Unboxing: Sephora Spring VIB Sale 2022 Haul

It's April, which means it's that time of year. Yes, the Sephora VIB sale has landed upon us. As per usual, I stocked up on enough skincare to last me until the VIB sale in November.

Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Exfoliating Toner and Revitalizing Toner
Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Gel Moisturizer and Cream Moisturizer
Peace Out Dark Spots Serum and Laneige Hydro UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 50+
Fresh Floral Recovery Calming Mask and Sugar Lychee Eau de Parfum
Dior Dior Addict Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm in Rosewood
I got bothtoners and bothmoisturizers (one set for day, one set for night) from Laneige's new revamped Water Bank collection, Fresh's new overnight mask that's supposed to help with uneven tone and rough texture, a serum by a brand called Peace Out that's supposed to be super effective in reducing dark spots, and Laneige's new facial sunscreen with SPF 50+ that's supposed to leave no white cast. I also got a small bottle of my beloved Fresh Sugar Lychee Eau de Parfum to get me by until I can get to a Nordstrom to buy a full-size bottle, and a cheeky new Dior tinted lip balm in a pretty sheer rosy nude colour. I'm not ready to go head-first into wearing full makeup, but I figure now that there's no longer a mask mandate, I can start wearing lip product in public again...

Dior Diorskin Nude Tan Tie Dye Edition Blush Harmony in 001 Pink Sunrise and 002 Coral Sunset

A couple months ago, Dior released their Summer 2015 collection called Tie Dye, which is inspired by — you guessed it — tie dye: "Luminous and vibrant, colours blend together in Tie Dye makeup for summer. Electrified by the rays of the sun, pigments stretch and swirl in captivating colour gradations." It's been a long time since a Dior colour collection has captured my attention, but at the mere sight of these blushes, I knew I had to snatch them up. I got these blushes during the week of the collection launch two months ago, so I realize this review is going up pretty late in the game... but I figured since they're still available for purchase (not necessarily in-store because most locations will have sold out by now, but it is still available online on Dior's website, as well as Hudson's Bay and Nordstrom), it was still worth posting. The Diorskin Nude Tan powders come in round metallic silver mirrored compacts with a cannage pattern embossed on the lid, and also comes with a travel size kabuki brush and a navy velvet pouch. Each blush contains 10 grams of product, and retails for $59.

001 Pink Sunrise
002 Coral Sunset
001 Pink Sunrise and 002 Coral Sunset

001 Pink Sunrise is a mélange of mauve pink, coral pink, peachy beige, and ivory. When blended together, it creates a light-medium muted cool-toned rose pink in a satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter than MAC Dame, darker than MAC Well Dressed, more muted than Makeup Geek Head Over Heels, darker and less metallic than Becca Gypsy, and lighter than Clinique Heather Pop.

002 Coral Sunset is a mélange of marigold, tangerine, melon coral, and cream. When blended together, it creates a medium brightened peachy orange in a satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker than Peaches, more orange than MAC Melba, lighter than Makeup Geek Summer Fling, less metallic and more orange than Becca Damselfly, and brighter and more orange than Clinique Peach Pop.

I've always been a fan of Dior's Diorskin Nude Tan powders; they're incredibly smooth and finely-milled, with a silky, ultra-blendable application that looks soft, natural, and subtly luminous on the skin. These two blushes are no exception, and both shades perform beautifully. They add just the right amount of colour to the cheeks: Pink Sunrise will brighten up fair to medium complexions, and Coral Sunset will add a sunny glow to medium to tan complexions. The multi-coloured tie dye pattern of the blushes is an adorable touch, and will make these must-haves for LE collectors out there. There are plenty of dupes out there, yes, but there is something about these compacts that are just ultra luxurious to hold. They've got serious weight to them, and the cannage pattern is a really chic touch that brings it to the next level; these are compacts you want to show off in public. If you can get over the hefty price point, these blushes are really, truly gorgeous options, and by far the stars of Dior's summer collection.

