Saturday, November 15, 2008

Tip Junkie Giveaway

Tip Junkie is hosting Mom-preneur Shop-a-thon Giveaway and they are giving away great items every day for 12 days! You should check it out!



Friday, November 14, 2008

Sephora Haul

My checking account really takes a beating when I make a trip to Sephora but luckily I have gotten a few gift cards lately (one was a free $10 one from ebates!) I tried out some seriously great products this last time and managed to pick up items that actually worked like I thought they would!

Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer
This product is really great under mineral makeup and liquid foundation. I also have mixed it together with my Cargo foundation and it looks great. By itself it doesn't provide much coverage (especially if you have a darker skin tone) because it's very sheer. It does make your skin soft and give you a plumped up kind of look. My skin looked radiant and it hid any flaky skin (like around my nose). I always layer something over it but only because I have a bit of pink in my skin that I need to neutralize. It provides the perfect canvas for the powders and in a way becomes one foundation since they meld and blend themselves together so seamlessly. This product would be great for someone to look put together in just a few minutes or on the weekends.

Blinc Kiss Me Mascara
If you have never tried this product, it's a total must! It is superb for weddings and such because it does not smear, flake, or run. When applied, it's made up of tiny water-resistant "tubes" around your eyelashes. Nothing will make this rub off except warm water and gently pressure so that they slide off of your eyelashes. Kiss Me Mascara is great for those who tend to lose a lot of lashes as they rub with an eye makeup remover. I also love this mascara because I wear contacts and most irritate my eyes. The only downside is it's almost too natural looking for me. It doesn't lengthen or thicken so I usually fix that by using a primer first!


Murad Energizing Pomegranate Lip Protector
If anyone is a lib balm fiend like myself, you absolutely need this! I originally bought it because I just love pomegranate products but I am seriously addicted to this now. It has SPF 15 to help protect your lips (a must!) and it completely made a huge difference in my dehydrated lips. It's a nice shiny, natural color and is not sticky or tacky at all. The scent is a bit strong but it isn't that noticeable. I wear this constantly throughout the day I also apply it before I go to bed. When I stop using it for a few days, I can really tell a difference in how quickly my lips get dry again. Great product! (I also swear by just plain ol' Aquaphor!)

Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Eyeliner Collection
Last but not least, I am digging these eyeliners. The colors are gorgeous and will last forever even though they are travel sized. They glide on smoothly and don't drag or tug at your lid. It doesn't dry so quickly that you don't have time to blend and it's great for your waterline. I also love that I don't seem to have to sharpen these as often as my other eye pencils. The staying power is great..after a long day that I forget to remove my makeup before bed (big no-no!), I seem to wake up with eyes that look ready for the day haha. Great product for the price!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Dia Rugs


These rugs are so intricate and beautiful! Price tag is hefty but oh how I love bright punches of colors!

DSLR Camera

Slow down and look closely at all the inspiration in the world around you and always carry your camera wherever you go. The beauty of digital photography is that you can snap hundreds of pictures of everything around you.

I recently received a Nikon D40 as an anniversary present and am ecstatic! I wasn't sure what camera to go with and was torn between a Nikon and a Canon. The Nikon prevailed and I purchased it from Wolf Camera. They were very helpful and helped me decide that for what I am planning on using it for now, that it was best. I purchased the 55-200mm lens, a camera bag, and received tickets for photography lessons. Great deal!!

It's so lightweight and I carry it everywhere I go. The Nikon D40 is user-friendly and I haven't had a hard time figuring out the different settings. It's great for family, nature, and portraits. I took pictures of my husband playing golf, everything is clear and you can actually see the club! I've also taken really great pictures of stuff I have sold on craigslist. Some of it I had listed for months and I believe they really sold when I took a picture with the Nikon. The detail is just amazing!

The LCD screen is vivid and really shows you a true example of what the picture will look like. With old cameras I thought they looked great on the screen only to upload them and see that they were awful! Not so with this one. It's so sharp and bright.

I totally need to buy a tri-pod, some lenses, and filters but am happy for now. Wolf camera carries a neat tri mono-pod so that's next on my list hopefully.

Welcome!

I am so glad you are here! The Creative Critiquer is a blog that highlights products, tutorials, websites, and anything else you can imagine. I can't wait to network and meet people! This is my first blog and as you may notice throughout my entries, I am not much of a writer. Still, I hope to inspire, get inspired, and maybe even do some great giveaways!

I live in Texas with my husband (we'll call him Mr. Golf since that's all he thinks about), our two dogs Mocha and Hazelnut, and kitty Meow-Meow. I am a Domestic Diva who used to work in the skincare industry. Now I am a lover of all things crafty, my trusty Nikon, decor, cooking and anything else Martha Stewartesque.