A Few of my Favorite Philosophy Beauty Things

My friends... You all know how much I love Philosophy beauty products. It's an obsession I've had since Oprah first mentioned them on her favorite things list YEARS and YEARS ago. Anytime I try something new I tell all my friends when they need to try it too. Purity facial wash, renewed hope in a jar, the retinal cream, it's all amazing and if you came to my house and opened up my bathroom drawers and cabinets you'd see them full of Philosphy products. 

Of course there are other products from other brands in my bathroom, that's life, but the majority of my beauty products are Philosophy... because I truly LOVE them.

Before you're thinking, "Oh great, another sponsored blog post from a blogger." This is NOT sponosred. All opinions are mine. Philosphy doesn't even know I'm writing this post. I annouced last year that I am a Philosophy #BeautyBeliever and I still am, however, that's not paid. That's just me loving their stuff and writing reviews of new and fun products. (BTW, check out my #BeautyBeliever reviews on Facebook: CLICK HERE)

The holidays are upon us and I know a lot of people who have started holiday shopping. It's time to think about one of these Philosophy Holiday Gift Sets for your mom/sister/aunt/cousin/girlfiend/favorite person/daughter/neice or YOU.

Let's go through my favorites... 

Loveswept Holiday Collection

You guys. There's no better way to describe how Loveswept smells but with one word. Sexy. When I worked at Dillard's in college I worked in the fragrance department and layering your scent is a real thing. You will want to layer yourself in Loveswept because it's delicious. 

This perfume is sexy. It's romantic. It's my new favorite. This giftset on Philosophy.com is $57 for the holidays and it's worth every penny. 

Perfect gift for anyone who loves perfume. 

Fresh Cream Gift Set

OK - This gift is perfect for two reasons. It's a great gift at $32 and it has SO MANY GOOD SMELLING THINGS. This is the perfect gift for anyone who loves shower beauty products. Between the scrub to the body wash, it's an amazing start to your morning. Once you apply the cream you're set for a day of soft skin. 

Renewed Hope for the Holidays

If you don't get this set for anyone than yourself then you're doing the holidays wrong. I use renewed hope in a jar every. single. day. I also use renewed hope in a jar night every. single. night. You cannot go wrong with this giftset or the price. 

Honestly, it's probably better to just buy two of these because the value is amazing. 

If you know you have someone in your life who loves beauty but like things on the simpler side, then try giving them these products. 

1. Amazing Grace body lotion

2. Purity Facial wash 

If you give your family/friends/special people either one of these products you will become their favorite person in the world. 

Why am I sharing my love letter about Philosophy? Because I truly believe in this company and its products. As always, you can find these giftsets at Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, etc, but honestly I like shopping directly from Philosophy.com because if you signup for their emails they always send you a promo code or specials. I mean, if you can order something and get something else for free, why not? 

**NO AFFILIATE LINKS INCLUDED IN THIS POST.

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Beauty Box 5 Subscription Review

I love a subscription box... clearly, if you read this then you know I love StitchFix, Trunk Club, last year I blogged about trying the beauty box Ipsy and now... I'm going to share the Beauty Box 5. This beauty box was new to me, but since I love to try new things I thought why not.

**If you want to try the Beauty Box 5 use this link and get a free eyeshadow! It's only $12 a month (includes shipping)!

Here's the box! I LOVE presents so I think that's why I love subscription boxes because I'm getting a lot of surprise presents at once. 

Rose gold tweezers? Yes, please. These tweezers are so pretty and they are actually really nice and sturdy. 

Retail: $12. 

The only tanning I believe in is self-tanning. For so long I've meant to pick up one of these little mini mitts for my face but now I don't have to! I was really excited to receive this to try it with my self-tanner. 

Retail: $4.95 

This is a new brand for me that I have never heard of, Hikari. This champagne colored eye shadow is really, really pretty. It's buildable, so it's great for a highlight below your eyebrow, or you can build it on your lid for a great glow.

Retail: $13

My makeup brush collection is the saddest thing in the world. This round blending brush is great for eyeshadow or a highlight. It's so soft and it feels like it's really well made. 

Retails: $10 

Another brand that I hadn't heard of, Chella. This is a taupe eyebrow color pencil, and is fantastic! My eyebrows are pretty neglected at times so I'm so excited to try something to define the brows for once! 

