Birchbox: January

It's time for another peek inside our boxes, Birchbox reviews are here. Just in the nick of time to still count towards January, phew! This is Charlotte's last Birchbox, as she has decided to bid adieu to the service. I remain fully obsessed and will keep showing the world the contents of my box. Let's get this party started, Char-Char is up first, we'll have a moment of silence, then I'll come in like a neurotic superhero on a questionable zip line.

Charlotte

Here is my last Birchbox. It is a combo December/January Birchbox because of all the December Birchbox drama. Go figure, they send out a decent Birchbox right when I decide to quit ! Yes I am quitting because of all the drama with the Decemer Birchbox and I didn't think it has been worth my $10 every month. Vanessa will be your Birchbox advisor from here on out. Anyhow, on with the show, and $10 back in my pocket every month. **Sigh**

Clark's Botanicals Smoothing Marine Cream ($115)- I absolutely LOVE this stuff! It makes your skin so soft and you can actually feel it work, probably because of the glycolic acid, but I like to think it is magical skin fairies massaging my face...

FIX Malibu Immaculate Complexion Smoothing Serum ($125)- This stuff feels and smells AH-Mazing! I also really like this sample. It makes your skin feel silky soft to the touch and it makes a noticeable difference just looking at your skin. Love in a jar <3.

Miracle Skin Transformer Treat & Conceal ($36)- I was not a big fan of this product. The color didn't match me but I tried it anyway so I could give you lovelies a full review. It is very powdery and cakey looking at the same time. It's not flattering. If you have something you need to conceal, I feel like this makes it stand out more.

stila Smudg Stick Waterproof Eye Liner ($20) in peacock- This is an awesome eyeliner! I don't typically like waterproof makeup but this color is so amazzing I just can't hate on it.

Lifestyle Extra #1 Larabar Mini Bar ($15) in Chocolate Chip Brownie- It was a yummy little treat but was nothing new. I'm not sure why it was in this box, but hey, It's chocolate so I'm not complaining

Lifestyle Extra #2 Birchbox Magnet- Uhm...a Birchbox Magnet...that about sums it up...I like magnets so I'm not complaing....mocking, but not complaining.

Jouer Moisturizing Lip Gloss ($20) in Birchbox Pink- This is a fun and awesome lip gloss. It's a fun, sheer, bubble-gum/flamingo pink gloss. Pro: Not the least bit sticky. Con: Smells a little funky.

Oscar Blandi Pronto Invisible Volumizing Dry Shampoo ($25)- Dry Shampoo is my favorite dirty girl product. It encourages me to skip a good hair wash every now and then. Who am I kidding, I use it like three times a week..Anyways I didn't think this one was any more amazing than Tresseme or Suave, and so far nothing even touches PSSST. So in my opinon it is not worth the extra money but it did the job.

Showstoppers Designer Fashion Tape in Nude ($10)- These are good for skinny girls with small tatas. No way, no how will these work for my DDD tatas. I can't review them so I gave them away to a skinny  girl with small(er) tatas....

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse ($58)-  Pro: Made my hair AND skin feel ridiculously soft and beautiful. Con: Left glitter ALL.OVER.EVERYWHERE. Now don't get me wrong, I love glitter. But this is just too much glitter. I didn't even know those words could be combined to make that horrible sentence!

Atelier Cologne ($70)- I do love this smell but it is very androgynous. I honestly couldn't tell right away if it was for a man or a woman. That didn't stop me from wearing it though, and liking it.

Hey Bloggers!

Hey there bloggers! Looking for a way to show your followers some love with a giveaway? Sign ups for the Winter Blast of Cash Giveaway are now open! Register today to add your blog to the giveaway and tell them Whoreders sent you.

Read all the details at Giveaway Promote and chase those winter blues away with some big wins!

Whoreders are taking part, so be on the lookout for details on how to enter the giveaway soon, my lovelies!

