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Julep Maven July (& June) 2018 Subscription Box Review

I am excited to share what I received from one of my favorite (and my oldest) subscription box, Julep Maven.

This is the JuIy box, but I realized that I never photographed and reviewed the June box! So I found the products and I will include the photo at the end of this review.

I have been a Julep Maven subscriber for 5 years now. And I love it! You don’t have to take a box each month, you can skip if you want to. Which is so nice if I’m short a month or if I’m not feeling any of the items. The cost is $24.99 a month ($19.99 a month with a 3-month subscription).

I also love that you can customize your box. When I first started subscribing, I could choose from curated boxes, but now, I get to curate my own! Here are the products I chose:

Saundra Polish ($14) — Color description: Azure Seas Holographic Shimmer. There were a bunch of fun shimmers this month, but I have a TON of nail polish, so I just chose one this month. Their formula is 5-free and vegan-friendly.

Rethink Your Shower Hydrating Body Cleansing Oil ($38) — An ultra-hydrating, lightweight body cleansing oil that reaches deep to dissolve impurities and prep skin for exfoliation, then rinses away to reveal silky, nourished skin. This smells amazing! Kind of citrusy. But, I haven’t tried it yet. It’s in my beauty room/office and I keep forgetting to take it into my bathroom. I am excited to try it, though.

Don’t Leave Your Brows At Home – Cool Brown — Two-in-one tool with brow powder and an angled brush to fill in and define your brows. I can’t find this on the website right now. It wasn’t a new product this month, but one I wanted to try. I have been playing with it and am liking it okay. I’m more used to an eyebrow pencil.

And this is what I chose last month:

Roberta polish ($14 USD) — Color description: Breezy Turquoise Shimmer

Two It’s Whipped Matte Lip Mousse ($20 each) in ULTAmate Nude and Blush. Blush is shimmery, which I didn’t know until I purchased it.

Here are swatches:

I really like ULTAmate Nude. It’s so pretty on! These are so nice, they don’t dry down all of the way and aren’t transfer proof. But I don’t like drying lippies, so these are right up my alley!

I love this box and will continue subscribing! I love that I can choose from new or older products depending on what I want and need.

What did you choose for your June and July boxes if you are a maven?

Summer Lip Colors and Treatments For a Gorgeous Pout!

Hi All! Show your lips some love this summer with products that exfoliate, hydrate and give amazing color to your lips.

I was sent the following products for my honest review and I have been testing all of them:

Fizz & Bubble Lip Scrubs ($8 USD) — The Fizz & Bubble Lip Scrubs offer exfoliating benefits, a touch of color and a sweet tingly taste. These hydrate as well as exfoliate. Each scrub contains Vitamin E, Avocado Oil and Shea Butter. I have it in Watermelon and really love it, but there are lots of other flavors, too. And they are affordable for a lip scrub!

C.O. Bigelow Mentha Supreme 2X Lip Balm – No. 503 ($8 USD) — a double strength formula for extra intense freshness and a super moisture-packed punch. It claims to have twice the moisturizers and twice the breath freshener. It is very hydrating but also tastes so minty!

NEW! Burt’s Bees Liquid Lipstick ($10 USD) — This is a creamy liquid lip, not matte. They are available in 18 high impact and glossy shades. The nourishing formula blends mineral rich pigment, Shea Butter, Apricot and Babassu Oil leaving lips soft and smooth. The claim is that your lips will experience all day moisture without compromising full-coverage and lasting wear for up to 4 hours.

Here are swatches:

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The shades are from left to right 805 Pouring Nude, 811 Blush Brook and 831 Lavender Lake.

These are full coverage and do last a long time, especially over a lip pencil. They are so creamy! These colors are gorgeous and I need to pick up some more!

Which lip products are your favorites during the summer?.

Keep Your Makeup Fresh in The Heat With Urban Decay and Wunder2!

Hi all! It is HOT in Kansas City. Every. Day. It has been since mid-May. And it is a challenge keeping my makeup looking fresh and staying in place.

