Category: Makeup
First Ulta Haul of 2021
Remember how excited I was about NatureLabs.Tokyo Perfect Shine Shampoo & Conditioner? Turns out that it was the wrong product. I had sampled Perfect SMOOTH Shampoo & Conditioner. Oops. I bought a bottle of the NatureLabs.Tokyo Perfect Smooth Conditioner ($14) and I like it much better than the Perfect Smooth. Ugh. I’ll buy more Shampoo, I guess…
I am a sucker for Urban Decay foundation. Every time they release a new one, I’m all over it. Their newest is Urban Decay Hydromaniac Glowy Tinted Hydrator Foundation ($29). I was expected something like a tinted moisturizer, but it was a medium to full coverage foundation. I just put on on my face with my fingers and was like…oh NO. I grabbed my Beauty Blender and buffed it out. It gave nice, smooth coverage. If I left my house more than once a week, I’d use the hello out of it.
I also added a pack of Kitsch Face Masks ($12.99). My kids like these masks best, so I keep on buying them.
A few nice Platinum/Diamond freebies came with this order. I got a Too Faced Damn That’s Sexy Mascara set with my $25 makeup purchase and a deluxe sample of BareMinerals Original Liquid Foundation in “Fairly Light 03”. I haven’t tried either yet.
$1,145 to Diamond for 2022!
Sephora Favorites Hello! Greatest Beauty Hits (and more)
Ooooh! Sephora Sale on Sale! An extra 20% off sale items…so tempting.
I’d been eyeing the newest Sephora Favorites Hello! Greatest Beauty Hits set. $8 on sale is better than $10…but $6.40 is even better. I was most interested in Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa ’62 Eau de Parfum – it was so summery. Also in the set: It Cosmetics Lash Blowout Volumizing Mascara; Tarte SEA Jelly Glaze Anytime Lip Mask in “Strawberry Jelly”; BareMinerals Gen Nude Powder Blush in “Call My Blush”; First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma Arnica Relief & Rescue Mask; and Sephora Collection Ultra Glow Serum: Glow + Strengthen Vitamin C Serum. As usual, the set comes with 15% off vouchers for each product – I might actual used the Cheirosa ’62 one.
While browsing the sale section, I found a few other smokin’ deals. I splurged on a Fresh Rose Hydration Skincare Essentials Set ($55, down from $63 – $44 after discount). I also picked up the tarte SEA Yours & Mine Quench Lip Rescue Duo ($17, down from $19 – $13.60 after discount). I really like the Lip Rescue I got in the Give Me Some Balm Set – all the mask wearing has dried out my lips! The Milk Makeup KUSH Triple Brow Pen ($11, down from $22 – $8.80 after discount) was a bad purchase. The first time I used it, it was GREAT. The color “Dutch” was a perfect match to my brows and each stroke was like a little hair. The second time I used it though, it did not work at all. It’s like all the color went out of the pen after one use! Ugh, if I wasn’t so lazy, I’d take it back.
For my samples, I got Kiehl’s Calendula Water Cream and amika Flash Instant Shine Mask.
I made this purchase in 2020, but it wasn’t enough to put me into VIB status – I still needed like $65, but I didn’t want to buy something dumb. I feel like such a peasant.
December 2020 Allure Beauty Box – Hello Hibernation!
Okay, this is more like it!
I’ve been threatening to cancel my Allure Beauty Box for several months now, but the December box was full of really good products!
The STAR of December’s box was the Ciate London Trend Edit Palette ($24). This is a beautiful eyeshadow palette full of rich browns and spicy shimmers – I’m a sucker for a red shimmery eyeshadow! Just this palette is worth the cost of the box!
Also in this month’s “Hello Hibernation” box: Mudmasky Leave-Me-On Winter Mask; Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S. Thirst-Quenching Serum; ByMe x MyBeautyBrand Black Liquid Eyeliner; La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum; and Cetaphil Deep Hydration Healthy Glow Daily Cream (this is a rich, thick face cream – I prefer to sleep in it, than to wear for daytime).
In addition to the normal box, there was a special “Beauty Loot” pouch, just for me! Inside the pouch was a deluxe fragrance sample of Proenza Schouler Arizona! It’s a mature and mysterious scent – it reminds me of Neiman Marcus for some reason…
Keep kissing my butt, Allure – I like it!
The Allure Beauty Box recently increased their price from $15 to $23/month. They also offer an option for $250/year – a savings of $26. Sign up via my referral link.
December 2020 Ipsy Bag – Home for the Holidays
Well of course, I’m home for the holidays – we cannot go anywhere!
I cannot stop stroking this month’s fuzzy makeup bag – it’s like a pink sheep!
I am loving getting a Color Club Nail Polish every few months – this month, I got “Get Lost”, a creamy powder blue. Lily already snatched it to use – I hope I get to use it soon.
