All Things Beautiful XO

Stephanie Louise Telford & her guide on beauty, style, & glitter!

MyGlam Bag for May 2012

By 7 Comments

As far as MyGlam bags go, I feel like this one is in the middle somewhere. I think when we look at subscription services sometimes, we forget that its only $10. Do we want our moneys worth? Indeed, but sometimes we expect them to be way more impressive. Read on to see what I think about this bag in particular!

 The contents:

1. Love Sweet Love Fragrance from Philosophy
I like this perfume quite a bit although it is VERY girly. I haven’t tested out longevity or anything really on it yet. I’ll have to see how it smells on my skin.

2. Studio Gear Complete Color Lipstick in Winter Red. 
 I just have to say right off the bat: WTF, why are they giving us red lipstick now instead of in fall/winter? Bummer! I really don’t wear red (unless its a tint) during spring & summer because I prefer lip colors that are either a bright spring shade or low maintenance all together.

I swatched it 2 different ways to see if I could sheer it out. The bottom swatch is 2 swipes atop one another & the top is one swipe sheered out. This is really moisturized feeling but it smells like plastic vanilla. It has a golden or red glitter to it. Its fine, but visible so I probably won’t wear it sheered.

3. ISS (Kiss?) Beauty Nail Bling
These nail sticker decal things have me on the negative side of the fence. I took a picture with my largest nail (besides my thumb) to show how large these are. I wish some of them had smaller hearts because on me, these will probably look pink & silver…not silver with hearts. These are really textured as well so I wonder how well they will stay.

4 + 5. MyGlam Concealer Brush & Defining Eyeliner Brush
The last 2 brushes (according to the card) are finally here. Its not that I hate these brushes but the first few stank to high heaven. I find these to be about ELF quality (around $1-$3) which isn’t a big deal except that I didn’t really need these. I’m glad they are coming to an end although I know some people really liked them.

Overall, this isn’t the best or the worst. I will keep on next month though if for no other reason than the brushes will end. I want to see what they include instead. If they switch to foil packets or cheapie products to replace them, I’ll likely kiss this subscription goodbye.

What do you guys think of this bag? Are you subscribed to MyGlam?

May 2012: My Gossip Girl Birchbox

By 5 Comments


I waited so impatiently for this Birchbox. I mean really, I felt like a 15 year old waiting for prom. When Gossip Girl first started, I loved it. I still enjoy seeing the fashion from the show as its all really varied but seriously striking. I’m always happy to see Serena (Blake Lively) & Blair (Leighton Meester) gracing the pages in my many (MANY) magazine subscriptions. When Birchbox managed to team up with Gossip Girl I expected something incredible.


Perhaps that was my fault. Maybe I expected too much. If I had run things, there would have been a Blair  box & a Serena box filled with fabulous items dedicated to your favorite GG character. I would have gone classy but fun & really aimed to outdo the other boxes. I mean, this is Gossip Girl after all. Although some people did get fabulous boxes with full size Stila items, I did not. However, I am not reviewing those boxes, I am reviewing my own. Here is what I did receive.

– A small sample of Miss Dior Eau de Parfum. This is a very girl scent that I actually quite like. A small sample though so I only get a few tries to judge longevity.


– Diorshow Extase mascara in a sample size.

– Miracle Skin Transformer Body SPF in Glow. I have tried this. I instantly knew it was super sheer & although I tried to layer it over a scar, it just didn’t work for me at all. It has a strange sheen as well which would be fine except that I didn’t expect it to.

– Cleansing Oil Shampoo from Shu Uemura. This only had about 2 uses in it for my thick hair but I got the gist of it. I don’t feel like it was incredibly mind blowing (which for $55 it needs to be) but maybe its only because I got two uses. My hair feels clean but  it didn’t do anything brilliant.

-A baby poop colored notecard. I saw this phrase on Pink Sith’s blog & have not been able to get it out of my head. Its just too fitting. I doubt I will ever use this, at least not on someone Ilike.

I will say, the below card ticked me off. I mean, if I watched the show, I would have been livid about the leaked information. I don’t really know what this card pertains to because I don’t watch it but if they ever include a True Blood card like this before a season finale, there will be hell to pay.

Overall, this box is meh. I mean, its not awful but not great. If I hadn’t seen other boxes (but how could I not?) maybe I would be a tad happier but still not beaming. For $10, I’m not dying about it. I think the issues I have mainly are that the shampoo & the DIOR items are pretty much freebies. I feel like overall, this box is lacking & doesn’t compare to many of my former boxes. I’m not dropping out yet, I’ll give it another shot. I just hope I get a glimpse of the wonderful boxes I used to look forward to every month.

