BOXYCHARM - June 2018 | Elizabeth Vasquez

Hello Everyone!

After much deliberation with myself, I took the plunge. Recently, I have been all about subscription boxes and finding one that not only gives me my monies worth, but has products that I am truly excited to try and use. 

This being my first BOXYCHARM box, I was way too excited about sharing the products that I received for the month of June. This is simply a quick overview of the products that the box contained (first impressions) however, if anyone would like a more detailed post on the product's quality themselves I would be more than happy to share my thoughts after having used the products a bit more. 

Luxie 3 Piece Flawless Complexion

I have received Luxie brushes in other subscription boxes but never as a set. The Luxie brushes that I have received in the past have made their way into my everyday makeup application routine. The brushes themselves are soft and of great quality plus, who doesn't love rose gold?! This set includes: 

516: Due Fibre Powder

522: Tapered Highlighter

660: Precision Foundation

Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream

This is one of the products that I was most surprised to see in my box. For some time now I had heard about a "butt" cream that would make me stop doing squats at the gym. Now I know that this is an exaggeration, but I cannot be more interested in seeing exactly what this "magic" cream does. The smell is a nice, warm scent and is meant to absorb quickly into the skin.

Battington Monroe Silk Lashes

When it comes to fake lashes, I am always the driver of the struggle bus. This year I have been much more open with the idea of using fake lashes as they can really transform and complete any makeup look. These lashes are the perfect combination of natural and yet still giving you a fuller look. The lashes themselves are soft to the touch and the band is very flexible, which I have found makes application much easier for me.

Alamar Reina Del Caribe Vol. 1

At the bottom of my box was this beauty. This palette has a combination of metallic and matte formulas. The shades themselves are a mix of warm earth tones and fun vibrate colors that you can wear together for a fun look. I did swatch all of the shades on my arm and the pigmentation was amazing. All of the shades are creamy and applied nicely. I am very excited to use this during the summer and get out of my comfort zone.

OFRA Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick

Liquid lipsticks have been my go-to lately and the shade Verona is everything I could ask for. The shade is a beautiful brown, nude that works perfect for an everyday look. I swatched this lipstick on the back of my hand and the amount of work it took to get it off makes me eager to see how how this wears throughout the day.

Jonteblue Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil

Last but not least was a creamy, waterproof eyeliner that was equally as difficult to get off my hand. The pencil glided easily on the skin while still providing a good amount of pigmentation. This seems to be a perfect pencil to run along the waterline without fear of it smearing everywhere throughout the day.

Overall I am very happy with the products that were included my the June box. I am confident that I will get good use of each of them and that some may even end up being in my June favorites. I have provided the links to where each of these products can be purchased in case you wish to get any yourself! I haven't been this excited for a subscription box in some time and cannot wait to see what I will be receiving next month. 

BOXYCHARM allows you to get a monthly subscription for $21.00 per month with the option to cancel at anytime. This box was paid for with my own money and all the opinions are my own. If you are interested in subscribing for your own BOXYCHARM, feel free to use my referral link. 

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

What I Got For My Birthday 2017 | Elizabeth Vasquez

Hello Everyone!

So this past Saturday (August 12, to be exact) was my 23rd birthday. It was truly a bittersweet moment knowing that I am getting older and my youth is slowly fading haha! In all honesty, I had the most amazing birthday filled with family, fun and food. I was also very fortunate to have received some amazing gifts from my family, boyfriend and his family. I thought that I would share some of my absolute favorites that I received even though I am truly grateful for all of them. I also did a bit of shopping for myself however, not all the items that I ordered have arrived. Maybe a birthday haul in the near future? Let me know!

Just as a little disclaimer, I am not trying to show off anything that I received. I simply want to share my lovely gifts and possibly give you ideas to future gifts that you may need to buy or want to ask for.

The first gift that I received was from my boyfriend's parents. They know that I love makeup and gave me the NYX Beauty School Dropout Face and Eye Pallet. The palette includes a variety of eyeshadows and blushes. I am very excited to be able to play with all the fun colors and the blushes are shades that I love to use.

The next gift was given to me by my lovely boyfriend (with a little help from me haha). The Urban Decay Naked Heat palette has been on my wish list since it first came out. Recently, I have really been enjoying wearing orange and red shades on my eyes and this palette has every shade that I love. I have all of the other Naked palettes and love their pigmentation and how easy they are to blend. I have no doubt that this will be very well used.

Another generous gift that I received was the Morphe 350M-35 Matte Nature Glow Eyeshadow Palette. My mom wanted to make sure that I received something that I really wanted and again with a little help, picked this up for me. Matte eyeshadows have been my go-to for the last couple of months and this is the perfect palette. Not only are the Morphe palettes inexpensive (compared to other palettes), they offer such a variety of great quality shades. These palettes are perfect to have in your collection since a single palette can be used to complete a whole look.

