Little Tokyo Mini Haul: Lip Scrubs

Last Sunday, my friends and I celebrated one of my dearest friend's birthday! We eventually found our way to a cosmetics store in  Little Tokyo called Maneki Neko. The birthday girl wanted to check out the vast NYX collection that they had.

As for me, I was trying to be good. My credit card bill this month was equivalent to three months worth of my usual spending. I don't know how this happened, but it did. What's done is done and now I must be a penny pincher for quite some time!

While at Maneki Neko, I did stumble upon a few items that I could not pass up.

I purchased white nail polish by Nabi Color and two lip scrubs by Beauty Treats. Each were $1.50. What a steal!

Here's my quick review on each:

1. Nabi Color: It's great!! I love it so far. The formula is a little thicker than what I am used to, but not bad. The color is opaque! LOVE

2. Beauty Treats Lip Scrub. I only opened the Wild Apple one. I LOVE it too!! For $1.50, it does a great job. I woke up the next day with really soft pillowy lips. I was impressed!

Not too long ago, I purchased this Mally Beauty's Gentle Lip Scrub.

(photo credit: Ulta.com)

These are my thoughts on the two lip scrubs:

PRICE: Mally Beauty is $15. Beauty Treats is $1.50. Need I say more?

PROCESS: You massage MB into your lips and that's it. You have to wash off BT. Before I go to bed, I like to use the lip scrub. I like how with MB, you put it on and don't worry about any extra steps. Since I have to wash off BT, it makes me wonder if there's too many foreign stuff in it. Over time, I got lazy and just wiped off BT with a cotton pad instead of using water. I do have to use my normal chapstick after wiping off BT since I rubbed off the product.

MOISTURE: MB is really moisturizing. There's more balm than beads. It feels like you're putting on Vaseline. BT looks like a lip balm in a tub, but it has many fine beads. Because of this, you do get a rougher scrub. BUUUT, the next day, my lips were so soft after using BT.  The results were more subtle with MB. 

With Mally Beauty, you can't see the beads. They're the same color as the balm, but it's very fine and scattered throughout. There were times when I felt as if I got more balm than beads and did not get a real good exfoliation.

With Beauty Treats, you can see the beads everywhere!

SCENT: Of course BT wins because it has flavors. MB smells like cocoa butter which is one of my least favorite scents.

Winner is.....BEAUTY TREATS! You really can't beat the price and the results. Mally Beauty is a "gentle" scrub, but still...If I'm paying $15 for that little tube, I want to see results! 

After a few uses of the Mally Beauty scrub, I told myself that I would just make my own! It's not worth the $15. I am glad I found something that is affordable, smells good and actually makes my lips really soft!

I am so happy I so happened to stumble across these products!!

<3<3<3

Ulta Haul: 21 Days of Beauty Steals

My temptation: Anything beauty related.

My weakness: Anything beauty related...ON SALE.

So I knew that when Jerlyn Phan's (aka Makeupfreeek) video Ulta 21 Days of Beauty video went live, my credit card would be taking a blow. As much as I love beauty products, I do pride myself in being able to control myself...most of the time. Check out what's on sale here.

There was only ONE thing that I really really wanted from this Ulta sale. It was the 4oz IT'S A 10 Miracle Leave-In Conditioner Plus Keratin. This bad boy retails for $19.99. For me, that's expensive, especially when it's considered a drugstore product. The beauty of this Ulta sale was that if you spend $20 between March 16 and April 5, you got this IT'S A 10 leave-in conditioner for free...FOR FREE!!! I've been wanting to try this line of hair products, but never wanted to splurge. I needed a few essentials (moisturizer, toner, and concealer) that would easily add up to $25...but of course, I left with way more than that...oops.

This is what I walked away with...As you can see, I left with way more than just moisturizer and toner (they were out of stock for my concealer).

Let's first look at the products I am overly excited about:

Benefit's Hoola Bronzer. I have been wanting to purchase this for years...yes, years! But spending $28 for a bronzer just did not seem justifiable for me. Though, not too long ago, I told myself that I can buy one after I finish my current drugstore bronzer...obviously, I didn't wait. You have all seen this all over YouTube and beauty blogs. This is one of the beauty community's favorite bronzer. 

Benefit's Posie Tint and High Beam. I bought this trial size duo. Benefit was having  promo of spend $35, get a free makeup bag. This was the cheapest product that I could get that would bring me to $35. I have always wanted to try the tints so I was happy to purchase this. I gave the High Beam to my mom. 

Mally Beauty Perfect Prep Lip Scrub. I have been in the market for a lip scrub. I love lipstick, but my application gets a little bit crusty looking throughout the day (TMI?). I wanted to exfoliate for a smoother look. The sales representative showed me a lip scrub by Tarte, which I actually really liked. To my dismay, Ulta was sold out. 

Red Carpet Manicure French Tips. I saw this on clearance for $.99 so why not? The reviews on Ulta are awful. I do not have high hopes for this product. Who knows? Can't knock it til I try it.

ARDELL. Lashes. MMmm. I have been loving lashes since the first day I wore the in July 2013 for a wedding. I was a bridesmaid. That was the first time I have ever worn lashes and I have been addicted ever since. These lashes aren't as va va voom natural as I typically go for. They're just natural. I shall see and for $2, can't be the price to try.

Argan Oil of Morroco. Trial size for when I go to the Philippines in a week and a half. The weather there is so humid, my poor dry hair will need some help for hydration and protection.

The essentials:

Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer. My daily moisturizer that evens out my skin tone. I have been wearing this for years and it works for me.

Neutrogena Clear Poor Oil-Eliminating Astringent, aka toner. I use this daily at night after washing my face. 

And last but not least, my freebies!

IT'S A 10 Miracle Leave-In Conditioner Plus Keratin.

Benefit's Cosmetics Bag. 

Happy shopping!

<3<3<3