Tag: Skin Inc
May 2023 Ipsy Icon Box – Anastasia Soare
Anastasia? Of Anastasia Beverly Hills? That’s a really BIG name to start off Glam Bag X’s new identity as Icon Box. Anastasia Soare is definitely an icon – a BROW icon.
I am absolutely OBSESSED with Anastasia’s contribution: the new Anastasia Beverly Hills Primrose Palette ($55). I missed it when it dropped in 2021, so it’s a not a new product at all, but it’s new to me and that is all that counts. I love a good 10 shade palette, but I really appreciate it when a brand give you HUGE pans of your base colors. The shades are neutral, yet bold and maintain the high quality that I expect from ABH. I will struggle not to use it every day for the rest of 2023.
I am also obsessed with one of my product choices – Pat McGrath Labs LiquiLUST Legendary Wear Lipstick in “Rose Divinity” ($32). It’s a metallic mauve and I LOVE it. My other product choices were Grown Alchemist Polishing Facial Exfoliant ($65) and Kate Somerville Dry Skin Saver ($56). I admit, I haven’t had a chance to try either – soon!
Also in my Icon Box: Alamar Cosmetics Alamar Essentials Eye Trio Brushes ($18); Volition Beauty Golden Eye Brightening Serum with Vitamin C + Niacinamide ($40); MAC Magic Extension 5mm Fibre Mascara in “Extensive Black” ($26); and Skin Inc Body Sculpt Fit Serum ($32.50). I haven’t tried any of these products either…I know, I’m slackin’.
All together, my box was worth $324 – not bad.
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $13/month and Icon Box (formerly 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.
May 2020 Allure Beauty Box – Got to Glow
Ipsy’s May theme is “Get That Glow” and Allure’s theme is “Got to Glow” – I am suspicious of the synchronicity.
I got the weirdest email from Allure that I “may” have received a mislabeled product…some customers received a cleanser instead of Curology Smooth Sailing Moisturizer. The email suggested sampling it and if it bubbles, then it’s a cleanser. Well, I tried it and it did not bubble. I put it on my face – and it did not absorb either. WHAT IS THIS PRODUCT? I’ve tried it on my hand and on my face and it doesn’t bubble or foam…but it doesn’t absorb either. It just sits there, like a white glob. Yeah, this product is going in the trash. The email included a link to request a replacement, but I’m not even going to bother.
Also in this month’s “Glow” box: Skin Inc. My Daily Dose of Glow (I need to try this serum, but I’m still using up a Boot No7 Serum); AHC Essential Real Eye Cream for Face (meh); VDL Lumilayer Primer (what?); Acure Resurfacing Glycolic & Unicron Root Cleanser (This is the only product I’m interested in trying); and When Glamour Base Sheet Mask.
I am not mad about a skincare focused box, however, most of these products seem kind of lame. Bah.
The Allure Beauty Box is $15/month, but they give you $5 off your first box. They also offer an option for $150/year – a savings of $30. Sign up via my referral link.
Everlasting Flash – February 2017
Sephora and Kat Von D launched a new monthly promotion for 2017 called “Everlasting Flash” – a different deal on Kat Von D Everlasting Lip Liquids on the first Wednesday of every month. I couldn’t resist this month’s deal – 6 FULL-SIZE Everlasting Lip Liquids in all new nude shades for $99 – normally $20 each, that’s a savings of $21!
I’ve been drooling over the colors since they were revealed weeks and weeks ago. Mostly the darker shades, but I’ll take them all. I even swatched them for you! From top to bottom: “Muneca” (the only one I’ve worn so far, it’s too light for me on it’s own, but looked amazing with gold eyeshadow pressed into it), “Ophelia”, “Ludwig”, “Hawkwind”, “Sanctuary” (I am predicting that this one will be my favorite – it’s closest to my current fave, “Lolita”) and “Crucifix”.
I totally blew my monthly makeup budget on the 2nd of the month.
I don’t know why I keep getting perfume samples on purpose…I have so much, but I just can’t resist them. I used a code to get a sample bag that includes Aerin Lilac Path, Wildfox (I can already tell I like this one), Tory Burch Love Relentlessly (even more!), Prada Candy Florale, Stella McCartney Stella, Chloe Roses de Chloe (I was excited until I found my rollerball in my travel makeup bag – I had lost it over a year ago), Marc Jacobs Daisy Dot, and a mini Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in “Legendary”.
For my usual three samples, again, I did not receive what I picked…but I can’t remember what I picked, so I guess not a big deal. I got yet another sample of Skin Inc Pure Revival Peel (they must have SO much of this – I keep getting it), Derek Lam 10 Crosby Drunk on Youth (wore it yesterday – nice and clean scent), and Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation (high hopes for this one – I think I might have picked it).
Looking forward to being tempted by next month’s Everlasting Flash!
Friday was a Good Day…
…I didn’t have to use my AK. Oh, and I received boxes from Sephora AND Ulta.
