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BoxyCharm Subscription Box Review — May 2018

My May BoxyCharm arrived a few days ago. It came much earlier this month. I’m always excited to receive it!

Boxycharm is just $21 a month for 5-6 beauty items, most of them full-sized. It’s an amazing way to try new makeup and beauty tools!

Here is what I received:

Pur Cosmetics Sculptor Highlight & Contour Palette ($30 USD)

Aesthetica Cosmetics Pro Brush Series: 3-Piece Eyeliner, Brow & Spoolie Brush Set ($45 USD)

Aesthetica Cosmetics Brush P12 Brush ($27 USD)

CoverFX Blurring Primer ($38 USD)

Pretty Vulgar The Ink Gel Eyeliner ($24 USD)

Beauty Creations Matte Lip Gloss in Sweet Heart ($10 USD)

The value of this box is amazing — $170! It’s BoxyCharm’s 5th birthday and they really gave a high value box!

This Pur Cosmetics contour palette is so nice! It smells like chocolate, which is fun. I did swatch this (all swatches are below), but then gave it to my daughter. I didn’t keep it because the contour is way too dark for me, and I have plenty of highlighters. It did swatch nicely though.

I really like the brand Pur Cosmetics. And I have a review of some of their new products coming soon!

We get brushes in almost every BoxyCharm. I don’t use all of them, but I will use these. The P12 is so soft, and is nice for bronzing or blush. I’ve haven’t played with the eye trio yet, but I will. I am excited to try them with the new liner!

This Cover FX primer is my favorite item in the box, and is worth getting this box! It has a light tint and is dimethicone based. It claims to “blurs the appearance of pores, fine lines, and other imperfections for ultra-smooth airbrushed skin.”

A little of this goes a long way. It does blur my pores and makes them appear smaller. It’s really nice under my Flower Beauty Light Illusion foundation!

This little ink pot liner is so cute! And it holds a lot of product! I have swatched it and it glides on very easily. I am going to play with it soon on my eyes. I usually don’t wear black eyeliner, but it’s fun for going out. Plus, the pot is too cute not to keep out on display.

I have’t tried anything from Beauty Creations before. This is called a Matte Lip Gloss in the shade Sweet Heart. But, it’s basically a liquid lipstick. This color is too bright for me, so I gave it to my daughter.

Here are the swatches:

From left to right, the eyeliner, the matte lip gloss, and the Pur contour palette.

So this month was a win for me for the primer alone. I am really loving it. I will also use the brushes and I’ll try the eyeliner. I gave the lipstick and contour palette to my daughter who will love it. So it is a successful box for me!

There are already a couple of spoilers for the June box. We’ll get the colorful Alamar Cosmetics eye shadow palette and a Sol de Janiero product. I’m excited for both!

Do you get BoxyCharm? What was your favorite product this month?

Brand Review — Flower Beauty

Happy Monday! I was recently sent Flower Beauty products for my honest review. Flower Beauty was founded by Drew Barrymore to give women the best quality makeup at affordable prices.

I haven’t reviewed Flower Beauty for a few years, and have been wanting to try some of their current products.

I was so excited to try this foundation! I’ve heard really good things about it. Light Illusion Liquid Foundation ($13.99 USD) — This claims to have buildable coverage, while imparting your skin with the most flattering soft luminosity imaginable. All with a weightless, nude skin feel. Imperfections and uneven skintone are diminished. Only a flawless, smooth, and incredibly natural complexion is revealed.

I do really like this! I received the four lightest shades (above) They all kind of look the same in the bottle. But they are different. Right now my perfect shade is a mixture of Ivory L2 and Nude L3. The L2 is a bit light and the L3 is a bit warm, so together, they are perfect! I think Warm Beige L4 will work when I faux tan, and I’l probably give Porcelain L1 to my daughter.

This is about medium coverage, which I like. I don’t enjoy full coverage, it feels like I’m wearing a mask. It does have a little bit of an illumination, but it doesn’t make my skin shiny. My skin has felt dry lately, and this is so comfortable on. And it lasts for hours, too!

Available in 12 skin-perfecting shades.

I love trying new concealers. These are the Flower Beauty Light Illusion Full Coverage Concealer ($9.99 USD). This contains blurring pigments to help diffuse dark circles under the eyes. It’s full coverage, dries down quickly and gives a hint of illumination. The formula contains an infusion aloe, chamomile extract and caffeine.

