Makeup is my Vice

Hey guys!

It has been a crazy two weeks.  I hope that many of you have been unscathed by Hurricane Sandy.  Unfortunately, there are many people out there that have yet to recover.  In addition to the hurricane, those without electricity or homes have also been hit with a a Nor'easter :(  I do encourage those of you who have been more fortunate than the latter to please donate to the Red Cross.

So before I left for England Urban Decay released their Vice Palette.  Naturally, I drove myself to Ulta to check out the palette.  And what do you know?  I bought it! haha  I personally love the palette and find it to be very versatile.  Here are swatches of the palette.  I have done some looks with the colors, so let me know if you want any EOTD (eye of the day) pics :)

I also got a set of UD 24/7 Glide-On Pencils.  This set was only $38 at Ulta which is a pretty good bargain, because the full size pencils run for $19.  The pencils in this set are smaller, but worth it because I wouldn't spend $19 for a colored pencil I'd rarely use.

There you have it.  Those were my naughty purchases before we left for our trip.  

Until next time!

*E

October Beauty Boxes

Hey there!

This month I'm going to blog one post for both my Birchbox and GlossyBox.

My October Birchbox was put together by goop.  Goop is an online site started by Gwyneth Paltrow dedicated to share life's positives.  Who doesn't love Gwyneth Paltrow??

Caudalie | Vinoperfect Radiance Serum ($79) - This serum is meant to help fade dark spots and brighten skin tone.  The sample for this is pretty small, so I'm not too sure that the benefits of this serum will be seen.  We shall see!

DDF | Brightening Cleanser ($38) - This is a foaming gel cleanser.  It also helps to fade dark spots and brighten skin tone.  As you know I love my LaRoche Posay gel cleanser, which I'm almost out of already!  We will see if that stands up to the test.

Orofluido | Beauty Elixir ($29.99) - Another hair oil for me to try!  I'm excited to give this oil a try mostly because of its vanilla scent :)

Per-fekt Beauty | Lip Perfection Gel in Melrose ($24) - This lip gel is meant to be a tinted gloss and moisturizer.  This lip gel claims to help smooth the appearance of fine lines.  

Mighty Leaf Tea | Organic African Nectar, Organic Earl Grey, Green Tea Tropical (15 for $9.95)- This was a "lifestyle extra".  From outside the package, these tea bags smell amazing!  I can't wait to give them a try!

From the moment I lifted the lid to my GlossyBox a wonderful aroma emitted from it.  I wondered what was in there that smelled so good??  To my surprise, it was nearly all the products that smelled good!

Alterna Bamboo | Luminous Shine Mist ($22) - This is an eco-friendly gloss meant to be used for any hair type to help control frizz and flyaways.  The Indian Gooseberry and organic bamboo used to make it give it a unique smell.

Carol's Daughter | Shea Souffle ($20) - This cream is great!  It's meant for dry to extra dry skin.  It definitely helps to moisturize your skin and doesn't leave you feeling greasy.  Bonus to this product... its smell.  It has a combination of tropical fruit and floral scents.  

Heartland Fragrances | Exfoliating Loofa Soap ($8) - This smells amazing!  It has a sweet scent that I love.  It is hand made with a loofa encased to help with exfoliation.

Modelco | Lip Duo Lipstick (Dusk) & Ultra Shine Lip Gloss (Striptease) ($39) - This lip duo also smells so good, like a strawberry candy!  I was excited to see this.  It has a lipstick in a color that is neutral and looks flattering for any skin tone with a sheer lipgloss.  The best part is the mirror located between the lipstick and lipgloss.  Ever feel like you have either all over you face when you put it on without a mirror?? 

Nastassja Skin | Enzyme Facial Peel ($40) - This facial peel is infused with vitamins and nutrients.  It says that it exfoliates and eliminates dead skin to reveal radiant skin.  My face is pretty sensitive to peels like this, so I may or may not try it.

My favorite product thrown into my GlossyBox is the business card for Physique 57.  The morning I received my GlossyBox, I was looking into purchasing Physique 57.  I was looking for something new to throw into my workout routine, to mix it up.  And to my surprise when I opened my GlossyBox this business card with a discount code was there!  I feel like it was meant to be!  So if you are also interested in trying Physique 57 the 20% discount code is GLOSS57.

Those are my boxes for this month!  I love getting my boxes, but I just wish they came earlier in the month!

