Clearance Alert: Sonia Kashuk Cosmetics

Heads up, readers: it's the last call for Sonia Kashuk cosmetics. As I blogged about 6 months ago, Sonia sold her brand back in 2015 to Target, and last Spring was her last collection for the retailer before stepping down permanently. At that time, I shared MusingsOfAMuse's prediction that Target would keep Sonia's brushes and makeup bags, but phase out the makeup to make room for newer brands. And that indeed seems to be happening, as readers of her blog have just confirmed that Sonia Kashuk color cosmetics are starting to go on clearance in stores.

I did a quick check of Target’s website, and many of her products are already sold out - with shipping unavailable - and store pickup not an option, either. There is a “check stores” button, to show what stores in your area still carries the item. So now's the time to stock up on your favorites before they're gone forever. I know I'll be scouring my local stores for Sonia's Luxe Tinted Lip Balm to snap up my fave colors.

New at Target: Simply Balanced Kombucha

Target - which already carries a pretty wide variety of kombucha products - is expanding the kombucha craze by now offering their own in-house branded Simply Balanced kombucha to nearly all their stores this month. Since first testing the popular probiotic beverage this past fall, guests have fallen head over heels for the drink; thus the expansion to stores nationwide. Long touted as a health aid, kombucha has gained popularity in recent years for its amazing gut-friendly benefits. Target's Simply Balanced Kombucha is lightly effervescent - made from sweetened black tea and certified USDA Organic - and comes in fruity flavors like Blueberry Grape, Ginger, Mango and Raspberry, Lemon & Ginger. Best of all, they're just $2.79 a bottle.

New at Target: Meow Meow Tweet

Target keeps adding new brands to the Health and Beauty aisle almost on a daily basis. Today the new kid on the block is  Meow Meow Tweet, with three different varieties of natural deodorants. Shown here is the Lavender Bergamot Deodorant Stick (which also comes in Eucalyptus Lemon) and a Cream Deodorant in Grapefruit.

Meow Meow Tweet's deodorants blend plant and mineral powders with sweet smelling essential oils that will keep you smelling fresh without underarm irritation.  Organic plant oils and butters moisturize and soothe even the most sensitive skin. Plus they're sulfate, formaldehyde, paraben and phthalate-free.

Meow Meow Tweet also offers two gentle facial soaps, one in Tea Tree Charcoal and the other in Pink Rose Clay.

The Look for Less: Project 62 vs. West Elm

Target continues to imitate popular mid-century modern styles from retailers like West Elm, Pottery Barn and CB2 with their Project 62 line. Case in point: while the brass-finish tripod floor lamp on the left from West Elm is lovely, at $209 it's more than double the cost of the Project 62 version on the right (at Target) for just $89.99.

New at Target: Whamisa by Glow Recipe

Target is helping introduce K-Beauty (Korean Skincare) to the masses by carrying Korean brands like Whamisa by Glow Recipe, which you can’t find anywhere else. The brand recently introduced a collection of green tea-infused skincare that promises to soothe inflammation, even skintone and brighten the skin.

You can buy Whamisa by Glow Recipe Green Tea & Clay Mask (shown) for $22.99 on target.com. Note: I checked out the reviews for this product online, and they are very mixed. To that end, you may not want to try this product if you have sensitive skin.

Now at Target: New Kristin Ess Haircare Products

Target introduced Kristin Ess Haircare one year ago, and now they are adding 11 new products to the mix. According to Christina Hennington, senior vice president of Beauty and Essentials at Target “This new collection is all about providing a solution for every haircare need, and it reinforces that Target is where you can discover incredible beauty products at an equally incredible value.”

The new line includes Kristin's first ever hair tint—an in-shower watercolor that creates a temporary rose gold tint when sprayed onto damp or wet hair. While the products may be new, every item will still feature the brand’s signature Zip-Up™ complex, made with Kerabead microcapsules and conditioning ingredients like chia seeds, pea protein and marine algae, which helps to strengthen hair and protect against damage.

The new Kristin Ess Hair products are now available in store and on Target.com, at prices ranging from $10 to $14.

Coming Soon to Target: Good Chemistry

Target is launching its first exclusive fragrance brand, Good Chemistry. Created specifically with their beauty guests in mind, this new niche fragrance brand includes four collections inspired by different personalities: Confident and Charming, Good and Grounded, Vibrant and Playful and Cool and Collected. Each collection includes four unique scents that come in perfume, body spray and rollerball applications.

These vegan and paraben-free scents are made with essential oils and will be available starting Jan. 21. To help find your best scent, you can test out the different fragrances in store before selecting a favorite. Good Chemistry fragrances will be available in all Target stores and online, at prices ranging from $9.99 to $24.99.

New at Target: Dylan's Candy Bar

In the Valentine's Day seasonal section at the back of the store,  Target has introduced an assortment of sweets from confectioner Dylan's Candy Bar.  The offerings (which are also available on  Target.com) include chocolate bars, candy hearts, lollipops, gummies and more.  I may just have to get this cute candy tackle box for my hubby!

