November Birchbox 2013

Yup, it's that time of the month again! I've finally used all of my Birchbox products. They have been tried and  tested, and now you get to hear how much I loved or hated them.

First and foremost is this little serum by DDF.

This "amplifying elixir" is supposed to increase my skin natural moisture retention rate. And with winter in full force, even here in the South, that's something that I find really important. My skin is now in its winter state of dry, scaly awfulness. Even my eyelids are dry, and honestly, how does that even happen?

Honestly, though, this stuff didn't come to the rescue. In fact, I've only used it twice. The first time was a disaster. My skin felt like I had a really bad sunburn. It itched and tingled. It was red and blotchy and painful. Even after a full night of sleep, I woke up to warm, tender cheeks that still looked like I'd been slapped. I was going to put this product off as another failure, but I gave it another chance. Why? Because before application, I had just exfoliated. I thought that might have something to do with it.

And sure enough, the second application wasn't nearly as painful. But it didn't really do anything for my skin. At all. And it tingled just enough to be uncomfortable, and I'm not about that. I wear beauty products to make myself happy, not to punish myself. End of story.

Next up was this perfume:

Since it's hyped so much by the Birchbox staff, I was expecting something tremendous. But in the end, this was just an ok perfume. Nothing new or noteworthy. Floral, fruity, and young with just a hint of mature musk, it smells an awful lot like everything else on store shelves right now. Kind of a meh for me.

However, the iffy box was redeemed by the next several products I used. First and foremost, this Color Club nail polish in Baldwin Blues. 

I love blue. LOOOOOOVE it. And this shade is no exception. It's a deep, denim blue that goes on perfectly in two coats. Color Club never fails when it comes to polish. This one is as stunning as all of the others that I've tried. 

TheBalm Stainiac was....alright. I'm a bigger fan of Benefit.

The color is great, don't get me wrong. It's a pinky-red color that is bright and flattering. It's the formula that breaks it for me. It's a gel, which is odd enough on it's own. But this gel has a habit of clumping up into these little nuggets of color that settle into the cracks on my lips. It doesn't provide an even coat of color. Just a spotty wash. Now, if your lips are in awesome condition, then fabulous! This product will give you a bit of a just-bit-my-lip pink. Otherwise, you'll have to exfoliate the living daylights out of your lips to get it to work well (like me). 

And last but not least, the Mox Botanicals Bath Milk. 

This little teabag was awesome! It had a bunch of great smelling goodies inside that did really well in my steaming hot tub.The scent was just right, a mix of earthy and smooth. The coconut really came through during the whole length of my bath. I can't say much about how my skin felt afterwards, because my skin always feels awesome after a bath. But I can say that I smelled really nice. 

I would love to try out the other scents that this brand has and give them all a good, solid review. 

Thanks for reading! 

October Birchbox 2013: Mass Review

As my November box makes its way toward me, I figure it's about time I drag myself away from work to review my October box. Honestly, I thought this box was awful when I first opened it. And in the end, I wasn't super impressed. Shame on you, Birchbox! I expect more from you after this long.

First is the Alison Raffaele Reality Base Foundation. This product was terribly packaged, for one. The label had already come off, leaving a sticky residue all over the bottle. And I think it would be impossible to get all of the product out of this sample.

Think, you say? Don't you know for certain?

No, because I didn't use this product. At all.

Do you see how dark and yellow that product is? Like, whoa. I'm super light skinned, as I stated in my Birchbox profile. And they send me something that even my tan friends think is yellow. 

So it's not totally their fault, I get it. But the product is also....mediocre, to put it lightly. It was really runny. The coverage was thick and impossible the blend. I just wasn't blown away. Especially not for a price tag of $38. I'd rather not pay an arm and a leg to end up streaky and yellow. Thanks, but no thanks.

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Next was the POP Beauty Aqua Lacquer. This may be one of the weirdest lip glosses I've ever gotten. And I'm not a fan of lip gloss to begin with. 

The applicator for this product is supposed to be a "unique spatula-like applicator brush" that makes application easy. Ha. Ha ha! It's awkward and hard to get just right. I would have preferred a doe foot applicator or even just a squeeze tube. Instead, it's a combination of squeeze tube and weird "patented" (aka gimmicky) spatula. Great. 

And on top of that, the gloss just isn't that great. It thick and sticky, unlike what all of the marketing about this product says. It also tastes awful, which only matters for people like me that lick and bite their lips constantly. 

