Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting Liquid

I've always been wary of liquid exfoliants.  Sometimes they say you can use them everyday, sometimes they say once a week, sometimes once a month, and even then it's still a tricky thing.  I'm terrified of doing unseen damage to my face, only to have it look like I got a bad chemical peel a month later.  

Then I got this little bottle in my March Blush Box and after two days of staring at it on my dresser I decided to put it to the test.  Move aside fears it's product testing time!


First Impression: I'm nervous.  Don't peel my face off.  How much do I use?  Wait, I can use this daily?  Please don't peel my face off.
 
After Application: Welp that was anticlimactic.  I don't know if I used enough.  My skin doesn't feel like it wants to fall off, good sign.  I'll try this whole "use daily" thing and see if it helps.  

Overall: I like it.  I've been using it for about a week now and I can honestly say my skin is in much better condition.  Aside from the current blemish on my chin (thank you work phones) I've had no breakouts, my skintone is more even, I don't need a full face of foundation and can get away with only concealer, and my skin is smoother than before.
 
Repurchase: Yes.  If not this than something similar.  I was so afraid I would peel my face off I've been missing out on the benefits of a good exfoliator.  I can honestly tell you guys that this is the missing step in my skincare routine that never was that made me want a skincare routine.

Go buy this!  Or... something like it!  It's worth it.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Allure Sample Society Beauty Box

The Allure Sample Society Subscription Box is probably my second favorite box to open every month, after the Blush Box of course.  I always get great products I've never seen before, and always find at least one thing in the box to obsess over for the month.  This month I found two!

Alterna happens to be my new favorite hair care brand, so seeing this Caviar CC Cream in this month's box was really exciting.  I love leave in conditioners, especially with the current state of my hair, and the smell is to die for.


Around this time last year I was obsessed with trying to find a product to make myself tan.  Now I never bought one, but I shopped and read reviews and shopped some more.  I've tried some lip products from Jane Iredale and I've absolutely loved them, so maybe this year I'll hop on the tan bandwagon and try out this Tantasia lotion.  Fingers crossed I don't end up in oompa loompa jersey shore territory.


This was the item I was least excited for in this month's box.  I opened it up and smelled it and immediately hated the scent.  Actually using it however, I found this stuff is really amazing.  It took off all my makeup, no muss no fuss, no bubbles, no weird slick after effect.  I'm smitten.  It currently resides in my shower for daily use.


With spring coming I'm on the hunt for anything to get my hair up and out of my face without me looking like I'm trying too hard.  These Jane Tran hair clips are cute, the colors remind me of a grassy spring meadow in a rainstorm, and they're stiff enough to not fall out during work.  I'm sold.  Give me more.

There was a fifth item this month which was a Diptique perfume sample.  When I sprayed it it gave me an instant headache so I gave it to my mom who loved the scent.  Problem solved?  I think so.

Overall I found two really amazing products in this month's box.  I highly highly recommend this subscription service for anyone looking to get some high end, yet very functional brands, dropped on their doorstep every month.  At $17 ish a month you really can't beat it.

Friday, March 21, 2014

Birchbox March 2014

Recently I haven't been as thrilled to receive my monthly Birchbox as I was when I first signed up.  Last months box arrived broken and full of glass shards and another box had to be shipped to me.  Then I couldn't access their site for a month and it took me about a week to get everything sorted with the company.  That being said, this month's box may have redeemed Birchbox in my eyes.




Obligatory list of products.  Ooooh ahhhhhh.

Coola Tinted Matte SPF 30 for Face-  Cool it Coola.  I honestly don't need the seven samples of sunscreen you have sent me.  I don't go out in the sun enough to ever need this many mini samples.  Just send me on big sample one time.  Please.

100% pure Wrinkle Smoothing Night Cream-  I'm a recent fan of eye creams, especially with the many sleepless nights and early mornings.  I haven't tried this eye cream before but I have tried this brand and I think it's super rich and creamy and I expect nothing but rave reviews for this once I try it out.


Gilchrist and Soames London Collection Shampoo and Conditioner- First off, how cute are these bottles?  I could justify never using these just to keep the bottles next to my shower. My only hesitation with trying new shampoo and conditioner is my hair color.  I'm a bottle red over super bleached previously brunette hair, so my hair is not always keen on new products.  I love the smell, I love the look, but my hair will be the final judge of this product.

Illume Hand Cream-  The packaging kills it.  I love the look.  I am terrified of the scent.  Hence why I have not opened this yet for fear I will not like it and have to toss it.  It claims to be floral, and a most floral hand creams smell like gardenias which I do not like the scent of at all.  Fingers crossed guys, fingers crossed.


