Yum Yum Ice Cream

It is no lie that I have a sweet tooth and one of my favorite desserts is ice cream. So a few days ago a new line of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream showed up at the Haight Street Market. They're called Core ice creams which means they have a thick gooey center of caramel, chocolate or raspberry jam.

I bought the Salted Caramel Core because I cannot resist anything salted caramel. The ice cream is sweet cream ice cream with blondie chunks. It is very creamy but not overly sweet. I hate over the top sweets so I like going for the calmer sweets. The salted caramel center totally delivers!!! It is salty and sweet. I've tried a lot of salted caramel ice creams in the past that don't taste like rich buttery caramel and the don't embrace the saltiness. I've actually sprinkled salt on salted caramel ice cream before because it was lacking.  This is an excellent addition to my day off.

Dove VoxBox

As some of you might know I have had the pleasure of participating on Influenster. I've only recieved two VoxBoxes so far, the first one being the Jolly VoxBox and the second one is the Dove VoxBox. The Dove VoxBox came with one item and that is the Dove Advanced Care Deodorant.

So this deodorant is being advertised as a 48 hour antiperspirant deodorant that also has nutrium moisture to moisturize your armpits. I have to say, this is a pretty awesome deodorant. First, the scent. It doesn't have a scent listed on it but the scent is so super light which I personally prefer. I've gotten unscented deodorants before that reeked of some fake synthetic flower. I prefer powder or nothing at all.

The deodorant is a solid stick that you apply to your underarm that is not very heavy so you don't end up having a sticky armpit or a lot of deodorant sticking to the inside of your shirt. After wearing it for a few hours I did feel the skin in my armpit and it does feel very soft and moisturized. Plus I haven't had as much irritation lately from shaving. 

My only real flaw with the product is that is doesn't keep me completely dry but it feels more like a slightly humid day, not a wet stress sweat. In all fairness, I work for a restaurant and I move around a lot.

I have been using this product as my current deodorant because the scent does not bother me and it works at 90% capacity.

Big Easy Day

I recently had the pleasure of picking up my Big Easy Complexion Cream as well as my gift with purchase. The ladies on Sutter Street were so great and I'm am so happy with my new present. So much awesome is happening in this bag.

So along with my new Big Easy Complexion Cream, I also got Bad Girl Lash, Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow, Fake Up Concealer, Laugh with Me Lee Lee Frangrance, Porefessional Pro Balm, It's Potent! Eye Cream, a few hair ties, a headband, a make up bag and candy. Like the last bag of goodies I got, this bag does have a connected theme which is my face. I am super excited about the mascara because I am on the hunt for mascara. I am also really excited about the concealer. I currently use concealer by Mac and I'm extremely happy about it but I still like to try new products.

I already gave a review for Big Easy which can be found here. I have also talked about the Porefessional Pro Balm here.

So here is a picture of me after using all of the new Benefit products I have received. The only thing that was not Benefit is my eyeshadow which is by POP.

This is not a super glam look and I'm a little washed out in the sun. I'm actually on my way to work.

 The Bad Girl Mascara is super easy to use, has a sturdy brush and doesn't clump a lot. I also thought it wore well throughout the day. The color I got is black and it really made my eyes pop. Mascara is an essential for me and it added a lot of strength to my look. Plus by 5 pm it was still in place and had not bled all of my face.

The Hello Flawless Foundation is super easy to apply and super light. I thought the color matched my skin really well. It does have SPF 25 and I still used a powder on top to set it. This is also a product that will brighten your skin, not mattify it. If it wasn't for the Big Easy, I would probably use this but Big Easy is definitely the superior in my opinion.

The Fake Up Concealer is great too. I do have some acne on my face and I was able to cover it up without it becoming cakey. The concealer also hydrates your skin as well. The hardest thing about concealer for me is that it doesn't always cover. I did have to reapply mid day but I also work in a very active environment for a restaurant. I move and sweat a lot. I used the lighter of the two concealers for my face and I applied it with a concealer brush partly because the sample was hard to get out of the tube and partly it helped the coverage. Usually the sample rolls up like a lipstick but mine was broken. I still prefer my MAC Pro Longwear Concealer. That is one serious concealer but for someone with less serious problems the Fake Up is awesome.

