What is in my Rose VoxBox!

I was super excited to get the email that I was getting another VoxBox from Influenster. I got my first one the Cosmo VoxBox, about a year ago. Click here to see what was in the Cosmo VoxBox and here for my review on those products. 

So when I came home Monday and saw this:

I may have done a little happy dance. Ok, I did. 

This time I got the Rose VoxBox*. I was pleasantly surprised by the contents as I did not know exactly what was coming. As I did in my other VoxBox posts, this post will be about what is in the box and my first impressions on the products. Then I will follow up with a review post after I have had some time to use the products. Also I know all the items are not beauty related but to keep it simple I will keep the Rose VoxBox posts on this blog. 

Here is what was in the Rose VoxBox:

• belVita Crunchy Breakfast Biscuits.  These I eat all the time already. They are super yummy and very convenient for on the go breakfast/snack. I got the blueberry in the VoxBox one of my favorite flavors.                                                                                                        
• Dr. Scholl's For Her Cozy Cushions.  Looking forward to trying these out and seeing if I notice a difference in how my feet feel when using them.                                                                                                      
• Kiss Gradation Polishes. I think I am most excited about these polishes. I love the look that these polishes are supposed to give so I am really hoping it turns out how it is supposed to.                                                                                                                                                     
• Rimmel London Scandaleyes Retro Glam Mascara.  This is probably the second thing I am most excited for. Mascara is one makeup item I will wear even on days when I don't wear much makeup. I am kinda picky about my mascara though so time will tell how this one is.                                                                                                                                 
• Lindt LINDOR Milk Choclate Truffles. These I have also had before. Love these chocolates. They only give you one small piece but they also include a coupon for $1 off a full sized bag. Excuse to go out and get a bag? Hmmm.

Don't forget to check back for my review post. 

~amber~

* I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. 

Nails: Matte Grey with a Bit of Sparkle

From left clockwise:

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat
NYC Matte Top Coat
Revlon Colorstay Base Coat
Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday
(this is was a mini 100 points perk from Sephora)
Maybelline Color Show Impeccable Greys

Side note: I know some people clean up their nails after they paint them but I usually wait and peel off the nail polish when I wash my hands. It will usually come right off. 

~amber~

The Procrastinating Beauty Blogger Post

Rules:

1. Thank the tagger and link them in the post.

2. State that this tag was created by The Beau Bow.

3. Copy and paste the rules.
4. Tag some more beauty bloggers and link them to the post.

5. Title this The Procrastinating Beauty Blogger Post so readers know what the post is about.

6. Have fun!

Thank you Liz(lizlovesmakeupx3)  for tagging me!
1. Name a beauty regime that you rarely do.
 I rarely do much with my eyebrows. I only recently started using clear gel.  I do try to maintain them with tweezing but I haven't had them waxed in years. I also don't do much with my hair besides the basics (washing and brushing). I do want to try curling it though. Maybe do that every so often.  
2. Is washing your make-up brushes something you do regularly?
No and everyday I always think I gotta wash my brushes. I actually did last Friday though, very much overdue.
3. How long will you last with chipped nail polish?
Since I started working two jobs, longer than I would like (I typed this with chipped nail polish).  When it gets really bad though I will just take the polish off and if I am to tired to do them I will sometimes go awhile with no polish on (as I am right now). 
4. How long do you put off buying/ replacing a beauty or nail polish product, even if you need it? (e.g. purchasing a new top coat or foundation)
Most of the time I buy a new one before I run out. 
5. What is your worst beauty habit?
Not washing my face on days when  I don't go out and I am just hanging around the house. I have gotten better about washing my face before bed (and taking my makeup off).
6. Name something non-beauty related that you put off all the time.    
Cleaning my bathtub/shower. Its not super dirty but it could use a good cleaning. There is so much effect involved which includes getting in the tub and getting wet. I have started using a daily shower spray which you just spray on after your shower and leave, and that seems to help a bit. 
7. When going out somewhere do you leave getting ready to last minute or not?
 I usually don't wait till the last minute to get ready, especially if I am wearing makeup.
8. Can you commit to a spending ban?
I am more careful now with spending my money but I don't know if I can do a actual spending ban. I have thought about it though.
9. How organised is your make-up and nail polish collection?
I think they are pretty organised. It works for me so that is the main thing.
10. What is the longest amount of time you have gone without writing a blog post?
To long. Finding it hard to find the time and energy since I started working two jobs.

