Black Box Subscriptions November 2015

Happy New Years Eve everyone!!

My 3rd Black Box arrived before Christmas but I've been so busy that I only had a chance to open it afterwards.  This box was pretty fun and once again I'm excited for the next one so I'll keep subscribing for now!

Here is a picture of the overall contents. Not pictured is the black nail polish....right after filming the unboxing video I dropped it and the bottle broke so I had to throw it out.  But that's ok because I'll get another one next month, haha.

Kleancolor Eye Bow-Tux Matte Shadow Palette

So first up is the makeup item for this month.  I am very very happy about this as it is absolutely perfect for me.  I love colorful shadows and I love matte. It is also a super tiny size which is PERFECT for travel.  My only travel palette right now is all neutrals so it will be really nice to have a colorful travel palette as well. It seems that I got this in the shade Gala Diva.

I quickly swatched the colors and they are not incredibly pigmented but this is also over bare skin with no primer and not built up.  I think these will be just fine as a quick to go solution over some primer and built up to a good opacity.  I probably won't use the green side very often but the pinks and purples will be used very frequently.

Here is an eye look I put together using four of the colors from this palette.  Going from left to right on my arm swatches on my lid is #1, in my crease is #11, in my inner corner is #9, and on my lower lashline is #10. I used a matte black NYX shadow to add depth to my outer corner. On my lips is Kat Von D's Ayesha.  I am definitely digging the quality of this palette. It's not the Electric palette for sure...but it also doesn't cost $50.

I am very happy about this palette!

Where to buy: kleancolor.com

Price: $6

Bat Sticker

One of the random goodies this month is this super adorable sparkly bat sticker.  I definitely prefer this over the Halloween stickers from my last few boxes as this one is thicker, and just overall better in every way. I will definitely be sticking this somewhere fun.

Ghost Charm

This adorable little ghost was wrapped around the black nail polish that I stupidly dropped and broke this month.  He is super adorable and will be attached to something soon.

Spooky Potion Halloween Ornament Craft Kit

This month included a very different kind of item.  It is a crafty sort of item, specifically a build it yourself ornament.  I got the ornament in the Spooky Potion variety and built it soon after filming the unboxing video.

Not going to lie...the instructions were pretty unclear and weird to follow so I honestly just did what seems to be right, which when looking at the item page...was not exactly correct.  It said to adhere the clear part to the hollow circle but my circle piece had no adhesive on it.  Also the larger top part, when you take off the back to make it sticky the top portion is not stuck to anything so instead it stuck to my table.  I had to cut the paper backing and stick it back on to prevent it from sticking to everything.

So even though it isn't exactly correct it still does what it is meant to and was fun to put together.  I really liked the addition of this to the box this month!

Where to buy: orientaltrading.com

Price:$2.28

Owl Pin

Oh my goodness.  Look at this owl pin. OH MY. It is just too awesome.  I don't really use pins but I will find a bag to put this one because it is just so amazing.  The owls are so cute but intense and just aaah!! I love this piece and its one of my favorite things from the box.

I could not find this exact pin so based on others of its kind I would say it is $3-5

Lock and Key Earrings

These are definitely not my favorite kind of jewelry as I feel they aren't really my style.  They kind of look like they should be but I don't know...maybe its the asymmetry, I'm just not in love with them. I will definitely wear them however, maybe they just need to grow on me.

I couldn't find these exact ones online but I'd guess they are between $2-4.

Moon Bead Necklace

This piece definitely looks handmade. It is a black cord featuring a crescent moon bead framed by two decorative silver beads.  It is very cute and dainty and at first look I didn't think I'd like it but I ended up really liking how it looked with my outfit after trying it on.

I will definitely be wearing this when I want a more subdued piece of jewelry!

Element 18 Bath Fizz A Forest

This month's guest business was Element 18.  I have browsed their site before and found it to be mostly jewelry so I am excited to try out something different from them. This is a bath fizz in the scent A Forest and it definitely smells as such. It has many earthy notes to it and is quite pleasant.  The instructions say to use this entire bag for one bath.

This brand does not seem to have any bath products on their store page so I have no way to say what this costs but I'd guess maybe $2-3

So overall, trying to estimate based on actual and estimated prices, I'd say this box comes out to $19-24 which makes this potentially one of the most expensive boxes so far!

As I said early I am once again satisfied and will definitely be continuing my subscription!

www.blackboxsubscriptions.com

Watch me unbox it!

