February Birchbox 2014

Whoops! That one got away from me a bit! I meant to post this a week ago or so, but you know, life happens. Anywho, here's all about February's Birchbox! (and reviews at the end of January's!!)

This one came in a different outer casing. As you can see, it's red, has a whole bunch of stuff on it, and has US Weekly up in the corner there. This isn't the first time Birchbox has teamed up with other companies (I believe they did People and possibly Allure in the past), and honestly, I wasn't too excited about it. The boxes I've received in the past weren't the best when they did this, but hey, maybe this time would be different!

The box itself looks pretty much the same.

And when first opening it, it looked not too shabby!

After diving in the products though, it was.....meh.

Somethings turned out to be awesome, like this one:

It's Serge Nomant Meta Revive Dry Conditioner. I've received the dry shampoo in the past and loved it. It did a great job at dry shampooing (if that's the right term) without making my hair look grey/white (it's a medium brown), gave it nice texture and SMELLED AMAZING. Like, no joke. It was just. Perfect. 

So when I saw this in the box, I had high hopes that it would have the same scent. Once spritz into the air confirmed my expectation!! The scent is hard to describe, but here it goes: if you combined a cologne your grandpa wore was combined with a cologne from Natuica, that's pretty much what this smells like. It's definitely masculine, but fresh, and somewhat light. It's just really up my alley.

As far as a dry conditioner goes, this was my first! I've started to see them here and there, but never tried one. So I was happy to see something that I was familiar with, but yet, brand new!

Next I saw these beautiful packaged square things, that at first, was super excited about!

Then I realized....they were tea. Ugg. They are Harney & Sons Wrapped Tea Sachets in Organic Bangkok (pink) and Mint Verbena (mint). It was considered as a "bonus" and not one of the normal products, but still. Not the biggest fan of tea. Luckily, my husband is.

Next I see this pretty little box:

I honestly had no idea what was inside, but was pleasantly surprised!

PERFUME!!

I actually really like getting these, for I'm always on the hunt for a new one, since I'm quiet picky. This is Joan Vass L'eau de Amethyste, and is described as having top notes of star ruby grapefruit and Italian bergamot meet middle notes of red currant, ylang ylang, and rose oil, and rounding out the scent are slightly sweet, earthy bottom notes like patchouli, vanilla tincture, and vetiver.

Uh, yeah, I guess that's what it smells like! Honestly, I think it smells like flowers in the city, sweet, but musky. I do like it, but I did find it bothering me after while, so I don't know if I would buy it.

Next was this little tube:

It is the Miracle Skin Transformer Face Spotlight. As far as I could tell, it's like a super light BB cream that is also a highlighter (as well as other benefits). It comes out like this:

And spreads out like this:

It is pretty, don't get me wrong, but I just don't get along with cream highlighters. I've just never liked the way they looked on me. But maybe this one is different. We shall see!

Last, I saw this little beauty:

Even though you can read the name, I'm pretty sure you can guess what this is :) I was jumping up and down when I saw they included an OPI nail polish!! I love this brand! I have quite a few already, but nothing like this! It looks like a gorgeous grapey, berry color, and can't wait to try it. So I did on some paper (I usually do), and this is how it turned out:

......uh.....what? So then I hold it to the light:

.....top coat? TOP COAT??? Wth??? What is going on!!! So I look at my card:

Turns out, it's a tinted top coat to slightly change they way your polish looks, either change the tone, make it brighter, or you can layer it for an ombre look. It is OPI Sheer Tints Color, and I got it in "Don't Violet Me Down". Needless to say, I was not impress. But I'll give it a go, and maybe it'll be better than I thought.

Overall, it was an okay box. I was excited for two/three products, and the other's were okay. They weren't awful or anything (from first impressions), but I've had better boxes.

Speaking of which, let me go over real quick of Januray's box!

Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Day Lotion with Clary Sage: Loved this! It goes on nice and smooth, really sinks in, and it as good as my oil that I use during the winter! Would definetly buy this next winter (it's a bit too heavy for the spring/summer)

Fekkai Advanced Brilliant Glossing Conditioner and Shampoo: These were not for me. The scent was nice, but the shampoo made my scalp itchy, and the conditioner wasn't moisturizing enough (to be fair though, this isn't marketed towards being one, but making your hair shiny). I would not buy these.

Harvey Prince Journey - 50 ml: I really liked this! The scent is very different, deep and musky, yet also light and floral. It didn't bother me at all, and it's made from pretty okay ingredients! I would consider buying this!

Coastal Scents Revealed Palette Set: This was nice! It's Coastals Scents version of a Naked palette and I think they did a really great job! If I didn't already have them, I would buy this! The colors were soft, and blendable, and nicely pigmented! If you haven't bought any neutral/Naked palettes yet, but have been considering one, I highly recommend this!!

