Dior Dior Addict Lipstick in Basic

 $30.00 for 0.12oz

While the photo above that tries to capture the beauty of this packaging may be sub-par, the product inside is anything but! Dior Dior Addict Lipstick is about as smooth and buttery as lipsticks can get, and since it is Dior and they do promise shine, you get incredible, flawless, luminous shine from this little (albeit very expensive tube).

Dior Addict Lipstick in Basic 253; daylight

 I lost my tube of Basic for about a month after a haphazard purse change, missing it almost daily, and can't really think of a more comfortable thing to wear on my lips. I think I like this even more than balm! ::shouts of For Shame in the air:: However, I won't be starting a collection of hundreds of colors in this formula because the price-point is steep, even for my junkie standards.

Dior Addict Lipstick in Basic 253; daylight

Sephora Outrageous Volume Dramatic Volume Mascara

$15.00 for 0.5 fl. oz/15ml in 02 Ultra Black

Aside from feeling wet for a few minutes, this is one of the best mascaras I've used in while. You definitely get the awesome amount of volume promised, but I like that this feels comfortable and lightweight, even when worn as the second layer over an already dried mascara. It's extremely hard to get off though, so don't be waking up somewhere you have to look polished with it still on: RACOON!

I have to use both a removing oil and liquid eye makeup remover together before washing my face, then go over the lashes again with the liquid remover to get every smidgen off. What can I say? They promised Ultra Black, so you get ultra black. Note: it doesn't come off anywhere you don't want it to until after at least 12 hours or serious sweating or oil (the formula is not waterproof).

Little notes: I only need one layer of this, I don't need to curl my lashes, and I think it looks natural enough to be a day or night look (i.e. sans liner looks fine too).

What else? Available at Sephora and Sephora.com

Fresh Sugar Rose Lip Treatment

$22.50 for 0.15oz/4.3g

Love Love Love, oh yeah, Love Love Love!

I am flying high after last weeks bout with flaky, dry, cracking lips all because of this smooth, long lasting balm with a flush of rosy color that makes spring feel close enough to kiss. It has a fresh lemony scent and no waxy heaviness. This balm melts into skin quickly but clings on through meals even, lasting about 6-7 hours.

Basically, I'm hardcore in love with Fresh Sugar Rose and so is my friend who went to Sephora with me. To be honest, I'm having trouble not overusing this because I love the smell and feel of application. So worth it!

Lately, a lot more variations of this lip treatment have come up, including a Coral version that has me drooling for a swipe on my pucker!

Beauty Newb Rating: ✪✪✪✪✪ (you get about as much as a generous lipstick)
Available at Sephora stores and online; I've also noticed it on Birchbox.

Mask of the Month: Aveda Enbrightenment Massage Masque

A creamy, moisturizing mask that is activated by massaging into the skin. The idea is that with the increased circulation you bring to the surface, your skin gets a healing boost from the mask's formula encouraging faster desquamation (cell shedding). This is a great-smelling, smooth mask that gives you a little something to do while it sits--and since there is no strange color and it blends into skin, you won't scare anyone around the house while using it! Enbrightenment is meant to reduce and treat hyperpigmentation due to sun-damage of post-inflammatory trauma (blemishes), so I am a prime candidate for seeing results with this masque.

Coupled with regular exfoliation, using Aveda Enbrightenment Massage Masque twice a week at night before moisturizer gives my skin a glow and a great boost in hydration. I use a spot treatment on any places that might be vulnerable to breakouts with the added weight of moisture--no issues so far,--and I personally only use enough so that I don't need to remove any. If you feel as though there is still a layer on top of your skin after massaging it in for a few minutes, you can wipe off the excess (do not wash off the rest).

Hyperpigmentation is notoriously hard to get rid of or even see results with beyond natural healing, but my skin is less prone to becoming so sharply red in post-blemish areas with regular use of this masque. My skin also feels generally healthier and is healing faster anyway since I started Enbrightenment; I'd like to think that every little bit of natural goodness this is providing is a step towards clearer, beautiful skin!

Blitz Blogging: Birchbox June 2012

tili Zippered Storage Bags are wonderfully colorful, travel-friendly plastic bags, perfect for vacation! Just in time for mine, I've also been starting to keep my sample-sizes safe for misplacement in my hectic house. I'm glad to have this one, but I don't/can't travel enough to justify six or a dozen specialty bags. If I had that many, I would probably make little packets of cosmetics that go together for particular looks, which sounds like a great idea for my regular ziplocks anyway...

Stila One-Step Bronze Illuminating Serum is yet another product from Stila that has intrigued me, gotten my hopes up, and then disappointed me in the end. Somewhat like the Dr. Jart BB cream from the previous box,  this product is not good for long-term use on my skin. In few days in to incorporating this serum in my morning routine, my cheeks were breaking out like crazy and I got several superficial pimples around my mouth and nose (very painful to extract). When I put this on after toner, it doesn't spread very well at first, so please be vigorous in working the bronzer into skin. One pump at a time, mind you, or the streaking will catch the light!

