Category: Makeup
June Birchbox – Say Yes!
Why is Birchbox all of a sudden taking so long to get here? Is it because everyone I know gets one now?
Instead of picking this month’s curated box from “The Tig” (I was disappointed that it wasn’t curated by Tig Notaro), I went with the regular “Say Yes!” box, picking COOLA SPF Sport 50 in “Mango” (water resistant – yay!) as my sample choice. Also inside my box: Comptoir Sud Pacifique “Vanille Extreme” (not quite Atelier, but similar); Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream (I am starting to love these expensive skin care samples – my skin hasn’t looked this good since the last millennium); Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner in “Mulberry”; Vasanti Cosmetics Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator (I got a sample of this in my last Birchbox order – LOVE it); and a SARAHPOTEMPA Darby clip – very bright and 80s.
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.
Beauty Box 5 – Bon Voyage
Oh Beauty Box 5, I was considering canceling you, but you’ve won me over this month and received a stay of execution with this month’s box, themed “Bon Voyage”.
In my “Bon Voyage” box: Urban Decay Perversion Mascara (FINALLY, a prestige product – I wasn’t wowed by this mascara when I first got it, but I find myself reaching for it when I’m going out on the town); Herbal Essences Body Wash in “Honey Smell Good” (and it does); LOL Rotational Eye Shadow in “Splash That Cash” (it should be called “Irritable Bowel Syndrome”, because I’ve seen these exact shades of brown and green in the toilet this past week); Nails Inc. Nail Polish in “Bruton Street” (another fancy brand – $9.50 at Ulta or Sephora); and Simple Skincare Micellular Cleansing Water (a skimpy sample – just a moistened pad – but not a dealbreaker). There was also a $20 off $49.95 coupon for GorgeHair.com, but no way I’m spending that much money on a brand I’ve never heard of.
Keep the good boxes coming, Beauty Box 5!
June Ipsy Bag – Swim Into Beauty
It’s fitting that June’s bag is made of black neoprene to match the theme – “Swim Into Beauty”.
This month brought me an interesting bag: Formula X Nail Color in “Power Source” (fucking neon coral); Befine Cucumber Face Mask; Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Finish Foundation Primer (so…much…primer); it Cosmetics Brow Powder Universal Eyebrow Pencil; and tre’StiQue Mini Shadow Crayon in “Kona Coffee” (I was so pissed when I pulled this out of my bag – I thought the cap was missing, but the cap looks like a pencil).
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Target Beauty Boxes – June 2015
So I missed the last Target Beauty Boxes in April – I was too busy sleeping off a hangover in New Orleans…but I got them this time – oh, yes I did.
Again, there were “His & Hers” boxes. His box ($5) was kind of lame – my husband was really disappointed. Whatever, at least I got him a box open…that I opened for him. Inside his box: Gillette Fusion ProGlide Razor (same one as in the last box; it was okay, but no great shakes); Axe Styling Messy Look Gel and Axe Styling Spiked Up Extra Hold Gel (My husband shaves his head and my son has longer hair than me, so needless to say – this stuff won’t get used in our house); Dove Men + Care Oxygen Charge Shampoo (will get thrown in the travel bag); and an Orabrush Tongue Cleaner (now THIS is cool and will get used).
Her box ($7) is decent: Olay Regenerist Luminous HydraSwirl Eye Cream; Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick in “Gladiolus” (the same damn color that came in my Allure Beauty Thrills); Sinful Colors “Boom Boom” (I don’t have this one – YAY!); Cutex Advanced Revival Nail Polish Remover Pads; and Fekkai Blowout (my 3rd can – also received in my February Birchbox and the October 2014 Target Beauty Box).
Both boxes shipped free and I also got a 5% discount with my Red Card. Each box also came with a $3 off $15v Beauty/Personal Care purchase, so even though the boxes were not as good as previous ones, they were still worth it.
June Julep Maven Box – The Deep End Collection
In addition to my Delushies, I also received my June Maven Box yesterday. When I told my husband, “I got 5 new polishes today!” – I got a “Really?” AND a shaking of the head with a side order of rolling eyes.