Dior Kingdom of Colors: Diorblush Vibrant Color Powder Blush in 536 Peach Splendor

For Spring 2015, Dior released a collection called Kingdom of Colors, which includes a total of 29 products. Kingdom of Colors sees the release of two new and limited edition shades of Diorblush Vibrant Color Powder Blush, which is described as "a unique formula that gives maximum expression to pigments! Its micronized powder texture blends seamlessly with the skin, leaving nothing but a veil of pure, evanescent, weightless color." I picked up the shade 536 Peach Splendor, which is the lighter of the two (I think the other colour, 873 Cherry Glory, is exclusive to certain retailers, so I didn't see it at the Hudson's Bay location that I bought mine at). It is housed in Dior's signature blue-black rectangular mirrored compact, and comes with a mini flat angled brush. The powder itself is embossed with "the personal crest of Christian Dior." Each blush comes with 7 grams of product, and retails for $46.
536 Peach Splendor
536 Peach Splendor

536 Peach Splendor is a light-medium warm pinked peach with soft golden sparkle. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque to opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more peach and more sparkly than MAC Rosy Outlook, more pink and more sparkly than MAC Tenderling, darker and more peach than MAC Soft and Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish, more pink and more sparkly than NARS Sex Appeal, lighter and less gold than NARS Orgasm, warmer and more peach than Hourglass Ethereal, lighter and more pink than Hourglass Dim Infusion, and lighter than Too Faced Candy Glow.

There have been a lot of disappointing Dior blushes over the years, but Peach Splendor has a really soft, finely-milled texture that applies smoothly on the skin with good pigmentation that is easily buildable to full colour pay-off. The shade itself is definitely best for our fair friends if used as blush, but it actually makes for a fantastic highlighter on medium to dark skintones because it provides a beautiful soft illumination to the skin. However you choose to use it, it gives life back into dull winter skin and gives all complexions a fresh-faced glow, and what's more appropriate for a Spring collection?

Dior Addict Fluid Stick in 338 Mirage, 373 Rieuse, and 575 Wonderland

For summer, Dior launched a new and permanent lip product called Dior Addict Fluid Stick. It's described as giving "the high-impact colour and long wear of a classic lipstick, combined with the shine of a gloss, all in a thin film that delivers sensational comfort. Colour and shine come together as one for maximum impact with intense, long-wearing lip stain pigments directly encapsulated in spheres of gloss. Dior Addict Fluid Stick does not contain wax, but water for maximum lightness, an immediate fresh effect and addictive comfort…" It features a teardrop-shaped foam applicator, and has a sweet, almost soapy scent, but no discernible taste. They are packaged in a clear rectangular tube like other Dior lip glosses, but features the shape of a lipstick inside the tube. Each Dior Addict Fluid Stick contains a total of 5.5 ml of product, and retails for $36. 
338 Mirage, 373 Rieuse, and 575 Wonderland
338 Mirage, 373 Rieuse, and 575 Wonderland

338 Mirage is a medium muted warm peachy coral with brown undertones in a glossy finish. This is a permanent shade. The texture is lightweight and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque to opaque buildable colour pay-off. It is darker and more brown than 239 Frisson, brighter and more orange than 219 Whisper Beige, darker and more brown than MAC Richer, Lusher Cremesheen Glass, darker and brighter than MAC Be Nice Mineralize Glass, and darker and more orange than NARS Odalisque Larger Than Life Lip Gloss.

373 Rieuse is a medium brightened warm coral-pink in a glossy finish. This is a permanent shade. The texture is lightweight and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is less pink than 479 Magique, more pink than 550 Aventure, more pink than MAC Whoops! Pro Longwear Lipglass, more muted than Illamasqua Mistress Intense Lipgloss, more pink than NARS Paris Follies Larger Than Life Lip Gloss, lighter and more pink than YSL 12 Corail Fauve Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain, and more pink than Marc Jacobs Beauty 202 Paint It Lust for Vinyl Lip Lacquer.

575 Wonderland is a medium-dark vibrant warm reddened pink in a glossy finish. This is a permanent shade. The texture is lightweight and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker than 479 Magique, more pink than 754 Pandore, more reddened than Illamasqua Follow Intense Lipgloss, brighter and warmer than MAC Double Dare Cremesheen Glass, more pink than NARS Norma Larger Than Life Lip Gloss, and warmer than YSL 11 Rouge Gouache Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain.

