Wednesday Night Fun at Fresh at Neimans

Wednesday night I joined other bloggers and beauty fans of Fresh (including new ones!) at Neiman Marcus in Tysons Corner.

It was a very intimate event in the NM Cafe on the 1st floor. We had a lovely NM staff member attending to our drinks, and food and keeping us refilled (whether it be wine or their wonderful pomegranate tea!) during the event.

I was introduced to Jawn Marques, Alyson O'Brien, again met with Alison Kauffman who provided me samples to try earlier before the event as well as seeing Kathy Shoreman again.

Jawn allowed the group to go around, talk about how they got into Fresh (or what brought them to the event) before he started on more of the products and the background of the company.

We had a small group but a fair amount of the varied age ranges were present which I personally thought was important. There are many benefits to having a small group, we have more one on one time with the specialists of Fresh as well as being able to talk back and forth about products those who have used it like and those who are not sure what to try to get suggestions from others.

I think in my mindset there is sometimes an expectation that a product will either be designed for a specific "skin type" and that skin type includes age types as well. Fresh seems to provide options for both young and mature as well as skin types that allows for flexibility with the products you can use or move between.

CRÈME ANCIENNE and BLACK TEA both have products where a customer could choose to mix one with the other, but to be honest I highly recommend an appointment with one of their product specialists so you can be advised of the right products for your skin situation.

After our high and medium review of all of the products by Jawn a few of the attendees we had one on one time and a few of us headed up to the 2nd floor to start shopping.

I had a short review with Jawn, which was helpful because I wanted his insight on my current dermatologist regimen combined with how to use the Fresh products so that I could ensure no interactions between the products. Jawn also showed me how to apply the Ancienne eye cream by using light massage.

My "prescription" is as follows :)
SOY FACE CLEANSER
CRÈME ANCIENNE EYE CREAM
BLACK TEA AGE-DELAY FACE SERUM
BLACK TEA AGE-DELAY CREAM
SUGAR FACE POLISH 2x per week
ROSE FACE MASK as needed (oil free)
SUGAR ROSE TINTED LIP TREATMENT SPF 15

Of those, I picked up the Cleanser, lip treatment, and Rose Marigold Floral Water. I'm going to continue using my samples of the BT serum and cream to ensure I don't have any additional breakouts from it before I buy the full size products.

I also picked up some of the new Fall Chanel items (Braise 158, Chanel Peridot and Chanel Quartz) as well as the Chantecaille Faux Cils Mascara in Black.

SOMEHOW I have resisted swatching the new Chanel polishes but with the busy weekend ahead I hope I can take them with me to Chicago!

Nail Wear Wednesday!

I'm going to try to make Wednesday's when I highlight what today's (or my recent) nail polish is. I change it so often it's almost a different color or appearance every other day!

Today on my both my hands and toes I am wearing Zoya. The toes look good with my outfit (in blue) today.

~Toes~
Zoya - Tallulah ZP481

Their website describes it as:

"Medium electric cobalt blue with fine bright aqua shimmer. A bold blue that looks good on all skin tones."

~Fingers~
Zoya - Cassi ZP472

Their website describes it as:

"Light warm peachy-pink with coral tones and sparkling white gold shimmer. An undeniably girly shade for fingers and toes."

Where can you get Zoya?

Online of course, but I tend to buy in bulk from them at their biggest sales times, or I pick it up at discount at local retailers who are discontinuing stocking their products or other stores priced at around 7$ a bottle. Zoya online has it at 8$ currently. It should be noted that they are B4F: Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) and Camphor Free (as well as Vegan Friendly).

**These items used were either provided to me as a gift, or were purchased by me or a friend for my personal use. No review of this product was requested of me by any manufacturer at any time.

Monday's FOTD

My Face of The Day from Monday, which used:

Jouer Luminizing Tint in Pearl
Smashbox Supernatural Quad
Smashbox Soft Focus Powder eye liner in dark brown
Smashbox Photo finish Lid Primer
Smashbox lipgloss (mini) in Desire
Smashbox Bionic Mascara in Black Violet

Eyes:

Overall look:

I'm a believer in Fresh's Soy Face Cleanser!

