Category: Body

 
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Birthday Haircut

Okay, technically, I got my hair cut the day AFTER my birthday, but I say it still counts as a “birthday haircut.”

Although my hair DID need a cut, the real reason I went to Ulta was to use my Ulta Diamond coupons, which were due to expire on February 9th. That’s a ridiculously short period of time to use these valuable coupons…so I got my butt in there to get $25 off Salon Services and a free bottle of Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer in “0.5 Breeze”. Of course, my skin is so dry and flaky this winter that I haven’t DARED trying it. Soon.

After getting my hairs did and my skin matched, I went down every single aisle. Somehow, I didn’t go nuts. I found 2 Schmidt’s “Rose + Black Pepper” Natural Deodorant, one for me and one for Lily. They were on clearance, $4.99, down from $9.99. I came across a Revlon x Barbie Nail Tool Set ($7.99). I wanted to try the Colourpop Fresh Kiss Lip Creme, so I tried “Alt Rock” ($8.00). I thought it would be a dupe for KVD “Lolita”, but it’s more fuchsia. The texture is soft and it didn’t crack my lips, but it did get on everything.

I initially thought that this year’s Birthday Gift was lame – a Deluxe Sample of tarte Lash Smoothie Hemp Mascara, but I tried it and I actually like it. Who knew? I also used my $10 off birthday coupon.

$1,103.77 to Diamond in 2023.

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Sucreabeille’s Old Soul Haul

How the hell am I supposed to smell all these delightful new scents with COVID-19? Help!

I placed this monster order on the day after Xmas and it took a bit to get here. I had been working my way through the scents slowly – a new one each day – but my progress was sidelined by a positive COVID test last week…argh…I’m all better now, and I can smell again…

The first item I added to my cart was a sample of “Old Soul” ($13), Sucreabeille’s most exclusive perfume. It’s a mix of rose and jasmine, with an undercurrent of sandalwood. My husband REALLY liked it, which is NOT normal for rose scents. I’ll be saving up my money for this one – an ounce is $150!

Next was The Blood Drunk Collection Box ($59), which includes a 1oz Oil Rollerball of “Blood Drunk”, which smells like a rich, musky pomegranate on me. The collection also included a tin with sample drams of “Blood Lust” (it’s sexy, but I’m not getting a “red lipstick” scent from it), “Heart’s Blood” (Egyptian musk, but different than Momento Mori), “Blood Drop” (like a bloody speculoos cookie…my husband said it was “medicinal”), as well as a special sample of “Fresh Blood” (hints of cherry in this blood). To be honest, they all smell very similar to me – I don’t think I could tell them apart in a blind smell test. They are also all oils and fade really fast on me.

I ordered another set of 5ml Sample vials ($28): “Blood of my Enemies” (this one smells smoky and somehow…salty?); “Cyanide” (a sharp, sweet cherry/almond start, but it disappears much too quickly on me); “Combustible Lemons” (a strong spike of lemon scent – like Lemon Pledge, but not quite – and then is disappears); “Sea Hag” (This one was a surprise favorite, with strong notes of petrichor – I need a full size); and “Not, Today Satan!” (the strongest note is Osmanthus, overpowering the candied grapefruit – I need to come back to this one).

I also ordered a set of 5 EDP drams ($60): “Belladonna” (yes, yes, another rose – but I love this one, too!); “Heck Puppy” (it doesn’t smell like a puppy – maybe more like clean puppy breath?); “Crafty Witch” (the description says it smells like a craft room and it smells like MY craft room/office – stacks of yarns and fabric and paper, with a hint of stale coffee and dust); “Black Honey” (one of my faves from my first order); and “Memento Mori” (why did I order more of this? I already have one).

Lots of freebies with this order. I got a free welcome gift (signing up for texts, I think) of a dram of “Coven”, which smells like herbs and leaves, but turns musky on me. I also got a mystery 8.5ml Oil Rollerball, which turned out to be “Sophia” from the retired Golden Girls Collection. The sharp cinnamon and vanilla notes smell like Ben Gay and Cheesecake on me…or maybe that is just what my brain imagines Sophia would smell like? My order was over $150, so I also received a free Rose Collection Box, which includes a dram of “Briar Rose”, a delicious green rose scent with a strong undercurrent of rosemary; a bottle of “Wood Rose” Bubble Bath, which I’ve been using as a shower gel and it smells exactly like you’d expect – sawdust and roses; and “Flame Rose” Buttercream Lotion, scented like burned leather and roses. This might be one of the most long-lasting and moisturizing lotions I’ve tried.

