Today is my birthday (ahh!) and I thought I would share with you the birthday dinner makeup look I wore this weekend.
I kept everything pretty low key and went out to a delishhhh dinner – but ya know – any excuse to glam it up, i’ll take it!
I loveee this look. I think it is simple enough for really any occasion, but the red lips really bring some drama and fun. Follow me on my new Instagram page to get more day to day looks and product details – @little.miss.melis :).
It is my favorite time of the month!! Subscription week :).
This week I have lots to share but thought I would start out with my August 2015 Birchbox. For those of you who don’t know, Birchbox is a $10 monthly subscription box that sends you 5 beauty samples – anything from skincare to lifestyle samples. Sign Up Here!
August 2015 Birchbox
This month I opted to get the Candidly Nicole Guest Editor Box and was SO Excited for the goodies!
Last weekend I went to my first VIB Rouge event! I was super excited for the goody bags and the 4x point perk didn’t hurt either! I took my Mom as my plus 1 and we ended up getting some great stuff so I thought I would share :).
Damage Done
We ended up buying a selection of things – some for myself, some for my mom, and some for my sister. As you can see we had fun!
The Entire Haul ❤
Here are some of the things I got:
My Haul – Mainly Skincare
I ended up gravitating to the skin care products as my face has been sorta freaking out the past couple months. The BEST thing we found was a build your own sample pack. You could choose any 5 samples within a certain section for $25 and they came with a super cute little bag (as you’ll see in my mom’s section of the haul). The things I personally picked out were the four items in the back left –
Algenist – Anti-Aging Melting Cleanser: I have the full size of this product and LOVE it. I first saw it on KathleenLights Youtube channel and thought it sounded interesting, so naturally I went to buy it. It starts out as a gel formula and then as you put it on your dry face it turns into an oil. When you go to wash it off it turns into almost a milk and washes off literally all your makeup. I was super excited when I saw this sample because first of all it is HUGE and second of all it is perfect to travel with so I don’t have to take my full size.
First Aid Beauty – Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay: I am a big fan of clay cleansers because I think they do a really great job of cleaning out my pores. I saw this and decided it would be a fun one to try and again, I love samples for traveling. I think it is fun to do a couple little mini spa nights while on vacation.
Dr Dennis Gross – Alpha Beta Peel (Original Formula): These were actually not in the 5 for $25 section – I ended up grabbing them while in the checkout line (gets me everytime!!) BUT, the more advance version of these were – which is incredible to me because I think these “samples” retail for around $16! I am still just in shock at the great value we got with all these samples. If you have a local Sephora I highly recommend going to take advantage of this deal! ** I just checked and they have this deal online too! FYI 🙂
Ren – Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask: I haven’t tried this product yet, but as you can see I am all about the masks right now and really anything that says radiance sounds good to me! I am excited to try it out as it has some really good reviews online!
GlamGlow – SuperMud Clearing Treatment: This was my main purchase of the day and really the only thing I planned on splurging on. It is nott cheap but in my opinion worth every penny. I got a sample of this when I bought the SuperCleanse Daily Clearing Cleanser and while I do love the cleanser this mask is unreal. It is easily the best mask I have ever used. EVER. I have combo to dry skin and the pores around my nose / T – zone can get oily and are bigger than I would like. I used this and when I looked in the mirror afterward I couldn’t see a single pore. It was unlike any mask I’ve ever used. The next day I woke up and my skin was clean, tight and radiant.
First Aid Beauty – Facial Radiance Pads: These were just an extra sample the woman threw in for us as we were paying – but I can’t wait to try them. I am a big fan of makeup wipes / pre moistened pads just because they are so easy to use.
Sephora Masks – Rose Face Mask & Honey Eye Mask: I love these little masks from Sephora – they are super inexpensive and I think they are great for a more frequent treatment. I have used a number of them and find them to be really great on my skin. I love the variety of types that they have.
Kat Von D – Studded Kiss Lipstick in Lovecraft: This was actually one of the point rewards that was available – We ended up getting three (one for everyone!) because of what an incredible shade it is. It is a great mauve shade that can be super versatile. As one of the Sephora workers told us – you can make it lighter/fresher by pairing it with a pink liner or deepen it up with a darker nude / brown liner.
My Mom/ Sister’s Haul
My mom went for the 5 for $25 samples as well and opted for the same Algenist Cleanser, Ren Mask, and Dr Dennis Gross Peel.
In addition she got:
Dr Jart+ – Water-Full Hydrogel Mask: This is a super hydrating face mask. It is supposed to increase the hydration, elasticity and bounce to skin. It also has some anti-aging properties!
Murad – AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser: My Mom opted for two of these because she loves the Murad brand. She was looking for some more good exfoliants and this is great because it has the acid exfoliant in addition to jojoba skin-polishing beads.
Lancome – Grandiose Wide-Angle Mascara: I think this mascara is super cool. Not only is the packaging gorgeous but the wand is super unique (go check it out!). It has a swan neck type bend in it which makes it super easy to apply. It is a clump free, lengthening mascara and is long wearing without being waterproof (so its easy to take off at night).
Deborah Lippmann – Cuticle Oil: I just used this last night as I was prepping my nails for a little at home manicure. This oil is great! It has the most amazing coconut smell that is so yummy. The thing I love most about it is that it drys quickly and yet is super hydrating.
Smashbox – Camera Ready BB Cream: This was my sister’s purchase and she has been loving this BB Cream. It is a repurchase for her so that goes to show that it is a great product. I have used hers a couple of times and the amount of coverage is great. I would say it is a medium coverage that feels really light and gentle on the skin. It also has SPF 35 so is great for summertime!
VIB Rouge Goody Bag
Sorry this post is so long! But I just wanted to lastly and certainly not least-ly show you the goody bag we got! It came with the following products:
BareMinerals – Moxie Lipgloss
Boscia – Detoxifying Black Cleanser
Benefit – Porefessional
L’Occitane – Hand Cream
Formula X – Nail Polish
Chloe – Perfume
Korres – Wild Rose & Vitamin C Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial
All in all we def. got our moneys worth when looking at the Rouge goody bag and the amazing 5 for $25 offer. I highly recommend checking it out in store or online – make sure you use Ebates if you’re shopping online to get cash back and an even better deal!
I just got my July Birchbox in the mail! I know in my previous Ipsy post I had mentioned that I cancelled my subscription – however, I was lucky enough to get a 6 month subscription as a gift :).
July 2015 Birchbox
Sign up for Birchbox here! I will say that while my initial feelings on Birchbox were a little mehh – they too have really upped their game and have started to include some great brands and samples (as you will see below)!
Samples (left to right): amika – texture spray, COOLA – cucmber sunscreen, Stila – stay all day liquid lipstick, dr. brant – microdermabrasion exfoliant, and Juice Beauty – CC Cream
In my box this month – actually can we first talk about how adorable this box is. Sooo pretty! I will def. be holding on to this beauty for storage. Back to the point – in this month’s box I got the following samples:
amika – Un.Done Texture Spray – This product would be ideal for flat or dull hair. I have insanely curly and frizzy hair – so the last thing I need is more texture. I may try using this after flat ironing my hair though, when I want a more Victoria Secret kinda look.
COOLA – Classic SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face – This is a super lightweight sunscreen. Sample size is pretty small but it smells delish!
Stila – Stay all Day Liquid Lipstick (shade Venizia) – I was SO EXCITED when I saw that we were getting one of the stay all day liquid lipsticks! I currently own the shade Bellisima and it is such a great formula I can’t wait to try out this shade!
Stila – stay all day liquid lipstick – Shade Venizia
This is a bright pinky/red coral shade that fits in perfectly with my current coral obsession this summer. These also smell amazing and have a moussey texture so they are fairly easy to apply and less drying than other liquid lipsticks. I highhhhhly recommend these if you are debating between these and say the Anastasia or Kat Von D versions.
Stila – stay all day liquid lipstick in Venizia
dr. Brant – Microdermabrasion skin exfoliant – I haven’t tried this product out yet but I love skin exfoliants. I have dry skin so anything I can do to bring some life back into it helps! I have heard really great things about this product and can’t wait to try it. A+ to Birchbox from me for this sample!
Juice Beauty – Stem Cellular CC Cream – I love a good CC cream and here is where the sample size gets to me. I like to be able to try out a CC cream / foundation a couple of times before splurging as most are notttt super wallet friendly. I know Juice Beauty is utilizes great ingredients and this product specifically targets anti-aging. (Side Note – if any of you got this product it does say to apply to slightly damp skin for best application) I recommend spraying a little bit of Mac’s fix + (mentioned previously here). I LOVE the lavender limited edition scent of the fix + if you can get your hands on it!
The one con of Birchbox is really the sample size. I do think they give really quality products and all the brands they include are well respected. However, I typically get enough product to try a sample once or twice – which for me kinda sucks. When I compare it to some of the more “deluxe” product samples or even full sized items I receive in my ipsy bag I just feel as though I don’t get as much for my $10. I will say though, for someone who likes skincare – Birchbox may be the box for you. I find that I do get a lot of really amazing skincare products – and the smaller samples are great for travel!
Recently my skin has been freaking out a little bit. I have been getting more breakouts than usual and my skin is extremely dry from the heat of summer.
There are currently two Mario Badescu products I bought from my local Urban Outfitters a while back that have been life savers!
The first of which is the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion:
Mario Badescu – Drying Lotion
This drying lotion is a godsend. I actually first discovered it when I was visiting my friend, Annick, in New York. I used hers while there – after that I had been on the hunt for it! As soon as I saw it at Urban I bought it immediately. I dip a q tip into it and place it on any breakouts before bed and by the time I wake up they are drastically diminished. Amazing product that I always keep on hand.
The second miracle product that I discovered is the Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater. As mentioned, I have pretty dry skin, I think this spray is incredible. It adds some life to my skin, smells amazing, and leaves me feeling refreshed and hydrated.
Mario Badescu – Facial Spray
I find myself reaching for both of these products daily and will 100% repurchase when they run out.
I bought mine at the Urban Outfitters near me, although they are available for purchase online here – Mario Badescu Skin Care.
Hope you enjoyed the post and try out these amazing products. Let me know if you love any other Mario Badescu products you think I should try!!
LittleMissMelis 