Category: Fragrance
Sephora Play! May 2017 – The Rising Stars
Oh Sephora, you are full of surprises. No flamingos, but surprises.
Instead of a drawstring bag, they included a clear plastic snap pouch this month. I have no idea what I’m going to do with it. Maybe I can throw it in my pool bag?
I’m most excited to try the sample of belif Hungarian Water Essence – I’m a big fan of their Aqua Bomb. Also in this month’s box: rahua Omega 9 Hair Mask; Tatcha Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil (I’m not sold on cleansing oils); tre’StiQue Mini Highlight Stick in “Maldives Luminescent”; Nudestix Magnetic Matte Lip Color in “GreyStone”; and Tocca “Stella” (blood orange and lily – I’d actually wear this one!).
Not sure about all the sticks this month, but the scent makes up for it.
If you haven’t signed up yet, you’re crazy. This is by far the best subscription box I get every month. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
May Birchbox – Low Effort High Impact
Pink Flamingos!
For real, the first thing I noticed in this month’s Birchbox was The Beauty Crop Fabulous Flocking Lashes Mascara. SO cute.
Also in this month’s “Low Effort High Impact” box: CLEAN Reserve Rain Reserve Blend Eau de Parfum (it actually DOES smell like rain); COOLA Mineral SPF 30 Daydream Makeup Primer (love me some COOLA); PARLOR by Jeff Chastain Moisturizing Sea Salt Spray; and Vita Liberata Fabulous Self Tanning Gradual Lotion (NOPE).
I totally spaced and didn’t click on the sample choice email for April. Oops, I get what I get and I don’t have a fit. Not a bad box, except for the self tanner.
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.
My Kids Won Mother’s Day
I’m sure your kids are awesome and all…but my kids won Mother’s Day.
They (and the husband) straight up snatched my Bath & Body Works coupons from the mail pile and went to town. The big gift was the exclusive Mother’s Day Tote, which came with “Blushing Pink Rose Petals” 3-Wick Candle (already lit and in my boudoir); “At the Beach” Ultra Shea Body Cream; “Vanilla Flower” Hand Soap with Olive Oil; “Warm Vanilla Sugar” Bath Fizzy; “Heart of Gold (Berry Sweet)” Hand Cream; “Heart of Gold (Berry Sweet)” PocketBac and a Glittering PocketBac Holder.
Not only did I get the exclusive Mother’s Day Tote, but they also took advantage of the B3G3 sale and got me Shower Gel, Lotion and Spray in “Rose Champagne” (from the new French Collection) and “Magic in the Air”. They did good – I don’t have either of those new scents, but they are exactly what I would have picked myself. There was also a travel size “Pink Cashmere” Lotion. Weird.
I smell even better than normal now AND I got some really nice hand-drawn cards. I won children-making.
Target Beauty Box – May 2017
$10 for this month’s Target Beauty Box for Mother’s Day? That’s outrageous!
Considering what’s in this month’s box…it’s not outrageous at all. Just the wet n wild Megalast Liquid Catsuit Lipstick in “Nice to Fuchsia” is $4.99.
Also in this month’s box: Nexxus Therappe Shampoo and Humectress Conditioner (oh, back in the good old days when my mom would splurge on Humectress and I would “borrow” it); Acure Pore-Minimizing Red Clay Mask (I LOVE CLAY); Nubian Heritage Bath Bombs (again, no bath tub); Vichy Pore-Purifying Clay Mask (MORE CLAY BITCHES); Nexxus Vitali 8-in-1 Masque (Fancy and spelled with a ‘que’); Guess Dare; and Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Polish.
So, $10 for the box, free shipping and 5% off with my Red Card AND another coupon for $3 off $15 beauty purchase (I didn’t use the 2 I got last month).
Buck that Fudget
I am trying so, SO hard to stay on a budget. But I got that email with my 15% off code for the Sephora Spring Event…
I made it to the second to last day and then “splurged” on a single lipstick. I’ve been wanting to try Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in “Veronica” ($20), so since Sephora is carrying them now, I took the plunge. First off, the formula is GREAT. My lips didn’t get dry and cracked and formula did not budge all day. I picked the exact perfect color for me – a dupe for Jeffree Star “Androgyny”. I’m in love with these lipsticks. I wish I hd less resolve.
For samples, I actually got my picks this time. They were John Varvatos “Dark Rebel” (hoping it would be a good one for my husband, but it was nasty – smelled like some cheap old man shit, like Brut); philosophy purity made simple 3-in-1 cleanser for face and eyes; and Tata Harper Repairative Moisturizer (their misspelling, not mine).
Maybe my budget will be more open when the next sale hits…
Sephora Play! April 2017 – Step it Up
Catching up this month…gonna finish all my subscription boxes in the right month!
“Step it Up” is April’s Sephora Play theme and includes products to take your beauty game to the next level. I’m excited to try the Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliator – I figure it will alternate well with the EradiKate I received a few weeks ago.
Also in this month’s smashing box: Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream; Sephora Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover (it separated in the bottle and my husband has been playing with it); Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Eye Pencil in “M-10” (why can’t they just say “black”); Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer; and Marc Jacobs Daisy.