Swanky Sweepin' Volume 18

Daily:

Pet prizes for your dog or cat, lots of winners, ends 2/15

Iced coffee 20 winners a day, ends 2/9

Once a week:

Get a muffin top ...I mean win muffins. Ends 4/2, 1000 winners a week.

Get Nailed: The Tell-Tale Heart

Hello my pretties, this week's nails are inspired yet again by Valentines Day, but with a twist. My husband is a nurse (yeah, big whoop, wanna fight about it?) so this weeks nails are a nod to him as well.

1.) As always, prep nails by removing all polish, file down nails, and apply your base coat.

2.)Next pick a base color. I used an Urban Outfitters Polish in purple (even though it looks blue in the pic's) Let dry completely.

3.) Take a nail art brush, I used Milani Nail Art in White Canvas to make the EKG lines across my nails. The great thing about this is they don't have to be perfect, and there is no set pattern, so have fun with it!

4.) I chose my ring finger to draw my heart on because I'm corny and believe in "Vena Amoris".

For this, I used Milani Red Sparkle, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite polishes.

5.) Last but not least, I cleaned up the edges, applied my top coat, and voila!

Cheap Thrills: Lip Service

 

Pucker up, it's time to pamper our lovely lips for Valentine's Day! I spent the weekend searching for a fabulous red lipstick, and that got me thinking about the perfect Valentine pout. Instead of focusing on red lipstick, this week's Cheap Thrills will look at lip tints and stains. For anyone looking to take a more subdued approach to scarlet lips, this week is for you!

Peanut Butter Lovin'

I was at Target the other day and saw in their clearance 'fridge section some peanut butter cookie dough! Be still my clogged arteries, I LOVE peanut butter ! To sweeten (SWEETen, get it?) this deal, I had a rare coupon for $1 off and Pillsbury cookie dough that I found here making it only $1.08 ! Holla !

Yesterday was "National Peanut Butter Day", so in light of this I made delicious "Peanut Butter Blossoms" for my co-workers with a Valentine theme. I referred to them as thumbprint cookies all day long because Heather has ruined the word blossom for me forever.

Anyhow, these cookies are super easy to make. You will need peanut butter cookie dough, granulated cane sugar, an un-greased non-stick cookie sheet, and heart shaped milk chocolates .

First you roll spoonfuls of dough into balls. Next you roll the balls in sugar and place them on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375. Take the cookies out and press your chocolates into the middle of the cookie while still hot.

I obviously made them a little large so they stuck together but they were so yummy so who cares ? And you gotta figure if two stick together then it only counts as one cookie... NOM NOM NOM. Now don't be a fatty and eat them right away, you will burn yourself and/or get hot melty chocolate all over the place and look like you have poop face. Your welcome.

Swanky Sweepin' Volume 17

Unlimited:

Pink Boombox Ends 2/14. If you want it, enter a billion times.

Daily:

A year of Birchbox 250 winners, ends 2/5

Single:

Cheap Thrills: Va-Va-Voom

Welcome to Cheap Thrills After Dark, a slightly naughtier version of our weekly contribution to your retail therapy. Valentine's Day is creeping closer and closer, and some people might be looking for something a little more pulse-quickening than a dozen roses. That's where I come in, if you want to be a little more daring but don't know where to start, I got you covered.

For anyone who isn't sure about sizing, here's a sneaky little tip: when your better half isn't looking, take a quick peek at a similar item in their wardrobe! Dudes who can't guess their lady's bra size, just look for the tag near those pesky hooks that have thwarted men for decades. You can even offer to take laundry duty for easy access clothing items. P.S., Never put the bras in the dryer! 

**A quick note about this edition, although there is no nudity within this post, there may be a few items you might consider NSFW (not safe for work) and would be awkward to explain to your boss or coworkers.  Some of the links do go to adults-only sites, but I will warn you ahead of time so you can click with caution. ** 

Get Nailed: Bee Mine

I am so randomly excited for Valentine's Day this year that I have already started doing Valentine nails and writing other Valentine's Day themed posts!

