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It's very quiet and boring at work today, so I'm browsing online sales. Since I'm on a budget, I really shouldn't buy anything, and yet. Please feel free to comment and tell me why I should or should not buy any of these things (or why you will or will not buy them yourself).
Nordstrom Rack finally has their beauty section online, and it includes some interesting shit. I actually already bought myself the Urban Decay Electric Palette for $24, since I'd been kicking myself for not getting it when it was on sale elsewhere (plus I had a Nordstrom gift card). But they also have a bunch more from Urban Decay, MAC, Smashbox, LORAC, etc., all of which I should not buy. (But speaking of good things I already bought from Nordstrom Rack, I also got this wool cardigan for $37, and it's perfect. I'm probably going to eventually get it in a couple more colors for work.)
Butter London's on HauteLook, and here's another thing I own that I recommend: Two Fingered Salute. It's one of my favorite nail polishes--mint with copper glitter. Hey, so far I am mostly finding things that you should or shouldn't buy and nothing for myself! I'm patting myself on the back.
Oh wait. Here's where I need help: Sephora. I'm very tempted to get the 4-piece Jack Black lip balm set for $20. I know I shouldn't be hoarding lip balm, but hear me out. It's one of my favorite formulas (it works amazingly well and doesn't taste like sunscreen), and $5 a piece isn't bad, and I really want to try the pomegranate and lavender scents. Also, they are offering double points on skincare today, which honestly isn't much incentive for me, personally. But then I might as well add a Bite lip crayon for $10 so that I can get one of the freebies (the code 25delights still works, by the way). I have a Flash subscription, so I don't have to pay for shipping. See how I talk myself into these things? Rebuttal?
By the way, if you really want to keep track of beauty sales, I'd suggest reading the Beauty Deals BFF blog. She also posts things like value calculations for free gifts, which are always very interesting.
Showing posts with label sephora. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sephora. Show all posts
Thursday, January 11, 2018
Thursday, April 20, 2017
Is the Sephora spring sale worth it?
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I'll just get right to it: pretty much no. Sephora's spring sale is happening right now, and they're offering discounts from 10%-15%. VIB Rouge gets 15% off and a little longer to use the discount, VIB gets 15% off, and BI gets 10% off. Those are some dinky fucking discounts, and if you don't have a least a BI account (which is free), you get nothing.
Unless you buy a ton of stuff, 10-15% is not going to add up to much saving. And if you're buying a lot just to make the discount larger, that doesn't make a lot of sense.
I think it's only worth shopping during this sale if there's something you can't get on sale anywhere else, ever. For instance, brands like Tarte, Too Faced, Urban Decay, and many others have a couple of 20-30% off sales each year. Chances are that you can wait for one of those if there's something from one of those brands on your list. (Note that when I say "you." I really mean "me." That is as much an anti-haul post for myself as for anyone else.) Those brands often offer free shipping too, or you can get it by signing up for their loyalty programs, like the Urban Decay Beauty Junkies thing. (Tarte is on Hautelook right now, in fact, so you might do better there, although you'll have to pay for shipping.)
If you can't get free shipping during one of those sales, but you have a Sephora Flash membership, and you only want one or two things, maybe 10% off plus free shipping will be a better deal than 20% off plus shipping charges. That is a reasonable calculation to make. Or maybe something has already been marked down in the sale section and you want to get a little bit more off the price before it sells out. Sure. (By the way, I bought the Chic It Easy set back in January, and it's pretty great. Even though it includes a tinted moisturizer and concealer that will only work for certain people. You get a full-size Nars Jungle Red lipstick in there, which is normally $28, while this whole kit is on sale for $25.) Or maybe you need something RIGHT NOW, so 10% off is better than nothing. (Do you really, though?)
In general, I have a pretty hard time mustering up enthusiasm for sales that offer less than 25% off. How about you?
I'll just get right to it: pretty much no. Sephora's spring sale is happening right now, and they're offering discounts from 10%-15%. VIB Rouge gets 15% off and a little longer to use the discount, VIB gets 15% off, and BI gets 10% off. Those are some dinky fucking discounts, and if you don't have a least a BI account (which is free), you get nothing.
Unless you buy a ton of stuff, 10-15% is not going to add up to much saving. And if you're buying a lot just to make the discount larger, that doesn't make a lot of sense.
I think it's only worth shopping during this sale if there's something you can't get on sale anywhere else, ever. For instance, brands like Tarte, Too Faced, Urban Decay, and many others have a couple of 20-30% off sales each year. Chances are that you can wait for one of those if there's something from one of those brands on your list. (Note that when I say "you." I really mean "me." That is as much an anti-haul post for myself as for anyone else.) Those brands often offer free shipping too, or you can get it by signing up for their loyalty programs, like the Urban Decay Beauty Junkies thing. (Tarte is on Hautelook right now, in fact, so you might do better there, although you'll have to pay for shipping.)
