Sunday, September 1, 2013

Sunday This and That

Pied A' Terre Antiques and others (this was posted on Pied A' Terre's page) post the most beautiful photos on Facebook. From castles to gardens, antiques to flowers, the photos leave me feeling serene - and comfortable that some people still appreciate the finer things in life.

I mentioned Friday how terribly boring Sephora's new VIB Rouge status is. You wouldn't believe the 1.5" lipstick they sent me to welcome me to the program. It's red, naturally, so someone who wins a contest here will find it in her box. I'll never wear it. I'm unimpressed with my new access to Sephora's Beauty Studio. I've never been, and I have pretty good reason to believe I don't need their services. Since I seldom visit the crowded and dirty store at Tysons, I doubt I'll ever use myAll-Access Pass. Unless this program gets better in a hurry, I'd advise you not to stretch for the privilege

This weekend's sales are extraordinary. I already mentioned Beautyhabit's 20% discount through tomorrow. Use the code BYESUMMER. There are other fabulous sales. Beauysak is also offering 20% off with the code LABOR20 through September 3. New London Pharmacy is offering a 20% discount through tomorrow. Use the code LABORDAY20.

Sephora and b~glowing have new markdowns in their sales. Beautorium is offering a tiered discount. Spend $60 and save 10% with code SAVE10. Spend $100 and save 15% with code SAVE15. Spend $200 and save 20% with code SAVE20. I'm thinking about stocking up on John Masters hair products. SkincareRX has a rather odd rebate program, but you can save 22% with code LDAY22. There are many other weekend sales, so make sure to check your favorite shopping sites. Most of the sales are publicized on the home page. TATCHA has a great deal on their sampler sets.

Starting today and running through the month, Le Labo and Luckyscent are offering the City Exclusives to everyone. That means, for example, that you don't have to travel to San Francisco to buy Limette 37. I plan to take advantage of this rare offer. I've got my list lined up. You have time to order samples to see what you might like and then place an order before this September opportunity ends.

The Neiman Marcus Beauty Event starts September 11 and runs through September 22. This month, if you spend $125 in the beauty department, you will receive a leopard-print tote bag with nine samples. The bag comes in brown, red/orange, and purple. I picked up a brochure in the store, and it has a coupon for a sample of Sisley-Paris' new SUPREMŸA Yeux at Night. I have finished my first sample and love it! Make sure to ask for one, even if you don't have the coupon. They will run out quickly. There is also a coupon for a sample of Estée Lauder's new and improved Advanced Night Repair II. Ditto - ask for it.

I have much more to tell you about my introduction last week to new beauty products. I'll show you Sisley's fabulous new City Muse color collection, Bobbi Brown's Smokey Eye Mascara, and more. I'm excited about fall. I also selected two of Estée Lauder's new metallic eye shadow palettes, and I can't wait to pick them up to show you. I also have some beautiful new fragrances to introduce.

I need to go back and amend some of my features about Perricone products to ensure that everyone knows that although many of them are effective, they develop a skanky odor after a few months of use. I used to use Cold Plasma (eye and face) products. I loved them. I had to stop when their odors turned to fish tanks after three months. Actually, I had to return one because it had that fish odor the moment I opened it, which means it sat in the store under warm lights for months before I purchased it. I was really disappointed when my Nutritive Cleanser, which I keep in my shower, turned last week. It is now unusable. The formerly pleasing smell is now disgusting. It never gets terribly hot in my bathroom because I do not close the door when I shower. Why bother when you live alone?

I want you to keep this in mind when you read glowing reviews of Perricone skin care. They are coming from writers who haven't had the time to evaluate the long-term use of the products. So far, my beloved Acyl-Glutathione products haven't turned, but I use the small containers very quickly.

I have never had my other favorite skin care products turn rancid within a reasonable length of time/use, so this problem seems to me to be a Perricone problem. Even entirely natural products keep better than the good doctor's.

I know I had more to tell you, but my body is telling me it's nap time. I'll be back later with Happy Labor Day wishes!

Photos courtesy of  Pied A' Terre Antiques and Le Labo

17 comments:

Lori Jenkins said...

I couldn't agree more about the new Sephora status. That lipstick is ridiculous - as is the young man that rang a bell when I achieved "status" and went on and on about how lucky I was to get the lipstick! I go to Sephora for a quick retail fix because it's convenient only....I know more than any of the sales people about beauty products and they annoy me trying to push stuff at me if I do stop and engage with them.

Charlestongirl said...

Lori, ditto!

AZ said...

Only good thing about VIB rouge is the free shipping. I'm excited for the beautyhabit sale though :) Thankfully I checked your blog because their email was sent to my spam folder. I would've missed it otherwise.

Are you buying a lot this weekend? Somehow I don't feel like there's much I really want in the beauty world right now.

Crista said...