I've never really had a lip product quite like this. There are a ton of lip hybrids out there these days, but this one really is exactly as it claims: it has the colour pay-off and wear-time of a lipstick, but has the high shine finish of a gloss that feels incredibly lightweight, almost like a gel. When push comes to shove, I would classify these more as glosses than lipsticks, as these apply, execute, and appear like glosses (plus, a lipstick would imply that it comes in, you know, stick-form). On that note, glosses with this kind of texture are usually really sheer with a very short wear-time (e.g. MAC Cremesheen Glass), but these somehow have the pigmentation and wear-time of a very, very sticky gloss (e.g. MAC Pro Longwear Lipglass). They wear even longer than most shiny lipsticks.

They feel a little tingly and almost cooling when you first put it on, and then you feel a very slight tightening as if the product is clinging to your lips. A slight tackiness develops to help with the wear-time, but it never feels sticky or gluey, and it's never uncomfortable. And I also find that as the product wears, it almost looks more lush, more cushiony on the lips, making them appear fuller and juicier. The only thing I don't really love about these is the applicator, which isn't as precise as I'd like it, especially given that the brighter and darker colours can stain; it's very easy to over-apply these. I'm also not huge on the scent, which is almost chemical-like. It doesn't linger on the lips and I don't taste it once it's on, but it's worth noting. Still, the pros outweigh the cons with this formula, and it's ultimately an incredible option for those who want a gloss that behaves like a liquid lipstick.

Dior Trianon: Rouge Dior Lipstick in 531 Rose Crinoline and 774 Allégresse

This month, Dior released their Spring 2014 collection, Trianon, that was inspired by "Marie-Antoinette and her private domain, the Petit Trianon... Macaron shades and Fontanges bow, the atmosphere of Versailles and its gardens..." Trianon features a total of 30 products, of which 23 are new and limited edition, and seven are permanent. As some products are exclusive to certain retailers and/or countries, not all products within this collection will be available at all Dior counters or Sephora locations around the world. Trianon sees the release of five new and limited edition shades of Rouge Dior lipstick, of which I picked up two. Each Rouge Dior lipstick is housed in Dior's signature dark blue square tubes with silver metallic quilt-design trim. They have a soft rose scent and flavour. Each lipstick contains 3.5 grams of product, and retails for $36.
774 Allégresse and 531 Rose Crinoline
774 Allégresse and 531 Rose Crinoline

774 Allégresse is a medium vibrant cool-toned passion pink with a soft sheen. This is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is lightweight and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and colour pay-off. It darker and warmer than Dior 475 Pink Caprice, warmer than Dior 565 Vogue, lighter and more muted than NARS Schiap, cooler than MAC Chatterbox, more muted and warmer than MAC Lickable, warmer and brighter than MAC Pink Nouveau, and cooler than Urban Decay Turn On.

531 Rose Crinoline is a light-medium vibrant coral-peach with a soft sheen. This is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is lightweight and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and colour pay-off. It lighter and more pinked than Dior 539 Ambre Zemire, lighter and more orange than 468 Rose Bonheur, slightly darker and more pink than YSL 13 Peach Passion, similar though less glossy than MAC Blossom Culture Sheen Supreme Lipstick, more pink than MAC Ravishing, slightly more peach than MAC Coral Bliss, lighter than MAC Style Surge Mineralize Rich Lipstick, lighter and more orange than Urban Decay Streak.

It's becoming more clear to me that this Spring is all about "electro-pastels" — a more vibrant take on pastel shades so that they're bright but not neon, but still subdued enough to wear in the day. Pinks and peaches are nothing new for Spring, but I like Dior's interpretation of them this year: the perfect middle ground between soft and bright. There are plenty of dupes for both of these shades out there, but when buying Dior, it's all about the formula and the texture. The Rouge Dior lipstick formula is pure luxury: smooth, hydrating, buttery but somehow still lightweight. They have great pigmentation and colour pay-off with a soft sheen so as to give lips a naturally luscious look without looking shiny or glossy. They feel creamy and comfortable on the lips and have a good glide without having too much slip. Even the packaging is luxurious, with sleek tubes and a nice weighty feel. I'm actually really glad that they decided to release these shades in the Rouge Dior formula rather than the Dior Addict formula, which is much sheerer and not as creamy. It's clear that Dior's vision for this collection was for softer eyes with nice, solid pops of colour for lips. No washes or stains here. Trianon is about frivolity and decadence, after all, and these lipsticks totally reflect that.

