Since it’s almost May, many of you probably already know about this year’s birthday gifts from Sephora and Ulta. But just in case, here’s what you can expect.
Ulta
I just picked up my gift at Ulta today. A mini-size Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Voodoo.
Voodoo is a beautiful purple, and it’s a wonderful addition to my eye pencil collection. The Urban Decay eyeliner pencils I currently own are either various shades of black or blackened-colors that give them a muted look. I’m happy to have a real purple eyeliner for that pop of color especially along my lower lashline. I couldn’t wait, I used it immediately!
The consistency of UD pencils can vary from shade to shade. This one is very creamy. It was sharpened to a point, and you can see that it gave way as I swatched it. The creaminess makes it easy to apply. However, it does tend to wander a bit over time.
Since publishing this post, I have learned that Ulta changes the birthday gift every 3 months. The January – March gift was an Ulta shadow palette. The Urban Decay Voodoo Mini Eyeliner Pencil is the gift for April – June. Then it changes again twice more. For those of you who have a birthday in July or later, I truly apologize. My mistake. I hope you like what you get!
Be forewarned, to pick up your gift, you must bring the Birthday Coupon with you to Ulta either on paper or by showing the coupon on the email you received. If not, they won’t give it to you, as they have to enter the code. Fortunately, I was able to find the email on my phone. While I think it’s stupid that it’s not coded into my profile for the rewards program, that’s the way it is. 🙄
Sephora
The gift from Sephora this year is a wow. Mini-lip pencils from NARS, one matte, one satin.
- Cruella, a Velvet Matte in a stunning deep red
- Rikugien, a satin pink-nude.
While I adore Cruella because it’s such a gorgeous shade of red, alas it is drying for me so when I wear it, I have to apply lip balm first or apply a hydrating gloss over it. Boo hoo. Probably, you’ll have no problem with it.
Rikugien is such a pretty MLBB shade, perfect for daytime or anytime. It’s on the sheer side but buildable. Very comfortable to wear. No complaints.
Have you gotten your birthday gifts from Sephora and Ulta yet? What did you think?
87 Comments
I MUST have an Urban Decay Voodoo eye pencil for myself!!! Love, love, love!
Are you a member of Ulta’s Rewards program, Rebecca? If so, you’ll get it during your birthday month. If not, sign up!!! It’s a wonderful shade of purple <3
I will, thanks! You’re the best! And, happy birthday!!!
Thanks, Rebecca xoxo
Rebecca, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I just found out that Ulta is changing their birthday gift every 3 months (I don’t think they did that last year). So the UD 24/7 Mini Eyeliner Pencil in Voodoo is the gift for April-June. The gift will change in July and again in October. So your gift in November will be a surprise till it’s announced in October. I feel so bad about telling you the wrong thing!! So sorry 🙁
Noooooo!!! Life as I know it is over!!! 🙂
Excited about the Sephora b-day. I have to wait until November but that red will be perfect for the holidays!
It’s a stunning shade of red, Laura. You’re right it will be perfect for the holidays. But I hope November takes a while to get here, lol
HA HA!!! I hear ya especially after the winter you just went through.
Exactly, Laura!
Happy Birthday! I just got my Sephora gift last week. They’re so nice! I didn’t know Ulta had a “club” type offer. I’ll have to check it out. I need that purple liner like yesterday. lol
Yes, Natalie, they have a rewards program where you get points that translate into cash back. I think it’s definitely worth it to join. And Voodoo is a great shade! Happy Birthday to you too!!
So when is your birthday?! Mine is next Tuesday, and I am super stoked to pick up the Sephora gift!!! I forgot about Ulta, lol. I’ve got two stops to make!
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I’m a little slow in posting this post, Judy. My birthday was April 16. Happy Birthday to you in advance. Definitely get this cute purple pencil from Ulta. It’s a good one!!
That Red Nars pencil is gorgeous! Such a beautiful colour x
Jasmine || blogsallbeautyy.blogspot.co.uk
It really is, Jasmine. I just wish it wasn’t so drying!
I can’t wait for Sephora’s Birthday Gift this year. It’s a definite wow gift this year. Previous years have been so/so, but I’ll never complain about free, especially when ti’s NARS! I like UD Liners, however, they have a tendency to be a bit too creamy on me. I notice that they tend to not stay put on my eyes. The colors are always gorgeous though!
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I agree. I think both gifts are great this year. Too bad about the UD liners. I’ve heard that from others. I guess the only benefit to dry eyes is eye makeup stays on as long as it doesn’t irritate my dry, sensitive skin 😉
Cruella will probably not like my lips either, but I’m really looking forward to the pink one. I have to wait until November too. Maybe time can just fast-forward so we can get our goodies and then revert back to normal? I certainly don’t want it to be the holidays already, but I do want my loot! To the TARDIS! Sorry, geekery. lol
I actually didn’t know what the Ulta gift was this year, so now I’m excited. It’s not black AND it’s a colour I truly enjoy!!!!! I hope the Ulta email system doesn’t let me down this time since half of their mailers never seem to make it to my address. Don’t know what’s up with that. They really should just link the gift to your account. It can’t be all that difficult.
