• Haul | November 2022 Sephora VIB Sale

    Hi Everyone!

    I know it’s a bit late, but I’m sharing what I bought from the Sephora Holiday Sale!

    I picked up a few things in store on the first day:

    Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette – I know I’m super slow to buy this, but I’ve been debating which eyeshadow I wanted to get for years. I finally decided to get this one.

    TULA Prime of Your Life Smoothing & Firming Treatment Primer (check out my TULA Hits & Misses post)

    First Aid KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub with 10% AHA

    Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Custom Finish Powder Foundation (left – 220 Linen, right – 250 Sand)

    And I ordered more online after browsing:

    Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Custom Finish Powder Foundation in 250 Sand – I bought the shade 220 Linen for my mom during a sale last year. She hadn’t started using it until recently. She realized it was too light for her so she gave it to me and asked me to order a darker shade. So I chose 250 Sand. Comparing the two, 250 Sand looks lighter than 220 Linen – 220 Linen looks more orange. So I ended up returning 250 Sand and getting 310 Silk which looks a bit darker.

    Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm Makeup Remover (variety size – 200mL)

    Yves Saint Laurent Libre Eau De Parfum – I wanted to try a new perfume and I sprayed this one in person when I went to the store. Apparently I wasn’t paying attention because I sprayed the Eau de Toilette in the store. There was barely anything left in the bottle, so I didn’t notice the colour was different. I don’t know why, but I didn’t spray it on me and just decided to purchase it. This was a mistake lol. The Eau de Parfum is too sweet for my liking. It gave me a headache. I went back to the store and sprayed the Eau de Toilette, but it was a bit too powdery for my liking. I actually preferred the Gucci Bloom one, but I’m going to keep browsing until I make a decision.

    2 x Morphe Highlight & Contour Beauty Sponges 

    What did you pick up during the sale?

    Love,

  • thekshop.ca k-beauty haul

    Haul | K-Beauty Skincare from thekshop.ca

    Hi Everyone!

    Today, I’m sharing a K-beauty haul! I made an order from thekshop.ca…even though I have a lot of skincare to try already. Here’s what I ended up ordering:

    • Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser | $18.99
    • Nacific Holiday-Edition Special Bundle (Cica) – NACIFIC X Stray Kids | $99
      • Fresh Cica Plus Clear Toner | $23.99
      • Fresh Cica Plus Clear Serum | $24.99
      • Fresh Cica Plus Clear Cream | $25.99
      • Vitamin C Newpair Cream (Spot Treatment) | $16.99
      • 2 x Fresh Herb Origin Clear Spot Patches (18 per pack) | $5.99 x 2 = $11.98
      • 8 Stray Kids Christmas Photocards
      • 8 Stray Kids The Comeback of Hologram Photocards
    • Klairs Fundamental Nourishing Eye Butter | $31.99
    • samples: 3 x Iunik Black Snail Restore Serum
    The photocards on the top are the holographic ones. That’s why there’s a rainbow across some of their faces.

    All the products in the Holiday bundle add up to $103.94 if you buy them separately. They also threw in the Nacific Salicylic Acid Clarifying Mask Pack ($3.99) which was a nice little bonus. They packaged the products individually, instead of sending them in the holiday box as pictured on their website. I was fine with this because it would be silly to pack a box in another box. Especially when each product also comes in boxes.  The photocards come in plastic sleeves to protect them. One thing I was worried about though was that they put an elastic around the cards to secure them. It creased the edges of the plastic sleeves a bit, but the photocards were fine. I think it would’ve been better to package the cards into a larger sleeve/bag to keep them together. You don’t want the photocards to get damaged, especially if you’re buying the skincare set just for the 16 photocards.

    I haven’t tried any of the products yet, but I look forward to trying all of them. I wanted to try Cica because I’ve read that it’s good for redness and irritation. My face has gotten clearer lately, but I still have redness around my nose.   

