Tag: Sale
Gorgeous Hair, Perfect Repair
I just barely caught the end of May’s Gorgeous Hair Event. I was all hyped to get 50% off NatureLab. Tokyo…but of course, all of the big refill bags of Perfect Smooth were out of stock…so I settled for trying out regular sizes of NatureLab. Tokyo Perfect Repair Shampoo and Conditioner. $7.50 is still better than $15.
I also took advantage of a BOGO 40% off order on Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Cleanser. The Cadillac of Acne Cleansers is $11.99 regular price! One for me and one for the kids. Oh, and also a Biore T-Zone Targeted Deep Cleansing Pore Strips ($7.99, down from $9.99).
I was disappointed by the 50% off Lipstick Queen Mini in “Route 66” ($6, down from $12). The description promised green lipstick that creates tangerine lips, but they were the same shade of pink as my Frog Prince lipstick. Arghhhhh.
I know it’s basically just a Sharpie, but my daughter really liked the BIC BodyMark Temporary Tattoo Marker ($3.99, down from $4.99).
My order qualified me for a Living Proof. Beauty Break, which came with 5 Deluxe Samples: Perfect hair Day Dry Shampoo, Perfect hair Day Weightless Mask, Perfect hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment, plus Perfect hair Day Shampoo and Conditioner.
(Is adding a superfluous period to your branding a thing? Looking at you, NatureLab. Tokyo & Living Proof. .)
$734 to Diamond…
Malibu Barbie x Colourpop
A Malibu Barbie Makeup Set? Add. To. Cart.
I held off as long as I could. I kept hitting up Ulta’s website to see if it would show up – you know how I am about those points. No dice. I watched Trixie Mattel’s review video and I was itching for it. I finally took the plunge when the Malibu Barbie x Colourpop Full Collection Set was $79, down from $99.
The centerpiece of the set is the 15 pan Malibu Barbie Shadow Palette. The colors are amazing and vibrant. These shadows last all day and spread like butter. I’ve done a blue look and a pink look, but there are neutral colors, too. I feel like this palette is better quality than my other Colourpop Palette. Why would they do that?
I was shocked by the Beach Party Super Shock Highlighter. The first time I used it, I applied with a fan brush and it was pretty average. The second time I used it, I applied with my finger…it’s a motherfucking cream, ya’ll! I’ll never use another highlighter again – this is “the one.”
The set included three lux lipstick kits: a bullet lipstick and matching lip liner. “Golden Beach” is a pinkish nude, a bit too light for me. “Malibu Sunset” is a vibrant hot pink, perfect for me. Full disclosure – it stained my lips. I haven’t tried “Dreamhouse” yet – it’s a medium pink.
Even though they’re adorable, I feel like I won’t get much use out of the heart shaped Barbie Hand Mirror or the Doll Lashes. Maybe for Halloween?
The Malibu Barbie x Colourpop Full Collection Set is currently 30% off – just $69.30! I am so mad…I thought I was getting a good deal snagging it for $79 + free shipping and a free pack of Daily Do-Over Makeup Removing Wipes.
Hair Haul
Everyone in the family was needing a little hair care, so another Ulta haul was in order…
For myself, I ordered a NatureLab.Tokyo Perfect Smooth Shampoo Refill ($22) to match the Conditioner. I also got a back-up Colorista Bleach Highlights Kit ($10.99).
My son needed shampoo & conditioner for his bleached hair, so I grabbed Pacifica Sunshine Highs Shampoo & Conditioner ($10 each) while they were BOGO 40% off.
I decided to treat my daughter with Colorista Semi-Permanent Color in “Purple” ($10.99).
