Sunday, February 27, 2011

Acrylic Cube Makeup Storage


I decided to update my makeup storage, because I kept on losing my eyeshadows.  In particular, my MAC eyeshadows!  I don't know why.  Anyway, a speedy solution was necessary!  

I found this clear cube acrylic three drawer jewelry box from Beauty Makeup Supply.  I tried it out for a few weeks, then I realized that two of these particular boxes would be the perfect solution to reign in my missing eyeshadows!  I just stacked one on top of the other.

The boxes come in several configurations, all of which can be seen in my video above.
A clear cube 3 Drawer Storage Box.
Each drawer is completely removable.  The size of this organizer is approximately 9" wide, 4" high. 
Stackable clear cube makeup storage.
 Each drawer can hold 15 regular MAC eyeshadows.
MAC Eyeshadow acrylic storage cube
Even MAC Paint Pots fit comfortably inside the drawers.
Storing MAC Paint Pots and eyeshadows
I decided to store the beauty powders and blush in there as well.  
MAC beauty Powders and blush in acrylic makeup storage drawers
In the second cube I stored some Stila, Bourjois and Bobbi Brown makeup. 
Stila and Burberry Eyeshadows stored in acrylic makeup drawers
Storing Eyeshadows - Stila and Bourjois and Face Powders
Acrylic container storing Bobbi Brown Eyeshadows
My makeup is definitely looking more organized now.  My video about other makeup storage tips will be up next week, and I'll create a blog post for that video, too.
Makeup Organization and Storage Tips
Click here for a link to my YouTube Channel: The Sassi Wench

- The Sassi Wench

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Ulta Sample Bag

Ulta has been having some great deals with free shipping, $$ off, and free samples lately.


I ordered Essie's Masquerade Belle nail polish, and a Fantail Brush from Benefit, and I got all of these samples!


Ulta Love that Beauty Bag.


Plus, you get 3 free samples anyway - so I chose fragrance samples like Idole by Armani, Sensuous by Estee Lauder, and Beckham Signature for Women.
Essie Masquerade Belle, and the Ulta Sample Bag.
The following samples were included:


KMS California - Silksheen Shampoo and Conditioner

Ed Hardy - Born Wild.  Is anyone else freaked out about ANYTHING Ed Hardy after the whole Jon Gosselin t-shirt wearing fiasco? I'm sorry Ed Hardy - I don't want anything to do with you or Jon.


Perlabella - PureDose Pearls 


StriVectin-SD - Intensive Concentrate for Stretch Marks & Wrinkles


Yes to Tomatoes - Facial Hyrdrating Lotion


Nick Chavez - Plump 'n Thick Thickening Shampoo


Dolce & Gabbana - Rose the One

The 8 piece Ulta Sample Bag with any $25 purchase.


Benefit's Fantail Brush.
I love Ulta!  It just keeps on getting better, and in fact I found you get better deals if you order online, rather than purchase inside the store.

Check out Ulta here: Ulta


Until next time,
The Sassi Wench!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Like Birchbox, Curious about Beauty Fix?


If you are curious about other beauty sample programs like Birchbox or TestTube, you can check out Beauty Fix.

Beauty Fix claims to provide you with "the hottest beauty products" recommended by a "panel of experts" for "only $49.95" with "free shipping all the time!"

Whatever.

The Beauty Fix Box.
Just like Birchbox and TestTube, you can order this online, but unlike those programs you can select your own samples.
Inside the Beauty Fix Box.
I was not impressed to receive something that I didn't order - the silver tube of collagen cream pictured below.  I had ordered a moisturizer, and I assume they were out of it and therefore they substituted the moisturizer for this cream.
Choose your own Beauty Fix samples.
Beauty Fix arrives at your door in a box, and with your first Beauty Fix box you get (you have no other option to accept this) a makeup bag.  It's okay.  Nothing spectacular.  Honestly, I would rather have picked out another face cream or makeup item. I'm not a fan of these kinds of cheap makeup bag (made in China) freebies.
Inside the Beauty Fix makeup bag.
The Beauty Fix website claims that you will receive up to $400 worth of items per season.  This appears to be no more than around $30 worth of product to me.


