My Glam Bag vs Birchbox for February

Hello Everyone,

Another month, another bag and box. This month, MyGlam bag has done it again. There is a special certificate in there that I really enjoyed which I will talk about in my blog. What I can say about Birchbox is they are very consistent and I like the fact that they give high end products to try.

I will first go over what's in MyGlam bag for February:
Here is the metallic pink envelope with goodies inside-

Since it is February, the bag is pink with black hearts. Very cute.

Inside, I have a $100 gift certificate for any hair styling tool and hair extensions from NuMe. Again, it is $10 a month and you get products that are worth so much more.

I have never bought any styling tools from this brand before, but I have heard good things about them. I went onto their website and order the Pearl tourmaline curling wand that everyone raves about. It is so popular that it is on back order right now.

The next item I have in the bag is the Freeman Facial Hydration Mask in Goji Berry. This reminds me of the cucumber facial mask that was in the January MyGlam bag. I really enjoy these face masks, but I also heard that some people broke out from it. It didn't break me out so I do like it.

February is also known for sweets and chocolate. There is a small box of Ghirardelli chocolate in milk and dark.

Inside a small pink bag are sample packets of Premier Eye Cream and Instant Stretching and Revitalizing Mask. So far I have enjoyed it and the fragrance is very settle which I do like.

The last two items are NYX roll on for eyes, face, and body. The one that came in my bag is in Platinum RES12. I don't really like it because it comes off easily. If you do apply it on your eyes, I recommend you to use a glue glitter to have it stay on. I am just not a fan of this.

X Out Shine Control- it is an oil-free moisturizer to keep the shine off your face. It's good for me because I do have normal to oily skin. I have not tried this yet to give any reviews.

That is the end of the MyGlam Bag for February. Let's move on to what's in my Birchbox for February.

This month is about focusing the spotlight on yourself. Inside are a lot of luxuries skin and hair products.

First is the Shu Uemura Art of Hair- it is a nourishing protective leave-in oil for dry hair with camellia oil. I don't normally put products in my hair because if I do, I feel like it gets greasy very quick. I did try it on my ends to make it look silky and shiny. I should do it more often because every time I go to the salon for a haircut, they always say my ends look dry. I am just too lazy to put it on everyday even though it only takes a few seconds. It feels like a great product and I am sure if you do have dry hair it does help.

Also inside the box is Eye Rock Designer Liner. When I saw this, it looks like a fun idea, but I don't think it will work. Everyone's eye shape is a bit different and I am skeptical about using a stick-on liner strip to create the perfect cat eye. Ever since the nail polish stickers came out, there is a sticker for everything. I still prefer to use a eye liner.

Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing Serum- I do like this brand mainly because it uses organic botanicals. I don't have any blemishes right now to test on but once I do, I will see how well this works.

Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution- I am excited to use this product because I do have some dark spots that are left behind by pimples and sun spots. It does takes some time to see results. I only use this at night before bed, but it says to apply morning and night. It also claims to even out skin tone with vitamin C and white birch extracts. Very fancy.

The last thing in the box is the Supersmile Powdered Mouthrinse- it is in a powdered form inside a packet where you would need to add water. This is like scope mouthwash, but it does not burn or have a strong minty taste. It's sweet and leaves your mouth refreshed. However, I don't think it is as refreshing as scope.  Still a great way to carry mouthwash in your purse.

Have a great night.
<3 <3 <3

Birchbox for January

Hello Everyone,

I just love getting goodies in the mail. Yes, I still have Birchbox even though I am also a subscriber for MyGlam bag because I feel that they offer different products. It is also $10 a month and you get one or two full size item(s) and some deluxe samples.

This month is about bringing clarity to your life from your mind to your beauty regimen. Basically, to start your year fresh with healthy skin and eating right. The products in this box are listed on the card below.

I wasn't too excited about this month's Birchbox maybe except for the Stila smudge stick waterproof eye liner.

Let's get to the items:
Borghese CuraForte Moisture Intensifier: This is actually not a bad product. It's a bit more on the expensive side ($67.50 for a full size bottle) but I love the fact that it is a serum and can be mixed with another cream to intensify the moisture to your skin.

C.O. Bigelow: Lavender and Peppermint Shampoo and Conditioner: $12 for full size
I like fruity and flower scents in my shampoo rather than peppermint, however, it does make my hair feel soft and refreshing.
Would I buy it at the store? No, it's really not a smell I would normally go for.  I can see other people loving it because it feels nice, luxuries, and the lavender mixed with peppermint just soothes your body.

