Sunday, November 22, 2015

Random Unboxing! The Glossybox 2015 Holiday Box!

The Glossybox 2015 Holiday Box

Unboxing and Review!


I've been a happy camper the past couple of days. I've been getting a whole lot of awesome new stuff that I'm completely in love with.

I know (from reading a whole lot of message boards) that this year's Holiday Glossybox got a LOT of mixed reviews. But, I was really excited about it from the get-go. I was completely disappointed and disinterested in the 2014 Holiday Box- it was just so "red" and unappealing to me personally.

This year totally makes up for it! With all the subtle glow and light golds- this is more of a holiday look I'm going for! Let's break into this baby!


The Haul!

1. Aerin Kaleidolight Palette:
Full Sized! Listed at .74 oz. for $70.00

You all know that 2015 was the Year of the Highlighter for me! I've been hauling, experimenting with, and falling in love with every highlighter I could get my little fingers on. And, this is no exception. It's like the perfect accumulation of the year for me in one very gorgeous, versatile pallet. Such a strong start. I think I'm in love...



2. Nuxe Dry Oil Huile Prodigieuse:
Full Sized! Listed at 3.3 fl. oz. for $45.00

I don't know what to do here! First off, I absolutely love Nuxe. And I absolutely love their Huile Prodigieuse. The only problem is that I have 3 (well now 4) full sized bottles of this now that I've picked up during this year! So even though I love this dry oil- I'm drowning in it right now and probably won't run out until I'm in my 60's. Maybe I'll give this as a gift to someone! It's still a winner for me!



3. Ardency Inn Modster Smooth Ride Supercharged Eyeliner in Black:
Sample Sized at .028 oz (Approx. $13.00). Full Sized listed at .04 oz. for $19.00

Although I'll never complain about getting a black eyeliner (you know I'm hoarding for the zombie apocalypse)- I was under the impression that the holiday box only contained full sized items. I mean, it's cool. Everything else is an amazing value. It's just strange that they would send an inexpensive item sample sized. I dunno. I still like it though.



4. Pure Cosmetics GlossyGloss in Pouty Pink:
Full Sized! Listed at .25 fl. oz. for $20.00

OH! I am in lovvvvvvvvvvvvvvve with this gloss. It's a light, subtle rose gold that's minty fresh! The bottle not only has it's own mirror built in- but also lights up when you open it! Squee!!



5. Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in Champagne Socialite:
Full Sized! Listed at .57 fl. oz. for $15.00

I fell in love with Trust Fund Beauty's polish's formula when I first got it in my August Ipsy (Prep School) Bag. So, I'm really excited to try this color. It's so subtle and perfect for a holiday party. I read people complaining about how this is a particularly boring color that everyone has already. But, I totally don't and was really excited when I saw this color. 



6. L'Atelier Maqillage Mascara:
Full Sized! Listed at .35 fl. oz. for $30.00

Although I have WAY too much mascara right now, I may throw this in a gift box for someone! It's still a full sized, high end mascara. Buuuuuuuuut it does have the skinny wand that I tend to like. I'm debating if I should hoard it for now. We'll see!


The Final Verdict!
Box Value: $193.00
 
 Box Score: 10/10

Final Thoughts: I am seriously loving the Holiday Glossybox this year. The theme is spot on. The colors are perfect. Each individual item is awesome. I was able to get this on pre-sale for $35 so the value is definitely there! I would have totally recommended this as a great gift- but I think it's sold out now. :(
 
 Were you able to snag a Glossybox Holiday Box? And how much do you love it?!

Unboxing! Starlook's November 2015 LooksBook: Shimmering Future!

What it is: One of two types of monthly make up subscription boxes from cosmetics company Starlooks.com
Where to get it: starbox.starlooks.com
How much is it?: $12.00 monthly
Types of Products: High end, cruelty free cosmetics
What are the Perks?!: Starlooks.com just recently rolled out a points program where every $ spent on the site equals 1 point used towards discounts on their site as well as a referral points!


Starlook's November 2015 LooksBook: Shimmering Future!

Unboxing and Review!


This absolutely has to be my favorite LooksBook yet! I absolutely adore everything about this LooksBook (even though I can't pull off the lipstick)! This is a great theme and a gorgeous box. With the holidays coming up- I think this will make an awesome stocking stuffer if you're looking for a unique gift for the makeup lover in your life!

How Pretty!:


The Haul!

1. Fortune 500 Eyeshadow Duo:
(1.6 g)

How fun are these shadows? As you can see by the pic- I've already dug in there. The shadows are super glittery but not too insane. They compliment each other nicely and blend really well. I want to make an awesome holiday look with these!






