What $160 at Sephora Got Me

 Hello everyone! I received quite a plentiful bounty for Christmas this year, including two amazing Sephora gift cards that combined totaled $160! At first I thought, I'll save the gift cards for when I need to make re-purchases on vital products like cleanser, dry shampoo, etc. But then I said - eh... what's the fun in that? After all, $160 is a lot of money and I figured I could splurge on a couple nice items and maybe save the rest. That turned into spending it all on a haul with luxury items. Take a look at what I picked up:

Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color - $10 each
I got both these lip pencils on sale while surfing Sephora.com! I couldn't believe it, they were all on sale for $10 but I got them for $8 each (they were having a 20% off all sale promotion and I think I used another coupon code!) I get the feeling that they are being discontinued but I got two beautiful shades, perfect for popping in your hand bag (both colors and formulas which I love).

Clinique Cheek Pop in Nude Pop - $22 

I spotted this blush online and it was so pretty looking! The product photos are gorgeous for all 12 shades. Online they're very vibrant and intensely pigmented looking, but in real life (at least for me) I have to build the color a lot and really get my brush in there. Still for $22 a blush, that's a pretty great deal (and it's the perfect color for my preferences). I plan on throwing this in my makeup bag on the go. 

Elizabeth and James Nirvana White Dry Shampoo - $28

This was a re-purchase. I love this dry shampoo, I've tried the cheap ones like Bautiste which everyone swears by as a good, cheap dry shampoo but it almost never worked. It just didn't. This dry shampoo is AMAZING, the spray mechanism is so powerful and the product comes shooting out and almost instantly with one motion I can do my entire hair line and de-greasify it. It's a really great dry shampoo because it does. it's. job.  And it smells great too. I wish it was cheaper but this product has become an essential for me. 

Marc Jacobs Beauty Re(Marc)able Full Cover Concealer $32

So this concealer claims to be "a creamy, full-coverage concealer that creates an even, remarkable skintone by concealing flaws and imperfections." When I was perusing products at the Sephora in Herald Square (which offers many of Sephora's more high-end luxury brands i.e. Surratt, Estee Lauder, Ciate, etc.), I walked by the Marc Jacobs beauty range and tried this concealer on. Granted, I was wearing face makeup, but from the application I knew it was going to be one of those emollient, full-coverage concealers. This bodes well for me, as I am always on the hunt for high-coverage face products that are an instant perfector. Normally I wouldn't shell out $32 on a concealer, but I figured it was a gift. I am however still testing it... after all, that is a lot to spend on one tiny product! 

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Pink Quartz - $46

And now it's time for our last and most expensive product. I purchased one of Bobbi Brown's infamous Shimmer Bricks, known for their high intensity as well as versatility. I love highlighters, and I've had my eye on this product for years, but it was always too expensive for me to buy. However, with my newfound riches (thanks Stephanie and Nick!) I was freed to splurge guilt-free. I went into Sephora and tried just about a billion highlighters and blushes on my face, but one of my cheeks looked especially radiant, and with some testing on future visits, I ascertained that Bobbi Brown's shimmer brick in Pink Quartz was the product that contributed the most to that sheen, so I went ahead and bought it. This specific shade gives my cheeks the most luminous, pretty glow and true to word is described on the site as a "soft, warm pink glow." Again, I <3 neutral warm pinks so this was love at first swipe. 

So that's it guys! Can you believe it? $160 at Sephora only earned me a few products. I can't help but feel a little disappointed. I did all the math, and yup, these products = $145, so tax ate up the rest of my credit. I may have even spent a little more on tax then $15. However, I did pay for two luxury items, three if you count the dry shampoo. Anyway, I still had fun and wanted to post my few treasures up (also helping me assess the haul). Thanks guys! If given the opportunity again, I would definitely make more careful considerations. I still might return the concealer if it doesn't outmatch my other concealers. We'll see!

Gifts I Got This Christmas 2015

Hi guys! What a merry Christmas it was for me this year! I received very generous gifts that were thoughtful and an absolute delight to unwrap. Here is a photo round-up of my treasures.

My sister hands down gave me the most gifts this year. She got me two marvelous classics: 

Diana also brilliantly thought to get me stickers to decorate the pages of my new planner! She picked out these adorable emoji stickers, Pusheen stickers, and asian stickers! 

She also got me these b-e-a-utiful gel pens for my planner! Eeeeh!

