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

Beauty Sample Redux: July in Review!

Hello again, my friends!

July is almost over--is this freaking anyone else out as much as it is me?  August is my birthday month and it's sure to bring some excitement--I'll be in the outer banks for a week, then visiting one of my best friends in the mountains for a long weekend just before we start workdays to amp up for the new school year!

But as the month draws to a close, it's time to take a look back at the samples and products I've tested out this month.  Lots of stuff to talk about, so let's get started!

Can we talk for a moment about Sephora?  I've had a couple of pretty great experiences there this past month, and I've picked up a few things that I think warrant talking a bit about.

• Sephora-brand Face Masks: I'm developing an affinity for face masks in general, and I was pretty impressed with the choices available to me here.  I've tried out the Green Tea, Honey, and Pomegranate masks, and they've all been pretty great.  I have a Pearl mask and a Ginseng mask left to try at home, and I'm looking forward to them! They run about $6 per mask, which is fairly standard for a fabric/sheet mask, and I would definitely repurchase these in the future. 5 stars!
• Urban Decay Eye Shadow - Shade: Midnight Rodeo: This was the first ever Urban Decay eyeshadow I've ever owned.  The shade is a beautiful sandy taupe, and it's packed with glitter for an extra pop of drama.  Urban Decay isn't cheap, but this shadow caught my eye.  It wears well, but I've found that the trick to applying it is to use your finger to pat it on, rather than using a shadow brush.  When I applied it the first time, there was quite a bit of fallout, especially of the silver glitter.  Overall, I'd rate it a solid 4 stars.  Here's a little from Urban Decay's website about the shade.  (Click the picture if you're interested in more info!)

Bonus--here's a look I did the other day with this shadow on my eyes:

Gorgeous, right? Ugh.

Let's move onto the samples I received in this month's subscription services.

ipsy Samples:

• Nicka K New York Eyeshadow Quad in the shade NY081, Plumas - This quad is a really interesting combination of colors.  I'm really surprised at the quality of the shadows themselves--they are incredibly soft.  As is usually to be expected, they aren't as pigmented on the lid as they appear in finger swatches, but I found that if I used my finger to pat a little extra onto my lid, it helped with that.  Overall, I'd give these shadows 4 stars.  Here's a look I did using this quad on my lids!

• Jor'el Parker Eau de Parfum in the scent Classico - This was a miss for me, friends.  I did not enjoy this fragrance enough to wear it at all.  I'll hold onto it and maybe see if a friend wants it, but it just isn't for me. 1 star.
• Jersey Shore Cosmetics Mongongo Vanilla Coconut Cream Lip Conditioner - From rags to riches, my friends, because this product was a major hit for me.  It smells great, it feels fantastic, and it honestly makes my lips feel healthier.  It's really nice to apply before bed--you'll wake up with baby soft lips.  Most definitely 5 stars from me!
• Coolway Beachy Salt Spray - I've only had a couple of opportunities to try this product out, and it's just been okay.  Nothing super amazing about it, but then my hair hasn't really been able to hold much wave or curl for a few years now.  I'll take it with me on my trip next week to the beach to give it another shot, but right now it sits at 2 stars.
• Teeez Cosmetics Read My Lips Lipstick in the shade Killing Me Softly - Another miss for me, unfortunately, was this lipstick in what should be a great shade.  The thing that brings this product down for me is the formula.  It goes on pretty streaky and doesn't look all that great on my lips, even though I love coral shades.  I'll be passing it along to my friend Jennifer, though, so hopefully she'll enjoy it! I can only give the lipstick 3 stars.

Birchbox Samples:

• Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray - This product, while it smells delightful, is just okay.  Perhaps if I did more with my hair involving products I would enjoy it more, but as it is right now, I was bummed that I didn't love it more.  The effect it has on my hair is more akin to hairspray than dry shampoo, and it didn't give me much lift in my roots at all when I tried to perk up my hair.  Unfortunately, I have to give this on only 3 stars.
• stila look at me liquid lipstick in the shade venizia - Love, love, love! This shade is super bright and SUPER pigmented, but it has incredible staying power.  Like, when I say incredible--you can apply this in the morning, and it will still be there at dinner time.  The shade is really intense, so it's not exactly an every day wear kind of color, but it's really fun.  Solid 4 stars.  Here's a look I did this month--really simple eyes, along with the stila liquid lipstick. 

