First Impressions: Birchbox May 2013! ❤

Hello lovelies! I hope you have been having a fabulous week! I know mine has been hectic being out and about since I have FINALLY been on vacation :) And guess what came in the mail JUST in time for a little relaxation? My very first Birchbox! So I have never tried a beauty box before, and decided to give Birchbox a try for a month and then Glambag by Ipsy. Next month should be my glambag. I decided to do a blog post on my Birchbox while I finish up my Spring fling shopping spree blog post :) 

What is Birchbox and other such beauty boxes?

Birchbox and other beauty boxes are a monthly subscription. Bichbox costs $10 a month with free shipping. Other beauty boxes cost around the same for the most part (at least Glambag does). These beauty boxes give a handful (usually 4-5) of different beauty items for you to try. So for people that like to experiment with different brands and different products, but don't want to go out and purchase a full price product without knowing what it is like first, this is a great option! Birchbox comes with TRIAL sizes of the products. I have heard that other beauty boxes come with full size products with the downside of being more expensive or having fewer items. Glambag has a variation of full and trial sizes, and is still the same $10/month.

What I got in my Birchbox this month?

So lets get down to it...what did I get this month?! First, I got a Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel for sensitive skin. It is an exfoliator and skin brightener. It smells delicious and I will definitely be trying this one out! My favorite thing in the Birchbox this month is the Cargo water resistant blush. The blush is the perfect color for me and the waterproof is an added bonus! I also got Coola Classic Face SPF 30 Cucumber moisturizer. Nothing to rave about, but nice to use up. Next I got a small sample size of Isaac Mizrahi Fabulous perfume. This stuff smells amazing, but keep in mind, it will probably last me about 6-7 uses. Lastly, I received Runa Guayusa Tea bags (4). I haven't tried these out yet, but if you are interested in knowing how they taste, leave a comment!

What I ❥ love ❥ about Birchbox?

As raved about by other bloggers, the packaging done by birchbox is adorable. It comes in a cute Birchbox box and is wrapped up in hot pink tissue paper. It also comes with a nice description notecard of everything you received. I was surprised to see that the blush and the face peel were a generous size. I feel like they will last me a good while, especially the blush!

What I dislike about Birchbox?

The main thing I do not like about Birchbox is that I do not care so much for the perfume samples and the random "Lifestyle" samples, aka the tea bags. The perfume samples are so stinkin' small that I could walk into Sephora and have the lady pour me a sample of Coach for the exact same size and for absolutely free. Are they really trying to kid us about this? But before I run my mouth on Birchbox, I look forward to comparing it with Glambag and seeing what all the rave is about that first!

All in all, I won't lie, receiving a little, cute package in the mail with beauty supplies is pretty exciting. It just may be worth the $10 regardless of what is in the box :)

Hope you are all having a fabulous Spring! Check back soon!

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

Nail polish worn in photos: Essie Tart Deco

Top 5 Skin Care Must Do's! ❀

Just like most girls, I spent a good majority of my young teen years, frankly, not giving my skin the time of day other than to make it look decent and go about my day. It wasn't until years later that my love for playing with colors and makeup led me to actually care about what was going on my face, and making sure all that stuff comes off at night, so my skin can rejuvenate. Let me tell you, that revelation made ALL the difference. Who woulda thought, right?

Now that I'm wiser in the department, I'd like to share with all you, both just starting to get into a makeup routine AND those of you who are just looking for more advice on the matter, what I do to make sure my skin looks healthy. Remember, healthy skin cuts your makeup application time and you will have more fun playing around with makeup rather than being frustrated in using your makeup to cover up your skin (which in turn will clog your pores intensifying your problem...kind of a catch 22). Soooo, bottom line, take the time to take care of your skin! I promise that after following this routine a few times, it should not take you longer than 5 minutes to complete in the morning and at night!
Here are my top 5 skin care must do's:


Skin Care Must Do #1
Use a Cleanser!

I would advice using a foaming cleanser. I spent a lot of my time loving the Aveeno Brightening Cleanser, but have recently switched to Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser and I absolutely love it. It doesn't make my skin oily or dry. It completely removes my makeup in just one simple wash!

Skin Care Must Do #2
Use a Toner!

If you have dry skin, I would advise using an Alcohol-free toner. Alcohol tends to dry out the skin. I personally love using Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner. It is cheap and does an excellent job removing dirt. I also advise using an exfoliating cotton pad. They do a great job in removing dirt from your pores. I have been using the exfoliating cotton pads from Ulta, and I do not recommend these, as they fall apart in just a few strokes on your skin *sigh*

Skin Care Must Do #3
Use a Moisturizer!

During the day use one with SPF and during the night use a night cream. I have been a die hard fan of Aveeno's Positvely Radiant SPF day time moisturizer. It adds an ever so slight shimmer which is an added bonus. I also love Oil of Olay Anti-wrinkle night cream. It smells divine and really helps to seal in moisture without making me oily in the morning.

Skin Care Must Do #4
Use an eye cream!

I am a recent fan of eye creams. With my ridiculously hectic schedule, I have found that my little sleep nights are prone to giving me circles and bags under my eyes (surprise surprise!). Sooo, I gave in and bought the oil of olay 7 effects under eye cream for nighttime use. I dab it on under my eyes with my ring finger and voila! My puffy eyes have been significantly under control. Bobbi Brown Hydrating eye cream has been raved about as well, but I haven't been able to let myself spend quite so much on that stuff!

Skin Care Must Do #5
Always test new makeup on the back of your hand!

Okay, so this one isn't quite so much of a daily routine skin care must do. This is more of a trick I've picked up over the years as a result of sensitive skin and loving makeup. If you are like me and have sensitive skin, please do not purchase a new makeup product, slap it on your face and then have a reaction that is going to make you wish you stuck with your old favorite. Always test new products on the back of your hand. Wait an hour or two and make sure you do not react! If it is eye makeup (eyeliner, concealer for the under eye), I would even leave it on over night or for a few more hours and see what happens! Better safe than sorry.

Those are my suggestions for maintaining healthy and glowy skin. Of course I could go on with a few more, but at the very least, please try to fit these into your busy schedules! If you get into the routine of these steps, I assure you it will go by in 5 minutes and you WILL see results of better skin in no time!

Please leave me a comment down below and let me know what YOUR skin care routine is and what you think I should add to my top 5 list of skin care must do's!

xoxo,
GirlontheGo