November 2015 Favorites

This is a long overdue post, about favorites that is.....But I haven't really fallen head over heels in a while.  Until this past month!  I have fallen in love with entirely too many things! Shhh, don't tell my husband (muah!).

First up is this NARS Steven Klein One Shocking Moment Cheek Palette.  This palette comes with 4 blushes, a highlight/contour duo and a bronzer.  Gorgeous packaging, long lasting color and beautiful shades anyone can wear.  Perfect staple for everyday use!!

Paloma contour duo, Laguna bronzer top row, Robotic, Blasphemy, Luster and Dolce Vita blushes bottom row

Courtesy of bubblymichelle.com

Laguna bronzer and Blasphemy blush

Next up is Chanel Perfection Lumiere foundation.

My favorite blogger, Stephanie Lange, raves about Chanel foundation so I had to try it myself.  I love it.  It has beige undertones and since I am more neutral, those shades work more with my skin tone. This goes on very light and I find is best applied with a beauty blender to achieve light coverage and a second coat for medium to full coverage.  It does have a very perfumey smell but it did not irritate my skin or make me break out.  It has a hefty price tag but a little goes a long way!!

My next favorite this month is Estee Lauder Double Wear concealer.  To be honest, I can't believe it took me this long to try it.  I fell in love with Double Wear foundation last year and since I am always on the hunt for a heavy duty concealer for my dark under eye circles, this should have been a natural selection for me.  It goes on light but dries to full coverage.  It is offered in a range of shades and I chose light.  It does not crease on me and stays on all day until my makeup remover takes it off!

Next, I tried Benefit Gimme Brow in a Sephora sample pack.  Since my brows are so thin to begin with, I was always nervous to try this product.  Since I have gotten bangs this winter, I have been letting my brows grow (thank god for bangs!!) and this is literally the perfect product to brush my brows in to place and add some color and volume.  It is described as a brow volumizing fiber gel and it does just that and looks so natural!!

Another sample I got from Sephora is the Tarte Lights Camera Lashes mascara.  My short stubby lashes always need a lift (hee hee) and this does the trick!!  It adds nice length and blackens them perfectly with 2 coats.

And my last favorite from this month are my ear jackets from Asos  These are another rec from Stephanie Lange.  They are gorgeous.  I have gotten so many compliments on them and even bought my mother a pair!  Sadly, they are currently sold out since I started this post but hopefully they will stock again soon!

And there ya have it!  My November 2015 favorites.  There have been so many holiday releases as of late and I just recently won an amazing giveaway on Instagram so I will be doing a haul post along with some more reviews soon!  Hopefully I can provide some great gift ideas for you!

And it is also that time of year when the DIY crafts and gifts start so let me know if you have any special requests!!

If you have any favorites from this month or love any of my favorites, let us know in the comments below!!

Have a great day!! xo

Upcoming 2015 Beauty Releases

Happy Friday Ya'll!!  Today I really just want to do show and tell.  I've come across some amazing products that some of will be releasing as soon as the end of this month!!  And believe me when I say I want all of them!!

First up is Benefit's They're Real Push Up Liner!!  As soon as this product came out I prayed that they would be releasing more colors than black.  And they heard my cries at night because not only is the liner coming out in 4 new shades but so is the mascara.

Another one of my favorite brands, Kat Von D.  These colors are gorgeous and if you have used them then you know how they don't budge from your lips.

Urban Decay is coming out with a 4th Naked palette, a Naked Smokey Palette.  

Lorac!!  Two new eye shadow palettes!!  One is all MATTE!!  Beautiful!!  And their own contour palette.

Mac's matte lipstick line.  This one is currently available on their site.

Glam Glow has done it again........Flash Mud......this is a brightening treatment mask.

Givenchy eye shadow palette....look at this packaging.  Who cares what is in it? :)

So now you can see why I am over here drooling away and maybe some things that will be on my birthday wish list (yes my birthday is in October and so what lol).

Which product are you most excited about??  Let us know in the comments below!!  And thank you to +TrendMood for always keeping us current xoxo

Have a great day!! xoxo

February 2015 Double Birchbox Unboxings

For those that need the breakdown, Birchbox is a monthly beauty subscription that sends you 5 samples tailored to your beauty profile.  However, it is their point system that makes them No. 1 in this industry IMO!  For every item you receive in your box that you provide feedback on, you get 10 points. When you get 100 points, that is $10 in cold hard cash that you get to spend in the Birchbox shop.  They have so many great brands and exclusive to Birchbox brands.

