{Ipsy} Beauty Schooled

Posted on August 24, 2014 by NinjaInTheCity

“Learn the rules, so that you can break them. This month, you’ll discover that you’ll never stop learning – especially, when it comes to the world of beauty. With everything from styling skills, application techniques, to channeling your inner confidence and uniqueness… With the help of ipsy and your August Glam Bag, you’re about to get “schooled.”

School? I haven’t been to school for over eight years. Then again I could stand to learn a few beauty tricks. I am always looking to switch up my beauty routine in preparation of dreaded winter skin. The August bag reminds me of a pencil case and the polka dot pattern is to die for cute. I am a fan of the color orange and polka dots so its right up my alley.

Beauty Schooled

“What did you get in your Beauty Schooled Bag?” Oh! I am so glad you asked! Let’s un-bag it and find out!

Dr. Brandt – Pores No More Pore Refiner: is a quick fix for flawless, photo-ready skin. It is the miracle base to create the perfect skin canvas for long-lasting makeup and well-preserved skin.
—————–> I’ve got one word to describe this product and that is “brilliant.” It does exactly as they claim and it left my skin looking flawless.

Urban Decay – Perversion Mascara: Bigger. Blacker. Badder. Urban Decay’s ultra-creamy, lengthening and volumizing mascara features triple-black pigments and a deeply nourishing ingredient blend. Perversion Mascara gets you sexy in one stroke, yet it won’t quit until you say when.

J. Cat Beauty – Flying Solo Eye Shadow in Half Naked: The high-quality formula and texture can be worn wet or dry. Each shadow opens up to reveal a mini mirror and applicator, making this shadow perfect whether at home or on the go!
————-> I love the versatile color that has the perfect amount of shimmer. J. Cat Beauty is a great formula that covers well and holds up to whatever your day brings.

Jersey Shore Sun – Mongongo Lip Conditioner: offers a unique protection from UV and environmental pollutants in skin applications. Mongongo oil is rich in calcium, magnesium, zinc, cooper and anti-oxidants.

Klorane – Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk: gently revives hair, ridding it of excess dirt, oil, build-up and odor while leaving hair soft, clean and full of volume.
————–> I was super excited to receive this product in my glam bag this month. My excitement was short lived when I glimpsed at the ingredients. The first two ingredients listed on the label are “Butane and Propane.” Not to mention there is a “highly flammable” symbol to the right of the ingredients. Last time I checked butane an propane have no benefit to hair or let alone skin. Just imagine what these chemicals are doing to your scalp and worse your brain. I was going to give this product a whirl on my upcoming camping trip, that is until I had visions of a spark hitting my head followed by me going up like a roman candle. This is not dry shampoo it is a fire starter. I urge all of you to not use this product as it has no benefits, other than damaging your health with terrible chemicals.

My August glam bag was a big miss the only things I really liked were the Dr. Brandt, J. Cat, and the lip balm. I have enough mascara samples to tied me over and the Urban Decay was nothing to write home about. I am still taking the dry shampoo on my trip, however it will be sprayed on wet wood to assist in getting the fire started.

Do you want an Ipsy Glam Bag of your very own? Well then, for $10 a month (shipping is free) you will receive a Glam Bag filled with deluxe samples and full-sized beauty products. Members can watch and play along with the stylists with the same products that they are using. If you want a bag of your very own or more information please visit http://www.ipsy.com/r/1w1i Trust me you will be glad you did!

***I was no compensated for my post. Opinions are my own***

{BirchBox) for CEW – Mass Appeal Box 2014

Posted on August 15, 2014 by NinjaInTheCity

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your drugstore’s beauty aisle offerings, here’s something to help you cut through the clutter: the Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) Insiders’ Choice Beauty Awards. Dubbed “the Oscars of the beauty world,” this annual event gathers over 6,000 industry pros to vote on the year’s best and brightest products. Every all-star in this box was a finalist in this year’s awards.

The CEW Mass Appeal Limited Edition box is packed with the best-in-class products from this year’s finalist brands. The box features mass market brands, that once you’ve fallen in love, you can hop on over to your local drug store/mass retailer to stock up. As soon as I got word of the CEW box I knew I had to have it.

