Wantable January 2013-Misadventures and More

     Well, after a very, very disappointing December Wantable, that almost had me wanting to cancel, my January box was a little better.  However, it was still kind of underwhelming for the $36 price tag. Back when I signed up, Wantable was sending out more products, upping the value of their boxes.  they've now decreased the product count to 4-5, and lowered the value of their boxes.
 

     I could be wrong, but it seems like the packaging was different this month.  If my memory serves me correctly, the outer packaging box was smaller, and the inner box was not as sturdy.  When I opened it up, I saw this little cardboard strip that says "Wantable goes retro!" What's odd to me, other than the fact that nothing here seems to fit the "retro" theme, is that it seems like everyone else's packaging said "Hello beautiful!" Not that it matters at all, but I wonder why mine was different?
  Anyhow, who cares about that, right? ;-) Here's what I got this month:

Starlooks Eyeshadow in Pearl, which seems to be a mostly matte, light champagne color.  I swatched the eyeshadow below (wow-I REALLY should have put on lotion before swatching, my skin looks terrible!).  I'm not crazy about it-it's kind of powdery and chalky.  I don't have a need for a color like this, so this is going on my trade list.

Next, is a Whip Hand Lip Hit lip gloss pen in.......ummm.....a nice raspberry pink color.  (Helpful, aren't I?) Sorry, I threw the box away, and the color name is not on the actual product.  Funny story about this gloss-when I took it out, I assumed that it worked like one of those Stila Lip Glaze pens that you pull the little stopper plug out, then click, click, click the top until the product comes out.  Soooooooo, I started with the "stopper plug thingie" (technical term).  I pulled and pulled, and it stretched and stretched, and finally popped out.  It was then that I realized that it doesn't work like a Stila Lip Glaze pen after all, and that I had just pulled out the applicator. Um......oops? Anyway, I click, click, clicked the top (that part works the same, at least!) and a nice little blob fell out on my hand-on top of my lovely eyeshadow swatch.  (Beauty blogger fail.) Anyhow, I figured out that despite my goofiness, I can still apply the product with a brush (ok, more realistically, my finger), and it works fine.  I actually love the color.  The wear time is nothing spectacular, but it's better than Stila, and doesn't feel gloppy or sticky on my lips like those Stila Glazes do.

My third product is a La Bella Donna eye liner pencil in black.  Guess who threw the box away and doesn't have the real color name? Yep. (sigh) I'll get it together eventually.  Maybe.  Anyway, after I swatched this, I thought for sure I was going to love it.  The mark stayed on my hand through several hand washings, a face washing, a shower, and several more hand washings, so I thought that meant good things for wear time.  Well, the first and only time I wore it, I absent mindedly, lightly rubbed my itchy eye once, and it smeared all over the place.  I looked like I had a face-on collision with a Sharpie.  Not a good look for me, actually.  Since I have itchy eyes often, I'm kind of afraid to wear this again.

My last full sized product was NCLA nail polish in Let's Pop Bottles, Pink Champagne.  In the bottle, it's a very shimmery, multi-dimensional purple, with a hint of silver.  This seemed like a rather adventurous color for little old me, so I painted my toenails with it.  Expecting purple, glittery nails, imagine my surprise when I ended up with pink, foil nails! (I guess the name could have clued me in, but I just looked at it for the first time.)  I actually like it, and will use it to paint my fingernails sometime, too.  It's wearing well, I painted my nails on Sunday, and it looks good as new.

Last, I received a foil sample of Sorme Treat & Tint Skin Perfecting BB Cream in Light Honey.  My current skin color could best be described as "pasty suburban winter pallor", so, I don't think "Light Honey" is going to work for me.  Trade List.

There you go.  I like the lip gloss and the nail polish, and maybe someone else will like the eye shadow and Sorme.  Or not.  Whatever.  I'm going to give Wantable another month or two, and see what happens.  If I have somehow convinced you to sign up for a monthly Wantable makeup subscription, please click on my Wantable link. to help me earn credits towards future Wantble purchases.

Birchbox, Ipsy, and (my beloved) Lip Factory reviews coming soon!

My Most Used Sub Box Products 2013

     I've only been subscribing to beauty sub boxes since July 2013, when I received my first Ipsy bag.  Since then, I've added on Birchbox, then Beauty Box 5 (which I cancelled after 3 "blah" boxes) in August or September, then Wantable.  I received my first Lip Factory box and Sample Society box in December. So, while I subscribe to a ridiculous amount of boxes, I haven't been getting them for very long.  I decided to put together a post sharing the items that I've used the most out of my 2013 boxes.  Since I haven't gotten that many yet, I only have five items to share, but just imagine what next year's post could look like!
     One of the fun things about receiving subscription boxes is receiving things to try that I would never think to buy or try on my own that end up being amazing for me! Most of the things in this post are items I was not excited about when I received them, but ended up becoming products that I would (or already have) repurchase. I can be a smidge resistant to change....

     First of all, I'm sorry the picture is sideways-that's just soooooo professional of me to leave it that way, isn't it? Oh well, moving on!

