Category: Face
October 2019 Sephora Play! – Your Beauty Recipe
Better late than never, aight?
A very odd Sephora Play! box this month – there doesn’t seem to be an overarching theme, other than pieces you can mix into your beauty routine. The first sample I tried was the dpHUE Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Masque. I was worried that it would have a vinegary smell, but the smell was rather light. I used it in the shower, so I probably only left it in my hair for 5-7 minutes – but it made my hair feel really nice and silky.
I also tried the Tarte Quench Hydrating Primer – Rainforest of the Sea Collection. I wish there was more in the tube, because it was really nice. There was only 2 uses in the tube!
Also in this month’s box: Shiseido WASO: Clear Mega-Hydrating Moisturizer; Origins Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega Mushroom Relief & Resilience Soothing Treatment Lotion (Is that name long enough for you?); Youth to the People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser (why is it in a tiny glass bottle?); and Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray.
Oh, something new in this month’s box – instead of a 50 point Play! pass, this box came with a code for 20% off any foundation, tinted moisturizer, BB or CC Cream. If I didn’t just get the 20% holiday bonus, I’d definitely use it!
Sephora Play gives you 5-6 prestige samples a month, for just $10! You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
October 2019 Ipsy Bag – Flaunt It
Holy moly ipsy – this Betty Boop bag is beautiful! If you flip it over, the back is black sequins. This might be the most luxe bag that ipsy has sent out.
The centerpiece of this month’s bag is the Betty Boop x Ipsy That’s So Betty Eyeshadow in “Flip Your Lid”. In the pan, it looks like a dark burgundy shimmer, but it isn’t very pigmented AT ALL. I’ve worn it a few times and it actually works well swiping on my eyes alone, a lazy day shadow.
Also in this month’s “Flaunt It” bag: First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads; Pretty Woman Nail Polish in “Don’t Be Jelly”; It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ in Fair (my product selection this month); and KVOSSNYC Lip Treatment in “Raspberry” (I put this on before bedroom and apparently drooled it across my face – I woke up with a pink stain across my cheek!).
$10 for years, the basic level of ipsy that I get is now $12/month. If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
Kat Von D Fire Sale
What can I say – I love a good sale.
It looks like Sephora is offloading lots and lots of Kat Von D’s old products. Most of last year’s palettes are half price (or less). I already have all of the ones on sale, except for the Vegan Palette – no thank you. I did, however, pick up the 4 remaining Everlasting Glimmer Veil Liquid Lipsticks for $5, down from $22. I got “Thunderstruck” – champagne with pink and gold glimmer, “Starflyer” – lavender with iridescent glimmer, “Reverb” – cobalt with blue glimmer, and “Televator” – bright grape with purple glimmer. I also picked up the Kitten Mini Studded Kiss Vampira Ombre Set for $7, down from $18. Two mini lipsticks, in “Vampira” and “White Out”. I’ve only used “Thunderstruck” and “Starflyer” so far – I need to get to work.
For samples, I picked (and received) Kate Somerville EradiKate Salicylic Acid Treatment and Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream. I also used a promo code to get a deluxe sample bottle of Kate Somerville Bio-mimicking Peptides Serum.
So, my total order was $27…$581 to Rouge in 2020.
October 2019 Allure Beauty Box – On the Bright Side
Allure usually comes last each month, but this month it was first into my mailbox. I wonder why?
October’s theme – “On the Bright Side” – is glowy products. The stand-out product is Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. I’ve repeatedly gotten samples of it and use it immediately – I love the way it smells, like a day at the beach.
Also in this month’s box: Sunday Riley ICE Ceramide Moisturizing Cream (such a tiny sample); M-61 Powerglow Peel; ModelCo Metallic Eyeshadow Trio in “St. Tropez” (I thought this was the same trio I received in my February box , but the colors are slightly different; I used it this morning and the colors lean brassy); ModelCo Eyelites in “Granite” (I received an Eyelites in my April box, too – have not tried the product); Kneipp Mineral Bath Salt in “Dream Away” (Will be giving to one of my kids); and Lumify Eye Drops (I’ve gotten a few times and they work well enough – they’re just too pricey for me to buy on my own).
