My December Birchbox

I was excited with my November Birchbox, so to see this month's, I was hoping there would be more holiday-goodness. The products they selected were interesting but the sizes of the samples were so small! (Maybe I need to practice minimalism?) Really hope the January box for the New Year will be spectacular!! Here's what I got this month:

1) Ageless perfume sample- smells pretty good. Updating my perfume sample in my bag for emergency spritzes.
2) EBOOST- it's a powder that if you add water, it becomes an energy/immunity drink. Saving this for.. after New Year's!
3) Benefit's the POREfessional- haven't tried this yet either but I am looking forward to testing this. My skin has been too dry in the morning to even use a pore minimizer/mattifier.
4) ShowStoppers- 2 black strips of tape. Haven't found the need to use this since I have clear tape already.. will use this next month though for a party dress. :)
5) Jouer & birchbox's hot pink lip gloss- super bright pink and festive for the holiday party.. Huge fan of Jouer products, so glad to see they made this special color just for Birchbox subscribers. As always, Jouer's formula is spot-on!
6) NUXE Shimmer Oil- this is my favorite in the box. It gives your skin an Oscar-winning glow and makes my skin look so sheen! loveee this! And a little goes a long way.. go shimmer into 2012!


Have you not joined Birchbox yet? Join today to get your monthly beauty box of goodies!

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Keep your Head Warm this Winter with Scala Pronto's Winter Cloche hats!

During the winter, I like to keep my head & ears warm with a wooly hat. It's also helps if the hat is cute and fashionable. :) This winter, I got to try the Scala Pronto Cloche hat which is affordable and simple ageless. It's a classic look and comes in a variety of colors for all your outfits. It's incredibly soft- made of wool knit- and has a great silhouette for every person's face shape and complexion.

Until the end of the year, you can get a cloche hat 20% off for $24 (orig. $30) using promo code: "SCALAPRONTO" at womens-hats.com. There's also free ground shipping so you can get yourself a (late) holiday/New Year's gift for yourself or friends!


(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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November Birchbox with BaubleBar!

(Note: I got this box back in November.. realized I didn't post! Forgive me :D )

I got another Birchbox in November! I've had this subscription for several months now and some months are definitely better than others. This month, I particularly enjoyed it because it had a lovely surprise- a BaubleBar bracelet! It's a black beaded bracelet, valued at $20, and is a cute to wear everyday. This box contained much more Useful products and I was definitely pleased. My new fave is the Klorane eye makeup remover which was great during my Thanksgiving travels.

* chocolate sample..delicious! It was firecracker flavored so it was popping all over. Wish it was a bigger sample though..
* Klorane eye makeup remover- perfect size and removed my eyemakeup well. (I was using only non-waterproof makeup)
* LaROCCA Body polish..fan of all body scrubs and this one was pretty good. Saving this for travel though since it is in a cute sample jar.
* ZOYA Nail polish.. Fun festive green color in a small bottle..again great for travel and touchups!
* Oscar Blandi protein mist spray.. I liked this spray. Made my hair more manageable and felt stronger!
* bauble bar bracelet.. Cute jewelry in a little pouch. Great to carry other accessories too.

Overall, I realized that I have been using more of the products in the boxes during travel because they are so handy to take with in my travel baggy. (I literally use a gallon sized ziploc to stash my liquids.) Hope birchbox continues to bring quality samples and hope they put at least 5 or 6!!! Definitely like the variety and there's always at least 2-3 I use consistently. :)

Have you not joined Birchbox yet? Join today to get your monthly beauty box of goodies!



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Kristin McGee's Body by Bethenny DVD Review

Last month, I won Kristin McGee's daily giveaway on Twitter and scored a Body by Bethenny DVD! Kristin aka @thebendigirl on Twitter, has been doing daily giveaways on Twitter and FB since November, giving away her favorite products- Fila gear, DVDs, food/tea/workout snacks. I was lucky enough to score this DVD and been using it every week since I got it.

If you know Bethenny, aka the Skinny Girl, she's very quirky and has a fun attitude! In this DVD, you get to experience Bethenny's go-to workout that helps her get those sculpted arms. It's a 40-minute yoga routine and includes bonus segments- 10 minute strength, 5 minute booty workout and even a cooking segment. There's also a pamphlet inside to get some sample recipes from Bethenny's Skinnygirl Dish book.

