April Beauty Boxes!

This month I added a new Beauty box to my rotation!

IPSY GLAM BAG PLUS

This IPSY GlamBag Plus arrived first. I was SUPER excited since this is my first. Everything in the GlamBag Plus is FULL Size, and this box totaled over $200 in value!

• IT COSMETICS Heavenly Skin Skin-Smoothing Complexion Brush #704- This brush has been perfect for giving me a smooth and even foundation application. 
• LOVECRAFT BEAUTY Blush Palette- This is a brand new product for the company along with their new bronzer palette. I am in love this this palette and have literally been using it EVERYDAY since I got it. The colors are perfection and easy to apply and blend. 
• PARIS HILTON SKINCARE ProD.N.A Dual-Action Cleanser- Got the job done without being too harsh or drying. My skin felt fresh and clean.
• GOLDFADEN MD Bright Eyes- This was the first time I had heard of this brand, and I have to admit I liked this product a lot. I'm not sure if I've noticed a ton of brightening because of it, but it the skin around my has felt more soft and supple.
• LAURA SANCHEZ BEAUTY Moods Eyeshadow and Highlighter Palette- I will 100% admit when I saw this in the preview I was pretty nervous, BUT after getting it in person, the combo of colors is starting to grow on me. It has a  nice set of neutrals and bold in shimmers and mattes. I have mainly been using the more neutral colors but I'm looking forward to branching out with some of the bolder colors as well. The brush that is comes with is a little weak, I have preferred to use my normal eye brushes, but overall the colors are easy to apply and blendable. 

MACY'S BEAUTY BOX

The Macy's Beauty Box this month was dubbed the "Editor's Box" and included picks curated by their Beauty Director. The bag included a graphic "wide eye print" (not my favorite design, but interesting).

• ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Marine Cream- This brand has been popping up ALL OVER my social media feed lately, so I was excited to get a chance to try this product. Overall, I liked this product as a moisturizer, but I'm not sure I saw many of the benefits it promises, at least with this sample size.
• PERRICONE MD Cold Plasma Plus+ Neck and Chest- Thankfully, I haven't seen many issues with wrinkles or skin damage to the decolletage area, but with poolside weather coming up, this is a nice addition to my skin care regime. 
• GIVENCHY L'Interdit Perfume- Nice spring perfume, great combination of floral and bold.
• GRANDE COSMETICS GrandeMascara- Personally, not impressed with this formula. It felt like it took forever to dry, maybe because of the conditioners in it. Not for me. 
• REALHER MAKEUP GirlPower Moisturizing Lipstick- I loved this nude shade. Perfect for everyday wear and the packaging is super cute with the little affirmations.
• KOHGENDO Cleansing Spa Water- Macy's subbed the Winky Lux Disco Glass for this product. Obviously very different, but overall this was a nice, new product for me to try. I found it very gentle and did a pretty good job are removing my makeup.

BIRCHBOX
This was Birchbox's first box since announcing their "new and improved" Birchbox experience. They added additional options during the customization period and instead of five samples, they included six this time (they count the shampoo and conditioner as one sample).

• ALTERA HAIRCARE Caviar CC Cream- This left my hair feeling smooth as silk and overall very polished.  I loved this as a leave in product. 
• EYEKO Skinny Liquid Eyeliner- This was a repeat product from Birchbox which was disappointing, BUT when I brought that to their attention, they came through with great customer service and issued me a credit. The product itself is a great Liquid Eyeliner, nice crisp line, and no bleeding.
• MARCELLE COSMETICS City 24Hour Anti-Pollution Day and Night Moisturizer- Again, because of the sample size, I'm not sure it came through with all of the promises it suggests, but as a moisturizer it definitely did the job.
• NUMBER 4 HAIRCARE Lumiere d'Hiver Clarifying Shampoo and Reconstructing Masque- Very nice combination for my very wavy hair. It help my waves shine which definition and volume. 
• SUNDAY RILEY Luna Sleeping Oil (Sample Choice)- I'm so glad I chose this sample! I really saw a difference in my skin as I used this each night; skin became soften and the look and texture improved. This product is a little on the pricey side, but I think it would be well worth the money for get the full size. 
• WANDER BEAUTY Lip Retreat Oil in Spa Day- I was nervous about receiving this because I saw a lot of other users having issues with faulty samples, but thankfully, I didn't seem to have any of those issues with mine. This has a nice combination of color and conditioning. 