Also in this month’s bag: Feel Enzymatic Exfoliating Cleanser (I love the almond-y scent); Goldfaden MD Facial Detox Clarify + Clear Mask (I LOVE this mask – it’s got a hint of tingle and it made my skin AMAZING); IBY Beauty Lush Eyeshadow in “Yoga Pants” (A perfect “lazy” eye shadow – a single swipe across the eye and you’re done); and Kensie Life Beat Body Lotion (the only product in this month’s bag that I haven’t sampled yet).
This might be the best bag I’ve received all year. I did not select a product this month, but their picks were perfect for me.
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.
Perfect Shine Splurge
Back in November, I think when Sephora was offering 15% off, Ulta sent out a $10 off $40 coupon, so why not restock on a few things. Sometimes, there’s nothing like splurging on fancy shampoo & conditioner!
I’d gotten to try NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Shampoo & Conditioner ($14 each) in an Allure Beauty Box last year. I really liked it, but it wasn’t widely available. Fast forward a year and now Ulta carries it – score! The secret ingredient is grape stem cells. I don’t know what those are. I also picked up some a single use conditioners – PURA D’OR Single Use Hair Thinning Therapy Intense Moisturizing Masque ($1.79), HASK Shea Butter & Hibiscus Oil Anti-Frizz Deep Conditioner Packette ($2.99) and HASK Tea Tree Oil & Rosemary Hair & Scalp Treatment Mask Packette ($2.99).
Freeman Masks were on super sale, so I bought a replacement Cucumber & Pink Salt Clay Mask. I also grabbed a clearance China Glaze “Rainbow” for $2.62 and a new Flowery nail buffer.
I definitely did NOT buy that Kylie Cosmetics Velvet Lip Kit in “Bare” – it was a gift with $25 makeup purchase. I now know the secret of the Kylie Lip Kits! The lip liner is one tick darker than the lipstick, so it creates an optical illusion of a fuller lip. The more you know…I tried it out and the color was WAY too light for me. Hypothetically, my lips did look bigger though.
My $70 purchase qualified me for a Hello Holidays Sample Bag – it’s so fancy! Inside the bag: Dermablend Insta-Grip Jelly Primer; Awake Pore Down Tightening Concentrate; Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Towelette (WEIRD); Lake & Skye 11 11 (I could not smell this); MAC Lipstick samples in “Ruby Woo”, “M-A-C Red” & “Cockney”; Too Faced Damn Girl! Mascara; Pravana Color Protect Cleanse and Condition (HUGE samples tubes – will try these out after my next dye session); Philosophy Purity Made Simple Hydra-Bounce Eye Gel; Ahava Dead Sea Water Mineral Body Lotion; Tula Skincare 24-7 Moisture Hydrating Day & Night Cream; Smashbox Photo Finish Primer; Burberry Her; Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris; NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Shampoo & Conditioner (foilpacks for travel!); Tonymoly Golden Pig Collagen Bounce Mask; Gucci Guilty; AG Haircare Glow Shine Infuse Serum; Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Sample Card (none of these will match me); Beekman 1802 Milk Drops Probiotic Ceramide Serum; John Frieda Frizz Ease Secret Weapon Touch-up Creme; Patchology Little Helper Energy Dietary Supplement Strip (a caffeine strip that melts on your tongue – is drinking a cup of coffee so hard?); and VDL Velvet Blur Primer.
Oh, and if the order looks a little light, it’s because there were a few gifts in my order…
November 2020 Allure Beauty Box – Back in Full Force
I was prepared to cancel my subscription before I opened this month’s box, but it was *just* compelling enough for me to wait and see what next month brings…
I’ve been using Dermelect Self Esteem Beauty Sleep Serum for the past week. It does sting a tiny bit when I apply it, but it absorbs very quickly. I have no idea which ingredient is doing that – maybe the salicylic acid?
Oooh…Naturelab Tokyo Perfect Shine Clarifying Scalp Scrub! This will go great with the shampoo I just bought (but haven’t posted about yet).
Also in this month’s box: Josephine Cosmetics Eye/Dazzle The Liquid Metallic Eyeshadow in “Leona” (haven’t tried yet, but intrigued); Manna Kadar Lip Bliss Moisturizing Lip Mask; Skinmedica Instant Bright Eye Mask; Neogen Dermalogy Real Ferment Micro Essence (it’s made of ferments yeast and rice – I’m scared); When The Last Choice Sheet Mask; and Acure Ultra Hydtrating 12 Hour Facial Moisturizer (excited to try this one – Acure is a great brand).
Is the quality of the boxes FINALLY starting to improve? Or is this a fluke? Stay tuned for next month’s decision…
The Allure Beauty Box recently increased their price from $15 to $23/month. They also offer an option for $250/year – a savings of $26. Sign up via my referral link.
November 2020 Ipsy Bag – Be Present
November’s product choice hit it OUT OF THE PARK. I chose Anastasia Beverly Hills Matte Lipstick Mini in “Dead Roses” and this is now my signature color! I swore that I would never go back to regular lipsticks after experiencing liquid lipsticks…but this lipstick applied like a dream and stayed put all day – even under a mask! It did get all over the inside of the mask, but that’s kind of unavoidable.