Well, I think that about wraps it up for this post. Back to X-files! :D

Em

bareMinerals Try. Believe. Love. Kit

Good morning!!

Today I thought I'd do something a tad different, because, hey, why not?! This is going to be a post of something I bought recently, so instead of doing a full review, it's more of a show and tell.

The other day I bought this kit:

As you can see, it was only $20 and you get to try 4 different bareMinerals products (not including the brushes)! I have the original foundation and LOVE it, but I wanted to try basically everything else!

Here's the back of the box:

I found this at Ulta, and couldn't wait to break it open! Here's what came inside:

Too cute, right???

This kit comes with a little pot of the Original Foundations, the Matte Foundation, the Mineral Veil, and the Concealer. I bought mine in "Fairly Light", since that's what my Original foundation is in. Both the Matte and Original came in Fairly Light, the Mineral Veil in Original, and the Concealer in Bisque.

It also comes with two brushes, a mini Full Flawless Face brush, and a mini Concealer brush:

Now the little pots are little. Like LITTLE. Here's the best comparison I could think of:

Order of size: Full size, Kit's Face ones, Kit's Concealer

Overall, I'm super happy with this purchase! Even though I already love the Original foundation, it doesn't work that well for me in the summer. It makes me look flat out oily, instead of dewey, like it does in fall/winter. So I figured I'd get the Matte one a go. But after reading reviews online, it sounded like unless you have oily skin (which I don't, I have pretty normal skin), it makes your skin super dry. So instead of spending $27 on a full sized, this was a great way to try it for less! PLUS I always wanted to try the concealer and was curious about the Mineral Veil (which, by the way, is awesome!! It gives a beauty, air brushed look! I loved it so much, I already bought the full size! I'll do a post of this soon!)

Here's a link for where to find it at Ulta (it came in lots of different shades in store, but online it seems to only come in two right now): http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod2980097
Here is is on the actual bareMinearls site (it comes in 7 different shades there): http://www.bareescentuals.com/Try.-Believe.-Love./USmastertrylove,default,pd.html

Hope you have a great rest of the day!

Em

Redken – Nature’s Rescue Radiant Sea Spray

I just notice I haven’t posted a hair review yet, which is odd, because hair stuffs are my favorite!!! I love trying new stuff out (more than any other category) and know exactly what I’m looking for (unlike any other category).

Today I’d like to talk about something that seems to be discontinued. Awesome, right? I debated on posting this, and decided to go for it, for you can still find this on sites like eBay or Amazon. Actually you might still be able to get this in salons, I just noticed that it was no longer available at my local Ulta.

The product I’m talking about its Redken’s Nature Rescue Radiant Sea Spray, and looks a little something like this:

First off, I have to give props for the packaging. I know the way a product looks usually has nothing to do with the actual product, but it is meant to catch you eye. And man, this catches my eye!

Who wouldn't want a bottle that looks like it was inspired by a beach house on the East Coast on a cool, summer day? At least that’s the impression I get from the look of it!

Oooooo! So....beachy and nice!

As far as what it actually is, it’s basically a light texturing spray. I say “light” because it focus more on the scent of the product than that actual “creating beach waves” properties (and on the back it says Lightweight Texturizer as well). The scent part of it is AMAZING. It’s kind of hard to describe, but I’ll do my best! It’s definitely on the light side (not musky or potent), but not so light where you can barely smell it. It has an oceany bit to it, but also some sweetness to it. It smells fresh, yet warm at the same time. It doesn't smell like a typical “beach” scent, like as in a candle. I've honestly never smelled anything like it before!

The texturizing part of it though? Meh. I feel it actually weighs down my hair some, and makes it slightly clump together, like if I didn't wash all my conditioner out while showering, and let it dry. The spray part of it isn't that great either. It more shoots out in a concentrated stream, than a light mist (I think that contributes to the weighing down part).

Bottom line: I would not buy this again. It was nice to try because of the scent, but there are SO many better beach wave products out there (like NYM Beach Babe or Sally Hershberger Glam Waves). And honestly, I have about ½ the bottle yet….and I’m not sure if I’m going to finish it (might be in an empties post soon!)

Well, that about wraps it up for today! Have a great night!

Birchbox, January 2014

Good evening! How've ya been? I've been doing okay, considering this crazy Wisconsin weather! One day it's sunny, 40 degrees, making you think Spring is around the corner and BAM!!! Snowstorm. Ugg! Well, tonight, I thought I'd do a post of something I love getting each month :) Birchbox! For those who aren't familiar w/ Birchbox, it's basically a monthly subscription service where for $10 a month, they will send you a box that looks like this:

Inside this box are 4-6 (or sometimes more) deluxe sized samples. These range from skincare, make up, hair stuffs, perfume, etc. Sometimes there will be something a bit different, like lifestyle or food, but is mainly based around beauty products.

