My birthday was quite a few days ago now (which I decided to pass on for personal reasons), however, I do love reaping the benefits as a loyal patron of some of my favorite stores for when they send me discounts, rewards, & free items just b/c it’s my birthday.

I don’t usually shop @Sephora (only b/c I find such great deals @Ulta), but I received such a fun & lovely free gift from Sephora, just for signing up for their emails.  Because I gave them my information, including my birthdate, all I had to do was print out the email & bring it to the register.

While there were so many items that I wanted to buy, receiving something substantial like a 16 ounce-bottle of shampoo / bubble bath / shower gel was the icing on the cake!  The flavor is so sweet, yet subtle: vanilla birthday cake. It costs $16.00 too! I saved that much money that I could use towards gas (well, not a whole tank) or for a pair of shoes on sale at the Payless right next to the Sephora in my local mall!

I can’t take all the credit for knowing this little birthday surprise from the beauty giant b/c my good friend Laurie (check out the blog I dedicated to her!) informed me about the very special deal just weeks before my first day as a 28-year-old.  What’s the best gift item that you’ve received from a store?  How many different sites do you receive emails from?  What’s your favorite scent for bath items?  Happy Styling!