Birchbox March 2015

This month's box was AMAZING.  Seriously.  I love every single product in it (except, maybe, the lipgloss).  It was my first month of receiving a personalized box, and I completely adore it.  They hit it out of the park!

The Subscription Box: Birchbox USA

The Cost: $10 every month

The Products: 4+ full size and sample size beauty products

Ships to: US, Canada, Spain

This month's theme was creativity, and this was the cute box everything arrived in.

 

 As packaged

All lined up!

First off, as you can see, there are 6 samples this month!  Six!  And most of them are fairly generous.  Most.  (I'm looking at you, Supergoop.)  Furthermore, they are almost all products I'd love to use - though, let's be honest, the No. 4 is probably too expensive to find it's way into my usual routine!

amika Bombshell Blowout Spray 

This product is amazing!  First of all, it smells wonderful.  Fresh and clean, but gentle.  Not overwhelming.  But more importantly, it works wonders on my hair.  Years and years of dying it, sun damage, chlorine damage, etc., have left my hair somewhat drab and weak.  This spray helps keep it shiny, full, and soft.  I love it.  It is absolutely going into my regular hair care routine.

Whish Shave Savour Hair Inhibiting Gel

This product is awesome - and something I would never have tried for myself.  I received it in the Pomegranate scent, which is clean and soft.  As a test of it's effectiveness, I used this product on my left leg only, as directed, and used nothing on my right leg.  After about a week, the hair on my right leg was growing in much faster than that on my left - so, I can attest, this product works.  It, too, will be added into my regular beauty routine!  It also leaves my skin feeling soft and silky, like a nice, non-greasy lotion.

 

Number 4 Reconstructing Masque

I was only vaguely aware of the Number 4 brand prior to receiving this box.  It carries a very high price tag, so it's never been on my list to "must-try."  Of course, this month, I received 2 samples from them.  I haven't yet used this masque, which boasts that it can cure split ends that are in need of a trim.  It's gotten overwhelmingly positive other reviews, so I look forward to trying it.

Smashbox Cosmetics Be Legendary Lip Gloss in Disco Rose

Once again, a lip gloss.  When I swatched this one on my hand, it was rather patchy.  It smells okay.  I'm going to try it, but, really, I'm not a fan of lipglosses at all.  It will probably be gifted to my mom (who loves them).  I do love Smashbox products, though.  I use their primer and foundation currently, and I love they way they make my skin look.  Maybe this lipgloss will win me over, too.

Supergoop! Daily Correct CC Cream SPF 35+ in Fair to Light

Tiniest.  Sample.  Ever.  I have heard rave reviews of Supergoop! around the internet, so I'm excited to try this CC cream.  However, I think it may be too pale for me.  I'm a huge fan of dual-purpose products, so primer + sunscreen in one is a delight to me.  If it works as well as the internet says it does, I'll definitely add this to my regular routine, too.

 

Lipgloss and CC cream swatches (I swear the CC Cream is there!)

 

 Number 4 Clarifying Shampoo

So, again, never tried this brand before, received two samples at once.  This shampoo smells amazing.  The sample size is very generous.  But, you know if you've been following my blog, I have a TON of samples already.  So, I will get to it as soon as I am able!  For now, it will sit there on the shelf, being full and smelling great, until such a great day comes as I can use it.

Verdict:  This month was truly amazing!  I love hair care products (even if I have a million left to try!) and the Whish lotion and CC Cream will likely become staples in my routine.  I can't wait to see what April brings!

Birchbox February 2015

I signed (back) up to Birchbox in late February 2015, after cancelling my subscription back in September of 2012.  I didn't think I'd get a February box, since I subbed mid-month, but I was lucky & managed to snag one of their curated boxes for new members.  What follows is my review!

The Subscription Box: Birchbox USA

The Cost: $10 every month

The Products: 4+ full size and sample size beauty products

Ships to: US, Canada, Spain

First of all, how cute is this?  The "Wonderful" Amanda Wampler

 Standard, traditional, cardboard Birchbox.

The contents:  Small samples gathered in the mint package, shampoo, conditioner, lotion

Above this stuff was the card indicating the contents and their values.  All samples this box, no full sizes, but that is a-okay with me.

Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle

This is a fairly popular leave-in conditioner.  I've read about it in several beauty forums on multiple occasions.  First off, it smells wonderful.  It's a nice detangler/leave-in conditioner with a somewhat thick consistentcy - however, it does not feel heavy on my hair!  Squirt a bit in after washing/before drying, smooth through the hair, brush, and dry!  I really enjoy this product and would definitely consider purchasing a full-size in the future!  This sample is extremely generous and will probably last me a month or more, even with multiple uses per week!

