Category: Makeup
Target Beauty Boxes – January 2016
Two Target Beauty Boxes this month…and they’re BOTH for ME! I don’t have to share with ANYONE.
Inside the “Refresh” box: Acure Day Cream (Definitely gonna use this); John Frieda Keraflex Hair Spray; Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion (I do not understand the concept of in-shower body lotion – doesn’t it just end up all over your towel?); Clear Total Care Shampoo & Conditioner (going to my sister); Simple Micellular Wipes (I got these in the last Allure Beauty Thrills – I opened the other day to prep before using my Tria); Marlowe Extra Moisturizing Lotion (smells divine); Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Pads (it says they “retexture and resurface” my skin – uhhhh, scary); and scünci Braided Elastic Bands.
Inside the “Renewal” box: Caress Love Forever Body Wash; Attitude 2-in-1 Shampoo & Body Wash (What? No.); Laneige BB Cushion (I got this in another Target Beauty Box…and still haven’t tried it. Oops.); scünci No Slip Grip Braided Headband; Degree Women Fresh Energy Dry Spray; Jergens Wet Skin Moisturizer (I am sensing a trend…); Attitude Volume & Shine Shampoo; Revlon Ultimate All-In-One Mascara (Actually so excited to try this that I trashed the old Julep Mascara I had been using up); and Hada Labo Tokyo Anti-Aging Facial Mask (I received one of these in Ulta’s 2014 Cyber Monday bag…again, haven’t tried it yet).
A few repeats…a wakeup call for me to actually use this shit! I don’t believe in New Years Resolutions, but I’m gonna do it!
Each were $7 and each came with a $3 off $15 coupon. Maybe I’ll actually use both this time. At least I managed to use one of the coupons last month…on replacement electric toothbrush heads. So glamorous.
January Birchbox – Moodboard Your Year
January’s Birchbox issued a challenge to “Moodboard Your Year”, so I declared 2016 as The Year of Creativity. I want to be more creative with my beauty purchases and not just buy the same things I’ve been buying. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not going to stop hoarding…I just want to become more CREATIVE in my hoarding…
Hmmm…How can I be creative with my January Birchbox? I received amika Bombshell Blowout Spray; Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre (I am happy to get any moisturizer, but the name is grossing me out…I didn’t see embryo in the ingredients, but…); Eyeko Fat Liquid Liner (OMG, it’s like a sharpie!); R+Co. Death Valley Dry Shampoo (Ugh); and TONYMOLY Delight Tony Tint in “Red” (my sample choice for the month).
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.
Goutte de Rose
I had been slacking off on reviewing my Birchbox products the last several months…until there was something I wanted. I got a sample of Cartier Goutte de Rose (“droplet of rose” en Francais) in my November Birchbox and I fell in love. So I steadfastly reviewed my November and December samples and accrued $20 in Birchbox points. I added the $10 off code in my December Birchbox and purchased the 1.6 fl. oz. bottle for $37!
I don’t care if it makes my husband’s eyes water, I smell FABULOUS.
My samples came several days later, in a separate mailer. I got Davines Oi Shampoo & Conditioner (I’ll be bringing these to Vegas with me in less than 2 weeks!) and LAQA & Co. Cheeky Lip in “Humble Brag” – which I had already gotten in my August Birchbox. Oh well…
Sephora Play! 04 – December 2015
“Oh What Fun” is Sephora Play’s December theme and oh, what fun it is. I’m not sure if I lost the little playbook that came with it, or if I just lost it somewhere in my house…but I usually don’t remember to cash in the card for 50 extra points anyway.
Inside…NUDE Skincare Advanced Renewal Serum (5 packets!); Viktor & Rolf “Flowerbomb” (saving for my sister, she likes this scent a lot); Smashbox Full Exposure Eye Shadow Duo; Dr. Brandt Skincare PoreDermabrasion (love getting Dr. Brandt); Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in “Matte Black” (eek, waterproof eyeliner…NO); and Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Oil (My skin is SO flaketastic right now).
Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
A Very Rouge Xmas
So…I knew whatever I was getting for Xmas put me over the top to Sephora Rouge status (they started email blasting me IMMEDIATELY), but I have been dying the last few weeks to find out what I was gonna get. Of course, I already knew about the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Palette, but what else???
My husband also got my the Urban Decay Vice 4 Palette! And my kids got me the Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Studded Kiss Lip Set! The girls behind the counter at Sephora was so impressed with their picks, that they filled their bag with stocking stuffers for me: Benefit Fake Up, First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream, Sephora Gel Gloss Ultra Brilliant Ultra Shine Lip Gel in “Pin-up Pink”, and Perricone MD High Potency Face Firming Activator. So sweet!
On top of that, he actually bought me a purse – he picked out himself, with NO input from me AT ALL. It’s a badass red Loungefly with huge embossed sugar skull. He done GOOD.
Shroom
Nothing puts me off a brand like the fear of having my identity sold for $20 on the deep web…then again, I still shop at Target, so it’s not a dealbreaker. But in addition to the nastiness of Lime Crime’s hack and poor response, there have been rumors about the products not being vegan (like I care) and just being repackaged wholesale stuff. (Read this summary from Jezebel for more detail.) Even so, I’ve been wanting to sample Lime Crime’s Velvetines line to see if it’s all it’s cracked up to be.
Hautelook stepped in to save the day! On November 30th, they were stocking Lime Crime – with free shipping, to boot. I jumped on that deal and ordered Velvetines in “Shroom” (90s Brown) for $12, instead of the normal $20 – plus, I didn’t have to worry about my card information ending up in Slovenia. It arrived on my doorstep today.
