I know everyone knows about Beauty Blender sponges by now, but I was intrigued by the black one called the Pro sponge (vs. the pink one as the Original). The Bay was so kind sending me one to try out.
First off, the name: The Pro sponge is exactly the same as the Original in terms of product design. Just because black is the universal colour of pro makeup artists, the black sponge is more appealing to them, especially men, hence called a Pro sponge :)
Secondly, the use: The Pro sponge is supposed to be stain proof, suitable for self tanners and bronzers as well. I only test it with liquid foundations and concealers, however.
And for those purposes, I haven't seen staining after washing, which was good. I hate to see beige/ brown spots on the sponge, giving off the impression that it is not clean (even when it is).
The storage: The base (Beauty Blender calls it an "insert pedestal") inside the container is actually great to hold the sponge why it is drying (duh), keeping from rolling around on a surface or touching other things on your makeup table. And the polka dots are adorable! :)
The application: The technique that Beauty Blender suggests (stippling/ bouncing) works quite well. I was so used to blending my foundation with a flat brush using circling motion and only stippling my blushes, so I had to adjust when using the sponge, but the effect, like we all have heard, is flawless.
You might be surprised to hear that this is my first full experience
with sponges like this. I tried a sponge before, yes, but it fell apart
at the first wash, so that hardly counted. Glad to say so far so good
with this one.
My only wish is for the sponge to have a smaller base (and smaller container) to carry around with. The excessive space inside is not necessary, and takes space in your luggage while travel.
The size: The sponge is meant to be used damp, and it expands almost twice the size when it is wet.
Here is the damp sponge, comparable to my palm. I find the size and design suit the purpose - the round end works around the face effectively, and the pointed end fits well under the eyes, and around the nose and mouth.
All in all, the raves hold true for the Beauty Blender Pro sponge!
The price: 26 for singles or $34 for doubles. Of course getting the double pack is more economical, and you can always use an extra sponge :)
Beauty Blender also has the (liquid or solid) cleansers for around $20 but my Dr. Bronner's soap works just fine for a much lower price tag. There is also a white sponge called the Pure - the Original but
without latex, scent nor dye - but I haven't seen it around here yet.
As a bonus pic, let me show you the "winter wonderland" we had Saturday night. The snow came down in big fluffy flakes that covered the ground (and the trees) very quickly in a few hours. Feel free to click to enlarge the pic :)
I was fascinated with the scene the next morning, my backyard turned out to be the most picturesque. Love snow when it's like this, beautiful to look at, light to shovel and is perfect to make snowmen with.
If you haven't indulged already, Lancome is having a GWP promotion at the Bay.
With a Lancome purchase of $35 or more, you'll get a free 8-piece gift, values up to $178. Yeah, take a deep breath to take it all in! The gift is beautiful and customized to you.
I was generously sent the gift pack to show you the options you can choose from. Keep reading for the breakdown :)
This is the red cosmetic bag with it, very luxurious looking with the embossed rose pattern. You can choose the dark blue if red is not your colour.
I was also sent the Dream Tone Ultimate Dark Spot corrector for Pigmentation Profile 1 - Fair skin tone. I have heard good things about this product, but we'll see if the shade works for me :)
Now where were we? Ah, the gift :) Like I mentioned, there are choices for you to make to suit your taste/ preferences.
First is the choice of serum & skin care duo:
- The black & white theme: Advanced Genefique Youth Activating concentrate (8ml) & Creme
Bienfait Multi-Vital SPF30 High Potency Daily moisturizing cream (15ml)
- The purples: Renergie Lift Multi-action Reviva concentrate (10ml) &
Renergie Lift Multi-action Lifting and Firming cream (15ml)
Make sure to talk to the SAs to choose the right products for your skin.
Next, choices for perfumed body lotion - La Vie est Belle or Tresor (60ml each).
Tresor is classic when it comes to Lancome's fragrances, at least to me. But I did splurge on the La Vie est Belle gift set before, because it's newer.
So if it's up to me, I'd pick La Vie est Belle body lotion. The size is a bit bigger than the one that came in the set, but is still travel friendly.
I can't wear fragrances to work (scent free policy), so I opt for wearing a scent to bed. These lotions would work for that purpose too.
