Spotted at Rite Aid: New products from Prestige, Physicians Formula and more

I made a quick stop at my local Rite Aid tonight and spotted some new displays so of course I had to share! As always, apologies for the blurry Blackberry pics.

First of all, more of the new Prestige displays are out (click here for a detailed look of the new Prestige product launches for 2010) and a few weeks ago I showed you the new lipstick display. Well this time it's the mascara and lip glosses:

Prestige My Longest Lashes

I REALLY love Prestige My Biggest Lashes (click here for my previous review) but I'm always tempted by the prospect of super long lashes so I can't wait to try this one.

Prestige Skin Loving Minerals Lasting Moisture Lip Gloss

I love that these are naturally scented, talc-free, mineral-oil-free and paraben-free. For a better look at the colors, click here for swatches from Prestige. They all look quite wearable and again, I'm excited to try one.

Physicians Formula Bamboo Wear Sustainable Beauty (face powder and bronzer refills, kabuki brush and bamboo compact)

I know these have been out for a while but this is the first time I spotted the display locally. These powders are very pretty in person (they're dual-toned and embossed with a bamboo design) and the gimmick is that you need to purchase a separate bamboo compact to house the refills. But don't worry because each compact has a "Try Me Free" instant coupon on the box. So I am actually considering just getting the compact for free and then waiting for a sale on the refills. Pretty good idea, right? :) It's a nice compact!

Here are some close-up pics:

A closer shot of the Bamboo Silk Face Powder and Bamboo Silk Bronzer refills

Close-up of the Bamboo Wear Compact, which is free if you use the "Try Me Free" sticker on the box at check-out

And lastly, I spotted this Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap System, which is brand new. I'm sorry, but for $14.99 (yes, $14.99!), I don't care that you also get a bottle of hand soap with it. That's expensive for something that requires FOUR AAA batteries to operate. It will cost you a small fortune just to buy this and keep it running, and for what? I mean, I can understand someone wanting a touchless soap dispenser in an office or someplace like that. Sure. I get it. But in your home? You're living with the people in your home, so you're pretty much touching common surfaces all day long. I don't think a touchless soap dispenser is going to do much to keep cooties away from the people you live with, right? Am I crazy here? It just seems like a pretty decadent thing to have inside your home, not to mention expensive.

And the refills:

$3.99 for 8.5 oz. I've seen worse in terms of price, but when you tack that on to the $14.99 start-up fee plus the 4 triple-A batteries you need to juice this thing up...I don't know. I will admit though that this scent, Energizing Green Tea and Ginger, smells AH-MAZE-ZING and I wish they sold it in regular pump bottles because I would so buy one.

That's it for now, but as always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on these new products!

More CVS Beauty Clearance Sale Info

Finally the weekend is here! I wanted to post some new info regarding the big CVS beauty clearance sale just in case you're planning a(nother) trip to your local CVS this weekend.

First of all, I wanted to confirm that I WAS able to return items I purchased that were on clearance for 75% off. The items I purchased were unopened (I returned one of the PF Organic blushes because the one I did open and test had ZERO pigmentation--I do not recommend these, btw). I also returned one of the PF Organic lipglosses I bought (it just looked like it was going to be way too light for me after closer inspection) and the CVS clerk didn't blink an eye, didn't ask me any questions whatsoever, just happily returned my money. So if you went a bit overboard during your last CVS clearance haul and have a sneaking suspicion that some of the products you grabbed may be a bad fit for you, it's worth a shot to try and return your unopened purchases (I didn't try returning anything that was already opened so I can't speak to whether or not they'll take those back).

Next, I want to state that I've read on several other beauty blogs, and can confirm after talking to a local CVS employee, that this clearance sale has no firm end date. The particular employee I spoke to said that the green 75% off and red 50% off stickers will remain on select products until they're sold out. So definitely don't assume that you've missed out on this sale--there are still PLENTY of clearance products to be had, and depending on the CVS location to visit, I've found that lots of brands still have a very full selection of clearance items. I can't stress this enough--if you don't have luck at one CVS, try another location! You might be surprised at what you find.

I also wanted to post some (blurry) Blackberry photos that I took after visiting two local CVS locations this week. I've noticed that a lot more products are surfacing that have the red 50% off stickers (as opposed to the green 75% off stickers) and, given the original price of some of these products, 50% off is still a pretty darn good deal.

