Shopping | Apothica

I know, it has been a long time since I featured a shopping post on the blog but the truth is that I don't shop often because I really want to use up some of my stuff first. Still, I wanted to use up my Apothica gift card before it expired so after my positive experience with XEN-TAN Deep Bronze Instant Self-Tan I figured that it would be a great time to try XEN-TAN Deep Bronze Luxe ($39), which promises a darker tan. I also decided to try XEN-TAN Deluxe Tanning Mitt ($6) because I found that when I apply a self tanner with gloves, it goes on a bit streaky and patchy, which is incredibly annoying! I have also been told that a mitt makes the process easier and quicker.

I must say I was a bit disappointed with Apothica this time, here is why. When browsing for my items, I noticed that both were out of stock, but the weird thing is that I was still given the option to add them to my cart, which I did because I thought maybe it was an error of some kind. I proceeded on placing my order on July 25, and the same day, I received a confirmation email. About half an hour later, I received two emails saying the same thing:

At least they mentioned that the items would be automatically shipped, but I still think it's a weird practice because usually, when an item is out of stock, you don't have the option to order it as if everything was normal, only to be told after that it is out of stock! Or am I just weird? Not to mention that I chose the fastest shipping option at $25 - really?! - to receive my order in three days, but of course, that was a total waste, and that 15% off coupon surely won't make up for it.

On August 1st, I received an email saying that both items were back in stock, and another one to tell me that my order has been shipped. One week later is not that bad, I guess, the problem is that I did not receive my order until August 9, which is more than a week later, when I specifically paid to receive it three days later... and it's not the first time this happens! Also, I just don't understand why their shipping fees are so high, I mean, they are shipping from Utah to Canada, not to a foreign country! Oh well.

Can you see that weird spillage on the bottom of the tube, on the 'Dark' label...?

But it does not stop there! When I finally received my order, I was a bit disappointed to see that my tube of XEN-TAN had some spillage on it, and also, the mitt did not look like the one pictured on the website - mine just feels and looks cheap, compared to what I was expecting! I mean, I only used it two times, and it already shows bad signs of usage...

On a positive note, I like how they always make sure to include some free samples in each of my orders. I received a sample of CellCeuticals PhotoDefense Daily Skin Protector SPF 55+ which I will give to my mother and a sample of NUXE Fondant Body Scrub, which I'm excited to try as NUXE products rarely disapppoint!

Shopping: Apothica.com, Avon, San Francisco, LUSH & Jean Coutu

My order from Apothica.com I'm sad to say that I'm disappointed with their shipping this time. I placed my order on November 28, it was shipped on November 30 and I received it on December 6 - the thing is that I opted for the USPS Express Mail International, which means I was supposed to get my order within 3 days, not to mention I was provided with a tracking number that didn't even exist... well, don't waste your money on that. I'm not really complaining because I didn't pay for it (I had gift cards) but still, I wanted to warn you. At least I got my whole order safe and sound!

100% Pure Caffeine Eye Cream $18.80 There's been lots of buzz in the blogosphere about this product and having tried a few 100% Pure products in the past, I decided that I had to get my hands on this one as well. I'm 23 so I'm not really dealing with fine lines and wrinkles yet but I got into the habit of using an eye cream since I'm 16 as a prevention and I actually like it, it makes me feel pampered (:

Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser with Orange Oil $9.00 I looooooove this cleanser, it totally saved my skin last winter (or was it the winter before?)! You know I have super dry skin that is prone to eczema so I have to be careful not to use anything too harsh, especially in the awful winter weather. This cleanser is oily so it won't strip your skin of its moisture but leave it even more hydrated and smoothed! The only thing is that it does leave a little oily residue after but personally, I don't mind this because I like to think of it as a protective layer.

Stila Perfect & Correct Foundation in Tone $44.00 I never really used a foundation on a daily basis and I decided it was time I tried one for real! I have a few foundations in my stash but I never used them regularly but I decided that things were going to be different with this one. My skin is far from perfect but I don't think I need to totally cover it so I was looking for a light coverage and after browsing Makeupalley, I decided that I would give this one a try. I chose it in the shade Tone which appeared a bit dark on the website but I figured out I could make it work by matching it with another foundation.

theBalm Time Balm Concealer in Light $17.80 I don't have concealers that I really like in my stash and I've heard great things about this one so I ordered it in Light. I'm not sure I want to use it as an overnight treatment though, it seems a bit strange to apply makeup at night!

