Adrianne’s February Birchbox

Because February means high profile events like major awards shows are upon us, Birchbox themed this month’s box around “red carpet worthy” products.

1. Lancôme BI-FACIL 

2. Ghirardelli Milk & Caramel SQUARES 

3. twistband™ Headband Collection 

4. Skin&Co Bagnodoccia Body Gel 

5. Color Club Fiesta Collection

1. Lancôme BI-FACIL: This eye makeup remover actually works great. It immediately dissolves and helps wipe away makeup. A full-size bottle of the product is $27—pretty steep for an eye makeup remover. This isn’t something I’d purchase. There are plenty of other makeup removers on the market that you can buy for much cheaper.  

2. Ghirardelli Milk & Caramel SQUARES: Sure, this little square of chocolate and caramel was delicious, but what was it doing in my Birchbox? I’ve received food samples in my Birchbox in the past and I’m not a fan—I think it would be fine if Birchbox included samples like this as an added bonus, but they should keep their focus on beauty products. 

3. twistband™ Headband Collection: This headband is make of a stretchy material and is designed to keep hair off your face. I have received two products from this line in the past (both hair ties). The good thing is that the material comes with no metal, so it won’t pull or tug at your hair. I tried wearing this while working out and found it kept my hair back for a while, but eventually slipped and I had to fix it. This isn’t something I’d purchase. 

4. Skin&Co Bagnodoccia Body Gel: I really didn’t like this body gel. Though the smell wasn’t too intense, it wasn’t pleasant. In addition to that, the gel seemed to make my skin feel dry after I stepped out of the shower. 

5. Color Club Fiesta Collection Nail Polish in Wild Cactus: If you follow the beauty and fashion world, you’ve probably heard that emerald is the 2013 Pantone color of the year. So when I received this Color Club polish in Wild Cactus (emerald), I was excited to try it. However, I have tried this brand of polish before and wasn’t too impressed. The color is very pretty, but not something I would wear all the time. This formula went one nice and smooth (not like the last Color Club product I tried), but it isn’t something I’d buy.  

Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed with the February Birchbox. I really didn’t see the connection between what I received and getting ready for a special event, let alone a red carpet. I’ve been a Birchbox subscriber for more than a year. During that time I have found a few stellar beauty products. However, the majority of products have been just okay. In addition to that, there have been a lot of products—like chocolate, hair ties, laundry detergent and more—that are considered “lifestyle” samples. That’s not why I signed up for Birchbox. My desire was to find new makeup and skincare products. So, I decided to cancel my subscription. I’ll miss receiving a box full of surprises each month, but I wasn’t getting the return I had hoped for. I’ve always wanted to try Glossybox, so I purchased one for the month of March. I doubt I’ll sign up for an extended subscription because it’s fairly expensive ($20/month), but I’ve wanted to try it. Stay tuned for an update next month!

Beauty: Our BEST Drugstore Find Yet!

So, I feel like a complete fool. I've been paying 3 - 4 times as much as I should have been for under eye concealer. Yes. 3 - 4 TIMES more. I was skeptical that a inexpensive drugstore product would meet if not exceed  expensive designer brands until I tried the e.l.f Studio Under Eye Concealer & Highlighter. This product is AMAZING and ... only $3. Yes, seriously, $3.  

The consistency is very similar to more expensive brands, it doesn't dry me out or settle into my fine lines around my eyes. It blends perfectly into my skin and doesn't make it obvious that I'm trying to conceal major under eye issues.

I first use the highlighter after applying my tinted moisturizer or foundation and dab it in a triangle shape under my eye (read Adrianne's post here about how to apply under eye concealer correctly). Once that is blended I follow the same routine with the concealer. 

I blend both together and am left with a healthy glow and zero dark circles in sight. The highlighter works great on other areas of my face that I want to highlight too such as my nose, eyebrow arch and forehead.

I can't rave enough about this very inexpensive amazing product. Have $3? I urge you to check this out! I purchased mine at Target but you can also buy this brand on their website.

