Month: March 2020
This is my Street
This is it – number twelve, the last polish of the Sesame Street 50th Anniversary Collection.
Lily demanded that that I save China Glaze “This is my Street” for last, because it was the best one. I tend to agree, as it’s not just a rainbow glitter, but a rainbow holographic glitter. It’s not quite full coverage, but it’s pretty close. This is two coats over Glisten & Glow Base Coat. I feel like a third coat would’ve given full coverage, but then I never would’ve gotten it off my nails.
I’ve always gotta see how a glitter looks mattified, so I used Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat on my ring finger. I used my usual, Glisten & Glow Top Coat, on the rest of my nails. I feel like it somehow muted to holographic effect of this polish. It was much more…sparkly…glittery…something…before I put a top coat on it. Maybe the top coat distorts they way that light reflects off of the glitter?
Done! I don’t know why this little project was so painful for me – I guess because I like just grabbing a polish on a whim, and not having a “plan”? Or maybe it’s just because holding those tiny bottles is so damn awkward?
Exact Haul
Ulta has a weird purchase requirement for their Spring GWPs – $19.50. Challenge accepted.
Why yes, I do buy a brow pencil with every Ulta order. This time, it was my Holy Grail – Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in “Dark Brown” ($10). I also got Ulta Juice Infused Lip Oil in “Tangerine” ($9) – this is my absolute favorite way to remove longwear lipstick. No scrubbing, no harsh chemicals – it just melts away. I also got another 4-way Buffing Block ($4) – I go through those like toilet paper.
But that’s $23…until I added a $3.50 off coupon. BOOM.
This Spring’s Gift with Purchase is fantastic. The large white and coral bag includes: BLOOM Eyeshadow Palette (this palette is FANTASTIC – it’s floral shimmers are perfect for everyday wear); BLUSH Cheek Palette (the blush is a dupe for NARS “Orgasm”); Luxe Lipstick in “Nudely Interupt”; Pre-Moistened Makeup Remover Facial Towelettes; Poreless Face Primer; Jelly Gloss Lip Gel; Matte Eye Primer in “Nude”; Maximum Lashes Mascara in “Black” (I really like this mascara – Ulta is on their game); and a Powder Brush. What a great bag!
This is a super small order, but they were having free shipping for everyone that day!
$1,068 to Diamond status!
Cheesy Poof
This is it – this is what you’ve been waiting for. I know you want to hear ALL about those scented nail polishes…
I started with Sinful Colors “Cheese Puff” because…I don’t know why chose that one first. First off, I was surprised to see that it is a textured polish. It’s got a fine, sandy finish, literally it felt like scraping sand off my nails when I was taking it off. It’s got a little bit of glitter to it, very subtle. It really does feel like the outer surface of a cheesy poof.
But does it SMELL like a cheesy poof? They actually DO! The smell is very subtle, but it was there – even the next day. My husband and children say it just smells like nail polish, but they are all congested and cannot smell shit.
This is two coats of “Cheese Puff” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat. No top coat, so my fingers could vaguely smell like feet.
If you’ve ever wanted your fingernails to look (and smell) like you’ve just finished off a bag of Cheetoes, this is the polish for you!
Sweet & Salty
Sinful Colors has really stepped up their game in 2020. They’ve already released three new collections, and it’s only the first week of March!
As soon as I heard about the SCENTED Sweet & Salty Collection, I knew I had to track it down. My closest Walmart didn’t have it, but the one a mile on down the road had the whole collection, plus “Juicy”, the one Quick Bliss polish that I missed.
There are six polishes in the “Sweet & Salty” Collection: “Taco Tuesday”, “Cheese Puff”, “Cookies & Cream”, “Donut Even”, “Chocolate Cake”, and “Pizza Party”. I cannot wait to smell them all!
These polishes were $2.98 each, a real splurge for me these days!
Target Beauty Boxes – February 2020
Target made me go full “Karen” this month, I almost had to ask for a manager.
I was late to order the February boxes, because I was in Vegas. I went to order the boxes mid-month and Target’s website was telling me that there was a $25 minimum order for free shipping now – the hell? I poked around and there were comments on My Subscription Addiction describing the same issue. I chatted into Support and the agent was…less than helpful. He just kept quoting that I had to meet the threshold, even after I told him that I’d been buying individual Target Beauty Boxes for YEARS with free shipping. I politely bid him adieu, asking him to please refer this issue up the chain, as I wouldn’t be purchasing any more Beauty Boxes until it’s been fixed.
