Saturday, October 29, 2016

POPSUGAR Must-Have Box | October 2016


* POPSUGAR PROVIDED ME WITH A COMPLIMENTARY POPSUGAR MUST HAVE BOX.

Good morning, ladies and gents! Today, I have the PopSugar Must-Have box for October on the blog! The products in it are SO perfect for those blustery, chilly October days and I can't wait to show you them.

If you're unfamiliar with PopSugar Must-Have boxes, let me fill you in! It's a monthly subscription box delivered straight to your door filled with full-sized home, beauty, food, fashion products (legit, one of my favorite subscription boxes!). They also have a "mini" option that contains a smaller amount of products for a lesser price per month. The full-size box will run you $39.95 a month, $109.85 for three (saving you $10) or $214.70 for six months (saving you $25). The mini box will run you $18.95 per month. 

PopSugar was sweet enough to give my readers the code SHOP5 (never expires) to give you $5 off your first box!

What's in the box?

  • Henri Bendel Packable Umbrella ($58) - This umbrella alone is worth more than the price of the box! It's super lightweight and compact so you can tuck it in your purse and head out. I actually leave this in my car so I'm never without one, just in case. The classic Henri Bendel striped print is adorable as well!
  • Lalicious Brown Sugar Vanilla Shower Oil & Bubble Bath ($28) - Oooh! The warm brown sugar and vanilla scent automatically makes me think fall! Since it's an oil and bubble bath wrapped into one, it leaves your skin silky smooth and soft. While I don't take baths much anymore, I do use this in the shower for the same effect - just be careful of a slippery floor if you drop some!
  • My Cup of Cocoa Dark Drinking Chocolate ($4.99) - PopSugar knows the way to their subscriber's hearts. I mean, you can never go wrong with hot chocolate! Also, I originally thought this said "day drinking chocolate" and immediately thought I had my priorities wrong.
  • Morning Culture Rise & Shine Diner Mug ($16) - And what would hot chocolate be without a cute Instagram-worthy mug? I collect mugs so I literally squee'd when I saw this in the box. It's a heavy mug that can hold a good amount of coffee - or tequila - I won't judge.
  • Makeup Eraser Mini ($12) - I had no idea they came out with a mini! This Makeup Eraser is a travel-sized microfiber towel that when wet with warm water, becomes a total miracle worker! It removes even the most waterproof makeup! No need to scrub. All I do is gently rub (keyword: gently!) and the makeup comes right off!
  • "Power Your Happy Work Hard, Play Nice & Build Your Dream Life" by Lisa Sugar ($25) - I love a good motivational read! Written by the founder of POPSUGAR, this book combines career and personal advice with stories and fun for a nice, light read with something to walk away with.
  • Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eye Pen ($8.99) - I was happy to see this in the box! It has a nice, smooth formula to create even the most precise cat-eye.
SHOP | Buy
* POPSUGAR PROVIDED ME WITH A COMPLIMENTARY POPSUGAR MUST HAVE BOX // Contains affiliate links.

Friday, October 28, 2016

Halloween | Creepy Jack O'Lantern


Amidst adjusting to this crazy life that is a mommy to a newborn and a two year old (did I mention the terrible two's are real and scare me more than American Horror Story?), there was no way I was missing out on Halloween looks, even if it's just this one. Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday, if you didn't know! I'm all about that pumpkin life and decided to take that literally with this look I call "Creepy Jack O'Lantern". The originality is just flowin', guys.


  • Face -  So I started out with the tarte Rainforest of the Sea Water Foundation as my foundation. I hadn't used this foundation in forever. Still totally smells like paint thinner. Whhhhhhy?! It goes away within a few seconds but still. So weird. For concealer, I used It Cosmetics CC+ Concealer in fair and then set that with Laura Mercier Brightening Powder. For the "triangles" on my eyebrows, I used Eddie Funkhouser Ultra Definition Eye Lining Stylus. I made the triangles pretty mismatching because who makes perfect eyes when they're carving their pumpkins? Not this girl. I went back in with a black shadow to set everything. Same with the nose. I kind of went for a skull look instead of the typical triangle and then flicked the edges to create an "un-done", creepy look.
  • Eyes - As always, I set up a base with the MAC Paint Pot in Painterly. I like to use this to cancel out any veins on my eyes and basically start on a clean base. After that, I started to create a halo eye using Black Metal mixed with Vox from the Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix Palette. Then a took Vox and applied that in the crease and blended everything together, making sure to leave the middle of the lid as bare as possible. Once that's all blended, I took Harpsichord and patted that on the middle of the lid. I then lightly blended the edges into Vox/Black Metal so it wasn't so harsh. For the cat eye, I used Eddie Funkhouser Ultra Definition Eye Lining Stylus and then applied House of Lashes in Boudoir.
  • Lips - Lastly, for the lips, I used Eddie Funkhouser Ultra Definition Eye Lining Stylus and traced out funky triangles all along my lips and outwards. Again, the messier and misshapen, the better! I went and colored them in with the same eyeliner but you take a black lipstick and do the same. I also flicked the sides out along the triangles to give a creepier feel to them.
First off, high five for not having to do our brows with this, right? Yay! But seriously. What do you think? 
Monday, October 24, 2016

GLOSSYBOX | September 2016


*GLOSSYBOX sent to me for review.

