Tag: Philosophy
Hydrating Ulta Haul
My purchases from November’s Diamond Love List are all about hydration – my hair, my body, my legs – all of it.
I was hoping that the NatureLab. Tokyo Saisei combo would help with my flakes, but I’m not seeing any improvement. I saw good things online about CeraVe Anti-Dandruff Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner ($11.99 each). I haven’t started them yet – but I’m about 2/3 of the way through the Saisei…maybe another week or two.
I have been wanting Sol de Janeiro Beija Flor Elasti Renewing Body Wash ($26), so I got it (with an Xmas gift) and qualified for a free 3-piece gift, which includes a makeup bag, with deluxe samples of Bum Bum Cream and Firmeza Body Oil.
Have I mentioned lately how much I love the scent of Tree Hut Tangerine? There was a sale, so I restocked on Tree Hut Moisturizing Shave Oil in “Tangerine” ($9.99, down from $10.99) and Tree Hut Serum-Infused Hand Wash in “Tangerine” ($4.89, down from $5.99).
I always need more deodorant, so I decided to try megababe Soapy Pits Aluminum-Free Clear Gel Deodorant ($14).
Even though I used a $20 off $100 code, plus $9 in Ulta points, I still qualified for a free 11 Piece Hydration Gift with select $75 shipped purchase (what did I say about ‘hydration’). Inside the gift: Knours. Be Kind Hydrating Jojoba Oil + Aloe Vera H2O Double Duty Mist (I have no idea); Lancome Renergie Yeux H.C.F. Triple Serum; philosophy hope in a jar smooth-slow multi-tasking moisturizer; belif The True Cream – aqua bomb; DORE La Creme All-in-One Daily Moisturizer; Tula Skincare 24-7 Ultra Hydration Serum; Drunk Elephant Bora Barrier Repair Cream; Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Rich Barrier Moisturizer; Origins Ginzing Glow-Boosting Gel Moisturizer; and COSRX The Ceramide Skin Barrier Moisturizer. I will use every one of these, except maybe that weird jojoba oil.
Fallible Ulta Haul
Ugh. Not only did I lose my favorite powder foundation somewhere between my house and San Francisco earlier this month…but when I finally ordered a replacement of my L’Oreal Infallible 24H Fresh Wear Foundation In A Powder in “20 Ivory” ($16.99), it arrived absolutely SHATTERED. These things happen and Ulta’s Customer Service Chat Agent made it right immediately. 10/10 service and I received a replacement within a few days.
I added a few new polishes to my cart – Holo Taco “Blue Rizzler” ($14) and Holo Taco “Garden Party Taco” ($13) – and they happened to be in the bubble wrap with the powder and got a bit dusty. No damage to my Thayers Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel Facial Toner in “Rose Petal” ($10.95).
I qualified for a free Wellness Sampler with my $50 purchase (even though I used a $10 off coupon). Inside the Wellness Sampler: Sol de Janeiro Beija Flor Elasti-Cream (I don’t care that I just got one of these – I love the scent); lemme Debloat Daily Digestive Gummies (Not the kind of gummies I usually take, but I’ll give them a whirl); The Good Patch Rescue Patch (it appears to be for a hangover – I’ll try next time I go to Cali); Tan-Luxe Super Glow Hyaluronic Self-Tan Serum (NOPE.); Cetaphil Daily Oil-Free Facial Moisturizer SPF 35; Tula Skincare 24-7 moisture hydrating day & night cream (love this brand); Sunday Riley Good Genes; philosophy amazing grace hydrating shower gel; and dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream. This is a bad ass sample bag with only one dud!
$662 to Diamond in 2026.
Bling Bling Black Honey Ulta Haul
Why yes, that is a super blinged out Clinique Limited Edition Almost Lipstick in “Black Honey”. It was 50% off ($15.50) in this month’s Diamond Love List and my last one was down to a stub, so I JUMPED on it. That was the only thing that I wanted this month…but then I found some other things…
I was in the mood for more bougie bath stuff, so I decided to try out Sol de Janeiro Bom Dia Bright Clarifying AHA BHA Body Wash ($26). It has a little salicylic acid, along with the all the other good stuff and it will help clear up my summer bacne. I sprung for the Sol de Janeiro Limited Edition Perfume Mist Discovery Set ($34), which was kinda dumb in retrospect. I already had 62 and 48. I wanted the 40 to match the body wash, but it isn’t as good as the body wash and 87 is weird, too. Sigh. I guess I cannot be too mad, because I used $50 in Ulta points.