Choices of makeup duo:
- Color Design 5 shadow and liner palette in Taupe Craze and Color Design Sensational Effects lip color in Pale Lip
- Color Design 5 shadow and liner palette in Petal Pusher and Juicy Tubes gloss in Raspberry Ice.
The lip product is a tough choice. I am not typically a gloss girl, but Pale Lip is quite nude looking. If Raspberry Ice is pigmented, I'd be happy.
Both eyeshadow palettes are shimmery, Petal Pusher more than Taupe Craze. I don't see much matte at Lancome in general anyway.
2 more items in the gift:
- Bi Facil Double action eye makeup remover (50ml) and
- Hypnose Star mascara (4g).
Bi Facil doesn't need any introduction? Mascara wise, I tried the original Hypnose but not Hypnose Star, so this would be fun :)
If you want either version of the gift, make your purchase by Sunday, November 3, in store or online. The gift did go OOS online last week (back now), yes it was popular.
Estee Lauder has a fun (and LE) PWP at the Bay too, available in store and online.
With any Estee Lauder purchase, you can buy the Colour Portfolio palette for $40 (values over $245, left in the pic). I went straight to the store to buy it, as the SA told me they only got about 15 of them. Didn't want to risk missing it.
The Holiday collection was out already, with its festive packaging. I decided to go with the Delectable Eyes set in Decadent Truffles ($42.50). The red box and polka dotted packaging theme definitely kill it!
There were a few other sets from the collection too, if you haven't seen them.
Decadent Truffles has:
- Pure Color eyeshadow compact (0.17oz/ 5g) with polka dots on the lid. The colours are Sandbar Beige, Lavish Mink and Wild Sable, all matte, yay!
- Double Wear Stay in Place Flawless Wear concealer in Light Medium (only 1 shade available, 0.06oz/ 1.9ml)
- Pure Color Intense Kajal eyeliner in Blackened Black (0.039oz/ 1.11g)
- Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume mascara in Extreme Black (0.27oz/ 8ml, full sized) and a polka dotted makeup bag.
The Colour Portfolio looks really nice in person, and is bigger than I thought. It has:
- 30 Pure Color eyeshadows (0.01oz/ 0.35g each)
- 11 Pure Color Long Lasting lipsticks and 4 Pure Color Crystal lipsticks (0.009oz/ 0.28g each)
- 3 Pure Color blushes (0.22oz/ 6.4g each) and 1 Bronze Goddess powder bronzer (0.21oz/ 6.1g)
- 2 Pure Color glosses (0.16oz/ 4.6ml each)
- a Pure Color Intense Kajal eyeliner duo (0.067oz/ 1.9g)
- Brush applicators, a mirror and 2 face charts.
The fold-in cardboard packaging in dark blue tone, with magnetic closure and stars all over the front, is very eye catching. The box is quite heavy too :)
The first flap has the mirror (took half the size) and 2 face charts at the bottom. The other two flaps both have the plastic covers with shade names (and finishes for the eyeshadows) printed on them. 2 glosses and the eyeliner are strapped in between flaps.
The Pure Color eyeshadows are in satin, shimmer and matte finishes. Interestingly, there are a few shades without the finishes noted, I'm not sure why. The size of each shadow is a bit small, but it is a trade-off with the number of shades you get, I guess. Lots of lighter shades, not enough dark ones, which is my only complain so far :)
The Pure Color glosses - Praline Paradise and Fuchsia Fantasy - are shimmery and festive, by the look of them.
Some brush applicators are included, but we all know we won't touch those unless we are in a pinch while travelling. I appreciate the plastic covers that help minimize contamination to the lip products on the other side. Powder and cream, you know what is waiting to happen!
The Pure Color Long Lasting and Pure Color Crystal lipsticks come in a good range of colours. Again, small size.
The Bronze Goddess powder bronzer in Medium (top left of the quad) has visible shimmers in the pan. The 3 Pure Color blushes - Sensuous Rose, Peach Passion and Pink Kiss - don't seem to have shimmers, but I haven't swatched them yet to confirm.
The Pure Color Intense Kajal eyeliner duo is in Blackened Black and Blackened Cocoa, good size, safe/ standard colours.
All in all, this is a good palette to get first dip of the Pure Color range offered by Estee Lauder, which I can't say I have tried a lot.
It is a bit heavy to travel with, but it does have almost all colours you need for the face. I'll have to swatch the shades to confirm the quality.
