Tag: Benefit

August Birchbox – The Everygirl Box
This month, Birchbox was bursting with options. You could choose a special “Affordable Luxuries” Box curated by the Everygirl or the “Lighten Up” box, in which you could choose one of four samples. I went for the Everygirl Box because of one specific sample, even though some of the other products were duplicates for me…
The reason I picked the box was so I could try out Benefit “They’re Real!” Push-Up Liner. I fail at eye liner on a regular basis. For 25+ years, I have been searching for “the one”. I am hopeful that the Benefit is NOT “the one” – because a full size is $24.
Also in my box were Number 4™ Super Comb Prep & Protect (which I also received in last month’s box, but I use it several times a week, so it’s not a waste); Harvey Prince “Hello” (I received this scent in my very first Birchbox – it’s OK, but likely to give this one away); Not Soap, Radio Body Wash in “Joy Inducing” (Unfortunately, this sample leaked a little, but the lemon sugar scent was so good that I didn’t care); and Acure Organics Brightening Facial Scrub Sea Kelp + CGF (I LOVE a good, hard exfoliation).
Birchbox also gave sweet little compliments when addressing our boxes this month. I’m notable…or at least Birchbox says so.
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 Ipsy Bag – Beauty Rocks
I get so excited when I see that key in my mailbox – it means that there’s something for me…and today it was that pretty fuchsia bubble mailer.
Ipsy’s April theme is “Beauty Rocks”. The makeup bag is brilliant purple nylon, with a record player on it. Inside my bag: Benefit lollitint in “Candy Orchid”, Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm, Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil Travel Size, City Color White Gold Shadow & Highlight Mousse and KISS Looks So Natural Lashes. Except for the fake lashes, I’m totally jazzed about everything in the bag. I am skeptical about Benefit, but I love lip stain. It’s unlikely that I’ll use it on my cheeks, but I’ll definitely use it on my lips.
All this for $10…the value of what I received is far more than $10, probably more like $25. I don’t really understand Ipsy’s business model, but I like it!
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.

Late Ulta Post
I was so caught up in my fingernails, I didn’t do my Ulta post last week. As you’re reading this…pretend it’s last Friday…
After visiting Bath & Body Works and Bed, Bath & Beyond, I slunk over to Ulta. I was ready to spend some money! The first thing I hit was the nail polish. I wanted to try Zoya Pixie Dust. No dice. This location didn’t have a Pixie Dust display.
My next stop was back to the front to test high end BB Creams. First I tried Benefit “Big Easy,” which claims to be “Better than BB” right on the tube. It was shit and settled into every pore and crack on my wrist. I moved on to Smashbox BB. It was even grosser. Why do all these high end cosmetics company call their products BB Cream, when they’re plain old foundation? I tried a few more brands, but it was too late – I was devastated…
Then I tried to buy a gift for someone and this location was out of stock of what I was looking for. Fuck.
After aimlessly wandering down every aisle, I finally realized that I couldn’t find a single thing to buy. I think I have a mental block and was unable to buy anything without my bestie there with me. (She had the same thing happen to her at Ulta earlier this week – I wasn’t there and she couldn’t find anything to buy either!) I was sad until I got home and checked the mail…and found my Lucky Mystery Box AND a box of stuff I ordered from Ulta.com last week!
I used a $3.50 off coupon to try Physician’s Formula BB Cream. I freaked out at first when I saw I received “Light/Medium,” until I realized that it’s the lightest color available. I tried it on my face and it is actually a good match, maybe one tick too dark for me. By summertime, it will be perfect. It’s a lighter texture than the L’Oreal and blends more smoothly. It’s not white out of the tube, but it feels more like a BB Cream than the other products I tried that day.
See that cute makeup bag? It was a gift with purchase from Laura Geller. It had Spackle Primer, lip pops Lush Waterproof Lip Gloss in “Sunrise Rose” and Eye Rimz Baked Wet/Dry Eye Accents in “Supernatural Smoke” with a matching brush. Obviously, I needed more primer!
Since I had such bad luck with fragrance sample, I chose mystery samples this time. I got Butter London Scrubbers, Hempz Body Wash and Biolage Shampoo and Conditioner. Interesting…but I probably won’t try them until I travel…



