4 Birchbox Mystery Sample Packs

In the past 2 weeks I've received 4 Birchbox mystery sample packs. Any time you spend $35+ in the Birchbox shop they will send you two random samples that are supposed to total $10 in value for free. I thought it would be fun to share what I've recently received, and to see if you actually do get $10 worth of product each time. I'm a theatre teacher and not a math major; hopefully I got all my math correct! 

Mystery Pack #1

My first order was for a Birchbox Scent Sampler and Amika Nourishing Mask. The total was $36; I used a 20% coupon, $20 worth of reward points, and had it shipped free since I’m an Ace. Here’s what I received: 

*Dear Clark “Resurrecting Rince” conditioner-I’m from the Dallas, TX area and was thrilled to see that this company is from Dallas. All the products in it are organic and handmade in Texas. It contains aloe vera, sunflower seed oil, and rose of Jericho. My initial reaction was that it smelled FANTASTIC! Every time I used it my husband made note of how great it smells. It’s hard for me to pinpoint the strongest scent in it; maybe a combination of the aloe and the rose? 

When I used the product it was so incredibly difficult to get out of the sample bottle. It’s a twist top even though it’s a thick product. Not very user friendly! They recommend using a quarter size in your hair-this seemed to be a good size for me. My hair tends to be a little frizzy; not so with this product! I loved discovering this product and hope to get it again. 

The sample size was 1oz. The full size is 8.5 oz for $24 which means my sample was worth $2.82. 

*Harvey Prince Ageless Liquid Loofah -I have previously sampled the Harvey Prince Ageless body lotion. I'm just not a fan of grapefruit, which is one of the fragrances in it, so I wasn't too excited to try this product out. It claims to be exfoliating without using scrubbing beads so I was curious to see if that was really the case. I only got about one and a half uses out of the sample size and I did notice that my skin seemed to be a little softer than normal. The smell wasn't as powerful as the body lotion had been; I just wish I had gotten a little bit larger of a sample. 

The sample size was 15ml. The full size is 12 oz for $22 which means my sample was worth $3.68.

Altogether my mystery sample pack #1 was $6.50. 

Mystery Pack #2

I ordered the Home Sweet Homespun limited edition box on a 20% coupon and added the pack. I received:

*Dr. Jart+ Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm- Is it shameful for me to admit that I haven't tried a BB cream before now? I have fair skin and was nervous to try the sample because it wasn't an exact color match. I shouldn't have been concerned; it blended in nicely with my skin and gave me a bit of a healthy glow. Interestingly enough it has "exotic caviar" in it to help tame complexions. I thought it had good coverage but I just didn't like the smell! 

The sample size was .2 oz. The full size is 1.5 oz for $36 which means my sample was worth $4.80

*Catherine Malandrino Style de Paris perfume -This perfume has a subtle scent to it. It has a nice combination of musk and fruity undertones. It doesn't have much staying power to it; I usually have to reapply after a few hours. It's a good smell for fall and winter. 

The sample size was 2ml. The full size is 30 ml for $65 which means my sample was worth $4.33.

Altogether my mystery sample pack #2 was $9.13. 

Mystery Pack #3

My sister's birthday is coming up so I ordered another Home Sweet Homespun limited edition box on a 20% coupon and added the pack. I received:

*Cynthia Rowley Metallic Eyeliner in silver -I received this item in my September Fashionista box so I will be giving this item to my sister along with the Homespun box. I love the silver color! I use it on my water line to add a little bit of shimmer. Now, it says it's smudge proof and lasts all day. However, on my bottom line, I have to reapply frequently. Good for a night out.

The sample size is .03 oz and the full size is .04oz for $16 which means my sample was worth $12.

*Melvita Eau floral de Rose-Eeeeeek! An expired product!!! And a year old expired product at that. I was puzzled to see that I had received a "rose floral water." Not exactly a beauty product, is it? As I was reading the bottle I saw that it was expired. Gross!

Thankfully Birchbox sent out another mystery pack to replace the mistake of sending out an expired product. They don't list this company anywhere on their website so there's no way of knowing how much they sell/sold the product for. 