Do you have any inexpensive drugstore finds that you love? Leave them in the comments!

Adrianne's Current Skincare Routine

After a lot of experimenting with different products over the years, I’ve finally settled on a skincare routine that works for me. Although it’s kind of a mish-mash of products from a few different brands, I’m happy with the combination. Of course I get the usual skincare concerns, but overall I feel much more comfortable and confident with my skin than I did just a few years ago.

Morning

• Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
• Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer with Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 15– Sensitive
• Lip balm or gloss with SPF (varies)
• Jergens Original Scent Cherry-Almond Moisturizer

Every morning I use Cetaphil’s Gentle Skin Cleanser. I’m not sure what I did before I found this face wash. It’s extremely gentle and does a good job of removing any oil from the face without drying the skin. I follow up by patting my skin dry and applying Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer to my face, neck and ears. Depending on how I’ve done my makeup, I use either a lip balm or gloss. One additional product I use is Jergens lotion—I douse myself in it after I shower. This is a must for me because of my dry skin.

Evening

• Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes
• Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
• Neutrogena Oil-Free Makeup Remover
• Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion
• Olay Night of Olay Firming Cream
• Clinique All About Eyes Rich
• Eos Lip Balm Smooth Sphere
• Jergens Original Scent Cherry-Almond Moisturizer

My night routine is a little more time-consuming. First, I use a makeup wipe to gently take away some of my makeup. Then I use my Cetaphil cleanser and pat my skin dry. I soak a cotton ball in Neutrogena Oil-Free Makeup Remover to take away remnants of eye makeup and mascara. After that, I soak a cotton ball with Clinique’s Mild Clarifying Lotion. This stuff is great for removing those last traces of makeup and toning the skin. Then, I apply Night of Olay Firming Cream all over my face and target the skin around my eyes with Clinique’s All About Eyes Rich (click here for my review). I finish off my facial routine by applying Eos Lip Balm (click here for my review). One of the last things I do before I go to bed every night is massage some Jergens lotion into my feet and put on a pair of cotton socks. This does wonders for smoothing out dry patches.

Body and Miscellaneous

• Clinique Acne Solutions Spot Healing Gel
• St. Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub

There are a few skincare products that I don’t use every day, but they are important to my routine. I exfoliate once or twice per week (always at night) with St. Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub. My mom introduced me to this product years ago and it’s always been a go-to of mine—cheap and effective. I’ve also been using Clinique’s Spot Healing Gel (see my review here) to target blemishes.

Even though I’m happy with my routine, I’m always searching for new products to try, particularly those that can help heal or fade dark spots and the occasional blemish.

Tell us about your skincare routine! What are your must-have products?

Nutrition: Natural Healthier Homemade PB Cups Recipe

If I could pick one thing that I could eat forever and never get sick of it would be peanut butter. Seriously I'm obsessed. I put it in my oatmeal every morning and even eat spoonfuls of it as a snack. I buy the natural kind at Trader Joe's so I don't feel THAT bad about my obsession -- it's a good source of healthy fats and protein.

I recently experimented making my own homemade healthier version of a PB cup and I nailed it. I can't eat added sugars so I omitted it from the ones that I made but it can easily be incorporated into this recipe to make it a little sweeter. If you love peanut butter you're going to love this treat. It's full of good fats and oils and is 100% natural. Can't beat that.

What you'll need (makes 1 large personal PB cup):

1-2 tablespoons peanut butter (or any nut butter of your choice) Since I love peanut butter so much I like my radio to be more PB and less coconut oil/coco powder but if you like them equally the same you can change the measurement ratios.

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1/2-1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 teaspoon sweetener of choice (I omitted this step) 

1 cupcake liner 

What to do:

1. Take your cupcake liner and put your peanut butter layer on the bottom. 

2. Melt the coconut oil in the microwave for 15-30 seconds until it liquifies 

3. Stir in the cocoa powder (and sweetener if you choose) and it will form a liquid chocolate sauce 

4. Poor on top of your PB base 

5. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours 

6. Enjoy! 

Note: These will melt if kept outside of the freezer so if you make more than one or don't eat the entire thing remember to store the extras back in the freezer.

