Celestial Seasonings Taste Test

Okay so have you tried any Celestial Seasoning Teas? I have tried quite a few but there's one I tried for the first time yesterday. I put it to a taste test to see what was so great about it. It was the Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea. Thank you Influenster for sending me this for free to try in my FrostyVoxBox.


It was so yummy. Tasted like I melted a candy cane in my cup. It tasted like your classic peppermint candy cane. It was slightly sweeter than their original Peppermint tea. Oh it was so good. Let me know in the comments what kind you have tried and whether you would try this kind.

Frosty VoxBox - Good, Bad, Lovely

This post is going to be a little different than what I normally post. I thought I would share with you all about my Influenster FrostyVoxBox. Everything in this box was sent to me for free from Influenster to test and review the items inside.

Here's what was inside (everything is full size):

1) Eco Tools Styler + Smoother Hairbrush
2) Bag of New Fruit Vines Bites in Cherry (5 oz.)
3) NYC Expert Last Lip Color in Sugar Plum (0.11 oz.)
4) McCormick Gourmet All Natural Thyme Seasoning (0.62 oz.)
5) 2 Celestial Seasonings Tea Bags in Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea
6) Rimmel London Gentle Eye Makeup Remover (4.2 fl. oz.)
7) Rimmel London ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in Black (0.042 oz.)

So that's 7 full size items for FREE!

If you're not familiar with Influenster let me explain it a bit. It's a hub that contains a wealth of knowledge related to products that consumers use and review. You can ask questions, search for product reviews, and earn rewards. The more social you are, the more rewards you are likely to get. Occasionally Influenster will send you a VoxBox, just like this one I received, to review and share with your social media.

It's a great way to try out new products or products that you might not have heard much hype about. I have never been disappointed so far with receiving these boxes. What's better, the whole thing is FREE! All they ask you to do is share your honest opinions and reviews and post on your social media about the products.

Okay so I'm gonna dive right into this box and tell you my thoughts on everything:

Eco Tools Styler + Smoother Hairbush:
Oh my goodness. Where has this brush been all my life?! I absolutely love it! I love anything Eco Tools but I have needed a new brush for some time now. This brush is ultra lightweight, helps to detangle hair and definitely styles and smooths those stray hairs.

Fruit Vines in Cherry:
The whole bag is gone! Yes I ate them literally in one day. They were so good. I love cherry and these definitely hit the spot with my sweet tooth. I might get in trouble for saying this but I love these better than Twizzlers. There I said it!

NYC Expert Last Lip Color in Sugar Plum:
This is a very pretty color however, I have quite a plethora of other lipsticks similar to this shade. I wasn't very impressed with this product nor did it last all that long on my lips. It's just okay for me.

McCormick Gourmet Thyme Seasoning:
I was kind of surprised to get something like this but hey I can always use it. I love Thyme on Chicken and you can never have too much of one seasoning right?

Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea:
First, I like that this is decaffeinated. I hate whenever I receive Green Tea and it's not Decaf. Second, this tasted so good. I love candy canes and this was very yummy.

Rimmel London Eye Makeup Remover:
You can see my previous post for my review on this one: http://eyelookbook.blogspot.com/2014/12/rimmel-london-hot-or-not.html

Rimmel London Waterproof Eyeliner:
You can see my previous post for my review on this one: http://eyelookbook.blogspot.com/2014/12/rimmel-london-hot-or-not.html

All in all, very impressed with this box and so glad to get it for free and review it. Check out my Influenster badge on the side of this page if you'd like more information on how you can join and earn rewards. 

Rimmel London - Hot or Not

I have used Rimmel London eyeliners before and I also have used their lip products but I have never used anything else from them until now. I received the FrostyVoxBox from Influenster the other day and I'm impressed. This is my 2nd VoxBox and I must say it's definitely worth the wait to see if you qualify for one of their boxes because you always get full size products to try. This time I received the Rimmel London Gentle Eye Makeup Remover and the ScandlEyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal eyeliner in Black.

