July Glam Bag Review! - Sorry this is late!

The good thing about posting so late about the products in my July 2012 Glam Bag is that I've actually had time to use the products and have formed more accurate opinions about the products I received. If you also received the bag and got different results from these products then I did, please let me know!

Here is my initial Video:


Contents:

• Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion (4.2 fl. oz. Bottle = $26.00)
• NuMe HydroPunch Hydrating Conditioner ($24.99)
• Yes To Cucumbers On-The-Go Facial Towelettes (30 Wipe for $5.99)
• Josie Maran Magic Marker Lip and Cheek Stain in Tango and Jitterbug
• Circus by Andrea's Choice Nail Polish in White (Available in Fall 2012)

I love the facial lotion, the makeup remover wipes, the lip/cheek stain, and the nail polish! I have yet to use the conditioner.

The lotion is similar to Philosophy's Take a deep breath moisturizer. It doesn't smell as good, but works in a similar way. It leaves my skin feeling clean and oil free. 

The wipes are amazing! Very comparable to e.l.f.'s makeup remover wipes that I love. I feel like I am less fearful of using these wipes around my eyes than e.l.f.'s. There is no burning or tingling sensation with using these wipes and the results are great! They are a good size where I don't feel like I am wasting any product. I will definitely purchase these when I run out (which is very soon!).

My lip/cheek stain in Tango unfortunately dried up in about two uses, but thankfully Myglam is amazing and sent me a replacement! I got the new product in Jitterbug and I fell in love! I am really digging these lip and cheek stains. They are so convenient! This product is exactly like how it is described, just like a marker (notice how I said like a highlighter in the video). 

I did love the nail polish, but it seemed to peel off easily. Looking for another top coat where I don't have to worry about this problem. Any suggestions?

I will post pictures soon! Sorry for the delay. I seriously don't have a day off..so its hard to find time to blog! :(

Thanks for stopping by!!

Enter QOQO's 4th giveaway with some adorable prizes!

Check out QOQO adorable giveaway!

The products look amazing, good luck everyone! This giveaway ends July 30th!

Prizes include:

• 1 set Sophie Monk's Natural Doll EyeLash (No.1)
• 1 elf Essential Lipstick - Flirtatious #7710
• 1 K-Palette 24H Real Lasting Eyeliner, WP (Super Black)
• 1 set Sasa Limited Edition Mini Nail Polish
• 1 Majolica Majorca Eye Shadow (GR162)
• 1 Essence Gel Eyeliner - Midnight in Paris 01

Extremely Busy Bee.

Okay, I haven't been able to post my myglam bag yet, nor my Influenster video/blog review. I hope to on Friday! Wish me luck. There so much going on and working two jobs doesn't leave much time for anything but sleeping and eating. Please continue to follow my blog :) I really appreciate all the comments and such. Its nice to know someone is reading and hopefully getting something out of my blog. :)

Only Dreaming's July Glam Bag Giveaway!

Not a current Myglam subscriber? Still on the waiting list? Well here is your chance to win a July Glam Bag!

Bag contents:

• My Glam July Beach Make Up Bag
• Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion
• Yes To Cucumbers On-the-Go Facial Towelettes
• NuMe HydroPunch Hydrating Conditioner
• Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish
• Circus by Andrea’s Choice in Reverso

I loved all of these products (except the Buxom lip polish since I didn't receive this) in my own bag, so I wish everyone luck in this contest!

This contest ends August 1st!

Closet Voyage: Eyecandy Lens and Dolly Eye Giveaway!

Check out Closet Voyage's current giveaway for Eyecandy Lens x Dolly Eyes! Win a pair of lenses and adorable Rohto Lycee Eye Drops! :)

Details:
Www.eyecandylens.com is kindly sponsoring a giveaway with one lucky winner bagging a pair of lenses of their cohice from Eyecandy Lens, and their very own cute hard candy lookalike vial of Rohto Lycee Rewetting Eye Drops to care for your eyes in style!


