Category: Dental Care
August 2024 Ipsy Icon Box – Chrissy Teigen and John Legend
Oh. That girl from the lip sync show and her husband (I think he is a singer?) put their name on this quarter’s ipsy Icon Box. Cool cool.
I’m being a little sarcastic…of course, I know who Chrissy Teigen is. I don’t hate her or anything – she just exists in a realm so outside of my interests, that I don’t really have much to say about her – negative or positive.
That being said, this quarter’s Icon Box is pretty weird. The product choices were pretty lame. I picked Make Up Forever HD Skin Twist & Light 24HR Luminous Finishing Powder in “Light” ($45) and it was SO complicated to figure out how to use. I finally realized that twisting the bottom will fill up the middle reservoir with the powder. The powder seems to be a mix of skintone, pink and purple powder, so it makes my skin kind of…fairy-like and glowy? I haven’t even tried the other two product choices – Too Faced Better Than Sex Volumizing Mascara ($29) and Moon Oral Care Kendall Jenner Rose Mint Teeth Whitening Pen ($24.99). I know I have a strict anti-Kardashian/Jenner rule, but maybe I can sell it on Poshmark?
I have tried several of the other box items: Femmue Brilliant Cleansing Gel ($32 and a BITCH to rinse clean from my face); GXVE Beauty Most Def Clean Instant Definition Sculpting Eyebrow Pencil in “4 – Neutral Medium Brown” ($24 and an intriguing blade-like pencil – I really like this for my brows); Il Makiage Color Boss Master Eyeshadow Palette ($61 – REALLY – and I haven’t tried it yet); Lithe Beauty Everyday Brush Set ($48 and the last thing I need is more makeup brushes, but I didn’t have a choice); and MZ Skin Calming Moisturizer ($130 – I’m using at night and WHAT THE FUCK is up with the price?).
Supposedly, this is $394 worth of weird ass products. The only one I’d buy again is the $24 Gwen Stefani Brow Pencil…Here’s to hoping the next quarter is better.
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $14/month (recently increased from $13/month) and Icon Box (formerly Glam Bag X) for an extra $60/quarterly (recently increased from $43/quarterly). If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
Barbie Ulta Haul
Even though I know the quality is gonna be bargain basement, I went ahead and ordered the NYX Limited Edition Barbie The Movie Collection Vault PR Kit ($90). The set includes BARBIE Mini Palette in “It’s a BARBIE PARTY!”; BARBIE Mini Palette in “Turn Up the KEN-ERGY!”; BARBIE Jumbo Eye Pencil Kit; BARBIE Smooth Whip in “Dreamhouse Pink”; BARBIE Smooth Whip in “Perfect Day Pink”; BARBIE Mini Cheek Palette; BARBIE Butter Lip Gloss; BARBIE Jumbo Lash; and a BARBIE Flip Phone Mirror.
As I suspected the quality is mid…but it’s Barbie, so I don’t care. The eyeshadows and blush are fine, but the lipsticks are shit and smear all over everything. Lily wants the little flip phone mirror, so I’ll probabaly just let her have it, as well as the lashes. This set is a far cry from Colourpop’s Malibu Barbie Set, but it’s not total trash. I’m glad I ordered this when I did – it’s out of stock and I doubt it’s coming back.
There was a lot of other Barbie stuff for sale – hair ties, OPI Nail Polish, CHI dryers and straighteners…but the only other thing I got was Barbie x Moon Bubble Mint Whitening Toothpaste ($12.99). It’s kind of disappointing for a $13 toothpaste. It tastes like the Barbie and Spongebob toothpaste I used to buy for my kids when they were toddlers.
Oh, I also bought some stuff I had been saving in my cart. I got a Milani Green Goddess Transforming Lip Balm ($9.99) because I was hoping for a dupe of my beloved Frog Prince Lipstick…it’s not exact, but it’s decently close! The Tony Moly Tako Pore Blackhead Scrub Stick ($12.50) works really well. I don’t know HOW is scrubs out my nose pores, but it does.
