Category: Body
Semi Annual Stuff
Don’t you hate it when you try out a new scent and it’s immediately discontinued?
I JUST added “Kaleidoscope” to my shower – barely a few weeks ago – and now it appears to be discontinuing! It’s all 75% off. Well boo. I picked up two more Body Washes to be used later.
I also got two more “Winter” Hand Soaps at 75% off – I didn’t go crazy on the $3 soaps, because I just stocked up at $2.50.
My daughter’s Wallflower broke, so I picked her up a cute Santa Doggie one, along with 5 more $3 Wallflowers. I probably should’ve gotten more – I’m running low. Who am I kidding, I’m sure I’ll be back to the sale.
Since I didn’t get that much stuff, I used the 20% off $25 coupon in my email, instead of the $10 off $40 mailer, so I still have a coupon to use. I was hoping to see Rose Water & Ivy show back up for the sale, but it hasn’t popped back up yet.
$4.95?!?!?!
I guess it’s a little late to be very helpful, since the sale was actually last Saturday, but I guess I can brag a little bit…Bath and Body Works had ALL of their body care products for $4.95, AND the deal was stackable with coupons.
I had been planning to wait until the Semi-Annual Sale to try a new scent, but I couldn’t resist the chance to add a new scent to my shower. I had it narrowed down to two new scents – “Into the Night” (an alluring blend of dark berries, midnight jasmine and rich amber) and “Kaleidoscope” (iris, cedarwood, and pink pepper). I was leaning towards “Into the Night” – Lily’s pick – but the store was out of the body wash, so I got “Kaleidoscope” instead. I like how spicy it is! I usually stay away from the more oriental type scents, but I like this one on me. Instead of the Fine Fragrance Mist, I got a Mini Perfume Spray for a stronger scent.
There may be some gifts in this bag…mind ya business.
Oh, and “White Citrus” was back in stock, so I got the Body Soap, plus “Into the Night” and “Thankful” (Frankincense & Myrrh) bubble baths for Lily.
So, coupons…I used a $10 off $30 AND a free item coupon – SCORE!
Ulta Cyber Monday 2019
Ulta offered a HUGE Wintry Wonders 24 piece Beauty Bag with $80 purchase on Cyber Monday. Of course, I still had some gift shopping left to do…
Obviously, I’m not going to ruin Xmas by showing all the gifts I bought – but I can show the few things I picked up for myself. I’d been wanting to try It Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream Rosy Tone Moisturizer for a bit, but the price ($48) was putting me off. 30% off though – you have my attention. I’ve been using it for nearly a week and it’s too soon to tell if there’s a dramatic change in the tone of my skin – but the texture of my skin is amazing right now. It’s dewy and clear – no breakouts, which is a good sign. I’ll continue to use it, but I’m not sure if I’d buy it again at full price.
I also picked up a sale Makeup Revolution Good Vibes Lip Balm with Cannabis Sativa ($4.90, down from $7). There’s no tint, no fragrance and no taste to this lip balm – I mean, it works as a lip balm, but I think slapping Cannabis on the label is just a selling ploy – there’s nothing a special about this lip balm – disappointing.
So, inside the Wintry Wonders bag: MAC Lipstick Sample Card, with “Velvet Teddy”, “Mocha”, and “Hug Me”; Becca Sample Card with First Light Prioming Filter and Backlight Priming Filter; Tom Ford Metallique (why do all Tom Ford scents smell so old lady?); Rusk Pro Restore01 Leave-In Conditioner; Ralph Lauren Romance; NARS Climax Mascara; Ahava Extreme Minerals Extreme Firming Eye Cream; Sagely Naturals CBD Cream; 18.21 Man-Made Wash in “Sweet Tobacco” (GROSS); Philosophy Purity Made Simple Moisturizer; Clinique Beyond Perfecting Super Concealer Camouflage + 24-Hour Wear Sample Card; Juice Beauty Phyto-Pigments Flawless Serum Foundation Sample Card (I’ll put it on my Jade Egg); Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel; Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion; Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer; Marc Jacobs Daisy; Unwined by Hask Red Wine Inspired Repairing Shampoo & Conditioner (very interested in trying this – even though I’m allergic to red wine – it should be okay, as long as I don’t drink it); Marvis Classic Strong Mint Toothpaste; Mario Badescu Botanical Exfoliating Scrub; Too Cool for School Pumpkin Sleeping Pack; Hempz Blushing Grapefruit & Raspberry Creme Daily Herbal Color Preserving Conditioner (but no shampoo???); Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Gel in “Dark Brown” (Yasssss…cannot wait to try it); Giorgio Armani Light di Gioia (surprisingly, it’s not horrible – reminds me of sunflowers); and Living proof. restore Perfecting Spray. This is a really nice bag, full of brand new products for the most part.
In addition to the gift with purchase, I was able to use a $10 off coupon on my order. $157 to Diamond…so close!
Soap, Soap, Soap!
