Month: December 2022
December 2022 Ipsy Bag – Oh What Fun
Oh what fun it is to…open up an ipsy bag tonight!
My product choice this month was Ahava Cactus & Pink Pepper Hand Cream. It’s on the coffee table, where I can reach it any time…because I have basically lived on the couch this week. I am not sick – I am on vacation.
Also in this month’s velvet color-block bag: Ciate London Wonderwand Mascara in “Black Magic”; Juliette Has a Gun Magnolia Bliss (I don’t care for magnolia – it’s too old lady for me); Pure Brazilian Leave-In Conditioner; and Sophia + Mabelle Watermelon Lip Slick – Fruit Lip Oil (I’ve been using this to remove liquid lipstick – it’s great for that).
This month’s bag is sorta so-so. Not bad, but nothing to get too excited about, except for the had cream.
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $13/month and Glam Bag X for an extra $43/quarterly. If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
The Grinch Who Saved Xmas
It’s me…hi. I’m the Grinch, it’s me.
Another Xmas season in the books and I am exhausted. It was mostly good, with just a little toxicity thrown in for flavor. I admit, I had a few “mama bear” moments when I felt like my kids got the shaft, but they are much stronger than I am and just shrugged it off…never underestimate kids’ ability to immediately know WHO the asshole is in a situation.
ANYWAY, I was inspired to create another Julep Skittle mani, this time a GRINCH-y one!
I started with two coats of red (Julep “Stephanie”) and chartreuse (Julep “Sam”) over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat. I played around with glitters – I used Julep “Ruby Slippers” and Julep “Angelique”. I used Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber on the glittered nails and then finished with Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
I got so many compliments on these nails…my little black heart grew two full sizes!
Queen of Green
Why yes, I AM the Queen of Green.
For the first time in a few years, I am FILLED with XMAS SPIRIT…and I don’t mean alcohol. I am actually excited about Xmas-y nail looks.
This is Sinful Colors “Queen of Green”. She is a sassy, shimmery emerald green. This is two coats of “Queen of Green” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
I don’t think it stained my nails like other green nail polishes do, although I am not sure I could tell right now – they are already pretty stained…
Fresh Cyber Monday Haul
I didn’t go TOO crazy on Cyber Monday…well, maybe a little.
I mostly bought gifts, so not sharing them in this post…but I did get a little something for myself…Fresh Beauty was 25% off, so I got Fresh Sugar Strawberry Exfoliating Face Wash ($24.75, down from $33) and Fresh Sugar Balm Gift Set ($13.87, down from $18.50). This qualified me for a free gift from Fresh – a makeup bag with 4 samples: Fresh Rose Hydration Cream (LOVE); Fresh Soy Face Cleanser; Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate; and Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment. I admit, I kind of enjoy buying Sephora-owned products from Ulta…
Oooh, another gift with my $90 purchase! Inside the (mostly skin stuff) Cyber Monday bag: No7 Menopause Skincare Nourishing Overnight Cream (HOW DID THEY KNOW I’M OLD???); MAC fix+ Magic Radiance; Love Wellness Bye Bye Bloat (again, how did they know my digestive tract is all broken?); Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum (I love this stuff); Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream; it Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream (I love this stuff, too); Better Not Younger Bounce Back Shampoo & Conditioner; Ariana Grande God is a Woman; Tom Ford Noir; Givenchy Gentleman (a good friend of mine wears this – it’s nice); Olay Regenerist Hyaluraonic +Peptide Hydrating Gel; Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator; Kate Somerville ExfoliKate; Tula Skincare the cult classic purifying face cleanser & 24-7 moisture hydrating day & night cream; Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion; Giorgio Armani My Way; a Zitsticka; It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product; IGK Pay Day Instant Repair Shampoo & Conditioner + Cash In Instant Repair Serum; Too Faced Lady Bold Lipstick Sample Card; NARS Concealer Sample Card; Keys Soulcare Let Me Glow Illuminating Serum (I also love this stuff); Anastasia Beverly Hills Crystal Lip Glow in “Glass”; Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Cream (even more stuff I love); and Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer.
I got so much stuff that I was able to use a $10 off code AND qualify for Diamond in 2023 – that’s it, I’m in!
Vein Slayer
I did not do much Black Friday shopping…but I did restock on Glisten & Glow base and top coats – I couldn’t pass up a 35% off code.
I also couldn’t pass up Glisten & Glow “Vein Slayer” ($11, $7.15 with code). I know it’s supposed to be a Halloween polish…but it also looks like crushed peppermint!
