Julep Maven June 2012 Subscription Box! (Classic with a Twist)

My first "subscription" box from Julep Maven came today! I was super excited, because all of the polishes I have so far from Julep are AMAZING and I think it's all I wear nowadays.

What was different this month was that in honor of July 4th, Julep was giving complimentary "America" and "Canada" polishes depending on where you live (I assume) and also a tube of Julep lip gloss! How awesome is that? I cannot rave enough about Julep. By far, this has to be my favorite subscription ever.

Here are the polishes I received today:

America, Freida, Audrey and Camellia (Lip Vernis)

Lovely, right? And guess what? After two or three coats of America, it looks just like it does in the bottle! Just beautiful! 

Also, in this box I received a gift certificate for a free polish of my choice. How awesome is that?? I have been having my eyes on Hayden for awhile now...

My little collection is growing!! :)

GLOSSYBOX June 2012--My first box!

GLOSSYBOX has finally come to the states, you guys! This wasn't their debut month, but unfortunately I found out about this too late for their first US box which was in May. Basically, GlossyBox is a beauty samples subscription program where you pay $21 for 5 "travel-size" samples each month. It's probably the most expensive of the beauty sample programs I've tried, but this is supposed to be a more high-end program.

Here is what I got:

I won't lie, I haven't heard of any of these brands except for Wella.

Here is the breakdown of the costs of each item:

- A Perfume Organic in Urban Organic - ?? No ounces listed on sample.

- Kinerase Restructure Firm Cream - $13.84

- First Aid Beauty Smooth Shave Cream - $7.50 (This is the actual size sold at Sephora)

- Wella Professionals Enrich Moisturizing Treatment for Fine to Normal Hair - $1.14

- Shea Terra Organics Bourbon Vanilla Whipped Shea Butter - $2.00

- Beauty Addicts Show Off Mascara - $20.00 (full-size)

TOTAL: $44.48 +

I think I did well with this box! For $21, I got about $45 worth of product samples! The only product I definitely do not like so far is the A Organic Perfume perfume oil. It smells so bad, seriously. I am not particularly picky when it comes to perfumes, but this one just stank for me, sorry. I definitely would have liked to receive the "Green" version, since it is a rose scent and I love rose scents. :) Also, I don't have fine/normal hair - mine is thick and oily. I'll try the Wella treatment anyway though. I can't wait to use the whipped shea butter...I haven't opened it yet since it has a protection seal over it. And everything else that came in this box! 

Have you tried GlossyBox? Do you like it? Would you be interested in a subscription with them? 

My First Beauty Army (June 2012) Box!

Today while I was at my day job, I received my Beauty Army package! I have heard that this is one of the best beauty sample box program, so of course I had to sign up for this one. It took a week or so for me to be able to sign up, since apparently there are only so many spots available and all of them were taken at the time.

The way Beauty Army works is it costs $12 per month for up to six samples. The difference with this one is you actually get to choose up to six samples from a selection of nine. I forgot to to take a screenshot of my choices--I promise to do that next time!

Here is how the box it comes in looks. It is VERY sturdy--like a cigar box. I love it!

I am excited about just about each sample I received, especially the YoungBlood primer and Lucy B perfume. The only product I can't see myself using is the Fiafini Divine Hydration Moisturizer, as I have very oily skin. 

I did the math, and I actually did get my money's worth of product with these samples:

Pssssst! Instant Dry Shampoo - $2.32

Aquolina Pink Sugar Eau de Toilette Natural Spray - $1.59

L.A. Fresh Oil-Free Face Cleanser wipes - $.33

Lucy B Wild Jasmine perfume - $1.44

Fiafini Divine Hydration Moisturizer - $3.85

YoungBlood Mineral Primer - $4.10

TOTAL: $13.63

Not bad at all.

Would you be interested in a subscription to Beauty Army? Why or why not?

eBay Purchase: New Professional 40 Colors Eyeshadow

I think eBay is really one of my favorite places to shop for makeup. Is that weird? I actually buy all of my NYX stuff from there, although it's been quite awhile now.

Anyway, I went out on a limb at the beginning of this month and ordered an eyeshadow palette from China. It was listed as "New Professional 40 Colors Eye Shadow Shimmer and Matte Makeup Set." I paid $8.99 for the palette including shipping. The earliest it was supposed to come was 6/19 and it came today (6/20) so I was very happy with that! I don't have pictures of how it was packed in the envelope because I was anxious and opened it at work. :) But let me tell you, it was packed VERY well. I could have probably thrown it across the room and each eye shadow pan would have still stayed in place!

Here is how it looks:

Not one pan was damaged! The taupe color second from the left and second from the bottom, I swatched that with my finger as soon as I got it. I'm sorry! :)

I didn't do any swatches in any particular order, but if you want to see how they look row by row, let me know! This is just so you get a general idea of how pigmented some of these shadows actually are.