The shades above are Fair on the left and Light on the right. I am using Fair now and will probably use Light in the summer, when I have a bit of a tan. Four darker shades are also available.

FLOWER Beauty’s Seal The Deal Long-Lasting Setting Spray ($12.99 USD) creates a sweat-proof & rub-resistant barrier that maintains your makeup for a fresh just-applied look that lasts all day. The invisible formula will keep your skin looking beautifully matte all day long.

This has a fine mister and feels so good when applied. I have noticed that it helps keep my makeup fresh. I’ll probably use it more in the summer, when it’s hot and humid and I need to mattify. My skin is usually a little dry, but not in the Kansas City summers!

Lift & Sculpt Contouring Palette ($14 USD) is the perfect all-in-1 tool to define your face in a flash! The powders blend easily and layer together seamlessly for a professional sculpted effect.

I have the Light to Medium kit. I believe it’s also available in Medium to Deep. Here are swatches:

The bronzer and blush are a bit powdery and there’s some kick up in the pan. They are really pretty, though, and look nice on my cheeks. The highlighter is gorgeous! It’s a creamy powder and can be very blinding!

FLOWER Beauty’s Petal Pout Lip Colors ($8.99 USD) Pure color pigments apply smoothly, while conditioning & protecting lips with healthy antioxidants. Available in a soft matte and cream finish that wear comfortably all day long. With a spectrum of luxurious shades from bold to nearly nude, there is a perfect shade for every look and occasion.

I love the packaging of these, and all of the Flower Beauty products. They are an amazing mix of fun and elegance.

The shades are 015 Peachy Nude, a cream and 120 Fuchsia Flush, a matte. Peachy Nude is more my shade, because I like lighter colors. The formula is very hydrating. The matte one is nice, too. I might pick that up in a lighter shade. There is a matte color called Naked Blush that looks amazing!

Flower Beauty is available at Ulta Stores and Ulta.com

Have you tried anything by Flower Beauty? What’s your fave Flower Beauty product?

Last Minute Mother’s Day Beauty Gift Ideas!

Can you believe Mother’s Day is in a week! I had to face that fact, I just mailed my mom a package (full of beauty goodies) yesterday. I live in Kansas City and she lives in Oregon, so I have to mail it ahead of time each year.

I also included goodies for my sister and sister-in-law. Beauty gifts are my favorite for Mother’s Day. Here are some great ideas for little, or bigger gifts to give:

No7 Matte Liquid Lip ($9.99 USD) — Switch up your look this season with the NEW No7 Matte Liquid Lips – bold colors that you can really feel good about. Get ready for a long lasting, comfortable wear with an on trend matte finish that will keep your lips moisturized all day. Available in a selection of six motivation-inspired colors:

Inspire (pink) Conquer (rich berry) Grace (nude) Captivate (coral) Fearless (red) Courage (plum)

This are very pigmented and comfortable on the lips. If mom (sister, aunt, friend) love long-wearing lipstick, this is perfect for them! Available at Target, Target.com, Walgreens, Walgreens.com

My Other Wig Is A Tiara

All The Queen’s Bling

Curls & Pearls

Coming this spring, Morgan Taylor & Gelish’s Royal Temptations Collection. Inspired by the lavish life of Marie Antoinette, the collection includes six delicious shades and an additional special effect glitter top coat that you can’t help but love.

Indulge yourself (or mom) with these seven NEW glamourous shades:

My Other Wig Is A Tiara – Sea Foam Metallic
Ruffle Those Feathers – Teal Crème
All The Queen’s Bling – Purple Pearl
All My Heart Desires – Hot Pink Crème
Beauty Marks The Spot – Coral Crème
Curls & Pearls – Pale Pink Crème
Over-the-Top Pop – Multi-Glitter Special Effect

I always send nail polish for Mother’s Day, and these are gorgeous! Purchase at www.morgantaylorlacquer.com

The Beauty of Dirty Skin by Dr. Whitney Bowe ($23.00 at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com). Celebrity NYC-based dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe shows readers that skin health is so much more than skin deep. With simple explanations of science, DIY practical at-home tricks and tweaks to make to your diet and beauty routine, and a life-changing 21-day program, this book is your roadmap to glowing skin from the inside out and the outside in.

Josie Maran Argan Beauty Canvas

Josie Maran Good for You, Good for Planet Kit

Here are a couple of gorgeous Josie Maran kits:

Josie Maran Argan Beauty Canvas ($45 USD) — Includes Surreal Skin Argan Finishing Balm, Argan Lip Sting Plumping Butter in Be It Boysenberry, and the Argan Moonstone Drops.

