Month: January 2016
Target Beauty Boxes – January 2016
Two Target Beauty Boxes this month…and they’re BOTH for ME! I don’t have to share with ANYONE.
Inside the “Refresh” box: Acure Day Cream (Definitely gonna use this); John Frieda Keraflex Hair Spray; Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion (I do not understand the concept of in-shower body lotion – doesn’t it just end up all over your towel?); Clear Total Care Shampoo & Conditioner (going to my sister); Simple Micellular Wipes (I got these in the last Allure Beauty Thrills – I opened the other day to prep before using my Tria); Marlowe Extra Moisturizing Lotion (smells divine); Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Pads (it says they “retexture and resurface” my skin – uhhhh, scary); and scünci Braided Elastic Bands.
Inside the “Renewal” box: Caress Love Forever Body Wash; Attitude 2-in-1 Shampoo & Body Wash (What? No.); Laneige BB Cushion (I got this in another Target Beauty Box…and still haven’t tried it. Oops.); scünci No Slip Grip Braided Headband; Degree Women Fresh Energy Dry Spray; Jergens Wet Skin Moisturizer (I am sensing a trend…); Attitude Volume & Shine Shampoo; Revlon Ultimate All-In-One Mascara (Actually so excited to try this that I trashed the old Julep Mascara I had been using up); and Hada Labo Tokyo Anti-Aging Facial Mask (I received one of these in Ulta’s 2014 Cyber Monday bag…again, haven’t tried it yet).
A few repeats…a wakeup call for me to actually use this shit! I don’t believe in New Years Resolutions, but I’m gonna do it!
Each were $7 and each came with a $3 off $15 coupon. Maybe I’ll actually use both this time. At least I managed to use one of the coupons last month…on replacement electric toothbrush heads. So glamorous.
Insane Glitterbomb
Oh. My. GAWD. Are you seeing what I’m seeing? This polish is INSANE. An INSANE glitterbomb.
Julep “Tish” is silver bell full-coverage microglitter. It’s a dense silver glitter, but there’s also a bit of black glitter mixed in for depth.
I started with Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat and got amazing full coverage in just two coats. I was expecting a a sandpapery texture, but the polish was semi-smooth. I finished the job with “HK Girl” and it felt sooooo smooth last night – but today, it’s slightly pebbled. Weird.
January Beauty Box 5 – Ev’rythang Done
So Beauty Box 5 has gone full ghetto with the theme for January – “Ev’rythang Done”. Well, okay then…
So, I’m going to get ev’rythang done with Bodipure Keratin Gloves (Intriguing); Nails, Inc. Nail Polish in “Bruton Mews” (a deep, dark green – I don’t think I’ve ever seen a polish this color); Scratch Customer Accent Nail Wraps (These are supposed to work over polish); Novex Bamboo Sprout Deep Conditioning Treatment (I’m skeptical of this one – the foilpack says “bamboo sprouds”); Not Your Mother’s Haircare Plump for Joy Thickening Hair Lifter (Weird); and Salon Grafix Freezing Hair Spray.
After I keratin my hands, I’m going to paint my nails green and put gold stickers on them…then put bean sprouds in my hair…and then time for lifting and freezing. Then ev’rythang will be done.
January Birchbox – Moodboard Your Year
January’s Birchbox issued a challenge to “Moodboard Your Year”, so I declared 2016 as The Year of Creativity. I want to be more creative with my beauty purchases and not just buy the same things I’ve been buying. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not going to stop hoarding…I just want to become more CREATIVE in my hoarding…
Hmmm…How can I be creative with my January Birchbox? I received amika Bombshell Blowout Spray; Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre (I am happy to get any moisturizer, but the name is grossing me out…I didn’t see embryo in the ingredients, but…); Eyeko Fat Liquid Liner (OMG, it’s like a sharpie!); R+Co. Death Valley Dry Shampoo (Ugh); and TONYMOLY Delight Tony Tint in “Red” (my sample choice for the month).
If you would like to try Birchbox, click on my referral link – https://www.birchbox.com/invite/5453f – I’ll get 50 points if you join.
Goutte de Rose
I had been slacking off on reviewing my Birchbox products the last several months…until there was something I wanted. I got a sample of Cartier Goutte de Rose (“droplet of rose” en Francais) in my November Birchbox and I fell in love. So I steadfastly reviewed my November and December samples and accrued $20 in Birchbox points. I added the $10 off code in my December Birchbox and purchased the 1.6 fl. oz. bottle for $37!