This giveaway looks super fun and who wouldn't want to try out these cute lenses?!


Ends July 31st!

Bunnyfuldays July Giveaway!

Check out Bunnyfuldays July giveaway for your chance to win some super cute prizes!

Prize one includes:

• Tony Moly Ice Queen Crispy Tropical Pack
• SK-II Facial Treatment Lotion
• Microline Comb and Mirror
• Cyber Colors Blotting Paper
• Tony Moly Puff | Chinese False Lashes
• Samples: Nymph Aura Volumer x 2, Etude House Dressing Room, Etude House BB Cream, Etude House Black Charcoal Chin Pack, Missha Super Aqua Cell Cream

Prize two includes:

• Tony Moly Latte Art Milk-Tea Morning Pack
• Luminous Change False Eyelashes 05 - Natural Volume Eye
• Kanebo Kate Gel Eyeliner BK-1 
• Love Alpha Eyeshadow Palette 
• The Face Shop Charcoal Pore Strip 
• Samples: Skinfood Agave Cactus Toner, Missha Cho Bo Yang BB Cream, Missha Sosaeng, Scinic Aqua Ex Jelly Cream

Summer Beauty Influenster Voxbox

So I just got my summer voxbox in the mail and I will be making a video and showing you the contents of my box. I'll do a post on my first impressions of the products and will do a full review on my favorites or per request. Yay so excited to test out these great products! :)

Attention Beauty Bloggers! I will host/share your giveaways :)

Hey fellow bloggers!

If you are hosting a giveaway I'd be more than willing to share your giveaway on my blog. I'd love to help you out and get you more exposure :D I can even host your Rafflecopter widget if you'd like. Just let me know by commenting here with a link to your giveaway or emailing me the details at boyscrangl24@gmail.com.

I currently do this for free so take advantage!

Sweet Elyse's Beauty Box Giveaway!

Sweet Elyse is hosting a giveaway of some of her favorite beauty products. She put together a box containing the following items:


- EOS Lipbalm Sphere in Honeysuckle & Melon.
- Professional Systems Nail Polishes x 3 to get the perfect French manicure. 
- I pack of nail tip stickers. 
- Espirit Nail Polish in clear & Glitter - to make that french manicure super cute. 
- Sample of Loreal Mythic Oil. 
- Garnier Lotion Samples 
- 2 x Handmade Quilted coasters to protect your dressing table from polish spills. 

Its very easy to enter! Just follower her on GFC.

See her post describing some of the products and enter here.

July 2012 Birchbox: Glamour's Five Senses of Summer

Woohooo! I got my Birchbox early and I'm sooo pleased with it! I filmed another unboxing video. Again, I appoligize for the traffic noises, living on a busy street sucks especially when the living room is the only one with enough natural lighting to film. The video really captures my impression of the box and my first impression of how I feel about the products. Please let me know which products you would like to see a full review for :)

Apparently there are 31 variations of this month's box (crazyyy). View them all on Zadidoll's site.

Video:




Theme: Glamour's Five Senses of Summer

 Contents:

#1 [Touch] Alterna - BAMBOO UV+ Color Protection Fade-Proof Fluide

      "This finishing gloss prevents UV rays from fading color while organic bamboo extracts keep hair strong and soft." 

- Full size (2.5 fl oz) retails for $24

I can't wait to try out this product. I don't know if I should wait until I color my hair again to actually see if the color lasts longer...

# 2 [Sight] Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in black

     "Direct from London, these punchy color liners feature a pen-style applicator that's truly goofproof."

- Full Size .07 oz retails for $15

Other people got different colors such as purple, turquoise, and olive. Would definitely love to have gotten any of those colors. I swatched this liner on my hand in the video. Its very similar to my marbella semi permanent eyeliner except that it actually goes on black and doesn't stain my skin when I wiped it off, thankfully.

