January 2016 Favorites

So I have decided to begin sharing some of my favorites for the month, so that you all can try them out if you like. I've used these items below countless times throughout the month, and they have quickly become some of my favorites for the month of January. Continue reading below to find some new favorites for yourself!

1.) KAT VON D EVERLASTING LIQUID LIPSTICK LOLITA

If you have not tried the Kat Von D brand of liquid lipsticks, you are totally missing out. They wear great, and they don't flake off like so many other liquid lipsticks. They, of course, are matte; however, they do not dry my lips out like so many other brands do. The shade Lolita is a beautiful chestnut rose color, and it goes with practically every makeup look imaginable. 

2.) IPKN FLASH CREAM RADIANT PRIMER

I received this item in my January Birchbox,and I have literally used it everyday since receiving it. I even wear it on days that I don't do any other makeup, because it makes my skin glow. It does not have a heavy silicone feel to it, like most primers do. Instead it feels moisturizing, and it doesn't make me breakout.  It blurs my pores, and makes my skin just look absolutely amazing. It keeps my makeup on my face where it belongs, as well. LOVE LOVE LOVE this primer. I will DEFINITELY be purchasing the full size once my sample is out. 

3.) URBAN DECAY NAKED SKIN WEIGHTLESS COMPETE COVERAGE CONCEALER

I can be very picky when it comes to concealers, because a lot of them will crease on me throughout the day, even when I set them with a powder. This concealer doesn't do that. It has amazing coverage, and a little bit goes a LONG way.  The formula is so creamy, and I barely feel like I'm wearing anything when I have this concealer on! It's amazing!  I wear mine in the shade Fair Neutral.

4.) ULTA ULTRA SLIM BROW PENCIL

It has been very hard for me to find a brow product that actually matches the color of my brows, without breaking the bank to do so. However, I have finally found one. This brow pencil from Ulta matches my brow color, stays all day without smudging, plus it is HALF the price of another, more well known brand.  It has a spoolie on one end, and the product on the other. If you are on the market for a good brow product, definitely give this a try!  I wear mine in the shade Medium Brown.

5.) ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS SELF MADE PALETTE

Oh how I hate to do this you all, because I believe this product is no longer available; however, this palette and the shadows are AMAZING!  I have had this product for a while now, but because I own so many eyeshadow palettes, I'm trying to rotate through them, so they all receive my love equally.  The pigmentation of these eyeshadows is amazing, and they blend like a dream!!  Even though this palette may no longer be available, keep your eyes peeled for the next Anastasia Beverly Hills palette. You won't regret it!

Alright everyone, I hope you enjoyed this post. Please let me know below what you all think, and if any of these products were also some of your favorites for this month. 

February Reveals: Birchbox Curated Box, Sample Choice, and Promo Codes!

Alright everyone, it is nearly time to make decisions on sample choice and/or the curated box for Birchbox for the month of February. If you plan on going all out for Valentine's Day this year with your loved one, then the curated box maybe for you. For everyone else that prefers a more laid back Valentine's Day, you will be able to pick from 4 different samples choices, all of which sound amazing. Keep reading below to found out more. This post contains referral links. 

For starters, Birchbox is a $10/ month subscription service that mails out 5-7 sample size beauty products every month. You can opt to purchase a one year subscription service, as well. When you sign up for Birchbox, there is a beauty quiz that you can fill out, which will catalog all of your beauty preferences, hair color, skin color, etc. This helps Birchbox tailor the monthly boxes just for you. A major bonus to signing up for Birchbox is their online store and point system. You are able to review the products that you receive in your boxes. For every product that you review, you will receive 10 Birchbox points. After receiving 100 points, you will then have $10 to spend in the online store. You also earn points for friends that use your referral link, and purchases made in the online shop. It is VERY easy to earn points, and their product offerings in the shop are pretty amazing! I have discovered many wonderful products thanks to Birchbox.. Also, near the end of every month Birchbox will send out emails that will allow you to custom pick either one sample or a curated box for the upcoming month.