I don't know anyone to tag, so I will just tag everyone.  If you do this tag let me know in the comments.

~amber~

Nails: Private Viewing

• Revlon Colorstay 005 Base Coat
• Wet n Wild Megalast 204B Private Viewing
• Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat 

~amber~

Outfit Of The Night: Going To A Wedding (Dress & Makeup)

This post is long over due. I tweeted about about going to a wedding back in June (my boyfriend's sister got married). I wanted to share what I wore and the makeup look I did.

I ended up having to look for my dress last minute and dragging my boyfriend with me, which was interesting. We apparently have very different opinions on what looks good on me. After looking all day, going store to store it came down to two dresses. I ended up going with this one:

I got the dress at Macy's. I really liked how the hem of the dress is different lengths. The shoes(which are not tied in the pic) I have had for years, and I don't remember where I got them but they are super comfy which I love. I have trouble walking in heels and since I am tall I hardly ever wear them. But these shoes I was able to wear all night while most of the woman had abandoned theirs. 

For makeup I brought a lot:

I ended up going with a neutral eye:

And a bolder lip: 

For my hair I didn't do anything to it (besides brush it of course) expect use a little bit of sea salt spray which I was cautious to how much I used since it was the first time I ever really used it in my hair, and I was not sure how I would like it. I ended up not really using enough to do anything.

Sorry it took me so long to get this post up. I hope you all had a fantastic summer!

~amber~

Nails: Polka Dot Accent Nail

Hello all! I have a nail post for you today. This is actually last weeks nail look I did. I have already changed my polish but I wanted to share cause I finally used the dotting tool(s) I got back in February. I did a polka dot accent nail. The dotting tool made it very easy to do. I am definitely going to have to experiment using the tools for different designs. The green polish is a Sephora by O-P-I from the Tinsel Town Collection. The accent nail color is a polish from a Elf set my aunt sent me (the Sephora and Elf polishes do not have names on the bottles). I also used Revlon's Colorstay Base Coat (which  I am really liking) and my usual Sally Hansen Strengthening Top Coat.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Till next time,

~amber~

Another Update!

Hello all! Just a quick post to say hello, and I am still here. I have not abandoned this blog.  Working two jobs just hasn't left me a lot of time to do the quality of posts I would like. I really want to get back to posting on a regular basis but I do not know when I will be, hopefully soon.  I am still here though and I thank you if you have stuck around. I just noticed today that I hit 1000 page views even though I have only posted one new post in the past several months. Thank you if you are still checking out my blog. Even though I am not posting on a regular basis, I still check my blog on a regular basis. So feel free to leave comments, I will read them. It would be awesome if you followed me (that way you will definitely know when I post a new post) if you haven't already. You can follow me with bloglovin, just click the link in the side bar. You can also follow me on twitter as I often tweet when I post something new, as well as other randomness.


Till next time,
~amber~

March/April Favorites!! & Update!!

 I had started writing this post when it was the beginning of April and now April is over! Crazy how fast this past month has gone. So why haven't I posted in a month? Well I am working two jobs now and I have been adjusting to my new schedule. I hope to get back to posting on a regular basis soon. 

I really wanted to share my March favorites and since I have been still using and loving all the beauty favorites in April I figured I would make it a combined favorites for March and April.

Beauty

CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara- Love this mascara! It hardly ever clumps.The formula is not to wet which I like. I love the way it makes my lashes look. There are days when I don't wear any eye makeup expect this mascara. 

