Ahh! I’ve Just Been Bitten…by a lip balm

I know I am waaaaaaaaay late in jumping in on this bandwagon, but a month back I finally did, am boy am I glad I did! 

Product: Revlon Just Bitten Kissables (lip balm/stain)

Packaging: On trend with all the other chubby pencil designs, the balms look like a giant crayon that you wind up from the bottom for  more product.

Pricing: Anywhere from $5-12 USD depending on location and availability

Colors: Colors range all the way from a soft nude to a deep red. I bought three: (top to bottom, left to right) Darling, Cherish and Honey

Finish/Texture: Go on like a balm, very moisturizing, with a slight frost (depends on color) and always glossy finish.

Overall: I love these, and I know I say that about most of the product reviews I post, but seriously my Kissable, especially Honey (on the far right), have become my morning routine staple. They go with everything, no mess, no fuss. DEFINITELY a must re-buy

Beauty Blogger VoxBox

STOP! Before you even continue, I need you, yes YOU, to go and sign up for Influenster.com. Why? Cause it’s AWESOME!

Influenster is a cool little site that lets you share your opinion on hoards of products, not just cosmetics, and in exchange they choose thousands of people to send free samples to try out. Last week I received my second VoxBox, and was super excited to try to the products out.

What was included?

ALL THIS STUFF!

AND the Goody Hair pins that you screw into your bun (Pic disappeared for some reason)

So, is it the coolest stuff? Maybe not, but its FREE and its your chance to get you opinion finally heard! So go on, go and sign up today 🙂

Time to get Nude with Tude

Hello my lovely readers 🙂 So lately I’ve had a no makeup kind of attitude. After literally dumping all my makeup on the floor and calculating how much damage I had done to my wallet, I swore off buying new makeup until I finished the one I had.

Well this idea lasted all about 2 minutes 🙂 

Recently I signed up for HauteLook (Review up later) and on the first day they had discounts on TheBalm products, so you know me, I HAD to buy something! So what did I buy? Only the awesomest palette EVER!

The Nude ‘tude palette comes in an adorable casing

Take it out of the case, open the magnetically held cover and Voila! pretty colors for a nice neutral with a pop kind of look.

Oh yeah, the dual headed brush included…pretty nice. Fits nicely into my crease and gives nice sharp lines.

SWATCHES! You know you wanted to see some swatches 🙂 The colors are a nice mix of frost and matte.

Overall: Ok, so this palette isn’t the most awesomest palette ever, but it definitely is very nice. The colors are very pigmented, go on easily with little fall out and last a very long time. Lately I have been using the darker shades just as a smudged liner  and the effect is very sexy sultry but wearable.

Normally this palette sells for $36 USD but I bought it for half the price, and for that price, yup this is definitely my go to palette 🙂

I whip my foundation back and forth! Revlon Colorstay Whipped Foundation

Yup, I just referenced a ten year old’s hit single…so sad. But what ev’s let’s get to the review 🙂

 Revlon Colorstay Whipped foundation.

Packaging : The foundation comes in a cool sleek glass jar. Very similar to Chanel packaging. When you open it, there is a plastic cover to keep the foundation in place.

Product: Advertised as a light-weight formula that lasts 24 hours, this foundation is a wet mousse type of consistency. No, it is not the same as the dream mousse line by Maybelline or the spray foam foundation. Rather when you first look at it, it looks like the regular Colorstay that has been dumped in the jar

but when you touch it with a brush, you can see the wet foamy bubbles.

Pricing: $12-$16 depending on location and availability

Pros:

• feel light weight
• wear flawlessly throughout the day
• long-lasting
• need very little to get full coverage

Cons:

• Very expensive for a drugstore foundation
• sinks into pores/ cakes around blemishes
• limited color selection

Overall: I really like this foundation. At first I wasn’t too sure about what to make of this product. Is is liquid, is it mousse? I couldn’t decide, but it felt great on my skin, not the same thickness as the regular Colorstay. My only problem however is that I felt I needed a primer because although it looked gorgeous on  my skin as the hours passed, it also sank into my pores and caked around dry patches and blemishes.

Would I buy it again? I think so, I mean I wouldn’t wear on the days I have a breakout our problem skin, but I for long work days or a night out, it is great.

WTH!!! Sara is alive??? + project 10 product

Hello? Heelllloooooo? Is anyone there, does  anyone still read this blog? LOL, hi my lovely readers, long time no communicate. Who would have thunk that a new job would mean 16 hour work days? NOT ME! But, I’m here, I’m rearing to  share my thoughts so lets get started!

