Ipsy Classic Beauty: September

Although the Ipsy Facebook page provides spoilers each month on the products they will be including in their glam bag I choose to surprise myself each month and wait to see what I am receiving. I love the feeling that I am receiving a present each month!

So this month I received a bag full of goodies and as usual Ipsy didn't disappoint! With a bag full of 6 items I absolutely love and 1 item I do not, I can say it is totally worth the $10 monthly subscription!

Now for the unveiling!

First we have this adorable bag! Ipsy never gives us the value of these little bags but I know that each month they get more and more cute! I am a bag hoarder so this subscription feeds my addiction!


The first thing I saw when I opened up my bag were these three Freeman facial masks valued at $6 total! Anyone who knows Madison and I, know that we love our facials! This couldn't be more fitting for our typical spa nights! There is a brightening, hydrating and purifying one! I am saving each one of these for the next three weekends! I use these facial masks regularly and they are amazing! They smell great and leave your skin silky smooth and clean!

"Yay!" I said to myself when I saw the full sized NYX Cosmetics eye shadow valued at $4.50! I use this color a lot from my Victoria's Secret palette so I was excited to find this color in another product line. I received the shade Cryptonite which is a dark glittery charcoal gray. It is very pigmented but a little less on the glittery side. Still a favorite shade of mine though!

Next I received a matte black eyeliner pencil by Starlooks valued at $12 in the color Obsidian. It is nicely pigmented but not as creamy as the pencils I am use to. For an eyeliner it does work well and I will be using all of it!



The one product that I don't like, J Cat Beauty's lipstick in Honeycrisp valued at $2.49. I know it is getting ready to be fall season but come on man! This shade blends into my blonde hair and fair skin making me look washed out and gross. No thanks.

Someone must have sound the alarm when I said I wanted to try new mascaras. In almost every Birchbox or Ipsy bag I have received a mascara. As usual, this tube by Elizabeth Mott valued at $19.99 came in a smaller size. The brush is small also. The mascara does work better than I thought it would and you can throw the compact sized tube in your purse!

If you aren't already a subscriber to Ipsy I highly recommend it. $10 a month and you receive all of these great products. There hasn't been one month that I haven't loved almost every product sent to me.
Are you an Ipsy subscriber?

Birchbox: September 2013

It's that time of the month again! I'm not talking about that dreadful time but the time when the mailman delivers a package to my door step full of surprises!

This is Birchbox's three year anniversary and I am so glad I get to be a part of the celebration! Birchbox sent out a 1000 point golden ticket to 100 lucky subscribers (worth $100 in the Birchbox shop). Although I didn't receive a golden ticket I did receive a coupon for 30% off the Customer Favorites Shop!

This month's theme was Heritage and the card reads:

“The best part about beauty? It’s not the glitter or the gloss, or even those miraculous antioxidants from far-off lands. It’s the stories. Every brand we work with, from the just-hatched to the iconic, has its own fascinating history. Just look at Ruffian, a New York-based fashion label started by two designers with a flair for Victorian drama. Their first nail lacquer collection-which all of our subscribers will get to try this month-was inspired by the runways but voted on by you. File that away for party conversation when someone compliments your mani. This also happens to be our anniversary month, and we can’t let it pass without thanking the people who have helped create our story: our members. All we had was an idea-we needed you to add the magic.”

So let's see what came in our magical box of surprises!

 

I am highly impressed with the items that were sent in the Birchbox this month. It is rare that the products sent are ones you would be using the most of.

Eyeko Black Magic Mascara: Full Size-$24
I am really liking this mascara. I have used it for about three days now and I love the volume it gives my lashes. It is also waterproof and for a woman that is a must for those emotional type of days!

Dr. Jart+ Premium BB Cream SPF 45: Full size-$39
When I first began receiving the Birchbox's I found myself very confused on what a BB cream actually does and what the need for it is. After using BB creams almost every morning I don't understand why I didn't use it sooner. The product provides light coverage and helps with the signs of aging skin!

