Things Happen in 3rds? Ipsy Glam Bag & Birchbox.

Third time's a charm?

The "will use" items are in orange.

In the third Ipsy bag (the bag is clear & bright pink, by the way):
--- sexyhair Soy Renewal Beach Spray: Already used it and it definitely thickened up my roots post-workout. I will be using this a lot and will take it with me this weekend to Moondance Jam.
--- bh cosmetics Eye Shadow sample in the California Collection: The colors are a dark purple and bronze and gold. I might not use this now, but possibly for fall!
--- pop pouty Lip Crayon in Rose Romance: It's a very subtle pink color, and while it's a cute little crayon (great size for the purse), I'm into darker pinks and poppy reds right now.
--- benefit benetint Lip & Cheek Stain: I've ordered this before from Sephora.com, and I really liked it (just ran out of it awhile back), so I'm happy to have another! I like this product because it's a great color, AND it stays put! A stain, in this case, is a good thing.
--- Coola Mineral Sunscreen: Another item to bring to Moondance Jam this weekend!

In the third Birchbox box:
--- Dr. Jart ceramidin cream: I might use this as a night cream until it's gone, but other than that...
--- Number 4 super comb prep & protect: It's a leave-in conditioner; I honestly don't use these much because my hair gets overly conditioned in the shower (I'm one of those people who conditions first and then shampoos at the end). Granted, my hair is dry, but I prefer to use special oils on the ends of the hair (and sometimes the roots) to remedy that.
--- WEI purifying mud mask: I might use this this summer sometime; I'm not a big user of facials or masks, but this could be fun.
--- theBALM long-wearing powder staining blush: It's an okay color, a bit orange-ish for me (I got Swiss Dot), and we'll see if it lasts the rest of the day now? I might wipe it off in favor of the blush I got from Birchbox in May = the Cargo blush is prettier.
--- WEI pomegrante buffing beads: As I just mentioned about wiping off this blush, I might use these beads to do so!

ASOS !

ASOS.
ASOS.
ASOS.
I love love love love this web site.
It's fairly dead-on with its measurements & the selection is amazing.
Amazing!
Items go on sale (seems like Tues mornings are when they do price-cuts) often, as well...

Tips for using the site:
1. Spend over $140 to get the two-day USA express shipping promo code.

2. Try to buy shoes in each order, so it comes in a box; it's easier to send things back when you have a box to work with (vs. a bag).

3. Keep track of what you want in the Saved List & print it off, so you can see what goes on sale.

4. Print off what you purchase each time because their packing list doesn't come with prices on it. This way, as I try on the items in my bedroom, I can ask myself if it's worth X dollars and circle what I like on paper and what I'll keep. Then I hold onto that printout when I return things, too!

5. If they are slow to return your items, just consistently email them. Someone will respond eventually. I'm guessing that they are just that busy; they have missed things that I've returned, but are quick to resolve the issues.

*I was not compensated for writing about this company, but if I was, I'd be scooping up some of these very cute items below! :)

 

2nd Glossybox & 2nd Sample Society box.

Within days of each other (or maybe I'm dizzy and I got the Glossybox last week & the Sample Society one this week?)... I got these second boxes of fun.

Glossybox #2 came with these fun items:

c.Booth dry oil mist, 

Oscar de la Renta 4 sample perfumes, 

Phililp B leave-in cond, 

SpaRitual nail polish,

& tarte lipstick

The Sample Society box came with:

Deborah Lippmann nailpolish (sparkly purple), 

Dr. T’s sunscreen, 

Tres Pure face tonic, 

By Terry Cellularose brightening serum, 

& Reem Acra perfume

I'm leaning towards using the following (in pink text).

Glossybox #2:

c.Booth dry oil mist: Smells good & my dry skin will probably suck it in!

Oscar de la Renta 4 sample perfumes: I like a majority (3/4) of them!

Phililp B leave-in cond: This will be a good travel addition...?

SpaRitual nail polish: It's a pale sparkly pink & it might see some use (or I may regift it's so pretty)

& tarte lipstick: I already tried on & liked.

The Sample Society box:

Deborah Lippmann nailpolish (sparkly purple): May regift. I like blue and black for dark polish colors.

Dr. T’s sunscreen: Might take to Moondance next weekend & throw in purse?!

Tres Pure face tonic: It's a small sample that may go a long way...

