ipsy - December 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

December's ipsy bag was a mix of good and bad. I've loved ipsy this year, but wish they had ended 2013 on a better note! 

Click below to see this month's ipsy bag!

ipsy - November 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

Click below to see this month's ipsy bag!

ipsy - October 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

Click below to see this month's ipsy bag!

ipsy - September 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

September's ipsy bag featured items for the classic beauty. When I think of "classic beauty," I think winged liner, thick lashes, and luscious red lips. 

Click below to see this month's ipsy bag!

Birchbox - August 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

{In this month's box}:

Miss Jessie's Original Super Slip Sudsy Shampoo

Violet Oasis 100% Organic Argan Oil

Mally Beauty Evercolor Starlight Watercolor Eye Liner in "Sailor"

BECCA Radiant Skin Satin Finish Foundation

Arangara Body Lotion

Miss Jessie's Original Super Slip Sudsy Shampoo

According to the packaging, this shampoo is best for curly hair. I've actually just ran out of shampoo, so I'll be trying this one out soon. Hopefully it works well. 

Violet Oasis 100% Organic Argan Oil

My love affair with oils and serums continues! I like to use these to help keep my frizz in check, they're the only things that work! Violet Osais' argan oil has no scent, which is a plus if you don't care for scented hair products. It left my hair feeling soft, without feeling greasy. 

Mally Beauty Evercolor Starlight Watercolor Eye Liner in "Sailor"

This eyeliner is quite pigmented! I received the color "Sailor," which is a dark navy blue. It's not too noticeable unless you are in brighter lighting which can be both a good and bad thing. I personally like that it's not so obvious, it looks like a toned down black with a bit of a punch. 

BECCA Radiant Skin Satin Finish Foundation

I still have not tried out this foundation, but I have to stress that I'm REALLY glad they did not send only one shade; we were sent SIX different shades to test! I received the shades: Olive, Noisette, Tan, Bamboo, Fawn, and Cafe. The only downside to this is there is less product to test, but I will gladly take this sample over a bigger one, because I can figure out which shade I match best to. 

Arangara Body Lotion

This lotion is a bit too thick and perfumed for me. I will be giving this one away. 

I'm a bit worn out on all these moisturizers from Birchbox, which is part of the reason I've decided to take a break from the service. These last few months I haven't felt very satisfied with my boxes, but mostly I've felt overloaded with samples. I may resubscribe later on in the year, particularly for the holidays.

You can purchase a subscription to Birchbox through my referral link {here} or just go to Birchbox.com

What did you think of this month's box?
-Claudia

ipsy - August 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

Click below to read more!

ipsy - July 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

This month's ipsy bag was all about beauty at the beach. It couldn't have come at a better time, what with Chicago being hit with heat wave after heat wave. I honestly haven't felt up to wearing makeup lately, but this heat still can't tame my excitement over this month's ipsy bag arrival!

Click below to read more!

Birchbox - July 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

{In this month's box}:
BENTA Berry G-1 Moisturizing Face Cream, matifying
100% Pure Nourishing Body Cream, Green Apple
Number 4 Super Comb Prep & Protect
Benefit "Girl Meets Pearl"
Extra: Birchbox Bobby Pins

BENTA Berry G-1 Moisturizing Face Cream, matifying

I did not like this face cream at all. It left a white residue all over my face. Not the look I normally go for! 

100% Pure Nourishing Body Cream, Green Apple

I'm not a fan of apple scented products, so I was already put off by this sample before trying it. What I did not expect upon opening the foil packet was the striking sour hint within the scent. It reminds me of the sour apple gum I would have as a child and that's not really something I'd like to smell like nowadays. 

Number 4 Super Comb Prep & Protect

This month's box was jam-packed with samples with unexpected smells. This one blew me away. This sample smells like CHOCOLATE! It's not a bad smell, but oddly pleasant. It also left my ends feeling pretty soft. I wouldn't recommend if you're hungry, haha. 

Benefit "Girl Meets Pearl"

There is so much hype on this highlighter, but I had never actually tried it. I've used Benefit's "Highbeam" highlighter in the past and loved it, so I will probably end up loving this one as well. "Girl Meets Pearl"is slightly darker than "Highbeam" and very sheer in application. I think "Girl Meets Pearl" is more flattering in its subtlety, but not great for those nights when you want to go ALL out. 

