Not Another LA Blonde

Tag: review

IPSY – September 2017

Happy Tuesday! I hope y’all had a great weekend. Personally I felt like it was too short! I worked on Friday and then had to coach ALL day Saturday since the high school boys had their football game that day. So from about 9am – 6pm I was with the whole team out in Pasadena. And then Sunday came and the fiancé and I ran errands all day for the wedding.

But let’s get back to what I’m really talking about…my SEPTEMBER IPSY BAG. I review what comes in my bag every month and I never seem to get the brands that I’ve chosen in my preferences, but this month I was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked the brands that were chosen at random for me!

If I’m being completely honest, every month when my bag comes I go back and forth on whether or not I want to continue subscribing or not. This was one of those months that makes me want to keep receiving my bag every month.

With all that being said, I’ll share with you what I got in my pouch this month:

For starters, the theme of this month’s bag was LIKE. A. BOSS. The bag was super cute; it’s black and super chic looking. I will definitely be using this bag again!

The Products:

E Nature Birch Juice Hydro Sleeping Pack Value for 12 ml= $4.48

The full size (75 ml) bottle retails for $28.00. Hard work can happen after hours too. This formula takes the night shift, so you wake up with refreshed, hydrated skin. It’s made with 74% birch juice which helps quench your skin while you sleep. As y’all know, I’m not a huge fan of spending that much on a night cream, but with this one I just might have to give in and buy the full size when I run out of my sample size! I’ve never heard of this brand, but I really enjoyed this product.

Luxie Beauty Luxie Rose Gold Medium Angled Shading Eye Brush 207 Value = $12.00

FULL SIZE PRODUCT! Not only does the angled shape help you blend any eye look like a boss, but you can also use it for all your fave cream and powder shadows! Bonus…it’s rose gold and what gal doesn’t love a little rose gold in her life? I think I have more brushes than I know what to do with! As always, this is a good brush, but I just don’t need ANOTHER angled shadow brush. Maybe this time I’ll get rid of one of my older brushes and keep this one to use. Luxie brushes work really well and last a long time.

Feel Renewed Pumpkin Walnut Facial Cleanser Value for 1 oz = $7.00

The full size of this cleanser (4 oz) retails for $28.00. This exfoliating cleanser wakes up your complexion and has a spicy/sweet autumn-y scent. It’s like a PSL for your face! This exfoliator is packed with all-natural, ultra-healthy ingredients like walnut powder and pumpkin seed oil that leaves your complexion soft and soothed. No moisture stripping harshness here. This naturally-foaming scrub is sulfate free. OK, wait a second…can we just talk about how good this smells!? It’s seriously the perfect product for Fall so if you’re as BASIC as I am, you’ll love this cleanser.

Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Finish Radiance Primer Value for 0.25 oz = $9.75

The full size of this primer (1 oz) retails for $39.00. This brand new formula makes for insanely radiant skin. Makeup always looks better (and lasts longer) with primer. This next-level base hydrates, fills fine lines, and evens out your skin. Ehh, I’m not a huge fan of primers. I’ve used them before and they just always make my face breakout. I’m sure this one is great and I’ve read a ton of reviews on it.

Dirty Little Secret Cosmetics Lip Gloss in Nude Beach Value = $14.00

FULL SIZE PRODUCT! This is what we call a boss gloss: Seriously shiny. Super lightweight. Never sticky. Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by this. I don’t normally use DLS cosmetics, but when I opened my bag and saw this I knew it would be color that I would wear and it looked really good on. It reminded me of a MAC lip gloss I used to have back in the day. Even though the gloss is $14, it’s actually a pretty good size so I would definitely buy this gloss again!

For the month of SEPTEMBER, the bag is worth about $47.23. With 2 full size products, the $10 you pay for the bag is such a steal! This bag is actually lower than other bags I’ve received, but I’d rather have product I like for a lower value than things I don’t like at a higher value.

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.

Another perk to the bag is that every product that comes in your bag also has a discount code for that brand! So not only do you get a great product, you can also buy the full size at a cheaper price.

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!

