It's been a minute and a half since I uploaded a beauty haul for you guys -- and I know that you like them.
So we're staring off this week by distracting you with a little bit of my weekend shopping shenanigans. Let's ignore Monday with a little weekend nostalgia. Shall we?
This shopping trip was brought to you by the 20% off entire purchase coupon from ULTA. If you haven't joined their rewards program, I'm not sure what you're waiting for. It's a damn good one. Earn points, cash those points in for money off your purchase, get reward member coupons. And if you make it to platinum status, you'll earn points faster, and get access to platinum member special sales, discounts and coupons.
I basically only shop at ULTA when I have a 20% coupon these days, unless I'm out of something and need to get it right now or if it's a non prestige item and I can use a regular ULTA coupon that comes in their weekly flyer. If you use my referral link to join the ULTA Rewards program, you'll earn a $10 off coupon (and then when you join you get your own referral link too!)
Ok, now let's take a peek and see what's in that shopping bag! Oh by the way, what was the last beauty purchase you made? Comment below and tell me!
Shop online with ebates and earn cash back! (Plus a $10 gift card when you sign up)
Mink Wink Lashes 25% discount code: GirlyE (expires 9/30/16)
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "referral links" or “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item or sign up for a service/program, I will receive an affiliate commission or referral points/rewards. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I went shopping! Wow! It's been a while since I shared a haul with you guys.
Although, it has not been that long since I shopped. I've just been slacking on the haul videos. I know you guys like them, so I'm sorry I've been withholding.
I'll do better.
Anyway, if you're an active member of the beauty community and not living under a rock, then you knew that Sephora recently had their Beauty Insider (BI) sale. If you don't know what that is, let's break it down. If you join the Sephora BI program (it's free!) you get invited to their semiannual sale. Depending on your level (e.g. BI, VIB, or VIB Rouge) you'll get 10-15% off your entire purchase and can use the discount over multiple transactions. VIBs and VIB Rouge members will get the larger discount and a few extra days of shopping.
It turns into kind of a big deal. VIB and VIB Rouge members shop so hard Sephora will sometimes sell out of items before the sale even begins for BIs. It gets a little cray guys. People take their makeup seriously.
I usually use this time to pick up items I know I'll repurchase throughout the year (e.g., Clarisonic replacement brushes) and snag some new items along the way. While that approach is pretty logical, things add up. Fast.
But this year, I did something amazing. I was not a crazed discount seeker. I exercised self control. True story. It was strangely liberating.
Come see the few items that made the cut this time around -- and a few extra items I picked up at other stores that same day.
Use ebates when you shop online for extra savings! (and a $10 gift card when you sign up)
**Items purchased at Nordstrom Rack were not available online so I could not link to them
VIDEO CORRECTION: I purchased the Kat von D Ink liner, but meant to buy the Tattoo liner. The difference? The applicator brush. The Ink liner has a felt tip applicator (not my fave) and the Tattoo liner has the brush tip applicator (BAE). I went back to Sephora and exchanged the liner after I filmed the video, which is when I realized I had gotten the wrong one.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I love The Makeup Show! You should know that by now because this is the forth year I've attended and talked about it on this blog. It's a phenomenal event. Not just because of the awesome shopping, but also because of all the opportunities to rub elbows with some of the industry's heavy hitters.
With The Makeup Show LA going on this weekend, and The Makeup Show New York just around the corner, I thought it was high time I shared my experience this year at The Makeup Show Orlando.
Watch my video below to hear what my experience was like and get ready to attend any of the upcoming shows.
PS -- If you aren't an industry professional, check out their Pop Up Shops, those are open to the public. For the first time, they'll have a Pop Up Shop in Atlanta this year for two days in June!!
Visit www.themakeupshow.com for event dates, tickets, and lists of speakers and vendors.
Products mentioned:
AJ Crimson Artist Kit (foundation box set): http://bit.ly/1SqRir4
I got another Influenster Vox Box! This time, they selected me for the Spice Vox Box.