Two lovely people got me Sephora gift cards, my aunt Stephanie and Nick (my special friend). Yay :D

I asked Diana for these metallic pen holders to click to my planner... but they just don't seem practical to me now that I have the planner. First of all, I use at least four different colored markers on a daily basis to color coordinate what I write, and keep them all safely in their kit, so when would I ever clip just one to my planner? Also, things get so jumbled around in my bag that even the cover of my planner manages to tear off the book. I'm constantly having to reattach it. Grr :( They are pretty though. I must try to use them anyway! I have three beautiful colors after all. :)

I also asked her for these next two Erin Condren book add-ons for my planner... also unpractical. The monthly budget book I realized, you have to have real bills to pay to use... I could enter only one field within the whole book. Giving up and putting this away until I have a life that matches it. The first one, the wellness book, I just don't think is organized well. I find it doesn't actually help me. Schmr. Must show this on camera.

D spoiled me with Baublebar purchases!!! I luff my kermie :') She went onto my pinterest board and got these treats for me <3

My cousin got me these beautiful bracelet I pinterested (and Diana got it for me too! Eeep! She had to return it the next day. You should have seen her face when I unwrapped this at my grandma's house).

Diana got me these <3

My cousin also got me these studs (which Diana also got me and had to return! Eeeh! Go figure).

Leave it to my parents to cover the practical items I wasn't planning for. A spray bottle of glass cleaner and special cloth kit for me to polish my camera lens with. :)

Eeek the gorgeous bracelet on :)

Here are some close-ups in better lighting of the pen holders and my Erin Condren snap in to-do list (isn't it cute?), which my sister also purchased for me. I know, I'm spoiled :')

Here is a close-up of both the sets of gel pens my sister got me.

My parents picked me up a generously sized SanDisk so my camera can hold even more videos and images :) Can you believe the largeness of the packaging though? Eep!

My friend Kin got me this ADORABLE packaging from the Paper Source! Inside it was a $20 Brandy Melville gift card and a $15 Shop Akira gift certificate.

And finally, this is my favorite gift, my new Zahra lipstick tower my parents got me! Woohoo it's so pretty and it spins!

Yay! That about wraps it up. Thanks for reading guys! 

Christmas Gifting: 2015

Hi guys! This holiday season I found so much purpose in gifting. I found so many cute trinkets I just had to pick up that I actually ended up buying more packaging then I did actual gifts... a guilty admission on my part but believe me, I could have done more damage. I did show some reserve though, as I hemmed and hawed over final decisions regarding what to and what not, to buy. Cue me at the Container Store for 20 minutes.  Anyway, here are the gifts I bought this season:

The Container Store

Viola: I got this candy purse for my little cousin (2 years old) Viola. I saw it at the Container store and instinctively knew this would be a cute gift. I figured I would fill out with little candies and give it to her Christmas day. To make the gift even cuter, I decided to slip in a gift card (not much, just $25) for her parents to use. I wasn't expecting how much she would love it! It was a total hit and she did not let go of it for the rest of the day :')

Wilson: There were so many adorable gift cards and money holders at the Container Store! I got this beige tree printed box for my cousin Wilson. Inside it, I placed a $50 Sports Authority gift card.

Kin: When I was at the Container Store, I chose my gift packaging based on the gifts I was planning to give. I couldn't yet tell which of my friends/loved ones would be getting this box, but I knew it would make a great container for somebody. It was the coolest thing! It comes flattened and it's literally the easiest to-go packaging ever. You can buy it in the morning, chuck a gift in it, push in the flaps, and it's a beautiful gift box. Yay! More on what I got him later.

I didn't actually end up giving this to anyone! I thought it might go to my cousin Hannah, as I planned on buying her a gift card, but I bought so much packaging that I wasn't using that I decided to give her a different gift package, based on her card size and extra trinket I bought her. This one will come in handy one day!

Six

Christina: I went to a jewelry/accessories store called Six at my local mall (Queens Center Mall) and they had the most adorable gift boxes and mini bags! I went there on Black Friday and everything was 30 percent off, so I bought this owl gift box for my cousin Christina, who loves owls. 

Christina: Inside the gift box, I placed two initial pendants from Baublebar (only one shown here) with the initials 'C' and 'N'. This has special significance because her mother and my beloved Aunt, Nydia, passed away from cancer far too early in 2013. She is six months pregnant and has almost certainly picked the name Nydia for the baby.

A close-up of the necklace.

