Review: Beauty Box Five

It's official: I've caught the subscription box bug. I've been lurking around beauty websites for a few months now, stalking what people received, salivating wildly or "hmphing" in collective disappointment when they got a dud box. I finally took the plunge and got on the waiting list for Birchbox ($10 sounds like the right price for me!), but I haven't received it yet. I've been awfully curious about all of the other boxes too, but with how scatter brained I am I was a little hesitant to sign up to a bunch of them to try them out because I would probably forget to cancel memberships and then end up with hundreds of dollars worth of sub boxes a month!

That's why it made me super excited when the nice folks over at Beauty Box Five offered me a box for review. As a commitment phobe and a horrible decision maker, having someone hold my hand and throw a box of beauty samples at me sounded like just the thing I needed.

I think the major appeal of the beauty boxes for me IS the fact that you can't make decisions. I'm super non committal at times, and I know when I walk into a beauty store like Sephora I get a little bit of sensory overload: I want EVERYTHING and I second guess my purchasing decisions about five times before I hit the register (and then afterwards, too!) So once a month you get a lovely box full of lovely brands you may or may not have heard of/used before... and to me that essentially sounds like Christmas!!

It arrived (crazy quickly!!) in a lovely little box, which I immediately liked because it was just big enough for the beauty supplies that eagerly awaited me within. My biggest gripe with the one other beauty box I have tried out (Julep Nail Polish, which I will review soon... when I have time to paint my nails, ACK!) was that the box was HUGE compared to the products within. It just feels like a waste to me!

The packaging inside was simple and lovely. I like the pleasing but no nonsense aesthetic in the way it was packaged. Now to see what I got!

My "haul"

The only gripe I have so far is that there was no card detailing the products that I received. It made me have to go poke around the internet for more information, but I like internet sleuthing so it wasn't that big of a deal.

2 Samples of "It's a 10" Miracle Hair Mask

I don't do TOO much to my hair because I kind of like it to look a little ratty (and I wear a lot of wigs), but with all the dying I do to it I'm a little excited to try these hair masks.  Especially because it says they "restore color vibrancy".

3 Samples of "La Fresh" Waterproof Makeup Remover

This makeup remover is AWESOME. It doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy at all and does the trick pretty effortlessly (even on the red lipstick that honestly leaves my lips stained most of the time!)

1 Vat of "Evie Evan" Hydrating Vitamin Creme

This product feels very lovely on my face, with no greasy feeling residue. The smell if very non invasive and it feels quite lovely. I've been trying to get back into taking better care of my skin (I kind of just leave it alone, which I know I shouldn't do) and this is probably a product I would consider buying. And oh yeah: The mini vats go for $13.00 bucks on the Evie Evan website, so this itself costs most than the Beauty Box Five box. Awesome.

1 Two Ounce Vat of Tree Hut's Brazilian Nut Shea Body Butter

Oh my god this is my favorite thing that I received in the box. It feels INCREDIBLE, and holy shit the SMELL. You guys, it smells so good I wanted to lick it. It's like the most heavenly frosting in the entire world, except your nose is on drugs and it is smelling the best thing ever. Seriously, it smells like that. I'm not even usually a fan of sweet smells and I am DYING over this. You can buy the same product for $7.49, so this alone nearly pays for the box.

1 Vat of "Everyday Minerals" Girl Friday Blush

I also love this!! It's light, easy to apply, seems to be long lasting, and the color is perfect with my incredibly fair skin tone. It's the perfect size to keep in my purse to keep myself with a rosy glow all day. Absolutely love it.


Overall, my experience with Beauty Box Five was awesome. The products were high quality and in generous portions, it arrived quickly, the communication I had with the company was quick and easy, and it was packaged nicely. Also, at the crazy cheap price of $12.00 a month, it's kind of hard to beat. Other beauty boxes are going to have a hard time topping this one, for me!

Outfit #20: Sweet Nothing

Dress: Thrifted // Jacket: Forever 21 // Sunglasses: Forever21 // Shoes: Litas by Jeffrey Campbell // Jewelry: eBay // iPhone Case c/o Pure Delusions

It's finally starting to feel like fall. I sipped a pumpkin latte this morning and cozied up in my jacket, reveling in the briskness of the air, the sting of dying leaves in my nostrils. Never one for sunshine, I am incredibly delighted with the chill permeating my bones.

