Review: Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer

Concealers aren't glitzy and they aren't as fun to look at as pretty new eyeshadows or lip colors, but make no mistake: when there's buzz about a new concealer, the frenzy and excitement seem to rank right up there with the latest new eyeshadow or lipgloss collections.

And boy have I heard some buzz about this one! For weeks now, you've been telling me I need to try the new Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer. So I was pretty much doing cartwheels in my living room when the folks at Hard Candy recently sent me a tube:

Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer

(retail: $7 at Walmart)

As we all know by now, Hard Candy is sold exclusively at Walmart, but this product is not yet available on the Walmart website, so you'll need to purchase it in-store for now. This product not only comes with a good-sized tube of concealer, but also with a concealer pencil.

This product comes in three shades: Light, Medium and Dark. The shade I received, Medium, is darker than my skintone, but I can still tell you how it works to even out redness and conceal flaws. The only thing I can't judge it on is how it cancels out/corrects the darkness in my under-eye region, because I really require a more peachy-toned concealer for that area.

So going into it, I pretty much knew that it wasn't going to completely cancel out my under-eye darkness, but I can still give you my opinion on how it works for the rest of my face, and also how it conceals other types of flaws (aside from my under-eye darkness).

Swatches of the concealer and concealer pencil

I tried to capture in the images above that a little of this products goes A LONG way. Seriously, just the tiniest squeeze of this tube is going to yield more than you'll probably need for your under-eye area alone, so squeeze with caution. Ha! I am very impressed by how concentrated this product is, because that means one tube will last you forever. I cannot foresee the average person running out of this in three months, even if you use it every day on say, 75% of your face.

Here are some before-and-afters of my eye region. For the amount of product used for one eye, I only needed the tiniest drop of product. Literally, one tiny squeeze of the tube. The best example I can give is this: if you've ever used a nail art pen, you know how if you take the pen and press down for just one second to make a polka-dot? The amount of polish you'd get from one polka-dot is actually more product than what you'd need from this concealer for ONE eye. I hope that helps paint a better picture for you as to the concentration of this concealer!

Looking at the "After foundation" photo (this was taken after blending the concealer and then topping it with my Physicians Formula powder foundation) you can see that there is still some darkness visible (which I knew was going to be there, as explained earlier) but I hope you can also see that it did a great job of canceling out the redness on the rest of my eye area. Whenever I use concealer, I always have a bit left over and I use that to conceal my eyelids and basically everywhere else around my eye. I was very pleased with how it worked in this capacity.

As for the texture of this product, it's on the thick side, but I found that it blended quite easily for me and I didn't experience any tugging or pulling when applying it to the delicate eye area. I found it extremely easy to work with, especially given how thick it is.

If you have tried Dermablend Smooth Indulgence concealer (which I also own) I can tell you that it's thicker than that product, but it works in quite the same way. In fact, I'd say that it's more concentrated that Dermablend, and more opaque.

After using this concealer every day for five days straight, I can tell you that even though the color match is off for my NC20 skin, I'm very happy with its concealing properties and also the easy of application. The only issue I had with this product was that it seemed a touch drying to my under-eye area when topped with my powder foundation. It didn't settle into my fine lines, but it did make my lines more visible by the end of the day. This could possibly be due to the combination of this concealer mixed with my powder foundation. If you use a liquid or cream foundation, you might have different results. Also, the dryness could be remedied by using a silicone-based face primer first, such as the Hard Candy Sheer Envy face primer, which I reviewed here.

So what fun with this review be if I didn't try this product for its other intended purpose, which is to conceal tattoos? Since I don't have any tattoos, I drew a brown heart on my arm using a permanent marker. For this test, I followed the instructions on the packaging (see above) word for word:

(I apologize in advance for the variance in lighting in the above pictures. The flash on my camera is inconsistent and if I move the camera by just a hair, the flash illuminates a different part of my skin. But I hope you can get the general idea.)

As instructed, I used the concealer pencil to outline my "tattoo" and then fill in the tattoo (pic 3). Then I used a tiny dot of concealer and patted it gently (pic 4). After patting some more, you get what you see in pic 5.

Obviously that didn't do the trick, so in pic 6, as instructed on the packaging, I started with another layer of concealer. In pic 7, you can see that it still didn't completely cover my "tattoo" so in pic 8 I added layer. I like that the packaging clearly states "You may need 2-3 layers depending on color of tattoo" because if I didn't know this, I'd probably be frustrated at this point.

