The Purge - My Lipstick Collection

I've watched so many decluttering videos on YouTube over the last few months, and it's made me realize that I might have a real problem. I'm not a beauty guru. I don't have an incredibly popular blog or Instagram, so why on earth do I have so much makeup!? I'm doing this to, not only get rid of things I'm not using, but also to make room for things I really want. I'm starting with my lipsticks. I thought that would be easiest, since I don't wear lipstick very often.

I have my lipsticks in 3 separate containers. I'll start with the smallest one. Out of the 7 lippies in this container, I could only part with 2. Those are the Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in Big Apple and the Estée Lauder Pure Color Lipstick in Exotic Orchid. Both of the colors of these are so pretty, but I just don't see myself wearing them.

My next container holds 12 lipsticks. These are my cheaper drugstore lippies. I have 8 Wet N Wild lipsticks. I'm getting rid of 3: 901B Think Pink, 545A Blushing Bali, and 516C Sunset Peach. I used to wear Blushing Bali all the time. I really love the color, but I'm just not a fan of the shimmer anymore. Think Pink washes me out, and Sunset Peach is just not right for my skintone.

The last 4 in that container are from Nicka K and Forever 21. I'm keeping the one from Forever 21 and the orange shade from Nicka K. The other two shades are much too light for more. They're 921 Pink Tint and 301 Lavender Tint.

The very last lipstick holder fits 24 lipsticks. I'll start with the Milanis. I have 3 and I know I'm keeping all of them. They're 12 Flamingo Pose, 17 Plumrose, and 29 Teddy Bare.

Next up, are my Maybelline lippies. These make up the most of my collection as I have 7 of the ColorSensationals and 4 of the Color Elixirs. I'm keeping all 4 Color Elixirs. The formula on these just can't be beat, and I truly love all 4 colors. And I'm not getting rid of any of the ColorSensationals either. I love them too much. I have so many of these for a reason.

I have 10 lipsticks left to go! Of the miscellaneous leftovers, I only got rid of 2: the NYX Diamond Sparkle Lipstick in Sparkling Flamingo and the Starlooks Round Lipstick in BFF. (Super sorry this last swatch sucks so bad!)

Starting Number: 44
Ending Number: 35

I didn't get rid of too many, but I still got rid of more than I thought I would. I'm letting my sisters and best friend pick through them, and if they don't want them, I guess baby girl will be getting some new lipsticks!

Kiss, Kiss.
-A

January 2015 Beauty Box 5 Unboxing

Hey guys! Welcome back for another Beauty Box 5 Unboxing! This subscription has really grown on me. It's only 12$ per month, and you get 5 beauty related products each month. I like it because I get different brands from this subscription than I would get in my others. This month I'm gonna mix it up, and put the products in order from most excited about, to the least.

For January, the theme was HELLO!

UltraFlesh The Gold Standard Mascara in Blackout
I absolutely love trying out new mascaras. These samples are great to get, because I can use it enough times to tell if I love it or hate it. I can't stand getting a full size product that I don't like, so for products like mascara, getting a sample size is great!

Coastal Scents Eyeshadow Sampler - Mimosa - Deep Cantaloupe - Bright Tangerine - Volcanic Blast
In the 2 years that I've been getting beauty subscriptions, this is the very first time I've ever gotten one of these shadow quads, and I'm super surprised. The colors I got are all very bright and vibrant. Two are matte, and the other two are shimmer. I can definitely see myself using the two matte shades to blend out my crease. I love warm shades in the crease. The other two shades would make for lovely lid colors.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects in 540 Stripe-Tease
I really enjoy doing my nails, but this is a product I've never tried. Before, I felt like these were "cheating" when it came to nail art, but now I see them as an easy way to step up a simple mani. The hot pink is bold and fun, and I really love stripes.

Softsoap Nutri-Serums Vitamin E Body Wash
I don't particularly like getting body washes in subscription services because of scent preferences, but I have tried out Softsoap's body washes before, and I do really like them. There isn't a scent name on the packaging or on the info card, but it has a light, refreshing floral scent to it.

Garnier Fructis Daily Care Fortifying Shampoo
Ok, beauty subscriptions... I'm tired of shampoo samples! I have a specific hair type, as a woman of color. I like Garnier products, but this is my second shampoo sample this month, and my third between this month and last.

Overall, this was an ok month for BB5. I'm not dying to try any of the products I got, but I don't absolutely hate any of them either. It's just a pretty neutral box. In case you're interested in getting your own BB5 subscription, here are my November and July boxes.

Price Summary:
Ultraflesh Mascara - 6.22
Coastal Scents Shadows - 1.04
Sally Hansen Nail Strips (FULL SIZE!) - 9.99
SoftSoap Body Wash - 0.91
Garnier Shampoo - 0.52
Total: 18.68

Kiss, Kiss.
-A

December 2014 Glossybox Unboxing

This my second Glossybox, ever! This such a great subscription service for mid-range to high end products. The box for December is so adorable. It's Winter themed, and I freaking love how cute it is!