Turns out it must have been a temporary glitch. I went back and checked my shopping cart and I was able to complete my order with Free Shipping, and NO issues. As a matter of face, Target’s site even offered my a $1 consolidation discount, if I’d agree to slower shipping in fewer boxes. Now, I have NO illusions that the fix had anything to do with me or my chat into Support. It HAD to be a coincidence…right?
In any case, I snatched up both February boxes. The “Pucker Up” box was solely lip products. The star product is the St. Ives Passionfruit Lip Scrub. While not as sweet and tasty as Jeffree’s, it close. It left my lips soft and smooth and wasn’t nasty and greasy like the wet n wild scrub. Also in the lippie box: TwelveNYC Perfect Pout Cooling Gel Lip Mask (I keep forgetting to put in the freezer, so I can try it); Dr. Bronner Lip Balm in “Peppermint” (I bet it’s as tingly as the soap); Burt’s Bees Moisturizing Lip Mask; Milani Bold Color Statement Matte Lipstick in “I am Confident”; Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer in “Peony”; and Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Plumping Gloss in “Plums Up” (this STINGS like Lip Venom – and there is no tint to the gloss – BOO.) This box was a great value!
The other box was “Self Love” themed, and included Que Bella Radiance Boost Shimmering Cream Face Mask; Pacifica Island Vanilla by Pacifica Perfumed Hair & Body Mist; Aveeno Moisturizing CICA Balm (I brought this to work to use and it was…slick – I swear, it left like lube on my hands); Yuni My OM World Calming Aromatherapy Body Mist; Village Naturals Therapy Aches and Pains Muscle Relief Mineral Bath Soak (will be handing off to one of my kids); Masque Bar Silver Foil Pearl Peel Off Mask; and TwelveNYC Bright-Eyed Cooling Gel Eye Pads (again, someone remind me to put these in the freezer).
Each box was $7, with free shipping, that $1 Consolidation discount plus 5% off with my Target Red Card. Both boxes came with $3 off $15 coupons, but they expired 3/1. I had only gotten the boxes 2-3 days before that and I did not have time to use them.
Giggling All the Way
When I think of “giggling” on Sesame Street, of course I think of Elmo…but Elmo isn’t pink? Elmo already got his red polish though, so maybe this pearly pink polish is for Prairie Dawn – she’s a pink puppet.
China Glaze “Giggling All the Way” is a shimmery coral pink polish – it gives off definite flamingo vibes. This is two coats over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat.
My first three nails (thumb, index and middle) are shiny, topped with Glisten & Glow Top Coat. My ring finger is regular matte, with Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat. I wanted to see how it would look rubberized, so I used Sinful Colors Rubber Top Coat on my pinky. The rubber top coat definitely gave my pinky a lot of grainy texture and made the shimmer POP – it almost looks like a holographic polish!
This is #11 – just one more polish left to swatch!
Track $tar
Believe me, I’m the FARTHEST thing from a Track Star – but Sinful Colors “Track $tar” made me feel like one.
I started with Sinful Colors Base Coat, but after three nails, it was clear that I wasn’t going to be able to beg any more out of the bottle. I threw the bottle away and finished the rest of my nails with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat. I painted two coats of “Track $tar” and finished with Sinful Colors Rubber Top Coat.
I am becoming obsessed with the “sneaker-like texture” of the new “Sporty Brights” Collection. I expect this Spring to be extra neon.
February 2020 Sephora Play! – Beauty Soul Mates
Hmmm…I’m getting a severe sense of deja vu with this month’s Sephora Play! box – I feel like I’ve seen all of these products before.
I received the Clinique Almost Lipstick in “Black Honey” just a few months, ago, in November’s box. The Clinique Blackhead Solutions 7 Day Deep Pore Cleanse & Scrub is a new product to me, at least.
I got the Kat Von D Beauty Lock-It Setting Powder in a 500 point bonus, so at least it’s not a repeat. (I noticed that the insert still refers to Kat Von D Beauty, so this was all put together well in advance of the rebranding.)
I received Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Moisturizer, which is slightly different than the Youth Preserve Mask I received in 2018.
I’m not going to complain about philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser – I love it…but I did receive it in a Play! box in 2018.
Last, but not least – Verb Ghost Oil. Yup, you guessed it – 2018.
Even though I’ve gotten almost all of these products before, it’s a good little box this month.
Sephora Play gives you 5-6 prestige samples a month, for just $10! You can sign up at sephora.com/play.