Not Another LA Blonde

Tag: nail polish

Ipsy – August 2017

Good Morning and happy Tuesday y’all! I got my Ipsy bag at the end of last week and I’m going to be real honest… I like about half of what I got (maybe I’m just being picky lately, but I haven’t been super impressed with the last few bags I got)!

I know we never talked about the July bag, but with everything going on last month I just ran out of time!

Here’s the deal, I’m going to share with y’all what I got in my pouch this month and what I did or didn’t like about each item in my bag:

For starters, the theme of August’s bag was GOOD VIBES ONLY. My bag said Peace Love Lipstick. I liked this bag more than some of the others because of its simplicity and is cute enough to throw into my work purse.

The Products:

theBalm Cosmetics Voyage Vol. 2 Eyeshadow in Willkommen – Value for 0.57 g= $5.50

You can get the Face Palette for $39.50 which includes 9 eyeshadows, 2 blushes, a bronzer, a highlighter, and 2 lip/cheek creams. Famous for their triple-milled pigments and anti-aging ingredients, theBalm is one of our fave go-tos for gorgeous, cruelty-free products. The Willkommen eyeshadow is a deep caramel shade, perfect for creating boho-inspired looks. I think this color is super cute and if I didn’t already have like 5 of the same color then this would def be a keeper in my book. I really like theBalm products and look forward to receiving it in my bag!

FORMULA 10.0.6 Pores Be Pure Skin-Clarifying Mud Mask – Value for 1 oz = $2.06

The full 3.4 oz mud mask retails for $6.99. You’ll instantly feel the tingle of this clarifying mask as it sucks the gunk out of clogged pores. AHHHH yes, I love masks that I can paint on my face! I prefer these over sheet masks any day of the week. This one smells really good and left my face feeling really clean but not all dried out like some masks make you feel. I can’t wait to use this again and with its inexpensive price I will definitely be buying this again!

sundays Nail Polish in No. 28 – Value for 14 ml = $18

This is a FULL size product!! Based in NYC, Sundays’ nail salons have spawned a cult following for their cruelty-free, non-toxic nail polishes! Sundays nail polish has an insanely shiny lacquer finish and a totally curated color selection. This color is a lavender grey and looks really nice on the nail. I normally do gel manicures, but sometimes a girl’s just gotta let the nails breath and use a regular ol’ polish. This color will be great when the weather gets a little bit cooler and we transition into Fall!

Make Up For Ever EXCESSIVE LASH Arresting Volume Mascara – Value for 2.5 ml = $7.35

The full size 8.5 ml mascara retails at $25. This mascara gives you the fanned-out lash look with its petite brush. The blend of soft and hard fibers on the brush allows you to layer on the formula and build up your lashes while combing through to nix clumps. I LOVE getting mascara in my bag!!! Personally, I love Make Up For Ever and was super excited to get this in my bag this month. I’ve been looking for a new mascara so this came at the perfect time. (side note: I haven’t purchased mascara for almost a year now!) I really like this mascara and it’s become my go-to in the morning.

Hey Honey Come Clean: Propolis & Minerals Facial Scrub – Value for 15 mL = $5.14

The full 70 mL cleanser retails for $24. The main ingredient in this scrub is Propolis extract (a healing and anti-inflammatory compound produced by bees). It helps dissolve residue, minimize the look of pores, hydrate, and brighten up your skin. It’s also packed with non-abrasive dissolving crystalline beads to help clear dead skin cells and blackheads for a smoother complexion. This is the perfect size to throw into my gym bag for when I shower after my workout during lunch. It has a nice feel to it because of the beads (I always feel like my face gets cleaner with them) and I am totally washing away all the sweat/makeup residue after my workout!

While I can’t guarantee an exact price of the products in the whole bag, I’ve estimated that the AUGUST bag is worth at least $38.05! While there was only 1 FULL size item in the bag, I think that the $10 you pay for the bag is such a steal compared to buying each item separately!

The cost of the box every month is $10 + tax and free shipping. So for 5 products (one of which should be full size, the low price is a pretty good bargain. The bag is great if you’re looking to try out different products that you may not currently use.

To subscribe to Ipsy use my referral link to discover new brands/products that you might come to love that you wouldn’t otherwise try!

XOXO

p.s Let me know if you got anything different that you absolutely loved!

Also, if you see something that you like/want feel free to check out Mercari if you have it. If I can’t find friends that want any of the goodies I’m not a fan of, I try to sell it!

August 15, 2017
Target Beauty Box: June
The Target Beauty Box is a one-time purchase monthly box that includes deluxe and full sized beauty products that you can find at Target and of course other retailers.

The box varies in price from $7-$10 so it’s relatively inexpensive to purchase a box. I like that you can choose every month if you want to buy the box or not since it’s not an actual subscription.

