beauty

Review: Birchbox May 2015

Sorry for the delay of this post – I’m playing catch up with some things!

I was super excited to hear that Emily of the blog Cupcakes and Cashmere would be the guest curator for May. I adore her blog, and typically love most things she recommends. I forgot to pre-select my samples, so I wound up with the regular box. I’m not at all disappointed. While I’ll probably trade some things, I really enjoyed the theme.

*All prices are for the full size products.

amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo – $21

I LOVE trying new dry shampoos, and I’ve been eyeing the amika brand for a while now. It smells a little fruity for my taste, but I’m excited to give it a shot.

Benefit Cosmetics Total Moisture Facial Cream – $42

Benefit is one of my favorite brands, and I appreciated getting a generous sample. I need to be careful what I put on my face because I don’t want to break out, but the smell is so lovely, I think I’ll give it a try.

Coastal Scents Revealed 3 Eyeshadow Quad – $20

I was most disappointed by this one. I’ve wanted the full palette for a while now, and was quite upset when they cheaped out with the quad. Colors are nice, but total bummer.

Marcelle Clay Mask -$15

I haven’t had a nice clay mask in a while, so I might be willing to try this. But because I have sensitive skin, I’ll have to read some reviews before I give it a shot.

Whish Flawless Swipes – $22

These are designed to banish bumps and prevent in grown hairs. I’d rather have a lotion or creme than a wipe, but thats just me. The brand hasn’t proven effective for me in the past, but I love their ideas and the fragrances of their products. This goes to the swap pile.

How were your boxes this month?

Review: Sample Society April AND May 2015

So it seems I was slacking a bit last month. Things have been crazy and I’m ready to get back to blogging more regularly. I received both of my Sample Society boxes for April and May, and thought this would be a great place to jump back into things.

April 2015

Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip Plumper in Rio – $25

This is an itty bitty sample. The color isn’t bad though, and I definitely think it would compliment a variety of skin tones.

Benefit The PoreFessional – $30

I absolutely hate this product. I’ve used it more times than I can count, and it does nothing for me. I use it to try and use up the samples, or when I’m in a pinch, but I don’t believe it does a thing. Am I alone in this?

Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream – $76 for 1.7 ounces

I’m a huge Marc Jacobs fan, but this isn’t for me.

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil – $39

I LOVE this line. So happy to have another sample. It makes my hair feel AMAZING.

Mt. Sapola Lavender-Chamomile Body Lotion- $24

I love lavender, but this was a bit too strong for me. I had to throw it out because it was giving me a headache. Super bummed.

Illume Tonka Noir Candle – $20

This candle couldn’t smell better if it tried. I can’t stop smelling it, and want to use it constantly. Major love for this one.

Overall I think this wasn’t a bad box, but I know I’ve seen better from Sample Society.

May 2015

I lost my card indicating amounts and info about the products in the box, but I found the necessary information:

John Frieda Luxurious Volume In-Shower Treatment– I don’t really need this since I have gigantic hair. Definitely swapping this one.

Alterna Caviar Repair Multi-Vitamin Heat Protection Spray– I’m excited to try this. I always need something to protect my hair from my insanely hot flat iron, and I’m willing to give this a shot.

Avene Thermal Spring Water Spray – I wasn’t sure what to make of this. Anyone out there a fan? Right now it is in my swap pile!

Julep Lip Gloss in Graceful – Love Julep lip glosses! The color is super sheer, but I can use it.

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask– I’m always up to try new face masks!

Versace Eros Pour Femme Perfume– This bottle is ADORABLE. Super tiny, and I definitely want to give the perfume a try too…

Verdict: Not bad! This box had some fun products for me to try, and a nice box for spring!

Review: Birchbox April 2015

This month I selected the pre-curated box from Birchbox. I already liked some of the brands in the California box, so I decided to choose that one.