The 40 minute basic yoga program will give you a great workout- with several warrior poses, downward dogs, and even a challenging plow pose at the end- which I love! It's all about "having no ego" in yoga so this is a great workout that I do weekly. I'm a fan of Kristin McGee- been following her workouts since I got the MTV Yoga/Pilates DVDs when it first came out! If only I had been practicing those DVDs daily back then... but I'm starting to get back into my routine, so I'm glad I will be adding this DVD to my collection!

If you haven't tried this DVD yet, check out acacialifestyle.com for more! They also have free 20 minute segment workout videos to enjoy for free!

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Avon Holiday Foot Works...it works!

This holiday season, give your feet some TLC.. you've been walking on it all year and if you don't take care of it, your heels may be rough and dry during this winter season. Avon has a Holiday Foot Works Berry Mint kit that contains the essentials to keep your feet soft: • Soak, 3.4 fl. oz. • Moisturizing Cream, 3.4 fl. oz. • Scrub, 3.4 fl. oz. • Foot File

How to use this kit: The Soak has a berry/mint aroma that instantly lifts your feet's spirit! The mint is refreshing, yet subtle, so you'll get a nice blend. This soak helps clean your feet while it is literally soaking in the water. While your skin is softened, the Scrub helps exfoliate any dead skin cells around your heel area. Best to use the Foot file to lift any remaining dead skin cells. Again, the scrub is berry minty which reinforces the scent of the soak. When complete, dry feet and follow with the Moisturizing cream. This takes about 15 minutes, but it's worth your time and energy! Your feet will thank you afterwards! :)


Overall, I'm pleased with the results of the kit. It comes with all the essentials and best of all the berry mint scent is not overwhelming! It feels refreshing and my toes are ready for a new year! :)
(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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Influenster's Holiday VoxBox

I am so glad to have joined Influenster this year. They have given me the opportunity to discover so many new products in their VoxBoxes and we all know how much I love to try new things.. :) The size of the box is smaller this time but the box was still packed with fun goodies! Here's what I got: 1) Montagne Jeunesse- Strawberry Souffle mask 2) Softsoap- 2 bars in Coconut Scrub 3) Larabar- in Cherry Pie 4) Mentos Pure Fresh Gum 5) New York Color Cosmetics Liquid Lip Shine in "Nude York City" 6) imPRESS Press-on Manicure By Broadway Nails 7) BONUS: Garden Botanika Lash Primer

Super excited to try them all, but I am mostly excited to try the Softsoap Coconut Scrub! Coconut smells so good and I just finished up my current barsoap (also has scrubby exfoliants) so can't wait to see how that compares. Also, can't wait to eat my Larabar! These are yummy, healthy snacks when I'm looking for a sweet treat! Stay tuned for more in-depth reviews!

Have you joined Influenster.com yet? If you believe you're an influencer among your group of friends, like to try new products and share with your pals, and/or just want to check out this community, go to www.influenster.com and sign up!

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November GoGoGirlfriend box

My second GoGoGirlfriend box has arrived! I had hoped to get this in November but due to the Thanksgiving holidays and influx of orders I bet they had recently, it was a bit delayed. They have even stopped accepting new customers, but hopefully soon after the new year they will be able to let new people join the program!! (Sign up to be notified here.) The products in this month's box were not as full as my first one but I am still content. There were 6 items in there, but I'm hoping they will continue to go back to their full-er versions! Here's what I got:

* Camille Beckman Mango 5-piece Gift set- This is actually 5 products in 1- so it was fun to try an assortment of products, such as their hand cream, body wash, etc. I had already received the handcream in the previous box so it was fun to get another one.

* ELF eye crease shadow brush- I already have a lot of brushes but another one wouldn't hurt. The value of this is only a buck though. Overall, their brushes are pretty decent for only a dollar.

* Dolve & Gabbana fragrance in Light Blue- A fragrance sample- they're great to have in your purse or on a night out. It's a nice fragrance, so I'm glad I have it.

* Crystal Essence Towelettes in Pomegranate- I haven't tried this but it's supposed to be a natural odor prevention/towelette. It's a one-time use, individually packed so great to use after a yoga class!

* Oluv Fresh Face & Body Scrub- This is one of my fave items in here! I'm addicted to scrubs/exfoliation products and found this scrub to be gentle even on my face.

