First look at the Bite Beauty Lip Lab Limited Release Crème Deluxe Lipstick Shade 007

Here is your first look at the Bite Beauty Lip Lab Limited Release Crème Deluxe Lipstick Shade 007. I have to say I am in love with the color of this lipstick. The formula is creamy, goes on smoothly, and has a lovely scent. The wear time is average but I am so willing to apply this over and over. I wish I had purchased two! 

For the swatches I have not used lip liner (you can tell) as to not modify the color of the lipstick itself. Shade 007 will be available in Canada on July 15 and they sell out fast ladies so grab one if you can.

My Full Review of the AQUA REVEAL Satin Bright Soft Water Peel for Face

I do have other unboxing’s to do for June (I’m behind) so you might not see them this month since July is about to start (I might do two at once for July) but I wanted to review the AQUA REVEAL Satin Bright Soft Water Peel for Face. I received a sample of this product in a recent Birchbox. I’m very hesitant to use anything on my face that I haven’t researched like a stalker. For those that do not know I have a very sensitive angry face that is prone to rosacea. 

I tested the AQUA REVEAL sample on my hand and when I began to rub the product (via the directions but it said face I used my hand…close enough) I immediately felt dry dead skin balling up. “Huh” I said to myself “…would you look at that”. 

Here is a little about the product from their website http://www.aquareveal.com/soft-water-peel-for-face/

This amazing lightweight water-based gel utilizes SMART EXFOLIATION™ technology to provide adjustable exfoliation from light to deep while not drying out skin. Specially formulated with Hyaluronic Acid and nourishing botanicals to maintain skin's natural moisture levels while effectively and visibly sweeping away dead skin cells.

Removes impurities and decongests clogged pores without causing irritation or redness in even the most sensitive skin. Immediately following use, skin feels smoother and softer and looks brighter and healthier. 

WHY IT'S UNIQUE:

- Contains Hyaluronic acid

- Patent-pending brightening formula

- Ideal for all ages and all skin types

- Complements any existing skincare regimen 

- Improves absorption of other products following use

- Contains a patented brightening ingredient

- Dermatologist and Allergy Tested

- Over 95% natural ingredients

- Cruelty-free

- No Parabens

- No Sulfates

- No Synthetic Fragrances

- No Synthetic Dyes

- No Phthalates

- No Triclosan

I decided that I would try it. The worst that could happen is I look like an angry red sunburned trucker. Small price to pay! I bought the full size of this product ($49.00) and have been using it three times a week for the past month. 

I have had absolutely no irritation from the AQUA REVEAL. That statement along is huge. The skin on my face is a fickle angry thing - If I touch it wrong it can get red and angry. To put an exfoliating product on my face that requires me to rub the skin is something I have been avoiding for years. I’ve actually being using the Kiehl’s Overnight Bio Peel but I felt that while it did work it was not enough. 

After a month of use my skin is very soft (like baby bottom soft) and people have commented on how smooth my skin looks. There is also something very satisfying when you rub something on your face and you can see the dead skin just balling up. Is it just me? Maybe it’s just me (side eye). 

I love this product and I am going to say that this is my Holy Grail exfoliator. They also have a body wash that I’m going to try because…I have keratosis pilaris (aka chicken skin – cause I have to have all the skin problems) and I want to see if that exfoliating body product works as well on my KP. 

I say 100% buy this and try it out. Everyone is different so please patch test your skin (if you don’t and your skin sloughs off please don’t sue me – I’m broke). However, if it works as well for you as it does for me you are going to be very satisfied.

June 2015 Ipsy Unbagging and Review

Look at this – Two days and two unboxing's! Today I am unbagging the June 2015 Ipsy bag. Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription service that sends 5 or so sample sized beauty products. The difference with this beauty subscription service is that they also send you a small makeup bag every month. The cost for Ipsy is $10.00 a month check them out here at www.ipsy.com. 

Now onto all the things! 

Jules and Esther Vitamin C Serum was the first product I took out of my bag. I was pretty excited to see this. I’ve been looking for a good vitamin C serum and have been sampling a few brands. The product has a very nice orange smell to it. I anticipated that it would be clear but the liquid is more milky white. This product is cruelty and paraben free (which is a plus) and I’ll report back after using this for a month to see how it goes!

