Tag: Sale

 
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Lunar New Year Ulta Haul

The Crème Shop had a cute endcap display of Hello Kitty Lunar New Year stuff, but I passed it by in-store, just to order a bunch online for the kids and I. My son likes Kuromi, so I got Kuromi Fortune Macaron Lip Balm in “Lucky Lychee” ($10 each) for him and I. I got my daughter Hello Kitty Fortune Macaron Lip Balm in “Apple Blossom” ($10) for my daughter. So what if they arrived slightly after Lunar New Year? I’ll save the gift with purchase – a set of 4 lucky red envelopes & stickers – for next year.

I saw an Insta post about how amazing L’Oreal Infallible 24HR Fresh Wear Foundation In A Powder ($15.99) is, so I added to cart. I used Ulta’s Shade Finder to pick “20 Ivory” and it was (shockingly) a perfect match. The Shade Finder on Sephora’s website is shit, but Ulta’s is REALLY good. This foundation has replaced the Clinique I just got as my holy grail powder foundation – it’s smooth and wonderful and reduces redness. We’ll see how it fares when the weather gets hotter, but for now – I love it.

I also grabbed an L.A. Girl Gloss Lip Stain in “Adored” ($5.99) and I love this one, too! I assumed it was similar to the Colourpop gloss stains I was obsessed with last year and the L.A. Girl ones have better staying power AND are cheaper!

Oh yeah, and I got a NARS 4 Piece Beauty Break with my $50 purchase – even though I used a $5 off coupon to drop my total below $50. Inside the gift: NARS High Pigment Longwear Eyeliner in “Via Veneto”; NARS Bronzing Powder in “Laguna”; NARS Lipstick in “Inappropriate Red”; and NARS Climax Mascara. Good stuff!

Just $1,003 to Diamond in 2024.

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First Ulta Haul of 2023

Well…that didn’t take long. The first Diamond Offers email arrived on January 2nd and I jumped right on it!

I wasn’t planning on getting the Urban Decay Cosmetics Naked x Robin Eisenberg Eyeshadow Palette ($27, down from $54), but half price made it a lot more attractive. Initially, I was put off by the lack of “naked” colors in a “naked” palette, but I was pleasantly surprised by how wearable these bright shimmery colors are. There are several color-shifting duochrome shadows, which are like catnip to me. I can see myself wearing this one quite a bit!

I didn’t want to forget to redeem my Diamond gift of a free Clinique Foundation, so I guessed at my shade and chose Clinique Beyond Perfecting Powder Foundation + Concealer in “0.5 Breeze” (normally $36). I chose correctly and this is a GREAT powder foundation – not cakey at all. Since all Clinique was 25%, I also picked up a back-up tube of Clinique Almost Lipstick in “Black Honey” ($16.50, down from $22). I never thought I’d be a Clinique girl like my mom, but here we are.

I threw some fun clearance items into my cart – a few $1.25 nail polishes, Nailtopia “Carrot Cake” and “Blueberry Milk”. I am out of samples of micellar water, so I am trying out wet n wild Makeup Remover Micellar Cleansing Water ($4.99).

I got a few different freebies with this order. I received a BareMinerals Platinum & Diamond Exclusive 4 Piece Gift with $35 makeup purchase, which includes Ageless 10% Phyto-Retinol Night Concentrate, Prime Time Original Foundation Primer, and Mineral Veil Finishing Powder in a very nice Makeup Bag. I also received an Exuviance Diamond & Platinum Exclusive! Free 4 Piece Gift with $25 purchase, which includes Deep Clean AHA Cleanser, Glycolic Expert Moisturizer, Overnight Transformation Complex, and A.G.E. Less Everyday Moisturizer. My skin is gonna look AMAZING.

Just $1,149 to Diamond in 2024…

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The Dregs

When you hit the Bath & Body Works Semi-Annual Sale a few days before the end, you save yourself A LOT of money…that’s because all that’s left are the dregs and there are not many good deals!

I only spent about $14 – I bought a couple of “Strawberry Poundcake” Shower Gels at 75%, a “Vampire Blood” Single Wick Candle, and some sour goo lip gloss for Lil. I didn’t even get to use a coupon!

