❧❦ Birchbox June 2014 plus a Birchbox Points Haul!

June 2014 Birchbox 

English Laundry Signature for Her perfume

Dr. Hauschka Lemon Lemongrass Vitalising Body Wash 

Gilchrist & Soames London Collection Body Lotion

LAQA & Co. Sheer Lip Lube Pencil in Bees Knees

Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Anti-Wrinkle Defense Serum

Mally Volumizing Mascara in Black

I Coloniali Tibetan Shower Cream

Jonathan Adler Metallic Zebra Dish in Gold

Birchbox Makeup Tray

This month I received:

LAQA & Co. Sheer Lip Lube Pencil - Bees Knees

Gilchrist & Soames - London Collection Body Lotion

Dr. Hauschka - Lemon Lemongrass Vitalising Body Wash 

Caudalie - Polyphenol C15 Anti-Wrinkle Defense Serum

English Laundry - Signature for Her perfume

My Birchbox Points Haul:

Mally Volumizing Mascara

I Coloniali Tibetan Shower Cream with Rhubarb

Jonathan Adler Metallic Zebra Dish - available in Gold or Silver

Birchbox makeup tray - free gift with purchase (sold out).

Jewelry:

CC Skye Mini Mercy Princess Bracelet - discontinued but try Ebay.

Jennifer Zeuner Chelsea Vertical Bar Necklace with a single diamond in 14k Yellow Gold.  Also available in Rose Gold, White Gold, Silver and Vermeil. 

Solid Gold Snake Earrings by Sarantos from Etsy.

Rose Gold Ball Earrings - TJ Maxx.

My May 2014 Birchbox arrived so late that I couldn't even make a video because everyone already knew what was in those boxes and BB gave me an extra 100 points as an apology.

So I made up for it this month and included a Birchbox Points haul - once you receive your box test the products and then visit the Birchbox to rate the products with feedback.  Each time you leave feedback, you get 10 points.  Once you have reached 100 points (i.e. reviewed 10 items), you have $10 to spend at Birchbox.com!  

Birchbox is $10 per month.

Check out the Birchbox site here:

Take care,

- The Sassi Wench

GLOSSYBOX - April 2014

It’s GLOSSYBOX time!

Interestingly enough, all products in this month’s box are made in the USA! Yay!

Aqua Spa Relax Body Crème
A thick, lush cream that I had to rub deeply into my skin. Once applied, it did seep into the skin leaving it moisturized without a greasy film. Although I like the scent of lavender, it does remind me of my great-granny! Because of the granny association I don’t really purchase lavender scented products, but this is a beautifully fragranced blend of lavender and chamomile and I found the overall effect very soothing.

LaSplash Ombre a Paup Eyeshadow Sealer/Base
This product, according to the manufacturer, protects against smudges, intensifies color, and allows for “flawless 12-hour wear.” I’m not particularly fond of eye shadow bases, but I did test it out. I found the product to be quite tacky on first application. You need to wait at least 30 seconds to 1 minute before applying eye shadow. Once applied, the eye shadow did stay put, it lasted the rest of the day, and it intensified the color.  So I suppose the claims are true!

Ciaté Paint Pots in Espadrilles - Full Size
This is a brand that I have conciously avoided since the whole beauty blogger debacle two years ago when they sent threatening letters to several beauty bloggers. They soon realized their mistake and tried to gloss over the situation, but the damage was done. If I get anything from this company in a beauty sample box that is something I cannot control, but otherwise I simply refuse to purchase any of their products. There are plenty of companies out there that are worthy of my money - but Ciaté with their bad PR isn't one of them.

Read more about the incident here Fishy Happenings in the Beauty Industry and here Nail Polish Brand Steps on Bloggers Toes

Bellapierre Cosmetics Super Gloss in Vanilla Pink
This lip gloss has jojoba, avocado, vitamin E and sunflower waxes in it. Something about the pleasant scent is familiar… Maybe a little like coco butter? Regardless, it is a lovely color, with a good texture that isn’t too thick.

