I've had a lot of personal things to deal with and haven't had much time to post reviews or experiences with products or subscription services the past month or so. I'm feeling better lately and I finally have some free time from work.
Better late than never!
I will have November posts up over the next few days for Wantable, Ipsy and Boxycharm. I will also update with December goodies as they arrive.
We've got a trip to Disney this holiday season. That means Christmas at the Magic Kingdom! The resort looks amazing and I can't wait to see all the holiday decorations, lights and trees. Will also be celebrating my 26th birthday while I'm there! I might make a haul with park things if I get anything worth mentioning (the only thing I purchased last visit was a pin). Not very familiar with hauls but it was suggested and requested by an online friend. So much to look forward to and be thankful for this month!
I've got Influenster to thank for giving me a push to post again and put myself out there a little more. It's a great thing for people that struggle with meeting new people, sharing and shyness. (:
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
October Beauty Subscriptions
Boxycharm October 2014
Not the best box but still a fantastic value!
- Palmetto Derma Collagen Booster & Restoration Serum $48.00
- Coastal Scents Eclipse Concealer Palette $19.95
- Cult/Commerce x Boxycharm 'shady' polish duo $21
- Be a Bombshell Eyeshadow $14
- Starlooks Ultra Gem Pencil $14
Total box value = $116.95
The Palmetto Serum has an odd smell. It's not bad just unusual. I'm only 25 so I don't really need to use any serums and I don't usually notice anything when I apply them.
Coastal Scents is a great affordable brand and I was really excited to see their concealer palette in Octobers box. Unfortunately the formulas are drying and hard to work with. I would suggest heating them a little with a blow dryer to allow them to apply and blend easier. I have really pale skin and all but three of the shades were too dark for me. So this will be gifted to my olive skinned youngest sister.
The 'Shady' polish trio is massively overpriced. The brushes are very stiff and don't apply the polish smoothly. They chip within 24 hours of applying without using a top coat. The packaging is also tiny. While the colors are Halloween themed, there are much better polishes out there for less money.
Be a Bombshell is a nice brand and their shadows tend to be very pigmented and smooth. The color I received was a very pretty autumn brass color. Unfortunately anything gold or orange looks terrible on me.
Starlooks Ultra Gem Pencil in 'Ultra Violet' is my favorite thing from the box and the only item I kept. It's a pretty blue jean lilac eye pencil with a slight shimmer. It applies very smoothly and is very blendable. I suggest wearing an eye primer underneath the pencil because it tends to wear off after a few hours worn alone.
While I can't use the majority of the items in this box, they will make great gifts for the holidays! Thank you for another great box Boxycharm. (:
IPSY October 2014
- Figs & Rouge Hand Cream in 'Mango Mandarin' $6.56
- MicaBeauty Mineral Eye Shadow in 'Harlequin' $?
- Starlooks Lip Gloss in 'Guilty Pleasure' (sample)
- Skyn Iceland Mini Glacial Cleansing Cloths (10 ct) $5
- ECRU New York Acacia Protein BB Cream Hair Beauty Balm (1 oz) $12
I'm not a fan of the hand cream. The cream itself is nice and moisturizing but the scent gave me a headache. It's a very sweet and fruity smell so if you like products like that you may like this lotion.
MicaBeauty is a nice cosmetics brand. I wish we had received a different color other than greens for this product. There's no way I can make this work, I look very bad with emerald eyelids. The eye shadow is very pigmented but messy.
The Starlooks lip gloss was fantastic! The color is a 'my lips but better' for me and I wear it everyday. I just wish we were given a larger size, the sample is tiny. Very creamy, pigmented and smooth. Not very sticky and kept my lips moisturized.
The Glacial Cleansing cloths are really great! I have sensitive skin and these worked wonders when removing makeup of just to refresh my face. The scent is very pleasant and fresh. The only downside is the $15 price tag for a 30 count cloth bag. But I feel it's worth the money.
The ECRU BB hair cream was something I had to get used to. The scent is pleasant and it does make my hair very smooth and silky.
A great value for this months glam bag! A little bit of a let down with the lotion and eye shadow but the bag is only $10. I can always gift away what I don't want to keep.
Not the best box but still a fantastic value!
- Coastal Scents Eclipse Concealer Palette $19.95
- Cult/Commerce x Boxycharm 'shady' polish duo $21
- Be a Bombshell Eyeshadow $14
- Starlooks Ultra Gem Pencil $14
Total box value = $116.95
The Palmetto Serum has an odd smell. It's not bad just unusual. I'm only 25 so I don't really need to use any serums and I don't usually notice anything when I apply them.
Coastal Scents is a great affordable brand and I was really excited to see their concealer palette in Octobers box. Unfortunately the formulas are drying and hard to work with. I would suggest heating them a little with a blow dryer to allow them to apply and blend easier. I have really pale skin and all but three of the shades were too dark for me. So this will be gifted to my olive skinned youngest sister.
The 'Shady' polish trio is massively overpriced. The brushes are very stiff and don't apply the polish smoothly. They chip within 24 hours of applying without using a top coat. The packaging is also tiny. While the colors are Halloween themed, there are much better polishes out there for less money.
Be a Bombshell is a nice brand and their shadows tend to be very pigmented and smooth. The color I received was a very pretty autumn brass color. Unfortunately anything gold or orange looks terrible on me.
Starlooks Ultra Gem Pencil in 'Ultra Violet' is my favorite thing from the box and the only item I kept. It's a pretty blue jean lilac eye pencil with a slight shimmer. It applies very smoothly and is very blendable. I suggest wearing an eye primer underneath the pencil because it tends to wear off after a few hours worn alone.
While I can't use the majority of the items in this box, they will make great gifts for the holidays! Thank you for another great box Boxycharm. (:
IPSY October 2014
- MicaBeauty Mineral Eye Shadow in 'Harlequin' $?
- Starlooks Lip Gloss in 'Guilty Pleasure' (sample)
- Skyn Iceland Mini Glacial Cleansing Cloths (10 ct) $5
- ECRU New York Acacia Protein BB Cream Hair Beauty Balm (1 oz) $12
I'm not a fan of the hand cream. The cream itself is nice and moisturizing but the scent gave me a headache. It's a very sweet and fruity smell so if you like products like that you may like this lotion.
MicaBeauty is a nice cosmetics brand. I wish we had received a different color other than greens for this product. There's no way I can make this work, I look very bad with emerald eyelids. The eye shadow is very pigmented but messy.
The Starlooks lip gloss was fantastic! The color is a 'my lips but better' for me and I wear it everyday. I just wish we were given a larger size, the sample is tiny. Very creamy, pigmented and smooth. Not very sticky and kept my lips moisturized.
