Tag: Cetaphil
Diamond in 2025 Ulta Haul
I’d been dropping stuff in my cart for a few weeks and finally checked out…
I am paranoid about running out of shampoo & conditioner, so I got back-ups of Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Joia Strengthening + Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner ($26 each).
I saw that Ulta had a gift with purchase for buying $19.50 worth of Ulta products…I can do that in my sleep! I had been eyeballing the Ulta Beauty Collection Weightless Water Lip Stain in “Cherry Pie” ($11). I was expecting it to be redder on…I guess I need to put like, 35 coats on? My nails need attention, so I also got an Ulta Manicure Buffing Block ($4) and two packs of Exfoliating Cotton Rounds ($3.99). I got the pink variant of the gift with purchase, which includes a 6 pan eye shadow palette; Ultamate Lashes Multi-Tasking Mascara; Poreless Face Primer; Cream Blush Stick; Tinted Eye Primer; High Shine Liquid Lipstick; Tinted Lip Oil; an Eye Shadow Brush; and a Makeup Sponge.
Speaking of nails, I also stocked up on Zoya Remove+ Nail Polish Remover ($8.40, down from $12) and a Flowery Blue Max 4-Way Buffing Block ($2.09, down from $2.99). Since I like color changing lip products and Tim Burton, I got a few of the Nightmare Before Christmas Collection products – Wet n Wild Nightmare Before Christmas Truth or Scare Color Changing Lip Oil and Nightmare Before Christmas Two-Faced Color Changing Lip Oil ($5.99 each). They are not sticky and have surprisingly solid staying power.
I used a $3.50 off $15 coupon AND $50 of my collected Ulta points, but that didn’t stop me from qualifying for 2 more gifts with purchase. First, I qualified for a 14 Piece Fall Haul with my $70 purchase, which included Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb, Clean it Zero Ginseng-Glow Cleansing Balm; e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer; NYX Duck Plump High Pigment Plumping Gloss in “Clearly Spicy” (I just put this on and it reminds me of the original Lip Venom – pure capsaicin on my lips – Jesus FUCK); Snail Rescue Purifying Cleanser; La Roche-Posay Mela Serum Dark Spot Correction; Florence by Mills Wildly Me (do you understand what I mean when I say it smells purple? The notes are iris, wisteria, violet and lavender); CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion; First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub (the sole reason I picked this bag variation); The Good Patch Dream Patch (a melatonin patch!); Tula The Cult Cleanser (oh, a DELUXE sample!); eczema honey Soothing Body Wash; Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser; and Vichy Mineral 89 Fortifying and Plumping Daily Booster (what is it even boosting?) I also qualified for a Platinum & Diamond Exclusive Free 10 Piece Gift with $90 purchase, which included Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Bronzer (I bet this makes me look like I’m wearing blackface); Yves Saint Laurent Libre (stinky); Wella Ultimate Repair Miracle Hair Rescue (giving to Lily to deal with all day marching band braid damage); Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil in “Warm Deep Brown” (oh, this might be a match – I usually end up with Taupe in sample packs); tarte Maracuja Juicy Plumping Lip Oil (ugh, not falling for this again); Living Proof. Perfect hair Day High-Shine Gloss; Kylie Jenner Matte Liquid Lipstick in “Kylie” (ugh); Smashbox Photo Finish Primer; Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Sculpt Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara; and OUAI Detox Shampoo (but NO MATCHING CONDITIONER – rude). Lots of good stuff!
This purchase pushed me over the edge! I’m Diamond in 2025!
21 Days of Beauty x 2
I never think I am going to see something I want during Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty Sale…and then I always do. This time, I ordered two different times!
The first order – I forget which day of the sale it was – had two products I wanted for 50% off: Zitsticka Goo Getter Surface Zit Hydrocolloid Patches ($8, down from $16) for Lily and it Brushes for Ulta Brush Bath Purifying Solid Brush Cleanser ($11.50, down from $23). I haven’t used the brush cleaner (maybe this weekend), but Lily has been using the zitstickas and loves them. I saw her putting on on her tush the other day…I also added Megababe The Geo Deo ($14) to my order, because I wanted to try it out. I don’t like it as much as Rosy Pits, but it is a nice basic “clean” smelling deodorant.
