That's what you get...

Welcome to the at times interesting but mostly boring life of mine! I love dancing, singing, the warmth of the sun. I love beauty products and cosmetics so a lot of what you find here will be beauty related. Enjoy!!

[littlemisskati]

Clear Proof Acne System by Mary Kay Review

Hello!!

Oh.my.gosh, it has literally been forever!! I'm working on setting up a proper blog, but in the meantime, I'm back on tumblr! 

Now, here's a review for you...

Clear Proof Acne System by Mary Kay

I was sent this 4-piece system completely FREE from influenster.com which is awesome. Who doesn't like getting free stuff to try out? Probably no one! This is, as the name suggests, an acne clearing system. Those of us that received this VoxBox were asked to try out the system for 30 days, and now that my 30 days are up, it's time to let everyone know how I feel.

First things first, I'll admit that I don't really have terrible skin. My skin is normal/dry with some patches that are acne prone. I get acne around my chin and nose, but it's nothing that I've ever worried about. Onto the products!

Clarifying Cleansing Gel (2% Salicylic Acid)

- I think this is a good cleanser. That's really it... It's good. I wasn't blown away by it, but it definitely does the job. The salicylic acid helps to clear up acne which is obviously a plus. I was worried this would leave my skin feeling dry and tight, but I didn't experience any of that. I've put this cleanser away now that it's winter, but I'll likely take it back out and use it during the spring and summer.

Blemish Control Toner (2% Salicylic Acid)

- I absolutely hated this toner. I can't say anything good about it. I managed to stick out the entire 30 days using it, but I knew after the first try that this toner wasn't for me. First off, it has a very strong, harsh chemical scent which I hate. I can't imagine something that smells so bad actually being good to put on your skin. Second, it instantly made my skin feel tight and dry. I needed to apply moisturizer immediately after this. Third, I'm not really convinced this part of the system made that much of a difference. Even if it did, I'd leave this step out in the future. It's just not worth the intense dry feeling it gives my already dry skin. I will probably give this away to one of my friends with more severe acne. 

Acne Treatment Gel (5% Benzoyl Peroxide)

- This is a product that I'm on the fence about. While I did like it as a spot treatment, I have a drugstore product that works better because it contains a higher percentage of benzoyl peroxide. This product is good. Just not the best. On the bright side, I noticed that this product wasn't overly drying on the spots that I did treat.

Oil-Free Moisturizer

- Another product that I'm on the fence about. This moisturizer works fine. I like that it's oil-free and doesn't put off any weird smells. However, my skin always felt like it needed a bit more hydration especially on my forehead. For someone with severe acne, this is probably an excellent product. My skin is just a bit too dry and needs a more powerful moisturizer. I'll probably use this again in the summer when my skin is as dry.

Did I notice a difference in my skin?

- Kinda? My acne cleared up, but I don't necessarily think it was because of this system. My acne scars didn't really fade. My face still looks pretty much the same. Now, here is something that I can't stress enough. 30 days really isn't very long. It's especially not very long when you're talking in terms of skin and how your skin adapts to new products. In the booklet that came along with the system, it does recommend to use this regimen for 12 weeks in order to see the best results. Hence, once summer comes around I will be busting out this system again (minus the toner!) to see if I really see any difference. 

Is the Clear Proof Acne System by Mary Kay worth buying?

- Moment of truth... no. This system is $45 when purchased as a package, and I would never buy it for that price. I'm sure if you have severe acne and are desperate for a remedy then the price won't matter. I guess I'm just lucky, and my skin really isn't bad enough to need a system like this. 

Here's a link to a photo of me fresh out of the shower before and after my 30 day trial run. The picture on the left is the before, and the picture on the right is the after. You can see my trouble spot just along my jawline!

http://instagram.com/p/wmqVQ2Nxuh/?modal=true

Thanks again to Influenster and Mary Kay for sending out the Clear Proof Acne System!!

**All images of the Clear Proof Acne System from www.marykay.com**

[littlemisskati]

May Glambag -- OVERDUE!

