Saturday, July 20, 2013

Birchbox Haul + Mini Giveaway!

Yes! My big Birchbox order finally arrived! As you probably know, the Birchbox store is a regular candyland of beauty products, home goods, as well as lifestyle items and when you have points to cash in? It's hard not to lose yourself in the plethora of palettes and powders. Because of my refusal to spend any points over the past few months, I was able to save up (for once!) and get a total of seven products for a whomping $3.98! How fantastic is that?

For those of you that are new to the Birchbox scene, all BB subscribers can earn points via leaving reviews on the samples they received for the current month, friend referrals, as well as receiving points back on placed orders. The best part? These points add up pretty quickly since every Birchbox itself is worth between 40-70 points and every 100 points is equal to $10 in the BB store.

Keep in mind, this post is just going to be "first impressions", full separate reviews will be up as soon as I have tested everything out for a bit. So, what did I finally cash my points in for???



My first experience with the Nexxus Elixir was back in my April Birchbox, this leave-in serum claims to combat damaged, aging hair as well as rebuild strength using ingredients like keratin, argan oil, vitamins, proteins, and omega 3's. Sounds pretty amazing right? Even though the sample bottle that I received was incredibly tiny, I was able to get quite a few uses out of it and surprisingly, I did notice a great improvement with my hair and a decrease in frizz. I'm looking forward to testing out the full size and seeing if the improvement continues.


Okay, okay we're on a bit of a Nexxus kick here but, this was yet another Birchbox sample that was sent out in the past although I never actually received it myself. Since all of you have heard by now just how dry my hair is, I won't go into how I am always on the lookout for new conditioning products. Wait...I just went into it, didn't I? Okay, moving on. I had been wanting to try this product out ever since I first heard about it and I will admit, the words conditioning foam had me intrigued from the very beginning. I have used this everyday since receiving it and I honestly have yet to notice any conditioning magic, my hair feels exactly the same before and after. I am hoping that with continued use perhaps I will notice an improvement?


As someone who has both acne scars and hyper-pigmentation, you would think that I would have purchased this a long time ago (why I did not I have no idea). I have dabbled with black soaps in the past but they were always the cheap brands that sucked every ounce of moisture out my face after using it and because of that, I moved onto other products. But recently, I have been seeing a lot of talk and rave reviews over the Shea Terra brand of skincare and I have been coveting this since. The best thing about this face wash is that is 100% pure, it is exactly what it is supposed to be without all the additives and funky stuff. I have been using this everyday now and each time my face is left feeling cleaner, looking brighter, healthier, and more awake all without so much as a dry patch afterwards. Alright, I sound like an infomercial but I cannot believe that I have finally found a black soap that does not leave my skin dry, tight, and peeling; if these are the results of a few days, I cannot wait to see my how skin is after I have been using it for a few weeks.


Since Birchbox has really been pushing the Tibi collaboration as of late, I jumped at the chance to get a free clutch/makeup bag with my order. And well, I am glad that it was free. While it is a nice bag with a cute print, I do not think it is worth the $28 price tag. Even thought it does seem sturdy and nicely made, the quality doesn't seem to be any different than similar bags available at Target (not to mention my bag arrived smelling like cheap plastic). If they were trying to make this into more of a clutch purse, I would have liked to see the back as a sort of faux leather material instead of the plain grey fabric. Overall, I am glad that I have it since it was a gift with purchase but, I would have been disappointed had I paid full price.



How cute is this mini styler? Okay, I realize that my hair is past my shoulders and so this would probably not be adequate for straightening my entire head but on days where my bangs will not cooperate (which is quite often) or for those pieces of hair that are close to the ears or too close to the roots to risk burning yourself over, this will be quite perfect. I have used this once so far and while it does get very hot, it certainly takes longer than 10 seconds to do so despite what the packaging claims (about 3 minutes give or take). As far as performance, the claim of it being gentle on hair and not tugging is absolutely true, I was able to glide it through my hair without any discomfort whatsoever. The coolest feature? This little guy even has ridges on both sides for better gripping and control. As for straightening ability, it did an excellent job at straightening my wavy roots which is something not easily done. If the full size straighteners were not so expensive, I would happily be purchasing one but, for now I'm content with my Instyler and using this mini for touch-ups and travel.


