Saturday, October 26, 2013

Birchbox App and Whimseybox Update

Quickie Post: 


Birchbox has a new app and if you download, you get a 20% off coupon code (with a purchase of $50 or more which kind of sucks, to be honest). The app is cute but isn't as fully developed as I would've liked. It's still fun to have a birchbox  app, though.

Whimseybox update: I just got my shipping notice so I'm expecting to have a review up in the next week. We're not getting an awesome magical Halloween craft but I expect whatever it is to be many many times better than the crapalicious Macrame project of last month.

That's all for now! I'm going back to obsessively checking out all the Holiday sets (makeup!!!) at sephoraulta, and nordstrom! (I'm going to have such a large wish list this year.....)

Glossybox October '13 Box Review


Well hellooooo there!!

I think this glossybox review is the last in my looooong backlog of reviews that I had to post this week. Whew! So, this month's box was a combination of "ohhh yeahhhh" and "the fuuuck?" because it included an awesome full size item that is worth more than what the box costs (doing the quite simple math: full size value of Tarte Mascara $23 (+tax) by itself, glossybox value: the mascara plus another 3 samples at $21. Is that a good deal? I think so. I'm not a penny pincher by any means (seriously, I'm pretty much called a shopaholic daily but it isn't 12 step bad, just need a really good job to buy myself everything I want bad) so I don't typically put much store into the prices, I tend to care more about liking the items I get. For this month, I did like the mascara (though I didn't get to keep it, mom strikes again) but the other items weren't as...errm... passion inducing. So, not a home run but the full size mascara unquestionably added some good will points and I'm set to get the November box too.

All of this month's good stuff. 



Tarte 'Lights, Camera, Flash' Mascara in Black

Full sized and gold packaging (the mascara itself is in a gold case too) is the way to my heart. I love getting nice surprises like this one and this was definitely the best part of this month's box. It even comes with a brush replacement! I'm using YSL Babydoll right now but I might go for this mascara in the future. I like the way it looks, I guarantee it ;) 11/10


Fresh "Lotus Youth Preserve" Face Cream

This is also a great sample because it is way larger than any other samples for this specific cream that I've come into contact with. Usually I get a little foil packet with no more than one use but this little jar (yes, a jar!) has substantially more than that. Alas, though I want to ignore the fact that everyone ages, it's good to get something like this so I can actually remember to put on some cream in the futile attempt to stave off any signs of aging (I've already got smile lines.... why God whyyyyyyy?). Also, it smells good and isn't oily/doesn't leave a nasty residue. 11/10



Bulgari Eau Parfumee Au The Vert Sample (mini bottle)

Ah, yet another perfume sample. While I do have a significant weakness for mini bottles and I recently spent 250 points at sephora to get a mini Miss Dior bottle (so cute!!!),  I have to actually like the scent for me to be able to keep it around. Regrettably, the first sniff of this perfume (purported to be a green sort of scent, which I typically love, given the name) gave me a bit of a headache/nausea combo and I quickly gave it away. I'm super sensitive to this sort of stuff and there isn't a set pattern, any strong scent can set it off so my opinion/reaction shouldn't be taken as the word on this perfume. Everyone has different scent preferences! One thing that always irks me is that this box repeatedly sends Bulgari products and I haven't liked a single one. I wonder if it's due to the similarity of the scents they send out... 6/10

Sesha Renu Exfoliating Gel

Another cleanser! I can't even. (If you don't know why, please read my other reviews this month.) 6/10


Balance Me LE Shine On Tinted Lip Gloss in 'Super Soft Beige'

I love lip gloss, I really do. I even like neutral colors like this one. But I also like full products. Case in point, the following picture:



As one can see, the balm isn't full of product (look at the image on the paper for comparison). There's about a third of the bottle missing and as I'm not very trusting by nature, I've decided to not touch it at all in case it has been tampered with. If the bottle was full, I'd be quite happy with it. As such, grrrrrrr.
0/10 (for the one I got) 10/10 (If I'd gotten a full gloss)


Overall, another solid box (with the exception of the gloss because I'm fuming about that) but nothing to super excited about (I was pretty excited initially since it was a collab with a beauty blog but the only difference was the dark gray box). I'm going to keep if until next month but if the box isn't right for me, it might be time to consider canceling because as I always say, don't pay for what you don't love and that applies to me too (to get a cool box like in August will stop me from canceling). A little positive note: the shipping was relative quick and worry free this month. Their schedule is pretty much settled at sending out the box late mid-month so no bitching about that.


 Box
Frequency:
Monthly
Price:
$21.00
Perks:
Ability to earn 'glossydots' by doing surveys reviewing the items you get every month. 1000 glossydots= 1 free box. 
Recommend
With reservations. If you do choose to get on the Glossybox roller coaster, you should expect for shipping to be mid to late month. Nevertheless, the products do tend to be a good mix of high-end samples with larger than usual sizes (think deluxe and travel instead of foil packets) and this month had a fantastic full sized item. I'm still a glossybox subscriber (not so happy but maybe happier once I have more time to try out the products) but you must (!) weigh the pros and cons before making a decision. Also, you can always try a month and cancel later. There are a few codes out there pretty frequently for at least a 15% discount or an extra gift with your first box. 

