I think Sephora has lost it. "Incredible, enviable, once-in-a-lifetime" 5,000- and 10,000-point rewards. Starting tomorrow, August 12, you can call to redeem your points at noon ET. For what? Getting your brows done? A facial spa party at Bliss? A haircut by Chris McMillan? For some of the rewards, there is only one available. Even if I cared, it would be impossible to call to get in on these deals because I will be in a meeting at noon. I've always laughed at the inadequacy of some of the 500- and 1,000-point "deals," but now I can roar at this folly. I guess Sephora doesn't realize that people who can afford to build up these kinds of point balances usually have busy lives.
I saw YSL's new Rebel Nudes Collection of Glossy Lip Stains yesterday. There were two or three of the new shades I liked, I remembered vividly how drying these were on my lips. My SA reinforced my memory, so I passed and kept moving at Neiman Marcus.
Have you smelled Balenciaga's relatively new fragrance L'Eau Rose? It had just arrived at Neiman Marcus. It's a beautiful fragrance, dominated by blackberry notes, leading to the heart of violet, rose and (supposedly) patchouli. The base contains cedar, cypress and musk. Fortunately, I didn't smell the patch on my skin, so I liked it. I wore it for hours, so I think the patchouli would have emerged to my nose if it had been present in any concentration. I brought home a sample.
I also brought home a sample of Jo Malone's new
Peony & Blush Suede, which has just arrived in stores. Created by perfumer Christine Nagel, the cologne was promised to be "the essence of charm with peonies in voluptuous bloom, exquisitely fragile, and flirtatious with the juicy bite of red apple and the opulence of jasmine, rose, and gillyflower. The flowers will mingle with the sensuality of soft, blush suede for a luxurious and seductive dry-down." Unfortunately, it also has patchouli in it, and I can smell it. I was so looking forward to this new "Jo," but I suspect my sample is the last I'll have of it. I really don't like the acrid smell patchouli leaves on my skin. It smells like stale perfume to me.
There is a lot of new skin care being introduced - now and in the near future. I just got a sample of Sisley's new Supremÿa Eyes at Night, which employs Supremÿa at Night’s anti-aging technology for the area around your eyes. Promising anti-aging, anti-darkness, anti-puffiness, and lifting effects, it could be the next best thing. I'll tell you more about it after I've used up my little sample. I suspect I'll love it since I love Supremÿa at Night. I'll be featuring more skin care than usual over the next month.
Le Métier de Beauté fans will be pleased between September and the holidays because there are a lot of new products on the way. I am not at liberty to give you any details. In fact, I have very few to share. Just be prepared to buy.
I have so much more to tell you, but I must leave something for features this week. Tomorrow morning, I'll be featuring my two new Guerlain duos. I was able to get photos today.
Photos courtesy Sisley, Jo Malone, Balenciaga, YSL, and Sephora
I think Sephora's extremely limited 5,000 point super-prizes is primarily a publicity thing. The prizes will dazzle some people initially, but when the reality sinks in that the chances of actually obtaining one of them is just about zilch, people will long for more realistic things. Notice, I keep saying "prizes" rather than "gifts"? That's because with the one or two of a kind so-called gifts, you're thrown into competition with a whole lot of other point savers and hence they're really prizes. Yawn!
ReplyDeleteI picked up a sample vile of L'Eau Rose when I last ordered from The Perfumed Court. I don't get any patchouli on me, either, but I do get a lot of violet which I adore. It's definitely a girly fragrance. Very pretty.
One of the British blogs has been featuring products from Guerlain's holiday Crazy Paris collection and it appears that Guerlain is casting a lure to a much younger group than is typical. The packaging strikes me as garish and the colors themselves appear quite bold but I have several months between now and Novemebr for the "crazy" concept to grow on me. My sweet Guerlain gal will be learning about the collection in a week, so it will be interesting to chat with her when she comes back from "school".
I'm interested in the new Guerlain duos you got. The overall quality of the duos--from a manufacturing standpoint--seems to be based on which color combinations a person bought. Some color combos have been praised highly while others have been found lacking. I guess that means that people should definitely swatch before making a purchase.
New Le Métier de Beauté products on the horizon? It's been awhile since there was something new that really grabbed my attention so I'm good and ready for an LMdB beauty fix :-)
Have a wonderful week everyone!
New LMDB? Eye palettes or skin care or both?
ReplyDeleteHi Eileen,
ReplyDeleteI think I'll cave and buy the Balenciaga. I would love to wait for Beauty Week since there will be extra goodies.
I will tell you tomorrow. Those Guerlain duos are very different. The sparkly colors will only work if you use the right technique. Of course, if no one tells you, how would you know?
I wish I could tell you more on LMdB!
I didn't even know you can reach 10,000 points!
ReplyDeleteSorry, Nemo, sworn to keep my mouth shut.
ReplyDeleteDee, you can do it. Even with all I spend, I usually hover between 3,000 and 4,000 points in the "bank." However, I'd have to go over a year without taking any bonuses.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Dee, I didn't even realize that there were gifts for point totals that high, but that may be because I have been so pitifully behind in my email and computer work over the last month or so. Though, I don't really have to worry about it anyway, since my small beauty budget prevents me from getting that volume of points, but I agree, if there are only a few of each item offered anyway, what's the point? I'm rather curious to see what elite prizes/gifts are being offered though... Looking forward to what you bring us this week, and also what's to come from LMdB. :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Bonnie,
ReplyDeleteLook on Sephora's Facebook page. I didn't get an e-mail.
Great to see you here!
Hi Charlestongirl,
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about the importance of using the right technique for a product. A lot of people stick with the same ol' same ol' when it comes to technique and tools. Then, when they have difficulty, they blame the product rather than re-think they're application process. When I have my makeup professionally done, I spend as much time asking about tools and technique as I do about the actual products. Oh well . . . The entire collection will be on counter this week so I'll go play after reading your reviews. So far, I've pre-ordered Madame Rougit, Madame Flirte, Madame Rêve, and the Amber Silver eye pencil. I told my gorgeous Guerlain gal, Gisu, I wanted to play with the duos first. I'll be sure to ask her about technique :-)
I can't imagine accruing 5,000 points. I like to shop at too many other places. I wonder how many people get to 10,000?
ReplyDeleteI thought those Sephora "rewards" were kind of wacky. They bumped me up to Rouge but it would take me quite awhile to get to 5000-10000 points! My goodness. I think if someone's able to rack up those kinds of points quickly, they're probably shopping in Saks or Bergdorf's regularly, not Sephora.
ReplyDeleteI was lax this week and didn't make up my birthday gift list to myself. lol You reminded me of something I really want - the cologne Peony & Blush Suede. I picked up a sample at a Malone store and loved it! The patchouli doesn't really come out on my skin or I just can't tell. My nose is simple.
It's been quite a while since I bought anything from LMdB, let's see if they will catch my attention. Sometimes it's such a frenzy for their products that I just don't want to go to all that trouble so I spend elsewhere.
Eileen - You made me look! lol I saw some swatches of Guerlain's holiday collection. I'm rather undecided about it but I saw a Rouge G I liked and of course the Meteorites because I can't resist them. Should be an interesting holiday season!
Enjoy the last few hours of the weekend & have a great week everyone!
I was at Sephora today--took my 12-year-old niece for her first makeup foray--and they tried to tell me to save my points so I can get the big gifts. I have 1300 points--really? I chose to spend 200 points and get fun glitter polish for my niece and myself. I do have to say that I had fantastic customer service there today (and that store is usually very good anyway). I'm going to send an email to Sephora complimenting one employee.
ReplyDeleteI got a sample of the new Coach Freesia and I think I'll be buying a full-size. That Balenciaga sounds lovely! I'll have to sniff it when I go to the mall next week.