Review: April 2013 Birchbox Unboxed

Finally received my April Birchbox in the mail today, yay.  I guess. 

The theme of this month’s box is “Tiny Tweaks, Big Results”, and offers a selection of items that aren’t entirely worthless, but still nothing I am going to go crazy over.  Apparently this is a special box; I’m not exactly sure what is special about it, aside from the theme, but it does indeed blow March’s box out of the water.  Which really isn’t saying much. 

In my excitement, I checked a bunch of beauty blogs this week, just to see what was in everyone else’s box, and I have to say that I liked everyone else’s better than mine, for the most part.  Hahaha.  Isn’t that the way it always goes?

This month included a “free” subscription to Women’s Health magazine.  Send no money, receive no bill.  Free, right?  Well, it says right on the card that if you do NOT want the magazine subscription, you can send the card in to get a refund of $9.99.  Which means it isn’t free.  Somehow, someway, I imagine this magazine is going to get money from me, or else they wouldn’t be offering me a refund.  It simply doesn’t make sense.   Unless Women’s Health just gives free money away to people for no reason.  Sounds legit, right?  Yeah, no. However, I did check my bank account statement, and no money has been taken as of yet.  I think I will send the card in (I could care less about the magazine, but I love the ads!), and just keep a close eye on my bank statement to see if money ever gets collected for it in the future.  I admit I am a bit skeptical of internet scams, because they are EVERYWHERE.  Almost everything is a scam on the internet, and I honestly would not be surprised if this was, too.  

I will definitely be using the color changing nail polish (yay!), the eye cream, and the shave cream from this month’s box, but the rest I’m not really sure about.  But I do know that the tea is going straight in the garbage.  I wanted the fucking macaroons.  

Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream - Full-size: $20

Ruby Wing Color Changing Nail Polish in "Peony".  Full-size: $10

Lifestyle extra!  Mighty Leaf Tea pouches.  15 pouches: $9.95 

Supergoop Adanced SPF 37 Anti-Aging Eyecream (left) Full-size: $45

(Malin + Goetz) Peppermint Shampoo (right) Full-size: $20

Potential scam!

Please note:  I do not know that the magazine offer is a scam, nor do I know it's not.  I would advise everyone to proceed with caution when sending this in.  I don't mean to badmouth Birchbox for said potential scam, but at the same time, anything that sounds too good to be true usually is.

Rave: April 2013 Ipsy Glam Bag Unboxed

Spoiler alert!  Below is the April Ipsy "box" "unboxed".  Quit reading if you would rather be pleasantly surprised when opening yours.

Everything was securely packaged in this cute little make-up bag.

Full size nail polish. "Love at First Byte" by Sation

Full size blush.  "Sweet cheeks" by Be a Bombshell Cosmetics

Full size eyeshadow duo in "Heartache" by Two Cosmetics

Deluxe sample of "Soy Renewal" Argan Oil Treatment by Healthy Sexy Hair (Sexyhair)

There you have it!  

Much better than what I received from Birchbox last month, at least in my opinion.  I am very impressed with the size of the samples; three out of four products were full-size, or else very large samples.  I wouldn't normally purchase some of these colors, but I'll still try them out.   I can't wait to see what will be in May's box!

Rave: Try Physicians Formula FakeOut Mascara for FREE with rebate!

I found this while browsing through various freebie sites, and it was too good not to share.

Try 100% Natural Origin FakeOut mascara by Physicians Formula for free!  Offer expires 10/31/13.  CLICK HERE to view and print the rebate form.

Review: Rimmel ScandalEyes Show Off Mascara - New for Spring 2013

This is my first experience with Rimmel products, so I didn't have any real expectations.

Description (From ulta.com): The first mascara that combines lash plumping and defining bristles with a unique play-ball brush. Flat side plumps lashes with show-stopping volume. Not a clump in sight. Ball side lifts and curls lashes for eyes that truly show-off. Flake-proof, smudge-proof formula lasts morning to night! Scandalous volume and lift, for lashes to really show off!

Great things may be possible with this mascara. 

The brush is kind of awkward.  Basically, it’s a standard mascara brush, with a ball brush at the end. The first time I applied the mascara, it did not go well; I used the brush like I would on any other mascara, and the results were not impressive at all.  The second time, I used primarily just the ball end tip to define each individual lash, and my results were much better. 

Perhaps I am a bit crazed, but when I hear that the mascara is from a line called “ScandalEyes”, I expect the mascara to provide bold, dramatic results.  Such is not the case, unfortunately.  I did get length and lift, which is what the mascara does indeed advertise, but the effect is more of a fluttery, doll lash look than anything that would be considered bold or dramatic.  At least by my standards.