An old favorite here, my trusty DDF Brightening Cleanser. I LOVE this stuff! I first tried this back in my October Birchbox (the Goop edition) and in the months that it took me to use up the bottle (this was a huge 4 oz sample) I did notice a big improvement with my acne scarring and how my skin felt as a whole; my skin felt smoother, and looked a lot brighter and not so dull. Although it did not make my acne scarring fade completely, I still love this cleanser; so happy to have another bottle on hand.

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Now, a Stila Lip Glaze is something that I will never wear as I personally do not enjoy lip gloss so, I've decided to give it away to one of my lovely readers! I really hope no one is offended by me giving away a product that I received for free, I just figured that someone else would get a lot more use out of it than I ever would.
Giveaway Rules:
  • You must be subscribed to Dollface Beauty via GFC, Bloglovin', or email to enter
  • Sorry lovelies, but since this giveaway is so small it is US only!
  • This giveaway will be open for 5 days! I will announce the winner first thing 7/26/13
  • To enter, please leave the comment "I Heart Stila" below along with your blog link (if you have one)
And of course, the prize is this Stila Lip Glaze in "Camera"!

And don't fret, I will be having a proper giveaway very, very soon which will be open internationally!

Much love & Happy Shopping! xo

This giveaway is now closed. No entries. 






Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Birchbox July


Power Play "This month's box is dedicated to helping you take control of any situation, and to make the most of every minute - on the clock or off duty. We've even called in the experts - namely the characters of USA's hit series SUITS - who were the inspiration for some of this month's samples. Try their picks and don't forget to tune in to the season premiere with @Birchbox on Tuesday, July 16 at 10/9c." Happy Playing!

Well there you have it lovelies! This month, Birchbox teamed up to create boxes inspired by the popular show, Suits. While I have never personally watched the show, Gabriel Macht IS one of my favorite actors and so, I have always been intrigued. Hmm...maybe I SHOULD start watching. As far as the products selected, I can see where a couple of them could come into play with the theme of a long work day but, with the majority of boxes there seems to be a major disconnect between the items and the show itself; I personally feel that they could have done a lot better. With that being said, I am very, very happy with the box that I received! I ended up with box #2 which contained:




I honestly did not expect to enjoy Girl Meets Pearl as much as I do just for the simple fact that I almost never wear highlighters. For the past few years, my go to highlighter has been Too Faced Candlelight, which is supposed to be "translucent" but on my skin tone, it can quickly look too bright if applied too heavily. I am happy to report that I do not have this problem with Girl Meets Pearl. Because of its slight golden pink base, the hint of color is just enough for it to blend into my skin flawlessly without having to worry about a white-ish cast. I love that the sample sizes of this product come in tube form since the full size version comes with an inconvenient twist up application; I have never personally owned the full size but since you only need a tiny amount at a time, I would imagine that the residual product that got twisted up yet remained unused would dry up and eventually clog up the container. I have yet to wear this for the entire day to see how it performs past a couple of hours but, even if it should wear away, the tube would make touching up a breeze. Would I purchase this? Absolutely. Retail: $30.00 // 0.4 fl oz


I have really been enjoying this moisturizer, the light berry scent is refreshing compared to the usual cocktail of chemicals and artificial scents. I love that it sinks into my skin effortlessly, leaves no oily or sticky residue and fortunately I do not experience any of the pilling issues that I have read about in reviews online. My one gripe is that, I do not whatsoever notice any real "mattifying" effect; my t-zone still produces the same amount of oil as it always does and I find myself touching up with my trusty powder after an hour or so. Would I purchase this? I'm going to say yes because it is a nice moisturizer but, the price is a bit on the expensive side and I have other products that I prefer over this. Retail: $22.00 // 30 ml (1 oz)


