August 2015 Birchbox!

Here it is--post number two, wherein we delve into my August Birchbox and see what goodies I get to test out this month.  My ipsy bag was pretty stellar, and I'm pretty excited about my Birchbox, too, but for different reasons.  Let's get to it!

How cute is this box's design?!? Here's a peek at the card: (Note how informative it is--are you listening, ipsy people?)

Let's run through the samples I got this month!

Product number one:

St. Tropez

Gradual Tan In Shower

(In Shower Tanning Lotion)

Full size, $25

Sample size - 1.6 fl oz

Sample value - $5.97

Tanning lotion is something I've never really tried, mainly because I've never really needed it.  I'm intrigued by this product, though. Apparently, you apply it after you've finished washing up in the shower, leave it on for 3 minutes, then rinse it off.  I'll give it a go just to see how I like it, though I can tell you now this won't be a product I'll purchase.  Should be fun to give it a go!

Product number two:

R+Co

Death Valley Dry Shampoo

Full size, $17-29

Sample size, 1.6 oz

Sample value - $7.37

I always enjoy dry shampoo, so I'm stoked to have this one.  I've previously gotten samples of shampoo and conditioner from this brand, and I feel like I liked those, so I'm excited to try out their dry shampoo, too.  Well done, Birchbox.

Product number three:

Air Repair

Complexion Boosting Moisturizer

Full size, $20

Sample size - .24 fl oz

Sample value - $2.40

This is supposed to be a really awesome rich face cream.  It's loaded with antioxidants and humectants, and can be used as a moisturizer or as a face mask by applying liberally and letting it sit for 10-15 minutes.  I'm not sure this sample allows enough product for the mask treatment, but it'll be nice to use as a moisturizer at night after taking off my makeup!  

Product number four:

theBalm Cosmetics

Balm Desert Bronzer/Blush

Shade: Take a Dip

Sample size - 0.028 oz

Sample value - $2.61

This sample is super small, you guys.  Like, I don't even know how I'd use this as bronzer.  I like bronzers, but this is just a bit too much work for me.  The shade seems nice, but I'd need a bigger sample in order to really try it out.  Regardless, here's a swatch I took on my finger.

Product number five:

COOLA

SPF 30 Organic Makeup Setting Spray

Full size, $36

Sample size, 0.34 fl oz

Sample value - $7.20

This was my sample choice for the month of August, and I'm super excited to try it out.  It smells pretty okay for a makeup setting spray, but I've not tried any other products like this before.  I'm pumped to test it out and see if it helps my makeup stay looking better for longer.  If not, hey--it's still an SPF 30 product, which can't hurt.

Okay, kids, that's it for this month's Birchbox.  Total value rings up at $25.55, which I'll admit isn't the most impressive value for them, but it's still more than 2x the $10/mo subscription rate.  I'm excited to try out most of these products, and the good news is that even if I don't love them, Birchbox still lets me earn points for those reviews.  I'm hoping to bank up my points to get a really nice set of brushes. :)  If you're interested in checking out Birchbox yourself, click here to sign up! It's a great way to get exposure to new products and brands that you might not otherwise pick up.  

Alright, my friends, this wraps up my August subscriptions.  My month in review may be a bit late, but I'll get back with you with some more thoughts on the products I've sampled this month--along with a few other exciting tidbits about this month.  Until then, don't forget to be awesome.

Best wishes,
Marlee

August 2015 ipsy Glam Bag!

Holy crap, friends--can you believe the new school is like 4 minutes away from starting?

I just got back from a great long weekend in the mountains (coming off of a wonderful week in the Outer Banks) and I'm feeling about as ready for this upcoming week of workdays as I can, I suppose.

So imagine how delighted I was to return home to this lovely sight:

Yaaaaay, mail!

I'm going to run through my ipsy first, and then I'll go through my Birchbox in a separate post, just to keep things organized.  I'm a little short on time, so we're going to get right to it!

First off, here's this month's bag and the "theme" card (that's absolutely useless in terms of giving me information on any of the products I received):

That houndstooth! I'm loving the design, though the "fabric" is really more like vinyl than actual fabric.  The "prep school" theme had me nervous that I wouldn't really like what I got this month, but I was pretty pleasantly surprised with what I got.  Let's dive right in!

Product number one:

AILA Cosmetics

Luxury Nail Lacquer

Shade: Mister Pookies

Appears to be full size!

Product value: $17.00

This shade doesn't photograph well, but it's described as a "steel grey with purple undertones," and even though I hate the name, I'm stoked on the color.  It's going to be perfect for fall, and I may even get it on my fingers the next time I go get my nails done! I've never spent more than $8 on a bottle of nail polish, so $17 seems pretty steep, but maybe it'll prove to be worth it.  We'll see!

Product number two:

LATHER

Ultra Mild Face Wash

Full size, $19

Sample size - 1 fl oz

Sample value - $3.17

This face wash smells remarkably familiar, but I can't place it.  (After a bit more consideration, I'm able to detect a distinct lavender scent, and that may be the familiar smell!)  I'm excited to try it out and see how well it works with my skin.  Should be plenty in this bottle for a few good trials.  

Product number three:

Doucce

Ultra Precision Eye Liner

Shade: Black (500)

Appears to be full size!

Product value: $22.00

Black eyeliner is always useful, and this one seems to be a pretty nice formula.  Like the nail polish, I think the price tag is a bit high, but I'm happy to have it and I'll certainly put it to the test as a tightlining mascara--whether or not it lasts in the waterline is the ultimate test! Here's a quick swatch I did to test out the formula. Felt pretty nice!

Product number four:

Hikari Cosmetics

Lip Gloss

Shade: Merlot

Product appears to be full size!

Product value: $13.00

So this month's ipsy bag was just determined to be a show-off with 3 FULL SIZE products.  Hikari is a brand I'm familiar with, though I haven't tried many of there products, so I'm excited about this one.  They market it as a high-shine finish lip gloss.  The shade I received, Merlot, is described as an intense red mauve.  It's a gorgeous shade and is, along with the nail polish, a great shade for fall as we move into cooler weather.  I threw some on my lips and took a quick selfie, shown below:

Product number five:

Jesse's Girl

Eye Shadow Primer

Full size - $5.99

Sample size, 0.1 fl oz

Sample value - $3.74

Jesse's Girl is a drug store brand that's starting to get some buzz, so I'm excited to test out this shadow primer.  Primers are generally either really good or really useless.  Let's hope this one is good!

Okay, friends, that brings us to the end of this month's ipsy Glam Bag.  In all this month's bag is coming in at a total value of $58.91--more than 5x the $10/mo subscription, which is pretty impressive.  If you're interested in checking out ipsy yourself, click here to sign up!

I'm off for now, but come back soon--August's Birchbox is going to be going up next! Until then, my friends, as always: don't forget to be awesome.

Best wishes,

Marlee