To me, these are new deals, but I apologize if you've already seen these either on other blogs or at your local CVS. I just wanted to post these pics in case you're like me, and haven't seen these on sale yet.

Maybelline Mineral Power Blushes - all shades (retail: $9.49, now 50% off)

Maybelline Mineral Power Foundation - all shades (retail: $9.49, now 50% off)

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Foundation - all shades (retail: $7.49, now 50% off)

CoverGirl Lip Liners - select shades (retail: $4.99, now 50% off)

CoverGirl IncrediFull Lipsticks - all shades (retail: $7.49, now 50% off)

CoverGirl Tru Blend Minerals Pressed Mineral Foundation - all shades (retail: $9.49, now 50% off)

CoverGirl AquaSmooth Foundation - select shades (retail: 9.49, now 50% off)

Now for this pic, I know that several of you have already seen these on sale at your local CVS locations, but this was the first time I was able to spot a display that wasn't already wiped out so I thought it might help some of you know what shades are actually on clearance:

L'Oreal Eyeshadow Duo - select shades (retail: $5.99, now 75% off)

L'Oreal Eyeshadow Quads - select shades (retail: $7.99, now 75% off)

I also spotted some Almay products that were 50% off (foundations and eyeshadow singles) and as for the 75% off stuff, I spotted the usual Physicians Formula, Revlon, Milani and L'Oreal stuff that most of us have already seen. If for some reason you haven't seen these yet, click my CVS label (located on the left-hand sidebar of this page) to see all of my previous CVS beauty clearance posts for more details.

That's it for now, but I hope that some of you might find this information helpful! As always, if you have any questions, please leave a comment on this post. I hope you're having a great weekend! :)

Valentine's Giveaway #4: New skincare products from Montagne Jeunesse!

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

For my fourth and final Valentine's Day Giveaway, I am absolutely delighted to offer you some products that you can pamper yourself, or your honey, with this Valentine's Day, compliments of our friends at Montagne Jeunesse!

If you've read my past reviews of this wonderful, and very economical skincare brand, you know that I love their facial masques because they feel amazing and smell absolutely deeeelish! So it is with much happiness that I present to you this giveaway, which includes several products that are so new, they're not yet available in the US! And the best part? This giveaway is open to residents of both the US and Canada!

Three lucky winners will each receive one Gorgeous Gift Pamper Pack filled with five single-use facial treatments (four of which are not yet available in the US!):

Montagne Jeunesse Gorgeous Gift Pamper Pack (retail value: approx. $6.50 USD)

From the Montagne Jeunesse website:

This perfect indulgent gift set contains 5 gorgeous masques for some anti-stress, me-time pampering!

Red Hot Earth Sauna
Dead Sea Mud Pac
Fruit Smoothie
Cucumber Peel Off
Passion Peel Off

The Gorgeous Gift Pamper Pack contains 5 indulgent treats:

Red Hot Earth Sauna
De-stress and indulge as you feel the heat penetrating your damp skin. The warming feeling is simply heavenly! Relax and enjoy to reveal a soft, radiant complexion.

Dead Sea Mud Pac
De-stress and experience the ultra deep pore cleansing effects of rich dead sea minerals. Open blocked pores and draw out impurities to reveal revived, smooth skin.

Fruit Smoothie
Treat your skin to a pore cleansing, sensational awakening. Bursting with healthy goodness, this smoothie delight will leave you with fresher, cleansed and softer skin.

Cucumber Peel Off
Relax and unwind as you peel and reveal a fresher face. This pore cleansing masque helps remove impurities and dead cells whilst reviving skin. This masque is great for a weekly detox.

Passion Peel Off
Gently peel away dead skin with this amazing deep cleansing masque. This fruity formula cleans, purifies and protects leaving your skin feeling fresh and radiant.

There are more than enough goodies in this pack to pamper yourself, your honey, your best friend, your mom, your daughter or whoever else deserves a little me-time in your life!

Again, three (3) lucky winners will each receive one (1) Montagne Jeunesse Gorgeous Gift Pamper Pack. Approximate retail value of each pack: $6.50 USD.