2. Golden Ticket Liquid Eyeliner:
(3.1 g)

I am positively IN LOVE with this liner and I'm really excited to try it out. The gold is like super, ultra gold and I think it will look amazing with the Fortune 500 shadows. This was a total "squee" item when I saw it- it's just so exciting and different from what I've been getting in my other beauty boxes. Yay!
 



3. Opulence Lip Crayon:
(2.2 g)

I am so disappointed that I just know I can't pull off this color. It truly is opulent - a deep berry. It almost reminiscent of hearing stories about how ancient cultures would stain their lips with berries for a deep lip look. It swatched so well too. I still like it even though I can't wear it .




The Final Verdict!
Box Value: Being that these are new, limited edition, curated items for the Look Book, it's really hard to put a value on the box on the whole. The 3 "perfect sized" items are nicely sized and a nice combination and the gift cards are a nice addition.

 Box Score: 10/10

Final Thoughts: Although I'm missing my customized Starbox- I am really starting to fall in love with these LooksBooks. This month's been my absolute favorite, hands down, so far.
 
  What are you thoughts on the Shimmering Future LooksBook?

My #Influenster #SilkN #SilkNSmooth #VoxBox Youtube How To Is Live!

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Silk'n #SilknSmooth Influenster VoxBox Review!

Silk'n SilkNSmooth Influenster VoxBox Review!


OH MY GOD YOU GUYS! After over a year of trying out Influenster and receiving a lot of not so exciting stuff - I had started giving up on the site. I was watching other people get Keurigs and cool VoxBoxes and I was getting perfume samples. 

Finally! Influenster delivered and sent me an absolutely amazing Silk'N VoxBox! I'm actually amazed that I got this. And I am in love, love, love with it. 

For YEARS (I'm not joking- YEARS), I've wanted an at home laser hair removal device. I was actually going to ask for it for Christmas this year.

Influenster sent me a whole Silk'N Flash & Go Express Hair Removal Device (which retails at $299!!) to try out. SO COOL!

The Silk'N comes in this awesome storage box which is really sleek and handy:


Here's what I got inside!





Ooooooooohhhh!

In the top pocket, you can store the instructions, warranty info, and cleaning cloth:




In addition, the Silk'N comes with a couple adapters which I most likely won't use- but it really is good on the go!




Here's the actual device:




And the laaaaaaaaser:




I mean, it's obviously going to take a little while to see all the results from this- I've only had the Silk'N for a couple weeks. But, I have been spot testing in on one portion of my leg (while mostly using it under my arms, upper lip, and bikini area) and I've actually already seen a HUGE difference with how slowly my hair is growing back. That's kind of cool.

It's really easy to use and not that time consuming. Basically, you plug it in and turn it on to the setting that matches your hair color (you match it in the instruction booklet). Then place the laser on the area of hair you want removed and press the button! 

If the laser can identify your hair follicles it will zap you! Which is completely painless (I've had some warmth in some spots) and you move on to the next area. 

Simple. Easy. Quick. Right up my alley.

I may be bias because I've wanted one of these for a very long time. But, I'm absolutely loving this! 

If you want to sign up for Influenster to try to get some cool stuff, here's my referral link: www.influenster.com/r/709945

If you want to learn more about Silk'N Products you can check out their website: Silkn.com

And right now, Influenster has provided me with a 10% off code to share with you guys!! Make sure to use the code NOHAIR if you want to get one of these bad boys! They totally have 100% Rainarella seal of approval!

And look out for my how to Silk'N Smooth Video Coming soon!


Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Birchbox December 2015 Sample Choice + Plus Revealed!

The Birchbox December Sample Choice and 
Birchbox Plus Reveals Are Here!

WOW! November is going by super quick! With the holidays upon us, Birchbox just released their December Sample Choices and Birchbox Plus options!

If you want to watch the video, here you go:




If you want to skip the video- here's the info:

This month's theme is: Home For The Holidays!

There are 4 Options for the Sample Choice!

Everyone will be receiving a Coastal Scents Mini Eyeshadow StyleEyes Palette in December and you can choose from 3 shades:

1. GlamourEyes (Green & Gold):





2. FormalEyes (Gold & Maroon):




3. StyleEyes (Grays):



4. or you can choose a Serge Normant Dream Big Instant Volumizing Spray:



The curated box theme is Winter Essentials and includes:


Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain in Forever Peach
 Coastal Scents StyleEYES Palette in GlamourEYES
eSalon Perfect Ending
derma e® Microdermabrasion Scrub
Juara Coconut Illipe Hand and Nail Balm
Chuao Chocolatier Cinnamon Cereal Smooch

 Everyone is also going to get a $10 of $35 gift card! 