Josie Maran Argan Nourishing Kit ($100 USD) — Includes Argan Milk, 100% Pure Argan Oil and my favortie, the 100% Pure Argan Oil Light.

What are you giving the ladies in your life next Sunday? Do you have any fun plans?

Maybelline New York Lemonade Craze Palette

I love eye shadow palettes and also love reviewing them, too! I received the fun new Maybelline New York Lemonade Craze Palette for my honest review. I was so excited, because I really wanted to try it!

I want to show you the back of the palette. There are three different look tutorials:

I have been testing this for about a week, and have been using the same shades each time. So these were helpful in giving me new ideas!

Here is the beautiful palette before I dug into it!

Here’s the swatches:

These swatches are of the top half of the palette. The shades are Sherbet, Berry Ice, Strawberry Lemonade, Sunnies, Lemonade Craze and Main Squeeze. My favorite shade in the palette is Strawberry Lemonade. It’s so gorgeous and shimmery. I love the color. And I want to apply it every time I use this palette!

I first swatched these on my inner arm, but they didn’t show up because I’m so pale! So I swatched these on the top of my arm and the next ones on the inner arm:

These shades are Citrus, Ice Pop, Old Fashioned, Coral Punch, Sugar Coated and Sweet Tea. These are perfect for adding color to the look!

So now to the formula. The shades are gorgeous, but the formula isn’t the best. There is a lot of kickback in the pan, but luckily I don’t get a lot of fallout on my eye. It does take a few layers to get a pigmented look. And the shimmers work best when wet. I use a little Mac Fix+.

I am going to keep playing with this because I really love the shades and think it will be so gorgeous for spring and summer. Plus, the palette has a light citrus scent and I love that!

The Lemonade Craze Eyeshadow Palette is available now on Amazon at a suggested retail price of $13.99. It is listed at $10.99 right now, so if you want it, that’s a great price!

Do you have this palette or are you going to pick it up?

Project Pan April-June 2018 — First Update

Hi all! This is the first Project Pan update for my April to June pan. It has been going well! I started out with 12 products, but as you can see from my photo above, I only have 10 left! I panned two. You can check out my original post here.

Of the products left, I am almost finished with the Reclaim Botanical neck cream, the Philosophy Eye Hope eye cream, the Ofra Cleanser and the Neocutis night cream. And maybe the H2O+ day cream. I’m also doing well with the body lotion. The eye shadow, powder, hair cream and face mask weren’t used as much as the other products. I have to make a point to use those more this month!

Here’s what I used up:

I used the IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye concealer and Bye Bye Lines foundation. Plus I have two empties that I didn’t include in my haul — the IT Bye Bye Pores loose powder and the No7 Early Defence Serum. I used up my Bye Bye Pores before I really dug into the Fit Me! powder, but now I am using it exclusively. The Fit Me! had more in it than I thought. There is a lot in the container!

Two more months to go! I should pan more products by the end of May I love doing these because I’m forcing myself to use my skincare and other products. And I can tell that my skin looks better for it!

Are you doing a project pan? How’s it going?

April 2018 Beauty Favorites

It’s almost May! This is going to be a busy month for my family. Besides Mother’s Day, we are still in lacrosse season for my youngest daughter and my middle daughter is graduating from high school!

I tried a lot of great new makeup in April. Above our my favorites, and below you can see the shades:

I purchased the Too Faced Life’s A Festival Eye Shadow Palette and the Better Than Sex Mascara during the Ulta 21 Days of Beauty sale. The palette was not on sale (but I really wanted it), but the mascara was. I love them both! I still have to do a review of the palette. I’m hoping to post that this weekend.

The gorgeous nude lipsticks are the Lipstick Queen Nothing But the Nudes Collection. They are The Truth, a pink nude, The Whole Truth, a peach nude. There is also Nothing But the Truth, a beige nude. It’s a bit darker, so I’m saving it for the summer when I faux tan. These are creamy and so gorgeous on!

The last makeup items is from the ColourPop x Eva Gutowski collab. It’s the Mermaid Glow Pressed Powder Face Duo. The shades are:

Golden Hour: matte blush; neutral peach
Ethereal: pearlized highlighter; soft golden champagne

I would think this would be better for a bit darker tones than my light-toned skin But it looks so pretty on. I love the blush and the highlighter is a soft color that can be built up to blind!

