A few weeks ago, I discussed my recommendations for the Sephora VIB Appreciation Sale (or whatever Sephora was calling it) and in a week or so, I’ll share my reviews on the products I ended up buying. In that blog, I mentioned how Sephora is clearly trying to keep up with Ulta, since they clearly have the better rewards system, and way better, not to mention much more frequent, sales.

And here we are with the annual Ulta 21 Days of Beauty Sale, so I thought I would go through the products and share some of my recommendations. By the time you are reading this, it will be September 4, so I’ll start there. I’m not going to discuss every single product that is included in the sale, (check out the Ulta site for the full details) but I’ll touch on the ones each day that I find interesting.

Before we get into the daily deals, I want to talk about some of the deals that are going on throughout the 21 days of the sale. Click here if you want to see the whole page, but I’m only going to call out a few. Of course, I may not actually get every single product I mention in this blog, especially if they are online-only. I don’t really want to place a separate order every day, especially when paying for shipping. But I likely will get a few things throughout the sale and sprinkle some of these sale-long deals in on some of these online orders.

  • Smashbox Spotlight Palette and Step-by-Step Contour Kit ($21, reg. $35): I happen to have bought the Contour Kit years ago and it was really nice but I’ve only heard good things about the Spotlight highlighting palette that came out in collaboration with Casey Holmes. I might pick this up, I’m not sure, but it looks really nice and the price sure is better than before.
  • Anastasia Beverly Hills Blush Trios ($18): These blush trios have always looked really nice to me, and I’ve heard good things about the formula. I like how compact they are, so it’s possible that I might pick up Pool Party if it’s still available.
  • Dose of Colors Lip Gloss ($10, reg. $17): If I am $5-$10 away from free shipping, I may toss of few of these glosses in my cart.
  • PÜR Cosmetics Pro Eyelashes ($8): I received the Diva lashes in a box and I loved them. I will be buying a few more pairs during this sale!
  • There are a bunch of other good deals on skincare you should definitely take a look at, if you are into that kind of thing!

Sept. 4

  • BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter ($20.50, reg $41): I think liquid highlighters are definitely making a comeback, but some may argue they’ve never really gone away. Becca kills the game at highlighters, and this might be a good time to experiment with a liquid highlighter if you’ve never done so before!
  • Eyeko Mascara – Online Only ($9.50 – $15, reg. $19 – $30): I think Eyeko as a brand is incredibly underrated. I think they make fantastic eyeliners, and I would be interested in trying one of their mascaras someday since they have a bunch of different kinds. I’m already planning on picking up some mascara in the sale (more on that later) or else I would try one of these. If the mascara I talk about later doesn’t appeal to you, you may want to pick one of these up today!

Sept. 5

  • Benefit Hula & Benefit Hula Light ($15, reg. 30): The Benefit Hula bronzer is one of those classic, cult-favorite beauty products. I actually just got Hula in a box and I haven’t had the chance to try it yet, but I know it’s pretty universally beloved. If you were interested in trying it out, tomorrow might be your best bet, as it will be half-off!
  • JUICE Beauty Phyto-Pigments Illuminating Primer – Online Only ($18, reg. $36): This product is almost an exact dupe for BECCA’s Backlight Priming Filter ($38). And normally, this is not a cheap dupe, as it’s only $2 less. However, if you were interested in trying the BECCA version but not ready to spend $40, this might be a good time to try the JUICE Beauty version. My bestie Melissa loves the BECCA version and I gave her the JUICE one because I happened to get it in a box, and she was like, “Oh, this is the same.” This primer is great for people with more dry skin because it provides just a bit of sheen to the skin that helps foundation lay nicely.

Sept. 6

  • Beautyblender Blendercleanser Solid – Online Only ($8, reg. $16): I’m giving Beautyblender the side-eye right now because of their recent foundation release, but I have enjoyed their solid Blendercleanser in the past. I think it’s regularly overpriced, but at $8, it’s a pretty good deal. Of course, you can clean your sponges with it, but I always use it to clean my brushes as well. I may pick this up, as I am running out of my own brush cleaner.

