Pick-Ups & Deliveries: Winter 2016

It has been a serious minute since I did my last haul post, hasn't it? I didn't buy a whole lot in December and January, just a few bits and bobs here and there, so I thought I'd wait and do a cumulative winter haul... and I ended up shopping way more than expected in the last month. (And this is on top of all the new releases I've reviewed over the past two months, including the Urban Decay and Gwen Stefani collaboration, MAC Flamingo Park, and MAC Zac Posen.) As usual, it was Sephora that lured me in first.

Dior Diorskin Nude Air Glowing Gardens Illuminating Powder in 002 Glowing Nude, Dior Addict Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm in 005 Lilac, and Dior Vernis Couture Colour Nail Lacquer in 301 Bleuette
Both my friends Chelsea and Marina decided to quit their jobs at Sephora to pursue other opportunities, and asked me if I wanted to get anything with their discount while they could still get it. So I made them both lists, and ended up with quite a lot of goodies. I mean, it was like an early VIB sale. I couldn't resist. It started with Dior's new Spring collection, arguably one of their most coveted releases over the last two years. Of course, the first thing on my radar was the new highlighting powders. The pink one was super hyped-up by beauty bloggers and YouTubers alike, but it was the nude one that I really had my eye on. Though the pink one is pretty, I just knew I wouldn't use it as much as the gold one, and at $63 a pop, I really needed to take cost per use into consideration, discounted or not. So I got the highlighter in Glowing Nude; the Lip Glow in the new Lilac shade for spring, which feels amazing on the lips and imparts the most lovely soft petal pink flush; and a nail polish in the new and limited edition light aqua blue shade, which is everything I wanted Chanel Riva (e.g. one of the most hyped up and disappointing Chanel polishes to date) to be.

Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Brilliant Strobe Light and Euphoric Strobe Light
Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer in Medium Neutral, NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, and Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment
Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara (x 2)
I decided to get two of the new Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders, which I was totally going to ignore until I swatched them in person. These are squarely in the highlighter category, whereas the original Ambient Lighting Powders are considered soft focus face powders (and are generally not as interesting to me). Basically, this finish is what I was looking for when I got my Ambient Lighting Palette; the shade I use the most in that palette is Incandescent, which is now a solo shade in the Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder range. Since Incandescent is in the palette and Iridescent seemed way too similar to Incandescent to be worth buying, I snatched up Brilliant (a gorgeous champagne gold) and Euphoric (a pearlized peachy beige). I also got a few of my staple holy grail products, including Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer, and NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, plus two tubes of Marc Jacobs' new Velvet Noir Mascara which I tried a sample of and totally fell in love with (we'll see if it overtakes UD's Perversion as my holy grail). And because she's super sweet, Chelsea gave me a brand new tube of Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment that she got as gratis 'cause she knew I wanted to try it but also didn't want to shell out $31 for it.

Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Cleanser Daily Foaming Wash, Kate Somerville Quench Oil Free Hydrating Face Serum, Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cream, and Philosophy Renewed Hope in a Jar Refreshing & Refining Moisturizer
Verb Hydrating Shampoo (x 2) and Hydrating Conditioner
Of course, having two friends offering me their discount just wasn't enough because I have a serious Sephora addiction. During a late-night online shopping session, I saw that Ebates was having a one-day 12% cash back promotion for Sephora. There was also a 10% off promo code for VIB Rouge members. So I obviously had to use them together, and bought myself a whole slew of skincare. One of my colleagues raved about Kate Somerville's new ExfoliKate Cleanser for two weeks straight saying that her skin has never looked better since using it, so I finally decided to get it. I've been curious about Kate Somerville's skincare for a few years now, so as my current skincare is dwindling, I took the plunge and got her Quench Oil Free Hydrating Serum, plus her Goat Milk Cream to use as my night cream (my skin has been acting a bit funny this winter and despite having an oil slick of a T-zone, I was getting flaky patches and tightness on my cheeks so I needed to change up my skincare, which had always been geared towards oily skin). I also got a jar of Philosophy's new Renewed Hope in a Jar as my day cream since the original Hope in a Jar worked wonders for my skin years ago (I didn't re-purchase it because it felt too thick and smelled horrible, but the new version is more whipped and seems to absorb better and smells delightful). And though I don't usually buy a lot of haircare from Sephora, I just heard so many great things about Verb (arguably the most affordable salon brand out there) that I picked up two bottles of their Hydrating Shampoo and the massive super-size bottle of their Hydrating Conditioner as well.

Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey Cologne
My friend Austin had given me a Holt Renfrew gift card for my birthday last year that I had yet to use. I don't live anywhere near a Holt Renfrew, so when I perused their website and discovered that they sell cosmetics online, I decided that I would finally splurge on Jo Malone's Nectarine Blossom & Honey Cologne, which I had received a sample of when I bought Blackberry & Bay last year in NYC. I've actually been layering the two scents together for the past couple weeks which creates a lovely fresh, sweet, and slightly tart scent. I think this combo is gonna be my go-to spring fragrance. 
Urban Decay Matte Revolution Lipstick in Carnal and Backtalk, Revolution Lipstick in Strip and Protest, and Sheer Revolution Lipstick in Sheer Beso and Sheer Bittersweet
Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Singles
Top: Amber, Intense Gaze, Henna, and Cognac
Bottom: Belize, Plum Smoke, Labyrinth, and Aubergine
Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Singles
Top: Chiffon, Brownie, Peacock, and Prussian Blue
Bottom: Belize, Chocolate Crumble, Not Today, and Star Cobalt
When I was ordering all my Urban Decay & Gwen Stefani goodies from UD's website, I also decided to get some of their online-exclusive lipsticks — which, in my opinion, are some of the nicest, most flattering shades in their range. They're an assortment of nudes and MLBBs in various finishes (matte, cream, shine), and it's a shame that you can't get them in stores because I honestly think they'd become bestsellers (especially Backtalk and Strip). Their Revolution and Matte Revolution are two of my favourite lipstick formulas of all time, and I'm a total sucker for nudes, so I knew I was gonna like them without having to try them on (also, thank god for online lip swatches, am I right?). I hadn't tried the Sheer Revolution yet, but I figured if I was gonna make an online order, anyway, I might as well pick up the online exclusive shades in that formula as well (I'll have a review up on these soon). My brother also finally shipped out my Anastasia Beverly Hills eyeshadows that I had ordered last December. I had ordered 16 shades because ABH finally brought back their bundle deals (get eight shadows for $70 USD and get a free eight-pan eyeshadow palette). I shipped them to his apartment in NYC knowing that he was coming back to Toronto for Christmas so he could just bring them up with him and I wouldn't have to pay duties. Except that he forgot to bring them with him. So he had them shipped to me two months later. 
Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly Eyeshadow Collection
MAC Mellow Moderns Eyeshadow x 15 Palette
Too Faced released their Peanut Butter and Jelly eyeshadow palette a couple weeks ago on their website after previously only being available on Ulta, and Chelsea and I were hellbent on getting it because it is too fucking cute to resist, the colours are totally up our alley, and it smells like peanut butter, so I ordered two for us (Ulta doesn't ship to Canada). What pisses me off, however, is that Too Faced's Canadian site isn't really Canadian; they list their prices in Canadian dollars but they are still shipping out of California, so you have to pay taxes and duties (Too Faced uses Borderfree, though, so you know exactly how much you're paying before you receive it — no surprise fees upon arrival). Basically, this $52 palette ended up costing $78. I really, truly love the palette so I don't really regret buying it (also because it's not otherwise available in Canada so I really had no other choice), but I won't be ordering from Too Faced's website again. On another note, I did pick up the new Mellow Moderns 15-pan eyeshadow palette from MAC (which was previously a Nordstrom exclusive), and — best news! — all PRO discounts are applicable. MAC previously didn't allow discounts on their pre-made 15-pan palettes because they were already at a value price, but not only did they lower the retail prices on them from $99 to $85, they've also allowed discounts to be applied. Basically, I got this palette for dirt fucking cheap and it's beautiful.

