Ipsy, February 2014 - The Look of Love

Hey, friends!

Got my ipsy bag today and I was too excited to wait (and I'm unable to make a video right now), so I just went ahead and cracked it open. Obviously I'm really bad at waiting to be surprised, so I took a look at my Glam Room first, but you never know what colors you're getting until it arrives. 

Let's take a closer look:

Tini Beauty -Eyetini Cordial Cream Shadow + Base In One in Violette. When I first saw that I was getting this, I was a little hesitant to be excited. And then on top of that, I got the purple (a color that I RARELY wear). But I swatched the shadow and it's actually gorgeous! I'm not that familiar with cream shadow, but I can't wait to experiment with this!

 J.Cat Beauty Eyelashes + Eyelash Glue in 747L. Another product that I wasn't too thrilled about, and I know that there's another pair coming in my Boxy Charm, but for $10, you're not always going to love every product. I'll be passing these along to my roommate.

POP Beauty Plump Pout Mini in Fuchsia Freesia. So excited for this gloss! I actually put it on immediately after opening my bag and I'm really impressed with the coverage, the color, and the texture. This gloss is not sticky at all and has the perfect hint of color. I've becoming more and more in love with POP Beauty after receiving a mini palette from them in the December ipsy bag.
 

skyn ICELAND Fresh Start Mask with Ice Age Mud. I'm so intrigued by this mask...can't wait to try it out, though I'm sad that it's only one application (but there is a great discount code on the ipsy site). I've been trying to spend more time making my skin beautiful and healthy, and I have yet to try a mask, so this should be interesting!

Zoya Nail Polish in Dot. Last, but not least...the Zoya! When I saw these in the sneak peek, I was over the moon and couldn't wait to try it. So glad I got the pink (again, I'm not much of a purple person). And these will go great with the new nail art bows that I just got (pictures to come). 

Overall, this bag is making me so ready for love and so ready for Spring. Reviews at the end of the month, but until then...

Stay Beautiful! Danielle

Birchbox Unboxing | Feb 2014

A Bittersweet Week...

Hey, friends!

This week has been oh-so bittersweet for me! I started my little subscription addiction back in November when I first signed up for Ipsy. I, shortly after, joined a Facebook group of amazing, makeup-addicted women that get Ipsy and every other subscription box under the sun. This group, though I'm obsessed with checking it, has NOT been good for my wallet!

In January, right after my birthday I decided to sign up for the elf Beauty Bundle and The Fantasy Box, getting each every other month. I have nothing but the best things to say about each of those subscriptions, but since then, I have actually cancelled those subscriptions and ordered Birchbox and BoxyCharm in their places.

The elf Beauty Bundle was fantastic and I really enjoyed getting products from them that I wouldn't have normally picked out for myself! But every couple of weeks, elf hosts a 50% off sale on their site and it's just a better deal to order things you really want, or want to try, in the shades that match you. During the last sale I placed two orders and decided that I probably have enough elf products to last me until next year. I may, in the future, re-subscribe...especially if these new subscriptions don't work out, but until then, I'll stick with the 50% off sales1

It really broke my heart to suspend my Fantasy Box subscription. Their boxes were fun and a really great value, but I saw a couple of unboxings of months ahead and I already have a bunch of the products that we get (sorry if that TMI). Again, it really is a great value, but I'm not looking forward to so many duplicates! I'll keep the option of resubscribing open, because I might have a change of heart, but for right now, I'm really excited to be making way for my new boxes!

Birchbox has been around for such a long time, but I've been really hesitant to subscribe. The reason being is that I get these boxes wanting makeup and hair care products, and Birchbox sends a mixture of makeup and skin and hair products. I have recently perfected my skin-care routine, so I didn't want to throw too many wrenches in the works, but judging by unboxings that I have seen, the samples in Birchbox aren't that big. I have also heard they repeat a lot of their products and they're guilty of sending a lot of foil packets. BUT! Despite everything I've heard, I went for it anyway (and REALLY loved my first box). Stay tuned for my unboxing of my first Birchbox!

It seems from my research that Boxy Charm just gets better and better each month. After I saw a couple of gals post their boxes and I spied a Nars nail polish, I knew I had to sign up. My box is in the mail and I couldn't be more excited. Stay tuned for an unboxing video (probably by next weekend).

E.L.F. Beauty Bundle, January 2014 - New Year, New You REVIEW

Hey, friends! 

