Birchbox

For my birthday back in February, my boss got me a 3-month subscription to Birchbox. First off, what an awesome gift idea! I definitely want to do this for someone. I saved all of my birch boxes with the exception of one product in the first welcome box - Gilchrist & Soames Body Lotion - I had to use it when I ran out of lotion one day.

I haven't exactly tried any of these products yet but I'm excited to try them. The only one I am familiar with is the Benefit POREfessional primer. But having a mini sample size on deck can't hurt!

The packaging of these boxes are very cool; I am usually not a hoarder but I will probably hang onto these boxes for something else in the future.

If I end up loving any of these products, I will be sure to report back!

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil

I recently splurged on a skincare product after seeing a few people on YouTube rave about it. I'm one of those people who believes that your face/skin is worth spending money on. Sunday Riley is definitely a luxe brand for makeup and skincare but it tends to receive a ton of positive feedback.

I use this sleeping night oil before going to sleep. It is a dark blue/green oil with a droplet applicator so it can be a bit tricky to apply. It also smells a bit like medicine but these factors are worth the results. You can notice results overnight - a more even, nourished skin tone in the morning. I'm not sure about reducing pore size but it definitely does improve the appearance of skin.

You can find this product here (Sephora) for $105.

If you're itching to try a new product for your skin, I would most definitely recommend this!

Sephora VIB Sale 2015

I shop in Sephora pretty regularly so I had to control the urge to purchase 15 more things than I did but I just wanted to share the products that made the cut for me during the Sephora VIB Sale this year. I've used these products for a good month now so I will share my thoughts about them below.

Nest Indigo Eau de Parfum: I got this using my Sephora points. It is a tiny little bottle that is perfect for travel. When I tried to apply this at first I spilled a quarter of the bottle all over myself because it doesn't have any type of applicator - it's just an open bottle with a screw-on cap. However it smells divine and I have experienced the tendency to grab for this fragrance every day since I got it!

Urban Decay Complexion Prep Spray: a facial mist meant to be used after cleansing, before moisturizing. It feels incredible and I usually spray a little too much. It helps to prep and prime the face for the day ahead.

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray: a facial mist meant to be used after applying makeup - used to lock in your look for as long as possible. I find that it does help immensely but when I have an abnormally long day, I look haggard regardless. Really nice product though! My makeup routine doesn't feel complete without it.

YSL Touche Eclat Radiant Touch: This product is said to be very misunderstood. It seems like a concealer but really, it is more of a liquid highlighter used to brighten the face in certain areas. I'm not in love with this product mainly because of the applicator brush. I find that the product comes out inconsistently - either too much at once or none at all. The formula leaves a lot to be desired as well.

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Mad Max Brown: I have this eyeliner in Tropper - ink black. I love it so much and it has gradually become a definite staple item in my every day makeup routine. However before I discovered this product, I have always used brown eyeliner. So when Kat Von D came out with this brown shade, I had to buy it. I do like this product a lot and when I'm going for a more subtle eye look it is absolutely perfect.

NARS Audacious Lipstick

I was on the hunt for this specific shade of NARS Audacious Lipstick called Ingrid for a while now. They don't sell it in Sephora or Nordstrom so it delayed my purchase for a while. However I really wanted to try out this lipstick before the winter season was over because it is the perfect 'vampy' shade. I finally found it on barneys.com with free shipping! At $32 it is a bit pricey but after having it for a few weeks now, I would say it's definitely worth splurging on. I use this lipstick with a lip liner from Mac called Vino and it is a perfect combination! What is your favorite "vampy" shade? 

Essie Fall 2014 Collection

This set includes 4 colors from Essie's Fall 2014 Collection

Dress to Kilt: bright red and festive color

Take it Outside: grey, neutral color with a slightly muted lavender hue

Partner in Crime: dark plum

Style Cartel: rich, royal blue

I've been wearing each color relentlessly. It's a great range of autumnal hues. I especially received a ton of compliments when sporting my favorite color from this range: Style Cartel.

This set is also a bargain: $17. You can find the Winter 2014 4-pack at Nordstrom.com. Do keep in mind that these are "mini" bottles but whoever uses a full bottle of nail polish anyway?

Let me know which is your favorite!

Californian Beauty

I am sat here thinking of a spontaneous visit from a good friend back in August. She made plans to visit San Francisco on her own and asked me to meet her there. The whole point of her trip was to go to a tribute to Bill Murray, an art show. I hate to drive so long story short, she changed her entire flight itinerary to fly in and out of Sacramento and we spent 2 full days together visiting Monterey Bay and San Francisco, me in the passenger seat of my own car; she is the best!

This whole trip and visit has become such a treasured memory for me. I thought I'd share some of the Californian beauty I witnessed during our short time together.

Urban Decay

So there is something that I've been using every day for the month of September. It is this 'Start Getting Naked' Ultra Definition Complexion Kit from Urban Decay, which has proved to be extremely effective and such a pleasure to use every day. 

I originally went out in search of a new primer because I had almost run out of my current one. I wanted to buy the Instablur by The Body Shop but after testing it in store, I felt it was way too thick and silicon-ey. 

When I made my way over to Sephora, my eyes gravitated towards the Urban Decay Beauty Balm Primer and as I was standing in front of their display, I noticed this kit. My sincerest apologies that I do not remember the price but I want to say it was about $45. I don't see it on the Sephora website but I bet you can still buy it in store. It is such a bargain because the full-size foundation comes inside the kit as well, which is $39 itself. I also added my own 'Step 4' to the mix: De-slick Makeup Setting Spray. 

