Heart of Sass
I love me some flakies!
Sally Hansen “Heart of Sass” was an impulse clearance purchase on an Ulta order around last Thanksgiving. I wanted something different, so I dug into my pile of untried polish…
This is two coats of “Heart of Sass” over Sally Hansen Double Duty. The first three fingers are glossy, topped with Glisten & Glow Top Coat. My ring finger and pinky were matte, with Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat.
I absolutely prefer the matte look – it reminds me of a Pink Grapefruit gummy bear – my favorite flavor.
May 2020 Ipsy Bag – Get That Glow
I am impressed by how color-coordinated this month’s products are with the sunset ombre bag. Ipsy keeps on stepping it up.
My product choice this month was another tube of my favorite mascara – Benefit Roller Lash. I think I have a decade supply now…or at least three tubes.
Also in this month’s “Get That Glow” bag: Sundays Studio Nail Polish in “No. 6”; tarte H20 Gloss in “hang ten”; Etat Libre d’Orange “She Was An Anomaly” Eau de Parfum (full size, 100ml is $149 and I cannot even – it smells like almost nothing) and Niu Body Pina Colada Sugar Lip Polish.
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. I am starting to get tempted to subscribe to the yearly plan…
Target Beauty Boxes – May 2020
For the fifth month in a row, Target’s given us TWO Beauty Boxes to choose from…but why choose just one, when you can have them both?
Even though I don’t plan on going outside much this summer, I grabbed the “Sunscreen Queen” box. I did happen to visit Lala’s pool this weekend and got to try out two of the sunscreens! The first day, I used CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Face Lotion with Sunscreen – SPF 30. It did well in the pool, although I must admit that I just lounged and didn’t go completely underwater. The second day, I opted for a bit stronger protection with Australian Gold Botanical Sunscreen – SPF 50 Mineral Lotion. It protected my face well – I should’ve put it on my shoulders! Also in this box: Sun Bum Original Sunscreen Spry – SPF 30; Bare Republic Mineral Shimmer Holographic Shimmer Stick (weird – I am paranoid to try these); La Roche Posay Anthelios Melt-in Sunscreen Milk – SPF 60 (you got my attention with SPF 60…but the milk part is scaring me away); and RoC Multi Correxion 5-in-1 Anti-Aging Face Moisturizer – SPF 30. I’m ready for the 3 or 4 times I have to go outside this summer!
The “Summer Hair & Skin Care” box has a wider range of products. I’ve already used the HASK Argan Oil Repairing Deep Conditioner Packet – it was great for my hair, but didn’t smell as nice as the Unwined line. Also in this box: CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen Lotion for Face – SPF 50; Heritage Store Rosewater Spray (the bottle says to spray on face, hair, body…okay!); Biore Charcoal Deep Cleansing Pore Strips; COLAB Original Dry Shampoo; Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Soft Waves Sea Salt Spray with Tropical Banana Fragrance (do I want my hair to smell like banana?); and Eva NYC Mane Magic 10-in-1 Primer.
Each box was $7, with free shipping, plus 5% off with my Target Red Card. Both boxes came with $3 off $15 coupons, and the coupons have an extended expiration date of 9/4/20. I used one of last month’s coupons to get these boxes, and I used the other one to hoard shampoo and conditioner (post coming soon).
Bernadette!
Black nail polish is usually more trouble than it’s worth. Sure, it looks amazing…for about 10 minutes, until it chips and you want to take it off immediately. Black nail polish – and really, any dark color – looks really, really bad when it chips. Guess what, motherfucker? Julep “Bernadette – Black Onyx for February” is the longest wearing black nail polish I’ve ever used.
Technically, “Bernadette” is not black, it’s black onyx birthstone microshimmer with silver glitter. Whatever, this stuff did NOT chip on me. It lasted 6 days with minimal edge wear. Fantastic.
This is two coats of “Bernadette” over Glisten & Glow Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat. I LOVE it – it warms my goth little heart.
Oh, and since when did February have another birthstone besides Amethyst? As a Februarian, why is this the first I’m hearing of it? Off I go to replace my tons of Amethyst jewelry with Black Onyx.
