Netflix or Hulu Plus, which one is better?

Hello Lovelies!

 

I know this isn't my typical post, but I found myself wondering this just a couple nights ago, and I felt the need to share my thoughts.

 

Now I have been a Netflix subscriber for a couple months now, and we watch at least one thing, be it a movie or show, on there everyday. I also just recently subscribed to Hulu Plus because I found out I could catch up on missed episodes of Glee, and Bones.(guilty pleasures) At first I found myself wondering which streaming service I should keep, because I really don't want to use two different services, but after doing a little more checking into Hulu I feel I can make a good decision on which one to keep, and possibly steer you in the direction of which one of the two is best for you.

 

 

Netflix

• $7.99 a month for streaming service
• Great selection of shows and movies for children
• Great selection of classic movies
• Decent "newer" movie selection.
• Decent show collection, but not up to date. (If the episodes you are looking for are not on dvd yet then you will not find them on there.)
• Neat layout, selections are easy to find.
• Good rating system that helps to find things you would like.
• You can search by genre, title, actor/actress.

Hulu Plus  

• $7.99 a month for streaming service.
• Great selection of up to date shows.
• Terrible movie selection, unless you enjoy TONS of old movies and foreign flicks.
• Messy layout.

 

 

 

 

 Overall, I started with the 7-day free trial to catch up on missed episodes and I plan on cancelling on HuluPlus before the trial ends so I don't have to pay for a full month. If you live to watch tv shows nonstop Hulu is the choice for you, but if you crave a good selection definitely go with Netflix. Also, if you decide to go with Netflix and would like a little more access to stuff that's newer you could pay an extra $7.99 a month and get movies mailed to you.

 

March Beauty Army Review

 Hello Lovelies!

I normally do my Ipsy and Beauty Army reviews at the same time, but this month Ipsy shipped extra early, which is always a nice surprise, so this time around they are separate. Overall this month I was pretty excited about my choices, I had a good selection of brands and products.

Amlactin Moisturizing Body Lotion 

According to Amlactin's website the body lotion is a special formula that contains 12% lactic acid. Lactic Acid is a naturally occurring substance that promotes retention of moisture that even Cleopatra was rumored to use in her skin regimen when she bathed in sour milk. Although it is a natural product during my research I found it can still irritate skin, especially on allergy-prone skin. I have never heard of this brand personally, but after my research I found it has wonderful reviews and they happen to carry it at Walmart for $14 for a 7 ounce bottle. (Also at Target, Walgreens, and CVS) Now, that is a little expensive in my opinion, but it is a well working lotion. Amlactin is non-greasy, fragrance free, and works really well at moisturizing skin.

Grand Central Beauty Skin Perfecting Polish

Now if you have been sticking with my reviews you would know I had a decently bad experience with the last product from Grand Central Beauty even though many people's reviews were spectacular so I was quite hesitant to test this out, but I knew I just had to. After doing a little research on the website I found that this is a brand new product and doesn't have much of a following yet, which makes me a little excited yet scared to try it, my skin is so sensitive. The polish is suppose to smooth, moisturize, reduce-redness, unclog pores,  and invigorate tired skin, and it has a built in neutralizer so you have the option to rinse or not. 

Directions (copied from the package)

•  Apply 1 pump (dime-size) onto clean, dry face.
• Massage face lightly and thoroughly for 30 seconds until clear sponge beads emerge, rolling away trapped dirt and dead skin cells.
• Buff off gently with fingertips. Rinse optional.
• Use at least 3x week on clean face.

I tested this polish on freshly cleansed skin and applied the dime-size like directed, but it didn't seem to be enough, and the sponge bubbles didn't emerge, so I added a little more and continued to massage. Eventually little bubbles were created, they kind of felt just like the beads in an exfoliating wash, and were slightly difficult to buff off. After I went through the process my skin begin to feel a little itchy so I decided it was best for me to go ahead and rinse. At first I noticed my skin seemed smoother, but the morning after I noticed my skin was greasier than it has ever been. I am not sure if it's just my skin type, but I do know that I will not be testing anymore products from Grand Central Beauty.