May was another good month for ipsy! I'm really impressed with the quality and size of all the products that I got. Another super cute bag stuffed with great, USEFUL products!

yaby Concealer Refill --

- I was glad that this concealer actually matched my skin pretty well. I know some people got colors that weren't right for them and that's a shame. I haven't used this a ton because I prefer my other concealers, but this has a nice home in the magnetic mini palette that ipsy gave out last month. Great for travel! Total Value: $5.06

Zoya Nail Polish -- Jacqueline

- This is my first nail polish from Zoya... EVER! I'm not a big nail polish girl to be honest. It always turns into a big disaster whenever I paint my finger nails, so I paint my toes instead. Although I got an oatmeal type color, I actually do like it. The formula is smooth, vegan friendly, and Big5Free. Most nail polish are packed with harmful chemicals, so it's nice to have a friendlier alternative that still looks great! Total Value: $8

Pacifica Roll On Perfume -- Island Vanilla

- I love love love LOVE this perfume! I love the sweet vanilla/bourbon scent. It's a perfect summer smell. It reminds me of tropical islands and white sand beaches. I'm obsessed! Birchbox make a note: THIS is how you do perfume samples! Nobody wants a million tiny vials of perfume that get lost in the bottom of a purse. We want stuff like this! Total Value: $12

Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss -- Fig

- If you've been reading my blog for a while you know that Juice Beauty and I have a bad history. The brand and I just don't see eye to eye 9/10 times. When I saw this copper lip gloss in my bag I was a little disappointed. I thought I'd never use this even if I did like the formula because the color is so NOT me. However, I actually like it! The formula is lovely. It's not sticky at all. I used to think other lip glosses weren't sticky, but nothing I've tried compares to this. It's so smooth! The color isn't even bad! It looks scary in the tube, but on my lips, it actually looks pretty nice! The taste is a little funky, so try to avoid getting any in your mouth. Otherwise, a very nice product from Juice Beauty. Finally, a winner! Total Value: $15

NuMe Finishing Serum

- This is the second oil/serum that I've gotten from ipsy, but I'm not complaining! Now that I live in a much more humid climate, I use oil in my hair almost everyday to help keep down the frizz. Although the applicator is a little unnecessary, the product itself works really well. My hair looks smooth and shiny. Very pleased! This was the only product that I got this month that wasn't a full size. A full size is $29 for 59mL. My sample is 10mL. Total Value: $4.92

OVERALL TOTAL VALUE: $44.98

Seriously, ipsy is blowing Birchbox out of the water! This month 4/5 products that I received were full size! SCORE!! $10 for nearly $45 worth of stuff... yeah, I'll take that! I'm so impressed with ipsy. To be honest, I don't think I'll ever go back to Birchbox.

Sadly, this is the last glambag that I'll be able to review as I'll be living in Australia for the next year. If I can convince anyone to send them to me from home I certainly will, but shipping is very expensive. Long story short, I doubt I'll be getting my hands on my glambags any time soon.

Another thing I'll be missing out on reviewing is my FIRST Influenster VoxBox. It arrived not even a week after I flew to Australia, and I'm so sad that I won't be able to try out any of the items myself. Such a bummer!

[poorrichardsnews]

Right in the Feels

[faintingjew-blog]

LION KING BLOOPERS

These are actual bloopers from the cast while they were recording, and they were later animated.

[werewolfstripclub]

HIGH MUFASA ALWAYS MAKES ME LAUGH

[vermofftiss]

I needed this in my life.

[mandalores]

if you don’t want this on your blog, i’m judging you

[littlemisskati]

So happy this exists

[littlemisskati]

Still on the list

Things to come:

- BH Cosmetics Review

- Shany Brush Review

- Target Haul (Rimmel, Maybelline, etc.)

- April Glambag Review

- Alterna Haircare Haul

-Alterna Haircare Review

- Au pair vlogs! (still working on this! I filmed one, but my camera kept going in and out of focus. I'll try again!)

