From Last Week’s Sephora Haul

While waiting for the Cheesecake Factory to open last week, we ended up taking a stroll through the mall it’s located in to kill some time. We ended up killing 1.5 hours of time. We hit the Disney Store (my favorite store ever), the MAC store and then we ended up at…Sephora.

OK so I didn’t need anything from Sephora, but I always come out with at least one thing. Here is what I picked up:

1.   Sephora by OPI nail polishes – This is my favorite brand for nail polish and I got them in the colors Domestic Goddess (a dark magenta purple color and I love this color) and Call Your Mother (a somewhat gray, but lilacy color that goes on semi shiney and looks flat).  $9.00 each

2. a pack of OLEHENRIKSEN makeup wipes – I paid $15.00 for 30 – the sales rep said it’s a new brand they just brought in and I get my first Sephora skincare point if I buy it (if you buy 4 or 5 – I can’t remember right now – of any full sized skincare product you get the 5 or 6 full size for free) . These wipes smell like orange cremesicles literally. They are nothing special. When I use them they feel scratchy, but then again my face is sensitive because I am under a Dermatologists care at the moment. My dollar makeup wipes (30 pack as well) from Odd Lots works for me better than these in my case. These wipes do not clean any better than my dollar wipes – it’s basically the same.  Also, these wipes are not as moist as MAC wipes or Neutrogena wipes.  I will be returning these wipes.

3.  Sephora nail file – I like this file a lot.  I think it is made out of what seems to be glass which is sanded down so it doesn’t poke or cut anything.  I had never seen one like it until I bought it, went to Target and saw that Revlon has one too!  LOL!  Both files cost $6.00.  The difference between the two is that with the Revlon one you can use both sides to file whereas with the Sephora one you can  only use one side (the other side is not textured).  I opted to keep the Sephora file because it has the name “SEPHORA” on it.

Keeping Reading & See More Of My Pics!

My First YSL Lippie & my Sephora VIB Swag Bag Disappointment

I went on a mission to Sephora to  get a gift bag of samples called a “VIB Swag Bag” that I had gotten an email about a few days prior from Sephora with a bar code on it – good for August 6th to the 8th while supplies lasted.   So, I figured it would be a great time to get my first Yves Saint Laurent lipstick since I had to buy at least one thing (I didn’t actually need anything at the time) in order to get the VIB Swag Bag.  PERFECT!   First, the lipstick in which I love…there were not many to choose from, but that was OK.  I can find a needle in haystack if you paid me to.  Anyway, here is my very FIRST YSL lipstick called…

…YSL Rouge Volupte (SPF 15) in # 23 Ultraviolet- $34.00 – (my most expensive lipstick to date and worth it to me) which is described as a silky, sensual, radiant lipstick.  I describe the color as a medium-dark, corally color that has some pink  in it.  My pictures puts the color out as pink, but it isn’t.  My swatch show the truer color much better.  The lipstick goes on creamy and smooth and shows up opaque which I like.  Do not expect this lipstick to last long on your lips if you decide to eat or drink or wear all day because you will need to reapply.  After wearing this lipstick for a few hours with no eating or drinking I found that this lipstick can become somewhat drying so I had to reapply a little more to get the silky texture back.  Unfortunately, I don’t have a lipgloss to put over it and I don’t think I want to  put anything over an expensive YSL lipstick like this so I won’t be doing that.

The packaging is beautiful and it’s a joy to pull it out and apply my lipstick on the days I wear it.  It’s heavier than the normal lipstick because the gold parts of the packaging is made of some kind of metal which is nice.  I like how you can see the lipstick color through the packaging for easy access too.

Overall, I love this lipstick and I will definitely will be buying a few more in the future.  I had gone into Sephora thinking I was going to pick up the new YSL lipstick in Mesmerizing, but they they didn’t have it.  All they had were the new lipglosses.  I’m guessing I’m going to have to go to a department store for that because I want to swatch it before I buy.  Anyway, that’s my review on my first YSL lippie.

Now, on to the Sephora VIB Swag Bag drama.