The Glacial Cleansing cloths are really great! I have sensitive skin and these worked wonders when removing makeup of just to refresh my face. The scent is very pleasant and fresh. The only downside is the $15 price tag for a 30 count cloth bag. But I feel it's worth the money.
The ECRU BB hair cream was something I had to get used to. The scent is pleasant and it does make my hair very smooth and silky.
A great value for this months glam bag! A little bit of a let down with the lotion and eye shadow but the bag is only $10. I can always gift away what I don't want to keep.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
September Beauty Boxes
Since I've been really really lagging in the subscription box review department, I decided to do a larger basic post including Boxycharm, Ipsy and Wantable. After starting several medications for a string of health problems, developing a sinus infection and having to deal with some work issues..last month was pretty stressful.
I'm also just lazy and didn't want to take some images off of my phone and write up a review. I don't think anyone even reads them lol.
Wantable Makeup September 2014
I usually only purchase a wantable box every other month. At $36 (shipping included) they tend to be pricey but a really good value. The items are always full size and the value of the total box is always worth double or more than what I pay. If you have some money saved up and are looking to start to start or try new things than this might be a good service to try.
And I have somehow lost the paper that listed the prices.
- Vincent Longo stain in 'Liquid Kiss' $24
- Vincent Longo velvet riche lipstick in 'Indie Rose' $23
- MUD eyeshadow in 'Bronzed' $14.50
- Face Stockholm nail color in '#25?' $12
- MICA Beauty Cosmetics Kabuki $35
Total Box Value = $108.50 (Wow!)
Both the stain and lipstick are pretty colors, the stain looking the best with my skin tone and pigmented lips. The stain is very blendable while wet and once it dries it does tend to stay put all day with very little fading.
The shadow color is gorgeous and the product is very pigmented. It just looks terrible on me. My entire personalized quiz shows I am very pale, cool undertoned with blond hair so I have no idea why they sent orange gold to me. Is it because I have earthy tones chosen? I wish I could exchange the color for literally any other MUD shade.
The polish is a basic cream blue lavender color. It chipped after 2 days with a top coat.
I was very excited for the MICA kabuki brush! It has little to no bristle fall out. The brush is very soft but firm enough to blend face products well.
Aside from the odd shadow color I loved Septembers makeup box! I plan on giving my shadow away to one of my younger sisters since both have our mothers olive skin, which unfortunately skipped me.
Boxycharm September 2014
Boxycharm is my absolute favorite beauty sub box! At only $21 (shipping included) I always receive 4-5 full sized products from all kinds of brands and price ranges. The box is always an amazing value.
I apologize for the bad photos from this one. I was moving my room around again and couldn't use my regular photo location.
- tarte LipSurgence lip gloss in 'tipsy' $19
- Coastal Scents Go Palette in 'Moscow' $12.95
- NCLA Nail Lacquer in 'Model Behavior' $16
- Tarina Tarantino limited edition fleur de lash mascara in 'Black Opal' $19
- Hello by Harvey Prince fragrance 10mL $29
Total Box Value = $95.95 (Nice!)
I love love love everything in this box! They can continue to put Tarantino products in every box if they like, I absolutely love the products and packaging.
I'm also really happy with the Hello fragrance. I was actually thinking about purchasing the full size. But that price tag for a fragrance the size of a lip gloss was hard to justify. The fragrance notes are Meyer Lemon, White Grapefruit and Satsuma Mandarin. It's a delicate sweet scent.
The mascara is amazing. The bristles are evenly dispersed and thick so you can 'wiggle' the brush slightly while applying to get thick, but natural looking, lashes.
The tarte lipgloss is in clear packaging so the color applies exactly the way it looks in the tube. The formula is pretty thick and sticky but long lasting.
The NCLA polish is a black plum color and applies smoothly. But it will chip in under 24 hours without a top coat.
The product that everyone was really excited about would be the travel coastal scents palette! There were several color collections we might receive and I happened to get the 'Moscow' palette.
I have each color show in order from left to right and top to bottom. Shadows swatched dry and without a primer base.
I love many of the browns and reds, they look great with my skin tone and green eyes!
IPSY September 2014
Ipsy is extremely affordable at only $10 (shipping included) a month! You usually receive 4-5 full size or luxury sample size products ranging from skin care to makeup. The products range from name brand to drugstore.
- Hikari Matte Lipstick in 'Cabernet' $13
- Deluxe Infinity Shadow/Crease Brush $7
- Pacifica Water-Proof Liner in 'Fringe' (sample)
- Nourish Organic Moisturizing Cream Face Cleanser (1 oz sample)
- CAVIAR CC Hair Cream (0.85 oz sample)
Total Value = around $30 (samples estimated)
Hikari 'Cabernet' and Pacifica 'Fringe' swatched.
The lipstick is a really pretty dark pink. While it's matte it doesn't dry out my lips too much and is long lasting. I really like it!
And finally, a BROWN eye liner! Even brown liners show up dark on me. But it's much better than the tons of black liner samples IPSY and Birchbox have been tossing in boxes all year. It's fairly long lasting, blendable and does work fine on the waterline (although it fades after a few hours). I may purchase the full size since I really like how it can blend right into my shadows.
The duet brush works great! The bristles are soft but firm and I love that it has a crease and lid brush all in one. Great for traveling.
The face cleanser works just fine but it smells terrible. It's a nice enough organic cleanser if you can get past the Cucumber and Watercress scent.
The CC Hair product smells very nice and leaves my hair feeling very soft. It's supposed to be a 10-in-1 treatment that "provides moisture, shine, smoothness, softness, UV protection, manageability, strength, anti-breakage, heat protection and light hold." The full size is 2.5 oz at $25, so the 1 oz sample provided is very generous and worth somewhere around $10! However...I am losing my hair due to illness and it's becoming increasingly frustrating receiving hair creams in my bag (more than 3 hair creams in total). I change the quiz, I review the items..nothing has changed. After being a member for a year I highly suspect there is no real purpose to the quiz (or they rarely ever reference it) and the only reason for the reviews are to earn points.
Final Thoughts:
September was a great month for beauty subscription services! I usually only purchase Boxycharm and IPSY each month, Wantable had such a nice line up for September that I decided to un-skip and Ii'm glad that I did. Lots of products for myself, but most importantly almost half of these are being put away to go into Christmas and Birthday goody bags for some of my female family members. Ii can't wait to gift them. (:
And if you actually read all of that then you deserve some kind of reward. Like a cookie!
I'm also just lazy and didn't want to take some images off of my phone and write up a review. I don't think anyone even reads them lol.
Wantable Makeup September 2014
I usually only purchase a wantable box every other month. At $36 (shipping included) they tend to be pricey but a really good value. The items are always full size and the value of the total box is always worth double or more than what I pay. If you have some money saved up and are looking to start to start or try new things than this might be a good service to try.