Grab some snacks, everyone. This is a long collective post of stuff I found in the last two or more weeks :)
This is my new love from the Bay. A good sized (if not large) Trapeze handbag, mint, studded, with a bow and on sale, enough said? This is Material Girl Romp bag in Mint, reg. $60, 30% off right now.
It was love at first sight and I took it straight to the cashier, not even thinking twice. Unfortunately, both versions of this bag (mint and white) went out of stock within a week, online and at my store. I am not sure when or if they would be back. Sorry if I enabled you with a hard to find item.
I have been wanting Lancome La Vie est Belle perfume (reg. $95 for 50ml) for a while, was happy to find the Spring gift set for $99 with:
- La Vie est Belle EDP spray (50ml)
- Body lotion (50ml)
- Shower gel (50ml) and
- Mini Hypnose Star mascara (2ml).
My pictures did not turn out well with the flash glare, so this is a stock pic which shows the items better.
There is another set called La Vie est Belle Hearts collection, with a mini EDP (5ml) instead of the shower gel and the mini mascara, same price. Both sets are LE, I heard.
And the GWP I chose:
- Bienfait Multi Vital SPF30 (15g)
- Color Design eyeshadow and liner palette in Mauve Cherie (not included in the pic, sorry)
- Blush Subtil powder blush in Brilliant Berry
- Absolue Rouge lipstick in Exotic Orchid
- Visionnaire LR 2412 4% Advanced skin corrector (7ml)
- Bi-Facil makeup remover (50ml)
- Hypnose Star mascara in Noir Midnight (4ml) and
- Polka dot cosmetic bag.
Also not pictured were the 3 bonus Juicy Tube glosses as I spent over $85.
Moving on to Sears with another GWP.
This is Estee Lauder Double Wear makeup lesson kit ($49.50, valued over $70) with:
- Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place foundation (30ml) - my shade is 2, the range is from 1 to 6
- Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Wear concealer in Light Medium (1.9ml)
- Matte Perfecting primer (15ml)
- Foundation brush, and
- Advanced Night Repair Eye Synchronized Complex sample (0.5ml).
Considering the foundation itself sells for $42.50, I'd say this is an awesome score. I missed this set last time when Estee Lauder ran the promotion, not again this time :)
Also bought the Pure Color blush in The Siren, $32 to take advantage of the bonus gift and the $25 coupon (see below). An intense looking blush, sorry I forgot to take a pic of it opened :)
Now the gifts:
- Eyeshadow quad with Sugar Cube Satin, Amazing Grey Shimmer, Amethyst Spark Shimmer and Lavish Mink Matte, with Lilly Pulitzer print on the packaging
- Pure Color Crystal lipstick in Rose Petal
- DayWear Advanced Multi-protection creme SPF15 (15ml)
- Advanced Night Repair (7ml)
- Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume mascara in Extreme Black (2.8ml)
- Sensuous Nude Body veil (30ml), and
- Lilly Pulitzer cosmetic bag.
I'm happy that I now own something with Lily Pulitzer prints.
And more prints in the Deluxe gift, lots of pinks:
- Pure Color lipstick in Rubellite
- Double-ended Pure Color gloss in Mod Poppy and Shocking Pink
- Pure Color nail polish in Berry Hot (5ml) and
- Nail file with same Lilly Pulitzer print.
The $25 off $100 coupon was a bonus promo, I'm not sure if it's still on. Not redeemable on cosmetics and fragrances, so it was used on some swimsuits for Squirt and my niece (30% off), earrings on clearance (B2G2F) and an Attitude (by Jay Manuel) structured satchel in black and red (35% off) for me.
Yes, it resembles the famous designer bag that almost every fashion blogger owns one or several, just a lot smaller, fits my petite size :)
At Lawtons, I found Marcelle (LE) Nutrilux body line on 75% off. Only 3 products left:
- Supreme nourishing hand cream (75ml), reg. $10.96
- Supreme silky body lotion (300ml), reg. $16.96
- Supreme SOS replenishing butter (50ml), reg. $12.96.
I could not find the Supreme repair lip balm, which I heard good things about. Marcelle skin care products agree with my skin, so I'm excited to try this line out. If you tried it, let me know what you think.
I found the (untouched) Essence Vintage District display at Shoppers two weeks ago, just by luck. Surprisingly, I feel hard for the makeup and not the nail polish.
