June Birchbox!

Haven't gotten to try anything in the box yet but I can already tell, this is one of my favorites!!

John Varvatos Star U.S.A. 1.7 oz
tili Bags Small Collection 1
Eyeko Fat Eye Stick
Likewise Facial Moisturizer + Sun Protectant SPF 50 Normal To Oily
Comodynes Self-Tanning Intensive
theBalm® cosmetics Stainiac

May Favorites

I dont have many new favorites this month but the ones I have, I LOVE!!

Maybelline Define-A-Brow in Medium Brown

Second time in my monthly favs. It lasts all day and perfectly defines my not to perfect brows. 

Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gioia

My hubby got this for me in FL and I LOVE it! I am a big fan of the mens Acqua Di Gio so it was a given that the female scent would be just great!

Maybelline Master Shape in Soft Brown

This was a favorite last month as well, love it for its waxy finish to hold my brows in place.

Joico K-Pak Revitaluxe Bio-Advanced Restorative Treatment

Smells amazing and will transform your hair in just the first use. This has won the medal of best hair product of the year. 

Dial Naturals Body Wash in Tangerine & Guava

Here is a product that totally surprised me. I bought it mostly for the yummy smell and cheap price but once I read the bottle, I discovered this is a great product for its price. It has 94% natural origin, no artificial dyes, hypoallergenic, no parabens, no added phthalates, biodegradable, 100% recyclable packaging and its not tested on out little animal friends! All for about $3! 

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer in Light

Lasts all day and doesnt make me look like an old hag by creasing under my eyes. It brightens so well and applies and blends effortlessly.

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream in Light/Medium

This has its downside but the upsides outweigh the bad. Applies quick and easy and evens out my skin tone. Click HERE to see my review on it.

Im a HUGE television person so I thought I would include my favorite TV show of the month. 

The Firm: Its about a lawyer and his family who recently decided to leave Witness Protection and get themselves in some big trouble. It is one of THE BEST TV shows I have ever watched! Its like a movie in a TV show and I can not wait till the new season. The whole first season is free on HULU. Click HERE to watch. 

PRODUCTS I REGRET BUYING - PART 1

So, we all have them. Those products that you bought hoping they would make it to the front row of your beauty closet shelf, but end up somewhere towards the back with the extra q-tips and old cans of hairspray. Yep, Im talking about he products we wish we had never bought! Even with researching products before I buy them or taking a friends recommendation, I often come across a lot of products I just don't like, and I believe that this list is just as important as the the list of products we love. So here goes, the pesky list of products that in my opinion....suck! 


WEN Cleansing Conditioner
This is one of those products I did TONS of research on before I purchased, but with so many hair types out there, you never really know how a product will work for you until you try it for yourself. 
Product Description:Wen® Cleansing Conditioner is a revolutionary new concept in hair care. A 5-in-1 formula, this one product takes the place of your shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, detangler and leave-in conditioner. It cleanses hair thoroughly but without lathering and all the harsh ingredients that may be found in ordinary shampoos—it is designed so it won't strip your hair and scalp of their natural oils. Your hair is left with sheen, moisture, manageability and better color retention.
My Hair Type: I have very thin straight hair, I have to wash it every day or at least every other day. Anything longer then that and I will look like a hot mess! 
My Experience: I LOVED this product at first, but by the second week I had to stop using it because my hair was weighed down and dull looking. It wasn't stripping the moisture from my hair but it also wasnt cleaning it! It may be healthy for your hair but after a while my hair felt dirty. It's also very expensive and requires you to use a VERY large amount of product each time.




OPI Shatter Nail Polish
Now here is a product with a great concept but terrible execution. I gave into the hype in this one and was greatly disappointed.
Product Description: A revolutionary new color that creates a shattered effect when applied over dry lacquer.
My Experience: The finished look looks cool, but it's a pain in the butt to try to get the perfect coat when the product is so thick that it makes it difficult to apply it properly and it doesn't help that the brush is so big you cant get the corners of your nails painted. Thats not even the worst part, I tried to use this product a few weeks after i bought it and I was so PISSED to find out it was completely dried out in the bottle. I pulled out the brush and it was hard and unusable. $10 out the window! 








