I was able to review my first Birchbox this month! If you're interested in signing up, please use my referral link!
What were some of your favorite parts of December? Are you ready for the upcoming year?
Have a wonderful day!
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Wrangler's Monthly Wrap Up: December 2013
Hi, everyone! I can't believe that this is the last day of 2013! I hope you've got something fun planned to celebrate the new year! We kind of dropped the ball on New Year's plans this year, so we'll be having dinner at home, watching fireworks from our apartment, and just pretty much keeping the night low key. We're really sad we can't be home for New Year's like we always are. What will you be doing to ring in the new year? As I do every month, I've compiled a list of some of my favorite posts from December.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Mini Monday 12.30.13
Happy Monday, everyone! I hope your week is off to a great start! This week I want to be super productive because the last couple of days I've really just been kind of blah, you know? So I'm trying to start my week off right to set the stage for the rest of the week! I've got my to do list handy and upbeat music to keep me energized, so I should be all set! Are you all ready for the new year? I cannot believe how fast 2013 went by. I also cannot believe this is the last Mini Monday of this year, I hope you enjoy!
The Gnarly Whale's Spiced Caramel
This balm really makes me miss Fall! It's the perfect combination of gooey caramel and warm spices, when I smell this balm it makes me feel all warm inside. Is that weird? Like, it makes me want to cozy up under a blanket with some hot chocolate and a good book.
ForGoodnessGrape's Blueberry Cabernet
This smells mostly of ripe, delicious blueberries combined with a slightly sweet scent of wine. I really love this combination! If you or someone you know, is a fan of wine, you should definitely point them in the direction of this balm.
Rooted Beauty's Razz Lime
To be honest, this balm doesn't really have a scent that I can detect, maybe a super faint raspberry scent. It kind of reminds me of when I'd get a new barbie or doll house as a kid, it has a scent like that. But, this company does some pretty great stuff (outside of making pretty great products) that I cannot wait to tell you about!
Enjoy your last Monday of 2013!
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Balms of the Week 12.29.13
Hi all! Sorry this post is super delayed today. The holiday visit home and adjusting to reality again has got me off schedule. I hope you all had a lovely holiday last week! We wish we could have been home for longer, we already miss all the chaos that comes with being home for the holidays. This week I've been using some of my newest favorite balms, but I haven't been using a ton of different balms like usual, I hope you enjoy!
Long Winter Farm's Coquito
ForGoodnessGrape's Salted Caramel Mocha
Softlips' Intense Moisture Double Mint
Sumbody's Ginger Jasmine Vanilla
Eco Lips' Roseberry (Dagoba)
What balms have you been using this week? Have you started using any new balms you got for Christmas?
Have a lovely day!
Friday, December 27, 2013
Balms I've Got My Eye On 12.27.13
Hi all! I'm having a harder and harder time trying to find new balms each week, believe it or not. I'm scouring the internet and searching in places other than Etsy to find new balms to try! I've been reviewing a lot of the same shops over and over, which is totally okay with me since our favorite shops are usually cranking out new balms all the time, but now that most shops are on their Christmas breaks, there isn't a whole lot of new happening. Here are some new balms I found that I'd definitely be interested in trying!
Jack Black's Black Tea & Blackberry
(via)
Fresh's Sugar Treatment in Cherry
(via)
Mary Kay's Satin Lips Set
(via)
I don't usually look at higher end lip balms, because I just can't justify spending so much on one tube of balm, but I'm think I might want to splurge on some soon. I've been dying to try the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments, but they're $22.50 each!
What balms have you been eyeing this week? Do you buy higher end lip treatments? What do you think of them?
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Eco Lips: Honest Kids
Hi everyone! I hope you had a great holiday yesterday, whether you celebrate Christmas or not. We're leaving today to head back to Seattle which we're more than a little sad about. Last year Rob received almost 10 days off work for the holidays, but this year he only got 2 so we're headed home before the New Year. We also can't leave our kitties for that long! Anyway, I'm chugging through these Eco Lips balms as fast as I can (there are SO many!), but I don't want to overwhelm you with too much at once. Today's post is on their Honest Kids line/collaboration.