And I have somehow lost the paper that listed the prices.
- Vincent Longo velvet riche lipstick in 'Indie Rose' $23
- MUD eyeshadow in 'Bronzed' $14.50
- Face Stockholm nail color in '#25?' $12
- MICA Beauty Cosmetics Kabuki $35
Total Box Value = $108.50 (Wow!)
The shadow color is gorgeous and the product is very pigmented. It just looks terrible on me. My entire personalized quiz shows I am very pale, cool undertoned with blond hair so I have no idea why they sent orange gold to me. Is it because I have earthy tones chosen? I wish I could exchange the color for literally any other MUD shade.
The polish is a basic cream blue lavender color. It chipped after 2 days with a top coat.
I was very excited for the MICA kabuki brush! It has little to no bristle fall out. The brush is very soft but firm enough to blend face products well.
Aside from the odd shadow color I loved Septembers makeup box! I plan on giving my shadow away to one of my younger sisters since both have our mothers olive skin, which unfortunately skipped me.
Boxycharm September 2014
Boxycharm is my absolute favorite beauty sub box! At only $21 (shipping included) I always receive 4-5 full sized products from all kinds of brands and price ranges. The box is always an amazing value.
I apologize for the bad photos from this one. I was moving my room around again and couldn't use my regular photo location.
- Coastal Scents Go Palette in 'Moscow' $12.95
- NCLA Nail Lacquer in 'Model Behavior' $16
- Tarina Tarantino limited edition fleur de lash mascara in 'Black Opal' $19
- Hello by Harvey Prince fragrance 10mL $29
Total Box Value = $95.95 (Nice!)
I'm also really happy with the Hello fragrance. I was actually thinking about purchasing the full size. But that price tag for a fragrance the size of a lip gloss was hard to justify. The fragrance notes are Meyer Lemon, White Grapefruit and Satsuma Mandarin. It's a delicate sweet scent.
The mascara is amazing. The bristles are evenly dispersed and thick so you can 'wiggle' the brush slightly while applying to get thick, but natural looking, lashes.
The tarte lipgloss is in clear packaging so the color applies exactly the way it looks in the tube. The formula is pretty thick and sticky but long lasting.
The NCLA polish is a black plum color and applies smoothly. But it will chip in under 24 hours without a top coat.
I have each color show in order from left to right and top to bottom. Shadows swatched dry and without a primer base.
I love many of the browns and reds, they look great with my skin tone and green eyes!
IPSY September 2014
Ipsy is extremely affordable at only $10 (shipping included) a month! You usually receive 4-5 full size or luxury sample size products ranging from skin care to makeup. The products range from name brand to drugstore.
- Deluxe Infinity Shadow/Crease Brush $7
- Pacifica Water-Proof Liner in 'Fringe' (sample)
- Nourish Organic Moisturizing Cream Face Cleanser (1 oz sample)
- CAVIAR CC Hair Cream (0.85 oz sample)
Total Value = around $30 (samples estimated)
The lipstick is a really pretty dark pink. While it's matte it doesn't dry out my lips too much and is long lasting. I really like it!
And finally, a BROWN eye liner! Even brown liners show up dark on me. But it's much better than the tons of black liner samples IPSY and Birchbox have been tossing in boxes all year. It's fairly long lasting, blendable and does work fine on the waterline (although it fades after a few hours). I may purchase the full size since I really like how it can blend right into my shadows.
The duet brush works great! The bristles are soft but firm and I love that it has a crease and lid brush all in one. Great for traveling.
The face cleanser works just fine but it smells terrible. It's a nice enough organic cleanser if you can get past the Cucumber and Watercress scent.
The CC Hair product smells very nice and leaves my hair feeling very soft. It's supposed to be a 10-in-1 treatment that "provides moisture, shine, smoothness, softness, UV protection, manageability, strength, anti-breakage, heat protection and light hold." The full size is 2.5 oz at $25, so the 1 oz sample provided is very generous and worth somewhere around $10! However...I am losing my hair due to illness and it's becoming increasingly frustrating receiving hair creams in my bag (more than 3 hair creams in total). I change the quiz, I review the items..nothing has changed. After being a member for a year I highly suspect there is no real purpose to the quiz (or they rarely ever reference it) and the only reason for the reviews are to earn points.
Final Thoughts:
September was a great month for beauty subscription services! I usually only purchase Boxycharm and IPSY each month, Wantable had such a nice line up for September that I decided to un-skip and Ii'm glad that I did. Lots of products for myself, but most importantly almost half of these are being put away to go into Christmas and Birthday goody bags for some of my female family members. Ii can't wait to gift them. (:
And if you actually read all of that then you deserve some kind of reward. Like a cookie!
Saturday, September 27, 2014
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
A really good supernatural murder mystery game just released this week on Steam for $20!
It's a story driven first person exploration game. You're character is trying to find a young kidnapped child before it's too late. You have a few 'gifts' that allow you to see what others cannot. You use these abilities to piece together the dark happenings in Red Creek Valley.
There was also a tentacle at the end of that trailer. I'm going to go ahead and say it...Cthulhu.
It's available right now for the PC and will be available for the PS4 in 2015. The graphics, elements and ports are extremely impressive for an Indie title. My hats off to 'The Astronauts' and 'Nordic Games' for a really interesting dark mystery.
I will update my post with a small review once I've completed the game and w-Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.
Update (spoiler warning): Kind of a depressing plot twist ending. It's a great game, don't get me wrong. It's just one of those 'it was all a dream' kind of games that leave you feeling sad at the end. But that's just an opinion. Check it out for yourself, It may be something you like.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 20th Anniversary Edition
One of my all time favorite game series and titles is finally getting a well deserved update for it's 20th Anniversary this October!
All game information can be found here.
Or if you're a member of Steam you can purchase it here.
-Trailer from Phoenix Online Studios youtube channel.
Steam currently has the game 15% off and a free official soundtrack (the music is fantastic!) when you pre-order. (:
Sunday, August 31, 2014
em Cosmetics Day Life Palette
em Cosmetics is a makeup line by L'oreal and a youtube beauty guru named Michelle Phan.
The Day Life Palette was on sale for $49 so I decided to finally give it a try.
Knobs and Bobs:
The palette comes with 24 eye shadows, 8 lip products, 2 blushes, 2 bronzers, a double ended shadow/liner brush and pick removal tool.
The packaging is very sturdy with magnetic lid closures on both the large palette and travel palette.
Each product can be removed and placed into the small palette for on-the-go color application.
(All colors applied dry to skin without a primer.)
First in the palette is (look #1) 'girls'day out' at the top left.
This is a more everyday look for me. Since I have green eyes the red tones really make them pop and look great with my pale skin.