Now first impressions - I have used the eyeliner before so I know how it performs. This works great in the waterline of your eye! It truly is waterproof and won't budge until you take it off. They retail for $4.49

As for the eye makeup remover - it works great! It definitely is very gentle, doesn't sting your eyes and does take waterproof makeup off. I like that it is oil free so there's no oily residue left on your eyes. What's even better you get a pretty good amount for the price (4.2 fl. oz.) This retails for $7.49 which considering it's drugstore, it's not bad.

So my overall impression is that both these products are HOT! They definitely are a good choice for those starting out in the makeup world. I cannot give my opinion about all of their products because I have only used these two. I say give them a try.

*Please note these products were sent to me by Influenster in the FrostyVoxBox to try for free.

Urban Decay Naked on the Run Palette

Okay, get ready all you UD fans out there..they have done it again and created this travel friendly palette called Naked on the Run. I laugh every time I say that. But anyway, back to my post. They created this limited edition palette which kind of sucks because once it's gone, it's gone. Hmmm...maybe I should go get another one!? I did hear that it is available online at Ulta and will hit the stores December 4th. It's also available at Sephora but only online. Yikes! That means it will get gone fast.

My own personal photo of the palette

Urban Decay cosmetics has always been a long standing makeup line that I love. I don't think I've tried anything from them that I didn't love. Occasionally you can find them on Hautelook.com but for the most part I purchase their products from Ulta or online at urbandecay.com.

But I had the chance to snag one this weekend during Black Friday and alas I did have to pay the full $54 for it. However, it was well worth it. I did use it this morning and I was blown away by it. I already have the Naked 2 and Naked 3 palettes and a few of the 24/7 eyeliners so that came as no surprise that this palette included eyeshadows and a travel 24/7 eyeliner.

I know what you're thinking, so what makes this so special? Well, there are 6 never-before-seen eyeshadows and it has a bronzer and a blush. On top of that you get a FULL SIZE, new shade of the Naked Lipgloss as well as a new shade in the 24/7 eyeliner. The best part is you can buy more of the Naked lipglosses and travel 24/7 eyeliners and interchange them in this palette. How cool is that? Oh, and it also comes with a travel Perversion Mascara.

Okay, so here's my review and the skinny on what's inside...

6  Eyeshadows:
Dive is a metallic rose with golden shimmer
Fix is a soft matte taupe
Resist is a medium metallic taupe
Dare is a medium matte brown
Stun is a metallic bronze with light gold shimmer
5050 is a cool satin bisque color. Each is about 0.04 ounces.

Bronzer: Medium matte bronze and it's about 0.03 ounces.
Blush: It's a vibrant pink with light shimmer and it's 0.3 ounces.
FULL SIZE Naked Ultra Nourishing Lipgloss in Sesso (note this is a NEW Limited Edition shade)
Travel Size Perversion Mascara in 0.13 fl. oz.
Travel Size 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Stag (note this is a NEW shade)

As a side note: I will tell you that I noticed Ulta has the wrong names for the Lipgloss and the eye pencil. What I've listed is correct.

So how does it all perform...

Amazingly well! The mascara is just okay for me. It does give volume but doesn't really lengthen like some of my other mascaras. The eyeshadows blend really well. The colors are gorgeous for every day use. The bronzer is very light so I don't know if it would show up on darker skin tones unless you use a heavy hand with it. I used a light hand because I wasn't sure how it would look on my fair skin tone. The blush is very pretty, highly pigmented and creates a natural look. I think it would look good on any skin tone.

The eyeliner is kind of like your classic black so nothing special there. The lipgloss is the best! It's so nourishing and not sticky. The color is very pretty, kind of like a rosy pink but not too intense. The best part about this palette is you can pop in a new gloss and a new eyeliner for on-the-go.

