December 7, 2015

What Makeup and Beauty Have You Gifted Yourself With?

makeup gift

There have been an absurd amount of makeup and beauty sales this year and of course, I took advantage.

Sorry, Not Sorry!

I purchased myself the Charlotte Tilbury Book of Magic, a bunch of Shiseido Gift Sets, two Bond No. 9 Fragrances, a ton of Lush, and many other makeup and beauty bits, bobs, and gifts sets I wanted. This year, I shopped the Sephora Sale with me in mind versus the mentality of “I need this and this for the blog”! It’s been a while since I shopped beauty with just myself in mind so I admit to have a little too much fun.

What makeup and beauty have you gifted yourself with this year?

Anything super expensive?

Anything you might be feeling a little guilty about?

Do share your beauty hauls!

I’d love to hear all about ’em!

36 Comments

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Gisela

    Nothing big here yet, waiting for Sephoras after Christmas sales. Black Friday here in Sweden was just 20% off everything, which feels like nothing when our taxes on beauty related goods is 25%.

    Instead, small items. Like a Dollywink eyeliner with snoopy packaging! So cute. I also got got a headband from Etude House for when you wash your face. It has kitty ears aaaaaah <3 I forget I have it on and then walk around the house for hours looking like a cat …

  • Christina D.

    OMG I have been so bad…extreme retail therapy. When I’m forced to shop for holiday gifts (or for anything that’s not makeup), I get through it with the mantra “one for you, one for me…one for you, two for me”. Some of my haul includes Viseart eye shadows (I now have all the palettes except for the discontinued ones); UD’s Gwen palette; Stila’s holiday sets (two of them); one of the Smashbox Art Love Color sets; Julep’s eye shadow palettes (thanks to this blog); and (drumroll, please): UD’s Naked Vault. There’s some other smaller stuff, but it all falls into the category of do not need, but want.

    • Isabella Muse

      LOL! I live by “one for you, two for me” when shopping haha! I got some cute as hell KEDS for my sister’s stocking this year and I ended up getting the same pairs for myself *head desk*

  • Denise

    My big splurge (and only Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping) was the Parisian eyes deal at MuseBeauty.Pro. Two Viseart palettes and three eyeshadow brushes for $128 (plus I had a code for $10 off!). I’ve been dying to try these eyeshadows, and that price (given that a single palette normally retails for $80) was just too good to pass up. And just now I saw your post about the Tarte F&F (which I never got email about; very weird) and snatched up their Big Blush Book (8 full size blushes for $35!).

    • Isabella Muse

      I wanted that deal! But I refrained and tried to be good. I’m jealous now 🙂 Are the Viseart palettes as great as everyone says!? 🙂

      • Denise

        I don’t know how good they are. I selected the free shipping, and mine are coming from California by pony. I’ve been lemming after them ever since the vloggers started raving over them, though.

        • Isabella Muse

          LOL by pony haha! Let me know, I’m curious! I was kinda skeptical of the ravings tbh so I didn’t indulge!

      • Katherine T.

        Muse, I have the Viseart palette in Paris Nudes, and it’s awesome! Compared to some of the other Viseart palettes, the colors are on the softer side, but really beautiful, and the shimmer is so finely milled, it gives a soft radiant finish that’s really hard to find in shadows, very kind to more mature eyes. If I’m running late in the morning, I can slap a shade on and still get a very elegant, well blended look. It’s my fave kit to go with bold lips. And with primer, they can last +12 hours on my oily lids.Yes, it is $80, but with 12 shadows, it’s only $ 6.70 a shadow, which is a total bargain considering the quality. I studied many reviews/swatches before buying, and 99% of of feedback was positive, the hype is real.

  • Janessa

    Oh you know, nothing too crazy – the Gwen Palette (wrapped it and put it under the tree) a Too Faced Black Friday haul with the Semi-Sweet palette and 4 melted lippies, 2 ColourPop hauls (in my defense, one was Christmas gifts and I only had 2 items for myself in that cart) the Self Made palette (going under the tree) and I gave in to the Ulta Platinum perk yesterday and bought the Too Faced Love Flush Palette (under the tree that goes, too)… and I just realized that I am justifying all of it this year by wrapping it and sticking it under the tree… I think my Mr. Wonderful is going to be onto me come Christmas morning. 🙂

  • Moda31

    It would be so much easier to list what beauty purchases I’ve made for someone other than myself. Why can’t I ever gift myself with responsible things, like extra payments on my credit card or into my retirement fund?

