Category: Fragrance
$5 Friday
I know I said I’d use up what I had before I bought more…but $5!
Last Friday, I got that magical email from Bath & Body Works that “selected fragrances” were on sale for $5 – shower gel, body cream, even fine fragrance mist! When I got there, it was all the new scents! It was Friday – I had the beginnings of a migraine – so I treated myself to a full set of both “Midnight Peony” (the muskier sister to my old favorite “Peony”) and “Rose Water and Ivy” (maybe my new favorite – it’s very similar to the long discontinued “Delicate Petals” from Victoria’s Secret).
I also had a coupon for a free item up to $14, so I got a “Hello Beautiful” Shower Gel to fill up my travel size bottle. So that was 7 products for $30 – that’s a smoking deal!
I also sampled another new scent that I’m adding to my wishlist – “Kaleidoscope”. (It wasn’t on sale, or I would’ve gotten it.) The main note is pink pepper – I have no idea what that really is, but it’s spicy and I love it. I think Tory Burch also has Pink Pepper, because that’s what it reminds me of.
Sephora Play! July 2019 – Isle of Beauty
Sooooo…it’s August 8th and I am just now finishing up my July boxes. I guess a 10 day vacation put me more behind schedule than I thought.
July’s Sephora Play! box is “Isle of Beauty” or products to take with you to a desert island. Hmmmm, I may disagree with a few of these choices, but overall, they are not bad picks.
The Kiehl’s Ginger Leaf & Hibiscus Firming Mask is definitely giving me island vibes – I cannot wait to try it. Also in this month’s box: Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes & Lips (good stuff); Bite Beauty Matte Creme Lip Crayon in “Glace”; Caudalie Vinopure Natural Salicylic Acid Pore Minimizing Serum (I am not so sure that I will care about how big my pores are on a desert island, but ya never know); Drunk Elephant Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser with Bamboo Booster; and Marc Jacobs Daisy Love (musky raspberryish).
Hand lotion – if I was stranded on a desert island, I’d want hand lotion…and some fucking SPF!
Sephora Play gives you 5-6 high quality samples a month. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
July 2019 Allure Beauty Box – Lessons Learned
I opened this month’s Allure Beauty Box and my first thought was, fuck it’s Kim Kardashian. Then I realized it wasn’t her – just someone who looks very, very similar.
July’s guest curator for the Allure Beauty Box is Huda Kattan, creator of Huda Beauty. I’ve tried exactly one lippie by Huda Beauty, but I liked it quite a bit. This box is a mix of Huda’s own products and those that she loves.
The centerpiece of the box is a full size tube of Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Lipstick in “Alluring”, a shade exclusive to the box. It’s an orangey red, which I normally would stay away from, but I tried it and it is SUPER flattering on me. I was SHOOK. The formula is really good – it isn’t streaky, it doesn’t dry out my lips, and stayed all day.
Also in Huda’s box: Huda Beauty Classic Lash in “Samantha” (why does Allure keep sending fake eyelashes?); Kayali Vanilla 28 (a rich vanilla scent that is very tolerable and not at all like a little tree air freshener); Too Faced Hangover Primer (some people got Benefit Ka-Brow or an Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil); OUAI Texturizing Hair Spray; and a TONYMOLY Intense Care Snail Hydrogel Mask (oooooh, snail trail).
Except for the lashes, a pretty good box. It also includes a code for 25% at shophudabeauty.com.
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.
June 2019 Ipsy Bag – Block Party
I feel like June’s ipsy bag is a pretty big deal…it’s a full collab with Tetris! It’s not just the bag(s), ipsy released a full line of Tetris-themed makeup and brushes – 13 year old me, as well as 43 year old me thinks that’s pretty cool.
My bag included a Tetris-themed Tapered Blending Brush and I paid $3 extra to get one of the single eyeshadows – “Block Party”, a bronze/rose gold shade. It’s decent quality and stays on without primer. There were also full coordinated palettes available to add to my bag, but I wasn’t feeling any of the color schemes.
Also in this month’s “Block Party” bag: Hey Honey Sweet Treat Wild Berry & Honey Yogurt Recovery Mask (mmmm); First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Hyaluronic Hydrating Primer; Neogen Code9 Black Volume Cream (sounds like a product from The Matrix – I am literally scared to try it); and ETAT LIBRE D’ORANGE I Am Trash Les Fleurs Du Déchet Eau de Parfum (you gotta love a perfume called “I am Trash” – it actually smells really good, like orange peels).
This month’s bag is a great value!
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Deja Ulta Haul
I am getting serious deja vu from this Ulta Haul – oh yeah, I did a haul like this almost exactly a year ago.
I decided to use my 20% code to stock up on L’Oreal Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color for the kids ($10.99 each) in “Red”, “Maroon”, and “Burgundy”. I also picked up a L’Oreal Colorista Highlights Kit (also $10.99). Will I ruin my hair? Maybe…but maybe it will look amazing? The color isn’t important – I just need to process it to pick up the pink dye I’ll add to it later…
In addition to the hair dye, I grabbed one of the cute little I Heart Revolution Donut Palette ($7) – of course, I got the “Chocolate Dipped”. I also grabbed some sale NYX lippies – Liquid Suede Metallic Creme Lipstick in “Acme” ($2.09, down from $2.99) and Lip Lingerie Glitter in “Eurotrash” ($5.25, down from $7.50). I am a bit disappointed in the Lip Lingerie Glitter – it is more like a glossy paste than a long lasting liquid lipstick – but I am IN LOVE with the Liquid Suede in “Acme” – it is perfect!