As far as hydration goes, that part was nice. It does about as well a decent lip balm. Nothing earth shattering, but hey, you take what you can get. 

Unfortunately for me, I kind of like the color. Just enough to maybe use it once or twice before it gets forgotten at the bottom of my makeup drawer. Oh, well.

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By far, one of my favorite things in the box was the Chapstick product. ChapStick Hydration Lock is my new favorite daily lip product. At this point, I've almost used the whole stick that I got in my Birchbox. 

This stuff is super moisturizing. It makes even my chapped lips feel like butter. And as winter creeps ever onward, I'm going to be glad to have a constant supply of this in my vanity. And my purse. And my other purse. And my backpack. And my wallet. 

What? I'm a hoarder for lip balms. 

There's not a whole lot to say about this, though, other than it's awesome. Great moisture, nice scent/flavor, and the usual Chapstick quality. No complaints here.

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The last product in my box was a twofer, although that's almost a shame. I feel like since they're packaged together, it should count for one product. But eh, what are you going to do?

The Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser and Liz Earle Pure Muslin Cloths are nice quality. And they should be, for the cost. The polish is nice, although using it on dry skin was odd to say the least. Definitely different from what I'm used to. 

The polish did, however, leave my skin baby soft. I kept stroking my cheek because I was impressed at how well it had exfoliated all of those awful dry patches that come with swatching products on a near daily basis. It smoothed everything out and gave me this gorgeous glow. It also didn't make my skin red like most focused exfoliators. 

The cloth helped with that. I usually use a microfiber scrubber for my face, but this muslin was just as nice, if not better. It's become a staple in my bathroom and I use it even when I don't use the Liz Earle polishing cleanser. 

Overall, a half and half box. Two flops, two winners. Maybe Novemeber will be better? 

Thanks for reading! 

Review: Montagne Jeunesse Masks and a Giveaway!

I've been so impatient to get this post out. But I wanted to make sure I had all of my ducks in a row first. And now, they are! So, drum roll please....

Montagne Jeunesse was kind enough to send me a generous package of their face masks because there were none in my area. I know, I live in Atlanta, but the only ones I found were a slim selection that never changed. It was pitiful and heartbreaking, because I had tried one of the clay masks before and loved it.

Needless to say, I will be doing all of my ordering online in the future because I am now ADDICTED to these masks. Ho, boy. Let me start from the beginning.

I didn't get pictures of all of the masks because honestly, I was just too eager to dig into them. My apologies. They were a mess afterwards, but the insides were worth it.

This mask was tough to get through at first. It had a really strong smell. Not wholly unpleasant, just a little overwhelming at first. However, after I had the package open for a while, the smell drifted away and I was left with an awesome clay mask. 

This one left my skin super hydrated and squeaky clean. It also helped with a couple of blemishes I was battling at the time. It wasn't irritating, like some masks can be, and the aloe made my summer skin feel absolutely fantastic. Like a cool drink of water after a day spent in the pool.

This mask was a blast and a half. My mom was in town, so her and I split the pack (there's tons in these thing, so you can easily share). It was so delightfully exfoliating. It made my skin tingle, and my nose had trouble coping with the spearmint, but it was worth it. The cool sensation, the crystals clearing away a week's worth of dead skin. Even my mom said it felt like a spa facial in a little plastic packet. 

And afterwards? My skin was silky soft. All of the natural oils were a breeze to rinse away, but they left my skin softer than ever. Easily one of my favorites, Montagne Jeunesse hit the nail on the head with this combo. A one-two punch for dry, damaged skin.

This sheet mask scared my husband, but I think it felt fantastic. It was super cleansing and smelled like the woods. Seriously, it smelled like pine trees and snow. I don't know how they did it. I left this on while I watched some TV and painted my nails. I patted in the leftovers, and bam. Instantly refreshed skin. It felt nice to take a moment for myself.

Now, for some of the ones I didn't get pictures of. 

The pomegranate peel? Fantastic! I put some on my husbands nose and it pulled away some of his worst blackheads. And since was purple, I was able to find and peel off all of those bits and pieces that tend to stick around for the long haul. My skin felt undeniably clean after that mask.

I also share the hot chocolate orange with my best friend, and we both agreed that it felt amazing. It was weird that it warmed up, but once we got used to, it was great. My only complaint is that it was a pain to wash off. My sink looked like it belonged in a haunted house that had never been cleaned. And the next day, I kept noticing spots that I'd missed. I loved the mask, it made my skin ultra soft, but I will probably relegate it to shower use when I can make sure to scrub it all off. 

