Sonia Kashuk Satin Luxe Lip Color Review + $100 Target Gift Card giveaway

If there is one thing you know about me, you know I love affordable, great-quality make-up, and more importantly, I love sharing my latest and greatest bargain beauty products with all of you bargainistas. When I recently received the new Sonia Kashuk Satin Luxe Lip Color from Target to test out in Classic Red and Pink Punch for free, I couldn't wait to share with you ladies.

However, if I'm being completely honest, I was slightly terrified thinking about how I was going pull this look off when I saw how vibrant the hues were. I typically stick to light pink glosses because of my fair skin, but I have to tell you, I'm so glad I had the opportunity to test these bold colors because wow, did they make me feel glamorous! If I can pull these colors off, I know they will flatter anyone with any skin shade. Hello red lips...

How playful is this hot pink lip with wavy hair for a fun summer look?

Now, let me dish on the deets.

Maybe you are feeling spicy and want to wear a hot pink or a classic red like me, but maybe you want something more low-key for the office. You're in luck, because the Satin Luxe Lip Color comes in 14 shades and is only $9.99! Ladies, that is a steal and you better believe I'm planning on adding more to my already out-of-control make-up collection. Yes, I am a make-up hoarder, and no, I don't care.

So not only does this lipstick soften and hydrate your lips, it will protect them from the sun with built-in SPF 16. Sun safety helps with anti-aging, and the nourishing ingredients plump up lips for added firmness.

Speaking of ingredients, any of you care to know what you are putting on your lips? This Satin Luxe Lip Color is paraben- and fragrance-free and contains Brown Seaweed Extract to preserve skin elasticity as well as Ceramide 2 and Palmitoyl Peptide to visibly reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Other than the incredibly pigmented color, which you can see in the pictures of me above, the best thing about Sonia’s line of lipsticks is the way they wear. When first applied, they are smooth with a silky glide, but within about an hour they change and behave more like a stain, but with a satin finish. After about 3 hours, I reapplied and my lips looked fantastic.

Oh, oh, oh! I almost forgot. I know this may seem silly, but packaging on products is important to me. I LOVED the new black packaging with its color button to make finding the right tube easier when digging through my stash.

How exciting is this? BlogHer is offering all of my readers an opportunity to enter a sweepstakes to win a $100 Target GiftCard to buy some of Sonia Kashuk Satin Luxe Lip Color for yourself! All you have to do is leave me a comment answering the following question:

Rules:
No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 6/4 to 6/30.
Be sure to visit the sponsor's brand page on BlogHer.com, where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

Friday Favorites! LINK-UP!!!!

You may have noticed I was MIA last Friday, which means Friday Faves was a no-go. I was sick with a cold and it's still lingering, but I think I'm going to pull through.  

Soooo .... exciting news today! Several of you commented that you wanted Friday Faves to be link-up, so your wish is my command.  I created a button, which you can grab below and link-up with me today for Friday Faves.  Let's spread the faves!  

<center><a href="http://thebargainblonde.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/LindseyLeeTTU/ffbblogo.jpg"/></a></center>

So flattered! On Monday I was featured on a local blog called The Dallas Socials! If you live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, you should follow this blog. Betsy, the beauty and brains behind the blog, posts daily about whats going on around town – from events, to freebies, to shopping, to fun stuff in the burbs. Check it out.  

I can't make this stuff up and yes, this happened in real life in front of my very eyes.  So last Friday night I made the mistake of running into Wal-Mart to grab a few things.  "Wal-Mart" + "Friday Night" are two words that should not go together in the same sentence. This I know.  
Anywho - I'm checking out and about to go on my merry way when a man with a brown paper bag on his head walks by me and heads for the McDonald's at the front of the store.  Anyone who knows me IRL knows my phone is in my hands at all times, which comes in handy for moments like this.  My intent was just to snap a pic of this dude walking with a bag on his head, but things quickly escalated.
Next thing I know, he is stumbling backwards and falls to the ground. I'm pretty sure I had one hand over my mouth and the other still snapping pics.  I thought this was some freak under the influence of the sweet nectar and security would be over at any moment to escort him out.  That didn't happen.  Paper bag man just quickly popped back up and just walked right of out of Wal-Mart like what I just saw didn't even happen.  I felt like I was in the Twilight zone. Don't go to Wal-mart on a Friday night is the moral of this story. 

The Bianca Tassel

If you saw this beauty in person you would die.  I had to have it and now it's on it's way to me! Yipee.

via

Found these instructions on how to make bacon in the oven at the blog Mom & Wife and have been cooking bacon like this for the past month. Legit, the easiest and best way to make bacon IMHO.  You just put the bacon on a foil covered pan, put the pan in cold oven, turn to 400 degrees and bake for 20 minutes. While the bacon is baking you get to make the rest of your breakfast!  Life changing.  

Excuse me, sir.  Not liking my TV choices?

Poor guy got neutered and had to wear this cone when alone! ha.

via

Remember Alana, the Honey Boo BooChild break-out star from last season of Toddlers & Tiaras?  I posted about her here.  Yesterday it was announced that home girl is getting her own spin-off show on TLC!  I swear, this made my week.  If trashy reality TV is wrong, I don't want to be right. 

K, now it's your turn! Link-up bishes! What are you favorites from the week?

Do you live in the Charlotte area?! Boutique Grand Opening PARTY tonight!

Calling all of my Charlotte, North Carolina (& surrounding area) readers!!!!  Am I jealous of you!


