Saturday, February 22, 2014

Ipsy - February 2014

Hello Everyone!  It's that time again, for my favorite subscription service Ipsy. :) This month went right along with Valentine's Day, and the theme was "The Look of Love." Below is a picture of the bag it was just a plain pink makeup bag, but the real surprise of the bag design was the inside to take it from boring to giving it a little pizzazz with what I would call pink zebra camo kisses! haha.

I love how for the last couple of month's Ipsy subscribers have more of a variety of the items they can get. Ipsy has definitely improved since they first started. Some people haven't liked the variety, but I rather enjoy everything I have got so far (it seems as if they are actually paying attention to our beauty profile now!)

Now on to the contents...


Uberliss RituOil - "Quench your hair's thirst with the Uberliss Rituoil! Engineered with a light blend of  Orchid & Argan Oil, RituOil will preserve precious moisture within the hair fiber by sealing the cuticle & will safeguard it from thermal damage. The end result will be amazingly soft, shiny, & frizz-free hair." I love the Orchid Smell that this product has, and I also love that extra straightening effect it gives my hair when I straight-iron it. I honestly didn't think that it would do much for my hair, because I truly haven't noticed a big difference in the Argan Oil products are out there but this one did a pretty good job. The only thing that I would say I didn't like about this product is you do have to spend sometime with it for it to work (blow drying, straightening, etc.), so if you are on the go all the time this wouldn't be a good product for you other than that I would recommend it.


Zoya Nail Polish -  "This seasons's Zoya Nail polish are full of pure pigment, intense color and modern complexity that are a perfect transition into Spring. Ipsy subscribers who receive this product will receive Odette or Dot." Normally, I would dread getting another polish just because I have so many but this shade of purple (also known as Odette) is absolutely beautiful. I also like the Zoya brand, most of the polishes I have received from them I have only had to use one coat of polish which is a plus. 


Pop Beauty Plum Pout Mini - "This plumping pout perfector combines the high-shine of a lacquered gloss with the long wear of a stain and is packed full of lip-plumping peptides and avocado and jojoba oils. Lightweight, creamy texture immediately merges with lips & delivers intense glossy color for an extremely long-lasting finish! Ipsy subscribers who receive this product will receive Peony Petal or Fuschia Freesia." This color also known as Peony Petal is very true to its color, and a perfect pink shade for my light skin. I own a lot of Pop Beauty products and this one is another Pop Beauty product done well. Believe it or not my favorite part of this mini is the feel of the packaging, I'm not sure of the material but it makes it feel like a quality product because of its feel. 


Mally Beauty Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Eyeliner -  "This creamy formula glides effortlessly onto the lid and locks into lower rim to beautifully define your eyes. Create a fine line or a thicker line with no pulling or tugging. Wear it as a shadow by applying to the lid and smudge. Rich and full, this liner will give a strong coverage that lasts all day. Ipsy subscribers who receive this product will receive Starlight." I like the formula of this product, it is very creamy and really does glide effortlessly without any streaking. The only thing is just I have never really liked using silver eyeliners because of my skin tone, but I will be passing this to a friend who can get good use out of it. I look forward to trying other Mally products, since this product seems to be of good quality.




Jesse's Girl 9 Pan Eyeshadow Compact - "Jesse's Girl put together four great eye shadow collections suitable for all: Brown Eyed Girl, Behind Blue Eyes, Tickled Pink, and The Eyes Have It. Each compact features nine coordinating eye shadows in a sleek, travel-friendly case. Ipsy subscribers who receive this product will receive Tickled Pink, Brown Eyed Girl, Behind Blue Eyes, or The Eyes Have It." I received Behind Blue Eyes, and I am so glad I did because out of all of the ones you could receive this one had colors in it that I would actually wear and that went with my eyecolor. Shame on whoever took the pictures on their site though, because the colors shown on the website, and what they really look like are night and day!  I actually wanted to purchase the other ones when I saw other bloggers pictures, compared to what I saw on the Ipsy website which turned me away from the product. Beside's that though, there is nothing negative I have to say about this particular compact. The eyeshadow's are very pigmented with or without primer, and you can't beat the price at $3.99 each! Plus, if you are an Ipsy subscriber you can get 20% off with code IPSYFEB2014, making these cheap. I myself will be picking up another one of these palette's. 

Now, if you like my bag and want to sign up for Ipsy for yourself it is $10 a month (which includes shipping), and each month you will receive a makeup bag catered to the answers from your beauty quiz with generally 5 items. Michelle Phan curates the bags. And you can sign up & check it out here: SIGN UP FOR IPSY



Feel free to leave any comment and/or questions, and until next time like I always say stay beautiful by staying YOU! :)

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Yuzen - February Spring 2014 Reveal/Review


Hello Everyone! I hope all of you reading this is staying safe and warm. I know I am a couple of days behind from when I usually post, but here in South Carolina we were out of power for the last 4 days! Anyways, on to some good news; I received my Spring Yuzen box today. So lets get to it!




