After I made the decision to renew VIB Rouge for 2016, I received an email from Sephora letting me know that my “Rouge Status is solid until December 31, 2017” and that I could pick up my VIB Rouge renewal gift if I haven’t already. And they showed a picture of the Nars blush that I wanted! 
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
I first gained VIB Rouge status in 2013 with the inception of Sephora’s Rewards Program’s highest tier. I was really excited to see what exclusive perks were in store as a VIB Rouge and all that came with this elite level.
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
We went to Sephora’s VIB Rouge “Beauty Before Brunch” event this morning and we had a great time. The Beauty Before Brunch event was an exclusive VIB Rouge shopping event to launch the 15% off spring sale. I attended last year’s spring event, and overall, I would say that this event was better.
I RSVP’d right away for myself and a guest. We arrived today at around 9:30am and they checked us in at a table near the entrance — everyone was super friendly and energetic. I was really fun to be around people who are all excited about beauty, skincare and makeup.
For the Sephora VIB Rouge event there was a small setup of food in the back of the store — way smaller than last year’s spread. It was kind of disappointing, but I didn’t come here for the muffins & bagels…
I already had a list ready to go…with a few minor changes. And I found everything on my list! Yay!
I got the new Marc Jacobs #InstaMarc Light Filtering Contour Powders in 40 Mirage. This was the main reason I went into the store instead of ordering online. The 40 Mirage shade has been sold out online for a while but they said it was available in store. I went to the Marc Jacobs section right away and they were out of this color….I was super sad until I turned around and saw it on a “Contouring” podium. hallelujah!
These powders are so soft and the brush is mega soft, plus the compact is HUGE!!! I can’t wait to use it!
With 15% off, I picked up another Tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Foundation. I love the coverage of this foundation and how easy it is to apply. I first picked this up at Sephora’s Spring Sale last year!
I picked up the Dior Lash Plumping Serum as an eyelash primer and I got the waterproof version of my favorite mascara — Lancome Hypnose Drama!
I’m really happy with my purchases and the sample baggie we got. Great customer service today as well — really makes VIB Rouge feel a little extra special. We got a ton of awesome samples and color matched for two great foundations. Everyone was awesome today and I’m really happy we went.
What did you pick up today? Or what will you be getting during the sale? 🙂
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
1. Starbucks Gift Card | Starbucks, various denominations
If your Valentine likes Starbucks, gift cards are the way to go. They even have cute, Valentine’s Day themed cards online and in-store. Even just $5 is super sweet to give to school friends, family or a co-worker.
2. Veranda Place Bee Wristlet | Kate Spade, $98
This wristlet is so cute! Pink with bows? You can’t go wrong. It’s great because it can hold your cards & money and be a sort of on-the-go wallet or throw it in your purse to help you stay organized. Perfect for your sister or best friend….or yourself!
3. togoPower Boost Keychain | Photojojo, $40
This keychain holds up to 1.5 hrs of extra battery life for your phone. It’s small and fits on your key ring. This would be great for anyone, even the guy in your life. A boost of power can help you stay connected with your Valentine when they need it most.
4. Valentine’s Day socks | Nordstrom, $10
Everyone loves a cute pair of socks. These pink, heart socks are sweet and cozy. Perfect for your sister or school friends. Tie them up with a ribbon and some candy & you’re good to go!
5. Too Faced Plump Gloss Glow | Sephora, $42
This set from Sephora comes with a mascara, nude lipstick, and a heart shaped pink blush. Very Valentine’s Day appropriate! The blush looks nice and rosy with a shimmer highlighter built in. A great Valentine’s Day gift for the makeup lover in your life.
6. Rue iPhone 5 Case | Marc Jacobs, $48
This iPhone case is so fun and pink! With a black cat with white mascara detail around the eyes, this gift is perfect for your best friend or sister who like trendy things or anything Marc Jacobs. The case bulges in certain areas around the phone so you’ll always have a good grip!
7. “Love Edge” Stud Earrings | Marc Jacobs, $42
Sleek, simple heart earrings are perfect for a casual day or a romantic Valentine’s Day evening. Delicate & dainty and perfect for the girly girl in your life.