Retails: $18 

Everything included in my Beauty Box 5 was a full-size product. The total of the products equals $60! This beauty box only cost $12 a month. The tweezers alone were $12. I really liked this box and all of its products because I will actually use them and not toss them aside in a sample pile. 

If you want to try this, use this link and you will get a free eyeshadow added to your box!

OK - what subscription boxes do you love that I need to try? And what coupon codes do you have for me to try them?? 

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GlobeIn Artisan Gift Box Review

In my old age of 30, I have become a lot more aware of how my shopping habits affect the world. I may not be able to buy everything organic and fair trade, but I'm starting small and starting with a GlobeIn Artisan Box.  Each month, GlobeIn sends you 4-5 handcrafted items, and shares with you who makes it. 



For August, I picked the Pamper GlobeIn Artisan Box.  It seems like the one that fit me best. 



In the Pamper box, I got a cute, handwoven Palm Leaf Basket. This basket was made in by Marina in Mexico. She's part of the Oaxacan basket weavers groups that she oversees. Marina describes herself as an entrepreneur who desires to improve her family's financial stability.  



In the basket, was Cosmetic Argan Oil from Morocco. I've never used argan oil so I am excited to try it. You can use it as a daily facial moisturiser, used on irritated skin, scars and chapped lips. You can even use it as a deep hair conditioner. The oil is from The Argan Project which helps women work in the home at their own pace. Helping women succeed and feeling pretty. Double-win. 



Now... I was SO surprised to see this jewelry roll in the Pamper Box. I LOVE it. It's the perfect size for your purse or travel. The fabric was hand-dyed through an ancient process of batik with toxic-free dye. The jewelry roll is from the Batik Boutique in Malaysia and provides women life skills and sewing training that help support their families. 

Zana (in the red scarf) is a single mother of seven children! She's able to use her sewing skills with Batik to help provide for her children. There's something really special knowing that the jewelry roll that I will carry around with be so connected in helping a woman prosper. 

It's a hot summer in Arkansas, but it's cold inside so many buildings so it's nice to have a light scarf on hand in my bag. This Shibori Scarf was made in India  through a Japanese technique of dyeing cloth in  a way with the binding and folding that gives it its pattern. 

So, if you are interested in pampering yourself AND helping provide women all around the world with jobs to better themselves and their families, check out the Pamper Box from GlobeIn. 

Also, if you click here and use the code, 'Welcome', you can save $10 off a three-month subscription! 

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A Lash Lift and Tint Review

About a month ago I was whining to a friend about my lashes and how I had been using this to grow them but always had to wear mascara because my natural lashes are so blonde. It's not a real life problem - I'm completely aware.  

A few days after my initial whine, she texted me about something called a 'Lash Lift and Tint.' Of course, I immediately looked it up. A lash tint is basically a temporary coloring of your lashes. It only lasts a couple of weeks and can cost $20-40 depending on where you live. A lash life is like a perm for your lashes. Your lashes are held back, there is a 'perm gel' applied and once it's done your lashes look like they are curled. A lash lift will last between 2-3 months.

I googled, "Lash Lift and Tint in Little Rock" and beauty spa called Beauty Geek in the area popped up that provides the service.  The lash lift is $100, the lash lift is $40 and if you combine services it's $130. Not cheap, but I wanted to try it so badly that I figured it was worth the splurge. 

So here are my lashes with one coat of this mascara. I did not curl them, I didn't do anything but add one coat of mascara to show a better before/after of the lift. 

So this looks weird, but let me explain. First, your lash expert, mine was Jai at Beauty Geek, will apply an under eye pad that holds down your bottom lashes. You don't really 'feel' anything because your eyes are closed the entire time. 

Here's a closer look at what it looks like. 

Next, a curved silicone pad is glued to your eyelids. This part feels a little funny because there is a little warming feeling of the glue from the pad to your lid, but it's not painful. These silicone lash pads come in different sizes of S, M, or L depending on your lid size and lash length. My lid/lash size is a medium.

OK - Now this is the part that is strange to see in photos but feels surprisingly relaxing while it's happening. Basically, your lashes are gently being placed on the gel pad that holds them down. 

All this feels like is someone is massaging your lashes. Again, no discomfort. The lash expert was playing some really easy going music so the entire atmosphere is pretty comfortable.

Once your lashes are gently placed on the gel pad, it's time to apply the magic perm potion that curls them. 

