Birchbox vs. Ipsy

So, as some of you read in my review of Ipsy's June Glam Bag, I signed up for June's Birchbox, just to see if I had made the right decision when I chose to sign up for a year of Ipsy rather than Birchbox.  I had read tons of blogs, articles and posts trying to figure out which of the many, many beauty boxes would be the best to subscribe to, and I ended up choosing Ipsy, and I've loved it since I started, but I still wasn't sure, so I wanted to try Birchbox and see.

So, June's Birchbox theme is Wanderlust, which is awesome, since I"m a huge fan of traveling.....it sort of makes me feel complete, somehow, so I was really drawn to the theme.  But, the rest wasn't as impressive.

First thing I noticed was that the size of the samples are much smaller than those in the Ipsy bags.  I suppose it's entirely possible that it's just this month, and normally the stuff is bigger, but I'm not going to lie, I was disappointed.

The first product was the Coola SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer.  I'm sort of a sun worshiper, so I don't own or use sunscreen, but I'm moving to Florida in August, so maybe this stuff will come in handy.  It smells good, anyway.  And it's organic, which is definitely cool.  But one of the reasons why I don't use sunscreen (other than the obvious) is because I don't really like the sort of greasy, mildy sticky feeling that most sunscreens have, and this one is a little on the greasy side, too.  It's not bad, I've definitely felt much worse, so there's that.  But I don't really feel like I can comment much on this, since I don't really use sunscreen enough to compare the experiences.  What are you guys' thoughts on this stuff?

Next product was a nail polish, one that Color Club and Birchbox got together and chose four colors inspired by four of their favorite cities.  I got the color called Mod in Manhatten, which I love.  It's a creamy off-white color, but here's my problems with this product:  #1 I got pretty much the exact same color in my May Ipsy Glam Bag already.  #2 it's not full sized--it's mini.  Ipsy's was a full-sized nail polish.  I mean, don't get me wrong, it's a pretty color, but I just felt like Ipsy did this better.  Plus, it took
three coats of this stuff while it only took two of the Ipsy stuff.  I don't know.  Anyway, I did my toes, but don't judge my ugly feet lol.  I apologize for them right now, I just wanted to show you the color.  :)

Anyway, moving on....  The next product is the Juicy Couture perfume sample of the fragrance Couture La La.  I read the description of it included in the box first, and thought I would love it.  Not the case.  It was far too overpowering for me.  I don't know.  I feel like perfume is a very personal thing, like, that everybody likes different fragrances, and to each his own in that sort of way.  So what I love, you might hate, and vice versa.  It's not that any of the fragrances are bad by any means, just not one personally enjoyed by that person.  In this case, not by me.  But hey, if it's good

for you, by all means, keep on loving!! :)

Now, the next product was one I got excited about.  I'm definitely one to focus on doing up my eyes when I get all dolled up, so discovering new eyeliners is always fun for me.  The Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in Navy Blue is pretty darn cool.  The stuff is like an ink pen for your eyes....but even better.  It's super thin, so you can make the lines as precise as you want them, but can go on thick too.  And the color has just the right amount of sheen to it, so it

literally does look like a blue ink pen.  It's pretty cool.  Only problem I had with it: super hard to get off.  I guess it's like a blue ink pen like that, as well.  I really had to scrub to get it off my face.  But other than that, the stuff was pretty awesome.

So the last product in the box, the Amika Obliphica Nourishing Mask, is a mask for your hair.  I haven't tried it yet, but I'm super excited for it.  I love nourishing hair products.  My hairdressers always yell at me because my hair is "too silky" as it is (apparently it's not good for your hair to be silky???  I don't get it, I love my hair silky and soft) but I'm always

looking for products to make my hair even softer, so I'm excited to see how this stuff works.  I'll keep you guys updated!!

They also included this super cute little Twistband hair tie with little anchors on it, which was fun.  It's funny, because they include the prices of this stuff in the box, so you know what sort of a deal you're getting, and this tiny little hair tie was comparable in price with the beauty products, which, personally, I feel like is pretty crazy.  I mean honestly...who pays $14 for a hair tie?!  Seriously....  But then I went on their website and I discovered it's $14 for a set of 6 of them.  Which is still ridiculous, but at least you get 6 instead of 1.....  Yeah, who am I kidding, that's still ridiculous.  I would never pay that.  Never.  Would you???