Julep Nail Color in Janie, Tali, and Celeste
Julep Nail Color in Calla, Cora, Shayla, Kirby, Joelle, and Jamie
Julep Nail Color in Andrea, Dawnelle, Yumi, Sylvie, Everly, and Aviva
Hello Kitty by OPI Nail Lacquer in Starry-Eyed for Dear Daniel, Super Cute in Pink, My Pal Joey, and Never Have Too Many Friends!
I got a shit ton of nail polish. Long time followers of this blog will know that I was heavily into Julep's Maven program, which is the only beauty box program that I am still subscribed to, and I kept ordering for a few years until I got bored and then I started skipping months at a time. I had skipped for over a year until this past January, when I realized that I had enough Maven points to get a free monthly box. So I redeemed my points for the January Box (which included three nail polishes), and then noticed that they were offering their "Jem Collection" (a total of 12 glitter polishes) for $40. And as you know, glitter's my kryptonite. So I got those, too. And then I also got four shades from the Hello Kitty by OPI collection. I thought the pink shades would be cute for spring. And the blue and black creams are staples (also I realized I didn't actually own a black cream nail polish, which is just unacceptable). And, hi, it's Hello Kitty! I couldn't resist.
Bath & Body Works Ultra Shea Body Cream in Moonlight Path and Japanese Cherry Blossom, and Fine Fragrance Mist in Japanese Cherry Blossom
White Barn 3-Wick Candles in Lavender Vanilla and Bergamot Waters and Medium Candle in Eucalyptus Mint
Bath & Body Works Shea Infused Lounge Socks in It's a Shore Thing and You're One in a Melon
Do you know about Bath & Body Works' "Love It or Bring It Back" guarantee? Essentially, if you don't like a B&BW product, you can bring it back at any time, regardless of how old it is or whether you have a receipt. Before, this policy meant that you could exchange a product for the lowest selling price at the time of the exchange. So if you decided you didn't want a candle from two years ago, and it showed up as being $2.99 in their system, you could deduct that amount on another product. Now, their policy is a one-to-one exchange, so you can exchange any product for another of the same type of product. So if you brought back an old 3-wick candle, you could exchange it for a new 3-wick candle, regardless of price. I didn't know this until I was seeing if I could exchange some items I received in a Secret Santa at work this past Christmas. When I found out about their new exchange policy, I brought back a bunch of older products from up to two years ago that I had never used and never intended on using. Hence, I got two new body creams, a new body spray, and three new candles just by exchanging old unused products. But because I'm not a total asshole like that, I also added a few hand sanitizers and a couple pairs of my favourite shea infused lounge socks.

It's Skin Mini Bebe Hand Cream in Fresh Lime, and Classic Hand Cream in Intense & Rich and Soft & Fresh
It's Skin Citron Cleansing Foam and The Face Shop Chia Seed Fresh Cleansing Foam
Bliss Grapefruit + Aloe Body Butter Maximum Moisture Cream and Dr. Bronner's 15-in-1 Pure Castile Soap in Citrus
NYX Powder Blush in Intuition, Summer, and Beach Babe
On a trip to Pacific Mall with Chelsea, I picked up some newhandcreams and a tube of Citron Cleansing Foam (to clarify, exfoliate, and relieve inflammation) from Korean beauty brand It's Skin, plus a tube of Chia Seed Fresh Cleansing Foam (to absorb excessive sebum and deep cleanse pores) from The Face Shop, along with some Japanese candy and some cute pens and a Sonix pineapple phone case. Chelsea also gave me a tube of the Bliss Grapefruit + Aloe Body Butter that she had gotten for gratis from Sephora because she knows I love all the Bliss Body Butters, and then on a trip to Whole Foods, we each picked up some Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap (I like using it as hand soap, body wash, and brush cleanser). On a trip to Shoppers Drug Mart, I saw that they were finally carrying NYX, and decided to look through some of the products. NYX was previously only available at indie retailers and Rexall, so I'm glad SDM finally got the rights to carry the whole range because they're just a lot more accessible (SDM carried a few NYX products about a decade ago, but they weren't successful so I guess they were relegated to Rexall and, later, Target). I only bought three blushes while I was there, but it's good to know that I can get my NYX fix closer to home now. 
What have you splurged on lately? Any good deals or sales? What spring collections are you most looking forward to? Have you needed to change your skincare this winter, and if so, what's been your favourite products?

NYC — Winter 2015: Pick-Ups & Deliveries (Part II)

And so the shopping saga continues. I did say that I did some heavy damage in NYC, and that included a plethora of non-cosmetic items as well. I never thought I'd ever become the type of person to spend an exorbitant amount of money on candles (and if I did, it'd surely be on Diptyque!), but I couldn't resist the allure of the ones at Ladurée. I am a compulsive shopper and am easily swayed by pretty things, so Ladurée's gift items are totally targeted towards suckers like me. Maybe it's because there are lit candles wafting delicious scents around their tea room, or maybe it's the exclusivity of these candles (only available at Ladurée!), but they are gorgeous and they smell amazing and I was just like, "These need to come home with me."