 Healthy Sexy Hair Beach Spray-I received a sample of this in my first Ipsy Glam bag.  I was hesitant to try this salt spray, not knowing if it would work for my fine, wavy hair.  However, it has quickly become a Holy Grail product.  The first time I sprayed it on, my husband sniffed my hair, and told me it smelled like the beach, and that I should "never stop using it." (Yeah, he didn't know how expensive it was when he said that.) This is a man who rarely seems to notice when I use a new product, so this is pretty high praise.  It amped up my lazy waves, and created some nice curl and texture in my hair, and that's what truly sold me! This product is free of silicones, which I am trying to avoid, so that's a huge bonus, as well.  Unfortunately, this stuff is about $20 a bottle, and I go through it pretty fast.  Also, now that's it's winter, and the air is not as humid, this product is not working quite as well for me as it did in the summer and fall, but I'm still a newly devoted fan.

Juice Beauty Oil Free Moisturizer-I received a generous sample size of this stuff in my first Birchbox.  I'd never heard of Juice Beauty at that time, so I wasn't too excited about it.  I have sensitive skin, that often breaks out from various moisturizers.  I've always had a very hard time finding a good one that keeps my skin flake free without causing acne.  This stuff does that for me.  A dime sized dot is more than enough to cover my face and neck, so even though the full size is $29, it'll last me for a while.  I wish this had some anti-aging ingredients in it-that's the only drawback.  I'm hoping to get some samples of other Juice products to try out!

Eyeko Black Magic Mascara-I'm almost embarrassed to add this to my list because of the way I griped and complained about it when I received it! I feel like subscription companies love to send me mascara, even though I always de-select it on my profiles.  I wear contact lenses, and have itchy, allergy eyes, so I only wear waterproof mascara.  I'm fortunate to have dark, long, thick lashes already, so mascara is something I rarely wore, because it made my eyelashes look like clumpy spider legs.  Not a good look.  Sometimes, though, I feel like I need something to re-darken my lashes after putting on concealer and eyeshadow.  I've found myself reaching for this more often that not since receiving it in a Birchbox.  It doesn't do anything "magical" to my lashes, but it also doesn't clump.  At all.  I only use a teeny, tiny amount, so that may have something to do with it, but I'm loving how I can use this and keep a more natural, less spider-leggy eye look.  This is something I'll probably repurchase when I run out.

Face Stockholm The Great Face Contouring Kit-I received this concealer/highlighter palette in my November Wantable box, and wrote more about it here.  I'm using it every day, mostly to cover up my dark under eye circles ( I use the lighter concealer and a bit of the pink highlighter mixed together), and acne scars.  The coverage is very good, although I'm still looking for something that will totally obliterate my horrible dark circles.  I'm still impressed with the size of this, and how much product is in the pans of this wheel.  I would totally repurchase this, but I think it'll last me a long time.

Miss Jessie's Leave-In Condish-I received a huge, foil packet of this in a Birchbox a couple of months ago.  In fact, the sample was so big, that I'm still using it! It is very, very difficult to find a good detangler/leave-in conditioner that doesn't contain silicones.  My fine, long hair, gets horrible knots and tangles in it, and I need a detangler with some serious slip.  This is the only thing I've been able to find that helps.  It doesn't work nearly as well as my beloved, but silicone-laden KMS Moisture Revival Cream, but it does provide more slip than the other things I've tried.  After my second use of the sample, I purchased the full size from Birchbox.  It has a strong, fabric-softener like scent, that some people hate, but I don't really mind, as I like clean scents. I have noticed that if I use too much, I get a film on my hair, and my ends get stringy, but until I find something better to help me unsnarl the terrible knots I get in my hair, this is a Can't Live Without It product!

Honorable Mention (not pictured)-Noya Lip Balm in Vanilla-I was so mad when I received this product in my second Ipsy bag instead of the Urban Decay lipstick sample that other subscribers received in it's place.  But honestly, I use this lip balm daily, and I'm sure I wouldn't be using the same lipstick sample daily, so I guess it worked out after all.  This balm really works to keep my lips mositurized.  It's creamy, long lasting, and tastes good.  When I use a different balm, I always wish I'd put this one on instead because it just works better.

     There you go! I'm really excited to see what new Holy Grail products I might receive this year, or if I might find some that I like even better than these.

Lip Factory-My New Favorite Subscription!

     Ok, so after my disappointing December Wantable and Birchboxes, a not terribly exciting, first Sample Society box (I'll review that one next), and yet another "meh" Ipsy Glam Bag, I was so excited when I opened up my very first Lip Factory box! I love makeup, particularly lip products, so I think this subscription and I are going to get along just fine!
     For $22 a month, Lip Factory will send out a box of 5-7 makeup products.  Despite the name, not all of the products they send are lip products, but lips are definitely the focus.  This is right up my alley, as I'm more willing to experiment with lip products, and find that out of all the products I receive from my sub boxes, the lip products are the ones I reach for the most.  When you sign up, you fill out a little questionaire about your skin tone, current foundation brand and color, eye color and preferences.  One question asked me if I like bold colors or nudes.  Well, I hate nude lipstick, but I'm not a fan of really bold eye shadow or bright blushes.  There was no middle ground type answer, so I selected "bold colors", hoping to avoid concealer-colored lipsticks and lip glosees.
     Without further adieu (adoo?, ado?, how do you spell that?), here's what I received in my December Lip Factory box.