  • NikkiNeverWithoutPolish

    I’ve been pretty good compared to other’s lists, but I feel guilty about them all – we just built a house where I got to choose all the finishes and appliances, etc so I should not be spending money on me! But confession time – ordered for myself from Origins, Colourpop, Sephora (part of that was a gift and I needed more to get free shipping! And besides, I’m close to VIB status finally!), Rainbow Honey, and Macy’s… plus some drugstore makeup thrown in while Christmas shopping… Happy haulidays!? ^_^

    • Isabella Muse

      haha enjoy it Nikki 🙂 I won’t tell anyone about your beauty haul:D

  • AJ

    So much temptation out there! I did succumb to:
    -Too Faced Melted Kisses and Sweet Cheeks
    -Too Faced La Crème Threesome
    -Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette (I LOVE it)
    -Three Stila Convertible Color compacts (I had so many eye palettes and not enough blush)
    -Makeup Revolution eye palettes (because I craved a “responsible to animals” substitute for the UD Naked 3 palette–L’Oreal bought UD two years ago)
    -A MAC lip gift set that benefits HIV patients (they give 100% of proceeds so they don’t make a profit–owned by Estee Lauder so does do animal testing)
    -Two gorgeous Estee Lauder Zodiac compacts–one for me, one for Mom (because I’m a hypocrite)
    -The Sephora Kitty sleep mask for a friend (who is also getting cat-butt magnets)
    -Almost all of the ELF and Soho Disney princess makeup sets (for me) plus the Sephora compacts in Belle, Cinderella, and Ariel
    -NYX (now owned by L’Oreal) mascara in pink, violet, green, and purple
    -NYX lipstick in blue, green, purple, teal
    -A couple of Clinique gift sets at Amazon. There are resellers who sell the gift sets alone, with no minimum purchase before you can buy one
    I didn’t realize how crazy I’ve been.
    Muse, Have you or has anyone you know purchased the CHI travel kit with mini versions of the hair dryer, flat iron, and curling iron? I think I can find better quality, but I have lusted for the travel kit forever, and now it’s available in pink glitter.

    • Isabella Muse

      whoa aj very nice! I’m coming over to play! hah 🙂 you should have gotten one of the cat masks for yourself, it really is awesome 😀 I haven’t but hopefully another reader has and can advise!

  • Chelsea

    There’s been quite a bit! Stocked up on my favorites from a small skincare brand (cherylleemd.com), ordered a bunch of face masks from Target and Sephora (as well as one with an Urban Outfitters order), got the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector and a Sephora brand cheek gel from Sephora, and got the body lotion to match my perfume (Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet).

  • Rachel R.

    I haven’t been too bad this year. So far: Tarte Bling It On blush palette, Tarte Tartelette in Bloom Palette, Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Palette, Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick in Dirty Money, BHCosmetics Blushed Neutrals Palette, BHCosmetics Modern Mattes Palette, BHCosmetics Pop Art Color Extreme – 24 Color Pressed Pigment Palette, some Nyx Liquid Suedes, Kat von D Monarch Palette, e.l.f. Matte Lip Color Rowdy Rouge and Mulberry Maven, e.l.f. Lip Kiss Balms, e.l.f. Illuminating Palette, and the Ipsy ColourPop red lippie set. I ordered some Ofra liquid lipsticks– the two Kathleen Lights shades and the new metallic gold and silver ones– but they haven’t arrived yet.

    • Rachel R.

      Oh, and I used my $25 Sephora VIB Rouge reward card to get the Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black gift set. That took off a third of the price, so I was happy.

    • Isabella Muse

      Sweet haul Rachel! Really want the Jeffree Star Liquid Lip in Unicorn Blood but I’m not keen on the long wear formula!