Company: Eco Lips
Flavors: Tropical Tango Punch, Goodness Grapeness, and Berry Berry Good Lemonade. If you have kids or have looked after kids before, you've probably seen the Honest Kids juice pouches. I've personally never had one, but kids I used to look after had these on occasion. These are like those, but in lip balm form! The Tropical Tango Punch smells of a blend of tropical fruit. It's not overly sweet though. There's something about the scent of the balm that I cannot put my finger on, but it has something that hinders the scent a little. It smells a little like papaya, I'm really not a fan of papaya the fruit although I do usually love it in lip balms. I think it's a true papaya scent which deters me a little. I don't even know if there's really papaya fragrance in this, but that's what it smells like to me! The Goodness Grapeness smells exactly like grape juice or grape medicine or grape candies. Pretty much when you think of grape lip balms, you're going to be thinking of this balm. I don't like grape anything, except for fresh green grapes, so anything grape flavored or scented usually gets passed on to someone else. But if you're a fan of grape flavored stuff, this is the balm you want to add to your collection! The Berry Berry Good Lemonade isn't as sweet as you think it would be. This balm has a very light berry scent combined with the light scent of lemonade. I was hoping this balm would be stronger in scent, but if you're looking for a lightly scented balm, this is the one for you!
Wear: These balms go on so easily! They're really creamy and a little goes a long way. They feel very moisturizing and make my lips feel super soft. A smooth, even application with some staying power is all anyone looks for in a decent balm right?
Packaging: These come in your average sized lip balm tubes with labels that look exactly like the packaging on the actual juice pouches. The labels make them super distinct in my collection.
Price: $3.49 per tube which is a pretty decent price since these balms are also organic.
Overall
Pros: Flavors, Wear, Packaging, Price
Cons: Lightly scented (a con for me, but maybe a pro for you!)
Rating: 4 out of 5 twists. Even if the scents weren't super strong or my favorite, the consistency more than makes up for that! I really love the creamy, smooth consistency of these balms.
Ingredients:
Tropical Tango Punch:*Organic Sun flower Seed Oil, *Organic Beeswax, *Organic Tropical Flavor, *Organic Coconut Oil, Vitamin E, *Organic Calendula Flower Extract
Goodness Grapeness: *Organic Sun flower Seed Oil, *Organic Beeswax, *Organic Grape Flavor, *Organic Coconut Oil, Vitamin E, *Organic Calendula Flower Extract
Berry Berry Good Lemonade: *Organic Sun flower Seed Oil, *Organic Beeswax, *Organic Berry Flavor, *Organic Lemon Flavor, *Organic Coconut Oil, Vitamin E, *Organic Calendula Flower Extract
Have you tried this line from Eco Lips yet? What did you think of them? Are you a fan of grape balms?
Company: Eco LipsFlavors: Tropical Tango Punch, Goodness Grapeness, and Berry Berry Good Lemonade. If you have kids or have looked after kids before, you've probably seen the Honest Kids juice pouches. I've personally never had one, but kids I used to look after had these on occasion. These are like those, but in lip balm form! The Tropical Tango Punch smells of a blend of tropical fruit. It's not overly sweet though. There's something about the scent of the balm that I cannot put my finger on, but it has something that hinders the scent a little. It smells a little like papaya, I'm really not a fan of papaya the fruit although I do usually love it in lip balms. I think it's a true papaya scent which deters me a little. I don't even know if there's really papaya fragrance in this, but that's what it smells like to me! The Goodness Grapeness smells exactly like grape juice or grape medicine or grape candies. Pretty much when you think of grape lip balms, you're going to be thinking of this balm. I don't like grape anything, except for fresh green grapes, so anything grape flavored or scented usually gets passed on to someone else. But if you're a fan of grape flavored stuff, this is the balm you want to add to your collection! The Berry Berry Good Lemonade isn't as sweet as you think it would be. This balm has a very light berry scent combined with the light scent of lemonade. I was hoping this balm would be stronger in scent, but if you're looking for a lightly scented balm, this is the one for you!
Wear: These balms go on so easily! They're really creamy and a little goes a long way. They feel very moisturizing and make my lips feel super soft. A smooth, even application with some staying power is all anyone looks for in a decent balm right?
Packaging: These come in your average sized lip balm tubes with labels that look exactly like the packaging on the actual juice pouches. The labels make them super distinct in my collection.
Price: $3.49 per tube which is a pretty decent price since these balms are also organic.
Overall
Pros: Flavors, Wear, Packaging, Price
Cons: Lightly scented (a con for me, but maybe a pro for you!)
Rating: 4 out of 5 twists. Even if the scents weren't super strong or my favorite, the consistency more than makes up for that! I really love the creamy, smooth consistency of these balms.
Ingredients:
Tropical Tango Punch:*Organic Sun flower Seed Oil, *Organic Beeswax, *Organic Tropical Flavor, *Organic Coconut Oil, Vitamin E, *Organic Calendula Flower Extract
Goodness Grapeness: *Organic Sun flower Seed Oil, *Organic Beeswax, *Organic Grape Flavor, *Organic Coconut Oil, Vitamin E, *Organic Calendula Flower Extract
Berry Berry Good Lemonade: *Organic Sun flower Seed Oil, *Organic Beeswax, *Organic Berry Flavor, *Organic Lemon Flavor, *Organic Coconut Oil, Vitamin E, *Organic Calendula Flower Extract
Have you tried this line from Eco Lips yet? What did you think of them? Are you a fan of grape balms?