$400 worth of Beauty Fix?
There are benefits to being a member - you can refer friends and get one box for free per year, share you opinions and get a $25 gift card to DermStore.com, get discounts, etc.

However, the product selection was rather underwhelming, and there was no excitement factor on receiving my Beauty Fix box, which is completely the opposite of how I felt when I received my BirchBox and TestTube boxes.


The only item I was really thrilled about here was the SpaRitual nail polish, which I would have just bought for around $8.


Just remember, that for $38.90 you can get 15 samples, plus a great magazine, plus a $20 gift card every three months if you sign up for TestTube.  I don't know how Beauty Fix can justify the nearly $50 price for the box I received.


Check out their website here Beauty Fix and you can decide if Beauty Fix is right for you.  


Click here for a link to their website: Birchbox
Click here for a link to their my January 2011 Birchbox: 
January 2011 Birchbox
Click here for a link to TestTube: 
TestTube
Click here for a link to my YouTube Channel: 
The Sassi Wench



- The Sassi Wench

Sunday, February 13, 2011

MAC Brushes, Eyeshadows and Mickey Contractor Haul


I've been hauling some MAC lately from the Cosmetic Company Stores (CCO's) and from Nordstrom, so I thought I'd share. 

MAC Haul - including Mickey Contractor and Cham-Pale Paint Pots.
 I bought all of this over the course of a few weeks.  I really need to avoid the MAC counter - it's too tempting!
MAC Mickey Contractor Blush Sur, Blush Dame, Cream Color Base Hush.
Superslick Liquid Eyeliners Nocturnal, Smoky Heir, Eyeshadows Hypnotizing, Patina. 
I'm busy building a beautiful makeup brush collection - including MAC brushes.
MAC Baby Goth Girl nail polish, MAC brushes.
I had a problem with the MAC 179 Body Buffer Brush.  After washing it, it began to reek like a dead animal.  I thought I'd have to return it, and I was very upset about it.  I washed it about 10 times alternately using MAC Brush Cleaner, facial cleansers, shampoos and finally Neutrogena Rainbath.  That seemed to do the trick.  I left the brush to dry for several days, and now it only has a faint scent of the Rainbath.  Phew!
Top to Bottom, MAC 179,  134, 189, 109, 165 Brushes.
Cham-Pale collection lipstick in Quiet Please, and a new pair of MAC false eyelashes to complete the multitude of looks I can create from my haul!


Click here for a link to their my January 2011 Birchbox: January 2011 Birchbox
Click here for a link to TestTube: TestTube
Click here for a link to my YouTube Channel: The Sassi Wench



- The Sassi Wench

Saturday, February 12, 2011

The February 2011 Birch Box




This month's Birchbox came to me with more than a little drama.


The mail man couldn't get to our mail box because it's snowed in, and he ended up taking the Birchbox back on his route.  This meant that when I got to the Post Office last night, they couldn't find the Birchbox! Oh, the horror!


This morning I was waiting at the door, ready to race outside, hunt him down and demand to know where my Birchbox was. Turns out it was at the Post Office after all - and the Post Office was due to close in 30 minutes!  I raced into town, and gasped at how long the line was when I got there.


20 minutes later, all was forgiven as the Birchbox was located and turned over to me.  Anyway, once I had it in my eager hands I rushed home and filmed my video.


This month was a surprise - I enjoyed this Birchbox much more than I did for January.


So without further ado, here it is!


The February 2011 Birchbox!
This month, everyone seemed to be waiting for NARS, and it was included.


This Birchbox contained NARS Orgasm and Bare Escentuals Mascara.
The Indulgence Birchbox includes:
Bare Escentuals - Flawless Definition Volumizing Mascara
Befine - Exfoliating Brown Sugar Cleanser
NARS - Orgasm Illuminator
Pomega5 - Green Tea Mattifying Moisturizer
Sweetriot - Chocolate-Covered Cacao Nibs
I highly recommend Birchbox!

If you like Birchbox, sign up for the monthly $10 subscription.  You can cancel it at any time, and you earn points to put towards the purchase of full size products that you enjoyed from your sample selection.