Lord & Berry Pailettes Eye Pencil

 

This is a black eyeliner with silver glitter.  Pretty straightforward.  I've received Lord & Berry eyeliners before in other beauty boxes, and, honestly, I am just not an eyeliner person.  I have extremely hooded eyes and just don't wear eyeliner because I don't want my eyes to appear any smaller than they already do.  I did swatch this (see below) and it looked alright and seemed to go on smoothly, but I'm just going to sterilize it and put it in my swap box.

Lip stain & eyeliner swatches

Cynthia Rowley Beauty Creamy Lip Stain in Poppy

This was a new-to-me brand.  Honestly, the stain is pretty nice.  The sample is huge and will last a very long time.  In the bottle it looks much more red than it does on the skin and lips.  I'm not a huge fan of lip glosses, and, to me, this wears much more like a gloss than a stain, but, it's not terrible.  It will probably find it's way into my rotation.

Harvey Prince Hello Body Cream

I really wanted to love this sample.  It's fairly generous.  And I enjoy the fragrance, however, it gives me a headache if I actually wear it.   The lotion seems very nourishing, when I put it on my legs, it did leave them feeling smooth - I just couldn't bear the scent for very long due to my sensitivity to smell.  I gifted this to my mom, and she loves it.

BeeKind Shampoo

According to Birchbox, this is a lemon verbena scented, extremely gentle shampoo.  I haven't yet tried it, though I will when I run out of my current shampoos and samples!  (Look for it in an empties review one day soon?!)  The packaging itself is really cute & I imagine I'll be able to get several uses out of this package.

Verdict:  I'm pretty pleased with this first foray back into Birchbox territory.  Even though two of the five products won't make it into a regular rotation for me, the other three are really nice, and even one of the giveaways from the box worked out great for my mom!  Definitely excited to be back subscribing to Birchbox.

February 2015 Empties!

Lately, I've been enjoying the subreddit Makeup Rehab.  It's a great place for people to share their successes and struggles as they work through shrinking their collections and/or purchases.  Some people join because they need to be on a no- or low-buy during the school year/season/whatever, some people join because they realized they owned over 500 eyeshadows that they weren't using, etc.  Whatever the reason, it's a really supportive community of makeup lovers and hoarders.

One thing that the community does, and I've found it fun to see, are "Empties" posts - that is, at the end of the month/start of the new month, you gather up all the containers you emptied that month, and you post about them, review them, etc.  It's a great way to really visualize just how much (or how little!) of your products you're using, and you can reflect on what you did or did not like about said products.

I've recently taken into really caring more for my hair, skin, and nails, and decided that I would like to post empties monthly on my blog.  So, when I finish a product, it hangs out in a little Ulta bag in my linen closet until the end of the month!

February was my first month to collect, and I didn't go through too much, but here are my empties, in all their glory:

Organix Brazilian Keratin Therapy, Nair Face Depillatory, Clearsil Cream

 

Not a whole lot, I know, but I don't always wear makeup every day, etc.

The Organix product was amazing.  It made my hair soooo soft and smooth.  I used it every third day or so after I shampooed, leaving it on my hair for about 5 minutes before rinsing.  I'm currently working through some samples I've received from boxes in the past, but when I run out, I will very likely repurchase this product.  My only complaint was that the shape and design of the container made it hard to get the conditioner out once it was lower than about halfway - my fingers were too short to reach it without sticking my entire hand in the tub!

The Nair stuff was working alright - gotta get rid of that femme-stache!  However, the last time I used it (and, note, this container isn't empty, but is still getting tossed), I had a terrible reaction to it & my whole face looked like I had chemical burns (I guess I did, technically), and it took a few days for the redness and swelling to go down.  I've since swapped to Avon's Skin So Soft gentle depillatory and it seems to be much less harsh on my skin.

The Clearasil just stopped working for me.  I changed up my skincare routine (new soap, lotion, and sunscreen!), and when I broke out as was expected with the change in routine, I was continuing to use the Clearasil to spot-treat pimples, and it was no longer clearing them up.  I'm now using Terminator-10 and it seems to be working very well.

So!  That's my February empties!  What did you finish off last month?!

Walmart Beauty Box - Winter 2014/15

Back in late January, I succumbed to the call of free makeup, and signed up for the Walmart Beauty Box.  Delivered quarterly, you pay just $5 shipping for the box, and are promised some samples, full-sized products, and coupons that are season-appropriate.  I'll be the first to tell you I don't like shopping at Walmart, but I do like beauty boxes & the ability to try new products I normally wouldn't purchase for myself, so I gave this box a whirl.