What I grabbed:
- Eyeshadows in I'm So Retro and Shopping @ Portobello Road, CAD2.49 each
- Blush in It's Popul-Art, CAD3.49
- Duo lipstick and gloss in Vintage Peach, CAD3.49
- Gel eyeliner set (the gel liner and mini brush) in Shopping @ Portobello Road, CAD3.99.
Note that Canada did not get the full collection (there is a red lipstick and gloss duo, a grey gel liner and maybe 2 more nail polish colours), but I'm happy with what I got. The blush is definitely a must have.
More items on sale at Shoppers this week:
- Neostrata Treat Yourself to Flawless Complexion set, reg. $72 (valued $109.50), 30% off.
The set includes a full sized Neostrata Intense Skin Brightener and 3 mini bonus gifts: a gel cleanser, a Night Repair cream and a jar of Vitamin C Concentrate capsules.
The box is super cute, with a white satin bow on top. There are two other sets with different main products, if you are looking for a treat to yourself or your mom this coming Mother's Day :)
- Gosh Waterproof Velvet Touch eyeliner in Ice Blue, on clearance for $3. I got it to compare with Rimmel Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl liner in Light Blue since they are both light baby blue liners for the waterline.
- L'Oreal Caresse Wet Shine stain in Pink Rebellion, CAD6.99 right now.
On to the finds in Toronto. From a meet-up with some blogger friends, I received two The Balm palettes - Balm-jovi and Nude Tude CP'ed by Rasilla during Rexall's BOGO sale a while back. I'm so excited.
Jillojello found some nail polish on clearance at her Shoppers and picked some up for me - Maybelline Color Show, Quo spring (LE) shades, even a Cover Girl Outlast, only $1 each.
Note that these shades are still on full price at other SDMs last time I checked, so don't run out to find them for cheap just yet, but keep an eye on the display :)
Rasilla also brought me a gift of the two holo nail polish and the sparkly black bow hair clip on the left. The rest were part of the bunch of goodies ettuandyou brought in for us to fight over lol. All around, it was a lot of fun chit chatting over beauty products and good food.
I also met my blogger friends over at My Numerous Diversions and Swatch and Learn for some Thai food and a 3-hour shopping walk for nail polish, fragrances and everything else. I was holding off and not getting anything, but that success did not last. See below what I brought home with me :)
I wandered into a Winners near my hotel and found a bunch of Smashbox makeup. I assume this was a new batch cause I can't recall seeing them at my location before.
I grabbed the Studio Pop eye palette from the 2012 Holiday collection ($19.99, reg. $56) and a Blush Rush in Gingersnap ($9.99, reg. $29).
Also saw the Photo Op Eye Enhancing palette ($14.99, reg. $44) and some liquid bronzer/ highlighter, but I passed. There were some Givenchy makeup too, from $25 and up. A quick check at my local Winners here did not yield the same result, unfortunately.
Found a Shoppers Beauty Boutique near there too, I grabbed Annabelle i-Tranformer (with bonus Studio Pigment) on clearance for $3 each (reg. $10, not including the pigments). Again, my local Shoppers did not even have these on the shelf.
And finally, a shout-out to Dixie Outlet mall. Awesome bargains I found.
Example: The Dynamite
store had a "Almost Perfect" section for items with missing buttons or broken zippers. I paid $17.50 for a $60 blazer and $7 for a $40 pair of pants (which are currently on sale for $35 and $22 at regular Dynamite). I just had to sew the backup buttons back on, which I did not mind doing for the price.
Another example: Clearance handbags at the Aldo store there were extra 30% off and selected styles of bags and shoes were up to 50% off. So general conclusion: when there is an outlet mall, go! :)
We'll end this post with some eye candy who is also a do-gooder :) Don't you want to own one of those products with his autograph?
Geez, has Canada ever been more crazy with Black Friday sales? I think not. Two big malls here both had sale events, lots of stores and sites have their own "little" promotions and I could not escape lol.
First thing I did Thursday night was getting on Sedona Lace site for their 50% off sale.
I have wanted the Midnight Lace 4-pc Synthetic Brush set for a long time but $50 was not really in my price range. This sale was the perfect time to get it, and I got free gift (a palette with a brush which I heard was ran out later in the day).
Shipping for Canada was $7.45 (for 2 sets), I used the $4 off coupon code so it wasn't too bad. All in all, it was a great score.
