Shopping: Sirens

I absolutely hate going shopping for clothes - yes, I'm weird like that. I don't know, I don't think it's fun to have to battle with crazy people in a crowded store to find the right size for that piece of clothing you really want/need and ending up being disappointing because that perfect pair of jeans doesn't fit or because your size isn't available.

I think it's especially hard to shop for jeans or pants in general because you have to try them on as the sizing varies from one store to another - I don't know for you but I don't have this problem with tops because I usually go for X-Small or Small - not to mention that I swear by skinny jeans and I won't wear any other style. I think it's the style that compliments my figure the most, but I like my skinnies to be really tight and fitting, which is another thing to consider when going shopping.

I recently went to Montreal with the boyfriend and I really needed some new pairs of jeans because I have only two left that still fit, so I decided to have a look at my favorite inexpensive clothing stores, Sirens, Stitches and F21. Nothing really took my fancy at Stitches and F21, but I was especially drawn to Sirens because they had a promo on all jeans: buy one get one 50% off.

I picked up two pairs of Victoria by Sirens Super Skinny Super Low Rise in size 3 and surprisingly, they both  fit really well! I tend to be super picky with skinny jeans because most of the time, they will fit great at the waist but they will be too lose on the leg, or the opposite - but these are just perfect! They were both $20.00, and with the 50% off, I ended up paying only $34.18 - total bargain!

This pair is my favorite! It's perfectly curve hugging and stretchy and the color is perfect. I also love that the legs are pretty long.

Although both pairs are the same style, this one is sightly less tight, the legs are a little shorter and the color is darker. I usually prefer my jeans on the pale side, but as long as it's not a uniform deep navy blue, it's okay.

I also totally forgot about their other promo: you receive a free 14g sample of Lady Speed Stick Fresh Infusions and a $1 off coupon with your purchase at any Sirens in Canada (ends September 4). I received my sample in Strawberry Splash which smells absolutely yummy and is the perfect size to keep in my handbag.

Another thing - if you plan to go shopping at Sirens, don't forget to print your $5 off coupon towards your next $25.00 purchase (exclusively for Facebook fans), which expires on August 31. I forgot to print it but I don't think I could have used it anyway because it can't be used in conjunction with any another promotion.

Shopping: Dollar Tree & Kmart

I was in Wildwood NJ for a whole week (July 22 - 29) and while I lounged on the beach mostly all day, I was very excited to explore stores we don't have here in Canada, like Dollar Tree (where everything is $1 or less!) and Kmart. I picked up some goodies but I'm pretty proud of myself as I didn't spend too much. Yey!

Assured Body Powder Medicated Triple Relief Formula $1 Before going to Wildwood, I developped big red rashes on my thighs and I have absolutely no idea what it was or how I developped this reaction. It was just so itchy, I had to buy some cream or ointment to calm the itchiness. I came accross this medicated body powder containing menthol, which quickly calmed the itchiness - but only temporarily.

Natureplex Hydrocortisone Cream Maximum Strength $1 This cream is supposed to temporary relieve itching associated with minor skin irritations, inflammation and rashes, and I've been told that hydrocortisone creams are great to calm eczema flare-ups, so for $1, I thought, why not? I also used it on my rashes and it helped a little. The tube is very small and I feel I will use it very quickly, but I guess you get what you pay for.

Premier Heel Grippers Sponge Rubber $1 I always have a hard time finding shoe insoles that really work and won't slip away after only two uses. I have found that gel insoles don't work really well for me so I decided to give these rubber ones a try and so far, I'm impressed!

Icy Breeze Breath Spray Spearmint $1 I remember when these breath sprays were the big thing somewhere around elementary school and high school, except that they were not really designed to refresh your breath back then - they were fruit or candy flavoured. It's a great thing to keep in your handbag, and I find it works better than chewing gum to refresh your breath.

Max Block SPF 30 Baby Sunscreen Lotion with Aloe Vera $1 If it's good for babies, I guess it couldn't be bad for me?

