August Subscription Services: Birchbox!

August 2015 Birchbox Review ~ The Wonky Brow

So this month was my first month with just ONE subscription box. And it was probably one of my most favorite boxes ever! But before I show you what I received, I want to let you know that this post will be shorter than usual because I am changing the format of how I write my subscription reviews. Instead of using the products for a week and reviewing them, I am going to show you everything I got this month and then NEXT month I will review this month's items so that I have more time to test them out. Then at the end of the review, I will show you what I received THAT month and it will be reviewed the following month... Get it? Good.
So here is what I got from my Birchbox!!!

August 2015 Birchbox Contents

Items received:

1. Air Repair Complexion Boosting Moisturizer (Deluxe size- $2.40 Retail Value). Initial reaction: "Cool, I'll try it."
2. TheBalm Balm Desert Bronzer/Blush (Sample size- $2.61 Retail Value). Initial reaction: "YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!"
3. Coola SPF30 Organic Makeup Setting Spray (Deluxe size- $7.20 Retail Value). This was the item I choose for the month. Initial reaction: "Yay!"
4. St. Tropez Gradual Tan In-Shower Lotion (Travel size- $5.97 Retail Value). Initial reaction: "Niiiiiiiiice."
5. R+Co Death Valley Dry Shampoo (Travel Size- $7.37 Retail Value). Initial reaction: "Cool, I'll try it."

Birchbox Total Value: $25.55
I can't wait to use it all and give you my feedback next month!!!! 
What did you receive from Birchbox this month? Let me know! xoxoxo

Finish 5 by Fall Midpoint Check-in!

Finish 5 by Fall ~ The Wonky Brow

We are about half-way through the Finish 5 by Fall project so it's time for an update! I am pretty happy with most of my progress, so let's get started... The Beginning:

The chosen products and their starting points.

The Progress:

Midpoint Check-in

Thoughts Thus Far...

1. Starting in order... Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation. IT'S ALL GONE!!!! I'm super happy about this and have already picked out some new foundations to try out. I did love this foundation while I was using it, but I want to explore the world of foundation so I will not repurchase this any time soon. If you like a light-medium, natural finish foundation, you should definitely check this one out. 
2. Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. With consistent use, I've made really good progress on this. While I like the thin, silicone-y feel of this primer, I don't think it plays well with others. It's a very picky primer... The jury is still out.
3. Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-on Eye Pencil. OMFG. NO. I will no longer continue to use this. It flakes all over the damn place!!! It got into my eyes. It was terrible. No. Just NO. 
4. BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick. I like this lipstick. The only reason I haven't used much is because I have been wearing "Berry Lips" for work. This formula is also really soft and the minis I have tried tend to move around in the tube. That makes me crazy. Am I the only one???
5. M.A.C.'s Mineralize Concealer. Ummmmmm... I may have been a little over ambitious with this one. It's hard to really tell how much progress I have made, but I'm using it daily. I think the only way I'd be able to finish this by Fall would be if I used it more as a foundation... Which I might try just for shits and giggles...

Urban Decay Velvet Pencil Fail. Do you see the flakes?!?!?! Not a good look. IJS.

This is what I mean when I say the formula is soft and the lipstick moves around in the tube. When I apply it, it hits the side of the tube and mushes, for lack of a better word.

So... I am okay with having one item in this project be a complete fail. The Hourglass primer should be done fairly soon. So it's really just down to the lipstick and the concealer. If I don't end up finishing them, at least I tried!!!! Xoxoxo.

Dragon's Loyalty Award

Dragon's Loyalty Award

Hello Hello!!!! I took a quick little break from posting but I am back, and today I come to you with the Dragon's Loyalty Award. I am not sure exactly where, when, or how this award was started so I tried to do some research and the best explanation I found was from Vintage Book Fairy (who hasn't posted since January 2014), she said "the Dragon's Loyalty Award is an award for the loyal fan/commenter, whether the recipient is a fellow blogger or just someone who follows and comment regularly." I was nominated by the awesome Janine from abeautifulwhim.com. If you haven't checked out her blog yet, here is a link for a giveaway she is having. Follow her and watch her journey as she delves into all things beauty!!!
The Dragon's Loyalty Award Rules:

• Display the award certificate on your website
• Announce your win with a post and link to whoever present your award
• Present 15 awards to deserving bloggers
• Drop them a comment to tip them off after you've linked them in the post
• Post 7 interesting things about your self

7 Interesting Things About Me:

1. I am a diehard Apple junkie. Once you go Mac, you never go back. Rofl.
2. I have had the same best friend since I was 11. That bitch is stuck with me. FOR-EV-ERRR.
3. My favorite TV shows are Teen Mom and Real Housewives of New Jersey. And now that Bethenny is back, Real Housewives of New York. Do not try to talk to me while any of them are on. You will get ignored.
4. I do not understand SnapChat for the life of me. It's the first time an app has made me feel like an old lady. I. Just. Don't. Get. It.
5. If you do not like dogs, we cannot be friends. Period.
6. Every morning I dress solely based on my mood. Not the weather. Or activities planned. Just my mood. Mood dictates everything in my world. (Thanks, Mom.)
7. I prefer to wear black socks. If I have to wear socks at all, that is. (In Florida, we live in flip flops. We get buried in them too.)

