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.
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!
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.
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! :)
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!
Today I'll be talking about my second Black Box Subscriptions box! This is a monthly $20 gothic goodies box that delivers everything from dark makeup, jewelry, and bath and body products! The best part is everything is hand picked just for you based on a survey.
I liked this box a lot better than last month so I don't know if Vixx has seen my video/blog review and updated accordingly or if she just followed my survey answers a bit more closely this time regarding the silver jewelry and hair clip issue. :P
Either way this box was really fun. It had a mix of Halloween, skull, and spider decorations making the box look really festive and fabulous.
S.he Makeup Nail Lacquer in Black
This nail polish came with her logo sticker on it so I had to do a bit of searching to discover the brand. I have never heard of S.he before but after throwing it on my nails quick I can already tell I liked the Wet n Wild formula from last month's box better, so that will remain my go to black polish for now.
Where to buy: ikatehouse.com
Price: $1.80
Free Book Downloads
So this was a new and interesting item! I got a free download for a book and 2 short stories.
The short stories are from the book KAOS Obsidere: The Nightmare Has Begun: A Dark Fiction and the novel is Charlie Sullivan and the Monster Hunters: The Varcolac's Diary. I am really excited to download these books and check them out. I love dark fiction such as Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Darren Shan, so I am very pleased with these!
Where to buy: Amazon.com
Price: ~$3
Halloween Stickers
Like last month this box included a set of 4 Halloween stickers. Not sure what I'm going to be doing with these yet but they are pretty cute.
Price: ~ $.025
Doe Earrings
My first piece of jewelry this month were these very adorable little deer earrings. They are small and delicate and pretty cute. I also noticed after taking this close up shot that I think they have little skulls engraved on their sides which is pretty awesome.
Here they are dangling from my ear so you can get a better idea of size. They are cute and silver so I have no complaints!
I did some googling and found a picture of these in google images but when I followed the link it took me to a no longer existing Etsy page so I have no idea where to get these or how much they cost.
Price: ~$2-3
Wire Wrapped Bead Necklace
My second piece of jewelry was this presumably handmade by Vixx herself wire wrapped bead necklace. The pendant is a purple bead with a wire wrapping design, attached to a necklace made of ribbon and string. It is very unique and I have nothing like it, it also looks very nice on. I approve!
Because this is handmade I can only estimate the price
Price: ~$2-3
Black Gothic Bow
My accessory this month was a very beautiful and elegant black bow. It has a more secure clip meaning it will actually stay in my hair. Even though I haven't worn a hair accessory in about a year I really like how this looks and decided to wear it to school today. It is definitely my style!
I doubt I'll be able to find this exact bow but bows of this kind seem to go for about $5 on Etsy
Price: ~$5
Dark Candles Chocolate Bat Tealights
I was super super happy about this item! I love candles and have one burning almost all the time. These candles are in the scent Chocolate Bat and are from Dark Candles Halloween collection.
This candle smells divine. I love it. It isn't too sweet like I feared with a name that has chocolate in it, but instead the chocolate is balanced with other pleasant notes.
The website says "A tantalizing blend of chocolate and a mixture of Halloween candy!"
I feel like the scent smells darker and more mysterious than their description make sit seem, but its not a big deal, I love the scent and that's all that matters. The next time I am in need of some new candles I will definitely be checking this company out.
Where to buy:darkcandles.com
Price: $2.00
Spider Web Pen from Strange Omens
This pen and the soap that follows were in a bag with a tag that said Happy Haunting! From Strange Omens. When I went to Pagan Pride my boyfriend and I made some purchases from their stand so I was already familiar with this company. I can't find this pen on their website but it is pretty cute. It is quite small, about half the size of a regular pen. It has a spider web design on the body and is encased in bright orange plastic. Not going to lie it feels a little cheap but the small size makes it really nice for carrying in my wristlet wallet, so I'll be using this regardless.
Price: ~$1
Dreaming Tree Monster Mash Soap
These soaps are available for purchase from Strange Omens website but the brand itself also has a website so I'll link that for this item as well.
I love handmade small business bath and body products as is evident with my intense obsession with Fortune Cookie Soap so I was quite pleased to see this in my box! This soap is by Dreaming Tree Soapworks and it smells amazing. There are way too many delicious things going on at once so I couldn't even begin to tell you the notes but the website provides this description: "Drac's own secret recipe! A fun and fruity punch blend of cranberry, raspberry & citrus vanilla, magical herbs and autumn spices."
I would totally buy this in a full size, it smells so lovely. It is a truly perfect autumn scent.
