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!

July 2014 GlossyBox-Spoilers Inside!!

I was going through subscription withdrawal as always towards the end of the month and voila! My July 2014 Glossybox has arrived! Glossybox is a mix of beauty, hair and skin care from deluxe brands that always comes with at least one FULL size product.  It is $21 a month.  This month one of the full size products was $45 which is more than double the cost of the box, so always well worth it in my opinion.  Sign up HERE!

I always love getting the nice boxes they send  because I have used each box for something :)

This is what I saw when I opened it.....

They always include a nice pamphlet with the full size price of each item and how to use each item.  Ipsy is the only subscription I get that actually doesn't do that.

I love surprises so I never look at the sneak peeks of what we are getting when they are posted on social media BUT this month I did see one on accident but was super happy!

GlamGlow YouthMud Tinglexfoliate Treatment Mask!!  I have had this sample several times from Sephora and love it.  It is a wonderful mud mask that cleans out pores and tightens skin.  It is made with French Sea Clay, Green Tea Leaves (there are actual pieces in there) and Volcanic Pumice Rock.  I use it several times a week.  There is a small and large size you can test out at Sephora.  Get it HERE.

Now, the star......

Skin, Inc. Anti Aging Serum.  This bad boy right here is $45!!!!  It says it will promote elasticity and log lasting hydration improving the quality of my skin.  Um, SCORE!! :)

Philip B Detangling Toning Mist.  They have sent Philip B products before and they are great.  This will remove unwanted residue and deposits (like facial toner) and because it has apple cider vinegar in it, it will increase shine by sealing the cuticle.  I was worried about the smell, but it says it goes away after a minute, so we will see!

MITCHELL and PEACH Body Cream.  I am British, enough said....whenever I get lotions like this or smells like this (this has English honey, cocoa powder and shea butter), it always brings my grandmother right there next to me.  She always comforted me and this smell is just like her.

Malin+Goetz Mojito Lip Balm.  Another full size product, valued at $12!!  First thing I thought of was drinking a mojito so I guess that was a good thing :)  That is the flavor, duh and says it will protect, hydrate and offer some shine without stickiness!

And there ya have it!

I was sad that there was no makeup this time but I was happy with 4 out of 5 so I think this month was a good box.  Last month's box was incredible so I will give them some slack!

Were you happy with your Glossybox this month?

Have a great day!

Birchbox VS Ipsy July 2014 Showdown

It's that time again!!  Birchbox July 2014 and Ipsy July 2014 boxes.  I am excited to show ya'll both of them!!

Birchbox is a monthly beauty subscription service that is $10 a month.  You can cancel at any time and there is currently a promotion going on where if you sign up with the code WOMENSHEALTH100 you will get $10 added to your account to go towards purchases in their online store.  This month's box is in conjuction with Women's Health magazine.  You can get full sizes of most all of the brands that Ulta and Sephora sell there, plus Birchbox Exclusives! Sign Up Here!

Here is what I got this month!

The first thing that was in the box was a card for a full year of Women's Health magazine for free! That is valued at $9.99 and already covers the cost of the box.  They also included a fun little booklet that gives you 12 activities for health to do during the month :)

Ipsy is also $10 a month and can be cancelled at any time.  They also work on a point system that goes towards additional products in your bag each month.  Plus for each item in you bag, you can get discounts when buying the full size product! There are currently no promotions going on but the exciting this is each month they send you a reusable fun makeup bag to keep all of your goodies in.  This months was a vinyl hot pink bag! Who doesn't LOVE that??  Sign Up Here!

Here is what I got this month!

Now for the fun part, the breakdown to find out who won this month!!

First up for Birchbox is Jouer Moisture Tint.

