My First HauteLook Order! (TheBalm Haul)

~ stashy

In my “final” Hauluary post, I mentioned that I was waiting for a couple more shipments – this is one of them!  In mid-January, I heard about TheBalm being on HauteLook for 50% off from Kaily – I was both excited and a little bit apprehensive. I’ve contemplated for years about ordering makeup off HauteLook since they hold such amazing sales, but living in Canada often adds a whole layer of complexity – not to mention expense – when it comes to ordering from US-based sites. So how was my first HauteLook experience from a Canadian perspective?
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Pretty great, actually! 😀

First, let’s look at what I ordered, and then I’ll discuss my experience ordering from HauteLook.

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Tada!

One of the reasons why I jumped on this deal was to get my paws on this item: Meet Matt(e) Trimony Palette
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I own the Meet Matt(e) Nude Palette which is in the same format and contains more neutral matte shades. The Meet Matt(e) Trimony leans more cool-toned overall with some great transition shades. I’m very excited to try this as it has great reviews online – check out Kaily’s review of this palette here.

Balm Appetit Palette
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I just couldn’t help myself with this palette because of how cute the packaging is! The die-cute lettering “EAT UR♥ OUT” is just a cover – when it’s opened, the shadows are normal square shaped pans. 😉 The quality of the shadows in this palette is a mixed bag though – the consensus is that the mattes and shimmers are good but the satins (bottom row) are poor. Read Kaily’s review here and also Thoughtful Pigeon’s review here.  Another palette I toyed with getting was the Nude ‘Tude but I think I probably already own all those shades in my stash in various formats.

CabanaBoy Shadow / Blush
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This says it’s a blush and an eye shadow? I’m leaning toward using this more of a blush than an eye shadow, personally.

InStain Blush in Argyle and Pinstripe
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I mentioned in my review post of these InStain blushes that I wanted more of them and here we are! 😉  I think I now own all the shades from this range.

As for the experience of ordering from HauteLook, here’s what I thought under each of these considerations:

Cost

The biggest consideration for me was whether shopping on HauteLook yielded significant savings. Even though everything was 50% off the regular price, all of the prices are shown in USD so I had to factor in currency conversion. In addition, there were shipping / handling fees and an international surcharge that HauteLook charges.  I actually put everything on a spreadsheet (are you surprised?) to do a side-by-side comparison before I took the plunge:
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Despite our poor exchange rate, I still saved 67% shopping on HauteLook vs buying these same items in a Canadian store. 🙂 I kept my order to less than $100 in an attempt to avoid any import duties – I’m really not sure that the “magic” number is  – but I did not incur any additional charges on my shipment. Presumably, the international surcharge takes care of that?

Selection

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TheBalm is accessible to me as it’s sold at some Rexall beauty departments, and they do have sales from time to time (usually 25% off or buy 1 get 1 at 50% off).  However, I’ve not come across either the Meet Matt(e) Trimony or the Balm Appetit Palettes in person yet. From Canadian online stores, I can order TheBalm from ObsessedCanada.com (or NailPolishCanada.com) which carries pretty much the whole TheBalm range but they rarely have sales.  In the HauteLook sale, I was hoping to get my hands on the Bahama Mama Bronzer, and the BalmShelter Tinted Moisturizer but they weren’t listed (they had the tinted moisturizer but not in my shade). But overall, the selection of TheBalm products was quite good.

Shipping

I placed this order on January 17th and it arrived February 13th so it wasn’t terrible in terms of shipping time from California to Toronto. I was honestly expecting the order to take a minimum of 6 weeks to arrive since the order confirmation stated:

Ships in 2 – 3 weeks from order date. When this event ends, this item is sent from the brand to HauteLook, and then from HauteLook to you.

I had heard some nightmare stories of Canadians shopping for gifts and the items not arriving in time. I was in no rush to get these items but it would be odd if I posted this haul in March when I’d ordered them in January. 😛 I also liked that it was shipped via Canpar since I’m not home during weekdays – the parcel was held at a nearby location for me to pick up at my convenience. I should also mention that the items were packed securely with ample bubble wrap and in a compact sized cardboard box that was suitable for the items inside.

