My Latest ULTA Haul- It's all about the HAIR!

I love to shop.  I am sure by now that this is NO secret, and I KNOW that I'm not alone!  If you didn't love to shop too, you probably wouldn't be reading this right now.  Am I right?

Ulta is currently having an awesome sale on their brand of makeup, and on hair care supplies.  Plus, I had a $3.50 off of a $10 purchase coupon.  I had a very strict budget for this shopping trip, and I'm pretty happy with what I purchased, spent and saved.  Are you ready to see my Hair Haul?

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Hair Cream, 4 fl oz (full size), $5.99 (buy 1 get 1 50% off), I paid $4.01 after my discounts.

I live at the beach, and love beach waves.  My hair is very thin and unpredictable, so I like to use things like rough paste to add volume and texture, so I thought that I would give this a try.  It smells really good, but has a weird texture to the cream.  

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Textruizing Sea Salt Spray, 8 fl oz (full size), $5.99 (buy 1 get 1 50% off), I paid $4.01 after my discounts.

Beach waves are the bomb, and since I absolutely LOVE the way my hair feels after I've been swimming in the ocean, I thought that this is the spray for me.  Plus, I was hoping to get the Healthy Sexy Hair version of this spray, but alas, that was not in the cards for me.  I love the idea that I can have beach hair all year long, and even if I don't brave the ocean's briny depths.  

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat leave in conditioner, 1.7 fl oz (travel size), $6 on sale for $3, I paid $2.67 each after my discount (I bought two).

Ipsy turned me on to Healthy Sexy Hair, and I was excited to see the sale on the travel size products at Ulta.  Between my daughters and me, we go through a lot of leave-in conditioners and detanglers each month, so I picked up two of these...one to use and one as a backup for when I forget where I put the first one.  I love using soy in my hair, as it leaves it soft and silky, and feeling healthy.  I tried this on tiny love's unruly locks and I had no issues brushing her hair at all.  LOVE it!!

Big Sexy Hair Spray & Play Volumizing Hairspray, 1.5 oz (travel size), $6 on sale for $3, I paid $2.67 after my discount.

I received this in an Ipsy bag a while back, and I liked it ok.  This size hair spray is perfect for my tween to put in her back pack to take to middle school with her, for a quick touch up.  It's the perfect purse or pack size!

Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Volumizing Spray Mousse, 1.6 oz (travel size), $6 on sale for $3, I paid $2.67 after my discount.

This is another new product for me, but as my hair is super thin, I thought for $3 it was worth giving a try.  

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Mellow Conditioning & Taming foam, 6.7 oz (full size), $16.95, on sale $4.99, except it rang up for $6.99 (just noticed that).  I paid $6.22 after my discount.

I saw this foam on a clearance rack, and just had to buy it.  The price tag on it was very attractive, although it rang up higher than what the sticker said.  Side rant- I HATE that!!!  Ok, over it.  I love mousse to pump up my volume, so I was interested to see how this worked to tame and condition.

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal with Argan Oil, .34 fl oz (sample size), Gift with purchase (Buy $20 or more select hair care brands, receive this as your free gift).

I've tried this before (thanks again, Ipsy!), and loved it- I was happy to receive this as a free sample!  Soy Renewal makes my hair soft and silky and tames my frizz.  I use it on my tiny love, and it makes her hair gorgeous too!  LOVE it!!

Ulta Large Eye Shadow Brush (#1), on sale for $2.  I paid $1.78 after my discounts.

You all know that I can't go to Ulta without buying SOME makeup!  The main point of this trip was to get hair care items, but I could NOT pass up the awesome sale that Ulta has on their brand right now!  I am a brush junkie from way back, and thought I would try out Ulta's eyeshadow brush for $2.  It has soft but firm bristles, and kind of remind me of Urban Decay's brushes.  I'm very happy with this one- it does a great job and feels nice on my skin.

Ulta Precision Liquid Eye Liner in Plum, 0.015 oz (full size), on sale for $2.  I paid $1.78 after my discounts.

