Beauty Tips!

[callie lee 29]

I've never gotten 20% off at Ulta. In fact, it's only been recently they the credits I've had (and been building using that damn cars since 2005) actually resulted in money off.  I though I was going to pass out when the checkout lady told me I had all these points.  And I still haven't found a coupon that they let me use on the high end brands. There 21 days of sales is pretty good though. I think I bought 4 Better than Sex mascaras the other day when it was $11.

 

I normally just drive to Sephora for make up. Until the local JCP got a pop-up store, it was appx. 30-40 miles to get there. I do like how they'll give you samples of pretty much anything., and wiht no judgement.

[aradia22]

I slept on the Sephora sale and Laneige is sold out. Oh well. I'll just get it next time.

[MargeGunderson]

My VIB sale box was missing items! I don't imagine that they are hot items - it included a nose strip and an exfoliator mitt. This has happened before and they were nice about sending me replacements, but it's annoying that I have to call. 

I ended up returning the Anastasia Soft Glam eyeshadow palette that I bought. Too many colors that I would likely never use. 

[DeLurker]

I had expected the Laneige lip mask to be more modest in size, but it is 0.7 oz / 20 g.

The Burt's Bee Overnight product was 0.25 oz and was $9.  This is pretty good stuff.

The Laneige price hit me with sticker shock, but given the size, it is actually cheaper than the Burt's on a unit of measure basis.

[MargeGunderson]

44 minutes ago, DeLurker said:

I had expected the Laneige lip mask to be more modest in size, but it is 0.7 oz / 20 g.

The Burt's Bee Overnight product was 0.25 oz and was $9.  This is pretty good stuff.

The Laneige price hit me with sticker shock, but given the size, it is actually cheaper than the Burt's on a unit of measure basis.

The Laneige is huge! It's going to last me most of the year, I think.

[SCS]

On 4/21/2018 at 6:41 PM, callie lee 29 said:

I've never gotten 20% off at Ulta. In fact, it's only been recently they the credits I've had (and been building using that damn cars since 2005) actually resulted in money off.  I though I was going to pass out when the checkout lady told me I had all these points.  And I still haven't found a coupon that they let me use on the high end brands. There 21 days of sales is pretty good though. I think I bought 4 Better than Sex mascaras the other day when it was $11.

 

I normally just drive to Sephora for make up. Until the local JCP got a pop-up store, it was appx. 30-40 miles to get there. I do like how they'll give you samples of pretty much anything., and wiht no judgement.

Callie Lee, do they have your current email (I can't tell from your post if you get the daily -- and I do mean daily, LOL --e-blasts from Ulta.) If you're not getting regular emails, that may be why you're not getting the coupons, especially if you're a rewards member. They can update your profile at checkout.

You should be getting (at the very least) the annual coupon that comes out roughly around Black Friday -- it's 20% off everything including most prestige -- I think there are certain high-end items that are never included (for some reason Chanel and Dyson come to mind as 2 brands that are always coupon-exempt).

 

I used my Seph 10% on sunscreen, not a lippy as I initially planned. I have so many half-used ones it just seemed like a waste, whereas I use the sunscreen pretty much everyday and I love it.

[callie lee 29]

They probably don't have my email, come to think of it. I only get the $3.50 off coupons that are on the back of the mailers. 

[Guest]

I knew it was going to happen but had to wait until today to confirm it: I got a sample of Peter Thomas Roth's Skin to Die For primer in the April Play box that arrived on Friday. I used it Saturday, really liked it, and went to buy it on sale later that day..."sold out." Checked again yesterday (last day of sale) ... sold out. And, oh hey, look at that! Today I checked and it's back in stock again. 

You suck, Sephora.

[luckyroll3]

On 4/22/2018 at 9:08 PM, aradia22 said:

I slept on the Sephora sale and Laneige is sold out. Oh well. I'll just get it next time.

After everyone here kept raving about it, I ended up throwing the Laneige in my cart at the last second.  My delivery arrived today and I'm excited to try it.  

[Petunia13]

6 hours ago, Giant Misfit said:

I knew it was going to happen but had to wait until today to confirm it: I got a sample of Peter Thomas Roth's Skin to Die For primer in the April Play box that arrived on Friday. I used it Saturday, really liked it, and went to buy it on sale later that day..."sold out." Checked again yesterday (last day of sale) ... sold out. And, oh hey, look at that! Today I checked and it's back in stock again. 

You suck, Sephora.

It's shitty when that happens. I had also had the cool gift with purchase for Vib/Rouge not come with the order. Once after the second time in a row it missed I got a gift with purchase of a sample of pale as hell foundation all by it's lonesome and I'm medium color and cool af. I was pissed at that point. They could support POC and people with skin issues better. 

 

Re all the people talking about ulta does anyone feel like it's email or deal overload? It reminds me of old navy which has like 5 offers that overlap and conflict "spent 50 buck get _% off" or  "buy  these and hey get this weird shit free" or maybe instead "purchase blah blah and it's blah blah cost only!"

and I have to bust the calc to divide what is best deal vs what I need and what's in stock like bitch chill with the complexity I'd rather have cut and dry sales and deals vs constant pandering 

[Guest]

45 minutes ago, Petunia13 said:

Once after the second time in a row it missed I got a gift with purchase of a sample of pale as hell foundation all by it's lonesome and I'm medium color and cool af.