Dior Trianon: Diorblush Trianon Edition Powder Blush in 763 Corail Bagatelle

This month, Dior released their Spring 2014 collection, Trianon, that was inspired by "Marie-Antoinette and her private domain, the Petit Trianon... Macaron shades and Fontanges bow, the atmosphere of Versailles and its gardens..." Trianon features a total of 30 products, of which 23 are new and limited edition, and seven are permanent. As some products are exclusive to certain retailers, not all products within this collection will be available at all Dior counters or Sephora. Trianon sees the release of two new and limited edition shades of Diorblush Vibrant Colour Powder Blush, of which I only picked up one. Each Trianon Edition blush is "decorated with a Fontanges bow and pearled ribbon," contains a mini flat blush brush, and is packaged in Dior's signature dark blue mirrored compact. It contains 7.5 grams of product, and retails for $44.
Corail Bagatelle
Corail Bagatelle

Corail Bagatelle is a medium vibrant warm pinked coral with a soft satin sheen. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a lightweight, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It less pink than MAC Fleur Power, brighter and more pink than MAC Melba, lighter and more pink than MAC Desert Rose, darker and less shimmery than NARS Orgasm, more pink than NARS Deep Throat, more coral and less shimmery than TheBalm Frat Boy, lighter and more pink than Tarte Charisma, more muted and less reddened than Tarte Frisky, and darker and more coral than Tarte Glisten.

Is this a must-have? Probably not. I mean, there's only so many coral blushes a person can have, you know? If you're like me and are a complete hoarder of blushes (#blushfiend), then you very likely have something similar to this shade at home. But if you're like me and are also a complete sucker for packaging, then you'll be extremely tempted because that girly bow and pearl ribbon design is just too damn cute to resist. Aside from being a gorgeous (if somewhat predictable) shade for Spring that'll work across a myriad of skintones, it also has a silky smooth, finely-milled texture that glides on effortlessly and blends out like a dream. It has excellent pigmentation and colour pay-off, so you can wear it as a brightened coral blush that's more on the matte side or buff it out into a pinky-peach shade with a lovely satin sheen. The more you blend it, the more luminous it becomes, but it never looks shiny or frosty and doesn't emphasize pores or skin texture. It just makes skin look perky and healthy — perfect for faking Springtime freshness in the middle of winter!

