Of all the stores I shop at- there are few I am loyal to. I appreciate brands for their purpose and functionality in my life- like Amazon for its quick and easy service and Walmart for their prices. Neither of these stores have reward programs which is just fine to me given their overall purpose in my life. As for other stores I shop with- what really keeps me coming back is a rewards program that makes sense, is easy to use and has a point system I find value in. A few in particular stand out in my mind and keep me brand loyal: GAP, Banana Republic, Old Navy and ULTA. I am loyal to GAP, Banana Republic and Old Navy for all of their offers tied to their lines of credit. For a program with no strings or credit attached- the best by far is ULTA. For each dollar I spend I get points towards dollars off a future purchase. For every $100 I spend, a $3 dollar reward is available to use in-store or online. I actually earn more now due to the different levels of status. Because ULTA has both prestige and drug store brands, it’s easy to rack of points. I often get special offers like 20% off prestiges brands and exclusive gifts with purchases. I tend to purchase presents for my friends and family too so when I do it’s like getting a little present for myself. I like this system better than ULTA’s competitor that rewards with samples.
Twice a year, ULTA holds a major sale where they debut new and cult favorite items. It’s my favorite time to try something new or stock up on an old favorite. This time around I found a few new things to try and I can’t wait to share them with you!
Stocking up (tried and true holy grail favorites):
Lancôme Monsieur Mascara in brown
I had tried this one during a past 21 days of beauty event. I love that it is available in brown this time around so I stocked up on all available colors. My favorite is the black. I can create a dramatic, false lash look with just a few coats. Lancôme has always stood out to me because my mom wore it when I was growing up. It always felt grown up, sophisticated and is the definition of quality. This mascara is as long lasting as Lancôme’s name in the industry.
Tarte Lights, Camera, LASHES: 4-in-1 Mascara in black
I love this formula, the brush and how long it wears and makes my lashes look. Unlike other mascaras, this packaging is soft and usually a sparkly purple. To be honest- I did a little research before purchasing to determine the difference between the tube colors. After speaking to a rep at Tarte, turns out there wasn’t a difference at all. Since I love this mascara and my favorite color is yellow- I added it to my stock up stash. This is also a favorite amongst the ladies in my life so I stock them away for gifts. Tarte tends to be a big name during these sales. I love their cruelty free products and always find value in purchasing them at even better sale prices.
MAC Lipsticks in: Ruby Woo, Crème in Your Coffee and Diva
I will always love a good lipstick- especially one from MAC. I got every color available during the sale and so far- I am loving them! Ruby Woo is the perfect, universal red. Crème in Your Coffee is a sheer mauve pink and Diva is an edgy deep purple- amazing for fall. When I made my purchase I received a MAC brush canister. It is super cute- I ended up adding it to my workspace and a playful way to stash my paperclips.
Something New: products the sale introduced me to
GrandeBROW Enhancing Serum
I’ve never had great brows. Even in baby pictures, mine look very sparse. Confession: I even went through a phase were I over plucked and shaved to shape them. To say I was excited to try this is an understatement! I have heard incredible things about the lash version and thought this would be worth a try. Stay turned for a true testimonial!
Kylie Cosmetics: Lip Kits in: Jordy, Mary-Jo K, Kylie, Bare, Candy K and Exposed.
The perfect range of nudes with a pop of berry and red. This was the first time I’ve tried anything from Kylie and I’m pretty excited about them! My two comments about them- a little drying and not all liners match the lipsticks. I do a lip-scrub and follow with a primer before applying the color. I have tried them all and they wear well! There were a few colors I didn’t purchase due to research regarding undertones. My biggest disappointment- no two websites had swatches that matched. I decided to buy them and try them.
https://www.ulta.com/ulta/a/_/Ntt-kylie%20lipkit/Nty-1?Dy=1&ciSelector=searchResults
Tarte : Shape Tape in light and light medium honey.
I was lucky enough to score a great deal on this product due to my Diamond tier status. The coverage is incredible and the formula is perfectly creamy. I bought the light for a highlighting effect and the light medium honey for an everyday look/match. There are countless undertones and shades to this product so there is sure to be something to match you too. I even snagged a shade for my sister who is much more fair than me- if you can believe that. So far she’s loving it too!
Tarte: Tartelette in Bloom Eye Shadow Palette
I am a sucker for shimmery nudes and neutrals for eye shadows. There are so many shades perfect for everyday or a sexy smoky eye. I wish this palette came with a brush or at least a spot to keep one. Not a major flaw but just something I have come to love with my Urban Decay palettes. Like I mentioned before, I had no intention of purchasing this palette prior to the start of the sale. I wasn’t even in the market for new shadows but this palette has so many shades that I use regularly so I decided to give it a try.
So many new things to try and so many good deals on my favorites! This sale never disappoints especially when the products are top notch. I always map out my sale days and try to stick to a budget each time. I leave a little wiggle room for in the moment purchases as ULTA randomly adds new products. I didn’t plan on purchasing the eye palette but, I am loving it! I was surprised that I didn’t purchase any highlighters, bronzers, blush or setting sprays- not that I needed any. I usually score a new face during the sale but you never know what you’ll see and that’s half the fun! I can’t wait to fool around and mix together my tried and true with my something new!
So tell me, have you ever shopped with ULTA? If so, what’s your favorite product there? Share in the comments below!
See you soon.
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