March 2016 Birchbox Unboxing!

Hey guys! I'm finally putting up a post on my March Birchbox, even though we are now headed into April. Oops! Let's take a closer look at what I got!

On of the the things I was most excited about was this Cargo Eye Shadow Duo in Joey & The Rocks, shadows from the Down Under Palette. The lighter beige shade is a wonderful light transition shade and the darker brown is perfect for the crease. They don't blend as well as I hoped, but I'll still get some use out of them, especially when travelling.

... and a perfume sample from Blocki This Grand Affair. BOOOOO!

I was also stoked about this Keihl's Since 1851 Super Multi-Corrective Eye-Opening Serum. I've heard great things about Keihl's products, and I love getting eye creams and serums in subscriptions so I don't ever have to buy them! Right now I have so many in my rotation I doubt I'll run out for a verrrry long time. I've tied this one a few times and I've been enjoying the lightweight, moisturizing texture under my eyes. So far so good!

I also got a Juara Radiance Enzyme Scrub, that I have yet to try. I love exfoliator samples, and I can't wait to see if it lives up to the claims of minimizing pores.

Lastly, I got a Number 4 Hydrating Shampoo and a sample of the Hydrating Conditioner to go along with it. These products are very fragranced, and have a strong floral perfume scent which I didn't mind. The shampoo however, wasn't that hydrating in my opinion, and felt like it was stripping my hair of natural oil. It might just be me and my curly/wavy, thick and course, hair type that many shampoos that claim to be hydrating do the opposite for me. The conditioner was pretty good though! I just wish the conditioner was in the bottle, and the shampoo was in the packet.

That's it for my Birchbox! This box is going into my saved boxes stash for sure because I'm a sucker for metallic/mint. :) Not a bad box at all! Birchbox is $10 a month and is perfect for those who don't just want mostly makeup samples, but higher end skin and hair care products.

What did you get in your box this month?

xoxo

Jessica

March 2016 Boxycharm Unboxing!

I skipped last months Boxycharm, but with a few sneak peaks into this months box, I just HAD to get it! Boxycharm usually gives you 4-5 full size products for only $21 a month, and it's definitely one of the better value subscription boxes out there.

Let's take a look!

I was so excited to see that we got not one, but TWO Makeup Geek Shadows!!! I've always wanted to try Makeup Geek shadows, and now I finally get to. I got the shades Cupcake, a matte mauve pink, and Shimma Shimma, a shimmery champagne. Both are beautiful, have great pigmentation and seem really blendable. Cupcake would make an excellent transition shade in the crease and Shimma Shimma would be good for inner corner, brow bone highlight and all over lid pop of shimmer. 

I also got a Luxie 512 Small Contour Brush! This brush is sooo soft and one of the prettiest brushes I own. I probably won't use it for contour because I like using bigger brushes, but I'll probably use it for blending out concealer or even using it to highlight.

I also got a full size Chella Tantalizing Taupe Eyebrow Pencil, Clarks Botanicals Anti-Puff Eye Cream, and a travel size Catherine Malandrino Style de Paris Perfume. 

I'm meh about the perfume just because I'm so tired of getting it, but at least it's a decent size and smells nice, like a light mix of citrus and floral. I've gotten Chella products before and I've liked them, so I'm stoked about this pencil! The color is a good match for me and the formula is on the waxy side, but I prefer that over too creamy a formula. 

I'm real excited for the eye cream though! It's a giant size, has a pump and seems like it'll be super nourishing and moisturizing without being too thick. Allergy season is upon us, and if it combats puffy eyes like it's supposed to this will definitely come in handy!

Like I've said, Boxycharm is probably my favorite, and I'm loving almost everything I got this month (minus the perfume).

What did you love in your Boxycharm this month?

xoxo

Jessica

Shadows To Make Your Eyes Standout

Choosing eye shadows based on eye color isn't anything new, and they even sell specially designed shadow quads and palettes for specific eye color. There is something magical when certain shadows are paired with the right eye color and makes your eyes the center of attention. Here are a few 'secret weapon' shades to make your eyes pop based on your eye color!

Secret Weapon for Brown Eyes: Purples, Emerald Green, and Cobalt Blue

Brown eyes are neutral, so us brown eyed gals can pretty much wear anything! But vibrant jewel toned shadows like purples, cobalt blue, and emerald green look especially gorgeous and make those brown eyes standout. Golds, pinks and golds also pair well!

I have a bunch of single shadows from Coastal Scents in a palette that are pretty much a brown eyed girls dream, complete with browns, purples, copper and a pop of green. I also love the Jordana 12 HR Made To Last Shadow Pencil in Endless Emerald and Prolong Purple because they have great pigmentation, staying power and lovely colors. I also have a sample of the Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner in Electric Blue, which adds a pop of color to the waterline and is creamy enough to put all over the lid. 

Secret Weapon for Green Eyes: Pinks, Mauve, Plums, Rose Gold

Want to make your green eyes be the center of attention? Wear pink shades, mauve and rose golds shades to compliment your green tones! The combination creates a soft, romantic look, and these shades don't overshadow green eyes. The Coastal Scents Revealed 2 Palette ( a dupe for the Urban Decay Naked 3) has a bunch of beautiful pink, mauve and rose gold tones. The L'Oreal Infallible Shadow in Amber Rush would look stunning all over the lid for a metallic sheen! Earthy brown shadows also compliment green eyes nicely.

Secret Weapon for Blue Eyes: Reds, Oranges and Coppers

I am so jealous of you blue eyed girls because reds, oranges and coppers look absolutely STUNNING! The opposite of blue on the color wheel is orange, so it makes sense that these shades would compliment blue eyes. The Lime Crime Venus: The Grunge Palette is practically made for blue eyes with rusty reds, maroons, oranges and pinks. NYX Prismatic Shadow in Fireball is an amazing metallic red, and Colour Pop Shadow in Game Face is an amazing orange copper (totally forgot to include it in pictures). I love these types of shades, but reds are hard to pull of with my brown eyes without looking like I have pink eye.

Secret Weapon for Hazel Eyes: Plums, Purples, Browns

Whenever I see my hazel friend wear plum shadow, I cannot stop staring at her eyes. The plum purples emphasizes the green tones in hazel eyes so well! A, absolutely gorgeous combo. The Coastal Scents Revealed 2 also comes in handy because it not only has pinks and mauves, but a few deeper plum shades which the Naked 3 doesn't have. This Luxie Single Shadow in No. 290 is plum brown that would also pair well with hazel eyes! 

This isn't an exhaustive list obviously, but just a few shades that I find pair well with each eye color. But remember, these are not hard rules but suggestions. If you have blue eyes and want to wear green shadow, or have brown eyes and want to wear red shadow, go for it! If you like it, that's all that matters. :)

What are your favorite shadow/eye color combos?

xoxo

Jessica