Category: Body
February Ipsy Bag – Pretty in #ipsyPink
Is it me, or are the ipsy bags getting cuter and cuter? My purse is filled with a series of bags, holding all kinds of different things – I can’t figure out what to do with all the cute bags I have. Ideas please!!!
“Pretty in #ipsyPink” is the theme for February and the bag is pixelated envelope – like a valentine, I guess? Inside: MOR Emporium Classics Hand & Body Lotion in “Candied Vanilla” (smells like vanilla pudding – weird); Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in “I’m Kind of a Big Deal” (plastic-y pink, but I think I know what I am gonna do with it…); Naked Cosmetics Mica Pigment in “Sierra Nevada #02”; Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Finish Primer Oil (I also got a sample of this with my last Ulta Goody Bag, but I haven’t tried it yet); and Jor’el Parker “Eau So Divine” (not bad – better than the last one I received).
Another decent bag – but I really wanted that Ciate Polish…
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Target Beauty Box – February 2016
I can’t believe how much stuff is in the February Target Beauty Box – “Sweet Treats”. It is bursting to the seams.
Inside the box: Soapbox Coconut Oil Shampoo & Conditioner; Mayfair Soap Foundry Body Creme in “Sea Lily Jasmine” (Smells good); Vera Wang “Embrace” Eau de Toilette (Pear blossom and green tea – reminds me of my mom); L’Oreal Boost It Air Blown Texture Mist; Skinfix Lip Repair Balm; EcoTools Bath Pouf (it’s a bit tiny, but I can always use these); Laneige BB Cushion (Now that I finally tried the first sample I got, I’ll actually use this); Derma e Hydrating Night Creme (nice); and Incoco Nail Polish Appliques (I need to try these – this is the third pack I’ve gotten).
Just $7 for this box, with a $3 off $15 coupon inside. I need to hurry up and use the last 2 I got – they expire on Sunday.
25% Off on My Birthday
Coincidentally, Birchbox sent me a 25% code on my birthday, to celebrate my 25th Birchbox. I also had $20 in points, so I decided to browse…
The first thing I put in my cart was Lipstick Queen “Frog Prince” ($25). It’s exactly what you think it is – green lipstick…but like 80s Mood Lipstick. It has overwhelmingly positive reviews, so I thought I’d try it out. I expected that to be it, but then I saw the Coastal Scents Pearl Brush Set with brush holder ($39.95). I’d been looking for a barrel case like that…and although I haven’t been impressed with the Coastal Scents eye shadows I’ve gotten, I’ve heard great things about their brushes. They’re SO soft…and they’re completely synthetic – no animals harmed in order to make me beautiful.
The samples I got were odd – Hanz De Fuko Natural Shampoo (smells like BenGay) and das boom Industries Everything Wash – Bay Rum, Smoke & Dirt (This stuff smells sexy as fuck – I’m sending my husband to go shower with it NOW).
Another happy birthday to me!
Target Beauty Boxes – January 2016
Two Target Beauty Boxes this month…and they’re BOTH for ME! I don’t have to share with ANYONE.
Inside the “Refresh” box: Acure Day Cream (Definitely gonna use this); John Frieda Keraflex Hair Spray; Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion (I do not understand the concept of in-shower body lotion – doesn’t it just end up all over your towel?); Clear Total Care Shampoo & Conditioner (going to my sister); Simple Micellular Wipes (I got these in the last Allure Beauty Thrills – I opened the other day to prep before using my Tria); Marlowe Extra Moisturizing Lotion (smells divine); Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Pads (it says they “retexture and resurface” my skin – uhhhh, scary); and scünci Braided Elastic Bands.
Inside the “Renewal” box: Caress Love Forever Body Wash; Attitude 2-in-1 Shampoo & Body Wash (What? No.); Laneige BB Cushion (I got this in another Target Beauty Box…and still haven’t tried it. Oops.); scünci No Slip Grip Braided Headband; Degree Women Fresh Energy Dry Spray; Jergens Wet Skin Moisturizer (I am sensing a trend…); Attitude Volume & Shine Shampoo; Revlon Ultimate All-In-One Mascara (Actually so excited to try this that I trashed the old Julep Mascara I had been using up); and Hada Labo Tokyo Anti-Aging Facial Mask (I received one of these in Ulta’s 2014 Cyber Monday bag…again, haven’t tried it yet).
