The 50% Off The Balm Sale is Up and Running!

*I have nothing to disclose in this post*

Image from The Balm.

Go to The Balm online and receive 50% on all items automatically at check out! Unfortunately, you still do have to pay for shipping. You have until 4/9 at 10am PST.

April 2013 Ipsy Spoilers #2, #3, & #4

*I have nothing to disclose in this post*

Hello everyone! If you're an Ipsy subscriber and you're not interested in knowing what's in your bag ahead of time, don't read these "spoiler" posts! If you'd like to see what I've received in previous Ipsy bags as well as an explanation on what Ipsy is click the links: December 2012, January 2013, February 2013, March 2013. For the first April 2013 Ipsy Spoiler click here.

I was originally worried that I wouldn't be receiving my bag this month because there was an error in the billing information of some accounts. For example, if you had a Mastercard, there was a glitch where the main screen would say that it's a Visa. Luckily, Ipsycare fixed the whole thing! They responded to my emails accordingly, and fixed the problem, so I'd have to say that they have decent customer service!

Spoiler #1. Image from Ipsy's Facebook Page.

• Sneak Peek #1: The bag appears to be a pink & white colored bag. The first item is a blush from Be a Bombshell Cosmetics. You will receive one of two blush choices, either Beach Please (matte bright pink) or Sweet Cheeks (medium rosy pink w/ shimmer). For an in depth post on this spoiler and/or to see the specific blush shades click here.

Spoiler #2. Image from Ipsy's Facebook Page.

• Sneak Peek #2: The item on the left is a duo eyeshadow from Two Cosmetics, a brand I've never tried before. I think it's in the shade "Heartache," but there's another pink in the line, so it might also be "Dancing Machine" (though it looks a bit dark). The item on the right is a loose mineral eyeshadow from MicaBeauty Cosmetics. If you remember from the February 2013 Ipsy Bag, subscribers have received another item from MicaBeauty, a black gel eyeliner (which I loved!). The shade appears to be 72 Earth, a pinkish brown shimmer. Subscribers will either receive the Two Cosmetics duo eyeshadow or the MicaBeauty loose eyeshadow. I think I would rather receive the pressed eyeshadow, since I'm not a huge fan of loose eyeshadows. But the loose shadow looks gorgeous, and could also be used as a highlighter (potentially), so either way I think it's great! Plus, MicaBeauty seems like a solid brand from what I've seen so far. 

Too Cosmetics Duo Eyeshadow in Heartache. Image from Two Cosmetics.

MicaBeauty Loose Mineral Eyeshadow in 72 Earth. Image from MicaBeauty.

Spoiler #3. Image from Ipsy's Facebook Page.

• Sneak Peek #3: This is another "either/or" item. Both items are deluxe sample sizes from Big Sexy Hair. You will either receive Powder Play Volumizing & Texturizing Powder or Soy Renewal Nourishing Styling Treatment (I think). Past subscribers have received Big Sexy Hair Spray and Play Hairspray in the January 2013 Ipsy Bag. I'd be happy to try either styling product to be perfectly honest!

Spoiler #4. Image from Ipsy's Facebook Page.

• Sneak Peek #4: The nail polishes are from Miss Professional Nail Sation line. They might be these polishes here, but I'm not entirely sure. You will either receive the pink shade or the orangey nude shade. I'd be happy with either, but I think I'd rather receive the pink.

Some people are unhappy because like last month, we are receiving only 4 items. However, unlike last month, 3 out of the 4 items appear full size, so the value of April's bag seems to be better. Also all the items are "either, or," so I'm excited to read reviews and see what you all get! I have my preferences like the hot pink blush, duo eyeshadow, and pink nail polish, but honestly, I think I'd be happy with any choice!

Can't wait to receive my bag! What items would you prefer or are excited about?