I'm going on vacation soon, won't be here when the brushes arrive, so stock pic will have to do. You probably all know what they look like by now :)
The Body Shop 3/ $30 sale was not held very often, and for items that cost more than $20 regularly, $10 a piece was certainly better than a 50% off sale. And to top it off, they offered the 2 gift sets for $25 with a $30 purchase, so it was irresistible.
A representation of mostly what I got:
- Nutriganics Drops of Youth (left), reg. $36
- Natrulift Firming serum (right), reg. $36
- Extra Virgin Minerals cream compact foundation in 208 Golden Vanilla, reg. $25.
In the background is one of the two gift sets that were offered for $25 (valued $62). Inside this one were body butters and shower gels (2 full sized and 2 mini sized). The smaller set (not pictured) has a shower gel and a puree body lotion (both full sized). Great value, good as holiday gifts.
The coupon printed at the bottom of the receipt this month is $15 off $40, but cannot be combined with the Black Friday deals.
And talking about The Body Shop, I found some random body butters and gift sets at Home Sense, not sure it was just a one time thing.
- Spa Wisdom Polynesia Monoi Body balm, $6 (reg. $24). This is one of my favorite (discontinued) scents from The Body Shop
- Midnight Bakula gift set, $20 - with a body wash, a body butter, a body mist (all full sized) and a 50ml EDT, also a discontinued scent. I can't tell the regular price of this set but assume it would be at least in the $40 range
- Batiste Brunette dry shampoo duo pack (200ml x2), $10. I don't know if we get this particular scent/ colour in drugstores here but Batiste normally retails about $7-$8. I only see the Brunette and the Blonde versions at this particular Home Sense.
The Bay offered extra 15% off your purchase on Saturday morning, on top of all the sales going on, and I had a $25 saving card to use.
I took full advantage of Material Girl 30% off clothing sale to get some skinny jeans - floral, snake skin and baroque prints, reg. $39 a piece.
Expression and Material Girl jewelry lines were 40% off, and I couldn't be happier to get this textured gold chain necklace (reg. $12), something I have wanted to get forever. Also comes in silver, if anybody wants one.
After all discounts and saving card, I save about 50 - 60% off these items, then received another $25 saving card to use on the next purchase. See the cycle, lol?
At my beloved Shoppers, I walked right into the Essence Twilight Breaking Dawn (Part II) display.
I did not hold my breath before that Canada will actually get this collection, considering we have not get a special display from Essence for a long time.
The nail polish I got, from L-R: 01 Jacob's Protection, 02 Alice had a Vision - Again and 04 Edward's Love, $1.99 each. I passed on 03 A Piece of Forever, a foil gold.
Also grabbed both the lip glosses: 01 Alice had a Vision - Again and 02 Renesmee Red, $2.49 each.
This is a LE collection, and our price point is the same as in the States, so don't pass it up. Each shade only has about 3 pieces on the display, once they are gone, they are gone!
Lastly, this was not a sale but is a good deal nonetheless, thought I should let you all know.
When Jill over at Batting a Lash tweeted about Costco (Canada) having the EOS 4-pack lip balms for $10 a few days ago, I asked a friend with the membership to grab me a pack or two. These little spheres retail around $4 - $5 a piece normally.
One flavour combo, I think - Summer Fruit (red), Honeysuckle Honeydew (green), Sweet Mint (baby blue) and Strawberry Sorbet (pink).
I'm happy that I didn't go too crazy with Black Friday sales, but the offers out there were just insane. And now they start all over again for Cyber Monday. I don't think I would bring out my wallet again, but if you find any good deals, feel free to leave me a comment, please and thank you!
I had shopping in the brain and found some good deals to share with you.
Over the last few months, I have become a frequent customer at the Bay - a Canadian department store. It all started the day I found out that they carried BCBGENERATION bracelets, which I had been searching all over the internet for.
From one of the hauls, in the middle is the Fearless Affirmation bracelet in mint colour, on both sides are the Pyramid bracelets (Beige and Teal, not blue as it appeared in the pic), reg. $18 each.
My collection has grown since the day I took this pic. There seem to be only 4 colours of Pyramid, but endless options for Affirmation. They just keep popping up online (my store doesn't have these).
Also since then, I ventured out to their Expression and Material Girl jewelry lines as well. Remember this pic from a clearance sale haul back in June? This stash has grown too lol.
