Julep October 2013 Unboxing!

So my Julep came in this month!! See my full video unboxing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_YE2dwlT0Y

I did not get the box last month because 1. I was not too excited about the items in my box and just decided I would give it a break for a month and 2. my nail polish collection is getting out of control and I really need to decide how to store these polishes....... and soon.

But I digress, onto the box!!! ( in my Buzz Lightyear "to infinity and beyond" voice)

The first item that I received was NOT  a nail polish, but a beautiful lip gloss:

 As you can see this lip gloss has  a LOT of glitter, but because it is a gloss and the glitter is so fine, it works with your lips to create a really "wet" finish. I love this already and am sooo glad I got this color!!The color name by the way is, "Glowing".

Next we have the first nail polish in the color Cynthia: 

 This is a very pretty mauve color with tons and tons of glitter!! The color up close is beautiful and this is one way to spruce up a mauve without adding an additional glitter polish on top that can be a nightmare to get off.

My final color is this beautiful red in the name" Sheila": 

 This color is BEAUTIFUL and you all know how I am about my red colors. Nails, lips, clothes, red has to be my all time favorite color!! I cannot wait to try this out, it looks more orange/red on camera, but is a true red in person. 

And that is it!! These are all the items that I go tin my box this month!! If you want to try Julep out, click here: Try Julep Here!!   Thanks for reading!!!

October Favorites!!

So it is the end of October, and I am sooo excited to be in the cusp of Fall!!!!  See full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YbIpN4imPc

 Lets get into the favorites!

First:

 Cover Girl Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 foundation. This foundation claims to be a primer, concealer and foundation in one. Now the reason that I have two of them is that I initially purchased the one on the right in "Tawny" and it was waaaaaaaayyyyy too dark, but the next shade up was too light and that shade on the left is "Classic Tan". So my solution to them not making a color that was suited to my skin tone was to purchase both of these colors and mix them to get an accurate account of how they wear. Can I just say these are AMAZING. Now I still use an undereye concealer with these because I have dark circles from another planet, but this foundation stays in place, helps to keep me matte ( oily t-zone ) and wears all day!! This is now a staple in my makeup collection and I could not be happier that it is drugstore. Here is the link to purchase from Amazon: Covergirl Outlast 3 in 1 Foundation

Next we have this primer from Laura Mercier:

 I wanted to try this primer out because I was looking for one that I could use everyday that was not as expensive as my Hourglass one. I like that this primer is oil free, it applies smoothly and helps my foundation to apply smoothly as well. While I still have to blot oil during the day, I find that I blot less when I use this product under my foundation. One thing I have noticed however is that when I wear it under the cover girl outlast, the outlast does not wear as well as it does when I don't use it. This could be just because the outlast has its own primer and I am overloading it with another primer, but on it's own this product is amazing! Buy Laura Mercier Primer from Amazon here: Laura Mercier Oil Free Primer

Next is my Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in the color "F-bomb" :

                                                               And here is a swatch :

This is an AMAZING color in both the formula and the finish. This is most likely the only red in my makeup collection that is not a matte, but wears like one in the longevity of it. I am sooo pleased to have purchased this and will be purchasing more from this collection before it goes away!! You may notice in the top picture, there is a darker ring around the lipstick and that is because I always pair  all of my red lipsticks with Mac's "Nightmoth" lip liner and that color is a bit purple. Get Urban Decay Lipstick here, I was not able to find this on Amazon so this is a Sephora Link: Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick F-Bomb

This lip product is one that I adore for the color alone:

                                                   And here is a swatch:

 This is the Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in the color "BonHeur". I love this color for a more natural look that is not a gloss. This product wears shiny, but does not have the feel of a gloss, it is smooth and goes on nicely. The downside however is that I do not think it is as hydrating as I would like it to be and it wears off very easily. On days that I am wearing this color, I have to constantly re-apply it but it is such a nice color that it is totally worth it! Buy Chanel Rouge CoCo shine here on Amazon : Chanel Rouge CoCo Shine in Bonheur

Next, we have my Le Matte lip color from Loreal in 'Matte-r-of Fact" : 

                                             And a swatch:

 I found this at my local Target not too long ago and I assume that these mush be in high demand because I could not find them on Amazon to link them or on the L'oreal website which was shocking! But , this is the first matte lip color from the drugstore that I have ever purchased and I LOVE it! It is comparable to any high end matte lip shade that I have tried in texture, formula, and longevity. This is more than likely why I cannot find it anywhere online. If you do get a chance to pick this little baby up, I highly suggest it!

