NEW! Macy's Beauty Box Overview

*Product provided for consideration. Post contains affiliate links*

I was so excited when this showed up on my doorstep, and I have to share it with you guys! Macy's now has their own beauty subscription box, and it seems like something worth checking out.

The Macy's Beauty Box costs $15 a month, you get 5 deluxe samples, plus one bonus product, a cute makeup bag, as well as a $5 gift card towards your next beauty purchase at Macy's, online or in-store!

Products in bag:

- Philosophy Purity Made Simple Facial Cleanser
- Benefit Gimme Brow
- Carolina Herrera Good Girl Eau De Parfum
- Tarte Maracuja Oil
- Smashbox Cover Shot: Golden Hour Eye Shadow Duo
- MAC False Lashes Extreme Black

I've been subscribed to a few different beauty boxes over the years, and this one seems like any other subscription service. I think the price is nice, although I know I won't use the perfume sample. Everything else is up my alley, especially the Purity Cleanser! Each months box is a surprise, and the deluxe samples are chosen by Macy's beauty experts.

If you want to learn more about the Macy's Beauty Box, click here.  

What do you think about the new Macy's Beauty Box?

Sephora VIB Sale Wishlist

Hey everyone! If you're a VIB Rouge at Sephora, today is the start of the 15% off sale! In a short while, it should be available to VIBs and  then Beauty Insiders (who will receive 10% off). If you're a beauty junky like me, you have a long list of things to buy. I have some items in my shopping cart that I'm making some final decisions on, and I may take a trip to a store later in the week. Here are a few things I have my eye on!

Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette. When I heard Kat Von D was coming out with an eyeshadow palette that's like her face contour palette, I was thrilled! I didn't get her contour palette, only because I'm not the biggest fan of contouring/bronzing. I love her eyeshadows already, so it's likely I will get this. 

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in the shade Bachelorette. Obviously I'm on a Kat Von D kick. I used to love her show and I'm a huge fan of her makeup. Her older eyeshadow palettes are amazing, and I'm a new fan of her Tattoo Liner in Trooper. I've never tried her liquid lipsticks before, but I always here great things. 

Benefit Cosmetics Puff Off!. I just find this product so interesting and I'm curious to try it. I was never really a fan of Benefit skincare, but this is intriguing. 

Marc Jacobs Beauty Style Eye-Con No.7 - Plush Shadow in The Dreamer. I've never owned anything from Marc Jacobs beauty, and I always here pretty nice things about his eyeshadow palettes. They all look beautiful, but this one called The Dreamer looks like it has colors I would love. 

Well, those are just 5 products I have my eye on right now. It may change and I could get different items. I'm excited for this sale though since they only do it about twice a year! The sale is going on until April 21st, so there is a good amount of time to get what you like! Like I said above, VIBs and Beauty Insiders should get their chance to buy products in a little bit, I'm sorry I don't know the exact date!

Is there anything you're going to buy during this sale?

*Pictures used here were taken from the Sephora website*

Makeup HAUL! Sephora, it Cosmetics, QVC & Ulta

Hi guys! Today I'm going to be showing you some makeup goodies I've purchased within the last month or so. I  was trying so hard not to spend money, but with me being the beauty obsessed person I am, there were some nice deals I just couldn't pass up!

Starting off with Sephora, The first item I purchased is the Ardency Inn Modster Manuka Honey Enriched Pigments in the color Hell, which is a grey pearl with a slight red undertone. It's so beautiful, rich and dark and when I wore it to work one day, I was getting compliments left and right. I originally wanted a color called Peacock, but it was sold out and still is. I kinda want to do a review on this eyeshadow because it really is so beautiful. 

The last product purchased is the Rosebud Perfume Co. Menthol and Eucalyptus Balm. If I'm not mistaken, this is a new scent and I love lip balms that smell like menthol, so I'm pretty excited to try it. 

I purchased the lip balm because there was a coupon code where if you spent at least $25, you got a sample of the new Benefit Roller Lash Mascara. I've been hearing great things about it, and I can't wait to try it out. You all know I'm always on the hunt for a good mascara! I also cashed in 100 points to get the Beauty Blender Solid Cleanser. Honestly, I'm kinda mad at myself because this is such a tiny sample and so not worth 100 points. I'll still use it for my brushes/Beauty Blender, but it's disappointing how small it is!

This is an exciting purchase from the it Cosmetics website! They were having a sale on this Naturally Pretty Celebration Palette for $25. There was also a coupon code for 20% off, plus free shipping! I snagged this right up since I love the first Naturally Pretty Palette, which I did review here. Unfortunately, this is no longer on sale, but the palette is still on the site, despite being limited edition. I've used this two or three times so far, and I really am liking it!