My daughter is into dry shampoo and MONDAY Haircare Brunette Dry Shampoo ($7.99) is cheaper than Batiste or Not Your Mother’s, so I wanted her to try it. I also needed more Unbound Jelly ($18) for…stuff.
In addition to using $50 in Ulta points and a $3.50 off $15 coupon, I got two gifts with purchase! I got Platinum & Diamond Exclusive Free 17 Piece Gift with $85 purchase, which included Good Molecules Pimple Patches (giving to Lily); Redken Control Hairspray; Polite Society Greatest Lashes of All Time Mascara; NOYZ 12:00 eau de parfum; CHI Infra Silk Infusion; Kenra Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner; Eau Thermale Avene Cicalfate Serum; Olaplex No. 4 Shampoo and No. 5 Conditioner (YASSSS); Dolce & Gabbana Devotion; philosophy dose of wisdom dark circle brightening cream; Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair; Stila Liquid Lipstick in “Mute”; Lolavie Glossing Detangler (saving for my Barbies); Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum; and pixi Glow Tonic (I have so much of this). I also qualified for a Diamond Member Exclusive! Free 11 Piece Sampler with $100 purchase, that included St. Moritz Tanning Mousse (giving away); le mini macaron Nail Cleanser Pads (pretty sure they are just alcohol wipes); Half Magic Face Gems (hello Gwen Stefani in the late 90s); Olaplex No. 6 Bond Smoother (trifecta!); megababe The Geo Deo (going in my travel bag); Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair; COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum; Living proof. restore conditioner (but no fucking shampoo?); philosophy dose of wisdom bouncy skin reactivating serum; r.e.m. beauty On Your Collar Classic Lipstick in “Lingerie”; and it Cosmetics Hello Results Wrinkle Reducing Daily Retinol Serum-in-a-Cream. WoW! My skin is excited.
Just $762 to Diamond in 2026.
Fire Fighter Ulta Haul
I was sitting in my local Ulta a few Saturdays ago, waiting for the bleach to process, and texted my daughter to find out if she needed anything from Ulta. She said no, then I told her to ask her dad…she told her to tell me to get more lube. I could feel her CRINGING through the phone. I was relaying this to my stylist…and she was like – WE SELL LUBE? I pulled up the app and showed her all the different options, and as I was scrolling, I saw the Smile Makers “The Fire Fighter” ($60)…since I had a 20% off coupon that was about to expire, I decided to splurge on my vajayjay with “The Fire Fighter”, as well as Unbound Jelly ($18) and Unbound Jolt Enhanced Stimulating Water-Based Gel ($24). Let me tell you, “The Fire Fighter” is one DAMN fine machine. Reach out for more details…
Even though summer is almost over, I occasionally shave in the winter…I love rose scented bath stuff, so Tree Hut Moroccan Rose Bare Moisturizing Shave Oil ($12.99) and Moroccan Rose Foaming Gel Wash ($11.49) were a no brainer. I even got a free Tree Hut Shower Sponge with my $20 purchase.
My purchase qualified me for a free Platinum & Diamond Exclusive 12 Piece Skincare Gift with $60 purchase, which came with Real Techniques Real Clean XL Makeup Remover Wipes; COOLA Sun Silk Drops Sunscreen; bareMinerals Ageless 10% Phyto-Retinol Night Concentrate; Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair; Cocokind Resurrection Polypeptide Cream; Philosophy Hope in a Jar Smooth-Glow Multi-Tasking Moisturizer; Perricone MD Cold Plasma+ Sub-D/Neck; Urban Skin Rx Even Tone Cleansing Bar; Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+; Sun Bum Sunscreen SPF 30; Juice Beauty Green Apple Age Defy Serum; and Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Body Firmeza Oil. I will use every single one of these!
Getting my hair done, plus this haul, leaves me with just $63 til Diamond in 2025.
First Ulta Haul of 2024
I know, it’s kind of hard to believe that I haven’t had an Ulta haul yet this year…to be fair, I ordered back on the 5th of February – I’ve just been busy with work, school, kids, a sick husband, excuses…so let’s get to it!