For now I have taken a break on getting two Birchbox boxes a month.  I am super excited to share with ya'll which NEW monthly sub I have replaced it with.  So stay tuned as that box should be arriving this week for me!  Okay on to the unboxings!

They love to feed your ego, too!

I did my experiment for a few months with two boxes to see how different my boxes would be.  For the most part I only had one month were both boxes were exceptional.  I will be doing a blog post soon on my ideas on how to get the most out of your Birchbox subscription, too.

Here is the first box.

• Benefit SugarBomb Lip Gloss-when I search for a lip gloss I need one that is not sticky.  This meets my expectations.  This is a pinky nude color with a nice shimmer to it.  Benefit never lets me down.
• Eyeko Skinny Liner-This is the star of this box. This eye liner is exceptional. It is smooth and precise. It allows me to get a great cat eye or get super close to my lash line.  Oh how I wish this came in more colors than black!
• Obliphica Treatment Hair Serum-I don't like the packaging of this product as I have to pour it into my hand which makes for wasted product.  But the serum itself smooths my hair and doesn't leave it greasy.  Smells great too.  Perfect for smoothing strands after putting hair into a fishtail braid!
• Gilchrist and Soames London Collection Shower Gel-I haven't used this product yet but am a sucker for British items. I also like to use these sizes for when I travel, HA, which isn't that often.  Based on other consumer reviews, this product is not overly flowery but not overly moisturizing, either.
• BeeKind Conditioner-I also don't fancy this packaging.  It's cardboard, enough said.  This brand has a purpose though and I love hearing about things like that.  Proceeds benefit honeybee and sustainable pollination research.  This product is organic and of course, made with honey.  There is a waitlist for this conditioner! I can't wait to try it :) 

This box I have marked as adventurous and trendy, this is my subscription that I have had since day one (over a year) and this is the profile I will be keeping.  

Second box......

Blushing.......

Great box!!

• Marcelle Gentle Eye Makeup Remover-The STAR of this box. This is exclusive to Birchbox and wow, it really exceeded my expectations.  I put some on a cotton round, held it on my eye lid for few seconds and wiped....all my eye makeup came off in one single sweep. It didn't even phase my contacts, either.  This product also has cucumber extract which helps reduce puffiness and under eye circles. BAM!
• Davines Minu Shampoo-I have received this brand before in a curly shampoo one, which I gave to my sister in law, so I was excited to see one that I can actually use! It smells great but I won't repurchase since it has sulfates in it, I can't say that it improved my highlights, either.
• Davines Hair Serum-So the full size product of this comes in a spray bottle, which I would have much preferred to a small paper container.  This was a nice serum and wasn't greasy feeling, either. A little goes a long way and if you have very fine hair, only apply to your ends. Putting serums on your roots will only weigh you down :)
• Harvey Prince Hello perfume-I must have been in a bad mood the last time I tried this because I did not care for it at all. I tried it again in this box and I liked it!  Perfect scent for Spring, which I am SO ready for. It is light and sweet and simple.  Yes, simple is the best word for it.
• Benefit Posiebalm-Another great lip gloss but it is a bit too pink for my liking.  It has mango butter in it which I wish I could eat but I don't think I should.
• And I received the same body wash as in the first box, so I won't retype all that stuff :) 

This box profile is the more natural, crunchy box profile and I think it reflects that well.  Overall, I think both boxes were even in the amount of products I love and liked,

For $10 a month, you can't beat the value and you get to try things you might not normally get the chance to!  Click HERE to sign up today! 

For those of you that have it, what did you think of this month's box??

Let me know in the comments below and if you have tried any of my items, what do you think??

Have a great day!! xo 

Benefit's New Roller Lash Mascara Review

Benefit was one of the first brands I used when I got into makeup.  I love their kits that come with a ton of products in them and don't get me started on the awesome and novel packaging.

I am quick to grab their new releases and was super excited to be able to try this one out before the official release of the product.  Stay tuned for when you can get it yourself!!

The best thing about this mascara is it is supposed to eliminate the need for the separate step of an eyelash curler, due to the "hook and roll" wand.  You roll your lashes outward while applying the product. I know, duh on the outward, but do it in a rolling motion instead of a swiping motion.