The Laugh with Me Lee Lee is a super floral scent and smells like roses to me. I think its a great scent for the springtime, like going to a picnic or something. It definitely made me feel super girly.

The It's Potent! Eye Cream is a super moisturizing and lightweight eye cream that specializes in reducing dark circles under your eyes. It feels really nice to apply but I think to see the true effects is going to take some time. I have seen some really great reviews online.

I really like the new hair bands that have been out but unfortunately I have extremely thick hair and they just aren't strong enough to handle my mane. I save all of them anyways so they can be colorful additions wherever I put them.

The headband is a fantastic addition. I've been using face masks more and just pulling my hair back doesn't always seem to work. It is a lot more sturdy and it helps me get into the mood of putting on my make up. 

The makeup bag is awesome. Seriously, super excited about the makeup bag. I have alot of makeup bags that zip across so you end up digging around. This one is shaped like a bucket and so everything can lay pretty flat and be accessible.

So I think with the exception of facial moisturizer, brow gel and eye shadow I have gotten a new face this week from Benefit. This week has been a very self indulgent week for me. They have definitely won me over. I feel like when they are designing make up they do consider girls like me who want to look nice but don't care about being super glam. Everything has been super easy to apply and I don't feel like I'm wearing a lot of make up. I definitely plan on using them more in the future.

Benefit For My Benefit

So for whatever reason, I have had a lot of luck in obtaining Benefit Cosmetics. I had seen the company around and always enjoys their branding but since I am a drugstore cosmetics kind of girl, I have never really invested much interest in them. Well, a year ago I was working for a cupcakery and ended up serving for a special event hosted by Benefit Cosmetics. As a thank you for our great customer service, we were given a goodie bag with a variety of products- Porefessional Pro Balm, Benetint, Coralista, and High Beam. A friend of mine had the Benetint and I had debated buying it a few times. I use the Coralista and Porefessional Pro Balm every day and the High Beam for special occasions. That was my first introduction to Benefit.

My second introduction was recently when I had my eyebrows waxed and I pre-purchased Big Easy Complexion Cream. Since I did not work today, I will be picking this up tomorrow from the Sutter St. Benefit Team. I'm super excited to receive this and all of the goodies that will be coming my way. 

Well, last Sunday Sephora in Union Square was hosting an event. I have no idea what it was. I just happened to stop by on my way home from work and was entered into a raffle and I won the raffle!!!! Yea!!!!! The raffle prize was a goodie bag full of Primers that Benefit offers along with other delectables. Yea!!!!

So my prize included Stay Flawless 15 hour Primer, Porefessional Pro Balm, That Gal Brightening Cream, Porefessional Agent Zero Shine and Sugarbomb Ultra Plush Lip Gloss. I was actually looking at the Stay Flawless Primer and Agent Zero shine and almost bought them but decided to hold off to see if a sample was included in my gift bag with my Big Easy purchase. Guess what! Instead I won a full size one in my raffle.

I used the Stay Flawless today with my makeup. What you do is apply the Stay Flawless Primer to your already moisturized face then add your foundation and blend it. I use a powder foundation but once I get my new Big Easy Complexion Cream, I'm going to try it with that. This primer is going to be the heaviest out of the three because it is a tackier primer that holds your makeup onto your face. My makeup did feel a little heavy when I used Stay Flawless but them I didn't notice it at all. I do think my makeup lasted better. Usually around the middle of the day when I've been working for 6 hours running around serving coffee I feel like I start to look a little drab. Today I was fresh faced all day. 

The Porefessional Pro Balm is a primer I was already familiar with. The Porefessional Pro Balm is a cream you can apply to your T-Zone, cheeks and under your eyes to diminish the appearance of your pores and fine wrinkles. My pores are actually pretty small and the wrinkles haven't started yet so I can't really tell your how it would work on really troublesome pores but I can tell you that it feels very soft and silky when you put it on and has a wonderful scent. It is an oil free product and I think it helps to control the oil that may appear in my T-Zone. Plus it makes my skin feel so soft and delicate.

