Category: Face
Beachwave Me
I have a love/hate relationship with my hair. I’m always looking for the next product/styling aid that will give me perfect hair…I try something new, get excited…then back comes the ponytail.
That being said, my current Revlon curling iron is probably older than my son (13!) and didn’t get very hot last time I tried to use it. I’ve been drooling over the Beachwaver Curling Iron, but at $129 – that’s a steep price for a curling iron! How can I rationalize spending that much money on a styler I’ll use just a few times a year? Well…I found a way.
First, you save up your Ulta Platinum Points for nearly 2 years – the last time I used my points was on the Alice Through the Looking Glass Palette! I had saved $67.50 in points. Then, wait for a 20% off coupon. Last week, the stars aligned and I snagged the Beachwaver S1 Curling Iron for just $35.70. Woo! I tried it out and it’s just as amazing as videos make it look. You literally just grab your hair and press the button and BAM – perfect waves. I haven’t done my whole head yet…but coming soon!
I also found a promo for a free 18 piece Beauty Bag with $30 purchase on RetailMeNot – check out the amazing contents: NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in “Milk” (already have one, but sure); Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer (have some, but I like it); Bosley Professional Strength Ultra Boost Styling Creme (Bosley, like the hair plug people?); Clairol Hair Food Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner Infused with Honey Apricot Fragrance (Mmmmm); Jimmy Choo L’eau; First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads (huh?); Hempz Original Herbal Shampoo for Damaged and Color Treated Hair; Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium; Philosophy Amazing Grace; Living proof. restore mask treatment; goodol Wash Up Deep Clean Pore Glacial Clay; Nyakio Maracuja & Yangu Soothing Oil; Perricone MD Cold Plasma Face Serum; Rituals Hand Balm in “Indian Rose & Sweet Almond Oil”; Philosophy Purity Made Simple (love this stuff for when I travel); Hey Honey Good Morning Honey Silk Facial Serum; Estee Lauder The Smoother Universal Perfecting Primer; Organic to Green Coco Oil; and a $5 off $15 Ulta Collection coupon! I have finger cramps now!
My usual samples were also good – NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment in “American Woman” and HASK Biotin Boost Shampoo & Conditioner.
I don’t plan on hitting the beach this summer, but my hair will be ready just in case!
YAYROUGE, Part 1
It’s that time of year…the Sephora Spring Bonus discount is here!
This year, VIB Rouge gets a 15% discount not one weekend, but BOTH weekends. I hit my closest Sephora during lunch on the first day of the sale. (Only 14 minutes from my office to Sephora!) I was after this year’s Sun Safety Kit, but the store had already sold out…I’d have to check online.
I wanted the gift with purchase, so I wandered around, looking for a summer skin product. I tried new foundations from Sunday Riley and First Aid Beauty, but was unimpressed. Then I came across Milk Makeup Sunshine Skin Tint SPF 30 in “Fair” ($42). I tried it on my wrist and it actually blended into my skin, instead of just sitting on top. What the hell. I bought a tube. 15% made me not feel bad about it. I tried it both days this past weekend and it is more similar to a BB cream than a foundation, but it evened out my complexion without looking thick. AND I didn’t break out. This foundation will be my summer jam.
Not only did I get a cute “Lips” Card Case, but I got a sample bag. Inside the special sample bag: Buxom Big Tease Plumping Mascara; tarte Drink of H2O Hydrating Boost; Clinique Beyond Perfecting Super Concealer Camouflage + 24-Hour Wear; Beauty Blender Liquid Blendercleanser (it works SO much better than Baby Shampoo); Caudalie Vinopefect Radiance Serum; Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil; Algenist Genius Ultimate Anti-Aging Cream; and Fresh Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask. Yeah, it’s mostly foil packs, but it’s high end brands.
Oh, I also got to smell REPLICA Music Festival, which is purported to smell like patchouli and “fresh bud”. I’ll be damned if it didn’t smell just like a hippie that hadn’t bathed in a month.
…and then I started ordering online….
April 2018 Birchbox – Feed Your…
Back to the Curated Box option this month – any time I see Davines, I go for it!
Despite the disparity in sizes, I’m quite thrilled to get a deluxe sample of Davines LOVE Smoothing Shampoo and a single use foil-pack of Davines LOVE Smoothing Conditioner.
Also in this month’s “Feed Your…” Box: Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in “Black”; jane iredale Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain in “Forever Pink”(I got “Forever” Peach a few years ago – it was OK, I guess); Acure Organics Brilliantly Brightening Facial Scrub (Acure is really good); and Clarins Multi-Active Day Cream SPF 20.
A so-so box…
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.
Target Beauty Boxes – April 2018
What witchcraft is this? FOUR different Target Beauty Boxes this month? (There was an extra box that dropped the last week of March, but since it was all curly hair products, I skipped it.) When it rains, it pours! The boxes have unique designs and a different coupon set-up than the usual $3 off $15 – each box has coupons for the specific products in the box.
