"Baby it's cold outside." - lyric by Frank Loesser
I'm sorry to have skipped a post about my November favorites because I had some good ones. Here is a list of everything I was loving in November:
1. Snack: Chicken Salad on a Toasted Whole Wheat Bagel
2. Scent: Laugh With Me Lee Lee by Benefit Cosmetics
3. Treat: Lush Bath Products
4. Tis the Season: To Eat Everything and Anything!
5. My Cup of Tea: Bleu Jardin by Damman Freres
6. Color: Rose Gold
7. Candle: Merry Mistletoe by Bath and Body Works
8. Song I'm Listening to on Repeat: Enchanted by Taylor Swift
December's Favorites
1. Snack: Cuties Mandarin Oranges and TimTam cookies by Pepperidge Farms
2. Scent: So This is Love Eau de Parfum for the Sephora Cinderella Collection
3. Treat: Being able to spend time with my best friend during the holidays (and also maybe Latkes)
4. Tis the Season: To give your family and friends some really great gifts.
5. My Cup of Tea: The green tea that you get at Japanese restaurants, I also really like Starbuck's Tazo Iced Green Tea with Spearmint.
6. Color: Cream and Gold
7. Candle: Spiced Apple Toddy by Bath and Body Works
8. Film: I've seen a lot of really great films this month, but I have to say Hitchcock really takes the cake.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Birchbox: December 2012
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December has been a slow month for posts because I've been working more than usual and my access to Internet continues to grow more and more limited. This month, Birchbox's theme was "All Wrapped Up," and the lid of the box was dressed up (and so stinkin' cute).
Here's what came in my BB this month:
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1. Juliette Has a Gun: Mad Madame Eau de Parfum According to Birchbox, this perfume has notes of rose oxide and black currant. This sample is one of the better smelling perfume samples I've received from Birchbox (except for Viva La Juicy- which I rushed out and bought right away). It actually smells a bit like the Original Marc Jacobs women perfume (my signature scent). It's nice but definitely not worth the $110-135 cost of a full-size.
2. Miss Jessie's Original: Pillow Soft Curls Styling Lotion
I was excited to receive these samples because I have naturally curly hair and I'm always interested in trying styling products that can help me tame my mane. I have not yet tried these but I was really happy that Birchbox gave me two generously-sized packets of the product so I can really get a sense of what it does for my hair. I think that this product could have easily been sent in a bottle though and I feel like that would have been way more convenient. I hope it smells nice!
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3. ModelCo: Shine Ultra Lip GlossIt was really nice to get a full sized makeup product this month, I just wish it hadn't been lip gloss. I never use lip gloss because I don't like the stickiness and sadly this gloss is ultra sticky and tacky. It has a nice pink berry color with very subtle glitter and would be great for the holidays. It also smells like strawberry pop rocks! I like that the packaging on ModelCo's products have mirrors because it makes it super convenient to throw in your purse. For someone who wears lip gloss, this would be a really nice surprise in this month's BB.
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4. NUXE: Reve de Miel Facial Cleansing and Make-up Removing Gel
I like that this product is a facial cleanser with make-up removing properties (remains to be seen) but it smells pretty bad. Fragrance and texture are always super important to me in any product and having either of these two elements off can really break a product for me. Like hair products, I always hope that my facial cleansers will either smell amazing or smell like nothing at all. I will use this sample for traveling in a
couple of weeks though, so I guess that's convenient.
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5. Chuao Chocolatier: ChocoPod in Salted Chocolate Crunch
This month's lifestyle extra was CHOCOLATE! I've been excited to try the Chuao samples that Birchbox has been sending out because I love this brand. The flavors of their chocolates are always really delicious and unexpected. The sample was incredibly small but is probably a full-sized chocopod- they are literally bite-sized (one bite). Mine had breadcrumbs and sea salt chunks in it, which kind of made me scared about cracking my teeth but I would definitely purchase these pods in the real world!
Other items in the box:
- a cute To/From gift tag- which I'll probably use to regift the lipgloss!
- a $50 discount off of a $125 rental at RenttheRunway. Kind of a fun extra for the holiday season.
Ratings for December's Birchbox
1. Juliet Has a Gun Perfume: * * * three leaves
2. Miss Jessie's Curl Lotion: * * * three leaves
3. ModelCo Lip Gloss: * * * three leaves
4. NUXE Facial Cleanser/Makeup Remover: * * two leaves
5. Chuao Chocolate: * * * * * five stars (I feel like it's always the extra that I like the best...)
Overall Rating for December's Box: * * * 3 Leaves ( PLUS: a bonus leaf * for the awesome packaging on this month's box. and the other little fun things like the discount for RenttheRunway and the gift tag).
This month's box was good, I was excited about the full-size makeup product, even though I can't use it and I think most of the samples were more or less generously sized. I liked the variety of the box- it covered makeup, hair, skin care, and fragrance so I'm happy. So far I'm still really excited about my Birchbox every month and feel like the products match my needs. There have been a couple months where I've purchased or wanted to purchase the products I've sampled from my BB so I think they're doing a great job!
I'm going to try to catch up with my posts in the next few days so stay tuned!
d.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Holiday 2012 Gift Guide: The Best Friend
"Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes, Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes, Silver white winters that melt into springs; These are a few of my favorite things." - Maria in The Sound of Music
This month, I will be doing a weekly gift guide for the important people in your life. I will be including a mix of items that can be purchased for 30 dollars or less and DIY projects.
Gifts for: The Best Friend
1) A Little Something Chocolate-y
Who doesn't love a nice box of chocolates that they don't have to share with anyone? Any sweet treat is always a welcome present during the holidays and many chocolate shoppes provide festively wrapped packages during the month of December. This box above is from Godiva and was $15 for a box of 6 truffles.