• COOLA Classic SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face - This sunscreen was nice and light and got a lot of use while I was down in Myrtle Beach visiting my folks.  It doesn't feel greasy, it smells nice and clean, and it was effective.  It's pretty pricey for a full size, so I'm not likely to purchase it, but it's been nice to use and I'll make sure I use it all up! 4 stars.
• dr. brandt microdermabrasion skin exfoliant - This scrub is pretty awesome.  It has a nice, light lemon scent, and it feels great--it's a very fine scrub.  It leaves your skin feeling soft, but not irritated like harsher scrubs can do.  If it wasn't so expensive, I'd for sure look into purchasing a full size, but at an almost $80 price tag, it just isn't practical for me, so I'll use up all of this sample and enjoy it while I can. 5 stars.
• Benefit Cosmetics They're Real! Mascara - A major favorite of most beauty bloggers I follow, this product was one that got me really excited.  It's a great mascara, though I've found that the brush can be a bit tricky in terms of getting mascara on my eye.  It is a great formula, though, and I'll use it all up! 4 stars.

That wraps up the samples I got this month.  A few random odds and ends about this month:

1. I grabbed a couple of matte lip products from NYX at my CVS, and I'm in love.  One is a matte lipstick in a medium wine sort of shade called Natural.  The other is a Soft Matte Lip Cream in the shade Milan, an intense rose pink shade.  Here are some pics from the NYX website of the two shades I bought:

NYX Matte Lipstick - Natural

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream - Milan (highlighted)

2. I'm officially a fan of bronzer.  It intimidated me to no end, but now that I've gotten to play with it, I'm in love with my tarte bronzer in Park Avenue Princess.  It's the perfect way to warm up my face and give it a sun-kissed glow.  

3. Keep your eyes peeled for a post to come--makeup essentials 101.  I'm thinking that I'll do a blog with some pictures, or maybe even a vlog--something like a getting ready with me video that'll show you how I go about putting together an everyday wear kind of makeup look.  

I think that's it for this month's wrap-up.  August will be here before we know it!  I have a sneaking suspicion that my Birchbox will arrive while I'm gone to Ocracoke during the first week of August...also, be forewarned that my posts may go up a bit late next month with everything I have going on.  As the school year kicks into gear, posting may be affected, but I'll do my best to at least do posts on my subscriptions and a monthly wrap up, if nothing else.  I hope you continue to enjoy the summer, and as always--don't forget to be awesome.

Best wishes,

Marlee

July 2015 ipsy Glam Bag!

Hello and happy almost weekend, my friends!

My July ipsy Glam Bag arrived in the mail today, so you know I was all up in it taking pictures and testing out my samples!  I'm excited to share with you the things that I received this month.  Before I zoom on into that, here's a bit about what ipsy is if you're unfamiliar.  Like Birchbox, ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription service.  You fill out a beauty survey to indicate what you're interested in, and they send you a fun makeup bag each month with 4-5 product samples for you to try out.  It's $10 (+tax) each month, and it's a fun way to learn about and test out a wide range of brands and products.  If you're interested in signing up, you can click here to check it out for yourself!

Now, enough time spent on that--let's moved on to the stuff you came here for--here are this month's products I've received to try out!

First up, here's a peek at the bag and the (as always) useless card that says the same thing and tells a bit about the theme of the month.  This month's bag is pretty cute!

Product number one:

Nicka K New York

HQ Quad Eyeshadow

Shade: NY081, Plumas

Sample is full size!

Product value - $4.99

So this brand is one I've not heard of before, and it appears to be a brand that seeks to offer high quality products at low prices.  This quad, which is a full size product available for purchase from Nicka K's website, is pretty impressive quality-wise.  The shadows are super soft, creamy, and packed with shimmer.  I'm excited to play with these colors, and I'll make sure I take pictures of any looks I create with them to include in my July wrap-up. 

