If you were a fan of My Pretty Pink Box, sorry to tell you, but the May box will be their last. The boxes officially go on sale May 25th, but they're taking pre-orders right now (expect them to sell out in pre-order status.) All beauty product samples with a few full sized items included for good measure. I've reviewed them previously (you can do a search in my blog with Google Search). They introduced me to some of my favorite companies- Cherry City, Kokokahn, Sassy Minerals......Sigh.
So before it's too late, visit them at My Pretty Pink Box, and tell 'em The Beauty Pirate sent ya.....
To think, a few short years ago, I'd never even heard of scent tarts. I received some and thought they were soap samples! now I'm an addict and lucky for me, there's tons of folks out there making some good ones. It's a great way to support independent artisans without breaking the bank.
I like that I can have the type of scent dispersal as with a candle without worrying that I'm gonna set the house on fire. (I used to have a very curious kitty that was constantly singeing her whiskers on candle flames. Poor thing just never learned....) but these are much safer than candles as there's no actual flame and the wax melts at a much lower heat point so even if you spill some wax on you, it won't burn. As a matter of fact, I often dip my fingers into the wax pool to provide relief to the arthritis in my hands and love to rub the wax into rough patches on my skin for deep moisturizing. The warmed wax also makes for a terrific (and relaxing) massage. While most folks toss the wax after the scent is gone, I keep a little cup by my burner to pour it into to reuse for just such purposes.
So if you've never tried out anyone but Scentsy and don't know where to start, here's some good businesses who make great products to try out!
The Gingerbread Cupboard makes generously sized tarts and tends to throw in extras with your shipment as well. I always know I'm getting quality product with DIVINE smells! A jazillion scents to choose from, though I'm crazy for the apple scents....
Ugly Duckling Designs has a mind blowing assortment of items, not just tarts, but candles, decor, dolls, and just about anything country style primitive under the sun. You can even host an online candle party for your friends to get free products! There's monthly candle and tarts clubs too! Talk about your one stop shopping! Mmmmmmm, orange dreamsicle.......
Don't you want to EAT these!?!?!?
Anam Cara Candles specializes in triple scented tarts and candles, so they have a really good strong scent that lasts a long time. They will also make wickless candles for those with wickless candle burners. The bakery scents are my particular favorites, the husband often asks me what I've been cooking when i melt one of these!
Delightful Scents makes wonderful tarts and what I really love is that you can get sampler bags so you can mix and match your scents. (Guess what my best friend got for Christmas?) They also offer e-parties with hostess gifts and unlike a lot of tart sellers, they have an absolutely ENORMOUS selection of warmers as well! There's always a good deal on whatever is the scent of the month, so be sure to see if that tickles your fancy.
This is just a tiny handful of the options out there, but for those of you new to the world of scent tarts, it should give you a good place to start.
Estee Lauder Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refresher
This is a daytime serum that is a miracle worker in a jar, I kid you not. It glides on like velvet and immediately your pores look smaller. After using for about a month, you'll notice that your skin tone is more even and rough patches have disappeared and your pores are visibly reduced. After putting this on, I just stroke my face like a kitten's! Manohman, I love this stuff! I just finished up my bottle and if I didn't have new things to try out, I'd be buying me a new bottle pronto! OH, THE SACRIFICES I MAKE TO BE A BEAUTY GUINEA PIG........ AWARD NOMINEE
TotalBeauty.com Reader's Choice Beauty Awards
Available at
Nick Chavez Amazon Infinity Mist
Another favorite of mine, I don't know how I lived without it! I have super fine hair and this gives it life and body without being a crunchy hair spray. Perfect for a quick bodybuilding spritz on my way out the door without an overly coiffed look. The smell is almost nonexistent and dissipates immediately, so it doesn't clash with your scent. You can still run your fingers through your hair and it's super soft to the touch, almost as if you have nothing in your hair at all. Nick Chavez is apparently a magic man. It gives me just enough so that my hair isn't stuck flat to me noggin. If you put it in damp hair and blow dry, POOF- instant super model.
