Coming Soon: ULTA's 21 Days of Beauty

Is it me, or are ULTA's promotions becoming more and more frequent?  I feel like I get a 20% off coupon at least once a month!  Makes me wonder how solvent they are.  Hmm.  Good for us though!

ULTA's (semi-annual?) 21 Days of Beauty Returns this weekend, starting Sunday.  You can see the full line up here.  I have my eyes on more than a few deals, which I have comprised into sort of a shopping list below:

• 9/3 - $10 Philosophy Great Skin Is In Trial Kit (DH uses Purity Made Simple)
• 9/4 - $10 Tarte Creaseless Eye Primer (never used it but for this price it's worth a go!)
• 9/10 - BOGO butter LONDON
• 9/15 - $10 Benefit Powderflage Set (although this is being discontinued, I thought I would try it)

Which items are you most excited to buy?

No affiliate links were used in this post.

Coming Soon: Pretty Serious Cosmetics In The Night Collection

I am so excited about this new collection from Pretty Serious Cosmetics!  Just released this past Wednesday, the In The Night Collection includes 6 new polishes, two color glosses, and a new eye shadow!

Claris - A beautiful milky pink jelly with tiny golden flakes.

Dream Delight - A smoky blue-grey jelly base, packed to bursting with silver glitter particles! Definitely delightful! 

Elliot - A lovely sky blue creme loaded with multi-coloured micro flecks.

Into Dreams - A vibrant purple with delicious pink shimmer. 

Nightmaren - A glowing, warm golden red.

Nightopia - A spectacular teal green with glimmering golden shimmer.

If you missed my previous Pretty Serious reviews, you can check them out below!

• Pretty Serious Cosmetics Haul
• Pretty Serious Cosmetics CGA - Swatches and Review
• Pretty Serious Cosmetics VT100 - Swatches and Review
• Pretty Serious Cosmetics Morning Java - Swatches and Review
• Pretty Serious Cosmetics BSOD - Swatches and Review

Don't forget, even though Pretty Serious Cosmetics is an Australian brand, Kaz has chosen to offer very affordable international shipping - so don't let that stop you!

Disclosures: polish insomniac at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page.

What’s in my August Glossybox? Hint: Lots of goodies and a bad word!

I can’t begin to tell you how excited by how I am with this month’s Glossybox!  Illamasqua nail polish!  Ellis Faas Milky Lips!  Those two products alone would have made me happy.  Illamasqua nail polish is one of my favorite brands - just check out these pictures for proof!  And I have been wanting to try Ellis Faas for as long as I can remember!

ILLAMASQUA NAIL VARNISH IN TAINT - “Make a statement and talk with your hands!”  Ha-ha my hands say “Taint!”  I know some of you may think that the name is too risqué but I think it’s hilarious.  Very tongue-in-check.  After all, it’s just nail polish.  It applied flawlessly, as most of my Illamasqua’s do.



BIOLAGE EXQUISITEOIL REPLENISHING TREATMENT - “with Moringa Oil blend replenishes in the way nature intended.”  Hmm, too bad the ingredients show it’s mostly silicone!

INGREDIENTS: Water/Aqua/Eau, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Parfum/Fragrance, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Oil/Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxycitronellal, Amyl Cinnamal, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Isoeugenol, Benzyl Benzoate, Cinnamyl Alcohol

OLE HENRIKSEN - TRUTH SERUM COLLAGEN BOOSTER™ - This looks really awesome, and I am glad I received a sample to try because I have had trouble with vitamin C in the past and have been hesitant to buy another vitamin C product but want to give it another go!



ELLIS FAAS Milky Lips - “ELLIS LIPS products are lightweight, long-lasting and easy to apply. Paraben-free and loaded with vitamin E, they also blend into the lips without a sticky residue, leaving the lips soft and conditioned.”  Well, I do agree with all of those statements.  I really liked the way the product felt when I wore it.  It was how it looked that was the problem.  The color L204 is a hiddeous burnt orange!  But at least I know I like the product and will most likely make a purchase in the future!

TOUCH IN SOL - FEEL LIKE HONEY MOON SKIN BASE - “Extend the life of your makeup with this one step rejuvenating primer!”  Since this primer is not silicone-based, I will definitely try it out!