I am really into fashion jewelry right now, and find their pieces are pretty on trend, also reasonably priced (between $16 - $40). They are on sale often enough, so I don't pay full price ever.
From jewelry, I moved on to clothes (Material Girl, Topshop, etc.) and shoes, all the fun stuff. Between online and stores, sales don't necessary run the same, so I normally check both.
These are my latest finds from the clearance bin at my the Bay, yellow tagged, extra 40% off. Using some discount/ special promo they were running in the weekend, I got a really good deal.
Excuse my use of stock pics, as I can't get a good angle to show you the whole gorgeousness of them with my camera.
This one is R&Em Percy satchel in Malt, reg. $95. After all the discounts, I paid $22. Light yellow on the outside, red on the inside. Pretty awesome.
I never heard of this brand, but the style just got me. The material is really soft, and the bag is of a good size. I'm a little worried about the light colour, easy to get dirty, but I couldn't pass it up. Notice the little knot after the buckle? I do my belt the same way when the end is too long to let loose. Instant connection lol.
The second bag is Chocolate New York Chantel in Black, reg. $70, cost me $17. I could not find a pic of the black bag, so beige it is lol. The lace detail on the flap is harder to see with black anyway.
I really take advantage of my Hbc Mastercard, as the Bay always offer extra discount for card holders. Plus you get free shipping with $45 purchases (or $29 with beauty department) instead of the regular $149 with other cards.
With all this talk, please don't assume that I am doing any affiliation work for this company. I'm just an obsessed customer, they took all my money :)
Another store that I all of a sudden shop so much at: Old Navy. Fun clothes and shoes, especially when they are on sale, pretty cheap. There is always a coupon somewhere - in their emails, FB, on their receipts, etc.
Happened to come across these wedges on sale online, never saw them in stores. I was actually surprised that they were comfortable lol. Old Navy offer free mail return, or you can return in stores. Shipping is free with orders of $50 or more. Not hard. Again, in store and online deals aren't necessary the same, so browse both. I am actually waiting for another order on its way to me :)
First pair is the Color Block cork wedges, reg $29.94, cost me around $9 after all discounts. They look pretty well made, and not heavy. Cool bright colours, the ankle straps are helpful too. Awesome deal eh?
Second pair: Scarf wedges, reg. $27.94, I paid $14. The back of the shoes only come up to where the heels are, then the ankle wraps keep them in place. Even more awesome than ankle straps lol.
Other stuff that I found worth noting: selected sport bras (reg. $19.50) are on sale between $9 and $11 online. Didn't see the same deal in store last time I went in.
That's it for some of my bday finds, celebrating the day I turned older :) Hope to give you a bit of info about sales and where to find them. No makeup, but I hope it's helpful nonetheless.
It has been a busy weekend! It rained both days with sunny breaks, but shopping turned out really great :)
With the Super Redemption event at Shoppers in the weekend, I couldn't find the L'Oreal Glam Bronze display at all, so no LE Infallible eyeshadows for me. They are on sale for $5.99 until today (2-day sale only), so if you see them, grab them.
What I ended up redeeming the points for, all on sale:
- Maybelline Dream Bouncy blush in Hot Tamale - $4.99 (the Colour Tattoos are too, but I have all the shades I wanted already)
- Quo by Orly nail polish in Orange Pop, on clearance for $5
- L'Oreal Colour Riche Balm SPF15 in Rose Elixir and Caring Coral, $5.99 each (2-day sale, sale ends today, hurry!)
- L'Oreal Colour Riche lipsticks in Intense Fuchsia and Royal Red, also $5.99 each (2-day sale)
- Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-touch sunscreen SPF110 (yes, we now have the highest SPF in Canada), $9.77
- Batiste dry shampoo in Blush (200ml, a little bigger than the old version 150ml), $7.99.
Then at Lawtons, some Color Club shades were on clearance for $1.75 a piece. I didn't get the sets from Winners before, but buying them individually is better :)
- Color Club Foiled collection (Fall 2011): Antiquated, Foil Me Once, Lumin-icecent, Perfect Molten and Cold Metal
- Color Club Backstage Pass collection (Fall/ Winter 2011): Take the Stage, Fame & Fortune, Platinum Record, It's A Hit! and Wish Upon A Rock-Star.
Don't know if I keep them all after checking blog swatches.