WINK might get you a free eyeliner so feel free to try it ;) 


As always, don't spend your hard earned cash on something you don't love!! 

Friday, October 25, 2013

Ipsy Glam Bag October '13 Review



Hellooo!


A very decent selection of items this month plus the makeup bag is quite cute. better than bb this month due to the variety and amount of items. Brands are actually pretty good, not high end but mid-market and established enough to be recognized (with the exception of the hand creme because I'd never heard of that brand until I got that bottle that was promptly jacked by my mom.




I really like this bag, weirdly enough. 




Zoya Nail Polish (some sort of pinkish red, shimmery)

I've gotten a couple of Zoya polishes from ipsy so the brand isn't new to me but the color is pretty average. Zoya isn't an expensive brand but it is a reliable one so I'm not disappointed to get it but I wish I'd gotten that blue color that I saw on the glam room preview rather than the color I got. Nevertheless, as a polish addict, I can't say this is a bad addition to this month's bag. 10/10




Buxom Full On Lip Polish in 'Dolly'

Ok, so first of all, I love Buxom. I used to not even pay attention to their stuff but their lip colors are pfa (pretty fucking awesome) and I own more than a few. Howeverrrr, this is the possibly 10th sample of Dolly I've gotten in the past 3 months. Enough Dolly!!! I'd be elated to get any ANY!!! other damn color since I've already got more than enough samples to last me a loooong time (like more than if I'd bought a couple of full sizes) and the color doesn't honestly look that great on me. That combo makes me sad. I would've been very happy if I'd gotten almost any other color. Stop with the Dolly already, Buxom!! You guys have so many great colors! 7/10




Sexy Hair Blow Dry Gel

Hair product. C'mon, of course I'll be interested! This blow dry gel is all about giving the hair volume and shape. I've never really used a blow-dry gel but I'm definitely trying it out this weekend. Plus, the sample has a respectable amount, more than one use to be sure. 10/10




La Fresh Eco Beauty Oil-Free Face Cleanser Wipes

I love cleanser wipes and the oil-free qualifier (plus the eco stuff) made it seem like something I might like. The smell is fucking delightful in comparison to some other wipes and it does take off light makeup (heavy eye makeup is a different ball game, use some Lancome or Pur-Lisse for that, no time for the correct accents, I'm in a hurry!). I like the wipes but unfortunately consecutive use started giving me a weird chemical irritation that turned my skin bright red so it's out. 8/10




be Delectable Hand Creme in 'Vanilla Cupcake'

Smells like vanilla cake, it really does! All it did, though, was make me immensely hungry and made me crave sweet, sweet cake (at least I'll get to eat some on my bday!). Nevertheless, before I could try it out and give you guys the deets on the texture and feel, it was yet another item taken by my mother's item jacking tirade of 2013! I know I'm supposed to be happy that I can give her nice things (my dad's words, not mine) but ugh. Seriously. 9/10




Overall, I really liked the variety of this month's ipsy glam bag and if the items were other colors/shades then I'd be fucking elated with this month's booty. A solid effort and I'm siding with ipsy (this month) in the huge ipsy vs. birchbox battle that ensues every month on facebook just because the birchbox take was pretty skimpy this month in comparison.




Box:
Frequency:
Monthly
Price
$10.00 (plus tax in CA, I pay $10.80)
Perks
Ipsy points that can be earned and converted to extra items with referrals, brand discounts for every brand offered each month, full size items included (not guaranteed every month). 
Recommend?
Yes! $10 for a bag full of makeup is a pretty good deal indeed. Give it a try if you're interested, it's only $10 and you can cancel if you hate it.
Note:
There is sometimes a waitlist for subs like birchbox and ipsy and it usually takes from 2-5 weeks to get off. If you're really interested, I'd say check it out and sign up as soon as you can because the earlier you get on the waitlist, the earlier you get off (of the waitlist, dirty minded ones!!!).

As I always say, don't spend cash on anything you don't love! 


Julep October '13 Review (finally!!!)

Hey hey hey!! 

My Julep Maven box was super late this month and I got it on the 21st, the freaking 21st! This was due to some computer stuff but still, I was getting very very antsy to get my nail polishes. I went for 'it girl' and 3 polish add-ons so it was all polish for me this month. As many of you know, the selection window for November started on the 20th and ends on the 24th. I've already chosen my stuff and I actually went for the opposite and got 'modern beauty' because it has lip products (my addiction) and added on the prettiest autumnal sparkly nail polish named….. Autumn. Lol. Nevertheless, I'm quite satisfied with my Julep  sub right now and I'm even thinking of going back and getting a couple more add-ons because why not? It's for my bday!! I count basically 3-4 weeks before my bday as my bday season so yep, I even start buying myself presents and I've got a little stash already which is good because no one knows what to give me and honestly, I only get gifts from maybe my parents and brother so I try celebrate myself as much as possible! 

Left to right: Missy, Ciara, Kendra, Cleopatra, Casper, Beatrix

W/ flash. The left set is the October 'it girl' and the right set includes the add-ons.

Another look at the colors and candy corn! 