If you can't get free shipping during one of those sales, but you have a Sephora Flash membership, and you only want one or two things, maybe 10% off plus free shipping will be a better deal than 20% off plus shipping charges. That is a reasonable calculation to make. Or maybe something has already been marked down in the sale section and you want to get a little bit more off the price before it sells out. Sure. (By the way, I bought the Chic It Easy set back in January, and it's pretty great. Even though it includes a tinted moisturizer and concealer that will only work for certain people. You get a full-size Nars Jungle Red lipstick in there, which is normally $28, while this whole kit is on sale for $25.) Or maybe you need something RIGHT NOW, so 10% off is better than nothing. (Do you really, though?)
In general, I have a pretty hard time mustering up enthusiasm for sales that offer less than 25% off. How about you?
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Quick updates to previous reviews
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One of my bad teacher habits is, when students ask questions, to say, "Oh, that's a good question! I don't know. I'll look it up and get back to you!" And then I completely forget about it and never follow up. So I'm going to try to be a better blogger than I am a teacher and follow up on some points I said I would come back to after more testing. This is an especially important thing to do because the condition of my skin tends to vary quite a bit seasonally, so if I test something even for a few months in spring-summer, my experience might change in fall-winter, and vice versa. So here we go!
Marc Jacobs Beauty Glow Stick Glistening Illuminator in Spotlight (original review here): When I tested this cream highlighter last summer, I found that it tended to disappear from my skin after just a few hours. I wondered whether it would last longer in the winter, when my skin was slightly drier. Verdict: no. It's still completely gone save for a few sparkles by about the 3-4 hour mark. Too bad, because it's so lovely.
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel SPF 50+ PA++++ (original review here): Same sort of deal here--though in this case I wondered if the sunscreen would be worse, i.e. feel more drying, in the winter. Verdict: no. I've had no problems at all using this, regardless of how dry or oily my skin happens to be on a given day.
Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Intense Black (original review here): I didn't specifically say in my review that I wanted to update this one, but I had to stop using it long before it had started to dry up, because the tip became hopelessly frayed. If you missed it, I recently reviewed the Physician's Formula liquid liner, and it's much, much better. From what people have said, the tip holds up, too.
Sephora Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer in Butter Cream (original review here): In my quick post about the second shade of this concealer that I bought, I wrote that it performed exactly the same as the first shade, Fondant. After using it for several more months, I have to say now that I don't think it's quite as good. The shade match for me is perfect, and the application is identical, but Butter Cream seems to crease a bit more and not to last quite as long as Fondant. So I think maybe these concealers, like many other products, vary in performance based on the shade you choose. If Fondant (reviewed here) seems like your match, though, I still heartily recommend it!
I posted about Hollar as a source of, among other things, discounted Essie, OPI, and China Glaze nail polish. I bought a bottle of Essie Leggy Legend from them for $3. Shipping was quick, products were as described, and the packing (above) was excellent. I recommend! (I also bought a cheese grater, two candles, and some hair elastics.)
I also added an additional photo to the end of my glitter primer post to show how it wears (and if it creases) after a full day, so if you missed that, check it out.
Oh, and in case you've been wondering if I've worn Kat Von D Poe (reviewed here) out of the house yet . . . . um, no. The shame. Oh, the shame.
That's all I've got for you right now, but always feel free to ask for updates on things I've reviewed in the past!
One of my bad teacher habits is, when students ask questions, to say, "Oh, that's a good question! I don't know. I'll look it up and get back to you!" And then I completely forget about it and never follow up. So I'm going to try to be a better blogger than I am a teacher and follow up on some points I said I would come back to after more testing. This is an especially important thing to do because the condition of my skin tends to vary quite a bit seasonally, so if I test something even for a few months in spring-summer, my experience might change in fall-winter, and vice versa. So here we go!
Marc Jacobs Beauty Glow Stick Glistening Illuminator in Spotlight (original review here): When I tested this cream highlighter last summer, I found that it tended to disappear from my skin after just a few hours. I wondered whether it would last longer in the winter, when my skin was slightly drier. Verdict: no. It's still completely gone save for a few sparkles by about the 3-4 hour mark. Too bad, because it's so lovely.
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel SPF 50+ PA++++ (original review here): Same sort of deal here--though in this case I wondered if the sunscreen would be worse, i.e. feel more drying, in the winter. Verdict: no. I've had no problems at all using this, regardless of how dry or oily my skin happens to be on a given day.
Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Intense Black (original review here): I didn't specifically say in my review that I wanted to update this one, but I had to stop using it long before it had started to dry up, because the tip became hopelessly frayed. If you missed it, I recently reviewed the Physician's Formula liquid liner, and it's much, much better. From what people have said, the tip holds up, too.
Sephora Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer in Butter Cream (original review here): In my quick post about the second shade of this concealer that I bought, I wrote that it performed exactly the same as the first shade, Fondant. After using it for several more months, I have to say now that I don't think it's quite as good. The shade match for me is perfect, and the application is identical, but Butter Cream seems to crease a bit more and not to last quite as long as Fondant. So I think maybe these concealers, like many other products, vary in performance based on the shade you choose. If Fondant (reviewed here) seems like your match, though, I still heartily recommend it!
I posted about Hollar as a source of, among other things, discounted Essie, OPI, and China Glaze nail polish. I bought a bottle of Essie Leggy Legend from them for $3. Shipping was quick, products were as described, and the packing (above) was excellent. I recommend! (I also bought a cheese grater, two candles, and some hair elastics.)
I also added an additional photo to the end of my glitter primer post to show how it wears (and if it creases) after a full day, so if you missed that, check it out.
Oh, and in case you've been wondering if I've worn Kat Von D Poe (reviewed here) out of the house yet . . . . um, no. The shame. Oh, the shame.
That's all I've got for you right now, but always feel free to ask for updates on things I've reviewed in the past!
Friday, February 3, 2017
Bite Beauty metallic holiday duos marked down to $10
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Just a quick fyi, Sephora has marked those cool Bite duos down to $10 from $14. Three of the four options are still available, including the two I reviewed and liked.
Just a quick fyi, Sephora has marked those cool Bite duos down to $10 from $14. Three of the four options are still available, including the two I reviewed and liked.
Sunday, January 8, 2017
More Sephora X shades available for $5 on website
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Just a quick update to let those of you who are mourning the loss of Sephora X nail polish that there are about 21 shades available online for $5 right now. Centigrade looks nice! There are also some interesting metallic/glitter shades. I think this is about the same number my local store had, though I'm not sure if they were the same colors.
Just a quick update to let those of you who are mourning the loss of Sephora X nail polish that there are about 21 shades available online for $5 right now. Centigrade looks nice! There are also some interesting metallic/glitter shades. I think this is about the same number my local store had, though I'm not sure if they were the same colors.
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Travel Size/Minis from Sephora: value by the ounce (from The Chrysalis Project)
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This is a quick note to share a useful post I came across from The Chrysalis Project comparing the cost per ounce of various full size and regular size products from Sephora. It's interesting that some travel size things are much more expensive, while others are actually cheaper. So if you're buying something over and over, like the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, you might actually be better off buying a bunch of the minis (at least if your shade is one of the only two minis they offer). The post is from last July, so not everything Sephora has right now is included (like the outrageously priced mini Hourglass powders). Also, I realize that the price per ounce is not the only or always the best consideration when determining value. For instance, even though the Urban Decay travel size Perversion mascara is more expensive per ounce than the regular size, it lasted me more than 3 months of daily use. So if you're someone who replaces your mascara every three months, there's not much point trashing all that extra $22 mascara instead of just finishing up the $10 mascara.
Do you prefer travel size/mini products for any reason other than value? Anything else missing from this list that you think is worth considering?
Do you prefer travel size/mini products for any reason other than value? Anything else missing from this list that you think is worth considering?
Monday, December 5, 2016
Is Sephora's Formula X nail polish discontinued?
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How did I not notice this before? It looks like there are now only 5-6 shades left on the website, and everything is marked down. Boo! I've liked all the polishes I've tried from the brand and they had really unique options. Maybe they should have priced them lower to begin with. I know I never bought a bottle at full price, personally.
Has anyone seen the display in the store recently? I'm wondering if there are still more options on sale there. I might pick up the set with the top and base coats for half price.
How did I not notice this before? It looks like there are now only 5-6 shades left on the website, and everything is marked down. Boo! I've liked all the polishes I've tried from the brand and they had really unique options. Maybe they should have priced them lower to begin with. I know I never bought a bottle at full price, personally.
Has anyone seen the display in the store recently? I'm wondering if there are still more options on sale there. I might pick up the set with the top and base coats for half price.
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Poe: I'm not too old for this?
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Ok, I know I just posted a review of a metallic silvery-lavender lipstick and complained that it made me feel old, and now I'm posting a photo of myself wearing navy blue lipstick and feeling fine. Well guess what? Fuck consistency.
