i broke the ban!

I broke the ban on my AMEX! I knew I wasn't supposed to get anything till January 6th 2011 but the deal was going to slip through my fingers and I was tres, tres desperate! I have serious shopping issues - coupon codes and promo deals are my achilles heel :P Anyways this will be my last online buy for 2010. Hope it is a good one!

So I have been looking for a dietary supplement to take that will benefit my hair, skin and nails. Specifically try to get my hormonal breakouts under control. Taking the Acne Cure homeopathic pills were a dud - I think they caused more issues than they helped - so I went and searched around for an alternative and what brand would be better than Murad to take care of my skin issues. The $30 off $100 promo going on at the Murad.com site did nudge me on further :)

I looked into the Murad Pure Skin Clarifying Dietary Supplement and was encouraged by the many, many positive reviews on this product. I just want to make sure that my hyperpigmentation is helped along as I have dark spots - remnants of zits past - from October that have not faded away into the night! These pills are purported to.....offer a patented formula acne medication that combines nutrients such as Vitamin A, Yellow Dock, Burdock and Zinc to build strong, healthy and beautiful skin cells for a perfect complexion. What you put into your body and how you nourish it contributes directly to how your skin looks on the outside. These acne pills are the perfect skin care solution for treating your skin from the inside out.....direct quote from the Murad.com site.


The pills are rather pricey though at 43 dollars a bottle for a 30-day supply. The directions mention taking two pills in the morning and two in the evening to ensure maximum results. I have read reviews in which consumers say that they feel it is too much and have dosed down according to their own needs. For myself, I will follow the recommended dosage for my first bottle and if I do see an improvement, I will dose down accordingly as well. I got two bottles of this for my first try. I know some people might think it's excessive to get 2 of something I don't even know will work yet but I figure I will need to give it time to work and a one month supply will not be enough if the stuff does help. For example, I bought a 2 months supply of the Acne Cure pills so I can say for certain that they did not help me. I ate the pills diligently and according to the instructions so I am satisfied that I can safely say that those pills are not for me.

The item I got to complete my 100 bucks purchase was the cheapest thing I could find to round it up but one that came with glowing reviews as well - the Acne Treatment Concealer in Medium. This concealer contains salicylic acid to help heal blemishes as well as acts as a cover-up. It retails for 21 bucks. There's not much to say about it right now - I am waiting to get my hands on it and give it a test run before I will comment further.


I was also allowed to choose 3 free samples to try and decided to get the Exfoliating Acne Treatment Gel, Intensive Wrinkle Reducer for eyes and the Skin Perfecting Lotion. My total for the Pure Skin supplement and Acne Treatment concealer came to 77 dollars with the 30Off100 promo code.

DISCLAIMER:
All images are courtesy off Murad.com

finally here!

All my lurverly LUSH stuff has just arrived.....via my boss! Lol, my boss is so cool, he'll bring along mostly anything that's passed on to him :) Also arriving was my Skin79 BB Cream, a purchase influenced by MissGlamorazzi from Youtube. But more of it next time, first let's talk LUSH!

So I actually got my LUSH stash a week back but I am only putting this post up now cos I wanted to test drive some of it first. First up is the Winter Warmer gift set. The more I waited to receive the LUSH gets, the more I found myself looking forward to this one more. So this is the first box I opened. And I am incredibly impressed with both items; the Mandarin Tea Party soap and the Glogg 3-in-1 gel.

First of all, I tried the Glogg first as I can't resist anything with a cinnamon scent. I used it as a shampoo and a shower gel and I have to say that the scent is heavenly! It is a really spicy scent which makes the whole bathroom smell like Christmas :) The scent also lingers on the skin for a long time and when used as a shampoo, even longer!


The Mandarin Tea Party soap is also wonderful. I am truly impressed with the longevity of the scent on my skin. I use it on myself in the mornings before I go to work and even when I'm preparing for a shower that evening, I can still smell the scent on me! The bar I received is huge but as LUSH products are not infused with chemicals, they tend to melt faster so I will monitor the longevity of this product before I claim it as an A+. Scent-wise though it smells so delicious, I love taking whiffs of my arm throughout the day and it most likely has my colleagues baffled as to what I'm doing inhaling the skin of my forearm all the time, hehe. It is more of a glycerin-ish type soap than a creme so it does not lather up into suds much.


Next is my Snow Fairy gift set. I haven't opened this as yet cos I'm going to try to finish off the Winter Warmer products first. By the looks of it, I won't have long till I'll have to open this gift set. My sis, who got the bigger Snow Fairy set, is very much in love with the scent so I'm quite excited myself to try that out. I'm also eager to test out the soap as well. The Shimmy Shimmy massage bar is something I'm ambivalent about. I am not a regular when it comes to applying moisturiser on my body so this product, although intriguing, I don't know if I'd buy again after I've tried it. But really, i think I should reserve judgement till I've actually tested it out. Who knows, perhaps, it'll make me change my lazy moisturising habits :)

just because.....

Been acclimatising myself to my fabulous iPad and just wanted to post an updated pic of it with its zebra decal on. Tres cute, if I do say so myself :D


Now I am really excited to pair it up with the magenta-hued rooCase. It'll be an epic combo!

أنا متحمس جدا ليلة وليلة

Ok, thought I'd throw in a lil bit of Arabic in there cos there's some connection to it in this post. Anywho, I've been on a shopping freeze for about two weeks now and I guess I was bound to snap sooner rather than later. Heck, I'm surprised I even lasted as long as I did. I know I mentioned I was banned from virtually swiping my AMEX. It's okay, I used my MasterCard for this purchase since B&N.com allow international credit cards for purchases though I did get the book sent to the Portland addy.

But anyways, as is my nature, I am always taken in by discount coupon codes and this time it was Barnes and Noble's turn to reel me in. I had a 25% off of one item discount code that was in need of use since it was going to expire in two days and I felt that that amount of a discount was too good of a discount to waste - I knew exactly the item I was going to buy to break my shopping fast.

I've chronicled my Barnes and Noble purchases a number of times on this blog and in particular my Barnes and Noble Leatherbound Classic books that I've gotten. My first buy from this collection was Homer's Iliad/The Odyssey and I followed that up with a quadruple buy of Alice In Wonderland/Through The Looking Glass, Chronicles Of Narnia, Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales and a collection of stories from The Brothers Grimm. I simply love the Barnes and Noble Leatherbound books as they truly make them to be a true collectors item for any book lover.

And it's because of this that I decided to add to my collection by procuring Arabian Nights. The book was on sale for 18 dollars from the RRP of 20 but with my 25% discount, I got it for $13.50 with a free B&N membership for two months! And with said membership, I received free expedited shipping and as I type, my book is already packed for shipment.


That's a real bargain for such a beautiful book. I'm truly excited just from viewing the images - the illustration looks extremely well-done and very, very beautiful. It makes the experience of being transported to another place and time when reading a book all the more vivid as there's actually a 'visual guide' for the words being read. Hehehe, I sound like a crackpot right there :)

I like how my leather-bound purchases have all occurred during the Christmas season for the past 3 years running which kinda makes it my own Christmas tradition, hehe. I feel next year, should the opportunity arise, I will get the Jane Austen book. Even though I'm in possession of the individual books, I feel that for my leather-bound collection, this is a must-have. I also would like to get the Sherlock Holmes collection as well as the Ann Rice Vampire Lestat collection. I know the Ann Rice isn't a classic per se but I would like to own it nonetheless. I've also never read 'em (simply watched the movie 'Interview With A Vampire) so this would definitely be a good buy to get into the books. Asides from that, I am also thinking of getting the Edgar Allen Poe collection of short stories and poems. I am creeped out by him to be honest and i still find the story of the beating heart freaky to this day but that's the beauty of Edgar Allen Poe. The last book from B&N's Leatherbound collection that I would liken to own is Dante's Hell. However, am not sure if this is still in print cos I have not seen it on the site for quite a while now.

Right, haven't written anything book-related in months. It's partly due to the fact i haven't been buying any physical books. I can't stress enough how excited I am for my Arabian Nights book to arrive. I have never truly read the book cover to cover so I'm pretty stoked that I'll be able to do so with this leather-bound version.

DISCLAIMER:
Images are not my own but are courtesy of B&N.com.

i'd like to introduce.....

