Tag: VDL

 
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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…

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May 2020 Allure Beauty Box – Got to Glow

Ipsy’s May theme is “Get That Glow” and Allure’s theme is “Got to Glow” – I am suspicious of the synchronicity.

I got the weirdest email from Allure that I “may” have received a mislabeled product…some customers received a cleanser instead of Curology Smooth Sailing Moisturizer. The email suggested sampling it and if it bubbles, then it’s a cleanser. Well, I tried it and it did not bubble. I put it on my face – and it did not absorb either. WHAT IS THIS PRODUCT? I’ve tried it on my hand and on my face and it doesn’t bubble or foam…but it doesn’t absorb either. It just sits there, like a white glob. Yeah, this product is going in the trash. The email included a link to request a replacement, but I’m not even going to bother.

Also in this month’s “Glow” box: Skin Inc. My Daily Dose of Glow (I need to try this serum, but I’m still using up a Boot No7 Serum); AHC Essential Real Eye Cream for Face (meh); VDL Lumilayer Primer (what?); Acure Resurfacing Glycolic & Unicron Root Cleanser (This is the only product I’m interested in trying); and When Glamour Base Sheet Mask.

I am not mad about a skincare focused box, however, most of these products seem kind of lame. Bah.

The Allure Beauty Box is $15/month, but they give you $5 off your first box. They also offer an option for $150/year – a savings of $30. Sign up via my referral link.