Please read all of the following rules before entering:

1) There's only ONE way to enter: you must leave a comment on this post telling me which of the five Montagne Jeunesse masques featured in this giveaway you would try first if you won. One entry per person. Tweeting or blogging will not earn additional entries. Sorry.

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 US and Canada, ages 18 and over. Void where prohibited.

4) You are not required to become a follower of Nouveau Cheap to enter, although it would be fantastic if you thought my blog was worthy of following. :)

5) This giveaway begins today, January 29th, and will end Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 at 11:59PM Pacific. I will select three winners via random.org's random number generator and notify the winners on Thursday, February 4th. 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 February 4th, 2010, please do not enter this giveaway.

Swatches of some new Wet n Wild MegaLast Nail Colors!

Happy Friday, my lovely readers! I don't know about you, but this week has really flown by and I'm nowhere near where I thought I'd be in terms of posting new reviews and my latest info about the CVS beauty clearance sale, etc.

So let me take a minute to catch you up to speed before I show you these polish swatches. Hope that's OK! (If not, please feel free to scroll past these updates and get right to the swatches!)

First of all, over the weekend I'll be posting more info about the CVS beauty clearance sale, so please check back because I'll let you know whether or not I was able to return some things I purchased during the clearance, and I've also got some info about some new products that, as far as I know, were not a part of the original batch of clearance products but are on clearance now.

Second, if you're a Lost fan, I don't need to tell you that the premiere of the final season is THIS TUESDAY! Yay! I feel like I've been waiting five years for this premiere, I tell you! I also wanted to tell you that my pals over at WeHeartThis.com have been writing some great Lost-themed posts this week and I'm honored to say that yours truly was asked to write an entry for this special series. If you'd like to see my Lost post for WeHeartThis, please click here (non-Losties might find this interesting too--I promise!).

Third, I wanted to let you know that I finally purchased one of those new Physicians Formula Gel Cream Eyeliner Trios, so please stay tuned because I'll be posting my review very soon (hopefully before the end of the weekend).

And lastly, I've got one more very special Valentine's Day Giveaway planned for you and I promise you don't want to miss this one. So stay tuned because I'll be posting that this evening!

Now, on to those swatches!

[Note: all swatches were taken after two coats, with the exception of 2% Milk, was was taken after three coats]

If you saw my original review of the new Wet n Wild MegaLast Nail Color, Disturbia, you know that I am loving this new collection (click here for my original review to find out more about the formula, brush, etc.). I'm delighted to have received some additional colors to share with you, and I am really loving these colors so far (but I've got an unexpected favorite, which you'll see in a second). So let's get started!

Under Your Spell

OK, let's here it: Ooooh! Aaaaah! Under Your Spell is a sheer black base with a ton, and I do mean a ton, of gorgeous blood-red shimmer running through it. I was able to get full opacity with just two coats (yay!). If you are a fan of dark, vampy or black shades, you need this. Period. In real life it is SO much prettier and in certain lighting you can truly see that it's a sheer black with red shimmer as opposed to this pic which kind of makes it look like it's just a really dark red. In person, it's a real stunner.

2% Milk

2% Milk is just that--a milky sheer that, in my humble opinion, would look fantastic on just about anyone. It's definitely not a pinky sheer (I detect no pink at all in this) but more of a neutral milky beige cream that goes on far less yellow than it looks in the bottle. This is by far one of the nicest milky sheers I have worn in terms of how it looks against my NC20 skin--a lot of times milky sheers make my hands look either ruddy or jaundiced but this is really a nice, clean, sophisticated neutral on me. This is the kind of polish that screams, "Wear me on a job interview! I will make you look put-together and polished!"

Through the Grapevine

Do remember a few years ago when OPI My Auntie Drinks Chianti was all the rage? At one point I think every woman in my office owned a bottle because it was just one of most stunning violet-purple cremes to come around in a long time. Well, I rummaged around my nail polish stash the other night for a good hour trying to find my bottle but, sadly, I couldn't locate it. So you're going to have to trust me that, in real life, this reminds me so much of My Auntie Drinks Chianti that I would venture to guess it's a perfect dupe. And just in time for springtime toes (I loooove this shade on toes, I tell you!). So apologies for the picture but my camera really messes up certain shades of pinks, purples and reds. In real life this is a lush, deep, violet-purple creme that has a beautiful blue tone to it--nothing like the pink-based shade you see here.

