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!

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. 

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? 

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!

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?

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?

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.

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?

Mommy Monday: Baby Shower

First, let me take a selfie.

Yes, that song randomly pops in my head.....

Anyway..... I have been MIA and I am so sorry!!

I had finals for school and then I have been trying to get things in order for when the baby comes. And no, her nursery is still not ready.

But over the weekend I had a baby shower. This was actually my second shower.

The first was in my hometown and pregnant brain here forgot to take pictures. Too bad because it was beautiful. My sister threw a brunch and made delicious food. She is an interior designer so it was decorated so perfectly. Timeless, simple, and elegant.
At that shower we played a game where teams cut out parts of my face and my husband's face and put them together to see what baby could look like. (Think of the movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 days) If my daughter looks like what some of the people came up with.... she will be quite scary. Trust me when I say.. I am sparing you nightmares by not having pictures of that.

Second shower was thrown by my local kind of adopted family in my current town. It was much smaller and more intimate with close friends that have become like family. Also, it was much more relaxed. Often we just got off topic and chit chatted about nothing and girl stuff. But check out the pictures.

 Isn't the entry way beautiful!                                            Not to mention these cupcakes!!!

          And they even made me a special cup for the day!

This weekend was so fun and special. 

What are you favorite and least favorite things about baby showers?

Kristen

Productive Schmuctive!

Yesterday was one of those days.

It started with a box of tile reminding me that I indeed cannot see in the dark and leaving me a reminder that takes up the entire back of my thigh.

At work I became grumpy. My phone kept ringing. Emails kept appearing. I couldn't keep up and all I wanted to do was crawl back under my desk.

The baby needed a milkshake and I agreed. However, it started snowing when I left the office.

But that didn't stop us! The line to get the milkshake and dumb drivers almost did. Cookies and Cream milkshakes are worth it though.

When I got back to work. My inbox was even fuller. People came to me with questions that my grumpiness thought were common sense or dumb. So I daydreamed.

Somehow my internet kept opening to different websites and this happened..... If I had no budget and am grumpy apparently this is what I would buy.

Productive Schmuctive by simplystriveblog featuring summer sandals

GlamGlow mud mask
sephora.com

Nail polish
ulta.com

Marc Jacobs zip bag
yoox.com

Makeup
qvc.com

Jimmy Choo summer sandals
jimmychoo.com

RX Hydrglu/Eye Recovery Patch
ulta.com

What's on your budgetless wishlist?

Not sleeping for lent?

It's the time of year for Lent. Many religions or denominations often recommend giving something up to remember how Jesus suffered on the cross.

Now, to be honest, I have never given anything up or even really understood much about it.

However, this year I have decided to give up sleep.

You may think I am crazy for being 8 months pregnant and wanting to give up sleep.

It's true I am crazy but I also am going to give up sleeping in. By sleeping in I mean, my husband wakes up at about 5:30am and lets the dogs out and gets in the shower. During this time I lay there or try to sleep. However, I am giving up that half hour so I can....

Have a quiet time (some people call these devotions)

Work on reading my new book (look for a post about it later this week)

Work out

Do you celebrate Lent - are you giving anything up?

Mommy Monday - My Preggo Journey

1st Trimester

I found out I was pregnant at about 5 weeks along so this journey has been going for quite some time. How did I know I was pregnant? Well this might be TMI but I am terrible at keeping track of that time of the month so that wasn't my giveaway. I figured it out because I couldn't remember anything! Also, I was having like 3 big cups of coffee each day and I still couldn't stay awake. 

I can't complain about my 1st trimester because I didn't have any morning sickness, but my husband will complain. Let's be honest, I was a raging hormonal freak of nature. I would go from sobbing to laughing within minutes. Also, I would have random hours of sobbing. Not the hard crying, but the sobbing where I couldn't breath or see. And yes, the tears were for absolutely no reason. 

Cravings - Bagels and popsicles. Lemonade. If someone talked about a specific food, I needed it. 

2nd Trimester

Yep, I thought I was HUGE in this picture.... little did I know. Anyway, I had so much energy back during this trimester. We found out baby is a..... GIRL. 

Cravings - Citrus. I think I ate at lease one grapefruit a day. 

3rd Trimester

See how huge I am today?? (This picture is at 32 weeks!)

This girl is so incredibly wiggly! She is constantly having dance parties in my belly. Oh speaking of belly, my belly button is half pushed out. Yep, the top is out the bottom is in. It's not weird looking at all (insert a lot of sarcasm). Is the nursery set up and done? Nope. But have we registered? Yep! 

Overall, I am feeling good. A little bit more tired because I either wake up to pee or because the girl is dancing at night. Also, I am getting more back aches and my belly is officially getting in the way of putting on shoes and bending over. 

Kristen, the waddling 

Mommy Mondays - Mocktails

In case you didn't know I am currently 31 weeks pregnant. However, last week at work was rather exasperating. I am training a new girl and the process is going slower than expected. I was also a little hormonal and moody but that's normal for a pregnant lady :)

While I was sitting at my desk I got a strong craving for a cocktail. But, the baby is underage so I settled for a mocktail. Going to the grocery store, I grabbed things that looked interesting and below is the mocktail that satisfied my fruity cocktail craving.