PINK by MAHYA- The Most Fabulous Glitters (including a holo!)

By 9 Comments

Are you ready for a glitter extravaganza? I don’t hear enough wonderful things about Mahya, let alone about these incredibly gorgeous & versatile glitters. Mahya has a pretty wide range of shades including my personal favorite (Jewell) which is a fine holo. Endless options, fabulous glue, & the differences can all be found in this post! I can’t WAIT to get more to show you!

 From Mahya Minerals Website:

  • This is NOT your normal teenage glitter that leaves you looking like a disco ball!
  • Very adult, very sexy!
  • Add to you favorite shadow, blush, and lip color for added shimmer.
  • Add to your body lotion and apply to add stunning highlights.
  • Add to hair gel and apply, or sprinkle into you hair brush, brush through, and spray with hairspray to hold shimmers in.
  • Fun additions to your makeup case!
  • Cosmetic grade glitters to add flash and glam!
  • Each color is a multi-faceted explosion of colors!
  • Add to your eye-shadow for extra FLASH.

What I Say: 

Let’s start off with the 4 glitters shall we? I have 6 items total (plus the Eye Glitter Gel!) but 2 are a different type. The glitters are all very different & finer than I had expected. Jewell & Citrine are noticeably finer than both First Date & Kisses. Don’t get me wrong, I like having multiple size options. If you guys want a comparison for the glitter size, I’ll be happy to do that as well. Because they are so fine, I recommend not removing the plastic sticker that goes atop the sifter completely. I use tiny scissors & only remove 1-2 holes so that I have better control of the glitter.

Now let’s talk about Starry Night & Twilight! These are from a different line called Glittery Minerals. These are basically eyeshadows mixed with glitters so they have a bit of both. I love these! Each has a base that covers the spaces that glitters often leave. This allows you to use them on their own, preferably under a base for tackiness. I do highly recommend the Mahya Eyeshadow base as its very tacky but using the Glitter Eye Gel in conjunction isn’t a bad idea either.

The Glitter Eye Gel I have is in a pot & you get a lot. It doesn’t dry out & seals really well. On the site, it is now available in a tube with a wand. I haven’t tried this method from Mahya yet but if I do, I will be sure to let you know which I prefer. This is incredible, not too thick or thin. I apply it with an angled eyeliner brush for a bit of accuracy. You can definitely dab it on & then apply the glitter when its tacky. This hold the glitter like crazy. I haven’t tried many glitter glue type products but this was definitely impressive in both ease of use & the longevity of wear.

Glitters:
– Kisses: A medium pink glitter.
– First Date: A medium purple glitter.
– Citrine: An gold toned bronze ultra fine glitter.
– Jewell: An ultra fine silver holo glitter.

Glittery Minerals:
– Twilight: A blurple (yes, blue & purple) powder that is so sparkling it looks to be glitter in a super fine form. This has a smoky base.
– Starry Night: A black/charcoal base with black & silver glitter.

So basically, you need at least ten of these. Maybe 50. I am now pretty obsessed & desperately need to collect every single one. There are so many I want now & I can’t wait to try these with clear nail polish! I mean, the possibilities are pretty much endless! From the Glittery Minerals line, I’m dying to try Radiant, Summer, & Sneaking Out. From the Glitters I think next I need to get my hands on Aquamarine, Ladies Night, Gem, & Sassy Brassy. After shopping around, I pretty much need them all.

To pick these items up, just check out the Mahya Minerals website. I am not an affiliate so the following links are a courtesy: Glittery Minerals, Glitters, & Glitter Eye Gel.

I have some eye looks coming up using these soon so stay tuned for those, they are quite lovely if I do say so myself!

These products were provided for review from Mahya Minerals but this in no way effects my review or opinions. These are my honest opinions.

3 NEW Vaseline Total Moisture Lotions + GIVEAWAY!

By 27 Comments

When it comes to my cuticles, I am wildly addicted to my Vaseline Plus Cocoa Butter. Because I am such an addict (every night I rub it into my oh so valuable cuticles!) I jumped on the chance to review Vaseline’s 3 new lotions & they were kind enough to offer one to a reader! Let’s look at these 3 new formulations & hopefully you will find a lemming for at least one!