So, to sum up, I really really want to know about you guys' experiences with Ipsy vs. Birchbox, because I've had tons and tons of people tell me Birchbox is the best, Ipsy is the best, Glossybox is the best, etc.  I still don't know which is the best.  I really don't.  But what I do know is this:  June's Birchbox was upsetting to me.  In comparison with the bags I've gotten from Ipsy these last few months, Birchbox just wasn't impressive for me.  The sample sizes were smaller, the products weren't necessarily exciting for me (at least not as exciting as I had hoped they would be), and Ipsy includes a fun bag to keep all the fun stuff in, while Birchbox doesn't.  Purely based off of this month's box alone, I definitely feel like I chose the better box when I went with Ipsy.  But this is one blog post I really really want to hear you guys' thoughts on this stuff.  What do you like and not like about your beauty box subscriptions?  Which is your favorite?  I decided next month I'm going to try the Beauty Box 5 box to see how that one stacks up.  I'll let you guys know!!

Fashion Show!!!

So last night I volunteered at a Fashion Group International fashion show yesterday, called "The Essence of the Louvre: A Minnesota Designers Showcase."  It was phenomenal!!!  Not only did I get to work one-on-one with a really awesome local designer, but I got to talk shop with a bunch of the designers, the models, and other volunteers going to school for the same thing I just graduated with.  It was fantastic!

http://minneapolisstpaul.fgi.org/

I worked with local Minnesota designer Sophia Graydon, who design these absolutely gorgeous luxury sleep and loungewear pieces, and they're just amazing.  The gal I was working with, Ida, was super nice, and we chatted about how she got into fashion and marketing her line and stuff like that, and it was awesome.  The line was just so beautiful, I hardly wanted to touch it.  The stuff is very pricey, but all the fabrics are high-quality silks and the like, so it's well worth the price.

http://www.sophiagraydon.com/

I also met a local jewelry designer, Studio C Designs, the gal's name was Sara, and she was just a blast.  She knew so so much about minerals, and soddering, and all the jewelry-making stuff that is way above my head, and it was so interesting to talk to her about how she got into making this stuff.  I'm obsessed with pearls, as some of you probably know, and she had some of the most beautiful pearl pieces, along with tons of gems and this gorgeous silver and rose gold bracelet....oh my gosh I was just in love. 

studiocjewelry.com/

It was just so completely eye-opening to get to help with this show from start to finish (obviously I didn't get to help with the planning of the event itself, I just mean the day of the event) getting the lines set up, getting the models outfitted, and making sure they made it down the runway, stripped them out of one designer as quickly as possible and put them in another, and another, and the timing had to be just right.  I've taken part in the makeup artistry portion of this stuff before, but the rest of it was just......oh my gosh there are no words!!  I decided once I get down to Florida I'm going to have to get involved with local designer groups and fashion shows down there so I can partake in this stuff more often, because it was just an awesome experience!!  I'm telling you, if you ever get the opportunity to volunteer at a fashion show, or even be in a fashion show (as a model, designer, etc.)....do it!!!  It is so much fun, and you will learn so so much, and meet some really awesome people!  Huge, huge thanks to everybody I worked with for letting me be a part of this awesome night!!!

Ispy June Glam Bag

Eeep!!  My Ipsy Glam Bag finally came!  I was so excited when it arrived!!  You'll probably be able to tell by the pictures, cuz I've already used all of the products!  They're amazing!  The bag itself is a green leopard-print, which was meant to show the Wild Side of this month's theme, but I wasn't a huge fan of it--I don't really like animal prints so I am biased.  But what was inside was so freakin fantastic!!

