Bath & Body Works Sparkling Blackberry Woods Review + Giveaway *CLOSED*

Bath & Body Works is coming out with a new limited edition (I believe) fragrance called Sparkling Blackberry Woods! There was a special preview day on November 24th where you could purchase the lotion for only $5.00, so of course I grabbed it.

I'm not the best at describing scents and of course everything is going to smell different to everyone and on everyone, but I'm going to try and tell you guys my first impressions of Sparkling Blackberry Woods and how it wears on me!

Black Friday Haul!

So as you guys know, I work in retail so Black Friday was absolutely crazy! The mall where I work had some stores actually opening on Thanksgiving. I was scheduled for 4:30 in the morning, which was terrible because I could not manage to fall asleep so I was basically dealing with cranky customers during an all nighter!

My MAC Collection: Paint Pots

Hey guys, I know I've been on a little hiatus (I work in retail and Black Friday was SO not fun, took a lot out of me) but I'm getting back on track and continuing My MAC Collection series with my Paint Pots!

Around the World in 80 Eyeshadows: Weekly Round-Up 11/19/12

Question of the Week:

What's your least expensive beauty item, and is it any good?

Emily's answer: I have a ton of products that are inexpensive in my collection, probably the cheapest ones I own are Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trios! They're $2.99 but I always buy them on sale so they are even cheaper, if you can believe that! I really love how soft the shadows are, they certainly don't lack in pigmentation, and come in every color you could ever need. I would certainly pay a lot more for the quality of those shadows!

This Week's Links:

Affairs Magazine- Michelle is mixing more Lush cocktails this week!

Beauty & Baggage- might have been swayed by St Tropez fake tan.

Fashionable Heart- shares what is in her purse!

Massachusetts Mask- talks about the hit or miss quality of MAC Blushes and shows her collection!

Norwegian Elephan- finds a pretty nice way to tame her fluffy 'do!

What's your least expensive beauty item, and is it any good?

Who Knew Owls Could Smell So Good?

You guys should probably know, I'm obsessed with owls! I love any kind of home decor with them on it, so when I saw this Scentportable at Bath & Body Works during my last trip it had to be mine.

If you don't already know what Scentportables are, they're little holders for Fragrance Refills that you buy to put in them. I love to use these things in my closet, car, and in my laundry basket because although they don't give off a ton of scent, it's just enough to keep everything from being stinky!

Radiate your fave fragrances into all the spaces of your life, without a plug, battery or flame. The built-in clip base allows SCENTPORTABLE to hang, sit or rest on virtually any surface.

• Perfect for your car, closet, drawers, luggage, gym bag, pet area or laundry basket
• Use it to fill your home with your fave fragrance
• Fragrance refill sold separately

This Owl Scentportable was only $4.00 and he flaps his little wings when you move his tail side to side!

I picked the Spiced Cider Fragrance Refill and it is honestly beyond delicious, I had to move it off my desk because I was constantly smelling it! It's  perfect mix of crisp apples and nutmeg, nothing better for this time of year. It's been sitting in my closet now for about a month and still going strong, definitely worth the $7.00 total I spent!

I can't find this particular one on the website but when I ran into my Bath & Body Works a few days ago they still had a whole shelf filled with Owls so if you want one head down to your store quickly because I have a feeling these are going fast.

There's also a lot of other holiday Scentportables you can choose from right now, from Polar Bears to Penguins with earmuffs!

Have you ever tried one of these before?

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My MAC Collection: Blushes

Hey guys, I want to start doing these little "My Collection" posts as sort of a way I can do a makeup collection without actually doing it because that would be one massive post!

I thought I'd start off with my MAC blushes since

 1. MAC is a popular brand that people are curious about the quality of and 

2. it's no secret that I will hoard anything and everything related to blush!

Around the World in 80 Eyeshadows: Weekly Round-Up 11/12/12

Question of the Week:

What's top on your beauty wishlist for the Holidays?