Finally, in pic 9, I blended the third layer and then topped it with a layer of my own powder foundation (I do not own Hard Candy Welcome Matte, which is the recommended product to use for this step). As you can see, my heart "tattoo" is still very slightly visible, but I have to tell you that I was pretty impressed! From a distance, you really couldn't notice it at all.

FINAL VERDICT: I think this is a very good addition to the "heavy duty" concealer category of the drugstore makeup world. I found it easy to work with and extremely concentrated. I think the combination of pencil and concealer would work well for spot-concealing (birthmarks, small tattoos) but for my under-eye area, I didn't find "Medium" to be a good color match, and I also found it a bit too drying by the end of the day. But again, I use powder foundation, so if you use liquid or cream, your results may be different. Also, I think using a silicone-based primer beforehand, such as Hard Candy Sheer Envy, might help keep this from drying. If I could find a better match for my particular skintone, I would DEFINITELY use this on the other areas of my face on a daily basis because it really helped conceal my imperfections and redness, and I found that it lasted all day on my oily skin, no problem. So if you can find the right color match for your skintone, this one might be a keeper.

I hope you found this review useful, and if you have any questions, just leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer them. In the meantime, have you tried Hard Candy Glamoflauge? Do you think it might be a good fit for you based on my experience? I'd love to hear from you!

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

Some eye looks using the new Wet n Wild Coloricon 8-pan palettes

I finally had a day to myself to really play around with all three of the new Wet n Wild Coloricon 8-pan palettes and I've chosen my favorite looks so far to share with you. For each look, I ask that you refer to the palette's corresponding numbers (see below) to see what shades I used.

For ALL of these looks, I used NO primer. I thought that was important to do, because I really want to show you what these shadows are capable of without the help of another product. Plus, we all use different primers, so I didn't want the primer to interfere with your perception of each shade and how they work together. I also only used new 2011 Wet n Wild products, with the exception of my brow pencil, concealer and foundation.

For new readers: I am not a makeup artist, nor have I ever claimed to be. I am an ordinary gal, so imperfections in my makeup application are to be expected. And trust me, I know they're there. I'm just a regular person trying my best to give you a better look at these shades, so please keep that in mind!

Up first, a look using the Comfort Zone palette:

For this look I used:

Shade #6 (see below) -- lids and crease

Shade #7 -- crease

Shade #8 (MAC Club dupe) -- outer "v"

Shade #1 -- brow bone and blended down into crease area

Shade #1 -- inner corners of eyes

Also used:

Wet n Wild Coloricon Eye & Brow Pencil in Olive -- upper and lower lash line

Wet n Wild Megalast Retractable Eyeliner in Blackest Black -- waterline

Wet n Wild Megalength Waterproof Mascara -- upper and lower lashes (two coats)

Wet n Wild Comfort Zone palette

Many of you know that green shades are in my comfort zone (no pun intended!). I own more green shadows than I care to admit, and it takes a really special green to get my attention these days, just because it seems like I've seen it all when it comes to green and eyeshadow. But I'm telling you, shade #6 is a real stunner in person. If you like green shadows, I think this one will impress you.

I also did a softer, daytime look using the Comfort Zone palette:

For this look I used:

Shade #2 -- lids and crease

Shade #8 -- outer "v" and blended up and into crease

Shade #1 -- browbone and blended downward

Also used:

Wet n Wild Megalast Retractable Eyeliner in Black Brown -- upper and lower lashline

Wet n Wild Megalength Waterproof Mascara -- upper and lower lashes (two coats)

And because I just could NOT capture the green flash in shade #8 (the MAC Club dupe) in pictures, I tried every possible form of lighting in my home and even crawled into my bathtub in the afternoon (there's a window in there) and I FINALLY captured a tiny bit of the green in a pic:

Can you kind of see the green running down the middle of my eye in the pic above?

The green flash in this shade is 1,000 times prettier in person and much more apparent in real life. Honestly, you've really got to see it in person to appreciate it.

Up next, a look using the Petal Pusher palette:

For this look I used:

Shade #6 (see below) -- lids

Shade #3 -- crease

Shade #7 -- outer "v"

Shade #2 -- browbone and blended downward

Shade #2 -- inner corners

Also used:

Wet n Wild Coloricon Eye & Brow Pencil in Amethyst -- upper and lower lashline

Wet n Wild Coloricon Eye & Brow Pencil in Purple -- waterline

Wet n Wild Megalength Waterproof Mascara -- upper and lower lashes (two coats)

Wet n Wild Petal Pusher palette

I want to point out that shade #6 (the muted plum with bronze shimmer), which I'm still convinced is a dupe of either MAC Sable or Twinks, is the kind of shade that would really come alive with the help of a primer. Without primer, the shimmer seems to fade and the plum base is more predominant the more you blend. But WITH primer (or foiled) I think the bronze shimmer would REALLY come out and add more dimension to this color. I swear to you, shades 2 and 6 are worth the price of the entire palette, as far as I'm concerned. Shade #2 is so creamy and satiny, and the subtle gold sheen makes it a lavender that you NEED if you're a lavender person.

