May Birchbox 2011

Below is a review of my first Birchbox:

Juicy Beauty Green Apple Peel & Jouer Mini Tinted Lipgloss

A face peel to brighten skin.  I used this product once and LOVED it.  My skin looked radiant the next day.  My dark spots looked shades lighter! I was impressed.  Two days later I used this product for the second time and it was a disaster.  My skin became very irritated with red patches.  The tube does not have detailed directions on it so I did not know to use this once a week.  I think I became irritated because my skin was sensitive from using the peel two days prior.  It is a strong product and I plan to try it again this weekend.  Hopefully no reaction because this was the only item in the box I would repurchase.

A lip gloss that claims to plump lips.  I tried this once, it was a deep coral shade.  It applied nicely on my lips, but I did not see any plumping action.  Overall it was a good product, but I would not purchase because I do not use lip gloss very often.

Karastase Shampoo & Conditioner 

A shampoo and conditioner to add volume for dry and limp hair types.  I tried the shampoo once.  It was okay not worth purchasing in my opinion.  I will let Angela test it because she loves trying new hair products.

Archipelago Pomegranate Soap & Ahava Mineral Body Lotion

A dead sea mineral infused lotion.  I used this a few times on my legs.  I do not have much to say about this lotion.  It was a nice sample to try, but nothing I need.

A pomegranate scented soap.  Horrible soap it left my skin feeling try and tight.  I had to re-shower with a different soap because I was so uncomfortable.

Even though I only enjoyed one item I love having a subscription to Birchbox.  It is a small surprise to look forward to each month.  I am excited to see what June brings!  I hope you enjoyed this post because I plan to review each month's items.  Visit www.birchbox.com for more information.

Thanks for reading,

Isabella

IMATS Haul and Review

This is a very late post on IMATS NYC which was held on April 9-10, 2011.  I attended both days with my sister, Angela.  I expected to purchase a lot more.  Below are pictures along with descriptions of the items I bought:

Royal & Langnickel- 5 piece Travel Brush Set

I love these brushes.  I paid only $10.00 for the set.  This is perfect for traveling.  This set has all the basics you could possibly need.   I went to Las Vegas two weekends ago and these were the only brushes I brought!  

Eve Pearl Primer

On Saturday Angela and I attended a makeup seminar presented by Eve Pearl.  It was all about bridal makeup one of the products used was this primer.  I bought it on a limb because during the seminar the product was presented very well.  I love this primer.  I plan to repurchase it once I run out.  It really keeps my makeup in place more than anything I have tried in the past.  I paid $20.00 at the Eve Pearl booth, but the price is slightly higher online.

Eve Pearl Foundation

The primer was a hit, but this foundation was not.  I was informed that it would last four months.  I hit pan after 15 uses, it was not worth $38.00.  This foundation did not provide the coverage I was looking for and became very oily on my skin.

Overall IMATS was an excellent experience.  I plan to go again next year except maybe for just one day.  Please check out Angela's IMATS post --> CLICK HERE :)


Thanks for reading,
Isa

Ice Cream at Bryant Park

I have been slacking on blog posts once again.  This is a short post about my lunch break last week.  I work in Manhattan which is a lot of fun because there is always something to do.  There are so many different options for food, shopping, and entertainment.  Last week I took a nice walk to Bryant Park and enjoyed my break with some sun and ice cream.  Below are a few pictures from my little adventure:

Thanks for reading,

Isabella

Evening Skin Care Routine

Having a nighttime skin care routine is important because this is the time when the body repairs its cells.  I try to use all the products discussed, but sometimes there are nights when I am too lazy to even take my makeup off.

Cleanser:

First I use this cleanser to take off my makeup.  I have been using this product for about 3 years.  I love it! 

After my makeup is removed I use coal face from Lush.  This soap is amazing it sucks out my blackheads, shrinks my pores, and leaves my skin with a tight, clean feeling.  There is something about this soap that works wonders.  However one thing I did notice is when I stopped using it my skin looked uneven and horrible.

Softener:

After cleansing I use a softener from Shiseido.  "Toner" may be a more common word to describe this product.  I put it on a cotton ball and apply it to face and neck.  It adds moisture to my skin and is a good way to prep for my nighttime moisturizer.

Eye Cream:

Currently I am using a sample of this product and I like it so far.  It is excellent for night, but is too greasy for the daytime.  I apply a tiny amount under my eyes focusing on the outer corners.  I will repurchase once the sample is gone.

Moisturizer:

This is the final step in my nighttime skin care routine.  You may recognize this item from my beauty product wish list.  I purchased it about two weeks ago from Lord and Taylor.  I apply this each night to my face and neck before bed.  In the morning my skin is glowing!  It is fabulous!

In combination all these products are working wonders for my skin.  I have seen a drastic improvement in my skin's clarity and my blackheads are almost all gone.

Thanks for reading,

Isabella

Ann Taylor Haul

A few weekends ago I went to Ann Taylor and purchased some clothes for work.   At the time of visit Ann Taylor had a promotion running for 40% off your entire order (including sale items)!  Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor LOFT are two stores you should never shop at unless they have a promotion going on.  Almost every week there is an offer for 20-40% off.

Ann Taylor is one of my favorite stores for work clothes.  During my past trip I purchased two dresses, a skirt, and a suit jacket (that matches the skirt).  Below are pictures of the clothing along with some additional items I would pair with each outfit.  I hope this post is helpful and gives you ideas for what to wear to work.  I also apologize for the quality of the pictures as they were taken quickly with my phone and I did not have time to model the clothing.

Suit

The material and color of this suit make it perfect for the upcoming spring and summer months.  I think it will look great with nude pumps.  The pair shown above are from Kohl's. 

Three Quarter Sleeve Dress

Of course on the hanger the dress does not look that impressive, but it fits me perfectly.  It is good for daytime yet elegant enough for the evening.  Peep toe pumps are great to pair with this classic dress.  The open toe makes the outfit better for warmer weather.  The shoes shown above are by Tahari which I found at Marshalls for only $30.00!

Sleeveless Dress

 

Adding a cardigan to this dress makes it appropriate for the office.  Earlier this year I purchased the best cardigan from the BP. (juniors) department at Nordstrom.  Click here to see it!  I bought it in black and ivory.  It is slightly cropped with three quarter length sleeves and looks great over everything!  I have been wearing the black one all the time especially to work over sleeveless clothing. 

Thanks for reading,

Isabella