Jamberry Tannenbaum

I'm so sorry for the disappearance.  Finals and then the holidays really messed up by blog schedule.  However now that Christmas is over I hope to get a few done before the new year.  I already have two unboxing videos made and have some ideas for future posts, so yay!

I hope everyone had a great holiday this year.  For my Christmas manicure I bought Tannenbaum from Jamberry.  They are slightly metallic and have blurred dots in red, gray, and white.  I wanted to get these up before Christmas but it just didn't happen...so here they are a bit late.  These will be retiring after the new year so if you like how they look grab them asap! 

Honestly I don't think they l look as great as I had imagined them but they were a nice holiday specific nail for me to have on hand for the season.

I also had issues with these lifting and they are once again the satin finish.  I think I'm going to avoid purchasing any satins in the future just because I don't seem to have a lot of luck with them.

Here is a bonus picture I took of my sweet pup on Christmas morning <3

Shiro Cosmetics A Girl and A Cat Tinted Balm

I am embarrassed to admit how long I've had this lip balm and kind of forgot it existed....I recently found it again and remembered how adorable it was!  I am a bit bummed that Shiro got rid of their opaque lip products and now only offers these lip balms or glosses.  

I had to get this one as its Kiki's Delivery Service themed which is one of my all time favorite movies.  I even cosplayed as Kiki last year! How can I say no to a purple lip product with a picture of Jiji on it? I can't.

This applies very easily and definitely leaves more pigment on the lips than the hand swatch would lead one to believe.  As you can see it turns my lips a very pleasant berry shade. I think it is very flattering and is a perfect choice for days I want to add color but not deal with lip upkeep.  It will last a few hours as long as you don't eat so I generally only throw this on if I won't be eating for a bit. It is very moisturizing and feels nice on the lips. It also has a slight smell to it, the website says its vanilla, its very nice and not overpowering.

I would definitely recommend these lip balms if you like this kind of lip product finish! They are all so fun and Miyazaki themed.  I'd probably own them all if they were matte liquid lipsticks! Unfortunately tinted balms aren't my go to, but I will enjoy this one. If I ever did buy another it would probably be the Princess Mononoke themed With Eyes Unclouded deep red shade.

Where to buy: shirocosmetics.com

Price: $5

Kat Von D Vs Formula X Studded X: Mini Lip + Nail Polish Duo Poe

While out shopping with my friend we took a necessary stop at Sephora.  It wasn't quite December yet but I was really hoping they would give me my birthday gift and luckily they did!  While checking out I spotted these super cute Kat Von D Vs Formula X packs of a matching lipstick and nail polish duo.  I looove Kat Vond D so naturally I made an impulse buy and picked one up.  Naturally I snatched the purple one.

On the front the lipstick looks like a gorgeous deep purple.

And this assumption is confirmed on the back of the packaging.  this looks purple right? Right!?

Well I got this box home and opened it up only to find it contained Poe, a shimmery navy shade.  I wanted a deep blue lipstick anyway....but seriously? At least advertise with the correct colors. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed as I was definitely expecting a purple lipstick as shown. But live and let die, right?

Here is what you get for the $15 price tag.  the lipstick is decently sized but I was definitely expecting a larger nail polish considering last year I got two full sized Formula X polishes for $10.

In the bottle the nail polish looks very purple and shimmery and beautiful but as we will see it doesn't apply as such. I have no idea what color this is as it doesn't specify anywhere.

Even just looking inside you can see how blue it appears, not at all like the outside.

And yep its pretty darn navy.  Sometimes in the right light you can see purple shimmer but overall its a very dark blue. In a lack of light it almost looks black. Excuse the little slivers of felt...they got stuck to my nails and I didn't notice... 

I won't lie, I like this nail polish I just can't believe Kat Von D would advertise this as purple.....

Its lasted a full 24 hours so far without chipping and that is pretty long for me, as I'm really hard on nail polish.

And here's Poe!  It is definitely not purple.  Not even close.  Its a gorgeous blue but...Why Kat Von D....Why put a picture of purple lips on the box....why....

In this picture sample size Poe is next to full sized Wolfsmouth.  You get a pretty decent amount of product and the tiny size makes it much easier to apply. I wouldn't want to spend the full price on this as its a color I wouldn't wear often so I am happy I now own it in a mini size.

