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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Worth it? Josie Maran Argan Milk

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Josie Maran Argan Milk

Having enjoyed Josie Maran’s 100% Pure Argan Oil, when Sephora started offering a wee bottle ($20, 0.33oz) I decided to pick it up to try.

This is not the original formulation of the product. Evidently what I purchased is (at minimum) a second generation of the Josie Maran Argan Milk. I set forth to use it in the same manner as I have been using the original Argan Oil – at night, after removing makeup and cleansing my skin, apply a thin layer to my face (a tiiiny bit more around my eye area), and massage in for 30-60 seconds.

With the, “pure,” oil, it usually sinks in and feels absorbed, which is within 5-10 minutes. I can go to bed (I take evening showers) without getting my pillowcases oily.

With the Josie Maran Argan Milk, however… we’re looking, optimistically, at thirty minutes. I find that this tends to sit on top of my skin doesn’t have the decency to bother fully absorbing.

After two weeks of religious, nightly use, I noticed no difference in my skin’s overall condition or level of moisture. Without any other changes in my skincare routine, I also noticed a few minor blemishes near my jawline; they did not become large or inflamed, nor did they come to a head; several days after discontinuing use, they seemed to disappear.

The Bottom Line

Looks like the once-loved-by-many Josie Maran Argan Milk is not what it once was claimed (by fans) to be. I’ve since read recent reviews from other disappointed customers who echo my sentiments of it sitting atop the skin rather than sinking in, and having little real efficacy beyond the superficial. Alas, it isn’t worth it – unfortunately, I can’t speak to the original formula, but now? Don’t waste your money.

As for me? I’m someone who rarely returns products, but this is going back.

St Tropez at Costco

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Do you use self-tanner?

St Tropez at Costco
St Tropez at Costco

I haven’t tried popular self-tanning favorite St Tropez, but I think calling it a cult item would be plenty fair. This recent find might make me give it a shot once I finish up my Million Dollar Tan Cabana Tan lotion(s).

I found that Costco.com carries the 8oz St Tropez mousse for $26 + $2.99 shipping – a steal, compared to Sephora’s $42 and $5.95 shipping unless you have Sephora Flash or spend $50+ to get free shipping. Hell, even Amazon only has the 8oz priced at $38! Unfortunately, this is one of the items on their site that does require a membership (not all items do), but if you have one anyway it’s a no-brainer.

If you’re attached to your tan, in the market, not thrilled with drugstore tanners, want to trim the fat from your tanning budget, this might be a good deal to check out.

Also hey – I realize the timing of this is pretty close to my Kirkland Makeup Wipes post, but Costco doesn’t know who I am. I mean, I bought a membership so they know who I am in that sense but there’s no relationship other than…I buy their stuff with money I earn at my non-blog-related day job.

Sephora Glitter Happy Brush Set

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Even though I’m not blown away by the big brands’ holiday mega sets, the approaching holidays mean that Sephora tends to have a lot of interesting stuff (like the Bite duo minis).

During my routine browsing, I came across the Sephora Glitter Happy Brush Set.

Sephora Glitter Happy Brush Set
Sephora Glitter Happy Brush Set

Featuring six brushes with rosy handles and a cute (what appears to be) acrylic holder stand with rosy glitter embedded in it. Going at $85, it is not an inexpensive gift, but it is pretty and at least somewhat practical (the third brush from the left looks like it wants to be a blending brush, but I think the bristles might be a smidge long for controlled blending – but that’s a preference thing, that doesn’t make it bad).

But doesn’t it look familiar?

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Trying Something New: Kirkland Daily Facial Towelettes

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Recently, my husband and I got a Costco membership. Generally speaking, toiletries don’t tend to be the best values there (but I’m fine with buying things there for the convenience). It’s also fairly common knowledge that the in-house Kirkland Signature brand is pretty good quality, and items under that brand are often manufactured by major labels. Although I’m satisfied with the makeup removing wipes I’ve been using, I decided to try Costco’s Kirkland Daily Facial Towelettes. So I decided to drop $11.99 for a box of 150.

Kirkland Daily Facial Towelettes
Kirkland Daily Facial Towelettes, $11.99, Costco

The 150 are broken down into six smaller packages as follows:

  • Four 30-count plastic pouches with flip-top lids
  • Two 15-count plastic pouches with resealable sticker lids

When you consider that I’ve been playing roughly $5 (though I do usually have a coupon) for 25 of the Simple branded wipes, and $4-5 for thirty of the Ponds ones, 2-3x as much for 5-6x the product is a great value; a no brainer if they work and don’t break me out.

The caveat, of course, of bulk buying is that it’s a pretty big commitment. I tend to use one wipe per day I wear makeup (which is not every day); if I wear it 5 out of 7 days in a week, it will take me upwards thirty weeks to get through these. Even if I don’t love them, as long as they don’t break me out I will use them up so I’m not wasting product.

I haven’t broken into them yet, but plan to this week. After I’ve had some time to assess their quality and performance, I’ll report back with a review.

Do you have any experience with Kirkland Daily Facial Towelettes or other Kirkland Signature beauty products?