Tag: HASK

 
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Mostly Purple Haul

The fact that most of the products in this order were purple was entirely coincidental!

The intentional part of the order is the purple hair dye – I’m sampling a few different semi-permanent dyes to see if I can get my hair purple enough to claim the title of MEGA-MOM. I mean, dying my hair school colors would make me the MEGA-MOM of the year, right? I picked up a sample packet of Lime Crime Unicorn Hair in “Pony” for $2.50 (I have reservations about Lime Crime, but since they’ve sold out, I’m less concerned about supporting the questionable creator) and Keracolor Travel Size Color + Clenditioner in “Purple” for $8.99. I’ve only tried the Keracolor, but it did NOTHING to my hair. I only left it in 5 minutes in the shower, so I am going to try it again for 30 minutes before making a final verdict…but I’m not optimistic. I may have to break down and try Manic Panic – but I’m hesitant to stain every single thing I own.

The other purple products I picked up: Zoya Remove + (always needing this) and Nexxus Frizz Defy Active Frizz Control Shampoo and Conditioner. I’ve had a bad case of the frizzies lately, so decided to try these while they were 40% off. What I don’t understand is why the Conditioner is so much more than the Shampoo, $19.99 ($11.99 on sale) for the Conditioner, versus $13.99 ($8.39 on sale) for the Shampoo. Fingers crossed for smooth hair soon.

I also picked up some other 50% off products – my holy grail eyebrow pencil, Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in “Dark Brown” ($5, down from $10) and a wet n wild Megalast Liquid Catsuit Metallic Lipstick in “Life’s No Pink-Nic” ($2.49, down from $4.99). The lipstick looks reddish in the tube, but is a dusty rose/copper – neither of which are pink, as the name implies. So confuse.

I got two different sample bag with my order, a hair sample bag and a brow sample bag. Inside the hair sample bag: HASK Cactus Water Shampoo & Conditioner (excited to try this); Alterna Haircare Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture CC Cream; Wella Professional Invigo Volume Boost Crystal Mask; Seed Phytonutrients Scalp & Roots Oat Mask (WEIRD); System Professional Smoothen Shampoo Hair Structure Softener (WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN? This product scares me); Curlsmith Scalp Stimulating Booster; and Macadamia Professional Essential Repair Daily Deep Conditioner. Inside the brow sample bag: Urban Decay Brow Endowed Brow Volumizer in “Brown Betty”; Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil in “3.5 Neutral Medium Brown”; Tweezerman Micro Mini Tweezer (OMG, it’s miniscule); Covergirl Clear Brow Setting Gel; Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel; and essence lash & brow gel mascara style & comb. What am I going to do with all this clear brow gel???

No good coupons when I ordered, just the usual $3.50 off $15 coupon. $460 to Diamond status.

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Target Beauty Box – November 2018

 

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Well, since I ordered the December Target Beauty Boxes today – YES, there are TWO – I should probably tell you what was in the November box?

My dry winter skin needs ALL the products in this month’s “Hello Hydration” box. Inside the box: Hask Monoi Coconut Oil Nourishing Shampoo & Conditioner (super deluxe sample bottles!); bliss Drench & Quench Cream-to-Water Hydrator; Aquaphor Lip Repair (my poor lips need this so bad); Lumene VALO Overnight Cream; and L’Oreal Hydra Genius Liquid Care Moisturizer.

I cannot wait to moisten myself with these beauties! I will be so MOIST.

A good value for $7. As usual, free shipping, 5% off with my Red Card and a $3 off $15 coupon (that expired yesterday, December 3rd).

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Target Beauty Box – July 2018

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Hello Rejuvenation!

I will happily take all the rejuvenation I can get – this summer is so hot that a couple of hobbits threw aa ring in my backyard.

I cannot wait to try the Shea Moisture African Black Soap & Charcoal Body Scrub – all the sunscreen has left my back an oozy mess! I don’t know which is worse – sunburn or clogged pores?

Also in this month’s box: Clean & Clear Jelly Sheet Mask; HASK Coconut Dry Shampoo; Nivea Foaming Silk Mousse Body Wash; Up & Up 3 Day Whitening Kit (Oooohhh…for my teefies); TRESemme Repair & Protect 7 Mask; and Acure Brilliantly Brightening Facial Scrub (love this brand).

The box was $7, with free shipping and 5% off with my Red Card. I plan on using my $3 off $15 coupon within the next few days – it expires soon!

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The Mother of All Sample Bags

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Ulta might be stingy when it comes with its regular samples, but they are more than generous when it comes to their gift with purchase sample bags. To kick off the Memorial Day weekend, Ulta offered the Mother of All Sample Bags with a $65 purchase…but first, my purchases.

