"Early Black Friday" deemed a success...

Good morning, readers! I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday. Did you ditch the traditional turkey dinner in order to take advantage of this year's "early Black Friday" hours? Sadly, it looks like many folks did, as a check of CNN.com this morning has "Shopping Trumps Turkey" as the lead headline, with a follow-up story announcing that "Target's Black Friday deals draw big lines." The article cites "some 200 people were braving the cold in hopes of nabbing Black Friday deals at the Target in West Philadelphia" by 7:30pm last night, with Target opening at 8. Most of the people in line said they wanted the "doorbuster" sale item -- a 50-inch Element TV for $229 that usually sells for $600 -- available by ticket to the first 50 people in line. The other big sale item was Beats By Dre headphones on sale for $115, normally $179.

So whether we like it or not, it looks like this trend is here to stay. I for one didn't shop yesterday, and won't be shopping today, either, unless it's online. I will, however, be shopping local tomorrow to support Small Business Saturday.

What about you, readers? Did you brave the crowds yesterday? Are you stuck at the mall right now? Or, like me, are you comfortably curled up in your jammies enjoying your morning coffee?

Fab Find: Mossimo Longsleeve Sheer Blouse

For years I used to dress up on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, with a dress and boots being my typical "uniform". But now that my parents are aging - and my husband and I are doing most of the holiday cooking for the family - I find myself gravitating towards more casual and comfortable duds to navigate the kitchen in.

So these days, a dressy blouse and jeans are my go-to outfit for holiday gatherings. Which is why I was thrilled to find this pretty bright blue Mossimo blouse on clearance for just $7.48 in stores! [On Target.com, it looks like the clearance price is $17.48, down from $24.99].

Note that this blouse IS sheer, so a cami is mandatory underneath. It also has a cool exposed zipper in the back, and I liked it so much, I also bought it in green. I'm not sure which color I'll wear tomorrow, but whichever I choose I'll pair it with this elegant statement necklace I also found on clearance (for $12-something, down from $16.99).

Product Review: Mossimo Ultrasoft Sweaters

For a few years running now, Mossimo (at Target) has produced a line of sweaters and sweater dresses dubbed "Ultrasoft", and I used to be a fan. However, this year I've found the quality to be off. They're simply not as soft as they used to be, and they also seem thinner. This style in particular (shown here) seemed almost see-thru; I carried one around in this exact color in the store the other day, but decided to pass on it because of it's sheerness.

On the flipside: my Aunt absolutely loves these sweaters (especially the classic v-neck style) and has bought one in just about every color. What about you, readers? Are you a fan of this line, and if so, have you noticed that the quality is different?

Target's Pre-Black Friday Sale

For those of you wanting to avoid Black Friday mall madness, you may want to check out Target's Pre-Black Friday sale, going on now through Wednesday in stores and on Target.com. Bargains include 40% off all women's jeans and sweaters, including the popular Mossimo Ultrasoft line (although IMO, the Ultrasoft quality is lacking this year, which I'll blog about shortly).

Product Review: Sonia Kashuk's New Radiant Tinted Moisturizer

On Monday I told you about Sonia Kashuk's new & improved Radiant Tinted Moisturizer (at Target) and then on Tuesday I alerted you that the new packaging has a serious design flaw. So I thought I'd round out the week with a review of the product itself.

After trying it out, I can tell you the product is noticeably different. The consistency is thicker - more like regular foundation makeup than a tinted moisturizer - although it still goes on relatively sheer. The product is also drier and much less creamy than the previous formula, and this is probably due to the fact that they've upped the amount of titanium dioxide. It now contains 3.8%, which is clearly marked now under "active ingredients". Previously, the trace amount of titanium dioxide was only listed at the end under the list of "may contain" items. This is evident as soon as you squeeze out the product, as it smells very much like sunscreen lotion.

In short, I'm not a fan of this new formula. For my combination skin, the revised product is too drying. Maybe this will work better for me in the summer months when my skin tends to be more oily, but for now, I'll be using up my "stash" of a couple bottles of the older formulation.

The Look for Less: J.Crew vs. Mossimo

I can't quite turn this post into a "double-take" because the stock photos will give it away. But nonetheless: if you're coveting J.Crew's Leather Panel V-neck Sweater in Khaki (but can't stomach the $158 price tag) then you might want to consider Mossimo's version (at Target) instead for just $27.99. Both designs are very similar, except J.Crew's sweater (shown on the girl at far left) is made of a blend of merino wool/cashmere/nylon with real leather trim, whereas Mossimo's is made of 100% cotton with faux leather trim. Mossimo's version also comes in other color options (black, purple and gray) whereas J.Crew's does not.