The packaging is hella cute, but it takes more than that to impress me. The formula went on smoothly and didn’t bleed. It dried to a matte finish quickly and wasn’t sticky at all. I’ve only been wearing it about an hour, so I can’t tell how drying it is on my lips yet. I’d say that the formula is similar to Kat Von D Everlasting Lip Liquid, but almost a dead ringer for NYX Liquid Suede. If I was blind testing the product, I don’t think I’d be able to tell the difference. As a matter of fact, “Shroom” is suspiciously close to the NYX Liquid Suede “Sandstorm” that I picked up a few months ago…just sayin’.
December Beauty Box 5 – Smoky Season
Okay Beauty Box 5, you’re on the bubble – I haven’t decided if I’m going to keep you in 2016.
December’s “Smoky Season” box is another weird one. This box included: OFRA Shimmer Eye Shadow in “Millenium Bark” (The color is alright, but it’s just a loose tin pan – what the fuck am I gonna do with that?); Beauty Box 5 Blender Brush; Prestige Cosmetics Total Intensity Eyeliner in “Deepest Black”; The Beauty Crop Glamazon Stick (a highlighter crayon); and So Fresh So Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Towelettes (I’d complain about all the makeup remover wipes I am getting, but I actually used a lot of them this past Halloween).
I don’t know that I’ll be using ANY of these products any time soon. Grumble, grumble.
December Ipsy Bag – with Love from Ipsy
This classy quilted red bag – it makes me want to go back to carrying a red purse instead of the pink one I carry right now!
December’s theme is “with Love from Ipsy”. There are some exciting goodies inside this month’s bag: RickyCare from Ricky’s NYC Classic 3D Blender; Pacifica Power of Love Natural Lipstick in “Nudie Red” (this will look great with the Pacifica eye shadow from the Target Beauty Box I just got); Marc Anthony Coconut Oil & Shea Butter Deep Conditioning Treatment; Elizabeth Mott Thank Me Later Eye Shadow Primer; and Peony Shadow Trio (I chipped both of my thumb nails trying to get this fucking thing open and jammed my thumb nail into one of the shadows, leaving a deep rivet – things in life shouldn’t be this hard).
I am thinking through my subscriptions for next year – I’ll definitely be keeping ipsy in 2016!
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Allure Beauty Thrills – December 2015
Just like last year, the Allure Beauty Thrills Box went on sale during Thanksgiving vacation. Again, I set my alarm and ordered. The price went up again – $49.95 now, with $10 shipping. Even so, it is a hell of a deal.
There were a few repeats from previous boxes, but loads of new stuff: Algenist Power Advanced Wrinkle Fighter Serum (easily the most valuable item in the box – $105 on Sephora’s site); Aloxxi Volumizing Whip (eh, I am SO past the mousse phase); Caress Daily Silk Silkening Body Wash (this is THE BEST for shaving your legs in the shower); Clear Scalp & Hair Total Care Nourishing Shampoo & Conditioner (going to my sister); Colgate Optic White Toothbrush + Built-In Whitening Pen (my third one); Colgate Optic White Express White Toothpaste; Dove Advanced Care Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant (still using the last one I got); Dove Deep Moisture Wash (another good one for leg shaving); e.l.f. Studio Lip Exfoliator (intrigued); e.l.f. Studio Moisturizing Lipstick in “Bordeaux Beauty”; HASK Monoi Coconut Nourishing Shine Oil (another repeat); Herbal Essences Naked Volume Shampoo (what the fuck am I supposed to do with shampoo and no conditioner?); Jessica Custom Nail Color in “Soak Up the Sun” (bright ass pink); Michael Todd Knu Anti-Aging Face Lift Serum ($58 on Ulta’s site); Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Unscented Refreshing Dry Shampoo (Ugh); One ‘N Only Island Essentials Awapuhi Intensive Treatment; Redken One United Multi-Benefit Treatment (I LOVE the Blonde Idol BB Spray from my first Allure box – looking forward to this one); Rusk Working Spray; Simple Skincare Micellular Make-Up Remover Wipes; Sonia Kashuk Tools Medium Eye Shadow Brush No. 28 (I needed another blending brush); Suave Professionals Moroccan Infusion Styling Oil; Touch In Sol Feel Like Honey Moon Skin Base; and Yes to Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Cleanser (Tomatoes and charcoal sounds like something you’d use to get out skunk stink).
All these high end wrinkle products – my face is going to be a smooth as a baby’s behind!
December Birchbox – Winter Essentials
Winter is a tough season for my skin. I feel like my skin is so try that I have to put a lot of products on it to moisturize it. In turn, I get breakouts. Then more products to combat the breakouts…and skin that is drier and flakier than before. Let’s see what Birchbox thinks my “Winter Essentials” should be…
Inside this month’s box: Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain in “Forever Peach” (I tested it on my wrist and got about as much color as a cherry chapstick – it smelled like chapstick, too); Coastal Scents Eye Shadow Duo – formalEYES (the description on the card led me to believe I would be getting classic pinks and mauves – uh, I got gold and emerald green…then I looked at the package and it says styleEYES – guess I got the wrong one? I showed my husband and he just said, “Slutty.”); eSalon Perfect ending Leave In Conditioner (is that anything like a happy ending?); derma e Microdermabrasion Scrub (I LOVE this scrub); and JUARA Coconut Illipe Hand and Nail Balm. There was also a tasty treat in my box – a little chocolate bar from Chuao Chocolatier – “Cinnamon Cereal Smooch”. It was SO good. I did not share.
Hmmm…not a bad box, but a little odd. We’ll see how the slutty green eye shadow looks with peachy chapstick.
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.