Burts Bees Toner- I really like this toner. The smell isn't bad and I did see a improvement in my skin as long as I kept up my skincare routine (sometimes I get lazy which I know is so bad!). The only thing I don't like is how small the bottle is and how fast I end up going through it. The price is around $10, so it is a bit on the more expensive side considering the size of the bottle compared to other toners.

Dove Detangler Spray- I don't know why I hadn't been using a detangler considering I have the kind of hair that loves to tangle. This stuff is great. It really does make it so much easier to brush out your hair. Wet or dry. Plus the smell is nice. I recently cut my hair short again so I don't need this as much as I did when I had my long hair. But I still do use it. I give a few sprays when brushing my hair out in the morning or after a shower.

 Maybelline Baby Lips in Melon Mania- This is a color I wouldn't normally get. I decided to pick this up after hearing some people talk about it on YouTube and I am glad I did. It gives just the right amount of color to your lips. I love that with baby lips you don't need a mirror to put them on but yet you still get color. This is definitely a great color for Spring/Summer.

Non Beauty (For March)

TV Shows

The Killing- I watched the first two seasons of this show in like a week or so. It is so good. Most cop/detective shows the cases get solved within a episode or two. The first two seasons revolve around one case. You may think that is drawing it out way to long but when I was watching it I definitely did not feel like it was. The third season is starting up in June (I think) and will be a different case. I am looking forward to it. 

The Walking Dead- So the ending was not as crazy as I had thought it would be.  Still this show keeps me on the edge of my seat. I actually ended up re-watching the whole first season in March. Gotta love a show that you can re-watch and its like your watching it for the first time again. 

Till next time,
~amber~

Bargin Buys: $20 Marshalls Haul

How fitting that the post before this is the The Shopaholic Tag. I have a small haul that I thought I would share. Earlier in the week I went to Marshalls to just look and see if anything caught my eye. A few things did and I only spent $20 ($20.67 if you want to be technical).

This shirt caught my eye. I know it is not very bright and Springy but I tend to like more neutral colors. I already have a few ideas for how I am going to style it. The best part was it was only $9.99. 

I have been wanting to try out a blending sponge since I see so many people raving about them on YouTube. This one was only $5.99 (cheaper than the one I saw in Target) and its purple! The notebook caught my eye at first because of the Eiffel Tower. But when I looked at it I thought it would be a great notebook for my blog notes. I have been using just a plain regular one. Having one that is a little bit fancier will be nice. Plus I can also decorate the cover how I want since it is like a cardboard material. I use a notebook to brainstorm ideas, write down questions for tags, keep track of my posts throughout the month, etc. I have always liked being able to write stuff down. The notebook was only $3.99.

 Have you found any good bargains recently? Let me know in the comments.

Till next time,

~amber~

The Shopaholic Tag

Hello all! Today I am doing a tag post. I wasn't tagged but I still wanted to to do this tag because I do love to shop. WWelcometomycloset on YouTube is who created this tag.