On the lips it is a very stunning deep blue.  Not too deep that it looks black but deep enough that it is wearable.  It has tiny specks of gold shimmer that honestly isn't too terribly noticeable.  My friend did a guest post on my blog reviewing this lipstick and she said it was very patchy and dry.  I haven't experienced this at all with Poe.  It is very possible that they have revamped their formula to be better, as she bought this lipstick a year ago. This goes on creamy, even, and opaque.  I feel its much more moisturizing than Wolfsmouth which actively cracks my lips after wearing it all day.

Overall I'm very happy with the products but a bit confused why it was decided to put blue products into a purple box.

Where to buy: Sephora

Price: $15

FOTD: More Than Just a Pop of Color

Oh my goodness I feel like I haven't done a face of the day post in FOREVER.  I get up do my makeup quick and then usually have to go do other things so I never seem to have the time to do a fun makeup look and take pictures of it.  I made it a point to do this week because this started as a makeup blog and I feel like all my latest posts have been....well not about makeup. Hopefully that will change soon. 

So I was wearing a teal tanktop with a purple sweater and felt like doing a nice colorful eye look to match. I started out with some NYX Milk on my lid to help bring out the Comet eyeshadow from BH Cosmetic's Galaxy Chic palette. Next I took Urban from Urban Decay's Electric palette and blended it into my crease and very lightly under my eye.  I deepened my outer corner with Urban Decay's Blackout and also smudged it on my lower lashline.  I then took my Jesse's Girl liquid liner and draw a regular wing, then went back in a drew another really thin one right under that, blending it in with the Blackout applied earlier.  To emphasize the space between the wings and my inner corner I dabbed on some NYX shadow in Whipped Cream.  On my lips is my favorite nude ever, NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Zurich. 

Here is an angled shot just so you can better see all my accessories.  When I match, I MATCH.

Jamberry Faux Fox

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I am so excited to be taking a break from school and just spending some quality time with my family, boyfriend, and dogs.  I havn't been home in over a month so I really really needed this break.  Unfortunately its right back to it come Monday.  I'll be so busy I'll barely have time to think about my birthday coming up...

Anyway for my Thanksgiving manicure I decided to use Faux Fox.  Obviously I needed these as soon as I saw them.  They are crazy cute and just eeeeehhh!!! I love them! Plus they match the new 31 wallet I recently bought.  So much win.

This design is really adorable, and I'm sad that it is only for the season.  If you like this pattern make sure to grab these foxes before January 1st!

That feeling when your nails match your bag.  <3

Art: Dark Warrior Princess

So I bought Clip Studio Paint like....months ago....and I finally had a bit of time to sit down and play with it.  And by time I mean I'm pushing off the work I should be doing tonight and doing it tomorrow instead. Anyway this program is AMAZING.  Up until now I've been using Photoshop 7 and let me tell you, this has so many more options and tools and features....its just perfect for anyone who wants to do digital drawing. However there are still so many tools and features that I have no idea how to use.  

So here is the finished piece.  I suppose she is a warrior princess? She ended up looking darker than i envisioned as the drawing progressed so I made her a bit dark looking to fit the path the image was taking.  I honestly feel like my biggest wall is just trying to think of what to draw. I always just start drawing a face and depending on how that face looks, I turn it into a character and with a theme that fits it. Overall his was fun to do and I'm definitely more familiar with the program now.  It is probably going to take a lot of pictures and a lot of Youtube tutorial watching to master it.

Here is the original sketch I posted on my Instagram.  I put this picture into the program and inked and colored it from there.  If anyone is interested I'm using a 4 year old Wacom Intuos 4 tablet. It may even be older than 4 years old, I've had this baby forever and its never let me down.

And then I kind of had a sudden shock of artistic motivation and decided to attempt a full body pic with a background.  I'm actually pretty impressed with how it came out.  Something I absolutely adore is the 3D modeling abilities this program comes with.  I was able to move around a model until I had a pose similar to this that I could use as my reference to make sure all my anatomy and perspective was correct.

I also messed around with the background preset images to create this wasteland sunset thing.

Special thanks to Tonight We Ride by Unleash The Archers for the background inspiration.

Overall I am honestly very pleased with this.  I think for now I've reached my artistic limit.  I know there are things that I could possibly do to make this better but I just don't have the skill and experience yet to know what those things are.

DeviantArt Link

My First Thirty-One Haul

A friend of mine hosted a 31 party and being the curious person I am I decided to check out what this company had to offer. I had looked through a catalog many years before and wasn't super impressed but they have some irresistible new patterns and offer things other than bags so I definitely found some things that I needed in my life.

I spent $44 and ended up with one giant tote, two storage baskets, a zipper pouch, and an adorable fox file. 