All this hair stuff qualified me for a free 12 piece Hair Color Sampler. The sampler included Madison Reed Color Protecting Shampoo & Conditioner (I’ve been curious about this brand for a long time); Virtue Recovery Shampoo & Conditioner; Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo & Conditioner (I don’t know what citric acid will do for my hair, but looking forward to trying it); Kenra Color Maintenance Shampoo & Conditioner; Fekkai Technician Color Shampoo (no conditioner?); AG Hair Care Ultradynamics Extra-Firm Finishing Spray; Pureology Color Fanatic Multitasking Leave-In Spray (giving to my son); and DevaCurl Noo-Poo Blue Anti-Brass Zero Lather Curl Cleanser (also giving to my son).
On the non-hair front, I picked up St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water Face Mist ($15, down from $30) for my kids, because they LOVED the previous sample I got…for myself, I got Ulta Coffee & Chocolate Energizing Superfood Mud Mask ($4, down from $8) – it smells good enough to eat! It sucked all the gunk out of my pores and made my skin super soft.
I qualified for a second gift with purchase – a Best Seller 7 Piece Gift, with my $65 purchase. This gift included Smashbox Photo Finish Primer; Bumble and bumble. Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer; Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Complex (I love this stuff); Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment (I also love THIS stuff); MAC Powder Kiss Lipstick in “Werk, Werk, Werk” (it’s red…meh); and Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Hydrator. That was only 6 pieces!!! What a rip-off…
Just $784 to Diamond!
Decades Haul
I have been STALKING and WAITING for the Urban Decay Decades Mini Eyeshadow Palettes to go on sale ($12.50, down from $25). I’ve seen it on sale a few times, but the windows were so short, I missed the sale…but not this time!
I was most excited about the 90s palette – “1993” – a palette full of grungy, 90s shades. There is literally a metallic gold shade called “Grunge”. I’ve used it a few times and it is fairly versatile. The other palette I got was the 00s palette – “Soundtrack” – a palette full of shimmery shades, even one called “Y2K”. “Y2K” is my favorite – a color-shifting duochrome. This palette is not as versatile, but reminds me of my first few Urban Decay palettes, and “Throwback” is a dead ringer for “Polyester Bride”. If you know, you know.
Ulta just came out with a whole line of WandaVision makeup, but the only product that piqued my interest was the Ulta Beauty Collection x Marvel Studios WandaVision Wing Tip Liner Duo ($12). The felt tip eyeliner is nothing new, but the cat eye stamp is really cool! It took a few tries to get it right – on the first try, I put it on upside down, but I was able to fix it. I could’ve used this a few decades ago…my cat eye days are mostly behind me.
My poor son inherited my bacne, so I jumped at a new product designed to fight it – Pacifica Bacne Warrior Acne Fighting Spray ($16). He’s been using it, but the jury is still out on how effective it will end up being. It’s really hard to spray, so it’s not as easy to apply as you’d think. Pacifica products were BOGO 40%, so I got Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash ($6, down from $10) for myself. It smells SO good – like a coconut popsicle!
I picked up a pack of Kitsch Face Masks ($12.99) – my kids’ favorite masks for school. I qualified for a Tarte Beauty Break 4 Piece Gift with my $50 purchase. The set includes Shape Tape Foundation in “228 light beige”; Stay Spray Setting Spray; Maneater Voluptuous Mascara; and Base Tape Hydrating Primer. I haven’t tried any of them yet, but free is free. I didn’t forget to use that $3.50 off $15 coupon, either.
$919 to Diamond…
I Want to Smell Like FOOD
Ignore the bag, the Bath & Body Works Semi-Annual Sale is OVER.
As soon as I got the Valentine’s Day mailer, I knew I would be hitting the store again to pick up those delicious scents. I decided on “Chocolate Covered Cherry” (it’s SO chocolatey), “Strawberry Pound Cake” (a re-promote that I’ve been lusting after), and “You’re the One” (soft rose, winter woods and strawberry nectar – I couldn’t describe any of those scents individually, but together they’re heavenly). I was torn between “Strawberry Pound Cake” and “Raspberry Jam Donut”, but strawberries won out. I’ll keep an eye out for “Raspberry Jam Donut” in the next Semi-Annual Sale.
I got doubles of “Chocolate Covered Cherry” so Lily could smell good, too.
