Tag: boscia
Naked Honey Diamond
I did it!
What did I do?
Well…I did several things. I bought the Urban Decay Naked Honey Palette ($49), even though I said I wasn’t going to buy it yet. But I had a good reason! I got my hair cut at Ulta the day after Xmas and it put me SO close to Diamond status – only $52 away…so…
Admittedly, the colors are somewhat similar to the Naked 2 palette, but with a bunch of gold shades added. Even so, it’s a good palette. The colors are creamy and blendable, even more blendable that usual! I also like the brush that came with the palette – it’s great for packing color.
Ulta was having a deal offering any it Brushes for Ulta for $5 (regularly $14) with a palette purchase. I got the Airbrush Blending Crease Brush #105. Since it comes with a cap, I’ll through it in my travel bag for Vegas.
I also threw in a few stock-up items – a L’Oreal Colorista Bleach Highlights Kit ($10.99) and a few packs of Exfoliating Cotton Pads ($3.49). Even though I used a $3.50 off $15 coupon, I qualified for the FREE 23 Piece Sparkler Beauty Bag with $70 purchase.
Inside the Sparkler Beauty Bag: Joico Defy Damage Foilpacks with Shampoo, Conditioner, Protective Masque and Protective Shield; NARS Climax Mascara (I’m using it right now – I like it, it’s not clumpy); Rituals The Rituals of Sakura Sensational Foaming Shower Gel; NEST Fragrances Bamboo & Jasmine; Urban Decay Subversion Volumizing Lash Primer; Giorgio Armani Si Passione; Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male; Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in “Dark Brown” (so tiny!); Too Cool for School Rules of Mastic IX Enhancer (you cannot tell by the name, but this is a skin serum); Vichy Mineral 89 Skin Fortifying Daily Booster; Mamonde Lip Sleeping Mask in “Plum Blossom”; Peter Thomas Roth Peptide 21 Wrinkle Resist Serum; First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream; StriVectin anti-wrinkle SD advanced plus Intensive Moisturizing Concentrate; boscia Luminizing Black Mask; Kenneth Cole Mankind Legacy; Grown Alchemist Hydra-Repair Day Cream; Living proof. Perfect hair Day 5-in-1 styling treatment; Phyto Detox Clarifying Detox Shampoo (no matching conditioner – boo); it cosmetics Confidence in a Cream; NYX Retractable Eye Liner in “White”; Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick in “Out Loud”; and Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil in 4.5 (another so tiny!). The bag it came in was a glittery blue velvet one, and quite roomy. It might be coming to Vegas with me, too.
So yeah, I’m Ulta Diamond for 2020 – that will give me x1.5 Ulta points and free shipping (over $25)…I’m excited to see what kind of points I can rack up.
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!
Triple Freebie Haul
Not 10 minutes after I placed that last Sephora order, I placed this Ulta order…I had kept adding things to my shopping cart over the past month and when the freebies were just right…I made my move.
The biggest part of my haul was Redken Color Extend Magnetics Shampoo and Conditioner (regularly $20 each, on sale 2/$24). I’d samples this duo a few months ago at my sister’s house – it made my hair feel amazing! The price has held me back – even on sale, this is the most expensive shampoo/conditioner I’ve purchased yet. I’m going to give it a trial before switching for good…
I had sworn off Nair when I was 15 – I tried it once and it made me look like I had leg measles and didn’t melt the hair off. I was swayed by a new product – Nair Charcoal Brighten & Smooth Leg Mask ($11.99). I tested a large patch on my shin and it actually worked this time. I left it on for the 10 minutes recommended and it actually worked on me – I was shocked. It still smells like burning diapers, but it didn’t give me a rash. I am trying my entire leg in a few days – fingers crossed.
I also tried a new deodorant – Meow Meow Tweet Grapefruit Baking Soda Free Deodorant Stick ($14). I know, I know – I’ve scoffed at fancy hippy deodorants for years…but I’d noticed periodic rashes from regular antiperspirants over the last few years, and since my surgery, I’d stopped using them almost altogether. I live in Texas though – I probably should use something. I’ve been using the Meow Meow Tweet and I feel like is working at repelling odor – but it doesn’t stop my pits from getting moist. I may have to start alternating with an antiperspirant to see if that helps.
I’ve been eyeing the Sally Hansen x Jelly Belly collaboration for a while and finally decided to pick up the Sally Hansen Insta Dri x Jelly Belly Nail Color Duo Pack with “Berry Blue” and “Tutti Fruiti” ($7.99).
