25% off L.A.M.B!

Hi all, I was wandering through Off Saks 5th at The Block the other night and couldn't find anything worth blogging about makeup wise (again!) so I wandered over to handbags. There I found three table displays of L.A.M.B bags. As did all the other women in the section. The Gwen Stefani styled bags have always drawn a crowd in this store!

Usually I like to buy L.A.M.B at Nordstrom Rack because they have better discounted prices, but for whatever reason Nordy's has been lacking in L.A.M.B lately. So I was very happy to see them at Saks and they were all 25% off!

Here's what caught my eye...

L.A.M.B. Melbourne Printed Satchel

$149.99 (+25% off included) vs. $295.00 Retail

L.A.M.B Williamsfield Tote (Small & Large)

$104.99 and $149.99 (+25% off included) vs. $295.00 Retail

And here was my favorite...

L.A.M.B Charlemagne Hobo

$254.99 (+25% off included) vs. $495.00 Retail

Those were my favorites, but there were tons of other designs and within those designs many different styles of bags to choose from. They also had wallets, clutches, and shoes. All for 25% off. But alas, I left empty handed. I was too afraid to tempt fate. But, since my birthday is around the corner, I will just have to be extra nice to the hubs! ;)

CCS/MAC Update!

So I stopped by my local CCS (yeah, I am there ALOT) and saw only a few new notable items to report:

One new eyeshadow in a rich, matte2 brown Handwritten $10.00 @ CCS vs. $14.50 retail. The consistency of the matte2 shadows are unbelievably silky. The test swatch I did completely sold me and this shade will now replace my former matte brown BFF, Embark. Sorry, loyalty is not a virtue of mine when it comes to shadow blendability! 

1 quad palette Smoke Signals: Gentle Fumes (clockwise from top left) Rondelle, Waft, Carbon, and Gentle Fume for $24.75 vs. $36.00 retail.

Fix+ for $12.50 vs. $16.00 retail, a spritz on make up fixer that promises to seal your face war paint like MAACO varnish.

Only two (yes, two.) products from the FAFI Special Edition line. Belightful Iridescent Pressed Powder $14.75 vs. $21.00 retail. They also have this product in the regular M.A.C packaging if they're out of the FAFI compact.


and one lip gloss of which the name evades me right now! I know I should write stuff down instead of using my flaky "photogenic memory", but sometimes I feel like its illegal or something! I always feel watched. HA HA! Anywho, I was bummed and in disbelief, so I chatted up the working counter girl and she swore that those were the only two items they received. Something told me I could trust her, so I thanked her graciously and left pouting.

Aside from these products, they also had Tendertone Lip Balms and Tinted Lip Conditioners, as well as Prep+Prime Skin, skin care stuff on this link, and more items from my last report added to stock. But as with most sought after MAC products, I am sure the pictured items will move quickly, so get to chopping!

Paint the town...

As I predicted, I found myself squirming in my office chair at around 4:45ish because I wanted so badly to visit my local CCS to pick up some MAC loot. After swallowing my dinner whole (I have no idea what I ate) I drug (that sounds bad! dragged?) my hubs, baby, and cousin to The Block. Safety in numbers? No, I wanted the cousin to share in the MACness. Plus she's been dying to get her lips on the Russian Red lipstick, and they had it there. I bribed her and she took the bait. ;P I already had my budget and shopping list completed before I even left work so I headed straight to the Paint Pots. Among the more dramatic colors such as Delft, Moss Scape, and Greenstroke there were the following more neutral shades I did pick up.

Paint Pots $11.75 each @ CCS (Compared to $16.50 each @ MAC):
Constructivist
Shade description: Metallic dark brown with subtle red pearl (Frost). I can already tell that this jar and I are going to become quite the BFFs, especially on the days I am feeling the brown smokey look. The shade can be subtle if worn alone for the quick fix days, but if packed on the color is rich and yummy!
Fresco Rose
Shade description: Mid-tone pink with matching pearl (Frost). This shade will be an awesome base for my weaker pink and purple eyeshadow hues to give it that extra oomph they need to be transformed from pretty to vavooom!
Blackground

Shade description: Frosted smoky black grey with multi-coloured pearl (Frost). For the classic smokey eye look, this color will surely deliver intensity. I predict I will rely on this Paint Pot rather than Blacktrack fluid liner as a base.

