'Tis the Season for Limited Editions

'Tis the season for limited editions. Christmas is my favorite holiday in some respects and in the same respect my least favorites season. Con = all the shopping for gifts stress. Pro = all the shopping; LIMITED EDITION makeup value sets, palettes, colors, and so, so many deals. 

Some of the limited editions will never return and some will return next Christmas season. Some will continue after the Christmas season but not at the great holiday prices. Overall limited edition value sets are my absolute favorite thing about the Christmas season. I can't stand how cute the sample size items in the Sephora Favorites holiday sets are and all the amazing packaging. I would have loved to have a Benefit Cosmetics advent calendar as a pre/teen. I didn't even know they existed until this year and I am obsessed. So enough about me lets get into the good stuff. I'm going to let you in on all the best holiday limited edition products, sets, and gifts. These items need to publicized or I know tons of you are going to be upset when you see them on Pinterest later only to find out that they aren't in rotation anymore. 

Best Limited Edition Color Palettes: 

1. Bobbi Brown's Warm Glow Palette, $75 - absolutely my #1 x-mas list item! Gorgeous and I do mean gorgeous faux crocodile case. If I miss out on this I will not forgive myself. A little pricey for but definitely worth it. Not really crazy, $$, for Bobbi.

Bronzes, Roses, and Warm Browns. Absolutely Gorgina!

2.  Bobbi Brown's Warm Eye Palette, $48.50- Six beautiful warm shades and a BB dual-ended brush. The brush alone would usually cost you $45. This is a Limited Edition steal and best!

Warm Eye Palette with dual-ended brush!

3. Bobbi Brown Deluxe Lip & Eye, $80- 8 shadows, 8 lip colors, and a mini brush for each. The eye shadows mini versions of the shades from the Warm Glow and Warm palette. If you don't use eyeshadow everyday or don't use a specific palette too often this is the right choice for you. You get the Warm/Glow shades, 2 brushes, and the bonus 8 complimentary lip shades for $5 more than the Warm Glow palette. 

Perfect for your holiday party clutch! 

(OK, let's get away from Bobbi Brown but I do have to give her Surf and Sand line a shout out, gorgeous, not holiday and not really a deal but Limited Edition nonetheless and worth taking a look at before it's gone.)


LE Gifts for your FAVORITE people, ONLY! Otherwise keep it for yourself! 

1.  Urban Decay Naked on the Run, $54- This is a must for a bestie, mom, sister (you) that never has the time to go home before going out after work! Gorgeous and truly everything you need to touch-up for a great price! It is UD.

Bronzer, blush, highlighter, 5 Naked Shadows, liner, lip gloss, and mascara

 2. Tarte Kiss & Belle LipSurgence Lip Set, $34- 8 deluxe sample lip products that can easily be split up and used as stocking stuffers. Great deal, shades, and versatility! I plan on dropping 2 into each stocking and still having 2 left over for myself!

$4.25/product! You cannot get any better than that!

3. Tarte Bon Voyage Collector's Set and Travel Bag, $59- This is a perfect gift or multiple gifts. You can split this up in so many ways or give it whole. It's such an amazing deal. That many shadows by Tarte would usually cost $70 alone. 

Super deluxe sample and full sizes!

4. Benefit Cosmetics Advent Calendar, $99- This is perfect for a family of girls. Each day is a little beautiful and exciting gift. You can also get this and split the 25 items to make small gifts for your friends or anyone in your life.

Each little window opens from Dec 1 to Dec 30...

...reveal all of this!

  Honorable Mention: There are a ton of Limited Edition holiday sets and singles that you should absolutely look at but Nars, Too Faced, and BareMinerals all deserve a specific shout-out. They have done it up completely right; packaging, price, and amount = amazing! I'm just giving you a little taste of the greatness, go to Sephora.com and search "Limited Edition" to see it all! I have many many many times and cannot wait to start buying these LE's all up! Remember the whole point is that they will not be around for long...

