Last day of school and sanity!

Well it is officially the last day of school for my two girls, M & S! I am so so proud of how much they have excelled this year. How much S has grown to love her teacher and love going to school in general! I shouldn't be on here right now, I should be getting ready but I wanted to post an update and just gush over how proud I am. S has her graduation this morning, here is hoping I can actually sit through it lol with the other little one :) 

I wanted to talk about a new website I recently discovered! You know me, always on the hunt for samples, the latest deals, anything to help this single mama save some money and provide a good life for my girls.

The site is called Thred Up

It's an online consignment site where you can buy and sell your gently used clothes. I personally haven't purchased anything yet, but after reading all the reviews I plan to very soon! Thought other's might be interested in it, yes? No? Maybe?

Well this is a short, post. I have so much to do! My girls go with their dad tonight for a week and a half, omg I'm freaking out! I'm gonna miss them soooo much but mama needs a vacation to reclaim some sanity back before the summer shenanigans start ;)

Beauty Without Cruelty (BWC Cosmetics) Review and a Benefit Sample!

So I received this handy dandy eye shadow in the mail today along with an awesome hand and body lotion from Beauty Without Cruelty. They are an Organic and Vegan cosmetic company which made me happy because I'm always on the lookout for new, Vegan and Organic companies :) 

The color they sent me is called Rich Tamarind. I was actually really happy with it. The orange part, not sure I'll use. I may blend it with another color but the brown is really nice and I plan to use it soon!

For comparisons! Definitely a nice eye shadow duo! This retails for $32.95!!!

Also with the samples I received today were a BWC Lotion and a Benefit sample :)

The lotion is a nice size, about 28oz. Fragrance free and goes on nice and smooth. No sticky residue, not watery. All in all it's definitely a product I plan on buying when I'm out :)

I love how with the Benefit sample, they also sent a cute little comic book and another small swatch of the sample. Now this sample is called,"The PORE fessional" It's a PRO Balm to minimize the appearance of pores. 

Another description of it.I am so beyond excited to try this! I love Benefit products, always amazing quality. Today was a good day. Didn't get a lot but what I did get I am very happy with. I will never be angry for getting a small sample or nothing at all. What I do get makes up for it! Plus I am so thankful to these companies for being nice enough to send samples when they don't have to. :)

YAY for Subscription Boxes!

I FINALLY got my invite code from Birchbox this morning! For those of you who don't know what that is, it's a monthly beauty subscription box. For $10/month you get 4 to 5 products that either have to deal with makeup, hair, nails, etc. I have heard such great reviews and seeing all the girls in my Subscription group and what they get in theirs I had to sign up! Problem was, they are SO popular that there is a waiting list. I signed up a month and a half ago....I hate waiting btw. Was so anxious. And getting super jealous seeing all the girls this month talk about it, until this morning when I saw the lovely email stating, "THE WAIT IS OVER! JOIN BIRCHBOX NOW!" I jumped at the chance and am now impatiently waiting for my first box :) Will post a review and my thoughts when it arrives but I think everyone should check it out:

Try Birchbox for just $10!

Now onto my other subscription craze!

This is Julep. What Julep is, is a monthly subsciption box again (no wait list) that has three styles. You become what they call a, "Maven" and pick out what type of Maven you are. 

Modern Beauty: With this one you get, two full size beauty products

Boho Glam (the one I signed up for): Get two limited edition nail colors and one full size beauty product

Bombshell: Two limited edition nail colors and one full size beauty product

Classic with a Twist: Two limited edition nail colors and one full size beauty product

It Girl: Three limited edition nail colors

I know some look the same but what differs is the color of the nail polish and the beauty products. When you go to sign up, they give you a fun test to see what type of Maven you are :) 

Now personally I'm just trying this box out to see if I like it. It's regular $19.99/month and I just don't know if it's worth that much just to get some nail polish and a beauty product but luckily I had and still do have a promo code to get your first month's box free! So you only pay for shipping/handling which turns out to be $3.99. Not bad I must say. If I don't like the box, I simply cancel before they bill me again. And if I do, then leave it be and I'll continue to get this box!

Come try Julep out! First box Free!!

Use the promo code: FREEBOX

Well that is all from me right now. I'm a happy girl. Not only did all this happen, but I also have received more samples which I will reveal later, but I also got about 8 more "yes" from companies :) Til next time....

No Sample Sunday

Y'all should feel special, I NEVER post pictures of myself without makeup. Can you tell why? Lol I look like a busted can of eww. Pardon the dirty mirror too :P This is how I felt this morning waking up. First of all I didn't get to bed until 3:15. Why? Because I was playing Candy Crush in bed. You know that game EVERYONE is addicted to? Well I'm one of them. Such a bad idea when you have two bouncing, energetic kids who wake up at the butt crack of dawn on the weekends lol. Ah well. I had to get up anyway to do my last day of entering Allure.com's free samples for June! A full size Bare Essentials Mascara, heck yes! Hopefully I was one of the first 500.

I always get sad on Sunday's. It means no mail, which means no samples. I know, I'm trying to get a hold of this addiction. But once you start, and your collection grows, you look forward to the mail everyday. I'll have to post a picture of my collection in my next blog post. It's pretty impressive if I do say so myself. 