I absolutely love the brand 12 Benefits and their Instant Healthy Hair Treatment is something I wanted to try. Its a healthy sample! (reg $21)

When I opened the box I immediately smelled something that smelled like soap. It was the perfume called “Clean” and it was disgusting. I threw it out. (reg $69)

I love Cynthia Rowley, so I was thrilled to receive a sample of her illuminator. (reg $28)

Laqa & Co. is a company I’ve encountered before, but never tried. In the box was their Sheer Lip Lube Pencil in Honeypot and its gorgeous. Perfect for an easy, breezy type of day. (reg $20)

I’ve never heard of Not Soap, Radio. I got their Body Wash in Bathing with Sharks and am excited to try it this summer on vacation! (The nod to sharks just makes me want to save it for my beach vacay!) (reg $16)

IMATS and VIB ROUGE SALE HAUL

I’m so excited to share my IMATS and Sephora VIB Rouge sale haul (and a few products from CVS too)!

Brands:

Becca, Marc Jacobs, Bite Beauty, Nest, Milani, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Model in a Bottle, Esquido Mink Lashes, Z Palette, Tarte, Stila Cosmetics, LA Girl, Buxom, Benefit, Makeup Forever, Josie Maran, Smashbox, Korres

IMATS NYC 2015

Last weekend I decided to head out to IMATS, the International Makeup Artists Trade Show. It is held in various locations throughout the year, and I was able to attend the show in NYC. I wanted to write about my impressions, advice and what I would do differently next time.

I bought my ticket months in advance, and planned everything out – which vendors I wanted to hit, which products I wanted – a day or so before. I packed light, and unfortunately this time I went alone. I had a notebook with the items and the original prices so I could compare, and also kept in mind that anything I could find at Sephora I could pick up with the VIB Rouge sale that started the next day. I took a mid-morning train, attempting to beat the hundreds of people in line at Pier 94. I walked right in, and initially it didn’t seem that bad. However, once I started to head over to the brands I wanted, the lines were LONG. Some were shut down, some were an hour or longer. To avoid this, I walked around to understand the layout, and then headed over to the less crowded lines. I set a low budget for myself, and didn’t overspend because I missed some of the brands I wanted due to the lines. If I stood in the line for Sigma or NYX I would have been there all day and only left with those products. The line for Lime Crime was bad too – and Anastasia was shut down. I wanted to pick up some Ben Nye – but I can find it way cheaper on line, and I’m not in need of any at the moment.

I REALLY wanted to hit Lady Moss, but I couldn’t get a good view of the booth, and didn’t want to wait in line to see what they had.

I was able to get to the following tables:

-Tarte (all mascaras, blushes and lipsticks were $10!- I did snag a pic of their price list!)

-Zpalette

-Model in a Bottle

-Stila

-Esquido Lashes

-One table that sold LA Girl Cosmetics (I can’t remember the name of the stand!)

I made it a bunch of others, but they either didn’t have a decent discount, or were sold out of what I wanted (ahem, MUFE…)

I advise planning ahead and take a friend. If I wasn’t alone I could have waited in the longer lines. I also only stayed a few hours, but should have stayed much longer. Knowing the products you want ahead of time helps too – so you budget for what you want, and bring extra for the fun things you find on the way. Oh and DRESS COMFORTABLE! You are waiting in lines and wearing heels and fancy clothes doesn’t make that any easier. I forgot to take pics during the day – but I did snag a selfie!

My next post will be a haul!! Were any of you at IMATS NYC???

Living Healthy

Over the past few years I knew that I needed to start living a more healthy life. I wasn’t happy with myself, and needed to figure out a way to start myself on a better path. When I left college I was 10-15 pounds heavier than I ever had been in my entire life. And I had lost weight since my junior year when I was even a little healthier. The truth is that I just didn’t know what to do. Now I see what I was doing wrong, but back then I couldn’t figure it out. I over ate, ate things that made my body run poorly and hated to work out.

Ok, so who really likes to work out? I don’t mind it now, but when I was heavier I would joke that the only way I would run was if someone was chasing me. And even then, I’d say there was a marginal chance that would happen. When I turned 25 last fall I made a promise to myself to make this my best year yet. And so far, so good. Shortly after my birthday I joined a kickboxing gym, and fell in love. It is the hardest thing I’ve done in my life, but I have never felt so good and empowered. I’m so thankful I decided to give it a try because I was terrified I couldn’t keep up when I joined the class. Now I feel like I can take on the world.