Well I don't know how interesting that was... But that's what I've got!!! Thanks again Janine!!!
I do not know 15 bloggers but this is for the ones I do know... I nominate:
Lisa (http://blushandbackroads.blogspot.com) Heather (http://lovetobebusy.blogspot.com) Jayme (http://herlatenightcravings.blogspot.com) Chelsee (http://prettyandputtogether.blogspot.com) Michelyn (http://brainsbeautybymichelyn.blogspot.com) Ashley (http://ifyougiveagirlaring.com) Lisa (http://uncommonwifelife.com)

July One Month, One Palette: Laura Mercier Eye Art Artist's Palette

July One Month, One Palette ~ The Wonky Brow

It's time for one of my favorite posts again!!! It's July's One Month, One Palette update. I love doing this series because it really makes me use my eyeshadow palettes. I love palettes, I love buying palettes, and I seem to love storing palettes... Because unless I force myself, I will just use what I'm used to, instead of trying out all the different things I have. 
So for July I chose to use Laura Mercier's Eye Art Artist's Palette. I chose this palette for one main reason, Dalen314 on YT (the creator of this series), used this palette back in May (check out her video, here) and she ended up not being a fan of it. So I wanted to used it and see if my view/opinion was different from hers. So let's get to it!
The Deets: Just in case you don't know the story behind this palette, it was originally released during the holiday 2013 season as a limited edition palette. People raved and raved and raved about this palette, however, I still chose not to purchase it. But then Laura Mercier decided to bring it back AND make it permanent (as far as I know). So I finally caved and purchased it. They did change the packaging since the holiday edition and I have also seen some YT'ers comparing the old version to the new one (check out this review by Cora from Vintage or Tacky, here) to see if there are differences in formulation or application. This palette retails for $55 and you get 12 shadows in a variety of finishes. Also, the top half of the palette are cool tones and the bottom half are warm.
The Palette:

Laura Mercier's Eye Art Artist's Palette

The Shadows: Let's start with what I loved. I loved how the shadows were separated with the top half being cool and the bottom being warm and how they were arranged from lightest to darkest. For whatever reason, it appeals to me visually when shadows are arranged that way. These shadows were great. They were creamy and blended well, they were easy to use, and I had no complaints about their functionality. My absolute least favorite shade was African Violet. No matter how I tried to use this color, it just didn't work for me. I also didn't really care for Bamboo. I just thought this color was so bland (is it just me?!?). My standouts from this palette were Vanilla Nuts, Guava, and Fresco. OMG, Fresco. I loved that shade. It's the perfect crease/transition shade. All that being said......

Close up look at Vanilla Nuts, Guava, and Fresco from Laura Mercier's Eye Art Artist's Palette

The Conclusion: I may be in the minority, but this palette bored me to death. I have brown eyes, and so I thought this would be a great palette for me. But I just didn't love the purple shades in here and so I never really used them. And if you aren't going to use the purples, then this is just another neutral palette. And I have enough neutral palettes... I really just got bored this month (so bored that I started using the palette I chose for August a week early). Luckily, if I find that I can't live without the three shadows I enjoyed most, they can all be purchased individually. But the truth of the matter is, they are all shades you can find in almost any eyeshadow line and I'm sure I won't be needing them. Now don't get me wrong... I still love Laura Mercier products. And if you don't own a ton of neutral eyeshadows, or a ton of eye shadow palettes, you might love this palette and it may be all you need. But seeing as I am an avid makeup collector and have other things like this... This palette is going to be returned. 
Have you used this palette? What were your thoughts?? Let me know!!!

Monthly Empties: July 2015 #365DaysOfEmpties

Monthly Empties: July 2015
#365DaysOfEmpties ~ The Wonky Brow

We are more than half way through the year, and that means I am more than half way towards the end of #365DaysOfEmpties!!! I went through a lot of "basics" this month. It's funny how everything tends to run out at the same time... Well, it's funny until you have to replace it all. ;-) 

• Product(s) I will miss the most: Seche Vite Top Coat (#210). I LOVE this top coat. But I have three other top coats on my nail polish rack that I need to use up before I repurchase this one. It's gonna be a struggle. Also, the Pond's Luminous Clean Wet Cleansing Towlettes (#205). These are my favorite face wipes, EVER. But I want to use actual face cleansers and not wipes, since wipes aren't all that great for your skin.
• Product(s) I cannot live/survive/breathe without and have already repurchased: My Clarisonic Sensitive Skin Brush Head (#182), my Sonicare Toothbrush Head (#183), the Sephora Daily Brush Cleaner(#203), and my Clearcare Contact Solution (#204). Must. Have. These. Always. Period.
• Product(s) that will eventually be repurchased: The CVS Premium Cotton Rounds. Although the Walgreens Premium Rounds are just as good. I'll take either of them.
• Sample(s) that made me want the full size: BioRepublic Sheet Masks (#193-195). OMG. I loveeeeed these. They are the first sheet masks that I have tried that have been cut so that they actually will fit ANY face! And they are really saturated with product. Also, the Garnier Clean+ Makeup Removing Cleansing Lotion (#198). I gotta say, Garnier has got this makeup cleansing remover stuff down. I also love the oil they make. 
• Product(s) that disappointed me the most: NYX eyeshadow in Atlantic (#212). Because it's always disappointing when a powder product breaks. But I have learned that I do not like when powders are repressed, and so I must let this one go... Also, the Cynthia Rowley Brightening Illuminator (#200). This was too pink, liquidy, and thin. Meh.
• Product you couldn't pay me to (re)purchase. EVER.: .em by Michelle Phan Lengthening Mascara (#191). This did lengthen my lashes. But It also made it look like I only had 5 super long lashes on each eye. I'd rather have medium length lashes that look voluminous, thankyouverymuch. And the Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Dry Shampoo (#208). OMG. This deluxe size sample took me a lifetime to use up. And I don't think it was that good! It didn't really help absorb the little amount of oil my hair had. AND it left a white cast if I wasn't careful. No Bueno.

That's all I've got for you! Don't forget to follow along on Instagram to see my empties daily!!! What have you used up in July? Let me know!!!