Sephora Disney Princess Collection, Jasmine!

    A while back I wrote about Sephora and Disney teaming up for a makeup line dedicated to the princesses, the first princess being Cinderella (check it out here!). Now they've released a sneak peek of the next princess to grace us with her presence, Princess Jasmine! 
   For lack of a better term, I went absolutely apesh*t when I saw the Cinderella collection (which is still available), and this next addition was different. As a kid I was called Princess Jasmine by my friends, mainly because of my long black hair and my complexion (and the fact that there was an ongoing debate as to what nationality I was 0_o). I even dressed up as her for Halloween one year. She wasn't my favorite princess (Cinderella is) but she was a princess I admired for her courage and her strong will. 

   The collection features gorgeous colors inspired by the movie and several products that are sure to bring out your inner princess! The collection includes an eyeliner set, a nail polish set, a compact mirror, a perfume, a body shimmer, and two eyeshadow palettes! Here's a close up of these gorgeous products! (photos from beautezine.com)

   

   

   The collection will be available in March. Beauty Insiders were able to get early access to the Cinderella collection so if you happen to be one keep an eye out for this one! I can't wait to get my hands on some Disney goodness! What princess would you want to see next?

Birchbox January

This month's Birchbox was very nice, but there were a couple of products I wasn't too thrilled with. 

   In my box I received a sample of Skinny Chic perfume, a mini blush and shadow from theBalm, a sample of Ojon Rare Blend hair oil, a cream from Embryolisse, and a mini mascara from Lashem.




Harvey Prince Skinny Chic Perfume ($21.00-$55.00 for full size)

   This is a perfume that's supposed to do more than make you smell good. The notes of mint and citrus create an energizing fragrance that is also supposed to help curb your appetite. It didn't really do anything for my appetite to be honest but it smells incredible! The scent is fun and flirty, and reminiscent of summer. It lasts pretty long too. I spritzed this on my scarf and I was asked quite a few times what I was wearing. I think I will be buying the full size, it is a very unique scent and I think it would make a great addition to my collection!




theBalm Hot Mama Shadow and Blush All-in-One ($20.00 for full size)

   This blush can also be used as an eyeshadow or a highlighter if you like. It is a light summery pink with a hint of shimmer. It is very nicely pigmented and is very easy to blend, so you don't need to use a lot. It isn't at all chalky. As a blush it gives a great natural rosy tint that can be built up to a great dramatic look. As an eyeshadow its sheerness also makes it nice for a quick swipe and go. As a facial highlighter it brightens up the face nicely and gives a youthful and natural looking glow. I may buy the full size, but for now I am holding onto this sample for as long as possible, I am in love!




Ojon Rare Blend Oil Total Hair Therapy ($35.00 for full size)

   This hair oil is supposed to give hair shine, nourish dry hair and repair damage. The colors were very pretty, and you have to shake it in order for the oil to be effective. While it smelled very nice it didn't really do anything for my hair. It didn't leave my hair feeling greasy, but I didn't see much of a change. There was some added shine, but no noticeable difference. It was nice to try but it was a miss for me.




Embryolisse 24-HR Miracle Cream ($16.00 for full size)

   This cream really is a miracle! You can use this as a moisturizer, a makeup remover, a shave soother, makeup primer, and even baby cream! 

   As a moisturizer it's fantastic! It's rich but not too heavy, and there is no greasy feeling or residue on the skin. It leaves your face feeling soft and looking silky smooth! A little goes a long way! As a makeup remover it is really great too! I found it hard to believe it could really remove makeup, but I was pleasantly surprised! I put a little on a cottonball and wiped away my eye makeup with ease! It took a few more swipes to finish, but it effectively removed all makeup from my eyes. I haven't used it for soothing any shave irritation, I'm pretty good with a razor. And I don't have a baby so I don't know how well it works for that. But after hearing that you could use it as primer, I tried it and it was pretty good. I usually use BB cream these days, but for this I used foundation, and it made my foundation feel as nice and light as BB cream. I may buy the full size, I haven't decided yet. But this was a great product and I'm glad I got to check it out!




Lashem Double Trouble Mascara ($19.99 for full size)

   
   This was the one sample I was absolutely livid about, it was super small, making it almost impossible to use so close to the eye. I felt like I was going to poke my eye!

   This mascara is supposed to add volume and length, which is great. HOWEVER, the full size has two sides, so it's a two-step process. HOW IN THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO REALLY EXPERIENCE THE PRODUCT'S FULL POTENTIAL WITH WHAT SEEMED LIKE ONLY ONE STEP? This sample made no sense, and it didn't do anything special. If they somehow managed to mix the formula together in that teeny tube, why is it that there are TWO SIDES to the full size? I call bull on this sample, it was a bad tease, and I am disappointed in Birchbox on this one. I hear that the full size is phenomenal though, but I will not be buying it. I have plenty of mascara, and this sample was the one chance to sell me on another one. 




If you want to join Birchbox you can sign up here. 

Beauty Army January, Happy Birthday Beauty Army!

