Aromaleigh Ephemera - March 2015

Well, you may have noticed that I didn't really post in February. Normally, this would be because I was slacking. However, this time it's because a combination of my cat and a large glass of vodka and soda destroyed my computer! Not fun. BUT, I've finally replaced it and intend to stay on track for March. Hopefully. Fingers crossed.

Anyway, I received my March Ephemera box from Aromaleigh yesterday! This has become my favorite sub, and I was so excited to get it.

This month's theme was Norse Mythology (um, YES). Specifically, some of the overarching concepts in said mythology. As a history nerd (and former history major) and big fan of mythology, let me tell you - I am PSYCHED.

As always, Ephemera came all beautifully packaged and tied up in ribbon!

Seriously, how cute are these tiny boxes? I've been keeping them and keeping each month's goodies in them - perfect, easy storage.

First, we'll look at the samples. So far, every month Aromaleigh has included a couple of samples of theirs - this month, we have a preview of an upcoming collection, and a preview of next month's Ephemera box!

(I already tried out Carina, by the way - it's a sample from the upcoming Galactic collection, and let me tell you, it is freakin' STUNNING.) Next month's preview hints that it is based on an ancient Roman festival!

And, she's also included a lip gloss sample from Kiss My Sass Cosmetics. The sample is a sheer gloss with a pink sheen. It is cute and will be great to liven up a too-matte lipstick! I love that she's managed to send a sample from another indie company each month...such a nice touch!

As for the products themselves, this month we received a rouge and three eyeshadows. (Oh, and a couple of swedish fish..which I devoured immediately.)  I really love the labels and the fact that the name of each product is on the top!

Shades listed in the order depicted on the arm swatch photo below:

Valkyrie - An easy-wear, soft warm rose. Aromaleigh describes this blush as "your cheeks but better" and it really is! It's a perfect subtle, beautiful flush. It's named after the choosers of the slain, who decided the fates of warriors. I can see myself wearing this often! In fact, so far, all three of the rouges that I've received in Ephemera are perfect, and I have been wearing them most every day!

Valhalla - A soft, pale, weathered gold with strong blue interference sparkle. This shade is gorgeous - the pale blue sparkle makes it really special. It's named for the "hall of the slain", where Odin's chosen fallen warriors are housed. 

Yggdrasil - A midtone heathered green with copper interference shimmer. This is the prettiest green, a little different than any of the others I own! It's named after the huge tree that is central to Norse cosmology.

Ragnarok - This is a deep, warm reddish brown with gold/green interference shimmer. This is a nice, rich brown with the prettiest sparkle. It's named after the Norse end of days. Fun!

Overall, I am again impressed with this sub! The products are GORGEOUS and I really love how well thought-out Kristen's themes are. The shadows and blushes are always amazing quality, and she really has a way of creating unique sheens and finishes that make even neutral shades feel really special. 

Have you tried anything from Aromaleigh yet? If not, I highly recommend them!

Glamour Doll Eyes OTM January 2015 Review and Unboxing

Glamour Doll Eyes was my first indie brand and is still, a few years later, one of my very favorites! I have so many of her beautiful shadows (and a few blushes) and I always want more.

GDE offers a monthly sub called the OTM, or "Of the Month". It includes at least one exclusive shadow each month, but also usually contains other products or samples, some from GDE and some from other indies. I've discovered some of my other favorite indies after sampling them thanks to OTM!

I wasn't able to get a subscription for most of last year (the time it went up for sale was a time I was busy at work) so I missed out on most of last year's OTMs...but this year, I was lucky enough to have a nice friend snag a sub for me!

January's OTM showed up today and I was so excited to see it and get a sample of what was in store for this year!

This month's theme was "Be My Anchor", and we received a shadow, a cream shadow, a tinted lip balm, and a shadow sample, as well as a few candies (there were three...but, um...I kind of ate one already.) and a cute little anchor charm.

This month's goodies came in a cute gold satin bag, with an adorable info card and sticker! I love chevron and anything nautical, so this is a really fun theme for me. I'm excited to find a chain for the anchor charm.  The full sized products are:

Be My Anchor (shadow) - A sheer flash of sparkling blue with a dusty golden base. This is so pretty! It is sparkly and almost neutral, but the perfect blue flash makes it so interesting. I can't wait to wear this one!

