Tag: Bath & Body Works
Modern Mermaid in the Blue Lagoon
I went full mermaid this morning.
Captain Blankenship “Mermaid Mane” Sea Salt Spray in my hair – in a loose, wavy bun. After showering with Bath & Body Works “White Citrus”, I tried Atelier Cologne “Cédrat Enivrant” Cologne Absolue. I played a tense game of “eyeliner chicken” with my Vasanti Kajal Extreme Intense Eye Pencil in “Electric Navy” – luckily I won. (“Eyeliner Chicken” is when you keep putting on more eyeliner, trying to get it even. You know you’ve lost when you look like a raccoon.) The most important part was my mermaid manicure…
This is RUFFIAN “Blue Lagoon”. As beautiful as it is, it is a very unforgiving polish. I got full coverage in one coat, but it shows every imperfection. I have a few peeled tips on my right hand and they show. I also gave Sally Hansen “Diamond Shine” another try as a top coat…it didn’t dry fast enough and I got a few bubbles. Next time, I’ll use a faster drying top coat to try to avoid the bubbles. “Diamond Shine” can kiss my ass.
Saturday Shopping Fun
Another Saturday, another shopping marathon with Lily.
First stop was Ulta. I needed another Zoya “Remove +”, because I finally created my dream nail polish remover system. Last week, I bought another up&up “nail polish remover dip-it”. I emptied it and refilled it with Zoya “Remove +” – this is the absolute best way to remove nail polish. It’s soft and gentle and doesn’t smell like Chernobyl.
I also picked up Ulta “Ultimate Brunette” Shampoo and Conditioner. I exclusively use John Frieda “Brilliant Brunette”, but I wanted to give Ulta’s version a chance – it was $4.99 and BOGO. With my $3.50 off coupon, this purchase put me at Platinum status – $400.89 to be exact. Woo hoo!
After McDonald’s, my Eye Doctor and Rack Room Shoes, we hit Bath & Body Works for my 3rd round at the Semi Annual Sale. Mini Candles were 5/$10, so I picked up “Beach Cabana”, “Pink Petal Tea Cake”, “Fresh Picked Strawberries” and 2 “Red Lava Guava”. I want to exfoliate, so I grabbed a 75% off “Apricot & Honey” Body Scrub. 3 more 50% off Hand Soaps (NOT AntiBac) – “Sea Side Bloom”, “Endless Summer” and “Honolulu Sun”. Last, I let Lily pick another travel body spray – 75% off – she chose “Tokyo Lotus & Apple Blossom”. This week’s coupon was 20% off $25, so I got all this for about $20. I’m running out of room for soap.
I did manage to go to Big Lots after that (Zone Bars!) and NOT buy any nail polish. We did look…nothing tempted us.
Pretty full shopping day and spent under $100…
Semi Annual Sale: Round 2
Yeah, I totally went back today. My BFF and I purposely ate at the Panera near our office because there’s a B&BW in the same shopping center.
While my BFF filled up a sack with “Carried Away”, I actually branched out and picked up some 50% off 3 wick candles – “Black Sands”, an unforgettable blend of ocean mist and exotic amber finished with creamy cedarwood and “Grapefruit Pomelo”, a blend of tart grapefruit, sweet pomelo and juicy orange. (What is a pomelo?) Since these are usually on sale for 2/$22, I paid 25 cents more each. I also picked up 5/$10 Scent Portables for my car – there are only 4 in the picture, because I immediately popped a “Spring” into my car in the parking lot. I also picked up 2 75% off shower gels – “Morocco Orchid & Pink Amber” and “London Tulips and Raspberry Tea”. Last, I grabbed a “Lemon Chiffon Tart” AntiBac – even though it was $3, instead of $2.50 like yesterday.
I stopped my total at just above $40, so I could use another coupon…the sale runs through the first week of July, so you know I’ll be back…
AntiBac is Back
It’s that time again…Bath & Body Works Semi Annual Sale.
Just as I expected, B&BW pulled out the old discontinued Antibacterial Soaps for the sale at $2.50 each. I controlled myself and only bought 4…mostly because I know I’m going back and didn’t want to go far over $40, so I could use another coupon later. I snagged “Dancing Waters”, “Peach Bellini”, “Aloha Orchid” and “Berry Sangria”.
They also had discontinued shower gels and lotions for $3, so I got 2 “Black Raspberry Vanilla” Shower Gels. The shower gel is strangely more vividly purple than usual – I wonder what that means??? I also got a bath scrubby and a Strawberry lip balm – both 50% off.
This may look like a lame haul, but I also got a bunch of gifts…and I cannot exactly share those, can I?
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but several scents, including “Carried Away” and “Be Enchanted” were 50% off…which is a sure indicator of impending discontinuation. My BFF was devastated when I shared the news with her…she is already making plans to order in bulk…
Getaway VIP
I don’t normally get all pumped for the VIP Tote, but this one had some really good stuff. The Getaway VIP Tote is valued at $113.50 (yeah, right) and features the new scent “Morocco Orchid & Pink Amber” – fine fragrance mist, body lotion and shower gel. It also comes with a “French Lavender” mini candle, “Forever Midnight” mini eau de parfum, “Lavender Blossom” gentle foaming hand soap, “Wild Passion Flower” hand cream and a bath pouf. Surely I could find $40 worth of stuff I needed…
Although I try to only buy during “Buy 3, Get 3”, I’ll sometimes settle for “Buy 3, Get 2” if I have a coupon…since I had a “$10 off $30”, I decied to try out another scent – “London Tulips & Raspberry Tea”. I got fine fragrance mist, body cream and 2 shower gels. I also picked up an extra “Morocco Orchid & Pink Amber” Shower Gel. A second after I realized that my total was $39.50, Lily ran up demanding I come smell this new scent she had discovered – “Hawaii Passionfruit Kiss”. She wanted the shower gel, but I opted to get her a travel spray instead – PROBLEM SOLVED. I shall call her “Mini Me”.
