Haul! What's New at the Drugstore! Plus CVS Gift card GIVEAWAY!

I don't think I've ever been more excited about drugstore launches as i am now.  It seems as though drugstore beauty companies are really stepping up their game and i am here to enjoy the beauty ride! For today's post, i teamed up with CVS to go on a little drugstore haul!  Plus, at the end of the post, CVS is generously giving away one $50 gift card to a lucky FMM reader!  Ahhhhh how exciting is that?  This way, you can go on a little haul too (but you have to promise to show me what you got ok?)!  Ok ready to see what i got???  Check it out!

05 Earthy Elements

02 Bare Necessities

OK so these new Milani palettes almost didn't make it into the haul.  Truth be told, these were my number one search but they weren't out.  But shout out to the amazing CVS team members for finding a box of new shipments where these beauties were quickly found and of course snatched by me!!  Can you believe the pigment on these palettes?  They are perfection.  Milani always does shadows right!

I'm obsessed with Micellar Cleansing Water!  In fact i have it in various forms from wipes to liquid. This Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water peeked my interest so i picked it up!  Hoping to love it as much as i currently love the current brand I'm using!

The Maybelline Master Contour was definitely high on my list of things to buy!  I will tell you that the one i bought (in Medium) was the last one and i was told that they've been selling like hot cakes. Judging from the colors and pigmentation, i can totally see why!

Shade 755

OK so this isn't exactly new but i will say this, you know you love a shadow when you purchase it twice unknowingly!  Whaaat?  Yes!  When i got home and swatched it i quickly realized it looked a lot like one I'd purchased before.  Well, yes it was!   But came you blame me really?

Shade 10

I love matte lippies!  I'm loving all the new drugstore options available!  I already own a few of the L'Oreal ones and love them so i thought I'd pick up the new Maybelline liquid matte lipstick in this gorgeous nude and it's stunning.  Very comfortable to wear and doesn't dry out your lips!

The new Milani Moisture Lock lippies are so good!  They have a wide variety of sheer shades and flavors.  I opted for the clear coconut option and love it!  It gives you lips a gorgeous shine while providing them with major hydration.

I have a major thing for lip balms... and great packaging!  So when i saw this new Cover Girl OXXO balm i knew i had to pick it up!  It's hydrating, has spf15 and tastes delicious!  The packaging is super cute though i think it's a bit bulky for a makeup pouch in my opinion!  However, it does sit beautifully on my nightstand!

With my itty bitty lashes I'm always on the prowl for a great mascara!  So naturally i couldn't resist picking up a few to test out!  If you are curious about a particular one and want a full review, I'm your girl!  Just be sure to let me know in the comments!

So have you heard of LIT NYC!  Oh my gosh the concept is brilliant beyond words!  So these nail polishes basically have a light built into them so that you can pain your nails and see exactly what you're doing!  I am obsessed!  The polish lasted quite a few days too so i was definitely impressed with its longevity.  They also have lip glosses that light up and have a built in mirror.  Super cute!

Shade 003 Queens of the Bronzed Age

This Rimmel London Creme shadow stick definitely caught my eye!  The pigmentation is the real deal and the application is so easy!  These are definitely worth exploring!

So this is my haul!  If there is anything here you'd like to see an in depth review of, just leave me a comment and I'll be happy to do so! I am still playing with all of this and there are a few things i have yet to try out. Overall, I'm super impressed with all the wonderfulness happening at the drugstore!

BTW before you shop you must take advantage of CVS's Beauty Club perks!  Sign up for a card at the register (or online) and you'll save so much money!  There were so many deals happening at CVS that i saved a ton and still got a $5 reward to use on future purchases!  Major score!  Here are the benefits of signing up:

Beauty Club members (currently 18 million and growing!) receive incredible beauty benefits/savings, including

·        $5 ExtraBucks® Rewards for every $50 cumulatively spent on qualifying beauty products

·        10% off beauty shopping pass at enrollment

·        $3 ExtraBucks® Rewards on the member’s birthday

Now on to the fun part... the GIVEAWAY!  CVS wants to give one of you a $50 gift card so that you can stock up on your drugstore beauty faves!  Use the Rafflecopter widget to enter and be sure to carefully follow entry requirements as the will be verified! US entries only.  Thank you and good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Foundation Beautiful You Collection