Sailing Away (cream shadow) - a deep royal blue base with a soft coral reef blue overlay, finished with anchor golden shimmer sheen. This is the first cream shadow I've seen from GDE and it is really beautiful! It has a nice texture and the perfect amount of shimmer. I love the shade of blue - not too dark, not too light. 

Atomic Astrid (Aqua Bomb) - This is a coral colored balm with a blackberry pomegranate flavor. This smells nice and is a gorgeous color! Unfortunately, my tube seems to be broken and will not twist up. I tried it with a brush, and it felt really nice on the lips and had a pretty color to it!

Rose City (sample baggie shadow) - This is a beautiful violet toned bright magenta with a magical green sparkle overload. It was actually designed by my friend Meagan! I haven't swatched this yet, but I am so excited to try it.

Here are the two shadows, opened. Be My Anchor is sheer, but buildable, and is gorgeous over primer. Sailing Away is a great creamy texture and I think it will be perfect worn alone or as a base!

Be My Anchor swatched on bare skin (top) and on primer (bottom). Sailing Away on bare skin.

Closeup of Be My Anchor. Look at the watery blue!!

Closeup of Sailing Away...so gorgeous.

Here is the balm applied lightly with a brush on bare lips. It has a nice tint to it and feels good on the lips! I wish my tube weren't broken, I would probably use it often!

Overall, I am super happy with this month's OTM. As always, the colors are gorgeous and the formulas are good. I already can't wait to see what February will bring...and here's a hint...the theme will be "Any excuse for chocolate". YES PLEASE!

Have you tried anything but GDE yet? What's your favorite indie sub?

Birchbox - January 2015 - Unboxing

SNOW DAY!

I am excited about this weather for one reason only - school was cancelled today, and thus, no work for me. So, not only am I having a lazy pampering day in my pajamas...but my Birchbox showed up, too!

This month, I chose one of the curated boxes - the Relax & Recharge box. It's supposed to be products to help you relax and take time for yourself, which I think is really important, post holidays.

I kind of forgot what the contents were by the time that it arrived, so it was pretty much a surprise anyway!
But here's what was inside.

Briogeo Don't Despair! Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask - This is a hydrating mask for the hair. I've sampled this before and I liked it! My hair gets so dry in winter, this is very welcome. The pot is big enough for 2-3 uses for me.

Manna Kadar Lip Locked in All of Me-  This is a all-in-one lip primer, stain, and gloss. I got this in the shade Lucky last month, and I reall y liked it...it's a good light texture. This one is a bit of a darker shade, a mauvey color, and it's super pretty.

Perlier Intensive Nurturing Body Balm in Shea Lavender -  This is a thick cream to smooth and soften. I don't love the scent (I'm picky about lavender) BUT it will be really great for my hands, feet, and elbows.

When Travelmate Sheet Mask -  This is a soothing, nourishing mask meant to give a healthy glow. I really love sheet masks! However, these When masks are terribly overpriced (the set equals out to $14 a piece) so unless it works major wonders, I won't be buying any. But I'm excited to try it out!

Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream -  This is a multi-tasking eye cream that battles wrinkles and dark circles. This is probably why I chose the box. I LOVE EYE CREAMS. It's a good size, too. happy to be trying this!

Tea Pigs tea temples - I love tea. It's one of my favorite extras. Birchbox, please send me tea ALWAYS.

I'm pretty happy with this box! I will use everything...it's good sizes, and great for post-holiday rejuvenating.

If you haven't tried Birchbox yet and want to, feel free to sign up using my referral link!

What was in your box this month?

Aromaleigh Ephemera - January 2014 Review and Unboxing

Lately, I've been really excited about indie subscription services - and in fact, indie makeup in general. I started thinking about how much money I was spending on beauty products put out by big corporations, and how much better I'd feel about supporting small businesses run by people doing what they love. Luckily, there are more and more companies making this transition possible!

Aromaleigh has been around for 16 years now. They are a small company out of South Carolina making vegan, cruelty free cosmetics. They make beautiful collections inspired by history, mythology, feminism, literature, science, classical music, astronomy, botany...basically, all of the things I care about! They also support Autism Acceptance organizations, having an owner with autism, and that is a very important cause for me. They are truly a great company!