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas, everyone!
(via)
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday! Today I'm spending as much time as I can with my family, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I hope you have a joyous day with your family filled with love, laughter, and maybe some presents ;).
My posts will resume tomorrow!
xoxo
Christina
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Maybelline Dr. Rescue Baby Lips
Hi everyone! I've been dying to tell you all about these magnificent balms for a while now. I just kept putting them on the back burner to review other balms, but I didn't want to wait any longer. These are probably my absolute favorite balms from the Maybelline Baby Lips lines.
Company: Maybelline
Colors: Berry Soft, Soothing Sorbet, Pink Me Up, and Coral Crave. I believe there are two other balms in this line, but one I think was clear and the other was a peachy color that I didn't think would look good on me. The Berry Soft is a light pinky/purple color, it's probably my favorite out of the bunch. I use it all the time! It kind of reminds me of a lilac or orchid color, a mix of pink and purple. The Soothing Sorbet is a muted red shade, like a light red (not pink). The Pink Me Up is a lovely light pink color, almost a little peachy on my skin. The Coral Crave is the lightest of the shades, it's a very light coral shade.
Wear: All of these colors go on sheer and are somewhat buildable, some days I want some extra color so I put on a few more coats. Each of these is perfect for everyday wear. I usually put some on before heading out, whether it's errands or date night. I honestly cannot recommend these balms enough. They go on smooth and evenly, I sometimes get some outside of my lips but it's an easy clean up. These aren't slick or creamy, but a nice semi-firm consistency. These do have menthol in them so they are a little tingly and have a cooling sensation. The menthol should make these balms drying, but I haven't found them to be so. The color also lasts about an hour or two, but by then I've usually eaten or had a drink of something which wears away the color.
Packaging: These come in chunky white tubes. I say chunky because they're a little bigger than your average sized lip balm tube, but they aren't as big as jumbo lip balm tubes. The weight of the balm is the average weight (0.15oz). The caps on these balms are long and the tops are clear so you can easily tell which color you're reaching for if you store them standing up. The labels also have "Baby Lips" printed in the color of the balm which makes it easy to tell them apart.
Price: I think I paid a little less than $4 each for these and to me it was worth it. These are lip tints which usually cost a little more than a tube of lip balm.
Overall
Pros: Colors, Wear, Packaging, Price
Cons:
Rating: 5 out of 5 twists. I really love these Dr. Rescue Baby Lips! If you've been eyeing them, you should definitely try them! These are the only Baby Lips that I've used for months and months and the only ones I always keep in my makeup bag.
Have you tried these Baby Lips balms yet? What did you think of them?
Company: MaybellineColors: Berry Soft, Soothing Sorbet, Pink Me Up, and Coral Crave. I believe there are two other balms in this line, but one I think was clear and the other was a peachy color that I didn't think would look good on me. The Berry Soft is a light pinky/purple color, it's probably my favorite out of the bunch. I use it all the time! It kind of reminds me of a lilac or orchid color, a mix of pink and purple. The Soothing Sorbet is a muted red shade, like a light red (not pink). The Pink Me Up is a lovely light pink color, almost a little peachy on my skin. The Coral Crave is the lightest of the shades, it's a very light coral shade.
Wear: All of these colors go on sheer and are somewhat buildable, some days I want some extra color so I put on a few more coats. Each of these is perfect for everyday wear. I usually put some on before heading out, whether it's errands or date night. I honestly cannot recommend these balms enough. They go on smooth and evenly, I sometimes get some outside of my lips but it's an easy clean up. These aren't slick or creamy, but a nice semi-firm consistency. These do have menthol in them so they are a little tingly and have a cooling sensation. The menthol should make these balms drying, but I haven't found them to be so. The color also lasts about an hour or two, but by then I've usually eaten or had a drink of something which wears away the color.
 |
| From right to left: Soothing Sorbet, Berry Soft, Coral Crave, and Pink Me Up |
Packaging: These come in chunky white tubes. I say chunky because they're a little bigger than your average sized lip balm tube, but they aren't as big as jumbo lip balm tubes. The weight of the balm is the average weight (0.15oz). The caps on these balms are long and the tops are clear so you can easily tell which color you're reaching for if you store them standing up. The labels also have "Baby Lips" printed in the color of the balm which makes it easy to tell them apart.
Price: I think I paid a little less than $4 each for these and to me it was worth it. These are lip tints which usually cost a little more than a tube of lip balm.
Overall
Pros: Colors, Wear, Packaging, Price
Cons:
Rating: 5 out of 5 twists. I really love these Dr. Rescue Baby Lips! If you've been eyeing them, you should definitely try them! These are the only Baby Lips that I've used for months and months and the only ones I always keep in my makeup bag.
