January OwlCrate Review + Promo Code

Holy gloriousness!!! OwlCrate nailed it again! I thought I LOVED the December box (and really, I did!), but I have to say, I loved the January box EVEN MORE! Just look at all the goodies, people! What a fabulous way to kick off another bookish year!

The theme of the January OwlCrate Box was MAGIC, and - as you can see - it really was a magical and beautiful box!

What was included:

- Book: Worlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley  that came with a handwritten note from the author and a paper doll with two different outfits (and a set of books! and a doggie!!!!)
- Funko Pop! from the Harry Potter series (there was a variety of Funkos sent out, I got Severus Snape T__T - there was a lot of ugly crying while opening the box)
- A magical Patronus Lip Balm from Geek Fire Labs 
- A print with a quote from Throne of Glass and a double-sided bookmark with quotes from The Raven Boys by yours, truly! (these were exclusive designs I did for the OwlCrate folks, so they are not available in any of my stores!)
- A Bonus EBOOK - Robin McKinley's A Knot in Grain (which I thought was beyond lovely! I love eBooks!)

     Well, I might be biased, but I think this was the best box EVER! I was so happy with the choice of book, because I absolutely adore Lena Coakley! Lena's Witchlanders novel (YA fantasy) was one of the first few books I got for review as ARCs back in 2011. I was a newbie blogger then, we lived in Vancouver, I had no money to buy any books for myself so I was spending 80% of my free time perusing the local libraries! I started blogging about the books I read (Chaos Walking, Joe Hill's stuff, etc) and somehow got this ball of awesome rolling! The first package I got from an actual publisher contained Fury by Elizabeth Miles, Lena's Witchlanders, a book by Kieran Scott and one more that I can't recall now. I still get all teary eyed when I think about that! Good times! I really can't wait to read Worlds of Ink and Shadow, as it's a twist on Bronte sisters and it sounds fantastic! I have been hearing only great things about it!

    I thought the letter written by Lena herself was such a wonderful touch! As was the paper doll. Both very lovely additions to the book! 

    The Lip Balm from Geek Fire Labs came in handy very quickly, as I got sick at the end of January and, as a result, my lips were very parched. It was lovely to be able to use this lip balm and it actually helped keep my lips moist! Plus, you really can't go wrong with White Chocolate flavor! Nope, it's absolutely DELIGHTFUL!

    I loved working on the designs for January's OwlCrate (seriously guys, Korrina and Robert are both amazing human beings and they put so much care into preparing their monthly boxes, they deserve all the praise and love! I love them so much, it's scary! Don't tell them that, tho, we don't want to scare them ^__-). I think the Throne of Glass print turned out pretty freaking awesome, if I say so myself. The quality of the print is gorgeous too, and I have already framed mine and will display it proudly from now on! The Raven Boys bookmark is darker and more eerie, but it was such a fantastic project too! My favorite side is the one that says TREES SPEAK LATIN. Which one is your favorite?! 

   And last but not least, how awesome to have a Funko Pop! included in the box! I applaud this wholeheartedly, I only have one other Funko so far (Dean Winchester, OF COURSE), so I was thrilled to see Snape in my box. SO HAPPY with the Funko I got! And it's gorgeous, it's fabulous, it's glorious!!! 

    Oh! Almost forgot! The bonus eBook totally made my day, too. This was not an item that took place of something else, but simply an extra from the lovely OwlCrate team, which was so sweet and thoughtful of them! They really go the extra mile while putting their boxes together, so if you're looking for a bookish subscription box, trust me when I say - you won't find a better one! 

About the book:

Hardcover, 342 pages

Published January 5th 2016 by HarperCollins Canada

Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne. The Brontë siblings have always been inseparable. After all, nothing can bond four siblings quite like life in an isolated parsonage out on the moors. Their vivid imaginations lend them escape from their strict upbringing, actually transporting them into their created worlds: the glittering Verdopolis and the romantic and melancholy Gondal. But at what price? As Branwell begins to slip into madness and the sisters feel their real lives slipping away, they must weigh the cost of their powerful imaginations, even as their characters—the brooding Rogue and dashing Duke of Zamorna—refuse to let them go.
Gorgeously written and based on the Brontës’ juvenilia, Worlds of Ink & Shadow brings to life one of history’s most celebrated literary families.

