Play! by Sephora Unboxing | May 2016

I really wanted to have this unboxing posted sooner than this. Oh, well - some things never change lol.  Play! by Sephora is yet another beauty subscription service. It contains a curation of five deluxe samples, and a little card for free one-on-one tutorials. 

The subscription is $10/month and by invite only - you can hop on the wait list by entering your e-mail address here. (There are currently a limited number of slots available - maybe this will change in the future?)

Firstly, the packaging was super cute. I stashed the little drawstring bag in hopes of maybe stuffing it with goodies and gifting it in the future. (Birthday - Sephora trial size items?) 

Inside the box was a large fold out pamphlet with detailed (ingredients) information on each of the samples. My only complaint? No prices! WTF mate.

(You can "unlock" more content by using the Sephora app and clicking the scan button.)

I'm going to do the leg work and list each of the samples and their full retail price below. :)

ATELIER COLOGNE

Orange Sanguine

Full size, $70-$120

ORIGINS

Maskimizer + Drink Up & Clear Improvement Masks

Full size, $22 (Primer)

TARTE

Tarteist Lip Crayon in Latergram

Full size, $18

BITE BEAUTY

Amuse Bouche in Kimchi

Full size, $26

KORRES

Wild Rose Sleeping Facial

Full size, $19-$48

I intend on purchasing a full size version of this product. It smells divine and works amazingly well. 

BRIOGEO

Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask

Full size, $36

I was pretty happy with the May 2016 box. I honestly just wanted to see what all the hype was about. I definitely think it's worth $10/month. I did choose to go ahead and cancel Play! and my Proactiv subscription. The kids are starting on some fancy Juice Plus+ vitamins tomorrow. (I had to prioritize lol) They have been so sick, hopefully the chews will help! 

How is your week going so far? Silas is sick AGAIN. He ended up missing the last day of Kindergarten today. :( 

NOTD | Tin Man

Painting by Britt Cherry

Today's nail design was a desperate attempt at some self-care. (I had a glass of wine too) 😂  It's been a few years since I've done a taped off manicure. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. What do you think?

Products used: 

blue painters tape 

L.A. Colors polish in the shade "Live" $1

Sally Hansen XTREME Wear polish in the shade "Black Out"

Seche Vite dry fast top coat

Ring: LizardiJewelry on Etsy

Note: L.A. Colors is available at most Dollar Tree stores. 👍🏻 

PS, my very first Play! by Sephora box should be arriving in the mail any day now. I will be posting an unboxing video asap. :) 

Essential Oil Mama | Young Living

Happy Tuesday you guys! Guess what? There are only four full days of Kindergarten left for Silas. Happy dance! This past school year has been filled with so many illnesses for our family. (I'm thinking that 1st grade will be better!) I'm ready for a nice break from the germs. 

This past month I was fortunate enough to find a wonderful chiropractor that is about 4 minutes from our house. My back was very out of sorts when I first visited her...and she totally fixed it. :) That's not the only thing she did - she also reignited my love for essential oils. I was in her office complaining about the sickly kiddos and she recommended adjustments and Young Living. (She is now my enroller) 

(Photo credit: Young Living essential oils)

This first oil I decided to experiment with was "Thieves." We needed some well kids up in here, and my chiropractor spoke highly of it. So far - it seems to be very helpful! Silas was out of school with yet another cold this past Tuesday. BUT - Silas was able to recover on his own this round of illness. (No doctors/antibiotics required) Hooray!  I have been diffusing this in our home since it arrived in the mail to and I believe it is successfully promoting family wellness.

I was so impressed with the results that I just ordered the 14.4 fl oz Thieves Household Cleaner. (+ a glass spray bottle from Amazon & a decal from Etsy) I am absolutely loving the scent. Seriously, the entire house smells like Christmas, y'all. I can't wait to wipe down everything with the cleaner. 

All-purpose cleaner: Combine 1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner and 2–3 cups water.

(Add to a spray bottle - voila!) 

(Photo credit: PrettyLilParty Etsy)

I'm also really excited about adding essential oil recipes to the blog. If you have kids and they seem to be constantly sick, you really should give essential oils a try. Do you have any recipes you would like me to try out?