This pack was worth $12. 

Mystery Pack #4

*Obliphica Leave In Moisturizing Cream-I have received several Obliphica hair products in other mystery packs. This was the first time to receive a leave in cream. I LOVE leave in hair creams; I use them every single day for my wavy hair. This has a light fruit smell to it from the sea-buckthorn. I wasn't impressed with it but I didn't dislike it either; it didn't wow me. It didn't tame my sometimes frizzy hair but it did leave it feeling soft. I'll stick with my other leave in creams. 

I wasn't able to calculate the exact price on this item because Birchbox doesn't sell the leave in cream. 

*Atelier Cologne Vanille -I've sampled Atelier before in the Mermaid box but this was my first time to receive the vanille product. I like the smell of it! It has a nice warm vanilla scent to it but it's not overbearing. It's perfect for the fall and winter. Like my other Atelier cologne products, I had to apply it throughout the day-it doesn't last the whole work day. 

The sample size was 2ml. The full size is 30 ml for $75 which means my sample was worth $5.

I'm not sure how much this pack totals for. I bet the cream sample wasn't worth $5 or more so I probably totaled less than $10 on this pack. 

So two of my packs were $10; two of them weren't. I've read many mixed reviews about the Birchbox mystery packs. Some people say don't complain about it if you don't get $10 worth, you are still getting a free product. Others say if you are going to advertise for it to be $10 worth of products then you better send $10 worth of products out! I think I agree with the second train of thought. If you aren't going to get $10 worth of product maybe credit some back to the shop so you can spend more money that way. Or maybe offer a nice $10 off coupon for the next time you shop if you spend $35 and don't do the mystery pack. 

Let me know your thoughts about the mystery sample packs! Have you discovered any beauty favorites after receiving an item in the sample pack? And stay tuned for my review of the Homespun box! 

#59 Halloween Special Memebox

I ordered my first Memebox early last month. I know there are a few other bloggers out there who are obsessed with this company so I had to try it out! I LOVE Halloween so imagine my delight when I saw they had a Halloween box for sale! Here was the description of the box: 

Just in time for Halloween!

This Halloween, your possibilities are endless with a chock-full of spooky makeup ideas! No need to drop loads of cash on costumes you’ll only wear once a year, just grab this Halloween Special box, loaded with fun and crafty makeup ideas that are fit for any party occasion! 

Whether you plan on being a sexy vamp, a pretty pixie, or just sport your trusty ol’ witch hat for the night, these do-able Halloween makeup ideas will compliment any costume and also be sure to get you a double-take! 

The box was $23 plus $6.99 for shipping (they are a Korean company). I found a $5 off coupon on Retail Me Not so I ended up paying $25. They shipped it out on October 10th and I ended up getting it on October 20th. 

It came in a large pink envelope (it reminds me a lot of the Ipsy packaging). Here is what it says on the outside (I apologize for the somewhat blurry picture): 

Here is what the box looks like: 

And here is what was inside: 

My initial reaction opening the envelope was disappointment. I had expected it to come in a cute Halloween looking box. Also, there was something sticking out of the box a little bit. 

And then I opened the box and saw the things I had received. 

*Elizavecca Lip Tattoos-Lip tattoos? I'll never use these; it takes too much time to cut them out for your lips and then apply them. I also don't like the deep win and dark burgundy colors it comes in. 

*Lalanc Real Tattoos-My last name is King so I'll probably use the king crown tattoos that are in this pack. I will probably give away the crosses to the youth group at church. 

*Revecen fake eyelashes-These are super long so I'll only be able to use them for Halloween. I do plan on trying them out though. 

*Revecen Liquid Lipstick blood-We just had a zombie production at school so I brought this product with me and applied it on all of the zombies' mouths. If you are a zombie or vampire for Halloween then this product is perfect. 

*Revecen Face Control Foundation in White-A full size sample of something I'll use once a year (and will have to toss anyway after a certain time)? Sigh. 