Ruffian Nail Lacquer-Hedge Fund: Full Size-$10
I apologize in advance for the crappy picture. I couldn't seem to capture the real color and look of this polish.  It is a great color for fall and would really enhance any ensemble. It is rare that I receive a bad polish in my Birchbox.

Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips: Full size-$14.50
Now that the weather is changing and it is becoming more dry and cool my lips need more lip balm. This tiny little sample packed a great product to try. The balm had a thicker substance with a feel of Vaseline. The creamy layer added a great amount of moisture and silkiness to my lips. This is a must have for anyone with dry, chapped or cracked lips!

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Amika Blow Up Spray: Full Size-$24
I became a little too excited about this product and used it the same night I received my Birchbox and totally forgot to include a picture with the rest of my items. This product added great texture to my hair. My hair smelled great, looked silky and smooth and I didn't have to worry about static. Although my all time favorite product for hair is Birchbox's Beauty Protector Protect and Detangle this item ranks among the top as well.

(Post Amika Blow Up Spray)
I also received in the mail my Ipsy bag (review to come)
Both subscriptions are $10 and come with the best products to try before you buy!

Have you signed up yet? If so, which one is your favorite?

Mary Kay All The Way

When something good happens in your life all you want to do is share that information. Am I right?

Well something fabulous happened to me!

My bloggy friend who I have mentioned before, Lara, was so kind to send me an email letting me know she wanted me to try out some new products in her Mary Kay line!


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Of course I jumped on that bandwagon! I use to sell Mary Kay and with a new baby and hardly any time on my hands I fell short of becoming a new pink Cadillac driver. Booooo.

For anyone like Lara who can make a career out of this and who can spread the word, more power to ya!
I am so grateful to have bloggy buddies who look after me, check up on me and who care about my well being. To all of you, thank you!

I was overwhelmed with happiness when I received my little box of products in the mail!

Mary Kay has some of the best products for aging, daily skincare and beauty needs!


Let's see what's in the box shall we?

1. A look book with the most current and updated products! A pamphlet with this seasons hot new color line! Including info about Mary Kay's new lip and eye crayons! I get overly excited about new products!

2. A color card that matched my skin tone well! It includes 3 eye shadow color (silky caramel, precious pink & iris) samples, one mineral cheek color (strawberry crème) and a crème lipstick (maple) sample!

3. Timewise Volu-Firm Eye Renewal Cream. When Lara emailed me asking me about my major skin concerns the number one answer I had for her was wrinkles! Expression lines, fine lines and eye wrinkles have become a nightmare for me. I mean I'm not even thirty yet and I find myself "lifting" my face in the mirror. So when Lara sent me this little tube I jumped for joy! The cream is so soft on your skin and smells great. I am using it every day and hope that in a month or so I will really be able to tell a difference!

4. Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara. Yay for mascara! Especially this kind! The ultimate mascara is my favorite and I will soon be running out so this little tube came at the perfect time! It never clumps and never irritates my eyes like most mascaras do.

5. Timewise Repair Volu-Firm sampler set which includes the:
Foaming Cleanser, Lifting Serum, Day Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30, Night Treatment and more Eye Renewal Cream.

This kit is amazing. It has everything a women needs. At least a woman from age 25 and older. It's never too late to try and turn back the hands of time! This kit helps to focus on smoothing out your skin, reducing fine lines and wrinkles and replenishing the moisture in your skin.
I love the TimeWise skin care line because it really keeps your skin clean and healthy. While the TimeWise Repair does just that, repairs what years of aging has caused. I highly recommend purchasing this kit!

If you haven't tried out Mary Kay products let me tell you, you are missing out! The wonderful line of skincare and beauty products is amazing. Mary Kay does not disappoint!
I am very grateful and lucky to have been given the chance to sample all of these wonderful items!

