Haul: Sephora VIB Sale & Nordstrom Mascara Madness Event

As you may already know, Sephora hosted its VIB sale on Veterans Day weekend. The sale started on Thursday (11/7/13) and ran through Monday (11/11/13). During the sale VIBs (and a guest) could shop all weekend and get 20% off their entire purchase. You could use the discount voucher multiple times in store and online, which I did (of course).

I had to hit up two Sephora's and their website to get the things that I wanted (even though my haul wasn't even that big) so that little feature is a godsend in my opinion. I had a few generous Sephora gift cards burning a hole in my wallet and it was time to go spend them.

Hooray for minimal out of pocket expenses! (And that is why I hang on to my gift cards people)

That same weekend, Nordstrom (possibly my favorite retailer - Lord help my bank account) was hosting their Mascara Madness event, which took place on Saturday (11/9/13). During Mascara Madness it's buy two get one free mascara all day long. You can mix and match any combination of mascaras and still qualify. Try new ones. Stock up on old ones. Be brand loyal or spread the love. Whatever you want.

My husband remembered that I'd off handedly mentioned this sale (as a Nordstrom card holder he also got an email reminder) and wanting to cheer me up (if you recall, we had a sad incident last weekend), took me mascara shopping. This was definitely a treat. You guys know that I normally stick to drugstore mascara. I get stressed out at the thought of tossing out a half used tube of high-end mascara when the shelf life elapses (that's why I stick to this mascara trick).

But, who am I to turn down such a sweet gesture? Not crazy, that's who. (OK, maybe makeup crazy)

So off we went. Check out my haul video to see all the goodies I bought -- partially because I'd planned to and partially because I was sad and trying to take my mind off things. All items are listed and linked below.

Items purchased:

YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils Mascara in Hight Density Black - $30
YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils Baby Doll Mascara in Fetish Black - $30
Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara in Steel Black - $30 (This was my freebie)

Hourglass Ambient Light palette - $58
This palette includes:
Dim light: A neutral peach beige powder that blurs imperfections and highlights a radiant complexion with the perfect balance of warm and cool tones.
Incandescent light (limited edition): A pearlescent powder that highlights the cheekbones and brightens the complexion with a celestial glow.
Radiant light: A sun-kissed golden beige that enhances the overall complexion with believable, subtle warmth, and also extends a summer glow.
Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer with SPF 15

Clinique Clinical Dark Spot Corrector Serum - $49.50
Sephora Skin Perfect CC Cream in Light - $26
Sephora Supreme Cleansing Oil - $15
Korres Radiance Revealed Wild Rose Brightening Duo - $48 (This is a great deal. The Wild Rose night cream is $48 when you buy it alone. That means you get the facial cleanser for free. It's normally $24. Both items are full size!)

Did you hit up the VIB sale or Mascara Madness event? What did you get? Comment below and let me know!

Holiday Gift Guide: Sephora Gift Sets, $30 and under

The holiday season is around the corner and many of us are thinking about what kind of lovely gifts we can give our loved ones to show them a little appreciation. If you have a beauty fanatic on your list this is a great gifting time since so many companies put out great gift sets this time of year.

After perusing Sephora's site, here are my picks for gift set ideas that won't break the bank. All of these can be purchased for $30 or less.