All of the color have a good consistency except for 'Busy Lady' found in the lower left corner. The color is lovely, but the formula comes off very chalky and I have to really press down hard or keep layering it to get it fully pigmented.
In contrast, 'grab your purse is very rich, creamy and pigmented.
The lip products are very pretty sheer berry colors.
(look #2) 'coffee break' at top right.
These are very nice brown neutrals.
These are mostly warm yellow based neutrals so I tend to not look very good in them.
All of the colors are ok and fairly pigmented. 'lottsa latte' is a very creamy and pigmented color and would look great on someone with darker skin than my own. 'beige frappe' seemed to come off chalky and I had to keep trying to build up the color to make it show up, which is odd considering it's a shimmer.
The lip colors look nice in the pan but apply very sheer. 'what's nude' is a lovely coral pink but 'morning peach' doesn't show up at all.
The Day Life Palette was on sale for $49 so I decided to finally give it a try.
Knobs and Bobs:
The packaging is very sturdy with magnetic lid closures on both the large palette and travel palette.
Each product can be removed and placed into the small palette for on-the-go color application.
(All colors applied dry to skin without a primer.)
This is a more everyday look for me. Since I have green eyes the red tones really make them pop and look great with my pale skin.
All of the color have a good consistency except for 'Busy Lady' found in the lower left corner. The color is lovely, but the formula comes off very chalky and I have to really press down hard or keep layering it to get it fully pigmented.
In contrast, 'grab your purse is very rich, creamy and pigmented.
The lip products are very pretty sheer berry colors.
a pink moment
first priority
busy lady
things to do
rush hour
grab your purse
sweet raisin
berry busy
These are very nice brown neutrals.
These are mostly warm yellow based neutrals so I tend to not look very good in them.
All of the colors are ok and fairly pigmented. 'lottsa latte' is a very creamy and pigmented color and would look great on someone with darker skin than my own. 'beige frappe' seemed to come off chalky and I had to keep trying to build up the color to make it show up, which is odd considering it's a shimmer.
The lip colors look nice in the pan but apply very sheer. 'what's nude' is a lovely coral pink but 'morning peach' doesn't show up at all.
creamy
beige frappe
lottsa latte
biscotti
cocoa
espresso
what's nude?
morning peach
(look #3) 'weekend brunch' is a nice mix of yellow and pink toned neutrals.
I love the darkest color 'nibble'. The photo doesn't do it justice, it's more of a deep plum brown rather than black. The formula for it is very creamy and pigmented.
I was able to swatch all colors without having to layer them.
The lip colors are sheer. 'parisian nude' was another gloss that doesn't really shop up once applied.
creme
girlie
peach gelato
ballet flats
french toast
nibble
roses
parisian nude
(look #3 'day dreaming' is a gorgeous mix of muted pinks and purples.
I love all of the colors here and all of them apply smoothly. The only one that's really chalky is 'fantasy', a really pretty duo tone mauve with gold sheen. The black 'onyx dreams' isn't as pigmented or smooth as the other darks.
The lip color 'misty mauve' is my favorite of the bunch and the one I keep in my travel palette.
french kiss
light violet
silver lining
fantasy
storm kiss
onyx dreams
misty mauve
one more
(with primer)
Colors used in travel palette:
perfect rose (blush)
beige frappe
espresso
rush hour
things to do
grab your purse
light violet
fantasy
Blushes/Bronzers
(look #1) 'perfect rose -blush
(look #2) 'cappuccino' -bronzer
(look #3) 'pinched' -bronzer/blush
(look #4) 'day dreaming' -blush
Final Thoughts:
Is it worth the money? I personally think it was a good purchase for $49. I received a very large amount of product as well as a travel palette to transfer my favorites for easy on-the-go access.
em cosmetic products are expensive and I don't think I would have been very happy with the original $75 price tag that came along with it. These are slightly better than drugstore brands but nowhere near as nice as MAC, Urban Decay or Lancome (another l'oreal brand). I'm very excited to see that the permanent price for the Life Palette series has been lowered to $59!
Is it a good product? Some of the eye shadows are pigmented and creamy. Very few need to be built up for their color to fully show. Most are chalky with a lot of fall out, but very pretty colors. All of them last for hours with a primed base. It's a nice collection of mostly dependable products but nothing to get overly excited about.
The packaging is sturdy/solid with a very clean design. I love the magnetic closure on both palettes! The only negativity I have experienced is fall out from shadows getting into the lip products. The only way to avoid this is to either remove the lip products and place them in another palette or be very very careful with using any of the surrounding shadows. I found it best to remove what I want to use for the day into the travel palette to avoid any mess. It's also good to have them around if you need to touch up during the day.
I will be trying a few more em products and will be sure to write up my experiences with them once they arrive in the mail.
*Is it just me or is there a significant lack of sentence capitalization anywhere on the em cosmetics site? It's driving me crazy. Maybe it has to do with the brands name theme? Even this palette's product names were all lower case. I would be interested in learning what others think or know about this. ^^
*Is it just me or is there a significant lack of sentence capitalization anywhere on the em cosmetics site? It's driving me crazy. Maybe it has to do with the brands name theme? Even this palette's product names were all lower case. I would be interested in learning what others think or know about this. ^^
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Coastal Scents 28 Neutral Palette
I've done some cleaning up and throwing away the last bits of expired eye shadows. I didn't know eye shadows expire but it makes perfect sense. It's made using ingredients and those ingredients will go bad over time.
So it was time to say goodbye to a few shadows as well as some lipsticks, gloss and misc. face stuffs.
I kept thinking about things that could give me the best bang for my buck and provide good quality. Coastal Scents immediately came to mind and I decided to finally give their products a try. They're also cruelty free, which is always a good thing with cosmetic companies.
The Knobs and Bobs:
Since I prefer a more neutral or natural look I decided that the 28 Neutral Palette would suite me best.
They even threw in four dime sized samples! I don't really wear color but the blues would look gorgeous during summer vacation or a beach/trip to the coast.
I waited until a sale came up and purchased all of this for only $9.95!
Look at all those lovely neutrals!
The only oddball color looks like that one bright pink to the left of the palette.
For the price many of these are very nice quality. The pans are slightly larger than a quarter.
I love how everything is together in one palette. I would strongly recommend a base or primer before applying though.
Swatches:
I swatched every two columns from right to left. The shadows have no names (other than the samples)...so I'll improvise! Colors are shown swatched dry with no primer or base.
Clockwise from the brown~
Thunderous- Dark olive brown
Reef Blue- Light aqua
Cloud White- Creamy off white
Paris Green- Dark aqua green
Aside from the white, the shadows are a little chalky. But the colors are very nice and different from what I usually get.
