May Birchbox (2013)

I'm quite happy with this Birchbox, even with the foil packet as it's a full ounce!

Inside:

Cargo Water Resistant Blush in Bali 08oz/2.5 grams (full size $26)
Coola Classic Face SPF 30 moisturizer .23oz/7ml (full size 1.7oz|$36)  ~$4.90 worth
Marvis Classic Mint Toothpaste .5floz/10ml (retail size 25ml|$6) ~ $2.50 worth
Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls 1floz/29ml (full size 8.5oz|$14) ~ $1.60 worth
and a pen?   $0.00 worth

Aside from the pen, I'm pleased with this box and I love the baby Cargo blush (though I can't find the weight to do a "worth" comparison. What did you get in your May Birchbox?

Disclosure: Referral link included.

NOTD: Revlon Colorstay #020 Pale Cashmere plus extras

I mentioned on my initial NOTD post, that once I got some tip wear, I would be doing a glitter coat to revive my manicure. Surprisingly enough, Pale Cashmere has lasted pretty well but I did want to update it and when I had trouble falling asleep Sunday evening, it was the perfect opportunity. I took Sinful Colors Show Stopping and Revlon Glimmer Gloss in Pina Colada Pop. I think it is subtle enough for the office but definitely refreshed the manicure. I 'm pretty happy with the longevity of the initial Revlon application and this will prolong the manicure to lasting well over a week!

April Empties (2013)

Happy May, everyone! I managed to use up quite a few products in April which makes me extremely happy, though I still have a pesky powder foundation that I use at least 5 days a week and hit pan on in December and it still isn't finished (maybe this will wind up in my May empties?). Nonetheless, here are my empties for April.

Philip B Anti-Flake Relief Shampoo - In case you couldn't already tell, I love this shampoo. It's great for my flaky dry scalp. It's somewhat ridiculously priced, but that's ok since I love it. I recently stocked up at the recent spacenk sale so I won't be running out again anytime soon!
Phyto scalp stimulant Elixir Universel - This was a sample in one of the recent Sephora sample bags. It smells horrendous but it really calmed my scalp down as I was having a bit of a psoriasis outbreak due to the weather change. I actually bought the full size as it is significantly safer than using my prescription ointment.
*NuNaat Intensive Hair Mask - I really love this stuff and I was sad to see it go, weird scent and all. It does a great job of moisturizing my hair and I can definitely tell a different when I use it. I've linked a twit-pic of how nice my hair looked after usage, with no extra leave in products. I believe I mentioned in my review that I've seen some of the range in stores, but not this particular product line. I haven't really seen it online either, otherwise I'd repurchase.

Bath & Body Works Twilight Wood Shea Enriched Shower Gel - Lovely scent. Not the most moisturizing shower gel I've ever used but then again, that's what lotion is for! This is the small 3oz size which I love since I tend to get bored easily.
LaRocca Cellular Gold Hydrating Body Balm - This came in a Beauty Army box, I think. It is super rich and emollient and smells like Sunkist Fruit Gems, yum! This takes forever to sink in, so I preferred it at night with a nice comfy pair of flannel pajamas. I'm not sure I'd buy the big size because not only is it pricey but it's a very particular type of product (definitely can't be used in the summer as you'd stick to everything!).
The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Lip Care Stick - An oldie but a goodie! As I've said before, I love the majority of the lip balms from The Body Shop and this is no exception. Reasonably priced, not too waxy nor oily, just perfect. 
MAC Microfine Refinisher - A discontinued but lovely product. I have only another tube before it's gone for good which is unfortunate as it's so nice.

Olay Wet Cleansing Towelettes - These are ok and I got them for an excellent price at the drugstore. My only complaint was they made my eyes water which is weird since they have no alcohol. I think I have another pack but I'm not sure I'd repurchase.

So there you have it. What did you finish in April? If you have a post about your empties, please link it below!


* Disclosure: Item(s) starred were sent for review.

NOTD: Revlon Colorstay #020 Pale Cashmere

Even though the last thing I should be buying is more nail polish, I snagged this Revlon Colorstay polish in Pale Cashmere for all of $1.24 on clearance at Walgreens. For those of you who have Walgreens nearby, I would highly recommend going once a week and see what the store manager puts on clearance (it's at their discretion). I've gotten some awesome things on clearance. Anyway, for $1.24 I was all over this nail polish!

Pale Cashmere is a very very light milky pink shade that is fairly sheer. I did 2 coats and got this semi translucent somewhat jelly color. Very office appropriate. I found the formula a little thin/runny and it really pooled up around my cuticles. Nothing a little remover won't fix but somewhat annoying. It's a great clean neutral shade and I think it would nice on most skin tones. I'll probably wear a few days and glitter the tips when I get some chipping. I think a gold glitter would look nice!