A few repeats…a wakeup call for me to actually use this shit! I don’t believe in New Years Resolutions, but I’m gonna do it!
Each were $7 and each came with a $3 off $15 coupon. Maybe I’ll actually use both this time. At least I managed to use one of the coupons last month…on replacement electric toothbrush heads. So glamorous.
December Birchbox – Winter Essentials
Winter is a tough season for my skin. I feel like my skin is so try that I have to put a lot of products on it to moisturize it. In turn, I get breakouts. Then more products to combat the breakouts…and skin that is drier and flakier than before. Let’s see what Birchbox thinks my “Winter Essentials” should be…
Inside this month’s box: Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain in “Forever Peach” (I tested it on my wrist and got about as much color as a cherry chapstick – it smelled like chapstick, too); Coastal Scents Eye Shadow Duo – formalEYES (the description on the card led me to believe I would be getting classic pinks and mauves – uh, I got gold and emerald green…then I looked at the package and it says styleEYES – guess I got the wrong one? I showed my husband and he just said, “Slutty.”); eSalon Perfect ending Leave In Conditioner (is that anything like a happy ending?); derma e Microdermabrasion Scrub (I LOVE this scrub); and JUARA Coconut Illipe Hand and Nail Balm. There was also a tasty treat in my box – a little chocolate bar from Chuao Chocolatier – “Cinnamon Cereal Smooch”. It was SO good. I did not share.
Hmmm…not a bad box, but a little odd. We’ll see how the slutty green eye shadow looks with peachy chapstick.
If you would like to try Birchbox, click on my referral link – https://www.birchbox.com/invite/5453f – I’ll get 50 points if you join.
The Usual Saturday
My daughter and I hit the usual spots after her gymnastics class on Saturday…it’s like a thing.
First, we hit Bath & Body Works for $2.50 Hand Soaps. Even though I just stocked up, I couldn’t resist this yearly sale. I picked up a total of 12, even letting Lily pick out a few scents for the kids bathroom – “Elfin’ Around” and “Vanilla Bean Noel”. I picked a mix of Xmas and Summer scents. I used a $10 off $30 coupon, which gave me the soaps for $1.66 each. That’s an even better deal than the 20% off coupon I used last year!
Then we hit Ulta – I just needed some clipper sets for some Xmas gifts I’m putting together. I just used a $3.50 coupon, even though I have a 20% off ANYTHING coupon burning a hole in my purse. I doubt I’ll even use it this year…
Finally, Taco Bell while getting my car inspected. While there, Lily was concerned that the guy from the Lube place wanted to marry me because he came in to grab lunch…then I accosted a rando to get a picture of his tattoo to send to my husband. You know, the usual Saturday stuff.
Target Beauty Boxes – December 2015
See, I’ve gotten smart – I throw my husband a beauty box every once in a while to keep him happy…
Just like last December, Target offered “His” and “Hers” Beauty Boxes. The “His” Box was $5 and included a Target brand Up & Up Five Blade Razor (since he joined the Five Dollar Shave Club, I might steal this for my legs); Degree Dry Spray in “Adventure”; Gillette Clinical Endurance Antiperspirant in “Cool Wave” (apparently, Target thinks men are stinky); Axe “Apollo” Shower Gel; and Dove “Extra Fresh” Body and Face Wash. Oh, and a $3 off $15 coupon.
This should keep him off my back for a few months at least…
The $10 “Hers” box is MUCH more exciting. Inside: Clairol Hair Food Dry Shampoo; CoverGirl Star Wars Lipstick in “30” (Yes, yes, yes! I’ve been wanting one of these!); Maybelline Push Up Drama Mascara in “Blackest Black”; CeraVe Eye Repair Cream; Goody Ouchless Elastics Sweat Stretch (they are made like those loops you make potholders out of); Pacifica Love³ Eye Shadow Trio (very pretty earth tones); Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream (another LOVE); and Olay Regenerist Microsculpting Cream (What am I going to microsculpt?).
…and another $3 off $15 coupon.
Ulta Cyber Fundays
The weekend before Thanksgiving/Black Friday, Ulta ran a “Cyber Fundays” promotion with a bunch of stuff on sale, plus a gift with purchase sample bag on orders of $60+, plus $10 off. I decided to knock out some stocking stuffers, plus get a few things for myself. Imagine my surprise when Ulta decided to break my modest order into three different shipments.