* Blossoms eyeshadow- This green colored shadow is not normally a shade I would wear everyday, but it's subtle enough to wear on occasions. A little goes a long way with mineral eyeshadow so this full-size product will last a long time! Excited to add this to my collection!



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How-to: Gorgeous Eye Makeup Looks for Holiday Parties

Gorgeous Eye Makeup Looks for Your Holiday Parties

Got an office holiday party or a coffee date with your crush? These new looks are perfect for every occasion

This is a TotalBeauty.com eye makeup article Just because your makeup is "office appropriate" doesn't mean it has to be boring. Whatever the festive occasion, we've got new, stunning looks that are sure to snag you the attention you deserve. Get the looks

Scunci Linziclips Review- NEW!

I've been wearing claw clips on my hair since I can remember... They are useful to pull my hair back on my face and I loved using them for the half up/half down look too. They were easy to use but I always knew I had this clip on my hair. I recently tried the mini and midi sizes of the new scUnci Linziclips and I'm so impressed! They feel weightless and lie flat against your head. Its design has a flat bottom which means the claws do not stick out to gnaw at your scalp.

My hair's probably used to the claw's grabbing already, but when I used the new Linziclips, I felt like I wasn't even wearing a clip. It really feels amazing and it comes in a a variety of colors and designs! The mini sizes are great for pulling my bangs away from my face and the midi size is great for a ponytail. ScUnci has some great choices and excited about their next new product!!

Check out the site to see how to wear the clip in several fun ways below:

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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Get yourself a Boyfriend... perfume set!

Whether you have a boyfriend or not this holiday season, you can definitely wear Kate Walsh's Boyfriend perfume. Hearing about this scent recently via a Fragrance twitter party- whether celebrity endorsed perfumes are actually any good- and from a friend's rave, I knew I had to check this out. It's a floral fragrance with the combination of muguet, dark plum, myrrh, and night blooming jasmine. It also has an amber and woody musk which makes its scent smell like a guy but also maintaining its femininity. I actually was quite impressed with this celebrity perfume and I'm definitely going to rave about it to all my pals!

The Boyfriend fragrance comes in various packaging- rollers, sprays, and even this deluxe Boyfriend Kit with an adorable makeup case! I personally like mini-sprays so I can keep it in my purse at all times!

This $95 kit contains:
- 0.5oz Eau de Parfum
- 0.16oz Pulse Point Oil Mini
- 1.oz Dry Oil Mini
- 1.6oz Body Crème Mini
- Votive

If you can't afford it, add it to your wishlist! :)

(Disclaimer: I received a sample from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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ONE Bath and Body products - Available at Ulta!

ONE Bath and Body products is now available at ULTA Beauty stores across the US. TO celebrate their launch, they are offering visitors to the website, free music download to 5 artists:
Elisa Victoria
Erika Jayne
The M.I.D.S
Tori Kelly
Allison Jayne

The artists are new, at least to me, and their music is pretty soothing to listen to. Great if you're taking a bath with a ONE bath Fizzer or bath salts! And perfect for relaxing!

Check out my review on their Lotion Massage Bar!

If you want to get a free download, check out www.OneBathandBody.com and click the “ONE Artist of the Month” tab to check out the artists and their music!





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Stocking Stuffers with Bee-utiful Treats from Burt's Bees

It's that time of year again.. holiday parties, gift exchanges, and we all know it can be a tough when your wallet has shrunk this year. To stay merry, Burt's Bees came out with these great stocking stuffers at a very affordable price- $4.99!

Each set comes with either a lip balm or a hand salve/cuticle cream.

There are 4 different sets to choose from:
1) Açaí Berry:
* Rejuvenating Lip Balm with Açaí Berry (0.15 oz.)
* Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream (0.30 oz.)
2) Beeswax:
* Beeswax Lip Balm (0.15 oz.)
* Hand Salve (0.30 oz.)
3) Mango Butter:
* Nourishing Lip Balm with Mango Butter (0.15 oz.)
* Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream (0.30 oz.)
4) Pomegranate:
* Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil (0.15 oz.)
* Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream (0.30 oz.)

The set shown above is the Pomegranate one- huge fan of the fruit and scent!! The lip balm is lightly fruity scented and incredibly moisturizing for the winter. The lemon butter cuticle cream is also perfect for keeping your cuticles protected in the winter. For just a few bucks, you'll bring a smile to your friend or family member's face.


(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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Holiday Potpourris from Thymes!