I must admit, I was quite amused at receiving lotion in the form of "ketchup packets" as the MakeupTalk forum members have so affectionately deemed them. In spite of receiving such a tiny amount (even though there were three packets) the body creme spread quite well! One packet is enough to moisturize both of my arms with a little left over to work into my hands and cuticles. Unfortunately, I can't say that I like the scent much at all; it DOES smell like green apples, albeit very artificial green apples but apples nonetheless. If I were to purchase this, it would absolutely be in another scent; most likely coconut. I do like that this lotion is all natural and devoid of any chemicals so that is by far a plus. Couple that with it being quite good at moisturizing my reasonably dry skin without the dreaded residue and I think we have a winner. So, would I purchase this? Yes as far as performance goes but, the price is too expensive for my liking. Retail: $15.00 // 8 oz


I really, really wanted to love this product but, it was a complete let down for me. The idea of a simple spray standing up to the challenge of my cactus dry hair was almost comical, and as I had predicted, my wild mane won again. I have used this spray almost everyday since receiving it and I have noticed absolutely no difference between my hair normally and when I use this. This product claims to condition, detangle and protect from UV rays, and while I cannot comment on the UV protection, as far as de-tangling or conditioning, this spray did neither for me. I did like that it left no sticky residue nor did it make my hair feel crunchy but, those are the only pro's that I can give this. Would I purchase? No. Retail: $32.00 // 200 ml


I usually adore when Birchbox sends out little extras such as these (my favorite has been the nail file) but unfortunately, these oversized bobby pins just don't do it for me. Since my hair often has a mind of its own, bobby pins are an item that I utilize almost daily but, I personally prefer the hair matching "invisible" bobby pins to the very prominent, HELLO! Birchbox design. With that being said, I do like the pattern, if instead of pins they had been a clip or hair flower, I would have been in LOVE. All personal preferences aside, these are good quality and quite sturdy, they have a super strong hold which means those fly-aways aren't going anywhere! However, the reason that they hold hair so well is because they do not open much at all. Have you ever had one of those infuriating key rings that you have to fight with and chip several nails before they cooperate? Bingo. Alright, they are not THAT bad but, they certainly do not have the "give" of tradional bobby pins. Would I purchase these? No. Retail: $5 // Set of six

Well lovelies, that's it for my July Birchbox, what did you think of the products? I for one have found a new love in the form of Benefit's Girl Meets Pearl and as soon as I save up enough points again, I will be purchasing the full size. Looking forward to the August box!

Much love xo

Thursday, July 11, 2013

The Rainbow Tag

Hi lovelies! Today I decided to do the Colors of the Rainbow Tag. The concept behind this is pretty simple, well...I thought it would be, it is actually a little challenging. As I understand it, you are supposed to match your favorite beauty and/or fashion items to each of the seven colors of the rainbow. There are two optional extras, "multi-colored" and "pink" if you have something available, unfortunately I don't seem to own anything bright and multi-colored but I do have pink! A huge thank you to Jackie over at FiveTwo Certified for tagging me; go and check out her blog! 

Red - MAC Lady Danger Lipstick



My absolute favorite lipstick right now, and a forever staple in my makeup drawer (full review will be coming soon). I love how bright and eye-catching this lipstick is, seriously, this lipstick is almost neon. If you've been looking for a real statement red, Lady Danger is one of MAC's best. The matte formula glides on effortlessly, is delightfully non-drying, and stays put for hours without budging. 