Ladurée Othello and New York Candles
Ladurée Othello and New York Candles
I smelled all the candles in the store (indeed, the girl helping me was really patient and very honest: "That one smells like cheap strawberry gum") and ended up getting Othello and New York (exclusive to the New York stores). Othello is meant to smell like "black tea leaves," and it does have that kind of smoky-sweet incense note to it, but more than anything, it reminds me of a really intense, really hot, really well-dressed guy (and really defined six-pack abs underneath, obviously)... but with an air of mystery and intrigue (like, you know, Christian Grey... or James Bond). I'm not usually into spicy, woodsy scents, but the thought of burning this in the winter is just divine. New York, on the other hand, is totally the kind of scent that I am usually drawn to: sweet, crisp, slightly tart apples that's fresh and lively, but with a kind of warm cinnamon-y note that keeps it comforting at the same time. Perfect for both Spring and Fall.
Vosges Super Dark Mini Bar Library and Mini Exotic Chocolate Bar Library
Vosges Super Dark Mini Chocolate Bars: Pomegranate & Goji (x 2), Coconut Ash & Banana (x 2), Açaí & Golden Berries, Reishi Mushroom & Walnut, Guajillo & Chipotle Chili, and Matcha Green Tea (x 2)
Vosges Mini Exotic Chocolate Bars: Red Fire Bar (x 2), Mo's Dark Bar, Bapchi's Caramel Toffee Bar, Mo's Milk Bar, Sri Lankan Coconut & Curry Bar (x 2), and Barcelona Bar (x 2)
I'm not a huge chocolate person, but there are times when I crave it (like, say, when I'm PMS-ing), and it's particularly intriguing to me when there are unique flavours being offered. There's a Vosges store in Soho that looks so pretty and mysterious, almost like an apothecary but with chocolates lining the deep purple walls instead of potions, that it's hard not to want to go inside and take a look. Since it was super-cold out, I decided to get a "Parisienne" sipping chocolate, which marries dark chocolate and vanilla bean; it's thick, creamy, and ultra-decadent — the way real hot chocolate should be. The vanilla bean sweetens the dark chocolate, but it's still deep and flavourful (which I prefer in chocolate), and an 8-ounce cup is more than enough to satisfy. While sipping on my drink, I perused their beautifully displayed offerings — Vosges is known for their exotic flavour combinations in chocolate, so I left with two "libraries" of mini bars, one featuring their best-selling milk chocolate bars (favourites are Barcelona with almonds and sea salt, and Naga with Sri Lankan coconut and sweet Indian curry), and one of their new Super Dark chocolate bars that are made with 72% cacao (my favourite is Coconut Ash & Banana). Figured they'd be nice to gift and share with other (more chocolate-loving) people.
Community Paradigm Parka and Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Quilted Blouson Jacket
Uniqlo Black Leggings Pants
Uniqlo Lounge Drape Pants
Muji Cut Cotton and Black Gel Ink Pens
As per usual, my only apparel purchases were from Aritzia and Uniqlo. I actually wasn't planning on even going into Aritzia because it's so widely available here, but we had time to kill while waiting for a table at Balthazar, and Aritzia's right next door. I had been eyeing the Community Paradigm Parka for nearly five months by then; I tried it on and really liked it when they first came out last October, but decided to wait until the holiday sales started. Of course, once Boxing Day rolled around, I decided to wait until it was further reduced because I knew that once their Spring stuff started rolling in, their winter jackets would have a more significant discount. It wasn't until I was in NYC, freezing from walking around all day in subzero temperatures, that I felt it was time to snatch that baby up. They had one left in my size (one that was in their stockroom, still wrapped and untouched), so I took it as a sign that it was meant to be. And now I'm wondering how I got this far into winter without having a parka. Later on at Uniqlo ('cause you know I can't go to NYC and not make a trip to Uniqlo), I bought a lovely ultra-light down-filled bomber-style jacket that is phenomenal for layering ($69.90 for a down jacket of any kind is a steal in my books), plus four more pairs of my favourite black Leggings Pants (I live in these), and three pairs of Drape Pants because I am always on the look-out for pajama pants with pockets (why is it that women's pajama pants don't come with pockets, but men's always do?). Finally, we made a quick stop at Muji, where I stocked up on their Cut Cotton (exact dupes of Shiseido's Facial Cotton, but for $2.25 instead of $12!) and a few of my favourite Gel Ink Pens.
NYX Powder Blush in Coral Dream, Apricot, Ethereal, Pinched, and Bourgeois Pig
NYX Butter Lipstick in Little Susie, Fizzies, Pops, Snow Cap, Fun Size, Candy Buttons, Lollies, Gumdrop, Taffy, and Razzle
NYX Butter Gloss in Madeleine, Fortune Cookie, Crème Brûlée, Tiramisu, Angel Food Cake, Strawberry Parfait, Sugar Cookie, and Merengue
NYX Butter Gloss in Éclair, Vanilla Cream Pie, Peaches and Cream, Cupcake, Maple Blondie, Apple Strudel, Peach Cobbler, and Cherry Cheesecake
A couple weeks before I went to NYC, I made two huge orders to be sent to my brother's apartment so I could pick them up while I was there. One of them was from NYX, because their website carries all of their products at the original US prices (not the seriously marked-up prices at Rexall), and it's free shipping within the US (they don't even ship to Canada). I took the opportunity to get five more blushes, plus ten shades of Butter Lipstick and a whopping 16 shades of Butter Glosses (at $5 a pop, why the hell not?) because I've been wanting to try them for so long. I figure this will be the only order I ever put in with NYX, so I'd make it count.

