Sephora VIB 20% off sale haul

First off, I know this post should have went up about a week and a half ago.  In my defend, there are like 97 photos, nearing 100.  That's 97 BLOODY PHOTOS I HAVE TO EDIT and ADD MY NAME ON IT so no one steals my photo again.  And if they do, then thank you for the free advertising ;).  So I have finally finish editing and now having to write this post.

*WARNING:  This is a long long long long blog so grab some popcorn, get yourself a nice cup of tea and enjoy the photos.*

Did you guys get to enjoy yourself in the sale?  I know there is also the beauty.com that also has 20% off and a couple other brands that has 20% off.  What did you guys get?  I'd love to see/ hear from you guys in the comments down below or tag me to your instagram photos @christinahello.

Curious to see what I got?  Click read more!

Firstly, I think you all should know buy now that I'm a beauty junkie and a crazy person that likes to hoard make up.  I already personally know that will last me my lifetime, my future daughter's lifetime and the next generations of my genes.  But you know what, a girl can not get enough pretty stuff in her life!  I know I'm crazy, but don't judge alright?  I edited near 100 photos for you for your entertainment. XD

 First up is the Sephora favorites super star set.  I helped a co worker get this for his wife since he asked be what to get her. I asked him what was hist budget and he was saying somewhere around $150. I was like, "I have the perfect gift for you ;), and it is under budget" kekeke and it looks like you spent a lot of money just to get this.  

This set is $90 CAD.  Okay okay, hang on. let me explain myself on this one.  I'm not saying that $90 is cheap, but for what you get, this set is really amazing. 

1) Smashbox BB cream $50 already... full size

2) Anastasia brow wiz $30 full size

3) Formula X nail polish $12

4) Nars orgasm blush $30 and full size

5) Chloe roller ball perfume $30

6) Stila stay all day waterproof liquid eyeliner $26

And some other stuff like full size urban decay eyeshadow, deluxe size Josie Maran argan oil, deluxe size fresh sugar lip treatment and deluxe sized Benefit they're real mascara.  Now just adding up the $50+ 30+ 12 is already $92.  So............................................ you decide if this is a good box or not.  I got the same set last year, the super star set but they had a couple of different products.  I wish I didn't get last year's since they have the full sized brow wiz here!  So jealous, but I know it's not smart to buy it again.  Maybe next year when 70% of the box isn't the same as last years, then I'll get it ;).

 I have been eyeing these little sets for the longest time, but sadly this isn't for me either haha.  I was looking into getting the Boing concealer from Benefit, but since this set was only $2 more and I was getting 20% off, awesome deal right?  This isn't not for me though :(.  By the way, this is Benefit How to look the best at everything in light.

 Sadly I did decide to pass on this set but I made up for the loss and bought other cool things LOL. But these set that are $36 are awesome, seriously go check em out.  They are in the permanent line, so don't worry about them going away.

 This is also not for me but I thought I would show case them just in case you missed it since Sephora is like a supermarket.  You get overwhelmed with all the pretty things, then see the price tag and say to yourself, not today....  Well at least I do.  I don't have the 20% off anymore, so when I go to the Sephora website and want to order anything, I just can't justify it.

 Finally, something that is for me LOL.  This is the sephora favorites draw the line set retailing for $37 CAD ($30 USD).  Honestly I really don't need this.  I mean I really don't need anything in this haul, but hey!  I saved up my lonnies and twoonies, $5 bills here and there and it came up to about $150 without trying.  So I'm just going to justify it that way, and I don't shop at sephora normally, just once a year at their 20% off sale.

But this set is awesome!!!!! It comes with 7 eyeliners including the marc jacobs one, nars, the stila waterproof liquid eyeliner in brown and the Kat Von D liquid liner.  I do like the stila liquid eyeliner, but someone said that the Kat Von D was just like it but better!  It is suppose to be more of a matte finish and doesn't have that shiny finish that liquid eyeliner usually have.  So we will see how that goes :D.  I'm super excited for the Marc Jacobs one too! It is so creamy and pigmented, actually all the eyeliners are crazy pigmented... that's pretty much why i bought the box.

