So ULTA plays these mind tricks on you to get you to spend more money. First they send me an email saying that the new Urban Decay Full Spectrum palette is on sale for 35$. Done. Then they say “you can either spend 7$ on shipping or spend 15$ more to get free shipping”. Done. Then they say “if you buy one more ULTA brand product, you’ll get a free gift bag”. Done. So basically, I got all of this goodness for just 65$ and I’m pretty excited about it. Here’s what I think about some of the key products from my March 2017 ULTA haul….
Juice Organics Repairing Shampoo / Conditioner
The first thing I tried was the Juice Organics repairing shampoo and conditioner. I only received a small sample of this for free with my purchase, but I wanted to review this too. I have mixed feelings on this product but my experience might have been slightly skewed. Let me explain…
I used it like you regularly use shampoo and conditioner in the shower and really enjoyed it. It smelled heavenly, lathered up nice, and my hair felt really good after rinsing it out. The packaging says that it “repairs, strengthens, and nourishes with coconut & soy protein,” it is for “damaged or color-treated hair” and “formulated without: parabens, silicones, phthalates, sulfates, propylene glycol, artificial colors and synthetic fragrances”. So all of that sounds great right? What is my problem, you ask?
The only issue I had was that my hair did seem to be a little more frizzy than normal after using it. Here’s where I think my experience was skewed: so, I am 9 months pregnant, and the happiest part of my day is when I soak in the bathtub for an hour every night with epsom salt. What I sometimes do is take a shower first, wash my hair and do everything else I need to do, and then I soak. While I was soaking, I think it is possible that my hair fell into the bath water with the epsom salt. Also, my hair was air drying, while smashed against the wall of my bathtub, creating unfavorable drying conditions. This all could have added to the frizz. I would be interested in trying this product again and I plan on purchasing some in the near future.
ULTA Makeup Brush & Sponge Cleaner
I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels this way, but I really hate cleaning my makeup brushes. To be completely honest, I wait way too long in between cleanings. However, this ULTA brush cleaner is pretty legit, and makes it really easy.
To use it, you just have to wet the brush, spray it with the cleaner and work out the gunk with your fingers. Next, rinse until the water runs clear, squeeze out excess water, blot on a towel and air dry. It was really easy and effective. The spray is really light but does a good job getting the makeup out of the brush. I will definitely be buying this again.
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye
I’ve written about Bye Bye Under Eye before, when I received it in my Ipsy Glam Bag. This is my favorite under eye concealer, as it works really well. It does a great job filling in the little creases around my eyes and covers the dark circles like a champ. I will probably be using this product for the rest of my life. It also makes me want to try other products from IT Cosmetics.
Urban Decay Full Spectrum
In the picture above, I did my eye makeup using the next three products, along with the Bye Bye Under Eye by IT Cosmetics. I’m a pretty big fan of Urban Decay in general. Their eyeshadows are usually pretty vibrant and cover the eyelid with ease. In the above picture, I am not using any filters or touch-ups, so the lighting does not do it justice. The eyeshadow is super vibrant and I love it. I’m a big fan of vibrant eye colors. However, I did blend it out around the edges, which takes away some of the vibrancy.
The colors I used were:
- Calavera
- Goldmine
- Hatter
- Blindsided
- Metamorphosis
- Sketch
- Faded
- Minx
- Iced (to highlight the brow bone)
ULTA Beauty Nude Matte Eye Shadow Primer
I’m always on the lookout for a new eyeshadow primer to use. I’ve tried bad ones and good ones, and this one is pretty good for the price. It goes on really smooth and makes the eyeshadow last all day. I haven’t experienced any creasing or anything with it, so I’d say it is pretty good. I will keep using it for sure.
ULTA Beauty Amped Lashes Mascara
Honestly, I usually use pretty cheap mascara. I’m not super picky about it, and I feel like I can get what I want from Rimmel or Covergirl, without spending the extra money. However, when I received this full-sized sample, I really liked it. It seems like it has a lot better coverage and makes my eyelashes look fuller. That being said, I still like to use it in conjunction with other mascara brands. I usually use two or three different mascara types at a time (I know, I’m weird), so I’d like to still layer this in with those.
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To be completely honest, a few days after I received this delightful package from ULTA, I was unexpectedly induced to have my first child. I had originally planned to review all of the samples and everything else in my package, but motherhood takes a lot more time than I expected. I may update this post more in the future, so check back soon!
What do you think of my March 2017 ULTA Haul? Have you tried any of these products before? If so, what did you think? I’d love to read your feedback in the comments section below…