- May Glambag Reveal

[littlemisskati]

Shany Brush Review

Isn't it beautiful!? I love this case. It's a pretty maroon reptile print case which is easy to roll up and store. Two magnetic buttons hold the case together, and each brush has it's own slot. There's also a small zipper pocket behind the large fan brush for extra brushes or small makeup items.

When I took the picture below I hadn't even used all of the brushes yet (I still haven't!). They all came wrapped in plastic initially.

This entire set of 22 brushes cost me less than $40 (including shipping), and overall I'm impressed with the quality. The brushes are so SOFT! The mix of natural and synthetic fibers and sleek matte black handles make these brushes look absolutely gorgeous. I noticed some of the bristles fell out when I first used some of the eyeshadow brushes, but everything seems fine now. If you don't know how to make the best use out of all these brushes, there's a foldout guide on what each brush can be used for. Of course, feel free to use them however you need! I'm so happy I bought this set instead of falling for one of the more expensive sets. Honestly, a brush is a brush. You don't need to spend $100+ on a brush set. Personally, some of my favorite brushes are from this set, e.l.f., and bh cosmetics. You don't need to spend a fortune, and I would recommend this set to anyone that wants to save a little money and still get great brushes. Like I said, I'm very pleased with these brushes. The selection and variety is just what I was looking for! 

  BONUS: Shany sent me three FREE eyeliner pencils with my purchase! Sadly, two of them are the crazy electric blue color, and only one is black. Also, they're actual pencils which I typically don't like. I prefer twist-up eyeliners. I gave the blue a try just for fun, and it was very creamy. Not sure if I'll ever really use it, but you never know! I might save the unopened blue one for a swap or giveaway :) 

Check out the Shany website if you want to browse through more of their makeup and brushes! You won't be disappointed :)

http://shanycosmetics.com/

[littlemisskati]

Alterna Haircare "Haul" from Hautelook! So far, I've only used the product on the far right, so it'll still be a little while before I post a review on these :)

[littlemisskati]

Last Day of School!

The last day of my undergrad career is today! Yes!!! Thank the freaking Lord! Now, I just have to survive my brutal finals schedule, and then it's peace out UMD! All I have left today is my last Ballet class (maybe ever!) which is really sad. I've enjoyed ballet a ton in college, and I wish I could continue with it. I have two finals Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and one final on Thursday. I also have to revise a paper and turn that in on Wednesday. Brutal! Ahh! I've never had so many finals before, and it sucks having two every day for three days straight.

My first final Monday is at 8am! That's the one I'm worried least about because I couldn't care less about that class at this point. I'll get a B overall which is fine with me. I have another final at 2pm which I'm also not worried about AT ALL because I have 100+% in the class. I could fail the final and still get an A I bet! 

On Tuesday, my first final is at 10am, and I don't really have to do anything for it. It's just my dance piece being danced by other people. My next final is at 2pm, and I guess I'm not to worried about that one because it's half the points of the midterm. I still need to study though!

Wednesday is going to be the worst! I have to perform my ballet final at 2pm which should be okay (except I haven't started creating my own portion for the final). My History paper and final are also that day which is going to be the scariest bit. That final is at 4pm, so I'll literally have no time to cram before the exam. I'll barely have time to refresh my memory! I really want to get an A in that class, but I think I'll probably end up with a B/B+.

Thursday should be a breeze because that final is basically just a review of the course. What we liked, what we didn't like. That sort of thing. After I'm done with that, it's just packing for Australia!

[littlemisskati]

BH Cosmetics Review

I'm so happy that I made this purchase. I've been experimenting with a ton of new eye colors because of these makeup palettes. A while back (February?) I placed an order to BH Cosmetics after seeing the brand on Hautelook. I ordered straight from the BH Cosmetics website though because it was only $5-$10 more, would ship way faster, AND I found a code for a free brush worth about $4. The BH Cosmetics website ALWAYS has great promos and deals. 