Call me a baby or whatever you like, but when I expect something to be the way it is said to be then I expect nothing different.  And no, samples were not noted as subject to change.  Yes sh!t happens, but I can’t see how this kind of sh!t could have happened – it’s samples for crying out loud.  I get my YSL lipstick up to the counter to pay for it and to redeem my VIB Swag Bag and the girl behind it said that she had no more bags like the particular one in my email printout, but she said that the same samples on the email were in the bag she was going to give me.  Cool!  Cool because the bag that she was giving me was much better for me than the one in the email.

I didn’t check the contents of my samples because, one,  she assured me  (I’ll never trust again like that), some customer had knocked over one of the Sephora brush holders behind us (small plastic beads every where), my man was ret tah go eat and the Sephora reps wanted us out of there for fear that he’d fall since he was carrying my sleeping 2 year old.

We leave Sephora, I hit up another store and we go have dinner.  I get home and none of the samples that were promised was in my VIB Swag Bag.  I immediately felt sad because I wanted my buttons and I wanted to test out my samples which were supposed to be…

- two Sephora buttons

- Clarins Multi Active Serum (.35 oz)

- Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightner (.13 oz)

- Laura Mercier mini Nude Tinted Moisturizer (.5 oz)

- Urban Decay Stardust EyeShadow in Retrograde (.035 oz)

- Sephora Collection Atomic Volume Mascara (.1 oz)

- Dr. Brandt Collagen Booster (.17 oz)

- Phyto Phytodefrisant (.5 oz)

-  black swag bag

…and I didn’t get it.  Instead I got some lame (lame to me) samples from Juicy Beauty, Philosophy, Kate Somerville, Strivectin, bleh.

On the brighter side, I got this cool (the coolest shopping bag I own now and I have A LOT of shopping bags) black and silver Sephora shopping bag that reflects when you move it around in light, has some cool pics of skeletons, skulls, wings, totally inspired by Kat von D’s tattoos I’m thinking that has silver studs holding the bag handles on.  The bag is not cloth, but soft plastic like yet durable.  It’s dark, gory and so me.  Sweet.  So, I love the shopping bag and I wish I had a back up. *wink*

Here are the pics of my super cool Sephora shopping bag (lol) and my so so lame product samples…

Last, but not least.  I sent a correspondence (not a complaint!) to Sephora corporate sharing how disappointed I was  like I always do when stuff like this happens so they are aware of it.   I love Sephora and they know it because I tell them every time I get at them.  I just really wanted those samples.  Oh well, maybe next time.  Thanks for looking!

My First Time To Sephora Times Square!

I didn’t mean to go into the Times Square Sephora two Saturday afternoons ago, but since we were walking past it I had to go in. I hauled something kind of large. I never bought this much from any Sephora before all at one time so this felt very very good!  This store is about three times bigger than any Sephora I’ve been to.  Live DJ and all…fun fun fun!  I think this is my favorite Sephora now.

Before I get into what I purchased, the prices and swatches (will be posted separately), let me show you some pics of my time at Sephora…I had to pass the MAC store a.k.a.  Heaven before getting to Sephora, but I didn’t go in because I had nothing to buy (no interest int he Pret-A-Papier collection at all) – maybe next time. 

I didn’t know that the creator of TokiDoki was in the building so I decided maybe I’d buy something and then get his autograph, but I was NOT about to wait in that line.  The line wasn’t that long, but it was moving S-L-O-W as hay.  My baby girl was not about to stand in that line with me either plus the World Festival was going on as well so I wanted to get some inexpensive shopping in too!  Here is the line and the TokiDoki guy and Sephora rep…I think that’s his name…TokiDoki guy.  Ha!

So, we went on inside of the Sephora and I went shopping!  I first headed off to the Laura Mercier display because I wanted to see and feel what her Oil-free Tinted Moisturizer I’ve been hearing rave reviews about.  I think I like it and will give that a go…soon!

