Tag: Estée Lauder

fivezero's beautyBOUTIQUE haulage, Shoppers Optimum Points redemption (September 2017) Chanel, Dior, Estée Lauder

Haulage × 2! beautyBOUTIQUE (July & September 2017)

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This post covers two Optimum Points redemption orders I placed in July and September 2017.

I’ve been racking up the points via the Shoppers app, and redeemed 95k points for $170 worth of product (all prices in CA$) in both July and September during two PLUS Bonus Events. Here’s July’s order:

  • ARTDECO Art Couture Nail Lacquer in Silver Willow (978)
  • Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules (60 Capsules)
  • Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup in 1N2 Ecru
  • Soap & Glory Flake Away Spa Body Polish

Free samples (I forgot to take pics of these):

  • Elie Saab Le Parfum EDT (sample)
  • Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Overnight Firming Mask (sample)
  • Vasanti Brighten Up! New Skin Amplifying Moisturizer (sample)

beautyBOUTIQUE actually made the first ever mistake I’ve ever had with them: they sent me the wrong shade of ARTDECO Nail Lacquer.

  • ARTDECO Art Couture Nail Lacquer in Rose Peony (953)

ARTDECO Nail Lacquer in Rose Peony 953

They only asked me to send a picture, which I did, and then they sent out Silver Willow right away. I got to keep Rose Peony, as well. I was really pleased with their excellent handling of an error. Plus, when they sent me the correct nail polish, they also included three free samples!

  • Lise Watier HydraForce Hydra-Protective Creme-Gel (sample)
  • PRADA Candy EDP (sample)
  • Sekkisei Clear Brightening Mask (sample)

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Haulage! Chanel, Dior, & Estée Lauder with the Spend Your Points PLUS Event at beautyBOUTIQUE

fivezero2 Comments

This Saturday and Sunday (September 23–24), Canada’s beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart is offering a Spend Your Points PLUS Event (see details in this post).

Don’t forget to use ebates Canada [referral link], as well! It’s 4% cash back for beautyBOUTIQUE today.

I’ve been racking up the points via the Shoppers app, and redeemed 95k points for $170 worth of product (all prices in CA$), including my first ever Chanel blush:

  • Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Élégance (370) [$53]
  • Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in New Dawn (578) [$32]
  • Dior Vernis Couture Colour in Metallics (612) [$33]
  • Estée Lauder Pure Color Love Lipstick in Moon Rock [$28]
  • Estée Lauder Pure Color Love Lipstick in Sly Wink [$28]

My subtotal was $174, so after tax, I paid a total of $22.62 plus 95k Optimum Points. Another $30 worth of Optimum Points will be added to my account in a couple of weeks, since this was a Spend Your Points PLUS Event.

Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Élégance (370)
Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Élégance (370)
Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in New Dawn (578)
Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in New Dawn (578)

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Deciem The Ordinary Colours Serum & Coverage Foundations in 2.0YG

DECIEM — The Ordinary Coverage Foundation (2.0YG) Review

fivezero9 Comments

Before I go into the review, Toronto-based DECIEM came out with some big news yesterday—they’ve sold a stake in the company to Estée Lauder.

The very very big thing has happened. It will change everything and yet nothing will change at all! @esteelaudercompanies (a really really big company behind really really big brands) has today acquired a minority stake in DECIEM. The ELC team embraced us like a loving family from the very first meeting to the emotional hugs at closing. Instead of trying to control things like big companies sometimes do, ELC insists that we continue to be who we are. We are really emotional today because we know that, together with ELC, we are going to lead innovation in beauty and bring you more and more of very good things (and less and less of very bad delays). We are here today because of your support and love for us along our journey in the past few years. We promise that every step we take will be one to continue to recognize your support. (PS1- No, we won’t change who we are in any way; PS2- Brandon is and will still be the CEO; PS3- Yes, we have a lot of money now to invest in big infrastructure so we can serve you very promptly; PS4- Yes, we will have many more stores in many more places; PS5- We never have and will not test on animals. ; PS6- No, we won’t raise the prices of products we sell to you; PS7- ELC may seem like a big conglomerate, but please believe us when we say that it has a big soul and a team of truly loving people; PS8- The release is here: elc.deciem.com) 🙈🐒🐒🐒❤️❤️❤️

A post shared by THE ABNORMAL BEAUTY COMPANY (@deciem) on

The very very big thing has happened. It will change everything and yet nothing will change at all! @esteelaudercompanies (a really really big company behind really really big brands) has today acquired a minority stake in DECIEM. The ELC team embraced us like a loving family from the very first meeting to the emotional hugs at closing. Instead of trying to control things like big companies sometimes do, ELC insists that we continue to be who we are. We are really emotional today because we know that, together with ELC, we are going to lead innovation in beauty and bring you more and more of very good things (and less and less of very bad delays). We are here today because of your support and love for us along our journey in the past few years. We promise that every step we take will be one to continue to recognize your support. (PS1- No, we won’t change who we are in any way; PS2- Brandon is and will still be the CEO; PS3- Yes, we have a lot of money now to invest in big infrastructure so we can serve you very promptly; PS4- Yes, we will have many more stores in many more places; PS5- We never have and will not test on animals. ; PS6- No, we won’t raise the prices of products we sell to you; PS7- ELC may seem like a big conglomerate, but please believe us when we say that it has a big soul and a team of truly loving people; PS8- The release is here: elc.deciem.com) 🙈🐒🐒🐒❤️❤️❤️

The optimist in me wants to say good for them! And that this new injection of money will seriously improve their production and distribution, particularly considering the issues they had upon the recent launch of their first colour cosmetics.