Today is going to be spent getting ready for my Vacation, cleaning, doing laundry, trying to entertain my kids and hopefully relaxing a little bit. I miss my littlest munchkin. She is with her daddy. Didn't want to go. As soon as we were walking outside and she saw him, she said, "No!" and turned the other way lol. Hopefully she has some fun though. Sorry I'm not much fun on this post. In other news, the weather is absolutely beautiful! Hope y'all have a great Sunday :)

Glossybox May 2013 Review!

I know I'm late on this one but been so busy being a mommy! Time to finally do my review on my first Glossybox! :) Now for those that aren't familiar with Glossybox, what it is, is a monthly subscription beauty box. Each month they give you deluxe and full sized beauty products. It's a pretty neat thing if you're a beauty nut like me, wanting to try new things all the time. I was also subbed to Ipsy but I found the quality wasn't that great. Everyone has their own opinions though! The cost of this box a month is $21 which some may find pricey but I personally think it's fine because you're getting some good products each month! 

Pardon my bitten nails (force of habit). They include of course with each box, a card that has the "theme" and the name of the products :) 

European Wax Center free wax – Value up to $28

This box also came with a card for a free bikini line, eyebrow or underarm wax at any European Wax Center. I’m counting it toward the value of this box since no purchase is necessary and there are nearly 500 locations in the US.

                                                   Etre Belle Collagen & Aloe Hydra Mask– Value $4

European Wax Center Slow it Body Wash & Slow it Body Lotion (4 ml each) – Value $1

                      Nicka K New York Absolute! Perfume Stick in Free Spirit 100

                                                          FULL SIZE! Value $14.99

I'm still a little unsure about this scent. In one way I like it but in another I don't. When it goes on, it seriously smells like a slurpee. But after awhile it becomes floral. Might have to try it out more before making a decision but I do love how they put in a full size!

Xtreme Lashes Liner in Espresso & a Sharpener! - FULL SIZE Value $29.00

                   Epionce Intense Defensive Anti-Aging + Repair Serum 4mL

                                                                       Value $18.12

I couldn't believe how much the Epionce sample cost! This is a very high-end serum, and I am really excited to try it.

                                 Sebastian Professional Volupt Spray – 50 mL – Value $7

I have yet to try most of these out as I am filled to the brim with beauty products but so far I'm quite happy! I paid $21 for it and it has over $70 of product, more if you count the free wax! Completely happy and will be looking forward to my next one :)

This is worth the research!

Lordy may! I love receiving big packages of "samples" :) Makes me a happy girl I tell you! Haven't really been expecting anything because I've only written to a few companies and to tell you the truth with how many companies I've written to (around 90 now) I tend to forget who I have contacted. I didn't remember contacting this company but this package today sure made me smile. All of these are high end, amazing products. One of the jars, retails for $95 alone, altogether this stuff totaled over $300!! Holy crap! It shows that it really does pay to do your research, contact companies you've never heard of and take a chance. It has paid off for me BIG time. I know have over $1200 in full size products. That is full size products alone, not counting all the little samples I have. The addiction grows again when I see this. I want to challenge myself and see what other companies I can write to. How many other ones I can find that I haven't contacted. And I love how this is all Organic. Signing off now, can't wait to try these out! 

Samples addict....

I sit here tired beyond belief, wanting to go back to sleep for an hour yet awake at the computer waiting for Allure.com's free sample to open up. This is how addicted I've gotten to samples. In my defense though, they are FULL SIZE products and the first 500 people to sign up receive it. Hence why I'm sitting and waiting lol. Today it's a mascara, which people might think, "Oh geez, go buy one"....in my mind I'm thinking 'hell no, why buy when I have the opportunity to get one for FREE!' LOL so sad. I go scouring the web every night looking for new companies to write too. I do have a pretty good sample stash though so far :) Don't know if I'l use half the stuff but it's the feeling you get knowing you have all of that. It's like a guilty pleasure. You get so happy seeing the mailman bring a package, or heck in my case many packages! And then get depressed when there is none delivered. Yup total addict. It's like gambling. You write to the companies, and you take a gamble on whether they are going to say yes or no. You feel like you've hit the jackpot when they tell you yes! Ugh...I'm Ashley and I'm addicted to samples.

So this is my life....

Never thought I would post a blog. But after so many people telling me to start one, I finally, at 1:30 in the morning decided to do it! YAY for insomnia! This blog really isn't going to be anything special. It will be the lives of my children and I. Being a single mom. The troubles, happiness, fun times, sad times. But it will also include where to find some awesome free samples. Companies that send samples, reviews on beauty products. I am a beauty fiend. Hence part of the blog name. I may not be done up everyday, but I am obsessed with makeup, hair products, but mostly skincare. We can get into all that though in my next post. This is an introduction. I am 29 years old. Living in California. I have three wonderful little girls who are my world. I'm a romantic. Sarcastic. Positive. Stubborn. Everything all rolled into one basically. My family comes first always, as well as the Lord. My friends are amazing. I have troubles in my life but who doesn't? I rely on the power of prayer and faith. That's what allows me to keep my head held high. Of course I have moments of weakness where I just cry and cry. I think that's healthy. Everyone needs a good cry every now and then. I'm blessed. This will conclude my first post. Here's to following me on this amazing journey of blogging!