I always get excited about getting the birthday gifts from Sephora and Ulta. My birthday was on Easter Sunday this year, but I made my visit to Sephora and Ulta more than a week in advance. In fact, Ulta sent me home empty-handed! They said I had to wait to get the coupon before I could redeem it. I was disappointed.
Sephora Gift
Fortunately, Sephora wasn’t as strict. They were happy to see me in advance of my actual birthday. There was a choice of two gifts: one was skincare and the other was makeup from Tarte. No surprise, I chose the Tarte gift.
Happy Birthday Tartelette! contained a travel size Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush, shade paaarty, a dusty rose shade. It was love at first sight. And the travel size is plenty big for me.
The second mini in the box is Tarteist Quick Dry Creamy Matte Lip Paint, shade birthday suit, a mauve shade, that actually doesn’t look that great on me but is still a wonderful neutral shade. I’m guessing that both shades are unique to the Sephora birthday gift.
I had gotten a different shade of Lip Paint, rosé – a very pretty beige-rose, in my Sephora Play bag a month ago, and though the shade is great, I can’t wear it too often. This is me wearing rosé. I think the rosé shade works.
Even though the Lip Paint formula is mousse-like, it is still rather drying on my bone dry lips. Oh well. I probably should have given away “birthday suit” before I used it, but it looked so great on someone else I had to give it a try. It didn’t look as good on me unfortunately.
Nevertheless, I think the gift shade, birthday suit, and the Tarteist formula will be perfect on just about everyone besides me!
Ulta Gift
I returned today to Ulta with my coupon for my birthday gift, and I redeemed it for the April – June gift, Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara mini.
Lancôme is new in the Ulta stores. I haven’t had a chance to try the mascara yet. This one is supposed to give up to 12 times more volume. I usually tend toward lengthening mascaras, but I’m happy to try something different for a change. Here’s what the Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara volumizing wand looks like.
FYI, I am a Platinum Member at Ulta, and I also received a $10 off coupon on anything of my choice. I was thrilled with that gift. In fact, I’m hoping I can use it in conjunction with the 20% off coupon event going on now (I am going to shop online, and I have a feeling I might not be able to use them both at the same time.) At any rate, very nice Ulta! You redeemed yourself from not letting me pick up my birthday gift before my birthday.
So all in all, I’m pleased with my gifts. Are you an early in the year birthday? Have you gotten your gifts from Sephora and Ulta yet?
Ulta is finally shipping to Canada but the cost of shipping is a whooping $25 which makes the order not worth it imo. And Tarte Lip Paint is very drying on the lips, I got one through ipsy and another from Sephora birthday gift and never reach for both.
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$25??? That is a total rip off especially it you only buy an item or two. Ridiculous. Yes, even though I love the rose shade of Lip Paint – it just wrecks my lips a few hours later.
Morning Allison……🙋🏻☕️☕️🍩🍩 loving your reviews this morning. Beautiful day here in California. 🌻☀️. I really love Tarte’s eyebrow gel. It’s been in my make-up kit since the day they introduced it. I just bought Smash Box Halo Hydrating Face Powder. I love it. Doesn’t settle in my fine lines and deep wrinkles. It is very hydrating for my dry menopausal skin. I got it from HSN there’s a video you can watch. Have a beautiful day…….🙋🏻❤️
Hi DiEtta! I have tried Tarte’s brow gel, but it caught my eye yesterday at Ulta. I’m really glad you mentioned the Smashbox Halo Hydrating Face Powder – I think I might go back to Ulta tomorrow and take a look at it. I don’t own a hydrating face powder, and I need one. I love the Paul & Joe pressed powder that I have because it smells so lovely, but I could use more hydration. I’m going to go on HSN.com and check out the video first! Thanks, as always, for the tip xoxo
You got a lovely gift from Sephora! The one in Dubai has given me a blush palette (Sephora’s own). Sadly, the shades don’t suit me at all, so it goes into the giveaway box.
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Oh boo, Renu! I’m sorry that the shades don’t work. Disappointing
These gifts are so fun! I love the freebies from Ulta and Sephora every year! I think Rose looks great on you!