Immediately before application

After application

Pros: Provides decent length, lift, and separation thanks to its unique ball end.  Helps achieve a natural look.  Dry “fiber” formula that dries quickly.  No smudges, flakes, clumps.  Cheap - $6.99 or less.

Cons: Application can be tricky at first, and may require a few practice runs.  Not very bold, not very dramatic, not very scandalous. 

Bottom line: While this is not my favorite mascara ever, it is decent (especially for the price!), so if you’re going for a doll-lash look or just a more subdued, natural look, you might want to give this a try!

Review: Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter

I received a sample of this body butter from Sephora.com. 

Pros: Very nice texture, goes on beautifully, a little goes a long way.   Great for sensitive skin!  Might be used as a shave minimizer; I woke up the morning after application with much smoother legs than normal.

Cons: Heavily perfumed.

Yes, perfumed.  Not just a light, fruity or gourmand scent like most body butters and lotions I’ve tried in the past, but a thick, cloying, perfume.  I would personally put it into the “chypre” fragrance category, as it did in fact remind me of Miss Dior.

Don’t get me wrong – it’s not that I disliked the fragrance of this body butter.  (I was not a fan of it, by the way, in case you were wondering.)  It’s just that the fragrance was so thick and so heavy that you could not possibly wear a perfume with it, unless the perfume was none other than the aforementioned Miss Dior.  Wearing this body butter on my legs was about as strong as 5 spritzes of perfume, and the fragrance lasted longer than anything I’ve ever put on my body.  I smelled it constantly.  It’s all I smelled. 

Although this product was amazing other than the smell, I would highly recommend smelling it before purchasing it, or else try to get a sample like I did.  Chances are, you will love this body butter, or hate it.    Because of the smell, I will definitely not be using it again. 

If anyone wants the sample pictured above (I had actually received 2), leave me a comment!

Review: Maybelline Volum'Express The Rocket Mascara

  I have mixed feelings about this mascara.

At first, I loved it.  Then I tried L’Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions, and I haven’t really looked back.  Until now!  

Here’s the scoop, in a nutshell:  The mascara, when applied correctly, is amazing.  You get incredible volume and length, and your lashes will be bold, black, and beautiful.  Unfortunately, the formula is extremely wet (maybe the wettest I’ve ever tried), so it is messy, and a bit more difficult to apply.  Since I’ve been using a mascara that is fool proof for daily wear, I got The Rocket pretty much all over the place when applying it for this review.  With other mascaras, you can really take your time to apply the formula to every individual lash, but with The Rocket, I’ve found short, quick strokes work the best; if you labor and linger over this mascara, you may end up with three incredibly fat lashes.  I’ve had it happen.  It’s not pretty.  

Basically, if you put your mascara on swiftly and with the tactical brilliance of a female Napolean, I highly recommend this mascara to you.  If you don’t, or if you just don’t like wet formulas, don’t waste your time.  If you wear glasses, don’t waste your time; this mascara takes FOREVER to dry, and if you put your glasses on within five minutes of applying your mascara, you will get it all over your lenses.  It will also cause the curl of your lashes to “fall”.  I’ve found L’Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions the best option hands down for eyeglass wearers.  

From Maybelline.com: Explosive Volume In Rocket Time! 8X Bigger, Smoother. Now, the most explosive, beautiful lashes ever! Maybelline's Volum' Express The Rocket Mascara's patented Supersonic Brush with micro bristles loads on big, sleek volume instantly. The fast-glide formula keeps lashes smooth. Zero clumps guaranteed!

Note how I got mascara all over my eyelid during application.  Messy!

Pros:  Doesn’t smudge/flake/clump IF applied correctly.  Cheap – under $10.  Cute packaging.  Can produce amazing results.

Cons: Can be difficult to apply due to its wet formula.  Can be messy.  Takes a long time to fully dry.  

I predict that most people will either love this mascara or hate it. 

Two Minute Teal Eyes

I met my husband on Good Friday two years ago, so in honor of that momentous occasion, I decided to do my make-up as close as possible as to how I had it that day.

Two minute teal eyes:

Pop Beauty Eye Cake palette in “Teal Eyes” 

Urban Decay 24/7 Liquid Eyeliner in “Perversion” (Black)

Ulta Eyeliner Pencil (Black)

L’Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions Waterproof Mascara (Carbon Black)

2011:

Today:

Make-up used: 

For the shadow, I use color 1 on the entire lid, color 2 blended into the crease, and color 3 in the outer corners blended in.  This palette blends super easily, so it’s fairly goof-proof, and takes only a short time to apply.  It also smells reminiscent of Band-Aids if you’re one of those weirdos that loves the smell of them. ;)

Review: L'Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions Mascara

Okay, ladies, we need to talk.  This is a mascaramergency. 

If you have not tried Telescopic Shocking Extensions Mascara by L’Oreal, RUN, do not walk, to the nearest drugstore and pick up a tube right stat now. 

