Author: Lara
Sugar Strawberry
I cannot believe I paid $33 for a fucking face wash.
Fresh Sugar Strawberry Exfoliating Face Wash ($33) is a new product and it’s not exactly what I expected. I was expecting a cloying fake strawberry scent, but it was a natural raw strawberry smell – very subtle. The scrub has two different sizes of sugar crystals – it’s very refreshing. The grapeseed oil leaves my face hydrated, but not greasy. I am still not sure I’ll buy it again – $33 goddamn – but I do like the product.
I also picked up another new skin product – Sephora Collection Hemp Mousse Instant Mask ($7). It’s supposed to target blemishes, but I used it and couldn’t really tell if it did anything. Oh, and it vaguely smells like pot, which is weird.
As usual, I stopped by the Sale page…I picked up a Sephora Collection Luster Matte Long-Wear Lip Color in “Magenta Luster” ($3, down from $16). I feel like I got this formula in a Play! box and liked it?
I used a promo code to get a set from Tata Harper – Regenerating Cleanser and Resurfacing Mask. I only got ONE of the free samples I chose at check-out – the Glow Recipe Avocado Sleeping Mask – and I cannot wait to try it. I was so annoyed that a sample was missing, that I contacted customer care. They did give me 200 points, so I guess I shouldn’t complain too much.
$741 to Rouge status in 2020…
Marika
Believe it or not, I still have a bunch of Julep polishes that I haven’t tried yet – at least a dozen or so!
This is Julep Boho Glam “Marika”, stone matte metallic, from the January 2016 box. Yes, it’s been sitting in my “untried” basket that long!
I am out of Julep Base Coats and it looks like they will not be restocking, which pisses me off. I keep checking the site periodically, but no luck so far. I used Glisten & Glow Base Coat, which is fine, I guess. This is two coats of “Marika”, topped with Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat. I feel like the Matte Top Coat made it kind of cloudy, if that makes sense? I feel like the polish looked crisper and more saturated without the top coat, but what can you do? I went without a top coat for literally DECADES, but now I am a full believer.
Scentporta-yay
As much as I complain about all the retail spam I get – how else would I know about all the good sales? I got an email from Bath & Body Works that Scentportables would be $1.95 each on Memorial Day, so I got my ass in the car!
I threw 10 in the basket, mostly “Rose Water & Ivy”, but a few other scents, too. The store wouldn’t let me stack coupons, so the rest of my haul was a separate transaction, so I could use the coupons I got in the mail – 20% off, plus a free product up to $6. For my free product, I got a travel size Shower Gel in “Hello Beautiful” – that’s the current scent in my travel bag. I also got a few body poofs and Lily is now obsessed with “Black Cherry Merlot” and wanted a Hand Cream – I made her pay me back.
I did not go crazy because I know the Semi Annual Sale is just around the corner…stay tuned for more soap hoarding!
Sephora Play! May 2019 – Beauty BFFs
I am INTRIGUED by the name of May’s fragrance sample – Viktor & Rolf Salty Flower. I know, I know – I need to grow up. I usually like citrus scents, but I haven’t decided how I feel about this one. It’s got a hint of orange, but it’s buried underneath a powdery, old lady smell. I’ll have to wear it a few times to really decide.
Also included in this month’s “Beauty BFFs” box: Benefit Cosmetics BADgal BANG! Mascara (a decent mascara); Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick in “Stepping Out” (reminds me of NYX Soft Matte Metallic in “Cannes”); Sol de Janeiro Copa Cabana Cream (smells so good that I want to drink it); It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Eye Cream (bahhhh); and Alterna Haircare Caviar Anti-Aging Restructuring Bond Repair Leave-in Heat Protectant Spray.
A good box, with a wide variety of useful products.
Sephora Play is one of the better subscription boxes with consistently high-end products. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
May 2019 Ipsy Bag – Daydream
Oh wow, a full sized, five color eyeshadow palette in this month’s ipsy bag! It’s the Pacifica Beauty Island Life Eyeshadow Palette. Ipsy has a new product selection option now – kind of like Birchbox – and apparently, I picked this palette. Good job, me. I missed the product choice window for next month though – boo.
I already grabbed the F.A.R.A.H. Brushes 22E Shade & Blend Brush for my travel makeup bag. Normally, a dual-ended brush would annoy me, but it’s perfect for a makeup bag.