BirchBox for CEW – Mass Appeal Box

Burt’s Bees – 100% natural lip Gloss in Spring Splendor: This nourishing gloss offers pearly-pink color and shine.
———————-> I was stoked to see Burt’s Bees in the box and I happen to own a few of the glosses already. I love the color and it keeps my lips moist with a touch of shine.

Dove – Go Fresh Restore Body Wash: This gentle cleanser leaves skin soft and revitalized, with a fruity scent that will perk you right up.

L’Oreal Paris – Voluminous Butterfly Mascara: A silky formula, paired with a breakthrough volumizing brush, makes for gorgeously thick, winged-out lashes.
——————–> I all ready own this mascara, it was in the Target Box this spring. I like the formula and it does exactly what it claims to do.

Simple – Protecting Light Moisturizer with SPF 15: Gentle enough for sensitive skin, this oil-free, vitamin rich hydrator creates a lightweight shield against UVA and UVB rays.

TRESemme – Keratin Smooth Keratin Infusing Serum: This lightweight formula fights frizz for salon-rivaling sleekness and shine.

Vaseline – Lip Therapy Rosy Lips: this balm deeply moisturizes lips and adds a lovely rose tint.

This was a great box! As in 5 out of the 6 products featured are full-sized products. The cost of the Mass appeal box is $15.00 plus shipping. I used 20 BirchBox points and paid $0.00 for the box, I love getting things for free.

Birch Box is a beauty and lifestyle subscription box program that costs $10.00 per month. For every dollar you spend in the shop you can earn 1 point. 100 points will get you a free birch box or $10 towards a purchase in the shop at birchbox.com. I know you’ve got friends so why not refer those friends to Birch box and earn a few points for doing so. If you would like to learn more and get a Birch Box of your very own go to http://www.birchbox.com for more information.

***I was not compensated for this post. Opinions are my own***

{BirchBox} The EveryGirl Box

Posted on August 15, 2014 by NinjaInTheCity

“Between low starting salaries and skyrocketing rent, there is rarely extra cash in our bank accounts to treat ourselves to the finer things. But that doesn’t mean we’re going to forgo treating ourselves to life’s little luxuries. That’s why The EveryGirl has teamed up with BirchBox to create a special collection of affordable beauty essentials.”

In July BirchBox allowed us to pick one product for our box and the rest would be left up to fate. The August selection window allowed us to pick from several products or you could select The EveryGirl Box. The EveryGirl Box includes samples from affordable luxury brands. The full-sized version of each sample will run you $35.00 or less. Which is amazing, seeing how all of us, well most of us are budget conscious these days. The selection window did not go without a hitch, once again we broke the website. I needed to have an EveryGirl Box in my life and when the website failed me, I took to the phone. I was on hold for about 20 minutes and was able to snag one of the last remaining boxes.

Let’s Break into The August 2014 EveryGirl Box!”

The EveryGirl Box 2014

Number 4 – Super Comb Prep & Protect: A Sulfate free leave in conditioner that safeguards color, strengthens, and nourishes hair. Full-size $32.00

Benefit Cosmetics – They’re Real! Push-Up Liner: Innovative gel liner pen that hugs the lash line and easily smooths on a waterproof swoop. Full-sized $24.00

Acure Organics – Brightening Facial Scrub: Paraben-free, botanical-rich cleanser that gently exfoliates and boosts skin’s radiance. Full-sized $14.99
———————–> I used the scrub last night and it is AMAZING! It left my skin baby smooth and dewy. I am totally going to buy the full-sized version.

Harvey Prince – Hello: Best-selling spritz that mingles cheerful citrus with floral notes. Full-sized $26.00
———————–> I have read so many reviews about Hello, a lot of women are stating that it is crisp and fresh. They are absolutely correct! I had a hard time getting my first spritz out of the sample and ended up spraying the manhuman in the face. On the bright side he smelled crisp and fresh. Hello is the perfect summery scent.

Not Soap, Radio – Happiness Inducing Body Wash: This aromatherapeutic cleanser will brighten your outlook while you lather. Paraben-free. Full-sized $16.00
——————-> This product is the reason why I chose The EveryGirl box! I am a huge fan of anything lemon scented and this, this definitely fits the bill! Its like you are bathing with a lemon. You can’t help but smile while lathering up. As soon as this product is in stock, I am going to buy it from the BirchBox shop.