So, I’ve been sitting on my hands all day, trying not to order goodies from Bath & Body Works. The entire store is Buy 3, Get 3 and the Black Friday bag looks really good…but you and I both know that the Semi-Annual Sale will be better. I can wait 30 days, can’t I?
Last Saturday was a killer deal though – $2.50 Hand Soaps! The limit was 15, so 15 was how many I bought. Most were Xmas scents, but I stocked up on some “Rose Water & Ivy” as well.
They let me stack coupons, so I got to use a $10 off and a free item coupon. I wanted to get another “Rose Water & Ivy” Body Wash – but it’s off the shelves. The Fuck? Same for “Black Peony”! I was going to settle for “White Citrus”, but they had everything BUT the body wash. I gave up and picked out a Body Wash for my husband – he got Aromatherapy “Stress Relief” – he likes those mint and eucalyptus body washes, but I cannot STAND a minty bunghole.
The receipt said I saved $83.50 – not bad!
Target Beauty Boxes – October + November 2019
Oops…I did it again…
I finally thought to check for Target Beauty Boxes and found that I missed a month…again. I don’t think Target is sending out email notifications anymore – or else they’re getting lost in my spammy inbox and I am just not seeing them. Come to think of it, I haven’t been seeing anyone else post about the boxes either – no wonder there were still October boxes left – Target is not telling anybody!
There were actually TWO November boxes, but one was entirely for Curly hair, so I just picked up the “Beauty Boosters” box. Inside the box: Love Beauty Planet Radical Refresher Body Wash – Coconut Water + Mimosa (just a packet, so good for travel); Olly Undeniable Beauty Multivitamin Gummies; Sunny Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil Eyelash & Eyebrow Grow Serum (I don’t need more eyelashes, but I am intrigued by the idea of growing thicker brows – mine never recovered from the plucky 90s); Garnier Fructis Sleek Shot In-Shower Styler (weird); Pantene Gold Series Hydrating Butter Creme (what is this?); and Pantene Gold Series Leave-On Detangling Milk. A very odd box.
October’s “Hers” box was themed “Your Autumn It-Kit” and included Ardell Faux Mink Lashes (nope); Crest 3D White Brilliance Toothpaste, Vaseline Extremely Dry Skin Rescue (I need this – my skin is parched); No7 Laboratories Line Correcting Booster Serum; L’Oreal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup in “Hot Pink” and “Raspberry” (Seems like a waste of effort for me, but I might try it); Lumene Nordic Hydra 24 Hour Moisturizer (This is a nice moisturizer, but be warned that the scent is strong and you can smell it on your face); and Head & Shoulders Royal Oils Moisture Boost Shampoo and Moisture Renewal Conditioner (I really feel like Head & Shoulders has upped their game from just dandruff shampoo – I’ve liked every new formula they’ve put out). I like the October box more than the November one.
October’s “His” box was themed “Moving & Grooming” and included Suave Mens 3-in-1 Citrus Rush Shampoo + Conditioner and Body Wash; The Art of Shaving Unscented Pre-Shave Oil, Shaving Cream & After-Shaving Balm; Bandito Chill a Minute…or 30 Cream Mask (chance of my husband trying this are slim); Crest Gum and Sensitivity All Day Protection Toothpaste (I’ll be stealing this for myself to try); Dove Men+Care Active Fresh On the Go Deodorant Wipes; and Head & Shoulders Old Spice 2-in-1 Shampoo.
Each box was $7, free shipping, plus 5% off with my Target Red Card. Of course, the coupons in the October boxes have already expired, but I should be able to use the November $3 off coupon – it is regular old coupon again!
Ulta Persistence
Ulta had been sending me emails with a 20% off code for at least two weeks – sometimes two a day. They knew I would break down eventually…
I’d been pining for Black Moon Cosmetics “DeVille” ($18) since it launched, but I’d been waiting for Ulta to carry it, so I could get the points. It is the perfect, metallic red. I might as well throw all of my other red lipsticks in the bin – this one is PERFECT. Who am I kidding, you can never have too many red lipsticks. I also picked up Black Moon “Haunting” ($18), a deep purplish brown. Ulta, please pick up the rest of the Black Moon line!
I also decided to try out Mandelic Acid 10% from The Ordinary ($6.80). I’ve been reading about fungal acne and wondering if that might be a factor in the breakouts on my chest. Several articles indicated that the antibacterial properties of Mandelic Acid are a miracle cure, so why not try it. I’ve only been using it for a few days, so it’s too soon to tell…
We put highlights in my son’s hair again, so I picked up a Travel Size of Joico Colors Balance Purple Shampoo ($4.99) to tone down some of the brassiness. I also wanted to try an Eyeshadow Stamp ($4.20, down from $6). I forgot that I ordered it and haven’t tried it yet.
