January Play! by Sephora: My Very First

My mother surprised me with a subscription to Play! by Sephora for Christmas this year, and I am so grateful. I've already been a longtime subscriber to Ipsy and Birchbox, but Sephora's popular subscription box seems so posh and exciting.

I received my first box at the end of January. I wish the boxes shipped sooner like Ipsy and Birchbox, but it at least gives me something to look forward to throughout the month. It included six skin, hair, and beauty samples, and all came in an incredibly cute drawstring bag with a "New Year, New You" type theme.

Also in the bag was a flyer describing each product and how to use it, which is pretty standard with subscription boxes. However, on the flip side of the flyer was a twelve month "challenge" calendar that gave a new idea for each month designed to improve one's beauty and spirit. January's challenge was to calculate the amount of water to drink every day, and February's challenge is to try a new, bright lip color.

I'm a beauty lover on a tight budget, so many Sephora brands are beyond my reach. What I'm looking forward to most with this subscription is being able to try more luxury brands that I wouldn't be able to otherwise.

One such brand is Make Up For Ever, where most of the brand is out of my price range. However, in the January Play!, there was a blush sample in the shade B302. This very flattering peach shade can also be used as an eyeshadow, and I love that the sample is the perfect size for travel (like most items in the bag).

GLAMGLOW is another brand that I've rarely had the pleasure of trying because of the price tag, but I received a sample of the GLAMGLOW SUPERCLEANSE Clearing Cream-To-Foam Cleanser. I always hear fantastic things about GLAMGLOW, especially its flagship SUPERMUD mask (which I'd love to try!), and I'm looking forward to testing out this cleanser. I'm always on the market for skincare items, since my skin is something that I struggle with, so this could be promising.

Another luxury brand I've enjoyed trying is Perricone MD and its Hydrating Cloud Cream. This moisturizer has a very interesting, light texture not found in other lotions, however it is a pretty typical hydrating lotion.

Clinique has been a trusted brand in my house forever, as it was my grandmother's HG brand (and she was a stylish lady). My very first makeup was the free gifts my grandmother would give to me from Macy's when she would stock up on her beloved Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+. In January's Play! box, I received Clinique's Pep Start Eye Cream which moisturizes and brightens the under-eye area. I haven't been sleeping well lately, and I'm getting older, so any sort of eye cream is a welcome addition to my routine. I love this eye cream, and I wish I had gotten a bigger tube! I may have to take a page out of my grandmother's book and start looking to Clinique for my skincare.

Smashbox has come out with so many different takes on primer, from traditional primers to waters and oils. Recently they released Primerizer which is a combination moisturizer and primer, a concept I've wondered for years why the beauty industry hadn't made! My skin has been so dry this winter, I think I'm going to like this concept very much.

The last sample was MOROCCANOIL shampoo and conditioner. I have received a sample of this brand's hand lotion in a previous subscription box and enjoyed it, so I'm looking forward to trying their shampoo and conditioner. My only complaint is the foil packet! Do foil packets annoy anyone else, or just me?!

Overall, I was impressed with the January Play! by Sephora box, and I just got my notification email that my February box has shipped! Let the anticipation begin.

What's your favorite subscription box service? Comment below, and be sure to like my page on Facebook to keep up with my shenanigans.

Birchbox v. Ipsy: April 2015

It's that time of month again: subscription box extravaganza! Two boxes once again enter the ring for a battle royale, only one box can step out a winner. Birchbox in one corner, ipsy in the other... who will win?

Birchbox: This month's Birchbox was a truly beautiful box, the pattern was so exquisite. Designed by Rifle Paper Co., it is a floral print box that I will be keeping for a long time!

Five Last Minute Beauty Gift Ideas

We've all been there. You've made your list, checked it twice, and you think you're all done with your holiday shopping. It's a few days before the big day, wrapping the gifts you've gotten everyone, and that's when it hits you. You've forgotten that one friend, relative, coworker, whoever, and you have no present for them. Have no fear, I'm here with five last minute gift ideas to help! Here are some fast and easy ideas that can even be bought at your local drugstore or beauty supply. Take a look, maybe inspiration for that special gift (albeit quick) will strike.

Might Not Be My Mother's Shampoo, But She Still Likes It

If you happened to see my latest ULTA Haul post, you know that I purchased Not Your Mother's Beach Babe shampoo and conditioner. According to the packages, they promise "Wavy Volume" and "Tousled Waves," along with hydration and gentle cleansing. I've been using it for about two weeks now, whenever I wash my hair.

What struck me first was the strong coconut scent. This smell will stay with you for days, so be sure you like it before you buy it. All of a sudden, I'll toss my hair back and I'll get a whiff, even though I washed my hair two days before. I'm not much of a coconut fan, but this smell reminds me of suntan lotion and summer afternoons, so I actually really enjoy this particular scent.

It's a rich formula, but usually for me sulfate free shampoo does not lather well on the first round, and this is no exception. I know that the sulfates are what make the lather but can be bad for hair, but my hair is so thick that if the shampoo doesn't lather, it doesn't get distributed throughout. It kind of just sits there, like someone broke an egg on the top of my head. And so it goes with this shampoo, until I rinse and repeat and then I am able to get a good sudsing out of it.

The conditioner is wonderful, and very rich. I find, however, that the conditioner needs a good shaking before I flip open the cap, or else it tends to be a bit runny.

As for it's promises of waves and volume? Volume, yes, waves, maybe. As I mentioned, my hair is quite thick, but this shampoo does perk up the roots a bit, making my hair look fuller. If I let my hair dry naturally, it is normally neither straight or wavy, but instead it just exists, not knowing in what direction to go. This shampoo and conditioner definitely add to the waves, but not in any attractive fashion as it still looks crazy! If I want to get more organized (probably not the right word for it) waves, I bet I would have to invest in one of the texturizing sprays that can hold waves better.

I haven't tried these products with a blowout or a flat iron yet, but I've read that texturizing shampoos do better with styling tools because they help hold the style. We shall see.

And yes, my mom does like Not Your Mother's Beach Babe shampoo and conditioner. She really likes the coconut scent.