From QVC, I purchased the Tarte Miracles from the Amazon 6 PC. Collection when it was the Today's Special Value (TSV) for $59.96. I still haven't gotten the chance to play with it, but looking at all the prettiness inside the bag makes me all excited. This collection is now $72.50 on QVC, but I still think that's a great deal for all the products you get. I do believe this is a QVC exclusive set. If you'd like a review of this, let me know!

When Lorac came out with their new Unzipped Gold Palette, I wasn't really sure about it. I went on the Ulta website and looked at it, and this original Unzipped Palette. When I compared the two, this first one just jumped out at me and looks more like what I would go for. I purchased this because Ulta was having some deal where you got double or triple points on a purchase, so in my cart it went. There was also free shipping with a $35 purchase. I haven't tried this out yet, but I'm so excited to because Lorac has really impressed me with alot of their products.

Are there any products you've picked up recently?

September 2014 Empties

Hi guys! It's time for some empties and this will probably be a long one because I used up a decent amount of products. Here we go!

First up is a can of Batiste Dry Shampoo, and this is the one with a hint of color for light and blonde hair. I didn't mind the color of this, which was a light yellow. It rubbed into my hair fine and left no strange color. I love my Batiste and will always repurchase, but probably not this one.

The next product I used up is the Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge Fortifying Shampoo. I didn't use up this whole bottle myself, I had the help of my husband. He's not picky with shampoo, but I did like this. It definitely made my hair feel really clean and it smelled really nice too. I always like shampoos and conditioners from this brand so I'll always repurchase at some time or other.

Next up is a conditioner I've been tying to finish for probably a year or so, and it's the Pantene Sheer Volume Complete Therapy Conditioner. I don't know why this took so long to finish, but I didn't need alot at all to make my hair feel hydrated. This definitely made my hair feel so nice and less tangled. Worth it for how long it lasted, but I was so over it when it was gone!

I also used up the Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Conditioner that also took me ages to use up. This conditioner is really good stuff. It's very thin and liquid-y though so at first I thought it wasn't going to work well. Boy was I wrong! This left my hair feeling so soft and made it smell so darn good! I would repurchase once I use up my stash. 

Oh look, mascaras! I gotta admit, alot of these were just dried up and I couldn't use them. The two Buxom Lash mascaras I've had for I don't even now how long, so they gotta go. The Benefit Badgal Lash I used once, but it seemed off to me. I used it before and liked it, but this tube just wasn't the same. Funny story about the Fresh Supernova mascara. The first time I went to use it, I got one eye done and loved how it turned out. Then the wand proceeded to fly out of my hand onto the carpet. Needless to say, it had hair and dust all over it so I had to toss it and find something else to use. I absolutely hated theBalm's What's Your Type? mascara in "The Body Builder". It did nothing for me at all. I was so in love with the Sephora Atomic Volume mascara and I got a good 3 weeks of use out of it before it started to dry out and not work as well. 

The next product Is actually one I'm throwing away because the color is hideous and it's the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Ultra Lipstick in the color Brick. It's a horrible brick red color that makes me look so sick. This came in a gift with purchase so I'm not worried about throwing it out.

Then we have a Jouer lip gloss and the color is called Birchbox Pink. This obviously came in a Birchbox, but I haven't been subscribed to them in about 2 years, plus this smelled funny, so out it goes!

The bareMinerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer was pretty nice, but my shadows creased on me most days I used it. It wasn't terrible, but enough to be annoying. I did finish all of this and got a little over a month's worth of use out of this little sample. 

I'm just throwing away the J.Cat Beauty Sparkling Cream Palette. This glittery creamy mess is just not good and no one should ever use it. 

Onto some random bits. First up is a foaming hand soap from Bath & Body Works in the scent Coconut Cove. I absolutely loved this scent, obviously because it's coconut. I have about 20 different scents of these soaps because I always stock up during sales. 

Next up is my favorite contact solution, Renu Fresh. I know I've said before, but this is the only brand that doesn't burn my eyes when I put my contacts in, so I can't really buy anything else. This stuff isn't cheap either, so I'm learning to wear my glasses more just to conserve a bit.

I was sad using up this Crest Sensi-Relief Toothpaste, because it was so good! This has to be one of the best toothpastes that have helped my sensitive teeth and gums. This isn't cheap either and I did buy it at Walmart when I had a $1 off coupon to use. Normally I think it's a little over $4, which to me is high. I always feel like I shouldn't pay that much for something like toothpaste. I will repurchase eventually if I don't find something better, or cheaper.

