Rewards programs - It's SO worth it.

Points programs.  The 3 best are probably through Sephora, Ulta, & The Body Shop.

I'll start w/The Body Shop's Love Your Body program because this one you do pay for.  It's SO worth it though because the $10 you put into it, you get back on any purchase you make in your birth month!  You also get an additional 10% off any purchase & many times when they are having sales or promotions, they do not absorb the 10% into the discount they are already giving, but add it on additionally.  So say a sale is 20% off, the LYB will make it 30% off.  Many times they will also have special dates where LYB members can get 20%+ if using their card also.  So if something is already 20% off, you end up w/40% off.  I forgot specifically how the "points" & "qualifying purchases" work but I know you get a good chunk of change worth of $ off a product on the 4th, also the 8th point.  Plus on the 8th point they will renew your membership for FREE.  This is SO worth it.

Sephora has the Beauty Insider or V.I.B. (Very Important Beauty Insider) program.  You have to start off as a regular Beauty Insider account, which is absolutely free, but in order to qualify for the V.I.B. you have to spend $350 over the course of a year & get upgraded the next year.  These are SO worth it because for every $1 you spend you get a point, the points do not expire, & so you can hold onto them for different levels of point "perks."  These perks are usually for deluxe sample sized products at the 100 point mark, or full size products if you wait for the 500 point mark.  I just got an e-mail for the 500 point perk they are now giving away a really cute Dior charm bracelet w/Addict to Life.  I'll be honest, I usually get a lot of stuff through Ulta now because their overall prices are cheaper, they have more coupons, & I can find more stuff there in an overall beauty trip, but there are a lot of products where the prices are set the same between the 2 companies.  But I can always find a ton of promo codes for deluxe samples when placing an order w/them, plus you can pick 3 extra samples when ordering online, & a free program to get points to eventually get free products... it's SO worth it.

Ulta also has its own rewards programs.  2 actually.  Ultamate rewards & The Club at Ulta rewards.  I really have no clue what the difference is as it seems one in the same & the fact that the Ultamate rewards doesn't go into detail about what's so different about it.  I know The Club at Ulta will send you a reward certificates when eligible, & special offers through mail & when shopping in their store.  It almost seems better.  This is SO worth it because, again, it's free!  Now I have had some trouble with Ulta though.  My online account keeps getting deleted for some reason, maybe because I shop in their stores instead of online.  I have to keep re-entering my card number & it never shows me what my point balance is when I do.  It really has been a frustration w/them.  But, it has given me some really good deals in store.  Like Sephora, deluxe samples, BOGO items.  It still is SO worth it.

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I took a bath tonight w/a Lush bath ballistic.  Had no idea what it was.  To save on packing when I get my huge UK orders they usually don't individually wrap them so I have to guess what's what.  Usually isn't a difficult game to play.  I took it out of my stash & it looked like a Dragon's Egg but after I put it in the water I was pleasantly surprised by the spicy scent, light glitter, & amazing oils that filled my tub.  I do know it is not in their line of products for this holiday.  So sad because I would have stocked up on this one!

In addition I used Almond Fudge Milkshake as shampoo & body wash from Philosophy, and some Brazil Nut body butter from The Body Shop.

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I really started my holiday shopping months ago.  I kind of do it year round if I see things I like.  I am not a crazy shopper on Black Friday & will, most likely, be disappointed in the deals that I find online on Cyber Monday, just like last year. (It was quite sad.)

Something to maybe check out though, The Body Shop has a bag that will be available in stores on the 25th, but online on the 24th.  Last year it was filled with a TON of products & Jolly Orange items, which I love!  This year they say it's an 8 piece exclusive set, valued at $120.  Last year you had to buy other products & spend so much then pay, if I remember correctly, $25 to get the bag but it was SO worth it.  Those details have not yet been released.  This I am excited for!