Category: Makeup
Hairy Ulta Haul
Sometimes, you just gotta stock up on a few things. The price went up on NatureLab.Tokyo Perfect Smooth Conditioner Refills ($23, was $22)! I also used up an Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in “Dark Brown” ($10), which freaked me out, so I ordered 2.
My Shhhowercap is on its last legs, so I’m auditioning replacements that are not $43. This Kitsch Striped Luxe Shower Cap ($24) is working out so far – it doesn’t have the rubber strip like the Shhhowercap, but it’s keeping things dry so far. Fingers crossed. I also threw a set of Kitsch Large Dome Claw Clips ($10) in my cart – I have SO much hair right now.
A few impulse sale buys – KVD Beauty Studded Kiss Creme Lipstick in “OG Lolita” ($10, down from $20). I’ve been wanting to try this shade…but imagine my shock that the packaging was the old Kat Von D Beauty labelling. How old is this lipstick? At least a year and a half old…ugh. It did not smell and wore just find, but still annoying. I also snagged a 75% off Pacifica Plant Magic Polish in “Buena Fortuna” ($2.50, down from $10).
There were a lot of gifts with purchase in this order., even with my $5 off $40 coupon. I got a Free MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation deluxe sample with my $25 makeup purchase, as well as a Kylie Cosmetics Concealer. I’ll probably never use either. I also got free 18 piece Day Tripper bag with my $85 purchase, which came with Kenra Volume Spray; Patchology Chill Mode Soothing Cannabis Seed Oil-Infused Eye Gels (I used a different set of Patchology Eye Gels this morning – I cannot tell for sure, but I think they helped…but not sure); Kiehl’s Super Multi-Corrective Cream; Exuviance Overnight Transformation Complex; MAC Studio Fix+; Vichy Mineral 89 Booster Quotidien Fortifiant; Benefit The POREfessional (I have SO much of this stuff – but I use it, so it’s okay); Korres Nourishing Probiotic Gel-Cream (I hope it does not make me poop); Bliss Drench & Quench Cream-to-Water Hydrator; Clinique My Happy; Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara in “Very Black”; Hanksin Hyaluron exfoliating AHA Treatment; Rusk Puremix Native Fig Replenishing Shampoo & Conditioner (I just got this in the last sample bag); Clinique Almost Lipstick in “Black Honey” (I love this balm – I just found an old one in my lipstick and trashed it because it smelled funny); Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Anti-Wrinkle Booster Serum; Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm; and Philosophy Nature in a Jar Cica Complex Recovery Moisturizer. There’s some good stuff in here!
This is it for Ulta hauls…I think. Just $457 to Diamond.
Megababe Ulta Haul
Get ready for post after post of Ulta Hauls – they keep having great sales on stuff I need!
I was attracted to one of the Wednesday Beauty Breaks a few weeks ago – it was a 4 piece sampler from Megababe with $50 purchase! I’d been dying to try Megababe Rosy Pits Daily Deodorant, but it’s always sold out. I got a deluxe sample of Rosy Pits, as well as Thigh Rescue Anti-Friction Stick, Squeaky Clean Hand Sanitizer, and Space Bar Detoxifying Charcoal Underarm Bar.
Ulta happened to be having some great sales on body products, so I picked up Megababe Chest-o Presto Clarifying Body Acne Mist ($18 – my son has not had overwhelming results with Pacifica Bacne Warrior, so I am trying this one out on myself and so far, it seems to be helping with the breakouts on my chest and back), Ulta Super Soothe Gentle Daily Cleanser ($10 – very cucumber-y scent), and Tweezerman Rose Gold Slant Tweezers ($20.70, down from $23 – my daughter wanted tweezers, so I gave her my old ones) for myself. I got Ulta Sunless Tanner Facing Mousse ($1.29, down from $3.24) for the boy child – I maybe regret buying him the Self Tanner. I got eos Shea Better Shaving Cream ($1.99, down from $3.99) for the girl child. I was able to use the usual $3.50 off $15 coupon.
