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.

Review: Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips

In one of my recent Birchbox (referral link) orders, I received a "pick two" which included the Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips. If you purchase $35 or more in the Birchbox (referral link) shop, you can add a "pick two" of sample sized products. Since the full size of this product is about half an ounce, this .1oz sample size is actually pretty generous (full size is $14.50). Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips is medical grade lanolin so it's more cost effective to buy this type of product made for nursing mothers (for example, CVS has a 2oz tube for $7.99 - 4x the amount and half the price). However, the packaging is too cute and it was free with my order so I'm not complaining.

It's a standard squeeze tube but has no applicator so it requires using fingers. I found it was decent in moisturizing my lips but I don't find it as moisturizing long-term as some of my favorite balms (still left me a bit dry in the morning when used at night). It's thick and doesn't spread super easily but becomes a bit thinner with the warmth of the lips. I wouldn't repurchase but I'll definitely use this sample up.

Disclosure: Referral link.

Review: Wet n Wild Coverall Cream Foundation and Pressed Powder

Yesterday, I made the mistake of leaving my makeup bag at home. I tend to do my makeup in my car in the garage when I get to work. Usually, I do a semi-full face but I figured I would at least grab some foundation and powder. I swung by CVS and picked up the Wet n Wild Coverall Cream Foundation and Pressed Powder which have been getting amazing reviews given the extremely reasonable price point. I picked up the lightest shades in each #816 Fair/Light in the cream and #823B Light/Pale in the powder. For reference, the cream foundation cost me $4.19 and the powder was $3.19. I'm pretty sure prices will depend on your region.

I was pleased with the coverage it was giving upon application. It easily spread on my dry face with fingers. It was slightly tacky but it didn't appear to cling to dry bits. All in all, I was pleased, until I walked over into sunlight and noticed a huge orange streak down the side of my cheek.

I had heard of girls that had similar skin tones using this foundation, but they must have been exaggerating their paleness or I got a bad batch or something. Because, this is not pale. Granted, my hand is slightly more pasty than my face, but I saw the line down my jaw and my cheek and I was not thrilled. Thankfully, the powder is actually light and I managed to apply a healthy dose of it to make things look less orange.

Yup, it's that barely visible swatch on my hand. That is what I call light.

Granted, the cream foundation not only had amazing coverage, but lasted all day (aside from the bit on my nose due to constant blowing - allergies!). But I wish this came in a lighter shade. I'll be returning the cream foundation and keeping the powder. It's super slim and the perfect purse size.

Have you tried the Wet n Wild Coverall Cream Foundation or Pressed Powder? 

For reference, I'm about a NW10 in MAC.

Review: Almay Hypo-Allergenic Eye Makeup Remover Pads, Non Oily

Almay is not one of the brands in the drugstore that I go for, but sometimes the deal is too good to pass up. I either paid a minimal price or got these for free at CVS. Almay claims that their eye makeup remover pads "nourish skin as they gently remove eye makeup, even waterproof mascara and longwearing lipcolor, without irritation". I don't know how Almay makes the claims they make about these but I found them ineffective. They managed to remove my long-wearing liner and shadow but they barely made a dent with my waterproof mascara. I also found them drier than I would usually expect for this sort of product. Maybe I got a bad batch? I definitely won't be paying retail price for these in the future!

Mascara for Sensitive Eyes/Contact Wearers

My husband indicated that one of his colleagues asked him to ask me about mascara. She is a contact wearer and indicated she needed a waterproof formula for sensitive eyes. I wrote what my husband called a small essay but I thought it was useful information that anyone could use!

Q: JT help! What mascaras would you recommend for sensitive-eyed contact lens wearers that prefer waterproof formulas?

I'm not sure what price point you are looking at, but you have a few options. First of all, anything that is "waterproof" is going to have not so nice ingredients in it which may cause eye irritation if yours are particularly sensitive. If it's only the contacts you are concerned about, you are likely more worried about flaking (which can occur with any mascara and especially drier formulas or tubes that have dried out).

If your eyes are sensitive, I would recommend Neutrogena Healthy Volume mascara. Fairly inexpensive at the drugstore and the Neutrogena line in general is known for putting out products that aren't nearly as irritating as some of the more standard lines. A few years ago, I had a bad case of tearing eyes and this didn't add extra irritation.

If you have some money to spend, I would recommend tubing mascaras. They coat the lashes in a coil and are easily removed with warm water and gentle pressure. One of the more popular ones is Blinc (which you can get at Sephora). A plus, if it doesn't work for you, you can easily return it (same for the Neutrogena at CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens).

If you get flaking, you may need to replace your mascara more often. The recommended time frame is generally 3-6 months depending on the formula. Another thing I want to mention is removal. If you aren't removing all of your mascara, it can lead to irritation, especially if specks get in your eyes overnight. I would highly recommend an oil-based cleanser just to ensure you are getting every bit of mascara off. Even the most sensitive eye friendly mascaras will cause irritation if they aren't thoroughly removed.

Agree or disagree? If you have any additional tips for my husband's coworker, I can always follow up!

June Birchbox (2013)

Birchbox (referral link) has really been hitting it out of the park for me recently. This month's theme is about travel, or wanderlust as they put it. Aside from the perfume sample, I think this box was awesome (though the cap to my glossy kiss came off mid transit and made quite a mess - Birchbox is sending another - awesome CS!). I received the following:

* Klorane Extra-Gentle Dry Shampoo with oatmilk 50ml (full size 150ml|$18) worth $6
* Color Club Reign in Spain nail lacquer .25floz (full size .50floz|$8) worth $4
* Mirenesse Glossy Kiss .15oz/4g (full size 3g|$26.55) worth $26.55
* Oscar De La Renta Something Blue EDP ~$0
* adorable anchor nautical twistband hair tie (6 ties|$14) worth ~$2.30

The Glossy Kiss received looks to be old packaging, as the image on the Birchbox site is different but still definitely a full size product. You'll recall that while I was dubious about the twistband hair ties, especially due to the high price, I wound up loving them! And they also included 4 adorable post cards from their different offices. Certainly worth the $10 this month. What did you get in your June Birchbox?

Review: Kiss My Face Moisture Shave Lavender and Shea

I was recently on the look out for a new shaving cream and although I wasn't looking to spend a lot of dough, it seemed like I was gravitating towards some of the more pricey ones. Well, I happened upon the Kiss My Face Moisture Shave in Lavender Shea when I was checking out at Vitacost (referral link - please read below) and it was on sale for all of $4.58 - score (it's now $5.39) so I thought what the heck. Well, I am happy to report that it is quite nice. It is slightly more liquidy - it reminds me of hand soap - than the etsy shea version I was using previously and it is definitely thinner than the whish which didn't impress me at the price (and clogged my razor).

The scent reminds me a bit of Philosophy Purity which is honestly something I disliked at first sniff but really grew on me. It is a nice relaxing type of scent and doesn't smell artificial to me (though they also have an unscented version). The shaving gel/cream is light but provides a nice slick surface for shaving and it doesn't clog my razor! My legs didn't feel dry afterwards which is great since they are prone to sensitivity especially after shaving. I like the pump bottle as well as it reduces mess and waste. All in all, I am quite happy I found this though I'm probably late to the bandwagon!


Disclosure: The referral link gets you $10 off a $30 or more purchase (I used one from a youtuber to buy this and tea, yummy chips and organic fruit snacks) and I get $10 too.

Also, I apologize for my semi-absence. No good excuse!