May Birchbox v Ipsy

 

Stuck in a routine, I have used the same makeup and face products since my teens. I wanted to break out of this and try new products but I wasn't sure where to start. It can be a little daunting to walk into a store like Ulta that has countless options at varying price points. So I decided that the best option would be a monthly beauty subscription box. This way I could try out different products from different brands without spending a ton of money.

 

The two that I signed up for are Ipsy and Birchbox. They are both $10 a month and offer 5 different products each month. When you sign up, there is a survey of sorts that asks all about the kinds of products you are interested in trying, your skin type, hair color, eye color, and how adventurous you are willing to be.

 

This is the third month that I've been receiving these boxes and here is what I received for May!

Birchbox

MDSolarSciences Mineral Moisture Defense SPF50

Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle

TOCCA Crema da Mano - Hand Cream

Cargo Blush and Brozer Duo

COOLA Mineral SPF30 Daydream Makeup Primer


Ipsy

Hanalei Lip Treatment

INSPR Beauty Eye Fluff Brush

Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics Caribbean Sun Bronzer Duo

Eva NYC Hungry Hair Oil Treatment

IT Cosmestics No-Tug Waterproof Mini Gel Eyeliner

I was slightly disappointed in Birchbox this month. The small sample of sunscreen will cover maybe one arm so I'm not sure what the point there is. Each box, so far, has had a heat protecting hair treatment from varying brands. I have curly hair and don't straighten it very often so these products don't get a lot of use. The one product I am looking forward to trying is the COOLA primer. I have been experimenting with primers lately so I am excited to see how this one will compare to the others in my collection.

 

Ipsy wins in my eyes this month. The lip treatment from Hanalei is incredible! I love the way it smells and it is a wonderful overnight balm that keeps my lips hydrated all night. The eye flush brush is super soft and will work well as a blending or crease brush. The blush/bronzer duo is gorgeous and the eyeliner is highly pigmented with a fine tip for precision.

Sign up for Ipsy here!

Sign up for Birchbox here!

I'd love to hear if you received these boxes this month and what products you received! Comment below or find me on Instagram! @brunetteplanner

Back At It

 

I had fallen out of love with planning. Unhappy with my MAMBI Happy Planner and unable to find another planner that inspired me, I stopped planning. I watched reviews on YouTube and kept up with my favorite Etsy sellers on Instagram. But I couldn't find that one thing that made me want to get back at it.

Skip ahead a few weeks to my 30th birthday and a very generous friend who gifted me with the Simple Stories Carpe Diem Planner. She made the dividers, filled it with monthly and weekly inserts, and stuffed the pockets with inspirational cards and fun trinkets.

My first two weeks in this planner have been experimental. I'm unsure how I want the weeks to look and I'm still playing with the horizontal layout.

I am a list maker and I found these lined pages to be perfect for my listing tendancies and perfect for a little decorative touch.

This week I used a kit from Planner Society. I believe this was part of their monthly subscription box and was also generously gifted to me by my beautiful friend. I love that the flags provided perfectly cover up the days of the week. I also found that the page flags, checklists, and embelleshments perfectly fit the spaces provided in this planner.

I am back in planner mode and already filling my Etsy cart will all sorts of stickers for my Carpe Diem planner! I hope to have a sticker haul for you all soon!

I would love to hear what your favorite planner are and if you prefer a vertical or horizontal layout! Please comment below or find me on instagram!  @thebrunetteplanner