Not bad for an eBay palette, now is it? I made little indentations in the shades that are actually well-pigmented enough for me to use. As you can see, MOST of these shades are actually quite nice!

Overall, I am quite pleased with this palette. Some of these shades could be better, but I can't really complain. The original seller I bought this from was m_market, but I see that they don't have this listed anymore. I did see the same palette being sold for $12.99 including shipping by jocelyncyw, and the listing for that is here. 

Would you consider buying this palette? 

BFTE Swatches! (x5)

I'd like to think of myself as coming into and making my way through the indie makeup world. I think the first purchase I ever made was with Fyrinnae, and ever since then, I feel like I can't get enough!

Then, one day while searching through Google (I refuse to say "googling"), I came across Beauty from the Earth Cosmetics. What a selection! I really think if I actually had the money, I'd buy each and every shade from them. I mean, they boast "over 400 unique and modern colors of the rainbow." You know I just had to buy something!

BFTE does this promotion every week where they'll post a few shades on Facebook and their fans vote for the "Color of the Week" or "COTW." A full-size jar costs $6.50, but when you buy the COTW you get a full-size jar of that shade plus three samples of your choice for $6.00. Not bad! My COTW was "Valley Girl" and the three shades I chose were Tuscany, Girl Next Door and Grassy. I also chose three more samples: Woozer, Always a Bridesmaid, and Emerald City. I didn't receive Emerald City, but instead Elegant, but that's fine with me! All of these shades are gorgeous!

 Sample size and full-size jars.

And the swatches:

 MATTES: Always a Bridesmaid, Grassy, and Girl Next Door. I applie the first swatch over bare skin and the second over UDPP.

SHIMMERS: Valley Girl, Tuscany, Elegant, and Woozer.

Annnnndddd a free sample of Blue Bayou:

Aren't they lovely? I have been on a matte eye shadow kick lately, and I really think BFTE's matte shades are quite stunning. Who could ever have enough mattes anyway?

I really can't wait to order from them again. <3

Target Summer 2012 Beauty Bag!!

Yesterday I received my Target Summer Beauty Bag in the mail! I think maybe a month or so ago I signed up for it, and it finally came. Best of all, it was FREE! When they do another one, I'll post a link on here.

Here's what I got:

What I got:

- Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Peach Parfait

- Garnier Fructise Color Shield Shampoo & Conditioner

- Aveeno Living Color Color Preserving Shampoo & Conditioner

- Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock (SPF 70)

- Tresemme' Split Remedy Shampoo

- Target coupon book

This is awesome, especially being that it was all for free! I actually like to hold on to my samples in what I call my "sample drawer" just in case I may need something from out of there. It's getting quite full now, though, so maybe I should start using this stuff? :)

Etsy Spotlight: Mineral Love - Swatches (x5)

As some of you may know, I own a shop on Etsy called PiNK Culture Cosmetics. As of today, I haven't sold anything yet, but it's okay because I feel like I am in a discovery phase. I have been ordering from other Etsy-based mineral makeup companies as of late just so I can see how others are doing their business. I can then see for myself aspects of their businesses that I like and don't like.

Yesterday in the mail, I recieved a cute pink envelope from Mineral Love. I don't know much about the company itself, except that the owner's name is Tricia. I chose the "Random Eyeshadow Sampler Pack."

Let me start here by saying I absolutely LOVE the presentation! I have never seen anything like this from any company before!

I won't lie here, my initial thought here was "That's all I get?" when I saw the teeny little baggies taped to the piece of paper. Don't be fooled though, folks! There's more in there than you think! I don't like to keep baggies in my makeup stash as they tend to spill everywhere. I had some 3 gram clear jars for my sample sizes (not that I condemn using baggies for samples, just personal preference), so I decided to empty the baggies into them. Boy, was I surprised! For you Fyrinnae fans, the amount you get in these is about equal to the amount Fyrinnae gives you in their FREE samples. Not bad! The tiny baggies are actually amazing in the sense that they make emptying them so easy!

As for the shades, see for yourself:

(swatches are first done over bare skin and then Pixie Epoxy, from left) Brittany, Magpie, Iced Pewter, Jennifer, and Mimi.

Personally, I love these! Since these were randomly chosen shades, I thought it was SUPER cute that she included at the center of the presentation the shade "Brittany," which is my name!

All in all, I was really pleased with my purchase. I loved the shades and the packaging overall. I can't wait to order from Mineral Love again! Thank you, Tricia! <3


-Brittany

NEW June 2012 Fyrinnae Swatches! (x5)

Thanks to the lovely Phyrra, I was made aware last week that Fyrinnae came out with a few new shades! I try to check Fyrinnae's website from time to time, just to make sure I'm not missing out on anything. Out of all the mineral cosmetics companies I've bought from, they are my favorite. After them would have to be Pretty Addictions, but that's for another time. :)

The new shades are:

Superstar: "Superstar is a very bright hot pink, graced with a subtle blue highlight. The finish is somewhere between shimmer and satin."