January marks a new chapter for them - their first subscription box! I scrambled to sign up when they were made available, and I received it yesterday.  The box is $17.99 including shipping, and will be monthly. I am really impressed with the quality and thought that went into this box!

The shipping was super fast - she mailed it out on Friday, and I received it on Monday! It was packed in a bubble mailer, and it arrived in perfect condition.

I was really excited to open the mailer and find this adorable little box! The pretty sticker and ribbon make it feel like opening a present! I love that the box itself is marked with the month - it will make organization easy.

Opening it, I found the prettiest info sheet I've ever seen in a sub. It explains the theme, which is based on The White Witch from "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" in a really beautiful way. It also describes the items themselves. I really, really love the way she did the info sheet...reading it was a really nice part of the experience and felt more special than a simple list of items.

Underneath the sheet, you find all of the goodies. As you can see, she packed a lot into this little box! The turkish taffy was a really nice touch, and I kind of ate them while unboxing everything. In the box, she included two face products, two shadows (in adorable mini sizes), a sample of an upcoming blush, and samples from two other companies. 

Locusta is a blush sample from an upcoming expansion to the Ignis Antiquita collection.  It's a pretty coral color and I'll definitely have to check out the rest of the existing collection, as well as the upcoming expansion. I haven't tried this on my face yet, but will report back when I do!

We got two samples from other indie brands. 

The first is a lip product from Dreamworld Hermetica. They are a new company for me and I was pretty happy to see something from them in here! This product is called "Ectoplasmic Lips" in the shade "Wytch's Heart", and it is not listed on their website (which is currently closed to orders as they add new products) so I think this is one of their new products. It's really interesting - the texture is somewhere between a lipstick and a gloss. It goes on shiny and shimmery and a bit sheer. It looks kind of scary bronze in the tub, but looks really gorgeous on the lips. I've included it in the look I did at the end of this post.

The second is a perfume sample from Ten Three Labs. This is a company I've been wanting to try, and indie perfumes are my current new passion! This sample is "Superstition's Willing Victim" and it is described as bay rum, peppermint, tea, lime, coconut, and sugarcane. I really like this! When I opened it to sniff it, I thought that it smelled a bit like a rum and coke with peppermint, and when I read the notes, I was surprised how spot on my first impression was! It's a really unique scent, and not one I probably would have chosen on my own, but am so glad that I got to try it. I am definitely interested in trying more scents from this company.

And now, the main products. As I mentioned we got two face products and two shadows. I really love the labels and the fact that the name of each product is on the top! I always find it hard to photograph products in sifter jars, so I've posted the descriptions of each product and some swatches of each!

I find the descriptions of each to be spot on...and yes, they are as beautiful as they sound!

Here is each product swatched in order, on bare skin, in artificial light in my bedroom. As with all products like this, the shimmer doesn't show in photos as much as you'd like, but it's all sparkly and gorgeous. 

And here are the products in natural light. They are nicely pigmented and have a great texture. The gold sheen in the White Witch is truly gorgeous and I wish photographs picked it up better!

Here's a quick look I did using all of the products except for the blush sample. Everything was really easy to work with and wears absolutely beautifully!

Overall, I am loving this box. The products are so beautiful and well thought out and the quality is amazing. I'm so glad I signed up for Ephemera, and I think this has the potential to become my favorite sub!

Have you tried any indie subs yet? Would you?

I purchased all items mentioned myself and was not compensated for this review.

Birchbox - December 2014 (two boxes!)

Well, I'm really late on these and I have no excuse. But, I am getting two Birchboxes right now (I'll probably cut one out after January and I spend my points!)

The first month that I got two boxes, I got the same box on both accounts and that was a bit of a bummer. This month, though, I got two different boxes, and I like both!

Box 1:

This was the curated box this month. I chose it because I really wanted to try the Davines serum!

Ruffian Nail Lacquer in Ruffian Red - I'm not huge on red polishes, but I don't have many, and I like Ruffian polishes - I think they have a nice shiny finish and they last longer than a couple of hours on me, which is a feat!

