Sorry For Being MIA Readers.

So, the last few months have been insanely busy. Last I saw my wonderful little blog is was back at the beginning of October. Thankfully I took pictures of everything I received thinking I would be able to sit down and breath to write my blog and catch up, but no such luck. Instead of doing my normal detailed reviews and pricing I am going to do quick run downs. I will be posting the fun awesomeness from this month very soon! Lets begin with the company I canceled... BirchBox, their quality just plummeted, there are to many sampling companies at this point to waste my time and money on them anymore.

This is October's supposedly high end Goop collaboration Birchbox. Or as I refer to it the nail in the coffin box... 3 out of 5 items are things I can find at my local Target. So here is what I got. We will start with the Essie nail polish, Birchbox touted this as a color from the latest collection. Boy was I surprised to find out that is actually is from the Summer Resort Collection 2011. Next up is a Luna Bar, there are few things in the world that disgust me more than a protein bar, no matter how pretty the packaging, but in fairness I thought what the hey I will give it a whirl, it is lemon after all. IT WAS GROSS, cardboard comes to mind, flavored with the lemony smelling bathroom refreshers. Last in the I can get this anywhere spot is Sprout Cocoa lip balm, now maybe I can't get Sprout anywhere, but I can get cocoa flavored lip balm that does the same thing at any given convenience store to mass merchant, boo. Now for the remaining 2 items. We have Marie Veronique Body Oil. I have yet to use this though it smells pretty nice, maybe since the temps are dropping and I am becoming a dried prune I will give it a whirl. Finally we have the barely single use awkward twist off cap thingy Joanna Vargas Daily Serum, haven't used this one either. I have so many face creams that getting them all used is a pain!

Since I decided to cancel Birchbox, I decided to just cut all ties, this included using up my points. I had over 500 saved up! 500 points is equal to $50.00 cash to spend. There was only one thing after all these months I had been with Birchbox that I really really wanted to get my paws on after getting the sample in my box. That was The Balm Stainiac, I really really fell in love with it when I got it a few months back and had sucked that little sample size dry. The other 3 items I got just to quench my love of eyeshadow! I have always really liked Benefit products so when I saw these 2 colors of double duty shadow and liner creams I had to have them! The Stiletto on the left is more of a maroon than I could get the picture to go the other color Skinny Jeans is spot on though. These are amazing, they staying power blew my mind, I fell asleep one night in my makeup, woke up the next morning looked in the mirror and my shadow still looked perfect! The last item I chose is by Alima, to be honest I had never heard of the company and I chose this loose eyeshadow in Zen because I had x amount left to spend out of the 50.00. Turns out I really really like this loose powder, it's gunmetal shimmery greyness really adds to a lot of different looks, and its great all on it's own as well.

 Though I wasn't particularly thrilled with the offerings from Sample Society for October I am keeping them, their track record has for me a least been awesome. I will start with my 2 OMG items in the box. First is the Kate Somerville ExfoliKate, from the smell to how it make my face feel there is so much awesome going on, and then its GREEN, who doesn't love green stuff! Second is Aromachology perfume in Clean and Fresh, this is the perfect scent for those days when you know that you will be rushing around and want to keep things light, I usually throw it on right after a shower. Then there are the Meh items and the totally confusing item. Meh one is Oscar Blandi Volumizing Shampoo. I am a stickler about Shampoo and Conditioner, if I get the shampoo I want to try the conditioner too so just sending one or the other doesn't make sense, so I haven't even tried this yet in other words. Meh two is yet another facial cream, Erno Laszlo Balm, like I said earlier about another cream I have so many I haven't tried this yet. The Herban Essentials Lavender Towelette was an extra item, not much to say its a cleaning towelette, I have it throw in my gym bag, haven't needed it yet though. Last is the WTH item of the month of October, Jane Iredale Tantasia... Last I checked October is fall and there for the time of the year that we human folk allow ourselves to lose our tans and get ready for winter. Call me crazy. Other than to put it on the back of my hand to see it it turned me orange I haven't used this either, and have put it away for next spring.