*Revecen Cake Eye Liner in Black-So you are supposed to apply water to this to make it into a wearable liner. I have a million and one liners I already like that take no time or mess to apply. I'll pass on this item. 

*Revecen Supra Lining Color in Purple-Another item that needs water to apply it. It's a super dark color; I'll take it up to school and use it when I show how to make cuts and bruises. 

Ultimately I'm very disappointed. The size of all the products are great; they just aren't anything I could use more than once or twice. I thought they would have more of a variety of items-they advertised it as such and I feel like this would only be good for a goth or monster creature. Where's the pretty pixie items? 

I'm not sure I'll order from Memebox again-it would have to be a pretty impressive theme for me to. $25 is a lot to spend on beauty products that you may or may not be able to use. I'll put that $25 towards checking out another box (maybe Boxycharm...). 

October PopSugar

I received by October PopSugar box this week. It came as a total surprise; they didn't send me a shipping email and I had read on a few different beauty sites that they were having problems shipping out the October boxes. I looked at a spoiler so I knew exactly what I was going to be receiving. I need to stop doing that! I'm spoiled; I had received my first box (September) not too long ago-I'll have to wait a whole month before I get my next box ;-).

Here's what I received in my box and the suggested retail value of each item:

*Happy Socks Animal Socks ($12)-I'm not much of a sock person. Occasionally at school we will do crazy sock day as part of our Spirit Days so I'll wear these next time we have that. Other than that I don't know when I'll wear these!

*Mine Design Chalkboard Candle ($24)-This is one of my favorite items in the box! I love candles. It smells so nice and I love the fact that you can write on the candle holder with chalk. I'm contemplating keeping this at home or putting it in my classroom (with the chalk hidden from my students haha).

*butter LONDON WINK Eye Pencil in Earl Grey ($18)-This is a pretty color and great for making a smokey eye. I think it's too light to wear as my normal eyeliner so I'll probably use this as a waterline color or on top of a colored eyeliner. It glides on nice and smooth.

*Isaac Jacobs International Acrylic Frame ($36)-Really? $36 for this frame? Please. But I do need a frame for work so this is good timing with this item.

*Nailed Kit Halloween Decals ($8)-Bummer, I just put on some Halloween Jamberrys! But I plan on using these on my toe nails. They are cute but there aren't very many if you make a mistake or want to put them on all of your nails.

*Dean & Deluca Pumpkin Spice Malt Balls ($5.75)-These were actually pretty tasty! I'm not usually a fan of malt balls, but the malt is surrounded by dark chocolate and then topped with a pumpkin spice coating. It was a nice little treat. If you are interested in trying them out, the box came with a 15% off total purchase-use code DEANPOP when you check out.

Special extras: 
 *K. Hall Designs Shoreline Shea Butter/Olive Oil Bar Soap-This soap didn't indicate if it was for the hands or body so I decided to put it in the shower and use it as a body soap since we have a TON of fall scented hand soaps. I was nervous to see if it would totally dry out my sensitive skin, but it didn't! Both my husband and I used it and it does leave the skin moisturized. It doesn't have much of a scent to it which is nice. Great special extra.

*The Blue Jean Bar-$40 coupon to use. I won't be using it, so first person to comment can have my coupon code!

*Marchesa Voyage for Shopstyle-25% off coupon. Another coupon I won't be using; first person to comment can have my coupon code!


Overall, this month didn't impress me as much as last month did. I don't think it was a total bust; there's a few things I will definitely be able to use. I paid $35 for the box and I feel like I "broke even" with this month. I can't wait to see what the holiday boxes will be! Want to try out PopSugar? Be sure to use my referral code, and don't forget to find coupons out there to make your boxes even cheaper!

October Birchbox

I've been anticipating my October Birchbox ever since I decided to do the add ons (more information about the add ons below). My past few boxes have been taking longer than normal to get to me (last month it was even lost for about a week). Not sure what's up with that, but it did arrive this week! 

I love the fact that I got to review 7 different products, which means $7 to spend in the Birchbox store. That’s a great deal!