Review: Organix Hydrating Moroccan Argan Oil Creamy Oil Body Lotion

Organix was one of the first drugstore ranges to introduce ingredients that were getting a lot of buzz in the beauty world, perhaps the most popular being argan oil. I've often passed by the range but I happened upon a good coupon at CVS and purchased the Hydrating Moroccan Argan Oil Creamy Oil Body Lotion. I'm very particular when it comes to body lotions as I tend to steer clear of heavy, sticky or greasy options, unless I know that I can pull on a pair of sweats and let the moisture really sink in. My biggest pet peeve is putting on lotion after an evening shower and getting into bed with legs that stick to the sheets. I gather that my husband generally isn't pleased with perfumed sheets either. The Organix Hydrating Moroccan Argan Oil Cream Oil Body Lotion comes in a 13floz squeeze bottle and retails for a very reasonable $6.99. It has a light slightly fruity floral scent, actually I picked up a hint of something resembling anise which isn't my favorite, but it's far from overpowering. Some of the reviews I read online indicated that the scent is quite strong - obviously those ladies have never tried The Body Shop lotions or any other fragranced products!

Either way, I have been pleasantly surprised with this lotion. Lightly scented and it sinks in very quickly and doesn't leave a sticky residue. This is great for showering in the evening and also anytime it's slightly warm. I've quite enjoyed using my bottle and would repurchase.

My Nighttime Skincare Routine

Today I thought I'd share what I've been doing as my nighttime skincare routine. I'm pretty happy with the overall routine. This is generally what I do on a daily basis but it can be altered depending on how my skin is doing. Lately I haven't needed to use any acne related products (knock on wood) so I didn't include any in this post. You'll notice that I spend the majority of my time making sure my face is clean and free of all makeup. I have found that double cleansing and using an oil/balm cleanser has resulted in much clearer skin as otherwise, the makeup and dirt has the tendency of clinging on to my drier flaky bits.

My first cleanse is concentrated on makeup removal. If I'm wearing a lot of eye makeup and/or waterproof mascara, I first apply the Makeup Forever Sens'eyes Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser. This stuff is awesome. I basically compare every other remover to it as it dissolves eye makeup without a residue and it doesn't burn my eyes. While that is dissolving my eye makeup, I use a cleansing towelette. Right now I'm using the Yes to Blueberries Cleansing Facial Towelettes which I was introduced to from Birchbox last year. I like these a lot more than the Yes to Cucumbers version. They don't burn or irritate my eyes, they are pretty effective at removing makeup and they smell yummy. If I'm not wearing waterproof mascara, I've been testing out the Lierac Micellar Water which is pretty decent but does nothing for waterproof mascara, though it removes face makeup like a champ. If I use the Lierac, then I usually don't wind up using a towelette and remove all my makeup with it and a few cotton pads.

My next step is a cleansing balm. I could use this for makeup removal as well; however, since it's a pricey product, I tend to use less of it if I do a pass previously with another cleanser (hence the above step). Right now I'm using (and still loving) the Elemental Herbology Purify and Sooth Facial Cleansing Balm. I've proclaimed my love for this and cleansing balms enough already, but if you haven't tried it, you need to. In the back you can see muslin cloths. Between the balm and the cloth, I get a deep cleanse and also a gentle daily exfoliation. I have a few from The Body Shop and a couple from eve lom that came in a set I bought.

Next step, moisturizer. You can see that I don't use toners, I don't use fancy serums. I'm pretty low maintenance. For my lips, I've been using The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Lip Care Stick, an old favorite. For a bit of a departure, I've been using the Tarte Pure Marajuja Oil as my nighttime moisturizer. I actually use this during the day time as well if I am using a liquid foundation. I've really enjoyed this oil and between the balm cleanser and this oil moisturizer, my skin has never looked better. While I can use it around my eyes as well, I've been trying to finish this Lily B Ultra Eye Cream* which I received from Bloom. It's nice but I'm so bad about using eye creams and the Tarte works on that area just as well and it's only 1 step!

So there you have it. This excludes things like masks, spot treatments as I noted above and manual or chemical exfoliators which I tend to use in the shower. What's your nighttime skincare routine?

Disclosure: Lily B Ultra Eye Cream was received from Bloom for review.