I had a really difficult time picking out a palette which is why I ended up getting two! I picked the 3rd and 5th Edition 120 Color Eye Shadow Palettes. They have some AMAZING colors! I love them for the neutrals of course, but I've found myself experimenting with blues, purples, greens, and even oranges thanks to these palettes! I can see how they both can appear a little scary. The 3rd Edition has almost an entire tray full of bright colors which I initially thought I would never use. The 5th Edition has a few rows of vibrant purples and pinks that I still haven't really explored much. The neutrals are to die for, and I honestly couldn't pick one over the other. The 5th Edition has several beautiful colors that I use for highlights my brow bone and inner corners of my eyes. The deep purples and navy blues that I love are on the 3rd Edition. I find myself using the browns and grays regularly, but I throw in a bright color from time to time. I haven't experimented too much with the rainbow colors, but I definitely will!

Most of the colors have great color payoff, but I have run across a few that require a heavy coat in order to see the pigment. Overall, I love the variety of colors. The mix of satin, matte, and shimmer shadows in wonderful! They do crease as the day goes on, but it usually takes several hours for that to occur. A great thing about these palettes is that each one has two trays of colors, so you can easily swap out trays to make one super palette. I haven't changed the trays because I couldn't decide which two trays I like best. I love them all!

I also got the 10 Color Professional Blush Palette which I also love. Such a great variety of colors! I tend to stick toward the nude and rosy colors. I like to use lighter blush. The darker brown colors could be used as bronzer if you're pale like me! The only color that I really haven't tried is the orange toned color because it still scares me a little. These are fabulous blushes that I use almost every day.

The free brush that I got is a great fluffy blending brush. I use it all the time! It's perfect for blending out eyeshadow, and I've even used it to apply highlight powder to my cheek bones. Love this brush!

Overall, I've been loving all of this stuff. It was a great purchase, and I'm so happy with everything. The products are cheap in price but not in quality. Amazing!

120 Color Palette 3rd Edition

120 Color Palette 5th Edition

10 Color Professional Blush Palette 

Blending Brush

[littlemisskati]

April Ipsy Bag

Again, totally in love with this bag! It is so stinking cute! Sorry for the delay on this post! I've had it saved in my drafts for over a week and just remembered it.

MicaBeauty Mineral Eyeshadow --72, Earth

- This mineral eyeshadow is super shimmery which is the only thing I don't like about it. Technically, this a deluxe sample not a full size, but I think a little goes a long way for this one. Although this pink toned shadow wouldn't have been my first choice, it's still really pretty and fits perfectly with the "Pretty in Pink" theme. I don't see a ton of color pay off. Mostly just a hint of pink shimmer. I'm not complaining though because I think it's more wearable that way. Supposedly, you can add this to lip gloss, mascara, and nail polish to add a bit of color, but I haven't tried any of that yet. There aren't any harsh chemicals or dyes which is a great bonus! Overall, I like the formula, but I would have liked a more neutral color. A full size is $14.95, and I would guess this about 1/3 of a full size. Total Value: $4.98

Sexy Hair -- Soy Renewal

- This is probably my FAVORITE product this month. I use it every time I blow dry my hair to help speed out the process, and I also use it to tame frizz. It seriously makes my hair feel so incredibly soft. I'm in love and might have to buy a full size with the coupon code. The Moroccan Argon Oil seems to do wonders for my hair. It's shiny, soft, and just plain amazing after I use this product. I think I'm in love! This little sample is 25mL, and a full size costs $21.95 for 125mL. Total Value: $4.39

Sation Nail Lacquer for ipsy -- Love At First Bite

- Mine is NOT the color shown. I got the peachy, pink color which, to be honest, I thought was SO ugly in the bottle! It looked like a creamsicle but with more brown... GROSS! I used it on my toes expecting to hate it, and I actually like it! I't s very nice nude nail polish with a hint of peach. I can't believe how much I actually like this polish. I don't have any colors like it which is great. This is probably my second favorite product this month. Total Value: $5.00

Be a Bombshell Cosmetics -- Sweet Cheeks

- This blush is crazy creamy! It's so smooth, and the pink is beautiful. It's very feminine. This blush packs a ton of pigment, and a little seriously goes a long way! The only thing I'm not to keen on is the shimmer. I wish I'd gotten the dark matte color that was given out this month. It's just so shimmery. I tried to use it more like a highlighter, but it ended up looking kind of goofy. I'm going to try and work with it a bit more, but as of right now, I don't know how I feel about this. If you like your blush super pink and shimmery, this is for you! Total Value: $16

Overall, this glam bag was great! I'm on the fence with a couple of items, but I think they're all usable and high quality. I love the size of these samples! Getting two full size samples and a deluxe sample is amazing!

