Sephora Friends & Family Goodies

Late like a white rabbit but here is what I ended up getting from the Sephora Friends and Family Sale with the one-time-use 20% off code.

CAUDALIE Beauty Essentials From the Vine, $38
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P287412&shouldPaginate=true&categoryId=4171

 

includes:

♥ 1.7 oz Cleansing Water

♥ 0.33 oz Vinoperfect Radiance Serum

♥ 0.23 oz Pulpe Vitaminée Eye and Lip Cream

♥ 0.33 oz Vinosource Quenching Sorbet-Crème 

This was my first venture into using Caudalie products, and so far, I'm really liking it!  Maybe it was just my imagination but I'm pretty sure the Vinoperfect Radiance Serum does immediately brighten my complexion, the Cleansing Water works on waterproof eye makeup and smells nice, as does the Vinosource Quenching Sorbet-Crème, which has a light texture but quickly absorbs and hydrates.  The price has since dropped from $38 to $30 for this set.

ILLAMASQUA Powder Blusher in Hussy (bright petal pink) and/or Lover (vibrant apricot), $24
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P241706&categoryId=C21473

My first choice was actually Hussy but it went out of stock as I (and many other customers) were trying to check out online, argh!  But luckily, this blusher in Lover really is lovely!  It's pigmented without being too bright nor frosty, and the texture is smooth and soft.  I'm glad I snagged this and would definitely recommend it.

NARS Powder Blusher in Angelika (cotton candy pink with gold flecks), $27
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P2855&categoryId=C10476 

Ahh looks can be deceiving sometimes, and I feel that really is the case with Angelika.  It always looked like a very cool-toned, blue pink with lots of micro glitters in person to me and when I swatched it on my hand/fingers, but I noticed many tanned or medium-complected blogger friends speak highly of it.  So I gave in, thinking I could always exchange it if I don't like it, but surprisingly, it's a very pretty pink.  On my medium-tanned cheeks (I'm about NC35-40, summer tan refuses to go away), it blends nicely and gives a pretty pink flush that looks warmer than what I expected.

CLARISONIC Replacement Brush Head Twin-Pack — Delicate, $40
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P256822&shouldPaginate=true&categoryId=5830

and

SHISEIDO Ultimate Sun Protection Cream For Face SPF 55 PA+++
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P173671&categoryId=RPYMAL

These were necessities for me as I'd needed to replace my Clarisonic Mia head and was almost out of face sunblock (managed to squeeze a last use out of the one I had, wheeee!).  I must admit I'm a little jealous of all those who didn't already own a Mia because now you can get them in value/gift sets with extra goodies and have much more color choices than I did! :)  I do love my Mia though and the Shiseido is a really  nice sunblock.  I prefer the cream formula for my combination-to-dry skin.  I like that it doesn't have the typical sunblock scent but it's not without its flaws; sometimes it can give me a bit of a white cast but I've learned to survive and keep it from looking ghostlike.

I'd also gotten two other items, but decided to return them.

NARS The Multiple in G-Spot (rich gold infused rose) (new - Holiday 2011), $39
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P2866&categoryId=C10476

I really wanted to like this, especially when I saw the holiday promotional ads for it.  It looked more "gold-infused" but in person and on, it's much more reddish or "rose."  It's not totally horrible and can be workable if I blend it well on my cheeks, but, puh-lease, I don't want to spend so much for something "workable."  I was looking for love or a good fling or affair. ;)  This just wasn't it for me.

BOBBI BROWN Ultimate Party Palette (Limited Edition), $65
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P297706&categoryId=C23441

This was one of those things I decided to purchase since I knew I could return it, haha.  I had a feeling it'd wouldn't be as magical as I was hoping for, especially since I didn't get a chance to see it in person first.  The size is really small and in some pictures online, I thought there was a shadow more khaki-green in color, but the colors are all very neutral.  The size of the eye shadows is really small, and truthfully, I'd rather have more eye shadow than lip gloss in the palette.  I know it's Bobbi Brown but I just didn't feel the palette was worthy of its price tag, so, back it went.

This was probably the biggest Sephora haul I've ever made, due to the one-time-only use of the code and also because luckily, I had a nice gift card.  *Whew.

Was there something you got from the Sephora sale that you fell in love with and can't help but gush about?  Let's not forget that the VIB 20% off sale happened about two weeks after the Friends & Family sale!  =X  But...that will have to wait for another post from me, hehe.