The staying power on Paint Pots are beyond amazing! They last tons longer than the Shadestick, my base of choice pre-Paint Pot. The test swatch I did at around 7pm is still glimmering on my hand at 11pm! Luckily they didn't have my wish list Paint Pots: Rubenesque, Bare Study (sold out on maccosmetics.com), and Layin' Low. Otherwise I'd be three Paint Pots richer and $36 more in debt! ;P

***Another quick secret about CCS: If they have a particular product which is in high demand, usually any product that can be deemed a "staple" in black such as eyeliner, mascara, or the above Paint Pot, you must ASK if they have it in stock. They do not have testers of these items on the shelves because apparently those are the items most likely to be thieved. So always remember to ask!!

And what is painting without the right brush!?!
222 Tapered Blending Brush $19.75 @ CCS (Compared to $28.00 @ MAC)
"Apply, contouring or highlighting powerder-based products such as an eyeshadow, poweder, or Pigment. Soft round 'brush' tapers into a tip. Of natural fibres." - maccosmetics.com
*Very similar to the 217, with longer, less dense bristles or the 224, which is a lot fluffier with black bristles. The 222 blending brush is great for us girls with a smaller crease and/or eye area.
187 Duo Fibre Brush $29.50 @ CCS (Compared to $42.00 @ MAC)
"A large full circular brush used for lightweight application and blending of face powders or pigments. Use to create soft layers or add texture. Made from a soft blend of goat and synthetic fibres." - maccosmetics.com

*A blush brush is not just a blush brush of course, of course. The 187 is in a league of its own for blending! Compared to the regular 129, this brush is much more user friendly and clown proof! I welcomed these two newbies to my make up brush community and they fit in just fine! Oh and of course, I was youtubing before bed last night and picked up this ingenious tip! If you're one of those who relies on the numbers of your brushes or just like that it remain on the brush, a quick swipe of clear nail polish and insta-seal! No more rub off and mystery brushes!
Okay, back to the grind before I lose the yob that supports this habit!

MAC attack!

So when I get the urge to scratch my MAC itch, I always head first to the Cosmetic Company Store outlet. The closest one to me is located inside the Saks Off 5th outlet store at The Block in Orange County, CA. I swear, the ladies in there must think I am a shoplifter or MAC fiend in for my fix because I am always in the MAC section touching and tester-ing EVERYTHING. Even walking away empty-handed...sometimes.

They have mighty strict rules there at the CCS. Some are:

1. No purchases totaling over $300 per person (This is where you cash in on all the IOUs ladies.)
2. You must pinky promise you are not buying to resell the items.
3. No licking (Not really but ya never know now do you? Some things just gotta be said.)

Currently they have a plentiful supply of the latest holiday collection "Royal Assets". Consisting of eyeshadow palettes, lip palettes, lip gloss sets, lip sticks, eyeliner sets, brush sets and oh so much more. You name it, they got it! So if you think you missed out in 2007, this is probably your last chance to pick them up at a big discount before they're gone for good or you can pay a ridiculous amount for them on eBay and come to find out they're really MIC. ;p

Sometimes you can also find the most sought after brushes hidden away at the back counter, crying out like pound puppies to be taken home. It takes a trained eye to spot them behind the counter chicks, you know, the ones dressed in the black smocks wishing you would disappear?

Side Track Warning: 9 out of the 10 ladies who work the CCS counter have NO CLUE about the products being sold there or make up in general. So don't ask them, they don't know. TRUST ME. Not being bitchy, just the truth.

Regroup: Most brushes on stock are discontinued but during my recent visit I did spy the 187 & 188 stippling brushes. I have read great reviews about these babies on makeupalley.com and will be owning a pair by the end of tonight (if they're still there)! Also there was the 222 blending brush. Great for blending in a smaller crease area as opposed to the 217 or 224. The one brush I did pick up recently is the discontinued 185 Kabuki brush with the shorter white bristles:

Personally, I LOVE this brush for applying mineral foundation because of the length and density of the bristles. The application is tons more concentrated and controlled and alot less messier than its longer bristled counterpart, agent 182. It delivers a smooth, flawless finish every time! My sisters are jealous and that's the second most desired result. 

They also have a ton of Paint Points, some Fluid Line, Shade Sticks, lip-glass-gloss-sticks-liners. I mean, you really just have to go there. They never have the same thing twice, one week you can walk in and run into a stash of pigments and the next week they may be gone. So this is your mission, should you choose to accept it.

Happy Chopping!