I was sent these amazing products from Urban Decay and Wunder2 to test out for my honest review. And they were tested in the heat and humidity!

Urban Decay Chill Cooling and Hydrating Makeup Setting Spray ($32 USD) — I love anything that will cool me down in the summer time! This spray features cooling time-release Temperature Control Technology that actually chills the surface of your makeup – to keep it looking gorgeously just-applied for up to 12 hours. Developed in an exclusive partnership with Skindinavia, UD’s groundbreaking, tested formula holds foundation, eyeshadow, blush and concealer in place.

I use this for days that I know I’m going to be out in the heat and I want my makeup to stay in place. It feels cool going on, but not cold. It’s a very pleasant feeling. The sprayers on the UD mists are all so good, and aren’t harsh at all! This has become a summer essential for me.

Urban Decay De-Slick Oil Control Makeup Setting Spray ($32 USD) — This spray mists on weightlessly to control oil, deflect surface shine and keep skin looking beautifully matte. High-tech ingredients help keep foundation, shadow and blush from smudging, sliding or fading – so you hardly ever need to touch up.

This is great for days that I know I’ll be out in the heat for a prolonged period of time and that the oil is coming. I don’t reach for it as much as I do the Chill spray, but it does work and helps keep my makeup on my face.

Urban Decay All Nighter Waterproof Setting Powder ($34 USD) — I love a good setting powder and I was excited to try a water proof one! This weightless powder claims to instantly makes any foundation totally waterproof for a mattified complexion that lasts all day, no matter what. This high-tech formula blurs pores and imperfections and blocks shine, without dulling your inner glow. Your luminosity shows through while the powder keeps moisture out.

I agree with the claims that it mattifies but doesn’t look dry on my skin. That’s important to me as I age, and the fact is my face isn’t oily. But it does get greasy in the summer when it’s so hot and humid. The combo of this and the Chill or De-slick setting spray really keeps my makeup in place all day!

Wunder2 Super-Stay Liner ($14.95 USD) — Wunder2 24-hour wear Super-Stay Liner’s ensure that after just one application, your look will stay set and picture perfect from morning to evening! Waterproof and smudge-proof, the highly pigmented and easy-glide pencil eyeliners are a must-have beauty staple that create a perfect, full lash line or a playful, colored look that glide on with ease. Super-Stay Liner’s are available in the three collections of ‘Essential’, ‘Metallic’ and ‘Glitter’ finishes to complete any makeup look depending on your mood.

These shades from left to right are Glitter Aubergine, Glitter Pink and Metallic Rose Gold. I swatched these, waited about a minute, then rubbed the swatches vigorously. Then I took the photo. As you can see, they didn’t budge!

All three of these shades are perfect for summer looks, but I really love the Aubergine on my top lid and the Rose Gold on the bottom. They look amazing together. And they really glide on smoothly. Honestly, I probably will give the Pink one to my daughter, because I won’t reach for it. But it is pretty.

What products are you using this summer to beat the heat?

Brand Review — Studio Selection line at Dollar General

Hi all! I am reviewing a new line of beauty products at Dollar General called Studio Selection. It is a range of products that includes skincare, body care and hair care. The products are dupes of other brand name products, and let you know on the package what products they claim to be like.

I received a gift card to purchase a few products for my honest review. I got all of the Studio Selection products that were in stock at my local store at the time, but there are a lot more to choose from online. Here is what I picked up:

Studio Selection Makeup Remover And Cleanser Micellar Cleansing Water ($4 USD for 13.5 Oz) — this claims to gently refresh and hydrate skin while removing makeup. Won’t clog pores and is dermatologically & clinically tested. Formula is free from: Alcohol, parabens, sulfates, and phthalates. Compare to Garnier SKINACTIVE Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-1 Makeup Remover & Cleanser.

I really like this. I haven’t used the original Garnier, but I have used the Garnier waterproof makeup micellar cleanser with the blue cap and hated it. It was so greasy. This one cleans without leaving a greasy residue. I think for the price point, it’s a good buy.