Tropicalia

Whoa! My swatch makes this look like it's practically a neon, but I promise that's not the case in real life. This a bright, cheery true coral creme that, in my opinion, does not veer into the obnoxious. It's bright, yes, but not too bright. Put it this way: you could definitely wear it to the office without fearing any snide remarks from coworkers. This would also make a stunning toe color for spring and summer.

And last but certainly not least, let me present to you my unexpected favorite of this collection so far:

Break the Ice

Now before you go writing Break the Ice off as a boring frosty white, allow me to tell you about what can't see in this picture. This is a white like no other in my collection, because it's got the most baby-fine irridescent/holographic shimmer running through it that makes the entire color just pop and come alive when you paint it on your nails. I'm not even really a white nail color fan, but this sheer, sparkly white truly had me at hello. For me, it instantly makes my entire nail bed come alive! It has an ethereal quality to it that I really wish I could show you in pictures. This one surprised the heck out of me, and I think it would look even more amazing on deeper skintones.

If I could ask each of you to try just one color out of this new collection (I know, why would you limit yourself given the low price of these, right?) but if you did have to pick just one color, I would say try Break the Ice. It's versatile, yet stunning at the same time and unless whites in general look horrible on you, I would venture to guess it will be your unexpected new fave too.

So...do you already own any of the new Wet n Wild MegaLast Nail Colors? As always, 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 editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

Valentine's Giveaway #3: Tons of Carmex lip goodies!

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

What better way to get ready for Valentine's Day than by making sure that your lips are soft and smoochable? Our friends at Carmex have really outdone themselves this time and I'm absolutely delighted to bring you this amazing giveaway with a twist (more about that in a second):

Three very lucky winners will each receive a Carmex Valentine's "Kissable Lips" Bag o' Lip Balms, which is a black velvet bag filled with the following Carmex products (click here to see my original post on the magical powers of Carmex):

Four Carmex Moisture Plus Sticks:

One Carmex Original Jar:

Two Carmex Strawberry Lip Balm Sticks:

Two Carmex Cherry Lip Balm Sticks:

Two Carmex Mint Lip Balm Sticks:

Two Carmex Original Lip Balm Sticks:

Wow! Enough Carmex for you and enough for sharing!

Approximate retail value of each prize package: $30.50.

Now remember, I mentioned there was going to be a twist to this giveaway, so please read the following rules before entering:

1) There's only ONE way to enter: Visit MyCarmexKiss.com and create your very own Valentine's Day e-card for your significant other, bestie, or anyone else who needs some cheer. It's free and no registration is required. Plus, it's super fun! You just upload any picture from your computer, add an animated "smooch" (I prefer the wet, slobbery french kiss), select your music, add your message and you're done! I made one of Johnny Depp and sent it to my best friend and she loved it!

2) Once you've made your e-card, come back to this post and, in the comments, tell me what you made! If you leave a comment describing your e-card, you are officially entered in this giveaway! But please note: You must also leave your email address in your comment, which I require for all of my giveaways. I repeat: leave your email address in your comment or you will be disqualified.

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

4) You are not required to become a follower of Nouveau Cheap to enter, although it would be fantastic if you thought my blog was worthy of following. :)

5) This giveaway begins today, January 28th, and will end Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 11:59PM Pacific. I will select three winners via random.org's random number generator and notify the winners on Wednesday, February 3rd. 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 February 3rd, 2010, 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 editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

Valentine's Giveaway #2: Love's Sugar Kiss and Heart Throb goodies!

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

Continuing my fun-filled week of Valentine's Day Giveaways, you know I had to bring you some sweet-smelling goodies to celebrate this special day! And can you really think of a better fit for Valentine's Day than the sweet scents from DanaClassics?

I am tickled pink to present to you the following giveaway, sponsored by DanaClassics!

THREE lucky winners will each receive the following yummy treats:

Love's Loveable Bear Sugar Kiss (retail: $5.99, 0.14 oz)

How adorable is this?? You not only get a 0.14 oz spray bottle of the yummy Love's Sugar Kiss (if you've read my previous reviews, you know I think this is a softer, cleaner version of Aquolina Pink Sugar--and at a fraction of the cost!), but you also get a cute and cuddly pink Love's Loveable Bear to boot. This one sends me into cute-overload!