All in all, a great first experience with HauteLook and I would consider purchasing more from the site in the future. 🙂  I guess it’s not surprising that I enjoyed shopping on HauteLook since it is operated by Nordstrom.

Have you tried any of TheBalm items I bought? Do you shop on HauteLook?

90 thoughts on “My First HauteLook Order! (TheBalm Haul)”

    1. My first foray into the brand was the famed Mary-Lou Manizer highlighter. Then I tried a blush and eye shadows – they’re all really good. I feel like it’s a mix between Soap & Glory and Benefit.

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        1. It’s crazy intense! 😆 It’s too much for me for everyday. I’d say its intensity is on part with Becca’s. A tiny bit is needed… meaning I have enough highlighter to last me the rest of my life…

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  4. Wow, that’s an amazing purchase!! You saved a lot of money and the Balm products you got look great! I had my eyes on that Meet Matt(e) Trimony Palette but never got to the point of buying it. Let me know your opinion on it, are the shades performing better than the Meet Matt(e) Nude Palette? Those blushes look also amazing! Your blush collection just got bigger! 😉

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    1. I’ll definitely share my thoughts on the palette! I think the Meet Matt(e) Trimony Palette formula is better and more wearable. Kaily has a comparison video between the Meet Matt(e) Nude and Meet Matt(e) Trimony Palette:

      My blush collection is getting out of hand! At least these pans are super compact. I’m going to have to do a blush declutter… I’m dreading it! 😛

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  5. Great review! I love hearing about the Canadian experience when ordering from different sites. LOVE the spreadsheet!!! This is really helpful information for us Canadian gals.
    I really love TheBalm. I have the Meet Matt(e) Nude Palette, several of their powder blushes, and three of their lipsticks. One of my all time fav lipsticks is Mai Billsbepaid – I’m on my second tube! I really have to try the InStain blushes now 🙂

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    1. I’ve not tried any of their lipsticks. It must be amazing if you’re on your second tube! That’s a sure sign of HG status for a beauty addict…
      Those InStain blushes lasts so well on my skin – just be sure to use a fluffy / diffused brush so you don’t get clown cheeks. 😉

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  7. Oh I’ve heard Awesome things about the Meet Matt(e) Trimony but always hesitated picking it up myself plus I think I’ve only seen it once or twice at Rexall. I think all that for just $128 is not a bad deal at all especially with tax and shipping!

    Does HauteLook have sales often?

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    1. Oh I’ve been stalking my Rexalls for the Meet Matt(e) Trimony palette but nada. I messaged Rexall on IG and they said it’s only at certain new / revamped Rexall beauty departments.

      Specific to TheBalm, I think it’s on HauteLook about 3 times a year that I’ve noticed. It seems to be Jan, March and Sept based on historical sales. If you want to keep tabs on it, subscribe to Hautelook’s emails (a bit dangerous since you’ll be tempted to buy everything LOL)

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  8. Great haul and a good saving too even when converted. Will be interesting to see what you think of their matte palette, I’ve been tempted by it before but mattes are so hit and miss. I have cabana boy in a palette and it actually works well as an eyeshadow which surprised me. Thanks for the link to my post 🙂 I hope you like the balm appetit one as much as I do, it’s turned into a go to travel palette recently for me.

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    1. I heard the version of the Meet Matt(e) has an even better formula to the Nude version so I’m encouraged by that!
      Thanks for the tip about the Cabana Boy being good as an eye shadow – I shall try it. Sometimes I find dual purpose items to fall short in one of the functions.
      Your review on the Balm Appetit was very helpful! 🙂

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  9. Thanks for the comparison table. I’ve always been hesitant to buy off some US sites for the exact reasons you’ve mentioned.

    FYI – as long as your total value is under $200, you won’t incur duties as it’s considered a ‘personal shipment’ – at least that’s the rule when Canadian retailers ship to the US. I also don’t know if that’s in US$ or CA$.