Have you tried these Baby Lips balms yet? What did you think of them?
Monday, December 23, 2013
Mini Monday 12.23.13
Happy Monday, everyone! Christmas Eve is tomorrow! I cannot believe that Christmas has come so quickly this year! I hope you'll all get to spend lots of time with family in the next coming days. I'm sorry to cut things short today, but I've got some family to see! Here are the fabulous balms in this week's Mini Monday!
ForGoodnessGrape's Green Tea with Spearmint and Lemongrass
This balm smells delicious! The spearmint and lemongrass just make the green tea balm smell even better. This is a beautiful combination of scents. If you or someone you know is a tea lover, this is a must have!
Bunny Butt Apothecary's Mango Lassi
This balm smells of mango, yogurt and spices, but is probably the most mellow mango lassi balm I've ever used. The scent isn't crazy strong and it's a little sweeter than other mango lassi balms, but it's still wonderful!
The Gnarly Whale's Asian Pear
This balm definitely smells like pears, it's still not 100% Asian pear, but it's pretty close! It has a crisp, fruity scent to it and it's similar, but not like a Bartlett pear scent. If you like pears, you'll like this balm!
Have a wonderful day!
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Balms of the Week 12.22.13
Happy Sunday, everyone! How's your weekend going so far? I hope it has been lovely! We're enjoying every second of being home. Nothing's better than spending time with family. I cherish it so much since I live across the country from them. I haven't been using too many lip balms this week since I've been wearing a lot of lipstick. Aside from putting some on before my lipstick I don't usually put more on after because it just smears everywhere and makes my balms red. I do always use balm before bed though! Anyway, here are the balms I've been using this week:
Sumbody's Ginger Jasmine Vanilla
ForGoodnessGrape's Salted Caramel Mocha
Crazy Rumors' Pistachio
Long Winter Farm's Coquito
Eco Lips' Roseberry (Dagoba)
Little Batch's Mango Lassi
What balms have you been using this week? Are you using any of the same balms I've been using?
Have a wonderful day!
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Birchbox: December 2013
Happy Saturday, everyone! I hope you're having a lovely weekend! Today we're just trying to do as much as we can, and trying to get all the last minute details ready on our gifts. I just love gift giving! (My friends usually say I win Christmas because I usually give the best gifts...not to brag or anything.) Anyway, today I wanted to share with you my December Birchbox which has a lot to live up to since my November Birchbox was just phenomenal. Compared to that box, this was kind of a downer, but there were still some definite winners in this box!
Products in this month's box: full size Color Club Nail Polish, sample size of Kat Burki Hand Therape Lotion, sample size of rahua conditioner, one tube of Sumbody lip balm, and one twistband hair tie.
Color Club Nail Polish in Top Shelf: I haven't yet tried this polish, but it is a gorgeous color that I would normally never purchase myself. It is a metallic, semi-shiny copper color. It's definitely a color I've never worn on my fingers before, but I think this holiday I may try it out! A full size bottle of this is $8.
Kat Burki Hand Therape Lotion: One odd thing about this lotion, when I smell it right out of the jar (which is adorable by the way) it smells like cleaning supplies, and not the good kind! It almost turned me off completely from using this product. But then I figured, if I hate it I can just wash it off, so I tried it. And guess what? I loved it! This made my hands feel just amazing. They felt soft almost immediately and made any cracked and dry parts nonexistent! It also absorbed quickly into my skin and that bad smell I first detected? Nonexistent! It actually has a very light, clean, and fresh scent. If you're not a huge fan of fragrant lotions, this may be a lotion you want to try. It has a really thick consistency and is just what I've been looking for this year since it is crazy dry in our apartment. A full size of this is $42. I may have to save up for this one, $42 is a lot for me to drop on a hand lotion.
Rahua Conditioner: Okay, this has got to be my favorite thing from this box. I absolutely LOVE this conditioner. I only wish I had had it before I cut off all my hair. It would have made my long hair look gorgeous! To be honest, I've hated my hair since I cut it. I think it looks awful and I can't do anything with it and I just regret cutting it. But after using this conditioner, I totally love my hair! It makes my hair sleek and smooth and super shiny, I usually just have super straight hair, but this just makes my hair beautiful! Even Rob commented one night saying that my hair looked so pretty which really means a lot since he doesn't usually notice anything. This conditioner also smells really great, like rosemary and toasted coconut, which seems like a really odd combination, but it works and just smells incredible!This conditioner makes me love my hair again and I haven't even liked it in almost a month. A full size bottle of this is $34 and I will probably splurge on it when my sample runs out.
