@the_wonky_brow hits 500+ Followers on IG!!! (Giveaway!)

It has happened!!! I have surpassed the 500 Follower mark on IG!!! 
For those of you who know me, you know I am OBSESSED with Instagram and it's my social media of choice. If you didn't know that about me, now you do. When I passed 400 followers, I promised a Giveaway if i made it 500! And that day has come... This is my first ever giveaway, so I hope you like it, and please... Be patient with me! 
The Prize: A bag of Lip Product Goodness!!!! A cute cosmetic bag with 10 lippies! Some are full size, some are deluxe, some are drugstore, some are high end, all are amazing! Items included:

• L'oréal LaLaque in I Lacque You A Lot (Limited Edition)
• Bite Beauty Luminous Crème Lipstick Duo in Palomino/Violet
• Zoya Matte Velvet Lipstick in Red (Limited Edition)
• BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Dare Devil
• Clinique Long Last Lipstick in All Heart
• Too Faced Melted Lipstick in Melted Peony
• Laura Geller Color Drenched Lipgloss in Pink Lemonade
• NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Tokyo
• OCC Lip Tar in New Wave (brush included)
• Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla and Macadamia Kiss

The Rules: This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. There are two ways to enter that are mandatory and then three more entries that are optional. Just follow the instructions below! And if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or send me a message. 
The Fine Print: You must follow all entry rules, failure to do so will result in forfeiture of prize. This giveaway is restricted to the Contiguous US only at this time. The contest will run from Thursday May 28th thru Thursday June 11th. Winner will be chosen at random from Rafflecopter and announced on IG and then I will contact you directly. A response is required within 24 hours or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is not sponsored and I am not affiliated with any of the brands/companies mentioned above. Thank you and may the odds be ever in your favor!!! ;-)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

May Subscription Services: Ipsy, Birchbox, and BoxyCharm

May 2015 Subscription Box Review

It's Subscription Box (or Bag) time!!!!! Whoop whoop!!! Once again I have three to go over with you sooooo, without further ado...
Ipsy:
$10/month for sample, deluxe, and full size (sometimes) products. Try it out here!

May 2015 Ipsy

Items received:

• Klorane Smoothing and Relaxing Patches (Sample- $6 value). These have piqued my interest. They claim to refresh, moisturize, and brighten tired eyes. I enjoyed using them. I found them soothing. But did they actually brighten my under-eyes? I dunno. I'd like to try them out on my sister who is a resident at a children's hospital. She works crazy hours on an ever-changing schedule and has eye bags you could travel with... IJS. (Love ya sis!!!)
• Cotz Face Natural SPF 40 (Sample- $4.66 value). I'm still trying to figure out what this is?!?! Tinted SPF??? Ummmm. Sorry Ipsy, not interested. #fail
• Luxie Beauty Tapered Blending Eye Brush #205 (Full Size- $12 value). And then the clouds part, music starts, and the birds and angels sing... This was the standout in this month's bag, in my opinion. I love this brush. It's soft and flexible, but has enough density to blend out your eyeshadow well. I absolutely want another one. That's saying something.
• Chella Eyebrow Color Pencil in Tantalizing Taupe (Full Size- $18 value). I thought this shade might be too light for me since I have pretty dark brows... But it actually works pretty well. It gives me a much more subtle, natural look. I'll enjoy using this... But I wouldn't repurchase. I prefer to use powder over pencil.
• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Lip Pencil in Ozone + BONUS Revolution High-Color Lipgloss Samples in Bittersweet and Failbait (Deluxe Size- $15 value). I'm excited to have the clear lip pencil. And it's cool that it came with some bonus lipgloss samples. I actually don't have any complaints about the gloss which is surprising because I am not a "gloss girl". But I liked it.
• BONUS: Mini Makeup Clutch by Breakups to Makeup. Every month Ipsy sends your products in a bag, but this month's bag is GREAT. It's just so adorable!!! They actually sell similar (and larger) versions of this bag in Sephora. And they aren't "inexpensive" (to be polite). I was really excited to see this brand make mini versions just for Ipsy!