   I had skipped the past two months of my Beauty Army subscription. Unfortunately I found my selection windows very repetitive, there were products I had already received, and products that I found to be irrelevant to me. and this was with several beauty profile resubmissions. So I figured that if I couldn't find something I liked this time around I'd cancel, but this selection window was very nice. I even received a seventh item, as are all Beauty Troopers in January in celebration of Beauty Army's 1st birthday. I was very excited about my box this time around, and I really hope to find good selections in the coming months.

    In my box I received a full size Mark. Hook Up lip gloss, a jar of Jonathan Dirt Texturizing Paste, two Lash Card mascara shields, a packet of Yes to Blueberries Eye Firming Cream, packets of Enspri Sheer Ceramide and Beyond Moisture serums, a mini bottle of Whip Hand eyeshadow, and a full size Mark. Hook Up mascara as my Beauty Army birthday treat.




Jonathan Dirt Texturizing Paste ($26.00 for full size)

   I had no clue what this was for when I first saw it, there was no description of how to use it. But I figured why not try it? It's definitely something I've never used before. It has a very light almondish scent. It turns out it's for hair, it conditions and styles. It isn't greasy and it works through hair very well. My hair is kind of long though, and while it did seem to condition and nourish my hair it wasn't good for styling. My hair might be too long or heavy for something like this, but I do plan to cut my hair soon, so maybe it'll work better when it's shorter.




Lash Card Mascara Shield ($13.98 for two 10-packs of cards)

   I didn't know something like this existed. I love mascara, but I hate when it gets on my eyelids and under my eyes before it's fully dried. I wind up ruining my other makeup when I try to wipe it off. This shield protects the rest of your makeup by blocking it from touching anything else, and gives you the freedom to build up as much as you want without having to be so careful. They are disposable, which kind of sucks, but they are incredibly helpful and can be used at least twice!




Yes to Blueberries Eye Firming Cream ($19.99 for full size)

   This is a nice eye cream. I don't really have any fine lines around my eyes yet, but this did help to depuff my eyes a bit. You don't feel the firming but you can see it. It smells kind of weird honestly, not at all like blueberries. The smell kind of reminds me of nasal spray. It's a pretty good cream and it was nice to try, but I'm not really clamoring for the full size.




Enspri Sheer Ceramide Serum and Beyond Moisture Moisturizer ($39.00 for Ceramide, $42.00 for Beyond Moisture)

   This was an interesting duo to try, definitely better than I thought. The serum locks in moisture while the moisturizer is an anti-wrinkle cream with SPF 15. I love how they smell, it's a very light floral aqua-esque scent. The Sheer Ceramide is a very light, clear colored serum. It goes on pretty greasy which I was turned off by, so I wasn't sure I'd like the Beyond Moisture if it felt the same. But together they are phenomenal! You have to apply the serum and then the moisturizer. The oily feeling of the serum disappears and melts into skin once you put on the moisturizer, and it left my face feeling very soft and looking bright and healthy. I was pleasantly surprised by this duo, and I'm glad I got to try it!




Whip Hand Loose Pigment Eyeshadow, Special Forces ($14.00 for full size)

   This eyeshadow is a limited edition color in the Camo Collection exclusively offered through Beauty Army. It's a sheer peach with a hint of glitter, it blends well and doesn't crease. I was really disappointed with how teeny the sample size was, it was about the size of a quarter.

   I also find the bottle a bit silly, since it's loose pigment it should be in a pot in my opinion. To use this shadow I'll have to either pour some out or attempt to stick a brush in there. All my eye brushes are a bit too thick to get into the bottle, so I'll have to get a smaller brush.

   Besides the somewhat flawed packaging it's nicely pigmented and applies well, but it's a little too sheer to be used alone for my taste, especially with my skin tone (it was almost invisible). I use primer to make it show more, but it's great for a natural look!




Mark. Scanda-Lash Hook Up Mascara, Blacklash  and  Mark. Glow Baby Glow Hook Up Lip Gloss, Blow Kisses ($6.50 for each full size)

   I wanted to show these together because they are part of a super cute line of minis! You'll see what I mean in a sec!

   The gloss is a rose red shade and is minted. Unfortunately I can't swatch it on my lips at this time, I got a fever blister that is in the healing process. I swatched my hand, and it seems very nice. It isn't sticky and the color is very rich. I can't wait to try it on my lips, I want to feel the tingling of the mint and see if it really leaves my lips feeling soft!

   The mascara lengthens, thickens and defines lashes. It doesn't clump (yay!) and it dries pretty quickly. I loved how easy it was to build up, and my lashes looked gorgeous!




Added Bonus: Mark. Hook Up Cosmetic Connector (50 cents on mark. website)

   Mark. Cosmetics' Hook Up line is more than just a clever name, as shown by this cute little connector piece I got. This little piece "hooks up" products in the collection, turning them into a cute and easy to use makeup duo pen! This brand was my favorite part of this month's box!

If you would like to join Beauty Army you can sign up here!

Sample Society January

This month's Sample Society box was very nice, I even got an extra item!

