Phototutorial: Coffee Time.

I haven't done a tutorial in a while.  I've been busy between my two jobs, and whereas I miss you guys, I am really, really tired, haha.

I only used one brush!  This is the SOHO Smudge Brush from my Myglam/Ipsy Bag.  I used Madd Style Cosmetix pigments in Adipose, Xray Spex, Dirty Chai, Americano and Fresh Pots.  I used my Eyeko Skinny Liner in Black, my Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Whiskey and MAC's eye kohl in Fascinating.  I also used my Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin, and Makeup Forever's Smoky Lash in Brown.

Mailtime: Vegan Conscious Box September 2012!

Holy crap you guys, this Conscious Box was like a Christmas present!  There was so much in it!!  So much, in fact, that for detailed photos, I had to take two pictures.

Overview:

Overall.

I didn't even have room for the additional literature and coupons that are usually included!

Breakfast!

Espresso, mighty leaf vanilla bean tea, a pear & half of the trader joe's berry muffin.

Also, bought that tea tumbler today because it was cute and on sale and I needed a good tea one. It's from Tazo.

posted from Bloggeroid

Mailtime: Influensters' Voxbox Natural 2012

My Influenster Voxbox finally showed up!!  Everyone got theirs a week ago, but mine finally showed up yesterday!  Yay!!  I'm just glad it showed up at all; I'd lost hope, mostly because of Influensters less than helpful response.  That said, I can't complain about customer service; I'm not a customer.

So let's go over what's inside.

GeoDeo deodorant - full size - $5.99
To me, this smelled like booze.  I have no idea why, but as soon as I smelled it, I thought it smelled like wine coolers.  j0hn thought it smelled delicious, so I decided he was going to have to be my test dummy.  I might try it on a day that I'm home, but due to a fear of smelling like booze, I can't do it.  j0hn has it on today and it's 8:43pm and he says he still doesn't smell bad.  We're going out to the club tonight, so that will be the true test.  Also in the box was a coupon code for a free gift with purchase.

Nectresse  Natural No Calorie Sweetener - 2 packets - $0.20 ($3.99 for 40 packets)I'm terrified to try this.  I found out recently that artificial sweeteners can trigger issues with IBD, so I'm not sure if I'm curious enough to try this.  I have to at some point, or I'll feel wasteful, but certainly not on a day where I work nine hours (like tomorrow).  Also included is a coupon for $1.00 off any one Nectresse product.

Lypsol Intense Protection LypMoisturizer - full size - $2.99
This one went to j0hn.  He was in need of a chapstick (while I am stocked on MSC lip bombs for a while).  He was immediately in love with the packaging because "look at the little bee on the side!  The slider is a little bee!"  He put it on and said it was tingly like a peppermint chapstick, and that he liked it.  I asked him if it was waxy and he said "not really."  All in all, not a chapstick for me, but j0hn seems to be enjoying it.  I tried it for myself, and it was soft and felt nice, and the smell was quite pleasant.

Eboost - 1 packet - $1.40 ($28 for 20 packets)
I can't wait to try this.  I'm tempted to give it to j0hn since he's been a little under the weather, but I want it!  Maybe we'll share it, though I already have him taking my vitamins and drinking Trader Joe's Green Plant Juice (what more can I do?!).  I didn't see anything immediately on the list that wasn't vegan, and the sight says no dairy, but I need to delve a little deeper into the vitamin sources listed on the packet.  I was out in the wind for a while waiting on the bus, so I think I need to drink this soon...

CleanWell Individual Hand Sanitizer Wipes - 1 wipe - $0.60 ($29.99 for 50)
As a makeup artist, I am always interested in any sort of sanitation device, haha.  It says that it's alcohol free, so not only are my dry hands interested, my brain is, too.  The active ingredient in this is Thymus Vulgaris Oil (Thymol 0.05%), which I had to google.  I found mixed studies about this substance, and as such, am not certain it's something I would want to rub on my hands ten to twenty plus times a day.  I'm going to try it once, as I don't think it's going to hurt me, but I won't be buying them for my kit as I thought I might.  These say "no animal testing" on the package, but I have more research to do.

Desert Essence Coconut Shine & Refine Lotion - 6.4 fl oz (full size) - $9.99
This product was chosen for me based on my demographic.  I have no idea why this product was chosen for me (other than me living in an urban area), but this is unfortunately not a product that is going to work in my hair.  I'll probably pass it on to my niece who is bi-racial and can use the product.  I have no idea if the term bi-racial is p.c. or not, so if you're offended, I'm sorry.  I have no idea what would be more correct.  I'll try it once, see how it goes, and probably pass it on to Sierra.  On the plus side, it does say that it's vegan right on the bottle.  I wish coconut oil worked with my hair because I love the way it smells, but sadly it doesn't.

The Original Dish Drying Mat - $4.99
I'm so excited to have this!!  I'm debating with myself if I want to save it for cleaning brushes or if I want to use it in the kitchen as it's intended.  Maybe I'll buy a second one.  I'm sure this bad boy will make an appearance in our next cooking video.. whenever that is.