Ipsy Total Value: $55.66
BirchBox:
$10/month for sample and deluxe size products. Try it out here! (You can test it out for only $1 for your first month!! Use code "TATIOFFER" when you check out)

May 2015 Birchbox

Items received:

• Harvey Prince Sea Salt Texturizing Mist (Sample- $1 value). This month I got to choose one of my samples and this was the item I chose. (They also had the Macadamia Hair Oil but I already have a sample of that and wanted something different.) I chose the Sea Salt Mist because I currently use one by Redken (LOVE) and wanted to try a different brand. Eh. The scent is great. But I think the Redken works better for me.
• Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate (Deluxe Size- $19 value). This is supposed to be used in combination with other serums to help enhance their benefits. With most skincare, you need a good 30 days to tell if a product is working for you (because that's how long it takes for your cells to regenerate on average), so while I am super excited to continue trying this out... I can't give you an opinion on whether or not it's "working". It does have a good fragrance... And who wouldn't feel fancy using a Shiseido product?!?!
• Notting Hill Femme by English Laundry (Sample- $2.65 value). This was not a "me" scent. This was my friend Mel's scent. She will enjoy it. And I will enjoy passing it on to her.
• Cynthia Rowley Beauty Creamy Lip Stain in Dahlia (Deluxe Size- $9.29 value). Meh. I'm not a fan. I don't feel like this ever "set" on my lips and stained them. It also went on patchy and was not very opaque at all. #bummer
• TokyoMilk by Margot Elena Bon Bon Shea Butter Rich Lotion (Deluxe Size- $8.70 value). Once again, the fragrance of this just wasn't for me. I did try it out. The texture/consistency was good and it absorbed well into the skin... But I couldn't handle the scent. This also is getting passed on to Mel. (Both this and the perfume had a very floral, musky scent that just don't work with my chemistry. I'm a more fresh, fruity, citrusy, sugary type person. Lol.)

BirchBox Total Value: $40.64
BoxyCharm:
$21/month for 4-5 full size and/or 1 deluxe size product (usually $100+ value). Try it out here!

May 2015 BoxyCharm

Items received:

• The Lip Bar Lipstick in Purple Rain (Full Size- $20 value). I will be the first to admit... When I saw this shade, I was like "WTF?!?!?!" But then I tried it. And I liked it. A LOT. This is definitely a color that wouldn't work for everyone, and it's not a color I would EVER have chosen for myself... But I really have fallen in love with it. It's very creamy and doesn't dry out my lips. It glides on smooth and gives great color immediately. My only complaint is that the bullet is pretty soft, so when you apply it to your lips you have to be careful with the amount of pressure you use because it could break. 
• Lauren B. Beauty Nail Polish in Sunset Blvd (Full Size- $18 value). Great summer color. Good formula. Applies easily and well. Not streaky at all. Opaque. Dries fast. All good things!!!
• Bodyography Essential Brow Trio (Full Size- $19 value). Another item I wasn't too excited to receive... And then I used it. The powders are so soft and blend into your brows so easily! I love it and will continue to use it. #TotalShocker
• Bodyography Brow Brush (Full Size- $19 value). Decent brush. Love that it has a spoolie on the end. 
• ModelCo Bronze Shimmer Bronzing Powder (Full Size- $24 value). This box would've been a slam dunk if this had been a matte bronzer. But alas, 'twas not to be... Still a great product, just not something I personally will get use out of. 

BoxyCharm Total Value: $100
Overall... It was a decent month. BoxyCharm is still my favorite. Ipsy wasn't toooo far behind... BirchBox... Well, hopefully next month is better... I do, however, find it funny that I received a purple lip product in all three bags (pic below!)... What about you? Did you receive any of these items? Thoughts? Let me know!!! xoxoxo

Urban Decay Revolution High Color Lipgloss Samples (Ipsy)

Lauren B. Beauty Nail Polish in Sunset Blvd. (BoxyCharm)

Top to Bottom:
Cynthia Rowley Lip Stain in Dahlia (Birchbox)
The Lip Bar Lipstick in Purple Rain (BoxyCharm)
Urban Decay Revolution High Color Lipgloss in Bittersweet (Ipsy)

***This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are honest and my own. Referral links are used to earn points. I am not paid by or affiliated with any of the companies mentioned.***

#Finish 4x4 (aka July 4th) Midpoint Check-in!