The pessimist in me realizes that The Estée Lauder Companies is one of the world’s largest cosmetic conglomerates, with brands like Clinique, MAC, Too Faced, Bobbi Brown, Tom Ford, Becca, Origins, Smashbox, La Mer, Aveda, Jo Malone, Le Labo and more under its umbrella. It seems possible that formulations might become altered, prices may start to increase, and some of the things that I personally liked about the company will change: being local, cruelty-free (Estée Lauder is not cruelty-free), and the values they claimed to have about honesty in skincare.

Each box DECIEM mails out has ABNORMAL BEAUTY COMPANY emblazoned on it in bold, sans-serif letters. It rings a bit false now that there’s a beauty behemoth behind the scenes.

Deciem box

In any case, Brandon Truaxe will remain DECIEM’s CEO (he has previous with launching a company only to sell it, and was also a founder of Indeed Labs). The company’s fans, including myself, will have to hope that this move allows DECIEM to grow comfortably, without losing sight of what made them so very popular in the first place.

•••••

This week, I test drove Canadian skincare brand DECIEM’s first foray into color makeup with one of their two new foundations.

In April, they released a Serum Foundation and a Coverage Foundation under one of their brands, The Ordinary. I picked up both in the color 2.0YG (Light Medium, Yellow Undertones with Gold Highlights) for my NC25–30 skintone.

Deciem The Ordinary Colours Serum & Coverage Foundations in 2.0YG, bottles

Deciem The Ordinary Colours Serum & Coverage Foundations in 2.0YG, color labels

Last week, I reviewed the Serum Foundation, and I wasn’t a huge fan.

Today, I’m reviewing the Coverage Foundation, which, obviously, is meant to provide more coverage. It claims a light cream texture, full coverage, higher pigmentation than the Serum Foundation, and a semi-matte finish. The shade I got, as indicated by the “G” in the name, has additional subtle gold highlights mixed in.

Sounds good to me!

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fivezero's Ipsy Glam Bag "Summer Friday" (May 2017)

Ipsy — May 2017 Glam Bag “Summer Friday”

fivezero4 Comments

I missed getting a post up yesterday—it was so freaking hot in the city, our air conditioning isn’t working 100%, and I could barely think. Uggggh, I hate hot weather. I believe that if I had grown up in a hot place, I’d never have made it through school as my brain shuts down so badly when it’s very hot and humid. We’re talking a mere 27°C/80°F that will do it.

But hey, it’s only fitting that this month’s Ipsy Glam Bag (referral link) is posted on a Friday! It’s also much cooler today, thankfully.

And, once again, Ipsy sent me a Glam Bag that color-coordinates, in shades of bright aqua, bronze, and cherry red. I don’t know if it’s coincidental (or that a lot of their products this month just happen to coordinate), but it sure makes for a nice photo op.

Ipsy Glam Bag, May 2017, Summer Friday

Ipsy May 2017 Glam Bag: “Summer Friday”

Image: ipsy.com

Thanks to some referral points (many thanks to those who used my link!), I was also able to redeem some of my Ipsy points for a full sized Estée Lauder foundation.

What I Redeemed Points For

  • Estée Lauder Double Wear Makeup To Go Liquid Compact in 2N1 Desert Beige (12 mL full size; US$45 / CA$50) [750 pts]

What I Received

  • Adesse New York Organic Infused Nail Lacquer in Surfer Girl (11 mL full size; US$18)
  • BeneFit Gimme Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel in Deep (5) (1 g sample; 3 g full size US$24)
  • Jelly Pong Pong Supercharged Super Intense Eyeshadow Duo in Electric (2 g full size; US$22.95)
  • Pixi by Petra Endless Silky Eye Pen in BlackNoir (0.8 g sample; 1.2 g full size US$12)
  • trèStiQue Mini Matte Lip Crayon in Tuscan Wine (0.025 oz sample size of just the matte crayon color; full size is a double-ended Lip Crayon + Shiny Balm, US$28)
  • Ipsy makeup bag

fivezero's Ipsy Glam Bag, May 2017, Summer Friday

fivezero’s Ipsy May 2017 Glam Bag: “Summer Friday”