I always say that I'm not a purple eyeshadow gal (I have a lot of trouble finding purples that don't make me look super yellow or sickly) but Petal Pusher has made me feel reborn when it comes to purples. And the new Coloricon pencil in Amethyst goes SO well with shade #6 in this palette--if you get Petal Pusher, I highly recommend getting the Amethyst liner to go with it.

And finally, we have a look using the Blue Had Me At Hello palette:

For this look I used:

Shade #6 (see below) -- lids

Shade #7 -- crease

Shade #8 -- outer "v"

Shade #5 -- browbone and blended downward

Shade #5 -- inner corners

Also used:

Wet n Wild Coloricon Eye & Brow Pencil in Turquoise -- upper and lower lashline

Wet n Wild Coloricon Eye & Brow Pencil in Deep Blue -- waterline

Wet n Wild Megalength Waterproof Mascara -- upper and lower lashes (two coats)

Wet n Wild Blue Had Me At Hello palette

OK, I'm now convinced that the shade in the #6 position in ALL THREE of these palettes is the best shade in each palette! That teal is just...you've got to see it in person. That's all I'm going to say. And the Coloricon Turquoise liner with the silver sparkle? Well, if you get Blue Had Me At Hello and you plan to use shade #6, you would probably be very happy if you picked up the Turquoise liner to go with it (if you don't own it already). It's a perfect match.

I also want to mention that I am VERY impressed with the Megalength Waterproof Mascara that I used for all four of these looks. I thought it might not be a love-match for me because the brush is so narrow, and I prefer volumizing mascaras. But I really enjoy the definition and length this gives my lashes, and the narrow brush makes it so easy to apply to every single lash. I also find that his mascara doesn't flake, run or smudge one bit for me throughout the day. I did have to use makeup remover to remove it (of course, it's waterproof) but even through a small cry (my boyfriend's currently in Australia and I miss him so!) this mascara didn't budge.

I hope this post helps those of you who were wanting a closer look at the 8-pans! Hopefully you have a better idea as to what some of these shades really look like, and how they can work together. For a detailed look at each 8-pan, with swatches, please click here.

Which palette are you the most excited to see and/or buy? I'd love to hear from you!

Disclosure: The above image is published by request from Wet n Wild. NouveauCheap.blogspot.com has not received any form of compensation, monetary or otherwise, for writing this post or for accepting the title of "Wet n Wild Beauty Ambassador". NouveauCheap.blogspot.com has received editorial samples from Wet n Wild for this review. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

Review: Suave Limited Edition Holiday Body Washes

Even though the holidays are over, I wanted to bring you this review of the 2010 limited edition body washes from Suave because I've heard reports that you're finding these on clearance for $1 at Walmart (fyi, these LE body washes are sold exclusively at Walmart). So just in case you stumble across these during your shopping, I thought I'd share my thoughts about them since I was fortunate enough to receive complete set for review.

Suave Naturals Limited Edition Holiday Body Washes

(retail: $1.99 each, 12 oz)

Left to right:

Candy Apple

Holiday Pear

Peppermint Bliss

Toasted Vanilla and Sugar

Candy Apple: Now I understand why so many of you say this is your fave of the bunch. This one smells like sweet Red Delicious apples to me, with just a tiny hint of caramel goodness. If you're an apple fan, this one's for you.

Holiday Pear: If you're a pear fan, I think you'll really enjoy this one. To my nose, this fragrance has a crisp, tart pear note, with just a tiny hint of "holiday spice" mixed in for good measure.

Peppermint Bliss: The only opaque body wash of the three (the others are translucent) I think this may be my favorite of the bunch. The label says this is a "shimmer body wash" and I do see a slight shimmer in the formula, but I haven't experienced any lingering sparkle or shimmer on my skin after using this (which is a good thing for me, since I'm not a real shimmer-lover when it comes to body products). And oh my, the fragrance! This is such an invigorating peppermint scent, but I can also really smell the "candy" element as well. LOVE.

Toasted Vanilla and Sugar: If you're a fan of B&BW Warm Vanilla Sugar, you need this one. To my nose, they smell practically identical. This body wash has the same exact "warm and cozy" feel as the B&BW version. So lovely.