I had to go to Julep’s site to recall what this month’s collection is called – it doesn’t say it ANYWHERE on the insert card that came in my box. In case you were wondering – it’s “The Deep End Collection.” It’s full of bright summery colors and a new formula for Luxe Up Your Lips – less sheer and more coverage! I picked the darkest – “Sangria”. For polishes, I picked Classic with a Twist “Jacqueline” (reminds me of my buddy Jah-quell-in) and Bombshell “Tiffany” . I added on Classic with a Twist “Fireworks” – who couldn’t use more red, white and blue glitter for the 4th?
There were also 2 Chupa Chups – the absolute best suckers ever made! I am definitely NOT sharing these…
Not a Julep Maven? CLICK HERE to join! Get a FREE Spring Welcome Box with code SPRING!
Online Shopping Binge
I kind went nuts last week with the online shopping – between Thursday night and Saturday morning , I placed no less than 6 online orders…so many sales and coupons in my inbox…I couldn’t resist.
With the long holiday weekend and biblical flooding, almost all of the packages hit at once yesterday. Instead of half a dozen different posts, I figured I’d stuff most of them into one…
I am fairly shameless, so I’m not going to show the pile of underwear from Victoria’s Secret. Yup, I hoard panties, too.
I had been eyeing the Sephora Sun Safety Kit – I need to protect my easily scorched skin. Inside the kit are 16 different sun protection products in a cute travel bag: – AmorePacific Natural Protector SPF 30, Clarins UV Plus Anti-Pollution Broad Spectrum SPF 50, Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 in Light Medium, Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Dark Spot Sun Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen, Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm SPF 45, Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15, Josie Maran Cosmetics Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47, Korres Yoghurt Nourishing Fluid Veil Broad Spectrum SPF 30, Murad Invisiblur Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30, Ole Henriksen total truth eye crème SPF 15, Origins VitaZing Broad Spectrum SPF 15 Energy-Boosting Moisturizer with Mangosteen, Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Moisture Defense Lotion SPF 30, Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream SPF 50+ WetForce Broad Spectrum Water Resistant (80 Minutes), St. Tropez One Night Only in Light-Medium, Supergoop! City Sunscreen Serum SPF 30, and Vita Liberata Passion Flower & Argan Dry Oil Broad Spectrum SPF 50. PHEW – that’s a lot of sunscreen!
For my 3 samples, I chose Viktor & Rolf “Flowerbomb” (spicy and flowery, reminds me of a Victoria’s Secret scent), Maison Martin Margiela REPLICA “Beach Walk” (this doesn’t smell like a perfume – it smells like a thing – LOVE), and dr. brandt Do Not Age. Sephora was also running a Jetsetter deal – pick 3 extra samples – so I got Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask, Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream, and boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel. My face is gonna be SMOOTH.
I can’t say no to Birchbox’s Limited Edition Boxes. As soon as I got the email got the “Under the Sun” ($55) box, I knew I would eventually order it…but not until I got that 25% coupon. 25% off and $10 in Birchbox points and ADD TO CART. Inside the box: Baggu Tote Bag (I had my fingers crossed for this elephant print!), Cynthia Rowley Beauty Beauty on the Go Multi Blush & Bronzer Duo (meh), Laura Mercier Bakes Eye Color in “Cameo” (yasss), Sugarpova Flirty Candy (why does Maria Sharapova sell candy?), Chloe + Isabel Birchbox Exclusive Medina Convertible Pendant Necklace (my favorite part of the box!), Knockaround Premium Sunglasses (silver!), ncLA Nail Lacquer in “Bikinis & Martinis” (it’s the color of bubble gum you’d find stuck under a picnic table), and Supergoop! Skin Soothing Mineral Suncreen with Olive Polythenols SPF 40.
For samples, I got Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator and Sumita Jumon Contrast Eye Pencil. I also finally got my Birchbox Anniversary Keyring (not pictured).
…and today, I got a big box of Deep Cleansing Hand Soap from Bath & Body Works. You know that I start to get the shakes if I have less than 30 bottles under the sink. They were all between $2.75 & $3.25, plus 20% off and free shipping. I threw in a handful of Scentportables for my car for good measure.
I also received my Dream Polish Gem Glam Topcoat in “Lily Flower” – yes, it’s scented! This another popular one on Instagram and it’s 5 free – I can’t wait to try it out.