The Merle Norman Skintelligent Cleanser is exfoliating. It has little beads in it that give a vigorous scrub! It instantly makes my pores look smaller.

The last thing is my Real Techniques Brush Crush 300 Powder Brush. I’ve had this for a few months and love it so much. Its so pretty and soft. It makes me happy just to use it.

What products were your faves this month?

Mother’s Day Beauty Gift Guide

Mother’s Day is a couple of weeks away. I always give my mom the gift of beauty. I love sharing my favorite products and ones I think she will love.

Below are wonderful skincare, makeup and other beauty ideas for the lovely ladies in your life:

Radiance Face Oil

Radiance Lift Cream

Pamper your Mom this year by giving her the gift of radiance with the Eve Lom Radiance Range:

Start by cleansing the skin with the classic Eve Lom Balm Cleanser
Apply the Eve Lom Radiance Lift Cream to moisturize and firm the skin
Finally, apply a few drops of the Radiance Face Oil for an extra boost of hydration and brightening

Purchase at Sephora stores and Sephora.com

Intensive Triple Exfoliating Treatment

Youth Activating Melon Serum

Environmental Protecting Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF50 Sunscreen

Overnight Retinol Repairing Crème

Give the gift of flawless skin like Cindy Crawford with her amazing skincare line, Meaningful Beauty:

These are available at Ulta stores and Ulta.com

EO Ageless Skin Care Collection ($124.99 USD. or you can purchase each item separately) — Complex in formulation, simple in use. Based on the essential principles of synergy, performance and simplicity, the EO Ageless Skin Care Collection brings over eighty of the Earth’s most powerful botanical extracts into one simple daily regimen. Over twenty years of expertise culminates in a collection of skin care essentials that will transform the way you see yourself.

Enjoy 3.3 oz. cleansing milk, 2 oz. face moisturizer, 1 oz day face oil, 1.5 oz. scrub, and 1 oz. night face serum.

Availability: www.eoproducts.com

Nothing But The Truth

The perfect nude lip lies within the Nothing But The Nudes collection by Lipstick Queen. I love these and think these would be great gifts for the lady who likes classic or natural looks/ Here are the shades:

The Truth — Pretty pink nude
The Whole Truth — Perfect peachy nude
Nothing But The Truth — Beautiful beige nude

Purchase at Ulta stores and Ulta.com

Daily Concepts Daily Hair Towel Wrap ($18 USD) — This hair towel wrap is great for any length hair. With the soft cotton material, it makes getting ready after your shower super easy and pain free without having the hassle of a heavy towel on top of your head. The super soft cotton fabric also allows for quicker hair dry time giving your hair less time under the use of a hot blow dryer.

Purchase at dailyconcepts.com

Everyone Pure Essential Oils Kit with Ultrasonic Diffuser ($64.99 USD) — The Everyone Aromatherapy Kit is the perfect gift for aromatherapy first-timers and experts alike! Included in this set is an Everyone Aromatherapy Ultrasonic Diffuser, 2 single note essential oils: Peppermint, Lavender, and 4 blends: Uplift, Balance, Focus, and Fresh.

$64.99 Availability: www.eoproducts.com

Do you give beauty gifts for Mother’s Day?

Philosophy Mother’s Day Fragrance Gift Sets

Mother’s Days is a little over 2 weeks away, time to get shopping! I think fragrance is such a sweet gift to give to mom and the other ladies in my life.

I was sent these amazing sets from Philosophy to try out. I love the variety that the brand offers. There’s a scent for everyone!

Fresh Cream 3 Piece Set ($47 USD) — Give mom a gift as sweet as she is! This is a Philosophy fan-favorite fragrance. This includes spray eau de toilette with 2 award-winning body formulas infused with the creamy vanilla scent, for a luxurious layering experience that will last. I think this is perfect for any women on your list. It’s not a strong scent and appeals to so many people. Purchase at philosophy.com and Philosophy retailers.

: Amazing Grace 3 Piece Set

Amazing Grace 3 Piece Set ($57 USD) — This is my signature scent. The notes are bergamot, muguet blossoms and musk. This set includes the award-winning shampoo, bath & shower gel, a hydrating and firming body emulsion conditions and moisturizes as it tones, for skin that feels pampered and renewed. a finishing spritz of eau de toilette will accompany her through the day with grace. Purchase at philosophy.com and Philosophy retailers.