As for the actual body washes themselves, I find these just as good, if not better, than the core collection Suave body washes. For me, they lather effortlessly and just a tiny squeeze is all that's required for loads of rich, thick lather on a bath pouf. Also, Peppermint Bliss seems even EXTRA creamy and moisturizing to me, which is wonderful.

I now completely and fully understand why the limited edition holiday body washes from Suave always cause such hysteria every year. For the price, you just cannot beat these fragrances and formulas. If you spot them on clearance at Walmart, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to pick a few up. And if you can't find them, don't worry because there's always next year!

Did you purchase any of these LE body washes during the holidays? Did you find any on clearance after the holidays? What are your favorites from the collection? I'd love to hear from you!

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

Free Physicians Formula at CVS (really!)

After seeing my pal Maureen's post here about how to get free Physicians Formula at CVS this week, I had to pay my favorite CVS yet another visit to see if the Red Coupon Scanner Box Gods would be on my side.

When I scanned my Extra Care card, I didn't get the $10 off Physicians Formula coupon that so many others have reported getting, but I DID get a $3 off PF coupon, which was good enough for me, considering the 75% clearance sale going on right now!

Both the $10 PF coupon and the $3 PF coupon are good for one Physicians Formula Powder Palette, blush, or foundation. Sounds good to me!

After taking a look around at the clearance items, I noticed that the Bamboo Wear powder refills (regularly $9.99) were still available, so that's what I snagged:

Physicians Formula Bamboo Wear Silk Face Powder Refill in Beige

retail: $9.99

current clearance price: $2.49 (75% off)

with $3 CVS coupon: FREE

I haven't tried this product yet so I can't tell you what I think of it, HOWEVER, if you get the $3 coupon at your scanner box this week (hurry because I think the scanner box is only issuing this coupon through tomorrow--Saturday) and you're looking for some ideas, here's one that TOTALLY took me by surprise:

Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Mineral Blush in Blushing Glow

retail: $11.99

current clearance price: $3

with CVS $3 coupon: FREE

(Apologies for the torn package--I had no idea I was going to eventually blog about this at the time of opening it!)

I bought this during my last CVS beauty clearance haul (which, at the time, I thought was going to be my LAST clearance haul) and oh my goodness, I had NO idea how awesome these blushes were until I tried this one yesterday! Ladies, I'm obsessed with Blushing Glow. On my NC20 skin, it delivers the softest, glowing-from-within peach hue to my cheeks, and the formula is so smooth and easy to work with. Oh, and did I mention it's matte, which means NO SHIMMER? I am SERIOUSLY regretting that I didn't use my $3 coupon to get another one (for free this time!).

I just cannot rave about this blush enough. I tried it last night, and then put it on again first thing this morning and I have a feeling I'm going to "hit pan" on this baby in no time.

I just wanted to throw this out there in case you get the $3 or $10 PF coupon this week at CVS and you're stumped on what to get. I rarely rave about a product after only trying it twice, but this one's a true gem so far and I had to take a minute to let you know about it in case you're a no-shimmer-peach-blush fan. This is the deal of the century, as far as I'm concerned.

Oh! One more thing: I'm very behind on updating my CVS clearance master list, but please know that I will get to it (I've got a bunch of info to tell you about) later tonight. Thanks for your patience!

The last of the new 2011 releases from Wet n Wild

I just wanted to post a follow-up to Wet n Wild Week and let you know about the remaining new products that I didn't cover. I also added this post to my master list of all the new WnW releases just so they're all in one handy spot for your reference:

(Please note: the following products are product extensions of existing Wet n Wild product lines)

From Wet n Wild:

Color Icon™ Lipliner – $0.99 SRP
The lipliner that has its own cult following just got better! With a longer-wearing, smoother-to-apply formula, fall in love with this pencil all over again!

Available in Fab Fuchsia, Brandy Wine, Chestnut, Willow, Plumberry and Berry Red.

MegaSparkle™ Confetti - $2.99 SRP
Comes in sleek, easier-to-use new packaging. Glow from head-to-toe! Glamorous loose glitter creates sparkly, shimmery accents. A touch of sparkle adds a glittering glow to any look and can be sprinkled onto face, body, or hair.

Available in Pink Sugar, White Icing and Lilac Frosting.

MegaShimmer™ Shimmer Dust - $2.99 SRP
Comes in sleek, easier-to-use new packaging. Super-fine shimmer for seductive, eye-catching sparkle. Light-reflecting, micro-shimmer creates a sexy, subtle glow perfect for any occasion.