My order also came with a 27 piece Beauty Sample Bag (free with $35 purchase): Australian Glow Facial Bronzing Mist with Rosewater (although I love rosewater, the boy will be getting this one); wet n wild PrimeFocus Primer Serum (I have one of these on my sink right now); Buxom Wanderlust Primer-Infused Blush Sample Card; Tan-Luxe Super Glow Hyaluronic Self-Tan Serum (again, to the boy); Weleda Skin Food; Crepe Erase Body Smoothing Pre-Treatment (just like the Infomercial!); Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris; Skyn Iceland Arctic Elixir; Urban Decay Primer Potion; Hempz Pink Pomelo & Himalayan Sea Salt Herbal Body Salt Scrub; Hey Honey Sweet Treat Wild Berry & Honey Yogurt Recovery Mask (the tube is jacked up – pretty sure it is empty); it Cosmetics Confidence in an Eye Cream (I think I have two of these already); Indie Lee Squalane Facial Oil; Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Style Balm (going to the boy); Alterna My Hair My Canvas Cool Hydrations Nourishing Masque; NatureLab.Tokyo Perfect Smooth Shampoo & Conditioner; The Route The Party Peel Golden Illuminizing Peel; John Frieda Frizz Ease Leave-In Conditioner; Nioxin Scalp Relief Cleanser, Conditioner & Soothing Serum; Banila Co Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Propolis Rejuvenating Ampoule; Estee Lauder Beautiful Magnolia (intriguing scent, I have a bottle of the original Beautiful and this one is very similar); NudeStix Lip Glace; Barefoot Scientist High Dive Hydration Cream (I NEED this for my dry ass feet); Lancome Hydra Zen Gel-Creme; Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask; Smashbox Photo Finish Oil & Shine Control Primer; and Ursa Major Golden Hour Recovery Cream. What a great batch of samples!
I’ve got three more orders to review after this, so I’ll post my spend to Diamond Status after the last one.
June 2021 Ipsy Bag – Do You
There can be only one…and that one is ipsy!
That’s right, after over seven years of reviews, nearly a dozen different subscriptions and literally thousands of products sampled, I’ve come to the conclusion that ipsy is the absolute BEST beauty subscription service out there. Some subscriptions were better – Sephora Play! – but died an early death. So that’s it – I’m down to one regular subscription…but I’m still keeping my eye out for new ones to try!
June’s bag is an on-trend sticker-themed bag. I cannot wait to put Barbie accessories in this bag!
My product choice this month was an Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick Mini in “Crush”. It’s a dark fall color that I haven’t tried yet…I am easing back into lipstick after a year and a half wearing balms under my mask.
Also in this month’s “DO YOU” bag: CLIV Max Hyaluronic Propolis Foaming Cleanser; Glamglow Supermud Instant Clearing Treatment Mask (good stuff); Glow on 5th Gua Sha (I have no idea how to properly use a gua sha – I’ve googled a few things, but still intimidated…hit me up with hints); and IBY Beauty Carry on 2 Face Palette Blush in “Sunkissed”.
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $12/month. If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
Gorgeous Hair, Perfect Repair
I just barely caught the end of May’s Gorgeous Hair Event. I was all hyped to get 50% off NatureLab. Tokyo…but of course, all of the big refill bags of Perfect Smooth were out of stock…so I settled for trying out regular sizes of NatureLab. Tokyo Perfect Repair Shampoo and Conditioner. $7.50 is still better than $15.
I also took advantage of a BOGO 40% off order on Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Cleanser. The Cadillac of Acne Cleansers is $11.99 regular price! One for me and one for the kids. Oh, and also a Biore T-Zone Targeted Deep Cleansing Pore Strips ($7.99, down from $9.99).
I was disappointed by the 50% off Lipstick Queen Mini in “Route 66” ($6, down from $12). The description promised green lipstick that creates tangerine lips, but they were the same shade of pink as my Frog Prince lipstick. Arghhhhh.