IPSY GLAM BAG

In addition to adding the Glam Bag Plus to my IPSY subscription, I decided to to keep my regular Glam Bag as well. This month's theme was all about "fresh, spring beauty". The bag has a super cute all-over bright lemon print, and of course I'm a sucker for anything fruit print. 

• TONYMOLY Peach Punch Sweet Foam Cleanser- I have loved TonyMoly for a while now, so I'm always super excited when I get another one of their products to try. This, of course, smells amazing, and left my skin feeling nice and clean without feeling dry. 
• SERAPHINE BOTANICALS Berry+ Juice 100% Vegan Lip Gel in Cherry Compote- This product smells just like berry jam! I think the color is a bit more fall than spring to me, but I like the application, and could definitely see myself reaching for it in the future. 
• IT COSMETICS Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer- I have used the product before and it is definitely a bit thicker than my everyday concealer. I usually consider this my "heavy duty" concealer when I REALLY need to cover stuff up.
• TARTE COSMETICS Double Duty Beauty Base Tape Hydrating Primer- Nice and lightweight primer. Good coverage and delightful smell. 
• NOMAD COSMETICS Eye Shadow in Lagoon- Admittedly I was a little nervous when I saw this color in the preview, BUT with all the great blue eyeshadow looks right now, I'm glad this came. The color is like a beautiful Caribbean ocean with just the right amount of shimmer. Smooth application and easily blendable.  

I was incredibly happy with both of my IPSY Subscriptions this month. I would HIGHLY recommend the Glam Bag Plus, it is an amazing value for only $25. The Macy's bag wasn't super exciting this month, but it did have some very popular products. As far as the "new and improved" Birchbox, I'm not sure that I saw that, but are VERY good when it comes to customer service, which is very nice to see. 

If you are interested in trying out Ipsy, you can use my referral by following this link!
More information on Macy's Beauty Box can be found here!
If you are interested in giving Birchbox a shot, you can use my referral by following this link!

Pretty Woman, Won't You Pardon Me: March Beauty Boxes

Three Beauty Boxes again this month from Macy's, Ipsy, and BirchBox!

Macys:
Macys arrived within the first week of the month. The Box this month was curated around the them "Galactic Muse". The bag this month is a super shiny iridescent makeup bag. It reminded of my of retro 50's style space girl outfit!

Included this month:

• Peter Roth Thomas Firmx Peeling Gel- left my skin feeling super soft and smooth
• Skin Gym Rose Quartz Eye Mask- my skin felt rejuvenated, very curious to try some of the rollers and tools!
• Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence- felt like it replenished my skin and gave it an overall healthier and clearer tone
• Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder- great for setting my makeup, especially for the under eye area
• Mugler Alien and Alien Man Perfume- first time smelling the Alien Man, crisp but deep smell, which I immediately handed over to my boyfriend to use. Alien is a classic, but slightly too musky for me. 
• Stila FULL SIZE Glitter and Glow Liquid Eye Shadow in Fairy Tale- deep multi-tonal glitter, great with a good blending as a quick, but exciting eye look!
• $10 Beauty Coupon

IPSY: 

Ipsy and Birchbox both arrived at the end of the 2nd week this month. The Glam Bag theme this month was celebrating Women's History Month! The bag was a chic, rose gold embossed with the quote, "and off she went to change the world." A great reminder for any Girl Boss on the go! 

Included this month:

• Skyn Iceland Berry Lip Fix- I've been using this at night to keep my lips super soft
• Ciate London Mini Lip Lustre in Wildfire- I needed this! Glosses have become so hot again and this delivers on color and feel.
• IBY Beauty Eyeshadow in Headliner- great color perfect for everyday, almost cream like texture
• SLMissGlam SS62 Short Shader Brush- Seriously, a pink glitter handle brush? Fabulous!
• Ofra Cosmetics Star Island Highlighter- When I saw this in the spoiler, I thought it was just going to be a little pan... nope FULL SIZE! Great pay off, not chalky or clunky.

