Tag: amika
On a Date Sephora Haul
Believe it or not, I hadn’t bought anything from Sephora since the end of 2020 – that’s right, almost three whole years! Instead of trying to hit top tier status in both Ulta and Sephora’s loyalty programs, and since the Sephora Play! Subscription Box died of COVID, I consciously decided to put all my beauty eggs in one basket. Being able to buy KVD, Fenty and Fresh – previously Sephora exclusives – made the decision that much easier. It’s not a boycott, it’s just smart shopping…but now and then, a product pops up that I can’t get at Ulta, so I get it at Sephora.
I was at the First Colony Mall a few weeks ago – waiting for the girlchild attending a birthday dinner – and I decided to take a sniff at Sephora. My first sniff was Jo Malone Red Roses. It was nice, but not as nice as Jo Loves White Roses & Lemon Leaves. I then tried Maison Margiela REPLICA On a Date – it’s got a plummy rose scent, which tickles my memories. It reminds me on a scent my mother wore in the 80s – no idea which one. I noted it for later, since there were no purse sprays in stock. I also sampled Tom Ford Rose Prick…ain’t no way I’m spending $395 on a perfume, no matter how good it smells. I walked out empty-handed…
Lo and behold, a 20% off promo code arrived in my email that very day. (Did I set off a geo-fence by walking into a Sephora? Possibly…) I ordered the Travel Spray of On a Date, happy to save $7 off $35. I’ve been wearing it almost nonstop since I got it.
For my two free samples, I picked a pouch of Amika bust your brass Intense Repair Mask (for the next time I get highlights); and Mugler Alien Goddess, which I forgot smells like roach spray. Who wants the pile of Mugler samples I’ve collected over the years? It ALL smells awful…inbox me and it’s yours.
Sephora is now offering free shipping for all Beauty Insider Members, no minimum purchase, which is a nice perk. All of my points expired though – I had a couple of thousand points! $972 to Rouge…LOL.
Sephora Favorites Hello! Greatest Beauty Hits (and more)
Ooooh! Sephora Sale on Sale! An extra 20% off sale items…so tempting.
I’d been eyeing the newest Sephora Favorites Hello! Greatest Beauty Hits set. $8 on sale is better than $10…but $6.40 is even better. I was most interested in Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa ’62 Eau de Parfum – it was so summery. Also in the set: It Cosmetics Lash Blowout Volumizing Mascara; Tarte SEA Jelly Glaze Anytime Lip Mask in “Strawberry Jelly”; BareMinerals Gen Nude Powder Blush in “Call My Blush”; First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma Arnica Relief & Rescue Mask; and Sephora Collection Ultra Glow Serum: Glow + Strengthen Vitamin C Serum. As usual, the set comes with 15% off vouchers for each product – I might actual used the Cheirosa ’62 one.
While browsing the sale section, I found a few other smokin’ deals. I splurged on a Fresh Rose Hydration Skincare Essentials Set ($55, down from $63 – $44 after discount). I also picked up the tarte SEA Yours & Mine Quench Lip Rescue Duo ($17, down from $19 – $13.60 after discount). I really like the Lip Rescue I got in the Give Me Some Balm Set – all the mask wearing has dried out my lips! The Milk Makeup KUSH Triple Brow Pen ($11, down from $22 – $8.80 after discount) was a bad purchase. The first time I used it, it was GREAT. The color “Dutch” was a perfect match to my brows and each stroke was like a little hair. The second time I used it though, it did not work at all. It’s like all the color went out of the pen after one use! Ugh, if I wasn’t so lazy, I’d take it back.
For my samples, I got Kiehl’s Calendula Water Cream and amika Flash Instant Shine Mask.
I made this purchase in 2020, but it wasn’t enough to put me into VIB status – I still needed like $65, but I didn’t want to buy something dumb. I feel like such a peasant.
Sephora Favorites POP – Beauty Cred
Well how about that…just a few weeks after Sephora releases a Hello! box, they release a POP box. I feel like they are playing around with price points and configurations to see what performs the best. I am not helpful at all – I’ll buy anything.
