/Make-up/ Sephora Chic Week Swag

Having patiently waited since last Saturday, I was pleasantly surprised with a package from the internets on my doorstep. The grand bounty that was my Sephora purchase from their Chic Week promo was finally here! My immeidate reaction was to rip open the box, but I carried my business along like a civilized individual--using scissors to cut open the tape and then carefully lift the flaps of the box to peer inside. Here's what was there:


I refer to all this as "swag" as opposed to the usual "haul" because "swag" just sounds so much better. They essentially have the same meaning...I don't know why "haul" became the word people used when they talked about stuff they bought (usually in large quantities). Ok, back to my swag. I bought only three things as I'm not made of cash nor is much of it flying my way these days.


First up is a DiorSkin Forever Flawless Perfection Fusion Wear Makeup foundation. I was debating if I should get the Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation or something else because it's so expensive. After checking my shopping list, I saw some other foundation options for me to choose and compare from. I picked the DiorSkin because the price seemed ok and the reviews for it were pretty decent and it's DIOR. This foundation is supposed to improve skin with continued wear which sounds good. I also figured if I didn't like it a trip to Sephora could be made to return or exchange it. Next is Jurlique's Love Balm. I thought it would be bigger, like the Rosebud Salve. The Love Balm has .5oz of product whereas Rosebud Salve has .85oz..I'm just disappointed in the size. It smells nice, though, and I'm excited to try it out later for when my skin "needs some extra loving care." Lastly, there's some nail art stickers I found whilst perusing the sale section. I just needed something to get me to the $50 mark for free shipping (my total ended up at $49, actually, and I didn't have to pay for shipping!). A lot of what I wanted to buy from Sephora's sale part were out of stock when I tried to add them to my basket. I like the lacy, french-fish-netty design and 16 stickers for $5 was an ok price for me.


Is it odd for me to type that I was truly a little bit more excited for the samples more? Whenever I go to Sephora stores they never seem to give free samples anymore with the exception of the freebies that need to be earned with beauty points (to me, that's the equivalent of cash used to buy "samples" and I just save up for something better). Hoarding samples is another habit I have (and they're great for travel). I chose a Jean-Paul Gaultier cologne, but they sent me an Hermès one. ...I guess I don't mind. Sometimes I like to use men's fragrances (YSL L'homme is delicious). There's a Shiseido tinted moisturizer, a Chloé fragrance card (I'm curious to sniff the See by Chloé because I already have a bottle of the original Chloé). The sample I anticipated the most was the Sunday Riley Good Genes Treatment. It retails for $105 (!) and I get to see if it will "plump fine lines to reveal brighter, newer skin, and improve circulation to offer a smooth, vibrant complexion".
All in all, I'm happy with all this new stuff. I'll be busy the rest of this week testing how everything works out. Fun times.