My Young Living Personal Website

Review | ColourPop Lippie Stix - Matte X

This blog post is part of my self-care this evening. (I'm also painting my nails) It's been a ridiculous week...doctors appointments, husband is working out of town, sick kids, sick dog, interrupted 10:45 pm bubble baths...etc. #momlife

I heard about ColourPop's new "Matte X Lippie Stix" collection from YouTuber kathleenlights a few days before they launched. I was drooling over the swatches - give me all the matte things! I was really excited when I got the e-mail letting me know that they were finally available. 

I purchased two shades - "Cami" & "Bootie." (I plan on heading back for more) Cami is a lovely neutral mauve/pink shade, while Bootie is another orange/red. Because I need more red lipstick right? 

Firstly, this new formula is to die for. It's one of the more flexible matte lip colors I have purchased as of late. It feels very lightweight on the lips and applies velvety smooth. The texture is almost like a powder before it dries down? Very comfy! With all that said - I do find it to dry out my lips the longer it stays on. (This is just my personal experience) My lips tend to stay pretty dry because of all the matte products I keep on them. It makes sense. 

It's no surprise that the pigmentation is on point, the folks at ColourPop never seem to let you down. Two swipes (photo above) and it nearly covered my hand tattoo! Cami stayed on like a champ through my coffee, lemonade, and dinner. 

It would be dangerous for my bank account if this brand were available at the drug store lol. Have you tried any of the new "Matte X" lippies? 

ColourPop Lippie Stix - Matte X "Cami"

$5.00

Review | Makeup Revolution London - Salvation Velvet Lacquer

After being so impressed with their highlighter - I just had to run back over to ULTA to snatch up another product from Makeup Revolution London's collection. We had a "going away party" to attend on Friday night. I decided to put MRL's Salvation Velvet Lacquer in the shade "Attract" to the ultimate test. I'm not kidding about the ultimate part. 😂

We started out the night at The Tipping Point in Montg, AL. Within 20 minutes my lady friends were already complementing me on my lip color. I'm all about a matte classic red lippie - and this one did pretty damn well all things considered. It's long wear awesome-ness on a budget.

Just like the highlighter, I believe this product was also $5. I would recommend going with one coat instead of the two that I applied. The texture got a bit crumbly feeling to me - even though it still appeared to be looking perfect to everybody else.

The plan for Friday evening was three stops total. I only made it to two lol. 😂 I'm still really bummed about missing the drag show y'all! It was karaoke that did me in, but my lipstick was still in place after the last photo of the evening. (We attempted to do one of those "glasses of wine" photo projects) It ended up going kind of awry at some point. There were many people at the gathering but only three of us were consistent with the photos.

I would definitely purchase this lip lacquer in other shades. I would also say that it is perfect for a epic night out on the town. 😉

Review | Makeup Revolution London - Vivid Baked Highlighter

I took a chance on purchasing this highlighter and I'm very glad I did. I figured I could never have too many highlighters right?! Well, it very well may be the best $6 I've ever spent. 😉 I stumbled across this brand on a recent trip to ULTA. A very large bit of the drugstore cosmetic section was devoted to this brand. Everything in their line was very affordable. I'm definitely going to have to go back to purchase some of their lovely palettes.

I picked up this vivid baked highlighter in the shade "golden lights." I only wish I discovered it before I dropped all that cash on my Hourglass highlighter. 😁 I believe I prefer this one over the pricier highlighter.

Sweet baby pigmented Jesus? The above photo was actually a very light handed swatch. I was bringing the ice princess realness when I was wearing this powder today. I set it with a finishing spray and it looked fabulous till I washed my face. 👍🏻

Sorry! I've got to get a better lighting situation. This photo just isn't doing this highlighter justice. Here it is swatched next to my Hourglass highlighter. 

Am I calling this a dupe? Not exactly. The Hourglass powder has a slightly softer  texture and less gold undertones. Will I continue to use my Hourglass powder? Hell yeah, that shit was $38 lol. 😂 I think these guys both have a place in my collection. I will definitely be re-purchasing the $6 highlighter when I hit pan on both and skipping out on that trip to Sephora.