If you've followed my blog for the past couple of years, you already know that i had the privilege of being part of the IT Cosmetics Commercial!  In late July 2014, i flew to LA for the most amazing 5 days ever! Not only was it my first time in LA but i got to be a part of something super special with a brand i adore and wholeheartedly believe in! You can read all about that experience here and here! Fast forward to now!  The other day while i was preparing dinner, one of my daughters screams 'mommmmmy you're on tv'!!!!!!  Never thought I'd ever hear those words but sure enough, the commercial was on there i was alongside some amazing women i had the pleasure of meeting! Well, this commercial is advertising some of my holy grail products so when the tv kit arrived in the mail i couldn't wait to dig in!

Major moment for me was realizing i was actually on the brochure that came with the kit!  So cool to be featured alongside a gorgeous product!  I absolutely adore this cheek palette!  It's a one-stop-shop for that perfect glow!  These colors are universally appealing to most skin tones.

The Vitality Lip Flush 4-in-1 Reviver Lipstick Stain leaves my lips feeling buttery soft while adding the perfect flush of color!  Bye Bye Pores is hands down my favorite setting powder.  The Tinted Bye Bye Pores gives my skin the most beautiful glow!  The Heavenly Complexion Perfection Brush #7 is easily one of my favorite brushes... in fact, i have multiples because i find myself reaching for them constantly!  It's such a great multi-tasker and if you know me and my blog well, you know i love my multi-tasking products and tools!

Seriously, i have no words for how much i adore Bye Bye Foundation and Bye Bye Concealer!  They give my skin the perfect amount of coverage while protecting and nourishing it.Like all IT Cosmetics products, these two beauties contain anti-aging properties and sun protection.  The Bye Bye Concealer was featured in my Best of 2015 post and for good reason.  Anything that can tackle my crazy dark under eye circles is certainly a good friend of mine!  You should know... Bye Bye Under Eye was the product that started my love affair with IT Cosmetics... it's simply the best!

Hello Lashes is a wonderful mascara that has made my lashes bid farewell to the itty bitty lash committee and we have yet to look back... right lashes??

This kit features all of IT Cosmetics' best products!  Take advantage of this amazing price because these products are worth every penny!  They will literally transform your skin! Purchase the kit here.

A major thank you to this brand i love so much for all their love and support.  I couldn't be more proud to be part of their commercial!  If you've seen it and spotted me, let me know!  Thank you so much for reading... xoxo, Carla - FMM

Beneath the Surface - Sharing My WLS Journey

This post is very personal to me.  While i consider it somehow a beauty post... it is more of a 'beneath the surface' kind of post.  This is why I've decided to start a series on the blog and my youtube channel called just that 'Beneath the Surface'.  A few months ago, i made a decision to undergo Gastric Sleeve Surgery.  This was not an easy decision to make by any means.  In fact, i think it's been one of the hardest decisions of my life. I've been planning for several months because when you undergo such a procedure, you need to first comply with many doctor's appointments, nutritionist appointments, psychological evaluations and testing.  Well, my day finally arrived and on January 20th, i underwent my surgery.  The day before i decided to document my emotions as well as share the reasons why i felt that this was the best decision for me.  Believe me when i tell you, this is by no means the easy way out.  My earliest memory of being on a diet was when i was 12 years old.... 12!!!!  I feel as though my life has been a constant diet.  After having my twin girls, my struggle to lose weight became even harder.  I've tried every diet you can think of and when i reach a 10-15lbs loss, i get stuck.  The worst is feeling as though I'm starving and gaining weight!  I've lost the person that i was... i don't recognize myself when i look in the mirror.  My body aches and I'm deeply saddened and embarrassed about the way i look and feel.  Last Wednesday, i decided to get my life back!  This video is Pre-Op but i will be documenting and sharing my recovery and progress in hopes that i can help someone out there going through what I'm going through and feeling what I'm feeling. Thank you always for your love and support and most importantly, thank you for allowing me to share this very personal journey with you.  Enjoy the video! (warning: it's raw and emotional) Xo, Carla - FMM