Worth It

Aveeno Nourish Condition Leave In

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Aveeno Nourish + Condition Leave InAveeno Nourish Condition Leave In

I searched for a leave-in conditioner for ages and came up dry (I do not apologize for puns). I guess they’re not cool right now in the era of hair serums and oils. For me, Josie Maran Argan Oil is too rich (literally and fiscally) for my hair. About a month before my trip, after ages of scouring stores, I discovered and ordered the Aveeno Nourish Condition Leave In from drugstore.com.

When Aveeno’s Nourish+ collection of haircare came out eons ago, I tried and loved the Nourish + Soothe line, but it got discontinued. I was excited to see how this leave-in would treat me but also a little nervous considering the way my hair likes to behave when it comes to protein treatments. I decided to try anyway, because (for instance), keratin and silk proteins are different from wheat protein. It might not be all bad (for me), right?

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Sephora Play June 2016

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Sephora Play June 2016Sephora Play June 2016

Never having jumped on the subscription box bandwagon, in May I signed up for Sephora Play! I received my first box in mid-June, and finally have time to talk about it what I got!

Tocca Florence

I’m highly picky about fragrances. When I realized this was a floral, I nearly tossed it out without popping the cap off the vial. I decided that wasn’t fair, so I removed the stopper and…was pleasantly surprised! For the first time since the Marc Jacobs Daisy line, I’ve found a pleasant floral. That said, I’m not going to rush out and buy a full sized, $68 bottle of Florence. I will enjoy this sample vial, but juggling several bottles of perfume is not for me. I would consider buying a rollerball. If you like subtle florals and are in the market, give this a shot.

Tarteguard

I’ve always thought that the packaging for Tarte’s sunscreen was cute, but I didn’t give the product much consideration. If I was going to drop $32 on a sunscreen, I’d probably go Shiseido, Clinique, or Murad…or I’d go with a BB Cream product. So far, I’ve used Tarteguard on my hands and forearms only – where it has done a good job. I was reluctant to introduce change to my routine so soon after finding a routine that my skin is responding well to (plus I <3 my Biore one!). Furthermore, the reviews this sunscreen has received have indicated a high incidence of breakouts in relation to use. Unfortunately it isn’t going anywhere near my face anytime soon. It DOES has a faint, pretty scent that I can’t place and none of that nasty, “sunscreen smell.” For what it’s worth, a fellow, makeup-obsessed friend swears by this stuff and reports that it doubles as a good primer.

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Ulta Platinum vs Sephora VIB

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Ulta Platinum vs Sephora VIBUlta Platinum vs Sephora VIB

Beauty chains companies are realizing that they have a a fiercely loyal group of customers that it is wise to maintain. Ulta features Ultamate Rewards and Sephora features Beauty Insider, respectively. They work differently and have different perks but they do have one thing in common – a tier system to reward their, “frequent fliers,” and top spenders with premium perks. So when it comes down to Ulta Platinum vs Sephora VIB which wins?

In late 2014, I hit Platinum status at Ulta and got to keep that status this year. I have no idea how this happened (reality, not being cute); I was shopping at Ulta less frequently than Sephora and I tended to spend less there; so I’m chalking it up to occasionally shopping with a friend who was content to have her purchases apply for my rewards.

In Spring 2015, with the purchase of the Silk’n Flash n Go Freedom (no longer sold at Sephora) and the Foreo Issa, I hit VIB at Sephora.

So between Ulta Platinum vs Sephora VIB – which is better?

This was originally published in December of 2015, but felt it could use some refreshing. Not joining rewards programs is like leaving money and/or product on the table, so I want to help educate my readers!

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Worth it? Beauty Subscription Boxes

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beauty subscription boxes

Subscription boxes in general are everywhere, catering to various interests and desires. There are boxes for people who want purportedly healthy snacks, boxes for dog owners, boxes for geeks, and, what’s relevant to this blog, beauty subscription boxes.

Like other subscriptions, beauty subscription boxes do several things. They:

  • Give us something to look forward to. Admit it, you like receiving packages.
  • Create an opportunity to try items that we might not otherwise choose to buy for ourselves.
  • Yield the novelty of a value set month-after-month.
  • Enable smaller or newer brands to get their good name out there.
  • Provide a way for established brands to generate buzz about new products.
  • Offer an outlet for brands or retailers to deal with overstock.

Some companies offer subscription boxes for $10 per month (or less if you agree to six months or a year). I’ve tossed around the idea, but until now, I’ve let it go. Here’s why:

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Worth it? China Glaze Coloured Nail Spray

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cgspray_packaging

Having seeing aerosol nail polish online and on Instagram for a couple months now I picked up a can of China Glaze Coloured Nail Spray on a recent trip to Ulta. It seems entirely too good to be true…so I wanted to show you, dear reader. Priced at roughly $10 normally but on sale as low as $5.99, China Glaze Coloured Nail Spray comes in four colours:

Platinum Silver which I bought

  • Magenta Shimmer
  • Purple Shimmer
  • Bright Blue

The usage instructions call for using China Glaze’s Strong Adhesion Base Coat, two coats of the spray letting each dry, then seal with a top coat. After that’s dry, go wash your hands.

I instead used ORLY Bonder base coat because it’s not only what I had, but also because it really does a great job helping non-gel polish adhere. I applied one coat of that and let it dry.

Then, not knowing what to expect output and odor wise, I went outside to apply. My house is small and not well-ventilated, so I didn’t want to cause discomfort for my husband, cats, or myself. China Glaze Coloured Nail Spray applies very much so like spray paint – I worked in short bursts to cover all my nails. Don’t try to avoid getting it on your skin; it won’t happen. (If you’re concerned, you can tape off your skin so a smaller margin of product ends up on your skin.

1805-2016-042746860438526755

I immediately noticed:

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Becca Rose Gold

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This is one of the eight items in the Sephora Paint it Pink set.

I destroyed my only highlighter a few months ago. I wasn’t upset; it was glittery and not terribly flattering on me. I don’t contour much, and I strobe even less than that (aka never), but I did want something to fill that void at some point. I didn’t know what I wanted. Cream? Powder? What color? The super popular one from Becca and a certain YouTuber? No; it’s too much (visually). I don’t want to look like a disco ball; I am neither seventeen nor a pop star nor a YouTuber whose life revolves around being glamorous AF. The look would not suit my features or needs. So this set decided for me.

DSC_0359 Becca Rose Gold Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed

When I first cracked open Rose Gold, I got concerned that it would be too dark for me; that it might be better suited for a person with a deeper complexion than mine.

I swatched it on the back of my arm, though, and most of my concerns eroded away.

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