Ipsy Glam Bag Unboxing - January 2014

Hi guys,

Check out this Ipsy unboxing for January 2014 - it wasn't my favorite glam bag ever but I still think it was well worth the $10 price tag. Also sorry for my voice sounding awful, I've been sick for a while now >.<.

Sign up to IPSY: http://www.ipsy.com/r/1lfc

What I got in this month's IPSY:
Apothederm bright skin serum
Coastal Scents small foundation brush (BR-C-S22)
Mica Beauty tinted lip balm in Fiesta
Absolute! make-up cleansing tissues (10)
Yaby natural finish liquid foundation in Buff

Julep Maven Starter Box Unboxing - January 2014

Seattle-based company, Julep, caught my eye about half a year ago but I have a plethora of nail polishes and saw no need to get more. However, while reading another beauty blog, I discovered they have a promo code "FREEBOX" which lets you get 1 free intro box and see what their Julep Maven Subscription Service is like. I literally received my box the very next day after I subscribed. Granted, the only catch here is that you have to pay around $4 for taxes and some shipping cost and they get your credit card on file (I have already sent customer service an email asking them to remove my card so that I am not billed for the following month).

If you want to sign up, click here: http://www.julep.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/371425/

They have 5 different profiles that you can fit into (after filling out a short questionnaire): Modern Beauty, Boho Glam, Bombshell, Classic With a Twist, It Girl. I got "Bombshell" and I actually liked the box associated with my profile best (however, if you don't like your box, you can always choose any other box) - so you always know exactly what you're getting. There's also huge discounts for those who are purchasing other items (some can be as much as 40-50% off).

I received the following: 

Julep - Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum Pen

Julep - Nail Polish - Zelda (pink champagne metallic)

Julep - Nail Polish - Kendra (an army green frost)

Julep - Blank Canvas - Mattifying Face Primer (sample packet)

This is what the polishes look like on:

Julep Zelda Nail Polish 

Julep Kendra Nail Polish

I really like their polishes, they're smooth and true to color, you can easily achieve the color that you see in the bottle usually on the first coat. I really enjoyed the cuticle pen as well because it didn't leave my cuticles feeling too oily like the "Solar Oil" I normally use but did leave my cuticles feeling softer and more moisturized.

Here's where you can buy the full sized products:

Glossybox December 2013 Unboxing

I'm rarely disappointed by Glossybox. Last month (November) I had a really irritating experience though. The majority of my products arrived broken and I contacted customer service and they sent a replacement box... which was *also* broken. So I contacted them again and they refunded my entire monthly cost, which is good but still kind of sad that I didn't get the products to show you guys what my box was.

So moving on to better news: This is the December 2013 Box! I received:

1. Anatomicals - You Need a Blooming Shower - Body Cleanser
2. Michael Todd - Pumpkin Rich Facial Mask
3. Nails Inc. Nail Polish - Victoria
4. Ardency Inn - PUNKER Eyeliner
5. Naobay - Oxygenating Cream Moisturizing



I love everything in this box! The Anatomicals cleanser has that classical rose scent and is a very affordable cleanser you can get - it's such a luxurious treat for your bath or shower, it's not sticky or gooey at all. The Michael Todd Pumpkin Mask I am very familiar with, as it was sent out earlier in 2013 in an Ipsy Glam Bag (I received it then too) and I'm happy to get it again. The color of the Nails Inc. polish is a deep burgundy red. You need to apply more than one coat to get complete coverage but I usually apply 2 and a top coat, so you'll be fine if you do too. The liquid eyeliner is in a chubby pen format with a felt tip (felt tips are my absolute favorite method for applying my liquid eyeliner) and you can get a thick line or a very thin line - it is a true black. The Naobay facial moisturizing cream is organic and natural - I love getting good-for-you products in these boxes and this will definitely be used!

This month's theme was "Gloss & Glamour" and I  think they really hit the nail on the head for the holidays with this one. The colors chosen were classy and perfect for any occasion.

Let me know if you would like an invite to Glossybox so you're not wait-listed!

You can purchase some of the products you see here:

Ipsy Glam Bag Unboxing Video - December 2013

Hi all,

I was on vacation until this week so I wasn't home to get my subscription services... so now I'll be bombarding you with what I've received! Hope you enjoy the video! If you want to sign up to IPSY, click here: http://www.ipsy.com/r/1lfc

Here's a quick snapshot of my Glam Room so you can see the products I received this month:

For similar products that you can easily order (or my personal favorite dupes), click on the links below:

Allure Beauty Box Winter 2013 Unboxing

I was so thrilled to receive my Allure Beauty Box for Winter 2013 (this is a quarterly box so they only ship out 4 times a year, one for every season)!! This is my first one and this is somewhat of a tricky service but it's definitely worth it to try to get one of these boxes! For a minuscule $50, you get $327 worth of products!

Here's how it works: you make an account and sign in to http://allureaccess.com/. They will post a message when the next box is expecting roughly a month before the box becomes available. Then you have approximately 20 minutes to get your box before they sell out at the time announced! Happy hunting, everyone!