"That Gal" Brightening Face Primer is a primer that helps to boost dull, dry skin. It is another lightweight cream primer that does add some life to your skin without being a shimmer. I like it because it also has a nice fruity scent. I plan on wearing this tomorrow with my makeup.

I haven't quite concluded which is my favorite of the three primers. I really love how the Porefessional feels but I love how That Gal makes my skin look. The Stay Flawless 15 Hour Primer seems like the most heavy duty of the three and would probably be great for when I work since I don't have time to touch up my makeup. They are all really awesome and I don't dislike any of them.

The Porefession Agent Zero Shine is a really great powder to help set your makeup while controlling oil all day. This is going to give your face a matte look and I'm guessing works really well with the Porefessional Pro Balm. I am also looking forward to using this product tomorrow when I put on my makeup.

Last is the Sugarbomb Ultra Plush Lip Gloss. This is another product I already had because I received a small tube in one of my monthly beauty boxes. This gloss is super shiny and soft but unlike other high shine lip glosses it is not very heavy and sticky. I personally like that because it feels like fancy lip balm and not some glue on my lips that my hair will stick too.

Well, there you have it. I'm starting to think Benefit and I were fated to be together and I am enjoying every second of it. Can't wait to see what comes with my Big Easy Gift tomorrow.

Birchbox and Ipsy February 2014

I'm so excited because it is my favorite time of the month again- Birchbox and Ipsy time. For anyone who does not know what these are yet, Birchbox and Ipsy are monthly subscription boxes contain deluxe samples and full size beauty products. They both have a profile you fill out so you get a box customized for you but Birchbox is more all around beauty products compared to Ipsy that is makeup based. Both are very reasonably priced at $10.00 each and I have been really happy with what I have been getting in my boxes. 

Now as tempting as it is to see what is coming to me in my box ahead of time, I have actually shown some restraint and resisted the urge to look and I honestly have no idea what is on the inside. 

I'm going to start with my Birchbox. So I have just opened it up and my first impression is I'm very surprised at how sloppy my box looks. The pink tissue paper is crinkled and torn and my card is bent. I've had Birchbox for 6 months and the box always looks very professionally put together so this presentation is not the norm for them and hopefully this is just a fluke.

Now onto the good stuff, what's inside. First up is the Agave Healing Oil Hair Treatment. 

This is an oil that your apply to your hair after you have taken a shower and it will help condition and tame your hair. I already use styling products for this very thing so it is going to be exciting to try this one and see how it compares. I just put this on my hair and the smell is amazing. It smells like a tropical fruit smoothie and cotton candy. I don't know how but it smells so good. This is a product that a little goes a long way so I only used a dime amount since I have really thick hair. I really think I'm going to buy this because my hair is so soft right now. This stuff is really amazing. I think it might be worth the splurge.

Next in my box is the Refresh Cleanser. 

The sample size for this is huge (2 oz) so this will give me an opportunity to use it for at least a week and see how much I like it. So after using this cleaner once I have noticed a few things. You don't have to use a lot at all to clean your face. The smell is divine. It is lavender so you get a nice little bit of aromatherapy there. It lathers up really nicely and my skin feels very clean but not tight. I am a little worried that it might dry my face out but I just followed up with La Mer Oil Absorbing Lotion (big thanks to my roommate for getting that for me).

I'm really happy I got the OPI top coat in my Birchbox this month. 

I've got a few polishes that are either too glittery or just not my color so this is something I can use with my existing colors. I also was in Walgreen's this afternoon looking at top coats and debating. I have a nail polish by Essie (Tart Deco) that I love but it chips so easily. I'm hoping this does the trick to make it last longer. The top coats feels really this when I apply it to my nail (over my existing polish) but it dries quickly and feels sturdy. The true test will be the test of time. 

The last two items come from Smashbox and will work together. 