INGREDIENTS:  Water, Glycerin, Alcohol, Betaline, Carbomer, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol,Triethanolamine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Methlpapben, Allantoin, Panthenol, Honey Extract, Collagen Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Fragrance, Hydrolyzed Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Benzophenone-5, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Jasminum, Officinale (Jasmine) Flower Extract, Lavandula, Angstifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Rosa Centifolia, Flower Extract, Lilium Tifrinurn Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Iris Ensata Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Disodium EDTA, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Gold (non colorant), CI 15985, CI 19140

For those of you wondering about my aversion to silicone, it is simply personal preference.  I tend to break out when I use silicone on my face, and I avoid it in hair products because it weighs my hair down.  Also, my fine hair can become greasy very very easily.  Since I stopped using any hair products with sulphates or silicones, my hair has calmed down and is not greasy at all.

All in all I really love this month’s Glossybox.  I love it so much I am going to give you my referral link in the hopes that you want to sign up too!  Just go to http://www.glossybox.com and you can choose from the following subscription options:

• $21 for a Monthly Subscription
• $60 for 3-Month Subscription
• $115 for 6-Month Subscription
• $220 for 12-Month Subscription

I hope you are having a great week!

Disclosures: polish insomniac at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page.

butter LONDON Trustafarian

butter LONDON Trustafarian is part of the new Autumn/Winter 2012 Collection.  A few days before I tried this polish for the first time I was chatting with @makeupwithdrawl on Instagram about another butter LONDON holo, All Hail McQueen (or all Hail the Queen, depending on when you purchased it.)  Both of us loved the All Hail McQueen formula.  It is a breeze to apply, is very smooth, and barely needs a top coat.  You can check out my review of All Hail McQueen here.  We both hoped that the Trustafarian formula would be as awesome as my All Hail McQueen.

My nails are in horrendous state (peeling due to lack of moisture) so I applied two coat of butter LONDON Nail Foundation as my base.  The first coat applied smoothly with no cuticle drag.  It looked smooth after the second coat, but I did three coats out of habit.  I finished with one coat of butter LONDON Hardwear.  The end result?  Just as good as All Hail McQueen!!!

Aside from the formula, I love the color.  Trustafarian is a very soft light green scattered holo.  It’s a great way to wear green if you have a hard time wearing minty greens.

butter LONDON polishes retail for $14 and can be purchased at your local Sephora or  ULTA, online at beauty.com and on butter LONDON’s website.

How do you feel about scattered holos?

Have you picked up any polishes from the new butter LONDON collection yet?

Disclosures: polish insomniac at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page.

PSA: Orly Flash Glam FX polishes $2.99 at Sally Beauty!!!

Today I went to Sally Beauty to use my $5 off $5 coupon that I had from renewing my membership last month.  This weekend they are having a red tag sale - 50% off any clearance merchandise!  I walked away with Orly Spazmatic and Mermaid Tale, paying only $1.04 out of pocket!

The Orly Flash Glam FX polishes retail for almost $10, so even at $2.99 they are a STEAL!

Have you picked up anything good at Sally Beauty lately?

Disclosures: polish insomniac at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page.

Beauty Spotlight: What should Lisa put in her palette?

Lisa from Beauty Info Zone has a mystery to solve. What should she put in her palette? It looks a little strange like this so you need to read and see exactly what she did to change this palette into something of beauty.

Click on the picture to find out!

Disclosures: polish insomniac at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page.

Today's NOTD: Sephora+Pantone Universe Evergreen

 Sephora+Pantone Universe Evergreen, two coats

Just a quick post today!  I have actually been wearing  SEPHORA+PANTONE UNIVERSE Jewel Lacquer in Evergreen since Tuesday.  I have been so busy at work I haven't had time to change it!  For those of you who inquired after the formula after my initial post, I am happy to report I have only minor tipwear and two small chips.  However we just completed our busiest week of the year at work (Back to School) and I have opened more cardboard boxes than I can count, so I think two mall chips is awesome!  Also, the base coat I used wasn't the best, so that probably has something to do with the chips as well.

