REVIEW: Starlooks September 2013

Ohhh my Starbox came with a card this month! What in the world could it be?

It's a card with a promo code for Ooberluxe, good for one month of the 'i dabble' membership package worth five requests.

Ooberluxe is a super intuitive, reservation-making, order-taking travel + virtual assistant.

Sounds interesting, but I like to do things like that on my own. :)

If anyone IS interested in the promo code, shoot me an email.

Now, onto the good stuff!

This month we have a lip gloss, eye liner, & lashes! Also, information on the brand spankin' new referral program which I'll include at the end of this post. :)

First up, 'Pearl Necklace' Lip Gloss. 

"This amazingly satin, smooth, creamy lip gloss looks wonderful on any skin tone and is the ultimate 'finishing touch' for any look, day or night. Wear alone to enhance and complement your natural lip color or apply over any lip color!

I did actually really like this gloss and I think it's SUPER pretty over a nude lip (see below!). My only complaint is that it was a bit sticky for my liking.

'Milky Way' Infinity Eyeliner Pot

"Starlooks loves to introduce subscribers to versatile products and this pot liner is exactly that! Apply to the lash line with a slanted liner brush, apply all over the eye lid as an eye shadow or base, apply under any shadow color to give it a pearlescent effect, or scoop out and mix with a loose shadow or powder pigment to create your own shade of eye liner!"

Love this as a shadow, hate it as a liner. I think for a liner it's just a little too creamy. It took me quite a few dips into the pot to get a nice opaque line all the way across my lids. I do really like the color though. It's the perfect metallic white I've been in search of!

'FL13' Lashes

"We know you've been dying to try Starlooks Lashes so we've included our favorite, all-purpose pair to suit any occasion. All Starlooks lashes come conveniently packaged with lash glue!"

I do like these lashes (I pretty much love all lashes, admittedly), but I'm not sure they're really 'all-purpose.' Not the most dramatic pair I own but they're definitely noticable! Not sure I'd wear them to work or anything. :) I really wanted to like this brand, but I just can't because of the glue. It's pretty awful. Couldn't get the lashes to stick to save my life and I'm usually pretty skilled at applying them! 

Pearl Necklace Lip Gloss & Milky Way Infinity Liner. One swipe-no primer.

Starlooks is proud to announce our amazing, new "Refer A Friend" program - it's easy to do and the reward is HUGE! Here's how it works:

Step 1: Subscribe to Starbox (if you haven't already) and Login to your Starbox Account.

Step 2: Click on the "Refer A Friend" tab at the top of your account home page.

Step 3: Share Starbox with your friends using one of the available share options.

Step 4: Fill out your Free Gift Preferences!

And you're done! As soon as one of the friends you referred becomes a Starbox Subscriber, you will receive a FREE Gift Box containing products hand-selected by one of our Starlooks PRO Makeup artists, based on your personal preference profile! And better yet, you can change your gift profile preferences any time - simply go to the "Refer a Friend" tab, choose your new preferences, and click "submit"!

This is a GREAT opportunity so don't pass it up. Start referring and get your FREE gift boxes now!

NYX Eye Shadows: Flamingo & Lagoon Sparkle

Flamingo & Lagoon Sparkle

Flamingo - Light Pink with Gold Sheen

Love this because I think it'll be gorgeous as an eye shadow OR a blush!

Lagoon Sparkle - Sparkling Teal

A little more blue than green like I was hoping, but still beautiful!

Sephora GWP: Kat Von D

This was a Sephora code I couldn't pass up!

I've been so curious about Kat Von D's products, but we don't have a Sephora nearby and Ulta doesn't carry her line. SO when I saw this code to try her foundation, lipstick, & eyeliner...I was sold. 

The code is ALMOSTVIB and there is no minimum purchase! You get a sample of the Lock-It Foundation in Light 48, mini Tattoo Liner in Trooper, & mini Painted Love Lipstick in Celebutard. And it comes in a cute little bag. Go order it right now. 

http://www.sephora.com/null-P383415?skuId=1573435

The bag is MUCH larger than I thought it would be and it's decent quality! There's also a little pocket inside. :)

All the lovely items inside the pouch.

This is a pretty decent size sample of the Lock-It Foundation. It happens to be in my color, but the back of the package shows you the other shades it comes in. 

This is definitely a FULL COVERAGE foundation. Not really my style, but if that's what you're looking for I'd definitely recommend checking this out. Covers really, really well and actually dries fairly matte!

This is the new love of my life. Tattoo liner. Easiest application ever and stays until you want it off. The swatch I did on my arm lasted through three showers and barely came off with my makeup remover. 

I've been on a bright color kick lipstick-wise lately, but I was excited to try out a nude. This is actually JUST what I was looking for. It has a bit of a pink tint to it so it doesn't look like you have concealer on your lips, and it's perfect for balancing a smoky eye!

Have any of you ladies tried Kat Von D's line? Have any favorite products?

REVIEW: Ipsy September 2013

Ah...better late than never, right? It's still technically September so I think I'm safe even though I got my bag weeks ago and failed to review it until now. Oop!