A Steal of a Deal: Deluxe Samples

Right now at Sephora if you purchase $25, which is like 1 good product, you get 3 deluxe samples for free along with the standard 3 mini samples. I have been interested in Benefit Cosmetics Fake Up concealer, for awhile, but didn't want to get it for $24.00. I got a deluxe sample of Fake-up (light or medium avl.), bareMinerals Skinny Dip Bronzer, and Philosophy's A to Z BB cream. That's a pretty great score! I bought Benefit Cosmetics Go TropiCORAL kit as my $25 purchase; a great deal on its own. The deluxe samples are worth $30. Ulta sells it's deluxe samples for anywhere between $7-$10. I've never seen Fake Up, Skinny Dip, or A to Z BB cream. I've seen the deluxe sample Fake Up in a kit that costs $28. I got the 3 free-with-every-purchase mini samples (pic below), as well. So I really got $21-$30 of deluxe samples, $15 of minis, and a $28 Benefit kit all for $35.99 with S&H and tax included; a definite steal! They were in my colors and products I'd looked into buying before. 

Just FYI the mini samples options were great I choose Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion, Becca Bronzing Skin Perfector, & Make Up For Ever HD Press Powder. All things I've been wanting to try, as well. 

Deluxe Samples to Choose From:

Alterna- bamboo Smooth Kendi Oil Dry Oil Mist 

Urban Decay- All Nighter Setting Spray

Benefit Cosmetics- Fake Up Concealer in Light & Medium 

Prada- Infusion d'Iris Eau de Parfum  Rollerball 

bareMinerals- Ready Bronzer in The Skinny Dip (for light to medium) 

Philosophy- Miracle Worker Overnight

First Aid Beauty- skin Rescue Deep Cleanser w/ Red Clay

Jack Black- Industrial Strength Hand Healer  

Dr. Brandt Skincare- Xtend Your Youth Dual Fusion Water 

And more... I can't see them because I already used my PACKUP promo. 

Deluxe Samples w/ Promo Code: PACKUP (w/ free Beauty Insider Card and $25 purchase) 

3 free Mini samples with every purchase. 

Breakdown of Steal Deal: 

Benefit Kit- $28.00

Deluxe Samples- $30.00 (if I bought)

Mini Samples- $15.00

Total: $73.00

Total Paid: $35.99 

Savings: 37.01

Make Your Own Value Set

I figured that we should try making our own value sets by coming 3-4 travel size and mini items or duo's. Most of these will be the type of value set that includes several different brands like Ulta's Summer Favorites or Sephora's Summer Stash value set. Each of those comes with about 7 itty bitty products and runs about $45, but we'll be mixing our own travel and mini products. See what we can get. It may not work... but we'll try. These are just a few of the kits I was able to put together by looking through the gift (you can buy those gifts they offer with purchases for a few dollars), travel, and duo deals. They range about the same as the other kits and come with a few full sized items but they're personal to me. These are kits I'd definitely take home and try.

Touch-up Kit
Includes: Benefit They're Real, Mascara, Urban Decay Long Lasting Setting Spray, Bite Beauty Luminous Crème Lipstick Duo
Price: $36.00 or $12/item
Price/Item: $10, $14, $12


Stay Bronze Kit  
Includes: Lorac TANtilizer Highlighter & Matte Bronzer Duo, Tarte Maracuja Face & Body Tanner, NYX Baked Blush 
Price: $30 or $10/item
Price/Item: $12, $12, $6


Full Finishing Kit
Includes: Tarte BB Tinted Cream & 12- hr Primer, Urban Decay SuperCurl Mascara, NYX Powder Blush, bareMinerals Ready Touch Translucent Veil
Price: $50.00 or $12.50/item
Price/Item: $10, $10, $6, $23
Full Price - Difference:

Lip and Cheek Kit
Includes: Benefit high beam and Posietine, Tarte Mascara and Lipsurgence Crayon
Price: $29.00 or $7.25/item
Price/Item: $13.00, $16

Add this $13 duo...

...to this $16 for a full lip check and lash kit.