Also in this month’s, “Daydream” bag: Illamasqua Hydra Veil Primer; Inmo Velveteen Dream Eyeshadow in “Super Bass” (this brand is new to me, and the color is intriguing); and Papa Recipe Eggplant Clearing 5.5 Cleansing Foam (oooh, eggplant).
This is the highest value ipsy bag in a while – and the bag itself is the cutest in years. You know my favorite color is glitter!
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Popped
Sinful Colors “Popped” is my second selection from the Neon Collection. It’s a juicy, wet pink. You know what is reminds me of? A pink Starburst, universally agreed upon as the BEST Starburst.
This is two coats of “Popped” over Sinful Colors Base Coat. It was so wet and juicy looking – before a top coat – that I couldn’t foil it with a matte top coat – I used Glisten & Glow Top Coat on all of my nails.
I also did my toes, but I don’t like it as much on my toes. For some reason, I got full coverage in two coats on my fingernails, but two coats on my toenails are streaky and sparse.
Funny story – I thought this was a very long lasting manicure, but you know what it couldn’t withstand? Taxidermy. Yes, taxidermy. Did you know that taxidermy involves a lot of BORAX? That shit is harsh on nails – it made the polish start to peel right off. Oops.
May 2019 Allure Beauty Box – Smooth Sailing
Ooooh, a box full of summer pampering products!
I was thrilled to see Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream in this month’s box – I love this stuff…the rest of the box…um….
Also in this month’s box: St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water Gel, with an application mitt (not a chance I’ll be using this); ModelCo Eyelites Metallic Eyeshadow in “St Barts”; Laritzy Cosmetics Lip Gloss in “Vibe”; Lue by Jean Seo Erase Cleansing, Exfoliating and Brightening Powder (seriously, is this for laundry?); and Nunzio Saviano Anti-Frizz Sheets.
I kind of feel like the box is bullshit this month…Allure, you are on notice!
Oh, the clutch is orange this month. Um, what am I gonna do with all these fucking clutches?
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.
Drag Queen
Well, OF COURSE, the first polish I chose from The Pride Collection would be Sinful Colors “Drag Queen”. Duh, Season 11 of RuPaul’s Drag Race is wrapping up – Team Brooklyn Hites – and this polish is perfect.
“Drag Queen” is a glossy dark purple, with flaky glitters. This is two coats over Sinful Colors Base Coat. I knew she deserved to be glossy, so I topped it with Glisten & Glow Top Coat EXCEPT for my pinky. I had to see it mattified, so I used Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat on just my pinky.
I am loving the formula of the Pride Collection so far – “Drag Queen” is full coverage in just two coats and it lasted a good long while. IO’m looking forward to trying them all…except maybe that yellow one. I don’t know how I feel about yellow glitter.
The Pride Collection
I swear, I ordered the new Sinful Colors Pride Collection back at the beginning of April, but the demand was so high that it took over a month to fulfill my order. I can understand why – this collection is BEAUTIFUL. It’s so much better than the first Pride Collection, because GLITTER!
There are six bold, glittery Sinful Colors polishes: “Tainted Love” (red), “Tight Squeeze” (orange), “Natural Blonde” (yellow), “Filthy Rich” (green), “Love is Love” (blue), and “Drag Queen” (dark purple). Guess which one I tried first…
It was just $11.94 for 6 polishes AND the Grind & Glow Rainbow Shimmer Powder. I haven’t had a chance to try the highlighter yet – soon. Unfortunately, the price has ballooned to $16.35 at this exact moment, but you know how them Amazon prices do…
Purrrrplicious
It was nice to get a new nail polish in last month’s ipsy bag, even if it was a brand I’d never heard of. I got “Purrrrplicious” by Law Beauty Essentials. Yup, 4 Rs – I counted.
For a 100% vegan nail polish, it had a very funky, chemical smell. It was super strong and unappealing. This is two streaky coats, over Glisten & Glow Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat. This polish was so streaky that I almost threw in the towel. The edges also ended up jagged and crispy – why do polishes do that? I got a single air bubble in my thumb. too. Rude.
“Purrrrplicious” appeared baby pink in some light, pastel purple in others. It reminded me of purple cotton candy.