BEAUTY BOX 5: June 2013

i realized it has been exactly one whole MONTH since i last posted. that makes me a really horrible blogger. i am well behind on all my beauty boxes but i feel the need to still post this June box...

then i'll have some more goodies for you! i went on a 9-day road trip to Vancouver and Seattle so i picked up a few things. not that many since i still have like 5 (maybe more) beauty boxes sitting unopened in a corner of my room. i know, horrible blogger!!

the trip was the longest one i took this summer. i hadn't been to Vancouver for a few years now so it was fun to visit again. ate oysters at Rodney's, discovered awesome bubble tea at Bubble Queen, walked along English Bay, biked through Stanley Park, went to the Richmond Night Market, shopped at Daiso (first time! and ended up visiting like 3 Daiso locations including the ones in Seattle).
it was also my first time driving across the border to the states. we did some shopping at the outlet mall, visited Pike Place (fish market), checked out the gum wall (gross!), Space Needle, Chihuly Garden & Glass (so pretty!), ate at Crab Pot... plenty of eating actually.

before this road trip, me and the boyfriend also went out for a weekend get-together at his uncle's farm. we got to shoot some arrows which is tough but really fun!
also did a couple of runs this summer - the Zombie Survival Run as well as the Color Me Rad one.
plus a friend's wedding as well as the Bruno Mars concert in Edmonton.

all in all, it's been a great summer! we've had a few days this week with almost 30 degree weather so i hope it lasts a little while longer :)

- - - - - - -

okay let's do this! i *almost* have June out of the way!

1) Coolway Cool Cleanse Shampoo & Hydrate Conditioner - with this shampoo and conditioner set, i am now able to enjoy the whole Coolway system together!

size: 30 mL each x 2
retail value: $25 (254 mL)
promotion: 20% off sitewide before 7/15/2013 [expired]

2) Just Being Sexy Body Bronzer - i've never really used body bronzer before... especially a liquid one like this. i find that it is too much of a hassle, even with the gradual tan body lotions - the 5-10 minutes i'd have to wait for it to dry before putting on clothes seems like forever!

size: 8 mL x 2
retail value: $49 (180 mL)
promotion: 15% off sitewide before 7/15/2013 [expired]

3) Brazen Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "No Regrets" - more Brazen Cosmetics! i am still not a fan of the packaging for loose eyeshadows since they tend to get messy everytime i unscrew the lid, even if i do the tapping thing before i open it.

"No Regrets" is more a antique-y metallic-y gold like the bottom left swatch and less yellowy than shown in the bottom right picture.

size: N/A
retail value: $7.99 (5 g)

4) Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Lotion Sunscreen - mmm actually smells quite nice for a sunscreen. still has that sunscreen scent but slightly fruity at the same time. SPF 30!

size: 14 g
retail value: $9.99 (85 g)
promotion: $1.00 off any Aveeno sun care product - expires March 31, 2014 with coupon

this box was one of those meh boxes for sure. nothing i was super excited about. i hope the other boxes that are started to become a tower aren't as underwhelming!

i hope you all had a lovely summer! thanks for sticking with me :)

IPSY BAG: June 2013

hi.
let's skip all the excuses and just say, i am a horrible person! gah!! i said in my last post that i was making it my goal to blog twice that week... well who would've thunk that 3 weeks can pass by so quickly? eep!!

today's quickie post will be on ipsy's... JUNE bag? man, that is old news! but i feel like i must post this anyway! bear with me!

cccccuteeeee - i love neon!

ipsyMatch was once again used this month and as a result, 5 products were chosen based on consumer preferences.

let's take a look!

"on the Wild Side":

1) J. Cat Beauty Sparkling Cream Palette in "SCP107 Suzie" 

"Everyone loves a little sparkle! Add a healthy dosage of sparkle in your life with the cream palette that comes in a variety of complementing colors. The creamy texture allows the sparkle to be applied easily with an applicator onto your skin.

This product should be used on the body and not on the eye area." 

oookkay so now i am at a loss - not to be used on the eyes?? well... that is rather limiting because i don't really add glitter anywhere else... the shades in "Suzie" are all gold or coppery so not a lot of choice in color here either. oh well, maybe save it for Halloween?

size: 3 g (full size!)

retail value: $4.49

2) Starlooks Lip Pencil in "K337 Tipsy" 

"Starlooks' long-lasting, full-coverage Lip Pencil enhances the shape of your lips and gives them perfect definition. This creamy, moisturizing formula glides on softly to smooth lips and ensure lipstick stays in place, while extending its wear. Can also be used as an all-over, highly-pigmented lip color. Comes in several shades and various finishes to pair with any Starlooks Lipstick, Lip Gloss, or Tendergloss!

Starlooks Makeup Line is entirely Lead Free, and Cruelty Free." 

i love love corals but sadly, matte corals is not appealing at all on me. i am a little afraid to open this up... but then again, i have heard so much about Starlooks that i feel that i must give it a try.

size: 2.4 g (full size!)

retail value: $12.00

3) Freeman Beauty Psssst! Instant Dry Shampoo

"Psssst!® is the TRUE original Dry Shampoo to put an end to bad hair days! Passed down from generation to generation, and friend to friend, this 40-year Dry Shampoo legacy now includes a system of essentials, dedicated to extending the life of your hair color and style.