Juicy Couture Signature Fragrance: Full size- $69-$89
I am not a big Juicy Couture perfume fan, but it does have a very feminine scent which I love. It's definitely does smell sweet and floral. This is great to wear for a nice afternoon date and can be easily transitioned to a dinner date too.
It's funny how they also threw in a small pack of granola from Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio's NY based wichcraft chain. I am trying to eat healthier so this is a great tasty snack.

The last item is the Stila smudge stick waterproof eye liner in Purple Tang: $20.
I like using a lot of Stila's eye liners because they are very pigmented. I am glad this is waterproof because I have oily lids that can easily smudge throughout the day. This eyeliner has a little shimmer which is great to wear for evening.

Have a great night!
<3 <3 <3

September Birchbox

Hello Everyone,

Another month, another gift for myself. =o)
This month is Birchbox's one year anniversary. The box contains items that reflect Birchbox personality which I think summarized what they are about. I am so glad they are doing well and I am looking forward to more beauty surprises every month.

Seeing the pink box makes me happy!

Some people get different items than what I have inside my box depending on how you answer the questions when you signed up. I also like to look at their website to see other items that were sent out this month that I didn't get in my box. This is just a habit. Inside my Birchbox are....

Incoco Nail Polish Applique.... this is very similar to Sally Hansen Salon Effects. It's real nail polish on a strip and it fits all nails. I am excited that I got the Zebra print.

A Friendship Bracelet from Birchbox.
It's very simple but looks nice when you pair it up with other bracelets or it can be worn alone.

Rose Hand Cream from Jurlique.
I don't use hand cream very often, however, I can see myself using this because it smells soooooo good.
It has a nice scent that I don't find too overpowering because I am not big on rose/floral scented creams. This one is definitely an exception.

Another small surprise.....

And inside this small package are.....
Attimo Eau De Toilette from Salvatore Ferragamo. It has a refreshing sweet floral scent that will be nice to wear on a dinner date in Hawaii or somewhere relaxing.

Colorescience Pro- mineral powder SPF 30 in medium. I like the fact it has SPF 30 and helps mattifies my skin after I apply my foundation. I am between a light and a medium, but I prefer the medium to give me a bit of color.

The last item is Jouer Lip Enhancer- it does all three: hydrate, plump, and condition your lips. How fantastic is that? I like the way it feels and my lips do look a little bit plumper without the tingly sensation that other lip plumpers have. An item that I can see myself re-purchasing.

Have a great night!
<3 <3 <3

July Birchbox Time!

Hello Everyone,

It seems like I haven't been blogging about makeup/beauty item reviews in a while. I do miss that part of it since I have been working on my side project a lot more lately, but I will try to have a balance of both in my blogs

So, it's that time of the month.... not that type if you know what I am talking about..... I meant it's July Birchbox time!

This month, the items in the  box are picked out by a designer named Cynthia Rowley. The box contains some of her all-time favorite products. I noticed a few months ago that some people get different items in their Birchbox than what I have in mine. I guess it's based on the questions that they asked you in the beginning to determine which products to send you..... I wished I got the Pur minerals 4-in-1 pressed powder foundation, but oh well.

The box looks really pretty this month. They have added an extra colorful sleeve to the box. It's always a surprise to see how they change up the look of the packaging which tells me that they focus a lot on the details. I love that!

Here is the summary card of that the theme is for this month. The border of the card matches the sleeve of the box. Awesome! Details, details, details! Turquoise tissue instead of hot pink.

On the back of the card, it has all the full size items listed with the price

Now, the best part is to see the products INSIDE the box.

The first thing that caught my eye is the snack bar. Yes, I go for the food, instead of the beauty products. I know..... they are actually pretty equal in my book, but I would rank food slightly higher. Wow, look how tasty that looks. *drooling*

I only blinked for a second and it's all gone.... inside my stomach.... sorry bf, I was going to save it for you, but I couldn't help it. Actually, I didn't even tell him. Yeah, it was that good. Normally, I am not a granola bar person, but this was darn good. It has a little sweetness from the apricot and crunchiness from the almond. When they are mixed together it's nice and chewy. I need to know where to buy some of this. It's a healthy way to snack because it is all natural, gluten and wheat free, no trans fat, dairy free, and very low sodium.

The next item, is the Redken Shine Brillance 02. I have used it twice so far and it's not bad. I like the smell and it does give my hair a bit of a healthy shine. I don't put a lot of products in my hair, but it's nice once in a while to tame those fly-aways and cover the dryness of my hair.