About Owlcrate

Find OwlCrate online:

Website | Instagram | Twitter 

SPECIAL PROMO!!!

If you'd like to subscribe to OwlCrate (which I HIGHLY recommend), be sure to use code: ES2016 for 10% OFF your first box!  

Beauty Product Review: Milagrous Anti Aging Serum

This Anti Wrinkle Serum really works. It smooths out your skin visibly (even in just a quick test-run, when you apply a bit to the skin on your hand, you will notice the blurring effect in the area).

It's a serum, not a cream, and while some serums have a more jelly-like consistency, this is a typical "watery" kind. Which is perfectly normal and has nothing to do with the ingredients not being good enough. In fact, it only means that the Carbomer content is on the lower side (it's a fluffy powder used as gels in cosmetics and personal care products to achieve desired consistency and texture.

If you look at the list of ingredients, you'll see that it has some fabulous ones. Including Aloe, Hyaluronic Acid (improves your skin’s moisture content and at the same time strengthens skin’s barrier), Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Tocopheryl acetate), Witch Hazel extract (contains antioxidant polyphenolic compounds that protects skin from sunburn and photo-aging), Ferulic acid (anti-oxidant), Jojoba (skin elasticity and moisture), and more. These are all organic, naturally derived ingredients. The serum is made in USA, it's cruelty free, vegan friendly and contains no harmful substances (100% paraben, alcohol, oil free).

I've been applying this twice a day, before cream/moisturizer, and have noticed improvement in the look and feel of my skin. Like I said, it's definitely smoothing and moisturizing. It provides your skin with a boost of nutrition and helps retain moisture for as long as 12 h. I noticed my skin feels very soft and moist in the morning (if I apply the serum before going to bed). I haven't been using it long enough to testify about the anti-wrinkle properties, but with ingredients like these, I am pretty confident the results will be showing soon. The skin under my eyes and on my neck definitely feels tighter and more plump already.

Overall, this is a great product. The packaging could be improved a bit (the printing on the label is a bit blurry), but in the end, it's what's in the container that counts.

Disclaimer: I received a FREE sample of the product for review consideration. All thoughts and opinion are my own.

About Milagrous Anti Aging Serum:

• Is this good for my skin? What if I have sensitive skin? We love our customers. That's why we carefully blended this natural anti-aging serum from hand-picked organic ingredients. It is also suitable for every vegan. To protect your skin from aggressive chemicals, it is paraben, oil and alcohol free, has no fragrances or fillers. Full of botanical and naturally derived ingredients and never tested on animals.
• The serum makes their skin soft, smooth and hydrated. The texture and also skin tone gets much smoother. The difference is so fast, visible and dramatic that people WILL ask you about your secret for your skin care.
• Anti-wrinkle serum will dramatically remove fine lines and improve your skin glow. Contains most potent and stable 20 % Vitamin C + E and Hyaluronic Acid to neutralize free radicals and plump your skin. It will leave your skin youthful and it will dramatically stimulate production of collagen. This will result in a shocking improvement radiance of your face skin.
• Our serum is packaged in a special airless bottle ensuring maximum protection from oxygen and sunlight. Our revolutionary bottle ensures that your precious serum won't oxidate and you will enjoy the FULL benefits of every last drop.

 

Beauty Review: Lorac POREfectionFoundation

I have to admit, I am overall not very happy with this foundation.

The coverage is good, but the foundation just won't "stick" to the skin, even when applied on top of face primers. It slides right off and makes my face greasy. I hate the feeling! I can't wear sunglasses, because if I do, in the spots where they come in contact with my skin, the foundation just gets erased. I tried setting it with Derma Blend and other setting powders, but it didn't help at all.

On top of that, it settles in creases and makes my fine lines and pores WAY more visible. And I don't even visible wrinkles at all. When I wear this foundation, little imperfections seem to stand out.