Pick-Ups & Deliveries: January 2014

So, as it's the last week of January, I thought I'd do my monthly haul post. As with most months, I ended up shopping more than I thought I would... But there were so many post-holiday sales going on and I just can't resist a good deal, you know? 
Illume Essential Mini Tin Candles in Pineapple Cilantro, Coconut Milk Mango, and Oceano
Orange Circle Studio Secret Garden 2014 Do It All Planner
Jonathan Adler iPhone 4 Cases
It all started with — you guessed it — candles. I know I said I was on a candle ban, but I was walking through the mall a few weeks ago and noticed that Papyrus had set up a big clearance section. Now, I don't normally buy a lot from Papyrus because I don't have a lot of cards to buy for people nor do I use stationery or wrapping paper, but I like walking in there because I find it really... peaceful. I was perusing the clearance tables and saw these cute travel-size Illume candles on sale for 50% off, and thought I'd stop and smell them to see if they were any good. It was love at first sniff, guys. I typically don't like tropical scents that much, but these are just so fresh and lovely and not too sweet or cloying, and now I kind of want the full-size jars (but I can't because I am really on a candle ban now, I swear). I was also looking for a new planner for this year to organize my schedule and finances and stuff and managed to snag the last Secret Garden 2014 Do It All Planner for $10 from $16.99. And I also snatched up two cute Jonathan Adler iPhone 4 cases for $12 each from $25 because my old case finally broke and I figured these rubberized options would protect my phone better.
Babaton Roy Infinity Scarf
Babaton Robinson Jacket and Talula Piccadilly Blouse
Nine West Vintage America Collection Sabady Suede Booties
Aritzia was, of course, having a huge post-holiday sale that started during Boxing Week and seems to be neverending as it's still going on right now. Being able to shop through their website has made it way too easy to spend too much money, but I found some deals that were too good to pass up. I ended up getting a black cashmere and wool Babaton Roy Scarf for $42.50 from $85, a black Japanese satin-back crepe Babaton Robinson Jacket for $75 from $175, and a black twill Talula Piccadilly Sleeveless Blouse for $27 from $45. For some reason, I never find deals this good in any of their stores no matter how hard I look. Maybe it's because it's so easy just to filter their sale stuff on their website, but I swear, half of these deals don't appear in their stores. And, finally, I got a pair of these ultra-cute Nine West Sabady black suede booties at The Bay that were originally $180, but were reduced to $115 during Boxing Week, and then had an extra 40% off because they were put on clearance. I swear, I don't even go looking for deals. They just come find me. 
Dior Spring 2014 Diorblush Trianon Edition Vibrant Colour Powder Blush in 763 Corail Bagatelle
Dior Spring 2014 Rouge Dior Lipstick in 531 Rose Crinoline and 773 Allégresse; Dior Vernis Trianon Edition Nail Lacquer in 187 Perlé and 204 Porcelaine
Dior Minis: 5 Couleurs Couture Colour Eyeshadow Palette in 454 Royal Kaki, Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara, and Rouge Dior in 644 Rouge Blossom
Even though I was doing pretty well at not buying any make-up last month (except for the Naked3 Palette, which I had to have), I caved in when I saw the new Dior Spring 2014 collection, Trianon. I went to visit my friend who works at a Dior counter to see the collection in person because the photos popping up all over the Internet were getting too hard to ignore. None of the eye products interested me in the slightest (I usually like Dior's Spring palettes, but this year's was truly disappointing), but I ended up getting five items that I fell in love with, including the gorgeous blush (!), two lipsticks, and two of the nail polishes. Did I need any of them? Oh, god, absolutely not. Especially that powder blue nail polish; I probably have six dupes of it at home, but I'm just a sucker for blues. These were just so damn pretty in person, it was like a spell was cast over me and all logic went out the window. Luckily, there was a promotion going on in the cosmetics department for $10 off a $75 purchase, so my friend split my products into two transactions and I got $20 off. And she threw in some adorable mini gifts for me, too. Still, the next month is going to be a very dangerous time with Spring collections rolling out.
Ciaté Paint Pots in Jewel, Helter-Skelter, and Love Letter
Caudalie Vinosource Set (with Moisturizing Sorbet, S.O.S. Thirst Quenching Serum, and Grape Water) and Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Fluid SPF 15
There haven't been a lot of nail polishes that have intrigued me lately (except for Rainbow Honey, for which I will be putting in a huge order very, very soon), but I was passing by the Ciaté display at The Bay after snagging all my Dior goodies and decided to take a look. Ciaté isn't a brand that I often go to because I'm not a fan of their manicure sets which is what they're known for. But they do sometimes have some gorgeous, unique shades in their Paint Pots range (that's another thing — they totally stole that name from MAC, which doesn't even make sense because their nail polishes don't come in pots, and is mighty hypocritical after the whole "Caviar Manicure" trademarking fiasco) and I managed to find three that I ended up loving. I swear, that's all the nail polish I bought this month, though. I met up with Liz a few days after that, during which we went into Sephora (naturally), where I was set on grabbing a new bottle of my favourite Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S. Thirst Quenching Serum because I had run out of it the week before. Liz pointed out that there was a value set for the serum that included a mini tube of Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet as well as a travel-size version of their Grape Water for the same price as the serum alone, so I picked that up. And Liz surprised me with a bag of goodies that included a tube of their Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Fluid SPF 15, too! Seriously, I'm set for skincare for the next year.
Lush Prince Charming Shower Gel, Neon Love Soap, and Love Locket Bath Bomb
Lush Eau Roma Water Toner, I Love Juicy Shampoo, and Big Blue and Sex Bomb Bath Bombs
Finally, Lush. It seems that I can't go a single month without getting stuff from Lush, but I'm in a phase right now (I'll go months obsessing over their stuff and then get sick of them for a couple months and then hop back on the train...). I asked my Lush friend if he could grab some stuff for me the next time he was making a staff purchase, and he got all the stuff I asked for and them some! I got really excited for the Valentine's stuff that was released last week, and asked him to get me the three things I really wanted: the Prince Charming Shower Gel (smells like grapefruit and pomegranate!), Neon Love Soap (smells of citrusy bergamot and rosewood and features white hearts in every slice), and Love Locket Bath Bomb (explodes with paper and seaweed hearts in the water!). I also asked him to pick me up a bottle of I Love Juicy Shampoo, which I haven't used since last summer but I remember really enjoying (it's for oily hair, which I don't have, but I like using it a couple times a week to deep-clean without feeling dry or stripped). When he gave me my goodies, I noticed he had also included a small bottle of Eau Roma Water that I had mentioned wanting to try, plus Butterball and Sex Bomb bath bombs, too! I am truly spoiled from my Lush friends. Actually, this might explain my Lush addiction/obsession. That, and cold weather makes me want to take all the baths.
What were some of your splurges this month? Did you find any good post-holiday deals? 