I don’t care if it makes my husband’s eyes water, I smell FABULOUS.
My samples came several days later, in a separate mailer. I got Davines Oi Shampoo & Conditioner (I’ll be bringing these to Vegas with me in less than 2 weeks!) and LAQA & Co. Cheeky Lip in “Humble Brag” – which I had already gotten in my August Birchbox. Oh well…
Obsessed
I am obsessed with Formula X “Obsessed”. I have so, so many dark red/wine colored polishes, but “Obsessed” is the best BY FAR. Urban Decay “Mrs. Mia Wallace” is good, but not as deep. Pacifica “Red Red Wine” is also very similar, but has more of a crusty edge when it dries. “Obsessed” is perfect though – no bubbles, no streaks, just shine. To be fair, they would be very, very hard to tell apart…to the untrained eye.
I applied two coats between Sinful Colors Base Coat and “HK Girl”.
OH! I cut my nails pretty short. The nails on my left hand were all long and strong, but I recently had to cut several on my right hand, due to peeling. I cut my right hand first and was going to leave my left hand long for pictures, but that just felt too weird to have one hand with short nails and one hand with long nails.
I used 100 Sephora Points to get this polish, so does that mean it technically cost $100?
Zap Zap Zap
So…I finally broke down and ordered a laser to zap my bikini line. (I had gotten it done at Sona MedSpa a few years ago, but I figured buying a home laser would be cheaper than paying for touch-ups.) Sephora had the Tria Hair Removal Laser 4X on sale for $399, so I jumped on that deal – they’re usually $449, even on Amazon. So I managed to get a sale price, while guaranteeing at least VIB status for 2017. I’m looking forward to zapping my privates later…
For freebies, I chose boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser, Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment and Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Cream. I also used a code for a fresh deluxe sample of Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. I even used some of the points I’d been hoarding to get Formula X Nail Color in “Obsessed” and more belif – The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb – I love that stuff!
Oh, I was slightly kicking myself when I got my zulily email this morning and one of the deals was the Tria 4X for $389…But I quickly got over it when I remembered my Sephora status – definitely worth the extra $10.
Under the Sea
Under the sea…Darlin’ it’s better…down where it’s wetter…
I totally feel like the Little Mermaid wearing Julep “Shay”, celadon iridescent chrome. I don’t know if I agree that this green is celadon. Celadon is more of a dusty jade green – but I guess the shiny is taking away the dusty. Regardless, to me – it looks like Ariel’s tail.
After Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat, I painted two coats of “Shay” – no bubbles! I did get a bit too much in the crevices beside my nails, but it peeled off cleanly in the shower – no crusties. I finished with “HK Girl”.
I LOVE this color!
January Julep Maven Box – New Year, Fresh Look
As soon as I saw this month’s new beauty product, I knew I was picking it – No Limits Luxe Hydrating Crème, a universal moisturizer. I’ve got flaky winter skin on my cheeks and chin – I need it GONE. Fingers crossed that it doesn’t clog my pores and give me a nasty breakout.
The rest of January’s “New Year, Fresh Look” Collection was pretty saucy. I had a hard time choosing, but I finally decided on Bombshell “Shay” – celadon iridescent chrome – and Boho Glam “Marika” – stone matte metallic. I wanted “Celeste” – cosmic gray iridescent glitter, but I didn’t feel like paying extra, so I’m hoping I can swap it into my box next month.
Oh, look…Junior Mints! Yup, they’re gone already.
Not a Julep Maven? Leave a comment and I’ll send you a referral email good for a free welcome box!
You Can’t Win Them All
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. This combination is a loser.
After Sinful Colors Base Coat, I painted two coats of Sinful Colors “Gold Medal” on each nail – except the pinky. My pinky got THREE coats of Sinful Colors “All About You” – and it’s still ridiculously sheer. I left my thumb alone and tried different layers of “All About You” on my middle three fingers. Things seemed to go okay until my ring finger – I’m still not quite sure what the fuck happened there. I think brush got stuck a little in the middle of my nail? “HK Girl” smoothed most of the weirdness…most of it.
So, I rather liked “Gold Medal” on it’s own and even with a layer of “All About You” – see my middle finger. But the gradients didn’t work right. I kind of like the sheer “All About You” on its own, but the two polishes just don’t mix well at all. Oh well…