Best of '09 Giveaway Series, Part 7: CO Bigelow Winter Cordials Mentha Lip Shines!

[NOTE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ENTER. THANKS!]

If you read my review recently for the CO Bigelow Winter Cordials Mentha Lip Shines, you know that this collection has quickly become one of my favorite lip product collections of the year (a shiny, iridescent gloss that moisturizes like a lip balm and smells and tastes amazing? How can you get better than that?). So I am jumping up and down in excitement to be able to offer you this amazing giveaway, courtesy of CO Bigelow:

THREE lucky winners will each receive the entire collection of CO Bigelow Winter Cordials Mentha Lip Shines (all four flavors)!

Triple Hot Chocolate (retail: $7.50, 0.5 oz)

Warm Spiced Cider (retail: $7.50, 0.5 oz)

Vanilla Cream Eggnog (retail: $7.50, 0.5 oz)

Hot Buttered Rum (retail: $7.50, 0.5 oz)

If you would like to see my thoughts on all four of these flavors, click here to read my original review. The nutshell version is this: They all taste and smell divine!

So once again, three lucky winners will each receive all four Winter Cordials flavors! You can keep some and use some as stocking stuffers, or just be greedy and keep 'em all for yourself! I promise I won't judge you. :)

Retail value of each prize package is $30.

Please read all of the following rules before entering:

1) To enter, you must leave a comment on this post telling me which CO Bigelow Winter Cordials Mentha Lip Shine flavor you would use first if you won. (Note: if you leave more than one comment on this post, you will be disqualified.)

2) You MUST leave me your email address in your comment. I repeat: leave your email address in your comment or you will be disqualified.

3) This contest is open to residents of the continental US only, ages 18 and over. Void where prohibited.

4) This giveaway begins today, November 30th, and will end Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 at 11:59PM. I will select three winners via random.org's random number generator and notify the winners on Thursday, December 10th. The winners will then have 24 hours to respond. If a winner does not reply within 24 hours, that winner will forfeit the prizes and an alternate winner will be selected via random.org. If you are going to be unable to access your email on December 10th, 2009, please do not enter this giveaway.

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and gratis samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

And the winners of the Carmex Giveaway are...

Congratulations to the following five lucky winners, who will all receive a 10-piece Carmex collection, courtesy of Carmex!

amusedPolish
SJL
SaraAndJoni
Jules
PackerFanTimmy

Winners: I have sent you an email, which you will now have 24 hours to respond to--please reply ASAP with your shipping address so we can get your goodies out to you!

Thank you ALL so much for entering, and if you didn't win this one, you've got PLENTY of other giveaways to enter (listed at the top of this page) and I've also got more fantastic giveaways that I'll be listing this week, so please stick around. :)

Best of '09 Giveaway Series, Part 6: Sunsilk Styling Products!

[NOTE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED--PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ENTER. THANKS!]

If it seems that I'm pulling out all the stops on giveaways lately, it's because I AM! What better time than the holidays to offer you free, awesome beauty products?! So...continuing my Best of '09 Giveaway Series, I am SO excited to bring you this fabulous giveaway sponsored by the agency that works on behalf of Sunsilk!

Three lucky winners will each receive the following two fabulous Sunsilk styling products that I reviewed earlier this year (click here for my reviews!). If you've got wavy or curly hair, and you haven't tried these styling products yet, you need to enter this giveaway!

Sunsilk Waves of Envy Sea Mist for beach waves
(suggested retail price: $3.69, 6.7 oz)

Two-part formula creates texture and hold
Sea salts attract moisture from the air to create the perfect condition for a tousled beach look; special polymers help hold your waves
Silicone delivers softness and shine

(If you read my original review, then you know that I compared the fragrance of this product to standing on a beach and eating a fresh grapefruit. Love it!)

Sunsilk Waves of Envy Gel & Cream Twist
(suggested retail price: $3.69, 5.1 oz)

Unique blend of gel and cream delivers definition and hold for glamorous waves without all the crunch;
special packaging and formula delivers optimal combination of gel and cream

Cream conditions waves while the gel holds to create soft, sculpted waves that last

(If you need more control of your waves, this one is the best of both worlds. One part cream, one part gel, two parts fabulous! And NO parts stiff or crunchy!)


Once again, THREE lucky winners will each receive both of these amazing styling products! The approximate retail value of each prize package is $8.

Please read all of the following rules before entering:

1) To enter, you must leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite Sunsilk product (Note: if you leave more than one comment on this post, you will be disqualified.)


2) You MUST leave your email address in your comment. If you do not leave your email address in your comment you will be disqualified.


3) This contest is open to residents of the continental US only, ages 18 and up. Void where prohibited.


