Re-review of Sephora tanner

I recently reviewed the Sephora tanner and rated it as sort of a middle of the road self-tanner. I stand corrected. I decided to remove all of my Jergen's tanning lotion (it started to build up and look weird) and I also bought a St. Tropez tanning mitt from Ulta beauty for $6.00. What a HUGE difference! Jergen's is now a back up. After two applications, I have a very natural looking dark tone. Not to say that I am dark yet but the color itself is darker than Jergens. This is going to get me the color I am looking for and a lot quicker! Yes, it does have a ton of sparkle but it does smell pretty good. I also noticed with the mitt, the tan dried a lot quicker. I can instantly get dressed and I have not had any issues with color rubbing off onto my clothes or sheets. Remember, I only paid $5.00 for this!! Sephora for the win!!

Sephora Sample Extravaganza!

 On one of my travels, I ended up in Sephora in Manhattan  I wandered around the store with my eyes lit up just breathing in the elegance. I walked away with a bareMinerals foundation set and I was immediately hooked. It's been a couple years since I have been able to purchase anything from them, but I've gotten smarter how I shop. Recently, I had a birthday and at Sephora you receive a free birthday gift. This "coupon" lasted through Cinco de Mayo and that meant 5 free samples with any purchase. I went straight to the clearance portion of the website and found my tanner (the Sephora Moisturizing Bronzing Body Lotion reviewed on 05/12/2013). For about $10.00, including shipping, I received 11 products. That's unheard of and especially from Sephora. If my addiction wasn't already bad enough, it's about to get worse! Right now, with any fragrance purchase over $25.00, you can get 6 free samples. SIX!! Check out www.sephora.com to get yours. :) 

Here's the rundown on my Sephora goody bag:

Josie Maran | Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation

I was very skeptical when I saw this online but I figured I'd give it a shot. This "magically" turns into your shade? Yep! It came out of the bottle white and gave 100% coverage while matching my skin tone perfectly. This is seriously magic in a bottle. Of course, magic does come with a price. At Sephora, it's $42.00 for a 1 oz bottle. If you desire perfect coverage and have the funds to buy this throughout the year, then absolutely get this. For the rest of us on a regular salary, maybe this isn't the right one.

Amazing Cosmetics | Velvetmineral Liquid Custom Finish Foundation SPF 15

I like foundation, what can I say? This wasn't as great as the Josie Maran. This went on very thick and I could feel it caked on. It looked okay from a distance but up close you could see how thick it was on my skin. Because of it's consistency, of course it gave full coverage but I don't think it was worth feeling icky. Oh and it's water resistant. I guess in certain situations I can see this being a good thing, like a rainy outdoor wedding perhaps? Otherwise, water resistant translates to "you can't wash it off for a day." At Sephora, it costs $36.00 for 1.18 oz. Slightly cheaper than the above product, but in this case you get what you pay for. 

Soap & Glory | The Righteous Butter

I can honestly say that I've never used body butter before. It sounded gross to me! While I was picking my samples, I figured "hey, it's free. Why not give it a shot?" I was pleasantly surprised by how light it felt. It does come out thick (duh!) but it soaks in very quickly. It has a decent scent. It's nothing fake -  just a normal lotion smell. Hours later, I still felt like my skin was silky smooth. It contains shea butter and aloe vera making it the ultimate concoction for dry skin. Sephora's cost is $20.00 for 10.1 oz. I would absolutely say this is worth $20.00. In fact, as soon as I get an extra $20.00 for free spending, this  is what I'll be getting!

Benefit | They're Real Mascara

This was part 1 of my birthday gift. I received this in black (the only shade I use) and tried it out immediately. I'm used to drugstore mascaras so this really blew my mind. The wand is huge compared to what I'm used to but I can definitely see the benefit. My lashes looked extra long without the clumps. The best way I could describe it it is it makes my lashes "feathery". I love this except it is near impossible to take off. I used my usual makeup remover and it didn't work. So, if you are going to that rainy outside wedding and you wear the Velvetmineral foundation, wear this with it! Sephora sells this for $23.00 for a 0.3 oz. I think the 0.1 oz I got will actually last me a decent amount of time, so 0.3 actually goes a longer way than you may think. 

