RiRi Hearts MAC Holiday Accessories

I'm back again, with another post on the RiRi Hearts MAC Holiday Collection.  In this collection, there was a makeup bag, a double ended brush, and a nail polish.  I decided to skip out on the makeup brush and add the makeup bag and nail polish to my collection.

RiRi Hearts MAC: RiRi Woo Nail Polish (Retails for $17.50 USD)

With each installment of the RiRi Hearts MAC collection, RiRi Woo lipstick remained a staple.  This time MAC switched it up and offered a vibrant red nail color under the same moniker.  RiRi Woo nail lacquer is described as a "matte cool red".  I can't really attest to the "matte" factor of the nail polish but it definitely has a thick formula and a beautiful vibrant tone.  When I swatched the polish, it gave full opacity in just one coat.  I have been giving my nails a break because the skin around my nails have been going through some issues, but I hope to be back to posting nail swatches eventually.

RiRi Hearts MAC: RiRi Woo Nail Polish (Retails for $17.50 USD)

The makeup bag has been described as small, by some, but I've found that it is large enough to fit quite a few makeup items.  So far, I have been able to fit 7 lipsticks (from the various RiRi Hearts MAC launches), a veluxe pearlfusion eyeshadow palette, "Love, Rihanna" and "Hibiscus Kiss" bronzers, "Cockiness" superslick eyeliner, and "RiRi Woo" nail polish...and I still have room for more items.  This quilted, rose gold bag has the dimensions of 6.5" x 4.5" x 1.5".  Perfect to tote in your purse, or to travel with.

RiRi Hearts MAC Makeup Bag (Retails for $40.00 USD)

RiRi Hearts MAC Makeup Bag (Retails for $40.00 USD)

RiRi Hearts MAC Makeup Bag (Retails for $40.00 USD)

RiRi Hearts MAC Makeup Bag (Retails for $40.00 USD)

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME...celebrating with more Hello Kitty

Today is my birthday and I celebrated by going to work. ;-)  Okay, so maybe I didn't get all of these goodies for my Birthday, but I did receive a package from Sephora as well as my annual Beauty Insider birthday gift, today!!

I stopped home for a quick break, and was greeted by a lovely package on my doorstep.  If you don't know, the Hello Kitty makeup line at Sephora is disappearing.  Prices have been slashed...items that were once sold out, have popped up again (I'm assuming because many of the stores have sent back their inventory).

A little over a month ago, I ordered some products from the thinning Hello Kitty inventory and one of the items that I wanted was no longer available.  I really wanted the retractable kabuki brush and was able to get one in gold, last summer.  Sephora also carried the brushes in silver (which is what I had my eyes on).  Well...as fate would have it, the silver brushes that sold out on Sephora's site, made a come back!!  I snagged two of silver kabuki brushes and can't wait to play with them.  If they are anything like the gold brush, I'm sure I won't be disappointed.

I just wanted to check-in...I'll be back for more updates.

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Hello Kitty Pick Me Up

Yesterday, I woke up a bit "under the weather".  I had a nasty soar throat and cough and it made a huge dent in my plans to rock my newest MAC Retro Matte shade that I picked up the night before.  Nothing like needing to drink hot tea in this still eighty-something degree weather (I'm hoping that does the trick).  The upside to this whole "icky" feeling is that I now have an excuse to use my newest Hello Kitty mug that I purchased from Michael's craft store.

I bought the mug, on clearance, during the "back-to-school" season.  I thought about purchasing another mug, but never got around to it.  I had dreams of hot cocoa on a cold winter's night, but I think we're a long while off from that actually happening, so the hot tea soothing a soar throat will have to do.

I'll add this to the collection of mugs/bowls that Walmart offered.  I couldn't resist getting one of those in every design either.

Taken from my Facebook page from last Holiday season

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Sephora Hello Kitty Tokyo Pop!

Comb, Brush, Gloss, Mirror, Palette, and Polishes

Yesterday, after a grueling day at work, I was greeted by a packing when I arrived home.  Between shopping during my 4th of July get away and the order my husband placed some days ago, I managed to finally get my hands on the Hello Kitty Tokyo Pop collection at Sephora.  Although I don't have every piece from the collection, I did manage to get a great deal of the items.  Check out my Tokyo Pop series to follow.

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Bath and BodyWorks 50% off Select Candles

As we are now into Summer, I've decided it's time for some summer scents.  My last post on Bath and BodyWorks was about their 2 for $22 sale.  This past week, I decided to venture onto their website (since I don't like to check my e-mail for promotions) and found that many of their 3-wick candles are on sale for...get this...$10!!  Not at all 50% off the $22 mark-up prices from the past.