8. Hanalei Triangles iPhone 5 Case | Pura Vida Bracelets, $20
This case is fun and beachy. Perfect for your friend who isn’t really into Valentine’s, but you still want to get them something. It has a slightly romantic feel with the layers of colors, but it’s perfect to give year round. Check the site for other fun case options!
9. Heart Compact | Marc Jacobs, $7
This mirrored compact is super cute to give to your teammates, school friends or anyone who would like a heart shaped mirror. At just $7, it’s a cute gift for everyone.
10. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Gift Trio | Sephora, $120
My favorite fragrance of all time! Flowerbomb is a super floral scent that just makes you happy when you smell it. This set comes with the fragrance, a shower gel, and a body cream. And if you get it from Sephora with your Beauty Insider card, you’ll earn triple points. This gift is great for a girlfriend/wife.
11. Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Complexion Kit | Sephora, $68
This set is perfect for your mother, your sister, or anyone who likes makeup/skincare. The set comes with a bottle of the Josie Maran Argan Oil Light, Cheek Gelée, Matchmaker Powder Foundation, and Matchmaker Serum Foundation. It’s limited edition and there are three color options.
12. Dior Creme de Rose Lip Balm | Sephora, $27
Love this lip balm! It’s amazing! Perfect for the bestie or family member in your life who cares about skincare or lip products. This balm will heal chapped, winter lips and can be used as a primer, on its own, or as a treatment. Plus, it’s sheer pink and romantic in its embelished white case.
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
Many of you may be traveling for the upcoming holidays. It’s always fun to go somewhere new or see friends & family, but it can be difficult deciding what to pack or just carrying everything you want.
I always try to pack just the “essentials” so my bags aren’t loaded down and I’ll have room in case I get a few souvenirs. You really need to ask yourself what you want; try to only bring products that have multiple uses. For example: with makeup, see if you can find a blush you like that can double as an eyeshadow. Or a dark eyeshadow that you can also use to fill in your brows. With beauty items, it can be a little more tricky. You don’t want to neglect your skin while you are on holiday, but you don’t want to carry your full sized bottles either.
This is where those sample sizes from Sephora or little mini bottles of products come in handy. I always save the samples for traveling because they hardly take up any room and you can just discard them when you are done. If you don’t have the sample sizes of the product you want to bring with you, there are always those mini travel bottles you can buy at the drugstore.
Here’s my travel makeup bag:
This bag is actually a clutch from the Marc Jacobs collaboration with Target last year; it’s a shiny metallic pouch that’s fairly large and fits all you see here ^ very nicely.
Here’s my skincare and toiletries bag:
This bag was a gift with purchase at Victoria’s Secret a few years ago. It’s metallic gold, but has vertical pink stripes inside and it’s pretty large.
What’s inside?
Let me know if you have any holiday travel plans coming up and what your must-have beauty travel essentials are! ❤
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
Back in August, I told you about my Sephora haul where I picked up the MARC JACOBS BEAUTY Genius Gel Super-Charged Foundation for my birthday. I’ve had a couple of months to use the product and I’m ready to give a review!
First off, there is NO SPF in this foundation and I am all about protecting my skin from the sun’s UV rays. I’ll use a sunscreen (usually Neutrogena’s dry touch SPF) as a moisturizer before applying the foundation.
Cost
$48 for 1oz. Kind of pricy, I think, for what you really are getting.
Packaging
The foundation comes in a sleek glass bottle with a shiny black cap that removes to reveal a pump dispenser. I always prefer a pump because it allows me to control the amount of foundation I use and it’s more hygienic than an open bottle or compact. The bottle is very substantial, and I’m sure that it’s part of that high price tag, but it’s heavy and kind of bulky if you were to travel with it.
Consistency
The formula really is different than other liquid foundations. The “gel” is almost smooth like a primer. It’s still runny like a liquid, but thicker and very light weight. The gel does make it nice to apply though and a little goes a long way. One pump can give me light coverage for my face and neck.
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
This is pretty much what I wear on days when I wear makeup! My go-to bag of goodies!
