Diamond Candles

Diamond Candles is offering a chance to review their candles! In order to be considered for a review/giveaway you need to post about this announcement! Here is the form you need to fill out with your blog's information. It is open to the first 100 bloggers to apply.






Diamond Candles offers scented soy candles for $25 plus shipping. Each candle has a random ring inside valued at $10-$5,000. Fun!






Hope I get a chance to review...

Little Black Bag December

I got my most recent Little Black Bag a few days ago, and it was the only thing I opened on Christmas! Here's what I ended up with.

I had other things to begin with - namely a nail polish, lip gloss, and night cream...I traded them for some more Lavanila (Pure Vanilla, which is an amazing scent) and the Befine sampler, which contains sample pouches of 6 products. They threw in a free YuBe moisturizer sample...yay!

The first is the handcuff necklace by Flea Market Girl. This is the item I opened my bag for, I was determined to get it! So cute.

The second necklace is a beaded necklace by Zad. I wasn't too thrilled with this when it was in my bag, but it is so much nicer in person! It has a nice heft, with glass beads. Nice and shiny in person, as well.

This is the Steve Madden leopard tote in Natural. I was undecided about this, as I usually go for solid colored bags, but I love it! It's HUGE, and flashy, and well made...I am really happy with it. It has cute details, zipper pockets on the outside, and great handles. I wouldn't mind getting my hands on the croc tote next.

And finally, a Vieta satchel. This is pretty nice, it is made of a nice fabric and it is a good medium size. It has a TON of pockets. My only complaint is that the zipper kind of sucks...but I will still use it!

So, there's what I got in my December LBB...so far I'm loving everything. What was in yours?

If you haven't signed up for LBB yet, here is my referral link!

Glossybox - December: Glamour, Glitz, & Gloss

Glossybox always takes forever and a day to get to me, so I was surprised and excited to wake up to my box this morning!

December's theme is Glamour, Glitz, and Gloss and it promises lush products to get you ready for a holiday night on the town.

As an added bonus, they partnered with Jewelmint to add an extra gift to the box - a piece of jewelry. Yay!

I received seven items this month!

ForestEssentialsLuxuriousAyurveda - Madurai Jasmine & Magra bath & shower oil - This is a huge size! It's a moisturizing oil that can be added to the bath or rubbed into the skin afterwards. My dry winter skin appreciates this. It smells like jasmine, which isn't my usual thing, but it's nice. Will definitely be used!

Heartland Fragrance Co. Bath Salts in White Ginger - These are healing aromatherapy bath salts. They can be added to the bath or used to exfoliate the skin! I have been dealing with sore muscles lately, and these will be awesome to add to my bath. They smell great!

mark. Lipclick luxe lipstick in m.powerment petal - This lipstick has the cutest magnetic packaging...it's a pretty rose color, and the line was created to raise awareness for an important women's cause - domestic abuse and violence.  Excited about this! 

Pleats Please by Issey Miyake - This is a brand new fragrance meant to embody joy and femininity. My sprayer is broken, but what I can get out smells nice, but isn't really my type of fragrance...definitely a sweet floraly scent. 

Wella - Velvet Amplifier - This is a tiny foil packet, but it is a bonus item and not one of the main five, so I don't mind! It is meant to prepare the hair for styling and improve manageability. This will get use, as my hair needs all the help it can get.

Zoya - Ornate Collection polish in Storm - The ornate collection are meant to transform your nails into jewels! I received Storm - a sparkly black, and I love it! Of the collection, this is the shade I was most hoping for, so I'm excited about this. And as always, Zoya's formula is great.

Jewelmint - Bonus jewelry item. They've sent out a wide variety of items...I've seen girls on MUT get rings, knuckle rings, bracelets, double bracelets, and necklaces. Of all of them, I got the one that I like the best! It's a long chain with a cute bottle pendant. I love pieces like this and can't wait to wear it!

Here are my Zoya in Storm, mark lipclick, and Jewelmint necklace. So cute.

I think this was a great month for Glossybox! What was in your box this month?

Beauty Army - December

I have been a member of Beauty Army for a long time, but I very rarely actually get a box - normally, there aren't 6 items I want that pop up for me and I skip. Beauty Army is different than most sub services because it allows you to choose your own samples...you are able to choose 6 out of 9 offered to you after taking your beauty profile (which you can retake to get different options.) I skip often, just because choosing my samples isn't as exciting to me. Lately, though, they've been getting in some really nice things, and I decided to get my December box!