Banana Boat Ultra Defense Sheer Protect SPF 50 $1 On my way out of Dollar Tree, I spotted this rack full of sunscreens and wow, SPF 50 for only $1?! I haven't tried Banana Boat products before but if I believe the hype, they should be great.

Glo Women's Jayden Patent Platform Pump - Blush on sale for $19.99 I always wanted nude heels because they are just so classy and they go with everything but I was waiting for a great deal - and I found one! I love that these heels have an "hidden" platform, it makes them much more comfortable, and it makes the 4 1/2" heel more bearable (:

Glo Women's Marbella Chain Demi Wedge - Black on sale for $14.99 I am absolutely in love with these shoes! They are called demi wedges which I think is strange because they look more like gladiator sandals to me... But OMG, I mean, just look at them! I have nothing similar in my closet so they instantly catched my attention when I saw them on the clearance rack and guess what? It was the only pair left! I can't believe my luck! They are super comfortable, and the chains and zippers... ♥

Before I forget, let me announce the winner of my Hold Me Bag giveaway...

Anne-Julie! Congrats!

Didn't win this time? Don't worry, you have until midnight to enter my Veet giveaway!

Shopping: Apothica, Wal-Mart, La Senza & Dollarama

Too Faced Leopard Love Complexion Perfection Kit ($29.70) I've been debating a loooong time wether I should get it or not because most of the reviews I read about this product agreed on one point: the shades are too sheer. I decided to order it anyway because I couldn't resist the leopard print designs. I plan to review this kit in another post so I don't want to talk too much about it here, but I still want to say that yes, the leopards are all very sheer.

L - R: Peach Leopard, Candy Leopard, Pink Leopard

Avène Cicalfate Restorative Skin Cream ($23.00) I have been struggling with dry and chapped lips all my life and nothing seems to heal them completely. I think it's due to eczema, but even if I use steroid creams and the irritation goes away, it comes back within a week and it makes me sick! I was discussing this issue with my friend Ariane who is a sale assistant in a drugstore and she recommended me this product as it's meant to restore the skin barrier and minimizes cutaneous irritation. I really hope this cream will help!

XEN-TAN Deep Bronze Instant Self-Tan (on sale for $19.28) I was very eager to try something from XEN-TAN but I always thought their products were too pricey. I finally decided to take the plunge when I saw this one on sale (it was originally $26). I was looking for a deep dark tan but I had no idea which self tanner to choose, there's so many to choose from! I read reviews on blogs and I finally decided to try the Deep Bronze Instant Self-Tan.

With every Apothica order you make come some samples. This time I received a sample of The Art of Shaving Pre-Shave Oil and some band-aids in a very handy little Avène packaging to keep in my handbag.

I'm very impressed at how fast my Apothica order was delivered - I made my order on July 6, it was shipped on July 7 and I received it the next Monday, July 11! How great is that?

Oh and if you plan to order from Apothica, use the coupon code PACK10 for 10% off (:

Leopard print heels (on sale for $5) Everytime I'm in Wal-Mart, I just have to have a look at the shoes section, and I remember lusting over those heels for some times now, but they were a little too pricey for me and they didn't have my size anyway. You can imagine my surprise when I saw them in the sale section last week and decided to try on one of the last two pairs left just for fun... and it fit! Come on, $5 for some fierce leopard print heels? OMG!

Clairol Natural Instincts Vibrant in Dark Brown (on sale for $5.97) I knew about the original Natural Instinct range but never actually tried it because the color is claimed to last only up to 28 shampoos, but when the new Natural Instincts Vibrant range came out, I knew I had to try it! What makes these hair dyes even more interesting is that in each box is included Clairol's first ever Week 2 Color Refresher, which is a nourishing crème formula that deposits color pigments 15 days after coloring, replenishing key tones that color loses over ime. How genius is that?

Cottonelle Fresh Flushable Moist Wipes (free) I had a coupon for a free tub of these wipes, yey! Moist wipes always come in handy for those early morning when I'm in a rush before school.

