Ipsy Glam Bag October 2014

Even though Ipsy hasn't been blowing me away lately,  I can say this month's bag gave me some new favorite products.

Figs & Rouge Mango Mandarin Hand Cream-  It smells just like you would expect it to.  I was a little wary because I'm allergic to mangoes, but with no mango/mango derivatives in the ingredient list I quickly got over my fears and fell a little in love.  I did have a hell of a time opening this though so that was disappointing, but otherwise I love the packaging.  It reminds me of a circus in the 1900's mixed with the colors you would expect to find at a yacht club.

NYC Big Curl Mascara-  I am currently drooling big time over this mascara.  No flakes, the biggest bushiest wand you ever did see, and black as I don't even know what.  This stuff may not curl your lashes, but it separates them and makes them look super full which is fine by me,

H2O Face Oasis Hydrating Lotion-  I love H2O products. They all have this really clean, wet, calming smell.  I always find H2O to be gentle on my skin and perfect for when I just feel like I want to have a spa like experience without the heaviness of the products.  I think I will enjoy this.

Starlooks Lip Gloss in Guilty Pleasure-  It's the PERFECT shade for my lips. It's creamy and shiny and makes my lips look even and happy.  Huuuge winner in my book.  I may even have to consider purchasing a full size someday.

Skyn Iceland Facial Wipes-  The smell of these really turns me off using them. They are super effective, but the smell combined with how harsh the cloth is makes these the only item in the box I can officially say I wish I never received.

Overall I give this box an A.  I liked everything but the wipes, found two things I love and two things I like.  I was going to drop the grade to a B but I feel like the two products I love balance out my disappointment in the wipes.

How did you feel about this month's Ipsy Glam Bag?  Are you subscribed yet?

Birchbox October 2014

Birchbox has really stepped up their game lately.  If the past few month's didn't make me realize that, this box surely did.

And The Angels Sang

Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Antioxidant Serum-  I love Paula's Choice.  I just started seeing a change in my skin and adding something like this to my regimen can only  be a positive thing.

Essential Elements Shower Gel-  This smells really fresh and the bottle is to die for cute. If all of my gels and potions and lotions came in bottles like these I would absolutely love it. This is the perfect size to travel, or when I'm feeling like a change of pace.

Dr. Brandt Vacuum Cleaner-  The name sounds extremely unappealing but the principle is intriguing.  I have a killer case of blackheads on my nose and chin and have tried a bunch of stuff to get rid of them.  Fingers crossed this will do the trick!

Lord and Berry Sparkle Eye Pencil-  I don't really like eyeliner so adding eye irritating sparkles into it makes me wary to say the least.  This may be a giveaway.

Lumesh Lipgloss- I don't know the shade name on this sample but it's right up my alley.  Pink, not too sticky, and no offensive smell.  The sample size is extremely small though which is a little disappointing but for the amount of time I will wear this it's more than fine.

This box gets an A, two thumbs up, and a hug.  Gimme more Birchbox!  

Allure Sample Society October 2014

Not going to lie to you guys,  I'm a little disappointed by this month's Allure Box.  Let me tell you why.

Stuff and Things

Emi Jay Hair Ties-  I have a zillion hair ties, but not many like these.  I am constantly in flux with my hairstyles throughout the day, and honestly think this is part of the reason my hair falls out so much.  These are supposed to be more gentle on your hair, I just hope they don't slip out during the day. 

L'Oreal Total Repair Shampoo and Conditioner- I love the hair mask in this line but was super disappointed to see these in this month's box.  I always expect really high quality items in this box, not something I can pick up for a few bucks at Target.  That being said I will be using these the next time I travel, so it's not a complete loss.

Estee Lauder Enlighten Dark Spot Correcting Cream-  This was supposed to be a larger sample so that's one more tick for why the box disappointed me.  This product however s supposed to me amazing but it's not something I see myself using anytime soon.  I will more than likely be gifting this.

Bond no. 9 Perfume in Chinatown-  This smell triggers memories of playing in my grandparents back room in all of their old jewelry and clothes.  It also reminds me of a scent you would find on your grandmothers dresser in an ornate bottle with one of those diffuser pumps on it.  That being said, this scent is not for me.  I can't even keep it out of the wrapper very long without it diffusing into the air and giving me a headache.  Into the gift pile it goes.

Bobbi Brown Mascara-  This is probably the saving grace from this box.  I love mascaras and I have never tried a Bobbi Brown product before.  Fingers crossed this adds some oomph to my lashes and makes me look like I spent hours applying false lashes like a good mascara should.

Overall I give this box a B-/C.  I know it's a low score and my review was very harsh but I just expect more.  These past few months they have really stepped up their game and I just feel a little let down. The hair ties, shampoo/conditioner, expecting a larger sized Estee Lauder sample, and the perfume really killed it for me. That's four out of the five items that didn't wow or excite me.  Everything in this box comes with good intentions, I just hope next month it comes with a higher value to me.