4) This giveaway begins today, November 29th, and will end Monday, December 7th, 2009 at 11:59PM. I will select three winners via random.org's random number generator and notify the winners on Tuesday, December 8th. The winners will then have 24 hours to respond. If a winner does not reply within 24 hours, that individual winner will forfeit their prizes and an alternate winner will be selected via random.org. If you are going to be unable to access your email on December 8th, 2009, please do not enter this giveaway.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation, and I wish you all the best of luck! :)

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and gratis samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

My Favorite Wintertime Anti-Bac Scents at BBW

Let's get straight to the point: I think most of us are reaching for our anti-bac soaps a little bit more often these days. Some of you probably prefer the clean or non-scented variety, while others (like myself) tend to go for the more seasonal scents (floral and fruity during the spring and summer, warm and gourmand during the fall and winter). 

I know that many of us like to purchase hand soap from Bath & Body Works (who can resist those 4-for-$10 deals?). But the fragrance choices for anti-bac products at Bath & Body Works can be a bit overwhelming, don't ya think? When I recently received a shipment of BBW anti-bac soaps for review, I instantly knew which ones were my favorites, and I knew exactly why. So I thought I'd pass along my top three seasonal scents currently available at BBW, in case you need some help in deciding (or maybe you're placing your order online and can't sniff them before you buy them).

My number one choice this season, hands-down, is:

Gourmet Spice Deep Cleansing Hand Soap from the Kitchen Collection (retail: $4.50, 8 oz).  Why is this my top pick from BBW's anti-bac line? Well for starters, I love the "scrubbies" in this formula, especially when you're in the kitchen and you need to remove food particles, etc. from your hands. And the scent? It is divine, I tell you! Whenever I use this soap, I smell cinnamon and nutmeg cookies! I love, love, love it. It's just one of those warm, cozy scents that instantly makes me happy.

In the number two spot for my favorite fall/winter anti-bac fragrances:

Leaves Deep Cleansing Hand Soap (retail: $4.50, 8 oz). A newcomer to the BBW anti-bac line, this one is surely destined to become a classic. Why do I love it so much? Two words: Apple Pie. That's exactly what I smell every time I use this soap. I have a bottle sitting in my kitchen as I write this, and I love how it makes my entire sink area smell like apple pie whenever I wash my hands. This soap is definitely a seasonal treat that young, old, men, and women alike can enjoy.

And what BBW anti-bac scent gets third place for my favorite holiday scent?

Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Foaming Hand Soap (retail: regularly $10, on sale now for $3, 12 oz). I actually don't have this adorable pumpkin bottle (mine is the traditional foaming hand soap bottle) but I couldn't resist posting this because it's on sale right now for $3 and you get 12 ounces! What a great deal. There's a reason why BBW keeps bringing this scent back, year after year. The scent is addicting. I like to keep it in my master bath for a few reasons. First, I'm lazy first thing in the morning and the ease of using a foaming soap is lovely when you're still half asleep. Second, the scent is sweet, spicy and seasonal, yet it's a softer scent than Leaves and Gourmet Spice. So it's nice to use in the morning and also right before you go to bed, because it's just so soft, yet it still gives off a seasonal, holiday vibe. Perfect for the bathroom, if you ask me.

So there you have it--my suggestions for holiday-themed anti-bac soaps from BBW!

Tell me, what are your favorite anti-bac scents from Bath & Body Works? I'd love to know.

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and gratis samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

Review: CO Bigelow Winter Cordials Mentha Lip Shines (yum yum!)

I've been on quite the lip balm kick these days, and it doesn't look like my lip balm reviews are going to stop any time soon! Lip balms are pretty much the easiest, and most inexpensive way to treat yourself with something fun, and beauty-related, and most lip balms actually do something good for your lips, which can also make them a smart investment.

If you're a lip balm junkie like I am, chances are you like to mix it up a bit and go between "serious" lip balms that have major healing properties, and "fun" lip balms that taste great, look cute and smell amazing but might not deliver the moisture that chapped lips crave.

But what do you do when you want a lip balm that straddles both worlds (serious and fun)? Until I received these CO Bigelow Winter Cordial Mentha Lip Shines for review recently, I pretty much resigned myself to wearing yummy-tasting, cute lip products on days when my lips aren't chapped. But now, that's all changed.

Allow me to introduce you to, quite possibly, the yummiest lip product on the planet, which is what I like to call "a lip balm in gloss form". CO Bigelow Winter Cordial Mentha Lip Shines are clear in color, they've got the properties of a moisturizing lip balm, but they're in the formula of a lipgloss. They're also made with 100% natural flavors (no odd chemical taste), and they're super shiny with a hint of iridescent shimmer. Talk about the best of all worlds!

CO Bigelow Winter Cordial Mentha Lip Shine in Triple Hot Chocolate (retail: $7.50, 0.5 oz) is pure decadence. To me, it is exactly like a Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie in lip balm form. On the initial application, you get a burst of luscious chocolate, but then the peppermint oil makes its way through and I swear it tastes and smells exactly like a Thin Mint on your lips! So yummy, and I can't believe how glossy and great this feels on my lips. It's incredibly moisturizing while still fun to wear. Love it!

Warm Spiced Cider (retail: $7.50, 0.5 oz) is exactly as you'd hope it to be. At first taste and sniff, you get sweet red apples and a lovely hint of spice. But then, magically, the peppermint oil makes its way through and the whole mixture turns into yummy apple cider with a hint of mint. I don't understand how they get the peppermint to slowly unfold this way, but I love it. It really tastes like apple cider while you feel the zippy mint on your lips.

