BEAUTY BOX 5: January 2014

so a small part of the reason why i haven't posted lately was because of a trip to the USA for my friend's graduation - she's a doctor now! 

i went for about 6 days and visited a bunch of cities i've never been to before. first stop was Philadelphia for Jenny's graduation - love you! went to a couple tourist-y areas including the Eastern State Penitentiary which was pretty interesting... wish we had more time there though! had dinner at Iron Chef Morimoto's restaurant and it's crazy how all the dishes were all so good! i love the restaurant itself - so pretty (top right photo). 

after two nights in Philly, we headed to New York by Boltbus and of course, checked out Grand Central Station, Central Park, Times Square, Wall Street, 9/11 Memorial Site... took the subway! saw a rat! rode a taxi... aiyyy... i forgot that all these cities we were visiting are 'older' cities, so i wasn't expecting so much graffiti, demolition and uneven roads. and man those roads are bumpy! 

we only did one night in New York so it was go-go-go! so stayed overnight in Elizabeth since some of our friends were departing the next morning from Newark. the top left photo of the cathedral is in Elizabeth. it is GORGEOUS. i love cathedrals! i just wished they were open! all of the ones we visited were either under construction or closed... 

took it easy the next two days near Oil City/Pittsburgh. did some some more outlet shopping which is always great. on my way out... my flight gets cancelled. man! i ended up staying overnight at the airport... definitely not the most comfortable place to stay for an extended period of time. if this ever happens to you, make sure you talk to the staff to see how they rebooked your flight because they automatically booked me for 3 connecting flights - ridiculous!

anyway, it was a fab time! i wish i had more vacation days!

onward to BB5!
January 2014 - Cheers to You! featuring That Awkward Moment

i don't have any desire to see That Awkward Moment because i can't handle watching raunchy sex comedies in theatres. but Zac Efron is very pretty. haha

1) H2O Plus : Spa Sea Lotus Body Wash
size: 30 mL
retail value: $17 (370 mL)

to date, i've received four H2O Plus products from BB5. each time i like to check out the website to find out what the 'key elements' are. for this Sea Lotus body wash, they are: water lotus, bamboo, red marine algae, and Vitamin E. similar to the last H2O Plus body wash i received in March 2013, it smells marine-y. it is indeed part of their Marine Skincare line but i just do not like that scent.

2) Nubar : Cuticle Oil in 'T3191-7 Green Apple'
size: 7 mL
retail value: $10 (15 mL)

it does smell like green apples! very light scent. the brush is different from a regular nail polish. this one is stiffer so you can dab it on your cuticles. i am not very precise since it just gets absorbed anyway.

3) Swissco : Bath & Shower Exfoliating Gloves
size: 1 pair [full size]
retail value: $5

i can always count on BB5 for something different. exfoliating gloves! haven't received or used these before. i think these will become very useful, especially with dress season around the corner.

4) Jergens : Daily Moisture Dry Skin Moisturizer
size: 29 mL
retail value: $6.99 (621 mL)

this light cream absorbs quickly into the skin and has a citrus scent with a hint of flowers. a tad boring but will be used someday.

5) Epic Blend : Lip Balm in 'Hemp Coconut' 
size: 4.2 g [full size]
retail value: $3.39
promotion: 25% off online purchase // expired Mar 31, 2014

i said i'd try to pawn off the (MALIN+GOETZ) mojito lip balm from the ipsy bag to my boyfriend but this is more his style.

6) BONUS : That Awkward Moment : Mirror Compact

a rectangular mirror compact that i probably won't use since i already have a mirror with my MUFE Pressed Powder. i'd bring it along for travel if it was bit bigger!

and so there it is. BB5 continues to have some interesting items like exfoliating gloves and brush cleaners in their boxes but it's offset with the boring lotions and shampoos. i also don't really see how this whole box ties in with the movie...

what are your vacation plans this year??

IPSY BAG : January 2014

January 2014 - 19 Reasons
i've finally made it to the 2014 subscriptions... aww yeah! i want to squeeze in another post before i leave for Philadelphia on wednesday though. i'm heading down to my friend's graduation and we will be visiting New York and Pittsburgh as well. it's all very exciting to me because i haven't been to many places in the states.

alsoooooo i went to my third (i think) BSB concert on friday and it was amazing (AHHH NICK CARTER)! it was awesome to see all 5 of them back together. they thanked the fans for being there for 21 years... 21 years!! that's crazy that it has been that long. i was super happy that they played a lot of their old hits. i also know some of their new ones since i had a BSB only playlist at work for the last 3 days in preparation :)

anyway, my phone died after the concert which made me kick myself the rest of the night because a friend convinced me to head to the after party and this was the closest i have ever been to them!! i could see the sweat on their foreheads! i touched AJ and Howie's hands!! i got Howie's autograph!!!

