Category: Hair
May Birchbox – Beauty Solutions
Another Beauty Solutions box so soon? We just had one in March!
I don’t even remember what made me choose this curated box – it was probably because I hadn’t heard of any of the products in it? The box contains: Cotz Flawless Complexion SPF 50; JUARA Candlenut Body Creme (I had to Google Candlenut); Marcelle Hydra-C 24H Energizing Hydrating Gel (Mmmmmm…I love the new gel trend); Number 4 Blow Dry Lotion; and W3LL PEOPLE The Expressionist Mascara in “Black”. This is a kind of skin-centric box, but I this is the time of year my skin needs a lot of help – it alternates between greasy breakouts and dry scales. Ugh.
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.
April Birchbox – Mad Men California
My Birchbox has been sitting here at least a week, calling to me…
I admit it, I’ve only seen a few episodes of Mad Men, so I’m not all heartbroken about the final episodes. But the products in the California box were compelling. Inside my box: 12 Benefits Instant Healthy Hair Treatment; CLEAN Original Eau de Parfum (the card says it was inspired by soapy – it’s way TOO soapy smelling, but my husband liked it and actually put it on); Cynthia Rowley Beauty Brightening Illuminator (yup, another one); LAQA & Co. Sheer Lip Lube Pencil in “Honeypot” (Honeypot!); and Not Soap, Radio Body Wash in “Bathing with sharks” (a fresh clean smell – my husband said it smells “yummy”.)
There was also a New York box – it was so hard to choose!
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.
March Birchbox – Beauty Solutions
Yet again, I picked the curated box – based on one product I really, really wanted.
March’s curated box is called “Beauty Solutions.” I really wanted the Laura Geller Beauty Baked Blush-N-Brighten in “Pink Grapefruit. I love baked! Also inside: Dear Clark Volumizing Hair Tonic; derma e Evenly Radiant Brightening Day Crème; Supergoop! Advanced SPF 37 Anti-Aging Eye Cream (SPF 37? Why 37? Is it a Clerks reference?); and Whish Three Wishes Body Butter in “Almond”.
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.
Birchbox Treats Me Right!
When I use up one Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, I have to immediately order another one. I CANNOT risk running out and having to go without eyebrows. I don’t care that they’re $21 each, no other pencil matches my weird Asian/German eyebrows.
I also got a bottle of Benefit Benetint. I use the sample of Lollitint that I got in an ipsy bag ALL THE TIME.
I used a coupon code for 25% that I got for taking my 13th box. I also had $20 in Birchbox points. For my free samples, I got Whish Shaving Cream (hmmmm…might be good for travel or just bikini line) and Davines All in One Milk – oh, it’s for my hair. If you say so…
Birchbox really wants me to become a tea drinker…this is the 3rd or 4th time they’ve sent me tea. This time, it was Mighty Leaf Tea – “Orange Dulce”, “White Orchard” and “Ginger Twist”. Those flavors sound so good, I might actually try them myself instead of giving them to my son.
I also got another $30 off code from Rent the Runway. No thanks…
February Birchbox – Rent the Runway
Excuses, excuses – I got my Birchbox two days ago and am just now getting around to posting it.
I just cannot resist the specially curated boxes! This month’s curated box is by Rent the Runway, a service that rents designer gown. I was ready to assume that it was a service I wouldn’t be able to use (like Stitch Fix), but they actually carry gowns up to size 22 – and not just a dozen or so…over a hundred! The fact remains though, even with a $30 off code in this box, I never, ever, ever have an occasion to wear a Badgley Mischka gown. Just never.
I will, however, use most of the other goodies in my box: derm e Anti-Wrinkle Vitamin A Glycolic Scrub, Fekkai Blowout Hair Refresher Dry Shampoo (yup, another one), Not Soap, Radio Body Wash in “The Stuff that Cupid dips his arrows in” (blackberry and vanilla, with added pheromones – I’ll save this for Valentine’s Day), Sumita Color Contrast Eyeliner in “Raina”, and theBalm Read My Lips lip gloss in “Bam!” (I’ve been wanting to try theBalm).
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.
January Beauty Box 5 – Hello!
My Beauty Box 5 and Ipsy Bag got to share the mailbox yesterday!
January’s Beauty Box 5 is “Hello!” this month. Inside are Hard Candy Kal-Eye-Descope Baked Eyeshadow Duo in “make believe” (I am getting addicted to wet/dry shadows!); Sally Hansen Salon Effects French Mani in “Gold Cabaret” (I’ve never tried these – this should be interesting); Ultraflesh The Gold Standard Mascara in “Blackout” (What an odd, filthy name for mascara!); Softsoap Nutri Serum Vitamin E Body Wash; and Garnier Fructis Daily Care Fortifying Shampoo (well, now I have to buy the matching conditioner for my travel bag…sneaky).
