LipLab Love

Let me start out by saying that I am not a big makeup person. I routinely wear sunglasses in my blog posts because I do not wear makeup. Not to work, not for photos, not to run errands, literally the only time I do is when going out. So when I received some complimentary Bite Beauty products I was shocked how much I loved them. It was easy for me to look put together with just some under eye baggie coverup, mascara and some great Bite Beauty lipstick!

Fast forward about a month and both my mom and little sister love all the Bite Beauty products and are routinely stopping at Sephora to pick up more products. So when I heard about the Bite Beauty Lip Lab in SF I knew I had to take my mom there for her birthday present.

Located in Pacific Heights, the Lip Lab has a couple different options when it comes to customizing your lipstick. I did the more basic package call the “Custom Lip Service” getting one unique Lip Lab only color (there is over 200 to pick from), with my choice of scent and texture for $55. (You can also do two for $80.) I got for my mom the highest package called the “Bespoke Lip Service“. Her package came with a lip kit which includes a mini agave lip mask, mini line and define lip primer and a whipped cherry lip scrub along with two completely unique lipsticks.

It says online that this process takes about 15-30 minutes but my mom and I spent about 2 hours mixing her the perfect two colors and me just trying on different colors. Be ready to try on lots of colors and be open to colors you didn’t think you would necessarily like. Also keep in mind that you are not only trying on different colors but also different textures so be ready to make lots of decisions. You will assemble what is called your “Lip Story” or all the different colors you have tried on. From there (especially with the specially mixed colors) you will choose one to two to be made for you depending on the package you choose. The actual mixing and making process is relatively quick taking only about 10 minutes.

Overall I loved the process and I think it helped that we had Carly who knew all the colors/color combinations really well. I am planning on going back, potentially with all my bridesmaids to get custom colors for the wedding. My two big recommendations are to make a reservation and to make sure that you have lots of time to enjoy the process!

*** Also note this is in no way sponsored! I just love sharing cool opportunities with you all!

Valentino for Under Retail!

If you are like me you have been seeing this beautiful Valentino rockspike stud bag all over instagram and ever time I saw the bag my automatic reaction was I NEED that. But with the price tag soaring over $3,000 with tax I knew it wasn’t in my current price range. So in typical Sam fashion I was like why don’t I just look online to see if I can find one for way under retail. And as I was searching I came across a website called Italist.

Italist is a website that allows you to shop boutiques in Italy. That means that you are paying lower prices to begin with as prices for luxury goods are cheaper in Europe (even with the conversion rate)! Plus they guarantee that everything you purchase is 100% authentic. So after reading some reviews about the company I decided to give it a try as I ended up finding the bag I wanted for a cheaper price that was then 25% off that price brining the bag I wanted to around $1,450!

Pros- The bag I wanted for wayyyy under retail, a great selection of items, very fast shipping.

Cons- Since my bag was over $800 USD I had to pay important tax and regular tax (this was through brought to my attention before I ordered the bag) plus I had to pay shipping. So the price you initially see is not the price you pay so keep that in mind for ordering an item over $800 USD.

Plus if buying straight from Italy isnt your thing I included some great bags from Fashionhpile and The Real Real.

 

Valentino Rockstud Spike Small Bag

Color- Poudre

Retail-$2,195

Price- $1,459.12

Valentino Rockstud Spike Clutch

Color- Shadow Pink

Retail- $1,545

Price- $1,129.64

Rockstud Crossbody Bag

Color- Black

Retail- $1,275

Price- $866.05

Vitello Rockstud Shoulder Flap Bag Black

Color- Black

Retail- $2,645

Price- $1,295

Rockstud Mini Flap

It’s new with tags

Retail- $1,045

Price- $895 (use code REAL for 20% off)