Estée Lauder Warehouse Sale — Summer 2013

It's that time again — yes, the Estée Lauder warehouse sale! Steph is now obsessed with them since I took her to her first one a few months ago, so she went with me to the summer sale last Friday.

Origins Zero Oil Deep Pore Cleanser, Ginger Cloud Smoothing Body Balm, and Ginger Gloss Smoothing Body Oil
Origins Soufflé Trio
By now, you probably know my slight obsession with Origins. And Origins at a seriously discounted price? I cannot resist. Since I had already stocked up on a lot of Origins skincare in April and May, I only got a select few items. The only skincare product I picked up was the Zero Oil Deep Pore Cleanser (for $12 from $24!), since my skin gets really oily during the summer. The rest of the items I picked up were body products: a bottle of Ginger Cloud Smoothing Body Balm for $15 from $27.50, a bottle of Ginger Gloss Smoothing Body Oil for $12 from $25 (I've fallen in love with this stuff since I bought it at the last sale), and their Soufflé Trio (which includes 125 ml jars of Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Soufflé, Smoothing Soufflé Whipped Body Cream, and Ginger Soufflé Whipped Body Cream) for $30 from $47. I wished that they were offering their "Buy one, get one free" deal again on the Origins sets like last time, but alas, no such luck. Had that been the case, I probably would've bought like, four of those trios.
Smashbox Shades of Fame Eye Palette
Smashbox Shades of Fame Eye Palette (inside)
Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara, Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara, Estée Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara, and MAC Steamy Nail Lacquer
Okay, so I typically avoid buying make-up items at the warehouse sales because I have way too much make-up as it is, but I eyed this Smashbox eyeshadow palette (from their Summer 2012 collection) at the last sale (which I had convinced Steph to buy) and passed it up then, so I was like, "Okay, if it's at the sale this time, I will grab one." And of course, they had tons of it there, and it was on sale for $25 from $48. So I couldn't resist. It includes nine beautiful summery shades of smooth, buttery, pigmented eyeshadow, plus two shades of Cream Eye Liner, an eyeshadow brush, and a mini Photo Finish Lid Primer. God knows I do not need another palette, but it's so damn pretty. I also picked up three mascaras for $12 each: Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara (originally $22), Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara (originally $19), and Estée Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara (originally $28.50). And I completely bypassed the $5 MAC grab bags this time around because I already had all the products that were in them (and I do not need multiples of anything that isn't absolutely a must-have), so I just left with the free gift, which was MAC's Steamy Nail Lacquer.
God, these sales are like crack.

NYC — Spring 2013: Cosmetics Haul (Part I)

Okay, so we all knew this was coming (especially those who saw all my Foursquare check-ins). As we all know, it's apparently now tradition for me to stock up on all new skincare every time I go to New York, despite the fact that I already bought quite a lot before I left for this trip (see February and April haul posts). It pretty much started at the border when I walked into Duty Free to buy a few cartons of cigarettes... and continued as I went into the Origins store (there was one literally two blocks from my hotel), and then the Fresh store, Sephora (of which I went into two different locations), Bloomingdale's... Yeah, I can do a lot of damage in a couple days.
Origins Modern Friction Nature's Gentle Dermabrasion (x2), Make a Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Treatment, and Ginger Burst Savory Body Wash
We stopped by the Origins store because my mom wanted some new skincare, and since I had really good results with Origins and they are reasonably priced (unlike the $200 Estée Lauder moisturizer she's using that is doing her no favours), I suggested we stop by so we could introduce her to some new stuff. I didn't feel the need to buy a lot at there for myself because I got a ton of Origins stuff in the past couple months, but I did stock up on my most favourite face scrub of all time because it's quite a bit cheaper in the States ($9 difference per tube!) and I'm almost out at home, and a jar of their new Make a Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Treatment (which is for combination/oily skin — they have two other versions for different skin types) which I intend on using as my night moisturizer when the weather gets warmer (even though it snowed today). My mom ended up getting a whole new skincare routine, and because we ended up spending over $200 altogether, the super-nice guy helping us gave us each a tube of their Ginger Burst Savory Body Wash as gifts (I had actually brought the mini version of this to use on this trip and ended up loving it, so it was a really nice gift indeed!).
Fresh Eau de Parfum: Cucumber Baie, Pear Cassis, and Sugar Lychee
I think I spent the majority of my cosmetics quota at the Fresh store. I swear, I went in just to look, and next thing I know, I'm spending over $300 in there. It's ridiculous. It all started with me wanting to get a new bottle of my favourite Sugar Lychee Eau de Parfum. And then I saw that they still had a few of the old fragrances from their Index series (aside from the Sugar series that Fresh is known for now, they used to make over a dozen other perfumes which were all discontinued — Pomegranate Anise was the first Fresh perfume I ever bought, over a decade ago now!), which are exclusive to Fresh stores and are distilled to order from their "Fragrance Bar." I picked up a 1 oz. bottle of both the citrusy-aquatic Cucumber Baie (which has notes of cucumber, grapefruit, watermelon, marine notes, lily, and amber) and the fruity-floral Pear Cassis (which has notes of lemon, linden blossom, pear, hyacinth, lily of the valley, and blackcurrant buds) — each of them are very different, but incredibly refreshing, surprisingly long-lasting, and perfect for summer.

Fresh Rose Hydrating Face Serum, Umbrian Clay Mattifying Serum, and Umbrian Clay Oil-Free Lotion
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser and Sugar Lip Polish
Fresh Gift with Purchase
Aside from the fragrances, I also ended up getting a bottle of their new Rose Hydrating Face Serum (you know I'm a sucker for serums, and I intend on using this as my night serum during the summer), the Umbrian Clay Mattifying Serum (which I will use as my day serum because my face becomes an oil slick when the weather gets warmer), and Umbrian Clay Oil-Free Lotion (which will be my day moisturizer for summer). I also snatched up a tube of their Soy Face Cleanser (I've bought this before and remember it being a good make-up remover, and I love the refreshing cucumber scent for summer) and a new jar of their Sugar Lip Polish (my favourite lip exfoliator). Yup, I got an entirely new skincare routine for myself on this trip. And since I bought so much, the girl helping me ended up giving me a free gift, as well: a metallic silver cosmetics bag with a deluxe sample jar of their Sugar Face Polish, plus a gorgeous Fresh Turns 21 R. Nichols stationery set (they recently collaborated together on Fresh's Fresh Turns 21 collection).
Lancôme Tonique Douceur Softening Hydrating Toner Alcohol-Free
AmorePacific Moisture Bound Rejuvening Serum
Malin + Goetz Eucalyptus Deodorant and Mojito Lip Balm, and Eve Lom Kiss Mix
The one item that started this whole cosmetics haul? A massive 400 ml bottle of Lancôme's Tonique Douceur. When I'm not trying new toners, Tonique Douceur, along with Estée Lauder's Fresh Balancing Lotion (which is becoming discontinued!), is always the one I go back to (I started using it when I worked for Lancôme several years ago). I stopped getting it regularly because it retails for $50.50 here (plus tax) and it was just too expensive to keep buying without a discount, so I'd occasionally splurge on it during their Gift with Purchases. But it was going for $36 at Duty Free, and I couldn't resist. You know how that goes. Other non-make-up cosmetic purchases include a new bottle of AmorePacific's Moisture Bound Rejuvenating Serum (a back-up when I finish my current bottle — the retail price is actually the same both here and in the US, but they have a lower retail tax, so I figured I might as well save where I can) from one of my trips to Sephora, and then some stuff at Bloomingdale's: a new tube of Malin + Goetz Eucalyptus Deodorant (which is the only deodorant I have tried so far that I am 100% not allergic to) and Mojito Lip Balm (I had given the one I snatched up last year to my mother), plus a new jar of Eve Lom Lip Mix (love this stuff, and it's not readily available here) from the SpaceNK counter.
Think that's a lot? I have a second part to this haul. Yeah, I went crazy.