St. Ives Naturally Clear Apricot Cleanser
I never had a problem with any of St. Ives products, but this one just didn't do it for me.
Product Description: This cleanser, with natural microbeads and apricot extracts, controls oil and fights blemishes without over drying the skin.
My Experience:  There was nothing technically wrong with this one, it is mostly personal preference. I did not like the smell of this product at all! Every time I used it I would hold my breath so I didnt have to smell it. Its not a terrible smell but it wasnt fresh or perfume like. The other thing I didnt like was the texture, it was so lotion-like and the beads were barley noticeable. I like to feel like a product is working and the lotion-like texture made me feel like it wasn't doing any cleaning at all.   






e.l.f Essentials Liquid Eyeliner
e.l.f is a brand that has both hits and misses. Luckily, all their products are so affordable that it makes the trial and error process less damaging to our wallets. 
Product Description: No more tugging or pulling on your eyelids with this easy glide Liquid Eyeliner. The smudge-proof liner is rich in color, creating a long lasting defined look. The fine tip brush creates easy and precise definition for natural or dramatic eye effects.
My Experience: Two words...Smudgy Mess! The formula is the only problem to me with this product. The brush applicator is amazing and makes winged liner so easy, the bottles are cute, the color options are great and its only $1! But the formula, terrible! It smears and has no longevity at all. I have tried using it will primer, without primer, setting it with powder and not setting it with powder, nothing seems to keep it on my eyes long enough without smudging all over the place.






Joico K-PAK Deep Penetrating Reconstructor
A few months ago I received the Joico RevitaLuxe Bio-Advanced Restorative Treatment in either my Birchbox or Beauty Army box and it quickly became he BEST hair product I had ever used. So when I saw they carried the Joico line at CVS, I decided to try the Deep Penetrating Reconstructor (because they didnt have the RevitaLuxe Bio-Advanced Restorative Treatment) thinking it would be just as great, I was wrong. 
Product Description: K-PAK Reconstructor contains the highest amount of Quadramine Complex than any other product in the Joico family. Hair is left shiny, strong and in a healthy, manageable state.
K-PAK Reconstructor results in an immediately noticeable difference in strength, texture and appearance.
My Experience: First of all, for about $25, I expected this product to be great. Second, it just doesn't work well to detangle my hair. I use it as a substitute for conditioner and once Im out of the shower, I cant get a brush through my hair. Maybe Im comparing it to closely to the RevitaLuxe Bio-Advanced Restorative Treatment? Maybe I need to use a conditioner afterwards? All I know is that I would not repurchase it.






Garnier Fructis Triple Nurition Nutrient Spray
I had seen this spray on a few Youtube videos so I wanted to try it. 
Product Description:Transform your hair with the most intense nourishment yet from the Triple Nutrition Nutrient Spray Nourishes hair to the core. Hair shines from within. FORTIFIED FRUIT SCIENCE 3 Nutritive Fruit Weightless Oils: Olive, Avocado and Shea.
My Experience: I really didn't notice any difference at all. Its like Im spraying my hair with water. Maybe in the long run it will make a difference in my hair but Im the type of girl who likes immediate results and I just didn't get any with this.

What are some products you regret buying?

LOVE THIS!!

Florida Fun

I was so excited to be able to see my family in Florida a few weeks ago. I wish I could have stayed longer then a week because there was so much I didnt get to do and so many people I didnt get to see. It rained everyday I was there so I only got to spend about 3 hours at the beach lol. While I was there I attended my cousins wedding, got to see my uncle that came in from Brazil, and got to spend alot to time with my husbands family that we didnt get to see the last time we were there. Most of our vacation was spent with family, bouncing from house to house and having dinner at every single house! We are all brazilian so...we like food! Needless to say I gained back the 10lbs I lost prior to going to FL =0(. I got to do a little shopping while I was there (not as much as I wanted), there is an AMAZING shoe store there that we always hit up when we are in town. All in all, it was a great trip! I have a beautiful family that I love with all my heart and love getting to spend time with them!