I broke down and decided to order the Milk Makeup Blur Stick ($36) – I had to see what all the fuss was about. The fuss is warranted. I’ve been using it almost every day since I got it. It’s like a giant chapstick for your face. It’s really weird rubbing a giant chapstick on your face, but you get over it when you see what it does for your skin. It makes all of your pores absolutely disappear. I don’t know where they go – and I do not care. For reference, it’s very similar to Benefit The POREfessional, with the added bonus of not having to get it on your hands. This is a must have product.
My excuse for ordering was to get my Sephora Birthday gift – I chose the Tarte Set with Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in “paaarty” and Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in “Birthday Suit”.
I used a code to get a fancy Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Set with Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex, Advanced Night Repair Eye and Revitalizing Supreme Light Global Anti-Aging Creme. (Why do all these products have such long names?) For my three samples, I got one thing I chose – Clinique Foaming Sonic Facial Soap – and two I didn’t – Calvin Klein Deep Euphoria and Skin Inc. Pure Revival Peel.
Wednesday is the best day to order from Ulta, because of the special Beauty Breaks. I’d been shuffling things in and out of my basket for three weeks, waiting for a good Beauty Break. Imagine surprise when my order arrived on Friday – just two days later.
The Beauty Break that got me was the e.l.f. Beauty Break, with Illuminating Primer, Poreless Face Primer, Moisturizing Lipstick in “Ravishing Rose”, Lip Exfoliator in “Sweet Cherry” (I’ve been using the last one I got to exfoliate after liquid lippies) and a Complexion Brush. I also got a free Deluxe Sample of Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (the best one I’ve used) and drybar Hot Toddy Heat and UV Protectant. My sample pack included Olay Regenerist Moisturizer and H2O+ Beauty Elements Keep It Fresh Face Cleanser.
OH! I bought some stuff, too! I had to get my hand on the new Urban Decay Vice Liquid Lipsticks – I got “Conspiracy” and “Amulet”. Although the lipsticks are thinner than Jeffree or Kat’s, they go on smoothly and the colors are unique. I must have MORE…I also grabbed a backup Zoya Remove+ and a Japonesque Solid Brush Cleanser (replacing the one from my ipsy bag that I used up).
Such a good day!
Sephora Play! October 2016 – The Cool Cut
This is it – the Sephora purchase that put me over the edge for Rouge status in 2017. $10 and BOOM.
October’s theme is “The Cool Cut” – innovative products that are about to hit it big.
One of my favorite Sephora sample discoveries is in this box – Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb. It has me jumping on the Korean Beauty bandwagon. Also in this month’s box: Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick in “Driver’s Seat” (interested in how their formula compares to Kat Von D and Jeffree); Cristophe Robin Regenerating Mask with Rare Prickly Pear Seed Oil (Winnie the Pooh approved?); Skin Inc. Pure Revival Peel (also good stuff – I bought some the last time I was in Vegas); Blinc Mascara Amplified; and Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris (not bad – smells like rich people).
If you haven’t signed up yet – you are missing out! This is by far the best subscription box I get every month. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
Another Sephora Makeover
Back in Vegas this past week – a sort of early 40th birthday celebration. I don’t know if I’ll ever hit Rouge status again, so I’m going to take advantage of the free makeup services while I can. If nothing else, I figured it would be 90 minutes that I wasn’t stuffing my face or losing money in a slot machine.
I scheduled a 90 minute Beauty Consultation with 2 goals – to get better at applying bright eye shadows (unless it’s natural colors, I tend to feel a bit like MiMi from The Drew Carey Show) and to find another BB Cream (since Urban Decay Naked Light has been discontinued).
Tasha started with Too Faced Eye Shadow Primer and a neutral base from the Too Faced Natural Matte Palette. She taught me to start with a matte before adding the color – I had no idea. She then used a combination of Make Up For Ever and Buxom shadows to create this shimmery turquoise look – I felt like a mermaid.
On the BB Cream front, we tried Benefit first – that one was a big fat NOPE. It collected in my pores and made me like I had polka dots. It didn’t work with a layer of The POREfessional either. None of the Bobby Brown colors worked, so Tasha moved on to the Smashbox BB Cream. It was a bit better, but there were still a few odd orange flakes. I decided to wear it for the night before I decided to buy.
I was also excited that Tasha wanted to try the new Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer in “Caramel”. I usually use “Soft Brown”, but she suggested trying a lighter color – it looked great on me. She also used Sephora Color Corrector in “Peach” to correct the dark circles under my eyes. Genius.
My final purchases were rather moderate, if I do say so myself. I picked up the Brow Definer ($23) and Color Corrector ($14), but I also grabbed a Travel Brush ($15) since I forgot mine – DOH!. I also decided to purchase the Skin Inc Get Glam Holiday Set ($65), which includes a full-size Skin Inc Pure Revival Peel and half-size Pure Deepsea Hydrating Mask. A Skin Consultant put both on my face before my the makeup and both felt amazing. I don’t usually spend much money on skin products, but I figured I’d give it a spin since I was using my 10% off VIB code.