J. Cat Fab Five Eye Shadow Palette in Greatest Flash-This is apparently where the "I like bold colors" selection I mentioned above comes into play, as this palette contains some pretty bold shades, as far as I'm concerned.  Lime green, lemon yellow, electric blue, bright pink, bright lavender.  These aren't my style at all, but that's ok, because I'm trading with someone who received a nude palette!

Boho Balm Lip and Cheek Stain in Pink Rouge-This pretty little tin contains two shades of lip/cheek stain, as you can see in the picture.  I've mostly just used this on my lips, but it has a pleasant, subtle smell and taste, and feels nice and creamy on the lips.  It doesn't last long, but seems to be pretty moisturizing.

Essence Clear Brow and Lash Gel-This is a great product to receive in a sub box, one I gad been hoping to receive.  Too bad that I finally broke down and bought some Anastasia Brow Gel on my own, but this will get used, also.

NCLA Nail Polish in Emerald Dream-This is a glitter polish with emerald green, purple and black glitter.  It came in a nice, big bottle, and is 5 free.  I don't like glitter polishes, so I'm hoping to trade this for something different.

Model Co Lipstick in Luella-This is where that "bold colors" thing is paying off for me! Luella is a nice, dark berry color, and I really like it.  I've received other Model Co lipsticks in other subs, but they've been lighted colors, more like the color my lips are already, so it was nice to get one with some more color to it! This lipstick, while not super long wearing, is nice and creamy and moisturizing, and it comes with a mirror built into the side of the packaging.

Cell Ceuticals Pumpkin Enzyme Cleanse sample-I haven't tried this yet, as I'm swamped with similar samples to try out.  I don't mind receiving skin care samples in a make up box, as long as they don't skimp on the actual products, like Wantable did this moth, when they sent me a tiny, hotel-sized soap, and fewer makeup products.  I will certainly try this eventually!

Here's the product that gave me the biggest surprise:

Michael Marcus Moisturizing Lip Balm-Ok, if you've read any of my other blog posts, then you know how I feel about Michael Marcus products.  They turn up in all subscription boxes, and are usually crap.  Not this! This is a clear lip balm that tastes and smells like peppermint, but doesn't burn my lips.  I've worn it over, under, and without other lip products, and I love it!  Adds a little shine and moisture, and makes my breath smell nice. I may not have the product name exactly right, as I threw away the box, and there are no labels on the product itself.

So, 6 full sized products, all makeup, for $22.  This really blows Wantable out of the water! Wantable sends 4-5 supposedly full sized makeup products for $36 a month.  If I compare my December boxes from both companies, Lip Factory is so much more impressive!  I'm hoping that this isn't just an extra good box, and that they are all like this.

If you would like to subscribe to Lip Factory, I would appreciate it if you used my referral number, as I can receive $5 worth of products from Lip Factory anytime someone uses my referral.  When you sign up, you receive the same benefits. (I will update soon with my referral code-I cannot locate it on the website, so I've contacted Lip Factory.)

Wantable December-Where I Complain and Whine

    I have to say that I've been putting off writing my review of my December Wantable box, because much like with my December Birchbox, I feel somehow slighted.  I'm disappointed not only with the products I received, but, also like Birchbox, I am disappointed with the sizes of the products I received.  However, unlike Birchbox, which is a $10 a month sample size subscription, Wantable is a $36 a month full sized product subscription. I can shrug up my $10 Birchbox disappointment much easier than a $36 disappointment.  I'm also sort of disappointed that I'm disappointed, if that makes sense.  I really want to like Wantable! It's one of the few all makeup subscriptions, and one of the few which offers full sized products, in what are supposed to be only nice/luxury type brands.  I was quite pleased with my November box, after some profile tweaking due to some unflattering colors I received in previous boxes.  But this one? Not so much.
     Here's what I received. (Kind of sad that I have to look at the picture to jog my memory of what I got, since I don't actually use any of this stuff.)

Manna Kadar Sheer Glo Full Sized-I received a sample size of this in my Birchbox this month, so Manna Kadar must really be on a mission to unload sell some shimmer lotion! I tried my Birchbox sample, and couldn't even tell that I was wearing it, so I decided not to even open this full sized bottle.  I'm hoping I can trade it.  In my first Wantable box, I received some Manna Kadar eye primer, which I was not impressed with either.  I found it to be too greasy to be used as a primer.  I suppose I'm just not a fan of this brand.

Pomegranet Nail Polish in Penny Wisher-This shade immediately reminded me of my mother, as she's been wearing shades similar to this since the 80's.  She's now the owner of a new nail polish. This rose gold color is right in fashion, I can't really fault Wantable here, but it has spurred me to do some more profile tweaking.

