Sephora by OPI Polishes on sale in store and online!

Hey ladies and gents~

I popped into a nearby Sephora just to have a look and discovered OPI polishes on sale!  The Stoneridge location were selling them at 3 for $10.00!  That's even cheaper than what I get my polishes for at licensed professionals supply stores so I had to grab a few.  There was not a whole lot to pick, but I did manage to find 3 that I liked.

L-R: Shiny Dancer, It's Totally Karma, Is She for Reel?

As always, the names are a little silly but I can't wait to try them!  I checked the sale page on Sephora's website to see if more colors were available for the same price.  While they did have many more colors available, the individual polishes are being sold for $4.50 each.  If you're a penny pincher like me, I would stop by a few Sephora stores first before ordering online.  

Let me know if you do pick some up!

FOTD: Bittermelon

And the stash shopping continues!  Sort of.  I just bought some makeup online (DO IT.  KICK ME IN THE FACE T____T).

Anyways, today was another one of those days where I had to rush my makeup and run out the door.  I was getting tired of not having enough time to take pictures while the makeup was still fresh, so today I opted to bring my camera and take pictures in the locker room right before work.  Haha!  I think I'll keep this as a last resort technique, because having my hair pulled back for the pictures is not the most flattering look for me.  Neither are my awkward smiles.

As usual, items marked with an asterisk (*) are "new" items that I have retrieved from my stash.

L-R: Sephora Lime Green, MAC Daisychain, Micabella Passion

Face:
-Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer
-Lancome Teint Idole Foundation in Bisque 4
-Smashbox Pressed Setting Powder in Light
-NARS Laguna Bronzer
Illamasqua Blusher in Thrust

Eyes:
-UDPP in Sin
-Sephora eyeshadow in Lime Green (d/c)*
-MAC Pro Longwear Eyeshadow in Make Your Mark
-MAC eyeshadow in Daisychain*
-UD Shadow Pencils in Delinquent and Sin
-Sugarpill eyeshadow in Bulletproof
-MicaBella eyeshadow in Passion*
-Inglot gel liner 77
-Covergirl Waterproof Lashblast Volume Mascara
-UD 24/7 Liner in Zero and Oil Slick

Lips:
-MAC lipstick in Hot Gossip

Have a safe New Year's Eve, everyone!  Party safe!

Sephora will NOT be doing a F&F Sale this year

Yes,  you read the title correctly, ladies and gents.  Sephora is NOT doing their annual Friends & Family 20% off sale this year.  I just got off the phone with customer service, and the nice man informed me that Sephora is trying something new this year.  Replacing the FF Sale is the "Spin to Win" event where you may spin a virtual wheel at Sephora.com and have a chance to win one deluxe sample, free shipping with $25 purchase, or 10% off your entire purchase.  To claim your prize, you must make a purchase online at Sephora.com.

How do you guys feel about all this?

Personally, I think this is garbage.  Absolutely one of the shittiest ways to thank your long time customers, especially since most of these spin-to-win offers are available often.  The Friends and Family sale was the biggest sale of the year and I know I'm not the only one who waits all year to take advantage of it and restock on supplies.  I don't remember exactly what happened last year but the sale was made a lot more exclusive so that it was more difficult to take advantage of, but at least it was still there!  I know some of the brands Sephora carries such as Urban Decay and Smashbox have their own FF sales, so I can see that taking this away could potentially hurt Sephora's business.

Meanwhile, I forgot to ask whether the VIB 20% off sale will still be present.  I kind of doubt it, since the FF one has disappeared.  I'll make sure to let everybody know when I find out.

FOTD: Sephora Prisma Chrome

I bought these eyeshadows a little while ago, and finally put them to the test.  I don't remember exactly when these came out but they are supposedly limited edition. I drew a blank when trying to figure out what kind of look to do today so I grabbed the three Sephora Prima Chrome eyeshadows I owned and threw something together.  Here is the result:

Eyes:
-UDPP
-Sephora Prisma Chrome eyeshadows in Gold Reflection, Purple Prisma, and Sapphire Shine
-Stila eyeshadow in Black Cat
-Too Faced eyeshadow in Heaven and Silk Teddy
-Inglot AMC Gel Liner in 77
-Milani Liquifeye liner in Black
-L'oreal Waterproof Carbon Black Mascara

Face: 
-Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer
-Smashbox Healthy FX Foundation in Light 3
-Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer in Ivory
-Cover FX Setting Powder in Light
-NARS Laguna Bronzer
-Lancome Star Bronzer
-Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Amused

Lips:
-Lancome lipstick in Rose Tempest


Just for the lulz, here is a picture of myself and Cloud:

Have a great day! 