Panties from La Senza (on sale 10 for $30) I was in Montreal with my mother when we walked by La Senza and noticed the huge sign indicating the 10 for $30 sale... Who could resist new panties at such a nice price? We must have spent half an hour picking five panties each LOL

Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Lotion Sunscreen SPF 45 ($2) The second I smelled this, I knew I had to have it! I have never tried Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen products before but I've heard a lot about them - especially about their scent - so for only $2, I thought, why not? I can't help it but when I'm in Dollarama, I always wonder why this or that product ended up there, and I've been told that most of the time it's simply because of the packaging (the color has been changed - even for the slightest - or the packaging has been completely redesigned). In the case of this product, I have looked up the website and I can't find the SPF 45 sunscreen in the list of products, so maybe it has been discontinued? 

Shopping: Clarins 2011 Spring Warehouse Sale

I went to a Clarins warehouse sale only once (around maybe two years ago?) with my friend Sara and her mother but I wouldn't have known about this sale if they hadn't told me. The last time, I remember nothing really interested me, but I ended up getting two Instant Gel self-tanners out of pure curiosity and Escada Pacific Paradise because it was just delicious - fruity and sweet, yum! I have barely used the self tanners though but I'm starting to get interested in this whole fake tan thing, so I plan to use them more this summer. My friend Ariane also told me that Clarins Delectable Self Tanning Mousse SPF 15 was great, so I was very curious.

When I heard about the spring warehouse sale through MontrealAubaines.com, I figured out I could have a look as it was only 15 minutes from where I live. I went with my mother on June 3 at around 6:00 PM, and to my surprise, it wasn't that crowded, and we entered pretty quickly.

There were a lot of brands available, such as Anna Sui, Thierry Mugler, Clarins, Azzaro Paris, Couvent des Minimes Haute Provence, Nuxe, Pür Minerals, Kibio, Parfums Roxy, QuickSilver, Burberry Fragrance, Lanvin Parfums, Porsche Design, Annick Goutal, and more.

Of course, the first thing I looked for was the self tanners. I picked up the Delectable Self Tanning Mousse as soon as I saw it, but I put it back when I realized the expiration date was in September z=

I was disappointed, but then Clarins Intense Bronze Self Tanning Tint For Face and Decolleté grabbed my attention with its claims to achieve a natural-looking, dark, tropical tan.

Intense in the bottle, subtly golden on the skin. Upon application it promotes the beautiful, sunny radiance of a sun-filled vacation. Hour after hour, its tropical tanned colour intensifies but remains very natural-looking. Makes it possible to intensify or to maintain the tanned colour you want simply by renewing application. Also leaves skin soft and hydrated, tanned and toned, skin looks so healthy.

I've been told this product isn't sold in Canada and it's not on Clarins Canada website, so I guess I was lucky to find it! I don't care that it's labelled for face and decolleté, I plan to use it on my body as well. I got it for $13 instead of $32, bargain!

Then I decided to have a look at Nuxe products, because I have always found their prices ridiculous in store, but I've been pretty obsessed with their Rêve de Miel Lip Balm as my lips have been acting crazy lately. No matter which lip balm I use, nothing works, and they stay super dry and chapped, and they even keep peeling. The corners of my mouth are even cracked!

I spotted the tester but couldn't find the unopened packages, only to be told by the sale assistant that they all have been sold. OMG, seriously?! But then my mother spotted a bonus package with the three Rêve de Meil products: a day cream, a body cream and... the lip balm! The package was only $29, talk about a bargain!

With this extremely nourishing and repairing fragrance-free balm that contains no preservatives or artificial scents and has no sticky effect, most damaged lips are supple and soft. 

Thanks to this amazing balm, damaged lips will instantly be soothed. Its luscious texture and its sweet taste of Honey and Grapefruit turns applying it in truly blissful moment.