Product number two:

Jor'el Parker

Eau de Parfum (Roller Ball)

Scent: Classico

Full size, $21-$55

Sample size - 8.8 ml

Sample value - $21.00

So the description on ipsy's website references the "spicy seduction of Indian Tuberose, the striking and sweet sensation of Turkish Cyclamen and the purifying calm of Spanish Mandarin," but I've got to be honest--this scent isn't really my style.  I got excited about the mandarin, but the main notes of this perfume are quite floral and heavy--they make me think of the perfume the 100-year-old librarian would wear when I was in elementary school.  I'm not sure if it's the tuberose that overwhelms the fragrance or the other floral component (Turkish Cyclamen), but it doesn't hit my nose in a way that's pleasant.  I might see if one of my friends or family members enjoys it--just because it isn't my style doesn't mean someone else won't love it.  Also, I have a hard time believing that this roller ball is worth $21.  But I'm not really big into perfume, so I don't have much of a frame of reference, I guess.

Product number three:

Jersey Shore Cosmetics

Mongongo Vanilla Coconut Cream Lip Conditioner

Sample is full size!

Product value - $10

This product might be my favorite thing from this month's bag.  It's super moisturizing, it smells great, and I've only put it on a couple of times today and my lips feel...better.  This product/brand is known for being organic and all-natural, so it makes me excited to add it to the products I carry in my purse.  Well done, ipsy.

Product number four:

Coolway

Beachy Salt Spray

Full size, $12.95

Sample size - 0.5 oz / 15 ml

Sample value - $1.96

I'm not super excited about this particular product, mostly because I've found that beachy salt products like this don't do a lot for my hair.  I'll give it a few tries and let you know more in my monthly wrap up, but I don't anticipate that this is going to do a whole lot for me.  It doesn't seem to have a strong scent--but I guess I'll know for sure once I try it out.

Product number five:

Teeez Cosmetics

Read My Lips Lipstick

Shade: Killing Me Softly

Sample is full size!

Sample value - $22

While I'm impressed to have received another full size product in this month's ipsy Glam Bag, I'm a bit disappointed in this one.  It's a pretty enough shade--I'm liking coral lips in general--but the formula is just not that great.  It's fairly creamy texture-wise, but it goes on sort of streak/patchy, and it just doesn't feel all that different from a standard lipstick (despite claims of being moisturizing, etc).  I've not been able to really test its lasting power, but I'd be skeptical that it's all that long-lasting.  I'll add it to my makeup bag, but it probably wont get much use from me.  (The packaging is super cute, though.)

That's all that I got for this month with ipsy--overall value comes to almost six times the subscription cost at $59.95, but I would personally contest the "value" of some of the items I got this month.  Regardless, I'm glad to have gotten some new goodies to play with, and I look forward to giving you all some more thoughts when I wrap up this month in my next post.

In the meantime, keep enjoying your summer, my friends, and don't forget to be awesome.

Best wishes,

Marlee

PS - New here?  Take a walk down memory lane and check out some of my other posts about ipsy, Birchbox, mini-hauls, and month-in-reviews!  Take a look to the right into my archives for those links. :)

July 2015 Birchbox!

Hello again my friends!

I'm super excited to bring you the scoop on the samples I received in my July Birchbox.  It was a total surprise for the first time in a long while, mostly because it arrived today, the 9th, and sneak peeks can't be seen until the 10th on the app.  I was thrilled to get it now, because I'm heading to go see my parents in Myrtle Beach tomorrow for a long weekend.  So now I have some neat things to bring with me and play with while I'm there!

Let's start by taking a look at the gorgeous box design for July, shall we?

This month's box features a super cute and super summery bright graphic pattern on the box, and I'm in love.  The other picture above shows you how my box looked upon opening it. Included along with the information card shown below (on the right) was a special offer from Benefit (shown below on the left) along with some information about their new shades of the They're Real! mascara and push-up gel eye liner.  

Here's my info card that details all of my products, along with their full-size prices.  I love that Birchbox makes it super easy to track down any products you love from your box to purchase in full-size form.  (Ahem, ipsy might want to pay attention to this part. Just saying.)

Without any further ado, let's get to the goodies!