Until next time!

*E

Glossy September

Hey Guys!!

I'm back!  I've hopefully fulfilled my need to jet set for the time being ;c)  Sorry, I've taken so long to post my September GlossyBox.  But here it is finally.  The theme for this month's box is "Fall Forward".  The good people at Glossy wanted to give us a "forward look into new products, formulas, technologies, and colors of the season".  And that they did!  I've actually had some time to give some of it a try so I can also let you know what I thought with their descriptions.

GK Hair | Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner ($20/10.1oz each) - The shampoo and conditioner are said to condition and smooth your hair leaving it feeling smooth, radiant, and revitalized.  Just prior to leaving, I made an off the cuff decision to trim my hair.  I was tired of the ends of my hair being crunchy.  My hair felt much better after being trimmed.  I brought these samples with us on our trip to the UK, rather than packing our large bottles.  My hair did feel smooth after using these samples, but I'm not really sure if it was because of the shampoo and conditioner or because of my fresh cut.  For now I think I will stick to my Redken Shampoo and Conditioner.

Koh Gen Do | Cleansing Spa Water ($13/3.38oz) - This is a Japanese product made with mineral-rich hot spring water.  It helps to remove makeup in a "single sweep".  I haven't used this on its own yet.  I usually use a makeup remover towelette and my Liz Earle clean and polish to remove my makeup.  I did try to use this after using the towelette.  It definitely took off all remaining eye makeup.  

Kryolan | Glossy Pink ($14/0.14oz) -  This is a creamy, hyrdating, and long lasting lipstick created by Kryolan for Glossy.  It is a great lipstick color to throw on that will match just about anything.   I pair it with my Revlon Just Bitten in Honey and love it!

Here is the combination of the Honey lip stain and Glossy Pink lipstick
(Don't mind the cannon pointed at my head lol)

Missha | M perfect Cover BB Cream ($29.99/1.69oz) - This is what I love about GlossyBox.  They throw in products that cost more than the cost of the box itself.  This one product alone makes purchasing the product worth it.  This is a BB cream that comes from Korea.  This cream has an SPF of 42 and claims to moisturize, whiten, and minimize wrinkles.  It has light coverage and a nice floral scent (if you don't mind scents in your facial products). 

So that was my September GlossyBox, and my October box will be here soon!

Until next time!

*E

     

Bonvoyage!

Hey guys!

Sorry, I meant to do a proper post this past week but it was a busy week. I returned from Disney and went back to work. During the week I had to prepare for our trip to England. Meaning I had to unpack my bags (which often takes me forever to do). Then I had to do massive amounts of laundry for Tim and I. Friday was the day I was going to dedicate to blogging but things went crazy that day! Long story short, I worked a few hours and then had to make an emergency trip to New York City. We had a little scare with my grandpa, but everything is ok. So naturally I didn't really begin to pack until today (we are leaving in about 15 minutes). Anywho this was meant to be a quick hello and goodbye! I hope to be able to blog while away, but I'm not sure if I will have wifi. So I will leave you with this picture!

Until next time!

*E

*Wish Upon a Star

Hey guys!

I just wanted to check in with you guys with a quick post. I'm currently at Disney World. We, my parents and I, have been having a great time! It's been in the 90s and sunny! I will try to update you guys with more info later. But for now I will leave you with this picture.

Talk to you soon!

*E

Glossy 10K Thank You Fans Contest Box

I've been meaning to write this post about winning the Glossybox 10K Thank You Fans contest.  I just received an email yesterday that my September box is being shipped and scheduled to arrive on the 27 or 28th.  So I thought, why not do this post now since I will have to wait for my September box.

Aaaaahhhhh!!! My doorbell just rang.  Guess what?!?  My mailman hand delivered my September box!!  As soon as I finish this post I'm opening that bad boy!

Back to the contest.  Glossybox reached 10K fans on their Facebook page, so they were running a contest for 10 lucky fans to win a box.  I decided to enter and wondered what are the chances of me winning?  A few days later, I received an e-mail that I had won!!! Yahooooo!!!  I was so extremely excited!!  So I patiently waited for my box to come.  And here it is...

I was so happy to see that little teal bottle in my box!  If you've read my post Fancy Feet you know how much I love this Heel Rescue Balm!  Now I can use the bottle I have a little less sparingly.  However, I will be going to the UK soon, so hopefully I will be able to find this (fingers crossed).  There were a few other things that I had in this box that I received in my July Glossbox.  

