Sneak Peek!

On my nail blog today, you can see what came in the mail yesterday!  I opted in to receive my May Julep Maven Box!  This time around, I selected the Boho Glam Box, which had some fun goodies inside.  To see everything in it, visit today's post!

ScentSationals Fragrance Cubes (haul)

I have said this before but,  I adore scented wax cubes for tart warmers.  I went crazy in the fall and winter stocking up on cozy, food-like, and pine scents.  Now that spring has arrived and I'm craving fresh, floral, and fruity scents, I realized I only had a couple!  YIKES!  This weekend I solved that problem.  We were out running errands and I bought three spring-like fragrance cubes.  I want some more, just because I like to have a large selection to choose from, but this gets me started.

When I pick these out, I have to keep in mind what my husband enjoys because he, too, will have to be in the house smelling them.  So, we go back and forth picking up bars and making the other sniff it. I'm easier going than him...  I think most of them smell amazing.  We narrowed down the selection to these three: Lemon Meringue (his pick), Sheer Orchid (his pick), and Apple Blossom (my pick).  See what I mean? HA!  I was more agreeable on the selection and was A-okay with the ones he picked up.

Lemon meringue is extremely fresh and, obviously, full of citrus. It is sour and sweet at the same time.  It kind of reminds me of the taste of a lemon head candy.  Yes, somehow the smell reminds me of the taste of a lemon head.  This one would work well pretty much all throughout the house, whether in a living room or even a bathroom.

Sheer Orchid is also a fresh scent.  It has a clean quality to it, like soap.  It reminds me of being freshly stepped out of the shower. Obviously, it is a floral scent, but not artificial.  This one manages to be soft yet crisp in smell.  This is, again, one that I think would be perfect for any room in the house.

The last one we selected is Apple Blossom.  It is bright, cheery, and like a perfect bouquet of flowers.  It reminds me of something I feel like I've smelled at B&BW, but I can't figure out what, exactly.    This is like having your windows open, and the breeze carries in the odor of blooming trees and flowers.... or walking through a newly blooming flower garden.  The air is perfumed with sweet flowers, but it isn't irritating to the senses.  This one is a romantic smell, in my opinion.


All around, these three make perfect additions to my growing collection.  I'm going to be switching out the warmers to hold some of these very soon.  If you have smelled any of these, let me know what you think.  OR, if you have particular fragrance bars you like to burn in the spring, please tell me which ones!

DIY Paper Flowers

WOOHOO!  Let's all do a happy dance that it is the end of the week!  Time for the weekend!  Alright, now that we have that out of our systems...  Remember earlier in the week I said I would do a post about the flowers that I made for the DIY Painted Vases?  Well, that is this post!

I am so addicted to the vase painting and the flower making.  It is a little bit ridiculous. I find it relaxing, though.   As much as I'd love to, I can't take credit for this idea or any instructions on how to make these.  I found the idea through Pinterest.  The person whose directions I followed can be found here: Moms Crafty Space.  She made the tutorial very simple to follow.

My original idea was to stick with bouquets that contained flowers of a similar color.   However, I quickly got bored of that and changed it up to be a rainbow of flowers.  I'm loving all the brightness!   You can also see one of the mason jars I painted and used as the vase here.

I even got a little crazy and started adding random colors to each individual flower instead of a gradient.  Either way, they turn out beautiful.  And they're really very simple to make.   Since I have a black thumb when it comes to living plants and flowers, I figured this is the best way for me to have flowers in my home.  Plus, I can easily make more to match colors for different seasons or holidays!

Here is another bouquet I have displayed in my home.  I kept this one more simple and clean.  I painted a glass vase that my mother-in-law donated when she realized how absolutely bat crap crazy crafty I can be. I used a peachy pink acrylic paint, but for some reason it turned out softer than it appeared in the bottle.  I still think it is lovely.  The flowers are a mix of solid pinks, solid white, and a combo of the two.

AHHH!   I love making these.  Eventually, I anticipate people are going to walk into my home and think I've lost my marbles because they will be on every surface!  HA!

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Oil-Free B.B. Cream

I have wanted to try out a B.B. cream for what feels like forever.  I was recently invited to a BzzAgent campaign to try out this product.  It is the new Garnier B.B. cream.   When accepting the campaign, you had to select your color.  I chose the light-medium.  