Product number one:

Oribe

Dry Texturizing Spray

Full size, $22-42

Sample size - 1 oz

Sample value - ~$5

Oribe is a brand I've heard a lot about, but never been able to try.  Texturizing spray is described as an alternative to dry shampoo; it does a lot of the same things.  It helps soak up excess oil and is supposed to add volume.  Even better--it smells amazing.  I'm excited to give this product a try.  I had to estimate the value of the sample because I got different prices based on which full size product I compared the sample to, so I went with the lower value and rounded it up a few cents to $5.  

Product number two:

stila

look at me liquid lipstick

Shade: venizia

Full size, $22

Sample size - 0.05 fl oz

Sample value - $11

Liquid lipstick is becoming the new trend for lip products--all of the major makeup brands have come out with their version of liquid lipsticks.  They're usually super pigmented, dry to a matte finish, and have a decent amount of staying power.  I've become a fan of matte lip products in general, as they offer an alternative to the glossy, shiny lip products that often don't have the same amount of lasting power.  This shade, venizia, is a bright coral shade that I'm pretty much in love with.  Below is a swatch on my hand, along with a picture of my otherwise makeup-less face with the liquid lipstick on my lips.  This stuff is, as mentioned before, super pigmented.  It also dried to a matte finish in seconds, and after repeated tests, it's not transferring at all.  I'm certainly impressed.

Product number three:

COOLA

Classic SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face

Full size, $32

Sample size - .24 fl oz

Sample value - $4.52

COOLA is a great brand--I've previously gotten a tinted face moisturizer that I really liked from them.  It was light and it basically disappeared upon application.  This moisturizer is more like a typical sunscreen consistency, though it's a bit on the runny side.  It has a nice, clean cucumber scent.  I'll be tossing this into my suitcase for the weekend and trying it out at the pool!  You can't ever have too many sunscreens, right?

Product number four:

dr. brandt

microdermabrasion skin exfoliant

Full size, $78 (!!)

Sample size - 0.25 oz

Sample value - $9.75

This is another brand that I've gotten some products from in the past that have been hit or miss, but when I saw the price tag on the full size of this product, I did a double take.  Two ounces of this scrub will run you almost $80!  I'm hoping with a price tag like that, it'll be a miracle product.  I've gotten other microdermabrasion scrubs before in Birchbox, and I generally like them a lot.  They're usually a really fine grain scrub, and they're super effective without irritating your skin.  This product is only recommended for use 1-2 times per week, so it must pack a punch.  I'll give a go and let you know how it works out!

Product number five:

Benefit Cosmetics

They're Real! Mascara

Shade: Beyond Black

Full size, $24

Sample size - 0.1 oz

Sample value - $8.00

Benefit is becoming a favorite brand of mine--I already own a couple of products by them that I love: their Roller Lash Mascara and their Gimme Brow.  This mascara is often touted as a favorite by some of the beauty bloggers I follow, and is generally hailed as a "holy grail" of mascaras, so I'm pumped to have the chance to try it out.  Below is a close up of the brush--it's a rubber wand, but I noticed that it has a cluster of bristles on the tip of the wand.  My assumption is that these bristles allow access to tight spaces, like the inner corner of your eye.  

As I didn't have any makeup on--aside from the liquid lipstick from earlier, I decided to test the mascara out.  I first applied it only to one eye, and it was pretty noticeable.  Check it out below:

On the left side of this picture, I've applied the mascara. 

 Just to be thorough, I went ahead and applied it to both eyes to see the full effect.  I'm impressed, and definitely excited to use this mascara more in the future with full-on make up looks!

Well, there we have it, friends! I'm pleased with this month's box.  The overall value came to almost $40 ($38.27, to be "exact").  Again, the total value of the items in this box far exceeds the $10 price tag on the subscription.  If you're interested in signing up for your own Birchbox subscription, you can do so by clicking on this link.  

I guess that wraps up today's blog.  The next time I'm here, it'll be to share my July ipsy goodies with you!  I'm off to get some homework done so I can enjoy my time with the family this weekend.  I might take a stroll on the beach, but no worries--between the sharks and the jellyfish, you can bet I'll be doing all of my swimming a pool.  Stay safe, enjoy your summer, and as always, don't forget to be awesome.

Best wishes,

Marlee