When I ordered, the Beauty Break gift with purchase was a 9 piece bath sampler, which included Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter; Iroha Nature Hand Mask Repair Gloves (I am excited to try these – we are barely a week into cold weather and my hands are already dry and cracked); YUNI Shower Sheets (a huge wet wipe?); bliss That’s Incredi-peel; The Body Shop Drops of Youth (I’ve been wanting to try this!); Megababe Deodorant Wipes (so does Ulta think I am stanky?); Ahava Time to Clear Purifying Mud Mask; Start Happy Geranium & Peppermint Body Wash; and a NEST Fragrances Body Mist Collection (4 fragrances: Bamboo & Jasmine, Ocean Mist & Coconut Water, Ginger & Neroli, and Grapefruit & Verbena).
$419 to Diamond status.
October 2019 Allure Beauty Box – On the Bright Side
Allure usually comes last each month, but this month it was first into my mailbox. I wonder why?
October’s theme – “On the Bright Side” – is glowy products. The stand-out product is Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. I’ve repeatedly gotten samples of it and use it immediately – I love the way it smells, like a day at the beach.
Also in this month’s box: Sunday Riley ICE Ceramide Moisturizing Cream (such a tiny sample); M-61 Powerglow Peel; ModelCo Metallic Eyeshadow Trio in “St. Tropez” (I thought this was the same trio I received in my February box , but the colors are slightly different; I used it this morning and the colors lean brassy); ModelCo Eyelites in “Granite” (I received an Eyelites in my April box, too – have not tried the product); Kneipp Mineral Bath Salt in “Dream Away” (Will be giving to one of my kids); and Lumify Eye Drops (I’ve gotten a few times and they work well enough – they’re just too pricey for me to buy on my own).
I kind of feel that Allure is pushing a few brands repeatedly, month after month. I feel like they must have gotten a truckload of ModelCo and Sunday Riley and we’ll be getting it monthly, no matter what.
The Allure Beauty Box is $15/month, but they give you $5 off your first box. They also offer an option for $150/year – a savings of $30. Sign up via my referral link.
Target Beauty Boxes – August + September 2019
I don’t know how I managed to miss ordering the August Target Beauty Box – but I did. If an email was sent out, it got lost in my inbox and I didn’t see any social media posts either…BUT, it was still available to order when I went looking for the September box (which I also did not see an email on). I went ahead and ordered both boxes.
August’s box is “Hot for Fall” and includes products to help transition from summer to fall: MyBite Vitamins in Dark Chocolately Peanut; Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Deep Conditioning Treatment (I’ll have to hide from my son – this is his brand); hello Activated Charcoal + Hemp \Flouride Free Toothpaste (sounds GROSS, but I’ll try it); Oral-B Interdental Picks (Ooooh yeah!); Herbal Essences Birch Bark Extract Sulfate-Free Shampoo/Conditioner (I tried it out and it was fine – not nearly as exciting as the old commercials want you to believe – no hair-washing orgasms for me); and Dove Men + Care Fresh and Clean 2 in 1. This was a stuffed box!
The September “Glow Into Fall” box seemed kind of skimpy: Schick Intuition Sensitive Care Razor (not a fan of the Intuition line, so gave it to my daughter); Trim Salon Emery Board (I can always use one of these); TRESemme Botanique Color Vibrance and Shine Shampoo/Conditioner (I liked this one slightly more than the Herbal Essences one, but it’s hard to get use to the low foaming formulas); Miss Spa Hydrate Facial Sheet Mask; and Dove Dry Serum Powder Touch. I was intrigued by a serum antiperspirant and tried it immediately. It was okay, I guess – but I did NOT like getting it all over my hands. I feel like it left a residue on my fingers, even after washing my hands. I did like the smell, but I don’t know that I’ll be buying this one.
Each box was $7, free shipping, plus 5% off with my Target Red Card. Understandably, the coupon in the August box had already expired, but I am annoyed that the September coupon doesn’t seem to be usable either. My app won’t recognize it when I try to scan it, and the code to use online doesn’t work either. Bummer.
$5 Friday
I know I said I’d use up what I had before I bought more…but $5!
Last Friday, I got that magical email from Bath & Body Works that “selected fragrances” were on sale for $5 – shower gel, body cream, even fine fragrance mist! When I got there, it was all the new scents! It was Friday – I had the beginnings of a migraine – so I treated myself to a full set of both “Midnight Peony” (the muskier sister to my old favorite “Peony”) and “Rose Water and Ivy” (maybe my new favorite – it’s very similar to the long discontinued “Delicate Petals” from Victoria’s Secret).
I also had a coupon for a free item up to $14, so I got a “Hello Beautiful” Shower Gel to fill up my travel size bottle. So that was 7 products for $30 – that’s a smoking deal!
I also sampled another new scent that I’m adding to my wishlist – “Kaleidoscope”. (It wasn’t on sale, or I would’ve gotten it.) The main note is pink pepper – I have no idea what that really is, but it’s spicy and I love it. I think Tory Burch also has Pink Pepper, because that’s what it reminds me of.