Julep Diamond Mystery Box November

I'm fairly new to being a maven with Julep, having just signed up in early October. I haven't chosen to receive either monthly box yet, choosing instead to go for the mystery boxes. I received this one about a week ago and I wanted to wait to do the review until I had a chance to try a few of the polishes. I did do an unboxing video https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgxCy6YhsBuyQu98NwbQvEQ.

This is a "picture unboxing" and a review of some of the products I tried.... :)

First up are Candace, a golden shimmer. Marion, a teal shimmer and Kristy, a glossy black. I only tried Marion and I was happy with the application and dry time. I used it over juleps base coat and it was really pretty on. My goal was to try all of the polishes, so the next day I went to remove this one and I was really not happy at all. The Marion had stained not only my nails, but it stained my skin as well when I was removing it. I ended up having to rub lemon juice all over my hands to remove it. I wont be using this color again. *note...it stained through the base coat. I haven't tried the Candace yet, but I did try Kristy and it wasn't as glossy as I'd hoped it would be. It was still nice and I'll use it as a base for other polishes, glitters and holo toppers.

These two are really pretty, The reddish color is Claudette and that will actually be going as a gift so I wont be trying it. The really light pink is named Gemma and I'll be saving this for spring when I start using brighter colors and neon's. It's very, very light pink, almost white.

These are the two glitters they were teasing us with for the Diamond box, one is pink and is named Antonia and the blue is named Geo. Both are amazingly beautiful and I found them to go on pretty smooth. I didn't think about it until just now, but I'll probably go ahead and try them both out layered over the lightest pink one, the Gemma!!! I really think they'd look fantastic!!

The only item I'm really happy with here is the pink body frosting. It is AMAZING. Simply amazing. It smells divine, it's creamy and thick and it goes on so smooth. It just sinks right in and doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy or sticky. It's more of a spring type scent, but I'm likely to just use it right through the winter months. The little eye lash curler had me a bit confused. It seemed really out of place in this box. There was no eye make up at all. It just felt like a random item they threw in as an after thought. I tried putting it up to my eye and couldn't even get close. It's really an uncomfortable feeling having that black base block the entire eye area. The scrub mitt I haven't tried yet. It's very thin and feels cheaply made. I had already purchased one with a previous mystery box and wasn't impressed with it then either.

In all, I am happy with the amount of polish we received in our mystery box, the body frosting is amazing. There were some polishes that are definite losers. I wont even pass the Marion on to my daughter as it just stains :( I don't mean to sound negative. I just want to give an honest review of these products and most of the time I hear only rave reviews. I just haven't had as much luck I guess with the julep polishes. At full price they're too costly for what you get.

I think I'm going to be sticking with mostly indie brands like Above the Curve which I love.

The total value of the box was just at $120 dollars if you paid full price for everything in it. As mavens we never have to pay full price so I think the value is more like $80. It's still a great value. I paid $19.99 for this box. Seven polishes (four of which I might use) The body frosting will definitely get used. The mitt??? eh. The eye lash curler, nope.

You can become a maven by going to http://www.julep.com/ your first box will be free with the code FREEBOX. They send you an email reminder monthly to check your maven box to see if you'd like to receive it that month. It's 19.99 a month and you can add items on to make it a better value. If you love julep polishes this would be a great deal for you!!!!

Thanks for reading!!!

Life is a gift!! Open it and live it Beautifully <3

Nancy

 

 

 

Vasanti Brighten up! Enzymatic Face rejuvenator

I received this in a trade with a fellow birch box subscriber and I was really excited to try it out. I love exfoliators and microdermabrasion products. This is a very fine scrub and you only need about a pea sized amount to do your entire face.

I started using this about six days ago, and I'm loving it. It's very gentle and doesn't dry out my skin. I've already started to notice a difference in the evenness of my skin. I had some issues with redness on my cheeks and chin and this little gem of a product seems to be doing it's job perfectly!!

My skin is brighter and more even, the redness is going away and my face feels so soft and smooth. My make up looks so much better going on. I have two deluxe sized samples of this and because you need so little they will last me more than a few months. I'll probably end up buying the full size product when I'm done with these. It is a little pricey, but still a lot less expensive than visiting a dermatologist if you only need a little help :)

You can get it here
http://www.birchbox.com/ for $34 dollars for 4.3 oz. I believe the full size tube would last about six months or more. Remember you should only be using this 3-4 times per week.