Vanilla Cream Eggnog (retail: $7.50, 0.5 oz), oh how I love thee! If the word "eggnog" scares you off a bit, I need to assure you that this in no way tastes like the eggy drink served at holiday get-togethers. To me, it does have a fragrance that is remniscent of eggnog, but the flavor itself tastes like how I would want Bath & Body Works fragrance Vanilla Bean Noel to taste, if that makes any sense. I get the vanilla, I get a hit of mint, and I get a soothing bakery note in this one as well. Sort of like vanilla mint butter cookies. Yum yum! I think this one might be my very favorite of the bunch. :)

Hot Buttered Rum (retail: $7.50, 0.5 oz) is delicious butterscotch goodness! If you're a butterscotch fan, you have to to try this one. It's like wearing butterscotch frosting on your lips! I don't really get the rum note in this one, but after I put it on, it took a minute or two and then the peppermint kicked in. It's got a zip to it, but the flavor is all butterscotch.

It's a mystery to me how CO Bigelow manages to make these all smell and taste just like their names, but yet the "mentha" part of the Mentha Lip Shines manages to wait in the wings so that you can enjoy the candy-like sweetness of these for a minute or so before the peppermint tingle makes its way to your lips. It's genius, I tell you!

And the best part is that these truly work wonders on my dry, chapped lips. Unlike many "novelty" lip balms that don't provide any moisture to parched lips, these Winter Cordials Mentha Lip Shines taste good, smell good, and truly do good things to my dry winter lips. You just can't ask for more than that!

BBW is currently running a buy-2-get-1-free offer on select lip products, including this collection. I think that any lip balm lover would be happy to get one or two of these lovelies in their stocking this year.

Oh, I almost forgot! These have a slant-tip applicator, in case you were wondering:

And here's a pic of a VERY thick layer of this gloss on my hand--this is thicker than you could ever wear on your actual lips, but I wanted you to see the iridescent shimmer in this gloss (all four flavors are clear with high shine and iridescent shimmer). Also, that strange white mark at the top of this pic is from the light of my desk lamp reflecting off this gloss. It's that shiny!

Do you already own any CO Bigelow Mentha Lip Shines? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and gratis samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

My Short & Sweet FTC Comment

[UPDATED 2/24/11]

By now you've probably seen several bloggers post their thoughts about the recent FTC ruling pertaining to bloggers. In short, as of Dec. 1st, 2009, all bloggers must disclose if the products they review have been given to them for free from the manufacturer or the PR agency working on behalf of the manufacturer (there's more to this ruling but that's the biggie).

As it pertains to Nouveau Cheap, I just want to state for the record that since this a blog about budget beauty, I have always been up front with you about how I obtain the products I review. In fact, many of you probably think I disclose too much information when I buy something (I love to tell you when I got something on sale, used coupons, CVS Extra Bucks, found it at the dollar store, etc.).

As for products that I receive from manufacturers or PR agencies working on behalf of manufacturers, I have always, since the very first product I ever received for free, told you up front that I received the product for free, and probably in the first or second sentence of the review.

My entire goal in this process has always been to let you know how I honestly feel about a product, whether I paid for it or not. Let me assure you that having something given to me for review has absolutely no bearing on what I have to say about it. If I don't like something, I don't like it, and you'll know that. But quite honestly, I don't like to waste my time reviewing products I don't like. So I try to keep the majority of reviews based on things I LOVE, because that's the type of info I want to pass along to you. I think it's more helpful that way and I hope you agree.

And about affiliate links, I have never, ever featured one in a review, post, sidebar, or anywhere else on Nouveau Cheap. I do have links at the bottom of the homepage to companies I adore, but I receive absolutely zero compensation for those links. They're there to help you save money on beauty products, and that's it. I order from those sites myself so I know they're trusted and I simply want to share them with you.

In order to keep Mr. FTC happy, I have gone through my archives and posted a disclaimer at the bottom of each review (when the product was given to me for free from the manufacturer or from the agency working on behalf of the manufacturer) and I will continue to post a disclaimer at the bottom of all future reviews (if the product was given to me from the manufacturer or from the agency working on behalf of the manufacturer).

And just for the record, I obtain my products for review in the following four ways:

1) The good ol' fashioned way: I buy it
2) It's given to me for free by the manufacturer or the PR agency on behalf of the manufacturer
3) It's a gift from a friend or family member
4) It's a free sample obtained from a store or sent to me from a store (like how CVS occasionally sends its members trial size packages of soap or shampoo)

I probably didn't need to list these because I tell you this in the actual review anyway, but I guess there's no harm in repeating it.

If you have any questions about anything in this post, just let me know!

Giveaway Series part 5 -- You have got to see these prizes by Gingerkitty Designs!

[NOTE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ENTER. THANKS!]

Ladies! My Best of '09 Giveaway Series just keeps getting better and better!