Cynthia Rowley Beauty Creamy Lip Stain in Sugar - This is the prettiest natural pink stain. When I buy things like this, I tend to go for bold colors so it was nice to get a nice natural color...this is very much a "my lips but better" shade for me and I like it a lot.

Davines Replumping Hair Filler (with bonus shampoo and conditioner packets) - This is a leave in that is supposed to help your hair look thick and shiny. I can always use that! So far, I like it. No mind blowing miracles, but it leaves my hair looking and feeling nice. (I haven't tried the packets yet!)

Joie Folle de Joie perfume - This is a fresh scent with mandarin. I'll admit I don't love it, I'm just into different kinds of scents lately. But I passed it along to a friend who will appreciate it.

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre - This is a moisturizer that can also serve as a primer and makeup remover. I've sampled this before, and I really like it! I only use it as a moisturizer, but it leaves my skin soft without feeling greasy. 

Overall, I'm really happy with this box, and everything is getting good use.

The 2nd box came in the special blue holiday box - so cute! 

In this box, I selected a sample - the Manna Kadar Lip Locked. I received the sample I chose! Here's everything I got:

Manna Kadar Lip Locked in Lucky - This is a combo lipstain, gloss, and primer in a pretty mauvey color. It's another really natural shade for me, which I like! I really like the light texture of this and am definitely interested in trying more of them.

Yu-Be Moisturizing Cream - This is a tiny tube of moisturizing cream you can use anywhere on your body. I've frankly gotten about a million of these samples in various places. It's not bad! But it's nothing special to me. I'm using this one up on my elbows.

Sumita Color Contrast Eyeliner - This is a creamy liner in the prettiest gold/olive shade. I am really happy with this...I already had the black and love how creamy and long lasting these are. I will use this one often!

Rusk Texture Spray - I used to hate hairsprays of any kind, and I would immediately toss them. But lately I've been wearing my hair wavy/curly, and a good texturizing spray is appreciated. This one is nice - it sprays on with a fine, light mist that never feels wet and just adds some nice texture and hold.

Royal Apothic Cuppa Cuppa Firming Tea Treatment Mask - This is a mask made from tea...masks and tea are two of my favorite things, so I love this! It has a nice tingle when you use it, and it left my skin feeling fresh and soft. I'd love to get my hands on some more of this!

Overall, I'm really happy with both of my boxes this month, and I'm excited for January!

What was in your box?

If you haven't tried Birchbox yet, feel free to sign up using my referral link here! :)

Popsugar Must Have box - September 2014

I thought about cancelling Popsugar before September...not because I don't like it (I have actually loved it every month!) but because I really need to start saving money for a new computer, winter clothes...everything...but then they put out a spoiler. And the spoiler reeled me in. SO, here I am!

Popsugar is one of my favorite boxes, because they send out such a mix of things - beauty, fashion, home, tech, fitness, food...I really love the variety.

This month, they shipped much smaller boxes. For me, this is a good thing - I like having different sized boxes for storage. They're still cute and pink, though!

Tilo Scarves Modal Gradation Scarf in Raisin - I decided to wear this for the picture so you could see how cool it is. This is the spoiler item that kept me subscribed! It is a super soft, silky ombre scarf that goes from gray to a plummy raisin color. It is so soft and silky! It retails for $125...and I would never spend that much on a scarf. But for the price of the box, I am beyond happy! I love scarves, and most of mine are bright colors or busy prints. This is such a pretty autumnal neutral for me!

Letter C Design Gold Foil Arrow Pencils - This is kind of a weird inclusion for me, just because I don't even think anyone really uses pencils anymore, let alone ones that you sharpen. However, they are cute and I will use them, and stash them around the house for when I need them. They come with a sharpener which is handy, because I don't have one! These are the least exciting item for me this month, but they're definitely not a BAD item.

Oribe Superfine Purse Size Hair Spray - This is a great hairspray with a fine spray and great hold. It also smells nice! I used to hate getting hairspray in subs, and I gave it away every time. Then I chopped my hair off and started needing/wanting some hold for my style, and I regretted getting rid of all of my hairsprays. So this one is very welcome!

Rifle Paper Co Garance Dore Assorted Girls Set - This is a cute set of cards with four designs on them. I love Rifle Paper Co. and their products, and I love sending snail mail. I'll be writing notes to my penpals I've been neglecting for months on these!

