My First Impression - February IPSY Bag

Hello Beauties!

My February IPSY Bag arrived last weeks and I got to swatch and use a few things before work and wanted to share my first impressions with you. Ipsy is a monthly subscription service priced at $10.00 a month including free shipping ( this is a plus for me since I live in Alaska) I love getting to try new products every month and a beauty subscription box is a great choice to spend your lunch money and get a few beauty products. Every month I normally receive anywhere from 4-6 samples.

Onto my February first impression,

• POP Beauty Plump Pout Mini- For being a mini its a really good size lip gloss, the color was a lot brighter when applied then in the tube so much I ended up taking it off because it was a little to much. The worst part of this lip gloss is the SMELL it didn't stink but it didn't smell good either, it reminded me of the smell of cheap makeup you play with as a kid

• Zoya Nail Polish- I love Zoya nail polish so this was a thumbs up for me! It was full size in the color Odette
• City Color Be Matte Blush- I'm not sure what color I got.. It was kind of coral but it doesn't matter because I didn't care for it. I don't know what I was thinking to try something new before work we all know that's a NO NO!! The color was way to bright and powdery for my liking and I normally love all things matte, coming from someone with oily skin!!
• Uberliss RituOil- I cant really say to much because I didn't get to use it in my hair as I was on the way to work, but I can say it seems like its a nice light hair oil and has a nice soft scent. 
• Tini Beauty Cream Shadow/Base- This is ok, not something I will reach for but i wont complain since it is a full size product 

Over all I wouldn't say this is my favorite bag, but it wasn't my worst either. Including three full size products in a $10.00 subscription bag is pretty freaking good!  I just didn't feel anything I received made me feel like I HAVE to go out and purchase this, but I for someone who inst into beauty products like me may feel otherwise. 

Giveaway!!!

Angie over at My So Called Chaos is celebrating her 5 year blogiversary!!!  To show you how amazing you are, I teamed up with a handful of my friends to offer you a BIG giveaway!  There are three blogging-related prize packs you can enter to win!  Check it out!

Prize Pack 1 includes all of the above for a value of roughly $423!

Winner's outside the US will get all of the digital goods and a $20 Amazon/Paypal credit for the books.

Prize Pack 2 includes all of the above for a value of roughly $178!

Winner's outside the US will get all of the digital goods and a $20 Amazon/Paypal credit for the books.

Prize Pack 3 includes all of the above for a value of roughly $73!

Winner's outside the US will get all of the digital goods and a $20 Amazon/Paypal credit for the books.

Enter the Giveaway

Giveaway is open worldwide and ends 3/4/2014

All prizes will be sent directly from shop/source/sponsor.

Winners in the US can choose to have the physical books or Kindle versions.

Winner's outside the US will receive all digital items (not including books) & a $20 Amazon Credit.

Entering the Rafflecopter below agrees to all Terms & Conditions within.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

January Favorites

Hello Beauties! Can you believe that January is over? I feel like we just celebrated the New Year.. time goes faster then I can keep up with. Over the last month these are the products I have been using repetitively!

1. MAC Turquatic I find it hard to describe the smell of perfume because perfume smells different on everyone, but if I had to describe this scent in a few words it would be fresh, floral, with a little musk. I have been LOVING this a lot I have it in the roller ball and the regular bottle and have pretty much worn it everyday since I got them on Christmas.

2. Beautyblender/Beautyblender solid cleanser I have been using the Beautyblender for a little over a year and its one of my go to products for applying foundation, however cleaning it can be on the tricky side. When cleaning my makeup brushes I normally use Baby Shampoo or Dawn dish soap which normally gets the job done, however with my Beautyblender I will wash it until the water runs  clear but the sponge itself is stained which can be annoying. This Beautyblender solid cleanser must have something special in it because after I used it by little sponge was solid pink!

3. MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter I use this highlighter under my eyes and T-zone. This highlighter is a like a light concealer it highlights without shimmer and really adds a nice glow to your face with out being to dramatic. Its very blend-able and creamy. I use the color Radiant Rose which works with a lot of different skin tones.