Lightweight, talk-free formula soaks up oils, sweat, and product build-up, taking hair from dirty, flat and matte to refreshed and revived. Water not required: just spray, brush and go for hair that feels and smells freshly shampooed! Stash in your gym bag, work bag, or overnight bag.

To Apply:
When needed, shake can vigorously and hold 6” to 8” from hair. Lift sections of hair and lightly spray scalp and roots. Shake can between sprays for best results. Wait a few minutes, then brush and style as desired."

wow so the website for this product looks quite impressive - boasting plenty of celebs that use this as well as their 40-year Dry Shampoo legacy. i really had high hopes for this and yes - it does the job for removing greasiness and leaving your hair with a nice scent, but what i am always interested in is volume. like other dry shampoos, this gives your hair a bit of life at the roots but within the hour, my hair falls flat once more.

size: 50 g ("full"/travel size)

retail value: $2.99

4) NYX Rouge Cream Blush in "CB02 Natural"

"Adding a healthy glow to cheeks is effortless with the variety of blush styles and shades available from NYX Cosmetics!
The NYX Powder Blush delivers sheer, silky color that glides on and blends beautifully creating a natural glow.

The NYX Mosaic Blush contains five matte and shimmery shades in one compact blend to create a flush of color and dazzling glow!

The NYX Cream Blush offers radiant color for a dewy, sultry, long lasting finish!"

the shade of '"Natural" is a "soft light pink", i am loving cream blushes since powder ones always fade by the end of the day.

size: 3.5 g (full size!)

retail value: $6.00

5) Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil

"Chella's Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil is a fresh and pretty neutral pencil that will brighten and visibly lift your eyes when lightly applied on the brow bone, dark circles, blemishes and red spots. Draw a line under the brow with this creamy pencil and then pat gently into place using your ring finger. May be used above the brow for additional highlighting, as well as anywhere you would use a concealer."

fancccccccy! since receiving this product, i have heard many rave about it. i am so excited to use this product! even the name "Ivory Lace" sounds so pretty. i have been using my NYX Jumbo Pencil in "Milk" as a highlighter/primer and that works pretty good for me so i haven't opened this just yet.
"Ivory Lace" for light skin; also comes in "Cinnamon" (dark skin tones) and "Latte" (medium).

size: 1.4 g (full size!)

retail value: $18


in my opinion, ipsy knocks all the other beauty box competitors out of the water. every month, they deliver in terms of service and goodies. look at all these full size items! and each one is totally different from each other. i will never get through all my products but you definitely get your money's worth with ipsy. highly recommended for makeup lovers/hoarders!

TOPBOX: June 2013

i have decided to make a change: i am going to write TWO posts within a week.
say whaaaaaat?

yes yes - i have fallen well behind my usual snail pace and have now achieved banana slug status (wiki says they are the slowest mollusk in the world - averaging speeds of 0.000023 m/s). plus, it was my birthday two days ago and i want to make this change :)

let's quickly go through my June Topbox!

1) Belvada Cosmetics Mini Eyelash Curler
i am not sure how excited i am about this eyelash curler. yay for being the first eyelash curler i've gotten in a box but nay to the plastic and the compact design which makes it hard for me to grab hold of my tiny stubborn eyelashes. the small size makes it really easy to throw in a purse but it's nowhere near as effective as my Shiseido curler.

size: 1 mini eyelash curler (full size!)
retail value: $5.99

2) Benefit Cosmetics Ultra Plush Gloss in "Sugarbomb"
February's Topbox featured Benefit so i have tried my hand at another one of their glosses prior to this. "Sugarbomb" is described as a 'shimmering pinky nude' by Benefit. both "Dandelion" and "Sugarbomb" are very shimmery and apply clear on my lips. they are not sticky and smell yummy.

size: 6.5 mL
retail value: $19 (15 mL)

3) Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics Fairy Lashes Mascara in "Flutter"
'Fairy Lashes'... sounds light and pretty! i'd love to put it to a test but i am still working through my Pandora's Eyes Mascara (which has a clear tube so i can see that i am nowhere near finishing it anytime soon).

size: 8 mL (full size!)
retail value: $24

4) Pari Beauty Colour Cubes in "# 04 & 19"
i find these loose powders to be a bit messy but these colors are ah-mazing. so gorgeous! i have absolutely nothing like the rosy pink color (which i will assume is #19 since there is no other indication). it makes you question how you can use it without looking like you have an infected eye but it definitely works! what i do is i use the soft yellow (#04) on the inner corner, a black or something dark in the crease area and lightly tap the rose pink on top of that. tada! a beautiful sunset on your eye!

haha but seriously, here are some swatches:

both are shimmery and are not super pigmented but it is buildable. #19 looks more like a peachy color when swatched. #04 is finer than #19 and applies very smoothly. the powders come in a plastic stackable container.

size: 2 stack
retail value: $30 (5 stack, 7 g); $35 (8 stack, 11 g)

so since my July Topbox arrived yesterday... this is all probably old news! all items were makeup-related so that's always a hit with me. my stubborn eyelashes renders this eyelash curler quite useless; lipglosses - have a ton but Benefit is a nice brand to try. all in all, quite content with the contents! onward to the next box/bag!

thanks for continuing to read my blog! <3 it has been super busy with the Calgary Stampede and the flooding and everything so i appreciate your continued support! i will be heading to Edmonton this weekend to see Bruno Mars but i will update again soon after!