Vaseline Total Moisture Body Lotion:

This lotion smells like a lot of my all-natural products, definitely an oatmeal scent with a sweetness. This is the medium lotion of this trio. It isn’t ultra thick or thin, its a great daily lotion. This is the easiest for me as it doesn’t have a strong scent & is a happy medium type of consistency.

Vaseline Total Moisture Aloe Fresh Body Lotion:

 I think I’ve been looking for this lotion all my life. There are so many heavy lotions out there, but not enough thin ones. In the humidity or high heat, I can’t use super thick lotion. I feel like it just slips right off or I sweat it off. Gross right? Well I’ve found the perfect active lotion! This is thin, aloe-cucumber scented, & moisturizes my skin to the right degree.

Vaseline Total Moisture Cocoa Radiant Body Lotion:

 This scent is always going to be one of my favorites…something about cocoa butter. Why? No idea. This is the thickest & richest of all three options. I like this best when my skin is drier, especially on my legs! This is kind of the happy medium between my legs with lotion normally & my legs with bronzed lotion. Sometimes, because I’m so fair, the bronzed lotions can look harsh & way unnatural. I don’t have naturally tan commercial legs, there’s my deep dark secret…HA. But anyway, I do like this for its texture, cocoa butter scent, & it moisturizes my super dry areas like a charm.

GIVEAWAY:

Vaseline & RocketXL have been kind enough to offer one reader the chance to win one of these lotions! When they asked me which one I wanted to giveaway, I honestly couldn’t decide! What if they wanted a different one? What if they want the aloe for summer or the oatmeal for sensitive skin? After letting them know that we decided YOU will decide which one you want!

How to enter: Leave ONE comment below stating how you follow my blog (GFC, Bloglovin, HelloCotton,  only this time please!) & your username for that method, your E-MAIL address, & which lotion you’d most like to try! Simple right? Each way you follow is worth 1 entry!

Giveaway ends June 10th!

Disclosure: I was provided with Vaseline® Total Moisture® lotions and information about the products by RocketXL. All opinions are 100% my own. I was not paid for this review or giveaway.  Please see my disclosure policy for more information located in the tabs above.

Reviva Labs Makeup Primer Review + Makeup Look

By 4 Comments

I have a confession: I’m consistently afraid of makeup primers. Because my skin is so crazy combination, I have to really be careful about putting oily products in my t-zone & dry products on my cheeks/under eye area. LAME. I love makeup primers, but I stayed away from them when they first came out I tried a MAC version & my face broke out like mad. Since then, I’m timid but willing. Enter, Reviva Labs & their beautifying creation.

What Reviva Labs says: Apply over moisturizer or instead of moisturizer. Lines fill in, pores are concealed, excess oil is controlled. Skin so touchable, so silky smooth, you will find it hard to believe.


What I say: For the last few months, I’ve been addicted to my primers in general from sprays, to bases, to eyeshadow bases. In fact, I have a few more to review 😉 But for now, let’s focus on the magic that is the Reviva Labs Makeup Primer. This applies like liquid velvet which totally makes me want to snuggle with my own face. I use this over moisturizer (because I need it & for spf!) & it feels incredibly lightweight.

This product definitely lives up to its claims, which I’m finding quite rare these days! It helps conceal (not remove, CONCEAL!) my pores, helps reduce the appearance of my under eye lines, & actively prolongs my foundation wear. Sometimes, I don’t want to go full coverage (especially on a good skin day, I work hard for those!) but my minimal coverage foundations just don’t make it to the finish line with me. They fade off & even begin to look funky, especially on my dry spots.

I really love this on my under-eyes so that my concealer doesn’t bunch up in my lines as well which is something I’ve battled my whole life.  If you have this issue, even with a drugstore primer I have this problem, then definitely try Reviva Labs Makeup Primer under your eyes. Just remember, use the tiniest dot. Even less than that. Oh there you go, perfection. Blend well for velvet perfection.

Price: You get 1 oz of product for $19.50 on the Reviva website & while that may look pricy, its not. No really, it isn’t. I use the tiniest bit of this. No, do not use a full pump. Ever. Unless its for your whole body which I don’t recommend as that’s a bit strange.

Clearly, I love it! Here’s a sneak peek picture of a look I did with my Naked 2 palette. I am wearing my Reviva Labs Makeup Primer underneath which is a lifesaver since my skin is so not happy this week! No editing here folks.  No really, my eyes look like that, weird right?

What are some turn offs regarding makeup primer to you? What do you think of this one? Have you tried any other Reviva Labs products?

Products in this post may have been provided for review from PR/Brand. This in no way impacts my opinions.

