MAC Retro Matte Collection Swatches

"Inspired by Ruby Woo's overwhelming popularity and one-of-a-kind texture, MAC introduces new bold shades in its Retro Matte finish. Eye-catching colours like Dangerous and All Fired Up create a look that's fiercely feminine. MAC also premieres Pro Longwear Lip Pencils in a vibrant colour palette, giving this long-lasting and transfer-proof lip pencil an exhilarating makeover."

As you lovelies know, I am a complete and utter sucker for a good matte lip so, for MAC to release an entire matte collection is seriously one of the best things I could ask for! I ventured to my local MAC the day of release (September 12th) to get my paws on a couple of new lipsticks as well as to get swatches of everything; I ended up purchasing a few goodies by the names of, Fixed On Drama, All Fired Up, and the iconic Ruby Woo. 

Admittedly, I was a complete retro matte noob before this date, I had never tried the formula before but I must say it is to die for! It. does. not. budge. and coupled with my trusty Prep + Prime makes for some seriously bulletproof lip wear. If you enjoy a super matte lip, definitely do not hesitate to give this finish a try.

I will be posting full reviews of my new lipsticks very soon but, until then, enjoy the swatches!

L to R lipsticks: All Fired Up, Flat Out Fabulous, Dangerous, Fixed On Drama, Relentlessly Red, Runway Hit, & Ruby Woo (Steady Going was missing from the display).

T to B pencils: More To Love, High Energy, Fashion Boost, In Anticipation, Dynamo, Trust In Red, Shock Value, Kiss Me Quick

Even though I didn't purchase any of the lip pencils, I can already see that these babies are FANTASTIC; I put a bit of elbow grease into removing the swatches and some of the shades still left a faint stain.

September 12th was also the release date for the new Viva Glam 1 lipglass so I ended up swatching it as well.

Now, as I said in my Retro Matte press release post, there is still a huge discrepancy over what is limited edition and what's permanent in this collection. I've heard everything from nothing being limited and everything being permanent to only certain shades being limited and back again. Even MAC officials are giving conflicting information depending on who you ask, but as of right now, the MAC website has listed Steady Going, Runway Hit, Fixed On Drama, and Fashion Boost as being limited edition.

Check out the collections here & here

Lipsticks: $15.00 US/ $18.00 CDN

Pro Longwear Pencils: $19.50 US/ $23.00 CDN

Much love xo

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:

• Benefit Girl Meets Pearl
• Benta Berry G-1 Moisturizing Face Cream
• 100% Pure Nourishing Body Cream
• Number 4 Super Comb Prep & Protect
• Birchbox Bobby Pins

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

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*.

Torrid Black & White Striped Strapless Dress

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

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:

• Davines Three-Step Hair System (Shampoo, Conditioner, Oil)
• Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser
• Youngblood Hi-Definition Hydrating Mineral Perfecting Powder
• Colorclub WanderLust Collection Polish (Reign In Spain) 

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

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

Matrix Biolage Hydratherapie Ultra-Hydrating Balm - Review

As you lovelies probably already know, my hair is extremely dry. Ever since I can remember, I have had to apply palmfuls of oils and products to nourish and tame the cactus formally known as my hair. Because of this, I am constantly on the hunt for new and awesome conditioners as I have never truly found the perfect one. Is the perfect one even really out there, or am I doomed to only find ones that are close but no cigar?

A few weeks back I was at my local hair salon getting a trim when I decided to browse their wall of  products wanting to try something new. A few stylist recommendations later and I left for home with this in hand. According to the back of the bottle:

"Biolage Ultra-Hydrating Balm intensely conditions very dry, thick, coarse hair. Formulated with aloe extract, cupuacu butter, and apricot kernel oil to help envelop and smooth hair. Biolage Hydratherapie enriches dry hair with essential moisture, manageability, and softness. Formulas with aloe vera botanical help nourish and restore hair's health and moisture balance, revealing its natural softness, shine, and radiance."

So, how did it work? Quite good actually up until I read and researched the ingredients list (will explain more below). My favorite thing is just how little I need to coat all of my hair (I have medium length hair) a tiny bit goes a very long way with this conditioner which is unheard of for me, since I am so accustomed to using mountains of product. As far as routine, I simply wash my hair, apply the conditioner and cover with a plastic cap for 10-15 minutes before cool rinsing. Seems easy enough right? This is actually a bit of a negative for me because this balm only seems to work if I really let it soak in for ten minutes or more. I know that 10 minutes is not a long time whatsoever but it is a bit of an inconvenience if you're looking for a quick wash and go. I can't necessarily fault the product itself for this since my hair is so naturally dry but, it is something to be aware of if your hair is similar to mine. After my hair is completely dry it is very soft and manageability is spectacular. However, my hair is also naturally frizzy and this does absolutely NOTHING for frizz. Zero, nip, nada. So I still find myself having to use another product to combat that.