I have been a subscriber for 2+ years now, and so far, have not been disappointed :) Of course, some months are better for me than others, but I think that's just the way the cookie crumbles. As a whole, I love this company :)

So I thought for this post, I would show you my January Birchbox! Here we go!

When it arrives in the mail, it looks something like this:

And then you tear into it, and then looks like this!

Take off the cover....

Always wrapped so nicely!

Ooooooooo!

They put so much detail in to this, that even the inside of the box has a neat design!

But of course, that's not really what we're looking for, right? Right, lol :) This is more what we're looking for:

Just glancing at it, I can tell I'm going to like this box :) Right off the bat, I see something Burt's Bees (one of my absolute favorite brands) and a shampoo/conditioner. Sweet!!

Digging into the box, I find there's also a perfume sample and an eyeshadow in the little mint pouch thing:

I also notice the little mint pouch thing had a bit of an accident :S

Whoops! Oh well, the stuff inside wasn't damaged at all, so no biggie!!

So here's a rundown of what I received this month:

• Fekkai Brilliant Gloss Shampoo and Conditioner (full size: $19.99-$39.99 ea)
• Harvey Prince Journey (full size: $55)
• Coast Scents Revealed Eye Shadow Palette (full size: $34)
• Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Day Lotion with Clary Sage (full size: $18 according to Burt's Bees website, http://www.burtsbees.com/Intense-Hydration-Day-Lotion/01682-00,default,pd.html?cgid=facialMoisturizers&start=1&q=#start=1)

Let's start with the Fekkai stuffs!

I've never tried this brand before, but I have seen them in stores. First thing I did was take a whiff (honestly, that's probably the first thing I do with any hair product-scent is important to me!). Wowzers! I was super surprised at how calming the scent was! I was expecting a heavy salon perfume scent, but instead it was light, slightly fresh, and even a bit olive oily! I really liked it! 

Now I only really used the conditioner, for the shampoo does contain sulfates, and they don't play nice with my scalp :(. So I can't say how well that worked for hair hair, but it worked great for my make up brushes! :D The conditioner was nice, but definitely on the light side. It did make my hair shiny, and didn't leave a coating or anything like that, but it wasn't moisturizing enough for my super dry hair in this Wisconsin winter air. Granted, it isn't marketing towards moisturizing at all, so it wasn't false advertising or anything. I can see this working for someone who has fine hair, since it was lightweight, or who doesn't have super dry hair. I could see maybe trying this again in the summer, since my hair isn't quite as dry then.

Next was the perfume sample. Now, I know a lot of reviews don't like when Birchbox throws one of these in, but I personally do! I'm not one who goes to a counter often to sniff a new one, so I do like getting these! I've had Harvey Prince ones before, and wasn't a fan, so I was a bit iffy to try this one. But luckily, I was pleasantly surprised!!

This scent is described having notes of South African Freesia, Japanese orange flower, Moroccan rose, Indonesian clove bud, and Australian sandalwood (can you see where it gets it "Journey" name???) Just reading those notes alone is a no wonder I really enjoy this perfume, I love all those types of scents! This a wonderful fall/winter perfume, for it has that warmth and depth one looks for in a heavier scent, but it still has a light, floral scent lingering in there. I will probably be purchasing this soon!!

Next is the the little eyeshadow quad from Coastal Scents:

Again, a little skeptical. Not because I didn't like Coastal Scents, but because the colors I've received before weren't really my taste. And, again! Was pleasantly surprised!!

Whoo-ooh!! NUDES!!! Here's what the whole Revealed palette looks like:

Picture via Birchbox

As you can see, it's Coastals Scent's version of the Naked palettes! Just by glance, there seems to be a lot of similar colors between this and the Naked and Naked 2 palettes! With this being only $34, and each Naked being $52, this seems to be a steal! Would be awesome for someone who has been interested in owning a "nude" palette, but didn't want to shell out the cash for the Urban Decay ones (and honestly, who does? I've been saving up my Ulta points for the Naked 3!!). 

Each one of the colors is nicely pigmented, goes on smoothly, and feels buttery!

If I didn't already have the first two Naked palettes, I would seriously consider getting this!

Lastly, is what Birchbox considers their "Latest Discovery Finds"

Is the Burts Bees Intense Hydration Day Lotion, and it came in this super cute little jar!

Even though this is a "day" lotion, I did try it at night, and honestly? IT'S AWESOME!!! It has a light scent (if you have ever used any of Burt's Bees facial lotion, it's a similar scent), sinks right into the skin, doesn't feel greasy, and leaves my skin moisturized and lovely. I would consider buying this in the future!!

And of course, Birchbox likes to put in extra papery things:

As well as the "info" card that's included each month:

Overall, I think this was an awesome box!!! Lots of new, fun things to try, and most of them were a hit!!

Well, I think that's about does it! Thanks for hanging around for a longerish post!! Hope you're having a great night!!

Emily