January Sample Society

Hello everyone,

I hope you're having a good Monday today. I will be reviewing Sample Society's January box. I wasn't too keen on this month's box because some of the items were not suitable for me. However, I did receive a lovely lipstick this month! Let's take a look…

1. Stila Cosmetics Color Balm Lipstick-Vivienne ($22)- A modern take on traditional lipstick, this creamy, lip color provides the full pigment load of a lipstick, yet delivers the shine of a gloss. Featuring a luxe, satin finish, this formula offers excellent color payoff while phyto-derived emollient properties deliver hydrated, healthy lips. Naturally cooling peppermint oil provides a fresh and rejuvenating sensation on the lips, while an exclusive certified organic sunflower based polyglyceride soothes, smoothes, and adds volume and definition to lips. Available in 16 luscious shades. I was really happy to get this lipstick in my box. I'm always happy when I get lipsticks in my box. :D The color is really natural and pretty and definitely a rosy MLBB shade. The texture is creamy.

2. Butter London Horse Power Nail Fertilizer ($20)-Horse Power Nail Fertilizer packs a punch even without those chemical nasties. Like makeup for the nails, it uses an herbal ingredient called Horsetail to strengthen and repair nails. When used properly, the results are really quite staggering! This seems like a great product, but since I have strong nails (from eating a lot of rice,) I personally won't use it. I will probably use it for an upcoming giveaway. :)

3. Orlane Paris Extreme Line Reducing Lip Care ($75)- Achieve truly kissable lips with Orlane Paris Extreme Line Reducing Lip Care. This luxurious treatment plumps lips in just minutes, helping to redefine a beautiful pout. It also hydrates, softens and protects, while preventing fine lines and wrinkles from forming around lips. Ok, so I don't know why I opened this up, but I tried it anyways. It's like a milky watery substance that you put on your lips and it supposedly helps to reduce wrinkles. I don't have any wrinkles yet on my lips so I can't say whether or not it works. It doesn't taste like anything either.



4. StriVectin SD Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles ($65)-Reduce the formation of wrinkles around eyes with the use of StriVectin SD Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles. This formula can fight against dark circles, puffiness around eyes, fine lines and crow's feet within weeks. It can increase the firmness, improve texture and renew skin's natural collagen. With regular use of this formula, you can reinforce skin's elasticity and do away fine lines and crow's feet. I will be gifting this to a friend.

5. Tocca Eau de Parfum, Margaux ($68)- The full moon overhead casts a silver light on a midnight stroll between a French beauty and her beloved. Evoking the warmth and comfort of finding your soulmate, Margaux embraces you with velvety petals of green gardenia and ambery violet. The richness of cashmere wood and warm musk, lightened by the sweetness of vanilla, envelop you in an intoxicating perfume that conjures the timelessness of that one true love. / Top Notes: Blood Orange, Bergamot Blossom, Cassis, Green Gardenia / Middle Notes: Black Jasmine, Ambery Violet, Cashmere Woods / Bottom Notes: Warm Musk, Benzoin, Vanilla, Heliotrope.



What did you guys think of this box? Thank you for reading and I hope you have a great rest of the week. <3

November Sample Society Box

Hi everyone!

November's Sample Society box has dropped and it's a mixed bag of goodies. Some stuff is alright and some of it is awesome. I got a mini Illume candle in our my this month, yay!! Let's take a look at what else was inside..

1. Borghese Splendore Brightening Makeup (full size $29.50)- Be glamorous and gorgeous with a hint of shimmer. Splendore Brightening Makeup gives a subtle glow that brightens any complexion. This light-diffusing liquid camouflages imperfections and veils fine lines. I tried this over my usual skin care routine and it didn't do much except give my face a subtle hint of shimmer. I'll have to mix it in with my bb cream next time.

2. Annick Goutal Eau d'Hadrien Eau de Toilette (full size $92)- Tonic, zesty, sparkling, refined, subtle and fresh at the same time Eau d'Hadrien is the ultimate timeless fragrance for men and women with notes of Sicilian Lemon, Citron and Grapefruit, the scent is both sportive and chic.



3. Illume Balsam & Cedar Large Harlow Jar (full size $36)- Whoo hooo!!! Another candle in my box. This candle smells like Christmas trees and fresh pine cones. It smells soo good. Normally scented candles make my allergies go crazy, but Illume ones are so subtle and nice. This one is going directly into my travel bag so I can take the holiday spirit with me. I absolutely love it! Our Balsam and Cedar Large Harlow Jar features a comforting blend of fresh balsam and oak moss intertwined with aromatic cedar wood, cinnamon and eucalyptus to create the very essence of the holiday season. Up to 70 hour burn time.

