May 2014 Birchbox Review (Freewheeling)

May's Birchbox was unfortunately rather disappointing for me this month.  I wasn't very excited by the products and samples I received this month.

Here is a video of my Birchbox opening, or just continue on to read my review!

My favorite item from May's Birchbox is the Shea Butter Lip Balm from Pixi. Its a dual-purpose balm that hydrates with shea butter while giving your lips a pretty wash of color. I got the Coral Crush shade, and I like it a lot!  Not a color I may have normally chosen, but I like it. It is a lovely summer color that is a little bolder than what I am used to.  It retails for $8.  (The color is brighter in person than in the picture)

I also got CoTZ Face Natural Skin Tone SPF 40.  $20 for a full-size.  This is an oil-free mineral sunscreen that blends in sheer for a matte finish. I will certainly be able to use this now that spring has finally arrived in Wisconsin!  I just wish the sample size wasn't so small!

The Lifestyle Extra in the Birchbox is the Greenleaf Candle Co. in First Blush.  A full-size candle goes for $17.  I unfortunately do not really use candles, so this will likely be something I give someone else. It is a lovely scented candle!

The final two items in the Birchbox were disappointing.  I unchecked the "Haircare products" box on my Birchbox account awhile ago, and yet I still received Shampoo and Conditioner....boring.  I got the Beauty Protector Protect & Shampoo and Protect & Condition.  Full sizes are $21.95.  I keep getting hair care products in my Birchbox, and I'm just not really interested in them.  Oh well.

So, overall not a very exciting box in my opinion.  How did you like your Birchbox?

What was your favorite product this month?

 

May 2014 Beauty Box 5 Review (Fresh and Focused)

This is my second Beauty Box 5, and so far, they are one of my favorite subscription boxes!  This is the May 2014 Fresh and Focused Review.

You can also watch me open the box, if that's something you enjoy :)

CATTIVA Precisione Eye Liner.  Retails for $20. I love a good eyeliner!  I am hoping this is a good one.  As I have stated in previous posts, I have bad luck with liquid eyeliner, so I'm excited to try out this pencil one!

I unfortunately sweat quite a lot, especially when I am in social situations.  I guess I have a little social anxiety and I can often use a little refreshing. I am interested to see what the Ban Total Refresh Cooling Body Cloths can do for me!  10 Clothes retail for $2.97.  Not a bad price, so if they work, I might be purchasing more.

I am not a huge user of perfumes, but I do like to have a little bit of a spray of some sort in my purse just for refreshers.  So, I will be able to use this sample of Harvey Prince Hello perfume. It retails for $55 for 5.7 ounces, but I doubt that I will purchase more of it even if I like it a lot.  I'm just not big on perfumes.

I can't recall the last time I used a facial mask, so maybe I am way overdue! Excited to see what the MaskerAide Hydrating Facial Sheet Mask will do for me!

I am not as excited by the H20 Plus Aqualibrium Marine Cleansing Gel.  It retails for $18.  I just can't get too hyped about about a face wash.

Overall, I am pretty excited about this month's Beauty Box 5!

What did you think of May's Beauty Box 5?

Which subscription box do you love the most?

April 2014 Birchbox vs Ipsy Review

This post is going to do an overview of my Birchbox and Ipsy reviews from this month (April).

April's Birchbox is my 3rd one, and probably my least favorite so far.  There are only 2 products from it that I am actually happy about.  The rest I will just use for the sake of not wasting it, or give it to someone else. Oh well!

The product I am most excited about it the Sumita Color Contrast Eyeliner. It goes for $11. I got the Jamun (Deep Purple) color, which I love!  I've only tried it out once so far, but I am a fan.  Goes on nice and smooth, doesn't seem to smudge to easily.  This makes me happy since I have been stuck on the same eyeliner for years, Wet n' Wild because it was the only one I could get to stay on.  Unfortunately it doesn't seem to last long.  Hopefully this eyeliner does the trick! I'm also happy that it is purple.  I usually only wear black eyeliner, but this might be a nice transition color for me.

The other product I am truly excited about this month is the Color Club Nail Lacquer from Gala's Gems Collection. A set of 4 is $13, which I can get on board with. I got the Breakfast at... color. I have more recently gotten into nail polishes, and this is a nice addiction to my new collection.  I tend to purchase more pink and red colors, so I was happy to get the green color that I might not have picked out on my own.

This next product, I also enjoy because I think I will actually use it.  I got the Supergoop! City Sunscreen Serum. It goes for $20-42 for a full-size. I am a fan of anything sunscreen, especially for the face. I don't like putting regular sunscreens on my face because they tend to make my face feel like it is burning, especially when mixed with pool chemicals when I go swimming.  So, hopefully this works well for me. I won't try it out until later in the year when it is actually sunny outside here in Wisconsin!