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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!

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Miscellaneous Ulta Haul

Really…I just needed shampoo. I’d had my refill of NatureLab.Tokyo Perfect Smooth Shampoo ($23) in my cart for weeks…I just added stuff slowly until I had enough junk for free stuff!

I had seen KVD Beauty Everlasting Hyperlight Vegan Transfer-Proof Liquid Lipstick in “Velvet Cloak” ($23) on insta…I was transfixed by the color. It’s a new shade, not a renamed shade from Kat Von D. I was SO right – it’s gorgeous on me. It’s not quite “Lolita”/”Queen of Poisons” – but it’s close. Speaking of lippies, I also got Ulta Weightless Water Lip Stain in “Very Berry” ($6, down from $10). This formula doesn’t bleed quite as much as the Revolution version – I love it!

For funsies, I added a bunch of other sale stuff to my cart: a HASK Color Care Color Protection Deep Conditioner ($1.79, down from $2.99); 2 packs of Exfoliating Cotton Rounds ($2.09, down from $3.49); Ulta Crystal Aloe Scented Gel Hand Wash ($2.10, down from $3.50); Ulta Soft Cotton Scented Foaming Hand Wash ($2.10, down from $3.50); J. Cat Beauty Curl & Lift-Up Eyelash Comb Curler ($2.39, down from $3.99 – for Lily, because curled lashes are all the rage with high schoolers these days); 2 EcoTools Bath Poofs ($2.39, down from $2.99); an Ulta 4-Way Buffing Block ($2.40, down from $4); Freeman Refining Pink To Green Color Changing Clay Facial Mask ($3.49, down from $4.99 – this mask pissed me off…it did not start green, nor did it turn green – BULLSHIT MARKETING); Freeman Soothing Pumpkin Mud Facial Mask ($3.49, down from $4.99 – it smells like pumpkin pie); and a wet n wild Ultimate Brow Micro Brow Pencil in “Medium Brown” ($3.59, down from $4.79 – not bad, but has a reddish tinge that looks cheap).

I used a $15 off $75 code and GOT a nice gift with purchase. Inside this positively BURSTING 20 piece “Little Luxuries” sample bag (free with my $80 purchase): Benefit The POREfessional Super Setter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray (I have so much setting spray, I could paint my house with it); Urban Skin Rx Retinol Rapid Repair Treatment; Clinique High Impact Mascara; IGK Pay Day Instant Repair Shampoo, Conditioner & Cash In Instant Repair Serum; Vichy Mineral 89 Booster; Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio; Tula Skincare Take Care + Polish/Take Care + Nourish; olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask (ooooh, this is the good stuff); Curlsmith Bond Curl Rehab Salve (sending to my niece, Curly Sue); Sexy Hair Imperfect Nectarine Strengthening Mask; Gucci Flora Gorgeous Jasmine; Urban Decay Wild Lash Vegan Mascara; Good Molecules Silicone-Free Priming Moisturizer; Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder; La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer; Mugler Alien Goddess; Giorgio Armani Si Passione; Buxom Wanderlust Blush Card; Kylie Cosmetics Matte Liquid Lipstick Card Sample in “Mary Jo K”; and Viktor & Rolf Good Fortune.

Just $119 to Diamond in 2023…almost there!

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$2.95 Hand Soap, now with Coupon Stacking!

This past Saturday was $2.95 Hand Soap day!

I bought my 20 bottle limit…and was pleased to find that this year, they allowed coupon stacking! I was able to use my 20% off coupon, which brought the bottle price down to $2.21/$2.22 each. I was also able to get a free body product, so I chose a Shower Gel in “Strawberry Snowflakes”. I really wanted more “Strawberry Poundcake”, but they did not have any. Maybe I’ll get lucky at the After-Christmas Semi-Annual Sale.

According to the receipt, I spent $47.46 and saved $124.25.

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Lip Bond vs Everlasting Hyperlight

I was bored last week, so I paid FULL PRICE on two new lipsticks. FULL PRICE!