    Other skincare products I want to try in the future:

    • Beauty of Joseon Serums
    • Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm
    • Dear, Klairs – Midnight Blue Calming Cream
    • KraveBeauty Great Barrier Relief
    • KraveBeauty Kale-Lalu-yAHA
    • KraveBeauty Oat So Simple Water Cream

    I also wanted to get a lip product, but they didn’t have any of the shades in stock:

    • rom&nd Juicy Lasting Tint
    • rom&nd Zero Velvet Tint
    • Peripera Ink Mood Matte Tint
    • Etude House Fixing Tint

    Love,

    *All prices are in Canadian.

  • november 2021 sephora sale haul

    Haul | November 2021 Sephora Sale

    Hi Everyone!

    I’m sharing my Sephora sale haul today! I bought a few things for my mom and then I finally purchased some products that have been on my wishlist for a few years.

    Currently, I have Sephora VIB Rouge status, but I haven’t bought much makeup or skincare in the past two years, so my Rouge status will be downgraded next year. I decided to make some purchases with the 20% off while I still have it.

    Charlotte Tilbury Darling Eyeshadow Palette | $72

    I have been looking at eyeshadows for a while, this one was a bit of an impulse purchase, but the shades are so pretty. lately, I’ve been leaning toward warmer colours.

    Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter in 2 – Fair | $53

    I’ve had this on my wishlist for a long time. I hope it lives up to my expectations.

    Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Nude Bronze Light | $69

    The bronzer came broken :/ I contacted customer service to get a re-shipment, so just waiting for the new one to come in. This has also been on my wishlist for a long time. It was sad to open it and see some powder on the outside of the packaging. I knew right away that it was probably broken.

    MAC Cosmetics Mineralize Blush in Sweet Enough | $35

    I bought this for my mom. She previously really loved the powder blush in Mocha, which I also bought. I thought she might like a baked blush more since she got hard pan quite often with the powder blush.

    MAC Cosmetics Powder Blush in Mocha | $32

    Sephora Collection PRO Powder Brush #50 | $45

    I got this brush for my mom. She mentioned that her powder foundation was providing more coverage than she wanted. She prefers a more sheer coverage. Right now, she’s using a denser brush, so I thought a slightly fluffier one might do the trick.

    Sephora Collection PRO Highlight Brush #98 | $40

    I have a Sephora PRO powder brush and it’s one of the softest brushes I own. I currently have a highlight fan brush from Winners. I thought it was time to get one that had a name brand.

    What did you purchase from the sale?

    Love,

    Credit: slideshow pictures taken from internet.

  • h&m style democracy warehouse sale

    Style Democracy H&M Online Warehouse Sale Review & Haul?

    Hi Everyone!

    I was scrolling through Instagram and the Style Democracy H&M Online Warehouse Sale came up. I took a look and ordered some things.

    Originally, this post was supposed to be a haul, but it has turned into more of a review…keep reading to find out why.

    I wanted to buy some loungewear because my current loungewear consists of old gym shorts and old volunteer t-shirts that I’ve received over the years. I was hoping to find some tshirts, sweatshirts and maybe some shorts or pants. I was excited because the sweatshirts looked cozy. I was also going to buy a belt for my mom, but the only ones available were thicker belts that are more for style than function. There were a few cute dresses on sale too, but

    1) I have no use for them

    2) I have too many clothes that I’ve never worn

    3) they weren’t available in my size anyway

    Here’s what I ended up ordering:

    The total was about $85 which isn’t too bad for 7 items. Only the sweatshirt dress and the black sweatshirt with zippers were over $10. I know I only chose basic colours, but I’m plain/neutral when it comes to my style. My closet mostly consists of black and dark blue. It said it would take 10-14 business days to process…

    July 16th (13 business days later) – My friend received a shipping notification for her order. She made her order on the same day as I did. 

    I decided that I would wait until the 15th or 16th day before sending them an email to ask for an update on my order.

    July 21st (16 business days later) – I sent them an email asking for an update.

