Oh no... too many purchases. I guess end of the year is the worst time for me? Too many sales. Black Friday, Christmas, New Year. But I think what I should do is, now that I am starting to navigate the whole skincare/makeup world with a bit more confidence, to start to bulk buy my favorites during the end of the year sales. And then ignore all websites for the rest of the year.
Everything I bought during October and November (so 2 months) cost me about 240 € (the calendar was a gift). Only things that I actually "needed" here were Deciem order (moisturizer, pycnogenol, eye serum), Zoeva brushes and Eucerin/Bioderma moisturizers and konjac sponges.
Lookfantastic Advent Calendar 2020
Christmas gift for me! I have such a sweet partner. He also likes opening the boxes with me. It has become now our christmas tradition. I hope there are lots of things I haven't tried yet inside! I have opened a couple first boxes already and I am very happy with the contents, all things I could have bought myself as well!
I think Lookfantastic had some problems with their calendars and shipping. They were sold out during pre-order, in September/October already? And never came back in stock. Also they kept putting off the shipment date. It finally shipped maybe around 10.-15. of November and I received it on 20th. But they did not charge the credit card before shipment so that's something. I'm assuming because of corona it is harder to put things together in a timely manner.
This year I think most of the advent calendars have looked a little bleh. Cult Beauty's looked nice but was crazy expensive. Glossybox also looked nice and reasonably priced, around the same as Lookfantastic.
Dior Rouge Blush 601 Hologlam
I don't know if I should regret, actually. Hologlam is very unique and I love that, but it also is impossible to swatch. It is basically a glittery highlighter! Don't be fooled by the swatches online, at least my "blush" barely has any base color (peach/coral/pink, whatever it is supposed to be). However the glitter is fine and even instead of rough chunks and when the light hits it, it is sooo pretty.
I am disappointed in Dior's packaging. The case feels cheap clunky plastic to me. There is no glamour or luxury feeling. I guess I had to pay to learn that sometimes it is just stupid to expect something extra from a product that costs more because of the brand.
NYX Professional Makeup Sweet Cheeks Creamy Powder Blush Glow Boom & Bloom
NABLA Eyeshadow Refill Unrestricted
NABLA Eyeshadow Refill Absinthe
NABLA Eyeshadow Refill Entropy
NABLA Eyeshadow Refill Water Dream
This order was from Beautybay. They were -30% and my Nabla eyeshadow single wishlist screamed to be bought. I shouldn't have taken the NYX blush probably, but it was so cheap and an unique shade. I already have the blush in Citrine Rose and it is very lovely, both the shade and formula! I could easily collect all of them - maybe I will buy Fig later, but I kinda want it as a matte version instead of glowy.
Alima Pure Satin Matte Foundation in Olive 0
Alima Pure Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadow Black Orchid
+ Free Samples
Well. There was another sale on Jolie webstore and Alima Pure's pressed foundation I bought in Sesame, was such a good match and doesn't clog my skin, that I jumped for Satin Matte Foundation as well. I originally thought my shade would have been Olive 1, but after looking at the pictures and swatches I found (not too many!) and using Sesame that says it suits Olive 0, I decided for 0.
Olive 0 seems to be spot on for me, at least initially! It seems to slightly oxidize to more reddish shade. Also darker than what you see it in the pot so Olive 1 would have been definitely way too dark for me. I think Sesame is a more yellow leaning than Olive 0. But it seems both of them go almost seamlessly on my skin, but I haven't piled them on lots, I wonder if oxidization would show up better then? They are both very finely milled as well, Satin Matte Foundation is almost creamy.
I bought Black Orchid eyeshadow to use as a blush, actually! It is described as a rusty plum and it looks very natural on, both eyes and cheeks.
ZOEVA Graphic Brow Fix Arsenic Brow Gel
ZOEVA Graphic Eyes+ Taupe Eyeliner
ZOEVA 109 Luxe Face Paint Screen Queen Brush
ZOEVA 129 Luxe Fan Screen Queen Brush
ZOEVA 104 Buffer Screen Queen Brush
ZOEVA 228 Luxe Crease Screen Queen Brush
My first order straight from Zoeva's own website. And I haven't had anything from Zoeva before anyway. They were having -50% last chance sale on some items. I needed some new face brushes so I took a few, people have been reviewing them positively... I wanted some bigger brush set but they were all sold out already.
My order cost exactly 40 €, so I got free shipping. I kind of regret the brow gel and eye liner! I didn't need them. But they could turn out to be perfect, who knows. At least I am very impressed by how the products look, their packaging, attention to detail and also how my order was secured and how fast it came, 4-5 working days from Germany!
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| The sample sachet was shipped in separate box. Yes, you read that right. Big, separate box from the rest of the order. This is just incredibly stupid and inconvenient for the nature, for the company, and for me, having to go pick up separate packages twice from the post office. |
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| Some ad leaflets that came with the order. Actually it was fun to flip through the "magazine", made the items look more special. |
Eucerin Dry Skin Replenishing Face Cream 5% Urea
Bioderma Hydrabio Gel Cream
Real Techniques Miracle Powder Sponge
3INA Makeup Mini Konjac Sponges
Clinique Cheek Pop Palette Warm Up - Nude Pop, Ginger Pop, Cola Pop
+Sample Philip Kingsley Flaky Itchy Scalp Anti Dandruff Shampoo
Lookfantastic order, 77 €. I reallllyyy wanted the Cheek Pop palette! Everyone keeps talking about Cheek Pops but usually they are not available in my country. I'm going to wrap it as a christmas present for myself. I have so many other new things to play with right now that I can experiment with this one later!
The moisturizers are something I've had on my list for a while, but just now I'm in a situation where I am finishing older moisturizers and can have new ones, plus wintertime is a great time to try urea one, I believe it is going to be super moisturizing. RT's powder sponge could work with more difficult powder products that are not ideal with brushes. And, I have thrown all my old konjac sponges away so new mini ones are great!
Last time I ordered from Lookfantastic, it felt like it took ages to arrive and I thought that this sure is not a place to order from if in hurry. This time shipping was faster, about 7 working days. BUT! They shipped the free sample in a separate box!!! And a big box at that, too! What the hell is wrong with them, wasting resources like that? It is just a sample.
Another beef I have with Lookfantastic is that they constantly curate their selection of products. For example, Eucerin's Urea Repair is not available from them anymore, so you can't plan ahead your shopping cart. Of course this means they also have many cool things in limited amounts they wouldn't have otherwise, exactly because they curate things. Annoying regardless.
EDIT: I have started to use Eucerin's Urea Repair in the evening after putting Differin on bare skin. Urea Repair feels nice, no scent, absorbs well, I don't notice any new breakouts so far. My cheeks feel soft in the morning (dryest part of my face). It is not exactly "super moisturizing" as I thought, so dry skin folks probably find it a bit too light alone. The consistency is lotion like instead of heavy/balmy.
The Ordinary Pycnogenol 5% x2
Hylamide's SubQ Eyes
Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
Deciem had the same sale last year too, all November everything -23% and that was the last time I ordered from them. I hope they make this a continuing yearly thing so I could time all purchases for this month! Pycnogenol is a repurchase, I really think it makes a difference and I just decided to take two so that I wouldn't have to order it soon again. NMF+HA is a repurchase yet again. Hylamide's SubQ Eyes is something new and different I'm going to try for my aging eye contour. My order cost about 36 €.
I must admit I still have unfinished products from last year's order! Year is such a short time!
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