Blush Mystery Beauty Bag October 2014

I actually received this box over a week ago, took pictures, and then failed to post.  Shame shame blogger!

I am going to give this box a theme title of "Perk me up essentials".  

-The Box/Bag-

Klorane Shampoo:  Sweet baby Jesus this stuff smells amazing.  I have the leave in conditioner counterpart to this shampoo and it smells like dessert.  Like a bakery on steroids.  Like heaven.  I sneakily already used this once and it's nothing too spectacular, but I would definitely buy this for the smell.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Original:  Well this is probably the most blogged about dry shampoo ever to exist.  I can't even begin to tell you how many reviews I've read on this stuff and all of it's siblings.  I don't know if I will use this anytime soon, but I can say I'm eager to try it out.

Cargo BeachBlush in Cable Beach:  They say it's a blush and bronzer, but it will only ever be a blush to me.  It's shimmery pink/mauve/bronze tones and gives your cheeks the perfect fall flush.  I think I may have just found my new favorite blush!

Glytone Eye Cream:  I have it, I love it, I use it all the time.  Nuff said.

StriVectin AR Night Cream:  Not a huge fan of night creams.  I like to use them on occasion when I really want to pamper myself, but I wear a sleep mask so most of it rubs off the areas I apply it.   This may be going into the gift pile.

Overall I give this bag a B.  All useful items but nothing to girl squeal over.  I'm craving a little excitement from my boxes and this just hasn't done it for me this month.

Mini Ulta Haul

I'm a pretty fickle person when it comes to my hair.  That's why I rarely ever repurchase any hair products.  In fact, other than hair dye, I can only think of one item I ever repurchased related to my hair, which was the Alterna Caviar CC Cream.  I find that products either make my hair greasy, dries it out, or makes it a tangles crazy lions mane.  I also have a problem with my scalp.  It's dry, itchy, and overall it just drives me absolutely insane.  Combine these two things and I become pretty intolerable to salt sprays, dry shampoos, and clarifying shampoo.

If you have issues similar to mine, let me introduce you to some holy grail products I will forever repurchase.

Look at these beauties!

 Fekkai PrX Reparatives: Holy moly moly holy. I love this stuff.  It smells like marshmallows, feels like heaven on my hair, and bonus, if you take a bath with this in your hair by the time you get out and rinse, this stuff has turned crispy locks into enviable hair by all.  It's not too pricey, lasts forever, and needs to be in everyone's hair arsenal.  I should really write a full review on this stuff, it's just that amazing. 

Wella Calm Treatment: For those of you with irritated scalps, this stuff is a dream.  It has zero smell, and is the first thing I turn to when my scalp starts to turn against me.  It's moisturizing but not greasy like you would expect it to be.  It actually feels like it forms a barrier to keep moisture in, while at the same time soothing any current irritation.  I've always had a pretty sensitive scalpand can never find anything that works to make it better, so when I picked this up on a whim and it worked, by golly I was just floored.

Do you have any holy grail favorites for haircare?  Any suggestions on others products for me to fall in love with?

Sephora Trip and Great Customer Service

Warning:: This post contains a lot of words, not a lot of pictures, and one kick ass customer service experience.  If all of these things appeal to you, read on!

So the other day I ventured out with a friend and we somehow ended up at Sephora.  I was really excited to pick up my favorite eyeliner again and get my friend hooked on the Sephora Cream Lip Stain.  What I was not excited about was how absolutely overwhelming Sephora can be.

A few minutes into our trip we were greeted by an associate who works there named Beatriz.  I was thrilled at how thorough she was with out consultation, and how knowledgeable she was.  She also gave her opinion, which let me tell you, both me and my friend were more than thrilled to hear.  After about thirty minutes into the consultation we stopped playing around with lipsticks (I totally got my friend hooked on the lip stains by the way) and we switched over to face mode.

Apparently I am not as pale as I though.  When I was color matched (that color matching machine is amazing and I want one) I was the shade IR06.  It is apparently code for "not as pale as snow white, but still pretty darn pale".  Being that I was on the hunt for a new foundation, this knowledge made me feel invincible!  Now I know my shade!  IR06!  Wait.. that's not a shade that I've ever heard of. This can't be right... Oh but it is my friends, it is so very right.  You just type it into the little Sephora machine and it tells you what shade you are in EVERY FOUNDATION EVER!  Well, every foundation that carries your shade that lives in Sephora.

After I got color matched Beatriz listened to my skincare woes (coverage, blemishes, meltdown face, weird application issues).  Not only did I end up with the most amazing foundation ever, I also found out the solution to my makeup meltdown issue.  My friends, let me just say, if you ever find yourself with makeup meltdown, just dust some setting powder like the Bare Minerals Mineral Veil, and you will be set! Pun intended.  If you are ever in the Northern Virginia area and happen to need to go to Sephora, go see Beatriz.  She will knock your socks off, empty your wallet, and you will want to hug her she's so amazing!