The second order…how could I pass up half price Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil for half-price? They were $5, down from $10, so I bought two, “Medium Brown” and “Dark Brown.” Then I just threw some stuff into my cart…a tgin Honey Miracle Hair Mask Packet ($2.99), because I want to use it with the tgin shampoo and conditioner I just got off Amazon…Sally Hansen Insta-Dri x PEEPS Nail Polish Duo Pack ($11.99), which also came with a free Tumbler full of PEEPS lip gloss…Cetaphil products were BOGO 40% off, so I got Extra Gentle Daily Scrub Exfoliating Face Wash and Gentle Skin Cleanser Face Wash For Sensitive Skin.
$886 to Diamond – I better get a move on!
Fresh Cyber Monday Haul
I didn’t go TOO crazy on Cyber Monday…well, maybe a little.
I mostly bought gifts, so not sharing them in this post…but I did get a little something for myself…Fresh Beauty was 25% off, so I got Fresh Sugar Strawberry Exfoliating Face Wash ($24.75, down from $33) and Fresh Sugar Balm Gift Set ($13.87, down from $18.50). This qualified me for a free gift from Fresh – a makeup bag with 4 samples: Fresh Rose Hydration Cream (LOVE); Fresh Soy Face Cleanser; Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate; and Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment. I admit, I kind of enjoy buying Sephora-owned products from Ulta…
Oooh, another gift with my $90 purchase! Inside the (mostly skin stuff) Cyber Monday bag: No7 Menopause Skincare Nourishing Overnight Cream (HOW DID THEY KNOW I’M OLD???); MAC fix+ Magic Radiance; Love Wellness Bye Bye Bloat (again, how did they know my digestive tract is all broken?); Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum (I love this stuff); Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream; it Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream (I love this stuff, too); Better Not Younger Bounce Back Shampoo & Conditioner; Ariana Grande God is a Woman; Tom Ford Noir; Givenchy Gentleman (a good friend of mine wears this – it’s nice); Olay Regenerist Hyaluraonic +Peptide Hydrating Gel; Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator; Kate Somerville ExfoliKate; Tula Skincare the cult classic purifying face cleanser & 24-7 moisture hydrating day & night cream; Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion; Giorgio Armani My Way; a Zitsticka; It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product; IGK Pay Day Instant Repair Shampoo & Conditioner + Cash In Instant Repair Serum; Too Faced Lady Bold Lipstick Sample Card; NARS Concealer Sample Card; Keys Soulcare Let Me Glow Illuminating Serum (I also love this stuff); Anastasia Beverly Hills Crystal Lip Glow in “Glass”; Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Cream (even more stuff I love); and Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer.
I got so much stuff that I was able to use a $10 off code AND qualify for Diamond in 2023 – that’s it, I’m in!
Neutrogena Ulta Haul
I usually have enough free samples of sunscreen to keep me going, but with my son’s Summer Band practice and my upcoming vacation trips, I took advantage of a Neutrogena B2G1 Free deal. I got Neutrogena Clear Face Oil-Free Sunscreen SPF 50 ($15.99) for him, while I picked Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion Sunscreen SPF 50 ($15.99) and Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen SPF 100+ ($14.99, but FREE with offer). On top of the sale, I also got a free Cherry Cooler Bag with a $25 brand purchase – I’ll bring that on vacation, too!
I’ve been obsessed with Lilac lately, and wanted a lilac heavy perfume. Instead of trial and error, I went with straight lilac in Pacifica Beauty French Lilac Spray Perfume ($22). It’s very nice, although a bit powdery smelling.
Rounding out my order, I added a few EcoTools bath poofs (Bath & Body Works had been out, so I’ll settle for EcoTools) and Exfoliating Cotton Pads.
My $65 order netted me a very nice 13 piece sample bag with basd Refreshing Body Lotion in “Citrus Grapefruit”; Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator; Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Cleansing Gel; Keys Soulcare Skin Transformation Cream (ohh, this is Alicia Keys’ new brand); oSea Undaria Algae Body Oil (um, what?); dermalogica Sound Sleep Cocoon Transformative Night Gel-Cream; Rusk Puremix Native Fig Replenishing Shampoo & Conditioner; Cetaphil Sheer Hydration Replenishing Body Lotion; CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser; Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair (yasssss – good stuff); COOLA Refreshing Water Cream Sunscreen SPF 50; and Tula Skincare 24-7 Moisture Hydrating Day & Night Cream. Is it me, or are “transformation” and “replenishing” getting totally over-used now?