This was a great box and I love that all of the products are actually very affordable.

***I was not compensated for this post. Opinions are my own***

{Ipsy} Sensationally Sun Kissed

Posted on July 26, 2014 by NinjaInTheCity

Here comes the sun and a Glam Bag full of beauty products so good that even the sun would worship it. There isn’t a gray cloud in sight this summer as we give you an amazing selection of brands and products fit to help keep you looking your best during summer’s brightest days and warm long nights.

Yay! Summer is finally here. Well actually its been god awful hot as of late and I have been taking cover with the dog in my air conditioned apartment. We don’t do the sweltering heat. The heat index wasn’t the only thing on the rise this month, women were complaining about the products before they even got them. Ipsy included a tanning oil in this months bag and apparently this very item upset a lot of women and caused them to take to social media. The internet was filled with comments of how it wasn’t cool to send out a tanning oil. My thing is this “Just cause they send it to you, doesn’t mean you need to use it.” I happened to be in the market for a tanning oil and was glad to get it in my bag. Next month I plan on getting my tan on down in The Dells.

Enough about Tan Oil Gate, lets unzip this bag and discover what’s inside!

Sensationally Sun Kissed

Sensationally Sun Kissed – July 2014

bareMinerals 5-in-1 BB Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow Broad Spectrum SPF 15: Meet the next generation in eyeshadow: creamy, long-wearing color meets exceptional skincare benefits and broad spectrum SPF protection. Chock-full of skin-loving ingredients, this breakthrough product delivers 5 benefits in one luxurious formula:
1.) 12-hour long-wearing color 2.) Super-charged primer 3.) Powerful brightening benefits 4.) Smoothes fine lines 5.) Protects with SPF

Hang Ten Dark Tanning Oil SPF 08: Highlight your healthy glow with our organically indulgent dark tanning oil. Rich in vitamins, antioxidants, & exotic plant extracts. Tan naturally!

Pixi Beauty Mini Tinted Brilliance Balm in Pretty Pink: Packed with lip-loving ingredients, this glossy gel balm protects & hydates lips instantly. After the balm wears off, lips are left tinted with a flattering, personalized hue just for you (color & intensity depends on pH level of lips).

POP Beauty Sunkissed Bronzer: This radiance enhancing bronze glow delivers a soft honey beamed hue, adding warmth and a sun-kissed lift to your complexion. With added vitamin E.

Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Beach Spray Conditioning & Texturizing Spray: Creates beachy undone texture that looks and feels like you’ve spent a day at the beach. Contains argan oil which helps nourish, protect and heal hair damage.

This months Ipsy bag was a miss for me. I only liked the Pixi lip balm and will be using the Hang 10 tanning oil. The Eyeshadow was just not my shade. I am not a fan of bronzers, so I will be gifting the Pop to a friend. Sea salt texture sprays seem to be all the rage these days, however when your hair resembles Shirley Temple’s, I am pretty certain its not meant for you. I have Shirley Temple curls, frizz is my enemy and this product doesn’t help with that.

***I was no compensated for my post. Opinions are my own***

{BirchBox} POWER UP

Posted on July 26, 2014 by NinjaInTheCity

BirchBox teamed up with Women’s Health Magazine to bring us July’s Power Up box. There aim was to amp up our summer, starting with your beauty stash. Get ready to discover products that will boost your routine—and your confidence too. Every box came with a mini magazine of 12 bite-sized challenges to inspire us to make positive changes. The magazine and box were super cute this month.

BirchBox did something out of the ordinary for the month of July. In late June we received word that we would be able to make a choice. Yes, you read that right, BirchBox allowed us to pick one of our samples. One could choose between a Ruffian polish or a Cynthia Rowley lip gloss. We even got to choose the color we wanted. This did not go down without a hitch, the website broke a few times, but with a little determination one was able to get through. I decided to add on the Ruffian polish and by the time I got the site to work the only color left was Ambrosia. I was happy with that color, so I clicked select and let the internet gods take over.

