Haul | ULTA | August 2015

We should all know by now that I love to shop. There's just something about getting a new something (anything) that's rewarding and fires all the happy synapses in my brain.

I can't be alone here -- otherwise, why bother coining the term retail therapy?

Heck, I'm certain I'm not the only one. The popularity of haul videos alone suggests that even living vicariously through someone else's shopping has some kind of soothing/joyful effect on others.

By that logic, my shopping is a charitable act. I do it for the good of myself and society. Who knew doing good was this easy (and fun!)?

Being the do-gooder that I am, I engaged in some ULTA retail therapy recently because adulting is hard work and I needed to let off some steam by parting with my hard earned money. Also, ULTA tempted me with a 20% off (entire purchase) coupon.

You've heard me rattle on about my inability to resist this coupon and ULTA sends it out to its rewards members a few times per year. It's one of the many perks of their awesome rewards program. My other favorite perk -- your points convert to cash back that you can apply to future purchases. Points hoarders rejoice -- you can save up your points and get some nice money off future purchases. Once you hit platinum status, your points accrue even quicker and they don't expire, so you can hoard to your hearts content. All that awesomeness is also free, so go sign up now.

Back to the topic at hand.

I got my favorite ULTA coupon. I had some very busy and stressful weeks at work. I decided it was time to relieve some tension by buying myself gifts online.

Come see what I got.

What do you think? Anything you've been wanting to try out? Anything in my haul you already own and love? 

Beauty + Apparel Haul | Target, CVS, ULTA, Sephora & Lush

Hey there everybody! Let's all enjoy a lazy Sunday by wasting time on the Internet. I'll help you out. Here's a fun beauty and apparel haul.

P.S. -- I'm shopping at IMATS today so you know what that means -- another haul video is coming!

Shopping Guide: Mother's Day Beauty Gift Ideas

1. Assorted nail polishes | 2. Origins Great Start Gift Set ($58) | 3. Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Cherry Blossom perfume ($29.95) | 4. Spa Treatments | 5. Clarisonic Mia ($119)

Mother's Day is around the corner. And sometimes finding the perfect gift for mom can be overwhelming. How can we show her how special she is to us with just one gift? The truth is, it's probably  not possible for one gift to show that much love and affection. But it is possible to make mom feel like the special lady she is.

With that in mind, I put together a few beauty-related ideas that might help you tackle the Mother's Day gift task and can fit various budgets.

1. A little polish, a lot of fun.. Help mom keep her tips and toes looking fresh with a little mani-pedi date. Mom will get the pampering she deserves, and you can give her a nice relaxing hour on a budget. Mani-pedis vary in price, depending on where you go, but you can find services at various price points. Just make sure the place you pick is hygienic and safe. Make her gift even more special with a little mother-daughter bonding. Go with her and get your tips and toes done too! Help her mani-pedi last by giving her a few of her favorite nail polish colors as part of her gift. You can find some great quality options at the drugstore.

2. The gift of beautiful skin.  If you're stumped for something new, consider replenishing some of her stand-by favorite skin care products. Lots of brands have great gift sets for Mother's Day, like the Great Starts value set by Origins shown above (includes Planstscripton anti-aging serum, eye cream, and Starting Over age-erasing moisturizer with mimosa for $58, a $98 value). You'll give her something she already loves and save her the trouble of having to get it herself. Or, you can always pick out something new to add to her skin care regimen. Think moisturizing masks, rosewater toners, or body oils. Just make sure they suit her skin type.

3. Fragrance: a tried and true stand by. Like skin care, fragrance can be a very personal experience. But if you know your mom well, then you'll probably be familiar with the scents she loves. Consider restocking her favorite perfume or finding a new option with similar notes to expand her horizons. My mom loves  Elizabeth Arden's Green Tea fragrance. With the new variations the brand recently released, she may just find a new (but somewhat familiar) fragrance in her future. Plus, since scents have a funny way of attaching themselves to memories, you're mom will always remember you when she smells her new perfume. And best of all, you can find great options without breaking the bank. For example, the new Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Cherry Blossom fragrance is only $30.

