Birchbox January 2013

There comes a time, in Birchbox world that you finally get that one box that you were coveting. I'm happy to say that this happened to me this month. It's the first box of the new year and Birchbox couldn't have gotten off to a better start in my book, let's just hope it stays that way! Since it is the new year I am surprised that Birchbox didn't feature more festive related items. Even though I was lucky enough to receive the box that I did, a lot of others seemed to be quite underwhelming. There is one critique I have though and that is, Birchbox, PLEASE stop with all of the perfume samples. I absolutely LOVE perfume and even I'm tired of it. Hear us out and try to incorporate new and exciting things. Now, with that said, this month I received box 1:

• TheBalm "Put A Lid On It" Eye Primer
• Fresh Lotus Face Cream
• Harvey Prince Skinny Chic
• Ojon Damage Reverse Instant Restorative Hair Serum
• Alessandro Nail Polish "Blue Lagoon"

I'm not sure how I feel about the eye primer quite yet. While it is a wonderful primer and it did hold my shadows, I don't know if I like it more or less than my trusty Too Faced Shadow Insurance. The reason being, the texture throws me off a bit. It's not oily but it is sticky which I guess is a good thing because it holds my shadows beautifully. I will most likely purchase a full size when my shadow insurance runs out. Full size retails for $18//0.40 oz of product (Shadow Insurance has 0.35 oz)

I really, REALLY like the Lotus moisturizer. It was light, non-oily/greasy, it sank into my skin quickly and it has anti-aging properties. I honestly can't ask for more in a moisturizer. While it didn't make my face feel especially soft like my Ahava, it did moisturize quite well and it didn't leave any type of residue. The smell is also quite pleasant, it reminds me of cucumbers! Now, the card claims that this is supposed to provide moisture for 24 hours and while I definitely did not experience that, it is a good moisturizer nonetheless. Full size retails for $42//1.7 oz of product

I love the smell of the Skinny Chic perfume, I compared this to DKNY Be Delicious. This perfume is very light and fresh, more so than the DKNY but I'm sorry to say that I will not be purchasing this because I don't like the marketing for this product. For a company to market a perfume that boasts "skinny is chic" and  saying things like "to keep you feeling young, slim and beautiful" and "we empower women to feel young, happy, slim and beautiful". I cannot and will not support that. A company is not empowering anyone if they are marketing a perfume in relation to weight or size. If they had simply left out the slim and skinny nonsense then the message would be great. This perfume has notes of green apple, sweet mint and warm amber. Full sizes retail from $21-$55

I was so looking forward to the Ojon oil but it was without a doubt a big let down for me. If you've been following my blog for awhile then you know that my hair is extremely dry and I have to pretty much work overtime to keep it moisturized. Hair oils seem to be the only product that keep my hair nice and hydrated, Organix Extra Strength Argan oil being my favorite. I used the Ojon oil while my hair was still damp and let me say, this oil did absolutely NOTHING for my hair. It didn't moisturize, hydrate or even at the very least make my hair soft. If anything, my hair felt crunchy and dry after using this which absolutely boggles my mind.  I ended up having to use double the amount of Organix than I normally use just to reverse whatever this did to my hair. Full size retails for $25// 1.7 oz of product

This was my first time ever trying Alessandro polish and well, in my opinion the formula isn't anything special. According to Birchbox, this is supposed to be to be a super opaque polish and it just, isn't. The formula was extremely streaky and applied unevenly. The polish was also a bit sheer and I had to use two coats, almost three, it did dry pretty fast though. I'm not in love with the color but it does look better in person, I will continue to use this until it runs out but I wont be purchasing. Blue lagoon is a very muddy dark greyed blue. Full size retails for $12// 0.34 oz or product

Overall, I enjoyed this box. While a couple products were a definite no for me and all of the products were very tiny, I enjoyed trying them out nonetheless and that's really all that matters.

Much love xo

MAC Mineralize Charged Water Hydrating Spray- A Review

It seems that I've been posting A LOT of MAC stuff lately. Sorry about that! I've just been diving more and more into this brand and I've gone from owning one product to about ten. I received this Charged Water for the Christmas holiday and I have been really enjoying it. I previously used MAC's Fix + spray but I was excited to try this none the less.

Now you might be thinking, why on earth do I need two water sprays? Well in all honesty, I don't. They are almost the same thing (in my option) but they do have a couple of slight differences. The first that you would notice is the smell. Both Fix + and the charged water have pleasant smells but I much prefer the scent of the CW, it seems to have a fresher, more "perk me up" type of scent, does that make any sense whatsoever?

As far as performance, I still prefer the Charged Water because to me, it does the exact same thing as Fix + but with a few added bonuses, including the addition of diamond powder. Fix + is used mainly to reduce the look of cakeyness and powder on your face. Well, the CW does that also and the CW adds a bit of hydration and (supposed) radiance to your skin. I still like my Fix + but the one gripe I have with it is that it makes my skin feel a bit sticky after using it, the CW does not do this. Overall, I would most likely recommend the charged water for dry skin and the Fix + for oily skin but they are both good products and it really falls down to personal preference, I choose the charged water. I use this throughout the day, especially now that winter has started, it feels extremely refreshing and picks up my makeup just a little bit. Don't be afraid to use these sprays, they last a LONG time.