TOTAL VALUE:  $26.16

Disclaimer:  This Voxbox was sent to me courtesy of Influenster.  This does not affect my opinion of the items received, and I reserve my right to my honest opinion.

Review & Giveaway: Manglaze Matte Nail Polish

This review has literally been a year in the making.  I have started typing it up several times, but felt like it needed more love than one I was giving it.  About a year ago, I contacted Manglaze, and they were very friendly and sent me a mini bottle of Mayonnaise to try out.  I love, love, love that nail polish, as it's the first matte white that hasn't been like white out on my nails.  So I've been stalking the site for a while, occasionally building a basket, but never committing.  Finally, I couldn't take it any longer, and it just so happened that they tipped me off on facebook that they were having a sale that weekend... I waited a few days and BAM!; more Manglaze was on it's way to me.  Well, to be fair, j0hn did pay for the order, so they're technically his.  So this post is sponsored by Manglaze, and my lovely boyfriend.

L to R: Mayonnaise, Matte Is Murder, Fuggin Ugly & Fatty's Got More Blood

Myglam aka Ipsy September 2012!

I'm currently listening to my Baushaus channel on Pandora, editing photos for a future post here on Manglaze Nail Polish, but it just so happened that Myglam Bag just got here.  I mean, my Ipsy bag.. whut?

That's correct, it's plastered everywhere; Myglam is now Ipsy.  I don't really know, nor do I care what that really means, as it just seems like marketing to me.  I'm sure they're trying to shed that inconsistent image that has haunted them since the birth of the program.

So, on to the bag, that I just received on the 18th, too close to the end of the month for my liking.

See, the word ipsy is everywhere!

What's inside:
1.  Soho Smudge Brush - $5.97
2.  Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Split End Sealer 0.38 fl oz - $5.59
3.  Jane Sparkle Gloss in Sparkle Pink - $3.33
4.  Mirabella Eyeshadow in Semiformal - $10.00
5.  Circus Nail Polish in Tightrope - value still unknown
Total Value:  $24.89

First impressions:
I want to start off by pointing out that this is the second Walmart famous product I've gotten from a subscription service in a row (last month it was the Schick razor).  I am indifferent about this, as I sample most of my mid to high end products at work anyways, but it does make me sad for people who join this services for fancy stuff.  There is only ONE mid to high end product in this entire bag, and the sample isn't even a full oz [edit to add:  apparently a full size is 1.7 fl oz so I guess this is a good sample size...).  Also, this is a little nitpicket-y, and not MG/ipsy's fault, but Soho: this is NOT a smudge brush!  It's a crease or contour or even fluffy pencil brush.. but not a smudge brush.

Secondly, this is the SECOND MONTH IN A ROW they have sent us pink lipgloss.  I haven't touch the one from last month, and I'm not going to use this one either.  For starters, Jane isn't exactly my first choice for lipgloss, and neither is the color or texture of this one.. I'm not fourteen!

As for the other items, Mirabella is still a foreign brand to me and although I like that this is easy to put into a free palette, I really don't care for Mirabella as a brand so far.  And another nail polish from Andrea's Choice?  Cool, I guess.  I love nail polish, but it goes to show you that they're really inexpensive nail polishes if they've given away nearly the whole collection before you can even buy them.  Is this a tactic to guarantee that people will buy the two colors they haven't received yet in order to complete their collection?  I don't know, but I'm kind of over it.

And I almost forgot!  We got a coupon for JustFAB Shoes!  ...except that I have no idea what that is!  haha.

Final thoughts:
It's time to cancel Myglam.  I'm just not excited about it anymore, and my money is going to go elsewhere... namely Conscious Box!  And possibly even Vegan Cuts new subscription box!

Random Thoughts on Nutrition This Month.

1.  I'm not getting any younger. 

I came to a realization today; I'm not getting any younger, seriously.  I have spent my teens and early twenties thinking, "Oh, I will worry about what I'm eating later," and "processed foods are terrible for me but I'm too young to worry about that."  Except today, while merchandising a zombie display at work, it just dawned on me: I'm twentyfive now.  That's half a decade from thirty.  My sisters are thirty.  Reflecting on my personal goals, and consequent achievements and failures, I am a little disappointed in myself.  I have constantly set long term goals (weight, financial status, etc), usually for Halloween, and I have constantly failed them.  This has made me realize that for many years, I have watched my goals come and go.  For years, I have been heavier than I've wanted to be.  For years I've eaten foods that I know are bad for me and felt poorly about it.  And for years I've said, "oh, next week.  Next month.  Next year..."

NOW.

2.  Leafy green salads are essentially delivery devices; make the most of them.

Who doesn't love a good salad now and again?  Even as a vegan, who constantly faces the stereotype of eating nothing but wedges of iceberg lettuce sprinkled in vinegratte and lemon juice, I still love them.  [That was an oddly specific example, but other vegans know why I said it like that; #veganproblems, haha.]  I realized today as I tossed my Trader Joe's Power to the Greens salad mix onto a plate, and poor dressing over it, that I was really sad that I didn't have any sunflower seeds, or cherry tomatoes, or.. ANYTHING else.  What a waste of a perfectly good opportunity to pack more health into an otherwise bland (in taste and nutrition) salad.

