Category: Fragrance
February Ipsy Bag – #ipsyLove
My ipsy bag is getting better and better.
“#ipsyLove” is February’s theme. I am most excited about the polish in this bag – China Glaze “Marry a Millionaire”. The picture doesn’t do it justice – lavender and silver glitter, with green bar glitter. I also got JOYA Compostion No. 1 Parfum Oil, Medusa’s Makeup Safari Eye Shadow in “Headhunter”, Mitchell and Peach Fine Radiance Face Oil (I just started using face oil this week to try to combat winter dryness – I’ve been using nyakio Hydrating Face Oil with Kola Nut, but that sample is almost gone) and ModelCo BLUSH Cheek Powder in “Peach Bellini”.
I also used my ipsy points to get Figs & Rouge Nourishing & Soothing Hand Cream in “Rose Berry”. It is in the same tube as their lip gloss, so I hope I don’t get the two confused…
The bag is super cute and matches my purse – I’m already using my bag from last month for makeup, so I wonder what else I can put in a makeup bag in my purse?
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Bout Damn Time
I was wondering if my Ulta order was EVER gonna get here.
On the last day of January, I used a 20% coupon to get the stuff I couldn’t find in-store. I ordered Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Pressed Finishing Powder in “Naked Medium Light”, a Urban Decay Good Karma Optical Blurring Blush and Ulta Makeup Brush and Sponge Cleaner to clean it. I also couldn’t resist grabbing stila’s Glow and Behold Makeup Set, which includes Convertible Color Dual Lip & Cheek Cream in “Magnolia”, Deluxe Lip Glaze in “Gleam”, Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in “Lionfish” and a cool rhinestone headband. Normally priced $29, it was only $20 – $16 after my coupon! I really just wanted the headband. (I immediately put it on and showed my husband and he looked at me like I put a cat turd on my head. Ass.)
I chose the skincare sampler – yet another Smashbox sample – Photo Finish Foundation Primer. I also received Altchek MD Daily Moisturizer. Only 2 samples – so sad. I guess technically 3, if I count the philosophy “live joyously” scent card. I don’t.
Goodbye Crater Pores!
Whoever packed my box did a great job color-coordinating the tissue paper!
Birchbox has the best loyalty points system, hands down! I had $30 in points just a few months ago and here I am with $30 in points again!
After trying a sample of Benefit’s The POREfessional in Ulta’s Cyber Monday Bag, I had to have a full size. (This stuff is like the most magic nose spackle ever!) Also needed a back-up Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. With a 20% off code, $30 in points and free Ace shipping, I only paid $11.60.
The free samples were so-so this time: Harvey Prince “Imperial Gardenia” (which I received in my June Box) and evologie Stay Clear Cleanser. Hit me up if you like Gardenia and you can have the perfume…
Review – Atelier Cologne Miniature Discovery Collection
First impressions are important when it comes to fragrances – perfumes smell different from person to person and may even change on an individual person throughout the day. I am far from a trained professional – I cannot identify top, heart or base notes in a scent. I can only reliably identify a few perfumes at first sniff and most fragrances give me a headache. Even so, here I am…reviewing perfume.
My memory is like a sieve (I blame the 90s), so I realized that the best way to capture my first impressions of a fragrance is to quickly jot down notes on the package with a Sharpie. Here are my “first impression” reviews of the Atelier Cologne Miniature Discovery Collection ($50, Sephora), ranked from best to last [later thoughts in brackets]:
1. Cedrat Enivrant – My favorite – like lime & cedar – drinking a Cuba Libre on the deck of a pirate ship; The one that started it all…
2. Rose Anonyme – The inside of a long forgotten perfume atomizer; a love long dead, but not forgotten; Classic, a note of decay [It also reminded me of a months old bouquet of roses – I LOVE that smell]
3. Orange Sanguine – That first spray of citrus when you peel off the skin…Sharp
4. Vetiver Fatal – Most masculine; Hot sex on the forest floor – in a pile of pine needles
5. Vanille Insensee – Like a stripper, but a french, classy one; Burlesque [Later that day, I felt like I smelled like I applied Vanilla Extract to my pulse points]
These fragrances ALL lasted all day on me, which is rare. The Sephoras here do not carry in store and I’m too lazy to drive an hour to sample more of their scents at Neiman Marcus. Another option I may try is to order sample vials from their website – you can get all 17 for $25.