In addition to the product choice we were able to upgrade our boxes with a BirchBox Plus item. BirchBox has had this option for a while now, I just never did it until this month. There were three items for us to chose from ranging in price from $13.00 to $36.00. I chose to add on the Coloud Pop tangle free headphones. BirchBox makes it seem like the add on product will be included in the same box as your monthly samples. This isn’t so it actually ships separately. I had to call BirchBox and email, because I did not receive mine. It turns out they never sent them out. Luckily they still had some in stock and shipped them right on out to me. The cost of the plus items is in addition to the cost of the box, so you are looking at $10 + the cost of your plus item.

Now let’s power up and unbox this thing!

POWER UP

Power UP – July 2014

Caudalie – Divine Oil: an antioxidant-rich blend that naturally nourishes and softens skin, cuticles and even hair.

Costal Scents – Revealed 2 Eye Shadow Paette in Ballerina: From the just launched palette, these matte and shimmery shades will have you tickled pink.
——————–> OMG this sample is to die for cute. If a Mama Palette got together with a Daddy Palette, this adorable sample would be their baby! The colors I received a very versatile and are perfect for summer.

Ruffian – The Rapture Collection – in Ambrosia: streak-free metallic polish in a trendy summer-perfect shade.
——————-> I am in love with this color and the quality of he polish is darn right awesome. I only needed one coat and called it a day. Now my toes are styling in a metallic hue.

St. Tropez Tan Self Tan Bronzing Lotion Face: Multitasking, lightweight lotion hydrates and leaves beautifully bronzed glow.

Wish – Shave Crave Shaving Cream in Acia Grapefruit: A shea butter-packed shaving cream.
——————> All I gotta say is, this isn’t no coochie cream. I am a coochie cream fan girl for life! However the size of this sample is perfect for travel, its just a girl needs a little coochie on her legs and not a wish!

Every box came with a mailer card for 10 free issues of Women’s Health Magazine a $9.99 value. If you did not want the magazine you could return the card with your proof of purchase and they will issue a refund. Basically if you choose to opt out of the 10 issue subscription, you will get $10 back, which makes your July Box free. I chose to get the magazine, 1. because I actually like reading it and usually buy it while I am standing in line at Target, and 2. Its free, I don’t pass up free things!

I hands down loved my July box. Everything except the Ruffian polish was a new to me brand and that is exactly why I love BirchBox. I get to try products before I hunk down a wad of cash for the full-sized item. Not to mention I earn points for taking a few minutes and posting product reviews to their site.

***I was not compensated for this post. Opinions are my own***

{BirchBox & Ipsy} Girls Be Bitchin

Posted on July 12, 2014 by NinjaInTheCity

As you know I love a good subscription box or bag, hell I like any mail that isn’t demanding payment from me. For me BirchBox and Ipsy allow me to explore the beauty market place and try new things before I hunk down a chunk of cash for the full-sized product. How often do you get to try before you buy? Not that often, especially when it comes to men……. I kid, I kid. BirchBox and Ipsy have essentially the same concept, they send you a box/bag full of deluxe sized samples or sometimes full-sized products to try in the comfort of your own bathroom. I don’t know bout you but that is where I try mine out, my mirror lives in the bathroom, so ya know I gotta go where the mirror is. Cause it sure as hell isn’t jumping off the wall and coming to me.

All humor aside. While riding the 7:15 am #4B into work, I became irritated by how entitled and ungrateful BirchBox and Ipsy subscribers are. Each month Ipsy opens the “glam room” it allows subscribers to see what is coming in their bag that month. BirchBox does the same thing, you can unlock your box after it ships to see its contents before it arrives at your door. I like, love this concept, 1. I get to see what’s coming and I get super excited and start stalking my packages online. 2. I hate surprises and I like knowing what will be arriving. This concept is a great thing and it is also a horrible ugly thing.

Why is it ugly? Girls are all over the internet bitchin about what is or isn’t in their boxes. First lets look into “Ipsy Gate.” It seems that with Ipsy every month subscribers complain about the quality of the product or the type of item they receive. February’s bag included a mini POP Plumping Lip Gloss, it came in two colors and it had a smell. We are not talking about the normal lip gloss smell, but apparently a very bad smell and some said it burned their lips. Facebook was full of the following posts:”I complained to Ipsy and now I am getting a full-sized Pop gloss to replace my stinky one.” Some women even double dipped by contacting both Pop Beauty and Ipsy ending up with 2 free full-sized glosses. Everyone likes free things, however when free is involved everyone should be honest.