Long Time Gone

(Blows off the dust) Wow - it's been around two whole years since I last touched my blog. I can't believe it! So much has changed for the Cherry family. For instance, we live in a completely different state now! We moved from Auburn, AL to Marietta, GA. (Matt got this awesome new job) Silas is wrapping up kindergarten in Cobb county and Miri-Mouse turned three this past January.  I've had blogging on my brain a lot recently. Now that I'm staying at home with the kiddos again I believe I can find the time I need to devote to this space. I've tried several great makeup products over the past couple weeks and I've had the urge to rave about them somewhere other than Instagram lol. So - here I am! I'm going to get my first highlighter review/blog post of 2016 up tomorrow. If you are interested in contacting me you can still reach me at silasandmiri@gmail.com  Dixie Chicks - Long Time Gone

Review | Keep Buzzin’ Body Products

Photo credit: Keep Buzzin'

Keep Buzzin' Body Products

$10 each

Hey folks! Yah know what? I am obsessed with this line of hand/feet cream by Keep Buzzin' Body Products. They are VEGAN FRIENDLY and available in the following 7 all natural scents: Spearmint foot cream Fresh lemon hand cream True Lavender hand cream (my absolute favorite) Cherry-Almond hand cream (my 2nd favorite) Tangerine hand cream Peppermint foot cream and Fragrance-Free hand cream

Photo credit: Keep Buzzin'

Each cream comes in a adorable brightly colored 100% recycled 2 oz jar. I have been toting around the "True Lavender hand cream" for the past week in my purse! (I used it while camping too) The product has a nice creamy consistency that is nourishing and non-greasy. It's actually perfect for caring for new tattoos! (I should know lol) I have used it on my hands and knees too!  No Parabens No Lanolin No Petrolatum No Sulfates No Oxy Benzone No Added Color and No Animal Testing (this definitely makes me happy)
If you are interested in trying out Keep Buzzin' Body Products - it is definitely the right time! They are teaming up with FOOD FOR THE POOR in honor of Earth Month.  Keep Buzzin' will donate $3.78 for each jar sold online April 15 - May 15th!   Every jar purchased will provide one child 60 MEALS!
Do yourself a favor and check out their website ----> here! I hope you had a wonderful Monday! :)

Review | Almay intense i-color

Almay intense i-color

401 smoky-i for browns

$7.49 at CVS

I drooled over this shadow trio for about a week before I finally purchased it. I decided on a whim to go grab it after 9pm a few nights ago. (I wanted to wear it to work the following day!) This means that I had the following choices - CVS or the dreaded Opelika Walmart. I am aware that Target carries it for $4.99...but they weren't open! Moral of the story? Leave your house earlier and go to Target or Walmart instead lol. (Cheaper outcome) 

This is a pretty spiffy little line from Almay, with a comically long name. (Lot's of i's going on) There are 4 different colors available - brown, green, hazel, and blue. They are specifically designed to enhance your eye color. My eyes are dark brown - so obviously I picked up the "for browns" set. The photos above were swatched/applied with no primer. (I plan on picking some up this weekend.) With that said - I still feel like the color payoff is loverly even without it. :) The "crease" shade is probably my favorite in the set. It's such a gorgeous shimmery lilac with a hint of gold. It was really the selling point for me lol. This set is great if you are looking to achieve that perfect smokey eye with ease. (& remember - it's cheaper at Target lol) 

Coconut oil (of all things) finally cleared up my face. (I will chat more about that small miracle later) So here is the photo I promised. What's on my face?

Eyes: Almay intense i-color 401 smoky-i for browns

Lips: Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in the shade #225 Sultry

Cheeks: AddictiveCosmetics' "Orgasmic" Mineral Blush (available here)

How was your Thursday? I am looking forward to this weekend! I'm ready to spend some quality time with my hubby. :)

Review | PureLip's Lip Buff

PureLip's Lip Buff

Pocket size .5 oz

$3.50

Photo credit: PureLips

Guys - I'm so in love with the intensive lip repair product that I'm going to feature today. It's made by Pond Parker (cutest name ever btw) over at PureLips. You may remember me briefly mentioning this lip cream in my monthly favorites post. I'm doing it again...because I can...it's just good stuff y'all! 

