Influenster -- Bella Vox Box

At the end of last week I received my complimentary Influenster Bella Vox Box.  Woooooohoooo!  It's been a long time since I have received one of these Influenster boxes, so I figured it was a perfect time to post about what I received.

In case you are not familiar with Influenster and its complimentary boxes, here is a little information:

Influenster is an online service that ANYONE can join.  You can go online and take surveys to see if you "qualify" for any of the boxes based on your answers.  If you qualify, you will receive an email letting you know that a box is on its way to you.  When you get the box, you can follow little prompts that you will get via email to help you earn points and qualify you for other boxes.  You can also choose NOT to do anything with you box and then just wait around for another survey to see if you qualify for another box.  The choice is yours and all things are complimentary AKA FREE!!!

This particular box was AMAZING!  Keep reading if you are interested in seeing what I received.

1. EcoTools "Complexion Collection" Mattifying Finish Powder Brush (retail value $8.99) -- it says to be used with pressed OR Loose powder.  I am very interested in using this brush. Getting a little bit more knowledgeable with different makeup brushes is one of my goals for the next several months (yup, quite the goal setter , huh..haha) I have been experimenting a little bit more with foundation/powder combinations and tend to be quite oily, so I cannot wait to see how well this powder brush works.

 I will be sure to keep you posted on how this brush works out for me. I also received a coupon for $1.00 OFF any one EcoTools cosmetic brush.  I have to remember to stick that in my purse just in case.

2. Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs, medium leg makeup-sample size 0.75 fl oz (retail value-full size- $13.99)-- says water resistant and is sort of like a foundation for your legs.  I had to smell it, of course,  and it smells super medicinal, or menthol like, if that even makes any sense. The card I got in the box describes it as a, "lightweight formula that hides imperfections and won't rub off on clothes". I have never tried something like this before and am sort of intrigued.  I do not have a lot of scars or things on ,y legs, but have noticed some more noticeable veins in the past several years, so I will try this out when it gets a little warmer and see how I like it.  I will try to remember to take before and after pics and post them when I do.

3. Not Your Mother's Deja Vu Style Extender-travel size 1 fl oz (retail value, full size $9.00) -- smells sort of like berries, which would make sense since it is said to be infused with red apples and berries.  Described as a "lightweight primer and style extender that will block humidity and repel dirt and oil."

 Since I have been wearing my hair curly, my hair does not get quite as oily anymore.  I tend to wash it more often when it is curly since I use more hair products, so I do not think that I will be getting much use out of this particular sample.  However, I do have a friend that I think I may pass this off to.  I will ask her to give me feedback on it, so I can keep you all posted!

4. Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss in #29 Rossetto (retail value $5.49) -- first tags first, this lipstick smells like candy. YUMMY!  This particular shade is right up my alley.  It is a purplish mauve color that I think may be very flattering.  Well, besides the fact that the purple tone will probably make my teeth look extra hello... But I don't care.  Once I start my new job, I hope to use all of my lipsticks a little bit more and this will be one of the first ones that I pull out.  Don't worry.. I will post pics!

5. Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara by Kate Moss in Eye Rock Jet Black (retail value $6.99) -- So excited to try this.  Aside from lipsticks and blush, mascara is my next favorite makeup product.  I have very SHORT and BLAH eyelashes and am always on the hunt for the perfect mascara.  This mascara is supposed to add volume and lift.  It has a unique looking wand, which is described as a broken heart shape.  According to the packaging, it has a thin brush which will help grab onto to inner lashes, and the thicker base is what will help create dramatic volume and curves.  Also says that it won't clump.  Hmmmmmmmmmm....... Super PUMPED to try this out.  If I can get a good picture, I will also post before and after pics!

6. DOVE fruit, Whole blueberries dipped in Creamy Dove Dark Chocolate (retail value $1.88 - $2.69) -- no description really needed for this.  When I posted the pic of the Influenster box on Instagram and Facebook, this is what everyone seemed to comment on.  I am not a huge fan of blueberries or dark chocolate, BUT I will try these.