Let's start with the tote since I feel this is what the company is known for.  I actually wasn't planning on getting a tote but they had a special where if you spent a certain amount you could get a tote for $10 instead of $28, because I'm not a person that pays more than like $15 for a bag this was an exciting offer that I couldn't refuse. I got mine in the pattern Vintage Damask and oh my it is so gorgeous! I actually like it more in real life than in the product photo, the purple is darker and the damask pattern is more of a grey than a tan like I thought it would be.  It is very beautiful and I wish more things were offered in this pattern. 

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As you can see this has a ton of space inside! The two baskets sit comfortably next to each other and with the wallet sticking straight up it is only halfway to the top.

I tote stuff back and forth between my apartment and my house all the time and some of my reusable shopping bags are getting holes in them, so this will be great for carrying a ton of stuff.  I may also use this as a bookbag from time to time.  It feels very sturdy so I'm confident it won't be breaking anytime soon. 

Look at this. It's a nail file. A fox nail file.  There was no way I could pass up this adorable little guy.  For only $2 I'm so excited to have this! I filed my nails with it earlier and while it isn't a heavy duty file it definitely does the job.  I'll probably be keeping this in my new fox print wallet. :D

Speaking of fox print wallets, I am obsessed with this Fox Trot pattern and have been looking for a larger wristlet anyway so this purchase was a definite yes.  My current one is too small and It is getting annoying trying to fit everything I need into it. The wrist strap is also from 31 but I had received it as a gift from my mom for use with another wallet, but because I need to have a fox wallet like immediately, I have transferred it to this.

I don't even know what to do with all this space! Everything in here barely fit in my old wallet and now there is so much room for things! I can keep my phone, some makeup items, and a change purse in here and not be pushing for space. I think this was a decent deal at $12.

And last but not least the hanging baskets! These are called Oh-Snap bins and are honestly the exact thing I need in my tiny limited storage apartment.  I am allowed to make nail sized holes in my walls so these are perfect hangable storage for me.  I just have to hammer in a nail, hang, fill, and I'm good! I wanted to get like 6 of these but my budget limited me to two.....

I decided on the pattern Fox Trot to match my zipper pouch and nail file as well as in Playful Parade...er....well it doesn't look like this print exists anymore...awkward......which is a huge bummer because this is the pattern I would have gotten another basket in as it was the only other one I liked besides the foxes that was also bit more mature. Why isn't the Vintage Damask available in this product?! Anyway these were $10 each and the pretty black and white flower pattern is no longer available, so sorry if you liked it as much as I do :(

This is how I ended up using my snap bins.  The floral one is in my kitchen hanging by my window holding coffee, tea, and herbs.  The fox one is beside my vanity holding my 3 favorite palettes! 

They look so cute and add flair plus storage!

I am definitely pleased with everything I bought! :)

Want to get some cute things but don't know a consultant?  Here is the lovely lady I purchased from!

Fortune Cookie Soap Welcome Santa Winter Soap Box

It is that wonderful time of the year again when my seasonal Fortune Cookie box arrives! I always look forward to these and now I have officially tried one soap box for each season as I began my subscription this past Spring!

After being a little disappointed with the Fall box I was a bit nervous for the Winter box, but luckily they have really blown me away once again.  

So the theme this month is Buddy the Elf! I love that movie, it is so goofy and silly and just a good time all around so I loved the references and the scents and the packaging....and they really nailed it this season.

Buddy Fortune Cookie Soap

Initial: This smells like straight up candy.  It is extremely sweet but I wouldn't expect anything less from a product named after the Elf himself! I enjoy this, its really fun.

In Action: As usually these fortune cookie soaps suds up nicely but do leave your hands feeling a  bit waxy after drying off.  The scent lingers on the hands for a little while afterwards.

Verdict: While I wouldn't want to smell like candy, I'm ok with my apartment doing so, therefore I bought this as a wax tart!

Swirly Twirly Gum Drops Hand Sanitizer

Initial: As usual you can't smell these from the bottle, so you have to use it in order to actually sample the scent.  The hot pink color is pretty cute though!

In Action: Once you put this on and the alcohol evaporates this smells very light and sweet.  The smell is definitely not overpowering, in fact I barely smell it at all so its a nice sanitizer for when you just want sanitation without an overwhelming scent.

Verdict:  It is nice but I can't pick up all the notes that the description claims it has.  I decided to not purchase anything in this scent.

