Category: Makeup
Give Me Some Nude Lip – Take 4
I am such a sucker for Sephora’s curated lip sets. I don’t know if it is the lipstick or the little lip shaped box that they come in. I’d say it was the box, but I REALLY wanted one of those lippies. So I got the new Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Nude Lip Set ($28).
The one I really wanted? NARS Lipstick in “Orgasm”. I had gotten a deluxe sample of NARS Orgasm Blush a while back and it is one of my favorites – all the hype is true – it is universally flattering. I actually put on makeup for the first time in weeks yesterday, just so I could see the blush and lipstick together – heavenly.
Also in the the glittery white lip box: Hourglass Girl Lip Stylo in “Futurist”; Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in “Sugar” (really just a sheer gloss); Tarte Tarteist Quick Dry Matte Lip Paint in “Exposed” (I love a basic brown matte); Urban Decay Cosmetics Vice Special Effects in “Fever” (I’d be more impressed if these weren’t on clearance for $9 everywhere); and Smashbox Cosmetics Be Legendary Lip Pigment in “Mauve Wife” (this will be my fave – it’s like a cross between Lolita and Androgyny!)
Oh, and no dupes! I didn’t have any of these lippies!
I also used this order to get my Sephora Birthday gift – I chose the GlamGlow set with GlamGlow SuperMud Clearing Treatment and GlowStarter Mega Illuminating Moisturizer. My other chose was some Bite Beauty Lipstick – meh.
Can we talk about samples? Even though I got the 2 deluxe samples I used a special code for – it Cosmetics Confidence in a Cleanser (divine) and Miu Miu L’eau Rosee (not a straight rose, but like running through an unkempt rose garden with roses and whatever happens to be growing there) – I DID NOT get my other samples. This is the third time in a row!
First I emailed Customer Service again, they quickly apologized qand gave me 225 points. That’s nice and all, but not a solution. I took to twitter and then DMed with Sephora. They admitted it’s been an ongoing issue, blah blah blah. I can tell you what the issue is – the samples are no longer showing up on the pick list that shows up in my box. I’ve been using the app to order, so next order will be placed online and we’ll see if that helps..
$932 to Rouge…but $282 to VIB Insider is more likely.
Sephora Play January 2018 – Happy You Year!
It’s January 31st, I had major surgery and I am still managing to cover all my January boxes in January. High Five!
This month’s “Happy You Year” bag is filled with products to revitalize. The first thing I squealed over is the GlamGlow SuperCleanse Clearing Cream-to-Foam Cleanser – I LOVE GlamGlow!
Also in this month’s bag: Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask (just a foil pack, boo); Lancome Cils Booster Super-Enhancing Mascara Booster (don’t care); Smashbox Photo FInish Primerizer (primer AND moisturizer – genius!); Ole Henriksen Hygge HydraClay Detox Mask (I love me some masks); and Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream.
No fragrance though – boo!
If you don’t get Sephora Play, sign up TODAY. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
January 2018 Ipsy Bag – Game Face
I gotta get through these boxes before they cut me open!
This month’s “Game Face” ipsy bag is totally 80s! The products are anything but retro. The first product that caught my eye was the F.A.R.A.H BRUSHES Z-Tweeze Dual Ended Tweezer – I’ve never seen a product like this before and I consider myself a tweezer aficionado. One end has the usual wide slant tweezers, but the other end has pointy ones. I cannot wait to start attacking ingrown hairs with these!
Also in this month’s bag: CAKE BY CAKE BEAUTY Heavy Cream Intensive Body Balm; DIRTY LITTLE SECRET COSMETICS Eyeshadow in “Sangria” (sparkly red eyeshadow – yes please!); THEBALM COSMETICS Mary-Lou Manizer; and ANDALOU NATURALS Argan & Shea Styling Cream.
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
January 2018 Birchbox – Find Your Happy
Even though I forgot to pick the products in my Julep box, I did remember to pick for my Birchbox. I picked the curated box, of course. Not that any products stood out to me, but the sample choices were either lame or repeats.