So this summer, I decided to go on a shopping hiatus. This meant NO new makeup, NO new bath products, NO new nothing! I wanted to force myself to use up all that I had stock piled. So how did I do? Take a look 🙂

 

1. generic baby wipes to remove makeup
2. 2 tubes of Milani lipgloss
3. Benefit Lip Plump
4. Dove deodorant
5. Clarisonic cleaning brush
6. Kiels eyecream
7. Revlon Colorstay Foundation
8. Neutrogena Acne Face Wash
9. Maybelline clear mascara
10. Maybelline Stiletto liner
11. Maybelline Lash Stilletto mascara
12. Smashbox Hyperlash mascara
13. Loreal Collagen Mascara
14. Maybelline One-by-One Mascara
15. Elf  Clear gel
16. Revlon Lash grow Mascara
17. Maybelline Falsies Mascara
18. Essence Gel Liner Black an d Purple
19. Acuve Oasis contact lenses
20. FAB shaing cream
21. Bigelow lotion
22. Perricone MD moisturizer

 

Considering I’m addicted to cosmetics, I think I did fairly well. I knocked out most of my mascara collection, cut out all my skin care samples,  finally finished my foundation and even used my Clarisonic so much that now I need a new brush.

Phewww Im exhausted, just looking at this huge pile in front of me is making me nervous, its like there is a huge void on my vanity…must…replenish…NOW!

Meet my homegirl Mia….she’s a Clarisonic :)

About a month back I purchased a Clarisonic and after using it about three times per week and then reducing it to once  or twice  a week, I can honestly say I love it 🙂

So if your interested in an in-depth  review keep reading 🙂

Product: Included in the kit were:

• Clarisonic® Mia with one speed (Waterproof), international pLink™ Charger for worldwide use, sensitive Brush Head and trial Size Cleanser
• Nutritive Cleanser-with Alpha Lipoic Acid and DMAE ($14 Value)- It is formulated to reveal a brighter and smoother skin surface and helps to minimize the appearance of enlarged pores. It leaves skin looking radiant and perfectly prepared for treatment.
• Neuropeptide Firming Moisturizer ($37 Value)- This superior hydrating cream delivers advanced proprietary Neuropeptide technology to help firm sagging skin while correcting the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Developed for skin that is dehydrated and has lost elasticity.

Pricing: $119 USD, but with coupons and online rebates, I paid $90.

Pros: 

• After the first use my skin felt smoother and cleaner
• After three uses, my skin saw a decrease in redness, and smaller pores started to disappear
• Removed makeup even after I thought I had removed everything with traditional cleansers
• After 2 weeks saw a reduction in oiliness of face
• Price motivated me to maintain a cleansing routine
• Very portable and compact
• Built in timer assures proper time is taken to cleanse

Cons:

• Price  for both machine and replacement heads that you need every three months ($40 USD)
• One brush head regardless  of  skin type or need
• Brush head was a lot rougher then I thought, took  some breaking into.

OVERALL:

I love it! Honestly I didn’t have any expectations for this product. Yes, I read reviews, watched videos and was enticed to buy it, but I really thought it was just gonna be something that I used sometimes, maybe if I remembered. 

However, this little sucker has changed my life , for reals. My skin looks fresh, hydrated, and dirt free. My pores are shrinking and my blemishes are gone. Plus as an unexpected bonus, I use less foundation! My skin is looking so healthy that I no longer feel the need to wear much makeup 🙂

So if you have been thinking of getting one, I say do it! It is well worth the investment : )

My sister tried the Clarisonic for two weeks and this is what happened!!

Review: AHAVA Cream Body Wash

Products: AHAVA Mineral Botanic Cream Body Wash- Hibiscus & Fig

Claims to use natural minerals and salts for the Dead Sea for therapeutic powers and cosmetic benefits.

Price: $23 USD for 17oz.

Performance: Uhhh, hello silk in a bottle 🙂 Ya’ll I didn’t have any expectations for this product, I mean I had heard of AHAVA but was never really interested. So when I got in the shower and poured some on my loofah, I was shocked by the amount of  lather and suds this product made, a very pleasant surprise. Furthermore, as I started to loofah away, the smooth and silky feeling was awesome, so awesome that I actually giggled because I was so surprised about how nice the cream wash felt on my skin. As an added bonus, since a small amount really does go a long way, one squirt of product lasted my whole shower.

Benefits: I am not a fan of summer because it is wretched for my skin. Due to high temperatures (it is a 112F in Cali where I live, today) and sun exposure, I always get mild heat rashes, discoloration on my face and just overall irritated skin. What the AHAVA did right after the first use, was calm my skin and sooth the irritations. Within a few days, I saw  my skin kinda clear up and look refreshed.