Face, Lip, & Cheek Kit
Includes: Stila BB Trio, bareMinerals Moxie lipgloss & lipstick, benefit high beam & Posietint
Price: $37.00 or $5.29/item
Price/Item: $12, $12, $13

Face, Lips, and Cheeks Kit for $37.00

Judging a Book by its Cover

This is another one of those entries where I let you in on my next study. We, recently, dealt with shade/color vs. naming conventions. I think that, that would be step two in purchasing any cosmetic brand (depending on the circumstances) so we are doing things a little backwards. Since I don't like to wear a lot of make-up one of the best parts about it for me is the packaging; look, texture, and thought put into each products exterior. It's definitely what attracts me to some products over others or repels me.

We're going to look at how the packaging of a cosmetic brand, product, line affects you, how practical the dispenser is, and the quality. Can we judge a "book" by its cover under these circumstances. Do we trust a product more if the packaging has more thought put into it? Would we rather pay less and get a lesser quality exterior? Is that why pans are available for purchase? How do pan palettes play into the whole packaging ordeal? If the palette is pretty enough do we not mind that we're just placing pans on the inside? Can we make the assumption that if one companies packaging looks like another that the shades will be duplicates, as well? For example, ELF has very similar holders to NARS and everyone knows that when you type in "Orgasm Dupe," ELF St. Lucia contour combo will appear. That seems like something to me or at least something to look into. 

Since this is a mini-post with my questions and ideas on our next foray into cosmetics I wanted to include a few images of the products I find to be the most beautiful; the ones that always call my attention even if they don't sell anything I'm looking for at the moment and/or aren't very practical. Also, I'll give you a few that repel me even though I know for a fact that some of their, actual, shades are very popular and well received. This will give you an idea of my thought process for my next series. 

Loves of my eyes life: 
Too Faced- all of their products are so feminine and old school. I don't know that some of their bottles are practical but they are pretty.

 

 

Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder

 

Amazing Face Liquid Foundation. Love this old-timey bottle.

Tarte Amazonion Clay- I absolutely love all of the look and feel of their products. Very earthy and simple but beautiful and natural.

Amazonion Butter Lipstick. I love this particular shades exterior but all of the designs are gorgeous.

Amazonion 12-hour Foundation. I love anything by Tarte with a "wooden" cap. 

 

 

 Repellants of my eyes life:
Urban Decay- I know their NAKED line is loved far and wide but their packaging usually repels me. For the price, I want something a little less "urban." 

Electric Eye Shadow Palette. The first item I've found semi-attractive. I wouldn't wear the shades though.

 

Revolution Lipstick. I just find this to be plain ugly or just plain. 

 

 

 

 

BareMinerals- I just find their stuff to be very plain. I always pass them right by, at Ulta, even though they're right in the front and I know their stuff is really good, or tends to be. I will say this, I do love their BUXOM line.

READY Blush. BORING, but apparently award winning. That little brush just reminds me of the cheap stuff. Not good.

 

Bareskin Foundation. I find the honey color of the foundation to be the most attractive thing about this. It could be sleek and simply beautiful which I think is what they're going for but its just not, not to me.

 Now you have a little idea of what we'll be delving into in the coming entries. Let me know what repels and attracts you based on packaging/exterior/dispenser.
 

Clarification: Blusher

OK- so I want to clarify some things. After posting my last entry I got to thinking and felt like I left some things totally unclear. I am not promoting Maybelline's line of blushes over NYX or Urban Decay based on anything but is what you see what you get? They were only the winner because the names for each of their shades was clear and represented properly. We are starting at the bottom. Getting the low-down on cosmetic companies. Maybelline is not better in anything else amongst the 3 except in naming convention alone. I only asked that they put their full line out for those of you that know absolutely nothing about blusher except what the packaging tells you and so that I can test them for quality in the future. 

I'll continue my in depth look into naming conventions in a entry to be posted later today. I just wanted to clarify the above as soon as possible. We'll be looking into lip products next; NYX, ELF, and Tarte. 