That's right! That's my latest plaything, my slip of an iPad. I understand it now. I truly do, I get why people go nuts over this exquisite piece of tech gadgetry. I too am in love!

Dramatics aside, I have to say that despite not even yearning for an iPad prior to my impulsive decision to get it last week, I realize that it makes my life soooo much easier. I received my iPad when my uncle and his family came up for a visit on Monday. Since then I've just been testing it out, trying to get a feel of it and how I'm going to incorporate it into my life. And I find it to be one of the most useful technological innovation that I've ever had the pleasure of owning.


Now, it's not like I've never held an iPad prior but I just wasn't able to get fully into it since the times I did use my sister's iPad was just to beat her high score playing Veggie Samurai, lol. Anyways, I've been using it exclusively at work for the past couple of days and aside from making my reports, it can practically replace my Netty in terms of functionality (I still love you, Netty!). One of the many things that impressed me about the iPad is its battery life. I can use it to play music while reading my e-magazines, watch a bunch of my TV shows, play my free Mahjong Tiles, answer my emails, do some comparison shopping as well as some actual shopping and track my shipped packages AND the battery will still be at 74% charge!

But I think my most favourite thing about it is the fact that it makes reading my PDF magazines such a joy in simplicity. Even with my Asus I have to deal with lag when scrolling through the pages but with the free app PDF Notes, I only have to wait during the magazine's first load and then it is just easy, breezy browsing from then on. I love it, it makes me feel as if I'm actually thumbing through an actual paper mag! I haven't tried reading my kindle books as yet, only tested it out a lil bit but I'm guessing the experience is going to be similar! Which means it's going to be a complete lovefest!

Aside from reading mags, playing free games, watching my shows, listening to Glee and testing a myriad of free apps - I've only bought one so far - the Scene It! Harry Potter game - and updating the firmware to 4.2.1, I've just been getting to know my iPad a lil better. But from what I've gleaned so far - I am in lurve!

maybe Haute Look didn't intentionally reject me

A couple of days ago I was trying to get some SIGG bottles on Haute look through the sample sale site's iPhone app. My sis had previously bought off of them via her app and it went through no issues so by virtue I should also be able to get stuff from them as well.

However when it came time for payment I kept getting a message that my card could not be authorized. This was the same message I kept getting when I was trying out the Sephora-To-Go iPhone app. I got my sis to try getting the stuff I wanted via her account but it was declined as well. So, I figured Haute Look had smartened up. Was a bit bummed but not bumming too hard :)

Then 3 days ago my sis tells me that she had gotten the two SIGG bottles I wanted. Turns out that the AMEX system was having issues and that's why I had been having problems with my last few online shopping tries. I guess I will try getting something from Haute Look and Sephora-To-Go to test it out since these were the two sites that gave me the authorization error message. For the rest, I'm pretty sure the rejection was due to the billing address so I'm not going to try Bath & Body Works or Piperlime again.

Anyways, the two bottles I got from SIGG are as pictured below.....


The SIGG bottle is great. My first AMEX online purchase sent to my Portland addy was of my silver wide mouth SIGG 1.0L bottle. Ever since using it in May, it has served me well and has already gotten plenty of battle scars from being accidentally knocked over or dropped on the floor. Nonetheless, I still love it. So I've been thinking that I just wanted another one. Another one being the 1.0L SIGG Root Over Rock bottle.

A couple of months ago, there had previously been a SIGG sale on another sample site, Beyond The Rack, which is where I first fell in love with the Root Over Rock design but it doesn't accept AMEX. My sis had bought stuff from them once or twice but when she tried to get this bottle for me, it was declined. Since then we haven't been able to shop there. So when I saw the SIGG event on Haute Look, I immediately browsed with finding this design in mind. As my luck would have it, it was on sale going for $12.99. The RRP on the SIGG site for this bottle is $24.99. I save 12 bucks on this so I'm good to go.

I also decided to get my gal pal a bottle as well. This is the same gal pal who I got the F21 embroidered motif top. I can't just give her one top so I had been trying to find something else to get her and the 0.6L SIGG SteelWorks wide mouth bottle in candy pink is perfect. She's starting to get seriously into running or exercise or something so she'll need to hydrate. What better than a really cute yet functional SIGG? Plus, the gorgeous, attention-grabbing colour will make it easy to differentiate from other people's water bottles. It retails for $19.99 on the SIGG site but on Haute Look it was going for $8.99.

Pretty great bargain's all around. I'm happy with the purchase and I can't wait to get my new SIGG bottle. I think it's keeping with my grey obsession that I'm so enamoured with this design. I can't help but feel that the fuschia pink tree on the light grey background is just sooooo pretty. Plus, I like the whole tree motif - it reminds me of the Tree Of Life, which is something I've kinda been appreciating lately for some reason or another :) Ok, I don't think I can wax lyrical about bottles much so I'm just going to stop now.

when i see it like this.....

Yea, even I can't believe the amount of stuff I buy online, hehehe. Ok, to be fair, that is the collective shopping of all three of us sisters. Eleven packages total this shipment, I think the comGateway and DHL employees think we're nuts!

In this collection are my two Forever 21 purchases. The top row is from the first package and the bottom row is from the Black Friday buy. I am loving the look of every single item I got despite the fact that the linen pants from my first package might be a lil tight. It was on clearance for $6.99 and I liked the laid-back look it had so despite knowing I would be completely sure with an L, I got the M cos that was the only biggest size available and I really liked them. My sis tried 'em on and she says it's tight in the thighs for her and she can't zip em up. I'm only a size smaller than she is - to be fair, she has given birth to 3 kids - and despite that we usually can fit the same pants size so it's a bit of a concern that she is having issues with these pants. It might be ok for me but till I can get my legs in them (hehe), the fit'll just be a mystery. Perhaps it'll serve as motivation to exercise and trim down my hips, lol.


I'm also really liking the 2 maxi dresses though I was unaware that there was a slit on the side. I am planning on getting the slit sewn up cos I like my casual long dresses to just have a full skirt. I was worried the dresses would be short and hang awkwardly but according to my sis they are "sweeping the floors", lol. I might have to get the length altered as well. It's good luck that I have an amazing tailor I can trust to make the alterations :).

The Black Friday haul also looks good on first impressions. My sis is really happy with her two slouchy cardies and from the pics of mine, I am loving the look of them too. I love blazers and as these cardies have a blazer feel to them, I am swooning at the thought of pairing these with my long dresses. I think the combo will be gorgeous. And last but not least is my slouchy striped tee. Oh my, I love, love, love the overall feel this tee presents. I think it looks like the most perfect slouchy oversized tee in the history of oversized tees. Yes, melodrama is coming out full force. Over an $11.99 oversized striped tee from Forever 21. I think it has a very simple casual feel ala Ella Moss. Which is also the feel I get off of the two slouch cardies as well. I think Ella Moss makes gorgeous basic pieces but her prices are beyond what I'm willing to pay. If I can have something that reminds me of Ella Moss at a price point I can handle, I'll take what Forever 21 has to offer.


Then we come to the remaining two items from my first Forever 21 purchase. The embroidered motif top and the cascading faux pearl necklace. These are the items that I bought as presents for others. Yup, I actually got things for other people besides myself, hehe. When I first talked about my F21 buy, I was still wishy-washy about keeping/giving the necklace but I have decided to give it to one of my best gal pals whom I know will love this kind of fancy-ish jewelry. The top I got is for another gal pal. It's actually kinda difficult to get clothes for her since the girl is soooo tiny but I figure this top has a banded ruched waist and is very pretty and it is in a size S, though I would have preferred an XS but no luck on that front, that I can't help but think she'll love it. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the top will be ok on her.


Also in this shipment were my endless.com purchases - the Steve Madden Tsunamii motorcycle rainboots and my Reebok RunTones. I got both in a size 9. The rainboots didn't come in half sizes and based on my web research, most places recommended going a half size up if you're in between. That pic is of my eldest sis wearing 'em. My sisters did ask me why I got them cos they didn't understand it. I think they look really nice and the fact that they aren't pleather means that it'll last longer. I have an aversion to getting pleather footwear after my faux leather knee high boots disintegrated on me during the Paris sojourn last year. Another reason I like these boots is because I also don't have to constantly take care of them like I would have to with a leather pair. Plus, they don't really look like rubber boots at all cos they don't have that rubber sheen that rainboots tend to have. It just looks like a well-worn shade of black.