I know it’s basically just a Sharpie, but my daughter really liked the BIC BodyMark Temporary Tattoo Marker ($3.99, down from $4.99).
My order qualified me for a Living Proof. Beauty Break, which came with 5 Deluxe Samples: Perfect hair Day Dry Shampoo, Perfect hair Day Weightless Mask, Perfect hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment, plus Perfect hair Day Shampoo and Conditioner.
(Is adding a superfluous period to your branding a thing? Looking at you, NatureLab. Tokyo & Living Proof. .)
$734 to Diamond…
Malibu Barbie x Colourpop
A Malibu Barbie Makeup Set? Add. To. Cart.
I held off as long as I could. I kept hitting up Ulta’s website to see if it would show up – you know how I am about those points. No dice. I watched Trixie Mattel’s review video and I was itching for it. I finally took the plunge when the Malibu Barbie x Colourpop Full Collection Set was $79, down from $99.
The centerpiece of the set is the 15 pan Malibu Barbie Shadow Palette. The colors are amazing and vibrant. These shadows last all day and spread like butter. I’ve done a blue look and a pink look, but there are neutral colors, too. I feel like this palette is better quality than my other Colourpop Palette. Why would they do that?
I was shocked by the Beach Party Super Shock Highlighter. The first time I used it, I applied with a fan brush and it was pretty average. The second time I used it, I applied with my finger…it’s a motherfucking cream, ya’ll! I’ll never use another highlighter again – this is “the one.”
The set included three lux lipstick kits: a bullet lipstick and matching lip liner. “Golden Beach” is a pinkish nude, a bit too light for me. “Malibu Sunset” is a vibrant hot pink, perfect for me. Full disclosure – it stained my lips. I haven’t tried “Dreamhouse” yet – it’s a medium pink.
Even though they’re adorable, I feel like I won’t get much use out of the heart shaped Barbie Hand Mirror or the Doll Lashes. Maybe for Halloween?
The Malibu Barbie x Colourpop Full Collection Set is currently 30% off – just $69.30! I am so mad…I thought I was getting a good deal snagging it for $79 + free shipping and a free pack of Daily Do-Over Makeup Removing Wipes.
May 2021 Ipsy Bag – Flower Power
Ooooh…May’s ipsy bag is a pretty peony pattern! Peony is one of my favorite scents.
My product choice this month was Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. I tried it out yesterday and my skin LOVED it.
Also in May’s “Flower Power” bag: Context Skin Nail Lacquer in “Body Talk” (is this mauve?); Formula 10.0.6 One Smooth Operator Pore Clearing Face Scrub (I used a few nights ago – I feel like it took FOREVER to rinse off); Saint Luxe Lip Liner Duo in “Moscato” and “Vino”; and Skin&Co Roma Citrus Amaro Hand Cream.
Now that I’m down to just ONE beauty subscription – Ipsy – I signed up for Glam Bag X, which is a quarterly, curated box for $55…we’ll see if it’s any good in August.
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $12/month. If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
May 2021 Allure Beauty Box – Power List
That’s IT! I cannot handle any more overpriced face creams or serums! I emailed Allure Customer Support today, in an attempt to cancel my Allure Beauty Box account.
This month’s overpriced face cream is Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream ($265 for 50ml). My little sample is just 7ml ($37.10). I haven’t tried it yet…I’ll get to it eventually. In addition to this cream, there’s also Wander Beauty Sight C-ER Vitmain C Concentrate and CosRx Propolis Light Ampoule. Two more facial serums!
Also in what should be my last box: Josephine Cosmetics Liquid Lipstick in “Tiphaine” (is that pronounced “Tiffany”?); Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb; Purlisse Matcha Green Tea Antioxidant Sheet Mask; and Cetaphil Sheer Mineral SPF 50.
Goodbye and so long Allure Beauty Box…
The Allure Beauty Box is $23/month. They also offer an option for $250/year – a savings of $26. Sign up via my referral link.
April 2021 Ipsy Bag – Force of Nature
I am so, SO late posting about April’s ipsy bag – I don’t think I’ve ever been this late before.