September 19, 2017
The Ring Boxes August: A Box for the Bride-to-Be
Happy Wedding Wednesday! I got my The Ring Boxes box in the mail towards the beginning of the month and was pleasantly surprised that I like everything in the box this month! There were a lot of super cute things in the box that any bride-to-be would love!

“Who doesn’t love flaunting that fiancé title and flashing your new fabulous bling! You always want to have all the newest and cutest bride to be goodies when you’re engaged and The Ring Boxes gives you just that, one big box full of all the most popular and fabulous bridal products each and every month leading to your special day! Each month we arrange a new box packed with full sized custom gifts, wedding décor, beauty and spa products as well as date night perks! Giving our brides the ultimate bridal experience.”

The Ring Boxes was created in January 2017 so it’s still pretty new. It features handpicked bridal items delivered right to your door each month. You can choose from monthly, 3 month, 6 month or 12 month packages. The price varies depending on which subscription you choose. Since my wedding is exactly a year away, I choose the 12 month package which brought my pricing to $35/month or $420 for the year. A single box costs $40. This box is the perfect subscription for the bride-to-be!

This there was a definite theme to the box and it had to do with all about being a bride!

Here is a BREAKDOWN of the AUGUST goodies in my box:
1. Bride to Be Sash by SassySash – Retail Value = $21.95
Sassy Sash is the leader in luxury sashes for any occasion! Each sash is made custom so you can match your event colors, theme, and even add a #hashtag to the back. These are the perfect gift for your Bridal Party or for any other occasion you can think of! I will def be wearing this on my Bachelorette Party in May and I will probably purchase some for my Bridal Party so that they can match with me! The company can also be found on Instagram @SassySashSashes
1. Gold Plated MRS Necklace designed by Jewels by Durrani – Retail Value = $45.00
Celebrate your soon to be new title with this gorgeous gold plated necklace. This is super cute and definitely dainty enough to wear on a daily basis. This is brass coated in a gold so tbh I don’t know if I would pay $45 for this necklace…BUT since it was in my box I’ll be sporting this cute little necklace for a while!
1. Calm Before the Storm Candle by Lux Illumie – Retail Value = $15.50
This Lavender & Lemon scented soy candle provides calm and peace to soothe the soul during all those important meetings, tastings, fittings and long nights of wedding planning to come. This brand lasts for such a long time! Last month I got the “She Said Yes” candle so I was really happy to get another candle from the Illuminating Love collection in my box!
1. Couples Mugs created by Before the Rings –Retail Value = $22.99
I couldn’t find the exact mugs I received but you can shop all Mugs at Before the Rings HERE. Wake up your love to their favorite cup of coffee! The perfect set for any couple, these everyday mugs are dishwasher safe & durable! Lazy Sunday mornings in bed just got sweeter! Ok, but how cute are these!? I know that my hubby-to-be doesn’t drink coffee but he does enjoy a nice mug of hot chocolate so, it’s a win in my opinion!
1. Shower Steamer by Lizush –Retail Value = $2.20
This All Natural, Vegan, Non GMO, colorant from roots, essential oils shower steamer will help you to relax & unwind as the spa like aromas fill your shower. I don’t think they sell these individually, but here the link to the Lizush website and here is their etsy shop page! I’m not sure how I feel about a shower steamer. Like do I just stick it on a shelf in the shower with me? I love the way it smells, but I just don’t quite understand how it works!

BONUS!!!

The box also came with 2 recipe cards. One was a recipe for the bride to be and the other was a recipe for the perfect date night. One was “Seared Scallops over Angel Hair Pasta” and the other is for “Pizza Margherita Crostini”. They both come with a recommended wine pairing. I think that this is such a good idea for the soon to be bride to have a collection of recipes to make. I can’t wait to try out both of these recipes!

THE VALUE

The value of this month’s box is $107.64! While there are some items that I wouldn’t pay for or wouldn’t pay that high of a price for, I felt that the value of the August box was REALLY good. The cost of the box was less than half of what the whole box was worth, so that was a major WIN in my book. I was super pleased with my box this month and it just makes me even more excited for the big day in 9 months!