 Ohh that is cool packaging!

 Swatches from left to right:

Marc jacobs, stila, Kat Von D, Nars, Sephora, Urban decay.

Honestly I'm not a big fan of the Urban decay liners since they do not really stay on my waterline.  I kind of regret getting the Black market eyeliner set from last year.  Now i'm stuck with 7 mini liners, but I did get it on sale for $18 so it's okay.  Not that big of a lose.

 Just a boring one, clarisonic brush head. This is hella expensive!! $30 for a single brush, $50 for two.  I might just return this and get it on ebay for 4 for $25.  I'm just scared it might be fake and then mess up my face.  Has anyone bought the clarisonic brush heads on ebay?  And are they real?

 I guess I'm lucky since I went on the first day of the VIB sale.  There were tons.  About 25+ of these palettes since they know that it is a good seller.  And now it is completely gone and not on the sephora website.  Sadly I was thinking of returning this since it was like a second place runner up because I couldn't get my hands on the Benefit blush palette they came out this year.  I'm still upset about that, but I did get this one so I guess it isn't a total lost right :(.  Still upset though, but I'm praying they come out with another one next year just like it but with a better packaging design.  This tarte blush palette was $50 CAD.  Not too bad considering one full sized amazonian clay blush is $31 and this palette was $50 for 5 blushes.  Crazy good deal :D.

 Reason why I kind of wanted to return this was the packaging. I know it is suppose to be that 1920's pin up girl style, but dang this packaging is hella ugly.  It is like those cheap Claire's evening handbag wallet thing. It just looks so cheap.... why did you choose this squishy, spray on gold material.  Ugh... not my favorite packaging wise.

 But you do get a nice sized mirror.

 Here's the blushes :).  

 Left to right: Breathless, embraced, whimsy, bashful, irreplacable

 Ever since this came out, I have been eyeing it for the longest time.  I honestly wasn't going to get this since I have the first one, and they look kind of the same.  But I swatched it in the store and bam... I love it.  It reminds me of the Naked 3 which i did buy when it first came out, but the colors were pretty enough and different enough for me to keep it so I returned it.  This naked basics 2 gives me the feeling that the colors were the only couple of colors I liked in the Naked 3, but for a fraction of the price and I wouldn't be left with the other poopy colors.

I did actually hit up three Sephora stores on the first day of my madness.  I went to the closest one to my, then traveled all the way to the two downtown ones.  Keep in mind, my sephora bag was the biggest one they provide, and it was crazy heavy.  My shoulders after were so sore, I couldn't really lift anything heavy for three days.  But it is all in the name of love!

Urban decay naked basics 2$34 CAD

 The colors really look like it is the same.  Well all neutrals look the same, but once swatched, it is different.  I SWEAR I'M NOT CRAZY!

 Here's the swatch of the colors.  They have this purple tint to it, and is very different from the first one. The size of the palette is perfect, but I do not like that it is that NARS rubberized packaging, but at least it isn't black like NARS.  They get so dirty so fast. Yuck!

 Let's compare the first (top) and second (bottom) edition of the Naked basics.

 See!! Completely different HAHA. But I would recommend the second one more actually since the first one had a bit too many light colors.  I do love that they are mostly matte, so if you were going to bring some eyeshadows with you, you could easily bring one of these small neutral palettes and one colorful eye shadow with you.  Perfect.  Absolutely perfect.

 I bought these Dior creme de rose lip balms blindly from many many people loving this product.  They retail for $30 each (stupid expensive right!) but with 20% off, not too too bad.  I will have to see how this stands up to my Pure smile lip treatment which only retails for $4.50 but I can not find it anywhere!  They only sell it in Japan sadly.  But as of right now, I feel like this product will be returning back to Sephora since it isn't as great as it was hyped up to be.