I sprayed on Commodity Gold and it was a very musky vanilla fragrance. It was alright, but I feel like I got a major headache after wearing it. I knew I had received a sample of it a few years ago…and it turns out that I HATED it. Ha.
Also in this month’s “Be Present” bag: Context Skin Nail Lacquer in “The Morning After”; Item Beauty Lid Glaze in “Desert Weekend”; and Lasting Smiles Vanilla Bean Blended Beverage Organic Lip Balm.
This month’s bag was a great selection of products – keep it up, ipsy!
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.
Edge of Reality
It’s a bit odd that Ulta is now carrying KVD Vegan Beauty, as it’s a Kendo (a subsidiary of LVMH, like Sephora) brand, but okay…
The new KVD Vegan Beauty Edge of Reality Fully Recyclable Eyeshadow Palette ($45) is the first big release since the exit of Kat Von D from the brand. The aesthetic is the same, the quality is the just as nice and frankly, I’m here for a goth-y brand that doesn’t have a nutcase attached. I’ve been using the palette all week and it blends like butter. There is a fair amount of fallout with the shimmer shades, but it’s not too bad – and it gives me an excuse to use the Ulta Makeup Correcting Sponge ($4.99 normally, but $2.50 at BOGO 1/2). This sharp edged sponge is much better than using a wet Q-tip!
The first half of the BOGO 1/2 was a backup Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil – I’ cannot go without one. I also got two more Ulta Foaming Hand Soaps in “Pink Grapefruit” ($6, BOGO 1/2 as well) – they smell SO good. All of these Ulta Collection buys qualified me for a free 10 piece gift. Inside the pink snakeskin pouch: an eyeshadow palette (shimmery neutrals, perfect for the holidays); Luxe Lipstick in “Barely There” (almost too barely there for me – needs a liner maybe?); Mattifying Face Primer; Matte Eye Primer in “Nude”; Shiny Sheer Lip Gloss in “Bare”; New Heights Lifting Mascara in “Black” (will open and try soon); a Crease Eye Shadow Brush; a Flat Precision Eye Shadow Brush; and a Makeup Removing Cloth (I like using these on glittery eye pigment).
Oh, and of course a Zoya Remove+ ($10).
I was able to use a $15 off $75 coupon – MUCH better than Sephora’s 15% off code, which was running at the same time I made this purchase. Just $174 to Diamond in 2021…I’ll definitely make it, because I have a hair appointment next Saturday AND I placed an order this morning…
October 2020 Ipsy Bag – You’re Magic
Good old, reliable ipsy. I can always count on ipsy for a good bag.
Not only was this month’s bag out-of-this-world black pleather with gold embossing, but the contents kicked butt, too. I’ve been using the HELL out of the Illuminati Cosmetics Quad Palette in “Secret Society”. I’ve never heard of this brand before, but it’s really good quality.
My product choice this month was Tarte Maracuja Tinted Hydrator in “Fair Neutral”. I was shocked at how much coverage was in a tinted moisturizer. For me, it gave medium coverage while feeling light om my skin. It did get all over the inside of my mask, so that was annoying.
Also in this month’s bag: Benefit Gimme Brow+ Warm Golden Blonde 2 Volumizing Eyebrow Gel (I’ll literally never use this); Essence Cosmetics Pure Nude Highlighter 010 in “Popping Champagne” (this was a nice subtle highlighter – I liked it); and Timeless Beauty Bar Apres Sea Face Sheet Mask and Face the Day Face Sheet Mask Set.
All in all, a good mix of products – I’ll use 4/5. Allure better get their shit together or I am canceling and upgrading to Ipsy Plus.
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.
October 2020 Allure Beauty Box – Screen Gab
$23 for this???
I was expecting at 4-5 full size products for $23, so imagine my surprise to get this box of tiny little random products.
The only product I’ve been using so far is the Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream – I’ve been putting it on my face before I go to bed. It is a very heavy moisturizer, so not suitable for daytime. I definitely WILL use the Static Nails Liquid Glass Lacquer in “Irene”, but it is not spooky enough for the few weeks before Halloween.
Also in this month’s “Screen Gab” box: The Nue Co. Topical C (powdered vitamin C that I am supposed to mix into other face products – way too much work for me); Verso Super Eye Serum (ugh); Sigma Liquid Lipstick in “Venom” (not even full size – rude – and I haven’t been bothering with lipstick since I cannot leave the house without a mask); La Roche-Posay Lipikar Balm AP+ (I literally just put this on my hands – it is kinda nice); Wilma Schumann Hydrating Collagen Eye Pads; and Rusk Native Fig Shampoo & Conditioner...just a single use foil pack! What a rip-off!
I’ll give Allure one more month to get their shit together or I am pulling the plug.
The Allure Beauty Box just increased their price from $15 to $23/month. They also offer an option for $250/year – a savings of $26. Sign up via my referral link.