Tag: Azzaro

 
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A Li’l Bit of Everything Ulta Haul

Sometimes, shopping is just adding stuff to cart until it feels “right”…or at least until you get a bunch of shit for free.

I cannot remember how I started just dropping things in my cart, but I think I started looking for pore clearing masks. Ulta no longer carries Freeman, but there was a 30% off sale and a GWP on Florence by Mills, so I decided to try Florence by Mills Feed Your Soul Berry in Love Pore Mask ($16.10, down from $23 – this was a very thin, very strongly berry scented mask – it dripped everywhere before it dried) and Clear The Way Clarifying Mud Mask ($16.10, down from $23 – a more traditional mud mask, I liked this one much better). The 3 piece gift with purchase included a full size Feed Ypur Soul Love U Latte Coffee Glow Mask (haven’t tried yet); Swimming Under the Eyes Hydrating Under Eyes Gel Pads and a Silicone Face Mask Brush.

But then I started seeing stuff on sale…Arctic Fox Hair Color was 25% off, so I picked up “Virgin Pink” and “Poison” ($13.87, down from $18.49. Tree Hut was on sale, so I picked up a Tree Hut Moisturizing Shave Oil in “Moroccan Rose” ($9.99, down from $10.99). Zoya was also 30%, so I got two bottles of Zoya Remove+ ($8.40, down from $12). Inner Circle was 30% off, so I got Glamping – Santal Wood Hand Wash ($3.49, down from $4.99 – it smells SO GOOD). Flowery was 30% off, so I picked up my favorite Blue Max 4-way Buffing Block ($2.09, down from $2.99). MONDAY Haircare was BOGO50%, so I bought little travel sizes of SMOOTH Shampoo and Conditioner for Curly & Frizzy Hair with Wheat Protein ($3.49 + $1.74) for my cruise. I liked the product, but the packaging was annoying AF and hard to squeeze. I won’t be purchasing again.

Then I saw that Ulta had a free Beauty Bag with $22 purchase (what happened to $19.50?), and I just used up my favorite lip stain so I dropped an Ulta Beauty Collection Weightless Water Lip Stain in “Plum Paradise” ($11.50) in my cart. Then I dropped a few packages of Exfoliating Cotton Rounds ($4.49 each) in my cart. Inside the free gift – I chose the leopard print, of course: a 5 pan eyeshadow palette; Matte Veil Face Primer; Pop Star Lashes High Definition Volumizing Mascara; Cream Blush; Matte Veil Eye Primer; Lip Stain (appears to also be “Plum Paradise”; Jelly Gloss Lip Gel; an eyeshadow brush and foam blender.

I had a premonition that my favorite Pattern claw clip would break soon, so I picked up a back-up for $12. I also grabbed an extra Ulta Loofah ($3).

I qualified for a free 16 piece gift with my $80 purchase, which included e.l.f. Power Grip Primer; pixi Glow Mist; Thayers Facial Toner in “Rose Petal” (my favorite!); No7 Future Renew Night Serum; Vichy Liftactive Bonding Serum; Peach Slices Snail Rescue Purifying Cleanser; belif The True Cream – Aqua Bomb (another favorite!); CeraVe Balancing Air Foam Cleanser; Juvia’s Place Culture Multi-Chrome Shadow in “It Girl”; Ulta Beauty Collection Pop Star Lashes Volumizing Mascara (another one?); CNP Propolis Lipcerin; Differin Epiduo Acne Gel; La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser; Some By Mi AHA.BHA.PHA Miracle Cream; L’Oreal True Match Lumi Glotion in “903 Medium Glow”; and Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser.

I also qualified for a free 20 piece gift with my $125 purchase, which included Nakery Beauty Soothing Moisture Wipes (for my butt); StriVection peptight Face Life Serum; Azzaro “The Most Wanted”; Prada “Paradoxe” Deluxe Sample; tarte Platinum Mascara; another belif The True Cream – Aqua Bomb; Ralph Lauren “Polo”; Bumble and bumble. Bb. Seaweed Oil; Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-eyes Volume Mascara; Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Leave-In Treatment; Ole Henriksen Strength Trainer Peptide Boost Moisturizer; Yves Saint Laurent “Libre Berry Crush”; Kylie Cosmetics Supple Kiss Lip Glaze in “003 Rose Bloom”; Mugler “Alien Pulp”; Burberry “Goddess”; Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash (I’m still using the full size from my last Ipsy Ultimate); SEEN Leave-In Conditioner; Yves Saint Laurent “Myself” Deluxe Sample; Prada “Paradigme” Deluxe Sample; and Origins Ginzing Energizing Lightweight Moisturizer. Lots of good stuff!

