July Birchbox in Review Form + My First Video!!!!!

Hello! I cannot tell you how exited I am about my first video! I had so much fun with it! I have been blogging her for a year and a half and I thought this would be the next natural step.

Thank you to Kari who has already stopped and said hello over in video world! I was more exited about posting it on blogger then I was on youtube! lol! I think that's because you all have always been so awesome to me and your support means more than anything! Youtube can get kinda hairy at times it seems like. People are bitches.

Now, I need your help.

First let me know if you liked it! I know I am going to have to fix that lighting issue! But some of this to me is hilarious. Oh God! Just like a got better with blogging, I will get better with videos too! LOL!

Secondly, if anyone that knows anything about video's and video editing, tell me about it! I have Windows Movie Maker and I cannot edit my video there without it a) cutting out the last part of the video & b) compromising the quality. If you know any blogs about it too, leave them down below too.

Thirdly, I want to know what you usually like seeing in video form and what you would rather see in a blog post.

Now on to the Birchbox! Basically, I try all of the products I got in my box, so that way I can give you a better opinion on them all. I already took pictures of everything so I am going to include those in here too. Plus the shots I have of my trying to show you the stuff suck because I don't have a viewfinder so here they are! If you wanna know what I thought of everything, you will have to watch the video!

Honest opinion's that are constructive would be awesome from you guys! And also if you have any tips on editing or Windows Movie Maker, that would be just as awesome too! Can't wait to hear everyone's opinion!

 if you wanna subscribe to my youtube channel, I am MeetMissJackson or Erica Jackson so check me out!
I made a whole other account just to have to name MeetMissJackson but I guess I am still Erica Jackson! Dammit!

till next time
xoxo
Erica

Birchbox Freebies!

Can you believe I got $50 worth of great products for free?! I have been saving up my points for over a year now so needless to say, I had a bunch to spend. If you were unsure about how the Birchbox point system works here's a quick breakdown:

• 10 points = $1
• you can spend your points in $10 increments

           How can you get points?

• For each Birchbox you buy = 10 points (even one's you gift!)
• For each item you get in your box and give feedback on = 10 points

Honestly, it may be my favorite part about Birchbox. You can buy anything on their website with your points. If you have enough points, it will even pay for shipping too! Here's the stuff I purchased was sent! for free! I am sorry, I just love the concept!

Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleanser: I have oily/dry skin. It just all depends. I had a feeling I was going to love it considering they went to the ends of the Amazon River to find White Clay for it. Amazonian clay can actually help with both dry and oily skin so this seemed perfect. It sounds fancy! LOL! It Exfoliates and Detoxifies as well.

My review: I do love exfoliators but I don't want something to be too abrasive on my face considering my skin can also be sensitive at times as well. This cleanser has very tiny exfoliant's in it and was comfortable washing my face. The exfoliant's in it are even tinier than Proactiv's exfolitant's, if you have ever used Proactiv.

Considering this face wash is a clay, I was expecting something less creamy for some reason. It comes out as a clay, then when you start washing your face the clay turns into a milky, soapy face wash. It is really nice! Once I dry off my face I do notice how soft and smooth (& clean!) my skin is and I have really been liking this! Dare I say- It rivals Proactiv any day!

Stila Eyeshadow in Jezebel: If you have seen my Rose Gold post, you would have already seen this eyeshadow. I really love it! I already knew I was going to as Stila eyeshadow's are my favorite to begin with. I have been loving adding this in my crease with a matte cream color on my lid. pretty

Dr. Hauschka's Radiant You Kit: This was the thing that I couldn't decide on when I was ordering everything. The lavender bath isn't for a bath, it's actually to use in conjunction with everything else for a spa like facial. I will be doing a demo or a review at some point because there's something to it. For know if your contemplating trying this out, I say got for it! It's a nice treat!

Are you all signed up for Birchbox?

Have you gotten anything with your points?

Have a fab day!

thanks for reading!

xoxo

Erica

What's in my Birchbox + Review

I really loved this months box. The trend seems to be every other month you get a great box & the other months they are crap. So I received my box around 2 weeks ago & I would say that is enough time to try some of the stuff out to give my full opinion on it.