The “Beauty Cred” box contains “the next big thing in beauty”…hmm, okay. By far, the best sample in the box is the creamier than creamy Natasha Denona Eyeshadow in “Moonstone”. No wonder she charges $129 for a palette – this is some of the highest quality eyeshadow I’ve ever used. It pairs well with the Fenty Beauty Full Frontal Volume, Lift & Curl Mascara. The brush is super fluffy, but somehow doesn;t leave my lashes clumpy.
Also in this box: Lord Jones High CBD Formula Body Lotion in “Fragrance Free”; Fresh Rose Petal-Soft Deep Hydration Lip Balm (yasssssss, more lip balm); Amika Flash Instant Shine Hair Mask; and Maison Margiela REPLICA Beach Walk fragrance (I swear, I’ve gotten this sample 50 times from Sephora – get over this scent, it’s boring).
The set was a slighty higher price point, at $15, which is still pretty cheap. Oh, and it also came with a bunch of beauty-themed stickers.
I was over the moon to try the other samples I picked for my box. I love the scent of Brazilian Bum Bum Cream and now they have shampoo/conditioner. I IMMEDIATELY used the samples of Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Joia Strengthening Shampoo & Conditioner – it smells AMAZING! Ugh, they are $25 each. I also got a sample of Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, which I have not tried yet.
$148 to VIB in 2021.
March 2020 Sephora Play! – Wild Beauty
Hmmm…only slightly fewer repeats in March’s Sephora Play! box.
I’ve gotten the Glamglow GLOWSTARTER Mega Illuminating Moisturizer in “Nude Glow” in TWO different Play! boxes: November 2019 and March 2017. I ain’t even mad though, because I love this moisturizer. I use it up as soon as I get it.
I’d gotten a sample of NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment in “Starwoman” a few years ago, but I don’t think I even used it. I’ll use it this time?
I recently gotten a sample of Moschino Toy 2 in an Ulta Sample Bag, but hadn’t tried it yet. I wore it today and was surprised to find that it’s a keeper! The main accord is green apple and somehow, I LOVE it.
Also is this month’s “Wild Beauty” bag: Laura Mercier Caviar Chrome Eyeshadow Stick in “Metallic Taupe”; Fresh Sugar Mint Rush Freshening Lip Treatment (waiting on my bedside table to be applied before bed); and Amika Un.Done Volume and Matte Texture Spray (at least it’s not dry shampoo).
Not a bad box – I’ll use almost everything.
Sephora Play gives you 5-6 prestige samples a month, for just $10! You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
September 2019 Sephora Play ! – Must-See Beauty
September’s “Must-See Beauty” box is a banger…well, almost.
I was warned ahead of time about the Amika Bushwick Beach No-Salt Wave Spray. My friend Michelle got it in her box and tried it – it turned her into a scarecrow! She said it turned her hair into straw – no thank you! Also, I’ve never heard of Bushwick Beach, but I have heard of Bushwick Bill, RIP.
The rest of the box is good though: Benefit Gimme Brow + Volumizing Eyebrow Gel in 3; Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash in “Black”; First Aid Beauty Hello FAB Pores Be Gone Matte Primer (I cannot WAIT to try this – I am almost finished with the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Hyaluronic Hydrating Primer from my June Ipsy); Fresh Sugar Strawberry Exfoliating Face Wash (I LOVE this face wash – I have the full size; and Yves Saint Laurent Libre Eau de Parfum (no – ew).
Sephora Play gives you 5-6 prestige samples a month, for just $10! You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
Sephora Play! March 2019 – Beauty in Bloom
What a weird ass box from Sephora this month. Why do I need 2 Dry Shampoos? They sent me Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1 and Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo. Do they think my hair is dirty?
Also in this month’s “Beauty in Bloom” box: NARS Bronzing Powder in “Laguna”; Sephora Collection LashCraft Big Volume Mascara, Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40; and Versace Bright Crystal (one of my little sister’s scents).