I decided to spend my first day of summer (June 21st) at the mall picking up candles to fill my house with lovely fragrances.  When I arrived at my local Bath and BodyWorks, I noticed that many of the summer scents I anticipated, were sold out.  The good news is, if you can't find a candle in-store, you may have luck online.  There's an extra bonus...In addition to "select" candles being $10, there is a coupon you can use that will give you an additional $10 off your purchase of $40 or more.  That cuts out having to fool around with receipts and calling in for surveys and validation codes.  The catch is that the code/coupon will not be on their site for much longer.  That offers expires TODAY, 6/24!!

I picked three candles...well two, really; my husband picked one.  I was able to use a coupon that I had, which allowed me to receive $10 off my purchase of $30 or more.  Now, onto the candles...

Summer Boardwalk kind of reminds me of the way sugar cookies smell.

Villa Bergamot is very reminiscent of Mahogany Teakwood, which I loved so much, I had to purchase a backup.

Lilac Blossom smells just as pretty as the name.

My husband selected Lilac Blossom.  It's not exactly what I was going for, in terms of summer scents, but let's be honest, most of these candles can go with any season...unless it's something like holly and spice, I think he's safe with this one.  Besides, the only reason he picked out a candle was because I tried to purchase a back up of Lemon Mint (which I'm learning he really doesn't like).


If you love Bath and BodyWorks candles and you haven't taken advantage of this sale, you may not want to wait any longer!!

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More Hello Kitty?!?!?!?! Is that possible?

Last week, I decided to venture into a store that I hadn't visited before.  My mission was to just look around, but with all the cuteness screaming at me, I had to leave with something.  Character World is a store that I wasn't too familiar with.  I had often walked by it and noticed the huge plush Hello Kitty in the window.  After much curiosity and a little bit of time to spare, I decided to venture into the store.  As I walked along the perimeter of the store, I noticed an all too familiar Sanrio character...TUXEDO SAM!!  Growing up, this little penguin had to be my absolute favorite, but he has since been hiding in retirement, only to make appearances every once in a while.  I can recall when Sanrio celebrated their 50th anniversary; they displayed some special edition products in Target stores.  That's when I found a small Hello Kitty plush doll in a Tuxedo Sam costume.  That's about as close as I could get to my little blue friend.  During my visit to Character World, I stumbled across some Tuxedo Sam earrings and had to get them. 



Tuxedo Sam stud earrings. $4.99 USD

I also lucked up on a very edgy set of Hello Kitty earrings in black and gold.  The earrings didn't have a price tag on them and there were none left to compare them to.  I accepted the price quote of $12.99 from the owner.  I took to the internet to try to find out if any other retailers carry them and happened to come across a couple of sites.  It looks like I got a little bit of a deal because the sites I came across wanted a little bit more money for the earrings.  I found the earrings online here, here, and here.  I have to say that I am not too familiar with those sites and haven't ordered anything from them before, but it is a little comforting to know where to find them in case Character World doesn't get more in stock. 



Hello Kitty earrings by Loungefly. $12.99 USD

I don't know how long the earrings will hold up in my sensitive earlobes, but I'll be sure to check back in with more updates.

Since I was in a Hello Kitty sort of mood, I decided to go down to Sephora and check out the Tokyo Pop collection.  I took the opportunity to swatch the newest palette and fell in love, but instead set my sights on some old items I wanted to get my hands on.  While at Sephora, I tried my luck with one of the Sales Associates and asked if there were anymore products from the "Wild Thing" collection.  To my surprise, the associate was able to locate an item that I had on my wish list.  I was excited and annoyed at the same time.  I was excited to learn that they still had items available, even though they were no longer on the salesroom floor.  I was annoyed because I called for two items in particular WEEKS ago and were told that they didn't have them.  Sometimes, it may be more beneficial to actually visit the store location.  I went ahead and purchased the Hello Kitty "Wild Thing" comb and decided to order the makeup bag online.




Sephora Hello Kitty Wild Thing Wide Tooth Comb.  Originally priced $12. On sale, $7 USD

I am familiar with the durability of this comb because I have the silver one that was released with the Noir collection.  It offers wide teeth, a heavy grade plastic, and is large in size.  I have used it for detangling on both wet and dry hair.

Yesterday, my Sephora package finally arrived.  I have been slowly picking up items from this collection that launched late last year.  This is probably the final accessory piece from the "Wild Thing" collection that I didn't own.  One thing I noticed about this makeup bag, compared to some from previous releases, is that it does not have pockets/pouches inside, but it makes up in the amount of room that it gives.  I can't wait to test out the durability of this bag.  Maybe I'll take it on my upcoming vacation.




Sephora Hello Kitty Wild Thing Bag.  Originally priced,$29.  On sale, $15 USD 



Sephora Hello Kitty Wild Thing Bag



Sephora Hello Kitty Wild Thing Bag

I had a little bit of an issue placing my order online, so I had to call Sephora's customer service to complete the order.  The service rep picked out a few samples for me.

Head over to Sephora's website and check out what's on sale.  These items don't stick around for very long.

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Sephora Has Done it Again...Hello Kitty Sale!