I bought this set from Sephora, and it contains a mini Formula X nail polish and a mini Kat Von D Studded Kiss lipstick, both in the shade Poe. They've been on sale for $7.50 for a while now and going in and out of stock, so you might have to keep an eye on the page if you want to order online.
When I applied the lipstick at home for the first time, I immediately regretted buying it. I mean, I should have known better, because I've read a lot of pretty negative reviews of Poe, but for some reason I bought it anyway. I was curious. It's not easy to apply this shit evenly and opaquely. Just do a Google image search for it and look at all the iffy lip swatches--consider the worst ones the most accurate. The most annoying part was that, while it looked okay immediately after applying it, as soon as I so much as touched my lips together, all the color completely disappeared from the inner part. Blah.
I decided to give it another shot the next morning, however, and this time I applied it over top of Too Faced's lip primer (reviewed here). Surprisingly, the primer made a noticeable difference, despite the fact that I have tried it with many lipsticks in the past and it never helped. It does help with gloss, however, so this slippery-as-fuck lipstick must have something in common with lip gloss. I applied a layer of Poe, blotted, and added another layer. Then to clean up the edges, I used Tarina Tarantino eyeliner in Cute Robot, which is almost a perfect match, as you can see here:
These are the results, which aren't perfect, but at least it's not complete garbage anymore:
I actually liked how this color looked on my face. It wasn't as jarring and weird as I'd expected. (Excuse my sad-puppy expression. I know people object to the term Resting Bitch Face, but there has to be a reasonable substitute--Resting Grump Face? Nothing's Wrong That's Just My Face?)
It's interesting that both the lipstick and the nail polish really look purple in the tube/bottle, but they are definitely navy blue when you apply them. I think it must be the iridescent/multichrome shimmer, which shifts between a bunch of colors: purple-pink-orange-gold-green. The lipstick contains the same shimmer as the polish, which you can see in the bullet, but it doesn't show up much on my lips other than to add some extra dimension.
I posted a nail swatch on Instagram earlier this week. The nail polish is very opaque and pretty, in keeping with the generally good results I've had from Sephora's Formula X polishes, though it chipped slightly within 24 hours (not unusual for me).
So in the end, I don't think this set, at $7.50, was a waste of money, because the nail polish is nice and I managed to get the lipstick to work. On the other hand, I can't really recommend the full size lipstick at its regular price of $21, since I had to use two other products with it to get it to work. When Poe first came out, it was difficult to get your hands on blue lipstick, so it might have been worth the hassle--but now even Maybelline offers very similar options.
I don't know if I will wear this out of the house. I should. We'll see.
Ok, I know I just posted a review of a metallic silvery-lavender lipstick and complained that it made me feel old, and now I'm posting a photo of myself wearing navy blue lipstick and feeling fine. Well guess what? Fuck consistency.
I bought this set from Sephora, and it contains a mini Formula X nail polish and a mini Kat Von D Studded Kiss lipstick, both in the shade Poe. They've been on sale for $7.50 for a while now and going in and out of stock, so you might have to keep an eye on the page if you want to order online.
When I applied the lipstick at home for the first time, I immediately regretted buying it. I mean, I should have known better, because I've read a lot of pretty negative reviews of Poe, but for some reason I bought it anyway. I was curious. It's not easy to apply this shit evenly and opaquely. Just do a Google image search for it and look at all the iffy lip swatches--consider the worst ones the most accurate. The most annoying part was that, while it looked okay immediately after applying it, as soon as I so much as touched my lips together, all the color completely disappeared from the inner part. Blah.
I decided to give it another shot the next morning, however, and this time I applied it over top of Too Faced's lip primer (reviewed here). Surprisingly, the primer made a noticeable difference, despite the fact that I have tried it with many lipsticks in the past and it never helped. It does help with gloss, however, so this slippery-as-fuck lipstick must have something in common with lip gloss. I applied a layer of Poe, blotted, and added another layer. Then to clean up the edges, I used Tarina Tarantino eyeliner in Cute Robot, which is almost a perfect match, as you can see here:
These are the results, which aren't perfect, but at least it's not complete garbage anymore:
I actually liked how this color looked on my face. It wasn't as jarring and weird as I'd expected. (Excuse my sad-puppy expression. I know people object to the term Resting Bitch Face, but there has to be a reasonable substitute--Resting Grump Face? Nothing's Wrong That's Just My Face?)
I posted a nail swatch on Instagram earlier this week. The nail polish is very opaque and pretty, in keeping with the generally good results I've had from Sephora's Formula X polishes, though it chipped slightly within 24 hours (not unusual for me).