#3 [Smell] Harvey Prince - Hello

     "Get a glass half full disposition with this optimistic blend of juicy Meyer lemon, white grapefruit, and pink plumeria." 

"We started Harvey Prince in dedication to our mother, and we craft exceptional fragrances that empower women to feel young, happy, slim, and beautiful."

-  8.8 ml retails for $26 and 50 ml for $55

The sample packaging is super cute and the scent is so light and fresh. I also love that the tube has a spray applicator! I'm sure this will be one of my summer favorites. I can totally rationalize spending $26 for this fragrance. 

#4 [Touch] Supergoop! City Sunscreen Serum

     "Wear this award-winning brand's silky SPF 30 serum under your makeup for a weightless UV shield."

-20ml retails for $20 or $42 for 1.6 oz

Saw from someone else's video that they were sent two packets of this. Wondering if I should send an email to Birchbox asking for another packet.

#5 [Taste] Tea Forté® minteas - Cocoa Mate

"Keep these refreshing, tea-infused mints on hand for quick pick-me-ups." 

"Fight fatigue with nature's natural energizers of uplifting Brazilian erba mate and rich, deep, chocolaty Columbian cocoa."

- 3 pack retails for $9.95

After filming the video I was able to try the mints. They are like mint chocolate! So delicious and there are a ton in the tin. I can't wait to use these. I am a bit tired at the moment, so I'm not sure how much they've helped "pick me up" but I'm sure I'll use them when I had a normal nights sleep and that 2:30 feeling comes along.

#6 [Hearing] Birchbox Exclusive - Neon Green/Pink Earbuds

"We designed these neon headphones just for you. Pair them with your best playlist."

The headphones are fairly comfortable. They drown out a lot of outside sound which is really nice. I absolutely love the neon green :D

Overall Verdict:

Totally in love with this box. I do with the supergoop! sample was a little larger, but I can't complain. I am glad that I got a full size eye liner, too. Can't wait to see what other people got!

What did you get in your Birchbox for July? If you don't already have a subscription and want to sign up please click my referral link here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stila One Step Bronze Review

I can't thank Birchbox enough for sending me Stila's One Step Bronze in last month's box. I use it fairly often and have fallen in love with it. I was so intrigued by the design of the product inside the container, which is kind of like a helix of the three components of the bronzer. This product is very shimmery, so it might not be for everyone.

Birchbox explains this product very well:

"Birchbox Breakdown

This bronzing serum may look like a sci-fi invention, but don’t be intimidated. The three-in-one primer, bronzer, and skin perfector addresses our three main concerns: oversized pores, unevenness, and lackluster skintone. Made with a triple helix of bronzing, highlighting, and illuminating pigments, the creamy formula has a mousse-like consistency, and is subtly laced with coppery shimmer. We love how it blends easily and dries to a matte finish. Plus, it keeps your skin’s oil levels in check, so your makeup doesn’t slide off midway through the day.

How it Works

The formula uses a trio of complementary pigments: coppery bronze adds warmth, pink-toned bronze evens out skin tone, and Kitten (one of stila’s best-loved shades) brightens and conceals with its soft shimmery champagne hues. When you push down on the applicator, these pigments swirl together to create a lightweight serum. In addition to sheer coverage, it delivers an anti-aging mineral complex that helps regulate oil production while shrinking the look of enlarged pores, fine lines, and wrinkles.

How to Use

Apply this serum to clean skin for an all-over glow. You can wear it by itself or follow with foundation or tinted moisturizer for extra coverage. For subtle highlighting effects, dab on to cheekbones, brow bones, and the tip of your chin. Blend well."

This small amount is all I apply to my entire face.

This might look scary partially blended (and on a smaller portion of skin) but it blends in well.

See all the sparkles? Like I said before, this product may not be for everyone. I don't mind it, because I want the shimmery tone when I'm out in the sun. 

This was taken about 20 minutes after the previous picture. I wanted the redness to go away from rubbing in the product and to show that some of the sparkles do fade. 