Finally a ray of PURE sunshine in a October of Blah. October's MyGlam /Ipsy bag is awesome! This item combo is brilliant. I can't say enough good about Ipsy at this point. The bag for October was to cute and is now holding my makeup specific q-tips. The Balm made an appearance with their Whats Your Type mascara, mine was Body Builder, I have been using it like crazy and will have to buy the full size soon. Next is a mini Coastal Scents hot pot palette, if you have read my blog before you will know that I fell in love with Coastal Scents not to long ago when I bought a full sized palette of shadows, these 4 colors are no exception, they are wonderful! I will be wearing them this week in fact when we take our Family Christmas photos, slackers we are... I am a hair treatment junkie so Couture Colour Pequi Oil Treatment made me all kinds of excited! I have used it a couple of times and it really does an amazing job, smells awesome too. Another new brand to me is Be A Bombshell, the product is eyeliner in Onyx, the best way to describe it is basically it's a marker. The crisp lines you can create with it are Epic! Last but not least is a product that has been a go to for me since receiving this bag in October, Mirenesse Lip Bomb lip tar. The color is amazing, the feel is great, and the lasting power is perfect. I would buy it again, that is if I ever seem to run out of the bazillion lip products I have at this point, once the world calms down I will take some pictures of my giant collection of lippies, its huge. 

Well that's all for today, I will continue through my backlog of stuffs tomorrow. For now I leave you with total cuteness! This precious perpetual baby is Shelby the tiny cat, she is 1 1/2 and my princess kitty. Thanks to everyone for sticking with me!

My first Little Black Bag!!!!! September!!!!

Hey everyone!!! So after doing a ton of looking and lusting I decided to join Little Black Bag.Here is the website with my referral code if you are interested after I give you the low down! Little Black Bag Ok, this is an awesome monthly subscription, it is for Handbags, Cosmetics, Jewelry, Home, Bath, Accessories, and the list goes on!!! Yes, it is a bit on the pricey side at 49.95 a month +Shipping which is about 55.00, but it is worth it!!!
Here's how it works, after you sign up (you don't have to make a purchase to look) you take a fashion likes quiz, at the end of the quiz your personalized gallery of things you may like will come up. You then pick the item you wish to start your bag with. Little Black Bag then adds 2 more items to your bag. At this point you will be given the option to purchase and start your subscription. If you purchase you will be taken to the trade gallery where 7 days of trading for other things you like happens! You can close and ship your bag whenever you choose to though, you don't have to wait til the end. At the end of the 7 days the bag is closed and shipped. If you wish to you can purchase extra Little Black Bags, but normally it is monthly. On the 1st of each month you are informed that there is a gallery of items for you to choose from for the month. You then have 5 days to either choose an item or skip the month <---Awesome feature.

So with all that said here is what I got in my very first Little Black Bag!!!

This is what my first bag started with. I chose the Satchel as my starting pick. If I would have known better at the time I would have done sooooo much better in trades, but it was my first time.

After 7 days of trading this is what I got!

Isn't the packaging great! I love the box and then all the items are wrapped up in black tissue paper.

The whole enchilada!

This is the Street Level Color Block Tote in Blue. I love love love this bag! It holds a metric crapton and is so pretty and soft. On the down side it is HUGE and the strap isn't as wide and sturdy as I would like for the size of the bag. Another really nice thing is that it came with a dust cover so when I change over to another bag I have somewhere to put it so that it won't get messed up.

Retail: $72.00

 My second item is the Spring Street Braided Anchor Necklace. I have worn this a whole bunch of times already and I love it so much! There were a lot of mixed reviews on it, but I had to have it! It fits in so very very well with a large bulk of my wardrobe as I dress very coastal preppy.

Retail: $22.00

Last up of the regular bag items is the 'ZAD Animal Rings Necklace. This was my second I must must must have this item. I have worn it a ton for everything from sports events to work, and have gotten tons of compliments on it. All of the rings are removable and fit my fingers awesomely!!!! I love the Buck the most!

