cynthianb
Member Since: April 10, 2013Reviews
Sephora
Sephora Sephora Sephora. What did I do before you came into my life? It's hard to believe that not so many years ago, I bought all my cosmetics and skin care without swatching or sampling them, and if (when) products didn't work out, I was just out... +
Sephora Sephora Sephora. What did I do before you came into my life? It's hard to believe that not so many years ago, I bought all my cosmetics and skin care without swatching or sampling them, and if (when) products didn't work out, I was just out of luck and out of money. I also thought my local drugstore had a great selection of products. And then came our Sephora store...
It's a love/hate relationship. I love being able to test and sample and touch the products. I love the huge selection of products I'd previously only seen online and talked about in YouTube videos. I love wandering around like a kid in a candy store and discovering something new.
But now that I've tried high end products with creamy formulas, rich pigmentation, beautiful packaging and just so many options, the drug store products I used to think were fine have now lost their luster. Unfortunately, my new appreciation of all that Sephora has to offer is a costly habit. Sales are infrequent and often only for members at a certain reward level.
Service is hit or miss. Sometimes you find a cast member who is attentive, knowledgeable and happy to make samples, sometimes you can't get anyone working to make eye contact with you. That said, their return policy is excellent - you can even return opened products if they didn't work for you. You can't say that for the local drugstore!
If you sign up for a Beauty Insider card, you earn points for each pre-tax dollar spent that can be accumulated and cashed in for some nice deluxe sized samples from time to time. There are additional benefits once you spend $350 in a calendar year (VIB) or if you break the $1000 mark (VIB Rouge). Everyone who signs up for a Beauty Insider card gets a free birthday gift - usually a deluxe sized sample set from a well known brand like Benefit or Marc Jacobs. Some years there have even been a choice between 2 sets! I think that's a pretty swell perk for a free membership with no purchase requirements!
A word of warning for Canadian shoppers to keep in mind - Sephora gift cards purchased in store cannot be redeemed online in Canada. This is a huge bummer, because some items are online only, some gift with purchase promotions are online only, and some people just buy someone a card thinking they don't need to be near a store to redeem it when in fact, they do. The fact that Sephora hasn't fixed this by now should embarrass them. It's disappointing, to be sure.
For better or for worse, though, I'm hooked. You might recognize other hopeless souls by the product swatches covering their arms and their credit cards in their hands. I think we're a pretty big club.
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Bath & Body Works
There are only a few stores that will lure me to the mall, and Bath & Body Works is definitely among that small number. The variety of scents and gorgeous multi-coloured candles pulls me into the store every time. I their 3 wick candles and that... +
There are only a few stores that will lure me to the mall, and Bath & Body Works is definitely among that small number.
The variety of scents and gorgeous multi-coloured candles pulls me into the store every time. I their 3 wick candles and that you can easily browse the store and smell as long as you want without staff appearing bothered. I'm also a fan of their foaming hand soap and mini pocket bacs.
Are their regular prices kinda hefty? Yes. But! If you add yourself to their email list and facebook page, you'll find they have regular promotions and sales where you can pick things at a good discount. In addition to store promotions, you often get a coupon with your purchase/receipt for money off your next purchase. I've found that if I pay attention, I never have to pay full price.
The service is great. Friendly, and just attentive enough to let you know they are there to help without actually hovering over you. As well, their return policy is generous. I also love that they change scents frequently so there is always something new to try.
Truly worth a trip to the mall.
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Kraft Peanut Butter with Chocolate
This just didn't do it for me. I love peanut butter. I love chocolate. I guess I was expecting something more than a very expense little jar of peanut butter with a hint of cocoa taste, no true chocolate. In addition, it was thicker and harder to... +
This just didn't do it for me. I love peanut butter. I love chocolate. I guess I was expecting something more than a very expense little jar of peanut butter with a hint of cocoa taste, no true chocolate. In addition, it was thicker and harder to spread than regular peanut butter so it was annoying to use and just didn't have a great chocolate and peanut butter taste like I was expecting. Even my 10 year old daughter didn't care for it. We ended up throwing after trying to force ourselves to use it for a couple weeks.
Definitely will not repurchase. Not a good value, not good value, not good consistency.
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Bark Thins
Oh so good. I purchased a big bag of the pumpkin seed Bark Thins at Costco on a whim one day and I did not regret it. Good quality dark chocolate plus the crunch of the pumpkin seeds is a perfect mix. In addition, it the seeds add a source of... +
Oh so good. I purchased a big bag of the pumpkin seed Bark Thins at Costco on a whim one day and I did not regret it. Good quality dark chocolate plus the crunch of the pumpkin seeds is a perfect mix. In addition, it the seeds add a source of protein and iron as well as other nutrients, which is always a bonus in a sweet treat!
I've repurchased multiple times and will continue to do so.
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Canus Goats Milk Bar Soap
I didn't think I liked bar soap. I thought it was too messy and melty and drying and had switched to pump style cleansers, body washes and foaming hand soaps throughout my house. Someone gave me a couple bars of this soap, and I love it! It is so... +
I didn't think I liked bar soap. I thought it was too messy and melty and drying and had switched to pump style cleansers, body washes and foaming hand soaps throughout my house.
Someone gave me a couple bars of this soap, and I love it! It is so creamy and moisturizing on my dry winter skin, and even helps lessen the severity of the itching of my daughter's eczema. As well, it has a lovely soft fresh scent that is not flowery or perfumed and is suitable for the whole family. It isn't nearly as messy and slimy as the soap bars I remember growing up.
