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Thursday, June 12, 2014

Memebox: The Mask Edition #1

I promise this is the last of the Memebox unboxings for a while. In my Memebox 8 unboxing I explained how I had quite a few points and basically got a box for free. I love these boxes but won't buy another for a little while simply because I am doing a "no beauty buy" unless I have coupons or the items are on sale. I also need to use up the products I have received before I get too many more. (I'm running out of space in my bathroom!)

This Memebox is a special edition and all the items are masks. I love doing masks. They are one of the most relaxing activities for me. When I saw they came out with this I snatched it up!

However, in Asia, sheet masks are the most popular types of masks.

SN Yew Tree Stem Cell Perfect Calming Mask  (2 full size products $8 each)
This mask is supposed to transform the skin and give it new life.



LJH Tea Tree Mask (2 full size products $3 each)
The description says it will sooth skin troubles, control oil, and brighten dark spots.



Keyskin Gold Hydro Gel Eye & Spot Patch (Full size product $49)
This product contains 60 eye patches and 30 spot patches. Although many people say eye patches are ineffective, as a new mom I am very excited to try these! They claim to moisturize the eye area and prevent wrinkles. They contain high concentrations of gold, ginseng, snail essence, collagen, and more. These ingredients are supposed to also help aid in cell regeneration.

Coconut Bio Mask with Tomato (Full size $3)
I received one of these in my Luckybox 2 and am excited to have another so I can really decide if it works or not. It says it will help with wrinkles and brighten the complexion 

BIO Medi-curing Mask Aqua Dressing (Full size $3)
This product was also in my Luckybox 2 and is supposed to help with fine lines and wrinkles. I haven't used the other yet but am excited to!

Papa Recipe Princess Lip Gel Patch (Full size $3)
I recieved this in my Memebox 3 and I didn't notice any sort of difference after using it. My lips are incredibly dry and it says it will intensely moisturize your lips. I didn't feel like my lips were that much softer or more moisturized. Also, I want to say it broke me out but since I can't remember I'll give it another go. 


Sep Face Lifting Mask (Full size $14)
This is supposed to be a 6-in-1 mask that brightens skin tone, reduces fine lines, and hydrates. It is made out of a fabric that is used for body shaping underwear. I am very interested to try such and expensive one time use mask. 






Cost of box: $23
Total Value of box: $94

Overall impression: I love that they gave a variety of masks. Some for troubled and oily skin, some for brightening, and some for moisturizing. I also am very excited for the eye masks. However, I am extremely surprised by some of the prices of the masks. This was one box I was expecting to have a value that is close to what I paid. So I was very surprised to see that the value was triple what I paid. 

As always, I will post reviews as I use things up!





Monday, June 2, 2014

One Month Postpartum

One month ago today I welcomed my beautiful baby girl to the world. 

I won't go into details about the labor and delivery unless someone really wants to know. 

This first month has literally flown by. For the first two weeks I focused on meeting my daughter's needs. Every two to three hours around the clock, I fed her for as long as she needed. However, when the third week came upon us I decided to let her sleep until she woke at night. This kind of happened by accident because I would sleep through my alarms in the middle of the night. She would go anywhere from 3-6 hours at a time and I was so grateful! Now we are trying to get on a schedule during the day. She loves pacifiers and we just introduced a bottle the other day. 

Many mom's love to give advice and tell you what you should or shouldn't do and what you should feel. They all told me I would miss having her inside of me. But, I don't miss having a large belly and feeling her move. However, I am quite petite and she was 8lbs 5oz so I felt every move she did and they were painful! I did choose to breastfeed and that has helped me lose about 25lbs so far. But when you lose baby weight your body proportions are different. My hips are still wider, my breasts are obviously larger, and my tummy still needs some toning. I decided not to use a product like a belly bandit to help shrink things down. Looking back, I think I would have liked to have one. 

Until a few days ago the only one that could feed my daughter, I have not spent more than an hour away from her at a time. My sweet husband has watched her while she naps so I could get out of the house two separate times. Future moms, this is necessary! Don't feel selfish and yes you will miss your child but you need a break. Even at a full time job you get lunch breaks and parents need  one too. This allows me to have some freedom and miss my daughter and therefore love her more. 


Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Love in a Box Swap


You know how reading blogs can go. When you go to read one post you end up finding six new blogs and reading for an hour. That is how I stumbled across Kimberly's Chronicle. She was hosting a monthly blogger swap called Love in a Box. I thought the idea of swapping and getting to know another blogger would be so much fun! Unfortunately, due to the time involved in hosting swaps, this was the last monthly swap. 

I was paired up with Shelby from An American Girl and she is so sweet! I loved getting to know her and wish her the best as she is getting ready for a big change! Go check her out if you haven't already. 