 They also come in 2 other varieties: cranberry and cherry.  I would like to try those as well, but first things first.. I will try the free sample first!

7. I received a exclusive Club W promo code card.  The promo code will allow me to get a bottle of wine for free with the purchase of  the  first 2 bottles.  Club W is a personalized wine club that allows you to consistently choose your palate preferences and recommends wines that you may live.  It allows you to choose which wines you want or allow it to pick for you and how many wines you receive.  Club W is a monthly service that starts at $39/month for 3 bottles.  It also allows you to skip a shipment at any time, cancel at any time, and has a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  I haven't tried it yet, but have read and heard many positive reviews.  I have just recently gotten more to wine , so I may try it out just once to start and see how I like it.

I am really loving my Influenster Bella Vox Box.  I hope to try out all of these wonderful products over the next 2 weeks or so. Please keep an eye out on my social media for updates and my thoughts on some of these products.  And don't forget to check out www.Influenster.com and learn more about receiving your own Vox Box!!

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**all products were received complimentary from Influenster for testing and reviewing purposes**

**post may contain affiliate links, I will always let you know if you are clicking an affiliate link.  Do not EVER feel obligated to click on them.  You can always put the website address in your search engine and view the direct website if that make you happy **

And don't forget, when you are buying things online-- use  EBATES !(affiliate link)

Join me on ipsy and subscribe to the Glam Bag! You get 4-5 beauty products every month delivered to your door, for just $10. Michelle Phan curates the bags! Check it out here: IPSY (affiliate link)

In all things there are beauty, 

~~~~~~~~~~~~xoxox oxoxox Michelle

Thought provoking Thursday 1/1/2015

How to begin rebuilding life from within:

1. Love yourself, unconditionally

2. Release your bottled up emotions

3. Make time for long walks, alone

4. Avoid living beyond your means

5. Nurture your inner strength

6. Stop apologizing for being you

7. Surround yourself with positive people

Embrace your situation -- whatever It may be

In all things there is beauty

~~~~~xoxoxo Michelle

In the depth of my mind

"Personal growth doesn't happen without thoughtful reflection.  Take time to re-evaluate and prioritize the things that matter"    ~~Alex and Ani

It's been a month since I have written...WOW!! An entire month.  This blog definitely gets neglected quite a bit, but sometimes I am just not in the mood to write about my nail polish, makeup, or subscription services.

 

Since we have entered November, I have begun to take a look back at the past 12 months.  Since this is my birthday month, I sort of use that as my New Year as opposed to the traditional January 1st that most use.  I had several goals for my 31st year.  Some of which I kept, some of which-- well, not so much!!  I aim to do better and BE better.


RUNNING & EXERCISE
I started running about mid July.  October was sort of a slacker month for me in the area of running, and as this colder weather sets in, I am looking for ways to be more creative with fitting that running in.  I am also looking to incorporate other ways of fitness into my daily lifestyle.  I enjoy workout videos so plan on doing many more of these to help me focus on things other than just the cardio from a running workout.  When I started running in July, I despised it.  Just the thought of going out there for a run made my stomach hurt and the excuses started flooding my brain.  I can honestly say that I look forward to my runs now.  That time when I am alone with my thoughts, challenging myself, encouraging myself -- it's quite the experience.  And the feeling I get when I am done running, after I have caught my breath and no longer feel like I am going to throw up haha, is exhilarating.  I feel like I have just conquered the world.  It never matters to me how long it took me to run a certain distance. Right now I am just more focused on actually getting out there and getting it done.  From July to now, I have done at least 1 5K (3.1miles) a month and in September I did 3.  I hope to continue with that into the New Year.  By March/April of 2015, I am hoping to be able to increase to 10K (6.2 miles) with the ultimate goal of doing a half marathon(13.1miles) by 2016.  I am confident that I can do this, but know that there is still so much more work to be done.  I need to do more research in the area of exercise and what sorts of exercise is good for what.