Onto what I have been really "passionate" about lately - jewelry!
There is a HUGE sale at the Bay for their previously-discounted Expression jewelry line. Items with last ticketed price of $10 or less would be $3.99, and items with last ticketed price of more than $10 would be $6.99.
Examples:
- The flower collar necklace in the box was originally $30, yellow-tagged for $14.99, I paid $6.99 (almost 77% off)
- The other 3 bracelets were $20 each, down to $9.99 and are now $3.99 each (80% off).
Of course I came home with more than what you see in the pic :) The sale is on until Thursday, so you still have time to check your the Bay for some good scores.
I was at Sirens checking out their sale racks, happened to notice their jewelry section and was amazed to find some really trendy pieces. And the prices are unbelievable.
The necklace is $7, and bracelets are between $4-5. The spikes with hematite beads, studded wraps are so in right now, I couldn't have enough. So, one more reason to love Sirens, seriously!
Hope your weekend went well. Squirt and I saw a rainbow on Saturday, brightened our day tremendously.
There is this awesome shoe sale at The Bay that you should run and check it out ASAP (if you haven't already). Those shoes of less than CAD120 regularly are sold for CAD19.99 a pair, and those between CAD120 and CAD250 are CAD29.99. The sale is supposedly going on till October 2, but by the look of the shelves today, I don't think it would last that long.
This is what I could find late afternoon today, for sizes between 5.5 and 6 depending on the style, in the order of height, CAD19.99 each. If you are in sizes 8 and up, your chance is better than mine as it was very limited what I can find for my little feet.
Fergalicious (by Fergie) Queen wedges in Blue Denim, reg. CAD90, comes with a Thank You card with Fergie's signature on it. She said I rock, lol, how did she know? Just joking.
I was searching for a pair of wedges and saw these. At first the colour didn't really speak to me (it's darker IRL, true blue denim colour), but then the pretty pattern on the inside of the straps, plus the fun stitches running along the platform did make a good selling point. The wedges are quite high, I'll have to test them out longer to see if they are comfortable, but I liked them so far.
There were a few more Fergalicious styles but I couldn't find my size. Maybe that was a good thing, or I could have bought more.
Bandolino The Finest in Bronze, reg. CAD100, previously down to CAD69.99.
Squirt and I both agreed that I should get this pair, as it is really pretty and unique - to my shoe wardrobe at least. I don't have anything bronze, and the snake-skin pattern on the straps is awesome. The flowers (grey on one side and black on the other) add more spice on top of that, and I have my favorite shoes of the bunch. The picture can't even come close to showing you how awesome the shoes look.
Now the height would take some getting used to for me, as I don't wear heels often (weak ankles).
Expression Joplin sandals in Black, reg. CAD49.
This pair was the last one I found from a very limited selection in my size. I was on the fence about the light coloured woven soles, not sure they would be comfortable. But the chiffon flowers on the straps were pretty hard to resist (again). See a pattern here?
I don't know anything about this brand, but based on the original price, it is in the lower range than other brands I picked up today. Not that I discriminate the brand, just an observation.
Jessica Simpson Calkax sandals in the colour Frost, reg. CAD90, had been discounted to CAD69.99 before the sale.
The soles are in light beige/ champagne colour and the metal straps are white. I would vote for black soles, just so the shoes stay clean looking a little longer, but I like the style enough to put up with this colour :)
I left the paper padding in, as the embedded "jewels" and little metal beads would bring the straps flat down on the soles and you can't see the style. The sandals look a lot more lovely on, but I won't torture you with a pic of my feet lol.
So if you have a The Bay near by, check out the sale and let me know what you find. Stocks vary among stores, and staff told me they won't restock once stuff is gone. Good luck!
I had a successful trip to the store last night, so as promised, here are what I have been collecting all around town since the last week or two. And there are coupon info at the end you don't want to miss.
This first piece of sale info is for my local readers. The Bay near the mall is closing down and clearing out stuff for 40% off on last ticketed prices (exclude cosmetics and fragrances, lol). I of course went with stuff previously on clearance for best savings.
This little beauty is Nine West Maribella slingback, reg. CAD120, clearance price was $59.99. I paid 35.99. My ankles are not very strong, so I was happy to see the heels at the acceptable height. Can't rock sky-high shoes, for the sake of beauty lol.
