Beauty Box Five Review

May 252013
 

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A little while ago this lovely little blue box showed up in my mailbox and I was super excited! I was able to try out a new to me subscription service called Beauty Box 5. It’s a service that sends 4-5 hand picked samples each month for $12 a month (discounts for longer subscriptions, two months free if you get a year). The boxes ship in the middle of the month.

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Inside the box was a nice card describing the items, as well as five different sample items. I was immediately intrigued (and glad that it was all some nice sized items, no little freebie type packets).

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All laid out here are the five sample items I got in my Beauty Box 5. Including FULL size items! I love that. I’ll do a little break down so we can see the real value of the box (which is already worth the $12 price just considering the lip gloss!).

1. Coolway Boost Hair Serum, 1 oz, $4.99 (Full size 8 oz, $39.95)
I’ve never heard of Coolway but it’s a hair styling system with a low-heat iron and various products that help you style, set and protect. This is the boost serum which is a kind of moisturizing/glossing cream with a slight hold. I found the product interesting but I think it would work better if I had the iron and the other products to give it a real try.

2. The Brush Guard brush covers, pack of 3, $2.75 (Variety Pack of 6, $5.50)
I have wanted these for SO long you have no clue! They slip over your makeup brushes after you wash them to help them keep their shape. I absolutely love them and it made me super happy to see them in the box. They work fantastically.

3. Demeter Apple Blossom Roll On Perfume Oil, .29 oz full size, $10
I love Demeter products and this is a FULL SIZE of their roll on oil. It smells crisp, clean and floral. Another hit.

4. Bodyography Veil Foundation Primer in Clear, 0.5 oz, $15 (Full size 1 oz, $30)
I am not big into foundation primers because I don’t really wear foundation a lot, but this went on smooth and didn’t irritate my skin. I like it enough to keep it (and it doesn’t feel heavy on). I’m not sure I would purchase a full size at the retail price but with these a little goes a long way.

5. ModelCo Shine Lip Gloss in Strip Tease, full size, $16
Another full size item, this one a peach-pink lip gloss with a shimmer that is stunning! I also like that it has a convenient built in mirror so you can keep it in your bag for easy checking and reapplication.

Total Box Value: $48.74

Overall I think Beauty Box 5 is well deserving of a look and maybe grabbing a few boxes because this was a solid box with not only two full size offerings but other useful and fun products as well. Beauty Box 5 is $12 a month so check them out at beautybox5.com!

disclaimer: the product in this post was provided for my consideration.

Total Beauty Collection for Revlon 2013

Apr 062013
 

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Today I have a NEW Total Beauty Collection to show you and this one is a goodie!

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This is the new Total Beauty Collection for Revlon, and it contains a selection of four products from Revlon’s Pacific Coast collection by Gucci Westman. Gucci Westman has been behind quite a few great things Revlon has done in the recent past, from the runway featured Fashion’s Night Pout lipstick to the curated collections based off of fashion’s current color trends (something that does not normally happen in lower end cosmetics).

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Enclosed is a pamphlet displaying the “looks” of the collection, each featuring an eye look and a corresponding cheek, lip, and nail color.

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As you can see here, I was given two shades from “The Paradise Look” and two shades from “The Emma Look”.

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Up close, these are the ColorBurst Lip Butters in Sorbet and Pink Lemonade, and the Colorstay 16 Hour Eye Shadow Quad in Sea Mist.

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I was also given the Colorstay Longwear Nail Enamel in the shade Seashell. It’s a somewhat “crelly” (halfway between creme and jelly) peach pink.

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Moving on to the box breakdown:

1. Revlon Colorstay 16 Hour Eye Shadow Quad in Sea Mist, full size, MSRP $7.99
I’ve never used Revlon’s eye shadows before (shame on me) but they have underwent reformulation like most of the revlon line and are now comparable to if not better than some of the mid-end department store brands. The shades are very nice and work together or separately, my favorite being the deep plum shade.

2. Revlon Colorstay Longwear Nail Enamel in Seashell, full size, MSRP $7.99
Another new thing from the Revlon line, this new line of nail enamel promotes a gel-like finish in a regular polish. The shade is not something I would have picked for myself (I personally enjoy blues) but it is a nice, work-friendly shiny shade sure to work for most skin tones.

3. Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Sorbet, full size, MSRP $7.49
Lip Butters are probably my favorite thing in the Revlon lineup, despite me only owning one, Candy Apple. But the color goes on so nicely that I wanted to pick up more, and now I have two more to choose from in my lip product arsenal. Sorbet is a very nice pink shade, one of the vivid pinks that have been so trendy right now. It’s not extremely pigmented but is buildable like most of the other lip butters. This is one of four new shades for 2013.

4. Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Pink Lemonade, full size, MSRP $7.49
Another new for 2013 shade, Pink Lemonade gives a nice sheer pale pink look that is easy to apply and not worry about for the rest of the day (unlike deeper colors that look funny when fading). The sheerness helps it, because you can make it as pink as you would like it to be. I personally like one or two swipes for just enough pigment to lend itself to a no-makeup makeup look.

Total Box Value: $30.96

Together, this box is a great value since you are essentially getting a box of new products for half price, including shipping. The value is slightly higher than it could be, seeing as some shop for their products at retailers who price $1-3 lower like Target or Walmart and use coupons, versus places like Ulta, Walgreens, CVS etc. that price at MSRP. This does not deter me and should not deter you because the box has a great selection of Revlon products and items being only $3.75 a piece is still a lot cheaper than what you would pay in stores with a coupon most of the time (unless you are one of those couponing wizards).

The Total Beauty Collection for Revlon box will retail $15 with FREE shipping and will be available for purchase on April 8th, 2013. You can purchase the Total Beauty Collections here (check out their other box offerings too!).
This product was sent for my consideration and honest review.

Sally Beauty Sale: China Glaze Hologlam Buy 1 Get 1 Free

Apr 012013
 

don’t be a luna-tic, get outta my space, take a trek, galactic grey, sally girl coconut scented

Most people know that right now Sally Beauty is having a buy 2, get 1 free sale on all their nail polish. In itself that’s a great deal. But those looking for a deal on the more expensive, holographic China Glaze Hologlam collection, rejoice. They are buy 1, get 1 free in quite a few Sally stores. Pair this with the Sally Beauty $10 off $20 birthday coupon (and something else because 2 Hologlams only come to $19.98, I opted for a $0.94 scented Sally Girl polish in Coconut) and get 4 of these $9.99 ($14 retail at places like Ulta) polishes for $10. Which is a TOTAL deal. This is cheaper than online beauty supply prices too.

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563674_10200488832359036_1119199250_nphoto credit: Lois L.

Since reporting on the sale, there have been a number of people stating their store did not offer the sale, and some reporting that theirs did. The official word from Sally corporate is that the sign (seen above, placed next to the display in some stores) is a “misprint” and that ALL polishes are Buy 2 Get 1 Free, not Buy 1 Get 1 Free. If your store does have the above sign out, they must honor the deal. If they do not have the sign out, they have amended the error and you will only get Buy 2 Get 1 Free. This is NOT a dealbreaker though- with the sale and a Sally Birthday $10 off $20 coupon (plus whatever you choose to buy to make it $20 since 2 Hologlams are $19.98), you will get them for less than $3.50 a piece (compared to around $2.50 with the Buy 1 Get 1). This is still an EXCELLENT deal considering they start at professional-only distributors for $6 and can go all the way up to $14 at salons, stores like Ulta etc. so if you want this collection, act now while the sale is on.

Under the weather..

Mar 282013
 

You know how you go on a really great vacation, and come home on that awesome vacation high, and then end up with a really, horrible, nasty cold?

Well, I do. and I feel awful. I can’t muster up the will to swatch anything let alone leave the recliner or my bed.

So enjoy a few instagram photo selections from my trip to Disney World while I down large amounts of hot tea and sleep most of the day away.

mickey waffles

a glass of veuve clicquot in epcot

sweet treats at goofy’s candy co.

hopefully i’ll better soon. :)

NOTD: Cagedbird Nail Lacquer Idylle

Mar 212013
 

just a little NOTD showcasing the latest shade I mixed for cagedbird. two coats, no topcoat.

of course, no review- it’s made to my own specifications, so that would be biased. ;P

Total Beauty Collection for HSN 2013 Box

Mar 172013
 

Total Beauty and HSN have teamed up once again to bring you the Total Beauty Collection for HSN box! This box will feature a wide variety of great offerings from HSN plus a discount voucher so you can try the full size items you love!

 

Inside the box are 11 items, some of them bigger than others, for a retail price of $19.95. Some of the items are the same as last years’ box, and some are new- but the addition of more items makes this collection a greater value. The collection launches on March 18th.

Let’s do a box breakdown on all the goodies in the box. We’ll start with the new items.

1. Korres Guava Body Butter – 1.69 oz tube, $6.16 Value (Full Size $29, 7.95 oz)
Korres is a brand out of Greece, famous for their Lip Butters in the cosmetic world. They also have a great line of skincare products in a lot of good scents, and guava is no exception. A nice fruity scented body butter, this is moisturizing and absorbs quickly into the skin. I am not a big fan of lotions/body butters and the like, but the scent is so good I overlook that.