I used up the Body Shop's Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner, which I've been a fan of for years. I love this stuff in the Summer especially, because it's awesome for oily skin. It keeps my skin clear and fresh and I feel it helps with my breakouts. 

I used up my first EOS lip balm and I think the scent is either strawberry or raspberry. It never says on the packaging what scent it is, so I really am guessing. In my truly honest opinion, I think this stuff sucks. I didn't find it moisturizing at all. If anything my lips were drier making me use it constantly. I do have a few more of these lip balms in my stash, but I don't know if I want to just throw them out or not. 

Next up is another product from The Body Shop, the Elderflower Unperfumed Eye Gel. I loved this so much in the Summer because it felt so cooling and nice on hot days. It really has no scent either which for me is nice since I tend to have sensitive eyes. 

I was really sad when I used up this little sample of the Jouer Lip Enhancer Conditioning Lip Treatment. I think I got this in a Birchbox as well, but this seemed good to use. I absolutely loved what this did to my lips. It made them plump and feel so hydrated and lovely. I'm tempted to buy a full size of this honestly but I have plenty of lip balms/treatments to use up first.

The last product I used up is the Almay Oil-Free Makeup Remover Towelettes. I'm on the fence with these. I liked them but I didn't love them. They did seem to remove my makeup well, but they left a bit of a film on my skin and stung my eyes occasionally, which was odd. 

Phew! That was a doozy! If you made it til the end, tell me what you all used up last month! :)

July 2014 Empties

Hey everyone! This past month wasn't that great with empties, but it was enough to warrant a post of what I did use up. There are mostly skincare products but definitely next month I will have more makeup. I'm close to using up alot of different makeup, so that makes me happy. Anyways, lets get into what I used up in July!

I'm gonna start off with vitamins. I think vitamins are an important part of beauty because it helps your body feel good which should just help you feel good in general. I used up a Nature's Bounty Hair, Skin and Nails supplement. I honestly don't notice much of a difference in my skin, but my hair tends to grow a little faster and my nails are strong and healthy when I take supplements. I also used another Nature's Bounty Multi Vitamin for women. I don't know really what benefits I feel from these, but I kinda always took a multi when I was younger so I keep getting them. 

Now for the skincare. I used up The Body Shop's Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash. I love this cleanser in the Summer months as my morning cleanser to help prep my skin for the day and get all the grease and dirt off that collected from the night before. I usually have a few backups of these on hand plus I have alot of other cleansers to use up as well. Definitely a repurchase once my stash diminishes a bit.

Typically, I have yet another The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner. I can go on and on about how much I love this toner but I won't. I use it all the time, mostly at night.

I used up a moisturizer by Benefit called the Triple Performing Facial Emulsion. This is oil free and has SPF 15 PA++, what ever that means. I honestly didn't like this much. I used it during the day because of the SPF, but it was just a meh moisturizer. It did feel a little hydrating but made me oily after about an hour or so. This is probably a good moisturizer if you have normal to combo skin. I won't be repurchasing this only because I'm super oily.

I finally used up my Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. I love, love, love this mask! It's been talked about for ages, but it really is great for oily skin that feels congested. I love the smell of this and I might repurchase, but I have alot of masks to use up first.

Last of the empties! I used up the Maybelline Clean Express! Makeup Remover. This is the waterproof eye makeup remover and I was so in love with this stuff! I had originally bought this because I had a $1 off coupon for it when it was first released and I bought it at Walmart so I'm pretty sure I only paid about $3. Like I said, I loved this alot. It didn't burn my eyes and removed my makeup incredibly well. I will most definitely repurchase when I use up my other makeup removers.

I used up another Philosophy shower gel in the scent Ginger Berry Frost. This shower gel actually had little flecks of shimmer throughout that I wasn't really a fan of and I didn't care much for the scent. For me, it was a little too sweet smelling, which is definitely odd for me because I love sweet things. I think this came in a holiday kit from Sephora a while ago. 

I'm starting to get into the habit of using up some of my samples I have since they're overflowing. I decided to use the Givenchy Mister Light in the shade 4 Mister Macaroon. This was a bit dark for me, but when I used a Beauty Blender or the Real Techniques sponge, I was able to make it work. This was an interesting product. The texture of this felt great, it was creamy but light and blended well. However, there are shimmer particles in this that made me look a bit like a disco ball but when I used a good amount of pressed powder, it took it away a little. Seeing how much this is in pen form, I will not purchase this.

I used up another Similasan eye drops for allergy eyes. Love this stuff and it doesn't burn my eyes like alot of other drops do. I will always repurchase this. 