I also got a free Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment with my skincare purchase.

…and then I used a $10 giftcard and $53 in points, because you know I am frugal like that.

Just $325 to Diamond in 2027!

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Saisei Ulta Haul

It’s been a bit since I’ve taken advantage, but I still love Diamond Love List Mondays…

I POUNCED on a new hair routine – it’s been a while since I did that, but a new product line from NatureLab. Tokyo had me intrigued. I used a few of their lines a few years back, before I switched to Sol de Janeiro. I grabbed NatureLab. Tokyo Saisei Stress Defense Amino Acid Shampoo and Saisei Restoring Therapy Conditioner ($22 each), as well as Saisei Biomimetic Peptide Treatment Essence ($46). This line is supposed to destress your scalp and minimize fallout and color loss – my husband will appreciate it, based on the labubu-sized clump of hair he recently pulled out of the shower drain. It’s only been a week, so no results to report yet.

My current favorite lippie was in my purse when it got stolen several months ago and it wasn’t re-released with products for the second Wicked film, so I decided to try r.e.m. beauty Wicked So Popular pH Adaptive Lip Oil ($25). It gives long lasting color…but it is fucking GLINDA pink. It’s fine with my skin tone, depending on what I’m wearing, but not as good as Tulip Fields. Ugh.

A few other “add to cart” moments: Thayers Soak It Up 80HR Liquid Moisturizer for Normal to Dry Skin ($14.99) and Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel Facial Toner in “Rose Petal” ($10.95); and wet n wild Bare Focus Tinted Hydrator Tinted Skin Veil ($6.99) – this is fucking foundation, why did they lie? Not quite full coverage, but definitely medium coverage – NOT a veil.

I racked up 4 gifts with purchase on this order! Just for being Diamond, I got a Free Diamond Exclusive belif The True Cream – Moisturizing Bomb with select $50 shipped purchase.

Inside the Free 11 Piece Beauty Bag with $85 shipped purchase: a blue sequined makeup bag; ANOTHER belif The True Cream – Moisturizing Bomb; Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray; mixsoon Soondy Centella Asiatica Essence (I have no fucking idea); Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Conditioner; DIME Luminosity Eye Serum; 2 Wella Invigo Brilliance Vibrant Color Mask; L’Occitane Amande Concentrate de Lait; Gucci Flora “Gorgeous Gardenia” (NO); Smashbox Pore-Vanishing Primer; Lancome Genifique Ultimate Serum; Shiseido Clarifying Cleansing Foam; Billie Eilish “Your Turn” (it smells like new shoes); and Paris Hilton “Iconic” (I actually like this one – I hate that I like it). Please no one tell Ulta that I got 15 items in what was supposed to be an 11 item gift.

Inside the Free Diamond & Platinum Exclusive 22 Piece Beauty Bag with $135 shipped purchase: a blackish green makeup bag; Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 59 Fragrance Mist (I’ve been wanting to try this one – woody vanilla); Tirtir Milk Skin Toner; Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam in “Dark” (nope); ma:nyo Pure Cleansing Oil; NYX Fat Oil Chillz in “Strawberry Slush”; Dolce & Gabbana “Light Blue” (deluxe size); Redken One United Multi-Benefit Treatment; Mixsoon Bean Cleaning Oil (why do I need to clean my bean?); tarte tartlette Tubing Lash Primer; No7 Future Renew Night Serum; Farmacy Deep Sweep Pore Cleaning Toner; Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical; RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream; NOYZ “Only Human”; Marc Jacobs “Daisy Wild”; Azzaro “The Most Wanted”; Billie Eilish “eilish” (deluxe sample); Good Molecules Lightweight Daily Moisturizer; COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream; CECRED Moisture Sealing Lotion (for hair? wut?); Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel; Peter Thomas Roth Peptide Skinjection Amplified Wrinkle-Fix Serum; and Olaplex No. 6 Bond Smoother. 24 items in this bag!

Finally, inside the Free Diamond & Platinum Exclusive 9 Piece Skincare Gift with select $25 shipped purchase: bareMinerals Skin Rescue; Murad Environmental Shield Superactive Moisturizer; Benefit The POREfessional Deep Retreat Pore-Clearing Clay Mask; Estee Lauder Nutritious 2-in-1 Foam Cleanser (um, nutritious?); Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50; it Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream Barrier Boost; Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50; Fur Ingrown Concentrate; and Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench SPF 45. Awww…just the 9 items in this one.

Since I knew this order would take me to Diamond Status for 2026, I used a $5 off coupon and $20.50 in Ulta points. How am I going to try all 48 samples???

