Haven’t done this in a while, but I thought that while exam season is in full swing I could do a quick OOTD post!
I am still enjoying my Race Your Pace 1/2 Zip in Black Grape, and I absolutely love the Pleat To Street skirts. This one is in Blossom Stripe. The leg warmers are American Apparel and the shoes are Toms.
I was so excited to see that my local store got in the new Define jackets! I’m happy to report that the new Define jackets fit the same as the ones I currently own. The color offerings, however, did not excite me into purchasing one. The colours being offered are Bordeaux Drama, Tri Geo Inkwell, and an almost white “Blush” color. I can not wear white. Invariably, I will spill some tea or cola on it, ruining it- and my whole day- all at the same time. I already have a Plum Dance Studio Jacket and I find that Bordeaux Drama and Plum are very similar, so, although I was tempted by the Bordeaux Drama Define Jacket, I do not need more Bordeaux Drama in my life. I really loved the fabric of the Bordeaux Drama Define jacket, and it is worth noting that the fabric in the Bordeaux Drama Define was considerably different than the Tri Geo Print one.
This Bordeaux Drama Define label says “87% Supplex,” while the Tri Geo Print one said “82% Polyester” for the “Self” (main) portion. I could tell before I even looked at the tags, however, that the fabric content was different. The Bordeaux Drama one felt much softer, like the Luon to which I’m accustomed. Supplex (87% Nylon, 13% Spandex) is a fabric that is commonly used in athletic wear for its cottony feel, but high durability.
This year they’re priced at between $108 (Bordeaux and Blush) and $118 (Tri-Geo), which is upwards of a $20 price increase from the $98 they were two years ago when they were phased out. I LOVE all my define jackets (I have 4), and think that they’re totally worth it, but I could understand if some people were upset by this. Honestly, I find that Lululemon does this rather frequently, so as to surreptitiously increase the price, they’ll phase something out- only to have it re-appear later at a higher price point, or they change the design slightly, call it “Insert Product Name Here 2” so that people feel as though they’re getting a better value. (Example: “Wunder Under Crop”, “Wunder Under Crop II”) I understand the concepts behind consumer pricing models, and feel as though they’re maximizing their utility with the methods they employ, so I am not about to complain. The company itself is able to sell 95% of its merchandise at full-price, unlike other companies, so it’s clear to me that their pricing methodology is working.
I really hope that this helps you when you’re choosing what to get this evening when the new Define Jackets upload! Let me know what you think about the price increase, and the fit if you’ve had a chance to try them on.
PS: If you want to know more about the differences between the Define Jacket and the Forme jacket click here!
Thanks for reading!
I must first admit that I’m a little spoiled when it comes to brushes. I love makeup brushes and have quite a few sets of them. I think that makeup is art, and in order to improve and perfect the practice of makeup application you must have the proper tools at your disposal, so I have invested in some core pieces and have tried numerous brands to that regard. My favorite brushes are my Mac brushes. They range in price from around $20 to about $40. They’re worth every penny and on top of doing a fantastic job, they also make me feel like a pro! Ok, I know that’s not super tangible, but I kind of love it.
The Body Shop’s brushes come in an adorable travel bag that would fit some extra goodies of you were so inclined. I would definitely take these on vacation with me, using the extra space in the bag for cosmetics. I love the bag. It has adorable little phrases on it. And it has a pocket and slots that the brushes fit into.
I used the brushes today to do my makeup, and I wanted to give my honest take on them. I like the design. They’ve got this conical shape to them that is quite nice and they have a decent weight to them as well. The concealer/ lip brush, face brush and shadow brush all have very soft synthetic fiber bristles, and feel very nice on the skin. I used the face brush to do face powder and I felt like I had a hard time grabbing enough for full coverage. I think this brush would work great for highlighting, bronzer or anything else that you want to build. I used the lip/ concealer brush for concealer and it worked well for application, and I blended it out with a different brush. It worked well, but it wasn’t amazing to me. Maybe it would work better as a lip brush. I have a retractable one that I really like, so I think I’ll keep this one for concealer. I used the eye shadow brush for my crease and am most impressed with this one. This one actually will be replacing the brush I normally do my crease with: it picked up product with ease, was easy to use, and was effective at packing the shadow. I really liked this one. The brow brush worked well, but the lash brush has plastic bristles, and like I said: I’m spoiled. I have this fabulous Tweezerman one that has a metal brush and it kind of works amazing. This one worked OK, but it didn’t impress me. Over all, I would actually say that for sure this set is worth the money and right now The Body Shop is having a holiday sale where you can pay $25 with your $30 order for the set- so that makes it even more tempting, but apart from the shadow brush, I wasn’t ‘wowed’ by any of these. I hope you’ve found this review helpful. Thanks for reading!!