#Finish4x4

We are at the midway point for my #Finish4x4 challenge (created by Amber F on YT).  I've been working hard on using these items and I have some good progress to show for it!!!

This is where we started:

#Finish4x4 Starting Point

And this is where I am today:

My thoughts so far...

1. Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation. I still love this. It's a light-medium coverage that just looks natural. I've been using it with my Beautyblender lately, instead of a buffing brush and the truth is... I love it either way. The Beautyblender sheers it out a tad more, but that's ok with me. I made some decent progress. I probably could've made more but I spent three weeks as a spray tanned goddess, so this shade was unusable during that time. Hopefully I'll still get this finished by July 4th. #sorrynotsorry
2. Rimmel ScandalEyes Eyeliner in Black. I still love this liner also. I used up quite a bit. I definitely think this will be gone by the end of the challenge. 
3. BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Rebel. Glad this is gone. Simply because I personally don't care for lipgloss. I was actually surprised this was the first item I finished. But I guess I shouldn't have been. I just didn't think was gonna be able to commit to using it up the way I did. #proudmoment
4. Guerlain Precious Light Rejuvenating Illuminator. I literally just finished this today and I gotta say... I wasn't wholly impressed by this thing, considering how expensive Guerlain products can be. I didn't think this was any different from the Maybelline Dream Lumi Illuminator. I wouldn't repurchase this one. 

Hopefully I will be able to finish my last two items by the deadline. I really love this foundation but I have a ton more that I want to try!!! Wish me luck! xoxoxo

Just ONE Tag!!!

It's time for a Beauty Tag!!! I'm not sure who created this one but the gist of it is, if you could only have/keep one product from each category, what would you choose??? Some of these were no brainers and others were tough! My picks are below... Just One...

1. Lipstick: Mac's Pure Zen. Not because I think MAC makes the best lipsticks, there are better formulas out there... But this shade... OMG. I've said it before, I'll say it again... FAVORITE color EVER. (Angel was a close a second. I almost couldn't choose. And in real life I wouldn't. But for the sake of this tag, I did.)
2. Lipgloss: Any NYX Butter Gloss. Love these. And I'm not a lipgloss girl.
3. Blush: Oooooo. This is a tough one. Blush is my Achilles' heel... Ok, since I have to choose... TheBalm's Instain Blush in Houndstooth. I absolutely love this shade and the longevity of these blushes is a-mayyyyyy-zing. I wish they would come out with more shades!
4. Eyeshadow Single: Urban Decay's Sin. I've hit pan on my third one. 'Nuff said.
5. Eyeshadow Palette: Urban Decay's original Naked palette. I used this exclusively for a year. It's why I'm doing the One Month, One Palette blog posts, so that I actually use the other things I have. But UD Naked will always have my heart.
6. Mascara: I'm not usually loyal to mascara. I love trying different ones. But I've gotta say, since Influenster sent me the YSL Volume Effet Faux Cils, I've been obsessed. That is good sh*t.
7. Foundation: Another product I show no loyalty... I like trying new ones. I guess it would be the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. Once I use up a few of the ones I have, this is what I want to purchase.
8. Facial Cleanser: Easy, Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser With Shea Butter. I love it. And I feel fancy when I use it. ;-)
9. Powder/Bronzer: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light. I almost never hear anyone talk about this one. It's not as popular as the others, but it's my favorite. It just gives me a very glowy, "ethereal" look. LOVE.
10. Nail Polish: OPI's Mod About You. Most. Perfect. Pink. Polish. EVER.