Why?  This mascara, folks, is my go-to mascara.  It is my “Holy Grail” mascara.  It is everything a mascara should be, and more.  This mascara changed my life.  Okay, okay, maybe that’s taking it a bit too far, but I did wear it on my wedding day and honeymoon back in February, and let me tell you, it won against many other contenders. 

I’m not necessarily a beauty snob, but I do buy what is “good”.  Most of the time, the good stuff happens to be expensive.  However, sometimes, like with mascaras, the cheaper products are actually better.  I love drug store mascara, and for whatever reason, I’ve had better luck with them.  I’m not sure if it’s because of the formula, the brush, or if it’s all in my crazy head, but Maybelline and L’Oreal beat out brands like Clinique, Benefit, Urban Decay, Dior, et cetera, on my lashes.   All mascaras darken your eyelashes, of course, but finding one that holds curl – all day! – and doesn’t flake or clump, is a rarity for me.

From lorealparisusa.com: L’Oreal introduces liquid extensions in a bottle, with new Telescopic™ Shocking Extensions™ mascara, a new generation of lash length. In one motion lashes are separated, intensified, and look shockingly lengthened for an intense make-up result.

Note:  I purchased the waterproof version of this mascara because they were sold out of the regular version.  I don’t usually like the formulas of most waterproof mascaras.  

I absolutely LOVE the brush.

Before application.

After application.

Pros:  Doesn't smudge, doesn't flake, doesn't clump.  Provides length, definition, and volume. The mascara formula is "dry", so it doesn't take forever to dry or get all over your glasses if you wear them. Also, it's  cheap -- under $10!  

Cons:  Again, this is waterpoof, so not really a major issue, but it is harder to remove than most other waterproof mascaras. 

It seems everyone either loves or hates this mascara.  Have you tried it?  What's YOUR favorite?

Review: SKIN79 Super+ Beblesh Balm BB Cream

A few people were interested in hearing more about this product, so here goes!

I’ll be honest; I had never tried a BB cream before trying this product.  BB creams are fairly new to the beauty world, or else I’ve been living in a bubble a lot longer than I originally thought.  But I finally did get wind of them and their numerous benefits, so I decided to do some research on them and try one out.

Pretty much everything I read indicated that American BB creams were crap, so I started to read about Asian BB creams.  Apparently Asian women covet a bright, white complexion.  Having very, very, very, blotchy, horrible, hideous skin (see pictures below), I was intrigued.  I heard about Skin79 Super+ Beblesh Balm BB Cream Triple Function (geez, what a mouthful) early on during my research, and then I kept hearing about it, again and again.  Many even say it’s their Holy Grail beauty product. 

Well, it’s not my Holy Grail beauty product, so my search will continue.  It is, however, a very good product, and one that has earned its rightful place in my daily rotation.  Although I have nothing to compare it to, I can provide before and after pictures for your viewing amazement.  

Before -- ewww.

It goes on smooth and creamy, and feels a lot like a nice moisturizer.  At first, it is a bit ashy in color, but it blends in to my pale slash bright red face perfectly.  As you can see, it doesn’t completely eliminate my redness, but it does calm the overall blotchiness down a lot.  I would imagine that this product would work with most skin tones.  It doesn’t really add color, although it is tinted; it really just evens out your current complexion.  You seriously can’t even tell you have it on five minutes after application!  My skin is super soft and silky smooth when I wear it; no other product has made my skin feel quite this nice.  Best of all, it doesn’t even look like you’re wearing foundation at all when you wear it.

Pros: 

-      It’s pretty cheap – under $20, and a little goes a long way.

-          It provides light and breathable medium coverage.

-          It evens out skin tone.

-          It keeps my combination skin oil free and matte throughout the day.

Cons:

MINOR:  It is impossible to tell when the product is almost empty.  

Review: Serge Normant Meta Revive Volumizing Dry Shampoo with Cedar Bark

My hair is the embodiment of everything that is wrong in this world.  Starvation, AIDS, malaria… yep, probably all of those have something to do with my hair.  Picture Bette Midler in the 80’s.  Without a flat iron and tons of product, my hair is far worse. 

Since I have so much hair, I loathe washing it, and choose to do so only once a week.  As you might have guessed, I use dry shampoo religiously in between washings.  I was so excited to see a travel/sample bottle of dry shampoo in my March Madness Birchbox, so I jumped at the opportunity to use it and proclaim to the world how very amazing it is.

It’s not very amazing.  At all.

I have used countless dry shampoos, ranging from $2.99 at the drugstore, to… geez, I don’t even want to think about how costly some of them are.  Of all of the dry shampoos I’ve tried, I’ve only strongly disliked one, until now.  The previous dry shampoo that I disliked enough to discard the full bottle was TRESemmé Fresh Start.  The smell, although pleasant at first, was obnoxiously cloying, and it left build up like you wouldn’t believe. 