This weather has been miserable lately. It really can't decide if it wants to be warm or cold here in Alabama. (Go home weather - you're drunk) Because of said weather - my lips have been a hot mess (much like my acne) BUT that is for a another day lol. Pond Parker's Lip Buff is all natural/handmade and available in a whopping 17 flavors and two different sizes! I currently own 2 - lemon butter cake (my favorite) and soy chai latte. It literally melts into your lips! I have seen 100%  improvement in the condition of my lips since I began using this product. (No more peeling!) I really think it is because it's formulated without wax. Prior to this I had never used anything on my lips that wasn't wax based. Obviously, products with wax in them just sit on your lips - nothing gets absorbed...even $6+ chapstick from Target was drying my lips out. Riddikulus! What a waste of money! I've traded my peeling lips for a lip butter addiction lol - whatever...I will take it. 

Photo credit: PureLips

I'm going to keep this review short and sweet. For a list of the ingredients you can click the link above. I purchased one of these for my makeup box, and one for my handbag, and I plan on purchasing a additional Lip Buff to put on my bedside table. That's how great I think this stuff is. MUST HAVE ONE EVERYWHERE I GO. ;)

I have a coupon for you if you would like to try some Lip Buff. Enter MARCHMADNESS20 at checkout and you will receive 20% off on your order. Be sure to leave PureLips some amazing feedback!

 

March's Lust-worthy Etsy Finds

I tend to mostly stick to Etsy when shopping online these days. I like supporting artists - it gives me the warm fuzzies don't yah know. :) I noticed a trend with my previous "lust-worthy" features...most of the items were...from Etsy lol. So - I'm changing things up a bit. All of the items that I post each month from now on will strictly be from Etsy. (Capiche?) So now you can do your shopping all on one site. ;) I'm such the enabler. Here's what I have been drooling over lately...

Vintage photo (That happens to look just like my Harley)

$3.00 from VintagePhotoGallery

Mr. Fox handbag

$85.28 (what a strange price) from Pigeons

Feather Industrial Charm

$6 from SubtleDistinctions

Labradorite & Moonstone Chevron Bridal Set

$400 from TheFlyingFoxArts

Texas Tea Metaluxe Vegan Lipstick

$6.99 from ImpulseCo

Vintage Blue Hipster Sweater

$20 from mynameiskorrine

What did you think of this months picks? I went ahead and purchased the industrial charm. When it arrives in the mail I will make sure to post a photo of it on my industrial bar. I'm pretty excited - I've been looking for a dangly feather earring for forever. I hope everybody has a fantastic hump day. (Camel be damned)

Review | Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm

Before I start this review - I want to chat about the obvious. I am sorry. I have been on hiatus for a while now. So many things have been going on lately between work and day to day life. In less than a year and a half my husband has lost all 4 grandparents. Needless to say, it has been an incredibly difficult time for our family. This is why I disappeared for a while. Recently - the blog has been calling my name. I think it would be a healthy choice for me to come back...and do something that I am passionate about. :) So there.
I purchased a new lip product today! It's the little things guys.  It's from a relatively new line by Revlon - called ColorBurst Matte Balm. I picked up one of these bad boys in the shade "#225 Sultry." It's $6.49 at Target and is currently available in 10 shades. 

Let me start out by saying that I am in love with this color. (#225 Sultry) I have been wearing it all day - and I must say that it is a refreshing break from my normal classic red lip. (I said break...not replacement) It is super creamy and did not exacerbate my chapped lip problem at all. (Thank God) My poor lips have been in a horrible state lately...this Alabama weather has been the culprit. FYI - I have been treating my dry lips with this lip butter by PureLips on Etsy. ------>Lemon Butter Cake flavor. ;)

This "balm" has great staying power and is very pigmented. The color is just the bees knees. I would call it a vintage-rose-mauve? I intended on posting a photo of it actually on my lips - but my face is...just unfortunate right now. The stress finally got to me and my face decided it was going to literally break out all over. :( The following swatch will have to do for the moment. 

Don't worry - a photo of my lips sporting "Sultry" will pop up on here soon. I have a feeling that I'm going to be enjoying this product for quite some time. It's a great transitional shade for any time of the year. I hope everybody has a painless Monday hahaha. I hate having a case of the Mondays.