Back-To-School Prize Stash Sweepstakes (GIVEAWAY!) Week 1

I'm very excited to share with you a sweepstakes I helped create for my company, Top Flight paper. Top Flight produces and manufactures paper products like school supplies and office supplies. Top Flight is hosting a two month sweepstakes that will randomly choose one winner each week to win a $25 gift card and collection of school supplies. You can enter once a week to enter to win each week's prizes. Each entry will automatically put you in the winning for the grand prize-- $100 gift card and a large variety of Top Flight products.

Here is this week's prizes plus a $25 gift card:

The giveaway is open to residents of the 50 United States. All you have to do is head over to Top Flight's Facebook page or here for mobile users and click on the Back-To-School sweepstakes tab. Enter your submission form and that's it!

Each week will accept entries between Monday
at 12:00 am EST-Sunday 11:59 pm EST.

**The giveaway is hosted by Top Flight, Inc., not Facebook.

Incognito Bachelorette Party

This past weekend one of my sorority pledge class sisters had her bachelorette party in Nashville. I headed there Friday night to stay with three of my best friends at one of their childhood homes. It's been quite a while since we were all together so I was ecstatic to see them all! 

We started the night with dinner and the best margaritas I have ever had at Rosepepper. Seriously, if you are ever in Nashville you have to stop by. I'm not a huge marg drinker but I could have downed at least 2 pitchers. Thankfully that didn't happen.

We then headed to a marina bar in Hendersonville for another drink before heading home. While we were at the bar I sneaked a picture of a girl in the bathroom with no shoes. No wonder people think we are all rednecks and barefoot....

The next day we woke up to a home cooked breakfast from Melissa's parents (so sweet and so yummy), went shopping, and were completely lazy until we had to start getting ready for the actual bachelorette celebrations.

I ended up wearing a brand new dress Ashley got at Target and Maybelline's Vivid Colors lipstick in Vivid Rose. That stuff is BRIGHT and will not budge. I'm in love. There will be a blog post soon with lots of photos and swatches.

Now on to the bachelorette festivities....we started with dinner and drinks and a lingerie shower for Brooke at a restaurant in Green Hills. I'm pretty positive everyone in the restaurant got a show with some of the gifts she received.

When then put on our masks, which were part of the Incognito theme, and headed downtown for lots of drink, dancing, celebrating, and embarrassing photos and videos that will never be shared on social media or the internet. 

I had an amazing time catching up with sorority sisters and friends that I never get to see anymore. I had an even better time going out with all the crazy girls. Seriously though, 25+ girls in Nashville, Tennessee is a funny, chaotic sight.

The best part of the weekend--I get to see them all again in two weeks for Brooke's wedding!

Now on to the Rated G photos that I can share....

Sue and me

Ashley and Sue

Ashley and me

Melissa, Ashley, and Sue with the cookie cake Melissa's parents bought us:)

I LOVE this lipstick.

The crew before dinner.

Ashley and me at dinner.

The bride to be with her cat toy Ashley and I bought her....long story....

Sue, Melissa, and me at Honky Tonk.

My favorite photo of the night! Like how I am magically wearing a necklace I wasn't wearing before...perks of being with sorority sisters. Thanks, Liz!

Everyone at dinner!

Battle of the Cleansing Waters

I've never used the cult classic Bioderma but have always been intrigued by cleansing waters/toners. I am currently on the last bottle of my holy grail makeup remover--Clean & Clear Makeup Dissolving Foaming Cleanser. I know I can purchase it from Canadian online drugstores or Amazon for a jacked up price, but I am on the hunt for something that lives up to what it does. Two pumps of this magical water into foam product will remove every stitch of makeup on my face, including all my eye makeup. I've been able to find random bottles at close-out stores but the luck has run out. That's why I decided to look into cleansing waters. I currently own three different cleansing waters/toners and would one day like to try Bioderma. 

I want a cleansing water to be able to remove all my makeup including mascara. I also would use it for a gentle toner after washing my face in the shower or in the morning before I put on my makeup.

I put the following cleansing waters to the the test after a day of wearing sunscreen, heavy duty makeup, and Benefit's They're Real Mascara which is a pain in the ass to remove.

No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water for Normal/Oily Skin: You can purchase this at Target in the U.S. I am currently using a sample size I received at a college trade show. It retails for $8.49 for 6.76 oz. This cleansing water removed all my makeup and didn't leave my skin feeling tight but it felt as though the moisture had been stripped. I didn't even try to remove my eye makeup with it because the water is heavily scented to smell like roses. I don't like when face products are heavily scented because I'm always worried it will break my face out. I would not purchase a full-size of this, but I do think it does a good job of gently removing makeup.

Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Refreshing Toner: Ingrid, AKA MissGlamorazzi, instagrammed a picture of this stuff and said it was a dupe for Bioderma. Since I've never tried Bioderma I can't compare, but I really like this. It is $4.19 for a 6.7 oz. bottle and can be purchased at Target in the U.S. There is no detectable scent and it removes everything including the They're Real Mascara. The key it to soak a cotton square with the toner and hold it to the lashes for about 10 seconds before gently swiping across the eye. Again, my face felt very "neutral" after using this. It wasn't moisturized but it didn't feel tight either. My only complaint--the large opening of the bottle. If the bottle fell off my sink or vanity the toner would go everywhere. However, for such an inexpensive price I wouldn't mind that much. I would definitely repurchase this.

Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water: This was a splurge for me. You can purchase this "spa water" at Sephora or Sephora.com. I have the 3.38 oz. which put me back $13.00 or you can purchase the 10.15 oz. bottle for $39.00. The scary thing about it? I think it's worth it! It removes every inch of makeup and mascara and leaves my face feeling smooth and lightly moisturized. My face feels so clean and my acne tends to clear up faster if I use it a couple days in a row. However, I use it sparingly because I doubt I will repurchase since it's so pricey. 

I think the obvious winner for me is the Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Refreshing Toner. It doesn't leave my face feeling as moisturized as the Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water does, but it does cost a fraction of the price.

Do you use a cleansing water or gentle toner on your face? I would love to hear your suggestions about different ones I can purchase in the US!