    July 26th (almost a month placing the order) – I receive an email saying that my order has been cancelled and a full refund has been issued. See below

    July 30th – Paypal refund is still pending. I’ve read it could take up to a month for a Paypal refund? Also, I have yet to receive the discount coupon/free shipping for the H&M site.

    Aug 4th – received full refund, but have not received the ‘discount coupon/free shipping.’

    This would’ve been my first clothing purchase in a year. I haven’t bought any new clothes, I’ve only been selling my old clothes (check out my poshmark blog post). I’m not trying to complain about it since I did get a full refund, but it is disappointing that I had to wait almost a month until I got any information on my order. I know Style Democracy runs a ton of warehouse sales in collaboration with other brands, so I don’t know if it was because this was H&M’s first warehouse sale. I feel like they should have some idea of how much inventory they have. I ordered seven items and I didn’t even get a single item shipped.

    When it comes to warehouse sales, it’s probably best to go to the in-person ones. As long as you’re making sure to follow all the safety protocols in place. For me, it seems like the only warehouse sales that I have had a good experience are beauty ones. I’ve been to a Nordstrom Sale and I purchased a few items. From what I remember, that was before Nordstrom was in Canada (we might’ve had a few Nordstrom Rack stores in Ontario). I’ve also been to the Designer Shoe Sale in Markham (in 2019) and also popped into a Puma one that was there too. The MAC/Estée Lauder and Shiseido Warehouse Sales were the best.

    Love,

    *Pictures were taken from the Style Democracy website.

  • sephora haul 2020

    Mini Haul | August 2020 Sephora Sale

    Hi Everyone!

    I’m sharing what I bought from the Welcome Back Sephora Canada sale. If you spend $100, you get $20 off and if you spend $75, you get $15 off. Unlimited times for in-store and one time use online. For online, use code WELCOME BACK. The sale is on until August 23rd, 2020!

    I didn’t buy any new makeup since I haven’t been wearing any and have quite a bit of makeup to get through first. I chose 2 items I have been wanting to try and repurchased another one that I’ve reviewed before.

    Bite Beauty Agave+ Nighttime Vegan Lip Therapy (1st time trying) – A hydrating lip sleeping mask in a decadent, balm-to-oil formula, with a dreamy chamomile-bergamot scent, for more supple lips overnight.

    Glow Recipe Papaya Sorbet Smoothing Enzyme Cleansing Balm (1st time trying) – A PEG-free cleansing balm that smooths the look of skin with natural papaya enzymes, while melting away stubborn makeup, dirt, oil, and SPF.

    amika Soulfood Nourishing Hair Mask (repurchase) – A daily or weekly luxurious, deep conditioning treatment that completely restores and repairs dry, damaged hair.

    Glow RecipePapaya Sorbet Smoothing Enzyme Cleansing Balm

    I also redeemed some points. Both were 100 points:

    Becca Hydra-Mist Set & Refresh Powder (1st time trying) – A weightless setting powder that refreshes and cools the skin with all-day moisture.

    belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb (1st time trying) – A lightweight, refreshing eye cream that smooths fine lines with a 26-hour burst of moisture, boosts elasticity, and increases the resilience of the skin for flawless makeup application. 

    Love,

    *Descriptions taken from Sephora website.

  • 2020 Sephora VIB Sale Haul

    Haul | April 2020 Sephora VIB Sale

    Hi Everyone!

    Here’s my haul from the Sephora VIB Rouge Sale. I decided not to buy any new makeup because I already have more than enough makeup to get me through the year. So, I only purchased skincare and hair products…and one lip oil. I’ve been wanting to try Briogeo and other Volition Beauty products. I’ve tried the Celery Green Cream and Strawberry-C Brightening Serum from Volition Beauty. I thought I’d give their eye gel a try and also one of their serums. At the last minute, I decided to throw in a Sephora PRO eyeshadow brush.