Yes to Tomates Daily Pore Scrub

As you know I love this brand and put my full faith in the products they make and the acne daily scrub didn't change my mind one bit. I have been having a lot of little break outs lately due to stress overload so this sample came at about the perfect time. I was concerned at first if it would be tomato-ish scented, because I do not like the smell of tomatoes, but it was a quite pleasant scent. Even though it's a facial scrub it was gentle enough to be non-irritating and worked well at leaving my skin feeling smooth, clean, and refreshed. I actually picked up a tube at my local Walgreens the same day that I tested this little packet and have been using it since and adore it. Some of the YesTo products are a little pricey, but I found this one for $7 for a decent sized tube, but all of the products I have tested are well worth price.

New York Streets Dry Shampoo

This is my absolute first dry shampoo and I was quite unimpressed. New York Streets is a brand I have never heard of before, but they specialize in hair products. For this size bottle of dry shampoo on the website is $17 which is a little pricey in my opinion compared to other dry shampoos I have heard a lot about, such as Freeman Beauty's Psssssst Dry Shampoo. One thing I did not like about this company is the website, they do not have customer reviews, and ingredients listings, and I find that it's important to have those open to the public. I tested this product in two day hair and the only thing it did for me was leave my hair smelling like my grandma. (I am not saying my grandma smells bad, just old, ya know?) Now, my hair doesn't really get greasy, even if I do skip a couple washes, so it's hard for me to tell if it adequately disguises greasy/shiny hair. I can say that it was easy and quick to comb through my hair, and it did seem to make a little difference when restyling. In conclusion I think that if you have styling products in your hair this will be no help to you, and it's not really worth the money if your hair doesn't get greasy.

Karuna Eye Renewal Mask

I am always excited to try items like this because I don't often get a chance to relax and these "spa-like" items are as much of a chance I can get. I applied the masks like instructed, on a freshly washed face, and let them sit for twenty minutes. At first they irritated my eyes a little bit and made them feel slightly itchy, but after a couple of minutes a cooling sensation set in and they began to feel good. After twenty minutes I removed the masks and rubbed in the leftover product around my eye area. I didn't notice an immediate dramatic difference, but I noticed that my skin felt softer. They are suppose to help fight signs of aging, decrease puffiness and discoloration, and improve firmness and tone around the eyes. Honestly this product may be amazing if used regularly, but for $36 for a small pack of four I can't see myself ever purchasing and giving them a good test.

Skinn Cosmetics Color Touch Eye, Cheek, and Lip Glow

I have never been a fan of cream blushes, but this one by far is the best I have tested quality wise. This shade is called "teen tone" and is perfect to create a slight flush, or a nearly nude lip. Typically I have issues blending cream blushes, but this one blends better than the others I have tested and seems to last quite long. My favorite use for it so far is to create a nearly nude lip combined with my favorite lip primer by Too Faced Cosmetics and a touch of gloss. With all that said after developing my thoughts about this product I pulled up Skinn Cosmetics website and realized that it is $17, which is quite pricey in my opinion.

 



Review of NuMe's Titan 3 Curling Wand

Hello Lovelies!

I recently purchased my first curling wand and wanted to share my thoughts, as you can tell from the pictures below I purchased a Titan 3 from NuMe. If you haven't heard of NuMe before they are a company that specializes in hair styling tools, hair products and accessories, and they have won quite a few awards for the products they make. I learned about NuMe through numerous bloggers, and vloggers hair tutorials, and I knew that eventually I wanted to purchase tools from them. Now, NuMe products are quite expensive so my suggestion is to add them on Facebook, and Twitter, because there are many bloggers that collaborate with them and hold giveaways, and they also put out MANY coupon codes. (I actually used one to purchase this.) 

As you can see the Titan 3 has three wonderfully sized titanium interchangeable barrels. (19mm,25mm,32mm) Also the Titan 3 uses negative ion technology to help create a look that lasts without the damage of a regular curling iron. Typically the Titan 3 is $194, but with a coupon code I was able to purchase it for $72 (shipping included). Another nice point of the Titan is that it comes with a four year warranty. 

Titan 3 Features & Specifications

• Digital Temperature control ranging from 122°F to 392°F
• 3 part Titanium wands (19mm, 25mm, 32mm)
• Utilizes the latest in digital and titanium technology
• Infrared heat technology
• Negative ion technology
• Ergonomic design
• Dual voltage
• A variety of size choices to create the most versatile curls and/or waves
• Heat-resistant glove included

I have been using the Titan 3 for about two weeks now and I absolutely love it. Yes, it is much easier to burn yourself with a curling wand, and it hurts much worse than a normal curling iron, but it's worth it. The curls that you can create with this curling wand are AMAZING, I do not have to use as much hairspray as I use to, and they last even longer, I can go three days (without washing) and still have lovely curls. In the near future I will be working on some tutorials, but for now here are some pictures of my hair using the Titan. 