I am also taking a hip hop class at Madison and Mayci's dance school, Morlock School of Dance!  ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS CLASS.  I have NO rhythm, but for some reason, the teachers of this class, make me feel like I am releasing my inner Beyoncé every time we have class:) :)- Madison, however, is always quick to remind me of my lack of talent though.
I am not sure when I last posted my weight on this blog, but it has gone up quite a bit more than I would like to admit, with a weight loss of 6 pounds thrown in the mix that I think I have packed back on.  I am currently at 154.3 pounds, a size 10 in jeans(L in other style pants), a M/L in shirts depending on the style and am super grateful that the larger tops and tunic style tops are in style due to my not so flat belly.  I think even when the world thinks they are not the popular fashion item anymore, I will forever be a fan!  My ultimate goal of 128 is always in the back of my mind and I am continuously trying to regain the discipline to make the moves necessary to drop the weight. 

EATING
On July 20, 2014, I became a vegetarian.  Huge step for me because I love me some chicken and bacon.  BUT-- It is something that I had been thinking of on and off for the past 15 years or so since high school, and just this year I finally felt like I was ready to make the change.  And for someone like me, who already SUCKS at cooking and coming up with recipes, it was a hard change.  But now, 3 months in, I am confident and doing well.  The first month I still wanted to eat chicken and the smell of bacon tempted me, but not so much anymore.  I do eat eggs and I drink milk -- but I have been slowly doing research on being a vegan and possibly going gluten free.  Damian thinks his body doesn't react that great with gluten, so we could both benefit from some dietary changes.  A friend and I are planning on some get togethers to come up with some vegetarian recipes-- and if we come up with some really good ones, I will be sure to share!

Discipline with eating has always been a hard thing for me and my ever present sweet tooth.  I have the toughest time saying no to sweet and "junk" food so I am always looking for healthier alternatives.  Note*** I said healthier, but I didn't say that I would NEVER eat the "junk" food ever again***  Everything in  moderation.  I think I need to learn how to control myself better when it comes to food and then the choices that I make will slowly improve.  I am also going to be working on cutting out soda and juices from diet this upcoming year.  I don't drink them often and because I sometimes go the whole day and only drink 1 cup of coffee--- I do need to increase my water intake tremendously.

SELF LOVE

HUGE topic for me.  Loving myself.  Everyone needs to love themselves more. No, that doesn't mean walking around, building yourself up and putting others down.  It does mean having confidence and knowing and believing that you are worth something.  Now, please don't get me wrong.  I don't walk around thinking I am an ultimate failure everyday.  I tend to beat myself up often though and every time I am unsuccessful at something I attribute it to the fact that I am not good at anything and don't deserve to have good things happen to me.  This lack of self love is what causes me to not care about my appearance, to not want to try harder to run/ workout, to not care about my eating habits day after day after day. How toxic is this to our lives?  How sad is it that I have let it get so bad that I because I don't love myself the way I should, I allow others to treat me the same way that I treat myself.  NO MORE!  Now at almost 32 it is time for me to take a stand.  No, I don't have a lot of talents. No, I'm not the prettiest. No, I am not the smartest. No, I am not the most patient. Yes, I flip out and melt down more than I should. No, I don't keep the cleanest house or am the most organized.  But-- do these things really lower my worth? Do they make me less of a person? ABSOLUTELY NOT!  And now as I actually accept these things, I am finding it easier to love myself.  And in loving myself, I WANT to look nice, take care of myself, smile more, do things for me, stop comparing myself to others, and start really BEING me. 

The problem is that when I start being the person that I really feel that I am-- some of my friends and people that love and care about me, may not like it 100%.  People get used to you and as they start to get closer to you, they feel they know you more than you know yourselves and this is definitely true in my life. Sometimes I feel like my friends DO know me better than I know myself. Then I realized that they only know what I show them and tell them.  How can they know me if I feel like I don't even know myself.  This is going to be my year of realization and I am confident that I am going to love myself and that the people in my circle will love me also! 