The sassy and AFFORDABLE (all items under $100) women's boutique Vestique is having their grand opening party TONIGHT at their new Charlotte location and you, my rad readers, are cordially invited.


Be there or be lame.  Party starts at 5:30 p.m. and there will be cocktails to sip while you get to shop Vestique's fab selection of insanely affordable clothes - like we're talking $35 for pretty summer maxi's!


It will be an awesome night with a chance for all you fun, young women of Charlotte to mingle.


On hand will be the beautiful and stylish Bethany from the blog BSoup (Follow her if you don't already because she a fellow bargainista) to act as stylist/personal shopper and will be giving inspiration on how to style Vestique's amazing selection of clothes and accessories.  I mean, just look at some of the Vestique looks she's blogged this week. I die.

photo credit

To celebrate the grand opening, Bethany is giving away this gorgeous Vestique turquoise and gold necklace so be sure to check her giveaway out if you can't make the event.

 CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

But wait, there's more.  Professional make-up artist Lauren of "Flawless by Lauren" will also be in attendance to give mini makeovers to all guests at the party!  Yes, please.  

If you check out Vestique's Facebook page, you can find pics of the new store location, pics of the cute sales girls, and their newest inventory.  

I hope all of you Charlotte ladies can make it and if you do, take pics and give hugs to all the girls from Bargain Blonde.  I so wish I could be there! 

Vestique Charlotte

1532 East Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28203
Phone: (704) 910-6426

Recipe: Baked Summer Squash and Tomatoes

Ello!  I hope y'all enjoyed your extra long Memorial Day weekend.  Long weekends are the best, but going back to work after one of them is the worst.  Am I right or am I right?  However, the good news is that we now have a short work week, so yay to that.  

My cousin drove to Dallas from Houston Saturday morning and stayed with me this weekend.  Saturday we went to the lake, Sunday we took it easy and yesterday after brunch I insisted we go to my local Farmer's Market because it's been on my "to-do" list forever. 

Here are pictures from the market and a recipe for Baked Summer Squash and Tomatoes, which I made yesterday evening for dinner.  So fresh, so good and so easy. 

My cousin Sierra is in the white pants although you can barely see her.

The tomatoes were enormous, a gorge deep red and perfectly ripe.  There is no way I would ever find that kind of produce at my local grocery store.

blackberries, peppers and strawberries

I didn't even notice the wall of coffee beans and tea until I went to check out.  The clerk ringing me up said the Country Special Blend variety was their best seller and so I got half a pound of it.  I brewed a cup of it this morning and the flavors were magical.  

Call me crazy, but there is something fun about taking your produce home in a box.  I left with a cucumber, corn, avocados, new potatoes, eight ball squash, jam, coffee and those jumbo tomatoes.

Sitting pretty in my kitchen. 

I knew I wanted to bake the squash, so I took to Google. I combined a few ideas I found online to make the recipe I'm sharing below.  I loved it so much, I will be making it again this week and all summer long for that matter.  I used eight ball squash, but you could make this with the longer, Italian squash as well.  

Do you visit your local farmer's market?  What's your favorite way to cook squash?

Review: Hana Titanium Flat Iron!

Way back in January the kind sirs at Misikko sent me the Hana 1.5 inch Titanium Flat Iron to give a whirl and review for all of you bargainistas.  Five months later (I needed to give it a proper test run, okaaaay), here I am to dish ....

I think it's important you know that prior to owning the Hana Flat Iron, I religiously used my hot pink Chi Flat Iron.  In fact, the Chi and I were in a pretty serious relationship and we were even approaching our 10-year anniversary.  That's a long time if you ask me, so I feel bad that I haven't so much as thought about touching my Chi since my introduction to the Hana.  I'm sorry Chi, but I'm not sorry.  

It's hard to see everything that came in my package, but Misikko hooked this bargain blonde up! In addition to the Hana Titanium Flat Iron, my box was complete with several heat protective travel flat iron cases, thermal protectant Serum, a silicone mat for your counter top, e.l.f. goodies (how'd they know?), hair towel, sleep mask, nail files, etc.  Seriously, it was Christmas in January when this box arrived.  Being a blogger does not suck.

So what's so great about the Hana? A flat iron is a flat iron is a flat iron, right?  Wrong.  My hair is really wavy (especially in the back) so I absolutely cannot get away with an average, run of the mill flat iron. The shiz has to be legit.  The Chi works great, don't get me wrong (or else I wouldn't have used it for 10 years), but the Hana works better IMHO.  

The titanium plates are the real show stopper here.  This particular model has a 1.5 inch plate, which means I can grab more hair at a time.  The more hair I can cover per stroke of the flat iron = less time to get ready.  Wam, bam, thank ya mam!


I also love that the Hana has an adjustable heat setting.  I use the highest setting (450 degrees) when straightening my entire head of hair, but if I just need to smooth out a kink or two to touch up, I can lower the setting to save my hair from unnecessary extreme heat.

They say the proof is in the pudding, so here's my proof.    

I wouldn't be singing the praises of the Hana Titanium if I didn't love it so much.  I had my Hana with me in the "getting ready" rooms during my friend Courtney's wedding as well as my friend Kristina's wedding back in January and February, and all my besties tested the Hana out. I'm happy to report that they loved it just as much as me.

If you want to get a Hana for yourself, it's on sale right now for $174.99. It's regularly $239.99, so you can save some major dollars!  It ships same day, comes with a free 2-year warranty and you'll get these goodies for free:

If you have any additional questions about the Hana, I'm happy to share my experience using this flat iron. Just leave your questions in the comments or e-mail me!  Happy Thursday ladies.