These couldn't be easier to make and only require a few simple ingredients. I have been eating these for the past few nights and it's safe to say I've found a new guilty pleasure. 

What do you think of this recipe? Do you have other natural healthy desserts you'd like to share?

Guest Post: Get In Shape With Your RightFit

Think back to Thanksgiving. The season for drinking, eating, and lounging had just begun. You spent a week eating heavy yet delicious food, and tipping back a few beverages. Immediately following Thanksgiving, t'was the season to gain a solid 5-10 pounds. This was the tipping point. You knew that you had to do something to better your life. It was New Years Resolution time. You made a promise that starting on January 1st, 2013, you were going to jump on the path to health and fitness. Fried foods were out of the question. You bought a gym membership and planned on going six days a week. You planned on significantly limiting the amount of alcoholic beverages consumed. 2013 was going to be the year for you to get in the best shape of your life!

Fast forward to today. February is in the rear view, and you'd rather not remember the amount of times you visited the drive-thru. You're still hanging onto your gym membership, but you're paying close to $40 a visit at the rate that you go. It was easy to think that you wouldn't drink, but you can't help but pour yourself an extra glass of wine at the end of a long Winter's day. This is all completely normal, but how do you get out of this rut and back on the fast track to fitness? The solution: Hire a personal trainer. Whether you are looking to lose weight, build muscle, or just improve your overall level of fitness, a personal trainer will help you set and achieve your goals. 

There are countless benefits of working out with a personal trainer, with the most important being injury prevention. Proper guidance from a trainer can help your muscles develop in a challenging yet safe way. Trainers address your awareness of activating muscles used in each exercise, and they know the right combination of exercises and stress proper form. Another benefit of personal training is motivation. Having someone provide your reinforcement for your efforts is important regardless of where, when, or why you exercise.

Some people are wary to hire a personal trainer because they think they can’t afford it. This is an unfortunate fallacy because the cost of a session varies from trainer to trainer. What most people don’t realize, is that they can split a session with a friend. This not only makes personal training much more affordable, but the component of training with someone else will elevate the intensity of the workout and increase your motivation.

To find the right personal trainer for you, visit www.rightfitchicago.com.

Amanda's February Birchbox

I can't believe it's the last week in February already! Has this month flown by for anyone else? I really enjoyed the products in my Birchbox this month. I know some months are better than others but I really got some good products that I plan on purchasing once they run out. Let's take a look at all the goodies I received:

1. Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator

2. TIGI Catwalk Session Series Transforming Dry Shampoo

3. Jouer Matte Moisture Tint

4. Ghirardelli Milk & Caramel SQUARES

5. Juicy Couture Couture La La

1. Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator

According to the Birchbox Breakdown: To fully appreciate this dermatologist-quality scrub, a mini skincare lesson is in order. Let’s start with enzymes: these potent ingredients actually dissolve the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. Microderm crystals, on the other hand, are ultra fine minerals that buff away tired skin. Vasanti’s multi-action exfoliator includes both enzymes and micro crystals, plus healing natural ingredients. The result? Renewed, decongested skin without any redness. A single tube will last you four to six months.

My review: I really liked this product. It was a great exfoliator that was SO gentle on my skin. Usually my sensitive skin gets red and even more flaky after using other products but not this one. It was perfect and left my skin so smooth.

2. TIGI Catwalk Session Series Transforming Dry Shampoo

According to the Birchbox Breakdown: If you’re a devoted Birchbox reader, you’re probably well aware that we have a serious infatuation with dry shampoo. Our latest obsession is this game-changer from hip brand TIGI. A couple of quick spritzes instantly zaps excess oil, perks up flat locks, and lets us go an extra day (okay, four) without shampooing.