I ALSO signed up for Sucreabeille’s small monthly subscription box, which arrived…but I haven’t even gotten to sample yet – UGH.

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Still a Little Sale Left…

That’s right, there’s still a little Semi Annual Sale left at Bath & Body Works. I bopped in a few days ago to see what was 75%.

I have never heard of “Whipped Rose Latte”, but roses and coffee? Yes, please. It’s a pleasant, homey scent – nothing like you’d expect a rose scent to be like. The only product left was Body Cream (75% off), so that’s all I got. My husband sniffed it and HATED it…sigh, so the cream is relegated to my office.

The only 75% off Hand Soap was “Boardwalk Vanilla Cone”, so I just got one. I also grabbed 3 more 75% off Wallflower Refills.

Lily wanted the Tea Tree & Peppermint Essential Oil Mist, but I am not sure what for. It wasn’t 75% off – it was $4.95.

I got more coupons in the mail a few days ago…should I make another visit?

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Watch out for that Semi!

…And just like that, the Bath & Body Works Semi-Annual Sale is upon us!

Since the sale just started, I took it easy on the hand soap – only 4 made it into my bag. The sale hand soaps were still $3.50 each, plus, I just stocked up.

I DID stock up on $3.50 Wallflower Refills – I didn’t mean to buy 8, but my child kept putting them into my cart!

I have been wanting to try the “Rose” scent, so I jumped on 50% off Body Lotion and Shower Gel. I let Lily pick a Shower Gel and she got “Berry Waffle Cone” for 75% off.

I got a $10 off $40 coupon in the mail – nothing in my email yet. I need another coupon so I can go back!

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Cyber Diamond

Here we go, here’s the haul that made me Ulta Diamond for 2022.

I’m sure it’s not shocking that finally bought the Urban Decay Cosmetics Naked Cyber Eyeshadow Palette ($49), but it might be shocking that I paid full price. (I am still saving my Ulta points for a Dyson Airwrap – I’m up to $312!) It’s a very versatile palette, although I am concerned about the quality. The shadows are not as buttery as the first several Naked palettes – a few of the shimmers are downright CHALKY. Ugh. Use a primer and you’ll be fine, but it’s an annoying extra step. Also, watch out for fallout – the glitters get everywhere. I do wish there was at least one more dark, saturated shade besides the burnt orange, but I can mix and match with another palette.

I recently got new bleached streaks in my hair (another Ulta trip) and decided to dye them turquoise when I get sick of blond. I decided to try Arctic Fox in “Aquamarine” ($17) – my kids SWEAR by it. I feel like I’m cheating on Overtone, but their turquoise didn’t take well on my hair. Holding out hope for Arctic Fox.

I had seen the Kitsch Leopard Print Towel Scrunchies ($10.50, on sale from $14) at full price in the store, but was thrilled to find them for 25% online. I also splurged on Kitsch Moisturizing Spa Socks ($12, on sale from $16). I feel like the open toe design will be more comfortable to sleep in – it’s hard for me sleep in regular socks. I also threw in some Ulta Exfoliating Cotton Pads ($2.09), because why not?

I DID use the $20 off $100 coupon code that was out before the holiday sales, and I still qualified for the Hello Holidays 23 piece More Glow Beauty Bag. Inside the bag: Clarins Re-Boost Refreshing Hydrating Cream; Megababe Antibacterial Wipes in “Squeaky Clean” (note to self: do NOT confuse with makeup remover wipes); Good Molecules Silicone-Free Priming Moisturizer; Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Intense; Ellis Brooklyn Sweet; Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris Eau de Parfum Intense (What are all these “intense” perfumes?); Lancome La Vie est Belle (2 samples of this one); Not Your Mother’s Naturals Activated Bamboo Charcoal & Purple Moonstone Shampoo and Conditioner (I’ve been wanting to try this one; Joico Defy Damage Protective Shampoo, Conditioner, Masque & Shield (4 packettes!); MAC Lipstick Samples in “Ruby Woo”, “M-A-C Red” and “Cockney”; Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream; The Body Shop Body Butter in “British Rose” (I think this sample is why I chose this particular bag); Living proof. Restore Repair Mask; Jack Black Performance Remedy Turbo Wash (will go to the husband or the son); Kate Somerville +Retinol Vita C Power Serum; tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer; Dear, Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream (I’m scared that the package says “For Nighttime Only” – will I burst into flames if I use it in the daytime?); Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream; Biosilk Silk Therapy Leave-In Treatment; Benefit Boi-ing Cakeless Concealer in “Light Cool”; and NYX The Marshmallow Primer (made with marshmallow root – weird). The bag is super cushy, made out of ski-suit material.

