Monday, July 27, 2015

July 2015 Custom Starbox - Review - Starlooks






About a month ago I was picked to be able to review the Starlooks Starbox which I was super excited about because I had completely forgotten that I had even signed up to do this.  If you've never heard of Starlooks' subscription service before they have two different boxes to choose from.  One of their boxes to choose from is the Looksbook membership which sends you 3 of their Perfect Size cosmetics along with a travel-size "book" that holds those three products and a tips and tutorials booklet.  They also have the customizable Starbox subscription, which is the one I have received.   For the customizable Starbox you get to choose the 3 Perfect Size cosmetics plus 3 Fashion/Lifestyle brand gift cards.  Both subscriptions are $12 a month.  Each month your order is processed by the first of the month and you have until the 10th to choose your items, and on the 20th is when they begin shipping out boxes.






The first thing I noticed when I received my Starbox was how tiny the box itself was.  The packaging is really cute and I love how they don't just throw everything in the box, but they put all the products inside a little cute bag and the gift cards in an envelope.





The first item I chose was their Lip Gloss in the shade "Mad Crush".  The lighting in my house is terrible so my picture doesn't give off it's true color, but it seems more of like a dusty rose shade.  On me this is about a shade or two darker than my natural lip color.  I'm not usually a fan of lip glosses but I'm really liking this one so far because it's not sticky and it lasts a pretty good amount of time.






This is the second item I chose because while I love blush I don't have very many.  I love this blush it feels super soft when swatched and the color payoff once applied to cheeks is a gorgeous shade.  The swatch I did on my hand, pictured below, did not show up as great as when I applied with a brush on my cheek bones.  This may have just become my new favorite.  While I will most likely only use this as a blush it can also be used as a bronzer or highlighter.








This is the last product I chose and also a first for me.  I really wanted to try this product because I've never owned one like it before, and I thought it'd be something fun to try.  This product definitely has a lot of pigment but does blend out very nicely.  I also really like that it doesn't make my already oily skin feel more greasy.










These are swatches of all three products I received this month.  
From top to bottom: 
Rose Gold blush
Mad Crush lip gloss
 High Life liquid illuminator







The last few things I received were gift cards.  A $20 gift card towards any cosmetics asides from the Starlooks Signature Celebrity Lines which I used to purchase their cream blush in the matte shade Hot Passion.  A $20 gift card towards any Scheana Marie by Starlooks product which I used to purchase the Soleil Bronze Bronzer compact.  The last was a $25 gift card to ELEVENPARIS which I seem to of accidentally gotten two of.  I ended up using the ELEVENPARIS gift cards to buy a pair of BASRAF Natural Shoes.



My final thoughts on this subscription box is that I personally think it's an awesome box especially for only $12 a month.  I like that you're able to choose what items you'd like to try out for that month and which gift cards you want.  The one thing I wish was different are the product sizes especially since you only receive 3 products.  Although you only receive three small products the gift cards do help to make it better.

If you're interested in trying out the Starbox subscription I'd love for you to use my referral link.


I received the Starlooks Starbox to review and these are my own opinions.





July 2015 Birchbox - Review





Since I stopped blogging for a while I haven't been posting about Birchbox at all and my past boxes have been pretty half and half with what I love and hate.  So anyways with Birchbox if you don't already know it's a $10 monthly subscription service that sends 4-5 beauty and lifestyle products each month.  When you sign up you fill out a small beauty survey so they can custom select product that would work best for you.  Every once and a while I do receive products that I cannot use but for the most part they do send things I can.  This month the theme was 'go bold' which is exactly what their sample choice, liquid lipsticks, were.




 The first item in every box is a card that tells you every item you received in your box along with how much the full size will cost and how to use the product.





This is the first product I received this month which was also the sample choice.  You can buy all 3 shades in the Birchbox shop for $20.  For this sample choice you could choose between three shades:  Bella, Beso, and Venezia.  I ended up choosing Venezia but when I opened my box I was happy and surprised to see that I had been sent two of the lipsticks!  The other shade I received was Beso.  These liquid lipstick are crazy with staying power.  After swatching these on my hand they did not want to come off at all.  Beso is a really bright red shade where as Venezia is a super bright coral although it comes off as way more of an orange on me.  These shades are gorgeous especially if you love a super bright lip color.  I will say, for me, these shades do take some getting used to if you don't normally wear bold lip products.





