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Filed In: Beauty
It’s crazy to think that this month is already almost over! The end of July and first couple weeks of August were absolutely insane as Jason and I packed up our first little (rental) house and moved in with his parents! We’re trying to save some money to payoff our student loans and save money for a down payment on a house (eeeeek!). I still don’t feel adult enough to say that, but I guess adulthood hits ready or not!
Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle- This stuff is fantastic, especially for the price and how much you get, 8 oz for 23.50, I’d say that’s truly a bang for your buck! Although I am partial to the davines All-in-One Milk, this stuff is a great alternative for those on a budget. It also smells AMAZING.
Marcelle BB Cream Golden Glow- I’ve actually received this in a Birchbox before, and fell in love so I ordered it in the full-size. I was happy to see it in my box again so that I could replenish my travel size makeup collection. This is one of my favorite BB creams that I have tried to date. The formula is super lightweight and doesn’t have any kind of overpowering smell like some of the BB creams do. Despite its lightweight feel, it provides excellent coverage (for a BB cream!) and stays all day for me. Highly recommended if you’re looking to try a new BB cream!
Acure Organics Coconut & Argan Oil Cleansing Towelettes- These couldn’t have come at a better time considering my impending trip to Mexico. Not only do they smell like the beach, but they are so gentle on your face. I love how they removed my makeup and gave my skin a quick cleanse but also smelled so, so good. I will definitely be buying these for any other upcoming vacations!
HUM Nutrition Raw Beauty Green Superfood Powder- I’m not normally a big health drink person, but this stuff may have converted me. It had great flavor and I felt so healthy drinking it, I’m planning to order the full size container!
Living Proof No Frizz Nourishing Oil- I’ve never really tried much from the Living Proof line before, because I tend to stick with what I know for hair care. However, I will definitely be trying some more Living Proof items after trying this oil because I LOVE it. First off, the bottle is super cute and sturdy (you can even lock the top of the travel size so it doesn’t get all over your travel bag). It smells so good, and eliminates frizz instantly, while keeping your hair shiny and light. I think this might be another full size purchase in the near future.
stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick: Petunia- Again, this is another item I have received in a previous Birchbox but I was thrilled to see it again because of how much I loved my first one. This lipstick goes on like a lipgloss (with the wand and all) but within a minute or so it “dries” and forms more of a super smooth lipstick. It stays on forever, and looks just as great even after you’ve had it on for a few hours.
What were your Birchbox favorites this month?!
XO, Katie
So in the interest of full disclosure, I won a gift card to Function of Beauty in another bloggers Instagram giveaway. Since it was a new product, and awesome concept, I thought I may as well take the opportunity to create a review for all of you while I try out this shampoo and conditioner for myself.
First thing, you can take a quick hair quiz to help you decide what you’re looking for in a shampoo and conditioner, and find the best fit for you. Taking the quiz actually made me realize a couple of hair goals I may not have otherwise thought of. In the quiz you’ll specify things like your natural hair type, the thickness of your strands, and moisture of your scalp. Then you select five hair goals (which is the fun part), I chose strengthen, hydrate, volumize, color protection and shine. Normally, I wouldn’t have chosen volumize, but lately my hair has been feeling a little flat so I thought it might be a nice change. Then finally, you pick the color, scent, and size of your shampoo. I was probably most worried about the scent, because I don’t like my shampoo/conditioner to be overpowering. I ended up choosing the sandalwood violet scent!
Now, right off the bat I was so impressed at how quickly my order was turned around. I received my customized set in less than a week! My personalized bottles came in the most adorable little package, and smelled so GOOD. I fell in love with the scent immediately, its very subtle but still smells wonderful. After just the first use, I could immediately see all of my “hair goals” come to life. My hair was much more voluminous, even after a couple days of not washing. It felt hydrated, shiner and maybe I’m in love but maybe even a little stronger too!
Needless to say I am very pleased with my Function of Beauty order and if you too are thinking of trying it I would say DO IT! At $32 for a 8oz shampoo and 8oz conditioner, it honestly is a great deal for the quality. I will definitely be ordering again when this set runs out. Oh, and that’s the other great thing- once you create an online profile it will save your order so it just takes one simple click to reorder. Or you can create a totally new one too! A girl has got to love options right? Have any of you ever tried Function of Beauty? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
XO, Katie
P.S. If you’re interested in trying out Function of Beauty, you can use my referral link here: functionofbeauty.com/?ref=579627D765DA7 (again, in the interest of full disclosure by using this link I get $5 credit to FOB, but so do you…it’s a win win for everyone!)
First, things have been CRAZY over the last week. We’re currently in the process of moving, and that’s just sent everything into a whirlwind of chaos. Once we’re a little more settled I will update you all on where and why we moved!
In an attempt to bring some more beauty posts to this blog, I figured one of the best ways to do this is to share one of my monthly beauty favorites, Birchbox! Now I know there are a ton of monthly beauty subscription options out there nowadays, but I’ve had Birchbox for almost two years and I still can’t wait for that little box every month.
Not only am I going to share what’s in my box, but I will include my review of the products. Birchbox is how I’ve found so many of my favorite products recently, and hopefully it can inspire you to try something you’ve been thinking about too (or even getting your own Birchbox subscription)! Birchbox is also one of my favorite gifts to give because the recipient keeps getting their gift for several months after! Plus who doesn’t love getting things in the mail?