2) A Little Something For the Bath
Giving your best pal her favorite Lush bath bomb and soap is a great way to let her unwind and pamper herself during the holidays. It's easy to find any of the perennial favorites in gift sets under $20, otherwise if you know her favorite scents you can get a beautiful patterned fabric wrap to give the gift a little something extra. The Mr. Bumble set above includes a "Honey I Washed the Kids" soap and a bath bomb for approx. $15.
3) A Little Something Glamorous
Forever 21 has some amazing jewelry these days and is so freakingaffordable adorable! Lately I've been loving the vintage/Deco-inspired pieces. For friends who lust after J Crew statement necklaces and Kate Spade bangles, it's easy to find similar pieces at F21. The best part is that most of their jewelry is under $15. Grab a couple baubles and jewels to keep your friend sparkling all season long!
4) A Little Something Bright
Scent is one of the senses that is most strongly tied to memory and that's probably why burning a Winter/Fall candle completely sets the mood for the season. As you all know, Bath and Body Works has my favorite collection of seasonal candles and with scents ranging from Gourmand to Cinnamon Spice, it would be difficult to find a candle your friend doesn't like. Not sure what her taste is? Get a gift card! Mini BBW candles are generally 2 for $5 or $10 for a small one-wick candle. 3-wick candles are best when they're on the 2 for $20 sale!
5) A Little Something Surprising!
Subscription services like Birchbox and Julep Maven (pictured above) can be gifted to friends and can be given once or for a couple of months after the holidays end. There is a subscription to suit almost anyone's taste and who knows, your friend might just find her next holy grail product thanks to you!
6) DIY: A Little Something To Hang on a Tree
Last year, my friends and I had a holiday party where we made felt ornaments together. Fear-not if you are not particularly experienced with sewing, these projects require only simple stitches or can even be hot-glued together. Embellish with beads, ribbon, and fabric paint to make a truly unique present that can be loved for years to come.
7) DIY: A Little Something Memorable
A photo collage of your favorite snapshots of the two of you is a present that is really unique. You can choose pictures from years past or go on a fun photo shoot at one of your favorite spots and arrange these pictures in a collection of differently-sized frames that can be hung on a wall. You can find inexpensive and fun frames at stores like Target or TJ Maxx or you can even paint your own wooden frames from the craft store. Draw a little diagram for your bud so she'll know how the pictures fit together. I personally like the look of black and white pictures in simple black frames or choosing frames from different stores in the same color family.
Remember to always remind your bestie how much they mean to you, who else is going to be willing to spend four hours on the phone with you going over every last detail of you first encounter with your future soul mate?
What was the best gift you ever gave/received from a bestie? Leave it below!
d.
This month, I will be doing a weekly gift guide for the important people in your life. I will be including a mix of items that can be purchased for 30 dollars or less and DIY projects.
Gifts for: The Best Friend
1) A Little Something Chocolate-y
Who doesn't love a nice box of chocolates that they don't have to share with anyone? Any sweet treat is always a welcome present during the holidays and many chocolate shoppes provide festively wrapped packages during the month of December. This box above is from Godiva and was $15 for a box of 6 truffles.
2) A Little Something For the Bath
Giving your best pal her favorite Lush bath bomb and soap is a great way to let her unwind and pamper herself during the holidays. It's easy to find any of the perennial favorites in gift sets under $20, otherwise if you know her favorite scents you can get a beautiful patterned fabric wrap to give the gift a little something extra. The Mr. Bumble set above includes a "Honey I Washed the Kids" soap and a bath bomb for approx. $15.
3) A Little Something Glamorous
Forever 21 has some amazing jewelry these days and is so freaking
4) A Little Something Bright
Scent is one of the senses that is most strongly tied to memory and that's probably why burning a Winter/Fall candle completely sets the mood for the season. As you all know, Bath and Body Works has my favorite collection of seasonal candles and with scents ranging from Gourmand to Cinnamon Spice, it would be difficult to find a candle your friend doesn't like. Not sure what her taste is? Get a gift card! Mini BBW candles are generally 2 for $5 or $10 for a small one-wick candle. 3-wick candles are best when they're on the 2 for $20 sale!
5) A Little Something Surprising!
Subscription services like Birchbox and Julep Maven (pictured above) can be gifted to friends and can be given once or for a couple of months after the holidays end. There is a subscription to suit almost anyone's taste and who knows, your friend might just find her next holy grail product thanks to you!
6) DIY: A Little Something To Hang on a Tree
Last year, my friends and I had a holiday party where we made felt ornaments together. Fear-not if you are not particularly experienced with sewing, these projects require only simple stitches or can even be hot-glued together. Embellish with beads, ribbon, and fabric paint to make a truly unique present that can be loved for years to come.
7) DIY: A Little Something Memorable
A photo collage of your favorite snapshots of the two of you is a present that is really unique. You can choose pictures from years past or go on a fun photo shoot at one of your favorite spots and arrange these pictures in a collection of differently-sized frames that can be hung on a wall. You can find inexpensive and fun frames at stores like Target or TJ Maxx or you can even paint your own wooden frames from the craft store. Draw a little diagram for your bud so she'll know how the pictures fit together. I personally like the look of black and white pictures in simple black frames or choosing frames from different stores in the same color family.
Remember to always remind your bestie how much they mean to you, who else is going to be willing to spend four hours on the phone with you going over every last detail of you first encounter with your future soul mate?
What was the best gift you ever gave/received from a bestie? Leave it below!
d.
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