When I Grow Up: "This shade is a "glowing" multi-hue lavender. It's not pastel, but a semi-sheer sparkle shade much like Electric Stardust and Otherworld. Used over regular primer or blended over other shades, it is a great highlight or main color. But over a sticky base (or color base like black or white) it's a vibrant gleaming pop of color."

Space Kitty: "This shade is a "glowing" pale sherbet orange. It's not pastel, but a semi-sheer sparkle shade much like Electric Stardust and Otherworld. Used over regular primer or blended over other shades, it is a great highlight or main color. But over a sticky base (or color base like black or white) it's a vibrant gleaming pop of color."

Aye, Captain: "Aye, Captain is a "glowing", complex chartreuse filled with varying hues of green and yellow. It's not pastel, but a semi-sheer sparkle shade much like Electric Stardust and Otherworld. Used over regular primer or blended over other shades, it is a great highlight or main color. But over a sticky base (or color base like black or white) it's a vibrant gleaming pop of color."

Cupcake Frosting: "This is is a "glowing", soft pink shade. It's not pastel, but a semi-sheer sparkle shade much like Electric Stardust and Otherworld. Used over regular primer or blended over other shades, it is a great highlight or main color. But over a sticky base (or color base like black or white) it's a vibrant gleaming pop of color."

Aren't these gorgeous in the jars? Now for the swatches!!

I love these! I have yet to come across a Fyrinnae shade I don't like. These are especially great for summer!


How do you like the new shades?

My Beauty Addiction (on Etsy) Swatches (x10)

So I definitely had a little mix-up with this one, and I ended up ordering My Beauty Addiction from Etsy a little more than a week ago. I ordered samples that come in clamshells (10 for $8.50 + $2.00 shipping at time of purchase). Great deal, as far as I'm concerned!

They came in a standard paper bubble mailer and inside a large baggie.

And now on to the swatches!

Cupcake, Grey (matte). Vixen, and Miss Priss

Whisper (matte). After Party, St. Paddy's

Sepia (matte). Islander, and Snapple

Aren't these shadows absolutely amazing?! I applied the first swatch of each shade on bare skin and the second over UDPP. All of the shadows are really fine textured and apply like a dream. I haven't tested the wear on them yet, but I can tell just by the pigmentation that these will last even on my oily lids.

In all, I can't wait to order more from My Beauty Addtiction! A++ 

Stay tuned in tomorrow: Fyrinnae and Mineral Love on Etsy!

P.S. I'm so sorry if I caused any confusion with this post. I am human, I make mistakes. As soon as I get paid, I'm ordering right from Pretty Addictions so I can do a proper swatch post for them! <3

Julep Maven June 2012 Mystery Box!

I received my Julep Maven June Mystery Box today! I was super excited when the mail lady brought it to me at my job. :) I don't know what it is, but something about getting subscription boxes and not knowing what's in them excites me tremendously! Anywho, in case you don't know, Julep Maven is a program where you pay $19.99 per month and you receive, depending on your beauty profile, 2-3 full-sized Julep nail varnishes and/or a nail care product. Boxes are valued at $40+. Every so often, once you're a member, you will receive an email letting you know that a Mystery Box is available for purchase for the same amount of $19.99. The difference with this box is it is supposed to be valued from $60-200! You're basically taking a gamble here in the size box you will get in the mail.

Here is what I got in my box:

Not bad, I would say. When I did the math for the four polishes (at $14 each) plus the lip balm ($6), my total box value came up to $62. I won't lie here, I was hoping to get a bit more out of my box, but $19.99 for $62 worth of product is an excellent deal! I can't wait for my July monthly box to come; I'm building my little nail varnish collection up! These are excellent polishes by the way and I absolutely LOVE the lip balm. It's minty like I like it but is also sweet with the vanilla scent running through it.

If you have any questions about Julep Maven, feel free to ask! I personally love this program. It's so different from other subscription boxes because you pretty much know what you're getting and it's all full-size. I like to wear crazy and traditional colors on my nails too, so it definitely works for me!

Coastal Scents Mica Swatches! (x5)

As promised, I had tons upon tons of Coastal Scents micas in my possession right now. It will definitely take me a long time to post them all, but I've been having these pictures on my computer for awhile, so here we go!

These micas are from my very first order with Coastal Scents, so I ordered just a few 1 ounce jars and mostly sample baggies (most of the sample baggies are $1).

Here is what I ordered the first time around:

A lot, right? Not really, to be honest. Not for a business anyway :/

And here are the samples I pulled from the pile and their swatches:

It's an odd bunch, I know. From left, Satin Pearl White, Cellini Yellow, Canary Yellow (discontinued), Duochrome Sparkle Blue-Yellow, and Winterveld.

I hope this helps with your future purchases with Coastal Scents!