Sumbody Lip Balm in Ginger Jasmine Vanilla: This balm has such a lovely, calming scent. It reminds me of a balm I had when I was younger. The scent is just wonderful and the balm goes on smooth and creamy. I'd really like to try a few more of their balms. They sell a set of four on Birchbox for $32 which makes the balms out of my price range, although two of the balms in the set are lip tints. Lip balms on the Sumbody website sell for about $7 a piece which is still out of my price range unfortunately =(.
Twistband Hair Tie: I've been so curious about these hair ties. I've seen them all over, but I've only been using the usual black hair ties. I was really surprised that this hair tie worked so well. It's also fancier than my usual black hair ties so I'll definitely be using it to add a little something different to my ponytails and braids. It does actually hold my hair securely and since it's wider than my usual hair ties, it won't leave a crease mark in my hair when I take it out! A set of six will cost you $10-12.
Overall I liked this box, and two of the items (nail polish and lip balm) alone cost more than the $10 I paid for the box so I'm happy. I like being able to try products I would never try on my own. I think my November box was still my favorite though!
Are you a Birchbox subscriber? What did you think of your December Birchbox? If you're not a subscriber and would like to subscribe, please use my referral link here.
|
| December's box was called Sparkle and Shine. |
Products in this month's box: full size Color Club Nail Polish, sample size of Kat Burki Hand Therape Lotion, sample size of rahua conditioner, one tube of Sumbody lip balm, and one twistband hair tie.
Color Club Nail Polish in Top Shelf: I haven't yet tried this polish, but it is a gorgeous color that I would normally never purchase myself. It is a metallic, semi-shiny copper color. It's definitely a color I've never worn on my fingers before, but I think this holiday I may try it out! A full size bottle of this is $8.
Kat Burki Hand Therape Lotion: One odd thing about this lotion, when I smell it right out of the jar (which is adorable by the way) it smells like cleaning supplies, and not the good kind! It almost turned me off completely from using this product. But then I figured, if I hate it I can just wash it off, so I tried it. And guess what? I loved it! This made my hands feel just amazing. They felt soft almost immediately and made any cracked and dry parts nonexistent! It also absorbed quickly into my skin and that bad smell I first detected? Nonexistent! It actually has a very light, clean, and fresh scent. If you're not a huge fan of fragrant lotions, this may be a lotion you want to try. It has a really thick consistency and is just what I've been looking for this year since it is crazy dry in our apartment. A full size of this is $42. I may have to save up for this one, $42 is a lot for me to drop on a hand lotion.
Sumbody Lip Balm in Ginger Jasmine Vanilla: This balm has such a lovely, calming scent. It reminds me of a balm I had when I was younger. The scent is just wonderful and the balm goes on smooth and creamy. I'd really like to try a few more of their balms. They sell a set of four on Birchbox for $32 which makes the balms out of my price range, although two of the balms in the set are lip tints. Lip balms on the Sumbody website sell for about $7 a piece which is still out of my price range unfortunately =(.
Twistband Hair Tie: I've been so curious about these hair ties. I've seen them all over, but I've only been using the usual black hair ties. I was really surprised that this hair tie worked so well. It's also fancier than my usual black hair ties so I'll definitely be using it to add a little something different to my ponytails and braids. It does actually hold my hair securely and since it's wider than my usual hair ties, it won't leave a crease mark in my hair when I take it out! A set of six will cost you $10-12.Overall I liked this box, and two of the items (nail polish and lip balm) alone cost more than the $10 I paid for the box so I'm happy. I like being able to try products I would never try on my own. I think my November box was still my favorite though!
Are you a Birchbox subscriber? What did you think of your December Birchbox? If you're not a subscriber and would like to subscribe, please use my referral link here.
Friday, December 20, 2013
Balms I've Got My Eye On 12.20.13
Happy Friday! I hope you're all having a wonderful day so far. Today we're flying home for the holiday, so we're really excited! We don't get to be home for Christmas and New Year's this year so we're kind of bummed, but that only means we're going to try to make the most out of the few days we do get to spend with my family. I just love holidays, especially when I get to see everyone! Will you be seeing family this holiday? Are you traveling or just staying home? I'm also really excited to swap gifts this year and I certainly wouldn't mind if any of these made their way into my gifts:
Live Beautifully's Ginger Sweet Lime
(via)
Lippincott Soap Co.'s Candy Cane
(via)
Rex Organics' Raw Cocoa Lip Balm
(via)
What balms do you have your eye on this week? Are you hoping any balms will be in your Christmas gifts?
Have a wonderful day!
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Live Beautifully: Breakfast Breads and Candy Canes
Hi everyone! It has certainly been a while since my last Live Beautifully review, so I figured it was just about time for one. Luckily, I have some new Live Beautifully balms to share with you all and I think they're perfect for this season!