SO happy I got this! I have heard wonderful things about this brand and haven't gotten it yet, so I was just beyond excited.  I got the color in Deep Bronze which is perfect for my summer tanned skin.  When I buy the full size, I will go down one color as it is too dark for winter.  This is pretty much a BB cream, in a way. Very luminous and bronze-y! I love the way it gives my face that just tanned look and it skips a step of actual bronzer.  Get It Here!

Ipsy gave me Hang Ten Dark Tanning Oil, SPF 8.

I know it is a low SPF but I usually go to the tanning bed before laying out to make sure I don't burn so I will be using this for sure.  It smells nice and is pretty self explanatory :) Get It Here!

Birchbox won for these items.

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Next, Birchbox gave me a full size Sumita Contrast Eyeliner in Raina (deep navy blue).

I LOVE the color, it is so pretty and can be used darkened or light because of the thin tip.  Plus it looks great with my go to gold shadows for summer and can easily transition to fall.  Get It Here!

Ipsy gave me Benefits They're Real Mascara.

This is already my favorite mascara so I can always use another.  The best thing about this mascara is the wand!

I mean, it separates each and every lash.  It is wonderful. Plus it stays on all day and does not flake. Get It Here!

I actually have to give this to Birchbox only because I received a new product from them.

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The next items are hard to compare as they are so different in product type.

Birchbox gave me Caudalie Divine Oil.

 Now, if you follow me, you know that this is my favorite high end skin care line.  And since I currently use the Overnight Detox Oil and this is the next similar product from them, I was happy to be able to try it out! This one can not only be used on the skin, but also on cuticles and nails.  And the scent is not as woodsy as the Detox Oil.  Get It Here!

Ipsy gave me Tints & Sass Cherry Lip & Cheek Stain.

I currently use Benefit's stain as it is more of a rosy color and will sample this.  If it's not for me, it goes to the giveaway contest pile! What's nice about these stains though is they truly do last all day, unlike a powder or a cream will.  Get It Here!

Wow, so far, not a real competition here......
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Next up, Birchbox gave me Whish Shave Gel in Acai Grapefruit.

I had never seen anything like this, much less heard of the brand.  Of course, it is summer so I was able to use it the day I got it.  Went on super thick, smelled great and no nicks or cuts!  I even had my husband smell my legs and he loved the scent.  They have a ton of other scents, too.  A bit pricey though.  Get It Here!

Ipsy gave me Lavilin Jojoba Gel Cream Skin Soother.

A nice ingredient lotion, great for summer skin and winter skin.  Get It Here!

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Lastly, Birchbox gave me Number 4 Super Comb Prep & Protect Leave In Hair Conditioner Spray.

Heat protector, color protector and sun protector.  I can never have too many of these lying around! Get It Here!

Ipsy gave me Bare Minerals 5 in 1 Cream Eye Shadow in Divine Wine.

I love Benefit so am super happy with this one! The color is also super pretty and can be used alone or layered with another color.  Also says it lasts for 12 hours and brightens the eyes, so that is a plus too!Check out all the colors and Get It Here!

Ipsy got this one for sure :)

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Ipsy-1

It is also a draw with the 1 year free magazine from Birchbox and the hot pink bag from Ipsy!

But overall, the winner this month by a long shot for me, was BIRCHBOX!!!

What did you get this month??

I would love to see!

Do you have any questions that you want to know before signing up to one of these monthly beauty subscriptions?

Let me know in the comments below!

Have a great day!!!

June 2014 Birchbox VS Ipsy

It is my favorite time of the month!!  When all of my beauty boxes come in!!  Unfortunately, I am still waiting for my Beauty Box 5 to arrive, it is MIA...but I got my Birchbox and my Ipsy bag.

I actually got this idea from my friend, Hannah.  You can find her blog here.

So let's take them to the ring and see who comes out ahead, shall we??

Here is a look at both of them as whole first.

Birchbox

Ipsy

Right off the bat, I can tell you that Birchbox gave me 8 items this month and Ipsy gave me 5 (not including the bag).  That is a lot for Birchbox, by the way, but I think the hair care items should be considered one item as a whole since they will all be used together to get the complete affect.