Voluspa Limited Edition Winesap Apple Spice and Truffle White Coca Handmade Candles $15.00 each I really wanted to get rid of the gift cards I had left so even though I think it's crazy to pay that ridiculous amount of money for such little candles (5oz), I ordered them because they seemed to smell sooooo yummy and I was right! I haven't lit them though so I won't get too excited but scented candles can be disappointing):

As always, I also received some free samples with my order that I will probably not use and give to my mother: Phytomer Oligopur Purifying Cleansing Gel, AHAVA Time To Revitalize Extreme Day Cream and NUXE Crème Prodigieuse Enrichie Anti-Fatigue Moisturizing Cream.

Avon Ultra Color Rich Lipstick in Pout and Sheer Naturale on sale 2 for $7.00 According to Temptalia's dupe list, Pout is a dupe for MAC Angel at 100% so of course, Angel being among my absolute favorite lipsticks (very original, isn't it?), I had to get my hands on it! Mélanie's mother is an Avon reprensentative so I ordered Pour from her and I wanted to take advantage of the special so I asked Mélanie for her advice and she recommended Sheer Naturale, which is a nude with a glossy finish.

After reading the comments on Makeupalley about these lipsticks, I had high hopes as some even said Pout was HG material, but I find these lipsticks to be incredibly drying and their lasting power is awful on me - they won't even stay on for one hour! I've read some comments about the poor lasting power of the Ultra Color Rich Lipsticks but that's not what bothers me the most as you don't need a mirror to re-apply these but from what I've seen on the net, these lipsticks are supposed to be moisturizing! That's a shame because I love both shades ):

San Francisco blouse on sale for $19.99 Ever since I first step foot in San Francisco, I spotted this blouse and I knew I had to have it, but it was something like $29.99 and because it's so light, I wasn't sure it was worth it. This blouse being in the fall collection, I knew it was going to be on sale soon... and I was right! I was soooooo lucky to get my hands on the only X-Small available! When I first put it on, I was unsure about it but when I roll up the sleeves and cinch a belt at the waist, it's actually great!

San Francisco tunic on sale for $19.99 I'm always on the hunt for more tops I can wear with leggings in the winter because they are the comfiest thing ever! At first sight, I wasn't sure about this one because I don't usually go for a warm piece of clothing with short-sleeves, but I just couldn't let it go at this price! When I tried it on another time once at home, I was a little disappointed to see that the cut isn't as flattering I thought it would be (it's not as close to the body as I usually like) but I still like it!

San Francisco cotton pants on sale for $19.99 No, I didn't need another pair of "lounging around pants" but I got tired of always wearing the same baggy pair and this one is soooo comfy and it fits so well... and it was on sale... and there was only one X-Small available... and it makes my butt looks so nice (:

LUSH The Rocketeer and Abombinaball Bath Bomb on sale BOGO and New! Shampoo Bar $10.95 The only sales I really wanted to chek out on the Boxing Day were the ones at LUSH, but I was disappointed. OK, maybe it's my fault, maybe I waited too long before going there but I was working the days after Christmas and the stores were all crowded and there's not a lot of things I hate more than crowded stores!

I went to LUSH yesterday actually and everything I wanted was gone but I grabbed those two bath bombs as a gift for my mother as Christmas items were BOGO, and I finally took the plundge and decided to try one of their shampoo bar. I must say the reasons that kept me from buying some was the price - but I've been told that one bar is equal to three bottles of shampoo - and also that I was afraid it would be hard to use and that it would not layther well but the sale assistant assured me that it lathers really well.

I was initally going for Jumping Juniper as it's designed for oily hair, but the sale assistant told me this shampoo did nothing for her oily roots but that New! was awesome for this, and that it was also great to stimulate hair growth. From the reviews I've read on the LUSH website, many people say this shampoo is drying but I really don't care as I use conditioner and leave-in conditioner everytime I wash my hair. I can't wait to try this!