I love that Ulta still gives you the gift with purchase, even if you use a coupon. My original total was $65.94, but I still got my goodies after using that $3.50 off $15 coupon.
May 2021 Allure Beauty Box – Power List
That’s IT! I cannot handle any more overpriced face creams or serums! I emailed Allure Customer Support today, in an attempt to cancel my Allure Beauty Box account.
This month’s overpriced face cream is Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream ($265 for 50ml). My little sample is just 7ml ($37.10). I haven’t tried it yet…I’ll get to it eventually. In addition to this cream, there’s also Wander Beauty Sight C-ER Vitmain C Concentrate and CosRx Propolis Light Ampoule. Two more facial serums!
Also in what should be my last box: Josephine Cosmetics Liquid Lipstick in “Tiphaine” (is that pronounced “Tiffany”?); Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb; Purlisse Matcha Green Tea Antioxidant Sheet Mask; and Cetaphil Sheer Mineral SPF 50.
Goodbye and so long Allure Beauty Box…
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December 2020 Allure Beauty Box – Hello Hibernation!
Okay, this is more like it!
I’ve been threatening to cancel my Allure Beauty Box for several months now, but the December box was full of really good products!
The STAR of December’s box was the Ciate London Trend Edit Palette ($24). This is a beautiful eyeshadow palette full of rich browns and spicy shimmers – I’m a sucker for a red shimmery eyeshadow! Just this palette is worth the cost of the box!
Also in this month’s “Hello Hibernation” box: Mudmasky Leave-Me-On Winter Mask; Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S. Thirst-Quenching Serum; ByMe x MyBeautyBrand Black Liquid Eyeliner; La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum; and Cetaphil Deep Hydration Healthy Glow Daily Cream (this is a rich, thick face cream – I prefer to sleep in it, than to wear for daytime).
In addition to the normal box, there was a special “Beauty Loot” pouch, just for me! Inside the pouch was a deluxe fragrance sample of Proenza Schouler Arizona! It’s a mature and mysterious scent – it reminds me of Neiman Marcus for some reason…
Keep kissing my butt, Allure – I like it!
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Target Beauty Boxes – March 2020
For the third month in a row, Target gave us two Beauty Boxes this month!
The “Spring Break” box knocked it out of the park. The star of the box is a FULL SIZE Schmidt’s Rose & Black Pepper Natural Deodorant, which retails for $7.99 on its own! I’d gotten samples of Schmidt’s previously, and it left my pits red and irritated. I gave this one a shot and I’ve had no redness or irritation. I am in love with the peppery scent!
Also in the “Spring Break” box: Thayer’s Witch Hazel Alcohol-Free Toner Facial Mist; Nexxus Therappe Ultimate Moisture Shampoo; Nexxus Humectress Ultimate Moisture Conditioner (this scent brings me back to my childhood, when my mom would buy this conditioner and I would sneak it); Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Unscented Refreshing Dry Shampoo; OGX Refresh & Restore + Coconut Miracle Oil Dry Shampoo (do I really need two more dry shampoos?); and Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser. This is a fantastic box!
The other box was themed “Dermatologist-Trusted Skincare” and included: La Roche Posay Touleraine Hydrating Gentle Cleanser; CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser for Normal to Oily Skin; CeraVe Eye Repair Cream; Vichy Aqualia Thermal Rich; La Roche Posay Anthelios Tinted Mineral Suncreen – SPF 50 (this stuff is really good – I’ve sampled it before); CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion; Vichy Mineral 89 Eyes; and Vichy Mineral 89. This is a great, high end box!
Each box was $7, with free shipping, plus 5% off with my Target Red Card. (Strangely enough, no consolidation discount was offered with the March boxes.) Both boxes came with $3 off $15 coupons, and THESE coupons have an extended expiration date of 6/30/20. I should have no problems getting to use both these coupons!
Target Beauty Boxes – January 2019
Two boxes again this month – and they are BOTH for me and my skin!
The blue box is “Hello Skin-sational!” It’s all to moisten my winter skin! Included in the box: Vichy Mineral 89 (like Heinz 57 for your face?); Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub; Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream; Dove DermaSeries Body Lotion Replenish; La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Cleanser; La Roche-Posay Redermic R (I guess now that I’m getting old, I need that retinol); and CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream. I am gonna use ALL of these.