It is hard to do a complete comparison per items but let's try :)

First up is hair!

Birchbox gave me three items by Davines.  Smoothing Shampoo,Smoothing Conditioner and All In One Milk Treatment.  The description is for harsh, frizzy hair which I do not have.  My hair is fine and limp and thin.....But it can get frizzy due to the weather so I will try these on a humid day to really put them to the test.

Ipsy's hair item is Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray.  Now this I will use a lot this summer after the pool, to get some texture in my hair and try to revive some of the natural wave I get with my wet hair!

Ipsy gets the point for this round!

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Next is face!

Birchbox gave me Caudalie Anti Wrinkle Defense Serum.  I LOVE Caudalie!!  Not too happy that the sample is extremely small and only gave me one and a half uses, though.

Ipsy's face item was Clarisea Rapid Detox Charcoal Exfoliant.  The only critique on this item is the way to use the product.  It is a tub of salt.  So you need to get it out with your fingers and mix with water on one of your hands and then apply to face.  It was hard once my fingers were wet to not get the entire tub of salt wet.

Birchbox gets the point for this round!

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Next item is a little harder to classify.

Birchbox gave me Egyptian Magic Skin Cream.  This is directly from the product description: This 100 percent natural cream, said to be derived from a formula found in ancient Egyptian tombs, can pretty much do it all. It’s a face cream, an eye gel, a hair masque, a treatment for burns, and has even been know to heal psoriasis and eczema.

I tried this on my heels, as they have already been through a rough winter and with wearing sandals all the time, need some TLC.  Two applications and they are already so soft and moisturized.  This lotion also helped heal my cuticles.

Ipsy gave me Laneige BB Cushion.  I was dissapointed because it wasn't a larger sample in my specific shade.  But boy am I in love now!!  I used the medium shade and it comes with a puff for application.  It smells great, easy to apply, matched my skin tone perfectly, moisturized my skin, covered my pores, evened out my skin tone and that was all after one use!  Now granted, I don't think I will get a second use out of it but since I will get a discount through Ipsy and it is at Target, I will most likely be buying this!

Here is how it looks on me!!

Ipsy gets the point for this round!

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Next up is lips!

Birchbox gave me Laqa and Co Fat Lip Pencil.  I am not sure the name of the color but I do not like it.....it was actually cakey once I put it on my lips and the color was way too pink.

Ipsy gave me NYX Cosmetics Butter Gloss.  I haven't tried this yet but it is also a pink shade.  Hopefully it has a better texture and since it is gloss will have high shine.

Ipsy gets the point for this round!

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The next couple of items are really miscellaneous from both bags as they don't really compare.

Birchbox gave me Joie Folle De Joie perfume.  I really like the scent, it is both floral and woodsy.  I would never buy this though as it costs $98 for 3.4 ounces.

Ipsy gave me Jesses Girl Liquid Eyeliner.  HORRIBLE HORRIBLE! It says to shake prior to opening and it exploded all over me and was a drippy mess!!

Even after I cleaned it off, you can see in the above picture it was still dripping on its own.  This is in the garbage now.  I will be emailing Ipsy to see if they will do anything about this.

Birchbox gets the point for this round!

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Birchbox gave me Ghirardelli Cherry Tango.  This was considered an "extra" bonus item.  I don't like almonds, dark chocolate or cherry chocolate.  This will be going to someone else.

Ipsy comes with a special bag every month.  This one was by Rebecca Minkoff.  LOVE LOVE LOVE!  It is a gorgeous pattern and it is kind of a vinyl material so it is much more sturdy than prior bags.  All my friends love it too!!

Ipsy gets the point for this round!

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And Ipsy is the winner this month!!

Did you get the same stuff I did?

What do you think of Birchbox and Ipsy this month?

Let me know below!

Have a great day!