Anyway let's get to the good stuff... the gifts she spoiled me with! We have very similar hobbies and she was so kind in her gift to me! 



As soon as I opened the box I legitimately squealed! I was so excited to receive this in the mail. It's like Christmas but better!


I loved how the box had some beauty products and some lifestyle products! The beauty ones were spot on. I love doing face masks and have been wanting to try a peel off mask. This one is supposed to refresh skin by drawing out impurities, reducing oil, and removing dead skin cells. I am so excited to try this during my next pamper night! 
Shelby also sent me the Fekkai Advanced Brilliant Glossing cream. I am so excited to try this because I had a foil packet of the shampoo and conditioner from this line and have heard great things about this product!
Can we just talk about how cute this nail file is!?
I've used Nivea lip butters and love them which is why I am so excited to try the Nivea Creme. I have incredibly dry feet and excited to try it there and see if it helps. 
I have also heard great things about the Chella Ivory Lace highlighter. Since I always have tired eyes, I am excited to use this to brighten my eye area! 
My camera didn't do this nail polish justice. It is a bright hot pink, which I love wearing on my toes in the spring and summer. It is called Thimbleberry by Sinful Colors

Swoon. This mug! I love it so much!! It will be great for at home since I now eat in segments and it takes me forever to finish a cup of hot coffee which tends to get very cold. Also, I can take it to work because my office is basically located in Antarctica. My co workers keep the air conditioning blasted and I can now have a warm cup of coffee for more than two minutes! 
Honestly, I ate the Milano cookies about 5 minutes after I opened the box. These are one of my favorite treats!! 
I love tea and am excited to try the Mighty Leaf Chamomile Citrus tea. It sounds delicious!
Last but not least... Shelby was so thoughtful and sent the cutest tights for my daughter! I can't wait for her to be able to wear these!

Thank you Shelby! I love my goodies!

Have you participated in a swap before? If so, what did you think of it? 

Monday, May 12, 2014

Memebox Luckybox 2

If you don't know what Memebox is, check out my unboxing of Memebox 8. I give an explanation of how this boxing service works.

Now on to the unveiling of Luckybox 2.

They have several Luckyboxes now. A Luckybox is a box that contain products from previous regular Memeboxes.


Espoir Lipgloss ($15)

I have it in the color Magic Hour which is a stunning mauvish nude! I love it and know it will use it! It is super pigmented and doesn't feel sticky at all. We are thinking of going to Korea with the baby this summer and if it works out, I will definitely be hunting down more of these!


Nuganic Customized Sunblock Fresh SPF50PA++ (Full Size $45)

I received this item in my Memebox 3 and am excited to have another. I haven't used the first one yet but I am a big SPF fan and once my current one runs out I will definately use this!

Dr. Jart V7 Eye Serum (Full Size $38)

I received this in my Memebox 3 as well. I haven't tried it yet but you can never have too many eye creams right? It says that it is supposed to brighten and help with dark circles, which I definately have!

LJH Tea Tree 90 Essence (Deluxe Sample approx $12.80)

The description says it is supposed to clear, moisturize, and brighten troubled skin.  I am so excited to try this because it sounds perfect for my skin! They had a sneak peek of two products on the website and when I saw this, I was so excited for the box!

Dr. G BIO-RTx Mentor Cream (Deluxe Sample approx $14)

They randomly sent one for either damaged, dry, or oily skin. I received the one for oily skin. It says it should help with sebum production and balance the skin's oil production. The directions say to leave it on the hair and rinse off after three minutes so I am not quite sure how to use this but I will probably use it as a regular moisturizer :)

Miseenscense 2x Curl Essence (Deluxe Sample approx $2)

This is a leave in treatment that is supposed to provide volume and rejuvenate hair. I am interested since it says it is a curl essence if it helps with curls or not. Since I am a new mom and not styling my hair as much and letting it be its wild wavy self, I will give this a thorough test.

BIO Medi-curing Mask Aqua Dressing ($3)

I just love masks and this one is supposed to hydrate and help with wrinkles.

Coconut Bio Mask with Tomato ($3)

Another sheet mask that is supposed to help with wrinkles.









Box cost $23
Total Value $132.80


Overall I am very pleased with this box and can't wait to try out the items! Memebox is one of the best bang for your buck boxes I think!

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Memebox 8 Unboxing!!

No secret that I love skin care items.

Memebox is a "subscription" box from Korea and it is an amazing deal! By the quotes, I mean that you buy one box or three boxes at a time. They don't automatically send you one each month. They are coming out with all sorts of types boxes so check out their website since they are constantly updating and adding boxes. They have various types at different price points. But, be warned that their boxes sell out fairly fast!