This month for the subscribers that choose one of the sample choice items, they will receive all of their items in the really pretty hot pink box shown above. The sample choice items available for the month of February include: 

Arrow Boost Color Enhancing Lip Balm

Hey Honey Take It Off Exfoliating Honey Peel Off Mask

REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask

Whish Cleansing Oil

If you go with the sample choice, what are you choosing? Everything looks amazing!

Above is the Curated box for the month of February. In the description, everything that will come in this box are things that can be used in preparation for a big night out. Check it out to see what is in the curated box for this month.

Amika Blowout Spray

Whish Renewing Mud Mask

OCC Lip Tar in Strumpet

Catherine Malandrino Romance de Provence Perfume

Cynthia Rowley Beauty Brightening Illuminator

This month, I plan on going with the Hey Honey Take It Off Peel Off Mask. I have heard nothing but good things about the Hey Honey brand, so I'm super excited about that mask. If you subscribe to Birchbox before the end of the month, you will receive an email on the 28th of January to pick your sample choice or the curated box. If you are a Birchbox ACE or if you invite a friend to join before February, you will get your email on the 27th of January.

Some promo codes to take into consideration when joining are located directly below. Use one of these when you check out after picking your Birchbox subscription.

If this is something that you are interested in, comment your email below and I will send you a personal referral link to Birchbox so you can sign up.  I HAVE to personally send you a referral link. You CANNOT click the referral link below to get the beautyblender deal.

SUBSCRIBENOW50 - This will give you $5 to spend in the online Birchbox shop

LOVEGWS - Receive a Jurlique Rose Lip Balm for free

Click the link below to sign up now!

https://www.birchbox.com/invite/katiebb

Ipsy February Sneak Peak

Hey y'all! Below are some sneak peeks of the February Ipsy bag.  It is now too late to receive this months bag is you are not already subscribed; however, if you join now, you can opt to skip the wait list and ensure that you will get next months bag.  Keep reading to check out what subscribers will be receiving this month.  This post contains referral links!

 For those that don't know, Ipsy is a $10/month beauty subscription service that mails out 4-5 makeup, hair-care, and skincare products every month. The products can either be full size, deluxe sized, or sample size items. Upon subscribing to Ipsy, you have the option to fill out a beauty profile, that will help customize the products that you will receive. With Ipsy you not only receive your 4-5 beauty items, but you will also receive a beautiful makeup bag to store all of your things in. With Ipsy, you are able to review the items that you receive for points to use on redeemable items on their website. You can earn up to 15 points for reviewing each item, plus you earn points for friend referrals.  It is very easy to earn points, and the redeemable items can be pretty amazing! Ipsy does have a wait list; however, after completing a few simple steps it is very easy to get off the wait list, and get on to receiving some pretty awesome products!

They broke down the 5th sneak peek between the above picture and the one directly below. Lots of big sized products featured! What are you all getting?

Every time I see that Bella Pierre blush, I fall more in love with it. I so can't wait to receive it in my Ipsy bag this month!

Early access is now live for those that did not know! For the month of February, I will be receiving:

Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in I'm Kind Of A Big Deal

Luxe Beauty Flat Definer Brush 221

VINTAGE by Jessica Liebeskind Sparkling Lipgloss in Pink Sequin

BellaPierre Cosmetics Mineral Blush

OGX Argan Oil of Morocco Extra Strength Miracle in Shower Oil

Hoping I get that beautiful nail polish!!

This sneak peek just hit Snapchat! LOVE!!!

YYASSS! I SO want one of those nail polishes!!! What about you?!?

Ipsy just released a cute little video on their website, which goes into detail about this month's theme and several of the products. You can watch that here: https://www.facebook.com/ipsy/?fref=ts

The list of products shown in the video include:

London Nail Polish in Sunday
Ciaté London Nail Polish in Sunday
Naked Cosmetics® Eyeshadow Mica Pigment in Sierra Nevada #02
trèStiQue Blush Stick in Bora Bora Coral
OGX Vitamin B5 Weightless Oil Mist
Josie Maran Cosmetics
BelláPierre Cosmetics Mineral Blush in Desert Rose
Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Finish Primer Oil
VINTAGE by Jessica Liebeskind Sparkling Lipgloss in Pink Sequin
Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in I’m Kind of a Big Deal
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye
Luxie Beauty Flat Definer Eye Brush 221

This February every Ipsy subscriber will receive one of the above featured items, along with 4 more items in their glambag.  The items featured above include:

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Concealer

Trust Fund Nail Polish

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer

theBalm Mr Write Now Eyeliner

Smashbox Primer Oil

Everyone will be receiving the above featured bag this month with their subscription. How adorable is that bag y'all?!?!

