October Birchbox review and book talk

This is my October Birchbox! I am surprisingly pretty happy with it. The Balance Me eye cream is moisturizing and feels fantastic on my eye area.

The "worst" product out of the box is my Beauty Protector. I didn't enjoy this as much as I hoped. My highlighted hair needs extra moisture at the ends and I was hoping this product would be the answer; it wasn't. I LOVE the smell though!

One of the favorites from this box is the Model Co lipstick. It's a great shade for any skin color. For me, it's a my-lips-but-better shade. It's creamy and smells like strawberries.

My other favorite is the Revealed 2 palette. The colors are beautifully pigmented, yet blends like a dream.The buttery texture makes me a believer in Coastal Scents eye shadows.

The last product is my "average" product. The Dr. Brandt Vacuum Cleaner was the most anticipated product in this box, but I'm "meh" about it. While this did remove surface rough spots and unevenness caused by blackheads and dead skin, it didn't "vacuum out my pores like Glamglow.

Overall, this is a great month for me for Birchbox. This is my three month anniversary with Birchbox and it keeps getting better.

I'm also obsessed with the author this month, Gillian Flynn. If you haven't read Gone Girl, GET ON IT! This is one of the most gripping, twisted psychological thrillers of our time. I usually don't go for this genre, but so many friends told me how awesome it was so I had to get it. The movie is just as intense as the book. I'm happy with the cinematography and acting in the movie.

Let me know your thoughts on this month's box. What did you love from your box? What books are you reading? Thanks for reading!

Victoria's Secret/Influenster box

https://item2.tradesy.com/images/item/3/activewear/victoria-s-secret/8-m-29-30/victoria-s-secret-incredible-vsx-sports-bra-201591-2.jpg

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 "This is a sponsored blog post. Influenster provided me with complimentary Victoria's Secret products to test and review as part of a contest."I received the above items from Influenster and Victoria's Secret for free for testing purposes. I am an Angel cardholder, but I never tried the workout gear. This voxbox was a home run with me (pardon the baseball reference as we get into playoff season)! While I engaged in high-impact classes like Zumba, TRX, and bootcamp, the workout gear was awesome! The support and comfort of the bra and pants are unmatched. The fabric keeps sweat at bay while keeping me cool.

Now for the downside and the part that kept this from being a grand slam. I received pants instead of capris in my voxbox. At a whopping 60 inches (5'0) the pants were way too long for me. When I went to return the pants at a local Victoria's Secret (as instructed by VS and Influenster), my cashier handed me a receipt without doing an exchange. "We cannot do in-store exchanges without a receipt. I returned the pants and they will ship to the warehouse. When they process the return you will get a gift card or you can call to do an exchange."

I was taken aback since she didn't tell me what was happening while she was processing the transaction. When I went online a couple of days later, I couldn't track the order. Frustrated, I took to facebook to inform VS about the incident. Thank goodness their social media department is understanding and supportive. I received notice that a set of capris will be sent to me within 5-7 business days. That saved their review from me. Overall, I enjoy the workout gear and will definitely purchase more in the future. I wish it wasn't so expensive, but I will just have to save up while I continue to workout.

Freeman Beauty #BAREFOOTbliss #contest entry

Photo credit: Freeman Beauty
https://www.freemanbeauty.com/product/foot-scrub-pumic-barefoot

Thanks to Influenster I got another free product! This retails for $2.97 and can be found at Wal-Mart. I'm pleasantly surprised by this product since it was so inexpensive.

Pros
The scent is amazing!  I wouldn't think to put peppermint and plum together, but I love the light, refreshing scent.
The texture isn't too harsh, but it does exfoliate effectively. * I even use this on my body.  I exfoliate all over after I shave and before I use my self-tan.  This product preps my skin for an even, beautiful tan.
The price!  As stated above, it can be found at almost any Wal-Mart, including the supermarket locations, and it's so reasonable.  There's no excuse for rough skin!

Cons
I really can't think of any!

Thanks for reading and check out this product!

Influenster Surf's Up Voxbox

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I'm so excited for my Influenster Voxbox! I've been a member since 2012 and this is my second box. Leave me a comment if you want an invite to get FREE PRODUCTS! As you can see, it's a Surf's Up theme.
1. Sinful Colors in Anchors Away-$1.99 This polish can be used as a"wash" of color OR use a white polish underneath to make it more vibrant.  It's perfect for summer. I wore it for a week with very little chipping; not bad for the price!

2. Hawaiian Tropic After Sun moisturizer-appr. $2.99 This is fast absorbing and smells great! I love the sweet coconut smell as the lotion seeps into my skin.  It makes my self-tanner more vibrant/dark (I hope that makes sense). I would use this instead of my regular moisturizer!

3. First Aid Shots-?? The berry flavor wasn't as bad as I anticipated.  I thought it gave me a little pain relief and energy in the morning.  My soreness from a previous workout was minimized.  The taste may hold me back from repurchasing.

4. Covergirl Bombshell mascara-$10
Pros: long-lasting, jet black color, doesn't flake or smear, waterproof, length, curls lashes
Cons: NO volume, bulky handle, spidery lashes
If you just need length, this is a great drugstore mascara for you; unfortunately, I need both length and volume. I didn't enjoy the spidery look to my lashes after four coats of mascara either.