This is two coats of “Vein Slayer” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat, topped with Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber and Glisten & Glow Top Coat…except that pinky. That pesky pinky got Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat. I don’t care for the matte finish with this polish.
This polish lasted on my nails a full seven days without a single chip. It looked FLAWLESS when I took it off, I was just ready for a change.
Blueberry Macaron
That’s blueberry macaron, NOT blueberry macaroon. A blueberry macaroon would be DISGUSTING.
I did the Velvet Matte right this time! Just two coats of Sinful Colors “Blueberry Macaron” – no base coat, no top coat. It dried perfectly – no wrinkles or creases. There’s a faint gold shimmer undertone to the polish – can you see it in the pic?
Will I ever be finished with the Confection Crush Collection???
Miscellaneous Ulta Haul
Really…I just needed shampoo. I’d had my refill of NatureLab.Tokyo Perfect Smooth Shampoo ($23) in my cart for weeks…I just added stuff slowly until I had enough junk for free stuff!
I had seen KVD Beauty Everlasting Hyperlight Vegan Transfer-Proof Liquid Lipstick in “Velvet Cloak” ($23) on insta…I was transfixed by the color. It’s a new shade, not a renamed shade from Kat Von D. I was SO right – it’s gorgeous on me. It’s not quite “Lolita”/”Queen of Poisons” – but it’s close. Speaking of lippies, I also got Ulta Weightless Water Lip Stain in “Very Berry” ($6, down from $10). This formula doesn’t bleed quite as much as the Revolution version – I love it!
For funsies, I added a bunch of other sale stuff to my cart: a HASK Color Care Color Protection Deep Conditioner ($1.79, down from $2.99); 2 packs of Exfoliating Cotton Rounds ($2.09, down from $3.49); Ulta Crystal Aloe Scented Gel Hand Wash ($2.10, down from $3.50); Ulta Soft Cotton Scented Foaming Hand Wash ($2.10, down from $3.50); J. Cat Beauty Curl & Lift-Up Eyelash Comb Curler ($2.39, down from $3.99 – for Lily, because curled lashes are all the rage with high schoolers these days); 2 EcoTools Bath Poofs ($2.39, down from $2.99); an Ulta 4-Way Buffing Block ($2.40, down from $4); Freeman Refining Pink To Green Color Changing Clay Facial Mask ($3.49, down from $4.99 – this mask pissed me off…it did not start green, nor did it turn green – BULLSHIT MARKETING); Freeman Soothing Pumpkin Mud Facial Mask ($3.49, down from $4.99 – it smells like pumpkin pie); and a wet n wild Ultimate Brow Micro Brow Pencil in “Medium Brown” ($3.59, down from $4.79 – not bad, but has a reddish tinge that looks cheap).
I used a $15 off $75 code and GOT a nice gift with purchase. Inside this positively BURSTING 20 piece “Little Luxuries” sample bag (free with my $80 purchase): Benefit The POREfessional Super Setter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray (I have so much setting spray, I could paint my house with it); Urban Skin Rx Retinol Rapid Repair Treatment; Clinique High Impact Mascara; IGK Pay Day Instant Repair Shampoo, Conditioner & Cash In Instant Repair Serum; Vichy Mineral 89 Booster; Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio; Tula Skincare Take Care + Polish/Take Care + Nourish; olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask (ooooh, this is the good stuff); Curlsmith Bond Curl Rehab Salve (sending to my niece, Curly Sue); Sexy Hair Imperfect Nectarine Strengthening Mask; Gucci Flora Gorgeous Jasmine; Urban Decay Wild Lash Vegan Mascara; Good Molecules Silicone-Free Priming Moisturizer; Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder; La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer; Mugler Alien Goddess; Giorgio Armani Si Passione; Buxom Wanderlust Blush Card; Kylie Cosmetics Matte Liquid Lipstick Card Sample in “Mary Jo K”; and Viktor & Rolf Good Fortune.
Just $119 to Diamond in 2023…almost there!
Gingerbread Spice, Orange Slice
I promise, this was not planned…but my brunch matched my nails!
Over the Thanksgiving Break, I was running errands with my son and we stopped for brunch at First Watch. As a special treat, we ordered Gingerbread Spice Donut Holes for an appetizer. Not only were they FUCKING DELICIOUS, but they matched my nails!
I am wearing Sinful Colors “Orange Slice” from last winter’s Confection Crush Collection. It’s one of the gumdrop textured polishes and it does NOT look at all like the gummy orange slice candy. I was annoyed until I realized that it looks like candied orange peel! My father-in-law makes them sometimes, and they are delightful.
This is two coats of “Orange Slice” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat.