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...

Unboxing: Sephora Fall/Winter 2021 Haul

Hi, Sephora is having a 20% off pre-holiday discount right now and I may have gone a little overboard.

Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Serum, Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum, and Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum
Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Serum, Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum, and Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Magic Kit: Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner, Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops, and Watermelon Glow Hyaluronic Clay Pore-Tight Facial
Philosophy Purity Made Simple Oil-Free One-Step Mattifying Facial Cleanser and Ole Henriksen Lemonade Smoothing Scrub
Fresh Vitamin Nectar Antioxidant Face Mist and Herbivore Aquarius Pore Purifying Clarity Cream
Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, First Aid Beauty KP Smoothing Body Lotion with 10% AHA, and Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
Dior Diorshow Maximizer 3D Triple Volume Plumping Lash Primer, Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara, Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara, and Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara
I stocked up on enough skincare and mascara to last me until next summer. Looks like I'm a Rouge member again.

Unboxing: Sephora Spring VIB Sale 2021 Haul

It's April, which means it's that time of year again — the Sephora Spring VIB sale. I used to go crazy during these sales, spending upwards of $500 every time, but I don't buy a lot of things from Sephora anymore since I quit the cosmetics industry and literally threw out tens of thousands of dollars worth of cosmetics last year when I was preparing to move to my condo. (Plus, I barely wear makeup since I started working from home a year ago.) Which means, for the first time since the rewards program started, I'm no longer a VIB Rouge member. But my friend Ying still is, and she offered up her 20% discount to me for this sale so I selected a few things that I'd been eyeing.

  Clean Reserve Space Rain Liquid Reed Diffuser
Clean Reserve Space Linen & Room Spray in Warm Cotton and Fresh Linens
I got myself exactly four items. The first three are from Clean Reserve's new Space collection, which is their home fragrance line. I had never thought of buying home fragrance from Sephora, but I actually saw these in the New Arrivals section of their website and got intrigued. I've been using regular ol' Febreze plug-in air fresheners, but I have two in my condo which means I spend about $12 on refills every month to month-and-a-half, which really adds up. I also don't like using candles too often because they're a fire hazard and the scent really only lingers while they're lit, so I only use them after cooking. Thus, I decided to get a little bougie, and I got myself the Rain Liquid Reed Diffuser and two of the Linen & Room Spray in Warm Cotton and Fresh Linens, which I can use on my clothing, too.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask
The last item I got was Glow Recipe's Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask. I'm on my last tube of MAC's Fast Response Eye Cream, which was my go-to because it actually got rid of the eczema on my eyelids, which was caused by using liquid eyeliner everyday (to be fair, it was a specific brand of liquid eyeliner that was causing the eczema). I just kept using it after it got rid of the eczema because it felt nice and wasn't too heavy. But now that I don't get an employee discount on it, I decided it was time to explore a different eye cream. Glow Recipe's is meant to "brighten, de-puff, and treat the appearance of dark circles" as well as "soothe and nourish" and help with "loss of firmness and elasticity," which quite honestly sounds like it's promising too much, but hey, I'm not getting any younger and I might as well try to prevent fine lines while moisturizing. Plus, I've always liked Glow Recipe's products and this one has great reviews. (Also, the packaging is really fucking cute.)

  Sol de Janeiro Bom Dia Bright Body Cream
As I was picking up my stuff from Ying, she surprised me with a mini jar of Sol de Janeiro's Bom Dia Bright Body Cream! She had bought one for herself early on during the sale and I was intrigued by it because I really like the brand's Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. She had offered to give me a sample of it but I didn't want her to go through the trouble nor did I want to touch her brand new jar, so I told her not to worry about it. But she ended up getting me one of my own because she said she quite liked both the scent and the texture once she actually used it, and this way, I'd be able to decide if I liked it enough to purchase it. It was so sweet of her and was such an unexpected gift; I'm really blessed to have such a great friend. I will definitely treat her to a few BTS Meals at McDonald's next month...

Photolog 2020: Day 328 of 366

I got goodies from Sephora! (Wow, it has been a long time since I've said that.)

Tatcha The Deep Cleanse and The Rice Wash
Fresh Umbrian Clay Purifying Face Exfoliant
Between birthday gifts from Ying, Chelsea, and myself, I got a nice little cosmetics haul! (I love that the Sephora VIB sale is always in November. I can always use my birthday as an excuse to buy overpriced cosmetics that I would never buy at full price.) Ying had asked me if I was going to get anything during the VIB sale, so I told her I was eyeing two Tatcha cleansers — The Deep Cleanse and The Rice Wash — and she just straight-up told me not to buy them because she was going to get them for me as a birthday gift. (She wanted to get me BTS merch originally, but she said I screwed up her plan because I always end up ordering everything I want from every new launch and there was nothing left for her to get me. Whoops.) 

She also got me a tube of Fresh's Umbrian Clay Pore Purifying Face Exfoliator because she had asked for exfoliator recommendations, and I said this has been one of my favourite for years and that I would be returning to it once I finish my Ole Henriksen Transforming Walnut Scrub (it's okay, but it's honestly just a glorified, extremely overpriced version of St. Ives Apricot Scrub, which retails for $5 at Walmart). So she beat me to the punch and got me a new tube first.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask in Grapefruit
Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve
Sol de Janeiro Coco Cabana Cream and Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
Verb Blow Dry Brush
Chelsea got me a new full-size tube of Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve and a new jar of Laneige's Lip Sleeping Mask in Grapefruit — my go-to ride-or-die favourites, especially for winter. And for myself, I took advantage of the 20% discount to splurge on two items I would never normally buy: Sol de Janeiro's Coco Cabana Body Cream and Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. I tried a couple samples a while ago and surprised myself by actually loving their scents (coconut praline and pistachio vanilla, respectively), but the main reason I got them is because I'm not allergic to them (!!!). I'm always trying to find a good scented body cream that is actually moisturizing and won't break me out into rash or eczema, but unfortunately, my favourite scents are usually citrus-based, and I'm allergic to almost all of those fragrance mixes. I guess I just had to look for warm scents. Who knew I would ever like vanilla again?

Oh, and I also got a new Verb Blow Dry Brush. I have to replace mine every year because it starts to get warped and the bristles get mangled from blow drying every day. (My old one was honestly starting to look deformed. Frankly, I was just waiting for the VIB sale to get a new one.) But there's nothing else that makes hair drying faster, which is especially important to me because I wash my hair everyday and drying hair is tedious AF. (Seriously, this brush cuts my hair drying time so much that I can dry all of my coarse, medium-to-long length hair in less than 5 minutes.) And that's it. I won't be shopping at Sephora for another six months (at least), but I'm thankful my friends spoiled me this year! 

Photolog 2020: Day 133 of 366

My Sephora finally arrived. (I made this order during the VIB sale in early April.) I didn't go too crazy this time, though — just a few skincare products to tide me over until I can buy Innisfree products in person again (they don't have a Canadian shopping site, and any other site that sells Innisfree is way too expensive)... and more tinted lip balm.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple Foaming Cleansing Gel, Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Cleanser Daily Foaming Wash, and Ole Henriksen Transforming Walnut Scrub
Mario Badescu Cucumber Cleansing Lotion and Witch Hazel & Rosewater Toner
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Petal and Rosé
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Petal and Rosé
So... how much lip balm is too much lip balm?

Photolog 2019: Day 328 of 365

Tatcha Treasures for Poreless Skin Set
Tatcha Treasures for Poreless Skin Set
Okay, so my new favourite thing is getting belated birthday presents. Firstly, you get to celebrate your birthday all over again (except without the getting older part). Secondly, you don't see them coming so they're truly surprises. My friend Amanda got me this beautiful Tatcha skincare set, which features a full-size jar of The Water Cream, one of my favourite moisturizers of all time, along with travel-size versions of The Deep Cleanse and The Satin Skin Mist. When I asked her how she knew the moisturizer was one of my favourites, she said, "I didn't. I wanted to get you skincare because you have too much makeup, so I asked the girl at Sephora what was a good gift for someone who has combo/oily skin, and she showed me this. I just know you like Asian skincare, so I bought it. But I got you a gift receipt in case you didn't like it." Needless to say, I'm keeping it. (Amanda really spoiled me this year. The only reason why I've only re-bought this moisturizer once is because it's so goddamn expensive.)

Photolog 2019: Day 317 of 365

Got some early birthday gifts from my friend! A bottle of my favourite Fresh Sugar Lychee Eau de Parfum, a tube of my favourite Jack Black Moisture Therapy Lemon Lip Balm, plus two bottles of my favourite Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Hand Soap in Lemon Verbena and Orange Clove (seems random but she knows I wash my hands a lot and this is one of the only hand soaps I'm not allergic to). Totally made my day. 💜

Photolog 2019: Day 316 of 365

My Sephora package arrived just in time to cheer me up on this miserably frigid day. (Actually, it was pretty sunny out, but it was also -7°C and I only had 30 minutes of sleep before going to work for nine hours. And I had to drive through two rush hours. So yeah, miserable.) As with every November, the Sephora VIB Rouge sale started last week, so I took the opportunity to stock up on some staples:

• Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve — Really the only product that keeps my hands from being totally wrecked from so much hand washing and sanitizing. Also because I'm prone to both regular eczema and hand eczema (yes, they're two different things), and this cream helps with both. When I get eczema outbreaks on the backs of my hands, this stuff calms it down and keeps it from flaring up. When I get hand eczema outbreaks (which is less frequent now because I'm more aware of detergents I'm allergic to, but sometimes I'll use public bathroom soap without thinking and my hand eczema will come back) and my skin splits into a big cut, this stuff helps it heal faster. I keep one on my bedside table, one on my work desk, one in my purse, and one in my brush belt at work.
  
  
• Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-Free UV Protector Broad Spectrum Face Sunscreen SPF 42 — This has unexpectedly become my face primer. Originally, I bought it because I was looking for a good facial sunscreen and this one had one of the highest ratings, but it works as such an amazing makeup primer for combo-to-oily skin that I don't even bother with actual primer anymore. This is ultra-lightweight, almost watery in texture, plus it gives me a good amount of sun protection, and is literally the only thing I wear under makeup that can keep my face matte almost all day — seriously, I don't even blot anymore — and keep my foundation from oxidizing. A serious game-changer for me.
  
  
• Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Dream Face Cream — I discovered this last winter and loved the way it made my skin look and feel, so I decided to re-purchase it this winter. It's a bit too heavy for me in the summer, when I prefer more lightweight options, but this is perfect for cold weather, when skin feels tighter and drier. It's rich enough to keep my skin super-hydrated and soft in harsh subzero temperatures but doesn't feel greasy. Plus, it smells like mango candy.
  
  
• Laneige Water Bank Hydro Gel — Gonna try this out as my new day cream for winter 'cause I've always had good results with Laneige's Water Bank series. I was using Glow Recipe's Watermelon Pink Juice Moisturizer, which is perfect for hot weather, but I need something a little more protective and hydrating for winter that is still lightweight and sits well under makeup, so I like to opt for gel-creams as day moisturizers in the winter.
  
  
• Philosophy Purity Made Simple Foaming Cleansing Gel — My ride-or-die, forever and ever (until it's discontinued). It's been my go-to makeup removing cleanser for years. Don't know why this doesn't get more attention. Everyone likes the milk version, but I hate it because I feel like it doesn't take off any of my makeup. But this stuff? Even waterproof liquid eyeliner, full coverage concealer, and three heavy coats of mascara comes off. As I said, ride-or-die. 

Along with last month's Sephora haul, I'm all set for skincare this winter. (Which is great, because there is a lot of BTS merch coming out over the next few weeks and I need to give them more of my money.)

Photolog 2019: Day 294 of 365

Fresh Soy Face Exfoliant and Ole Henriksen Glow2OH Dark Spot Toner
Saturday Skin Bright Potion Probiotic Power Serum and Freeze Frame Moisturizing Beauty Essence
Finally got around to checking my mail box and found my Sephora package. (Apparently, it arrived several days ago. Oops.) I had gotten a 20% off Family & Friends discount code from a friend, so I had to take advantage (even though there's likely going to be a VIB sale next month). Again, no makeup this time, just skincare: a new tube of Fresh Soy Face Exfoliant (it was my holy grail for a while, but it was pricey as hell so I strayed to try other brands, but I haven't found anything I like better), a bottle of Ole Henriksen Glow2OH Dark Spot Toner (which I've been wanting to try out for a while now to help fade my pigmentation and redness, but it might be too good to be true so we'll see), plus a bottle of Saturday Skin Bright Potion Probiotic Power Serum (for dullness and uneven texture) and Freeze Frame Moisturizing Beauty Essence (for extra hydration) since I've been really enjoying Saturday Skin's products and because winter's coming and I needed some new serums. That should tide me over until next year, right? (It has to. I have way too much BTS merch to focus on.)

Photolog 2019: Day 239 of 365

Saturday Skin Rise + Shine Gentle Cleanser and Rub-A-Dub Refining Peel Gel
Saturday Skin Waterfall Glacier Water Cream
Mario Badescu Witch Hazel & Rosewater Toner, Fresh Sugar Strawberry Exfoliating Face Wash, Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, and Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-Free UV Protector Broad Spectrum Face Sunscreen SPF 42
Nothing like a package from Sephora to brighten up a gloomy day! Sephora is having a summer VIB sale for the first time ever right now, so I decided to stock up on skincare. I re-purchased Saturday Skin's Rise + Shine Gentle Cleanser because I'm almost done my old tube, along with their Rub-A-Dub Refining Peel Gel and their Waterfall Glacier Water Cream. I also got a tube of Fresh's new Sugar Strawberry Exfoliating Face Wash, a bottle of Mario Badescu's Witch Hazel & Rosewater Toner, a tube of Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve (my holy grail), and a bottle of Shiseido's Urban Environment Oil-Free UV Protector Broad Spectrum Face Sunscreen SPF 42 because I thought I should finally get some sun protection for my face (I have lots of freckles and little pigmentation marks but don't use sunscreen, which totally defeats the purpose of using all these brightening products, and YES, I SHOULD KNOW BETTER). So, yeah, I think that should tide me over until the fall sale in November...

Photolog 2019: Day 124 of 365

Glow Recipe Pineapple-C Bright Serum
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer
Urban Decay Perversion Mascara x 2
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Medium Brown x 2
My choices for Sephora's Spring VIB Rouge sale. Just two pieces of skincare for summer and doubles of my two everyday staple makeup products. I really executed the utmost self-control this time around.

Photolog 2019: Day 45 of 365

My Valentine's gift to myself (the very best kind of gift, really) arrived just in time today! I had an $8 coupon from Sephora's Chinese New Year promotion plus cash back from Ebates, so I decided to get three shades of the Kaja Heart Melter Lip Gloss Stick in Sweet Talk, Crazy 4U, and Hunny Bun. Because what better gift to get myself for Valentine's Day than the most adorable heart-shaped glossy lipsticks?

Photolog 2019: Day 39 of 365

Kaja Blur Drop Weightless Water Primer and Don't Settle Concealer in Boba Tea and Sweet Toast
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Medium Brown x 2
Laneige Essential Power Skin Toner and Philosophy Purity Made Simple Foaming 3-in-1 Cleansing Gel
Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve x 2
My friend Chelsea is finally quitting her job at Sephora, so she asked me if I wanted anything while she still got her discount. Obviously, I can't say no. So I took the opportunity to stock up on all my new favourites (the Kaja face primer and concealer are phenomenal — definite holy grail status) and staple products. I think I'm all set until the next VIB sale.

Photolog 2019: Day 24 of 365

Becca Year of the Pig Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed
Kaja Blur Drop Weightless Water Primer and Don't Settle Concealer in Boba Tea
Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Dream Face Cream
Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve
My Sephora package arrived today! This was a totally unnecessary, middle-of-the-night, spur-of-the-moment order, but I'm quite excited with my purchases. It all started with the new Becca Year of the Pig Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed, which I totally didn't need but was way too cute to resist. I figured it'd be a nice little Lunar New Year gift for myself, you know? (Plus, pigs are considered good luck for me because I'm born in the Year of the Tiger, so like, I obviously needed it for health and prosperity or whatever.) I also wanted to try a couple things from this cute new Korean makeup brand called Kaja, and ended up getting the Blur Drop Weightless Water Primer (I've been on a primer hunt again) and the Don't Settle Concealer in Boba Tea (um, these concealers might have the cutest shade names, ever). Then I got a jar of the new Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Dream Face Cream, which I had gotten a sample of and totally fell in love with. The texture is rich but not too thick, it smells like mango bubble tea (at least to me, it does), it absorbs really well, and it makes my skin feel buttery soft... It's the perfect winter night cream for my skin. And finally, I got another tube of my favourite, ride-or-die Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, which has single-handedly saved my hands from cracking and bleeding this winter. And that's it. Just five items.

You know, I actually had more self-control than I thought I did.