Orange - OPI Cajun Shrimp



There is just something appealing about a polish named after food; this has been at the top of my favorite polishes ever since I purchased it, both the color and formula are just about perfect. Opaque in one to two coats, dry within minutes, and the longest lasting of any of my other polishes; Cajun Shrimp is an absolute dream to work with. You can check out my full review here

Yellow - TheBalm Balm Jovi Palette



Oh boy, what can I say about this palette except that I use it every single day. I own two other palettes along with this one and I let me just say, the other two have been seriously neglected ever since I purchased this. My favorite eye shades are Presto, Third Eye Blinded, REM, Blink 1982, Alice Copper, and Adagio. The Vanilly lip & cheek color is very similar to MAC's Russian Red. Every product in this palette is very pigmented and a little truly does go a long way, I have yet to make dents in any of the shades. If I had to critique anything, I would have liked to see the lip shades as remove-able, while they are protected, I still would have liked the option, but other than that, I think this is a stellar palette to have. You can check out my full review here.

Green - Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-On



This has been one of my staple items ever since I received it in my April Birchbox. I can unfortunately never seem to get enough sleep and couple that with extreme allergies and you have one sad blogger; the attached metal ball feels cool and refreshing while the solution soothes and moisturizes my under eye area. This has been a life saver on those early mornings and days where I look (and feel!) especially tired. I know that no remedy will EVER be as beneficial as old fashioned rest but, I do love having this on hand.

Blue - Too Faced Shadow Insurance



Shadow Insurance was the first eye shadow primer that I ever owned and all these years later, it is still my top favorite; my lids stay matte and my eye shadows stay in place for the entire day. What else can I ask for? It's just an all-around kickass primer that lasts forever and a day. Okay, maybe not forever but, one tube does last me a year with daily use.

Indigo - Batman Tee



Who doesn't love comic book heroes? Wait...there are actually people out there who DON'T love comic book heroes? For shame! I purchased this tee at comic con last year and it has been one of my favorites since, well okay.. it is second behind the Avengers but, the material is super stretchy and soft. It has been almost an entire year since purchasing it and still no fading or ripping so far.

Violet - Vera Wang Lovestruck Perfume



Ever since I can remember, I have been OBSESSED with Vera Wang perfumes but, out of the current two that I own, Lovestruck is my favorite. I have never been good with describing scents so bare with me, but to me, it is just a nice musky floral; not heavy but certainly not the lightest scent. Notes include: Pink guava, mandarin, tuberose, lotus blossom, woods, and sheer musk.

Pink - TheBalm Hot Mama


Hot mama has been one of my go to eye shadows ever since I received it from Birchbox back in December of last year. Like all of my other products by TheBalm, a little bit goes a long way. This shade is perfect for giving a natural, warm glow to my skin as well as helping to even out my eyelid color on my "no makeup, makeup" days.

Well, there you have it lovelies, my answers to the Rainbow Tag! It was not only fun but honestly tricky at the same time. Thank you again to Jackie for tagging me, you can find her rainbow tag post here! Now, to all you lovely ladies below, good luck! I cannot wait to see your answers.

I Tag:






Much love xo

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

MAC By Request Is Back!

Hey lovelies! It is that time again, MAC By Request is officially back! I just received the e-mail and couldn't wait to share. If you have never heard of MBR, it is essentially an epic MAC blast from the past of which they select a few long discontinued lipsticks, eye shadows and sometimes other products (last year lipglasses were included) to which the fans vote and the shades that win will be brought back for a second round! How awesome is that?

"You voted. We listened. MAC By Request is back for a second year! What's old is new again, and the most beloved shades from the 90's and 2000's have returned for an encore performance. MAC is bringing back highly-requested retro-classic, long-lost lipsticks and eye shadows. Starting on July 8th - vote on Facebook for your favorite shades and the six (3 lipsticks and 3 shadows) with most votes will return in Spring 2014. Exclusively online."

Now, MAC seems to have posted contradictory information as their official Facebook page states "M·A·C By Request is back! This time with rare shades from the 90s, the vanguard of M·A·C’s timelessly original colour. Vote for your favourites from 7/8/13 - 7/21/13. The top three Lipsticks and Eye Shadows will then be available to purchase this winter! Only one vote per product category, per person, per day"

As you can see, they have gone from saying Spring 2014 to Winter 2013. I have a feeling that the winter date is more accurate but, I will update this post once I receive confirmation.