BREAKDOWN OF THE JUNE GOODIES:
1. Hawaiian Tropic Island Sport Sunscreen – Value for 2 oz = $2.25
The full size 8oz bottle retails for $8.99. Lightweight, breathable formula offers 12-hour hydration and SPF 30 broad spectrum protection. I’m going on my first vacation of the summer this weekend so I can’t wait to try this out. I’m a huge fan of Hawaiian Tropic Sunscreen, so I know this product will be great as well!
1. Jon Frieda Beach Blonde Sea Salt Spray – Value for 1 oz = $2.99
You can buy this travel size or the full 5 oz bottle for $8.99. Non-drying formula texturizes hair for a tousled look, windswept waves or piece-y perfection. I CAN’T stand getting this product in my boxes!!! This product doesn’t work on my hair and I end up getting rid of this spray every time I get it.
1. Sinful Colors Nail Polish in Clad in Plaid – Value for 0.5 oz = $1.99
This is a full size item! Highly pigmented nail color dries quickly and has a smooth, satin finish. This is a super fun looking red color. Perfect for summer time. I can’t wait to use it and see how it looks on my nails!
1. Masque Bar Soothing Sheet Mask –Value for 1 count = $3.49
Skin-moisturizing sheet mask helps hydrate and soothe skin for a healthy-looking complexion. While I love masks, I’m not a huge fan of sheet masks. I think that my face is too small or something because the mask is always WAY too big on my face!
1. Aussie 3-Minute Miracle Treatment– Value for 1.7oz = $0.53
An 8oz bottle retails for $2.97 and the 16oz bottle retails for $4.99. Conditioning treatment transforms dry hair into silky, shiny waves with Australian aloe, jojoba and sea kelp. I actually just used this and was pretty impressed with the product. I don’t normally use deep conditioners, but since I went a little blonder my last hair appointment, I figured my hair could use a little lovin. My hair felt great after using it and it looks a lot healthier!
1. Schick Hydro Silk Women’s Razor –Value for 1 = $8.99
5 curve-sensing blades with concentrated serum and shea butter moisturizer for up to 12 hours after shaving. Perfect! I needed a new razor! I really like this razor but I’m not too picky when it comes to my razors, as long as they’re not the cheapy, throw in the trash the next day kind, then I’m good.
1. NYX Gotcha Covered Concealer in Medium– Value = $5.99
Coconut oil-infused, waterproof concealer blends to hide imperfections without creasing or caking. I wasn’t really a fan of this or the brand. There are very few NYX products that I like to use, but this isn’t one of them. I’m very particular about my concealer since I tend to break out easily so I stick to one brand and one brand only.

THE VALUE

The value of this June Beauty Box is about $26.23. Since this box was only $7 plus shipping (mine was free shipping + 5% off since I have a Target Debit Card) this is a great deal! For this particular box, I felt that the value this month was really good since it had 4 full size items and the rest travel size. This is perfect for trying out a new product that you may not normally buy.

I think this box is a great deal and I love trying new products every month! I can’t wait to order the July box!

XOXO
June 22, 2017
FabFitFun Spring 2017 Box

Good Morning y’all! Ok so I know I haven’t posted in QUITE A WHILE but I’m still here and I just received my Spring FabFitFun Box. So what better way to end my little absence than with a post about my box?

I was super excited when this came in the mail especially since wasn’t too thrilled with the winter box. I am signed up for the yearly subscription, so I knew 3 of the items I would be getting. But that definitely doesn’t take any of the surprise away when I open the box!

Here is everything that came in my box including my Add-ons which I will talk about in another post.

Ok, so here is what came in my Spring 2017 box:

GYPSY 05 Beach Roundie – Retails $50

This was one of the items that I already knew I was getting and was able to pick the pattern that I wanted. It is a round beach blanket with a tassel trim and mine has a great spring time pattern to it. It is 100% cotton and has a diameter of 62.5 inches. So basically I’m really excited that this was one of the items in this season’s box! I’ve been eyeing these online for quite a while and the one time I went to purchase one, it was sold out; I guess that was fate telling me to just wait it out. These roundies are perfect for taking to the beach or for a nice picnic in your own backyard. I can’t wait to use my roundie for all my adventures this summer. Their website has so many different options to choose from and they’re all so cute!

BRIOGEO Rosarco Milk Reparative Leave-In Conditioning Spray – Retails $20

Does your hair need some extra love? This ultra-lightweight spray is fortified with a unique blend of rosehip, argan, and coconut oils to improve hair’s softness, strength, and moisture levels, while acting as a barrier against heat. The tip FabFitFun gives is to use this after your shower when your hair is clean and still damp and then style like you normally would. I’ve used other products like this before, and normally I’m not a fan of deep/leave-in conditioners, but I do like this one! I like that I could just spray it on and style my hair like normal. I also liked that I didn’t have to stand in the shower forever and then rinse it out. This product is a decent price and I would definitely consider buying it when I run out of the bottle I got. You can also purchase this at Sephora!