Michael Marcus Lipstick in Debbie-ugh.  If you've read any of my other blog posts, then you probably know how I feel about Michael Marcus.  This seems to be a "filler" brand that subscription companies use, as no one seems to have heard of this brand outside of subscriptions, and the quality is total crap.  I've received a couple of Michael Marcus eyeliner pencils that do not even write on my eyelids at all, and a few other things. (Although, I did receive a cool Michael Marcus item in my Lip Factory box-stay tuned to find out about that.)  Anyhow, this shade is a bright tomato red-similar to the shade of the lip pencil I received in my Ipsy bag this month, so I don't need anymore bright reds.  I'm hoping to trade this item, too, but I doubt anyone will want it!

Japonesque Make Up Brush-Ok, some people think makeup brushes are great, and have been thrilled with the Japonesque products they've received.  I guess that may mean that I'm too picky, because I am completely unenthused by this brush.  First of all, it's travel sized.  To me, that doesn't equate to "full sized". Wantable is supposed to be all full sized items.  I mostly use my fingers to apply shadow (I know, I know-it gets the shadows oily, etc.), and the little spongy applicator thingies, because I feel like I get more control that way, and brushes seem to pick up too much product.  I always feel like I'm wasting precious product when I see how much I am lifting off with the brush.  More profile tweaking necessary to eliminate "tools".

Lanoun Agg-Tval Eggwhite Soap-This is a sample size, but I'm told it's an "extra", so sample size is ok. This product kind of annoys me, because this is a makeup only subscription box, and this is soap.  I really don't need a tiny little bar of soap! We have hard water, and I have sensitive skin, so I don't use actual soap products, anyhow.  Since it's a sample, I normally wouldn't mind, but since I don't like anything else in the box, this is just more disappointment.

Wah, wah, wah.  I feel like Debbie Downer.  I want to like it, I really do! But, I kind of hate all of it. Wantable has a great return policy-if you don't like your box, you can return it.  I was going to return this month, but my husband threw away half of the protective packaging material, and I just didn't feel like trying to get it all packed up safely again, and dealing with the post office.  This was a big waste of money, though, as I've used nothing from this box yet, and the only thing I might use is the brush.  Mom was happy with her nail polish, but I could have bought her a bottle of pretty polish for a lot less than $36.

Wantable recently decreased the amount of products they are sending and their box values.  I really noticed the change in product quality and quantity this month.  I've tweaked my profile again, so hopefully next month will be better, but if not, I may cancel and try something else.

Wantable, I really, really want to like you!

Disclaimer-I paid for this with my own money, and all opinions are my own.  By clicking on any links in this post, and then signing up, I would receive a discount on a future Wantable box.

Birchbox December-Where's the Beef?

Ok, you have to be "of a certain age" to get that reference, but really, when I opened this month's Birchbox, that was my reaction.  Everything in the box this month was teeny tiny! I know it's a sample service, but wow-these items are small!

Here's what I received this month:

Number 4 Non-Aerosol Hairspray-This is supposed to be really great hairspray for some reason.  I used it once, and, well, it's just hairspray. I prefer aerosol hairspray, because the finer mist helps add body to my fine hair, but this will still get used up.  Boring, but usable.

Manna Kadar Sheer Glo Shimmer Lotion-Apparently this stuff is supposed to be a big deal, too.  I must be really hard to impress, because I'm not excited about this stuff at all.  Mostly because I received a full size of it in my Wantable box, as compared to this itsy, bitsy .27 oz tube.  I did try wearing this a couple of times, but I couldn't even tell I did anything different.  I suppose if I had great skin and didn't wear makeup, this might show up a little better. Meh.

Harvey Prince Hello-I actually like this perfume sample, as it has a nice scent, and I will get a few uses out of it, although I wish it were a little bigger.

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentrate moisturizer-This is the one product I was actually excited about receiving.  that is, until I opened up the box and saw the minuscule little tube.  I should have taken a picture of it, it's even smaller than the Manna Kadar, at a measly, .17 oz.  If you believe the Birchbox hype, this is a must have product for makeup artists, as it can be used as a makeup priming moisturizer, makeup remover, or body lotion. The sample size is way too small for me to try out all of those uses.  I did use it once as a makeup primer.  I didn't notice any extra staying power of my makeup, and I had a HUGE pimple forming by the end of the day.  So, I guess it's safe to say that I'm not a fan of this sample!

Twistband-I didn't include this in the picture, because it fell out of the deep, cavernous recesses of my nearly empty box, and I didn't even notice it was missing.  I received a single, silver twistband.  One. Twistband.  I'm sorry, but am I the only person that thinks that is kind of pathetic? A single, solitary pony tail holder? Beauty Box 5 sent me a whole pack in my first box. Sure, I'll use it, but c'mon.

Birchbox Screen Cleaner-This is supposed to be an extra.  I received one in my Birchbox Man box, as well.  What you see in the picture is mostly packaging, the actual item is a 1 inch square little thing that can stick to your phone, and you can use the non sticky side to wipe off your screen. I threw the last one away, and this one is going there, too.

I usually like Birchbox pretty well, as I've discovered some great products through this service, but I can't help but feel like they scooped up the tiny little crumbs from the bottom of the barrel and threw them in my box this month.  Bah Humbug!

Disclaimer-I paid for this subscription, and all opinions are my own.  By clicking on any links in this post, and then subscribing to Birchbox, you are helping me to earn Birchbox points.