Studio Selection Age Daring Body Wash ($2.80 for 18 oz) — Studio Selection Age Daring Body Wash cleans and moisturizes aging skin. This formula contains Vitamin E and with daily use, helps to revitalize and soften skin over time. Use this rich body wash to fight dryness due to aging skin. This compares to an Olay body wash.

I like the value of this. You get a lot of product for $2.50. It does cleanse well, but I didn’t notice any extra moisturization. Plus, the scent was very soapy, and I wasn’t a fan of the fragrance.

Studio Selection Daily Moisturizing Lotion ($2.95 12 Oz) — helps moisturize your skin for up to 24 hours. This formula also helps to prevent and protect dry skin, providing temporary relief of scaling and chapping that can accompany dry skin. *Compare to Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Lotion.

I gave this to my daughter who has eczema. It does help her dry skin and she has been enjoying it. It does not have a fragrance. Like the other products, the value is great!

Studio Selection Oil-Free Pink Grapefruit Makeup Removing Facial Towelettes ($3.50 USD 25 Ct) — With skin conditioning agents to help moisturize and soothe, suitable for blemish-prone skin, leaves skin feeling smooth and refreshed. They compare to the Neutrogena grapefruit towelettes.

These are my favorite items from this haul. They smell really nice and are so refreshing. They remove my makeup and clean my skin. I think they are definitely worth the $3.50 and I will purchase them again.

So, I think the prices on all of these are great. When I go back to purchase more wipes (and the micellar water), I will check out some of the other wipes and products they have.

Visit www.dollargeneral.com to learn more about the products available and to purchase them.

Do you shop at Dollar General? Have you purchased anything from this line?

Project Pan April-June 2018 Final Results

Hi Everyone! I’m at the end of my 2018 second quarter Project Pan. This ran from April-June. This is the second one I’ve ever done, and I plan to do two more this year.

I’m pretty much enjoying these. I think I was more in to it in the first one. I used up products right away and even added in more. And I used all of them up! You can see the wrap up for my first Project Pan here.

So in this Project Pan, I used almost all of the products up. Here is the link to my first post of this quarter’s pan so that you can view the info on the products.

But, here are the products I didn’t use up:

The two products I didn’t use up were my ColourPop Super Shock Shadow in Reversible and Maybelline Fit Me! Loose Finishing Powder in 10 Fair Light.

The shadow is almost gone, but it’s really crumbly now, so I am going to toss it. It is very pretty, though. The Fit Me! powder has been going strong for months! I have been using it almost exclusively, too. I think it’s almost out now. I would repurchase the powder. I think the shadow is discontinued, but I’ll buy more Super Shocks!

And of the products I panned, I would repurchase everything if I run out of my current skincare and makeup. I have so much right now, so we’ll see.

So I call this a successful Project Pan! I got through some skincare, hair care and a little bit of makeup, too! I’ll be announcing my next quarter pan in about a week.

Have you done a Project Pan? How did it go?

June 2018 Beauty Favorites

I can’t believe tomorrow is July! June (and the first half of the year) has just flown by! That means it’s time for my June favorites!

Since this was my birthday month, I got a lot of new products. Most of them I haven’t used enough to include in my favorites, but a few I instantly loved!

I loved two hydrating sprays this month, the Smashbox So Chill Coconut primer water and the Pacifica Crystal Power Hydro Mist. They both smell so nice and I like using them before makeup and for refreshing during the day. The Pacifica one is a bit lower in price, but the Smashbox one is my fave. It smells so amazing!

I bought the Fenty Beauty lip gloss in a set with a highlighter. The highlighter is pretty, but not really a shade I wear, it’s kind of peachy. But the gloss is amazing! It gives such a pretty shine and it’s sticky or goopy. I wear it almost every day either over lipstick or alone.

The NARS Orgasm mini blush was my birthday gift from Ulta. I’ve never really tried this and I love the shade. It’s shimmery and a coral-pink shade, which is perfect for summer.

