I think if I asked any woman if they would love to get box full of beauty samples the answer would most definitely be yes... I mean doesn't everyone love samples from the ones at Sam's on a weekend or packets at the makeup counter?! Well there is a great company out there that is meeting our love/ needs called BIRCHBOX . Once a month for $10 bucks you can get a box full of samples of new products that are out on the market, some of which are full sized products. How rad is that?!
So I finally got the arrival of my first box and it was truly a lovely moment. I was all smiles as I laid my eyes on that pretty pink box. Let the fun begin...
the brown box
Ta Dah....
the insides
First product I got was Benefit's Refined Finish and Foaming Clean face wash. The face wash has a silky feel and a delightful scent; it cleansed my face pretty decently. I still don't look like Angelina Jolie. whatevs. The Refined Finish was equal in a pleasant smells as the face wash but had a light scrub to exfoliate dead skin. Didn't feel much different and I remain a fan of my Sally's Queen Helene's Apricot Scrub. :) But it was fun to branch out of my norm.
Benefits facial wash & polish
Next I received Caudalie Vinexpert Firming Serum. I really like this product, I wish it was a larger sample. I think time will tell if it truly will effect my face but so far so good. People have waxed poetic about this brand and I was so happy to finally have a go at it myself.
Caudalie firming serum
The color club nail polish was legit..."status update" was the title and slate grey was the color. The photo doesn't do it justice. It's really a rad fall 2012 color...that quite possibly will last for years to come.
Color Club "status update"polish
Ok so I have totally bought into the whole glorified tinted moisturizer "BB" cream. I like to think that its making a diffence and my face is glowing but truth is in the states we do not create a true BB cream its more like a tinted moisterizer. True BB creams do not come as dark as the ones here, Dr.Jart+ cream came to me in such light form that it could have passed off as a real one. I ended up giving it to my mom because I looked like a ghost with it on. If you are wanting a BB cream/ tinted moisturizer I suggested Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizer or Dior BB cream or Too Faced beauty balm. Just sayin'.
Dr.Jart+ BB cream
And now for the Twistband hair tie...I'm not gonna lie somebody is making bank on these things. Seriously, it's a glorified colored piece of elastic. The upside is when you use in hair, though it doesn't have a tight hold on a ponytail, it won't leave a crease in your mane.
Twistband
Lastly, I got a plastic bag from a brand called Tili. Very hip on design but its literally a overpriced Zippy lock bag, sandwich size.
Tili bag
I really enjoyed getting this extremely girly box full of goods & I am way looking forward to next month's surprises. And fellas you are so in luck, they totally have a box just for the male gender...now you can join in on the fun. Lucky.
I believe in natural beauty, however I also believe in enhancing the natural beauty that you have. Here are my top five favorite makeup products.
Revlon Color Stay Liner
don't leave cap off liner, es muy bad
Lining the top inner eyelid is a great way to define the eye and make your eye look larger. Check out my Fox segment below where I show you how to apply the liner to your eye.
NARS blush Orgasm
i apologize for the name, but its the best color ever!
Horrible name just horrible, but a beautiful color. Get that youthful glow your face with this lovely blush. Apply directly on cheek bone.
NARS blush Exhibit A
WATCH OUT: when apply it can be this bright
My dear friend Erin, who does makeup for such stars as Lucy Lu and Ellen Pompeo recommend this color to give the face a fresh look. She also advises to use a light hand when applying it to the apples of the cheek. This is not an all over color.
NARS Albatross Highlight Color
highlighter of my year scratch that life
This is a great highlight color to apply not only to your your lid at the inner corner of eyes (this will make your eyes appear larger) and the brow bone, this color is also great to apply right above the cheekbones.
Revlon's Super Lustrous lipgloss
nude luster 3rd from left
A perfect shine & lasting lipgloss. Similar in consistency to Chanel's lipglosses but for a quarter of the price. I LOVE Nude luster, a great neutral color for all skin tones.
I highly recommend going to www.makeupalley.com, a great resource where you can read reviews or find out more information about a plethora of beauty products.
I woke up yesterday inspired to cut and color hair. So I volunteered my sweet and easy to persuade sister into being my first victim.
I found this great website http://www.scissorboy.com/ that gives you instruction video on hair, from colors & cuts to managing your own salon. I was sucked in for about 2 hours and decided to go to Sally's to purchase an all over color & highlight color for my sister.
stacey's all over color
stacey's highlight color
I began this little adventure by highlighting stacey's hair and folding in foil strips, kind of messy but i started to get the hang of it by the last 2 foils. Then while hair was processing I put the all over color on and let it do its thing.
