My First Video Roundup!

Hi folks!

I love all you readers and I've missed you all over the past few weeks.  I've been working away on a bunch of different projects, but haven't been writing as much here as I've processed it all.  Plus, you may not have noticed yet, but I started making videos in the past couple months, though I don't post all of them here.  I started because while interacting with a lot of great YouTubers in the Geeks & Beauties Group they got me curious enough to try it out back around Christmas!  You can find my channel here, I would love it if you stopped by to take a look at what I've been making and subscribe if you're interested.

Since then I've found that it's the perfect place to share my unboxings when I get various monthly subscription boxes.  I felt like some of you wonderful people might not have been as interested in seeing all the snacks, beauty products, and other crazy boxes.  I love trying new things and exploring what great options are out there.  And I bet some of you are also interested in seeing what's available in subscription boxes too.

I got started trying boxes because I never really wore a lot of makeup, and until recently I hardly even owned any!  But the artist in me loves to experiment with colors and play with the new tools.  I love learning how to use the beauty basics so I can feel a little more confident if I want to create a particular look.  Boxes have been a great choice to find new products because I get curated items chosen for me sent to me door that I might not know to try otherwise.

I've branched out to try snack boxes for healthier options and to have fun trying out some foreign treats I might no otherwise try.  I've also been testing boxes that have interest based items like the Bookish box.  Because sometimes the novelty of it all is just so much fun.

With all that in mind I'm going to be doing roundup posts about once a month to collect all the videos where you can easily see them if you prefer to just follow my blog and not go to YouTube.  And it'll keep the videos to a minimum if videos aren't your thing.  Without further ado, here are the February videos you might have missed:

February Video Roundup

Birchbox

In this video I'm unboxing the February Birchbox, The Lip Sync Kit (6 lip products!), plus 4 more bonus lip colors! There's lip balm, lipstick, lipgloss, sheer, shiny, and matte. Talk about a haul!

For more information on Birchbox click here - https://www.birchbox.com/invite/2vtm9

Julep Maven Box

Unboxing this February 2016 Julep Maven box.  I have an It Girl profile so I get all nail polishes and today, I get 3 in this box.

If you want to find out more about Julep click here - http://www.shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=327859&m=49325&u=1184057  ◊Please note this is an affiliate link.  On the good side you can get your first box free!

If you'd like to find out more about manipulating colors in what you wear my blog post about it can be found here.

Ipsy Glam Bag

The "Pretty In Pink" February Ipsy bag has some pretty great selections.  Come take a peek with me!

If you'd like to find out more about Ipsy's $10 a month subscription click here - https://www.ipsy.com/new?refer=1pict

Japan Crate

Let's open up this box of Japanese snacks and see what's inside.  Learn how to open ramune soda, which uses a glass marble as a seal on the bottle!

You can find out more about Japan Crate here - http://www.JapanCrate.com

Bookish Box

I'm so excited that Appraising Pages sent me one of their great Bookish Boxes to review!  It was given to me for free, but all opinions expressed in this video are my own.  Let's see what's inside this February box!

For more information on how to get a Bookish Box subscription click here - https://thebookishboxx.cratejoy.com/refer/Lydia-TTINQNUW
 and use code WELCOME to save $3.50.

Glossybox

Isn't February's Glossybox the cutest?  Take a peek at what I got and tell me what you think.  I do want to note that the Teez lipstick does NOT last the 8 hours they claim, it was easily rubbed off as soon as I started eating, though maybe it lasts better in combination with some type of primer they make.

To find out more and get your own subscription to Glossybox click here - https://www.glossybox.com/referal?CI=MTUwNjM0

Love With Food Box

This is my first Love With Food box, let's open it up together!  Be sure to let me know what you think in the comments too.

For more information on subscribing as well as 50% off your first box click here - http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?B=701546&U=1184057&M=53869&urllink= (Love With Food is an Affiliate to Love, Lydia, which means shopping with them through my link will support me!)

Doki Doki Crate

This Miyazaki themed box is my first and last Doki Doki Crate.  Watch to find out why!  Since filming this they have made efforts to change their boxes, but I just didn't think it was a good fit for me.

