Bath & Body Works - Fall Traditions (partial) review

I am such a sucker for fall. It brings my favorite weather, my favorite holiday, my favorite clothing, my favorite foods, and definitely my favorite scents. I wait all year for fall things to start showing up in stores! So, as soon as Bath & Body Works released their fall traditions this year, I had to grab some.

I'll start off by saying that this is not the full line - I have used Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin in the past, and to me it smells neither like cinnamon nor pumpkin - in fact, to me it smells like grandma perfume. So, I skipped that one.

The Fall Traditions body care line this year includes the aforementioned Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin, Brown Sugar & Fig (which is another scent that's been around a while), and two new scents: Dreamy Vanilla Woods and Honey Autumn Apple. There are many more scents in hand soaps and pocketbacs, as well (which I haven't picked up yet...but I will).

I picked up both a fine fragrance mist and a triple moisture body cream in the two new scents, and only the body cream in Brown Sugar and Fig, as I had tried that one in the past and frankly, couldn't remember if I liked it or not. I generally dislike BBW's regular lotions as they just aren't moisturizing to me, and I find them far too thin, but I adore the triple moisture creams. I also really love the packaging of the new-ish fine fragrance mists.Much cuter than the old mists.

Dreamy Vanilla Woods is described as a mix of creamy vanilla, white orchid, and saffron woods. I love vanilla scents, so I was super excited to try this one. And, I'm not disappointed. It's warm and soft. It smells more like true vanilla than vanilla cookie, and the woods balance it out and keep it from being too sweet. It actually reminds me a bit of Aquolina Pink Sugar, minus the licorice note. It's not exact, but it has that same kind of powdery vanilla scent to it.

This scent is definitely light, and wears close to the skin, but I found it to be pretty long lasting. This will be great for winter, as well as fall.

Honey Autumn Apple is another one I was excited about - I love apple scents. This one is described as a blend of crisp red apple, sparkling nectarine, and a touch of honey. This smells really, really yummy. It's not the typical apple scent, you can actually smell the honey note. I also smell the vanilla and tonka bean  base notes when this dries down, which is nice. It's crisp and fruity with a bit of warmth to it. The only downside to this scent is that the staying power leaves a bit to be desired...it's hard to detect even after just a few minutes. Layering the products does help!

This one is my favorite actual scent, but I wish it lingered as well as the Dreamy Vanilla Woods!

 

And finally, the Brown Sugar and Fig.  This is one that has been around for years, but had been retired to online only until they brought it back for the fall line. I know I had tried it before, but couldn't remember much about it. It is described as a combination of fresh fig, coconut milk sprinkled with brown sugar. I'm not sure if it's my body chemistry, but I can't really detect the fig. I smell the coconut milk and brown sugar with some muskiness. It's definitely a warm scent. It's not a favorite of mine, but it does smell nice. 

I do find this one to be long lasting, even worn alone. 

So far, I'm enjoying the fall offerings from Bath & Body Works, and I'm excited to pick up some of the soaps and pocketbacs next! What's your favorite fall scent?

Little Black Bag (August/September)

I've been having a pretty crappy couple of weeks, so I was really excited to wake up to my latest Little Black Bag.  If you can't tell, I'm on a handbag kick lately. For a while I was all about the jewelry and accessories, but my last few bags have been all handbags!

As always, if you haven't signed up for Little Black Bag yet, my referral link is here. It's a lot of fun, and a great way to shop for accessories.

My favorite thing to get in the mail! I never got a shipping email for this bag, so I was really excited when it showed up.

The first item I got is the ruched hobo (Carlow) by Big Buddha. Frankly, I have found this bag to be impossible to photograph, but it's beautiful! I was expecting it to be a lighter color based on the pictures on the site, but I do like the color that it is. The color in the third closeup is the most accurate! It is nice and big and the material is super soft.

The lining is so pretty and very soft. Love it! This is my first Big Buddha bag, and I am impressed with the quality.