On that note, the colors they offer are light-medium, medium-deep, and deep.  I think they should have created one further color: light.   I say this because I am quite fair and this one is just a bit too dark on my skin and gives an orange cast.  I wouldn't say it is quite to the point of being Oompa Loompa skin, but you can tell there is a difference in the coloring of my face.  I'm hoping it will work perfectly in the summer, once I have a bit of color.

Upon initial application, I will say it smooths on with ease.  It feels nice on the skin, too.  It isn't quite as light as a moisturizer, but not as heavy as a typical foundation.  It is somewhere in the middle.  The coverage is light to medium.  I can see some blemish areas still and would definitely need to use a concealer. 

I have been using my e.l.f flat top synthetic powder brush.  That really buffs the product into my face and makes it look natural.  I do think this is the type of product that can be applied perfectly well with your hands, too, especially if you are on the go.

I noticed that this will cling to any dry patches.  While my skin is very oily, I have been experiencing some dry patches around my nose.  Those areas were highlighted with this B.B. Cream on. 

It does mattify as it claims.  I didn't set it with a powder and several hours in I still looked fine. For this reason, I think this will be amazing for in the summer.  I will be able to get some coverage but at the same time not worry that I am turning into a big ball of shine.

THE FACTS*:

• three shades: light-medium, medium-deep, and deep
• absorbent formula contains mineral Perlite, which retains twice its weight in oil and water to control shine
• formulated with sheer natural mineral pigments, so you get a smooth, flawless finish
• non-comedogenic 
• non-acnegenic
• oil free
• price: $12.99

Fast Forward to Quite A Few Uses Later:

I found that if I didn't set this, I would start to see shine a few hours in. I think the first day I wore it, it must have been a chillier day, thus my face was dryer, thus it stayed matte much longer.  I like the way that it looks when I first put it on because while it reduces shine, initially, it doesn't look flat and artificial.  It still looks like skin.   I wish it held up longer on my skin, but it still isn't horrible.  I will need to wear powder to keep it lasting and looking fresh longer, though.

I definitely feel that the color is too dark for me.  It is only just a shade or two too dark, but it is enough that at my palest I can tell.  I have to use a bronzer to get things to match up on my neck, just cause I don't want to slather this all the way down my neck.   I'm still holding hope that as summer rolls in and I darken a bit, it will match perfectly.

I didn't have any issues with breaking out or clogged pores.  Obviously, this is just my experience and everyone's skin is different.  But, I'm pleased that it worked well with my skin.

When I wore this over minor blemishes, it covered just fine.  However, if I had a more angry blemish, you could still see it coming through the B.B. cream, so I did have to conceal.  On my "better skin days" this worked like a charm.

So, my final thought.  Do I believe this is a product worth while?  Actually, I do.  I would be very pleased to have this in a perfect matching shade, however.  Though I do have oiliness after several hours (if I don't powder), it holds up better than other liquid foundations (yes, I know this isn't an actual liquid foundation).

*information from the BzzGuide provided in this campaign

**Product received for free through the BzzAgent Garnier B.B. cream campaign.  All opinions are my own.

DIY Painted Flower Vases

These were still in the process of being painted (that's why the top of the glass is still clear)

I've found so many clever ideas on Pinterest.  This was one of them.  I am looking for ways to bring a "pop of color" to my home for the warmer weather and thought this painted vase idea would be fun.

I had some glass vases already, purchased some from the dollar store, and my mother in law gave me some. However, I've come to enjoy this project so much that I am now paint-happy.  I have started to paint mason jars, glass jars to other food items, and even Pepsi bottles.  Yes, I'm serious.  Anything that is glass I scan over to determine if I can turn it into a vase. 

What I Use:

-Glass container

-Acrylic paint

-Water

-Newspapers to protect surface of table

Here, I have poured in some of the paint and a tiny amount of water to thin it down and make it more spreadable.   I just squirt or pour the paint in, drip in a bit of water, and swirl it together really well at the bottom of the container to combine.  

After the paint and water is combined, I start rolling the glass bottle (or jar, vase, etc.) on its side to allow the paint to drip and completely cover the inside surface.

After I am satisfied I have gotten most of the inside surface covered, I flip the bottle upside down and allow the excess to drip out.   A lot of people allow it to completely dry while upside down, but I find it takes much longer this way.  With a small opening (like on a bottle), the air has a harder time getting in to dry the paint.  So, I will allow it to sit upside down for a while, but then flip it right side up to completely dry.  