Nicole Miller Stereo Earbuds - These are cute cobalt blue earbuds. I have mixed feelings about these. On one hand, I had been wishing for some earbuds or headphones from a sub for a while. And these are CUTE...I love this shade of blue and the shape is different. However, they are uncomfortable in my ears, and more importantly, the sound is not great. These only retail for $20, so I wasn't expecting anything amazing (I am a bit picky about headphones and sound quality and usually spend between $80 and $100 on them), but for that same $20, I could get something much nicer...even some basic Skullcandy buds sound better. So, good effort, Popsugar, but these just don't do it for me.

 

Nike $20 Gift Card - This is $20 to use on Nike's site and a tape measure (to measure yourself for their new bras!) I won't be getting a bra, but I will need new shoes soon, so I'll be using this, for sure. I love that it can be used on anything in the site, I hate when brands call things gift cards that aren't, but this one has no limitations!

Urban Remedy Almond Brownie - This is a raw, organic almond brownie. I honestly usually hate any kind of "raw" food involving chocolate because the texture grosses me out. But I really found myself liking this one! It is nice and chewy and not too dry. The downside is that the calorie content was crazy! I won't be buying any of these, but it was fun to try.

Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Sea Salt & Almonds - I love me some Ghirardelli, and these are delicious. They have the perfect balance of sweet and salty for me. Popsugar can send me some of these every month, please and thanks!

Overall, I am really happy with this month! The scarf makes the box for me, and everything else is a nice bonus. It definitely feels like an early fall box. I might have a hard time cancelling again for October!

If you are interested in trying Popsugar, please feel free to sign up using my referral link here!

What do you think of this box?

Boxycharm, September 2014 Review and Unboxing

I'm such a sucker for subs. Obviously. I'd been hearing about Boxycharm for a while, but never signed up...until I saw last month's box, which was so great, I had to sign up for September!

So, this is my first box, and I have to say, I'm pretty impressed. Boxycharm is $21 a month and offers full and deluxe sized products. When they launched, they sent out all drugstore brands, but now they send out a good mix of a bit of everything!

September's theme was "Fashion Week Fabulous" and it promised runway-ready products. I received five full sized products!

The packaging is super cute! It says "Hello Charmer" on the side!

Like most other subs, it has an info card, which I love. Everything appears to be well padded. However, there was a small amount of damage to a product (and leakage of another). But, very minor, and everything still looked pretty good.

Coastal Scents Go Palette in Beijing - They sent out these Go palettes, which are inspired by different cities! Each one has 12 shadows. I really like Coastal Scents - they are my favorite cheap/budget shadows! They're always really pigmented and nicely textured.

Beijing is rosy and gold tones. As you can see, one shadow arrived broken. However, it was easy enough to clean up. These colors are very pretty and I've used it a few times!

Tarina Tarantino Eye Dream Hyperlight - This is a cute pinky toned liquid highlighter with a cool clicky-brush applicator. Other subscribers received a mascara by this brand (and I'm glad I got this!) It is really great for brightening up the eye area and I've been using it daily! So glad I finally got to try this brand!

NCLA nail lacquer - I love NCLA! I don't wear reds very often, but this one is super bright and beautiful. I think I'll wear it with a vintagey dress soon! I love NCLA's formula, it lasts pretty well on me.

Harvey Prince Hello - This is one of my favorite scents and I was SO happy to get a full purse spray of this! It did leak a bit, but I didn't mind because it just made the rest of the box smell amazing. It's a great citrusy scent that isn't too sweet or too strong, great for everyday use.

Tarte Lipsurgence lip gloss in Tipsy - This is a cute sheer coral gloss! I love tarte, and while I don't wear gloss often, I was happy to try tarte's gloss. I like it! Not too sticky, lasts pretty well, and I like this shade a lot. I love this over a lipstain!

Overall, I think this was an amazing box! The value is so great and everything is really nice.  So glad I tried Boxycharm out.

If you haven't tried it yet, please feel free to sign up! Here is my referral link!

What do you think of this box?

Ipsy - September 2014 review/unboxing

Ipsy and I have a very on-again, off-again relationship. I have joined and cancelled more times than I care to count! However, I cancelled again this month after only 2 months back with them, and I think I'm done this time.