The rest of the stuff in my Birchbox I found to be "meh...".  For instance the N.4 Lumiere d'hiver Clarifying Shampoo.  Sorry, shampoo just doesn't excite me. Especially when a full bottle of it goes for $32!  I can't imagine spending that much on one bottle of shampoo, but that's just me.  Unless it magically styles my hair for me when I get out of the shower.  A N.4 Lumiere d'hiver Reconstructing Masque came along with it as well.  This stuff is supposed to purify and restore lost moisture and shine.  I've always had pretty oily hair, so moisture doesn't seem like a real issue for me....

My least favorite item is the KIND Healthy Grains Gluten Free Non GMO Granola Bar.  15 of these cost $11.88. Not bad pricing at all. I got the Maple Pumpkin Seeds with Sea Salt flavor.  I would have preferred the chocolate flavor.  I am not a big fan of granola.  I have heard that these are good, but they just aren't really my thing.  Plus, this particular flavor just doesn't interest me at all.  Not really sure why I got it either since I asked to not receive snacks in my Birchbox.  So that was a little disappointing

And now, on to April's Ipsy Glam Bag...

After last months awesome Ipsy Glam Bag, I was a little disappointed by April's.  Especially since it is my birthday month, but oh well.

My favorite product from this month's Ipsy is the 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil from Urban Decay. I got the Black Velvet color and I really like it!  I am very picky about my eyeliners because I have terrible experiences with them, liquid eyeliners especially. This one really does glide on smoothly and it is a great color!  This is something I may actually purchase in the future.

My second favorite is the lolli tint from benefit.  I got Candy-Orchid.  I will likely not use it as a cheek tinter, since my cheeks are naturally rosy against my very fair skin. Its a decent lip tint, though.  It goes on a little weird in my opinion, but I enjoy the color.

I didn't care too much for the rest of the items in my Ipsy, unfortunately.  I like the packaging of theCailyn Tinted Lip Balm. I didn't care for it at first, but then I realized the brush comes off the top, and that is cute!  I got the Apple Pink shade, and yikes!  I haven't used it because it is a VERY bright pink, which isn't my color.  I will likely give it as a gift or sell it to someone else.

The City Color White Gold Mousse Eyeshadow, I'm not so sure about.  I don't care for white eyeshadows, as I don't really think they look good on anyone.  That is just my opinion.  I haven't tried wearing it, but I noticed just from opening the lid that it feels a little greasy.  This may be another gifter.

I was disappointed to get the KISS fake eyelashes.  I have never worn fake eyelashes and I don't plan on ever doing so.  I wear glasses, which seems to me would not go well with fake eyelashes.  Also kinda pointless since the glasses usually cover that area.  

Overall, I was disappointed with April's Ipsy Glam Bag.  I'm still looking forward to May's though!

I was disappointed by both Birchbox and Ipsy this month, but Ipsy still beat Birchbox by a little bit. I just think I will get more use out of the items in the Ipsy compared to the Birchbox.  Plus, Birchbox including the granola bar really hurt it since I asked to receive no snacks.

What did you think of the April's Ipsy and Birchbox?

April 2014 Beauty Box 5 Review

I got my first Beauty Box 5 box this month.  I was a little surprised because I think I just signed up for it at the end of March or early April, so I wasn't expecting it.  Nice surprise!

My favorite item that I got this month is the Nicka K New York Lipstick.  I got the Daring shade.  It retails for $4.99.  This isn't a shade I would likely buy on my own, but I love it!  I tend to shy away from bold colors, but that is why I signed up for subscriptions like this.  I want to be surprised by things I wouldn't typically choose myself.

Next is the Blum Naturals All Purpose Cleaning Wipes, which are $2.49 retail for 30 wipes.  I chose this as my second favorite because I know I will get use out of it.  As a bonus, they are not tested on animals!

I also got a California Collection Eyeshado Palette from BH Cosmetics.  It retails for $18.95.  There are 16 eyeshadows and 4 face powders.  This is basically a tie for 2nd place. I got the Hollywood, San Francisco and Malibu colors in my palette.  I like all the colors, though the Hollywood purple may be a bit bold, I'm excited to try it out.  

The Apple Cider Lip Definer from Bonne Bell is another product I got this month.  It retails for $3.95.  I like the color I received, I'm simply not a lip liner wearer, so I'm not sure how much use I will get out of it.