If you don't know about Influenster, I'm pretty sure anyone can sign up and join. You then connect your social media accounts and answer some questions. Based on your interests, Influenster will select you to receive certain boxes and products and you are expected to test the products out and review them and share your thoughts on social media. Influenster will provide you with a variety of different options for how to share products on your social media. For example, if you get a hair product, or a makeup product, you may be asked to share a photo of you using the product on Instagram or tweet your favorite thing about that product, etc.
If they think you'll be a good fit for an upcoming voxbox, they'll send you a survey. You'll answer the survey questions, and then they'll determine if you'll get the next box. If you are, they'll send it. You won't know what's in the box or what kind of products you're getting until the box arrives (so there's no way -- at least none that I know of -- to cheat the system and respond to survey questions in a way that would get you selected for a box).
OK, consider yourselves a little more informed. Now let's take a look at what I got in my recent Spice Vox Box.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Additionally, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
e.l.f. cosmetics had a Veteran's Day sale and I indulged. Funny enough, only one (maybe two?) of the items I chose qualified for the sale. Ha! So my excuse to justify my shopping fell flat on its face. But, honestly, e.l.f. products are so damn affordable, do you really need to justify buying them?
No. No you do not.
So I went in.
I was primarily drawn in to the sale by all the new brushes e.l.f. released recently. Many of them remind of of the airbrush-effect brushes that a lot of high end brands have on the market (think It Cosmetics and other brushes like them). So, how could I possibly resist testing them out? After all, if they are comparable, I'd be saving in the long run.
Now come see what I'm talking about and tell me you don't agree.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Shopping! Shopping! Shopping! I can't resist a good sale and there are quite a few going on -- including Sephora's VIB sale that took place a few weeks ago. I had a few gift cards (thanks to my sister and hubbie) burning a hole in my pocket and I couldn't resist spending them any longer. After all, it's not real spending if you use a gift card, right? RIGHT!
Here are all the goodies I picked up for 20% off. Just a few ideas for you to consider as you write out your holiday wishlist or think of stuff to get the beauty lover on your "nice" list.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Ever since I fell in love with my Tarte Amazonian Clay blushes, I've been eager to try out more Tarte products. Well, Tarte decided to make that possible by providing me a gift card in my Ipsy swag bag. I sat around trying to decide what to get, and finally picked out a few items, which you'll see in my video below. Take notes, these would all make some pretty fantastic holiday gifts (for you or someone on your "Nice" list).
Disclosure of Material Connection: I purchased the items featured in this post with a gift card provided to me by Tarte Cosmetics. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I think the title here says it all right? I was in NYC last month for Generation Beauty and got a bunch of stuff while I was there. You already saw the amazing swag bag they sent us home with. Well, that wasn't all!!! Can you believe it?
And being the beauty loving fiend that I am, I had to buy a few extra things while visiting NYC. I mean, c'mon! It's NYC! You kind of have to eat and shop while you're there.
Come see all the fun stuff I got, it'll blow your mind.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
You guys, my ipsy bag is here! I just made filming and uploading in October by the skin of my teeth! Nevertheless -- I did it. So let's celebrate this victory by watching my video to take a peek into the beauty goodies I received this month.
Are you guys impressed with my consistency lately (I sure am)? Does anyone even care? Are you guys even out there?
Ha - I'm having an existential crisis on the internet. Not a good look.
For all of you out there on the interwebs who are new to the ipsy thing -- here's the low down:
You can join Ipsy for $10 (+ tax) per month. Every month you get five (5) personalized beauty samples. They typically include at least one full-size product and the rest of the items are deluxe samples (usually travel sized). In other words, you get a lot more than $10 worth of products.
You can get additional discounts using Ipsy discount codes if you decide to buy full-sized versions of the products you received.
You can earn points by reviewing the products you receive or through referrals and you can use those points to add additional items to your glam bag (as you'll see in this month's video)
Also -- just as an aside -- I pay for my subscription out of pocket, so these posts are not sponsored nor are the items press samples.
Now you can consider yourself fully informed. Onward with the unbagging video!
Like this post? There are more Ipsy unbaggings to be seen! Don't forget to subscribe (new videos every week).