4. Well-deserved R&R. Mom does a lot for us, she deserves a little pampering. And a day of relaxation makes for a memorable gift. A gift certificate for a massage at a local spa, may be just what mom needs. If springing for a hot-stone massage is more than your wallet can muster, check out the rest of the spa menu. Neck and shoulder massages and facials might just carry a smaller price tag, while delivering similar relaxing results.

5. High-tech skincare. If you have a bigger budget and a beauty-loving mom, give her the gift of softer, younger-looking skin with a Clarisonic. This beauty gadget has a cult following for a reason and mom is sure to appreciate receiving it. She's gotta wash her face, right? You have a variety of options to give, starting with the Clarisonic Mia, which retails for $119. Plus, when you get it directly from Clarisonic, you can even have it engraved. If your mom already has a Clarisonic, set her up with a year's supply of replacement brushes. You can buy a 4-pack for $75 (it's like buy 3, get one free), and possibly even still have some money left over to take her out to get her nails done.

If none of these suggestions tickle your fancy, don't forget that Mother's Day is about showing mom some love and affection. You don't have to break the bank to make memories. Just make sure you spend some quality time with her and show her that you care.

Holiday Gift Guide: Beauty Gifts Under $150

We've talked about some of my favorite picks for holiday beauty gifts under $50. Now it's time to talk about some of my favorite beauty gifts that will require a little more of your budget. But, I'm assuming, if you're looking at this list, you have the budget allotted for these items and you're probably shopping for someone on your list with whom you have a closer relationship. That's usually how the bigger budget gifts work, right?

But don't worry, I didn't go all crazy. Most of these gifts are still quite reasonably priced.

1. Best of Hourglass set ($59) - I think this is a great gift for the sophisticated beauty gal in your life. Hourglass cosmetics aren't as readily available as other brands. You can't just walk into any department store and get them. But don't fret, you can find them at Sephora (or Barney's if you choose). Giving these as a gift is sure to impress. They're a little more obscure, but rank up there with is competing high-end brands. This set features two of the brands best-selling primers -- mineral primer and No. 28 primer (which has 28 hydrating ingredients) -- along with the Film Noir mascara and a pretty lip gloss (all best sellers). 
2. Clarisonic Mia 2 ($149) - No list would be complete if it didn't include a Clarisonic. These cleansing brushes are magical. They deep clean while gently exfoliating leaving you with softer, healthier looking skin. And, let's be frank, good skin is what we're all looking for. The better our skin, the less makeup we need to pile on. I have the regular Clarisonic Mia and I love it. But they've since released the Mia 2, which offers two speed settings for extra cleanliness. I love this peacock colored one, but you can choose from a variety of colors and patterns these days. Available at Sephora, ULTA, and Nordstrom. 
3. Burberry "Lip Cover" Soft Satin Lipstick Set ($72) - You're giving a little bit of luxury when you gift this set. From the box they're packaged in (the cardboard feels like fancy stationary), to the velvety smooth quality of these lipsticks, to the sophisticated packaging (with it's iconic print also embossed on the lipsticks themselves), these just ooze luxe. Plus the three colors are absolutely gorgeous and totally wearable. Available at Nordstrom. 