My review: I LOVED this dry shampoo. I have a few other TIGI products that I love so I wasn't surprised that this product also was great. It smelled fantastic (even Jay said he loved the way it smelled!), made my hair less oily/greasy looking and gave some body and volume to my hair. The sample size is huge -- I was very happy that there is still so much more for me to use. I think this beats out my normal Tresemme dry shampoo!

3. Jouer Matte Moisture Tint

According to the Birchbox Breakdown: Ever since we discovered Jouer’s best selling Luminizing Moisture Tint, the skin perfector has been our secret to getting a healthy, glowy complexion. We never thought anything could come between us and our beloved LMT—until we met this brand new mattifying version. The oil-free formula controls shine all day long and gives skin a soft, velvety finish. It blends in easily and keeps your face protected with SPF 15. We don’t see anything wrong with having two favorites.

My review: Another home run! I thought this product blended great and although it's matte it was not drying at all (and I have really dry skin this time of year). I felt like the coverage was better than most tinted moisturizers I've tried. I was impressed and am sad the sample is so small!

4. Ghirardelli Milk & Caramel SQUARES

According to the Birchbox Breakdown: As Mary Kate and Ashley, Simon and Garfunkel, and Mickey and Minnie would probably attest, it takes two to make a thing go right. Enter our latest Birchbox Find: Ghirardelli’s melt-in-your-mouth milk chocolate squares filled with velvety caramel. The individually-wrapped squares are perfect for snacking, and each is just under 75 calories. If you can be convinced to share, they make thoughtful treats for fellow chocolate-lovers.

My review: Another product I couldn't try, sadly. I will have to give this one to Jay to try out for me! I get why they throw these treat products in our boxes from time to time but for someone like me who can't eat them, it's one less product that month. I could see them as being a bonus or extra for the month, but not instead of a product.

5. Juicy Couture Couture La La

According to the Birchbox Breakdown: Created with the fearless free spirit in mind, this brand new scent from Juicy Couture is a punk rock update on the original Juicy Couture. One part fruity, one part tart, and one part floral, it’s neither too sweet nor too girly. Plus, the glam bottle is worthy of a front-and-center spot on your vanity.

My review: Another great perfume sample from Juicy Couture. I loved the scent and thought it was light and fruity.

So what did you think of what I got this month? Do you want to sign up for your own Birchbox? Click here!

GlamGlow Youth-Mud Tingling & Exfoliating Mud Mask: Part Two

On Wednesday, I wrote about the GlamGlow SuperMud Clearing Treatment. If you missed that, click here to check it out. Today I’ll be reviewing the Youth-Mud Tingling & Exfoliating Mud Mask.

This exfoliating mask is intended to gently exfoliate the skin to remove dead skin and leave it looking brighter, smoother and more youthful all while leaving the skin’s natural oils intact. Not only that, the mask is designed to help resurface skin, improve texture and tighten up large pores.

Like with the previous mask I reviewed, I used two samples of this product. I removed my makeup and washed my face, then spread on a layer of the mask all over my face (except near my eyes). The directions indicate to leave it on for 10 minutes to allow it to dry.

Once I applied the mask, it really made me understand why they call it a tingling mask. I immediately felt the tingling effects and would warn anyone with sensitive skin to test the product on an area other than their face first. I found it to be quite intense, especially not knowing what to expect the first time. I left the mask on for the full 10 minutes as directed. The tingling sensation fades after about a minute once the product starts to dry. 

The mask—as the name indicates—is a mud mask with tiny little exfoliating particles. The exfoliation part actually doesn’t happen until you remove the mask. After the 10 minutes are up, you need to pat your face with water and gently rub in a circular motion to mechanically exfoliate. 

This is a great exfoliating mask! After each time I used the product, my skin felt very smooth and fresh. The most important part—my skin didn’t feel dry after using the mask. GlamGlow says you can use the mask a couple times per week—and I believe it. Though the tingling upon first applying the product is intense, the actual exfoliation is gentle enough and my skin felt healthy  

I talked about this in my last review and think it’s worth mentioning again. This mask is also $69 for a 1.2 ounce jar. 

What’s your favorite exfoliating treatment?