Month: December 2017
Obligatory Xmas Gift Post
I would like to say that my holiday hiatus was a planned, well deserved break…but…In reality, I went out of town for a few days and then got sick, so I decided to be lazy. For my first post back, I wanted to share a few of the beauty-related gifts I received for Xmas.
First off are the super-cute nail polish Xmas ornaments I received from my big sis. They’re made from real polish bottles, filled with glitter!
My son came through with Vera Wang Embrace Rose Buds and Vanilla. I admit that I had dropped a few hints about the scent at Kohl’s a few weeks ago. It’s been on my mind since receiving a sample in an Influenster Vox Box earlier this year.
My husband got me an oil diffuser – now I can make the whole house smell like roses! (He also got me Wonder Woman Underoos – the vintage-styled ones, just like the ones I had as a kid!)
My lil sis gifted me with a wonderful Evil Queen clutch and Wonder Woman wooby. (I have an unhealthy obsession with soft and fuzzy blankets). Evil Queen and Wonder Woman – I wonder what that says about my personality???
What did YOU get for Xmas???
December 2017 Birchbox – On the Dot, Off the Cuff
This month’s Birchbox was a “Hail Mary” pass – I was all set to cancel my subscription until I saw the goodies in this month’s fabulous box. I’d had weak boxes for the last several months and now that the point system has been overhauled…but lo and behold…an amazing box! They’ve earned a brief reprieve.
I was expecting the Davines MINU Illuminating Shampoo – For Color-Treated Hair – it was my sample choice this month. The box also came with foil packs of Davines MINU Illuminating Conditioner – For Color-Treated Hair and Davines MINU Hair Serum – For Color-Treated Hair. Bahhhhh….foil packs….no….
The goodies I wasn’t expecting: Stila Cosmetics HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara (they messed up and I got TWO of these!); Lavanila The Healthy Fragrance Pure Vanilla Eau de Parfum (eh); LOC Liquid Shimmer Shadow in “Eclipse”; and Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum. Oh, and I almost forgot…an eyelash curler. A FUCKING eyelash curler. Does anyone even use those anymore?
If you would like to try Birchbox, click on my referral link – https://www.birchbox.com/invite/5453f – I’ll get 50 points if you join.
Festive AF
What? More festive Xmas nails? Damn straight – I’m festive AF.
AF means ‘as fuck.’ All the cool kids are saying it. I heard my son say it. I’ll allow it. He did, however, inform me that I am no longer allowed to use the word “dank” – I.E. when I was talking about “dank memes” at McDonald’s and must have embarrassed him. Oh well.
I decided to go for a Xmas tree look – I feel like I’m obligated to do one every year. After Sinful Colors Base Coat, I laid down two coats of Sinful Colors “Vintage”. I topped with a single coat of Sinful Colors “Holiday Rebel” and then finished with Glisten & Glow Top Coat. It’s a very subtle Xmas look.
Xmas Spirit
Just days until Xmas, and I find myself sorely lacking in “Xmas Spirit”. The tree is up, the house is decorated, presents wrapped…I’ve even been listening to Xmas music ON PURPOSE…and there is no Xmas Spirit to be had. I think I figured out why…no Xmas-themed nails yet!
This month’s Julep box had the remedy to that situation. I picked Julep “Dyani” as the background for the snowflake decals. Those little decals were stubborn as fuck – they did NOT want to come off the backing paper in one piece. I used my thinnest, sharpest tweezers and got all but one of them off in one piece. This is two coats of “Dyani”, over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat, then decals, then Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
As soon as my nails were done – not even dry – I felt it entering my body. I felt almost…jolly? The Xmas Spirit had returned to me…until this morning. Michael Buble’s cover of ‘Santa Baby’ rotated onto my Amazon Station and I made the mistake of listening to the whole thing. I’ve never hated a Xmas song as much as I hated that song. It made me want to smash my Xmas tree with a bat and then set it on fire.
Maybe I’ll feel better by next Xmas.
After Dark
After all that color, I dialed it back to a textured charcoal gray with Sinful Colors “After Dark”. It’s another polish from the Kylie ‘Denim & Bling’ Collection. I didn’t test it out first – I just opened up the bottle and went to town. That’s one of the things I enjoy about new polishes – sometimes there’s a bit of mystery to how it will turn out when it dries. I had suspected a matte polish, but had no idea “After Dark” would deliver a beautiful Sandpaper texture.
This is two coats over Sinful Colors Base Coat, no top coat.
Doesn’t it remind you of a #2 pencil? It’s like spending hours filling in a scan-tron, and then you get pencil all over the edge of your hand. I’m glad I’m to the point in my life where I’ll never have to fill in another scan-tron again.
Target Beauty Boxes – December 2017
Two Target Beauty Boxes for December – it’s an Xmas miracle! Well, not really – it happens every few months.
The “Hers” box (right) seems a bit light for $7. It includes Hask Coconut Oil Deep Conditioner (I’ve gotten a lot of these, and have just started using them); Rimmel London Shake it Fresh Mascara in “Very Black” (the fuck? I’m supposed to shake it up before using it?); imPRESS Press-On Manicure (Who has fingers this small? My 9 year old, I hope); Nexxus Comb Thru Finishing Mist (I’ve gotten several cans of this – I like it); Vera Wang Embrace Marigold and Gardenia (Dammit, this is the wrong one!); My Beauty Diary Black Pearl Mask; and Chapstick Red Lip Tint.
The “His” box is much beefier – I can see either my husband or son using all of this: Axe Dual 2-in-1 Shampoo + Conditioner (I had just bought my husband this exact same thing); Dove Men+Care Dry Spray Antiperspirant; Pacinos Styling Pomade (well…maybe not this); Crest Whitening Therapy Toothpaste; Olivina Cleansing Cloths (are these for the butthole?); Dove Elements Body Wash and Cremo Beard Scruff Cream & Oil.
Two $7 boxes with free shipping and an additional 5% off with my Target Red Card. Two $3 off $15 coupons – I’m going to Target tomorrow.
Kayleigh
Is it any surprise that Julep “Kayleigh” was the first polish I chose to sample this month? I mean…just look at it!
Holly berry iridescent shimmer is how Julep describes this polish. It does remind me a bit of holly berries. My current house doesn’t have any holly berry shrubs…I think…but my last house did. That pop of red in a sea of dark green is Xmas in a nutshell.
I’ve strayed away from taking nail pictures outside the last few months – partially because of daylight savings time, but also because my new kitchen lights are so good. I had to go back on the back porch though to capture the purple shimmer in “Kayleigh”. Can you catch it?
This is two coats over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat. I am in LOVE with this polish.
Love is Sacrifice
I already hit Rouge Status at Sephora for the year…so I don’t need to buy anything else…but they sent me a $25 off $50 coupon…what to do???
I have been eyeing the new Urban Decay Troublemaker Palette – but they didn’t carry it in the store I visited. (I was in store because I had accidentally bought a display tester for a gift – good thing I noticed before I wrapped it!) I must have walked a circuit around the store at least three times, eyeing different palettes and even testing a Tarte Tinted Moisturizer. Ultimately, I decided to use my coupon on a gift for someone I love. I shall not reveal more, lest he become suspicious…Looks like I’ll be ending the year at $1,071 spent at Sephora…
BUT…a new 500 pt set caught my eye – Kat Von D Beauty Addiction Volume 2! It includes Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in “Nahz Fur Atoo”, Lock-It Setting Powder (I’ve been wanting to try it), Tattoo Liner in “Trooper”, samples of “Saint” and “Sinner”, plus a tiny purse mirror. Yes, it absolutely was coming home with me!
Oh, and I also asked for a sample of Maison Margiela REPLICA Lipstick On. I just don’t have $126 to spend on perfume right now…
Thanksgiving Day Shopping
Oooohhh! My Thanksgiving orders came in at the end of last week! I didn’t even wait – I did all my ordering on Thursday. Shipping is definitely getting slower and slower.
Ulta was offering a free 9 pc gift with a $50 order, so you know I hit that shit. The only thing I really needed was another Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in “Dark Brown” ($10), everything else was just extra.
I do, however, think I’ve found my “forever” shampoo and conditioner – SheaMoisture Peace Rose Oil Complex Nourish & Silken Shampoo and Conditioner (normally $11.49, but on sale – buy one, get one 40% off). This is the scent I’ve been waiting my whole life for – rose shampoo and conditioner! And it makes my hair feel AMAZING. So soft and so shiny. It’s pricey, but I’m not even mad. This is THE ONE.
Oh, I ordered some other small odds and ends for the kids’ stockings. One of those things got me a free sample of Seche Vite! I’ve been wanting to try it for ages.
The free 9 pc bag was full of Ulta goodies: an eyeshadow palette (love the purpley colors), a highlighter palette, a blush brush, a double ended eye liner – “plum” and “blackout”, a Matte Lip Crayon in “Soiree”, an eye liner sharpener, Tinted Eye Primer in “Satin Blush”, and Color Rush Lip Gloss in “Olivia”. Oh, and a $5 off $15 coupon for Ulta products.
I was only a little annoyed that my sample pack was not included in my order.
I also got my Victoria’s Secret order. Someone always ends up with one of their robes as a gift from me – shhhh…don’t tell!
No one wants to see a pile of bras, so I’ll stick to the important stuff.
Since all the lippies were on sale for $8, I added one to plump up my order – I gotta get that free tote bag! I got a Velvet Matte Cream Lip Stain in “Perfection”. Yeah, they transfer onto anything and everything, but they still last all day on my lips.
December Julep Maven Box – Going Baroque
I’m really making an attempt to be on the ball this month. That – AND I really want to dig into all these polishes!
I feel like I splurged a bit on this month’s “Going Baroque” Collection. I was really excited to see the it’s whipped Matte Lip Mousse in metallic finishes, so I added both to my box – “bacio”, copper russet metallic matte, and “spark”, plum metallic matte. Even thought the Lip Mousses transfer onto everything, I really like how they feel on my lips. I also added Classic with a Twist “Kayleigh”, holly berry iridescent shimmer. What a red!
The splurge was adding three add-ons this month, using up almost all my saved Jules. I added Bombshell “Persephone”, crushed berry holographic, It Girl “Dyani”, starry night sky holographic, AND white snowflake decals. For my trouble, they sent me a free polish – Boho Glam “Magdalene”. Boo – I got this one back in 2015.
The biggest mystery is the addition of Bombshell “Mira”, cast iron matte shimmer, in this month’s box. It was a new polish created for October’s Divine Darkness Mystery Box. Maybe a freebie that everyone got instead of candy? I’ll happily take it!
Not a Julep Maven? Click HERE to join – I’ll get a $15 credit and you’ll get your first box free!