Sept. 7

  • Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara ($12.50, reg. $25): This is the mascara I was referencing earlier that I will definitely pick up. I may even get two. When I first got this mascara, I didn’t really like it that much – I thought it was a bit too wet, and slightly hard to manage. But as it dried out just a bit after a few weeks, it’s become my very favorite mascara. And at $12.50, it’s only slightly over drugstore prices, so it’s definitely worth picking up at the sale. I’ll be dropping by Ulta on my way home from work on Sept. 7, and hoping they won’t sell out by the time I get there, otherwise, I’ll have to buy online. My preferred application technique is that I start my first few layers of mascara with the Monsieur Big, and then finish up with the Catrice Rock Couture Extreme mascara for a little more separation. I have found my lashes to be so long using this technique that they almost look like falsies. So while the Catrice mascara won’t be on sale, it’s only $7.99, so I’ll be picking up another one (maybe two?) when I’m shopping during one of these sales.

Sept. 8

  • Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer Pencil ($11.50, reg. $23): This is an incredibly popular eyebrow pencil. It’s honestly not my favorite but I’ve purchased a few of them. It has a very waxy and dry texture, and while I don’t want a super creamy formula that goes all over the place, I prefer something kind of in the middle. I find it a little hard to draw on brow hairs with this pencil, however, it’s pretty universally loved, so if you were wanting to try it, now is the time!
  • Ofra Cosmetics Highlighters – Online Only ($14.50 – $16, reg. $29 – $32): Ofra highlighters are incredibly popular for being extremely blinding. These highlighters are not for the person who wants a subtle, natural highlight. These highlighters are for the gals and guys who want to be able to signal space. I’m sort of interested in the NikkieTutorials Glazed Donut (which is a very bright, light highlight) in addition to Pillow Talk, which is a pearlescent pink shade. . I might be picking those up during the sale. TBD.

Sept. 9

  • Bare Minerals Mineral Veil Finish Powder ($11, reg. $23): If you are still using the Bare Minerals system, now might be the time to stock up on Mineral Veil since it’s half-off!
  • IT Brushes For Ulta Velvet Luxe Brush Collection ($12- $27, reg. $24 – $54): I don’t have any brushes from this collection myself, but I’ve looked at them in-store and they are all incredibly soft and well-made. If you are in the market for some new brushes, you might want to make a purchase on Sept. 9!
  • Exuviance Select Age Reverse ($39, reg $78): I have never used this skincare brand before but it’s regularly pretty expensive, so if you use anything from this line, it’s time to take advantage of the sale! The eye cream from this line looks nice but the reviews say it doesn’t wear well under makeup, so keep in mind that it may only be good for nighttime use. However, most of the reviews state that users have seen positive results, so I’m going to keep this brand in mind in the future. The serum looks really nice as well, especially for those with older skin.

Sept. 10

  • Flesh Beauty Highlighters – Online Only ($9-$14, reg. $18-$24): Much has been said about the product names from Flesh Beauty. I’ve said things about them, too. But the reviews are in for Flesh Beauty, and much of them have been positive. I do think the price-point for Flesh beauty is a bit high, so I think if you wanted to play around with some of their highlighter products, now would be a good time. They have highlighter drops, a cream stick and a powder highlighter, and I think the powder highlighter looks incredibly nice – and the shade range is awesome.

Sept. 11 & 12: Honestly, nothing really appeals to me on Sept. 11 or Sept. 12.