 The packaging is simple but fancy.  It's nice.  I wish it said CH haha, my initials ;).

 Rose is not my favorite scent, I can almost say I hate the smell of roses.  But the degree of the fragrance that comes in this product is bearable.  I'd give it a 5/10 on my smell-o-scale.  I will have to keep trying this product, but as of right now I can say that for the price tag, I expected a lot more.

 I was just walking around the super crowded Sephora store and I saw this in the corner of my eyes.  I don't have any NARS products, so I was checking the brand out.  I know of the brand, and I know what is good and such but because the price tag is so high, I never bought anything.  But with the discount, i could justify it a lot more.  This is the NARS contour blush retailing for $46.  I haven't really heard much about this product, but when I swatched it in store, I thought it would be an amazing natural contouring color.  And I was right!  I got the shade Olympia, which is the lightest shade, and you are suppose to use this as a sculpting powder.

What I like about this product is that it isn't really a bronzer.  When you swatch it on your skin, the color kind of has a slightl grayish tone to it and doesn't show up like a warm bronze brown like normal bronzing/ contour colors.  I used it on my face, and it really doesn't look like I'm wearing anything but BOY!  That definition on my face is nice ;).  I have a pretty sculpted face, but this  makes me look like a super model kekeke.  TYRAAAAAA~~  Walking down the runway like a BOSS HAHA. 

 Did i mention that these two shades are completely matte?  LOVE!  Seriously I love this.  This is one of the products I will absolutely see myself using forever.

 Hmm... the picture is kind of crappy. You can't really see the contour powder, but I swear it is there.  The highlighting powder is nice too, but I usually like to use my Hourglass ambient powders for that ;).  Still really nice though.

 Here's another product I remembered hearing from Gossmakeupartist and I remembered him saying that he loved it!  This is NARS light reflecting pressed  setting powder retailing for $42.  My thinking process when I went to buy this product was, hmm I usually don't really like loose powder since it is messy.  But the loose form does have about 1 gram more the the pressed.  So I went with the pressed version.  BIG MISTAKE.  The tester in the store was great, but the new one I got was like a rock.  It absolutely sucks, product does not come off the compact and it wasn't cheap either.  This went back to the store so fast, I don't even remember owning it HAHA.

The compact came with a nice pocket and a puff that I would never use.

 Not sure if you can tell, but there is a slightly bit more illuminated part on the back of my hand.  In person, the powder gives a very natural dewy finish, and is a lot more prominent on the skin compared to the Hourglass one which is more of a matte powder with a natural sheen.  The NARS one gives you that noticeable watery, dewy look to your skin which I love love love.

When I went back home and did more research to why the pressed one sucks so bad, Wayne Goss after he bought the pressed one too, he went back and exchanged it for the loose version and completely fell in love. He said that it was the best setting powder he has ever used.  I trust his judgement 100%, and I would say it has the biggest influence on which high end branded products I would buy.  Again, this is the NARS loose light reflecting setting powder  retailing for $46 as well and has more product and works a lot better.  

If you were considering on getting this product, GET THE LOOSE ONE AND DITCH THE PRESSED.  THE PRESSED ONE SUCKS SO BAD, IT MADE ME MAD. LOL... like actually I was mad.  I had to lug a huge bag of cosmetics.  You'd be made too if you were carrying a big bag that weighted 2 kg for 5 hours and going on public transit.

 Oh yea... definitely a lot better.

Well crap, you can't see anything LOL.  I swear it is there.  Just try it in stores the next time you are at a NARS counter or at Sephora.

 Another NARS product people rave about is their NARS radiant creamy concealer retailing for $35.  I don't really use concealers since I'm too lazy and just go with BB cream usually.  But I do want to try something new, and people LOVE this stuff.  So I have to see what is going on!