BirchBox:

So, right after my Birchbox arrived this month, they announced that they are hiking up their prices.  They have decided they can no longer sustained the $10/month model unless you are an ACES member (spending $300 with them a year), everyone else will be on a tier system, based on your subscription, the highest cost tier being $15/month; mine would be $12 for a year long subscription. I have a Birchbox for 3 years now, and never made ACES, because honestly, I can get lots of better makeup deals from other companies, and I definitely don't foresee me making $300 in purchases before my subscription comes up for renewal in May, that combined with some of the "meh" quality boxes and samples, as well as shipping fiascoes over the past 6 months, means I doubt I will be renewing my subscription, but I will see what they have to offer over the next couple months before I make my final decision.

Included this month:

• Comfort Zone Active Pureness Hydrating Fluid- Good for creating a nice base before my makeup, also like a moisturizing primer. 
• Amika Reset Pink Charcoal Scalp Cleansing Oil- my hair definitely felt super clean after using this, probably way to harsh for routine use, but maybe once every two weeks or so. 
• Manna Kadar Eyedylic Gel Liner- I love gel liner, smooth application and great color. 
• Model Co Metallic Eye Shadow in Positano- I love a great metallic eye shadow, and this color trio was spot on. Nice color payoff and application.
• This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray- this was my sample choice and I'm so glad it was! Even my boyfriend has noticed it helped him fall asleep. I already purchased a full size!
• Luxie Beauty 213 Eye Shading Rose Gold Brush- I love this collection and it is always nice to get a new one in my box!

Overall, I was super happy with all three of the Beauty Subscriptions this month! Each one had samples I was super excited for and great goodies! Hopefully April will be as spot on as these!

If you are interested in trying out Ipsy, you can use my referral by following this link!
More information on Macy's Beauty Box can be found here!
If you are interested in giving Birchbox a shot, you can use my referral by following this link!

Lips Like Sugar: February Beauty Boxes

This month I received three Beauty Boxes: Macy's, Birchbox, and Ipsy. Here is a little look on how they all measure up:

Macy's Beauty Box:
The Macy's Beauty Box is a preset thematic box (not customize-able). These $15 boxes include a cosmetic bag, 5 to 6 samples, usually a full size product from a selection of Macy's Beauty products, and a coupon ($5-$10 off a Macy's Beauty Purchase). 
Macy's Bag was the first bag I recieved month, arriving within the first week. February's theme was "Red Carpet Glam". The bag for this month is a bold red and hot pink vinyl lip shaped bag, very cute especially for February.
Products:

• Sample size of Origins "Skin Retexturizing Mask" which features Rose Clay to exfoliate and restore skin
• Sample size of Clinique "High Impact Mascara" which has been one of my go-to mascaras for a very long time for bold and full lashes
• A Beauty Blender Micro Mini- this tiny little guy has been perfect for setting the concealer under my eyes
• Travel Size DermaBlend Pro "Loose Setting Powder"- this has definitely improved the wear of my makeup throughout the day
• Sample of Yves Saint Laurent's classic and sultry perfume "Black Opium"
• Fashion Form's Breast Petals- these are going into my fashion emergency bag
• FULL SIZE of Anastasia Beverly Hill's "Liquid Lipstick" in American Doll- I am a huge fan of a great red lip and was delighted to get such a great product from such an awesome brand. 

Overall, super impressed with this box! The products included were a great value, the lipstick alone costs more than the bag!

Birchbox
My Birchbox arrived second this month, right around Valentine's Day. Birchbox is designed to be customized based on your user profile and reviews, although users are able to decide if they would like to receive a Curated Box (preset), a sample choice, or you can leave it all a mystery. I have
always picked a sample choice for my box in hopes of getting the most "me" box possible.
Unlike the Macy's Box which was all about the bright and bold, the Birchbox went a little more to the "Natural Beauty" feel. The box design this month included a very cute heart motif.
Products:

• Sample Choice - Sunday Riley "Auto Correct Brightening and Depuffing Eye Contour Cream"- I've been hearing wonderful things about this brand and there is nothing worse than hearing "You look tired." 
• Mini Benefit "Gimme Brow+"- don't get me wrong it looks like a great product but my brows don't need anymore help right now being bold
•  Glov "Quick Treat" which seems to work like a mini Makeup Eraser for touch ups
• Marcelle's "Xtension Plus Skyline Mascara" which has a super skinny brush to get EVERY little lash
• Ouai "Leave In Conditioner" which has been great for taming my fly-aways and frizz while wearing my hair more naturally wavy. 

