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!

Haul: Beauty Shopping at Sephora, ULTA & Target

Oh boy, I've been on hiatus for too long. While I may not have been writing about beauty, there were still beauty shenanigans going on over here at Girly Things headquarters (a.k.a. my condo). I've got so much to catch up on and reviews to get to writing. In the meantime, check out the assault I laid out on my wallet -- because, and I quote, "Ooooh! Fun. I need this."

Items purchased:
Sephora Airbrush Foundation (light - for now...)
Sephora Microsmooth Foundation Powder (Nude)
Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation (3.5)
Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil (Bouquet)
Vita Liberta Phenomenal 2-3 Week Tan Mousse (Medium)
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 (Sugar)
Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask
Benefit Bo'oing Concealer (Light/Medium #2)
Eco Tool Face & Body Bronzing Brush
Smashbox Photofinish Primer (Original)
St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse (8 oz)
Nivea Sun-Kissed Radiance gradual tanning lotion (Medium/Dark)
Eclos Cleansing Oil
Stila Stay All Day Waterproof felt-tip liner (Black)
Redken Pillow Proof Blow Dry express primer
Bare Minerals The First Resort trio
Garnier BB Cream Combination/Oily Skin (Medium/Deep) -- yes it's too dark for me, I got it to mix with the Light/Medium shade
L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Tinted Tan Mousse (Medium)
NYX Wonder Pencil (Medium)
Maybelline Color Whispers (Rose of Attraction, Pinup Peach)
Cover Girl True Magic Balm
Maybelline Dream Powder (Creamy Beige #25)

Video music: "Crazy Glue" by John Woodward (Creative Commons Attribution License)

Haul: ULTA Friends & Family Sale + Coupon Link & More

Oops! I went shopping...

I have a weakness. I can't resist a good sale, especially of the beauty or shoe variety. This probably isn't news to anyone, but I'm putting it out there. 

Speaking of sales, ULTA is having their Friends & Family sale. It started January 12 and ends January 18. Oh, you didn't know? Don't worry, they've managed to keep it on the low. I'm used to getting emails and mailers from them and this time, nothing. Goose eggs. Nada. I found out about the sale on Instagram when someone posted about it (not ULTA). 

Here's how you can get the discount: Go to this site ulta.com/friends. Fill out your name, email address, and zip code. Wait for them to email you the coupon. (Don't worry, it takes less than 5 minutes. I did mine in the parking lot in front of ULTA)

Then, be a good friend and tell everyone. Just share the link because you can't forward the coupon (it's a one-time use only)

The coupon gets you 20% off your entire purchase, can be used in store or online, and includes prestige cosmetics. However, it excludes Urban Decay's Naked 1, 2 and 3 palettes. I think that's the only exclusion, except the Benefit Brow Bar. Exclusions are listed on the coupon, in case you forget.

You're welcome. 

Now that you know about this sale, you know I went shopping. Here's a video where I share everything I got. 

List of products (all prices listed are regular price, do not include 20% discount):

ULTA:

Gwen Stefani for OPI Rock Starlets Mini Set ($12.95)

Gwen Stefani for OPI Push and Shove Duet set ($9)

Gwen Stefani for OPI - In True Stefani Fashion ($9) 

China Glaze Mingle with Cringle ($3.99)

NYX Infinite Shadow Sticks - Almond and Flushed ($8.99 each)

Benefit Lip Lotto - Lady's Choice, Fame Game, LaLa Land ($18)

Maybelline Dream Wonder Powde - Nude ($8.99)

Urban Decay Naked Basics ($27)

Target:

Up & Up non-latex makeup sponges ($1.77)

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm - Elusive ($6.49)

Sally Beauty Supply: 

Beauty Secrets Pure Acetone ($3.69)

Buffing blocks - Black and Pink ($1.19 each)

Did you know about the Friends & Family sale? Did you get anything? Comment below, let's chat about it. 

Drugstore Beauty It List vol. 2

I'm back with another set of drugstore beauty items that I love. I know it's only the second installment of this little series, but I've already changed the name. I decided the "It List" was a better name for it. I'm hoping it'll stick. Do you guys like it?

So, what's this it list? Basically, I'll periodically share a list of some of my favorite items from the drugstore. They'll all be beauty related in some way and will include makeup, skin care, hair care, beauty tools, and sometimes random stuff you might not have thought to use as a beauty product. It'll also include items I've already reviewed (in case you missed it) and some I haven't.

Pretty simple, right?

Let's get into it.

1. Maybelline Expert Wear Twin Brow Pencils ($2.99) / 2. Neutrogena waterproof eye makeup remover ($5.99) / 3. L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara ($5.99) / 4. St. Ives Fresh Hydration Lotion Spray ($5.99) / 6. Milani Eyeshadow Primer Nude ($6.99)

Maybelline Expert Wear Twin Brown Pencils: I love these little pencils. They're super affordable and they work great. They're not overly creamy, which I like because I feel like the creamy pencils deposit too much color and end up making me look like I have caterpillar brows. Not my favorite look. Also, how can you not love the price? $3 for two pencils? Um, yes. 

Note: I use the blonde shade and my brows are relatively dark. I know gals with dark hair and dark brows that also favor the blonde shade in these. If you actually have blonde or light brows, this may not be the best option for you. 

Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover: If you need to remove stubborn mascara and eyeshadow and prefer to do it without roughly rubbing your skin raw, try this. The dual phase formula looks like oil and water (you know, it doesn't mix) but it's oil free, you shake it to mix them together, pour it on a cotton round, and swipe away makeup. I like to hold it over my eye lid for a few seconds to help dissolve makeup, then wipe away. Easy. Depending on how much makeup you're wearing, you may need to swipe more or less. But you'll never have to tug on your skin.  