This month, I received four full sized items (one being a retail travel size), and two deluxe samples. Nice!

Bath & Body Works travel sized shower gel in Pink Chiffon - I felt weird choosing this, because I buy so much from B&BW as it is, but I love the shower gels and it's a great sample to get. Their shower gel contains shea butter and is nice and moisturizing...and Pink Chiffon smells awesome.

mark. Hook Up Lip Gloss in Blow Kisses (red) - These lip glosses are cool because they come with a connector, so you can hook them together. This is nice and sheer and pretty, and I love the small vial - fits in the pocket well.

Whip Hand Cosmetics Loose Pigment Eyeshadow in Green Beret: This sample looks tiny, but a little goes a long way with pigments! The shadow is pretty, it is a nice green with a bit of gold shimmer. Love!

Skinn Cosmetics twin set in Coral Poppy: This is a double ended lip gloss/lipstick in a pretty coral shade! It's a nice balance between pink and orange, and it smells good, like candy.  I love these double ended products, they're so handy.

You Da Balm lip balm in Tea Tree - This is an awesome lip balm! It's made of organic ingredients and essential oils, and contains no petroleum or nasty chemicals. The texture is smooth and buttery, and it's super hydrating. The tea tree scent is definitely there, but not offputting for me. I love this balm.

Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment - I have had my eye on this for a few months, and I'm excited to finally try it. It's a healing hair oil. It does contain some silicones, but I look forward to trying it. It smells nice.

If you haven't tried out Beauty Army yet, here is my referral link.

Wantable.co December - first box!

A few months ago, a new sub-type program popped up called Wantable. They recently changed up their service and their site and offered a really great promotion (Buy one, and gift two for free)...so I finally, along with two other ladies, took the plunge.

Wantable.co offers two different boxes - a makeup box, and a jewelry box. Each are $40 for a single box, or $36 if you subscribe to their monthly box.

The makeup box offers 4-6 premium full sized makeup items with a value of at least $80-$100, while the jewelry box offers 5 boutique jewelry items per box. I opted for the makeup box.

This is a truly customizable box...you actually choose the types of products you're interested in receiving. In my case, I stated that I was interested in trying eyeshadows, blush, and highlighters, and I was not interested in bronzers, lip products, and nail products. You also answer questions about whether you prefer colors or neutrals, creams or powders, etc. They include tips on how to use each product you receive, as well.

Here's what I got!

I received two blushes, two eyeshadows, a highlighter stick, and three bonus perfume samples.

I was really excited that the two blushes I got were so different! 

The first is Mia BelleZZa satin blush in Allure. It's a mineral blush that is extremely pigmented! It is a peachy color. It is quite possibly the most pigmented blush I've ever used, and the matte finish is lovely. It's soft and very blendable.

The second is Paula Dorf cheek color in Ecstasy. It's a rosy pink shade with shimmer. This is a great color for me, and it is also very soft, buttery, and pigmented. Love it!

This is a natural baked eyeshadow by benecos in the shade Amazing. These shadows can be applied wet or dry and they have a great shimmer. This is a gorgeous blue color.

This is a loose eyeshadow by Swagger. The color is "Dirty Martini" and it's a beautiful olive green with golden shimmer. Can't wait to try this one!

And this is my favorite item in the box...Sculpture highlighter stick by Verhoeven. The shade is spotlight, and it's a pretty vanilla color. This is amazing, it is super soft and creamy and gives a perfect glow. This has become my HG highighter, already.

Here are quick swatches done with a finger on a bare arm. From top to bottom:

Verhoeven highlighter, Mia BelleZZa blush, Paula Dorf blush, benecos shadow applied dry, benecos shadow applied wet, and Swagger loose eyeshadow. 

These products are all very high quality and all new to me. I'm really happy with everything, and I may order another Wantable box in the future!

Have you tried Wantable yet?

Little Black Bag - December - $29.95 bag

After a very slow shipping process, my December LBB finally arrived!