I have been a loyal Ipsy subscriber since July 2013, well over a year. I just received my November Glam Bag and I have since cancelled my subscription. There are a few reasons why I cancelled, and I’m going to try to go over them one by one.
1. Exhaustive Repetition of Brands
I get these bags because I enjoy trying new brands, and I want to see if I like products so I can buy and enjoy the full sized versions. Unfortunately, Ipsy has sent me too many brands repeatedly for me to be excited about trying the products anymore.
I compiled the contents of my Ipsy Bags over the last 16 months and got the same brands over and over. For example, I received “Pop Beauty” 3 times, “Sexy Hair” 3 times, “NYX” 3 times, “Elizabeth Mott” 4 times and “Be a Bombshell” 5 times. There were several other brands I received twice or three times, and sometimes I even received duplicates of products I had previously received (as with Sexy Hair’s Hair Spray).
2. The Quality of the Brands
I think that either Ipsy is having a hard time finding different brands to work with them, or they court the cheaper brands because they think their customers would rather have a large sample from a “national brand” than a small one from a “luxury brand.” I would take the tiny sample from the luxury brand every single time. But Ipsy rarely features even modestly high-end brands or products. I’ve received a Benefit product a couple of times and Bare Minerals a few times, I also liked the Urban Decay liner I received and I got a Dr. Brandt skin product once… However, upon reading over my list of received products, it looks like each month I received on average either one or none of these products. For example, I do love NYX’s Butter Glosses, they’re pretty great. They’re inexpensive ($6-ish), come in cute packaging, and the formula is pretty much perfect. However, if I want one, I’ll just go to Ulta and buy one. There’s nothing special about getting one- even a full-sized one- in my Glam Bag. But that’s the type of thing that happens every month in my Ipsy bag. I would much rather get the mini “They’re Real” Mascara sample by Benefit, like I got in my July 2014 Glam bag, than the full-sized NYC Mascara that I received in my October 2014 bag.
3. Too Many Glam Bags
This is probably trivial, but I actually don’t love that they send a new cosmetics bag with every month’s Ipsy sampling. I have too many of them, and part of me is curious as to whether more money could be invested in sending out better products versus sending out bags that aren’t getting used all that often (or at all, by me, at least). I think that they’re cute, and of overall decent quality, but I’d rather they spend that two dollars on better, or at least different, brands. Considering the selections I’ve received- it seems as though they could use it.
4. Colour Selection
Having reviewed my Ipsy bags over the past little while (you know, 16 months), I noticed the “uniqueness” of many of the colours of eyeliner and shadow I received. I don’t mind trying something different now and then, but honestly, I don’t wear burnt orange eye shadow, orange nail polish or purple eyeliner regularly, Halloween, maybe… I’m also not super into brown lipsticks. Some of these products seemed like things that were not selling well for the companies, so they just gave them away.
5. Customer Service Quality
Back in July 2014, I received an Ipsy bag where one of my samples had exploded all over all my other samples and the “glam bag.” I was able to clean it all up, and salvage everything except the exploded sample. However, it turned the experience of receiving a Glam bag from fun, to a chore featuring wasted time and paper towels. The sample’s cap had not come loose, the packaging had actually come apart at the seams and was broken. I threw away the sample and contacted Ipsy’s customer service. They apologized and apparently sent me a new sample, which I never received. However, honestly, after the ordeal of having to clean their mess, I did expect more. I thought that perhaps, given the opportunity to make it up to me, that they would have sent me an entirely new box- so as to recreate the fun and excitement that is supposed to go along with the experience of receiving an Ipsy Glam Bag. (And after reading this tweet today, I guess I’m not the only one who thinks that’s the appropriate response) That experience is what ruined the brand for me- Ipsy used to be fun, now they were a brand that required me to clean up messes and didn’t send me the product that they said they would. (Or maybe they did and I didn’t receive it? Either way, I was still not a happy customer.) I did want to avoid comparing Ipsy to their competition, but given a situation in which I ended up using BirchBox’s customer service they just sent me a whole new box. They were extremely courteous about the whole thing too. In fact, I was able to chat with them on the phone, while Ipsy’s customer service is available via email only. I’m sorry, but they really set the bar for me, and when the bar is set high, you’ve either got to step your game up or quit playing.