The consistency is rather thick and creamy, so it's not easy to apply this. Using a brush will leave streaks as the foundation does not blend well, and using a sponge will result in uneven coverage.

Not very happy that I spent so much money on a product that works way worse than drugstore foundation. If you're looking for something to minimize your pores, I suggest using Benefit Porefessional and Neutrogena Healthy Skin foundation.

Have you used it this product yourself? What did you think?? Let me know in the comments below!

About Lorac POREfectionFoundation:

Perfect and protect with POREfection Foundation. This oil, paraben and fragrance free formula is infused with anti-aging antioxidants of vitamins A & E, olive leaf extract, lemon fruit extract and papaya fruit extract to help soothe, nourish and rejuvenate while SPF 20 provides protection from UVA/UVB rays to help keep skin healthy, youthful and radiant. Get a poreless-looking, silky-smooth finish and achieve complexion POREfection with LORAC.

POREfection Foundation provides medium to full coverage and is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin.

Try the 4-step system to create Complexion POREfection:

Step 1: POREfection Mattifying Face Primer.

Step 2: POREfection Foundation.

Step 3: POREfection Baked Perfecting Powder.

Step 4: POREfection Concealer

 

Finger Painting with Gallery 9 Premium Acrylic Paint

I recently got the opportunity to play with Gallery 9 Premium Acrylic paint set. A complimentary sample of the product was sent to me in exchange for an honest review.

Because I'm not much of an artist (I make digital art, but not real-life art) and I couldn't draw a straight line if my life depended on it, we decided to just have some family time with this set and do some finger painting. The seller has assured me that the paint is completely non toxic and safe for my child to finger paint with, so we grabbed a couple of large, thick paper sheets from the art store and got the party started. 

First thing that you notice when playing with the Galley 9 paint is the absence of any kind of odor. It's great for body painting and finger painting with your children, but it's also perfect for all sorts of crafts. This is a water-based paint, made in the USA, designed to be safe and long-lasting, but also very easy to clean up. After we were done finger painting, it took me 20 seconds of washing in lukewarm water to clean my daughter's hands. The paint just kind of flaked off nicely, leaving no trace of color or smell. 

The colors are incredibly pigmented and vibrant. They just pop! They're also very blendable and velvety in texture. You only need a tiny drop of the paint to be able to smooth it out nicely. The thickness of the paint is just right - concentrated enough for extra vivid color and definitely not watery. 

The kid and I had lots of fun with these paints, and there is still plenty left for my little artist to practice her skills. We played with the paint for about an hour and covered one large sheet with colorful splashes, but the bottles seem just as full as before, so I'm pretty sure this set will last us a long time. I'm very pleased with the quality of these paints.

You can buy the paint here: Amazon ($19.99)

Beauty Review: Too Faced Primed & Poreless

I am thoroughly disappointed with this product. 

I bought this pressed powder after watching some YouTube reviews and tutorials and reading some glowing reviews on Ulta and various beauty blogs. Everybody seems to absolutely love this pressed powder, but for whatever reason, it just doesn't work for me. 

I love the brand and use many of their products, but this was such a huge miss, I honestly regret spending so much money on this. I got it around the spring time this year, used it maybe 10 times all together (I kept trying to make it work, but it just would not), and ended up tossing it to the bottom of my "bad makeup" drawer.

It just doesn't do what it's supposed to. I have purchased it hoping to minimize the appearance of my pores (they're rather visible, especially on the nose and forehead area), but this powder only seems to be making it worse. Not only does it accentuate the pores even more, but it dries up my skin, and I'm not even one to suffer from dry or sensitive skin to begin with. 

I tried using it under foundation, on top of foundation, instead of foundation.. nothing works. It settles in pores and creases and makes my fine lines more visible. I suppose if you have an oily skin type, you might benefit from this powder's drying properties. With my normal skin type, this was just too drying, to the point that my skin would get flaky on the cheeks - yuck! 

Have you used it this product yourself? What did you think?? Let me know in the comments below!