The TATCHA The Silk Canvas Protective Primer was the item I’ve been wanting the most. It glides on and blurs my pores and fine lines. Plus it looks amazing under makeup and helps my foundation last. I don’t use it every day, because I want to make it last, but I love how I look when I do.

PIXI Beauty Jasmine Oil Blend smells amazing! It smells just like fresh jasmine flowers. I love this at night. It contains a jasmine flower extract, evening primrose and grape seed oil. It is so hydrating and it calms my red skin. In the morning my skin is bright and smooth.

My last favorite is Jergen’s Natural Glow Wet Skin Moisturizer. I’ve been using this in the lighter shade (which is in my shower), but I’m ready to go darker and use the medium to tan one shown. This is SO easy to use. You put it on when your skin is wet and pat it dry with your towel.

What are your faves for June?

Urban Decay Born To Run Eyeshadow Palette Review

Hi all! I’m excited to be reviewing the Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette! When I saw it was about to be released, I had to have it! I drove to my nearest Sephora last Sunday to pick it up as soon as it came out.

The first picture is the front of the box and this si the back. I like how it shows all of the gorgeous shades! Here is the front and back of the palette:

I love all of the travel photos! They are really fun. I haven’t seen a palette designed like this before. Plus, its made of a sturdy plastic and has a really nice mirror.

Lets look inside:

The top photo shows the amazing mirror, but in the bottom photo the light was better. In the bottom photo, the shades look truer to life.

I love the shade selection! I think a lot of palettes being released right now look very summery — lots of bronzes, blues and oranges. And they are really pretty. But this palette has those shades and so much more, plus I think the shades will work so well in the fall and winter, too!

On to the swatches (I’ll be going by rows):

From left to right — Breakaway (warm ivory shimmer), Stranded (pale rose gold with tonal micro-shimmer), Blaze (light metallic peach with pink shift), Weekender (light neutral beige matte), Still Shot (bright peach), Riff (brown-nude matte with floating micro-sparkle), Good As Gone (deep brown with iridescent micro-shimmer)

Hell Ride (deep fuchsia matte), Baja (burnt orange matte), Accelerate (reddish copper metallic), Guilt Trip (smoky purple shimmer), Ignite (rose gold metallic), Smog (deep coppery bronze shimmer), Wanderlust (forest green with gold micro-shimmer)

Wildheart (bright fuchsia), Punk (red-brown matte), Double Life (metallic rust), Jet (black with deep shimmering purple shift), Drift (charcoal satin with tonal micro-sparkle), Radio (deep emerald satin), Big Sky (frosted green shimmer with iridescent micro-sparkle)

So pretty! I was excited to play with the different colors, but of course I have been reaching for the bronze and purple shades because they are so easy to use. I have just tried out the blues and greens on, and they are amazing, too! I can get SO MANY looks with this palette!

And for the quality, they are very pigmented and blend well. The quality reminds me of my Anastasia palettes. I don’t have a lot of Urban Decay, but if this is what their shadows are like, I need to get me some more. Any suggestions?

Have you picked up this palette or are you planning on it?

Birthday Beauty Gifts!

Hi all! Now I’m calling this Birthday Gifts, but most of them are gifts I bought myself! I spoiled myself for my 50th and am really enjoying most of the products!

On the left is my birthday gift from Sephora. I chose the Sephora Beauty Insider Bite Beauty Birthday gift — There was also a GlamGlow one and an online Bumble and Bumble gift. This included a Mini Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Chai, Mini Matte Crème Lip Crayon in Glacé, and Agave Lip Treatment Sample Duo. I have tried the lip crayon, and it’s really pretty on. The lipstick is a little dark for me, but I am looking forward to try the lip treatment duo.

Fenty Beauty Bomb Baby Mini Lip and Face Set — This is one of the products on my birthday wish list. I LOVE the lip gloss and wish I just got a full size of that. It so gorgeous on and isn’t sticky at all. I use it on it’s own or over lipstick.The highlighter is nice, but it’s a little dark for my skin tone. It’s the Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in Hu$tla Baby, a peachy-champagne shimmer. It looks amazing on my eyes, though.