Back in May I posted a review of GingerKittyDesigns jewelry. Tracey, the creator of GingerKittyDesigns, makes the most amazing pieces of jewelry from...nail polish! Yes, nail polish! You've really got to see it to believe it (click here for my original post with pictures). Tracey, just like many of us, is obsessed with beautiful nail polish colors, and one day she came up with the idea to incorporate these beautiful colors into her jewelry. After much trial and error, she has perfected her process and now offers jewelry featuring some of the most coveted and hard-to-find nail polish shades in her Etsy shop. Oh, and Tracey also makes jewelry from recycled MAC packaging (more on that below)!


Tracey's pieces are truly amazing and one-of-a-kind, and I am SO pleased to offer you this giveaway, sponsored by GingerKittyDesigns! Tracey graciously let me choose what I wanted to feature in this giveaway, but the choices were so difficult that I'm leaving it up to you, if you're the winner!

One lucky winner will get to select TWO of the four pieces below for their prize, and they will also receive an exclusive 25% off coupon code good toward anything in GingerKittyDesigns Etsy shop!

Here are your choices:

First we have Starry Starry Night Earrings (made with the much-coveted Essie Starry Starry Night nail polish, which is even more stunning in person). These are my personal favorites and I'm totally buying a set for myself:

Second, we have the Starry Starry Night Ring (adjustable in size, and again, made from Essie Starry Starry Night nail polish):

Next, for all you MAC lovers, we have the classic MAC logo necklace pendant:

And finally, we have the MAC Hello Kitty necklace pendant:

Once again, if you are the winner of this giveaway, you will need to select TWO of these pieces for your prize, plus you will also receive a 25% off coupon code good toward the purchase of anything in GingerKittyDesign's Etsy Shop! The approximate retail value of this prize is $30.

And as if that isn't awesome enough, Tracey has also given me an exclusive code that ALL contestants in this giveaway can use for 10% off any purchase at GingerKittyDesigns!

By entering this contest, you instantly qualify to use the following code to get 10% off any purchase at GingerKittyDesigns:

NOUVEAUCHEAP10

Please read all of the following rules before entering:

1. To enter: visit GingerKittyDesigns and then come back and leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite piece of jewelry from her Etsy shop.

2) You MUST leave your email address in your comment. If you do not leave your email address in your comment, you will be disqualified.

3) This contest is open to residents of US and CANADA, ages 18 and over. Void where prohibited.

4) This giveaway begins today, November 27th, and will end Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 at 11:59PM Pacific. I will select a winner via random.org's random number generator and notify the winner on Thursday, December 10th. The winner will then have 24 hours to respond. If the winner does not reply within 24 hours, he or she will forfeit the prizes and another winner will be selected. If you are going to be unable to access your email on December 10th, 2009, please do not enter this giveaway.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation, and I wish you all the best of luck! :)

I lied. One more tiny update today: e.l.f. palettes for 25 cents!

I thought I was only going to write one post today, but then this hit my mailbox:

Enter code EH75CE at the e.l.f. website and receive 75% off all makeup bags and elements!

So yes, that means you can get an e.l.f. empty 4-pan for 25 cents (and you know these pans are the same size as MAC pans), AND the refills are only 25 cents a piece!

You can get a filled palette of eye/cheek/lip colors plus the palette itself for just $1.25. Whoo hoo!

Happy Thanksgiving shopping!

Happy Thanksgiving (and a little coupon alert)!

 First I'd just like to say Happy Thanksgiving to my readers in the US. I hope that you're enjoying your day with friends and family and eating some turkey, Toferky, pumpkin pie or whatever other delicious goodies you have on your Thanksgiving table. :)

I also wanted to pass along something I spotted at CVS the other day. As we all know by now, Max Factor is no longer going to be sold in the US beginning next year. So as an extra incentive to purchase the exisiting Max Factor inventory at CVS, there are coupons for $2 off any CoverGirl purchase now attached to all Max Factor products (Max Factor and CoverGirl are both owned by P&G). I don't know if this coupon is on Max Factor products at stores aside from CVS, but it's worth looking into! 

Just wanted to pass along that money-saving info and let you know that I'll be back to blogging again first thing tomorrow, and you don't want to miss what I have in store for you!

Love,
Recessionista xo

The Wednesday Question (Holiday Edition)

For those of us in the US, tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so I thought I'd post a festive question today:

What's your favorite fragrance to wear during the holidays?

To me, the holidays are the MOST fun time of year to break out special perfumes, because it's a fast and easy way to step up your beauty routine. Is there a special fragrance you use during the holidays, or do you wear the same fragrances you wear throughout the year? I'd love to see your answers!

Attn: Rite-Aid Shoppers! Do you know about the Three Days To Save Promotion?

Wow! A spokesperson for Rite Aid contacted me the other day to let me know about this special promotion. If you've got a Rite-Aid in your area, you might want to head over during one of their Three Days to Save (Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Saturday, Nov. 26, 27 and 28).