Then, there is the Ahava Mineral Hand Cream. It's always nice to have a hand cream in your bag and this would be a nice one to have. My hands are normally not too dry, so I don't need it, but I will keep it in my bag for others to use.

Oooh... another small surprise.

Inside we have Philosophy Purity one step facial cleanser. It gently cleans away dirt, oil, and makeup without drying out the skin. I used this in the shower and it goes on pretty smooth and feels nice after I washed it off. I don't think it took off all my makeup, but most of it. I still feel like the Philosophy facial products are expensive and I don't think I will buy it, however, I will definitely use the sample I have here.

The last item, is one of my favorite brand of nail polish. I have talked about Zoya in my past blogs and I do have an extensive nail polish collection. I find it fun to collect because they are pretty to look at. The one that came in this box is called Shay. It's a beige/nude color with a hint of pink. If I want to keep it simple, this is a great color to wear.

Have a great weekend!!!

<3 <3 <3

June Birchbox

Hello Everyone,

This month's Birchbox theme is all about traveling and products that you should have for summer. Out of the 5 products I am in love with 3. However, I find it fun to try products that I have never heard of which is the whole point of subscribing to Birchbox. This month I am trying to get my reviews out before the end of the month as you can tell. So, let's get started.

Here are the list of the 5 items that are in this box

First two items here are Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra comfortable body cream and Sircuit cosmeceuticals Molecular Mist.

The Nuxe body cream is very buttery and not sticky at all. I love the way it feels on my skin.....ooohhhh so nice. I can see why this product can keep your skin hydrated especially for those who have dry and sensitive skin. It contains macadamia nut oil to help soothe any irritations and replenish moisture. Macadamia nut oil has a fatty acids composition that keeps your skin silky. In addition, it also contains honey which helps tone and restore your skin.
I would definitely buy this product! I have used so many body creams and this one is pretty darn good.

Sircuit Molecular Mist is to help keep your face hydrated throughout the day, especially during summer. It can also act as a makeup setting spray similar to the Urban Decay All Nighter. It's a really cute sample tube and I can see myself filling it up with other makeup setting sprays as a carry-on. The product does feel refreshing once you spray it on your face and I can feel it tighten up my pores, but I wouldn't buy this product when I can use the Urban Decay for a cheaper price. Nice though.

Now, let's look inside the smaller pink wrapper.

The firs thing I saw was the Laura Gellar baked blush n' brighten compact container and I was soooooo excited. Laura Gellar products are made in Italy and she is also on QVC. I just bought two products from her line before I got my Birchbox and they were both the baked blush but in different colors. That's why when I saw this, I was like OMG!!! Love it! Her baked blush are amazing! These baked palettes starts off as a creamy liquid and then she bakes them for 24 hours and it comes out with beautiful swirls.

This one has a bit of shimmer, but there are other ones in her collection that is more matte. I like the shimmer because it gives you a bit of a summer glow.

The next thing is the Kate Spade Twirl perfume sample. I love this scent.... it smells fruity and floral at the same time. It's not overpowering. I can see this being worn during the day and on a hot summer night at the beach. I am not into musky scents... more fruity and a bit of floral is just right for me. My boyfriend wears Jean Paul Gaultier "Le Male" and I love that on him even though it has a little musk it's nice on guys. But on me, I like more feminine, playful, scents.
I do enjoy this scent and the little packaging is so adorable. Gold and Pink!

And on the inside it says, "she had a cocktail in hand and confetti in her hair" how girly is that?!! I love it!

The last thing in this box is the Deborah Lippmann Stripper to go Nail Lacquer Removers. It comes with 2 packets and basically it is to fix any mani problems you would have when you are on the plane or on vacation. These little packets are easy to fit in your bag. Personally for me, I don't think I will be fixing my nails on the plane or on vacation.... If the paint chips.... whatever! Deal with it! Not to be bias, for those who does, this may be product for you.

After removing the finger mitt from the package....

It slips onto one of your fingers and you just start wiping your nail polishes away.

While I was using it, I find that the first package that I opened didn't stay wet to completely remove my nail polishes from all ten nails. I was only able to get 7 nails done and the 8th nail was difficult to remove so had to I open the second packet and use that one. Just a FYI, my nails were not that long to begin with. The second packet lasted a little bit longer and I was able to remove all 10 toe nails with one mitt. Maybe it's a hit or miss? The good thing about it is not only does it remove your nail polishes, but it doesn't leave your nails dry. It has aloe to moisturize your nails and cuticles.

Alright, that is all I have for you.

Have a nice night!

<3 <3 <3