Author: Lara
April 2018 Ipsy Bag – Social Butterfly
LOOK at this month’s ipsy bag – rose gold butterflies! I’m dead.
The Pretty Woman Nail Polish in “Girl Boss” was the first product that caught my eye – it’s a dusty rose that matches the bag. Also in this month’s bag: Firma Beauty Angled Blender Brush; Ciate London Starstruck Double-Ended Stamp Liquid Liner (well, if I want to look like Kat Von D); Bubble T Cosmetics Lemongrass & Green Tea Stimulating Hand Cream; and Hempz Herbal Lip Balm (tee hee – hemp).
A solid bag, if a bit on the hippy side.
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Lippie Love
I wasn’t in Ulta to buy something for myself. I was there to look for Sally Hansen Nail Art Markers for my friend, Starr (sometimes you gotta get punk on the subway). I found those easily, but I was lured in by the NYX gift with purchase…and one more 20% off coupon burning a hole in my pocket.
With a $20 purchase of NYX products, you’d get a pleather lip-shaped bag, with three free products: NYX Matte Liquid Liner in “Black”; NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in “Copenhagen” (so goth!); and NYX Suede Lip Liner in “Copenhagen”. That’s a great gift with purchase. I decided to try a bunch of new products, for better or for worse. I got a NYX Precision Brow Pencil in “Soft Brown” ($9.99) – I’d previously used the Micro Brow Pencil and I thought this would be as good, but I don’t like it as much. It is hard to use and makes my brows look fuzzy. Then I grabbed NYX Slip Tease Full Color Lip Oil ($6.99), which felt great on my lips…but got on EVERYTHING. It did not last through a Freddy’s Steakburger. It also bled like a mofo. Lastly, I tried the NYX Powder Puff Lippie in “Moody” ($8.49). This one also went on soft as velvet. It transfered a little, but not too bad. It didn’t bleed, but didn’t apply with a crisp line either. It also lasted most of they day – super pigmented. This is the only product I’d buy again.
So, after this last shopping spree, only $132.01 to go until Platinum. Lily needs a haircut…
Target Beauty Box – April 2018
…ANOTHER Target Beauty Box for April? Wut?
I was still reeling over the first four Target Beauty Boxes that I ordered this month when a fifth became available to order, this one focusing on natural beauty products – “Hello Natural Beauty”.
Inside the Natural Beauty box: Method Experiential Simply Nourish Body Wash (coconut, rice milk, and shea butter); Love Beauty & Planet Coconut Water Shampoo & Conditioner (yassss); SheaMoisture African Black Soap Mud Mask (My beauty buddy, Angie, just suggested this mask to me TODAY); Schmidt’s Rose + Vanilla Deodorant (Looking forward to a rose deodorant, not to mention the SPIFFY name); Nourish Organic Face Lotion; and Weleda Skin Food (lotion, I guess).
I am psyched to try every product in this box – that’s rare!
This box went back to the usual $3 off a Beauty purchase of $15 or more. It was $7, with free shipping and 5% off with my Red Card.
Coconut and Coffee
I don’t usually share every time I go to Target, but this trip actually contained some “share-worthy” products.
I get all kinds of excited every time St. Ives comes out with a new product. I was able to use my Target Beauty Box coupon on St. Ives Energizing Coconut & Coffee Scrub. So excited to try it! But I’m making myself use up the Shea Moisture scrub before I open it…
I also tried L’Oreal Paris Pure Clay Cleanser – Exfoliate & Refine, which is a red clay as opposed to the black clay I have on my sink. Again, I’m forcing myself to use up the old one before I open the new one.
Everything else I bought was much less exciting – Axe Body Wash and Shampoo for the men, Cotton Balls, Toner, Contact Solution and a shit ton of nail polish remover.
I fucking love Target.
YAYROUGE, Part 2 & 3
Yeah, I paid $8 for dental floss. Technically, $6.80 with my 15%…I tried out Cocofloss in “Cara Cara Orange”. Yeah, I know it’s dumb – it’s not even as orangey flavored as I hoped. But I was just so damn salty that the Sun Safety Kit sold out.
For samples, I got Cover FX Shimmer Veil, Tory Burch Tory Burch (I forgot that I love this), and Versace Bright Crystal (my lil sis likes this one). I didn’t pick any of these samples…
My other order makes a lot more sense. I knew I would be getting the Sephora Favorites Give Me Some New Lip Kit ($28, $23.80 after discount) sooner or later. I kind of miss the lip shaped box. I wanted Smashbox Always On Metallic Matte in “XO, Vlada” so bad – and it’s full size! It’s a beautiful copper and lasts all day. I wore Huda Beauty Lip Strobe in “Snobby” to the dentist and it lasted through the whole cleaning. The dentist even complimented it! Also in the box: Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Liquid Lip Crayon in “Night Mauves” (also full size); treStiQue Mini Plumping Lip Balm in “Barbados Berry”; and Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick in “Candy Venom” (gonna try this one tomorrow).
For samples, I got Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer, Woman by Ralph Lauren and Yves Saint Laurent L’Homme. Again, I did not pick any of these samples.
Just $708 to Rouge for 2019. I don’t know if I can do it!
Mermaid Vibes
As disappointed as I was with Beach Vibes, I am really digging these Mermaid Vibes!
Julep “Maureen” is totally inspired by The Little Mermaid – it’s like a shiny version of her tail. It also matches my living room walls. I could wear it forever…
This is two coats of “Maureen” over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Beachwave Me
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!
Astros Nails
I can be a baseball fan, just for one day.
