Scentbird – March 2018

This is my first Scentbird unboxing! I love perfumes but cannot justify spending upwards of $60.00 for a bottle, so this subscription service is perfect!

If you’re not familiar, Scentbird is a designer fragrance subscription service.  You can opt to receive 1, 2 or 3 fragrances starting at $14.95 per month.  The fragrances come in a 0.27 oz (8 ml) bottle which provide enough product for 30 days. I opted for the two fragrances each month at $25.00/mo., however, I just upgraded to three fragrances per month for $35.00.

The fragrances arrive in a bubble envelope with a card with information on each fragrance. I liked the card because I could spray the perfume on each to make sampling each scent a bit easier.

 

I also received a fragrance tube in a pretty pearl white. The perfume bottle fits perfectly inside and to use, just twist up like a lipstick. Kindly ignore my nails.

I received Michael Kors Michael and Tom Ford Black Orchid.

I wasn’t sure I was going to like the Tom Ford Black Orchid fragrance. It is a bit strong, and even had me wondering if I had accidentally selected a men’s cologne. I wore it the other day and the scent softened into a lovely smell that grew on me. I kept sniffing at my hair to smell it. Because I have sensitive skin, I don’t spray perfume directly onto my skin. I always spritz it into my hair. At Sephora, a 1 oz bottle of this perfume is $84.00.

From Scentbird’s website: Black Orchid’s dark feast begins with intensely sweet hothouse jasmine and gardenia, with their drooping petals backlit by blackcurrant and bergamot. An oil-painted orris note follows in the heart, infused with deep fruit and spice accords. Gourmand chocolate and vanilla accents heighten the midnight velvet base.

Michael Kors Michael is my favorite of the two and it actually reminds me of one of my favorite perfumes, and signature scent, Marc Jacobs Woman. I’ve worn this scent for many years and am almost out, but it’s $90.00 for 1.7 oz! At Sephora, a 1 oz bottle of the Michael Kors Michael perfume is $66.00.

From the Scentbird website: Michael Kors Michael is a sumptuous robe of buttery tuberose undercut by tamarind, creamy fruit, and peppery florals, Michael is a Big White Floral. Musky woods and grassy vetiver impart a feeling of space and light, making you feel like the most beautiful woman in the room.

I am very happy with both selections. I love woodsy, sexy fragrances with floral and spicy undertones, so these are just perfect for me.

I am excited to continue receiving new fragrances each month and building my collection without needing to spend a fortune.

To subscribe to Scentbird and get a free perfume, clicky clicky here! If free perfumes aren’t your thing but you still want to subscribe, clicky clicky here! 😉

Are you a Scentbird subscriber? What are your thoughts on a fragrance subscription box?

Thank you for reading!

 

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ipsy – March 2018

March ipsy is here!

If you’re not familiar,  ipsy is a beauty subscription service for $10/month.  You receive 5 beauty products; some deluxe sample sizes, with the occasional full size product. Everything arrives in a cute zippered makeup bag.

This month’s theme is Create! “Turn yourself -and your world- into a work of art. Dance. Sing. Sculpt. Write. It’s time to create your masterpiece!”

The bag is coloring-book inspired and came with two markers. It’s black and white canvas with bright pink zipper accent and satin ribbon zipper pull. The inside of the bag is a satin black with the ipsy logo x @pcwitte (Priscilla Witte, the collaborator for this month) on pink satin. I actually prefer the bag in its uncolored state.

Let’s get to the goodies!

• CLARK’S BOTANICALS Retinol Rescue Overnight Cream – $98.00
• DIRTY LITTLE SECRET COSMETICS Baked Highlighter in Bellini – $14.00
• SKIN&CO ROMA Truffle Therapy Cleansing Cream – $35.00
• EYEKO Lash Alert Mascara in Carbon Black – $26.00
• DOUCCE Freematic Eyeshadow Mono in Lola – $10.00

If you’re interested in trying out the ipsy subscription service, click my referral link here. If you’d rather check out ipsy without my referral link, clicky clicky here!

❤ Cherilyn 

MorpheMe – March 2018

This is my last set of MorpheMe brushes from Liveglam. I cancelled and replaced this subscription with Scentbird. You can read my post about Scentbird here.