Extra: Birchbox Bobby Pins

I don't wear bobby pins much and definitely don't wear large colorful ones. The design is pretty cute, but I doubt I will get much use out of these, so I will be giving them away to a friend. 

This month's Birchbox was all about the working girl, on and off the clock. I guess Birchbox things what us working girls need is to moisturize; two moisturizing creams (one for face, one for body) in one box? This box was just OK for me. It had a few hits and a few misses. What I loved most was the unexpected smells! This box was just fun to open. I can't wait to see what next month will bring.


You can purchase a subscription to Birchbox through my referral link {here} or just go to Birchbox.com

What did you think of this month's box?

-Claudia

Birchbox - June 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

What was in this month's box:
Color Club Wanderlust Collection nail polish in "London Calling"
LAQA & Co. Lil' Lip pencil in "Pinkman"
Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser
Davines 3-Step System: Love Smoothing Shampoo, Love Smoothing Conditioner, OIL/OIL

Color Club Wanderlust Collection nail polish in "London Calling"

I love, love, love this mint green nail polish! It has quickly become my favorite go-to color this Summer. "London Calling" is part of Color Club's Wanderlust nail polish Collection. I thought the nail polishes fit very well into the theme, which I found to be pretty refreshing. 

The other colors in the collection include: 

London Calling - sunny green

Reign in Spain - fiery coral

Pardon My French - lavender

Mod in Manhattan - brilliant off-white

LAQA & Co. Lil' Lip Pencil in "Pinkman"

Pictured is actually the second sample I received. The first one came splattered all over my box. Thankfully, Birchbox was able to send me a replacement sample (which is not what usually happens whenever I've received a damaged sample). The pencil itself was very nice. "Pinkman" was a super pigmented, bold berry that can be built up or toned down to your liking. It wasn't streaky at all, which is definitely a bonus when it comes to lip pencils! This lip pencil is available as a duo set on the Birchbox website.

Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser

I love trying new skin products, especially when it comes to exfoliants and cleansers. So you can imagine my excitement when I saw this foaming exfoliating cleanser in this month's box. Upon opening the jar, I was hit with a strong lemon scent. It is not overpowering at all, but very sweet. The cleanser itself is very lightweight and does leave my face feeling very clean. I am in LOVE with this little exfoliating cleanser.

Davines 3-Step System

The Davines 3-step system is a trio of samples to help combat frizzy hair. Perfect for my hair! The trio includes:

Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo

Davines Love Smoothing Conditioner

Davines OIL/OIL

I  have yet to try this trio out, but will update now that my current shampoo/conditioners have run out. Hopefully this trio works!

This month's box is still a bit up in the air for me, but I found a few things I truly enjoyed that might even replace current favorites.

You can purchase a subscription to Birchbox through my referral link {here} or just go to Birchbox.com

What did you think of this month's box?

-Claudia

ipsy - June 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

This month's theme is "On the Wild Side." I thought the theme was a bit odd, until I took a look at what came in the bag. Most, if not all, are items or techniques that I have shied away from. Though I expected something totally different from the theme, these items do fit the theme. Take a look at June's ipsy bag!

Click below to read more!

ipsy - May 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

This month's ipsy bag was all about "Spring Fling." For a girl with dark olive skin, the color choices in this month's bag were a miss. I don't expect ipsy to color match its thousands of subscribers, but there should be a bit more consideration put into the colors of the samples.

Click below to see this month's ipsy bag!

Birchbox - May 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

{In this month's box}:
Cargo water resistant blush in Bali
Coola Classic Face Cucumber Moisturizer for Face
Marvis Classic Mint Toothpaste
Miss Jessie's Original Jelly Soft Curls

*Extra: Acroball Pen

Cargo water resistant blush in Bali

My excitement seeing this cargo blush quickly died once I opened the pot and saw the crumbly pieces pour out. I've never tried a Cargo blush, but I've always wanted to try one. Being the klutz that I am, I luckily(?) know how to repair a broken blush! I'll update this {link} once I've posted the pictures on that one here. :) 

Coola Classic Face Cucumber Moisturizer for Face, Sunscreen

I've never been a big user of sunscreen, but I've grown to realize it's so important to regularly apply sunscreen. I used to think that because I tan and don't burn in the summer sun, I don't have to worry about sun care. That's not true! You can still have sun-damaged skin without getting a sun burn. Take care of your skin, ladies and gents!

