Deals After the Holidays

MOJ Saving MoneyIt’s probably almost an oxymoron to discuss saving money during the holidays if your name is not Scrooge. We are all spending and spending. The trick is that since companies are aware of your incessant spending, they don’t mind getting a bit cheaper and sharing some discounts and sales with you. But what happens when the holidays are over? The sharing season dries up faster than an icicle melts in the sun. But Yaya loves sharing (not to sound too much like Barney), so at least these tips might put some of that money back in your pocket.

image credit: DeviantArt user Heartpolkadotts

Easy Being Green
The holidays are gone but now starts with the tiny holidays and plethora of birthdays. Sometimes we can’t catch a break. I started a calendar without a year designation just so I can keep track of birthdays. Facebook is helpful, but not everyone is on it! My other secret for giving gifts? Instead of wrapping paper, make all of your gift usable. Use a reusable bag as a wrapper and a necklace as the bow. This distinguishes your present and most definitely makes it memorable.

Get Cash Back
My favorite website is eBates.com. The website lists stores you can click over to and after your purchase you get cash back to your account. Four times a year you get a check in the mail for the total of your purchases. To make it clearer? Yaya likes her some Sephora. So she clicks over to eBates and clicks on Sephora from there (you can also make sure which coupons are active here). She makes her purchase and gets an e-mail a day or two later telling her that 4% of her purchase will be given to her as cash back.

Never Miss a Coupon
Make sure to check retailmenot.com and couponcabin.com for any and all coupons for your favorite online sites. I honestly hate to pay shipping, especially for the sites that are available in person as well. I also hate pressing submit somewhere and seeing a missed coupon code.


Open a New E-mail Account
If you’re smarter than me, you know that stores like to e-mail you thousands of times a day. But sometimes, the e-mails you get are priceless. Open a new e-mail account so that you can still get your personal e-mails without it saying that there are 1,000 unread e-mails. Make sure to follow the brands you like on Facebook and checking if they have a Twitter account as well.

What tips do you make use of to keep money in your pocket?

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Shecky’s Girl’s Night Out 1/2 off!

MOJ Shecky's DiscountI’ve previously alerted you to the Shecky’s Girl’s Night Out events happening all over the US and of the good times and goodies I got from attending, so what could make me happier than letting you know the tickets are half off? Not much really. Unless you promise to go with me next time.

Check out the list of locations where the events will be and let me know if you plan to go. Shecky’s also offers party planning services and has Beauty and Holiday Nights Out in addition to the fabulous Girl’s Night Out. What else? They have a newsletter that they cater as much as possible to you and your location. Once in a while I get an e-mail with new and tried and true bar/lounge recommendations that I forward to my gal pals. I usually end up looking like the genius master planner with nary an effort.

MOJ Shecky's Discount

Do you have a Shecky’s success story? Planning to go?

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Yaya had a little L.A.M.B

I don’t know what it was but once I came across my first L.A.M.B handbag design I knew I was in trouble. This was a brand that became part of the notorious crew present in my lust list. The shoes and handbags never disappoint (as in I always want at least one of nearly everything out for mass consumption). Recently I’ve visited the outlets at Woodbury Commons and purchased one I could call my own.

MOJ L.A.M.B

I love the design because the blue is as bright as I love my colors to be. It matches my fave winter coat, AND the design looks like vines or skyscrapers depending on how you look at it.

The only thing making me sad? That I can’t get my favorite brand for as cheap a deal as I did at the outlet. Why? Well I can’t really trek out an hour from home by car every time I want to, now can I? Not really. But sample site Ideeli has the quick fix! They have the L.A.M.B handbags & accessories on sale now. I’m running over faster than I can press ‘Publish Post.’ You can too if you click on your invite link here. Remember, Ideeli doesn’t just do sales, they have popular brand giveaways too, but everything is 2-3 days short, so don’t lose out!

Do you have a favorite brand? Let me know!

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NOTD – OPI Blast From the Past

PhotobucketI was trying to log in all the colors and brands that I have in my collection last week and apart from the fact that the mission failed miserably, my silver lining was unearthing polishes I forgot I owned.