If you aren’t familiar, MorpheMe is a subscription service through Liveglam that offers $30 worth of Morphe brushes for $19.99/month!  The brushes come in a bubblewrap envelope with a cute little accordion card that has brief descriptions of each brush.  I have been subscribed since February 2017 and have received a wide variety of brushes. You can check the website a few weeks before shipping to see if you want to skip the month, swap one brush or swap ’em all. You can choose one of these options without having to unsubscribe.

This month’s brushes are from the Rose Gold collection. They have a nice black handle with a shiny rose gold ferrule.

Let’s get to the goodies! All links will open in a separate window:

R3 Precision Pointed Contour – $12.00 This dense, pointed synthetic brush fits into the contours of the face and works well with cream products. It can also be used to set the eye with powder and is ideal for pressing concealer into the skin without eating up your product.

R4 Pro Angle Blush – $10.00 This angled synthetic brush sweeps blush across the cheekbones and also fits the hollows of your cheeks and along the jawline for a perfect contour.

R33 Round Blender – $5.00 Dense synthetic brush with a round, tapered tip that lets you tap in concealer and place product precisely in smaller areas such as the under-eye and around the nose.

R42 Oval Shadow and Concealer – $5.00 A dense, flat oval-tipped brush that pats down concealer or color for maximum coverage. The synthetic bristles make it perfect for cream and liquid products.

Total: $32.00

I hope you have enjoyed my monthly brushes! I look forward to sharing a new subscription unboxing with you!

If you’re interested in signing up, clicky clicky HERE . 😉  It’s $19.99/month.

❤ Cherilyn 

 

 

Boxycharm – March 2018

It’s already almost the end of March! I love when the beauty boxes start arriving! Boxycharm is my favorite. ❤

If you’ve not heard of this box, Boxycharm is a monthly beauty subscription service. For $21/month, you receive 4-5 full sized beauty products in a cute little black box.  Each box is always worth $100+!

This month’s theme is Baecation.

Let’s get to the goodies!

 

• Pretty Vulgar “Make Them Blush” blush in Prim Vixen – $26.00 This blush looks a bit too pink for me, but I’ll try it because it is pretty.
• PUR x BOXYCHARM Eyeshadow Palette – $36.00
• The Vintage Cosmetic Company Smokey Eye Brush Set – $18.04 (on sale)
• South Mane Beauty Under Eye Gels – $10.00 I am curious to try these!
• Butter London Double Decker Lashes Mascara – $20.00 I love trying out new mascaras! A review will be done on this one!

The blush packaging is really pretty! I don’t know about this color though! It’s a lot brighter than I thought.

 

Top Row from Left to Right: Purfect, Nakey, Belle, Squad, Charmer, Alliance, Bae, ATL           Bottom Row: Duet, MIA, BFF, Boxy Black

Box total: $115.15

I am happy with this month’s box. It’d be nice to get a blush palette or something other than an eyeshadow palette, but I am happy with the products. They are always of good quality. Boxycharm doesn’t disappoint!

If you want to check out Boxycharm for yourself, click my referral link here!  If you want to check out Boxycharm and subscribe without clicking the referral link, clicky clicky right here!

❤ Cherilyn 

Wet n Wild Nail Polish Haul/Review

I don’t paint my nails as often as I’d like to because I work with my hands and wash my hands about 20 times a day thus causing my nails to chip after just one day. I can’t stand being at work, or anywhere with chipped nail polish! I have even used top coats that are supposed to be similar to having gel nails. It’s frustrating!

I recently purchased a whole lot of polishes from Wet n Wild online. These polishes can be purchased in stores, but the shade ranges available in my local stores are limited.

Wet n Wild is an affordable brand, and cruelty free. 🙂

Let’s get to the goodies!

Hard As Ice Top Coat claims (From the Wet n Wild website):

• Up to 1 Week of Wear and Shine
• 3-Free Technology: No Formaldehyde, Toluene or Phthalates
• Prolongs the wear of nail color
• Brilliant shine that lasts for days
• Helps prevent chipping

1 Step WonderGel claims (From the Wet n Wild website):

The first gel formula that doesn’t require a top coat and cures without a lamp, this nail color breakthrough is about to become your nail MVP.

• Up to 2 weeks of color & shine based on consumer grading
• No UV Light Required
• No Harsh Removal
• 3-Free! No Formaldehyde, Toluene, or Phthalates!