(I do use a face cleanser first, then apply this in small circular motions and let it sit on my skin for a few minutes.)

Have you tried this? Tell me what you think. I love to hear other people's experiences with these products.

Thanks for reading!!!

Live is a gift!!! Open it and live it beautifully <3

Nancy

Good evening ladies!! I was in Sally's beauty supply the other night to pick up a top coat and I ran across a new (at least to me) line of nail polishes. Nina Ultra pro. Of course I ended up picking up more than one color and I have to say I'm loving this line. The brush is wider than most which is great for me, I'm a novice at doing my own nails :) It's curved at the tip to fit at the base around the cuticle and it was the first time I didn't have to do a lot of clean up after. I got one in black and a dark purple glitter called boy's n berries which is absolutely beautiful. 

My actual purpose was to get another ruby slippers since I seem to have either misplaced or thrown out the one I had. I did my nails last night, layering the ruby slippers over the black like I'd seen done on several other sites and it worked perfectly!! Just what I had been trying to achieve for months

The ruby slippers from China Glaze, the black from Nina Ultra Pro and a entirely new to me top coat from Seche Vite. I love all three of these new polishes, the only issue is the Seche Vite is not 3 free and it stinks to high heaven. The smell does go away after it dries, but I've been so spoiled with the 3 free etc polishes I had forgotten how terrible the smell is.

This is what it looks like on. Please excuse my novice application and very short nails. My nails are still recovering from a few years of acrylics !!

Have any of you heard of the Nina Ultra Pro polishes? If you have, what do you think of the wider curved brushes?

Thank you for reading!!!

Life is a gift!! Open it and live it beautifully <3

Nancy

Hi to all of you beautiful people out there!! I'm doing a hair product pick of the week tonight!!! I'm always on the look out for new products to help me style my super thick wavy hair and keep it tame. I've used everything from mouse's, sea salt sprays, plain old hair spray, blow dry lotion etc and most of them work pretty well. I found this product about 4 weeks ago and just really wanted to share it with you all!!!

It's one of many new products L'oreal has put out recently and I just love it!!! It's L'oreal tousle crème and it works wonderfully. I put it in my hair while it's only slightly damp (a quarter and half size amount for me, my hair is past my shoulder blades) and completely work it through. There are two ways I use it. I either use my diffuser on low to help dry and shape my waves or I twist my hair up into a slightly tight bun and let it dry overnight. Both work equally well. It smells heavenly and it doesn't cause my hair to dry out or look dull like some of the sea salt sprays are prone to do.

It's fairly inexpensive, I found it at Walmart for $4.99, on the L'oreal website they have it priced at $6.99, but you can definitely find it for less, just look around and keep an eye out for coupons!!!

I love it when I can find a product that works wonderfully, doesn't cost an outrageous amount of money (I've used many products that do!!) and doesn't cause any damage to my hair!! Try it out and let me know what you think :)

Thanks for reading, let me know how I'm doing or if you'd like to see a pick of the week every week!!


Life is a gift!! Open it and live it beautifully <3

Nancy

 

Novembers Blush Mystery Box promised a value of over $250 dollars!! I received mine last night and I'm a little on the fence about the products included in this months box. I've always loved Blush, I've never been disappointed in any box I've received, but they seem to have missed with a few items this time around. I'll get to those at the end of my post, but first the products I did LOVE!!

I love my SPF products!! I use them all year round. The sun does damage no matter what season it is, so I was thrilled to receive this full size SPF 30 pur lisse daily moisturizer in my box. It combines Vitamin and soy proteins to smooth your skin and white tea to soothe your skin and combat free radicals. Retail value is $55 dollars for 1.7.

Available here http://www.dermstore.com/profile_Pur-lisse_500757.htm

Elizabeth Arden mascara, I'm really happy to have gotten this. I've never tried any Elizabeth Arden products and I do love mascara's. I probably own 20 different brands (my favorite being They're Real), but I always like to try new ones. This is a full size, volumnizing and lengthening mascara. It retails for $19.50.

Smart Lash eyelash enhancer was the high value item in this months box, retailing at $125.00. This is an eye lash treatment that promises to thicken and lengthen your lashes (results typical after independent study of 60 days of twice daily application). I am happy to have received this, but I'm not sure I need it. It has stellar reviews and it does often go on sale for $29.95 on Dermstore.com.