Julep Color Treat in 'Missy'

Substantial shimmery silver. Thick base, no see through with one coat. Great texture and formula (better than most standard polishes). However, you do have to be careful because texture can start to look streaky if not applied carefully on the sides. The website describes it as a titanium metallic which really describes it perfectly. This is probably my favorite metallic in a long time. 11/10 



Julep Color Treat in 'Ciara

A shimmery purplish base with a blue/purple color shift. It has teal micro glitter that lends the overall color a great shift in light. It's described as a 'vampy magenta with teal micro glitter' and is super shimmery to boot. This is a color that I would buy even if it weren't offered in the box (I almost did when I was browsing around and didn't remember that it was part of the 'it girl' set!!) and I love the way it looks in different lights. Again, the formula is pretty good and doesn't suffer from thickness and that jelly-ish situation that happens in most glitter polishes. 10/10 



Julep Color Treat in Kendra 

Kendra is a surprising color. At first look, it looks like a drab sort of olive green color. However, Kendra, which is described by julep as an 'army green frost' looks way better on than in the bottle. It has a subtle gold shimmer that makes it look loads better than it would if it were a simple army green. It isn't my favorite color but it's good to see that even my least wanted color is actually nowhere near as bad as I initially assumed. 8/10 



Julep Color Treat in Beatrix 

Now this is my jam. Glitter? Yes! Black and gold? Yes!!! Some peeps have been complaining about the texture but since these types of polishes tend to be thick (c'mon glitter isn't the same as plain lacquer!!), it's all about the application. I try to distribute it evenly and typically do a topcoat to seal it and create a smoother surface. 3 coats of it and no topcoat is just the ticket to peel-off city (that's right, peel off not chip!) so we must be have a system for these types of things! Also the name is awesome and witchy (halloween!!!). 11/10 


Julep Color Treat in Cleopatra 

Black nail polish for October? You don't say! Since I tend to slip back to my goth (ish never full on white face black lips but a lot of black clothing!) roots during the month of October, a great new black nail polish is essential. This particular polish has a latex finish (no actual latex) and was one of the smoothest polishes I've applied from Julep. Also, the name, same as the polish before this one, is amazing. Especially since I've already got my Cleopatra costume ready for Halloween, which is less than a week away!!!!!! 11/10



Julep Color Treat in Casper 


Casper is a "glow in the dark shimmer" and can be worn alone or one top of another color. I chose to try it one alone and did two coats. I got a nice white shimmer (a bit sheer but not too sheer) that looked cute during the day but was even better at night because it really does glow in the dark!!!!! I'd read some other reviews that stated that the glow in the dark aspect was oversold and that the glowing was really faint but I guess I was lucky or got a special batch because my nails noticeably glowed in the dark. Actually, I even had a little scare because I'd forgotten I was wearing glow in the dark polish! Again, the name given to the color is marvelous. 11/10 




Overall, I loved this box. I was very excited about the Halloween themed add-ons and the 'it girl' colors turned out to be better looking and more wearable than I'd thought. So, for me, this month was a complete score. It doesn't happen every month but when I get a box I thoroughly like, I'm happy to report it. 

Box:
Frequency:
Monthly
Price:
$19.99 (add-on prices vary and are added on to the $19.99 base price) 
Perks
Ability to earn free boxes, ability to use earned jules to pay for add-ons, etc.
Recommend? 
Yes. I clearly loved this month's themes and Julep has made me a happy Leslie once again. Their CS is fantastic (especially if you call in because emails may take a while to get a response) and their variety of offered items gets better and more varied (to be redundant) every month. This used to be just a nail polish only sub but now with the advent of the 'modern beauty' profile, you can get other types of beauty items every month without having to get polish at all. I'd say try a month  if you're really interested. You can always (and should!) cancel if you're not in completely in love.

As always, don't spend your hard earned cash on something you're not 100% in love with!

Birchbox October '13 Box Review (finally!)


Ok, this box took nearly all month to get to me and thus my post is so late that everyone already knows everything about every item birchbox sent out this month. However, I like doing this so let's get to it.

When I saw the box preview, I got angry. Why? Because it looked like the epitome of suckitude. Who wants a muslin face cloth? I can get one (or make it) for a lot cheaper than $10, right? Buuuut once I actually got the box, I changed my tune a bit. It isn't quite a great box by any means but it's a relatively solid installment. Not mind-blowing but not enough to drive me to cancel my sub either.

It really doesn't look like a lot!

The chapstick w/o the cleanser/cloth set



Klorane Shampoo with Desert Date

I love hair stuff so this wasn't likely to be on my No! list. Plus, I've come to really like the Klorane brand so this sample is all good. The sample itself is sort of small (really small!) and probably won't be more than enough for one wash but I like it. 8/10


Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

It's a face cleanser sample. There isn't much to say but the fact that I really really REALLY hope it doesn't mess with my skin because everything I try tends to extremely dry it out or conversely make it super oily or a combination of both and the added bonus of chemical burns. I haven't tried it yet but I'll give it a chance to deliver. 8/10


Liz Earle Muslin Cloth

This cloth, though it comes in the same little box as the cleanser sample is counted as a sample by itself. 2 cloths are sold at $6 so I'm calculating that the retail for it is $3. Do I think sending this as its own sample is total bs? YES. I don't like to hate on birchbox but I'm not gonna pull punches when necessary. This is not cool and it kinda feels like getting a teeny bit ripped off. 0/10