 I got the shade vanilla.  I hope I got the right shade :S.  The concealer is really creamy, but that sometimes means that it would catch onto my dry skin.

 Doe foot application...

 The concealer is super pigmented, and a little does really go with a long way.

 Hmmm.. does this shade work for me?  This isn't fully blended haha.

 Another product people say is one of the best is NARS smudge proof eyeshadow base retailing for $29. I have been using my Too faced shadow insurance for the longest time, and also ELF eyeshadow primer which works fine but I want to try something else.  I am expecting miracles with this product with that price tag.  I have seen some reviews stating that this is a lot better then the Urban Decay shadow insurance.  I have hope :).

 Again, doe foot applicator.

This primer goes on the skin translucent.  Oh yea...

Another big ticket item, which is the Marc Jacobs style eye-con No. 7 retailing for $71.  I got the palette 212 the dreamer.  I was going to get the lolita palette just like everyone else, but the colors looked like other neutral eyeshadows I got, so I just settled with the 212 the dreamer which has a peach shade, some gold and some really nice matte neutral shades as well.  The shadows seriously is like butter.  Hmm.... butter :D.

 I really like their sleek and thin packaging, and it also comes with a little baggie so it doesn't get scratched.  Luxury for sure....

 Oh yea.. those shades look hella nice!

 Swatched with no base what so ever.  The pigmentation is amazing, the shades are gorgeous.  I don't have any shadows like these in texture, but I'm not sure if I would buy more of their eye shadows since it is quite expensive.  Maybe if it was a super special occasion, or if they come out with a really unique palette that I would for sure wear, then i will get it. But other then that, I think I'm set for now ;D.

 I spoke too soon HAHA.  The third time I went to sephora on the third day, I picked this trio up. I really wanted another big palette, but the other palette shades really didn't interest me that much so I bought this boring one too.  I knew for sure I would use all the colors.  This is the Marc Jacobs style eye-con No. 3 in the shade 116 The innocents and the trio retails for $49.

Absolutely gorgeous!  I love that shimmery shade with the mixture of the matte neutral browns.  Love :).

 This is actually not for me but for my mom's Christmas present, well at least a part of it.  She told me a while ago, just out of the whim when we were just chatting away, that dad used her favorite tweezers to fish out the clogged up sink that had tons of hair. Of course she wasn't going to use the same tweezers to pluck her eyebrows.  So I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to surprise her with a pair of tweezerman tweezers.  And she could send them in to get it sharpened, but it isn't anything I can't do with my whetstone :D.

 Another product I was Hourglass ambient lighting blush in the color dim infusion retailing for $41.  I really was going to get the blush palette they have that is limited edition for the holidays, but I would only use one of the three shades of the palette so it would be no sense in buying the palette.  So I went to see which blush I would use, and Dim infusion is the only shade that isn't shimmer. This blush would be another that I have to becareful with.  When I use it on my face, it doesn't look like I have anything so I pile it on.  Then i go to the washroom and WHOOO~  it looks like I have two peaches stuck to my cheeks.  Be careful, this blush is sneaky.

 The packaging looks the same as the regular ambient powders, but this is smaller.

 Dim infusion, blending it in with the swirls, is a peachy, slight tan shade on the skin with a very natural and unnoticeable sheen on the skin making it look like you aren't really wearing any make up.

 Comparing the regular ambient compact and the blush compact.

 Now let's compare this to the ambient powder palette size to the full size blush.  The blush is bigger then the palette, but not by that much.  I am content that I just got the one color though. :)  Happy~

 Another lux product I got were the YSL lip sticks.  I actually thought that these were the lipsticks that everyone rave about, but I was like why are they so sheer?  I didn't remember them being sheer.  Then i checked the packaging again with two eyeballs and not just one and saw that it is the sheer line.  The regular line was all the way at the bottom of the display where people would walk past it.  Sigh... now I will have to wait till next year to pick up some more shades.  I got this product mainly for the packaging hehe.  So pretty!  These are the YSL rouge volupte shine retailing for $39.  HOLY SMOKES, I remembered them being $30 O_O.  DAMN LOL.  No wonder I never wanted to buy them.  Dafuq $40.... now I really so consider returning one for the regular one.  Hmmmm...