My last empty is Benefit's They're Real! Mascara. Alot of you will probably hate me for this, but I don't get the hype surrounding this mascara. It made my lashes look spidery and bad. Towards the end of its life, I would get balls of mascara on the tips of my lashes and I'd always have to use a comb to get them out. Not going to purchase. Ever.

That's everything! Like I said, next month should be better in the makeup department. What did you all use up in July?

Sephora VIB Haul!

Hi everyone! When I saw that Sephora was doing a VIB event where you could get 15% off, I was so torn because I was doing a spending ban. Of course I ended up buying stuff, hence the reason for this post! My mom was even really nice and bought me some things as well during the event, so I'll be showing those as well. 

 I'll start off with the products I picked up in-store. When I was looking at products online during the sale, I saw a Sephora Favorites Skinnovations set for a little over $40. When I went to the store, I saw this set for only $35. I couldn't tell the difference between this and the one online, so I was really happy to see this in-store. There are some awesome skincare products from Kate Somerville, Murad, First Aid Beauty, and more! I love trying out smaller sized products to see if I like something and I'm a skincare junkie, so I can't wait to try out some of these!

When I was at the counter checking out, I saw this Too Faced The Mascara & Bronzing Holy Grail Set. This was only $23 and comes with a full sized Better Than Sex Mascara and a deluxe sized Chocolate Soleil Bronzer. The mascara alone is typically $23, so getting the bronzer for basically free, minus the 15% discount, was pretty darn nice! I already know I love the bronzer, but I have yet to try the mascara.

I purchased the First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay on a different day, and I also didn't realize that it was in the set mentioned above! I'm pretty sure I'll like this cleanser because my skin is getting a little more oily since it's starting to warm up some here, and this is supposed to help with excess oils and unclogging pores. 

Now for my online purchase! When I saw that Kat Von D had come out with some new palettes, I squealed like a kid in a candy store! I have quite a few of her other palettes, which are all amazing, and really wanted to get another one.

This one is called the Monarch Eyeshadow Palette. Aren't these colors just gorgeous?! I've already played around a bit with this, and so far it's pretty nice. The matte beige-y color in the upper left corner is an amazing highlight, base shade, or even for blending out harsh lines. 

Since I had to get up to $50 for free shipping, I ended up getting the TokyoMilk Dark Lip Elixir in the Salted Caramel scent. If I could lick this stuff and have it taste good, I'd be a happy girl! This stuff smells so darn good, like something you'd put on french toast. I look forward to slathering this all over my lips, then looking like a duck because I'll be constantly sniffing them :)

These are the products my Momma got me! She asked me if there was anything I liked or wanted and I gave her a couple options. These showed up on my doorstep a few days later! 

I've been lusting over the Benefit Rockateur Blush basically since it came out. I have used this a few times and I'm happy to report that it's a very lovely blush color for my fair skin. It makes my skin glow and has a natural highlighting effect to it which I definitely love. 

I was intrigued by the Smashbox Full Exposure eyeshadow palette because it reminded me of Lorac Pro with it being half shimmer, half matte. I tried this out once so far and with my first impression, I'm not terribly fond of the shimmer shades, but the mattes are nice. Not as nice as Lorac Pro, but hey, not everything can be as great as that palette! I may do a review on this as I use it.

That's my haul! I've honestly been doing horribly with my spending ban because I've been seeing so many awesome sales, especially at the drugstores! Expect a collective haul coming up in the next few weeks. 

Did you buy anything during the VIB sale?

Sephora 2013 VIB Sale Haul!

Hi everyone! I'm finally getting around to showing you all what I had purchased during the Sephora VIB 20% off sale they had this past November, and then in December when they sent out the $20 off of $50 reward card! I think I made out pretty well and I'm happy with all of my purchases, so here's what I purchased!

These are the products I bought during the 20% off sale. The tote bag we got is just stinkin' adorable! It's a good size too if I have to run and pick up a few groceries or something. Onto the products! I did an online order and also went to the Sephora inside JC Penny. 

Online, I picked up the Fresh Fresh Essentials kit that comes with the Soy Face Cleanser and a Sugar Advanced Therapy lip Balm. I have yet to try the cleanser and I'm already in love with their lip balms, and at only $19.50 minus the 20% I thought it was a good deal for what I got.

I also purchased the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Moisture Extreme Body Buttercream. Dear lord, this stuff smells heavenly! The fresh lime scent smells so invigorating and lovely, I can't wait to try it out! 