Origins 175 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10010 (212) 677-9100
Fresh 872 Broadway New York, NY 10003 (212) 477-1100
Sephora  555 Broadway  New York, NY 10012 (212) 625-1309
Bloomingdale's Soho 504 Broadway New York, NY 10012 (212) 729-5900

April Pick-Ups & Deliveries: Part II

So, as I mentioned yesterday, I ended up hauling way more beauty products than I had thought. I couldn't help myself, though — Sephora was having their 15% off VIB event, and then my friend who works for Dior told me there was a weekend where she could get 35% off so I should let her know if there was anything I wanted, and then my other friend who works for Estée Lauder told me she was going to the employee store so I should let her know if there was anything I wanted... And, well, you know I can't resist a deal.
Urban Decay Build Your Own Palette (with Breathless Eyeshadow) and Eyeshadows in Bordello, Last Call, and Chopper
YSL Rouge Volupté Lipstick in #10 Provocative Pink and Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Lipstick in PK 365
Dior Bird of Paradise Collection Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo Iridescent Blush & Bronzing Powder in 002 Coral Glow
Dior Bird of Paradise Collection Dior Addict Lipstick in 771 Passionnée and 751 Exotique
Bobbi Brown Beach Body Oil ($10 from $40)
Origins A Perfect World Highly Hydrating Body Lotion with White Tea (x2 at $8 each from $31)
Origins Have A Nice Day Super-Charged Moisture Lotion ($10 from $40) and Make A Difference Night Skin Rejuvenating Gel-Cream ($10 from from $40)
I'm going to New York in a couple weeks, so I tried to control myself during Sephora's VIB event since 15% off isn't that much less than the retail prices in the States (especially given that our retail tax is still much higher). I was debating between Urban Decay's Naked2 Palette and the custom palette, and even though the Naked2 Palette is cheaper and you get more bang for your buck, I've been eyeing the custom palettes for a while now. And let me tell you, it took me nearly half an hour for me to even decide on those three shades (I ended up choosing shades that I would use all the time, so cost per use would be lower than, say, a bright turquoise or dark green). The palette actually comes with an eyeshadow already in it (Breathless, a widely flattering medium warm taupe-brown shade), but I ended up loving it so much that it was worth getting for me. I'll probably build another palette when I'm in New York, since they're $4 cheaper per eyeshadow in the US. As for the lipsticks, Shu Uemura is now being carried at more and more Sephora locations, so when I saw that I could get 15% off, I decided to splurge on a lipstick in a gorgeous strawberry pink shade. And I also took the opportunity to replace my YSL Rouge Volupté Lipstick in #10 Provocative Pink that I lost, since getting a small discount is better than none at all. 
As for the Dior stuff, I was so, so tempted by the Summer collection that when my friend told me she could get me 35% off, I had to jump on it. I would've bought more, but I'm still trying to budget (admittedly, I'm doing a half-assed job), so I just got my favourite items from the collection. I really wanted both of the Paradise Duos, but at a retail price of $56, I really couldn't afford both even with a discount, and decided I liked Coral Glow more than Pink Glow. Finally, at the Estée Lauder employee store, my friend gets 70% or more off all their brands so, again, I had to jump on the chance. They didn't have a great selection this time around, but I managed to get a bottle of the Bobbi Brown Beach Body Oil (I am now a big fan of body oils, and thought the Beach scent would be great for summer), two tubes of my favourite Origins body lotion, plus the day face lotion I love (I bought it last year and loved it but hated the bottle — however, for $10, I couldn't resist) and a lightweight night cream that I wanted to try a while ago (it's actually discontinued now, but again, for $10, I couldn't say no). Despite all that I spent, though, I am happy to report that I didn't buy any of it at full price, so it's still a win for me!

Estée Lauder Warehouse Sale — Spring 2013

So, I went with Steph to the Estée Lauder warehouse sale this past weekend. Steph had never been, and I was like, "I'm totally gonna pop your warehouse sale cherry," and she got super excited. I was originally going to pass up on it because I'm on a serious budget this month, but I was tempted by the thought of those $5 charity grab bags, and thought, "Well, it would be worth going just to pick up a grab bag." Of course, me being me, I got tempted by some other things... However, I made good on my "no buying make-up" rule and only picked up some body products, so I don't feel so bad.

