This post is in partnership with Ulta Beauty.
"Sales, sales, sales, sales, sales I do adore." Ulta Beauty has us sangin' with the drop of their 21 Days of Beauty sale! What does this mean? Let me fill you in. One of the biggest beauty sales of the year is currently underway, so mark your calendars and get your girlfriends because it's time to ball on a budget!
Let's be real, most of us either have or need a budget for our beauty needs. It can cost some major coins finding the right cleansers, the right beauty service, or the right brow pencils that will keep our eyebrows on fleek. Ulta Beauty has the game on lock. Each week, the beauty retailer will offer 50% or more off of various products for one day only.
Yes, that's right, this is the perfect opportunity for you to try all of those new products you've had your eyes on. Now you get to throw it in the bag for half the price! Products range from makeup to skincare and more.
The sale runs from March 15 to April 4 — that's almost a full month of deals. Keep in mind that the Ulta Beauty deals vary from week-to-week and there are new deals every day on-sale for a 24-hour window. We'll be releasing a new article for each week, so make sure you check back with us so you don't miss a sale!
Now get ready, mark your calendar and literally shop until you drop!
Let's get into the week 1 (March 15 - March 21) deals:
What’s On Sale For Sunday, March 15
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
Anastasia Beverly Hills is the GOAT when it comes to getting the perfect brow. You can get up to 50% off of their ultra sleek and precise brow pencils. Trust me, your brows will thank you later.
Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum
Mario Badescu skincare products have been a game-changer since he hit us with the facial spray; now you can get his Vitamin C Serum at Ulta Beauty. Vitamin C Serum is your key to more supple, youthful-looking skin.
Mario Badescu Super Peptide Serum
Another Mario Badescu find that's coming in clutch during the 21 Days Of Beauty sale is his Super Peptide Serum. This rejuvenating serum works wonders by hydrating the skin while diminishing visible signs of aging.
What’s On Sale For Monday, March 16
Lancôme La Base Pro Oil Free Primer
It can be tough finding a good primer that helps your makeup stay on longer. Get 50% off of Lancôme La Base Pro Oil Free Primer for a seamless and vibrant beat.
Kopari Deodorant
If you're looking for vegan, aluminum-free deodorant, Kopari Beauty CBD Deodorant may be for you. It glides on clear with a long-lasting wear and is free of baking soda and not tested on animals.
What’s On Sale For Tuesday, March 17
BareMinerals Mineral Veil Finishing Powder
This is for ladies who like a soft natural makeup look. The BareMinerals Mineral Veil Translucent Finishing Powder also has SPF 25, so you can complete your look and protect your skin at the same time.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream
Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream is an Elemis bestseller and is now available at a discounted price as an Ulta Beauty exclusive. Known for its gel-cream texture and anti-aging moisturizing properties, this beauty find is the Fountain of Youth in a jar. And we are living for it!
What’s On Sale For Wednesday, March 18
Estee Lauder DayWear 24H-Moisture Crème Broad Spectrum SPF 15
If aging or moisture is a concern for you, you might want to pick up some of Estée Lauder's moisture creme. The 24-hour moisturizer contains SPF 15 and helps prevent signs of premature aging. Whether aging is a concern for you or not, it's always a good idea to get a headstart before it becomes a major concern.
Juice Beauty Stem Cell Booster Serum
The Juice Beauty Stem Cell Booster Serum is formulated with an organic base of botanical juices, a blend of fruit stem cells and Vitamin C to reduce wrinkles, moisturize and provide essential fatty acid and powerful antioxidant action to the skin.
What’s On Sale For Thursday, March 19
Select Lashes
Who doesn't need a good pair of lashes (or two)? Ulta Beauty will also offer 50% off of select faux mink lashes, so grab yourself a couple for every occasion — work, date night, or your next girls' night out!
Shiseido Essential Energy Moisturizing Cream
The silky smooth moisturizing cream is the go-to for visibly smooth and deeply hydrated skin that glows. It counteracts dullness, dryness and the appearance of fine lines. This non-comedogenic beauty style is also dermatologist-tested and free of parabens and mineral oils.
Clinique Acne Clinical Clearing Gel
The daily acne treatment is formulated to create clear skin by clearing existing blemishes and preventing new ones. It's also allergy tested and free of fragrance, oil, and parabens.
What’s On Sale For Friday, March 20
Becca Ultimate Love Lipstick & Lip Definers
Becca Ultimate Love Lipsticks & Lip Definers offer a moisturizing, long-lasting (8 hours to be exact), satin lip color. It contains hyaluronic acid to hydrate and smooth the appearance of your lips. Choose from their wide variety of colors ranging from red and pink to neutral tones.
Exuviance Performance Peel AP25
The creators of the original Glycolic Acid Peel introduce a performance peel that improves fine lines and wrinkles, creates a more even skin tone, helps refine pores, and smooths skin texture. This is originally a $79 purchase that will drop to less than $40 on March 20.
Benefit Badgal BANG! Mascara
Bring out your inner bad gal with Benefit's Badgal BANG! Mascara. It will give you natural voluminous lashes without smudging or weighing down your lashes. It's also water-resistant and has a 36-hour wear guarantee.
What’s On Sale For Saturday, March 21
Tarte Shape Tape Concealer
Tarte's Shape Tape Concealer is America's #1 Concealer Brand according to the NPD Group, Inc* and now it's exclusively available at Ulta Beauty. Even better, it's 100% vegan with a full-coverage formula that helps brighten, smooth and give the skin a more lifted and brightened look.
Tula Day & Night Cream
Tula 24-7 Moisture Hydrating Day & Night Cream | Ulta BeautyThe creamy whipped moisturizer is full of naturally-derived probiotics and superfoods that give an even, glowing, and youthful-looking complexion. The 2-in-1 product is light enough to wear under makeup during the day and hydrating enough for your nighttime routine.
*Source: The NPD Group, Inc./U.S. Prestige Beauty Total Measured Market, Makeup Sales. Jan 2018-Dec 2018
Featured image by Shutterstock
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
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Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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