Eyes

Urban Vices Point Perk

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During the 20% off Sephora VIB sale, I lost my mind slightly and went for the Urban Vices Point Perk, blowing 500 of my Beauty Insider points. I was going to spend 100 points on a setting powder, but they ran out. I’ve been banking points for a bit (but not because of the point disaster earlier this year), so why the hell not?

Urban Vices Point PerkUrban Vices Point Perk – Urban Decay for Sephora

The Urban Vices Point Perk set isn’t earth-shattering. It isn’t the best value among the other 500 Point Perk sets they’ve offered, but it isn’t the worst either. It features a shadow quad housed in a cardboard palette with mirror, a sample of UDPP, and a deluxe sample-sized 24/7 liner in Smokeout (which supposedly matches the fourth shade in the quad, and lives in the quad).

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2015 Holiday Gift Guide – Under 25

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Those of you in the United States, I hope you had a delightful Thanksgiving. I’m still working on my tryptophan coma. No, I did not go shopping yesterday (I vehemently disagree with shopping on Thanksgiving). No, I did not line up or go shopping today (as someone who, in a past life, worked Black Friday at a big-box store… never).

ANYWAY. The $25 and under price point is where value really starts to kick in. Admittedly, I was wanting to add most of these to my own cart (especially the candles & Black Honey set!) – but I’m on a bit of a no-buy for myself for the time being.

2015 Holiday Gift Guide – Under $25

LORAC Pocket PRO and Pocket PRO2, $18 ea

I’ve hosted giveaways for each of these, because, frankly, they’re a great sampling from their big sister palettes, LORAC PRO and LORAC PRO 2 (which I also reviewed & gave away). They’re a great value, and a nice way to expose someone to prestige-quality products without busting your own budget. Quite stuffable, as far as stockings are concerned, too.

2015 Holiday Gift Guide – Under 25

Primal Elements Santa’s Cookies, $20

This one is the scent of warm cookies (side note, who’s ready to put those holiday baking skills to the test?!) and it is divine. Really, practically anything from Primal Elements. I found Primal Elements years and years ago – Ulta.com actually carried some of their smaller candles on their site back then. I picked up a small pair of their Tahitian Vanilla candles – the’re so unique, a blend of wax and that weird, fun-colored jelly-goo… and they smell amazing. Most of the candles in my house are Yankee due to the sheer accessibility and price-point, but I’d say Primal Elements candles are my true candle love.

More of my 2015 Holiday Gift Guide – Under 25 after the jump…

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TBT: Sephora’s Jem and the Holograms Collection

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So there’s a Jem and the Holograms movie that’s come out recently. Apparently it has more-or-less bombed in the theatres, but old fans riding the nostalgia wave are still sure to appreciate all the tie-ins it has generated.

Truth be told, Jem is before my time. So I won’t wax faux-fangirl with you – I’m pretty sure I never saw so much as an episode in my childhood.

That said, Sephora has come out with a Jem and the Holograms Collection. Before I restate it on EACH item in the collection, if you’re buying these for a Jem fan, it will likely go over well, regardless of any other factors, even if for the novelty/nostalgia factor.

First up, the Truly Outrageous Palette:

Sephora Jem and the Holograms Collection - Truly Outrageous Eyeshadow Palette
Sephora Jem and the Holograms Collection – Truly Outrageous Eyeshadow Palette

Housed in glittery black cardboard-style packaging with very 80s-feeling lightning bolt motifs inside, the Jem and the Holograms Truly Outrageous shadow palette features 24 shades with a variety of finishes. Looking at it, it’s pretty loud – which falls in line with the show and, arguably, the decade, with a few neutral shades thrown in. To me, it feels very much like a Vice palette from Urban Decay – but I’m fine with this (after all, UD did not release it). As it turns out, though, it is much smaller – the pans are roughly the size of the pans you’d find in a Lorac PRO or Lorac PRO2.

What I am wholly skeptical of, though, is the quality of the shadows. Some Sephora shadows are great, but others lackluster (a challenge many house-brands have). Couple that with the fact that this is a limited edition promotional tie-in, and… well, I’m doubting these shades, pretty though they are, are knocking it out of the park with pigmentation and performance. Reviews on Sephora’s site are mixed. Unless you’re a die-hard fan, memorabilia collector, or gifting this to someone, I would personally pass.

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September 2015 Favorites

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September 2015 Favorites

September 2015 Favorites
1. Turbie Twist, $12.50 for 2 / 2. China Glaze Gelaze Recycle, $11
3. Ponds Luminous Finish BB+ Cream, $11 / 4.  L’Oreal Infalliable Shadow in Amber Rush, $6

My September 2015 Favorites are all inexpensive drugstore products! Aside from one being discontinued (jerks – but you can still find it on Amazon), they’re all accessible!

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2015 Holiday Sets

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Now that we’re nearly in October (tomorrow!), most (if not all) of the 2015 Holiday Sets have been announced.

I’m not impressed, unfortunately.

Actually, that’s not true – the Kat von D Mi Vida Loca Remix palette ($59) is so awe-inspiring that it is about beyond words, actually. Pretty sure it’s been out of stock since it hit the shelves and site though. Just look at it, though. It is colorful, but not jarring like UD Electric can be – and it. has. neutrals. to help balance out the brights. Santa?

2015 Holiday Sets - KvD Mi Vida Loca

Otherwise, though – not impressed. No one is killing it this year!

Too Faced always goes cutesy, but Jarrod’s vision this year is just weird. French-inspired cutesy. With sets like Le Grand Palais at Sephora for $59 (that looks oddly familiar)…

2015 Holiday Sets - Le Grand Palais

and La Petite Maison at Ulta ($39; actually has many of the same shades as Everything Nice; pretty sure none of them are unique to this palette)… meh.

2015 Holiday Sets - Too Faced La Petite Maison

I’ve already talked about Vice-however-many, $59. I’ve been over it. No need to go into it more, here.

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