Nuxe Paris 24Hr Soothing and Rehydrating Fresh Mask
I LOVE face masks! I live in Indiana, too, so in the winter it gets super dry and windy here. Something like this is just what I need to keep my skin from flaking. This mask is also 90% natural and contains no parabens, and is noncomedogenic. SCORE!

Rituals Cosmetics Miracle Scrub with Ginseng & Ginkgo Biloba
I have not used a hand scrub in absolute ages. My hands are always super dry, too, because I wash them so much at work. I'm hoping this will help keep them softer longer.

Bella Pierre Cosmetics Lipstick in Burlesque
When I first saw this in my box, I thought it was a Revlon lipstick, and while I like Revlon's formula, I was a bit disappointed to find it in this box. But it wasn't, so it's fine! I was, however, actually disappointed to find that the lipstick wasn't secure in the tube, and fell out the minute I opened it. Easy fix, but I shouldn't have to do that. The color, though, is absolutely gorgeous.

Ciaté Mini Nail Polish in Humbug
Ciaté always had cute packaging, but this mini is just too much. I don't know why women find miniature things so cute, but they really are. The bottle looks like it's packed with glitter, but this is definitely not a full coverage glitter polish. It looks like a very pretty topper, though.

Toni & Guy Leave In Conditioner
This smells soooooooo good! Like incredibly good. I've gotten a few T&G products from subscriptions in the past. They all smelled good, so I'm not sure why I'm so surprised. Use it like any other leave in conditioner, and have fabulous, great smelling hair.

Price Summary:
Nuxe Mask (FULL SIZE!) - 32.00
Ritual Scrub (FULL SIZE!) - 17.00
Bella Pierre Lipstick (FULL SIZE!) - 19.99
Ciaté Mini - 10.00
T&G Conditioner - (FULL SIZE!) - 16.99
Total: 95.98$ USD

Kiss, Kiss.
-A

All Gone!: Things I've Used Up - Makeup Edition

I have waited soooo long to do this post. I wanted to make sure I had plenty of products to talk about before I posted it, so it's taken FOREVER to get this many finished makeup products. I'm not going super in depth with a description of the product. I'll leave the link if you can still purchase any of these, and let you know how I liked it and if I would repurchase. Let's jump right in!

FACE

Sheer Cover Base Perfecter Primer
Great basic primer. No complaints about it. - 9/10 - would/would not repurchase

LÓreal YouthCode Pore Vanisher
Abso-freaking-lutely amazing primer for us large pore gals. - 10/10 - would/would not repurchase

Sheer Cover Mineral Foundation in Mocha
My very first foundation. Great for natural coverage. - 8/10 - would/would not repurchase

EYES

e.l.f. Essential Eyelid Primer
Even if it wasn't 1$, it would be an amazing lid primer. - 10/10 - would/would not repurchase

Buxom Sculpted Lash Mascara
Really black mascara. Cool brush. Good for separation. Dry formula. - 8/10 - would/would not repurchase

LA Colors Liquid Eyeliner
Does what it's supposed to. Short wear time. Very Black. - 7/10 - would/would not repurchase

Jesse's Girl Liquid Eyeliner
BOMB! So bomb! THE BEST pen type liner I've ever used. - 10/10 - would/would not repurchase

Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara
Still my favorite drugstore mascara. Dry formula. Even the regular formula doesn't budge. - 10/10 - would/would not repurchase

Benefit They're Real! Mascara
Fell in love the first time I ever used it. But a bitch to remove! - 10/10 - would/would not repurchase

LIPS

Carmex Moisturizing Lip Balm in Cherry
My go-to lip balm since ever. It always feels great on my lips. - 10/10 - would/would not repurchase

Sally Hansen Vita-B Lip Moisturizer
This was a great lip balm. I loved every second of it. Wish it hadn't gotten discontinued. - 10/10 - would/would not repurchase

NAILS

Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat
Beautiful finish until you get halfway through. -  8/10 - would/would not repurchase

December 2014 Beauty Box 5 Unboxing

Here we go again! Welcome back for another BB5 unboxing! Yay!!!! For anyone who doesn't know, Beauty Box 5 is a monthly subscription service that costs just 12$ per month and features 5 deluxe sample and full sized beauty products. Each month has a different theme. This month, that theme is Merry & Bright.

Jaqua Hydrating Facial Mist in Rose Bouquet
They weren't kidding with the name. This mist smells like straight up roses! I'm not a huge fan of the scent of roses, but this I can deal with because the smell goes away soon after the mist is absorbed into the skin. For packaging, this gets 2 thumbs up. It comes in a nice frosted glass bottle and the spray nozzle doesn't shoot product out at you in a stream. It's actually a mist. I probably won't get a whole lot of use out of this now, but come the warmer month's, it'll come in handy.