Now that you guys know how amazing Beatriz is, how awesome the color matching machine from Sephora is, let me tell you about the few things I picked up that have been my favorite products these past few weeks:

Urban Decay Naked Skin in the shade 3.5-  Can I drool over the interwebs?  I am obsessed with this foundation.  It's medium coverage, a little watery which makes it a dream to apply, and feels like nothing on your skin.  I had co-workers ask if I was going bare faced, it's that good at mimicking your skin.  That and this is the first foundation that has ever matched my skin so well I actually get sad taking it off at night.

Bare Minerals Mineral Veil-  Love this stuff.  Best twenty something dollars I've ever spent.  I can't believe I've never tried this before, and never want to be without it again.  No more makeup meltdown, no more streaky face, no more weird patchy skin where the foundation has "disappeared".  Need I say more?

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper-  Holy grail eyeliner.  Holy freaking grail.  The applicator is a brush, not a nib or a felt tip, but a darn brush.  It gives the most precise line, lasts for ever, and when it does come time to take it off it comes right off with makeup remover like it was never there to begin with.  I've repurchased this about three times now, and even though I went a few months without it I finally feel like it's back home on my dresser where it belongs.

Samples-  The fresh face cleanser is still un-opened (super lazy with packets over here), but the Dior perfume is almost gone.  It smells like Soap and Glory Hand Food Hand Cream, so if you love that smell as much as I do, go get yourself a sample!  Or a bottle!  And maybe one for me while you're at it.

Quick Post: Because It's Sunday

Because it's Sunday, and I feel like I completely muddled though September with barely any posts :slaps hand: , I've decided to keep on with a little tradition I started when I was in my teens.

I've never been huge into fashion and trends, but I always loved jotting down a list for the next season (not fashion week type seasons, but literal seasons like fall/spring/etc.)  and seeing how close I could get to what really came out on the shelves/into my wardrobe.  Seasons like fall/winter are usually the same from year to year for me, but I'm feeling a strong pull towards everything 90's grunge, and perfectly imperfect everything.

Fall/Autumn 2014

Tartans/Plaids

Navy

Lace

Ankle Boots

Leather (Brown Leather To Be Exact, Very Worn Leather)

Grunge/Smokey Eyes

Smudged Berry Lips

Rose Gold

Fringe

Large Knits (Sweaters/Hats/Scarves)

Long Loose Layers

Long Tousled Hair

Rose Lip Shades

Big Cocktail Rings

Delicate Necklaces

Earmuffs (Preferably Fur/Faux Fur)

What are your predictions for this season?  What trends do you find yourself leaning towards this fall?

Fall Nail Colors

As we transition from the sun filled days of spring and summer into the shorter, colder months, more than just the amount of sunlight changes.  We layer clothes, tend to wear darker richer colors, put on more makeup, obsess about pumpkin spice everything, and put those neon nails on the back burner.

Speaking of nails, fall calls for a whole new set of polishes to come out of hiding and grace our fingertips.  Being that fall is my absolute favorite season of them, all I have more than my fair share of polishes perfectly geared towards these next few months.  Much to the dismay of my boyfriend who thinks you should only ever need one nail polish and anything else is too much that is.  

Today I'm going to do a little crash course into my favorite fall polish colors, and hopefully you find yourself a new shade to love this fall.

Back to Nature

 From Left To Right:  Nicole by OPI in Better After Dark, Nicole by OPI in Promises in the Dark, Ruffian in Hedge Fund 

When the leaves turn from green to brown, and fall all around us, it's time to get back to nature.  Pull out those greens and browns, anything that reminds you of the colors of the leaves.  These neutral earth tones go with almost any outfit and really personify the feeling of fall.

Moody Blues

 From Left to Right: Maybelline Color Show in Saphire Siren, Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Gunmetal, Nail Rock in Velvet Navy

Blue might not feel like the ideal fall shade, but trust me, it's definitely one of my favorite colors for fall.  It is subtle enough to blend in with almost any outfit, and bold enough to make people notice you stepped out of the box.

Berry Me

 From Left to Right: Revlon in Black Cherry, L.A. Colors in BCC 559, Professional Nail Polish no color name.

I know berry lipsticks are all the rage when fall rolls around, but what about berry nails? Yes please.  I even threw in a bright berry to shake things up, but even with it being bright it's still perfect for fall.  Not very color you put on your nails needs to match the weather, the sun does still does come out this time of year!

Mad About Mauve

 From Left to Right: NYC in Sidewalkers, NYS in Park Ave, Zoya in Odette

 

Who doesn't love mauve?  I love how they go with absolutely everything, make my nails look like baby raisins, and always look professional. 

Do you have any go-to fall polish colors?