Causes: LE MAC Cosmetics to Help Miracle for Ava

By 1 Comment

When I can, I like to set my vanity aside & let you guys know about a wonderful opportunity. This is one of those situations that really puts everything in perspective & that I knew I needed to pass along. I’d like to personally thank Shannon Nelson of ‘A Girls Gotta Spa’ for reaching out & letting me know about this cause that is so close to her personally.


Here is an except from A Girls Gotta Spa explaining the situation:

Every May, we hold our annual Mom: Get Glamorous contest in search of a deserving mother to gift a prize package of beauty products. This year, I decided to do things a little differently. There is a little girl that I know named Ava who has an inoperable brain tumor. Her parents, that I know through my church and lifegroup, are going to the ends of the earth to get whatever treatment they can for Ava to find a cure. As I type this, Ava is in Maryland getting ready to undergo an experimental brain surgery on Wednesday. Ava is only 5 years old…coincidentally, my son Brody turns 5 today. I cannot even imagine going through what Mike and Gianni have gone through with Ava since the time of her stroke at age 3.

Which is why I have decided to hold an auction to help raise money for this family. As you can imagine, all of the travel (and expenses that come with that), the time out of work, medical expenses that are not covered, all add up.  I can’t imagine trying to fight for my child’s life all the while wondering how I will make the mortgage payment or how I will pay for gas to get her to her next appointment hours and hours away.

Shannon has not only posted this on her blog & gives you directions on how to get involved, but she has taken this a step further. Currently, she is auctioning off limited edition MAC cosmetics to raise funds. Can you think of a better reason to order MAC cosmetics? I urge everyone to visit her site HERE to learn how to donate, bid, & get involved in this incredible cause.

Donate directly to Ava by going to her website: www.MiracleforAva.info .She also has a fan page: A Miracle for Ava on Facebook.

Please don’t hesitate to ask any questions. I personally appreciate you reading this & taking the step further to get involved.

Auctions:
MAC Cosmetics To The Beach
MAC Cosmetics alice + olivia and In the Groove
MAC Cosmetics All Ages, All Races, All Sexes; Love Lace; Spring Colour Forecast 2 & 4
MAC Cosmetics Opulash and MAC in Lillyland
MAC Cosmetics Riveting

Some things are bigger than beauty.

BzzAgent: Garnier Triple Nutrition Shampoo & Conditioner Review

By 3 Comments

I love trying shampoos & conditioners so it shouldn’t be a surprise that I agreed to participate in the Garnier Bzz Campaign. I have had a love hate relationship with Garnier over the years. I honestly don’t think I’ve had a so-so product, just excellent or awful for my hair. Its rare I declare a hair product excellent so I don’t mind doing the work to find it! Most of my beloved Garnier products have been discontinued over the years but I still await my next golden product.

Garnier Triple Nutrition Shampoo & Conditioner has been something I’ve been waiting to try because it claims to be great for dry/damaged hair. My hair tends to get dry & I do love my hot tools so this is what I tend to go for.

About Garnier Triple Nutrition:

  • Work best on dry or damaged hair
  • Nourish hair to the core so it shines from within
  • Formulated with Fortified Fruit Science – three weightless nutritive fruit oils (olive, avocado and shea)
  • Packed with ultra-rich and nourishing conditioners that rinse clean — we dare you to find something that treats your dry damaged hair better

My Take:
After I got this, I convinced my husband to try it with me. I always appreciate a second opinion & he’s pretty sensitive to scents in my hair…I’m way short haha. We both smelled it in the bottle & really liked it. In the end, we decided it smelled like melons & apples. YUM! So clean & wonderful smelling. All in all, things looked good. We especially liked how you popped the top: it has ridges which made it way easy to open in the shower. Big thanks to Garnier for that.

So, this is where things get weird. This shampoo is slippery…really slippery. I seriously almost ate it multiple times in the shower as did my husband. It was borderline scary to be honest. I used the average amount I do with other shampoos/conditioners, but this was crazy difficult to wash out. This took quite a long time for me, longer than average. This bummed me out.

After having this all out of my hair & my hair being dry, we did notice a difference though. Both of us started compulsively touching our hair: it was crazy soft. The scent was an issue though, hobby does not like it at all. It smells so different from it did in the bottle, more sour. I don’t hate it & it doesn’t bother me, but it definitely isn’t as nice as it was in the bottle. My husband did comment many times about how wonderfully soft his hair was for many days though, & so was mine!

I guess what I can say is that although this wasn’t for me in the long term, I can definitely see this being a favorite of others. My hair is really fine but very thick & the softness was truly awesome.