Lipsticks (from left to right):

Glam - Vivid bright pinky-red (Matte) Viva Glam 1992
Flavour - Soft muted peachy-pink (Satin) Freedom Colour Additions 1994
Tomango - Bright red-orange (Matte) Pre-1990
Hoop - Mid-tone rosy pink (Matte) Le Groove Colour 1991
Rozz - Watermelon reddish-pink (Matte) Pre-1990
Pink Poodle - Vivid fuschia-pink (Frost) Valentine's Day Collection 2000

Eye Shadows (from left to right):

Butterscotch - Warm beige (Matte) Pre-1990
Ashbury - Taupe-grey (Matte) MAC Mod 1990
Fiction - Muted green w/ shimmer (Frost) Colour Abstractions Colour Additions 1997
Diesel - Cool grey (Frost) Freedom Colour Additions 1994
Chill - Soft white w/ shimmer (Satin) Le Groove Colour 1991

As far as lipsticks, I personally will be voting for Rozz, I have looked up swatches and it is absolutely GORGEOUS! And as you know, there is no such thing as having too many red lipsticks.

As for shadows, I will be voting for Ashbury. While it may not be the most unique color, it is the only shade out of the five that I would actually wear.

Let me know below, will YOU be voting? If so, which shades will you be voting for? Also, if you could pick, what other discontinued MAC shades and/or products would you like to see again?

Thank you to the MAC Facebook page for the product info

Much love xo


Thursday, July 4, 2013

All Striped Up - Torrid Strapless Dress OOTD

Happy Fourth of July lovelies! I hope you all are enjoying the fireworks along with an abundance of yummy food. Today was an absolute scorcher...well okay, it was a scorcher to ME since anything above 75 degrees has me crying like the Wicked Witch of the West, "I'M MELTING, MELTING!!"

Since it was supposed to be a hot, ahem, beautiful day, my friends and I decided to journey down to the beach and spend the 4th on the sand with a perfect view of the gorgeous fireworks by nightfall. Since I usually come back from the beach exhausted, sweaty, and full of sand where it should NOT be, I decided to take my outfit of the day pictures before I turned into grumpy cat. I figured what better way to enjoy a day on the beach than a cute & casual dress paired with a white denim jacket to keep me at least somewhat warm once nightfall arrived. Okay...you caught me..skip the keeping warm part, I just wanted to rock my new jacket.


By the way, YES! I am wearing a jacket that I haven't the faintest hope of buttoning up. Why? I specifically bought it this way so that whatever top or dress that I'm wearing underneath won't be hindered by excess denim floating in the way.

I decided to wear this outfit sans accessories so that none would get lost in the sand. If you think that the heat makes me grumpy, you can only imagine me trying to dig in the sand for a lost bracelet, now THAT is a sight to be seen (it is similar to a Gordon Ramsay special but, you didn't hear that from me).


Since this post is kind of short I'm going to include my review for this dress as well. I picked this up not too long ago (whenever the last Haute Cash sale was) and I can certainly say, I'm glad I purchased this while on sale and not at pull price. Even though this dress is super cute and beyond comfy, I just don't think that it's worth the $48.50 price tag, in fact nowhere near; I would price this dress as being worth somewhere in the $20 range. Why? I have only worn this dress three times and pilling has already begun, and while that is okay for a cheap item, I do not want a $50 clothing item doing that after only a handful of wears. Also, because of the cotton/spandex material, this dress is fond of losing it's shape after a few hours of wear-time. Thankfully though, the shape does bounce back after it has been washed.

Now, as you've read, this dress has a couple of negative aspects but, don't fret, this dress has a certain level of awesomeness as well. Firstly, if you're like me and you sweat, and by sweat I mean boob sweat, belly roll sweat, and the whole shebang, this dress is perfect. Since it is made out of pure cotton, it keeps you both cool and dry, which is essential when being a fat babe and walking around in 80+ degree weather. Secondly, as I said above, this dress is wonderfully comfy as the sizes run quite large. I purchased a size 5 and I could have easily went down to a 4 or maybe even a size 3. Also, if you're a SPANX wearer like myself, this dress is flowy enough that you can easily forgo the SPANX (I know I did).