With deals like this, I have a feeling that the Halle Berry Perfume I first spotted at Rite Aid back in August will FINALLY be mine! Check it out:

Rite Aid Makes Holiday Shopping Easy with Gift Guide & Seasonal Savings Programs

More Than 4,800 Neighborhood Stores Offer Festive Fun for Any Budget; All Stores to Extend Seasonal Shopping Hours

CAMP HILL, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To help cash- and time-strapped shoppers, Rite Aid has simplified holiday shopping with an easy-to-use Holiday Gift Guide available in all stores, a Three Days to Save promotion centered around Thanksgiving and a holiday cash-back program. More than 4,800 stores will be open daily until 11 p.m. Dec. 13-Dec. 23, and many stores – including 24 hour locations – will be open Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

"For the increasingly busy consumer, Rite Aid's seasonal selection is the most local, affordable and convenient solution for any holiday shopping list," said Bryan Shirtliff, Rite Aid Senior Vice President, Category Management. "Our Three Days to Save promotion starts before and ends after Black Friday making it easier than ever to cross off early gifts, décor, sweet treats and more from that list."

Three Days to Save at Thanksgiving

During the Three Days to Save promotion shoppers can get something for everyone such as this collection of great finds all for under $20: Two Hot Wheel cars, 50 square feet of gift wrap, 100-bulb string of lights, 42-piece makeup kit, photo snow globe, A Christmas Story-themed decorative popcorn tin, Belgian Butters almond cookies and a pack of Rite Aid brand batteries.

Savings All Season Long

Rite Aid understands that value shopping doesn't end on Nov. 27. In fact, a recent National Retail Federation survey of prospective holiday shoppers indicates 55 percent will be shopping for sales more often than last year, while 40 percent will be using more coupons than previously. Rite Aid is heeding this call for value by offering more shopping and savings initiatives than ever before including:

* Weekly Red Hot Specials through Christmas on toys and other items at the lowest advertised price of the season

* The Gift of Savings program allowing customers to earn $5, $10 or $20 certificates based on total purchases from $25 to more than $100 from Nov. 22 through Dec. 24. Visit www.riteaid.com for rules and limitations.

* Free shipping and up to 50 percent off thousands of holiday gifts at Rite Aid’s online store at www.riteaid.com

* Free full-color, 28-page Holiday Gift Guides available now in all stores categorized by price and gift interest

Gifts under $20 include:

* The Fun 2 Save ATM bank that tallies and stores cash and tenders withdrawals using a debit card and PIN

* Indoor/Outdoor Adventure Play Tent with extendable tunnel tube

* Corinne Barbie doll from the Three Musketeers line

* Radio-controlled 360° Stunt Car with flashing light

* Teach & Talk Activity Laptop

* Five wall clocks that play prerecorded sounds or your own recorded messages on the hour

* Indoor/outdoor Solar Sun Jar that recharges during the day and glows at night

* Wireless multi-channel indoor/outdoor weather station that beams temperature reading to separate clock

* Electronic kitchen scale for precise measuring

* Five large bath & body gift sets including travel bags

Gifts under $10 include:

* A Thunder Tumbler radio-controlled car that flips and spins with light-up wheel

* Car-chargeable wet & dry vacuum

* Prepaid cell phone

* Large, 7x50 magnification binoculars

* Wireless headphones

* Digital 60-photo album keychain

* Assorted trimmers, shavers, hair clippers, hair straighteners and curlers

* Aromatherapy home spa kits and children's bubble bath play sets

* Dr. Scholl's Crazy Feet massager

* Digital camera for still, video or online use with easy USB hook-up

Some fun is brand new …

Tech-savvy teens will love Rite Aid electronics such as prepaid cellular telephones, a roll-up electronic piano and Guitar Hero for Nintendo DS. New among Rite Aid's 200 gift cards are 30 cards for various online gaming communities including PlayStation, Xbox, Nexon and Wizard 101. Surprise even those who have everything with the always innovative – yet practical – line of As Seen on TV gifts including the Snuggie and Jupiter Jack, which plugs into most any cell phone turning a car radio into a hands-free speakerphone.

And some fun is timeless

A stroll down Rite Aid's toy aisles harks back to simpler times with classic toys including rocking horses, Slinky, Nerf, Transformers, UNO, Beanie Babies, plush toys and battery operated train sets. There are also plenty of goodies to start a new Christmas tradition including a Thomas Kinkade Christmas wall clock that plays a different carol each hour and family board games such as A Christmas Story trivia game from the 1983 classic movie chronicling Ralphie and his Red Ryder BB gun.

Décor galore!

Start with the tree, which comes in 3-, 4½-, 6- and 6½-foot models in green or white with or without built-in lights. There are even dual potted, prelit trees for the front porch. Rite Aid has expanded its line of Every Day Low pricing to most trees and light sets. In its second year, this means the price on the box is the best advertised price of the season. West Coast stores again are offering live trees. New décor items in the exclusive Yule Rite line include frosted wreathes, amaryllis and poinsettia, classic figurines, and stockings of all shapes and sizes including a leg lamp-themed one from A Christmas Story, varieties for four-legged friends and a 48 by 52 inch jumbo stocking. There’s even a new standup metal stocking rack with ornamental golden scroll design.