So far everything sounds pretty decent right? I was honestly shocked when I started researching the ingredients list because this is where the conditioner severely falters; it is absolutely chocked full of chemicals and fragrances, with quite a few of them being down right unhealthy for your hair. In hind sight, I should have done this before I made a purchase but unfortunately, I did not and now I'm stuck with it. I have bolded all of the unsavory and fishy ingredients below, as always please do your own research and decide what is best for you!

Ingredients: water, cetearyl alcohol, palm oil, behentrimonium chloride, glycerin, fragrance, isopropyl alcohol, stearamidopropyl dimethylamine, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, apricot kernel oil, cupuacu seed butter, limonene, citric acid, chlorhexidine dihydrochloride, hexyl cinnamal, coumarin, linalool, butylphenyl methylpropional, benzyl alcohol, hydroxycitronellal, amyl cinnamal

Isopropyl Alcohol aka rubbing alcohol is extremely drying

Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine is used to provide slip and to keep product from separating but can be corrosive and irritating if not neutralized properly.

Limonene is a strong citrus based solvent often used in cleaning products that may cause skin irritation.

Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride is a solvent mainly used as an antiseptic for wounds. May cause skin irritation.

Coumarin is used for fragrance and may irritate the skin. Toxic if eaten.

Benzyl Alcohol is another drying alcohol; can also be irritating in large amounts.


Overall, I really do like the way that this conditioner makes my hair feel but, would I re-purchase? Absolutely not. The vast list of chemicals, solvents and fragrances is something that I personally do not feel comfortable with and my hair is already dry enough without the use of not one but two different alcohols. No thank you! If this conditioner did not contain the multiple irritants and alcohols I would be in love but, as of right now, I will not be using it unless it is reformulated at some point without the harsh ingredients.

Retail: $17.99 (varies) // 10.1 fl oz

Ingredients information came from Tightly Curly

Much love xo

Torrid Fold-Over Pencil Skirt - OOTD & Review

"Soft, stretchy and oh-so-versatile, this jersey knit skirt goes from classic pencil to sexy mini with a fold of the wide waistband, it will be a fashion favorite all season long."

As a plus sized girl I have always been intimidated by pencil skirts; they are the one clothing item that I have always been absolutely enamored with but terrified to wear. Why? I have belly rolls. And the tightness and form fitting aspect of a pencil skirt was just not something that I felt comfortable wearing for a long while.

A few weeks ago, I was window shopping the Torrid website looking for a plain black skirt to serve as the bottom for my upcoming Shaun of the Dead cosplay and somehow, in between the lace and florals, popped out a series of fold over skirts. Okay...I will admit this sounds incredibly corny, forgive me! After a small pep talk with myself and an overbearing need to just say f*ck it and wear whatever I want, I called my nearest Torrid to check if they had it in stock. To my luck, they had one left and it happened to be my size. Fate eh? No? Well, I like to think so.

Anyhow, fast forward to trying this baby on and it was instant love; the length and fit were absolutely perfect. Now, I must warn you, it is a VERY good thing that this skirt is meant to be folded down and customized to your needs. Why? Because I'm 6'1 and even when pulling it up to just under my breasts, this skirt still almost reached my knees. If you are any shorter than I, you will probably need to fold this skirt up a bit to still be a classic mini or pencil.

Can I express just how much I love this skirt? The material is super duper stretchy and beyond comfortable, this is one item that you can definitely wear to dinner and not have to worry about it feeling uncomfortable by the end of the meal. Now unfortunately, nothing can be perfect and this skirt does have a flaw. Since the material is so stretchy, after a day of wear it becomes very loose, not to the point of falling off but it is definitely not as form fitting (hopefully washing will fix that right up).

Onto my cam-whoring! Let me pause for a moment and say, I tip my hat to all of you fashion bloggers out there; posing is a lot harder than it looks! I ended up taking around fifty photos just to get ten that I really liked.

Overall, I really do love this skirt so much I'm probably going to end up ordering the black & white striped version, especially now that they are on-sale. I think these types of pieces are essential in ones wardrobe since they are perfect for dressing up or down. In case you're wondering, my skirt is a size 3, lipstick is MAC's Lady Danger, and the cami that I'm wearing is also from Torrid but now sold out online.

And to all my fat babes and my regular babes, wear whatever the hell you want and hold your head high, don't be afraid or intimidated like I was; I spent so many years shying away from pencil skirts when I could have been enjoying them! Love you all and hope you enjoyed my very first outfit of the day!