I received another Figs & Rouge balm.  This is a balm that can be used on the lips, face, and body.  The great thing about having another one of these is that I often switch between 2 of my favorite purses.  And not everything alway makes the switch (mostly cuz I usually switch my purse as I'm running out the door).  Now I can have one of these in each of my handbags and not worry about it.  

I also received another Senna Double Dose Lip Lacquer.  I swatched the colors above.  They are on the sheer side.  I don't know if I'm completely sold on this product.  I do love that it is double sided and smells like frosting!  But they are thick, and I'm not a fan of having thick, tacky gloss on my lips.

On to the products that I haven't received yet...

Caswell-Massey | Almond & Aloe - This is a hand and body emulsion (fancy word for lotion?).  I may take these on vacation with me to give them a try.  The package says it contains almond oil and aloe vera.

Shea Terra Organics | Whipped Shea Butter - This is an organic cream in a cute little jar.  It's great to carry in your purse ( I like to put lots of stuff in my purse, yet I hate carrying a purse.  Go figure!).  This certainly has an organic scent.  To me, it smells like that smell of an arts and crafts store.  I'm not sure if that makes sense.  But I feel like all craft stores have the same smell of like potpourri?

Basq | Cucumber Tea Soothing Eye Gel - This gel is supposed to help with puffiness, swelling, and anti-aging.  I'm very particular about creams, lotions, and potions used on my face and eyes.  It might take me a while before I get the courage to try this.  Is anyone else like that??  

 Phyto | Phytojoba - Yes!  Another product for dry hair!  This is a masque for dry hair that I most certainly will give a try!  I'm using so many things to help with dry hair, I'm not really sure what's doing the trick and what isn't.  Oops!

Kinerase | Firming Cream - This is a firming cream for the face used day and night.  It's a pretty small sample size, so I don't know that any effect will be seen after using it.  I'll contemplate this sample too.

Vbeaute | Cream, Eye Cream, and Serum - I love these little purple sample tubes.  I'd say about 50% of product packaging has an effect on my thoughts of a product.  I know, I know.  Shake your head.  But I can't help it!!  Same thing as the Kinerase Firming Cream, I'm not sure if any positive effects will be seen using this small sample.

GlossyBox | Brush -They sent me a brush!  You can never have too many brushes!  This is a perfect makeup bag sized brush.

And there you have it.  My jam packed Fan Contest Box!  Now I can go open my September Box!!

Until next time!

*E

PS. Sorry again for the pictures.  I took them the other night without natural light.  

September Birchbox

My September Birchbox has come!  It's a Saturday night and there isn't much going on.  Or I should say I have to work in the morning, so a late night is not in store for me.  What better way to spend my Saturday night though?  A glass of wine, taking pictures, and blogging.  

  

(Sorry for the shoddy pictures.  I wanted blog this post but hadn't taken the pictures yet.  It's a little late, so I didn't have any natural light)

I like to do blogposts about what comes in my beauty boxes for those people who are on the fence about subscribing.  When I first was looking into beauty boxes, I researched what people were getting in their boxes.  I didn't want to spend an X amount of money and feel disappointed about what I got.  So hopefully these posts will help those of you who are trying to make that decision.  Here's what I got this month...

21 Drops | Focus - 21 Drops is a company that produces blends of aromatherapy to help with the concerns of everyday life.  You can checkout their website here.  This sample comes in a little roller ball so that you can apply it to your wrists, temples, or neck without making a mess since it is an oil.  It is a blend of rosemary, peppermint and frankincense.  I do like the smell of it.  As for helping me concentrate?  I'm really not sure.  I'll have to give it a try someday at work when I just can't pay attention to see if it works.  I'm not too sure if I would spend $29 for a full size, but who knows maybe this sample will surprise me!

Color Club | Status Update - I've never used any nailpolishes from Color Club, but I was happy to see it is formaldehyde, toluene, DBP and paraben-free.  The color I received is great for the fall/winter months.  After it completely dried, it has a little bit of a matte effect.  If you like that, you don't have to apply a topcoat unless you prefer that shiny look.

