Starlooks Starbox August 2013

And more lipstick from the last of my August beauty boxes.  Luckiest. Month. Ever.

The infinity lipsticks in Endless, a very sheer shimmery peach and Eons, a rose matte pink are part of the Natalie Corona Special Edition box for August.  These are nice wearable colors, but much safer than I would like.  Part of Starlooks success means appealing to a wider audience and they seem to be moving away from the bold looks of last year.  The formula is creamy to start and lasts about 5 hours.  I actually prefer their regular lipstick formula, which I find creamier, better pigmented and lasts about 4 hours anyway.

Also included is their eye glitter in Emerald.  I am surprised this is ok for eyes.  The glitter migrated a bit and annoyed my contacts.  It also got all over everything.  The color is fantastic, but the product isn't really for me.

The prism doesn't actually look very nice.  It's better than the button from June, but I don't think I will be using it.

Starlooks is $15/mo and they send 3-4 full size items.  I like them and use their products far more than items that I have gotten in other subscriptions.  I do hope they do something a little bolder for fall though, maybe a burgendy or deep plum lip color.  I would also like to see more balanced boxes.  With 2 of the same type of item in a box they are bound to disappoint anyone not a fan of the one product type.  The same with the June box that had two eyeliners. No one type of cosmetic is beloved by all.

www.starlooks.com

Unboxing video, and a closer look at the items:

Ipsy August 2013

Squeeeeeeee they sent me an Urban Decay lipstick!  My favorite brand and favorite type of item.

Urban Decay lipstick in Anarchy - blatantly my favorite thing.  I like the formula, it starts creamy but gets a little dry after an hour.  It lasts 5+ hours and is amazingly pigmented.  The color is blindingly awesome.  Love it.

Chella brow pencil - this one surprised me, I like it more than I expected.  It's dark so a light hand is needed, but it is easy to use and does a great job filling in sparse spots.

Mica loose eye shadown in Bronze - this is ok, nice and shimmery.  I like the color and feel of last months penny wise from Starlooks a touch better though.

Pixi Mascara - Ug, I hate the brush part.  It is really wide at one end and the widest part is all that touches my lashes.  It takes forever to apply.

Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal facial scrub - I haven't tried it yet as I am a bit gun shy of facial skin care however this is formulated for sensitive skin so I am hopeful.  I have heard nothing but great things about the Michael Todd line.

So yes, overall AMAZING.  Ipsy has eclipsed my other beauty subs for my absolute favorite.  It is only $10 and while their shipping has gotten kind of slow/sucky the products do not dissapoint.

http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-h7wnv8b3vz9fy3 (referral alert)

www.ipsy.com (if you prefer over referral links)

Birchbox August 2013

Birchbox not only sent me another lipstick this month, they accidentally sent me two.  Sweeettttt!!!!!!

Stila Liquid Stay All Day lipstick in Beso is an amazing, deep, velvety red that I adore.  The formula is very drying and sort of... Chips off when lips are not well exfoliated and cared for.  I do like it though, it just has such a sensual texture/look.  Perfect with a simple black dress or shirt.

It's a 10 leave in 'miracle' product - Ok, I am not a fan of miracle claims.  This doesn't seem to do much except burn my scalp.  The second ingrediant is Cetearyl Alcohol and I am guessing that is the culprate.

Whish exfoliating body wash in coconut milk is a good size and smells nice. I haven't yet tried this one out.

Whish deodorant swipe with hair inhibitor.  It's one swipe.  And it's not even an anti-perspriant, just a deoderant with an inhibitor that can not be judged from one use.  I am not thrilled with this and have no use for it.

And two tiny foil packets of Malin Goetz vitamin e face moisturizer.  I used one packet on my hand and it was hardly enough to cover.  There isn't enough product for me to allergy test and safely put on my face.  Not impressed with the product size or performance, as my hand didn't even feel well moisturized.

So, I loved getting a new lipstick but overall not an impressive box.  The Birchbox point system is still really nice though, and I was able to get 50 points ($5) for feedback on these items.

http://birch.ly/1a0bbzg (referral!)

www.birchbox.com

Popsugar Must Have August 2013

I received my August Popsugar box and I am far more impressed than I was with the July edition.  At $35 plus tax it is still a bit on the high side for my budget, but this months box is a great value for the money.