I kind of feel that Allure is pushing a few brands repeatedly, month after month. I feel like they must have gotten a truckload of ModelCo and Sunday Riley and we’ll be getting it monthly, no matter what.
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.
September 2019 Allure Beauty Box – Best of Beauty Award Winners
What’s good, Allure? Did you give up on the clear clutches after only 8 months? Sephora Play went several YEARS before trading out the drawstring pouches for printed ziplocs…Just goes to show that no other Subscription Box has the gumption to stick with bags, except for Ipsy…I ain’t even mad though – like I need MORE pouches and makeup bags…
September’s box is filled with Allure’s Best of Beauty Award Winners…past winners. Like – not this year’s winners. Hmmm…
Far and away, my favorite product from this month’s box is 2018 winner NatureLab Perfect Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner. I’ve been searching for an amazing shampoo and conditioner and this may be the one. The scent is lightly citrus-y and the formula is cruelty-free. It looks like the only place to get these is Amazon ($14 each) – a bit pricey, but not out my price range for a great product.
Also in this month’s box: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder, Ciate London Dewy Stix Luminous Highlighting Balm in “Gleam”; La Roche-Posay Lipikar Eczema Soothing Relief Cream (I’m not gonna jinx myself by saying I’m looking forward to trying this on my next flare-up, but…); and Acure Brightening Facial Scrub (I’ve gotten this before and LOVED it).
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.
Target Beauty Boxes – August + September 2019
I don’t know how I managed to miss ordering the August Target Beauty Box – but I did. If an email was sent out, it got lost in my inbox and I didn’t see any social media posts either…BUT, it was still available to order when I went looking for the September box (which I also did not see an email on). I went ahead and ordered both boxes.
August’s box is “Hot for Fall” and includes products to help transition from summer to fall: MyBite Vitamins in Dark Chocolately Peanut; Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Deep Conditioning Treatment (I’ll have to hide from my son – this is his brand); hello Activated Charcoal + Hemp \Flouride Free Toothpaste (sounds GROSS, but I’ll try it); Oral-B Interdental Picks (Ooooh yeah!); Herbal Essences Birch Bark Extract Sulfate-Free Shampoo/Conditioner (I tried it out and it was fine – not nearly as exciting as the old commercials want you to believe – no hair-washing orgasms for me); and Dove Men + Care Fresh and Clean 2 in 1. This was a stuffed box!
The September “Glow Into Fall” box seemed kind of skimpy: Schick Intuition Sensitive Care Razor (not a fan of the Intuition line, so gave it to my daughter); Trim Salon Emery Board (I can always use one of these); TRESemme Botanique Color Vibrance and Shine Shampoo/Conditioner (I liked this one slightly more than the Herbal Essences one, but it’s hard to get use to the low foaming formulas); Miss Spa Hydrate Facial Sheet Mask; and Dove Dry Serum Powder Touch. I was intrigued by a serum antiperspirant and tried it immediately. It was okay, I guess – but I did NOT like getting it all over my hands. I feel like it left a residue on my fingers, even after washing my hands. I did like the smell, but I don’t know that I’ll be buying this one.
Each box was $7, free shipping, plus 5% off with my Target Red Card. Understandably, the coupon in the August box had already expired, but I am annoyed that the September coupon doesn’t seem to be usable either. My app won’t recognize it when I try to scan it, and the code to use online doesn’t work either. Bummer.
September 2019 Ipsy Bag – #DiscoverYourself
Ipsy is really taking it to the next level. Not only have they added Product Choice over the last few months, but they now have added additional product tiers – Plus (5 full size products for $25) and Ultimate (12 products for $50). I am content to stick with the regular Glam Bag for now, but maybe if I win the lottery, I can upgrade?
September’s bag is a cute Constellation printed canvas bag, filled with new discoveries. My product choice this month was Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask. It was an easy pick – all of the other choices were Ofra products. No offense intended, but it is kind of a “blah” brand to me. AND I got a product anyway – Ofra Cosmetics x Madison Blush in “Sweet Stuff” (I have no idea who Madison Miller is – do you?).