Since I have never used this Serge Normant dry shampoo before, I decided to spray a very modest amount, figuring I could just use more if needed.   Sadly, the modest amount was entirely too much, and it transformed my hair into what felt like a log of wood.  It was extremely difficult to brush through, as well – the product sat on my scalp even after a very rigorous brushing.  After a solid minute of brushing, I touched my hair with my fingertips, and was amazed to see white residue all over my hands.

As a side note:  I haven’t washed my hair in 48 hours, but my hair was nowhere near oily enough for a tiny bit of this product.  If I had gone two months without washing my hair and also not using any kind of dry shampoo, this product might have been viable.

Pros:  Although it smells like aerosol (think: Aqua Net hairspray) at first spray, it settles into a light, clean scent that is not obnoxious like some dry shampoos.  (I’m looking at you, Suave and TRESemmé.)  It also provides intense volume.

Cons:  Unless your hair is an oily mess, this product may be too much for you.  The build-up for me was awful; it made my hair feel worse than it did prior to using it.  It’s very hard to brush through your hair.  It leaves your hair with a matte finish worse than any other dry shampoo on the market.  Oh, it’s just so bad. 

They say pictures say a thousand words…

This was after I brushed my hair. 

My roots an hour after application.  Dull and matte.

My fingers after touching my scalp after brushing.

I was able to do this by running my fingers through my hair.  

Did anyone have better luck with this product?  

Swatch: Make Silk Cream Lipstick in Taffy

Make Silk Cream Lipstick in Taffy

Available for $18 at Weseebeauty.com. 

The color is described  as a medium pink with purple undertones, but unless you’re standing in direct sunlight, I would describe it just as a medium pink.  I don’t wear lipstick often, so I wasn’t expecting to be blown away, but I did enjoy this lipstick; it applies smooth and creamy, and a little goes a long way.  It
sinks in to the lips pretty well, which allows the product to last for quite a long time, and is fairly smudge-proof.  From reading other reviews, it seems that different colors may have different formulas; the deep red color more people seemed to have a problem with in terms of smudging and caking.  Unfortunately, everything cakes on my lips (which is why I don’t wear lipstick often), but this lipstick was a lot less cakey than many others I’ve tried.  The medium pink is neutral, and very flattering on my light skin tone.  I won’t be buying a full-size of this product just because lipstick isn’t my thing, but if it’s your thing, I’d recommend it.  See if you can get a Smurf-sized sample on eBay before making the plunge, though!  It was in March’s Birchbox, so there is bound to be someone selling their sample.  

Both pictures were taken with no flash, and are fairly accurate.

First post -- March Madness Birchbox!

I got my very first Birchbox in the mail today!

To those of you who are unsure of what a Birchbox is (you should be ashamed of yourselves), it is an invite-only subscription that sends product samples to you every month for a $10 fee.  Considering the fact that postage itself is so expensive, I figured ten bucks a month to try products that may potentially blow my proverbial socks off was well worth it.

I had actually just heard about Birchbox last month, when a Facebook friend of mine highly recommended the service.  I didn’t really know what to expect, and I had not watched any of the unboxing videos on YouTube – I didn’t think I’d be able to handle the suspense. 

The first thought when I opened my teeny tiny apartment mailbox and saw the package inside was, “Wow.  I’m surprised that fit in there.”  My second thought was, “Wow.  I’m disappointed it could fit in there.”  Not going to lie, guys – it was smaller than I was expecting, and I wasn’t really expecting too much.  I wasn’t really disappointed with the size, though, since size doesn’t matter at all… right, girls?!

Well, let’s get on with it, already.

So as you can see, the “March Madness” Birchbox contained five items:  a 2 fl oz dry shampoo, a 2 fl oz body gel, a 1 oz liquid eye makeup remover, a Smurf-sized lipstick, and a rather hideous nail file (not pictured separately). 

Overall, I would say that the items sent would appeal to an older, more mature woman.  In other words, if you’re under the age of 30, I wouldn’t recommend Birchbox to you based on this haul.

The only item that I am not interested in at all is the shower gel.  I prefer light scents, and usually go for perfumes aimed at a younger age bracket, like fruity florals.  The perfume in the shower gel does not appeal to me at all, and I’m not even interested in testing it to see how it affects my skin.   The rest of the products I could take or leave, but I am indeed looking forward to sampling the dry shampoo.  I absolutely love dry shampoo.  Since my great-grandmother has been dead for the better part of a century, the nail file will likely be thrown into the deepest, darkest recesses of my purse, never to be seen again.

Oh, Birchbox… I just don’t know about you.

I’ll give it another few months before I cancel my subscription, but so far, I’m not very impressed.