   In my box I received a sample tube of  StriVectin-SD scrub, a sample tube of Snowberry day cream, a Lord and Berry eyeliner pen, a sample dry shampoo from Serge Normant, and a sample of Nicole Richie's fragrance. I also received Pantene's Age Defy Advanced Thickening Treatment as an extra.




StriVectin-SD Instant Retexturizing Scrub ($49.00 for full size)

   I really like this face scrub. It has very fine grains in it that gently exfoliates while evening skin tone and smoothing the texture of your face. It has a medicated smell but it isn't overpowering. A little bit goes a long way too, I used a nickel sized amount and I was able to spread it on my entire face and neck. It left my face feeling soft and smooth, and I didn't feel as much skin tightening afterwards. I didn't see a change in my skin tone honestly, but that's ok. The sample tube I got will last me a while, but I plan to buy a full size.

Snowberry Nourishing Lite Day Cream ($95.00 for full size)

   This face cream is super light and absorbs very quickly into skin, which to me was a good and bad thing. I love that it absorbs so quickly, but because of that you hardly get a chance to really spread it around. I wound up having to use more than I needed. So while this is a really nice face cream, I don't know if I want to have to replace this more often than necessary. My skin did feel very soft, and it moisturized very well.




Lord and Berry Silk Kajal Eye Pencil, Black ($15.00)

   This eyeliner is very creamy but not too hard. It is highly pigmented and lasts very long. It isn't waterproof, but it hold up against tears pretty well. 




Serge Normant Meta Revive Dry Shampoo ($25.00 for full size)

   I honestly didn't like this dry shampoo. I used this on a day that I didn't have 

the time to wash my hair, and I did exactly what it said to do. It is supposed 
to come out when you brush, but you have to focus on the roots when spraying it. 
Either my hair was incredibly filthy (I wash it every other day) or this spray 
wasn't at all effective. When it was time to brush it out it stuck to my hair, 
and made my hair knotty. I looked like I had a full head of grey hair. It left a 
thick white residue that made my hair feel even more dirty and oily. I don't 
seem to have much luck with dry shampoos, so I will stick to my good old 
fashioned shampoo and conditioner wash routine.

Nicole Richie Fragrance ($20.00-$69.00)

   This is a very seductive and sensual fragrance. It is light and lasts long. There are nice notes of floral and spice, with hints of vanilla and wood musk. I may buy the full size. 

Pantene Age Defy Advanced Thickening Treatment ($19.99 

for full size)

   I got this as an added treat. (yay!) This hair serum thickens and volumizes while nourishing. It feels really nice, there is absolutely no greasy or oily feeling. My hair is already super thick, but the many benefits of using this serum were too good to pass up! It gave my hair volume and shine, and helped my split ends a lot, I've been using it on the ends of my hair every day! I had never heard of this serum before, but I'm really glad I got try it!

 

If you would like to join Sample Society you can sign up here! Use my referral code KIKY660 when you sign up and they donate money to charity!

Ipsy January

   Ipsy gave special attention to our beauty needs during these winter months with a few products to keep us gorgeous in the coldest weather! We also got a fun dose of color with a vibrant red polish! The bag was a pretty blue with a really cute star design lining the inside!

   In my bag I received a bottle of Pacifica body butter, a SOHO crease brush, a mini bottle of Josie Maran Moroccan Oil, a Nailtini polish, and a can of Big Sexy Hair spray.





Pacifica Body Butter, Sparkling Blood Orange ($7.00 for 2.5oz, $5.00 for 8oz)

   I am in love with this body butter! It smells soooo good! The yummy citrus scent is spellbinding! It melts into my skin and moisturizes so well! My legs found relief as the winter continues to torture my skin, I've been using several different creams and lotions, and none of them have been helping long term. So far using this on my legs has really helped, and so long as I'm diligent I think the dryness won't be as bad.




SOHO "Get a Grip" Crease Brush (available at Walgreens stores, priced per store)

   SOHO has improved the design of their brushes in a new line, giving you better grip and control of how you apply your makeup. I really like the new design, sometimes my hand gets a little sweaty and my brush slips. The brush isn't too soft, and it makes application easy. Blending is a breeze!




Josie Maran Moroccan Oil (prices vary)

   This stuff is really great! You can use it for your face, your body, and your bath! As a facial moisturizer it's nice, it blends well into skin and doesnt sit on your face. It absorbs into skin pretty quickly too so there is no residue. On skin it's great too, it absorbs quickly and moisturizes. I haven't tried it as a bath oil though, I want to save my sample for my face, it's helping the dry patches on my skin.




Nailtini Straight Up Color Lacquer, Bloody Mary ($13.00)

   This is a vibrant opaque red. It has great coverage and you should only need one coat. It doesn't dry as quickly though, so you have to be careful when checking if it's dry, or you'll have a lovely little finger smudge to repair.




Big Sexy Hair Spray and Play ($17.50 for full size)

   This is a volumizing hair spray with great hold! You don't need to spray a lot to keep your do in place, and it works very well to prevent flyaway hair in windy weather. It didn't make my hair feel stiff either, it gave my hair just the right amount of volume. I really love this hair spray, and it smells so good!





If you would like to join Ipsy you can sign up here!