I am still waiting on my sale order from Delush Polish – that’s the only one that hasn’t arrived. I think I have enough stuff to keep me busy…until next week when all my subscription boxes start rolling in!
Beauty Box 5 – S.O.S.
My poor little Beauty Box 5 has been sitting on the counter for almost a week – how could I forget?
May’s theme is “S.O.S.” – Super Outstanding Skin! Inside this month’s box; Bio Swiss Stainless Steel Mini Tweezer (perfect to add to my purse emergency kit – never know when you might have a brow emergency at work); Ahava 3 Sample Pack (fancy skin stuff); Styli-Style Blush/Highlighter Stick in “Bittersweet” (kinda orangey, but hey – it isn’t bronzer); Dermalogica AgeSmart Multivitamin Hand and Nail Treatment; and Coastal Scents Classic/Synthetic Brush (it appears to be an eyeliner brush – yasss).
OK, this is a better box than the last few – they’ve got me for a few more months…
May Ipsy Bag – Jetsetter
Oooooh, this is my new favorite-est ipsy bag. It’s a bag from Breakups to Makeup – “Contents: My Life” – it’s amazing.
May’s theme is “Jetsetter” – too bad I did all my jetsetting already! Inside: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Lip Pencil in “Ozone” + BONUS Revolution High-Color Lipgloss in “Failbait” & “Bittersweet”; BelláPierre Cosmetics Waterproof Mineral Gel Eyeliner Pencil in “Ebony” (I could rock a killer cat eye while I take my kids to the pool?); 2 Klorane Smoothing and Relaxing Patches; Pixi by Petra Beauty Bronzer (Just what I needed, more bronzer); and Bare Republic Naturals SPF 30 Mineral Face Sunscreen Lotion (It’s by Coola, so I know I’ll love it).
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Allure Beauty Thrills – May 2015
Oh it’s been too long since the last Allure Box – 6 months! Even though I haven’t used up any of the products I’ve been using since the last two boxes, I need more…
This box is chock full of new stuff: Aloxxi Lightweight Sculpting Wax (oh HELL NAW); BIC Soleil Glow Razor (I doubt I’ll give up my beloved Mach 3 for this); Bioré Charcoal Pore Minimizer (LOVE their Charcoal line – using this tonight); Cetaphil Intensive Moisturizing Cream; Dickinson’s Original Witch Hazel Daily Refreshingly Clean Cleansing Cloths; Clear Scalp & Hair Active Damage Resist Ultra-Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner; Colgate Optic White Express White Toothpaste; Colgate Optic White Toothbrush + Whitening Pen (got one of these in the last box and haven’t used it); Derma E Anti-Wrinkle Vitamin A Glycolic Cleanser (I got this in a Birchbox and just used it up yesterday – I love it!); Derma E Anti-Wrinkle Vitamin A Retinyl Palmitate Creme (Huh?); Dove Advanced Care Anti-Perspirant/Deoderant with NutriumMoisture (I am almost out of deodorant); Dove go Fresh Revitalize Body Wash (I am using the last one I got to shave my legs and I am almost out); Jergens Natural Glow Instant Sun Sunless Tanning Mousse in “Deep Bronze” (I’ll be giving this away); John Frieda Frizz Ease Nourishing Oil Elixir (Oooooh!); MD Complete Even Tone & Texture Accelerator; Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Cleansing Conditioner; Physicians Formula Eye Booster Instant Lash Extension Kit (this scares me); Pond’s Rejuveness Anti-Wrinkle Cream; Revlon PhotoReady Eye Art Lid + Line + Lash in “Desert Dazzle” (my sister gave me one of these in a different color from her Allure Sample Society Box, but I haven’t tried it yet); Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick in “Gladiolus” (too orangey red for me); Secret Outlast Clear Gel (I don’t usually like gel deodorant, but I’ll try it); Suave Professionals Luxe Style Volumizing Weightless Blow Dry Spray; Suave Professionals Sea Mineral Infusion Exfoliating Body Wash; and Suave Professionals Visible Glow Self-Tanning Body Lotion (another one I’ll be giving away).
All this for $45.95 + $10 shipping! Even though I’ll be giving away about a third of the stuff, it’s still a great deal.
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.