Tag: Gift with Purchase

 
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Beachwave Me

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I have a love/hate relationship with my hair. I’m always looking for the next product/styling aid that will give me perfect hair…I try something new, get excited…then back comes the ponytail.

That being said, my current Revlon curling iron is probably older than my son (13!) and didn’t get very hot last time I tried to use it. I’ve been drooling over the Beachwaver Curling Iron, but at $129 – that’s a steep price for a curling iron! How can I rationalize spending that much money on a styler I’ll use just a few times a year? Well…I found a way.

First, you save up your Ulta Platinum Points for nearly 2 years – the last time I used my points was on the Alice Through the Looking Glass Palette! I had saved $67.50 in points. Then, wait for a 20% off coupon. Last week, the stars aligned and I snagged the Beachwaver S1 Curling Iron for just $35.70. Woo! I tried it out and it’s just as amazing as videos make it look. You literally just grab your hair and press the button and BAM – perfect waves. I haven’t done my whole head yet…but coming soon!

I also found a promo for a free 18 piece Beauty Bag with $30 purchase on RetailMeNot – check out the amazing contents: NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in “Milk” (already have one, but sure); Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer (have some, but I like it); Bosley Professional Strength Ultra Boost Styling Creme (Bosley, like the hair plug people?); Clairol Hair Food Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner Infused with Honey Apricot Fragrance (Mmmmm); Jimmy Choo L’eau; First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads (huh?); Hempz Original Herbal Shampoo for Damaged and Color Treated Hair; Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium; Philosophy Amazing Grace; Living proof. restore mask treatment; goodol Wash Up Deep Clean Pore Glacial Clay; Nyakio Maracuja & Yangu Soothing Oil; Perricone MD Cold Plasma Face Serum; Rituals Hand Balm in “Indian Rose & Sweet Almond Oil”; Philosophy Purity Made Simple (love this stuff for when I travel); Hey Honey Good Morning Honey Silk Facial Serum; Estee Lauder The Smoother Universal Perfecting Primer; Organic to Green Coco Oil; and a $5 off $15 Ulta Collection coupon! I have finger cramps now!

My usual samples were also good –  NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment in “American Woman” and HASK Biotin Boost Shampoo & Conditioner.

I don’t plan on hitting the beach this summer, but my hair will be ready just in case!

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YAYROUGE, Part 1

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It’s that time of year…the Sephora Spring Bonus discount is here!

This year, VIB Rouge gets a 15% discount not one weekend, but BOTH weekends. I hit my closest Sephora during lunch on the first day of the sale. (Only 14 minutes from my office to Sephora!) I was after this year’s Sun Safety Kit, but the store had already sold out…I’d have to check online.

I wanted the gift with purchase, so I wandered around, looking for a summer skin product. I tried new foundations from Sunday Riley and First Aid Beauty, but was unimpressed. Then I came across Milk Makeup Sunshine Skin Tint SPF 30 in “Fair” ($42). I tried it on my wrist and it actually blended into my skin, instead of just sitting on top. What the hell. I bought a tube. 15% made me not feel bad about it. I tried it both days this past weekend and it is more similar to a BB cream than a foundation, but it evened out my complexion without looking thick. AND I didn’t break out. This foundation will be my summer jam.

Not only did I get a cute “Lips” Card Case, but I got a sample bag. Inside the special sample bag: Buxom Big Tease Plumping Mascara; tarte Drink of H2O Hydrating Boost; Clinique Beyond Perfecting Super Concealer Camouflage + 24-Hour Wear; Beauty Blender Liquid Blendercleanser (it works SO much better than Baby Shampoo); Caudalie Vinopefect Radiance Serum; Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil; Algenist Genius Ultimate Anti-Aging Cream; and Fresh Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask. Yeah, it’s mostly foil packs, but it’s high end brands.

Oh, I also got to smell REPLICA Music Festival, which is purported to smell like patchouli and “fresh bud”. I’ll be damned if it didn’t smell just like a hippie that hadn’t bathed in a month.

…and then I started ordering online….

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A Clean Face is a Happy Face

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I told you I was going to place an Ulta order

It got here quick, too. Ulta needs to work on their shipping though. It came in two boxes – one had just the Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in “Medium Brown” (been wanting to try a little lighter look) and everything else in the other box. The two boxes were the same size.