Image: ipsy.com

Ipsy Coupon Codes

  • Adesse New York: 20% off any purchase + free US shipping with code IPSY20 (through 06/30/2017; US only)
  • Estée Lauder: 20% off all Double Wear with code DWIPSY20 (through 05/31/2017; US only)
  • Jelly Pong Pong: 30% off any purchase with code IPSY20 (through 06/30/2017)
  • Pixi by Petra: 25% off any purchase with code PixiIpsyMay (not case-sensitive; through 6/30/2017; US only)
  • trèStiQue: 30% off any $40+ purchase with code IPSYSPRING30 (through 06/30/2017; US only)

Here are some more detailed product shots:

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fivezero's beautyBOUTIQUE Haulage (March 2017)

Haulage! beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart (March–April 2017)

fivezero3 Comments

I never did get around to posting my beautyBOUTIQUE hauls (gotta love those Shoppers Drug Mart coupons and Optimum Points events!), so I’m combining five of them into one post.

Perhaps these will provide some inspiration for Mother’s Day gifts? Speaking of which, today was a special day for me because I received my first ever Mother’s Day gift from our little peanut!

Behold (the peanut clip art is covering his name):

fivezero's 2017 Mother's Day Gift from peanut

I am totally wearing that necklace on Sunday.

Anyway, here’s my fairly reasonable damage! All prices are in CA$.

Orders 1–2

First up, I received two $10 off coupons for beautyBOUTIQUE.ca when I was buying stuff at Shoppers Drug Mart. Cool. Of course, I had to use them on two orders:

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Haulage! Bourjois & RMS at beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart ($10 Gift Cards, February–March 2017)

fivezero7 Comments

Shoppers Drug Mart have been handing out $10 gift cards for beautyBOUTIQUE (online only) with any purchase (from February 25, while supplies last), so I’ve recently collected two such gift cards.

Since beautyBOUTIQUE offers free shipping for $50 purchases, I ended up placing two slightly-over-$50 orders, since you can only use one gift card per order. I would hate to have to spend $8 on shipping just to use a $10 gift card!

I’ve recently been on the lookout for a new everyday foundation, because Revlon have seen fit to discontinue my tried-and-true Nearly Naked. They actually did this last year, but I haven’t had to buy any bottles since I stocked up in 2015 and so I didn’t realize. I’ve gone and bought up the remaining bottles at SaleEvent, but obviously, I need to find a replacement.

Some other liquid foundations I really like for my dry skin are Estée Lauder Double Wear, Lancôme Teint Miracle, Missha M Signature Real Complete BB Cream, Almay Clear Complexion Makeup, and L’Oréal True Match. But Nearly Naked took the cake for overall best: ease of application, good color match, natural look, easily found in stores and online, and of course it was quite inexpensive (CA$10–11 on sale). The EL and Lancôme are much pricier, plus Teint Miracle has been reformulated and had the shades renamed, and I haven’t gotten around to being colormatched again; Missha and Almay (believe it or not) are not easily obtained in store; and L’Oréal True Match has a tendency to make me a little bit greasy, which is pretty impressive considering I have dry skin.

So, I hit up Shoppers and headed for the Bourjois display to test out their foundations. I’ve never tried much of their makeup before (just some nail polish and blush) and decided I should really give them a proper look. I saw three main liquid foundations on display: Healthy Skin Serum, Healthy Skin Serum Gel, and 123 Perfect. I was in a little bit of a rush so I didn’t stand around Googling reviews for each formulation—I just did a bit of swatching.

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Haulage! beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart (September 2016)

fivezero11 Comments

This Haulage! post also serves as Part 2 to Online Store Review: beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart (Part 1).

My order was placed on September 17, it shipped on the 22nd, and it was arrived to me in Toronto on the 23rd (5 business days), so delivery fell well within the advertised 4–7 business days.

Firstly, I want to mention that about a week after I placed the order, I happened to notice something while I was doing my weekly coupon-loading on Shoppers Drug Mart’s website/app (it’s totally worth it, by the way—I’ve racked up so many Optimum points using the personalized coupons they are constantly cranking out!). My Optimum Points total seemed unusually low, even considering the 95,000 points I had just redeemed over the weekend. Then, under my Transaction History, I saw this:

They’d deducted my redeemed points twice!

As I was already on the Shoppers Drug Mart site, I shot off an email to them via their contact form. Shortly afterward, I received an email saying my message could not be delivered because my Yahoo email wasn’t being accepted. Guys, it’s coming from your own web form. Then, a tweet came to nothing as they asked me to direct message them, and then, via DM, asked me to send them an email. I emailed, then they asked me to call in.

I suppose I could have just called from the start, but what on earth are web forms and email and other methods of online communication for, then? In the end, I had a light bulb moment and checked beautyBOUTIQUE.com, where I’d actually made the purchase. They had their own web form for contacting customer service, so I tried that. (Frankly, it was already 4pm and there were constant drilling sounds coming from an adjacent apartment, so I didn’t feel like shouting over the phone with a CS agent. Not to mention Peanut is very keen on talking to everybody on the phone, even if it’s not for him.)

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