 I think you can use pretty much any kind of paint.  Some people have used left over wall paint, others spray paint.  I think acrylic paint is the most common, though.  I found 2 oz bottles for between $0.49-$0.69 each.    If I thin down the paint with water, I can get 2-3 uses from each bottle.  If I leave it thick I can get 1-2 uses (depending on the size of the container.  Small bottles take much, much less than a large vase).

I wouldn't suggest putting water into the vases and setting live flowers inside...  I would imagine it would wash away the paint (since it is just acrylic).  For this reason, I have been putting fake flowers in mine....  which I will probably show at some point.  I made a bunch of them but completely forgot to photograph as I was making them.

Christian Dior Miss Dior

OHHH, I love this one!

I have the new formulation of Miss Dior.  It is the ad campaign with Natalie Portman.  The creator behind Miss Dior is Francois Demachy. 

I have said it before, but I appreciate a pretty presentation.  Miss Dior doesn't disappoint.  The bottle itself is squared with a hounds tooth textured underside.  But, the lid is what is so beautiful.  The lid has a silver metal bow attached by a little ring.  Otherwise, it is clean and simple. It is just enough to be romantic and not over the top.

This opens very crisp and bright with mandarin. It is fruity and youthful, but not sugary sweet.  While the citrus burst is going on, I also smell a slightly earthy note.  I, without question, detect patchouli.  It keeps it grounded and from becoming syrupy. As a fan of patchouli, I love this.  Even at its most "dirty", I love patchouli.  However, this isn't as harsh as patchouli can be.  (How many times can we say patchouli?  HAHA!)

About 15 minutes in, I finally pick up on the jasmine.  Thank goodness it isn't heavy, though.  Somehow, the jasmine is delicate and plays nicely with the mandarin and patchouli. While not listed, I pick up green tea. It gives me a sense of Déjà vu, but I don't know why.  I have tried and tried to figure it out...but can't. 

The dry-down is diamonds, pearls, and elegance.  I get rose, but not real powdery and obnoxious.   It is a tamed, shy rose. I also get something clean, like being fresh from a shower...yet not soapy, if that makes sense. It is pastel pink, lace, and all things sparkling...seriously. That is what I keep picturing.  The musk, I believe, cuts the rose and makes it sit nicely on skin...  kind of blending with the skin and not sitting heavily on top.

For me, Miss Dior starts out quite fun and flirty, but settles into something classy and soft spoken.   The personalities in this perfume amaze me.  It changes so much from initial spritz to the dry down.  It keeps me interested. I highly enjoy experiencing each change that comes forward. The amazing thing is, it only contains mandarin, musk, patchouli, jasmine, and rose.

I think this can be worn year round, but the opening would blossom in warm weather.  However, the dry down is what lingers, and that works well for year round, I think.  I can tell you I will be going to this perfume no matter the season.  Ah, and the lasting power is amazing on my skin. I can spray it on several hours before I go to bed and the next morning it is still there.  A lot of perfumes have worn off at that point, but this is still lingering (mostly in the crook of my elbow).

While I was waiting on my bottle to arrive, I had been in a Sephora and sprayed some on a little paper strip and brought it home with me.  I kept getting little whiffs of something delicate, soft, and just plain beautiful.  I don't get bored at all smelling Miss Dior.  It is all around a winner for me.

I like to spray this on my wrists and the inner corner of my elbows, and sometimes a bit on the back of my neck, under my hair.  It wears differently depending on where I spray it.  It is the most light on my wrists, and stronger on my inner elbows.  This makes sense since it can evaporate quicker on the wrists where very exposed, and will linger a bit longer on the crook of my elbow.

I think this is worth a sniff.  Check it out when you are at a counter or in Sephora.  

LISTED NOTES:

Top: Italian Mandarin

Mid: Egyptian Jasmine, Rose

Base: Patchouli, Musk

Estee Lauder Intuition

This opens with a burst of fresh grapefruit.  It isn't an artificial kind, either.  If you have ever bought an actual, fresh grapefruit and sliced into it, that is what this smells like the moment you apply it to your skin.  (or, mine anyway)  It has a sour zing to it, but heavier than you'd expect from a citrus scent.