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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?
Alright guys, I'm keeping my promise from last month. I filmed my Ipsy unbagging for August on time! I'm so proud of myself. I actually filmed within days of it arriving in the mail.
Help me stick to it next month with a little bit of comment encouragement. Tell me what you think of the products I received. If you're an Ipsy member, tell me what you thought of the items you received this month. Heck, just leave a comment about anything related to this month's Ipsy glam bag.
If I know you like these types of posts, I'll keep them up!
OK, before we get into video watching -- a little info about Ipsy:
I pay for my Ipsy subscription out of pocket. That means this video is not sponsored and the items received were not press samples.
You too can join Ipsy and get your own little monthly beauty surprise. For $10 (+ tax)/month you get five (5) personalized beauty samples. They typically include at least one full-size product and the samples received are deluxe size (typically travel size actually). What does that mean? You get more than $10 worth of product and the samples are big enough to get several uses out of each product (so you know whether or not it works for you).
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “referral links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a referral reward (e.g., earn points that can be applied for discounts or add ons to future purchases). Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Shopping, shopping, and more shopping. A beauty fanatic's job never ends. Ha! My life is tough, eh? Well, thank goodness for sales because otherwise, I'd be facing a mountain of debt. Thankfully, strategic shopping keeps my fanatical obsession with beauty products from putting me in the poor house. In fact, I'm a smart gal, I stash money away every month in savings because: beauty and brains people. I can't actually live inside Sephora and ULTA shipping boxes. And planning for the future is important and stuff. But enough financial lessons, there are plenty of blogs out there dedicated to that topic.
Speaking of smart shopping (although in my case still mildly exaggerated), I was watching a Youtube video over at Minimeeshie21's channel when the urge to buy everything hit. Isn't that the way it always goes? Youtube made me do it. I should probably limit my Youtube watching just to avoid temptation.
What am I saying?! You know I won't.
Anyway, she was talking face masks, which got me thinking that the only ones I have are my three mini GlamGlow masks. I've long since run out of my Queen Helene drugstore standbys and it was high time I tried out some Freeman Beauty masks since they get such great reviews. Plus, they have so many options. And they're cheeeeaaaaap. Add to that Mini Meeshie's BOGO coupon (Buy 3 Get 3) and it was like the shopping stars aligned in my favor. By the way, if you want that code, there's a link in my video that'll help you out. But you have to watch. How's that for incentive?
Check out which masks I bought and what I thought of the ones I've tried out so far. And don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe because you know it makes my day.
Items purchased:
All masks purchased retailed for $4.29. If you spend $25 you get free shipping.
I may need to declare this Haul Week. It seems like I spent a good portion of April acquiring beauty related items. And I need to film and take photos of everything before I start using it so you can see items while they're still pristine. But don't worry, we won't become an all-hauls-all-the-time blog. We'll get back to some post variation soon enough. For now, I'll need you to indulge me as I sift through all this retail indulgence footage. I'm assuming you don't mind, since we're all beauty fanatics here.
Speaking of fanatic, have you gotten swept up in the Colour Pop frenzy? I sure have (obviously). This brand is the new cool kid on the block with good reason. They make amazing products.
Their Super Shock Shadows and Lippie Stix have taken the beauty world by storm and everyone's a little bit giddy about them. First of all, the shadows have an incredible hybrid creme-powder consistency and they deliver amazing pigmentation, are long lasting and very easy to work with. Their Lippie Stix and corresponding pencils are creamy, long-lasting, hydrating and come in an array of fun colors. To top it all off, at only $5 a pop, you get the quality and performance of a high-end cosmetic.
WHAT?! True story. It's no wonder we're all acting like love-struck teenagers.
Then they upped the ante and released a line of blushes dubbed the Super Shock Cheeks. Like the shadows, these deliver impressive color pay off, long-lasting results and the unique creme-powder consistency. The blushes cost $8 each but come with twice the amount of product (0.15 oz) as the shadows (0.07 oz).
Add to that the fact that they're cruelty free and made in the USA and we have an all around winner.