I was pretty shocked to see these BioRepbulic SkinCare Sheet masks. I received their sheet mask trio in Cucumber Breeze, Aloe Rescue, and Green Tea Detox. I love sheet masks. Korean skincare, and Asian skincare in general, uses sheet masks regularly. Since I use a lot of Korean products sheet masks are already part of my beauty routine. I haven’t tried any of these masks yet but I will this weekend and will report back on if I think they’re effective. Great product!

The Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Finish Foundation Primer was the first primer I ever used. I’m still a huge fan of the product and already own a full sized bottle. I will be giving this one away to a friend so they can sample it. Overall if you haven’t tried the Smashbox primer and you’re looking for one you should give it a go.

I have wanted to try Sephora’s Formula X nail polish and I got my chance this month because of Ipsy. This hot coral pink color is a great summer color. The formula is thick and while I like two coats of nail polish you could do one coat and go. I can’t say much about how long the polish lasts (I haven’t worn it long enough) but so far so good. I’ll report back after week. 

I thought this tre'StiQue Mini Shadow Crayon had opened in bag but it was just the packaging that fooled me. I received the shadow crayon in Marimoto Pink Pearl. It’s a very subtle pink color but is very buildable. I like this shade for summer. I do have to say that I swatched this on my hand and it wouldn’t wipe off (laugh). I actually had to pull out my makeup remover so I’m going to say that this is a long staying product. 

I am very happy with my Ipsy bag this month. This months bag fit my personal tastes and I hope that this is an ongoing trend for the future. Most of the bags I’ve had from Ipsy have been misses so much so that I was thinking about canceling. They have remnewed my faith in them (smile). What did you guys think of your Ipsy bags?

June 2015 Birchbox Unboxing and Review

I’m baaaackkkk. Yes I know I’ve been MIA for awhile with my reviews but I have had a lot of life stuff going on. Boo life stuff! I’m back with my unboxing's though and I’m also happy to announce that my YouTube channel will be up and running in July! Whew that channel has been a crazy effort! For June we’re going to start with Birchbox. Birchbox is a monthly subscription service that provides you with 5 beauty or lifestyle samples. Birchbox is $10.00 per month and is worth it just to expose yourself to new products. 

Now onto all the things! 

First we have the amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo – full-size price $21 dollars. I love dry shampoos. Living in Florida if I don’t use a dry shampoo my hair would look nuts in a few hours. I’m a huge fan of the John Freida dry shampoo as well as the Kloraine Oat and Thistle dry shampoo. I have to say that I’m not a fan of how the amika dry shampoo smells. It works well though so if you’re not sensitive to smells like I am then give the amika dry shampoo a try. 

Supergoop! Everyday SPF 50 with Cellular Response Technology – full-sized $19 - $48. The Supergoop! Sunscreen is the same consistency of other sunscreens but the smell is different. It has a light scent of black licorice along with the normal sunscreen smell. Not much to say other then it works well as a sunscreen. 

Look at the hair tie by L. Erickson. This is the Narrow Grab and Go Ponytail Holder – full-sized $12. I like this. I do put my hair back into a ponytail a lot in the summer. My hair obscenely long right now (getting it cut soon) so I really am happy to get the hair tie in my Birchbox Would I spend the money on it myself - Probably not. 

I love the color of the Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner – full-sized $11. I usually wear a navy blue eyeliner for a pop of color. The product goes on smoothly and is opaque. I only wore the eyeliner for a few hours before I took my makeup off to work out, so I can’t speak to wear, but it did last well in the Florida humidity for those few hours. 

If I didn’t have the information card I would have thrown out the Dr. Jart+ BB Night Beauty Blam – full-sized $38. The product is clear with small white beads. I thought the product had separated and had gone bad. However, the info card warned that the product is a clear gel with beads so score. Birchbox provided a small sample so I can’t say it did anything for my skin. What I can say is the product did not irritate my sensitive skin, has no scent, and my face felt hydrated in the morning. 

Last we have the Real Chemistry Luminous 3-Minute Peel – full-sized $48. The product is clear and has a gel like constancy. I have not tried the peel because I’m worried about irritating my face and when I put a little on my hand the product had the subtle scent of burnt wood. The product is well packaged and the sample is large enough to get a good idea of how it works. 

Well, that’s my unboxing of the June Birchbox. I’m curious to know what others got this month!