Note: The generic store brand of this item usually works just as well. Go ahead and save an extra buck or two. 

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara: What can I say about this mascara that hasn't already been said, ad nauseum, all over the Internet? I'm being serious. If you haven't heard of it, I don't even know what to say to you. Ok, here's what you need to know: It's super black (get Carbon Black), volumizes  excellently, makes your lashes look longer. It's your little black dress for your lashes. There's the Cliff's Notes for ya. 

St. Ives Fresh Hydration Lotion Spray: I love that these spray lotions make it easy to moisturize and pull up your skinny jeans without a struggle. You know what I'm talking about. Check out my review, so you can get more details. Just know, I approve. 

Up & Up Makeup Wipes: OK, these are basically the generic version of Ponds makeup wipes. Those are good too, but I stopped buying the name brand because these Up & Up ones are pretty awesome. They're moist (ew) and they don't sting when you wipe makeup away from your eyes. I lean on these when I'm feeling lazy about makeup removal (read: It's really late and I'm probably intoxicated). 

Milani Eyeshadow Primer: Wanna save some money on eyeshadow primer? Check this one out. Only $7 and works just as well as those popular name brand ones. Check out my review for more of my gushing. 

That's it for this episode of drugstore beauty favorites. Any of these on your favorite list as well? 

Holiday Gift Guide: Drugstore beauty gifts/stocking stuffers 2013

Just because you have a budget, doesn't mean you can't find some awesome beauty gifts at amazing drugstore prices. There are plenty of great gift sets out there that are sure to please even the most discerning beauty lover on your list.

Check out some of my top picks, none of which will cost you more than a whopping $20. Go ahead, pat yourself on the back, you are one bad ass shopper.

Pacifica Body Butter Collection ($15) / Pacifica Take Me There Set ($18) / Pacifica Day & Night Natural Skincare Collection ($19) / Real Techniques Core Collection Set ($18) / Sonia Kashuk Eye on Neutral eyeshadow palette ($20) / Essie Holiday Color 2013 set ($15) / The Body Shop Body Butter Lollipop ($20) /The Body Shop Almond Handy Manicure Set ($18)

What are some of your favorite affordable gift finds in the beauty isle? 

Manicure Monday: OPI Polishes in Target's $1 Section (priced at $4)

Thanks to Nouveau Cheap and her readers for sharing this great news! The Target $1 section just got a little better. If you've been perusing recently, you may have encountered a little OPI surprise. That's right, there are OPI polishes in this section. I don't know if this is a permanent fixture, but you may want to make a quick trip to your Target to see if you can get in on the savings.

I visited the Target near my mother's house Veteran's Day weekend and spotted six OPI colors available for only $4 (that's half off the regular price).

The colors didn't have names. Instead they were numbered (as seen in photo below). The six colors I saw included: a mid-toned army green, a pumpkin orange, a light grey creme, an iridescent silver/purple/green, a shimmery raspberry red, and a bubble gum pink creme. I purchased four of the six colors. 

Color C1106

In the photo of the bin, this color appears to be a shimmery metallic purple. In reality, it's an iridescent shade that has green, purple, and silver shades (C1106). When I wore it, the colors that showed up most were shades of metallic green, light silver, and lavender-pink (depending on the angle and light).

As you can see in the photo above, it looks like a light opalescent silver with hints of green along the outer edges. In the photo below, you see the same colors, but they appear a bit darker.

This shade is actually pretty sheer, but it's also easy to build. It also has a nice shimmery finish. The first coat was pretty transparent, which makes me think this could be a great shade to use to top a complimentary shade and give it an iridescent finish. You could also wear it alone and add a few more coats to make it more opaque. The second coat helps make it more intense. But I found a third coat gave me the best color pay off. 

Color C1110

I also purchased the light grey shade (C1110), which is essentially a heather grey creme that's reminiscent of Sally Hansen's Wet Cement, except it's a shade or two lighter. I've used my Wet Cement polish a lot, so it only made sense to pick this one up. Clearly, I like wearing this color. 

This shade glides on easily and doesn't streak. The first coat is a bit sheer compared to what I'm used to for most OPI creme shades, but the second coat gave it a nice opaque finish. It dried down nice and glossy too, but I always like even more polish, so I added a glossy top coat. 

Color C1116

I was pretty quickly drawn to this raspberry red shimmer polish (C1116) which looks absolutely stunning when you have it on. Again, the first coat of this polish was kind of sheer, but it only needed a second coat to round it out. It's a beautiful and rich hue that's sophisticated and perfect for the holiday season. 

Compared to the rest of the colors I purchased, this shade was the hardest to remove. It has a good amount of shimmer, so you have to work a little harder during removal. However, it's not like removing glitter. I was able to use acetone to get it off my acrylic nails without damaging them. In other words, it doesn't require soaking (which would've melted my acrylic off). So, it's not that hard to remove. Had I used non-acetone remover, I may've had a harder time. 

Color C1109

Finally, I purchased shade C1109, which is a milky bubble gum pink creme. Of all the colors purchased, this one was the most opaque with the first coat. However, it did streak a tiny bit. Interestingly, most of the streaking will even out as the polish settles on the nail. However, in a few instances, the streaks were still noticeable once the first coat dried down. 

Not to worry though, because the second coat evens everything out. And as you can see above, you get a smooth finish. 

Have you spotted the $4 OPI bin at your local Target? Did you pick up any of the colors? If so, which ones? Did your Target have different colors available? Are you planning to go out and try to find any of these colors? Which ones? Comment below and let me know!