This month, I decided to try out their new $29.95 bag. This is a bag that allows you to choose your first item from the mid-to-lower priced jewelry, accessories, etc and provides 2-3 items worth $50-$70. Then, instead of 7 days of trading, you get 3.

I was lucky first of all, that I opened this bag when they were offering several bonus items in the bag (all of which I traded except for one!), and they also added 12 hours to my trading time after their site was down for a couple of hours.  I'm really happy with this bag and how it turned out!  Here's what I received.

This is the item I opened my bag for! It's iWave Audio cheetah print headphones. I'd been trying to get some headphones in my last bag but people were just not letting them go, so I opened my bag with them and they are the one item I held onto! These retail for $35.

This is Oliva hand cream by Baronessa Cali. This is a hand cream containing extracts of olive oil. It has a nice fresh scent and is moisturizing. I was able to trade a couple of my bonuses for this, and I am excited - I wash my hands a billion times a day, so a good hand cream is a must. This retails for $20.

This is the By Phillippe Triple Drop Heart pendant. I wasn't sure about this based on the pics on LBB's site, but I was offered it for a $24 item I had in my bag, so I went for it - and I'm really glad I did! It's nice and delicate and pretty in person, I love the little colored gems. This necklace retails for $50.

It's a great size and chain length. This is my first item by this brand and I'm really interested in trying other pieces, now!

This is the Betsey Johnson Snake Pendant, and I was ecstatic to finally get this in my bag! It took a solid day of trading, but I finally got it, and I couldn't be happier. It's so gorgeous and colorful.

It is a thicker chain and a larger pendant than most of my jewelry, and I'm super excited to wear it. This retails for $48.

This is the tie dye scarf by Cejon, and it's just a simple purple toned scarf. It retails for $32. I got really lucky this this one, too - I had one of the Pixi shadow pens, and someone traded me this scarf for it! 

And finally, this is the one bonus item I kept - Magic Tink Tint by Pixi. This is a lip tint that goes on clear and then turns into a custom shade of pink on the lips. It feels nice and moisturizing and is very natural on me.

Here it is on my lips. This retails for $16.

In all, I am really happy with this bag, especially for $29.95. Can't wait to use everything! If you still haven't signed up for LBB, the $29.95 bag is a great way to try it out. Here is my referral link!

What's in your latest Little Black Bag?

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Ipsy - December

December marks Ipsy's 1 year anniversary, and they celebrated it by sending out a really great bag! I received it early this month.

They also did something new this month, and included a bonus sample for some subscribers who they see as trusted influencers. I did receive this bonus item in my bag! What else did I get in my "Haute Holiday" bag this month?

First, this is probably my favorite actual bag Ipsy has sent out yet. I love the shape and the shine, and it's already made its way into my bag!

The first item is Mai Couture Highlighter Papier. These are really cool! They look like blotting papers, but one side has a pretty rosy highlighter with a golden shimmer. They're nice and subtle and can be used on both the face and body. This is a half-size sample of 25 sheets, and I've already added it to my makeup bag.

The second item pictured is a travel sized Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in the color Zero. This is a nice, smooth black. I am really impressed with the texture of this liner and its staying power, which I found far better than most pencil liners I've tried.

The third item is a Loose Pearl Eyeshadow by NYX. This is a shimmery loose pigment that can be used on the eyes, cheeks, or lips. They sent out 10 different colors this month, the one I received is Pearl...a pale pearly pink. Love it!

The fourth item is the "trusted influencer" bonus item! It is Urban Decay's Naked Skin Beauty Balm. This is UD's answer to the current BB cream craze, and it promises anti-aging benefits as well as pore-minimizing and skin-tone evening.  This is different from most because it actually doesn't provide coverage, instead it has a light diffusing effect to even out skin's appearance. The claims are interesting, though after one use I have to say I prefer my usual BB cream.

The fifth item pictured is Mirabella Prime for Face and Eyes. This is a silicone based primer meant for both the face and the eyes. It is oil free and moisturizing while providing anti-oxidants. This is a full sized primer.

The final item is Be a Bombshell Lip Gloss in Hot Mess. This is a sheer true red gloss, and it is super pretty! It looks intimidating in the tube, but it is sheer and buildable and is very wearable, even on my pale skin. This is also a full sized item!

In all, this is a really impressive bag for me, and it's definitely worth more than the $10 I paid for it! Ipsy has really stepped it up in the last months and I'm excited to see what's to come from them.