I am wearing two coats of the 1 Step Wondergel in Left Marooned, no top coat.

The swatches are all a generous two coats without a top coat. Shades below are from left to right:

• All That Jazzy
• Crime Of Passion
• Left Marooned

 

Megalast claims (From the Wet n Wild website):

• A revolutionary resin polymer system for exceptional color adhesion
• Calcium and mineral fortified to help prevent nail discoloration
• 3-Free! Formaldehyde, toluene, and phthalate free!
• Our ManiCurve™ Pro Brush! It’s absolutely incredible! The rod is flat so the liquid drains down to the bristles equally, and the rounded bristles hug your nail curves perfectly!

The below photo I am wearing two coats of Haze of Love with a random glitter polish from an e.l.f. Cosmetics holiday collection and one coat of Hard As Ice topcoat.

This polish only lasted about 3 days before it started to chip. It was very pretty, but I was a bit disappointed in its wear time.

The swatches are all a generous two coats with and without a top coat. Shades below are from left to right:

• On A Trip
• Haze Of Love
• Under Your Spell with two coats – this color was sheer with two coats
• Under Your Spell with four coats

Wildshine claims (From the Wet n Wild website):

• Purse Pride! New improved formula and packaging!
• High-shine finish in every color imaginable!
• 3-Free: No Formaldehyde, Toluene, or Phthalates
• Still the #1 selling nail polish in the market!

I am wearing two coats of Burgundy Frost and two coats of Sparked (on my third finger/ring finger) with one coat of the Hard as Ice top coat. I know it looks messy, but I promise I cleaned up the edges! My cuticles were a nightmare. Don’t judge me! 😉

The swatches are all a generous two coats with and without a top coat.

Shades below are from left to right:

• Red Red
• Grasping At Strawberries
• Dreamy Poppy
• Casting Call
• Blazed
• Black Creme
• Be More Pacific

Shades below are from left to right:

• Bijou Blue
• Ready To Propose
• Metallica
• Burgundy Frost
• Sparked

Even without a top coat, the shine is there!

If I hadn’t hit my nail on my Jeep door today after work, my index fingernail would not have chipped and would still look pretty good.

The Overalls:

The 1 Step WonderGel shades are very pretty. I love the price point at $4.99. The polishes are quick drying, and even better do not require the use of a top coat. The brush is perfect in that it coats my nail in one swoop.  The color range is large. The website claims up to 2 weeks of color and shine. This is accurate. After about one week, the polish did chip some on the edges of my nails, but again, as I work with my hands, one week of beautiful looking polish is more than I’ve had with other polishes. The polish removes easily, but it is a bit messy, especially with the darker shades. The cleanup on my skin was easy; I just removed the polish from my nails then went back over my nails and fingers with a clean cotton ball soaked in remover.

The Megalast polishes are quick drying and the shades are beautiful.  The price point is exceptional at $2.49. The colors are creamy and shiny, even without a top coat. I like the brush; it coats my nail perfectly. One shade required 3-4 coats because it was a bit sheer, but most of the polishes have beautiful color with two coats. The color range is fairly decent. The downside is that this polish did not wear for as long as the 1 Step WonderGel and the Wildshine polishes. I got almost 3 days of wear before the polish started to chip. It still held up better than any other brand of polishes and I will continue to use this collection.

WildShine polishes are gorgeous and creamy. They are also shiny without a top coat. The brush is a bit more narrow, but for the price point at $0.99, I can’t complain. The formula is quick drying.  The color range is large. I applied two coats with one coat of the Hard As Nails top coat and after 4 days, I have just a bit of fading at the tips. The polish has not chipped and has held up better than expensive polishes. I am blown away by the longevity of a $0.99 nail polish! The Wildshine polishes are my favorite of the three collections. I am currently wearing the Burgundy Frost with Sparked on my ring fingers. It’s been my favorite combination and one that I have received many compliments on, even from men!

I am incredibly impressed with the Wet n Wild line of nail polishes! I love that I can go at least one week without having to touch up or remove altogether after one day. I know I will now paint my nails more often. I have spent more money on polishes that aren’t as impressive as the Wet n Wild collection. The polishes in each line are definitely worth your money. I look forward to adding more colors in each collection.