 Left to right: 1 brun insecure, 17 rose in tension and 9 nude in private.  I got #9 for my mom so I will not be swatching these.

 Here is the swatch for 1 brun insecure and 17 rose in tension.  I'm honestly not a lipstick person so I thought I should just stick with these.  These are pigmented but sheer enough that I wouldn't be uncomfortable to wear it out the house.

I wasn't really satisfied with the sheer colors, so I picked up one of the newer YSL Baby doll kiss and blush, lip and cheek which is a dual function product for your lips and cheek (yes thank you Ms. obvious >_>) retailing for $45.  Not in love with the packaging, it really looks cheap to me.  The font of "Baby doll" reminds me of forever 21's make up line :S.

 The shade I picked was 09 Rose Epicurien.  I'm not a very vibrant hot pink, ghostly porn star light pink lip color kind of girl. I like the more brownish pink colors, dusty rose, dark purple or lavender kind of shades.  I do like the occasional orange and sometimes reds too, but I'm always leaning towards the darker shade ranges since my lips are super pigmented and nothing shows up on my lips.

 The doe foot application is a werid one.  It reminds me of an "outie belly button".  Not sure how I like it, I will have to keep trying.

 I really like the color :).

Here's another product everyone and their mother's have.  This is the Anastasia brow wiz pencil retailing for $27 for a measly 0.003 oz.  That is ridiculous and I thought there would be a lot more product then that, but nope.  I rolled it completely up to see how much product there really is, but it was a disappointing site. 

 You should know by now that I'm in love with Korean cosmetics and skincare products because the price and the quality is just right.  And guess what!  This product is made in Korea!  Why don't I just return this and get the Etude House drawing eyebrow pencil that only retails for $4.  Screw it, that's it.  It's going back. I don't care how "amazing" it is suppose to be.  This is ridiculous!

 They also have this product which is fairly new, and it is the Anastasia dipbrow pomade retailing for $23 and contains a lot more product then the pencil!  This one is a keeper. 

I got the shade in chocolate at first, but when I went home and stared at my brows, I felt like it was a bit too dark and warm for my liking.  So I went back and got the color taupe.  Still haven't used it yet keke.  We will see!

 This was a last minute pick up. They were sold out of this little bite beauty lip set that retails for $30 but it doesn't seem to be available on their site anymore.  This is a really amazing pick, especially if you haven't tried bite beauty lip colors.  They are really moisturizing, pigmented but they don't really last too long on the lips since they are moisturizing.  The colors are really nice and they do use food grade ingredients.

 I won't be swatching these since I am including this in my mom's Christmas present.  She doesn't spoil herself enough, seriously.  She still has the same lip gloss I gave her two years ago and is still using it. Ugh... gross mom XD.  It is time for new products!

Wow! We are finally at the end of my long ass haul.  I thought this would never end!  I started with post at 7 pm, and it is already 12:05 am.  I'm super satisfied with my sephora haul and I think I will do the same next year with saving up loose change here and there to justify my spending at Sephora. My goal usually is just to hit that $350 mark to get the VIB status for next year since I like the 20% off keke.  

This must be the longest post I have ever came up with, but as you guys know, I love me a lot of pictures. I'm not off to bed, my eyes are super tired and I will be sleeping like a fat pig that I am on a cold winter day :).

Did you guys buy anything at the sale? I would love to know. Which products interested you in my haul and would like to see a full review and swatch post?  Tell me in the comments down below.  But as for now, have fun, be safe and love one another ;).

-Cheers, MMnoob.