Birchbox August 2014

It's the last day of August and I'm still writing subscription box reviews. Tsk tsk.

Anywhoo, here is this month's August Birchbox, and dare I say Birchbox just keeps getting better and better.

Here are the things!

Supergoop Hand Cream-  The sample is really small, but it's whats inside that counts right?  Another handcream to add to my obsession, and it's a good'un.  I like the scent, love the feel, and wish I had more.

Nugg Face Mask Soothing-  I think this is the most adorable thing to ever grace Birchbox.  I am on a face mask binge right now and cannot wait to use this.  

Dr. Jart BB DIS-A-PORE-  I rarely use pore diminishing/hiding products.  I think they clog up my skin and can make me oily super quickly.  That being said there is a first time for everything right?

amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo-  I love love love this.  The scent is amazing, it is one of the only dry shampoo things I have tried that doesn't irritate my scalp, and it works really well.  For only $21 on the Birchbox site I may just have to splurge and buy this baby.

Model Co Shimmer Bronzer- This was my pick for this month's box and I am not upset about it.  It is a shimmer bronzer so you can't highlight with it, but it's good for a little pick me up when you're feeling a little pale.

I love this month's box.  I will use everything and I can't wait to see what Septembers box will bring.  If the sample choices (which got snapped up super quick) are any indication, it's going to be fabulous.

Allure Sample Society August 2014

In typical fashion this subscription has beat out the rest in terms of wow factor, and I hear in the next few months this subscription will be getting even better.  Is that possible?

Look at all the things!

Ciate Polish in Cha Cha Cha-  I have never used a Ciate polish before, so this was really a treat.  The color is a bright vibrant orange that reminds me of Carnivale in Rio.  It's the perfect transition shade into fall polish.  Still bright but a fall hue.

Oribe Surfcomber Tousled Texture Mousse-  I was estatic to get an Oribe product in this month's box.  I'm not a huge fan of surf sprays though, so this may be a miss for me.

Kate Somerville Dilo Oil-  This is a face oil that is supposed to be the holy grail of face oils. It tightens, moisturizes, and improves skin all in one product.  If it can help my soon to be desert of a face this winter I might back up those claims.

Jane Iredale Mascara-  I love Jane Iredale lip sticks/blams so I have a feeling I'm going to love this mascara as well.  It comes in a little tube which is just the coolest thing to me, and it's the perfect size to throw in your purse for a night out.

Too Faced Melted Lipstick in Melted Peony-  This was another big hit in this month's box, and I was really excited to try it out.  It's like the OCC Lip Tars, but the applicator is more user friendly (it has one of those sponge tip applicators so you don't need a lip brush).

Overall I loved the product selection in this month's box.  Each month gets better and better, and I hear next month will feature a full sized eye cream worth more than the actual subscription!  Have you signed up yet?  Trust me, you should!

What was your favorite product from this months box?

Disappointing Product: RevlonColorstay Liquid Eye Pen in Black

I really don't like being a negative nancy.  I try to like everything, I really do, but when I try something and it immediately disappoints me, I can't help but cry a little inside.

Recently my favorite black eyeliner dried up *Insert sobbing here* and I dug through my stash to try and find a suitable replacement until I could get to Sephora to buy a new one.  None of the options I have made me the least bit happy, so on a trip to Target I picked up a promising looking eyeliner.  Keep in mind I said promising looking.

 

Well hello Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen!  Nice to meet you.  You look very promising.

 

Does that look promising to you? No.  The top line took me three swipes, and the bottom line is just one swipe of the pen.  I was really disappointed to say the least. It looks almost gray on my skin, the nib is too large to get a thin crisp line, it bleeds like a son of a gun, and even my boyfriends said "well that's no good" when he saw it. 

I wore it today for work and it bled wherever I put it on my eyes, even over eyeshadow, and the nib really bothered me because it was so large. I had a really hard time applying it and it looked like a hot mess. 

I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, and even went so far as to tell a co worker not to ever buy it.  

Have you ever tried this eyeliner?  Tell me how you liked it.

Blush Mystery Beauty Box August 2014

Sorry this is so late guys!  I was on vacation for my birthday and did absolutely no blogging while I was away.  I promise next month will be a lot less eventful, which means more time for blogging, and more of these!

Doesn't this look promising!

