Hi friends!
So lately I have been having a bit of a tough time. No, it’s nothing serious – I am very spoiled and live a lovely life and really have nothing to complain about. But that won’t stop me from trying! My problem is that it has been sale time at almost all of the cosmetics stores here… and I am on a self-imposed, indefinite spending ban! ㅠㅠ (that’s a Korean crying face, and it’s expressing my emotions in ways words never could!)
This has been hard for me… because I like to blow my cash on products I rarely (until now!) get round to using. We may as well call a spade a spade, right?! I’m a sucker for a good-looking package and a nice fragrance (in both cosmetics and men! Badum tish) and am pretty easily won over (…by cosmetics only). The thing is, in Korea the skincare stores have sales pretty regularly, with only a few notable exceptions (cough Skinfood, you exorbitant, delicious mongrels). So it really isn’t a big deal, unless you have the memory of a goldfish like me and regularly forget about the treasure trove in your closet in order to focus on the shiny new things in the stores! Sa shiny and purdy… and discounted!
This evening Gav and I actually visited Missha and Nature Republic, as I literally haven’t been inside those stores in probably two months now (yes, things have gotten that serious). But, you will be pleased to know I didn’t buy anything! Not a one! It was hard but I actually get a bit stressed out thinking of having more stuff in my nice new house, and I really want to get through some things. Sample Hime (who has a lovely blog) recently mentioned having an incentive program for finishing products (ie. finish 5 and buy a new one) which is a great idea, although I am going to try and finish them all before doing so! Note: this may or may not actually happen.
Soooo all of this leads me to today’s post. Since I haven’t been buying anything, I want to live vicariously through my hauls. The pictures I took when the products were young, fresh and pretty… instead of the old dusty toads they are now! Lol I kid, they are still beautiful in their own way (and they are sealed for freshness) 😉
This particular haul from Nature Republic (unfortunately) included many items meant as gifts, so I won’t necessarily get to try them (although I wouldn’t put it past me). The good news is that means I’m not hoarding them! This was probably my biggest ever purchase (so far) from Nature Republic, and I landed quite a few samples because of it:
My Purchased Nature Republic Items:
Botanical Pore Pact
Botanical Lipstick
Hawaiian Fresh Coffee Body Scrub (this smells AMAZING)
Natural Drop Facial Mist in Angel’s Tears (sob!)
Nature Vitamin Facial Mist in Vitamin E (x2)
Hand & Nature Cherry Blossom Hand Cream
Hand & Nature Apple Moist Hand Lotion
Given By Nature Mask Sheets in Chestnut, Bamboo, Black Bean and Charcoal
Foot Mask (phew!)
My Samples:
Snail Solution 70 Cream (x5!)
Super Origin CC Cream (x4!)
The First Number One Essence (x2)
Make-Up Remover Cotton Pads (x3!)
This was an epic haul that occurred just before I went to Perth, and so I was able to justify it by telling myself it’s okay to go nuts on Korean cosmetics when it’s for other people. D’uh! The facial mists were all gifts, as was the coffee scrub – although it smells so good I went back during the next sale and bought one for myself. Oops!
Over the months I have accrued a number of samples in the Snail Solution 70 range, whose Essence I will be reviewing tomorrow in Sample Sundays (hint: it’s positive!). Another time when I went later at night, the girls working there (my friends, I like to call them) loaded me up with these samples, so I’m stocked up. I may just end up doing a bigger review on the range soon, because I really do have the whole Snail Solution 70 facial routine ready to go 🙂
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this romantic stroll down memory lane with me. I know I did! Reviewing my items and hauls makes me feel a lot better about my current spending limits. I have also been doing a lot of online window shopping, which may just be about as sad as it gets. But it (almost) gives me the same satisfaction as a purchase, so I’m taking that as a win!
I hope you’ve had a great weekend, I happened to create a Misc Bliss Instagram this morning, with the first photo featuring me in my pyjamas and no make-up. It’s pretty amazing, that’s all I’ll say 😉 Thanks for reading, see y’all tomorrow 🙂
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Steph x
Oh this is a great idea hahaha! I too get nostalgic when I look at my very first official Korean makeup hauls from last year—better yet, I associate certain songs with them LOL. Clearly shopping makes too many good memories for me haha. I know what you mean buying so many things and barely using them, a lot of the time because of sales. Those brands seriously know how to get you to open your wallet…I always find ways to justify it. 😛 Nature Republic is one of those brands I haven’t had enough experience with yet–what are your absolute favorite products from them? Don’t worry, you’re not the only person who falls prey to pretty packaging, cheap prices, and good quality products. 😛 I can’t resist whenever I see Korean makeup in real life especially, even when it’s marked up here in the US. Thanks for linking my blog …..> I’m proud to say I may be almost done with a cream for the first time since Mizon Snail Cream last year LOL.
Lol it’s so true, I am so unreasonably attached to these hauls. This past weekend was so hard for me with all those sales! But I restrained myself… just. So far my faves from Nature Republic are the Super Aqua Max cream and the Argan 20 Steam Emulsion, so yummy! And no probs re: the link, I love your blog and have started visiting every day! I am living vicariously through your reviews and hauls hehe, it’s great 🙂 and good work with the empty product! I am getting there and actually finishing some things too, I can hardly believe it 😉