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What I Bought During the 2016 VIB Sale

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Although I am not buying holiday palettes, that doesn’t mean I’m not shopping. I hit the 20% off VIB Sale at Sephora on Friday. Today is the last day.

Tartelette In Bloom

Look! I’m a cliche! I bought another palette of neutrals, this time on recommendation of Stefanie Nicole of YouTube. I love her no-bullshit approach to … everything, and I trust her judgment. Here’s hoping it works out for me in a way that Naked2 just didn’t. Review to come once I’ve had time with it.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder

After almost a year with the travel size, I decided to invest in the full size. I have yet to hit pan, which I think says a lot about its longevity. I love the finish it gives with and without foundation, and at this rate it will last me forever. The travel sized compact is available for $22.

Colorswitch by Vera Mona

To me, this is definitely a splurge item. I can imagine that there are more cost-effective ways to do accomplish what this does. I decided to pay for convenience – and I will definitely report back on whether or not this is worth it.

VIB Sale Recap

I didn’t go crazy this year. In fact, I wouldn’t have even gotten the ColorSwitch if I hadn’t been a couple dollars shy of locking in VIB for 2017. I was going to buy a larger bottle of Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil but decided against it in favor of trying another variety (gasp, I know – last time that didn’t go so well).

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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Tarte Blissful

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Yet another little product from the Paint it Pink set, Tarte Blissful is an awesomely subtle powder blush from Tarte’s Amazonian Clay line. You’d have to be trying to overdo it with this in order to get any kind of awkward, unnatural look. Despite its appearance in the pan, it is a light, sheer shade once applied, and would suit light to medium skin tones both warm and cool. Regrettably, I don’t think it would do much for deeper skin, so I’d skip this if I were a deeper skin tone.

Tarte Blissful Amazonian Clay Blush

Blissful appears matte in the pan but has the slightest sheen – in the swatch on my finger below, the camera flash makes it look like more than it is. This is not a highlight-imbued blush like any of the Hourglass ALBs or like Milani Luminoso.

Tarte Blissful

Notice how pigmented it looks on my finger? That was about three passes of my ringfinger. You’d be hard pressed to get that level of payout on your face – which means it’s hard to overdo. I love that about Tarte Blissful; I definitely think it would be user-friendly for those just figuring out makeup. That way, if you’re inadvertently a little heavy-handed, you won’t look like you’ve been dabbling in clown makeup.

Below, you can see it swatched and minimally blended on right right side of my wrist, here.

tarteblissful-swatch2Tarte Blissful, swatched

I’m definitely a fan of subtler blush shades (you will never catch me in a purple blush. EVER!) and Tarte Blissful delivers that.

As far as wear goes, I feel it disappears by six hours of wear – disappointing for Tarte’s Amazonian Clay blush line. I’m chalking that up as a challenge of being a light, sheer shade. Pleasantly, needing to refresh an existing application is smooth and does not end up looking, “broken up,” or awkward.

The Bottom Line

I’m glad this was in the Paint it Pink set; I wouldn’t have purchased it on my own. Unfortunately, Tarte Blissful misses the mark on being universally flattering, and it does not have the most incredible longevity. It is pretty, easy to apply, blend, and reapply, and would be a really nice first blush for a makeup newbie. There is also a corresponding blush balm stain that could probably be used in concert with the powder blush to enhance longevity. You can purchase this at Sephora, Ulta, and Macy’s.

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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Tarte Energy Skintuitive Cheek Stain

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Tarte Energy Skintuitive Cheek Stain
I received the Tarte Energy Skintuitive Cheek Stain at the same time as I received the Josie Maran Argan Infinity Duo – and I was just as skeptical about this as I was about them. In fact, I may have been moreso.

Rather than a cream formula, Tarte’s cheek stains are gel-based in a stick form. Tarte Energy Skintuitive Cheek Stain, specifically, is a translucent, colorless stick. Once you haphazardly smear it onto your face (well, your skin), a color develops.

You see, Tarte Energy Skintuitive Cheek Stain is kind of one of those, “slap it on and develops into a color that suits you,” type thing. Mood ring voodoo. Novel, yes, but not something I’m slapping on and wearing out without any idea of what I’m getting into. So of course, I swatched it:

Tarte Energy Skintuitive Cheek Stain Forearm Swatch

Going on, it kind of feels like one of those clear sunscreen sticks…or what I imagine a glue stick feels like. But that’s what the color looks like on me. Not really my most flattering shade; cool tones aren’t my best bet for blush.

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