**Bonus** Any two items you feel you couldn't live without or would buy over and over again:  Hmmmmm... Clearcare Contact Solution. I would die without this. Or my eyeballs would... and... Microfiber wash cloths (post coming soon about these). Must have. It's a good thing this is hypothetical because I would be one sad lady if I really only could have ONE of each of these... That's all I've got for you today!!! What would your choices be? Let me know!!!  I tag Lisa P at Blush and Back Roads and Heather at Love To Be Busy Are you girls up for it??? ;-)
*UPDATE- Check out Lisa's post here and Heather's post here!!!

Tips & Tricks: The Lazy Girl's "Touch Up"

Happy Monday, everyone!!! Today's post is a really quick one inspired by my laziness... Actually, it's more so the fact that I have very little patience... Either way, there are the two staple items I carry in my bag for those moments that require a "touch up", Blotting Sheets and Q-tips.  I personally do not like to reapply my makeup in the middle of the day (unless it's my lip color, it's just not happening) and I absolutely refuse to carry around an excessive amount of products everywhere I go. I find that these two tools work for me and allow me to fix any makeup mishaps quickly. I also want to mention that I use a setting spray after I apply my makeup to also help prevent the need for "touch ups", but alas, they can still be a necessity. Onto the products... The blotting or oil absorbing sheet. Whether you buy the fancy kind from brands like Boscia or the generic ones from the drugstore (I have both), they are a lifesaver. There are two main uses I have for the sheets I use...

1. Blotting after liquid foundation. Once you've applied your foundation and let it settle in, but before you set it with powder, BLOT. It helps to absorb any excess oils in the foundation before you start your day. You'll need less powder to set your foundation and less oily throughout the day! Mind you, I do not have an oily skin type... But my T-Zone does like to shine at times and this helps.
2. Blotting during the day. This is what most people use their sheets for, to absorb the excess shine the seeps through our makeup during the day. I prefer oil absorbing sheets to carrying around a "touch up" powder because they are easier to transport with out the worry of breaking, they are less bulky, and the don't require other tools like brushes or puffs. 

(Psssssst, you didn't hear TOTALLY HEARD this from me... But a regular old tissue, like kleenex or even toilet paper, work just as good at absorbing oil if you find yourself in a slicky- haha, get it -situation and need to blot asap.) The Q-tip. What is life without Q-tips??? I mean seriously, there are a million uses for Q-tips. But when I'm out-and-about, they are my makeup eraser. I simply dampen (not soak) an end and use it to fix whatever makeup mess my symptom may be, like runny mascara, smudgy eyeliner, migrating eyeshadow, or creasing concealer. You name it, the Q-tip will fix it.  Aside from realizing that I'm lazy and have no patience for reapplying makeup (makeup that I painstakingly put on in the morning, taking up time that could have been used to sleep in, might I add), I've found that if I use a product that needs to be constantly monitored and "fixed" while I'm wearing it, it's not something I will continue to use. This also cuts down on the amount of "touch ups" this lazy girl will have for the duration of her makeup wearing day.  What about you? Do you mind "touching up"? Or do you avoid it like the plague, as I do??? Let me know!!! xoxoxo

April One Month, One Palette: BareMinerals

One Month, One Palette: April 2015
BareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow 4.0

This month I did things a little differently... Instead of using a palette with 10+ eyeshadows, I chose to use all four five (I'll explain) of my Bare Minerals Ready Eyeshadow 4.0 quads. I know it's called One Month, One PALETTE... But the ultimate goal is to USE what I have, give different items a chance, and decide if it's worth keeping. And these were demanding their shot. 

The Deets:

These retail for $30 each and you can find them at Ulta, Sephora, and Beauty.com. The first quad I purchased was The Happy Place, thanks to a tutorial I watched on YouTube. And I fell in love with the shadows. My mom had asked me what I was wearing and when I told her she gave me a quad she had and wasn't using,The Dream Sequence. And it was all down hill from there... When I started the project this month I only had four quads. BUTTTT... Ulta had them on sale 1/2 off during their 21 Days of Beauty. So I did the opposite of what reason and logic told me to do, and I bought one more, The Truth. 

The Quads:

BareMinerals Ready Eyeshaow 4.0 (clockwise from top) in The Soundtrack, The Happy Place, The Designer Label,
The Truth, and The Dream Sequence.