Ulta was offering a free 3 piece gift with $19.50 purchase – a huge Beach Bag, a Matte Bronzer, and Lip Plumping Transforming Top Coat. I am paranoid about going without eyebrows, so I got a back-up Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in “Dark Brown” ($10). I also snagged the Mercury in Retrograde 5 Piece Rose Quartz Look Book ($16). I got the set solely based on a lyric from the song “Wasted Youth” by Jenny Lewis – the line about “Mercury in Retrograde” has been in my head for weeks. (The whole album “On the Line” is amazing – you should check it out.) The kit includes Confidence Boost Facial Mist, Be-You-Tiful Cream Eyeshadow (light pink shadow with shimmer), Self Love Lip Crayon (creamy, rosy pink), Crystal Blush (rosy-toned pearl blush), and Rose Quartz Face Gems (54 count). The blush is my favorite part, but I was pleasantly surprised by the cream eyeshadow.
And the freebies…I got a Glow All Day 5 Piece Sampler with my $65 purchase: Murad Resurgence Replenishing Multi-Acid Peel; Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Bright & Plump Moisturizer; Derma e Vitamin C Concentrated Serum; Boscia Matcha Magic Super-Antioxidant Mask; and Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Power Serum. I got a Step Up 7 Piece Sampler with my $75 purchase: Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels; Botanics Hydration Burst Sheet Mask; Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Creme; Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion; Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair; I Dew Care Cake My Day Hydrating Sprinkle Wash-Off Mask; and First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser. My skin is going to feel FANTASTIC!
Looks like this haul made me Platinum for 2020 – just $733 to Diamond status. I also am up to $53 in points…hmmmm, what do I want to buy???
Freebies
Soooo…I ordered a birthday gift for my sister from Sephora, but I’m really excited about some of the freebies I got.
I used a promo code to get a deluxe sample of Aerin Mediterranean Honeysuckle. I don’t have much experience with Aerin fragrances, but this one is AMAZING. My husband smelled it and actually said, “Now that smells YUMMY.” That is high praise from a man that gags from most fragrances. I wore it on Monday and spent some time outside in the grass and I felt like I was being attacked by bugs. It’s an ultra-realistic honeysuckle scent.
I also used 100 points to get a deluxe sample of Boscia Pore Pudding – I love that shit!
My usual three samples were Chloe Fleur de Parfum (not as good as Roses de Chloe, but I like it); Guerlain Abeille Royale Youth Watery Oil; and Sephora Collection 10HR wear perfection foundation ( 3 shades – ivory 10, beige 25 and walnut 33).
Just $529 until…
Razzle Dazzle
2017 is Kat Von D‘s year. I feel like she is dropping a new product every other week. Last week, she dropped her new Everlasting Glimmer Veil Liquid Lipsticks ($22). Of course, I wanted all 9 of them, but I controlled myself and ordered the prettiest two. I got “Razzle” – magenta with pink glimmer – and “Dazzle” – crimson with pink and gold glitter.
I LOVE these lipsticks. They’re so comfy and flexible. The glimmer is amazingly vivid and long lasting. I will say that my lips did feel dry and crack-y after eating and wiping my lips with a napkin, but other than that – they felt fine. I think I need more of these…oh, and Sephora is SOLD OUT. They’ll be back in stock on 8/22, so set your reminders…
For my regular samples, I got Lacoste Eau da Lacoste (smells preppy…tossed it to my son…he’ll probably just use it to set something on fire); Dior J’adore (still too floral for me – tossed it to my daughter); and Farmacy Honey Savior All-in-One Skin Repair Salve.
I lucked into a promotion code that provided a 12 sample skincare bag: Tata Harper Clarifying Mask for Blemish-Prone Skin; Hum Raw Beauty Green Superfood Powder in “Mint Chocolate Chip Infusion” (do I look like Gwyneth Paltrow to you?); Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream; Kopari Coconut Melt Moisturizer; Farmacy Honey Potion; Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief (but are they MAGIC mushrooms?); Youth to the People Kale + Green Tea Spinach Vitamins Age Prevention Cleanser (ugh); Boscia Revitalizing Black Hydration Gel; Kora Organics Noni Glow Face Oil; Josie Maran Surreal Skin Argan Finishing Balm; Tarte Drink of H2O Hydrating Boost; and First Aid Beauty Coconut Skin Smoothie Primer Moisturizer (I really like this stuff – I already used up my deluxe sample from June’s Play! box). A few things I won’t use, but the rest are great!