Retail: $28.00

The last thing I received was a bonus item from Benefit Cosmetics. I was able to get my hands on the It's Potent Eye Cream. I am so glad I did, I really like it and the sample size is amazing, will last quite a while. Because this was a bonus item I decided not to put a price on it. It also came with a comic book called Spy Gal and a tiny sample of Porefessional.

I have my October Bag in route to me now so, more goodies to come!!!

MyGlam <- Now Ispy Bag! September Edition!

This month is my 2nd MyGlam bag. I found out that the company has re branded themselves as Ipsy when I received it, and that's cool as long as the products they are putting out stay consistent they can call themselves whatever they want.  I am pretty happy with this month, and I will be staying with them as a company I do believe! One thing that was included that I didn't really take pictures of is a $20.00 off coupon for JustFab which is another subscriptions service for Shoes, Handbags, and Accessories. I will definitely use the coupon, I love love love shoes. I already have 2 pair sitting in my cart on the site. Here are the products I received in this months bag.

Don't you love the neon pink mailer! I am saving them to send stuff back out in.

This is the actual bag for this month. I really like it. It will be handy for the days I don't want to lug around my suitcase but just need a few items. The fact that it has a strap makes it perfect. Like last month there is no value on the bag itself.

Also like last month there is another Andreas's Choice Circus Collection polish. This color is the last of the collection. It's called Tightrope. I wasn't very impressed with the polish I got from this collection last month, it is really thick and goopy. I hope the formula on this color is better. Again, because this collection has not launched there is no value here either.

Now for the things that have a value in the bag. First up is a SOHO smudge brush. I have seen this brand around for quite a while and have wondered how well they are made. Now I have an answer and I didn't even have to go out and buy it myself! It is very nice, I really like the thickness of the bristles and the fact that it isn't overly stiff to use. The brush is very light and is made from aluminum. The value on this brush is $6.99.

Yay for the next item!!! This is a MiraBella eyeshadow pan in Semi Formal. the color is very nice and goes on smoothly, I used it last night to go to my daughters first football game she was cheering for. The one thing I wasn't really thrilled with is that it's just the pan, there is no container for it, so finding a place to store it so it doesn't break is a bit challenging. I really wish they would have sent it in some kind of little palette the paper wrapping just isn't sturdy enough. The value of this is $10.00. 

The next item is Jane Cosmetics Sparkle Gloss in Sparkle Pink. I did some looking on this because I had never heard of the brand before and found out that these are sold in packs of three which it really kind of nice, there is a sheer gloss, the sparkle gloss, and an intense gloss. There are 2 different sets with different colors. I like this gloss, it has a nice color to it and isn't sticky. To tell you all the truth dear readers I am in Lip Gloss overload. It seems like I have been getting gloss in almost all of my boxes lately. The sample value of this is $3.33.

The last item in my bag is Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Split End Sealer. I haven't tried this out yet, but will this evening. The sample value for this is $5.58.

The total value for MyGlam bag this month is $25.90, remember this price is without the full sized nail polish and the bag itself. I am impressed. The variety of products in the bag are great! I will have another surprise for you dear readers soon, you will love it, I know I do!!! And stay tuned for shoe happiness!!!

September's BirchBox... AKA Meh Blah Box.

This month's  BirchBox is pretty Meh. You would think with the seasons changing it would be a great box, but I don't think that they put a whole lot of thought into it. I don't know if it is because they have way to much going on to put the effort in or they just don't care at this point and are all about the money they are raking in through their tons of subscribers. Right now to be very honest I am holding on for the points, which are a great perk. So here it is... 

 

Here are the initial unboxing photos, if you can see it there is a little magazine included this month... It's called the Fall Look Book. Personally I think they should have put more time into the products they included and less time trying to put out a magazine. I do not subscribe to BirchBox for a magazine, I subscribe to them to try out new products. And here they are, the meh products....

First up, Boscia Oil-Free Nightly Hydration cream. I tried this out for the first time this evening and it is nice, not to heavy at all. There is no scent so that is a good thing. We shall see how it does over time. The sample size is large so it will last a while to give me a true feel for it. The sample value is $12.85, this is the bulk of the value of the box.