MARRIAGE

To be candid, Damian and I have had a rough year-- well, more like a rough couple of years.  Things haven't been as great as I would have hoped 7 years into our marriage and 11 years into our relationship.  We have put in the time, but I know I am lacking on the effort portion.  I have goal of renewing my vows in 2017 for our 10th wedding anniversary.  I also know that in order to get there and be able to do that, I have work to do.  I am quick to shut down and walk away when things don't go my way. I am the worlds biggest hot head(too bad there isn't a reward for that) and can be very hurtful when I explode or am angry.  I don't want to live like that anymore. I don't want Damian to feel like he needs to walk on eggshells around me for fear that I may "flip out" on him.  I don't want my husband to not WANT to spend time with me or not care of we can't spend time together.  What I want is for my kids to look at our relationship as an example of what they want their future relationship to be like. I want my husband to miss me when we are apart.

 I want Damian to be so proud to have me as a wife, he will look for any excuse to "show me off." I want a marriage that is pure, happy, and FUN.  I am working this year to take my marriage off the back burner and treat my husband in the same way that I expect to be treated ... with love, kindness, patience, and understanding!

I am hoping to post more consistently on this blog updates in regards to my progress in all of the above areas... If any one out there has any pieces of advice for me-- PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE share them with me...

Here's to a good 32nd year for me!!!