I give each collection 4.5 out of 5 Beautifully Manicured Nails.  🙂 The half point is because I believe the polishes would last longer on my nails if I didn’t doink around with poker chips all day.

Have you tried Wet n Wild nail polishes? What are your thoughts?

❤ Cherilyn 

Covergirl Total Tease Mascara

On a recent haul, I picked up the Cover Girl Total Tease waterproof mascara. I grabbed waterproof on accident. Yeah, I know. I wanted to kick myself.

As I was browsing the makeup aisles for mascaras, the pink and black packaging caught my eye, as well as the funky wand.

Before I continue, I have to ask those who wear waterproof mascara, WHY?! And how in the holy hell do you take it off?  I used micellar water, two different makeup remover wipes, the e.l.f. Cosmetics Hydrating Gel Melt Cleanser, as well as Pond’s cold cream, and I was still picking mascara off my lashes. What the heck is in this stuff? I will be more careful in future to read the packaging because this waterproof mascara thing sucked.

Rant over, let’s get to the review. 🙂 Also, if you’ve read this far, Thank You. ❤

At first glance, I liked the wand.

 

The wand is thin and slightly stiff. I thought the little teasing comb would be interesting, and it was easy to use for my outer lashes and my bottom lashes. As for the formula, it’s wet, maybe even a bit oily feeling. The wet formula made application messy, and being that I bought waterproof, cleanup of the excess was a pain. My left eye looked as though I was wearing eyeliner because I couldn’t wipe away the excess, while the right eye appeared neat. These photos were taken around 8:00am. I liked the way my lashes looked. They’re full, long and dark.

 

Throughout the day I did not have any transfer, but by 3:00pm my eyelashes felt sticky and heavy. I could not wait to get home to take it off. In the photos my lashes look like they are stuck together and they certainly felt that way.

 

The Overalls:

What I liked: The application of the Cover Girl Total Tease mascara and how it looked on my lashes. My lashes were dark and nicely coated with natural looking separation. I liked that I did not have transfer throughout the day. I’d be willing to purchase this mascara in the regular formula, even though it is wet and a bit oily. The wand is nice and I found the teasing comb useful for my bottom lashes. The price point is affordable at $7.48 at Walmart. It is just under $9.00 at Ulta.

What I did NOT like: The waterproof version. I do not know if this is why the mascara felt sticky and oily after about 7 hours of wear. Now, while this is not a deal breaker, because 7 hours of wear isn’t too bad, I get a bit more out of my Benefit Roller Lash. And my Roller Lash doesn’t make me feel like I want to rip my eyelashes off  just to remove the product from my eyes!

I would NOT repurchase this mascara, nor will I be using this mascara again. Waterproof mascara is witchcraft and I cannot support such sorcery.

I give the Cover Girl Waterproof Total Tease mascara 1 pair of beautiful black lashes.

Have you tried this mascara in its waterproof formula? What are your thoughts?

❤ Cherilyn 

S&T, Inc. Always Off Makeup Cloths

I picked up these microfiber makeup removing cloths at Walmart. A 3-pack was $2.99.

 

A bit of information about these cloths:

• 6″ x 12″ cloths, (15.2 cm x 30.5 cm)
• Quickly and easily remove makeup
• Plush microfiber gently lifts away dirt, oil and makeup
• Durable and washable
• Eliminate the disposable cloths
• Use wet or with your favorite facial cleanser or makeup remover

I don’t know what I was thinking these were. I guess I thought they were infused with some sort of cleanser that didn’t require water, or only required minimal water to remove makeup. Obviously I didn’t really read the packaging.

Yes, the cloth wiped off my makeup. Sort of. So, I got the cloth wet and yes, it took off my makeup. Kind of. Then I used my e.l.f. Hydrating Gel Melt cleanser, and the cloth took off my makeup. 😐

There’s no need for a long, drawn out post about this, so let’s just get to it.

The Overalls:

It’s a washcloth. It did not remove my makeup any better than a plain ol’ washcloth. The Always Off makeup cloth was actually a bit more tough on my skin because of it being microfiber. When wet, I had to drag it across my face. It’s only soft and pleasant feeling against my skin when dry. Thankfully, I only wasted $3.00.