As far as sunscreens go, I found this Coola moisturizer a better option than most of the sunscreens I've used. It's on the lighter feel (though it still does feel a bit heavy) and the scent is not overwhelming. You know that chemical scent you get when you swatch on some sunscreen? Not so with this! The Coola moisturizer smells, well, like cucumbers. I'm sure this will get used up what with Summer just getting started in Chicago. 

Marvis Classic Mint Toothpaste

I first got a sample of this toothpaste through my Glossybox subscription. I loved it then and I love it now. Though I don't think it's worth the splurge (over $10 a tube!), I will always appreciate receiving samples of this guy. 

Miss Jessie's Original Jelly Soft Curls

I've heard great things about this product and, though I don't usually like receiving samples in packets, I can't wait to see how well this one works. 

*Extra: Acroball Pen

It's a....pen. Kind of underwhelming for a beauty box. 

You can purchase a subscription to Birchbox through my referral link {here} or just go to Birchbox.com

What did you think of this month's box?

-Claudia

Birchbox - April 2013 (Women's Health)

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

This month's box was a collaboration with Women's Health magazine. Included in this month's box was an offer to receive Women's Health magazine (I opted out, bc I receive enough magazines at the moment). Overall, I enjoyed this month's box! Read on for more in depth reviews of each sample.

{In this month's box}:
Nexxus Youth Renewal Rejuvenating Elixir
Evologie Intensive Blemish Serum
Sumita Eyeshadow Pencils
Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-on
Atelier Cologne

Nexxus Youth Renewal Rejuvenating Elixir

This teensy sample is a leave-in treatment for hair to help counteract the "aging hair." I have a lot (and I mean A LOT) of hair, so honestly this has not really been a concern of mine. But having a lot of hair doesn't make my hair any less susceptible to aging. You guys know me, I'm always up for trying new hair products. 

I actually really enjoyed how this smelled. It's a very lightly perfumed scent that I find very pleasant and wearable. Have I noticed any radical changes? The leave-in treatment leaves my hair feeling soft, but that's not exactly revolutionary for me these days. Well, the smell alone might convince me to purchase the full size. It's just that nice!

Evologie Intensive Blemish Serum

I haven't used this one too much. I don't trust in blemish serums or treatments that claim to act so quickly. In the past, using this type of products has usually led to my dry skin becoming severely dried out. 

Sumita Eyeshadow Pencils

I was pretty excited to get this pencil last month, but I wish I had a few more looks lined up for a pink liner. I think this calls for a YouTube inspiration search spree!

Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-on

I have amassed quite a few of these dark circle-removing roll-ons and while they are all nice feeling, I don't feel they do much. The same holds true for this Simple roll-on. It feels very refreshing, but I haven't noticed too much a difference in the dark circle department. I have pretty severe dark circles, so maybe this will work for someone else!

Atelier Cologne

No more! No more perfumes/colognes/sprays! I'm not a scent gal :( Sorry!

You can purchase a subscription to Birchbox through my referral link {here} or just go to Birchbox.com

What did you think of this month's box?

-Claudia

ipsy - April 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

April's ipsy bag is all about pretty in pink. Getting this bag full of its pinky cuteness really cheered me up after having been sick for an entire week! Read on ahead for my review of this month's bag.

Click below to see this month's ipsy bag!

ipsy - March 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

Click below to see this month's ipsy bag!

Birchbox - March 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

{In this month's box}:

Caldrea Body Lotion packets

Incoco Nail Polish stickers

Serge Normant Meta Revive Dry shampoo

Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream

*Extra: Madewell for Birchbox Emery Board

Caldrea Body Lotion packets (full size: $22)

I think I have enough lotion samples to last me a lifetime, haha. I'm actually interested to try these out, though there's something about getting packet samples that turns me off a bit. I received three different lotion samples: Aloe Water Apricot, Coconut Fig Leaf, & Tea Olive Lime. They are aromatherapeautic lotions, which I've actually been researching a bit as of late (funnily enough). I'll update this once I've tried these out.