I’ll be honest, I am getting a little bored with Subscription Beauty services – and running out of places to cram all these makeup bags. I haven’t decided whether I’ll keep getting the products and just stop writing about them, or cancel them…or what. I need to ponder what I’m going to do….
…but in the meantime, April’s bag was a mixed bag. My product choice was Tatcha The Water Cream, which I’d gotten in Sephora Smarts box a few years ago. It’s great under makeup.
Also in this month’s nature-themed box: Beau Gâchis Concealer Brush (just what I need – another fucking makeup brush); Glow on 5th Smooth as Silk Hand + Body Scrub; Grace & Stella Dead Sea Mud Mask (I used this last weekend – it’s okay I guess – a bit thin); and Nomad Cosmetics Tuscany Intense Eye Shadow in “Aperitivo”.
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $12/month. If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
April 2021 Allure Beauty Box – Packing List
April’s theme is “Packing List” and contains a little bit of everything.
The star of the box is the Chella La Vie Eyeshadow Palette. It’s hard to go wrong with a neutral eyeshadow quad. I’ve been using the shades for the past week and they are very flattering. The shades are good quality and blend well.
I am running out of room for serums. I am still using the U Beauty Resurfacing Compound from February’s Box during the day and the Dermelect Self Esteem Beauty Sleep Serum from November’s box at night. This month’s box contains akar Restore Eye Serum, but it will have to wait.
Also in this month’s box: Maapilim Face Moisturizer, Aveda Botanical Repair Masque (I love the way Aveda products smell); Cargo Swimmables Eye Liner Pencil in “Dorado Beach” (a waterproof gold eyeliner – it actually looks great underneath my lash line); and Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch Duo (cannot wait to try these).
An interesting box, but not quite sure it was worth how much I paid for it…
The Allure Beauty Box is $23/month. They also offer an option for $250/year – a savings of $26. Sign up via my referral link.
Hair Haul
Everyone in the family was needing a little hair care, so another Ulta haul was in order…
For myself, I ordered a NatureLab.Tokyo Perfect Smooth Shampoo Refill ($22) to match the Conditioner. I also got a back-up Colorista Bleach Highlights Kit ($10.99).
My son needed shampoo & conditioner for his bleached hair, so I grabbed Pacifica Sunshine Highs Shampoo & Conditioner ($10 each) while they were BOGO 40% off.
I decided to treat my daughter with Colorista Semi-Permanent Color in “Purple” ($10.99).
All this hair stuff qualified me for a free 12 piece Hair Color Sampler. The sampler included Madison Reed Color Protecting Shampoo & Conditioner (I’ve been curious about this brand for a long time); Virtue Recovery Shampoo & Conditioner; Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo & Conditioner (I don’t know what citric acid will do for my hair, but looking forward to trying it); Kenra Color Maintenance Shampoo & Conditioner; Fekkai Technician Color Shampoo (no conditioner?); AG Hair Care Ultradynamics Extra-Firm Finishing Spray; Pureology Color Fanatic Multitasking Leave-In Spray (giving to my son); and DevaCurl Noo-Poo Blue Anti-Brass Zero Lather Curl Cleanser (also giving to my son).
On the non-hair front, I picked up St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water Face Mist ($15, down from $30) for my kids, because they LOVED the previous sample I got…for myself, I got Ulta Coffee & Chocolate Energizing Superfood Mud Mask ($4, down from $8) – it smells good enough to eat! It sucked all the gunk out of my pores and made my skin super soft.
I qualified for a second gift with purchase – a Best Seller 7 Piece Gift, with my $65 purchase. This gift included Smashbox Photo Finish Primer; Bumble and bumble. Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer; Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Complex (I love this stuff); Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment (I also love THIS stuff); MAC Powder Kiss Lipstick in “Werk, Werk, Werk” (it’s red…meh); and Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Hydrator. That was only 6 pieces!!! What a rip-off…
Just $784 to Diamond!