TICK TOCK TICK TOCK TICK TOCK
Hair done and now for the cut. I put all my skills I learned from scissorboy.com to use.
And now for the unveiling of my first hair masterpiece....
My sister is so beautiful inside and out, through and through. I hope she likes it, cause I can't fuse her hair back...yet! i LOVE you stacey!
You never know what you can do unless you try...go try.
There's an age old saying that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"... but what if you're your own beholder? I think sometimes when we look at ourselves in a mirror we see things that maybe we didn't ever think was wrong until we compare. comparison kills joy.
I know that I've struggled to see my bodily differences as being beautiful and unique but instead I see them as uniquely flawed. I look in the mirror and compare my flaws as failures to the successes of the "beautiful people" in media or in my own personal circle. I find that when my inner self is strong and I keep God's perspective of His creation (me) as my focus, the weight of my flaws slip away until the dark pit where it belongs.
My good friend caitlincrosby has spent years fighting against the media's skewed eyed view of beauty; so much so she made her debut album all about loving your flawz. It is full of talent, fight, love of people and true beauty. Go get your copy of FLAWZHERE. I love, love love it!
We're all created different, beautiful in our on unique way. I think when we can embrace our specific and wonderful differences we will find freedom. I love the lyrics from Caitlin's song Freedom.
No, don't put me in a box.
I'm not just like a puzzle piece
I might not fit, I will not bend
No, I'm not the color red
I'm not the girl next door
I clinch my fists, I might stay home instead
Sick and tired of making faces
Nothing more than second places
I'm coming 'round the bend
But I am crawling slowly
When everyone around is rising
Raise your glass to compromising
Tell me now is this what we call freedom
This is freedom, this is freedom
So give me freedom
Give me freedom
Oh freedom, how i love thee.
More love from Caitlin. She has started a site called http://www.loveyourflawz.com/ where you can post yourself in a pic holding a sign saying how you love your freckles, gray hair, or even your cellulite! Its about embracing you for you. Go celebrate you and post a pic!
Lastly, Caitlin's song "Imperfect is the New Perfect" is so true and relevant, we need to hold on to that and make it our mantra. Here is a glimpse of its awesomeness...
Just dry your eyes, you're beautiful
I understand, it's logical
'Cause these images are everywhere
They're make believe, so don't compare
I will not compare
We're every shape and size
You know we're just perfect, just perfect
We love our hips, our thighs
Because they're just perfect, just perfect
I don't fit the mold, I am real
I'm too colorful to conceal
Imperfect is the new perfect
Imperfect is the new perfect
The line "They're make believe so don't compare" makes me want to put this video on our mental stereo and press repeat. Take a look below what I'm talking about...
Wow! Can you even believe!? Gotta love the exposure of truth...things are not what they seem to be.
Its time for us to enhance what we have been given, not destroy it with our mental torture and media driven disillusions. Embrace what we have, give it a beautiful name, You.
Concern your heart with what matters, the inner you. Because when you beautify your inner self your countenance will radiate brighter than any outer thing good or bad you might possess.
Do what ever you can to break free, get healed, be whole...fight for it, its worth it! I'm on the journey with you, better yet God is, you're never alone.
On this cold Feb. morning I showed Sibila how to stylize her winter wear and look. segment.
What I used on my beautiful friend liz was Revlon Colorstay in Khol. I lined her inner eye with eyeliner to enhance the shape of her eye and to make her eyes look bigger. I think this is one of my favorite tips that I've learned.
After we enhanced her eyeballs we added a great key necklace to add some bam to her simple black outfit...you can find them here.
Next tip was on my mama was lining the lip with a nude liner. When you over or underline your lip you can either remove or add to your lip without plastic surgery. The effect gives the illusion that your lips are more balanced or full.
Ok my most asked about tip from segment is domenica's hair...to create those natural waves I use a 11/4" Round curling iron.
All the tips work and are great but the best tip I can give to add true beauty is to develop your inner confidence. If the inner you is beautiful then the outer you will shine!
stacey's all over color
After we enhanced her eyeballs we added a great key necklace to add some bam to her simple black outfit...you can find them 
All the tips work and are great but the best tip I can give to add true beauty is to develop your inner confidence. If the inner you is beautiful then the outer you will shine!