The Subscription Box: Walmart Beauty Box

The Cost: $5 every 3 months (they ship in March, June, September and November)

The Products: 5-6 full size and sample size beauty products

Ships to: US only

It took about a month for the box to come, and quite honestly, I thought maybe I just wasn't going to get one until the spring issue of the box.  Let's have a look at what was inside.

Two full-sized products, two "deluxe" samples, and 2 foil packets.  Not bad, not bad.  Now let's get a little more in-depth on each product.

Dove Pure Care Dry Oil

Hair oil!  Honestly, finding a good hair oil has been on my to-do list for quite a while, but they can run kind of expensive, and I'm leery of dropping a lot of money on a product that may not work for me, so this is a very welcome sample!  Bonus:  it smells amazing!  The directions on the package aren't very detailed, so it took a trip to google to find out the proper usage of this product.  I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but I'll be adding it into my beauty routine this week! 3-4 drops smoothed into the hair before blow-drying and you're all set!

Hard Candy All Glossed Up Lip Stain in Red Minx

Lip stain!  I really enjoy lip stains, as they tend to give a good color payout without being heavy or too oily.  In the picture, this stain pulls very pink, however on the lips, it's a much truer red.  I've worn it twice and while it doesn't last very long, it is very hydrating and the pop of color is nice and not something I would have bought for myself.

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Shampoo & Conditioner

When I kept my hair blonde, I used John Frieda products almost exclusively, to help me maintain the color, and I really enjoyed them.  Now I tend to dye it much less traditional colors (it's blue, right now, for instance!), and use more color-specific upkeep products.  I'll definitely give this a go when I run out of my current prodcuts, however.

L'Oreal Color Vibrancy 3-step System

This might find it's way into my rotation before the John Frieda samples - I've used it in the past with fairly good results.  It smells amazing.  Plus, the sample includes the leave-in conditioner, which my hair will thank me for!

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Boosters Facial Cleanser

This is a fairly good-sized sample.  I am, however, a little hesitant to try it.  I have extremely sensitive skin and I'm not terribly keen on interrupting my normal routine to try something that might be too harsh for me.  I will probably give this sample to my mom.

Rimmel London Lash Accelerator in Black

This product promises 117% longer lashes in just 30 days.  Now, I was not gifted with beautiful, long, luxurious lashes, like my husband and son were.  It takes a ton of mascara to even see that I have eyelashes.  So, for science, I am giving this mascara a shot.  We took front and profile pictures of my eyes/eyelashes, and in 30 days, I'll be writing back in with my results!  Normally, I'd also say the last thing I need is another mascara - it's a very popular product in various beauty bags, and I just splurged on the L'Oreal Manga eyeshadow...however, this one promises miracles, so I'm adding it into my routine!  Wish me luck!

Verdict:  I'm actually pretty pleased with this box.  Almost everything is practical and will get used & possibly repurchased!  I'd say this box is well worth the $5.  I also signed on to the Winter box very late, so I know my Spring box is right around the corner and that's exciting, too!

 

It's been over a year....but we're back!

Expect quite a few updates over the next few days, including Beauty and Subscription Box Reviews, February's empties, new recipes, and more!

Valentine’s Mani!

For Valentine’s Day, I did another cute, simple mani.  I took a picture of it to showcase it for a contest on Reddit….and completely forgot to take another, better one for my blog.


I used Deborah Lippmann – Marnie as a base, with Rainbow Honey – XOXO on top. 
I loved this mani once it was done, but I did not love getting there.
I did not like the Deborah Lippman.  The color is gorgeous.  It is the perfect prim and proper pink, just as the label suggests.  However, it did not go on smoothly.  It did not go on evenly.  It took forever to dry.  It took about four coats to achieve opacity, and even then, the color was still uneven in some places.  I don’t think I’m terrible at applying nail polish.  I just don’t think this was great.  It certainly didn’t live up to the hype that comes with a $20 bottle of nail polish.  I mean.  I do love the color.  It’s lovely.  It just seemed to fall flat, otherwise.  :(
However, the Rainbow Honey glitter topcoat was just TO DIE for.  The picture doesn’t even begin to do it justice.  Silver holo glitter, gold micro-glitter, red glitter, and…. RED HOLO GLITTER.  It looked like my nails were covered in tiny rubies.  That red holo glitter literally made the bottle.  I want to use it as a topcoat for everything.  So beautiful.  I could not stop staring at my fingers. It is truly stunning and will be featured in a lot of manis in the future!