Unfortunately with the ups, comes the downs. Last summer I was sick constantly and my stomach hurt terribly. After a few months and some tests I found out that I have gastroparesis. Basically I can’t digest properly and have to take medicine multiple times a day to regulate it. I also need to follow a FODMAP diet (I can do a post on my daily eating soon) and I live as gluten free as possible. No, I don’t have celiac, but I feel so great eating gluten free. And it bothers me deeply when someone dismisses a gluten intolerance. I wish those people could live my life for a bit, and see how hard it can be to eat foods with gluten, and feel like crap. I’ve seen how foods go through my body – and I can feel the aftermath often for a day or two. I’m all for eating clean, but I always indulge! And just to mention it – I’ve been out of college since 2011 and have lost 60 pounds. I’m living proof that hard work and dedication pays off!

Thankfully I have a great support system, and everyone takes care to make sure there is something I can eat when we go out. I hate making a big deal about it, but it adds unnecessary pressure to situations. I’d love to connect with others who know what its like to live this way – because while hard, its been the best life style change I’ve made, and I’d like to hear how others have done it as well. I’m going to post more about my diet, work outs and health in the future. But wanted to get the ball rolling!

The healthiest I’ve ever been!

Review: Birchbox March 2015

So this month Birchbox first upset me, then totally surprised me. I had logged in and selected my item for March box in plenty of time, only to receive a notice that something was wrong with my payment info. I can’t figure out why that would be, because nothing changed from the month before. So I fixed it, and was disappointed when the item I pre-selected wasn’t in my box. (VERY disappointed because it was a product I was itching to try, but I digress…) However, I wound up with seven items in my box instead of five, and it was quite the pleasant surprise!

Harvey Prince Singular Scentsations Imperial Gardenia: $29

I haven’t even smelled this yet because I couldn’t believe I received ANOTHER Harvey Prince sample. Since I first joined BB I now have something like 8 or 9 different ones. Enough is enough…. (I also don’t like anything floral)

Vasanti Cosmetics BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator: $34

I’m really into face products lately, and this is supposed to mimic microdermabrasion. Can’t wait to give this a shot!

Temple Spa Peace Be Still Calming Body Balm: $29

I think I’ll be swapping this one. The scent is super strong, and I so badly want to like it, but I just can’t. The aromatherapy scent just isn’t for me.

Jelly Pong Pong GLOW GETTER Highlighter: $14

I’ve heard great things about this brand – can’t wait to try it out! It looks like a tiny bottle of nail polish and is a gorgeous color.

Davines Ol/Oil Absolute Beautifying Potion: $41

This is a FULL SIZE product. I love hair oils, and hope this is really nourishing.

Somehow I wound up with both the shampoo and matching conditioner! It is so rare to receive both, let alone THREE products from the same line. I received shampoo from the same brand last month though, so I’m hoping I don’t get a three-pete. But for now, I’m excited to actually try the line!

Review: Sample Society March 2015

I decided to keep trying Sample Society, at least for another month, because I was so excited that Benefit’s Roller Lash Mascara was going to be included. I’m familiar with all of the brands this month, so I’d say that from the start, this box is a win.

Juicy Beauty Green Apple Age Defy Moisturizer: $45

I’ve been on the fence about Juice products. I’m so excited to try them, but usually I can’t get past the smell. I now have several tubes and jars from the line, so perhaps I’ll give it a shot, and work past the smell. Anyone out there a Juice Beauty fan? Let me know what products you like!

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara: $24

I was SO excited to get this because of all the hype surrounding this product. I should admit I haven’t used it yet, since I have so many tubes that I’m trying to work through and finish up. Can’t wait to try it!

Oscar Blandi Pronto Texture & Volume Spray: $24

I do like their dry shampoo, so I was thrilled to give this a try. I’m interested to see how it compares to the Oribe version.

Malin + Goetz Mojito Lip Balm: $12

I’m not a huge lip balm gal, but the write up in the pamphlet in the book makes me want to give this a shot. Especially if it isn’t greasy. I’m weird and LOVE sticky glosses, but I can’t stand greasy balms.