The Reebok RunTone's are also a good fit, according to my sis. These shoes do come in half sizes but I took into account the thickness of socks when I wear athletic shoes and decided to go a half size up. I can wear an 8 1/2 for pumps, wedges and the like but for shoes like boots and sneakers, I figure I will go a half size up to accommodate the additional space wearing socks will take up. I'm glad it panned out for me. It could have been a colossal Melissa Vinyl II mistake :)

That's actually all from this shipment. My share was only 4 out of the 11 packages total though the boots and RunTone's did account for a lot of the weightage. My LUSH goodies also arrived. My sister is completely loving her Christmas Candy gift set and has gone completely bonkers for the Snow Fairy 3-in-1. She wants me to get the biggest bottle available for her now that I've told her it's only a Christmas special. Her reaction has me really excited to have a whiff of mine. I'm truly looking forward to the Glogg as well. I'll probably do a post on that once I have the stuff in hand.

my last online purchase before i got banned

Nothing serious, just banned by my sister who is the primary cardholder. I didn't tell her I was making a 200 dollar purchase and she was surprised, to say the least, when she saw the charge go through on her online statement, lol. I am not entirely sure why it's such a big deal since it's not like I'm saddling her with the bill to pay at the end of the month :)

Anyways, discount codes are my achilles heel. I had this limited time 30% off discount with no minimum from Spiegel.com and it was going to end in about 5 hours. It's about to be 7 am where I am and I managed to complete a lil bit of shopping before I went off for work. How crazy am I, lol?

So I decided to browse around the Newport News outlet but nothing interesting was there. Then I thought to take a look at the Shape FX products on offer. I had been thinking of getting one of those slimming shapewear from the Lytess for Shape FX line. I had been reading about the line here and there and was curious to try it out. I wanted to see if it would really help out with my hips which are a problem area for me. Now, I am by no means, overweight or actually have a weight issue, but like many women out there, I could use a lil bit of conditioning and toning. However, a lifetime of bad habits make change difficult to enforce so on top of my own efforts, I feel I need a lil bit of a nudge via other measures. And that's where Lytess for Shape FX comes in.

The Lytess for Shape fx® line are slimming shapewear that have caffeine-infused microcapsules within the fabric. The microcapsules act to mobilize fats. The Lytess for Shape fx® apparel also contains shea butter which moisturizes and smoothes the skin. Through clinical studies conducted, it is purported that wearing a Lytess for Shape fx® shapewear can result in a size reduction up to 1.5" on waist and up to 2.1" on hips after only 21 days.


I decided to go for the Lytess for Shape fx® Slimming Capri Pants. It is high-waisted and covers the legs all the way to mid-calf. This basically targets a number of areas on my body which could do with some help - my tummy, my hips, thighs and my calves. I figure, for the sixty dollar price tag it has attached to it, I might as well get something that will give me bang for my buck :) With the 30% off discount though, I just have to pay $42. I got this in the size S/M. This item is currently not in stock though and will only be shipping out in January 2011. That's totally fine by me - I just wanted to make sure I could use the 30% discount to get the item for cheap. This means I'll still only pay $42 only when the item is being prepped for shipment. If that's only in January, it will not appear in this month's billing cycle and thus provide a reprieve from having to pay for it from this month's salary too.

I also decided to get the Seamless Square-Neck Top by Shape fx®. I can't find the image for this on the website anymore so I'm guessing it's all sold out now. It was on sale for USD20.99 but with my discount I will only be charged $14.69. I got this to use as innerwear when I'm wearing sheer tops. I wanted something in a thin material and since this is a shapewear, all the better for it. I got this in a size S/M as well.

I have to say that i really like the Shape FX range. My first shapewear was from SPANX and though it is perhaps the most popular range of shapewear, I am kinda going to go out on a limb and say that I prefer the Shape FX line. I got the Sleek and Seamless Tunic-Length Tank Top by Shape fx® a month ago and I love it. I purchased it in a size S and it fits well and hides a multitude of sins. I am a borderline size S for tops and most of the time I end up in an M but for shapewear I figure I should go a size smaller. Else, what's the point of shapewear.

At checkout, my total was USD58.64 inclusive of the $1.95 handling charge. I hope that this order will hold up considering it's going to be some time before I'll actually get the items. I think some e-tailers tend to cancel such orders. I hope Spiegel will uphold it as well as the 30% discount. Only time will tell.....

i got these at the same time.....

I was buying the stuff from Overstock.com. I know I've been spending a lot this holiday season. I can't help but want to take advantage of all the holiday deals and though I don't celebrate Christmas in any way, nor Thanksgiving for that matter, I do appreciate the bargains galore that come attached with these two holidays.

Anyways, I was doing simultaneous shopping at Overstock as well as Walmart. I have been loving the Norma Kamali diffusion line offered via Walmart.com ever since it debuted. In this purchase, bar for one Faded Glory tunic shirt, everything I got was from the Norma Kamali line. And the best part was everything was on clearance sale!

I got a few things for myself but I also got two items for one of my gal pals for her birthday. Ok, I know some people would judge getting someone a gift on clearance, and from Walmart to boot, but I feel that if the gift is something you know the person you're gifting it to will love, it doesn't matter the cost or place it was gotten from. And the Norma Kamali line is a well thought out collection. Ok, defensive much, Zlena? Lol, but seriously, I do stand by my words and if I were to receive something from Walmart as a gift, regardless full price or clearance, I would be happy if the gift was something I truly would love.


On to the actual items purchased. First up we have this Norma Kamali jersey maxi dress in charcoal stripes. Yup, my maxi dress obsession continues. As does the stripes obsession. That's 3 maxi dresses and 3 striped items in one month. I have no explanation for it. I just love me some long dresses and striped clothing. And shoes and blazers but my obsessive tendencies are a whole other matter. Back to the matter at hand, I am going through a phase of loving grey. I am just loving the colour to death and am trying to amass as many grey clothing as I can from the looks of my shopping history :) Anyways, I loved the heather grey racerback maxi dress that I got from Norma Kamali the last time and I thought this striped version would be a great buy too. I love the feel of the material - so soft - and I think the cut is very flattering. I did decide to go with a size S this time cos the previous one I got was a size M and it was slightly too big. God only knows if I'll be able to fit into this but if the cutting is the same as the one I already have then I don't think it will be a problem.

Then we have the boyfriend vest in black stripes. Hmmm, looks like we are continuing with the stripes theme. I didn't realize that my vest was also part of the stripes brigade till I typed it out. Looks like its 4 striped items this month. Ok, so I am also a vest lover. I have loads of vests. Let's just make things easier and just make a blanket statement that I'm basically obsessed with clothes. I thought the look of this vest was so masculine/feminine. I like that it'll look great for work as well as over casual tees. Plus, I think I was thinking of Dmitry Chaplin when I decided to get this vest for myself. He looked so darn good wearing a vest similar to this during his Argentine tango dance with Mya on DWTS as well as on Ellen that I partially got this so I could be reminded of the awesomeness of Dmitry Chaplin rocking a vest, lol.

Final item from my personal Norma Kamali haul is this drawstring hooded french terry tunic sweatshirt in black. I had been eyeing this for the past 2 months and was always reluctant to pay the 25 dollar price tag. I came close many times to checking it out but I am sooooooo glad I waited cos I got this for just 8 bucks. That's a 17 dollar savings, guys! Love it when I get to save money like this! I already own another Norma Kamali tunic sweatshirt that has a drawstring waist. I got that one in an L but for this time I went with an M cos the L is very oversized though definitely still wearable. This design is slighly different as the drawstrings are on the cuffs as well as the hem. I don't know how flattering a cut it'll be though.

Last item I got for myself is this cute printed tunic shirt from Faded Glory. It was also something I had been looking at but didn't want to pay the 9 bucks sale price, lol. Then I saw it had gone down to 5 bucks. Feeling that that was finally a deal I could get on board with and so I got it, hehe.