      • Rachel R.

        Thanks! I find the Jeffree Star formula creamy and non-drying, but Unicorn Blood is more prone to feathering/bleeding than the other shades I have. It’s a gorgeous shade, though.

        • Isabella Muse

          ugh I want it but the idea of it running around my face doesn’t sit well!

          • Rachel R.

            I use lip primer, matching lip liner, and put it on using as little product as possible. It layers well, so better to use less and build it up. It’s a bit of a pain, but I’ve never seen another red quite like it. Definitely not the most convenient from the line.

          • Isabella Muse

            ugh you convinced me! beautylish has it in stock I think gotta grab it haha!

  • Anna

    Oh God, I buy way too much…

    Guerlain’s Meteorites, Chanel Infinite powder, UD Smokey & Gwen Stefani palettes, Nars Dead Of Summer palette, Bobbi Brown Custom palette (a birthday gift to be fair, full of pinks ;)) UD Spectrum palette and my beloved UD Vice 4 palette.

    I have also just done a haul on Sephora where I did buy my Mum a Kat VON D palette lol!
    She’s a tattooed, make-up hoarder too (like Mother like daughter!)

    Now I look incredibly greedy…I can’t help it 🙁
    I have this addiction that seems to be getting worse every time I hear “limited edition” or “new shade of pink eyeshadow.” xD

  • Britni

    Besides the usual stuff that has to be replaced regularly like foundation and mascara, I’ve been pretty good. With the recent beauty insider $15 off card, I gifted myself the new Marc Jacobs Decadence perfume. Yes, it was expensive and yes, it was so worth it.

  • winnie

    I was wondering if I was the only who felt that there were a ton of makeup deals this year. so here’s what I purchased :
    from ELF with 50% off- blush quad in light, smudge pot cream in brownie points,back to basic,and crusin chic, original lips exfoliator, makeup mist, a bunch of their makeup brushes that I kind of regret purchasing
    ShuUemura with 25% off- Laque supreme and their eyelash curler
    Sephora’s Black Friday sale-two bite lip duo, jack black comfort and joy duo, tarte fanciful discover set, first aid beauty so long dry, UD triple threat travel pencil set, makeup forever waterproof hero duo set
    colourpop with 20% off-lippies in I heart this, Heart on, Trixie, and fetch, their eyeshadows in bandit, to-a-t, sequin and amaze.
    kohls buy one real technique brush get 1 for $1. Got the retractable powder brush, and face finishing brush.
    target’s winter beauty box

    currently deciding what to purchase with my $15 from sephora. I am thinking of some antioxidant face moisturizer. Any ideas what I should get from sephora?

    • winnie

      and also the estee lauder color edit gift box. The golden palette is gorgeous. the set comes out to $5 per item which is a steal

  • Faye

    I gifted myself the Stila convertible color palette (the adorable spring one with 12 colors in it.) And I grabbed my first smudgestick from their 80% off sale with a matching lip gloss. I was so tempted to buy more sets of smudgsticks during the sale, but in my experience I always seem to buy multiple colors of stuff when I first try it, and then if for some reason I don’t like it later it seems like a bigger loss.

    I think the thing that keeps me under control is my indecision! I would love a great matte neutral eye palette (in relatively cool tones – I don’t like oranges at all), but I bought tons of makeupgeek shadows last year without trying them first (see above about buying multiple colors!) and I only realized with time that I’m not crazy about the matte formula, and actually prefer mattes to shimmers. So now I’m checking out all the matte palettes, and it’s so hard to figure out which one is truly pigmented and beautiful! Any advice?

    • Isabella Muse

      I love the It Cosmetics Pretty Palettes Faye! Great silky mattes 🙂 Nice hauling on the Stila, enjoy your goodies!

      • Faye

        Hmmm, maybe I think when I finally take the plunge on an all matte palette it will be with IT cosmetics. It gets the most consistently good reviews. Happy holidays, hope you enjoy your goodies too!

        • Isabella Muse

          Happy Holidays to you too Faye! Thank you 🙂 I hope you like it! It’s a fav of mine!