4. Jane Iredale Lip Drink Lip Balm (full size $12)- Meh. Before I even try this product I have to say that the sample is so flimsy and feels like it's going to snap any second. Jane Iredale LipDrink - SPF 15 is a drink for the lips. This colorless lip balm contains no petroleum-derived ingredients to dry out the lips, making lips feel moist and smooth. Providing Broad Spectrum SPF 15 and UVA P++ protection, LipDrink is a refreshing treat.



5. Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture (full size $65)- Meet the single most hydrating moisturizer Murad has ever offered. Ultra-concentrated and intensely hydrating, this velvety cream provides all-day moisture, smoothness and comfort - leaving your skin positively radiant. This moisturizer is simple and nice. It kept my skin hydrated all day!

Our Fall and Winter Beauty Favorites

Hello everyone!

How are you all doing? Today we're doing a post on our current fall and winter favorites. Here it goes!



1.Mini Mango Body Butter ($3) 2. Benefit they're real! mascara ($23) 3. Minus 417 Hand Moisturizer ($14) 4. Redken Diamond Oil Shampoo ($14)

I stumbled across this super cute body butter from The Body Shop at Ulta. It smells just like fresh mangos and it's super portable too. Of all the mascaras I've been trying lately, this Benefit mascara gives me big huge lashes! During winter my hands get super dry and this awesome hand cream keeps my hands moisturized. The best part is that it dries super fast. I couldn't resist the name of this shampoo and conditioner from Redken. This duo leaves my hair super shiny and soft. It also smells AMAZING.


5. The Girls Are Out by Essie ($8.50) 6. Plumberry by Essie ($8.50)

Even though it is winter time, I am still a fan of keeping my nail polish colors girly and feminine. I love this gorgeous fuchsia nail polish by Essie. It looks really flattering on medium skin and could work for all seasons. Next, this nail polish reminds me of cranberries on the mistletoe. It's a beautiful holiday color.



7. Tarte Frisky Clay Blush ($26) 8. Tarte Lipsurgence in Lust ($26)
Winter weather means goodbye sunshine and hello snow and rain. I picked the next two items to create that pretty red flush on the cheeks that happens when we're out in the cold. Tarte's Frisky and Lust LipSurgence do just the trick.



Yen here! My summer faves have officially rolled into my fall & winter faves and the only product I'm slowly getting into is a darker berry lip color. Or at least trying to find my perfect winter lip color. Urban Decay's Naked Skin Beauty Balm has been one of my top favorites as of late... It even trumps my favorite BB cream from Maybelline, which says a lot since I was pretty gun-ho about that product.

1. NYM Clean Freak Dry Shampoo | retail $6

2. Elie Saab 'Le Parfum' | retail $78

3. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle retail $30

4. Benefit Hoola Bronzer | retail $28

5. Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm | retail $38

6. Maybelline Color Whisper in Berry Ready retail $7.49

7. Benefit They're Real Mascara Deluxe Mini | retail $10

8. Kate Spade Twirl Perfume retail $31.50

9. TIGI Glow Blush in Lovely retail $22

June Glossybox

June Glossybox is finally here after waiting for a whole month to receive it. *sigh* Aside from their extreme delay, at least the box itself is really pretty and the products inside were alright. In honesty, when it comes to their curated themed box, I feel like they put on this huge show and when it comes down to it, the box itself is just that, alright. Plus, on top of that, the wait. I think that's one of Glossybox's huge thing is their timing. They charge you early, but you don't actually receive it til the end of the month or like a curated box, the next month. Anyways, enough about that... let's see what we received this month!



Tarte Complexion Enhancing Lipstick in fair-to-light retail $29.00 // As always, Tarte has beautiful packaging, but sadly this nude-y pink doesn't look that great on me. The product itself glides on smooth and kept my lips pretty moisturized for hours.

Jenny's two cents- Sadly, this lipstick looks bad on me too. They are very similar in texture to Tarte's lip butters that I tried a few months back but returned because they emphasized all the cracks in my lips. Otherwise, I really love Tarte.



Sparitual Favorites Nail Polish in Kiss The Cook retail $12.00 // The color I received is a dark bloody red. Perfect for fall or during the holiday time, but way waaaay too dark for the summer. Application was smooth and dried pretty quick though.

Jenny's two cents- So, I got a pink nail polish that is so sheer I can hardly see it. This was a miss for me.

