February Glossybox!!!

Hello all! I know it's been a minute, but I hope you're all doing well! Today's post I'm feeling a bit bittersweet about, and that's because its my last Glossybox post. Glossybox is a monthly makeup subscription at $21/month, but I had purchased a 3 month-set kinda thing for around $45. I really loved getting these boxes and will definitely miss them, and I will absolutely renew when funds are a little less tight :) For the time being though, let's get on with the post!

1) Julep Nail Polish in the shade Hartleigh ($14)- I definitely did not get around to using this nail polish before Valentine's Day, which is unfortunate because it's adorable! It's made up of all kinds of pink and white glitter as well as heart shaped confetti. It's honestly really cute, so I'll probably use it regardless of the timing, and if not, there's always next year! 

2) Unwash Bio-Cleansing Conditioner ($34.95 for a full size)- This is one of those products which you can supposedly use as a shampoo and a conditioner, but I'm not sure, I tend to be really suspicious of products like this. In general, I just find they don't leave my hair feeling as clean or shiny as it would if I'd used a separate shampoo and conditioner. If nothing else, it's good for travel because it is an all-in-one-product, and who knows? I may be mind-blown. I'll be sure to let you guys know!

3) Royal Apothic Kissed Tintie Lip Butter ($14)-  I was really impressed by this lip butter! The color is super sheer but buildable, so it just gives you a hint of color which is nice. It looks very pretty and smells a bit like coconut, which I really enjoy. I'm not sure how great the wear is though, like I have felt like the few times I've worn it it needed to be reapplied several times throughout the day, but that's really my only complaint. The packaging is too cute, so I guess that makes up for it a bit as well! 

4) Rituals Yogi Flow Foaming Shower Gel Sensation ($15)- I'm really starting to stock up on soap! It might take a bit of time before I get around to trying this out, but I love shower gels especially, so I can't complain. I like the fact that it foams (supposedly), and rose and almond are two of my favorite scents, so I'm really hoping I like this shower gel! If nothing else, I'm intrigued by the fact it comes in like a spray bottle. I'll be sure to let you guys know what I think!

5) Jelly Pong Pong Fairy Lashes Curl ($22)- Just the name of that was enough to convince me I liked this product. Fairy lashes? Yes please! This was also arguably the only "makeup" product in this box, so I was really glad it was a mascara. If there was one product I couldn't live without, it'd probably be mascara. I've only used it a handful of times so I'll try not to say too much yet, but one thing I have noticed is that it tends to last a very long time, which is lovely. It's also got quite a large brush, which is great for pulling up your lashes in what I can only hope is a fairy-like manner :)

And that was it! I really enjoyed receiving these Glossyboxes, I love that the products are almost always full size and that there was always a wide variety of products. I definitely look forward to renewing my subscription! That's it for me, if you guys get any makeup subscriptions I'd love to hear your opinions down in the comments!

Stay beautiful!!!
- Whit

January Faves!!!

I can not believe it's taken me this long to get around to posting!! Going back to school this semester has been such a whirlwind, I feel like I haven't had ten seconds to just sit and breathe. Regardless, I'm back, I'm here, and I have a ton of products that I fell in love with in January. I threw in a few extras this month purely because it's been a minute since I've talked to you guys, so let's get into it :)

1) Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Foundation in the shade Beige 50 ($57)- I actually picked this foundation up back in November, after a long year of pining and trying to justify the splurge, because Sephora was about to stop carrying it in favor of the newer Saint Laurent foundation. At the time, they were sold out of the shade I needed, so I picked up a shade lighter and prayed it would work for me in the winter months when I was paler. My wishes were granted- this is now the perfect shade for me. It's honestly so gorgeous and dewy and beautiful. Like I wish I could verbalize how lovely it is, but words can't do it justice. If you like a dewy finish, definitely give this foundation a try!

2) Naked Palette by Urban Decay ($54)- I used this palette everyday in January. The palette itself is incredible, with basically every color you could ever want all in one place, and on top of that each shadow is super buttery and blendable. If you guys are interested, I would love to do a full review of it, with swatches of each shade and the whole bit :) But for today, the real shining star is the shade half-baked, which is a pure gold. I wore this shade everyday all over the lid and blended out, and that was it. It took like ten seconds in the morning, lasted all day, and was pretty to boot.