Next is Mon Jasmine Noir by Bvlgari. OMG ick ick ick. The top notes are jasmine, but then the old lady comes out, STRONG, and it stays there... I might try this again, but it's definitely not something I would grab as a first, second, or third choice. The only thing it has going for it is that it is a spray top. The sample value is $2.49.

On a normal day I would be thrilled about a Color Club polish, I love their formula. The color here looks like neon green. In person it is about the same color as Baby Food, think pureed peas or green beans. Pretty unappealing. The bad part about it is that it has a really cute name and is part of an exclusive collection by BirchBox. It's called Tweet Me. I think I am going to use it as an accent nail color for my daughter when I do her nails tomorrow. The sample value is $3.73.

Finally in the box of Meh, is my single happy dance item. This is a twistband hair tie, I received one in my very first BirchBox and loved it, but I did not love the price for 6 ties it is $14.00. So to now have 2 is awesome!!!! I really like the design on this one too, the lacy print is very very nice! Crossing my fingers that every season brings a new twistband to me, or maybe I will use some of my points to buy a pack. The sample value is $1.83.

Last of the "beauty" related items is the WEI to Go Sleep Over Kit. This sample has ticked me off. Why you ask? Because it is unusable for me. I am light skinned with pink undertones, and they sent me a medium color with yellow undertones... When you use BirchBox you fill out a beauty profile, it asks what your skin tone is, I chose light... This is the second time I have received a totally unusable color. This sample pack is worth $6.00. I have added it to my giveaway collection, which has been growing recently. 

This is the Life Style extra that BirchBox included this month. These are Mighty Leaf Tea Company tea bags. I haven't tried any of them yet, waiting for it to cool down a bit before I fully throw myself into the joys of Fall I guess. I do like that there are 3 different caffeine levels included! The sample value of these are $1.99. 

So, there we are... Pretty Blah... The box value isn't even that impressive it is $28.89. I really hope that BirchBox really steps it up. I mean just think there is so much that you can do with October, HALLOWEEN anyone!!!!

Sample Society September! Fabulous!!!!

As fall threatens in the rest of the US we here in South GA are still enjoying the summer heat, and rain, and rain, and how bout a little more rain. All of this rain has made me feel pretty blah, but I found all my pep as soon as my Sample society box came in this month!!! It's awesome. So lets dive right in.

Here are all the unboxing photos, lovin the pink tissue paper!!!

Up first is a Stila Smudge Crayon in Umber. I love this color! As you can see it is great for a hard line liner or looks fab blended out for all over eye shadow! I am currently obsessed with these smudge crayons, no matter what company they come from!!! Need more!!! The retail on this sample sized crayon is $11.00.

Next up is Diptyque Fragrance, I go the Eau Duelle scent. This is really awesome stuff!!! I really really really want a bottle of it, but I don't think the 15 off of 50 coupon the box comes with will take enough off the 120.00 a bottle price tag. It has a very woodsy scent that I adore and a spritz top! The sample value of this is $3.10.

A while back I got a Borghese lotion in this sample box and I loved it, now I get to be in love with another Borghese product this time a cosmetic! This is Borghese B Gloss Lip Gloss in Fiore. The color is amazing, it is on the thick side of gloss, but it's not sticky which is nice. I will be using this a lot I think! The sample value is $14.09.

I fracking love masks, so I was thrilled when I saw that we got the Ahava Purifying Mud Mask. The fact that it is Acne clearing is just icing!!! I haven't had a chance until this evening to try it so I cannot say how it will work for me. The value on this is $6.13, and it is a BIG sample so I will be able to use it a few times to really get a feel for how much I like it!

Last is a HUGE sample! CellCeuticals Extremely Gentle Skin Cleanser I am excited to try this. Lately I have been using black soap on my face and it has been amazing thus far, but I have been needing a pre wash cleanser to get the makeup off before I actually give my face a deep wash. This sample is priced at $10.44.

The box total for this month is $44.76. I will tell you what dear readers, from day one this has been my favorite Subscription I have used, and if there ever comes a day when I have to cut all my subs to one this will be the keeper. It has knocked it out of the park since the first box!!!