December's Ipsy Glam Bag

    This was another lackluster month for Ipsy, as far as I was concerned, and I think many feel the same way.  I'm not terribly disappointed in it this month, as I will get use out of some of the items in my bag, but I'm not excited, either.  First of all, I and many others are getting tired of finding repeat brands in our Ipsy bags month after month, especially the brands that seem to be unknown outside of subscription boxes, like J. Cat and Be a Bombshell.  As long as the products are useful, I still feel like I'm getting my ten dollars worth, but it would be nice to sample some other brands.

     Here's what I received this month:

First of all, I don't know how I left the cute makeup bag out of the picture! It was a really nice one this month, with it's shiny, patent-leather like, diamond quilted pattern with red lining.  I really need to find a good use for it.

Pop Beauty Bright Up Your Life Eyeshadow Trio-Boy, that's a ridiculously long name for an eye shadow palette! Pop is another repeat brand for Ipsy, but at least it is a more well known brand.  I received a Pop Beauty Crayon in Fushia Flirt in my first Ipsy bag in July.  The trio I received is in various shades of gray.  They all have shimmer to them, more shimmer than I typically like to wear, but they are nice and festive for the holidays, I suppose.  The colors aren't terribly pigmented, which is ok by me for these particular shades.  the longevity of wear seemed to be average, based on the one time I wore them.  The product size was really nice.

J. Cat Beauty The Big Lip Pencil in Red Rose-Aside from the frustration with repeat, never-heard-of-outside-subscriptions brands, another frequent complaint with Ipsy, is that they send out too many red lip products.  I have to agree.  I feel like I get a red lip product just about every month! I don't wear a lot of red.  This particular red, a bright, tomato red, actually looks decent on me, but since I don't usually wear red, I felt a little self conscious the one time I wore this.  It was kind of like my lips were the most noticeable thing about me.  I suppose that's my problem, though, not Ipsy's. ;-) I ended up toning it down with a brown eye crayon pencil, which actually looked kind of nice.

Be a Bombshell One Stick in Sunset-Yep, another Be a Bombshell product.  They must be giving every subscription service tons of their products and begging them to distribute them.  I don't really mind this brand, but how about something new for a change, Ipsy? Anyhow, this product is meant to be used as a lipstick, a blush and and eye product.  I received Sunset, the color that I was hoping for, actually.  it is a corally-orange color that looks nice on my lips.  I haven't tried it on my cheeks yet, but may try it in the spring.  I can't imagine putting this on my eyes....  It feels decent on my lips, not really creamy, but....well, the texture is hard to describe.  It's not drying, or unpleasant, though, and doesn't smell as bad as some of their other products.

Salon Perfect Perfectly Natural Eye Lashes-I've lucked out in the fact that this is the first and only set of eyelashes that I've received from a subscription, as this is one product that I will not use at all.  I'm totally happy with my own eyelashes, so these are going up for trade.

Mirabella Eye Blender Brush-Apparently, this is an expensive brush to go out and buy, and a lot of people love it.  I just don't get a great deal of use out of makeup brushes, so I'm not super enthused.  I'll use it eventually, I suppose.

So, there you have it! Overall, not too bad, I'll get enough use out of the products to justify my subscription this month.

Disclaimer-this subscription has been purchased with my own money, and all opinions are my own.  Clicking on links in this post, and then subscribing, earns Ipsy Points for me. 

New Stuff This Month

Let me preface this "haul" post by saying that I don't normally buy this much stuff over the course of a month! It's just been a good month for me. ;-) Also, I apologize in advance for the crappy pictures-I'm so not a photographer!

First up, from a trip to Sephora, I got some Anastasia Brow Gel and Formula X for Sephora Nail Polish in Rocket Fuel.  I've been wanting to try Anastasia Brow Gel for a long time, but was unwilling to just bite the bullet and pay full price for it.  I know that some subscription box companies have sent it out, so I kept hoping that I'd get some to try.  No luck.  Isn't that how it works, though? You never get sent the samples of the things you really want to try-at least I don't! Anyhow, I finally just decided to buy it.  My unruly brows have been needing this, because no amount of plucking or trimming keep my brow hairs where they ought to be.  This works pretty well, but I don't like that I can feel it on my eyebrows throughout the day.

Next, the nail polish.  I have to say that Rocket Fuel is a very out of the ordinary color for me.  I tend to stick with the more traditional pinks and reds, and usually go for orangey-pinks and orangey-reds in the summer.  I've been trying to step out of my comfort zone a bit, so I thought I'd give this sage green color a try.  I've never used Formula X before, and I have to say that I am impressed! I love how easily it applied, and I could have been done with one coat, although I did add more.  I've never used a polish that applied so nicely with such great coverage. Polish always chips on me within a day, but this stuff did pretty well, just a tiny bit of wear around the tips of my nails. I'm excited to try more of this brand. Below is a (scary!) picture of the color.

Earlier this month, I used the Birchbox points I've saved up, to purchase this Nude 'Tude palette from theBalm. I was able to get it for just $16 with my points.  I've used it several times now, and while the pans are tiny, the colors seem to be nicely pigmented, go on smoothly, and have decent wear time.  I like that the shades can be mixed and matched, and that they aren't just a bunch of boring browns.