Philip B. Restorative Detangling Toning Mist retail $10-72.00 // This is realllllly nice. My hair feels incredibly soft, but the smell of the spray is really gross. Since it has apple cider vinegar in it, my hair faintly smells like feet? Or is that just my own personal issue.

c. Booth Honey Almond Nourishing Dry Oil Mist retail $8.00 // Dry oil for my face and body? Even though it's summer, my skin... especially my face has still been pretty dry. Especially after returning from California, my skin just seems to be dry up here in the pacific northwest. I sprayed it on after my shower and even though it was just the first time spraying it, it didn't help my dry skin that much. I think over time it'll work its magic. On top of that? I love the scent! Very light and reminds me faintly of almond cookies.



Oscar de la Renta retail $150.00 // *sigh* The one thing I loved about Glossybox was that there were NO PERFUME SAMPLES, but this month I got 6 of them. I don't care if it's a designer brand... perfume samples are perfume samples. 2 out of 6 scents resembles like men cologne which I like, but on a man.

Jenny's two cents-These perfumes sounded luxurious, but the packaging was cheap and the scents were too strong for me. Mine have moved downstairs for now..

May Glossybox

Hello everyone!

I present to you the May Glossybox. Perfume, hair spray, and CC cream galore! Let's take a closer look.



1. My Prime Multi-Purpose Mattifying Moisturizer (full size $68)- My Prime’s lightweight moisturizer packs a double punch with intense hydration and superior anti-aging benefits while delivering a flawless, matte finish. It also doubles as a primer that keeps your makeup on all day long. Wow! I have tried a couple of primers before but never really felt the need for one as I like to keep my skin as minimal as possible. However, this one worked really well for me. I layered it under my Amore Pacific CC cream and it worked like a charm. Not only did it hydrate my skin, but I really felt it locked in moisture and provided a smooth canvas for makeup application.

2. Nicka K New York Absolute! Perfume Stick (full size $15)- Escape the everyday with evocative scents, both refined and seductive, and each with a different secret to discover. Parceled in beautiful, boutique-inspired packaging, these addictive perfumes are perfectly sized to slip into your purse and transform your world. Mmmmm! I normally hate perfume, but this one is actually really nice. It smells like lime fruit candy but not overpowering or sickly. I really want to smell the other ones too.

3. Sebastian Professional Volupt Spray (full size $20)- The Volupt Spray is a volume-building spray gel with the cushion particle technology that best combines full volume and sensual softness. Shake well to activate its two-phase for- mula and spray on damp hair. Blowdry for extra body or air-dry to enhance waves and curls. Ok, I'm going to be honest here. I already have huge hair that can conduct electricity, so the last thing I really need is a volume spray...



4. AMOREPACIFIC Color Control Cushion Compact (full size $60)- This Color Control Cushion Compact is a multitasking wonder. It contains powerful broad-spectrum SPF protection to combat free radicals, deep hydration for replenished skin, and complete coverage for smooth skin all in one lightweight, portable compact. This was my favorite item in the entire box. It's actually a CC cream which is the evolved version of the BB cream. The product comes in a sponge soaked pot and you use a foundation sponge to dab it on your face. At first I was skeptical, but the results are nothing but amazing! The product goes on so easily and it literally erases your pores and redness. Also it looks completely natural and has SPF 50+. The sample that Glossybox sent me was 106 Almond blush which was too dark and orange, so I went out to Sephora and tried the 104 Tan Blush which is pretty close (but still a smidge dark) to my light but summer tanned skin.

If there ever was a breakthrough product of the year for me, this would be it. I really hope the company comes out with more colors because even 104 would be way too dark for fair or lighter skin tones. The entire line just seems more suited to medium skin tones. I'm really loving this CC cream because it's sheerer than a BB cream and it's perfect if you want a natural and minimal looking product to cover pores and redness.



5. European Wax Center The Exfoliate (full size $38)- This refines and polishes your skin without any harsh abrasives. Ummm, to be honest this gel exfoliator without beads smelled tropical and great but it didn't do much for my skin. I think I'll pass.

6. Etre Belle Collagen & Aloe Vera Hydro Mask (full size $40/10 masks)- This restructuring and moisturizing Collagen & Aloe Vera mask provides skin with an extreme moisture boost that improves elasticity and promotes hydration. Tip: Use it just before bedtime to reap optimum benefits. This cloth face mask is super soaked in essence. I put it on my face for about 25 minutes and my skin was super hydrated. This is the most hydrating face mask I've ever used. The next morning my skin was super soft. If you have dry skin, give this a shot.