OHHH...on our way back, we were sitting in the airport waiting to board the plain and all of a sudden we see police, firefighters and HAZMAT crew with masks telling us we have to evacuate! We were so freaked out as hundreds of people were escorted to the tarmac where we waited about 3 hours before we had to go through security again and finally bored our flight! Turns out there was an aerosol can that exploded and 5 people reported having difficulty breathing and were sent to the hospital. Crazy! At least I got to see Reggie Bush who was trying to hide in he corner while we were all on the tarmac lol

REVIEW: Garnier Skin Renewal Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream

Product Description
Garnier Skin Renewal Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream is the first BB Cream to hit drugstore shelves. It is a multi-benefit product that combines intense moisturizing skincare and immediate skin perfecting coverage. 


Claims
To correct, brighten, even skin tone, provide UV protection and hydrate for 24 hours, all in one easy to use product.


Packaging
I think the packaging is great. It's flip top is just as easy to use as a pump would be and I like that the product dispenses from the bottom so I never have to deal with the "ketchup bottle" problem when the bottle is almost empty.


Smell
It has a nice scent to it, a light perfume/fresh scent. Nothing overpowering or that lingers after you apply it.


Consistency
It feels a lot like a lotion, not to thick and not watery or runny. That's what makes it so easy to apply, because its so smooth, it just glides right on.


Coverage
The coverage is very light, it wont cover a pimple but it will even out your skin tone. It claims to brighten you skin and it does, but beware of pictures because the UV protection elements of the product will make you look WHITE in photos! So be sure to bronze it up if you plan on taking pics.  


Longevity
I have oily skin so the longevity of this product will vary depending on your skin type. I do lightly set my face with powder but in about 2 hours, my face does get shiny and if I touch my face, the product will smear and rub off on my hands or clothes. I don't mind this to much because I love how easy it is to apply every morning when im in a hurry. All I do is blot my face and reapply some light powder. If you want something that will last you the day without retouching and you have oily skin, this is not for you.


Price
At about $13 at CVS, I think it is in a great price range since I do use this product on an everyday basis. Most drugstore foundations run around this price range.


Skin Type
I have oily skin so most foundations I use will start breaking down within a few hours. This one breaks down fairly quicker then my full coverage because it is so moisturizing and has a dewier finish unlike my matte foundations.

How It Applies
This is my go to face product because of this very reason! It applies SO easily and blends effortlessly! Im always in a hurry to get out the door in the morning so it only takes me a few seconds to apply. 


This has quickly become one of my favorite products. It does have its drawbacks because of my skin type but it doesn't bother me to much.  I have seen both positive and negative reviews on this product but I believe it all depends on what your skin type is and what you are looking for in a product. If you want long wearing, full coverage, this is not for you.


Have you tried Garnier BB Cream? What did you think?

May Little Black Bag!

Here is is! My SECOND Little Black Bag! This time I was smart enough to trade for a little longer and really be patient in order to get items I really wanted. For the full trading period, I was so addicted to checking my LBB page to see if I got any offers or trades lol. I am pretty happy with the items I got this month, what do you think?

If you haven't heard of Little Black Bag, it is a monthly subscription in which you get to select designer products like purses, jewelry, makeup, and home goods, all for up to 70% off, and you get them delivered to you every month for $49.95 (plus tax in some states). Now, the interesting thing about this service is that you get to select your first item and, based on your profile quiz, the "stylists" will select the other products for you. If you are unhappy with the items you are given, you can then trade with other people until you are fully satisfied with what you have or until the 7 days of trading is up. So basically.....

If you are still a little confused or have any questions, click HERE to take a look at their FAQ's

Click here to see my first Little Black Bag

BCBGMAXAZRIA Ribbon Watch

'ZAD Spike Necklace

'ZAD Pastel Bead Fringe Necklace

SIGN UP TODAY!!