Please visit Lara Brown's Mary Kay website today!

She will help you with all of your needs!

If you are a Mary Kay consultant or someone who needs exposure to their business send me an email, I would love to help!

August 2013: Ipsy Glam Bag

It's time for the Ipsy Glam Bag reveal!
Everyone has heard of Birchbox but not many people have heard of Ipsy.
If you are one of those people it basically is a beauty box subscription for $10 a month.
Ipsy sends you different makeup bags filled with 4-5 beauty samples and voila you add beauty items to your collection!

I am not one to splurge and buy a lot of products I am not familiar with. Especially since so many of them cost a pretty penny. So this little bag allows the trial and error part of the equation to not hurt your pocketbook! Ipsy provides popular brands and products that you may have been wanting to try but have not picked up yet!

So let's see what Ipsy sent this month!

Noya Lip Balm in Cherry: $3.99
I have had the worst cold lately. We all know what that's like, breathing out of our mouth inside of our nose. Well this in my case causes chapped lips. Ipsy delivered the right product for me. This little lip balm stick provides great moisture and smells awesome too!

Michael Todd Pumpkin Facial Mask: $34.00
Ipsy really welcomed the upcoming season of fall with this product! Pumpkin is my go to scent in the fall and exfoliation is a requirement at the end of a crazy work week. I feel the need to remove any and all dull dead skin cells from my face. Plus, Madison and I usually love a good girls spa night on Fridays. This product smelled awesome and left my skin clean and smooth!

Pacifica Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream: $16.00
I haven't been totally sold on the BB Creams. I don't see the use for them or the difference they make. I am satisfied with my primer, concealer, foundation and powder. The cream was very light weight and did cover up some aging spots but nothing a little concealer hasn't taken care of. Maybe some of you beauty experts can explain to me why a BB cream is recommended?

MicaBeautyEyeshadow in Bronze: $14.95
Yay a color I could actually wear on a daily basis! This bronze eye shadow had great pigmentation and enhanced my every day brown eyes hadow. I will be using this daily.

Pixi Beauty Lash Booster Mascara in Blackest Black: $17.00
Another mascara sample! Whoo hoo! I LOVE using different mascaras. It is very hard for me to find a mascara that I can use daily. There is always a problem. Maybe I'm a mascara snob. Who knows. This sample seems to be decent but with only using it a few times I haven't made my mind up yet.

Again Ipsy delivered! I received all of the products that I would love to try and they all came out with a great review! I highly recommend if you haven't subscribed to visit Ipsy now and do so!

Birchbox: August 2013

It's that time again!
This month's Birchbox included 5 products that are fabulous! Birchbox collaborated with Ann Taylor to help create affordable looks for the fall!

The great thing about Birchbox is you get to try high end products in a sample size and then decide from there to buy a full size portion at regular price.

No one likes to buy something and then find that it doesn't work the way it was expected. So being able to test out 4-5 products for $10 is worth every penny!

Harvey Prince Eau Flirt - Lavender Pumpkin - 100 ml-$98

This sample came at the perfect time! With fall right around the corner the scent of pumpkin, lavender, apple and cinnamon sets the mood for the season. I have a collection of perfumes and body sprays so being able to try another is great!

Juice Beauty Oil-free Moisturizer- 2 oz-$28

I use a moisturizer every morning and night. My skin tends to get very dry after I cleanse so it is a must that I re-hydrate my skin. I have loved all of Juice Beauty's products since I started receiving them in my Birchbox and this product worked just as well as the others.

ModelCo Party Proof Lipstick-Set of 3-$24

I received Disco Fever which is a coral color. While it is not my favorite shade it is always nice to try something new. With the right outfit I can see this adding an extra "pop" to my look.

Whish Exfoliating Body Wash-6 0z-$22

The most refreshing body wash scent is coconut. It makes me think of days spent on the beach and the smell of tanning lotion and pina coladas! This tube of body wash left my skin smelling great and silky soft!