This is the buckle satchel by Olivia & Joy, and I was super surprised by how awesome it is! The material is amazing and soft. It's huge and has pockets on the outside as well as inside. I got the gunmetal color, and I am glad I did...so pretty.

The material is shiny, but not tacky shiny. 

The inside has several pockets as well. I am super impressed with this bag, and I am now very interested in more Olivia & Joy products...this might be my favorite handbag I've ever gotten!

This month, they did another Redken promotion and added a deluxe sample of a Redken product to every bag. Though trading, I snagged another one. Both are hairsprays. I rarely use hairspray, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have some on hand, especially since I don't buy it. I love Redken, as well. Love these promotions! 

And on a related note, they are currently doing a Benefit promotion...if you open a bag, you get a free sample of a Benefit product (I've seen primers, highlighters, eye cream, and mascaras!)

In all, I'm happy with this LBB Love both of the handbags, and they're both very different from anything I own! 

Have you tried LBB yet? 

July/August Favorites

I didn't post any favorites last month because frankly, I was in a sampling frenzy, trying to use up some of my sample stash...but there are a few things I've consistently been reaching for over these last two months!

myGlam has been sending out these polishes from the Circus by Andrea's Choice line, and I'm in love with them! They are truly neon and I personally love the formula. After trading, I have the shades Ringleader (pink) and Spectacle (orange) and they are insane and beautiful.

And this Cargo colorstick in Maui is a perfect texture and a nice strawberry pink color for everyday. The formula is great, not at all greasy and soft, dries almost to a velvety powder. 

I ordered a bunch of these sample jars of Glamour Doll Eyes shadows and I love them as much as I loved those I've tried in the past! There's not a bad one in the bunch, but if I had to pick the two I've been reaching for the most, it'd be these two: Phyrra (hot pink with aqua sparkles) and Jailbreak (metallic sparkly silver). The formula is great, the colors are beautiful, and I love the sample sized jars - I've never used all of a full sized shadow. I love change and these are a great size for me, generous enough for plenty of uses.

eyeko Skinny Liner in turquoise is super pretty and lasts forever, I love that it goes on with a marker tip.

And Diorshow Exstase mascara has become a new favorite...it's super lengthening and volumizing enough, and it never flakes. I've been reaching for this sample every day!

I change my fragrance all the time, and right now I'm loving Lavanila Coconut Vanilla...it's nice and warm and smells nothing like most coconut scents. I love these rollerballs, they're perfect to keep in my purse.

Shea Terra shea body whipper in Gingered Pumpkin...YUM. I am in full on fall mode, and this is perfect. It smells just like a sweet pumpkin pie, and it's perfectly hydrating. I like to use it on my elbows, feet, and as an handcream. Every scent by Shea Terra is beautiful and natural, but this is the perfect fall scent for me.

And finally, Naturelle 100% Argan oil. I'd been using some argan products in my hair for a while, but I finally got brave enough to try the pure oil on my face. It's not heavy at all and is making my skin look and feel great. Should have tried it sooner!

So, that's what I'm loving right now. What are your current favorite products? Have you tried any of these things?

Cravebox: Summer Beauty Limited Edition Box

So, I've been really annoyed with Cravebox lately. Cravebox is a company that puts out monthly boxes, like many other subs, but Cravebox is not necessarily focused on beauty products - rather, they've sent out everything from food to bbq supplies to skincare to office supplies. I was on the waiting list for MONTHS to join their monthly subscription program, and I finally got a spot in May. And in this amount of time, I've gotten exactly two regular "monthly" boxes, one of which was actually a limited edition bbq box that they decided to send to regular subscribers in lieu of a regular box, as well.

Cravebox has been putting out these limited edition boxes fairly regularly. In addition to their regular service (which used to be monthly, but now is apparently every 6-8 weeks, though they never officially notified customers about this...) these limited edition boxes are not sent to subscribers, rather, you enter for a chance to purchase one and they have a set number of each.