The first is Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara. I wear mascara everyday and unfortunately have been very disappointed with the mascara I just bought. My first impression of this mascara is that the brush is very sturdy and has lots of bristles. I feel like this is going to give me more control in the application process and really make my eyes pop. The color itself is jet black so it should be pretty bold and dramatic. 

The Smashbox Full Exposure Eye Shadows are all nudes but the top row is the glittery shadows and the bottom rows are more wearable during the day. The colors are really nice and I think that black is going to be awesome as an eyeliner.

Looking past the initial reaction to the sloppiness of the box, I am happy with everything I got. The eye shadows are a little lame because I would prefer to at least get a few days to test them out rather than one time but the other items elevate the box, especially the mascara. All in all, Birchbox is still doing a great job with the box and their online videos.

Next is my Ipsy box. This is the box that is more geared towards makeup.  Who knows, I might get those eye shadows I want. 

The theme for my Ipsy box is The Look of Love, so this one is very girly. First, everything comes in a travel bag that is usually very cute. This one is very plain and just a little pink bag. I've gotten a bunch in the past that I still use so this one I might just give to a friend. 

Also, the item that popped out the most to me is the Pop Beauty Fuchsia Freesia lip gloss. 

For whatever reason, I keep getting fuchsia lip glosses and I hate the color fuchsia. Look at all these fuchsia lipsticks I have received and I know I have more in my bedroom.

This is just not a color that I can pull off. I will say this particular fuchsia is not as bright so I will give it a go one night. The lip gloss package is great. It's not round so you have some leverage if you are having trouble opening it and the lid has a velvety texture. The gloss itself feels great on my lips and is super smooth and glossy. The wish the applicator tip was a little sturdier and had a slant to it for easier application but at least its not a super flimsy brush.

I also got some more nail polish from Zoya called Dot. It is a cotton candy pink color. I'm going to have to save my impressions on how this works for a couple of days because I just got a manicure but I think this would be a great color for a classic french manicure.

Eyelashes? J. Cat Eyelashes. I've never worn them before and couldn't even begin to tell you how to put them on but it seems like a good idea to have a pair of backup lashes. 

To go with my eyelashes is Violette Eyetini Cordial Cream Shadow and Base. This is a pretty glittery purple color and I can definately find something to wear this color with. I have a few other purples that I can build onto it with.

Last if a little treat for the New Year, a face mask. This is by Skyn Iceland and has two parts, blue clay and activating gel. I've never used a mask with two parts but this is supposed to be the solution for stressed skin.

So this month was an interesting month. The winner by a long shot is my Birchbox. I really want to buy the Agave Hair Oil. I can't touching my hair and feeling how soft it is. Plus I'm excited about the face wash, the top coat and the mascara. I need to learn to love a bright lip and embrace the fuchsia. I also had some fun with the pink nail polish and added dots over the Tart Deco. Cheers!

Benefit's New Big Easy Multi-Balencing Complexion Perfector

 

 

Hey there everyone!!! Hope you have are having a good evening. I'm having a great evening. After work today I decided to be a little self indulgent and stop by the Benefit store next to my work. For anyone that is not familiar, Benefit is a San Francisco based cosmetic company that wants make-up to be fun and accessible to everyone.

Now I'm not a make-up expert in any way, shape or form. Everything I wear on my face is simple and can be applied in under 10 minutes. I honestly think I spend more time making coffee in the morning than I do on make-up. But, back to my story, I was passing by the Benefit shop today and the sign out front caught my eye. It was advertising their response to a BB cream with something they claim is better than a BB cream called the Big Easy. I've heard about BB creams before and I heard they are really great for your skin but the few I have tried have felt very heavy to me on my face. Well, on the sign it said:

Beauty balancing act! 

• Balances moisture & controls oil
• Self adjusts on skin to your exact shade
• Perfects & evens with liquid-to-powder finish
• Protects with broad spectrum SPF 35 to help prevent aging  

The thing that really brought me in was the liquid to powder finish. I've tried L'Oreal's Magic Nude before and really like it so I was curious how this new product compared and if it could deliver.