2. Taya Amazon White Clay Thickening Styling Creme – 1.5 oz bottle, $5.50 Value (Full Size $22, 6 oz)
I’ve never heard of or tried this line and I’m really intrigues by it. White clay for hair? Not something you see every day. Supposedly thickening, adds body, bounce and enriches hair, this is used to texturize the hair for styling. I have used similar products and while it seems nice, I’m just not exactly sure where I could fit this into my styling routine of wash hair, air dry, comb. I will report back on it.

3. TanTowel PLUS Half Body Self Tan Towelette – 1 towelette, $2.20 Value (Full Size $26.50, 12 towelettes)
I don’t tan, I never have. Self tanners look weird on me and this is only a half body application- I am as white as a sheet of paper so this would not do me a lot of good anyways. I’m sure TanTowel makes good products and from the reviews i’ve seen people seem to like it. But for me, this is a “pass” item which I will probably give away.

4. Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Shampoo & Conditioner – 2 0.24 oz packets, $1.07 Value (Full Sizes $18 and $20 each, 8.5 oz)
These left my hair feeling SO soft and I am SUPER happy that I have another set of packets to use. I got four uses out of these packets the first go around (some sort of record maybe?) and my dry, damaged hair loved it. I need a ton of this stuff.

5. Amika Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil Treatment – 0.34 oz, $3.42 Value (Full Size $34, 3.38 oz)
This is a good sized bottle of the popular oil treatment by Amika, which touts shine, anti-frizz and nourishment for hair. Made with Sea Buckthorn Berry (Obliphica) oil, it also contains Jojoba oil, Wheat Germ oil, and Panthenol (Vitamin B5). Unfortunately this is not a pure oil serum like other hair oil treatments on the market as the first and second ingredients are Dimethicone and Cyclopentasiloxane (silicones), but for those who do not mind or do not use sls-free products, it won’t be a bother (you will need a shampoo with sls to remove the silicones fully from the hair to avoid build-up over time).

6. Boscia Luminizing Black Mask – 0.35 oz, $4.25 Value (Full Size $34, 2.8 oz)
This mask is fantastic. It leaves my skin looking refreshed and a little bit of a glow, my pores shrink and removes some of the redness from my cheeks. I still haven’t managed to get a full size bottle, but maybe with the voucher I will.

7. PRAI Ageless Throat & Decolletage Creme – 0.5 oz, $6.24 Value (Full Size $49.95, 4 oz)
This PRAI creme claims to promote the appearance of firmness and resilience in the neck and decolletage area. I don’t have issues in either area. It is moisturizing and has a nice feel. The price has increased $10 since last year, but is now a 4 oz size jar (from 1 oz), thus decreasing the value of this item.

8. Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara in Excessive Black – 0.135 oz, $16.56 Value (Full Size $27, 0.22 oz)
I enjoyed using this mascara the first time around- but the formula had a bit of a learning curve. It is more of a wet formula with a smaller brush (I prefer a bit of a thicker formula and big giant wands). It is very black and looks great on the lashes, but it is not waterproof so I did have a little bit of bleeding around the corners of my eyes. Overall it’s a great mascara, but not my absolute favorite. The price has increased $1 from last year.

9. intelliWHITE Pro White Professional Toothpaste with Fluoride and Xylitol – 1 oz, $3.73 Value (Full Size $14.95, 4 oz)
This HSN favorite toothpaste is great, and I can see why. Using it for about a week, I saw a good whitening effect- nowhere near what whitestrips or a pro treatment would do, but this is in the upper echelon of whitening toothpastes. The toothpaste is no longer offered solo but in a kit with a whitening booster and lip gloss for a lower price, lowering the value of this item.

10. LORAC Lips With Benefits Lip Gloss in Chuck – 0.05 oz, $4.73 Value (Full Size $18, 0.19 oz)
Having gotten this last time, I personally do not care for the color- too deep nude for my skintone. Chuck is more suited to someone with a medium skin tone or more pigmented lips to even out the shade, unless you like the tan-nude lip look. I can’t comment on the wear or feel since I do not care for the color or lipgloss itself, so I gifted this to a friend.

11. Signature Club A Precious Moroccan Argan Oil Oasis Day Cream SPF 25 – 0.35 oz, $8.31 Value (Full Size $28.50, 1.2 oz)
Signature Club A by Adrienne has been a HSN staple for a long time and this is one of their offerings from the Moroccan Argan Oil line. The cream is recommended for use alone or under makeup and provides SPF 25 protection to prevent premature aging and sun damage. I personally found the cream a bit heavy on my combination skin, but those needing more moisture will find it suitable.