I found Cucumber dry soda and mixed that with equal parts of Dragon Fruit Mango juice. But that was a tad sweet so I added another part Cranberry juice and a quarter of a lime. It gave me the tartness or bitterness that I like in cocktails.

What mocktails or cocktails have you been loving lately?

Empties!

I'm not sure about you but I love reading or watching empties.

I think it is great to hear what someone thoughts after using the entire product. However, it is important to remember that my tastes will not match everyone elses. Also, my skin type is combination, sensitive, and a pain in the butt.

The first are bath and or body products. First is the St. Ives Intensive healing body lotion with cranberry seed oil and grapeseed oil. I really enjoyed this product. I have been trying to moisturize my whole body and this was great at keeping my skin soft during this dry winter. Mainly I used it on my arms and legs, but I never got dry joints!

St. Ives Purifying Sea Salt body wash was good. It is an exfoliating body wash which I enjoyed but the bottle was so large. I got tired of it because it lasted too long. Maybe one day I'll repurchase it but for now I need something new. 

BioInfusion Keratin Smoothing Conditioner was something I picked up at Walgreens because it was on sale for half off. Once I found out I was pregnant, I tried to use more natural products especially during the first trimester. However, it was very disappointing. My hair was so dry from it and incredibly staticy. I don't recommend it. 

 I bought the Aveeno Positively Nourishing Comforting Whipped Souffle to moisturize my belly, buttocks, breasts, and thighs. I wanted a more natural lotion with shea and cocoa to help with stretch marks. I enjoyed it and currently do not have any stretch marks, however I had other body butters I used once this became empty. 

Lastly, Bath and Body Works Body Butter in the scent, Be Enchanted. I really enjoyed the texture and smell of this lotion. It was a Black Friday purchase and felt like that was a good way to buy it. I might repurchase it if there is another very good sale and once I run out of other lotions. 

Skin care and make up is going to be much more subjective. 

First up: Lerosett. I love this mask and am already halfway though another. It is a staple in my bathroom. Feel free to read more about it in my post about Face Masks.

Next is the Vanedo Beauty Friends face sheet mask in Aloe. I have a love hate relationships with sheet masks. The idea behind them is so neat but I don't feel like they do much for me. It was moisturizing but I didn't see it soothing or calming my face. Also, it is hard to tell if sheet masks work or not because they are a one time use. In case you were wondering, I bought this at a local Korean market and put it in my stocking for Christmas. 

The e.l.f eyelid primer is a great drugstore primer. I have extremely oily eyelids and crease as soon as eyeshadow goes on. This usually helps my eye makeup last at least 6 hours. Also, I really like that it is a skin tone shade s because it covers up my veins and gives me a blank canvas. For $1, you can't beat this product. My only complaint is that I screwed the lid on too hard and the packaging cracked, so the product dried up quickly. However, I have already repurchased. 

The Revlon Photoready concealer works really well at hiding redness and blemishes but I went through it very quickly. I bought a second one, which is almost gone, but probably won't purchase a third just to try out another.
The Neutrogena Oil Free moisturizer was fine. It did its job and I didn't break out but nothing impressive. I did not repurchase because I had another moisturizer to use.

What products have you used up or do you recommend??


Kristen

Favorite Face Masks

Face masks are my favorite relaxation activity. After a long day all I need is a warm bath and a good face mask.

My skin is sensitive and combination. I have struggled with acne off and on at different severity levels but found that when I use these masks consistently, my skin tends to be a bit better.

Lerosett ($30-40, you can also buy it on Amazon)

This is my holy grail mask. I always have it on hand and try to use it at least once a week depending on my skin. However, you can use it up to twice a day depending on the acne severity. I used this twice a day for 3 weeks leading up to my wedding and my skin was completely clear. You can also use it as a spot treatment or just on the trouble areas. When I take this off, I either take a warm washcloth and let it sit on my face to loosen the mask or use my Clarisonic.





Alba Botanica Pore Perfecting Papaya Enzyme   ($10-15)

Enzyme masks are great "pre-masks". I like to use this before a hydrating or mild treatment mask. It helps deep clean pores and removes the dead skin cells. This only takes 5 minutes so it is a great freshen up if used by itself.

Yes to Tomatoes Clearing Facial Mask ($15)

Once in a while I like to change up my treatment masks so instead of using Lerosett I will use this one but only once every two weeks. It is great at clearing my skin and reducing the redness.

Origins Drink Up 10 Minute Mask ($20-25)

Because I have combination skin, once in a while my skin needs a good drink of hydration. I like using this one after an enzyme mask or exfoliation treatment. This allows the fresh skin to be hydrated instead of trying to bring dead cells back to life.

I have linked all of these on my Luvocracy page for your convenience!




What face masks do you love and why??