Like Birchbox said earlier in their description, this serum helps balance out my naturally oily skin (mainly in the T zone). I don't really have fine lines or wrinkles, so that part doesn't apply to me; however, this does help even out my skin tone. I love any product that does that. Recently, acne scars have been staying noticeably longer and I need something to help reduce their appearance. Lastly, I also love that it keeps my skin hydrated and nourished. This is crucial, especially in these summer months!

I like layer this product with my sunblock or favorite foundation. 

Have you tried this product? What do you think of it? What other Stila products do you recommend?

Thanks for stopping by! :)

Target Summer Beauty Bag

I was so excited to receive my Target Summer Beauty Bag in the mail!

I got this a couple weeks ago, but haven't had the time to post lately. I really loved all the contents of this bag, even more so because it was FREE! :)

The only thing that was a bummer about the bag is that I didn't receive the TRESemme Conditioner sample or the Aveeno scrub (which I was really looking forward to). No big deal though, I really can't complain.

My favorite product is the Neutrogena sunblock. It has come in really handy, since I ran out of sunblock. I try to use it everyday, since I'm out in the sun for work.

I also really love the makeup bag it came in. I haven't tried the Revlon Color Burst or the shampoos. I've been waiting for my current shampoo and conditioner to run out before I use any others.

Did you get a Beauty Bag? If not follow Target Style on Facebook to try to get their next bag! If you did get the summer bag, what did you receive?

Thanks for stopping by! :)

NOTD #1: ELF Nail Polish in Champagne

So by now I'm sure you know I'm a huge fan of ELF products. This nail polish came free with my
 e.l.f Collections Sunkissed Summer Set (see post here).

I love the color Champagne and I think its great for summer! Its kind of copper-y, too, so it goes well with my skin tone and my hair color.

I use two coats and top it off with a clear nail polish and I'm good to go! It lasted about a week and then I got bored and changed my nail color (I'm surprised I lasted that long without changing it). I also like this color because I can wear it at work and its perfect for a more professional environment.

I hope to try some more colors soon. What do you recommend if you've tried ELF's polishes?

Thanks for stopping by! :)

Busy Bee

I haven't been able to post lately because I started a new job working overnight shifts. When I find some free time I will finish a few posts I have already in draft form.

Have a great rest of your weekend!

Le Edge Exfoliation Tool

Hey everyone!

A few weeks ago I won this exfoliation tool from a giveaway. I've gotten to use it for about two weeks now and my skin feels smoother. I'm not how much it makes my skin look younger since I'm still pretty young. But I do like knowing that dirt, oil, and my dead skin cells are being removed!

 

I like that it has a nice non-slip grip and is easy to use. The metal "blade" isn't sharp or anything, it doesn't hurt if you put a lot of pressure on your skin, and its great that its hygienic! I was worried about rust since it's in my shower all the time.

I like to use it before I shave, because it evens out your skin surface. Its nice for men too because it helps lift ingrown hairs before shaving.

I'd definitely recommend it to anyone. I didn't normally exfoliate before. Sometimes I'll use a shower gel that has the exfoliating beads in them,  but I don't feel like those actually do anything. This tool shows you that you are removing dead skin cells, so you know its working.

I also like using it to remove my daily facial cleanser, because I can see the dirt and makeup residue that it is removing. I also think it is helping soften the skin on my elbows.

Do you own one of these? How do you like this product? Check out the website to find out more about this awesome product!


Thanks for stopping by! :)

Mae Minerals is changing their name and their mission: Giveaway for a great cause.

Mae Minerals, a company that makes mineral makeup as well as provides a monthly subscription service. I haven't tried their products yet, but I've been trying to win some of their giveaways to try them.

This image is directly from Mae Mineral's site.