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    1. I find there aren’t enough resources online for us Canucks still in this day and age!
      Good to know about the magic number! Thank you! I will keep that in mind next time I’m hauling from the US. 😛

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  11. This is super – I love the Canadian perspective. I got dinged HARD recently on shipping for some scented wax, and it was mostly my fault for having not enquired ahead of time as to what the deal was. Best to run your numbers beforehand!

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  14. I loved that you did a spreadsheet! Priceless! Hahaha!
    I’ve been tempted to buy from hautelook a couple of times, but I have yet to try them. Didn’t know they were owned by Nordstrom though!
    I love everything I have tried from theblam, I think the meet matte trimony is their best palette to this date, and I love my argyle blush so much! I also want to get all the shades from the in stain line!

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    1. You know I love my spreadsheets haha! 😉
      Oooh I’m pleased to hear that you think the Meet Matt(e) Trimony Palette is their best palette to date! I’ve only had 2 others before this so I don’t have a lot to compare it to. 😛
      Not a lot of people have heard about the InStain blushes and I want to spread the word – the formula is one of the longest wearing I’ve ever come across.

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      1. Yes! It’s truly long wearing! I love them!
        Have you tried the appetite palette yet? It really looks gorgeous but has so many mixed reviews idk what to believe…
        If I had a chance to get another palette I’ll go for the Balmjovi!

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        1. No I haven’t tried the Balm Appetit palette yet – it will be a while! Almost all of the reviews I’ve seen says it’s not great – there are a few outstanding shades but the bottom row is lacking in pigment.
          I like the look of the Balm Jovi palette but the cream products ruin it for me! I don’t like cream products in palettes.

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  15. I have shopped from HauteLook a few times, I do love their beauty discounts. Sometimes older Butter Londons pop up there :] they stopped sending me daily emails for some reason. Probably a good thing for my wallet…

    I love TheBalm’s packaging and product names, never have tried any but it’s amusing to browse their stuff.

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    1. Uh oh, I don’t need to know about nail polish sales from HauteLook! 😮 😉

      TheBalm is a good mid-range brand – in my opinion it’s on par with Benefit or Stila. I think people like it as a good option for cruelty-free makeup.

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  16. The only items I have from The Balm are a couple of their Meet Matt(e) Hughes liquid lipsticks. Actually a pretty decent formula and they smell like Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies! Nordstrom Rack has had the Balm Jovi palette for awhile now for $19.95 I think. Weird they have it as it’s not discontinued.

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  17. I haven’t bought anything from The Balm. I do love the “So many men, so little time.” (Cabanaboy) *LOL* The only item that I’ve heard of from them was Mary Lou. I am rather unsure about their packaging. That American style retro cartoon strip thing is kind of strange looking for me.

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    1. I definitely looked down on TheBalm for ages due to its packaging – too kitschy! But, after I got over the initial disdain, I tried the Mary Lou Manizer highlighter and I was so impressed by the quality that I am now willing to overlook some of the packaging. It’s very in line with Benefit and Soap & Glory, in my opinion.

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  22. Great to hear that you had a good experience with Hautelook! I used to be subscribed to their emails, but eventually unsubscribed because I never bought anything on their website. A lot of the times, I was too slow to buy the hot items on sale!
    The Meet Matt(e) Trimony palette looks gorgeous. Ever since I heard Emily Noel (I think?) talking about those Instain blushes, I’ve been wanting to try them!
    Hah, this whole time I thought the letters in the Balm Appetit palette WERE the pans!

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    1. Yeah I was often too slow to buy the hot items as well! I was surprised The Balm stuff didn’t sell out quickly but I think since it’s been on HauteLook so regularly, people aren’t in as much of a rush.

      I heard about the InStain blushes from Emily Noel too! I’m fairly certain of it. She’s one of the original YouTubers that I still watch – she’s so authentic and I trust her reviews.