Love's Heart Throb Body Mist (retail: $11.50, 1.5 oz)

The PERFECT fragrance for Valentine's Day, Love's Heart Throb is a delicious combination of wild berries and exotic chocolates. Honestly, I loooove this fragrance so much and I truly cannot think of a more appropriate scent to wear on the one holiday that inspires everyone to eat chocolate-covered strawberries!

Once again, three (3) lucky winners will each receive the two (2) products featured above. The approximate retail value of each prize package is $17.50.

Please read all of the following rules before entering:

1) There's only ONE way to enter: you must leave a comment on this post telling me which of these two scents you would like to wear on Valentine's Day. One entry per person. Tweeting or blogging will not earn additional entries. Sorry.

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 US, ages 18 and over. Void where prohibited.

4) You are not required to become a follower of Nouveau Cheap to enter, although it would be fantastic if you thought my blog was worthy of following. :)

5) This giveaway begins today, January 27th, and will end Monday, February 1st, 2010 at 11:59PM Pacific. I will select three winners via random.org's random number generator and notify the winners on Monday, February 1st. 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 February 2nd, 2010, please do not enter this giveaway.

The Wednesday Question

Is it just me or does it feel like a month has gone by since last week's question?? Anyway, this week I've got a fun one for you, so I hope you'll take a moment to leave your response in the comments (and that includes any and all lurkers out there--come out and play with us even if it's just for one day!). Here were go:

What shade of eyeshadow is your absolute weakness?

In other words, what one shade gets you EVERY time? I know that for a lot of you, new taupe eyeshadows must be yours, no matter how many taupe eyeshadows you already own. For me, well, I'm a sucker for deep, rich bronze shades. I simply cannot resist a good bronze eyeshadow, I tell you. So let's hear it! What color of eyeshadow makes you immediately sigh and then whip out your wallet? Tell me, tell me!

Holy grail products can be found...in the children's aisle?!

I admit I have an addiction to beauty products (and I'm assuming you do too if you're reading this) but regardless of the countless items I purchase (and the products I'm lucky enough to receive for review), I sometimes crave simplicity and a product that just plain works. I don't always need fancy packaging (though it's certainly pretty to look at) but what I do always need is a reliable product that's easily available and doesn't cost a lot of money.

And sometimes, that product can be found in the kid's aisle.

I know a lot of you already use and love products made for children, but for those of you who don't, allow me to introduce you to a few of my favorite children's products, and tell you why I love them.

Johnson's No More Tangles Detangling Spray (retail: around $4, 10 oz)

If you've got long hair that's prone to tangling, meet your new best friend. No matter how many high-end detangling sprays I've used in the past, Johnson's No More Tangles is my absolute favorite because it gets the job done. It's cheap, it doesn't leave my hair greasy or weighed down, it smells clean and it WORKS. Every time. A few spritzes on your tangles and your comb or brush will slide through your locks like butta. In the cold weather we're currently having, my hair is drier and more tangled than ever, so I absolutely depend on this product to avoid breakage. Honestly, I think it's the best out there and it works on both dry and wet hair equally as well.

L'Oreal Extra Gentle 2-in-1 Strawberry Smoothie Shampoo (retail: around $3.50, 9 oz)

I'm generally not a huge fan of 2-in-1 products, but I make exception for this little cutie. L'Oreal really hit it out of the park with this kid's shampoo because it smells amazing (sweeeet strawberries), it's gentle, and it cleanses your hair without making it brittle (like some kid's shampoos tend to do). My hair feels so soft and springy when I use this (but if you've got damaged hair, you'll need to follow with your regular conditioner). Love it when I'm in the mood for a sweet treat.

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps Unscented Baby-Mild Pure-Castile Soap (retail: around $3, 5 oz)

I keep a bar of this in my bathroom cabinet for whenever my skin is really acting up (the skin on face and/or body). It's got fantastic ingredients (as is the case with all of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps) and it's one of the few soaps that is not only mild, but actually cleans my oily skin. Don't you hate it when you buy something that says "mild" on the package and then it feels like it didn't actually clean your skin at all? This soap even removes eye-makeup, and I swear it leaves your skin feeling so clean and pampered. If you've got any mild skin irritation that seems to feel worse when you use your usual products, you might want to give this soap a try. It calms my skin whenever I need it. One word of caution: it's not truly unscented. It does have a very mild, clean scent to it, but it never, ever bothers my skin.