I got everything in the picture for just under $60 – nearly $200 of stuff. I’m kind of a badass.
Saturday Shopping
If I’m out of the house, I’m going to find a way to go shopping.
Before heading to a birthday party, my BFF and I had to drop by Ulta, kids in tow. While she availed herself of her 20% off coupon, I was going to put my $5 off coupon to use by picking up Zoya “Bobbi” and essie luxeffects “A Cut Above”. (Too bad I didn’t check the dates – my coupon isn’t valid until Monday. Luckily, they had a $3.50 off coupon at the check-out.)
After a fun birthday party for a very sweet 5 year old, I demanded that we visit Bath & Body Works, so that I could take advantage of B3G3 and an “up to 40% off” coupon. I picked up Fragrance Mist, Body Cream and Shower Gel in “Oahu Coconut Sunset” for my sister in Alaska. They don’t have B&BW where she lives and I figured she may be missing Hawaii after a cold winter. I also picked up back-up Body Creams for myself – “Mad About You”, “Pure Paradise” and “Carried Away”. My coupon ended up being for 30% off – not a bad deal…
No More AntiBac
It was inevitable that Bath & Body Works respond to the recent furor over Antibacterial Soaps. Last month, they swapped out their entire Hand Soap line and replaced them all with a new non-antibacterial formula…that costs $1 more. I’d been holding off purchasing, but when I got the email today about a one day sale ($3 each) and a $10 off coupon, I couldn’t resist…
I didn’t bother getting any of the standard scents – I just picked up scents I haven’t tried yet. I got “Meyer Lemon”, “Lemon Mint Leaf”, “Garden Strawberries” (my current favorite Hand Cream in my purse), “Aloha Orchid”, “Rainforest Sugarcane”, “Honolulu Sun” and “Mango Hibiscus”.
As I was checking out, I mentioned how excited I was about the new scent coming out. The clerk thought I was referring to the one available now – “French Lavender Honey” – but I meant the new International Collection coming in April. Then she said she just got a box of “Moroccan Orchid” in and she grabbed a bottle of Fragrance Mist from the back and let me smell it…It was divine!
National Fragrance Day
Like most Americans, I only celebrate holidays that benefit me. If Bath & Body Works wants to give me a free Fragrance Mist (with any purchase) in honor of National Fragrance Day, who am I to not honor their celebration?
I also hadn’t gone shopping ALL Spring Break, so I was going a little batty. Lily and I went to Bath & Body Works for the express purpose of “celebrating National Fragrance Day.” I knew going in that I would get another “Carried Away” Fragrance Mist, but what would I buy to make that free Fragrance Mist happen?
I needed another Hand Cream ($5) for my purse. Since Lily can read now, I told her that she can “try” anything with a red “TRY ME” label. When she came to me wearing half a bottle of “Mango Hibiscus” AntiBac, I knew that was the scent of Hand Cream I wanted…but they didn’t have it. Sigh. I settled for “Honolulu Sun.” I can’t even figure out what the scent is – kind of like suntan lotion and dryer sheets?
Hoarding Exhibit 3: The Shower
If my AntiBac collection was exhibit 1 and my lotion basket was exhibit 2, then my shower stall is exhibit 3 in .
“Pure Paradise”. “Mad About You”. “Butterfly Flower”. “Paris in Bloom”. “Carried Away”. “Black Raspberry Vanilla”. “Carried Away”. “Into the Wild”.
Oh…and up top, Lush Pure Rose, Herbal Essences and Caress “Daily Silkening” Body Washes…and “Carried Away” Sugar Scrub.
I’ve got more issues than National Geographic.
My 1st Birchbox
I got my first Birchbox yesterday!
I’m quickly becoming addicted to subscription boxes…good thing Birchbox is only $10! I signed up in time to get the February box…this is what I got.
Beauty Protector Protect & Oil, which is Argan Oil for your hair. I’ve never even heard of Argan Oil before, so looking forward to trying it.
A sample of “Hello” by Harvey Prince, a citrus-y scent. I am thinking of layering it with B&BW “White Citrus.”
An itty bitty bottle of OPI Sheer Tints “Don’t Violet Me Down.” (My husband picked up the bottle and opened it and declared that something was wrong with the polish – it’s too thin. I assured him that it’s supposed to be like that.) I was disappointed that I didn’t get the Ruby Wing UV polish that my friend Luci got, but I’ll live.
A tiny vial of Truffle Therapy Anti-Aging Serum by Skin&Co Roma, which again, I’ve never heard of. I tried it last night. I was expecting to wake up looking like Snow White, so I was a bit disappointed, but I guess I’ll give it another couple of days to work. I’m just glad I didn’t wake up to a pig rooting around on my face.
Finally, I got 2 teabags from Harney & Sons Fine Teas. I hate iced tea, but I like hot tea, so I’m looking forward to trying them.
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.