People complained that May’s bag had too much skin care and very little makeup. Apparently Ipsy is supposed to be all makeup all the time. All makeup and no skin care, makes for terrible skin. I happened to love May’s Fresh Picks bag and enjoyed sampling new skin care products. Hey that shit isn’t cheap and if I can try it before I buy it, that’s a bonus. If the skin care complaints were boggling your mind things got even better, soon there were rumblings of broken Pacifica Eye shadow. Before you knew it everyone was complaining about receiving a broken shadow. I got the shadow and mine arrived in one solid piece. Just as before, Ipsy kindly sent out a replacement shadow. Its my understanding that you can apparently put the shadow back together again. Sort of like humpty dumpty. I’ve never done it, so I am not sure how it works.

Now lets look at “The BirchBox Scandal!” Woohooo everybody loves a good scandal! Hell I know I like the sound of the world scandal, that’s why I am using it. Every dang month, girls be bitchin “BirchBox you suck, you didn’t send me anything I wanted! I can’t use any of this! I’m canceling on you! Well, I would cancel but I like the points system, cause I can get free stuff in the BirchBox shop. Yea, I can, I just stay for the points.” <—– People actually say these things on BirchBox’s social media sites. I just laugh at them and usually make some snarky comment. You know because I am kind of snarky. Anyways it gets old really quick. I am not always happy with the Big "BB" yet I keep my unhappiness to myself and I don’t publicly blast them on their social media sites.

Well there was this one time where I did complain on the BirchBox Facebook page. But it was legit, they sent chocolate in my box and I am allergic to chocolate so I couldn't use anything in the box. But I complained in a nice way and through social media they prompted me to call in. So I did, their awesome customer service rep took care of me and hooked me up with a new chocolate free box. Concerns like the fore mentioned are legitimate concerns and should be brought to the company's attention.

Every month a new "Ipsy gate" and "BB Scandal" unfold in my social media feeds. One can literally pop themselves a bowl of popcorn, pour a glass of wine, sit back and read the drama. It's highly entertaining! I love how grown women throw hissy fits over receiving the wrong shade of makeup, tanning oil, hair products, and so on and so on. I am starting to believe that women think that the BirchBox and Ipsy warehouses are like Santa's workshop. You know a workshop filled with magical elves that can read our minds and that every girl in the world has her own personal elf that picks out amazing products just for her. Lady, its time to get real. There isn't a magic workshop and no one is pulling products just for you. It's a random system and they do their best to match products to what you put in your beauty profile. YOU signed yourself up for a sampling service and if you didn't properly read the fine print, then that's your own damn problem. There is no guarantee that you are going to get exactly want you want every month. No where in the fine print does it say "You will only get makeup in your glam bag." Nope I checked the site, it says you will get 5 beauty products in your bag. Same goes for BirchBox, you will get 4 to 6 deluxe sized samples each month and it does not mention that you will “only get makeup”. If you don't like a product, don't bitch about it, give it away or trade it away to someone who will love it.

You are not driving the beauty box bus here, you are just a passenger, and you should be grateful.

Why should you be grateful?
Its easy, you can afford a $10.00 box/bag each and every month, while someone out there can't. Stop and think about the following before you bitch about Ipsy and BirchBox: Think about the woman who is standing with her children at the grocery store cash register searching for just 10 more dollars so she doesn't have to ask the cashier to take something back. For her that is embarrassing and it breaks her heart knowing that her children will have a little less food on their plates. Think about the woman who walks miles to work, because she doesn't have $10.00 for gas. Think about the woman who searches the ground for spare change, because all she needs is another $10.00 to pick up her child's medication from the pharmacy. Think about them, think about their lives and you will see that your petty complaint is just another over-entitled first world problem.