Emily's answer: Hands down the In The Glow Set from Sephora, I pretty much died when I saw it! You guys probably already know I'm obsessed with blush so this set is perfection to me. I would especially love to try out Laura Mercier, NARS, and Lorac for the first time. At only $45 dollars, I let my mom know if she was ever going to get me a gift this would be it! Though I wouldn't complain if anything YSL ended up under the tree either ;)

This Week's Links:

 Affairs Magazine- Michelle welcomed November with some great new products!

Beauty & Baggage- gets into the holiday spirit a little early with her Christmas Gift Guide!

Fashionable Heart- is excited about Toronto's IMATS!

Massachusetts Mask- is admitting her addiction to salves!

Norwegian Elephant- gives a happy dance for finding the "perfect" dupe!

What's top on your beauty wishlist for the Holidays?

NOTD: San Francisco

Sinful Colors- San Francisco

Seche Vite- Dry Fast Top Coat
 

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Salve Obsession?

 I was rummaging through the lip section of my makeup storage the other day and noticed a little trend that I just apparently cannot get enough of: lip tins and salves!

Black Radiance Moisturizing Lip Stain in Rich Cranberry: Review, Photos, & Swatches

The longevity of a lipstick with the brilliant shine of a gloss. This richly pigmented color applied
from a purse friendly slant tip applicator tube provides a lip look that lasts the whole day through.

 Ingredients

Polybutene, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Tridecyl Trimelitate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Microcrystalline Wax, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Bis Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate 2, Ozokerite, Trihydroxystearin, C10 30 Cholesterol/Lanesterol Esters, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Petrolatum, BHT, Propylparaben, Sodium Saccharin, Laminaria Ochroleuca (Algae) Extract, Crithmum Maritimum, Iron Oxides (CI 77489, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 6 Lake (CI 15850), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 15850), Red 30 Lake (CI 73360), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Yellow 6 (CI 15985), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)

 Where to Buy: Drugstore.com, $2.99

The Black Radiance Moisturizing Lip Stain in Rich Cranberry ($2.99 for 0.33 fl. oz.) is the definition of an impulse buy that I grabbed from Drugstore.com while they were having their 40% beauty sale which I did a little haul post on! I'm always on the hunt for more stains since they're work friendly since I don't have to be concerned about re-apply them again and again, so a girl can never have too many in my book. The Black Radiance Moisturizing Lip Stains are supposed to last as long as your traditional lipstick with the same pigmentation but still stay glossy lasting the entire day. Well I put that to the test!

NOTD: All Fired Up

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure- All Fired Up

Seche Vite- Dry Fast Top Coat
 

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Around the World in 80 Eyeshadows: Weekly Round-Up 11/5/12

Question of the Week:

What do your friends and family think of your blog?

Emily's answer: For a long time I kept my blog hidden from my friends just because I started it when I was 16 and I was worried people from my school would be cruel so Massachusetts Mask was kind of like my secret life! I still haven't told any of my friends now that I've graduated probably because it's just never come up in a conversation, but everyone at my work knows about it (actually helped me get the job)! My mom was with my blog from the start, I told her the day I started making posts and she's always been encouraging.

This Week's Links:

Affairs Magazine- Michelle is going Cupcake crazy with nails inc!

Beauty & Baggage- talks about her favourite October products and her Halloween costume.

Fashionable Heart- shares some wardrobe organizing tips!

Massachusetts Mask- is putting price vs. quality to the test with NYC's Sunny Bronzer!

Norwegian Elephant- taking a trip down the memory lane with a brand new phone case!

What do your friends and family think of your blog (if you have one)?!

Drugstore.com Haul!

If you guys remember a week or two ago Drugstore.com was having a sale where their beauty department was 40% off, and you best believe I took advantage of that!

Pretty & Practical Storage: Lipsticks

Hey guys, sorry it took so long for me to do the 2nd installment of my Pretty & Practical Storage, I promise that they will be coming more frequently now.