I am very easily swayed by the monthly Diamond Love List emails…When I showed off my new Drybar The Single Shot Round Blow-Dryer Brush ($108.50, down from $155), he gave me SO MUCH SHIT, since I spent so much money on the Dyson Air Wrap. My answer was that my child stole my Air Wrap and I am too lazy to walk all the way to her bathroom to get it…and my Revlon One-Step smells like burnt dog hair. And really, it was only $25.50 after using $83 of Ulta points…
I was talking to a girl in one of my MBA classes and she said that she would never buy a perfume without smelling it…hi, it’s me – I’m the one who does that, it’s me. I knew that I would LOVE Fresh Beauty Hesperides Grapefruit Eau de Parfum Rollerball ($29) before ever smelling it and I was right. It reminds me of my mom…
Lippies were 30%, so I loaded my cart: Flower Beauty Bitten Lip Stain in “Tempt” ($8.40, down from $12 – it’s very similar to the Colourpop Stain) and KVD Beauty Everlasting Hyperlight Vegan Transfer-Proof Liquid Lipstick in “Ghost Bloom” ($16.10, down from $23) for me; Makeup Revolution Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory x Revolution Brat Lip Gloss ($4.90, down from $7) and Makeup Revolution Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory x Revolution Lip Balm ($4.90, down from $7) for Lil. I also added in Hempz White Peach Rosé & Peony Herbal Shave Gel ($6.49, down from $12.99) because it was half off. A bit disappointing to use, as it wasn’t as slippy as the Caress Body Wash I had been using to shave.
I am deeply saddened that I didn’t get to a salon to use my $25 off beauty services coupon for another year of Diamond, but I did remember to use my free foundation coupon. This year, I chose Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder Foundation in “01 Stay Buff”, a $39 value.
My $30 makeup purchase qualified me for a 4 pieces NARS gift, which includes NARS Climax Mascara; NARS Lipstick in “Inappropriate Red”; NARS Bronzing Powder and NARS High-Pigment Longwear Eyeliner in “Via Veneto”. I probably won’t use any of it. I also qualified for a free hair gift, but it sold out before I could place my order. Boo.
It’s so rare that I spend enough for the massive gift with purchases…this one required a $130 spend! Inside the HUGE satiny makeup bag: drybar DETOX Thickening Dry Shampoo (giving to my daughter, so I don’t have to buy her some); Urban Decay Glide-On Eye Pencil in “Whiskey”; Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate; Dear Klairs Supple Preparation Unscented Toner (there’s licorice root in it, I’m scared); e.l.f. Liquid Poreless Putty Primer; Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder; Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base Primer; megababe Space Bar (I think I have 3 of these now); Lancôme Cils Booster Mascara Base (and 3 of these); Clinique Almost Lipstick in “Black Honey” (yasss, the one in my purse is almost gone); Eau Thermale Avene Tolerance Cleanser; philosophy Purity Made Simple Pore Extractor Clay Mask; Peach & Lily Glass Skin Face Polisher; Estee Lauder Nutritious Melting Soft Creme Mask; Andrew Fitzsimmons Restructuring 10-in-1 Leave-In Conditioner; NYX Epic Ink Liner in “Black”; Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder; Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash; Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam (NOPE); Maybelline Sky High Mascara; La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum; Pixi Glow Tonic; Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen; Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Body Oil; Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow; Dermalogica Micellar Prebiotic Precleanse (precleanse? I ain’t washing my face twice); Living proof. Clarifying Detox Shampoo (but no conditioner?); and Good Molecules Niacinamide Brightening Toner. PHEW, that’s a lot of good samples!
$1,105 to Diamond in 2025…
U Got the Look
Urban Decay released their Prince Collaboration back in May…but I patiently waited for the sale that I knew would come…
I don’t need new brushes or more eyeliner…but you know I’m always down for more eye shadow. I picked up the Urban Decay Cosmetics Prince U Got the Look Palette for 50% off ($27.50, down from $55). There are just 10 shadows, which is not many for $55…but not so crazy at half the price. There’s a nice mix of neutrals and purples and the quality is on par with other Urban Decay palettes. I’ve been enjoying using it this week. There is also a Let’s Go Crazy Palette, with more purple, but Ulta is sold old. Sephora has it, but since it is just purples – as one would expect – I’m skipping it for now.
I added a few other items to my order – a full size Megababe Rosy Pits Daily Deodorant ($14) and Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Balm ($8.99).
Even with the $3.50 coupon, my order qualified for a free Platinum & Diamond exclusive 13 piece gift with Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels; Philosophy Nature in a Jar; CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser; Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair (love getting this serum); Clinique High Impact Mascara; MAC Fix+; Smashbox Photo Finish Primer; It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product; Perricone MD High Potency Growth Factor Firming & Lifting Serum; Benefit Boi-ing Cakeless Concealer; La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum; Sunday Riley CEO Brightening Serum; and Good Molecules Clarify & Cleanse Bar. Lots of good stuff for my skin!