Origins Ginger Gloss Smoothing Body Oil and Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Wash & Bubble Bath
Okay, I think I got some pretty good deals, if I do say so myself. And that's really saying something, since I go to these sales like, four times a year. Body oils are getting a lot of attention lately and I've been wanting to try one for a while, so when I saw Origins Ginger Gloss, I decided to pick one up since it was $15 from $25. I also allowed myself to get one new shower gel, since I am just finishing up my massive bottle of Dr. Bronner's Citrus Liquid Soap, which I had been using exclusively as my body wash. I thought finishing nearly a litre of body wash was quite a feat and cause for celebration, and since I am a sucker for all things grapefruit-scented, I snatched up a tube of Origins Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Wash, since it was $12 from $22.50.
Origins Ginger to Go & Stay Set: Incredible Spreadable Smoothing Ginger Body Scrub, Ginger Soufflé Whipped Body Cream, and Ginger Burst Savory Body Wash (and travel-size version of each)
My best deal of the day, however, was the Origins Ginger to Go & Stay Set. Okay, guys, they were offering these sets for $30, and it was Buy 1, Get 1 Free. Seriously. I convinced Steph to buy one with me, so we'd each get a set for $15. And each set comes with a full-size 200 ml tube of their Ginger Soufflé Whipped Body Cream, 100 ml tubes of their Incredible Spreadable Smoothing Ginger Body Scrub and Ginger Burst Savory Body Wash, and 50 ml travel-size tubes of each. This set retails for $68.50 and has a value of $78.50. And I got it for $15! What kills me is that people were barely glancing at them because they were in such an obscure spot in the warehouse. Seriously, it was such a bargain. If I had more money, I would've bought like, three more sets...
$5 MAC charity grab bag + MAC freebie gift
And, of course, I got what I went there for: a $5 MAC grab bag. All of the money raised from these grab bags go to the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign and MAC AIDS Fund, so it's always worth getting. I mean, it's not buying, it's donating! I think there were a few different grab bags available (it's a blind buy, so you don't know what's in each bag), but since I technically put myself on a make-up ban at the sale, I stuck to getting just one. Mine included Matte Lipstick in Rocker (which was brought back with last fall's MAC by Request collection; I remember wanting this lipstick but it was sold out by the time I checked it out, so this was really meant to be!) and Lustre Lipstick in Fun Fun (I think MAC was going to re-promote this shade last year — from 2007's Balloonacy collection! — but it didn't end up being released), Pro Longwear Lipglass in Everlasting Nude (a limited edition shade from last fall's Office Hours collection, which I reviewed here), and Fluidline in Catch My Eye (from last holiday's Glamour Daze collection — this worked out well, since this was the shade I was missing). That's over $100 worth of MAC products for $5!
And the freebie gift for the day we went on was MAC's Pro Longwear Eyeshadow in Bloom On (another limited edition shade from last fall's Office Hours collection, which I reviewed here). Not the most exciting shade, granted, but it was free, so I really can't complain. All in all, a seriously good haul. (Hey, that rhymed.)

Estée Lauder Warehouse Sale — Winter 2012

Jack and I went to the Estée Lauder warehouse sale on Friday. I reminded him to not let me buy any make-up because I have bought way too much recently and, let's be honest, I just have too much of it in general. I wasn't really planning on buying anything (I went "just to look"), but I picked up a few things that I thought were worth it.

Origins Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Soufflé, A Perfect World Intensely Hydrating Body Cream, and A Perfect World Highly Hydrating Body Lotion

Like last time, I stocked up on some Origins body moisturizers because I love them but would never buy them at full price. I've never tried the Gloomaway line, but it smells amazing so I picked up the Body Soufflé because it was on sale for $20 from $36. And since they're some of my favourite body products of all time, I re-bought both the A Perfect World Body Lotion (for $18 from $31) and Body Cream (for $20 from $39). I was tempted to buy the Ginger Cloud Smoothing Body Balm as well, but I'm on a budget and thought spending $60 on body moisturizer was more than enough.

MAC Pressed Pigment in Spotlit, Fluidline in Local Wares, Cremesheen Glass in Meteoric, and Lipstick in Shy Girl

Now, what was really worth it was the $5 MAC charity grab bags (all the money goes to MAC AIDS Fund and the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign). They don't display the contents anymore so each bag is a mystery, but from what I saw, each bag had at least three MAC products from collections that were released quite recently (one of which had a nail polish from the Marilyn Monroe collection!). Mine included a Pressed Pigment in Spotlit from September's Face and Body collection, a Fluidline in Local Wares from August's Styleseeker collection, and a Cremesheen Glass in Meteoric from July's Heavenly Creatures collection. I kind of regret not picking up more of the grab bags, but it's cash-only and I only had $5 on me. I take solace in the fact that I probably already have most of the products contained in the bags. But the free gift this time? Shy Girl lipstick. Totally worth going for that alone, since it's permanent and retails for $18 (and is universally flattering!).