POP Beauty Acqua Lacquer

Lip product! Not tiny! Pink! I'm not super sure that the POP lipgloss is full size but it does seem to be. The full size retails for ~$14 so that makes up nicely for the price of the birchbox itself. This is without doubt the best item (for me) in this month's box. It's not majorly gloppy and relatively sheer (with the right application) so it's OK to good. Nothing extremely awesome but, again, a solid sample. 9/10


Chapstick Hydration Lock with CoQ10

I have to admit that this is the item that pissed me off when I looked at the preview on birchbox's website. I said "what the fuuuck?! A Chapstick? Something I can get at a gas station is what I'm getting in my birchbox? However, after trying it, I'm pretty glad that they sent this Chapstick. I'd never buy one myself since I usually get all my lip products from sephora and ulta so I would've never discovered this tiny treasure on my own. This particular Chapstick contains CoQ10 and hyaluronic acid 'beads' to give lips a fuller and younger appearance. I have perpetually dry lips and I have to admit (after buying loads of $25 balms) that this tiny mass market balm has made a noticeable difference in my lip texture in less than two days. I'm in love. 10/10


A last look! 

Box:
Frequency:
Monthly
Price:
$10.00
Perks:
Every $1 spent, equals 1 point, plus you get 10 pts for every item in your box that you review. 100pts= $10.00 with no accumulation limit (so you could have 600 points aka a $60.00 credit/discount)
Recommend
Yes! Although I didn't love every item this month, the ones I did like are good enough to keep me satisfied (though I REALLY hope that my box is improved next month because that'll piss me off immensely). I love the point system, the CS,  and the brands they send out, so I'm still a loyal birchbox subscriber but they better do better if they want to keep me as happy as I'd like to be with birchbox.

As always, don't spend cash on anything you don't love! 


FabFitFun Fall '13 Box Review



Well hellloooo! 


This month has been goddamn near magnificent for the big boxes (aka popsugar must have and the following review) and I'm very, very excited to show you guys what I got this season in the FabFitFun Fall box. Although, it is missing an item and it's being shipped separately (I already got the shipping notice because they're awesome), the things included are pretty great. This box is definitely a keeper. 

Cute stuff.

A close up of the small stuff.


whooo!


Gorjana Canary Scarf

So pretty!! That was the first thought that popped into my mind when I saw this scarf. It's a gray (yay for gray!) scarf with hot pink birds. It doesn't really sound amazing as described but it is! Plus, it retails for ~$57 so the scarf itself is more than the price of the whole fabfitfun box. The Gorjana brand was also featured in the popsugar October box but to less success since the bracelet sent out was imp sized. Fortunately for us who are not of the very mini wristed type, this scarf fits all and is perfect for the sudden onslaught of fall weather (finally!!!!) that has gotten everything chilly and leaves are falling and..... it's perfect! 11/10



Barre3 Standing Slim DVD and online program

I'm so lazy but I love yoga (and all those ballet combo types) dvds and well, I tend to mainly do exercise routines from DVDs because I'm way to cheap (and lazy) to pay a gym every month (plus that cash goes towards all the boxes I review here!!) so this is a great addition to the box. However, this workout actually made me sweat (a lot!) so that was simultaneously awesome/terrible because sweating is ughhhh. Try it, it's actually fun and challenging (the perfect combo) 10/10



Starlooks 5 Shade Shadow Palette in St. Tropez 

Starlooks has slowly but surely become a great go-to brand. I was lucky enough to win a free box about a year ago but I've never gotten around to actually subbing. However, this shadow palette has forced me to sub. I love it! Five neutral colors (four have shimmer but the black is matte!!) with a substantial amount of product and a smooth application. I'm finally a starlooks convert (look for my review of November's box) and I'm even considering buying some boxes from previous months, especially that one with green shimmer because while a weird choice, the possibilities are endless! The palette retails for $41 on the starlooks site so we are definitely getting the bang for our buck with this box! 11/10 



Orville Redenbacher Popcorn (Sea salt and Butter) 

I'm not a huge microwave popcorn (or any popcorn really) fan so this item promptly went into the hands of my popcorn addict father (seriously! His eyes lit up when I gave him the popcorn!) This popcorn is supposed to be a healthier variation on the typical microwave popcorn and according to my father's glowing accolades, they're really good! It's an interesting item to put in the box and though it won't be to everyone's taste, those who do like popcorn are going to be happy. 8/10 



Mini Game Pack 

The mini game pack is a small stack of cards with samples of two games: Loaded Questions and Awkward Family Photos. I wasn't very interested in even looking at this but the questions actually made for a pretty hilarious conversation. It's not the best item in the box but it is surprisingly funny. 8/10 



Surface Trinity Protein Cream 

Hair Product!! I love, LOVE, LOVEEE hair products so this one was going to be slam dunk for me unless it was some weird thing that would make my hair crunchy or something. Instead, this cream, which actually comes out as a spray so it distributes more evenly and way lighter than just putting cream in your hand and going at it with your hair (dirty minds!). I tried this item as soon as I got it (after a shower) and the results were awesome. Soft hair? check. No straggly ends? check. Happy Leslie? check! Seriously, I'm effusively loving on this product because I really like it and I'll definitely be buying another bottle when I run out. 11/10 



SpaRitual Lacquer in 'Can you dig this?'

