Mini-review & swatches: Urban Decay Skull Shadow Box

Since the Urban Decay Skull Shadow Box is still on clearance for $12 on the Urban Decay website (retail: $36), I wanted to get a mini-review and swatches up ASAP in case you were thinking of picking one up. I purchased this palette shortly after the Urban Decay clearance sale started, and now that I've had some time to play around with it, I'd like to share my opinion of this palette with you.

Nail Polish Odds & Ends for your Saturday

• It was only February, but it seems like forever since I posted that preview of the Sally Hansen Fall Fashion Week Collections. Well the time is finally here, and Mary has more details and pics for you here (spoiler: one of her readers spotted them at Target already).

• Thanks to reader Nicole, I now have additional bottles shots, swatches and all of the shades names for the new Wet n Wild Pick Your Poison Collection. Click here for my updated post.

• Reader @_JustChrissie spotted a great dupe for Sinful Colors Cinderella the other day and was kind enough to share. Check it out here (warning: link may not open if you're on a mobile device). Judging from the bottle shot, I'd say this is almost identical to the real thing.

• And last but not least, if you're hitting up Sally Beauty today for the clearance sale, be sure to keep an eye out for the new Fall 2012 Finger Paints collection, Fall of Surprises! Reader @ari_kostan spotted them at her local Sally and was nice enough to share a pic:

image credit: @ari_kostan for Nouveau Cheap

Polarbelle has some swatches of a couple of these shades here if you'd like to see.

Thanks so much, Mary, Nicole,  @_JustChrissie and @ari_kostan for the great info!

First Look: New Bodycology Limited Edition Seasonal Fragrance Mists

Attention Bodycology fans! This just in:

After a summer filled with light, floral fragrances, bodycology® is launching something more sweet this fall with Four Limited Edition Fragrance Mists!  bodycology® introduces a NEW limited edition collection of seasonal fragrance mists in four delicious fragrances that will have you embracing autumn – and all its seasonal magic – in no time.  The sugar & spice collection includes the following fragrances:

• Sugared Vanilla Bean: Few things evoke the holidays more than the sweet scent of vanilla cream and sugared musk. 

• Spiced Berry Kiss: An alluring blend of black raspberry and amber crystals creates a seductive, sweet & spicy scent.

• Sugared Candy Apple: Just in time for Halloween, this juicy blend of apple spun with cotton candy is a delicious treat sweetened to perfection.

• Spiced Caramel Cider: Cozy up to this warming fragrance of cinnamon sugar and caramel cream for the ultimate seasonal delight.

bodycology®’s Seasonal Fragrance Mists will be available just in time for autumn, launching in early September at Walmart stores nationwide.  Priced between $3.97 - $5.99, pick up one or all of these fun fall fragrances!

Sinful Colors Follow-Up

After the Sinful Colors debacle last month, and Revlon's Facebook apology, my hope was that Sinful Colors was working with the two bloggers involved to make things right (I'm still hoping this is the case, and as you can see here and here, the bloggers have both taken down their orginal posts with the implication being that they have been contacted by the brand and are working toward an agreement).

OPI Metallic 4 Life vs. Revlon Sparkle Aplenty

Remember a few weeks ago when reader cindyinphilly spotted the new Revlon Runway Report shade, Sparkle Aplenty? Since these Revlon one-shade displays are usually dupes of higher-end polishes, I asked all of you what you thought Revlon might be duping with this black glitter polish. The response I received from many of you was that it might be OPI Metallic 4 Life. Well, thanks to reader @abbyt7, I've got a comparison for you today!

image credit: @abbyt7 for Nouveau Cheap

Left: OPI Metallic 4 Life

Right: Revlon Sparkle Aplenty

@abbyt7 writes:

No dupes here! I personally prefer Metallic 4 Life because the formula is easier to apply and contains more glitter. Sparkle Aplenty surprised me by having larger black hexes along with silver, although it seems to only include small and large glitter (Unlike M4L, which has multiple shapes and sizes of glitter). This is 3 coats of each polish:

HOT Sally Beauty deals going on NOW (in-store and online)

Thanks to many of you for the heads-up that, starting yesterday (Thurs.) and running through Sunday (8/26), Sally Beauty is running another one of their 50% off red tag clearance sales:

NOTE: this clearance sale is valid in-store only

Thanks to readers Annette and KD who confirmed that the "special surprise" on their receipts was 15% off a 20 dollar purchase. KD's discount was valid starting the day after she made her initial purchase through 8/31. 