I had the opportunity to stop by Neiman Marcus on Friday? (Thursday? These days escape me!) and met quickly with Alison Kauffman introduced by Kathy Shoreman. Alison took a moment, introduced me to some of their products as well as gave me some samples of the Black Tea Age Delay Face Serum as well as their Black Tea Age Delay Cream to try at home. I had also mentioned that I was on the look out for a cleanser that would not just clean my face (and be gentle on my easily irritated skin) but also help removing makeup.

I've tried and still maintain quite a collection of only half-successful makeup removal products. The one thing they all tend to fail to do well is removing eye makeup, mascara and doing so without affecting my vision or causing pain!

She quickly sampled out the Soy Face Cleanser for me and I told her I'd make sure I'd put on a "full face" and give it a shot and see how it did.

My FOTD from Friday came off clean and irritant free that evening, as well as the look I FORGOT to take a picture of on Saturday when I met with my parents and some family friends for a dinner up in Maryland. I plan on picking up the cleanser for sure on Wednesday night, and can't wait to see what other goodies they let us try out!

If you haven't read the entry at Best Things In Beauty , there will be an event this week at Neiman Marcus in the Tysons Corner area on Wednesday.

If you want to read about how one of these events went down, BTiB's entry HERE is a good overview (and plus, I've never been to one so it's just more excitement reading the entry to get you pumped up for a great time!).

You probably should register ahead of time, so I would reach out to the store to put your name in the attendance list and ensure there's room for you to join! I'll be there, so if you are in the area I'd be a pleasure to meet you!

Green look for an Irish outfit!

This morning (6/17//2011) I had to take Dart to the vet for his incision checkup, as well as ensure he's on the road to becoming a regular tubby tuxedo kitty again. I figured I didn't want to cat-hair my work shirt, so I threw a different T-shirt on, we got Starbucks drive-thru drink and then we headed home after our quick visit.

I was feeling Irish today (as I normally feel, but more today for some reason) so I threw on this Irish tie-dye type shirt I picked up in Anchorage Alaska last July with some white jeans and rocked it.

I figured, I had this LOVELY Chanel Lilium Quad from a TPF-r (you know who you are) and since I had not used it yet, I wanted to give it a buzz.

I love the look I pulled off, I'm just frustrated because I keep putting off getting my eyebrows trimmed due of my busy schedule. Every time I take a "look of the day" picture it's only yet another reminder! Man, I really gotta get on that!

Used in this Look was:
Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint (Spf 20, hypoallergenic) in Pearl. (this was a Birchbox sample one of two)
Chanel Les 4 Ombres 32 Lilium (all colors used)
Chanel Cils A Cils Lash Building Mascara in 10 Noir
Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Rose Platine

**These items used were either provided to me as a gift, or were purchased by me or a friend for my personal use. No review of this product was requested of me by any manufacturer at any time.

Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint in Pearl

This was one of two samples I received in my Birchbox from May 2011. I signed up for a year of the program, I'm still not convinced it was worth the money for the products provided, but since I've got quite a bit of time left, I figure I'll ride it out and try all the new products I've been introduced to.

This packet was one of two included in my May box. The description from HERE reads:

"Jouer’s oil-free Luminizing Moisture Tint feels positively weightless on but gives you plenty of even coverage. Skin looks soft and dewy and, thanks to SPF 20, you’ll be extra protected from the sun."

This was my skin prior to applying the tint.

What the sample packet size was and looked like.

The tint on my arm prior to application to my face.

The tint on my arm blended into my skin

The appearance after applied to my skin. Keep in mind the lighting I had available at the time was not the best, but overall it's a slight difference. I find that when I use the Smashbox tinted moisturizer it's much thicker than this, and has more coverage. If someone wanted a light texture and light coverage this would be a good product for them.

Granted I only tested Pearl, but the next color may have been a better fit for me, I only got one sample of one color type and I still have another of their "golden" color to try at a later time. Both of these colors are at the "fairer" end of the light spectrum offered for tints.

The price at Birchbox will run you 38$ for 1.7oz of product. If you are light handed at application this could go a long way. Jouer products can also be found at their website which also allows you to shop online. There are only a few stores in the US that look to have the products on hand, so be sure to check their site first.

**This item was purchased by me through the Birchbox program. No review of this product was requested of me by any manufacturer at any time.