Admittedly Birchbox as been a little hit or miss for me lately, my boxes are either spot on or really miss the mark. This month was a "Meh" for me, the products are nice, but nothing that I am SUPER excited for. Maybe next month will be a "hit" again?

Ipsy Glam Bag
My Ipsy Glam Bag arrived last this month, around the 20th. Like Birchbox, Ipsy Glam Bags are customized based on your beauty profile and centered around some type of theme, this month's being XOXO Ipsy and "swoon worthy" beauty.
The bag design this month is blush pink with an all over red lipstick print- very playful and super cute.
Products:

•  Lab For You: Multi-Ex Repair Cream- it not only moisturizes, but also fights breakouts. This is perfect for me, since I tend to have a couple breakout prone areas.
•  F.A.R.A.H Brushes Pink Ombre Powder Brush- not only super cute (I love Pink!) but also has a great feel.
•  Meech and Mia's Pressed Eye Shadow in Taupe- a smooth, matte, deep plummy nude, great for adding some definition and depth to your eye look
• Tony Moly "Bunny Gloss Bar" in Juicy Cherry- I have yet to find a Tony Moly product I haven't loved. This was no exception, bright red tinted gloss with a fruity scent, and of course, adorable packaging.
• Seraphine Botanicals "Natural Radiance Booster" in Daisy+Pearl to add a little glow in all the right spots. 
• Touch In Sol's No Poreblem Primer, which I redeemed some of my points to receive, this was another product that I have heard great things about some I'm excited to try to help give my skin a smooth base. 

It is hard for me to remember the last time I haven't loved a Glam Bag I received, and this was a great way to close out my month as well. Great products that work well with my beauty preferences!

I think this month my favorite bag was my IPSY Glam Bag. With it being customized to my beauty preferences, I got a nice set of products from brands I love and am super excited to try (and hopefully fall in love with).
 Macy's Beauty Box was a tight second. These are great products for the value (I still can't get over the full Size Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick!) and I have yet to be let down by them.
Birchbox comes in third. This box didn't really excite me, some nice products, but for something that is supposed to be customized for my beauty preferences, this one seemed to miss the mark.

If your are interested in trying out Ipsy, you can use my referral by following this link!
More information on Macy's Beauty Box can be found here!
If you are interested in giving Birchbox a shot, you can use my referral by following this link!

Please Allow Me to Introduce Myself...

Hello & Welcome!

I've toyed with the idea of blogging for a while, but I have decided to officially take the plunge!  Am I anyone special? No, not really; I'm a 30-something Art Teacher living in beautiful Columbus, Ohio, who also happens to be in an incredible, supportive relationship with a soon-to-be English Teacher (one of the people who helped me decide to try this out!). Simply, I live my life according to the motto, "Happiness First." The choices I make, whether it be about my career, my relationships, family, even fashion, my love of music, books and the arts, are guided by these two little words. Do I live some beautiful, idealistic life because of this? Absolutely not, but what I can say is, I absolutely love my life, and I am happy to share the going-ons with you.

 Hopefully, you'll find something of interest here. What you might see in my coming posts might best be described as a "Lifestyle Blog" or "Personal Blog"  featuring some snapshots of my world, again guided by the idea of "Happiness First." Here is my rundown of the content you will see:

ART & TEACHING:

- Let me preface this by saying, I have the BEST job in the world. I teach Visual Arts for students in Grades 3-5 and I can honestly say I love waking up each morning to come to work. My students are still an age where they love to take risks, play, and aren't scared of creative thinking. Our district isn't very large, or super fancy, but we use what we have to our fullest, and do some pretty great work. I hope to post some of our lessons and work on here for you to explore, but in the meanwhile, we have a Digital Art Gallery through Artsonia where you can see my students' amazing projects. 