Swatches shown from top to bottom and right to left:
Dark Chaco- Dark chocolate brown (shimmer)
Fawn- Light yellow based brown (matte)
Willow- Dark brown (shimmer)
Noir- Gray/Black with red glitter specs (shimmer)
Dusty- Very light brown cream (matte)
Sahara- Yellow khaki (matte)
Brisket- Light brick brown (matte)
Oak- Milk chocolate brown (matte)
My favorite color range!
Rosemary- Dark rose pink (shimmer)
Lantern- Light orange gold (matte)
Postcard- Bright box brown (shimmer)
Antique- Sable cream (matte)
Blushing- dusty mauve pink (matte)
Caramel- Muted gold cream (matte)
Cobbler- Rich gold brown (shimmer)
Pebble- Muted dark lilac (matte)
Most of the light colors don't show up against my skin. The formula for the light colors is hard to see, most appear to have a sheen to them.
Corduroy- Soft pink brown (matte)
Oh My!- Bright cool pink (matte)
Teddy- Light yellow brown (matte)
Fossil- Earthy brown (matte)
Twine- Eggshell white
Newsprint- gray off white
Bikini- Sandy white
Oatmeal- brown off white
Peachy Keen- Light peach (shimmer)
Marble- Muted stone white
Barely- Light skin toned (shimmer)
Marsh Mellow- Chalk white
So it was time to say goodbye to a few shadows as well as some lipsticks, gloss and misc. face stuffs.
I kept thinking about things that could give me the best bang for my buck and provide good quality. Coastal Scents immediately came to mind and I decided to finally give their products a try. They're also cruelty free, which is always a good thing with cosmetic companies.
The Knobs and Bobs:
They even threw in four dime sized samples! I don't really wear color but the blues would look gorgeous during summer vacation or a beach/trip to the coast.
I waited until a sale came up and purchased all of this for only $9.95!
The only oddball color looks like that one bright pink to the left of the palette.
For the price many of these are very nice quality. The pans are slightly larger than a quarter.
I love how everything is together in one palette. I would strongly recommend a base or primer before applying though.
Swatches:
I swatched every two columns from right to left. The shadows have no names (other than the samples)...so I'll improvise! Colors are shown swatched dry with no primer or base.
Thunderous- Dark olive brown
Reef Blue- Light aqua
Cloud White- Creamy off white
Paris Green- Dark aqua green
Aside from the white, the shadows are a little chalky. But the colors are very nice and different from what I usually get.
Swatches shown from top to bottom and right to left:
Dark Chaco- Dark chocolate brown (shimmer)
Fawn- Light yellow based brown (matte)
Willow- Dark brown (shimmer)
Noir- Gray/Black with red glitter specs (shimmer)
Dusty- Very light brown cream (matte)
Sahara- Yellow khaki (matte)
Brisket- Light brick brown (matte)
Oak- Milk chocolate brown (matte)
My favorite color range!
Rosemary- Dark rose pink (shimmer)
Lantern- Light orange gold (matte)
Postcard- Bright box brown (shimmer)
Antique- Sable cream (matte)
Blushing- dusty mauve pink (matte)
Caramel- Muted gold cream (matte)
Cobbler- Rich gold brown (shimmer)
Pebble- Muted dark lilac (matte)
Most of the light colors don't show up against my skin. The formula for the light colors is hard to see, most appear to have a sheen to them.
Corduroy- Soft pink brown (matte)
Oh My!- Bright cool pink (matte)
Teddy- Light yellow brown (matte)
Fossil- Earthy brown (matte)
Twine- Eggshell white
Newsprint- gray off white
Bikini- Sandy white
Oatmeal- brown off white
Peachy Keen- Light peach (shimmer)
Marble- Muted stone white
Barely- Light skin toned (shimmer)
Marsh Mellow- Chalk white
Final Thoughts:
I'm very pleased with this palette! Some very nice colors that are a step up from drugstore brands for a fraction of the cost. Some of them aren't as pigmented and require a few extra swipes, but they show up just fine with a primer or shadow base underneath.
I don't see the need to purhcase anymore eye shadows so my original goal has been met. hopefully these will last me a good while.
If anyone is interested in their cosmetics line they also carry many other products and shadow/blush palettes. If you are interested in more information on the palettes there are many reviews online and youtube that may be helpful.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Drugstore Gems
Due to my pale and sensitive skin I usually steer clear of drugstore cosmetics or face products. They either never have my shade or the product irritates my face. But I've been noticing a rise in natural, organic or sensitive conscious brands appearing in local CVS and Walgreens around town. So I thought I would try a few things out.
Also lipstick. Because I love me some good lipstick...especially when it's on sale.
The Knobs and Bobs
I've had my eye on the 'Simple' brand for a few months. I have their facial cleansing wipes and absolutely love them! So I gave their makeup remover and moisturizer a try.
Both products work great!
Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer with SPF 15 is a wonderful facial product that I will be purchasing again. It goes on smooth and light, not oil build up or strong scent. The only thing I could faintly smell was light sunscreen and since I burn easily I didn't mind that at all. After a month of use I have not experienced any breakouts or irritation.
Simple Eye Make-Up Remover is effective and gentle. It removes all makeup without irritating my eyes! It's advertised right on the bottle that it can remove waterproof mascara and it actually does a really decent job at it. I will be purchasing again once this bottle is empty.
If you love those little egg shaped eos (evolution of smooth) lip balms then you might like their shaving cream.
eos is a fun brand with really neat packaging and decent products. I hate shaving my legs in the shower, it's a hassle. So I've been looking for a good dry shaving cream. This product claims on the bottle that it can be used wet or dry and I've heard some good things about it, so decided to give it a try.
It actually can be used dry but I found that having a damp rag and using a little water helps. All shaving creams tend to leave my legs dry irritated but not problems with this one. It smells very fresh and left my legs feeling smooth , soft and moisturized.
And last, but certainly not least, the lipstick.
Rimmel London has a fairly new line of 'moisture renew' lipstick. Since there was a buy 1 get 2nd 50% off I decided to try a few. It's getting close to fall so I chose a few neutral or slightly darker colors.
The formula is very soft and creamy. They're not as moisturizing as a lip balm and don't really stay on longer than an hour, but for less than $6 they were a pretty good buy.
My natural lips are already pretty pigmented so I've been very fortunate when it comes to using dark or neutral colors. The only colors I can't seem to pull off are very light pinks and nudes. So I was very happy that Rimmel had two darker/pinkish nudes that I could actually pull off without washing my lips out.
From top to bottom:
Dusty Rose - Brown pink with slight shimmer (slight shimmer)
To Nude or Not to Nude? - Neutral pink (frost)
Latino - bright berry pink (shimmer)
Let's Get Naked - Peachy nude cream (no shimmer)
All colors are gorgeous and would compliment any skin tone. All colors listed are moisturizing. I experienced very little dryness or peeling after wearing them.