TATCHA The Silk Canvas Protective Primer — This was the item I wanted the most, so I bought it as a gift to myself! It is a “velvety priming balm of pressed silk that smooths and makes makeup last longer while keeping it out of skin, helping to prevent clogged pores and breakouts.”

I’ve used this a few times now and really like it. It smooths out my skin so well and my makeup looks amazing over it. I don’t use it everyday, because it is SO spendy, I want to make it last! The only thing is I can’t wear my new Coola sunscreen under it or it will ball up and come off. It’s gross. So I need to find another spf moisturizer to wear under it.

The one product I purchased and don’t really care for is the Milk Makeup KUSH High Volume Mascara — It supposedly has heart-shaped fibers that lock onto lashes for long-lasting volume, length, and curl. “Conditioning cannabis oil fuses to lashes for thickness without fallout, while also working to fill the hollow, heart-shaped fibers with formula for a double dose of volume. Hemp-derived cannabis oil continues to hydrate for healthier-looking lashes, even after you’ve removed your mascara.”

That’s fine. I really don’t care about the cannabis oil part of it, I guess if it’s good for my lashes, that’s nice. What I don’t like is that it smears under my eyes every time I wear it. It’s so bad! My Cover Girl Last Blast looks and wears better than this mascara! It gives good volume, but I also need length. I am going to try this one more time with a primer under it for more length and a waterproof mascara on top so maybe it won’t smear. We will see.

Tarte Double Duty Beauty Shape Tape Contour Concealer — I’m sure everybody knows what this is! I have been wanting to try it for a while now. When the foundation came out and didn’t have a very inclusive shade range, I kind of lost interest, but I thought I would try it now. And it’s as good as everyone says.

Urban Decay Born To Run Eyeshadow Palette — I got a Sephora gift card from my daughter and decided to purchase this, because the shades are so gorgeous! I will be reviewing this in a day or two, but spoiler alert, I LOVE it!

On the right are a few deluxe samples. The Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream and the Lancome Monsieur Big Waterproof Mascara were each 100 Insider points and the Dior BACKSTAGE Face & Body Foundation was a gift with purchase with $35 spent. And I got a Clinique foil pouch that looks fun to try.

Let me know if you would like a more in-depth review of any of the other products (besides the palette ’cause it’s coming!). I also have purchased a couple of BH Cosmetics palettes and the new ColourPop foundation, reviews to come along with some new pr products! So I have lots to do in the coming weeks!

Summer Beauty Products to Give a Glow!

Summer is officially here, but it has been scorching hot in Kansas City for about 6 weeks now! Even though it’s hot, it is also humid so I stay inside most of the summer. That means any tan or glow I get comes from beauty products!

I have received the following products for my honest review from Josie Maran, Jergens and Hard Candy:

Josie Maran Argan Liquid Gold Self Tanning Body Oil ($38 USD) — This is a self-tanning body oil that features a blend of 100% Pure Argan Oil for intense nourishment and fast-absorbing 100% Pure Argan Oil Light for a semi-matte finish. Natural DHA helps give skin a healthy, even, natural-looking bronzed glow and the included plush mitt ensures streak-free, blissful application.

I have this in Hippie Beach, which I think is a new scent. It includes notes of lavender, sage, chamomile, and rose. It smells no nice! This has a really nice mitt that makes it easy to blend in. This gives a golden tan that looks so natural, which I love!

Josie Maran Argan Lip Sting Plumping Butter ($23 USD) — The subtle sting and proprietary lip-plumping complex visibly enhance lips for a voluptuous, juicy pout. Soothing manuka honey and moringa butter hydrate for smoother and fuller-looking lips.

The shade I have is Embrace It Honey. It’s a nice nudes shade. I feel a very slight sting when I apply, but it’s not a pure plumper because it also hydrates the lips. It’s nice for a natural, pouty look.

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil ($48 USD) — There’s only one ingredient in this bottle: 100% pure, 100% organic, 100% natural Argan Oil. This nourishes, conditions, and heals. Absorbs easily into skin, intensely hydrating and leaving behind a dewy glow.