I won't sit here and say that I notice any added radiance to my skin because I do not but because this product does in fact make my skin feel hydrated and soft and it doesn't leave my skin feeling sticky or tacky, I will definitely be re-purchasing.

Now, diamond powder. What is it exactly and why is it in my makeup? To be honest, I couldn't find much information on diamond powder in cosmetics and what exactly it is supposed to do. I'm going to assume that this is supposed to be the radiance causing ingredient but to the naked eye, I can't tell any difference. So until I get more information on it's "benefits", diamond powder in my option seems to be the "new fad" ingredient that makes a product sound better and more intriguing.

This product retails for $22.00//3.4oz of product

This product can be purchased here

Much love xo

MAC Archie's Girls Collection Launching Soon!

This collection will be showcasing Betty and Veronica, I don't know much about it yet but I do know that Betty will feature lighter, more natural everyday makeup and Veronica will be featuring darker, more vixen-esque products. 

I'm really excited for this collection, especially the Veronica side. I know it may not be anything new but I would love to see a real pin-up take with this collection. I'm looking forward to a bright, true red lip and maybe some interesting nail lacquers. Here's hoping!

Head on over to MAC's website and use the sign up sheet to be one of the first to get the head's up when the collection officially launches! http://www.maccosmetics.com/index.tmpl

This collection is scheduled for Spring. Does anyone else think this would be so cute for Valentine's Day? We shall see.

I will be updating this post as I found out more information!

Updates: 

• This collection WILL have a red lipstick
• 6 lipsticks: Boyfriend Stealer, Daddy's Little Girl, Ronnie Red, Girl Next Door, Sweet Something Oh, Oh, Oh and Betty Bright 

Photo is courtesy of MAC Cosmetics

Much love xo

Butter LONDON "Blowing Raspberries"

Lately I've got it into my head that there is nothing better to do in the morning but take a nice long warm shower, put on a big fluffy robe and polish my nails while sipping coffee. The rest of the house is sleeping in and I just get to relax.

Perfection.

Getting better with clean-up!

Well..that's the way it goes in my head anyways. My mornings usually involve me running around like a bat out of hell, snatching on clothing and throwing charcoal and books into my backpack before I run out of the door to my classes. One can dream I suppose. On this day I finally got around to being able to change my polish. I picked up this polish awhile ago after coveting it ever since I saw someone on youtube wearing it. I hate to sound like a broken record when I say something is my favorite but this is absolutely one of my favorite polishes now. It is the perfect mix of pink and red and can look completely different depending on the lighting, I've seen it look almost cherry red and then a plumy maroon in the same day. I also fell in love with the name, it's so cute and somehow fits perfectly.

For those that are not familiar with the Butter London brand, they pride themselves on being a "3 free" lacquer company. This means that all of their polishes are formulated without DBP, Formaldehyde or Toluene. Which is great because it's better and healthier for both you and the environment.

This polish goes on very smoothly and is completely opaque with one coat, I didn't even bother with applying a second. This polish works best if you prep your nails first. When I used this without prepping my nails, the polish did not apply as smoothly and I noticed A LOT more tip wear and chipping. I wore this polish for almost an entire week before having to change it, one of the longest wearing of my entire collection. One gripe that I do have with this polish is that it can turn dull very quickly. If you don't apply a top coat, this polish will lose most of it's shine in a matter of hours. I know that isn't a deal breaker or anything because we're all pretty much going to use a top coat but, it's just something that I noticed. Also, if you're not used to handling polishes with a shorter handle, this might take a little bit of getting used to. The brush itself is pretty much the same length as other polishes, only the handle is much shorter.

Overall, I'm REALLY REALLY loving this polish but, I don't think it's outstanding or necessarily unique enough to carry the hefty $14 price tag. I do think that the polish is great and I love that the brand is 3 free but, Butter London as a whole is not a brand that I will buy if it's not on sale.

You can check out Butter London here and here

Full price is $14//0.4 oz of product

Much love xo

Happy New Year!!

Wow you guys! I can't believe that it's 2013 already. Time flies way too fast, in a couple of weeks it'll be the 1 year anniversary of Dollface Beauty and I honestly can't wrap my mind around it. I hope everyone is having an absolutely magical day with food and friends (and drinks..haha) and everything in between.

Let me know what you're looking forward to in the new year. What are you going to change? Personally, I'm looking forward to taking more chances. From places to visit to exciting new hairstyles, you only live once right? And if it fails, you'll probably have a good laugh about it. Whatever that idea is, go out and do it. Enjoy the little things while you can :)

So please everyone, let's make 2013 completely and ridiculously awesome, because all the fun things are in trying. Go bungee jumping, fall in love, shave your head, take that trip to Paris, quit that job that you hate, take up tango lessons and just completely and utterly rock the hell out because you deserve it. You deserve to be happy and you deserve to be fulfilled in life. That's what truly matters, don't let anything hold you back. Make 2013 your year, and the year after that, and the year after that.

Also, please remember that there is no excuse for driving under the influence. If you have no other options, call AAA. On New Year's Eve & Day, they will take you and your car home for free. Use number (800) AAA-HELP.

Photo is from Google Images

Much Love & Happy New Year My Lovelies! xo