My In-Depth Review of the La Roche-Posay Anthelios 45 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid

It’s sunshine time in most areas of the US. In Florida its lets burn my skin of as the sun tries to kill us time. I thought this would the perfect time to review a sunscreen I just started to use. So, I now present my review of the La Roche-Posay Anthelios 45 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid (and the crowd goes wild). 

I’m pretty new to the idea of skincare. I really started this journey because I was tired of my Rosacea. Even the prescription medications were not working, and after having cancer I wanted to expose myself to as little medication as possible. I’ve done a lot of research on sunscreens and decided to try the La Roche-Posay Anthelios 45 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid. 

From the La Roche-Posay website:

Anthelios 45 Ultra-light Sunscreen Fluid has been formulated with Cell-OX Shield™ technology, an exclusive combination of: 

• UVA and UVB filters to provide Broad Spectrum protection.
• A powerful Antioxidant complex to help protect skin from free radicals caused by UV rays.
• All Anthelios sunscreen have been formulated for optimal skin tolerance.
• Water resistant for 40 minutes

Active Ingredients

Avobenzone 3% (sunscreen) • Homosalate 10% (sunscreen) • Octisalate 5% (sunscreen) • Octocrylene 5% (sunscreen) • Oxybenzone 6% (sunscreen).

Inactive ingredients

Water • Cyclopentasiloxane • Alcohol Denat. • Silica • Dicaprylyl Ether • Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer • Peg-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate • Dimethicone • Cyclohexasiloxane • Polymethylsilsesquioxane • Nylon-12 • Dicaprylyl Carbonate • Phenoxyethanol • Lauryl Peg/Ppg-18/18 Methicone • Sodium Chloride • Caprylyl Glycol • Methylparaben • Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate • Disteardimonium Hectorite • Disodium Edta • Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate • Cassia Alata Leaf Extract • Maltodextrin • Dodecene • Poloxamer 407

If you’re interested in a breakdown of the individual ingredients here is a link to COSDNA, which has the information.

http://cosdna.com/eng/cosmetic_08a065070.html

General impressions of the product

The smell is like any other sunscreen but it does dissipate pretty quickly. When they say ultra light fluid they are not exaggerating. You cannot feel the product on your face and instead of being thick when you dispense it the product has the consistency of water. I actually didn’t expect this and dropped some all over my pants the first day I put it on. 

Wear

I’ve worn this product in two ways – Just casually doing errands and outside working in my garden (so sweating up a storm). 

It worked perfectly under my makeup for daily running around and special events. I had no application problems and it did not change the texture of my products. I will say that I went a little crazy the first time I used the sunscreen (it’s so light) and put too much on. When I went to rub it in I did noticed that it pilled a little (like rubbing off dead skin) but I’ve gotten used to the consistency and I haven’t had that problem since correcting the amount I apply. 

I used it before gardening and of course I did not put on makeup. I was sweating and it did not burn my eyes (of course it got in my poor eyeballs). I also reapplied the sunscreen twice while I was outside and there was no buildup and I did not get sunburnt (score!). 

After washing it off

No irritation! Usually sunscreen irritates my face. At the very least my cheeks will get red and I’ll have some small pimples. They’re Rosacea pimples so they’re little red bumps more so then the traditional pimple. I had none of this. Even after sitting outside and gardening my face had no reaction to the sun or the sunscreen. I have used this product for two months without any signs of irritation (sometimes it takes awhile for me to see irritation) so I am saying its irritation free for me. 

I love this product and it is now part of my daily face routine. It’s a great sunscreen for any skin type but for those of us with sensitive skin or rosacea who have been searching for a non-irritating sunscreen it’s perfect. 

What sunscreen products do you use?

Two Years Since Cancer Diagnosis

Time for a serious post (don’t worry I’m doing some unboxing’s and unbagging in the next few days for everyone). For those that don’t know I was diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia on June 2nd 2013. I am doing well now on February 22nd of 2015 I hit my official one-year in remission mark. I am very lucky that my type of leukemia and the fact that I was considered low-risk (lots of factors here) I was able to do a combination of Arsenic Trioxide and ATRA chemotherapy route. Yes, that’s the regular old arsenic they use to kill rats. From June until the end of Feb I had chemotherapy 5 days a week with a 14-day break every month and a half. 

Bone Marrow Biopsy for Diagnosis. YAY

I also had a reaction to the ATRA – fluid buildup, fevers, and caused me to go legally blind (I can see now but I’ve had to have monthly injections of medication – more chemo – into my eyes). 