Looks like Sephora is back at it again.  Could they be making room for another collection?  Now available at Sephora.com and in stores are (almost) newly marked down items.  I have to admit that a couple of weeks ago, I was pretty bummed out about the fact that I missed some of the items that were carried in JC Penney Sephora locations, only to find out that some of those items have recently gone on sale at the independent Sephora locations...albeit the prices are not the same, but it is still a sale!

I happened to stumble across this sale and I'm not sure what made me check Sephora's site, but I'm glad I did.  These items were picked up during a couple of visits to my local Sephora.  During my first visit, I was able to pick up six of the nail polishes at $5, when they were originally priced at $10 (from when they first launched).  I was also able to get my hands on the very last perfume ring at my local Sephora.  The ring was released last spring at $29 and can currently be found on Sephora's website for $17.  I also purchased a back-up eyeliner pen for $7.  I first experienced this eyeliner pen when my husband purchased the large, "Hello Kitty Wild Thing Makeup Palette".  I was smitten with the ease of the pen and how smoothly the color applied.

The second haul came a day later, when my husband surprised me by taking a drive, out of state to pick up the last three items featured in the image above.  Between my local Sephora and the Sephora website, some of the items I wanted were unavailable.  I was able to locate the products, but I didn't know that my husband would be the one to pick them up.  The last three items I received were the bronzer, and two nail polishes.  The bronzer was release last spring, in the same collection as the perfume ring and I finally have it.  The bronzer is very reminiscent of NARS Casino bronzer and at a price point of $19 (down from $28), this bronzer will serve as a very nice back-up to my NARS casino bronzer.

Stay tuned for more posts, featuring these products.

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JC Penny's Sephora Bids Adieu to Hello Kitty

It appears as though JC Penney’s Sephora locations are bidding farewell to this fabulous feline, Hello Kitty.  Recently, I stumbled upon a couple of YouTube videos, where I learned that Hello Kitty products have been placed on clearance.  What a tremendous opportunity to score items that are still being retailed at higher prices on both, Sephora’s website and in Sephora’s “free-standing” stores!  I could not wait to pay a visit to my local mall to see what items were currently in stock.  Since JC Penney Sephora locations do not typically feature the entire line of Hello Kitty products, this trip was very much a gamble, and I lucked up. 

The Hello Kitty 5-piece brush set that retails for $49 was marked down to $12.  I thought I got a good deal when I purchased the 5-piece brush set that was released with the Hello Kitty Wild Thing collection (on sale), but this takes the entire cake.  Usually Sephora will release a special edition brush set with each collection and it's only a matter of time before you can purchase them for a good deal.  This particular brush set however, is a staple in Sephora's Hello Kitty line-up.  To get this brush set for only $12 was astounding.  For the past few years that Hello Kitty has retailed at Sephora, I debated as to whether or not I should purchase this set...I have to admit, that price made the decision for me. ;o)


 

The Hello Kitty 3-piece brush set that retails for $35 was marked down to $8.  I am in love with this brush set!!  I have been stalking this brush since its release last year, but was uncertain of the quality.  I must admit that I am pleasantly surprised by this set.  I was nervous that this brush set would be made out of cheap plastic, but the brushes actually have a nice weight to the.  The bristles are soft enough for the delicate eye area, yet stiff enough to pick up product and apply it.  The bristles are just the cutest fluffy and white with pink tips.  I was able to pick up 4 of these sets for less than the retail price of one.

 

 

 

  

The Hello Kitty Hand-Held Mirror that retails for $36 was marked down to $8.  I picked this beauty up on a whim.  I already owned the Hello Kitty hand-held mirror that was released with the Hello Kitty Noir holiday collection of 2011.  I decided to pick this mirror up because I figured it would be easier to clean than the black, matte mirror from the Noir collection.  I have to admit that once I purchased the Noir mirror, the original silver hand-held mirror was no longer on my radar...but how could anyone pass up this price?

 

 

 

 

The Hello Kitty Apple Balm (lip balm) that retails on Sephora’s website at $10 was marked down to $3.  This product turned out to be a hidden gem.  I wasn't expecting how moisturizing this was for my extremely dry lips and the subtle wash of color it gives was an added bonus.  This just might replace all of the other lip balms in my collection.  I am not opposed to paying full retail cost for this product.

 

 

  

The Hello Kitty Charmmy Kohl Eyeliner kit that retails for $29 was marked down to $7.  What a great way to experiment with adding color to the waterline.  This convenient package features 7 eyeliner colors that, for the price, will make even the less adventurous take the plunge.  From my experience with these eyeliners, they are extremely emollient and glide on with ease.

 

 

 

 

 

*All prices are listed in USD currency.

My purchases were broken up into two visits to my local mall.  I was told that in the span of one morning, one shopper came in and purchased 15 of the 5-piece hello kitty brush sets.  Good thing I called when the store opened and asked for them to hold some products for me. :o)

 

If you are a Hello Kitty/Makeup fanatic, this is a sale that you won’t want to miss.

 

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