From Left, up, then Right, down:
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
This book is all about improving your life by being mindful of what is happening right now. I first read this book a couple of years ago and it’s great. How many times are you walking to class or your car or at the mall and you’re on your cell phone? Or how often are you thinking about the XYZ you have to do tomorrow or next week instead of paying attention to what you are doing right now? All we have is the present — this moment. Skillful Means is all about living in the moment you are in; being mindful about what is going on around you. No distractions — just really being self aware and clearing your mind. It’s a great book that will help you focus and appreciate what’s happening all around you.
From now until October 1, Starbucks is doing their Star Dash. Basically, it’s another incentive for you to go to Starbucks during certain times of the year in order to accumulate stars to earn a gift card. This “Star Dash” is different from the stars you earn with the Rewards Card, although, you do need a rewards card to participate. Separate from the regular stars you earn with the Rewards Card, these “Star Dash” stars will give you $5 or $10 gift cards depending on how many you get before the deadline. Each transaction will ear you one star. I’m on my way to earning the $10 gift card!
New favorite sandwich for sure. I was looking for some meatless options at different restaurants and a friend suggested I try this sandwich from Panera. It’s amazing — lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, red peppers, cilantro/jalepeño hummus, and feta swiss cheese (I prefer swiss) on tomato basil bread. I bought ingredients today to make my own version at home! YAY!
I love the clean look and feel of the iOS7 update. I have the iPhone 4S and my camera app is faster and I really like having the “live filters”. Command Center is great and I really like all the new ringtones/sounds. It’s neat to have the option to block contacts and to be able to multi-task between apps.
Clear is a simple task management/list application. It’s clean and easy to navigate with lots of color schemes to choose from.
iTunes radio is basically like Pandora. I prefer it because it’s already integrated into iTunes and it remembers the songs I’ve listened to and makes it easy for me to purchase them if I choose. You can create your own “stations” and mark that you like certain songs. There’s even a Top 100 iTunes radio and you can listen to a shuffle of all the Top 100 songs on iTunes. I think this is awesome for getting high quality audio for more than just a preview of a song you might be interested in buying.
It was actually through iTunes Radio that I first heard “Shot At The Night”. ^^^
The Killers songs are always a little vague, but this one seems to be about taking this once in a lifetime opportunity to get out of a situation that is stale and move on to a life that is exciting and full of happiness. I love this. Plus who doesn’t love a nice 80’s synth ballad! Yay for new music from The Killers! I’m excited for Direct Hits to come out in November.
This mirror is great for applying makeup or tweezing your brows. With 8xs magnification and 360 degree rotation, you’ll be sure to see exactly what you are doing!
I’m surprised this brush doesn’t have better reviews online. A lot of people are saying the brush sheds, but I’ve never experienced any shedding. I really like this brush. I use it to apply my Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Foundation. The brush gives my skin an even, airbrushed yet natural look. The natural and synthetic fibers work together to give a streak-free application that looks great all day.
This dress is super cute. I bought it for a friend’s wedding next month but I can see myself getting a lot of use out of it. The lace design is really pretty, but durable — this isn’t some dainty-be-careful-or-it’ll-rip lace. The A-line makes it flattering for all body shapes and it’s very comfortable on.
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
Yay for my birthday month and 3x’s the points at Sephora!
I’m super excited because I picked up some awesome things at Sephora, I received a special VIB samples pouch with my purchase, and a great VIB birthday gift….AND i earned triple points!
First off, I tried out Sephora + Pantone Color IQ device to help me find the perfect foundation color for my skin tone.
The device takes pictures of your skin and tells you your Color IQ number. I’m 4Y06 — then you take your Color IQ number and plug it into your phone or their iPads they have at the makeover station and it’ll tell you what foundation colors will be the perfect match for you in each brand.
So, I picked up the new MARC JACOBS BEAUTY Genius Gel Super-Charged Foundation in shade 22 Bisque Light. (See my review HERE)
I also picked up the Korres Lip Butter in Mango (they didn’t have the pomegranate kind in stock).
And this awesome eyeliner from Sephora. The design is perfect for your finger to wear like a little claw. It gives you a lot of control and the felt tip gives you a precise line. Yay!
Then, as extras for being a VIB, I got a deluxe samples pouch and a free birthday gift! So Great!
I’m very happy with my purchases and my freebies! Happy Birthday to me!