Paula's Choice Resist Ultra-Light Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum (wow, that's a long name) is a brand that's been advertised heavily in the last few months. This is an ultra concentrate potent antioxidant serum ideal for oily and combination skin. It retails for $30 for 1 oz. This is .17 oz so I'm guessing the value to be at about $7.

 

Anastasia Beverly Hills mini Hydrafull gloss in sorbet is a beautiful color, the sample size is very small, but I think it's adorable and I'm looking forward to using this one. I'm not really sure about the value of this item, I'm guessing at maybe $5 because of the small size. The full size retails for $18.

 

 

These last two items are the ones I'm not really happy with, even though I knew we were getting the cargo eye pencil. The Nick Chavez Horsetail root lifting spray has such an awful smell that there's no way I'm going to use this on my hair. It's a mix between alcohol and something "dirty". It got mixed reviews. People are saying it works wonderfully IF you can get past the smell. I wont be able to. It retails for $9 dollars for a 2 oz bottle.

 

The Cargo High Pigment eye pencil in brown. I was really excited to get this in my blush box this month. I love Cargo products and I own one of these pencils already in black and I love it. I'm upset over the fact that blush made this their "sneak peak" and featured item in this months box, but when I went to look up reviews and the price for this on Cargo's website I discovered this item is a discontinued item. I will still use it and love it, but I have a problem when a sub box puts something in as their featured item and you can't even purchase it off the companies website :( Big disappointment there!!!

 

In all, I really did like this months box despite the disappointment. I didn't get the value of over $250 dollars, unless I'm under valuing some of the smaller items. I came up with a total value of $236 dollars. Still an awesome deal considering subscribers pay $24.95 monthly and a one time purchase of this box is $34.95.

 

Thanks for reading!!!

 

Life is a gift, Open it and live it beautifully!!

 

Nancy

 

 

Mens November Birch Box review

 Birch box for men is a monthly subscription service available for $20 dollars through
 http://birch.ly/13WAleF (my referral link, I'll post a non referral link at the bottom of this post). They send mostly higher end products, with some more affordable items and every once in a while a new "discovery" product. This is my husbands November box and it's most likely the best one we've received so far, certainly his favorite!!!

First up is Ernest Supplies Anti aging Vitamin A and E moisturizer.

This is likely the only product he wont use, only because he doesn't have an issue with oily skin. It's full of anti-oxidants and vitamins and I love that the sample he received has that little topper on it. Most of his sample packs come with those, it makes it so much easier to store them. It's available here http://www.birchbox.com/ for $25 for 2.5 fl oz. A little on the pricey side for me.

Next up is The Yes To Cucumbers towelettes

 This is a product I think most of us are familiar with, he was really pleased to see this in his box (so was I, but I can't take them lol) It's a pretty good sample size, with 10 towels. The full size comes with 30 towels per pack and retails for 5.99 each. They're 98% natural, the claim is the cucumber extract helps remove dead skin cells, the green tea is an anti oxidant that works as an astringent to help ease "troubled skin" and the aloe vera helps sooth and protect. I just like them because they're so convenient and inexpensive.

The next two items he received are Vtiamine and Sea shave cream and English Laundry #7 Cologne

 He always likes to get shaving products in his boxes, and I like it when they send them in the little tubs so I can re purpose them!! According to birch box.com this cream is packed with vegan, certified organic ingredients like kelp, dandelion extract, and gotu kola (I'll be looking the third one up) The aloe vera is suppose to prevent ingrown hairs and razor bumps. It has ingredients like coconut oil and sweet almond oil to smooth and moisturize. I love both of those oils!! Maybe he'll let me try this one :) The English Laundry is your typical cologne, there was nothing really special or "amazing" about this, we both liked the scent and he'll use it, but he has others we enjoy more.

The Vitamine and Sea is available here http://www.birchbox.com/ for $36 for 7 oz. It comes in a beautiful jar that I would love to have. This may be one I purchase a full size of.

The English Laundry goes for $72 for 1.7 oz and $84 for 3.4 oz.

The last item and our favorite from this month is The Apolis Transit Issue Travel Candle..

This candle smells absolutely amazing!!! It's 4 oz, which I find perfect. It has a burn time of 40 hours. The scent is cypress and fig and it's really a very sexy, sensual scent. It'll fit perfectly in a bag to take with you on a weekend away. I look forward to burning this one.

This is available here http://www.birchbox.com/ for $30 for the 4 oz size. I haven't been able to find it in a bigger size, but I think the 4 oz is perfect.