Nick Chavez Beverly Hills Plump 'N Thick Shampoo-  I've been loving my Lush Seanik shampoo bar for a few weeks now so it's about time to switch up my routine a little bit and try this out.  I just hope this doesn't give me clown hair and gives me a tameable amount of volume instead.

Neuma Style Texturizer-  I haven't had good experiences with mousse before but I'm willing to give this the good ol' college try.  It's a huge bottle so I hope I like it, if not, off to mom it goes!

dr. brandt BB Mate with SHINERASE- I'm always wary when I get BB creams because they're always darker than I would like, and a lot more orange than I'd prefer.  I did try this on the back of my hand and it looked okay so I'm excited.  Also this SHINERASE thing makes me a little giddy, especially with how humid it's been lately.  Oh, and it's full sized.  Woo!

SkinMedica Dermal Repair Cream-  Get on my skin immediately.  The smell reminds me perfume my grandma might have worn, or like the "signature lotion scent" from the 50's.  Smell aside, I want this on my skin every night from now until it runs out.  Anything that claims to repair skin and add moisture is something I'm completely on board with.

Nailtiques Protein Nail Lacquer in the shade Tahiti- Love the hot pink color, but I'm more into fall colors at the moment.  But this will not go un-used!  It's the perfect accent shade for nail art, and would be great on my toes in the middle of the winter when I'm feeling the blues.

Pixi Lid Last Shadow Pen in Graphite-  I hear a smokey eye calling with this pencil.  I'm gonna save it for fall when my makeup stops running off my face and I can pull off a smokey eye without also pretending to be a panda.

These were the samples I got in this month's box.  I'm all over the elta MD Skincare PM Therapy for this coming fall, and can always use a travel sized cleanser for when I go away (or need a change).

I am really happy with this month's box.  I'll use everything in it, and while it may not all agree with me I know who will like it if I don't.  

So what about you guys?  Have you hopped on over to blush.com and subscribed yet??

On a side note, do you like the background?  I'm trying to branch out and do something creative with my photos.  How did I do??

We are changing our name!

Hey There Dolls,

After some thinking, hemming and hawing, I've decided to change my blogs name.  To make it easier to search, and to match every other social media account I own, we have officially changed our name to It's Poker Dollface. (By we I mean me and this blog, we're kind of a pair.)

-Woo pretty new banner-

Now, this doesn't mean the url has changed, in fact, now the url matches my blogs name!  Yahoo for continuity!

The blog content will be the same, nothing has changed except the banner and how I view my blog on blogger.  I hope this will also make it easier when I move onto my next big adventure, so look out for more of that to come in the next few months. I'll make sure to keep you posted!

Have We Found A Dupe For Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie in Get Ready?

Have you ever found a lipstick and fell in love with it, only to have something catastrophic happen to it like lose it or break it?  I have, just recently actually, and it was absolutely devastating.  The lipstick in question is Bare Minerals Marvelous Movie Lipstick in Get Ready.  It was so devastating I went out of a mission and could not get my little mind to calm down until I rectified the situation.  First I thought, well maybe I should just buck up and buy another tube.  Then I thought, well if the first tube is any indication of what might happen to my next tube, maybe I should try and find a dupe, and I succeeded!

Look at that color match!  Near perfection.

This folks is what happens when you live in a humid and hot state that is unforgiving in the summer months.  Your poor baby lipstick just melts and breaks and gets everywhere.  Such a heartbreak.  Sorry for the bad picture, even my lipstick is ashamed to be seen in it's disheveled state.

This is the dupe!  Wet and Wild lipstick in the shade Wine Room.  It's the perfect mauvey pink for my skin tone and looks like "my lips but better".  The formula is different, but nothing I dislike enough to ditch the dupe.  The Bare Minerals lipstick is creamy and glides on your lips like butter, and leaves an almost glossy finish to your lips.  The Wet and Wild version is more of a matte finish which can either be left on its own, or finished off with a gloss if you're into the shiny lip thing.  Me being more of a matte girl likes the matte finish just a little bit more, but you do need a really good exfoliation before you put this on your lips like with any other matte lipstick.  The wear time is good for both lipsticks as both are fairly pigmented, and both face nicely (AKA don't leave a line around your lips reminiscent of cherry koolaid). 

It took everything in me not to leap for joy when I found out this was a dupe, and for a fraction of the price it's a huge steal.  

