Sephora HAUL (by which I mean three products for $27)

I often fantasize about walking into a fancy department store and walking out with bags and bags of purchased goods, wearing pin heels, a little black dress, and a pair of shades to match. I'm not sure where the image comes from, though I think it's a strange conglomeration of East Asian dramas and Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Needless to say, neither my conscience nor my wallet really allows for that scenario. So the closest I will ever get to talking about a HAUL is on this occasion, wherein I have spent close to $30 buying three things that were on sale at Sephora.com. (I don't know why the word "haul" is so often displayed in all-caps—maybe to convey the thrill and excitement typographically?)

I'll talk about my two lip products later (the Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Snitch and the Too Faced Melted Latex Liquified High Shine Lipstick (what a name) in Love U, Mean It), but today I want to "review" the third product I bought, which is the First Aid Beauty Once Upon a Prime, a set that includes a primer and exfoliating pads.


First Aid Beauty is a cruelty-free cosmetics company that makes a tinted moisturizer that I want to try. Since I don't need that quite yet, though, I picked up the primer set that was on sale, just to try out their products.

So first, the Facial Radiance pads. The package includes 10 pads, which for me is more than enough to know whether something works with my skin. The PAO is 12 months, though given that the directions for use say you can use this once or twice daily... if I'm good about it, it will probably not take me that long to use up. I've used it a couple of times so far, and I think my reaction is, "meh". Maybe I used it on a day when I didn't need that much exfoliation, but I honestly couldn't tell if the product did anything for me—whereas with other chemical and physical exfoliants, I can usually tell the difference just by touch. One of the times I used this product it aggravated my skin somewhat, to the extent that the moisturizing mask I used afterwards stung. I don't know if I used the pad too aggressively, or if the mask contains weird chemicals... but I have a feeling that these exfoliating pads aren't something I'd buy to replace the other exfoliants I've been using so far.

Second, the Hello Fab Coconut Skin Smoothie Priming Moisturizer. Honestly, who comes up with these names? This priming moisturizer actually smells great, especially since I love anything and everything coconut. Soap, candle, lotion, ice cream, cupcake, priming moisturizer... if you have it, I will take it, in coconut flavor, thankyouverymuch. Anyway, the PAO is 12 months, and the product is labeled as being safe for sensitive skin, which is one of the reasons why I got it. I think it definitely does its job as a moisturizer, though I think it makes my face look... shiny? Like, not dewy, but kind of... greasy? Though I guess if I'm adding layers on top of it, maybe it doesn't really matter in the end. And given the fact that my face is perpetually dry, if I had to choose between being dry and being greasy, I would definitely take the latter.

I have in addition a bunch of other samples and testers that came with the shipment, so I feel like I'm going to have all sorts of things to review in the coming months—which is fabulous, because then I can prepare myself mentally and intellectually for my next giant haul. Probably in August. Yeah.