ColourPop Lippie Stix in Tipsy, BFF, Button, Cookie, Frida, Brink, Bound, Lumière, Wifey, Brills, Grind, and Leather
ColourPop Rebound Super Shock Shadow Set: One & Done, Too Soon, Ex, and Adios
ColourPop Megan Naik x ColourPop Super Shock Shadow Set: Onai, Lectra, Amira, and Farah
ColourPop Minx Society x ColourPop Super Shock Shadow Set: Girly, On The Rocks, Get Lucky, and Roulette
ColourPop Shaaanxo x ColourPop Super Shock Shadow Set: XO, Selfie, Deluxe, and Rebel
ColourPop Super Shock Shadow in Truth, Smash, So Quiche, Sequin, Cheeky, Game Face, On The Rocks, Bandit, Mooning, Hustle, Lace, Bae, Hammered, and Shameless
As you all know, I am an addict and a hoarder of all things make-up. So after reading all the rave reviews and looking up swatches of ColourPop (which have been having a moment of intrigue recently, showing up in a multitude of beauty blogs and YouTube videos), I decided to put in a huge order with them, too. I chose 12 shades of Lippie Stix plus a total of 30 shades of Super Shock Shadow, 12 of which are included in "foursome" sets (three of the sets are collaborations, but I have no clue who or what Megan Naik, Shaaanxo, or Minx Society is). Again, at $5 a pop and free shipping in the US, I could not resist. I technically didn't buy these in NYC, but I picked them up in NYC, so I figured they could be counted in this haul. And with that, I'm done. And so is my wallet.

Ladurée Soho398 W BroadwayNew York, NY 10012(646) 392-7868
Vosges Haut-Chocolat132 Spring StreetNew York, NY 10012(212) 625-2929
Aritzia524 BroadwayNew York, NY 10012(212) 965-2188
Uniqlo Soho546 BroadwayNew York, NY 100121-877-486-4756
Muji455 BroadwayNew York, NY 10013(212) 334-2002

