Birchbox is HERE!

I finally got my Birchbox in the mail yesterday!

(I say finally but really it's only been a month since the last one. hah!) If you haven't heard of Birch Box you should definitely head over to their website and check out what they have to offer. I love it because it's samples of high end products that I wouldn't normally get to try out first hand. This month was no exception to some really great goodies. Even better is that this holiday season, they are working with Baby Buggy, a non-profit that supplies needy families in the United States with essential goods for their children. The entire month of December, Birchbox will donate 100% of the profits from full-sized

Look at all the samples!

Up first we have...

Harvey Prince's Yogini: retails for $26 for a 8.8ml bottle
"Take a deep breath and relax with this calming scent. Notes of sandalwood, Egyptian myrrh, and grapefruit will help you feel as good as you smell."

I will say this scent reminds me of something that I would smell on my more "nature friendly" friends. Haha. It's not a bad scent, just not something I would normally wear. It's very natural smelling.

Jouer Moisturizing Lip Gloss in Birchbox Pink: retails for $20 for a .21oz tube
"We teamed up with one of our favorite brands to create this custom fuchia shade. Apply one coat for semi-sheer pigment, or build it for a hot pink pout."

I actually REALLY like this lip gloss. It's really long lasting. I put it on as soon as I opened the box when I got home yesterday and it lasted several hours without getting that weird clumpy feeling on my lips. I highly recommend this product.

L'Oreal Professional Mythic: retails for $30 for a 4.2oz bottle
"Bring home the salon with this lightweight oil, which boosts shine and beats frizz before or after styling."

I haven't gotten to try this oil out yet but if it is anything like the Moroccan oil that I normally use I'm sure it will be right up my alley.

This is the Moroccan Oil that I normally use. If you would like to support some local business, head over to Concepts. They are locally owned and operated and sell this product along with some other really great products. My favorite hair stylist Amanda works there so if you are in need of a trim or some color go to her! She's REALLY good. She has saved my hair when it was on the brink of disaster. They also sell some really great products that go to charities all over the world.

Next on the list...

Befine Gentle Cleanser: retails for $25 for 3.4 fl oz
"A moisturizing face cleanser made with sugar, rice, and oat extracts to hydrate and restore winter-dry skin."

I don't wash my face on a daily basis, but when I do I usually use Bare Minerals face cleanser and moisturizing face lotion. This sample seems like it is specifically made for that horrible winter dry skin that plagues me every winter. This might be added to my nightly routine.

Prep ShowStoppers Designer Fashion Tape: retails for $9.99 for 24 strips
"Celeb stylists swear by these double-sided tape strips, which will ensure that your party dress stays perfectly in place."

This will definitely be tried out this New Years if we make any plans to go out for a night on the town. I'm always pulling and tugging at my dresses when they are strapless. (this is partially from my lack of cleavage to hold the dress up. haha) We will see how these work out in the future for me. I'll keep you all updated.

Last but not least...

Recharge eBoost Orange Natural Energy Booster: retails for $28 for 20 packets
"Bounce back post-party with this tangy citrus energy booster, packed with a mega-dose of nutrients."

I'm not sure that I'll be partaking in this product because of warning label on the back. "Warning: Consult  a physician before use if you have high blood pressure, heart problems, are taking prescription drugs, or are pregnant, nursing, or contemplating becoming pregnant." Because of my heart problem I can't eat or drink anything with the "energy boosters" in them. I'll give it to my husband none the less and let him try out this sample for me.

Hope you all enjoyed this months Birchbox!

Product Review of the Day

I would like to start out by saying that I have not been this happy about it being Friday in months!
Finals are over and I couldn't be more excited to see this weekend. No more teachers no more books! I'm even more excited because not only did Derek and I get our Christmas bonuses at work, but I actually got to get out and do a little shopping with my two favorite men and have supper going at home while we shopped. Score! P.S. I need to give a little shout out to my girl Leslie for the awesome Chili Recipe! If you don't know it already, she's also having an awesome giveaway for the 12 days of Christmas. Check it out!

You all are so lucky today. You're getting THREE posts!
Product Review

Fist up is a new mascara that I'm trying out. I got it at Sephora last night on my Christmas Bonus shopping spree. The name of the product is by the company Beyond Mascara and the type is called They're Real!

The second product that I got last night was an eyelash curler. It's not your momma's curler though. It's heated! Yep you read right. Heated!

 I took pictures from no having makeup at all to all decked out in eye coverage. Here's how it the process looked. I started out with just using my face primer all over my face and eyelids and then did my Bare Minerals matte foundation.

Next I put on my eyeshadow.

Here's what eyeshadows I used to get this look.

A. Sugar Skull by Kat Von D. It's a translucent green color. It's perfect for high lights.
B. Pussy Cat by Bare Minerals. It's a goldish brown color. I love it for the smokey daytime look.
C.  Oasis by Bare Minerals. This was another splurge that I bought myself yesterday. It's a really pretty gold/green color. It's bold but not too dramatic.
D. True Gold by Bare Minerals. This is a beautiful gold color. I usually use this as the middle color for a more brown/gold eye but I thought it would look pretty as a little darker highlight on the inside of my eye.

Once I had my eye shadow on and blended neatly I moved on to my mascara. Now, normally I wouldn't move right on to mascara. I take this time to put on my eyeliner. I think it's easier to put on eyeliner when you don't have to fight with your eyelashes. But for the sake of showing off more of the mascara and not my eye lining skills, I skimped out on the eyeliner today.

There's a pretty big difference between not having any mascara on at all and using this new mascara. It was really easy to put on and the picture above is only after one coat! I like to put at least two on just to make sure I get the dramatic look I like to go for but the second coat wasn't needed in this instance.

Last was the new heated curler! I'm not gonna lie. I hate curling my eyelashes. HATE IT! I always wound up smashing them and they look like a mess. Either that or I would wind up pinching the inside of my eye because of the crimper thing. So, when I saw this heated eyelash curler it kind of made me a little bit giddy to try it out since it's a wand instead of a torture device.

All you do is put in the AAA battery (which is included) and flip on the switch. There's a little orange indicator light that shows that it's on. Next, you wait 15-30 seconds for it to warm up (I waited a whole minuet just to be on the safe side). Then you brush it over your mascara. This produce was designed specifically to be used over mascara because it gently warms the waxes in the mascara. This apparently causes your mascara to be stronger and longer lasting! Check and check!
Here is the after result for the Heated Eyelash Curler.

I was a pretty impressed by it's curling abilities. I liked it MUCH better than the crimper version too.
Here's the beginning to end process so you can see it a little better. The only down side I saw was that even thought it curled them I had to apply a little bit more mascara after it was curled because it did take off a little bit of it. But overall I like it!

Hope this helps you all out at least a little bit, especially those you like me that hate to curl your lashes.