ulta haul!

Hey guys!

Boy, am I happy to FINALLY be bring you this post. I have been shaking with excitement for almost a month and half while waiting for this package to arrive. Of all stores I want in Australia, I want an Ulta Beauty. Seriously, imagine; drugstore and high end makeup, all conveniently in one store at US prices. Oh, it would make me oh so happy.

Unfortunately, my dream will probably never come true, and as such if I want to visit Ulta and get all up in its cosmetic goodness, I have to either go to the US again or use a shipping service in order to get a piece of the action. In this case, I went with the latter.

I used a shipping service for the first ever time called PriceUSA to order from Ulta. Basically, you write down what you want from your store of choice, and they have partners in the US who then purchase it for you, provide an American address and then send it on to Australia. Obviously, shipping is obscene, but I figured since I was saving so much money buying it from the US market, why not go a little crazy? So I did.

Nearly all the items I got in this haul are products that I have wanted forever, and have just never got around to buying (or refused to pay the Australian price, either or). These only arrived last week (if you follow me on Instagram, you may have already been privy to this), so I haven't had a chance to use all products, or form an opinion. Basically, I'll just be telling you what I brought in this haul and why I am too excited to use it.

Read on to see what I got! 

I got two palettes this time - the Lorac Pro Palette and the Stila In The Light Palette. How excited was I to receive these? Way too excited. So excited I couldn't even stop squealing when I opened them up, and I haven't even swatched them yet!

(I haven't swatched them as I will be doing a first impression of them, and a tutorial for both here on my blog. Lucky you ;) )

If you keep up on make up news, you would know that this palette is the be all end all for so many Youtubers and Bloggers alike. This has been on my wishlist forever, and I was actually so excited when I went to the US (it was the number 1 palette on my buy list), but unfortunately Sephora decided to discontinue it just in time for me to arrive. Thanks guys.

At the time that I was in the US, I was in New York and there was no Ulta in the immediate area that I had access to. As far as I know, this is the only place that the palette is available to be brought at the moment. Apart from their website, I guess. Oh, and it isn't available in Australia. At all. You're welcome.

The palette is actually really quite skinny. I don't know what I was expecting, but it is definitely thinner than I imagined. But, it is long, has a big mirror and it holds the most beautiful shadows; eight mattes and eight shimmers. It is just so pretty to look at. Plus it came with a sample size of one of their eyeshadow primers, which is a nice little bonus. Overall, really really really excited to use this and thanking the cosmetic gods above that I finally get to have this in my life.

This retails in Ulta for $42US, and as I said, it isn't available in Australia but it would equal around $50AU when it is converted.

Another cult favourite, the Stila In The Light palette has also been high on my wishlist. I think I forgot about it in the US because of all the excitement surrounding me at the time, but if I had been in my right frame of mind (i.e. not jet lagged), I have no doubt that I would already be owning this. Of course, I was drawn to this because it has Kitten in it, which looks to be as good as everyone says it is.

This looks like the perfect all occasion palette. It has both matte and shimmer shades that you can dress down or up depending on how you want to use it. I can honestly see this being as good for everyday use as it would be for a night out. So excited to use this and create some great looks!

I paid $39US from Ulta, and I know it is available in Sephora for the same price. For us Aussies, this is available from www.beautybay.com for $43.90AU, or in Mecca Cosmetica (in store or online) for $62AU.

I also got the Real Techniques Blush Brush and Miracle Complexion Sponge. I love the Real Techniques brushes, I really do. I have the Expert Face Brush and Powder Brush, and love both so much. The only problem is their price here in Australia. I was planning to make an order from iHerb, and I probably still will at some point, but I figured they cost the same in Ulta, so I may as well save myself more shipping costs and get the two of their products that I really wanted.

I have wanted the Blush Brush forever, I just see everyone using it to put their bronzer on and I've always been impressed with how it applies product. The sponge isn't available in Australia yet, but I love my Beauty Blender, and if this is just as good as that I won't be repurchasing it for sure!

I brought the Blush Brush for $8.99US, and the Miracle Complexion Sponge for $5.99US. The brush is available in Priceline for $22.99AU, or both are available from iHerb for the US prices.

The two face products that I got this time (like I needed more) was the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness and another L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation. The Bye Bye Redness was one of the main reasons (the other being the Lorac palette) that I really wanted to purchase from Ulta over other American beauty stores. I have spoken about my issues with redness and it is something that I am self conscious about. This is a neutralizing correcting crème specifically for redness. Say what? Of course I needed it.

The L'Oreal True Match Lumi is a favourite foundation of mine (I have three other bottles), but because my skin tone is usually all over the place as I self tan, I haven't been able to use them because they are not the right tone or colour for me at the moment. So I purchased this in W3, which does suit me when I am self tanned (yay!), so I can finally wear it! I really do love this foundation, it is perfect for everyday wear and just gives the right amount of dewiness without looking oily.

It Cosmetics is not available in Australia, online or otherwise (sorry..), but I paid $32US for it. The L'Oreal foundation was $12.99US, but retails for $33.95AU in most Australians retailers. You can see why I went overseas to purchase this newer bottle.

The last two products I brought were thanks to Jaclyn Hill. She empties my pockets faster than any marketing campaigns, seriously. These two beauties are the Tarte Amazonian Butter Lipstick in Golden Pink and the Maybelline Colour Elixir in Petal Plush.

I only own a couple of things from Tarte. As I was over in the US for Thanksgiving, their holiday sets were available in Sephora. I got two of the sets, one being the Off the Cuff Palette, which has four blushes and one bronzer. The other was their Lip Surgence Set which had eight lip surgences, four mattes and four lacquers. Thus beginning yet another love affair. Except, Tarte isn't available in Australia to my knowledge. Boo, hiss. But I love this lipstick, I have been using this non-stop since I received it. It is the perfect pink, a little sheer and so moisturising. Will definitely be purchasing more of these!

The Maybelline Colour Elixir is probably old news to the American market, but it hasn't even hit Australian shores yet. We haven't even got so much as a release date. So, of course I jumped at the chance to own one! I have only swatched this, and it looks beautiful! A lovely pink, and the lipgloss formula feels awesome. I don't feel any stickiness, and it looks like it has some staying power. This could change once I actually use it on my lips though.

I brought the Tarte lipstick for $16US (which is cheaper than most Australian drugstore lipsticks, just by the by), and the Maybelline Colour Elixir was $8.99US. Neither are available in Australia, so I cannot give you an Australian price, but I'm guessing once the Colour Elixir is released, it will retail for at least $15-16AU.

Oh! And look at the samples I got! How fantastic is this. How the freak did Ulta know I have wanted to try the Benefit Hello Flawless Foundation? And you wonder why I need an Ulta in my life forever. I got two little samples in that package, a sample size of the Lorac POREfection Primer and some Butter London Facial Wipes. I am seriously impressed with the generosity with samples from Ulta, I can use all of them and have even considered purchasing some of them before.

And that's it for my Ulta haul post! I will 100% be returning and purchasing more goodies from there - honestly the money we Aussies save is amazing, plus there are so many more products available to the US than there is to Australia. Who doesn't want a piece of that?!

Have you tried any of these products? Is there anything on your wishlist that you think should be on mine?

Until next time...

xxxx

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