4. Josie Maran 100 percent Pure Argan Oil If your anything like me your thinking OIL on my FACE...umm no! I thought people wore insane to jump on this cleaning oil/moisturizing oil hype. I couldn't believe anyone with acne prone/oily skin would want to rub even more oil on there face, but somehow I let the girl at Sephora talk me into buying this Josie Maran Cleanse & Nourish To Go Duo which is like a travle size of the two. I feel in love with the Josie Maran
Argan Oil and use it a few times a week before bed. Its very light and blend-able and reveals super nourished skin the following morning. I don't think I could use this as my morning moisturizer because I get more oily during the day, but if you have dry skin I believe you could.

5. NYX Butter Gloss These have been my go to lip glosses the past month, and I just cant get enough of them! These glosses soften and condition your lips and have great color pay off and glide on the skin like BUTTER (hints the name).

6. Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette This little palette is my go to palette for everyday make especially when going to work. This palette allows you to crate simple looks but also has colors to spice things up!

7. Sock Bun I love this faux sock bun hair accessory, it lets you get the look of the old school sock bun but with a products that blends a little nicer and stays put! I use this all the time especially when I'm crunched for time but what to look like I put some time into getting ready. I called this my lazy hair-do!!

Comment below your January favorites if you had any, I would love to know what they are!

GIVEAWAY over at My So Called Chaos

Hey beauties!

Check out my Top Five Beauty Tricks and Giveaway over on Angies Blog: My So Called Chaos :)
Giveaway ends 2/11/2014 and is World Wide !!!!!

Sephora Favorites: Customized Skincare set

Hello beauties!!

I bring to you... the Sephora Favorites Customized Skincare Set (only at sephora inside JCP)
I'm a little late but last night  I saw a picture of someones custom skin care kit on instagram *my instagram and thought to myself I have to get one of these!

For $29.00 you get to pick out 5 deluxe size samples! You can choose 5 different or 5 of the same! Its a value between $44.00-$133.00 This kit is an amazing buy whether or not your stocking up on things you LOVE or trying something new. If you are interested in this kit I suggest you RUN because this deal has been out for a week or two and some items may be sold out! I personally was really sad that both GlamGlows wore sold out at my store :(

GlamGlow: Supermud Clearing Treatment
GlamGlow: Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment
Algenist: Retinol Firming & Lifting Serum
Dr. Jart: Ceramidin Liquid
First Aid Beauty: Ultra Repair Cream
St. Tropez: Gradual Tan Everyday Body Moisturizer  Med/Dark
Josie Maran: 100% Argan Oil
Ole Henriksen: Truth Serum Collagen Boosters
Peter Thomas Roth: Laser Free Retexturizer
Murad: Clarifying Cleanser
StriVectin: StriVectin-TL Tightening Neck Cream
Philosophy: Purity Made Simple Facial Cleanser
Boscia: Tsubaki Beauty Oil

My Customized Kit:
1. Boscia: Tsubaki Beauty Oil
*value $16.30
2. Peter Thomas Roth: Laser Free Retexturizer
*value $19.00
3. StriVectin: StriVectin-TL Tightening Neck Cream
*value $13.40

4. Algenist: Retinol Firming & Lifting Serum

*value $32.35

5. Philosophy: Purity Made Simple Facial Cleanser *value $11.50

TOTAL VALUE: $92.55 saving me = $63.66 !!

Model in a Bottle: Long Lasting Eyebrow Sealer

There are many things I LOVE in this world and my eyebrows are one of them. This hasn’t always been the case, I didn’t notice how important well groomed brows were until I got older and more into beauty.

The saying "brows are the frame of your face" is my new beauty motto! Your eyebrows can either make or break your everyday look. I would rather leave the house with a coat of mascara and a little powder to fill in my brows than anything else in my makeup bag.

 Now onto the OMG this stuff is AMAZING... *drumroll* Model in a Bottle: Long Lasting Eyebrow Sealer. I like to think of this stuff as hairspray for your brows. It comes with two applicators a spoolie for thicker fuller brows and a brush applicator for finer more precise brows.

The eyebrow sealer is a liquid consistency that is placed over your finished brow look to keep it in place all day! This stuff can be used over pencil, powder or wax and only a small amount is needed.  It dries quick and matte, no one will ever know it’s on and you will have eyebrows that will last for hours!! The picture above was taken after a 12hr work day!!!

It comes in a .5 FL OZ glass bottle similar to the size of a nail polish bottle and retails for $14.00

L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector

I recently purchased the L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector serum and day/night moisturizer, because my favorite youtube beauty vlogger Nicole Guerriero raved about how much she LOVED it in her recent Skin Care Video

I did what anyone does when Nicole raves about something.. I made it a mission to get it that night! I did a Google search to compare prices and found that it was the cheapest for me to pick it up from target, each one was $19.99 which is a little pricey for drugstore items but well worth it if you ask me.