My mother was very kind and gave it to me as a present. This lip balm is rated 4.2 out of 5 on MakeupAlley so I have really hopes about it!

My mother spent around $200 at the sale. Here's what she bought:

• X3 Clarins Sun Care Cream Very High Protection 100% Mineral Filters For Children ($13 each)
• Nuxe Rêve de Miel Set including Ultra Comfortable Body Cream (miniature), Ultra Comfortable Face Cream and Lip Balm ($25)
• Burberry Brit For Women Set including Eau de Parfum Natural Spray 100mL, Refreshing Body Lotion and Energizing Body Wash ($58)
• X2 Nuxe Rêve de Miel Ultra Comfortable Face Cream ($20 each)
• Burberry Brit For Women Limited Edition 100 mL ($48)

Talk about amazing bargains! The sunscreens smells great, a little citrusy, and the texture of the Nuxe Face Cream is simply amazing! It's very thick to the touch, almost like butter, but it almost melts when in contact with the skin.

Overall, we are pretty proud of our purchases, and I'll be sure to let you know what I think of the Clarins self-tanner and the Nuxe lip balm.

Shopping: Wal-Mart

This is a little haul from around three weeks, but I wanted to share with you what I got from my last visit to Wal-Mart.

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat On sale for $5.97 I'm about to ditch top coats for good as none seems to work, it's so annoying! Plus, I tend to use them so fast because I like to re-apply another coat every few days. A while ago, I asked for top coats suggestions on Twitter and this one seemed great, as it claims to dry in 30 seconds and promises no-chip shine for up to 10 days. The thing is, it does dry in 30 seconds which is amazing, but no matter which nail polish I used, my manicure absolutely didn't last up to 10 days! Sooooo disappointing ):

Aveeno Active Naturals Eczema Care Cream $9.62 and Cetaphil RESTORADERM Eczema Moisturizing Lotion $14.37 Nothing really seems to work for the eczema on my hands, and Karen keeps telling me how great these two lotions worked for her, but I was hesitant to pay that much for some hand lotions as I already have so many. I finally caved in after I got a $2.00 off coupon on the Cetaphil Restoraderm lotion, and I decided to grab the Aveeno lotion as well as I couldn't find it anywhere before. I know it's a little too soon to tell but so far, I'm a little disappointed. I had high hopes for these lotions as they have both earned the Eczema Society of Canada Seal of Acceptance but still, I always have to go back to my cortisone creams. I know eczema won't heal overnight (there is no cure for eczema anyway), but still, I'm so fed up of it!

Glad Sense & Spray Automatic Room Spray Free If you follow my updates on Twitter and on my Facebook page, you shouldn't have missed this coupon! I chose the last Hawaiian Breeze available on the shelf, it smells soooo yummy! I like that it's motion-activated, that way, there's no "waste" of perfume.

♥

I forgot to include this in my Monday post, but I just wanted to wish you a happy National Vegetarian Week (May 23 - 29)! Please try to have a ♥ this week!

Picture from PETA.org

Shopping: Groupe Marcelle Spring 2011 Warehouse Sale

At first, I wasn't even sure to go to Marcelle Spring 2011 Warehouse Sale because I didn't really need anything, but I went to pick up some goodies for Halifax so of course, I had to have a nosey for myself as well. I didn't leave with empty hands, but I'm pretty happy that it didn't cost me more than $12, if I'm right. Everything from Annabelle was $1.50 and everything from Marcelle was $2.50, which is pretty amazing. There was also various skincare items at great discount prices. I doubt there's other warehouse sales with prices as nice as this one!

Here's what I got:

Annabelle Kabuki Brush $1.50 If I remember well, this little limited-edition packaging of the Annabelle Mineral Powder Blush was available at Shoppers Drug Mart when their mineral line was launched. As much as I wanted the limited-edition kabuki brush, I didn't want to purchase the package as I already had the blush, so I was super happy to see the pouch with only the kabuki at the sale. It's super cute, soft and very dense, and I'm definitely keeping the pouch!