5. Jamba Juice Fruit and Veggie mix- $3.49
This tastes great!  The mix provides nutrients with little sugar.  I added various liquids to "test" different mixes.  It's fine with water or acai concentrate from Whole Foods. Both options provide little additional sugar.  I like the acai mix better.  I drank this in the morning or mid-morning for a snack during summer school.  I will definitely try adding protein powder to the next bag!

Overall, this was a great value since I didn't pay anything for the products.  I love how Influenster and the brands give subscribers a chance to win more awesome products by completing challenges!

Memebox review

Photo courtesy of us.memebox.com

I can't believe I forgot to post this!  These are the products from my first Memebox. I discovered this service from LePooke on Youtube.  Memebox is a Korean company that puts together themed boxes.  This one was for oily, sensitive skin.  They come out with boxes almost every week and you can buy what you want, you aren't locked into buying every box.  I've had a little over a month to try these products so I could give you a fair review.  Since these are skincare products it takes a little time to learn how well they actually work.

1. Corsrx Original Pur All Cleansing Bar-FULL SIZE $14
I really like this cleansing bar.  This bar contains "high concentrates of vitamin C and houttuynia cardata, an herbal plant widely acklowledged for healing and detoxifying effects." My skin feels clean and refreshed after massaging it on my skin. I've used this with my Clarisonic for extra exfoliation three times a week.
2. Ciracle Red Spot Cream-FULL SIZE $23
This is definitely a new product for me!  It states this will whiten, brighten, and clear the skin.  I was excited to get this product since I've never used a whitening product on my face.  I also love using this as my moisturizer AND primer.  The whitening effect evens out my skin so I use less foundation.
3. Dr. Young U-Line Clearing Mist-FULL SIZE $49
This refreshing mist is described as a spray to combat oil production while soothing skin.  This product is safe for all over your body.  I love this spray just as much as my Urban Decay setting spray, but it smells better!  It is best kept in the refridgerator for an extra cooling effect.
4. LJH Cellabell MC Recovery Balm-sample appr. $5.55
This product also provides a whitening effect to the skin in a bb cream consistency.  My skin usually doesn't like bb creams since they are thick, but this one didn't irritate my skin.  I used it as a moisturizer AND primer under a light foundation.  I only had to use a dime size or smaller amount for my face for each use.
5. LJH 5a Control Cleansing Gel-sample appr. $3.10
This was not my favorite product. The gel is supposed to gently cleanse the skin without stripping it. The cleanser was gentle, but it didn't cleanse the skin. Unfortunately, I took this on vacation and was stuck using it.  I used the whole sample, but I definitely wouldn't buy it.
6. Verikos Teatree Modeling Pack and spatula-sample appr. $5
This was my least favorite item in the box. The powder is supposed to be mixed with water and applied to the skin with the spatula.    It claims to cleanse, soothe, nourish, and even out skin. I tried using this mask twice and didn't feel a difference in my skin. My other complaint is the packaging.  This sample  came with plenty of product to use for multiple uses, but no releasable top.  I ended up accidentally tipping over the package so I had the powder all over my bathroom counter.  Overall, very disappointed with this product.
7. Verikos Red Point X Light Soother-BONUS ITEM!
I love that Memebox included an extra product. I used this as a spot treatment on blemishes.  While it worked well, it smelled too medicinal for my taste.

This box was $23 and I got free shipping. The approximate total of the box was $99.65!  Even though I didn't particularly care for the last three products, the other ones definitely made up for it!  The best part is I got free Meme points by participating in their online contests via social media.  I ended up paying $7 for the whole box.  I highly recommend Memebox to anyone!

Hourglass Ambient Blush

I cannot convey how much I love this blush!  I was a little hesitant when my Sephora Personal Beauty Advisor brought this color for me because it looks very bright.  However, it provides a subtle, beautiful color while also having buildable pigmentation.  Sephora.com states,"A groundbreaking hybrid that combines the customized lighting effects of Ambient Lighting Powder with a spectrum of breathtakingly modern hues for seamless, soft-focus, and multidimensional color."  I purchased Radiant Magenta and it is perfect for spring and summer with its golden hues.  This is my first high-end blush at $34, but it is worth it!  A little goes a long way for a beautiful wash of color. 

If you would like an in-depth review, check out my video!
http://youtu.be/JYOT2Bt4Ijc 

Ipsy January 2014!

This is what I got in my Ipsy bag.  The bag itself smelled atrocious!  It reeked of plastic and formeldehyde.  I've never experienced this from Ipsy so I hope they don't use this material, vendor, etc. again.  Please use my link to join ipsy! http://www.ipsy.com/r/1f9l
1.  Briogeo hair mask was 1.0 oz.
I got one use out of this mask.  I wasn't impressed because my hair wasn't soft or moisturized after using it.
2.  Nourish Organics face lotion
I'm hesitant to try this because my skin is so sensitive and I finally found a regime I like.  I'm giving this one away.
3.  Proactiv+ Mark Fading pads
I really didn't like these.  They burned my face upon application and I had horrible breakouts the next day.
4.  Elizabeth Mott's Pearl eye shadow stick
I really enjoy this eye shadow stick!  I use this as an inner corner highlight and lower waterline liner.  It's remarkably creamy without moving throughout the day.
5.  Mica Beauty lip balm in Fiesta
This is definitely not my color or consistency.  I swatched this on my hand and it was too pink and too drying for my lips.

Overall I'd give this month a D.  By far, this was one of the more disappointing months for me.  I hope February w/ Valentine's Day will be better.  :)  Please let me know what you got in your bag.