And the winner is...

The winner of my latest blog giveaway - for the FEED USA + Target iPhone5 case - is reader Patricia Stauffer!  Patricia's entry was picked by the random number generator over at Random.org. Congrats, Patricia; I've emailed you for your mailing address, and as soon as you sent it to me I'll send you your prize. And thanks again to everyone who entered and for reading my blog!

Tuesday's Rant: Sonia Kashuk's New Tinted Moisturizer Bottle

On Tuesdays I sometimes take the opportunity to rant about something I do not like about Target… because although I love ‘em to death, they ain’t perfect. So just yesterday I told you that Sonia Kashuk was changing her formulation and packaging of my beloved Radiant Tinted Moisturizer. I can't speak to the quality of the new product, as I haven't tried it yet. But I can tell you about the new packaging, which is flawed.

Take a look at this picture I snapped in store. Note the area I've marked with a red arrow. The issue is that the cap doesn't fully close, no matter how hard you push it in. Upon further inspection, I found this to be the case in about 1/4 of the dozen or so bottles out on the shelf. While the snap-cap is a good idea in theory - as the older packaging had a screw cap in which the product could build up and cause waste - it's simply defective. Therefore, my advice is to check the cap before you buy to make sure you get a "good" one.

If you're a fan of the older formulation and packaging, you can try to still find it in store. However, the store I visited had already swapped out the old product for the new. You can also try to find the original product on Target.com, although a quick check online this morning shows that it's sold out in all shades except Honey and Tan.

New at Target: Orla Kiely Method Bottles in Holiday Scents

Lo and behold, it looks like Orla Kiely is continuing her association with Method and Target! Yesterday I spied two new holiday Method scents in store: festive red-printed Hollyberry and sparkly-silver patterned Peppermint Vanilla. Both limited-edition Method/Orla fragrances come in hand wash, foam wash, and spray cleanser. And as always, all are made of biodegradable formulas containing no harsh ingredients and recyclable bottles made with 100% recycled plastic.

Coming to Target: Sonia Kashuk's "New & Improved" Tinted Moisturizer

Regular readers of this blog will recall that I'm a big fan of Sonia Kashuk's Radiant Tinted Moisturizer. So it's with mixed emotions that I report that the product is about to change. I hope it's for the better, but IMO, product upgrades like this don't always end up "better" than the original formulation.

The "new & improved" formula is supposed to include a "combination of vitamins C and E that delivers antioxidant protection and a more youthful look over time," and offer "long-wearing color that perfects and soften the skin." The new product is both paraben and fragrance-free (although I never detected a particular fragrance in the past). And the packaging is also changing to a "sleeker and super-portable tube" (shown on far left) with a clear window to now show the actual shade of the product, although the same quantity of product will be housed inside.

What's not changing is the infusion of SFP 15 (to protect against UVA and UVB rays) and the color range (which will still be offered in the same 5 shades of Fair, Linen, Beige, Tan and Honey). Look for Sonia's new Radiant Tinted Moisturizer to hit stores in December.

Reader Giveaway: FEED USA + Target iPhone 5 Case

Hello readers! It's time for another reader giveaway as an expression of thanks to all of you who read my blog. This time I'm giving away a brand-new with tags FEED USA + Target iPhone 5 case. This case retailed for $25, and please note this giveaway is for the denim/red polka-dot print version shown here on the left.

To win, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post along with your email address by midnight on Thursday, Nov. 21st. This giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only (one entry per person, please) and the winner (picked at random) will be announced on Friday, Nov. 22nd. Good luck!

Not as advertised...

Remember the limited-edition Lay's Chocolate-covered Potato Chips at Target I told you about the other day? Well, reader Cotton Candy alerts me that they are "not as advertised".

First off, the bag is quite small - more along the size of a "snack size" bag. I snapped this pic in store to try and show you, adding a bag of Chex Mix to the shelf as a size comparison.

Second, I'm told they don't actually look like the chips shown on the bag. In reality, each chip is only "half dipped" in milk chocolate, leaving the other half just a regular potato chip. IMO, it's pretty misleading to show a fully-dipped chip on the front if that's not what you're getting.

And third, many stores seem to already be out of these special chips. I'm not sure whether Target will be re-stocking throughout the holidays, but if you're looking for them, your best bet is to check the Seasonal Food and Beverage section of your local store (not in the regular chip aisle).

New at Target: Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone, a leading provider of education technology solutions, has finalized a partnership with Target that will make its language-learning solutions available in more than 1,300 of their stores across North America and online through Target.com.

Target will offer Rosetta Stone English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German software in both introductory Level 1 and complete Level 1-5 sets. In stores, the products will be displayed in Target's promotional end-caps, where they will enjoy high visibility during the upcoming holiday shopping season.