There will be more sneak peeks of the February bag to come, so be sure to check back in soon! Now that you're all done reading this post, head on over to Ipsy and sign up now! 

https://www.ipsy.com/new?refer=vhsxq

January Boxycharm Unboxing

I received my first ever Boxycharm box in the mail the other day, and I have been dying to share it will y'all! For those that don't know, Boxycharm is a $21/month beauty subscription service that sends 5-6  FULL SIZE beauty products each month. Nearly every box has a total value of over $100 worth of product in it. They also offer a rewards program where you can earn full sized products for free. This box does lean more towards the makeup side of beauty; however, they do include skincare/haircare, as well. Keep reading below to see what I received this month. This post does contain referral links. 

Because I have had my Boxycharm for several days now, I have had the opportunity to sample everything that I received in my box. This month I received:

Coastal Scents Revealed Smoky Palette -$39.95(you can find this product for $19.95 on most websites that sell Coastal Scents)

Blinc Mascara Amplified -$26.00

Starlooks Luxe Longwear Eyeliner -$19.00

Royal and Langnickel Brush Set -$23.97

The overall value for the box this month is $108.92. Having only paid $21, I would say this is one heck of a deal. I must say that I love the Coastal Scents Smoky Palette. With a little bit of eyeshadow primer, these shadow will last you all day, and they are very pigmented! The Blinc Mascara was also very fun to try! It did not make my lashes look clumpy, and it did not flake throughout the day.  The brushes from Royal Langnickel are very soft, and perform great when applying eyeshadows! Finally, the eyeliner from Starlooks is one of the blackest blacks I have ever seen. It did not smudge throughout the day, and it came off fairly easy with a little bit of makeup remover. Boxycharm definitely impressed me this month! I can't wait for my future boxes!

If you are interested in receiving this months box, there is still time to get it! Use the link below to sign up today!

https://boxycharm.com/refer/Katie-NXJHUJFS

Subscription Battle: Birchbox vs. Ipsy

I don't know about y'all, but I LOVE a good subscription box battle. Particularly Birchbox and Ipsy battles. Both subscription services are only $10/month, and they both send out 5-6 sample or deluxe sized samples each month. Both offer reward points for reviewing the items that you receive, which in turn you can use to cash in on some pretty amazing products. Anyways, enough with the rambling, lets get to the good stuff. This post contains referral links.

This month in Birchbox I decided to go with the curated Korean Beauty box, and I have had time to sample everything in the box. I must say I was impressed by nearly everything; however, there were a few things that were a bit of a miss for me. This month I received: 

IPKN Flash Cream Radiant Primer

TonyMoly Delight Tony Tint in Red

RE:P Bio Fresh Mask with Real Calming Herbs

Manefit Soothing and Moisturizing Sheet Mask

Goodal Waterest Essence

Goodal Bonus Packettes

Let me just say that I am so in love with the IPKN Flash Cream Radiant Primer. I have been using it everyday since I received it, and it makes my skin look so beautiful and radiant. I also really enjoyed the Goodal Waterest Essence. It left my face feeling nice and moisturized, without looking oily. I also enjoyed the Goodal Bonus packets. The Bubble Peel was probably my favorite. It was just so much fun to use. The RE:P Mask was also very nice, and it did not make my skin breakout like a lot masks tend to do. The only items that I did not particularly care for were the Manefit Sheet Mask and the TonyMoly Lip Tint. The sheet mask did make my skin breakout a little bit, and I did not see any immediate results from it. The lip tint only managed to accentuate the dryness of my lips. So for anyone that received this item, be sure to exfoliate VERY well before using it. 