 First off, the Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter pencil.  Absolutely amazing.  I've been watching all these tutorials lately that talk about making your eyes appear bigger with a light eye pencil around the bottom waterline, so I tried that out with this stuff.  Fantastic.  I have really small, squinty eyes and I definitely noticed a difference.  I know a lot of people are highlighting the top of their eyelid, just under the eyebrow with this pencil too.  I haven't tried that yet, though.  This stuff is the perfect color though, and it's just creamy enough that it doesn't hurt to put it on but it doesn't fall apart while you're applying it.  It's perfect.  I am seriously in love with this pencil!!! 10/10

Next, the NYX Mosaic Powder compact in Silk is awesome.  It's got just a tad bit of shimmer, and the perfect amount of bronze to just highlight the apples of my cheeks without making me look like a teenager with too much bronze and glitter.  7/10

The next item in the bag was the J Cat Sparkling Cream Palette in
Volta.  This stuff was creamy and glittery and not at all what I was expecting.  I tried the navy-ish color and was surprised to find it was just the glitter, no color added.  I was going to use it to line the tops of my lids in a pretty navy glittery line, but it didn't turn out that well.  Not sure what I'll use it for yet, but I'm sure I'll find something.  It's nice glittery stuff, anyway, just not for what I was going to use it for!  5/10

Fourth was the Starlooks Lip Pencil in Bare.  Love this stuff!!  I've been looking for a lip pencil in just the right color, and this stuff was perfect.  I hate how so many pencils have too much pink, and make your lip color look off.  This one almost had a bluish tone to it, making the lip look very nude and ready for whatever color I wanted to put in it, or just a clear gloss.  I loved it.  8/10

Last, the Cailyn Line-Fix Gel Liner in Iron.  This stuff rocks my
socks!!  The built-in brush gives the liner the perfect precision and it's not in a harsh black, but it's still dark enough to really line and define.  I used this stuff to make a perfect winged eye look, and filled in my lashes in between each lash to make them look fuller, and it was perfect.  Love love love it!!  10/10

So, I decided since it's now my third month getting these awesome Ipsy bags, I wanted to see what Birchbox was all about, so I got just one month of Birchbox, to see if I made the right decision in getting Ipsy over Birchbox.  I'll keep you guys updated.  So far, I haven't gotten the box yet obviously, but I like Ipsy's discounts better, and I like that Ipsy's bags come in the beginning to the middle of the month, while it seems like Birchbox's come at the end of the month, which I don't know that I'm a big fan of.  But I don't know, we'll see.  Maybe the products will more than make up for all that.  We'll see........

Jumping in with Blind Faith

So here I am, on my 28th Birthday, and celebrating my graduation from fashion school on Friday, and I can't help but wonder....now what?  I'll be THIRTY in 2 years.  Two years!!!  I swear to you, I still feel like I'm a teenager!  Going to school with a ton of them will do that to you I guess.  But so many people my age already have established careers, and families.  I don't have any of that.  With this economy, it seems damn near impossible to get the career you really want without years and years of experience, and tons of schooling.  So it's finally hitting me that, 10 years after I graduated high school, I'm only just finishing my "college" years, and as much job experience as I've earned over these past 10 years, none of it is truly relevant to what my career choice would want me to have.  And not only that, but I've made the major life decision to pick up and leave Minneapolis and move to Tampa, Florida this August.  So, that's where my "now what" comes in.

Has anybody else been through this?  Do you have any words of wisdom for little 'ol me?  It's just so terrifying and frustrating, but still slightly invigorating and freeing, to jump in without any promise that you'll float.  Jumping in with blind faith.

Ethical Fashion

So, for those of you who weren't aware, there was a horrific tragedy at a manufacturing building in Bangladesh recently, which killed over 1,000 people.  It was awful, and very heartbreaking.

This idea of social responsibility has been building, and I feel it's only necessary to talk about it.  I listened to this interview on NPR of Elizabeth Cline, author of Over-Dressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion.  It's an extremely interesting interview, and I highly, highly recommend you listen to it from start to finish.  It's a little on the long side, but it's well worth the time.

Ethical Fashion: Is the Tragedy in Bangladesh A Final Straw

I remember hearing about the workers in the Nike factory being mistreated and being far too young to be working and the backlash that went against Nike afterwards, way back years ago.  It seems like it sort of opened up the eyes of more of the public and created this idea of being socially responsible.  From that idea has stemmed this huge organic, green movement, in coming to the realization that the harsh dyes and chemicals that went into the manufacturing of our clothing has created air and water pollution in these countries where the manufacturing of these garments has been outsourced to for cheaper labor.  From that, even, the Made in America movement has come about, from those who are upset with company after company outsourcing their labor when we are short on jobs here at home.

