Even though the weather has decided to get a head start on things over the past few weeks, it is finally officially the first day of fall! As much as I love the summertime, my inner New Englander does appreciate fall just about as much. From the changing leaves, to pumpkin everything, to apple picking, to breaking out the boots and sweaters and scarves there is a lot to look forward to over the coming months.
I have SO many things I have to share with you all. Right now I literally have about 5 different posts in progress - my September favorites, my Birchbox and Glambag reviews, a quick overview of the awesome haul I got at the Grand Opening of the new ULTA a few towns over, and my thoughts on the timeless red lip. I have had such a crazy week though, and this is the first day that I'm actually able to sit down and write. So...expect a lot of updates over the next couple of days as I'm finally able to wrap things up!
In the meantime, I have a long overdue review of my haul from the Sephora Summer Sale. A lot of these products are still available at the discounted price, so you may able to snag them if you are interested.
There were a lot of really great offerings in the sale section from Tarte. I've tried a few different products from their Amazonian Clay line, and have generally been pretty happy with them, so I was excited to have the opportunity to try some new things without having to break the bank.
The first thing I put in my shopping cart was Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush. I've heard such great things about this blush, but I didn't really want to drop $26.00 to try it out, especially considering how many blushes I already have in my collection. But, for $14.00 I sort of felt like I would kick myself later if I didn't order one. Apparently I made the right decision, because all of the sale colors were sold out within less than 24 hours. I chose Flush, a bright berry-pink, which I thought would be a lot of fun for fall.
The color payout on this blush is pretty spectacular. You need just the tiniest amount of product to get perfectly rosy cheeks. It's a pretty decently sized product, so I can imagine it will last me a very, very long time. If you are in the market for a new blush, I would highly recommend checking out this line. There are so many beautiful colors, some with shimmer, some without, and I think that even at the full price you'll find them to be a worthy investment.
I did see another Tarte cheek product in the sale shop that seemed interesting to me - Maracuja Cheek Tint. I've tried Tarte's Cheek Stains before, and have generally liked them, so I was curious as to how this product would compare. I think the most appealing thing about this product to me was that it comes in a pump format, versus a stick or pot where it's easy to contaminate the entire product with bacteria from your fingers or face. There weren't any reviews on this product, as it said it was new to the Sephora store, but at a sale price of $10.00 (versus $25.00) I figured I might as well take a risk and try it out.
There were three color options - Sheer Red, Light Pink, and Light Nectar. I went with the Light Nectar, as I've found that the yellow undertones of a more peachy or tangerine blush compliment my skintone well. It comes out of the bottle a very bright neon orange, but is actually very sheer and pretty on the skin. It is super long lasting, and will give you a natural looking flush all day. It can be a bit tricky to apply, and can be splotchy if you use too much product, or don't blend quickly after applying to your cheeks. Still, I think it was definitely worth the $10 I paid for it.
The next thing that piqued my interest was this Stila Long Wear Lip Color. I've been getting into wearing lipstick a lot more lately, especially after all of the great finds I've had from joining Birchbox and Ipsy. There were quite a few color options for this product, but I decided to go with Daring, a dark burgundy wine color, since I thought it might be a lot of fun for a bold fall inspired lip. They are regularly priced at $20.00, but I was able to snag it for only $12.00.
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| Stila Long Wear Lip Color in Daring |
The formula is super creamy and glides on easily, and the color is very rich and pigmented. Daring is a very bold color, and I think I might need to tone it down a little with a nude lipstick depending on the occasion. It does hold up well (as a long wear lip stick should), so I think this would be a great wear-to-work kind of product that will get you through the day with minimal touch ups. The crayon format is a little difficult to apply precisely, though, so I highly suggest using a coordinating lip liner before applying to make it look crisp.
The next couple of products that I picked up were fun splurges. I really like the Sephora + Pantone Universe collaboration that has been happening over the past couple of years. They have released some really interesting products with decent quality. I've also found that if you are patient, you can often pick up many things at crazy reduced prices when they are phasing out a particular collection to make way for a new one. Last year I was able to get a $50 eyeshadow palette for $14! This time around I was able to snatch up a few eye products from the Color of the Year collection, which for 2013 is Emerald.
The first thing I went for was the Sephora + Pantone Universe Lightspeed Glitter Dust in Emerald, on sale for only $7.00 (regularly $14). It's a really beautiful shimmering loose pigment that goes on a bit sheer but can be layered for a really intense opaque finish. I don't often wear bold colors on the eye, but this is super, super pretty. I like to pair it up with the Sephora + Pantone Universe Graphic Lift Liquid Eyeliner in Emerald, which I will use to double-line my eyes along side a black liquid liner. You can still get this liner in the Sephora online shop for only $9 (regularly $17).
Here's a side-by-side swatch comparison of the two. The glitter dust is to the left, while the liner is to the right. The glitter dust has a slightly bluer tint to it, but they are both really gorgeous colors. I think I will definitely be rocking both of these products when I'm going out for the evening.
So there you have it! All in all I think I made out pretty great with my little shopping spree. Between my savings and my little Fresh freebie I saved myself over $60...not too shabby I think! If you are on a tight budget there are always so many great sales and promotions going on at Sephora and other beauty retailers. And as always, if I see or hear of anything I will definitely try to keep you all posted.
Until next time, stay shopping savvy and stay gorgeous!
Lauren
