NOTD: Zoya Godiva

I literally just painted my nails so I really should call this Nail of the Night and not Nail of the Day. It's 10pm on a Monday and I am exhausted but my Zoya order came in recently and I have been dying to try these Pixie Dusts, primarily because they are quick drying. Well, they are, indeed! Godiva is gorgeous. It's a pale yellow gold beige grey color. It's super sparkly and reminds me of gum drops. It feels like you coated your nails in sand paper but it is worth it so far. We'll see how it lasts!

July Birchbox (2013)

I have been the world's worst blogger recently. Between my new obsession with all things tea and my husband's introduction of a new show that we are both addicted to (Castle), I haven't been posting as much as I would like. I figured I would at least show what came in my July Birchbox (referral link).

I received:
* Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper 1oz sachet (full size 3.38oz|$10) worth $3
* DDF Acne Control Treatment .5oz/14g (full size 1.7oz/48g|$44) worth $12.80
* Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream no size (full size 50ml|$48) worth ?
* thebalm instain blush in swiss dot " fresh tangerine" .5grams/.018oz (full size .09oz|$22) worth $4.40
* 1 set of bobby pins (full size 6 pins|$5) worth $1.66

A few things, I really wish the curly hair solutions product was in a small pot or bottle, I hate these multi-use sachets. I'm a bit scared of the Ceramidin Cream as there are no ingredients listed anywhere that I can find. I'll have to do more digging. I'm actually pretty interested in the acne control treatment since I've been breaking out a lot with the weather changing and female time of month fun. I'm interested in the blush but the pan is so tiny, I'm a bit worried about streaking.

What did you get in your July Birchbox?

May and June Empties (2013)

May was a bit of a slow month empties wise, but in June it picked up quite a bit and I already have some products nearing their end for July! Hooray for progress. It's been exceptionally hot in the DC area which has sucked even more of my energy than normal. My interests lately have involved sleeping and iced tea. Too bad my husband has refused a move north of the Mason Dixon line (he's from Georgia). Anyway... onward!

Joico K-Pak Deep Penetrating Reconstructor - This smells just like banana laffy taffy and is free of silicones. This is a protein treatment that I used once per week. I liked it but don't think I'd repurchase. It's rather expensive and my hair usually needs moisture over protein. Although, I'm tempted to try other products from Joico if they all have this smell. It's delicious!
Philosophy Raspberry Sorbet 3in1 - As I've gotten more into body washes, I've found myself enjoying the Philosophy ones over some of the other brands. They are on the thicker side and they seem to produce more lather. Plus, this Raspberry Sorbet scent is the perfect refreshing scent for summer. Between this and the K-Pak, I smelt like fruit salad!
Natural Hand Soap Crimson Berry - This is a hand soap that I picked up at TJmaxx for $2. It smells like cranberry and lasted me for several months. For $2 it wasn't bad and it didn't dry my hands out. Quite pleasant actually. My only complaint is the packaging was uncovered paper and it got quite warped as you can tell from the picture.

Yes to Blueberries Cleansing Facial Towelettes - I've really enjoyed using these Yes to Blueberries wipes. They smell tart and fresh and do a decent job of removing makeup. I'd definitely repurchase with a sale.
Makeup Forever Sens'Eyes - Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser - You are probably tired of me talking about this makeup remover, but it truly is awesome. It seemed to take forever to finish this full sized bottle and I have one that I just cracked open since it is awesome and I won't be without it.

Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Detoxifying Scrub - I believe I received this in the now defunct free Target beauty bags. This was a pretty decent scrub and it was very gentle. I used it in the shower and it was a nice bright citrus. Even though it was soap free, I feel that it dried my skin out just a bit but not too bad for a free sample. I would not repurchase.
Avene Thermal Spring Water - A must have in the warmer months! I tend to get over heated and love to spritz myself with this after I've walked in the door from the heat. I have another one ready to be used!
Sircuit Skin Fixzit Blemish Drying Serum - Ever since I first tried and saw the miraculous results back in 2011, I always have a bottle of this in my cabinet. I've had a few breakouts recently, and this cuts down on the time frame and tends to heal them overnight. Love love love this stuff and won't be without it.

MAC Studio Fix Powder - Yes, it is a makeup product! I hit pan on this back in December. I figured I maybe had a month left, try 6! This stuff is really a workhorse. I know people tend to deter us dry skinned folk away from powder foundation but it can look really nice if you are well moisturized and it's super easy and no fuss. I'll repurchase and I'm dying to try some of the lighter shades they came out with. This was sometimes a bit too dark in the winter (NW15).
La Roche Posay Nutritic Lip Balm - La Roche Posay was a bit naughty with this product. You think you are getting more than your standard lip balm stick, but it is exactly the same size! It's just the plastic tubing that is bigger! I wound up getting this on clearance at CVS and it was only ok. I felt like it only felt moisturizing right after application; after it quickly wore off, my lips were dry again. I kept this stick at work and finally whittled it down after many trying months. Not worth the higher price tag.

Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Shampoo - This wasn't bad but it is not worth it's normal retail price and as with most shampoos. I found this pretty drying, even though it claims to remove build up without drying hair. Meh. Wouldn't purchase.
Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil - Apricots are some of my favorite fruits, but I found the scent of this oil a bit overwhelming (and cloying). I wouldn't purchase.

So there you have it! Not too shabby. Would have you finished recently?

Influenster: Sunkissed VoxBox #SunVoxBox

Influenster is a site open to the general public that sends out boxes for review. Anyone can join, not just bloggers. I received this box for free.

I was super psyched to receive the Sunkissed Summer Vox Box from Influenster. It's been so long since I received a box and each one seems to get better and better. Anyway, the Sunkissed Summer Vox Box arrived just a few days ago and I thought I'd share what I received.

Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream 
Dr. Scholl's For Her High Heel Insoles 
Goody Ouchless Ribbon Elastics*
Sinful Colors Shine in My Kryptonite 

I can already tell you how I feel about the Goody elastics as I'm wearing one in my hair right now and had previously purchased them at Target several months ago. They are not quite as springy as the Twistband elastics, BUT they do last a whole lot longer than other "regular" hair ties I have tried in the past. I've been wearing the same one for months without it snapping, and that, my friends, is excellent. We'll see how I get on with the other products.

Disclosure: Received for review.