Nexxus | Pro-Mend Split End Treatment System - I'm so happy to have gotten this!  My hair is in desperate need for repair.  So I will be interested to see how this does.  I'm not sure if the sample size will be enough to help, but it says it will "bind split ends back together in one use".

Twistband | Hair Tie - This is a cute little hair tie that is meant to be snag-free.  If you look at their website, they have lots of different colors and can be customized.  My hair is pretty thick and this hair tie manages to keep it up in a pony.  I like that there are different colors and can be customized because you will rarely find me without a hair tie on my wrist.  So this is a little more stylish than your typical hair tie

WEI to Go | Sleep Over Kit - This kit will come in handy when I go on an overnight trip and don't want to overpack.  This kit has two gel cleansers (you know I love my La Roche gel cleanser) and a medium colored moisturizer.  I tried the moisturizer on my hand.  It blended in well and left a light citrus scent.

As a lifestyle extra, a Larabar Uber was thrown into my box.  I'll give this a try another day as it's a little late for me to be trying it tonight.  I'll let you know if I think it's something you must go out to get!

That's it for this month's box!  Hope this helped those of you who needed it.

Until next time!

*E

Fill 'Er Up Please

I'm not one to go through products quickly.  Often when I buy something expensive, I try to savor it and make it last as long as I can.  That way I can justify the price I paid for the product.  Am I the only one to do this??  

Here are some of those pricey picks (minus the TRESemme)  I'm sad to see empy.  :(

 

La Roche-Posay | Physiological Cleansing Gel (retails for $20.95).  

This is a cleansing gel meant for all skin types.  I love using this cleanser in the morning to wash and refresh my face.  I also use it at the end of the day on those days I don't wear makeup.  It's a great cleanser to use when you don't want or need to use a hard working face wash.  Some face washes leave my face feeling irritated, dry, or very tight (you know that feeling where you are making ridiculously funny faces to have movement in your face?).  After cleansing with this gel, my face feels rehydrated and not irritated at all.  This may be because it is paraben-free, alcohol-free, and soap-free.  You may be wondering does this actually clean your face?  I started using this cleansing gel about a year ago.  I think in addition to the other products in my skincare regime, my face has never felt better!  

My husband has oily skin that is prone to acne.  He has started using this cleansing gel, mostly because it's what is sitting on the counter haha.  Tim hasn't complained to me that it's not strong enough to clean his face.  In my opinion, I think his skin looks better since using this gel.  The only downside to Tim using the cleanser too... we run out of it faster!  We probably buy a new one every 2 months or so.

Shiseido | Night Moisture Recharge Light (retails for $42.50)

I've been looking for the perfect night cream/lotion for a long time.  For a while I was using either an Olay or Estee Lauder product.  But I wasn't totally happy with them.  I mostly used them when I thought I needed to, not nightly.  About 9 months ago my mom brought this home for me to try.  It was perfect timing!  It was during the winter and it seemed like nothing was helping to keep my skin hydrated.  I started to use this and fell in love with it!  Ok, I didn't fall in love with it (that's just weird), but I really was happy to have and use it!  Night Moisture Recharge Light is for oily/combination skin.  The Night Moisture Recharge is used for normal/combination skin.  I would probably describe the texture of this as a lotion/serum.  After you put it on, it doesn't really feel like you have just put something on your face.  It leaves your face feeling well hydrated and not greasy, oily, or suffocated.  I have made using this product a part of my everyday skincare routine.  I liked it so much I bought more products from the line to add to my routine.  I don't only like the effects of the Night Moisture Recharge, but I love the look of the container.  It's so simple and elegant that I love having it sit out on my vanity.  I went through my first bottle in about 8 months.  So I think I've managed to make this product well worth repurchasing.  

Mario Badescu | Drying Lotion (retails for $17)

So I first saw this product on a few blogs that I have read.  If you're not familiar with it, it is used to help minimize whiteheads.  I did some research and took a chance on all the hype I read.  I bought the drying lotion with Tim in mind.  In the past he has used Accutane, which has helped to improve his skin mucho!  But being a pharmacist, I really didn't like the idea of him taking Accutane.  After he finished taking it, his whiteheads have started to comeback.  So I bought this drying lotion in hopes to keep them at bay.  

I am lucky enough to only have the occasional breakouts here and there.  I've used the drying lotion very infrequently.  But when I have used it, it certainly has helped.  Tim has definitely used it more frequently than I have.  I've noticed that his whiteheads (I hate this term and am sorry for any visuals you may now be imagining) don't get as large as they have in the past and they heal so much faster.  