Questions

1. Would you consider yourself a shopaholic? Yes and no. Yes because I often find myself looking around in various stores. But no because many times I leave without buying anything. 
2. How would you classify your style? I don't know honestly. I have only recently gotten back into fashion and clothes after a period of not really caring about what I wore. 
3. What store can't you leave without buying at least one thing? Target! Target has everything though. So many times I am just buying something like soap or mouthwash. 
4. Where do you find the best deals? Target has great deals. Especially their clearance items. I just picked up a tank for $2.40 (70% off). Also Old Navy when they are having sales and have coupons. I had a pretty successful shopping trip there this past week. I was able to get the shorts I needed that were on my Spring Wish List. I also love Bath & Body Works and Victoria's Secret semi annul sales that happen in January and June. Those two stores also send out coupons, often for a free item with no purchase necessary. Definitely sign up (I believe you can do so in store at the registers). Right now I have a coupon for a free pair of underwear (VS) and a coupon for free travel size item (B&BW). I'm excited!
5. What designer are you willing to spurge for? Honestly I don't have anything designer. I do though sometimes spurge on Lauren Conrad's clothing line at Kohls. 
6. Do you have a go to shopping outfit? Not really. I just try to wear something comfy. If I am smart I will try to remember to wear something that is easy to take off if I know I will be trying on clothes. 
7. Whats your guilty pleasure? (not including makeup) Perfumes and body sprays. However, recently I have been good and I haven't been buying any. Also I seem to have way to many t-shirts. And yet I still keep buying more.
8. What is one staple clothing you can not live without? I have these tank tops that I wear under my shirts. Even in the summer. I just feel weird when I am not wearing one. I like them because most are a bit long so they give the layered look. Also if a shirt is a bit to short for my liking I can still wear it and feel comfortable.
9. What is a trend you hope never goes out of style? Is lace a trend? I think it is. I love lace and lace dresses/shirts. 
10. What is a trend you loved that passed to quickly? I honestly don't know cause like I said I have only recently gotten back into fashion. I  didn't pay attention to the trends before.
11. Who is you fashion icon? Lauren Conrad. I love her style and her clothing/jewerly line.

 I tag everyone who wants to do this tag. Let me know in the comments below if you have done this tag, I would love to read/watch them. 

Till next time,

~amber~

Book & Movie Review: The Time Traveler's Wife

I saw the movie a few years ago. Then recently for what ever reason I decided I wanted to read the book, so I asked for it for the holidays. My mom got it for me (thanks mom!) and I pretty much read it in a week or so (I did not want to put it down) even though it is a long book, over 500  pages.

The story is told from two perspectives, Henry who time travels and his wife Clare who does not.  The story centers on Henry and Clare and their lives. However, there are still many other characters who even though their roles are smaller they are just as important in the story. 

99% of the time in my opinion the book is always better than the movie. That doesn't mean the movie is bad (although sometimes it is) it just can't compare to the book. In the book there are all these details that you can't fit into the standard time of a movie. This is true for The Time Traveler's Wife.

So how does the movie compare to the book? In my opinion the book is better but the movie is good if you see it separately from the book. There are some changes made in the story in the movie and some things they leave out from the book. If you watch the extras on the DVD they explain why they choose to do this. 

Would I recommend the book? Yes definitely. The movie? Yes, but don't expect it to be just like the book. 

This is only book number three in my challenge. Even though I haven't read as many books as I had hoped to by now, I have been good and I have not bought any books so far this year. 

Till next time,

~amber~

March Glam Bag (Ipsy)

So happy to see this months bag has a print! 

What was in the bag:

• 2 Yaby eyeshadows. The colors I got were azalea petal and seashell. 
• Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist
• GlamRx Mini Freestyle Palette
• LA Lite Travel Lite Makeup Removers

Again I was a bit disappointed with this months bag.  The eyeshadows are alright ( I haven't tried them yet) but we did get eyeshadows last month. The mini freestyle palette is nice but small. I copied the idea for how to put last months eyeshadows in the palette from a picture Ipsy posted of someone who did the same. The makeup removers I will probably keep on hand for travel. And the mist I am not to sure how I feel about the smell just yet. 

For next months bag I am hoping for a lip product. 

 I figured I would give the bag and products a grade from now on.

March Glam Bag Grades

The Bag: A-

The Products: B-

Wanna read about what I have to say about past Glam Bags?

February Glam Bag.

January Glam  Bag.

For more about Ipsy.

Till next time,

~amber~

P.S. You can now follow me with bloglovin'.  Just click on the button in the side bar.

St. Patrick's Day Nails!

A simple St. Patrick's Day nail look. I used Sinful Colors in Exotic Green (1105) and then over that Sephora By O-P-I  in Only Gold For Me Top Coat.  I also used my Sally Hansen Strengthening Top Coat over all my nails. 

Did you do a St. Patrick's Day nail look?