Fun shit they don’t tell you about cancer:

• My treatment made me lose a layer of skin. Literally just peeled off like sunburnt skin. You should warn people of this shit before it happens. 
• You can taste the chemo and it will ooze out of your bodily orifices. The skin around my eyes would burn, as if I had been out all day and gotten sweat into my eye, but it was chemo. 
• I expected to not be able to taste food but I didn’t realize food would become an enemy. Meat tasted and smelled like dog food but I needed my protein. The balance was a huge struggle.
• My body stopped making fingernails. I had divots in my fingernails where my body stopped making fingernails. 
• My hair turned grey and then back to brown. I think this is related to the fingernail thing. 
• You can’t kiss or have sex for 24 hours after chemo (my chemo at least). They told me this factoid month’s into my treatment. So, I poisoned the hell out of my then boyfriend – laugh. 
• You have to stay away from you pets. Depending on how compromised your immune system is you may have to get rid of your animals, at least for a while. 
• You will never EVER experience constipation like when you’re on chemo. Ever. 
• Your recover will take much longer then you think. I had the idea that after chemo ended it would take awhile for it to leave my system but my guess was a month or two and I was wrong. It has been over a year and I am still in physical therapy dealing with the after effects of muscle denegation and weakness. 

Cancer is also very surreal for me. I still don’t grasp that I had cancer or that I’m in remission. We don’t remember everything, our memories suck, and we can get cranky, moody, and angry without knowing it. Just ask my poor mother. 

Zombie Eye after an injection

I am lucky that I haven’t had to have a bone marrow transplant (it could still happen). If you want to help (and everyone should) please go to http://bethematch.org/ to find out how to get yourself typed for bone marrow donation. Please give the potential gift of life to someone who needs a bone marrow transplant.

Ipsy April 2015 Unbagging

Welcome to another Ipsy unbagging! I have to say I’ve really liked the recent Ipsy bags. I’m not sure if they’re reading my mind but I hope the trend continues. For those who don’t know Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription box. It’s $10.00 a month and usually includes around 5 products that range from sample sized to full-sized (mostly sample). You also get a small makeup bag every month. If you want to check them out they’re located right here https://www.ipsy.com. 

Now on to all the things! 

I love the bag this month. It’s not plastic but a whicker type material and the bag is just different from the norm. 

First thing is the julieG Nail Color with a $1.00 of coupon at Rite Aid (we don’t have Rite Aids in my area). I received the color Damsel that is a cool pink color. It does not go on very opaque (think three coats) but it’s a nice spring color choice. My nails chip quickly so I can say that it stayed on for the normal amount of time colors last on my fingers, which is about two days. Overall this is a great drugstore nail polish. 

The next product is the Olive Natural Beauty The olive Lip Balm. This is your standard lip balm with the hook being that it’s made from Olive’s. It actually has a slight chocolate smell to it. Mine got a bit melted in my mailbox so it could be that or maybe my nose is still messed up from my cold. Either way that’s how it smells to me with a slight olive undertone. It does hydrate your lips and works well as a balm. 

Gallany Cosmetics Lipstick in Petal is my next Ipsy bag product. I love this color. It also goes on creamy and stays on average time. It’s a sample-sized lipstick that is a perfect size for my purse. The lipstick contains Hyaluronic acid and Lavender Wax. Not to sure what lavender wax does but woo hoo. 

Another brush! This is the Crown Brush oval Concealer C224. The brush is not as dense as my MAC 242 (which I use for concealer) but it’s a nice brush to add to my rotation. I have to say the fibers feel…odd. I’m not sure if it’s the materials used but they feel stiff. I don’t believe I’ve had a brush made of Japanese Torray Taklon Bristles. 

And finally we have theBalm Cosmetics Nude Dude eyeshadow single in Fit. I love the color, which is shimmery. The product is opaque and goes on very creamy with no fallout. Ipsy has sold me on theBalm and I think I’m going to buy a few of their full sized products. 

Well that was my Ipsy bag. I’m half and half with this bag. I can’t buy the nail polish locally and the lip balm melted. But seriously Ipsy- another lip balm? I like the brush, the lipstick, and theBalm sample but I don’t think it’s worth $10.00. What saved Ipsy for me this month was the makeup bag. I really like that it’s made from a wicker material and not plastic. So this one is a win but just barely. What did you get in your bag this month? What did you think?