Then I hit up Illamasqua display because I can’t get it at any of the Sephora’s in where I live (in Jersey) and I like to see and feel products before I buy them.  I never online shop for makeup ever.  Anyway, I fell in love with Illamasqua the first time Richie Nickel showed and talked about it on his Youtube channel and fell more in love after seeing the products in person.  The Illamasqua display was a total mess and was clearly abused.  I was able to sift through the out of place items and found everything I wanted anyway.

Thirdly, I hit up the TokiDoki display since the creator was there and the place was crowded!  The hanging makeup travel bags by TokiDoki were selling out  like hot cakes.  I think they were priced at $42.00 a pop and I didn’t get one – I wanted a smaller bag, but they didn’t have one.  I was able to get a smaller makeup bag from my home Sephora later that same day.  This display is new, clean and in order, of course, so no complaints there.

I got all of the items I wanted and then some.  Yay!  Happy shopping!  Last, but not least, I wanted to take a picture with the scary TokiDoki guy and so I did.  My baby girl was not feeling him at all and wanted to tell him ADIOS!  Ha!

OK so that was the fun fun fun (last time I’m saying fun fun fun) first time trip ever to Sephora Times Square!

Sephora, Bare Escentuals and MAC Haul…YAY!

Yesterday after a HUGE New York & Company (50% off everything plus $70 off purchases over $150 – I did major damage) and Disney Store (the family and I are going to DISNEY WORLD for Halloween so I had to pick up a few thing – did major damage here too as I always do) haul, I decided to head on over to my other two places to shop…Sephora and MAC!  Yay!  I picked up some great items.  I’ll start with Bare Escentuals….

I don’t like Bare Escentuals anymore, but I’ve always wanted their eyeshadow in Denim and so I finally bought it.  It’s just a frosty deep royal blue color and I just love it.  I love love love love it.  I didn’t open it to swatch it because I didn’t feel like dealing with minerals everywhere.  I know you all understand that.  Price: $13.00

And here is my MAC haul!  I only picked up two items.  I did a  Back 2 MAC and got an eyeshadow in Cranberry (turned in 6 empty MAC eyeshadow quads – $0).  I was going to get another neutral color, but I have so many already…trying to fill up my palettes with lots of color now.  Lastly, I finally gave in and bought the “ever shedding” (so I’ve heard many times) 109 brush (Price: $32.50).  I’m going to use this brush for the first time today with my new NARS Sheer Matte foundation that is included in my Sephora haul below.

Last, but not least…my Sephora haul!  I asked for my belated b-day gift so I got that.  It’s a Sephora eyeshadow, an eyeliner brush and a mascara.  I haven’t looked into what it is exactly so I can’t say. I also picked up a staple, Urban Decay Primer Potion (Price: $18.00).  I have a tube of Too Faced Shadow Insurance in my collection, but I find that Urban Decay works better for me…those two items are very different to me and I hear folks say a lot that they are equivalent.  I think not!

I also picked up my very first Make Up For Ever item and I bought an eyeshadow in #99 (Price: $19.00).  I had been wanting a red eyeshadow for a long long time and was going to get it from MAC Pro, but I just haven’t been making it over to NYC lately.  I went for MUFE and I am super happy with my only red eyeshadow.  I had to get another NARS blush because I love them so and got Torrid blush (Price: $26.00) which was next on my list to get.  It is a beautiful corally color (not so much brown as Lovejoy), not to shimmery blush…it’s gorge!  I’m running out of MAC Studio Fix Fluid so I decided to give NARS Sheer Matte foundation (Price: $42.00) a try and I got it in the shade “Trinidad”.  If this is not my shade (it was the darkest available) then I’m going to return it for a refund, but I have heard great things about it.

And lastly, I had to get this nail polish I saw on  BeautyChameleon.com while surfing through it called, “Under My Trench Coat” – Sephora by OPI (Price: $9.00).  When I saw the swatch about a month ago I was like I had to get it so I got it.  It reminds me of a brighter Metro Chic with no purple undertones.  I love it.  It’s unique when it comes to my polish collection.

That’s all!!!  Next haul will be massive and it will be from the MAC To The Beach Collection.  I am so looking forward to that collection.