Anniversary Mani!

The 10th was my fourth wedding anniversary, and I did a little mani to celebrate!

The colors used are:  Zoya – Sarah, Zoya – Erika, and China Glaze – Fairy Dust.  I also used some nail decals I was gifted by a friend.
First of all, I can’t get over how amazing Zoya polishes are!  They go on smoothly, and they’ll wear forever.  I hate taking them off when they look so good, but I always want a change after a week or so!
These colors complimented one another nicely.  The Fairy Dust topcoat gave them just enough shimmer in the sunlight.
This was a simple mani, but I loved it!

Lucky 13 Lacquer – Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey

Hello, again!
So, last week, I got my second ever Indie polish – Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey from Lucky 13’s Doctor Who collection!  And let me tell you what, I have not been able to stop looking at my nails since I painted them last week.  I’m obsessed.
Seriously.  This is a lovely blue jelly polish with iridescent moons, stars, and glitter, and once you put it on, it will be damn near impossible to take it off.


I think this nail polish changed my life.
I honestly have zero complaints about it.  It’s my first jelly polish, but it finishes nicely and I don’t find that the glitter pieces stick out or anything.  One coat of topcoat and you’re set.  And this polish has been on my nails for a week and has not even started chipping, even though I probably type 5000+ words a day, plus wash dishes, laundry, play with cats and a 4 year old, etc.  It’s perfect and I love love love it.
You can visit Lucky 13’s site here!  She just launched a FANTASTIC new collection based on Star Trek TNG that is not to be missed!

Seriously.  Look at it.  So.  Gorgeous.

Until next time!  <3

Emerald & Ash – Wild Blue Yonder

Hello, friends!

Since I’m trying to move in a new direction with my blog, I figured tonight I would make my first nail polish post.

A few days ago, I got my very first indie polish EVER – Wild Blue Yonder by Emerald & Ash.  It comes from their US Armed Forces collection and is based on the US Air Force.  I bought it because my husband was in the USAF for 6 years, and blue is my favorite color, and it just looked fabulous.

And let me tell you what.  It is.

(pictured here over Zoya Dream)

There are SO many beautiful colors in this nail polish, I can’t stop looking at it!  There’s at least 6 (six!) different types of glitter – gold, blue, and silver iridescent stars, white and blue hexes, white and silver iridescent dots, etc.  It’s stunning.  Also, there’s a LOT in the bottle.  This isn’t a teeny, tiny little offering a glitter and lacquer – there’s enough for a LOT of paintings in there!

My only recommendation is to use a very good top coat.  With so much glitter, and so many layers after a few coats, the stars in particular feel like they want to peel up.

It’s my first e&a polish, but it definitely will not be my last!

Check her products out here!

13-Spice Fried Chicken

The other night, I made a first – homemade fried chicken.  It was a first for a number of reasons – I (with help from my mom) cut up my first whole chicken, I did my first dry rub, and my first buttermilk marinade.  Plus, the whole act of frying a chicken for the first time.  It was a time consuming process, but it was really fun, and made for an amazing dinner.


The recipe was loosely adapted from a Bobby Flay recipe; here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground fennel seeds
• 4 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 3 cups canola oil (roughly)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

1. In a bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, ginger, crushed red pepper, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, 2 teaspoons salt, and 2 teaspoons black pepper.
2. Place chicken on a jelly roll pan.  Season with the spice mixture.  Cover and refrigerate at least one hour, up to eight hours.
3. Transfer chicken to a large bowl.  Pour 2 cups buttermilk over the chicken, turning to coat.  Cover; refrigerate at least two hours, up to 24 hours.
4. Remove chicken from refrigerator; let stand 30 minutes.  Pour oil into a 2-inch-deep large skillet, to reach 1 inch up the side.  Heat over medium-high heat until oil reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
5. Transfer the chicken from buttermilk marinade to a large cutting board; pat dry with paper towels.  Discard the marinade.
6. In a large bowl, pour remaining cup of buttermilk; whisk in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.  In another large bowl, place flour.  Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
7. Working with breasts and thighs first, dip chicken into buttermilk mixture, allowing the excess to drip off; then dip into the flour mixture to coat, tapping off excess.  In batches, carefully place the chicken in the hot oil, making sure not to crowd the skillet.
8. Fry breasts and thighs, turning occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.  If some pieces turn golden brown before the insides have reached 165 degrees F, transfer to a rack fitted inside a pan and bake for 4 to 8 minutes or until cooked through.  Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees F and keep chicken warm in a pan inside the oven.
9. Repeat the breading process with the wings and drumsticks.  In batches, fry, turning occasionally, 6 to 9 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

Serve hot and enjoy!