There are so many tiny little bristles on this wand and it really made my lashes quite long.  I don't think they were intending to claim great volume with this mascara but based on the below picture, can you tell which eye has Younique on it and which eye has the Roller Lash??

If you have used Kat Von D's mascara then you will be a pro with this one as this was effortless as with KVD's I did stick myself in the eye a time or two.

I actually just got an email that for today and tomorrow for VIB and VIB ROUGE, Sephora has a limited stock of these before their release date on February 27th!! Click HERE to buy now!!

Or enter ROLLERLASH when checking out with a $25 purchase to get a deluxe sample.

Final thoughts:

• I like this better than They're Real mascara
• This is great for my morning rush time or when I've already spent 30 minutes trying to figure out my eye shadow colors
• No smudging, No poking myself in the eye
• My lashes are not sticky or hard
• I can't agree on the holds curl for 12 hours just yet, maybe after multiple applications as I only did 2
• Lastly, it is worth the extra buck of $24 as opposed to $23 for They're Real
• In my picture above, the Roller Lash is on the right eye (looking at the picture) so you can SEE the length (2 coats of Roller Lash, 1 of Younique)

Are you excited for this product?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!!

Have a great day!! xo

My Love/Hate Month with Birchbox-October 2014

The "box"

Hi, my name is Brooke and I am addicted to all things beautiful.  Plus I LOVE surprises.....okay, now that we got that out of the way I can tell ya'll about my love/hate month with Birchbox.  Oh, also I cancelled Ipsy this month.  Out of the months that I had it, there was usually only one item I liked in each box, therefore I couldn't justify keeping it especially when I knew there were other boxes I wanted (i.e. I got the October BoxyCharm box heading my way because it has an entire Coastal Scents concealer palette so more to come on that).

So I decided I would order two Birchboxes this month since it is my birthday month.  Since I referred myself, I was also able to get a Benefit sample pack that was going to come in my new box (which we will call box #2).  My original subscription, Box #1's, profile had my preferences as adventurous, trendy and classic and that I wanted perfume samples. I have enjoyed every box I have received.  For box #2's profile, I kept only adventurous and trendy. I also said I did not want any perfume samples.  Another thing I want to mention is I never look at the sneak peek videos that they show as I always like to be surprised, plus I don't want to be let down if there was something I truly wanted.  This month though, I did see the sneak peak pictures on Instagram and knew some boxes would include the beauty blender and products from Coastal Scents, Macadamia, Dr. Brandt and Jouer.  Needless to say, I was giddy!!

Box #1 took forever to get here this month...unusual but I didn't let it get to me.  The day finally came and I got it!!

Loved the label this month!

Always love this touch of uniqueness

And then I opened the box.....

Such a letdown

This months theme is Fanfare

I was really in shock..,,,,Despite people's efforts in one of my groups telling me how good certain products were, this box is unlike any of the other boxes I have received in that I was not excited about one freaking thing.

Lets review.

First is Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm For Lips.

Tiniest sample ever made

Um, sorry, but any product that I can rub on both my nipples and my lips is just not desirable to me. This claims to repair dry, flaky, rough skin and and can be used as a primer and multi purpose balm.  It is also the winner of the award for smallest sample ever received.  I just wasn't happy with this product.  And no, I have not tried it yet. It is in my giveaway pile.

Next is Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser.

Another tiny sample

This sample is also quite small and I got two uses out of it.  I wasn't thrilled about this face product but at the end of the day it ended up being the best product in the box.  It comes out super gritty and you put a dollop in the palm of your hand and add water and scrub on your face.  It exfoliates and as you continue to rub it in to your face it starts to lather up and does a great job cleaning your skin. The smell on the other hand is identical to lemon pledge.  Don't get me wrong, I love lemons.  But this wasn't a fresh lemon smell, it was a weird lemon smell.  But hey, again, I had a nice two time run with it.

Next is CLEAN Rain Eau De Parfum.

I don't like perfume samples I have to pour on myself

The last time I received a sample of perfume from this brand, I did indicate I was not happy with it.  But my favorite smells are clean smells and musky, sexy smells so I gave this one a try.  Thumbs down.  The smell was okay, a tad flowery but also "clean" smelling but it was the fact that it seemed to have already dissipated before I even left the house.  I also don't like the samples you can't spray.  I feel like I waste so much product having to dab it on myself.

Next up is BeeKind Body Lotion.