Available in White Lotus.

Amazing dupes spotted in the Wet n Wild Fastdry Nail Color collection!

If you're a nail polish nut and you're not following Polish Insomniac and/or the lovely @jbrobs on Twitter, you're really missing out on a great blog and an all-around great gal. J was kind enough to send me some dupe comparisons she discovered in the new Wet n Wild Fastdry Nail Color collection I showed you here and here. And, she even took comparison pics of a dupe I thought I spotted and, turns out, it's not a dupe at all.

So big HUGE thanks to J for all of the following pics. They are so incredibly helpful--I hope you agree!

image credit: jbrobeck for Nouveau Cheap

 Left: Wet n Wild Gray's Anatomy (retail: $1.99)

Right: Deborah Lippmann Wicked Game (retail: $18)

image credit: jbrobeck for Nouveau Cheap 

J also threw in Not Like the Movies 

(from the soon-to-be released OPI Katy Perry collection)

This is a pretty incredible dupe of an $18 polish, huh? Oh! And I also just noticed that Scrangie posted a great dupe comparison of Gray's Anatomy and Wicked Game earlier today, so definitely check that out too.

Next up:

image credit: jbrobeck for Nouveau Cheap 

Left: Wet n Wild Teal of Fortune (retail: $1.99)

Right: OPI Catch Me In Your Net (retail: around $8)

J said that the Wet n Wild version is just a tab more blue, but hey, it's good enough for me! Oh and don't forget there's another good dupe of this shade in the new Jesse's Girl collection as well.

And finally we have the non-dupe:

 image credit: jbrobeck for Nouveau Cheap

Left: Wet n Wild FuchsiaRama (retail: $1.99)

Right: Milani Rad Purple (retail: $4.99)

 image credit: jbrobeck for Nouveau Cheap

As you can see, not a dupe at all, but I hope you can also see what I mentioned in my original review--the texture of these two polishes is quite similar and they both dry down to the same semi-matte finish.

 

image credit: jbrobeck for Nouveau Cheap

swatches of all three dupe comparisons

I hope you find these pics helpful! J, thanks again for such wonderful photos--I know how much effort goes into things like this and I really appreciate it!

Have you already purchased any of the shades mentioned in this post? Or any other shades from the new Fastdry collection? I'd love to hear from you!

The new Jesse's Girl Mineralized Baked Eyeshadows have landed!

Back in September, I was fortunate enough to give you an exclusive look at all of the new Jesse's Girl Mineralized Baked Eyeshadows (click here for close-up pics of every color and here for swatches) before they were available in stores. Well, I've received numerous questions since then from some of you who were excited to get your hands on these, so I'm delighted to tell you that I spotted this display at Rite Aid this week:

Jesse's Girl Mineralized Baked Eye Shadows

(retail: $3.99)

 NOTE: As of today, these are not yet available on the Jesse's Girl website, so for now you'll have to look for them at Rite Aid. I suspect they will be available for online purchase soon though.

I am SO glad these are finally in stores, because they are absolutely stunning in person and all of them are highly pigmented (of course they're even MORE pigmented with primer--I love to use them with my Jesse's Girl Eyeshadow Primer) so now you can finally experience them for yourself. Yay!

Are you excited to see these in person? Are you thinking about getting any? I'd love to hear from you.

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

A closer look at the new Neutrogena Naturals Skincare Collection

A few days ago I gave you a little preview of this new collection from Neutrogena, and now that I was finally able to spot these products in person, I'd like to give you a bit more information that some of you may find quite interesting.

 Neutrogena Naturals Skincare Collection

Lip Balm (retail: $3.49 at CVS)

Face and Body Bar (retail: $4.49 at CVS)

Purifying Pore Scrub (retail: $7.99 at CVS)

Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover ($7.99 at CVS)

Purifying Facial Cleanser ($7.99 at CVS)

As I mentioned in my previous post, this new line contains "no harsh chemical sulfates, parabens, petrochemicals, dyes or phthalates".

After taking a closer look at the packaging, I also discovered that all of these product clearly state "This product not tested on animals". I seem to recall reading that Neutrogena (Johnson and Johnson) was not cruelty-free, so if this is a concern for you,  I just want you to be aware that I did see the "not tested on animals" blurb on the packaging for these products. Also, all of the paper packaging is FSC Certified.

Another interesting thing I noticed is that instead of a traditional list of ingredients, Neutrogena has broken each ingredient into a chart. The first column says "Ingredient" and the second column says "Source". For  instance, on the lip balm package, it says "Ingredient: Beeswax. Source: Beehives." and so on. I thought that was an interesting take on how to present ingredients to consumers.