This is the next product I received and one that I was looking forward to trying and the full-size retails for $25.  In a previous box I received the Liz Earle Cleanse and polish hot cloth cleanser which I really liked so it was nice to see another product from them.  This is a nice hydrating toner but one thing I will say that I didn't like about this product was the scent.  It's some sort of floral scent but not very sweet, just not a smell I love on my face.  Luckily the fragrance doesn't linger which is good.





This is the next product I received and the full-size retails for $24.  To be honest I'm not a huge fan of hair sprays.  The reason I don't like them is because they can leave your skin feeling sticky and your hair feeling crunchy.  This hairspray was really nice though.  First off I love Amika products because they smell amazing.  So although I wasn't excited to receive a hairspray I have used this one a few times because it's not a heavy spray so it doesn't make my hair feel gross and it just makes my hair smell really good.






This is one product I will be so happy when I don't see it in my box anymore.  For one I can't use products like this on my face because for me it makes my already oily skin just feel gross.  Another reason is I've received similar products now for three boxes in a row.  If you love moisturizers with SPF you can purchase the full-size of this in the Birchbox shop for $32.







This is the last product I received this month and ended up giving away because I have oily skin that tends to be super sensitive and I just could bring myself to put an oil on my face. This product for the full-size retails for $48.  


My overall opinion of this months box was okay, out of the six products I only disliked two which I think is pretty good.

If you'd like to try out Birchbox for yourself you can sign up HERE

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Influenster I do VoxBox - Review - July 2015


I've been a member of Influenster for a few years now and this is the first box I have received in a while.  I was super excited when I saw that I had been accepted to review the I do voxbox this month.  If you don't know what Influenster is or recently found out about it and want to know more.  Influenster is a website that is based on product reviews, so if you love a product or hate a product you can share you opinion so that others know your experience.  When you create an account you will have snaps to complete which gives Influenster more of an idea of what you like, and this can help you with becoming chosen to do surveys to see if you match what they are looking for in order to review your own box.  Connecting your social media accounts also helps your score rise and give you more of a chance to receive a box to review yourself.  You can visit their website for more information on how it works.  





 


The first thing you receive in their boxes is a card telling you about all the products you have received.  This card tells you what the product is, how to use it, and how much it will cost you to buy it for the full size.




 Indeed Labs: nanoblur

 This is the first product I received which is a primer.  This product retails for about $19.99.  After using this I'm not so sure that I like it honestly.  I used it with the foundation I received and it just made my face look really cakey.  When applying by itself, after drying, it makes my skin feel very soft and smooth.  I'm wondering if trying it with a different foundation would work better but so far I'm not too happy with it. 





 COVERGIRL: Outlast Stay Luminous Foundation

This is the second product I received and retails for about $11.30.  I love trying new foundations to see if they work better with my skin than the one I'm currently using.  This seems to be a light/medium coverage.  One coat of this foundation is pretty light coverage but with a second coat it seems to build up the coverage a bit.  I received this in the shade 810 Classic Ivory and after applying a second coat thing I could have used a shade that's a tad darker at least during the summer.   This shade and formula seems like it would be better for winter months at least for me since my skin is more oily during the summer months and this foundation does give a dewy finish. I did apply this with a damp Real Techniques sponge and the application was nice except it seems to settle into the pores around my nose and I'm wondering if maybe I only use this once then maybe it won't do that since the cover is lighter with only one application.  So far my opinion on this product is so-so.





 COVERGIRL: Outlast Lipstick

This was one product I was really excited to receive because lately I've been loving lipsticks.  This product retails for about $9.80.  I received this in the shade Plum Fury.  This shade is really pretty and very pigmented.  A great thing about this lipstick is that it feels very hydrating and not drying like some lipsticks.  I've been wearing this lipstick since I received it and I'm still loving it.  The shade is build-able so I can put it lightly on my lips for subtle color or layer for a darker shade.





 Skinnygirl: Tasty Nutrition Bar

This is the next product I recieved in Dark Chocolate Almond with Coconut.  These retail for about $4.99 each. This bar was amazing which isn't what I usually expect from a nutrition bar.  I loved the flavors together and it just tasted like a really good snack that I could definitely see myself buying.  I was only able to eat about half of it though because my daughter wanted the rest of it, I can't wait to try the other flavors especially the chocolate chip cookie dough ones.