Company: Live Beautifully
Flavors: Blueberry Muffin, Banana Nut Bread, Cinnamon Raisin Toast, Peppermint Candy Cane, Tutti Frutti Candy Cane, Orange Mint Candy Cane, and Snickerdoodle lip jelly. The Blueberry Muffin smells exactly like a fresh baked blueberry muffin. You can definitely smell fresh blueberries! Makes me wish I had more blueberries to make some blueberry muffins! (I used them up to make blueberry pancakes yesterday, yum!). The Banana Nut Bread really surprised me! Banana nut bread is probably one of my most favorite things and I was skeptical that this balm would smell like it, but it does! It has the most amazing fresh baked banana nut bread scent. I love the scent of baked ripe bananas combined with walnut and moist bread. Absolutely wonderful! The Cinnamon Raisin Toast smells like buttery bread topped with a ton of cinnamon. Probably one of my favorite breakfasts. I've noticed that breakfast foods are some of my favorite things, they're just so delicious! The Peppermint Candy Cane smells of cool, tingly peppermint and a little bit of vanilla. I love a good peppermint balm, and this is definitely a great one! I think this whole Candy Cane Anthology would have made a great Christmas gift (or a late one)! I was hoping that the Tutti Frutti Candy Cane would smell like my favorite Jelly Belly jelly beans, Tutti Frutti because that would just be awesome. While this balm isn't quite like that, it is a really lovely fruity and minty scent. It definitely smells like a blend of cherry, lime and peppermint; kind of like cherry limeade combined with cooling peppermint! Super unique and interesting flavor combination. The Orange Mint Candy Cane smells absolutely incredible! It almost smells like an orange creamsicle combined with peppermint. The orange scent is just so amazing, I almost wish I had a Live Beautifully balm that was just orange. It is only made better by the scent of mint, if you're a citrus fan, you need this balm in your life! The Snickerdoodle lip jelly smells deliciously of batter and vanilla and spicy cinnamon. It seriously smells like a delicious cookie. I've never had a snickerdoodle before, but if this is anything like it, I want to try one!
Wear: These balms glide on nice and easy, making my lips feel nice and smooth. These balms are more oily than creamy, they go on a little more slick than other balms, but not in a way that makes you feel really greasy. The mint balms have a light tingling sensation, so for those of you who don't like the super tingly mint balms, these may be ones you want to try! The lip jelly goes on with your finger since it comes in a pot and you only need a tiny bit of product to properly coat your lips. If you've used petroleum jelly, you know how to use this stuff. But to me, it's not as goopy as petroleum jelly which I actually like. I also like to use the lip jelly on my cuticles!
Packaging: These balms come in your average sized lip balm tubes that each have labels designed to correspond to the flavor of each balm. The Candy Cane ones are especially festive looking. The fonts and overall design of these labels are just phenomenal, you can really tell a lot of care went into making them. It's really beautiful packaging. I also appreciate that underneath the flavor of the balm there is a description of what flavors go into the balm. The lip jelly comes in a lip balm pot that has label that has a lovely "old fashioned" look to it. The flavor of the jelly is printed right on top which makes it super easy to tell your lip jellies apart!
Price: Each anthology is $10 and each individual balm is $4. Both of these prices are extremely reasonable, especially since one anthology has 3 balms. The lip jelly is $5 per pot, but you get .5oz compared to the .15oz you get in an average tube of lip balm, so that's a pretty good deal! Right now there is a holiday sale until December 26th where you can save 15% off everything!
Overall
Pros: Flavors, Wear, Packaging, Price
Cons:
Rating: 5 out of 5 twists. Seriously, these balms are bomb (I am surprised I've never said that before). I really love these balms and would recommend them to anyone who is a fan of breakfast and/or candy canes!
Ingredients:
Lip Balms-Beeswax, Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Mango Butter, Apricot Kernel Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Coconut Oil, Natural Flavors & Oils
Lip Jelly-Certified Organic Self Emulsifying Wax, Beeswax, Avocado Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Essential Oils & Natural Scent Oils
Have you tried these Live Beautifully products before? What did you think of them?