These next items are birthday prezzies for the gal pal I got the F21 embroidered motif top for. Next years' birthday that is. The F21 top I got is a belated 2010 birthday gift since the original gift I got her did not pan out. Anyways, I got her the same Norma Kamali boyfriend vest I got for myself but hers is in solid black. I first picked the vest for her cos she had told me off hand earlier this year that she was looking for a collar-less vest. I had been casually keeping my eye out for a vest that would fit her requirements - she is a bit of a picky person - and when I saw this, I thought it would be perfect for her. I got this in XS cos Norma Kamali sizes sometimes tend to run a lil larger and the girl is a wisp. She may have found her vest already but it doesn't hurt to own another pair :) I also got her this flutter sleeve sheer georgette blouse, also in XS, cos I think it's something that's to her taste. I think the top is very feminine and pretty and definitely something she can wear to work. I can see her totally rocking the shirt/vest combo.


And that's all from my Walmart haul. My total cost for everything was $55.82. It was a complete bargain and I couldn't be more happier with these purchases :D

UPDATE (09/12/2010):
As of last check on my Posted iPhone app, which I love love love btw - best $1.99 I've spent on an app, my Walmart package is in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania. Should arrive by Monday in Portland I guess.

further holiday deals tripping me up

And the buying never stops! Hehe, well after getting the iPad, I kinda figured I would need to accessorize so I did. And when I start accessorizing, I end up getting other things as well. I am beyond being saved :D

Anyways, last month's billing cycle has closed so I decided to just get the rooCase iPad cover in magenta from Overstock.com while my welcome 10% discount was still deemed valid. After making this purchase, man, I seriously can't wait to get my zebra vinyl decal as well as this rooCase. Can you imagine how gorgeous the combo of zebra fur print will look against the hot pink-purplish hue of the rooCase folio?? Seeing the 2 images I uploaded of the items respectively in the previous post already has me in a tizzy about the potential aesthetic greatness of the duo.



Of course, it didn't just end with the iPad case.....

I have mentioned this item before on this blog and I finally just decided I will not overthink it too much and just get the thing before it went out of stock. What could I possibly be talking about? Well, it's this.....


Yup, that's the MICHAEL Michael Kors Oversized Runway Watch in gold. I have lusted over this watch for close to three years now and finally - in Zlena's Year of Living Frivolously - I have succumbed to my longings, said "To Hell with it!" and got myself the darn watch. Three years is a long enough wait - if you're still wanting it after three years means you really, really want it. The $187.99 price tag really helped to nudge me as well :)

After discounts, I was charged $201.58 for the two items which, when put into perspective, is nearly 50 bucks cheaper than the RRP of the watch itself. Basically, what I would have paid if I had gone the Bloomies/Nordstroms route. I have looked on Overstock.com many times before but had never found this watch to be available till this holiday season. I had initially chosen the regular sized version of this watch but as I waited for the next billing cycle to begin, the watch sold out. I had admired this larger one as well but was, and still am, worried it might look too ostentatious. However, I will make it work regardless cos the fact is, money has been spent - no time for regrets and even if there are some, it's basically useless. Again, all dependant on whether the charge goes through - been having bad luck with the AMEX for the past coupla days so I really don't know if the actual charge will pass or otherwise.

I am truly hoping that this charge will go through mainly cos I am starting to really want that watch. My Tag Heur has been acting up lately and I would love to get my hands on this MICHAEL Michael Kors watch as a backup to my Tag. Right now, all I can do is wait and see. Fingers crossed that Overstock.com is a go :)

UPDATE (08/12/2010):
Well colour me surprised! After the rejections I've been getting from Sephora, Bath & Body Works, Piperlime, Haute Look and other e-tailers that refused to accept my AMEX, I am slightly stunned that this charge on Overstock.com has gone through. Woohoo....?

UPDATE (09/12/2010):
The watch is already in Oregon - just not yet delivered to my Portland addy. Geez, that was super quick! The rooCase is coming in a seperate shipment and is in Carson, California I think as of my last check. It has basically not left the state from whence it hails, lol. And I also just got an email with another 10% discount from Overstock.com as a thank you for my first purchase. Man, I am starting to become uneasy with these discount codes - they're making me shop too much, lol. But my sis has banned me from shopping after my Overstock.com charge went through. It's the single biggest charge I've actually made online so she told me that I'm not allowed to buy anything till the new billing cycle opens next month, hehehe. I'm ok with it though. I also feel I should take a bit of a breather.

dressing up

When I get new stuff, I love to play dress up as various blog posts can attest. But the act of dressing up doesn't solely apply to my clothing purchases alone but also extends to various other things namely, in this particular case, my brand, spanking new iPad!

No, I don't have it with me but as is my usual SOP, I go around looking for accessories. My main concern is to protect my new tech gadget from bumps and bruises but the best part of this is when I find a product that serves the dual function of being stylish AND functional.

Hence, I've been looking around for the perfect genuine leather iPad case that will serve the purpose of covering the iPad, as a stand and as a fashionable accessory. I am adamant that I get a proper leather piece as I've had issues with synthetic leather products peeling on me. If I'm going to be spending a pretty amount of dollars, I want it to be real leather.

Amazingly enough, I've found the case that I want for a price that is really affordable. I am thinking of getting this rooCASE Textured Leather Apple iPad Folio Case in Magenta. It is listed going for USD35.99 on Overstock.com. I have a 10% off promo code so I would definitely consider getting it from there.


Of course, till I decide to actually get it, my iPad needs to be protected and so I have decided to use a vinyl sticker decal like on my Netty. I went back to the eBay store I purchased my HP 2133 decal from but there were slim pickings there so I had to broaden my search. I came across this FLorida-based company that had vinyl decals for the back as well as the front border going for $9.99. Plus with the international shipping via USPS for $1.99, I would have to pay $11.98 total. That's a really reasonable deal.

The store, MightySkins Outlet, has an array of ipad skins to choose from and I had a tough time trying to figure out how I wanted my iPad to be characterized. In the end I settled for this realistic looking zebra print.


I ran this option past my second sis to see if it was just me who thought the decal was too cute and she agreed with me. Even to the extent of saying it made her want to run her fingers through the fur, lol. I love it.

I am likely to be getting my iPad this coming Monday as I have relatives flying in for a holiday and my sis will be passing it through them. Since I just completed purchase of the decal today, I can only get it when my boss comes up at the end of the month. I still have time to decide if I want the rooCase now or sometime after Christmas cos I don't want my items to get caught up in any Christmas shipping snafus.

talk about impulse buy

Sometimes I do wonder how it happens. How I end up spending hundreds of dollars in a blink of an eye. One phone call and suddenly I'm the owner of a 64GB 3G + Wifi Apple iPad. Hehe.

I know, I can see the slow Apple conversion going on. I am seriously liking my hand-me-down iPhone and had been thinking about getting the gen 4 but it looks like I have an iPad instead.

I'm a lil stunned by the purchase since I actually had no inclination to owning an iPad - despite it being Oprah's number one favourite pick :D But the deed is done and my sis has my iPad in hand so I guess I join the ranks of iPad owners :P

My sis was attending the launch of the 3G iPad back in Homeland. Being an AMEX platinum cardmember she got to go to the pre-launch and get her hands on one before the rest of the masses. She already owns the latest iPad and has been trying to get me on board as well but I have been resistent or just non-committal about it. Not as non-committal as I thought I guess, hehe.

The great thing about this is that I get the iPad for practically the same price as its being sold in the States. After forex conversion it costs USD830. AND the most stupendous thing about this purchase is.....it's on a 12-month interest free payment plan! WOOHOO!

Hmmm, I kinda don't know what I'm dong with an iPad :P

so i'm totally stopping after this

Yea, I know I make declarations such as this ALL THE TIME but considering I really wanna be able to pay them all off at the end of this month as well as keep up with my study loan payments and handbag payments, I have to make sure I follow through.

Anyways, these purchases were more of me stocking up while its cheap rather than getting anything new per se. Ok, let me be honest cos if there's any time and place to be honest it's going to be on this semi-anon blog that I have - I was stocking up on ONE thing, the other two items in my order are just new whimsies.