I am madly in love with my iPhone case (which is from the awesome Etsy shop Pure Delusions), and I am happy to offer you, my dear unicorns, a 10% off code until September 30th. Just enter "TGP10" upon checkout.

What's your favorite part of autumn? I love the way the ocean smell overtakes Seattle. Also pumpkin lattes. So many pumpkin lattes.

SDCC 2012: Drinking with the Doctor

PLEASE NOTE: This is a CROSS POST from my old blog.  As this is the only blog I use anymore, I have decided to repost it here for your reading pleasure and my personal documentation.

It was a late night at San Diego Comic-con. The convention was quietly sleeping, resting until the hordes of geeks stomped through its hallowed halls bright and early the next morning. Drunk con goers staggered through the streets like zombies, kicking through discarded promotion postcards and abandoned swag. The haunting melody of the pedicab's German techno thumped gently through the slowly emptying streets, an eerie back drop for the drunken debacles of the night.

Against a wall, a girl in a latex body suit was entangled with a man with long hair. I slipped by them, high heels in one hand, trying not to dig the exhaustion out of my eyes lest I muss up my carefully painted on eye makeup. I could feel the tired seeping deep into my muscles - it was only a couple of nights into San Diego Comic-con, but I was already prepared to sleep for an entire night. My alcohol buzz was coming down, merely leaving me cranky and craving a taco. My painful feet curled with every barefoot step across the tiles of San Diego's sidewalks - the sacrifices you make to make your ass look good. I glanced down at the high heels in my hand in a mixture of irritation and fondness.

Finally, I drew to a halt in front of my hotel, weaving around a huge slew of intoxicated club goers. A large bouncer looked me up and down as he tried to discern my status - guest or not? With a sigh and a bravado I was emulating and not actually possessing, I fished deep into my purse and pulled out my room card. See? I'm staying here. The wall of a man nodded to me and I slipped by, padding across the lobby. There was some actress I had seen one time in the corner, but I didn't really care. I just wanted to slip into an oversized t-shirt and curl deeply into my cot until I had to cosplay the next morning.

Reaching the elevator, I pounded on the "up" arrow a couple of times before impatiently grabbing my cell phone out of my purse.

1 new text message from Brea

I replied with a calm I did not know I possessed. Without skipping a beat, I turned tail from the elevator and sprinted as calmly as possible towards the exit of my hotel. I paused for a single moment to lean against a wall and shove my feet back into my excruciating platforms, and then I was off again. Luckily, this is one of the times that my ridiculous stature and million mile long legs helped me, as I made my way to the Omni with time to spare. Lounging nonchalantly against the lobby wall, I looked every ounce of cool - although inside was a festering, bubbling sea of nervous lava.

And then, suddenly: The Doctor. The Centurion. And my wonderful friend Brea. They were trailed by a slew of other people, but I had a hard time focusing. Images of being swept away to fantastic galaxies and amazing adventures ran around my head, but I choked down the adrenaline and swiped my hand over my hair before reaching it out to the Time Lord of my dreams.

"Hello, I'm Molly."

He was ridiculously nice. Ridiculously. Arthur Darvill (Rory) complimented my necklace. I shared a knowing glance with Brea, thanking her wordlessly for thinking of me in this moment, and then I began wandering the streets of San Diego at 2am with the Doctor and the Centurion in tow.

Walking the streets of San Diego. Arthur, Brea, Matt, and Matt’s friend

Matt Smith being lovely and gracious and posing with a fan

A few things: It is impossible for Matt Smith to walk 2 feet without being swamped by fangirls, even so late at night. However, he is absolutely polite and wonderful to everyone. He halted many, many times to pose for pictures with quivering fans.

Secondly: We all really needed alcohol, but it was past last call. After a bit of wandering and feeling like I was herding cats, I took control of the situation: "I have a mini bar in my hotel room, but I'm not sure if my roommate will be into it. It's late and he might be sleeping."

My dear friend Leo was kind enough to let me crash on a cot in his room at the Hard Rock. Now, Leo is a HUGE Whovian - he puts me to shame. So I grabbed Matt Smith's hand and told him to come with me, and together we frolicked to the elevators and up to my room. I let him in, and then knocked on the door to Leo's bedroom.