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Wednesday Ulta Haul

I am a sucker for Vaults/PR Boxes and also a sucker for the Diamond Love List, which made my purchase of the NYX Limited Edition Wednesday Full Collection Vault Kit ($90) inevitable. I was skeptical at first – I was afraid I wouldn’t use most of the products (see Spongebob PR Box) – but it’s all wearable for me! The Vault included the Nevermore Academy Palette (so many earthy glitters!); three Wednesday Color-Adjusting Lip Oils – “Nightshade”, “Thorn Pricked” and “Moon Shifted” (I absolutely love these lip oils – they change color and act like a stain); Wednesday Cello Vivid Matte Purple Liquid Liner (this is the only product I haven’t tried yet – give me time); Wednesday Stained Glass Blush Palette (no purple? huh?); Wednesday Stained Glass Contour Palette (my favorite of the bunch – I’ve been using it as eye shadow); and a Wednesday Phone Umbrella (weird idea, but it matches my eggplant colored phone). I even got another freebie from NYX – free Summer Grippie Socks with $30 purchase. I won’t be wearing them until winter, but I appreciate them nonetheless. Let me reiterate, I LOVE this collection – it’s giving Kat Von D Beauty, but without all the anti-Semitism.

I added a few more goodies to my cart: Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 68 Hair & Body Perfume Mist ($26 – to go with all the Beija Flor samples I’ve been getting); Thayers Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel Facial Toner ($8.21 – 25% off); and a Wet Brush The Original Mini Detangler Hair Brush ($5.99 – for travel). No eyebrow pencils this time…

Not only did I get a sample of Nutrafol Hair Serum with my $50 purchase, I also got a free Diamond & Platinum Exclusive 11 Piece Gift with $80 purchase. The gift included Sol de Janeiro Beija Flor Elasti-Cream (SEEEEEE!); belif Aqua bomb eye gel; Dolce & Gabbana “Devotion”; Jean Paul Gaultier “Gaultier Divine”; Peter Thomas Roth Instant Firm No-Filter Primer; Uni 24-Hour Serum; tarte Lights, Camera, Action Platinum Mascara; Sunday Riley Good Genes; Kylie Jenner “Cosmic”; Azzaro “Forever Wanted”; and Briogeo Scalp Revival (I wonder if it will work on psoriasis?).

I had a $10 off code, so I used that on this order, as well as $17.50 in points. I am so close to Diamond in 2026 that I don’t mind saving a little money when I can. Just $59 to go!

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Last Ulta Haul of 2024!

I didn’t intentionally wait until the last day of the year to post my last haul of the year…or did I? Seeing as how I placed this order the first week of December…it definitely wasn’t intentional – I was just doing holiday stuff…eating, disassociating, crocheting, losing track of what day it is…THAT’S what the holidays are really about!

This last haul was mostly gifts and stocking stuffers, but since I had a 20% off code, I threw a few things in the bag for myself…like Sol de Janeiro Samba Foot Fetish Cream and Smoothing Board ($27). If you think Bum Bum Cream is good, wait until you try this stuff! It leaves my feet feeling pedicure smooth for DAYS after using it.

Tell me why the r.e.m. beauty Practically Permanent Lip Stain Marker in “booked and busy” that I paid $17 for is like using a felt-tip marker that is running out of ink, but the $11.99 CoverGirl Outlast Lip Stain in “All Star” is like a damn sharpie?

That’s it for personal “gifts”…I admit that I kept the 23 piece beauty bag with $85 purchase for myself…it was a pretty red plaid bag with Garnier Fructis Hair Filler Shampoo & Conditioner packettes; TONYMOLY I’m Aloe Mask Sheet; tarte Shape Tape Corrector Card Sample; Versace Eros; Dime Biome Body Butter; Mugler Alien Goddess; Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb; Givenchy Gentleman Society; OUAI Fine to Medium Hair Treatment Masque; Valentino Uomo Born in Roma Green Stravaganza (huh?); Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium; Valentino Donna Born in Roma Intense; Good Molecules Hydrating Facial Cleansing Gel; Tom Ford Ombre Leather; Azzaro The Most Wanted; Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male (I think this is what my father-in-law wears?); Givenchy L’Interdit; NYX Lip Pencil in “Ever” (do I sense a hint of “Lolita”?); CHI Infra Silk Infusion; Smashbox Photo Finish Illiminate Glow Primer; Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte’s Magic Serum Crystal Elixir; and Kate Somerville ExfoliKate. So the bag was mostly fragrance from brands I don’t like…but I got a Xmas-y bag to put Barbie sweaters in, so I’m not even mad!

Here’s to a more beautiful 2025!