Look at what you did!
I was minding my own No-Buy 2015 business and you had to go and announce the closure of all 133 of your Canadian stores. Nothing triggers my hoarding drive than when companies either discontinue products or when they leave (see Illamasqua, Jacob, 2014).
Are you happy now?

What choice did I have but to go stock up on stuff?
I bought 10 bags of the up&up exfoliating cotton rounds, 45 count each ($2.69 per pack). The up&up brand is Target’s private label brand, and I have never seen another brand offer an exfoliating cotton round similar to this. I use this about once a week – at this rate, the 450 pieces will last me almost 9 years. A woman spied my basket full of these and asked if they were on clearance. Nope they aren’t, I just love them so much that I need to stock up on (ahem hoard) them.
THEN, I bee-lined for the Sonia Kashuck display (this brand is exclusive to Target). I had been putting off getting some specific items from this brand.
These items fell into my basket:
- Sonia Kashuk Eye Couture Eye on Neutral Shimmer #3 palette $19.99
- Sonia Kashuk # 28 Medium Eye Shadow Brush $10.79
- Sonia Kashuk # 29 Domed Blusher Brush $17.19
- Sonia Kashuk # 02 Blusher Brush $17.39
- Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen in Copper Glow $12.00
I need another eye shadow or makeup brush like a hole in the head. But I’ve had my eye on that palette for a while now due to all the online raves. I would have either picked up the matte or the shimmer version but the matte one was all gone. I got the 2nd last one of the shimmer palette. Pixi is another Target exclusive brand and I’ve wanted to try this eyeliner for a long time. I have no excuses for those brushes, I just love brushes. I am weak.
I’ll do thorough reviews on these items in the future.
I picked up just 1 completely impulse item:
I haven’t decided if I’m going to keep this or give it to my sister. Let me rant a little: I noticed on the sticker that this was on clearance for $8.99 marked down from $29.99. I turn over the card and it reads $19.99. Was that the US price? This is the one of the reasons why you failed, Target. Canadians are sick and tired of being ripped off.
The Target store was noticeably busier, I guess with people looking for bargains. The handful of times I went to Target, I would often walk out empty-handed because items were either not in stock or the prices weren’t compelling enough. I have been to Target in the US and it was such a novelty, an overall better shopping experience. I am sad that they only gave it less than 2 years before leaving Canada.
Here are a few pictures of the Target beauty department:




Save for the impulse jewellery purchase, all of the items were not on clearance yet. But I know that the items I wanted will be sold out by the time they go on clearance. I saw some 30% off clearance signs mostly in the clothing and home decor departments.
So I broke my No-Buy 2015 already. BUT, I do feel a sense of accomplishment in that:
- I only stuck to brands that were exclusive to Target which I won’t have easy access to once Target closes (oh but I was drawn to the bin of clearance Nicole by OPI nail polishes)
- I did have other brushes and more shades of the eyeliner in my basket, but I put them back. For a fleeting moment, I was tempted to buy up the entire stock of the cotton rounds but I restricted myself to only 10 packs.
It’s the little things that I have to acknowledge.
Monday, Day 1.
Such a relatable post!! I too was so upset by the Target announcement! The Sonia Kashuk products look fantastic. I’ve always been a huge fan of her brushes! Glad you were able to get in a final haul!!
Illana
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I can’t wait to try the brushes! It’ll be interesting once Target goes on full clearance mode. I don’t think I’ll go back in to get anything else, will you be going to a Target to check it out?
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Hahaha I never knew anyone who would break their new year resolution within 2 weeks! You and your justifying attempts!
On the other hand, I can’t wait until you decided to purge 😛
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I can rationalize every purchase in my head. At least I fessed up! I could have concealed my purchases haha.
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I was pretty bummed about Target closing too, mostly because of the makeup department. I did get some good 30% off deals, like on nail polish and things. Sad to see Pixi & Sonia Kashuk go 😦
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Yes, I’m gutted that we were teased with access to Sonia Kashuk and then now it’s gone. I haven’t braved the crowds since the sales started. I honestly don’t *need* any more makeup, and I know I would be enticed by the deals. Glad you were able to take advantage of the sales!
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The other reason Target failed in Canada, besides obscenely jacking up their prices, is that they never brought a lot of the products up here that Canadians go to the US to buy. We got double-shafted, unfortunately. Had they done some proper market research & used it to not only their advantage – but also ours – they never would’ve bombed here. As someone who always made a stop in Target every time I went to the US, I was extremely disappointed the second I walked into Target Canada. My initial reaction was ‘That’s it?’. Never really went back again unless I needed some milk at the last minute. Not at all sad to see them leave.
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It’s true. They were trying to cater to Canadians by sourcing Canadian products too – thinking that we would want Canadian brands when what we really wanted was access to the brands / assortment that we don’t have here already. In the time Target was here, I hardly bought anything from them mainly because of the lack of uniqueness. Thanks for your input!
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Did you end up liking that SK palette? $20 seems a bit steep for the drugstore but I’m always curious about it when I pass by.
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Yes! I really liked that palette! I did a review on it… just read all the way to the bottom for the photo of what happened.
https://stashmatters.wordpress.com/2015/04/08/sonia-kashuk-eye-on-neutral-shimmer-palette/
FACE PALM
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