I recently lent my purple eyeliner pen to a friend (for some face art lining, NOT on her eyes...eww), and she lost it.  Insert sad face here.  I loved that liner and it was my ONLY purple eyeliner, so when I saw that Ulta's liquid liners were on sale, I HAD to pick one up in purple!  It's a pretty plum color:

Swatch of Ulta's Precision Liquid Eye Liner in Plum

...but darker than what I really wanted to have. It's a pretty deep purple shade, and I will get some use out of it, but for me, I prefer brighter shades, as I feel they set of my very blue eyes.  I will say that the liner has awesome staying power, but it takes a moment to dry.

And that, my friends, is everything on my receipt. 

Not too shabby, if I do say so myself!  But to sweeten the deal, I asked about samples at the checkout (my excuse is always my really sensitive skin), and I was offered TWO deluxe samples (along with my husband's daughter in law, "Shalene")!  

Cargo water resistant blush in IBIZA, .14 oz (deluxe sample); full size is .31 oz and retails for $26.00- this sample has a retail value of $11.74.

I dropped my Ulta shopping bag in the driveway, on my way to the door.  It just slipped from my fingers. Everything survived the fall, except for this blush.  So, I worked my magic, busted out my rubbing alcohol and fixed it.  Let me know if you want a tutorial on how I did this!  Ah, but I digress.  I love the texture of this blush- and it really is water resistant!  This is the perfect blend to wear at the beach or pool.  I rinsed my hand with a swatch on it, and the water just beaded up and ran off.  Awesome!

Swatch of Ibiza waterproof blush by Cargo

This is such a pretty, shimmery hot pink.  What an awesome sample, and I received this just because I asked about it!

Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream in natural glow, .17 fl oz (deluxe sample); full size is 1.7 oz and retails for $39.00.  This sample has a retail value of $3.90

Juice Beauty makes certified organic makeup and skincare items, and I personally love that!  When I saw this packet in the sample drawer, I said, Oooh- what's the Juice Beauty sample?  I opened it up and this 12 in 1 CC cream smells SO good- a nice, fruity scent and not at all floral.  I put some on my face and it went on silky and soft.  I can't say if I've had any results yet, but I will let you know if I do!

Swatch of Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream in natural glow

My Ulta Hair Haul

That sums up my latest Ulta Haul- and I even took a picture of my receipt to show you the final prices of everything:

My receipt (minus my bonus points numbers!)

That just about wraps up my purchase for Ulta this time!  As you can see, my budget was $30, and I OVERSPENT...by $0.18.  I'm very happy with my purchase, I have to say!

Tell me, have you been to Ulta lately?  What do you think of their latest sale?  Leave a comment and let me know!

Disclaimer: I purchased these items with my own money my husband's money, and any gifts with purchase were because I met the purchase requirements to receive them.  I was neither requested nor required to review these items, and all links in this post are NOT referral links, except the Ipsy ones.  I totally want a free gift for referring friends.  Sorry!

Beauty Army Review March 2013

Hi, everyone!  My Beauty Army box just arrived, and I am SO excited to share my March picks with you!  I know, I know, it's April, but my Beauty Army selection window opens on the 28th of the month, and I am an East Coaster- so my boxes don't arrive until the middle of the next month. If this is the price I have to pay to live at the beach, I'm totally fine with it!!

Wait, you don't know about Beauty Army?  Never fear, because I used to live under that same rock too!  Beauty Army is a beauty subscription service, that sends you a monthly box for only $12, shipping included.  Unlike most beauty box services, the company doesn't automatically bill you on the first; they run on a rotating schedule: if you sign up on the 15, then your five day window to select products begins on the 15th of every month.  Cool, right?  The biggest thing that sets BA apart, is that you get to select your own samples every month- SIX of them.  You can also choose to have a Beauty Expert select your samples for you, or to skip a month with no penalty.  If you don't like the products that you have to select from, you can retake the beauty quiz, giving different answers, and your sample options will change.  Or simply refresh the page if you are lazy like me, and the products change again.  If you would like to sign up for Beauty Army, I would LOVE for you to click my referral link HERE; for every 3 people who use my link, I will receive a free box, and this Only Average girl could really use some freebies- and you will receive my eternal gratitude!