I saw colors that I remember paying an arm and a leg for (you know – before I ever heard of 8ty8 Beauty or Head2Toe Beauty as my cheap fix). The first one that (re)took my breath away was OPI My Private Jet. As far as I know this baby was discontinued two or three years ago, but I’m sure there is plenty a handy Google-er reading here that will find it if the need arises.

The color sparked my interest for holo-like polishes before I was even aware they had their own category.

Have you ever tried this color? Had a flashback of your own? Share with the court!

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Experimenting with Nails

MOJ Nail PolishStarting around August I divulged a lot about my unnecessary nail polish shopping sprees. To this day, I am still experimenting with the new additions to my collections. I have hopes and dreams to franken my own colors, but so far I have just been swatching and sometimes mixing with top coats. I have also been indulging in super old polishes.

What may I be talking about? Does anyone remember Victoria’s Secret polishes that came in wide bottles that resembled pebbles a bit? No? I remember not only did I have these buggers, but I was even around to buy my favorite bottle of gold flecks on clearance when they wiped their collection clean of this version.

Here’s what my new favorite Essie color (Chinchilly) looks like:

MOJ Nail Polish MOJ Nail Polish

Photos: Left with no flash, Right with flash

Check out after the jump for the deets of my experiment!

I was overjoyed because my polish perfectly matched my handbag:

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Photos: Left with no flash, Right with flash

MOJ Nail Polish

MOJ Nail Polish MOJ Nail Polish

Photos: Left with no flash, Right with flash

I’m loving this mix of colors. The color is more true to life in the pictures without flash but in sunlight is a bit lighter.

Like it? Have you experimented with colors? Let me know!

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Review: Clearasil StayClear Daily Face Wash

MOJ Review

MOJ ReviewI have a nasty confession to make. I haven’t been using cleansers much in the past year. There I said it. You shouldn’t repeat this to Mama Yaya either. I would catch it.

It all changed one fateful day. I received an e-mail about participating in a trial to try out the new and improved Clearasil StayClear Daily Face Wash and opted for the Sensitive Skin bottle. I usually have well behaved skin that likes to be finicky. A prima donna. So I steer towards ‘sensitive skin’ options because they approach my skincare needs more tentatively. You know – no hurrah! barging in kind of thing. More like a three knocks on the door and whispers asking if it’s okay to enter…

So how did it work out for me and my experiment? The bottle, selling for $6.29 did a whole lotta cleaning and freshening but fell short a bit in my expectations. Read on to hear all about it!

First, let us compare if there is much of a difference between the normal vs. sensitive skin options. Information is from the brand website, click here for normal and here for sensitive skin details.

This rich, pearly cream gently cleanses skin without overdrying. Use everyday twice a day, to help you maintain visibly clearer skin.

Benefits

  • Thoroughly cleanses skin by eliminating dirt, oil, and bacteria

  • Dermatologist-tested, oil-free formula with refreshing scent

    • Directions for use

  • Gently massage cleanser onto wet face and neck and work into lather.

  • Rinse thoroughly.

    • Ingredients

  • Glycerin and aloe to condition and moisturize skin

    • Available in 6.5 oz. tube

    		 This fragrance-free cream, uniquely formulated for sensitive skin, gently washes away dirt, oil, and bacteria without irritating or over-drying skin.

    Benefits

  • Gently yet thoroughly cleanses sensitive, acne-prone skin

  • Fragrance-free, oil-free, dermatologist-tested formula

    • Directions for use

  • Gently massage cleanser onto wet face and neck and work into lather.

  • Rinse thoroughly.

    • Ingredients

  • Glycerin and aloe to condition and moisturize skin

    • Available in a 6.5 oz. tube

    The only things I notice is that the sensitive skin version is fragrance free and promises not to irritate skin. Otherwise, even the ingredients list is identical. I will try to investigate this a bit further and let y’all know if this is truly the end of the road for their differences or if their is more.

    How I does it, in pictures:

    MOJ Review MOJ Review

    Squeeze a bit onto your hand. Work into a lather.

    MOJ Review

    Apply to face. Stay away from eyes (trust me). Making funny face optional.

    MOJ Review MOJ Review
    Use cotton squares to remove cleanser. I like to wet the squares, ring out the water, and then remove cleanser from my skin. I find that this removes better than just splashing water on my face with my hands.