Nail Polish! A box with both hair products and nail products? Have I gone to box heaven?? SpaRitual has been growing on me and the bottles that I've gotten are pretty good (not the best but solid). The color is a very pretty metallic autumn-y orange/gold/brown color that evokes leaves and Halloween!!! Anyone who has had the pleasure (obviously) to read any other of my posts knows that I'm a freakin' polish addict so there was little chance that I wouldn't be happy with this item (except for a horrible color or a gloopy formula). 11/10 



Health Warrior Chia Bar 

Sometimes Health means bleerrrgh in terms of taste. This is one of those times. Also, all I'll say here is Ch-ch-ch-chia!!!  6/10 



Drinkwel

This is a weird item. It's a baggie that includes 3 vitamin pills to take before drinking (as in alcohol not just drinking water or whatever) and 3 that you are supposed to take afterwards. Apparently, these help one not lose essential nutrients and help clear toxins out of the body faster. I'm not a big drinker at all so this isn't something I'm very interested in but I am interested in their claims. I haven't heard of any valid research for stuff like this so I think a little google search is in order since to my cynical eye, this just seems like a little bag with 6 multivitamins under the guise of helping you avoid the negative side effects of drinking alcohol. I'm no teetotaler under any (ANY!!) circumstances but I'm guessing that the best way to avoid the negative side effects of getting drunk is to not get drunk in the first place! Or at least pace yourself! Either way, I'm not quite convinced of the efficacy of this item. 5/10 



Brightpink Foundation Brighten Up Insert and Sticker 

This insert (along with a sticker that comes with a number to text to get updates on when you should check your boobage) is all about preventing breast and ovarian cancer. As someone who has suffered from (and is unfortunately sick again) an illness related to the reproductive system, I can say that this info (while it seems minimal) is really important. Nobody knows your body better than you so take this advice to heart! 10/10



Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Cleansing Foam 

This is the item that had to be shipped separately due to some mixup. I'm very much looking forward to finally getting it and using it because I'm obsessed with finding a face cleanser that doesn't torture my horribly sensitive skin. The fact that the bottle is full sized and from Bliss is pure awesome. There's also an insert that works as a $25 discount on the Triple Oxygen Instant Facial at Bliss Spas. Unfortunately, I don't think I live near enough to a Bliss spa to take advantage but if I did or if I end up traveling somewhere that has a Bliss spa, you can be über sure that I'll be down like a clown to get that facial. Preemptive 11/10. 





Orly FX Nail Lacquer in Go Deeper

This is an extra item that was added as a little apology for a billing issue where we were charged the $50 twice (fortunately, the charge didn't cause me any problems because I had no cash in my card!!). I love glitter like a cracked out magpie so this is yet another YES!!! item for me. It's a mermaid blue-green glitter topcoat and I'm actually saving it for my upcoming b-day as a little treat for myself. 11/10  


A last look at the cute. I'll add a pic of the bliss cleanser when I get it. 

Box:
Frequency:
Seasonal (next box is Winter '13/14)
Price:
$49.99 per season (so every ~3 mos.) but you can get a $10 discount with code: 874390 at fabfitfun
Perks
Tailored boxes, ability to earn free boxes.

CODES

So far, I haven't found any good ones but I'll update here as soon as I do. 

Try SHOPFFF for $5 off your first box but (a big but) I'm not 100% sure that it's still valid. 

Recommend
Currently, yes! I really loved the Fall box and am very much looking forward to the Winter box. This sub is new but their third box (this one) bodes well for this sub. It definitely exceeded my expectations and I'm pretty sure that the Winter box will do that too. I'd suggest trying it out for Winter and going from there. The good thing is that you can cancel your sub online instead of having to call like some other subs can force you to do. So, give 'em a try if you're really interested, I'm super happy with the past two boxes and hopefully, you will be too.  

As always, don't buy anything you don't love!!!!! 



Cult Cosmetics = Blackbox October 2013 Box Review


Hi!! 


A couple of weeks ago, I decided to finally give Cult Cosmetics' blackbox a chance. Honestly, I'm pretty glad I did because after I got my intro box today, I'm already looking forward to next month. While I also have my julep sub (which was great this October and whose November box is already picked and perfect for my bday month!) There's no harm in adding another nail polish sub (or so I keep telling myself). I'm quite happy with the colors and the formula but the shipping kind of blows considering it took like 10 days to get from LA to me which takes a little bit more than 1 hour driving! As many of you might expect, yes, my box seems to have been sent through slowpost. Aside from that tiny bit of suck, I really like this box and am definitely keeping it at least through next month so you can expect another review if you really want to make up your minds. Now on to the review!