Benefit | Watt's Up Soft Focus Highlighter 

Part 2 of my Sephora birthday gift! This came in champagne and looks beautiful for my skin tone (which is translucent). I had never used highlighter until now but it really does make a huge difference. I like that it's a cream to powder finish and blends really well. My sample was 0.08 oz but if I'm stingy I think I can make it last a few months. If I decide to buy the full size, Sephora sells a 0.33 oz for $30.00. Pretty steep when I can use a champagne eyeshadow to do the same thing. 

Lancôme Paris | La Vie est belle

Ok, I admit it. I only got this because it says belle. I'm not much on actual perfume but this was actually a nice fragrance. It's a sophisticated blend of Iris Pallida, Jasmin, Orange blossom, and Patchouli. Lancôme had this created specially by three of France's leading perfumers. It is a bit strong at first but throughout the day I would catch a light hint of it. For $55.00 at Sephora, this 1.7 oz bottle can be your very own! 

Prada | Prada Candy

This scent contains Benjoin which is a plant resin said to "seed sensuality and ease". I think the alcohol is overpowering in this perfume. It also makes me think of an old lady. I don't feel this is the perfume for me. If you try this out and like it, at Sephora you can pick up a 1 oz bottle for $60.00.

Bond | I ♥ NY № 9 for Mothers

This is a very feminine floral with a predominant rose fragrance. I was intrigued by how fresh this scent actually was versus most rose scented perfumes. Sephora sells a 3.3 oz bottle for $175.00. Yowza!

Versace | Bright Crystal

Versace mixed Magnolia, Peony, and Lotus flower into this scent. Immediately I think of a warm Southern plantation. This is exquisite. While I would predominately wear this during Spring and Summer, I could see myself wearing this during the Winter when I am lonesome for warm weather. 1.7 oz for a whopping $69.00. This is on my shopping list!

Philosophy | Amazing Grace Eau de Toilette

You can ask Chris - as soon as I smelled this I let out an audible "ew!" What promises to be classic, to me is stale musk. I'm not a big fan of this scent. Everyone is different! If you check it out and like it, Sephora sells a 2 oz bottle for $44.00. 

Marc Jacobs | Daisy Eau So Fresh

Alas, this one didn't stimulate my sense either. Too much floral going on in this and it smells too fake. The plastic flowers coming out of the top should have been my first clue. In the chance you're going for that floral scent, Sephora has the 2.5 oz for $78.00.

Such a long list for this review but how awesome that this list only costed me $10.00! Some great finds and some not so great. That's the beauty of samples! Try before you buy! 

My first Birchbox!

I was so excited when I received an email announcing I had received a 3 month subscription to Birchbox from one of my girlfriends. I had never heard of this concept of a company sending you samples for you to review but I was on board immediately. I got my first box and couldn't open it quick enough. I love that they even add that little extra touch with the pink tissue paper. My box contained 5 items. Some were amazing and I will absolutely be purchasing the full size when my large dose samples run out. Here's the rundown!

Caudalie | Divine Oil

"Made with a blend of grape, argan, hibiscus, and sesame oils, this multitasking wonder gives skin, hair, and nails a gorgeous glow." 

This oil smells heavenly! Even if it didn't feel wonderful on my skin and keep me moisturized, I would still wear this for the smell. 

Full size cost can range from $9.00 to $49.00. The vial I received should keep me going for a while. A little goes a long way!

Nexxus ® | Youth Renewal ™ Rejuvenating Elixir 

"It's not just your skin that needs antiaging help. This new shine-boosting serum cures dry strands and reduces the odds of age-related breakage."