Company: Live Beautifully
Flavors: Blueberry Muffin, Banana Nut Bread, Cinnamon Raisin Toast, Peppermint Candy Cane, Tutti Frutti Candy Cane, Orange Mint Candy Cane, and Snickerdoodle lip jelly. The Blueberry Muffin smells exactly like a fresh baked blueberry muffin. You can definitely smell fresh blueberries! Makes me wish I had more blueberries to make some blueberry muffins! (I used them up to make blueberry pancakes yesterday, yum!). The Banana Nut Bread really surprised me! Banana nut bread is probably one of my most favorite things and I was skeptical that this balm would smell like it, but it does! It has the most amazing fresh baked banana nut bread scent. I love the scent of baked ripe bananas combined with walnut and moist bread. Absolutely wonderful! The Cinnamon Raisin Toast smells like buttery bread topped with a ton of cinnamon. Probably one of my favorite breakfasts. I've noticed that breakfast foods are some of my favorite things, they're just so delicious! The Peppermint Candy Cane smells of cool, tingly peppermint and a little bit of vanilla. I love a good peppermint balm, and this is definitely a great one! I think this whole Candy Cane Anthology would have made a great Christmas gift (or a late one)! I was hoping that the Tutti Frutti Candy Cane would smell like my favorite Jelly Belly jelly beans, Tutti Frutti because that would just be awesome. While this balm isn't quite like that, it is a really lovely fruity and minty scent. It definitely smells like a blend of cherry, lime and peppermint; kind of like cherry limeade combined with cooling peppermint! Super unique and interesting flavor combination. The Orange Mint Candy Cane smells absolutely incredible! It almost smells like an orange creamsicle combined with peppermint. The orange scent is just so amazing, I almost wish I had a Live Beautifully balm that was just orange. It is only made better by the scent of mint, if you're a citrus fan, you need this balm in your life! The Snickerdoodle lip jelly smells deliciously of batter and vanilla and spicy cinnamon. It seriously smells like a delicious cookie. I've never had a snickerdoodle before, but if this is anything like it, I want to try one!
Wear: These balms glide on nice and easy, making my lips feel nice and smooth. These balms are more oily than creamy, they go on a little more slick than other balms, but not in a way that makes you feel really greasy. The mint balms have a light tingling sensation, so for those of you who don't like the super tingly mint balms, these may be ones you want to try! The lip jelly goes on with your finger since it comes in a pot and you only need a tiny bit of product to properly coat your lips. If you've used petroleum jelly, you know how to use this stuff. But to me, it's not as goopy as petroleum jelly which I actually like. I also like to use the lip jelly on my cuticles!
Packaging: These balms come in your average sized lip balm tubes that each have labels designed to correspond to the flavor of each balm. The Candy Cane ones are especially festive looking. The fonts and overall design of these labels are just phenomenal, you can really tell a lot of care went into making them. It's really beautiful packaging. I also appreciate that underneath the flavor of the balm there is a description of what flavors go into the balm. The lip jelly comes in a lip balm pot that has label that has a lovely "old fashioned" look to it. The flavor of the jelly is printed right on top which makes it super easy to tell your lip jellies apart!
Price: Each anthology is $10 and each individual balm is $4. Both of these prices are extremely reasonable, especially since one anthology has 3 balms. The lip jelly is $5 per pot, but you get .5oz compared to the .15oz you get in an average tube of lip balm, so that's a pretty good deal! Right now there is a holiday sale until December 26th where you can save 15% off everything!
Overall
Pros: Flavors, Wear, Packaging, Price
Cons:
Rating: 5 out of 5 twists. Seriously, these balms are bomb (I am surprised I've never said that before). I really love these balms and would recommend them to anyone who is a fan of breakfast and/or candy canes!
Ingredients:
Lip Balms-Beeswax, Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Mango Butter, Apricot Kernel Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Coconut Oil, Natural Flavors & Oils
Lip Jelly-Certified Organic Self Emulsifying Wax, Beeswax, Avocado Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Essential Oils & Natural Scent Oils
Have you tried these Live Beautifully products before? What did you think of them?
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Haul of the Week 12.18.13
Happy Wednesday, everyone! I cannot believe that Christmas is only a week away! I'm so excited to give gifts this year and I'm also excited to spend some time with my family. After I posted my haul last week, I received so many packages! I had a ball opening everything and was super excited to show you all my haul. I hope you enjoy!
What goodies did you receive this week?
Have a wonderful day!
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Holiday Look from Mary Kay
Hi everyone! I know with Christmas coming up, you probably have a bunch of holiday parties coming up. I know I do which is why I'm so glad Mary Kay asked me to review their Viva Red! set. Red is the perfect holiday color, and it's definitely a winner for lip color in my book! These products will definitely be in my makeup bag when I go home this weekend!