That's a single swipe! Incredible!!

3) Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black Rollerball ($22)- There's definitely a lot of hype around Nirvana White, and that's definitely understandable, as it smells amazing- but the Nirvana black is definitely my favorite. It may be a bit early to call it, but if I were to have a signature scent, I would want this to be it. It's a bit spicier and kind of sensual, with notes of vanilla, sandalwood, and violet. My only complaint would be that the rollerball doesn't really last on the skin, and I think that when I go to repurchase I will definitely be splurging on a full size bottle!

4) Nars Satin Lip Pencil in the shade Rikugien ($26)- Look at that, I've got a lip favorite! If you're a Beauty Insider with Sephora, you'll receive a mini of this product for your birthday. I'm not entirely sure why, but when I went into Sephora at the beginning of January, they gave me my birthday sample, despite the fact my birthday is in December. No complaints though, this is the happiest mistake that's ever happened to me. I've never seen a more perfect, natural, your-lips-but-better color!! It's a true rose pink, which I never would have thought would look good on my skin tone, but it's just subtle and lovely. And it's super creamy and moisturizing. I want to die wearing this lip pencil. It's that serious.

5) Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara ($20)- I received a sample size of this in my December Ipsy bag (link here!) which I was particularly excited about since it's so popular in the beauty blogging community. What can I say? It makes my lashes look fuller, holds a curl, is perfectly black, and basically just does all I could ask my mascara to do. This mascara definitely deserves the hype that it gets! 

6) Bath & Bodyworks Sugarplum Dream Body Lotion ($12)- This is a Christmas scent that I had left over, so it's definitely not available in stores right now. But in all fairness, I've really enjoyed using it this last month, because it's so sweet and lovely. And let's be honest, I lowkey still wish it was the holidays. If you remember in 10 months, I'd definitely check it out, haha! 

7) Topshop - My last favorite this month is Topshop. I've picked up several pieces there in the last month, and have gotten so much wear out of all of them, so it seemed only fair to give them a shoutout. That's all :)

I hoped you guys enjoyed this post, be sure to let me know in the comments if there were any standout products for this January! I would also like to give a shoutout to my friend Jenny, who apparently checks my blog everyday. You're the best! 

Until next time, stay beautiful! 

 - Whit

What's in my School Bag?

Hello all! It's been a real minute since I've posted, and I apologize for that! Heading back to school can be a real killer, what with trying to get ahead on reading, making sure you get all the classes you need, and readjusting to waking up at 7 am. As such, I thought today I'd make a quick post showing you guys what I like to carry in my school bag!

I purchased my bag from ASOS probably about a year ago, and it's held up beautifully. Unfortunately, it's sold out, but they have an extremely similar one on sale currently here! It's got two main compartments, along with a zippered pocket on the inside of the bag where I like to keep my keys. Here are some of my essentials:

Wallet- A given. Even if you're trying to resist the pressures of spending money on food on campus (which I always am), it's still a good idea to have your wallet! You never know when you'll need your ID or even just a dollar to buy a few scantrons last minute!

Snacks- Returning to that first point of trying not to spend money on food, I like to have a snack that I can munch on continuously throughout the day. At our campus market, you can buy a 10 oz bag of yogurt covered pretzels for $2.99. I probably buy one bag of these a week because they're sweet, salty, filling, not exuberantly unhealthy, and can last me a whole week :)

Calculator- A necessity for me as I'm taking intermediate statistics this semester, but if you don't need one, then I'd definitely save the space in your bag. Your phone probably has all of the functions you'll need day to day!

Notebook- I'm very notorious for not taking notes, so I manage to make one notebook last for a variety of classes. Additionally, I like to just keep articles I'm reading tucked into my notebooks, so I can keep them together with my notes. Obviously, this isn't going to work for everyone. Some people really like to take notes during lectures, and if that's the case a binder or numerous notebooks may  work better for you!

Kindle Fire 7- For a long time I debated getting a tablet, and after last semester when I finally got sick of lugging my laptop around, I finally splurged this year. I honestly love it, I wish I'd made the switch sooner! I especially love that it's small enough to fit in my bag. I use mine to pull up lectures, so I can follow along but still have room for my notebooks (I'm really a hard-copy kind of note girl), and I also have come to really like reading on it. If nothing else, it saves me a bit of room in my bag that would have traditionally been taken up by a physical book. Lastly, when I need it to function more like a laptop, I did also get a little detachable keyboard, but I would definitely say this isn't necessary at all, and just the kindle itself is phenomenal value. 10/10, would recommend!!