Did it last?
Absolutely!!! I used the Urban Decay Anti-Aging eyeshadow primer potion on my eyelids and from about 8 a.m. this morning until about now, the eyeshadows still looked pigmented. I've changed my mind about the mascara. I love it! It didn't flake off and stayed put. I have combination skin so I get really oily in my T-Zone and even though I had some shine to my face at the end of the day, the bronzer and blush were both still visible on my skin. So props to UD! The gloss, well I didn't wear it much today because I was eating, drinking and playing with my daughter (who likes to put her hands on my face sometime). The eyeliner did stay on however it was fading some from where I placed it on my waterline. All in all, I cannot rave enough about this palette.

Overall, I'm impressed and so glad I got this. If you're a UD fan like I am, you need this in your collection! It's well worth the splurge of $54. So what are you waiting for? Go get it now before it's gone!!!

Things I want

This is going to be a little but different than my usual posts. I just wanted to share some things I've had my eyes on that I want.

1) Lily Jade Diaper Bag - not that I need another one but they are so cute and stylish. They are designer and double as a handbag. Go check them out. I love this one called the Caroline in Brandy: http://www.lily-jade.com/designer-diaper-bags-p/c1-brandy.htm

There's also a great giveaway right now on Cedars and Tiny Flowers' website. Go enter here:
http://www.cedarsandtinyflowers.com/2014/09/27-reasons-i-love-lily-jade-giveaway.html?m=1#comment-form

2) Wet n Wild Fall Eye palettes. I can't seem to find them anywhere. I heard they are a dupe for the Naked 3 palette (which I have but would love a drugstore alternative).

3) Too Faced La Creme Lipstick in Loganberry.  I think this would be the perfect fall color. It's kind of a deep berry pink. I already have Fuchsia Shock and the formula is amazing.

4) Pacifica cosmetics. I have always wanted to try these. Ipsy had an offer yesterday to get their CC cream, highlighter and powder for almost half off but alas had no money to get it. However I do wanna try this line of cosmetics sometime.

City Color Cosmetics: Barely Exposed Palette

So a few weeks ago I watched a YouTube video and the person was reviewing City Color Cosmetics. Having not heard of the brand I decided to try it out. My local Five Below store has lots of their products. So I picked up a few items. One item I did purchase online was the Barely Exposed eyeshadow palette. I heard reviews that it was a dupe for the Urban Decay Naked 1 palette. Well I cannot attest to that because I don't own the Urban Decay palette. But I do own the Urban Decay Naked 2 and Naked 3 palette so I know the quality of those shadows.

So here it goes...first off you get 12 eyeshadows in this palette (like Urban Decay). I must say the quality is amazing! The colors are really pigmented and with a primer they do stay on all day. They all blend really well. Like the Urban Decay shadows there is some fallout but if you use a flat eyeshadow brush or even the sponge tip applicators it comes with, you have more control.

Secondly, I think for the price this palette is way more affordable.  It only costs $7.99. That's way cheaper than Urban Decay's palettes at $54! A side note, just because the price is cheaper, the quality is still top notch.

Lastly, it's very portable and travel friendly. The palette itself is much smaller than the Urban Decay ones and it closes very tightly.

All in all, I am impressed with these shadows.  You will find pictures below and be on the lookout for a video tutorial using this eyeshadow palette.

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Best Nude/Neutral Shadow Palette: Too Faced Natural Eyes- This palette has 3 cards inside that offer 3 different looks; Fashion, Classic and Day. You get 9 shadows, 3 of them are in a large pan and the other 6 are in a smaller pan. There are 6 shimmery shades and 3 matte shades
 ~$36.00

Best Rose-Gold Palette: Urban Decay Naked 3- This palette is gorgeous for any look. You get 12 shades all ranging in rose-gold hues. From looking at it, there are 3 true matte shades, the rest have some shimmer to them. Also included is a double-ended brush.~$54.00

Best Everyday Shadow Palette: Urban Decay Naked 2 - This palette is great for creating that every day look or even creating smokey eye looks. You get 12 shades all in neutral taupe colors. Also included is a double-ended brush. 
~$54.00