The Shopaholic Tag

*I have nothing to disclose in this post*

Hello everyone! I was tagged by one of my good friends in real life, Veronica, who also has a youtube channel! Please check her out here. Her explanations on products are fantastic, plus I love having a friend in my day to day life that I can chat with about all things beauty! Most of my friends (other than blogger/youtube friends) aren't beauty obsessed, so it's great having so many outlets for my awesome hobby! Now onto the tag!

1) Would you consider yourself a shopaholic?
I would consider myself a beauty shopaholic, since I'm not obsessed with buy clothes at all. I'm not a huge spender in general, but I can be when it comes to beauty products. :)

2) How would you classify your style?
Casual, but still put together. I wear mostly jeans and dresses. I LOVE wearing cute dresses all year round.

3) What store can you not leave without buying at least one thing?
Target! There's always something inside that's useful, even if I only purchase but a few times.

4) Where do you find the best deals?
In terms of make-up, I think Ulta has the best coupons and deals. And who doesn't love their 20% coupons that count for almost anything? Those coupons are more rare, but way more frequent than Sephora's, for example. For everything else, I'd say the internet! Whether that be Ebay, Amazon, or brand-specific websites, you can usually find a better deal online.

5) What designer are you willing to splurge on?
I love the Coach bags and the Coach Poppy fragrance. I own one of Coach's cross body bags, and two clutches, and I love them so much! I highly recommend picking Coach bags up at an outlet, however, since I refuse to buy full price. All three bags have been gifts, but I would consider getting a bigger bag at the outlet in the future.

6) Do you have a go to shopping outfit?
Not really, it's pretty much the same clothes that I always wear. I do like shopping in a dress and sandals, however, since you can try on clothes much faster. Plus it's hard to go dress shopping when your shoes/socks might look silly and won't give you the full effect.

7) What is your guilty pleasure (not including makeup)?
Music! I love collecting new songs that I love. Another would be trying out interesting food I've never had before. I also love traveling!

8) What is one staple clothing piece that you could not live without?
I have three: jeans, dresses, and leggings. All three are staples in my wardrobe. If I had to pick one, I'd say jeans since there was a time when I didn't wear dresses or leggings as often.

9) What is a trend you hope never goes out of style?
I'm not sure if this is a trend, but leggings/tights under dresses. It allows me to wear certain dresses in the winter that I'd never be able to wear otherwise. I also love back cutouts on dresses. Not when the whole back is cut out, but smaller cut outs. I have a dress with a small-ish back cut out, and I love it!

Image from this site.

10) What trend passed by too quickly?
I don't follow trends, so I'm not sure how to answer. I guess I'm going to copy Veronica and say those little feather extensions for your hair. I thought those were cute! In terms of fashion I love bright colors in the summer. I think this is still a trend, however. Haha I suck at this!

11) Who is your fashion icon?
I really love the way Rachel Bilson dresses. She's always fashionable, and I especially love her casual looks!

Image from this site.

Feel free to tag yourself! I hope you are having a great day!

Beauty This or That Tag

*I have nothing to disclose for this post*

Howdy! Time for a fun survey. Feel free to tag yourself and participate!

Makeup:

Blush or Bronzer? Blush. I usually always use both, but if I had to pick I'd rather use blush! I don't mind being pale, but I hate having no color to my cheeks!

Lipgloss or Lipstick? Lipstick. I'm actually not much of gloss person.

Liner or Mascara? Mascara, definitely. I love liner but sometimes I go without it. When I wear makeup, mascara and concealer is #1 most important to me.

Foundation or Concealer? Concealer. Concealer is my ultimate essential! I can go without foundation.

Neutral Eyeshadow or Colour? Neutral eyeshadow. On most days I'd rather rock my neutrals, though I do love a pop of color from time to time!

Pressed or loose eyeshadow? Pressed. I rarely use the few loose eyeshadows I have since they're so messy!

Nails:

OPI or China Glaze? OPI, if I had to pick one. I think it has more colors overall. I love both, however.

Long or Short Nails? Short nails. I don't like stabbing myself.

Acrylic or Natural? Natural. I've never had acrylic nails. They are usually too long and just don't appeal to me personally.