On to the good stuff!

The Youth Code Texture Perfector was created to perfect the appearance of skin which I know what your thinking, isn’t everything we use on our face to perfect it BUT this stuff isn’t just to help even out skin tone or help keep you moisturized. While it does do both of those things, it really does WONDERS on the quality of the skin's surface. It tightens your pores, diminishes fine lines and wrinkles to reveal smooth almost velvet skin!!

L'Oreal said:

-In 1 week, over 70% of women experienced tightened, less visible pores.
-In 1 week, over 80% of women saw smoother, softer texture.
-In 1 month, women state that pores appear smaller, fine lines are reduced and texture is smoother.
-79% of women report seeing an improvement in skin quality.

Its been 5 days since I added this to my morning/night routine and I already have been seeing amazing results! My fiance even noticed how great my skin was looking which is a huge PLUS in my book if a guy notices something like skin care!

Spa Water at Home

My Fiance and I recently went to Costco to do a little grocery shopping when I stumbled upon the Takeya pitcher, now this isn’t just any pitcher its a fancy schmancy pitcher! This pitcher has a few bells and whistles that makes your average pitcher BORING!!

It can be used for hot or cold beverages and is mostly targeted towards tea and infused water. The pitcher I purchased only came with the Fruit Infuser Basket which is a basket that unscrews from the lid and you can fill it which just about any fruit, I personally love lemons, limes, cucumbers, and mint leaves.

There are lots of fruit and veggie combinations you can create to make your own yummy water! Takeya also has options to purchase other gadgets like the Tea Infuser Basket this accessories allows you to fill your pitcher with hot water and then fill your tea basket with lose leaf/ tea bags to steep to make a delicious hot tea or add ice for a hot summers day! The last gadget is the Citrus Juicer this accessories screws on top of the pitcher in place of the lid and you are able to make your own fresh juice.

This pitcher will make you want to drink all your water for the day! It also has some great benefits, by soaking the fruits and veggies into your water it will be filled with high levels of vitamins and antioxidants!!

                      

April Cara Box

Hey beauties its time to reveal my Cara Box this month and let me tell you it was AMAZING!! This months box theme was "going green" and I personally found it a little challenging to shop for, which made me realize I need to be more green myself!

This month I was paired Meg and Holly they are such sweet ladies!! you should go check them out :)

Holly over at Oklahomapepplers sent me the cutest box!! Everything she picked out was so me and she went above and beyond for me!! She sent me a reusable cup which will help me stay GREEN at work so i can ditch the paper cups!! She also sent me some beauty items essie polish, burts bee chapstick, rimmel eyeshadow, bubble batch, and cute super fuzyyy socks. I LOVED everything<3

To see what I got Meg stop by My Borrowed Heaven

MISS ME?

Boy have I missed YOU!! The last few weeks have been none stop, work, getting sick, couponing (my new found addiction), bonding with my god-baby, slumber party with my momma! sounds funny but we actually live in the same city and never get to see each other with our work schedules so when we had 3 days off together we went shopping, watched movies, did our nails and facials it was so much fun to hangout and catch up with her. But with all the craziness going on recently I have fallen off the BLOGWAGON :( not only have I been neglecting my own blog I haven’t got to read all the blog I LOVE!!! Well I just wanted to check in and let you all know I will have a post up by Wednesday :)

Kindle Fire Giveaway!!

There is no doubt that Isabelle Thornton of Le Chateau des Fleurs is talented.  This French-girl-gone-Utah has a wildly popular blog full of interesting DIY posts, photography, giveaways, and great reviews.  Aside from being an awesome blogger, she also creates fun apps for phones.  Previously her "Make Me Skinny" or Bon Bon app has kept many entertained as they edited and adjusted photos on their iPhones, and now I'm excited to announce she's released an entirely new app!  This one is different, and for Android!

Let's face it, sometimes you spend more time with your smart phone than you do with your spouse, friends, coworkers, and family... You sleep with it, eat with it, and admit it-you take it to the bathroom with you!  With Smartphone DNA you are creating a new kind of experience with your Smartphone.

What is Smartphone DNA?  