I’ll just start with the top left and move clockwise…the “Be You(tiful)” box is the heaviest and highest value box. It includes e.l.f. Gotta Glow Up Tint in “Perfect Pink” (I suspect it’s like the Winky Lux balm); Simple Water Boost Micellular Makeup Remover Eye Pads (itty bitty!); Nexxus Keraphix Shampoo & Conditioner (ugh, the shampoo came open in the box – at least it made everything smell good); L’Oreal Pure Clay Cleanser – Detoxify and Brighten (picked this up several months ago – LOVE it); OLLY Beauty Vitamins; Sinful Colors Nail Polish in “Galac Sea” (Not a dupe!); and Honest Beauty Younger Face Deep Hydration Cream. This box included $9 in product coupons.
Next up is the “Treat Yourself” box. It includes Bodycology Free & Lovely Coconut & Rose Body Butter (smells good); Dr Teals Pink Himalayan Foaming Bath (ugh, I want a bathtub so bad); ME!Bath Bath Bomb (Ditto); Luxe by Mr. Bubble Bath Meltaway (jeez); Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm in “Red Dahlia” (finally, a product I’ll use); Olay Regenerist Whip Active Moisturizer (I’ve been dying to try this); and Honest Beauty Refreshingly Clean Gel Cleanser. This box included $11 in coupons.
Directly underneath that box is the “All the Masks” box. It includes Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Gel Mask; Que Bella Multi Mask Trio; Yes to Carrots and Kale Single Use Paper Mask; Masque Bar Luminizing Charcoal Peel Off Mask; and St. Ives Soothing Oatmeal Sheet Mask (I busted this one out the night I opened the box – I’m still smooth several days later). This box only included a single $1 off St. Ives coupon.
Last, but not least, is the “Wakeup and Makeup” box. It includes Sonia Kashuk Brush Cleaning Wipes; e.l.f. Beautifully Bare Blending Brush; e.l.f. Beautifully Bare Face Palette; Dove Dry Spray Invisible Sheer Finish Deodorant; Dove Dry Shampoo in “Coconut”; CoverGirl Peacock Flare Mascara in “Extreme Black”; and Honest Beauty Refreshingly Clean Makeup Remover Wipes. This box included $5 in coupons.
So…four boxes at $7 each, AND I remembered to use my $3 off coupon. With another 5% off with my Red Card and free shipping, that’s $24.25 for the whole shebang! If I manage to use even half of the $26 in coupons, I’ll be a happy camper.
Sephora Play! March 2018 – Festival of Beauty
Is it me, or is “Festival” the most over-used campaign buzzword in the Beauty World right now? It’s getting to be ridiculous, kind of like “Unicorn”. Don’t get me wrong, I was deep into Festivals and outside concert in my youth. I religiously attended Lollapalooza 1992 through 1995, and various other outside concerts…but back then, the only makeup I needed back then was black eyeliner…
What I SHOULD have worn was sunscreen. I never did and I always got a sunburn every damn time. So it was nice of Sephora to include Murad Invisiblur Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30 | PA+++. The package says invisible SPF, primer and anti-aging treatment in one – I’m sold!
Also in the Festival box: Buxom Plumpline Lip Liner Crayon in “Hush Hush”; Sephora Matte Perfection Powder Foundation in “14 Neutral Linen” (close to the shade I’ve been using – “16 Cool Linen”); Verb Ghost Oil; Lancome Miel-en-Mousse Foaming Cleanser and Makeup Remover; and a tiny foilpack of OUAI Anti-Frizz. Oh, and a snazzy tie-dye pouch that says “Beauty is my Spirit Animal”.
If you don’t get Sephora Play, join us for Festival Fun. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
March 2018 Ipsy Bag – Create
Ipsy has been hitting their creative stride this year. March’s theme is literally, “Create”, and comes with a glam bag you can color yourself. I handed it over to Lily to color for me and she did a GREAT job.
This month’s products are basics from high quality brands: Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Cream; Benefit Cosmetics BADGal Bang Mascara in “Pitch Black” (I’m a big fan of Roller Lash – will this beat it?); Skin&Co Roma Truffle Therapy Cleansing Cream (Oooooh); Tarte Cosmetics Sex Kitten Eyeliner; and Steve Laurant Beauty Lip Oil in “Orchid” (lip oils are great for removing liquid lipsticks).
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
March 2018 Birchbox – finally. spring.
This month, I chose the single sample choice, instead of the Curated Box. I wanted that Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream.
I shouldn’t have bitched about not getting a fragrance last month, though – this month’s fragrance, TokyoMilk Dark Bulletproof, gave me the WORST headache. Also in this month’s box: Marcelle Ultimate Volume Nano Mascara; OUAI Leave In Conditioner; and Winky Lux Glazed Lips Donut Lip Gloss (Winky Lux makes those clear, color-changing lipsticks with the flower inside – I want one BAD!)