Estée Lauder Warehouse Sale — Fall 2012

Went to the Estée Lauder warehouse sale last weekend with Katherine. I wasn't going to go given that I had just gotten back from New York and didn't want to spend much more money on shopping this month, but decided to go to see if they had any good deals on skincare or hair products. Seeing as I am newly obsessed with Origins, I ended up getting:

Origins Clear Head Mint Conditioning Rinse, A Perfect World Highly Hydrating Body Lotion, and A Perfect World Intensely Hydrating Body Cream

Yes, I bought a tube of body lotion just a couple weeks ago on my trip to New York, but I love it so much that I had to get another one while it was on sale for $18 (from $31!). I also got the body cream because my skin gets extra dry in the winter; I was going to buy it from the store in New York as well, but couldn't bear to dish out so much money for it at full price. But it was on sale for $20 from $39 — almost 50% off! I couldn't resist. The conditioning rinse, I admit was an impulse purchase, but it seems like a good product to add shine and volume without weighing my hair down. Plus, it was $10 from $20. You know I can't resist a good deal! If only I got the shampoo, too...

MAC Lip Pencil in Entertain Me and Lipstick in Toxic Tale

And for those who have gone to the warehouse sale, you'll know that there is a table near the exit doors that offers $5 MAC grab bags, of which all the proceeds goes to breast cancer research. I almost always pick one up if it's available, so I got the only one they had available. Despite the fact that the bags have gotten significantly smaller (they used to have three to four products in a single bag), I'm really happy with what was included in it: a Lip Pencil in Entertain Me (a bright coral orange) and a Satin Lipstick in Toxic Tale (a bright coral pink that I was obsessed with when it was launched in 2010's Venomous Villains collection). And they always give out a free gift as you leave the sale, which was MAC Bronze Bronzing Powder this time around (I gave mine to Katherine since I don't use Bronze). All in all, a limited but quality haul.

NYC — Autumn 2012: Origins

So, apparently, it's become a trend of mine to purchase all new skincare every time I go to New York. Last time, it was Malin + Goetz, which I decided I don't like for skincare (I think I'm allergic to their serum because my face gets itchy after using it... though their deodorant and lip balm are fantastic). This time, I went to Origins. I don't know why I suddenly became interested in Origins since I rarely look at their stuff in Toronto, but I went in the store with no intentions of buying anything, and somehow came out with a whole bag full of new product.

Modern Friction Nature's Gentle Dermabrasion, Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash, and A Perfect World Highly Hydrating Body Lotion with White Tea

Okay, so I suckered myself into buying the exfoliator and the face wash because I'd read tons of amazing things about them. I was even going to order them online a few months ago, and then talked myself into seeing them in-store first. When the salesgirl put the exfoliator on my hand and started rubbing it, I could literally see dead skin balling up all over. It was kind of gross but awesome at the same time. And the face wash was something I'd been meaning to buy for a while now. It has everything I like in a face wash: creamy, super-foamy, takes off make-up, deep cleans without stripping moisture. I started using it on my trip and it's amazing. A definite re-purchase. The body lotion, I'll admit was an impulse purchase. But it smells like mangosteen. Or, like, peach gummy candy. Whatever, it smells good. And it absorbs super fast and leaves skin feeling super soft. Instant love.

A Perfect World Age-Defense Skin Guardian with White Tea, Have A Nice Day Super-Charged Moisture Lotion, and High-Potency Night-A-Mins Mineral-Enriched Oil-Free Renewal Cream

I then asked the salesgirl for a recommendation on a new day moisturizer and night moisturizer, and she recommended the Have A Nice Day and High-Potency Night-A-Mins for my combination/oily skin. I started using both on my trip, and I gotta say, my skin feels softer and more hydrated and looks smoother than before. I don't know if it's a combination of the two or whatever, but they both feel great on the skin and I would totally recommend them to anyone with a similar skin type. They were also having a Labour Day weekend promotion, so if you spent over $100, you received a full-size A Perfect World serum for free, so that's how I got that. I'm not huge into "anti-aging" product yet, but the serum does work really nicely into any skincare regimen as it doesn't feel heavy or greasy. I've been using it as a foundation primer, and it's actually quite nice. We shall see if I become an Origins skincare convert in the upcoming months...

Origins

402 West Broadway

New York, NY 10012

(212) 219-9764