Pure Grace 3 Piece Set ($57 USD) — This scent is a clean soap and water scent, perfect for classic and outdoorsy ladies. This collection features the scent 3 ways, perfect for enjoying individually or layering for a longer-lasting experience, beautifully packaged for presenting. Purchase at philosophy.com and Philosophy retailers.

Amazing Grace Ballet Rose 2 Piece Set ($50 USD) — This is a fresh take on amazing grace, wrapped in elegant rose, sparkling peony and pink musk. This is for the woman who loves the scent of fresh roses. This includes 2 sizes perfect for home (2 oz.) and on the go (0.5 oz. mini), wrapped and ready for gifting. This is available exclusively at Ulta stores and Ulta.com.

Pure Grace Nude Rose 2 Piece Set ($50 USD) — This new scent has notes of blush rose, orange flower, warm cedarwood and musk. I really like this scent. It’s soft and warm, so nice for spring and summer! This gift set includes: pure grace nude rose eau de toilette, 2-oz.pure grace nude rose eau de toilette, 0.5-oz. Purchase at Macy’s stores and Macys.com

Have you tried Philosophy scents? Which one is your favorite?

Ulta Spring Haul — Two Weeks of Great Sales!

Right after Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty, they had two weeks of Spring Hauls, where certain products were marked down 30-50 percent off. This left me with no money for the Sephora VIB sale, but that’s okay. I got some great deals at Ulta!

The deals were different each week. Here’s what I picked up the first week:

I purchased the Hempz Pomegranate Daily Herbal Moisturizing Shampoo and conditioner, the Pacifica Crystal Power Hydro Mist, Fizz & Bubble
Rainbow Sherbet and Mint Mojito Large Bath Fizzies and the Morphe
M500 Deluxe Pointed Blender Brush. The brush wasn’t on sale, but you get free shipping with $50 purchase, and I’ve been wanting a brush like this! I’ve never had a Morphe brush before and I like it. It’s pretty nice.

The rest of the items were an 8 piece Spring Haul Sampler, which was an online free gift with purchase w/any $30 Spring Haul Offer purchase. I am loving trying these products!

Yes to Cotton Comforting and Blueberries Brightening Facial Towelettes, Soap & Glory
The Righteous Butter, Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge + Travel Sponge Case and Dual-Ended Expert Sponge, Wet n Wild Photo Focus Foundation (Nude Ivory), Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer and J.Cat Beauty
Mattifying Face Primer.

I have really been wanting to try the Wet n Wild foundation and the Butter Bronzer for a while now. The foundation was half off it’s already affordable price and I think the bronzer was about 40 percent off, which is amazing! I have been testing them and will probably review these soon.

Let me know if you’d like me to review any of these products.

Did you shop Ulta’s Spring Haul? What did you get?

Festival and Summer Nail Tips and Polishes from Skyy Hadley and Lauren B!

Hollywood Blvd

Did you go to Coachella this year? I’ve never been, but I do love festivals. Although Coachella is over, there will be so many more festivals and summer concerts coming.

I love wearing fun nail looks this time of year. Below are tips from beauty expert, Skyy Hadley and polishes from Lauren B. Beauty that will give you that fun summer and festival vibe!

Skyy Hadley Tips:

For a fun festival look, try the Lauren B. polishes with a base coat and top coat to protect your nails from the dreaded chip.
Stock up and buy a mini travel moisturizer from the drugstore because there is no way you will be bringing a bottle of cuticle oil and you don’t want your hands or cuticles to dry up.
Stash a small travel kit with a nail file and clippers in your suitcase in case you break a nail and need to fix it.

The shades above from left to right are:

Lauren B. Beauty in “33 Carats” ($19 USD) — Packed with ultra-fine flecks of silver glitter (in a range of sizes), it’s diamond-powder sparkly and festive without being gaudy.

Lauren B. Beauty in “One Night in WeHo” ($19 USD) — When we want to look VIP party ready (yes, please), one swipe of this glinty polish leaves us feeling transformed. Apply it to nude or painted nails: The mix of sheer, kaleidoscopic glitter – with particles of purple, blue, green, silver, gold, turquoise and hot pink – creates a dazzling metallic effect.

Lauren B. Beauty in “Hollywood Blvd.” ($18 USD) — A dusting of metallic glitter delivers just the right amount of night-owl sparkle – superchic layered over dark polish or simply on its on.

Available: laurenbbeauty.com

Do you love fun, sparkly nails during this time of year? What’s your go to nail look?