Diana: I bought my sister the most adorable gift box with anchors on it! My sister loves nautical prints. I'm so mad at myself because I couldn't figure out what to get her that would fit in this little box. :( Diana isn't one for jewelry or anything girly really, as she is androgynous and actually prefers mensware. Let's just say I'm still looking.

Judy: Eeeeh for some reason this peach colored box is my favorite of all! This one went to my friend Judy, who I gave a different pendant necklace to, a tiny delicate gold BaubleBar pendant with the letter 'J' hanging from it. (Shown later)

Christina: For my cousin Christina, I purchased this gift card holder (I swear, Six had SO many owl printed gift packages! I could not believe it, I stood there so long trying to choose between them all). I told her I was more than happy to give her a monetary gift but she sent me a Pinterest board with physical items she wanted, so this too went unused this year.

This is another item that went unused this year. Sigh. Beautiful mini bag, a larger size. It is gorgeous but you know what, it is so much narrower then I really thought it was, and barely anything can fit in her wider than a gift card. It's adorable though and will come in handy for a future occasion. 

This mini bag also went unused. :(

Diana: I got my sister this brown cord bracelet at Six at the men's section (ha)! She loves woven bracelets, but not just any kind. They have to be kind of sophisticated/rugby-esque. I figured this was a nice androgynous piece and I think I actually did a good job by slipping this into her stocking. :)

Tie Bar

Diana: My sister has style and class for days. Diana is the sharpest dresser you will ever find, and I am sorely tempted to put together a collage of her style. I hope I do some day. Anyway, Diana had two tie clips she wanted from the Tie Bar so I gladly purchased them for her. Love the sleek tiny black boxes they came in.

She chose this adorable rosegold tie clip of a pair of tiny glasses! 

She also chose a classic silver tie clip. 

Miscellaneous

Forever 21: I stopped in at Forever 21 and saw this cute pack of canvas gold striped note cards and I had to have them! So classy and versatile, and it came with a pack of five cards and envelopes for $3.80 I believe.

Kin: I got my friend Kin a $75 J. Crew gift card (I know, that's a lot of cash). ;) However, it's nothing next to what he got me. This is what went into the red and white striped Container Store gift box I photographed earlier (along with a pair of AMC tickets and a $10 concession card, a great $25 value from Costco).

A.I. Friedman 

Viola: I got the cutest things at this creative art stored called A.I. Friedman in Union Square, NYC! "For over 80 years, A.I. Friedman has serviced the artist community with the finest in artist materials, graphic art supplies and framing materials." Anyway, there were a plethora of adorable products there, but my friend Kin picked this out as being a cute gift card holder for my little cousin Viola's gift card. It has to be kid-friendly and exciting since it was going into her candy purse!

Diana: I died of happiness when I found these adorable tiny note cards! They came with matching tiny manila envelopes. Eeeh! I bought two as money holders. I was going to give the top one to Diana with some cash but I was afraid she would force me to take it back so instead I got her a $50 gift card that works as credit for the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Athleta. It was a toss up between getting her that and a J.Crew gift card. I still wonder if I made the right choice.

I was planning on giving this to my mom with a C-note ($$$) folded inside but she pointed to a scarf she liked at the Gap hinting for my sister to get it, and then a few other things my sister felt were too good to pass up (my sister is a pro shopper and discount stealer it's ridiculous) so we ended up giving her physical gifts instead. I've still got this for the next time I need to slip somebody cash in a classy way!

Anthropologie

Hannah: For my cousin Hannah my sister and I bought a $50 Anthropologie gift card...

Forever 21

...And this lovely Forever 21 necklace :) Quite a find, I felt! It's lovely and really doesn't look "Forever 21" if you know what I mean. I think it could pass as BaubleBar.

Speaking of BaubleBar, a few days before Christmas they released a sale of goodies that weren't even on the site anymore. I think they were things that accumulated through the season that didn't sell as well as they wanted that they took off, just to add back on before Christmas to sell all their unpurchased merchandise. It was an awesome sale! Lots of great prices. I picked up the adorable rose gold dog tag pendant above for $10. Verdict is out as to who should get it yet. 

Judy: I gave Judy and my mom both an initial pendant from BaubleBar. The one shown above is 'J' for Judy, and it really was quite lovely. I gave my mom the 'Y' one. :)

Thanks for checking out this post everyone! Here are a couple last snazzy pictures I took of some of my loot. Merry Christmas!