I have been very curious about Urban Decay’s new “Lip Bond” product, so I ordered Urban Decay Cosmetics Vice Lip Bond Glossy Liquid Lipstick in “Once Strangers” ($25). I was expecting a product similar to Colourpop’s Glossy Lip Stain…but I was so wrong. This product is a full-on liquid lipstick. It is full coverage and it stays ON those lips. There was NO transfer onto cups, yet it didn’t dry and crack my lips like the original Vice Liquid Lipstick. It looks glossy, yet is only slightly tacky and NOT sticky. Urban Decay has a winner with this formula! My only issue was that I picked a color bad for me…”Once Strangers” is a dark chocolate brown. I was expecting more of a dark red, but it looks like I rubbed a melted Special Dark bar on my lips. At least I got a free keychain.

KVD Vegan Beauty is FINALLY getting around to re-imagining their products after Kat Von D left the brand. Not only have they reformulated the Everlasting Liquid Lipstick, they’ve renamed them all. I tracked down the counterpart to my beloved “Lolita” – it’s now KVD Beauty Everlasting Hyperlight Vegan Transfer-Proof Liquid Lipstick in “Queen of Poisons” ($22). The color is right and the formula is amazingly light. I’m not planning on replacing all my old lipsticks quite yet…but it IS tempting.

If I had to choose, I would choose the KVD formula, but the UD formula is close behind…

I cruised through the sale page and picked up a Freeman Purifying Cream Mask ($3.49, down from $4.99 – not exactly what I was expecting, I thought it would be a creamy clay mask…but it’s more like a thick moisturizer); a loofah ($2, down from $4), and a WHIM by Ulta Beauty Rosé Shower Flower ($1.75, down from $3.50).

Oh, and I got a nice Beauty Break from it Cosmetics, with Brow Power in “Universal Taupe”, Confidence in a Cleanser, Hello Results Baby-Smooth Glycolic Peel + Caring Oil, and Confidence in Your Beauty Sleep…all in a nice big branded makeup bag.

$186 to Diamond in 2023.

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Good Apple, Super Mud

I love Ulta’s “21 Days of Beauty” sales – every day they have amazing deals on a wide range of products.

I jumped on the deal for 50% off KVD Beauty Good Apple Skin-Perfecting Hydrating Foundation Balm in “Light 010” ($20.25 instead of $40.50). It’s basically foundation in a compact. I’ve only had a chance to try it once, since it is still hot as FUCK here in Texas. For my first try, I applied on bare skin – no primer – and used an Urban Decay Foundation Brush. It sure is full coverage! It went on very thick, but I was able to get fairly smooth full coverage. It came off as a thick coat though, as my husband said it looked like “kabuki makeup.” I topped with Kat Von D Lock-it Setting Powder, which gave it a nice matte finish. The next time I use it, I’ll experiment with primers and a beauty blender for lighter coverage.

Another smoking deal was 50% off Glamglow SUPERMUD Charcoal Instant Treatment Mask ($30 instead of $60). I am sucker for facial masks, especially luxurious ones.

Although it wasn’t on sale, I need conditioner, so I got a NatureLab.Tokyo Perfect Smooth Conditioner Refill ($23).

Oh, and there was an AMAZING gift with purchase – a 14 piece sampler with my $60 purchase. There are 4 deluxe perfume sample! Little cute bottles – not tiny sample vials! The fragrances are Moschino Boy Toy, Versace Yellow Diamond, Viktor & Rolf BonBon, and Ralph Lauren Polo Earth. I haven’t tried any of them yet. Also in the gift: Ellis Brooklyn Bee (small vial, not deluxe); First Aid Beauty Bump Eraser Body Scrub; Sacheu Beauty Slick Skin; Florence by Mills Up in the Clouds Facial Moisturizer; it Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream; Banila Co Purity Therapy; Maelys B-Tight Lift & Firm Booty Mask (ooooh kay); Sun Bum 3 in 1 Leave In Treatment; Kiehl’s Super Multi-Corrective Eye Zone Treatment; ThisWorks Deep Sleep Pillow Spray; Murad Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum; Kopari Coconut Crush Scrub; Derma e Advanced Peptides & Collagen Serum; MAC Fix+ Spray; Living proof. Full Dry Volume & Texture Spray; Urban Decay Perversion Mascara; Love Wellness bye bye bloat Supplement; Derma e Thickening Shampoo & Conditioner; NatureLab.Tokyo Perfect Repair Shampoo & Conditioner; OUAI Detox Shampoo (no matching conditioner?); Grande Cosmetics Grande Gummies Vegan Collagen Booster (I just ate them – yummy); vor Sunset Rituals Conditioner (heyyyyy, no shampoo); and HASK Tea Tree Oil & Rosemary Hair & Scalp Treatment Mask. That is 27 samples, not 14…score!