Brights or Darks? Brights. Especially for spring and summer. I love darks for fall and winter, however. I just own way more brights overall!

Flower or No Flower? I'm not sure what this means to be honest. No flower?

Body: 

Perfume or Body Splash? Perfume. I prefer Eau de parfumes since the oils last much longer on the skin! Coach Poppy is my current favorite.

Lotion or Body Butter? Body Butter. Though I love both pretty much equally. I think it depends on the individual product's formula.

Body Wash or Soap? Soap! I love the ones from Lush! Though I do also love body washes, just not as much.

Lush or other bath company? When I answered the last question, i didn't even see this one lol! Definitely Lush!

Fashion:

Jeans or Sweat Pants? Both. Sweat pants if it were fashionable!

Long Sleeve or Short Sleeve? Short sleeve. I like short sleeve with an open sweater :)

Dresses or skirts? Dresses. I wear dresses so much nowadays.

Stripes or Plaid? Stripes, I suppose. 

Flip Flops or Sandals? Sandals. But I love both!

Scarves or Hats? Scarves. I don't wear a lot of either to be honest.

Studs or Dangly Earrings? Studs, definitely. I like short dangle earrings but long ones freak me out! I'm afraid of my ears being ripped!

Necklaces or Bracelets? Necklaces. It's the one piece of jewelry I always have on. I like bracelets too, though.

Heels or Flats? I like flats with a small wedge heel. Makes me a bit taller but still is comfy.

Cowboy Boots or Riding Boots? Cowboy boots, I guess. I don't own either.

Jacket or Hoodie? Both, though I probably wear "hoodies" more often. I hate the term "hoodies" for some reason. lol

Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe? Forever 21. I've bought way more stuff from there.

Saks 5th or Nordstrom? Nordstrom's!

Hair:

Curly or Straight? Straight, though technically I mean wavy. My hair is mostly straight but with waves, depending on the day.

Bun or Ponytail? Ponytail. Buns always hurt my head.

Bobby Pins or Butterfly Clips? Bobby Pins. I grew out of my butterfly clip phase ages ago.

Hair Spray or Gel? Hairspray. I don't ever use gel.

Long or Short? Long. 

Light or Dark? Dark. Though I'd love to go lighter someday.

Side Sweep or Full Bangs? Side Sweep.

Up or Down? Down. I feel most confident with my hair down.

Random:

Rain or Shine? Shine. I don't mind rain, but I prefer more sunny days!

Summer or Winter? Summer, though I honestly love all the seasons for different reasons.

Fall or Spring? Spring! It's my favorite, plus my birthday is in the spring!

Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate! Though they're both tied, really.

East Coast or West Coast. West Coast! Though I'd love to visit the east!

I'd like to end this post with a picture my mom took of Yosemite falls in California!

Yosemite Falls. Photo credit: Michelle Schwab

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Lush Trichomania Shampoo Bar Review

*This product was a sample that was given to me as a part of my Lush training. This does not change my opinion on the product in any way.*

Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics creates *you guessed it!* handmade products for the hair, body, face, bath, and shower. All of their products are cruelty-free and fair trade, as well as being 100% vegetarian and 80% vegan. The product I'm reviewing today is a sample of one of Lush's solid shampoo bars, called Trichomania, which is a coconut shampoo for dry hair. Unlike the other shampoo bars from Lush's range, this one is cut by weight, much like the soaps from Lush. Therefore, customers can receive whatever size shampoo bar that fits his or her needs! This is also why I was able to have a small sample to try out. The name "Trichomania" originates from Mark Constantine, one of the founders of Lush. Mark is a trichologist, which is an individual who studies the scalp and hair.

Image from Lush.

Lush's claims:

• Lush's most hydrating solid shampoo designed for dry and fluffy hair.
• Its designed for hair that's lost moisture and needs to be tamed.
• Moisturizes and conditions.
• Lightly fragrances the hair.
• Contains creamed coconut that covers every strand in moisture. 
• Helps to control frizz, making dry or curly hair behave.
• Vertivert Oil calms the senses and gives it a tropical fragrance.