Till next time,

~amber~

Outfit Of The Day: 3/14/13

Hello all! A quick outfit of the day post for my outfit from yesterday. I had to go to the dentist :( so I just wanted something simple and comfy. It has gotten cold here again in the northeast after a few days of warmer weather so I went with my purple sweater. It has two cute buttons on each shoulder which I forgot to take a picture of (sorry).  I just paired that with some jeans and my black boots which I love and have been wearing all winter. I wore my everyday jewerly, had my hair in a ponytail and did very simple makeup. 

  Sweater: Old Navy

 Tank: Target

Jeans: Old Navy

Boots: Target

Till next time,

amber

Spring Wish List!

It still feels like Winter in the northeast but Spring is not that far off. So today I thought I would share my Spring/(Summer) wish list. 

• Shorts- When I lost weight last year instead of trying clothes on so I would know exactly what size I was and what fit me best, I just bought a size (or two) smaller. So now I  have a bunch of clothes (shorts) that still don't fit me quite right cause they are still to big. I will most likely still wear some of these shorts but I really want to get some shorts that fit me just right. 
• Bathing Suits- I did the same thing when I bought bathing suits last year only going down a size and not trying anything on. Then when I was wearing the bathing suits I noticed especially the tops that they were just a bit to big. And I definitely don't want a to big bathing suit (visions of losing my top). So now I have to get new bathing suits for this year. I like to have at least two, to switch off if one is wet or dirty even though I don't always get to go swimming that much some years.
• Everyday Sandals- I bought a pair of black gladiator sandals two summers ago and I wore them almost everyday for both summers. Still going to wear them this year but I want to get another everyday pair since they are starting to get a little worn.  I want a pair in another neutral color that I can pair with many outfits, are flat and comfy to walk in and preferably has a zipper rather than a buckle.
• Toms Or A Style Similar. I think these would be a good Spring/Summer shoe but I don't think $50/$60 for actual Toms is in my budget. So I may end up going for a less expensive similar style. For colors I am thinking either black or gray.
• Athletic Sneakers- Again mine are getting a little worn. So I am on the look out for a new pair. 
• A Light Short Sleeved Sweater- I want something to throw over tank tops in case I don't want completely bare arms but still light enough that I can wear it in summer. I again I am looking for a neutral color so that it will go with many outfits. 
• A Few Spring/Summer Blouses- I have tons of t-shirts but I don't have that many nicer tops (blouses). So in my shopping travels I will be keeping my eye out for some nicer blouses.
• Crossbody Purse- I like having a smaller crossbody bag for Spring/Summer. The one I got at Target last year ending up ripping by the end of the summer. So I am on the hunt for a new one. Not sure of the color but I had white last year so I probably won't get it again. 
• A High Low Dress/Skirt- If I happen to find one I really like I may jump in on this fashion trend bandwagon.

 That is a lot of stuff! Good thing I saved gift cards from Christmas time!

What is on your Spring wish list?

Till next time,

amber

Nails: Whimsical

Today I picked up some Spring nail polishes because 1) I had some coupons and 2) Spring is right around the corner (for me this winter went really fast).  To see all the polishes I picked up head over to my twitter and don't forget to follow. :)

One of the polishes I picked up was a Revlon one called Whimsical.  In the bottle the color is a very pale blue with blue, pink, and silver glitter.  It does not look that blue when you put it on but it is still very pretty. I used two coats, you definitely need at least that if not three.  Then I used my normal Sally Hansen Strengthening Top Coat.

What Spring polishes have you picked up?

Till next time,

amber

February Favorites!

Its that time again, another month has come and gone! So for this month I have a few beauty items and the rest of my favorites is all food. For some reason when I find a food I like I tend to eat it like crazy until I get so tired of it I can't even look at it anymore. I don't know why I do this. Does anyone else do this?

Anyway on to my favorites...............

Beauty

This month  I have really been into lip products. I ended up trying several new ones that have come out recently.