Next I have my Nyx Green Tea blotting papers: 

 This is an item I do NOT, repeat do NOT leave the house without. I have a very oily T-zone and these blotting papers work wonderfully to get rid of the additional oil and mattify my face over and over. Purchase yours here on Amazon: NYX Green Tea Blotting Papers

My final lip product should be no suprise :o) : RiRi Woo by Mac

                                          And my final lip swatch of the blog:

 This color is so lovely and RED!! I do love my red lipsticks!! This is an amazing color that wears ALL day long with a little lip gloss needed mid day, this is still a winner for me! Purchase here from Amazon: RiRi Woo lipstick by Mac

And finally, I have been wearing this blush soooo much this month because it is neutral and gives a natural highlight/glow to my cheeks. This is Mac's "Peaches" : 

 

 This color is slightly orange but the light from my camera seems to be watching the color out in the bottom picture. I love this blush and this is my go-to when I want to get away from the pink, red, and burgundy colors that I seem to have a plethora of . This color gives me a hint of beautiful coral to my cheeks that I love! Buy here at Amazon: Mac Sheertone Blush in Peaches

Thanks for reading!! 

Standout Beauty Box Items!! Volume II

So, there are a few items that I have been really drifting towards this month that all came from my beauty boxes ( see my full video unboxing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSHc5pIfL30 ) and here they are:

The first item is from LA Fresh and these are their oil free face cleansing wipes:

 These wipes are fragrance and paraben free. I had sworn off makeup removing wipes because they ALWAYS seemed to irritate my skin and leave it red and itchy. If I were to use any type of wipe in the vicinity of my eye, it would feel as if I had poured salt into them and they were immediately red and irritated. I received these wipes in a beauty box and because they were natural I decided to give them a try and they were amazing. I experienced no irritation and they actually removed my makeup without any issues at all. I will be purchasing these babies in full size! Get yours here at Amazon: La Fresh Wipes

Next is this highlighter pencil from Chella: 

 This is just a regular highlighter, but I love it because it is so convenient to use. In the mornings, it seems that no matter what I do, I am always rushing but I still want to look nice and put a little effort in my makeup. I apply this under my eyebrow and smudge it out and it ads the perfect highlight without too much effort. Buy your Chella pencil here: Chella Highlighter Pencil

Next is my Mirabella highlighter : 

 I love this highlighter because it is this really pretty pale pink shade that looks AMAZING on darker skin. This shade adds a little dimension to your whole face in a different way than lighter highlighters. Get yours here : Mirabella Highlighter

This perfume is by BCBG and it is called "bon genre": 

 I love this scent! It is not too heavy and smells really feminine without overdoing it. The only negative thing that I could possibly say about it is that it does not last long at all but other than that, its amazing!! Get your's here: BCBG Bon Genre

Going through my nail polish this month I came across this fairly new color and LOVED it so much, after a week of wearing it, I reapplied the same color. Butter London's "Kerfuffle": 

 This is an on trend color for Fall and is not dark and I like that. Don't get me wrong, I love my deep berry and red nail colors, but sometimes you want to lighten it up, especially in the fall. Purchase this color here: ( it is listed with the other colors that are similar) Butter London Kerfuffle

Next I have this eyeliner in "onyx" by Be a Bombshell cosmetics: 

This eyeliner because of it's design has made winged eyeliner fullproof. If you can draw a straight or slightly curved line with a marker, you can use this product. I also have learned through it's use that it sets like a liquid liner without all of the headache liquid liners can bring, at least for me. Get yours here : Be a Bombshell Liner

Next is this delicious smelling product:

 This Benefit lip gloss smells like CANDY! It is not super sticky so it doesnt feel like it and it adds a lovely sheen to the lips. 