For more information on Doki Doki Crate visit http://www.japancrate.com

Bestowed Box

I open my third Bestowed box for this February unboxing.  Inside are great healthy goods to give you creative new ideas for meals and snacking.

To find out more about Bestowed Box click here -
http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=649575&u=1184057&m=43962&urllink=&afftrack= ◊Affiliate link!  And get 10% off your Bestowed subscription with coupon code LOVEHEALTHY.

Love Goodly

Love Goodly is an every other month box of women's lifestyle items from makeup and accessories, to snacks and home goods.  Each box gives a portion of its proceeds to charity, a different one each month!

To find out more about Love Goodly click here - http://www.LoveGoodly.com/?refMemberID=-831081382125750200



I know February is a while back, but I wanted to start with it because there were too many videos I wanted to share.  March will be up pretty soon, I'm tying to get caught up with publishing everything, but April is in the works too.  So hold on tight!

Please let me know what you thought of this post format.  Do you like the videos from each month put together like this?  Would you rather have individual posts that include videos?  Tell me in the comments so I can give you more of what you like!  I'll see you all again very soon for a new fashion post!

October Beauty and Swap Unboxings!

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Hi folks,

So today I've got a big October unboxing post because I just got behind and haven't gotten around to posting what I got last month yet.  Unboxings are the term a lot of bloggers and YouTubers use for giving folks a peek at what they get inside a subscription box they like.  I subscribe to a couple myself and love trying new boxes in a lot of categories.  Since I know it's not everyone's thing I'll be condensing the beauty centered boxes into one post from now on.  Which is rather nice because it's easier to compare them that way.  So let's get started!

October Birchbox

When I first opened this I was a little disappointed in it and expected to like my Glossybox a lot better since they were making a big deal about their Parisian themed boxes.  I ended up liking the Birchbox better overall than the Glossybox once I really looked at what was inside each box.  I think part of what made me feel less enthused about this one was the size of everything.  The bottles just seemed smaller than usual.  Overall it was an okay box for October, but not the best I've had from them.  If you'd like to try out Birchbox please follow my link here to find out more.

I got:

Acure Cell Stimulating Facial Mask - I almost never use this kind of product, it gets a no

Well People Mascara - I like mascara and this one is all natural, it gets a yes

Dr Jart + Ceramidin - more skin treatment type stuff and even the description is kind of vague as to what it's supposed to do, no

Exo All Natural Nail Polish Remover - I always have my nails done, yes (I tested it yesterday and it feels more oily and doesn't absorb into skin or dry up as easily while you're using it.  One wipe was just barely enough to take of my Tardis blue nail polish left from Halloween.  I think it's better for lighter colors.  It takes a little getting used to the difference in feel, but I'd consider using this in the future since normally it comes from a bottle like most nail polish removers.

amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo - Sometimes these dry shampoos help my super oily second day hair, though I've yet to find one I love I'm happy to try this one, yes
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October Glossybox

This box has beautiful artistic designs on every side of its surface and I'd been seeing its excellence touted everywhere between emails and Instagram.  I was pretty excited about it, and at first I thought it might live up to the hype.  But it too had a couple things I just wasn't interested in.  I think a lot of people loved this box though.  It's great for people who like a balanced variety of products, which can be tougher for me to find pleasing.  If you'd like to find out more just go here to visit Glossybox's site.

And here's a second shot of the products that had a bit of packaging obscuring what they really look like.