My least favorite item this month is the Jergens Natural Glow-3 Days to Glow Moisturizer (Retails for $9.99)  That is ONLY because I got the Medium to Tan skin tone, which I am not.  I'm afraid if I used this, I would become orange and that is NOT a good look.  I have some Jergens Natural Glow for my skin tone and have used it before with fairly decent results.  So, the product being last on my list has nothing to do with the effectiveness of the product, only that I think I got the wrong skin tone.

And that is all for my April Beauty Box 5!  Looking forward to my May Beauty Box 5 already!

What did you get in your Beauty Box 5?

Which subscription box is your favorite?

April 2014 Birchbox Review (Rainy Days)

April's Birchbox is my 3rd one, and probably my least favorite so far.  There are only 2 producst from it that I am actually happy about.  The rest I will just use for the sake of not wasting it, or give it to someone else. Oh well!

The product I am most excited about it the Sumita Color Contrast Eyeliner. It goes for $11. I got the Jamun (Deep Purple) color, which I love!  I've only tried it out once so far, but I am a fan.  Goes on nice and smooth, doesn't seem to smudge to easily.  This makes me happy since I have been stuck on the same eyeliner for years, Wet n' Wild because it was the only one I could get to stay on.  Unfortunately it doesn't seem to last long.  Hopefully this eyeliner does the trick! I'm also happy that it is purple.  I usually only wear black eyeliner, but this might be a nice transition color for me.

The other product I am truly excited about this month is the Color Club Nail Lacquer from Gala's Gems Collection. A set of 4 is $13, which I can get on board with. I got the Breakfast at... color. I have more recently gotten into nail polishes, and this is a nice addiction to my new collection.  I tend to purchase more pink and red colors, so I was happy to get the green color that I might not have picked out on my own.

This next product, I also enjoy because I think I will actually use it.  I got the Supergoop! City Sunscreen Serum. It goes for $20-42 for a full-size. I am a fan of anything sunscreen, especially for the face. I don't like putting regular sunscreens on my face because they tend to make my face feel like it is burning, especially when mixed with pool chemicals when I go swimming.  So, hopefully this works well for me. I won't try it out until later in the year when it is actually sunny outside here in Wisconsin!

The rest of the stuff in my Birchbox I found to be "meh...".  For instance the N.4 Lumiere d'hiver Clarifying Shampoo.  Sorry, shampoo just doesn't excite me. Especially when a full bottle of it goes for $32!  I can't imagine spending that much on one bottle of shampoo, but that's just me.  Unless it magically styles my hair for me when I get out of the shower.  A N.4 Lumiere d'hiver Reconstructing Masque came along with it as well.  This stuff is supposed to purify and restore lost moisture and shine.  I've always had pretty oily hair, so moisture doesn't seem like a real issue for me....

My least favorite item is the KIND Healthy Grains Gluten Free Non GMO Granola Bar.  15 of these cost $11.88.  Not bad pricing at all. I got the Maple Pumpkin Seeds with Sea Salt flavor.  I would have preferred the chocolate flavor.  I am not a big fan of granola.  I have heard that these are good, but they just aren't really my thing.  Plus, this particular flavor just doesn't interest me at all.  Not really sure why I got it either since I asked to not receive snacks in my Birchbox.  So that was a little disappointing

That was my Birchbox for this month.  Like I said, not my favorite, but oh well.  Looking forward to May's Birchbox and I hope it is more exciting for me!

Check out my video opening/review if you have the time! Thanks for reading :)

April 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag Review

After last months awesome Ipsy Glam Bag, I was a little disappointed by April's.  Especially since it is my birthday month, but oh well.

My favorite product from this month's Ipsy is the 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil from Urban Decay. I got the Black Velvet color and I really like it!  I am very picky about my eyeliners because I have terrible experiences with them, liquid eyeliners especially. This one really does glide on smoothly and it is a great color!  This is something I may actually purchase in the future.

My second favorite is the lolli tint from benefit.  I got Candy-Orchid.  I will likely not use it as a cheek tinter, since my cheeks are naturally rosy against my very fair skin. Its a decent lip tint, though.  It goes on a little weird in my opinion, but I enjoy the color.

I didn't care too much for the rest of the items in my Ipsy, unfortunately.  I like the packaging of the Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm. I didn't care for it at first, but then I realized the brush comes off the top, and that is cute!  I got the Apple Pink shade, and yikes!  I haven't used it because it is a VERY bright pink, which isn't my color.  I will likely give it as a gift or sell it to someone else.

The City Color White Gold Mousse Eyeshadow, I'm not so sure about.  I don't care for white eyeshadows, as I don't really think they look good on anyone.  That is just my opinion.  I haven't tried wearing it, but I noticed just from opening the lid that it feels a little greasy.  This may be another gifter.