Mother’s Day in the Bag
The Mother’s Day Tote Bag from Bath & Body Works is kind of a big deal. I don’t get it every single year – the products aren’t always exciting – but this year’s products are just what I wanted.
I have been excited about “Perfect Peony” since it launched a few months ago…I’ve been biding my time for an opportunity to try it. This bag included “Perfect Peony” Fine Fragrance Mist, Shower Gel and 24 Hour Moisture Lotion. I would have preferred Body Cream, but I’ll cope. I really like the scent. Obviously, it’s very similar to the original “Peony” scent (of which I still have several bottles stashed), but it’s different enough that I can tell them apart. There’s an underlying herbal scent to “Perfect Peony” – it reminds me of the old “Flowering Herbs” scent from the 90s. I like it and hope it sticks around.
Also inside the Mother’s Day bag: “Cactus Blossom” 3 Wick Candle, “Cactus Blossom” Foaming Hand Soap; a “Strawberry Pound Cake” Jar Candle, “Strawberry Pound Cake” Hand Cream and “Strawberry Pound Cake” HAND SANITIZER. WOO HOO! As much as I love “Perfect Peony”, I am obsessed with “Strawberry Pound Cake” – that will be my next acquisition, I guarantee it.
The bag itself is a bit disappointing. I was expecting a heavier bag, but it’s made out of the stuff that reusable grocery bags are made of. Hmmm, I guess I can use it Aldi?
I spent WAY too much on Hand Soaps to get the bag for $30 with a $30 purchase. 6/$26 is HIGHWAY ROBBERY! But I’ve been quarantining for over two months and I’ve been washing my hands A LOT. I got 7 soaps and by far, the big winner was the “Blueberry Lemonade” Foaming Hand Soap. I need more of that scent in my life.
So what’s the word on the street for Semi Annual Sale? Shouldn’t that be starting soon?
Give Me Some Balm
Oh hey, so here’s my order from Sephora’s Spring VIB Sale. It took over two weeks to get here, which is understandable…but work has been literally INSANE the past week, so I haven’t been posting…
Sephora hasn’t been wowing me lately, but I did find a few things that sparked my interest. I’d been eyeing the new Sephora Favorites “Give Me Some Balm” Kit ($29), because almost every day, I’ve been wearing nothing but lip balm. The star of the set is the FULL SIZE Pat McGrath Labs Lip Fetish Balm in “Clear” – hands down, this is the prettiest tube I own! I’m also pumped about the Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment in “Clear” – it’s minty. Even though I hate applying lip balm with my finger, the peachy scent of the Too Faced Cosmetics Peach Mega Moisture Lip Balm has me keeping it by my bedside. Also included in the kit – FULL SIZE tarte SEA Quench Lip Rescue in “rose” and Jouer Cosmetics Essential Lip Enhancer Conditioning Lip Treatment. All my fellow work-from-homers must have picked up this kit, too – it’s no longer available!
I also snagged another Cocofloss in “Fresh Coconut” ($9) – I LOOOOOVE this dental floss.
Do I really need red eyeliner? No, but it was on clearance for $10, so I picked up a Kat Von D, um, I mean KVD Vegan Beauty Ink Well Long Wear Eye Liner in “Outlaw”. I haven’t tried it yet, maybe I’ll leave the house by Halloween?
For samples, I got Chanel Coco Mademoiselle and a sample card of Shiseido VisionAiry Gel Lipstick (meh). I never would’ve picked the lipstick, but I did pick the perfume. Why does it smell like a Mens’ scent?
On a side note, Sephora Play! is no more! April was to be the final box, but changing my expiration date didn’t take in my account and I missed out on the very last box. (It probably would’ve been a bunch of leftover samples, anyway). Thanks for nothing, COVID-19.
Without Sephora Play!, will I be able to spend $208 more to get VIB status for 2021?
Ice Ice Cherry!
I was feeling dainty when I decided to try out Sinful Colors Quick Bliss “Ice Ice Cherry!” – too cold, too cold.