Sept. 13

  • Clarisonic Brush Heads ($13-$16, reg. $27-$32): If you have a Clarisonic, you know what a pain in the ass it is to have to continue to purchase expensive Clarisonic brush heads for around $30/each. I still have the old Clarisonic but may upgrade to the newer version this Christmas, so I may just get one new brush head to last me the next few months.
  • Velour Lashes – Online Only ($7-$14.50, reg. $14-$29): If you’ve ever wanted to try big Instagram glam lashes, then now is the time! Velour Lashes is now in Ulta and this is a great deal if you are interested in getting some fancy lashes at near drugstore prices. Full disclosure, I got a pair and they were way, way to big for my eyes. Obviously I know to cut them so they fit my eye shape, but the style I purchased just totally overwhelms my eye, so that was kind of disappointing. However, there are tons of different styles and everyone is different, so I’m sure you’d be able to find a pair that you love!

Sept. 14

  • Dose of Colors Matte Liquid Lipsticks – Online Only ($9, reg. 18): I’ve tried this formula before and as far as liquid lipsticks go, the formula is really nice. Yes, it dries matte, but I don’t feel like it’s too incredibly uncomfortable. I’m trying to tell myself that I don’t need these  but at $9, it’s kind of hard to resist. If you are a liquid lipstick lover, you should definitely try the Dose of Colors formula, and at $9 each, you’ll get a steal.

Sept. 15

  • Cover FX Perfect Setting Powder – Online Only ($17.50, reg. $35): I actually purchased this powder last year during the 21 Day Sale, and I still have it! This was the powder that all the Beauty Influencers were raving about before the Hourglass Veil Translucent Powder came out and everyone lost their shit. I’ll say that for me, this powder is just OK. I think I like the Laura Mercier one better, as I think it’s better for combo skin, but this is still a really excellent powder, and I think those with dry skin tend to really love this powder.
  • Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Cream – Online Only ($27.50, reg. $55): I haven’t tried this moisturizer myself, but one of my skincare-junkie friends is picking this up, so it’s got to be awesome.
  • Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum ($22.50, reg. $45): I’ve never tried this serum and while I’m always recommending Vitamin C serums, I am actually going to recommend against this one. I have not tried the formula – it might be great. However, the packaging of this is what worries me. Vitamin C is typically pretty unstable, and it’s best when it’s not exposed to the air. The Drunk Elephant and Ole Henriksen packaging, so I would recommend either of those Vitamin C serums over this one. Of course, you can’t get either one at Ulta, but I think they will be far more worth your money, even if you have to pay more.

Sept. 16

  • Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette ($24.50, reg. $49): The Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette is another one of those cult-favorite products. I never ended up picking it up myself, and at this point, I don’t have a need for another neutral palette. However, I have never heard anyone say ANYTHING bad about this palette, so if you were looking for a nice basic palette with a light pop of purple, you might really enjoy this palette. Bonus: It smells like chocolate.

Sept. 17

Sept. 18 & 19: Nothing really appeals to me on the 18th or 19th.

Sept. 20

Sept. 21

  • Patchology Flash Patch Rejuvinating Eye Gels – Online Only ($25, reg. $50): These are actually very tempting to me, because I feel like I would sort of feel like a celebrity if I could put these on while I am getting ready for a night out so my eyes would be extra bright and smooth. I wouldn’t be using these every day so I think they would last me awhile, and for $25 versus $50, I think that would be a nice deal.

Sept. 22

Whew. That was a long one. (That’s what she said?) But those are my Ulta 21 Day Sale Recommendations (and in a couple cases, my recommendations of what NOT to buy.) Let me know what you are looking to purchase during the sale! I want to know what you’re into (because there are a ton of products I didn’t even touch on!), so tell me in the comments below!

A self-proclaimed beauty junkie/hoarder with a serious Sephora problem. This blog is a total rationalization of that problem. Everything is TOTALLY fine. Her free time is a mixed combination of making fun of reality TV with her husband, hanging out with cats and finally trying to figure out how to do her hair.

1 Comment on Lauren’s Ulta 21 Days Of Beauty Sale Recommendations! | Boxy-Ladies

  1. Daughter, I am interested in the Bare Minerals’ Mineral Veil & the Clarisonic brushes. However, i’m not sure what size of brush to buy. Can i buy both at the store or do i have to order online?? 😳🙋🏻❤️
    PS Sephora was fun last weekend!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *