Beauty Unboxed

Bevin from the Zoya True Collection is my new favorite color for Spring right now! What about you? Leave a comment!

I ordered Laura Geller Baked Blush n’ Highlight from Birchbox a while ago and I’m absolutely in love with it. I’m very fair so it’s difficult for me to find a blush that compliments my skin, and this does it very well. The marbleized mix of colors look so vibrant and bold but they’re actually a very soft, pretty pink when applied so it doesn’t make you look like a clown.

As a duo blush and highlighter, it’s designed to flatter all shades of skin leaving you with a perfect glowy finish. I highly reccommend it if you are looking for a nice brighting blush or if you have trouble finding a blush that works for your skin tone.

What blush are you using? Leave a comment!

My boyfriend Jeff received his very first Birchbox Man today! If you’re unfamiliar with the service, Birchbox is essentially a monthy beauty sample discovery service. They just recently launched an equivalent male service appropriately named Birchbox Man. Check out what he got!

• Billy Jealousy LiquidSand Exfoliating Cleanser
• Kiehl’s Ultimate Man Body Scrub Soap
• CoSTUME National Scent Intense
• Richer Poorer Socks

Do you know someone who received a Birchbox Man box this month? Leave a comment!

A while ago a mysterious white box showed up on my doorstep and to my surprise it was filled with awesome Wen products! Way back in September, I posted a review of the Wen Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner that was sent to me by Influenster. Well, I finally received the bonus products promised by Influenster & Wen for unlocking the Wen brand badge. Before you continue reading my review, keep in mind that I am not currently using the Wen Cleansing Conditioner as my primary shampoo and that may or may not impact the effectiveness of each product. At the moment my college student budget doesn’t allow for the Wen Hair Care system, but if it did you can bet I would be using it! On to the review!

Included in the box were 3 of the products that are part of the Wen Healthy Hair Care System:

Sweet Almond Mint Styling Creme

I am absolutely in love with this styling creme! First of all the scent is wonderful, and it lingers all day so my hair smells fresh and clean all day! I have tried so many different hair products to control my frizz and flyaways while keeping my hair soft and shiny but nothing has really worked. With other styling creams I usually end up with really stiff ends that feel like I styled my hair with concrete.Wen styling creme keeps my hair silky soft while maintaining manageability and taming frizz. The styling creme works best when applied to clean, damp/wet hair and styled accordingly.

Sweet Almond Mint Re-Moist Intensive Hair Treatment

I was super excited to try this because every single day I’m constantly battling frizz and dry, split-ends. I apply it before bed on nights when I feel my hair can use some moisture and a pick-me-up. The next morning I rinse it out and following my shower my hair feels hydrated and smooth with a healthy shine.

Sweet Almond Mint Texture Balm

I’ve tried the texture balm several times and I just can’t bring myself to like it. I’m still not entirely sure of its purpose, but it makes my hair feel sticky and it magnifies my dry, split ends.

Have you tried the Wen healthy hair care system? What do you like about it? Leave a comment!

I was really excited to try this when I got it in my March TeenVogue Birchbox since I have very oily skin and I’m always digging through my purse to find my elusive blotting papers. Never again! This stuff seriously absorbs every drop of oil, and prevents makeup from smudging and budging all day.

All you need is a tiny amount because a little bit goes a long way. Squeeze a small amount of gel out onto the tip of your finger and then apply it to clean, fresh skin, rubbing it into the most oil-prone areas of your face. The texture is really interesting, it feels very soft and powdery. My skin instantly looks matte and feels oil-free. What’s even more impressive is that it holds up all day against oil, sweat, and moisture without needing a touch-up. I have pretty oily skin and halfway through the day my makeup is usually melted off, but this primer has kept it fresh and matte all day. No blotting papers necessary! It can be worn under makeup as a primer or over makeup as a quick touch-up.

Birchbox lists the full size on their site for $35 but Amazon has the full size for $17 (plus free shipping!) which I definitely think is worth it because a little bit goes a long way. I purchased the full size thinking I would go through the sample pretty quickly, but I still have some left and I’ve been using it every day.