I agree, Rach. Sometimes Ulta makes things too difficult. But the Voodoo purple liner was a great surprise so I’m not complaining! I like your idea of going to November so you can get your goodies and then reverting back. We had our first really warm day yesterday. I could get used to this!
Rach, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I just found out that the Ulta birthday gift changes every 3 months so your birthday gift in November will be a mystery gift till October when we find out what it will be. Figured I should let you know so you won’t think I’m an uninformed dope 😉
Trust me, I would be FAR more likely to think of Ulta as stupid than of you as an uninformed dope. 😀
It’ll be my luck that the November gift will be yet another worthless black mascara mini. If they bother to send me the email then maybe I’ll be surprised, who knows, but I’m not holding my breath. *rolls eyes* It’s no wonder I haven’t set foot into one of their stores in more than a year.
Thank you, Rach! I’ve actually had good luck at my local Ulta, though I can’t say they are the most informed folks who work there. I guess Ulta wants to keep the gifts a secret? Or they can’t get enough donations for the entire year, lol. At any rate, I hope you get something good in November and not another black mascara mini (last year they gave out full size Calvin Klein mascara but it was the weird tube stuff) or another black eye pencil!
I seriously can’t wait until September so I can pick up my birthday gift from Sephora. You have me on the edge of my seat!!
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haha, Jessica! But they are good gifts this year, I think, in spite of the fact that I can’t wear Cruella too often 🙂
Hi Allison,
These are really nice gifts!
I love the mini-lip pencils from NARS, nice shades 🙂
Are they long lasting, especially when you apply lip balm before the Cruella shade?
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Hi Dima, it is a good year this year for bday gifts! The Cruella lip pencil is long lasting, but I haven’t tried it yet with lip balm which is a necessity for me. I just don’t wear it that much because it’s so drying. The satin nude shade is so comfortable but it’s not long lasting.
I usually wear lipsticks most of the day, and when I am not, I apply a little bit of shea butter to help moisturize my lips. Shea butter is great, but lipstick does not last for long after applying shea butter.
I apply extra lip liner on my whole lips to make it last longer 😉
Dima Al Mahsiri recently posted…Regenepure Intense Volumizing Biotin Conditioner
Great tips!
I love the NARS gift! I have to wait until July to get my Ulta one because for some reason that was the month I put by mistake and I can’t change it! lol, I’m dying for that purple pencil!
Kristina Vieweg recently posted…Stila Blooming Bright Convertible Color Trio
That’s the strangest thing, Kristina! Why does Ulta make things so difficult?
Happy Birthday! Now you’ve got me excited for when I can pickup my bday gifts.
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My birthday was in April, but I was slow in posting this, lol. I think they’re good gifts this year!
Unfortunately we don’t have a Sephora in the UK and I’m so jealous when I read posts about it because it seems like a really good place 🙁
Your gifts are fantastic though, wish I could get that too!! I really like the NARS gift you got, the Rikugien colour looks fab!
Jackie | Beauty Bundle Blog
I’m surprised that Sephora hasn’t come to the UK yet, especially since I believe it is a French company. They just opened in Australia so maybe the UK will be next. I really like the Rikugien shade too, and it’s much more comfortable to wear than the gorgeous red 😉
Wow, great birthday gifts!
They’ve stepped it up a notch, for sure 🙂
I own Cruella and it’s a fabulous red. In general I find the NARS lip crayons to be a touch drying but a hydrating lip primer really helps.
I have another red matte velvet crayon from NARS that I can’t wear either. I own Too Faced Lip Insurance, maybe I’ll try that and see if it is moisturizing. Otherwise, I’ll go with balm.
The NARS lip pencils look gorgeous! I’ve yet to buy one of the NARS lip pencils, but I really want to sometime soon!
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So we got one matte and one satin. I own another shade of red velvet matte lip pencil from NARS and that one is too drying for me as well. But the satin is so wearable!
That liner is VERY purple! I’ve had a few of the 24/7 pencils in my time. I love the color options but sometimes find them TOO creamy. It’s hard to get a thin line.
I’m rather lucky I think because I have such dry skin that the UD liners are not too creamy for me, but I know others as well as you sometimes feel that way. And yes, it is purple. Which for me is great because all the other UD liners I own are blackened versions of whatever the color is.
I got those two lippies for my birthday in March and I really like them a lot. It’s awesome that I love both the shades. (Happy Birthday to You!!)
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Thanks, Kimberly. I’m an April birthday. You are lucky that you can wear both shades. Love that red (and the other red matte from NARS) that I also can’t really wear! But I’ll try again with more lip balm first. I think both Sephora & Ulta had great bday gifts this year!
I actually forgot to get my gifts this year! Ack!
Oh, Carleen, you must be very busy, and you must have a lot of makeup!!
I totally forgot about my Ulta present!! I did pick up my Sephora goodies plus some other goodies so I can’t wait to try them out. I love any kind of lippy so I’m excited about them. I bet these colors are going to look gorgeous on you once you get some lip balm down. You always look so good in red lipstick
Oh, you too, Brigitte! A couple of other girls forgot either Ulta or both! Hope you’re enjoying the NARS lippies and your other goodies. Thank you for the compliment. I will try some balm and give it another go 🙂
I cannot wait until September. I cannot wait to try these gifts! <3
Definitely good ones this year!