OCC & Sephora VIB NARS Haul

It hasn't been officially announced yet but I'm on a bit of a makeup buying ban and Project 10 Pan sort of thing.  I have to do a massive post about that later.

Meanwhile, here are things that I have purchased before deciding on the aforementioned commitments.  OCC had this really awesome set on sale for Valentine's Day.  I've never tried lip tars before, and as a set, they were much cheaper than if I were to purchase them each individually ($50 as opposed to $67).  I also threw in a white lip tar for mixing purposes.

Lip Tars in Feathered, Harlot, Stalker, Pretty Boy, and Pageant
Pink and Red Glitter

Sephora also had a GWP recently for VIB members featuring a little NARS goodie bag.  Their traincases also dropped from $90 to $59 so I decided it would be a good investment.

The only reason I opted for a pink one was because black and silver seemed kind of boring.  But now seeing this pink one in person, it's a bit too girly for my tastes.  I'm too lazy to return it so I guess I'm stuck with it.

As for the NARS goodie bag, it included a mini Laguna Bronzer, a mini Orgasm illuminator, and a mini eyeshadow primer.  I'm most excited about the illuminator!

I'm sure most of you are curious about the lip tars.  I haven't worn them yet, as I haven't found an appropriate time for it, but I will let you know how it goes!

Sephora's 2011 Friends and Family Sale! 20% off your entire purchase!

So I have been wondering why I haven't been seeing massive amounts of blog posts announcing Sephora's F&F Sale this year.  It's because Sephora has decided to do something a little bit tricky, and make you work to get the code.  Instead of simply programming one code for everyone to use, Sephora is making you go to www.sephora.com/friends, inputting your email address, and giving you a special one-time use code.  You won't be able to use this code in stores, as it is now online only.  By giving them your email, you are also allowing Sephora to send you emails about new products and all that fun stuff.  Tricky, huh?

Unfortunately, this sale is limited to U.S. residents only.  Again, you can only use it online, and you can only use it once.

I wanted the NARS blush palette so damn badly but I was waiting for the code to come out before I placed an order.  And now that I have found out how to access the code, the damn thing is sold out.  Ah, well.

You have until 11/2/2011 to use this code.  Happy shopping!

Super Haul! Sephora, Lancome, MAC Semi-Precious, and more!

This is going to be a super quick post on a collective haul that I've been meaning to post for a while!  I have delayed doing so because I had things coming in through the mail here and there in addition to instore purchases so I thought I'd just throw them all together like an odd flavored salad.

From Sephora....

I got this wondrous mini Benefit Kit for $10 just so that I could try the erase paste.  There is actually quite a bit of product in that little tub, and I'm also looking forward to using the creaseless cream shadow in RSVP.  I also got two other creaseless cream shadows in strut and skinny jeans, so I have knocked those off my wish list.  The eyelash curler you have seen from previous blogs, and the mini MUFE kit is a special GWP for VIB members at Sephora.

From DF & CCO...

I went to a discount fragrance and makeup store called DF&CCO.  The Lancome eyeshadows were less than $5 each (originally $18).  The lipliner I got for $10 (originally $23) and the lipstick I got for $10 (originally $25).

From MAC.....

 I got these guys from Nordstrom, a MAC store, and a Macys.  I snagged MSF in Crystal Pink, and all the Mineralize Blushes (Pressed Amber, Feeling Flush, and Warmth of Coral).  I actually only bought Warmth of Coral, and my boyfriend spoiled me by purchasing the others.  So far I'm in love with ALL of these!  I hate to say this.....but I think I am addicted to MAC now.

From The Body Shop...

This seems to be a new product from The Body Shop, and it's a liquid concealer/highlighter.  Reminds me of the YSL Touche Eclat.  I liked the light coverage I got from it when I tried it on at the store, so I will be testing this out and doing a full review on it.

From Nordstrom....

Ah, my first YSL lipstick.  This is the Rouge Volupte Perle Lipstick in 104.  I tried this on on a whim and absolutely loved how it looked on my lips.  My boyfriend loved it too and bought this for me :)

That's all for now!  I can't wait to be able to use everything and do reviews, reviews reviews!  Thanks for stopping by :D

June 2011 Favorites!

Another month is gone, another bunch of favorites are due, and for yet another month I'm late on doing so.  Pooh.

Well, I'll just jump right into it!