At first I was a little offended that at 26 years old I was being sent anti-aging anything and it didn't help this was when I had to get glasses for the first time either. I have mixed feelings about this product. I like that it comes in a glass bottle with a dropper. It makes it easier to get the right amount needed. It has a nice fragrance but I honestly don't see where it did anything for my hair. I'll keep using the sample but I might stick to other serums for my dry ends. 

Full size cost is $20.99. 

theBalm ® cosmetics | Mary-Lou Manizer 

"Play up your best features with this three-in-one highlighter, shadow, and all over shimmer."

I am in LOVE with this! This was the first thing I tried out and it set the bar really high for everything else in the box. The color is gorgeous and will work for any skin tone. That's hard to find! The pigment is strong but the texture is almost creamy which makes application easy. I haven't used it as a highlighter but I can see how it would make a wonderful one. As a shadow, it's wonderful. I am also impressed with the size of this sample! Normally a sample size is in a card and is one application. This is one actual bar which means it will last me about 6 months. That makes me a happy girl!

Full size cost is $24.00 so for Christmas when I finally run out, here's a stocking stuffer idea honey! *wink wink*

Whish | Shave Crave Shaving Cream

"The organic shea butter in this foam-free shaving cream leaves your skin incredibly soft and your shave insanely close. Plus, we love the exclusive blueberry scent."

 ...

Let's start with the only good thing I can say about this product. They spelled everything right on the bottle. I cannot express how much I despise Whish. The scent is an overpowering stench of fake blueberry. I'm not 12. I don't want fake fruit smell. "Foam-free" translates to "so greasy you'll repel water for days". The insanely close shave is right on...if you like your shave so close you take away 10 layers of skin. I used a brand new razor and I cut my leg so many times you would think I was a beginner. I can assure you after 16 years of shaving my legs, I think I know what I'm doing. If that wasn't bad enough, the next day my leg was covered in this horrible rash and felt like it was on fire. I threw the bottle away immediately. There's no second chances for this one.

Full size $20.00...save your money!

Birchbox Finds | Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-On

This was sort of a freebie in that it wasn't included in the card and came with a coupon for $1.00 off. It's a cooling eye roll-on to reduce puffiness and revitalize tired eyes. I like it. It does work in reducing puffiness (I've had lots of opportunities to try it out!) and it feels cool on my eyes. It gradually tingles but in a good way - not like a burning feeling. The suggestion on the package is to refrigerate it for an added cool boost. I think I just might now that we have summer temperatures!

They sent a full size which was a nice surprise. Based on what I can find online, it looks like this averages out to be about $9.00. It should last you awhile, unless you somehow get addicted to the cucumber smell and apply it every hour. Normal usage should equal out to at least a few months worth.

So that's my first Birchbox! I anxiously await the next one! It's so much fun to see what goodies are waiting for you and to try them out. If you're interested in getting one for yourself or a friend, check out their website http://www.birchbox.com/. The women's subscription is $10.00 a month with a 4 week wait. The men's subscription (yes, men's!) is $20.00 a month with a 2 week wait. It's personalized to fit your interests such as beauty, health, even food! Refer a friend and earn 50 points. Points = money towards a purchase of a full size product from the website! Check it out!

How to pretend you're tan!

It's that time of year again. If you're like 90% of women, you dread swimsuit season. The reason I am not a fan isn't necessarily because I'm out of shape but because I am incredibly pale. I've been made fun of my entire life for being "lily white" and I was even told "You'd be so pretty if only you were tan."