Retail: $24.50 // 24" long (Cotton/Spandex fabric)

Purchase Black here

Purchase Grey here

Purchase Black & White Striped here

Purchase Navy Floral here

Much love xo

Torrid Kiana Fold-Up Flats - Review

Spring time is finally upon us and thankfully it's time to shed the boots, the scarves, and the heavy clothing! Who else is excited? I bought these flats back when it was still frigid and snowing so I hadn't had the chance to wear them until now and well...unfortunately they didn't work out like I had hoped. I never would have thought in one hundred years that a simple pair of flats would be infinitely more uncomfortable than four inch heels. My first experience wearing these was about a month ago, I chose to wear them on my convention weekend because I wore dresses on both days and these flats seemed like the perfect compliment to both. And honestly, we all know that conventions mean standing, walking and everything in between and I was NOT about to wear heels!! I sincerely tip my hat to the amazing people that wear heels to these types of events.

It boggles my mind but the Kiana flats are hands down the most uncomfortable pair of shoes that I have ever worn. Within five minutes of slipping these bad boys on and walking, my feet had turned bright red and were already crying for relief. By nightfall of day one, my feet actually had calluses in several places; I was in hell! Believe me, I wanted to say f**k it and go barefoot on more than one occasion during my weekend! (Hey! I'm angry here, let me vent) Now you might be wondering, Desi if these shoes were that uncomfortable, why on earth would you wear them both days of the convention? You are absolutely right. In retrospect, this was totally not one of my better ideas.

Now, to come to Torrid's defense for a moment, these are fold up flats which basically means that they lack the support of a regular shoe and thus are not really suitable for long time wear; they are essentially "emergency" shoes if you should ruin or loose your current shoes for the night or your feet have given up from a day of heels. I know that is partially the reason why my feet were in such bad shape by the end of it but, on the other hand these flats were already shredding my feet within a few minutes of slipping them on and that is simply not normal for any shoe. Another drawback? These flats have VERY LITTLE traction which resulted in me slipping numerous times no matter the surface (I spent the majority of the convention walking on carpet). Torrid, you really dropped the ball on this one. I hate to say it but, I would not re-purchase these shoes if they were on sale for 99 cents. While these pups might suffice for very short distances they just simply aren't adequate for anything beyond that, and at the $20 price tag that Torrid wants for essentially a piece of cardboard between the soles of your feet and the earth, there are certainly better alternatives. These shoes won the round for versatility but they have by far lost the round for comfort and quality; and that is what really matters right?

Retail: $19.95 (a small travel bag is included)

You can check out & purchase the fold up flats here:

Gold

Black Patent

Much love xo

Birchbox April

Hey loves! It is that time again, Birchbox time! The theme this month was "Tiny tweaks, BIG results" this month all Birchbox members both new and old received the Women's Health box plus an entire free year of Women's Health Magazine! How awesome is that? This offer comes in the form of a mail in card where you can redeem the subscription or receive a refund for the offer's value ($9.99). Either way, it is a great deal because you are receiving a free year of the magazine or basically your April Birchbox is free. As far as the items I received, I am in LOVE with this box!!

• Mirenesse Glossy Kiss Lipstick & Cheek Stain (#2 Flirty Kiss)
• Nexxus Youth Renewal Rejuvenating Hair Elixir
• LAFACE Laboratories PUR Purifying Facial Wash
• Joie Folle De Joie Eau De Parfum
• Simple Skincare Revitalizing Eye Roll-On

The Mirenesse lip & cheek stain is an absolutely gorgeous color! Now, being a matte lip girl at heart, I was not exactly over the moon about receiving a glossy lipstick. Since the shade that I was sent was red, I HAD to try it out (I heart red lips) and I am thrilled that I did! The formula is very creamy, glides on effortlessly and is opaque on the first swipe. The best thing of all? Since the lipstick is so pigmented, I am able to blot a few times to get my desired matte texture while still leaving the color intact. When they said STAIN, they meant it! This lipstick stayed at full opacity for two to three hours; after that along with eating and drinking, I was left with a nice watermelon hued lip. Even though I love this lipstick, I must admit that I am a little cheesed at the packaging. This is in fact a full size product but, it differs from the one available on the Birchbox website in a big, big way. For those that received the Mirenesse, our pencil has to be sharpened whereas the one available for purchase is a simple and much more convenient twist up. You are probably wondering why this is such a big deal, well..the pencil is made out of very thick, rigid plastic and I have NOT had the best of luck with trying to sharpen plastic pencils. My last attempt was with the NYX Slide On eye pencils, what I was left with was a horribly uneven, mangled mess. For this reason I am quite hesitant to possibly destroy my beautiful new lipstick, I will use as much of this as I absolutely can before attempting to sharpen. Retail: $26.55 // 4 g

Ahh Nexxus, we meet again. I will admit, I have been severely slacking on the UV protection lately and my hair has decided to show me how much of a mistake that was! I have noticed that in the past year my hair has gotten considerably lighter (I won't even dive into split ends and frizz!). My hair has gone from being almost jet black to a dull chestnut brown; as you can probably guess, this serum was a welcomed addition to my box! The instructions say to use three to four drops to reduce frizz and improve color, radiance, shine, strength, and volume. I have been using this daily since receiving it; while I do not (yet) notice a drastic improvement in my hair, I have noticed an increase in shine and a decrease in frizz. Retail prices vary from $14-$20 // .94 fl oz