1. Zoya nail polish in Tangy.  What a lovely summer color!  It's bright and fun, but not obnoxiously so.  The best part is the duochromity (is that a word?) and if you tilt your nails ever so slightly, you can see the orange glitter. So pretty :)

2. Diorskin Nude Glow Healthy Glow Summer Powder.  I admit.  I got this cause it was pretty and limited edition.  Of course, if it didn't work well, I would have returned it promptly.  And none of this has to do with why it's a well loved product.  I have been mixing foundations lately because my regular foundation has gotten too light, and I'd rather not go out and buy a darker foundation.  I sometimes end up going too light, and I like to use this product to bronze up a little.  It looks wonderfully naturally, and I think I could find myself using this a lot even when it gets cooler.  This is adds just a perfect all over glow to my face.  I like it so much that the idea of purchasing a backup as crossed my mind....

3. NARS Laguna Bronzer.  Only during the summer would you find a blogger with two bronzing products in a single favorites post.  I have fallen prey to this cult favorite when I decided to finally try the bronzer on at Sephora one day.  I really love how this works wonderfully as a contour color or all over bronzing powder.  I still like my NYC Matte Bronzer but Laguna is just so wonderfully smooth and has that hint of shimmer that I have to lean more towards Laguna.

4. Stila eyeshadow in Kitten.  Ah, another cult favorite.  This is Stila's best selling eyeshadow.  It's a lovely peachy champagne color that is essentially a more refined glitterbomb, as it is super shimmery but is not chunky or frosty.  Last month a wore a lot of smokey brown/taupe looks, and Kitten was absolutely the most perfect inner corner highlight.

5. Sephora eyelash curler.  My last eyelash curler died tragically from overuse.  I ran into Sephora, demanded for their best eyelash curler, and was presented with a Sephora brand eyelash curler.  I was skeptical because that's like telling people you bake the best cookies in town.  But!--This actually works quite nicely!  I have to work really hard to pinch myself, and I can wedge this sucker right to the base of my lashes to really amp up the curls.

6. Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Book of Shadows.  This was a very neglected palette until I decided to take on Project 7 Day Palette with it.  It's funny how creative you can get when you're forced to use one palette for your eye looks.  Not to say I didn't enjoy it, otherwise it wouldn't belong in my favorites.  Like with all Books of Shadows, there is a good variety of colors to choose from.  I'm happy to report that all the eyeshadows except for the chunky glittery ones are just lovely.

7.  MAC Painterly Paintpot. In addition to smokey neutrals, I have been playing a lot with color this month.  I used this product a lot because it's a nice sticky, neutral base.  I can pop any color on top of it and make it look nice and bright!

I like to move it move it x]

[I have nothing to disclose.]

R.I.P. Eyelash Curler

Have you ever had a tool so trustworthy and dependable that you neglected to use any other of its kind?  That was my relationship with my eyelash curler.  It's a Personi eyelash curler that I purchased from Beautychoice.com a looooonggg time ago (back in 2009).  I purchased it as a set with a bunch of other stuff, and the whole set was $50.  Just last week, the dang thing cracked and my eyelashes got stuck inside the crack.  It was a pain in the asscrack to pry my lashes out.  I had a few casualties =(

Unfortunately, they do not sell the eyelash curler individually, and I'm not willing to fork over another $50 for the curler alone.  I resorted to a pink ELF curler I bought as a backup a little while ago.  It didn't function as well as I had hoped, especially when I've heard so many good things about it.  I went to Sephora and asked for their best eyelash curler, hoping that it would last me much longer.  The makeup specialist recommended their own brand which seemed a little fishy, but I just went for it.

ELF on the left, Sephora on the right.

I only used the Sephora curler once, but so far I think I like it.  I've never seen reviews for eyelash curlers, but I dang well think it's time to for me to do some.

What eyelash curler do you rely on to open up your blinkers?  I know there has been a lot of rave about the shu uemora curler a while ago, but those are no longer sold in the U.S.  I'm really curious as to which other ones work well for you guys, so leave a comment below and let me know!

Thanks for reading :D

[I have nothing to disclose.]

Trading in the old for the new--A Sephora haul

When I was first organizing my blog sale, I discovered many items that I could have traded in at Sephora for new goodies, but decided it was better if I sold them and put the money towards my financial needs.  Well, for some reason everyone that bought products from the sale scrambled for the drugstore items leaving me appalled because the high end products were significantly discounted.  I haven't been buying any makeup lately because I seriously can't afford it, so I took the opportunity to round up the products and trade them in for new goodies.

Here are the old things...

And the new!