I hope that Ipsy improves their customer service. Mine is actually a very mild example. I just didn’t receive a sample, I’ve heard stories about people not receiving their entire monthly order- or of it being delayed for weeks.
Note for people who do want to cancel: After you click “cancel” on their website (and they’ll ask you to confirm three times), don’t forget to click the confirmation email too. I made that mistake and remained subscribed for an extra month by accident.
What do you think about Ipsy? Are you a subscriber? Do you prefer the national brands or the higher-end ones- but smaller samples? Why are you subscribed and for how long? I would love to hear some opinions, maybe this is just me? 🙂
Thanks for reading!
I decided to include photos of my IPSY bags so that you could see all the brand repetition and products I received if you were interested.
Hello again! Like I said in my first ’empties’ post, this series is designed to mimic my favorite YouTube videos where Beaty Gurus show off the products they’ve gone through and describe their experiences of what they liked and what they didn’t like. Like I said before: since this is a blog, I may re-organize these at a later date to create categories, but for now, I’ll just be posting a few items at a time until I think I have enough to create “collections” of comparisons.
Vasanti Detox Nutirent-Rich Purifying Facial Cleanser
I got a sample of this in one of my makeup subscription box services. I believe it was BirchBox. The sample size is 20mL, and I got about 10 uses out of it, if not more. As with most of my products, I tend to be very sparing with my usage. Some might even call me stingy in that regard. But I would rather be regarded as miserly than wasteful. This product reminds me of other mid-range basic cleansers. The cleanser that comes with the Clarisonic when you buy it comes to mind. I would characterize this cleanser as relatively boring, but effective. My face felt clean after using it, but it wasn’t exciting or anything. I might actually buy this if it were cheaper, but $24 for the full-size of 150mL is too much when there are many other alternatives for basically the same price.
*** 3 Stars
Repurchase: Maybe for half off
Origins Modern Friction: Nature’s Gentle Dermabrasion
I really enjoyed this product. As I recall, I got it as a sample with purchase when I was buying my favorite mask: Clear Improvement. This sample size was only 15mL, but I got several uses out of it. Over 10 for sure. I really liked this product because even though it is abrasive, I really felt like it was exfoliating my skin. I felt as though I was able to get the rice starch particles all over my face, unlike other products which can be hard to maneuver. I would probably not recommend this to someone with especially sensitive skin, but I think this would work for most people. I’m not normally a fan of things that boast peppermint as an ingredient, but this exfoliator performs so well I can’t complain. I will definitely be considering this next time I need a new exfoliating cleanser. It’s $20 for 1.7 ounces on Origins.com, click on the title to buy. 🙂
**** 4 Stars
Repurchase: Yes
Matrix Exquisite Oil Biolage Micro-oil Shampoo
I got 3 samples of this from Ulta for free with purchase. I got 2-3 uses out of each sample, so I feel like I got to try this stuff out enough to have a fairly accurate opinion. I really loved the way this stuff smells. It’s divine. It works well; I find that most shampoos, so long as they contain SLSs (sodium laur* sulfates) work well. Right now this is available on Amazon for $12. I thought this would cost more since it’s a salon quality product, however I find $12 to be very reasonable for 500mL (or 16.9 oz). I might get this in the future, but I have a ton of shampoos and conditioners left to try out and go through, so I have no plans to buy anything for now.
**** 4 Stars
Repurchase: Yes
Matrix Exquisite Oil Biolage Oil Cream Conditioner
These samples came with the Shampoo ones and I got about the same number of uses. Again, this stuff smells amazing. However, I did not find that the smell was especially persistent after I got out of the shower. This works well, but not amazing, and I often found myself using another conditioner- either a hair mask or extra leave-in treatment in addition to this stuff in order to get my hair to be as soft as I would like. I would describe this as quite average and I would not buy it at any price. Yawn.