Overall, an extremely pleasant experience. These guys know their skincare. I wasn't disappointed in any of the masks. Not by a long shot. All of the Korean style sheet masks took a while to soak in, but after they did, my skin looked vibrant for days. 

And now, for the even better news....

Montagne Jeunesse has offered to give away a wonderful prize pack to one lucky follower of this blog. It'll be similar to mine, and it is so absolutely worth it!  Just fill out the RaffleCopter below and I'll send the results to Gladis at MJ. She'll get your pamper package off to you in a jiffy. 

Contest ends three weeks from today, on October 24th. At that point, a winner will be randomly chosen by Raffle Copter's math wizards. 

Thanks for reading, and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

August Birchbox: Whish Deodorant Swipes and Coconut Milk Correcting Gel

Since these two products are made by the same brand, they are going to share realty on my blog.

First and foremost, the disappointment.

Image stolen from BirchBox's website, because my camera is having a hissy fit.

I was really excited to try these deodorant wipes. They smelled excellent out of the package and I always love the promise of using something natural on my sensitive underarms. I was also lured in by the promise of hair removal over time.

I should have known that too many promises lead to heartbreak.

This product smelled great on, although it was odd to apply deodorant with a wipe. Great for travel, I suppose, but wasteful for everyday use.

But hey, I smelled nice and my skin was definitely softer and cleaner than when I started.

So I go about my busy day, which is when the problems started. At around noon (I had applied the Whish wipe at 8am), I started to smell funky. And not the jazzy, cool kind of funky. I mean I smelled like I hadn’t applied deodorant in weeks.

I smelled dirty and sweaty and everyone noticed. It was like I was walking around in a funk cloud.

Needless to say, I pulled out my spare stick of deodorant that I keep with me for just such occasions and banished the cloud forever. Unfortunately, the damage was done. My shirt smelled off and even with the promises Whish gave me, I found myself putting this particular product on my “Never Try Again” list.

Again, picture courtesy of BirchBox.

Enter the Whish Coconut Milk Correcting Gel. It’s meant for after sun, which makes sense for most people when it’s the middle of summer. But I don’t get out much. Or even if I do, I apply loads and loads of sunscreen. However, I did use this morning and night, as directed, anyways.

It made my skin feel a little bit tight at first, which I assume is the aloe. I always have that feeling with aloe.

Afterwards, my skin was soft and smooth, if a little stiff feeling. It tingled a little for a while, and I imagine that the feeling would intensify if I had gone out in the sun. It’s not terrible by any means. But the smell. Well, that’s another thing entirely.

The smell is…intense. It’s fruity and fragrant. In fact, it smells exactly like this perfume that I have called Mango Tea. It smells like summer and drinks on the beach. Which is awesome, except that the smell wouldn’t go away. It was strong enough to make my nose burn at first, but it eventually died to just a ghost. But it lasted. The. Whole. Day. This face gel has better lasting power than most perfumes that I’ve used.

But in all honesty, that’s not exactly a compliment. I don’t necessarily want my perfume to have to compete with my skin care regimen. So this product will be used, but it will be relegated to days when I actually go out in the sun. 

August BirchBox: (MALIN+GOETZ) Vitamin E Face Moisturizer

First off, sorry for the lack of updates. I've moved recently, and it's been a little hectic. Luckily, I'm pretty much settled now, so this should be more consistent. And more detailed. As I write this, I am sitting at my desk basking in the joy of overhead lighting. Wide windows let in tons of sunlight. I have an entire breakfast nook just for blogging purposes! It's glorious, and I can't wait to get more writing done. You guys can expect lots of things in the future. So keep an eye out!

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This is one of the first things that I tested once I got my August Birchbox. I love Vitamin E, and I'm always looking for ways to work it into my skin care routine.

This moisturizer is honestly leaving me on the fence, though. 

It certainly does its job, don't get me wrong. It is soft and gentle, leaving my skin feeling supple for the entire day. It goes on easy, absorbing quickly into the skin without leaving any trace of greasy residue. 

One thing that should also be noted is that it didn't make my face oily later in the day. And that's saying something, since I live in the Southern US and it's August. For those of you who don't know, that means it's an average of 80 degrees Fahrenheit every day with a humidity of close to 100%. Having a moisturizer that doesn't make me oily or acne prone is a boon. 

The only thing that I don't like about this particular cream is that it smells. Really strongly. And, honestly, it smells a bit like a chemical factory. I think it's supposed to be fragrance free, but as such it smells like I just walked out of a plastic factory. 