Body products were Buy 3, Get 3 and with the 20% coupon from my mailer (and a coupon for a free Wallflower), I only spent $78. I saved $111!
Sephora Favorites Hello! Greatest Beauty Hits (and more)
Ooooh! Sephora Sale on Sale! An extra 20% off sale items…so tempting.
I’d been eyeing the newest Sephora Favorites Hello! Greatest Beauty Hits set. $8 on sale is better than $10…but $6.40 is even better. I was most interested in Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa ’62 Eau de Parfum – it was so summery. Also in the set: It Cosmetics Lash Blowout Volumizing Mascara; Tarte SEA Jelly Glaze Anytime Lip Mask in “Strawberry Jelly”; BareMinerals Gen Nude Powder Blush in “Call My Blush”; First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma Arnica Relief & Rescue Mask; and Sephora Collection Ultra Glow Serum: Glow + Strengthen Vitamin C Serum. As usual, the set comes with 15% off vouchers for each product – I might actual used the Cheirosa ’62 one.
While browsing the sale section, I found a few other smokin’ deals. I splurged on a Fresh Rose Hydration Skincare Essentials Set ($55, down from $63 – $44 after discount). I also picked up the tarte SEA Yours & Mine Quench Lip Rescue Duo ($17, down from $19 – $13.60 after discount). I really like the Lip Rescue I got in the Give Me Some Balm Set – all the mask wearing has dried out my lips! The Milk Makeup KUSH Triple Brow Pen ($11, down from $22 – $8.80 after discount) was a bad purchase. The first time I used it, it was GREAT. The color “Dutch” was a perfect match to my brows and each stroke was like a little hair. The second time I used it though, it did not work at all. It’s like all the color went out of the pen after one use! Ugh, if I wasn’t so lazy, I’d take it back.
For my samples, I got Kiehl’s Calendula Water Cream and amika Flash Instant Shine Mask.
I made this purchase in 2020, but it wasn’t enough to put me into VIB status – I still needed like $65, but I didn’t want to buy something dumb. I feel like such a peasant.
Semi Santa
Santa, I’ve been a good girl all year and have worn my mask and washed my hands SO MUCH…it’s time for more soap!
I only got 13 soaps at the Semi-Annual Sale, not many at all! When I put them under my sink, they didn’t even fill up the whole soap section.
I meant to get $40 of stuff, so I could use my $10 off $40 coupon, but I ended up with about $80…oops. Some of the soaps were 50% off ($3.75 – not a great deal) and some were 75% off ($1.87 – much better). I also got 8 Wallflower Refills ($3.50 each) and a few body scrubbers.
A light haul…I’m sure I’ll be back before the sale is totally over.
Super Skin Surprises
I don’t know that I would’ve paid $12.99 for the Ulta Super Skin Surprises Set, but 50% off ($6.49) is just right.
I was drawn to the set for the Jergens Rose Body Butter. It’s got a nice, light rose scent, but it STILL smells unmistakably like Jergens Lotion. I do NOT especially care for that Jergens scent, so I will not be purchasing this body butter when I run out.
I just finished off the Pacifica Kale Lip Balm that I kept in my office, so I replaced it with the Thayers Organic Slippery Elm Slip Balm in “Peppermint Stick”. I love how smooth and wintery it makes my lips feel.
I have no desire to darken my skin, so I gave the St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Vitamins Bronzing Face Serum to my kids. Then slathered it on their faces and to be fair, they did start to look like Oompa Loompas. All kidding aside, my son got compliments from girls and they wanted to know what products he was using, so apparently, this stuff works.
I have been using the Curel Set, which includes Curel Moisture Facial Lotion Enrich and Curel Intensive Moisture Facial Cream. I am much two lazy to use a two product regiment every night, but this one isn’t too bad. I like the way my face feels the next day after using it.