** 2 Stars.
Repurchase: No.
Jurlique Herbal Recovery Night Cream
I got a free sample of this and got two uses out of it. I liked that this stuff isn’t greasy at all, but I loathed the smell. Again, if you read my blog, you’ll know that I do not like strongly scented products on my face, especially at night when I will have to live with it while I sleep, and this was no exception. I though the cream performed OK overall, but I would not be tempted to buy, especially for $50. There are much better products out there.
** 2 Stars
Repurchase: No.
So, overall, this time had a couple resounding “no”s, but that’s just the learning process, and I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to try out so many new products thanks to companies like BirchBox and Ulta. I hope my next post has some more “yes”s and valuable information for you all. Thanks for reading! 🙂
Hello friends!
In case you missed it: Somerlea announced the triumphant return of a classic, yet indispensable design: The Define Jacket.
It’s hard for me to truly articulate how very much I have missed this design. Here are Britt’s Picks for next Tuesday, showcasing that the Define Jacket will be home for the holidays!
Some of you may remember my post about a year ago about the Define Jacket versus the Forme Jacket. If you’re used to the Forme Jacket, and you want to see what the differences are, you might want to check that out. I also wrote about the Define Jacket when I lamented how, although I was excited that the Savasana Wrap was coming back, I was also disappointed that the Define Jacket only received a small portion of the vote during the “Hey Lululemon” contest.
I can’t wait to see what colors come out & if the fit and feel are exactly how they used to be. I’ll make sure to post about this as soon as I see them in-store. Thanks for reading!
UPDATE: HeyLululemon.com has been retired by Lululemon as of May 16, 2016
Hello Everyone! My FAVORITE YouTube videos are called “Empties” videos. Usually some Beauty Guru will go through a month’s worth of empty products that she’s used up and tell you all about why she did or did not like them plus whether or not she intends to repurchase. Because this is a blog I will try to eventually organize certain products by brand or category, but for now, I’m just going to go through some of my “empties,” and put them in this post. The titles will be links to where you can purchase 🙂
Here’s a picture of my empties box:
Let’s try to get through these one at a time, shall we?
1. Pantene Pro-V Expert Collection Age Defy Rejuvenating Hydration Masque.
I got this on sale half-price at my local Walgreens. I loved it after using it a couple of times so I already have a back up. It makes my hair very manageable and completely removes tangles. I usually put it on in the shower and keep it on for 5 minutes while I do other things. After rinsing, my hair is soft and silky. Love this product!
5 STARS! *****
Repurchase: Yes
2. Williams-Sonoma Hand Soap: Basil With Essential Oils
I got this as a gift from my mother-in-law. I really don’t like it. I am pretty allergic to it and every time I use it I can’t help but to sneeze. I used it all, but I am glad I’m done with it. Yes, she reads this blog. Yes, I told her I wasn’t a fan. It’s fine, as soap, and it lathers well and everything, but the smell gets to me. There are too many good hand soaps out there to settle for this one. Also: I just learned, it has been discontinued. Fantastic 🙂 But hey, if you really want it- you can get it on eBay. You can always get whatever you want on eBay.
2 Stars **
Repurchase: No
3. Pond’s Cleansing and Makeup Removing Towelettes.
I couldn’t find a good link to these exact wipes anywhere. I have a feeling Pond’s has changed the packaging, but hey, you can buy them at Future Shop! LOL! I also think they’re available at Pharmaprix and Shopper’s Drug Mart. I really liked these wipes. I really didn’t know how good I had it with these until I got some bad ones- we’ll get to those in a minute! These smell very pretty. They have a clean/ moisturizer scent. I found them to be moisturizing and the soap on them was not harsh on my skin. They were adequately moist when I opened the package and didn’t dry out too much. Also: they work! They remove makeup very effectively. I would use them on my face, and (in order to avoid getting soap in my eyes) I would switch to an eye makeup remover and cotton pads for the rest. I really enjoyed these and if they were still available, I would repurchase. Unfortunately, I can’t, but I will be very open to trying other Pond’s makeup removing products in the future.
