Hooked On Beauty

Glossybox

carissa — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:41:20 +0000

I recently got to see April’s Glossybox, the latest in subscription based beauty boxes delivered to your door so you can try out makeup and skincare at a great price. $21 a month is what you’ll pay, and this month had about $85 worth of products. Here’s a glimpse inside the box.

Cute packaging. Even the outside felt special to receive.

Great attention to detail. It was all wrapped up like a gift to a friend.

Its contents

What was included in this box:

Erno Laszlo sampled their Hollywood Collection of skincare, a super luxe line that celebrates their 85th year in the biz.

O.P.I had Kiss My On My Tulips (swatch HERE), a creamy bright pink from their Holland 2012 collection.

Basq: Cucumber Tea Soothing Eye Gelhttp://basqnyc.com/face-control/cucumber-tea-eye-gel is great for puffy, tired eyes like mine.

Cargo EyeBronzer, a (possibly discontinued?) shade of shimmering bronze with a wand applicator to highlight the eyes as a shadow or to add flare to inner corners.

Kryolan High Gloss Brilliant Lip Shine, was what I was most excited about. Kryolan is a professional line of makeup that you won’t find in Sephora or mainstream stores but we Makeup Artists know it well. This gloss is super pigment rich unlike most glosses that deliver more shine than color.

CO Bigelow had a full sized (5.2 oz) Lavender Peppermint Shampoo. It’s the formula that started out in hotels exclusively but became so popular they began selling it to the masses.

But is it worth it?

I gotta say that based on this box, I think $21 is a great deal. All but one were full sized offerings so it isn’t just a box of samples, though I’m sure they’ll be included as well. I also like the non-mainstream offerings like Kryolan and Basq that you may not try otherwise – which is really what this type of service is all about, right?

Learn more about it HERE at Glossybox.com

You Need This: A Big Fluffy Brush for Your Bronzer

carissa — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:37:54 +0000

If you’re a bronzer lover like me, then the best bet for a natural looking application every time is using a big fluffy brush. The bigger the brush, the wider you can disperse the product so isn’t applied so densely giving the face a streaky or harsh look. I’m loving Elizabeth Arden’s All Over Face Powder Brush ($22) which can be used to apply al things powder to the face. Its coverage is so great that just a few sweeps of bronzer is needed to create a warm glow on the face easily carrying the color down to the neck so there isn’t a harsh contrast between the two. It makes bronzing a ton easier.

And speaking of Arden.. I got to try their bronzers and wow – they’re pretty great. They went straight into my kit actually replacing a few that I didn’t use/like anyway (Bobbi Shimmer bricks if you mush know. Holy shimmer overload Batman.) Pure Finish Bronze Powder ($38) comes in 3 shades of intensity, all being matte but not exactly flat meaning they have a hint of pickup to them so they’re easier to wear and blend without looking shimmery. Not just a makeup, it has antioxidants, minerals, and skin-energizing ingredients with a light hint of rose scent. They’re really balanced and some of the best I’ve used, totally worth checking out.

Skinnygirl Lip Care and Tinted Moisturizer

carissa — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:15:50 +0000

I was so happy when my good friend Bethenny Frankel finally came out with cosmetics and body care adding to her Skinngirl empire. Oh wait, I don’t actually know her do I? Well I feel like I do (don’t you?) which is why I’m extra glad that the line is actually pretty good. I’ll have a post later this month where I used her Tinted Moisturizer for a video which will air on Walmart.com, but just know that it’s probably one of the better tinted moisturizers you’ll find especially for the $11 price. Known for her signature red lip, it’s no wonder her lip care products are so right on. For a softer version of her firey pout, check out her Tinted Lip Balm in Red Ruby $5. For a more subtle daytime shade, I’ve been loving her Shimmer Balm ($5) with Shea Butter and a great scent packaged thin enough to slip in your pocket when you’re out and about sans purse.

Hourglass No 28 Primer Serum

carissa — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:10:07 +0000

Primers are eveolving. There’s a big all-in-one trend combining skincare principals to makeup right now (hello BB Creams) so some primers aren’t just layer of silicone anymore. I’ve tried a few really great ones lately that I was going to lump together for a hot new primer post, but they’re so impressive that I think they deserve shout outs all their own. Up first is No 28 Primer Serum $68 from Hourglass which I find to be more skincare that just happens to also prime the skin for makeup. It’s infused with essential and plant oils along with vitamins so it can even be used as a skin treatment at night sans makeup, perfect if you like the feeling of a weightless slip to the skin.

It does provide a plenty of reinforcement for a long lasting foundation wear time and gives the skin a more refined look and feel. It’s a really unique serum that isn’t greasy or heavy – it has been pretty awesome as my new go-to primer in my kit lately. If you’re as serious about the look and condition of your skin as you are your overall makeup routine, you have to check this one out.

Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Cherry Blossom

carissa — Tue, 08 May 2012 19:22:12 +0000

It’s not often that I review fragrances. It’s not that I don’t get a bunch of them sent my way (I have 4 on my desk right now), it’s just that I have a specific scent type that I stick to; clean, fresh, not musky or heavy. Anything that even borders on the verge of old lady isn’t for me. I want something light and feminine where you can catch just the right amount of the scent when I walk by.

If you’re into the same sort of thing, you’ll love Elizabeth Arden’s Green Tea Cherry Blossom ($30). It’s everything I love in a scent; clean, light, green, with a hint of sweetness without smelling like candy or a dessert. It’s a balanced sort of scent where the green and the floral offset and one doesn’t overpower than the other. I first spritzed a little on my arm, then my drapes so the scent would fill my office, and in a diffuser in a hallway. Soon my whole house smelled like this sweet spray. I’ve since been wearing nothing else. I figure at 9 months pregnant with my limited wardrobe which consists mostly of ‘cute t-shirts’ and tanksI can use a little pick-me-up in whatever form that may come.

What to Do With Makeup You Don’t Use

carissa — Thu, 03 May 2012 05:06:04 +0000

If you’re reading this, I’m sure you have more than one gift with purchase lipstick or moisturizer laying around totally unused. Or maybe a perfume you got for a gift that just doesn’t smell right and you don’t have the heart to throw it away. Resolve to gather together all of your unused cosmetics and find a local women’s shelter so you can make a really great donation. Many of the women there leave their homes suddenly without packing anything so they arrive with just the clothes on their backs. Toiletries and cosmetics are among the most requested items for the shelters and they tend to run low when the economy isn’t the greatest.

It’s a win/win; spring cleaning for you and helping women in need at the same time.

My Snapguide for Homemade Granola

carissa — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:11:40 +0000

I mentioned my love for Snapguide right? I just finished a guide for making granola using a recipe from Pete’s Breakfast House in Ventura, CA which was featured on Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives recently. We couldn’t wait to try it since their homemade granola is apparently all the rage and I can see why, it’s so yummy! See the recipe via my guide HERE and give it a try, you won’t buy granola agin!