The Birchbox Plus Items Are:

1. Krochet Kids Harper Cowl Neck Scarf ($32.00 instead of $47.95):

2. Odeme Gusset Pouch + Matchbox Nail Files ($20.00 instead of $35.00):


3. Rifle Paper Co. 2016 Calendar ($22.00 instead of $26.00):




4. Umbra Toto Storage Box ($25.00 instead of $30.00):




Honestly, I am not a fan of Coastal Scents and none of these products really appeal to me. I'm hoping Birchbox finds a way to make this up to me this month. I hate not getting awesome December/Holiday boxes.

What do you think of what Birchbox is rolling out for December?


Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Spa Home's Facial Steamer!


Spa Home's Facial Steamer Review!

I know I have't done a review in a really long time (other than that mystery box...), but I am SO excited about this little gadget!


I was recently sent an at home Facial Steamer to review from Spa Home and I was SO excited to be able to try this out! You all know that Josh and I are big on doing at home masks. So, I really thought this would be an amazing addition to our at home facial nights. And, I have remained totally pleased and excited to use this!

I even shot a Youtube How To Video for you!

If you've never had a facial or aren't aware of how these machines work- it's pretty simple. Pour in some water, turn it on, let the water heat up to a gentle steam and just place your face above it to comfortably melt away dirt and grime, loosen black heads, and soften your face.



The machine is super easy to put together- just pour some water in the base, turn the machine on lower (1) or higher (2) settings, let it heat up for about 5 minutes, and place your face over it up to 10 glorious minutes.

The package also included a pouring cup (which I definitely need for all my messes!), something that I think is a nose piece - which is glorious for when I get congested in the winter, and a 20 ml bottle of Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil. I actually really hated the scent. But, I love using my peppermint and lavender essential oil mixture in this.




 It's SO simple, easy to use, and works really well. Look at this guy steam up:






There's not much to say in regards to negatives for this steamer except for the fact that you do have to hold your head over it for a bit. But, I've always really wanted one of these at home. And this is the PERFECT addition for my at home spa days and mask Mondays!

100% Rainarella seal of approval!

If you're interested in checking out Spa Home's Facial Steamer, you can check them out on Amazon:


Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Sunday, November 15, 2015

My Birchbox November 2015: Feeling Fancy! Youtube Unboxing is Live!

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My Major E.L.F. Mystery Box Fail Youtube Review is live!

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Random Unboxing Fail! E.L.F. Mystery Box!

Random Unboxing!

E.L.F. 20 Piece Myster Box


Soooooo this is an interesting little thing I want to share. Although I was sent this item specifically to review on Amazon, I thought it would be totally appropriate to review and share here. You'll see why!

I recently received an E.L.F. 20 Piece Mystery Box that sells for $25.99 on Amazon. I mean, who DOESN'T want a pile of E.L.F. products?

This is what I got:


The seller actually sent me 23 items (the more the better- right?). But, a lot of these items seemed unfamiliar to me. I'm not an E.L.F. expert or anything. But something seemed off. One item in particular raised a red flag for me- which led to some disappointing discoveries.

As you'll see below... not a single item from this mystery box is new!

In addition to stating the size of the product and (sometimes guessing) the retail value, I also did my research for every single make up item's batch creation date for 100% transparency.

I broke my haul down into 5 Categories: Eyes, Lips, Face, Tools, and Other.

 Let's Unwrap The Mystery Of This Box!:

The Haul:
1. I received 7 Eye Products:


1. Primer Eyeshadow in Misty Mauve: Discontinued! Batch made June 2012 6 ml, Original Price Unknown. Estimating originally $3.00.
2. Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in Black: .6 g, $2.00, Product is still available. Item was made in a batch September 2012.
3. Sugar Kiss Eyeshadow Color Trio in Midnight Star: Discontinued! Batch made February 2010!!  2.5 g, Original Price Unknown. Estimated originally $3.00.
4. Glitter Eyeshadow in Shopaholic: Discontinued! Batch made June 2012. 4 g, Original Price Unknown. Estimating originally $2.00.
5. Waterproof Eyeliner Crayon in Champagne: Discontinued! Batch made May 2012. 2 g, Originally $2.00.
6. Brightening Eye Color in Punk Funk: Discontinued! Batch made April 2013. Originally $1.00.
7. Duo Eyeshadow in Mocha Swirl: Discontinued! Made September 2012. 4 g, Original price unknown. Estimating originally $3.00.