Hey boos! My apologies for getting this up so late! Like, a month late. But I still wanted to share last month's box with you all because it's absolutely stunning and has some amazing goodies in it!

September's GLOSSYBOX is all about celebrating the synonymy between fashion and beauty. This month's gorgeous secret garden box is illustrated by Antonio Soares, known for his avant-garde, high-fashion style and watercolor manipulation to create works of fashion-inspired art by hand. Now let's take a peek inside!

  • Borghese Superiore State-Of-The-Art Mascara ($19.50) - I consider myself a sort of mascara connoisseur so needless to say, when I come across a mascara I've never tried before, I get pretty excited. The formula is powdered silk and panthenol-infused to give your lashes lift, length and volume. The consistency is a little too wet for my liking. My personal preference is a drier feel but overall, this isn't too bad. It just isn't my favorite.
  • MonuSpa Rosewood Reviving Mist ($27) - YES PLEASE! I'm such a huge fan of face mists. This mist combines lemon, rosewood and sandalwood essential oils to give you a nice, refreshing feel. You can use this to set or fix your makeup with but I just like using it to give my face a little dew to it.
  • ModelLauncher Brow Duo Pencil in Taupe ($12) - Can you tell this bag is full of win? This pencil is basically the color I've been looking for but have never been able to find. It's a cool-toned taupe that works so well for me. Sometimes when I use a brow pencil that's "meant" for my brows, it's just way too dark and gives me Sharpie-brows. I've tried to use other "taupes" in the past but they're always red-toned. No bueno. This one is perfect! It's smooth and applies lightly so that it looks natural. I'm a fan!
  • Korres Volcanic Minerals Twist Eyeshadow in Grey Brown ($18) - I've heard of Korres before but never tried their products - until now! I tend to stay away from cream eyeshadows as they crease on me like crazy, no matter how much I set them. I wasn't too keen on trying this but I'm so, so happy I did! I'm not sure what's in this baby (besides black volcanic minerals and rice wax) but this stayed on without creasing! And it's such a gorgeous shade as you can see from the swatch below. I feel like I need all of these now!
  • Sesderma Sensyses Cleanser & C-Vit Moisturizing Serum ($20/$52) - The cleanser is absolutely awesome! It's very light without being oily-feeling. It took off all of my makeup, including the waterproof stuff (always a plus!) and apparently, while removing makeup, cleansing and balancing the skin, it supplies essential fatty acids to the skin. The serum is designed for almost every place on your face. It provides glow all the while minimizing wrinkles and fine lines and brightening dark circles. I can't say I saw all that but it did give my face a nice, supple feel to it.
Korres Volcanic Minerals Twist Eyeshadow in Grey Brown / ModelLauncher Brow Duo Pencil in Taupe

What do you think of  September's box?

*GLOSSYBOX sent to me for review.
Friday, October 14, 2016

Let's Get Tech-y | Shoptagr


// Sponsored by Shoptagr.

As a beauty blogger, it's safe to say I've always got shopping on my mind. I'm constantly putting things in various online carts to eventually come back to and buy (emphasis on eventually). Which is why I'm a huge fan of Shoptagr - a site that allows you to save and track all your favorite products in one place - and notifies you when they go on sale! 


Got a second? That's all you need to download Shoptagr to your internet browser as an extension and start saving money! When you see something you'd like to save, click the Shoptagr icon from your internet bookmarks (usually in the right hand corner), confirm your sizes, colors, discount level, which list from your Shoptagr account you'd like to put it on, etc. and you're good to go! This then gets saved to your Shoptagr account so you can view your items from your phone, tablet, desktop, wherever! Below I'll show you a step-by-step on how to save a product to your list:


  • Shoptagr lets you save products from over 800+ stores! I chose Sephora (because obvs) and wanted to save the Anastasia Beverly Hills Master Palette by Mario to my wish list. After downloading the Shoptagr extension, I clicked on the green "S" icon in the right hand corner of my internet browser which popped up the box you see above. 

  • Here, I can pick what price change I want to be notified of and which list I'd like to put it on. If you're saving clothing, it'll ask you what size, color, etc. Once you click "save it", it'll automatically save to your wish list which you can view anywhere. Shoptagr will then immediately notify you if your product goes on sale (down to the specific size and color you chose) as well as notify you if your product is back in stock so you never miss out on saving some moola! I mean, how awesome would this be for those Black Friday deals? 
  • Here's a few products on my current wish list! Can you tell I'm coveting the latest holiday releases? Everything you've saved will be on this page. As you can see in the left hand column, you can create your own lists as well as see which products you've fulfilled (bought). Here, you can even send your wish list to a certain someone, y'know, if they need some hints for upcoming holidays ;) 

If you're like me and usually use your phone for most of your online shopping, you can use Shoptagr on there as well as its available for Androids and iPhones. Simply download the Shoptagr app, enable it as a bookmark option and get to savin'. It will notify you via text when there's a sale or if something when back in stock on any of the products you've saved!