Cute packaging

I haven't tried this yet but since I was already upset with the box, this poor guy was guilty by association. I use all of my hand lotion samples because I wash my hands so much at work so it is always convenient but I get them too frequently.

Last up is ModelCo Power Lash Mascara.

Another mascara

Another mascara.....I have read mixed reviews on this...clumping yet lengthening.  I put it in my giveaway pile. I love my Benefit and Too Faced.  The end.

So after I hooted and hollered on my Birchblogger page, Birchbox actually commented and told me to email customer service to convey my feelings.  I was already planning on doing that because they have great customer service and have always helped me out in the past.  I usually get points added to my account for any issues that come up and that makes me a happy girl.  That would also help me out a lot right now considering I have 199 points.......

So I emailed customer service.  The reply I got back (almost 2 days later) was less than satisfying.  I basically got a run down of exactly why these items were chosen for me and in summary it seemed to have been because I had "classic" as one of my selected profile options.  So for this first time in 11 months, I rated my service as Bad, Not Satisfied.

I don't need to know why these items were chosen for me......I wanted reassurance that I was still a valued customer even though I was so unhappy considering I had just gotten myself a second subscription!  I was also told "we do hope you stick with us".....One of the friends I referred was also extremely unhappy with this months box and she is getting Novembers box free.  I guess each customer service rep has the ability to decide how much service they want to give.

I have since changed my profile for Box #1 to trendy only.

Back to the boxes......Saturday I received Box #2.  Weirdly, my label was a normal one.

Plain ole Brooke

But when I saw my box, I nearly fainted.....

The perfect box

This is what I am used to getting in my box.  Perfection! Everything that I wanted and am ecstatic. Plus I was thrilled with the Benefit sample pack, too.

Now, remember the only thing I changed was I selected trendy and adventurous as my makeup style (no classic) and no perfume. And it resulted in a perfect mix of face, hair, body and makeup items.

The first thing I was so excited to receive is the Macademia Flawless Conditioning System.

Incredible product

I first came to love this product in the summer when I got it in my New Beauty Test Tube.  I have bought it several times since and have even gotten my beautiful cousin to buy it too! It is shampoo and conditioner in one. It adds volume and smooths my hair.  Not one single strand comes out of my head after using it either.  I love it.  It is healthy and full of great ingredients.  You only need a little bit and make sure you let it sit on your hair a few minutes before rinsing out and your hair will look great all day!  It is currently out of stock at Birchbox it is so amazing.  Plus this is a huge sample and will last a long time :)

Next up is Coastal Scents Revealed 2 Palette Sampler.

Gorgeous colors

I have recently come to love Coastal Scents and have their face palette and some of their high end brushes and love them. One of my past Birchboxes had the Revealed 1 sampler palette in it and I still use it to this day.  This sampler has both mattes and shimmers and the colors are gorgeous. They are highly pigmented and last all day.  I'm not really a pink girl but these will easily blend with the darker browns and grays for the seasons ahead.

Next up is Jouer Matte Moisture Tint in Linen.

Tiny but a little goes a long way

Now, some have said that Birchbox was very misleading this month with this and the beauty blender teaser.  If you click on the link above you will see it takes you to a collection of products but we only were going to receive one of the products listed.  Bait and switch??  I don't know.....I do know that I love Jouer.  I even bought the luminizing moisture tint (read review HERE) a while back.  I was excited to see matte for the colder months.  I was given shade Linen though which is a tad light on me.  I wish I would't have gotten such a light shade.  But I tried it under my makeup this morning and really liked the coverage though. A little goes a long way but it doesn't feel heavy or sticky.  I can absolutely see myself purchasing this full size. Actually I may purchase the whole collection linked above.

Next up is that Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser again.

Now I get to use it 2 more times though

I actually was pleased I got to use it again but this one was literally as hard as a rock. I had to take a knife to chisel the product to even get it to break up into chunks into my hand so I could use it.  It did not seem to affect the product but it didn't really foam this time.  It was a pain in the butt to have to do that to use it.  I liked that it was a rough exfoliator though. And it didn't bother my sensitive skin.

Lastly I got Essential Elements Wake Up Rosemary Shower Gel.

Cute lil bottle

My husband hates rosemary, if I even think about using this and getting near him, he surely won't be getting near me....know what I'm sayin?? :) Cute bottle but tiny and I put in my giveaway pile.

These are the items I got for my new subscription from Benefit.