Caldrea Coconut Fig Leaf Body Wash
This aromatherapeutic body wash has a coconut base with a hint of fig. Not too strong for non-coconut lovers, like me. If a coconut scent is mild and/or blended with another fragrance, it can be lovely. But if it’s too strong, it can overpower everything else. I tested this body wash by using it to remove dried up mascara on my wrist – it clearly began to dissolve the mascara and it worked beautifully. Now, while I don’t recommend this product for makeup removal, if it can remove mascara with a minimum of buffing I have no doubt that it would leave a body squeaky clean. Another plus – I did some research on this company and they are committed to sourcing quality ingredients that are obtained responsibly, for their products. In fact, the more I read about them the more I am interested in trying out their other products like household cleaners. Win-win.

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Overall I think that GLOSSYBOX this month contained a good balance of products – makeup prep, makeup, body and nails.

Get 5 beauty products a month for $21 at GLOSSYBOX.

Earn GLOSSYDots for feedback on your GLOSSYBOX.  Accumulate GLOSSYDots and redeem them for a free subscription.  

- The Sassi Wench.

An Effortless Easter Table

My Easter Table

I wanted to have a nice Easter lunch this year but with the minimum of fuss, so I did something that I usually don't do.  Instead of making it all from scratch, I ordered a ham from Honey Baked Ham and for dessert, a 7-Layer Delight Cake from the famous bakery Caroline's Cakes [as seen on TV - Oprah and The Food Network].

All I had to do was make some sides, set the table and pour the wine.

German Potato Salad

My Mom made her wonderful German potato salad, which is made with vinegar, oil, onion and bacon, but no mayonnaise. 

I made some oven roasted carrots and Brussels sprouts, simply sliced and diced, tossed with a seasoning blend and drizzled in olive oil.  

I also tried some Sweet Potatoes Soufflé  from Honey Baked Ham, but I don't recommend this dish.  Unfortunately, I didn't read the ingredients before I purchased it - something which I normally always do but I was in a rush that day.  Big mistake.  It was overly sweet and loaded with hydrogenated oil - something that should be avoided at all costs.  We all had a taste of it but none of us cared for it and it ended up in the trash. 

As for the ham itself - it was absolutely delicious.  Served at room temperature, it was perfectly cooked with just the right amount of sweet sugary crunch.  I think that this may become a new Easter tradition for us!

Brie Cheese with a Caramel Pecan Topping

I picked up some Brie cheese from Wegmans, and topped it with their Caramel Pecan Topping.  Serve this with Carr's Whole Wheat Crackers and it's superb.

Easter Table Chick

I dressed the table with pink roses in Donna Karan Lenox Porcelain Touch Vases and added 

Donna Karan Lenox Porcelain Touch Collection votive candles, gifts of chocolate Easter Eggs, sugared almonds in a tri-bowl dish, and decorative little yellow feather chicks "hatching" out of their eggs. 

Caroline's Cakes famous 7-Layer Delight Cake

For dessert, the pièce de résistance was the 7-Layer Delight Cake, which is 7 layers of moist yellow cake layered with fudge and chocolate icing and iced with their Southern Fudge Icing.  This bakery has been on my radar for years, and I don't know why it took me so long to order a cake from them.  The cake arrives frozen.  Simply thaw out the cake around three hours before consumption so that is at room temperature.  I added the few little Cadbury's Mini Eggs on top of the cake.

Ok, so it wasn't exactly effortless, but it definitely was with the minimum of effort compared to some of the Easter lunches that I have prepared in the past.  And clean-up was a breeze!

Happy Easter!

- The Sassi Wench

❧❦ Birchbox November 2013 ❦❧

The November 2013 Birchbox

My BB is still in transit, so I decided to film my sister's Birchbox instead. And it was a pleasant surprise!

Lierac Paris Huile Sensorielle Aux 3 Fleurs Blanches

The Lierac oil - for face, body and hair, has a lovely light scent that is much milder than my all time favorite Nuxe Oil.  I'm a big fan of these multi-purpose oils.  They are usually very nourishing and leave your skin feeling incredibly soft.

Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter

I enjoy using highlighter pencils, particularly on my browbone area.  Chella is a good brand that I have used before.

Folle de Joie Eau de Parfum

This fragrance was lovely - with a delicate, faintly citrus scent.