Moving on with the post, as usual there was some awesome deal I had to take advantage of on drugstore.com and the short of it is it cost me $53.78. I present my 'haul' as below:


First and foremost of all, I was looking for replacement brush heads for my Clarisonic (which is MY beauty tool du jour, can't express how much I love, love, love it!) and it so happened they were going for a really great bargain on drugstore.com. This is after I did my usual Google Shopping gig and finding that the best deal was from my favourite drugstore refuge - though Clarisonic is more a high-end brand than a drugstore brand but anywho.....I got the pack-of-2 CLARISONIC Replacement Brush Head for Sensitive Skin that usually retails for 40 bucks at the very pleasing price of $25.60! I have been diligently using the Clarisonic twice a day as part of my skincare routine and considering the wear and tear of daily use and the instructions to replace brush heads every 3/4 months, I figured it was the right time to be looking into some spare heads.

Then I decided to get myself the ecoTools brow and lash groomer. I had been eyeing this brand for some time, debating to go for this or the Sonia Kashuk for Target range of eco makeup tools but on a recent trip to Homeland, I found a local beauty store that carried the line and ended up purchasing the ecoTools 5 piece mini brush set to use with my Jane Iredale mineral foundation compact. I loved the set I got - the bristles are synthetic but oh so soft! - and since my really, really old (we're talking turn of the millenium old!) plastic Lancome brow and lash brush, short anecdote - received as a free gift when I bought my first high-end fragrance Oui, already had a gaping hole where it was missing more than a few teeth, I figured it was a good time as ever to invest in a new groomer. And there just so happened to be a special sale on ecoTools products on drugstore.com. I got the brush for the great deal price of $3.19. Hey, since I'm replacing an old, worn out lash and brow groomer, I believe this qualifies as a 'restock' of sorts :D

Last paid item on the list is the RapidLash Eyelash Enhancing Serum. This was a non-necessity, just a random buy. I wasn't in the market for one but as I am wont to do, I was trying to qualify for free shipping. Usually this product would cost an arm and a leg for this teeny tube but drugstore.com had a price reduction special going on so I figured why not. With the special discount and on top of my member promo code I got this serum for $29.99. Of course, I read the reviews first before proceeding and it appears primarily excellent. I was born with sparse-ish brows and my lashes though not stunted but well, which girl wouldn't like more luscious lashes? If this product does what it says it does, I'll be glad I decided to throw caution to the wind (hehe, this seems like a funny saying to me somehow) and just go for it. If it doesn't do anything, then I would not feel the burn so much since I didn't pay the full $49.99 for it :)

Other stuff I got were just some free samples - a Fekkai Glossing Shampoo/Glossing Conditioner Dual Sachet, a de-luxe SaVON French Milled Soap, a Sue Devitt MicroQuatic Pro-Juvenation Reparative Eye Cream, a Stila Eyeshadow Kitten Complimentary Sample and a complimentary sample vial of Jack Black Eau de Parfum.

DISCLAIMER:
Images are not my own but are courtesy of drugstore.com

Call me a shoe-a-holic too I guess

So my usual MO after being denied at one site is to go buy from another. Ok, ok, gimme a break, at least I don't go all crazy and just get everything my heart desires one shot :D There's still that part of me that is budgeting away, figuring out if I can make the payments by the end of the month.

Despite the slight disappointment of my failed Bath & Body Works order, I bounced right back when I found out Piperlime would be having a 20% off discount for Cyber Monday. I mentioned previously that I had a 15% off discount from them when I signed up for their e-newsletter but the bigger the discount, the better right? I received the 20% off notification in my inbox before I found out about my failed order so there was a small part of me that wanted the BBW cancelation to happen so that I could finally get those Corso Como Festive Ballet Flats at a discount. I did rationalize that even if the BBW order went through, I still could get the flats cos they are on backorder on Piperlime and will only be shipping Dec 26th which means that till then, my card will not be charged but they'll honour the discounted price on the date that the item is available. Hence, I was waiting for 12 am Monday morning to roll around so that I could finally get the Festive flats I had been lusting over.

This morning when I checked my inbox and saw the BBW cancelation email, I thought, well, lucky for me that that didn't go through cos I had started feeling a bit stupid about getting 14.5oz candles to be shipped from the States - they would cost me a bomb! I immediately knew I would definitely be getting the Festive flats from Piperlime. But of course, I decided to do my due diligence first and look around to see if there were other places offering the shoes for less than I would have to pay with the 20% off.

I checked Google Shopping out and most were in the normal price range with no discount offer except for Zappos which I hadn't looked at before. I decided to google Zappos coupon codes and found that the site doesn't offer any promo codes which is a complete bummer. But while I was checking out the Zappos RetailMeNot page, I saw the link for Piperlime and decided to click on it for the hell of it.

And boy was I sooooooooo glad that I did cos there was a Black Friday 25% off discount on purchases, which I was not made aware off via any newsletter might I add, and it was ending in a couple of hours. That immediately spurred me to check out the Festive flats in my Piperlime cart and I was so glad to have made the cut off before the coupon expired. I managed to get the flats for 45 bucks so woohoo for that! And considering my card is only charged when the item is being prepared for shipment, I will probably have a long wait before it does and will only likely have to pay for them in January 2011. So yippee for that as well.

Since I've already gotten 3 pairs of shoes in the past 3 days, I figure I don't mind waiting for the flats cos my main concern was just getting them at a discount. I am okay with them coming whenever, it's not like I'll be shoe-less cos I will admit that I've gotten a number of pairs this year alone. I think I might be up to ten pairs as it is :P There's the Cynthia Vincent For Target cognac wedges, the Newport News clogs, Charles Keith black wedges, studded black ballet flats, Croc wedges, Skechers Shape Ups, Steve Madden Tsunamii, Vince Camuto Edon Wedges, Vince Camuto flats, Reebok RunTones and these Corso Como Festive flats. Right, that's actually 11 pairs of shoes gotten this year alone, hehe. That's not even counting the shoes that I already own, OMG. And there's still the TOMS wedges that I want but I'm waiting for a free shipping code to appear. I realize the TOMS company does good but I am really, really, really averse to paying shipping if I can help it. It's just the way I feel about that :) Up till then, I think I'm good on the shoe front, lol.

UPDATE (30/11/2010):
Sigh. Denied again. I was kinda surprised that I was since my sis has shopped at Piperlime numerous times and she has never had any issues. Oh well, will probably just try to get the shoes through her then. Just have to wait for another 25 off coupon, no big deal :)

Ok, this HAS to be it! I'm done for Black Friday!

Oh why, oh why, oh why am I such a sucker? I know I don't need anymore beauty products. I have more than I can use at one time but I was tempted by those Youtube Vloggers MacBarbie07 and MissGlamorazzi to get some stuff from Bath & Body Works.


Aside from that, I'm really excited about the stuff I got! LOL, what a turnaround but anyways, I got 5 hand sanitizers - mostly from their holiday collection. It was a buy 5 for $5 and I feel that for a buck each, it's a really good deal. I was convinced to get these by MacBarbie07 cos she was raving about them in her latest haul video. Sometimes I wonder at my own gullibility. The girl is half my age :) But I love her and find her completely adorable. I chose to get the Santa's Mallow Mint, Comet's Ginger Mint, Winter Candy Apple, Vanilla Bean Noel and the Twisted Peppermint pocket hand sanitizer. I have used Bath & Body Works hand sanitizers before and I do like them though I can definitely get the normal stuff which would work just as well. I just decided to indulge in some holiday editions simply cos I'm frivolous like that *wink, wink*


Next, I decided to get some fragrance mist. MacBarbie07 is obsessed with these. I think she has an inordinately LARGE amount of body splashes/fragrance mists and can't fathom how she manages to use up any if at all :) But she got me suckered into trying some out. I figured I didn't really want to get the large bottles cos I might not like the scent since I'm buying them sight unseen - or more appropriately scent unsmelled, lol - so I went for the travel size version. The site had a 3 for $10 deal going on so I could pick and choose whatever suited my fancy. I got 2 sets of the 3 for $10 simply because I liked the sound of all the notes of each of the scents. The first three I chose were Coconut Vanilla, Berry Vanilla and Sweet Pea. Ithink MacBarbie07 did buy the Coconut Vanilla and/or Berry Vanilla but I definitely know AllThatGlitters21 loves the Sweet Pea scent.


Then I decided to get the Japanese Cherry Blossom, Twilight Woods and Sea Island Cotton. I think I've seen reviews on Japanese Cherry Blossom and Twilight Woods on MacBarbie07 (I tell ya the girl loves her Bath & Body Works fragrance mists!) and she seems to like the stuff and the Sea Island Cotton I just thought the notes sounded really good.