I feel strongly that all of the focus has been put on these Limited Edition boxes, which in my opinion, have not been very impressive, and the regular boxes are just an afterthought. That aside, I find it unbelievably unprofessional that they did not at least officially notify subscribers that what they originally signed up for had changed - that a box a month would suddenly be something more like "one every couple of months or so..."

That said, I signed up for the Summer Beauty box, and I received it last week. What was inside?

As always, the box is a good size. It's always fun to get a big package in the mail, for some reason. The shipping on this one was very, very slow. I am not sure, but I think that past boxes got here a lot more quickly than this one did.

As always, the packaging is fun, with a ton of paper confetti. I do have to say that their packaging isn't the most eco-friendly. It's still fun and colorful, and I have saved most of it for reuse in my own gift wrapping/packaging. 

There are five products in the summer beauty box.

The first item I pulled out started off this box on kind of a bad note. It is a thinkThin protein bar in brownie crunch. Okay, first of all, what exactly does this have to do with summer beauty? I am tired of getting nasty food bars in beauty boxes...I've gotten several from Birchbox, as well. I signed up for this box to try beauty products. If you want to include something like this, it should be a bonus, not a main item. 

Second, even if it made sense in the box, this is disgusting. Some bars I've received have been pretty good - the granola or nut based ones at least taste like food. This one is like a gritty piece of fake chocolate flavored chalk. How is this even edible? thinkThin is a very good name for the product, because the idea of it could put me off food for a week.You'd have to pay me to eat it again.

This is an Oatmeal Peppermint Body Bar by Garden Botanika. A bar of soap isn't the most exciting thing to get in a beauty box, but I do have to say this is a nice one. The oatmeal gives it a slightly scrubby texture, and the peppermint oil makes it really soothing. I've been using it on my feet and legs, especially before and after shaving. It's not too drying and leaves my skin smooth. It's soothing on bug bites and other irritation, as well. Garden Botanika is a new brand to me, but I'd be interested in trying more of their products.

This is a Bic Soleil Bella razor. It basically offers the benefits of reusable razors like the Venus in an affordable disposable. This one has 4 blades. I did find that it does its job well, and I was happy to get a razor since I didn't receive the one that Birchbox was supposedly sending to everyone. For the price, these razors are nice and I'd likely buy them again.

This is an Intensive Eye Treatment by puristics. I love eye creams, so this was a welcome addition to the box. It's a nice thick cream that feels good going on. It feels refreshing and hydrating without being too heavy. Obviously, it's too soon to say if it is effective when it comes to anti-aging, but I am happy with the consistency and feel, and will continue to use it. I'm told that Cravebox had already sent out this product or a very similar one by the same brand before, but that was before my time, so I'm fine with it!

And finally, Tropical Mango sugar scrub by Tree Hut. This tub is huuuuge and it smells amazing, but I do have to say I was a little disappointed to get this from Cravebox, simply because they sent out the same scrub in a different scent just one box ago. That said, this is an amazing product and is probably my favorite body scrub I've tried to date. It leaves your skin silky and soft and is perfect for summer. I just wish I wasn't already getting box repeats, considering the small number of boxes I've actually gotten from them.

So, in all, the Summer Beauty Limited Edition Cravebox is okay. I am happy with most of the products received, but I do feel that very little effort was made in putting this box together. There are two repeated products (the scrub and the eye cream) and one cop-out product (the protein bar). Had I known what was in the box, I wouldn't have signed up for it, and that is how I generally decide if a subscription is worth it for me or not.

I do believe this will be my last Cravebox for a while. I am just unhappy with the lack of communication and clarity from them and the dwindling quality of the boxes offered. When I was on the waiting list, they sent out several amazing boxes I lusted over (Valentines colored sharpies?? YES PLEASE. ) Frankly, I've yet to receive a box from them that I truly find exciting, so it's not worth it for me at this time.

Have you tried Cravebox? If so, how do you like it?