So, have you tried anything from this line yet? Are you curious? I'd love to hear from you!

New Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Collection (silicone and paraben-free)

Well well well, it seems there's another silicone-free drugstore haircare line on the market this year (click here to see the other)! Look what I spotted at CVS:

 Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Fortifying Shampoo and Conditioner

My awesome Twitter pal, @_Chlozilla, told me she bought these products and that they are pretty great. She said that, unlike similar products of this nature, the shampoo seems to really get her hair clean. After that tidbit of information, I must admit I'm pretty excited to give these products a go! 

What do you think? Are you excited to try these new offerings from Garnier? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

New Aveeno Smart Essentials Skincare Collection

I spotted this new Aveeno display and I know so many of you are Aveeno fans, so I wanted to be sure you knew about these new products:

Aveeno Smart Essentials Skincare Collection

Left to right:

Daily Detoxifying Scrub (retail: $8.39 at CVS)

Pore Purifying Facial Cleanser (retail: $8.39 at CVS)

Daily Nourishing Moisturizer SPF 30 (retail: $18.29 at CVS)

Nighttime Moisture Infusion (retail: $18.29 at CVS)

My initial thoughts? I love that the daytime moisturizer is SPF 30 and I'm always happy when I see a new facial scrub on the market--I loooove my physical exfoliators! But allow me to vent for a minute about the jar for the nighttime moisturizer. I honestly can't think of a single woman I know who prefers jars for skincare these days. It's probably the number one complaint I see from my fellow bloggers when it comes to skincare. No one likes to dip their fingers into a jar every night because product gets under your nails, not to mention it's not exactly sanitary. Also, some of these ingredients tend to lose their potency/efficacy when repeatedly exposed to air and/or light. Soooo...what's up with the jars? Does anyone have a valid argument for these jars? If so, please please leave a comment on this post and educate me! I'm begging you!

New Organix Brazilian Keratin Therapy & Moroccan Argan Oil collections

I hit the jackpot at CVS this week, folks! I'm going to be showing you several different new collections I've spotted so here are the first two, which are two brand new lines from Organix:

Organix Brazilian Keratin Therapy Collection

Organix Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shampoo and Conditioner

Notice the tags on the bottles that say "Sulfate & Sodium Free".

Organix Brazilian Keratin Therapy 30 Day Smoothing Treatment

Organix Brazilian Keratin Therapy

Flat Iron Spray (left)

and Anti-Breakage Serum (right)

The one thing I must share with you about these Brazilian Keratin Therapy products is that they smell AMAZING. Oh my gooooodness. These products contain cocoa nut oil (not to be confused with coconut oil) and they have a rich, chocolately, buttery, gourmand fragrance to them that actually made my mouth water.

And next we have this new collection:

Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Collection

Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner

(I didn't realize it until I got home, but although this pic shows two bottles of conditioner, there is actually a shampoo offered as well.)

Organix Moroccan Argan Oil

Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Renewing Treatment

The fragrance of the Moroccan Argan Oil collection is actually a very clean, fresh scent. It's nice, but nothing noteworthy (in my opinion).

So basically the Brazilian Keratin Therapy line is for curly/wavy-hair and it promises straight, sleek hair for "up to 30 days". The Moroccan Argan Oil line is for hair that needs shine and smoothness.

I have to tell you, I've been holding a personal grudge against Organix for a long time (when the brand first came out several years ago, I used the "try me free" rebates on several of their products--which I loved--and never, ever got my rebates in the mail). But with these new products, I think it's time I lifted my boycott and took the plunge again. Both new lines sound fantastic and I have just the type of hair that could benefit from both the keratin and argan oil in these formulas.

So, what do you think? Are these new offerings from Organix appealing to you? Do you think you'll give them a shot? I'd love to hear from you!

Very Important Wet n Wild Info (please read)

If you're interested in the new 2011 Wet n Wild products I showed you last week, then I am practically begging you to take a few minutes to read this post.  Since last week, I've been flooded with emails/comments/tweets from many of you with questions regarding the 2011 releases, and while I love hearing from you, I'm finding it difficult to respond to every question and I'm afraid I've fallen very behind on my replies. 

So hopefully this post will answer all of your questions, but of course if you still have a question that I did not address here, please leave it in the comments section (if you send me an email, I'm sorry but I may not reply in a timely manner) and I'll do my very best to respond. If I don't have the answer to your question, I'll try to get the answer, so please be patient with me. And thank you in advance!

