June 2016 Birchbox Unboxing

It is a new month ( I received this on June 8th) and so it is time to share with you my June Birchbox. I am really excited to try these products. Let me know if you have any questions. I do pay for this and so my opinions are my own. 

1. The Beauty Crop PBJ Smoothie Stick in Raisin the Roof- I love lip products! I am excited to have a new one to try out! It seems as though it will add a hint of color and be moisturizing on my lips, I guess we will see. 

2. Davines Authentic Replenishing Butter for Face, Hair & Body- I am excited to try this multi-purpose product out. It is a balm that conditions hair, skin and removes makeup. I plan on using it at night to remove makeup. I have enough conditioner so I don't think I will be using it on my hair. 

3.  Davines Authentic Cleansing Nectar Hair/Body- This is also a multi-purpose product. It is a shampoo and body wash in one. I am curious to see hour hydrating it is. 

4.  LOC One & Done Shadow Stick in Haute Cocoa- Eye products always get me! I am excited to be able to try a new one! I using a Maybelline color tattoo in my monthly project pan that is almost done and I will be using this after that is finished. 

5.  Air Repair Complexion Boosting Moisturizer- I believe I might have had this before but as the name suggests it is a face moisturizer. I am disappointed that is doesn't have SPF especially for the summer time. 

6.  NUXE Rêve de Miel® Facial Cleansing and Make-Up Removing Gel- Multi-purpose products are my favorite! This is no different, a face wash and makeup remover in one. I plan on using this more in the morning because I think the gel will feel nice when I wake up. 

I hope you enjoyed my initial thoughts on these products. Around the middle of June I will have my final thoughts on them. Hopefully I can use some of them up and really let you know how i feel. Don't forget to watch the above video.

~Annelise

September Empties #2

Hey! It's time to do the second part of my empties! Click here to see the first part! 

Tresemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo (Not Repurchase) -This is my second bottle of this Dry Shampoo and both bottles have broken. When I was able to try it worked pretty well, but with two bottles breaking shortly after I start using the product I won’t repurchase.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle (Repurchase) - This product is amazing! Currently, I am using another hair mask, but I still think I like this product more, we will have to see! This product makes my hair so soft! Click here to watch a video I made when I reviewed this product.  

E.L.F. Mineral Infused Facial Cleanser (Not Repurchase)- This product was different than any other facial cleanser. It is a powder that you have to get wet to foam up to wash my face. To get the powder out it made a huge mess and it smelled really weird. Click here to watch a full review!

Korres Body Butter in Bergamot Pear (Might Repurchase)-  This body butter is so thick! It works and moisturizes incredibly well! The smell is a Fruity-Green Floral with a Watery Accord which I love. The only thing it is almost too thick, so I sometimes I had to mix in other lotions to get it to rub in!

VMV Hypoallergenics Re-everything Face Hand and Body Cream (Not Repurchase)- This lotion smells horrible! I got this in my Birchbox a few months ago and I was so disappointed in the smell! I did think it moisturized pretty well, but I won’t repurchase it because of the smell.

Covergirl Tinted Moisturizer (Not Repurchase)-  I got this tinted moisturizer years ago and absolutely loved it! Since then BB Creams have captured my heart. This is a good product, but I personally prefer BB creams so I won’t repurchase it.

Arquiste in Flor y Canto (Not Repurchase)-  This perfume is not a scent that I like. They describe the scent as: a scent that evokes an Aztec summer festival in Tenochtitlan circa 1400. Wear it to be transported to a dimly lit temple altar filled with fresh flowers.

Maybelline Expert wear Eye shadow in Mocha Motion (Might Repurchase)-  I have had this eye shadow for so long! I loved it! I used the darker color for my eyebrows and neutral as always great. I might not repurchase this because I have other neutral eye shadows that I want to try and that will be a little better quality.

Old Navy Brilliant Lip gloss (Not Repurchase)-  This lip gloss has been my favorite for such a long time! I decided to use it up because there was such a little amount left.  I loved this color and consistency. The reason I say I won’t be repurchasing this is because I haven’t been able to find it again.

E.L.F. Highlighter & Under Eye Concealer (Not Repurchase)-  This product has a concealer that is really light and takes a lot of layering to get it to hide anything. The highlighter is great! It is just a slight shimmer, so I might have to see if E.L.F. sells just the highlighter by itself. I won’t buy the duo again because I feel the concealer is a dud.  

I hope you enjoyed my empties! Until next month, have a great day! 

September 2014 Birchbox Unboxing

I got my September Birchbox and I am so excited to share it with you! A lot of these products I love, but I have never tried it from these brands so I am very excited to! 

1. Davines Oi All in One Milk - When I saw this in my Birchbox I was so happy! I love getting hair sprays. My hair needs something when I get out of the shower and this claims that it is: nourishing, volumizing, detangles, a heat protectant, as well as makes your hair shiny! 

    a. Davines Shampoo & Conditioner - There was also a bonus where they also included samples of the shampoo and conditioner. I am excited to see how they all work together.

2. Dr. Jart+ BB Black Label Detox- In case you didn't know my favorite face product is BB or CC Creams. I think they are such a multi-purpose product that looks great but isn't too heavy. This BB cream is also suppose to calm irritated and blemish prone skin which I can have especially during stressful times. 

3. Harvey Prince Ageless Liquid Loofah- I always mix an exfoliant with my body wash, so I saw this product and got excited! This body was is an exfolaint with the scent of grapefruit-vanilla!

4. Mereadesso All-in-One Moisturizer- Another product that claims to do lots of great things. This product says it is a day/night cream, serum, eye cream, toner and primer. I love products that can do so many things I hope this product lives up to all those claims, or at least most of them. 

5. Temptu S/B Highlighter in Champagne Shimmer- This product came at a perfect time, I just ran out of my highlighter. This color is a little darker than I usually use so I am excited to try this out! 

I hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know if you have any question about Birchbox below or which product seems to be the best. Have a great day! 

~Annelise

May Favorites

It's the end of May and that means MAY FAVORITES! I love seeing all the fun products people have discovered or rediscovered during the month! I have one favorite you will have to wait till the end because I am so excited and so in love with it I had to save it till the end! 

1. Olay Complete SPF 30 Defense Daily UV Moisturizer-  I actually finished this product up this month and it was a product I used everyday after I washed my face no matter if I was wearing makeup or not. I loved that it had SPF in it. I also noticed a huge difference when I stopped using this product and I really saw how much it helped moisturize my face.  

2. Neautrogena Naturals Multi-Vitamin nourishing night cream- After I stopped using the Olay product I mentioned above my skin became super dry. This is a product that is moisturizing but doesn't break me out. I used this product at night and then would even mix it into the tinted moistuirzer I was using during the day. It did wonders and you don't need a lot and it's pretty natural. I win win win! 

3. Covergirl True-blend Concealer- This concealer is perfect for blemishes! I have mine in 1 (the lightest shade) and it works well under my eyes as well to lighten them up. It is creamy and blends great! I set it with powder and I am good to go for the day! 

4. Maybelline Falsies Volume Express- I love this mascara, I did get the waterproof on accident, but it stays on so long it's great! I love the curved wand on this mascara, I don't curl my eyelashes and this helps me bring my eyelashes up and still volumizes them.  

5. Maybelline Expertwear Eyeshadow in Mocha Motion- I have had this eyeshadow quad for a long time. Recently, I have used the white shade for a highlight the light brown shade for all over the lid and the dark brown shade for my eyebrows. I used to not do anything with my eyebrows but recently it has made my face look so much better and I love it! 

6. No. 7 Lipstick in Smooth- I bought this lipstick on sale last month at Target and fell in love. It is a gorgeous pink shade this is perfect for spring and summer. Application of this lipstick is easy and it feels like a lip balm and has great pigmentation.  

7. Nailpolishes- I loved two different nail polishes this month both of which I have a blog post on. The first one was Color Club's Aquamarine which is a beautiful pearl color. The second one is Love my Nails in Palest Mauve which is a wonderful pinkish-peach color.  

I hope you enjoyed reading! Have a fabulous day! Let me know what your favorite thing about May was in the comments! 

~Annelise 

My number one Favorite is my new camera! Watch my video to see it in action it is the Cannon Handycam HDR-CX580! I love it! 

42 Beauty Questions (Part 1)

I did a tag video on my Beauty Channel in two parts, the first part was up at the end of January, the second part should be up February 4th or 5th (along with another blog post). I did 21 questions each time to keep the videos short. Below are the first 21 questions, feel free and answer them! Make sure you let me know so I can read/watch your answers! 

TAG: 40 Beauty Questions (Part 1)

1. How many times do you wash your face daily? I try and wash my face in the morning and at night, it doesn't always happen though. 
2. What skin type do you have? (dry, oily or combination)  I would say I have combination skin, some parts are really oily while other parts are dry. I have more dry/oily patches depending on the season.
3. What is your current facial wash?  I use two different ones. One in the morning which is Morning Burst by Clean & Clear and one in the evening Fresh Foaming Cleanser by Neutrogena. 
4. Do you exfoliate? Yes, it is my favorite thing! It always makes my skin feel soft, I love it!
5. What brand do you use? I try and exfoliate in every step, my morning face wash has little beads in in, as does one of my face masks. I do have two specific face exfoliators the first is St. Ives Naturally Clear Apricot Scrub and it has large beads. The second is BrightenUp! by Vasanti and it feels a lot like sand and it is quickly becoming my favorite. 
   
6. What moisturizer do you use? If you saw my January Favorites Post I talk about how in the morning I mix a tinted moisturizer with my moisturizer and at night I use the Neutrogena Naturals Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Night Cream. It is nice and thick to really moisturize my face at night.
7. Do you have freckles? Yes, around and on my nose. They are more prominent in the summer when I get tan. 

   

   My morning moisturizing products 

8. Do you use eye cream? No, let me know of a good you use! 
9. Do you or did you have acne prone skin? I have never had bad acne, but have always had some.
10. Did you ever use ProActiv?  I believe my brother used it for awhile, so when he wasn't going to use it, I tried it. 
11. What foundation do you use? I am working on finishing a few and none of them are my favorite per say. I love BB creams though, my favorite that I have tried is one by Garnier. It is thick and covers decently well with out being heavy.

    

    My two favorite "foundations" at the moment!

12. How about concealer? I am also working on using up some old concealers but my favorite of all time is the Bo-ing by Benefit.
13. Do you know your undertone color? I am not sure, I think it is neutral. Let me know if you think you know! 
14. What do you think of fake eyelashes? Never worn them and don't plan it. I hate pain and I have never really feel like I have needed them. My eyelashes have served me well. 
15. Did you know that you are supposed to change your mascara every 3 months? Yes I do know that but honestly I don't change it. I wait until the product is gone or it is dry.
16. What brand of mascara do you use? I usually go with what ever packaging looks cool or if I have heard some good things about it. Currently, I am really loving one I got in my Birchbox from the brand Mally. 
    
17. Sephora or Mac? I like Sephora because there is more variety in products and in price.
18. Do you have a MAC Pro-Card? No I have only ordered from MAC once, online. 
19. What make-up tools do you use in make-up application? I use brushes for any powder based products. I usually use a sponge or my fingers for any liquid product.
20. Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes? Sometimes, more often then not I use a cream eye shadow before I put powder eye shadows on and it hold it pretty well.
21. For the face? A lot of times I don't, I will just use a moisturizer underneath. If I really want my makeup to stay for all day and more, I will use a primer. I like to use Smashbox's Photo Finish primer, it is light weight and silky on the skin.

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to answer these questions! Have a great day! 

~Annelise

January 2014 Favorites!

It is the end of the month and that means it is favorites time! Every month on my Beauty Channel, I make a video showing my favorite products of the month. This month is will be live on January 31st. Here, on my blog, I post extra information and pictures then the video. 

The brand & name have worn off!

1. Wet N' Wild Ultimate Sheer Tinted Moisturizer in 181A Beige -- This is a great Tinted Moisturizer, it is has SPF 15, which is great for all year round! In the summer I will wear this all on its own, it doesn't have great coverage but it does even out my skin. Right now though I have been mixing it with a moisturizer and putting that on underneath my foundation/BB cream. I love to layer moisturizers, especially in the winter time!

2.  Revlon Photo Ready Powder-- No matter what I am wearing (tinted moistuizer, BB cream or foundation) I always wear some type of powder. I feel like it sets everything into place and makes it stay for a long time. I loved the Revlon Photo Ready Powder for the long wearing and the matte finish it gave my face. I am always looking to try something new, so let me know your favorite down below. 

3. Elf Highlighter & Concealer-- Most days I don't want to look flawless, I want people to be able to still see my skin, so normally I like light concealers. They hide the redness, but it doesn't look cakey. This is true for the ELF Concealer. The Highlighter is AMAZING it gives your face a glow without being shiny or shimmer. The light hits it and it looks so natural and glowy. I love it! (Hence, why it is in my favorites, right?) And it's only $3!

A swatch of the concealer & highlighter

4. Maybelline Falsies Volume Express Mascara-- Let me start by saying, I never have and don't plan on curling my lashes. I just don't see the need. I have been loving this mascara because if you can see the wand is curves so you can "curl" your lashes and bring them up just by using the wand! I only use it on the top lashes and it gives them a ton of volume.  

5. Beauty Smoothie in Berrylicious-- I always use lotion when I get out of the shower. I take burning hot showers (like the knob all the way over to hot), so when I get out my body needs moisture and maybe even a little cooling. This lotion is great for that because not only does it have the lotion to moisturize there is also gel which cools my body. It feels so nice! The smell is overly sweet, but it doesn't stay on your body long so don't let that stop you!

You can see the layers of lotion & gel

6. Zoya Nail polish in Dove-- I won't spend too much time on this because I made a whole blog post on it, with tons of pictures so go check it out! 

7. STASH Chai Green Tea-- I love tea, especially green tea. This chai green tea is okay, but I know how to make it Great (for me anyways). First, I start with hot water, I then add sugar in there with some additional cold water. After those are all mixed I add the tea bag and it is delicious! I like cold tea better then hot, so that is how I normally make it but this tea is good hot too!  

This tea is also 100 % natural! 

 

Thanks for reading! I hope you have a great day! What was your favorite product you used in January! 

~Annelise