Pick-Ups & Deliveries: October 2013

As it's the end of the month, I thought it was time to do my monthly haul post. October proved to be a very splurge-y month, perhaps more so than others (and I shop a lot, so this month was especially intense), what with new stores opening and a little cross-border shopping. Of course, this all started with — what else? — nail polish. A Sephora opened up about ten minutes from my house, which is extremely dangerous if you're me. Naturally, I needed to check it out and dropped by on their opening day, 'cause I'm a keener like that. I ended up picking up three Deborah Lippmann glitters plus a couple of the new Marc Jacobs polishes (oh, and yeah, I am a VIB Rouge member now, to absolutely no one's surprise). Then a few days later, I received an e-mail from Butter London regarding their latest promotion: free shipping when you spend over $50 and also get a free bottle of their Powder Room nail polish remover plus a bonus nail file. I figured I'd use the opportunity to get a few of their online exclusive shades.
Deborah Lippmann Glitter Nail Lacquers in Shake Your Money Maker, Stronger, and Glitter & Be Gay
Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer in Blue Velvet and Petra
Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer in The 444, Fishwife, and Inky Six
And then I found myself passing by the Dior counter one day and saw a whole display of their new Diorblush Vibrant Colour Powder Blushes. I absolutely do not need any new blushes, but blush fiends will be blush fiends, and I found myself swatching them, anyway. At $43 a pop, though, I decided to skip them at the time even though I was extremely tempted. A few days later, my friend who works at Dior offered me a 30% discount on everything, and then I could no longer say no to them blushes. So I bought my two favourites. And then on top of that, she gave me brand new tubes of my favourite Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara as well as Diorshow Blackout (my old favourite) because she received them as gratis but doesn't use mascara. Free Dior mascara? Yes, please!
Dior Diorblush Vibrant Colour Powder Blush in 986 Star Fuchsia and 676 Coral Cruise
Dior Diorshow Blackout and Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascaras
MAC Lipstick in Craving, Captive, and Media
I went to the mall with my friend and stopped by MAC to recycle some containers for some new lipsticks, and then discovered that The Face Shop had opened up there! Now, I'd never tried anything from The Face Shop before but I've always been intrigued by the brand. (I know they have a store at Pacific Mall, but I refuse to go there because the parking lot is absolutely horrendous.) They were having a grand opening promotion, where you get $15 off when you spend $35. Obviously, I took the opportunity to try a variety of products from the brand. I ended up going in at two different occasions to buy things because a 40% discount was just too good to pass up.
The Face Shop Herb Day 365 Peach Cleansing Foam, Green Tea Phyto Powder Cleansing Foam, Black Sugar Phyto Powder Cleansing Cream, and Real Nature Sheet Masks in Kelp, Lemon, Bamboo, and Rice
The Face Shop Green Tea Hand Gel Cream, Honey Citron Tea Moisture Hand Cream, Honey Citron Tea Moisture Body Wash, Honey Citron Moisture Body Lotion, and Lip Care Cream in Mango Butter and Shea Butter
As I had mentioned a couple weeks ago, Edward and I took a mini road trip to Pennsylvania to get out of the city for a bit and, you know, shop. We stopped by a few places, the first being Erie, which is about four hours from Toronto. A client of mine told me that the selection at the Burlington Coat Factory there is fantastic and the prices are often better than outlets, hence the detour ('cause, honestly, there's nothing much else to do in Erie). Though I saw some nice coats, I personally didn't get anything there because the styles I liked didn't come in my size or they ended up fitting funny on me. But