The shoes were sorted out by size, so I was happy to find another pair to accompany my Nine West. The section for my size wasn't that big to beginning with, mostly flats.
This second pair is Sam & Libby Expire open-toed booties, last sale price was $39.99 (no tag to show original price), and I paid $23.99.
There were fall/ winter jackets, household/ bedding stuff, etc. I got Squirt a shirt with cute prints on the front, not much left at the children department.
Also on the closing sale front, the chain of Suzy Shier, Stiches and Sirens at the mall is moving out as well. Almost everything is $10 or less, no winter/ spring jackets though. I got a few dresses, but wasn't lucky with the shoes - sizes were picked over. A little bird told me we might get a Sephora, Hollister, H&M or something to fill the empty space at the mall soon.
From Shoppers, my favorite place to shop, I got a few Dermaglow products. Selected items have been on sale for 30% off, but these 2 weren't but there was a promo nonetheless.
- Glycolic 10% Gentle Peel Solution (150ml) with bonus Glycolic Smoothing Moisturizer (5ml), CAD50. I grabbed it on the day the brand rep was at the store to give out $10 off coupons.
- Lash Enhance Growth & Conditioning Treatment (5.5ml) bonus pack, CAD65. I wouldn't pay full price for a single product, but as it was 2-in-1, I didn't feel too bad.
I was given some samples too: Glycolic Smoothing Moisturizer (5ml), Perfecting Treatment (10ml), Anti-aging Tinted Moisturizer (5ml) and Advanced Moisturizing Cream (5ml). Can't wait to try everything out.
In case you haven't heard, there are certain Physician's Formula items with full rebate stickers on the packaging, which means you get to try them for free.
I certainly wouldn't pass up the opportunity.
- Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum in Ultra Black, CAD12.99
- Organic Wear Jumbo Lash Mascara in Ultra Black Organics, CAD12.99.
This is a mail-in rebate offer, so you do have to do a bit of work to get your money back. No rush to get them though right away though, cause they give you quite a few months to buy the products and mail in the forms. Just don't forget to do it when you do get the products, lol.
Other random stuff I wanted to try:
- Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark-circle Roller in Sheer Tint, on sale for CAD13.99. There seems to be a Light shade as well, but I can't tell which one is darker.
- L'Oreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator Mascara in Black Quartz (for brown eyes), on sale for CAD9.79. This mascara came in 4 different colour of the illuminator end.
I gave in for the hypes, you see? I heard good things about both of these products, was glad to get them while they were on sale.
Now we're getting to the really exciting part. In the last few weeks, I have been running around trying to find the gems you see in the picture below. Only selected (not all) Shoppers receive the display, and it is LE, so these products become HTFs (hard to find's), at least where I am.
From top to bottom:
- Annabelle Lip marker/ Lip stain in Tangofolie, reg. CAD9.49
- Annabelle Smoothie Eyeshadow pencils in Grapefull, BluBomb, Absinthe-Minded, Melonade and MokaMirage, reg. CAD8.99 each.
I was really really excited to find the display at the last Shoppers I checked, and grabbed all 5 shades of the pencils. Annabelle is 25% off this week, and I used $1 coupons attached to the display, I got myself a bargain.
I will sure wear the hell out of these, to make it worth the hunt . Review coming soon.
On to Superstore. My store has recently introduced the "Beauty Saving Board". It's the "Coupon zone" specifically for cosmetics and is placed near the cosmetics section, not near the store entrance.
A great coupon to start is BOGO on Joe Fresh lip products (cream/ matte lipsticks, lip stains, lip glosses, lip glasses, lip balms and lip crayons), good until Friday, April 8.
I jumped on the offer, obviously. From top to bottom:
- Joe Fresh Sheer Lip crayons in Candy and Apple
- Joe Fresh Lip stains in Watermelon and Grapefruit.
These are regularly CAD6 each. Quite a saving with BOGO eh?
Other coupons found on the board: $2 off Cover Girl, Revlon/ Almay, Maybelline, L'Oreal cosmetics and Sally Hansen nail polish/ nail treatment/ nail tools, with the same expiry date - April 8.
Watch the flyer (or my Weekly flyer deals posts) for sale info on products you want to get, and take advantage of the coupons at the same time. Win!
Quite a long post, phewww. If you stay until the end, kudos. Do tell if you take advantage of any of these good deals, or if you find any great new products in stores lately. I'm all ears.