I really enjoyed my Ipsy bag this month, and I have had enough time to sample everything in it, as well. This month I received:

Ofra Cosmetics Universal Eyebrow Pencil -$13.00

Skyn ICELAND Travel Size Glacial Cleansing Cloths -$5.00

theBalm Cosmetics Mr Write Now eyeliner in the shade Jack B. Bronze -$17.00

City Color Cosmetics Eyeshadow Trio in the shade Falling Leaves -$5.99

Beau Gachis Paris Smudge Brush -$12.00

The total value of my bag for this month is $52.99. Having only paid $10, I would say that is one heck of a deal. I loved everything in my bag, except for the City Color Eyeshadow Trio, and the bag itself. The eyeshadows were not very pigmented, even when wearing a primer underneath them.  However, I'm not one to give up so easily, so I will continue to play with them to see what I can do. 

Overall, I would have to say that Ipsy hit it out of the park this month. I loved nearly everything that I received, and I have definitely found some new items that I will be adding to my makeup routine from here on out. If you are interested in receiving your very own Ipsy or Birchbox, visit the links below to get started today!

https://www.birchbox.com/invite/katiebb

https://www.ipsy.com/new?refer=vhsxq

January Reveals: Birchbox Korean Box + Promo Codes

Hey y'all! It's the best time of the month! For the month of January, Birchbox is doing a Korean beauty themed box! Korean beauty is all the rage right now, and Birchbox is allowing it's subscribers to sample some of the best in it's featured box this month. Keep reading below to find out what you could be getting. This post does contain referral links. 

For starters, Birchbox is a $10/ month subscription service that mails out 5-7 sample size beauty products every month. You can opt to purchase a one year subscription service, as well. When you sign up for Birchbox, there is a beauty quiz that you can fill out, which will catalog all of your beauty preferences, hair color, skin color, etc. This helps Birchbox tailor the monthly boxes just for you. A major bonus to signing up for Birchbox is their online store and point system. You are able to review the products that you receive in your boxes. For every product that you review, you will receive 10 Birchbox points. After receiving 100 points, you will then have $10 to spend in the online store. You also earn points for friends that use your referral link, and purchases made in the online shop. It is VERY easy to earn points, and their product offerings in the shop are pretty amazing! I have discovered many wonderful products thanks to Birchbox.. Also, near the end of every month Birchbox will send out emails that will allow you to custom pick either one sample or a curated box for the upcoming month. 

 Above is the curated box for the month of January. As you can see, it will be packed with TONS of Korean beauty items! If you did not decide to pick this box, don't worry. It is available for purchase in the online Birchbox shop for only $10! OR you can receive it for free if you are a new subscriber!  The curated box will include:

IPKN Flash Cream Radiant Primer
TonyMoly Delight Tony Tint in Red
RE:P Bio Fresh Mask with Real Calming Herbs
Manefit Soothing and Moisturizing Sheet Mask
Goodal Waterest Essence
Goodal Bonus Packettes

For those that opted to not receive the curated Korean box this month, you will be receiving one of the products featured above in your box this month! And it will come in the beautiful box featured below!  The samples this month include:

Eyeko Fat Liquid Liner

TONYMOLY Delight

IPKN Flash Cream Radiant Primer

When you first subscribe to Birchbox, there are several promo codes that you can enter upon checkout. Here are a few:

Receive $5 off your first Birchbox using promo code HAPPY5

Receive $10 to use in the online Birchbox shop using promo code BBJETBLUE10

Receive the curated Korean beauty box for FREE by using promo code KBEAUTY16

Receive a FREE BAGGU bag by using promo code BAGGUGIFT

You can use the link below to get started today!

https://www.birchbox.com/invite/katiebb

January Sneak Peeks: Ipsy!

Hey y'all! Below are some sneak peeks of the January Ipsy bag. It is too late to receive this bag if you are not already subscribed; however, this will give you an idea of some of things that subscribers will get to enjoy. Keep reading to check it out. This post contains referral links!