In all things there is beauty~~~

 

~~~~xoxxo  Michelle

 

Manicure Monday 9/29/2014

HAPPY MONDAY BEAUTIFULS~~~~

Still into the darker nail this week!!  And really want to rock one of my favorite colors--- Navy Blue!!  I will be going to a wedding on Friday so this week's nail color will probably only make it to Thursday.  I think I will keep my nails bare for the wedding and over the weekend.  They could use a couple days break anyway.

 

 



The colors I chose for this week are Sinful Colors in "RainStorm" and Essie's "Stroke of Brilliance".  Nothing fancy this week.  All my nails are the same color and Just a tiny little glitter tip on my ring finger and a portion of my thumb.  This color by Sinful Colors, is one of my favorites.  It only requires 1 coat and it's super creamy.  I of course covered the nails with my Out the Door top coat and my Nicole by OPI Drying Drops.

I would love to see what you have on your nails this week....



WHAT I USED:
   
     Sinful Colors RainStorm
     Essie  Stroke of Brilliance



MY REGULARS:
    

Out the Door Top Coat by INM - this is my HOLY GRAIL top coat..  You can even by a larger size so it will last longer!

ORLY Bonder base coat
Nicole by OPI Drying Drops

 

 

And don't forget, when you are buying things online-- use  EBATES!!

 

 

Join me on ipsy and subscribe to the Glam Bag! You get 4-5 beauty products every month delivered to your door, for just $10. Michelle Phan curates the bags! Check it out here: IPSY

 

 

 

**This page does contain affiliate links.**

In all things there is beauty~~

 

xoxoxoxo Michelle

Thought Provoking Thursday



How true is the above quote!?!?!  I love this!!  As someone who has struggled with my self image since before I can remember and now someone who is completely addicted to all kinds of makeup-- I still relish in those moments when I wake up and take a look at myself in the mirror sans makeup..and......get this------------------------ ACTUALLY LIKE WHAT I SEE!!!

That feeling is so powerful!  It gives us the ability to see not only the outer beauty that we possess, but those inner most beautiful souls that encompass who we are.  In fact-- so many people focus on this outward beauty that they forget what's really important-- who we are as a person. 

I long to be confident.  To walk with my head up with a sense of pride without being cocky.  To rise in the morning and not be afraid to answer the door with my bare blemished skin.  What a joy that would be.  In the same breath-- I also need to learn to not let this inability to do the above things affect my happiness or better yet DEFINE my happiness.

Our happiness needs to come from within.  It sounds so cliché, yet is so true if we take the time to focus and learn about the things that make us happy.

Here is to starting over! Finding happiness! Learning to love ourselves and who we are in our "rawness".

I'm wishing everyone a HAPPY THURSDAY!!

Manicure Monday - 9/22/2014

I am so loving dark colors on my nails!!  I have never really thought that I was ever "on trend" with the whole certain nail colors during certain times of year.... and I still sometimes don't follow the "rules."  But right now, with fall only 1 official day away-- I am so for the darker colors.  Unfortunately.. because I can't ever just paint my nails with just 1 color, I had to throw some lighter colors in the mix.  I also don't know why I keep thinking I am some nail artist and keep doing random dots and stuff on my nails.  I need to just stay focused and  try to paint my nails neatly and not all over my cuticles hahaha

I used 3 colors on my nails this time around.  Essie's Little Brown Dress, Essie's Show Me the Ring, and Finger Paints' Blank Canvas Cream. 

I have only used the brown color one other time and really didn't like it.  I am actually not a huge fan of Essie nail polish.  Sometimes they wow me, other times I cannot stand them.  I feel like the first time I used this particular color, I was not a fan.

It seems though-- the more I paint my own nails, the  more I am learning of ways to make a not so great formula look halfway decent. Thank goodness for acetone and an eyeliner brush to help me clean up all the mistakes and messes I make!!

The 3 chosen colors for this week!!

"Show me the Ring" by Essie--- definitely a 3 coat nail polish-- I only used 2, but could definitely have used a 3rd to make this color truly opaque.

Uh oh-- did you catch how I was trying to be all fancy with my dotting tool?  HAHAHA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRODUCTS MENTIONED:

 

Essie- Show Me The Ring

Essie-  Little Brown Dress

Finger Paints - Blank Canvas Cream

 

MY REGULARS:

Out the Door Top Coat by INM - this is my HOLY GRAIL top coat..  You can even by a larger size so it will last longer!

ORLY Bonder base coat

 

 

And don't forget, when you are buying things online-- use  EBATES!!

 

 

**This page does contain affiliate links.

 

 

 

 



Manicure Monday 7/21/2014

Couldn't really decide what color/colors I wanted to use on my nails this week.. so I made it easy!  I used ALL 4 colors that I had my eye on.  3 repeats, 1 new!!

Really liking this Rimmel polish in Purple Rain--  Opaque in 2 coats, very creamy

This Funky Fingers polish is actually one that I really enjoy, I didn't think that I would want to use it often, but I find myself looking at it quite often when it's time to sit and paint my nails.  I think it's because I like the many different colors in one polish!!

 

 

 

 

 



My LOVE!!  I adore this Sally Hansen polish in the 420 Pacific Blue- THE ORIGINAL FORMULA!!

 

 

 

Don't forget to let me know what you are wearing on your nails this week!!

 

ITEMS USED:

 

---Rimmel Salon Pro Nail Enamel in Purple Rain - also found at CVS; Walgreens

---Sally Hansen #420 Pacific Blue- hard to find in the original formula now, but look at places like, CVS, Target, Walmart, WalGreens, Rite-Aid, and only-- original formula bottle as a thick "X" in Xtreme

---ULTA nail polish in Encore Pink - found at ULTA

---Funky Fingers in JawBreaker - found at Five Below for $2 and online (sometimes)

 

REGULARLY USED:

--- ORLY Bonder basecoat

---INM Out the Door topcoat

--- Nicole by OPI drying drops

*** Join me on ipsy and subscribe to the Glam Bag! You get 4-5 beauty products every month delivered to your door, for just $10. Michelle Phan curates the bags! Check it out here:      http://www.ipsy.com/r/1i48

 

*** Don't forget when you are shopping online, that you should go through Ebates.  Its a quick and easy way to earn cash back for your online purchases!  Check I out here: http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=ZAoYp5D3jH%2FpeFiAOBbXzQ%3D%3D%26eeid=26471


***** this post may contain affiliate links *****