All this screams for debate.  But, no matter how you debate it, there is no right answer.  You want cheap clothing?  You sure as hell aren't going to get it from clothing made supporting the Made in America movement--here in America we're paid far too well for the labor to be cheap enough to make the cost of the clothing made to be as cheap as that of, say, the Forever 21s and H&Ms of the world.

But that said, cheap labor is costly.  The conditions that these workers might be working in may or may not be up to par.  Countries like China, where we in America have been known to outsource labor to, have began the process of upgrading their factories so that all the workers are in a safe environment, using up-to-date technology and no harsh chemicals are used.  But do you know what that means?  The cost of the labor has "skyrocketed" in comparison to what it was before.  And places like Bangladesh, where factories aren't necessarily safe and harsh chemicals may or may not still be used, are being turned to for their cheaper labor.

Unfortunately, then tragedies like this one, where the entire building just collapsed on these poor workers happen.  The building obviously wasn't structurally sound.  Who is responsible for that?  We can argue all we want, but the fact is, not one single person, or government, or business entity is responsible.  And what is the magical fix for problems like this?  Again, there isn't just one easy solution.

It's really hard, because people are so quick to place blame on the US, or the business using the factory (Walmart, Nike, etc.) but in reality, it's not their fault....or at least it's not just their fault.  There is so much that goes into outsourcing labor in other countries. For example, I watched a documentary on Adidas. They do everything in their power to make sure their factories are run right, their workers are taken care of (even offering on-site housing, free food and healthcare) and they pay their workers really well (these workers make more money working in the Adidas factory than a teacher or other "normal" careers would in that country) but, unfortunately, it's still not enough. Reason for this is because we (Americans) come in, and screw up their economy by paying their workers tons more than everyone else in the country is making, creating inflation and a huge imbalance in the economy, and it's impossible to keep up with. Plus, we have to stay within that country's own government's laws and regulations, meaning there are certain things we might feel are necessary for these workers that just isn't allowed by their government. If it wasn't for America coming to these countries for cheap labor, though, more often than not these factories might have never had these regulations put in place for the safety and health of their workers. So we're trying to do good. We really are. It's just....difficult. There are a lot of factors at play, not just one single person to blame. And there really are no right answers.

We have come to expect clothing be cheap and fashionable.  I don't know about you, but my closet is overflowing.  Literally.  And so, so many other people I know have the same problem.  I knew one woman who literally had converted her second bedroom into a closet, with rolling rack after rolling rack packed full of clothing stuffed into this bedroom.  Who needs this much clothing, really?  I can go for months without doing my laundry, and hardly make a dent in my closet.  That's ridiculous.  And yet, I still bring more clothes home.  We all do.  We want to keep up with the latest trends, which are constantly changing.

The idea of dressing for the season is no longer an idea.  Stores have Winter 1, 2, and 3, Spring 1, 2 and 3, etc.  Some stores, like H&M, get a whole new inventory every few weeks. But all this just isn't sustainable!

Here's an interesting fact for you to consider:  it takes over 400 gallons of water to make a single cotton t-shirt.

Think that's bad?  Look in your closet.  Count how many t-shirts you have.  Then do the math.  Then count how many pairs of jeans you have.  It takes over 1,800 gallons of water to make just one pair of jeans. 

How many gallons of water do you think have gone into your closet alone?  Then how many gallons go into washing them as often as you do?  That's a lot of water.  While other countries don't even have enough water to drink.  Make you feel a little selfish?  Yeah, me too.  But what can we do?  This is our way of life.  And there is definitely no changing it overnight.

Awareness.

I think it's the most important thing of all.

I know some of this stuff you already knew, but I'm willing to bet some of it you didn't.  And this is just piddly little old me writing it.  If you went and googled social responsibility in the textile industry, and/or the green movement, or sustainability, and read even just a couple of articles, you would learn tons more.  There is so much information out there.  But so many people just don't know it's there.  I don't even think it's that people don't care, I think it's more that they just don't know.

