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Saturday, January 9, 2010

My dance with the CVS scanner...

So today I went to another CVS (yes, I am obsessed with this beauty clearance sale)! I saw a lot of products that had the 75% off clearance stickers, but I also saw some that, even though I KNOW are on clearance at other locations, did NOT have the little green stickers on them. Naturally, I decided to test out what others have been discovering--that items are showing up in the system as 75% off even if they don't have the clearance stickers on them.

Sure enough, IT WORKED! So a HUGE thanks to all of my readers who told me about this. I would have never in a million years tried this trick had it not been for you! I took handfuls of products at a time over to the scanner (don't worry, I put everything back nice and tidy when I was done) and I scanned things that I remembered I had seen at other locations.  These products did NOT have green stickers on them but they ALL showed up as 75% off in the system! And the best part? Every shade of every lipstick, gloss, blush, nail polish, you name it, was IN STOCK, because nobody knows these 75% off!

So the real key to the CVS beauty sale is to find a location where the employees are lagging on affixing those stickers! Then you will have your pick of any clearance item you want. It's like the world's best-kept secret, I tell you!

So what was I able to score? For starters, I snatched up all of the shades of the Revlon Matte lipsticks that even remotely look like they'd work for me. If you haven't seen my review of the Revlon Matte lipsticks, click here. These babies ROCK and I am soooo scared that they're going to be discontinued because every shade is on clearance right now (retail: $8.99, clearance price: $1.99). 

I also picked up two more HiP Cream Shadow Paints and one more L'Oreal lipstick (I used my CVS.com coupons for those!) and a Rimmel blush.


Clockwise from the top: L'Oreal lipstick in Organza (sale price: $2.25 + $1 off CVS coupon = $1.25), Revlon Matte lipsticks in Fabulous Fig, Cocoa Craving and Mauve it Over (sale price: $1.99), HiP Cream Shadow Paints in Commanding and Nervy (sale price: $2.99 but I got one of them for $1.99 because I had that CVS coupon), Rimmel blush in Pink Rose (sale price: $0.87)



I realized AFTER I left the store that one of the Revlon Matte lipsticks came up full price and it should NOT have. I am definitely going to take that back ASAP because now that I've paid $1.99 for these, there's no way I'm paying full price for one again!

Also, I just realized that only certain parts of San Diego have 9.5% sales tax. The city I was in today is only 8.75%! Yay! I'll have to remember to buy more things in that part of town from here on out. :)

If any of you would like me to swatch anything in particular, please let me know. I know that some of you asked me to swatch some things from my last CVS beauty sale haul, however a lot of those are going to be given to friends and family, so I can't really swatch those products.  But this haul is just for me, so I'd be happy to swatch anything pictured here--just let me know!

And Becky, if you're reading this, I TOTALLY forgot to scan the Physicians Formula stuff and those Revlon quads. I guess I'm going back to CVS again sometime this week because I want one of those PF glosses after hearing you rave about them. Waaah!

So ladies, have you been spending any time this weekend checking out the deals at your local CVS and/or Walgreens? I'd loooove to know what you've found!
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23 comments

  1. I was at CVS today and there was nary a little green sticker in sight. I'm going back tomorrow to check again.

    Have you tried the HIP shadow paints as a primer? I'm curious to know how well they hold up.

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  2. Ok you make me wanna go back and dance with the scanner too because I so wanna go back and get the L'oreal lippies and see if their are any non sticker goodies on sale too. I swear my CVS is tired of seeing my face...lol!

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  3. Mauve Over was a shade I wanted as well, but it was not 75% off here either. I noticed all the brighter, icky shades were on clearance. lol

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  4. dangerkitty: If you didn't seen even ONE green sticker at your CVS, you have hit the freaking JACKPOT, my friend! Get back there ASAP because you are going to have your pick of anything you want! Just dance with that scanner and double-check everything because I'm almost 100% sure all these things will show up at 75% off. Lucky girl you!! And I haven't tried the HiP paint as primer yet--it's at the top of my to-do list, believe me! lol. I'll keep you posted. xo

    rayqueenbee: Get dancin', honey! Seriously, I want to go back and get some PF stuff and a Revlon quad or two...I cannot believe I forgot to scan those! I need to get 'em before they put the sticker on them because you know once those stickers appear, they'll be wiped out for sure. lol. xo

    Rai: Really? I swear I thought I scanned Mauve it Over and it came up as $1.99. Maybe I was in a such a scanning frenzy that I didn't notice? lol. Well, if you haven't tried Fabulous Fig, it's not too bright--it's a really gorgeous deep wine shade. I think it would look stunning on you and I know for sure it's $1.99. :) xo

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  5. I have gotten a tube of the physicians formula organic lip gloss as well and it's actually not that bad (compared to the pressed/loose powder, blush and lip tint). Anyway, the gloss is sheer with very subtle shimmer and it has a nice fruity scent to it. It's better than burt's bees and Yes to carrot glosses but overall it's not too exciting if you have tried way too many glosses.

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  6. you are lucky, your CVS has nice clearance make up. The CVS here have sucky products left... i'm so sad by it =(

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  7. My CVS didn't have anything on clearance when I checked but I did spot a lot of Physician's Formula at Rite Aid. Nice to see you found Revlon Mattes for 75% off.

    I picked up 4 Hip paints, a jelly balm (the same excat one that you'd gotten last month), and a HiP metallic blue eyeliner at the 99 cents Only store in La Mesa today. Also snagged a few Lip Smackers for my cousins in China as well.