Here's what I received in my box and what I thought about each product: 

*Ellovi Vanilla Butter-Not a big fan of this. It is supposed to smell like vanilla but it smells more like the oils in it to me. And speaking of oil, it is greasy on my skin. I might use it for problem areas like my heels during the winter,  but I definitely won't use it on my hands or arms. I just didn't like the texture of this and wouldn't buy the full size product. 

*Lord & Berry Paillettes Eye Pencil-This was the item I got to choose for this month's box. I LOVE glitter eye liner and couldn't wait to try this out. I was so disappointed with this eye pencil! There was absolutely no glitter included any of the times I used it. I tried it with different colors and brands of eye shadow, but still nothing. It needs to be a creamier formula for this to be more effective. It was dry and hard to put on and I tried sharpening it a few times thinking that might help. Also, the black color faded super fast. I'm talking within the hour of me applying it! I ended up putting a liquid liner over it. This item is getting tossed! 

*Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle-I love leave in conditioners. I like the fact that this is a spray in formula-easier application than the ones I usually use. However, I think there was a problem with the bottle. Myself and several reviewers all had trouble getting the product out. It did leave my hair nice and soft but didn't hold the waves in my hair as much as other products I've used. I'll have to give this one a few more tries before I make my final verdict. 

*Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips-I was super curious to try this product out. Nipple cream on your lips? It kinda makes sense if you think about it. I love how soft it makes my lips and I love that it enhances my natural lip color. The texture is weird at first (a little sticky and greasy) but after I got used to it I love it because it makes my lips so moisturized. This was a hit for me!   

*Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator-I didn't read the label too closely before applying this exfoliator so I was a bit surprised by the microderm crystals, but ended up really liking this product. It made my face feel soft and clean without drying my face out, which is always a concern of mine with products like this. I have sensitive skin and my face didn't break out after using this. Great addition to this box! 

*Oribe Magnificent Shampoo and Conditioner-These were "freebies" that Birchbox threw in as an extra bonus. If this had been one of my normal samples I wouldn't have been pleased because of how small they are. I really like the Oribe hair spray and use it occasionally. This is advertised as a volumizing shampoo and conditioner but I honestly couldn't tell. The shampoo didn't leave my hair feeling clean and I needed more conditioner in the sample size than what it offered. I did like the smell of these products. 

Each month Birchbox gives you the opportunity to add items to your box for an additional cost. The items are usually cheaper from Birchbox than buying  from a retailer, plus you get Birchbox points to use in the store. This month they were giving double points if you purchased two or more items so I decided to splurge and purchase both of the items for sale. I purchased: 

*Bella J Roseberry Candle-This candle has a light berry scent to it. It’s perfect for my nightstand in the bedroom but wouldn’t have much scent power in a large room. What’s cool about this candle is that at the bottom of it is a charm or jewelry piece valued at $25 to $10,000! I’ve burned mine for about 5 hours now (it says you can get 60+hours) and I can already see the pouch. I am soooo tempted to get it out and see what it is but Justin told me that would ruin the surprise, which is the main reason I purchased it! So he told me I have to wait until Halloween.  

*Loren Hope Lilac Mini Alex Cuff-As soon as I saw the purple color for this bracelet I knew I had to have it! I wear purple ALL THE TIME so this will go great with many different outfits. My only problem is that it's a little on the small side. I wish they had a picture of somebody wearing it so I could have had a better idea of the size of it before I purchased it. Here’s a picture of me wearing it-by the way, I could never be a hand model! I can’t ever seem to take a good picture of my hands. 

Finally, Birchbox was recently doing a promotion where if you are on the month to month plan for getting boxes and upgraded to a year's subscription, not only did they give you two boxes for free, but they sent out a mystery sample pack AND this Cynthia Rowley bag that included this eyeshadow color palette and a liquid liner. I'm looking forward to trying all these shades out! There are actually 5 shadows but the far left one is super dark. 

Overall I enjoyed my box and the nice add ons. A couple of the items I could have done without but I also discovered some new favorites! What did you think about October’s box? If you are thinking about joining Birchbox, be sure to use my referral link! 