Lush's Ingredients: 

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate-a foaming agent
• Stearic Acid-a fatty acid; it coats the hair shaft, protecting and conditioning without making hair dull or heavy.
• Creamed Coconut (Cocos nucifera)-gives shine and nourishes the scalp
• Glyceryl Stearate-a surfactant that allows oil and water to mix in formula. It is often used w/ PEG-100 Stearate  to stabilize and keep the product well blended.
• PEG-100 Stearate-when used w/ a moisturizer, it forms a protective barrier allowing moisture retention.
• Cocomide DEA-derived coconut oil. Its surfactant properties allow it to cleanse the hair, remove oils, and keep hair fresh & clean. It also gives shine and bounce to the hair.
• Lecithin-highly conditioning and moisturizing ingredient for hair. Reduces the need for synthetic ingredients and allows for a better blend of raw materials. 
• Perfume-blend of natural oils, resins, and absolutes that adds to the product's aroma.
• Vertivert Oil (Vertiveria zizanoides)-oil from the vertivert grass. Adds to the fragrance

Trichomania has a lovely aroma, smelling of tropical creamy coconuts. It foams up easily, though my small sample foams up less easily than the full size. I've also used the product in store, so a bigger bar definitely creates plenty of lather. In order to use a shampoo bar, first you get the bar wet, rub the bar between your hands, and either put the foam on your hair or directly rub the bar on your hair. The great thing about shampoo bars is that it's a "naked product" with no outer packaging, this reducing waste. Also, its a concentrated formula; you add the water yourself! This shampoo cleaned my hair very well for a moisturizing shampoo, and I had no oily build-up on my scalp. It was quite conditioning, and did provide some moisture. I don't know if it really tamed my frizz, but it definitely didn't make it worse. While I loved the fragrance, I prefer Lush's other moisturizing shampoo, Godiva (review to come soon). I prefer the size and travel capability of Godiva (it fits in one of Lush's shampoo bar tins). Plus, I'm in love with Godiva's jasmine scent and cocoa butter formula. Both are wonderful shampoos and are a great choice for dry hair.

Pros:

• Amazing coconut scent
• Fairly conditioning, just not as much as a conditioner (but it's a shampoo)
• A travel friendly shampoo bar
• A naked product, which reduces waste
• Can be cut in store to any size

Cons:

• Not quite as moisturizing as other products I've used. But still hydrating (but like I said it IS a shampoo).
• I didn't notice much frizz taming.

My sample of Trichomania

I will also re update this review when I try out the full size, just in case there are any differences.

Beauty in the Breakdown:

• Brand: Lush
• Product: A coconut solid shampoo for dry hair
• Price: $9.95 for 3.5oz (can be cut to whatever amount you choose)
• Where to get: Lush stores and Lush's website
• Package Quality (out of 5 stars): ***** (There really isn't packaging, but 5 stars anyway because I love solid products with no packaging!) 
• Overall Rating (out of 5 stars): **** 1/2 (Very good)
• Recommend: Yes
• Repurchase: I plan on buying the full size, though at this moment I prefer Lush's Godiva solid shampoo bar.
• Side Note: Cruelty-free, more natural product
• Grade: B+

Disclosure: This product was a sample given to me as part of my Lush employee training. Samples like these are often given to store customers. I was not paid or compensated in any way. All opinions are my own.

Update on The Balm 50% Off Sale

*I have nothing to disclose in this post*

"The Balm.com is still under construction! Our server crashed and our 24-hour site wide 50% off celebration has been delayed! We anticipate to launch officially within the next couple of days. Like us on Facebook to stay updated...we will announce the website's launch from there! Thank you for your patience."

-From https://www.thebalm.com

I was never able to log on to the website at all yesterday and that's why! I'll let you know when the sale goes live!