Nanacoco Nail Polish in Beatbox
This is so pretty! I used to be obsessed with glitter bomb nail polishes. There's a mix of small blue, purple, and lavender hex glitters, larger lavender hex glitters, and lavender bar glitter. This is such a great festive polish for the holiday season.

Absolute! New York Nail Polish Remover Pads in Lavender
I see where you were going with this, BB5. I see you. These are acetone-free pads, and there are 32 in the pack. It's nice and portable, so it would be a good item to put in your purse to take off your old chipped polish.

Lucky Brand Lucky Number 6 Perfume for Women
I appreciate getting to try out new scents from subscription services. This fragrance, I didn't like when I first spritzed it on my wrists, but as I wore it for a few minutes, the smell developed well with my body chemistry. It's more of an earthy, musky scent. It smells sophisticated to me.

Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Moisturizer
I can't say a whole lot about this product, because I didn't actually get it in my box. This is a first for me with any subscription that I've gotten. I contacted BB5, and I'm waiting on a response.

Price Summary:
Jaqua Mist (FULL SIZE) - 16.50
Nanacoco Polish (FULL SIZE) - 3.95
Absolute! Remover Pads (FULL SIZE) - 2.99
Lucky Perfume - 0.99?
Juice Beauty Moisturizer - ???
Total (w/o JB Moisturizer): 24.43$ USD

Kiss, Kiss.
-A

City Color Cosmetics Eyeshadow Palette - Review and Swatches

City Color Color Cosmetics has been popping up all over the place in subscription services and on beauty channels this past year. I recently discovered them at my local Five Below, and had to pick up a few things. One of the first things I wanted to try out was this eyeshadow palette. This particular palette format comes with 10 shadows weighing 1.25g each.

The shadows are deep, smokey colors that are a mix of satins and shimmers. This palette also comes with a mirror covering the entire top of the case. The packaging is slim, sleek, and fairly sturdy, which makes it good to pack for travel.

Overall, my favorite colors in the palette are the burgundy on the top right, and the demin blue on the bottom left of the palette. Those two colors just speak to me as shades I would wear on a regular basis.

top row of shadows

As far as quality of the shadows goes, I would rate this palette a 7/10. Some of the shadows are chalkier than others and just don't swatch well. The darker blue shade doesn't transfer well, and the green shimmery white is really chalky.

bottom row of shadows

Kiss, Kiss.
-A

November 2014 Glossybox Unboxing - My First!

I am so unbelievably excited to bring you guys this unboxing today! Like the title says, this is my first Glossybox ever! I've wanted this box for the longest time, and just never had the extra money to get it. Then I found about this awesome deal on it from Rue La La, so I had to get it.Glossybox is a monthly subscription service that features only deluxe size samples and full size beauty products. It costs 21$/mo.

Glossybox comes in a really cute outer cardboard packing box with cute little symbols on it. Inside is the actually box. It's a soft pink with black glossy letters across it. The box, itself, is really sturdy, so I'll be using it to store some things. All the products are wrapped up in a cute little bundle of tissue paper secured with a sticker on one side and a black ribbon on the other.

12 Benefits Instant Healthy Hair Treatment
This product boasts a ton of claims! To me, it looks like a leave-in conditioner, which is perfectly fine with me. I love getting haircare products in my subscriptions. It's one of the only parts of my beauty routine that I semi-neglect. The bottle is a really pretty hot pink, and the spray itself, smells delicious!

Kneipp Herbal Bath in Balancing Lavender
This looks like a bath oil of some sort. It's supposed to help calm you. I don't take a ton of baths, so this will just have to wait til I have a pamper day before I use it. Lavender isn't my favorite scent as it can be a bit overwhelming to me, but as long as it's light, I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

Juice Beauty Green Apple Age Defy Moisturizer
I have never tried this brand before, but I have always wanted to! Ipsy used to feature this brand a bit, back when I first subscribed. I haven't seen a Juice Beauty product in any subscriptions lately, and since it's winter, a moisturizer is a must!

Kryolan Blusher in Glossy Rosewood
I have also never tried anything by Kryolan, but have been a fan of their products. My blush arrived broken, but the color and texture are amazing! This is a very natural, everyday pink, and the blush feels like soft cotton sheets.

OPI Nail Lacquer in Pink Outside the Glossybox
I love OPI nail polish. They have an amazing formula, and the dry time is just fabulous. I think I have 2 other soft pinks, but they have different tones and opacities than this color. Be sure to check my Instagram for swatches of this polish.

Price Summary:
12 Benefits Spray - 5.00$
Kneipp Herbal Bath - 3.96$
Juice Beauty Moisturizer - 11.25$
Kryolan Blusher (FULL SIZE!) - 16.17$
OPI Nail Lacquer (FULL SIZE!) - 9.50$
Total: 45.88$ USD

Kiss, Kiss.
-A