There are few sports as boring as baseball, but as soon as I found out that my son’s Junior High School Band was invited to play the National Anthem, I got uncharacteristically excited. I don’t own any Astros gear, but I do have fingernails…
I don’t normally mix brands like this, but it was necessary to get the colors just right. I started with Sally Hansen Double Duty Base & Top Coat, followed by two coats of the brightest orange I own – Sally Hansen “Sweet Nectar”. I then painted a swipe pattern that my daughter had done on her own nails last week. I used Julep “Brigitte” for the white and Julep “Dyani” for the blue. I painted the swipes freehand, with the nail polish brush – so they are far from perfect. I wanted some stars, so I then topped with Sinful Colors “Star Studded”. The finishing touch was Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Since I used the brushes from the nail polish bottle, there was far too much polish pooling in the edges, by my skin. Oh well.
I was gonna hold a baseball in the pic, but I couldn’t find one around the house. I used my mom’s opal egg instead. This might be my new nail pic thingy.
YAYROUGE, Part 1
It’s that time of year…the Sephora Spring Bonus discount is here!
This year, VIB Rouge gets a 15% discount not one weekend, but BOTH weekends. I hit my closest Sephora during lunch on the first day of the sale. (Only 14 minutes from my office to Sephora!) I was after this year’s Sun Safety Kit, but the store had already sold out…I’d have to check online.
I wanted the gift with purchase, so I wandered around, looking for a summer skin product. I tried new foundations from Sunday Riley and First Aid Beauty, but was unimpressed. Then I came across Milk Makeup Sunshine Skin Tint SPF 30 in “Fair” ($42). I tried it on my wrist and it actually blended into my skin, instead of just sitting on top. What the hell. I bought a tube. 15% made me not feel bad about it. I tried it both days this past weekend and it is more similar to a BB cream than a foundation, but it evened out my complexion without looking thick. AND I didn’t break out. This foundation will be my summer jam.
Not only did I get a cute “Lips” Card Case, but I got a sample bag. Inside the special sample bag: Buxom Big Tease Plumping Mascara; tarte Drink of H2O Hydrating Boost; Clinique Beyond Perfecting Super Concealer Camouflage + 24-Hour Wear; Beauty Blender Liquid Blendercleanser (it works SO much better than Baby Shampoo); Caudalie Vinopefect Radiance Serum; Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil; Algenist Genius Ultimate Anti-Aging Cream; and Fresh Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask. Yeah, it’s mostly foil packs, but it’s high end brands.
Oh, I also got to smell REPLICA Music Festival, which is purported to smell like patchouli and “fresh bud”. I’ll be damned if it didn’t smell just like a hippie that hadn’t bathed in a month.
…and then I started ordering online….
oVertone – Rose Gold for Brown Hair
I think I’ve found it – the holy grail of semi-permanent hair color!
Growing up in the 80s and 90s, all we had was Manic Panic. Don’t get me wrong, it did the job…but it was hard to apply and stained EVERYTHING. Good luck not staining your scalp, your forehead, your clothes, your bathtub, your towels – everything. Manic Panic was somehow permanent and not permanent at the same time. Even though it permanently stained everything it touched – it tended to fade quickly (and unevenly) from your hair. I spend more time than I would like to admit with half pink/ half bleached blond hair than I would like to admit. Oh, did I not mention that Manic Panic was useless without bleach? But in your teens and twenties, who gives a shit, right? Hair grows…
Now in my 40s, I definitely give a shit about my hair. Women don’t want to admit that our hair thins, too, as we age – it fucking DOES. (Just ask my husband about our shower drain…) There’s got to be a better way to add adventurous color than bleaching and dying forever…
And then I discovered oVertone. I admit it, I first saw it on Facebook and Instagram ads. They were hyping a new color called “Rose Gold for Brown Hair”, which was my color goal the last time I got my hair professionally colored – and I ended up a bit disappointed. I clicked and the product sounded really amazing – a duo of semi-permanent products that promise to keep your hair bright and tight. I then saw that samples were available, so I decided to try them out…
I ordered samples of “Rose Gold for Brown Hair” Deep Conditioner ($11) and Daily Conditioner ($8). A bit pricey, but if it works and keeps my hair healthy…it will be well worth it. Full Size prices are $28 for the Deep Conditioner and $17 for the Daily Conditioner. If I got two uses out of the sample Deep Conditioner (I used less than half), the full size should last a few months at least.
The sample Deep Conditioner is to be used first – you put it on your hair for 10-15 minutes and then rinse. That’s IT. The Daily Conditioner adds a color boost between weekly Deep Conditioning Treatments. Best of all, no harsh chemical odor – it smells like Wintergreen!
I was surprised at how deeply pink some of my hair turned. This is because I had chunky highlights last summer, so those highlights sucked the color right up. The picture to the left is immediately after application, but I got the perfect rose gold color after the first washing.
In addition to “Rose Gold for Brown Hair”, there’s original “Rose Gold” AND the whole rest of the rainbow: red, orange, pink, silver, blue, purple, teal, green and yellow. I don’t see myself going nuts – it’s taken me nearly 18 years at the same company to dye my hair slightly pink. This is probably as much as I can get away with right now…Baby steps…
The most recent similar product I’ve tried is L’Oreal Colorista…and it doesn’t even come close on quality. It’s ~$8-~11 a tube and even though it promises 4-8 shampoos, it’s gone after a single shampoo. There are lots of other semi-permanent products on the market right now, but I’ll pay extra for oVertone.
If you’d like to try oVertone, this referral link will get you $10 off your first order (and $10 for me, too).