Question: Are the new trios, 8-pans, polishes, etc. limited edition?

Answer: NOTHING, I repeat, NOTHING that I've shown you from the 2011 Wet n Wild collection is limited edition. I don't understand how this rumor has spread like wildfire throughout the blogosphere, but I've seen many people on blogs and Twitter state that the new 8-pans, trios, etc. are limited edition. I never stated that in ANY of my reviews, and I have received direct confirmation from Wet n Wild that NOTHING I've shown you in the last week is limited edition. The ONLY "special" collection is the 8-pans, which are NOT limited edition, but will only be available in select retailers for now (Walgreens and Walmart). 

Question: When will I be able to find the 8-pans and all of the other new Wet n Wild products in my area? 

Answer: I cannot give you an exact date. It's my understanding that Wet n Wild shipped these at roughly the same time to their retailers, but IT IS UP TO YOUR SPECIFIC STORE as to when they choose to put these on display. Some stores are quicker than others, while other stores may be understaffed, etc. and those stores may not put them out for a while. I just have no way of telling you when you'll find the 8-pans or anything else from the 2011 collection, but I do know that they SHOULD start to surface around the 15th of this month.  

Question: I'm new to Wet n Wild and I'd like to know how I can purchase the products you've blogged about. 

Answer: If there are retailers in your area that already sell Wet n Wild (Kmart, Target, Walmart, Walgreens, etc.), those very same retailers should eventually carry the new 2011 products that I have blogged about. The only exception is the 8-pans, which will only be sold at Walmart and Walgreens.

Question: When will Canadians have access to the 8-pans? 

Answer: Canadians will not have access to the 8-pans in Canada, at least for the first part of this year. This may change eventually.

Question: Are the existing 6-pans and trios (those released in 2010) being discontinued? Is the Taupe Coloricon Eye & Brow Liner being discontinued?

Answer: Here is the official list (directly from Wet n Wild) of EVERYTHING THAT IS BEING DISCONTINUED THIS YEAR:

• I-Sparkle Eyeshadow
• Lash Intense Mascara
• MegaChrome Eyeliner
• Arch Envy Color & Set
• H2O Proof Blending Eye Pencil
• MegaMixers Flavored Lip Balm
• MegaLast Long Wear Dual Lip Color
• Craze Nail Color (current shades) 

NOTE: There may be limited edition Craze collections released throughout the year with new formulas and new packaging.

As of the time I write this, the products above are the ONLY products that are being discontinued.

Question: Are the Coloricon Eye & Brow Liners you showed us here truly NEW? I swear I've seen them in my drugstores for a while now.

Answer: Yes, they are brand new because the formula has been improved. If you saw any of the shades listed in this post last year, those pencils were part of an LE collection released last year. The pencils in this post are new, with a new, improved formula, although some of the shades are the same as those in the previous LE collection.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. And don't forget--if you have a question that I did not answer in this post, please leave a comment below and I will do my very best to get an answer for you! 

Oh, and don't forget Wet n Wild is currently 50% off at Walgreens THIS WEEK (sale ends Saturday night).

New Bath & Body Works "I Love" PocketBacs

As the B&BW Semi-Annual Sale winds down, I wanted to show you some of the newer pocketbacs--these are so cute I can hardly stand it. My contact at BBW's PR just sent me this image and I literally couldn't post it quickly enough:

(click to enlarge)

From left to right:

I love Shoes (scent: Stylish Strawberry)

I love Cake (scent: Buttercream)

I love Bling (scent: Rock Candy)

I love Boys (scent: Berry Crush)

I love You (scent: Sweet Pea)

(retail: $1.50 each, 1 oz)

I know that most of these are already available but when I looked them up, I saw that four out of the five are currently on the BBW website (click here to see). I Love Shoes isn't on the site yet, so I think that one's brand new.

I cannot wait to sniff Rock Candy--have you tried that one yet? Are any of these fragrances jumping out at you? I think they'd make such fun gifts. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

PS: And please check back because I should be reviewing some of these in the near future.

The Wednesday Question

I skipped the Wednesday Question last week due to the Wet n Wild frenzy, but we're back on track now and you know I had ask a Wet n Wild-related question after the week we've had!

What's the one new 2011 Wet n Wild product you're the most excited to purchase and/or see in person?

And of course if you have already purchased some of the new Wet n Wild, I'd love to hear what you got!

New Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo!

[For my detailed review of this product, please click here.]