Oh Birchbox, why must you send me a great facial wash that is utterly out of my price range? I really enjoyed using this purifying facial wash by LAFACE; it instantly reminded me of Benefit's Foamingly Clean because the textures are quite similiar; they both have a thick, night cream type feel. The LAFACE cleanser left my skin feeling clean, bright, moisturized, and the pores on my cheeks were significantly smaller. It was not until I looked this up on the Birchbox website that I found out why this facial wash was so good, it is actually a cleanser and toner in one! According to the BB site, it also moisturizes, heals blemishes, tightens pores and improves skin texture. I have been absolutely loving this cleanser, I hate that the sample is so small :( Thankfully, a little does go a long way, I only use three dots of product and it lathers extremely well. Would I purchase this? If it wasn't for the price tag, absolutely! I just might use my Birchbox points for it in a few months. Retail: $48 // 7.6 fl oz

Unfortunately, I do not like the scent of this perfume at all which is surprising considering that it has several notes that I usually enjoy. The list of notes are as follows: Italian mandarin, South American petitgrain, cognac, orange blossom, jasmine, white lily, Damascenia rose, musk, amber and sandalwood. Staying power is wonderful as once I sprayed it on my wrist it lasted for hours, even after washing my hands several times. Retail: $98 // 2.4 oz

I love, love, love this roll-on! Since I often wake up pretty early in the morning and well, realistically I almost never get enough sleep, anything that reduces under eye bags and helps me to look more awake is quite welcome! The serum/gel is formulated with vitamin B5, cucumber extract, and glycerin to help hydrate, refresh and smooth the under eye area. I have been using this every morning since I received it and I have indeed noticed a difference. The metal ball and cooling effect help to reduce redness and puffiness, the mint smell opens my eyes and helps to "awaken my senses" (I have to admit that sounds cheesy but, it's true). My favorite thing of all? It really does hydrate; my under eye area feels so soft and smooth. Please keep in mind that this roll on is NOT meant to treat dark circles. Retail: $9-$13 // 0.5 oz

Overall, I really enjoyed my box this month and I honestly couldn't have picked a better one for myself. Everything that I received minus the perfume were things that I needed and that will be put to good use! Also, my box had two full sized items which is absolutely fantastic in my book. I really hope that Birchbox keeps it up, they knocked it out of the park for me this month!

Quick Tip: Does anyone else love the pillowboxes that Birchbox has recently made the switch to? I find them to be incredibly useful as a little holder for my feminine care products as well as my on the go needs. They are the perfect size for carrying a feminine wipe or two as well as a pantyliner and tampon. Not only that but they are great for carrying little things like Q-tips, bobby pins, hand sanitizer, lipstick, etc. So that those things are not lost or damaged by roaming around in your bag. Now you might be wondering, why not just carry those things in a small pouch or wallet? I hate to waste products! I find the pillowboxes to be adorable and instead of throwing them away, I have found a use for them!

Much love & looking forward to May xo

Ulta Dual Action Cleansing System

Hey lovelies! I am sure that you have all seen ads and reviews for the famous Clarisonic face brushes. The idea behind gadgets such as these is the same as an electric toothbrush, the premise being that basically, you can only do so much with the power of your own muscles; we simply do not have the speed and motion needed to get the deep clean that our skin and teeth really need. The downside to these wonderful inventions? They are more often that not, expensive (BOOO!). The price of a Clarisonic is anywhere from $119-$225 depending on which kit you choose, and the brush head replacements are another $25 every few months. As much as we all love our skin, what if you simply cannot afford the Clarisonic price tag? Thankfully there are quite a few alternatives and you simply have to choose the best option for yourself, I chose the Ulta version.

The packaging for this product is simple and "assembly" was easy in the sense that only the batteries needed to be inserted (batteries are included). One thing I dislike about this tool is that the battery compartment is very hard to open, it took a good five minutes of pulling, numerous swears and all but attacking it with a hammer before it finally opened. I assume the extreme hold is so that water will not seep in but, I should not have to wrestle something in order for it to open.

The system comes with three pieces: the main tool, a brush (deep clean) and a sponge (everyday clean/buffer). There are a few aspects that differ greatly from the Clarisonic and these are, speed and motion. While the Clarisonic is known for its patented vibrating motion and three speeds, the Ulta brush simply rotates and only has one speed which I would place as medium, it is neither slow nor fast. There is a downside to the rotating motion and that is, if you press too hard not only will it be uncomfortable but you will notice a slight, skin pulling action. Just use a light hand, let the rotating motion do the work for you and this should not be an issue.