Refocusing and Refreshing

As I'm sure a few of you have wondered, what ever happened to Bunny and blogging?

Well, a bit of more personal related internet nastiness occurred and I figured to address it I needed to focus properly. That aside, I didn't want to let the negativity of others ruin my desire or enjoyment of being able to blog.

I don't blog here as a brag, or to show off a collection as there are many others who do that and I'd prefer not to be lumped into that category if I can avoid it.

I'm here to blog to show off pictures, identify colors, nail products or other beauty items and talk about what works for me. Sometimes I end up buying something really pricey and it's a fail for me in use, sometimes it's not. Often price doesn't always mean it's a good deal or a bargain for someone, but by renaming my blog, I can try to focus on deals/sales that I see to help pass that information on to others.

I post quite often on The Purse Forum and have found myself moving more towards beauty than bags (hence the change from Bunny's Beauty and Bags to Bunny's Beauty and Bargains). I enjoy the challenge that the board there brings me, helping me reach into my beauty collection and try a polish I have not used in a while as well as going to beauty events with people like BTiB. I always enjoy the opportunity to try something new, widen my horizons to new items and brands so that I don't get stuck in a rut just because I'm not willing to get out there and experience variety.

I hope that I can devote more time here, and will endeavor to do so the rest of this year. I may not have the biggest or largest readership to this blog, but I do hope to entertain those that decide to stop by!

Thanks,
Bunny

Cat Surgery

I apologize, I don't normally try to go off-topic on my own blog, but seeing as this took up a large portion of my last few months (3 or more) I wanted to touch on it.

At the end of March, there was a big "kitty" event that occurred at my home. Our two boys, Keiichi (mine) and Dart (BH's) got into a really nasty fight. They had continued to have small spats here and there, but something big started it and it got to where they were going to draw blood.

In the end, they did, but just not on each other. I made the mistake of getting in the middle to break it up, carrying one cat away from the fight (Keiichi) and then things turned for the worse. Keiichi bit me hard on my left wrist twice, Dart lunged for my left thigh, missed and then re-launched jumping on my back and biting me deep into the muscle area below my left armpit halfway on my back. BH entered the room with both cats in a hissy, my blood all over and a mess to clean up. It also resulted in a trip to the doctor for me, I had to get special dressing for my wounds, antibiotics as well as a tetanus shot to ensure I hadn't gotten anything from the fight myself. I still have a spot now on my left side where the site turned into a keloid scar but thankfully it is small and minor from what it could have been.

After that big fiasco, things took a bit to go back to normal but it occurred. However, all it took was that big fight and then Keiichi went into defensive mode and Dart picked up on it. Dart would corner Keiichi in a room or corner and he would defecate in response as well as slink around the house in fear.

After taking Keiichi to the vet, and having a clean bill of health (the same one we had in March that matched this recent one in June) and then it was Dart's turn. A cat that normally is docile and quiet at the vet's office turned into a caged animal ready to lash out at the vet and tech assisting her. Their thoughts of behavioral change went from environment to something going in within him instead.

After some tests, xrays and ultrasound they found a 6-7millimeter flat bladder stone in his bladder and we put him on pain medications until his surgery date could be scheduled.

A week ago today, he went in for surgery, we got to take him home last Wednesday and the boys have been separated since before the surgery and now still afterwards. We tried a reintroduction yesterday for a few hours but we'll need to spread each other's smells around the house so they aren't stalking each other and pissing each other off with interest. It's been slow going, since I've had to sleep in another room since the cat's can't be separated from either of us "cat parents" during the evening without crying and yelling the entire night. I'll be most grateful when the peace in the house is restored, I can sleep in my normal bed at night and I don't run with a rug or blanket at the first sign of them fighting or seeing/hearing "stink face" (what the vet calls when it goes from innocent play to aggressive behavior that must be stopped).

We are still awaiting the results of the biopsy of the stone (as it's broken down in layers to determine the cause), but will report back when I know more. I thought I would include some pictures of Dart on his first night back, as well as a fewer new ones from last night. He's healing up well, some scabs peeling on his right foot where he had the IV, but the incision is doing well and he has not messed with it which is good since the dis-solvable stitches helped him have less attraction to mess with the site.

Last Wednesday, June 6th:

Will update with newer pictures when I can.