Melvita Rose Floral Water: I am not a fan of the smell of roses & no that is not a metaphor! (yep, really stupid joke!) But this smells like roses & vanilla. That is it. It is a really light, nice, sweet scent. I was surprised to find myself spraying it on my face all day because it smells so good! It says you can use it as both a mild toner & a skin refresher. I have been doing both & while I do not see a huge difference in my skin, it is always nice to use.

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner: This stuff is great. The applicator is actually a marker & it makes for a really precise line. Anyone who is just starting out with liquid liner, I recommend Eyeko's or any type of marker. I glides on really smooth as well. When I realized it was green I really disappointed. I only wear black liquid liner!! I am going to experiement out of my comfort zone because it is such a good product but when it starts to fade, it turns from a deep green (which is doable) into a true medium toned green. Dammit.

The Balm Stainiac: The best thing in this box! Can you believe I have never used a stain? Now that I have tried it, I don't wanna go back to powder or cream! On the cheeks, it looks so very natural, like the color is coming from the skin as opposed to on top of it. It reminds me of the part on Meet Me in St. Louis where Judy Garland pinched her cheeks before going down to join the party. If anyone knows that movie, holla! It's my favorite throwback (: Anyway, the consistency is jelly like as you can see & it outlasts any powder on the cheeky's. <3

swatches:

 Stainiac blended out....

Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream: I initially thought this was for the face. When I opened the package I was pleased to find a flier congratulating me. Very thoughtful! This has the consistency of Vaseline. it is for very dry skin, cracked heels, whatever. I dont really have much of an opinion about it, honestly. I say go buy some Vaseline. Sorry there's no picture, but I bet you can guess what it looks like from above! Nothing special to me!

Cynthia Rowley Designer Band Aids: Did I say Stainiac was my favorite thing? Maybe its these! The best "extra" I have ever gotten! These band aids are freaking cute! I can't wait to get a cut! The price is a little outragous, 20 for $15, so I am really happy to have them as a freebie because I dont think I could ever justify spending that much on band aids.

I love the sequins one! I put it on my finger for no other reason then to show it off! OMG I am a freak (:

So theres my Birchbox for June! I liked it this month. 

What did you guys get in yours? 

Anything different?

xoxo

Erica 

 

18: Neon Pink!

ok so I am not going in order for the challenge! I will finish the rest in a different order. Day 20 is Pink but I am calling it Day 18.

This nail polish is the most neon polish I have ever seen. I am not joking. Every time I looked down it looked like I had installed pink light bulbs on my nails. Esp. outside. If you do not like really bright colors, this is not for you. I really love it because it is so different & it is unlike any other neon I own. Why, you ask?

Color Club Jackie Oh!

-Dries to a glossy finish

-Only needed 2 coats at most.

-Does not apply streaky at all

-The brightest neon I have ever seen

-Dries rather quickly

other points:

-This chips, just like any other nail polish within 2 days for me. I guess it really depends what top coat you put on it. I guess I need to find a new one!

-It is "see through". Not in a "my mani looks unfinished" way but in a gel manicure way. You can barely tell by the picture because it is the slightest detail. It's not sheer, it's just see through. I thought that was actually pretty cool because it reminds me of a gel manicure.

I think because it dries to a glossy finish it really amplifies the color making it as bright as the sun. I am comparing this neon with Nina's Ultra Pro Nail Polishes that are all mostly neons. You can find those at Sally's if your wanting something not as bright but I honestly think it is wasted money now that I have tried Color Club's Jackie Oh! With Nina's Ultra Pro Nail Polishe in Punki Pink (neon pink), I applied (no freaking joke) 10-12 coats on my piggy's & it was still extremely sheer. Not the good kind, the bad kind! (see above!). That also dried to a matte finish which is fine: I could work with it. It was just way too sheer.

I got this nail polish in my Birchbox actually! I have been loving Birchbox lately, esp. this month! I think that means another installment of "Best of Birchbox" is coming up soon!