1. Sephora Collection Flashy Eyeliner Set ($16) - I got this set a few years ago and I loved it. Sephora's Flashy eyeliners are fantastic. They're creamy, smudgeable, and waterproof. Once they set, they last all day. They're comparable to the Urban Decay 24/7 liners, at a fraction of the cost. The set includes five travle-sized liners, letting you explore some new fun colors while still providing the neutral stand-bys. Colors included: black, brown, blue, violet, and grey.
2. Stila All is Bright Lip Glaze set ($25) - People who try them, tend to love them. That's why Stila's lip glaze set makes my picks for great gifts under $30, they are bound to please the makeup lover on your list. Stila lip glazes are creamy, colorful, pack high-shine, aren't overly sticky, and smell delicious. This set includes eight lip glazes -- six limited edition shades, and two best-sellers. 
3. Bite Beauty Bite-Size Discovery Set ($25) - This lip set has been teasing me for a few months. I've been wanting it, but haven't gotten it. I may just have an excuse to indulge. The set is portable, a great way to test out a new brand, and includes five shades that great for everyone. I'm totally loving the red one. And the packaging looks sleek and sophisticated, like it belongs to a lady who means business.  Keep these in your purse and always have a shade on hand that compliments your looks - from subtle nudes to a bold red. Great for lipstick lovers of any variety. 
4. Sephora Collection IZAK Mini Lipstick Set ($14) - This lipstick set is fun. Just look at the cute packaging! It's sure to please the beauty gal on your list. And it includes colors that are sure to please. I'm a big fan of Sephora's line of makeup, and I think this is a great way to play with some of their lipsticks. 
5. Clinique Taste of Honey Set ($29.50) - Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick is a cult favorite for a reason. The shade flatters everyone. That super dark lipstick only looks scary, because when you put it on it's more of a pretty sheer raspberry than the gothic dark hue it appears to be. Check it out on me here. The rest of the honey line is just as nice. In fact, I chose a hue for each one of my bridesmaids as part of their bridal party gift. 
6. Sephora Collection Gloss Lab ($25) - Noticing a lip product trend? Yes, well, there seem to be some good lip gifts out there in this price range. Can you blame me for choosing them? This set includes 10 glosses: seven color shades and three top coats (clear shine, glitter, and shimmer). 
7. Sephora by OPI Tinsel Town four piece set ($19.50) - I love the mini nail polish bottles. They are so cute and their portability makes them great for carrying around to fix minor chips. And seriously, when was the last time to actually went through an entire full-sized bottle of nail polish (unless you're a nail tech, and not counting base and top coats)? These colors are fantastic. 
8. Sephora Collection Moonshadow Palette - In the Night ($30) - I love a good eyeshadow palette, and the colors in this one are captivating. A collection of shimmery baked shadows that's great for smokey, neutral, and even some bold looks. Use it wet for bolder color intensity or to use the shadows as liner. The navy blue shade looks absolutely stunning and the packaging looks sleek. Plus, you're getting a good quality product. 

Lipstick Obsession: Clinique Black Honey

I'm sure after looking at the picutre above, a lot of you are thinking, "Are you crazy with that color?" It's certainly intimidating in the tube, and totally not something I'd normally gravitate toward. But, after reading fantastic reviews about Clinique's Black Honey ($14) -- reviews that specifically warned against letting the dark color in the tube send you running for the hills -- I just had to go and find it. How could a lipstick that looks this dark actually be touted among the top perfect-for-anyone colors?

I went to the Clinique counter on a mission to find it. This mission has been on my to-do list for a while, but I only got around to it last week. Shame on me. I'd been missing out. This color is indeed quite flattering and not at all intimidating. It actually goes on as a pretty, sheer, brownish-pink-berry color. It glides on smoothly and I'd say is even slightly moisturizing. In fact, it's not really a lipstick, it's an "almost lipstick," which is why it is sheer. But, you can build it up, though not to something uber-dark. Check out the swatch below and the pics of the color on my lips.

Not scary at all, right? What do you think? Do you like it? I totally love it. I was with Mr. Girly Things when at the Clinique counter (he wandered off to find some shirts), and when he came back and saw the color in the tube, he was skeptical. But when the lady at the counter applied it on me, he was pleasantly surprised as well. He actually said, "Oh, I like it." This is a big deal, he doesn't really comment much on my lipstick choices. Heck, the mere fact that I get excited over finding a good lipstick (or almost lipstick) shade still amuses him. He actually told me that I should definitely get it. That's a pretty good stamp of approval in my book.

Do you think you might try out this color now that you've seen it's not really as intimidating as it seems?