To get an idea of the fantastic deals that you may able to find during this sale, check out the comments on this post, which I wrote the last time Sally ran this sale in July. China Glaze polishes for $1.14? Yes, please!

For those of you who don't live near a Sally Beauty, don't fret, because reader Kim was nice enough to let us know about THIS special online-only deal:

Review: Maybelline Limited Edition Fall 2012 Fashion Week Eyestudio Quad in Olive Martini

I don't think I've ever done this before, but because this palette is limited edition and there are only two of it in each display (click here to see the display), I'm starting this review with the following message: 

If the colors in this palette appeal to you, GET IT the minute you see it. 

Don't wait for a sale, don't scramble for coupons--just get it. I am so in love with this palette that I would hate to see anyone miss out on it while it's still available. I know it's just now showing up in stores for many of you, so I want to get this review out there ASAP so that those who want it have the very best chance at getting it.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, let's take a closer look:

 Maybelline Limited Edition Fall 2012 Fashion Week Eyestudio Quad in Olive Martini

(retail: $9.49 at Rite Aid, .09 oz)

I purchased this quad at my local Rite Aid for $9.49, but as with all things drugstore, prices can vary from store to store and region to region.

Review & Swatches: NYC Halloween 2012 Limited Edition Sweet & Devilish Collection (eyeshadow & polishes)

Can you smell that? Halloween is in the air! (Well, at least at the drugstores...)

I finally found the NYC Halloween 2012 Limited Edition Sweet & Devilish Collection at my local Rite Aid (click here for pics of the display) and I couldn't resist picking up a few items. I of course bought the eyeshadow duo with the bright red shade, and also the polishes (except for the clear top coat that glows under black light--I don't come across too many black lights at my age. Sad.)

So let's start with the eyeshadow:

 NYC Limited Edition City Duet Eye Shadow in Devilish

(retail: $2.99, 0.07 oz)

Nouveau Cheap Readers Have Spoken: Your favorite affordable makeup primer is...

Another month has come and gone, and it's time again to view the results of the latest Readers' Poll! Let's see how you weighed in on affordable makeup primers, shall we? A total of 961 of you voted (thank you!) and here's what you had to say:

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE AFFORDABLE FACE PRIMER?

First Place

L'Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base

(178 votes)

Second Place

Monistat Anti-Chafing Gel (Smashbox dupe)

(170 votes)

Third Place

Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer (157 votes)

Honorable Mentions:

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Foundation Primer (154 votes)

e.l.f. Studio Mineral Infused Face Primer (102 votes)

Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer (100 votes)

Complete results: 

Rite Aid alert: six bottles of nail polish free (after rewards) through Saturday!

So I was at my local Rite Aid the other day, and came across a deal that I didn't even realize could be possible (the horror!) until I was actually at the register!

You see, I was buying the LE Maybelline Color Show Nail Colors (got all six shades, which I will review soon!) and lots of other LE goodies that I'll be showing you soon. Anyway, when I bought all six Maybelline polishes, I got $6 back in +UP Rewards, and it was then that I remembered this deal, which I posted in my Weekly Drugstore Makeup Sales post:

Buy 3 bottles of nail polish (any brand) get $3+UP (limit 2, excludes L'Oreal, Essie and Wet n Wild)

Duh! The limit is 2 on this rewards offer, so when I bought 3 polishes (x2), I got $6+UP Rewards!

So then...

I realized something: NYC is not excluded in this offer. And NYC Long Wearing Nail Enamels are $0.99 each. BINGO! Buy three of those, and you'll get $3+UP. Buy six, and you'll get $6+UP. Any way you slice it,  after rewards, you'll have FREE nail polish. But you have to get to your local Rite Aid before Sunday, since this deal is only good through Saturday, 8/25.

NOTE: if you live in a test market (San Diego or Los Angeles) then you better hurry, since you know that the weekly sales end on Thursdays here (TODAY!).

Enjoy!