When I get the emails with a sample bag or gift with purchase, I’ll check the sales and fill up my bag. Sometimes I’ll complete the transaction, but oftentimes I don’t. I’ll usually just leave stuff in my bag for next time. Unfortunately, my bag was empty, so I had to start this shopping trip from scratch. I started by checking the Ulta Sale page. I noticed that Edge/Skintimate Shave Gel was BOGO 50% off. Unfortunately, they were out of Edge, so my husband will get to shave his head with Skintimate. Then I noticed that L’Oreal Colorista Semi-Permanent for Brunette Hair was $8.99, down from $10.99. Since it doesn’t work all that well, I figured it would be perfect to use on the kids. I got 3 – Teal, Midnight Blue and Maroon. I also found Ofra Limited Edition Metallic Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in “Fantasia” (it reflects in blue, red and purple – it’s almost holographic) for $10.20, down from $17.

Another deal I was able to take advantage of was a Makeup Revolution Mystery Bag Offer with $25 purchase. This one was hard to do, since Sally just sent me ALL the newest palettes. I decided on the SophX Ultra 24 Eyeshadow Palette, $15 and the Pro HD Brighter Than My Future Palette, $20, but $16 after my 20% off any one item coupon. I had never heard of @SophieDoesNails until this palette, but apparently, she’s a famous Influencer in the UK. I tried out the eye shadows today (without primer) and they do seem to be slightly higher quality than the normal eyeshadows. They blended seamlessly and lasted decently well. Most of the colors are shimmery and I’m not sure what I’m going to do with all the dark greens, but looking forward to playing with it. It may – or may not – be a dupe for the Morphe Jaclyn Hill Palette. It looks somewhat similar, but infinitely more wearable. The Pro HD palette is a blush/highlighter palette. The shimmers are INTENSE. I tried one of the striped ones and had to pat half of it off – I looked like an alien. Good stuff, man. Inside the Mystery Bag: the Unicorns Unite Salvation Palette (I actually don’t have this one!), The One Sculpt Contour Stick, Ultra Strobe Stick in “Peach Lightening”, and Salvation Velvet Lip Lacquer in “The One for All”. Not bad.

And now. what was in the 29 piece Mother of All Sample Bags? In no particular order: tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer (4 shades); DevaCurl Melt into Moisture Matcha Butter Conditioning Mask; Urban Decay Troublemaker Mascara; Sexy Hair Sexy Suds Shampoo & Conditioner; Ulta Beauty Poreless Face Primer (nice); Benefit Roller Lash (one of my fave mascaras); Hempz Herbal Healthy Hair Herbal Fortifying Shampoo; First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads; Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 50; Sexy Hair Love Oil; Prada Candy; Maybelline Great Lash (that iconic pink and green tube); Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Cloud Cream Cleanser; NYX Worth the Hype Volume & Lengthening Mascara; Eyeko London eye do liquid eye liner in “carbon black”; Woman by Ralph Lauren; dermalogica Sound Sleep Cocoon Transformative Night Gel-Cream; Julep Love Your Bare Face Cleansing Oil; living proof. No Frizz Nourishing Style Cream; Mario Badescu Aloe Vera Toner (this opened inside the bag and got everything a bit MOIST); Lime Crime Unicorn Hair in “Bunny” (there’s no way this peachy shade would ever work in my hair – or anyone’s hair for that matter); philosophy Purity Made Simple Moisturizer; Mamonde Pore Clean Clay Mask; Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss in “St. Tropez”; Lime Crime Diamond Crushers in “Lit” (even though I think Lime Crime is a shit brand, I’m looking forward to trying this one out); Kenra Platinum Luxe One Leave-In All-in-One Miracle Spray; COOLA Dawn Patrol Classic Primer; Garnier Skin Active Micellular Foaming Gel Cleanser; and Becca Ultimate Coverage 24-Hour Foundation (3 foil swatches). That’s a lot of stuff, right? That’s at least $50-60 worth of samples! AND it came in a huge, high quality woven canvas makeup bag. Oh, and did I forget the $5 off $15 Ulta Collection coupon?

I also forgot my regular samples – Redken All Soft Shampoo & Conditioner and HASK Biotin Boost Thickening Shampoo & Conditioner. I checked my Ultimate Rewards Balance and I just need ~$50 more to hit Platinum. There’s a slight possibility that I could make Diamond if I get a few haircuts…

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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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Target Beauty Boxes – December 2017

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Two Target Beauty Boxes for December – it’s an Xmas miracle! Well, not really – it happens every few months.

The “Hers” box (right) seems a bit light for $7. It includes Hask Coconut Oil Deep Conditioner (I’ve gotten a lot of these, and have just started using them); Rimmel London Shake it Fresh Mascara in “Very Black” (the fuck? I’m supposed to shake it up before using it?); imPRESS Press-On Manicure (Who has fingers this small? My 9 year old, I hope); Nexxus Comb Thru Finishing Mist (I’ve gotten several cans of this – I like it); Vera Wang Embrace Marigold and Gardenia (Dammit, this is the wrong one!); My Beauty Diary Black Pearl Mask; and Chapstick Red Lip Tint.

The “His” box is much beefier – I can see either my husband or son using all of this: Axe Dual 2-in-1 Shampoo + Conditioner (I had just bought my husband this exact same thing); Dove Men+Care Dry Spray Antiperspirant; Pacinos Styling Pomade (well…maybe not this); Crest Whitening Therapy Toothpaste; Olivina Cleansing Cloths (are these for the butthole?); Dove Elements Body Wash and Cremo Beard Scruff Cream & Oil.

Two $7 boxes with free shipping and an additional 5% off with my Target Red Card. Two $3 off $15 coupons – I’m going to Target tomorrow.

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Target Beauty Boxes – April 2017

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I skipped last month, but April’s boxes were so nice, I had to snag them both.

The box on the left is the “regular” box, which includes: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser (fancy); Sally Hansen Double-Duty Base & Top Coat (it’s not quick dry, so I doubt I’ll use it for anything but a base coat); HASK Argan Oil Repairing Deep Conditioner; Dr Teals Lavender Foaming Bath (I don’t have a bathtun!); eb5 Facial Cleanser (Yeah, more cleanser!); Rimmel Colour Precise White Eyeliner (this has me both excited AND scared – what crazy looks can I do with this?); and Banana Boat Dry Balance SPF 50 (ooooooh, matte sun protection).

The box on the right is the “natural”box, which includes: SheaMoisture Kukui Nut Facial Cream Cleanser + Face & Neck Cream; Juice Organics Deluxe-Size Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner; Burt’s Bees White Tea Extract Facial Cleansing Towelettes (I hope these don’t burn like the other ones do); Hello Extra Whitening Pure Mint Flouride Toothpaste; Yes To Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Mask (So excited to try this); ACURE Pore Clarifying Red Clay Scrub; and Raw Sugar Lemon Sugar Body Wash.

Wow, both boxes are amazing!

Each box was $7 and came with a $3 off $15 coupon. 5% off with my Red Card, too!

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Target Beauty Box – November 2016

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I skipped out on the October box, but I couldn’t say no to the November box – Beauty Ballot.

Inside my Ballot box…L’Oreal Advanced HairCare Volume Filler Thickening Shampoo (but no damn conditioner); Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Beautiful Day Cream (looking forward to this); HASK Keratin Protein Soothing Deep Conditioner (I guess I can use this conditioner with the L’Oreal shampoo); Laneige Water Bank Soothing Mask; W3LL People Bio Brightener Stick; L’Oreal Voluminous Primer (I like the Voluminous Mascara, but I’m WAY too lazy to use a mascara primer); and Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner in “Black” (It has a cool little smudgy tip).

Another $10 box, but this one seems more stuffed than the last one – I ain’t even mad. I also got my $3.50 off $15 coupon – if I remember to use it. Don’t forget the 5% Red Card discount.

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Allure Beauty Thrills – May 2016

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As a pleasant surprise, Allure Beauty Thrills offered a pre-order several weeks before the May box went on sale. They offered all three of this year’s boxes for $199.95, with free shipping. That’s a $20 premium compared to buying each box separately…but without the hassle of making the tiny ordering window – guaranteed boxes!

I was a bit worried when I lifted the box – it seemed WAY lighter than previous boxes. When I opened the box, it even seemed less full – lots more bubble wrap and paper. But there are plenty of products…they’re just smaller. Inside the May box: Hask Macadamia Moisturizing Shine Oil (I have SO many HASK vials); Burt’s Bees BB Cream in “Light Medium” (I bet this stuff is good) and Burt’s Bees Lipstick in “Magenta Rush”; ChapStick Total Hydration 3 in 1 Lip Care in “Coconut Hydration” (this shit is the BOMB – I used up the last one…who EVER uses up a chapstick?); Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Battery-Operated Spinbrush (I already have one from another box, so I gave it to Lily) and Truly Radiant Clean & Fresh Toothpaste; Aveeno Absolutely Ageless Intensive Renewal Serum; Completely Bare Calm Down Ingrown Hair, Razor Bump & Redness Eliminator (perfect for summer crotch rash); Caress Mystique Forever Body Wash; Compeed Blister Cushions (I need these – I have a few shoes I’ve been avoiding); Coppertone CLEARLYSheer FACES SPF 30 (Definitely going to try this while out fishing this weekend); Degree Women Dry Spray in “Daisy Fresh”; Not Your Mother’s In A Heart Beat Blow Dry Accelerator; Pureology Pure Volume Style + Care Infusion (the tube is the weirdest ever – an inner layer and outer layer); Redken Beach Envy Volume Wave Aid (yup, more of it); Rituals Magic Touch Body Cream (that sounds almost TOO sexy); scünci Everyday & Active 3x Stronger Braided Elastics (LOVE these); Simple Skincare Micellular MAKE-UP Remover Wipes; Sonia Kashuk Double-Zip Clutch (It’s HUGE); Tangle Teezer Original Detangling Hairbrush (I’m gonna be chasing Little Orphan Lily around the house with this); TIGI Bed Head JOYRIDE Texturizing Powder Balm (the fuck?); and VersaSpa Gradual Tanning Face Moisturizer (a whole lot of NOPE).

I feel like I’ll be using more of the stuff in this box than in past ones…now all I have to do is sit back and wait for my August box to arrive.

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Allure Beauty Thrills – December 2015

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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!