Glade Sense & Spray Automatic Room Spray Lavender & Vanilla free I recently received a coupon for a free Glad Sense & Spray and the only scent available was this one (this wasn't totally free, I had to pay the taxes).

Mail of the Week (December 5 - 9)

My prize from Alex's giveaway : Can you believe I have never tried Joe Fresh before, except for their double end concealer a looooong time ago? I'm so lucky to have won this giveaway because I keep hearing great things about their cream blushes and their nail polishes! Here's what Alez kindly sent me:

• Joe Fresh Cream Blush in Melon (a gorgeous peachy-coral)
• Nail Polish in Twilight (a flaky with a black base and reflective flakes that sheen orange, yellow and green)

My order from Apothica.com: I'm sad to say that I'm disappointed with their shipping this time. I placed my order on November 28, it was shipped on November 30 and I received it on December 6 - the thing is that I opted for the USPS Express Mail International, which means I was supposed to get my order within 3 days, not to emntion I wasd provided with a tracking number that didn't even exist... well, don't waste your money on that. At least I got my whole order safe and sound, and I'll do a separate post about it (:

Oral-B Pulsonic Power Toothbrush* from ChickAdvisor: As I'm a member of their Product Review Club, I was lucky enough to be chosen to be test and review this toothbrush! I haven't used power toothbrushes in a long time but I really think they are awesome! I'm not sure if you'll be interested in reading a review on a toothbrush so I don't know if I should post this review on here or only on ChickAdvisor? Let me know if you want me to post it on here also!

Coupons from WebSaver.ca for a free box of Kellogg's Special K and a free Glade Sense & Spray

January issue of Glamour

January issue of Cosmopolitan

♫ The One That Got Away - Katy Perry

*These products are NOT cruelty-free

Review: Too Faced Leopard Love Complexion Perfection

Bronze, blush and brighten with this all-in-one complexion perfection collection containing three purrrfectshades to complement any pretty kittys skin tone. Our best-selling Pink Leopard Bronzer shines bright, while two NEW combinations offer a dangerously sexy glow. 

Three naturally sexy shades offer a variety of application options: 

• Peach Leopard: Offers a soft and healthy, naturally apricot glow.
• Candy Leopard: Pink tones promote a luminous, flush pop of color.
• Pink Leopard: Golden bronze and gilded pinks brighten any complexion.

I've been debating a loooong time wether I should get this set or not because most of the reviews I read about this product agreed on one point: the shades are too sheer. I decided to order it anyway because I couldn't resist the leopard print design.

The first thing that surprised me was the size of the palette: I thought it would be bigger! It's a nice size to keep in your handbag though.

L - R: Peach Leopard, Candy Leopard, Pink Leopard

When the kit arrived, I rushed to swatch the shades, and yes, I was disappointed. The leopards are shimmery and very sheer.

L - R: Peach Leopard, Candy Leopard, Pink Leopard

I had to apply multipe layers on my arm for the swatches to properly show. Peach Leopard is not as shimmery as the two others, but it's a little too pale to properly show up on my skin. Candy Leopard is the least pigmented of the shades, and it's a very pale pink with subtle gold shimmers. As for Pink leopard, it's a very pretty peachy/pink highlight color.

L - R: with flash and natural light

With flash

Overall, I'm not sure the Leopard Love Complexion Perfection Kit is worth $30 because of its lack of pigmentation, but I still like it even though I have to really dig in to get the colors to show on my skin, because when I succeed the result is pretty - the leopards give me a glowy complexion.

You can buy Too Faced Leopard Love Complexion Perfection Kit from Apothica for $29.70.

Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for consideration to review. I was not paid for this review, I am not affiliated with this company and the fact that the product was free absolutely does not influence my opinion.

Shopping: Apothica, Wal-Mart, La Senza & Dollarama

Too Faced Leopard Love Complexion Perfection Kit ($29.70) I've been debating a loooong time wether I should get it or not because most of the reviews I read about this product agreed on one point: the shades are too sheer. I decided to order it anyway because I couldn't resist the leopard print designs. I plan to review this kit in another post so I don't want to talk too much about it here, but I still want to say that yes, the leopards are all very sheer.