Did you do any Back to School shopping this week?

Have a great weekend!

Disclosures: polish insomniac at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page.

My First Beauty Box Five - Four???

I was recently given the chance to review another subscription box, Beauty Box Five.  However, I was very underwhelmed and almost didn’t write this review.  However, you deserve to hear both good and bad reviews, so here it is:

Included in my box I found:

• Blinc Mascara sample
• Curls Gel-lecs styling product
• Spongeables Pedi-Scrub Foot Buffer
• Bodyography Makeup Primer

What They Say:

Once a month, we deliver a Beauty Box with four or five handpicked samples directly to your doorstep. Your Beauty Box will contain items like makeup, skin care products, hair care products, fragrances and a few other surprises!

What I Say:

There are so many things that bothered me about this box.

1. Beauty Box Five.  Not Beauty Box Four.  I kept looking around thinking I was missing one of the samples.  I cannot tell you how much this bothered me.  It still upsets me as I write this.  I don’t know why I am affected so strongly by this, but I am.
2. While the box was very cute, the white bag that the products were in was tied so tight I had to cut it open.
3. The products themselves were lacking.  No color cosmetics, unless you count the Blinc mascara.  Which I already own and love so it wasn’t “new and exciting to me.”  The pedi sponge is kinda cute, but I don’t need it so I gave it to my husband.  The makeup primer is silicone based.  I feel that the market is saturated with makeup primers and I don’t need another one.  Last but not least the hair product is part of a two step process… but we received one step.  Why not include the other step… then you would have FIVE products!

Based on this box, I will not be signing up for Beauty Box Five.  However, if you thought the contents were much more interesting than I did, you can sign up at www.beautybox5.com (not an affiliate link).  They do offer three different subscription offers:  $12/month, $30/3 months or $100/12 months.

Disclosures: polish insomniac at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page.

Mini Sephora Haul: Sephora + Pantone Universe Jewel Lacquers

Last week I received an email from Sephora confirming my VIB status for next year, and a 10% off coupon.  Woot!  I waited until this week to us it, as I wanted to take advantage of the double points they are offering right now.  I walked around Sephora for 45 minutes last night, and almost walked out with nothing but a bottle of hair spray (my HG, Bumble and bumble Does It All Styling Spray) when I ran into the new Sephora + Pantone Universe display. 

Naturally I had to bring home two polishes, SEPHORA+PANTONE UNIVERSE Jewel Lacquer Parachute Purple and SEPHORA+PANTONE UNIVERSE Jewel Lacquer Evergreen.  When I picked up Parachute Purple, I was already comparing it to RBL Scrangie in my head, but I didn’t realize that Sephora Evergreen would be so close to Illamasqua Viridian!  Are they dupes?  Read on to find out!

*Click to enlarge*

And yes, I spelled Viridian wrong in every single picture.  Sorry!

One thing to note, on Sephora’s website it states the new polishes are 0.5 flu oz., but on the packaging it states 0.37 flu oz.  That’s a big difference!
 
The base color in RBL Scrangie is much lighter than Parachute Purples, which allows the green shimmer to show through better.  Illamasqua Viridian is darker than Sephora Evergreen, but the finish is very close.
I declare these NON-DUPES.  However, each Sephora polish is only $9, while the RBL is $18 and Illamasqua is $14.  Also, RBL Scrangie is no longer available, so Parachute Purple may satisfy your lemming without spending a fortune!

What do you think?  Will you be picking up Sephora Parachute Purple or Evergreen?  Or are there other colors in the Sephora+Pantone Universe collection you are interested in?

Disclosures: polish insomniac at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page.

Nail Art... Nay or Yay?

 Products used:  butter LONDON Lady Muck, bee appliques, China Glaze Medallion, black creme polish applied with toothpicks.

The reason I don't post a lot of nail art on this blog is simple... I'm not good at it!  But I know a lot of people enjoy it.  So I am asking you, because YOU are who this blog is written for.  Do you want to see nail art, like the pictures above?  Or would you rather I stick to swatches, NOTD's, and the occasional stamping?

I am really looking forward to hearing your answers!

Disclosures: all products in this post were purchased by me.