It’s always good to have a bottle of Argan oil on hand, and this one is 100% pure so I know it’s good for my skin. I use it to remove makeup, on dry skin patches and on the ends of my hair. Such a multi-tasker!

Jergens Natural Glow Wet Skin Moisturizer (#8.99 USD) — Glides smoothly on wet skin to instantly lock in hydration. and I towel dry it in. It is so easy to use and gives a gradual tan. I love that I pat it dry and I can dress and go! And the color doesn’t rub off of my towel or clothes. Plus it has a light, fresh scent. Available for Fair to Medium and Medium to Tan skin tones.

Hard Candy Glitteratzi ($6 USD) — Apply to eyes, lips or body. Apply one coat for a sheer layer of sparkle, or two coats for full impact liquid glitter. Available in 7 shades. The shades I have are Twinkle (pink), Star (gold) and Aurora (white and pink). These dry down and don’t budge, so I think they are best on the eyes. I don’t care for drying lipstick, but I love it when my eye makeup stays all day. Star is more opaque than the other two shades, so it looks amazing on the eyes. I’ve used the white as face highliter, it’s very glittery! I also might try them on my body or cheekbones. Glitter is fun to play with, especially in the summer!

What summer products are you loving?

Shimmery Summer Lip Products From Maybelline!

I recently received some really fun lippies from Maybelline for my honest review. I received shades from three collections, Lip Studio Electric Shine Prismatic Lip Gloss, Metallic Foil Liquid Lipstick, and the Lip Studio Glitter Fix Glitter Lip Gloss. They are all a very reasonable $8.99 each!

The Lip Studio Electric Shine Prismatic Lip Glosses are my favorite of the three. This is Maybelline’s first ever holographic gloss. Radiant pearl pigments combined with a water-infused formula create an iridescent shine for a multidimensional lip look. Available in 6 shades.

They are so pretty on! They can be worn by themselves, or as lip toppers. My fave shade is the middle one in the photo, Moonlit Metal. It’s a gold and purple duo chrome. Here are swatches:

The shades are from left to right: Magnetic Ice, Cosmic Light, Moonlit Metal, Midnight Prism and Electric Blue. There is also a purple called Lunar Gem.

The first one is hard to see on my hand, but it’s a sheer pinky gold. It’s a really good lip topper. All of these are so pretty, but I can see myself wearing Magnetic Ice and Moonlit metal, and maybe Cosmic Ice. I’ll probably give the others to my daughters, even thought they are gorgeous!

The Metallic Foil Liquid Lipsticks are true liquid lipsticks as they dry down. The shades are very neutral and almost look like cream eye shadows! . The water-based formula includes suspended metallized pigments that fuse to lips to create a full-coverage, second skin lip color and a dimensional end look. Available in 6 shades.

These shades from left to right are: Zen, Trident, Luna, Calypso and Vortex. They also have a dark purple called Nemesis.

These are pretty and swatch really nicely. I only wear liquid lipsticks with gloss over them because I don’t like dry lips. But I do really like the pink Luna and the rose gold Zen on me. I love the Magnetic Ice gloss over both of them! They will be really nice for the summer with or without the gloss.

Lip Studio Glitter Fix Glitter Lip Gloss — Glitter is really hot right now, and is super fun for the summer. This gloss is carefully formulated with micro-fine glitters that adhere to the lips’ surface for a remarkably lightweight, full-coverage glitter look. One swipe is all you need for eye-catching sparkle that’s sure to light up any room! Available in 6 shades.

These shades are Gold Boost, Pink Smoke, Steamy Nights, Shadow Hunter. There are also two more, Spell Struck, a lavender and Wicked Tease, a dark purple.

This is a really smooth glitter lip gloss, not chunky or uncomfortable. Both these and the Prismatic glosses are hydrating and not sticky. I don’t know how much I will wear these, but they will be fun to have around!

Have you tried any of these Maybelline lip products?