Warning: This was NOT my favorite Ipsy bag. :)

Anywho, here's my September Ipsy bag:

Freeman Paper Masks (Star Fruit, Rose, & Blue Agave)

Starlooks Kohl Liner in Obsidian

Cailyn Lip Balm in Big Apple

NYX Single Eye Shadow in Charcoal

Elizabeth Mott It's So Big Mascara

Confession, I have NOT tried all of these yet. But I did try the Star Fruit one, which is meant to purify & control oil. First off...these are sort of awkward to apply and look HILARIOUS on. Mine didn't really fit my face (especially the eye hole area) but I figured it covered enough to get an idea of how it worked. Basically you just press these on your face, wait 10 minutes, and then peel off. Pretty easy! I thought this one made my skin feel super smooth and soft after removal, but I'm not sure it really helped with oil control. Will be curious to see how well the others work for their intended purposes!

Ohhh look at that red! I was so excited to see that these tinted lip balms are packaged like the gel eyeliners Cailyn makes. There's a brush built right into the cap!  I thought this applied very smoothly and evenly and oh my gosh, the color is gorgeous! It goes on fairly matte, so if you like a more shiny finish I'd top it with a clear gloss or a lip balm. 

Behold, the worst mascara I've ever used. 

Not trying to be over dramatic, but seriously. 

The application was ok. I used three coats to get the effect I wanted and had a really hard time getting it to not clump. Finally got it looking half way decent, but then once it dried it started flaking off like crazy. Mascara in my eye=not ok. Maybe this was just my experience, but I'll never use a mascara from this brand ever again.

I was a little nervous about this color, only because I generally don't use black/gray shadows BUT it's actually really gorgeous and it can be applied lightly for a less dramatic effect. The shadow itself applies very smoothly and has decent pigment to it. 

I actually own several other Starlooks liners that I really love, but this one didn't do it for me. It tugs a bit during application and doesn't go on as dark as I'd like. Needed a few swipes before it was opaque. Will use it in a pinch, but I have many other black liners I'd pick over this one.

Cailyn Lip Balm in Big Apple, NYX Eye Shadow in Charcoal, Starlooks Kohl Liner in Obsidian, & Elizabeth Mott It's So Big Mascara.

What did you all get in your Ipsy bags this month? What were your thoughts on the products?

If you're not an Ipsy subscriber & are interested in signing up, here's my referral link to get you on the wait list: http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-hgg31oir3xkfpjw

The Gnarly Whale Natural Green Tea Toner Review + Sale Info

I've been DYING to try The Gnarly Whale's products for what seems like forever. I just love everything about them! First off, all of their products are 100% vegan and cruelty free. Second, they just so happen to be based out of my hometown. And third, every single one of the scents they offer sound AMAZING. I want to try them all!

Anyway, I won a contest on Instagram for their Green Tea Toner. :)  I figured I'd post a short review on that and preview a few other products I've been lusting over. ALSO they're having a sale in honor of their new website. More info below!

Ok, so..how adorable is this packaging? I'm a sucker for minimalism and fun fonts so I've pretty much fallen in love with this whole design. This is the 8 oz. size, but you can also purchase in a smaller 4 oz. size. 

"Refresh your skin with this gentle, non-drying toner! Soothe and boost the appearance of your skin with the powerful antioxidants found within green tea and the calming properties of chamomile. Perfect for those with sensitive skin as we do not use any alcohol in our toner. Completely vegan and 100% made from scratch!"-The Gnarly Whale Website

Ingredients: water, green tea leaf powder, orange peel powder, chamomile flowers, and grapefruit seed extract

They recommend using this toner after cleansing but before moisturizing & makeup. It's a really nice, fresh-feeling spritz! Also, as much as I love green tea, I'm really glad you can't actually smell it in this Natural version. Maybe just a little bit of scent when you first spray it on, but it doesn't linger! They do also offer scented versions (same ingredients as the natural version except it also includes essential oils). 

So far I LOVE this toner and I'm already thinking about checking out the other scents. It's also available in Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, Tea Tree, & Rosemary. :)

Other products I need in my life immediately:

Apple Spice Body Spray

Pumpkin Face & Body Scrub

Thai Coconut Beach Waves Spray

Caramel Dip Detangler

Tea Tree Shampoo

Can you tell I sort of have Fall on the brain? ;)

The Gnarly Whale's new shop can be found here: http://thegnarlywhale.3dcartstores.com/

If you find that you want to try EVERYTHING like I do, you're in luck! They're having a 25% off sale with free shipping on orders over $50 until October 4th. 

* Discount is valid on all products except Narwhal Boxes. Free shipping is valid for free standard shipping & handling in the 48 contiguous United States. Gift cards, shipping & handling and taxes do not qualify toward offer eligibility. Offer subject to adjustment due to returns, cancellations and exchanges. Excludes previous purchases. Not valid with any other offers. For orders outside the contiguous US, additional shipping & handling, taxes and duties may apply. Offer may be modified or discontinued at any time without notice.

Both promotions valid through 11:59PM CST October 4, 2013.