- Balance Me Radiance Face Mask- I’ve tried a few of the Balance Me masks before, and this one wasn’t a whole lot different. I like to use masks to give my skin a “refresh” but didn’t notice anything particularly special about this one. I do like that the Balance Me line is fairly natural, as I have uber sensitive skin. I still plan on using up my sample to give my skin a little boost every so often.
- Benefit They’re Real Mascara- I was super happy to get this in my box this month because I’ve been dying to try it, but unwilling to spend the money until I knew if I liked it or not. Safe to say now that I’ve tried it, I will be purchasing this mascara because it’s AMAZING.
- DevaCurl Low-Poo Delight Weightless Waves Mild Lather Cleanser- For Wavy Hair- I’m always hesitant to try new shampoos, as I am a diehard Moroccanoil fan, and this one was interesting to say the least. I found that it didn’t really suds up, which I expected because it’s “Low-Poo”, but I did like the nice light, clean smell. When my hair dried, it did leave it wavier than normal, to the point that I felt like I didn’t HAVE to do something with it if I was just doing something casual. It’s also a really good sized sample, which is a nice bonus! I still felt like my hair wasn’t quite “clean”, I guess maybe because of the lack of suds. It didn’t convert me from my Moroccanoil, but I still liked it!
- LOC Ultra-Lip Gloss Pencil- Punch Line- This lip color is so fabulous! It’s very lightweight (perfect for those hot summer days), but still has a great pop of color. Definietly will be adding some more colors to my cart!
- Shiseido Ultimate Infusing Concentrate- I was so excited to try this when I saw it in my box because it’s a very good sized sample considering the price of the full size. I was not disappointed. I saw a visible difference in my skin after just one use, it was brighter, firmer and just gave me kind of a dewy complexion all day long. Although, I’m personally not a fan of the smell, I loved the product and definitely think it’s worth the steeper price tag.
- Shiseido Ultimune Eye Power Infusing Eye Concentrate- I haven’t really dabbled much in the world of eye creams/serums, so I can’t give a good comparison between this one and other products. I deal with eye eczema, so I am super cautious about trying new products anywhere near my eyes. After trying the Ultimate Infusing Concentrate I was excited to try this, but I didn’t necessarily see the same type of results. From what I’ve read elsewhere, it’s something you’re supposed to use more continuously to see more drastic results, but I have a hard time justifying the $65 when I’m a little unsure. Although it didn’t flare up my eye eczema, so that is saying something right there!
Does anyone else have any experiences or thoughts on these products?! I’d love to hear them!
XO, Katie
Wearing my LOC lip color!
Today, I felt like I just had to share these two products with all of you because I cannot get enough of them lately!
I. Kevin Murphy Doo.Over This is by far the greatest dry shampoo in the world, (and I’ve tried a million of them) for two major reasons. First, this is not only a dry shampoo but a finishing hairspray. Which means this stuff is so perfect for second or third day curled hair, because not only does it get rid of any excess oil but it also gives your hair fantastic volume and hold! Secondly, a major complaint that I usually have about dry shampoo is the smell, usually they smell weird or just way too strong. The scent of Doo.Over is perfect, light and floral, nowhere near overpowering. The link I’ve posted doesn’t allow you to buy it, but you can locate a salon near you that sells Kevin Murphy products and purchase it that way! I seriously cannot recommend this stuff enough!!
II. amika Touchable Hairspray I have a little bit of the story around this hairspray. So anyone who knows me knows I am obsessed with MoroccanOil hair products, I use their shampoo, the oil, texturizing spray, hairspray….you get the picture. However, with still being in graduate school budget does become a factor, especially when you’re spending over $20 on a can of hairspray every few weeks. So a few weeks ago, I went into Beauty Brands here in town where they were having their annual hairspray sale. I looked around and picked up this amika bottle, thinking that for $8.99 why not give it a shot? So I ended up using this new hairspray during my trip to Florida, and I fell in LOVE. It smells amazing, it’s brushable (so you don’t get that crunchy hairspray feel), and it even protects against the crazy Florida humidity. Safe to say, I’ll be stocking up before the sale ends because this ended up being such a great buy!
Comment below and share some of your favorite hair products!
XO Katie
Happy Monday everyone! Today on the blog I’m sharing my winter beauty essentials. Despite the unseasonably warm weather we had this past weekend, these four items are an absolute MUST for surviving the dry winter season.
- Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream- This cream is so awesome for anyone with dry skin.It’s heavy enough to provide all day moisture, but not so heavy that it makes your skin feel greasy. Plus you can use it on your face and body (one less bottle to lug around)!
- Lush Lip Scrub- I don’t know about any of you, but unfortunately winter often brings about chapped lips from all of the dry and cold winter air. This lip scrub is perfect battling any dry or flaky skin before putting on any lipstick to ensure a smooth, beautiful application.
- Davines Oi/Oil- I know there are a lot of hair oils to choose from, but after trying many of them, this one is my absolute favorite. First off, the smell is incredible! This oil is also super light, so you can apply it to your ends daily to keep them protected from the dry winter air. After I apply this to my ends, I run my palms over the rest of my hair to help contain fly-aways for the day, another great use! The bottle also seems to last forever, even when you do use it daily.
- Vaseline- If you aren’t a Vaseline user yet, you need to hurry out and get some. This stuff has so many different uses I can’t even begin to list them all, but I use this as a makeup remover, overnight moisturizer on dry spots, and as a lip balm. Since Vaseline is just petroleum jelly, you don’t have to worry about fragrance or dyes that can irritate sensitive skin.
What are some of your favorite winter beauty essentials? Comment below to share!