Don't get me wrong, Ipsy is a really cool service, and they do offer great product sizes. But I think it's best suited for either those new to makeup, or those working on building up their collections. They send out things that aren't terrible, but very rarely do they send out anything new, exciting, or unique. And my makeup collection now is to the point that yet another black eyeliner or pinky lipgloss is just not exciting unless it's from a new brand or a really great color. And I feel that Ipsy sends me the same old stuff, all the time!

That said, here's my September bag.

September's theme was "Street Style", and it is reflected in the bag itself. This is one of my favorite bags from Ipsy! Soft, in a gunmetal color, with cute square studs. I'm using it in my bag right now! 

Pacifica Eye Pencil in Gunmetal - This is a shimmery gunmetal shade. It's okay! I would have loved a fall color, but this is fine. Pigmentation is okay. It is somewhat creamy. It lasts an average amount of time. NOthing terrible, nothing to write home about. 

Alterna CC Cream 10 in 1 - This is a nice product...I love a good leave-in, and I love that this one offers heat protection as well as moisture and shine. I think the "10 in 1" promise is kind of silly. Basically, it is a leave in conditioner/cream with heat protection. Calling this 10 in 1 is like calling your shoes 2 in one because they cover your feet AND protect your soles. Marketing silliness. But it works well and leaves my hair nice and soft.

Cailyn Art Touch tinted lip gloss - Oh, yay, a neutral pinky lipgloss from a brand I've sampled a thousand times, that is drugstore quality at high end prices. THE JOY. This will be passed on to a more lipgloss loving friend.

Crown Brush Infinity Dual Ended Shadow/Crease brush:  This is my favorite product this month. It is nice and soft, and I love that the crease brush is small, I needed a much smaller one for detail work. 

Nyx Hot Singles eye shadow - I got this in an oxblood shade. It's a pretty color...but I dislike Nyx eyeshadow. I love other products by them, but I find the shadows not very pigmented and quite powdery. This will also be passed along as a gift.

Overall, I just didn't think this bag was great. It was okay. Some gifts for my sister, so that's a bonus! But I am definitely over Ipsy.

What do you think?

Birchbox - September 2014 "Fresh Paint" review and unboxing

I usually get my Birchbox toward the middle of the month, and usually about a week after I get a shipping notice. So, imagine my surprise when I came home yesterday to find my box waiting for me! Definitely the earliest I have ever gotten it, before my shipping email arrived!

The theme for September is "Fresh Paint" and it's all about saying goodbye to summer and gearing up for fall's colors, textures, and fashions. It is also Birchbox's anniversary month! They sent out cute patterned boxes this month, and it sounds like the boxes might have multiple designs. Mine is adorable and I am already using it to store some samples on my shelf!

This month, Birchbox gave us the opportunity to select a sample once again. I don't remember what all of the options were, but there were 4 options and another curated box. I selected Macadamia Healing Oil Spray as my sample. I was delighted to feel how heavy my box was this month!

Here's what was inside.

You can see the cute patterned box in the back! I'm interested to see if others get different patterns! I received five samples and a "Birchbox Find", which is a mass market product they send out as an extra.

Macadamia Healing Oil Spray - This was the sample I selected. It is a lightweight oil spray for hair that fights frizz, dryness, dullness, and protects. I've used the regular oil before and really loved it, so I was excited to try the spray version! It has the same scent as the regular oil and I love how light and easy it is to apply. I love hair oils, and this one does a great job of keeping my hair soft, silky, and shiny. Once I use up my giant hair oil stash, this is probably the one I will repurchase!

TEMPTU S/B Highlighter in Champagne - This is a liquid shimmer that adds some shimmer and glow to your look! The color is called champagne, but it is actually a bit darker than what I generally think of when I think of that shade. I'm very fair, and on me, this is too dark to be a highlighter. I am going to try it out on my eyes, as a base under bronzey shadows, perhaps! I do like the shimmeryness and it is not sticky. 

Harvey Prince Hello - This is a perfume featuring meyer lemon, mandarin, other citrus, and floral notes. Harvey Prince is one of my favorite perfume brands, and I already have a rollerball of this scent. It is one of my favorites, so the sample is more than welcome! It is citrusy, and not too sweet...it is great for a hot sticky day, but not out of place for fall, either. It isn't heavy or overwhelming. 