I love the colors and formula of this line! Can't wait to grab a few more while they're on sale.
Also lipstick. Because I love me some good lipstick...especially when it's on sale.
The Knobs and Bobs
I've had my eye on the 'Simple' brand for a few months. I have their facial cleansing wipes and absolutely love them! So I gave their makeup remover and moisturizer a try.
Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer with SPF 15 is a wonderful facial product that I will be purchasing again. It goes on smooth and light, not oil build up or strong scent. The only thing I could faintly smell was light sunscreen and since I burn easily I didn't mind that at all. After a month of use I have not experienced any breakouts or irritation.
Simple Eye Make-Up Remover is effective and gentle. It removes all makeup without irritating my eyes! It's advertised right on the bottle that it can remove waterproof mascara and it actually does a really decent job at it. I will be purchasing again once this bottle is empty.
eos is a fun brand with really neat packaging and decent products. I hate shaving my legs in the shower, it's a hassle. So I've been looking for a good dry shaving cream. This product claims on the bottle that it can be used wet or dry and I've heard some good things about it, so decided to give it a try.
It actually can be used dry but I found that having a damp rag and using a little water helps. All shaving creams tend to leave my legs dry irritated but not problems with this one. It smells very fresh and left my legs feeling smooth , soft and moisturized.
And last, but certainly not least, the lipstick.
The formula is very soft and creamy. They're not as moisturizing as a lip balm and don't really stay on longer than an hour, but for less than $6 they were a pretty good buy.
My natural lips are already pretty pigmented so I've been very fortunate when it comes to using dark or neutral colors. The only colors I can't seem to pull off are very light pinks and nudes. So I was very happy that Rimmel had two darker/pinkish nudes that I could actually pull off without washing my lips out.
Dusty Rose - Brown pink with slight shimmer (slight shimmer)
To Nude or Not to Nude? - Neutral pink (frost)
Latino - bright berry pink (shimmer)
Let's Get Naked - Peachy nude cream (no shimmer)
All colors are gorgeous and would compliment any skin tone. All colors listed are moisturizing. I experienced very little dryness or peeling after wearing them.
I love the colors and formula of this line! Can't wait to grab a few more while they're on sale.
Eldemore September Sneak Peek!
A new Bazaar species is coming to eldemore.com this September!
This new pet will be exclusively available every other month and/or on special occasions. (:
This new pet will be exclusively available every other month and/or on special occasions. (:
Friday, August 15, 2014
July/August 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag
I've been traveling lately and haven't had time to update here much. Especially since I don't think anyone actually reads this blog. But that's ok, this is just for fun.
Ipsy is a $10 monthly beauty subscription service. If you are interested in checking the service yourself please feel free to use mt referral link here.
July
-Models Own polish in 'Red Sea'
-Pur~Lisse Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30 sample
-Clear Clinic Laboratories Spot Treatment sample
-bareMinerals 5-in-1 Cream Shadow sample
- Pixi Beauty Mini Tinted Balm in 'Unique Pink'
The Knobs and Bobs:
A nice balance of skin and makeup products this month. The bag is cute and water resistant, which makes it useful for beach or pool trips.
Pur~Lisse is a great brand and their samples are always appreciated. I love the fact that this moisturizer has a good level of spf in it.
Models Own 'Red Sea' has large glitter speck in it. The formula was a little sticky and it was chipping after 24 hours. I gave it to a younger family members and she absolutely loves it. It's a fun affordable polish.
Clear Clinics Spot Treatment works miracles! It's a very strong medicated treatment, but helps get rid of or heal acne in a day or two.
bareMinerals recently released a new 5-in-1 line of cream eye shadows. I received a nude color that works great as both a primer and shadow. It does do some serious creasing after a few hours though.
I'm already a big fan of Pixi Beauty and their products, but I've never tried their tinted balm. Mine came in the bag already slightly squished into the lid. I've noticed that the lid just won't stay on. It looks like someone forced it very tightly and crushed the tip to keep the lid on. The sample is a great size with a twist base and good amount of product. The color actually darkens when you apply it. Very neat!
August
-Cali Cosmetics Evulcano Body Creme sample
-Lord & Berry Silk Kajal Kohl Liner sample
- Bee All Natural Organic Grapefruit Lip Balm
- Urban Decay Perversion Mascara sample
-Manna Kadar Sheer Glo Shimmer Lotion sample
I'm seeing a pattern over the past two months. Samples. Samples everywhere. Ipsy used to provide affordable beauty products and mostly full sized. The only full size this month was the lip balm. Maybe it's just been a slow season.
The Cali Cosmetics Body Creme smells wonderful! I love lemon scented things and it applies smoothly while providing long lasting moisture.
The Lord & Berry liner sample is incredibly tiny. The liner applies very smoothly and the color is vibrant. However, it smudges at the slightest touch. It is not long lasting.
Bee All Natural is a brand I'm unfamiliar with. The balm smells nice, applies smoothly and does not leave behind any sticky lip residue. It's very moisturizing!
Urban Decay has recently come out with their new Pervasion mascara. The formula is thick and the brush applicator is very soft. It does give lashes a very nice boost! But be warned that it's hard to layer without getting 'spider leg' lashes. The first time I applied I had to remove everything due to serious clumping. I scraped some excess off the brush and was able to apply a much smoother application.
I've worn it all day and there doesn't appear to be too much smudging.
And finally we have the Manna Kadar Shimmer lotion sample. It's very smooth and blends in perfectly when used with other products or alone. However, I don't really see much of a change when it's used. If I apply it alone I can make out a little bit of a pink toned shine. But once blended in it seems to disappear on my skin. It could be I'm not using it right or it just won't show up on pale complexions. It's such a pretty peach color that it may show up better on tan to darker skin tones.
Final Thoughts:
Both July and August were nice months. Nothing really stands out but nothing I hated. All of the products can either be used or gifted to someone that can use them. At $10, the bags are a great value.
I hope to see more makeup products for the coming fall months. Warm seasons are usually more skin oriented and light on the cosmetics.
Ipsy is a $10 monthly beauty subscription service. If you are interested in checking the service yourself please feel free to use mt referral link here.
July
-Pur~Lisse Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30 sample
-Clear Clinic Laboratories Spot Treatment sample
-bareMinerals 5-in-1 Cream Shadow sample
- Pixi Beauty Mini Tinted Balm in 'Unique Pink'
The Knobs and Bobs:
A nice balance of skin and makeup products this month. The bag is cute and water resistant, which makes it useful for beach or pool trips.
Pur~Lisse is a great brand and their samples are always appreciated. I love the fact that this moisturizer has a good level of spf in it.
Models Own 'Red Sea' has large glitter speck in it. The formula was a little sticky and it was chipping after 24 hours. I gave it to a younger family members and she absolutely loves it. It's a fun affordable polish.