Lush Easter Goodies + Easter Recap

*These products were purchased by me. I am a Lush employee so I do receive a discount on Lush products. This does not change my opinion on the products in any way.*

Hello Lovelies! I hope you all had a lovely Easter! The store was closed so we all got the day off! Yippee! Even though I haven't worked at Disney for a little while now, I'm still in the state of mind that I have to work every holiday, so it's nice when it just works out. :)

I spent the day with the boyfriend. First we went to his grandparents' house for their yearly Easter breakfast, then we headed to my cousin's house to have dinner with my Uncle, Aunt, and my two cousins, Ariel and Catherine. Ariel is such a great cook and host, and we even played our new obsession, Telephone Pictionary. It's awesome, and we're determined to have the game sweep the nation! Now onto the Lush goodies:

So cute!

Do you see the Easter basket in the background? lol

Just so everyone knows even though it's after Easter, all of these items are still available on Lush's website, as well as some in store locations. My store location still has plenty of Fluffy Eggs, Brightsides, and Carrots! 

• The Brightside Bubble Bar

The Brightside Bubble Bar

I love the orange and yellow swirls of color!

Side view!

My lovely bath water!

Oh my goodness, this smells so delicious! I am so bummed that it's limited edition, since it is one of the most amazing smelling Bubble Bars I have ever tried! Bubble Bars essential create bubbles; all you do is get the bar wet, break off a chunk, and crumble it under running water. To me this smells like a fresh Tangerine mixed with fizzy orange soda! It contains Sicilian mandarin, tangerine, and bergamot oils. The oils soften the skin for a very energizing bath! It also turned my bath water orange, though the lighting in my bathroom is washing out the orange color; it actually turned my bath a much richer orange! It created plenty of bubbles, I just took the picture when most of the bubbles had gone away. That's what happens when you take long, relaxing baths! You can use a large Bubble Bar like The Brightside more than a few times (I'd say 2-4 baths), so it has an overall good value at $8.95.

• Carrot Bubble Bar

Carrot!

I wish I had a bunny, so I could take a picture with the Carrot!

The Carrot is a unique Bubble Bar at $7.95, and it offers such a great value! This type of Bubble Bar is much harder in texture, and you do use it differently than the typical Bubble Bar. Instead of breaking off a chunk under running water, you actually hold the Carrot by it's green stem and swirl it into your bath water. As a result, you can get as much as 6 baths, possibly even more depending on how many bubbles you'd like. It's got a unique citrus smell, with lemon and buchu scented foam. The boyfriend swears it smells like a citrus carrot, but I think it just smells very refreshing, but not overpowering.

• The Immaculate Eggception in Pink Bath Bomb

Immaculate Eggception!

What an adorable name! 

This might be the cutest bath bomb to rule them all!

Are you enjoying the photoshoot? lol

What it looks like cracked open. Image from Lush.

This bath bomb is a bit pricier than most at $12.95, but it is also quite a bit more product. You actually can crack the egg at the seam, and you get each side of the egg, as well as a special surprise inside (it's either a chick or a bunny!). You can use each part and potentially get up to three baths, or throw the whole egg in for an Easter explosion! There are two colors available, in pink or yellow; I myself am partial to a frothy pink bath! As Lush recommends, all you have to do is "get a hold of your egg, line up the crease with the edge of a hard surface, and give it one good WHACK!" The bath bomb contains a very sweet, foodie scent that I adore, containing ylang ylang, grapefruit, and vanilla.

• Fluffy Egg Bath Bomb

Fluffy Egg!

So cute! 

I picked this one up a bit later than the others, as an Easter present for my cousins! At $6.95, I believe this one returns every Easter! This leaves a pink, frothy bath, and smells like vanilla cotton candy! As described by my cousin, Ariel: "It's like candy and my skin is so soft!" 

These products are simply amazing and limited edition for the season. I have only used The Brightside Bubble Bar so far, but I have done demos of all the products in store, so I can definitely comment on the high quality of all the items! Hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

Disclosure: These products were purchased by me for review purposes. I was not paid or compensated in any way. All opinions are my own.