Largest selection of LED lights yet

String light selection this year includes Rite Aid's largest variety of LED models ever with shimmering white icicles, light nets for bushes and color-changing LEDs that pulse white to blue or red to green. LED flameless candles and traditional single-flame models of the battery or plug-in variety can illuminate your home. Or go for the real thing with Seasonal Scents, a Rite Aid tradition of holiday-themed candles in Winter Spruce, Citrus Cranberry and even two- and three-layer candles.

Gifts of relaxation and fragrance

Shoppers will find a wide range of bath and body gifts including Simply Pink bath sets with soft pink slippers or night-time sleeping mask, Conair’s Massaging Slippers, and the Homedics line of massagers including Bubble Bliss Foot Bath, Percussion Massager with Heat, Shiatsu Heated Pillow and Shiatsu Heated Foot Massager.

With more consumers planning to buy a fragrance as a gift this holiday season – one in five, according to leading market research company The NPD Group – there are designer fragrances and colognes for everyone including varieties inspired by Halle Berry, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Gwen Stefani and Jay-Z. Rite Aid’s own exclusive Pure Spring brand of creams, lotions and sprays in four scents are great for stocking stuffers and also come packaged in gift sets. And just for men, there’s the Exclusively Men Bath gift set that makes skincare simple.

Gifts for the home, hostess, drop-ins and last minute

Get ready for the parties with fun holiday-themed cookware, matching towel sets and even whimsical holiday socks. Or for the drop-by visit, there are festive cookie jars and coffee mugs, eco-friendly bamboo kitchenware sets and patterned fleece throws hugged by stuffed reindeer or snowman friends. Popcorn tins, cookies and boxed chocolate samplers make great hostess and last-minute gifts because many come prewrapped in nostalgic winter scenes or bearing iconic holiday characters. There are also plenty of classic flavors such as and Little Dutch Boy samplers and candy canes, which are available in dozens of flavors including the pin-striped, peppermint original.

Batteries, tape, bows and other necessities

To avoid late-night wrapping paper runs, stock up early on necessities such as batteries, gift wrap and bows. And set the mood for all that wrapping and decorating with family by picking up a classic-crooning holiday CD.

Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE: RAD) is one of the nation's leading drugstore chains with more than 4,800 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia with fiscal 2009 annual sales of more than $26.3 billion. Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and press releases, is available through Rite Aid's Web site at www.riteaid.com.

Nouveau Cheap Best of '09 Giveaway Series, Part 4: Eight-piece Suave Haircare Collection!

[NOTE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ENTER. THANKS!]

Time for Part 4 of Nouveau Cheap's Best of '09 Giveaway Series!

I couldn't possibly call myself The Recessionista and not love Suave, right? When it comes to extremely affordable, salon-quality haircare, Suave is the first brand that comes to mind for many of us, and for good reason. Suave products are inexpensive, widely available, and do what they say they're going to do. It's as simple as that!

I can't even count how many Suave products I've talked about on this blog throughout the course of 2009, so I am absolutely thrilled to be able to offer you this giveaway, sponsored by the agency that works on behalf of Suave!

One lucky winner will receive the following EIGHT fabulous products, all from the Suave Professionals line:

Suave Professionals Volumizing Shampoo
(Suggested Retail Price: $2.49, 14.5 oz)

Salon-tested to add thickness and fullness to fine hair.
Salon quality shampoo and conditioner system adds fullness to hair as well as Matrix^® Amplify^® Shampoo and Conditioner
Enriched with wheat proteins and panthenol, it adds fullness and shine
Formulated to work as a regimen with Volumizing Conditioner, Volumizing Hairspray and Volumizing Root Lifter Spray Gel

Suave Professionals Volumizing Conditioner
(Suggested Retail Price: $2.49, 14.5 oz)

Salon-tested to add thickness and fullness to fine hair.
Salon quality shampoo and conditioner system adds fullness to hair as well as Matrix^® Amplify^® Shampoo and Conditioner
Enriched with wheat proteins and panthenol, it adds fullness and conditions without weighing hair down
Formulated to work as a regimen with Volumizing Shampoo, Volumzing Hairspray and Volumizing Root Lifter Spray Gel

Suave Professionals Sleek Shampoo
(Suggested Retail Price: $2.49, 14.5 oz)

Moisturizes and smoothes frizzy or dry hair. Helps transform hair into healthy looking salon-smooth style. Safe for color-treated hair.
Salon quality shampoo and conditioner system smoothes dry or frizzy hair as well as Matrix^® sleek.look^® Shampoo and Conditioner
Enriched with silk amino acids and vitamin E
Formulated to work as a regimen with Sleek Conditioner and a newly restaged Sleek Anti-Frizz Cream for smooth hair



Suave Professionals Sleek Conditioner
(Suggested Retail Price: $2.49, 14.5 oz)

Moisturizes and smoothes frizzy or dry hair. Helps transform hair into healthy looking salon-smooth style. Safe for color-treated hair.
Salon quality shampoo and conditioner system smoothes dry or frizzy hair as well as Matrix^® sleek.look^® Shampoo and Conditioner
Enriched with silk amino acids and vitamin E
Formulated to work as a regimen with Sleek Shampoo and a newly restaged Sleek Anti-Frizz Cream for smooth hair