Ok, on to the goodies:

I love these boxes!  They hold everything perfectly, and the pink camo inside is SO cute!

Since I chose my own samples (and probably always will!  Mystery is for Ipsy!), I was SO excited to open my box!

Hello, there, gorgeous!

I always love to see the cards that the beauty companies send.  Beauty Army is one of my favorites, because, hey- what girl doesn't want to be called "Gorgeous?"

First peek of my March box!

Here is a quick first look at the SIX amazing items I received!  My choices this month were so awesome, it was hard to narrow it down to only six items!  My selections were so huge, they had to put my Beauty Army packing box into a larger brown box, to accommodate for the size of my items! This month, I received a couple of different options in my window.  I could choose a box of nail care items, with a value of (I think) $26, which I declined.  I'm much more of a makeup person, than a nail polish girl.  I also had the option to select a Mystery Sample.  Hoping for something really fantastic, I chose to try a Mystery Sample.  I also did a little dance, while chanting "please no foil packs, please no foil packs: with my fingers crossed.  What? You know you dislike them too!  I AM OnlyAverage, after all.

Not Your Mother's She's A Tease Volumizing Hair Spray, 2 oz (Travel size), $3 retail value.  Available through Beauty Army, or direct from the vendor HERE.  Also available in full size (8 oz), for around $6.

The first item I selected is a Volumizing Hair Spray, from the Not Your Mother's Hair Care line.  I've never tried this line before, so I was excited to see this in my selection window.  I have very fine and thin hair, so anything that claims to "volumize" my hair is something that I definitely want to try out!  BA bills this product as "sample size", but I consider this more of a travel size product, as it is available for purchase exactly as I received it.  This spray is infused with apple blossom and bamboo; it smells really good (especially for hair spray!).  According to the package, this humidity-proof spray should be sprayed on the roots of the hair for volume and control.  I'm not much of a hair spray person, but I'll give this a good try.
GRADE: 3/5 (for now!)

Mark Hook Ups Scanda-Lash Mascara in Brownout, .12 oz (full size); $6.50 retail value.  Available through Beauty Army, or direct from the vendor HERE.

I love mascara.  I really, really do.  I also love full size products in my beauty boxes.  Ok, who DOESN'T love full size products in their beauty boxes??!!  As an ex-Avon rep, I also LOVE the Mark brand, so I was EXTRA happy to see the Scanda-Lash mascara in Brownout in my selection window!  

The perfect brown for spring! The brown is a little lighter than shown, sorry!

I have a TON of mascara tubes (I ONLY buy sample sized tubes, since they last me about three months- exactly when you are supposed to trash them.  Coincidence? I think not!), but I don't actually have ANY brown mascaras at the moment.  As spring is in full swing here, I really want a softer look to my makeup, so browns are my current go-to for eyeliner and mascara.  The Mark hook-ups have always been a win for me, and the mascara formula does very well for me- no clumping and very little running.  Love it!
GRADE: 5/5

Whip Hand Cosmetics Loose Pigment Eyeshadow in Medal of Honor, 0.02 oz, $2.80 retail value.  This shade is available exclusively through Beauty Army, $14 for .10 oz.

I've been having so much fun playing with my Whip Hand loose pigment samples, honestly.  I am very sad that I didn't find Beauty Army in time to pick up the first color in the set, called Locked and Loaded (an iridescent brown).  I love these pigments, and the little glass vials that they come in!  If I could set my makeup up on my dresser without little hands helping my things find new homes, I would totally have these cute little jars out.  

beautiful, shimmery gold/copper

I absolutely LOVE this color- I use gold colors on the center of my lids for a little "pop", and this shade is absolutely perfect for that! These little glass vials are super cute, and very full.  I love a great sample, and Whip Hand does not disappoint!
GRADE: 5/5

New York Streets Dry Shampoo, 5.35 fl oz (full size); $17.00 retail value.  Available through Beauty Army ($17.99), or direct from the vendor HERE ($17).