"Sexy" Carbonara

Last night was pasta night.  It was pretty great.  Not really healthy, but tasty.  Arguably more important sometimes.

I adapted this from Rachael Ray's Sexy Carbonara.  This isn't really sexy food.  More comfort food, but, meh.

First, what you'll need...

• 1 lb pasta, such as spaghetti
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 lb pancetta, chopped
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 egg yolks
• parmesan cheese
• black pepper
• parsley
• salt

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add oil and pancetta.  Brown pancetta about 2 minutes.  Add red pepper flakes and garlic and cook 2 to 3 more minutes.  Add wine and stir it all together.
3. In a separate bowl, beat yolks, then add half a cup of the pasta cooking water to temper the eggs.
4. Drain pasta well and add it directly to the skillet with the pancetta mixture.  Pour egg mixture over the pasta and toss rapidly to coat pasta with cooking the eggs.  Remove pan from heat and add a generous helping of Parmesan, lots of pepper, and a little salt.  Toss for about 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens.  Garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan.

Eat up!  It really is pretty great.

Shepherd's Pie with Lamb

It's 2014 now and that means a few things!

First, a New Year's Resolution to keep my blog updated!
Second, another resolution to diet and exercise (which I've been keeping up since December 22nd, so I think I'm doing pretty well so far!).

We didn't do the traditional black eyed peas and cabbage last night.  Maybe I damned us to a year of eternal suffering, but neither of us is terribly crazy about either vegetable.  He grew up not eating it at all, and while we always ate it at my house, I don't think we ever really fared any differently.

Instead, I made a Shepherd's Pie with fancy lamb from Whole Foods, adapted from a Wolfgang Puck recipe.

It was really tasty.  Scott even ate a bowl, and he can be so picky sometimes.

Here's what you need:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground lamb
• 2 carrots, cut into small rounds
• 5 green onions, diced
• 1/4 lb red lettuce, thick ribs removed, leaves diced
• 1 can brown gravy
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp prepared horseradish
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat.  Add the lamb and cook until browned.  Tranfer lamb to a bowl and set aside.  In the same skillet, add the remaining oil, carrots, and green onions and cook until softened.  Stir in the lettuce and cook 2 minutes.  Stir in gravy and reserved lamb.  Season with salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until heated through.  Remove from heat.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large pot, add potatoes and enough salted water to cover.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  REduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain potatoes and return to pot.  Add 3 tablespoons butter and mash potatoes.  Stir in milk and season with salt.  Stire in horseradish.
3. Transfer lamb mixture to a souffle dish or other deep dish.  Spread mashed potatoes over lamb mixture.
4. Sprinkle bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese on the potatoes.  Dot with remaining butter.  Bake until the top is lightly browned, about 45 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Our Government is Retarded

When it comes to computers.  (And everything else, but that's another post for another time.)
Seriously.

For shits and giggles, I'm trying to register on the Health Insurance Marketplace website.  But I can't.  Because they can't hire programmers that are worth their salt.

Here's a look at the Security Question entry page:

Do you know why I got an error for not answering the questions?  Because the drop-downs are completely blank.  There are no questions to select and then answer. 

Complete failure.

I'm embarrassed by their ineptitude.

Oh, and the "Live Chat" option to help people with registering?  Yeah, it doesn't work, either.

Dancing with the Nope

Bill Nye was eliminated off Dancing with the Stars last night. 

It was the first season I've ever watched that show, despite it running for an apparent 16 seasons prior.  And I made it three WHOLE episodes before the only reason to ever watch it was voted off.

Meanwhile, all these bitches that have prior experience dancing (I'm looking at you, Saved by the Bell girl and Glee's Mercedes), will continue to act like they've never stepped foot in a dance studio before, then get fawned over by the retard judges, and America will continue to propel people to the top based on looks.

Screw you, shitty British judges and American Dancing with the Stars voting public.

Dear Bill Nye, I hope your leg gets better.

Obligatory Introduction

Oh, hey, look.  I'm jumping on that blog bandwagon.  Again.

There will be a lot of commentary on a lot of things posted here, as well as recipes, crafts, makeup, movie reviews, etc.  Basically whatever I feel like talking about at a given time.  Fair warning.