The Gorgana Circle Necklace is my favorite item, and it a special anniversary 'extra'.  I actually wear this almost daily.  It is dainty but mature and lays high enough not to interfere with a lot of necklines.

I have also been using the Bentgo box for my work lunches.  It is a convient size, and you can use just the top or bottom part if you didn't bring enough food to fill the entire thing.  Plastic flatware is included.

I received the Lulah in Vanilla Orchid, which smells amazing.  It is full sized and huge.

The May Designs Weekly Agenda is very pretty to look at.  The inside fonts are really nice.  This is a small (narrow) planner but it is handy.

Dermalogica Precleanse and Special Cleansing Gel were deluxe sized instead of full, but the actual products are pricey and it is nice to try them out without losing an arm and a leg.  I found the precleanse amazing at removing my makeup and making my face seem extra clean.  The cleansing gel did not irritate my skin either, however I broke out a bit and have gone back to using the precleanse in combination with either Simple Moisturizing cleanser or Nutrogena Acne Stress Control wash, depending on how big of a jerk my face is being.

The Lunares Apple Bowl is not something I would have brought myself but it is lovely.  I have been dropping the necklace into it at night and I can safely say it is a good jewelry loss prevention device.

The Nature Box Apple Rings tasted like dried fruit.  A nice, low calorie snack for people who hate chocolate.   And by extension, themselves.

Overall this was a spectacular box, however the necklace did carry most of the weight of the awesome.  Being that it was considered an extra, I don't know that September will be quite as impressive.  I know I should cancel for my budgets sake, but I have a feeling I will be hanging on for another month.  Last Septembers box is what originally drew my interest in the subscription.

 http://popsu.gr/gOps (referral link)

http://musthave.popsugar.com/ (weirdly unguessable regular link)

Turntable Kitchen Pairings Box July 2013

I am really excited about this subscription service.  They send a limited edition 7" vinyl record, a digital mix 'tape' (indie music), 3 interesting recipes, and a sample of a unique ingredient every month.  The mixed tape included 20 songs!  I was expecting around 8 or 9.  As I usually pay $1 - $1.30 a song from iTunes, this really adds a lot of value for me.  This subscription doesn't come with a ton of physical stuff, so it isn't for everyone.  It is basically a box of things that can be easily put together to create wonderful experiences.  This really appeals to me.  My cooking skills are pretty abysmal, and I don't really listen to music much.  That makes me a rather dull host at get togethers, but this subscription is turning that around nicely.  I had previously ordered a gift set from them that had me cooking soup from scratch and inviting over family.  It was an amazing experience, and I have already learned a lot about cooking basics.  I have fallen in love with a couple new bands as well.

July was my first formal subscription box, and the founders included a handwritten note and some amazing extra recipes to get me started off.  This lead to an exciting 'spice hunt', as I needed a special thing or two to go along with the extra cards.  I found some great local stores I didn't know existed and had a blast finding things I needed.  My favorite/most awkward moment was having to ask the lady at the spice store if toasted cumin was a thing that you buy or a thing that you do.

I haven't tried the main dish from July yet, as it is a bit 'fishy' (shrimpy? That's not a fish, lol), and I know too many people with aversions to things from the briney deep to figure out who to invite for it.  I will likely make it and hog it all to myself.  I have tried out a few other fun things from the box though, including the iced coffee with maple sugar, which is AMAZING.  I am having technical difficulties measuring coffee grounds into ounces, and I think I am overdoing it.  Which is a delicious mistake, but wow do I get hyper.

The iced coffee I made is pictured here in the background.  The delightful food pictured is a recipe Turntable Kitchen posted on their Facebook.  I guess this is their most 'pinned' recipe on pinterest.  For good reason too, it tastes and looks amazing.  Egg poaching was another first for me, and a great skill to pick up.  And now I have a cheap, easy brunch option to offer anyone stopping by.

So yeah, I freaking love this sub.  Even if you are not interested in the subscription service, their blog is full of great recipes and music suggestions.  I follow them on Facebook and they even just shared an entire mixed tape with a summer wine theme.  Really, check them out - they rock:

http://www.turntablekitchen.com/