Overall: I would recommend this product for people with sensitive or dry skin. Designed specifically for dry skin, I can see how this product can be moisturizing and soothing, but on my normal/combo skin, while it helped calm my skin, it didn’t do much for moisturizing. And although the product does have a very nice slightly floral smell, it does not linger on the skin very long, which can be a plus for people who have skin allergies to added oils and scents.

Would I buy it again? For the summer I definitely would just because it is so gentle and light weight, but for winter I would definitely opt for a more moisturizing body wash.

 

FREE SAMPLES!!! Influenster Summer VoxBox

For those that don’t know, influenster.com is a review website, that you sign up for free, take a few quizzes to earn badges and done, wait to see if you get a free test box. Now, I am so sorry I don’t remember whose post I read that made me go to the site, but if you are reading this, thank you!

I signed up last month, and was so excited when I got when I got one in the mail  last week and this is what they sent !

This promised  to soften hands, smooth cuticles and condition nails. I’m not sure if it did all that, or if I need to give it a bit more time, but this light weight lotion with its citrusy smell, is the perfect summer hand lotion to through in my purse.

Got one of these bars and I loved it! Alone it was yummy with its banana bread taste, but warmed up…..it took it to a whole ‘nother level! Yum 🙂

Yup, pads tampons, liners. But I must say, the wristlet is very cute 🙂

Cant wait to try this! It’s the awesome nail polish that you put on, hold a magnet over and WOW, a cool pattern, very psychedelic 🙂

Finally got a sample of sunscreen, and I must say I really like it! I have oily skin, and when I put sunscreen on it just becomes more greasy looking, but so far, this has not done that. It goes on like a lotion, has a really pleasant shea butter texture and smell and rubs in without the white shadow that other sunscreens give.

Final Word: Go sign-up everyone, you have nothing to lose. Seriously, take a few quizzes and that’s it 🙂

US Glossybox!

For those who didn’t know, Glossybox has come to America! Primarily an international monthly beauty box, Glossybox did a mass Youtube promotion last month for their lauch here in the US and wanting to compare it to other monthly subscribtion boxes,  I bought one, and here’s what I got 🙂

 

 

 

WOW!!! How cool! Another perfume sample! Just what I always wanted! 🙂

 

 

Smells like my grandmas spice cabinet…lemon, ginger, juniper…sounds good but yuck!

 

 

 

 

 

FULL SIZE SAMPLE !!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is an eyeshadow base, the packaging is very cheap looking and feeling. Generally for makeup artists, it retails for $20USD

 

 

 

 

 

This is where it gets good though. The color is a gorgeous purple mauve. Its goes on smooth not tacky and stays put for a long time. 

More eye cream goodies

I was excited to try this product, the AHAVA cream body wash, because I could smell it through the box, but then I realized the only reason I could smell it was because it had all spilled out 😦

This shaving cream is the bomb.com ( yeah i just said that!). It goes on without much lather and has no scent, but the after effects are just awesome. My legs were so silky smooth that I couldn’t help but bring out my short shorts 🙂

Final Verdict: Glossybox kicks the other boxes ass! Even with one missing product (which they said they would send and replace my AHAVA), this box was great. Yes the price is steep ($23 USD depending on location) but you actually get a lot of full size products. Plus the box everything comes in is just adorable!

So would I buy it again?…..I think I would 🙂

June Julep Box

Yes, I know it’s July but last month while binge shopping, I decided to try another Julep box, and TADAAAAAA this is what I got 🙂

So of course I went for the big bottle at first, and its a heat tamer/shine spray, and YUM it smells (LOL I almost typed tastes) like strawberries.

In the bag of goodies was this thingy…a lip plumper? Yup. Ladies this color sucks but the plumping action is great! Usually, plumper’s never work on me but this lasted almost an hour which, is eons longer then any other plumper I have tried.

Its called Ultra Violet and while it makes a pretty swatch, the color didn’t work for me, it went on very streaky and the color clumped around my mouth.

Here’s the colors. Top is Natalie, a very dupeable pink. Although it is a very nice true pink, Sally Hansen and Sinful Colors have the same pink. The bottom one is Emilie, the love child of  forest green and true green. It’s a nice shade, but looks horrible on my summer tanned hands.

My hand model this month is my sister 🙂 poor thing came to  visit, and the minute she walked into my apartment, I attacked her with beauty products and literally paid her to be my test dummy for the week 🙂 Love her!