August 2015 Glossybox

In honour of the last full month of summer, the August Glossybox* features essentials for looking chic in the heat. While the July box included mostly skincare items, the majority of the products in this month’s box are easy-to-apply cosmetics in versatile shades for an effortless end-of-summer look.

Review: ModCloth Cat Person Circle Scarf in Mint

As I have already mentioned in previous posts, I’m kind of a cat lady. However, I try very hard to be a classy cat lady when it comes to purchasing cat-themed accessories made for humans by avoiding anything too cartoonish or childish.

About a year ago, while shopping on modcloth.com, I came across this cute, yet adult appropriate, cat scarf and made it my very first purchase from ModCloth. Little did I know that it was only the first purchase of many and that ModCloth would become my favourite place to buy vintage-inspired dresses.

Vintage Nail Look: Flowers and Pearls

Here’s another one of my favourite nail looks from the past. When I first started creating nail art, I practiced by drawing lots of freehand flowers using a dotting tool or a toothpick. I learned that anyone can create cute and professional-looking designs just by placing dots in different patterns.

NOTD: China Glaze Wanderlust

I first posted about Wanderlust in my June Nail Polish Haul (check it out HERE). This pink polish with hints of purple is part of China Glaze’s Spring 2015 Road Trip Collection.

July 2015 Beauty Box Five

The July 2015 Beauty Box Five* features products to help keep us looking cool during the hottest month of the summer. If you are unfamiliar with Beauty Box Five, it is a subscription service that sends its members five cosmetic samples each month. Subscriptions start at $12 per month and shipping is free!

Now let’s talk about the July items...

Beach Inspired Nail Art

Yesterday I posted a summer nautical nail ook, so to continue with the ocean theme, today I bring you this beach-inspired design.

What I really love about this look is the fact that it includes some of my favourite nail polishes. The base colour is a combination of Essie Sand Tropez and Zoya Jules. I created the textured effect by using a makeup sponge to apply a thin layer of Jules over Sand Tropez. Next, I used BF-Beauty Image Plate C06 and Essie’s Mint Candy Apple to stamp a floral design over the base. I added dimension to the look by applying the same design with a black polish.

To see a video tutorial of this look, click HERE.

To see more of my nail art, click HERE.

What are your thoughts on this layered, beachy nail art?

July 2015 Birchbox

This month, Birchbox collaborated with the wellness experts at Best Health magazine to create a box with products to help us have a happy, healthy summer.

The box features a customized design that is just as colourful as last month’s box (see the June box HERE).

The first three items in the box include a combination of makeup and skincare items.

Benefit’s They’re Real! Mascara is one of my current favourite mascaras. It leaves the lashes long and thick without any clumps.

For summer skin, the Gilchrist & Soames Spa Therapy Relaxing Sea Fennel Body Lotion moisturizes, smooths, softens, and calms with its paraben-free formula rich in marine extracts. This lotion is very moisturizing and it has a refreshing, ocean scent.

Next is the Vasanti Cosmetics BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvinator that mimics the effects of microdermabrasion for glowing, smooth skin. While I think that this product will give some people excellent results, I found it very irritating when I used a previous sample that I received a couple years ago in a different beauty box.



The last two items are for hair.

First is the Fekkai Technician Colour Care Shampoo that hydrates with plant proteins to maintain colour-treated hair. Although this product sounds promising, I have always been sceptical of Fekkai colour maintaining products since they often contain sulfates like this one.

Also for colour-treated hair is the Bain de Terre Argan Oil & Passion Flower Colour Therapy Styling Oil. This product nourishes hair with essential oils. It smells very nice but I try to avoid oils since they weigh down my fine hair.



Overall, I’m sad to say that I was a bit disappointed in this month’s Birchbox. While the mascara and body lotion were nice, I would have preferred to save the monthly box fee and put it toward a product that I will get a lot of use out of. I have decided to remain subscribed until the end of the summer and then start searching for a new beauty box to subscribe to in the fall. Any suggestions?

Nautical Nail Art

Now that August is here and it’s only a matter of time before fall gets arrives, I thought I should post a few more summer nail looks in honour of the season. This is an older look that I created back in 2011. I stumbled upon the photo and couldn’t help but post it. It may not be as clean as my current looks, but I have had a few more years to practice since making this design.

While it may look a bit involved, this look was fairly easy to create, but it does take a bit of patience and a steady hand.

To begin, I painted each nail with two coats of an opaque white cream polish and then added horizontal stripes on four of my nails using Santee Nail Art Polish in Dark Blue. To add a pop of sparkle, I used a nail art brush and a metallic gold acrylic paint to paint a diagonal line across the nails with blue stripes and then went over that line with a bit of Glim-merry Gold top coat from OPI.
If you don’t have a nail art brush, these lines can be created with a toothpick just as easily. For the ring finger, I used Essie Fearless and a dotting tool to draw a red anchor.

To see a video tutorial of this look, click HERE.

To see more of my nail art, click HERE.

What are your thoughts on the nautical trend for summer?

July 2015 Glossybox

The products in the July Glossybox*, inspired by a beachside mediterranean getaway, feature waterproof formulas, skin-smoothing body perfecters, and luxurious ingredients. This box comes at the perfect time since skin often becomes the main focus during the hot month of July.

Before discussing this month’s products, I wanted to insert a quick photo of the Glossybox packaging since I haven’t posted one since my review of the March box. As always, the packaging is so pretty and the products are thoughtfully wrapped with ribbon and tissue paper.



While last month’s makeup items focused on nails and lashes, this month’s products are for lips and cheeks. The two lip items include Face Stockholm Lipliner in Yvonne and Naked Lips Organic Lip Balm in Peppermint. Although I don’t wear a lot of lip liner, this one sounds nice with its vitamin enriched formula. What I do wear often is lip balm, and this one looks very exciting since its 100% natural formula includes antioxidant-rich oils from fruits and berries. I also love peppermint.

I also can’t wait to try the Cargo Cosmetics Water Resistant Blush in Coronado. This blush is sweat and weather proof. The best part is its beautiful peachy colour that will add a bit of glow to summer skin.



The other two products in this month’s box prep the skin on the body for shorts, skirts, bathing suits, and long days on the beach. First is the Kueshi Anticellulite Booster which inhibits the formation of fat cells to combat existing cellulite and prevent its formation. It also increases blood flow and reduces swelling. For some extra smoothing, the Hey Honey I Peel Good! Biometric Creamy Honey Peel Cream hydrates, exfoliates, protects, and reduces stretch marks. I can’t wait to try out these two products before the summer ends.



Overall, I found the July 2015 Glossybox to be very impressive. Aside from the lip liner, I know that I will get a lot of use out of all the products. Not to mention, the items include very generous amounts of product, especially the cellulite cream.

I’m looking forward to seeing what Glossybox has in store for August.