Total Box Value: $62.17 (not including $10 off $30 discount voucher)

 

Last year’s box had a value of $56.93 and this year’s box is a lot more solid with some bigger offerings. The discount voucher for $10 off $30 also sweetens the deal. These boxes sell out fast so be sure to keep your eyes peeled on the 18th.

The collection will be available on HSN.com as well as TotalBeauty Collection’s site.

disclaimer: products in this post have been provided for review.

Layla Caviar Effect 09 Lambada & Ceramic Effect CE 62 Bally Sky

Mar 052013
 

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Caviar or “Fish Egg” manicures have been crazy popular over the past year. Recently I was given the opportunity to check out the new line of Caviar Effect beads by one of my favorite brands, Layla.

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I got to try out the new Caviar Effect in Lambada (all of the caviar effects are named after dances). Lambada is pastel blue “caviar” beads. It was coordinated with Layla Ceramic Effect in Bally Sky, a mermaidy-teal blue with green and golden shimmer. Very pretty. I used two coats and topcoat. :)

 

I did an accent nail since it was my first time in a while doing a caviar manicure. The process is simple- paint your nails, pour on the beads when wet, and tap to rid the excess beads. Pat down a little bit to secure (you can also topcoat over it if you’d like, I did). The only issue I had was getting the beads back in the bottle. The opening is a bit tiny and it doesn’t come with a funnel or anything. I did my manicure over a small box, then poured the beads on a paper and poured that into the jar with a makeshift tiny paper funnel I made.

As someone who is a fan of textured nails, I love the caviar manicure. Layla’s Caviar Effects are great beads and work well, and they come in a very nice assortment of colors.

Layla Caviar Effect retails $10-13 and comes in 12 shades. A Layla funnel can be purchased separately for the beads. Ceramic Effect nail color retails $9.95 and comes in a whole lot of shades. Layla can be purchased at Ulta, Aveyou, Zappos, Ninja Polish and many other fine retailers.
Disclaimer: This product was provided for my honest review.

Sale Alert: $7 Illamasqua Nail Polish at Sephora in JCPenney

Feb 272013
 

This is a huge alert to all of you who love Illamasqua or nail polish in general. Sephora in JCPenney has Illamasqua nail polishes marked down 50% off- $7 (originally $14). This is a total steal so get there while you can. My store also had Nails Inc. Sprinkles for $5 and a few Nails Inc Magnetic and Sephora OPI shades on sale too.

Here is the list of sale Illamasqua polishes:

Bacterium
Baptiste
Collide
Gamma
Jo’mina
Lament
Muse
Obsess
Phallic
Poke
Purity
Radium
Rampage
Rare
Scarab
Scorch
Vice
Viridian

Shades NOT on sale: Creator, Force, Harem, MILF, Noble, Nomad, Stance, Venous, Speckled shades.

If you want the best chance of snagging a lot of them, go NOW. My shop and most other Sephora in JCPenney shops are just now seeing the sale prices coming through, going through their stock and moving them to the sale section or putting sale price stickers on them. Once this is done, they will fly off the shelves. Even if they do not have sale stickers or are in the display, have the associates scan them for you.

Happy Hunting!

Essie She’s Picture Perfect via Beauty Stop Online

Feb 112013
 

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Essie She’s Picture Perfect is a lavender shade with a slight pink shimmer. The shimmer is extremely hard to see but out in the sun or direct light it makes itself visible. You can see some of it in the bottle.

This was two coats of She’s Picture Perfect over basecoat and with topcoat. The formula was average for Essie- on the thinner side, first coat had slight streaks but everything was corrected by a second coat. I can’t comment on dry time as I used a quick dry topcoat. I’d recommend this shade for spring, it’s very cheerful and fits the season (that is if you haven’t already gotten your pastel fix- but the shimmer adds something special).

Today’s nail color came to me from the wonderful BeautyStopOnline.com, who provided this shade for my consideration. Check out their selection of Essie Nail Color here.

NOTD: Cagedbird Nail Lacquer Lovesome

Feb 092013
 

For the upcoming heart filled holiday, I decided to do a mani featuring one of the polishes from my line and another that I will be posting up a swatch post for.

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This is cagedbird nail lacquer Lovesome over two coats of Essie She’s Picture Perfect. I’m not going to “review” it because I made it myself and that would be biased. But it wasn’t hard to work with.

 

I might have to do this manicure again for my upcoming vacation in March because it’s just too cute.

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