 Sahale Snacks: Grab & Go

The next item I received was another snack which was Classic Fruit + Nuts.  This product retails for $27.46 for 18 which is around $1.52 each.  This particular pack comes with dried apples, cranberries, roasted almonds, cashews and pistachios.  I was most excited about this pack because I love pistachios.  These were really good and I shared them with my 3 year old daughter and she loved them as well.





 Neutrogena: Hand Cream

This is the next item I received and it retails for about $3.99.  I can definitely say I've never used a cream quite like this one before it reminds me more of a Vaseline the way it looks.  This will be great for the winter months when my hands dry out really bad.  It's great because a little bit goes a long way, it doesn't leave a greasy feel but it does feel a bit weird on my hands.  The great thing about this product is that asides from using it on your hands it can also be used on your elbows, knees, face and lips.  I can definitely see myself using this more on my legs than anything so this is a great product for me.




 URGENTRx: Ache & Pain Relief

The last product I received is this packet which retails for about $1.38.  Although I have not used this product yet I think it's great to just throw in your purse if you're out and about in case you get a headache.  Which is great for me since I always seem to be getting headaches especially when it's hotter outside.



I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes all of which are my own honest and unbiased opinions.

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Just Natural Skin Care - Review






So, I've been away from blogging for a while now because I felt I needed a break, but I've decided to start up again.  I felt really bad that I hadn't gotten to reviewing these products sooner so here, finally, is my review.  I can't recall how I heard about this brand, but I was really interested in trying out their products because of the fact that they are a company that uses natural and organic ingredients.  They are alcohol free, cruelty free, paraben free, chemical free, no GMO's, gluten free, sulfate free, natural and organic, vegan and made in the USA.  If you'd like to find out more about their company and the ingredients they use you can check out their website, and their about us page

Each of the products below I have included a link for that specific product if you'd like to check it out or purchase it from their website. I was sent these products in exchange for my honest opinions and reviews.










The first product I received was their Natural Facial Polish.  This is the full-size, which is 4 oz. and they sell it on their website for $26.99.  The price does seem high but this product will last a while, and it's all natural.  This is the product I chose to review from them.  I was really excited to try this product because I love products like this.  Lately I have been a little worried with trying new face products because my skin seems so sensitive, but this luckily didn't break me out, it made my face feel very soft, and it was very gentle on my skin.  

This product has purifying natural micro beads that gently exfoliate your skin and remove excess oils, dirt and dead skin cells.  The Jojoba and Sunflower beads are perfectly found which makes for no irritation to the skin, but instead gently buff and polish the skin.  "As the micro beads are smoothing away rich emollients from Tucuma butter and Black Currant Seed oil deliver rich natural nourishment for a healthy appearance and lasting moisture."








The next thing I received was their Peppermint Foot Lotion.  Their full-sized product is 8 fl. oz. which they sell on their website for $16.99.  I usually don't use foot lotions because I hate when my feet feel slippery, but this product rubs in very nicely so your feet feel soft instead.  Plus, it smells amazing which is definitely always a plus.  Some great benefits to this foot lotion is that it provides active 100% natural moisturizers.  Coconut and Grapeseed oils are used to soften your feet, Murumuru butter with Apricot Kernel oil  helps to relieve dryness and calms irritated skin.  Karanja oil, which is also used, is a great moisturizer and has antibacterial properties that help act as a natural deodorizer.  Lastly, Bayberry Fruit wax is used to help provide a natural barrier of 24 hour hydration, softening and relief.






Natural Body Lotion

The last product I was sent, was their Natural Body Lotion.  This is their full size which is 16 fl. oz. and they sell it for $24.99. I'm usually pretty picky about lotions that I use so I won't lie I wasn't super excited to receive this product.  I did use it once and it was very moisturizing, but I ended up giving it to my Husband's Grandmother instead because she loves lotions.  I can definitely say she used almost the whole bottle if she hasn't already finished it.  Now, this product is great though if you don't like lotions that have a heavy scent because this one does not. 

This product uses Tucuma butter and Black Currant Seed oil to nourish and replenish your skin with much needed moisture.  Emollient rich Camellia Seed oil and Aloe Vera loaded with antioxidants and vitamins help give naturally healthy looking skin. I didn't notice much of a scent but it is gently scented with natural oils from Sweet Orange Blossoms blended with Rose, Palmarose and a hint of Geranium.