The yellow box is “Hello Flawless Beauty Finds!” It has all kinds of different stuff: Love Beauty & Planet Argan Oil & Lavender Deodorant (ugh, I really want to try their new deodorant, but lavender gives me a headache – I’ll have to see if they make a rose version); Method Body Wash in “Pure Peace” (peony and rosewater – omg, my favorites); Up&Up Premium Cotton Rounds; Maybelline Eye Studio Master Precise All Day Liner; Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil (I wonder how this would do on my giant belly scar?); Schmidt’s Naturals Travel Sized Toothpaste with Activated Charcoal (I’ve been wanting to try charcoal toothpaste); and Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-1 Waterproof.
Two stuffed boxes for $7 each . As usual, free shipping, 5% off with my Red Card and each came with a $3 off $15 coupon – one for skincare only and the other for any beauty products. I didn’t use either coupon last month – I had them with my when I went to Target, I bought $20 of shampoo for the house…and I forgot to to pull a coupon out of my purse. Goddamnit.
Target Beauty Boxes – October 2018
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Two boxes for two months in a row? Yes, please!
The “Hello Bright Eyes!” box is ALL eye products – I have two of them! The product that excited me the most was the Sonia Kashuk Brow Line + Fill Brush with Spoolie. I don’t have a full size Brow Brush – I’ve been using the tiny brush that came with an ABH Dip Brow Sample. This product alone is worth the price of the box. Also in this box: Acure Radically Rejuvenating Under Eye Hydrogel Mask; Lumify Eye Drops; Covergirl Get in Line Liquid Eyeliner; and Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara Mini. This box is the total package!
The other box is “Hello Autumn Groove” – products for the changing seasons. I squee’ed when I saw the Olay Total Effects Whips Moisturizer – I love this stuff. The Love Beauty and Planet Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower Shampoo and Conditioner also went straight into my shower. Also in this box: Tom’s Luminous White Toothpaste with Flouride (not a fan of this stuff – tastes weird); bliss Makeup Melt Dry/Wet Gentle Jelly Cleanser with Rose Flower; and Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion.
And you cannot really see them in the picture, but even the boxes themselves are fancy. They have designed on them, kind of like Birchboxes.
Both boxes had the usual $3 off a Beauty/Personal Care purchase of $15 or more. (I already used one of them yesterday – both my kids were out of shampoo/conditioner…and OF COURSE they each demand a different brand.) Each box was $7, with free shipping and 5% off with my Red Card.
Allure Beauty Thrills – December 2016
I never did figure out who to call to change my address, so I had to wait for USPS to forward the box to me…and it wasn’t free – it cost me another $15.90 to get this last box.
The first thing I noticed is that this last box was TINY – about half the size of previous boxes. What the fuck, Allure? The boxes have gotten more expensive, but have less stuff. And the stuff is mostly weird brands I’ve never heard of.
Inside the TINY box: Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean & Fresh Battery-Operated Spinbrush (No complaints – can always use a back-up); Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean & Fresh Toothpaste (Also will be used); Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream; ChapStick Total Hydration Moisture + Tint in “Merlot” (another good inclusion); Dessange Professional Hair Luxury Oleo Miracle Replenishing Oil (my grandmother used to call margarine “oleo” – is this hair margarine?); Glov On-The-Go (I’ve been curious about these makeup removing mitts); an Invisibobble (looks like a telephone cord you put in your hair); imPress Gel Manicure (NO – I am NOT wearing press-on nails); KISS Salon Acrylic Nude French Nails (I guess my daughter gets two sets of fake nails); Not Your Mother’s Plump for Joy Thickening Hair Lifter (nope.); Redken Triple Take 32 Hairspray; Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in “Crystal Mauve”; Rimmel London Moisture Renew Clear Lip Liner (I do not see the point); Rituals Happy Buddha Shower Foam in “Sweet Orange & Cedar” (I got this in the last box – using this sweet smelling stuff in my shower now); Simple Skincare Hydrating Cleansing Oil (I wish I wasn’t grossed out by Cleansing Oil); WEN Hair and Body Care by Chaz Dean SIXTHIRTEEN Ultra Nourishing Intensive Body Treatment (if this stuff made my body hair fall out like the shampoo allegedly does, I’d be all over it); and Unwash Bio-Cleansing Conditioner (again, skeptical of these co-washes).
What a dinky box! I won’t be blindly buying the next Allure box that comes out – I’ll be reviewing the contents closely. SO disappointed in this box!