Influenster Naturals VoxBox!!!

A while back I got my Mom VoxBox from Influenster. As a quick refresher about Influenster, you register with them and them complete badge quizzes to help them get to know you. Every month or so they put out a VoxBox, if you meet their demographic you get a box in the mail totally free full of goodies to try out and give your opinion on. They also do challenges with the products in the box that can win you prizes or put you in the running for one of the upcoming VoxBoxes. Through the Mom Box I won a $25.00 gift card to Amazon.com!

This time around I was able to meet the demographics for the Naturals VoxBox, and I am so glad I did! The products are really awesome and there are a couple that I know now that I will be buying on a regular basis!!! Since it was free for me to try these products I am just going to give an overall box worth instead of going over what each sample was worth, unless it is a full sized product. The total box worth is $21.02. So here's what was in my box! 

I am going to start with the Original Dish Drying Mat. This seems like a pretty neat product, but it is not something I would really use in my day to day life. With that said we camp a lot, and I have a large camp kitchen that I like to keep stocked with all kinds of things that are useful! This dish drying mat will be a perfect addition to it! With camping there is always a limited amount of stuff you can bring along so being able to cut down on dish towels will be great! The retail price is $4.99.

This is LypSyl Intense Protection LypMoisturizer. OMG I am in love! This product is amazing! It goes on your lips super smooth and lasts a really long time, the one thing that bums me out is having to reapply lip balm all the time because it just doesn't last. This blows all that out, it has a very nice minty tingle that I adore! It has both beeswax and shea butter in it which really moisturizes. I will definatley buy this product when I run out. It is another full size product and it retails for $2.87, not a bad price at all!

Oh, and how cute is the bee detailing that is on the push up slide!!!! LOVE!

Next up is EBoost. I have not tried this out yet, but it seems intriguing. The claims are that it boosts your mood, focus, and immunity with natural ingredients and no crash. I might have to try this after a really hard work out at the gym. Goodness knows I need to boost my mood and focus after that!

As a Momma of a highly active Diva 6 year old I really like this product. They are Clean well All Natural Hand Sanitizing Wipes. We are always on the go and there is always a moment along the way when Diva has gotten her hands or face dirty, of has fallen down and hurt herself. I think I will throw this into my mini first aid kit I always keep with me just in case one of these not so rare instances occur!

GeoDeo is a deodorant, I know, not the most glamorous product ever, but it is nifty! I have been using this for a few days because I was running low anyway on my normal deodorant. Don't you love when things pop up just in the nick of time?? I really like it! The fragrance is Island and is very light and tropical, it keeps me dry and not stinky so that is a big plus! It is a clear solid so that is really nice for days that I am wearing a tank top (which is a lot, I do live in SE GA) or a dark colored shirt. I haven't put it to the ultimate gym test yet but I have high hopes for it! The only downer is the price, it is $5.99 for a 2.3 oz stick, that is pretty steep especially when I can usually run up on the 2 packs of Dove Deo for around $7.00.

Last of the products that every box contained is Nectresse which is a zero calorie sweetener. It says it is 100% natural... But, it's made by Splenda, and we all know Splenda is about as far from all natural as you can get. That makes me kind of wary about this. I will have to look farther into this to see if it's all natural claims are true. I haven't used this one yet either, I really don't drink much that isn't either already sweetened or is sweet at all. 

The last product in my VoxBox was one chosen based on my demographic. I got the SheaMoisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Baby Eczema Bar Soap. Yeah, I know it says for Baby, but I don't care about that. This is going to be another one of those OMG I have to have this in my shower for evers type of products. It smells amazing and the lather is perfect! It really makes you feel super clean and my skin has been super soft! It retails for $4.99 for a 5 oz bar, that is a really good price! I am going to be looking into what other products SheaMoisture has to offer! 

So, that was my VoxBox this time around. I am sure there will be at least one more blog post about one of the individual products to come for a challenge so stay tuned to get a more in depth look at one of these. If you would like to sign up for Influenster the website is: http://www.influenster.com/