October Ipsy

I was so excited to receive my second Ipsy bag in the mail yesterday! I really liked my first bag from them last month.This month’s theme is “Beauty Candy.” Cute name! I love the pretty blue bag it came in-the texture and material is very durable. I’ve already thrown it into my work bag to hold this month’s makeup goodies in. 

A side note- I’m not sure how the rest of my bag relates to “Beauty Candy?” Hmmmm….I don’t think I received as many makeup products as other people did. Maybe I’m comparing it to a Meme box where all of the products relate to a certain theme, but my products or the looks I could possibly create from the products didn’t make me think of candy. Speaking of Memebox, I should be getting my special themed Halloween box this week! Eek! 

Here are the products I received and what I thought of them: 

*Nicole by OPI nail polish in “I’m On a Gilt Trip”-I’ve been meaning to buy a gold nail polish so this was good timing. The color looks more like a sand than gold color on me and has more of a matte finish. It does add a little sparkle to my nails. I’d probably use this on an accent nail instead of all my nails next time. 

*Noyah lipstick in “Deeply in Mauve”-The sample size is teeny tiny cute! But that’s ok because this isn’t a color I normally wear. Don’t get me wrong-I really like the raisin color! It’s perfect for fall. I didn’t experience the “sticky” texture that some reviewers had about the product. 

*Skone Cosmetics Tattooed Waterproof Eyeliner-Glides on nice and smooth. Easy application. Great eyeliner! 

*Indie Lee Brightening Cleanser-I used this for the first time last night. I liked the smell of it-very fresh and clean. I felt like I got a good clean from it but it did leave my face feeling dry. I had to put on extra nighttime moisturizer. I have sensitive skin and I didn’t break out from it which is always a fear of mine. 

*Ayres Patagonia Body Butter-This product has jasmine and rosemary in it which makes it smell so nice and calming! Not too powerful or overbearing of a smell. It did leave my skin feeling super soft and left no greasy residue.  

Overall this month’s bag was a hit for me. What did you thing of “Beauty Candy?” Did you get the same or different products as me? And, if you aren’t signed up for Ipsy and would like to, be sure to use my referral code! Both of my sisters signed up-can’t wait to hear what they got and what they think about it. 

First Pop Sugar box!

I received my first Pop Sugar box this last Monday. It's the September box-I'm assuming that due to the timing of when I signed up I will also be receiving the October box here in the next few weeks. I signed up for the deal that if you order 3 boxes you get $10 off the normal price of 3 boxes. I also found a $5 off coupon so my total for each box is $35 instead of the normal $40.

*My favorite product is definitely the scarf. It's a beautiful raison and gray color. The normal retail price is $125-can you believe that? My wardrobe is mostly blacks and purples and I can't wait to wear it.

*The Nicole Miller earphones are a pretty blue color. I normally use the earplugs that my iPhone came with because I'm too cheap to go buy a new pair so this was perfect for me. I'll definitely be using these at the gym.

*The brownie was GROSS! I brought it to work and me and a couple of my co-workers tried it. It's gluten free, organic, raw, blah blah healthy and it just wasn't for me (or any of us). There was also a coupon for $10 off a $50 purchase for UrbanRemedy.com-if you would like to have that coupon code from me, first person to comment on this post will receive it!

*The Oribe hair spray was a nice beauty addition to the box. It left my hair looking so shiny when I used it! I'm glad that Birchbox sells it-I'll be able to buy the full size in the future from them.

*The pencils were ok. I'm a teacher and I prefer mechanical-so much easier than having to sharpen them. I'll probably be handing them out to students.

*The cards were cute. They are perfect for when I need to write thank you notes to female co-workers or parents at school.

*The Ghirardelli almond and sea salt squares were DELICIOUS! They mixed my very two favorite things to add to chocolate. I will definitely be buying these in the future-yum yum!

*Nike sent a measuring tape in the hopes that I will measure myself and buy a Fit bra from them. They sent a $20 gift card as well-I've been eyeballing some new purple tennis shoes so I'll be taking advantage of this coupon.