The two ways I like to use my kindle: 1) for lectures and 2) reading for pleasure!

I thought I would also show you very quickly the little bits and bobs I like to keep in the smaller pocket of my bag :)

Headphones- I need headphones on my person at all times. If I don't have them, it's reason enough to drive home and come back. I wish I was kidding. Mine are falling apart, and I'd love to pick up some new ones, so if you know of a more budget option with good sound quality, let me know down in the comments!

Pens, Pencils, and Highlighters- I don't honestly think you can call it school without these three things!

Lip Balm- Just something that's nice to have on hand. The Maybelline Baby Lips formula is probably one of my all time favorites!

Perfume Rollerball- Sometimes, after being on campus for 10 hours, you feel like you reek of school. That's why I like to keep a rollerball in my bag, just so I can keep feeling like I smell pretty! The one I have currently is Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift, which is a very sweet scent with notes of sandalwood and golden amber. 

Hand Cream- Really just another comfort product. Dry hands are never a good time. The one I've got with me is the Strawberries and Cream scent from the be Delectable line from cakebeauty, which I recieved in an Ipsy bag.

And that's it! I really hope you enjoyed this post, and if you're back in school (or not) be sure to leave me a comment letting me know what are your handbag essentials :)

Stay beautiful!!!
- Whitney

Winter Empties!

Hello all! Funny how it feels like I haven't posted in forever, when in reality it's only been four days. I hope you have all been doing well, and if you are back in school or about to go back to school, I hope that all goes well for you :) I've been collecting all of my empties for awhile (probably since November?) and have accumulated a pretty good-sized bag's worth, so let's get on with it!

I love empties posts because I feel like they're sort of like checkups, you tend to get a snapshot of a review for a product you may have heard about awhile back. So for today, I've separated out my empties into a few different categories, and there's a handful of products in each!

Makeup

1) Maybelline the Falsies Mascara ($6.99)- I think this mascara is well known in the beauty blogger community as a staple mascara. It's easy to apply, consistently beautiful, lengthens, volumes, and holds a curl. True to it's name, it really does make it look like you're wearing false lashes. This is at least the second tube of this mascara I've gone through, and I will definitely be repurchasing it (as soon as I've used up a few more of the mascaras I own!).

2) Benefit Gimme Brow in the color Medium/ Deep ($22)- If you've been following me for awhile you're probably sick of me talking about this product, so I won't go on too much about it. All I'll say is this is the best brow product I have tried to date, and I will definitely be repurchasing it in the near future. And I can now officially say I've tried other brow gels, and this one still comes out on top.

Skincare/ Bath

1) Bath and Body Works Wild Honeysuckle Body Lotion ($11)- I can't seem to find a link to the body lotion online, but I'm fairly certain you can find it in stores. I love the scent of honeysuckle, it's definitely one of my favorites. I just think it's so pretty and delicate. Bath and Bodyworks lotions are awesome, they sink in pretty quickly and they're very fragrant, so I think I would definitely repurchase this scent, especially now as it'd be perfect for spring!

2) The Body Shop Early Harvest Raspberry Body Scrub ($10)- I can't find this product online, but I know for a fact that it's in stores and it's on sale. I mentioned this product in my 2014 favorites, and unfortunately our time together has come to an end :( I loved this scrub, it's gentle enough for everyday use and the scent is just so lovely, it's not overwhelming at all (and I don't even like raspberries!). The only thing keeping me from running out and purchasing it is that I would like to try a different scrub, so if you have a recommendation be sure to leave me a comment letting me know!

3) Lush Flying Fox Shower Gel ($9.95)- I picked up this travel size over the summer for when I went to the east coast, and then realized it was silly of me to be saving this product specifically for travel, so I went ahead and finished it up. The scent is EXTREMELY jasmine heavy, to the point where by the time I was nearing the end of this shower gel I was over it, despite loving jasmine. I do really like the gel and I would repurchase it, but I don't think I would ever purchase a full size or even a mid size bottle, just because the smell can get to be very overbearing. It really does leave you smelling nice after a shower, though!