Also in the box: Garnier Micellar Cleaning Water All-in-1 Cleanser & Waterproof Makeup Remover (I like this for pre-cleaning before face masks); Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelette Single; and No7 Laboratories Dark Circle Corrector in “Light/Medium”. A great box, all things considered.
This is the order that put me into Diamond status for 2021, but the rest of my order was gifts and stocking stuffers, so I’ll keep them private.
Perfect Shine Splurge
Back in November, I think when Sephora was offering 15% off, Ulta sent out a $10 off $40 coupon, so why not restock on a few things. Sometimes, there’s nothing like splurging on fancy shampoo & conditioner!
I’d gotten to try NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Shampoo & Conditioner ($14 each) in an Allure Beauty Box last year. I really liked it, but it wasn’t widely available. Fast forward a year and now Ulta carries it – score! The secret ingredient is grape stem cells. I don’t know what those are. I also picked up some a single use conditioners – PURA D’OR Single Use Hair Thinning Therapy Intense Moisturizing Masque ($1.79), HASK Shea Butter & Hibiscus Oil Anti-Frizz Deep Conditioner Packette ($2.99) and HASK Tea Tree Oil & Rosemary Hair & Scalp Treatment Mask Packette ($2.99).
Freeman Masks were on super sale, so I bought a replacement Cucumber & Pink Salt Clay Mask. I also grabbed a clearance China Glaze “Rainbow” for $2.62 and a new Flowery nail buffer.
I definitely did NOT buy that Kylie Cosmetics Velvet Lip Kit in “Bare” – it was a gift with $25 makeup purchase. I now know the secret of the Kylie Lip Kits! The lip liner is one tick darker than the lipstick, so it creates an optical illusion of a fuller lip. The more you know…I tried it out and the color was WAY too light for me. Hypothetically, my lips did look bigger though.
My $70 purchase qualified me for a Hello Holidays Sample Bag – it’s so fancy! Inside the bag: Dermablend Insta-Grip Jelly Primer; Awake Pore Down Tightening Concentrate; Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Towelette (WEIRD); Lake & Skye 11 11 (I could not smell this); MAC Lipstick samples in “Ruby Woo”, “M-A-C Red” & “Cockney”; Too Faced Damn Girl! Mascara; Pravana Color Protect Cleanse and Condition (HUGE samples tubes – will try these out after my next dye session); Philosophy Purity Made Simple Hydra-Bounce Eye Gel; Ahava Dead Sea Water Mineral Body Lotion; Tula Skincare 24-7 Moisture Hydrating Day & Night Cream; Smashbox Photo Finish Primer; Burberry Her; Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris; NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Shampoo & Conditioner (foilpacks for travel!); Tonymoly Golden Pig Collagen Bounce Mask; Gucci Guilty; AG Haircare Glow Shine Infuse Serum; Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Sample Card (none of these will match me); Beekman 1802 Milk Drops Probiotic Ceramide Serum; John Frieda Frizz Ease Secret Weapon Touch-up Creme; Patchology Little Helper Energy Dietary Supplement Strip (a caffeine strip that melts on your tongue – is drinking a cup of coffee so hard?); and VDL Velvet Blur Primer.
Oh, and if the order looks a little light, it’s because there were a few gifts in my order…
Blonde Life
Okay…I wouldn’t exactly call myself a blonde – but I did get some amazing chunky highlights last week, in preparation for another round of pink dye. I have been saving up Ulta points all year and I decided to get professional lightening done, instead of taking my chances with a home kit. I was able to put $128 in points towards hair services, and it was well worth it. I expected to go pink immediately, but I am liking the white blond streaks around my crown…even if I do resemble Tracy Turnblad.
I grabbed a few items by the checkout – Joico minis were 3/$10, so I got Joico Blonde Life Brightening Shampoo, Conditioner and a K-PAK Hydrator. I also grabbed another 3 pack of Kitsch Masks ($12.99) because they are Lily’s favorite and they keep disappearing.
With this spend, plus the online order I’ll be detailing within the next post or so, I’ve got just $41 to hit Diamond status for 2022!