I had a massive list of things I wanted, but I tried to narrow it down to things I needed.  I sort of did that lol.  The NARS duo in Dogon was something I've been hearing a lot of raving about over the beauty community, and I must say it looked better in pictures than it does in person.  I'll have swatches of it and all the other NARS duos I have in my collection coming up soon (hopefully!).  I'm not sure whether or not I'll keep it.

The Laguna bronzer and Sephora blush brush were definitely NOT on my list.  I didn't get the hype about the Laguna bronzer even after swatching it several times in previous Sephora visits.  This time, I decided I may as well try it on.  I asked one of the sales girls that roam around the store for a brush so that I could try it on, and I just fell in love.  If I weren't dirt poor, this would probably be my go-to bronzer for the rest of my life.  I'm still going to finish my NYC matte bronzer which is maybe a little less than half gone, but I think for special occasions I'm going to be all over Laguna.  I also fell in love with the brush I borrowed to apply the bronzer.  It is called a blush brush but is AMAZING for contouring!  The quality is absolutely amazing, so soft yet so dense.  Definitely better than any other brushes I've used including Sigma.  It was quite a splurge, but I think for sure I'm going to be investing in more Sephora brushes when I do more professional work.

The Dior bronzer in Aurora was most definitely a splurge.  This is my first Dior item, and I definitely would not have spent so much on makeup if it weren't an exchange.  Again, I found out about this product through the numerous blogs that I've read.  I swatched it on the back of my hand and it looked really orange.  I threw it into my bag anyways because I figured if I didn't like it, I could return it.  I would have tried it on but I already put some Laguna on my cheeks.

The Laura Mercier translucent powder was recommended to me by one of the makeup specialists there, and I was leaning towards it from what I have seen from reviews.  I wanted a setting powder that I could use year round, on other people, and that would work for flash photography.

The Bare Minerals Well Rested Undereye brightener is something I've heard about from Emily Noel and Michelle.  I don't have anything like this, so I thought I'd give it a go.

I exchanged some things from The Body Shop too, but didn't take pictures.  I was too excited to get these pictures and this blog up!  The items are featured in the video, though.

I hope you guys enjoyed this haul.  I'm kind of so-so on doing these types of posts/videos but if you guys like them I'll keep doing them.  Hopefully if I get the position in Korea, I'll do more haul posts just so you guys can see different sorts of makeup!  Ah yes, Korea...that will be for another time.

Have a great day everyone!

Lotsa love,
Janny

[I have nothing to disclose.]

Urban Decay 15 Anniversary Collection: Is it worth it?

If  you guys don't know already, Urban Decay released an exclusive collection of eyeliners to celebrate their 15 year anniversary.  This set includes 15 full sized eyeliners (6 of which are entirely new shades) and 1 duo pencil sharpener (the Grindhouse).  For swatches of this product, please click here.  I recently acquired this collection from Sephora, but not before really thinking about if I really needed/wanted this set.  I don't think I'm the only one who has trouble deciding whether or not to get this, especially when it comes to really good deals and/or limited edition items such as this one.  While the price per eyeliner breaks down to a little bit over $6 per pencil, you still have to swallow the total price of $92 plus tax.  I decided to break down the pros and cons here, and then go on about why I decided to buy this for myself. 

Reasons why you may want to buy this:
-You're okay with spending $92 in one go.
-Quality eyeliners.  These are amongst the smoothest, creamiest pencils I've ever used.  I've been hooked ever since I first acquired my first Urban Decay 24/7 liners.  Really excellent pigmentation and I'm perfectly happy to only use these eyeliners for the rest of your life.
-Retail value for 15 full sized eyeliners (were they to be purchased individually) is 3x the cost of this collection.  You would essentially be getting each eyeliner for a little over $6 plus a free pencil sharpener.
-You already use multicolored eyeliner pencils either as an alternative to black eyeliner or you like to use them as an eyeshadow base, etc.

Reasons why you may want to pass on this collection:
-$92 is 3 weeks' worth of groceries (*cough cough* university student here).  In other words.  You can't afford it.
-During the holidays, Urban Decay releases more affordable eyeliner collections.


REALLY BAD reasons that you may use to justify this purchase:
-You're thinking about using different colored eyeliners more often.  If you're only used to black and/or brown eyeliners and you want to break into color, you really don't have to break into color with such a massive purchase.  Drug store brands like L'oreal, Milani, and CoverGirl have dupes of UD's famous eyeliners.  Start with a couple, not 15.  I once bought a crapload of gel liners from ebay thinking I was going to use them all but I haven't even touched most of them.
-It's limited edition.  The collection may be limited edition but the colors aren't.