How do I use this? I have found that both the brush and sponge attachments soak up a lot of cleanser and I am left wondering if any of that sudsy goodness even reached my face. To counteract this, I use my hands to wash my face and before rinsing, I use either attachment to scrub my face for a minute or so. I do this twice daily with the less harsh sponge piece; as for the brush head, I use this every few days or sooner if I feel that my skin needs it. Another reason for washing my face beforehand is so that I do not stain the attachments, I learned the hard way that this can happen! My sponge now has a purple tint because of some purple eyeshadow awhile back. Both of these pieces leave my skin feeling clean, refreshed and unfortunately, DRY! Because of this, moisturizer is an absolute must. The upside to deep cleaning/exfoliating your face however, all of your skincare products will be properly absorbed and much more effective. I have been using this system for a couple of weeks now and I have noticed that the texture of my skin has definitely improved, my skin is a lot smoother and quite glowy! I have suffered from both large pores and painful cystic acne for years and these too have almost disappeared, I still get a bump or two here and there but, that is by far an improvement from the usual zombie horde of pimples on the sides of my face. This coupled with my DDF Brightening Cleanser is a skincare duo crafted by angels.

Quick Tip: Please be advised that no matter what brush system you end up choosing, your skin will most likely go through a period of what is known as, purging. What is purging? It is your body's natural way of detoxing itself. Since you are now deep cleaning your skin, all of that trapped sebum and gunk (yuck!) in your pores is now rising to the surface; until now it has been trapped under layers and layers of dead skin. Believe me when I say your skin will most likely look a lot worse before it gets better. Now with that being said, please do not confuse purging with a product simply not working for your skin (ex: a reaction) whereas purging will go away in its own time, a reaction will not until you discontinue use of that product. Just keep an eye on your skin and make sure that things are getting better and not worse.

Overall, I really love this system and I feel as though my skin has never looked better. My skin feels cleaner and looks clearer as a lot of my acne troubles have disappeared. Unfortunately, nothing can be perfect and Ulta's brush system does falter a bit. The battery compartment can absolutely be improved upon, it is entirely too difficult to open. Next, this tool is not waterproof so I would advise against sticking the tool under water and just wet the brush or sponge itself before using. I cannot compare this or any of the other systems to the Clarisonic as I have not used them. Would I re-purchase? Well I am hoping this will not break anytime soon but, once it does, yes I will re-purchase.

This product retails for $25.00 and can be purchased here
Replacement brush heads retail for $8.00 and can be purchased here

Check out other versions here (prices may vary):

Clarisonic $119-$225

Olay Pro-X $10.99

Olay Fresh Effects $14.99

DDF Revolve Micro Polishing System $50.00

Neutrogena Wave (Original) $10.99

Neutrogena Wave (Sonic) $15.99

Neutrogena Microderm System $13.99

Pretika SonicDermabrasion Face Brush $50.00

Acne Free Advanced Cleansing Brush $14.99

CVS Facial Cleansing Power Brush $19.99

Much love xo

The "Wet" Brush

Is it possible to love a hair tool quite this much? Tangled hair is something that a lot of us deal with on a day to day basis and if your tresses are like mine, I am sure that you have let out more than a few curse words while trying to battle your unruly tangles (I know I have). I have known about the wet brush for awhile but, I never really paid attention to it (I wish I would have sooner), that all changed when my local salon got an order of them in and I immediately purchased one, it couldn't hurt right? I am sure that I am not the only person to scoff at the idea of a simple brush being able to effortlessly work through my extreme kinks. It sounds too good to be true right? I was all too prepared to be returning this brush a few days after purchasing. Amazingly, this is the best hair care tool that I have purchased since my Instyler. Return it? I think not.

Brushing my mane has been on more than one occasion, an absolute nightmare. My hair is thick, dry, frizzy and tangles all too easily especially when washed. Not even a wide tooth comb could successfully battle my locks; only after applying mountains of product and almost ripping through my hair would it become manageable. As you can imagine, I was at my wits end with having clumps constantly matted into my old brush.

This is what I mean by residual hair

To the naked eye, the wet brush looks like any other ordinary hairbrush, the bristles do not appear to be any different but, somehow it works. I am honestly fascinated as this is the first time that I have EVER used a brush with only a few strands coming out, a far cry from the usual ball of hair. I use this brush daily when my hair is both wet and dry, I have been seeing the same results with absolutely no problems. Even though I love this brush, I do see where it can be improved upon. Number one, because the bristles are so closely spaced, cleaning and removing any left over hair is a complete pain. Secondly, the handle is a bit shorter than I am used to and it ends up feeling a bit odd when held. Nevertheless, this is the only brush that I can see myself using from now on and I cannot rave about it enough! Seriously, stop reading and go find it! Would I re-purchase this? In the words of Mr. Big from Sex and the City, ABSO- F*****- LUTELY.