Pick-Ups & Deliveries: September 2014

Get a snack and a drink and get comfortable, 'cause this month's haul post is a long one. I'd taken on a few extra wedding jobs over the past month so I found myself with an influx of cash, and proceeded to do copious amounts of shopping. It all started when I went to the Estée Lauder warehouse sale at the beginning of September with my friend Steph.
Darphin Hydraskin Light Gel Crème and Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair
Origins A Perfect World Highly Hydrating Body Lotion with White Tea (x 2)
Michael Kors Holiday Nail Lacquer Set: Runway Star, Rock Star, and Superstar
MAC Powder Blush in Bred for Beauty, Lipstick in Embrace Me, and Nail Lacquer in Coffee Break
This is the first time I'd seen Darphin being carried at the warehouse sale (I didn't even know they were owned by Lauder). Darphin is a brand that I've always wanted to try but their products are just a little too expensive for me to justify at retail price. But when I saw their moisturizers being sold at 50% off, I didn't even hesitate; I ended up getting the Hydraskin Light Cream Gel for $40 from $80. And I also got a bottle of my favourite Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair (the old formula, not the new one that I haven't tried yet) for $50 (!) from $97. Other purchases include two tubes of Origins A Perfect World Body Lotion for $18 each from $32.50, a Michael Kors nail polish set for $25 from $50, and a MAC charity grab bag for $5 (that included Bred for Beauty blush and Embrace Me lipstick). The free gift was a MAC Nail Lacquer in Coffee Break.
MAC #262, #130, #132, and #127 Brushes
MAC Lipsticks in Siss and Yash, Matchmaster Concealer in 2 and 3, and Studio Sculpt Defining Powder in Light Plus
MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ Finishing Mist
Several days later, I made a trip to a MAC Store to get all The Simpsons collection goodies (which I reviewed earlier this month here, here, here, and here), during which I also bought some new brushes, two new lipsticks in Siss and Yash (permanent at MAC Stores, re-promoted in the Artificially Wild collection), two shades in the new Matchmaster Concealer (amazingly weightless, medium buildable coverage, natural satin finish in a super-convenient stick), the new Studio Sculpt Defining Powder in Light Plus for more natural highlighting, and three new bottles of Fix+ (now in fancy new packaging that mimics frosted glass).
Clinique Smart Custom-Repair Serum
Clinique Gift with Purchase: Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief, Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream, Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+, Rinse-Off Eye Makeup Solvent, All About Shadow Duo and Soft-Pressed Powder Blusher Palette, Chubby Stick Baby Tint in Flowering Freesia, and High Impact Mascara
Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Colour Lipshine in 46 Liberté and 89 Satisfaction
I went to The Bay to pick up the Clinique Smart Serum that I had pre-ordered with my friend for their Gift with Purchase event. I had been really curious about this serum since its launch (the fact that it sounded so much like Lauder's Advanced Night Repair is actually what sold me on it) and was going to buy it regardless of whether or not there was a gift, but I decided to support them during their event since I know their targets are crazy high. My friend added a tube of Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream to my gift 'cause she's awesome like that. While I was at The Bay, I stopped by the Chanel counter for a peruse and somehow ended up not with one, but two new Chanel Rouge Coco Shines. As none of the new limited edition shades appealed to me, I got two permanent shades instead (Satisfaction is the perfect everyday MLBB-meets-nude shade that I wanted Boy to be, and Liberté is the closest shade I've found to replace my beloved Rivage). I had enough points on my rewards card to redeem $20, though, so at least I didn't have to pay full price.

NYX Blushes in Summer Peach, Peach, and Pinky
NYX Round Lipsticks in Pumpkin Pie, Tea Rose, and Doll
I went to the doctor's a couple of weeks ago to get a new prescription for my eczema, and made my way to my local Rexall to pick up my new ointment. Not only did I not realize I lived so close to a Rexall, but I also discovered that they carry a huge selection of NYX products there! That wasn't completely ravaged by barbarians (ahem, Target)! So, killing two birds with one stone, I picked out a bunch of NYX goodies while waiting for the pharmacy to prepare my prescription. They didn't have any of those Butter Glosses that everyone's been raving about, but I did end up with three new blushes and three new lipsticks.