Glossybox - August

After waiting for what felt like 50 years, my August Glossybox showed up today! This month's theme is "Pure Luxury", and promises rich, technologically-advanced products and sublime colors to help you  revive your body after summer. Sounds nice.

I noticed that my outer mailing box was not taped this month...all I had to do to open it was lift the flap. The only thing missing was my GlossyMag, which I frankly don't care much about. The Glossybox itself appeared untouched.

Everything in the box itself was intact, including the cute ribbon.

I was happy to open my box and see great sized products!

The first thing I pulled out was this Feel like Honey Moon Skin Base by Touch In Sol. This is a primer and moisturizer in one that promises to firm and revitalize the skin and optimize makeup application. I'm intrigued by the little gold flakes it contains! This is a very good sized sample - only a tiny bit smaller than the full size. This has a prorated value of about $17.70!

This is the ExquisiteOil Replenishing Treatment by Biolage - it's a serum infused with Moringa Oil that promises instant shine and weightless replenishment. It also promises to be good for all hair types.  I love hair oils, so I'm excited to try this! The value of this sample is about $1.14.

This is Truth Serum by Ole Henrikson, and I've heard great things about this in the past, so I'm very excited to try it! It's a Vitamin C complex that nourishes and protects your skin while fighting aging. This is another great sized sample, half of the full size. It has a value of $24!

This is a full sized nail polish by Illamasqua! It promises to be hardwearing and chip resistant. I got the color "Purity", which is a pretty peach creme shade. I've swatched it quickly on a single nail below.

This is a very different color for me, and I'm happy to have it!  It is not quite as pale as it looks in the photo. This polish retails for $14.

And finally, this month's big ticket item - Glazed Lips by Ellis Faas (they also sent out their Milky Lips and Creamy Lips lines.) I am happy to get the Glazed Lips - it's a sheer glossy stain, which is right up my alley. I got the shade L305, which is sheer rusty orange. And how amazing is that packaging?

Now, orange is not a shade I'd ever have picked up on my own, but this one is truly sheer and the texture is great - not sticky, thick enough to be long-lasting, and the gloss is very natural and not overly glossy.

I think I may actually be able to pull off this shade! I am finding it long lasting on my lips. This is a full sized product worth $35.

Glossybox has finally wowed me with this box, as I am excited about every single item in it. And the value of the box is almost $92! Definitely one of the most impressive boxes I've gotten from any company.

Do you get Glossybox yet? What do you think of this month's box?

Unreal Candy (BzzCampaign)

I recently joined a BzzCampaign for Unreal candy, and I was excited to give it a shot! I received one free item coupon and several BOGO coupons to share. I picked up the 3 varieties above and was able to try them out.

Unreal was a new brand for me, so I decided to see what they were all about. Turns out, this company is right up my alley! They're a company on a mission to "unjunk" candy. Basically, they take popular candy flavors, remove all of the nasty chemicals and additives, and deliver something that is delicious and far, far better for you!

If you've ever looked at the ingredients on a traditional candy bar, you know it can be kind of scary. They're full of high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, preservatives, artificial coloring,

Unreal uses things like cane sugar, agave, organic oils, and whole ingredients. They even use natural colorants like turmeric and beetroot!

I'll admit that I was a little skeptical about how they'd taste...after all, we're so used to eating foods full of junk. But I'm pleased to report that every variety I tried was delicious!

Unreal 8 is similar to a Snickers bar, and has that same chewy nougat, caramel, and peanut taste and texture - but in my opinion, it tastes even richer and better. The caramel is especially awesome.

Unreal 54 is modeled after peanut M&Ms...they're so good! I love the natural coloring - they're pretty, muted almost jewel tones provided by things like turmeric and beetroot. They lack that strange taste that is in the coating of M&Ms and the focus is all on the chocolate and peanut.

Unreal 77 is their version of a Reeses cup, and they are what you imagine - peanut butter cups. The peanut butter is smooth and true and the simple ingredients are absolutely delicious.