Their boxes are shipped from Korea and contain Korean beauty items. I received Memebox 3 a while ago and loved it so I bought a few more... oops. But, in my defense they often give out points that you can use to cancel out the shipping cost or put towards a box. Since it had a been a while since I bought one, I was able to get one with free shipping (approximately $6). Then I bought two more, one will come later, with more points and free shipping so essentially I got a box free!

Ok so the first box I will unbox is Memebox 8. This more of a "monthly" or regular type of box.

Memebox 8 was $23 and would contain 4-8 full size and deluxe sample size products. Typically, they are full sized products. The box starts with a card that explains what the products do, how to use them, and the price.


Flower Men Energy Factory Moist Boosting Sheet Mask-Hyaluronic Acid ($4)
Can we just laugh at this together? At first, from the picture, I thought I had to put this man's face on mine. However, after further investigation, it is just the package for the mask.


Hairich Vedacell Hair Program Shampoo (approx $6.76 for this sample)
This is a deluxe size sample. I received 100ml and a full size is 340ml. It says it is a 4 in 1 shampoo sulfate, silicon, and dye free. Which is great since I have been trying to use more natural hair and body products. I am not sure what the 4 in 1 means because the card doesn't say and the product is in Korean. We'll find out!


Tonymoly BCDATION SPF 30 PA++ (approx $4.32 for this sample combo)
This product is supposed to be a BB and CC cream hybrid and give full coverage. I love that it has SPF in it! The color I got was Pink Beige. I am not sure of the match because Korean products often come sealed and I want to finish up a few other items before opening it.


Heart Face Ultra Pore Care Sleeping Pack (approx $9 for this sample)
Another deluxe sized sample but I am so excited to try this. It is an overnight moisture mask. I love these and hopefully, so will my skin!


Secret Key Snow White Cream (Full size $21)
I am SO excited for this! It is a whitening cream moisturizer. But I love that it comes with a little plastic spoon thing to help get the product out. I have a lot of hyperpigmentation and scarring and can't wait to see if this helps.

And last but not least....


MAX Clinic Caviar Massage Oil Foam Cleanser (Full size $73)
I have just started using cleansing oils and am so excited to have another to use when I finish my current one. It is made from caviar oil and will dissolve dirt and oil.

Cost for box $23
Value of box $118.08

I am so excited to try this box and don't worry, reviews will come as I use up products. But for now I need to finish some other ones I am currently using.

Have you tried Memebox or Korean beauty products?

Thursday, April 24, 2014

I accidentally went shopping....

The last few weeks I had a few accidental shopping trips to Sephora and Ulta.

In my defense, I either had a coupon or the item was on sale. At least I thought, but more on that later.

Sephora had their beauty insider 15% off coupon last week and I was determined to use it. However, I browsed their website for four days and couldn't decide what to buy. I didn't want to spend more than $40 with the coupon and that cut down what I could buy from my dream list significantly. I settled on the Urban Decay Naked Flushed palette. I have been wanted to play more with bronzers and figured this would be a nice way to play with bronzer and highlighting. After I purchased it though and left the store, I realized they didn't use the 15% off coupon. Oh well. I redeemed 100 pts so I could try the Benefit Big Easy BB cream. For once, I also got really good samples at the store. The Sheshido is just an SPF that I will use when I finish my Aveeno Daily Radiance something. I am so excited to try the Fresh Black Tea mask because I love a good mask and I got two of these! I also got a sample of the boscia detoxifying black cleanser. While this is too small to determine how it works, it will be perfect for my two day stay at the hospital when I give birth. Same goes for the Garnier oil cleanser (this was from freeflys). I ran out of my undereye concealer so I stopped at Walgreens and picked up the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch.

Ulta had 40% off Revlon, Maybelline, and Physicians Formula. So therefore I had to go shopping. Right? I have been using the Revlon Colorstay Whipped and really like it so I thought I would try the regular Colorstay. Since I am about to be a new mom, I can never have too many under eye concealers right? Apparently, I wanted to stock up since things were 40% off. Since I am on a bronzer attempt/kick, I figured I should pick up the Physicians Formula Nude Wear bronzer in light. 

Have you splurged lately?

Monday, April 14, 2014

Beauty Wants



Do you have a beauty wishlist?

I've had one in my head for the longest time and thought I would write it down recently. Some of these products I lust over and some I think I need to own.
Beauty Wants

GlamGlow paraben free skin care / First Aid Beauty facial mask / Beauty product / Tarte cosmetic / Urban Decay eyeliner / Tarte eyeliner / Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder / Starter Kit


I have decided however to help save money, these are the only beauty items I can buy for the rest of 2014. Also, I can't buy it without a coupon or it being on sale. But, this excludes necessities like foundation, concealer, and cleanser.

What is on your beauty wishlist?