 I love the way it looks, feels, and especially the way it smells!! :o) Get yours here : Benefit Sugarbomb

And the final item was this chapstick that just arrived about a week ago: 

 This product is one that you can use for a day and know if it works well or not. I found that this chapstick kept my lips hydrated longer than ordinary chapsticks. Now it claims to hydrate for 8 hours, and I don't know about all that, but I do not that it does provide much needed moisture that lasts. I have been wearing this under my lipstick and loving it. Unfortunately I could not find a link to this exact product but it is available in most drug stores and grocery stores. 

Thanks for reading!!

 

Birchbox October 2013!

So for some reason my Birchbox was a little late this month, but it came at the most opportune time. After the day I had, I needed a little pick me up. See the full video unboxing here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyYjoxzSpX0

 So here are the items I received:

First, we have:
 Becca Radiant Skin Foundation. This particular palette is geared toward people with a darker skin tone and I will eventually try it out, but at the moment I feel as if I am on a bit of a foundation burnout. This product is marketed as a medium coverage foundation with a satin finish.

Next we have this shampoo and conditioner duo by Bain de Terre.

 Both the shampoo and conditioner are paraben free which is great! They both contain Argon and Monoi oils which are really great for nourishing your hair, and if you live in an area that the weather is growing colder, this is ideal. 

Next we have: 

 This cleanser by Evologie that claims to aid in keeping your skin clear of blemishes. I have heard of this company before but have never used any of the products I have received from them in other beauty boxes. I plan on using this to see if it offers any type of result or change for the better in my skin. 

And last but not least we have: 

 This is the ChapStick Hydration Lock chap stick. With the months getting colder, my lips are in DIRE NEED of moisture that I am just not getting in my other lip products so I am looking forward to this. It states on the package that it " gives lips a fuller and smoother appearance" . 

Subscribe to Birchbox here: http://birch.ly/13wxfdD

So these are the items that I received in my BirchBox this month, and while it was not the most amazing box I have ever received, I have no complaints about it. The products received were practical and I will get use out of every single one... well except maybe the foundation. :o)  Thanks for reading!

My September Favorites!!

So I can hardly believe that September is coming to a close. It will be winter and the holidays will be upon us before we know it. WOW! Anywho, here are my:

First up, we have: 

My Jouer lip gloss in the color monsoon. This lip gloss is a wonderfully subdued color for when I do not want to have to do a lot of maintenance on my lips, but still want them to look nice. The formula is not sticky and lasts for a good while without having to be reapplied. 

Next we have my favorite blush for fall: 

This is Nars "seduction" and it is beautiful. Now this is a shade that I think can work for all skin tones depending on how you apply it. This shade gives me a deep rosy tint to my cheeks that looks really "season appropriate" in these cooler months.

Next we have a staple product that I have found myself using more and more this month: 

 NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in "Milk" has been a staple product for me more so in the month of September than before. I use this as a base for my eye shadow because it's white color makes any color I apply on top of it pop,  and stops the shadows from creasing. 

Next we have something I have already done an entire blog post on this month so I will just list it and say that I love it because you already know the rest! 

The Julep bare face cleansing oil is amazing and I love it!

Next we have my favorite fall perfume: 

 I purchased this perfume last fall and it was worth every penny I paid for it. The scent is feminine but musky at the same time. I am usually a fan of floral pretty scents but this one is the exact opposite of a floral scent but I love it! Each time I wear this perfume I get asked what the scent I am wearing is, and I cannot wait to go out and repurchase this as soon as this bottle is done. 

Next I have a cream highlighter: 

 This is Benefit's "WATT'S UP" highlighter. I had received this from a Sephora order a while ago but just never used it. As I was shopping my collection, I came across this and began using it and I love the subtle look it gives my face. This product adds a very subtle sheen right in the areas that I apply it to make my skin appear glowing and is amazing. When this product was first released I was sure the hype was about nothing, but  boy was I wrong!

Next is an eye cream by, "ByTerry" it is the Clarte' de Rose firming radiant lift eye serum: 

 I have been using this eye cream at night the better part of September and I can honestly say that I see a subtle change in my undereye area. There are fine lines under my eye ,as most people my age have , and after about a week of using this serum every night, I noticed that when I applied my under eye concealer, the lines seemed less noticeable, and the makeup was not settling into them as it had before.  I have never used an eye cream that has given me such dramatic results so swiftly.