They really need to stop sending solitary foundation samples as some sort of "bonus." None of them ever match my skin tone either. And the multi-samples they send that are packed on card stock aren't nearly enough to try on my nose. 

And I'm still fuming about the primer being miraculously back in stock today.

[aradia22]

Quote

Re all the people talking about ulta does anyone feel like it's email or deal overload? It reminds me of old navy which has like 5 offers that overlap and conflict "spent 50 buck get _% off" or  "buy  these and hey get this weird shit free" or maybe instead "purchase blah blah and it's blah blah cost only!"

and I have to bust the calc to divide what is best deal vs what I need and what's in stock like bitch chill with the complexity I'd rather have cut and dry sales and deals vs constant pandering

I feel like Old Navy has legit sales though. It's a question of shopping when they have the size/style you want in stock but other than that you can get a cool 40%-50% discount with almost no effort if you're on the lookout. They did send too many emails though. I had to quit it. Also, while I have some clothes I like, their quality is all over the place (and mostly bad) and I'm sure there's something shady like a lot of sweat shop labor to keep prices that low.

With Ulta, I feel like they keep trying to pawn off their Ulta brand stuff. And with the Ulta days of beauty or whatever I just feel like I'm getting tricked into buying Sephora deluxe samples or at least the tiny gift sets. Again, I just want a flat discount code. The difference between the beauty brands and something like Old Navy is they're only a retailer for someone else's products and you know even when they offer a discount, you're not getting something shitty. Which reminds me, I recently used a Stila liner (which is one of my HGs) that I bought from Stila itself and it's super watery. The tip is still sharp but the black is almost gray. WTF? I feel like complaining but it's been a while since I bought it. 

[Quof]

I checked out Ulta and they were having a promotion "Choose a box full of samples", and I love free stuff, so I drilled down to the details.  Some of that shit was Dove.  The Hell?

[DeLurker]

Just set it aside and donate it to a shelter or something.  If I can get something for free, but can't use it or don't want it, I'll just donate. 

[Quof]

But it's not truly "free"; it requires a minimum purchase, and a box full of Dove or similar brand samples isn't enough to entice me.  

[Minneapple]

9 hours ago, Quof said:

I checked out Ulta and they were having a promotion "Choose a box full of samples", and I love free stuff, so I drilled down to the details.  Some of that shit was Dove.  The Hell?

Ulta sells drugstore brands too.

18 hours ago, aradia22 said:

With Ulta, I feel like they keep trying to pawn off their Ulta brand stuff. 

Not always. A couple days ago I got an email from them in which they had a bunch of really good stuff at 50 percent off. An Urban Decay and Anastasia palette, some Lorac stuff, Estee Lauder foundation. Plus they do a ton of free gifts with purchases. I once ordered my dry shampoo from them because they had a free haircare sample set, and it was a ton of deluxe-sized samples. Good ones too. 

[rainbowmonkey]

On 4/18/2018 at 3:22 AM, Petunia13 said:

I don't do primer if I moisterize and this is a Charlotte Tillbury tip (she taught Wayne Goss) she does as well. She will moisterize the person very much, even more than one would think, and then wait then foundation and she lets that settle for a few moments.  Then moves on to her next steps. I have very normal skin (not much if any dryness or oiliness so that also helps). 

@rainbowmonkey if you like benefits porefessional give "no poreblem" by shoot I forget the brand name, but it's a k beauty company and at Sephora, a whirl. My mom said it works much better I bought her both and the smash box primer. That's another tip is to use a pore minimizing and blurring filling type primer on the nose and apples cheeks and a lasting smoother slicker one forehead and chin and sides of face. 

Okay, so I guess if you have a problem with your pores like I do I should do both. Do you mind sharing which moisturizer you use?

On 4/17/2018 at 4:38 PM, Athena said:

You should moisturize and also apply suncare before primer and makeup. Since you are dehydrated, you should look at review for products which add water to your skin. I think something like a hydrating toner (or what the Japanese call "lotion") would be good. These toners have no alcohol and can plump up the skin. There are also moisturizers which are lighter such as gel ones and the Neutrogena water boost which could work for you. 

I will do that, thank you for the tip!

On 4/17/2018 at 2:09 PM, MargeGunderson said:

No specialist consultation, I read about Paula's Choice on a few sites and thought I would give it a try. I think there is a feature on the website where you plug in your concerns and they recommend a basic routine and an advanced routine if you want to add additional targeted steps for specific concerns. I do moisturize my face before I use the primer because I need the extra moisture (at least on some parts of my face) and the SPF.