Third on my list of Bath & Body Works wants was either the scent bugs or candles. I ended up getting the huge 14.5 oz candles - simply because they were going for 2 for $20 and one itself costs $19. It's basically 2 for the price of 1. I saw on Miss Glamorazzi's haul vid that she has the Homemade Cookies candle and I love the smell of baked goods. Plus the reviews were very positive for this scent. I got that and then I decided to have an opinion of my own (instead of being fed info via Youtube haul vids) and get the Sweet Pumpkin Cinnamon candle. I love the smell of cinnamon and I think the smell of roasted pumpkin is divine. I also read the reviews of this scent on the site and the overwhelming majority think it's great.

I'm now up to a lil over 40 bucks with all the stuff in my cart and can now qualify for the deal I had my eye on right after I was done choosing the pocketbacs. This 2010 holiday gift worth $115 going for $20 with any purchase of $40. Ok, I confess, I wanted the bag :P I think it's a cute tote and for 20 bucks I could also get a bunch of stuff that I can always regift. The set comes with full size bottles of the Secret Wonderland shower gel, body mist and body lotion. This set alone is worth more than 20 bucks. I can definitely repack this as a birthday gift. It also contains the full size Twilight Woods For Men shower gel which I can always fob off as another gift for one of my colleagues. Also included is a Wallflower Starter and Single Refill in Fresh Balsam, a full size Anti-Bacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap in Sunburst Tangerine, a pink gauze sponge and a packet of Fekkai Glossing Cream all which I plan to keep for myself. Last but not least, it has the Twisted Peppermint PocketBac and a sparkly PocketBac Holder. I am going to gift the PocketBac but keep the holder :)


I spent a total of $72.97 inclusive of shipping which cost me $7.99. I can't really believe I bought that much considering I just got myself some Lush Christmas sets but buy I did. I have to say that I was very aware when I made all the purchases to not get any bath stuff for myself considering I have an unopened 16oz bottle of Philosophy's Cinnamon Buns and the Snow Fairy and Glogg shower gel as well as Mandarin Tea Party soap, Shimmy Shimmy bar and Angel's Delight soap coming my way. I know I'm keeping all the Lush stuff for myself but I'm thinking of gifting some of the body splashes to friends since I don't think I want to keep all 6 of them. I don't have space to keep all the stuff on my vanity. That's it on the bath and body products. I am not allowing myself to get anymore stuff until I finish 98% of the thing's I've gotten!

Ok, this is also dependant on if the charge goes through. I've been having quite a bit of success on the whole US addy fib thing that sometimes I forget my AMEX is not invincible, hehe.

DISCLAIMER:
All images are from the Bath & Body Works site :)

UPDATE (27/11/2010):
Hmmm, I think I jinxed my BBW order. The order status is still at processing. It's been a whole 24 hours. That usually means that it's a no go. A teeny bit sad but that's the way things go, ain't it?

UPDATE (29/11/2010):
Right, let me draw a line through Bath & Body Works on my list of places I'd love to shop at. It officially goes on the "Places That Resist The Power of AMEX". Ah, well, what to do, that's just how it goes.

And buy more I did! The Black Friday hauling continues!

I thought I could make it through with just the endless.com purchase but why do I bother thinking I have self-control? I got an email from Forever 21 on their Black Friday deals and thought I'd take a look. I have had a few things in my cart from the site but have been reluctant to check out cos the items are all full price right now. Am waiting for the stuff to go on sale which, on F21, you can bet they will.

But when I saw the Black Friday deals being offered, I knew I wanted to get some of the stuff and decided to rope in my sister to help complete the 50 bucks min free shipping quota. I ended up getting two of the longline slouchy cardigans from the Black Friday deals and this horizontal stripes oversized tunic tee which I feel is just superbly casual and slouchy yet completely fashionable. Sometimes I wonder how I get all that from a simple striped top :P That was the only original item in my cart that I got since both my sis and I had to add one item each to make the 50 bucks free shipping.


So I got the cardigan, which was on offer for 9 bucks each, in the colour black and carcoal. I like the overall look of the cardigan - it has a bit of a slouchy blazer look and I'm sure I've conveyed how blazer-crazy I am. My sis also got one in black and another in cocoa. All in all we had 4 of these cardies in our order.

I have also been really into oversized slouchy casual tees of late and thought this striped tee would make a perfect addition to my collection. I like my oversized tees to cover my butt and judging from the pics, this one does. So far I've been pairing my various oversized tees with either my Unionbay skinny cargo pants, the Signature by Levi Strauss Totally Slimming flare jeans or my Signature by Levi Strauss Totally Slimming slim leg jeans. I can see this tee going well with all three of those pants as well.

My total in this Forever 21 Black Friday haul was just $29.80. I think that's a very reasonable amount to pay for my 3 fabulous items. Of course I had to make payment via my F21 app since that's the only way the charge will go through on my AMEX. I really can't wait now to get all my F21 stuff. I see the slouchy cardies going really well with the two dresses I got in my first F21 iPhone app attempt earlier in the month! LOVE IT!

DISCLAIMER:
None of the pics are mine and are courtesy of the F21 site.

Black Friday Is Here!!!!!!!

YES! I have been waiting for this sales event for months! MONTHS, I TELL YA! And now that it's finally come around.....at first I was completely underwhelmed. But I think that is cause I am sick this week. I went back to Homeland last weekend cos it was a long holiday in Workland and caught my nephew and nieces' bug.

Anyways, I digress. The point is - I LOVE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS! I have just completed my first ever Black Friday purchase and I love it! I was looking for interesting deals via The Budget Babe's site cos she has a special Black Friday/Cyber Monday section and saw an entry regarding Endless.com's 30% off on selected merchandise in shoes and accessories. I thought I'd take a gander and look around to see if any of the shoes I've had my eye on would qualify for this special discount.

And whaddayaknow? Of course there will be two of the footwear I've been dying to get qualifying for the 30% off discount AS WELL AS free priority overnight shipping! I got myself the Steve Madden Tsunamii motorcycle rainboots in Black and the Reebok RunTone in Gravel/Brazenberry.


I wanna talk about the Reebok's first. I have been looking at these shoes since last year when I was trying to figure out all these toning shoes. These atheletic footwear have a RRP of $99.95 but I have been averse to paying that much for a pair of sneakers. So periodically I will check around during the major sales events and the Reebok EasyTone/RunTone range ARE NEVER INCLUDED in the sales. I will always be majorly disappointed once I've put 'em in the cart and enter the promo code and it always comes back that the shoes are ineligible for the promo. So when I saw on endless.com that these athletic footwear would qualify for 30% off, I immediately did not hesitate to get them. I ended up paying USD69.97, woohoo! And even better that they had it in the black/fuschia color combo I had been eyeing. That's simply the perfect mix - great price and great colour. Love it!

The Steve Madden Tsunamii rainboots I've liked after seeing them on the Bloomies site at the tail end of Summer this year. They are a new release by Steve Madden and became available in September if I'm not mistaken. I have been wanting to get this since and have just been waiting for the right site to give me the best possible discount. I recently had it in my Piperlime cart cos I got a 15% discount when I signed up for their email newsletter but was holding out for Black Friday before I checked out.


And I'm soooooo glad I did. At $55.96 after 30% off, how could I not??? I have been looking for a good pair of knee high boots to wear that are not pleather. These are made out of rubber which could look (and smell) awful but because the material is quite matte, the boots don't look so plasticky. I originally wanted Hunter rainboots but in the end I came to my senses and decided that somthing below 100 bucks was reasonable. I also love the contrast zipper stitching in red. I think this detail gives the boots a very fashionable air and serves as a fashion piece as well as for the obvious practical reasons. The other reason I thought this would be a great buy is the fact that it has an adjustable buckle at the top of the boots so calf fit should not be an issue. Sometimes boots can be too loose/too tight at the calves so it's great to have the option of tightening/loosening the straps and that they actually serve a function and are not simply decorative. Also, love that these rainboots can be zippered into instead of having to pull them on/off from the top. Saves one time struggling to get in/out of them :D

Total spent was $125.93. I am sooooo happy with that. I think I should stop at this for Black Friday shopping but since the weekend is coming up and I have no plans, I'm most likely going to end up sitting at my laptop and browsing. And when I browse, I usually end up buying :P

DISCLAIMER: Images are not mine and belong to endless.com

Lush-erly LUSH Stuff!