Once again, I was super happy with my Glossybox. There are so many products that I would never pick up and try if it weren't for Glossybox. This month I was super happy with the CC cream, the face mask, and the perfume. Glossybox I love you. If you'd like to subscribe to Glossybox you can do so by clicking here. We hope you enjoyed this post and thank you so much for reading! Did any of you receive a Glossybox this month? If so, what did you think?

Mini Haul

I don't go shopping that much anymore, but yesterday my friend wanted to go check out Nordstrom Rack in Tukwila and since we were in the area, we went to the Westfield Southcenter. I only picked up a scarf at the rack since I've wearing more scarves lately and need more when the weather starts to get cold. They had some really nice ones for about $9.50 to $11 something. Really soft fabric in rainbows of colors. They had a beautiful dark teal, mint, pinks, but I ended up getting this black one with an ombre/gradient look (photo below).



Went to Macy's since I knew they had these Marc Jacobs perfume roller ball as a set and I am loviiiing it! Perfect to tuck into my purse for on the go touch ups if needed. I absolutely lust over Daisy So Fresh.



I have been looking for a blazer for the last... maybe 2 years or so and was so lucky to found one at all places, Forever 21! This blazer fits me perfectly and I love that even if I button it up, it doesn't get tight around my chest area. Perfect blazer! The scarf is the one I mentioned above.



Lastly, we popped into Lush since my friend has never been and I recently made an online order, so I didn't need anything, but I did pick up this Dragon Egg bath bomb which I'm really excited to try!

Overall, it was a long but good day at the mall. Sorry, I haven't been posting as much! Trying not to spend copious amounts of money. Also, Congrats to Kristy O. for winning our first giveaway and Thank you so much to everyone who participated! If you didn't win this time around, know that we are planning another giveaway sooooon!

August Birchbox

For August, Birchbox teamed up with Pencils of Promise to raise money to build a school in Guatemala. What I really enjoyed this month, was the little booklet that described what products you received and tips like, to shave better using the Schick Hydro Silk Razor, how to pick the best eyeliner and whatnot.

As usual, Birchbox always has a perfume sample which I have mentioned before how much I personally don't care for them, but I was veryveryvery excited to receive Juicy Couture's Viva la Fleur which I am absolutely in love with! My birthday is coming up next Sunday and I have this perfume on my wishlist and if I don't get it, I'm going to buy it myself.

When I first opened my box, I wasn't too thrilled about the Beauty Fixation makeup remover q-tips and the Comodynes self-tanning towelettes and hydra-tanning face moisturizing summer glow. As well as the DDF brightening cleanser. Apparently, being older, I have received a lot of face products. The makeup remover q-tips are a pretty good concept, mainly for those on the run and want to touch up their makeup. Not so great for at home use because I used up all 3 samples just removing my eyeliner. Now, the Comodynes self-tanning towelettes? I love them! Not messy like self-tanning lotions, but one towelette is good for one leg, or for my big legs. My right leg was a little streaky. I have yet to try the hydra-tanning face moisturizing summer glow though, so I will have to update this post once I do. As for the brightening cleanser? I didn't see a big difference. And last, but not least, the razor which I haven't even used! Again, I'll update later about the two products I haven't used.

Overall, Birchbox is a love/hate subscription service. I've only been a member since March 2012 and at $10, it's not a huge huge loss, but I'm going to keep them til Christmas and probably end my service there. I recently joined Glossybox and want to see where that takes me and possibly look into other services.

XOXO Yen

Blushed by Ruddy Water

Let me just say this, from subscribing to Birchbox, I have accumulated quite a bit of perfume samples which I have stashed away in a little baggie. Personally, I really don't like perfume samples and considering you're paying for these boxes to receive them, is a little crazy since you can get them for FREE at department stores. So, when I opened up my Glossybox, I was slightly disappointed, but also very intrigued since it didn't come in a little vile or spray bottle, but in a pouch like those hand sanitizing wipes you get.

Our Premier fragrance Blushed is the perfect scent for day or night, and is loved by women of all ages.

Featuring notes of bright red currant and rich vanilla, wrapped around subtle sweet lemon, slightly spicy ginger, and kissed with a hint of sugar.

This inviting fragrance will mingle with you throughout the day.

Surprisingly, I really loved Blushed by Ruddy Water. I kinda wish it was a candle so I can have it all the time! I really like that it comes in a pouch, perfect to tuck into your clutch/wristlet when you're out on the town and need a little something to freshen up. You can purchase them here for a box of 24 at $22.