Mayron's Good Baby Barrier and Diaper Cream (retail: $9.95, 2 oz)

Back in July of last year, I had the amazing fortune of "meeting" actress and director Melanie Mayron (of 30-something fame) on Twitter. It was then that I discovered that Ms. Mayron is not only is a successful actress and director, but she and her chemist father have also created a line of all-natural baby products (click here for my full review of Mayron's Good Baby Barrier and Diaper Cream). This diaper cream is filled to the brim with vitamins, essential oils and shea butter, and it contains NO synthetic fragrance, parabens, SLS or DEA. Oh, and you may ask yourself why a grown woman like me would need diaper cream? Well, both my boyfriend and I have numerous uses for this, including skin rashes and chaffing (him on his inner thighs, me where my underwire bra rubs against my skin), shoe blisters, razor burn, and the list goes on. I love this stuff, and I've found that one tube lasts a loooong time because you only need a little to sooth your aching skin. Plus, it smells like fresh lavender and it dries sheer so no staining of clothes. The only downside is that it's not widely available, but I make exception for this wonder product and order it online (click here for more info).

Suave for Kids Splashing Apple Toss 3-in-1 Shampoo, Conditioner and Body Wash (retail: around $3, 22.5 oz)

Like I mentioned earlier, I'm not usually big on 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 products, but I loooove to use this Suave product as a body wash. It makes my entire bathroom smell like apples, and for an inexpensive body wash, it packs some serious lather and bubbles. Just a fun, fun product to use when you want a pick-me-up in the shower and the best part? It costs far less than sweet-smelling "adult" body washes!

Band-Aid Spongebob Squarepants Glow-in-the-Dark Bandages (retail: around $3.50, 20 bandages)

And last but certainly not least, I LOVE CHILDREN'S BAND-AIDS! Whew! There. I said it. Now, bear with me here, but Band-Aids are obvious anyway, right? There's really no concealing that you've got a cut on your finger, even if you use the clear Band-Aids. So why not have a little fun with it and rock a Spongebob glow-in-the-dark Band-Aid the next time you have a boo-boo? There are so many cute designs of kid's bandages out there lately that it's a fun little process just deciding which box to buy when I run out. :)

So there you have it--a few of my very favorite children's products. No tell me me about yours! I'd love to hear all about them.

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 editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

Valentine's Giveaway #1: Nailene Skinny French Tip Pen and Nail Art!

[UPDATE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ENTER. THANK YOU!]

I told you ladies I would be featuring some very fun Valentine's Day-themed giveaways soon and I wasn't lying! I'm doing something a little different for this Valentine's Day giveaway series--I'm running each giveaway for FIVE DAY ONLY. So if you want to enter, don't hesitate! Do it now because it will be over before you know it!

So let's start things off with a bang and present to you this adorable giveaway from our friends at Nailene!

FIVE lucky winners will each receive the following sweet prizes:

Nailene Skinny French Tip Pen with Top Coat

If you saw my review of this new skinny-tip French nail pen (click here), you know that I love it not only because it enables you to get a cleaner, more precise French nail tip, but it's also FABULOUS for painting polka dots your nails (click here to see my polka-dot mani, thanks to Nailene's Skinny French Tip Pen). This pen is not yet available in stores, so you can literally be the first one on your block to have it!

Nailene Bedazzled Earth Angel Nail Art

What would a Valentine's Day giveaway be without some adorable heart nail art? Not only do you get various heart designs, but you also get butterflies, stars, flowers and more in the Earth Angel collection. Too cute for words, really.

Nailene Bedazzled Fashionista Nail Art

The Fashionista collection is so stylish! In this set you get over 300 stickers including moons, stars, and more flowers than you can shake a stick at. Also, you also get "monogrammed" initials! How stylin' is that?

Once again, five (5) lucky winners will each receive the three (3) products featured above. The approximate retail value for each prize package is $15.

Please read all of the following rules before entering:

1) There's only ONE way to enter: you must leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite product by Nailene. One entry per person. Tweeting or blogging will not earn additional entries. Sorry.

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 US, ages 18 and over. Void where prohibited.

