Offer Alert :: Origins

I checked my Facebook offers page, and found this little gem that expires today! Origins has launched a new product called the Plantscription Anti-Aging Power Serum, and are giving away some deluxe samples at their stores and counters. Serums are my new favorite texture, so I can't wait to try it!

Haul :: Bath & Body Works

In February and March, I picked up quite a few free samples from Bath & Body Works through the offers posted on their Facebook page. It's a good day when the little "Get Offer" button is the first thing I see on my newsfeed. I've quickly rounded them up into this master post. Bath & Body Works is a company based primarily on their scents, so that's what I'll be focusing on here.

The first offer was posted on January 19th to welcome spring very, very early with a free 3 oz Body Lotion in their new scents: Sun, Sky, or Air.

As you can see, I picked up two! After briefly trying all three scents at the store, I decided Sun and Sky were my favorite of the bunch. Air was "pear blossom" scent, and something about pears I'm not very fond of. Sun is "golden magnolia", so it's very warm and sweet. I've already carried this around in my purse a bit as my on-the-go hand lotion. Sky is "violet lily", so it's got a very fresh and clean scent, which is perfect for springtime. I'm glad these little bottles don't have the scent descriptions on the back, so I get a chance to train my nose.

For Valentine's day, February 14th, Bath and Body works posted an offer for their Mad About You Diamond Shimmer Mist, which was a one day offer and meant that I dragged my very patient dinner date to the mall before they closed. When I asked the sales representative about the offer, she said it was for the full sized bottle and caught me by surprise. The scent is sugary sweet, and reminds me of a cotton-candy-esque perfume I had growing up. I'm very skeptical of shimmer mist, so when the sun comes back out I'll have to pull this out again for a test run to see if my boyfriend asks why I'm covered in glitter. So far, swatches have looked not-so-subtle to me. I do appreciate that Bath and Body Works were willing to give away full sized products to their dedicated customers. - that's generosity and I like that!

Last but not least, this fan exclusive offer for a free 3 oz sample of the new Hawaiian-inspired scents was posted for one day only on March 10th. The scents were Hawaii "passionfruit kiss", Oahu "coconut sunset", and Maui "hibiscus beach". I finally settled on Hawaii "passionfruit kiss", but Oahu "coconut sunset" was a close runner-up. Coconut always reminds me of summer without fail, so I was impressed with Hawaii's summery scent without coming across as too beachy. Make sense? My mom loves this new collection, as she pointed out while we were shopping this weekend. Likely that's because of their inspiration more than anything else, considering she's irritated by fragrance.







 

My favorite so far? Of the new scents that I've tried, I think my favorite is Sky. It's so perfect for the time of the year, with such a late spring finally unfolding and the sky gradually turning from it's wintery grey into a clear blue. I'm excited to take home some new products that caught my eye at the store yesterday, including the new French Lavender & Honey and the Morocco Orchid & Pink Amber.

Keep checking in - I'll always try to post an alert when I see a Bath & Body Works Facebook offer!

Buzz :: Origins

After we visited Shelburne Vineyard last week, Becca and I headed over to the mall for our facial appointments at the Origins counter in Macy's. We took advantage of the Facebook offer Origins posted for a free mini-facial and 3 free samples on the very last day it was available. Becca and I alternated our facials and makeup applications, so we were both able to sneak a few pictures in!

I was really surprised at how much I was able to relax and block out the Saturday afternoon bustle. The mini-facial was absolutely amazing.

Here's the list of products the lovely Wendy used for my combination/dry skin:
cleanser - A Perfect World
scrub - Modern Friction
mask - Drink Up (10 minutes)
toner - Make A Difference
serum - A Perfect World
eye cream - Ginzing
moisturizer - Make A Difference Moisturizer

Oh, my skin was soaking up all that much-needed moisture. I kept wanting to touch my face, but I've been trying to stop doing that so much. Apparently it's bad for your skin, and I touch my face all the time.