"Leo, I'm here with Matt Smith."
"No, you're not." He responded sleepily from within.
"Allo Mate!" Chirped Matt from behind me.


Leo opened the door in disbelief. His face told me everything I needed to know, and suddenly I was having a room party with Matt Smith, Arthur Darvill, and a whole slew of other incredible people. We cleaned out the mini bar, discussed music, and I danced to the Kinks with Arthur.

Peace signs in the elevator

SO MANY FEELS (don't even care that I look terrible here)

We were trying to look embarrassed?

I should get paid to endorse Diet Coke

I cannot even begin to describe how surreal the entire experience was. I was battling fangirlness at every turn. After all of my encounters with people of note, this is the first time I had to consciously hold back and act normal. It was just so incredible to see these human beings who had portrayed characters that I love on such a deep level. And here they were, in my hotel room, sitting on my bed, dancing and laughing and having intense discussions with me.

Finally at 4am they cleared out of my hotel room and I rolled into bed, wondering if the entire thing had been some sort of crazy drug trip. (Someone slipped me something at the party I had been to earlier in the evening, perhaps?)

But the photos, the memories, and the searing heat on my cheek where both Matt and Arthur had kissed me goodbye let me know this was no dream.

Moments and experiences like that are one of the main reasons I go to San Diego Comic-con. But it is also one of the main reasons that every day I wake up and look in the mirror, wondering how I went from the awkward, picked on geek girl who people wouldn't even glance twice at to some sort of geeky pundit who gets to pretend to be the companion to the Doctor for a few hours on one incredible evening.

Arthur and Matt’s Socks

There are so many other things I want to share with you guys. Like how Matt ran and hugged me and told me I was his new best friend. About discussing music and the Beastie Boys with Arthur. About how incredibly excited my friends were for days afterwards because they got to hang out with the Doctor. About how lucky I am to know incredible people like Brea who will think of their fangirl friends when confronted with a situation like this (seriously Brea, I count you as one of the most epic people I know - and not just because you bring me the Doctor. I can't wait until I move to LA and we can cause mischief on a much more frequent basis!) But I can't really find the words for it, and a part of me just wants to keep those special memories to myself. They are warm and safe inside of my own head.

I'm getting a little emotional writing this, but I guess I just have to thank everyone who has ever supported my writing and my journey to self discovery and confidence. I never take any of these amazing experiences for granted, and even when and if I am someone of some sort of caliber I am still going to be internally fangirling. Inside, I'll ALWAYS be that awkward geeky girl who wore elf ears to high school.

Outfit #19: Mote of Dust

Dress: Crossroads Trading Company // Vest: Yard Sale // Boots: Thrifted // Jewelry: eBay (cat ring is Betsey Johnson) // Hat: H&M // Leggings: Romwe.com // iPhone Case c/o Crowsmack

The size and age of the Cosmos are beyond ordinary human understanding. Lost somewhere between immensity and eternity is our tiny planetary home. In a cosmic perspective, most human concerns seem insignificant, even petty. And yet our species is young and curious and brave and shows much promise. In the last few millennia we have made the most astonishing and unexpected discoveries about the Cosmos and our place within it, explorations that are exhilarating to consider. They remind us that humans have evolved to wonder, that understanding is a joy, that knowledge is prerequisite to survival. I believe our future depends powerfully on how well we understand this Cosmos in which we float like a mote of dust in the morning sky. - Carl Sagan 

I have such a fixation with Galaxy print. It must be all the scifi I read. Or my everlasting crush on Carl Sagan and space. When I grow up... I want to be a Nebula. Also, I'm quite certain Romwe just wants me to be perpetually broke, because they just released 10 new galaxy print leggings yesterday. WHAT.

Outfit #18: Born to Die

Dress: Nordstrom's (Years ago, and I chopped off the bottom to make it shorter) // Shoes: Ross // Hat: Thrifted // iPhone case c/o Two-Feet-Deep

Allow me to take a moment to whine: I hate the shape of my legs. They are so weird and short and have weird muscle bulges and what is wroooonggggg with themmmmmm. /end whine

I got these shoes to wear on my 23rd birthday and somehow wobbled all around Seattle drunk out of my mind without once falling on my ass. I have skillz.