Avene Cleanance Soap-Free Gel Cleanser - This is a cleanser infused with French thermal spring water. It is great for oily or blemish prone skin, which is exactly what I have these days! I really like this. It makes my skin feel clean and soft without feeling dry or tight. It also seems to be helping my current breakout, so bonus!

Tocca Crema de Mano in Bianca - This is a hand cream featuring a green tea and lemon scent! I have been lusting over these Tocca hand creams since the first time BB sent them out, ages ago. So excited to finally get one! This is great - the texture is moisturizing without being too heavy - it is quickly absorbed. The scent is delicious and citrusy. This made its way immediately into my bag.

BIRCHBOX FIND: Chapstick Hydration Lock - This is a double ended chapstick! One side is moisturizing, and the other is renewing. Both sides feel nice on the lips with no nasty flavor or scent. This is a great extra for fall.

Overall, I am SUPER happy with this month's Birchbox! The sample sizes are amazing and I am happy with all of the products! I am not sure how much use I'll get out of the highlighter, but the other items have already made their way into my routine. Awesome. 

If you've read my blog long, you probably know that subscription boxes are my addiction, and I've tried so many. Birchbox is the one I always go back to, and the first one I recommend to people. If you haven't tried it yet, feel free to sign up using my referral link here..

What was in your box this month?

Beauty Box 5 - April 2014

I love April! Things finally start getting color again, it is usually a bit warmer than freezing, and it's my birth month. So, I was especially excited to get my subs this month...birthday presents!

Beauty Box 5 is a great monthly sub. For $12 a month, they provide a great mix of beauty products - makeup, skincare, and tools.

For April, they used a theme of "shades of beauty" and they've focused on looks that allow you to slow down and do a bit of leisurely layering. Interesting!

Here's what I got.

First glance: The box is nice and full! I love that they don't use excess packaging - as much fun as pretty packaging is, sometimes it's really nice when a company is kind to the environment. Here are the goodies!

BH Cosmetics California Collection eyeshadow sampler - This is a sampler of 3 eyeshadows...a brown, a purple, and a gold. I haven't opened this, because I actually already have the entire collection, so I figured I'd pass this along to someone who hasn't tried them!

I love BH Cosmetics shadows. They are nicely pigmented, but not crazily so...so you can make them as bold as you want, but they can also be worn more sheer for fun subtle color.  They are such a great value for the cost - beautiful colors, good quality, and they have a huge range of shades, from super brights to subtle neutrals. I hope the person I give this sampler to loves the shadows as much as I do!

Bonne Bell Lip Definer in Warm Brick - This is a nice soft lip pencil. I like the shade a lot, it is a very wearable color, and it is versatile enough to be worn with several different shades of lipstick or gloss.  I tried it out and it lasted most of the day without drying my lips.  I didn't even know that Bonne Bell made makeup other than Lip Smackers! I'm definitely interested in trying out more.

Jergens Natural Glow 3 Days to Glow Moisturizer - This is a gradual self tanner. Now, I will just say that I never, ever use tanners. I am very light skinned and I am unable to tan...any tan, therefore, looks super unnatural on me. So, I will not be trying this sample. However, I will happily pass it along to a friend who loves tanners and I'm excited to see how she likes it!

Nicka K New York Hydro Lipstick - This is a hydrating lipstick in a pretty peachy shade. I really love the texture - it isn't too drying, but it sets and lasts a pretty long time! I only had to touch up a couple of times in the day, and I am generally hard on lipstick. I'm really happy with this!

Blum Naturals All Purpose Cleansing Wipes - These are handy wipes that can be used to remove makeup or for nearly any purpose! They smell like grapefruit and are not irritating on the skin at all. I love wipes and use them daily for all kinds of things. These are great, and one of my favorite things in the box!

Overall, this is another good month of BB5. There are a couple of items I won't be using, but that isn't a reflection on the quality of the products, just my personal needs. 

Here are swatches of the lip liner and lipstick, in order. Such pretty, wearable shades! BB5 always sends great, useable products.

Have you tried Beauty Box 5 yet? If not, you can check it out at http://beautybox5.com :)