From left to right: Point Dume, Joshua Tree, WeHo, Botanical Base 



Cult Cosmetics Lacquer in 'Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree like the very arid and dusty place it's named after is a beige/nude cream and is freaking perfect for job interviews (yep, I'm going through that whole thing right now and yes, it majorly blows). It's a great nude and looks fashionable yet mature (like professional mature not geriatric mature) plus it has been all over the blogs and mags in the fall and spring runway shows so I'm quite smitten with this color. 11/10 



Cult Cosmetics Lacquer in 'WeHo

WeHo is all about the sparkles. The sparkles! It's touted as a graffiti nail art effect and has different sized (from very small shimmer specks to big noticeable individual glitter specks) in black, white, and silver glitter, plus those little strips I completely forget the name of suspended in a clear base. It goes on relatively smoothly but you have to stipple it a bit to get an even glitter distribution. This is meant to be a topcoat over another color sort of thing and even though I said it's a topcoat, if you want smooth nails, do a real topcoat over this one to seal the glitter. I actually tried it over julep's Missy (a shimmery and very saturated silver) and it looks awesome. This is one of the items I was most excited about and fortunately it turned out to be as good as I hoped it would be. 11/10 



Cult Cosmetics Lacquer in Point 'Dume

Point Dume is a deep indigo and almost navy blue. As the website touts, one coat is enough to give great color and there are no sheer spots. I like the fact that it's a straightforward deep blue and I tend to love that color so this is a great addition to my ever-growing polish collection. It actually looks incredibly similar (color-wise) to Julep's Char (which I got in the October popsugar must have box) and that's fantastic considering I didn't get to keep Char. Before I forget, the formula is great and not tacky and the colors are 5-free. 10/10 



Cult Cosmetics Botanical Base Coat 

The botanical base coat was pictured as completely sheer in the email I got but the bottle I received today is actually a sheer green. Apparently, there are some good plants added in to condition nails (thus the 'botanical' name) and I'm looking forward to trying it after I get tired of the NCLA Halloween spiderweb nail wraps that I'm currently wearing and loving (I'd been looking that the NCLA website for a while but I finally bit the bullet and ordered them; I'm glad I did because they're great and super easy to put on. I'm totally getting the 'Clueless' (yes, like the movie!!!!!) sets they have next. 11/10 


Note: This isn't the same as the other Cult company called Cult nails (the one with the cylindrical bottle and cursive type branding) because this box is sent out by Cult cosmetics. I was initially confused and had to do some googling to get the brands straight. Both are awesome, btw and I recommend trying both of them out along with Cirque (omg Cirque has the prettiest colors and names and the new Alchemy collection is omg so pretty).

A shiny shiny flash pic so you can see the bottles clearly.


Overall, the formula goes on well and is 5-free. The colors are trendy and I actually love this month's selection (neutrals and deeper colors are my faves) plus they promise some sort of nail art item every month. This month was my first and I was able to get it for $14.99 instead of the regular $19.99 plus $4.99 shipping (so the total is $24.99). The price was great this month and I'm staying on for another month because I really liked the colors and texture of the polish but the $4.99 shipping fee is balls when they're an hour or so away from me and they clearly use the cheapest delivery method (aka it took 10 days!!! 10 days!!!!!!!). So, not everything is peachy keen but overall, I feel like the box was worth the wait. We'll see how I feel next month! 


Box:
Frequency:
Monthly
Price:
$24.99/month (but you can get the first month for $14.99 right now) 
Perks
At least one nail art item included every month. Formula is 5-free. 
Recommend? 
With reservations. This is only my first month and while I loved the items, I think I have to wait another month to really see how they work and if the nail polish magic strikes twice. While I'm definitely on board for November, I won't go so far as unequivocally recommending the sub without getting a real feel for it. However, I do like it a lot. 

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Popsugar Must Have October 2013 Box Review Updated again bc stitch fix are mean but PS is not.


Update 11/08:

I sent an irate email to stitch fix and I got a polite response. That's all good but still grrrrr. The good part is that Popsugar are awesome. After I emailed them and asked why the fuck they'd do this (this being alienating all the big girls), they sent me a very pretty necklace to make up for the bs as well as a replacement Gorjana bracelet that was a bit bigger than the little itty bitty one I got first. Thanks, popsugar!! You guys have great CS and that's what keeps me coming back and happy. Plus, I love getting little surprises in the mail so I was mighty happy to see that box waiting for me (especially since fed-ex doesn't forward mail and I would've lost the box completely if it had been delivered a few days later).  So, to reiterate, popsugar is the greatest and while I'm still pissed about the stitch fix sitch, I feel a little better by getting a pretty necklace (yes, I'm a bit shallow)!!!




Update 10/26:

I retract anything nice I might've said about stitch fix. Their size-ist bullshit is incredibly intelligent business-wise. Why would they carry xl or over (or even) size 14? It's not like the average American woman is that big. Oh wait, they are?? Oops, better deny them a chance to give us money because omg ewww fat ppl, amirite?!?! After the bs they pull and reading and hearing horror stories about them, I can safely say I'll never do business with those assholes. EVER. I'm disappointed with this box even giving this company the chance to get into more women's consciousness because there's no better way to spend the weekend than thinking about how you were denied from a 'styling service' because of your size.




Hi everyone!! 

I'm gonna be posting my box reviews pretty close together since I've had the pleasure (aka the terrible luck) of being stuck without internet at my place since last week. Soooo, I have to go to starbucks to post and yes, it blows :) 
Now, back to the good stuff:
the October Popsugar Must Have  box!!! Last month was beyond awesome and this month does NOT disappoint. I'm very very glad to be a part of the popsugar must have subscription base because it really has become my #1 box out of the many I sub to. This month we got another book (a cookbook?! yes!) and some very cool stuff although one item was kind of a disappointment but we'll get to that. Let's get down to the review: 






The Can't Cook Book: Recipes for the Absolutely Terrified! 

