Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover

Review: Clinique take the day off makeup remover for lids, lashes, and lips

Whoa! Was that a mouthful or what? Hey, everyone! Well it certainly has been a while since I made any kind of post, but I've been incredibly busy since school started again. I can't seem to catch any break. I've been non-stop busy since August (still am), but I've decided to force myself to try and post something, so here it is. (Sorry for the ramble). Anyway, I'm reviewing this makeup remover by Clinique. I've been wanting to do it for a while now. Let me just cut to the chase: it is a good EYE makeup remover. However, it claims to be usable on the lips as well. It most certainly is NOT! It's pretty gross feeling and I don't feel it does the job, at least not well. It will take some lip product off/remove stains, but not even close to completely. It's definitely good on the eyes. Certainly better than blue Neutrogena one. However, I'm not sure its worth the price. I picked up a small travel size at a CCO (Cosmetics Company Outlet) for $7. It comes with 1.7 fl.oz. Full size costs about $18 for 4.2 fl.oz. It was definitely over priced at the CCO, but it was just an impulse purchase. Oh well :( Anyway, for $18 it's not that bad, but I'd rather spend about half or less and use the rest for something else. ONE MAJOR FLAW: it leaks everywhere! You CANNOT store this horizontally or it will get everywhere! Therefore, it is impossible to travel with. Not sure if it was just mine, but just some FYI for ya'.

Bottom Line: Good for eyes, not for lips. Would not repurchase, unless I felt like splurging, but I'm more likely to splurge on something else.

Thanks for stopping by!

March 2013 Birchbox

My March 2013 Birchbox

Hi, Everyone! Here's a look at my March 2013 Birchbox. It was themed "March Madness," which really I have no clue how these products relate to March Madness, but whatever, I just figured it was another regular shipment. So, here are my products:

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour® Cream Skin Protectant: I got two samples of this. It's supposedly a hydrating, cure-all for the skin. Update: Although this is really thick and kind of seems like Vaseline, it really does help with dry patches on the skin. I've used it on my chin and lips and it works really nicely. Only problem is the smell. I don't like the scent at all; smells like old lady. 

Benefit Benetint: This is a lip and cheek stain as most of us already know. 

twistband™ Headband: I got a peachy colored one. It's nice and comfy. 

Madewell for Birchbox Nail Emery Board: This emery board is a Birchbox exclusive apparently. I don't think there's anything special about it. Design maybe? 

Stella Cadente Miss Me Discrete? Eau de Toilette: This is supposedly another Birchbox exclusive. It smells nice, very light. 

Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream: An all-natural, eco-friendly, hydrating shaving cream. We'll see how it goes. 

Well, that's what I got in this month's box. I was pleased overall. 

P.S. It came with a coupon code: bbheartsbenefit to use for a free BADgal Lash deluxe sample with any $25+ Benefit purchase. 

Hope you enoyed this post. As always feel free to leave a question or comment below. Thanks. 

February 2013 Birchbox

My February 2013 Birchbox

Hi,  Everyone! This post is a little belated, but I figured I'd put this up since I plan on posting all my Birchbox's. So anyway, this is what I received in February along with a mini review on each item.

This mascara was simply ok. It has a really dry formula and the brush itself is a little clumpy, although I somehow managed to keep my lashes separated. This is definitely a mascara for a more natural look. Not dramatic at all.

This exfoliator has really tiny exfoliating particles. I kinda felt like it was cutting my skin and it stung a little. I don't normally have sensitive skin. My skin did feel smoother after using this though, but I just didn't like how it felt.

I'm not a fan of this scent. It's not bad, but it's more on the floral side. I also think it's something suited more for an older lady.

In general this is a really good coverage BB cream. It reduced redness significantly, but I don't think this is the right formula for me. I have dry skin and since I really enjoyed the coverage of the product I would try the water infused version which is aimed at dry skin.

I don't really think there's anything to say about this one. It's chocolate filled with caramel. It's good. 

Thanks for stopping by. Feel free to leave any questions or comments.

MAC Mineralize Volcanic Ash Exfoliator Review

MAC Mineralize Volcanic Ash Exfoliator Review

Hi, everyone! Today I'll be reviewing MAC's Mineralize Volcanic Ash Exfoliator. This product does actually contain volcanic ash, which I think is actually pretty cool. I believe that's what makes this product black/grey. Anyway, let's get down to it: This exfoliator is the BEST exfoliator/scrub I have ever tried. I used to use the St. Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub(the one without salicylic acid), and that was my favorite scrub, until I tried this. I was given a sample at the MAC counter at my local Macy's, and I wasn't really expecting much. It didn't look too scrubby (is that a technical term?), which is the biggest complaint I have when trying scrubs. They're never scrubby enough. This MAC exfoliator is extremely scrubby and has very fine particles that dissolve after about 30 seconds if your skin is too wet, else they dissolve after about a minute. It definitely does a great job at removing dead skin cells. I noticed a difference the very first time I used it, and never went back to my St. Ives. I ran out and purchased the full size right away. That's how much I loved it. This a really great product for dry skin. It really helps out with the flakes. Sensitive skin might not like it because it is a little harsh feeling as you scrub, but like I said, the scrubbing particles dissolve pretty quickly. Overall, I highly recommend this product. I will definitely be repurchasing this. 

$28 at MAC stores/counters/website. Well worth the price because 1. it's an amazing product and 2. it will last a really long time. A little goes a long way with this. This sample jar I received lasted me about 3 weeks using it every other day.

Feel free to leave a question or comment and thanks for stopping by.