The girls in the store (262 Sutter St, SF go visit them!!!!) are all super nice. I walked in and was instantly greeted. Now I went in with a purpose so I got straight down to business and asked about the Big Easy. First they told me about the four benefits listed above and how excited they are to be releasing it. They applied some to my hand and then we sat down and they applied some to my face.

First they put some Moisture Prep Toning Lotion on my face and the It's Potent! Eye Cream . They did say that moisturizing is an important step before applying Big Easy. I actually really liked how the Moisture Prep felt. It was light, absorbed easily like a gel, and felt cool on my face. Then they applied the Big Easy. At first it did feel a bit heavy so I was a bit skeptical but then after a minute or so it did feel like powder and I couldn't tell I was wearing foundation. It definitely evened out and brightened up my complexion. The shade was also gorgeous. They used a #2 on my face and it blended beautifully on my skin. I'm actually really impressed by this product and so I made one of my vary rare specialty make-up purchases. Most of my make-up is drug store but when I find something that does a phenomenal job I will spend a little extra money.

Now the Big Easy is not released until February 18th, but if you preorder it for $38.00 you also get a gift bag with tons of goodies.  I'm definitely looking forward to the added bonus when I pick up my purchase. Thanks a bunch. Hope you enjoy!!!

Ipsy Glam Bag January 2014

It's my favorite time of the month!! It's time for my Ipsy Glam Bag to arrive.

I subscribe to three beauty subscriptions right now- Ipsy, Birchbox and beauty Box 5. Ipsy has been my favorite every single month without fail. As of right now, I have not received my January Birchbox but Ipsy is still my favorite right now.

First is the sample size of Elizabeth Mott Smooth Shadow in Penny. The color is amazing. It is super pigmented and would be great for a nighttime look. It is a gel based eye shadow pencil so applies to your skin really easily and is super soft. Finally it also has some great lasting power. I tend to rub my eyes a lot and it was able to withstand a day on my face. The shimmer in the pencil really helped to make my eyes pop and because it is gel based, I was able to easily blend it with my other shadows for more complex looks.

Since Ipsy is probably going through the crazy winter weather like the rest of us, their team was kind enough to include Malin + Goetz Mojito Lip Balm to soothe our dry, chapped lips. It is a lip gel that goes on super smooth, smells great and clings to your lips so you don't spend a ton of time having to reapply it. My lips feel so much softer and moisturized. The mojito is very subtle but quite lovely.

The next product I got was the Proactiv+ Mark Fading Pads. Basically all it consists of is a wipe that contains 2% Salicylic Acid. I used on of the pads but probably won't try anymore because it dried out my fave. I have some acne but I think my bigger problem is I have dry, sensitive skin and I don't think this product will be beneficial for me. I don't quite understand where the mark fading comes in because there are no other active ingredients besides the salicylic acid. I thought this was just for fighting pimples. Unfortunately this is not going to be a great review for the product because I don't really have the right skin type to truly try it out. I hope it worked for people who have used it but I just don't know.

For my hair, they sent me the Sexy Hair Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave in Conditioner. Try saying that three times fast. I have really think hair and in the wrong weather conditions it can also get really frizzy which is what this condition is made to fight. It has soy and cocoa in it and works best when applied to towel dried hair. It is a spray so when you use it, it has great, light coverage on your hair. After blow drying my hair, it feels super soft and light. I also like how natural it feels. I don't like feeling oily, heavy products in my hair and this product is fantastic. This spray is also formulated to protect color treated hair but since my hair is its natural color right now, I can't really speak to that aspect. This is a product that when I'm done with my sample, I'm going to go and buy myself a bottle to use at home.

My final product is one that I have used before so I was super happy to get a bigger sample. It is the Skiin Smoothing and Soothing Eye Cream. This is an eye cream that is made to reduce puffiness and combat wrinkles. I have been very lucky to not have a lot of wrinkles yet but as far as making the area under my eyes smoother and less puffy, I would say it works. The cream is very light weight and super easy to apply with your fingers. It is also very gentle and doesn't bother my eyes like some creams will do.

So there you have it. My review of my January 2014 Ipsy Box. I'm definitely another satisfied customer.