Hmmm, the title makes me sound like a lush, hehe. Ok, play on words over - basically I got myself two Christmas gift sets from LUSH. And I'm very excited cos both sets contain the two shower gels I've been wanting to try - Snow Fairy and Glogg.


The first set I got was the Snow Fairy Gift. It's listed as GBP9.95 but since I'm not a UK resident, I got it for the tax free price of GBP8.47. Love it! The set comes with a 100g bottle of Snow Fairy shower gel which has a sweet bubblegum and candyfloss scent, Shimmy Shimmy Glitter bar which is like a solid aromatherapy body moisturiser/massage bar and the Angel's Delight soap that has a combo of blackberry mixed with tangerine and sweet orange oils to produce a jelly bean scent. Ummm, all of it smells yummy. I'm really happy to get my hands on the shower gel as I've heard so many great things about the scent and considering it's in the vein of my fave soap Rockstar, I'm guessing this is a winner for me. Fingers crossed. Found out about this from AllThatGlitters21 and thought I'd trust her nose and get it for myself.


Another recommendation from Elle of off AllThatGlitters21 is the Glogg shower gel. Reading the description, I love the sound of it! It contains brandy, cinnamon and clove. Glogg is actually the Swedish version of mulled red wine and according to some Swedes who have gotten this, the smell is true to its namesake :) Elle also talked about the Mandarin's Tea Party ginger infused soap. I thought this seemed like a good combo - zesty mandarin oil, neroli oil and ginger - and infused with Lush's Orange Blossom perfume scent, this should be a great morning working weekday soap. I was lucky enough that there was a gift scent named Winter Warmers that contained these two items and for the tax-free price of GBP6.77, I was sold.

I shared this purchase with my sisters. Both of them are crazy about the Bubblegum lip scrub I let them try out that was given to me by Oz friend so they badgered me into getting the Lush stuff since I already had an account with them. After dividing the shipping weight costs according to the individual weights of the items we individually purchased, I had to pay GBP9.04 for shipping which brought this purchase's total to GBP24.28. I think thats pretty okay since it is coming all the way from the UK :)

All of the products, apart from the Shimmy Shimmy Glitter Bar are Christmas items only and are limited edition products. Once the holiday season is over, you'll likely have to wait for next year before you can get your hands on them again :) I'm most excited to try out the two shower gels and can't wait for this shipment to arrive!

DISCLAIMER:
All images were derived from the LUSH UK site.

you know you've been living in La La Land too long if.....

sentences like "Oh forget reality, who cares about that!" actually come out from you mouth.

Hello blog! I'm baaaack. Oh, I have missed you, I truly did but when the lazies get ahold of me, sometimes it is just damn difficult to break free from its shackles. I like how every time I've been away from The Inner Workings Of A Frivolous Mind, I come back a lil bit stranger and as always dramatic :D

Regarding the title and the first line of this post, yea, I actually did say that. Just a couple of minutes ago which prompted me to come on here and blog about it. The moment the words left my mouth and I heard them, I just felt completely incredulous at my lack of grounding and just had to write about it. As a reminder that, kooky can be cute but crazy ain't a house of fun, hehe. I don't know where I'm coming up with this stuff, truly.

So in the weeks that has passed us by since my last sojourn on here, as can be expected, life has moved along. Things have happened, good and bad, whatever, am trying not to dwell too much. I realize that I tend to allow my life to be so mired in the past sometimes that it hinders me from growing as a person. And the reality is, despite this blog being called The Inner Workings Of A Frivolous Mind, I'd say that frivolity is not really a strong aspect of my personality. Ok, my shopping habits might discredit that but we're not talking about my need to self-gratify through buying things (I know that part of me shops because of this) but I'm talking about the overall general approach to living. I can totally live within myself and sometimes it results in my being a downright grumpy biatch.

Hmmm, how did this post become about my personality and psyche? I really don't know. It really was about me coming on here to take a moment to record the time I said, "Oh forget reality, who cares about that!" And the reason it came about had something to do with, incredulously enough, the US TV show Dancing With The Stars and a certain pro dancer I have recently become enamoured with. Sigh, I really uphold this dude as the epitome of male virility. He really looks like a perfect specimen of what a man should look like. Ok, what I deem a man should look like. Tall, dark handsome with the longest legs ever. Sigh. I get goosebumps just thinking about his legs, lol. No, its not Maks though I have to admit he gives my guy a run for his money. Maks, wow, he oozes sexuality. I used to think that ballroom dancers all looked poncey and Fabio-ish till I saw Maks. But Maks seems like too much of a man for me, hehehe. I don't think I could handle that. My guy perfectly balances out machismo and whatever else.

So which pro dancer is it that has me all in a tizzy? None other than the gorgeously delicious DMITRY CHAPLIN!


Geez, Dmitry, you are just soooooo good looking and tall and those legs are just always perfectly encased in your dance costumes. Sigh. Mega crush alert!

DISCLAIMER: Pic does not belong to me and was gotten via Google Image.

i'm on the bandwagon and i'm kinda lovin' it

I have an iPhone. I got it for free. It's not a new one and it's from the second generation but it allows me to use all these great iPhone shopping apps and I'm completely in love with it because of this.

As can be seen from the pic below, the iPhone's seen better days :D But I'm not complaining, I got it for free, free, freeeeeee. Plus, the phone is wrapped so all the scratches bar the ones on the back are superficial and only on the screen protector and clear sheet. I'm just too lazy to replace the screen sheet. The only improvement I made was to upgrade the software - it's a jailbroken iPhone btw - and cover the aluminium back with a fuschia sheet. I am never one to stray away from monochrome colours when it comes to my tech gadgets but with this - since I didn't have to actually buy it - I thought why the hell not give it a lil bit of sassy colour!

One of the first things I did when I got my hand-me-down iPhone was to download every single shopping app that I could find of sites which I have been unable to shop at like Macy's and Forever 21. I was particularly excited about the F21 app cos previously if I wanted to get anything, I'd have to go through my sister's card cos she has one that's based in a country the site ships to. But through this app, I'm able to use my AMEX to shop indiscriminately! I tried it out recently and got a bunch of stuff and the package has already been delivered to my Portland addy and is awaiting shipment to Homeland.


So the item that got the ball rolling was the F21 Twisted Shoulder Modal Sheath Dress in Stripes. I realize I have tons of long dresses but I don't own one in stripes. I had found one back in Homeland going for a lil over 12 bucks but the length ended a bit awkwardly above my ankles and looked totally funny on me. When I saw this dress going for USD9.99, I just knew I had to get it. I am aware that horizontal stripes can be unforgiving but I read that the slimmer the lines the better it looks when worn. Hence, I'm hoping it'll look good. Next to it is the same dress but in a solid navy blue colour. I felt for USD9.99, I could be generous towards myself and get another.

Right now on the Forever21 site they have reduced free shipping to a minimum purchase of $50 from the previous minimum of $75 so knowing what a stickler I am about NOT paying for shipping, I decided to make sure I upped my total to a lil over 50 bucks to qualify. I knew I needed to get a birthday prezzie for one of my gal pals and I thought this would be the perfect op to do that. I got her an embroidered floral knit top in a nice burgundy shade and the cascading faux pearl necklace. I don't have an image of the top cos by the time I decided to screen cap my purchases, the top was gone. I'm iffy about actually gifting the necklace along with the top since I'm kinda unsure if she'd actually wear something like that. When I saw the necklace, I just thought it was such a pretty piece and boughtit on a whim. Once I see it in person, I'll decide if it should go to my girl or to a different gal pal or even to myself, hehehe.

Lastly I decided to get the drawstring linen pants in gray for USD6.99. I thought they looked like they would be comfy travel pants and since I've been making a lot of drives to an out-of-the-way project site, I could use a good, roomy pair of flattering pants to wear during the 6 hour drive each way.