{Ipsy} Pretty In Paradise – June 2014

Posted on June 27, 2014 by NinjaInTheCity

“Warm white sandy beaches or a café under a star filled night sky, being pretty in YOUR paradise is only a Glam Bag away. We picked products that are excellent for an extravagant getaway or a quintessential kit for a quick trip for some peace and quiet. What paradise is on your bucket list?”

Pretty in Paradise? Why yes I would like one please. Pretty in Paradise sounds like a tropical fruit filled umbrella drink that one would order at a tiki bar. My favorite beach destination in the world is Alghero Sardinia in the Mediterranean. The white sandy beaches are so incredibly soft and you will be swept away by the crystal clear blue waters. Not to mention topless sun bathing is a must do. What can I say my girls like a little bit of sun on a foreign beach every now and again.

My lack of paid time off keeps me from jetting off to Sardinia, so I will just have to dream of my paradise from afar. Luckily Ipsy sent me some really great products to assist me in my day dreaming abilities. My summer staple is little to no makeup, less is best and a little gloss will go a long way. From the beach, to the store, to the roof top patios your perfect shade will keep you looking fab.

Pretty In Paradise

Now let’s unlock this little bit of paradise in a bag!

Be A Bombshell Lash Out Mascara: A rich pigmented mascara with a lengthening formula that offers a multidimensional look.
—————————–> In all honesty my mascara smelled horrid. I didn’t try it because I couldn’t get past the smell.

NYX Butter Gloss – Apple Strudel: Buttery soft and silky smooth, the scrumptious new NYX Butter Lip Gloss tastes as sweet as a sugar cookie—and makes your lips look downright luscious.
—————————-> I own a few of the butter glosses and was so excited to receive another one in my glam bag. This is my go to gloss and I love that it’s not sticky or drying. My lips stay smooth and soft.

Dove Pure Care Dry Oil Nourishing Treatment with African Macadamia Oil: delivers 5x silkier hair*, without leaving it greasy or heavy.
———————————> I haven’t tried this out yet. It is on my to do list, I just keep on forgetting to grab it before I hit the shower.

Jesse’s Girl Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner: This true black liquid liner creates a bold, precise, ultra-fine line that’s both waterproof and smudge-proof. The unique, caligraphy-style brush allows you to create lines as thin as one millimeter!
———————————> I am not an eyeliner type of girl, so this little guy is going in the gift pile.

SKINN Olive & Enzyme Cleanser: is a natural based and gentle cleansing balm that: Dissolves dirt Removes makeup, Removes dead skin cells, Softens, smoothes and moisturizes skin.
—————————–> This sample is also on my to try list.

I am so ready to find a little bit of paradise this summer and one thing for sure is, “I will look good doing it!”

Do you want an Ipsy Glam Bag of your very own? Well the, for $10 a month (shipping is free) you will receive a Glam Bag filled with deluxe samples and full-sized beauty products. Members can watch and play along with the stylists with the same products that they are using. If you want a bag of your very own or more information please visit http://www.ipsy.com/r/1w1i Trust me you will be glad you did!

***I was no compensated for my post. Opinions are my own***

{BirchBox} Away We Go – June 2014

Posted on June 27, 2014 by NinjaInTheCity

Away We Go – June 2014 First Look

“Dust off your suitcase! This is the season for road-tripping, destination-hopping, and, of course, staycation-ing. That’s why we’re bringing you lots of travel-ready samples and on-the-go inspiration this month.”

Yay! Summertime has finally arrived in the Minnie apple and summertime is the perfect time to take a road trip. Minnesota is filled with so many fun things to do and see. Not to mention a few mythical characters and a giant ball of twine. An my all time favorite “Grand Rapids” the hometown of the one and only Judy Garland. If you claim to be a Wizard of Oz fanatic then you must go to Grad Rapids and visit the Judy Garand museum. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy we have over 10, 000 lakes and one of those is the largest of the great lakes. Duluth in the summer time is magical, the north shore is lined with waterfalls, lighthouses, and the famed witch tree. Minnesota summers are the reason we put up with nine months of winter. Our summers are the best hands down!

As you can tell I am in love with June’s theme and the idea of “away we go.” I will go anywhere as long as there is an adventure to be had and well as long as it won’t kill me. It never hurts to try new things and to visit new places. For me personally this is oh yes I am willing to finally call it “THE BEST BIRCHBOX TO DATE!!!” BirchBox finally got it right and sent me a slew of awesome products! I am in love with BirchBox for the first time in a long time.