"People all over the world have come to understand the value of speaking a new language, and our partnership with Target makes it easier for millions of Americans to get started on that journey," said Kevin Martini, Vice President of Retail Sales & Marketing at Rosetta Stone. "We want to make our language-learning technology available to people wherever they are-and Target helps us advance that goal in a significant way. We're thrilled that our core product will now be available to customers through one of the world's most popular shopping destinations."

Decades of Denim...

Target's corporate blog A Bullseye View has posted a fun retrospective of their denim advertisements over the past four decades. Shown here is an ad circa 1977, showcasing men's brushed jeans on sale for just $7.88 and boy's indigo jeans for only $5.99. Doesn't the main model (in green) look just like Burt Reynolds? And take note of the $1.99 boy's "Charlie's Angels" t-shirt for just $1.99 in the upper right!

For more vintage jean gems, check out the the full blog post here on A Bullseye View.

Target out of Method? Try Soap.com instead!

Way back in February I lamented that none of my local Target stores carried Method's Body Wash anymore. Several readers suggested looking for it at TJ Maxx or Bed, Bath & Beyond - which I did - and I had no luck there, either. Then in April I wrote the folks at Method who told me they were working on new formulations and that Target would be restocked soon. But that never happened.

So the other day I decided to take my own advice (posted in September) about trying to order Method via Soap.com. I was so impressed by the experience that I decided to give them a shout-out here on my blog. Ordering was easy-peasy; first I went to Method's site and picked out the Body Wash products I wanted (they have both the "Pure Naked" and "Marine Naturals" varieties) as well as several of the limited-edition Orla Kiely Hand Wash bottles (in Primrose, Tomato Vine, and Vanilla Chai scents).

Once you put everything in your cart, you are re-directed to Soap.com to complete your transaction. And before I knew it, I had reached the $35 shipping minimum, which meant my order shipped for free. Best of all, delivery was so fast! I ordered on a Saturday afternoon and my shipment came on Monday. I was also impressed that Soap.com packaged everything so well, taping shut all the bottles (in order to prevent leakage) and then wrapping everything in bubble-wrap. I will definitely be using Soap.com again the next time I'm out of my favorite Method products!

Target Offers $200 iPad Trade-In Deal

PCMag reports that Target is running a promotion that will provide those who trade in their old iPad with a gift card worth at least $200. From now until Nov. 9th, those who visit a Target Mobility store and trade in their iPad will get "at least $200" to use toward the purchase of a new iPad Air or other Target merchandise.

"Your device will be appraised in-store at the mobility kiosk," according to Target. "The $200 minimum promotional credit will be issued on a Target Trade-In Gift Card and is redeemable in any Target store."

To qualify, an iPad "must power on and screen must not be scratched," Target said. Once the promotion ends, customers can still trade in their old iPads in stores and online for Target gift cards up to $300, but in some cases, it could be less than the $200 being offered during this week's deal.

New at Target: Lay's Chocolate-covered Potato Chips

According to USA Today, Lay's is rolling out chocolate-covered potato chips this week, available exclusively at Target stores and for a limited time only. Lay's Wavy Potato Chips Dipped in Milk Chocolate will retail for $3.49 for a 5-ounce bag, and will only be available through the holidays.

While the initial test run is for limited-time only, if the chip is a major hit, then it could ultimately become permanent, says Ram Krishnan, vice president of marketing at Frito-Lay. "When you try something drastically different, you have to walk before you can run," says Krishnan. "We wanted to test our way through this before we go big."

Plenty of smaller rivals already have chocolate-dipped chips on the market. Trader Joe's in particular has had a chocolate-covered potato chip product on the shelves for years. But outside of its Rold Gold pretzels dipped in chocolate, mixing chocolate and salty snacks is new territory for Lay's. If consumers buy it, says Krishnan, "it gives us latitude to offer other flavor combinations that we've never done." Among them, he says, would be dark chocolate, white chocolate and even peppermint.

Sonia Kashuk Bath & Body now on pre-sale on Target.com

Remember the new Sonia Kashuk Bath & Body line I told you about last week? It doesn't officially hit stores until Nov. 10th, but if you're dying to get your hands on it early, it's available now for "pre-sale" on Target.com.  According to Sonia's blog, the collection comes in 4 distinct fragrances: delicate Pink Innocencia, sensual Purple Seductia, uplifting Yellow Alluriana and voluptuous Red Promisia.

And if you happen to reside in (or be visiting) NYC next week, be sure to visit Sonia's first-ever Pop-Up Shop at  Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal on Monday Nov. 4th from 7am - 9pm.