I am giving the S&T Always Off Makeup Cloths 1.5 Freshly Cleaned Faces. The half point is only because I misunderstood what this product was. That’s my fault. If you want a pretty washcloth, perhaps this product is for you. Maybe I used it wrong, but I read the simple instructions and still, this “unique cloth” didn’t wipe away my makeup any better or faster or smoother or softer than a normal cotton washcloth.

Have you tried these makeup remover cloths? What is your preferred method to remove your makeup?

❤ Cherilyn 

Why I Wear Makeup

If you would have told me 5 years ago that today I’d have a 4-drawer dresser (and a closet) full of makeup, and that I would be a beauty blogger, I’d have laughed in your face. Like, full on UGLY laugh, tears streaming down my face, and maybe even pee a little. HEY, I’M 45. IT HAPPENS.

I am asked all the time why I wear makeup. It’s simple, really.

I wear makeup because I enjoy it.

I know I am just as beautiful without makeup as I am with makeup.

I wear makeup because it makes me happy.

I wear makeup to enhance my beauty.

I wear makeup because it’s challenging.

I wear makeup because it’s fun.

I wear makeup because I truly enjoy the products, as well as the process of applying the products.

I wear makeup because I love the smells (sometimes!) and the packaging.

I wear makeup because it’s just another way of self-expression.

I wear makeup because I can.

No matter the reason, no matter the people who say “you wear too much makeup” or “makeup is such a waste of money” or “Well, I don’t have time to do all that”… never feel guilty or feel that you need to explain yourself for doing what you enjoy.  Don’t allow the insecurities of others steal away your joy. Not only where makeup is concerned, but in all aspects of life.

What do you love about makeup?

❤ Cherilyn 

Scentbird

A wise person once said that “One can never have too many makeup brushes”.  And this is most certainly true in the case of someone who isn’t subscribed to a monthly brush club and several beauty boxes. 😉 I have an abundance of makeup brushes, in all styles and shapes and for all purposes. Trust me, I never thought this day would come. With that written, I have decided to cancel my MorpheMe brush subscription and replace it with Scentbird. I know, I know.. I can have both the MorpheMe and Scentbird subscription services, but honestly, I don’t know when I’ll ever use the overflow of brushes I currently have. Perhaps in the future I will do giveaways to lighten the load. 🙂

Perfumes seem to be getting more expensive and I cannot justify spending $60.00+ on a 2oz bottle of lovely smelling smelly stuff. Even the minis are expensive! I purchased a set of three mini Estee Lauder Modern Muse perfumes at 0.14oz each for $30.00, but with Scentbird, I can get 0.27oz of different perfumes monthly starting at $14.95. With that said, lemme explain how Scentbird works…

Scentbird is a monthly fragrance subscription service that sends 1, 2 or 3 perfumes in a 0.27oz bottle that provides a 30 day supply of a designer fragrance starting at $14.95/mo. I opted for the two fragrances each month at $25.00/mo.

They send you one fragrance case, though you can purchase additional cases in all different colors for $12.95.

You can select fragrances to put in your monthly queue ahead of time, or log in and select your fragrances before your month is shipped. If you don’t select your fragrances, Scentbird will choose for you based on the answers to the short quiz you take to determine which scents are suited for you.

I love the option to search and select perfumes by my personality, scent type and occasion. There is also a search function that allows you to enter a fragrance name, which is handy if you don’t know which category your favorite scent is in.

I am excited to try and share my experience with you!

Are you a Scentbird subscriber? What are your thoughts?

❤ Cherilyn 

My Beauty Space ‘n Stuff

I thought I’d show y’all where I keep my daily beauty products, as well as show you my stash. It’s always interesting to see how organized people are, as well as seeing all the cool products they have that I don’t have that I might want to have, too. 😉

Here is my little 4 drawer dresser right outside my master bathroom. I keep my brushes, beauty sponges, currently used lipglosses up top, and my moisturizers, cleansers/toners and cotton balls/pads in that wicker basket.

The top left of the drawer has my foundations, primers and concealers. The right has my setting sprays and powders.

The left side of the second drawer has my highlighters.  My mascaras and brow gels are in the middle, and my bronzers and blushes on the right. The third drawer houses all my eye shadow palettes, liquid shadows and singles.

 

I keep my dry brushes on hooks located on the side closest to my master bath.