4 Stars ****
Repurchase: No
UPDATE!!! While rifling through my beauty supplies I found TWO MORE packs of these! So happy! They must have been on sale so I bought three. Yea! Now to find a replacement for when I run out of these…
4. Absolute! Make-Up Cleansing Tissues by Nicka K Cosmetics
First off let me say that I am happy that I did not have to pay for these. I got them in an Ipsy bag. These were absolutely horrific. And I don’t believe I’m exaggerating. First: They were relatively dry when I opened the package. That was fine, I thought, so I just moistened them before use. The “use” part really got to me though. They were rough- I think they are made from unprocessed bark, or maybe sandpaper. I don’t have sensitive skin, but these were just way too rough. They didn’t remove my makeup either. They just don’t work. Anyways, I can say one good thing: they smelled pleasant. I’ve read other reviews, however, that said that they found the scent too strong. I thought it was bearable. I used them to remove makeup on my hand after swatching things and playing with my makeup, but they were useless otherwise.
1 Star *
Repurchase: No
5. Secret Outlast & Olay Smooth Solid Antiperspirant/ Deodorant
Let me just say that this is not a true solid deodorant, and the “smooth” part of it makes it almost a thick lotion consistency. I tried this because it was on sale and I needed deodorant. One good thing about it is that it smells nice, but I won’t be buying more for two reasons. The first being that I now believe that the ‘moisturizer’ in this is gimmicky, and secondly, I feel like I use way more because the moisturizer causes it to be thinner in application overall. So, personally, I suppose I just prefer the solid, and after I go through this last one, I’ll be sticking to the plain boring “baby powder” scent original secret, unless y’all have any suggestions. Yes, I just asked the internet for deodorant suggestions.
3 Stars ***
Repurchase: No
That’s it for this round. I think I’ll try to do one of these posts with 5 items per week, eventually I’ll organize these by product category and it’ll be a little review showdown post for each category.
I was inspired to write this post by a reader who commented on my post about How To Spot Fake Lululemon. The focus of that post is self-evident. However, once you determine that you’ve purchased an inauthentic product, what are you to do? First, it depends on the venue from which you’ve purchased the product, so I will try to address resolution options based on venue of purchase.
On eBay:
If you’ve purchased a fake Lululemon product on eBay, you may choose to contact the seller for a return or simply open a case. You are covered under eBay’s policy and should be eligible for a refund. *note: you may be responsible for return shipping*
Facebook Groups:
If you purchased a fake Lululemon garment on any Facebook group, and you’ve read my post on The Difference Between Paying as Gift or as Goods on PayPal, and you took my advice and paid as goods, you are eligible under PayPal’s policies for a refund. If you paid as gift, you are technically not eligible but you may want to try anyways, as I have heard of cases where a refund was granted regardless of the fact that the article was paid for as “gift” or “friends and family.” If you paid as EMT (Email Money Transfer), an option available to Canadians, I don’t believe there is any recourse, financially, for you. Legally, you may contact the authorities. I have heard of serial sellers of fake Lululemon goods facing prosecution, however, I never heard of any of the money being returned.
Which brings me to the next venue of purchase,
Locally:
As above, legal recourse may be an option. Paying in cash is the least safe option and I can’t think of any ways you might retrieve it. I have purchased locally before with my PayPal app, and I recommend that to others. Even if you have to pay as “gift,” at the request of the seller, it’s safer to avoid carrying cash, in my opinion.
I’ve mentioned before in other posts, if someone sells fakes, please make it known to whichever community within which you made the purchase that that seller is a danger. Let the Facebook group admins know, give negative feedback on eBay, call the authorities if you have the person’s name or phone number.
I hope this post has been helpful, please let me know if I’ve missed anything and enjoy my related posts that can be found by clicking the embedded links!
Thanks for reading!
I stopped in my local store the other day and picked this top up. I really like the fit and would call it true to size. First I’ll address what I’ve heard on the Lulu boards which is that the Rulu is thinner than past versions. I have to agree, but this does not prevent me from enjoying this top. It is just as soft as past versions, which I love, so, even though it’s thinner that is not as important to me as the fact that it is so soft and feels nice against the skin. I’ve also read in the reviews online that the seams are itchy. I guess they could be, based on the way that they’re finished, but they honestly have not been bothering me.
