Whoring for Samples and Expensive French Perfume

Somehow, I have made it onto at least fifty e-mail lists.

One company that I regularly receive e-mails from is Sephora.  Which is dangerous with a capital "D"  because I am SUCH a sucker for gimmicky crap.

And Benefit cosmetics is one of the worst offenders of gimmicks and kitch.

And when they put gimmicks, kitchiness and make-up into value sets and sell them on Sephora, then send a picture of the set out in an email advertising it?  I am ALL OVER that shiz.

I received an email advertising this promotion earlier this week.  I think I was one of the first ones to buy it.  Not even kidding.

• kit includes:
• CORALista coral-pink cheek powder 3.0 g Net wt. 0.1 oz.
• high beam luminescent complexion enhancer 2.5 mL / 0.08 US fl. oz.
• moon beam iridescent complexion enhancer 2.5 mL / 0.08 US fl. oz.
• 5 shade eyeshadow palette 5.0 g Net wt. 0.18 oz.
• BADgal lash mascara 4.0 g Net wt. 0.14 oz.
• full size life on the A list lip gloss 5.0 mL / 0.17 US fl. oz.
• fluff shadow/hard angle brush

After I bought "Her Name Was Glowla," I was on a bit of a freakish make-up/cosmetic high,  so I sort of went beserk and bought Thierry Mugler's Angel, too.

I wasn't going to, but I was at Dillards and I was smelling it and admiring the gift set and I remarked to the saleslady what an awesome value the set was.

You know how I feel about value.

The set had a .85 ounce refillable perfume, a shower gel and a large tube of perfumed lotion.

(I used that shower gel the other day, and it is seriously like NO OTHER shower gel I have ever used.  Ever.  Forget that Bath and Body Works crap...this was the real thing.  It was fine  ~in a luxurious type of way ~ and just felt like if I wanted to buy a full-sized bottle was going cost me much more than I really wanted to pay for shower gel.)

Angel:  Bergamot, Hedione, Helional, Honey, Dewberry, Red Berries, Vanilla, Caramel, Patchouli, Chocolate, Coumarin.

Anyway,  as I thought harder about it at the store, I hadn't purchased a new perfume in a long, long time.
I think it was in Aruba when I first learned I was knocked up with Maggie and that was over three years ago.    

So obviously, I needed something different.   I "hmm'd" and "haw'd" and the sales lady started playing hardball.

She spoke in broken English, anyway, and I wasn't catching all that she was saying, but I made out,  "....buy gift set, ...give... samples.  You like samples?"

Oh, hell yes, I like samples.

And then, using that same, sneaky hardball sample technique, she got me to sign up for a credit card.

I didn't want to do it, but she promised me more samples.

I haven't been to the mall in ages, and apparently the mechanism that allows me to say, "no thanks" has become rusty with disuse.

I must have been so predictable and had pushover written all over me.

For mere samples, she sold me a rather pricey (albeit a good deal) French perfume set and got me to sign up for the department store credit card.  She must have been working on commission.

I do have to say, however, some of the samples I received were pretty cool.  My husband is going to be smelling pretty awesome for a long time.

This is my favorite that he is wearing.  He smells pretty hawt.

Thierry Mugler A'Men:  Lavender, Bergamot, Helional, Aldehydes, Peppermint, Roasted Coffee, Patchouli, Caramel, Tonka Bean, Tar, Musk, Vanilla, Chocolate.

"You come back to me, I give you more samples," said the sales lady as I walked away with the gift set and a bag full of perfume vials.

Yeah, it was a pretty effective way of getting me back to her.

"I'll come back to you....and ONLY you,"  I wanted to call and blow her a kiss as I waved good-bye and floated out of the store.

"For samples, I will do just about anything you ask.  Just about anything."