About 15 minutes in, the amber slinks forward and makes this very comforting and smooth. I am an absolute sucker for amber.  I adore the coziness that it can lend to a fragrance. It is at this point that I can really tell there is gardenia.  When it opened, there were hints of a floral in it, but the grapefruit was so strong that my senses couldn't distinguish what it was.  Freesia is listed as well, but I really pick up more gardenia.

30 to 40 minutes in, the whole fragrance has settled.  Now, it is a deliciously creamy amber being wafted by gardenia flower.  The freesia is brightening the whole thing and the citrus is just barely there.  It is present enough to keep the perfume from being completely heavy.

To be honest, I think this could easily be worn year round.  The amber makes it nice for cooler days, but the gardenia and citrus make it perfect for warm, sunny days.  Plus, the fact that I own the body silk, it has little golden micro shimmers that would be beautiful on skin in the summer.  On that note, though, the glitters only last for a short while.  Once you start moving around, they fall away completely... so don't let that scare you if you have or thought about getting the body silk.  The silkiness is a lovely feel on the skin.  It isn't greasy at all and soaks into the skin with ease.

This is a fragrance that I don't find to be particularly young.  However, don't take that to mean this is a granny scent.  It most definitely is NOT! I believe at one point or another my mother wore this when I was young. Though, at the time, she was probably in the first half of her thirties (and I definitely wouldn't consider that to be the granny range).  I associate this to something she would wear, and as I said... I believe she actually did at one point.  Perhaps that lends a bit of comfort and familiarity with this one, but all the same, I wear it and feel it suits me perfectly well.  To give you an idea, I am 26 years old.  I guess, overall, let's just say if you enjoy a perfume....  WEAR IT!   If you are 85 and want to smell like lollipops and cotton candy, more power to you!  If you are 16 and want to surround yourself by roses and powder, awesome!   :-)

Target Haul (mostly brushes)

For a couple of months now, I've wanted to try and find a new brush to use with my liquid foundation, but wasn't sure where I should start.  I have a natural hair buffing brush I use, and like the look it gives, but it would shed hair with every use and absorb a lot of product.  I have other brushes intended for liquid foundation but nothing I was over the moon about.   Anyway, I managed to pick up three brushes and a new blush to try out while I was running errands this past weekend. 

I'll admit, I've never used any of the Studio line e.l.f. brushes.  Some get really good reviews and others seem to be a miss.  I couldn't remember which ones people recommend, but I couldn't take my eyes off of this super bright pink.  It is called Pink Passion.  Holy moly it is bright!  I have the hot pink Revlon cream blush, but even still, I think this one might be a hair brighter.

For a product that only costs $3.00, the packaging is sleek.  It is simple and clean looking.  I really like that. Inside, there is a mirror which is perfectly adequate for what you'd need it for (if you even use it).  

While I won't do a full review just yet, because I've only worn it twice, I will go ahead and say...  what you see in the pan really is that bright!  I had to be careful with application or I'd have looked crazy.  I really like that, though (not the looking crazy part...).  I'd rather have a product that I have to use lightly rather than a product I have to fight to get to show up.

This is the brush I was after when I was browsing the e.l.f. products.  It is their powder brush.  Though it is labeled as a powder brush, the back of the package says it can be used with wet or dry products. Because the bristles are Taklon, it won't suck up as much of the liquid foundation.  

The flat top also seems to be what people love.  That style, typically, is good for buffing in the product. Mine, you'll notice, isn't perfectly flat and uniform, but I didn't realize this until after I had bought it.  That's okay.  I've used it a couple of times and it seems to do the job perfectly well.  

This next brush was a random one that caught my eye.  I can't recall hearing much (if anything) about this small stippling brush.  However, I believe I've seen reviews about small styled stippling brushes in other lines.  While they don't get a ton of attention, the reviews I have seen have been positive.

This is styled the same as all other stippling brushes, it is just much smaller.  I picked it up thinking this could be good for under eye concealer.   If I wore highlighters, that probably would be a good use for it, too.

This last brush was a must the moment I saw it.  I know Sigma has created some brushes in this style.  They are intended for liquid foundation and are rounded.  They taper at the top, though, to create a point.  That point is ideal for getting in around the nose, inner corner of the eyes/nose area, etc.  This cost me $12.00 but I figured if it worked out nicely, it would be well worth it.