eeeeeeeee! i was in awe for sure! it was like an estrogen-fuelled mosh pit but it was worth it. Howie was super cool cause he was taking selfies with people's phones and signing autographs. yay!! i am very glad i went even though i felt super old at the club later. super old. a boy who actually looked 16 kept trying to hold my hand and dance with me and i was like 'i am pretty sure i am like 10 years older than you'! the club scene is veryyy strange to me now. 

anyway, back to ipsy! ipsy's 19 Reasons bag is referring to the 19 brands they worked with in January.  they also want you to find a reason why 2014 will be amazing. i'm already enjoying 2014 quite a bit and my upcoming trips to Philly/New York/Pittsburgh and then Orlando in the summer will be fantastic, i'm sure. plus, i just went to the Backstreet Boys and will be going to see John Legend next month. swoon!

1) Benefit : the Porefessional
Quickly minimize the appearance of pores & fine lines for smoother-than-smooth skin! Apply this silky, lightweight balm alone, under or over makeup. Translucent, oil-free formula complements all skintones and helps makeup stay put. Contains a Vitamin E derivative, known to protect skin from free radicals.
size: 3 mL
retail value: $31 (22 mL)
promotion: free gift with online purchase // expired Feb 15, 2014 

this makes it three! three times i've found this in a beauty bag. the other 2 times were from Topbox - April 2012 and February 2013. guess i won't be running out anytime soon and i still enjoy how smooth it makes my skin feel.

2)  (MALIN+GOETZ) : Mojito Lip Balm
The (MALIN+GOETZ) Mojito Lip Balm is as soothing to the lips as it is to the senses. Flavored with (MALIN+GOETZ) Mojito, this lip balm is scientifically blended to restore and replenish. The hydrating lip gel easily integrates for daily maintenance, prevention and treatment of dry, irritated lips. Color and Paraben free.

size: 10 g [full size]

retail value: $12

mojitos hey? that's a new flavor of lip balm for me. i am trying to rely less on lip balm cause i feel like my lips have to recover on their own from the winter but i might see if my boyfriend would use this. it looks plain enough right? i just don't know how he would feel about the gel texture...

3) Balanced Guru : Balm Me Up Organic Sweet Cocoa & Tangy Body Balm

Treat your whole body with a smooth and buttery body balm. Enriched with healthy butters and an invigorating blend of essential oils that will wake up your senses and moisturize your skin without leaving it greasy or tacky. Make sure you work it well into elbows, knees and even your feet, they'll thank you later!

size: 30 mL [trial size - $12]

retail value: $45 (120 mL)
promotion: 20% off online purchase // expired Feb 28, 2014 // US only

this body balm claims to moisturize your skin without leaving it greasy but i find that this is really difficult especially if the product contains so many different butters and oils. my experience with this body balm is that it leaves a shiny look/greasy feeling after application but over time, this will fade but the moisture remains.

4) Absolute! : Make-up Cleansing Tissues with 'Cucumber Extract'

Pre-moistened, refreshingly fragranced, water-based cloths designed to instantly remove even waterproof makeup without irritation. Infused with natural extracts and botanicals, Absolute! Makeup Cleansing Tissues are formulated to reawaken and soften skin, while helping to reduce puffiness. Made of delicate spun lace, our convenient, effortless 1-step tissues are gentle enough for use on sensitive skin and around the eye area.

size: 10 tissues [$2.49]

retail value: $7.99 [60 tissues]
promotion: 30% off online purchase // expired Feb 10, 2014 // US only

ipsy has teamed up once again with Nicka K. the Absolute! line of cleanings tissues include a number of other extracts such as Vitamin C, green tea and pomegranate. 

5) yaby : Natural Finish Liquid Foundation in 'Buff'

The yaby Liquid Foundation leaves an unbelievably natural, super smooth texture and is extremely easy to apply. Mimics the skin's natural sheen to create the most realistic flawless skin. Oil-free.

size: 8 mL [full size!]

retail value: $13.55
promotion: 20% off online purchase // expired Jan 31, 2014

the yaby liquid foundations all come in this small size which is great for carrying around. yaby also has color correctors as well. i've tried a few yaby products now (thanks to ipsy and Topbox) including some concealers which were decent but not highly pigmented. this 'Buff' shade is meant to be neutral but i think it is just a bit light for my skin. the smell is not the greatest since it smells sort of metal-y.

and tada! that makes up the first beauty bag from ipsy for the year... sort of a boring start in my opinion.

did you like your ipsy bag? what concerts are you going to this year?