OVERALL TOTAL VALUE: $30.37 (about) 

Again, another impressive glam bag. I'm a little bummed that I'll only be getting one more before I leave for Australia. My May bag will be here any day now :)

[littlemisskati]

Terrible

That's what I am! Just terrible! I haven't blogged in forever! I just got a new camera, so I'm actually going to start up my YouTube channel really soon! 

Things to come:

- BH Cosmetics Review

- Shany Brush Review

- Target Haul (Rimmel, Maybelline, etc.)

- April Glambag Review

- Alterna Haircare Haul

- Au pair vlogs!

[littlemisskati]

March Ipsy Bag

I'm new to ipsy, but they've already blown me away. The products in my first Glam Bag were much more my style than almost anything I got from Birchbox. Also, I LOVE the cute nautical bag! Here's a list of what was inside!

yaby Eyeshadow Refill -- Azalea Petal & Seashell

  - Both of these colors are very wearable which is a HUGE plus for me! I don't like getting colors that I'll never use. Azalea Petal is a satin maroon color with a hint of silver. It has more of a blue undertone. Seashell is a very nice cream colored high shine. It looks just like a seashell! I've only swatched them, but they seem very pigmented. They feel a little creamy too which hopefully will make them last all day. Each one of these costs $3.29. Total Value: $6.58

Juice Beauty -- Hydrating Mist

- Now, you all know from reading my Birchbox reviews that I really am not a fan of Juice Beauty. Their products always smell weird, and I don't think they're worth the price. The mist does stink, but I think I can tolerate it. It's certified organic, so at least it's not a harsh chemical smell. I think this will be great to have during my long day of travelling to Australia because it does what it says it's going to do. It makes my skin feel refreshed. My skin tends to feel dryer and dryer as the day goes on, and this gives me a little jolt of moisture. Word of warning: don't get this on your lips! It tastes terrible! This sample is 1 fl. oz., and a full size is $22 for 6.75 fl. oz. Total Value: $3.26

GlamRX -- Mini Freestyle Palette

- Of course, they had to give us something to put our yaby eyeshadows in! This mini palette fits the eyeshadows perfectly and was made specifically for ipsy! I bet you could fit 8 minis in this palette easy! There's even a little mirror in it! I love this because it's perfect for travel. It doesn't have a window on the top, so you can't see what's inside. That also means that your products won't get squished! The regular GlamRX palette has a second level which includes a black eyeliner, concealer, shine erase powder, and tinted lipbalm. You literally have everything you need! It's hard to say how much just the magnetic portion would cost, but I'm going to take a guess. Total Value: $8

La Fresh -- Travel Lite Makeup Remover Pouch (8 pack)

- I've tried La Fresh before through Birchbox, and I was happy to see these in my Glam Bag. Again, these are great for travel. I haven't actually opened them yet because I'm saving them for my trip to Australia. I don't want to open up and find that they're all dried out before I leave! I'll let you know how these babies work out. I can say that I love the packaging :)  Total Value: $1.99

Overall, I'm in LOVE with this Glam Bag! Not only is the bag itself adorable, but the theme is great! Everything inside is perfect for travelling, and since I'm getting really excited for my big trip down under, this Glam Bag couldn't have been more perfect for me. Everything inside is amazing quality. Love love love love!!

OVERALL TOTAL VALUE: $19.83 (about)

So far!

Things I like:

1.) Cute bags! So much more fun than boxes.

2.) Discount codes! You get discount codes to use when you purchase products that you got in your bag. You can get a percent off a purchase, a specific dollar amount off a purchase, OR a free item!

3.) Everyone gets pretty much the same products! You won't ever get jealous of what other people got. When the bag sucks, we all feel it.