Of all the brands I get in Subscription Boxes, I’d have to say that I get Smashbox the most. I get a Smashbox product every single month. I’m not mad about getting another Smashbox Photo Finish Radiance Primer – I actually like this pearly primer. (I got it in September’s ipsy.)
Also in this month’s box: Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo and Conditioner (So glad I got equal sizes of BOTH products); Laura Geller New York Fortifying Lashes Eyelash Primer (why?); and Clark’s Botanicals Age Defying Radiance Cream.
If you would like to try Birchbox, click on my referral link – https://www.birchbox.com/invite/5453f – I’ll get 50 points if you join.
Target Beauty Boxes – January 2018
Ooooh! Another two box month!
The first box – “Hello Staycay” – has a wide variety of products. Even though I’ve gotten them before, I was compelled to use the Pretty Animalz Tiger Sheet Mask immediately. The cat ran away, but it super-hydrated my skin – I’ll be using more of these masks soon. Also included in the Staycay box: Nexxus Humectress Hair Mask; Dove Gentle Exfoliating Body Polish “Crushed Macadamia & Rice Milk” (I bet this smells SO good!); OGX Biotin & Collagen Shampoo (where is the conditioner mother fuckers???); Mrs. Meyer’s Body Wash in “Basil” (this is WEIRD); Vichy Mineral 89 Face Moisturizer; and CoverGirl Melting Pout Lipstick in “Evan-Gel-Ical” (obviously a dupe of Too Face Melted – yay!). I will use every single thing in this box – and hopefully, the $3 off $15 coupon, too. I only used one of the two coupons I got last month.
The second box – “Hello Jetsetter” – is all products from across the pond – the best that Boots (an UK store) has to offer. I was pumped to see a full eyeshadow palette from Sleek MakeUP – 12 matte and shimmering colors. Also inside the Boots box: No7 Restore & Renew Serum; No7 Airbrush Away Primer; Soap & Glory Righteous Body Butter; Soap & Glory Pillow Plump Lip Gloss; and Botanics Shine Away Ionic Clay Mask. Again, another box that I will use ALL of…except maybe the coupon. This coupon is $5 off $20…but only on the brands included in this box. We shall see…
Both boxes were $7, with free shipping and 5% off with my Target Red Card. Both were chock full of good stuff – I wish they were this good every month!
Double Troublemaker
So my first Sephora order of 2018 actually turned out to be my last order of 2017. So I ended up placing a second order for the Urban Decay Troublemaker palette (normally $39, on sale for $24). But why???
I wanted to take advantage of the “Sale on Sale” – an extra 20% off on sale items (bringing the price down to $19.80)…but I wanted my sale to count towards 2018 and going Rouge. So I was fucking around on my phone on New Year’s Eve, but after midnight….in Texas. I figured I could place my order and it would count towards 2018…nope. I got my order summary and it said December 31, 2017. Fuck. I emailed customer service and asked if they could fix it. Sephora Customer Service actually answered on New Year’s Day, but gave me the dumbass answer that they could not modify the sales date on the order and that I should just reorder the palette and return the first one. So I did. I figured that I could get three extra samples and just take the extra palette back…but there were no fucking samples in either box. what the FUCK, Sephora??? I emailed customer service – still waiting to hear back. At least I got another 2017 Rouge gift…not sure why.
…now about the palette itself. Troublemaker was released as a companion to their new Troublemaker Mascara, a deluxe sample of which is also included in the box.
The palette has just 9 colors, with matte and shimmer finishes. The colors lean warm and all mesh rather well with each other. I’ve used the palette for the last two days and have found the colors to be standard Urban Decay quality, although I noticed that the shimmers shifted darker on my eyes than in the pan – oxidation?
The middle shade, “Clash” is a dupe for “Furious/Anger” from the Pulp Fiction palette. I’m not mad or anything, just pointing it out.
The Troublemaker Mascara is nice – I like it better than the Perversion Mascara. It’s less clumpy and I feel like it defines my lashes better. That being said, the Deluxe tube is annoying – the wand is too short and I feel like I am in danger of stabbing myself in the side of the nose.
I would hesitate to pay $39 for this palette, but $19.80 is a fair price. Now to decide what to do with the other one…to return or to gift???