By Terry Cellularose brightening serum: I like to brighten up my face!

& Reem Acra perfume: Not totally into the smell... it has an "older, rich lady" appeal to it.

Based on my chart, I'm still undecided as to which box/bag is the best, or which one I use the most stuff OF... Off the top of my head, I'm leaning towards keeping subscriptions to Glossybox ($21, most expensive) & the ipsy bag (because I like getting a little bag & it's a cheap subscription, $10), BUT we shall see if my thoughts shift with two more bags/boxes.

2nd Birchbox & 2nd Ipsy Glam Bag

So, my second Birchbox arrived sometime last week. I don't think I got a photo of the darn thing before I started using all of its insides!

The Goodies:
--- Antica Farmacista Body Moisturizer in Grapefruit. I slathered this one twice. The first time - just because it smelled good, and the second because it canceled out some self-tanner smell on my legs. It soaked in uber fast, too!
--- Wanderlust Collection nail polish. Cute and teeny and purple; I think I'll give it to my niece?
--- Mirenesse Glossy Kiss Lipstick. Love, love, love. Wore all weekend with or without my peppermint shiny gloss on top. Great color!
--- Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser. Have not tried yet. I burnt my forehead at a MN Twins game, so I haven't been scrubbing anything in the facial area for a few days...
--- The Lifestyle Extra was this Glee Gum. It was okay, but didn't last long in my mouth or in general. The bf got ahold of the last pieces.

My second Ipsy Glam Bag came today.

The bag is super cute = leopard! I will so use it in my purses!

Other goodies:

--- NYX blush. I have lots of blush, but this one is a bit darker than what I normally use; it's nice to have a variety?

--- J.Cats eye shadow & fake eyelashes. Very sparkly & the eyelashes come with glue!

--- Cailyn gel eyeliner. Looks promising.

--- Starlooks Tickle Me Pink lip liner. I don't think I've ever purchased lip liner?

SIDENOTE:

I had another bunch of samples from some things I purchased for myself around Christmas time. I should justify that with the fact that when I bought others' gifts, it was free shipping if I threw another item on the pile... yeah.

I can't recall what the gift bundle was called, but I got this stuff in it:

It's Benefit's "That Girl" brightening face primer. It was a miracle worker for my under eye area, even after a late night of craziness. I think this container is $29 at Sephora.com. It comes in a mini pack too, with other cool things, see below, for $15 at Sephora.com.

My chart, above, should help me decide which subscriptions to keep and which ones to ditch. It's looking like the first two are keepers, and the cheapest, but it might be too early to tell yet?

sample society / beautybar.com

Okay, so this is my fourth and last sample subscription (well, for this "month"). Beautybar.com has what they call Sample Society boxes that come to your door. I think when I subscribed, I ended up getting on June's box and not May's like the other three?? I might have to look into that to make sure I didn't get overcharged!

So, the box showed up last week:

Inside were the goodies surrounded by this black confetti that, unfortunately, covered everything in these black fuzzies. Thank goodness I wasn't wearing white! I grabbed a paper towel & proceeded to wipe everything down.

I situated them all in their little box for a better view:

The Goodies, from L to R:

--- Illume Desert Tulip tin. It's a teeny candle; I may use it, but I most likely will regift it.

--- Stila Lip Glaze in Grapefruit. Haven't tried it on yet, but it looks promising. Will be a great purse addition.

--- Philosophy Hope in a Jar. This is a great moisturizer; smells nice and didn't coat my skin so hardcore that I could feel my pores suffocating.

--- Ecru NY Sea Clean shampoo. Have not tried yet. Honestly, I wash my hair 3 times a week, so I don't run out of shampoo that easily. I didn't even pop open the top of this to smell it! Ooopsie.

--- Murad Age Reform AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser. I tried this in combination with the Hope in a Jar last week. I don't recall it being that great or that nasty. I do cleansers that don't rip my skin off, and this was not in that category!

--- $15 Gift Code. If you buy something at Beautybar from one of these lines (not necessarily these specific products) and your total is $50, you'll get $15 off. That's pretty cool.

So... yeah.