Best Large Palette: Pixi Soft Focus Fresh - This palette includes 4 lip glosses, 6 blushes, and 12 eyeshadows. The only downside to this palette is your blush and eyeshadow tends to fall out in your gloss because there is no way to cover up the gloss.
~$34.00



Best Shimmery Shades: Lorac Mint Edition - This palette comes with 4 matte shades, 4 shimmer shades, a highlighter and a blush. I love the shimmery shades in this palette because they are very sheer and not overly sparkly. The highlighter and the blush also complement the eyeshadow colors. (Forgive the photo with all the smudges and color fall out in palette; it can get messy)
~$20.00

Best Variety of Colors: Pixi by Petra Eye Alchemy Assortment- This palette has it all, pinks, browns, purples, blues, sparkly, matte, you name it! It is great for just throwing in your bag and creating many looks from this one palette. It also comes with a dual ended brush.
~$28.00







Best Summertime Palette: Too Faced Summer Eye - Like the Too Faced Neutral Eye palette, this one also comes with 3 cards to create a Day, Fashion and Classic look. You get 9 shadows; 3 in a large pan and the other 6 in a smaller pan. Most of these are shimmery but the colors remind me of the ocean (coral, blue-green, brown, pink, yellow).
 ~$36.00





Most Affordable Palette: Pixi by Petra Icy Eye Palette in Buff Blizzard - I have this palette in more neutral colors. You get 6 shades that allow you to create a great smokey eye or very neutral eye look. There are 2 matte shades and the rest are shimmery but not overly sparkly. The texture is very creamy compared to Pixi's other palettes.
~$12.00







Best Travel/All Around Palette: PixiGlow Fairy Face Palette (Limited edition) - This palette is really cool in my opinion and perfect for travel. It has 5 creamy eyeshadows, 5 pink toned lip glosses and a pink highlighting blush. It also has a very large mirror, a dual-ended sponge-tip applicator for the shadow, a dual-ended tapered sponge-tip applicator for the glosses, and a large flat kabuki brush for the blush. It is a very compact kit and has everything you need in it.
~$24.00

I'm also listing a quad, trio, duo and single shadow that I think are worthy of being the "best" in my collection

Best Quad: Pixi Shade Quartette (Shades of Peach) - This has 3 shimmery peach shades and 1 matte shade. Perfect for simple eye looks and perfect for summer.
 ~$11.00

Best Trio: Wet n Wild ColorIcon (Silent Treatment) - This trio is so cheap and affordable yet the quality is top-notch. The colors are super pigmented and clearly labeled to help beginners (Eyelid, Crease, Browbone). The colors are perfectly coordinated for a simple eye look.
 ~$2.99


Best Duo: mark by Avon I-Mark custom pick shadow (Tiki and Biscotti) - These 2 shades are very simple; a cream color and a brown color. These make great eyebrow colors but also can be used wet or dry as an eyeshadow. They are fairly large pans that can be placed in a Z-palette or in the mark by Avon snap to it (magnetic) case.
~$7.00 each 




Best Single Shadow: Loreal Infallible Shadow (Iced Latte) - These are very pigmented but be careful for fallout. You have to pack on the shadow lightly. But the color payoff on these is phenomenal and they truly last all day. These single shadows are great for creating one color eye looks or using as an added shadow on top of a base shadow.
 ~$6.97

CoverGirl Bombshell Volume vs. L'Oreal Miss Manga

For the past few weeks I have put to the test two separate mascaras. These are brand new and I've been wanting to get my hands on them for some time. Finally, I was able to snag them at my local Target.

The two mascaras that I'm going to review are the CoverGirl Bombshell Volume by LashBlast and the L'Oreal Miss Manga. This is my honest opinion of both of them...

L'Oreal Miss Manga

Okay you will have to forgive the funny expressions but I wanted you to see exactly how the product looked on my eyes. This mascara promises to give you mega volume and length. The brush wand has a 360 degree flexible tip so you can get to all of your lashes. As you can tell from the photos it does give you dramatic volume and length. Overall, I firmly believe it does what the package claims. It retails for $8.99 Below you will find the pros and cons I found with this product.