Do you get birch box for men? for women? Let me know what you think.

Monthly and yearly subscriptions available http://www.birchbox.com/

Thanks for reading!!

Nancy

Life is a gift!! Open it and live it beautifully <3

One more primer for the night. My pick for summer!

I found this primer through Birch box.com It came in one of my monthly boxes and I absolutely love it. It's OC8 Professional Mattifying Gel

Birchbox breakdown


 To keep contestants’ faces shine-free under pressure (and scalding-hot stage lights), makeup artists for shows like American Idol and The Glee Project turn to this mattifying gel. The fast-drying formula creates an inte...rmediate layer that absorbs grease for eight full hours. Use it to score a matte, shine-free look—with or without the help of makeup. Alcohol-free and oil-free, it’s safe for even acne-prone skin. Get ready for your close-up.

Now my take, at $41.00 for 1.6 ounces this is one of the more expensive primers I tried!!! The verdict is it works!!! It does everything it says it does and is perfect for summer. I haven't used this once since the dog day heat of our California summer in mid August, but I will most likely purchase this for next year. I wore this to an outside birthday pool party. I didn't swim, but it was about 115 degrees and my make up barely moved. I wore a bb cream over it, and while I did have to blot a little bit, it was nothing like I would normally have to do. I'm pleased with this one, and while it does come with a bigger price tag, I feel it's worth it and remember, you only need about a dime sized to maybe a nickel sized amount to cover your face. I give this one a 10

Get it here http://www.birchbox.com/

Life is a gift!! Open it....Live it beautifully <3

Nancy

Primers and more primers.............

I'm fairly new to primers, just having "discovered" them near the beginning of this year. Growing up we weren't allowed to wear make up so I'm a little behind the curve on this. I wanted to give some fair reviews on a variety of products and there are so many out there for every skin type. The first primer I tried was from The Body Shop and to be honest I really liked it at first. That is, until I got my hands on some other primers, both expensive and inexpensive. So first up....

The body shop Matte It was the very first primer I ever tried and probably my least favorite now after trying all of the ones I have. It works ok, but it just doesn't have the satiny finish I've come to expect from my primers. It's thick and takes quite a while to dry. It does do what it says; it keeps your skin a "matte" finish, but with so many other, better primers out there that do the same and give you a good finish I can't recommend this one. Unfortunately I bought two of them. I may just keep it around in case I run out and need a back up. I'll give it a five out of ten.

Available for sale here http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/makeup/foundation-concealer/skin-primer-matte-it.aspx for $15.

 

The second primer I tried I actually got in a Sephora favorites collection. Hourglass Mineral Veil.

 

 

This is a mineral based, water resistant primer with an SPF of 15, a little on the low side. It gave me exactly what the description says....a satiny finish, with my make up going on smooth and staying on all day. According to Sephora.com it's completely 100% fragrance, oil and gluten free, without parabens, sulfates, synthetic dyes or fragrances and is formulated without chemical sun blocking agents. It's on the pricey side at $18 dollars for 0.33 oz or $52 dollars for 1.0 oz, but I feel it's completely worth it. A dime sized amount is enough to cover your entire face, this is a primer I would probably save for fall and winter, only because I found one that I absolutely love for the summer!! I have to give this primer a solid ten!!

 

Available here http://www.sephora.com/hourglass

 

The next primer I tried after watching countless youtube video's and having it recommended time after time is ELF Mineral Infused Face Primer.

 

 

 It's very inexpensive and works well. It's a good every day primer. It comes in four "colors", clear, tone adjusting green, lavender and radiant glow. I use the clear because I use a color corrector mixed into my foundation or BB cream. It goes on very smooth and leaves a satin finish very similar to the Hourglass Mineral Veil without the hefty price tag. It retails at just $6 for 049 oz and is often on sale for 50 percent off. I love this primer and will definitely recommend it, don't let the "small" price tag deter you. Beauty doesn't always have to cost a fortune. This also gets a solid ten!!

 

I have several more primers that I'm going to be adding, but I'd like to do them in more than one post so stay tuned.

 

Do you have any favorite primers you recommend I try? Any that you couldn't or wouldn't do without? They may be on my list, but if they aren't I'd love to try them!!! Leave a comment and let me know :)

 

Thanks for reading!!

 

Life is a gift!!! Open it and live it beautifully <3

 

Nancy