150 Lean Cuisines
150. That’s how many Lean Cuisines I had to eat to get a $25 Sephora Gift Card through their soon-to-be-discontinued Delicious Rewards Program.
It was SO worth it. I was able to add that $25 gift card to the $15 gift card that everyone got in their email to get the Atelier Cologne Miniature Discovery Set that I’ve been lusting over. I only paid $10 for this $50 set and STILL got free shipping!
Each flacon has a quarter ounce of pure perfume. Not cologne, not eau de parfum – the REAL stuff. The 5 included are Orange Sanguine, Cedrat Enivrant (my absolute favorite since receiving in the Birchbox Modern Mermaid Box), Vanille Insensee, Rose Anonyme and Vetiver Fatal.
I love that Sephora actually lets you select your own samples. I got Anthony High Performance Anti-Wrinkle Peptide Serum, Dr. Jart+ BB Dis-A-Pore Beauty Balm and Escada Joyful.
Next time I see you, I will force you to smell me.
December Beauty Box 5 – Merry & Bright
I got my Beauty Box 5 and Ipsy bag on Saturday, but as you can tell, I’m getting a little backed up in hoard…
This month’s theme is “Merry & Bright”. This is a very odd box. Inside: Jaqua “Pink Champagne” Hand Creme with Meadowfoam Seed Oil (What the fuck is meadowfoam? It kind of smells like diaper ointment…); Absolute! New York Nail Polish Remover Pads in “Lavender” (I tried it last night and after some furious rubbing, I got all the polish and glitter off one nail. There is NO WAY one pad will work on all 10 nails. It’s non-acetone and smells like freshly poured asphalt, NOT lavender); Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Mostiurizer (I’ve heard good things about Juice Beauty – excited); Nanacoco Nail Polish in “Emerald” (So pretty); and Lucky Brand “Lucky Number 6” (a spicy, oriental scent that reminds me of B&BW “Japanese Cherry Blossom”).
No makeup. What????
Ulta Cyber Monday Bag
Online shopping orders are coming in! There were some smoking beauty deals on Cyber Monday…Ulta offered the choice of 3 different beauty sample bags with a $60 purchase and since I needed some gifts for my bestie, why not order online and get a gift for me?
I chose the pink glitter bag, mostly because it came with a sample of Benefit The POREfessional. This bag is LOADED with goodies!
Makeup: Benefit The POREfessional (my biggest beauty concern right now is my giant crater like pores); Cargo Swimmables Water Resistant Bronzer (Uh…no.); Bare Minerals 5in1 BB Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow (I’ve gotten this before and never tried it); Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm in “Nude Glow” (I’ve been wanting to try this!); Ulta Lip Gloss in “Charmed”; tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour blush in “Fearless”
Face: Hada Labo Ultimate Anti-Aging Facial Mask (with a $3 off coupon); Rodial Stem Cell super-food facial oil; Exuviance Daily Antioxidant Peel CA; Philosophy Purity Made Simple 3-in-1 cleanser for face and eyes
Body: Vitabath Body Wash “In Bloom” (Asian Orchid & Coconut)
Hair: Rusk glue (Deluxe sample!); Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Shampoo and Conditioner (Anti-aging shampoo? Really?); Macadamia Beauty Deep Repair Mask
Fragrance: Dolce & Gabbana “light blue”; Dolce & Gabbana “light blue” Pour Homme; Marc Jacobs “Daisy”; Dolce & Gabbana “Dolce”
Other: Hollywood Fashion Secrets Fashion Tape (I actually need this – my boobs are always popping out)
Coupons: 20% off your next hair service at Ulta The Salon; $10 off Bare Minerals (online only); $15 off any online purchase of $75; $5 off any Ulta brand purchase of $10+
I chose the variety sampler and got Ouidad Moisture Lock (I don’t have curly hair) and a single use sample of Butter London Lippy Moisture Matte Lipstick in “Ruby Murray”. It was kind of a lame sample pack, but I don’t even care with all this other great stuff.