Smartphone DNA is an app dedicated to Twitter users, and it allows you to collect your Twitter DNA via your Android phone, and then compare it against other twitter users to see how much you match!  This is a great way to locate new Twitter friends that have things in common with you! 

How it works:

1. Smartphone DNA shows you a list of apps you currently have installed.
2. You select the apps you want to share as part of your DNA
3. Smartphone DNA shows you how closely you match the DNA of other users.

Smartphone DNA is 100% secure and controlled by you.

Win a Kindle Fire HD

To celebrate the release of Smartphone DNA, Isabelle is offering one lucky newsletter subscriber  a brand new Kindle Fire HD!  Can you say wow?  This is the reader of all readers-with a 7" full color HD display, exclusive Dolby audio, and ultra-fast WiFi it's top of the line.  Don't miss out on this opportunity to have one for yourself!  Follow the break to enter the giveaway:

Current Obsession!

First off I want to apologize for basically being M.I.A the last week, my Fiance's family was in town visiting and we were spending some much needed family time!!

So on to my current summer obsession! This amazing Floral scarf by LULU, I am seriously in LOVE with this thing if I could wear it everyday I would! I actually saw this scarf on Nordstrom online and added it to my cart and by the time I went to checkout it told me the item was unavailable.. I was super bummed so the following morning I called the 1-800 number and the customer service lady searched all the stores in the US and found ONE!!! It was destiny!

Whats your favorite summer go to item?!!

LULU scarve (see more ivory shawls)

Join us for the Kindle Fire HD Giveaway!

Hey Dolls!

I came across an amazing opportunity for you to grow your blog or social media following, we have a great and FREE opportunity!  Free is good, right?  Well, Free is AMAZING!

Isabelle from Le Chateau des Fleurs recently released a new Android app called Smartphone DNA, and to promote it she is giving away a Kindle Fire HD-which she is sponsoring entirely.  The giveaway will be hosted by My So-Called Chaos, but what we need are other bloggers to share the giveaway on their blogs in order to spread the word! In return, you'll get two of your links in the Rafflecopter to get extra promotion for you in return for posting.  This is entirely free, there is NO buy in, we just need two posts from you.

1. Post this announcement on your blog (code will be given after you request to join) to ensure your readers/followers have the opportunity to be a part of this giveaway too! 
2. Post the actual giveaway (full Rafflecopter and all! People will be able to enter directly from your blog!) 

If you are interested in participating in this FREE promotional opportunity, please email Miss Angie and once accepted into the giveaway you will be given all the information you need for your posts.

Giveaway is set to run from 4/10/13 to 4/30/13.

All requests to join required by 4/5/13!


 

Cara Box Swap

 

I recently came across an amazing blogger Kaitlyn at Wifessionals who blogs about being a wife, recipes, and life changes! Snooping around her blog I came across a post about a box exchange called #carabox, Kaitlyn matches you up with a blogger who sends you a box, and a blogger you send a box to. You spend the next few weeks getting to know each other and then spending $15 to make them a goodie box! This months theme was the Letter of your first name!

I received my box from Anna over at The Days When I'm Not A Nurse  and LOVED it! I was so excited to receive my box I opened it at Work! I got all sorts of A things Amsterdam Cookies, Arrow hair clips, Accessory, Apple bar, Aero air chocolate ( my FAV) and Anti- bacterial hand gel.

I was also matched up with Angie and sent her a surprise goodie box! to read her post and see what I got her, hop over to Mysocalledchaos

I really enjoyed this months #carabox match ups, and im super excited for next months box theme!!

Huge Giveway!!!

With the big announcement by Google that they're getting rid of Goolge Reader, there has been a huge push to move towards Bloglovin', and it's such a fun way to follow and keep up with blogs.  So in order to help our followers move to that platform a bunch of us bloggers got together and have a HUGE giveaway to celebrate.  The response was intense, and so we ended up with 4 different gift cards at a $320 value!  Amazing!

In order to keep you from getting too intimidated by the rafflecopter we've broken it down into 4 different ones, go ahead and enter them all if you'd like! :) This also ensures you have a much higher chance of winning!  

My Skin Care Routine

#1 Clarisonic Mia2- I got this little beauty back in November for my birthday. I have completely fallen in LOVE with it! I normally get ready for bed by using a makeup wipe to get all of my makeup off and then use a cleaner and rub it on my face by hand then rinse. Well after using this for the first time I was so amazed at how much makeup was still left on my face after I washed it. This thing has been a huge contributor to my recent clear skin.