Makeup Geek Blushes
(Top: Love Affair, Hanky Panky, and Head Over Heels
Bottom: Rendezvous, Secret Admirer, and Honeymoon)
Makeup Geek Blushes(Top: Summer Fling, Bliss, and SmittenBottom: Infatuation, Spell Bound, and Romance)
Makeup Geek Eyeshadows(Top: Lemon Drop, Pixie Dust, Shimmermint, Poison Ivy, and EnvyMiddle: Appletini, Sea Mist, Shark Bait, Poolside, and MermaidBottom: Peacock, Ocean Breeze, Nautica, Neptune, and Duchess)
Then, online shopping happened. A lot of it. A bit too much, really. Some might even call it going overboard. I found out that Makeup Geek had re-stocked all their blush pans, so I got the other eight shades that I wasn't able to get last time I ordered from them. I've also been using their eyeshadows quite frequently and have been incredibly impressed with their quality and execution, so I decided to get 15 more eyeshadows in the green and blue families (I got mostly neutrals and warm shades last time). I did not need them at all because, really, how often do I use these types of colour? But the collector/hoarder in me is just like, "More, more, more!" and at $5.99 a pop, I can't really resist... And then I bought new MAC palettes to put them in because I decided I like the look of the new palettes way better than the old palettes I had put them in.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Gold and Rose Gold
Becca Mineral Blushes (clockwise from left): Flowerchild, Damselfly, Songbird, and Wild Honey
Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer in Just Dance and Harlem Nocturne
I was watching a YouTube video that featured Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Rose Gold and was like, "Oooooh, so pretty!" Which obviously led me to check it out on Sephora's website, where I saw that they also had a new shade called Champagne Gold. I was adding them to my wishlist thinking I'd wait until the next VIB sale to get them... but visions of gorgeous shimmery skin kept dancing in my head and I was like, "Fuck it, I'm getting them." So I added the two shades to my basket... and as I looked through my wishlist, I remembered that Becca's Mineral Blushes had been on my to-buy list for months. I think I would've waited to purchase them if Becca was available in any of the Sephora locations remotely close to me, but as it's not, I allowed myself to get two. And then I couldn't decide on which two to get because four of the shades were on my wishlist. I was debating over these shades for over half an hour before I was like, "Oh, fuck it. I'll just get all four." Clearly, my self-control is non-existent. Another case in point: I went into Sephora last week looking for Ardency Inn (which they didn't carry) and came out with two new Deborah Lippmann nail polishes instead. 
Cirque Nail Lacquer in Magic Hour, Lullaby, Xochitl, Planet Caravan, and Baptisia
Cirque Nail Lacquer in French Roast, Lichen, Lonesome George, Bejeweled, and Tibetan Nights
Speaking of nail polish and online shopping... I put in a massive order of Cirque polishes at Nail Polish Canada. I've noticed that I'll go one month without being intrigued by nail polishes at all and almost being positively bored by all the offerings, and then the next month, without fail, I will want every single shade I come across. I remember going on that site for months and almost all of the Cirque shades that I wanted were never in stock, so when I saw that they had most of the ones I wanted available again, I just binged. I got ten shades total from five separate collections, but I think Lichen is that one that I'd been lemming for nearly a year now. 
Soap & Paper Factory Ultra Moisturizing Shea Butter Hand Cream in Green Tea and Marine
Soap & Paper Factory Shea Butter Soap in Marine and Green Tea
Soap & Paper Factory Lip Butter in Blood Orange and Limoncello
I was ordering some new books on Indigo last weekend when I noticed two things: a) they carry Soap & Paper Factory and b) a lot of it was on sale. I have been interested in Soap & Paper Factory's products from when I first saw them featured in an issue of Lucky magazine six of seven years ago. At the time, however, no stores were carrying their products here and they wouldn't ship to Canada from their website (and even if they did, it would probably have cost an arm and a leg). So I never got to try them out. But Indigo has their shea butter hand creams and bar soaps on sale for 50% off right now, so I bought two of each in Green Tea and Marine scents (I've been using bar soap almost exclusively at home because I've discovered that a lot of liquid hand soaps irritate my hands). I also got a coupon code for an extra 15% off gift items, so I added two of their lip butters in Blood Orange and Limoncello, too. 
 Bath & Body Works 3-Wick Candles in Wasabi Apple and Bourbon Butterscotch
Bath & Body Works Mason Jar Candles in Pumpkin Caramel Latte, Caramel Pumpkin Swirl, and Pumpkin Pecan Waffles
And then I went back on my word and ended up buying more candles. Because Bath & Body Works always has these ridiculous, irresistible sales and an extra coupon on top of the sales, and you end up buying all the things. They were having a 2 for $25.50 sale for their 3-wick candles, and I had a coupon for an extra 20% off, so I bought Wasabi Apple and Bourbon Butterscotch. Then, literally a week later, they were having a 3 for $25 sale for their mason jar candles. So I got three pumpkin scents (I don't like them in the 3-wicks because they're way too strong and way too sweet, but they give off just the right amount of scent in the mason jars), and had another coupon for 20% off that I got through e-mail. But it's over now, guys. I'm done. No more. Really. I swear. (Let's see how long this lasts.)

What did you get this month? Any sales you just couldn't resist?