I just purchased the BECCA Backlight and First Light Filter Face Primers and the Under Eye Brightening Corrector with my previous order, so I was ready to try more. Especially when I saw the prices. I got the BECCA Light Chaser Highlighter in Opal Flashes Jade and the BECCA Liquid Crystal Glow Gloss in Opal x Jade… for half off! I LOVE Origins so when I saw this duo was an option for rewards redemption, I needed it. It came with deluxe trial sizes of the Origins Original Skin Cleansing Makeup Removing Jelly with Willowherb and the Origins Original Skin Matte Moisturizer with Willowherb. I snagged a benefit BADgal BANG! Volumizing Mascara promo (benefit-brand mascara promos are always great sizes). I got my Josie Maran Vibrancy Argan Oil Foundation Fluid (6 shades) sample, but not the tarte ‘Rainforest of the Sea’ Collection Aquacealer Concealer (4 shades) or Giorgio Armani Beauty ‘Sí’ EDP samples, which is a shame since I’m doing a foundations experiment in addition to my usual perfumes post. I got Guerlain Météorites Baby Glow Sheer Liquid Foundation (03 Medium) and Living Proof T.B.D. Multi-Tasking Styler samples instead. Again, not complaining. Free is free. I’m just a blogger with ideas so it can be disappointing to not get what I’m expecting.
I’ve been playing with highlighters a lot lately and was eyeballing this Too Faced ‘Life’s a Festival’ Collection Rainbow Strobe Highlighter, mostly because, hello… rainbow! I also wanted the Cover FX Glitter Drops promo in Mirage. I love Cover FX products and, like benefit, the trial sizes are always generous. I received the Berdoues ‘Assam of India’ EDP and Juicy Couture ‘Majestic Woods’ EDP samples I requested, but not the fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask, but that’s cool because they sent a TOCCA ‘Giulietta’ EDP sample in its place.
Moving along with my highlighter/Too Faced obsession, I bought the Too Faced Diamond Light Multi-Use Highlighter in Diamond Fire. I was prompted to impulsively purchase due to the Viktor&Rolf ‘Flowerbomb’ EDP and Flowerbomb Twist Oil promo duo in rose. I requested as my samples, Giorgio Arman Beauty ‘Armani Code Colonia’ EDT, Maison Margiela ‘REPLICA Flower Market’ EDT, and TOM FORD ‘Oud Wood’ EDP. I didn’t get any of those. Rather, I got Guerlain ‘Mon Guerlain’ EDP, Stella McCartney ‘Stella Peony’ EDT, and Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat All-Over Brightening Pen (2-piece) samples.
Not quite finished with Too Faced, and needing a new purple eyeshadow palette, I decided to buy the Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Soft & Sexy Eyeshadow Palette AND pick up another Viktor&Rolf ‘Flowerbomb’ EDP and Flowerbomb Twist Oil promo duo... this time in jasmine. Hard to believe, but I received the exact samples I ordered this time! For my foundation experiment, I chose Bobbi Brown Instant Full Cover Concealer, Cover FX Natural Finish Foundation (2-piece), and Urban Decay All Nighter Liquid Foundation (6-piece) samples.
When the Milk Makeup Holographic Powder Quad was marked down from $49 to $30, it was all over the beauty news. I had to get one while the getting was good because, as I mentioned before, I’m currently obsessed with highlighters. The Living Proof Restore Smooth Blowout Concentrate deluxe trial promo helped push me to order. The Milk Makeup Blur Liquid Matte Foundation (3-piece) sample I wanted was fulfilled, but I didn’t get the Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage Concealer (4-piece) or Ralph Lauren ‘Polo Red Rush’ EDT samples I wanted. I got a repeat of my last order’s Urban Decay All Nighter Liquid Foundation (6-piece) sample and a Ralph Lauren ‘Woman’ EDP.
I was excited to see this new kit – fresh Age-Delay Beauty Must-Haves. It includes a mini Soy Face Cleanser, trial-sized versions of the Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask and Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate, and 5 packets of the Black Tea Firming Corset Cream. I adore fresh’s Rose Hydrating Collection so I’m sure I’ll love this set as well. I snagged the Alterna Haircare CAVIAR Anti-Aging Smoothing Anti-Frizz Blowout Butter. I haven’t had much luck with blowout creams I’ve sampled. I’m hoping this will change that. I also got the samples I wanted – Emporio Armani ‘Stronger With You’ EDT, Maison Margiela ‘REPLICA At the Barber’s’ EDT, and TOCCA ‘Cleopatra’ EDP. As a blogger, I’m always thrilled when I get the samples I requested to review.