    2020 Sephora VIB Sale Haul
    • Fresh Rose Cleansing Foam
    • Volition Beauty Snow Mushroom Water Serum
    • Volition Beauty Helix AM/PM Eye Gel
    • Jouer Cosmetics Essential Hydrating Lip Oil
    • Briogeo Scalp Revival Scalp Soothing Travel Kit
      • Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo
      • Scalp Revival Charcoal + Peppermint Oil Cooling Jelly Conditioner
      • Scalp Revival Charcoal + Tea tree Scalp Treatment
    • Briogeo Banana + Coconut Superfoods Shampoo & Conditioner Hair Pack
      • Be Gentle Be Kind Banana + Coconut Nourishing Superfood Shampoo
      • Be Gentle Be Kind Banana + Coconut Nourishing Superfood Conditioner
    • Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector
    • Tatcha Routine Refresher
      • The Deep Cleanse Exfoliating Cleanser
      • The Water Cream
    • Sephora PRO Fan Shadow Brush #25

    Will you be ordering anything during the sale?

    Love,

  • sephora vib sale haul 2019

    Haul | August 2019 Sephora VIB Sale

    Hi Everyone!

    Here’s what I bought from the Sephora VIB Sale last month. I made two separate orders:

    Laneige Multi CleanserA cleanser with Papaya Enzymes that removes makeup and impurities
     
    Amorepacific Purify & Polish Set – A daily, cleansing and exfoliating duo to reveal visibly smoother, refreshed skin
    • 0.5 oz/ 15 mL Treatment Cleansing Foam
    • 0.53 oz/ 15 g Treatment Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder
     
    Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder in 2 – A multipurpose, modern pressed powder sets, perfects, and finishes, leaving skin with a diffused, luminous glow
     
    Cover FX Pressed Mineral Foundation in G20 – A talc-free powder foundation that provides buildable coverage, a weightless matte finish, and shine control with kaolin clay
    Samples:
    • Tarte Creaseless Concealer
    • Stellar Limitless Foundation

    I bought the two powders for my mom. G20 was a bit light and golden, so I exchanged it for N30. I don’t think we’ve found her shade match in the Cover FX Powder yet.

    bareMinerals Beautiful Finish Foundation Brush – A finishing brush with synthetic fibers for sheer-to-full coverage of Original and Matte foundations
     
    Sephora Collection Solid Clean: Solid Brush Cleaner Mini – A gentle, solid sponge and brush cleanser featuring argan oil and a warm Moroccan fragrance
     
    Sephora Collection PRO Featherweight Powder Brush #91 – A lightweight powder brush to apply powder foundation and translucent powder to the face and body
     
    Cover FX Dewy Finish Setting Spray – A weightless, alcohol-free setting spray that locks in makeup for up to 12-hour wear while imparting a dewy, hydrated look
     
    Samples:
    • Laura Mercier Flawless Lumière Radiance-Perfecting Foundation
    • Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer in Vanilla, Custard, Hazelnut, Caramel

    Except for the solid brush cleaner, it’s the first time buying the products above. I haven’t opened the bareMinerals brush yet, but the Sephora PRO brush is soooo soft!! The brush has a tapered end that’s really skinny, so it’s a bit top heavy. I would recommend a different brush that has a more even weight distribution if you buff/swirl powder on.

    What did you pick up from the sale?

    Love,

  • My Biggest Sephora Sale Haul Yet! | May 2019

    Hi Everyone!

    If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know that I used to buy stuff from Sephora throughout the year at full price. I used to see Sephora hauls and wonder why people bought so much during the sale (10 or more products at a time) and would also buy backups of products. Now I know why! They’re stocking up in case they run out before the next sale! From now on, I will only buy makeup and skincare whenever there’s a sale. I made my biggest haul from Sephora and I split my purchases into three orders so that if it were to get lost or stolen, I wouldn’t lose all of the products.

    Some of the products that I bought were on my wishlist in January and October I bought enough products that I shouldn’t need to buy anything until the next sale comes around and to be honest, I am pretty close to my yearly budget already.