ACURE ORGANICS Radical Resurfacing Facial Treatment 
"Helps ward off the blotchiness, hyperpigmentation, and other trouble spots that can come with age. Lemon probiotic brightens, while a proprietary organic chlorella growth factor helps smooth out skin’s texture and tone." This is one of my favorite products in the box and to me is worth the box alone. It goes under your moisturizer to smooth out your skin's texture and tone. I love the light feel of it and can't wait to see what it does for my skin over the next couple of weeks. I just started noticing aging in my skin so this is a perfect product for me. The best part about the product? It is 100% plant and plant-derived natural and organic ingredients. 


BALANCED GURU Balm Me Up
 "A buttery body balm that moisturizes skin without leaving it greasy or tacky. The invigorating scents of mandarin, lime, and orange essential oils wake up your senses, while the cocoa butter and shea butter go to work on hard-to-soften places like elbows, knees, and feet."  This is another great product for the winter even though it is the spring box, it is still very much winter here! I love that its for dry skin like myself, and the citrus smell is truly invigorating. I also can appreciate the fact that some of their profits support several nonprofit organizations.


Chocolate Cherries and Almonds Chocolate Bar 
"Has a delicious, almost addicting taste that gradually blends to create an even more complex flavor profile—you just have to experience it to understand. Made with Michigan cherries and dry-roasted almonds encased in luscious Belgian dark chocolate." Seriously, this chocolate bar lasted all of two seconds in my house. I feel like they read my mind this month because almonds in chocolate are my favorite, and even though I'm not crazy about cherries this chocolate bar combo was heaven. Aside from the wonderful flavor, there is also a poem inside every candy bar. Mine had a quote from Aristotle in it.


LOTUSWEI Infinite Love Mist 
"Magnifies your gentleness, compassion, and receptivity so that you can attract and experience unconditional love for yourself and others. Mist yourself (or your pillows, sheets, office, and car) several times a day and breathe deeply—the nurturing aroma features red roses and mandarin, infused with other essential oils and hand-collected flower essences." At first I was confused on what to do with this product, and finally settled on using it as a perfume. My husband really likes the smell, and the smell of roses is a hit with me and one of my favorite smells. I also occasionally will spray this on my pillow at night, and it helps me to relax better at night.



SRANROM The Mindful Living Candle 
"A candle hand-poured by a peaceful farming community in the heart of Thailand—it’s formulated with the soothing natural aromas to help ease your mood and balance your mind." This candle defiantly help keep the peace when we were out of power for 4 days. It lasts forever too even though its not that big of a candle, and I still have half of it left. It says it is suppose to smell of lemongrass & spearmint. I smell no spearmint but I do smell the lemongrass. Usually, I don't like the smell of lemon but this was truly refreshing.






 SRANROM Urban Wellness Calm Down Hand Cream 
"Helps you tackle stressful situations with calm confidence; it’s a refreshingly scented herbal oil blend made from lemongrass and Kaffir lime." This is another great product from the same company that makes the candle. This is a nice thick hand cream and is dead on with the scent it describes of lemongrass and lime. You wouldn't think it would be, but it has a very soothing smell which I like.








SUMBODY Bath Fizzers 
"Combine aromatherapeutic blends of flower petals and essential oils with cocoa and shea butters, cream, and goat milk to moisturize and soothe your skin, and they provide a gentle cascade of luxurious bubbles." This bath fizzer is huge! One think I can't stand is when a subscription box gives you some sort of product to go in the bath and you feel as if you are just left hanging with wanting to have had more of the product. But this product is a very nice size, and while I'm not usually into taking a lot of bath's I have a feeling I will enjoy this. I will give you a review on it soon. I received the fizzer in the scent coconut & cream. :)



SUMBODY Bath Melts 
"Are full of rich butters that moisturize you all over, plus salts, flowers, and fruits that detoxify the skin while helping you feel relaxed. Indulge in the finer things with a soak in our skin-softening, melts-in-the-bath blend of rich cocoa butter, vanilla and fresh citrus."  It says your are suppose to fill the tub with warm water, and add one or more sections depending on the desire of moisture. So, it is enough for 4 baths if you use them in the 4 sections they are cut, which is a great size product. I was looking at their website (Sumbody's Website), and they also have a stress relief bath melt that I would love to try along with a very wide range of other product's. 

Overall, Yuzen knocked it out of the park with the wide range and quality of the products. Even though I may not use all of the products they are also great gifts for any occasion. To subscribe it is $33.00 per season meaning this subscription box comes out 4 times a year. So while it is a little higher then most monthly subscription boxes, you are only receiving it 4 times a year so for someone like myself on a strict budget it is affordable. Plus look at all that you receive! If you wish to sign up for their box you can do so here: Yuzen Box

So, what did you think of this quarter's Yuzen box, have you subscribed in the past or do you subscribe now? I love to hear your questions and comments, so feel free to leave me some love under the comments section. :)

Monday, February 3, 2014

SKIN&CO - Multi Product Review

Hello Everyone! I hope everyone's week is starting out great, and will finish even greater. In the mean time to help your week go by a little faster, lets talk about some product's I just received. When Skin & Co (also know as Skin & Co Roma) approached me to review some of their product's I couldn't resist. They are a company that has been around forever, but is a company that I have recently started hearing a lot about. So, I decided to check it out...