So my last Pretty & Practical post was all about rings, and today's is going to be about lipstick!

October Favorites

So in October I've really been toning down my makeup, going down the more natural route. I've been sticking to matte or at least satin shadows on my eyes, light pink cheeks, and browny-pink lips. I was kinda digging it while this little natural kick lasted, but now I'm so incredibly ready to bust out the glittery eyes and red lips for the holidays!

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny: Review, Photos, & Swatches

Let a little sunshine into your life for cheap, with NYC New York Color Smooth Skin Bronzing Powder. It glides on easily for a sheer bronze glow that looks like you just stepped off the beach. It is easy to use everywhere and is perfect for quick touch-ups throughout the day. 

Benefits

Sun-kissed yet natural look year round without the damaging effects of the sun

Glides easily for sheer effect

Adds a tanned look in seconds

Can be worn alone or over makeup

Dermatologist tested 

Key Ingredients

A blend of micronized pigments and silica for smooth application

Kaolin to minimize pores and lines

Natural mineral powders

 

Where to Buy: CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart, Target, $2.99

The NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny ($2.99 for 0.33 oz.) is a matte warm brown shade that works particularly well for contouring. In the pan Sunny looks like it has a tad bit of orange to it, but comes across as a light choclaty brown on the skin. This is a product that I've raves about for years now but never really gave it any thought because NYC hasn't really been known for their quality, but I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I like this bronzer (especially for the winter)!

NOTD: Halloween Edition!

 Happy Halloween!

 Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color- Black Out

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color- Orange Impulse

Wet n Wild Wild Shine Nail Color- Kaleidoscope

Seche Vite- Dry Fast Top Coat
 

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October Beauty Buds

The Beauty of Louise- this fabulous blog is written by Louise, a gorgeous girl from the UK. I'm a frequent visitor of her site because not only is her layout so appealing to the eye (you really can't go wrong with pastels!) but she does detailed reviews of products and funky NOTD's that always give me inspiration for my next manicure. Be sure to stop by and say hello, Louise is so sweet you'll feel like you're talking to a friend!

Just so you guys know I've recently started offering advertising on Massachusetts Mask which you can find all the information on under the Sponsors page up top. 

Every month I'm going to be doing this post where you can meet my advertisers called "Beauty Buds"! So if you'd like to be a part of that be sure to check that page out because there's an option for everybody :)

Hope you're all staying safe with this crazy weather, we got lucky in Massachusetts considering how back New Jersey and New York have been hit. Thinking of you all!

5 Nail Polishes for Fall

Probably the most exciting part of fall for me is getting to break out all of my dark and neutral shades of nail polish! These colors go neglected by me all year until late September and then I just can't get enough of them. This year I have a select few that just scream fall to me and I keep going back to them!

Around the World in 80 Eyeshadows: Weekly Round-Up 10/29/12

Question of the Week:

Are you being festive this Halloween in your beauty or fashion choices?

Emily's answer: You know I'm not really one who does much in terms of beauty and fashion for Halloween, it's never really worked out for me! Don't get me wrong, I love this holiday but usually I spend it at home with some candy I bought at the store and scary movie marathons. That being said it's not like anyone really sees me on Halloween so there's not much point in putting a costume together. This year though I think I'm going to paint my nails in a festive way (don't worry, I'll do a special Halloween NOTD) and maybe wear some colorful eyeshadow, something a little different for me but still in my comfort zone!

This Week's Links:

Affairs Magazine- Michelle is feeling festive with her LUSH Bath!

Beauty & Baggage- falls in love with five eyeliners she scooped up for a bargain!

Fashionable Heart- got one of her dream bags this week!

Massachusetts Mask- has never found a blush she didn't like, but this new one from e.l.f. may have to be the first!

Norwegian Elephant- has finally found the perfect red lipstick!

Are you being festive this Halloween in your beauty or fashion choices?