I've got 3 itsy-bitsy pots of Drink Up overnight mask, A Perfect World serum, and Make a Difference Moisturizer to try at home, plus new knowledge on how to take care of my skin in the long run. Did you know that it isn't recommended to use a scrub or exfoliator every day? (I didn't… oops!)

After my facial was complete, Chrystie went to makeover heaven with a full makeup application. I was taking mental notes the entire time about my biggest weaknesses, including foundation, bronzer, and highlighter application.

foundation - Stay Tuned Foundation in "Fair"
powder - Very Light-Cool
bronzer
highlight - #05 Pink Chiffon (eyeshadow!)
eyeshadow - #10 Shell Pink
eyeshadow - #02 Cocoa Powder
eyeliner - Mulberry
mascara
eyebrow pencil

The makeup felt so light. I never wear a full face, but it didn't feel like I was wearing any more than usual. Excuse the potato iPhone camera quality and the department store lighting, but I felt too gorgeous to not take a selfie on the way back to the escalator. You can bet I went home, put on a dress, and dragged my boyfriend out to dinner.

I'm looking forward to trying those samples at home in my current skincare routine, and to see if anything is worth picking up a full size of. The serum is what I'm most excited for, and the mask is what I'm most afraid of. I'm just imagining waking up with Drink It Up mask covering everything - my pillowcases… my boyfriend… my cat…




My overall first impression of Origins: I'm willing to find out if the natural brand will be making a more permanent appearance in my box of skincare products.

Offer Alert :: Bath & Body Works

Get over to Bath & Body Works' Facebook page as fast as you can - this offer expires today! Give yourself a little Valentine's Day gift, thanks to BBW.

Will anyone else be trekking through the Valentine's Day Nor'easter up here in the Northeast to get your free Mad About You Diamond Mist?

UPDATE: The Mad About You Diamond Mist that Bath and Body Works is giving away today through this offer is a full sized product! Most malls are open for another 2 hours tonight - drag your Valentine's Day date to the nearest mall before dinner, because you don't want to miss this.

Offer Alert :: Origins

Origins has this little(big!) offer going on through their Facebook page. It expires on February 8th, so don't let it slip by you!

According to the comments, a lot of people have tried to use the offer and representatives at some of their locations were unaware of the promotion. I'll be calling the counter at Macy's first, before I make the snowy trek downtown. I've personally never used Origins products in the past, as far as I can remember, but my skin is in dire need of some winter care.

If all goes well with the weather, my best friend and I will be stopping in to our local Macy's Origins counter together after our winter vineyard tour on Saturday morning!

Giveaway Alert :: Olivella

This giveaway came up on my Facebook feed today, and I was very excited to see it.

I'm already a huge fan of Olivella's face wipes, but I haven't tried any of their other skincare products yet. I use the Olivella Face & Body Cleansing tissues every night to remove my makeup before bed, and I love them because they are so gentle, they are essentially scent-free, and they work. I've tried other brands of face wipes in the past, but I've had problems with getting my mascara off, leaving my skin irritated, or being too strongly scented.

Check out this referral link to enter the Olivella Sempre Kit Giveaway until January 31st for your chance(s) to win $123.50 worth of skincare products, including face & body creams, moisturizer, shower gel, and more.

Giveaway Alert :: Birchbox & The Honest Company

Birchbox posted giveaway details on their Instagram account (@birchbox) today, linking up with The Honest Company (@honest) to provide one seriously lucky follower with some seriously nourishing skincare products. The harsh, dry winter weather has been wrecking havoc on my skin, and the products in this goody-box sure do look like sweet salvation from cracked hands and lips.

To enter, follow @honest on Instagram, regram the picture and make sure to tag @honest and #birchbox in your caption. They will pick a winner tomorrow (1/29) at 5 p.m ET. Find all the rules at birchbox.com/rules.