4) You are not required to become a follower of Nouveau Cheap to enter, although it would be fantastic if you thought my blog was worthy of following. :)

5) This giveaway begins today, January 26th, and will end Sunday, January 31st, 2010 at 11:59PM Pacific. I will select five winners via random.org's random number generator and notify the winners on Monday, February 1st. 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 February 1st, 2010, 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 editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

More important odds 'n' ends (please read)

I very rarely do two Odds 'n' Ends posts within the same month, let alone the same week, but I've got important info to share with you about a variety of things, so please give this a read if you have a moment. Thanks!

1) I have found out from the folks at e.l.f. that the pictures of the display that the awesome Evolving Beauty posted of her local Target (and thanks again for taking the time to post those, Aedd!) are actually NOT the products that we can expect to see at all Target stores in March. It turns out that that particular Target location is one of a few "test" stores, so while that display is very important, it is NOT an indicator as to what the rest of us will see come March. This explains my confusion by some of the products I saw in that display, but it also makes me even more excited about what we WILL see in March at Target stores. And please stay tuned because, as I mentioned at the beginning of this month (click here to see the post), I will have a complete list of the new e.l.f. products for Target in the very near future. PS: Evolving Beauty, I tried again to leave a comment on your blog, to give you a heads-up about this, but your comments don't seem to be working. :(

2) Thanks to my wonderful reader Heather, I have been introduced to the magical powers of SundaySaver.com. If you're looking for weekly sale info for just about every retail chain in America, this is the site for you. Seriously, from Macy's to Kohl's, Fry's to Best Buy, Big Lots to Dollar General, Michael's to JoAnn, this site has got you covered! They even list all major grocery stores too! Huge thanks to Heather for sharing this jewel with us! PS: I have added a new SIDEBAR to the left-hand side of my blog with direct links to this site and the other drugstore weekly sale sites I mentioned yesterday. I hope some of you find that helpful (I sure do!).

3) As I mentioned before, it's not too late to enter Confessions of a Beauty Guru's giveaway for a bottle of Skin MD moisturizer. I've been using this moisturizer myself for over a month and I loooove it (when I finally write my review, I have a feeling it will echo many other bloggers's recent opinions--this stuff really is amazing). So don't miss your chance to snag a free bottle.

4) Another lovely reader of mine, Joanne, just spotted this article about an apparent recall of American Apparel nail polishes. It looks like the problem is related to the fragility of the glass bottle and not the actual polish itself though (whew!). I will try to find out more info and keep you posted. I would hate to return the bottles I own (the colors are just so darned pretty!) so I'm going to wait until I get more info before I consider a refund/exchange.

OMG, have you seen these new Physicians Formula Gel Cream Eyeliners??

OK, ever since I started this blog, my love for good gel/cream liners has grown deeper and deeper. I wasn't really into them pre-blog, but I expanded my horizons over the past year and now I freaking LOVE them. For oily-skinned girls like me, gel and cream liners can really go the distance if you apply them correctly, and one pot can last FOREVER, making them an excellent investment.

So you can imagine my excitement when I saw this display at CVS today:

Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Gel Cream Liners

First it was those new, intense Shimmer Strips eyeshadows, then it was the awesome powder foundation and the tri-colored mineral powders. Now, Physicians Formula, you have really sent me over the edge.

For $10.99 (ouch, I know that's steep) you get THREE pots of "Gel Cream Liner" and each trio is for a different eye color (of course most of us will probably ignore that and just pick the colors we want, but whatever).

Here's a closer look:

I'm freaking FASCINATED by these things! First of all, you get three shades, and from what I could tell, the pots look roughly about the same size as a Coastal Scents gel liner, which retails for around $5.95 (if I remember correctly--I'll have to double-check that). Anyway, so you get THREE, and the colors look GORGEOUS, people!

There are four options: One trio for brown eyes, one for green, one for blue and one for hazel. The pots in each trio stack together (cute!) and from what I could tell, the only common color that all four of them share is a basic black. I think they all also contain a brown shade, but I don't think it's the same brown in every trio. The other, more colorful shade, ranges from a gorgeous deep midnight blue (in the trio for blue eyes), a pretty matte lavender (in the hazel eyes trio), and stunning kelly green (in the green eyes trio) and deep, smoky plum (in the brown eyes trio). So basically you get one GORGEOUS shade in each trio, and then a black and brown. Oh and you also get a "Pro-Eyeliner Brush". [edit: I take that back--the trio for green eyes does NOT contain a brown. It contains a kelly green, a deep purple and a black.]