“Ice Ice Cherry!” is the lightest iridescent pink polish. Even though the polish is rather sheer, I got nearly full coverage in two coats. I think it helped that I used Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat, because it masked any stains on my nails and created a good blank slate.
I feel like I may have made a little mistake with it though. I didn’t realize until after I applied Glisten & Glow Top Coat that the polish has a bit of texture, with a finish similar to “Bite”. The top coat made the edges super jagged and crunchy – but it also prevented chipping and it lasted on my nails quite a while.
Joe Exotic Nails
You know I’ve been chomping at the bit to do Joe Exotic Nails – and I finally figured out a way to make it work!
I do NOT have faith in my freehand painting skills anymore, so I’d been hesitant to try painting tiger stripes on my nails. There’s just no way it wouldn’t look shit. But then I remembered the shit ton of Jamberry Nail Wraps that I got years and years ago. I hunted through the piles and found a single White Tiger Strip in a pack of samples that Kimberley had sent me – score!
Once I added the Jamberry to my ring finger, I had to duplicate Joe Exotic’s glitz and glamour. I decided to go with his ICONIC teal lewk, as opposed to his hot pink wedding lewk. I started with Sally Hansen Double Duty for the base coat, and then two coats of Sally Hansen Color Therapy “Reflecting Pool”. I topped with my favorite turquoise and copper glitter, Nicole by OPI “Pick of the Glitter”. I finished with Glisten & Glow Top Coat. It turned out AMAZING!
I had forgotten how annoying Jamberry Wraps can be if you don’t cut them exactly perfect. I kept getting the edge stuck in my fucking hair. As badass as my nails looked – I could only stand to wear this look for two days.
Now I wish I had another set of White Tiger Wraps, so I could do Roy Horn Nails…
Geneva
Ooooh, this is nice.
Julep “Geneva” made me feel like a unicorn princess. It’s an iridescent blurple sparkle polish.
This is two coats over Glisten & Glow Base Coat and topped with Glisten & Glow Top Coat. It is a sheer glitter, but the dense shimmer gives the illusion of full coverage.
“Geneva” was included in the very last Julep Mystery Box last year – “Glisten Up” – but I got it in my last big sale haul.
Target Beauty Boxes – April 2020
Thank you Target, for giving me two Target Beauty Boxes for April. My online shopping is ridiculous right now…
The box on the left is called “Clean Routine” and is filled with health-conscious alternatives to every day products. I tried out the Lavanila Pure Healthy Vanilla Deodorant today. It’s not as good as the Schmidt’s deodorant, but it kept most of the funk away. (I totally just sniffed my armpit – a little funky, but not bad.) Also included in the “Clean Routine” box: artnaturals Vitamin C Serum (I’ve been using a lot of serums in my morning routine since Quarantine started); hello bpa-free toothbrush (I’ll throw it in the bin for guests); Love Beauty and Planet Coconut Milk & White Jasmine Hand Cream (I have the one I received in the April 2019 box in my purse); and hello Hemp Seed Oil + Coconut Oil Fluoride Free Toothpaste (I’ve been using this for the past few days – it’s like brushing your teeth with oregano).
The other box is themed “Spring Into Clean” and is full of healthy cleaning products. I am LOVING the full sized SheaMoisture Cannabis & Witch Hazel Skin Rescue Cream Cleanser. It takes a lot of rinsing, but I like the way it feels and smells. Also inside: Pacifica Glowing Makeup Removing Wipes; The Good Stuff Complete Repair Balm (another repeat from April 2019); Acure Resurfacing Overnight Glycolic Treatment; and Spring & Vine Tea Tree & Mint Scalp Soothing Shampoo Bar (I gave to the husband, but he hasn’t used it yet.
Each box was $7, with free shipping, plus 5% off with my Target Red Card. Both boxes came with $3 off $15 coupons, and THESE coupons have an extended expiration date of 8/6/20. I was able to use BOTH of last month’s coupons already! I even used one of them to order these two boxes, adding some body wash for my daughter to the order to bump the total over $15.