Clear Clinics Spot Treatment works miracles! It's a very strong medicated treatment, but helps get rid of or heal acne in a day or two.
bareMinerals recently released a new 5-in-1 line of cream eye shadows. I received a nude color that works great as both a primer and shadow. It does do some serious creasing after a few hours though.
I'm already a big fan of Pixi Beauty and their products, but I've never tried their tinted balm. Mine came in the bag already slightly squished into the lid. I've noticed that the lid just won't stay on. It looks like someone forced it very tightly and crushed the tip to keep the lid on. The sample is a great size with a twist base and good amount of product. The color actually darkens when you apply it. Very neat!
August
-Lord & Berry Silk Kajal Kohl Liner sample
- Bee All Natural Organic Grapefruit Lip Balm
- Urban Decay Perversion Mascara sample
-Manna Kadar Sheer Glo Shimmer Lotion sample
I'm seeing a pattern over the past two months. Samples. Samples everywhere. Ipsy used to provide affordable beauty products and mostly full sized. The only full size this month was the lip balm. Maybe it's just been a slow season.
The Cali Cosmetics Body Creme smells wonderful! I love lemon scented things and it applies smoothly while providing long lasting moisture.
The Lord & Berry liner sample is incredibly tiny. The liner applies very smoothly and the color is vibrant. However, it smudges at the slightest touch. It is not long lasting.
Bee All Natural is a brand I'm unfamiliar with. The balm smells nice, applies smoothly and does not leave behind any sticky lip residue. It's very moisturizing!
I've worn it all day and there doesn't appear to be too much smudging.
And finally we have the Manna Kadar Shimmer lotion sample. It's very smooth and blends in perfectly when used with other products or alone. However, I don't really see much of a change when it's used. If I apply it alone I can make out a little bit of a pink toned shine. But once blended in it seems to disappear on my skin. It could be I'm not using it right or it just won't show up on pale complexions. It's such a pretty peach color that it may show up better on tan to darker skin tones.
Final Thoughts:
Both July and August were nice months. Nothing really stands out but nothing I hated. All of the products can either be used or gifted to someone that can use them. At $10, the bags are a great value.
I hope to see more makeup products for the coming fall months. Warm seasons are usually more skin oriented and light on the cosmetics.
July/August 2014 Birchbox
These two came within 2 weeks of each other (due to someones mistake on the Birchbox team). I've been on and off with Birchbox lately. Their boxes tend to be hit or miss.
The staff are great, the points system and shop are wonderful but the box samples tend to leave me scratching my head sometimes.
I'll make this short since I'm currently traveling and all of these products can be found in their shop.
If you are interested in trying the service here is my referral link. It's only $10 a month.
July
-Cynthia Rowley Beauty Eyeliner sample
-Real Chemistry Luminous 3-Minute Peel sample
-Supergoop! Daily Correct CC Cream SPF 35+
-Harvey Prince Imperial Gardenia fragrance sample
-Naobay Body Radiance Lotion sample
The Knobs and Bobs:
The peel is interesting. I've never tried anything like it before but it seemed to work nicely. It smells nice and didn't irritate my sensitive skin. There's probably 3-4 uses depending on how much you need to use.
I might be able to squeeze two uses out of it
The product goes on smoothly but tends to dry in patches. I would suggest maybe mixing it with a moisturizer to get more out of the product and to keep it from drying out.
The staff are great, the points system and shop are wonderful but the box samples tend to leave me scratching my head sometimes.
I'll make this short since I'm currently traveling and all of these products can be found in their shop.
If you are interested in trying the service here is my referral link. It's only $10 a month.
July
-Real Chemistry Luminous 3-Minute Peel sample
-Supergoop! Daily Correct CC Cream SPF 35+
-Harvey Prince Imperial Gardenia fragrance sample
-Naobay Body Radiance Lotion sample
The Knobs and Bobs:
The eyeliner is the same brand and color that Birchbox has sent out several times in the past. It's a good liner but does tend to smudge.
The peel is interesting. I've never tried anything like it before but it seemed to work nicely. It smells nice and didn't irritate my sensitive skin. There's probably 3-4 uses depending on how much you need to use.
This sample...I placed a US quarter next to it to give a size comparison. And within that tiny container it's less than half full. It's smaller than the fragrance sample.
I might be able to squeeze two uses out of it
The product goes on smoothly but tends to dry in patches. I would suggest maybe mixing it with a moisturizer to get more out of the product and to keep it from drying out.
The fragrance smelled very nice. It's a little strong and floral for me personally, but if you love Gardenias you may love this one.
The Naobay lotion is very nice and the sample is a great size!
August
-Vasanti Detox Nutrient-Rich Facial Cleanser
-Harvey Prince Ageless Body Cream
-amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo
-theBalm cosmetics Stainiac
-Noir Long Wear Eyeliner (full size $15 value!)
The Knobs and Bobs:
Vasanti is a brand that Birchbox introduced me to a few months back and I really like it. This cleanser is no exception. It leaves my face feeling clean and fresh.
I love Harvey Prince's 'Hello' fragrance so I knew I would probably like this body lotion. While the smell is nice and the formula is moisturizing, there is less than half a tube of product to use. To find out how much product is in a solid container I place a bright flashlight behind it. The size is already small, it would have been nice to at least have it filled up to the larger letters. There's really only enough to use 2-3 times on my arms and hands or once all over.
amika Dry Shampoo is fantastic! I have a really oily scalp so this has already come very handy. The smell is fresh and it doesn't produce much if any powdery residue. Will be purchasing full size!
theBalm Stainiac was a sample that I chose from a list of 4-5 other products. I love it! It's a good travel size and the product itself has a nice consistency and color. It can be used as either a lip or cheek stain. Because it is a stain, it can be slightly drying so I top it off with a clear balm after applying.
The Noir eyeliner is very long wearing with very little smudging! I don't use black eyeliner but this would make a great gift for a family member. I really love how it's full sized and not one of those extremely tiny samples that never last and are hard to work with due to the stick being so small. It's a very nice liner.
Final Thoughts:
July was not so great and the sample sizes were disappointing. August had a very nice selection of products and reasonable sizes. Like I've said, Birchbox is a puzzle to me and keeps hitting and missing almost every other month. I'm not subscribed right now but will strongly think about giving them another shot after seeing what others are receiving from their September box next month.
If you've liked the products listed please give the service a chance. While I've had some negative experiences it's only $10 a month and you can cancel at any time. (:
Friday, July 18, 2014
Phone Case of the Month July 2014
I was recently introduced to a phone case monthly subscription service called 'Phone Case of the Month' or PCOTM for short and took advantage of the $5 discount using someones refer link.
If you are interested in trying out the service then please feel free to use my referral link to receive a $5 discount on your first case!