So in the end, I don't think this set, at $7.50, was a waste of money, because the nail polish is nice and I managed to get the lipstick to work. On the other hand, I can't really recommend the full size lipstick at its regular price of $21, since I had to use two other products with it to get it to work. When Poe first came out, it was difficult to get your hands on blue lipstick, so it might have been worth the hassle--but now even Maybelline offers very similar options.
I don't know if I will wear this out of the house. I should. We'll see.
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Quick concealer swatches: Sephora Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer in Butter Cream and Fondant
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As a birthday present to myself last month, I renewed my Sephora Flash subscription and bought a new tube of Sephora concealer (oooh! ahh!), which came with the Sephora birthday gift and various other junk (you can see my "haul" on Instagram). I reviewed the Sephora Gel Serum concealer last year, and I continue to love the shit out of it. But the shade I had, Fondant, wasn't a perfect match. I thought I'd quickly post swatches of the new shade I picked up, Butter Cream, alongside Fondant and Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly, in case it's helpful for anyone.
Left to right: Sephora Butter Cream, Sephora Fondant, and Nars Chantilly.
I've noticed that you really can't rely on Sephora's descriptions of these shades. They describe Fondant as "light with neutral undertone," when it's clearly warm/peachy. Butter Cream is also "light with neutral undertone," though in its case, that's more accurate. It's a really perfect match for me, both under my eyes and on redness/spots elsewhere on my face.
This shade performs for me exactly the same as Fondant in every other way, so refer to my previous review for details. I just love this stuff. I've been using Fondant for almost 10 months now, and there's still plenty left (which I will finish up by covering my dark circles on days when I wear a fuller-coverage foundation). It hasn't got thick or changed in any way. A year or more of concealing by someone who uses concealer almost every day isn't bad for $14.
As a birthday present to myself last month, I renewed my Sephora Flash subscription and bought a new tube of Sephora concealer (oooh! ahh!), which came with the Sephora birthday gift and various other junk (you can see my "haul" on Instagram). I reviewed the Sephora Gel Serum concealer last year, and I continue to love the shit out of it. But the shade I had, Fondant, wasn't a perfect match. I thought I'd quickly post swatches of the new shade I picked up, Butter Cream, alongside Fondant and Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly, in case it's helpful for anyone.
Left to right: Sephora Butter Cream, Sephora Fondant, and Nars Chantilly.
I've noticed that you really can't rely on Sephora's descriptions of these shades. They describe Fondant as "light with neutral undertone," when it's clearly warm/peachy. Butter Cream is also "light with neutral undertone," though in its case, that's more accurate. It's a really perfect match for me, both under my eyes and on redness/spots elsewhere on my face.
This shade performs for me exactly the same as Fondant in every other way, so refer to my previous review for details. I just love this stuff. I've been using Fondant for almost 10 months now, and there's still plenty left (which I will finish up by covering my dark circles on days when I wear a fuller-coverage foundation). It hasn't got thick or changed in any way. A year or more of concealing by someone who uses concealer almost every day isn't bad for $14.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Sephora has some good sales right now
Disclosure: Affiliate links.
I'm trying to save my money, so I am just going to do some fantasy shopping and inflict it on anyone who cares to read about it. The sale section on Sephora's website is full of things I'd like to try if I gave myself free rein. Of course, even in my fantasy, I only pick out things that have great reviews and are a good deal/significantly marked down.
The Urban Decay Electric palette is on sale for 50% off at $24. I've heard lots of people who use bright eyeshadows say that this palette is one of their favorites. I don't wear bright shadows often, but maybe I should? The indigo and teal shades definitely speak to me.
From Urban Decay, they also have the Spectrum palette marked down to $29 for a mix of brights and neutrals that might be more versatile. And the excellent Primer Potion in the discontinued packaging is only $10.
Other interesting looking palettes with a significant mark-down are the Bareminerals Neutral Attraction palette ($29) and Make Up Forever Artist Palette V. 2 ($34).
The mini sets of Kat Von D Studded Kiss lipsticks and Formula X nail polishes (that I heard about from Auxiliary Beauty) are on sale for $7.50 a set, or you can get 3 of each for $14.75. I haven't tried anything from KVD, actually, but I've liked all the Formula X polishes I've used.
Speaking of Formula X, a whole bunch of the polishes are marked down to $5 a bottle, which is a great price. There are some really interesting and unusual nail polishes in that line.
A lot of Tarte stuff is also on sale, including the LipSurgence Lip Tints (which are horrendously overpriced at their full price but otherwise nice) for $12 and the Cheek Stains for $16.