Away We Go – June 2014

Benefit Cosmetics – They’re Real! Mascara: Kiss clumps goodbye—the smooth formula glides on easily, while the unique definition-enhancing brush lifts and separates each and every lash, even the tiny ones at the corners of your eyes.

Catherine Malandrino Fragrance: This multifaceted perfume has citrus top notes that open up to aromas of lush orange blossom, sweet jasmine, and fresh gardenia. The fragrance rounds out with hints of amber and musk, leaving behind a lovely blend that captures a flirty but refined mood.

Caudalie C15 Anti-Wrinkle Defense Serum: An oil-free antioxidant serum that evens out and plumps skin while preventing wrinkles.

Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo, Conditioner, and Ol All in One Milk: This strand-smoothing trio softens, detangles, and tames frizz for remarkably sleek locks.

Perlier Body Cream – Shea Almond: From the Italian skincare brand, this nourishing cream rehydrates sink for a silky finish.

***I was not compensated for this post. Opinions are my own***

{Influenster} Vow Vox Box 2014

Posted on June 27, 2014 by NinjaInTheCity

Everyone loves free stuff and especially when it is beauty/lifestyle type of stuff. I heard rumblings through the internet about this site called influenster and signed myself up. I never thought that I would be lucky enough to actually get free product, let alone an entire box full of free products. I received an email from influenster.com asking me to complete a simple survey for some upcoming campaigns. It took all of 10 minutes to complete and I sent if off. A few weeks later I got an email telling me that I was chosen for the Vow Vox box, a box for the bride to be.

I have no plans on getting married anytime soon, yet I was very excited to receive a box full of goodies in the mail. Then again Influenster claimed that the Vow Vox Box is for ‘brides, bridesmaids, mothers-of-the-bride, wedding guests, and wedding crashers of Influenster Nation!” Yippee I fit into that equation! Who needs to be a bride when you can sharpen your wedding crasher skills. So I totally crashed into this box.

“So what did you get in your Vow Vox Box?” Oh! I am so glad you asked! Let’s unbox it!

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure – in Barracuda: Don’t settle for just color when you can get a base coat, strengthener, growth treatment, and a chip resistant gel finish in one bottle.
———————> I am in love with this polish. It only took one coat of polish and my nails have yet to chip. Not to mention this shade of blue matches my Daddy’s 1982 Ford F150 short box with flair fenders perfectly.

Olay Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream: Fade the look of dark spots in just 8 weeks, its brightening complex delivers tone ingredients 10 layers deep into the skin’s surface to help reveal pearlescent skin.
———————-> The cost of the cream is on the higher end, it is $30.99 which is way above my skin care budget. So I am glad it came in my Vox box and I am impressed with it. My skin looks healthier and I love that it is a light weight non-greasy formula.

Pure Silk Moisturizing Shave Cream: with added alone and extra moisturizers that will keep your legs looking and feeling like pure silk.
———————-> The scent of the shave cream is nice and it left my legs feeling soft.

EcoTools Pure Complexion Sponge: is handmade with 100 percent natural ingredients, including Konjac* vegetable fiber, for a better clean that reveals smooth, refreshed skin. Just wet the sponge with water and add your favorite cleanser.
——————–> I am always on the lookout for environmentally conscious products and I am so glad this was included in the box. It made removing stubborn makeup a breeze and left my skin feeling soft. I will definitely be buying a few of these.

Tide to Go Pen: is the #1 instant stain remover and helps remove some of your toughest fresh food and drink stains.
——————-> Can we say genius! I have been privy to the Tide pen for years and hands down love it. I always have one in my purse, in the Prius, and in my desk drawer at work. It literally does what they claim and you don’t have to walk around with the awkward stain on your shirt.

Influenster put a lot of thought into the products and I think its great that they included something blue too. Any of the above mentioned products will come in handy on the big day. Plus if the bride or bridesmaid or a groomsmen gets a stain on their dress/tux you will be the super hero of the wedding when you whip out the Tide to Go Pen.