Only $329 left to ROUGE…
Sephora Play! July 2017 – Beauty Staycation
Getting my last July box in right at the last minute…
July’s theme is “Beauty Staycation” and the pink gingham bag says “Glamp Out!” I prefer glamping to camping any damn day.
So pumped to get another sample of Boscia Charcoal Pore Pudding – I got a sample last year and it was a really good mask. Also in this month’s box: bare minerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipcolor in “Swag” (every brand is coming out with one right now); it Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara (I don’t know if I want my eyelashes stretched); Milk Makeup Cooling Water (not sure about this – it seems to be a “cooling” moisturizer stick?); Briogeo Rosarco Milk Reparative Leave-In Conditioning Spray (not a bad leave-in – I’m still working on the bottle I got a few years ago); and Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine (I have several of these, but it’s good).
Even though the box contains several products I already have or have had, not complaints from me – it’s alll good stuff.
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.
Rouge Note
Last week was the hotly anticipated Spring discount code for Sephora. 15% off anything and everything. Sephora isn’t like Ulta, throwing coupons around left and right – this is a BIG deal.
The first thing I ordered (on Friday) was the Atelier Cologne Nécessaire Nomade set ($45). It’s a cute little tin with 8 .14 oz travel sprays. The included scents are Bergamote Soleil, Cédrat Enivrant (my absolute favorite Atelier scent – my original travel spray is almost empty), Orange Sanguine, Pomélo Paradis (I’ve been coveting this one since smelling it in-store), Mandarine Glaciale (I already have one of these, too – but so what?), Sud Magnolia, Figuier Ardent, and Cédre Atlas. I just wish I wasn’t suffering from the worst ever sinus cold, so I could enjoy the scents…fuck it, I’ll spray them all over me so everyone else can enjoy them.
For samples, I got Lancome Advanced Genifique (not what I picked), NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint Broad Spectrum SPF 30, and Benefit The POREfessional.
I actually got the thing I ordered Sunday first – on Wednesday. Funny how that works.
I never thought I’d buy a Clarisonic. But ever since I started this site, with all the subscription boxes and samples, I’ve been taking better and better care of my skin and I can really tell the difference. Then I got an extra Clarisonic brush head with an Ultra freebie. So I took the plunge…and picked the Clarisonic Mia 2 Faded Rose Floral Favorites Set ($149), which includes Boscia Tsubaki Cleansing Oil-Gel and L’Occitane Pivoine Sublime Perfecting Cream. (Both Sephora and Ulta carry many different Clarisonic sets, with different colors and different products. Unfortunately, Ulta excludes the Mia 2 from coupons, or I would have used my 20% off coupon to buy one there.) I used it for the first time last night and it was a bit weird, but my skin felt soooo soft afterwards. Only time will tell if it makes a long-term difference in my skin and I keep using it…or get bored and shove it in a drawer.
For samples, I got Atelier Figuier Ardent, First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream and GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Treatment (Again, not what I picked – but I’ll take it). I also used points to get the Estee Edit Dissolve the Drama 2-in-1 Makeup Remover + Cleanser.
I made a pretty good dent in my spend…only $197 to Rouge status for 2017!
Zap Zap Zap
So…I finally broke down and ordered a laser to zap my bikini line. (I had gotten it done at Sona MedSpa a few years ago, but I figured buying a home laser would be cheaper than paying for touch-ups.) Sephora had the Tria Hair Removal Laser 4X on sale for $399, so I jumped on that deal – they’re usually $449, even on Amazon. So I managed to get a sale price, while guaranteeing at least VIB status for 2017. I’m looking forward to zapping my privates later…
For freebies, I chose boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser, Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment and Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Cream. I also used a code for a fresh deluxe sample of Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. I even used some of the points I’d been hoarding to get Formula X Nail Color in “Obsessed” and more belif – The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb – I love that stuff!
Oh, I was slightly kicking myself when I got my zulily email this morning and one of the deals was the Tria 4X for $389…But I quickly got over it when I remembered my Sephora status – definitely worth the extra $10.
Sephora Play! 02 – October 2015
It’s only the second month, but Sephora Play! is quickly becoming my favorite subscription box. The samples are SOOOOO good.