From this picture it just looks like the standard paddle style foundation brush, but it isn't.  It is rounded. 

I'm really excited to have a few new brushes to try out.  I will be posting up my thoughts/reviews once I've used them some more.  I don't want to jump the gun and say I love them until I'm certain they're doing what I want them to.

Estee Lauder Pleasures Intense

This opens with a burst of strong leaves.  To me, it isn't a refreshing, green summer leaf or cut grass.  It is the fallen leaves from autumn.  It doesn't have a spiced quality, though, like fragrance that typically has decaying leaves in it would have.  It is laced with sap.  It is quite odd, to be honest.  The way the fallen leaves and summer sap mixes, it makes for a very confusing opening.  Right beside that, I pick up on saw dust.  Yes...saw dust.  It reminds me of being around someone who is doing wood cutting projects.  Let's just say, I'm not fond of the opening to Pleasures Intense.

About 15 minutes in I detect the tiniest hints of maple and peony.  More peony, though, with the smallest amount of maple woven in.  I wish the maple were stronger because I crave something sweet in this perfume.  Backing up the semi-sweet floral is a wall of bonfire.  Odd, right? I'm assuming that is the woody note settling in with my body chemistry.

Finally, this settles into a dry smoked wood with roses dropped on top.  I said dry.. and I mean DRY!  When I smell my wrist, I almost have the urge to cough.  This is another reason I just can't understand wearing it in the scorching heat.  Blech!

I have to say, I'm not the biggest fan of this one.  It is far too strong on the decaying vegitation, wood, and medicinal notes.  I am aware that a lot of people enjoy this and consider it light and perfect for warm weather.  But, I have to disagree.  The smokey wood part of it keeps it as a cooler weather fragrance for me.  Even then, I have to be in just the right mindset to wear this.  It doesn't get a lot of love from me.

March 2013 Favorites

Wow!  I haven't done one of these for quite a while, now have I?  It has been something like four months, I think. Ah well.  Anyway, I decided to round up some of the items that I have given quite a bit of love to this past month.

A general listing of items is as follows:

• Coconut oil
• CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara
• Rimmel Moisture Renew lipstick in Nude Delight
• CoverGirl foundation in 805 Ivory
• Milani blush in Luminoso
• Thierry Mugler Alien EDT
• Physicians Formula quad in Classic Nudes
• Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad To The Bronze
• Maybelline Lash Discovery mascara
• Ulta Automatic liner in Teal Blue
• Wet n Wild palette in Vanity

Something that I forgot to grab for the photograph is

• Essie Van D'Go nail polish

As for the coconut oil, I have been using it for quite a while now and keep buying new jars when I run out.  I have done a post on shaving with coconut oil, and I'm still doing that.  It works better than any other soaps or shave cream I've ever used.  I've also been using it to remove my makeup at the end of the day.  It breaks everything down with extreme ease and is natural.  Win-Win!  Most recently, though, I've been using it in the evening as an intensive eye cream.  I use the tiniest amount on and around my eyes.  Also, I tried using it in a bath one evening.  It feels amazing and once out of the tub, it is still on the body.  It soaks in and you will have the softest skin since infancy!   I have to warn, though, that you shouldn't dunk your hair into the water and not wash it afterwards.  I had showered before taking my bath and didn't bother to avoid getting my hair in the bath water.  When my hair dried, I looked like I hadn't showered in months, it was so filled with coconut oil.  I will admit, I left it.  I wasn't leaving the house, just staying in doing house cleaning.  So, I left it in for 24 hours and washed it out the next night.  Consider it a deep conditioning...HA!  The feel drove me nuts, though, so I did keep it in a bun.

As for my perfume of choice...  I have done a review on my blog about the EDP and said that I wasn't the biggest fan of it.  It isn't that I hate it, but it is quite strong.  Well, the EDT has a very, very similar smell and at first I felt the same way.  However, over the winter I've been using them both and have actually come to really enjoy them.  I've been wearing the ETD the most through March, though. 

The rest of my makeup isn't anything too fancy.  I've been very neutral with my eyes and lips...even cheeks.    However, because of this, I did decide to squeeze in some pretty teal liner several days.  With it having been slipping into spring, I figured I was safe to do a small burst of color.  It is quite lovely on blue eyes.

So, that is it.   My selection of products for the month of March.