The first box was rather piddly – just a travel size Joico K-PAK Deep-Penetrating Reconstructor (my BFF swears by K-PAKs, so I thought I’d give them a try while on sale) and a few stocking stuffers from the 5/$5 Promotion.
The second box was also small – a single lotion stocking stuffer, my variety sampler – Lumene Time Freeze Instant Lift Serum and Burt’s Bees Renewal Intensive Firming Serum – and my gift with purchase…Inside the Berry Glam Beauty Bag: Too Faced Born This Way Foundation with 3 different shades – “Vanilla”, “Light Beige” and “Sand”; Gucci “Bamboo” (not bad, smells like Crystals in Vegas); “Pink Sugar” (too hookery); Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo; Pureology Coulour Fanatic Instant Deep-Conditioning Mask; Benefit ThePOREfessional Pro Balm & License to Blot Set; Urban Decay Cosmetics Revolution Lipstick (Card with 4 sample colors); Giorgio Armani “Acqua Di Gio”; Whish Body Butter in “Winterberry” (the last one I got smelled like hot dog water, so I am scared to try this one); It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product (guaranteed in every Ulta sample bag); Ralph Lauren “Romance”; Philosophy Purity Made Simple 3-in-1 Cleanser for Face and Eyes; Ulta Legendary Lengths Lengthening Mascara; Clarins Super Restorative Day; Alterna Haircare Caviar CC Cream (for hair); Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer (I have SO much of this shit); Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Cream; Nip+Fab Skin Dragon’s Blood Fix Plumping Serum (it couldn’t be worse than the snake venom that nut in Vegas smeared all over my face); and a BUNCH of Ulta coupons.
FINALLY…the third box had the REAL stuff I ordered: John Frieda Liquid Shine Shampoo and Conditioner ($3.74 each!); Joico K-PAK Shampoo (to go with the conditioner); Ulta Rose Gold Palette (been lusting after this FOREVER); Poo-Pourri “Merry Spritzmas” (for my son – at 10, he is starting to get manly shits); eos Holiday Set (also for him), some other stocking stuffers and some nail buffers for ME.
I monitored Ulta’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales and it looks like the Cyber Fundays sale was actually the better deal (for me, anyway). They’re still sending different sale emails every day, though…I may not be done ordering yet!
Just a Pit Stop…
If I make my husband drop me by Bath & Body Works on the way to wedding party…does that mean I have a problem? $8.50 three wick candles is a BIG DEAL.
Back when I lived in Dallas – before kids – I used to make my own candles. When we moved, I kept all of my oils and supplies, fully expecting to someday get back to candlemaking when I had more time…then another baby, another house, another excuse. Finally, my oils had rotted through the bottles and we had to trash them. (I bet that was the best smelling load of trash my garbageman ever had.) So until I get the urge to revisit that hobby…I buy candles and wax melts. Not a lot, but enough to have on hand.
That being said, $8.50 is a smoking deal. Regular price is $22.50 – $30.00. I picked up “Beautiful Day”, “Jingle All the Way”, “Japanese Cherry Blossom”, “Twisted Peppermint” and 2 “Pomelo Paradise”. A $15 off $40 coupon made them $6 each. I also had a stackable coupon for a free item, so I got a “White Citrus” Shower Gel.
Even after a stop at Starbucks, we made it right on time for Beth and David’s wedding party. David is my husband’s cousin and I am thrilled to welcome Beth into our (sometimes insane, but always loving) family. She and I bonded a few years ago over our shared love of nail polish – especially Zoya. It was love at first sight!
When we met, I was still rolling around the idea of Beauty Hoard in my head and she really encouraged me to get it started. If there wasn’t a Beth, there probably wouldn’t be a Beauty Hoard, so I owe her a depth of gratitude!
I can’t wait for our next nail party!
Soap Me
I get a little twitchy if I have less than 20 B&BW Hand Soaps under my counter. When I dropped by Bath & Body Works on Saturday, they didn’t have soaps for 7/$24 – they were 6/$24. Fuck that!
However…when I checked my email on Sunday, they were back at 7/$24, plus the email had a code for 30% off, which was much better than the 20% off coupon I received via postal mail. So I dragged my poor son on a quick trip…I just grabbed 10 Xmasy scents – I even let him pick one (Honeyed Pineapple Pumpkin – gag). He prefers the foaming soap to the thicker soap I like – he says he doesn’t like the weird little beads.
With the sale and my coupon – $2.40 each. Oh, I also got a new bath scrubby…in case you were wondering…