It's Potent Eye Cream

Posiebalm Lip Balm

I have wanted to try the It's Potent Eye Cream for a while now as it is targeted for dark under eye circles.  So far, after two days, no difference.  I even have the cream in the fridge as it is so refreshing when I wake up but my Bobbi Brown concealer doesn't seem to agree with it so far, so I will stick to using it at night only.

Wow, I think this is the longest post ever!!  I am so glad that this was the month I decided to do my little profile experiment so I actually ended up with things I liked instead of breaking up with Birchbox over it.  I also am getting two more free samples for having referred myself and those just arrived at home.  However, I did have to email and inquire about them because I never received any notice.  Had I not, I would not have received them as my CS rep actually had to put in an order for them.

I know EVERYONE is talking about their boxes this month so let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

What are your profile preferences?

Have you ever changed them around based on what you received?  Did it make it better or worse?

Have a great day! xo

GlossyBox September 2014 Reveal

September 2014 GlossyBox

Another wonderful month from GlossyBox.  GlossyBox is $21 a month and everyone gets the same box.  They do have a points system, similar to BirchBox and Ipsy, and when you review your items received, you end up getting a free box.  What I love about GlossyBox is it is a great mix of makeup, skincare and haircare.  And luxury brands and deluxe items.  Most of them always include at least one full size product.  Click HERE if you would like to subscribe!

Also, this month's collaboration is with Harpers Bazaar, the magazine, so everything was hand picked to create a minimalistic, chic fall 2014 look :)

First Look

On to the awesome items.......

First up is the product I am most excited about this month! What's nice about these monthly boxes is they introduce you to things you might otherwise not have purchased for yourself.  And then you end up loving them. (and then going broke buying everything J/K)

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Black Dahlia. $18.00 product :)

The Perfect Matte Lip

I have always wanted to try this brand since they are 100% Vegan and Cruelty Free.  I have also heard wonderful things about them.  I can't say I have ever said I have wanted to try matte lip tar. Boy, am I glad I did.  The tiniest amount covers my whole mouth. And I absolutely LOVE the color. It is the perfect fall color and can go to a deep, deep dark burgundy the more you apply.  So PERFECT Halloween color, too!

My serious face

I am in love.  They have a TON of other colors, so make sure you click on the link above to check them all out.  They recommend priming your lip with a clear lip tar. I primed my lips with e.l.f.'s exfoliating lip balm.

Perfect for chapped winter lips

It is $3.00 and is the best I have found so far for chapped lips, so is perfect to prep for a matte color.

Okay, back to the box :)

Next up is Essie nail polish in She's Pampered. $8.50 product.

Great red for Fall

This is described as an indulgent red.  I think the more coats you apply the redder it will become as with two coats for me I still thought it was quite bright.  It is a very flattering color, especially for my pale white skin.  I cut back on tanning and am still upset about it.  This will be going on my toes next :)

Just a reminder, we have already exceeded the cost of the box with these two products that I love.

Next up is one of the staples in my beauty bag.

They're Real Mascara by Benefit. $10.00 product.

I am obsessed with the wand

The best thing about this mascara is the wand.  It truly brings out lashes I  didn't know I had.  Also, the SECRET to really getting the most out of this mascara is to apply both up and down with the entire wand and then turn it to use the tip to go over the lashes again to really extend the length.

Next is BVLGARI Eau Parfumme au the vert Conditioner. $16.00 product.

Fancy Pants Conditioner

To be honest, I will never buy this product.  In fact, I can't even find it online to buy it if I wanted to. Of course, I wanted to be fancy and try it (it is sulfate free after all), which I did, but sadly, I only smelled the fragrance in my hair when applying.  It didn't last the day which was very disappointing for such a pricey product. Besides that, I don't think there was any benefit to my hair.......

Lastly, is VICHY LiftActiv Night Cream. $13 product.

Thick Night Cream

This is described as a 24 hour moisturizer that fights the signs of aging and wrinkles.  It also is skin firming. I am a sucker for a thick, hydrating cream but I have not made up my mind if I am going to use this or give it to my wonderful mother :)

And there ya have it!  The breakdown of the September 2014 GlossyBox.

This was a great box for the value and I fell in love with another product for fall :)

Do you already subscribe to GlossyBox?  Want to? Click HERE.

What did you think of this month's box?

Let us know in the comments below!

Have a great day!