Do you use apps/extensions to save money? Which ones are your favorite?

// Sponsored by Shoptagr.
Friday, October 07, 2016

LUSH Herbalism, Jersey Bounce, Boom!, Pumice Power & The Plumps | Review


* Press samples

Doesn't that title sound like a crazy superhero team, right? Hahaha. LUSH products, heros - basically the same thing since they both save the day *insert cheesy wink here*. Today, I'm sharing some new goodies from LUSH - and you're definitely going to want to scoop these babies up! Let's check 'em out!


  • Pumice Power ($4.50) - I'll be honest. My feet have seen better days. For most of the summer, they're either in flip flops or I'm barefoot so needless to say, they're in dire need of TLC come fall. This pumice is exactly what the doctor ordered! The scent is nice and citrus-y from from the orange oil infused into it.  I get it all nice and sudsy in the shower and then exfoliate my feet with it for soft, rejuvenated skin. I also have used this on my arms with similar softening results! 
  • Jersey Bounce ($9.95) - I cannot get enough of this shampoo! It's my absolute favorite right now. You only need the smallest amount to lather up your whole head. I have pretty long hair and used about a half dollar sized amount! Jersey Bounce contains a crazy mix of sea salt (for texture and volume), linseed decoction (for softening) and honey and organic free-range eggs (for extra softening and conditioning). My hair always feels squeaky clean after using this without feeling dried out. I love it!
  • Herbalism ($15.95) - While this cleanser is more suited for oily/troubled skin, I have normal/slightly dry skin and still had great results. It contains kaolin clay and rice bran (to soak up any excess oil), rosemary, nettle and chamomile (to tone) and chlorophyllyn extracted from alfalfa plants to balance out the oils on your skin. Clearly, it has a lot of ingredients to keep the oil at bay but even with my normal skin, I noticed it left my skin feeling soft and just left everything feel nice and tight. It didn't dry me out at all.
  • The Plumps ($17.95) - Is it a conditioner? Is it a texturizer? It's a mix of both! The Plumps contains sea salt and honey to get that hair high AND soft. It also has this yummy cedarwood scent that sticks around for awhile after you get out of the shower. This + Jersey Bounce = a match made in heaven! 
  • Boom! Toothy Tabs ($9.95) - Lastly, we have these babies which are so new to me! I had no clue they made toothpaste in a tab form but I love the idea of it! Pop one of these in your mouth, chew and then grab a toothbrush to brush it around and rinse. The toothy tabs is a mix of charcoal, gunpowder tea, chili powder and black pepper with a cola flavor! 
What are your absolute favorites from LUSH? 
* Press samples
Saturday, October 01, 2016

Garnier Fructis Grow Strong Shampoo + Conditioner | Review


| Sponsored by Rite Aid through the Rite Aid Network. 

Let's talk affordable hair care, shall we? Last week, I shared a great mid-range priced shampoo/conditioner set but if you're looking for something more affordable and more accessible, I have a great set for you!


I'm talking about the all-new Garnier Fructis Grow Strong Shampoo and Conditioner! Something that'll make my hair stronger AND healthier? Yes please! It couldn't have come at a better time as my hair is at its absolute thinnest right now since giving birth (thanks, hormones!). The Garnier Fructis Grow contains active fruit concentrate and ceramide to strengthen your hair as it grows which is just what this mama needs!


I've talked about this before but as usual, I used the conditioner first, just on my ends and let it soak in and then washed it out. Then I went in with the shampoo, which lathers really nicely, and let that sit while I did other things and then washed it out. The first thing I noticed was my hair felt squeaky clean instead of that weird filmy, smooth feeling that some shampoos give. You know the feeling. The one where you just know when your hair dries it's going to be SO oily. Not the case with these!

Since using this, I've noticed my hair has felt healthier and the breakage on my hair has slightly lessened. Not huge changes but enough for me to be like, "Oh hey. I didn't lose half my hair down the drain today." I've been a huge fan of Garnier for a long time now so I kind of figured I'd be a fan of this. And, because you guys know I'm obsessed with yummy-smelling things, this fruity-scented set (maybe watermelon?) totally passes the scent test! 

Make sure to check out Garnier Fructis' Grow Strong Shampoo and Conditioner in Rite Aid's BeautyX campaign this month. Rite Aid will be sharing this fall's hottest trends, tips, tricks and of course, insane deals! Head to your local Rite Aid and visit a beauty advisor for in-store demos or find all the details at RiteAid.com/Beauty starting 9/25!

| Sponsored by Rite Aid through the Rite Aid Networ

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