Thank you for reading,

xoxo

Erica

January Birchbox Review

Hey guys! So if your new and wondering why I am talking about last month's Birchbox, I will fill you in. I was a little tired of just hauling the boxes that I thought I could do more of a review and be much more beneficial to the blogging world. Instead of me talking about my expectations for the things in my box, I would have had enough time to try them out to see what I think. This is also a motivating factor for me to actually try everything in my box and use it to the last drop. Let's get started, shall we?

Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in Moray: ($20) Stila is quickly becoming my favorite high end brand and this product did not disappoint! The only color liner I use is black- for the most part, anyway.. I really don't like brown and I will try purple every once in a while on my lid but my waterline is always black. This liner is really unique. A really dark greenish color with green specks of glitter in it. I find it is a great alternative to brown for me. When im in the mood for something different, this has been fitting the bill. I do find that it can start to smudge off of the water line after a few hours.  It goes on smoothly on the lid, and doesn't really budge there once applied.

However, I do have one complaint! It is really hard to twist up and once it is twisted up, you cannot put it back down. When I first received it, I immediately called Birchbox to let them know I got the liner tube and package, but no liner. I felt really stupid even admitting it to the B-box rep. She then made me feel better telling me they had the issue of twisting the liner up and even went so far to tell me they had to call Stila to ask how to use the liner. Was she just trying to be nice? I don't think so......maybe? Whatever, once I figured out how to use it, it was good to go from there. It can be a pain from time to time though.

Jouer Body Butter: ($32) I think if anybody were to own this body butter, it would be Lisa Vanderpump. It is extremely luxurious considering it's nice frosted glass packaging, extremely creamy consistency, and light, floral scent. I think this was nice to sample because I am so used to my overbearing, so-good-you-can-eat-it Bath & Body Works butters (which I love) I never really go for anything else. I probably will not be re-purchasing it because B&BW is easier to access and easier on the wallet. I do feel rich when I have Jouer's on though. I am probably not making any sense. These are my weird thoughts. If I can help just person with this paragraph, I have done my duty (: On a more mature note, I do want to mention that, out of any body butter's I have ever tried, this one is the least bit greasy. It is actually not greasy at all, as some butter's can be. I really love that the most about it. I don't get my keyboard all messy a minute or 2 after putting it on. It is just straight moisture. Im giving it a 5/5 because of that. It's just that price. ouch.

Borghese Curaforte Moisture Intensifier: ($67) I got my Birchbox around the same time my Proactiv Face Brush came and I started using them both and after a week or so, my skin wasn't reacting well. It just seemed red and irritated so I back off of both the Borghese Curaforte and the Face Brush for a day or so for my skin to go back to normal. When I brought both back in, my skin actually got better then before both of them and I was really pleased!

This stuff is not only meant to moisturize your skin,  "it also helps your other products sink in more deeply so that active ingredients can perform more effectively. As if that weren’t enough, the lightweight formula boosts skin smoothness and clarity." (birchbox.com)

So I have been putting this on after my Revitalizing Toner (Step 2) & Before my Repairing Treatment (Step 3) following the rule of applying the light product first, and heavier products after. The consistency of the Borghese Curaforte is a very runny serum. I found out that applying them in this order really made this stuff work 10x better! (Before hand I was apply the serum after all 3steps and I didn't notice much of a difference) First off, it really made my skin extremely soft. What I mean by soft is I used to have very small pimples that would never go away and it has smoothed them out to what are becoming non-existent. I also do think it is helping my other products (Proactiv, esp. step 3) work even more effectively. I do have acne prone skin and Proactiv has always made my skin manageable, but with this added in my skin is even better. I have really liked this stuff.

Here's an awesome article about How To Layer Skin Care I found on Birchbox.com



LaraBar in Chocolate Peanut Butter: I like Larabar's, but don't love them. I am not a fan of alot of nuts and such. This bar was the best bar I have ever had! I ate it in the middle of the night and the next day went to my local health food store to see if they had any of the flavor in stock...they didn't. They asked if I wanted to buy a whole box of the flavor for $30 (16 bars) that they would order for me. I can't spend $30 on freaking Larabars, but wish I could have. I don't have an original picture to show you, I hope this one will do. credit

Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy: I thought it was a really nice fragrance. This is right up my alley. If you guys like a fresh summer time scent, you'll love it. I am just going to read right off of the package for the description:

~

Wild Berries & Mandarin.