Overall, I was really happy with the box. I thought it was definitely worth the $35, if not for the scarf alone. I'm excited to get my next one in!

Birchbox Anniversary Box

About a week ago I splurged and bought a few different products on Birchbox. I had 2 coupon codes-one was get an Anniversary Box if I spent $50 or more or get 20% off any purchase. I had recently purchased the Fall Fete box for my best friend's birthday on a 20% coupon so I decided to try my luck and see what I would get in the Anniversary Box. 

Here is what I received-a Whish shave cream, a Laqa & Co. lip lube in Menatour, an eyebrow pencil, and a Suki exfoliating cleanser. 

I have to admit, my initial reaction was disappointment. HOWEVER, I have since changed my mind! 

Here's what I thought of each product: 

*The eyebrow pencil I gave away to my sister. I have platinum blonde hair and this pencil is for dark haired ladies. I'm bummed I didn't get a color that matched my profile. 

*I was originally unhappy with the lip color. I have NEVER worn a color like this before and I initially said it made me look like I have hypothermia. I decided to give it one more chance and take it to ACL with me. I have to say, I was really wrong about this color! I was insecure about wearing a color like this because it took me out of my comfort zone, but I have gotten several compliments on this color. So, thank you Birchbox! 

*The Whish shave cream is ok. I really don't like the smell in my opinion. It does leave my legs feeling soft, but so does the body wash I normally use on my legs. It's a nice little treat but not something I would purchase the full size product. 

*The Suki exfoliating cleanser-haha so I'm an idiot and didn't read the directions before I first used it (they don't have the directions on the label which is not a good thing-it makes somebody use it wrong or have to go find the directions themselves). I just put some of the cleanser on my fingers and started going to town on my face. Now, it is very grainy because it is sugar and lemongrass so it was a little abrasive, but had I read the directions first I would have known to rub it between my fingers and THEN apply it to my face. That being said, it did make my face look brighter and have a nice clean feel to it! I wish the full size price was a bit cheaper-I'd be more inclined to purchase this in the future. It is a nice addition to the box. 

If you ordered the Anniversary Box, did you receive the same samples or different ones? Were you happy with them?

September Birchbox

Special delivery! Look what I found in my mailbox on Thursday-my September Birchbox AND our ACL tickets! I felt like it was Christmas or my birthday :). My Birchbox took super long to get to me-turns out USPS lost it for a little bit. I was so jealous seeing other people's blogs and just waiting to get mine. I contacted Birchbox about the missing package and one of their awesome customer service people sent me out a new box in the meantime. I told them they didn't have to do that once we found out where the package was but they insisted and said I could always give it to somebody who doesn't get Birchbox to try out. How awesome is that! They were celebrating "Customer Appreciation Day" yesterday and I did feel appreciated as a customer when they did that. Thanks, Birchbox! 

The products I received were: 

1. Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Supreme Mascara

Meh, another mascara. I had received a mascara in this month's Ipsy bag and had ended up giving that one away. I just love my DiorShow too much. I'm not a fan of the applicator that comes with this sample. The mascara had a nice color to it but didn't lengthen or make my lashes fuller. 

2. Cynthia Rowley eyeliner-silver

This was the product I was most excited about and the reason I chose the Fashionista box. I love the color! I wasn't quite sure how it was going to show up on my fair skin. I've used it on my bottom lid and love the extra sparkle it brings to my eyes. Now, it says its smudge proof and lasts all day. I've never had any issues with smudging when I use my black one on my top line. However, on my bottom line, when I used the silver color it does smudge a little which makes the silver color go everywhere. I also had to reapply it (and honestly my eyes don't really water that much). It just takes me a little bit of extra time to do my eye makeup but I love the end result! 

3. Naobay Body Radiance Lotion

This was the product I was least excited about. I had gotten this in my July box! Just too soon to be given this product again. I'm not a fan of the earthy smell. It does make my hands and arms soft but I like a more floral scent. I gave this to my best friend-I think she will enjoy it more. 