2. I received 5 Lip Products:


1. Plumping Lip Glaze in Ruby Kiss: Discontinued! Made January 2012. 1.8 g, Originally $1.00.
2. Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Pink Lemonade: 1.5 g, $1.00. Product is still available. Item is from a batch made in March 2011!!!
3. Shimmer Lip Gloss in Inspire: 2.5 g, $2.00. Product is still available. Item is from a batch made in August 2013.
4. Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick in In The Nude: 2.8 g, $2.00. Product is still available. Item is from a batch made in August 2013.
5. Lip Stain in Birthday Suit: .2 fl oz, $3.00. Product is still available. Item is from a batch made in September 2013 and had a REALLY weird, DIY homemade insert discussed below...



3. I received 4 Face Products:



1. Tone Correcting Concealer in Light Beige: 2.6 g, $2.00. Now called Essential Perfect Blend Concealer. Item was from a batch made in September 2012.
2. Clarifying Pressed Powder in Toffee: 5 g, $2.00. Product is still available. Item is from a batch made in June 2012.
3. Healthy Glow Bronzer in Luminance: Discontinued! Made January 2013. 5 g, Estimating originally $3.00.
4. Pressed Powder in Caramel: 9 g, $3.00. Product still available. But this was from a batch made in October 2010!!!!


4. I Received 5 Tools:



At least I don't have to worry about manufacturing/expiration dates for these even though some do seem older.

1. Toe Separators: $1.00, Still Available. But major face palm misspelling them "seperators" on the label...
3. Nail File Set: $1.00 for the non-jeweled set. But, these are cute.
4. Foundation Brush: $2.00 based on the Essential Foundation Brush.
5. Professional Defining Eye Brush: $1.00 based on the Essential Defining Eye Brush.


5. I received 2 "Other" Category Items:




1. Eyebrow Treat & Tame in Light: 5 g, $3.00. Product still available. But this is from a batch made in March 2011.
2. Body Shimmer in Cosmic Coral: Discontinued! Made in June 2012.13 g, was $3.00.


So Here's The Deal!

 Being generous and tallying the (estimated) original retail value of all the items, the approximate value of this mystery box would be $46.00. Which would not be too terrible of a haul if not for the fact that some of these items are so far discontinued that I had to hunt them down in the bowels of the internet. Or, if not for the fact that many of these items can be found for clearance on many websites or were probably found at dollar stores across the country. So, let's say the actual value of the items is $1.00 per item. Although I got 23 items in this box- it was supposed to be 20. You've already over paid $6.00.

That being said, although when shooting my Youtube video of this haul, I was really excited about what I got (I'll post it later). Now I just feel duped and felt the need to address that here.

Looking beyond the fact that many of these items are discontinued- let's be real about the most glaring question this situation poses: 

IS THIS MAKEUP EVEN USABLE? 
If so, what items are and aren't?

Let's start off with the most obvious thing here. As much as I love E.L.F. Cosmetics, they're rightfully not touted as a luxury brand with high end products. In fact, there are times that I've bought items straight from the E.L.F store itself (there's one right by my office-ugh) that were pretty grody upon opening. Less than a month ago, I decided to try the Makeup Lock and Seal that was straight up slimy when I took it out of the box at home. It wasn't glue from packing nor had the bottle leaked. It was some random alien slime that I didn't even want to know where it came from. E.L.F. can be a gamble sometimes and I was aware.  

In addition, although there are pretty clear outlines for the shelf life of opened, used make up that can be found with a simple google search, (Look! I googled it for you!) The rules for unopened cosmetic shelf life can be a little fuzzier. Do we really trust/know how E.L.F. products stand the test of time? 3-6 years worth of time? (Remember! It's almost 2016!). Personally, I've thrown out more E.L.F. products for going bad than I've ever kept to the point of finishing.

I'll be real with you. I'm pretty lax with the shelf life of my personal beauty products. I've had liners, shadows, blushes, some lip products, etc. for years and years. You would have to pry my remaining stash of all Urban Decay's discontinued shadows from my cold, dead hands. Mascara, primers, and liquid based cosmetics do get tossed regularly.

But I have rules that I stick to and never, ever waver from when keeping makeup beyond it's years.

I would NEVER sit here and suggest or rationalize any reader to ever keep makeup beyond its intended shelf life. That's not only negligent but incredibly irresponsible of me. You do you and make the best decisions for yourself. But keep in mind this tirade is coming from someone who still has shadows in the original metal UD tins...