- I'm currently finishing my Master's Degree in School Administration and working on my Principal License. About a year and a half ago, I was pulled to the pursuing something greater than JUST being the Art Teacher. Don't get me wrong, as I said, I LOVE my job, but unfortunately Art teachers have had a stigma formed about them as ditzy, scatterbrained, or just kids who never grew up. Admittedly, that last one is true for me sometimes, but I know I have a lot more to offer my students than simply being the "art teacher" or the "fun class."

COLUMBUS, OHIO (The 614)

- I am lucky enough to live in Columbus, Ohio. We really are the "heart of it all". There is a lush
culture here, tons of amazing places, The Ohio State University Buckeyes, restaurants (we have some seriously great ones), and honestly just  awesome people. Columbus is considered a "test market" because of this melting pot culture, so often we get to try things before other places, and we have many companies who have "home base" operations here as well. I hope to share some of the gems of the area with you and some of the uniquely rich "Columbus" experiences.

FASHION, BEAUTY, & SELF-EXPRESSION
-The importance of self-expression is another guiding virtue in my life. I believe that those who are unable to find their voice have a true difficulty being able to live with happiness in the forefront. I find myself endlessly drawn to others who throw themselves head first into creativity and self-expression, be it musicians, artists, writers, bloggers, or those I surround myself with everyday. When I surround myself with creative individuals, I feed off it and it brings me both energy, as well as a sense of peace. In my own life self-expression can take on many forms, artistically I'm often drawn to painting and collage work, as well as how I dress and present myself to the world.
- Since I was little, I have been obsessed with the fashion world. In grade school I desperately wanted to be a model or fashion designer. I can remember asking my fashion magazines like W and Vogue, designing clothes for my Barbies, to the point of even doing a Barbie Fashion Design project for one of my art classes. Just as much as I have loved fashion, I have also loved makeup and beauty. Instead of toys, I wanted Tinker Bell Makeup (kid-friendly makeup from the 90s) or Bonne Bell. Eventually, my mother would give me all her unwanted Clinique samples, which is probably why Clinique still dominate my makeup box today.

PLUS SIZE LIFE & WELLNESS
- As a size 14, I'm considered Plus Size. I've been in the plus size range for as long as I can remember, from size 20 down to size 12, but most often I settle at size 14. Being plus size, impacts my choices when it comes to the fashion and the brands I tend to follow. A large portion of my closet is full of Lane Bryant (especially after working at their Flagship Store in Columbus, Ohio throughout college), Torrid, and Eloquii, with other pieces sprinkled in. As I said before, I see fashion as a form of expression, so it is important to me to celebrate my body and curves, rather than try to hide from the world.
- Being Plus Size does NOT mean I don't have a relationship with wellness. On the contrary, I believe
in loving my body for the way it is, but knowing that I can be the best version of my self through a relationship with eating right and fitness. I am not trying to be a size 0, but instead, I'm simply trying to make sure I'm taking care of myself both physically and mentally, to give me the best future possible. I started a journey with Weight Watchers in November, and have been using it to support my healthy eating goals. I like Weight Watchers because I am not give a strict list of foods I can and cannot eat. Instead it helps by giving me support and accountability for my food choices. In addition to Weight Watchers, I also workout with a personal trainer. I have been working with trainers from about 3 years now. I love being in the gym, be it cardio or lifting, and the strength and self confidence it has given me. It is truly one of the most important parts of my week.

THE SIDE HUSTLE: POSHMARK
- I began my Poshmark closet 3 years ago, after I first decided to add a Personal Trainer to my workouts and I needed to find a way to help pay for it. Unlike a lot of Poshers, I don't go thrifting and resell my finds (I just don't have the time with work and grad school), instead about 95% of my closet are items from my personal wardrobe; pieces that I fell in love with, but now need a new home. Over the past three years, Posh has become of my favorite hobbies, combining my love for fashion, retail, and photography; now accumulating over 210K followers and $11K (not too bad for a hobby) and continuing to grow. You can visit my closet here.


That's just a little taste of what it to come. I'm sure as I continue blogging this will evolve. I invite you to join me and see what happens. I will be working on this in tandem with my Instagram, which will hopefully support and enrich the content of each other.

Finally, I'll close with the words from one of my heroes, David Bowie:

 "I don't know where I'm going from here, but I promise it won't be boring."