The assortment of products seems kind of random, but whatever.
Sephora Play is usually a really good subscription box with high-end products. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
YESROUGE, 1 & 2
Sephora’s huge VIB event came a little early this year. From August 24th through September 3rd, with the code YESROUGE, Rouge members are eligible for 20% off anything and everything at Sephora. (VIB get 15% and Beauty Insiders get 10% off.) They changed it up a little bit this year. The code can be used multiple times in store, but only once online. Boooooooo!
Since I could only use the code online once, I tried to fill my cart as full as I possible could. Of course, the thing I wanted most (a limited edition Flamingo print Tangle Teezer for $16) was sold out. I consoled myself by buying a bunch of other stuff that I didn’t need.
It’s a HUGE risk to buy fragrances, scent unsmelled. I’ve been jonesing to try more Jo Malone fragrances, so after flip flopping between Peony and Blush Suede and Red Roses, I decided to go a different direction. Sephora also carries Jo Loves, which is the line that Jo Malone launched in 2011 after she sold her original brand. I chose Jo Loves White Roses & Lemon Leaves – A Fragrance Paintbrush Gel ($55, $44 after discount). This scent is like an avalanche of memories. The scent of white roses brings me back to the courtyard outside the church I attended as a child. Besides my grandmother, those roses were literally the only fond memory I have of attending church. This is the scent of a real rose – NOT rose perfume. My only concern is that the gel won’t last very long – it’s hard to gauge how much product is inside the white plastic tube. Fingers crossed…
I am kicking myself for ordering Kat Von D Everlasting Glimmer Veil Liquid Lipstick in “Wizard” ($22, $17.60 after discount). The price went down to $15 the day after I placed my order. Fuuuuuuuck.
I also added a few nail polish sets from the Sale bin: Nails Inc. Unicorn Nail Polish Duo ($10.50, $8.40 after discount), which includes “Sparkle Like a Unicorn in Dream Dust” (3D high sparkle) and “Rainbow Wishes” (soft rainbow sheen) AND Deborah Lippman The World is Your Oyster Nail Polish Duo ($10.50, $8.40 after discount), which includes “Chantilly Lace” and “I Put a Spell on You”.
For samples, I actually got the ones I selected when I ordered: Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation (4 shades to try!); COOLA Mineral Face SPF 30 in Matte Tint; and Guerlain Mon Guerlain Eua Florale (too much musk with the jasmine – gave me a headache when I wore it yesterday.)
Of course, I did manage to forget something I actually needed for my online order – replacement heads for my Clarisonic.
I headed to Sephora yesterday and quickly picked up a two pack of Clarisonic Acne Facial Cleansing Brush Heads ($44, $35.20 after discount). I looked all around the store and nothing caught my eye (I am biding my time on the Urban Decay Born to Run palette and the Anastasia Norvina Palette.) I was in the checkout maze and something caught my eye…I ended up bringing home the Amika Polished Perfection Mini Straightening Brush ($35, $28 after discount). I wasn’t sure what it would do, but I was looking for something that would give the front of my hair some OOMPH when I skip a day washing. I am just a little bit in love with this device. It heats up quickly and does what it says it does. It made my hair really shiny and smooth, too. Both my kids did their hair with it too and I have to say, I am super jealous of how smooth and shiny is made my son’s long, luscious hair. But then Lily wanted to use it on the cat…Um, noooooo.
I even remembered to bring in the 50 point card from this month’s Play! box. Now that I can get $100 for 2,500 points, I am gonna take advantage!
So after all this shopping, I just have $241 left until ROUGE. That’s just $60/per month, for the next four months. Hallelujah!
August 2018 Birchbox – Snapshots from Summer
Last month, it was the Silicone Makeup Applicator (that I still haven’t tried) that made me keep Birchbox. This month, it was the Birchbox Kabuki Brush…because I need a back-up kabuki brush. Don’t judge!