I also got a free sample pack with my purchase that included Mugler Alien (I fucking hate this scent and give it away the first chance I get); Viktor & Rolf Good Fortune; Prada Ocean Luna Rossa; La Roche-Posay Vitamin C Serum (my daughter showed me THAT TikTok and now I cannot help but think of roach pussy every time I see this brand); Tanologist Face + Body Drops (will be given to a child); KylieSkin Hydrating Face Mask (low key scared to try it); and Avene Solaire UV Sunscreen Fluid. This is one of the shittiest sample packs I’ve gotten in ages – like they are trying to get rid of nasty shit. At least I got to use a $5 off $25 coupon…
$366 to Diamond in 2024. (I got my hair did a few weeks ago – even though I used $175 in Ulta Points, I still spent $90 or so.)
Target Beauty Capsule – Fresh Finds
Goodbye Target Beauty Box, Hello Target Beauty Capsule. At long last, Target has released a replacement for their beloved monthly beauty boxes!
I ordered the Target Beauty Capsule over a month ago, as part of a larger order….but silly me, I didn’t check the address and ended up accidentally shipping it to my sister in New York. (I had just sent birthday gifts for her kids.) She graciously shipped my shit back to me – so much for my free shipping.
So the Capsule comes in a fun box with a little spinner and these products: Theory Freshness Care Essential Mint Fluoride Toothpaste (I usually use sensitivity toothpaste, but I’ve been alternating with this one and it tastes marvelous); Hero Cosmetics Lightning Wand Mini (it’s a spot lightening serum); Spring & Vine Shampoo Bar in Tea Tree & Mint (I have too much hair for this!); Cocokind Texture Smoothing Cream; Luster & Lum Collagen Peptides Dietary Supplement (it’s unflavored and I have no idea what to do with it); Tom’s of Maine Plastic-Free Natural Strength Sensitive Creamy Coconut with Hemp Seed Oil 48H Deodorant; Humphreys Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel Toner with Rose; Eva NYC Freshen Up Dry Shampoo (going to my son); and a Reusable Silicone Face Mask Cover (I have no idea what to do with this…other that re-enacting that scene in The Office where Dwight pretends to be Hannibal Lecter with a piece of bologna).
This Target Beauty Capsule even comes with a beauty coupon – $5 off $15, which is better than the $3 coupon that used to come with Target Beauty Box.
Target Beauty Capsule is $14.99 and still available! Use your Target Red Card for 5% off.
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?
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.
Target Beauty Boxes – January 2020
Target released TWO Beauty Boxes for January – hallelujah!
I was really excited to get a sample of Love Home & Planet Laundry Detergent “Lavender & Argan Oil” – even though lavender gives me a headache. I am obsessed with the laundry detergent though – I have the Rose version and I love the way it makes my clothes smell! The bottle came with a $2 off coupon, which I will DEFINITELY use. Also in the “Clean Up Your Beauty Routine”box: Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Body Lotion (giving to my son); Lumene Nordic-C Cleansing Balm; Lumene Nordic-C Arctic Berry Oil Cocktail; Native Deodorant Mini in “Charcoal”; Burt’s Bees Flouride Free Purely White Zen Peppermint Toothpaste (going to Vegas with me); Mrs. Meyer’s Oat Blossom Hand Soap, and Up & Up Premium Cotton Rounds (also perfect for Vegas).
The other box – “Out with the Old, In with the New” – is full of brand new products: Clairol Hair Food Coconut & Chai Spice Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioner (the scent sounds weird, but I’ll try it); Crest 3D White Radiant Mint Toothpaste (maybe I’ll let my husband use this one in Vegas); Que Bella Limited Edition Watermelon peel off mask & Cooling Avocado Clay Mask Duo; Creme of Nature Perfect Hold with Exotic Shine (This says it is for “edges” – I don’t think I have “edges”); Boots No7 Laboratories Firming Booster Serum; Olay Regenerist Whip Facial Moisturizer (I love the way this feels on my face – my face just drinks it up); and Olay Regenrist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer (this one is great, too).
Both of these boxes were GREAT!
Each box was $7, with free shipping, plus 5% off with my Target Red Card. Both boxes came with $3 off $15 coupons that expire in just a few days – I better hurry! I did use last month’s coupon – I took my daughter to Target the day after Xmas and bought half off Xmas Beauty goodies, like brushes and nail polish gift sets.