I've been a huge fan of Thymes since the end of last year when I discovered their Agave Nectar Collection. This holiday, I'm excited to try out their NEW potpourris collection in amazing scents such as Bitter Orange & Cedar (woody), Magnolia Fig & Vetiver (green), Juniper Berry & Sandalwood (woody), and Frasier Fir (more green).

If you're looking to make your home smell more like the holidays, nothing says it more than the winter greens, wreaths, and the scent of a fresh Christmas tree! These potpourris are perfect to place in your home- such as the hallways, living room, or even bathroom! Afterall, you do want to balance out all the home baking right?

I recommend the Frasier Fir scent ($28 USD), which is more green. It consists of "fragrant birch and jack pinecones, natural cedar tips, red cassurina pods and green apple pods." Smells like you just took a walk in the forest and back!

Thymes also has available this gorgeous silver, ceramic bowl for your potpourri. The Potpourri bowl ($26 USD) is 11 inches in diameter so it's sizable.

Check out more Frasier Fir products at Thymes.com here.



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FreeBeautyEvents.com - December's Monthly Contest

One of my go-to sites when I'm looking for free beauty events in the area is a site, lierally named- FreeBeautyEvents.com. They have an assorted listing of national beauty events in drugstores including a Walgreens SaturDate with Coty fragrances on December 17.

They have a blog where you can enter to win and sample beauty products weekly as well as a monthly contest! The products vary month to month and this month, it's all about getting your hair styled and ready for the Holidays (and everyday!) as well as moisturizing your skin with new Caress Body Washes! Enter today!

Each prize pack consists of (10 prizes total!):
* Fekkai Sheer Hold Hairspray
* got2b Powder’ful Volumizing Styling Powder;
* Caress Body Wash, Exfoliating Burnt Brown Sugar & Karite Butter;
* Caress Body Wash, Moisturizing Daily Silk.


(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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November EcoEmi box

I got my November EcoEmi box and I am sad that it will be my last one for now...As much as I really love their boxes, the monthly $15 charge doesn't really justify the products in there. I do like that it introduces me to new green brands though, so I will continue to check their site to see which products they feature. If I really like something, I may just get it! Anyway, the November box was cute and my favorite was their shampoo and conditioner sample.

In my box:
* Organic Excellence Wild Mint Shampoo & Conditioner Minty fresh! I can probably get about 4-5 uses from here.
* Dark chocolate sample by Sweet Riot It actually expired in mid-November, but I'm sure it still tastes fine. Haven't yet though...
* Eye shadow sample in Earths Beauty Gold glittery color which will be lovely for the holidays! nice sample size
* Ugandan Shea Butter Hand Cream By: Planet Botanicals- In Moringa scent, it's lavender smells soothing and the formula is moisturizing so I wish they gave more! This barely covered one use!
* Foot Cream Candy Mint By: Deep Steep I'ma huge fan of masks, especially clay masks. Excited to try this one out!
* Vanilla & Sweet Orange Mist Spray By: Hugo Naturals definitely love the smell of sweet orange and vanilla! Great to have on my bedside to wake up in the morning.
* Keeki Ooh La La Lip Shimmer By: Keeki Pure and Simple a pretty red shimmery rouge! Love the lip products in my past few boxes and they even noted that there won't be any more for a while so we can keep using them. Hehe.
* Foot Cream Candy Mint By: Deep Steep This is perfect for keeping my toes pepperminty and revived. I'm saving this one for travel!
* Also a Pin Button By: Soul Flower which is cute and can use to decorate my ecofriendly tote bag.

While I enjoyed the products so far, I won't be getting any of these boxes for a while.. Need to finish my stash first I can sign up again! :)



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How-to: Highlights for your Hair Color

Best Highlights for Your Specific Hair Color

Find out which shades complement your hair color best

This is a TotalBeauty.com hair color article How do you know which highlights will match your hair color? What's the difference between highlights and lowlights? We answer all of your coloring questions here and tell you exactly which shades suit your hair color best. Get tips

Holiday Tips- Decorate your Nails for the Holidays

Sally Hansen's salon effects nail polish strips are going festive this month! Treat your nails to these limited edition patterns as they are a fun, festive way to get into the holiday spirit! I have tried these strips before and it definitely takes time and patience but they're well worth it! How else can you get these patterns? Each kit comes with 16 strips and if you have small nails, you can even get two wearings out of each kit!

Can you believe it is already December? :)


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