World's Best Cup of Coffee Whipped Cream

Initial: I was excited about this as soon as I read the name. I. Love. Coffee. So upon opening and taking my first sniff I was in love!  I could smell the maple right away.  Although honestly I wish the coffee was a bit stronger because the maple definitely takes center stage, but I love this scent anyway.

In Action: Unfortunately I feel like this smells a bit weird after sitting on my skin for a bit.  It doesn't quite smell like it did out of the jar.  It's not bad, just not as good. However after on the skin for a few hours I think it goes back to smelling good again, kind of odd how it changes but oh well! This also lingered on my skin for hours!

Verdict: I did end up purchasing this in a massage bar and a wax tart because I do really enjoy this scent and I hope they do more coffee scents in the future!

Shower Duet Shave Oil

Initial: Oh no.  This is not for me at all.  I don't like strong tree scents or mint and that is what this is.  I'll suffer through this only to test out the shave oil effectiveness, but if my boyfriend or a family member does not want it, its getting tossed.

In Action: This scent is so hard for me to handle but I did it, I used it.  Personally I really like using shave oil on my armpits, I'm not sure why, I just do. Maybe its because I think its ridiculous to lather up with so much shave foam for such a small area.  Shave oil you only need like 2 drops per pit and you're set, haha! I have only used one other shave oil ever and it was from an Ipsy bag or something and I don't remember the name but this definitely performed just as well. So yes to the product, nooooooooooo to the scent.

Verdict: This scent smells disgusting to me so no, I did not buy. However I like the shave oil formula so I'll probably buy it in another scent in the future.

FCS Cheer Perfume Oil

Initial: I was nervous about the cedar but oh my this is amazing.  The other notes really take center stage here, especially the vanilla.  I am a huge fan of this scent and this is probably my favorite from this box. It smells so much like winter and I've worn this every day since getting my box.

In Action: I swear I put this on at about 12pm and I could still smell it faintly at 9pm.  This scent is gorgeous and I feel like the vanilla comes out even more as it wears with the cedar disappearing completely, so I love this even more after a few hours of wear.

Verdict: I got this as a conditioner bar but now I'm honestly wishing I'd have gotten more.  I still have my $10 coupon so maybe I will get something else!

Yellow Snow Bath Bomb

Initial: This smells oh so very nice.  It is very relaxing and delicate. It is beautifully floral and fruity and man I love my floral fruits hahaha.  A definite win for me.

In Action:

Verdict: This scent is one of my favorites from this box so I bought the perfume oil! :D

Christmas Gram Face Plant

Initial: I've never heard of a product like this so I'm definitely excited to check it out.  As for the scent all I really smell is the lavender portion, but that's not a bad thing as I love lavender!

In Action: So I honestly don't see the point in these.  I filled up my sink with hot water dropped some in and draped a towel over everything.  It smells nice and relaxing, sure, but that was overcome by how uncomfortable it was to bend over a sink and hold my head above the water. I'm not sure how long you need to stay this was to get the pore refreshing effects but I couldn't do it for more than 5 minutes.  These face plants definitely aren't for me.

Verdict: While this scent is nice I personally already have some lavender scented items so I did not purchase.

Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins Dry Shampoo

Initial:  I love dry shampoo so I am very very excited to try this out.  However the shaker jar has me a bit perplexed. I can see myself making a huge mess trying to apply this.  The scent is so light that I can barely smell it.  However the description seems like it would be wonderful so I'm a bit bummed its too light to sample.

In Action: So because of my short hair this shaker bottle is very messy and very hard for me to  use.  I use dry shampoo at the hair by my temples because its the thinniest area so it tends to get greasy easy.  In order for me to apply this directly I have to tilt my head back, but then I can't see where or how much product I'm applying.  If I tilt my head to see, then the powder is hard to drop exactly on the spot without it missing and going everywhere. This is probably hard to picture haha.... but overall I just did not have a good time with this packaging.  Also I felt like it wasn't as effective as spray dry shampoos.  It did a little bit, but my hair still seemed flat.

Verdict:  Because this scent was available in a detergent I decided to try it out.  What I can smell of it is very fresh and lovely so I'm hoping the detergent will be a good choice! I wouldn't buy their dry shampoo however, it just doesn't work with my hair.

The bonus item this season was a candy cane.  Mine got a little smashed in transit but that's ok because I won't be eating it anyway.  I hate peppermint. Bleh.

Anyway! I really adored a lot of the scents from this collection and not only purchased some items for myself but also for some friends! 

As usual I can't wait for my next soap box! <3 <3

Want to watch me unbox it?