I've tried dry shampoos in the past, and have had fairly good luck with them.  I have dry hair, but my oldest daughter has very oily hair, and we both love using dry shampoos for a quick "pick me up" when our hair needs one.  When I saw this dry shampoo from New York Streets in my selection box, I just knew I had to try it.  I was even happier when I found out it was a full size product!  Dry shampoo is very easy to use, just spray towards your roots, fluff your hair, wait a bit, brush and go, and POOF! Your hair looks fresh and ready to go!  I've never tried the New York Streets brand before, and I have to say, I was a little disappointed.  This didn't work as well for me as Got 2 B's dry shampoo did, but my hair does smell better after using it.  I'll try it on my daughter and see how her results are.
GRADE: 3/5

Grand Central Beauty Skin Perfecting Polisher, 0.17 fl oz, retail value $6.46.  Available through Beauty Army or direct from the vendor HERE.  The full size (1 fl oz) is $38.

This sample is one that was in my selection window that piqued my interest.  I've never tried anything like it before, and it was NOT a foil pack sample, so I thought I would give it a try.  The Grand Central Beauty Skin Perfecting Polisher will "exfoliate, peels and tone, all in one easy step".  Sounds good to me!  For this product, you are to use a dime sized portion, and massage it into your face for 30 seconds, until the micro sponges appear, and then buff off with your fingertips.  I tried this out, and never had the micro-sponge beads appear on my skin, so I rinsed it off.  Although this didn't work exactly how it was advertised, my skin is MUCH softer now, and feel very clean and exfoliated. 
GRADE: 4/5 (didn't work quite as expected, but worked very well!)

mystery sample

I've saved my "mystery sample until last", and was pleasantly surprised to see Sun-tegrity 5 in 1 Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen in Light:

Suntegrity 5 in 1 Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen in Light, .25 oz, retail value $6.62. Available through Beauty Army or on Amazon HERE.  The full size (1.7 oz) retails for $45.00

This product is essentially a BB cream, goes on smooth and blends well with my skin tone.  Suntegrity is certified organic, vegan and cruelty free.  Gotta love that!  I love that this product is SPF 30- now that it's getting nicer out, I will be spending my free time sitting on the beach, and a sunburn doesn't exactly sound like a good time.

Swatch of Suntegrity in Light; the top of the swatch is fresh out of the tube, the bottom is where I blended it in a bit.

I'm seriously loving this BB creme, but the price point is really sticking for me.  I'm on a quest for a reasonably price (to me!), excellent BB creme, and I will let you all know when I've found it!  For a mystery sample, this is pretty awesome: BA could have just tossed a foil pack into my box and be done; instead I received a sample that I will actually use, in a color that suits my skin.  Awesome!
GRADE: 4/5 (awesome! but expensive)

March 2013 Beauty Army box

That's about it for my March Beauty Army box!  
Financial recap:
Money spent out of pocket: $12 (shipping included in subscription)
Value of this box: $42.38--  Holy cow!  I am SO happy with this box, and Beauty Army is FAST becoming my favorite subscription service!  The only thing that sucks, is how long it takes to get here, since I am on the East Coast. I made my selections on 3/28, the box shipped 4/1, and arrived 4/10.

So tell me, do you subscribe to Beauty Army?  What did you select this month?  Do you think I made good choices, and have you tried these products?  Leave a comment, and let me know what you think!




Disclaimer: This review is solely my opinion, on a product I paid for out of my own pockets.  I have not been compensated for this opinion in any way, and it is my honest thoughts on the products listed above.  The referral link in this post is one where I would receive credit for a referral, and be compensated with free product for referring 3 people. Here is a link that just goes to Beauty Army, without my referral code. Links to vendor's sites are not referral or compensated links.  I strive for honesty :)