Don't know what Power to the Greens is?  Check it out on Hint of Greens' blog post!

3.  Food logs are for the observant, NOT the obsessive!

I have had food logs throughout my life.  I have done them for calorie counting, for food allergies, for attempting to decode my supposed IBS, and now I am happy to say that I do NOT feel obsessive for it.  Being aware of what you eat is a good thing.  It keeps you in touch with your food, which should help you be a healthier, happier person (even if it just makes you happy to know that you still have x amount of cookies at home because you've only eaten seven of them).  I have had to primarily keep food logs becaue of my digestive issues, and I feel like they're important to cracking the code.  I have also kept them to share what vegans eat with others.  My food blog is here.

Red, Red Lips!

Tarte Amazonian Clay lipstick in Wild [CF]
Sugarpill Chromalust Loose Pigment in Asylum [V, CF]

Also, red spot above my lip?  Not poor application.. poor concealing.  =[  It's a zit.

posted from Bloggeroid

Prize slash love mail from Lizzy!!

I say love mail because she clearly must love me!! Thank you so, so much!!!!

Edited to add a "packing list":
1.  Buttercupcake Pressed Eyeshadow
2.  Asylum Chromalust Loose Eyeshadow
3.  Firefly Individual False Lashes

& extras from Sugarpill, including the adorable sticker, the model/collection card, and the sample of Stella!

posted from Bloggeroid

Birchbox September 2012: Underwhelmed.

This is the second Birchbox that left me going, "...eh."

This looks like SO MUCH STUFF, right?  It's an illusion!

This is what's really in this box.  I'm excited about two things in this box, indifferent about two, and disappointed in two.  Can you guess which are which?!

1.  Nexxus Pro-Mend Hair Care Samples - $0.25 + $0.37 + $0.21 = $0.83
2.  Benefit Skin Care Samples - $0.47 + $0.49 = $0.96
3.  Color Club Nail Polish in Status Uptade (Update?) 0.25fl oz- $4.00
4.  Twistband - $1.83
5.  Mighty Leaf Tea in Vanilla Bean, Chamomile Citrus and Green Tea Tropical - $1.99
6.  Youngblood Mineral Primer 5ml/0.17floz- $6.97

Total Value: $16.58

There is also a coupon for Madewell ($25.00 off of a $75.00 purchase).  The Lookbook in the box is a collaboration with Madewell.  It's cute, but parts of it kind of miss the fall trends.  This fall is calling for an interesting blend of shades, sages, crimsons, plums; and beige is a timeless color for balancing out so many deep, smoky possibilities.

I'm really, really excited to try the primer from Youngblood.  I've heard the name Youngblood here and there, and my interest has grown in them the more I hear.  The fact that they're so passionate about cruelty free makes me very happy (and curious).  I'm always excited about tea, so these Mighty Leaf samples are no exception.  I've been curious about the whole Twistband craze, so I'm excited to get one to try out.  I'm always happy to receive nail polish, and whereas I hate tiny bottles, I do like the color I received.  The samples leave me underwhelmed and I'm sure I'll pass them on.

I think this is the end of the line for Birchbox and I.  It's been fun, and I've had some good boxes, but overall I'm unimpressed.

FOTD: goff

The star today is beauty without cruelty's lipstick in the color deep plum #51.

posted from Bloggeroid

FOTD

Notably:
MSC pigments in cob webs and have her heart away
OCC lip tar in anime

posted from Bloggeroid

FOTD: inspired by a nail polish

Sephora by OPI has out a new collection called Spice Market. In it is a duochome gold I rather enjoy, so I did this look. Once I was at work I added Smashbox's O-Gloss Gold.

Face:
Smashbox primer
Tarte amazonian clay foundation as fair
Urban decay all nighter
Buxom blush in euphoria
Benefit blush in sugarbomb
Bare minerals ready bronzer in... Uh.

Eyes:
Urban decay primer in sin
Urban decay shadows in shattered, blunt and vert
Wet n wild shadow in matte white
Sephora liner in black flame
Blinc mascara

posted from Bloggeroid

FOTD: Inspired by Lady Gaga's FAME fragrance!

Today at Sephora we all dressed up with Lady Gaga inspired looks.  I pulled various pieces of looks I like dating all the way back to the Fame days (2008), mostly because I'm a hopeless fangirl, but also because that is the name of the fragrance.

Jillian (my lovely co-worker) chose a more subdued Gaga look, whereas I went for gold leaf, black "scales", black lips and as close to riglets as I could get in my hair in about five minutes flat.

Here is a better look of the detailing, though my hair & lips were not finished.  I used a lot of eyeshadow in this look, including Urban Decay's Blunt and Half Baked, as well as Wet N Wild's matte black.  It looked a LOT more dramatic in person, but unfortunately photos aren't doing it justice.  =[

Also, how do I like the Lady Gaga fragrance?  It smells TERRIBLE on me, but fantastic on pretty much everyone else (which is totally normal).  It's almost like a more sophisticated Justin Bieber fragrance, but in the best possible way.