Bonus: I discovered this bar is *perfect* for cleaning my beauty blenders! It gets out more product than the cleansers I was using previously and doesn't dry out my hands. Plus, it smells nice!
I will definitely purchase more in the future.
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Real Techniques Brushes
Before I bought all my Real Techniques brushes, I had a mish-mash of drugstore, gift with purchase and ebay brushes. Most of them shed and didn't hold up well at all to cleaning, and were just difficult to work with to achieve the looks I wanted... +
Before I bought all my Real Techniques brushes, I had a mish-mash of drugstore, gift with purchase and ebay brushes. Most of them shed and didn't hold up well at all to cleaning, and were just difficult to work with to achieve the looks I wanted. When I decided to switch out all my brushes, I looked into Sigma but their prices were simply out of my price range. I read reviews and decided to take a change and order the Base Core set and the Your Eyes Starter Set. I definitely did not regret it!
First, these brushes feel so nice on the skin - so soft! They wash beautifully with zero shedding, and they are cute to boot! Most importantly, they have made my makeup application so much easier. I can get product exactly where I want and blend perfectly.
I have since acquired the stippling brush, the expert face brush (*highly recommend* for BB and CC creams) and several others. I have yet to be disappointed. I love these brushes and the price is super reasonable. As well, in case anyone isn't aware, there are tutorials on the Real Techniques site for all the brushes.
Final note for Canadian shoppers, NailPolishCanada.com has a wide selection and excellent prices on Real Techniques products. Bonus - it's free shipping over $25 (and some individual brushes ship free!) Plus, you get a lollipop with your order and who doesn't like that? ;)
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NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
If you're 30+ and/or have dry undereyes, this product is absolutely worth the price. When I was younger and didn't have the tiny fine lines under my eyes, I could wear any old drug store concealer. As I got older and my skin changed, everything I... +
If you're 30+ and/or have dry undereyes, this product is absolutely worth the price. When I was younger and didn't have the tiny fine lines under my eyes, I could wear any old drug store concealer. As I got older and my skin changed, everything I tried would be creased within an hour. I tried all the drugstore products, I tried several Benefit concealers - all of them creased on me. I tried this during a makeover and decided to splurge. My undereye area looks a million times better. As I did with previous concealers before, I still use Smashbox Under Eye Primer first (also a good product for older/dryer undereyes) and leave on for several minutes. I then pat it lightly and apply in a triangle shape under my eyes and gently pat and blend, followed by a light dusting of setting powder. Crease-free all day!
I will say that while it is magic for under my eyes, I can and sometimes do use a cheaper drug store concealer on less delicate, dry and crease-prone areas of my face such as blemishes when I am just doing everyday casual makeup. It helps stretch the lifespan of a rather pricey product by mostly using it where it does the most benefit.
If you're younger and with no fine lines under your eyes, you might not need this product or see how it significantly differs from less-expensive options. If you don't have a problem with creasing, I wouldn't rush out to buy this just because it's been highly rated. There are other good concealers out there for people without the skin issues I have mentioned, especially if you are mainly looking for blemish coverage. Sample a variety of concealers if you can, to find what works best for your skin and your needs.
For me personally, it is absolutely worth the price tag. I will never use another brand of concealer under my eyes again.
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Lise Watier Double Definition Automatic Brow Liner
Love love love! I use to only use tinted brow gel on my fair and naturally sparse brows because I felt like liners were too intense and hard to use when you have so much to fill in. I had my makeup done at an event last year and she used this pencil... +
Love love love! I use to only use tinted brow gel on my fair and naturally sparse brows because I felt like liners were too intense and hard to use when you have so much to fill in. I had my makeup done at an event last year and she used this pencil and I loved how natural and soft, and yet defined my brows were. I wasn't sure I could replicate the look at home, but the MUA explained what makes this brow liner different and how to use it.
It is shaped like an oval. You use the outer edge to draw a fine line around the shape of your brows. Then, instead of feathering in little lines like you would with a traditional pencil, you use the top flat surface of the pencil to simply fill in the outline you drew, just colour it in! It is *so* much faster than doing all these little strokes and it looks soft and natural. I've actually had people out of the blue say I have nice brows!
It also has a spoolie on the opposite end of the liner to brush your brows, and is a twist up automatic pencil.
This liner gives me the brows I wish I was born with. I will absolutely be re-purchasing!
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Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation Perfecting Moisturizer
This cream is simply lovely. It feels light and absorbs quickly but is so moisturizing! Excellent for winter dryness and flaky patches.
This cream is simply lovely. It feels light and absorbs quickly but is so moisturizing! Excellent for winter dryness and flaky patches. -
Oil free hydrating gel Mary Kay
I love this stuff! It is a silky smooth gel that feels cool and calming on the skin and absorbs right away. I have combination skin, so I have oily sections and am prone to dry flaky spots on my cheeks and the tip of my nose, especially in the... +
I love this stuff! It is a silky smooth gel that feels cool and calming on the skin and absorbs right away. I have combination skin, so I have oily sections and am prone to dry flaky spots on my cheeks and the tip of my nose, especially in the winter. Other creams I have tried for the dry spots were just too greasy and heavy - this one works perfectly and doesn't leave any oily residue or contribute to oiliness. I've been buying this for years and will continue to do so. Worth every penny! -
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