We finished the bottle in about two months.  I contemplated on whether or not to buy it again.  I so rarely have a blemish I didn't know if it was essential to have this and I wasn't sure if Tim liked it enough to repurchase.  Before I could ask Tim what he thought, he asked me to buy another bottle!

TRESemme | Fresh Start Dry Shampoo (retails for   $5.99)

This product isn't exactly empty.  I've probably used about half the can.  When I went to go use it recently, nothing would come out!  I ran the nozzle under hot water.  I took a pin to the opening and under the nozzle, and still nothing will come out.  :(  I haven't decided yet if I will repurchase this one or maybe find another dry shampoo to try.  Anybody have any suggestions??

So, there you have it.  Those are my most recent empties and purchases.  I'll be on the hunt for a new dry shampoo now.  I'll let you know how that goes.


Until next time!

*E

PS. Don't forget to subscribe if you haven't already!

Beauty with Salma

Are you asking yourself, "What is that??"?  Well, this is one of the products from Salma Hayek's line Nuance.  For the past year, the beauty specialist at my CVS has set up and promoted Salma's new line. I've always meant to stop and take a look at it, but I never have time while I'm working and I try not to go into CVS when I'm not working.  Do you go to your work when you're not paid to go??

The other morning, I was watching the Rachael Ray Show and she had Salma on as her guest to promote her products.  I was intrigued.  A lot of her products had a dual purpose and at a reasonable price!  

I had to go to CVS to pick up a few toiletries, so I took a few extra minutes to take a look at the Nuance  line.  Luckily, all Nuance products were buy one get one half off.  So I picked up a finishing powder and this eyeshadow quad.

First things first.  The price.  The eyeshadow quad was my half off Nuance product for $4.50.  Next to the Nuance products was a coupon for $2 off.  So I managed to pick up this quad for $2.50.  Cha-ching!

I love the packaging of this quad.  Each petal folds down individually revealing it's own shadow.  And in the center is an eyeshadow applicator (which I usually don't use).  Because of its size, I wouldn't say that it's very travel friendly, unless you have a large purse.  What I love is that when I'm in a rush I can just grab for this quad rather than rooting through all my individual shadows.  Using these shadows together creates an easy to do neutral look.

                                                  1                                                              4                 

        

                                                       2                                                         3

Sorry, my swatches aren't the greatest.  I just got a new camera, so I'm still trying to figure it out.  The other plus about this product is that it comes with a how to look on the side of the box.  This is great for those who aren't the best at pairing colors and their placement.

I have to say I'm very happy with my purchase!  It is certainly well worth the price and convenience.  An added bonus to my purchase, I got a coupon for a free trial size Nuance Shampoo.  I look forward to picking that up and trying it!

Until next time Wok Stars!

*E

A Pinch of This and a Dash of That

Hey there Wok Stars!

This week seems to have flown by for me!  I hope the same for you guys too!

I thought I would share a few pictures from Sunday's race in Baltimore.  As I've said, I'm not really into cars, but my hubby loves cars.  We don't have much interest in Nascar.  Mostly I don't see entertainment in seeing cars driving in circles.  But I do have to say the Grand Prix at Baltimore was pretty cool.  They closed off streets in Baltimore and made it a race track.  The cool thing about this was that we weren't confined to seats.  We were able to walk around the city and watch the race.

This is my dork picture! The pharmacist in me was so excited to see insulin advertised : p

This is the pit where tires were changed.

I was gonna take an OOTD picture, but because it was a gloomy, muggy, humid, rainy day (as you can see in the pictures) I decided take a picture from afar. haha

There seems to be lots more going on to tell you about.  I'm posting on the run today, so I hope to go into these topics with a little more detail in an upcoming post(s).

• Most excitingly, I found out a friend of mine will be having a lil bambino!  She will be the best mommy ever for the little one!  
• The other night, Tim and I splurged and bought ourselves a nice DSLR.  So I will have some new and improved (hopefully) pictures to post.  
• I'm excited for Topshop to be sold at our Nordstroms!
• I have 2 trips planned coming up in the next 2 months, that we just booked.
• I am planning to buy my first car!

Well I'm off to go look at some cars!  I'll catch up with you guys later!

Until next time!
*E