Fourth Blogiversary Giveaway! Nume Couture Iron

I can't believe that 4 years ago I decided to embark on the beauty blog journey. I recall talking to Alyson of The Gloss Menagerie and thinking, "why don't I do that? I could totally do that" and then Jeweled Thumb was born. It's been a great experience and I'm going to continue doing it for the indefinite future. Anyway, I want to share something with you, my readers. I want to put it out there, that this was not sent to me even though Nume is a brand that generally reaches out a lot via social media. I didn't pay near the full $325 retail price in full disclosure though (though it's listed as being $155 on their website). The iron is brand new, still in box. I want to thank everyone for sticking with me through graduate school, infrequent posting times and the like and I hope you will continue to join me for reviews and other beauty fun.

A note before you start using the Rafflecopter giveaway widget. Unfortunately, this giveaway will not be open internationally due to the size and value of the item. I will definitely have an international giveaway in the future but wanted to make that clear ahead of time. Best of luck to everyone who enters!

April Birchbox 2013

I find it kind of hard to believe that it is already April, but Birchbox definitely reminded me with an early arrival! Inside were a variety of products as well as a card for a free one-year subscription to Women's Health Magazine. Aside from the subscription, there were a decent variety of products this month including:

(Malin+Goetz) bergamot body wash 1oz (full size 8oz|$18) $2.25 value
Nexxus Youth Renewal Rejuvenating Elixir 4ml/.14oz (full size 28ml|$20.99) $3.00 value
Supergoop Daily Correct SPF 35 CC Cream 3ml (full size 1.6oz/47.32|$32) $2.00 value
Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate .17floz/5ml (full size 1.7floz|$58) $5.80 value
Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-on *full size* $10.99 value

So basically between the magazines subscription and the Simple Eye Roll-On, this month's Birchbox more than pays for itself and the other samples are simply a bonus. What did you get in your April Birchbox?

Disclosure: Referral link utilized.

Review: Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream Blueberry

The Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream came in my most recent Birchbox (March 2013). I was super excited to try it but have been holding off till I finished the Ophelia's Apothecary one. The full size is about 5oz and retails for $20 which is quite spendy. Still, my skin is super dry and sensitive, especially on my legs and sometimes spending a bit extra is worth it.

The blueberry scent kind of smells like blueberry yogurt. It's not bad by any means but it wouldn't be my first choice. The texture is slightly thick but easily spreadable. You don't need much to get a good layer on your legs to keep irritation at bay which makes the nearly 1 ounce sample size quite generous. After shaving, my legs don't feel irritated and likely due to the shea butter and other oils, my legs feel nourished even after shaving and a hot shower. My only complaint with this product is that it tends to clump up in my razor which is something I didn't experience with the OA version (a shame the CS was so bad or else I'd seriously consider repurchasing).

So while I'll definitely use up the sample size, I don't think I'll repurchase.

Feburary and March Empties

Sure Deodorant - Pretty standard.
Zoya Remove+ - As I mentioned in another empties post, Zoya sends free gifts if you reach a certain total with your purchase and they tend to like sending these 2oz sizes. I, for one, am not complaining!
The Body Shop Coconut Beautifying Oil - I've quite enjoyed using this oil from The Body Shop. It smells good, it sinks in quickly and it does have a positive impact on my often dry legs. Would definitely repurchase!

Noodle & Boo Ultimate Cleansing Cloths - These are basically overpriced baby wipes. I needed to reach a certain dollar amount for an order and $9.50 for 75 wipes isn't too shabby. These have an added fragrance which I wasn't a fan of, but I found they did a decent job of removing makeup and somehow they managed to stay very moist even down till the last few wipes. I wouldn't repurchase but they did serve me well for several months.

Rimmel Lash Accelerator mascara - I had heard a lot of great things about this mascara but I didn't care for it. It was too wet, it didn't hold a curl. It didn't seem to make my lashes grow either. Wouldn't repurchase.

Josie Maran Argan Oil - I loved using this for my cuticles. On my face or hair it wasn't that amazing, but on the cuticles it rocked! I think I have another one of these small sizes hanging around, but I'd repurchase!
Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre - I know tons of people rave about this moisturizer, but to me, it was only ok. It didn't seem moisturizing enough for me and I think the added fragrance irritated my skin. I much prefer the Oilatum cream. Wouldn't repurchase.

Ophelia's Apothecary Shaving Balm - I had a bad experience with this particular etsy shop, but I loved this shaving cream. I try to shave my legs rarely so it lasted for a long time but I think I'm going to continue seeking shaving balms in lieu of the drying shaving creams that you can buy at the drugstore.

A few samples:
La Fresh Makeup Remover Wipes - Surprisingly effective and nice!
Nuxe Reve De Miel Ultra Comfortable Foot Cream - eh
Macadamia Deep Repair Mask - Made my hair soft and smell good.
Alcohol pads from the Sally Hansen Gel set - Don't buy these, "make" your own!

Well there are my empties that spans two months. What did you finish recently?