And I certainly can't rationalize even slightly implying that this mystery box should be purchased by anyone, ever.

Here's Why:

1. Make Up Gone Bad: What originally raised the red flag for me when I was doing my original unboxing for the Youtube video is that the Eyebrow Treat & Tame straight up LOOKED BAD. That was a huge red flag that raised the alarm for me to start digging. Only to find some of these items are close to 5-6 years old and all are past the FDA expiration dates and many are liquid based. The powder based items could potentially be fine as they were factory sealed. But, this is E.L.F. we're talking about- not necessarily made with the highest level of ingredients meant to last the test of time.


After scrutinizing the brow set- I took a closer look at some of the other items:

The Waterproof Eyeliner Crayon was dried up and basically petrified - to the point I could barely get any pigment when drawing on the box:


There was blatant rust around the Clarifying Pressed Powder's pan:


And the tube of lash glue (which I wouldn't have used anyway) was completely evaporated and dried out:



2. Overexposed!: Now, only a few items in my box had blatantly turned/gone bad at first glance. But that doesn't account for what the naked eye can't see and a lot of that has to do with: Where the hell was this makeup? Even if it's from an old batch and not the highest quality cosmetics- if stored in a cool, dark place in unmolested, original packaging it should be fine right? If the seller took care of the inventory- some may had a chance. So I started to inspect for any signs of negligence. 

Another issue at hand is the dreaded "B Word" of the cosmetics world- bacteria. I've totally seen people open and try boxed items at E.L.F. and put them back on the shelf. For items not factory sealed- that's worrisome. You have NO idea what's festering in them even if the product is so old the bacteria died. Still. Ew.

First thing I noticed when I took the items out of the box during my Youtube Unboxing was that some of the items were looking pretty dusty and beat up. I mean, sometimes that happens- but this was REALLY noticeable and not the best indication of care.

Then I saw that the Body Shimmer not only had melted a bit. But the box had blatantly been opened numerous times:


The Lip Stain not only had a VERY strange perforated piece of paper with part of a recipe on it (??) shoved in the box. But, it was also obvious it had been used:



Finally, although you can't see it, the Jumbo Lip Gloss smelled straight up musty. Probably because it was basically not sealed since August of 2013:


So we're two for two now. Not only is this makeup older than most of my friend's kids- it was also not taken care of at all or contaminated. 6.5 of the 23 items were automatically useless out the gate.


To Infect or Not Too Infect?- Using Some Logic: If the make up is old, some blatantly turned, and others seemingly damaged one way or another- we have to take the next logical step. I really couldn't fathom using some other products in the box that I didn't know were 100% not contaminated or possible to sterilize. Most specifically the liquid based Primer Eyeshadow and Liquid Eyeliner Pen are out. NO way am I putting that stuff on my eyes. I have NO idea what's going on in those tubes. (7.5 out of 23 trashed).

Just Saying No: Obviously, I love playing with make up and sometimes I try stuff that just maaaaaaaaaaay or may not work. That's part of the fun. But, in this case, personal preference plays a big role. I'm essentially not willing to take the chance. Of the remaining items I would never use the Duo Shadow (due to the shade) or the Glitter Shadow due to not only the shade and potential fall out mess, but also because it smells like cotton balls. I hate cotton balls. I would never wear the shade the Plumping Gloss came in. The Pressed Powder doesn't match my complexion at all. Piggy backing on all the facts above plus the fact that I have tons of concealer to begin with- the Tone Correcting Concealer is probably going in the garbage as well. (13.5 out of 23 gone!).

Conclusion:

Considering all the above, this has left me with 9.5 items out of 23 that I would even consider using. I feel the 4.5 tools are fine (besides the glue) once cleaned. That leaves 4 make up items that are potentially usable to me. One of which was made in 2010. Going on (what I think is) a generous estimation of each item being worth $1.00- I have received $9.50 worth of useful items in $26.00 mystery box. Some of which I'm still wary about. In reality- I probably won't use any of the make up. The real mystery here has ended up being which of these products actually contain botulism.

Like playing Russian Roulette with your face... You may consider me paranoid. But I don't know where this makeup is coming from and I'm not willing to take a chance of a break out, eye infection, or worse taking a chance on cheap products.

If you're interested in how I learned how old my products were, you should check out checkcosmetic.net. I will post a tutorial on how to use the website if anyone needs some help. Just let me know!

If you want to check out the E.L.F. Mystery Box that's available on Amazon, you can do so by visiting the link below. But, I strongly advise you save your money and head over to Eyeslipsface.com and get some items you actually want.


Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”