Color Club Dark and Stormy

Birchbox incudes Color Club - YET AGAIN!  It seems like they run out of new product ideas every few months, so when in doubt, they include Color Club.  It's getting very old - I have lost count of the number of times they have included this awful brand, and there is no end in sight!  One of the worst nail polish brands ever.

UniqOne Al in One Shampoo and Balm

I'm always a little skeptical of companies that promise up to 10 (or sometimes more) benefits from a single product.  UniqOne promises everything from volume to hair repair!  That's a tall order, but I'll wait to see if my sister likes it.  She is much more into hair products than I am, and I really trust her judgement.  

Ghirardelli Mint Cookie chocolate bar.

The extra this month was a full size bar of chocolate from Ghirardeli.  It is a delicious, creamy milk chocolate with a crunchy cookie center.

Considering that I am a complete chocoholic, for me this was undoubtedly the best item in the box! I was lucky that my sister shared it with me :-)

Birchbox is $10 per month.

Check out the Birchbox site here:

Take care,

- The Sassi Wench

❧❦ Ipsy - October 2013 - My Favorite Ipsy Ever! ❦❧

Ipsy October 2013

This month Ipsy sent me what turned out to be my favorite Ipsy bag - EVER!  I simply love each product, and I think that this is incredible value for money at only $10.  Ipsy claims that this months bag is worth $45.

Buxom Lips Dolly

Be Delectable from Cake Beauty - Strawberry & Cream Hand Cream

bigsexyhair - Blow Dry Volumizing Gel

Zoya Nail Polish - Mason

H2O Hydrating Treatment

For me, this months bag was the perfect mix of hair, skin, cosmetic and nail products!  Just as every sample bag should be.  

The stunning color Mason from Zoya, and the Be Delectable strawberry and cream hand cream from Cake Beauty are two items I would have purchased already, had I been aware of them.

If you are interested in subscribing to Ipsy, it's $10 a month and you can subscribe here.

Take care,

The Sassi Wench!

❧❦ GlossyBox September 2013 ❦❧

September 2013 GlossyBox USA

The September edition of GlossyBox was underwhelming, to say the least.  Many times this company gets it right, but this particular box contained two "Made in China" cosmetics and this is a concern for me.  I find that the quality of cosmetics produced there does not compare with cosmetics produced in France, Italy or the USA.  I also have a concern about the origin of the ingredients used in cosmetics manufactured in China.

BCBGMAXAZRIA Bon Genre Eau de Parfum

A lovely, true deluxe sample (are you taking note of this, Birchbox?).  I have never sampled this frangrance before and it was quite a surprise.  Of course, I have a penchant for scents that include patchouli, amber, sandalwood and vanilla so it was probably a given that I would like this.  I can also detect a substantial amount of tuberose in here, so if you have an aversion to that scent, this fragrance is probably not for you.

Be a Bombshell - Eyeliner Pen in Onyx

Made in China.  I have sampled this item before, and I'm not a fan as I find the nib too thick for my tastes.  I prefer a finer application of eyeliner than this provides.

Nioxin Diamax Treatment

This product promises to increase the thickness of each strand of hair for a fuller effect.  It also promises to strengthen the hair and make it more manageable.  Sounds exciting, and I have the perfect candidate to test this out for me!  A friend of mine has waist-length hair that she is having trouble managing, so I'm going to give this to her.  Check back here for an update.

Océane Makeup Remover Pen

The next Made in China item is the Océane Makeup Remover Pen.  I'm not familiar with this company, but it appears to be a Brazilian drug store brand, perhaps similar to E.L.F.  I'm not a fan of cheap cosmetics packaged in a blister pack, so I don't have high hopes for this.

Emite Makeup Eyelash Curler

I love this eyelash curler - Emite is a brand from Sweden.  This is a very well made, substantial eyelash curler.  In fact, it's quite heavy.  I'll have to test it against my Chanel and Kevyn Aucoin eyelash curlers to see how it holds up.

So, is it worth $21? 
1. I already own two other brands of eyelash curlers, so this will be a spare.
2. The Bon Genre fragrance smells very nice, but I have similar fragrances in my collection and this is nothing I would buy on its own.
3. Two Made in China products is a negative.
4. The Nioxin is nice but I don't need to use a hair thickening product so I have to give this away.
Conclusion?  I think not.  