I loved my first Colour Pop purchase so much, I had to go back for more. I was trying to hold off until after I'd gone to IMATS before making another purchase. But then Colour Pop went and had a clearance sale on some of their Super Shock Shadow quads. I couldn't resist. And while I was buying more eyeshadow, I grabbed some of their blushes, supplemented one of my lipsticks with it's corresponding pencil and added a new lippie stix to my collection.
You can watch my haul below and then scroll down to see more photos and swatches:
Alright, now let's discuss. As I mentioned in the video, I'm a neutral blush girl. I have a handful of bright fun blushes in my makeup collection and they don't get as much attention as they probably deserve. But my easy-to-wear colors? They're getting used and abused.
That's why I decided to pick up three blushes from their aptly named naked (I mean, neutral) selection. I purchased: aphrodisiac, between the sheets and birthday suit.
Aphrodisiac is a soft beige brown with a matte finish. Colour Pop describes this as their contouring shade. Specifically, they say you can contour anything with it.
As you can see from the swatches, Between the Sheets looks like a coral pink on me, Aphrodesiac looks like it would indeed be a fabulous contour shade (seems slightly warm but I think it would work on a lot of skin tones -- super pale ladies, please chime in), and Birthday Suit almost looks like it should also be a matte, but that's because the sheen on it is very subtle.
Next up is the Megan Naik Super Shock Shadow quad. This was on sale for 20% off, so it ended up costing only $16 (of $4 per shadow). The quad came with the following shades: Lectra, Onai, Farah, Amira.
Lectra is a (gorgeous) deep burgundy with pink violet shimmer and a metallic finish.
Onai is a creamy white (not a stark white) with blue-violet opalescent duo chrome that has a satin finish.
Amira is an antique gold with multi-color multi-dimensional glitter and a metallic finish.
Farah is a chocolate brown with a matte finish.
As you can see from the swatches below, these are pretty true to the color in the pan and the shades are absolutely stunning. It looks more like a fall color grouping, but I think using Amira and Farah on their own will yield a really nice golden look for the summer.
I also purchased the lippie stix in the shade Brink, which is described as a warm dusty taupe and the shade was apparently inspired by Kylie Jenner's signature lip shade. Feel how you will about Kylie, but I am a fan of that rosey brown lip shade she wears. It's quite flattering.
Then my final purchase was the Heart On pencil. My friend Jen gifted me a Heart On lippie stix knowing full well that I have an unhealthy fixation with fuchsia/magenta lipstick. The shade is absolutely gorgeous and the blue undertones make my teeth look super white. Considering I have a lot of lipsticks in this (or similar) shades, I felt it was high time I also had a lip liner to go with them all. For $5, it was money well spent!
Below is a swatch of both my Heart On lippie stix and pencil.
That's all I got this time folks. But you can be sure I'll be back for more very soon. I've hit pan on my Hanky Panky shadow from near daily use (an impressive feat considering all the shadows I own) and I'll need to restock soon. I'm sure while I'm at it, I'll grab a few more new items if only to reach the $30 threshold for free shipping and also because their matte formula has me all starry eyed so any excuse to buy more will do.
Ladies and gentlemen, I survived my first IMATs -- and in the process had a blast visiting New York with my sister. We attended on Sunday, so it was the day after all the big YouTubers went and got kicked out. I have no idea how it compares to Saturday's apparent mayhem, but it seems the event was nice and calm for the first few hours we were there. It wasn't until a little later in the afternoon that the crowds started to get a little thicker and it started to feel like other trade shows I've attended in the past (e.g., The Makeup Show, Premiere Orlando).
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it was better or worse without the YouTubers there. I wasn't there to witness the crowds that would surround them. I don't know what the YouTubers did or didn't do to merit getting booted. I only know what I heard. If the rumors are true, and judging by the venue and event layout, I can see how too many people crowing around to take photos with their favorite "gurus" could have resulted in the vloggers getting the boot. All I'm saying is that I can understand how it would become a safety concern.