Haircare

1) L'Oreal EverSleek Shampoo and Conditioner ($6.99 each)- I really like the L'Oreal shampoos and conditioners, I think they're incredible, especially for the price point. I did like the EverSleek branch a bit more than I liked the EverCreme range, as I just felt like my hair was healthier and looked shinier. However, this branch is a bit heavier, so if you're someone who maybe uses a lot of product in your hair this may leave you with a bit of buildup, and it also has more of a chemical smell than did the EverCreme range. I would definitely repurchase though!

2) Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask ($26.00 for a full size)- I really liked this mask!! I received a sample in my Ipsy bag back in September, and promptly used it all up. It smelled awesome, it's very sweet and almond-y, and honestly left my hair light and shiny after just one use. I would absolutely recommend it! I'm not really one for hair masks, but I think that if I had a dollar to spare (which, let's be honest, as a college student I don't) I would definitely spoil myself with this one!

3) Bvlgari Ea Parfumee Au The Vert Conditioner ($45 for a full size)- I received this product in my mystery glossybox (link here!) and, I'll be honest, this was the worst conditioner I've ever used in my life. It was a super watery consistency, and it never seemed to make any difference, I never felt like my hair was healthier or shinier or even easier to manage. I suppose if you liked the scent of the conditioner it may be worth it, but for me, it was overly peppery and just really not my taste. I wouldn't recommend or purchase this product, and for $45 per bottle, I was extremely let down. Save your money.

Candles

1) Bath and Bodyworks Mini Candles in the scents Spiced Cider and Pumpkin Caramel Latte ($4.50 each)- Because these are seasonal scents, I don't think they're online or in store anymore. I burned these around Thanksgiving/ the beginning or December, and really liked them both. The Pumpkin Caramel Latte was very sugary, while the Spiced Cider smelled (in my opinion) like Thanksgiving in a candle. That is literally the only way I can describe it! As you can see, I typically burn them until you can see they've burnt all the way down to the little metal nub at the bottom. If there's a way to burn them past there, be sure to let me know!

That's it for all of my empties guys, I hope you enjoyed this post! I'll talk to you all soon :)

Stay beautiful!

- Whit

January Glossybox!!

Hello all! I hope you're having an amazing day! I wanted to start off by saying thank you, my blog hit 200 followers today, and it honestly just means so much to me. It's crazy to think that that many people care what my opinions are or like what I post. I mean, that's like a whole lecture hall. Insane. In other news, because I posted my Ipsy review for this month yesterday (link here!) I thought today I would follow it up by reviewing the January Glossybox :) Glossybox is another monthly beauty subscription, and it is a bit pricier at $21 a month, but they tend to send out a larger variety of items and include more full size items as well.

The Glossybox packaging is so cute!!!

1) Kueshi Pure and Clean Revitalizing Face Toner (About $18?)- I'm not sure that this product is currently available in the US, so I approximated the value. That's really unfortunate, because in the brief time I've had this toner, I've grown quite fond of it. It smells really crisp and clean, and slightly sweet and fruity, but not in the typical way (strawberry, citrus, etc) but maybe something less common (lychee?). I really like the effect it's been having as well, it really evens out my skin tone and leaves my skin looking plumper and very moisturized. If things keep going the way they are, it's possible this product will become a staple in my skincare routine!

2) Teeez Trend Beautiful Flat Stiff Brush ($23.50)- I'm really having trouble finding links today! I'm not entirely sure how you would go about purchasing this product, and I approximated the value as well. I haven't tried this brush yet, but I love the design, I think it's really cool and edgy, and the bristles are rather stiff so I imagine it'll be good at packing on eyeshadow. The suggested tip is to try using it to apply eyeliner, so maybe I'll give that a shot and get back to you!

3) Lollipops Eye Pencil in the shade Goodbye Moon ($8.10?)- Another product I don't think is available in the US, I approximated the value as it is on sale, and I had to do the euro to dollar conversion. I think the packaging of this product is incredible, it looks really similar to something that Too Faced would put out. The product is incredibly black, which is awesome, and smudges out really nicely for a lazy smokey eye. My only problem with it is the staying power- I've got it on today and I've had it on for almost 5 hours, and it's come almost entirely off. Still, for the price point, I think it's a pretty good product. And it's really really adorable.