Read more here:
GlossyBox

Take care,
The Sassi Wench

❧❦ What's in My Beach Bag? From Turks and Caicos! ❦❧

That's me swimming in Turks and Caicos

Although summer is winding down in the Northern hemisphere, it's almost always sunny in Turks and Caicos!  I was fortunate to spend Labor Day on the island of Grand Turk.  I have been to Turks and Caicos several times, and I highly recommend Turks and Caicos as a vacation destination.

A beach tote from Coach

I purchased my beach tote from the Coach Factory Outlet.  They are currently available in several colors like green, purple, pink, black and my choice, blue.  The large tote bag folds up and can be stored in the accompanying Coach pouch which can be used as a makeup or accessory bag.  This versatile tote can be used as a beach bag, a gym bag, a diaper bag or a weekend bag. 

The Coach zipper pouch can be used for makeup or accessories.

I brought along a few things to help get me through the day...

• Biotherm Haute High Protection I don't know why this is impossible to find in the USA!  
• Australian Gold Sun Face Guard Stick SPF 50.  This product provides good protection especially when you swim - that's the real test. Buy it here
• Clinique Sun Broad Spectrum SPF 45 Sunscreen Targeted Protection Stick.  This works very much like the Australian Gold Sun Stick but I like to use this on my lips.  Buy it here
• A DandyCase for my iPhone (not pictured but it's in the video) so that I could use my iPhone in the water to take video and photos. Buy it here
• Del Sol nail polish - these nail polishes change color in the sun.  Buy it here
• A Nexus - I take this everywhere because it stores a selection of my favorite books and movies Buy it here
• Tissues, deodorant, a mirror, gum, a pen, moist wipes, a hair clip, and a small tube of facial cleanser.

Until next time!

The Sassi Wench

❧❦ Sample Society Box April 2013 Allure Magazine Beauty Bar ❦❧

Allure Magazine Sample Society Box April 2013 from beautybar.com

B. Kamins Laboratories Nia-Stem Moisturize

Red Flower Blood Orange Moisturizing Lotion

Hanskin Hydro Sheet Mask 

Borghese Gentle Makeup Remover

Cotz Face Sunscreen

Jane Tran Hair Clips

This was a really good skincare box.  From makeup remover to moisturizer, it's pretty much everything I would use regularly.  Definitely worth the $15.  In addition, if you choose to purchase a full size version of any of these products, you get $15 off your purchase of $50 or more - so in essence you would get this box for free!  Even better!

The April 2013 Sample Society Allure Magazine Beauty Bar Box includes:

B. Kamins Laboratories Nia-Stem Moisturize

Red Flower Blood Orange Moisturizing Lotion

Hanskin Hydro Sheet Mask 

Borghese Gentle Makeup Remover

Cotz Face Sunscreen

Jane Tran Hair Clips

Sign up here:

Beauty Bar.com Sample Society Box with Allure Magazine

- The Sassi Wench

❧❦ Birchbox April 2013 - Caudalie ❦❧

Birchbox April 2013

Mirenesse Glossy Kiss Lipstick in Starlet

Caudalie SOS Morning Eye Rescue

Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle Nourishing Hair Elixir

Yes To Cucumbers Soothing On-the-Go Facial Towelettes

Yes To Grapefruit Daily Facial Scrub & Dark Spot Correcting Serum

This is my Mom's box - mine isn't here yet.  It's not bad, by any means.  Just check out some of my older posts or videos and you will understand.

The only item I have actually used here myself are the Yes To Cucumber facial towelettes.  They are okay.  They get the job done but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy them.

The April 2013 Birchbox includes:

Beauty Protector - Protect & Detangle nourishing hair elixir

Caudalie - SOS Morning Eye Rescue daily treatment

Mirenesse - Glossy Kiss Lipstick

Yes To Cucumber Facial Towelettes

Yes To Grapefruit Daily Facial Scrub & Dark Spot Correcting Serum (BB Extra).

Birchbox is $10 per month.

Check out the Birchbox site here:

Take care,

- The Sassi Wench