Also in this month’s bag: Haruharu Wonder Honey Green Aqua Bomb Cream (but it looks like a lip balm?); Sundays Nail Polish in “No. 35” (it’s a dark navy blue); and The Beauty Crop Eyeshadow in “Halcyon” (ugh, a dark metallic army green – so weird).
A strange collection of products, for sure. What are you even doing, Ipsy?
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
Exes & Oh’s
Okay, this was a total impulse buy – there was a huge Colour Pop display on the endcap where I was waiting in line to check out…so I didn’t hesitate to drop the ColourPop Cosmetics “Exes & Oh’s” Palette ($16) into my bag. I’d been wanting to try their eyeshadow for the longest time. Their palettes are super affordable for a lot of colors! My only complaint is that the lighter shimmer shades all turn into the same copper color on me. I find this problem a lot with budget beauty brands, like Wet n Wild or Makeup Revolution – very little color differentiation on the skin. Even so, the colors stay vibrant all day. The biggest issue I have is the name of the palette. I guess it’s not the name itself – I love the song “Exes & Ohs” – it’s that extraneous apostrophe! That apostrophe indicates that “Oh’s” is either possessive or a contraction…bullshit! I took a DNA Test and it turns out I am 100% that grammar nazi bitch.
The rest of the bag is stuff I picked up, while waiting for Lily’s haircut. I picked up a Headband/Shower Cap Set ($9.99) from The Vintage Cosmetic Company, because PINK FLAMINGOS. I also picked up a new mask from Freeman Beauty – Canadian Hemp Seed Clay Clay Mask ($4.29). The clay was weirdly plastic feeling, but I really do feel like it worked well on my skin. I also grabbed a few clearance hairbrushes for my kids.
My purchase was just big enough to use a $10 OFF $40 coupon. $517 to Diamond…
Sephora SUMMER SAVE, Part II
So you know I had to slip another small order in, while my 20% off code was still active…and Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty just happened to drop a new product – the Brow MVP Ultra Fine Brow Pencil & Styler ($20). I know I should be more self conscious of the fact that I have to try nearly every brow product that hits the market…but I DO.
I ordered the MVP in “Dark Brown” – but I feel like it is lighter than the “Dark Brown” I use from Ulta. Even so, it looks shockingly natural – like little baby hairs. I am intrigued by the styling brush – it is NOT another spoolie, but more like an Artis eyeshadow brush – I like how it feels on my face, so soft. I’ve been using it for the past 3-4 days and am really liking it – but I do not know if it will replace my Ulta. I DO like it better than ABH Brow Wiz.
I also ordered a brand new lip product – Urban Decay Vice Lip Chemistry in “Stacked” ($22). It’s supposed to change color to match your own “unique chemistry”. It does have a nice staining effect – it doesn’t wear quite all day, but a good 6-8 hours. I like it, but not sure if I would pay full price for more shades.
Oooohhh…I actually received BOTH of the samples I chose at checkout! I chose a OUAI Treatment Mask (for my hair) and a trio of samples from Farsali – Rose Gold Elixir, Unicorn Essence and Skintune Blur. I wore the Skintune Blur yesterday and I noticed nothing different about my skin – just like I never noticed a difference with the Unicorn Essence. Bah.
$628 to Rouge…
August 2019 Sephora Play! – Your Beauty Sidekicks
This month’s Play! box is Superhero themed, full of killer sidekick products.
First off, I gotta point out that my REN Clean Skincare Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream was busted – the tube was slashed somehow! It looks like the plastic cracked? I am lucky that the content congealed and didn’t leak into the box…into the trash it goes.
I am normally excited about Glamglow, but I am not sure how I feel about Glamglow Supertoner Exfoliating Acid Solution Toner. It’s a thick gray liquid – it’s charcoal. Hmmmm…
Also in this month’s box: Laura Mercier Caviar Volume Panoramic Mascara; Buxom Full-On Plumping Lip Cream Gloss in “Hot Toddy”; Clinique Moisture Surge 72-hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator; and Alterna Haircare CAVIAR Ant-Aging Smoothing Anti-Frizz Blowout Butter (TWO caviar products – suspicious?).
Sephora Play gives you 5-6 prestige samples a month. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.