Suave Professionals Volumizing Maximum Hold Aerosol Finishing Spray
(Suggested Retail Price: $2.49, 8.5 oz)

Builds long-lasting body for fine or straight hair.
Formulated with panthenol, wheat proteins and silk amino acids to hold shape as well as Matrix^® Amplify^® Root Lifter
Dries quickly leaving hair shiny without being stiff or sticky
Formulated to work as a volumizing regimen with Suave Professionals Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner



Suave Professionals Volumizing Root-Lifter Spray Gel
(Suggested Retail Price: $2.49, 8.5 oz)

Adds thickness and body to fine or straight hair.
Utilizes panthenol, wheat proteins and silk amino acids to add lift and volume to limp hair
Adds body as well as Matrix^® Amplify^® Spray Gel
Formulated to work as a volumizing regimen with Suave Professionals Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner



Suave Professionals Freeze Hold Aerosol Shaping and Finishing Spray
(Suggested Retail Price: $2.49, 8.5 oz)

Delivers all-day hold for style and control.
Aerosol holds as well as Sebastian^® Super Shaper Plus Hairspray
Non-aerosol holds as well as Sebastian^® Shpritz Forte ^® Hairspray

And last but certainly not least, my favorite Suave styling product of all time, Suave Professionals Sleek Anti-Frizz Cream
(Suggested Retail Price: $2.49, 5.1 oz)

Moisturizing formula smoothes and softens hair, leaving frizzy or dry hair smooth and manageable.
Salon-tested formula uses the latest advances in hair care to control frizz as well as Matrix^® sleek.look^® Styling Créme
Formulated to work as a smoothing regimen with Suave Professionals Sleek Shampoo and Conditioner for smoother hair

So there you have it! Eight Suave Professionals haircare products for one lucky winner! There's definitely something here for every type of hair. The approximate retail value of this prize package is $20.

Please read all of the following rules before entering:

1) To enter, you must leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite Suave product. If you leave more than one comment on this post, you will be disqualified.

2) You MUST leave your email address in your comment. If you do not leave your email address in your comment, you will be disqualified.

3) This contest is open to residents of the continental US only, ages 18 and over. Void where prohibited.

4) This giveaway begins today, November 24th, and will end Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 at 11:59PM Pacific. I will select a winner via random.org's random number generator and notify the winner on Wednesday, December 2nd. The winner will then have 24 hours to respond. If the winner does not reply within 24 hours, he or she will forfeit the prizes and another winner will be selected. If you are going to be unable to access your email on December 2nd, 2009, please do not enter this giveaway.


Thank you in advance for your cooperation, and I wish you all the best of luck! :)

Marshalls Alert! (Part 2)

Continuing on from my first post, here are the other goodies I spotted at Marshalls yesterday!

If you're unfamiliar with Philip B. haircare products, they are very expensive (full-size products like this retail for $30 and up). These were all $5.99 because I believe they're changing the packaging on the entire line.

Tons of Nicole 2-packs for $6.99 (the colors in this pack are a dark blue creme and a dark green with green micro-glitter)

Huge pump-bottles of Pure & Basic shower gels and lotions for $7.99 (Pure & Basic can be found at most organic grocery stores, etc. Their products are gentle and smell amazing). The scents I found were Wild Banana Vanilla (one of my faves), Creme Brulee and Pumpkin & Spice.

Oh, and I also found a Pure & Basic shower gel in the scent "Cherry Almondine" which I have never seen before but smells AMAZING. It reminds of the original Jergens Cherry Almond lotion. :)

Whew! I think that was it for the goodies I spotted at Marshalls yesterday. As a few readers mentioned in the comments in my other post, some people are finding NARS bath and body products at Marshalls as well. I spotted a NARS shower gel at my Marshalls back in June (click here for that pic) but I didn't see anything this time around. :(

I'd love to know what you've spotted at your Marshalls/Ross/TJ Maxx lately! Please share it with us in the comments. :)

Marshalls Alert! Marshalls Alert! (Part 1)

Little did I know, walking into my local Marshalls today, what a goldmine I would find in the way of bath, body, hair and nail products! If you need to do some holiday shopping for a fellow beauty addict, get thee to a Marshalls ASAP before you dare pay retail price for these goodies! Let's get right to it.