Incoco Nail Polish stickers (full size $9-11)

When I heard we were getting nail polish stickers, I was so disappointed. The nail polish stickers I've seen are usually geared towards tweens and generally just something I'd toss. These, however, have beautiful designs. I was not expecting to like them as much as I do and I honestly can't wait to try these out. These Incoco nail polish stickers are not childish at all, but very styling!

Serge Normant Meta Revive Dry shampoo (full size: $25)

I've tried a few dry shampoos in the past that I didn't like, so I've been pretty skeptical about trying new ones. I'm glad I received a brand I've never tried before and I look forward to seeing how this one works. Yay for less shower days! (joking, joking)

Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream (full size $20)

I actually don't use any kind of shaving cream, because my skin reacts badly to it. I'll be giving this away to a friend. 

*Extra: Madewell for Birchbox Emery Board (full size: $5)

This emery board is very flowery! You can never have too many of these and I appreciate getting one with a cute design on it :) 

Lately I feel I've been falling out of love with Birchbox. Though my boxes have been average (not too amazing, not too disappointing), I'm just not sure I want to keep the service anymore. I've been asking myself that question for too long now that I think it may be time to quit.

You can purchase a subscription to Birchbox through my referral link {here} or just go to Birchbox.com

What did you think of this month's box?

-Claudia

Birchbox - February 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

Click below to see this month's box. 

ipsy - February 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

Click below for more on this month's bag!

ipsy - January 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

Click below for more on this month's bag!

Birchbox - January 2013

{In this month's box}:
Embyolisse: Lait-Creme Concentre - 24-Hour Miracle Cream
Number 4 - Clarifying Shampoo
theBalm Cosmetics - Hot Mama
Aerie Shimmer Fragrance

**Extra**Deborah Lippman - the Stripper to go
"2013 - Best Year Ever" Booklet

Embyolisse: Lait-Creme Concentre - 24-Hour Miracle Cream

I've been dying to try this cream out for a while, ever since I discovered it's considered a "holy grail" item for some makeup artists. A few months ago, this brand was actually introduced into Birchbox and I crossed maybe all my fingers and toes hoping to get the cream in my box. I didn't! So, I decided to use my stockpiled points to get it from the Birchbox store instead.

...

Well, I wasn't expecting to get it this month, but it's nice to have a backup. The cream itself is very nice. It can be used as a primer, moisturizer, and face wash. I haven't used it as a face wash, but I do use it as a combination moisturizer and primer, and it works pretty well. It is a bit heavy on my dry skin, so if you have combination or oily skin, don't overdo it. 

Number 4 - Clarifying Shampoo

I'm not overly excited about this shampoo. Shampoo is not something I necessarily change up too often and I've been burned by shampoo samples before (see Glossybox - July/August), so these types of samples make me a bit skittish. At first smell, I was surprised by its nice, soft perfume scent, but as the smell settled into my hands (ok, maybe not the best test spot!) it began to smell more like a sweet-smelling hair dye. I'll update this later once I've tried this out.

theBalm Cosmetics - Hot Mama

Hot Mama is quite nice! I've been really taken with all the samples from theBalm I've received. Hot Mama is a duo blush and highlighter in a "universally flattering shade." I'm not sure about the universal part, but it could potentially be used as simply a highlighter for darker skinned girls. On me, this blush is almost on the cusp of being too light, but not quite there. It reminds me a bit of NARS' "Orgasm" and MAC's "Stereo Rose." I'll definitely be doing some comparing later! The sun has set, guys :(

Aerie Shimmer Fragrance

OOF. This one is a bit strong for me! I loved the packaging, though! The perfume sample came wrapped like a piece of candy. Cute!

**Extra**Deborah Lippman - the Stripper to go

Apparently these are nail polish remover mitts. I'm not sure yet what that means or how easy this'll be to use. I am switching nail colors soon, so this will be interesting to try out!

**Extra**"2013 - Best Year Ever" Booklet

This month's box came with an expandable booklet 25 tips to the "best year ever." It comes with some pretty cool tips and drawings. I'm already looking for a place on my wall to hang it up. I really appreciated receiving this booklet!

This month's box had some pretty nice things and some iffy things. I really loved the theme for this month. All in all, I think it a was a good start for Birchbox 2013!

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

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

-Claudia