Ulta Cyber Monday 2019
Ulta offered a HUGE Wintry Wonders 24 piece Beauty Bag with $80 purchase on Cyber Monday. Of course, I still had some gift shopping left to do…
Obviously, I’m not going to ruin Xmas by showing all the gifts I bought – but I can show the few things I picked up for myself. I’d been wanting to try It Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream Rosy Tone Moisturizer for a bit, but the price ($48) was putting me off. 30% off though – you have my attention. I’ve been using it for nearly a week and it’s too soon to tell if there’s a dramatic change in the tone of my skin – but the texture of my skin is amazing right now. It’s dewy and clear – no breakouts, which is a good sign. I’ll continue to use it, but I’m not sure if I’d buy it again at full price.
I also picked up a sale Makeup Revolution Good Vibes Lip Balm with Cannabis Sativa ($4.90, down from $7). There’s no tint, no fragrance and no taste to this lip balm – I mean, it works as a lip balm, but I think slapping Cannabis on the label is just a selling ploy – there’s nothing a special about this lip balm – disappointing.
So, inside the Wintry Wonders bag: MAC Lipstick Sample Card, with “Velvet Teddy”, “Mocha”, and “Hug Me”; Becca Sample Card with First Light Prioming Filter and Backlight Priming Filter; Tom Ford Metallique (why do all Tom Ford scents smell so old lady?); Rusk Pro Restore01 Leave-In Conditioner; Ralph Lauren Romance; NARS Climax Mascara; Ahava Extreme Minerals Extreme Firming Eye Cream; Sagely Naturals CBD Cream; 18.21 Man-Made Wash in “Sweet Tobacco” (GROSS); Philosophy Purity Made Simple Moisturizer; Clinique Beyond Perfecting Super Concealer Camouflage + 24-Hour Wear Sample Card; Juice Beauty Phyto-Pigments Flawless Serum Foundation Sample Card (I’ll put it on my Jade Egg); Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel; Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion; Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer; Marc Jacobs Daisy; Unwined by Hask Red Wine Inspired Repairing Shampoo & Conditioner (very interested in trying this – even though I’m allergic to red wine – it should be okay, as long as I don’t drink it); Marvis Classic Strong Mint Toothpaste; Mario Badescu Botanical Exfoliating Scrub; Too Cool for School Pumpkin Sleeping Pack; Hempz Blushing Grapefruit & Raspberry Creme Daily Herbal Color Preserving Conditioner (but no shampoo???); Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Gel in “Dark Brown” (Yasssss…cannot wait to try it); Giorgio Armani Light di Gioia (surprisingly, it’s not horrible – reminds me of sunflowers); and Living proof. restore Perfecting Spray. This is a really nice bag, full of brand new products for the most part.
In addition to the gift with purchase, I was able to use a $10 off coupon on my order. $157 to Diamond…so close!
Target Beauty Boxes – October + November 2019
Oops…I did it again…
I finally thought to check for Target Beauty Boxes and found that I missed a month…again. I don’t think Target is sending out email notifications anymore – or else they’re getting lost in my spammy inbox and I am just not seeing them. Come to think of it, I haven’t been seeing anyone else post about the boxes either – no wonder there were still October boxes left – Target is not telling anybody!
There were actually TWO November boxes, but one was entirely for Curly hair, so I just picked up the “Beauty Boosters” box. Inside the box: Love Beauty Planet Radical Refresher Body Wash – Coconut Water + Mimosa (just a packet, so good for travel); Olly Undeniable Beauty Multivitamin Gummies; Sunny Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil Eyelash & Eyebrow Grow Serum (I don’t need more eyelashes, but I am intrigued by the idea of growing thicker brows – mine never recovered from the plucky 90s); Garnier Fructis Sleek Shot In-Shower Styler (weird); Pantene Gold Series Hydrating Butter Creme (what is this?); and Pantene Gold Series Leave-On Detangling Milk. A very odd box.