(There were also a few gifts (not shown) from this haul – shhhhh…)

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$2.95 Hand Soap

I only had a dozen or so bottles of Hand Soap under my sink – it was very nearly a soap emergency!

Bath & Body Works to the rescue – they had $2.95 Hand Soaps last Saturday. I bought 20.

I was a little annoyed that they wouldn’t allow me to stack my 20% off coupon with the sale – they’ve done that in the past. They did let me stack the free product coupon, so I let Lily pick out a body wash. She chose “Champagne Apple & Honey”. I was intrigued by the scent, so I also picked a Hand Soap in that scent.

The receipt said I saved $103.50 – not bad, not bad at all.

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November 2021 Glam Bag X – Huda

Okay, write this down – this quarter’s Glam Bag X is SO good that I’ve tried every single product in the box…that’s right, every single one!

First off, this quarter’s box was curated by Huda Kattan. Her beauty empire has grown significantly since the Allure Beauty Box she curated a few years ago, although not without a few controversies and product labelling mishaps…

The star of the box is the PMD Beauty Clean Smart Cleansing Device in “Warmth”. I’ll admit, when my husband saw it, he thought it was a totally different type of toy. (I’ll let you know if that pans out – so far, I’ve only used it on my FACE.) I was happy to get this device, if only as a replacement for my Clarisonic. RIP Clarisonic. I loved my Clarisonic, but I am on my last brush head, so I guess my love affair will end when it gets too nasty to use. The PMD device is entirely silicone – no replacement brushes to buy – AND runs on batteries. At ~$60, it’s also a much more affordable solution than the Clarisonic.

The other products that Huda curated for me were: Cela Masque De Glacier Clay Mask (a little goes a long way with this one; there’s a slight tingle as it dries, but nothing serious); Wishful Thirst Trap Juice HA3 Peptide Serum (Wishful is Huda’s skincare brand – this serum feels nice and has a slight tightening effect); Huda Beauty Legit Lashes in “Vanta Black” (this is a double ended mascara – one brush for volume and one brush for length – but spoiler alert – I cannot see any difference between either brush); and Rare Beauty With Gratitude Dewy Lip Balm in “Honor” (I was underwhelmed to receive another clear lip balm…until I tried it – how does this smell like a literal cloud? I LOVE it!)

I got to choose THREE products. I chose Huda Beauty Haze Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette in “Purple” (I wish I would have had this back in October, when I was wearing my purple “BAND MOM” T-shirt every weekend; quality is middling and not very blendable – hard pass on buying more of these); Ahava Dermud Intensive Foot Cream (my feet LOVE this); and First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads (remind my of the Stridex pads of my youth).

At a total value of $323, I am absolutely and totally happy with this quarter’s bag. Wait, since I did not get a bag this month, I guess it is just a box. Whatever.

I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $12/month and Glam Bag X for an extra $43/quarterly. If you’d like to try Ipsy –  click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.

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Pebbles Haul

A Makeup Revolution (or is it Revolution Makeup) collaboration with Fruity Pebbles AND Cocoa Pebbles? You son of a bitch, I’m in!

The I ❤ Revolution x Fruity Pebbles Palette ($22) is a bright palette, a Fruity Pebbles rainbow of colors. I’ve only used it once, but looking forward to figuring out how to make the colors work together. The I ❤ Revolution x Cocoa Pebbles Palette ($22) is a lot more versatile – I’ve used the warm shades several times now. The shadow quality is so smooth and blendable – I love them.

I picked the I ❤ Revolution x Fruity Pebbles Lip Oil in “Fred” ($8) – this stuff is great for removing liquid lipstick. I also picked up both the Fruity Pebbles AND the Cocoa Pebbles Body Butter ($10 each). My husband’s FAVORITE cereal is Fruity Pebbles, so I thought slathering the body butter all over myself before bed would drive him wild. Eh, not so much – The Fruity Pebbles scent is very vague. The Cocoa Pebbles Body Butter, on the other hand, is VERY heavily scented. According to my husband, it smells like chocolate ass. This may be my “not tonight, honey” body butter.

I didn’t buy the WHOLE collection, but close…There were also headbands (the Pebbles one with a bone sold out before I could grab it) and makeup bags, but I controlled myself a little…The only bummer is that I paid FULL PRICE when I ordered a few weeks ago, and now they’re half off…run – don’t walk to get this collection!