A cookbook! I typically love, LOVE LOVE for books to be included in the popsugar box but I'm not a cookbook fan at all since I don't cook AT ALL. As in the few times I tried to cook were terrible so I gave it up and left that special skill up to others which incredible since as a female I just HAVE to know how to cook. Gag me with a spoon. This particular cookbook is for the non-cookers amongst us and Jerry Seinfeld's wife is here to teach us how to make some simple meals. The idea is cute enough and the book is well made but I just don't know. I wish I could get inspired to cook like I like to craft but the idea of touching raw meat and raw chicken makes me want to puke as soon as I even think about it! Hopefully, one day I'll be struck with the need to cook and I'll have this handy book to help me through the perils of cooking. For now, I'll just look at the pretty pictures of food. 9/10 



NYX Cosmetics Liquid Liner and Smokey Shadow Palette 

I've slowly been getting to know NYX since I tend to get stuff from them through ipsy as well and this month we got a pretty nice shadow palette (dark smoky neutrals) and a dark brown liquid eyeliner. Unfortunately I can't give you guys any specifics on the texture or color payoff because this is yet another pair of items that was 'given' (by way of force) to my mom. Apparently I already have too much makeup or whatever so yeah…. I'm not happy about it but the sizing (full size) and colors look good so anyone that got the pair and gets to keep them (imagine that), tell me if they're worth buying! 8/10 



Gorjana Charity Bali Bead Bracelet 

This is the aforementioned disappointment item in this month's box. Gorjana is kind of a staple brand in popsugar must have  boxes so I've come to expect that the jewelry they send is going to be on the small side but this time, they broke the freaking record. My homies at makeuptalk were pretty angry about the sizing as well. The issue is that the bracelet looks like it's made for a child. What do I mean? It's teeny tiny! I literally couldn't close it without pinching my wrist! Mine measured about 6" which isn't the smallest ever but a lot smaller than the average 7" that a lot of bracelets are. It is a charity bracelet and not anything quite formal (hot pink string and gold beads) so the loss is minimal but I don't like to lose at all so I'll find a way to make it fit (with an extension or something not like a wrist diet! Are there wrist diets? Knowing how the world works, I'd say yes). 6/10


Julep  for Popsugar  Duo

Julep  and popsugar  together?? It is an early christmas miracle! Lol. Actually, it is pretty awesome considering I really like both subscription boxes and I love what I got. What did I get? The julep Freedom Polymer Topcoat (which I ran out of about 6 weeks ago and have been using an essie topcoat since) and Julep nail lacquer in Char (a navy blue) which I think I already have though I'm not sure and as soon as I mentioned this doubt, Char was commandeered by my mother. As you'll see in the other item reviews, dear reader of this blog, this won't be the only time that'll happen. Either way, an awesome addition to a great box and seeing as the topcoat retails for around ~ $20 but itself, I'm a happy camper. 11/10 

Note: It also comes with a code for a free month of Julep

Enter JULEPMUSTHAVE at Julep and you'll get your first month free. Be warned that this sub is addictive! ;) 



Jane Tran Bobby Pins 

I'd already seen these around thanks to beautybar's sample society. However, I think they're a welcome addition to the box. I always need (and want!!) more stuff for my hair and especially updos. This was a full set not like a sample of 3-4 and I was very excited to have it until my mom basically harangued me out of them (as well as many of the better items of this month's boxes and I am NOT happy because would a freaking thank you or at least any acknowledgement hurt her? huh?) Anywayyyy (backing away from mother/daughter issues….) I liked them but unfortunately was unable to try them out because I'd be a terrible daughter if I didn't give them away (and I still get shit anyway!!! Grrrrrr…). Ok, I must take a chill break because I'm getting sort of pissy re: the bobby pins. Suffice it to say that they're cute and great for an updo. 9/10 



The Wet Brush 

The wet brush has to be one of my favorite items in this month's must have box. I have been in dire need of a new regular brush since I lost my pretty boar bristle one and I've been dealing with my hair with a paddle brush (not the best brush when you want volume). Thankfully, popsugar  included this little piece of magic that is perfect for brushing wet hair. The bristles bend so as to not break your hair but they're sturdy enough that you can detangle it well. I'm in love with this brush and I'm using it way more than I expected. Four for you, popsugar! You go, popsugar ! 11/10 


The Crisper Halloween Crispycake

I ate this little piece of perfection the same day I got it. It had the two most important factors: 1. Tasty as faaaaack, 2. Halloween-y sprinkles!! Plus, it was large enough to share and to still have some left over for later. I'm definitely keeping my eye on the crispery and planning to order some tasty treats from them in the next few weeks! 10/10


Stitch Fix $20 gift card 

Stitch Fix is a monthly service where you pay $20 as a stylist's fee to be sent a box of clothing and then you get to try on said items (they're chosen by a stylist) and you get to purchase (including a $20 credit from the stylist's fee towards your purchase) whatever you'd like to keep and return the rest. It's an interesting idea and the gift card included can get you started on your first month but I'm not 100% sure that I want to. It is quite intriguing but I'm worried that I'd get stuff that was tried on so many times that it would be practically used. I don't know… but I'm very interested so I might just jump in and try this first month thanks to popsugar. The clothing sent ranges from sizes 0-14 so larger ladies aren't catered for (which is utter bs in my opinion and a big loss of revenue considering how many big girls like fashionable clothing) and that is a big minus for the company. However, I'm trying to keep an open mind and maybe try them for a month. Who knows? I hadn't heard of them before this so they just might be worth it but for now, I'm on the fence. 7/10 