Cargo Essential Lip Gloss: $16

Mine is in the color Madrid, which is a dark plum color. Since we’re going into spring I would have preferred a lighter pink or coral, but I do enjoy a vampy lip.

Verdict: This box (as I mentioned above) is a win for me. Brands I have heard of, coupled with products I actually wanted to try. Way to go Sample Society.

Carmindy & Co. 5 Minute Face

Last September I received the Carmindy & Co 5 Minute Face kit for my birthday. I’ve always been a huge fan of Carmindy’s on What Not to Wear, so I was hoping I would fall in love with her products. And for the most part, I do.

The kit comes with 5 beauty products, plus the adorable bag – all in a gorgeous tiffany blue color. The packaging is fantastic and I love the cosmetics bag.

One of the best items is the elevating mascara in black. It isn’t anything overly special, but it is one of the items I use most often. And is perfect for day to day use.

The item I use ALL the time is the love struck blush in Universal Pink. I literally use this everyday, and the color mixes and blends beautifully. I can’t recommend this blush enough.

The Carmindizing Highlighter is great. One side is powder, the other is cream, and the color matches my pale skin perfectly. I don’t use a highlighter everyday, but this is the one I reach for whenever I want to use one.

The Kiss Me Lip Butter in Rose Passion is just ok. It is a coral/red color, and is extremely sheer. More of a balm consistency. Perfect to run errands with, but not so great for work or for going out with friends. It isn’t that pigmented, so I find it similar to chapstick consistency. I’m a lip gloss kind of gal.

The product I don’t like at all is the Ever After Eyeliner in Espresso. It isn’t dark, rubs off easily, and I can’t stand the brown color. I love dark, black eye liner, so this naturally doesn’t fit my routine. If you use brown eyeliner though, you might really like it for a soft look!

Overall I love the brand. This kit is sold out at HSN, but I believe you can buy the products separately if you want. I know she has many other products in her line, and I can’t wait to try other products from Carmindy!

*Edit* I found this kit on this site: http://www.softsurroundings.com/P/Carmindy_5_Minute_Face_Kit/

Favorites: February 2015

This past month I found several products that I can’t wait to rave about. Not all of them are new to the market, some have been around for a while. But they are new to me, and I’m super excited I’ve found them!

Hempz Vanilla Plum Herbal Body Moisturizer

Typically, I’m not a lotion kind of gal. In fact, I avoid it at all costs because I’m used to greasy lotions that leave your hands with a gross film. When I was at the hair salon recently, I fell in love with the lotion they used to do my hand massages. The Hempz lotions absorb immediately, smell FANTASTIC and leave my hands feeling fantastic. The scent in the salon wasn’t the vanilla one, and I liked that one too – but the vanilla plum smells so incredible, I keep reaching for it. This brand can easily be found at Ulta.

C. Wonder Zodiac Votive Candle – Virgo

When I first moved to New York, I stumbled across a (then) new store call C. Wonder. It was owned by Tory Burch’s ex husband, and mirrored her style, but was so fun and playful. I LOVED that store. Unfortunately, C. Wonder closed down last month. Luckily I found the brand on shopbop.com and noticed that they had some adorable home decor items for great sale prices. I picked up this candle and it smells so rich that I want to burn it all the time. It also says “VIRGO” in gold on the back. A few are still on sale at shopbop – for $6ish!

The Balm – Hot Momma! Shadow/Blush

I discovered The Balm when I first subscribed to Birchbox. I had a sample of this blush and used it up so fast, and never repurchased because I was so busy trying other blushes. Recently I saw that The Balm was on Hautelook and was excited that the blush was discounted. I fell in love with this all over again. It is the perfect pink/peach shade and mixes beautifully.

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black

During a recent trip to Sephora I wanted to try out new perfumes. After smelling what felt like the entire store, I came across this one. It smells somewhat like mens cologne, but has a feminine twist. With hints of violet, sandalwood and vanilla, it has become my perfect scent for winter. I bought the rollerball version to keep it in my bag. It is rare that I will like a new fragrance, but this one totally won me over.

GabGoesGlam

Beauty. Lifestyle. Fashion.