      At first I thought the Balm Appetit palette pans were in the cut out shapes too until I saw reviews. That would have drove me nuts if they were! 😛

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  24. Oh man, I just recently snagged the Meet Matt(e) Trimony palette and I love it! I actually think the quality is better than the Nude palette. I’m interested to see what you think of it once you try it out!
    I may need to break down and get some of those stain blushes.

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    1. I’ve heard that the quality of the Meet Matt(e) Trimony palette is better than the Nude. I personally think the quality of the Nude is quite good – although the colours are so random in that palette which is weird and awesome at the same time. The Meet Matt(e) Trimony palette is a lot more cohesive.
      Yes, the InStain blushes are fabulous. I love the shade Lace, which is a bright cool toned pink. Would look awesome on you!

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      1. I quite like the original as well but the Matt e Trimony palette is even better. I’m actually a little obsessed with it to tell truth! I also just saw on Instagram that they’ve released a third palette in this line. It looks similar to the original but with a navy shade.
        I’m adding Lace to my wishlist! 😀

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  25. The Balm Jovi Rockstar was also available at Nordstrom Rack for $14.97 but I wasn’t too excited with the packaging which threw me off. I have my eyes on the Meet Matte(e) Trimony palette too and heard good reviews about it. And what a coincidence that I was watching Tati’s video last night and she never liked the Balm Appetit Palette https://youtu.be/ebbYxCXfSJg but just for the packaging and to collect, I still want to try it. Their blushes though are sooo amazing!

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    1. I’m not a fan of how the Balm Jovi has cream products mixed in with the powder.
      Yeah I got the Balm Appetit palette mainly for the packaging. And there are a few really interesting / outstanding shades. For that price, I was able to justify it. 😛

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      1. I know the matte shades on the Balm Appetit blends beautifully!! Every time I go to the store, I kept playing with it coz the packaging is just really unique.

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    1. I heard of the TheBalm ages ago because of their most popular item: the Mary-Lou Manizer highlighter. I finally got it and wasn’t disappointed. It’s a fun brand and their products are solid – not the most innovative, but fun.

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  29. What fab savings on this stuff, and great to hear that shipping time wasn’t too bad either, wonder whether we can purchase from Haute Look here, investigation needs to happen. That middle row on the Bon Apetite palette is calling my name right now, I’ve been using my instain quite a bit recently (as an alternative for the never ending Estee Lauder Peach Nuance) and I still like em, Is there a peachy one on the instain line up… I could google, but feeling lazy haha

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    1. I just checked for you whether HauteLook ships to the UK – they do not! Oddly, they ship to Australia though… so just US, Canada and Australia. *scratches head*
      In my research (read: googling “hautelook uk”) it was suggested that this site is the UK version of Hautelook: https://secretsales.com/

      The middle row of the Balm Appetit palette is the second reason why I got that palette (the first being the packaging…) – that one shade called Christ P. Bacon (LMAO) is stunning, just look at the middle row swatched:

      ::drool::

      The shade Swiss Dot in the InStain blush is a peachy coral shade – very pretty. 🙂

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        1. Oh that’s too bad about Secret Sales. I saw on Twitter some people asked HauteLook when they would ship to the UK, they said they were working on it. Here’s hoping!

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  30. Awesome haul! I’ve been wanting to get the Meet Matt Trimony too. I have the Mary Lou and Cindy Lou highlighters, the nude tude palette, the Balm Jovi palette, and quite a few deluxe sizes of different things from Ipsy lol.

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    1. I’ve heard people say the Meet Matt(e) Trimony palette is the best that theBalm has released so I’d say you should get it! I heard there might be another theBalm event on HauteLook in March.
      It’s too bad theBalm isn’t at Sephora but it looks like they’re doing fine for themselves.

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      1. Well I am signed up for Hautelook emails, I hope they do have another sale! Or I wouldn’t be surprised if thebalm website does a flash 50% sale. I’m so getting that palette one way or another lol. I saw on their instastories, they have a new palette coming out, call meet Matt adore. 🙂

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