Just $244 to Diamond in 2023!

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PEEPS Polish Haul

$1.50 nail polish…yes…$1.50 PEEPs nail polish…you have my interest AND you have my attention.

Even though it’s well past Easter, I added the entire Sally Hansen Insta-Dri x PEEPS Collection to my cart – “PEEPS Pink”, “PEEPS Yellow”, “PEEPS White”, “PEEPS Blue”, and “PEEPS Fruit Punch.” Is “Fruit Punch” even a color?

I love freebies, so I restocked on my favorite brow pencil – Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in “Dark Brown” and “Medium Brown” ($10 each). This gave me a free 10 piece gift from Ulta: Eye Shadow Palette (8 shades); Highlighter & Blush Duo; Luxe Lipstick in “Raisin”; Tinted Lip Oil (great for removing long wear lip paint); Clear Brow Gel; Matte Eye Primer in Nude; Mattifying Face Primer; Lash Flash Mascara; and a Makeup Removing Cloth in a faux leather Makeup Bag.

I am a sucked for each new lippie that NYX puts out, so I grabbed a NYX Smooth Whip Blurring Matte Lip Cream in “Velvet Robe” ($8), which granted me a freebie: an NYX Suede Matte Velvet Vegan Lip Liner in “Sandstorm”. Oh, I have this shade of Liquid Suede!

I purchased a Conair True Glow Sonic Facial Brush Replacement Head ($8, down from $10) because…they come with an adapter for the recently out-of-business Clarisonic! I tried it and the little adapter piece that came with it worked like a charm…I am so glad I hadn’t trashed it yet. My daughter is obsessed with Stranger Things, so I got her a half price MAC Lip Glass in “Rockin’ Robin” ($10, down from $20). I also added an INVISIBOBBLE Waver Traceless Hair Clip ($3.50) for funsies.

Not only did I use a $5 off coupon, but I got more freebies – thank you Diamond Day! I got a Platinum & Diamond 4 piece gift that included four Jane Iredale products: POMMISST Hydration Spray, Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain, Beyond Lash Volumizing Mascara, and Smooth Affair Illuminating Glow Face Primer. I also got a Platinum & Diamond Exclusive gift from NEST Fragrances – three votive candles in “Grapefruit” (burning now – smells so good), “Ocean Mist & Sea Salt”, and “Wild Mint & Eucalyptus”.

$313 to Diamond in 2023!

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All this for Velveeta Nails…

Why yes, I DID purchase the viral Velveeta Nail Polish…did you think I wouldn’t?

I snatched up the Nails.INC x VELVEETA Pinkies Out Polish Creamy Smooth Cheese Scented Nail Polish Duo ($15), as well as the Nails.INC x VELVEETA Irresistible Nail Stickers ($4.99). I cannot wait to experience the cheese fingers for myself!

I have a strong aversion to paying for shipping, so I loaded my cart with items to hit the $50 threshold for free shipping. I had always wanted to try magnetic nail polish, so I got the Get Magnetized Magnet Effect Nail Polish Duo ($15). I also got Color Changing Nail Polish in “Feel the Hotness” ($10), Leopard Spot Topper in “Prowling in Paddington” ($10), and Nourishing Lip Balm in “Share My Fantasy” ($3.20).

I used a code to get 10% off my first order, as well as a free Gel Effect nail polish in “Regent Place”.

I do find it rather odd that Nails Inc (a London based company) is selling a nail polish themed after a product that is rare to find (affordably) in the UK. In fact, I’ve mailed Velveeta to friends in Scotland, as it’s so hard to find. I’ve also packed it in my (daughter’s) carry-on while traveling to Alaska, and got popped by Security. Apparently, fake cheeze looks like C4, when packed inside a 6 year old’s luggage…