Honeysuckle, Gardenia, & Jasmine.  

(^^would go perfect with Jouer body butter!^^)

Amber, Caramel, Vanilla,

Sandalwood, & Praline.

~

There's my birchbox from Jan in review form. I do hope you guys like this type of take on it. For the most part, I usually love everything in my birchbox. Maybe not everything is a total hit but I usually like the majority of my box. Last month I really loved everything. be on the look out for this months (feb) birchbox post, next month! So far, im not really impressed but I will fill you in soon enough!

Have you guys had a chance to try everything in your box? What do you think? 

thank you guys for reading!

yours truly,

Erica

December Birchbox in Review Form

It happens once a month. It happens at same time for every girl. No I am not talking about "that" I am talking about Birchbox. I am sure everybody gets sick of the exact same blog post from every single person popping up on your blogger fed. Birchbox haul. Most of these types of post's are hauls, first impressions, including my very own.

I figured it would be much more helpful for you guys and more fun me, to review my Birchbox as opposed to haul it. From now on, I will be showcasing my previous month's Birchbox so that way I have enough time to try everything out and give you a full review on each item. We'll start with Decemeber's box. Let's get started, shall we?

December's Box

First off, my Birchbox came extremely late and it was partly my fault as I didn't update my payment information. Birchbox credited my account 100 points (which is $10 to spend on Birchbox.com) even though it was my fault. I really thought that was awesome! It made waiting for my Birchbox that much better. Just a side note, customer service is seriously awesome.

Oscar Blandi Volumizing Dry Shampoo

Oscar Blandi Volumizing Dry Shampoo: Pronto Invisible Volumizing Dry Shampoo Second day hair has never looked better. This volume-boosting dry shampoo spray absorbs excess oil and strengthens hair.

-Before I got this, I had only tried dry shampoo once from Suave and I didn't like it. I felt like it made my hair greasier than it was before I used it. With Oscar's, I do find that if you don't use it correctly, it will do the same as the Suave dry shampoo did. You can't get too close to your hair with the bottle. I find that if I keep it 6" away from my head it will work beautifully. I also find that if I use too much of Oscar Blandi's dry shampoo it will again make my hair greasy- so use sparingly!. Another important step to making it work is to wait for the product to dry and then be sure brush it out with a brush or even your fingers.

-As for the volumizing property with the dry shampoo I can't be sure of. I blow dry my hair with the main focus to give it volume. After I couple of days, my volume will go away if I don't do something about it. When I use Oscar Blandi's dry shampoo I feel like it brings life back to it, making it look like first day hair and my first day hair is always volumized. I am not sure if it would volumize my hair if I didn't blow it out a few days before hand.

Jouer Lipgloss in Birchbox Pink 

in the following swatches, the top swatch is swatched 3x over. Bottom swatch is swatched once.

no flash

with flash

Jouer Lipgloss in Birchbox Pink: We teamed up with one of our favorite brands to create this custom fuchsia shade. Apply one coat for semi-sheer pigment, or build it for a hot pink pout.

The 1st picture above is actually showing up more neon than it actually is but it is a really pretty gloss. The description really explains it well, & both the swatches are pretty spot on

Nuxe Dry Oil 

Nuxe Dry Oil: Apply this gorgeous oil to face and body to give skin a silken feel and subtle glow. You can also work a couple drops through your hair for softness and shimmer 

-Let me start off my by telling you that this was my favorite item in my box last month.  I wasn't too sure how much I was going to like this as it is an oil and I have sensitive skin. It didn't irritate my skin at all because it is dry as opposed to wet which I suppose would be greasy and heavy. This dry oil is extremely light weight and because of that it didn't clog my pores. Even though this is a deluxe sample I cannot see it running out anytime soon. I could probably keep this for a few years without having to repurchase as you only need the tiniest bit. I do really love using this on my cheekbones. It makes a really nice highlight. and as for my hair, it didn't do anything for me. I ran it through the tips of my hair and I got nothing.