Marcelle Essentials Purity Soothing Cleansing Water $8-$9 (I can't remember) OMG, I'm totally in love with this stuff. I just realized I didn't even review it yet! It's amazing for sensitive eyes or dry skin (like mine), and it removes even the heaviest makeup in a single swipe! I'm not purchasing any other makeup remover, not even baby oil!

Marcelle Power Volume Mascara $2.50 I've heard great things about it, and well, how could I say no to a $2.50 mascara?

I can't wait for the Fall Warehouse Sale now!

♥

 
And the winner of my hairfreé Hair Brushes Giveaway is...

FaceFixers!

Congrats! I just emailed you!

Shopping: Wal-Mart, Dollarama & a warehouse sale

NYC Translucent Loose Face Powder $1.50 & Green Cover Stick $1.25 As soon as I spotted these in a "sale bin", I had to grab them! I don't have a translucent loose face powder and as I'm not a big fan of foundation, I thought I should give it a try. Also, I have never used a green cover stick and it got me really curious, and the price was perfect to experiment with it. I don't know if they were on sale because they are going to be discontinued? I've heard the face powder has a new packaging now...

Göt2b rockin' it encore fresh Dry Shampoo This was a gift from my boyfriend, even though he absolutely don't seem to get the point of dry shampoos. In the store, he was like "But I always see you washing your hair in the shower, you never use that! What's the point?" Ah, boys, boys, boys...  Anyway, I rushed to Wal-Mart as soon as I saw this dry shampoo and the Powder'ful Volumizing Styling Powder in the flyer, but of course, it wasn't there. I didn't even see an empty space where the product should be )=

Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color in White On I decided I needed a white nail polish after seeing this one on a blog (can't remember which one). This was marked as $1.97 but it scanned at $2.94 so I got it for free, yey!

Mainstays 5-piece Jar Candle Set in Pear $7.50 and Fern Apricot Tea Votices $2.80 You know I can't resist scented candles, especially when they are on sale! They both smell yummy, but I don't think I have ever smelled something similar to Apricot Tea. Yum!

Jenere Peppermint 99.9% Natural Lip Balm $1.00 and Lavoris Mouthwash Whitening Rinse $1.00 I love to browse the beauty alley in Dollarama as I always find amazing deals! I know I have plenty of lip balms already but I use them so much so I like to stock up when I find a great deal, and how could I say no to almost all natural lipbalms for only $1? I've also been a little obsessed with whitening mouthwash lately and while I'm sceptical this one is actually good, I figured out that for $1, I wouldn't complain.

Lendan Look Forms Solution-11 Rinse-Free Styling Mask with UV Protection 2 for $5.00 There was a warehouse sale near where I live this week-end and it was filled with professional hair products, so my mother and went went to have a nosey. Most of the products were overpriced for my student budget and I didn't really need something anyway, but when my mother spotted this leave-in conditioner (which was on sale for $3.50 or 2 for $5.00) we decided to grab one each. I swear by leave-in conditioners, and I hope this one will lives to its claims.

Lendan offers solutions for hair conditioning and easier styling with products that act progressively to achieve shiny, silky, healthier hair. Solution-11 combines the renewing effect of treatment with eleven natural extracts, including avocado oil and quaternised honey. It also helps achieve free moving, lively hair with great body, thanks to the Provitamin B-5 it contains, Do Not Rinse Solution-11's sun filter protects and screens hair from ultraviolet rays.

Shopping: Dollarama & Wal-Mart

ELF Mechanical Eyelash Curler ($1.50) It's been such a long time since I last browsed the beauty aisle in my local dollar store, so I went to take a look last week and you can imagine my surprise to find my favorite lash curler here: ELF Mechanical Eyelash Curler! ELF isn't sold in Quebec, and the shipping fees from the website are horrible. I won this eyelash curler in a giveaway some times ago and I immedialety got hooked! I didn't hesitate to buy a backup (=

Scope White Mouthwash Mint Splash (around $5) I have never tried a whitening mouthwash before and since this one was on sale, I thought I would give it a try and keep you updated on how it goes.