I spent many years with oily skin, so I feel your pain. The Paula's Choice website has a "expert advice" section that covers a wide variety of issues, including the dehydrated but oily question, and how to address it. I still have breakouts (in my mid-40s) so I looked at a lot of the acne advice, which is where I might have found the oily/dehydrated advice. I use Paula's Choice Youth Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid with SPF 50 during the day, and really like how light and hydrating it is without being oily at all.

Thank you so much! That's very useful!

 

Has anyone tried the By Terry Cellularose Brightening CC Serum? I saw a few YouTubers talking about it and I was thinking of buying it and mixing it with my foundation because of the tan I got and while I was on a vacation. I don't want to buy a new foundation and I think that if I mix it with foundation it will match my color.

[Frozendiva]

I like Sephora for some stuff. The daily emails or so they seem always seem to have some sort of really decent gift with purchase - til you decide a day or so later to order something and surprise, the gift probably was gone within minutes. Maybe instead of having points give some sort of discount on a purchase. I found it frustrating during the VIB event (I have a hard time getting to that amount) that most of what I liked or maybe wanted was gone.

The Bay here at least offers some gifts with purchase and you can collect points that turn in to money. I bought some stuff at a Dior event and got a really nice bag full of samples - perfume, mascara, Capture Totale, etc. Shoppers has the PC Optimum points which also translate in to things like an Xbox or a patio set or whatever. I have a tough time finding samples from Sephora that I would actually use. Would be nice to say hit $250 in a year's spend and get 10% off something. I know a lot of lines will be discontinuing 'gifts' soon and go more to samples with a spend threshold (was informed by the EL associate at the Bay a few weeks ago that within 2 years or so, the GWP will be likely gone),

Used my VIB discount to get some Armani foundation and a Dior exfoliator. Been using some cheap stuff that wasn't working and bought more cheap stuff that I really don't like the smell.

[Petunia13]

I sure hope gifts with purchase motifs in retail don't end. I wouldn't buy or try nearly as many products if not for that policy. With utilizing gifts with purchase I still spend over a $1000 a year on makeup and fragrance (and I'm lower middle class) so it probably encourages me to buy. 

I don't know if the policy is the same but Neiman Marcus did some really good gift with purchase spiels on cosmetics. My friend would only buy her makeup and skincare there cuz she'd get like entire totes full of things once she got a hair dryer and brush it was like spend $250 and she bought a bunch of Estée Lauder items to qualify. 

[Frozendiva]

The Bay's EL summer gift starts next week here. The spend threshold keeps going up - $85 to get the GWP. That is a lot. A few years ago, it was maybe $35-40. The Holt Renfrew nicer gift (usually the Saks or Neimans gift) was the higher spend amount. Holts discontinued most of its GWP for makeup lines about two years ago. They have their beauty bag a couple times a year and high end brands like Sisley will have one if you spend $300 or more on stuff. The step-up gift for the EL summer gift at $125 is a Doublewear Light or Cushion foundation - they are being repackaged and if you can get a match, you get a foundation. I don't mind some of the gifts - I like the travel size moisturizers. The bags have gone downhill and are pretty cheap. A couple of years ago, some smelled bad.

Women are tired of getting the same shades as a gift - it's like no one else is buying them so here ya go.

I attend maybe one of the makeup galas a year at the Bay and prefer the 10% off for stuff sometimes.

I am not loyal to any brand any more.

[Sally Chantal Pa]

Quick restoring masks

You can use a prepared mask to pamper your tired skin, or you can make this mask yourself. We are sure you already have some of the ingredients in your fridge.

For dull and lifeless skin, mix apple juice with honey. Apply a thin layer to your face, and leave it for 5 minutes.

For dark circles and puffy eyes, you can use a simple potato. Finely grate one potato, apply to the area under your eyes, and leave it on for 15 minutes.

To tone dry skin, make a mask with curd and sour cream. For oily skin, you can mix a whisked egg white, olive oil, and several drops of lemon juice. For normal skin, a mask with banana and grapefruit is a good option.

Irritated skin can be calmed down with a buttermilk mask. Just apply it to your face for 15 minutes.

[RealHousewife]

On 4/21/2018 at 5:56 AM, MargeGunderson said:

I agree that Sephora’s rewards are not great. I much prefer Ulta’s cash back and more frequent coupons/sales. If both Sephora and Ulta carry the same thing, I buy it at Ulta. Unfortunately there are several things I can only get at Sephora. 

ETA: I just realized that Ulta was doing a 20% off, including prestige brands (those are usually excluded). I don’t think the timing is an accident, coming at the same time as the Sephora sale

Ditto. That's exactly me too. 

I get that playing around in Sephora with all those luxurious brands is fun. It's hard for me to resist the store when I'm at a mall, and it's one of my absolute favorite places to shop. But I have friends who have quite limited budgets and prefer Sephora to Ulta. I try to explain that with Ulta you will be able to stop with your points and to look out for all the frequent 20% off deals, but some of them don't seem to get it. They'll spend full price at Sephora for the exact same items you can find at Ulta, often for less. If you want Charlotte Tilbury, Make Up For Ever or Dior, you gotta go to Sephora. For NARS, Urban Decay or Benefit, Ulta all day unless Sephora's having a sale.