So...I'm going to return some of the clearance stuff I bought the other day that's not working out for me, and when I do, rest assured I'm picking one of these bad boys up to review. The only question is: Which one should I get?? If you have an opinion, please share it in the comments! :)

Review: New Wet n Wild "Wild Shine" nail color shades!

In an effort to post swatches of the new Wet n Wild Wild Shine nail color shades as quickly as possible, I've been rocking a "skittles" manicure for days now (a different color on every nail). It's been fun, but I have to say I'm ready to pick just one of these pretty colors for a full manicure soon. :)

And let me tell you something about these new Wild Shine polishes right up front. If you have been disappointed with Wild Shines in the past, please rest assured that these new shades are nothing like the old ones. I personally bought a purple shade (I can't remember the color right now) a few years ago and was let down because the formula was streaky and I could not achieve the level of opaqueness that I wanted. So I just want to let you guys know that in all of the following pics, I used TWO coats and that was all that was required. The formula is soooo much better than the Wild Shines of yester-year! Also, I've been wearing my skittles mani for several days now and no chips! Just minimal tip-wear.

So without further ado, here are the fab new Wild Shine shades!

Jezebel

Jezebel is a gorgeous, velvety red shimmer that is deeper and richer in person. A classic for toes!

Metallica

Metallica is the perfect name for this silver chrome. I love silver chromes on darker skin tones, so I'm afraid my swatch just doesn't do this one justice. If you've got a deeper skin tone than mine, this will look ah-maze-ing on you.

Sunny Side Up

You guys, I have been lusting for a cheery orange-juice creme for sooo long now (actually, since this post back in June of last year) so finally, FINALLY I got one! For some reason, shades like this just don't seem to pop up in drugstores a lot, so I'm thrilled WnW created Sunny Side Up for us. I probably could have used a third coat since two coats was a teensy bit streaky, but I still think it looks pretty good with two.

Rain Check

(Apologies for the smudge on my nail but I was in a hurry when I painted this so that smudge is due to operator error and not the formula itself.) I am a SUCKER for icy-blue-violets and Rain Check is certainly no exception. I love love love the soft violet shimmer in this, and I highly recommend it if you've got an icy-blue-violet addiction like myself.

Hallucinate

I love the name of this one, which I think is a play on the halo effect of this glitter. The halo glitter is in a clear base, but I apologize if it looks funky in my swatch--my nails are a bit discolored since I pretty much never go without polish these days. I swatched Hallucinate on bare nails and I can confirm that the base it totally clear. Also, to me, the glitter is of medium size. Not too chunky yet not a micro-glitter either. I love it because you don't have to strain to see the halo effect.

Blue Moon

I tried and tried to capture the beauty of Blue Moon but I'm afraid this was the best I could do with my little camera. Let me just say that this is a gorgeous, deep royal blue with what appears to me (reminder: I'm no expert in describing nail colors) to be baby blue and teal shimmers running through it. If you're a blue polish fan, you've got see this one in person to appreciate its beauty. It's deeper and richer than your standard navy blue drugstore polish. Love it!

Blue Moon layered with Hallucinate

I wanted to show you what Hallucinate looks like layered over a darker shade (just in case you were curious). I love this and I can't wait to put this combo on my toes. :)

Night Prowl

And last but certainly not least, we have this little vixen named Night Prowl. This is a vivid magenta micro-glitter in a sheer black base. But let me tell you, do not be scared off by the words "sheer black base". Personally, those three words scare the crud out of me because of my bad experience with a little polish by Petites called Black Amethyst. I don't know if any of you own Black Amethyst, but let me tell you something. I have tried so hard to get an opaque look with that polish, and once I even painted SEVEN coats on my nails and even then it still didn't look opaque. It was streaky as streaky could be.

So let me tell you ladies, Night Prowl is no Black Amethyst, even though they look nearly identical in the bottle. The swatch of my nail was taken after TWO coats, and I easily achieved 100% opacity after those two coats. Yay!!

I hope you enjoyed my review of the new WnW Wild Shine polishes, and of course I would 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 editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.