Teensy Ulta Haul
This is the time of year with deals too good to pass up. A few weeks ago, Ulta was running a special that made most of their cosmetics $5 each. If you got 3 of them, you also got a free Ulta makeup brush. I decided to try Ulta Minerals Finishing Powder, Ulta Gel Eye Liner in “Peacock” and Ulta Double Duty Lip Stain and Balm in “Fantasy”. (I think I have ALL of the Double Duties now!) The free brush I picked was the large eye shadow brush.
There was also a Christmas gift in the order…shhhhh…
There was also a special $5 off $10 purchase coupon. On top of that – free shipping on ALL orders!
Even though I just got that huge sample set, I picked the free fragrance samples. I got another vial of Juicy Couture “Viva La Juicy Noir”, Gucci “Made to Measure” Pour Homme and Oscar de la Renta “Oscar”. I’m afraid to crack them open after yesterday;s migraine…
Le Poop and Le Barf
Puss has being absolutely BEGGING to be featured on my site and today, she wouldn’t take NO for an answer.
My son thinks he is a comedian. As I gleefully opened up my Ulta “Finishing Touches” Fragrance Collection, he asked if any of the perfumes were from France. So I started reading off where the perfumes were from and he says, “I thought so – it smells like Le Poop and Le Barf.” How can a 9 year old be so funny?
A few Saturdays ago, I was sitting at my daughter’s Gymnastics Class and got an Ulta email…The special of the day was 2/$40 on the “Finishing Touches” set, plus a free stainless steel 3 piece serving set. Why not? I can keep one and use the other for a white elephant gift. (I was a little perturbed when I saw that Ulta will have these for $14.99 on Black Friday, but then again – that would require leaving the house on the most dangerous day of the year.)
Inside the box: Bvulgari “Omnia Crystalline”, Calvin Klein “Endless Euphoria”, DKNY “MYNY”, Estée Lauder “Modern Muse”, Giorgio Armani “Acqua Di Gioia”, Jimmy Choo “Jimmy Choo”, Juicy Couture “Viva La Juicy”, Lancôme “La Vie est Belle”, Philosophy “Loveswept” (the only one of these that I already own – I got it for Valentine’s Day), Prada “Prada Candy”, Ralph Lauren “Midnight Romance”, and Vince Camuto “Femme”. The set also came with a refillable purse atomizer and a $5 off Fragrance Coupon.
I also picked the mystery sample pack – I got L’Oreal EverSleek Intense Smoothing Shampoo, Conditioner and Humidity Defying Leave-in Creme; Smashbox Camera Ready CC Cream and Redken Diamond Oil. Interesting…
I can’t wait to try all my new fragrances – I hope I like at least one of them…
Coming Up Roses
So I had $30 in Birchbox points burning a hole in my pocket…and a 20% off coupon code, so I HAD to place an order.
Ever since I discovered Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in “Soft Brown”, I have an almost pathological fear of running out and not having a back-up. Yeah, it’s $21…but it is the only eyebrow pencil I’ve found that doesn’t make me look like Cruella DeVille.
I am always looking for a good rose scent, so I decided to try Jurlique “Essence of Rose” Roll-on Fragrance Oil. It’s a traditional rose scent – my husband wrinkled his nose and said, “Grandma.” Well…tough shit. I also got Jurlique Love Balm in “Rose” – the cold weather is taking a toll on my cuticles and knuckles.
My free mystery add-on was 2 pouches from Hairkop Essences: Treatment Conditioner and Leave In Moisturizing Cream. They both contain Obliphica (Sea-Buckthorn) Fruit Extract. I have no idea what that is and it kind of scares me.
So I got $60 of loot for $10.80. I LOVE Birchbox so fucking much.