October’s “Hers” box was themed “Your Autumn It-Kit” and included Ardell Faux Mink Lashes (nope); Crest 3D White Brilliance Toothpaste, Vaseline Extremely Dry Skin Rescue (I need this – my skin is parched); No7 Laboratories Line Correcting Booster Serum; L’Oreal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup in “Hot Pink” and “Raspberry” (Seems like a waste of effort for me, but I might try it); Lumene Nordic Hydra 24 Hour Moisturizer (This is a nice moisturizer, but be warned that the scent is strong and you can smell it on your face); and Head & Shoulders Royal Oils Moisture Boost Shampoo and Moisture Renewal Conditioner (I really feel like Head & Shoulders has upped their game from just dandruff shampoo – I’ve liked every new formula they’ve put out). I like the October box more than the November one.
October’s “His” box was themed “Moving & Grooming” and included Suave Mens 3-in-1 Citrus Rush Shampoo + Conditioner and Body Wash; The Art of Shaving Unscented Pre-Shave Oil, Shaving Cream & After-Shaving Balm; Bandito Chill a Minute…or 30 Cream Mask (chance of my husband trying this are slim); Crest Gum and Sensitivity All Day Protection Toothpaste (I’ll be stealing this for myself to try); Dove Men+Care Active Fresh On the Go Deodorant Wipes; and Head & Shoulders Old Spice 2-in-1 Shampoo.
Each box was $7, free shipping, plus 5% off with my Target Red Card. Of course, the coupons in the October boxes have already expired, but I should be able to use the November $3 off coupon – it is regular old coupon again!
Target Beauty Boxes – August + September 2019
I don’t know how I managed to miss ordering the August Target Beauty Box – but I did. If an email was sent out, it got lost in my inbox and I didn’t see any social media posts either…BUT, it was still available to order when I went looking for the September box (which I also did not see an email on). I went ahead and ordered both boxes.
August’s box is “Hot for Fall” and includes products to help transition from summer to fall: MyBite Vitamins in Dark Chocolately Peanut; Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Deep Conditioning Treatment (I’ll have to hide from my son – this is his brand); hello Activated Charcoal + Hemp \Flouride Free Toothpaste (sounds GROSS, but I’ll try it); Oral-B Interdental Picks (Ooooh yeah!); Herbal Essences Birch Bark Extract Sulfate-Free Shampoo/Conditioner (I tried it out and it was fine – not nearly as exciting as the old commercials want you to believe – no hair-washing orgasms for me); and Dove Men + Care Fresh and Clean 2 in 1. This was a stuffed box!
The September “Glow Into Fall” box seemed kind of skimpy: Schick Intuition Sensitive Care Razor (not a fan of the Intuition line, so gave it to my daughter); Trim Salon Emery Board (I can always use one of these); TRESemme Botanique Color Vibrance and Shine Shampoo/Conditioner (I liked this one slightly more than the Herbal Essences one, but it’s hard to get use to the low foaming formulas); Miss Spa Hydrate Facial Sheet Mask; and Dove Dry Serum Powder Touch. I was intrigued by a serum antiperspirant and tried it immediately. It was okay, I guess – but I did NOT like getting it all over my hands. I feel like it left a residue on my fingers, even after washing my hands. I did like the smell, but I don’t know that I’ll be buying this one.
Each box was $7, free shipping, plus 5% off with my Target Red Card. Understandably, the coupon in the August box had already expired, but I am annoyed that the September coupon doesn’t seem to be usable either. My app won’t recognize it when I try to scan it, and the code to use online doesn’t work either. Bummer.
Clip Clip, Squeeze Squeeze
So…my favorite Scunci Octopus Clip broke. One of the arms broke clean off! I’ve had it less than a year – I’m devastated. I was going to put together an online order, but I couldn’t wait – I had to go to Ulta during my lunch and get a new one.
My work Ulta didn’t have the same Scunci Octopus Clip I got online, but they had cheap Riviera Knock-off Octopus Clips – 2 for $8. I tried them out and they’re working so far. We’ll see how long they last…
Oh, and I also bought what my husband says are the stupidest thing – Tube Squeezers (2 for $6)! They are shaped like lips and you put them on your tubes to squeeze all the product out. I don’t care of they are stupid – my toothpaste NEEDED them,
Oh, and Ulta sent a 20% off coupon to coincide with Sephora’s – but it wouldn’t work on prestige brands. No PUR Barbie Palette for me.
$575 to Diamond!