4/22/2011

Break the Bank (on a Budget!)

Want to know how to get the polishes you want without going over budget? Coupons and club cards! I have a limit for myself not to go over $10 dollars a bottle of polish. This does mean I miss out on some, but I was able to snag a $12.50 bottle of OPI from the Designer Series for less!

Here's what I got at Ulta recently. OPI "DS Reflection", Ulta brand "Jaded", Ulta brand "Little Black Dress", and Nicole "Love Your Life."

Purchase details: When you are a member of Ulta's club card program, when you buy, you earn "levels" which you can use to get totally free stuff! This time, I got a level 4. I chose to split that up and get one item from the level 1 section (free Ulta brand polish, not the professional line, just their regular stuff, same difference to me), and one item from the level 3 section (free salon brand polish up to $8.50). Even though the OPI was more ($12.50) they let me use the coupon and just took $8.50 off the price. DS for $4! Also, anytime you buy any of Ulta brands products (not just polish- but any makeup, excludes professional line of polish) you can get one at equal or lesser value free! Both Ulta brand polishes were $5, got both free! In the Sunday paper this week, there was a coupon for $1 off any Nicole polish (vendor coupon- so it's good anywhere that sells Nicole) so I grabbed one of those too. Total purchase cost- $11.90! LESS THAN THE ONE OPI POLISH I WANTED! Score!

Why I picked these polishes:
OPI DS Reflection- It's just so pretty! Totally my color and the glitter in it is really pretty and subtle.
Ulta Jaded- Looked like a peacock feather! Blue and green and in the bottle it even shined a little bit purple too!
Ulta LBD- I don't have any black. I won't wear it alone, but I needed it for adding details like polka dots- or Mickey Mouse heads for when I go to Disney this summer! I wanted a flat black, this has shimmer, but it was the only black they had in the Ulta brand and hey- free is free!
Nicole Love Your Life- Just looked like a fun topcoat. It's pink hearts floating in pink glitter.

Here's what I tried out first:
Reflection on my nails
It dried fast!!!! Two coats was perfect, but it was still a little dull without topcoat. I put Seche Vite on top and- perfection!

Jaded on my toes
Pretty, but I think it looked better in the bottle. This is two coats. I might add some glitter topcoat on it later.

P.S. I've had a full-spectrum lamp this whole time that I use for crafts- don't know why I never thought of using it for my nail photos! Big improvement. I'll be using it from now on since these turned out so much better! :)

2 comments:

Jenny and Kaylie said...

this is so awesome! I wish i could find deals like that.
unfortunately we don't have an ulta where i live.
although, i do own that nicole by opi polish, and i got it on sale for only $3.00!! i was very happy, lol.

Lindsay H. said...

Thanks! That's too bad you don't have Ulta. It's my go-to nail polish place. But I'm finding more and more quality polish in the randomest places! Target and Walmart are selling Essie, and my Kroger has a small display of OPI!