First up in my Valentine nails is the cute and cheeky (in my opinion obv)  "Bee Mine" nails.

They are pretty simple, and you may even be able to do it better, ha ! I found the original picture for my inspiration on Pinterest and I thought I would switch it up for Valentine's Day. Here it goes!

1. Make sure nails are clean, dry, and manicured to perfection (or close to it).

2. Put a clear base coat on. 

3. Put a solid color on. I used Urban Outfitters pink 2 for Valentines day, but you can do whatever color you'd like.

4.Beginning with your pinkie nail, draw dotted lines in a swirly and fun pattern to imitate the flight pattern of the bee. You can use a toothpick, a nail art brush, a very thin paint brush, or a polish pen for this.

5. Next step I wrote "Bee Mine" on my thumb with a nail polish pen.

6. Lastly, I drew the bee. I used ZOYA  in "Creamy" to make an oval shape for the body of the bee. Then I drew vertical stripes on the bee's body and the outline for the wings with Milani's Nail Art in Black Sketch. I filled in the wings using Milani's Nail Art in White Canvas.

7. Voila !

If any of you try or have tried this, post your pics in the comment section below! I would love to see other versions! Until next time, keep on Whore(der)ing !

I Heart Chu

New Etsy Treasury list! Today's theme: Valentine's day hearts, all for under $30.

<3

Swanky Sweepin' Volume 16

Daily:

Money or shirts ends 7-23

Be a storm chaser ends 2-12

Dance off for a Walmart gift card lots of winners, ends 2-27

Comfort 1140 random prizes, from fruit cups to comforters to coffee makers, ends 3-31

Single:

Kindle 10 winners, do not subscribe. Ends 1-31

Trip to Brazil for Carnival ends 1-31

Trip to Graceland thankyouverymuch. Ends 4-7

Trip to Paris to meet Karl Lagerfeld ends 1-24

Misfits signed guitar ends 1-30

photo: Elvis at the Graceland gates

Cheap Thrills: Will You Be My Valentine?

Love it or love to hate it, but Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Whether you're looking to woo your crush, win back your ex, or just treat your bad self to something sweet, I'm gonna do my best to hook you up with some romantic Cheap Thrills.

I've really tried to cover both ladies and gents, especially since the men in our lives sometimes get the short end of the Valentine stick. The stand-by gift of flowers and candy is nice, don't get me wrong, but I want to explore some other options. Think outside the box of chocolates, my loves!

Get Nailed: Baby You're a Firework !

I've been thinking and thinking....and thinking about what the heck to do for "New Years" Nails. Now that it is far passed New Years, it came to me lol. Firework nails! I googled and Pinterested ( Yes, I made that word up, and no it will not catch on like "Googled") the crap out of firework nails, new years nails, explosion nails etc. I kept coming across this picture but I couldn't find a tutorial anywhere.

I finally found the original picture at nailside (which has tons of awesome nail designs by the way), and you can find her instructions here. I'm glad I started on my own because I was a little confused by her instructions anyways, but that's just me. However, I also didn't find the tutorial until I started my own version lol.

I say mine came out pretty dang good as seeing it was my first time trying these, and I didn't have the instructions to begin with. I tried to cut a zig-zag pattern out of scotch tape that would fit on my nail but it really is much easier to cut small triangles out of scotch tape like nailside suggests. I used Milani One Coat Glitter in "Purple Gleam" (which is really "two coat glitter") and O.P.I "I Get A Kick Out Of Gold" for a Any way that you do it, I'm sure it will come out fun and good looking (much like myself). Well Whore(der)s, I'm off to slowly attempt to paint my left hand now. Good thing fireworks are erratically shaped.

What's Growin' On?

I stole that line. I'm keeping it for myself.

It's about that time of the year to start thinking about plants and gardening. At least it is for me. Whether you have a yard, porch, windowsill, or office desk - there's room for plants in your life.

In the next few weeks I will post cheap ways to have some shrubbery of your own (of the non-human kind) so that you can reap the benefits of fresh produce and pretty flowers. For now I leave you with a new Etsy Treasury list of inexpensive gardening finds:

What's growin' on?

Swanky Sweepin' Volume 15

Daily:
Money Eight winners a day, ends 1/31

Vanessa's Top Ten Budget Beauty Buys

Normally, these top ten lists come at the end of the year, but we Whoreders were a little busy wrapping presents and mixing cocktails. Whoops. I get some flack from people (Heatherrr!) for my fancy product lustin', but I'm also a big believer in budget buys (I AM!). I put together a list of my top ten favorites, all found at your local drugstore for under $20.

Ready? Here they are, in no particular order...

Steal vs. Splurge: Beauty Basics Edition

Here are a few of my must have beauty products, and their equally fabulous and cheaper alternatives.

I do not wear make-up as often as I used to or would like to, but when I do, I look dang good gurl. Some people (Heather) may argue that I have no business putting up a post about make-up and beauty as usually I am a plain faced hobo a la Lindsay Lohan status.

Moisturizer:

Steal: This one is hard as everyone's skin is so different. I typically use anything that is on sale, something I win, or one that is recommended to me. Vanessa swears by Philosophy's Hope In a Jar 2 oz. ($40), and Heather is a repeat buyer of Garnier Skin Renew ($12) 2.5 oz.

Splurge: StriVectin Instant Moisture Repair 2oz. ($59) is a little pricey, but totally worth it. You can see and feel the difference after the first time, seriously. I won this in a blog contest and used it until the bottlemade that little fart noise when it's beyond empty.

Cheap Thrills: Let's Go To Bed

The holidays are behind us, and if you're like me, you'll want to recover by curling up in bed until spring. I'm sort of crazy about my bed (okay, I'm sort of crazy, period), it's a space I like to keep private. I want it to be cute and extra comfy, and embrace me at the end of the day, telling me everything is going to be okay and that my hair looks really pretty. I don't like letting anyone hang out in my bedroom or in my bed because it's my sanctuary, and I fear strangers will steal the mojo from it.

Before this becomes a therapy session, let's get to the Cheap Thrills for this week. It's all about bedding and making the place where the magic happens even more magical. Let's curl up (just not in my bed) and see what I came up with...

CVS Madness!

Hay y'all, there are some amazing sales and clearance deals going on at CVS right now. I know all stores vary, but let me show you what deals I found tonight while strolling down the aisles of my local CVS.

Oral B Satin Tape Floss

Orig. Price $4.39

Sale Price $2.99

ECB $1

Coupon $1/1 from 1/1 insert

Final Price: $0.99 !

Crest 3D Whitestrips Advance Seal
Orig. Price $44.49

Sale Price $34.49

Coupon from P&G Booklet $10/1

Final Price: $24.49!

John Frieda Frizz Ease Thermal Serum

Orig Price. $10.49

Sale Price $5.24

PLUS

Swanky Sweepin' Volume 14

Daily:

Beauty stuff ends 1/6, 100 winners

Trip to Disneyland/Disneyworld 60 winners, ends 2/29

Win a day with Perez Hilton so he can make fun of you. Lots of other prizes as well, ends 3/31. Needs a code, but they will give you a free one.

TVs and pizza to help you with your New Years resolutions. Ends 1/28

Single:

$60 Levis credit 25 winners, ends 1/10

Coffee gift basket 25 winners, ends 1/12

$1000 4 winners, ends 1/31

Vegas trip! 10 winners, ends 4/30

Philosophy gift set 10 winners, ends 1/31

An Underworld jacket so gawth. 20 winners, ends 1/26

photo: Haunted Mansion at Disneyland!