Edward ended up getting quite a few things there so at least that made the stop worth it. The shopping for me didn't really start until we got to Grove City Premium Outlets, and I only bought things from two stores there. The first one was Old Navy, where I got a few pairs of The Flirt black skinny jeans (for $17.70 each from $36, and tax-free!). The second was at the Crabtree & Evelyn outlet store, where I made like a bandit. I love a lot of Crabtree & Evelyn products but I rarely buy anything there because it's so expensive. But at the outlet store, everything was at least 50% off, so I had to take advantage:
Pomegranate, Argan & Grapeseed Tote Gift Set (on sale for $35 from $75!): Skin Conditioning Hand Recovery, Ultra-Moisturizing Hand Therapy, Skin Quenching Body Lotion, Skin Cleansing Bath & Shower Gel, and Tote Bag (not shown)
Avocado, Olive & Basil Body Set with Skin Revitalizing Body Lotion and Revitalizing Bath & Shower Gel (for $15 from $40); Avocado, Olive & Basil Conditioning Shampoo and Pomegranate, Argan & Grapeseed Revitalizing Shampoo (for $12 each from $18)
I would've bought more at the outlets, but I had to save some money for shopping the next day. We decided to stay overnight in Pittsburgh because I wanted to check out Ross Park Mall. As many of you know, American retail prices are always lower and the sales tax rate in Pennsylvania is 6% (for luxury items; it's tax-free on necessities like clothes and shoes), so I wanted to take advantage of that since we were going to be in the state, anyway. The next morning, before we went to the mall, we decided to make a pit stop at Target (of course). Aside from a pair of black Merona wedge ankle booties, a couple of novels, and some snacks (hello, Oreo Coconut Delight Fudge Cremes!), I picked up a bunch of random goodies that I felt were significantly cheaper over there than here:
Up & Up Acetone Nail Polish Remover, EOS Pomegranate Raspberry Shave Cream, Hello Kitty and Strawberry Shortcake Band-Aids, Essie Nail Polish in For the Twill of It and Cashmere Bathrobe, Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat, Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balms (in Peach Kiss, Pink Punch, Grape Vine, Quenched, and Cherry Me), and EOS Lip Balms (in Blueberry Açai and Strawberry Sorbet)
And then we drove up to the mall, where we stopped by The Cheesecake Factory for a delightful lunch of fish tacos and pumpkin pecan cheesecake for dessert. Completely stuffed and totally satisfied (as I always am after eating at The Cheesecake Factory), we waddled inside the mall and I made a beeline for — what else? — Sephora. I put myself on a budget for this trip and wanted to make sure that I got things that I really needed before splurging on anything else, and thought I did pretty well. I had to buy my perfume (which is $12 cheaper in the US), my holy grail make-up removing cleanser and eyeshadow primer, and then decided to get my first ever Caudalie skincare product, which I will incorporate into my winter routine. The only item I bought that I felt was an unnecessary splurge was the YSL Rouge Volupté Shine Lipstick in 19 Fuchsia in Rage... but I had been coveting it since June so I took the plunge. For some reason, Sephora doesn't carry that particular shade in Canada, and it was sold out when I initially saw it in Buffalo this summer, so when I saw that they had two of them in stock at this particular Sephora, I had to snatch it up.

Fresh Sugar Lychee Eau de Parfum (100 ml), Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S. Thirst Quenching Serum, and Philosophy Purity Made Simple Facial Cleansing Gel & Eye Makeup Remover
NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base and YSL Rouge Volupté Shine in 19 Fuchsia in Rage
I would say that I'm now on a shopping ban from this month's excessiveness... but November is birthday month and also IMATS Toronto, so it's actually very possible that I will have an even bigger haul next month than this one...