    Check out my blog post on my new beauty budget

    SKINCARE

    Youth To The People Cleanser + Cream Youth Duo Mini

    Youth To The People Superberry Hydrate and Glow Oil

    Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel

    MAKEUP

    Winky Lux Whipped Primer

    Touch In Sol No Poreblem Primer

    NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in Alaska

    Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Self-Setting Concealer in 21 Cinnamon

    Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder

    Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder in Medium

    bareMinerals Gen Nude Powder Blush in That Peach Tho

    Kevyn Aucoin The Precision Brow Pencil in Dark Brunette

    Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Brows Eyebrow Gel in Perfect Brow

    Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil: Eye, Lip & Brow Pencil in 502 Infinite Sand

    Jouer Cosmetics Essential Lip Enhancer Balm

    Sephora Favorites Lashstash To Go

    MAKEUP TOOLS

    Morphe Highlight & Contour Beauty Sponge

    Cinema Secrets Makeup Brush Cleaner Mini

    Love,

  • Haul | October 2018 Sephora VIB Rouge Sale

    Hi Everyone!

    I went a little crazy during the Sephora Sale! This is the most I’ve spent at Sephora in one go. I always saw these massive Sephora Hauls and thought, “Wow! This person bought so much!” But, those people are smart because there are usually 3 or more sales each year. So, if you buy everything you’ll need/want during a sale, you’ll be good for the next six months until the next sale. Over the years, I’ve been buying things during the sales AND also buying things throughout the year at full price! WHAT A DUMMY! From now on, I am only going to make purchases during the sales. This will also help me cut down on impulse buying because if I have to wait for the next sale, I can properly test things out and research reviews.

    If you read my wishlist, you’ll know that I didn’t pick up some things and I bought some things that weren’t on the wishlist.

    I didn’t pick up the MAC Fix+, Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector or the Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion, but I bought a Saturday Skin facial spray and eye cream, and I picked up the NARS Eyeshadow Base. I still have half a bottle of the Mac Fix+ and I’ve been using my Thayers Witch Hazel Toner as a spray as well, so I can probably replenish during the next Sephora sale.

    I didn’t get a chance to go in store to get a sample of the Waso Fresh Jelly Lotion, so I decided to pass on it this time. I still have my Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel, so I didn’t get the Origins Super Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Gel. I think I will skip on getting those types of spot treatments from now on because they have alcohol in them and tea tree oil has been working so far. I still have a concealer and colour corrector for under eyes, so I skipped the Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector. I have two brow pencils at the moment, so I didn’t get the Lancome Brow Pencil.

    All of my purchases were skincare, hair or makeup bases. I didn’t buy any eye, cheek or lip products because I’m trying to finish some of the products I already own before purchasing more. Everything is new to me; I haven’t previously purchased anything on the list. So, here’s what I purchased online during last week’s ROUGE sale.

    Saturday Skin No Bad Days Set

    • Daily Dew Hydrating Essence Mist
    • Rub-A-Dub Refining Peel Gel
    • Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream
    • Featherweight Daily Moisturizing Cream

    I’ve heard of Saturday Skin, but never tried anything. The brand is only available online for Sephora Canada. Although, sometimes I see things that are ‘online only’ in store, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen Saturday Skin in store. If I end up liking the products, I will pick up the full size bottles in the next sale.

    Sephora Daily Brush Cleaner

    I bought this years ago and it worked well, so I thought I would get it again. Although, it smells different than it used to (it used to be more perfume-y).

    KOPARI Coconut Deodorant

    I want to start using deodorant that doesn’t have aluminum in it and I’ve see good reviews on this and it smells really good.

    Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Long Wear Foundation Stick SPF21 in 260 Bisque N

    I know a lot of people love the Hourglass stick, but I wanted to try this one and review it first. I will eventually get my hands on the Hourglass stick. I’m planning to test this one out and see if I like it enough to keep it.

    Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage Concealer in 260 Bisque N

    I bought this concealer to match the foundation since they have the same shade names and I swatched them and it matches. Although, I think the foundation blends out a little better, so we’ll see if this is too dark for me.

    Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo

    The larger size wasn’t available, so I went with the travel size one.

    NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base in Medium

    I’ve seen a lot of positive reviews on their old eyeshadow base and a lot of people commented saying it should be tinted and now they’ve come out with a tinted one. I wanted to get an eyeshadow base that’s not as thick as others I’ve tried.

    Sephora Favorites Party Hair Kit

    • IGK Beach Club Texture Spray
    • Living Proof Full Dry Volume Blast
    • Amika Un.Done Volume & Texture Spray
    • Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1
    • Ouai Texturizing Hair Spray
    • Verb Sea Spray

    I wanted to try out some texturizing sprays, so I thought a Sephora Favorites Kit would be the best way to sample different brands since you get 6 travel-sized bottles.

    So, that’s all I bought online for this sale. Once I’ve properly tested out the products, I will review them on the blog and on Instagram.

    Spot any favourites from my haul? What did you purchase during the sale? If you wrote a post on your haul, link it down below!

    Love,

    jen

  • The Body Shop Skincare Haul | September 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    As you may have already gathered, I really like The Body Shop skincare products. The tea tree oil line has been great for controlling and preventing acne.

    Check out my reviews:
    Tea Tree Oil Anti-Imperfection Daily Solution (I don’t think they sell this anymore)
    Tea Tree Oil Targeted Gel Blemish Stick
    Colour Adapting BB Cream

    The Body Shop was having a Buy 2, Get 1 Free sale, so I decided to pick up products that I haven’t tried yet. I chose three of the tea tree oil products, an aloe cleanser and the pink grapefruit exfoliating gel scrub.

    Tea Tree Oil

    I tried this out already and it’s not oily like the Tarte Maracuja Oil (which I was expecting), it was similar to the Anti-Imperfection Daily Solution. It smells very strong (more than the solution).

    • Targeted care for blemished skin
    • Can be used direct on skin or for facial steaming
    • Soothing
    • Does not dry out skin

    Tea Tree Oil Anti-Imperfection Night Mask

    I have not tried this yet, but I’m excited to see how well it works.

    • Skin instantly looks and feels refreshed, purified, and soothed.
    • In the morning, imperfections* appear reduced.
    • Skin looks healthier, smoother, and mattified.
    • Improves appearance of pores.
    • Helps maintain clearer-looking skin.
    • Tone, texture, and oiliness
    • Features a refreshing memory-gel texture and is infused with tea tree oil grown in the foothills of Mount Kenya.
    • Alcohol-free, no pillow-staining formula.
    • TOP TIP: Pop the Night Mask in the fridge for an ultra-refreshing feeling.

    Tea Tree Oil Skin Clearing Mattifying Toner

    I haven’t tried this yet because I recently picked up the Thayers Witch Hazel toner and just started using it. I didn’t want to try too many new products all at once.

    • Refreshing, purifying toner
    • Made with purifying tea tree oil from the foothills of Mount Kenya
    • Removes residual make-up and impurities
    • Shake-to-activate mattifying powders reduce shine
    • Skin appears visibly clearer
    • Pores appear tighter

    Pink Grapefruit Exfoliating Body Scrub

    I’ve used their body scrub before, but they’ve reformulated it since then. I’ve tried the one that’s more like a sugar scrub. This one is interesting because it’s a gel texuture, but then when you rub it in, you can feel the grittiness of it. It smells refreshing and it works well. Is it worth $22 though? I’m not sure.

    • Body exfoliator
    • Smoothes and refines skin
    • Buffs away dead skin cells
    • Leaves skin beautifully softer and refined
    • Fresh, energizing gel texture
    • Energizing scent

    Aloe Vera Gentle Foaming Wash

    This is very light and I like that it’s foamy. My sensitive skin hasn’t reacted to it, but it is a bit pricey when it’s regular price.

    • Formulated for sensitive skin
    • Pure Community Trade aloe from Campeche, Mexico
    • No added fragrance, color or alcohol
    • Formulated without preservatives

    I will post reviews of the Tea Tree Oil products once I’ve tested them out properly.

    What are your fave Body Shop products?

    Love,

    jen