There *might* be a slight smell to this part, but only if you breathe deeply. To be honest, at this point I was a little concerned if my eyes would start to water from having a pad holding down my bottom lashes, my top lashes on the gel pad and then adding the perm solution. 

The lash expert assured me that everything was fine and kept me updated on the timing of everything. The gel solution is left on your lashes while you relax with your eyes closed. 

Doesn't this look so weird? 

The perm solution is left on for around 10 min, then the tint was applied and left on for 5-7 minutes. I went for the blue-black tint color because it is the darkest. 

Next, a nourishing treatment is applied and left for a few minutes to make sure it's all set. 

The entire process is maybe around an hour.

Once you're done the solutions are gently removed and again, this might be the best feeling because 1) it feels like another massage and 2) you know it's almost time to see what it looks like! 

My lash expert called this the 'lash blowout' which felt really bougie and I loved every minute of it. 

I love bougie moments.

After all the eye pads are removed it's time to open your eyes! The light will feel really bright but I couldn't get to a mirror quickly enough.

I look awake and like I am wearing a coat of mascara!!  I WAS SO EXCITED TO SEE THIS! My lashes look longer, are darker and no need for an eyelash curler!

Now, remember the cardinal rule of getting a perm from Legally Blonde. You cannot wet your perm for 24 hours after getting one in risk of deactivating the solution. 

Yes, spending $130 might seem like a lot, but honestly, considering how happy it makes me ... it's totally worth it. 

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Eyelash Extensions: The Pros and Cons You Need to Know

Over a year ago, I was asked by a beauty salon owner in Little Rock if I would be interested in getting free eyelash extensions. She needed a volunteer to take before and after photos for her website. It seemed like a great deal to me - free eyelash extensions for just letting someone take a picture of my eyes before and after? DONE.

Here's the thing... when things are 'free' and 'new' it's best to do a little homework about what this means for your lashes.



Here's my personal before & after... on the left, you will see that my lashes are VERY blonde and you cannot tell their length without a lot of mascara and continually curing them throughout the day. 

The transformation was dramatic and amazing. No need to apply mascara, your lashes look incredible, you feel amazing, and you wonder why you had never gotten eyelash extensions before this moment in your life. It took about two hours total to do both eyes and you have to be very, very still. The glue that is used to adhere the fake lash to your real lash can make your eyes water, and even burn. (Ask what type of glue your lash expert uses before you allow them to apply anything.)

Then comes the part no one wants you to know... the lashes start to fall out after a couple of weeks. The fake ones, and your real ones. If you were to pay for this, it would easily cost between $150-200 for the first set. Refills cost around $75-125 and you need to have them done every 2-3 weeks. That's a lot of money to have these types of lashes if you start adding it up. 

After I decided that I didn't want to get them refilled again, I researched how to get them removed or let them fall out. Now, DO NOT DO WHAT I DID... if you get extensions, go back to your lash expert and let them remove them. Do not believe anything that is on the internet on how to remove them yourself. Stem, oil, none of the tips online work. 

My lashes after the lash extensions were removed with one coat of a regular mascara.

What's going to happen once you get them removed is that you will notice a lot of your natural lashes have fallen out or are VERY short. I cried for almost two weeks because my original lashes were long once mascara was applied and after removing the extensions my lashes were very short. 

Once I stopped crying, I researched and bought neuLASH. Again, I was skeptical of spending $100 for lash serum, but I read a lot of reviews and people seemed to see results. 

After a YEAR, and still using the same bottle of neuLASH (it seriously last forever and I've had NO irritations from using it) my lashes look 10x better! My lashes are thicker, longer and all I have to do is apply a coat or two of mascara and I'm out the door. 

Will I ever try extensions again? Nope. Not even if I was paid to have them. It's not worth it in the long run. 

If you want your lashes to stand out, consider trying neuLASH, trying a thickening mascara, or researching a 'Lash Lift and Tint.' I'm actually going to try it next week... stay tuned to see what a Lash Lift and Tint looks like before and after! 

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How to Get MAC Lipstick for Free

Everyone might have already known this but me, but you can get a free lipstick from MAC by just recycling used products! I was wondering around on the Internet one day and somehow came across a post about MAC's recycling program. After looking at MAC's website, if you recycle SIX products like foundation, concealers, blushes and certain tubes then you get a free lipstick. 

