Ulta Shopping Haul

I recently met a girlfriend and her kids for lunch and to help her find a new eyebrow pencil. My goal was to get a new perfume and a natural deodorant. Welp…I walked out with more than that and wanted to share what I got and my thoughts so far. I have included multiple links to buy these items from different online sites, if you don’t have time to run to an Ultra, prefer to shop at certainty e commerce sites, or just trust me enough and want these items on their way to your bathroom vanity, ASAP!

1. Gucci Bloom– as seen in this Meghan Markle Makeup post, I couldn’t order this scent, a favorite of the Duchess’, quickly enough. You also won’t be surprised to know that I ran out of it at record speed, due to my obsession with anything Royal. While I loved that scent, and will probably restock soon, I wanted to try something new. I immediately went right for this Gucci Bloom, due to the chic packaging. I smelled it and was in love. I tried others, but kept coming back to it. I started to chat with a girl who worked there {note: the staff at the Ulta I go to are always extremely helpful! and Kind to my littles, that I, bravely, always bring with me…the once a quarter I actually have time to shop in person.}. She was helpful and answered some questions I had about another product and then realized that I kept sniffing the perfume paper I tested it on. She started to smell my options and had me convinced that the Bloom was the one for me, saying it fit my personality since speaking with me. Perfume is so personal, so this made this purchase and easy one for me!
2. Bareminerals Gen Nude Matte Lipstick – I need more lip colors like I need a hole in the head, but I was playing with these and fell in love with the consistency and the color I kept coming back to, Frenemy. I put this on in the car park and didn’t stop wearing it all weekend.
3. Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner – Maybe it is because I am a child of the 80s. Or maybe it goes back to me being a Royalist Loyalist and nobody knew a blue eyeliner better than Diana. Either way, I have gravitated towards blue and purple eyeliners since I remember first wearing eyeliner. I tried to break it up with buying black and brown, but I always come back to navy and purple gem hues. I haven’t used a purple one in years, staying on brand with my love of navy, but have always loved this line. While trying the sample, I loved how soft it was. I apply mine along the waterline, the outer 3/4 of the upper eyelash line and the outer 1/4 of the lower waterline. If it is more for night, I will reinforce it with going on the actual lash line as well as the waterline, making the line and color more dramatic and dark.
4. Benefit Dallas Blush – I swear, I was walking to leave, but I say this gorgeous palette and the color and name of this cheek color caught my eye. I didn’t even try it on or swatch it on my hand, deciding it was a perfect spring to summer makeup bag addition.
5. Holographic Sheet Mask – I love wearing sheet masks while I read in bed about 3 nights a week. I try to always fall asleep with them on after a night of cocktails, and I feel like they are extremely indulgent and a fun trend. Some I have loved but all I have liked. I keep a part of my top drawer full of sheet masks, replenishing my supply whenever I find one with cute packaging. These were buy two, get two free, so it was a perfect check out line impulse buy.
6. {not pictured} –Natural Deodorant – this brand was a checkout line impulse buy from my last Ulta run, and I have loved it!  If you aren’t aware, most deodorants and anti persperents have aluminum in them that have proven to cause all sorts of women’s issues, including irregularity and fertility issues. My idea with eating clean and buying clean makeup, is you have to pick and choose your battles. Probably, most of this makeup isn’t “clean” but I find no reason to decrease the amount you smell or sweat to pump toxins, such as aluminum, right into your armpit, an area that is full of thin skin and with lymph nodes that carry things throughout your entire body. Yes, I love my non clean lipliners, but I eat extremely clean. So I pick and choose my battles. I haven’t wore unclean deodorant since finding out I was pregannt in early 2014. I just have been stinky, I guess, or occasionally sprayed perfume on my clothes under my pits. This deodorant smells great and has been one that has worked for me. Your smells and sweat “makeup” are so originally yours, so if your bestie has a natural deodorant that she swears by, it might not do anything for you, so give a couple a try before you go back to aluminum packed antiperspirants. My recommendation: the “normal” size of this is huge. HUGE. so I buy a couple of the “sample” sizes as I know if I have to choose to pack the large one or not bring deodorant, I’m going to choice option B. Plus the small ones last much longer than you would think and they you can stow a couple in places while you decide if you like it or not.

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