Atelier Cologne Ambre Nue Petite Cologne Absolue

Atelier Cologne Ambre Nue Petite Cologne Absolue:  Ambre Nue A Birchbox exclusive, Atlier's latest fragrance is set to debut this January. Spicy amber notes contrast with sweet jasmine and green mandarin.

I didn't like this at all! I think it is a little too herbal reminding me of a hippie. Not a dirty one by any means! A clean hippie, yes. It just wasn't for me. It's funny, because I usually really love jasmine perfume's and even mandarin, but this perfume mix is a little too....I dont know. Heavy? Earthy? Mature? Here's something else Birchbox mentioned about the perfume:

"Most fragrances are designed like pyramids, with the most volatile notes (often citrus) at the top. Instead of this bottom-heavy structure, Atelier Cologne’s scents have an hourglass construction, with citrus-like notes on both the top and the bottom. The result? The freshness stays throughout the day."

E-Boost Orange Natural Energy Booster

E-Boost Orange Natural Energy Booster: Orange Natural Energy Booster Bounce back post-party with this tangy citrus energy booster, packed with a mega-dose of nutrients.

I was dying to try this out and I freaking lost the packette! UGH! Oh well...Im sorry I can't give you a review on it guys ): I really wanted to try it!

Showstoppers® Designer Fashion Tape in Nude/Black

Showstoppers® Designer Fashion Tape in Nude/Black: Designer Fashion Tape Celeb Stylists swear by these double-sided tape strips, which will ensure that your party dress stays perfectly in place.

I wanted to try these but I just didn't need anything hemmed or worn anything skimpy enough to need to tape my shirt to my boobs or body but I have it tucked in a drawer so when summer hits ill be breaking it out! I letcha know then!

So what do you think, do you like this type of Birchbox blog post better? I really do!

till next time,

xoxox

Erica

Jouer Creme Eyeshadow

Hey everybody! I hope everyone is having a really great holiday season, I know I am! I just got my baby puppy yesterday! More about her later because I really could not wait to show you guys this Jouer Creme Eyeshadow in Feather I got the other day

I ordered it from Birchbox and got it for free! I had racked up so many points (230 to be exact) and that meant that I had $20 in points to spend. I have had my eye on this for a couple of weeks now and when I started contemplating which shade I wanted, I googled them (there's only 4) for swatches. I found each swatch...except for one, which was Feather. It was the one I was leaning towards anyways, and figured it would be a good chance to swatch it for the internet world, since I couldn't find one. There are 2 dark colors, and 2 light colors with Feather being one of the lighter ones. This one has a pink undertone to it: obviously already swatched it as I couldn't keep my hands off long enough for a photo. Isn't it gorgeous?

left: swatched once right: swatched 3x

As you can see, the shadow is really sheer for the first swatch, but it is seriously buildable. I love that it is sheer considering it would be a good highlighter because of that. With one coat on my cheek bone, when the light hits it perfectly, it looks natural and beautiful. In fact, here's a great example of how pretty it is with the light hitting it:

left: swatched once right: swatched 3x

excuse the blurryness of the picture, as it is a little hard to capture with one hand!

-as for using it as a shadow (as it is intended) I like to use this under Stila's Kitten (which came broken!)

-I found that I did need a primer underneath or else it will crease. Another point I wanted to make was that it is so silky & dries down to a powdery like consistency. It is so extremely beautiful that I really cannot tell you how much I love it and I cannot wait to try out Cashmere next. If you have enough Birchbox points, get this! Even if you don't, I would pay $20 for this little gem.