What a bangin’ box!
If you haven’t signed up yet, get to it. This is by far the best subscription box I get every month. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
April Birchbox – Magic Inside
Just one item led me to pick this month’s curated box. It was that new lipstick – Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real! Double the Lip in “Lusty Rose”. Mostly because I was skeptical – it’s just a two tone lipstick. It took some maneuvering to get it on my lips, while keeping the dark portion to the lip line. I repeatedly kept asking my husband if my lips looked bigger, fuller, plumper. Apparently, they looked the same. The lipstick is just plain old lipstick and didn’t make them look any different – just pink. I was correct to be skeptical. Boo.
Also in this month’s “Magic Inside” curated box: TOCCA Emelia Eau de Parfum (strong geranium scent, but not geriatric); Vasanti BrightenUp! New Skin Amplifying Moisturizer; Bumble and bumble. Don’t Blow It (gives volume to air dried hair – genius!); and derma e Purifying 2-in-1 Charcoal Mask (I love me some charcoal masks).
Great box this month, even if the lipstick doesn’t live up to the hype.
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.
Sephora Play! March 2017 – The Gleam Team
Strangely enough, I received my Sephora Play before my ipsy and Birchbox this month…so I won’t be lagging a month behind for once.
We’re back to a white cotton bag this month. I still haven’t figured out what to do with all these pouches. Maybe use them for panties and socks when I travel?
I was drawn to try Chloe Fleur de Parfum immediately – I love Rose de Chloe so much. It’s not bad – there are rose notes, but they’re buried under the lemon verbena. Unfortunately, it gave me a headache within 90 seconds of a light spray on my arm. Boo!
Also in this month’s “The Gleam Team” box: GlamGlow GLOWSTARTER Mega Illuminating Moisturizer (I can’t get enough GlamGlow); Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick in “Golden Pink” (weird product); Benefit Cosmetics Watt’s Up! Cream-to-Powder Highlighter (another weird one); Living proof Full Dry Volume Blast (I think I’ve gotten every single Living Proof product available over the past several months); and Josie Maran Surreal Skin Argan Finishing Balm (another confusing product – instructions say it can be used as a primer or a finishing balm – wot?).
Very weird products this month – and NO lip products. Boo!
If you haven’t signed up yet, JUST DO IT. This is by far the best subscription box I get every month. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
Influenster Vox Box – Rosy Vox Box
Ooooooh! I finally qualified for a good vox box from Influenster. (I received one with coupons for gluten free stuff a few months ago. No. Thank. You.)
I was most excited to try the two Vera Wang Embrace fragrances in the box. Rose Buds and Vanilla is my jam. It’s a very mature rose scent, reminiscent of Cartier Goutte de Rose. I likely will buy it when I can find it in a store (not at Ulta or Sephora yet – I checked. The other scent is Marigold and Gardenia, also very mature…but not in a good way. I wore it all day yesterday – that powdery gardenia scent is not for me.
Also in the box: Fancy Feet Ball of Foot Cushions (I’ve pretty much given up on heels, but these might make them more comfortable for me…and an excuse to go shopping); Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant (I’ve never felt like I am particularly stinky or sweaty, but a good deodorant nonetheless); Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Soft Waves Sea Salt Spray (I have sooooo many sea salt sprays, but they work so well to add a wave with a simple hair twist); and Purell Advanced Hand Sanitizer Naturals (I admit, I don’t use hand sanitizer if I can help it – it makes my knuckles bleed…but I’ll be keeping it in the car for the kids).
Good job Influenster – I’ll likely be buying a full size of at least one product in the box…
As always, products were received complimentary for review purposes. Want some free stuff? Check out Influenster for yourself…
Ciao Renaissance
I may have made a grave mistake. Ulta sent me a 20% off coupon and I used it to try out the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette ($42)…and it’s one of the most beautiful palettes I own. The quality is outstanding – I’ve never had shadows that blend so well, and WITHOUT primer. The colors meld together seamlessly and they complement each other perfectly. I don’t want to use any other eye shadow ever again.
Okay, I may have exaggerated on that last bit…but it seriously might be one of the very best formulas out there. Luckily, none of the previous ABH palettes are available to buy retail – or I’d be buying them all right now. That was my mistake – another brand to be in love with. I should’ve known there’s a reason all the Social Media Influencers (Manny, Jeffree, Skelotim, NikkieTutorials) keep coming back to this palette.
I’m done gushing…about eye shadow. I’m also in love with the new scent I discovered in the Ulta flyer this month. I also smell the scented flaps, gag, and then forget about the scents…but not with Vince Camuto Ciao. It smells so good, that I kept the scent card in my purse, so I could re-smell it. I don’t usually like sickkly sweet scents, but there is something about Ciao. As soon as I got the coupon, I went ahead and ordered the rollerball ($22) . My only complaint is that the scent doesn’t seem to last on me past a few hours. Sigh.
In my sample pack, I got Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer in “White” and “Smoke” (Ooooh, I’ve never tried dark primer), and ogx Bamboo Fiber-full Shampoo & Conditioner. I also got a few extra free samples – Urban Decay Perversion Mascara and Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer.
This order made me so, so happy!