I also picked up the Glamglow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment that everyone and their dog talks about. Before I got my order in the mail, I did pick up the second one in the store thinking I'll love it, and with 20% off, it was a good deal. I already have used it and yes, I do love it! I'm thinking I can maybe get 4 or 5 uses out of the little jar, so it's worth it in my opinion.

I was browsing around in the store and came across the Philosophy Jelly Candy Kisses holiday set. It comes with two of their awesome lip glosses and two lip scrubs. I've been obsessed with their lip glosses for years now, but I haven't seen or heard of lip scrubs by Philosophy, so I'm pretty excited to try them out! With the cold weather we've been having, my lips need all the help they can get.

When I made the online order, it was when they had the Urban Decay 500 point perk that came with the newer B6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Spray, All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray, Eyeshadow Primer Potion Anti-Aging, and a little Mushroom eyeshadow. I was so excited I got my hands on this when I did! Sorry I forgot to picture it :/

These are the products I purchased when they sent out that $20 reward. I was originally going to go to a mall where there is an actual Sephora store for my birthday, but my husband was having car troubles, so I had to use it online. I first picked up my birthday gift that comes with Benefit's They're Real! Mascara and Watt's Up! Highlighter. My mom actually gave me her birthday gift since her birthday is in February and I have to wait til December. I'll admit, I have yet to try the mascara, but the highlighter isn't too bad. I don't care much for cream products, so I can only use this in the Winter, but it's a nice product.

I purchased a NARS Nail Polish in the color Disco Inferno, and I honestly only got it so I could get up to the $50. I actually love how this polish looks in person. It's like a duo-chrome blue, with hints of green and purple to it. I'm kinda looking forward to trying this out on my nails. I haven't been using nail polish much lately, but this color has sparked my interest in it again.

I then picked up the Philosophy The Holiday Handbook Handcream set. It comes with the scents Homemade Honey Buns, Spiced Gingerbread Cookie, and Cranberry Medley. My hands have been so darn dry lately as well, so I'm sure these will be put to good use soon. 

I just had to purchase a backup of the Sephora Daily Makeup Brush Cleaner. I use this after I use any makeup brushes to get off any makeup residue and to kill germs. After I had the stye incident, I'm much more cautious of cleaning my brushes more and washing my face thoroughly at night. 

My last purchase is the Stila Artful Eye Collector's Edition Vol. III. The colors are Light Apricot, Umber, Aquamarine, Soft Violet and Ocean. This little guy was only $10, and it's a beautiful palette! I've used this once so far, and the pigmentation is incredible. You barely have to tap your brush to pick up alot of color. It's just amazing and would make a cute stocking stuffer!

That's everything I purchased during the VIB sale! If you purchased something during the sale, what did you get? I'd love to know! :)

April 2013 Empties!

Hey everyone! This is going to be a short post for this month's empties because I don't have nearly as many as I did last month! I still figured I 'd show you all what little bit I used up though, so here they are!

The first products I used up are The Body Shop Rainforest Shine Shampoo and Conditioner. I don't have much to say about these honestly. I love The Body Shop products, but their shampoos and conditioners aren't that great. They don't particularly clean my hair very well and the conditioner doesn't hydrate very well either. The only decent thing going for these products are they smell amazing! I think I still have one more shampoo and conditioner to use up from The Body Shop.

The next product I've had for ages and it's the Philosophy Handmade Hand Cream. I swear, this has just been sitting in my handbag for so long, and finally it's gone. I don't have much to say about this either, except for the amazing smell. It smells like a lemon custard cake! This product doesn't moisturize very well and doesn't last through hand washings either. I honestly don't know if Philosophy still carries this hand cream. Either way, I wouldn't repurchase.

My next product is another dud for me! I'm not sure what it is about this empties post, but I dislike everything so far (until my last product!). Benefit's The POREfessional, to me, should not be as hyped up as it's been. Seriously, this primer did absolutely nothing for my skin, and I have ginormous pores. I always hear amazing things about this primer, but it just did not work for me. This is just a little sample sized bottle and I may have more in my sample shoebox. To me, this is not worth the $30 price tag for the full sized bottle.

Now for my last empty, which is The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Body Butter. I can't get enough of these body butters! These have to be my favorite body butters of all time, no lie! Even their regular body lotion that comes in a pump bottle is amazing, and that's what I usually switch to when the weather gets warmer. Anyways, I know I've mentioned numerous times how much I love these; they're hydrating, they smell good and they have community trade ingredients in every product they make, which is amazing. You all know I'll be repurchasing these!

Well that's everything! I know this wasn't a very happy post with how I liked everything, but I'm sure May has some much better products! I should have way more empties than I did for April!

What did everyone else use up?