The rest of my order was a bunch of odds and ends. The wet n wild Coloricon Zodiac Lip Gloss in “Pisces” ($2.09) was for my daughter. The Punky Color Bleach ($9.99) – one of my kids will buy it off me. The Freeman Oil Absorbing Mint & Lemon Facial Clay Mask ($3, on sale from $4.29) and Ulta Pink Grapefruit Scented Foaming Hand Wash ($3.50, on sale from $7) are for me.

My purchase qualified me for TWO gifts with purchase. The free 15 piece gift with $65 purchase included Skinkick Daily Exfoliant Cleanser (new brand to me); L’Oreal Voluminous Primer/Base (I keep getting samples of this and NOT using it); Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid Serum (1 oz – full sizer!); eva nyc Therapy Session Hair (I got this in a VOX BOX years ago – looking forward to using it again); The Body Shop Avocado Body Butter; Covergirl Creamy Eye Shadow Stick in “Dreamy Haze”; Ahava Deadsea Water Mineral Hand Cream; Maybelline Total Temptation Mascara in “Very Black”; Soap & Glory Fruit Force Refreshing Body Wash; Milani Make It Last Dewy Setting Spray; NYX Bare With Me Hydrating Jelly Primer; Love Wellness Call Me Collagen Dietary Supplement (EW); Hempz CBD Moisture Hit Ultra-Hydrating Shampoo (but no matching conditioner!); Derma E Thickening Shampoo (again, no matching conditioner – RUDE); and EcoTools Makeup Brush + Sponge Shampoo (looking forward to trying this out for sponges). I also got a free Step Up 5 piece gift with my $85 purchase: Kneipp Mineral Bath Salt in Dream Away (giving to the kids); Revlon Colorstay Satin Ink (it’s in red cellophane – I’m afraid to open it); Pyt Beauty Upcycle Eyeshadow in “Warm Lit Nude Mini”; Beast Gold Roll-On Oil (this .35oz bottle is $39 at Ulta! I think it’s for dudes); and noyah Organic Vanilla Lip Balm. I have so many samples now!

I am just $240 away from Diamond in 2022.

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U Got the Look

Urban Decay released their Prince Collaboration back in May…but I patiently waited for the sale that I knew would come…

I don’t need new brushes or more eyeliner…but you know I’m always down for more eye shadow. I picked up the Urban Decay Cosmetics Prince U Got the Look Palette for 50% off ($27.50, down from $55). There are just 10 shadows, which is not many for $55…but not so crazy at half the price. There’s a nice mix of neutrals and purples and the quality is on par with other Urban Decay palettes. I’ve been enjoying using it this week. There is also a Let’s Go Crazy Palette, with more purple, but Ulta is sold old. Sephora has it, but since it is just purples – as one would expect – I’m skipping it for now.

I added a few other items to my order – a full size Megababe Rosy Pits Daily Deodorant ($14) and Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Balm ($8.99).

Even with the $3.50 coupon, my order qualified for a free Platinum & Diamond exclusive 13 piece gift with Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels; Philosophy Nature in a Jar; CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser; Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair (love getting this serum); Clinique High Impact Mascara; MAC Fix+; Smashbox Photo Finish Primer; It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product; Perricone MD High Potency Growth Factor Firming & Lifting Serum; Benefit Boi-ing Cakeless Concealer; La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum; Sunday Riley CEO Brightening Serum; and Good Molecules Clarify & Cleanse Bar. Lots of good stuff for my skin!

Just $352 to Diamond in 2021!. I also have $262 in Ulta Points saved up…dare I splurge on a Dyson Air Wrap???

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Target Beauty Capsule – At-Home Luxuries

I may have splurged a bit this month and picked up two more Target Beauty Capsules…

The first capsule is At-Home Luxuries and contains 9 luxurious spa items. It’s very likely that I will NOT be using the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Hemp Body Oil – I hate the way cocoa butter smells, as well as that hempy smell. I am also unlikely to use the HUGE Resin Gua Sha – I haven’t tried the tiny one from last month’s ipsy yet. I am also not interested in the Olay Premium Body Rinse Off Body Conditioner Shea Butter. What is the point of a lotion hyou have to rinse off? Ain’t nobody got time for that!

I will, however, try out the rest of the products in the box: DERMA E Hydrating Eye Cream; Que Bella Professional Illuminating Holographic Peel off Mask; Hair Food Avocado & Argan Oil Hair Mask (yassss); ACURE Brightening Facial Scrub Pouch; Artnaturals Collagen Booster; and SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Brightening Body Lotion.

This box comes with ANOTHER $5 off $15 coupon, but it is also in-store only. HUGE bummer!

The At-Home Luxuries Target Beauty Capsule is $14.99 and still available! Use your Target Red Card for 5% off.