So, as promised, I'm going to review the products from my January elf Beauty Bundle. Here's a refresher of what was in my bundle: 

 

Pretty sweet collection, right? That's $40 worth of FULL-SIZED products that you get every other month...can't beat that! So, on to the products!

Eye Brightener: $3. "Perk up those tired eyes and diminish the appearance of dark shadows."  I was a little up in the air about this product, I mean, eye brightener...I don't need that! But let me just go ahead and stick my foot in my mouth now. This stuff is AMAZING! I put it on after the concealer around my nose, under and on my eye, and a little on my cheeks (a little goes a long way) and it made me look more awake and really made my eyes pop. I will definitely be re-purchasing this! 

Eye Refresh: $3. "The cooling sensation of the rollerball brightens and refreshes the eye area to help alleviate under eye puffiness and dark circles." I used this every day, multiple times a day, but I didn't really see a difference in brightening my eyes. I was cold, so it would make the skin feel tight for a couple of minutes, but that was about the only thing that happened. This was a pass for me :(

Prism Eyeshadow (in Naked): $10. "These ultra-silky and lustrous eyeshadows look like a powder but feel like a cream, allowing for a smooth and flawless application." I honestly really love this palette! I haven't used it wet yet, but even just dry the colors are amazing and bright and stay on all day! I just ordered more of this in the pink/purple colors as well. This is my go-to pallet from now on :)

Lip Exfoliator: $3. "Gently exfoliate lips to remove dry, chapped skin." You might recognize this from my empties video...I was not a huge fan. It was hard to put on and hurt after the first two applications. It was all the little beads and no formula to help it slide on. I also didn't notice a different in my lips (and I have pretty dry lips in the winter. I'll stick to chap stick and eos.

Daily Moisture Stick: $6. "An easy to use clear gel formulation that nourishes and hydrates the skin." I would have never thought to buy this product on it's own, but it's a staple in my morning and night routine now. This little stick is so hydrating and smooth, it makes my skin feel really great. I use this, along with the elf Lotion Wipes, in my problem areas (eyebrows, around the nose, forehead) and I haven't had dry skin in a month. Seriously, in love and can't wait to continue to use this! 

HD Lifting Concealer (in Brightening): $3. "A skin firming concealer that hides imperfections and regenerates the skin for added radiance." This was the product was I was most iffy about and wasn't sure how to use. I start my routine with a little Maybelline Baby Skin and then touch this around my nose and under my eyes. It works well with the eye brightener to make me look more awake and really make my eyes pop, but I didn't notice a ton of "lifting" in it. Still, a solid product, though I doubt I will order it again.

Mineral Face Cleanser: $8. "Indulge your skin in rich cleansing moisture for a noticeably brighter and smooth complexion." I've been using this face wash every morning and night and I have been noticing that my face is staying more fresh through the day and is softer to the touch. This cleanser feels like it really works to get the dirt and grime away and tightens my skin in the right areas. Overall, it's a win, though I don't know if I would continue to buy this for $8 (I'll have to pick it up during their 50% off sales!).

Makeup Remover Exfoliating Cleansing Cloths: $3. "Gently and easily exfoliates skin to remove all traces of makeup and dirt, even waterproof mascara." I love that these makeup remover cloths have two sides...a smooth side and an exfoliating side! I have already ordered more because I love the way they take off makeup!

Slant Tweezer: $1. "A unique slanted tweezer ergonomically designed for easy and accurate tweezing." Blah. Tweezers....what can I say. I haven't used these at all, and the only time I do use tweezers is for nail art (picking up rhinestones is hard). But, not complaining...you can never have too many nail art tools around!

Overall, for $20 (+shipping) I think this was a great deal. I have placed a couple of large orders with elf so I'm not sure how much longer I'll need to get the beauty bundle but for now it's fun. Overlapping stuff just means for fun give-aways to viewers and readers! For more information on the elf beauty bundle, visit: http://beautybundle.eyeslipsface.com/

Stay Beautiful! Danielle

Empties Video | Feb 2014

Hey, friends!

This is my first official YouTube video. I know the video is mirror image (so the words on products are backwards). I'm working to remedy that right now! But, anyway, empties are my favorite kinds of videos, so I really enjoyed making this. I hope enjoy it, and stay tuned for unboxing videos, empties, and hauls! 