I also got the Rouge Welcome Kit, which includes a new RED card and special Marc Jacobs “So Rouge” lipstick. Since my birthday is just around the corner, I also got to pick my birthday gift – I chose the Fresh Set with Soy Face Cleanser and Rose Mask. So, so happy with my purchases and gifts!
The Saga of “Give Me Some Nude Lip”
I’m going to tell you a story…it’s a very scary story…but I can promise that it has a happy ending.
The Monday before last, Sephora released an all-nude version of their “Give Me Some Lip” Set – even though it was $28, I had to have it. Inside the all new “Give Me Some Nude Lip” Set: Laura Mercier Crème Smooth Lipstick in “Milky Way”; NARS Lipstick in “Dolce Vita”; Marc Jacobs Beauty Mini (P)Outliner Longwear Lip Pencil in “Prim(Rose) (cocoa spice)”; NUDESTIX Lip + Cheek Crayon in “Whisper”; and Tarte Deluxe Tarteist Lip Paint in “Namaste Nude”.
On Thursday…my box arrived. I gleefully opened the box, carefully peeled the sticker seals from the lip-shaped box…and the contents were FUCKED UP…Noooooooooooooo! There were two Marc Jacobs lip liners and no Tarte Lip Paint. A tragedy. I called Sephora Customer Service…and their computers were down and they couldn’t help me. I called an hour later…and the phone jockey hung up on me. I called right back…computers still down. Finally, a few hours after that – everything was back to normal and I got someone who could help me. She told me that she would send out another one immediately and I could just return this one to my closest store. YES.
So while I waited, at least I had other samples to play with. My order qualified for the free Beauty to Love Sample bag, which came with Becca Backlight Priming Filter (huh?); Atelier Cologne “Mandarine Glaciale” (I have so many samples of this, but I love it); Perricone MD Re:Firm Surface Recovery Treatment; Touch in Sol Feels Like Honey Moon Skin Base (I just tried the one I got in my last Allure Beauty Thrills – it’s ok, but not moisturizing enough for winter); BITE Beauty Agave Lip Masks (I tried the last sample I got a few days ago – feel nice at bedtime); First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Hydra-Firm Sleeping Cream; Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer; and Skin Inc Pure Deepsea Hydrating Mask. I’m glad I got these good samples, because I didn’t get ANY of the ones I picked at checkout. Instead I got Thierry Mugler “Alien” (Smells so gross); Clinique Moisture Surge (I like this stuff); and Dr. brandt Do Not Age Beauty Sleep Serum.
On Saturday, I dutifully delivered my fucked up lip set to Sephora. The return was quick, but then the “Cast Member” decided I need skin stuff and showed me a bunch of skin care stuff and smears some Kate Somerville stuff on my hand. I thanked her and got the hell out of there without buying a thing.
Days passed…On Tuesday, my new box arrived.
I was holding my breath as I opened it…YES! Everything in this box was perfect. I also got three more samples – Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Makeup Stick (I feel like I keep getting Lancome stuff and I should be more excited about it…but I’m not); Prada “Candy” and DKNY “Be Desired”.
I’m going to be taking all these nude beauties with me to Vegas in a few days – I can’t wait to try them all! Good thing I ordered it on the first day it was available…it’s already out of stock! Yay – happy ending!
yassss bitch!
So…last Tuesday, an email appeared in my inbox from Sephora – offering a 24 hour window to order the new Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette before it officially launched on 12/1. I couldn’t risk a sell out, so I graciously ordered it for my husband…I also placed an order for my bestie, since her man is also buying it for her for Xmas. Aren’t I a sweetheart? Now the hard part…I have to let him wrap it and stick it under the tree for three more weeks…
…BUT…at least I can play with the awesome black and gold sample bag I got with my order. Inside: Ole Henriksen 3 Little Wonders; Skin Inc Pure Deepsea Hydrating Mask; Yves Saint Laurent TOUCHE ÉCLAT (another luminizer); Kate Somerville ExfoliKate; Fresh Soy Conditioning Eye Makeup Remover and Soy Face Cleanser; Living Proof Style Extender; Versace Bright Crystal (going straight to my sister – she loves this scent); Sephora Colorful Blush in “No5 Sweet on you!”; Nude Progenius Omega Treatment Rescue Oil; Beauty Blender Liquid blendercleanser (I wonder if it works better than the baby shampoo I usually use?); Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (I used this for the first time a few weeks ago – it really helps!); and Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer in “Medium Beige” (I think I have some of this somewhere?).
I also got the usual three samples with my order – BITE Beauty Agave Lip Mask in “Champagne”, “Natural” and “Smashed”; REN Clean Skincare Wake Wonderful Night-Time Facial; and Benefit Air Patrol BB Cream Eyelid Primer.
Just $132 left until Rouge…