If you tend to place more than two online orders from Sephora per year, it's really worth it to buy the $10 flash shipping for a year. Also, I think it saves me a little money because I don't become obsessed with adding random shit to my cart to meet the free shipping minimum of $50. Although I have to admit that I usually try to get to $25 in order to get one of the GWPs from the specials page (you can find these right at the bottom of the site on the right side at the Weekly Specials link), if there's anything interesting there.
So I've added a bunch of this stuff to my cart, and now my plan is to ignore it until: (a) I get bored with these things and don't want them anymore; (b) I have more room in my budget for makeup shopping; or (c) they all sell out. I'm guessing that (c) is the most likely to happen first.
How about you? Anything look good? Is that Electric palette really as much fun as I've heard?
I'm trying to save my money, so I am just going to do some fantasy shopping and inflict it on anyone who cares to read about it. The sale section on Sephora's website is full of things I'd like to try if I gave myself free rein. Of course, even in my fantasy, I only pick out things that have great reviews and are a good deal/significantly marked down.
The Urban Decay Electric palette is on sale for 50% off at $24. I've heard lots of people who use bright eyeshadows say that this palette is one of their favorites. I don't wear bright shadows often, but maybe I should? The indigo and teal shades definitely speak to me.
 |
| Urban Decay Electric palette $24 |
Other interesting looking palettes with a significant mark-down are the Bareminerals Neutral Attraction palette ($29) and Make Up Forever Artist Palette V. 2 ($34).
The mini sets of Kat Von D Studded Kiss lipsticks and Formula X nail polishes (that I heard about from Auxiliary Beauty) are on sale for $7.50 a set, or you can get 3 of each for $14.75. I haven't tried anything from KVD, actually, but I've liked all the Formula X polishes I've used.
 |
| Studded X set $14.75 |
Speaking of Formula X, a whole bunch of the polishes are marked down to $5 a bottle, which is a great price. There are some really interesting and unusual nail polishes in that line.
 |
| Formula X Capricious |
A lot of Tarte stuff is also on sale, including the LipSurgence Lip Tints (which are horrendously overpriced at their full price but otherwise nice) for $12 and the Cheek Stains for $16.
If you tend to place more than two online orders from Sephora per year, it's really worth it to buy the $10 flash shipping for a year. Also, I think it saves me a little money because I don't become obsessed with adding random shit to my cart to meet the free shipping minimum of $50. Although I have to admit that I usually try to get to $25 in order to get one of the GWPs from the specials page (you can find these right at the bottom of the site on the right side at the Weekly Specials link), if there's anything interesting there.
So I've added a bunch of this stuff to my cart, and now my plan is to ignore it until: (a) I get bored with these things and don't want them anymore; (b) I have more room in my budget for makeup shopping; or (c) they all sell out. I'm guessing that (c) is the most likely to happen first.
How about you? Anything look good? Is that Electric palette really as much fun as I've heard?
Monday, January 11, 2016
Sample of Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask + 7 other samples with $25 purchase from Sephora
Disclosure: Affiliate links.
This isn't a huge deal, but I thought I'd post it since when I posted on Instagram about the Bite Agave Lip Mask sample I had, some people were wondering how to get it. If you're planning to place a Sephora order anyway, you can now get that sample along with 7 others (foil packets, full list here) with a $25 purchase. Use code FOLLOW. You can also get 4% cash back on Sephora orders from Ebates.
For the record, I didn't like the stuff and threw it out after a few uses (even though the samples were very generously sized and I could have got a few weeks out of them). I was surprised since I've heard people rave about it. Better to have found out with a sample than to have spent $26 and regretted it! Have you tried it? Did it work for you?
h/t Nouveau Cheap
This isn't a huge deal, but I thought I'd post it since when I posted on Instagram about the Bite Agave Lip Mask sample I had, some people were wondering how to get it. If you're planning to place a Sephora order anyway, you can now get that sample along with 7 others (foil packets, full list here) with a $25 purchase. Use code FOLLOW. You can also get 4% cash back on Sephora orders from Ebates.
For the record, I didn't like the stuff and threw it out after a few uses (even though the samples were very generously sized and I could have got a few weeks out of them). I was surprised since I've heard people rave about it. Better to have found out with a sample than to have spent $26 and regretted it! Have you tried it? Did it work for you?
h/t Nouveau Cheap
Saturday, December 26, 2015
20% off sale stuff from Sephora
Disclosure: Affiliate links.