$970 to Rouge…can I do it?
Sephora Play! December 2017 – Glam Straight
I know, I know. Again. Don’t even say it.
December’s box is full of party products – special products for a night out. Before I could even get excited about any of the products, I was in awe of the Art Deco pouch that came with this month’s box. It’s total Gatsby.
After the pouch, I was drawn to the Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Cream – it’s a soothing cream that eliminates redness. My scabby winter skin could use the help. Also in this month’s box – Atelier Cologne Clementine California (so happy – I just used up a travel spray of this); drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1, Clinique pretty easy liquid eyelining pen in “black”; Make Up For Ever Artist Rouge Mat in M401 “Hot Red”; and Smashbox Cover Shot: Golden Hour Eye Shadow Duo. I could almost do a full face with this box. I’dd look really weird with no eyebrows though.
Do you get Sephora Play? This is far and away, the best subscription box I get every month. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
December 2017 Ipsy Bag – Snow Glow
This month’s “Snow Glow” bag is full of interesting products.
Obviously, the first thing that caught my eye is the HUGE packet – The Coffee Scrub in “Coconut”. It’s basically coconut scented coffee grounds repurposed as a facial exfoliant. My only question – are these USED coffee grounds???
Also in this month’s bag: MAC In Extreme Dimension Lash Mascara in “Black Extreme” (NICE – I’ve never tried MAC mascara); Luxie Beauty Precision Shader Onyx Brush 239; MEECH AND MIA Loose Eyeshadow Pigment in “White”; and TRÈSTIQUE Mini Brow Pencil in “Americano” (looks a bit chubby, but I’ll give it a whirl).
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
December 2017 Birchbox – On the Dot, Off the Cuff
This month’s Birchbox was a “Hail Mary” pass – I was all set to cancel my subscription until I saw the goodies in this month’s fabulous box. I’d had weak boxes for the last several months and now that the point system has been overhauled…but lo and behold…an amazing box! They’ve earned a brief reprieve.
I was expecting the Davines MINU Illuminating Shampoo – For Color-Treated Hair – it was my sample choice this month. The box also came with foil packs of Davines MINU Illuminating Conditioner – For Color-Treated Hair and Davines MINU Hair Serum – For Color-Treated Hair. Bahhhhh….foil packs….no….
The goodies I wasn’t expecting: Stila Cosmetics HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara (they messed up and I got TWO of these!); Lavanila The Healthy Fragrance Pure Vanilla Eau de Parfum (eh); LOC Liquid Shimmer Shadow in “Eclipse”; and Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum. Oh, and I almost forgot…an eyelash curler. A FUCKING eyelash curler. Does anyone even use those anymore?
If you would like to try Birchbox, click on my referral link – https://www.birchbox.com/invite/5453f – I’ll get 50 points if you join.
Target Beauty Boxes – December 2017
Two Target Beauty Boxes for December – it’s an Xmas miracle! Well, not really – it happens every few months.
The “Hers” box (right) seems a bit light for $7. It includes Hask Coconut Oil Deep Conditioner (I’ve gotten a lot of these, and have just started using them); Rimmel London Shake it Fresh Mascara in “Very Black” (the fuck? I’m supposed to shake it up before using it?); imPRESS Press-On Manicure (Who has fingers this small? My 9 year old, I hope); Nexxus Comb Thru Finishing Mist (I’ve gotten several cans of this – I like it); Vera Wang Embrace Marigold and Gardenia (Dammit, this is the wrong one!); My Beauty Diary Black Pearl Mask; and Chapstick Red Lip Tint.
The “His” box is much beefier – I can see either my husband or son using all of this: Axe Dual 2-in-1 Shampoo + Conditioner (I had just bought my husband this exact same thing); Dove Men+Care Dry Spray Antiperspirant; Pacinos Styling Pomade (well…maybe not this); Crest Whitening Therapy Toothpaste; Olivina Cleansing Cloths (are these for the butthole?); Dove Elements Body Wash and Cremo Beard Scruff Cream & Oil.
Two $7 boxes with free shipping and an additional 5% off with my Target Red Card. Two $3 off $15 coupons – I’m going to Target tomorrow.