Overall, if you're looking for a cute summer dress that will keep you comfortable, cool, and dry, this is a good dress to own. However, I still would not pay full price; this item is on-sale right now for $33.95 but, between you and me, I may or may not have seen a $10 off coupon floating around so be sure to search for that *shameless hint*.

Ashley Stewart Cropped Denim Vest

Lipstick is MAC Russian Red. Check out my review here!

This dress is also available in two other colors, you can check them out here & here

Much love xo

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

The Beauty Blogger Tag!!

Big thanks to Cookie over at The Charming Cheshire for tagging me! If you have yet to check out her blog, do so now! She is one of my favorite bloggers and she posts a lot of great content, you can check out her Beauty Blogger Tag Post here. Now let's get right to it, shall we? Onward we go!

Rules:
  • State that this tag was created by The Beau Bow
  • Tag some more beauty bloggers
  • Title this as I've done to show what the tag is about

This tag was created by The Beau Bow!

The lovely bloggers that I've tagged are at the bottom of this post!

Questions:

1. Name a beauty routine you rarely do. Drying my hair? Well with a blow dryer that is; I almost always let my hair air dry except for rare occasions that I don't have time. 

2. Is washing your makeup brushes something you do regularly? I always spot clean my brushes after using them, but unfortunately I do not actually wash them regularly enough. Horrid, I know. 

3. How long will you last with chipped nail varnish? I never really worry about chipped nails. I usually just leave everything alone until I decide to change my nail polish completely.

4. How long do you put off buying/replacing a beauty or nail polish product even if you need it (i.e. - top coat, foundation, etc.)? I will usually re-purchase a product before I run out but if not, I will purchase it shortly after if it is an essential or a favorite. If it it something that I can get by without then I won't be in a rush to get it. 

5. What is your worst beauty habit? Probably not removing all of my eyeliner at night. I don't currently own makeup remover but, I do try to remove what I can with my cleanser; I can never seem to get all of it though because I almost always wake up with eyeliner smeared up to my eyebrow. 

6. Name something non-beauty related that you put off all the time. Cleaning out my purse. I constantly throw makeup items and other things into my bag, until one day I'll freak out because I think that I've lost certain things, lo and behold they're right there in my purse.

7. When going out somewhere, do you leave getting ready until the last minute or not? Most of the time, if I'm going somewhere casual or to spend a day with friends I will usually put off getting ready until almost time to go. If I decide to have a more dressed up day, I will easily spend a few hours getting ready.

8. Can you commit to spending bans? I'm actually sort of on one right now, with the exception of purchasing a few things here and there, I haven't really spent any money towards new makeup or clothing in a few months. 

9. How organized is your makeup and nail polish collections? For a beauty blogger and lover of all things makeup, my collection is quite small compared to those that I have seen. My entire nail polish collection is organized into one half of an empty Birchbox and my makeup collection is organized into 2 tiny storage drawers, one for eyes and the other for face and lips, I try to keep everything pretty neat and in their respective places.  

10. What is the longest time you've gone without writing a blog post? About a month or so. I hate having to go on hiatus but sometimes it's necessary.

I Tag:



Pretty Purchases

Thank you again to Cookie for tagging me, I really enjoyed doing this fun little post! To those of you that I've tagged, I cannot wait to see your answers! And as always, Happy Blogging!

Much love xo

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Birchbox June


Hey lovelies! Wow, I feel like it has been forever since my last Birchbox post. Forgive me for posting this so late in the game, I know that everyone has received theirs by now but I just received mine about a week ago and I still had to try everything out. Luckily, I can say that it was well worth the wait! Can I just express how much I adored this month? I could not have received a more perfect box; I was sent box #26 which contained:


This month, Birchbox decided to revamp their entire look from the design of the website right down to the boxes themselves. They even sent a few postcards to celebrate the opening of their new offices around the world, and so, it was only fitting that the theme for the June box is "wanderlust".