I'm not going to post a lot of deals today, because my internet access while staying with my parents is spotty, but this one is interesting. Extra 20% off things in the sale section on the Sephora site today with code EXTRA20. The Bite Beauty holiday sets are marked down there: the huge Discovery Set is down to $40 from $55 and you get an extra 20% off on top of that. I used a gift card to pick that up. The Bite duos that I posted about here are marked down to $10 from $14 (+ 20% off). Unfortunately the dark berry one I have is sold out, but the others look interesting too. And of course there is a bunch of other stuff in the sale section of the site, including the Urban Decay Vice4 palette.
Remember, you can get an extra percentage off using Ebates, too--right now it's 4% at Sephora. (Here's my invite link.)
I'm not going to post a lot of deals today, because my internet access while staying with my parents is spotty, but this one is interesting. Extra 20% off things in the sale section on the Sephora site today with code EXTRA20. The Bite Beauty holiday sets are marked down there: the huge Discovery Set is down to $40 from $55 and you get an extra 20% off on top of that. I used a gift card to pick that up. The Bite duos that I posted about here are marked down to $10 from $14 (+ 20% off). Unfortunately the dark berry one I have is sold out, but the others look interesting too. And of course there is a bunch of other stuff in the sale section of the site, including the Urban Decay Vice4 palette.
Remember, you can get an extra percentage off using Ebates, too--right now it's 4% at Sephora. (Here's my invite link.)
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Concealer comparisons (and a rave review): Sephora Collection Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer in Fondant vs. theBalm Time Balm Concealer in Lighter than Light in vs. Stila Stay All Day Concealer in Fair
Disclosure: Affiliate links.
The title gets really long when you include the full names of three different products!
One of the only types of makeup I've worn consistently since high school is undereye concealer. I inherited extremely dark under-eye circles from my dad. I don't really have bags or puffiness, but I have dark purple half-circles (the shocking photo appears later in the post!) that are only enhanced by the contrast with my pale skin. I think the cause has something to do with my sinuses, but whatever it is, if I don't cover them, I look pretty sickly and ghoulish. As a result, I've tried dozens of concealers over thedecades years, and I keep trying new ones. I think I've said before that I am a bit of a concealer Goldilocks--I'm always convinced that there must be one that's just right out there somewhere. I think I have finally found it, so read on to see which one of these it is.
In addition to very dark, purplish circles that need to be covered, I have some other challenges when it comes to finding an effective concealer. I have some lines/wrinkles under my eyes that tend to cause concealer to crease. My eyelids are also oily, which exacerbates the creasing and also makes things fade more quickly. As a bonus, the skin around under my eyes has a weirdly rough texture, which an inferior concealer will highlight.
(Be warned: long, detailed review with lots of photos ahead.)
The title gets really long when you include the full names of three different products!
One of the only types of makeup I've worn consistently since high school is undereye concealer. I inherited extremely dark under-eye circles from my dad. I don't really have bags or puffiness, but I have dark purple half-circles (the shocking photo appears later in the post!) that are only enhanced by the contrast with my pale skin. I think the cause has something to do with my sinuses, but whatever it is, if I don't cover them, I look pretty sickly and ghoulish. As a result, I've tried dozens of concealers over the
In addition to very dark, purplish circles that need to be covered, I have some other challenges when it comes to finding an effective concealer. I have some lines/wrinkles under my eyes that tend to cause concealer to crease. My eyelids are also oily, which exacerbates the creasing and also makes things fade more quickly. As a bonus, the skin around under my eyes has a weirdly rough texture, which an inferior concealer will highlight.
(Be warned: long, detailed review with lots of photos ahead.)
Friday, November 20, 2015
ULTA "Cyber Fundays" deals + Sephora Black Friday preview
Disclosure: Affiliate links.
If you're interested in this sort of thing, you've probably already come across this information. But just in case you haven't: ULTA has a bunch of deals today and tomorrow, which they say are better than what they will be offering on Cyber Monday. Some things are 50% off. Here is the full list. There's also a code there for $10 off $60 (303907), and shipping is free over $35.
Sephora has also listed the $10 deals they'll be offering on Black Friday. Nouveau Cheap posted the full list. I'm kind of interested in the Nest rollerballs, but I'm not going to make any special effort to get them. If they're still available when I have a chance to get online, I'll buy them. If the Formula X nail polish on the left side of that duo is Iconic, then it's definitely worth buying, because it's stunning. Here's a photo of it from my Instagram. You might also want to consider getting the $10 flash shipping subscription if you think you will be buying something from this sale and also ordering a couple more times from Sephora in the next year. You get 2-day shipping for a year - otherwise you'd spend $6 to ship a $10 set, which makes it less of a deal.
Anything look good to you?