So let's start the conversation.  Start talking to people.  Have that debate that can help come up with real solutions.  Wash your jeans less (they honestly don't need to be washed even a quarter as often as you are probably washing them--it's not gross; it's how they're built--and it's far cheaper on your wallet and far, far better for the environment).  Give yourself a cap of the number of clothing items you're allowed to buy each year--and don't go over it.  Give your clothes you don't wear anymore to a secondhand store.  Each one of us can make a difference.   It won't be a huge difference, but it has to start somewhere.  And it already has.  Let's keep the ball rolling.

Love you all!! xoxo!

Ipsy May Glam Bag

First, I just wanna start off by apologizing for having too much to do these past few weeks!!!  I'm so sorry guys!  I'm super bummed, cuz I missed the last two episodes of Fashion Star, which sucks since they were the very last two!!!  I mean, honestly I'm not that bummed...just cuz Hunter won, which was what I'd been predicting the entire time, so it ended up being predictable, which I hate, but I'm still sad I missed it all.  I wanted to very very quickly just apologize for missing those and not being here to fill you guys in!!  So sorry!  Did anybody else see them?  What did you like, and what didn't you like?  I actually still haven't seen either of the last two episodes, I just saw on Macy's website that Hunter won.  Who came in second and who came in third?  What were the best designs?

Okay, and on to the good stuff.  My Ipsy May Glam Bag came in the mail today!  I was so flipping excited!!!  Especially since a package of beads I had ordered for my portfolio project for graduation had come today too, but they were the wrong beads!!!  So sad, because they came from China, so I won't be able to get the right beads in time for graduation so I was super bummed, but then I saw my package from Ipsy and it more than made up
for it!!!

The bag itself is absolutely adorable, with the fun zig-zag stripes I'm seeing all over for the Spring, and two of my favie colors, teal and orange, so cute!!!  But what was inside was even better!!!

The Zoya nail polish, in Jacqueline, is this really pretty, creamy white color, not stark white, but just a bit creamier (think like a pearly alfredo sauce) and goes on like butter!!  Oh and speaking of butter, has anybody else had issues with their nail polishes from Butter London?  I have two, and I feel like I have to use 3-4 coats of it just for it to look decent, and it tends to not look even, even then.  I'm not a fan, and I just wanted to see if anybody else had had similar problems with it?  But anyway, this Zoya polish rocks my socks!!!

PS, I've had this stuff on now for a couple days, and I'm falling even more in love with it as time goes on!  It hasn't chipped at all yet, which is awesome, since usually by now my nail polish is chipped cuz I'm pretty hard on my hands typing all day at work and at home.  And the color is only growing on me that much more!!  Love this stuff!!!

Next was this Yaby concealer refill in Buff, which I'm assuming may have been part of an earlier Glam Bag from before my time, since this random little metal container didn't have a top to keep it from getting stuff in it, or anything like that.  But the makeup itself is alright.  I've actually been needing more concealer so this came just in time!!!  A tiny bit goes a long way with this stuff, which is great, but it was just a tad too light for my skin, so that sucked.  I mean, yeah, your concealer is always supposed to be on the light side, but I don't think it should be this light.  I tried it under my eyes to get rid of that awful tired look, and it was alright, but it doesn't deal well with the tiny wrinkles.  It seems to set into them and almost made my skin look dry.  Obviously, putting foundation over everything made it look better, so it's fine, but I'm one that likes to wear little to no makeup in the summer to show off my freckles when I'm tan, so I was a little bummed about this stuff, but in the winter when I'm not tan it should be fine.

This Nu Me Finishing Serum stuff looks and smells awesome!!!  The package said to only use 2-3 drops, so I did, and I didn't notice any difference at all.  I mean, great, it's light and not greasy, but I also didn't notice that it tamed flyaways at all, but it also says it protects the hair from the environment and stress, which is good, so I might start using it every day just to help with this crazy wind we've been having in MN!

Next was the Pacifica Island Vanilla Perfume Roll-On.  Love this

stuff!  LOVE this stuff!!!  I can't stand just vanilla smells usually, but this one is really...gosh I can't put my finger on the word.  It smells like vanilla, don't get me wrong...but it almost has a hint of something else.  The package says Tahitian vanilla is known for its fruity and slightly floral aroma, so I guess that must be it.  It's just not as heavy and boring as the vanilla I usually can't stand.  I love it.  Plus, it's vegan and free of parabens and all that bad stuff, which is super cool!