"Counting the days until your next takeoff? Mentally assembling the ultimate packing list for Bora-Bora? Corralling the family for a beach getaway? We feel you. When wanderlust strikes, it sticks. That's why this month's box is filled with samples from near and far that will serve you well on all your summer adventures."   

I think the items that I received fit perfectly with the summer essentials/wanderlust theme. Of course you're going to need shampoo on your travels, along with oil and conditioner to hydrate your hair afterwards. Why not take along an exfoliator to keep your skin looking soft and glowy. Don't forget your powder to keep your skin oil free in the hot sun, and who doesn't want a bright, summery polish to complete the look? Okay...I really am reading too much into this. Let's just get to the reviews shall we?


I am really fond of this shampoo, it has a light, pleasant, almost baby powder scent and a little went a very long way. My favorite thing? It made my hair incredibly soft. I am pretty sure this is the very first shampoo that I have encountered to make my hair feel like I've used conditioner. As far as the conditioner itself, I did not enjoy it nearly as much as the shampoo. Somehow, it actually made my hair my hair feel less soft once I rinsed it out; now that is something I will never understand. How does a conditioner make your hair feel worse!? As far as the oil, I hated it as it did absolutely nothing for my hair -correction- it ended up making my hair crunchy and sticky even though I only used a small amount. I would purchase the shampoo if not for the price.


Davines Shampoo: $24.00 // 8 oz
Davines Conditioner: $27.50 // 8 oz
Davines Oi/Oil: $41.00 // 4 oz 


Now to my favorite product of the box, I am infatuated with this cleanser! I know infatuated is a strong word but, I really do love this product; it has my skin positively glowing after using it and amazingly, I only need a pea sized amount because it spreads quite well. My only gripe is that since it is so dense, I find it a little tricky getting the right amount, couple that with the sample being in a small jar and it's a little rage inducing (I wish it had come with a scoop) not to mention jars can be unsanitary so make sure to have clean hands. But, once I've gotten some out, it is super easy to use. I just rub this onto my face using warm water, after a couple of minutes the sugar is completely dissolved, and I rinse my face with cool water. I can't say that this has done anything for my dark spots, or if it's even supposed to but it has made the large pores on my cheeks a lot smaller. I will be purchasing this at some point. Retail: $32.95 // 4 oz


I honestly did not think that I was going to like this powder as much as I did given my terrible experience with the similar ELF version. Past experiences aside, I find myself reaching for this as my go-to powder now; being my first Youngblood product ever, I am very impressed. Unlike the ELF version which made my face feel tight, dry, and uncomfortable, this powder does none of that. In fact, I can't even notice when I wear it; it blends in flawlessly and does not leave any white-ish overcast or residue on my skin. As far as the hydrating and oil control aspects, my face does feel softer when using this and it does a great job with controlling my t-zone oil. However, this powder does not last all day and I find myself having to re-apply at least once which can be quite messy with the sample jar. I would purchase this. Retail: $40.00 // 0.35 oz


When they said neon pastels, they meant NEON PASTELS ( it looks muted in the bottle, don't be fooled!). This coral/pink shade is borderline highlighter bright to the point that I was very hesitant to even try it. I can't say that I like the way the neon looks against my skintone but, it is a very pretty color; if I could find a dupe for this that was not neon then I would be a happy camper. My gripe with this as well as all other Color Club polishes that I've tried is that it applies very streaky, uneven, and full of bubbles no matter how careful I am, so for that alone I do not recommend. I have heard that the full size CC polishes do not have this problem as the issue lies with the mini brushes, I plan on trying a full size CC polish in the future to see what I think. Retail: Color Club Wanderlust Set: $8.00 // 4 mini polishes

Overall, even though I only received forty points this month, I am super happy with what I received. The polish wasn't my favorite but it is a nice shade and something that I can use. I downright hated the oil but at least it was an extra. Since I loved three items and liked two out of a total of six, I definitely call this a fantastic box. I am SUPER proud of Birchbox, they seemed to have finally stepped it up in terms of sending bigger and better samples; looking forward to the July box!