4) Vichy Purete Thermale 3-in-1 Step Cleanser ($19.50 for a full size)- I haven't given this cleanser a shot yet, but as it claims to cleanse, tone, and remove eye-makeup all in one, I think it'll be awesome for travel or to keep in an overnight bag. Should be great for nights where I'm feeling too lazy to go through my skincare routine (although I'm hoping to not have too many of those).

5) Skin&Co Roma Truffle Therapy Serum ($75 for a full size)- I am not a serum girl. I feel like they're usually very sticky, I don't particularly think they help much, and I find they're usually unnecessarily scented. Fingers crossed that this product changes my mind? If you have a serum that you really like, be sure to let me know down in the comments! From where I stand though, this is definitely my least favorite product in the box.

 And that was all! It was a bit annoying this month that so many of the products were unavailable in the US. However, I was impressed that the majority of the products were full sized, and I know that I'll get use out of at least 4/5. I did get a lot of skin products to try out, which is nice since my 2015 resolution was to take better care of my skin! If you have any skin products (toners, cleansers, or serums!) that you really like, be sure to let me know so I can check them out!

That's it for me, I'll talk to you guys soon! Thanks again for following and sticking it out :)

Stay beautiful!!
- Whit

January Ipsy Bag!!!

Can you believe we're already midway through January? Feels like just yesterday was Christmas. On the bright side, mid-month is typically when my makeup subscriptions come in, and this month was no different! Ipsy is an awesome makeup subscription service, and for $10 a month you get 5 full/deluxe size makeup products in the mail. I'll have a link down below in case anyone is interested! The theme this month was "fresh start", so this month there were several skin care products mixed in as well. :)

1) Pacifica Eye Shadow in the shade Ethereal- This eye shadow is typically only sold as part of a larger palette, but Ipsy subscribers were lucky enough to receive a full size single shadow this month. Ethereal is a slightly shimmery nude color, almost like a very pale champagne. The color payoff is pretty awesome, it looks the same on as it does in the pan. I've tried Pacifica eye shadows before and have quite liked them, and this color is right up my alley, so I think I'm going to quite like it! 

I think the Pacifica packaging is so cute!

2) Elizabeth Mott All Over Shadow Brush ($9.99)- This is probably one of the cutest eye shadow brushes I've ever seen. Some people may be put off by the bright pink, but I adore it!!! I think it's so sweet and bright, and it brings a bit of joy back to my morning when I use it. As far as utility, it's not really anything new or extraordinary, and I do have better brushes in my collection; but it's bright pink and that makes me stupidly happy.

3) Hikari Eye Liner in the shade Storm ($13)- I quite like the design of this eye liner, it's mechanical, and it's really creamy and smooth. My only problem with it is that it's a gunmetal silver. In all honesty, if I had gotten a black shade, it would have been a home run product. And I'm sure there are a ton of people that are pleased to not have received black- but my problem with silver is that it's hard to wear. If you have a way to make silver work for everyday wear be sure to let me know down in the comments, I'd love to hear any ideas!

4) L.A. Fresh Eco-Beauty Good Day. Day Moisturizer ($40 for a full size)- Is it just me, or is L.A. Fresh the brand you can find in hotels? Like, the complimentary makeup wipes? Well, regardless, I was excited to receive a deluxe size of their moisturizer, especially as my Pur moisturizer is about to run out. I'll keep you guys posted on how I get on with it! I really enjoyed the fact they included a screw cap, I feel like so often when you receive these sample sizes in the squeeze tube, you can only get one use out of them because they get so gross so quickly.

5) Probelle Nail Lacquer in the shade Into the Blue ($6)- At first, when I saw I'd be receiving this I wasn't excited, because I felt like I wasn't going to get a lot of wear out of this color, but honestly? Let me tell you, when I saw it in real life, I was astonished at how stunning it was in the bottle. It is the prettiest, creamiest sky blue I've ever seen. I'm going to actually paint my nails with it when I wrap up this post, and if things go right, I'll hopefully be rocking it for a while!

And that was it! This month there was a lot of variety in the products and I quite liked that :) If you're interested in checking out Ipsy, you can check it out here! In all honesty, I love Ipsy, I recommend it to all my friends, just because I think it's an amazing way to try new products while also saving money you'd spend on makeup otherwise. I hope you guys enjoyed this post and I'll definitely be talking to you soon!

Stay beautiful!!!

- Whit