Overall, a great box. It is on par with september's box of complete awesome and while september's box book was loads better than October's (crafts vs. cooking? no contest for me), I really did enjoy the variety of items included. It seems that popsugar is getting better and better at what they do and I'm quite happy about that. Unfortunately, I heard that the price for the box will be going up to $40.00 (from $35.00 + tax) but, so far, it's worth those extra $5 bucks. Also, the Neiman Marcus/Popsugar collaboration box is selling for $250 so that's a bit steeper (and I would omg completely buy it if I could afford it, for I am a shopaholic) but, if you can afford it, so much fun! 


Box:
Frequency:
Monthly
Price:
$35.00 (+ tax in CA) $30.00 for first box with REFER5 code, see code section) + price goes up to $40.00 + tax in CA (not all states) in November
Perks
You can earn free months with referrals.
CODES:

REFER5 (enter in the promo code box) for $5.00 off your first box.

Recommend
Yes! Yes! Yes! This month was also the fucking bomb and I 100% recommend this box.  I love and look forward to getting a box full of surprises every month. If you're really interested, give it a month or two and go from there. We're coming up on the holiday season and y'all know that's when the good stuff comes out!!!!

As always, don't spend your money on anything you don't love!



Friday, October 11, 2013

New Popsugar Discount Code!! $5 or $10 off

Now this will be a quickie post because I want to got to sleep (it's about 2:30 am as I write this) but I just got a discount code that might be interesting!

The Popsugar Must Have box is one of my favorites and last month's box was one of the best in a long time (seriously, I fell in love all over again!) so it was mighty good of them to come out with 2 new discount codes. I'm assuming they're only for new subscribers but if anyone was waiting to try the box, here's a good little discount:

Enter the following promo code at checkout:

SQUAD5 for $5 off your first month (if you get a monthly sub)

SQUAD10 for $10 off your 3 month sub. If you get this option, you're paying for the three months upfront. I'd say if you're unsure, go for the 1 month discount as that's where you'll spend the least cash.


As always, much love and enjoy the boxes!!

Thursday, October 10, 2013

October Boxes: September Whimseybox, Julep, etc.


Hey guys,

I'm sorry I took so long to come back but between my cat passing away and all the work I've had, it hasn't been easy to carve out a time to write. Now back to what matters: boxes!

There's also another reason why I haven't posted any review this month: I haven't gotten any of my boxes yet! I'm serious!!! I don't know what's going on but apparently Julep is having issues with my credit card for no reason and they still haven't sent me the October box I want so very, very much and all the other boxes, I haven't even gotten shipment notifications for!! I've been having a box dry spell these past two weeks because I'm pretty broke but I need NEED NEED!!!!! to find a job so I can buy myself some cute stuff. My birthday is in less than a month (11/11!!) and I have no idea what I'm going to do or if I'm even going to be able to get myself any gifts. Regardless, I love buying myself stuff and as soon as I can afford it, I shall pamper myself as much as humanly possible. We're talking sephora, macarons, a very very long list of books on my amazon wish list that I want to get, a lots o' clothes (especially a new fall coat! first rain in like 6 months today in socal!)

Before I forget, I did get September's whimseybox. Unfortunately, for me, it was total suckitude. It was the first box that I wasn't excited for at. ALL. Why? Well, September's project is called "macrame all the things". Unfortunately (for me, again), I don't really like macrame. Ok, I freaking hate it and any item that I could make would clash with my decor so much that well it isn't even worth it. Fortunately (finally a fortunately) my mother was there to take it off my hands about as soon as it was delivered. She seemed excited to try macrame and who am I deny my mommy some craft love? Especially if I'll never do that project myself? So, the box was gone and gone before I could take any pictures and that is why I haven't posted an individual review.

Since I hate not giving you guys pretty things to look at, I recommend hustling it over to the Whimseybox website where the project, pics, and instructions are all available. There are also other (better!) projects they have instructions for and their shop is addictive. I'm into making the sequin pumpkin project and wanted to get me a nice poo-kin today but couldn't because of the lovely, lovely rain. If you have lived in the UK, you have to be able tolerate rain. I don't only tolerate it, I love it! I love cloudy days and finally being able to wear my sweaters from my awesome sweater collection rather than padding around the house in skimpy and uglyyy pj's just to keep cool (the summer was never-ending this year. Yesterday was the first day that the temp lowered from 80 f)


Ok, so now you guys know everything about my current box status. As soon as I start getting my beloved boxes, I'll post reviews and tell you guys what's what' For now, I'm going to start watching my collection of Halloween episodes of TV Shows (I really do have a considerable collection on my imac because as you all might know I'm obsessed with halloween!!!!!) and have some relaxing Leslie time. Ooooh, I'm also excited about watching the 'Regular Show' Fright Pack (halloween episodes dvd)! I'm not one of those people that thinks they're too old for cartoons. I love cartoons and will keep watching them as long as they're fun to watch.

Age ain't nothin' but a number!