I also continued my experimentation with hair dissolving chemicals by picking up Nair Glides Away Sensitive Formula Hair Remover with Coconut Oil for Bikini, Arms & Underarms ($8.99). I haven’t tried it yet, but hopeful.
I got a HUGE Beauty Break with my $65 order – a 14 piece Fresh by Day Summer Sampler. Inside the sampler: NEST Grapefruit & Verbena Fragranced Body Wipes (weird); Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Polish (oh, it’s for your legs); Vichy Purete Thermale One Step Cleanser for Sensitive Skin (a positively huge 3.3 oz tube); Bed Head by TIGI Queen Beach Salt Infused Texture Spray (another full size product); Clean Rain; eyeko Yoga Waterproof Mascara (nope); Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture CC Cream; MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ Setting Spray; PUR Lit Mist; Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar Body Butter; Bare Republic Mineral Sunscreen Lotion with Diamond Dust (a shimmery suntan lotion – crazy); Poo-Pourri “Lavender Vanilla”; Mamonde Petal Spa Oil to Foam (I LOVE the way this smells); and CoTZ Face Moisture Mineral Sunscreen. A great set of summer samples!
I got a second 20% off code after this order, but it expired yesterday. Oh well…$522 to Diamond status.
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.
HEY ROUGE
All this “controlling my purchases” is making me tired.
A few weeks back, Sephora’s spring bonus event hit and I placed, the tiniest, most pitiful order. I’d been stalking Dolce Garden since I got a sample of it and used the whole thing. I was going to get the purse spray for $29, but then I saw the Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Travel Set ($45), which includes purse sprays of Dolce, Dolce Garden and Dolce Rosa Excelsa – fuck yeah, I’ll get that. I’ve been alternating between the three sprays for the past week or so. I smell rich.
I also picked up another Cocofloss in “Pure Strawberries” ($9). Best floss ever – just ask my work wife.
My husband was not impressed that I got him a Sephora Collection Shear Genius Eyebrow Trimmer ($11). I guess I’ll have to use it on him in his sleep.
For samples, I got a sample I chose – philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser and one I did not – belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb. I don’t mind about the belif though – I love it.
If I would’ve been smart, I would’ve ordered a birthday gift for my sister during the bonus period, but I forgot and did it Friday. Yes, I love her enough to pay full price. $794 to Rouge. Fuck.
Wall Flamingo
I am running out of plugs to stick my Wallflowers in!
I had seen this Flamingo Wallflower ($12.50) on Insta, and had plotting to bring it home for several weeks. It just turned out that Lily needed a gift for a birthday party this weekend…how convenient. I even remembered to bring the coupons I got in the mail: a free gift worth $5.50, a single wick candle for $5 and 20% off my entire purchase.
We quickly added the Flamingo and a gift set to our shopping bag. The $5.50 gift could be either a travel size or a purse size hand cream, so I chose a hand cream in “Rose Quartz”. Aromatherapy was B2G2, which is better than the usual B3G3, so I picked out some “Love” scented products – Rose and Vanilla. I chose 2 Aromatherapy Body Washes ($13.50), an Aromatherapy Body Cream ($13.50) and an Aromatherapy Pillow Spray ($15.50). My pillows will put me in the mood now!
As for the candle, I was gonna grab a random rose scent until Lily found this “French Baguette” candle ($5, down from $14.50). I was skeptical, but it really does smell like crusty french bread. My mom would have been OBSESSED with this candle – it’s so buttery! I need the body spray….
Sephora Play! March 2019 – Beauty in Bloom
What a weird ass box from Sephora this month. Why do I need 2 Dry Shampoos? They sent me Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1 and Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo. Do they think my hair is dirty?
Also in this month’s “Beauty in Bloom” box: NARS Bronzing Powder in “Laguna”; Sephora Collection LashCraft Big Volume Mascara, Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40; and Versace Bright Crystal (one of my little sister’s scents).
The assortment of products seems kind of random, but whatever.
Sephora Play is usually a really good subscription box with high-end products. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
Sephora Play! February 2019 – Lovestruck Beauty
Oh hey – I’m still doing February stuff. Shut up, I haven’t even received any March boxes yet.
This month’s box is all products I’ve received before – or at least, similar products. Like the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouhce Lipstick in “Rhubarb” – I’d received not the lipstick, but a pencil in “Rhubarb” in my 3rd Play box.
Also in this month’s box: Milk Makeup Mini Blur Stick (I have a full sized one I use all the time – this will be great for travel); Fresh Rose Face Mask (I haven’t used up the first one of these I got); Wander Baggage Claim Gold Eye Masks (yup, have bunches); Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet (love the way this one smells); and Stella McCartney Stella (have a full size).
A great box because even though they aren’t new products to me, they are products I’ve enjoyed.
Sephora Play is a really good subscription box with high-end products. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.