I actually tried on the VIB lippie and quickly wiped it off! :). Like AZ, I think the free shipping is the best thing about the program. I took advantage of the beautyhabit.com sale and got some Rouge Bunny Rouge items - just discovered the ubiquitous magnitude mascara, I am in love!!!

Evelyn said...

Yes I was kind of disappointed in the little lipstick that went with the Rouge VIB but I actually love the color. lol I hadn't really liked the feel of the Bite lipsticks but maybe they improved them because this felt nice. It sold out like crazy! lol I'm afraid to use the beauty studio b/c some of the makeup artists sport looks that are far out of my zone I don't want to end up like that plus I don't know where that makeup & those tools have been. I do like the fast shipping though. I ordered the Nest rollerball in Dahlia & Vines to try out the scent and I love it. I'll be going back for a bottle soon.

Hmm I have the Perricone Blue Plasma and it's always had a very, very faint fishy scent which I chalked up to the product having an extract from salmon. Weird! Not nice though for them to go rancid when the products cost so much.

Surprise of the day - I had forgotten that I bought a Laura Mercier baked eyeshadow in Ballet Pink. It is so pretty! It's slightly peachy on my eye but really lights up my eyes just with some simple mascara. Now that's a positive impulse buy. lol

Have a great rest of the holiday weekend!

LoveSugarBabyDoll said...

Hope you had a great and restful nap.

Sephora's reward program is a joke or more of an insult, really.

I am looking forward to Neiman's Beauty Event. Just starting to make my list. What are you guys and gals planning to purchase?

Trishb said...

The Sephora Rouge level thing is quite odd. I knew I was on the cusp of VIB Rouge, but 3 weeks back when I had a largish in store purchase, I was told that I was a new VIB. I did not turn down a 10% off card, a free shipping card, etc. BUT what struck me as odd was the goody bag: deluxe samples of l'Occitane hand cream, Laura Mercier TM, Stila lip glaze, Buxom Dolly lip polish, Sephora brand eye shadow in Queen for a Day, etc. There was nothing like this last year for my original VIB nonsense (also in store) and the overall set is certainly better than one mini lipstick. I'm not a fan of skin tinted things as CG may be a shade up from my level, but I do have a sister and a niece who might find pale better than white.

Speaking of the niece, does anyone here have advice on convincing a young invincible horsewoman that she will NEED sunscreen?

Teasmade said...

To TrishB, re the sunscreen I would find that famous picture of Brigitte Bardot with sun damage and the one of the trucker with sun damage only on the driver's side of his face.

It won't be easy to convince her. The young never believe it will happen to them. Aging skin is so insidious; one day you are yourself and the next you find . . .well, you know.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if anyone is having the same trouble I am on the New London Pharmacy website. It won't take the discount code. Was the sale over on Sunday night? I would think it should continue throught Labor Day. So disappointed if I missed it. But thank you CG for mentioning that site. I have added another to my list of great resources from Best Things In Beauty!

Hope you and all your readers enjoy this Labor Day holiday.

Denise at aeiokid at comcast dot net

Charlestongirl said...

Denise, let me try to get Abby on Twitter and let her know.

CGirl said...

TrishB, that goody bag was a special they were running for all VIBs with any $35 purchase. I received mine with an online order. I thought it was actually a nice little sample bag for what you had to do to get it.

Anonymous said...

Thanks CG!

Charlestongirl said...

I tried three times today to get Abby's attention through DM on Twitter. Maybe when she realizes what happened, she will extend the sale. I also could not make the code work,

Teasmade said...

TrishB, as a follow-up to my previous comment (I am HUGE on sun damage!) take a look at Diana Nyad's skin. Obviously, not to take anything away from her huge accomplishment, but yikes! Show one of the many available pictures of her to your niece.

I was a swimmer as a child, and spent many unprotected days in the sun, and I KNOW that all my brown spots are from those days.

Anonymous said...

Thank you CG, I was able to get the code to work for New London Pharmacy late Monday night and got a couple Kevyn Aucoin treats. I also had fun shopping at Beautyhabit for my first Rouge Bunny Rouge haul. Hope your holiday was a nice mix of chill and cosmetic color play!

Denise at aeiokid at comcast dot net

fgirl said...

I was told that some Perricone products, especially Cold Plasma, just have a fishy odor due to the ingredients. I tried cold plasma, because I heard amazing things about it, but I really could not stand the odor.
I love the Blue Plasma and do not detect any odor with that product.

Nina said...

Many of the Perricone products have that fishy-salmon odor right from the get-go or will develop it very quickly as the products are exposed to air. I cannot abide the odor, and I have had a bad reaction to almost all the Perricone products that I've tried, so I don't use them. However, according to the line reps, the smell has nothing to do with the effectiveness, so there you go!
For trishb - yes, the sample bag was for all VIBs with $35 purchase. I think they are trying to do more "gifts" like that since those 100 point samples are so lame. As for the sunscreen - I concur with tweeymma about finding some scary photos. Maybe offer to buy the girl a really fancy sunscreen?