BareMinerals Ready Eyeshaow 4.0 (clockwise from top) in The Soundtrack, The Happy Place, The Designer Label,
The Truth, and The Dream Sequence.

The Shadows:

There were a couple shadows that I loved so much they spoke to my soul. Two of which I could not find dupes for in my collections. Not to say they aren't out there, I just don't own them. Shockingly. Those two shades are Romp from The Dream Sequence and Magnetism from The Truth. As for the others that I loved, I was able to find similar shadows in my MAC collection:

Right W/Flash. Left W/out Flash.
Shadows in order:
Remix (BM The Soundtrack)
Goldmine (MAC)
Louder (BM The Soundtrack)
Amber Lights (MAC)
Imagine (BM The Happy Place)
Expensive Pink (MAC)
Euphoria (BM The Happy Place)
Twinks (MAC)

The Conclusion:

These shadows are amazing. They are soft and buttery. They don't kick up a ton of powder, wasting product. They blend amazingly well. They are pigmented. And they last. Even when outdoors, in the hot sun, sweating for hours... My shadow didn't budge. The packaging is slim and portable. You could carry these around in your purse (though you don't need to with how well they perform) without a worry about damaging them. However, they are made of that type of rubbery plastic that tends to attract scratches and smudges. So if you are a stickler for keeping you products looking immaculate, this might bother you. Personally, I like when my products look a little worn... It means I like them AND use them! Other than that I have nothing negative to say about these. I love and recommend them. Go get you some! Xoxoxo.

Current Favorites

Current Favorites
www.thewonkybrow.blogspot.com

Today's post is brought to you by... Some of my most favorite things. I don't  do a monthly favorites post, mainly because women tend change their favorites/minds like they change their underwear and all depending on their mood at any given moment (you know it's true, ladies). But there are a couple things that I've been lovingggg and wanted to share with everyone...

The things you can buy...

• OPI Nail Laquer in Bubble Bath. I love how this looks with one sheer coat. I love how this looks opaque with three coats. I love how it looks on dark skin and on light skin. I just love how this looks. Period.
• Spray Tanning. Just call me Snooki. I haven't spray tanned in months and I have missed it. I just love how it completely changes your look, makeup and all. And it makes you look 10 pounds thinner. And your teeth look whiter. Ijs. Call your local tanning salon and try an airbrush tan.
• Ikea's Lingonberry Juice Concentrate. WHERE has this been all my life?!?!?! I went to Ikea recently to get some stuff for the house and they had a promotion where you could eat for free in the restaurant if you spent $100+ on furniture. That was easy. The food was fine, but the JUICE! The Lingonberry Juice was sooooooo good. It is a very light, sweet, refreshing flavor. So of course when I was getting ready to pay I checked the food mart and they sell the concentrated version! I followed the directions on the bottle and voilà! Ikea Lingonberry Juice at HOME. 
• Nars Blush in Orgasm. There is a reason why this is a cult classic, it's amazing (and who doesn't love an Orgasm). I pulled this baby back out to use for the last few weeks and remembered all the reasons why I loved it to begin with.
• Resigning up for Birchbox. I am extremely excited to start receiving Birchbox again. Mainly because of the point system. (Ipsy, GET WITH THE PROGRAM!) Check out Birchbox for yourself here.
• Calling all the basic bitches!!!! I got a henna tattoo. It was the first time I've ever gotten one and I wouldn't have thought to do it if I hadn't seen my friend, Karen, get hers done on Instagram. I couldn't find a design I loved so I asked the girl to create one with a Hamsa (aka The Hand of G_d. It stands for prosperity if the fingers are pointing down, and protection against the Evil Eye if they are pointing up.), so she did! I love how it came out!!! I love the idea of a body decoration that lasts, but isn't permanent. 

The things you can't buy...

• Surpassing 400 followers on Instagram!!! (I guess technically I could BUY followers... But I'm not about that life). ;-)
• Graduating Beauty School and getting my license! StephieeBee, Full Specialist, at your service!

Current Favorites Roundup

What has been a favorite of yours lately??? Let me know!!! xoxoxo.