L - R: Peach Leopard, Candy Leopard, Pink Leopard

Avène Cicalfate Restorative Skin Cream ($23.00) I have been struggling with dry and chapped lips all my life and nothing seems to heal them completely. I think it's due to eczema, but even if I use steroid creams and the irritation goes away, it comes back within a week and it makes me sick! I was discussing this issue with my friend Ariane who is a sale assistant in a drugstore and she recommended me this product as it's meant to restore the skin barrier and minimizes cutaneous irritation. I really hope this cream will help!

XEN-TAN Deep Bronze Instant Self-Tan (on sale for $19.28) I was very eager to try something from XEN-TAN but I always thought their products were too pricey. I finally decided to take the plunge when I saw this one on sale (it was originally $26). I was looking for a deep dark tan but I had no idea which self tanner to choose, there's so many to choose from! I read reviews on blogs and I finally decided to try the Deep Bronze Instant Self-Tan.

With every Apothica order you make come some samples. This time I received a sample of The Art of Shaving Pre-Shave Oil and some band-aids in a very handy little Avène packaging to keep in my handbag.

I'm very impressed at how fast my Apothica order was delivered - I made my order on July 6, it was shipped on July 7 and I received it the next Monday, July 11! How great is that?

Oh and if you plan to order from Apothica, use the coupon code PACK10 for 10% off (:

Leopard print heels (on sale for $5) Everytime I'm in Wal-Mart, I just have to have a look at the shoes section, and I remember lusting over those heels for some times now, but they were a little too pricey for me and they didn't have my size anyway. You can imagine my surprise when I saw them in the sale section last week and decided to try on one of the last two pairs left just for fun... and it fit! Come on, $5 for some fierce leopard print heels? OMG!

Clairol Natural Instincts Vibrant in Dark Brown (on sale for $5.97) I knew about the original Natural Instinct range but never actually tried it because the color is claimed to last only up to 28 shampoos, but when the new Natural Instincts Vibrant range came out, I knew I had to try it! What makes these hair dyes even more interesting is that in each box is included Clairol's first ever Week 2 Color Refresher, which is a nourishing crème formula that deposits color pigments 15 days after coloring, replenishing key tones that color loses over ime. How genius is that?

Cottonelle Fresh Flushable Moist Wipes (free) I had a coupon for a free tub of these wipes, yey! Moist wipes always come in handy for those early morning when I'm in a rush before school.

Panties from La Senza (on sale 10 for $30) I was in Montreal with my mother when we walked by La Senza and noticed the huge sign indicating the 10 for $30 sale... Who could resist new panties at such a nice price? We must have spent half an hour picking five panties each LOL

Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Lotion Sunscreen SPF 45 ($2) The second I smelled this, I knew I had to have it! I have never tried Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen products before but I've heard a lot about them - especially about their scent - so for only $2, I thought, why not? I can't help it but when I'm in Dollarama, I always wonder why this or that product ended up there, and I've been told that most of the time it's simply because of the packaging (the color has been changed - even for the slightest - or the packaging has been completely redesigned). In the case of this product, I have looked up the website and I can't find the SPF 45 sunscreen in the list of products, so maybe it has been discontinued? 

Mail of the Week (July 11 - 15)

My prize from Minnie's giveaway: I was extremely lucky to win a selection of MAC products of my choice from Minnie! I just couldn't believe it when she announced me as the winner of her amazing giveaway, as I could never afford MAC products with my tight University student budget. Here's what I received:

• Crème Cup Cremesheen Lipstick (light blue pink)
• Fleur Power Powder Blush (soft bright pinkish-coral)
• Bronze Eye Shadow (gold brown with gold-bronze shimmer)
• Ebony Eye Pencil (soft black)
• Just Superb Cremesheen Glass (dirty neutral pink)

L - R: Fleur Power, Bronze, Ebony, Just Superb, Crème Cup

Thank you sooooo much Minnie!!!

My prize from Catherine's giveaway: When Catherine featured this cute Vaseline tin in one of her recent haul posts, I was so sad that we don't have Superdrugs here in Quebec! I haven't even found the little tins anywhere neither. So she kindly decided to host a giveaway and I was one of the three lucky winners! Here's what I received:

• Vaseline storage tin
• Vaseline Lip Therapy 
• Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lips with Rose and Almond Oil
• Vaseline Lip Therapy with Cocoa Butter
• Vaseline Lip Therapy with Aloe Vera
• Swizzels Maltow Double Dip Orange and Cherry
• Love Hearts

Thank you Catherine! =D

New Jergens Naturals Aloe Soothing Body Moisturizer with Cucumber: I was given the opportunity to try and review this new moisturizer from Jergens. I was happily surprised to learn that this range is cruelty-free (or are all Jergens products cruelty-free?) and it is also made with 94% natural ingredients. I'm curious to see how it will help with my eczema.

My Apothica order: I placed my order on July 6, it was shipped on July 7 and I received it the next Monday, July 11 - talk about fast delivery! Here's what I ordered:

• Too Faced Leopard Love Complexion Perfection Kit
• XEN-TAN Deep Bronze Instant Self-Tan 
• Avène Cicalfate Restorative Skin Cream

With every Apothica order you make come some samples. This time I received a sample of The Art of Shaving Pre-Shave Oil and some band-aids in a very handy little Avène packaging to keep in my handbag.

peta2's I am Not a Nugget Leggings: The moment I saw these leggings featuring the cute Nugget, I knew I had to have them and didn't hesitate to redeem 7000 Street Team points for a pair. These leggings are claimed to be comfy and made of a thicker material than most other leggings on the market, but I was a little disappointed when I tried them on. I ordered them in Small but they are a little loose and not as fitting as I thought they would be, and they also didn't really appear to be especially warm.

PETA's Vegan College Cookbook: I hesitated a long time before ordering this book because from the reviews I read on the net, it seemed like a very average cookbook because some of the recipes aren't even recipes (like grilled cheese, salsa, etc). I decided to order it anyway because it was free (it "costed" me 8000 Street Team points) but it's available in the PETA catalog for $14.99. I received it today so I haven't had the time to properly read it yet, but I'm very eager to try those recipes!

August 2011 issue of Cosmopolitan

August 2011 issue of Glamour

♥ What Them Girls At - David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj, Flo Rida

Mail of the Week (February 28 - March 4)

My prize from Adrienne's giveaway: I was lucky enough to win the 2nd prize of her giveaway, which consists of some LUSH goodies:

• Space Girl Bath Bomb
• Mandarin's Tea Party Soap
• The Ex Factor Bath Bomb

Adrienne also included some yummy Mingles, which I have never tasted before. I have never tried any of those products before, so I'm very excited! Thank you very much Adrienne, I can't wait to have a bath now!

PETA Vegan Lip Balms: I redeemed 13000 Peta2 Street Team points for these cute PETA Vegan Lip Balms. I got them in the following flavors:

• "PETA Compassion" Fruit
• "No S'more Animal Testing" S'mores
• "Animals Out of the Act" Tangerine

I have started using "No S'more Animal Testing" S'mores and it instantly melts when in contact with the lips, leaving them incredibly glossy - just like if I was wearing a lipgloss!

My prize from Apothica's DuWop contest: Apothica recently held a contest in which we had to talk about DuWop in a blog post, and this post made me win! Here's what I won:

• Private Red Lipstick
• Lip Venom Lip Plumper
• Crush Heavy Metal Metallic Eyeshadow in 18 Carat
• Keep Blushing Water-Resistant Blush in Peach
• $25 Apothica Gift Card

I have never tried anything from DuWop so I'm super excited, especially about the Lip Venom!

April issue of Fashion magazine: My subscription expired in February, but this is the second time they send me another issue! This one came without a letter though... just to be sure it hasn't been renewed automatically, I checked my account on the website but it's actually expired... strange...

Samples of Biotherm Skin.Ergetic Day and Night Creams: I got these through Facebook, but the offer is sadly not available anymore. However, you can still enter Trip.Ergetic contest to be automatically entered for a chance to win a free full-sized Skin.Ergetic Serum as well as an energizing getaway with 3 friends.

Samples from Four O'clock tea: I absolutey don't remember participating in MemorTeas, but it appears to be why I received some samples. Here is the selection of tea I was sent:

• Fair Trade Chocolate Spice
• Fair Trade Licorice Spice
• Fair Trade White Tea Chai
• Fare Trade Earl Grey
• Mint Chai Herbal Tea Fairtrade
• Green Tea