Birchbox usually adds in a  "Beauty Extra" which happened to be the Whish Inhibiting Deodorant Swipes-$22

I have never heard of or used this product before so it was fun to see how the product worked. I do have to say that it worked better than I had expected. It comes in a small convenient pack so they can be carried in a small handbag or tossed in the gym bag. A quick swipe under the arm and you are good to go. No sweat, odor or wetness!

Want to join in on the fun? Visit Birchbox today and sign up! There's nothing quite like receiving a little package in the mail each month!

Power Play July 2013

For most of us when summer hits we change our entire routine, including our makeup and beauty routine. We look for easier, faster and more simple ways of doing things. Who wants to spend an hour putting on makeup, doing our hair and getting out the door?
Birchbox took a different approach this month to make our lives a little easier when it comes to our beauty products. Products that last longer and are perfect for work or play.

Birchbox releases a sneak peek video each month displaying the available products that we might receive. Let's watch that video:

The box that I received had some really great samples and I was pleased with this month's box!

 

Receiving the $10 beauty box subscription monthly allows me to develop a broad knowledge of products! Every month there has been at least one to two items that have been added to my permanent product storage. Birchbox has made it worth every penny.

 

The first item I received really excited me, Benefit Cosmetics Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow for $36. In the past few months I have been getting really involved in testing out more anti aging products. This product allows light to medium coverage for your face and is oil free while smoothing out your skin. Vitamins C & E are included in the product to fight the aging process.
 

I have never used bobby pins in my entire life. I know this seems shocking but I am not really an updo person and putting one on the side of my head doesn't look good to me. So I used these bobby pins in Madison's hair. They stayed pretty well and looked quite stylish with her outfit. If you are big on bobby pins the Birchbox Bobby Pins for $5 (a set of 6) are ones to snag.

The Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume for $85.00/50 ml seems to be one of the top perfumes I have received. It has a clean and fresh scent and doesn't seem to be overpowering. I would only use this perfume on the wrist and neck. It wouldn't be a perfume I would spray all over myself.
 

Since I received Birchbox's Beauty Protector Protect and Detangle I didn't think I would find a better hair product but Number 4 Super Comb Prep and Protect for $32.00 delivered. This is a leave in conditioner that leaves your hair smooth, frizz free and restores the moisture! The product smells great and I am so glad to have received this sample!

The smell of COOLA Classic SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for $32.00 is amazing! The refreshing scent of cucumber gives you the feeling of layering your face and skin with a mask. Most sunscreens leave your skin oily and greasy but this one is lightweight and oil free. I used the sunscreen on my shoulders and my nose and cheeks where I usually get the most sun and it worked perfectly!

I love Birchbox and have found their products to be a great guide to exploring new products!
You receive points with your purchases and the monthly box only costs $10! It is one of the best beauty investments I’ve ever made.

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What did you receive in your Birchbox?

Have you signed up?

 

The ELF Delivered!

I’m so excited to share my most recent shopping excursion with you!

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Why you might ask? Well it was a beauty product haul from the company E.L.F (eyes, lips, face)!

I seem to be a little behind in the blogosphere when it comes to the latest fashion and beauty products but I manage to keep a nice wardrobe and makeup bag nearby.

Here lately I have been obsessed with watching tutorials related to beauty products.

Emily blogs over at Beauty Broadcast and she has been my go to girl for the last few weeks now.
Her step by step instructions are amazing and the makeup she uses ranges from E.L.F to MAC.
She has tutorials for anyone at any age. Her wide range of advice and tips makes putting on makeup and finding the right products that much easier!

Here is one of my favorite tutorials from the Beauty Broadcast YouTube channel:

If I were better at tutorials and could manage to not look absolutely ridiculous behind the camera I would say my blog could 100% be beauty related.