Maybelline XXL Pro Curl Review

Maybelline XXL Pro Curl Review

Hi, everyone  Today I'm going to do a brief review on the Maybelline XXL Pro Curl mascara. Let me just cut to the chase: This is by far the absolute WORST mascara I have ever tried! I absolutely hate it. It 's one of those mascaras that has two steps. Step one is supposed to prep your lashes and step two is, of course, the color. This mascara is incredibly dry. I usually like the drier formula mascaras, but this one is dry to the point of being useless. I could barely swatch the wand on my hand. Neither side is even remotely useful. There's really not much else I can say as how bad it is. I might as well have bought an empty tube of mascara for as much use as this brings. Don't waste your money, even if it is only about $5. I wouldn't even take it for free. That's how bad it is. 

The mascara tube

Step 1 wand. As you can see, it's a dry clumpy mess. What am I supposed to do with this?

Step 2 wand. It's harder to tell just how dry it is, but again you can barely get any product off the wand. 

Hopefully this review was useful and you can put those $5 toward another product you've been wanting to try. Thanks for stopping by. 

Feel free to leave any questions or comments

No7: Beautiful Skin Night Cream Dry/Very Dry Review

No7: Beautiful Skin Night Cream Dry/Very Dry Review

Hi, everyone! Today I'm going to be reviewing the No7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream Dry/Very Dry. As the name states, this is a night cream for dry/very dry skin. I was pretty excited when I stumbled into this at Target because I have been on the longest hunt for a good moisturizer for my incredibly dry skin. I haven't really tried any other products from this brand before, but since this one was geared specifically for my skin type I decided to give it a try. It comes in a pretty bulky glass jar, but I don't mind. It looks a little high-end in my opinion. It's a cream consistency (obviously given the name) and it is scented, but I don't mind since it's a pretty good scent; might be a little strong for some people though. I absolutely love this product! It is a great night cream. I apply it before bed and wait for it to sink in a little since it does stay a little sticky for about 5-10 mins. The next morning, my skin is hydrated and looks great. The moisture lasts all day and I've found that I don't really need a daytime moisturizer anymore. It doesn't clog pores or cause breakouts, which is great. It makes my foundation application so much easier. There are no more dry flakes showing up after foundation application, which is pretty much a miracle in my case. Bottom-line: I am absolutely in LOVE with this product, and I would highly recommend it to anyone with dry skin.

It's 13.99 and you can purchase it at Target or at 
http://www.shopbootsusa.com//webstore/store/shopbootsusa/home.do
as well as other online retailers.

Oh yeah! They also offer an option for normal/dry skin as well as normal/oily skin. I would definitely give these a try. Hope you guys found this review helpful. 

Birchbox Welcome Box

Birchbox Welcome Box 

Hi, everyone! Today I'll be posting about my first Birchbox a.k.a the "Welcome Box." For those of you who don't know, Birchbox is a makeup sample subscription service. It costs $10/month and every month they send you 4 samples and 1 bonus "lifestyle" item(usually a granola bar) based on interests you list when you create a profile on their site. They have kind of a weird sign up process. Basically, you provide your email address and it get you on this so-called "list." Once your name is on the "list," it takes about 4 weeks for them to send you an email invite for you to actually be able to purchase a subscription. This is incredibly ridiculous and takes a really long time, so here is a major TIP: Purchase the gift option. I purchased the gift option for myself and i was able to have my first box shipped within 3 business days. However, you do have to purchase the gift option in increments of 3, 6, or 12 months, so that's a downside. It does take a while to receive once it's shipped, it took about 10 days to come in the mail. Anyway, here is my first box: 

This is what the box looks like. It's pretty nice packaging and the box is definitely reusable. Inside came these:

It comes with a card that tells you what everything is and how to use it:

The first box you get is a "generic" box. It's geared at being pleasing to all skin types, tones, and shades. I received the following samples: 

theBlam cosmetics:Mary-Lou Manizer

This is probably the sample I was most excited to see, however the size of these samples are incredibly teeny tiny. I mean this is supposed to be a highlighter, but there is no way to get a decent sized brush into the sample. It's a good size for an eyeshadow sample and that's how I'll be using it, since an eyeshadow brush is probably all I can fit in there anyway. 

Next I got: 

Juicy Couture: Viva La Juicy

This sample is super tiny as well. I mean this is stuff you get free at Macy's. It smells nice and I'm glad at liked it, but the size again is very disappointing. 

Next:

Number 4: Clarifying Shampoo

This is probably the only decent sized sample in here. It's 1.75 fl.oz. so it's a good amount. 

Next: 

Embryolisse: Lait-Creme Concentre- 24 Hour Miracle Cream

Again, this lacks in the size department, but it seems like I'll be able to get a few uses out of it. 

Lastly: 

Larabar

This is the "lifestyle" extra. It's a good size. The only other item that I believe is sized well. 

Overall, I'm really disappointed with the size of the samples, but pleased with what came in it, especially since it wasn't customized to my preferences. I'm looking forward to my future boxes, and hopefully once I receive my customized ones, they'll be a lot more exciting. 

New Year, New Blog

New Year, New Blog

Hey, Everyone. My name is Melissa and this is my new blog. Let me tell you a little bit about myself and what this blog will be about. I'm 24 years old and am currently a grad student. I enjoy all things beauty. My obsession was slow to develop, but as I got older and picked up new techniques and tricks, makeup became a new found love. I decided to create a space where I could share all my thoughts on the things I find. I'm going to try to post about once a week. My posts will consists mainly of makeup topics, but every now and then I might post something random. I hope you will find this blog useful. Thank you so much for stopping by.