FANCY BOX: December 2013 [Coco Rocha]

here is my very first - and much much delayed - Fancy box review :)

i decided to take the dive and get a new subscription box because well... it was December and you never know what extras or specials could be included.

and i'd been eyeing Fancy box for a very long time. i decided to go with Coco Rocha because her past boxes contained items that were most appealing to me. i also considered Jennifer Love Hewitt's and Kelly Rowland's boxes. i didn't go with JLove because she occasionally picked items related to cooking and i don't can't cook. Kelly Rowland's was tempting but i couldn't see myself using all of the items. 

plus there was a 30% off promo code so it pretty much sealed the deal.

the cost breakdown was:

Fancy Box       $39.00

Discount            (11.70)

Shipping             17.00            (booooo i know - Canada is really not that far)

Total            44.30 USD

so even with the discount, it's not the most affordable box out there. the Coco Rocha Fancy box description states that the boxes have more than a $80 value. so it's a gamble, like all other subscription boxes.

i placed my order on December 2, 2013 for the December box. since this order was placed before the 26th, it was shipped on December 30 (Fancy's cutoff date for the current box is the 26th). it arrived on my doorstep January 3, 2014.

the box is pretty huge! here is a picture to illustrate the size, as well as my current collection of unopened Fancy boxes:

the leaning tower of Fancy boxes

upon opening the Fancy box, i see some black tissue and then... some more tissue. these ones were 'inflated' (what's the term here?) to keep the things from moving around too much. on the VERY bottom of the box is where i found all of my items.

keep reading to find out more about my first Fancy box experience!
p.s. all retail values listed below are in USD.

you get these little cards for each item you get, along with some notes from Coco on the back:

1) Greeting Cards for All Occasions by Rifle Paper Co. - "Go Get 'Em Tiger"
Inspired by vintage playing cards and perfect for a friend or significant other.

this is quite a neat-looking card - it has a 'Papyrus' feel to it: a unique, well-made card that i can't ever bring myself to purchase. but i guess $5 isn't really that bad. except it is blank inside, so it's all on you to write something clever.

retail value: $5

2) Moleskine Ruled Notebook - "Brilliant Violet"
The Moleskine Mini Notebook has 56 acid-free pages (28 leaves) with rounded corners. It is so lightweight you'll forget about it - till you need it. Whether you're a veteran Moleskine aficionado or new to this fabulous world you can't pass up this new simplicity for thoughtful journaling.

i do often find myself looking for something to jot down some ideas or to make a quick list. opening the 'Notes' app on my iPhone can literally take too long.. my phone has way too many blogging photos on it so e v e r y t h i n g  i s  s u p e r  s l o w .
this is the perfect size to throw in a handbag. it even comes with a small pocket in the back for you to slip cards/receipts in.
now all i need is a mini pen to go with it.

retail value: $6

3) Quay Sunglasses - "Kitti / Tortoise Shell"
Specs:
Polycarbonate Frame
Polycarbonate Lens
100% UV protection

Dimensions:
Width: 14cm/5.5"
Height: 5cm/1.9"
Nose gap: 1-4cm/0.3-1.5"

these sunglasses aren't your typical cheap plastic sunglasses. staying true to the name of the model, these sunglasses are very cat-like. i am not quite sure how i feel about them - they may indeed be too fancy for me. but i can maaaaaaybe see myself busting these out on a summer road trip. maybe.

retail value: $40

4) Sovanna Earring by Senhoa 

Golden Shade Swarovski crystals, evoking the rich essence of luminous sunlight hitting the stirring streets of Siem Reap. Sovanna is a homage to the promises of the coming dawn.

okay seriously hands down - my favorite item in the box. and of course, the most expensive. these earrings alone exceed the "> $80" Fancy box value promise.

i thought these were absolutely beautiful the second i took them out of the velvet bag. but it was after reading the card about the company that really amazed me.

"Each Senhoa jewelry piece is individually handcrafted by a survivor of human trafficking or a young woman vulnerable to sexual exploitation."
if that is not one of the best reasons ever to buy jewelry, i don't know what is.

i love the color and shape of the golden Swarovski crystals. definitely gorgeous to wear to a fancy event with an updo or more subtly with my hair down.

retail value: $85

oooh the color is so purdyy

so i must say i love this box. the highlight and most valuable item were the earrings and they are very pretty indeed. the total value of this box was $136! that's quite amazing. the notebook is very cute and practical at the same time. the sunglasses and card may not be as impressive to me, but still very interesting and different. this was definitely a great first impression.

i must say that i am itching to open my next Fancy box. maybe it's because it's a change of pace from all the makeup bags which makes this so exciting! there's so many things that could possibly be inside!
i believe there is a t-shirt in my next box because i recall the Fancy team asking me to pick a size... guess we will just have to see!! must. breeze. through. January. boxes. stat!