 I've tried explaining that I literally cannot tan. I have tried. I go from Elmer's glue to Ketchup in a couple hours and then one sheet peels off to reveal Elmer's glue again. The good news is my skin still looks like I'm 12. I have no wrinkles or age spots and I most likely won't have any issues until I'm well into my 60's. In high school, all the girls started tanning around February to get ready for track/softball/soccer season and by Prom they looked like they had rolled in mud. To be quite honest, I did feel left out so I took it upon myself to get tan. I went to Walmart and bought the first batch of Jergens self tanner. I had no idea what I was doing (and neither did they). The lotion came out brownish-orange so I could at least see where I was applying it. However, I didn't quite grasp the concept of streaking. All I cared about was my legs for the first time in my life had color on them. The next day I put on my mini skirt and heels and I strutted into homeroom. I looked down and my ankle was completely orange. Then I saw the back of my leg. We'll leave it at that. I had to walk around the entire day looking like a hot mess. It's safe to say I learned to deal with being pale for a long time.

 I've had enough! I want to feel confident and beautiful this summer! I started using self tanners again and they have come a long way since my days of orange knees. I have 3 tanners to review and I'm sure I'll have plenty more throughout the season.

Product #1: L'Oreal Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Salon Airbrush Self-Tanning Mist

This was the first one I bought. I got it at Walgreens for about $9.00. I made the mistake of buying this on a whim and never checked the reviews. When I got home, I got nervous so I did a bunch of research on it before applying. This has mixed reviews all over the internet so I figured I would just have to find out for myself. I like that it's a mist. It's super easy to apply and it literally dries instantly. They absolutely do not lie about that part. You can get dressed as soon as you apply it. The smell is a little bothersome but I have smelled worse tanners. It advertises a citrus scent but it is FAR from it. You're supposed to keep a good distance between yourself and the can when spraying to avoid color streaking. The problem I had is I can't get any color from this product. I only use this now to get my back because it does have a 360° wide angle applicator. Overall, leave this for hard to reach spots but don't rely on it for your all over color.

Product #2: Sephora Moisturizing Bronzing Body Lotion

I bought this on clearance on the Sephora website for $5.00. It's 6 oz but I figured I would check it out to see how it does. I desperately wanted this to be the miracle lotion. It has a pleasant smell and feels like silk going on. It lives up to the moisturizing name. My immediate issue with this though is the amount of "shimmer" in it. I looked like when I was 11 putting on roll on body glitter from Bath and Body Works. The color development is pretty quick compared to daily build up. It has a brown tone unlike those that have the orange base. I was getting really excited about this until I went outside. My legs looked just as pale as before but my knees, ankles, etc were "dirty" looking. Indoor lighting it looks perfectly fine. I think I will continue to work on this one to see if it is me applying it too sloppy. 

Product #3: Jergens Natural Glow

I love this product. The smell is subtle, the color is a perfect shade for me, it's reasonably priced at around $8.00 at Walmart, and I haven't had an issue with color build up on my ankles. It takes about 3 days for it to look like anything is there and it supposedly lasts 3 days. I try to apply it every other day just to keep it up. I do lose color fast with this one. I can literally wash it off with a washcloth in the tub. The plus side to that is if I do make an oopsie, I know I can get it right off. Somehow this does not come off on my clothes but I am pleasantly surprised. My main annoyance with this is it takes FOREVER to dry. So far, this is my leading product. 

Tips for the perfect glow:

1. Exfoliate! The color builds up on dead skin which causes the orange tint.

2. Shave before you apply. Trust me. Otherwise the color makes you look like you have itty bitty polka dots on your leg. Not the look you want to go for!

3. Apply moisturizer to your elbows, hands, the skin where your armpit meets your chest (I hadn't thought of this one until I started my research), knees, ankles, and the tops of your feet.

4. Use a figure eight motion when applying on your legs to avoid streaking. When you apply in an up and down motion, you can't always ensure you've covered all the skin.

5. If you'd like, you can get a special mitt to apply so your hands don't turn orange.

6. Lightly spread the color on your hands and feet. Make sure before it dries that you clean up the spaces in between your fingers and toes or your secret is out!

7. Make sure you also get the color off the palm of your hand. 

If you have a favorite product you'd like to share, feel free to comment on this post!

Upcoming posts! See reviews of my very first Birchbox and how I scored a box full of samples from Sephora!