Masqueology Pore-Minimizing Mask is fun for a once-off try, but I don't think this mask can reduce your pore size if it (or you) can't get out those stubborn blackhead that are "widening" that bit of facial territory. Alas, I felt de-stressed and the treatment mask smells wonderful, but no effects were felt or seen. :( Definitely kept it in the tili bag until there was no product left for my skin to absorb--I got several uses out of each mask.

the Balm Stainiac in Beauty Queen is fabulous. That was pretty much my whole thought process for this product, only I wish I had a sample of the light color Prom Queen instead because I'd most likely use that everyday. Totally non-sticky formula; great, even pigment; fast drying: perfect!

Comodynes Intensive Self-Tanning Towelettes are not for pale people--SUPER SCARY STREAKY is what the result of me following the directions and the how-to-use video that was on birchbox.com. I put on a smoothing lotion after exfoliating my legs and still couldn't use this towel easily for more than the bottom half of just one leg. The orange-striped creamsicle leg look better be in right now. Maybe if you are tan these wipes will maintain it better, but I ain't buying it.

You can find these products at Birchbox.com.

Blitz Blogging: May 2012 Birchbox

By sheer way of not having a tele, I don't have any prior knowledge of Gossip Girl and the themes of the show; the jist I've found to be high-fashion, rich, and gossip, so I probably wouldn't really watch it anyway. However, the themes of the show did provide some gem products in the month's Birchbox.

Dr. Jart Waterfuse Beauty Balm SPF 25++ is a silky, creamy moisturizer, primer, tint, and serum all in one. To be honest, long-term use of this product is out of the question for me, but I love the idea and the coverage. From what I hear it is one of the original Korean brands to come out with a BB cream, so I'm not surprised that it's the best I've seen (and felt) so far. With daily use my oily/combo skin starts to get a little moody with breakouts--partly because summer is so humid and hot, all the product and my natural oil is getting stuck on the surface of my skin all day. I will probably try this again in winter when I need a little heavier protection and moisture during the day.

Twistband Skinny Headband is a super stretchy band that I can use as a doubled over ponytail holder as well. I'm not super fond of the bright pink color I got, but I use this all the time and it doesn't leave a huge crease when you remove it. Generally I like them, but I have a ton of headbands already. I'm going to test mine out in the pool, and if it can stay on so I'm not blinded during swimming, I will probably change over to nothing but these!

Color Club Foil Collection is the second Color Club polish I've received in my Birchbox since starting in March. It's a very metallic gold that goes on a little thick but lasts well through hard work. This polish really needs a good time to dry, but once it sets, it's on for the long haul. Metallic gold is not my color or style but I'm not complaining about someone putting me on trend. Did you see the Essie metallics that came out? Cute!

Beauty Blender blendercleanser reminds me every time I see it to wash my brushes that I've been hiding in a drawer, so cleanliness is the virtue that this liquids been pushing on me since its arrival at my door. I don't own a Beauty Blender sponge but do need reminding to keep all my home stuff nice and sanitary to use on my sensitive face.Thanks for the reminder!

Blitz Blogging: Birchbox April 2012

After most of the estheticians I work with started raving about being able to sample products every month with no effort of searching around stores or the web, I caved and forked over a $10.00 USD per month subscription to Birchbox. I am not disappointed! I get 5-6 samples of really great products, most of which I adore and usually one of which I could skip...but those are for gifting, yeh!

First off, my pass-product, Wonderstruck Perfum by Taylor Swift. What can I say I am not a fan of hers or her perfum; I hate the smell, so lets just leave it at that. (Find this product here.)

Moving on to the good stuff-- three amazing products from one ecocentric company. Pangea Organics  Egyptian Fennel with Grapefruit and Sweet Orange Lip Balm has blown my mind. I received a full-sized tube in my Birchbox, and full-size to Pangea is over-size, i.e. about twice as much as any other balm/lipstick/gloss will ever be! Now I want to try the other scents/flavors but will probably never finish the tube... dilemma... (Find this product here.)

Pangea Organics Turkish Rose and White Tea Eye Cream for all skin types is very smooth, hydrating, and very little goes a very long way. My tiny little sample pack actually lasted me over a week using it twice daily. Wonder how far a full-size tube will get me...and if you couldn't tell from the name, it smells fantastic! It also never caused even the slightest bit of irritation on my sensitive skin and eyes. (Find this product here.)

Pangea Organics Egyptian Geranium with Adzuki Bean and Cranberry Facial Scrub for all skin types is a thick but workable scrub that is lovely and smells very good, but I am not convinced it does more/better than any other scrub I own. That said, for any of you looking for a natural or organic way to polish your visage to a healthy glow, look no further because this is a treat to use. (Find this product here.)

Weleda Pomegranate Firming Day Cream was really the biggest surprise in my Birchbox this month. Since I have problems with oil and blemishes, I had to force myself to start using this even though I thought it might really mess with the tentative balance of my skin this spring. I was wrong--it works great even for my oily skin! After using it all week, my skin feels firmer and more evenly hydrated than before, and I don't seem to be creating as much oil throughout my long work days.  Tip of the hat to Weleda for this diamond in the rough. (Find this product here.)

Benta Berry G-1 Exfoliating Cleanser is again your more natural version of the average scrub, but I do find it a bit more drying than the Pangea formula I tested out. I also like the scent a little less; however, this is a less-expensive option for the natural scrub market and an excellent option for travel as it comes in a 1 oz/30 ml tube. (Find this product here.)

You can sign up to receive your very own Birchbox sent to your door at Birchbox.com!