I was disappointed to get the KISS fake eyelashes.  I have never worn fake eyelashes and I don't plan on ever doing so.  I wear glasses, which seems to me would not go well with fake eyelashes.  Also kinda pointless since the glasses usually cover that area.  

Overall, I was disappointed with April's Ipsy Glam Bag.  I'm still looking forward to May's though!

Birchbox VS Ipsy Glam Bag March 2014

This is my first month of receiving both the Birchbox and Ipsy Glam Bag, so I'm gonna do a quick review of both of them and tell you which subscription I think was better this month (in case you think my opinion matters). You can also see the video I did if you wish!

I will start with the items I got in my Birchbox:

Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream (For all light skin tones).  This was included in the Birchbox as a Birchbox Find Alert. I use lotions quite a bit, so this is a great product for me with my fair skin. I have already used it a few times and I have no complaints!

The next thing I like is the COOLA Tinted Matte SPF 30.  It is an unscented mineral sunscreen. A Full-size of this is $36. I still haven't tried it yet because I honestly don't want to waste it when I'm not spending any time outside due to living in Wisconsin where is still cold and snowy.  Come on Spring!!!

Next up is the Air Repair Rescue Balm All Purpose Skin Salve & Lip Balm.  Full-size is $12. A little bit goes a LONG way! I tried this out on my very dry and cracked hands and it was SUPER greasy!  It did heal up my skin some, but I really didn't care for  how greasy it was. After I put it on, I was scared to do much with my hands because I didn't wanna get it all over the place. That has deterred me from actually using it again. Maybe it is better used as a Lip Balm.

I got the How 'Bout Them Apples? Cheek and Lip Cream from theBalm.  A full size of it goes for $32. I got the Pie "flavor".  It also comes in Cider, Cobbler, Crisp, Candy and Caramel.  Since I already have naturally rosy cheeks, I doubt I will be using it there much.  I think I will enjoy it as a lip cream though! I don't think I will be spending the $32 on a full-size though. Cute Packaging, though!

My least favorite thing from the March Birchbox was the Beauty Protector Protect and Detangle. It is a leave-in conditioner going for $21.95 for a full-size. I don't do many of the things to my hair that it is supposed to protect it from. The only benefit I might get from this is the heat protection, since I do blow dry my hair and use a curling iron often.   Maybe this is totally different than what I have experienced before and I may give it a try once or twice, but I think this one might be given to someone else or used for a giveaway either on here or my Youtube channel at some point.

Now for Ipsy!

My favorite product in this month's Glam Bag was the NYX Love in Rio Eye Shadow palette.  I got the Bikini Bottom colors and I love it.  I actually have something very similar color palette from Wet & Wild that I have been using, but the NYX palette adds a bit of shimmer, which I like.

My next favorite thing was the sample of Marvelous Moxie Lipstick from bareMinerals. I received the Get Ready shade and I really love it.  The only issue I really have with it so far is that it seems to fade fairly quickly, which is the same issue I have with pretty much every lipstick I have ever tried.  So, it seems this is one I would have to continually reapply.  

Next, I rather enjoyed the Ipsy Glam Bag itself!  I will definitely use it when I am traveling around. It is a Klari bag done by Klari Reis.  It is from a geography-based series, "Street Anatomy". Check out her website at Klariart.com

The last two items in the bag, I was questionable about.  I got an Eyeliner Pen in Indigo Blue from Chella.  I have never worn an eyeliner that wasn't black.  Black just really seems to make my blue eyes pop, which I need since I have small eyes and they are usually covered by glasses.  I was happy to try this eyeliner out, but I don't care for the applicator type.  It is quite flexible, and since I usually use an eyeliner pencil, I'm not used to that. I tried it on my lower lid and ended up getting most of it in my eye.  Ouch.  To be fair that was user error, not the eyeliner's fault.  I tried it on my eye lid and it went better, but the applicator tip just doesn't seem to work all that well for me. When I sampled it on my arm in my video, it was a nice color and it did not smudge very easily, so that is definitely a plus.  

The last thing in my Glam Bag was the Pixi Flawless Beauty Primer.  I was nervous about this because I have such fair skin and it is darker than my skin tone.  Once I put it on, it blended in fairly well.  I was also nervous about the shimmer or glow it had to it, but it looks quite nice once it is on.  So, though I was skeptical of it at first, I think I like the product so far!

Birchbox grade (on a 5 point scale): 3.5

Ipsy Grade: 4

Overall for this month, I think the Ipsy Glam Bag wins over the Birchbox. They are pretty close, but I was more excited for the items I liked in the Ipsy than the items I liked in the Birchbox.