Friday, August 31, 2012

FOTD - Mossy Sunset


My husband and I went out to Zocalo in downtown Chicago for a friend's birthday. I decided I wanted to create a look that was more dramatic than usual. I saw this dark green tutorial by MissChievous earlier and decided to put my own spin on it. Hope you guys like!

Face
Korres Face primer
MAC Pro-longwear concealer in NW35
Revlon Photoready foundation in Tan
MAC Coppertone
MAC Fix+
Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray

Eyes
Urban Decay Primer potion in Original
Maybelline Color Tattoos in: Rich Mahoganny, Mossy Green, & Gold Shimmer
Wet n Wild I Heart Matte palette: Eyelid and Crease sides from right side
Wet n Wild Comfort Zone palette: Definer shade from right side
MAC Soft Brown, Woodwinked, Greensmoke, Ricepaper
Maybelline gel liner in Brown
MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack
Bare Escentuals mascara, Buxom

 
Lips
NYX lip pencil in Natural
MAC Velvet Teddy


-Claudia

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

FOTD - Red-y For School

Whenever I start out wanting to create a simple, natural look, I always end up adding a bolder element. Here we have this great red lip. Not so great for school later--where I'll be meeting my ultra conservative Cog-psy professor for the first time-- but still great! :)

FACE
Maybelline Dream Fresh beauty balm in Medium/Deep
Laura Mercier Shimmerbrick in Golden Mosaic
MAC blush in Blushbaby
Benefit Highbeam
Nothing taming those wild brows as of right now, baby!

EYES
Bare Escentuals Buxom Mascara

LIPS
Jordana lip pencil in Cabernet

You can tell it's hot here in Chicago by the ridiculous amounts of bottled water we have stacked on our porch.

-Claudia

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Birchbox - August 2012

{What was in this month's box}:
Miss Jessie's Original Curly Meringue
Miss Jessie's Original Creme de la Creme Conditioner
TALIKA Lipolis Expert
Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy La Fleur
Sabon Foot Cream
Schick Hydro Silk Razor
Miss Jessie's Original Curly Meringue
This stuff smells amazing. It smells like sour apple raspados (Mexican snow cones) and coconut. That may not sound appealing to some of you (or it may just sound odd), but it's a nostalgic smell for me. It reminds me of my childhood and going to the park with my family. Possibly not what Birchbox had in mind, but hey..that's a plus for me! I'm always happy to receive hair creams, because my hair is very thick, dry, and wavy on the verge of curly. Without creams, this basically means FRIZZ!! This cream leaves my hair very soft. 

Miss Jessie's Original Creme de la Creme Conditioner
I'll be honest, I haven't opened this yet. I don't like opening these packet type samples and not having a container to put them in. A lot of it ends up going to waste. I'm very optimistic about this conditioner from how well the Meringue worked. I've also read other reviews on how well this has worked for them, so I'm pretty excited to try it out!

TALIKA Lipolis Expert
I have pretty long lashes already, so this is not a product I would actively search for. I have yet to try it, because I'm just not sure about this lash enhancement products. Especially before seeing any reviews on how they work. According to Birchbox's website, TALIKA's product is made with "botanical ingredients" as opposed to chemicals used in other such products. Still, I'm not going to jump on trying this just yet, especially when I'm pretty happy with the lashes I have now. 

Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy La Fleur
I like this scent. It's very sweet and citrusy. La Fleur is fresh and light. Not too overpowering. Definitely something I can see myself wearing in school.

Sabon Foot Cream
How did Birchbox know I was searching for a foot cream?! I swear, lately their boxes have been spot on! My feet have been a bit worse for wear after all the sandals and walking on gravel after a day of heels. Yeah, I know...not great! I've been using this at night before bed and the smell is very relaxing. 

Schick Hydro Silk Razor
I've used Schick razors before and love them, so I was happy to see this as an added extra. I can always use extras for those summer months, am I right?


Overall, this was a great box! I've been really happy with Birchbox as of late. This month, Birchbox teamed up with an organization called Pencils of Promise which helps bring schools and educational programs to children around the world. Throughout the month of August, Birchbox promised to donate 15% of all sales to Pencils of Promise. There are still a few days left to make a difference!

You can subscribe to Birchbox through my referral link {here} or Birchbox.com

What did you think of this month's box? What was in your box?

-Claudia

Friday, August 24, 2012

ipsy (formerly MyGlam) - August 2012

{What was in this month's bag}:
S.A.L.T.Y. Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Glama-ZOID!
Eclos Cellular Activator Facial Serum
Eclos Moisture Therapy Regenerative Cream
Circus by Andrea's Choice
Demeter Roll on Perfume Oil
MyGlam Glam Gloss
Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

S.A.L.T.Y. Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Glama-ZOID!
The first item is a white shimmery pigment eyeshadow with subtle pink-violet undertones. This is such a gorgeous shade. I use a tiny amount in the inner corner of my eyes to make them pop. If you have lighter skin, this could potentially be used as a highlighter as well. :) 

You can use the promo code MYGLAM2012 for 20% off!

Eclos Cellular Activator Facial Serum & Moisture Therapy Regenerative Cream
Both of these Eclos products contain plant stem cells, which claim to slow the aging process and aid in your skin's own regeneration. I'm very interested in seeing how this duo serum and cream will work on my dry skin. I don't know that I'll see that much of a difference, seeing as how I don't have any noticeable anti-aging issues.

Circus by Andrea's Choice nail polish in Spectacle
I was excited to receive yet another bottle of Andrea's nail polish. I know a few girls were turned off by this, but I don't have too much nail polish, so I welcome any new shades. And this shade is crazy! It is absolutely neon orange, which was perfect for this summer's trends. I can't wait to wear this for a fun night out with the girls.

Demeter Roll on Perfume Oil in Clean Skin
As a non-perfume aficionada, I know nothing about perfume oils. According to Michelle Phan, perfume oils are better for us girls with sensitive skin, because they contain no alcohol--which can sometimes irritate the skin. Demeter's Clean Skin is not as punchy as some perfumes can be, which I LIKE. It smells like...clean skin! No, but really, it reminds me of a fresh shower or fresh laundry. It's a very nice scent. I'm intrigued by these perfume oils!

MyGlam Glam Gloss
This lipgloss was a secret surprise that was included this month. It is a bright, baby pink and very pigmented. Not sheer at all! The gloss also has a watermelon-y taste to it.

(photo courtesy of the Myglam facebook page)

Michelle Phan, one of the creators of MyGlam, actually drew the beautiful design on the information card for this month's bag.


I love how MyGlam is working hard to, not only bring subscribers great samples, but also developing their own brushes and now this lipgloss. Every month, there is a new surprise from MyGlam. What a great turnaround from the start of the year. I think I say this every month, but I can't wait to see what is coming next!


You can purchase an ipsy subscription {here}.

What did you think of this month's ipsy bag?

-Claudia

Disqus for Giggle Blush

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