The things I like about this top are things I typically enjoy about all Lulu tops, and if you read my review on the Race With Grace Half Zips, then you’ll know that for me, it’s all about the details. So, first, I liked the fact that it was a half-zip. I tried on the Race Your Pace top, (the basic pullover, not the half zip), and I did not like the fit, and the neck hole was too big (the straps of my Flow Y Bra showed). Of course, Lulu always includes a zipper garage, which I like, however, these new 2-way zippers on the half-zips to quote let you “catch a breeze mid-stride” seriously make no sense. No one will ever use this. I went easier on this 2-way zipper feature in my “Race With Grace” review, but having experience with it now, I can be more definitive about the fact that I definitely won’t ever use this feature.
I like the little reflective details on the forearms, and the cuffins with the “cold hands,” “warm heart” inscription written in reflective material. And of course, there’s a small pocket near the left-hand side towards the back that is well concealed through a teeny tiny zipper. It’s strange that I will rarely; if ever, use this pocket, yet I hold no contempt towards it as I do towards the ridiculous two-way zipper.
So, I guess to summarize, this is a great light-weight fall top with a few cute details and one ridiculous one. It is true to size and the Rulu is soft as ever, though slightly thinner.
I hope this review helps if you’re thinking about buying this.
What do you think about this top? True to size? Will you use the two-way zipper? Let me know in the comments below!
UPDATE:
In response to a reader comment below (Thanks, Anne!) I decided to post this photo:
So, it does seen to be a little “unfinished.” It is not attached (sewn flat) on the sides to the shirt itself. Like I said above, I DO see how it could be itchy, but I love it anyways 🙂
It’s time for the next instalment of Body Shop product reviews. I did my first one a few months ago when they started sending me free stuff to give my opinion on, here. This month I was excited to see that I would be reviewing nail polish. Nail polish is my thing. I love doing my nails and I love having all the unique shades. I like doing amateur nail art and putting stickers on my nails. Before they sent me my colour, which is called: Red My Mind, they had me do a survey to find my “Happy Colour,” which can be found by clicking here. I like my happy colour, it’s bold, like me.
Like I said: I love nail polish:
I really enjoyed this formula and they can sell people like me on things like: “Formaldehyde & Toluene Free.” They don’t make many claims about this product other than that it comes in 24 “feel-good” shades, is “enriched with Marula oil, 100% vegan, nail-loving” and finally, a claim that is testable that it is “quick-dry” and “high gloss.” I would agree with both of those claims. This formula impressed me and I almost wish that The Body Shop were more boastful. Not only is the formula quick-drying and nice & shiny- it also applies fairly opaquely on the first coat. I put two coats, but mostly out of tradition- in fact I noticed little difference between one and two coats. I also loved the brush. It was thick and easy to maneuver making application simple and intuitive. I can be rather messy sometimes, and I found that my blunders were mitigated while using this brush, so I didn’t get as much on my fingers as normal. Still did though, of course.
The colour is very pretty and I would say a classy, classic red that leans on the coral side. I’m going to enjoy this manicure and I will let y’all know if I end up finding this polish chippy or otherwise less than satisfactory, but for now, I have to say I’m relatively impressed and I will be giving it 5 stars. I think that the $8 price point is very fair, considering the performance and compared to other brands I like such as OPI and China Glaze which cost between 10 and 12 dollars. The other reason I think it’s fair is because The Body Shop often holds 40% off sales, which would bring the price down to a level where I would be tempted to try ALL the shades! I have a ton of nail polish already, but I’m glad to be adding “Red My Mind” to my wall of polish. If you want to buy some you can find it here.
UPDATE: It’s been about 2 days and I only have a slight chip on one of my nails on my dominant hand, so I’d say this stuff is pretty good. Particularly considering that I forgot to put on a top coat.
UPDATE: It’s been 4 days, and it’s pretty chippy. I am not disappointed, since many of my other polishes would have chipped about as much by now, but I wouldn’t call this formula particularly long-lasting. I would say I got an average amount of wear out of this application.
#nailhappiness