I have a hate-hate relationship with eyeliner.  I feel like I need it, but I hate applying it.  I must have the world's oiliest eye area, because I have a heck of a time getting eyeliner to "write" on my eyelids! I've wasted a lot of money on eyeliners that either never do work, or stop writing after a couple of weeks.  (I've since found that pouring a little rubbing alcohol over the tip of the pencil, and then allowing time to dry, helps out with this problem a little.)  I also have itchy, watery eyes, so I hate when my eyeliner smudges. Having finally found a brown eyeliner that is working for me, I purchased a Maybelline Unstopables eyeliner in pewter a few weeks ago.  I've only worn in 3-4 times, but so far, it is working well for me.  Today, I purchased a Jordana Made to Last 12 Hour eyeliner in Jade Jewel.  Green eyeliner used to be a staple of my beauty routine when I was younger, because I felt like it brought out some green in my hazel eyes, but I've leaned more towards brown and black for a long time.  I feel like "branching out" again, so I'm going to give this a shot.  I haven't tried it yet, so we'll see!

Today at Beauty Brands, I purchased an OPI Base Coat, and OPI I Have a Herring Problem.  This shimmery, slate blue shade is another very out of the box shade for me, actually.  Before going to Beauty Brands, I was at Lowe's, picking out paint samples for my living room in similar shades to this, so I blame it on that.  I'm sure my first graders at school will love my blue fingernails! Haven't tried it yet, so no frightening hand shots to post!

I think between the sub boxes and my frequent trips to the drug store, I need to slow down on my makeup purchases! After all, I do only have one face.....;-)

That's all for this weekend-I need to go back to reality and work on my never ending supply of papers to grade and lesson plans!

November Birchbox

Yep, another box review.  Maybe eventually I'll blog about something other than my subscription boxes! (I still have one other I haven't reviewed yet, so don't hold your breath.) I've had Birchbox for maybe 4 months now.  I usually end up with a few things I like from these boxes. In fact, one of my unexpected "Holy Grail" products has come from Birchbox! I received a sample of Juice Beauty Oil Free Moisturizer in my first box, and much to my surprise, my sensitive skin loved it! I've since bought a full size.

I forgot to take a picture of my Birchbox this month.  I usually receive it and my Ipsy Glam Bag on the same day, and in my excitement, I forgot to take a picture of either box. Here's what I received, and my thoughts.

Vasanti Brighten Up Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator-This is an exfolliant product, in a fairly decent sized sample tube. I've only used it once, as I have plenty of similar samples to try out at the moment.  It seems to be a very fine grained exfolliant, and felt pretty sharp and scratchy.  Since I've only used it once, I can't really vouch for it's effectiveness, but my sensitive skin didn't get upset about it, either.

Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips-Yes, the first thing you noticed about this was the name.  Me too. This was originally created to be a lanolin healing cream for nursing mothers, thus the "Nipple Balm". Unfortunately, the good doctor's name just makes the product name sound funnier.  Or not.  Maybe I just have the sense of humor and maturity of a 13 year old boy.  I didn't think I'd like this, especially after squeezing and squeezing the teensy tube to get anything out of it, and finding it was at least half way full of air.  However, after wearing this a few times, I kind of like it.  It leave my lips glossy like petroleum jelly would, but the glossiness lasts longer, and the stickiness is more bearable.  It actually works well under lipstick, and somehow doesn't create a glopy mess, as I would have expected.  I may actually buy this, but I'm just not sure how I would feel about pulling it out of my purse in public, due to the name.  I know, I know-grow up already, right?

Eyeko Black Magic Mascara-Yet another mascara sample. I'm actually keeping and wearing this one, though, since it's water resistant. This stuff is apparently supposed to be a big deal, that does fabulous things to your lashes, perhaps due to the wand shape, or some such mumbo jumbo. Ehhhh...it's a decent mascara. I like that it doesn't clump, it doesn't run, and it doesn't make my eyelashes feel stiff.  But then, I only wear a tiny amount.  I'm fortunate to have dark, long eyelashes, so I only wear a bit to re-darken my lashes when some concealer or eye shadow has gotten on them.

Folle de Joie Eau de Parfum-I received a small sample vial of this perfume.  This seems to be a very popular perfume among sample box subscribers, so I was happy to try it out.  It has a nice floral smell, but I'm not sure how well it works with my body chemistry.  The jury is still out.

Miss Jessie's Original Leave-In Condish-Despite the obnoxious, Rachael Ray type name of "Condish", which annoys me way more than it should, I like this stuff.  It came at the perfect time for me, as I've been on the hunt for a silicone free leave in conditioner that actually helps me get the tangles out of my hair, which is pretty darn hard to find!  It came in a generously sized, foil packet.  Birchbox often gets a bad rap for it's foil packet samples, but really, I've already gotten 3 uses out of this, and I'll probably get 3-4 more generous sizes uses out of it.  When I rub this on my tangles, and then comb with a wide tooth comb, the tangles comb out so much easier-almost as easily as they did with my old favorite, but silicone laden, leave-in (which gunked up my hair-story for another post).  The smell is strong, and reminds me of off-brand fabric softener sheets, but it doesn't last too long, so I can deal with it.  I actually ordered a full size of this, however, I just noticed that my scalp is getting that gunked up, oily feeling again.  I've read the label multiple times searching for overlooked silicones or build up causing poly-quats, but I don't see any. I hope it isn't this product causing it!