About Too Faced Primed & Poreless Pressed Powder:

With just one brushstroke, pores disappear and skin glows with a stunning, soft-focus effect that can stand up to the harshest lighting. Wear the innovative, tried-and-true matte powder under foundation to prime skin, on top of makeup as a setting powder, or alone for a nearly-natural finish.
The pressed formula allows for easy application while still in the Boudoir or on-the-go. Choose which way you'll wear the innovative matte powder: under foundation to prime the skin, on-top of makeup as a setting powder or alone for an in-the-bare smooth finish. Whichever way you choose, you'll still banish the appearance of pores and achieve a stunning, soft-focus effect to combat any harsh lighting.
More To Love:

• Minimizes the appearance of pores, fine lines and imperfections

• Infused with a cocktail of vitamins A, C & E for antioxidant benefits; mulberry extract for a brightening effect.

• Can be worn with liquid or powder foundations and bronzers.

• Vegan-friendly

• Paraben-free

 

Beauty Review: MiXiu Mini Whitening Foundation/Concealer Cream | Review (Born Pretty)

Hi guys! I'm here today with another fantastic makeup item from BornPretty.com! :) As I said before, I just love discovering new, interesting brands of makeup and trying cosmetics that can't be found in our local drugstores! And BornPretty.com is a makeup junkie heaven :))

Today I will be taking about Mini Whitening Foundation/Concealer Cream from MiXiu ($3.48)

It comes in two shades, one is a bright pinkish shade and the other is also bright but more yellowish tone. I got the more yellowish one, thinking the pinkish one might be just a bit pale for my skin tone, and, as it turned out, it was a good decision. As you can see on the pictures I took (above and below), the one I got still looks a bit pinkish, but it actually matches my skin very nicely and I can use it as both concealer and highlighter.

I absolutely love this product. It's really tiny (about half, maybe 2/3 the size of Elf concealer), but because you only need a few tiny taps of it, it's amazingly long-lasting. It blends very well and has a creamy consistency that isn't too thick and doesn't settle in your fine lines at all. It smells kind of powdery (personally I really like this smell) and a bit like Nivea lotion. And I just love how moisturizing it feels on my skin. 

With this product you will get medium to high coverage and your dark spots and imperfections will be nicely covered. It will give you a very dewy, porcelain doll kind of look. I like using it as a highlighter when I contour, because it blends so well and leaves my skin feeling moist but not oily. 

If you're looking for a new concealer/highlighter product to try, I'd recommend this one, especially if your skin needs some extra moisture. 

Feel like checking it out and maybe trying for yourself? Here's an extra 10% OFF for you! And remember, Born Pretty ships FREE World Wide (with no minimum purchase!). 

Beauty Review: TJK Beauty Pure Argan Oil

Argan oil is good for so many different things, it's truly a phenomenal skin and hair care product. The TJK Argan oil is USDA Organic, naturally scented, cold pressed and unrefined. It smells very rich - a deep, long lasting earthy/nutty smell. I love that it's fair trade and cruelty free.

I use Argan oil mainly for hair care - I apply it to the ends of my hair to protect them from harmful effects of blow drying and to keep my hair nicely moisturized. My husband uses it as a natural moisturizer after showering - he loves natural, organic products, and argan oil (next to tea tree oil and shea butter) is one of his top favorites. I also like applying it to my face before going to bed - it provides my skin with a huge boost of moisture and my face feels really smooth in the morning. It actually doesn't leave me feeling greasy at all - it absorbs quickly.

TJK Beauty Argan Oil comes in a 1.66oz glass bottle with a stopper. I think the packaging is just as great as the product itself - very visually appealing. The bottle came wrapped in bubble wrap and placed inside the packaging, which was then placed in a bubble protected Amazon cardboard box - needless to say, it arrived safe and sound.

I think this is an awesome quality product and would recommend it to anyone looking for a natural moisturizer or something to tame the frizz/ help treat split ends with.

Disclaimer: I received a free sample of the product in exchange for my honest review.