Sephora Beauty Insiders:
By signing up to become a Beauty Insider, you open up a whole new world of Sephora awesomeness. Becoming a member is easy and free. You can do it in-store or online. When you sign up, you'll be assigned a card number that will automatically be applied to your purchases online and can be scanned from your smart phone in-store. Pre-tax and pre-shipping, you'll receive one point for every dollar spent, excluding gift cards. However, if you use a gift card to pay, you will still receive points.
There's also a great app you can use to shop. Some of the perks of using the app are instant notifications that you will receive to notify you of exciting new opportunities. You'll also get app-only previews and promotions, be able to use the virtual artist program to try on various cosmetics and be able to save all of your LOVES for future purchases.
Some of the other benefits of being a Beauty Insider are:
- Birthday Gifts each year that you are a member. Usually you can select from several options of minis worth $10-$20. There is no purchase necessary in-store and only a small minimum purchase required online. These can be redeemed anytime during your birthday month in-store, and two weeks before and after your birthday AND during your birthday month online.
- Rewards! Use your points in the Rewards Bazaar to get really cool deluxe samples of some of Sephora's favorite products. Use any amount from 100 points and up to access these great bonuses. Obviously, the more points, the more incredible the items. New rewards are constantly being added and some are even for trips, like to New York Fashion Week or to visit various spas and boutiques belonging to brands like Caudalie, Make Up For Ever, benefit Cosmetics, and more. Some even including travel!
- Access the Beauty Insider Community. You can join groups, participate in the forum discussions, and chat with other insiders to get info and recommendations. Complete your beauty profile to receive personalized makeup color matches.
- Free Beauty Classes where you can learn from an instructor the basics like skin care routines, all the way up to creating new makeup looks based on today's trends.
Once you've spent $350 in one calendar year you'll become a VIB (Very Important Beauty Insider), and if you spend $1,000 you'll attain Rouge status. Both of these add to the special privileges you can receive as a Beauty Insider. For example, as a VIB you'll also get to have one Free Makeover a year in Sephora stores and a Monthly Gift, which turns out to be basically another promo code especially for VIB's. A VIP Rouge member gets unlimited free makeovers, Free 2-day Shipping, and invitations to Private Events.
What's great about shopping online is you'll get to choose two Free Samples of sweet products from a list of 12, free shipping when you spend over $50 (or for any amount if you purchase Flash Shipping for $10 per year), AND PROMOS! Do not forget to enter a promo code for orders $25 and up. Some require a higher minimum purchase, but all the free goodies are fabulous - deluxe samples, fantastic extras with select fragrance purchases, and occasionally makeup baggies full of perfume, skincare and makeup samples. There are even coupon codes for $10 off from time-to-time. You can find these promos on the site under Beauty Offers, by the promo entry space, or at coupon code sites such as Groupon or RetailMeNot. You supposedly cannot enter codes once they've been taken off the site, but I've found I can sometimes still enter a code in the first couple of days afterwards. Don't take my word for it! If you want something badly enough, place that order as soon as possible. Usually items are only added or removed on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
All samples, promotions, and rewards are first-come, first-serve, so if you see something you really want, make sure to grab it while you can. But don't worry. Even if you miss one, there are new items being added all the time.
I've found that purchases in-store can be hit-or-miss when it comes to getting samples and other freebies. Sometimes they have nothing in the original packaging. Other times you might get something unbelievable like a deluxe sample of a really expensive face cream, etc. One thing is true for almost all stores is that a beauty expert will pack you up a sample of almost anything you want from their product selection.
One last thing... Sephora has a beauty subscription service call PLAY! PLAY is $10 per month (with free shipping) and you will be sent five to six samples and/or minis, in an adorable pouch, straight to your door. Included is a PLAY Pass that you can redeem in-store for 50 Beauty Insider points with a full-size purchase, AND a one-on-one consultation to learn how to use your products for that month. Look through some of my PLAY reviews to get an idea of what kind of goodies you can expect to receive with your subscription.
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