Birthday Freebies for Novembers

Over the years I've learned a very important lesson regarding picking up my free birthday gifts...do it before Thanksgiving! Aside from when I worked in a mall I generally try to avoid them during the holiday season.  Thank goodness for online shopping.

I've gotten them though from both Sephora and ULTA.  All about the lips this year.  

Must say that I'm pretty happy with the lip gloss from ULTA which is an $18 value and in a pretty pink shade...you can never really have too many lip glosses if you ask me.  I never did receive my birthday e-mail from ULTA and went ahead and used their "Contact Us" info on their website.  Based off some comments I read on FB I'm not the only one who did not receive the e-mail.  

The nice thing about Sephora is that you don't need to have an e-mail redemption code, you just visit the store give them your phone number (or Beauty Insider card...but who carries that around?) and they give you your treat.  This year it was a set of 2 Nars lip pencils.  I'm a little more fond of the lighter shade.  In general Nars is a little out of my price range, but something I do like to splurge on from time to time.  

The super bonus about these is that they are calorie free.  I feel like the majority of birthday clubs come from various restaurants for burgers and desserts.  I'll take the make up every time it lasts longer anyway. 

Cheers to you (& happy birthday to me).

A very merry Unbirthday for me

 When I was little my mom would sometimes pick up a bakery cake for no particular reason and she'd have them put "Merry Unbirthday" on it. She is  a fun lady like that. We'd also throw a party in the spring (usually May) because the weather was nicer and we didn't have to compete with the holidays.  

I think I'd like to go back to that.  As my 35th birthday is approaching I'm very aware of the fact that this is just not my season.  This particular time of year hits me pretty hard (as it has for the last several years).  Call it what you want "holiday blues" or whatever, I just find that for me everything begins a downhill slide after Halloween and doesn't necessarily pick up until sometime in the new year.  

I'd like to be cheerful for everyone and go out and celebrate and have fun for my birthday, but the further we get into the November/December holiday crush the more it seems like too much effort. 2016 then will be the year I bring back the Unbirthday.


My reasoning behind picking an Unbirthday:  

1. I am more of a summer person.
2. Summer has better holidays (4th of July fireworks beat Thanksgiving turkey).
3. It stays lighter later (I'm not adjusting to this time change well).
4. I prefer iced tea to pumpkin spice anything.
5. I'm not fond of the November birthstone (Topaz).
6. Better beach and brunch weather.
7. Alice in Wonderland is one of my all time favorite Disney movies.