The #1 thing I wanted was the nail polish – essence “outta space is the place”, from their new Out of Space Nail Stories Collection ($2.99). It’s an iridescent white – I’ve never seen anything like it! I also picked up 2 essence Kiss the Mermaid Lipsticks ($3.49) – one for me and one for Lily. I’ve been using the fuck out of my Frog Prince Green Lipstick – this one is a blue stick that turns purplish pink.

I’ve also been wanting to try a few of the new Pacifica rose products: Pacifica Rose Kombucha Flower Powered Face Wash and Rose Flower Hydro Mist (regularly $10 each, buy one sale BOG40%off). The face wash is creamy and strongly scented. It foams A LOT – a little goes a long way. I’m getting use to the face mist – it’s a very different way to hydrate your face than the creams and lotions I’m used too.

I also grabbed two of the new Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Catsuit Metallic Lipsticks ($4.99) in “I Don’t Dessert You” and “Satin Sheets.” I totally duped myself – these are dupes of Jeffree Star “No Tea, No Shade” and “Pussy Whipped”. Jokes on me!

The last thing I added to my cart was Ulta Warming Charcoal Cleanser ($10)….so I could get the free gift with purchase makeup bag. The cleanser does warm up, but not as much as others I’ve had. The cleanser is very, very gentle. This might be one of the better makeup bag gifts. Inside the bag: an eyeshadow palette, a blush/bronzer duo, Liquid Illuminator in “Northern Lights”, Plush Drama Volumizing Mascara, Nude Lipstick in “Pink Chocolate”, Mattifying Face Primer, Tinted Eye Primer in “Peach Glow”, Juice Infused Lip Oil in “Coconut”, Eye Liner Pencil in “Blackout”, Brow Shaping Gel in “Clear”, an eye pencil sharpener, Lip Liner Pencil in “Bittersweet”, a tapered blush brush and a $5 off $15 coupon. The colors are springy and neutral.

I have been choosing skincare samples from Ulta lately – I got a Skinfix Face Cleansing Cloth and Vichy Aqualia Thermal Creme Riche. I was also able to use the $5 off coupon from my last Ulta order.

$330.6o to remain Platinum…that’s like one hair appointment!

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Ulta Birthday Trip

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I had an afternoon Doctor Appointment last week and I decided not to be a lazy shit and leave the house before noon. I thought I’d hit Ulta to pick up my Birthday Gift and see what else I can pick up.

I’ve started this new habit of keeping a list of stuff I want from Ulta in my basket in the app, so I don’t forget and can compare prices. I had at least half a dozen random items and this store did not have a single one of them in stock. Really? I had a $10 off coupon burning a hole in my pocket!

I decided to finally try the NYX Liquid Suede Metallics, since they were Buy One, Get One 50% Off. I picked up “Buzzkill” (hot pink) and “Go Rogue” (black). Warning, the pink STAINS bad, as I found out today. I also grabbed a few different nail buffers. The biggest part of my purchase was a set of Hot Tools Soft Pillow Rollers for my daughter’s birthday next week – don’t worry, she doesn’t even know what Instagram is.

This quarter’s birthday gift is kind of lame – Just an Ulta Cranberry & Pomegranate Lip Oil and Mask. The rest of the year gets NARS, it Cosmetics and Lancome! I got the shaft.

Disappointed, I hit a second Ulta on the way to my appointment and again – disappointment. I actually ended up placing an online order a few days ago…I’m excited!

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Give Me Some Nude Lip – Take 4

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I am such a sucker for Sephora’s curated lip sets. I don’t know if it is the lipstick or the little lip shaped box that they come in. I’d say it was the box, but I REALLY wanted one of those lippies. So I got the new Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Nude Lip Set ($28).

The one I really wanted? NARS Lipstick in “Orgasm”. I had gotten a deluxe sample of NARS Orgasm Blush a while back and it is one of my favorites – all the hype is true – it is universally flattering. I actually put on makeup for the first time in weeks yesterday, just so I could see the blush and lipstick together – heavenly.

Also in the the glittery white lip box: Hourglass Girl Lip Stylo in “Futurist”; Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in “Sugar” (really just a sheer gloss); Tarte Tarteist Quick Dry Matte Lip Paint in “Exposed” (I love a basic brown matte); Urban Decay Cosmetics Vice Special Effects in “Fever” (I’d be more impressed if these weren’t on clearance for $9 everywhere); and Smashbox Cosmetics Be Legendary Lip Pigment in “Mauve Wife” (this will be my fave – it’s like a cross between Lolita and Androgyny!)

Oh, and no dupes! I didn’t have any of these lippies!

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I also used this order to get my Sephora Birthday gift – I chose the GlamGlow set with GlamGlow SuperMud Clearing Treatment and GlowStarter Mega Illuminating Moisturizer. My other chose was some Bite Beauty Lipstick – meh.

Can we talk about samples? Even though I got the 2 deluxe samples I used a special code for – it Cosmetics Confidence in a Cleanser (divine) and Miu Miu L’eau Rosee (not a straight rose, but like running through an unkempt rose garden with roses and whatever happens to be growing there) – I DID NOT get my other samples. This is the third time in a row!

First I emailed Customer Service again, they quickly apologized qand gave me 225 points. That’s nice and all, but not a solution. I took to twitter and then DMed with Sephora. They admitted it’s been an ongoing issue, blah blah blah. I can tell you what the issue is – the samples are no longer showing up on the pick list that shows up in my box. I’ve been using the app to order, so next order will be placed online and we’ll see if that helps..

$932 to Rouge…but $282 to VIB Insider is more likely.

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Thanksgiving Day Shopping

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Oooohhh! My Thanksgiving orders came in at the end of last week! I didn’t even wait – I did all my ordering on Thursday. Shipping is definitely getting slower and slower.

Ulta was offering a free 9 pc gift with a $50 order, so you know I hit that shit. The only thing I really needed was another Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in “Dark Brown” ($10), everything else was just extra.

I do, however, think I’ve found my “forever” shampoo and conditioner – SheaMoisture Peace Rose Oil Complex Nourish & Silken Shampoo and Conditioner (normally $11.49, but on sale – buy one, get one 40% off). This is the scent I’ve been waiting my whole life for – rose shampoo and conditioner! And it makes my hair feel AMAZING. So soft and so shiny. It’s pricey, but I’m not even mad. This is THE ONE.

Oh, I ordered some other small odds and ends for the kids’ stockings. One of those things got me a free sample of Seche Vite! I’ve been wanting to try it for ages.

The free 9 pc bag was full of Ulta goodies: an eyeshadow palette (love the purpley colors), a highlighter palette, a blush brush, a double ended eye liner – “plum” and “blackout”, a Matte Lip Crayon in “Soiree”, an eye liner sharpener, Tinted Eye Primer in “Satin Blush”, and Color Rush Lip Gloss in “Olivia”. Oh, and a $5 off $15 coupon for Ulta products.

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I was only a little annoyed that my sample pack was not included in my order.

I also got my Victoria’s Secret order. Someone always ends up with one of their robes as a gift from me – shhhh…don’t tell!

No one wants to see a pile of bras, so I’ll stick to the important stuff.

Since all the lippies were on sale for $8, I added one to plump up my order – I gotta get that free tote bag! I got a Velvet Matte Cream Lip Stain in “Perfection”. Yeah, they transfer onto anything and everything, but they still last all day on my lips.

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Saint AND Sinner

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When Kat Von D’s new Saint & Sinner Eyeshadow Palette ($62) dropped last Wednesday, I debated for about 30 seconds before I went ahead and ordered it. I wasn’t about to risk it selling out like I did with the Mi Vida Loca Palette…that I bought for my ex-BFF, but she did not buy for me.

ANYWAY, this palette has been a long time coming and it’s absolutely GORGEOUS. It has 24 new colors, modeled after stained glass windows. The Saint side has more muted, natural colors…while the Sinner side has bolder, darker colors. I’ve already worn it a couple of times and have been able to pull from both sides. So far, my favorite is “Rapture”, a transforming pink shimmer from the Sinner side. (I just had to wear it on Saturday, but The Rapture never came – boo.)

So  I noticed that there are shades called “Sanctuary” and “Crucifix” on the Saint side…my next task will be to see how they match up with the “Sanctuary” and “Crucifix” Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks. My eyeballs tell me that they match up to the colors, but I have to test them to be sure.

The somewhat random colors remind me of the Urban Decay Vice palettes. I get all excited about them when I get them, but they’re all stuck in a drawer, barely used. I’m feeling like the colors here are more usable together and I won’t set it aside, but only time will tell.

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For my regular three samples, I got Caudalie VineActiv Glow Activating Anti-Wrinkle Serum, Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation Perfecting Moisturizer and black Up Perfecting Mattifying Primer. I’m going all out on skincare these days.

In my quest to never have to buy shampoo again, I used a promo code to get a sample bag of hair samples: Alterna Caviar CC Cream 10-in-1 Leave-In Hair Perfector; Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Smoothing Hydra-Gelee Nourishing Hair Perfector (why does Alterna have such long product names?); amika Nourishing Mask; Klorane Nourishing Leave-in Cream with Mango Butter; IGK Hydrating Hair Balm; DevaCurl Melt Into Moisture Matcha Butter Conditioning Mask (will be setting aside for a curly-headed friend); rahua Omega 9 Hair Mask; Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask; Verb Ghost Shampoo & Conditioner (I have a mental block against this Austin-based brand, but maybe I’ll try it); OUAI Repair Shampoo & Conditioner; and Living Proof. Perfect Hair Day Shampoo & Conditioner (if I ever win the lottery, maybe I can afford to exclusively use this brand…until then – samples it is).

Oh, and I just saw today that Kat Von D has a DIVINE palette coming out. I told the husband and he is LEGIT scared…he should be.

And only $221 until ROUGE. I can do it!

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Everlasting Flash – Hazes

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I’ve skipped the last few months of Everlasting Flash – either colors I already had or didn’t see myself using…like that set of 3 different shades of gray. But this month was right up my alley.

Kat Von D “Haze” is mauve-y gray, while “Haze II” is the lighter, grayer version. I got both for $36, versus the normal price of $20 each. “Haze” seems like it might be a dupe for Jeffree Star “Androgyny”, but I haven’t swatched it yet.

The best bonus code I could find was for a deluxe sample of Sunday Riley C.E.O. C+E Protect + Repair Moisturizer. For my other three samples, I got Atelier Cologne Clementine California, Pinrose Pillowtalk Poet, and Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation.

Only $283 to Rouge…

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Midnight Mermaid

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Ulta is now carrying wet n wild cosmetics – online only. There was a 20% off coupon in my email. What a time to be alive!

I was excited, because wet n wild just released a new collection – The Midnight Mermaid Collection. It’s very similar to Black Moon Cosmetics Cosmic Metals Collection – imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! I picked up almost all of it. I got all 4 of the MegaLast Metallic Liquid Catsuit lipsticks ($4.99) – “Coral Crown”, “Harbor A Crush”, “Siren’s Jewel” and “Sea Seduction”. I only got one of the three MegaLiner Metallic Eyeliner ($3.99) – “Trident’s Shimmer”. I also only got one of the four Color Icon Metallic Liquid Eyeshadows ($4.99) – “Lara’s Necklace”, because DUH. I also picked up the Mermaid Highlighting Bar ($6.99).

I keep saying that I don’t like buying fragrances without smelling them first…but then I keep doing it. After reading the description of Philosophy Amazing Grace Ballet Rose, I went ahead and picked up the mini size for $18. It also came with a 4 oz. bottle of Amazing Grace Shower Gel as a free bonus! I am SO glad I picked it up – it’s now my second favorite rose scent, after Cartier Goutte de Rose.

 

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I also picked up a little something for Lily – the China Glaze My Little Pony 6 pc Micro Mini Kit ($15). It’s a tie in to the My Little Pony movie coming out next month. Maybe the polish will get her over the pain of me refusing to sit through it in the theater. Oh – and my Variety Sampler included foilpacks of Olay Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream and Botanics 100% Organic Facial Oil. Meh.

This order did not push me to Platinum Status for 2018, but you know what did? Friday before last, I took the kids to get their back-to-school haircuts at Ulta and I got a cut and color. I was going for a rose gold melt, but my stylist didn’t want to make all my hair fall out by bleaching it too much, so it ended up a pinkish red. I also went ahead and signed up for the Ulta Platinum card, so I could get 20% off all our haircuts. Ulta may be an expensive place to get kids’ haircuts…but at least I ended up with $61 worth of points out of the deal.

Since Hurricane Harvey has had us housebound for several days, I decided to play around with my Midnight Mermaid stuff. On my eyes, I used “Lara’s Necklace”, the green liquid eyeshadow, and “Trident’s Shimmer”, the pewter eyeliner. I LOVED the liquid eyeshadow and may be picking up some of the other colors. I did not care for the liquid line – it was too goopy, especially on top of the liquid eyeshadow. My lips are an ombre of the blue and green lipsticks – “Sea Seduction” and “Siren’s Jewel”, with a bit of the Highlighter in the middle. The lipsticks are just as great as the other liquid catsuits, and the price cannot be beat. It’s a lot for every day (Can you say MiMi?), but just right for the middle of a hurricane.

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Razzle Dazzle

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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…