I hope that was helpful to some of you who were struggling with the decision.  I ultimately decided to buy it despite being on my spending ban because I felt like this is something that I could definitely use.  With that said, I don't need any new pencil eyeliners for a really long time.

Sephora's Sale on Sale!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and restful Christmas day!  Even if you're not religious, hopefully you were able to spend some quality time with family and friends.  I know the holiday seasons sends us on a spending spree, often exhausting our wallets and bank accounts.  If you're not completely drained yet, here is a sale that you may want to take advantage of.  Sephora is having a sale on their already on sale products.  If you enter coupon code EXTRA at the checkout after placing sale items in your basket, you will receive 20% off those items.  Right now I'm eying the Urban Decay Show Pony Palette and the Kat Von D Adora palette.  I'm supposed to be on a spending ban but UGH!!!! Temptation is everywhere!  We'll see how I go about with my will power, but hopefully some of you will be able to take advantage of it!

Sephora's Current 500 Point Bonus: Full sized Coralista Blush + Mini BadGal Mascara!

Hey babes~

If you guys are Beauty Insiders at Sephora, you probably know that you can redeem your purchase points for deluxe samples (100 points) or something that is supposed to be super awesome (500 points).  These items are always changing, so I tend to save my points until I find something I really like.  Right now, Sephora is offering a FULL SIZE Benefit Coralista Blush ($28 Value) plus a mini version of their famous mascara.  The mascara doesn't do too much for me but I've always wanted to try the Coralista blush but shuddered at shelling out nearly $30 for a blush.  This offer may be online only, or may only be limited to certain Sephora stores.  The Sephora I was at in St. Bruno, Quebec offered a completely different 500 point gift, so do your research first!

Personally, I think I'm just grabbing the Coralista blush because there is so much hype about it.  The swatches look pretty enough but I'm not sure it will be one that I'll reach for everyday.  In any case, it's free so we'll just have to see!

Peace and makeup,
Janny

FREE Sephora Grabbag with $25 Purchase!

Hey guys! I'm really excited about this one because there are a lot of goodies here, unlike the last clutch that they offered. In this grab bag, there are deluxe samples of...
1. Philosophy Hope Oil-Free Moisturizer SPF 30
2. Sephora Collection Colorful Mono Eyeshadow
3. MUFE Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick (I bet it's going to super tiny lol)
4. Smashbox Limitless Eyeliner
5. Anastasia Brow Gel
6. MultiplEYE Lash Enhancer
7. Shiseido Benefiance Concentrated Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream
8. LORAC Multiplex 3D Lip Gloss
9. Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate
10. Sephora Collection Advanced Lash Booster
I'm most excited about the lip and eye products, not so much for the anti-aging stuff. If you choose to buy something, NARS All Night Long Lipgloss (FULL SIZE FOR ONLY $10!! A steal!) is back on stock! I snagged one of those and the Tokidoki eyeshadow sets. Of course, I'll probably end up returning it. Bwahahahah!

Coupon Code is GETAWAY. Enjoy!

Sephora V.I.B. Exclusive Party on Thursday 11/11

So I'm not quite sure how, but somehow I qualified as a V.I.B. member at Sephora again this year.  I didn't think I spent THAT much.  In any case, Sephora is having a bit of a party in store on Thursday where you can enter their V.I.B. Sweepstakes, sample Godiva chocolates, receive a free Sephora Tote, and of course, get 20% off your entire purchase.  Can't make it to the party, you say? Do not fear! You can take advantage of the discount online with coupon code VIB20.  So if you missed out on the Sephora Friends & Family sale last month, here's your chance to get some discounted goods. Enjoy!

If you are going to the event, or plan on making purchases in the store, make sure you print out this coupon. Hopefully, I won't get in trouble for sharing this coupon ahahhaaa.

Going against my product buying ban

Today I did something terrible (although I don't feel too guilty for doing it). I've put myself on sort of an unofficial product buying ban because I simply don't have the money and I've got way too much makeup already. When Jessica of PicturesqueMakeup blogged about the $10 Stila palette on sephora, however, I just lost it, and spent $60 at sephora.com. Shame on me. Here's the thing though: With the exception of the Evian facial spray, every single item was either HEAVILY discounted or free.


After this I will have 3 pans of Kitten eyeshadow, all of which I purchased for way less than half the retail price.

Boy, I can't wait for my package to arrive.

Up to 50% off Bare Escentuals at Sephora!

There is some AWESOME stuff on sale right now! Gosh I want the eyeshadow collections and brushes so bad but I'm so broke! After I take out rent money I'll have $50 left in my bank account. LOL.

It's limited a time only (according to Sephora). So go go go!

Shop here!