May's Birchbox

This month’s Birchbox was a total delight. I love everything that came. Here’s a rundown of what was inside.

Miracle Skin Transformer™ Body SPF 20 It’s a tinted lotion that evens out imperfections all over your body. It works as a light moisturizer, SPF 20, and a skin-perfecting tint—curing roughness, hiding blemishes, and even masking scars. I was amazed when I put it on my freckly arms – they looked smooth, even, and glowing. I went a little crazy and used the whole sample-sized bottle in one day. It looked so nice though! I really need a full-size bottle – the stuff is amazing.

Birchbox Notecards
Everyone loves getting a handwritten note in the mail, especially on cute stationary. I’m excited to get to use the fun-colored notecard!

Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Shampoo
I love trying new hair products so this was exciting. From Birchbox: “We’re hesitant to call this luxurious cleansing oil a shampoo—its powers go far beyond cleansing. Perfect for all hair types and textures, the oil-to-foam formula binds with the grease and product buildup on your scalp before gently whisking them away. At the same time, it respects your hair’s natural oils, so your strands never feel dry or stripped. Finally, it adds bounce and body to your locks while leaving behind a calming yuzu citrus scent. All in all, it’s a true superhero product.”

I’ll tell you, it lathered nice, smelled good, and left my hair clean and light. However, I’m a thrifty gal, and at $55 for a full-size bottle, it’s a little out of my budget.

Dior Diorshow Extase
I rarely buy high-end makeup, so getting Dior mascara was a treat. I felt fancy just putting it on. It looked nice on, but I really can’t say it looked better than what I use every day. Since Dior is three times the price, I’ll stick with L’Oreal.

Dior Miss Dior
One of my favorite things about Birchbox is getting to try new fragrances. At first sniff, I thought Miss Dior was going to be too “old” for me, but I was pleasantly surprised when I put it on. It’s a sweet, chic and not-too-overpowering scent. I really love it and am sad my sample is almost gone already.

Want to get Birchbox, too? Click here.

Under-Hat Braid

I love summer hats (mainly to hide boat hair), but I especially love this braid and hat combo for hot, sunny days. So pretty and simple.



Image via.

March's Birchbox

It's pretty safe to say that this month's Birchbox is my favorite so far. I love everything that came in it. I can't even pick a favorite. Here's a breakdown of what came.

I've seen the Twistbands around the internet and never really understood them. But having one of my own now, I get their appeal -- they're adorable! It's really just a fancy hair tie, but they come in fun colors and are thick so they leave less of an ugly crease behind. Neat, huh?

I think my favorite item this month was tarte's LipSurgence lip tint. It's super moisturizing and the stain/gel formula goes on easy and lasts for hours.

I'm currently battling dry hair so I'm excited to have received a sample of Kérastase Elixir Ultime. I'm still a slave to Biosilk, but after how soft this left my hair, I may have to reconsider next time I need to buy hair oil.

I've been wanting to buy a glitter overcoat since the holidays, but could never decide on a color. This month Birchbox made up my mind for me and sent a bottle of essie Luxeffects nail polish in a cut above, a soft girly pink that's perfect for spring. I'm wearing it now and feel a little bit like a Barbie when I look at my hands. That's a good thing, I think.

And, last but not least, I also received a sample of Kate Spade's Twirl perfume. It's a fruity floral scent that's still sophisicated, but not overpowering. I don't know that it's something I would buy a full bottle of, but it's fun to have a sample to wear occasionally.

Want to get your own Birchbox each month? Check it out here.

Under-Eye Shadow

For girls with small eyes, shadow under your eyes can make a big impact without making your eyes looks closed. It seems like it might be a tough look to pull off, but The Beauty Department gives some tips on how to get the look.

Would you wear shadow under your eyes?


Image via.

Imperfect Is In

According to The New York Times, the hottest trend for 2012 is imperfection. Finally!

Lip liner, overdone eyes, perfect skin and brow pencils are so last year. Who knew I was so ahead of the trend?!

"The new look for the new year is effortless, minimalist, just-out-of-bed-with-your-lover, according to leading hair and makeup artists ... tousled hair, smudged eyeliner, dewy lips and luminous skin are in," says The New York Times.

My favorite part is the new lipstick look, described as "popsicle mouth," because that's what my lipstick always ends up looking like anyway. Just apply the color to the middle of your bottom lip, press it into your top lip, then roll it. Easy peasy.

They're even saying to skip mascara! That one isn't for me, unless you want a zombie-like creature walking around. If you can pull it off, more power to you!