These are the products that I received. Before I get into each one of them though, let me tell you a little bit about the history of the company. They are a family based company, and now are the third generation of Balestras. "This heritage brand is dedicated to crafting only the finest beauty and anti-aging products from organic Mediterranean ingredients. A century ago, Sabatino Balestra and his wife Giuseppina opened their first Emporium in Italy, where Giuseppina introduced her own beloved blend of botanical oils based on traditional recipes. During Hollywood's glamorous dole vita stars in Rome would flock to try these high-end formulations, and fell in love with them. Nearly 60 years later scientists confirmed that Giuseppina and her star studded clientele were right. The formulas proved to be anti-oxident and anti-aging powerhouses. Today the Balestras continue their grandparents' vision of providing the freshest, most indulgent products while preserving and respecting the ancient lands they come from. 

If you wish to know more about the massive history of the company you can go this link here, it really is quite interesting.


The first product I received was the Truffle Therapy Body Gel, for a full size of this product it is $18.00 and for a travel size it is $9.00. It cleanses and hydrates with a light foam that leaves skin fresh and soft, and has anti-aging effects. I can't quite describe the smell it is like nothing I have ever smelled, I'm not sure it is my favorite scent; but it is very pleasant and light. I enjoyed how this product lathered. Unlike a lot of body gel that doesn't lather, this one produces a really nice foam without the use of a bath sponge. I think the price is fair for what your getting as well, it doesn't dry out your skin and having anti-aging affects as well is just another added bonus. 

Overall Product Score: 4.7*


The next product I received was the Truffle Therapy Body Milk, for a full size of this product is is $35.00 and for the travel size is is $11.00. "It was created to nourish dry skin, this decadent moisturizer is rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and essential amino acids. Exclusive truffle extract stimulates Superoxide Dismutase production to destroy harmful free radicals and keep skin youthful." I let others smell this so I could give my readers the best description I knew how, and this is what I came up with. The scent of the body milk has often been described to me as a slight musk with a hint of shea butter and olive oil, and I would 100% agree. As well as a lot of the products have this scent. This truffle body milk is so nourishing, and lasts forever. I only had to apply this product once and my legs still felt silky smooth 18 hours later! What I love most about this product is it doesn't leave your skin greasy at all. It leaves your skin silky and touchable all day. 

Overall Product Score: 4.5*


The third product I received was the Truffle Therapy Serum. This product cost's $75. This beauty base serum plumps the skin with hydration and fights off damaging free radicals. Apply under your moisturizer to increase skin hydration and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. I have only been using this product for a few days now, and I can defiantly notice a difference in my skin. It looks brighter and feels smoother. At $75 though its just out of my price range. Although, I will say if I had the money like that it is worth it. Only if you are willing to commit on wearing it everyday. The only negative thing I have to say about this product is that I have very sensitive skin, and it did burn a little (not an allergic reaction but rather in this is a strong formula kind of burn) but this feeling did go away after about 5 minutes. The way this works is it has Panthenol to stimulate the cellular regenerative process, and olive oil extract for a moisture boost. Something, I have never heard of in a serum, but is quite an ingenious concept. 


Overall Product Score: 3.9*



The last product I received was the Truffle Therapy Cream, and the price of this product is $68.00. This lotion contains the company's unique truffle extract that stimulates the production of Superoxide Dismutase, which destroys free radicals and has an anti-oxidant, anti-aging effect. African Shea Butter, Vitamin E, and Almond Oil provides rich, super hydrating qualities, while Rosemary and Allantoin eliminate redness and stimulate cell regeneration. An added dose of Echinacea extract helps to prevent UVA-UVB damage to the skin. They have also added equisetum arvense extract to improve the skin's elasticity for firmer, fresher and softer skin. This product is my favorite product and what I would call my "little miracle cream." Out of all the product's this one IS my favorite. I have extremely dry skin, as well as skin that burns very easily and this cream takes care of both these problems. It is a very easy cream to wear and I enjoy how light weight it is. While it is $68.00 and is on the expensive side, I feel like this is one of their products that is worth the investment. And is a good long term product for your skin care routine.

Overall Product Score: 4.8*

Overall, I am happy that I got try out Skin & Co Roma. I found a few products that I really feel like will help me, as well as some products I look forward to trying in the future. If you are intrested in buying these products you can get these from: QVC, Henri Bendel, Fred Segal, Dermstore.com, Amazon Beauty & of course Skinandcoroma.com

They will also be having a Global Beauty Event on QVC, February 8th-14th, 2014 if you are interested in getting their products (from what I hear a little bit cheaper) than they have on their site. 

Have you ever tried Skin&CO? If so what are your favorite products by them? And if not what would you be interested in trying. Thanks Again for reading, and remember to always STAY BEAUTIFUL! *mwah* 


Free product disclosure

*overall rating is based on a 5 point scale based off of product, pricing, texture, application, and longevity.