4. Macadamia Professional Flawless Cleansing Conditioner

I was super curious to try this product out. It is a no suds shampoo and conditioner all in one. It smells nice and my hair felt soft after I towel dried it. However, it did not leave it as soft as my normal conditioner does and I noticed my hair felt coarser than normal at the end of the day. I also noticed more frizz in my hair, though it claims to cut down on the frizz. It did leave my ends looking better than my normal shampoo does. It's a great size and I would definitely bring this with me while traveling or whenever I want to cut back on the amount of shampooing I do. Some other reviewers had the same complaint and so I used a leave in conditioner along with this product and my hair feels so healthy! 

5. dr. brandt pores no more vacuum cleaner 

Both my husband and I tried this one out. I don't really have blackheads; he does. It didn't work for either one of us! It is supposed to have a cooling sensation and neither of us felt it. Bummer. I'll add it to my weekly routine though. 

Overall, this box was good. I did enjoy the Ipsy bag more than the Birchbox this month. However, in the grand scheme of things, I am more loyal to Birchbox. In fact they are running a promo right now-if you sign up to receive 12 boxes they will only charge you for 10 AND they will credit your account 100 points (which is $10 store credit) AND they will send you a Cynthia Rowley gift AND you can add on a mystery sample pack (usually valued at $10). I went for it and subscribed for a year and I know I'm not going to regret it. Use promo code UPGRADEME and tell them I sent you ;) https://www.birchbox.com/invite/crystalking

Now I just bet you are dying to know who I am most excited about seeing at ACL. My top 5 can't miss acts are: 

1. Outkast

2. Foster the People

3. Phantogram 

4. Lana Del Rey 

5. Fitz and the Tantrums (I've seen them before here in Dallas but I was several months pregnant with the twins and didn't enjoy the show as much as I would have liked.) 

Ipsy September "Street Style" Bag

I received my first Ipsy glam bag on Wednesday. I signed up in July but was put on a wait list so I signed up for Birchbox in the meantime. It was actually a complete surprise that I got it this week-for whatever reason their emails had been going to my spam folder. Imagine my delight when I opened up my mailbox and there was a pink package for me!

I opened the package and found the silver studded makeup bag and the "Street Style" card. While I appreciate the novelty of a makeup bag, for somebody like me I only need one, not one with every shipment. I'll throw this one in my work bag and then start giving them away. It's pretty flimsy but fits my personality as far as an accessory goes. The theme is cute; I wouldn't describe my beauty style as "street anything" haha.

I was immediately impressed by the "sample" sizes. The only item that is small is the powder which is good because I NEVER use powder. The hand cream is also a sample size but it usually takes me a while to go through hand lotions and creams. As much as I love Birchbox sometimes I wish their samples were larger. No complaints here about the size of the products from Ipsy!

The items I received were:
1. Be a Bombshell "Smooth Criminal" powder
I wasn't excited to see this product in my bag at all, but boy was I wrong in thinking that! I don't ever wear powder; it's just not part of my routine. I'd use it every day if it were this product! It's colorless and 100% silica and made my face feel so soft and smooth. It did as promised on the label and I'm a fan.

2. Avon Big and Daring mascara
I ended up liking this product the least. I've loved and used DiorShow for years and mix in Maybelline when I've run out and haven't had a chance to go pick it up. I feel like I had to apply coats over and over again to try and get some volume and thickness. I get lots of compliments on the length of my eyelashes when I wear DiorShow, and even though it's expensive, I'll continue to use it. This mascara just wasn't for me which is a shame considering the size of the product!

3. Cailyn "Basic Instinct" lip gloss
This ended up being my favorite product (go figure, ANOTHER lip gloss to add to my collection). It's a coral color and is so smooth and creamy. The color looks great with my complexion and stays on pretty good. Usually I wouldn't wear a color like this (I tend to gravitate towards purple undertones).

4. Mitchell and Peach hand cream 
This product is "ok." When I apply it, it feels slick instead of creamy. It does absorb into the skin and leaves it feeling soft; however, I don't like the initial smell-it smells too "earthy." I'm definitely going to use it at work instead of at home. I like my hand creams to have a feminine scent to them.