John Frieda Collection Frizz-Ease Heat Defeat Protective Styling Spray (gift) My mother found this on sale at Wal-Mart some times ago and she thought I would be interested in trying it. I already have three heat protectant but I guess you can never have enough?

Grey thighs (gift) My mother found these on sale (at l'Aubainerie, if I remember well), and she knew I wanted grey thighs/leggings, so she picked up one pair for me, and one for her. They are not as warm as my black winter leggings (that I've been wearing a little too much this winter), but I had already ordered grey winter leggings on eBay anyway.

L'Oréal Sublime Mousse in 30 Pure Darkest Brown (free) As I told you in my last Mail of the Week post, I received a coupon for a free box of L'Oréal Sublime Mousse. But boy was it hard to get the little girl behind the counter to understand that this box was free! At first, she didn't understand what was the mousse that I was supposed to receive, as stated on the coupon (hm hello, isn't it written big enough for you?), and then she started arguing that they didn't have this promotion going on and that the only thing she could do is give me a $3 rebate... WTF? She finally asked her manager who told her that the hair dye was really free. Damn! Anyway, when the foam hair dye trend emerged, I was sceptical (and I still am), but I can't wait to give this a try! I'll keep you updated.

SPAresource Stipple Brush ($5) I've been recently searching for a good and affordable stipple brush to apply my Covergirl NatureLuxe Foundation, so you can easily imagine my surprise when I saw only two remaining SPAresource Stipple Brushes in a clearance display at Wal-Mart, where everything was on sale for $5! I believe they were cleaning the SPAresource brushes display to make room for the new Pro-Series brushes, because there was no "old" brushes left there. This is my first stipple brush so I have nothing to compare it to, but I made sure to touch it in the store before buying it, and I think it's super soft and the hair are quite dense for only $5. Can't wait to use it!

Sheer panties (gift) My mother-in-law found these for only $0.50 at Zellers but they didn't fit her, so she gave it to me. They are so pretty, and they totally fit me, even if they are size Medium. Now, with the ones I recently ordered from La Senza, I really don't need more panties!

Wet N Wild Brow & Eye Liner Pencil in Taupe ($1.57) I've always been lazy with my brows, but after constantly seeing perfect brows (such as those from JLovesMac1), I decided to take action! Oh and at this price, how could I say no?

L'Oréal Studio Volum Max Volumizing Spray ($0.96) I had a $2.00 coupon on any L'Oréal haircare or hair styling product, so decided to use it on this product as it seems rather interesting: you only have to spray it directly on the roots and tadaaah! Volume! Yes I'm sceptical, but at price, I figured I could give it a try.

Shopping: Lush & Giant Tiger

The Godmother and Angel's Delight soaps: My boyfriend totally spoiled me this Christmas with a ton of LUSH goodies, but I couldn't resist to go take a look at the sale for myself the day after (yes, this is a terrible overdue post!) As soon as I stepped in the store (for the first time ever!), the sale associate told me almost everything was BOGO. Wait, what?! For the first time ever I'm about to buy something from LUSH, and it's going to be BOGO? But I had to restrain myself to buy only one thing, and I knew what I wanted anyway: The Godmother, a soap that smells of Snow Fairy Shower Gel (do I really need to explain myself?), but less intense. The hard part was deciding what to choose for free as part of the promotion. I wasn't sure what to choose between Vanilla in the mist, Summer Pudding, Angel's Delight and Rockstar as I love sweet scents, but I finally made my mind and went for Angel's Delight as it's limited edition. It smells fruity and fresh, but not overly sweet like Snow Fairy.

Bizz Girl Junior Belted Tunic Top: Yes, I still shop in the junior section at Giant Tiger LOL. I needed more long tops to wear with my leggings this winter, and this was only $12.97. It fits so well, and I love the removable belt.