What do you use to control oil? Leave a comment!

A few weeks ago I spent a good chunk of my hard-earned Birchbox points on the highly acclaimed beautyblender and blendercleanser travel duo. After hearing all of the hype, I was incredibly excited to try it out for myself.

I must say, I’m impressed! I can honestly say it has replaced traditional cosmetic sponges in my makeup drawer. It blends foundation perfectly, leaving no streaks or lines for a fabulously flawless finish. It’s perfect for all of those hard to reach spots around your nose, mouth and eyes. The beautyblender can be used to apply all types of makeup including primers, powders, blushes, tinted moisturizers and liquid foundations.

For best results, thoroughly wet the sponge and squeeze out excess water (the sponge will swell to just about double its size). If you’re using a liquid foundation, squeeze a small amount onto the palm of your hand and gently dab it with the beautyblender. Work it into your skin by gently “bouncing” and twisting the sponge to blend it until you have even coverage.

When finished, thoroughly wet the sponge with water and apply a quarter-sized amount of blendercleanser (Palmolive dish soap works just as well!). Work it into a sudsy lather and rinse until all of the soap is gone. Squeeze out excess water and store in a dry area. I’ve found that it helps to use a blow dryer on it for a few minutes and then store it standing up on a clean washcloth.

Have you tried the beautyblender? What do you think about it?

This month Birchbox decided to go green by sampling tons of nature-inspired products with natural ingredients to freshen up any routine. My Birchbox was packed with eco products including:

Befine Skincare Sampler
This exfoliator and moisturizer duo uses gentle ingredients like rice and brown sugar to keep skin supple and healthy.

Lulu Organics Lavender + Clary Sage Hair Powder
Laced with organic lavender and sage, this sweet-smelling dry shampoo revives flat or second day hair.

Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift
The pop-country songstress’ scent is as catchy as her lyrics. We think it’s worthy of a standing gig on our vanity.

Zoya Bevin (TRUE Spring Collection)
Lighten up for spring with this fresh shade. The non-toxic formula goes on opaque and lasts 50% longer than traditional polishes. Swatch here.

Yes To Blueberries Brightening Facial Towelettes
These nifty wipes remove all signs of makeup and grime. Plus, they refresh skin with a fruity blend of apple, blueberry, and lemon peel extracts.

What did you get in your Birchbox this month?

I was one of the lucky ones to receive the jam-packed Love Voxbox, the latest version of the Influenster Voxbox. It arrived a while back and I’ve been happily testing my complimentary products! If you missed my previous post, click here to check out all that was inside.

The Venus & Olay by Gillette razor is essntially a combination of moisturizing shaving cream and a razor in one product. It just recently hit the shelves and I was thrilled to be one of the first to test it out!

It sports 5 precision blades that follow every curve for a smooth, knick-free shave. The moisture bars melt onto your skin like butter, allowing the razor to smoothly glide over your skin for a luxuriously close shave that won’t result in dryness or razor burn. The package also includes a suction cup wall mount attachment for convenient placement.

I love the concept of the combo shaving cream/razor. The moisture bars are incredibly creamy and hydrating, but they do dissolve rather quickly. Each razor combo lasted about 3-4 shaves which may be fine for some people, but I like to get a little bit more use out of my razors than that.

One of my favorite features is the suction cup wall attachment, however, it does need some work. It’s a brilliant idea in theory, but be warned that if the attachment happens to lose its suction (especially during a shower), your razor will become a slippery projectile, slicing everything in its path on the way down. I felt this was worth mentioning because 2 out of the 3 Venus & Olay razors that I carefully attached to the wall have dropped to their doom after only a few days. The first time I happened to be in the shower when the suction cup popped off, tossing my razor across the shower in my direction, causing me to strategically dance around the tub in order to avoid getting my toes cut off. Be careful!

At approximately $8-10 each, the Venus & Olay razor and refill cartridges ($15-20) are available for purchase at all major food, drug, convenience, and merchandise stores in the US. Razors and refill cartridges can also be purchased at many online retailers such as Amazon.