I think this box is a great for the bride-to-be and I can’t wait to see what the rest of my year subscription has in store for me! After my year is up and I’m married I will cancel my subscription but only because I will no longer need a bride-to-be box delivered to my door every month!

XOXO
August 30, 2017
Invasion of the Space Squirrels – August BARKBOX

Happy Friday y’all! I tried to post this yesterday, but something happened and you couldn’t see my post just the title. But I’m not going to let that get me down because today is the start of high school football for the school I coach at and there is nothing I love more than those Friday Night lights (ahh the memories that come flooding back)!! But that’s a conversation for another day, let’s talk about the box I’m going to be reviewing today.

Ok, so I got my August Barkbox last week. I’m still loving this box (it’s super convenient and I don’t have to go to the pet store for toys/treats) and Bella loves it even more since it’s for her! Even Kodiak wanted in the action this month.

Barkbox is a monthly subscription box just for dogs. Each box has 4-6 dog products and is customized to the size of your pup, plus there is a new, cute theme every month. Bella is a cairn terrier that I adopted from the shelter as a puppy, so I chose the “Small & Cute” size (0-20lbs). You can choose to just buy 1 month for $29, 6 months for $25/box or 12 months for $21/box.

For August, the theme was: OUTER SPACE (which fit perfectly with the Eclipse we witnessed on Monday)

Here is a BREAKDOWN of the goodies in my box:

Tranquilized Trudy Space Squirrel – Value = $8.00

Bella dove right in the box to snatch this toy up and then ran away with it…5 minutes later I find her in my parent’s room with 2 legs chewed off already (this is the reason I get her a box every month…to destroy toys). This toy is perfect because the squeak isn’t too loud and it’s not super annoying when she walks around the house squeaking it at all hours! I usually let her play with toys until there is no more stuffing in it and is completely destroyed.

Bark Side of the Moon Treats – Value = $6.00

These treats are made in the USA without any grain, wheat, corn, or soy, these treats are perfect for any pooch parent who doesn’t want to worry about wacky fillers or artificial preservatives. Made with delicious chicken and natural cheese flavor! Both Bella and Kodiak LOVED these! They’re super cute treats because they’re shaped like the moon. These got a 2 paws up from my pups.

Crumps naturals Salmon Snaps – Value = $8.00

These treats are made in Canada with wild caught pacific salmon and are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids. Feel good about giving your pup a taste of the sea for a treat or snack because these snaps are wheat-free and made without any dyes, fillers, or preservatives. Kodiak LOVES all food/snacks that taste like salmon so he was in doggy heaven when I gave him one of these!

Chew F.O. –Value = $8.00

No longer unidentified, this Chew F.O. is known for close encounters of the furred kind. It’s stuffed with our satisfying deep disc squeaker. The fuzzy blue tail makes for splendid shredding or thrashing. Also great for a game of fetch, your pup will want you to be the constant tosser for this saucer. This toy is great for mid-sized and small pups!

Sawmill Creek Smokehouse Pig Ear Chew –Retail Value = $3.00

I couldn’t find the exact one that was in my box, but I linked the 10 pack version. Your mutt will love munching on this tasty treat from the folks at SawMill Creek. Dried bits of pig have never tasted this good before! The pig ear is slow dried, which produces a super-tough, super-tasty treat for your pup. This is all natural and gluten free. My dogs don’t actually get to eat the chews since I worry about them choking and it’s just way too big for Bella (she’d probably eat the whole thing in one sitting).

THE VALUE

The value of this month’s box is $33 which is less than last months’ box. For the $21 I pay per month, I thought that the value was a little low this time around. I still love the box and there are a lot of positives to the box: Bella and Kodiak get to try out new treats, Bella gets to destroy a new toy every month, and I don’t have to go to the pet store for any of that! It’s literally a win-win for all of us so I will continue to subscribe to my box!

The box automatically renews each month, but it’s super easy to cancel at any time. Like I mentioned above, a monthly box is $29, but if your go for a longer subscription, the price goes as low as $21/month (this is what I have).

If y’all subscribe the box what were y’alls thoughts on the content this month? If you want to learn more about the box you can click here and read all about it. If you want to subscribe, you can use my referral link here.

XOXO

August 25, 2017