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Thank you, Judy. I love rose too, but boy does it wreck my lips!
Happy belated birthday to you! That’s a really nice gift from Sephora. My birthday is next month and I’m contemplating which to choose. But since I’ve already have Tarte’s blush I might go with the skincare. The nude shade lip paints are so pretty.
Thank you, Sharon. If you have the blush, you don’t need the Tarte gift. Though the Lip Paint is pretty, it sure is drying! I didn’t notice which brand the skincare was, but I’m sure it’s a good one.
I’d be happy with the Lancome from Ulta. I was laid up and didn’t get to Ulta for the January-March gift.
I like the Tarte blush too but not the Tarteist, too drying for me.
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Usually Ulta switches their birthday gift every three months, so maybe it wasn’t the Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara after all. Too bad the Tarteist Lip Paint is soooooo drying. As much as I’d like to wear it, it just isn’t worth it. Every time I try again, I regret it!
The Tarte blush looks very promising! And I am with you, not a fan of lip mattes for myself, too drying and just generally not my favorite, if anything a semi matte.
I have one matte that I can wear and Tarteist isn’t it! But the blush is very pretty
My birthday is in Dec., and they never have great gifts–they must run out by then! LOL
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Oh no, that’s not fair!!
I LOVE LOVE that Tarte blush!! I love how they give goodies in your bday month!
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It’s such a pretty blush. And I agree, I love getting birthday freebies!
That tarte set looks great.
I got that Tarte set back in February…love getting Tarte goodies from skincare to now makeup! Happy Birthday by the way!
Ursula
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Thank you, Ursula! I love the Tarte blush, but the liquid lipsticks dry out my poor lips so badly! I hope you can wear the lipstick!
How far in advance did they send out their birthday coupons? I’m in June but have not gotten anything yet 😞.
Monica, for Sephora, I can’t remember exactly, but I think it was at the beginning of the month because I went into the store during the first week in April to pick up my gift, and my birthday is in the middle of the month. They just looked me up in the computer and gave me a choice of two options, I believe. Ulta was different; you must wait till you get the coupon in the mail or maybe it was also online, and it doesn’t come until your birthday. They won’t give you the gift without the coupon, I discovered. Because I am an Ulta Platinum member, they also gave me a $10 gift coupon to use during the next 4 weeks – that was great! Happy Birthday!
I would have liked to have seen a picture of you wearing the Mascara!
K, here’s a review of the Lancome Monsieur Big as well as Diorshow. I need a new lens on my camera so I can take closeups. But I do have details on my thoughts of the Lancome new mascara that’s going to be launched at Ulta in July: https://www.neversaydiebeauty.com/productspotlight/my-current-favorite-mascara-diorshow-and-lancome-monsieur-big/
Very nice blog! I’m new, but just wanted to say… I am a late in the year baby- late Nov. I got the UD Midnight Cowboy shadow last yr from Ulta, along w/my $10 coupon and dbl points. Also, you CAN get BOTH Sephora bday gifts- here’s how: place a $25 order (makes shipping free), or just buy something REALLY cheap and pay the shipping, and choose one of the bday gifts at checkout; next, go IN STORE and simply pick up the other gift- no purchase required. They just need your email to verify your VIB status. The Sephora gifts can be grabbed pretty much anytime withing 20-30 days before/after your actual bday, and of course the Ulta gift is on your actual bday. Last year I ended up with: Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy shadow; $10 coupon; 2x’s points from Ulta (I am Platinum), and: the Marc Jacobs duo (lipstick mini in ‘Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang’, and Gel Highliner in Black), and the Fresh skincare duo, (gentle face wash, and Rose Mask) from Sephora. I had zero issues getting both gifts from Sephora; I think they know people do it, and they expect it. Darn it, we spend so much $$$$; its no sweat off their backs! Have a great Sunday!!
Wow, Christina, thanks for sharing! I’m so going to do that at Sephora next year!! 2 birthday gifts, I’m there!