First of all, who knew they sold The Body Shop stuff at Marshalls now? I sure didn't! I spotted these little gift sets:

(Click any image to super-size)

This is a 3-piece Mango set with body wash, lotion and a bath pouf for $3.99

A 5-piece TBS gift set for $6.99

Next I spotted a TON of Philosophy stuff:

Small bottles of Pure Grace Body Emulsion, Inner Grace Body Emulsion and Shear Splendor for $9.99, medium bottles of assorted 3-in-1s (Fresh Cream, Belgian Waffles, etc.) for $12.99 and large bottles of 3-in-1s (Spiced Apple Cider, etc) for $14.99

Philosophy Cherry Cola 3-in-1 for $12.99

When did Marshalls start carrying Davies Gate? OMG! This bottle of Sugar Plum lotion retails for $18 and it was $4.99 today at Marshalls! Next to it is another Philosophy 3-in-1 in Blackberry Sauce, for $12.99

Lots more Korres body washes (which I've raved about before) for $3.99

Talk about the ultimate hostess gift: HUGE bottles of Williams Sonoma Pumpkin Spice hand soap (these come with a separate pump attached) for $6.99

Here's the much-coveted Sexy Bath and Body Pumpkin Moisture Balance Body Wash that I spotted for $4.99. I would have totally purchased this because I never see it at any beauty supply stores, but this bottle looked like it had already been used. :( I did smell it though, and now I understand why so many people rave about it. It smells DIVINE.

Blogger won't let me post the rest of the pics from my Marshalls trip (I've exceed the file size), so I'll post them in a second entry in just a minute. To be continued....

Fresh & Easy has bath & body products (and they're awesome!)

If you live in California, Nevada or Arizona (or you have a friend who does and owes you a favor), listen up! Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market now has their own line of very affordable and natural bath and body products, and they contain no artificial colors, parabens, mineral oils or SLS! (You can read more about my deep love for Fresh & Easy, where I do almost all of my grocery shopping, here).

The minute I saw Fresh & Easy's "Retreat" line of bath and body products on store shelves a few months ago, I knew I had to try all of them. So I contacted Fresh & Easy via Twitter (gotta love Twitter!) and they generously sent me the entire line for review. So this is only part one of my full review--there are more reviews to come as I make my way through the line.

Let's start with Retreat Mulberry & Shea Deep Conditioning Hand and Nail Cream (retail: $3.99, 2.5 oz)

Now I've only been using this product a few days now, but I've got to say it's enough to convince me that if I used it on a regular basis, I'd try to eat it. It smells that good. The mullberry note reminds me of The Body Shop's Dewberry fragrance, which is an all-time favorite scent of mine. It's a deep, almost spicy berry that is sweet, yet invigorating. I love it, and I also love that shea butter is the third ingredient in the list (water and glycerin are 1st and 2nd). So far, this hand cream ROCKS (and you know I've been searching for a good hand cream lately). I love how it sinks in yet forms a protective coating on your hands. Plus, it's not so greasy that you'll leave hand prints on everything you touch. Lastly, I love the fact that I'm not rubbing any parabens into my skin when I use it. Who doesn't love a paraben-free lotion these days, right?

Next we have Retreat Grapefruit & Shea Butter Moisturizing Body Lotion (retail: $3.99, 8 fl oz)

Another paraben-free lotion that contains shea butter! Awesome. This lotion is lighter in texture than the hand & nail cream, but on my dry skin, it still does a great job of moisturizing and it leave my skin feeling silky smooth. The fragrance, to my nose, is more of a blend of grapefruit and honey, as opposed to just grapefruit. I actually love the soft, sweet scent of this lotion and I've been using it for weeks now with great results. It's definitely a workhorse of a lotion and the fragrance is not so strong that it competes with your perfume. It's light, it works and again, it's paraben-free. Love it.

Next up we have Retreat Raspberry & Pomegranate Exfoliating Salt Scrub (retail: $6.99, 13 oz)

This is another one of the Retreat products that I wish I could eat. It smells like raspberry pomegranate sorbet to me. Yum! I love that it comes in a very generously-sized tub, and that the product itself is jam-packed full of fantastic ingredients such as shea butter, sweet almond oil, jojoba seed oil, pomegranate seed oil, and orange flower extract. However, I have to say that the "scrubbies", which are made of coarsely ground pecan shells, are neither scrubby enough, nor densely-packed enough to do any actual exfoliating on my skin. So for any serious exfoliation, I'm afraid I can't recommend this one. But if you have sensitive skin or just require a very light exfoliating, this may be a good, gentle treatment for you.

Lastly we have Retreat Grapefruit & Cucumber Moisturizing Shower Gel (retail: $3.99, 8.5 fl oz)

I love to use body washes that don't contain SLS, but the challenge with an SLS-free body wash is that sometimes it lacks the lather of one that's full of SLS. So I'm quite happy to report that if you use this body wash on a bath pouf, it provides a wonderful, soft lather and you don't need ten squirts to get you there! So for that alone, this product gets raves from me. As for the fragrance, it very much reminds me of the Grapefruit and Shea Butter Body Lotion, in that it seems like more of a blend of grapefruit and honey than anything else. I love the soft sweetness of it, but to my nose, I'm just not picking up any cucumber (which is fine by me since I'm a bit burned out on cucumber-scented bath products at the moment). In addition to being SLS-free, this body wash contains some great ingredients such as olive oil and cucumber fruit extract. I should add that the boyfriend also likes using this as well.

That's it for now, but please stay tuned for my upcoming Fresh & Easy Retreat reviews in the weeks ahead. I am really loving this line so far and I can't wait to share the other products with you.

Do you shop at Fresh & Easy? Have you tried anything from the Retreat line yet? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and gratis samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.