Just $352 to Diamond in 2021!. I also have $262 in Ulta Points saved up…dare I splurge on a Dyson Air Wrap???
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.
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…
Ultraviolet Gryffindor
The new Urban Decay Cosmetics Naked Ultraviolet Palette ($49) launched at Ulta on July 5th, several weeks after the launch at Sephora, but I wanted to wait to buy it at Ulta so that I could use points to get it. Patience is a virtue…
I’m glad that I used points to get the Ultraviolet Palette – it’s somewhat underwhelming. The color story is…odd. I never would’ve put peach and purple together, but it is doable. The shadows are not as “buttery” and soft as the first several Naked Palettes – I had a harder time blending them on my bare skin. The brushes included with the palette is very nice though. I’m still experimenting with this palette, but I feel like it will be easily forgotten, kind of like Naked Smoky.
Ohhhhh, Ulta just launched a Harry Potter Collaboration. Several items were already sold out – include all of the lip pencils and the Vault with all of the House Shadow Palettes. I did get the Harry Potter x Ulta Beauty Gryffindor Eye Shadow Palette ($16) for myself. The color story is reminiscent of the rosy chestnut tones that I love. The quality was very good, similar to last summer’s Frida Kahlo collaboration. I knew that my daughter would be Slytherin GREEN with envy, so I picked her up 2 of the Harry Potter Lip Glosses: “Hedwig” (a clear glitter topper) and “9¾” (a peachy topper). Normally $10, they were BOGO Half.
I cannot say no to inflatable Flamingos, to I snagged the Ulta Meet Me Poolside Kit ($10, down from $20). The inflatable Flamingo Drink floatie looks like the perfect size for Barbie. The kit also includes the Meet Me Poolside Eye Shadow Palette, You’re Golden Matte Bronzer, Dive-In Bouncy Blush, Summertime Shine Lip Jelly, all in a cute Cosmetic Bag.
Another reason that I’m glad I waited to order from Ulta is all the gifts with purchase I was able to rack up on my order. I got ANOTHER Palm Tree Tote 4 piece gift like the one I got last month with $25 in Ulta products purchase – I gave it to Lily. I also got a Platinum/Diamond Exclusive Gift with a $30 Makeup purchase…turns out it was the Fall 2019 gift with purchase that I got in November. The Zebra Beauty Bag (free with an $85 purchase) was NOT a dupe though. Inside the rainbow zebra bag: Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio Profundo; Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Smoothing Anti-Frizz Dry Oil Mist; Kenra Prime Conditioner Style Enhancing Shampoo & Conditioner (deluxe sizes!); Kate Somerville ExfoliKate (yes!); Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream; Bumble and bumble. Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil; MAC Fix+ Magic Radiance; Sunday Riley CEO Vitamin C Rich Hydration Cream; Becca Ignite Highlighter; Tan Towel Plus (NOPE); PÜR 4-in-1 Correcting Primer; Ahava Deadsea Water Mineral Hand Cream; Mamonde Rose Water Toner (good, I’ve almost used up my last sample); touch in SOL No Poreblem Primer (Ooooh, I’ve been wanting to try this one); Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask; and philosophy Renewed Hope in a Jar Peeling Mousse (intrigued). Yeah, this bag is packed with cool new products I’ve never tried before and few ones I really love.
So I managed to use $50 in points and a $3.50 off coupon, ultimately only spending $39.51 for the whole box…$682 to Diamond.
February 2020 Sephora Play! – Beauty Soul Mates
Hmmm…I’m getting a severe sense of deja vu with this month’s Sephora Play! box – I feel like I’ve seen all of these products before.
I received the Clinique Almost Lipstick in “Black Honey” just a few months, ago, in November’s box. The Clinique Blackhead Solutions 7 Day Deep Pore Cleanse & Scrub is a new product to me, at least.
I got the Kat Von D Beauty Lock-It Setting Powder in a 500 point bonus, so at least it’s not a repeat. (I noticed that the insert still refers to Kat Von D Beauty, so this was all put together well in advance of the rebranding.)
I received Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Moisturizer, which is slightly different than the Youth Preserve Mask I received in 2018.
I’m not going to complain about philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser – I love it…but I did receive it in a Play! box in 2018.
Last, but not least – Verb Ghost Oil. Yup, you guessed it – 2018.
Even though I’ve gotten almost all of these products before, it’s a good little box this month.
Sephora Play gives you 5-6 prestige samples a month, for just $10! You can sign up at sephora.com/play.