What types of dupes do you go crazy for?

Sephora Cream Lip Stain

Or as I would like to rename them "Forever Lipstick". 

Sephora Cream Lip Stain

First Impression: Pretty pretty pretty I want them all. 

 

After Application:  Not drying? Check.  Lasts through drinking coffee? Check.  Looks fan-freaking-tastic?  Check check check!

Overall: The display is part of the larger Sephora Collection display, and it took me a minute to locate the Cream Lip Stains, but as soon as I started swatching I was drawn in and couldn't just walk away without getting one, or two. I picked up two shades- Always Red and Endless Purple.  I already have too many red lipsticks but I couldn't resist a smudge proof formula, and the purple is deep and rich and perfect for winter for me.  I swatched every color they had available and almost walked away with Strawberry Kissed as well, but I stopped myself, this time anyways. 
The formula glides on super smooth, and you really only need one coat they're so opaque.  I found that applying more than that made the stain roll up and bunch on my lips which is a big no no. They're not drying, but I would still recommend prepping your lips by exfoliating and using a thick balm beforehand.  The color lasts through absolutely everything, and while it isn't the easiest to take off it's well worth it. I found that soaking a cotton pad in makeup remover and holding it on your lips for a few seconds does the trick.

 

Repurchase: Uhm yes.  Yes so much.  So much yes.  I am absolutely positively in love with these. Strawberry Kissed is next on my "what beauty product do I want to splurge on" list.  My only hang up is the shade range, which I hope will expand into even more amazing long lasting colors.

 

Have you tried these holy grail lip colors?  

July 2014 Beauty Favorties

This is virgin territory here in Hey There Dollface.  Monthly favorites.  Usually I think about writing this post in the middle of the month, and by the end of the month I've completely forgotten.  Not this month folks!  Here is a list of things I've been loving this month, all beauty related of course.  Maybe next month I'll add in a lifestyle favorites of the month post as well, but lets not get too ahead of ourselves here. 

Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Cream-  This is the perfect product for second day hair.  It spruces up my overly dry ends, makes my fly aways stay in place, and makes my hair manageable in this humidty.  Oh, and it smells marvelous to boot.

Hand Cream-  I have the -417 Hand Moisturizer in the scent Ocean (heavenly I tell you, heavenly), but really any will do.  I had acrylic nails up until a few days ago and hand cream was the difference between dry cracked cuticles and smooth happy ones (AKA How long I could fake a nice set of nails before going to get a fill).  I rarely go a day without applying the stuff, so much so that it's pretty much a nightly must. Hands are also apparently the first place to show aging, so applying hand cream multiple times a day is what I like to call preventative measures.

Skinn Olive and Enzyme Cleanser-  This has (and this is a big claim so hold onto your britches people) single handedly gotten rid of the tiny little bumps on my face and given my skin a chance to glow like none other.  It smells like a creamsicle and works like a dream.  Not only is it an amazing face wash, but it can also be used as a mask!  I will definitely be stocking up on this wonderful smelling miracle.

 Please forgive the blurry picture.  I could not for the life of me get these to focus.

Maybelline Baby Lips-  I have the medicated ones in a coral shade and a purple/berry shade, and can you say obsessed?  I've been using these multiple times daily and they far beat out every other lip balm I have in my collection.  They add just a splash of color, a punch of moisture, and they glide right on the lips without any tugging or clumping.

Wet and Wild Lipstick in the shade Wine Room-  I've been wearing this for a few weeks now, and find myself drawn towards this color more than any other in my stash.  It's the perfect pink for me.  Not too overwhelming, not too subtle.  It's actually a dupe for another well loved color in my collection, but that post is for another day.

Laura Mercier Highlighter in 01- I just got this in a beauty box in July and absolutely love it.  I wear it almost daily and it adds the perfect amount of glow without looking like a disco ball. I would have never bought this for myself but can't believe I didn't know it existed.  

NYX Are You DeprEYEved Mascara-  Love love love.  I wear at least three coats of this and it makes me look like I have a set of falsies on.  I get asked all the time if my eyelashes are real, and yes people they are, just slap a few coats of this baby on and you too can have fluttery eyelashes of glory.

And there ya have it folks, my July beauty favorites.  Yay?  Nay?  Leave me a comment down below and tell me what you think!