If you're interested in this sort of thing, you've probably already come across this information. But just in case you haven't: ULTA has a bunch of deals today and tomorrow, which they say are better than what they will be offering on Cyber Monday. Some things are 50% off. Here is the full list. There's also a code there for $10 off $60 (303907), and shipping is free over $35.
Sephora has also listed the $10 deals they'll be offering on Black Friday. Nouveau Cheap posted the full list. I'm kind of interested in the Nest rollerballs, but I'm not going to make any special effort to get them. If they're still available when I have a chance to get online, I'll buy them. If the Formula X nail polish on the left side of that duo is Iconic, then it's definitely worth buying, because it's stunning. Here's a photo of it from my Instagram. You might also want to consider getting the $10 flash shipping subscription if you think you will be buying something from this sale and also ordering a couple more times from Sephora in the next year. You get 2-day shipping for a year - otherwise you'd spend $6 to ship a $10 set, which makes it less of a deal.
Anything look good to you?
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Amazon Prime Day update: $25 Sephora gift card for $20
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission from purchases made through those links.
Okay, here's an update. This deal won't appear until 1 pm EST,so I don't know for sure what the discount will be yet - but the Lane Bryant $25 card is on sale for $20, so that's my guess. It's definitely worth keeping an eye on if you want to be ready to pounce, since Sephora discounts are pretty rare. 20% off isn't spectacular, but it's something.
ETA: It is indeed $20 (20% off). Click "View lightning deal" to get the sale price.
Okay, here's an update. This deal won't appear until 1 pm EST,
ETA: It is indeed $20 (20% off). Click "View lightning deal" to get the sale price.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Various Sephora Formula X nail polishes now on sale for $5-6
Disclosure: This post contains no affiliate links.
That's a semi-reasonable price. I mean, a lot of these polishes are spectacular, but I still can't bring myself to drop $12.50 on a single bottle of nail polish.
ETA: While you're at it, this awesome crystal nail file is also on sale for $5.
That's a semi-reasonable price. I mean, a lot of these polishes are spectacular, but I still can't bring myself to drop $12.50 on a single bottle of nail polish.
ETA: While you're at it, this awesome crystal nail file is also on sale for $5.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Makeup Withdrawal reviews the shadiness that is Sephora's VIP Rouge program
I don't have this "status" with Sephora, as a cheapo, but I think it's always good to pass along information about shitty business practices.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Sephora by OPI nail polish $3 on HauteLook (Also Laura Geller)
Disclosure: This post contains referral links.
This is even cheaper than it is at Sephora (where they are $4.50). I highly, highly recommend the Traffic Stopper Copper Jewelry Top Coat. I wore it over Zoya Petra the other day, at it was fucking perfect. I thought about taking a photo, but I didn't, because it's out of stock on the Sephora website. "Here, look how pretty this is! You can't have it." But I should have, because there it is now. It's definitely worth having.
Laura Geller is also on HauteLook right now.
This is even cheaper than it is at Sephora (where they are $4.50). I highly, highly recommend the Traffic Stopper Copper Jewelry Top Coat. I wore it over Zoya Petra the other day, at it was fucking perfect. I thought about taking a photo, but I didn't, because it's out of stock on the Sephora website. "Here, look how pretty this is! You can't have it." But I should have, because there it is now. It's definitely worth having.
Laura Geller is also on HauteLook right now.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Quickie Swatches: Sephora+Pantone Universe Spectral Lacquer in Waterfall
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
I hope this isn't super fucking annoying, because this polish seems to be sold out on the Sephora website at the moment. However, over the couple of days I was putting my order together late last week, different colors kept disappearing and reappearing, so I hope it'll be back. I got lucky. Keep checking the Sephora sale section, because it's worth it. I got it on sale for $5, and it's way prettier in person than in photos (especially my sad indoor/evening ones). I think they give you an idea of the range of colors in this multichrome, though, as well as all the sparkle. I'd read some reviews of Waterfall that weren't glowing, but I got it opaque in 3 thin coats, and it looks spectacular.
If it doesn't reappear online, it's certainly worth looking for in store.
Here are my photos:
I hope this isn't super fucking annoying, because this polish seems to be sold out on the Sephora website at the moment. However, over the couple of days I was putting my order together late last week, different colors kept disappearing and reappearing, so I hope it'll be back. I got lucky. Keep checking the Sephora sale section, because it's worth it. I got it on sale for $5, and it's way prettier in person than in photos (especially my sad indoor/evening ones). I think they give you an idea of the range of colors in this multichrome, though, as well as all the sparkle. I'd read some reviews of Waterfall that weren't glowing, but I got it opaque in 3 thin coats, and it looks spectacular.
If it doesn't reappear online, it's certainly worth looking for in store.
Here are my photos:
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