Their service includes three levels (eco-beauty: $8/mo, sprout: $10/mo, and garden: $20/mo):

• Each level includes brand-new & limited edition products from Mae Minerals like:
• Mineral Makeup (Foundation, Blush, Eye Shadow, Bronzer, etc.)
• Skin Care (Face, Body, Special Needs)
• Lip Gloss/Lip Stain
• Mascara/Eyeliner
• Brushes/Accessories

They are changing their name and their mission statement. Their new site will launch tomorrow! Here's some more information directly from their site.

"For every cosmetic purchased, we will donate one to a woman in need. You buy one, we give one.

We are working directly with women's shelters to provide makeovers, beauty tips, education about safe cosmetics and most importantly to get the women's wish lists of the shades and products they would like. For every item purchased, we'll donate an item from a wish list. We've set a goal: help 7,400 women by the end of 2012.

We will also be launching an affiliate program were you will be able to earn a commission on all sales you refer using a special link. Affiliates will also have the option of applying to be a volunteer ambassador and help her local shelters get set up with our program."



I think its great that they are empowering women in shelters by providing them with cosmetics. Normally shelters only provide the essentials to survive, and they don't consider makeup one of them. This company is so kind and thoughtful!


They are also having a giveaway! "For every prize won, we'll donate one. Second, the more entries we receive, the more prizes we'll give away! We're starting out with 10 prizes packs that include an eye shadow & lip gloss. Once we reach 2,000 entries, we'll add 10 more prize packs. And for every 2,000 entries after that we'll add another 10 prize packs."

Sounds pretty awesome, yeah? Enter here! Good luck!

e.l.f Collections Sunkissed Summer Set

A few weeks ago I ordered some e.l.f. products and got this great set for free (a $21 value). I thought this set had some items I really wanted to try out, so I figured I'd jump on the deal.

This image is directly from e.l.f.'s site.

The Set Includes:

·         Essential Wristlet in Bronze ($5)

·         Studio Lotion Wipes in Vanilla & Coconut  ($3)

·         Studio Waterproof Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara  ($3)

·         Studio Cream Eyeshadow in Dawn  ($3)

·         Essential Eyelid Primer in Sheer  ($1)

·         Essential Nail Polish in Champagne  ($2)

·         Essential Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in Black  ($1)

·         Essential All Over Color Stick in Golden Peach  ($1)

·         Essential Super Glossy Lip Shine in Honey Do  ($1)

·         Essential Eye Shadow Brush  ($1)

My favorite products in this set include: the cute wristlet case, the mascara, the cream eyeshadow, and the nail polish. 

The wristlet is nice to use as a makeup bag or even as a clutch. The mascara goes on really smoothly, doesn’t clump my lashes, and really gives them nice volume. It works best when I take the time to curl my lashes. The eyeshadow is great because it is a nice neutral/natural color. When I’m in a hurry and I don’t want to spend forever doing my makeup I use this product. It goes on fast, it’s easy to blend, and I just add mascara and go. Lastly, the nail polish is a great neutral shade that is perfect for the summer time. I feel like it is professional and one I can wear to work. It’s a pretty classic color that goes well with my skin tone. These polishes are so cheap, I'm thinking about buying some more!

I haven't used the lotion wipes because I already have some that I haven't gotten to open yet. I have sooo many lotions. I just need to put these in my purse to have on-the-go. I think that the gloss is really sticky but does stay on relatively long. I'm also not sure how I feel about the all over color stick. I don't think it goes well on the lips. I've used it as shadow and a high lighter for my cheeks or collar bone area.

Sadly, my eyeliner pen was dried out when I received it. I think it might be too late to ask for another one. The primer is something I already have and use often, so its nice that I have an extra once I run out. I also had the eye shadow brush, but you can never have enough. This one is wider than the other one I have. I wasn't impressed with the quality of this one, some of the synthetic hairs are longer so I had to trim it down. It was losing a few at the beginning, but has been fine lately. 

I'll post some pictures when I get home. I forgot my camera today. If you want an individual review of any of these products let me know :D

Thanks for stopping by!