Anyway, that's all I've got to say on that subject because I wasn't attending with the goal to partake in any YouTube meet and greets (although I probably would've said hi discreetly had I seen any of them -- I am friendly after all). I understand that some people attend hoping to see their favorite internet beauty personalities and can see how it would be disappointing that they're not there. My main focus, though, was to shop and chat with brand reps to learn about products and what not. So for me the trip was a total success.
With that said, I promised an IMATS haul and that's exactly what you'll get! So check out my video below to see everything I got (and even some swatches).
If you've been watching Youtube beauty videos lately, then you've no doubt heard of a new brand out there called Colour Pop. The brand's taken the bloggosphere/vloggosphere by strom -- and with good reason. The quality and pricing of their products are jaw dropping. Their Super Shock eyeshadows and Lippie Stix have beauty bloggers/vloggers weak at the knees, which means I had to go ahead and order some of their products to check them out for myself.
Right now, the brand makes eyeshadows and lipsticks -- all priced at $5 (!!!). And soon they'll be releasing a blush line. They haven't announced the price of the blushes, but they have said they won't be priced at $5 as they are a larger product. Regardless, I'm already salivating at the possibility.
I went ahead and ordered seven products (five shadows and two lipsticks). If you're doing the math, that's a whopping $35 (steal!). And since I signed up for their newsletter, I got a $5 off coupon, which brought my total down to $30.
I'm pretty sure I've spent more than that on fewer products at the drugstore. Just sayin'.
Anyway, here's a picture of the five eyeshadows I purchased.
I haven't given these a thorough testing, so I'm not ready for a full review. But from what I've experienced so far, I can say that these are impressive. They offer great color pay off and lasting power. I've worn them with and without primer and was pretty impressed with both -- although primer gave it much better lasting power (of course). More to come once I test these out for longer.
In the meantime, here are some color descriptions and swatches for you:
So Quiche: Olive with gold, pink, and violet duo chrome shimmer (metallic finish)
Amaze: rose gold (metallic finish)
3: bronze with silver and multicolored glitter (metallic finish)
Desert: warm saddle brown with taupe (satin finish)
Hanky Panky: soft cool-tone taupe (matte finish)
I also purchased two of their Lippie Stix:
BFF is a peachy nude with a glossy finish
Frida is a warm mid-tone pink nude with a satin finish
Colour Pop Lippie Stix in BFF (left) and Frida (right)
These are quite creamy and also offer great color pay off. See the swatches for yourself.
Colour Pop Lippie Stix Frida (left), BFF (right)
Even though Hanky Panky is described as a cool toned taupe, it reminded me of MAC Soft Brown and Stila Eden shadows. In the pot, they all look very close. But on closer inspection, it's not an exact dupe -- just in the same color family.
Soft Brown is definitely darker and warmer. Eden is rosier. Check out the side-by-side swatch below.
Is it just me? They're kind of similar, right?
Don't forget to check out my video for a little hauling fun! When you're all done with that, visit Eugenia's haul and Phyrra's haul so you can binge on some Colour Pop purchases.
I did a little shopping with my friend Eugenia from the blog Geniabeme recently and we documented our haul for posterity sake (it's the first haul of the year after all!). I had so much fun shopping and filming with her. It's so much less awkward than sitting around at my house talking into a camera in an empty room. I love having someone to interact with!
Check out our beauty shopping shenanigans in our videos below. I'm definitely thinking of bringing her back for future videos, so comment below and let us know what you'd like to see! And don't forget to visit Eugenia's YouTube channel and show it some love.
I promised you guys a video of all the goodies I brought home from The Makeup Show in Orlando. I haven't forgotten. It just took me this long to finally edit it. I'm so out of practice filming that I rambled incessantly throughout the whole damn thing. That means I made a video that was already going to be long, waaaaaay too long to endure. I actually toyed with not posting it at all because I kept getting tired of editing. You guys, I thought I was never going to be finished. I'm a bit ashamed of all the stupid rambling I had to cut out of this thing.
On the plus side, I powered through and I got a little practice getting in front of the camera again. Hoping to get back in the saddle and film a few more videos to share. This time, I'll make sure to keep it shorter.
Enjoy!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