1. Urban Decay Naked 2 ($50) - You can't compile a gift list without at least one of the Urban Decay Naked palettes. Well, I guess you could, but honestly, this is a fail safe beauty gift. Lots of neutral shades that are wearable for any occasion. Wear it soft and subtle to the office or dark and dramatic for a night out. The collection of neutral shades are good for just about anyone. Of the two palettes, the Naked 2 is my favorite. It comes with 12 shadows, a dual ended Good Karma shadow brush, and a mini lip gloss. I love that I have a matte black and I just gravitate to the colors in this palette more than I do to the original palette (which I also love, by the way). I just wish it had a better balance of matte and shimmer shades. However, Urban Decay heard everyone's pleas for more matte neutral shades and released the Naked Basics palette this holiday season (retails for $27). It's a smaller palette, containing only six shadows, but they are all matte. The Naked 2 palette is available at Sephora and ULTA. Naked Basics is currently available on Urban Decay's website. 
2. Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Burnished Amber ($75) - Beauty aficionados went crazy over Tom Ford's  eye color quads this fall. Twitter and the blogosphere was abuzz, and with good reason. These palettes are absolutely beautiful. The shadows feel soft and smooth, the color payoff is fantastic, and they blend nicely. I'm personally drawn to the Burnished Amber quad. The colors are warm, rich, and versatile. Plus, amber is an incredibly flattering eye shadow on pretty much all skin tones. Give this and you'll be a hero. Available at Neiman Marcus, selected Saks Fifth Avenue stores, and Bergdorf Goodman. 

I love that holiday season means you can get your hands on some great fragrance deals. I know selecting a perfume for someone is a very personal matter. What smells great to some, can be offensive to others. But, since we're talking a little bit of a higher price point, I'm going to assume the person you're shopping for is someone you know pretty well. So, you should be better equipped to discern their scent preferences and decide if they are in line with mine.

1. LaVanila Vanilla Grapefruit Eau de Parfum ($58) - Of course the first fragrance I list isn't available in a gift set. But, I chose it for two reasons. First, I adore this scent. It's fresh and uplifting thanks to the citrus scent of grapefruit, and still warm and sweet thanks to the vanilla.  You almost smell like an amazing dessert. This is more of a fun perfume than a sultry, romantic scent. I love this for spring and summer, but I'll wear it year round. Second, it has quite a following and is the best selling of all the LaVanila scents. If this many people like it, can you really go wrong? Available at Sephora.
2. Elie Saab Eau de Parfum set  ($120) - Oh my goodness. I adore this perfume. Adore it. I first spritzed it on a ribbon at Nordstrom and tied that ribbon to my purse. I could smell the perfume for weeks and I was hooked. I wouldn't stop talking about it until my husband kindly gifted it to me. He was superman that day. This perfume is sophisticated, refined, and feminine. I personally feel you can wear it day or night. It's a bit strong, but not overpowering. The fragrance notes include: orange blossom, jasmine, patchouli, rose, and cedar wood. I get a lot of compliments when I wear this scent. The set includes a 3 oz bottle of eau de parfum, a mini spray bottle (0.33 oz), and a body cream (1 oz). The 3 oz bottle alone costs $120, so you're essentially getting the travel sized mini perfume and body cream for free. Available at Nordstrom.
3. Laura Mercier  Le Petit Patisserie Almond Coconut Milk Quartet ($50) - If you want to be transported to a tropical island escape without having to travel to far off places, give this gift set a whirl. The warm and succulent scent of almond, coconut, milk, and vanilla are rich and seductive. It simply smells divine. The set includes a body wash, soufle body creme, and deluxe travel-sized hand cream and fragrance mist. Available at Nordstrom.
4. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Rollerball Set ($58) - Flowerbomb is just that, a floral explosion with a bit of sweetness. But it's not candy or sugar sweet. It's more of a sultry sweet floral scent. I love this scent so much, I gifted it to myself last year. It's great because you get three rollerball vials (0.34 oz each) for a fair price. It's more affordable than the full bottle of the perfume, which retails for $105 (for the 1.7 oz; $160 for the 3.4 oz). And those little vials will last you. If you're like me, and you prefer your perfumes in a spray, spend an extra $5 for a small atomizer. I pour the perfume in the atomizer instead of using the rollerball, and carry it in my purse. Scent notes include: bergamot, tea, jasmine, orange blossom (I sense a recurring citrus theme in my fragrance choices), orchid, rose, and patchouli. The trio set is available exclusively at Nordstrom.