Starlooks Starbox - December

After I tried some of Starlooks' shadows and primer from their September Starbox, I knew I needed to sign up, so I joined in time to receive the December box...and I am really, really glad I did!

Starbox is a monthly subscription program by Starlooks. They send out 3-4 (or more) full sized makeup items from their line per month for $15 a month (plus 1.98 shipping). The makeup is high quality (some compare it to MAC, and they did use the same chemist to formulate their products. I don't really use MAC, but I can say that everything I've tried has been great quality) and it's always a great value. The products are also cruelty free!

December is their Happy Holidays box, and it has a value of $99!

It arrived in a reddish box with a gold ribbon. Super simple and cute. The shipping was very fast, I received it just a couple of days after it shipped.

Sprinkled inside was cellophane glitter, which is an adorable touch, though a bit messy. The card talks about the items received on the back, as usual.

This month, instead of the usual 3-4 individual products,  they sent a pro palette of 15 shades! It was well cushioned, and I'm glad to report that it was in perfect condition. I love the way the box allows you to see the products inside. 

How pretty and fun are these colors? This month, they took inspiration from their Christmas tree and sent us a palette that would allow us to create colorful looks using complimentary colors. This palette includes 15 shades that are exclusive to this particular palette, which makes this a really awesome thing to receive! I received palette i110A, and they sent out at least 3 different ones (all similar ideas and color families with different shades).

I love that there are a variety of finishes and that there are 3 shades of each color...this will make this palette really fun to mix and match.

And best of all, the quality is great! The shadows are nice and smooth and soft and pigmented and the colors are beautiful.  They are buildable, which is important to me, and easily blendable. This (and all 15 pan) palettes retails for $99.

I am as happy with my Starbox as I expected to be! 

If you're interested in trying new makeup products every month, I definitely recommend Starbox.  If you decide to sign up and would like to enter my name (Michaela Tacker) in your referral box, I'd appreciate that as well. :)

*Disclaimer: I paid for this service with my own money and received no compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.

BzzAgent - CoverGirl Blast Flipstick review

I was recently invited to join the Covergirl Blast Flipstick BzzCampaign, and I jumped at the chance! I received my BzzKit this week, and I have finally had a chance to try out the products.

CoverGirl Blast Flipstick is a double ended lipstick. It comes in 13 different varieties, and a total of 26 shades! Each one is a mix of two complementary colors: one end is a creamy shade, and the other end is a lighter shimmer shade. They are designed to be worn alone or together, so that one stick can create several looks!

BzzAgent was kind enough to send us 3 full-sized products. We received Vixen - a darker fuschia and a light shimmery pink, Stunner - A coral-ish orangey shade and a shimmery gold, and Minx - a darker brown and a shimmery bronze.

I am a pale, pinky skinned person and browns do not work for me, so I passed Minx along to a darker skinned friend to try, but I am really pleased with the other two!

The packaging is simple and cute. They are a great size to keep in your bag. Stunner is pictured on top, while Vixen is on the bottom.

This is the darker end of Vixen worn alone. This one is the smoothest of the four shades pictured, and comes of nice and natural on my pigmented lips. 

This is the lighter end of Vixen worn alone. It is very shimmery and it is sheer...great to add just a little shimmer to your lips or to lighten up a too-dark shade.

This is the lighter shade applied over the darker shade...I like it! A bit of shimmer, color but nothing too bold...this is great for an everyday look for me.

I like Vixen the bost of the shades received, and it suits me!

This is the darker end of Stunner. I do find that the texture is a bit more dry than Vixen, but it is still easy to apply and very wearable. It is a nice bold color, and quite pigmented. I love it for a special occasion or times I want a bright bold lip.

This is the lighter end of Stunner. It is a shimmery sheer gold, and it is so pretty in person. I love this as a lip highlight! It is a bit less smooth than the others, but that's to be expected with shimmery shades.

And this is the lighter shade over the darker shade. Together, I think they are dramatic! I love the gold shade on top of nearly everything I've tried it over.

The formula of these in general is pretty good - while not super moisturizing, it is easy to apply and it lasts a decent amount of time. I love the versatility of them and that you can combine them in endless ways to create new looks. I will be buying more shades!

