Good evening everyone!!!
The title of this blog post is a bit of a cheat since I only purchased two different shades of the same product and then scored a whole bunch of free samples, but I still wanted to do a little unboxing haul to show how nicely Sephora ships out their products and how adorable and incredible some of the samples are.
So the two products I purchased were the Make Up For Ever Pro Finish Multi-Use Powder Foundation in shades 110 Pink Porcelain and 113 Nude Porcelain. 113 is available in Sephora stores and I have been using and loving it ever since I first tried it way back in June 2015, and reviewed it here on my blog. However, I have been wondering if maybe it is a bit too yellowish for my skin tone and I wanted to try out the lightest shade, 110, but 110 is only available online, or maybe in some stores but not in the Sephora near me. I couldn’t judge the shades very well online so I ordered both, thinking I would immediately be able to tell which shade would be best for me when they arrived. Well, no such luck because I unpacked them only to find I could see a difference but still couldn’t decide which would be best.
Just a little shout-out to Sephora here because I love their product return policy because you can actually try out the product and then return it if it doesn’t work for you. So, I tried out both shades and I have decided to stick with the nude porcelain, partly for ease of purchasing because I don’t necessarily want to order online all the time and partly because the pink tones would be nice for a summery pink look but might not be as versatile as the nude porcelain in the autumn and winter.
And now for all the samples:
At the time that I placed my order, Sephora was offering a promotion where I could pick three deluxe samples of Fresh products for free. I love the brand Fresh, so I went with an old favourite and two products I have been dying to try. My favourite Fresh product is the Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment. I started using this way back in high school and it is the most hydrating and sweet-smelling lip balm I have ever used. I get very chapped lips in the winter and this just makes my lips kissably soft. The two new products are the Sugar Face Polish (125 g $62), which is a nourishing natural exfoliant made with real strawberries (including the seeds!!!) and brown sugar that polishes away dry, dull skin, and the Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil (full size 50mL $52) that contains omegas 3, 6, 7, and 9 and pure oils to preserve youthful skin. Because of how expensive Fresh products are, I am so happy I was able to get some deluxe size samples so I can try them out and see if they are worth purchasing.
Then, as my three free samples that come with every Sephora order, I selected Benefit’s Goof Proof Brow Pencil, NARS Orgasm Blush, and Tatcha Balanced pore perfecting water gel moisturizer.
The Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil (full size $30) is a product I have been hearing a lot about recently, and something that I am in desperate need of. My brows do not have that sought-after arch, which is fine, but when I get all dolled up for a night out or something, they just look a little bit sad. The nice thing about this product is that it has a wide tip to fill in brows and a pointed end to define the tail of your brows. This has made my brows stand out so much more and have given them the little helping hand they needed. I was sent shade 03 Medium.
The NARS Orgasm blush (full size $38) is a product people have been raving about for years now, and I have actually never tried it. I love blush palettes more than getting just one shade in a pan, but this is a shade has been hailed as a cult beauty product so I felt I should give it a go. It is a gorgeous warm pink shade with golden shimmer highlights. What I really like about it is that it is really hard to over-apply it because the pink hue does not build up but the shimmer does, leaving a nice golden glow.
Tatcha is a brand I had not heard of before but I am always game to try international beauty brands. This japanese skin care and beauty brand combines the ancient wisdom of geisha beauty with the modern skin care regimen. The Balanced Pore Perfecting Water Gel Moisturizer (full size 50mL $68) offers oil-balancing hydration, making it great for oily skin, a rare find. Also, this moisturizer includes a dust of 23k gold. That’s right, gold, delivering a shine-free glow. After trying this, I found that my pores looked a lot smaller and tighter, and it wore really well under my makeup.
What beauty products have you purchased lately???
I was fortunate to receive from my mother something I had been eyeing for quite some time: Esteé Lauder’s Colour Portfolio Palette. This set includes 30 Pure Colour Eyeshadows, two Pure Colour Glosses, and a Pure Colour Intense Kajal Eyeliner pencil. I absolutely love the range of colours in this portfolio, and each palette section actually pops out. Plus, there is a built-in mirror, making this portfolio perfect to take on a trip with all your eyeshadows in one place, complete with an applicator brush. 
When my mother purchased this for me, apparently she did so on the one day that Hudson’s Bay was giving away a free full size of Estée Lauder’s Re-Nutriv Ultimate Lift Age-Correcting Cream, a $100 value. I love when things like that happen. 
And finally, I was able to pick up my birthday gift from Sephora: a set of two mini NARS Velvet Matte and Satin Lip Pencils in the shades Cruella and Rikugien. The former is a classic red shade, while the latter is a more muted pink shade. I just tried out Rikugien this morning, and it goes on so smoothly!!! Now to test its lasting power. 
And now for the presents from my grandparents. For as long as I can remember, every birthday my grandmother gives me a 200 sheet package of ruled paper, a $50 bill, and a pair of gloves.
Literary and Lovely 