Click here for a link to their website: Birchbox

Click here for a link to my January 2011 Birchbox: January 2011 Birchbox
Click here for a link to my February 2011 Birchbox: February 2011 Birchbox
Click here for a link to my March 2011 Birchbox: March 2011 Birchbox
Click here for a link to my April 2011 Birchbox: April 2011 Birchbox

Click here for a link to TestTube: TestTube
Click here for a link to Beauty Fix: Beauty Fix

Click here for a link to my YouTube Channel: The Sassi Wench

Until next time, 
The Sassi Wench!

Saturday, February 5, 2011

The Melting Pot - A Fondue Dining Experience


Last Saturday we went to celebrate our wedding anniversary at The Melting Pot, which is one of my all time favorite restaurants.  It is quite a drive from our house (which is probably a good thing!), so we only go there for our anniversary and maybe a birthday - so once or twice a year.  

Fondue style dining is certainly not for everyone.  You cook your own meat, and have to share the cooking broth with your fellow diners, but it makes for a very interactive and fun dining experience.  I love the variety of food, and the fact that you don't have to eat anything you don't want.  We chose the Big Night Out fondue special.  The Melting Pot changes the theme of the Big Night out every few months.  The current theme is French and it's on until March.

The Melting Pot Big Night Out France.
The cheese fondue was a combination of Brie, Fontina, Gruyère and Raclette cheeses, with bacon, onions, white-truffle cream and topped with fresh chives.  If you have never tried it, this may sound strange but Granny Smith apples dipped in any cheese fondue is unimaginably delicious!

The Melting Pot's cheese fondue with veggie dippers.
A good cocktail enhances the flavors.
Next up, Salade Niçoise.  Not the traditional Niçoise i.e. minus the tuna.  This originally included olives, but I don't eat them (I don't eat beets either, but I didn't know it included beets). The salads are always fresh and tasty - I love the way many of the ingredients in The Melting Pot's salads are delicately diced.
The Melting Pot's Salad Niçoise. 
Finally, the meat course.  I don't understand how ravioli is French, but anyway... This is a dish of raw meat (like I said, not for everyone), and if you are a vegetarian there are vegetarian menu options.  So left to right, shrimp, duck, filet mignon, peppercorn NY strip steak, and chicken, and of course ravioli.
The Melting Pot meat fondue selection.
One and a half minutes later, and you have a tasty, tender bite of steak drizzled in your favorite sauce!  We also choose Coq au Vin as our cooking style.  Coq au Vin, Melting Pot style, of course, is a combination of fresh herbs, mushrooms, garlic and spices simmered in Burgundy wine.
Filet Mignon topped with teriyaki sauce and a little gorgonzola.
Last but not least, the indescribably scrumptious White Chocolate Crème Brulée Fondue! It was wonderful, but it is very, very sweet, so if a sugary chocolate isn't your thing, you may want to try a regular milk chocolate or dark chocolate fondue instead.
The Melting Pot's White Chocolate Creme Brulee Fondue.
A brownie bite dipped in white chocolate crème brulée 
The dippers for the chocolate fondue are varied and tasty.  You get one slice of cheesecake, some pound cake, brownies, marshmallows, strawberries and banana.  You can dip these into the chocolate, or drizzle them with chocolate.
Dippers for the Chocolate Fondue.
The Melting Pot dining booth - for two.


A great thing about the menu is that you have the option to pick and choose what kind of fondue you want - you don't have to have all of them, like we did here.


You can select the cheese fondue and a salad, or a cheese fondue and a chocolate fondue.  Or a meat fondue and a salad.  Take your pick, there are many options.  Also, the dippers and sauces are bottomless, so feel free to request more apples, bread and gorgonzola sauce!


The Melting Pot has a great selection of wines, and they make fabulous (and strong!) cocktails.


They cater to parties and large groups of people, with longer tables and more burners than you see here.  All in all, it's worth it to go even just once.  It's truly a fun and memorable dining experience.


Be sure to make reservations before you go, because they are usually fully booked, especially in the evenings.  Visit their website here - The Melting Pot


- The Sassi Wench