At this point, honestly, I feel overwhelmed with the amount of TEENY TINY samples I have in my house. I gave some things away to my sister already because I knew I wouldn't use them AND I just get overwhelmed with "what to use when." BUT I haven't purchased many beauty products at all since getting these subscriptions. I think I've purchased nail stickers, and that might be it. Oh, and hair color (as in I needed to add in my own highlights). I haven't purchased lotions or facial cleansers or nail polish or candles or shampoo or body washes or lip stick or blush... if these subscriptions keep pumping cool stuff my way, I may only have to narrow them down to 2-3. 

I think I already mentioned that I'll give these subscriptions about three months' worth of my time. Before school starts, I'll revisit which things I used the most and which subscriptions seemed to tune into me the most. And, yes, I think I'll take $$ into account.

To recap:

1. ipsy glam bag, $10 (on Facebook, too).
2. Glossybox, $21 (on Facebook, too).
3. Birchbox, $10 (on Facebook, too).
4. Beauty Bar, $15.

reliable choices for comfort.

What are your go-to favorite outfit items?

Here's my list right now:
--- Denim Everything. Skinny jeans, jeggings, denim tops, baggy jeans, button-ups...
--- Drapey silk/rayon tops.
--- Leopard print.
--- Red heels.
--- Wedges.
--- Heels with itty-bitty ankle straps.
--- Black flowy dresses.
--- Fake leather medium-sized bags in navy or black.

For being at home:
--- Cropped yoga pants.
--- Fitted tees and zip-up hoodies.
--- My bright pink Nike running shoes.
--- Gap yoga pants (full length).

What I want more of:
--- Maxi dresses and skirts.
--- Easy to throw on sandals.
--- Denim tops that are more summer friendly.

Last night's outfit out & about:
--- Flow-y leopard printed top from Clothes Mentor in Fargo.
--- Bell-bottomed Gap jeans (light denim color) from Clothes Mentor in Fargo.
--- Wedges in weaved gold and black patterns from Target.
--- Gold accessories (two loopy earrings on left ear & a feathered earring on the right).
--- Small bag in beige canvas & black patent leather (from Clothes Mentor).

glossybox.

So, this last week, I received the Glossybox. On the same day, one of my purchases from Urban Outfitters showed up, too, so it was like summer Christmas!

 First of all, cute box!

Inside cute shipping box was another cute pink box (totally recycling it as a gift box!) with the Glossybox Magazine (didn't read - it's already in our recycling bin). Below: When one opens the pink box, we see everything tied in a pink bow. Cute, yet I thought, "Yep, I get it. I'm a girl and I'm supposed to like pink."

Under the bow were two coupons:

---Free 1.5oz shaper or shaper plus for a free something of Sebastian hair products (via Ulta); one has to purchase $15 worth before getting the shaper (hair shaper?) for free. Also, this coupon expires June 5; that seems too quick for me to consider using... just my opinion!

---Free wax at a waxcenter.com location; the closest for me is four hours away in the twin cities (Mpls/St. Paul) AND the backside says I have to be a state resident. So, might have to give that to a MN cousin?

The Goodies:

---Epionce Anti-Aging Serum. I put some of this on after using a facial sample from some other beauty subscription yesterday. My face looked bright & happy, but it could've been this and/or the facial scrub. I don't think using this little tube (in the picture, it's the white tube next to the black hair spray bottle) will determine how great it is because it might last one more usage. 

---etre belle hydro mask. Haven't used this yet...

---European Wax Center: Supposed to get 2 of 3 samples, but I only got the body wash sample. I may try the body wash sample tomorrow in the shower, but honestly, I have a few others that I really, really like, so this one will have to be amazing for me to switch to!

---Nicka K NY solid perfume stick. I had the bf smell this, and I put some on my inner elbow areas. It's okay, but I get a hint of lemon which makes me think of baked goods.

---Sebastian Professional volupt spray. I was going to use this as hair spray, on dry hair, last night, but then I read that it's for damp hair, so again, I may try this tomorrow after I shower.

---Xtreme Lashes long lasting eye pencil. I attempt liners and eye pencils all the time. Some are too sticky and some just don't stick around... this one was a little more dependable than others, but not by much. And to pay $29 is a little out there when I could double-up on Wet&Wild liquid liner (plus a generic pencil) for under $10.

I think after I get my BeautyBar bag or box, I'll wait a week to see if there are any products from these first four bags/boxes that I am still using or liking. Thus far, I've used that Cargo blush the most and that one lipstick I got (whichever bag that came from). Yeah...