Much love xo

Monday, July 1, 2013

Favorite Product Of The Month - June

Hello lovelies! I know that I haven't done a favorite in the month in awhile now but, it is officially back! This month was pretty easy for me to choose since I've been using this polish non-stop. It is OPI's Cajun Shrimp! I know, I know, this polish is nowhere near new but, it's something that I purchased not too long ago and have completely fallen in love with, in both name and formula.


I had heard so much about Cajun Shrimp prior to picking it up that I was honestly infatuated with it before I even made a purchase and I can see now that all of the rave reviews were exactly right. This is a gorgeous unique color that looks great on both my toes and hands. C'mon, we all have those polishes that only look good on one or the other however, Cajun Shrimp is the boss of both (okay that was corny). It is not quite true red, not quite orange, not quite pink but completely beautiful. I'm going to refrain from using the old "It's a bird, it's a plane, it's...." Okay...I'll stop. Seriously, I will.

My favorite thing about this polish is how fun and bright it is, along with it's creaminess and ability to be opaque in one coat. However, I do have a problem with my nail line peeking through ever so slightly so two to three coats is probably best in my case but, it's nothing that bothers me; just something to be aware of. And honestly, how many of us really bother with three coats?

As someone who tends to get chips far too easily, between typing and hand washing my polish usually doesn't stand a chance; I was very impressed by how much this shade stood up to the task, my mani's last about five days without chips versus the usual two days and even then, because of OPI's super wide brush (which I adore BTW) it is a lot easier to touch up. I know you're thinking, how does a wider brush make it easier to touch up? Well to me it does, I have never ever been able to master the art of using tiny, thin brushes, I always make a mess....I'm looking at you ZOYA.

Overall, if you love oranges and reds but want something summer-esque and gorgeous (with a delicious name!) Go, stop what you're doing and pick up Cajun Shrimp or...maybe go and just barbecue some shrimp, either one is approved.

Much love xo

Bye, Bye Google Reader

Well, it's official, it is now July 1st and Google Reader is now a thing of the past. I hope that I do not bore you all with repeating the same information over and over again but, I want to make sure that all of you who follow my blog (as well as other blogs) receive the info!

Before I start I would like to clear a few things up, for those that follow blogs via the Blogspot Reading List, this is NOT going away, you can still find all of your followed blogs as well as their posts on your reading list located on your Blogger home page. The recent changes to Google only affect those that follow blogs via Google Reader itself.

Google Friend Connect is also still working! I know almost all of us were concerned if our current follow count would be frozen or if new followers could continue to join via GFC. Well, they can! I followed two new blogs today and both times, their GFC count went up by one as well as displaying the tiny icon. Thankfully it seems that a lot of our previous worries have turned out to not affect us much at all. Who else is insanely happy? I know I am.

For my darling followers who follow via Google Reader and would like to continue receiving post updates from Dollface Beauty, there are two options.


If you have not already, I have made the switch to Bloglovin' and you can follow me there. If you have never heard of Bloglovin' it is just like Google Reader in the sense that all of your favorite blogs are in one convenient place, you can use this link to take you directly to my Bloglovin' page. You can also find a link in the right sidebar!

The second option, for those of you that would rather not sign up for Bloglovin', you can also follow my blog via email, that way every post update is emailed right to you, simply type your email address in the right sidebar and click submit. This is easy yet inconvenient if you follow a lot of different blogs since your email might become flooded if multiple blogs post on the same day.

Well, that's it lovelies! I am completely relieved to see that almost everything is exactly the way that it has always been and only a few minor tweaks are noticeable. Love you all and hope to see you here or over at Bloglovin'!

Much love xo