I really, truly enjoyed these candies and I am dying to try their other two varieties! As long as these are available, I will be replacing my traditional candy bars with them. I'd love to see them develop more varieties and really grow the line!

I recommend this line to anyone who likes to indulge in some candy once in a while but wants to put fewer nasty chemicals into their body.



*Disclaimer:  I am a BzzAgent, and I received free and discounted products to try and review. I was not compensated, and all opinions are my own.

myGlam - August

Well, this is the first one of these I've gotten in a while! I had signed up for myGlam near the beginning, and ended up unsubscribing after the horrendous February bag. I did keep my eye on the bags over the last few months, though, and they'd drastically improved, so I decided to give myGlam another shot. This is my first bag of our reunion.

August's bag has a theme of "Endless Summer" and it consists of 6 items.

I'm glad to see that myGlam still uses these cute pink mailers. I love to save and reuse them.

I really like the bag itself this month. It's an orange mesh bag with pink trim...I love the idea of a mesh bag to keep in my purse, makes it easy to find things.

The first item I pulled out was this sample sized shadow by s.a.l.t.y. These mineral shadows are blended by hand by a very small company...just the kind I like to support! The shade received is "Glama-ZOID" and it is specially made for myGlam! It's lovely - beautiful white in the jar, but it applies with an iridescent pink sheen. I can see myself using this color nearly daily.

This is a perfume roll on by Demeter! myGlam sent out two different scents this month, and I received the "clean skin" scent. It is much like it sounds - a very soft, clean scent. It has notes of bergamot peach, orange, lemon, white rose, and vanilla. This is a great scent for times you want to smell clean, but not noticeably perfumey. Love the rollerball to keep in my bag!

The next two products are both by eclos, which is a skincare company that uses plant stem cells in their formulas. The first item is this Cellular Activator Facial Serum. It promises to revitalize fatigued, stressed skin, and minimize damage and aging. I love serums, so I'm excited to try this out. I love the sample size, too.

Also by eclos, this is the Anti-Aging Regenerative Cream, and it is a moisturizer meant to be used day and night. The texture seems nice, not too light and not too heavy. I'll be trying this and the serum together to see what they do for me.

This is a full sized nail polish by Andrea's Choice. They sent out two different shades from the Circus collection, and I got "Spectacle", which is a truly neon orange. I mean, NEON. I love it, and it's different than anything else I have! I can't wait to try it out and see how the formula works for me.

And finally, the sixth item is a bonus - Glam Gloss. They sent out two different shades, I got 01 which is a light pink. I tried this out and I think it's nice - it smells like bubblegum and the texture is somewhat thick, but not tacky. It leaves a soft tint and light shimmer. I can see myself using this regularly...and the size is great.

In all, I think this is a really great bag! myGlam has really stepped up their game. We got 2 nice sized skincare samples, a good sized fragrance, a full sized gloss and nail polish, and a deluxe sample eyeshadow. I love the variety, and there isn't a single item I won't use. Hooray!

Do you sub to myGlam? What do you think of your bag this month?

Klout Perk: essie Mirror Metallics!

I received my newest Klout perk today, and I thought I'd share it with you!

If you haven't joined Klout yet, it's basically a site that measures your social influence. Your scores qualify you for perks, which can be anything from a food sample to an early movie/tv preview to an extra item on LBB to a free beauty product. I've been a member for a few months now, and I've claimed several perks!

This one is a polish from essie's new Mirror Metallics Collection, which consists of five shades.

I received the color "penny talk": it's a gorgeous incandescent copper.

I find the formula to be very nice - not too thick or thin, and it goes on super smooth, especially for a metallic!

This is a single coat applied on a bare nail! It's  opaque in one coat. I did go ahead and apply a second coat afterwards just for some added depth and shine, but you could definitely get away with a single coat with this one.

I'm a big fan of metallics, so I will likely be picking up a couple more shades in the collection.

I think this is an awesome perk from Klout!

If you haven't joined Klout yet, here is my invitation link. Using this will link us, allowing us to see each other scores and list each other as influencers.