Misleading Names: Blusher

Let's continue our foray into naming conventions for blush, blusher, or rouge.

I delved into 3 brands blush products today and did a few hours of research on how many types, the names, descriptions they provide, and if the information was provided on their packaging.

The first company I looked into was Urban Decay. Their Naked products are so popular I assumed they would have a few "Naked" blushes. They didn't. They had one contour combo with a description but not on the packaging, online only. That's really all there is to say...next.

The second company I delved into was NYX. This was the most interesting research of the day. NYX not only had the cutesy names they had in-depth descriptions of each color, on each of their 7 types of blushers and 1 palette; these included tone, undertone, and shimmer or sheen, if any. The only problem is they do not include this on their packaging and some of the names were extremely misleading. Their HD Studio Photogenic blush has a "Georgia Peach" that is a light soft pink, not a peach. I thought maybe peach is technically a "light soft pink," it definitely isn't a primary color but they don't use "light soft pink" as the description for their truly peach blushes.

NYX Truly Peach Blushes: PB= Powder Blush, HDGB= HD Grinder Blush, BBL= Baked Blush, and SB= Stick Blush.  

• AMERICAN GIRL (HDGB05)- Soft peach
• SUGAR MAMA (BBL12)- Soft peach
• WANDERLUST (BBL06)- Iridescent peach
• PEACHY (MPB04)- Golden peach
• Orchid- Peachy-pink with gold sheen
• Tickled- Shimmery peach pink
• APRICOT (PB32)- Pink peach with gold shimmer

NYX Misleading Named Blushers (a few, not all):

• PEACH (PB06)- Matte baby pink
• TERRA COTTA (PB12)- Shimmery rosegold
• MOCHA (PB01)- Matte mid-tone pink
• GEORGIA PEACH (HDGB01)- Soft light pink
• APRICOT (HDGB02)- Plum-pink
• HIBISCUS (SB03)- deep beige pink

PB32

"APRICOT"

HDGB02

"Apricot" is used both correctly and incorrectly. When I think of Apricots I think of peachy-pink like the first image. Since the second one is called "Apricot" and it comes in a different format I would assume that when I applied it it would appear as Apricot, on my skin, that the powder consistency just makes it look pinker. So I would buy it and be disappointed, highly disappointed and left feeling mislead. NYX's powder blush in this color is a correct representation, on the other hand, their HDG blush in plum-pink, is not. The description provided on the full website, only, makes that clear. If you have an iPhone/Smartphone you have to go to NYXCosmetics.com, in the store as your browsing, and click on Full Site, to get color descriptions. The mobile site does not provide any description of color and if you don't know that you need to look you'll most likely end up with a different color than you thought most times (I'll list NYX's colors and descriptions, by type, in a separate post for your convenience.)

Last but not least I took a look at Maybelline's line of blushes. They list 5 types, one is a very soft peach almost beige skin-toned highlighter, in stick, cream, powder, and mosaic form. All of their blushes, no matter what form, come in the same 5 color schemes; nude, rose, pink, mauve, and coral. The only exception to this is their Dream Bouncy blush this comes in a combo gel/powder texture in 10 colors all named with a color or indication of color. The packaging, again, does not list the description but they don't really need to; the name and look say it all. Maybelline is true to their conventions. The only thing about this that I found disheartening was that I have never, not ever, seen their full line of blushes in stores, any store. Their Fit Me blush comes in the 5 based colors mentioned but in light, medium, and deep; making 15 Fit Me blushes, altogether. Have you ever seen all 15 in any store? I haven't. Their Dream Bouncy brand is the only blush I've seen their full line, in stores. Disappointing considering that after all my research I would buy Maybelline over NYX if I didn't have my iPhone on me and I wanted to trust the name and color listed or just not have to go through the trouble of going to the full website to get the information I need as a consumer.

Our winner for the day, by a landslide, is Maybelline and their 4 blush types in 5 base colors!!!!!! MAYBELLINE PUT THE FULL LINE IN STORES, PLEASE!