All in all, USD50.76 well spent. I actually shopped for all the items on my laptop, put 'em in the cart and then logged on to my mobile F21 app and made the purchase from there. It's kind of a drag to be looking at stuff via a teeny screen when I can do it comfortably via my 15.4 inch Asus. I just needed the payment facility via the iPhone app to make the purchase. I believe it goes through when I pay via the app cos mobile shopping is just starting to become popular but a lot of mobile payment facilities are not yet up to the same security levels as when shopping via the computer. Hence, card verification is less of an issue when done via mobile.

Whatever it is that allows me to shop F21, I'm not going to even attempt to dissect it. As long as it continues to allow me to shop there, good on me!

DISCLAIMER: Collage of F21 haul - images derived from F21 site

it's yay for spiegel

Yes, it is a yay for my Spiegel order. I did have to email them for an order status update but the point is - the order went through! This means I get my stuff soon-ish but only pay for them in January 2011. Yippee! I love when I can shop and pay later. Though since my local currency is actually stronger than the US dollar right now, the credit card forex rates are the lowest they've ever been so it would actually benefit me to pay now instead of later. This is assuming that the US dollar rebounds before January of course :)

Anyways, this means I can wait till after 6 November to get the other 5 Newport News stuff I wanted. Ok, yes, I'm still not done clothes shopping. I can't help it if there are still clothes out there that are calling out to me! They WANT me to buy them. I know that came off as crazy, hehehe.

Ooh, aside from that, my KMart, Walmart, Newport News, Chloe sunnies and Amazon stuff has arrived in Homeland so double, triple, quadruple Woohoos! I am so psyched! My family will be coming up for a visit this coming Saturday so I can get some of my stuff then. I'm still trying to pick and choose the items I want to see first. I just know I want my Nature's Cure acne system so I can see if it really works. I'm having really hard-to-get-rid-of blemishes and its truly annoying how slathering lightening moisturiser diligently morning and night is not giving me faster results. I can see a difference but not fast enough.

I am aware that the pills could not work for me as they did/do for many others but like I mentioned before, I am willing to try them out for 2 months to give them a fair shake. I am hoping the system will work for me. If not, I'll just maintain my current regime, which appears to be working, and hope for the best till I can get my hands on my Clarisonic Plus as well as Jane Iredale compact and Neutrogena cream when I go back to Homeland on the 20th.

when one site shuts me out.....

try and try again. Hmmm, somehow I think I screwed up that quote a bit :D

I think I'm gonna officially list "testing the limits of my AMEX on US e-tailers" as one of my hobbies. As my shoes.com order was canceled and I strongly believe the Spiegel purchase won't get through either, I decided to try my luck with drugstore.com and pay for the items that have been sitting in my cart there instead. So much for this comment about no more beauty buys, hehehe :D

As the landscape of my face is undergoing changes right now, I've been researching new products to try in my quest for control. I went to several sites and read multiple reviews before settling on the items below. I was particularly inspired by this and this articles. Yes, I am very impressionable. Oh, the Tide-To-Go stain remover pens are not beauty but they were part of the haul - I've always wanted them :D



First up, we have the Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle, Anti-Blemish Cream. Yeah, that's right. It's an anti-acne AND anti-aging product. Just that alone compelled me to buy it. But I did my due diligence. I didn't rely on the article from lemondrop.com alone. In search of this product, I went to the one place I knew would be the most likely source for this hard-to-find product - drugstore.com. This isn't the first time I've gotten stuff from drugstore.com but this will be the first time I'm doing the purchasing. That's how I know that my best bet would be to look here and I was right. I found the Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle, Anti-Blemish Cream and my first course of action was to read the reviews. I was mildly surprised by the general age-group that was using this cream as most were in their 40s, 50s but there were a smattering of 30-somethings in the mix as well. And the fact that the majority of reviewers were of a more advanced age, I deduced that this definitely was a product made for mature skin. I was convinced enough by the testimonials and I decided to go for it.

Next we have the Aveeno Active Naturals Postively Radiant Makeup Removing Cleanser. This is actually my current makeup remover cleanser. I first found out about it from my sis who was watching some beauty guru Youtube vlogger's haul vid and this product was mentioned. My sis got her pack-of-3 Aveeno Active Naturals Postively Radiant Makeup Removing Cleanser from Amazon.com and as she extolled the wonderful virtues of this cleanser, I managed to convince her to sell me one of hers. I have been using it every day that I'm wearing the Revlon PhotoReady foundation (which is practically all the time now) and it really does get the stuff off of one's face. I usually get away with a single pump of this foam cleanser but on the day I was wearing the Temptu airbrushed makeup, I used two pumps as the Temptu product was a bit harder to remove. Since this cleanser is getting some pretty heavy usage, I thought I might as well have a spare ready in case I run out.

Then we come to the Maybelline Lasting Drama by EyeStudio Gel Eyeliner in Charcoal 954. This item I got because I kept watching Macbarbie07's beauty how-to vids and she uses this gel eyeliner from Maybelline a lot and she looks really great. I actually selected the same hue as Macbarbie07's, which was blackest black, but as usual I have to hmmm and haw a bit before actually buying and ended up, the shade blackest black ran out of stock. Since I am adamant about not having to pay a backlog fee if I kept this item in my list of purchase (I didn't now such a thing existed!), I decided to look at the other shades in the Maybelline Lasting Drama by EyeStudio range and came across Charcoal 954. I figure its a bit of a greyish hue which I'm fine with. As long as it looks natural and blends in with my own lash colour I will be satisfied. This will be my first gel eyeliner and though I've heard they can be tricky to apply, apparently this particular one from Maybelline makes it a snap to work with. Here's hoping :)

Now I'm going to talk about the product that I was really after - Jane Iredale PurePressed Base Pressed Mineral Powder. Ok, I really wanted the other stuff too but I could have waited and gotten them some other time. I needed to get this now because at $49.50 it is a very pricey cosmetics product and I was entitled to a 20% off discount if I purchased from drugstore.com by 29/10. I had looked on numerous other sites and none were selling this mineral foundation powder by Jane Iredale for anything less than the recommended retail price. I was intrigued enough by this lemondrop.com article to go and scour the internet for this product. It's a bit hard to find as it is apparently sold mainly at spas. But if there's one site that will have it, it's drugstore.com :) So this Jane Iredale PurePressed Base Pressed Mineral Powder is supposed to be THE makeup product that premier US aestheticians use on their own faces. What really made me get this is the claims by numerous reviewers about the anti-acne properties of this Jane Iredale product. According to Cat Marnell, whose article I read that led me to this product, it's got sunscreen with an SPF factor of 20 that'll help combat visible aging due to sun damage, is oil-free so one does not look like an oil slick by mid-day and is super-highly pigmented which basically translate to getting great coverage all over. I'm actually a lil bit scared of mineral makeup despite the fact that I've read a lot of reviews that claim its the best kind of cosmetics for problem skin. I tried the Bare Escentuals RareMinerals powder three years back when I was going through a spot of spots (hehe) but I felt like it made my skin worse instead of better. Most mineral makeup are expensive so when my lil sample didn't seem to work for me, I shied away from using mineral makeup. Till now. I was very convinced by Cat Marnell and various other persons and decided to take the plunge and get myself the compact in the shade caramel. It took me quite a bit of time to suss out the shade that would match my skintone best and although I am happy with the colour I chose, in the end it will totally depend on how it will look on my face in person. Hopefully the compact will do all its purported to do and more :)

Last but not least are the pack-of-3 Tide To Go stain remover pens. I have read multiple blog posts extolling the work of this miracle pen. The way some of the girls whose blogs I follow wax lyrical about this stain removing pen, I'd say they'd gladly admit to it being the demi-god of stain removal. Its only a demi-god cos of its teeny tiny size. I just thought this would be a great item to keep in my bag, handy at all times for any stain-inducing incidents. Plus, like I mentioned, drugstore.com is THE place to search for this kinda stuff. I tried Target and Walmart but they never had it and was searching drugstore.com on a whim when I came across it.

I am really happy and excited by my drugstore.com haul as I saved close to 20 bucks. I had my 20% off welcome discount and the Tide To Go pens and Maybelline EyeStudio Gel Eyeliner each had an online $1 off coupon in additional to my getting the 20% off of the listed price.



So as can be seen, I paid $69.97 which I find to be a reasonable amount considering I had a big ticket item that retails for $49.50 sans discount. And since my order has shipped, I know that drugstore.com is definitely a viable option for me to shop for all my drugstore needs :D