MILLY Zip Pouch in Beach Please – Retails $45

Water resistant bag! This bag is the perfect size for stuffing your wet bikini in after a day of fun in the sun. I wasn’t sure if I was going to keep this when I first opened my box, but then I realized that it is great for transporting my wet bikini from my fiancés house back to my house after a day in the pool! It is also a pretty good size (10 1/4”x 8”) and would also work well for traveling and putting all those liquids in one spot rather than in 50 million little bags. This particular one is apparently not in stock, but they have plenty of other ones to choose from.

DR. BRANDT Microdermabrasion Age Defying Exfoliator – Retails $79

Reveal radiant and renewed skin! This formula contains aluminum oxide crystals, lactic acid, and smoothing botanicals to polish away dead cells and leave you with bright, smooth, healthy-looking skin. I LOVE to try new facial cleansers and was happy to find this in my box! I love the way my face felt after using this to wash my face before bed and then again in the morning. I obviously wouldn’t pay almost $80 for a face wash, so it will be a nice little luxury to use until I run out.

KARUNA Hydrating + Face Mask -Retails $28

This is a deep conditioning sheet mask. It allows pores to fully absorb essential nutrients and nourishing ingredients for ultimate hydration. I’m not a huge fan of sheet masks because, more times than not, they are WAY too big for my face and they leave too much residue for my liking. I’m not 100% sure that I will use this product so maybe one of my mask loving friends would like this. This product can be purchased as a single or in a 4-pack and can be bought online (see link) or through places like Sephora and Ulta.

REALHER Lip Kit in Neutral Pink -Retails $48

This product is made from natural ingredients, this liquid lipstick, plumping lip gloss, and lip liner trio are so pretty you’ll be kissing the mirror before you leave the house! I got the pink set and I have to say it is the perfect shade of pink; it is really natural looking and not gaudy at all. The pigment is great and the color was long lasting, I didn’t have to worry about reapplying while I was wearing this! Definitely my new go-to item.

DEBORAH LIPPMANN Nail Polish Set in Blue Orchid/Like a Virgin -Retails $19

These two nail polishes are a light cream color and a light kind of blue color, perfect for spring time. I’m not really a huge fan of receiving nail polishes in my boxes since I only do gel on my nails or nothing at all. (Who has time to wait for regular polish to dry anyway?) When I opened the bottle to take a look at it, it seemed like it was a pretty thin formula and would probably need quite a few coats to get a good color going. Unfortunately, I won’t be using this particular product, so maybe I can find someone who loves nail polish!

EMERALD DUV “Joshua Tree” Cage Bracelet -Retails $80

Can I start by saying…Wow the price of this bracelet is crazy! I would never pay that much for a bracelet! Ok, now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, this is a cute bracelet and I’m glad this was one of the things I got to choose in my box. The other option was these crawler earrings, and I’m not really a huge earing fan. This bracelet is a super cute cage style and was made in the USA. This will be perfect for dressing up or even wearing to work. It will be cute either on its own or paired with other stackable bracelets. This item is currently out of stock, but I attached the link to the website so you can take a look at all the other jewelry they offer.

BONUS ITEMS:

Nature’s Bounty Hair, Skin & Nails Gummies – Retails $4.99

Nature’s Bounty Hair, Skin & Nails Gummies provide you with the vital nutrients your body needs to support your natural beauty from within. Vitamin E and Vitamin C are antioxidants. Vitamin E contributes to skin health, and Vitamin C is involved in collagen production and formation, which forms the basis for vibrant skin. Biotin helps to maintain healthy hair. I have used these before so I am familiar with the product, but this was a great bonus item in my opinion. They literally don’t taste like vitamins at all and I love that they’re in gummy form!

NEW Burt’s Bees Protein Powder in Vanilla -Retail $2.99 (for a single pouch)

This is a sample size of Burt’s Bees new protein powder. I can’t wait to try this out and see how it works. It contains 15 grams of plant-based protein and includes 1/3 cup of real fruits and vegetables per serving. It also contains antioxidants – Vitamins A, C and E.

The total value for this box is $377.00 including the two bonus items, which to me is such a great deal for the price of the box! I’m really excited to continue using the items in my Spring box, but I can’t wait to see what the Summer box has to offer!

To subscribe to FabFitFun AND get $10 OFF, use my referral link to get in on all the fun that FFF has to offer!! You won’t regret it!

FFF is great because if you decide that you no longer want to receive the box, you can unsubscribe at any time!

XOXO

P.S. Let me know your thoughts on the Fall Box! I can’t wait to hear about your fav product!

May 4, 2017