Now about my puppy! She is a blue miniature pincher and I named her Stella, after Stella McCartney. It was the perfect middle ground as I am a fan of Stella because of her clothing line, and mom is a fan of her dad, Paul. But I sometimes call her grimlin or reindeer because she looks like both of them. I bought her the cutest coat! it's red and has a hood with fur (faux) and if it was bigger, you would mistake it for a human coat. I also bought her a cute sweater with ruffles I will be taking some pictures and i'll put them up in no time! Yep, im the crazy dog lady now lol

Thanks so much for reading!

xoxo 

Erica J

Birchbox , Thanxgiving, & Black Friday Steals oh my!

November Birchbox
wow, am I late on the b-box post? yes. I have been working so much and getting ready for the holidays, I haven't even had time to think about a birch box! So im here a couple hours before I gotta go to work to tell you about it

since I started getting my birchbox in april, Alex has been eying it saying "i should sign up" and never does. So I ordered her one for Christmas! they dont have the option to gift a 1 month subscription so what I did was opened another account and left it open until she gets her box. If she decides she wants to continue, we can transfer the subscription to her and if she doesn't want to, then I will simply cancel it. I think its a great and extremely cheap gift.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Hydra-Full Gloss in Sugar Pink

I can understand why I got this in my box. Anastasia is known for her brow products and she wants to branch out and I do love the gloss as you know I love pink lip products to death. I just wasn't feeling the applicator...It doesn't even have a doe foot. It is almost like the little sponge thing feel off of the stick so I wasn't liking that too much. If I was going to purchase a full size that would be something I would wanna look into.

you can barely tell that there isnt a brush or a doe foot on the applicator, but their isnt. And it is rather small, so I can pop this in my apron at work and go to town all night long. 

Supersmile Professional Whitening Toothpaste 
that is apple flavored....interesting. It does taste like apples, and I have only used it 2x so I am not sure if it is going to whiten, lets hope so! The only thing about it is that it doesn't foam up! I like that in a tooth paste just like I do in a body wash. You wouldn't feel as clean if your body wash didn't sud up. It's the same concept for the tooth paste and this one doesn't foam up....

Chuao Chocolatier 
 Firecracker Chocpod Haven't tried this yet but says chipotle, salt, & popping candy so this sounds amazing!

Zoya Polish in Holly
 I love how all the Zoya polishes are named after girls and I love that this is named Holly. quite fitting for Christmas This is the best thing in the box- beautiful deep green color with fleks of really fine glitter. I cannot wait to wear this during Christmas!.....eff that, this is going on my nails asap! (:

Harvey Prince Eau Flirt
The description says it all. You can really smell the top note of citrus. I am not one for citrus scents but this one isnt bad at all. I also smell the floral note too. It has a pumpkin note, and maybe that's that spicy note that I cant put my finger on. I am just not used to pumpkin perfume I guess! It smells lovely though- flirty is a great way to describe it.  it's energizing, flirty, floral, & a bit spicy. Great day time perfume I think.

.
{{post continued after I got off of work:}}

Daily in's and outs:

-So I am actually cooking here tomorrow! Well technically today, as it is 2:30 am. Turkey, Homemade mashed potatoes (the only way to go), carrots, green beans, & asparagus, & for dessert pumpkin cheesecake! we are also got a bottle of wine. It's gunna be me and Phil my boyfriend, and my mom once she gets off of work. My dad is also working and lives like a half hour away so its lookin like the 3 of us

-I ordered some Candles by Victoria for the first time last night and also vowed that that would be my last candle purchase until they are all gone! not to mention Kohl's is having 50% off candles on black friday...oh well! and there candles are amazing! burn slow and smell delicious

-I am going shopping at midnight on thanxgiving. I have checked out all of the sales and im going to go to Kohl's (50% off of Vera, Lauren Conrad, Elle, apt 9, jewelry, etc.) afterward, im going to go next door to Ulta to get the 2 for $19 Benefit box powders, and yes you read that correctly.

-Other notable black friday sales: $20 for a down comforter at Kmart & $10 for reg. comforter (any size!). $5 for a conair hair dryer at Dollar General.

check out all of the black friday ads here

So Happy Shopping & Happy Thanxgving everybody!!!!! Eat a lot, Socialize, Shop, and Drive Safe!

What are your plans for Thanksgiving??

xoxo Erica