Stay Beautiful! Danielle

Nails of the Week: Galaxy Nails :)

I've been really into nail art lately, and with a lot of time on my hands with my two weeks off, I decided to start experimenting! The first experiment that I'm sharing is my take on Galaxy Nails! If you know me, you know that I love space, Star Trek, the Air & Space museum, and basically everything else that has to do with the universe! So when I saw this trend on nails...I HAD to try it!

Take a look:

The Line Up of Polishes:

 

I used (in this order): Sally Hansen Double Duty Base & Top Coat (Base Coat), Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color in (28) Black Out (Black), Pure Ice in Celestial (I didn't know that was the name of the polish, but that is fitting!) (Blue), Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color in (220) Celeb City MIXED WITH Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color in (300) White On (Silver/Grey), ELF Nail Polish in Smokin' Hot (Red), Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color in (25) Grape Going (Purple), Spoiled by Wet n Wild Nail Color in Shaken Snow Globe (Sparkles), ELF Quick Dry Top Coat

      

What I love about this nail art is that you can't do it wrong and it's REALLY hard to mess up! The universe is a beautiful, complex thing, and now my nails are too! For some tips on what to do, watch this amazing video by Cute Polish! You can use whatever colors you have on hand! I just ordered a lot of nail stuff (polishes, embellishments, tools), so I would love to re-try this when I get some new stuff!

Stay Beautiful! Danielle

January Ipsy Bag Review - 19 Reasons

So I made a decision at the beginning of the month to not do unboxing of my Ipsy bags for a couple of reason:

1. There are already a ton of lovely ladies doing amazing unboxing videos for Ipsy...I feel like I wouldn't have anything new to add
2. I don't get my bag early enough in the month
3. I do unboxing for other subscriptions that I don't see much of (the "off" months of the ELF beauty bundle (I ordered my ELF bundle on the 10th so I get the new months box before a lot of other people), the fantasy box passed the first two months)

...But I will be reviewing the products that I got and letting you know what I though about all of them! Also, I have made a decision to only get a couple of subscriptions a month so I can use the month I saved to buy any full-sized products of things I really liked, which happened this month (more to follow). Like all of my other subscription boxes, I try to use everything they send me...unless I'm really uncomfortable with the product and don't normally use that type of item.

1. Nourish Organic Lightweight Moisturizing Face Lotion - I LOVE this product, by far my favorite thing in my bag, but now it's gone :( I debated about getting a full-sized one, but the company doesn't offer free shipping, so the discount from Ipsy didn't really matter and I find it really hard to pay $28 for face lotion. I did like the way it smelled and how lightweight it was.

2. MicaBeauty Cosmetics Tinted Lip Balm - This is an okay lip balm...I was supposed to get the "natural" color but I think the bottle was mislabeled and got the "fiesta." I love a good, bold lip color, but this was way too purple for my lips (I layered it was my NYX from last month) and it also made my lips super dry (which is NOT something I look for in a lip balm).

3. Absolute Makeup Cleansing Tissues - These smelled horrible! It was like washing my face in old, stale wine. Also, didn't think they were wet enough...had to really work to get off my eye makeup. I liked getting makeup wipes in my bag though, but I'll stick to Pond's in between.

Now for my trades...

 

4. I sent: Yaby Foundation. I recieved: BrioGeo Don't Despire, Repair! Deep Conditioning Hair Mask - I'm really happy about this trade! You might know from my earlier posts that I don't use concealer, foundation, blush, bronzer...basically anything that covers up my face. I have freckles and naturally blushed cheeks, which I love and would never want to cover up! So I traded for the BrioGeo because I love hair products and fell so in love that I ended up ordering a shampoo and conditioner from BrioGeo as well (reviews for these later).

5. I sent: Coast Scents Small Foundation Brush. I received: NYX single eyeshadow. Again, along with the foundation, this is a product that I would never use. I love a good eyeshadow and the color I received is a nice chestnut brown that I use for accents now. Very pleased with this trade.

Overall, I feel like this was a great month, though how can you really complain for $10/month. Oh, and the bag? After I aired out the smell, I filled it with markers for work. It's the perfect size and looks cuter then plastic bags!

If you're interested in signing up for ipsy, here's my referral link: http://www.ipsy.com/r/1tx3. Expect some more posts throughout the next couple of weeks because I have off from work :)

Stay beautiful, Danielle

(All opinions are my own, I am not compensated by any of these companies)