nordstrom.com

PS: MrRebates has 6% cashback for Women's Fashion at Amazon!

Ulta Cyber Monday Sale: Maybelline

Today only, Ulta is hosting a Maybelline sale with 40% off all items which can be stacked with the current bogo 50% off promotion and their monthly $3.50 off $10 coupon. What an awesome deal!

Source: Ulta.com

Shu Uemura Annual 25% Off Sale

I'M SO EXCITED! The holiday season is finally here and Shu Uemura is having their annual 25% sale! This is generally when Shu has its highest discount of the year. Time for me to stock up on my beloved cleansing oils!

Source: Shu Uemura USA

PS: Shu Uemura orders are subject to tax now? Wut. Thank goodness for 8% cash back from Mr. Rebates!
PPS: Shu has extended the sale to Cyber Monday (December 1st). That's a first!

Find the Groupon Cat!

Today, I was able to receive $5 off my Groupon purchase of $5 or more by playing Groupon Games- Find the Cat on Facebook. I had to hover through the thumbnail deals until I found the green cat on one of them.

I paid $2 for a local deal that originally offered two eyebrow threading sessions for $7. Also, I got 0.6% cash back through Ebates, so the end result...

Eyebrow threading for less than $1!!!

$4 Fandango Movie Ticket from Groupon!

Today, Groupon sent me an invitation-only deal for a $4 Fandango movie ticket. The limit was one per person. What a great deal since movie tickets are $14-15 in NYC these days! Check your emails now!

Empties: Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule Review

Today, I will be discussing the Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule!

I had first heard of this product when the online community was buzzing that this was the dupe for the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum. I am all about affordable yet effective beauty, so I purchased the trial size of this ampoule to test whether it would work for my skin. I did not have any adverse reactions and thoroughly liked the serum. Then in September 2013, Missha was having a flash sale, so I went ahead and bought the 50ml bottle for $22 when the retail price is $49. That's over 50% off!

Missha advertised that the Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule would moisturize, nourish, firm, and revitalize the skin. I think this product did exactly those things. I had used it every night and did not feel that it was too heavy for my skin. Ever since I have stopped using this ampoule, I feel that my skin is not as supple. However, Missha also boosted of whitening and wrinkle repairing qualities. I did not think this serum lessened my wrinkles or acne hyper-pigmentation.

My last thoughts are that I would totally recommend this product. I have used the ampoule for a year and I feel that it has improved my skin's elasticity. Now, I am really torn over whether I should repurchase this ampoule or try a new serum. I'll be flipping a coin on it since I like to try new products, but the Missha night ampoule is my back-up night serum for sure!