• Maybelline, Color Whisper in Rose of Attraction (75).  I have never been a big lipstick person. Always leaned more toward lip gloss. But last year I tried a Revlon lip Butter and I liked it. On YouTube people were comparing these to those so I wanted to give them a try. I ended up liking it and I will probably buy other colors in the future (there are so many).
• Kate for Rimmel London Matte Lipstick in 109. I am loving the matte look right now. I wore this  for my Valentine's Day day date in NYC with my bf. I also wanna try the matte lipstick  NYX has.
• CoverGirl Jumbo Gloss Balm in Blush Twist (210).  I wasn't sure if I was going to like this like I like the Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain, but I did.  Loving this color and the fact its so easy to put on (easier than a lipstick). 

• NYC Matte Top Coat Nail Polish.  Going along with my love of the matte look. I had my doubts about this product because in the past I did not have much luck with NYC nail products. But I am happy to say that I am really liking this top coat. I wore it for my (actual ) Valentine's Day look and I was pleasantly surprised by how long my nails lasted without chipping.

Non Beauty

•  Roasted Red Pepper Hummus with Corn Chips.  So yummy!  I can go through a regular size of this hummus in 2 days.

• Fruit by the Foot & Fruit Snacks. This past month I have been craving something fruity and gummy so I have been reaching for fruit snacks. Then one day I decided to get a box of fruit by the fruit, something  I have not had since I was a kid. One box lead to a couple of more. But sadly I have to stay away from gummy stuff for awhile now while I am having some dental work done. 

• Oreo Cookies. Why are Oreo cookies so good?  That is all I am going to say. 

What are your February favorites?

Till next time, 

amber

Nails 3/1/13

Just want to share the nail look I did earlier this week. I wanted a neutral nail so I ended up using a polish I have had for a while but never tried. Back in the fall I picked up on clearance at Target a L'Oreal Paris polish in Park Ave Luncheon (201). I'll admit this was around the time I was marathon watching Gossip Girl and the name totally reminded me of the show. I have to say I liked this polish. I usually have trouble with neutral  polishes because many times they are so sheer I find myself putting to many coats on and then I always end up messing up my nails before they dry. I did two coats with this polish and that was enough for full coverage. The polish also dried  pretty fast. Then since I am all about the matte look right now I used my NYC Matte Me Crazy Mattifying Top Coat (which I will talk more about in my February favorites post).

Till next time,

amber

February Glam Bag (Ispy)

This is going to be a short post because honestly I have not tried anything that came in this months bag yet. So I can't really give any kind of review other than my first thoughts after seeing the products.Which was I was a bit disappointed at the sizes of the products this month after January's were so big. But I know that every month is going to be different and some months are going to be better than others. I definitely still think its worth the $10 a month.

The bag itself was also a bit disappointing. Black again and smaller than last months. I hope they do some fun patterns with future bags like they did last year.

The products in the bag were:

1. Coastal Scents Shadow Palette Sample
2. Pixi Flawless and Poreless
3. Pop Smokey Lash Kapow Mascara
4. MicaBeauty Gel Liner
5. Lash Card The Lash Card

Click here for more information on Ispy.
Click here for my post on January's Glam Bag.


Till next time,
amber

Book Review: The Age Of Miracles

To sum up the synopsis on the dusk jacket of the book: 

What would happen if the rotation of the earth has suddenly slowed? If the days and nights grow longer and longer? If gravity was affected and the environment is thrown into disarray?

If your 11 year old Julia you keep on living and growing up. The world is changing everyday and nothing is as it was but Julia still has to deal with the normal things kids growing up deal with. Her family, friends, bullies, crushes, etc.

One of the reason I liked this book so much was not only did the author tell us the story of what happens when our normal everyday lives are changed by things we have no control over. But how even though things are so different in the world Julia is still just a kid growing up and dealing with that.

This is such a good book. Very well written.  I definitely recommend it.  I don't want to say anymore because I don't  I want to give anything away.

Till next time,
amber