This brush retails anywhere from $10 - $15

You can purchase here and here

Much love xo

Favorite Product Of The Month - March

Hey lovelies! Wow, March is officially over and here we are at April, looking forward to spring! It is that time again, my favorite beauty pick of the month. This month was quite easy for me since as of late I have been enjoying a quick "get up and go" routine. Since I have been so busy this month, I have been utilizing very subtle eye makeup with bright, in your face lips to complete my look and make my face pop. My obsession for March has been "blood orange" lips and so, Scarlet Ibis has seen quite a bit of love. However, one other lip product really became my go to for this month and that is why I chose it.

Since Scarlet Ibis is a very daring lipstick; I know that for some it may be too much and I love this lip pencil for that very reason. On days where I am craving an orange lip but, I do not feel like breaking out full on saturated color, this is my choice: NYX Slim Lip Pencil in "Pumpkin". It is a gorgeous bright orange/coral with a hint of golden shimmer. When I purchased this awhile back, I was initially hesitant because I failed to realize that there was shimmer involved. This awesome pencil was two steps away from being returned! Thankfully, the gold shimmer blends into my lips flawlessly and instead of overbearing sparkles, I get gorgeous color. Even with my lips being as naturally pigmented as they are, Pumpkin still shows up perfectly. The greatest thing? Versatility! Depending on the lighting, Pumpkin can look full on orange or have a red or pink tint.

These lip pencils glide on well and blend with very minimal effort but they lack the creamy aspect of traditional lip liners, they have a semi dry feel. I actually prefer this texture because it stays put and the pigment does not slide around my lips and settle into lines or crevices. (I have Hot Red as well). With my MAC Prep + Prime, this lasts for a few good hours before fading to a nice stain. Without primer, eating/drinking of course wears the color down but surprisingly I am still left a nice color on my lips although, it ends up being more on my lip line than anywhere else! My favorite thing about this? Like Scarlet Ibis, Pumpkin really brightens up my face and helps me to look more awake. Which is quite appreciated on early, on-the-go days.

Overall, would I re-purchase this? Absolutely! I have been wearing this lip liner under all of my lipstick no matter what shade and even of its own. It is perfect for that hint of brightness; I really adore how it just pulls together my entire look and makes it a lot more interesting than my standard red or pink lip.

You can purchase these lip pencils here and here

Retail: $3.49 // 0.04 oz

Much love & Happy April Fools Day! xo

Organix Argan Oil & Shea Butter Conditioner - Review

Woah. Can you believe it? Spring is in the air! Or is it love? Yes let's go with that, love is in the air! I've fallen just a little bit in love with this new conditioner. As you lovelies know, I struggle with excruciatingly dry hair so I am always on the lookout for new and awesome products to give my hair the love and moisture that it needs, there is nothing wrong with trying new things right?

If you've been following my blog for awhile then you've probably seen me refer to the Organix brand on more than one occasion. Why? Well, for starters their Extra Strength Argan Oil has been an absolute lifesaver for my hair. I use it every single day and I can honestly say that currently, it is the only hair care product to vastly improve the health of my hair. In addition to that, their entire line is paraben, sulfate, cruelty and gluten free; if you don't know what the hype surrounding parabens and sulfates is, check out my post here. Since my Nexxus conditioner was down to the last use, I was on the hunt for a new (and hopefully cheaper) conditioner to try; I browsed the Ulta website, saw this and didn't hesitate to order it. I figured, how could I go wrong with argan oil and shea butter? As it turns out, I was right!

I try not to let the scent of a product influence me too much but, my goodness do I like the scent of this conditioner! It's light, creamy and oddly smells of coconut which boggles my mind since coconut is absolutely nowhere on the list of ingredients. The consistency resembles a light custard or pastry cream (does anyone else want cheesecake now? Just me?) As far as performance, it was not without a bit of trial and error that I got this conditioner to work for my hair. My usual routine of leaving my conditioner in for a quick ten minutes while I showered or washed my face just didn't cut it; with this method I achieved softness but the effect did not last long and wore away within a day or so. Now for take two! In order for this conditioner to really work it's magic, I let it soak into my hair under a shower cap for an hour, I also utilized the occasional burst of heat from my hair dryer during this time. The result? I'm honestly blown away by how soft this conditioner makes my hair and now, my hair has stayed soft and moisturized since I started using the shower cap. My favorite thing? Not only is my hair naturally dry but, it is incredibly frizzy; especially the ends and taming that frizz is usually an epic battle that I loose quite often. However, this really does get rid of a considerable amount of frizz and tangles in my hair making it A LOT more manageable. Would I re-purchase this? Yes.