Fab Find: Dollar Aisle Storage Baskets

Have you seen these fab fabric storage baskets in the Dollar Aisle at Target yet? They come in a variety of woven/wicker finishes, in an array of neutral colors and patterns. And best of all, they're just $5 each!

New at Target: Method Golden Citrus

Method has a new scent out at Target (shown) for their foaming hand and gel wash called "Golden Citrus". I smelled it in store, and while I like it, I still prefer the citrusy-fresh "Lemon Mint", which is one of my old favorites. Other limited-edition scents this season include Copper Rain, Burnished Cedar, and Cool Lavender.

New at Target: Askov Finlayson

In celebration of the Superbowl coming to Target’s hometown of Minneapolis next month, the retailer has announced a special limited-edition collaboration that will help guests embrace the true spirit of the Great North: Askov Finlayson for Target.

Founded in 2011 by Eric and Andrew Dayton, the great, great grandsons of George Draper Dayton (who founded the company that eventually became Target) Askov Finlayson is inspired by the Minnesotan ideals of year-round exploration, creativity and community ties, and those qualities are brought to life in the Target collaboration. With more than 50 items across apparel and accessories for men, women, kids, toddlers and babies, as well as home goods,  the collection will allow guests across the country to suit up for winter like a true northerner.

Askov Finlayson for Target ranges in price from $5-$40, with most items under $30. The collection will be available Jan. 14 to Feb. 24, or while supplies last, at 38 Minnesota Target stores and on Target.com.

Target to eliminate Mossimo brand...

I have bad news if you're a fan of the brand Mossimo. According to this article from the StarTribune, Target's new denim-focused women's brand Universal Thread (which I blogged about yesterday) will be replacing Mossimo.

In 2017 Target began a two-year effort to refresh its brand portfolio with more than a dozen brands, and Universal Thread is #11 in that lineup and the "largest brand we’ll launch in 2018 in terms of sales volume and size” according to a Target spokesperson.

Universal Thread will be roughly comparable in size to A New Day, the other major women's apparel brand Target rolled out last year that replaced Merona. Merona and Mossimo were both private-label billion-dollar brands for Target. While Target may still add other new women's apparel brands, A New Day and Universal Thread will be the largest offerings in that department.

As for the other 10 new brands Target introduced last year, here's a list in case you need a refresher course: Art Class (kid's apparel), Cloud Island (baby), Isabel Maternity by Ingrid & Isabel (maternity), A New Day (women's apparel), Goodfellow & Co. (men's apparel), Project 62 (modern home), JoyLab (women's athleisure), California Roots (wine), Hyde & Eek (Halloween), and Hearth & Hand with Magnolia (home decor design partnership with Chip and Joanna Gaines).

Coming Soon to Target: Universal Thread

Next month Target will introduce Universal Thread: an exclusive women’s lifestyle brand grounded in denim and featuring tops, dresses, accessories and shoes.

According to A Bullseye View, Target decided to focus on denim with this brand because it is the core to every woman’s wardrobe. In developing Universal Thread, they conducted research with nearly 1,000 women from across the country to better understand their needs when it comes to shopping denim. Not surprisingly, what they learned was that most women dread shopping for new jeans, so Target's design team set out to create a line that caters to all women, with multiple fits, silhouettes, lengths, rises and sizes.

Universal Thread will be available in all Target stores and online at Target.com in early February at prices ranging from $5 to $39.99.

Target replaces coats with swimsuits...

While much of the country is in a deep freeze, Target is replacing some of their winter-wear with their new swimsuit collection, as shown in this pic I snapped a couple of days ago. While I appreciate the fact that some folks might want to get a jump on their shopping for Spring Break, I'm personally not ready to flip the seasons just yet.

Would Amazon really buy Target?

Multiple news outlets reported yesterday that Amazon could buy Target after top analyst Gene Munster put out a list of his top tech predictions for 2018 - including Amazon acquiring Target, calling it an "ideal offline partner for Amazon."

Gizmodo thinks Munster’s theory makes sense to some degree. Target’s stock has mostly been on a downward spiral since 2015, and hit a five-year low this summer before recovering to finish out the year almost exactly where it began. A restructuring plan has Target’s CEO speaking positively about the future, but the retailer may see Amazon’s deep pockets as a guaranteed route to survival.

For Amazon, big ambitious moves are necessary to compete with Walmart, although they have already shelled out $13.7 billion on the acquisition of Whole Foods. What do you think, readers? Would Amazon buying Target being a good thing, or not?

The Look for Less: Cedar & Moss vs. Project62

Brass continues to trend in home decor accents, as shown with these two examples of double-bulb wall sconces. But the one on the far left is the "Theo" style from Cedar & Moss, and will set you back $269, whereas the other is from Project62 (at Target) and costs just $59.99 (and is on sale this week for 15% off!).