Author: Lara
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!
Ghosted
Color Club “Ghosted” was an ipsy add-on from last summer. It was patiently waiting for me…
Color Club polishes are so thick and smooth – for most people, this would be one coat coverage…but you know I always gotta do two. I started with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and topped with Glisten & Glow Top Coat, except for the pinky…which got a coat of Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat.
I have no idea why this polish is called “Ghosted” – at first, I thought the name was trying to be spooky, but maybe it’s referring to “ghosting” a dude?
Smash Hit
Sinful Colors “Smash Hit” has been sitting in my living room nail cabinet, waiting its turn to be used, since the end on 2018. I’ve been trying to work my way through them, but there at least a couple dozen still in there, as well as a couple dozen in my bedroom.
I was feeling like something cold and icy, so I decided on this icy, sheer blue. This is two coats of “Smash Hit” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat. The glitter is iridescent dots, with a few flakie shards thrown in for interest.
This polish reminds me of “Wrapped in Plastic”. It also reminds me of Bumble, from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
First Ulta Haul of 2021
Remember how excited I was about NatureLabs.Tokyo Perfect Shine Shampoo & Conditioner? Turns out that it was the wrong product. I had sampled Perfect SMOOTH Shampoo & Conditioner. Oops. I bought a bottle of the NatureLabs.Tokyo Perfect Smooth Conditioner ($14) and I like it much better than the Perfect Smooth. Ugh. I’ll buy more Shampoo, I guess…
I am a sucker for Urban Decay foundation. Every time they release a new one, I’m all over it. Their newest is Urban Decay Hydromaniac Glowy Tinted Hydrator Foundation ($29). I was expected something like a tinted moisturizer, but it was a medium to full coverage foundation. I just put on on my face with my fingers and was like…oh NO. I grabbed my Beauty Blender and buffed it out. It gave nice, smooth coverage. If I left my house more than once a week, I’d use the hello out of it.
I also added a pack of Kitsch Face Masks ($12.99). My kids like these masks best, so I keep on buying them.
A few nice Platinum/Diamond freebies came with this order. I got a Too Faced Damn That’s Sexy Mascara set with my $25 makeup purchase and a deluxe sample of BareMinerals Original Liquid Foundation in “Fairly Light 03”. I haven’t tried either yet.
$1,145 to Diamond for 2022!
…and that’s how I went to the prom with Geena Davis
…but you probably already read about that in People.
I will buy you a socially distanced beer if you know what I am talking about…
The star of my first 2021 manicure is Julep “Geena – Rose Quartz for January”. It’s sheerer than I expected – I thought it would be a textured glitter – but it was a smooth jelly glitter. I like it, although I’d like it more if my nails weren’t so stained.
This is two coats of “Geena” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and topped with Glisten & Glow Top Coat. So shiny!
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.
Goodbye 2020!
Although I’m not feeling very festive, my nails sure are…
After Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat, I started with two coats of Color Club “Get Lost”, from this month’s ipsy bag. It was more streaky than I would like, but I made it work.
My friend Brittany inspired me with just a touch of glitter on my nails, no one has time to scrape of individual pieces of glitter with a butter knife…I used a recent Walmart clearance find – Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear “Confetti Craze”. It’s very similar to Sinful Colors “Pride”, so I guess I didn’t need it…but it was only $1.
I did get a proper matte moment with Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat. I opened a new bottle and it was oh, so nice.
Goodbye 2020, don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya…
December 2020 Allure Beauty Box – Hello Hibernation!
Okay, this is more like it!
I’ve been threatening to cancel my Allure Beauty Box for several months now, but the December box was full of really good products!
The STAR of December’s box was the Ciate London Trend Edit Palette ($24). This is a beautiful eyeshadow palette full of rich browns and spicy shimmers – I’m a sucker for a red shimmery eyeshadow! Just this palette is worth the cost of the box!
Also in this month’s “Hello Hibernation” box: Mudmasky Leave-Me-On Winter Mask; Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S. Thirst-Quenching Serum; ByMe x MyBeautyBrand Black Liquid Eyeliner; La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum; and Cetaphil Deep Hydration Healthy Glow Daily Cream (this is a rich, thick face cream – I prefer to sleep in it, than to wear for daytime).
In addition to the normal box, there was a special “Beauty Loot” pouch, just for me! Inside the pouch was a deluxe fragrance sample of Proenza Schouler Arizona! It’s a mature and mysterious scent – it reminds me of Neiman Marcus for some reason…
Keep kissing my butt, Allure – I like it!
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Santa Claws
I decided that my nail stains (thanks “Sour Apple Killer”) had grown out enough to try to attempt a sheer glitter polish, so I decided on Sinful Colors “Santa Claws” for my official Xmas manicure. There’s a slight rose gold cast to the base, so it hid the stains somewhat.
This is two coats of “Santa Claws” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Sinful Colors Radical Matte Top Coat.
I’ve been obsessed with matte nails the past several months, and let me just say it…I am VERY disappointed in Sinful Colors Radical Matte Top Coat. It is neither radical, nor very matte at all. I’ll be going back to my trusty Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat – it’s the best I’ve used, so far.