I am a girly girl! I love all things pink, anything related to looking good, taking care of yourself and improving your self esteem. Who doesn't want the best and most affordable products on the market?

 

E.L.F is the place to go if you are looking for extremely affordable yet good quality cosmetics and tools.

This past week after indulging myself in countless hours of beauty tutorials I decided to make my way to Target who sells E.L.F Cosmetics and bring home my very first E.L.F haul!

 

So let's see what I picked up!
 

 

From left to right:

 

e.l.f. Essential Clarifying Pressed Powder in light beige: $1.00

 

Now let me tell you, I cannot live without powder! My t-zone area tends to stay a little oily and the powder helps calm that down leaving my face with a matte finish. I was very pleased with the powder and the amount of coverage it provided. I will continue to purchase this product. If you see in this picture my nose and face was covered quite well by the powder.

 

e.l.f. Studio Flawless Finish Foundation: $6.00

I was not very impressed with this foundation. It was a bit watery and left my skin oily. It didn't have the coverage I was looking for which caused me to use more concealer and powder.

 

 

e.l.f. Essentials Concealer Brush: $1.00

 

This was the first time I had ever used a concealer brush or concealer. Since I bought Loreal Visible Lift foundation I have had no need for concealers or liquid foundations. Loreal's foundation is hard to beat and I don't find myself finding a better product. I loved the concealer brush and the use of it but the e.l.f. foundation itself left be disappointed. I now use my concealer brush with the e.l.f. concealer or Loreal product previously purchased.

 

e.l.f. Studio Concealer: $3.00

 

As you may see I have a couple of dark spots under my eyes, above the cheek bone. After putting on a good amount of the e.l.f. concealer and foundation you can still see the dark spots. I was let down by the concealer. Emily used the concealer in one of her tutorials and it seemed to cover everything up, not so much for me. She also used the Revlon Photo Ready concealer so I may have to try that next. The product did go on smoothly and wasn't cakey. If you are looking to hide a small blemish or reddish area then this product will work for you. If the area is darker you may want to try something that provides more coverage.

 

e.l.f. Essential Eye Shadow Brush: $1.00

 

I am loving this brush! It is so easy to use and blends all of my eye shadows so well. Whether it be a color for the crease or lid the brush allows for the color to go on smoothly and enhances the look of your eye makeup!

 

e.l.f. Essentials Foundation Brush: $1.00

 

I decided to go out on a limb here and purchase this foundation brush. One might say well it's only a $1 but a dollar is a dollar. I usually use a larger powder brush for my foundation so it felt a bit odd using this kind of brush. I was impressed at how well the brush blended the foundation into the appropriate areas, especially around the eyes.

 

e.l.f. Professional Studio Lengthening and Volumizing Mascara: $3.00

 

Now, everyone knows what a mascara snob I am. I am picky and only like a handful of mascaras. Let me tell you, for $3.00 e.l.f. has hit it out of the park! This mascara lengthens your lashes and isn't clumpy at all. I give this product an A++! Yay for a cheap awesome product!

 

 

 e.l.f Essentials Eyelid Primer: $1.00

 

I started using an eyelid primer at the beginning of the year when I signed up for Birchbox and Ipsy beauty boxes. I had yet to find one that didn't cause my eye shadow to crease and wasn't so greasy and oily feeling. Well, I struck gold with this one! The primer stays on all day and I even noticed myself looking at my eye makeup the other night shocked that after an 8 hr work day and night that my makeup was still as fresh as when I first put it on!

 

e.l.f. Essentials Flawless Eyeshadow in Beautiful Browns: $2.00

 

I am a HUGE fan of eye shadows and e.l.f delivers every time! The shadows are highly pigmented and long lasting! I couldn't be more pleased with the product! I love the colors on my eyelids and the shimmer the color leaves, enhancing my eyes!

 

What have you brought lately?

Do you have a favorite go-to beauty product?

How well do you like e.lf. products?