OK, if you are not a long-time reader of this blog, then you probably don't know that I have an absolute obsession with dry shampoos. I've reviewed just about every affordable dry shampoo on the market for this blog, including Batiste, Pssssst!, Salon Grafix and TRESemme. My all-time favorite of the bunch is Batiste (found at Sally Beauty), with Pssssst! coming in second, Salon Grafix third, followed by TRESemme, in fourth.

That said, I've also tried many higher-end dry shampoos, but not some of the more expensive options like Rene Furterer, etc. But even so, I'd like to think I know a thing or two about dry shampoos at this point because I've tried so many. My hair is oily, my skin is oily and I have side-swept bangs. This is a recipe for greasy, stringy bangs if I try to skip a day of shampooing, which is why I find dry shampoos just so darned handy, and why I've tried so many of them.

So when my awesome Twitter follower, Chloe (@_chlozilla), sent me a tweet informing me of a new dry shampoo from Suave, I just about fell out of my chair. Um, SUAVE HAS A DRY SHAMPOO? You have no idea how happy this makes me since I'm a huge, long-time Suave fan and well, you just cannot beat Suave's prices, right?

I was freaking out about this on Twitter, only to discover that others have already tried this new product too, and the one thing they all agree upon is that it smells AMAZING. The lovely Paula from Older Girl Beauty told me it smells like Bath & Body Works Grapefruit body mist, but with a powdery dry-down. Um, that sounds like my kind of fragrance (that's an understatement).

Chloe was kind enough to let me share her pics of the new Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo so that you can know what to look out for (she found hers at Walmart):

image credit: Chloe for Nouveau Cheap

Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo

retail: under $3, 5 oz)

Notice on the can it says: "To refresh as well as Rene Furterer".

image credit: Chloe for Nouveau Cheap

In this pic, Chloe kindly put the Suave Dry Shampoo next to Pssssst! for size comparison. As you can see, Pssssst! is 5.3 oz and it usually retails for around $6 at most drugstores. So for under $3, Suave's got it beat in terms of value.

I asked Chloe what she thought of Suave Dry Shampoo so far, and she said the absorption feels the same to her as Batiste, and she also experiences the same extra boost of volume that Batiste provides. Since those are the two reasons why I love Batiste so much (the extra volume it gives my hair and the way it quickly absorbs the oils in my hair) I'd say that's a glowing review so far!

I just cannot WAIT to try this product out for myself. Have you spotted it in your area yet? Do you think you'll give it a shot when you find it? I'd love to hear from you!

And thanks again, Chloe, for the fantastic pics and the mini-review!

Spotted: New Rimmel Glam'Eyes Eye Shadows (quads & trios)

The always-wonderful Kimberly of Libby's Pink Vanity recently spotted these new Rimmel shadows at Walgreens and was kind enough to share some pics! Check it out:

image credit: Kimberly for Nouveau Cheap
New Rimmel Glam'Eyes Eye Shadows

(retail: $4.99 for the trios, $5.49 for the quads)

image credit: Kimberly for Nouveau Cheap

Some close-ups of a few quads and a trio:

image credit: Kimberly for Nouveau Cheap

image credit: Kimberly for Nouveau Cheap

image credit: Kimberly for Nouveau Cheap

Now here's the thing. I really, really liked the Glam'Eyes eyeshadow single I reviewed almost exactly a year ago, but I'm hoping that not *all* of these new shades contain sparkle. It would be nice if some of them were matte, and it looks like MAYBE this last trio above has some mattes in it. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Have you spotted these new Rimmel shadows in your area yet? Do you already own any? I'd love to hear from you!

And thanks again for the scoop, Kimberly!

Spotted: New Rimmel Moisture Renew Cream Lipgloss SPF 15

Another huge thanks to Lexi for this one--she spotted these new Rimmel glosses at Ulta and they look nothing but AWESOME! Check it out:

image credit: Lexi for Nouveau Cheap
Rimmel Moisture Renew Cream Lipgloss SPF 15

image credit: Lexi for Nouveau Cheap

image credit: Lexi for Nouveau Cheap

First of all, any type of lip product that has the word "cream" in it immediately gets my attention--especially when it's a gloss. Second, I LOVE that this formula claims to "reduce lip dryness by 95%" and that it's SPF 15. Third, look at the gorgeous shades? And I love how the handle has the same metallic purple as the Moisture Renew lipsticks. I had no idea they were even planning to extend the Moisture Renew line!

Lexi actually purchased one of these and she said they're smooth, moisturizing, not sticky and that the colors are lovely in person. I'm pretty much sold.

What do you think about this new Moisture Renew Creamy Lipgloss line? Are you as excited as Lexi and I are about these? I'd love to hear from you!

And thanks again, Lexi!!