Speaking of being vegan and free of parabens, the last fun item in the bag was actually my favorite.  Juice Beauty, the Organic Solution lip gloss in Fig.  The color is very slight, and doesn't overwhelm my skin, but it's still a color, and it's very pretty.  Plus, it's really light and not sticky at all which is definitely something I hate about lip gloss usually.  This stuff is fantastic.  And organic!!  Their website boasts that their antioxidant-rich juice base makes their products 98% organic, which is definitely something to boast about!  The only thing I'm worried about is how long the gloss will last, since it's juice based.  I guess I'll find out!  But for now anyway, I love the stuff and want it to last forever!!!

So that's my May Glam Bag!  I'm curious...do any of you have subscriptions to any of the other monthly makeup bag subscriptions out there?  What do you think of the stuff you've been getting?  I love Ipsy, but I've only had it for two months and I'm wondering if the other subscriptions are better?  I don't know, I like it, though.  Just curious what you guys' thoughts are!

Fashion Star 04/26/2013

8 weeks in already!  Can you believe it?!  Today's challenge is to make 4 garments: 1 for a women in two colors, and 1 for a man in two colors!  Such a fun, challenging day!  Woo!

So, after Hunter's blip last week, and now her frustration with this week's challenge, I'm starting to second guess myself.  I've been rooting her on from the very beginning, but Daniel is growing so much since the beginning.  His designs are so great lately, and I'm starting to wonder if maybe it'll be Daniel that ends up winning!  We shall see, I guess...

I'm having a really hard time figuring out who is going to go home tonight.  Every single person left is really really talented, and I'm really nervous.  I don't want anybody to go home!!!

John's Team:

Cassandra's Pant
Express

Cassandra's pant was really cute--boyish, like her, sorta punk rock-ish.  Really cute.  Not a fan of Sylvia's top on either the man or the woman.  Huge huge huge bummer.  I wonder if she's going home today!!!  So sad, cuz she's had some really really great designs in the past.  Today was a bad day for her.

Macy's bought Cassandra's woman's pant, and Express bought her men's pant,

Cassandra's Pant
Express

which I'm super happy about, because she definitely had some cute designs.

Nobody bought Sylvia's men's polo shirt, but Saks did buy her women's top.  I'm surprised, honestly, because I didn't like either of them, and I was really disappointing in her designs, but I am happy she got bought though.

Nicole's Team:

Silvia's Top
Saks

Daniel is the only one left.  I loved his designs, and Express did too!  They bought his men's jacket, and his women's romper, which was so so so awesome for him!!!  And, he sold the most out of everyone so far, hitting $800,000.00!!!  Nuts!!!  So awesome, I'm so happy for him!

Jessica's Team:

Daniel's Jacket
Express

Hunter's women's jacket was...okay....but I wasn't a huge fan.  The men's jacket was a tad better, but I still wasn't a huge fan.  I loved JesseRay and Garrett's dress, in fact I might have to buy it (assuming it gets bought, which I'm sure it will), but the jacket was only alright for me.  I see why this was a challenge for these teams.

JesseRay and Garrett men's jacket didn't get an offer, which was a bummer, but the dress had a huge bidding war between all three of the retailers!!  So exciting!!!  Express bowed out, and they had to choose between Macy's and Sak's.  They chose to go with Macy's, to pay her back for what she did for
them last week.  So exciting!!!  Go JesseRay and Garrett!!!

Daniel's Romper
Express

Hunter's men's jacket didn't get any offers, and neither did her women's jacket.  I'm not surprised.  I'm guessing she and Silvia go up for elimination tonight....but I'm honestly hoping Silvia goes home, not Hunter.  Well.....I wish neither of them did, but there's no question that someone has to.

Nicole said it best "at this point, it's like....everyone's great, so..."  Yeah.  truth.  Hunter and Silvia went up for elimination, as I predicted.  Poor poor Express always has to be the bad guy.  She sent Silvia home, which was ultimately what I was hoping for, but it doesn't stop it from being soooooo sucky.  She's awesome, and I wasn't ready for her to go home.

JesseRay and Garret's Jacket
Macy's

That said, Hunter better bring it in the next episode.  She's been slipping.  I'm really excited to see what next week brings as far as designs, though!!