Have you tried Blast Flipsticks yet?

*Disclaimer: I received these items for free from BzzAgent. I was not otherwise compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

November Favorites!

I got so distracted by my Little Black Bag that I forgot to post my favorite products for November! So, here they are.

Bath & Body Works Fine Fragrance Mist in Sweet on Paris. I spent September and October dousing myself in fall scents (which I love) but this month, I've wanted a little change. This one smells so good, like a lemon and raspberry pastry!

Smashbox Mega Gloss in Celebrity. I LOVE THIS LIPGLOSS. It's a perfect rosy pink shade - it ends up being very MLBB (my lips but better) on me, and adds just a bit of color. It's glossy and creamy, not at all tacky.

The applicator is HUGE! I love this - it makes applying quick and easy.

NYX Ultra Pearl loose pigment in Rust. I love eyeshadow, but my standbys are bright colors. This month, I rediscovered this one in my collection and I've been loving it! So different for me. It's called Rust, but to me it looks more like a shiny copper penny when worn! I love the pigmentation and consistency.

Kryolan Blusher in Glossy Rosewood. This blush was specially made for Glossybox by Kryolan...I love it! It's a perfect pink shade for me, not too dark, and nice and smooth and so blendable. I've been wearing it daily. Lighting sucks so you can't really see the color, but it's a nice pink.

OPI nail lacquer in Love is a Racket. I'm not normally big on red nails, but this one is gorgeous. It's a perfect sparkly red, super festive and reminds me of Christmas.

and finally, Re-Everything Eye Serum by VMV Hypoallergenics. This eye serum is my favorite one I've tried. It really does help with dark circles and puffiness and it feels nice and light going on. I'm sad that I'm almost out of it, but it has lasted me months!

So, that's it - those are the things I've been reaching for continually in November. Have you tried any of these things? What has been helping you ease into winter?

Little Black Bag - November

I haven't gotten a Little Black Bag in a while, so it was extra exciting to get one in the mail this morning! I had taken a little hiatus to save money and clean out my closet...but the arrival of new cozy things (hats, scarves, leggings) were the boost I needed.

But before I share what I got, Little Black Bag has also introduced a 2nd bag option. You can still get the $50 bag with 3-4 items and a value of at least $100, but they have a new, smaller option: the $29.95 bag. For that price, you get 2-3 items with a $50-$70 value. The $29.95 gallery is made up of the smaller items, like the moderate and lower priced jewelry, scarves, accessories and you have 3 days to trade this one. It's a good way to try out LBB if you're new to it!

I did just try out the $29.95 bag, but it hasn't' arrived yet...this is the regular bag. This bag is a little odd for me, because I didn't get a handbag! I had one most of the way through the trading process, but then I ended up being determined to get the two items I got that go together, and traded my soul for them!

It's been a while since I've gotten one of these...yay!

First, I got the Vanilla Grapefruit body wash by Lavanila and three perfume samples. The body wash is full of healthy natural ingredients and it smells amazing! The samples were a freebie, in that they added one to each bag, and I traded for a couple more because I love them!

They are slightly larger than the typical perfume sample and I love that they have a little atomizer! Pure Vanilla is my absolute favorite scent to wear, so I was excited to get a couple of these to keep in my purse. I love Lavanila for their healthy ingredients and yummy smells.

This is another item I traded my soul for - the Betsey Johnson Eiffel Tower necklace. Sooo worth it! This is absolutely adorable!

Pretty and sparkly with little pearly and rhinestoney bits. This is probably my favorite piece of jewelry I have gotten from LBB to date.

And finally, my main items. The Navajo Infinity scarf by Steve Madden...I LOVE scarves, and I live in Indiana so they are kind of a necessity. This one is so cute! It's soft and fluffy and warm, and I love loop scarves because they're so easy to wear.

And, the matching ear flap hat! I love silly hats and I think this one is freakin' adorable. It is also very warm.

 

So, I am really happy with everything in my bag this month! I wish it were a little colder today so I could wear my hat and scarf already!

And here's what the hat and scarf look on (a just woken up, makeup less person..yikes).

If you haven't tried Little Black Bag yet and want to give it a try, feel free to sign up via my referral link!

Have you gotten anything good from LBB lately? Are you ready for hat and scarf season?