Things I don't like:

1.) No shop... you purchase right from the distributor of whatever product you want to buy which means you have to make multiple orders and pay lots for shipping

2.) Not as great of a deal compared to Birchbox (SO FAR) HOWEVER the value is still almost double the amount I paid.

3.) You don't rack up points by reviewing items that you receive. 

[littlemisskati]

Birchbox Review March 2013 -- LONG Overdue

March Madness... yeah, I hate basketball. I figured it's WAY too late to do an unboxing blog, so here's a review instead! This was my last month with Birchbox, so I was hoping to go out with a bang. Here's what I got!

Caldrea Body Lotion -- Aloe Water Apricot, Tea Olive Lime, & Coconut Fig Leaf

- So far I've only tried the Aloe Water Apricot version of this which is okay. It's very thick, and a little goes a long way. It smells nice and isn't too strong. I definitely pick up on the aloe with a tiny hint of apricot. I'm excited to try the Tea Olive Lime one next! I hate how they come in the little plastic bag type packages. No resealing here! I just cut the corner of the package to keep it from drying out so quickly. Each sample is 0.25 fl. oz., and a full size is 8 oz costing $22. Total Value: $2.06

Incoco Nail Polish Applique -- Spring Vines

- I really have NEVER used nail polish strips before. I honestly just don't paint my fingernails that often because they always get chipped at school or work. It's too frustrating! I haven't used these yet, but I'm planning on attempting them once the weather warms up. I like all of the three patterns available, but I think this one matches my wardrobe best. Maybe this is just what I need to change the way I do my nails! Total Value: $10

Serge Normant -- Meta Revive Dry Shampoo

- I'm still very on the fence about dry shampoos. I want to love them so badly, but I haven't had luck finding one that works for me. I used this once, and that was all it took for me to know that I absolutely HATED it! I was so upset! I used this on second day hair and followed the directions exactly. I found that as I attempted to brush out the white powder, my hair was beginning to feel more and more greasy. I didn't want to put more product in my hair because it was obvious that my brown hair was not going to be rid of the white residue. It was not good! Maybe a blonde would have better luck. A full size is 4.5 oz. at $25! The sample is 2 oz. Total Value: $11.11

Whish -- Shave Crave Shaving Cream

- When I saw this in my Birchbox, I was a little excited. First off, it's a cream, so supposedly, it's supposed to be very moisturizing. Second, it smells like blueberries! I used this in the shower, and it didn't take long for my whole shower to stink. It didn't really smell like blueberries once it was out of the package. It kind of smelled like a really clean port-o-potty. Maybe that's just me. My legs did feel soft and smooth afterwards, but I wouldn't say the results were outstanding. Just normal. A full size 150mL bottle will set you back $20! The sample was only 20mL. Total Value: $2.67

BEAUTY EXTRA

Madewell for Birchbox Emery Board

- Although, I will admit the pattern is adorable (the opposite side is a soft pink), I can't believe this was an extra in my Birchbox. I mean, yes I'll use it, but what woman doesn't have at least one emery board sitting around already?! I personally have two within reach of me at the moment. I really didn't need it, but I guess I'll stuff it in my drawer and save it for when I do. Total Value: $5

As this was my last Birchbox, I am a little disappointed. Actually... I'm A LOT disappointed! I know I got my moneys worth here, but the products stink! Considering I got this after my ipsy bag, I was expecting better. I've been disappointed with Birchbox for the past few months, and the March box didn't do anything to dig them out of the hole. Booo!

OVERALL TOTAL VALUE: $30.84

Stay tuned for:

- March ipsy bag

- April ipsy bag

- A Year in Review: BIrchbox

[littlemisskati]

Ipsy Does It Again!

So, I know I've been terrible at posting things lately, BUT I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm in love with Ipsy/myglam! I just got my second bag today, and I'm seriously SO impressed!

[littlemisskati]

Who's ready for #TheWalkingDead tonight!?

[littlemisskati]

This cat...

[littlemisskati]

If I blow up your feed tonight... Sorry not sorry