#2 Philosophy Purity- I first started using this cleaner because it came in one of my sample subscription boxes and after using it 2 weeks i noticed my skin loving it, and I'm not the only one! On sephoras website it's rated a 5 STAR and over 7,000 people have reviewed it! I'm normally a drugstore face wash kinda girl but after using this cleanser I decided to purchase it from my local Sephora and its been an everyday staple ever since.

#3 Cetaphil Lotion- This was recommended to me by my dermatologist because its a non-comedogenic lotion so it wont clog your pores. The formula of this lotion is great for all skin types because its non-greasy, fragrance-free, and contains no parabens.

#4 Mario Badescu Acne Repair Kit- I have been using this kit for about 3 years now and its amazing because it caters to more then one type of acne.

• Drying Lotion- This product has two layers the bottom layer is a concentrated calamine and the top layer is salicylic acid. You use this product by dipping a q-tip straight down and then dabbing it on any surface pimple or whitehead and it shrinks it overnight!
• Buffering Lotion- This is my FAVORITE of the 3 products that come in the kit because its used for deep painful cystic pimples (You know the ones you cant pop and it just kills you!) It absorbs into the skin quickly which makes you think its going straight to work! its helps shrink the pimple and prevent in from eruptions. 
• Drying Cream- This is can be used day or night you just rub a little dab after your moisturizer and its helps dry and conceal your pimple. 

Well that concludes my current skin care routine! 

Comment below and let me know what works for you, I love trying new things!

From one makeup addicted to another,
xoxo

My Everyday Makeup

I like to keep my everyday makeup quick, simple, and light. When wearing makeup on an everyday basis I try to keep it natural and lightweight. I still want a full coverage effect but without having to layer on products after products.

I love a full coverage flawless face and actually enjoying taking over an hour to apply my makeup. It's the highlight of my day but lets be real, your everyday makeup routine shouldn't take over 30 minuets and consist of 20+ products.

I have created a list of my favorite everyday makeup must haves for a fast and pretty flawless look. Considering I'm a makeup connoisseur and love LOVE love makeup, I have to say these have passed my expectations with flying colors!!! and I'm happy to share my favorites.

Benefit The POREfessional: This oil free pore minimizer/primer is a HUGE must have for a flawless face. POREfessional is actually the foundation for your foundation! This primer helps minimize the appearance of pores and leaves your skin feeling super smooth.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation: This is my holy grail foundation. I cannot stress how much I  LOVE this foundation! Lets just say that it's SO good I am willing to pay its hefty price tag of $38 dollars for it to be an "everyday" foundation. This stuff is so creamy, dense, and light weight almost like a mousse texture. This foundation works fantastic with any skin type, and comes packed with a "skin smart" technology that adjusts to meet and address your skin care needs.

Maybelline Dream Lumi Highlighting Concealer: This concealer comes in a twist up pen applicator. It's a medium to full coverage concealer with a creamy consistency thats very blendable. The creamy consistency works great for under eye circles. You can also apply it anywhere you want a luminous glow.

MAC Blush in Welldressed: This is the perfect pink blush for everyday use in my opinion its not to dark not to light and gives off that nice healthy flush of pink to the apples of your cheeks.

Tarte Brow Architect: One of Tartes newest products, I've been using it a little over a month and have really enjoying it. It's a 3 in 1 that includes a brow pencil, foundation powder with smudger applicator, and spoolie. This brow pencil is great because after you fill in your brows and comb them out you can your the powder foundation to trace the outer part of the brows to make them more defined, which will leave you the perfect brows.

Benefit Eye Bright: This very light pastel pink pencil can make any tired girl look wide awake! I love this pencil because I have smaller asian eyes and I get the "are you tired" question all the time even when I'm not! Mostly because my eyes are small and my lashes short and stubby, however using this pencil in my inner tear duct and water line instantly gives me a pick me up!

Benefit They're Real Mascara: This mascara completes my everyday eye makeup by adding length, volume, and curl while lifting and separating the lashes.

Maybelline Color Whisper Tinted Lip Balm: These lip balms are great for a tint of color with the shine of gloss. These are great if your looking for something a little more hydrating then your average lipstick.

Well that completes my everyday makeup routine! Hope you enjoyed :)

From one makeup addicted to another,
xoxo