This box was a bit lame. Birchbox is a serious yo-yo!
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.
Target Beauty Box – March 2018
I snatched up the March Target Beauty Box – the February Box sold out before I could order it. No big loss though – it was all Honest Beauty. I am not AT ALL interested in Jessica Alba’s makeup. Blech.
This month’s box has lots of new products – or at least they said new on the label: Olay Cleaning Infusions Body Wash in “Crushed Ginger”; No7 Early Defence Glow Activating Serum; St. Ives Collagen Elastin Moisturizer (I cannot tell if this is for my hands or for my face); Nexxus Dry Shampoo (ugh, starting to get so much dry shampoo again); Pantene Foam Conditioner (weird); Clairol Color Crave Hair Makeup in “Brilliant Amethyst” (it washes out after one use…mmm’kay, why?); and wet n wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Quad in “Sweet as Candy” (while the product itself isn’t new, the packaging and formula are new).
As usual, the box included a $3 off $15 Beauty coupon. The box was $7, with free shipping and 5% off with my Target Red Card. A great value this month!
Makeup Recovery
I am SO spoiled.
I got a surprise in the mail on Thursday – a box from my bestie, Sally, filled to the brim with all the newest Makeup Revolution products! Over the past few months, Makeup Revolution has put out several new variations of their Chocolate Palettes, originally based on Too Faced’s “Chocolate Bar” palette. “Chocolate Rose Gold”, “Mint Chocolate”, “Chocolate Orange”, and “Chocolate Elixir” are the newest.
I’ve only cracked into the “Chocolate Rose Gold” and “Chocolate Orange” so far. The shadows are good quality, but really do need a primer underneath. Both are heavy on gold/bronze, which I am really liking for this season.
Not only did I get four new eyeshadow palettes, but I got three new highlighters: “Mermaid’s Heart”, with shades ranging from blue & green to gold; “Dragon’s Heart”, with shades ranging from gold to pink & red; and “Bleeding Heart”, a shimmery blush and wine, with bronze veins running throughout. “Bleeding Heart” is my favorite.
In addition to the makeup, I got a huge Flamingo Lolli AND a Flamingo Face Mask – Holler & Glow “Babes of Paradise” Hydrating Pink Peel Off Face Mask. You KNOW I tried that face mask the same day I opened the box! It was smoothing and nearly pulled off in a single sheet – that NEVER happens. It was very similar to the GlamGlow GravityMud Mask – the silver one.
I should have surgery more often…don’t worry, I made a trip to the post office today to send a “thank you” box.
SAT Shopping
What do you do, when you’re stuck waiting for you kid to take the SAT? If it had been close to the house, I would have gone home and taken a nap, but of course, none of the schools were less than thirty minutes away. Time for a little SAT Shopping…
I managed to kill over two full hours at Target, but didn’t come home with anything cool – just boring stuff like garbage bags and birthday cards and office supplies. I even tried on a few swimsuits, which wasn’t quite as horrifying as I expected, although it definitely wasn’t fun.
I also swung by Bath & Body Works, but not to buy. One of the new summer fragrances was Sea Salt Mango and I was dying to know how salt smells. I can’t say that smelling it answered my question – it smelled beachy, maybe a bit spicy? I also smelled Rose Quartz, which is a smoky rose + patchouli that I might have to add to my collection soon.
My real kryptonite was Five Below. I was all excited about the little skull rose garden I found, neglecting to notice that I had grabbed one with no seeds in it. (I went and bought another one yesterday to get some seeds – $3.) I have never been able to get anything to grow from these Buzzy sets, but maybe this is the one that will grow? I also couldn’t resist three new glittery polishes: Funky Fingers “Betcha I’m a Unicorn“, “Unicorn Dust”, and “Supernova”.
…and just a few steps away from Five Below is Ulta. I spent at least another hour roaming the aisles at Ulta.
I immediately grabbed essence cosmetics “space glam” ($2.99) – I liked “outta space is the place” so much, that I wanted to try more from the collection.
While browsing clearance stuff, I found Pacifica Cocoa Rush Anti-Fatigue Mask for 75% off – just $3.75. It’s like rubbing chocolate pudding all over your face. It’s a hydrating mask – it doesn’t dry and pull out the pores like I prefer, but it made my skin very, very soft.
I took advantage of BOGO 40% off on NYX lippies. I picked NYX Soft Matte Metallic Lip Cream in “Cannes” immediately. I already have the regular Soft Matte in Cannes and want to compare the two. I wore it yesterday and it is so comfortable to wear. It has a soft, whipped consistency like the Julep it’s whipped, but is long lasting. I need ALL of them. I also tried Unicorn Blood Lip Gloss in “Black Hole” – I wasn’t sure how it would turn out – it’s blue glitter. I do NOT need all of them.
I was able to use a $5 off $10 coupon from my email – score! Only $309.39 to Platinum.