I love my little space. I love that it’s right outside my bathroom keeping everything I use within reach.

Now we move to my overflow area. 🙂 This is a closet in my hallway where I keep new product, backup product, my masks, moisturizers/exfoliators and shaving stuff.

I adore sheet masks and have an abundance of them. There are about 10 e.l.f. Cosmetics Water Sheet masks in there. 🙂 Also, my love for Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter is real and it’s deep. I stock up when Ulta has their buy 1 get 1 at 50% off. I go through a tub every month and the smaller ones I keep in my handbag. I go through the smaller ones every 2-3 weeks.

The below photo shows where I store my backup products, lip balms, etc. The larger drawers hold my backups of mascaras, brow products, falsies, powders, setting sprays, and my perfumes. I don’t wear perfume much anymore so I just buy the minis.  The smaller storage drawers hold all my lip glosses, liquid lips, lip balms, lip exfoliators and lip pencils.

I try to keep my beauty products as organized as possible so I can easily see what I need to restock up on, as well as not drive my husband bonkers with makeup everywhere!

Your turn! Show me your beauty space ‘n stuff!

❤ Cherilyn 

Covergirl Peacock Flare Mascara

Not long ago, I picked up the Covergirl Peacock Flare Mascara in Extreme Black. I had just done a wear test and review of the Essence Volume Stylist 18hr mascara that did not go well.

Because I love mascara and am always searching for the next best thing, I decided to give this a try. And well, I love peacocks. ❤

The Peacock Flare mascara is available in five shades: Extreme Black, Intense Black, Jet Black, Black and Black Brown. There is also a Waterproof version.

Claims (Information taken from Ulta‘s website):

• Feather-fan brush catches, coats, and separates each lash
• High-build formula provides instant clump-free volume for lashes that are dark, lush and fanned out for a dramatic transformation
• Does not flake or smudge

The packaging is GORGEOUS. The cap has a rubber handle for a better grip, which is kind of genius. Not that dropping my mascara wand is a frequent problem, but the rubber grip makes the handle a bit easier to hold onto for application. The tube is a beautiful peacock metallic-ish green with a black chevron-style flare. It’s just beautiful and eye-catching.

The wand is interesting.

It’s almost an hour glass shape but it’s fat in the middle.

Now, here we get to the negative. I do not like the wand. It is far too flexible and when I wipe off any excess on the tube opening, it flings mascara everywhere. I prefer a slightly stiffer mascara wand that grabs my lashes, not bends with them. The wand also made it difficult to do my bottom lashes. I managed, and didn’t make too much of a mess, but it wasn’t easy.  On the subject of transfer or excess mascara on my skin, the product did wipe away easily with a dry cotton swab, as well as a damp cotton swab. Mascara that is easy to clean up is a huge bonus.

The formula is nice and there was enough product on the wand to coat both eyes, but not too much that there is an excess amount that needs to be cleared.  In the photos, my lashes look long and  are a nice dark black. Throughout the day I didn’t have much transfer. Ulta’s website claims this mascara does not flake or smudge. I don’t know if smudge also means transfer, but the mascara did not flake, and again, I had very little transfer. In the photos, I have two coats on my lashes.

Ulta has the Peacock Flare mascara for $8.99, however, I picked up mine at Walmart for $7.94.

Let’s get to the overall:

Pros: The formula is great. It does not flake and I had very little transfer. The mascara is available in quite a few shades, as well as a waterproof version. The packaging is gorgeous, and the price point is awesome at $7.94. After 8 hours of wear, the mascara still looked good and felt comfortable on my lashes.

Cons: The flexible wand kind of ruined it for me. I want a wand that will grab my lashes to coat them nicely. A flexible wand only bends with my lashes and makes it more difficult to get a good look, and can be messy if the wand pushes my lashes up to my eyelids.  I’ll keep this mascara in my daily drawer, but I won’t reach for it as often as I would if the wand were better.

I give the CoverGirl Peacock Flare mascara 3.5 out of 5 beautifully coated eyelashes for its price point and all that good stuff I wrote two paragraphs up. 🙂  Despite the flexible wand, it is a great mascara.

Have you tried the CoverGirl Peacock Flare Mascara? What are your thoughts? What is your holy grail mascara and why?

❤ Cherilyn