And last but certainly not least, I have my once forgotten but now favorite concealer: 

Link for Pro Longwear Concealer: 

 This concealer is one that I cannot believe I ever forgot about!! The coverage this gives is unparalleled to any other concealer I have tried and the longevity is the same. I apply this concealer in the morning around 7:00am, and it stays on ALL day without even wearing down. The only thing that I have to do during the day is blot with my blotting papers because I get oily,but there is no reapplication needed. I will be purchasing multiple bottles of this concealer so that I NEVER run out!

And there you have it! Those are my monthly favorites for the month of September! See my full video review here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECBi6tQLrtI  Thanks for reading!!

Glam Glow Review!!

So after seeing this product in so many monthly favorites videos, as well as some amazing reviews on Sephora, I broke down and purchased it:

 That of course is the Glam Glow youth mud. Now this size retailed for $70.00, so I was a bit apprehensive about purchasing it but am so happy that I did. See full application and review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNtEFsLKrQE

This product is advertised as a natural, youth formula suitable for all skin types; it is also paraben free and vegan. It claims to leave skin radiant and glowing, exfoliate, tighten skin and contribute to tighter pores. Another thing that I noticed after application was that my makeup went on smoother for some reason. This could be due in part to the effect it had on my pores, but regardless of why, I am just happy that it happened!!

 This is what the product looks like in the jar after mixing it. There are little bits in the mask which I assume is a mixture of the volcanic minerals, volcanic rock, and the other natural ingredients that it contains.

I applied this as directed and left it on my face for 10 minutes. 

 Here is what my face looked like with the mask applied. After rinsing it off, I DID notice that my skin looked brighter and felt smoother. As I stated in my video, I will use this product sparingly because it is so expensive, I will not be using it weekly but I love it so far!! So if you have the opportunity, go and purchase this and see what it does for your skin!!

Here is the link to purchase from Sephora: http://www.sephora.com/youthmud-tinglexfoliate-treatment-P375741?icid2=GlamGlow_Bestsellers_Carousel_P375741_image

Thanks for reading!!!

GlossyBox/ Byrdie collab October 2013!!

So, my Glossybox came in today and here is what I received! See my full video unboxing here :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnDNicHOqnY

 The first item is the one that I saw as soon as I opened the box!! #soexcited :

 This is Tarte's "Lights, Camera, Flashes" mascara! This item is full size and retails for $23.00. I could not BELIEVE that this was included in this box. The price of this mascara exceeded the price I paid for the ENTIRE box and this was just the first item!! Here is a closeup of the wand:

 I cannot wait to see if all the hype surrounding this mascara is warranted or just hype. 

The next item is this face cream by Fresh: 

 It is advertised as an age defying cream with "super 7 complex." This product only contains those 7 ingredients: Lotus flower extract, blue-green algae extract, hibiscus fruit extract, fig fruit extract, vitamins C and E, and vegetable glycerol.  This is the texture of the cream: 

Next is a perfume sample  by Bvlgari, called "au the' vert" : 

 Now when I first applied this perfume, I was NOT a fan. The scent seemed very strong and almost smelled like Men's Cologne. However, after warming it up on my wrists and allowing it to sit and meld, it softened to a pleasant-like feminine scent. However, I did find the scent to be a bit grandmother-like after letting it sit for a while and I, sorry to say am still not a fan. :o(

Next, we have : 

 this full size lip gloss by the company Balance Me. This lip treatment smells of mint and is marketed as a salve leading me to believe it does more than just sit on your lips and look pretty. After applying it, it tingled slightly on my lips and smelled amazing. The tint that is added to it just makes this lip gloss that much better!!

And my final item was a skin mask: 

 This is an anti aging mask and I have not yet applied it to give an honest review but I cannot wait to try it!

One thing that I have noticed is that at the ripe old age of 33, I am beginning to get a LOT more anti aging products in these boxes ( who have my profile including my age) and instead of being offended, I have now accepted that prevention is the key to getting  (gulp...) older. Thanks so much for reading!