Ulta is doing the gifts differently now. They have different gifts for Jan-March, April – June, July – September, and Oct. – Dec. so it will be interesting what they do for the next two quarters. I’m January and I got a nice size Ulta brand eyeshadow palette.
Oh, Marcia, thank you for explaining that to me. And I even quizzed the Ulta girls about it! I’ll go back and change my post!! I think I lucked out with a liner pencil in a shade I love 🙂
Now I have to get that Velvet Matte lipstick after seeing your post. I love that color and love that its made from NARS even more!
Shaakira Nobles recently posted…Sweet Somethings with Fresh Beauty
If you can handle a little dryness, you’ll love this pencil, Shaakira. The color is stunning!
My bday gift from Ulta was an eyeshadow palette of theirs.. meh. It’s pretty, but I haven’t even opened it, because I’m generally not a fan of their shadows. The VIB Rouge bday gift at Sephora included a mini black eyeliner (yay! ANOTHER black eyeliner) but I can’t complain too much because I love NARS. I’ve only tried the Ri..ri..the lighter one. I put some Orgasm lipgloss over it and loved the combo.
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You know, Nidia, Marcia just told me that Ulta changes its birthday gifts every 3 months! Hmm, I even asked the girl at my local Ulta about the gift this year, but she forgot to mention that the gift changes. I’ve gotta change the post!! I would feel similarly meh if I got the Ulta palette, even though I like the two metallic cream shadows I bought from them at the holidays. How cool that you got the black NARS liner. I’m not Rouge, but I knew about it and then forgot. Your lippie combo sounds very pretty!
Can’t wait to pick up mine on 7/4. Yep, born on the 4th. Happy bday to you again
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Independence baby, how cool!
I have to wait until November. *sigh* Last year, from Ulta I received a mascara. I hope that it will be something different, this year.
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I got the Calvin Klein mascara from Ulta last year too, and I never even opened it. It was one of those mascaras that create tubes on your lashes, and I hate those. I was surprised when Marcia told me that this year, Ulta is giving out a different gift every 3 months. Strange but interesting!
They give out much nicer birthday prezzies in the US! Sephora Dubai gave me a crummy lipgloss tower this year and I looked so, SO disgusted that the bloke at the counter added a set of MUFE primer trial tubes. Boots gave me a mini mascara.
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That’s so funny, Renu! Glad your pout worked at Sephora. I wish we had Boots stores here. Years ago when I used to go to London somewhat frequently, Boots used to have so many innovative skincare lines in gorgeous packaging.
Those NARS lippies are nice!
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I think it’s one of the best Sephora bday gifts I can remember!
Happy Birthday, Allison! I received the NARS Sephora Birthday Gift this year and love it! The UD Gift from ULTA is fabulous as well!
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Thank you, Lola! It was a couple of weeks ago, but I’m late posting this. I agree, the gifts from both were great this year!
AWESOME gifts this year! I can’t wait for my bday! I didn’t even pick up the Ulta one last year. It was a FS mascara from CK but I just didn’t want it. Now I’m like… duh I could’ve done a giveaway =\ ah well. THIS ONE … the UD. Wants.
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Brooke, that’s what I should have done with the CK mascara. I did pick it up but I never used it. I hate tubes on my lashes
Ahh I can’t wait until my birthday! LOL I have voodoo in my sephora cart ready to be purchased!
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Voodoo is a great shade. I have so many blackened colors from UD, I’m glad to have a real purple! Hope you love it!
Love the Sephora Birthday gift! So good.
I was thrilled to see NARS as the gift! Yay
I got the Sephora Nars birthday gift last month and LOVE them!
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I think they’re both beautiful. Wish my lips could better tolerate the matte lip pencil. Can you wear Cruella on its own?
A very happy belated birthday! I love the gift from Ulta, Voodoo looks like a great shade.
Thank you, Bailey. This was the best bday gift I’ve gotten so far from Ulta, and probably from Sephora too!
Ack… how fun of an Ulta Gift. I love the Nars, I got that in January and haven’t used mine yet… I should write about it 🙂
Yes, you should! I love the Ulta gift, the UD Voodoo eyeliner, but I was surprised to find out that the gift changes every 3 months. Odd.
It’s my birthday next month so I shall be heading into Sephora for sure. Thanks for sharing. I love the Nars lip pencils!
I hope you love the NARS pencils, too. The shades are gorgeous!
You have some good things there for sure 😀
I think it was the best year I remember for birthday gifts from these two.
I went for the Peter Thomas Roth gift this year — the NARS one was nice but I couldn’t say no to fancy skincare!
That’s so interestng, Jamie, that you got PTR skincare. I didn’t realize there was a choice. They gave me the NARS lippies, and that was it (fortunately, I am happy with them since I have so much skincare!)
I want to sign up for the birthday gift. 11-17-
Betty, you have to go to both stores & sign up for their frequent shopper programs. Very easy to do ?