I got:

De Bruyere Paris Red lipgloss - I love lip products and this is a pretty good color, yes

Lollipops nail polish - I love nail polish, but I hardly ever wear red and as such have plenty of it already, no

Phyto Phytokeratine Repairing Thermal Protectant (hair) spray - I thought this was another skin product until I went to look at the survey regarding how I liked my items.  It was there I found out it was a hair spray.  I don't use hair spray much, but I'm up for trying it, so tentatively, yes

Sabe Masson Le Soft Perfume - I don't like most perfumes, though the title for this scent excited me until I smelled it since it's Artist.  Unfortunately it was way too strong for me, and smells very spicy/musky, no

Vichy Idealia Skin Sleep moisturizer - I never use anything like this so, no
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Sweater Weather Swap

I'm part of a fabulous group called Geeks & Beauties (Join here!) that allows bloggers and YouTubers to network and encourage each other as they learn and grow in what they do.  One of the more fun things we get to do is hold swaps.  This swap was fall themed and had us pair off and send a partner a box of goodies that includes some of your favorites!  This is my box, sent to me by Cassandra Morgan.  She's a fantastic Youtuber who immediately welcomed me to the group when I joined back in September.

She sent:

Iced Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes from Tastykake - these things are great and I don't think I could have found them easily here in the south!

A set of 3 Whish Body Butters - As soon as it starts getting cooler my hand and feet get dry, so this is perfect for me!   The scents that came in this pack are Pomegranate, Lavender, and Coconut, all of which I really enjoy!

The next logical item Socks! - And not just any socks the two pairs have moisturizer in them.  There's the zebra print pair, plus a black pair too.  My feet are the first part of me to get cold, so these will be excellent for keeping me toasty.

Pocky - If you've never tried it Pocky is a wonderful Japanese snack that consisted of a cracker stick dipped in some kind of flavoring.  These are chocolate ones, which is the most common.  There are so many great kinds to try though, I think my all time favorite was a seasonal one with chocolate dipped in cocoa powder.

Speaking of Cocoa that was the last item in my box, Land O Lakes Mint Cocoa - I've never tried this flavor before, but I'm excited to curl up with a nice warm cup before bed some night this week.

I didn't bother rating these because it should be pretty obvious that they would all be yeses.  Yeses....what a strange form of the word.

If you're curious what I sent to Cassandra stay tuned and I'll post a link here soon!

Thanks for reading.  If there's a box you think I should try let me know in the comments.  I'd love to try some new ones!

Love,
Lydia

Unboxing Fun

Hi everyone,

So today I'm going to do a bit of a beauty post.  I love the concept of getting curated boxes in the mail, and I've tried a bunch of different ones over the last two years.  I've done art supplies, snack, and some of my favorites are beauty boxes.  I really enjoy these kinds of boxes because for beauty items Bryan gets bored if he goes shopping with me, and I don't really want to drag him out to specialty stores like Ulta, Sephora, and the like to make it even worse.  Additionally I'm not always sure what to try, so trying a bunch of smaller samples can be great for someone like me since I don't usually wear a lot of makeup in the first place.

It's not because I don't enjoy wearing makeup, but mostly because I'm really pale so foundation and concealer are near impossible to find.  I once tried to get makeup from MAC, but everything they made was just a shade or two too dark and probably oxidized on my skin before I left the mall.  Not that I even knew it could oxidize, I thought it was just different in the sunlight than under artificial lights, and maybe I was right.  It's been to long to know for sure.  Plus my skin is rather sensitive, so that's another thing to work around.  But with beauty boxes most of the items are less skin focused other than general skin care.

Without further ado let's get on with the unboxing!

The first box I want to share with you all is this month's Glossybox.  The advantages of Glossybox are getting 5 (usually full size, if not travel size) items each month for $21.  I find they're usually very good about picking things I would enjoy, and the more I fill out surveys the better my boxes are!  Their products are also premium quality, mostly items that are found in specialty beauty stores, with some exceptions.

This lovely box comes packed inside a more sturdy shipping box.

Inside there's a product explanation and use sheet, and sometimes a coupon or other fun item of some sort.

In this box I received Emite blush in shade 108 (it came damaged, so I contacted Glossybox and they gave me my choice of a new item, pictured later below, since they had run out of the blush.  I was actually happier about this because the blush was too dark for my skin anyway, which was a first for Glossybox items.), 12 Benefits Love At First Lather Shampoo, Biossanse Revitalizer serum, Nails Inc Uptown Nail Polish, and Julep's Luxe Up Your Lips in Sheer Pink.  Here's what the information card was like folded open:

It has a ton of great info, I love how detailed it is and often refer back to it if I'm unsure of anything.