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  8. I got 4 of the shadow paints, and the 2nd 2 she gave me for 50% off. I also got a Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow Quad in Khaki Suede, a Revlon Bare Naturale Mineral Eye Liner in Defining Olive, a Milani Nail Polish in Radiant Ruby, Sally Hanson Quick Dry Top Coat, Sally Hanson Base + Top Coat, Sally Hanson Nail Polish in Elegan Cognac and Revlon Colorstay in Smooth Coffee. My total was a little over 23.00. On the receipt it said my savings today was 88.00! I'm stoked, I'm going back tomorrow for more!

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  10. Thanks to you I was able to do the price checking trick. My store hadn't marked anything on sale yet! :) I think only two shades of matte are not discontinued, but I did find that the skinny lipsticks by Revlon are ALL 75% off for $2.49 pic here Of course I used a $2 coupon. :) That's also rimmel plumper there too. The Rimmel gloss in my cvs is always hidden on the side of the stand. It was $1.75 minus $1 coupon!!

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  11. oh, haha I just read your haul post. You already know about the lipsticks! hehe. I need to find more coupons...

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  12. I'm soooo jealous you guys! I just bought my husband a HUGE anniversary/bday/Valentine's combo gift yesterday morning and now I can't even do the sale at all! I'm gonna live vicariously through you ;) I'm salivating over all of your finds, there's seriously still good stuff out there to be had it sounds like. Happy Hauling!

    xo
    Amber

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  13. I want to go hauling at Walgreens for their clearance stuff but I've been so broke since Christmas. :( I'm gonna go anyway :D Thanks for all the heads-up. This blog is awesome.

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  14. Nice haul! I wish I had a CVS because those prices are awesome.

    I'd love to see swatches of those lipsticks. The colors look really nice.

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  15. Just went to CVS and there was still a truck load of 75% & 50% treasures to be had. I picked up Sally Hansen Salon nail polish in Made You Blush for 1/2 price, L'OREAL HIP cream shadow paint in commanding & Bare Naturals eyeliner in defining bronze both items 75% off. Also an Almay natural lip gloss in petal 75% off too. What fun! My trip summary says I saved 25.77!

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  16. Oh, how I love those little green stickers. Got many of the same items you posted about. My receipt says I saved $99.05! WOOOO HOOOOO! And I went out with the flu and fever and all- couldn't pass up the sale. Think I'll stay in bed and languish over my goodies! Thanks for the tip, now I know why I love your blog:-)

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  17. I went yesterday, got myself a double handful of stuff, but hubby said 'Only ONE,' so I got Rimmel mousse blush, as I've never tried it. Including tax [I think it's also 9.5% here in Silicon Valley] it came to $1.91, YAY!!!

    ps - I'm gonna go goodie shopping all by myself from now on, lol! but I do haveta say in mah hubby's defense that for Christmas he 'got' me THREE HUGE E.L.F. hauls! so he ain't all that bad, lmaooo [I lurvs him!]

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  18. I went back today and my daughter got a bag full of goodies too. I can't remember what all she got I do remember we both got Almay mascara, she got the Loreal volume mascara, the HIP color shadow paint, some milani blush, some physicians formula powder, and some more things I just cant remember. It was 24.00 and the receipt said we saved 69.00. We have racked up at CVS the past couple of days!

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  19. $.87 for Rimmel blush! That is so good! I haven't even been into a CVS since the name change yet. This sounds like a good incentive. Too bad it costs so much in gas to get to one. Awesome finds tho!

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  20. I think that you have never worked in retail, otherwise you wouldn't criticize the hourly workers who are paid a pittance to label each and every product in the beauty department while dealing with picky, demanding scavengers like yourself. The employees are not LAGGING, as you say. They are overworked, underpaid, and probably had no one in the store to affix the stickers because the register had to be manned at the front of the store to ring up beauty looters like yourself. SO before you criticize "lagging" CVS employees, remember that most make minimum wage and have to support families in a recession on $8 bucks an hour, all so you can get tingly about your "score."
    In addition, the clearance items are DISCONTINUED to make room for the new items, so why stock up on items that will never again be available?
    I am sure you will be one of those rude customers who shouts at the hapless cashier for the inaccurate register scan. Yet you relish low prices in a drugstore for your own selfish means.
    Worst beauty blog I have ever read.

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  21. Thanks to all of you for your comments since my last comment on this post! I am THRILLED that you have been able to find such great deals at your local CVS locations, and for those of you who haven't find these great deals, don't give up! Keep trying different locations and don't forget to scan the products to see if they're 75% off in the system, even if they don't have the little green tags affixed to them!

    And to my dear Anon commenter, here's my response:

    http://nouveaucheap.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-blog-is-worst-beauty-blog-ever.html

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  22. This cracks me up! I just imagine you, the intrepid reporter, sneaking around with armloads of products to covertly scan them in and uncover the TRUTH to your legions of waiting, loyal readers. It's great. On the other hand, it's also great advertising for CVS and all the brands it's pedaling, so I guess everyone's happy. I picked up an armload of 75% off products from Rite Aid and CVS when I was in L.A. last December. Favorites were the H.I.P. duo eyeshadows in playful and spirited and the L'Oreal colour Riche lipstick in ... ? some sort of nude. The color and texture wins over the Revlon Nude Attitude in my book. The latter just makes my lips the same color as the rest of my face! Anyway thanks for all the great posts. You're living my dream, LOL. I'm addicted to drugstore makeup but luckily I live in China now so my addiction's been curbed. But every time I go home for a visit my sister gets to drive me around to every drugstore within a 20-mile radius in search of clearance products, LOL. OK, I really have to tear myself away from your site or I'll never get anything done ever again....

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  23. Wow. You got some great stuff! The Rimmel blush looks soo pretty!

    btw, I live in Ohio and the sales tax here is only 6 percent. Wow!

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