Ghirardelli Toffee Crunch Candy Bar-Sometimes Birchbox sends out food items.  I have my profile set to not include food items, but this month, everyone was sent some type of snack or tea.  This a a huge, full sized bar, unfortunately, no one at my house likes toffee.  Birchbox doesn't know that, though.

So, all in all, it was a pretty decent month for Birchbox! I'm excited to see what December will have.

I purchased this box with my own money, and all opinions are my own. By clicking on the Birchbox links, and then signing up for Birchbox, I would receive Birchbox points.  Otherwise, I am not compensated for this post in any way.

Ipsy Glam Bag November 2013

I have been an Ipsy subscriber since I received my first bag in July.  I have to say that I generally feel pretty "meh" about what I receive in my Ipsy bags.  There are always one or two products that everyone wants, but not everyone gets.  I never get these most coveted products.  (Wah, wah, wah.) For example, in July, Benefit Benetint was a sample that was really hyped up on the Ipsy site, and I've been wanted to try it for years, but lots of people did not get it, including me.  The next month, the coveted product was an Urban Decay lipstick sample.  Those of us who didn't get that got a lip balm instead. (Now, I must admit, I use that lip balm everyday, whereas I wouldn't use the same lipstick every day, but still.....) If I didn't stalk the Ipsy site, and keep up with the monthly bag spoilers to see all the product variants that are going into some bags, I probably would be less disappointed each month when I get my own bag.  However, the hype and spoilers and build up of excitement are part of what makes it fun for me, so I keep at it.  (Yes, I'm easily amused. What can I say?)

Anyhow, to put it all into perspective, it's only $10 a month, and there are usually at least $10 worth of products that I end up using.

I totally forgot to take a picture of my bag this month.  If you are dying to see one, I'm sure you can find a picture on Instagram, but here is what I received, and my thoughts on each product.

em Michelle Phan Lash Gallery Mascara in Black
As you may have heard, Michelle Phan is highly involved with Ipsy, and she recently created her own (quite expensive) makeup line.  Ipsy folks have been begging to sample em, and this month Ipsy added a full sized em product as a sixth product in our bags.  (We usually only get 4-5).  Subscription services apparently love to send out mascara, and I already have more than I can use.  I have contact lenses and sensitive, watery eyes, so I only use waterproof mascara, so I won't be using this.  I also just don't wear mascara often, anyhow.  I would have loved to receive one of the lipsticks, lipglosses or eyeliners that were sent out instead.

Pixi Bronzer in Subtly Suntouched
I'll try this product out eventually, I suppose, but I really don't use bronzer.  Especially in November.  Some people contour with bronzer, but I generally just look like I have a dirty face when I try it.  Anyhow, this shade isn't much darker than the mineral powder foundation I use, so I may experiment with it at some point. Who knows, I may love it.

Be a Bombshell Lip Crayon in Shameless
This is another brand that I've never heard of outside of subscription services, but I've now received products from them in three different subscriptions.  Shameless is a slightly shimmery dark pink, and I was thrilled to discover that this color is perfect for me! It's dark enough to not look like a nude on my already fairly pigmented lips, but not dark enough to be all "Hello, lipstick!" The color goes on smooth and easy, and while it looks quite glittery in the stick, it doesn't apply that way at all, thankfully.  The only thing is that it smells like Band-aids! Odd, but the smell goes away after application.  I can't vouch for the longevity yet, but we'll see!

Nailtini Straight Up Color Nail Lacquer in Champagne
I'm pretty picky about nail polish colors, so I have nail polish selected as something I don't like to receive in my Ipsy Match profile, but everyone received a nail polish this month.  This is a color that a lot of people wanted to receive, but it just reminds me of the type of shade my Mom always wore in the '80's. It's a basic, shiny nude color.  Blah.  I'm going to try to trade it, or give it to Mom.

Starlooks Gem Eye Pencil in Amethyst
There is usually at least one product in each box or bag that I receive that I really don't think I'll like until I try it.  This was it for me.  This is a silvery eye liner with a hint of purple.  Soooooo not something this 39 year old would even consider purchasing! But, I tried it yesterday over a bit of green eyeliner, and the colors looked so good together! I may not wear it often, but it's fun to have a more "adventurous" option.

BH Cosmetics Galaxy Chic Baked Eyeshadow Shimmer in Sun
This color seems to be one that lots of people wanted to receive, but I don't understand why. I mean, on it's own, it looks pretty in the container, but I can't imagine using orange-y eyeshadow on my eyes without looking ill.  It's a nice, big sample, so I'm bummed that I didn't get a different shade.  I'll try to trade it or give it away.  I'm comforting myself with the fact that I received some BH cosmetics eyeshadow in my first bag, and the quality was not good.