Another great part of this - hair should match your makeup look. It's about time my rats-nest hair is cool.

Read the whole article and hear more 2012 makeup trends here.

Image via.

My First Birchbox

I broke down and subscribed myself to Birchbox, a monthly delivery of sample-sized beauty products. It's so fun getting packages in the mail (even if you have them sent to yourself).

Here's what came this month.

Yogini perfume by Harvey Prince
At first I was unsure about this scent, but I put a little on and actually really like it. It's sophisticated, but sweet, and seems to last all day. It's calming, and full of exotic oils that are supposed to counteract stress. As the description says, "It’s the fragrance equivalent of yoga class."

Mythic Oil by L'Oréal Professional
I was really excited to try this hair oil because I have dry hair, especially in the winter. I normally use Biosilk or Aquage Silkening Oil Treatment, but am open to trying new things. This oil smells great, and can be used before or after blow drying. After two uses, I don't think it works better or worse than Biosilk or Aquage, but it wins for having the best scent.

Jouer Moisturizing Lip Gloss
I really like this silky lip gloss. It came in a bright pink, that with one coat gives you a pretty gloss, but with two or more, gives you bright pink, shiny lips. It's not too sticky like some glosses, but it doesn't seem to last long. To keep the look, you'd have to reapply often. Maybe it would be better used to add gloss to lipstick.

Befine Gentle Cleanser
This face wash is made from sugar cane, oats, rice and mint extracts - a nice combination to use for cleansing dry winter skin. It smells nice, but I'm not much for minty face washes. I think my mindset is that mint belongs in foot scrubs. It's really runny - not expecting that, I lost half the bottle down the drain ... so that was a bummer. It seems to cleanse well though, and it left my face feeling refreshed. Not too bad for something that belongs on feet (kidding ... kinda).

EBOOST Orange Natural Energy Booster
I mixed this up to give it a try and was very disapponted in the taste. Honestly, I couldn't even finish it. It's an orange-flavored, vitamin-filled, powdered energy drink, so I can't say I expected it to be delicious. I'll stick with coffee for my morning energy.

Showstoppers Designer Fashion Tape
I haven't used these yet - I'll save them for when I need a little strapless bra/dress help. I'll update after I use them.

I already can't wait for next month's Birchbox!

Get a subscription for yourself here.

Photos via Birchbox.

Party-Perfect Lips

I love the look of lipstick, but hate how it smudges and fades. And, if it's a long-lasting formula, it's dull. Martha Stewart offers a few tips to help you get shiny, smudge-proof lips.

To keep lipstick from smudging, cover your lips with a clear pencil or primer, and emphasize the edges to create a barrier. Use a matte lipstick - it's less likely to smudge than a glossy formula. Apply your lipstick with a brush to control exactly where the color is applied.

To make lips shine after applying lipstick, gently blot the lipstick with a tissue. This will pull some of the oils out of the formula and leave a stickier surface to apply gloss to. Avoid licking your lips before applying gloss.

See all of Martha's lip tips here.

Photo via marthastewart.com.

Easy Paint Press-on Nails

Hi. I'm Amanda and I'm a nail biter.

I've tried to stop a million times, but I can't. I wear fake nails to hide my shame. Recently I stopped getting my acrylic nails filled because it was getting expensive, and sitting in a nail salon for an hour every two weeks was getting old. I decided to try wearing press-on nails instead. They were working well except for that I couldn't sit still long enough for them to dry. I always had smudges. So I came up with a solution. I bought the nails that have break-off tabs for easy application (I like Broadway, Real Short), held on to the tabs, and painted them a few hours before I glued them on. No more smudges!



Find your nail sizes. File and shape them before you paint.

Hold the tab and apply two coats of polish and a top coat.

One of the tabs broke off so I glued it to the manicure stick so I could still
 paint it. It pulled right off when it was time to glue it on my nail.

Set them on a piece of paper or cardboard to dry (I used the nail box).

I'm excited to paint my next set (I want to get creative since I don't have to worry about trying to paint with my left hand).

Nail color:  e.l.f - Royal Purple

Birchbox

Have you heard of Birchbox?

Here's the scoop. You pay $10 a month to get a package full of goodies in the mail. I love getting goody packages! It comes with 4-5 large sample sizes of different beauty products - I've even heard of them coming with chocolate! Ummm. Yum. I need this in my life. Christmas present, Mr. Jeffrey? (You can buy them as a gift in 3, 6 and 12 month increments.)

Buy this for me here. :)

Photos via Birchbox.