The rest of this month’s curated box is somewhat lackluster for me. The box included Doucce Cosmetics Cheek Blush in “RSVP” (color actually looks nice); Borghese Advanced Fango Active Mud Mask (What is Fango? Is it like Faygo?); Oribe Featherbalm Weightless Styler (Send me more Oribe Gold Lust Shampoo/Conditioner – if it wasn’t $45 each, I’d use it daily); and Amika Phantom Hydrating Dry Shampoo Foam (um…foam is not dry).
Birchbox…you live one more month.
If you would like to try Birchbox, click on my referral link – https://www.birchbox.com/invite/5453f – I’ll get 50 points if you join.
Saint AND Sinner
When Kat Von D’s new Saint & Sinner Eyeshadow Palette ($62) dropped last Wednesday, I debated for about 30 seconds before I went ahead and ordered it. I wasn’t about to risk it selling out like I did with the Mi Vida Loca Palette…that I bought for my ex-BFF, but she did not buy for me.
ANYWAY, this palette has been a long time coming and it’s absolutely GORGEOUS. It has 24 new colors, modeled after stained glass windows. The Saint side has more muted, natural colors…while the Sinner side has bolder, darker colors. I’ve already worn it a couple of times and have been able to pull from both sides. So far, my favorite is “Rapture”, a transforming pink shimmer from the Sinner side. (I just had to wear it on Saturday, but The Rapture never came – boo.)
So I noticed that there are shades called “Sanctuary” and “Crucifix” on the Saint side…my next task will be to see how they match up with the “Sanctuary” and “Crucifix” Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks. My eyeballs tell me that they match up to the colors, but I have to test them to be sure.
The somewhat random colors remind me of the Urban Decay Vice palettes. I get all excited about them when I get them, but they’re all stuck in a drawer, barely used. I’m feeling like the colors here are more usable together and I won’t set it aside, but only time will tell.
For my regular three samples, I got Caudalie VineActiv Glow Activating Anti-Wrinkle Serum, Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation Perfecting Moisturizer and black Up Perfecting Mattifying Primer. I’m going all out on skincare these days.
In my quest to never have to buy shampoo again, I used a promo code to get a sample bag of hair samples: Alterna Caviar CC Cream 10-in-1 Leave-In Hair Perfector; Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Smoothing Hydra-Gelee Nourishing Hair Perfector (why does Alterna have such long product names?); amika Nourishing Mask; Klorane Nourishing Leave-in Cream with Mango Butter; IGK Hydrating Hair Balm; DevaCurl Melt Into Moisture Matcha Butter Conditioning Mask (will be setting aside for a curly-headed friend); rahua Omega 9 Hair Mask; Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask; Verb Ghost Shampoo & Conditioner (I have a mental block against this Austin-based brand, but maybe I’ll try it); OUAI Repair Shampoo & Conditioner; and Living Proof. Perfect Hair Day Shampoo & Conditioner (if I ever win the lottery, maybe I can afford to exclusively use this brand…until then – samples it is).
Oh, and I just saw today that Kat Von D has a DIVINE palette coming out. I told the husband and he is LEGIT scared…he should be.
And only $221 until ROUGE. I can do it!
August Birchbox – Easy Does It
Yup, I had to get the curated box again. It’s like I just can’t handle surprises anymore…
I’m a big fan of the stila liquid lipsticks, so I mostly chose it just for the stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in “Aria”. I thought it would be a dusty red, but it turned out to be more berry – I love it. Also in this month’s box: Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Ultimate Hydro Gel (I’m about to use up all my Water Drop, so woo!); Living proof. Restore Mask Treatment; pur-lisse Blue Lotus Seed Mud Mask (yasss); and amika Bombshell Blowout Spray (my 3rd or 4th one).
Box is somewhat mediocre, but enough to get me through. I heard that Wal-mart is in talks to buy Birchbox…if that happens – I don’t know if I’ll keep it. Hmmmm….
If you would like to try Birchbox, click on my referral link – https://www.birchbox.com/invite/5453f – I’ll get 50 points if you join.