After the month, I've already ran out of the 'Step 1' B6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Spray and I plan to repurchase this in the near future. In the meanwhile, please believe me when I say that this combination is such a treat. After my 12-hour work days, my makeup stays on better than it ever has before, I highly recommend this super amazing line of products from Urban Decay!

Prep, Prime, Perfect, Mist, and Set!

The Body Shop

For the first time ever, I trekked my way into The Body Shop and browsed their selections for probably a good hour. I was so happy with my decision to go into the store because they had such great promotions happening on the day of my visit.

50% off all body productsBuy 1, get 1 50% off!Buy 2, get 2 free!Buy 3, get 2 free!

Aren’t those promotions just amazing?! I couldn’t help myself I spent $50 in a heartbeat. The body products promotion is no longer but the others are still on, and so is the Father’s Day special – 50% off all men’s products!

Anyway, let me talk about what I purchased! I got 3 things from their Tea Tree Oil product line.

1) Cool & Creamy Face Wash: When they said cool & creamy, they really meant it! This product leaves a cool, minty, refreshing feeling on your skin for up to 10 seconds after you apply, scrub, and wash it off. It is perfect for the morning when you are feeling groggy and need a pleasant wake up call! It is suitable for blemished skin so if you are having one of those days where you feel like your skin is troubling you, this is perfect to use!

You can find the product here.

2) Pore Minimiser: I apply this product to my T-zone to minimize the appearance of my ugly pores! They can go away and stay away. It really mattifies my skin and acts as a great base for my make up. However I use it at night time sometimes as well. I’m not sure if it is just in my head but I do tend to notice a difference. The only beef I have with this product is that it smells very strongly of tea tree oil – not very pleasant when I’m trying to apply it onto my nose.

You can find the product here.

3) Tea Tree Oil: This is the straight-up tea tree oil that you can apply directly to your blemishes. Actually, it says 15% tea tree oil so I’m sure it is very diluted with water but it surely does not smell so. This formula smells so musky – I find it difficult to endure the scent. It does seem to help my blemishes so I weigh my pros and cons ;-)

You can find the product here.

Then I purchased the Brazil Nut Body Butter because their body butters are all the rave! However, I would never pay $20 for a tub – that is just too expensive for body moisturizer! I only bought it because at 50% I paid $10. It is an impressive product though. This particular scent would be perfect for those of you that tend to go for the shea butter, vanilla type of scents. The Brazil Nut scent reminds me of a vanilla cupcake bakery. I even preferred it over the Shea Butter scent. I look forward to showering every day so that I can indulge in this body butter afterwards. My body just takes it all in – so much so that I feel like i can apply the whole tub to my body and it would be just fine!

You can find the product here.

I also paid $10 and joined their membership club – Love Your Body. I can earn points and get special offers through the card. Apparently on my birthday, I get $10 automatically loaded onto the card so I get my $10 back eventually. I thought that was harmless and a great way for them to make some revenue! Props to the Body Shop all around – I will definitely be back soon!

Formula X for Sephora | Thrilling

I recently purchased a nail kit from Sephora: their Formula X “The System” which includes 4 different bottles of formulas for 4 steps of application:

1) Cleanse – Nail cleanser2) Prime – Transparent base coat3) Choose your own color – Nail polish4) Shine – Top coat

I got this nail kit for $32 which is a $44 value. The nail polishes on their own are $10.50 each, which is pretty steep pricing if you ask me! I don’t think I would buy the nail polishes without the nail kit because of the price. But don’t get me wrong, it is definitely a lovely product, especially the shade that I bought – Thrilling.

As you can see, the shade is a beautiful neutral shade – light lilac purple. I tend to go for the more neutral colors because of work. I recently had taken this color off and applied a different nail polish from Urban Outfitters, but honestly I have to go back. I’m not over the infatuation with the shade just yet!

The manicure lasts pretty well. Having said that, I do work in the housekeeping department of a 503 room hotel so my manicure had chipped in different spots by day 3. I am the type of person who cannot keep chipped nail polish on my nails so I guess I waste a lot of product reapplying my manicure!

As you can see below, I loved this shade so much that I applied it to my toesies as well. Please excuse my ugly feet – no shame!

What is your favorite nail polish? I want to know!

You can find the product here.

Hourglass N° 28 Lip Treatment Oil

To get 0.25oz of this product it is $42. I decided to give it a chance because that is how much TLC my lips were needing. My initial thought was, “How do I even apply this to my lips?” After reading the instructions, I figured out that as you push down on the indicated lever type, lush essential oils dispense out of the tiny hole on top. The applicator is claimed by Hourglass to be plated in 24 karat gold – do I believe this? Maybe. Can I take this to a pawn shop when it’s empty?

Anyway, the product is worth its price tag. I’ve been using this as an overnight treatment for my sad lips. It’s been working its magic for sure. I wake up to smooth lips to the extreme, and my lips just crave for more! I try not to apply it during the day because it’s a bit heavy and also because I eat too much when I am awake and I don’t want to take any chances on wasting this precious product on food!

All in all, I would highly recommend this product for anyone who needs a pick-me-up for their lips!

You can find the product here.