Nerding Out a Little

I love me some cheesy Star Wars and Star Trek gear. Have a look.

p.s. I once dressed up and made a pretty convincing Darth Maul. It was awesome.


Vintage Enterprise light



R2D2 skirt (I love this)





Enterprise pizza cutter



Lightsaber umbrella






















Live long and prosper

or

may the Force be with you

(whichever is your preference).


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.

A Blow Dryer Revolution

Until I borrowed my cousin’s hair dryer last summer, I didn’t know what I was missing. I thought not matter what, it was going to take me 20 minutes to get my long hair dry. Wrongo, my friends. Turns out, there are much better options than a crappy, scorching hot, slight-breeze-producing blow dryer. So finally, after dreaming of it since July, I decided to invest in a professional-grade blow dryer.

I bought a Sedu Revolution Pro Tourmaline Ionic 4000i. It was everything I’d dreamed of. I chose this model because it’s compact, has air speeds up to 80 mph, and is designed to reduce heat-styling damage. I have fine, easily-damaged hair. For me, the less heat the better. Also, it comes with a nine foot cord and a two-year warranty!

Comparing it to my last blow dryer was like night and day.  My old dryer took 20 minutes to get my hair dry, and was so hot I could see steam rolling from my strands. With the Sedu, my hair was dry in 10 minutes and straight and shiny enough to not have to use a flat iron afterwards (!!!). The most amazing thing was that it did it all without the scorching heat that has been damaging my hair.

Like I said, a professional dryer is an investment, but it already is worth it.

If you’d like to read other reviews for this model, click here.

Image via.

Child's Own Studio

Disclaimer: The following site is swamped with orders and has asked that nobody blog about it ... I can't help it, it must be shared. However, if you continue reading, you have to promise me you won't order anything ... yet.

OK. You're still here. This is the cutest thing I've ever seen. I look at the pictures just for the huge smile it gives me. Actually, they're so cute I teared up the first time I saw them.

They're real life dolls designed after characters kids draw. Ahh! Adorable. I need a child to order one for. Wouldn't they make the sweetest keepsake? Way better than Hallmark, if you ask me.

Have a look.






Aren't they magical? See more at Child's Own Studio.

Photos via.

The Polaboy

This giant polaroid-like light frame made my jaw drop. It's called the Polaboy. What a beautiful way ti display a favorite photo. I need one.

Need one, too? Get more info here.

Photos via.

Full Bottle Service

I've been wanting a better wine opener than the one we have, and this might be it. It's a foil cutter, single-motion corkscrew, pour spout and stopper all in one! Bonus: it looks cool.

Do you have a wine opener that you love? What kind is it?

Get this one from Quirky here.

Photos 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.

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.

Possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen

This hedgehog coin purse from Kate Spade is so adorable. I think it would make me happy every time I pulled it from my purse. I'm pretty sure my coins would be a little happier being held in it, too.

Get it here.

Ultimate Body Pillow

If I could afford it, I would buy this crazy body pillow. I've slept with a pillow between my legs since I was little, eventually I moved up to a body pillow, and now I think it's time for this beast. That way, Jeff can be even more annoyed about all the pillows and blankets on my side of the bed. I can't help it that our house is 60 degrees at night, and I'm too cheap to turn the heat on yet. That just means it really is necessary for me to sleep with five blankets, a regular pillow and a body pillow. Thankyouverymuch.

Get this pillow from Hammacher Schlemmer here.