Watch  my unboxing video here!

Products Received

Almay Color + Care Liquid Lip Balm - Value $6
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion - Value $7
e.l.f. Contouring Bronzer and Blush - Value $3
Julep Nail Polish in Missy and Anissa – Value $28
Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream - Value  $14
Loreal Paris Extraordinare by Colour Riche Liquid Lip Color in Coral Encore – Value $7
Neutrogena Pore Refining Daily Cleanser - Value $7.49
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Primer - Value $13
Neutrogena Crease Proof Eye Shadow Stick in Stay Golden- Value $8.49
Not Your Mother’s Knotty To Nice Conditioning Detangler - Value $6
NYX Love in Paris Eye Shadow Palette - Value $10
One n’ Only Brazilian Tech Keratin De-Frizz Wand - Value $15
Red Carpet Youth Cream - Value $15
Rimmel Scandaleyes Eye Liner in Black – Value $6
Rusk Deep Shine Color Care Lock In Treatment – Value $14
Rusk Deep Shine Color Care Invisible Dry Shampoo – Value $19
Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Dry And Go Drops - Value $5
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat - Value $5
Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs Makeup - Value $13
Sally Hansen Fuzzy Coat Polish in Fuzz Sea – Value $5 (replaced a Sation nail lacquer that was supposed to be in the box but could not make it)
Sally Hansen Triple Shine Polish - Value $5
Smile Sciences Teeth Whitening Pen - Value $78
Ultra Repair Cream Intense Therapy - Value $28
Zoya Pixie Dust Nail Polish in Tomoko – Value $9

IPSY November 2013 Unboxing!

Hi all,

I'm so glad to bring you this unboxing video! This was probably my favorite or 2nd most favorite subscription box I've ever gotten! Please check out the video and leave comments with what you were given in your IPSY Glam Bag.

To subscribe to IPSY:http://www.ipsy.com/r/1lfc

October Glossybox Unboxing - Byrdie Edition

I've gotten many requests to show my readers what's in the subscription boxes I get monthly so I figured I would start with October! I subscribe to Ipsy, Birchbox and Glossybox, so I will review all of those for you every month starting now.

The subscription: Glossybox

The cost: $21 US/month

Total product value: $76.57

Why is it unique? You get beauty products from Europe, Asia and everywhere else. Very high quality products every month, I have never received a dud and I've been subscribed since March 2013.

Every month, you receive substantial codes for some of the products provided in the Glossybox. This is quite customary for any subscription service. Here's a preview of the contents of my October box (usually these arrive in the mail near the end of the month). I was VERY excited when I saw the preview of the box with a full-sized Tarte Lights, Camera, Flashes mascara!

This month subscribers received a Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream in a generous deluxe sample size, (this retails for $42 at 1.7oz) we received the 0.5oz so the value of this product is $12.35. It smells just like what you would imagine a lotus to, very plant-like. I have been using it and it is quite moisturizing, but it's quite a pricey product that I don't think I would purchase on my own. This is a nice, luxurious sample to get.

I received a Renu Exfoliating Gel which retails for $42 at 50 ml and we received a 20 ml deluxe sample so the value of it is $16.80. Subscribers either received this sample or Sesha's Anti-Wrinkle Mask. This feels delightful on the skin, it really does feel like it's cleaning up the dead skin cells on my face, but again this is quite an expensive product, especially since it's a cleanser, so it's nice to receive such a large sample because I probably won't go out and purchase it.

Subscribers also received a deluxe sized sample of Bulgari's Eau Parfumee Au The Vert, which reminds me of a spring scent because it's made with "Green Tea" as the base note. However, this is the most adorable sample I have ever seen because it's in a miniature retro glass container. The full sized product is 1.33oz and retails for $62. The sample is 0.17 fluid oz so it is valued at $7.92. The scent is fresh and light, definitely not overpowering and I find that it takes on an even better smell on my skin.

balance Me. has provided every subscriber with their limited edition tinted lip salve that is 100% natural. The product received was the full size which retails for $16.50 at 10ml. You can see that it swatches to a much letter intensity than the pumpkin color inside the tube. It's an extremely liquid formula, not sticky or unpleasant to wear. The super soft beige color was created exlusively for Birchbox. The gloss smells like peppermint and emphasizes lip size, creating a bee-stung effect. Great product, I would definitely recommend trying this out.

And now the product we've all been waiting for, Tarte's Lights Camera Flashes Mascara!!! This puppy retails for $23 for the full size and that's exactly what Glossybox gave us! The packaging is magnificent, there is no funky smell like some other mascaras, and it lengthens and provides so much extra volume to my lashes that I can actually feel the difference. My lashes have never hit the skin above my eyelid, but with this, they definitely do and I love it! The applicator is easy to use, it's a silicone bristled applicator and I have an extremely easy time applying the wet formula with it. I highly recommend trying this mascara, in my opinion it's worth every penny.