Each $10 case is a limited edition and comes with a small treat such as a sticker or piece of candy.
I received the phone case 'Living Happy' and a small pixi stick candy.
While I like the message I am really disappointed in the case itself.
I opened the package to find it already chipping along the top edges and along the back edges. The case itself feels solid enough and fits my iPhone 5s well. I was able to easily pop the case on or off.
The bottom right edge of the design is slightly warped. I don't think I'll be using this one and no one I know seems to want it.
$10 is a pretty good bargain for a phone case and from what I see them usually send out I thought I would like whatever they sent.
I've never seen anyone get this design or any like it before. If the logo wasn't on the inside of the phone I wouldn't have even believed this was from PCOTM. They can do better than this. Anyone with access to photoshop could do better than this.
I will give the service another try and hope for something better next month.
If you are interested in trying out the service then please feel free to use my referral link to receive a $5 discount on your first case!
I received the phone case 'Living Happy' and a small pixi stick candy.
While I like the message I am really disappointed in the case itself.
I opened the package to find it already chipping along the top edges and along the back edges. The case itself feels solid enough and fits my iPhone 5s well. I was able to easily pop the case on or off.
The bottom right edge of the design is slightly warped. I don't think I'll be using this one and no one I know seems to want it.
$10 is a pretty good bargain for a phone case and from what I see them usually send out I thought I would like whatever they sent.
I've never seen anyone get this design or any like it before. If the logo wasn't on the inside of the phone I wouldn't have even believed this was from PCOTM. They can do better than this. Anyone with access to photoshop could do better than this.
I will give the service another try and hope for something better next month.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Birchbox Limited Edition 'Modern Mermaid'
I couldn't resist purchasing the Modern Mermaid limited edition Birchbox this month. Everything in it is gorgeous and at only $44 the value of products was too good to pass up. All products listed can be found in the Birchbox store.
The Knobs:
- Captain Blankenship Mermaid Mane Sea Salt Spray $12
- Birchbox exclusive Stephanie Johnson Mermaid Mirror $22
- Vasanti Kajal Extreme Intense Eye Pencil in 'Electric Navy' $18
- Atelier Cologne Cédrat Enivrant Cologne Absolue Travel Spray $16.25
- Coola Liplux SPF 30 Balm $12
- Anastasia's Beverley Hills Lash Genius Waterproof Top Coat sample $10 (?)
- Birchbox exclusive Ruffian Endless Summer Collection $26.50
Box Value = around $130 (some products are given educated estimates based on full sizes price)
The Bobs:
Textured Beach Waves are always popular during the summer. I'm new to this particular brand but the product seems to work wonderfully! As a plus this all natural concoction smells amazing!
I will be looking into this brand and possibly purchasing the full size.
Stephanie Johnson created this soft compact mirror for Birchbox! The design is gorgeous and perfect for Summer. The outside looks like luminescent fish scales (or mermaid fin) and the inside shows the designers nautical logo closely resembling the coolest compass ever.
Next we have a very nice eye pencil from Vasanti.
The Electric Blue color compliments almost every skin tone and applies very smoothly. The product is waterproof and long lasting but still easily blendable. I love that the cap also includes a sharpener!
Swatching the Vasanti eye pencil. Please excuse my paleness.
Above: Applied strait onto skin
Bellow: Blended using the attached rubber nib
After receiving a small perfume sample in one of a Birchbox a few months back I have been obsessed with the Atelier Cologne line. All of the scents are delicious and this travel spray bottle is no exception.
The key notes with the Cédrat Enivrant Cologne Absolue scent are Fresh Citrus, crisp lime, Moroccan cedrat, juniper and sweet mint. As advertised, it is indeed summer in a bottle and my go to scent for the season.
While I really like the Coola brand, this SPF treatment isn't very moisturizing and it tends to leave my lips feeling tingly. But it's main purpose is protecting lips against UV rays and it seems to get the job done. There are plenty of other more affordable SPF lip balms that protect against the sun and also moisturize.
Anastasia is a pretty well known brand. This product is a lash topcoat that goes on top of any mascara you are already wearing to make it waterproof. It's genius and works surprisingly well!
I will definitely consider getting the full size once this runs out.
The Ruffian Endless Summer collection is exclusive to Birchbox and the colors are perfect!
Sahara is a light shimmer/metallic gold nude.
Blue Lagoon is a bright metallic aqua blue.
Endless love is a dark metallic plum/pink and my personal favorite of the trio.
Final Thoughts:
For $44 I received over $100 worth of some perfect summer products and the theme was adorable! Lots of things I will be able to get a good deal of use out of this summer. Thank you for a great limited edition Birchbox!
The Knobs:
- Birchbox exclusive Stephanie Johnson Mermaid Mirror $22
- Vasanti Kajal Extreme Intense Eye Pencil in 'Electric Navy' $18
- Atelier Cologne Cédrat Enivrant Cologne Absolue Travel Spray $16.25
- Coola Liplux SPF 30 Balm $12
- Anastasia's Beverley Hills Lash Genius Waterproof Top Coat sample $10 (?)
- Birchbox exclusive Ruffian Endless Summer Collection $26.50
Box Value = around $130 (some products are given educated estimates based on full sizes price)
The Bobs:
Textured Beach Waves are always popular during the summer. I'm new to this particular brand but the product seems to work wonderfully! As a plus this all natural concoction smells amazing!
I will be looking into this brand and possibly purchasing the full size.
Stephanie Johnson created this soft compact mirror for Birchbox! The design is gorgeous and perfect for Summer. The outside looks like luminescent fish scales (or mermaid fin) and the inside shows the designers nautical logo closely resembling the coolest compass ever.
The Electric Blue color compliments almost every skin tone and applies very smoothly. The product is waterproof and long lasting but still easily blendable. I love that the cap also includes a sharpener!
Swatching the Vasanti eye pencil. Please excuse my paleness.
Above: Applied strait onto skin
Bellow: Blended using the attached rubber nib
After receiving a small perfume sample in one of a Birchbox a few months back I have been obsessed with the Atelier Cologne line. All of the scents are delicious and this travel spray bottle is no exception.
The key notes with the Cédrat Enivrant Cologne Absolue scent are Fresh Citrus, crisp lime, Moroccan cedrat, juniper and sweet mint. As advertised, it is indeed summer in a bottle and my go to scent for the season.
I will definitely consider getting the full size once this runs out.
Sahara is a light shimmer/metallic gold nude.
Blue Lagoon is a bright metallic aqua blue.
Endless love is a dark metallic plum/pink and my personal favorite of the trio.
Final Thoughts:
For $44 I received over $100 worth of some perfect summer products and the theme was adorable! Lots of things I will be able to get a good deal of use out of this summer. Thank you for a great limited edition Birchbox!
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