Where to buy: Strangeomens.com and dreamingtreesoapworks.com
Price: Full size is $7.50 so this sample is probably around $2-3
And that is it for this month's Black Box! This box had so many one of a kind items and fun small business additions. I am very very pleased with this month. I don't even care how much the items add up to because there is no other way I would have been able to try Dark Candles and Dreaming Tree without committing to full size products first. The jewelry is also so my style and I am just so happy with this box.
It feels like forever since I've updated! Unfortunately because I get my packages shipped to my parents house instead of my city apartment out of paranoia it sometimes means I don't get my subscription boxes until much later than I should....I have this and two more that I will be hopefully putting together in the next week. Life is so crazy right now with the semester coming to a close and almost everything being due one after another meaning I never get a break. It doesn't help that I am expected to take a huge new step in my research as well. I'm exhausted and I can't wait for the holiday break.
As for Bulu box, I still love all the little samples I get but unfortunately I haven't been to the gym in so long I feel like I won't be using some of these things until I get back to it. Hopefully soon. Hopefully. :(
I got a few energy enhancing items this box which is definitely necessary with how busy I am. Every day is 8-12 hours, even most weekends so I need energy boosters, especially for mornings that I don't have time to make my usual cup of coffee. As before I will update the verdict section as I try these items.
Manitoba Harvest HempPro 70
I haven't even gotten a chance to try the vanilla flavor because of lack of gym time but I think I want to use these to make a breakfast smoothie sometime when I don't feel like eating cereal or eggs.
Initial Thoughts: While I prefer vanilla to chocolate I can see this going really well with some almond milk and strawberries. Maybe I could even throw some coffee in there to really make an awesome breakfast smoothie!
Verdict:
Price: 312g for $25 so 15g for $1.20
E–Hydrate BCAA + Electrolytes + Energy Gel
Initial Thoughts: Oh gosh after my terrible experience with last months energy shot product I'm terrified to try these.....hopefully they don't taste disgusting too. It is a gel texture apparently instead of a liquid. Honestly not sure if that makes it better or worse....
Verdict:
Price: 24 for $48 so 2 for $4
Run Gum
Initial Thoughts: Caffeinated gum? Brilliant! I do wish I had gotten fruit instead of mint though, really not a fan of mint. Even my toothpaste is citrus flavored. Anyway I'm pretty excited about these. I love gum and sometimes chew it before work or school so this is a great way to get my gum fix and also replace a cup of coffee when running late.
Verdict: This honestly just tasted like mint gum. At first I tasted an odd flavor but it disappeared fairly quickly. The flavor didn't last that long but the point of this is more for the caffeine rather than the gum I'd assume. I didn't fall asleep during work today without my morning coffee so I guess this worked! Not sure I'd buy it though as this isn't really a product I need.
Price: 12 packs for $18 so 1 pack for $1.50
Jelly Belly Sport Beans
Initial Thoughts: Jelly Belly brand energy beans?! This is pretty sweet. I love jelly beans and I can't wait to give these a try. This will be perfect for sticking in my purse as a mid day pick me up snack.
Verdict:
Price: 24 1oz bags for $28 so 1 .35oz bag for $0.40...I think.
Tiger Balm Ultra Strength Pain Relieving Ointment
Initial Thoughts: Oh my when I go to the gym my thighs and glutes get especially sore so I can't wait to give this a try once I get my butt back to weight lifting. Literally. I really like the name and logo too, I love tigers :P
Verdict:
Price: 18g for $13 so 2g for $1.44
NeoCell Beauty Infusion
Initial Thoughts: I used to use water enhancers like crazy back when I "didn't like" plain water....-shudder-..I was such an idiot. Anyway now I love water and don't really drink much besides water, coffee, and the occasional hot cocoa but I'll definitely be giving this a try! Yay collagen! I wish I had gotten a flavor other than orange though...its one of my least favorite artificial flavors.
Verdict: Well I mixed this into my daily water bottle fill up and it tastes like artificial orange which was meh right off the bat. It says for optimal absorption to drink on an empty stomach.....well I hate right before and while sipping it between then and before my dinner my stomach became more and more nauseous. The hungrier I got the more of a...no lie...vomit aftertaste this beverage had. I don't know if it was just because I hate fake orange or because it was at room temperature, but I dumped it without even drinking half of it. Not a fan.
Price: 30 servings for $33 so 1 serving for $1.10
This month's box which cost me $5 with a coupon special they had going on came out to a total of $9.64.
If I was paying the full $10 for this I probably wouldn't be happy but I don't mind what I get for the $5 price I got it for. I will probably keep this subscription for a while, its so fun to get new protein, energy, and vitamin products to try every month!