**Note: I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.**

IPSY Gone Wrong, Be A BombShell Should Be Ashamed

Posted on June 13, 2014 by NinjaInTheCity

Every month I eagerly await for the sneak peak posts, stalk my tracking number, and practically tackle my mail man when the shiny pink envelope arrives. I love Ipsy, it is such a fun concept and a great way to sample new products at an affordable price. For $10 a month one gets a whole lot of awesome in her monthly Ipsy Glam Bag. The typical bag contains 5 products, most of which are considered full-sized or deluxe sized samples. Ipsy has a lot of well known brands in there bags and a wide variety of products.

It seems that with each bag someone out there finds something to complain about. They don’t like the consistency of a product, fake eyelashes, the shade of a product, or as of late the scent. I’m not one to buy into the terrible product smell hype. I figure people complain so they can get something for free or to create an internet witch hunt. However this month, its not hype its actual truth.

The June Glam Bag contains a full-sized Be A Bombshell Lash Out Mascara and I was super excited when I saw the product in my Glam room. I could not wait for my bag to arrive and well my excitement was quickly dashed to disappointment. The mascara smells horrid, as in burn your nose hairs off horrid. The scent thou extremely unpleasant was very familiar to me. Along MN highway 52 sits a fuel refinery called “Pine Bend.” I literally felt like I was in my Prius with the windows down driving by the refinery. I don’t need to go for a drive, I just pull of the damn cap to smell the refinery.

What gets me is this, I understand that somehow Ipsy is able to provide this service to us for $10 a month. I am sure they work out deals with companies to obtain full-sized products at a good value without taking a profit loss. I think its great, especially since Ipsy is a woman owned company out of San Francisco. However I am not down with putting the health of your customers at risk. Something tells me that the Be A Bombshell Lash Out Mascara did not pass their quality control departments test and they were left with a foul smelling product that they could not sell. Everyone loves a profit so I am sure they sold it to Ipsy for less than it was worth just so they could wash their hands of the bad batch.

Facebook was swirling with reports of horribly scented Be A Bombshell product and soon enough they posted a response on their company Facebook page. This response is complete Bull Shit, as in how do you expect your consumer to put foul smelling mascara on their eyelashes. Some women have reported a burning sensation on their eyelids when they applied the Be A Bombshell Mascara that they received in the Ipsy bag. Yet as a company they are claiming that the horrible smell is completely normal and that they chose to leave the fragrance out. Or maybe the fragrance was simply forgotten to be added into this batch and they knew there would be backlash if they sold it to consumers. So instead of selling it to a consumer, they found a company to buy it and that company could take the blame for the bad product. When a problem occurs we always go back to the source to get resolution, in this case Ipsy is our source. Ipsy is getting the brunt of the backlash while Be A Bombshell is washing their hands of there horribly smelling product. It doesn’t matter how many times you wash your hands, you are still going to stink Bombshell.

Ipsy is not free from blame and they to need to put people before profits. If I were Michelle Phan (she is the CEO and Founder of Ipsy) I would be ashamed of myself and my company. I bet she would not even touch this foul smelling shit and would probably throw it away. Yet, it was deemed safe for us to use and we were told its perfectly fine. Ya know PG&E told the citizens of Hinkley CA, that Chromium 6 was perfectly fine and that it wouldn’t hurt them. Well long story short it was determined that Chromium 6 was detrimental to humans, and an entire town took on PG&E and won. Just because a company claims a product/chemical is safe doesn’t mean its safe for human consumption or use.

Be A Bombshell and Ipsy, just do us all a favor and own it. Own your foul smelling mascara and just come out and say “we off loaded a bad batch to Ipsy.” Fix it and send us your normal version of the Lash Out Mascara. Because as of right now, I don’t want to buy any of your products and I am quiet fearful of them at the moment. Don’t be a PG&E, or a Merck, or a Monsanto or a Ford Pinto, just own your shit and fix it. Otherwise your customers are going to lose faith in your brand and you will not be able to gain new customers to make up for the loss in profits, because you have a bad reputation.

Have Bear Will Travel

She had to break, so I could shine

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IPSY Gone Wrong, Be A BombShell Should Be Ashamed