 For those that don't know, Ipsy is a $10/month beauty subscription service that mails out 4-5 makeup, hair-care, and skincare products every month. The products can either be full size, deluxe sized, or sample size items. Upon subscribing to Ipsy, you have the option to fill out a beauty profile, that will help customize the products that you will receive. With Ipsy you not only receive your 4-5 beauty items, but you will also receive a beautiful makeup bag to store all of your things in. With Ipsy, you are able to review the items that you receive for points to use on redeemable items on their website. You can earn up to 15 points for reviewing each item, plus you earn points for friend referrals.  It is very easy to earn points, and the redeemable items can be pretty amazing! Ipsy does have a wait list; however, after completing a few simple steps it is very easy to get off the wait list, and get on to receiving some pretty awesome products!

Here is early access for the month of January. This month I will be receiving:

Ofra Universal Eyebrow Pencil

TheBalm Mr Write Now Eyeliner

Skyn Iceland Glacial Cleansing Cloths

Beau Gachis Smudge Brush

City Color Cosmetics Eyeshadow Trio in Falling Leaves

I have to say that I am pretty excited about this bag, and all of the goodies in it! What is everyone else getting this month?

Our final sneak peek is now available on Snap chat! 

Another new Ipsy January bag sneak peek is up on their Snapchat! These sneak peeks are killing me. I'm so ready to see my early access. Anyone else??

Second Snapchat sneak peek of some of the items Ipsters will be receiving in their bags this month. What are you looking forward to getting?

The above picture just came through on Snapchat. Looks like everyone will be getting an eyeshadow this month in their Ipsy bag! 

Everyone will be receiving the above bag this month, with their Ipsy subscription. I'm kinda in love with it!

Also this month, each and every subscriber will be receiving a Mr. Write (Now) Eyeliner from TheBalm Cosmetics, which has a retail value of $17.  That is worth more than what you are paying for the bag!! I don't know about y'all but I am a HUGE fan of the TheBalm, and I'm so excited to be receiving something from them in my Ipsy bag this month. Click on the link below to sign up today.

https://www.ipsy.com/new?refer=vhsxq

January Subscriptions: Boxycharm Sneak Peeks!

Hey y'all! I wanted to update with some of the January sneak peeks that are currently available for Boxycharm. Also, I did cancel my Scentbird subscription, because I realized that it just wasn't for me. I receive SO many perfume samples when I make purchases st Sephora, Ulta, etc., that it was just kind of pointless for me to have a subscription service for one. Scentbird is an awesome company though, so if you are really into perfumes, then you should definitely check it out. In exchange of giving up Scentbird, I did decide to subscribe to Boxycharm, and I cannot tell you how excited I am to get my first box this month. Keep reading below to learn more about a few sneak peeks for this month. This post does contain referral links!

Boxycharm is a $21/month beauty subscription service that sends 5-6  FULL SIZE beauty products each month. Nearly every box has a total value of over $100 worth of product in it. They also offer a rewards program where you can earn full sized products for free. This box does lean more towards the makeup side of beauty; however, they do include skincare/haircare, as well. This month ALL subscribers are receiving the FULL SIZE Coastal Scents Revealed Smokey Palette in their box. This alone retails for $20, and the colors are gorgeous. These palettes have several colors that are dupes for Urban Decay palettes, as well! 

All subscribers will also be receiving the full-sized Blinc Mascara Amplified, which has a retail value of $26. With just two products, the value of this box is already at $46, and we still have three more products to go!!

Above is a the complete box that all Boxycharm subscribers will be receiving for the month of January. Thank you SparklinBeeze for the sneak peek! I'm TOO excited to be getting this box! The box will include: 

Coastal Scents Revealed Smoky Palette

Blinc Mascara Amplified

Starlooks Luxe Longwear Eyeliner

Royal and Langnickel Boxycharm Brush Set

The total value of the box this month is $88.97. The cost is $21. HELLO SAVINGS!

Also for a limited time, if you use the promo code BOXYMIRELLAB when checking out, you will receive an additional 5% off your first box. 

Sound like something you might be interested in? Click the link to sign up now! https://boxycharm.com/refer/Katie-NXJHUJFS