So, 3 out of 3 potentially useful things in this bag for me.  That's not too bad for $10.  Ipsy comes in a different makeup bag each month.  This month's bag was a wristlet style, in a shiny gold faux snakeskin with a pink zipper. It's pretty flimsy, and a wee bit tacky, but c'mon.  $10, remember? ;-)

I paid for this Glam Bag with my own money, and opinions expressed are my own. By clicking on the Ipsy links, and then signing up for Ipsy, you would be helpign me earn Ipsy points.  I am not otherwise compensated for this post.

Wantable November

Wantable is a monthly beauty subscription service.  You can also choose to receive monthly boxes of accessories or intimates (aka underwear).  For $36 a month, you receive 4-5 full sized makeup products.  If you don't like the products you receive, you can send the whole box back for a refund. You can also choose to skip boxes, which is a nice option if you need to save some money, or don't think you'll like the products that month.  When you join Wantable, you take a beauty profile quiz to set your preferences.  If you state that you dislike a product, Wantable guarantees that you won't receive it.  I don't know of any other services that actually promise not to send you something you don't want, so I love this feature.

I think that this is my third box with Wantable, and after tinkering with my profile last month, after receiving some colors that were really unsuited to me, I am happy.

First up, is The Great Face Contouring Kit from Stockholm.  It contains four shades of concealers/contourers.  I was very impressed with the size of this-it's as big around as a Cover Girl powder compact, and the pans of product are really deep.  This will last me a long time.  The concealing shades are terribly impressive at coverage, but are ok.  I have terrible dark circles under my eyes, and have tried just about everything to cover them, so I am pretty hard to impress when it comes to concealer.  I've actually been using the white contouring shade with the darker concealer over it on my circles.  While it doesn't totally hide them, it brightens up the area.

Next, is a blush from Girlactik Beauty, a company I've never heard of outside of the sampling services I'm subscribed to. I received the shade, Star Blush Milan, which is kind of a dusty rose.  After two months of receiving hot pink blushes, I am very happy with this shade.  The mirrored compact is fairly small, and the actual blush pan is about as big around as a fifty cent piece.  Kind of tiny, but it doesn't take much product to get a nice color pay off.  It seems to be fairly long wearing, too.

Next up is a Starlooks eyeshadow.  I'd never heard of Starlooks, either, until I got into beauty subscriptions.  Starlooks actually has their own sampling service, but their products frequently turn up in Ipsy bags and Wantable boxes, and probably other boxes, as well.  My eyeshadow is in the shade Beach Nut, which seems to be a matte medium brown with a slight grayish cast.  I really like the color in the container, but when I tested it, I wasn't thrilled with how it looked on me.  I'll try it again later, though.  The color is very pigmented, so a little goes a long way.  I can't comment on the staying power, as I washed my makeup off soon after testing.  The eyeshadow is a reasonable size-about the size of a silver dollar.

Last, is nail polish by...ummmm...well, I can't tell you who it's by because I sort of can't find it. Yeah. I've got way too much stuff lying around.  It's not a brand that I'm familiar with, but that doesn't say much, because I've only just recently started branching out from OPI and Essie.  It's a dark royal blue color, which is totally not a shade I would pick out for myself.  39 year old teachers just don't typically gravitate toward royal blue nail polish, you know? But, I will try this out on my toes, as it is a pretty shade of blue-just not for my fingers.  When I find it, that is. (Edited to add: I found it! This is Baldwin Blues by Color Club.  Some people received this in their Birchbox this month.)

So, all in all, I'm fairly pleased with this month's Wantable box.  I've got a couple of products that I've added to my rotation, and a couple of others to experiment with!

Sound like fun? Check it out!

Disclaimer-All opinions are my own, and I paid for this product with my own money. By clicking on any of these Wantable links, and then signing up for Wantable, you would be helping me earn discounts toward future Wantable purchases.  I am not compensated otherwise for this post.

Is there a five step program for beauty subscription boxes?

Because I may need one!

I had been aware of monthly sampling subscriptions for a while, but finally got around to signing up for one in June.  I received my first Ipsy Glam Bag in July, and I've been a subscriber since.  Not a super thrilled subscriber, mind you, but I'm certainly not planning on cancelling my subscription any time soon.  The next month, I signed up for Birchbox, and then Beauty Box 5.  Not being content to stop there, I bit the bullet, and subscribed to a more costly subscription, Wantable. I recently signed up for a skin care only service, One Radiant, and then another beauty one, The Sample Society (after cancelling Beauty Box 5). Yes, I am practically swimming in makeup and sample sized products, but I love it!

I'm constantly stalking blog posts and forum threads about beauty subscription services-not that I should really subscribe to any more, because while most are only around $10 a month, the cost does add up fast! My excuse is that I have a stressful, pretty much all consuming, job as a first grade teacher, and this is my form of relaxation.

I'll be posting pictures of the boxes I've received this month (except Ipsy and Birchbox which I forgot to take pictures of-yeah, it's my fist post, and I'm already a crappy blogger, LOL), and giving my reviews of the products soon.  If you'd like to sign up for any of these, I'd love it if you'd click on the links I post to subscribe under me.  I could earn points, and you can help me feed my addiction!