Now I'm not sure about most people, but I love socks haha! My feet are always freezing and I need to constantly wear them. Another obsession of mine is Dance Moms. I have watched every season since the beginning and the high levels of drama and talent mixed into this show is addicting. One of my absolute favorite dancers of the show is Kalani, so when I found out she had a sock line I knew that I needed some. My boyfriend was kind enough to get me two different styles that were unicorn and Queen Bee. (Side note: I am also obsessed with unicorns and my favorite color is yellow) Although the weather is not appropriate for these long socks, I cannot wait to rock them in the fresher months.

One of the last gifts that I received was from my brother and my sister-in-law. Now, I normally don't buy very many lotions or fragrance mists due to the fact that my brother never fails to disappoint in getting them for me. One of my go-to scents from Bath & Body Work is Japanese Cherry Blossom, which I received a mist and hand cream. Another lovely scent that I received was the Hello Beautiful which is a similar scent, but not as sweet. And since my unicorn socks weren't enough, I also received a Unicorn Water antibacterial hand gel which I plan to carry in my handbag with me at all times.

Again, this post was not meant for bragging purposes but rather as appreciation for the love that I received from my family and lovely boyfriend. If you would like, follow me on my social media where you can see my true love for unicorns and other lovely things. If you have any suggestions or requests for future posts, please let me know!

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

The Comeback?

Hello Everyone....

2014.

That was the last time that I posted anything on here and so much has happened to me since then. I'd rather not bore you with 15-page post with all the details of the past 3 years so here is a rundown:

1. I graduated from college with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice.

2. I was given the opportunity (which I took) to work at my first big-girl job.

3. My dad passed away in February 2016.

4. After applying three times, I was given another position to a job that I really enjoy doing.

5. I was unbelievably lucky enough to find the person in my life that makes me so happy and makes me feel so loved.

6. I've been working on my well being and have come to a place where I can say that I'm happier than I've been in a long time.

So the million-dollar question: Why did I come back to this blog? The answer: I don't know.

I guess a part of me always wished that I would come back to write, since it's something that I love to do (I also love talking which is bad for my boyfriend haha!). Maybe a part of me always knew that I would come back since I never deleted my blog after all this time.

I've found myself in such a happy place recently that I just wanted to share it with people. The lovely people who, after all this time, still follow me on Twitter or send me emails to ask me questions. I've met some amazing people who I still catch up with here and there thanks to this. This little place on the Internet where I share all of my favorites with people who love the same things.

The other million-dollar question: What does this mean? Answer: Again, I don't know. 

Will I wait another three years before posting again? Doubtful.

The one thing that I do know is that I've missed this little place on the Internet and I feel a warm comfortable blanket around me when I'm here (Not literally, though I wish that were the case haha). Of course I have a hectic schedule with a full-time job, exercising and my personal life, but I still want to make time for this. There will be no posting schedule as I am still trying to figure this all out, but know that it won't be long.

Lastly, I just want to say thank you. Whether or not I'm the only person that reads this, I feel at so much ease as I write this. This feeling that I get is better than a million readers.

However, if there are any readers, please let me know what kind of content you would like to see here :)

BYEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

July Favorites - 2014 | Elizabeth Vasquez

Hello Everyone!

July is over which means school is just around the corner. Luckily enough for me, it is August which happens to be my Birth-Month. There is a good chance that I will be working on my actual birthday, but I think I'll survive. I am super excited to start school because I will be graduating next December with a degree that I love. I'm hoping that these next semesters go by quickly so that I can get a job in my field of study. Back to the beauty world. I tried so many new products during the month of July and some have become my absolute favorites. Most of these products have made it into my daily routine and the rest are essential for Summer. Here are my July favorites...

July Favorites - 2014

Banana Boat Sport Performance Spray Sunscreen SPF 100: The temperature here in South Texas has been unbelievable. We have had 100 degree weather everyday for the past couple of weeks. I am a person that gets sunburned very quickly, but hates putting on sunscreen. It makes me feel greasy and takes forever to apply. I picked up this spray sunscreen before my trip to the beach a couple of weeks ago. It was very easy to apply since the mist is clear and it is so quick to just spray my body and face with. I was at the beach for about 8 hours and I only got the slightest tan. I love this sunscreen and recommend it if you burn easily, or are lazy like I am.

Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum: It is no secret that I struggle with hyperpigmentation. Since I finished the last product I was trying, I though I would pick up this serum and see if it made more of a difference than the last. I had never tried a Murad product before, but this serum made me want to try other products from the line. This serum was a bit on the pricy side, but I have found that most (if not all) serums are. Within the first week, I noticed a huge difference in my dark-spots. My entire face seems so much more even and my spots are not as noticeable. I find myself using a less amount of concealer to hide imperfections and I love that. This serum does make your face sensitive so there are a few recommendations: use at least SPF 30 before going into the sun, only use at night and do not use continuously for more than 3 months.

Clean & Clear Advantage 3-in-1 Exfoliating Cleanser: When it comes to treating acne, I have found that my skin reacts best to benzoyl peroxide. This acne medication is more difficult to find than salicylic acid, especially in the drugstore. I was lucky enough to find this drugstore cleanser and really enjoyed it this past month.  It really helped to treat any existing acne that I had, and prevent future breakouts. The exfoliation isn't harsh on the skin and gentle enough to use on a daily basis.

Clean & Clear All-in-One Cleansing Wipes: I picked up these wipes the same time I got the cleanser (they were right next to the cleanser and I needed new wipes haha). I actually enjoyed these more than I did the other Clean & Clear makeup removing wipes. Something about the smell of these wipes really helps to relax me and prepare me for bed. I truly feel like they remove all of my makeup and they keep my skin feeling clean. These wipes have sea minerals and sea kelp extract (I'm not exactly sure what these things do, but my skin looks and feels great). Again I would like to point out that although there are 30 days in a month, there are only 25 wipes.

Maybelline Dream Pure BB 8-in1 Beauty Balm Skin Clearing Perfector: Because my skin has been better than usual, I have been able to wear lighter makeup. During the Summer I tend to gravitate to more BB creams than foundations. This BB cream is supposed to have acne clearing properties, that caught my attention. I love how light this feels on my skin, but still gives a nice amount of coverage. It is so easy to blend into the skin and does a reasonable job of adjusting to your skin tone. There are a couple of shades available and it is easy to work with. I'm not sure how much this actually helped my acne, but I didn't cause any extra breakouts.

Makeup Forever Full Cover Extreme Camouflage Cream: Waterproof makeup is my best friend during the Summer and trips to the beach. I don't like to wear too much makeup when I go to the pool or beach, but I do like to coverup a few problem areas. I also don't like to have to keep fixing my makeup or reapplying it because it completely disappeared. With this concealer I know that all my problems areas will be fully covered and that it will last all day.

Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoo Leather Collection (Chocolate Suede): On lazy makeup days, (which occur more often than usual) I tend to gravitate towards cream shadows for a quick splash of color. I have a rather large collection of the Color Tattoos, especially the neutral shades. This particular shade is part of the Leather Collection. It is a bronze shade that is more on the chocolate, brown side. This shade is beautiful all over the lid alone, or mixed with other shadows. Although it is Summer, I have found myself wearing this darker shade more than bright, fun colors.

Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow (Bella Bronze): This eyeshadow goes along the same line as the previous. I actually love using these two products to create a beautiful bronze eye look. These Gel eyeshadows are absolutley wonderful. The pigmentation is ahhhhmazing and they are super easy to blend with other shadows. The quality of these shadows is remarkable for the inexpensive price that you pay.

Natural Collection Blushed Cheeks (Peach Melba): Although the name itself says "peach," I would say that this blush is more on the mauve/pink side. For some reason, I have never been the biggest fan of different colored blush. Something about my skin tone makes me feel like no color really fits me right. When I do wear blush, I tend to pick something very natural and understated. This shade just gives the right amount of color and gives a very natural look. This particular blush was actually sent to me from a fellow beauty blogger and it is one of my absolute favorites.

Bare Escentuals Buxom Lash Mascara (Blackest Black): Very similar to my eyebrows, my eyelashes are very long and dark. This time of year I look for mascaras that will just define my lashes and not change them too much. The Buxom Lash mascara is perfect for everyday makeup. It gives me the volume and length that I desire without being clumpy or too dramatic.

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick (Lickable): Yet another MAC lipstick has made it into my monthly favorites. I own way too many of these lipsticks but they are some of my absolute favorites. This shade is a bit brighter than all the other makeup I have featured in this post. Something about this particular shade of fuchsia looks very nice with my tan. I like to apply it to my lips and then blend it in a bit with my finger to take it down a notch.

Music: For music I though it would be nice to just list and link all of the songs that I have been loving this past month.

Sia - Chandelier
Bastille - Oblivion
Echosmith - Cool Kids
Sia - Dressed in Black
Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass
Demi Lovato - Really Don't Care
Ariana Grande - Break Free
Melanie Martinez - Dollhouse
Troye Sivan - Happy Little Pill

Hope you enjoyed this post :)
Please let me know your favorite songs so I can give them a listen!

Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadows | Elizabeth Vasquez

Hello Everyone!

On a recent trip to CVS, I spotted a display case full of Milani eyeshadows that I had never seen before. I really enjoy the Milani blushes and thought I would try these eyeshadows since they were rather inexpensive. These retail for $3.99 at Walgreens and for $4.29 at CVS however, in CVS these eyeshadows are buy one get one 50% off. Here are some swatches along with a short review of them.

Overall I am very impressed with the quality of these eyeshadows. I was a bit worried that the dome-shape of the shadows would affect the texture of the product itself. Many products with this shape tend to be very hard at the top and it isn't until you get through the top layer, that you get a better product. The texture is very smooth and buttery. The pigmentation is very impressive, especially for the darker shades. The color range is amazing since you can find anything from blue and pink, to purple and green. With the wide range of colors comes a great range in finishes. Each shade is clearly marked with the finish on the label, underneath the shade. I clearly opted for the more neutral shades and they are absolutely gorgeous. These shadows blend beautifully on the lid and with each other. The packaging is very cute, but a little bulky and take up a bit of space if you have a couple like I do. You would not expect much for such inexpensive products, but these certainly are great.

Hope you enjoyed this post :)
Have you tried the Bella Eyeshadows?