Where to Buy: 
These have a suggested retail price of $3.99 (13 oz.) and $6.99 (25.4 oz & are available at grocery stores, drug stores and mass retailers like Target and Wal-Mart so they should be relatively easy to pick up!

Disclosure: I received free product samples from BzzAgent for the purpose of a review. All opinions and thoughts are mine and 100% honest.

Mani of the Day: LE Wet n Wild Nail Polish in Twining Vines

By 3 Comments

So awhile back Wet n Wild released some mini box collections in the form of Flora & Fauna. I picked up both then swatched & reviewed them. Remember?  Well here is the nail polish we hadn’t seen before, Twining Vines, which was in the Flora collection. This is a gorgeous foil that hadn’t been seen before. I’m labeling this as Limited Edition although I haven’t recieved confirmation on that yet.

Twining Vines from Wet n Wild: A lime/olive green foil that shines a golden/olive shade in the light. Opaque in 3 coats.

I love this polish! I wish there were more of these readily available. I haven’t had any of the new Wet n Wild collections near me at all. Did you pick up this polish? How do you like it? Considering the whole set was the price of many polishes I have (actually…probably less!) I’m really glad I picked it up!

High End vs. Ebay Black & Gold Geo Necklace

By 3 Comments

So I saw a youtube video doing a giveaway for GoFavor.com which sells cheap jewelry & totally fell for a necklace. I went & shopped their website when I realized soemthing: I’ve seen a lot of this before.

Black & Gold Geo Necklaces

So these are some of my favorite inspirations for this necklace…keep in mind I got mine for around $5 on ebay & if I really stalked it, I could probably have gotten it even cheaper! I love this design which I believe was seen on Nicole Richie. I might spring for a nicer version if I wear it a lot but for now, this necklace is great for me & my wallet!

What are some great deals you have found on Ebay? It might take ages for things to arrive but it sure is addicting! If you guys want to see some other jewelry pieces I bought just let me know, they’re on their way!

Minerals Mate in ‘Red at Play’ Review & Giveaway!

By 29 Comments

So Minerals Mate was kind enough to send me a this dandy tool that has quickly been entered into my must haves. I am an avid mineral makeup user & loose makeup in general. I love pressed makeup as well, but loose minerals are so easy to work…with a few exceptions. The mess is clearly the main one! I mean, I have to prep myself to clean up every time I use a loose product. Eyeshadow flies, blush spills, & foundation disappears in a puff of wasted funds.

Minerals Mate is pretty incredible, from the lightweight design to the ease of clean it has definitely made my life run a bit smoother. No more wasting & less mess honestly makes my life much simpler.

This is a sturdy palette, unlike some I’ve had in the past that either cracked or just didn’t have large enough wells. The wells for this are not only a good size, but they come with lids that fit atop them so you can save your items. My favorite part of this is that when I become a  shade darker or lighter, I just mix it as I need to. This allows me to save my perfect shade.

My second favorite part is the ease of foiling that this product gives. Anyone who foils eyeshadows will understand the mess involved! This lets me do it in a sanitary spot (as opposed to my skin…guilty…) & even add other shades to create something custom. I love foiling shades to make eyeliner so this is perfect!

The thumb grip also doubles as a brush cleaner/scrubber but I just use it as a grip. Maybe later on or when traveling I will try to use it as a scrubber? But for now, this lets me safely hold the palette by keeping my fingers out of my clean minerals & not dropping it on my floor.

Here it is against my nails so you can see how thin it is!

Now, for the big bang, the most excited part! I CAN PUT IT IN THE DISHWASHER! Not what you were expecting? Well how many other beauty products can I put int he dishwasher? Seriously!

You can also pick this up in different designs, but ‘Red at Play’ is definitely my personal favorite!Although these retail for $21.95 I have a discount code for 25% off! Just use the code 2468MINERALSMATE at checkout.

UPDATE: These have been reduced to $19.95! 

This giveaway is open to US residents, please see my giveaway disclaimer for more information. Please read these carefully as entering means you agree to these terms.

This Minerals Mate & the winners are both supplied by Minerals Mate! This giveaway would not be possible without them so a big thanks!

Please wait to see the Rafflecopter Widget load if you can’t see it below already! GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: No connected account.

Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to connect an account.


This blog at times uses affiliate links, sponsored material, & receives some products as samples in hopes of review. This in no way alters the articles/posts written & all opinions are my own or that of a guest writer. Please see my disclosure tab above header for more info.