5. Pacifica "Red Red Wine" nail polish

Overall, I was happy with my Ipsy bag and looking forward to next month's products.

Walmart Beauty Box

I received my fall Walmart Beauty Box in the mail today. I still can't believe Walmart of all places has a subscription beauty box!

In the box: 

*Loreal YouthCode Pore Vanisher (sample)

*Nicki Minaj "Pink Friday" perfume (sample)

*Dove Advanced Hair Series Oxygen Moisture shampoo & conditioner (samples)

*CoverGirl "Glowing Nights" glosstinis nail polish in "Laser Light" (sample)

*Dove Dry Oil for hair (sample)

*Loreal Glossy Balm in "Pink Me Up" (full size)

*Secret Clinical Strength deodorant (full size)

*A coupon for $2 off Neutrogena Long Wear makeup 

The price for the box is $5 and the deodorant and glossy balm definitely make it worth it to me. They claim to send you products based on the time of year (it is a quarterly box) but nothing in the box seemed to be fall related or fall colors. It came in the mail as a complete surprise-they didn't send an email or any correspondence about it after I signed up for it. Thats ok; like I said, for $5 every 3 months it's worth it.  

My August Favorites

Happy Labor Day weekend and first day of September! This has been a crazy week. I had back to school and all the stress and excitement associated with that, then on Friday my wonderful in-laws took ALL the kids to spend the weekend with them. Justin and I have 3 days to ourselves! Our 3 year anniversary was August 20th so we've been celebrating the past few days. Friday night we hopped around town, slept in on Saturday and lounged around most of the day, and then met two other couples for dinner. This morning Justin went for to his fantasy football draft so I am in the house ALL BY MYSELF. It is such a rare occurrence that I'm not quite sure what to do with myself. Read? Clean? Watch TV? Work? Workout? So much to do, so little time.

The end of summer is upon us so I thought I'd share some of my favorite things from Summer 2014.

Makeup and Beauty
I splurged and purchased the "Modern Mermaid" box from Birchbox. I had a promo for 20% off and they were offering free shipping so I was able to get this and a mystery sample pack of products for  $35. I gave the nail polish and lip balm as gifts and kept the rest for myself. I absolutely love the blue eyeliner and the sea salt spray for adding texture to your hair. I've had several compliments on the blue liner already. I keep the perfume in my purse and use it throughout the day at school-its a nice scent and one I wouldn't have picked out myself. I don't have much use for the waterproof "mascara" so I'll hold onto that for next summer.

If you haven't signed up for Birchbox and decide to check it out, don't forget my referral code https://www.birchbox.com/invite/crystalking

Sports

I know I mentioned the World Cup in a previous post, but how can I not mention it again? It was so fun to watch the USMNT's run at glory. I spent a whole month living and breathing FIFA soccer. I loved going to bars around the area to watch the games. I can't believe I have to wait another 4 years for the next World Cup. 

Music
For my birthday Justin bought me tickets to ACL this October. I'm so excited!!! I've been listening to all the artists that will be headlining and I stumbled across Phantogram. I had heard one of their songs on 91.7 KXT and wasn't too crazy about it but I gave them another chance and much to my surprise I am REALLY digging their music! I love Metric and Phantogram reminds me of them in a way.  Check out my favorite song by them:
Phantogram Black Out Days
I also heard the next band on Sirius Alt Nation and I've been listening to their songs on repeat:
Fenech-Soler Last Forever

Books
I didn't get to read as many books this summer as I would have liked, but my fall list is pretty extensive. It has a bunch of scripts on it (I'm a theatre teacher) as well as Stephen King. I've never read any of his books and looking forward to it! There is one book that I really enjoyed that I didn't think I would like so much-"If I Stay" by Gayle Forman. Every other page seemed to have me in tears. The main character is in a horrible car crash with her mom, dad, and bother, and she has to decide if she wants to stay here on earth or move on. When I was reading the reviews I unfortunately found out the ending, but I still enjoyed the book.

What are your favorite things from Summer 2014? Any special memories?