About TJK Beauty Pure Argan Oil:

• USDA certified 100% pure organic Argan Oil. Imported from Morocco. Bottled for the U.S.A.
• COLD-PRESSED, unrefined, and unscented. Eco-certification by EcoCert guarantees adherence to highest production standards. All-natural vegan friendly production.
• RESTORES healthy, luxurious sheen to dry, damaged hair
• HYDRATES skin to diminish wrinkles and even skin tone
• STRENGTHENS brittle fingernails and softens cuticles

De-clutter your cosmetics bag and simplify your beauty routine by making TJK Pure Argan Oil your one-step miracle elixir.

Our 100% pure virgin Morrocan Argan Oil restores youthful vitality to your skin, hair and nails. TJK Pure Argan Oil moisturizes skin, replenishing antioxidants and acting as a natural protectant against the aging effects of the sun. Its' high Vitamin E content decreases the visibility of wrinkles and gives a youthful glow to your skin. Manicures can leave nails brittle and weak. Massage TJK Pure Argan Oil into your fingernails to strengthen them and soften cuticles. As a hair conditioner - on either wet or dry hair - Argan Oil makes hair softer, silkier and shinier. You can feel confident about incorporating TJK Pure Argan Oil into your beauty regimen, knowing that it is produced in accordance with stringent USDA and EcoCert standards. TJK Pure Argan Oil is cold-pressed, unrefined and unscented, fully vegan/vegetarian friendly.

Our Argan oil's proven and observed benefits for hair, skin, and nails are extensive, and include, to name a few:

• Dry Skin: Nourishes and moisturizes dry, scaly, flaky skin and protects against infection.

• Oily Skin: Regulates sebum production to keep the skin's natural oils at a healthy level. With regular use, the skin will no longer look or feel oily. Irritated/Itchy Skin: Protects skin from allergens that may cause itchiness.

• Hair: Repairs damaged hair. Moisturizes instantly, and prevents split ends while restoring shine. Increases hair growth and helps control, cure, and prevent dry and itchy scalp.

• Scalp: Keeps scalp healthy and well nourished. A few drops will protect against dandruff. Keeps the roots of the hair hydrated, protected, and well nourished.

• Nails: Keeps nails strong and healthy

 

Fashion Product Review: Burei Chronograph Watch for Men

Being an Amazon top reviewer occasionally comes with really nice perks, and one of them is getting products for review I wouldn't normally be able to afford (not on a student budget, ha!). This is definitely that kind of product! When BUREI reached out to me with the opportunity to be their watch tester, I jump at the chance :) 

 I really love this watch - it looks and feels very luxurious and is suitable for both casual and formal wear.

The watch's face is big and clear. The dial is easy to read even in direct sunlight. You can set the time, day and date (though you should follow the instruction when you do that, as it states that the date should not be set between 9:00 PM and 5:00 AM, or some damage may occur.) The leather strap is beautiful and feels good on your skin. My husband tried the watch on and said it was perfectly comfortable to wear and not heavy at all.

The watch comes wrapped around a mini pillow and placed in a big, gorgeous box. It also comes with a signature BUREI gift wrap and a small manual. The gorgeous packaging adds to the high-end feeling of this watch and makes for a fantastic gift. I will be gifting this watch to my dad for his upcoming birthday and I know he'll just love it.

I think it's a really amazing value for the price. It works great and looks very attractive. It seems very well made, too, so I think it should be pretty durable. And I love the fact that it's waterproof! No complaints so far!

About BUREI Quartz Chronograph watch:

• Imported
• Polished stainless steel watch featuring chronograph function,white dial with date window at 3 o'clock
• Croco-embossed calfskin leather strap with buckle closure
• Protective anti-reflective sapphire crystal dial window
• Japanese quartz movement with analog display
• Water resistant to 99 feet (30 M)

True luxury in simple, timeless design. This globetrotting beauty features BUREI's signature round dial with minimal markings and elegantly slim hands. This BUREI chronograph watch for men offers a bold accent to both business wear and casual dress. Japanese quartz movement with analog display. Anti-reflective sapphire crystal. Breathable genuine leather strap brings a soft and comfortable feeling and prevent allergies. Other features include three chronograph subdials, polished stainless steel case, date function and water resistance to 30 meters (99 feet) withstands rain and splashes of water, but not showering or submersion.