Company: Mary Kay
Products: Mary Kay® True Dimensions™ Lipstick in Firecracker, TimeWise® Age-Fighting Lip Primer, Mary Kay® NouriShine Plus® Lip Gloss in Rock ’n’ Red, and Mary Kay® Lip Liner in Clear. As I said in my last Mary Kay post, I love their True Dimensions line. The True Dimensions Lipstick in Firecracker goes on so easy and creamy with a subtle shine. It also doesn't completely dry out my lips, which is a problem I have with a lot of lipsticks I use. The color is a beautiful bright red. I really can't say enough about how wonderful this lipstick is. The TimeWise Age-Fighting Lip Primer works wonderfully to transform my lips into a blank canvas, ready for whatever shade of lip color I decide to wear. I never used to use a lip primer before my lipsticks, but after trying this primer out, I use it any time I plan to wear lipstick! The NouriShine Plus Lip Gloss in Rock 'n' Red is a gorgeous bright red lip gloss. The gloss is a little sticky and definitely slick, but provides a beautiful, shiny color without using much product at all. It makes a beautiful combination when worn on top of the Firecracker lipstick, adding a gorgeous shine on top of an already gorgeous shade of red. The Lip Liner in Clear was something I had never used before, I didn't even know they made clear lip liner. I use the lip liner to shade in my lips before putting on lipstick to make it last a little longer.
Wear: Each one of these goes on super easy. The lip gloss doesn't last as long as the lipstick, obviously because lip gloss usually sits on top of your lips and since it's liquid usually comes off on anything it touches. The lipstick lasts at least three hours for me without needing a touch up.
Packaging: Each of these products comes in their appropriate packaging. The TimeWise Primer comes in that pale pink color you see above and applies like a lipstick. The shiny silver tube is the TrueDimensions lipstick which is pretty cool as to get the lipstick out you need to push the top in like a button to pop the lipstick out. It's definitely unique! The lip gloss is the beautiful red tube you see and the lip liner is the skinny black stick. Everything is pretty compact and easily fits in with all the other stuff I've got packed in my makeup bag.
Price: This set is $67. The liner alone is $12, the lipstick is $18, the lip gloss is $14, and the lip primer is $23 if you find that you only want to try out one or two products without having to buy the whole set. I think the prices are pretty reasonable as these are pretty wonderful products.
Overall
Pros: Products, Wear, Packaging, Price
Cons:
Rating: 5 out of 5 twists. I'd definitely recommend trying out this set or perhaps giving it as a gift!
------------------------
These products were provided complimentary to me by Mary Kay, however, all opinions are strictly my own. Thank you Mary Kay team for giving me this wonderful opportunity!
Company: Mary KayProducts: Mary Kay® True Dimensions™ Lipstick in Firecracker, TimeWise® Age-Fighting Lip Primer, Mary Kay® NouriShine Plus® Lip Gloss in Rock ’n’ Red, and Mary Kay® Lip Liner in Clear. As I said in my last Mary Kay post, I love their True Dimensions line. The True Dimensions Lipstick in Firecracker goes on so easy and creamy with a subtle shine. It also doesn't completely dry out my lips, which is a problem I have with a lot of lipsticks I use. The color is a beautiful bright red. I really can't say enough about how wonderful this lipstick is. The TimeWise Age-Fighting Lip Primer works wonderfully to transform my lips into a blank canvas, ready for whatever shade of lip color I decide to wear. I never used to use a lip primer before my lipsticks, but after trying this primer out, I use it any time I plan to wear lipstick! The NouriShine Plus Lip Gloss in Rock 'n' Red is a gorgeous bright red lip gloss. The gloss is a little sticky and definitely slick, but provides a beautiful, shiny color without using much product at all. It makes a beautiful combination when worn on top of the Firecracker lipstick, adding a gorgeous shine on top of an already gorgeous shade of red. The Lip Liner in Clear was something I had never used before, I didn't even know they made clear lip liner. I use the lip liner to shade in my lips before putting on lipstick to make it last a little longer.
 |
| In addition to this lip set, I'm wearing Benefit's They're Real Mascara and Prestige liquid liner in Black |
Wear: Each one of these goes on super easy. The lip gloss doesn't last as long as the lipstick, obviously because lip gloss usually sits on top of your lips and since it's liquid usually comes off on anything it touches. The lipstick lasts at least three hours for me without needing a touch up.Packaging: Each of these products comes in their appropriate packaging. The TimeWise Primer comes in that pale pink color you see above and applies like a lipstick. The shiny silver tube is the TrueDimensions lipstick which is pretty cool as to get the lipstick out you need to push the top in like a button to pop the lipstick out. It's definitely unique! The lip gloss is the beautiful red tube you see and the lip liner is the skinny black stick. Everything is pretty compact and easily fits in with all the other stuff I've got packed in my makeup bag.
Price: This set is $67. The liner alone is $12, the lipstick is $18, the lip gloss is $14, and the lip primer is $23 if you find that you only want to try out one or two products without having to buy the whole set. I think the prices are pretty reasonable as these are pretty wonderful products.
Overall
Pros: Products, Wear, Packaging, Price
Cons:
Rating: 5 out of 5 twists. I'd definitely recommend trying out this set or perhaps giving it as a gift!
------------------------
These products were provided complimentary to me by Mary Kay, however, all opinions are strictly my own. Thank you Mary Kay team for giving me this wonderful opportunity!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