Overall, I really like this conditioner and I am thrilled with how it makes my hair feel (when using the right method of course) Unfortunately, I do have a few gripes with this product. For one, it does not add any sort of shine to my hair even though the bottle claims that it will. I can overlook this because I use oil in my hair everyday and that gives me shine but, in case you are looking for a glossy conditioner to add lots of shine, this is not the one. Secondly, this is not a "quick use" conditioner, I only see great results when I leave the conditioner in for a lot longer than usual. Even though I love how this works with my hair, it becomes very inconvenient at times and I find myself reaching for other hair care when I am in a hurry.

Ingredients: Aqua (water), Cetearyl alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel oil, Ceteareth-20, Lanolin oil, Dimethiconol, Parfum (fragrance), Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, CI 19140 (Yellow 5), CI 16035 (Red 40).

Be advised, this conditioner does contain silicones and what sppears to be a sulfate. However, I did a bit of research on Behentrimonium Methosulfate and it is NOT actually a sulfate! It is created from rapseed oil, and it's purpose is for detangling and thickening.

The new Argan oil & Shea butter line contains a shampoo, conditioner, weightless oil, curl enhancing yogurt, and a moisture restore mask. You can check out all of the products here. Every product in this line retails for $7.99.

Much love xo

Tarte Clean Slate 12HR Deluxe Primers - Review

Hi lovelies! Can you believe that these are my first products from Tarte, EVER?! I'm just as shocked as you all are. Since primer is without a doubt one of my top five makeup essentials, this seemed like the perfect little thing to try out and dip my toes into the Tarte brand. This little trio contains samples of Tarte's 12hr poreless, flawless and creaseless face and eye primers. I can't say that I'm in love with any of these but for $9 (0.25 and 0.09 oz), I'm still happy that I got to try them all.

My biggest gripe with this trio is that, there is not much product in any of the tubes. I know, I know, for $9 how much product did I expect? I understand that completely but, it was a let down for all three tubes to be filled with 80% air and having to flatten the tubes just to sample any product. Perhaps these were just duds?

Let's start with Clean Slate PORELESS, this is the perfecting primer; it is comparable to Smashbox Photo Finish, NYX Shine Killer or any other silicone based, gel like primer. This did a pretty decent job of smoothing out my pores for a short while but, I just can't get over how thick and sticky this product is. It is very hard to blend out, leaves my skin feeling tacky and no matter what method of blending or how little primer I used, it continuously pilled each and every time. I have never had an issue with any of my makeup pilling or balling up until now. As far as wear, once (finally) blended in, it seemed to disappear as if I hadn't actually applied anything. I could still feel the primer on my skin but, any pore minimizing properties that it had left the building within ten minutes; it in no way kept my pores smaller nor did my makeup wear longer than usual. I recommend NYX Shine Killer instead of this.

Next is the Clean Slate FLAWLESS, this is the brightening primer. When I first started using this, it seemed to do absolutely nothing; the subtle pink tint would just blend into my skin and disappear. Since I hate to let products go to waste, I started adding a few drops of this to my homemade BB cream and that is when I actually noticed some results. It perks my skin up a bit and gives the tiniest barely there glow. As far as perfecting or allowing my makeup to last longer, this primer provided none of that for my skin. I am on the fence because the primer is not necessarily bad since it does provide the brightening aspect that it claims to have but, the effect is so subtle it is easily not that memorable. Since it doesn't do much else as far as being an actual primer, I would not re-purchase this; I recommend NYX Pore Filler instead.

Lastly, is the Clean Slate 360 CREASELESS, this is the eye primer and my least favorite of the trio.  I found this primer is be very oily/greasy no matter how much I shook the tube before hand. Since the main goal of primer is to stop or decrease oil production during wear, the oiliness of this product just doesn't work. I also hate the texture of this product once applied, since this primer is so oily, it left an uncomfortable film on my eyelids. As far as wear time, my eyeshadows did not last very well with this as there was significant fading and creasing throughout the day. This would be better suited for someone with dry eyelids. I recommend theBalm's Put A Lid On It or Too Faced Shadow Insurance over this.

Overall, would I purchase any of these primers again? Absolutely not. None of them worked that well with my skin and I feel that I have much better alternatives in my collection as listed above. The best thing of all about those alternatives? Each one is cheaper than its Tarte counterpart so, I recommend trying those instead but, if you are a Tarte lover or just you just want to try the brand, the trio is worthwhile picking up since it is only $9 and allows you to try three products.