I was excited to get this because I really love lip products, and Julep makes very good ones, which you'll see more of later.

And this is the item I chose to replace the Emite blush, Nexxus Color Assure Shampoo.  This is actually a size larger than what I'll be getting, but I received one a few months back and realized how well it worked on my brightly dyed hair and made the switch.  I was using Herbal Essences Color Me Happy, which smells great, but doesn't work half as well as this!  If you use more temporary colored dyes in bright shades like me I highly recommend it!  This full size bottle can be found for about $14 at Kroger or other grocery stores (they recently had an online coupon for $3 off) or on Amazon too◊.  If you like the sounds of Glossbox I feel it's definitely worth a try.  If you do join I'd love it if you could use this link to tell them I sent you!

Next up is the Julep Maven Program's Jule Box

This is how it comes in the mail, a bit simpler than some boxes, but packed quite safely.  It's my favorite beauty box for several reasons. 1 you can skip a month anytime you want, for as many month as you want.  It's perfect for someone on a budget.  2. There are two box options, one gets you the monthly curated selections for your chosen profile for $20, which sometimes allows you to select a color for certain items like lip or eye color.  Or you can pay $5 more and get to choose from about 100 different options for your box contents, usually ending up with 3 items, plus any add ons you might choose at a discounted price.  3. They specialize in nail polish!  I may not be super when it comes to makeup, but with my nails I really try to be on point and keep them beautiful.  So this is the perfect box for me!  But if you only want a little nail polish that's ok too, they usually have boxes with both things and at least one with just makeup too!

When you open up the box it's got recyclable paper packing material inside, your items, plus a monthly card highlighting the items and sometimes a technique related to some of them, and sometimes an additional goodie or coupon.  In this box I got a Plush Pout lip crayon in Magenta Plum Creme, and 3 nail polishes, one of which was an add on item.

It looks pretty dark, and I was a little scared it wouldn't suit me when I pulled it out, but as you can see below it's a great color for me!

This month's card has a couple lip techniques plus how to get the dewy look.  And yes, feel free to use that code if you're already a Julep member, but if you're not keep scrolling down because there's a better deal for new members below.

Here are the three nail polishes.  Julep names their polish colors after women, so these colors are Ellis, Delores, and Lydia!  They're really beautiful shades with Eliis being a soft pinkish lavender with silver undertones from the holographic qualities.  It doesn't come off like glitter polish does, but is much easier to remove, which I love!  Delores is also a holographic with a purple and silver finish.  And finally Lydia (yay after 2 years they finally made my name a color!) is a pyrite metallic that shifts between old gold, olive, and brass tones and has a stardust finish.  Julep's stardust finishes are highly textured, with a little less shine, but a bit more glitter mixed in.  They dry really well and there's an example below too.

Here we have Delores on my toenails.

And on my hands I've got Glam Roc a purple black stardust finish, to give you some idea of the level of shine it gets.

  
And here you can see swatches of each color, Delores, Ellis, and Lydia.  Their polishes are free of the 5 big toxic components that have been traditionally used in nail polishes.  And the quality of their polish is amazing.  Without a top or bast coat they last about 3-4 days without chipping, and with the base and top coasts I usually go a week without chipping.  If you use this affiliate link you can get a great deal on your first box◊!  And after that you can skip as many months as you want, though if you do buy anything they do pass a $15 credit on to me, and you can get the same for referring your friend, who can also get free boxes.  There is really nothing to lose in trying this box out, which makes me love it more.  And no, I don't get paid to say anything about the content of this post, just normal customer rewards programs, which you all can take or leave as you wish.

And for those of you who aren't as interested in this type of post, don't worry, I plan to only do one per month of this sort, and I'll be rotating through some other boxes, so perhaps another one may suit your interests better!  Next month I'll show you the goodies I get in my trial of Japan Crate, a box with over a pound of Japanese snacks.  I'll see you all Wednesday for a new book review and more.

Love,
Lydia