Pros: Lengthens and gives voluminous lashes; comes in 3 shades (Black, Violet, Turquoise), wears all day long
Cons: Makes lashes look a little clumpy, non-waterproof, end of the day a few flakes under my eyes, very hard to get off the eyes, you have to build it up with 5 or 6 coats

All in all, this mascara was just okay. I probably won't repurchase this mascara because I have other ones that will perform even better. But for a drugstore mascara it gets the job done. Now, compared to the CoverGirl Bombshell Volume, I prefer this one much better.


CoverGirl Bombshell Volume

This mascara is a 2 step system for your lashes. The first side is an extreme volume base coat and the second side will intensify your look. As you can tell from the photos it does provide volume and some length but not much. When you first apply side 1, it does a great job of separating your lashes and giving you that wide-eyed look. However, when you apply side 2, it makes your lashes look clumpy and the formula is way too wet. It retails for $8.94.

Pros: Gives volume and some length, wide-eyed effect, lasts all day, comes in 4 colors (Black, Brown, Very Black, Black/Brown)
Cons: Side 2 makes your lashes look clumpy, bulky packaging, flakes off some, very hard to remove even with waterproof makeup remover. 

Overall, I am not really that impressed with this mascara. I really have never been too impressed with CoverGirl mascara. I will continue to use side 1 alone but may layer another mascara over it. I will definitely not repurchase this item.

Sultry, Smokey Eyes

Most people when they think of smokey eyes they know there's some sort of black eyeliner or shadow involved and that it's way too complex. Wrong! This look is so simple and I used all drugstore products.

• Use an eyeshadow primer (this is big since you're working on a look that you want to last all night). I used Fergie's Wet n Wild eyeshadow primer.
• Next lay down your base shadow. I used a dark blue from a Wet n Wild palette.
• Then add a pop of color (if you choose to). I chose a blue-green from the same palette. 
• Blend, blend, blend. Make sure you blend so there's no harsh lines because you want that "smoked" out look. So don't be afraid to take a brush and smudge out the shadows. 
• Then apply eyeliner. I used Fergies Wet n Wild gel liner and I winged out the liner at the corner (this is optional).
• Finally add 2-3 coats of mascara. It's best to use a volumizing and lengthening one. I used Maybelline's the Rocket Volume Mascara (non waterproof because it's not as dry as the waterproof)
• Lastly, this is totally unrelated to eyes but keep your lips nude or simple. The focus should be on your eyes. 

Presto! You now have achieved a smokey eye look. Feel free to experiment with colors. Smokey eye doesn't always have to be just blacks and grays. You can achieve any smokey eye look with any color. The idea is to have it smudged and "smoked" out. So go have some fun with different colors!

Soft Spring Eyes

Spring is in the air but summer is right around the corner. This soft, spring eyeshadow look actually looks great any time of the year. To achieve this look:

• Prep your eyes with an eyeshadow primer because this will lock in the wear of the shadow to make it last all day. I like to use Urban Decay's Anti-Aging eyeshadow primer. *Note: If you don't have a primer, then use foundation or concealer.
• Next, lay down the base shadow from your lash line to your natural crease. I used Urban Decay's Naked 3 palette and the color Dust.
• Then apply a medium shade color in the crease (keep your eyes open if you can and where your eyelid begins to fold that's the crease). I used the color Factory from Urban Decay's Naked 3. 
• Next apply a highlight shade just under your brow. I used Strange from the Naked 3 palette.
• Then I applied 2 generous coats of mascara (my favorite is Urban Decay Big Fatty)

*Please do not feel in order to achieve this look that you need this palette. There are lots of drugstore alternatives. You can use Loreal's Rose for Romance eyeshadow palette, Loreal's infallible eyeshadow, or any pink, brown and cream colored eyeshadow. However if you have the palette then by all means play around with the rose-gold hues and create this look or similar looks.