I could not find this trio pack on Ulta.com but it might still be in stores. Online they have another trio called Prime, Shine & Define here

You can purchase the full size Poreless here
$30 // 1 oz

You can purchase the full size Flawless here
$30 // 1 oz

You can purchase the full size 360 Creaseless here
$19 // 11g (0.39oz)

Much love xo

Birchbox March

Hey lovelies! It's Birchbox time again and I'm proud to say that they have seemed to really step it up with the sample sizes this month (let's hope it stays that way!) While I didn't get the box that I was coveting, I did receive some nice samples. I received box 11 which included:

• Serge Normant Meta Revive Volumizing Dry Shampoo w/ Cedar Bark
• Whish Blueberry Shave Cream
• Caldrea Body Lotion (3 packets)
• Incoco Nail Polish Strips 
• Madewell Emery Board 

The largest item in my box this month was the Serge Normant dry shampoo. If you've been reading my blog for awhile then you know that I have extremely dry hair naturally so, a dry shampoo is one product that I've never needed but, I hate to let a product go to waste. Since most dry shampoos (including this one) are marketed as volumizing sprays, I figured that would be my way to get use out of this product. Unfortunately, my first attempt resulting in me actually having to wash my hair! Spraying this directly onto my hair turned it completely white, chalky and sticky but I still wanted to find some way to be able to use this and I did. I spray a tiny bit onto my comb and work it through my roots that way, I prefer this method because it gives me more control and allows me to concentrate the spray where my hair needs it most. One to two sprays is sufficient for my hair. Even though I found a way to make this work, the only thing that I really like about this spray is the scent; it's light and perfumey with just a hint of musk, much better than the usual hair spray smell to me. There was a lot of trial and error involved in using this because the formula isn't very good, it's powdery, heavy and using too much will quickly end up making your hair look and feel horrible (I learned the hard way). Would I purchase this? Definitely not, I just don't have a need for a dry shampoo and this spray is far from the greatest but, I'm glad that I'm able to make use out of this sample until it runs out. Full price: $25 // 4.5oz

Honestly, I didn't have high hopes for a shave cream because I usually just buy the $4 cans of Skintimate and call it a day, I mean how great could a shave cream really be? Nevertheless, I wasn't going to let this product go to waste. The cream has a pretty interesting scent, in the tube it reminds me of grape candy rather than anything blueberry but, once on my skin that's when the scent became very unpleasant. I know smells can change drastically depending on ones body chemistry and well...my chemistry turned this "blueberry" into BUTTER! That's right, it smelled like butter once on my skin. Now, I like butter as much as the next person but, I'd rather not smell like it; thankfully once washed away the smell didn't linger. As far as performance, I did like how sheer the cream was, it allowed me to see exactly what I was doing instead of blindly shaving beneath mounds of foam. Another pro was that it left my skin feeling extremely soft and smooth; definitely one of the closest shaves my legs have ever seen. While I still don't think that this or any other shaving cream is worth the price, it is a really nice product and if it were to go on sale I would definitely purchase it; until then I'm content with using drugstore shaving products. Full price: $20 // 150ml

Next up is the Caldrea body lotion, I received three packets with a pretty good amount in each packet. My skin has never been super dry or crying out for moisture but I do need to moisturize well and honestly, this lotion did absolutely nothing for my skin. Although the scents were pleasant (not great but pleasant), the formula of the lotion is extremely light, watery and not the least bit hydrating; five minutes after applying, my skin felt as if I had honestly used nothing. I don't expect body butter type hydration from a simple body lotion but I do expect for the lotion to not just completely disappear! This would be better suited as a simple hand lotion rather than full body and for the price, there are MUCH better alternatives. Full price: $22 // 8oz

I can't believe that I have never tried nail polish strips until now! I've heard nothing but great things about Incoco and so this was the item that I was looking forward to receiving. I was hesitant about using them since I have NEVER been good at using peel and stick type items. I'm so glad that I received these because I am in love! The directions were clear and these were super simple to use, I had all ten fingers done in less than 10 minutes. Incoco claims that these will last up to 14 days, I have my doubts that they will last that long but, I will update this post when they do start to wear away. Would I purchase these? Absolutely! I'm already planning on cashing in my points to pick up a few packs as we speak. Full price: $9-$11 (depending on the design) // 16 strips per pack

Is it bad that my second favorite item in the box is the emery board? That's bad right? Well bad or not, I've really taken a liking to this ultra simple item. I've never used a nail file that cost over $1 and honestly, that's most likely why I no longer have them because they constantly broke in half. I'm not saying the Madewell version won't eventually because it's still a typical emery board but it does feel quite sturdy and the little plastic sleeve keeps it from bending in your purse. As far as performance, it shaped my nails quickly, effectively and worked perfectly with my new nail strips! Now, would I purchase a $5 emery board?  Most likely no but, it is a really nice nail file and I must admit that I adore the floral print.

Overall, I thought that I was really, REALLY going to dislike this box but the nail strips, emery board and shave cream redeemed it for me; the nail strips alone paid for the box and so everything else were nice little extras. I enjoyed 3 out of the 5 items in the box and that is great in my book. Happy Birchbox-ing lovelies!

Much love & Looking forward to April!

Update! This is now day 8 and my nail strips are still going strong! Only minor chipping involved