Ghirardelli Intense Dark Cherry Tango-  I was really happy to see a sweet treat in this months box.  I ended up giving this to my boyfriend, and heard no complaints so I'm assuming it was delicious.  Keep the sweet treats coming birchbox!  Keep em coming!

Overall I really like the high quality feel of this months box.  I love the packaging and how most of the items were things I've never tried before.  I would like to never see another Coola sample as long as I live, but knowing Birchbox's previous summer boxes I think we will be reacquainted sooner than later.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Blush Mystery Beauty Box March 2014

This month's Blush Box is jam packed full of skincare.  I am super excited to dig into all these goodies, and even more excited to share them all with you guys.



StriVectin Intensive Concentrate for Stretch Marks and Wrinkles-  Now I don't have wrinkles, but I do have stretchmarks, just not on my face (which is where you're supposed to put this I guess).  I can't see myself getting much use out of this anytime soon so into the gifting pile it goes!

Miracle Skin Transformer Microderm Abrasion Exfoliating Cream
-  So I'm trying to get more into exfoliants and things to really get my skin out of it's winter dry spell and into spring without any mishaps.  I've heard good reviews about this brand, and even though I have samples I've never actually tried from them, I'm excited to have something that isn't a BB or CC cream to try out.

DCL Ultra Light Hydrator- This is a really big bottle tube of lotion.  I still have lotion in smaller sizes I have yet to finish up.  But! Spring/Summer is coming, beaches/lakes/rivers/showers will definitely be happening, so maybe having a super big bottle tube thing to carry around with me won't be so bad after all.





SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel- This was this month's special item.  It's a really small sample I will probably only be using for some super special event. I wish that they gave you a larger sample, especially since it was the featured item this month, but you can't win them all.

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting Liquid- Apparently you can use this 1-2 times a day and it won't peel your face off.  I'm excited to have something I can apply with a cotton pad in the morning and not have to rush through one more step before I rush out the door for work.




Laura Geller Spackle Under Makeup Primer- First off I love the name.  I'm not a huge primer fan, they usually break me out, but I can see this being really nice in the t-zone area where my makeup starts to slide off or flake off during the day.

Talkia Eye Therapy Patch- I've wanted to try these things for a while now, but couldn't justify the price tag for something that may just not work for me.  Needless to say I want to slap these on my face right now, but I'm showing some restraint and waiting for a pamper day.


Suki Facial Cloth-  Surprised?  Yes.  Pleasantly surprised?  Yes.  Oh, and it's soft.
 

Samples!  Every month you get two samples and this month I got a face cleanser and a body lotion. Not bad, not bad.

I really liked this month's box.  A lot.  I'm hoping I find some favorites among these and actually get a routine down before spring officially ruins my skin again.

Do you guys subscribe to Blush?  Have you tried any of these products before?

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Mini Hiatus: Motivational Wednesday

Hey There Dolls,

As you may notice I've been a little absent lately on the blogging front.  I've been plagued with anxiety, pain, and a cold that have cumulatively knocked me on my behind.  I also just bought myself some new batteries for my camera, and got almost all of my subscriptions this month, plus some more goodies to share the next few weeks.  I've also reached 31 followers on Hey There Dollface, and I can honestly say it perked me up like nothing else to see my little corner of the internet getting love from you guys.

I say what's a better way to jump back into blogging than with a motivational Wednesday post.

You were born with the ability to change someone's life; don't ever waste it.
I constantly smile.  I have this unnecessary urge to smile at any given moment, all the time, no matter what.  You know something else?  I love it, and so do the people around me.  People always say "you're never upset, you never look sick, and you're always smiling".  Well of course.  If I look terrible, feel terrible, and act terribly, that is the response I will get from the people around me.  If I look nice, feel any way whatsoever, but act nice and polite and happy, that is how I generally get treated.  I also believe in the philosophy that just one smile, one well wish, or one positive comment can turn around anyone's day.  Don't ever feel like your smile is wasted, your well wishes are falling on deaf ears, and your kindness will never be noticed, because it is.  It may not be openly acknowledged by every soul you meet, but does it need to be? As long as one soul feels the love and compassion you put forth, you are already an infinitely better person for it.

Go out and smile at a stranger, make someone laugh, cheer up a coworker or a friend.  Do good for someone else and expect nothing back.  You'll be surprised how much it changes how people approach you.

What does this quote mean to you??

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Motivational Wednesday


This week has already been a pretty rough one.  I have had three days of anxiety, all culminating in spending my day off hiding in my bed.  The one thing to cheer me up however has been Pinterest and the beautiful things you can find there.  Now this week is going to be a little different than previous weeks.  Instead of me telling you how this quote pertains to my life and how I would describe its meanings, I want you guys to get involved and share with me what these words mean to you.

Vincent Van Gogh
Ready?  Go!