Category: Makeup
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.
January Julep Maven Box – The Chrysalis Collection
If Julep hadn’t given us the option of customizing our boxes, I probably would have quit by now. This last month, they added even more options to the boxes – they offer items from previous months now!
January starts anew with “The Chrysalis Collection”. Julep Luxe Lip Treatment is new this month – it’s a sheer, cooling lip tint. I chose “Sheer Fig”. I also chose one of their new shades of Gel Eye Glider – “Olive”. I picked one polish – Classic with a Twist “Maryam” – dark merlot shimmer. As a bonus, I received “Tyra” Metamorphic Top Coat – every one got one of the their three new top coats…the others are “Tilda” and “Bjork”. There was also a little box of Junior Mints…I already ate them. My mom loved Junior Mints. I can’t eat them without thinking of how that’s what she would always buy when we went to the movies…
This is one of the best boxes so far!
Not a Julep Maven? CLICK HERE to join! Get a FREE Snow Day Welcome Box with code HIFRIEND!
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!
Goodbye Crater Pores!
Whoever packed my box did a great job color-coordinating the tissue paper!
Birchbox has the best loyalty points system, hands down! I had $30 in points just a few months ago and here I am with $30 in points again!
After trying a sample of Benefit’s The POREfessional in Ulta’s Cyber Monday Bag, I had to have a full size. (This stuff is like the most magic nose spackle ever!) Also needed a back-up Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. With a 20% off code, $30 in points and free Ace shipping, I only paid $11.60.
The free samples were so-so this time: Harvey Prince “Imperial Gardenia” (which I received in my June Box) and evologie Stay Clear Cleanser. Hit me up if you like Gardenia and you can have the perfume…
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!
Review – Dr. Jart+ BB Dis-A-Pore Beauty Balm
In a perfect world, I would have enough time to do an in-depth review of every product that comes into my possession. Alas, I work full-time, have two kids…and am fairly fucking lazy. But it’s Xmas vacation and I have the luxury of a little extra time…
My bud Sterin asked for a review of a sample I received in a Sephora shipment – Dr. Jart+ BB Dis-A-Pore Beauty Balm. I received a single use (barely) packet. It retails for $36 (1.7 fl. oz.). According to Sephora, it only comes in one shade – fair to light. Racist much, Dr. Jart?
Application was simple – it was fairly easy to smooth on with my fingers. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I looked like Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation. My face was uniformly the same color (admittedly the purpose of foundation), but it seemed to accentuate my pores instead of hide them. It just looked like I was wearing makeup. Lily had Gymnastics, so I didn’t have time to start over – I figured I could wash my face and start over when we got back, before going to a dinner party that night.
Fast forward several hours. After running errands, doing chores around the house and then fucking around all day, I didn’t feel like redoing my makeup. I just slapped on more powder (Physician’s Formula Mineral Powder is my go-to). I figured my BFF would forgive my for looking like a cyborg as we exchanged Xmas gifts. Then a funny thing happened…she was snapping pictures of our shenanigans all night. When she uploaded the pics to her computer, I was stunned to find that my skin looked absolutely STUNNING and FLAWLESS. Well…I wasn’t expecting that.
So, long story short, this is a product for very white people only. Although you may look like a cyborg in person, it photographs very well and has 12 hour plus staying power. I don’t foresee purchasing this product in the future, but if I get another sample, I may use it if I know a lot of pictures will be taken.
Influenster Vox Box – Frosty Vox Box
I finally qualified for an Influenster Vox Box! That golden moment when you have just the right demographics and the Influenster gods shine down on you and send you box full of fun stuff to test out – complimentary, for testing purposes, of course.
Inside my Frosty Vox Box: Boots No 7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum (I had gotten a sample in my Target Beauty Box and used it last night – what a coinkidink); NYC Expert Last Lip Color in “Sugar Plum”; Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea (This will go to Logan); EcoTools Sleek + Shine Finisher Hair Brush (Excited!); Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in “Black” and Gentle Eyes Makeup Remover (Yay! I am almost out of my Ulta Makeup Remover); McCormick Gourmet Thyme (This will go to my husband); and Fruit Vines Bites in “Cherry” (These will go to Lily).
This box has something for everyone! I can’t wait to dig in…
December Birchbox – Decked Out
I would like to say that I’m going to apologize for how behind I am on posting…but nope.
I got my “Decked Out” December Birchbox on Thursday and I am absolutely loving getting to pick a sample each month. This month I chose Vasanti Kajal Extreme Intense Eye Pencil in “Rose Gold”. I wore it yesterday and today. It doesn’t work well over other eye shadows, but today I wore it alone and it looks outstanding – very subtle. I also got Ojon rare blend oil Moisture Therapy; SeaRX Microdermabrasion Face and Body Scrub; Mirenesse Mattfinity Lip Rouge in “8. Sydney”; and another Rusk Dry Texture Spray (got one in my last Allure Beauty Box) and promptly gave it to my other daughter, Loo.
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.
150 Lean Cuisines
150. That’s how many Lean Cuisines I had to eat to get a $25 Sephora Gift Card through their soon-to-be-discontinued Delicious Rewards Program.
It was SO worth it. I was able to add that $25 gift card to the $15 gift card that everyone got in their email to get the Atelier Cologne Miniature Discovery Set that I’ve been lusting over. I only paid $10 for this $50 set and STILL got free shipping!
Each flacon has a quarter ounce of pure perfume. Not cologne, not eau de parfum – the REAL stuff. The 5 included are Orange Sanguine, Cedrat Enivrant (my absolute favorite since receiving in the Birchbox Modern Mermaid Box), Vanille Insensee, Rose Anonyme and Vetiver Fatal.
I love that Sephora actually lets you select your own samples. I got Anthony High Performance Anti-Wrinkle Peptide Serum, Dr. Jart+ BB Dis-A-Pore Beauty Balm and Escada Joyful.
Next time I see you, I will force you to smell me.