This is really unfortunate, because I feel like (MALIN+GOETZ) really hit the nail on the head as far as moisture goes. I just don't think I could stand to smell this every day. 

Thanks for reading!

Review: Primavera Calming Moisture Cream

**This product was provided to me by a representative of the company. I am reviewing without being asked. My review is not influenced in any way.**

You guys all know that I’m addicted to my generic face moisturizer. It’s soft and light and wonderful. But I have been having a bit of an issue with it lately. Namely is that it’s a little heavy for the warmer months. Light for the rest of the year, but it’s been sitting on top of my skin lately rather than soaking in.

So when a Primavera representative provided me with a sample of this moisturizer, I was excited to try it.

Apologies for the sideways picture. Blogger seems to think it needs to be that way. Artistic, apparently.

I applied it fresh out of the shower, right after toning with the calming toner from the same starter kit.

At first, it felt a little heavy. A little thick. Like it didn’t quite want to sink into my skin. It did, eventually, but it still felt a little on the heavy side. My skin felt soft and wonderful, but I could feel it on my face. Almost like I had this layer between my skin and the outside world. And despite the fact that I did, in fact, have that layer, I would prefer if I couldn’t feel it every time I scrunched my face or touched my skin.

The smell is great, and the moisturizing qualities can’t be denied. This product is marvelous. It fixed up all of my dry patches from a day spent indoors. But in the end, I think that this is going to be relegated to the world of night creams. It’s a little too heavy for daily use for me.

Thanks for reading!

Review:Primavera Chamomile Calming Toning Lotion

**This product was provided to me by a representative of the company. I am reviewing without being asked. My review is not influenced in any way.**

As you may know, I don’t really use a toner. I’ve never found one that I liked. They all leave my skin feeling tight and with a lasting burning sensation. It’s always been unpleasant for me. I know the uses for a toner: extra cleansing, skin healing, etc. But for years I went without because I absolutely could not find one that didn’t make me want to scratch at my face from the tingling.

This sample, by the German brand Primavera, has put a stop to that. I was nervous about using it because of my prior experience with toners. But I figured that with chamomile in it, it couldn’t possibly be that bad.

And I was right! This is actually a really nice product. It is definitely thicker than most of the toners that I’ve tried. It’s smooth and almost gel like. Or serum like. A bit of both, really.

The fragrance, like the cream cleanser I reviewed previously, is soft and woodsy. Very natural and fresh.

After application, I felt a slight tightening in my skin. But other than that, it was nice. The cotton ball I used to apply it came away with a good bit of dirt and dead skin. Mildly horrifying, but at the same time satisfying. My skin felt super clean.

The best part is that it didn’t burn or sting at all. It tingled for all of a few seconds, but after that, nothing. My skin just felt healthy and glowing and soft.

For someone like me, who has never found a good toner, this is an awesome little miracle. I can’t wait to try the rest of the products!

Thanks for reading!

April Birchbox: Lierac Paris Toning Radiance Serum

Let me start off by saying that I have never used a serum before. Let alone with instructions almost completely in French. So I don’t really have anything to compare this to, but I’ll try my best.

Right out of the box, I love the bottle. It’s glass and tiny and adorable. You can never go wrong with adorable.

The product itself smells clean and fresh, not overbearing. A little hint of floral.

The serum is a mix between a cream and a gel, I feel. Soaks in fast enough, so there is no greasy texture. But once it dries, it feels just a little bit tight. However, I have come to expect that from anything that says toning.

Now, I used this product after removing my makeup and before applying my moisturizer for the night, just as the instructions said. Then, in the morning, I would apply before my moisturizer and makeup. Honestly, I would have used moisturizer over it even if the instructions hadn't said to, since it didn't make my skin feel nourished enough without a little something extra.

After several days of use, I did notice a slight improvement in my skin. It was brighter, clearer, and looked healthier. Now, whether that was from the added sunlight I got during that time or whether it was the serum remains to be seen.

Overall, though, the product was pleasant enough to use. Not moisturizing enough to replace my daily face routine, but it was light and brightening and made my skin feel healthier. In fact, it even seemed to reduce some of the acne that I was getting along my hairline.

While I won’t be buying this exact product, I’d never tried a serum before and now I might keep an eye out for one that strikes my fancy a little more. It was soft and subtle and didn’t make my face oily, like most moisturizers tend to do during the summer. And let me tell you, that’s always a plus. 

Thanks for reading!