    The thumbs up:

    • The cleanser works great. It clears up the skin and once you wash everything away, you feel 100% clean. Even if you didn’t know your face was dirty. That’s how I felt the first time I used this. 
    • Plus, this bottle is a heck of a lot for $6.29. This can be purchased at any drugstore or website. There are some cheaper sellers online and we all know BOGO’s happen often so purchase wherever you want. I found one seller on Amazon selling it for $4.95 here.

    The gripes:

    • The cleanser promises to not over-dry but my skin still felt dry after drying my face. I don’t know if it was entirely the wash’s fault, but I had to use my handy dandy Korres face cream right away after use.
    • The instructions advise you to use the wash on your neck, but when I did so I had some annoying tiny pimples pop up around my collar bone. I stopped using the wash so low and they disappeared. Again, I can’t blame this on the cream as it did not irritate my face at all. This can probably be chalked up to my skin being as finicky as I introduced it to be.
    • When washing the cleanser away without cotton squares, it leaves your hands feeling a bit rubbery. This goes away if you wash your hands with soap, so it’s just a minor detail.

    Have you tried this, or use this? Thinking about getting it? Let me know!

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    Magazine Weekend: Guess Who’s Back?

    Magazine WeekendBeing that I’m flipping from technological device to other device, I have not been able to do the same Magazine Weekend you might be accustomed to. But I am trying to keep y’all on your toes to make sure you’re in the know and interested.

    Being that 2009 came to a close at a rapid pace, y’all probably took enough advice and tips to last you halfway through the new year. So enjoy this.

    Guess who’s back?! Jennifer Garner!! Wife to Ben Affleck and mother to Violet and Seraphina (okay yes, I’m a bit too into her personal life – can’t help it – the girls are dolls!), the hot mama has also had plenty a chance to display her acting chops. Think Alias, Daredevil, 13 Going on 30, and my personal favorite; The Kingdom.

    She took a hiatus from the Hollywood scene to focus on her ladies club at home, and from what I can see, she is doing great. I’m loving the sultry and fashionable looks she is sporting in W Magazine. Have y’all snagged a copy yet? I’m always feeling super special with a copy of the W in hand – they print on bigger size glossies than the norm and have some fab photo shoots. But you probably already knew that.


    Magazine Weekend

    I love me some Jennifer Garner. I’ve always admired her just right mix of sweet and stylish, and could see her with a vixen twinge as well. I also appreciate that her career has a variety of categories.

    Do you read W? Like Jennifer Garner? Let me know!

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    Purus Cosmetics FOTD

    PurusI have been deathly behind on posting the details of the last Bloggin’ Beauts get together, but the product that has struck me as the most amazing was Purus. Created by Dana (she’s only a teen!), the cosmetics line is all natural and the pigmentation is amazing. Check out my FOTD & the swatches!

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    If you want to learn more about the brand, click over here to the Bloggin’ Beauts page to read all about it!

    This was probably my best blending job to date. The shades of Purus make it absolutely easy to blend.
    These are the colors I used:
    (left to right) pale mint, teal talent, sea foam, and dark sea

    Purus

    Purus


    Watcha think?

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    The Celebrity Crush

    I will be the first to admit that I have an unhealthy knack for being in someone’s business. Not people I know though. I respect their privacy and try to stay away from turning into a gossip. But celebrities? I can probably rattle off their information as easily as my address.

    I also create the weirdest scenarios in my head. Don’t know why I do it, but let’s play along for now, mmkay? I like to say ‘so and so looks a lot like so and so’s brother, if he had one.’ This makes it even more complex than necessary but happens naturally. Just like this situation here. I was making my rounds through the stack of mags I always have nearby and thought, well hmm Avril Lavigne looks a lot like the bad girl personality of Taylor Swift if she had one. You know – if you had a devil and angel pop up on each shoulder…

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    Or maybe even as a vampire version of her?

    I don’t know why we are so often fascinated with celebrity life – I’m sure a shrink could educate me some on the given topic. But until my lesson, do y’all have weird celebrity quirks? Do you agree with this scenario? Let me know!

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