I was a bit skeptical because that just seemed a little too easy. There's always a catch, right?



I've been using MAC products for about a year now, so I had a few empty bottles (six to be exact) that I kept to see if this easy, peasy free lipstick recycle program was true. In Little Rock, we don't have a free-standing MAC store, but we do have a MAC counter inside of Dillard's. 

You have the option online to mail in products and choose a lipstick, but I actually didn't know which color I wanted so for me it was better to go inside a store/counter. 

The makeup artist at the MAC counter was SO nice - as soon as I told her I had six products she said, 'You can choose from any of the lipsticks that have the black bottom and silver top." My face must have said it all because it there were SO many choices. I was expecting the lipsticks that they were discontinuing... She helped me pick out a color that was right for me. 

So which one did I pick? I went with Captive by MAC. 

This is a really beautiful color, and I didn't have to throw any used products away, I got to recycle them. It's a win for my lips, and a win for the environment. 

Have you ever heard of the MAC recycle program? Which lipstick should I get next time?

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#MOTD: Philosophy Take a Deep Breath Makeup

#MOTD = Makeup of the Day 

There's really nothing better than having a great makeup day. As a #BeautyBeliever for Philosophy, I've been trying out some of their new Take a Deep Breath makeup line and it's making my skin glow. 

The foundation is so light on your skin! It's also buildable, so you can get full coverage (I like full coverage)! Take a deep breath for cheeks is so much fun to play with on your cheeks and eyelids for color. I lightly press my middle finger onto the mesh screen and lightly tap it on the cheekbone and blend.

 

Here are links to everything I am wearing: 

Foundation: Philosophy take a deep breath cushion foundation

Blush: Philosophy take a deep breath color for cheeks in 4.5

Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Naked Pallette 2

Eyeliner: Covergirl

Mascara: Too Faced Better Than Sex Mini Mascara, Black

Lip Gloss: Urban Decay Lipgloss Beso 

If you love the look comment below! 

as a philosophy brand ambassador/ "beauty believer", i have recieved free Philosophy products in exchange for writing reviews. all opinions expressed and content are my own. This post was of my own decision to promote because I believe in them so strongly. This post was not sponsored by Philosophy. 

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February Favorites || 5 Easy Beauty Products

This month went by SO quickly! Even though it was a Leap Year and February was a day longer I feel like I blinked twice and now it's almost spring. For this month's favorites, I decided to pick my easiest beauty products that help save money, time and make me feel better all around. 


Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color

I LOVE gel nails, but I can't always afford it at $35 a pop (hello, budget). That's why I love using Sally Hansen's Insta-Dry polish in Cinna-snap. This polish lasts a minimum a week for me and is less than $5 for the entire bottle. Who needs expensive gel nails now.

St. Tropez Self Tanner

When it's cold outside, and my skin is, um, pale, there's only one thing to solve my winter blues. A good tan... but a safe one. So I use St. Tropez Self Tanner with the mitt. (YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE MITT TO SAVE YOUR HANDS.) 

I love this self-tanner because you can see it as it goes on so you know you don't miss anything, unlike other self-tanners. This one is a little pricier, but it actually gives you a great, natural tan without the orange. (Take this from a really pale white girl.) 


Bumble and Bumble Dry Shampoo 

Before being told about Bumble and Bumble dry shampoo I was using so many different types of sprays and it was only making my hair worse. This stuff, Prêt-à-powder is amazing - it's a great dry shampoo and volumizer in one. I actually put it on my hair after I wash and blow dry it to keep the clean hair last longer (and give it a good volume boost). 

With using this, I only wash my hair 2-3 times per week. Saving a lot of time in the mornings!

Clarisonic - MIA 2

For about two years I deliberated about buying a Clarisonic and if it would be worth it... Well, I'm happy to say it is. Since using it last October, it helps really clean off all of my makeup at night, clean out pores and I think makes my Philosophy beauty products work even better. 

It's also currently on sale at Nordstrom (free shipping!): Clarisonic Mia 2

Philosophy Renewed Hope in a Jar Night

You may not sleep with your current nighttime moisturizer, but you will want to with Philosophy's Renewed Hope in a Jar Night. 

Your skin will wake up soft, dewy, glowy, amazing, and younger. Trust me. Try it. 

These are my top 5 easy beauty products for my February Favorites. Have you tried any of these products? What do you think? Tell me in the comments below. 

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