This month’s theme is “Secrets to Dewy Skin.” I don’t know if I want dewy skin, but looks like I am gonna get it with these: boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser & Konjac Cleansing Sponge with Bamboo Charcoal (I’ve been wanting a Konjac!); Sephora Pearl Mask (with real white pearl); Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Day Tint; Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Instant Infusion Treatment Toner; belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb (this stuff IS the bomb – I love it & get samples of it whenever I can); and Atelier Cologne “Mandarine Glaciale” (I have a rollerball of this stuff already – I like it, but my husband thinks it smells like plastic).
The box comes with a card that gives 50 extra points with my next Sephora purchase.
Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can get on the wait list at sephora.com/play.
Online Shopping Binge
I kind went nuts last week with the online shopping – between Thursday night and Saturday morning , I placed no less than 6 online orders…so many sales and coupons in my inbox…I couldn’t resist.
With the long holiday weekend and biblical flooding, almost all of the packages hit at once yesterday. Instead of half a dozen different posts, I figured I’d stuff most of them into one…
I am fairly shameless, so I’m not going to show the pile of underwear from Victoria’s Secret. Yup, I hoard panties, too.
I had been eyeing the Sephora Sun Safety Kit – I need to protect my easily scorched skin. Inside the kit are 16 different sun protection products in a cute travel bag: – AmorePacific Natural Protector SPF 30, Clarins UV Plus Anti-Pollution Broad Spectrum SPF 50, Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 in Light Medium, Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Dark Spot Sun Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen, Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm SPF 45, Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15, Josie Maran Cosmetics Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47, Korres Yoghurt Nourishing Fluid Veil Broad Spectrum SPF 30, Murad Invisiblur Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30, Ole Henriksen total truth eye crème SPF 15, Origins VitaZing Broad Spectrum SPF 15 Energy-Boosting Moisturizer with Mangosteen, Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Moisture Defense Lotion SPF 30, Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream SPF 50+ WetForce Broad Spectrum Water Resistant (80 Minutes), St. Tropez One Night Only in Light-Medium, Supergoop! City Sunscreen Serum SPF 30, and Vita Liberata Passion Flower & Argan Dry Oil Broad Spectrum SPF 50. PHEW – that’s a lot of sunscreen!
For my 3 samples, I chose Viktor & Rolf “Flowerbomb” (spicy and flowery, reminds me of a Victoria’s Secret scent), Maison Martin Margiela REPLICA “Beach Walk” (this doesn’t smell like a perfume – it smells like a thing – LOVE), and dr. brandt Do Not Age. Sephora was also running a Jetsetter deal – pick 3 extra samples – so I got Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask, Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream, and boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel. My face is gonna be SMOOTH.
I can’t say no to Birchbox’s Limited Edition Boxes. As soon as I got the email got the “Under the Sun” ($55) box, I knew I would eventually order it…but not until I got that 25% coupon. 25% off and $10 in Birchbox points and ADD TO CART. Inside the box: Baggu Tote Bag (I had my fingers crossed for this elephant print!), Cynthia Rowley Beauty Beauty on the Go Multi Blush & Bronzer Duo (meh), Laura Mercier Bakes Eye Color in “Cameo” (yasss), Sugarpova Flirty Candy (why does Maria Sharapova sell candy?), Chloe + Isabel Birchbox Exclusive Medina Convertible Pendant Necklace (my favorite part of the box!), Knockaround Premium Sunglasses (silver!), ncLA Nail Lacquer in “Bikinis & Martinis” (it’s the color of bubble gum you’d find stuck under a picnic table), and Supergoop! Skin Soothing Mineral Suncreen with Olive Polythenols SPF 40.
For samples, I got Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator and Sumita Jumon Contrast Eye Pencil. I also finally got my Birchbox Anniversary Keyring (not pictured).
…and today, I got a big box of Deep Cleansing Hand Soap from Bath & Body Works. You know that I start to get the shakes if I have less than 30 bottles under the sink. They were all between $2.75 & $3.25, plus 20% off and free shipping. I threw in a handful of Scentportables for my car for good measure.
I also received my Dream Polish Gem Glam Topcoat in “Lily Flower” – yes, it’s scented! This another popular one on Instagram and it’s 5 free – I can’t wait to try it out.
I am still waiting on my sale order from Delush Polish – that’s the only one that hasn’t arrived. I think I have enough stuff to keep me busy…until next week when all my subscription boxes start rolling in!