Available at
Nars Makeup Primer With SPF 20
I love that this does double duty with the SPF factor. it's Nars, so of course it's a good makeup primer, smoothing out rough spots and minimizing pores, while making makeup go on more smoothly and last longer. If you tend towards oily akin, I'd say forego moisturizer and use this instead if you've applied a serum. A tiny dab'll do ya, so it'll last forever.
Available At Birchbox (Where you get credits with every purchase redeemable for free products! See my previous entries about their amazing sampling program! )
Kae Argatherapie Radiance Day Cream, Anti-Wrinkle Night Balm -
Both of these contain the now wildly trendy ingredient of argan oil, as well as rose oil (which is an amazing skin brightener). The day cream is rich without feeling greasy, and the night cream gives a plumping effect to the skin, essentially making fine lines and creases nonexistent. I'm particularly nuts about the night balm because my skin feels like it's saying "ahhhhhhhhhh" after I apply it. Despite it being super hydrating, it's NOT super oily. I recommend these for people with either super dry skin or who live in dry climates, I used these to combat the ravages of indoor heating.
Available at
Clinique All About Eyes
is an award winning eye gel that is incredibly light and fast absorbing, and will also help keep your eye makeup in place, allowing you skip an eye primer (this can be used around the eye areas as well as on the lids.) As soon as you put it on, puffy eyes are gone and you can actually feel your tender eye area being refreshed. Fine lines are diminished, and on me anyway, it seems to brighten the eye area as a whole. PLease note: there is also a "Rich" version that I've seen numerous complaints of it causing milia around people's eye areas.
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Bourbon
is the 2nd color from the left and one of my absolute favorite shades of Urban Decay liner. I adore their 24/7 liners for their smooth application (no tugging!) their creamy consistency making them easy to smudge, and their steadfast staying power (no raccoon eyes!) The Bourbon color makes my eyes look like they're about to pop out of my head and they add a twinkle and gleam to pretty much any eye color. I get compliments on this every time I wear it, and I swear it makes my eyes look five times bigger.
Available at
Nars The Multiple in South Beach
Eyes, lips, cheeks- all in one tube! Calling all lazy chicks! Very sheer with a golden glow that adds a sunkissed look without looking overly bronzed. You simply have a luminous twinkle.
bareMinerals Flawless Definition Volumizing Mascara
So apparently today was a Birchbox day (seems everything they recommend is worth it's weight in gold! )
This is a natural, mineral based mascara that plumps up the lashes without irritating sensitive eyes. i love the wand, it got all of my lashes without problem and is thick enough that a single coat did the trick, with no clumping. If you use a lash primer first, you will get some seriously luxe lashes. This is more of a plumping than an elongating, so it's great for those with spidery lashes.
Too Faced Absolutely Invisible Translucent Pressed powder
was a disappointment. I normally adore Too Faced products, but this one was so sheer that it didn't really seem to be doing much. It seems like it has to be reapplied almost hourly or the shine comes through. For the price I wouldn't buy this again. The spongy applicator absorbs all the oil on my skin and transfers it to the powder making it get somewhat clumpy, despite having a separate compartment for storage. I love the compact though- when I use this up, I'll be popping in a pressed powder refill from Estee or somebody!
Lancome Color Fever Wicked Brown
Well, duh. It's Lancome lipstick. Of COURSE it's fabulous. Despite how dark it is in the tube, it's actually more of a sparkly sheer that just tints brown. It has these light reflecting pigments that create the illusion that you've got super plump lips without using a lip plumper, and lasts for hours. No wonder it's got a Makeup Alley 5 lippies review! This spent some time in the purse as my go with everything, always keep on hand lippie. It seriously manages to look good with almost any color of the rainbow and subtly transforms for any skin tone.
Philosophy Unconditional Love eau de toilette
Oh, philosophy, how could you do this to me! This makes me blue :-( SO sad, so so sad is the Beauty Pirate......
It has such glowing reviews on Sephora, but I can't help it- it made me nauseous. First of all, it had an overwhelming scent of alcohol that I smelled before the perfume scent, but then after the alcohol scent faded I was left with a gag inducer. Thank god it has the staying power of a gnat because more than 20 minutes of this and I would have had to go and wash it off. Very chemically. Blugh. I say go spritz some at the counter first to see if you like it- I realize we all have different body chemistry so maybe it just doesn't like me :-)
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