So glad to be getting makeup in my box again…
January Birchbox – Relax & Recharge
I got my Birchbox on Friday, but I’ve been so busy (and feeling a bot under the weather), that I haven’t had time to mess with it – I really need to relax and recharge!
A coincidence that January’s theme is “Relax & Recharge”? I think not…Inside my box: Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream (I need to start testing all the eye creams I receive); Briogeo “Don’t Despair! Repair” Deep Conditioning Mask (I actually used this today – I have been using the sample I received in my September Ipsy Bag about once a week for the past month – my hair is already fairly healthy, so I haven’t really noticed a difference); Manna Kadar Lip Locked priming gloss stain in “All of Me” (finally a Manna Kadar product I might try – I keep getting highlighters); Perlier Intensive Nurturing Body Balm in “Shea Lavender” (I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the Perlier Body Balm from my June Birchbox – it’s the reason I picked this curated box); When Travelmate Sheet Mask; and 2 teapigs tea temples (I assume that is a fancy name for a tea bag?) – “Liquorice and Peppermint” (gross) and “Chamomile Flowers” (maybe not gross).
I am committing to trying all these products within the next week – maybe they will make me feel less run down and snotty?
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.
After Xmas Haul
You know what’s better than Xmas shopping? After Xmas shopping!
On Friday night, we hit Walmart, in search of 75% off beauty sets, as seen on Nouveau Cheap. Although I did spy a few sets from Flower, Hard Candy and e.l.f. – they were all atrocious eye shadow and I passed. I did, however, find a Scinti Countdown to Christmas Gift Set – it’s like a nail art advent calendar. I really just wanted the little mustache nail decals. It ended up being $3.72, so not bad, even if it is a brand I’ve never heard of.
On Saturday night, I talked my BFF into a trip to Walgreen’s, again in search of clearance Xmas. Along with a shit-ton of Gift Tags, I found a Conair Ultimate Style and Volume Gift set for $5. I really only bought it for the bun maker thingy. I also picked up a Red Velvet revo and the most awesome thing ever – a dancing Xmas Tree that sings “Feliz Navidad”!
I think I made my BFF sad when I carried that fucking tree down every aisle, making it serenade all of the other shoppers. Shenanigans!
Xmas Present Round-up
I had a beauty-tastic Xmas!
My sister knows how much I love Betsey Johnson, so she got me a HUGE Betsey makeup bag with flowers and skulls. Inside the bag was an ionika paddle brush and a My Beauty Spot Perfect Eyebrow Design kit. I wonder if my husband will let me use the eyebrow set on him?
My BFF outdid herself this year. She got me the “Welcome to Twin Peaks” Set from Hare Polish. I had no idea this even existed!
The polishes are “The Owls are not What They Seem”, “Wrapped in Plastic”, “The Knockouts of the Double R”, “Damn Fine Coffee” & “The Red Room”.
I’ll be wearing one…or all of them – when we go to the Twin Peaks Festival next year!
Not only is my BFF enabling me, but now she’s enabling Lily. She gave Lily the OPI Coca Cola 10-pack of Style, which has 8 mini bottles of polish (“Coca-Cola Red”, “Today I Accomplished Zero”, “My Signature is DC”, “You’re So Vain-illa”, “Sorry I’m Fizzy Today”, “Get Cherried Away”, “Green on the Runway” & “A Grape Affair”), plus Nail Envy nail strengthener and Top Coat.
I asked her if I could borrow them and she said, “No – you have enough of your own polish.”
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Merry Xmas to Me: Part Deux
Ostensibly, I only went to Ulta yesterday to pick up one thing. Zoya recently announced that they are retiring ALL of their Pixie Dusts. Even though they are BOGO on their site right now, I didn’t feel like buying enough ($55) to qualify for free shipping. So I figured I could use my $5 off $10 coupon to make my own BOGO. The only Pixie Dust I really HAD to have was Zoya “Noir” – a black and fuchsia mix.
But then I remembered that my sister has been repeatedly recommending the Freeman Beauty “Black Sugar & Charcoal” Mask/Scrub. Wouldn’t you know that they’re BOGO right now? So I also picked up the “Dead Sea Minerals” Clay Mask. But as I was walking around, I was the Ultra Chi Holiday Display…
I made an executive decision to put my husband out of his misery and complete his Xmas shopping for him. Normally listed at $149.95, the Holiday Ultra Chi Tourmaline Flat Irons were $99.95. With another 20% off coupon, that’s $79.96. I know the holiday irons will go on sale after Xmas for $79.95 anyway, so why not buy it now? I also had a $10 rebate debit card from buying heartworm pills – thanks Dottie!
They even had one that perfectly matches my car! The box says Magenta, but whatever. It also came with a free Rose Gold carrying case. Nice.
I didn’t even bother wrapping it – I brought it to my BFF’s last night and had Loo show me how to use it. I looked like Donna from “That 70s Show”. It made my hair straight, so I guess it worked!