Day ONE

Day THREE!!

I love NuMe! 

Hard Candy Nail Polish Review

Hello Lovelies!

My local Walmart just started carrying the new Hard Candy nail polishes and I decided I would test out a couple, I wasn't sure about the different shades they offer and if I would like them or not so I decided to go with just the three pictured below.

Left to Right: Jubilee, Fireworks, Little Bo Pink          $4 each

 I was quite bummed out with the outcome of this polish called Jubilee, from the bottle it appears to have a darker green tint to it instead of this yellow-ish green that shows on my nail. In the picture above I applied two coats of Jubilee and as you can see the glitter flecks are quite sparse and it definitely looks much better in the bottle.

 After testing out all the colors of the polishes on my nails I created this look pictured below using two coats of  Julep's olive green polish called Laura, and two coats of Jubilee.

Once again another polish that looks much better in the bottle, Fireworks. On my nail pictured above I have two coats of the polish and the it's quite sheer with just a slight touch of pink. I absolutely love the different shades of glitter though, I just wish they would show up more.

 Out of the three polishes I tried this is my definite favorite, and it's called Little Bo Pink. It is part of Hard Candy's Itzy Glitzy Collection, which I am considering trying more of, and it is pretty much the perfect shade of playful girly pink. I am typically a red polish kind of girl, but this is perfect when I am feeling like expressing my girly side. On my nail pictured above I used only two shades, but for future use I think I will be using three to create a better brighter pink. My favorite part of the polish is that it is shimmery, but not over the top.

Overall I am not that impressed with the Hard Candy nail collection from testing these three polishes, they also seem more appropriate for younger girls. If you are looking for more budget friendly polishes I would stick with Sinful Colors, they are half the price of Hard Candy's polishes and much better quality.



March Ipsy Bag Review

Hello Lovelies!

I was super surprised to see my package from Ipsy in the mail on Friday, especially considering that I had received the tracking code about ten minutes before checking the mail. I tested the products out later on Friday and just had to get the review out to you guys as soon as possible. 

This month's theme is "the great escape" which seems a little more like we are welcoming summer instead of spring, but it's still nice to see something different. I do love the nautical printed bag, I am so happy that they finally agreed to do some prints, and I am hoping next month's in something more "springy" and possibly floral. Overall this month doesn't include much, this has to be the smallest amount of samples I have received yet, but the products we did receive are quite nice.

LA Fresh Travel.Lite Makeup Remover Wipes $1.99 for 8 wipes 

Wipes such as these ones are a necessity for makeup bags, and traveling, although I do find these a bit expensive for such a small pack. These wipes do work well to remove makeup quickly, but they are a tad bit too greasy for my skin, and the scent makes me think of baby wipes. 

 I have heard a lot about the Glam RX Touch Up Palette but have never really wanted to purchase it for myself, and this is kind of a mini of that. The real touch up palette consists of concealer, lip balm, shine erase powder, black eyeliner, mirror, and magnetic bottom level that can hold your personal makeup that comes in a metal tray (They are $17). This Glam RX thing that we received with out Ipsy bag does not include any of the makeup, it's simply the mirror and magnetic bottom level. Considering most of my eye shadows are in palettes this wont really be of any use for me, except to hold my little sample trays I have received from Yaby, Coastal Scents etc. If you are the type of person who uses a lot of single eye shadows this palette may work nicely for you depending on how you like to organize you makeup, and if you feel like "de-potting" some of your shadows. 

 These small shadow samples are from Yaby Cosmetics, shadow in top picture is called "Sand Dune", and bottom is called "So Vein". "Sand Dune" is almost a perfect match to my skin color and works well for a nude natural eye, and I absolutely adore "So Vein" and it's bright shade of teal. (I am using the Glam RX palette to store these.)  Both of these shadows blend well and are highly pigmented, they especially pop when paired with a eye primer/base. You can purchase these trays in a 3 gram size for $3.15 each.  

Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist  $22 for a 6.75 oz bottle. 

This hydrating mist is made from organic ingredients and is said to be great for all skin types. The first thing I noticed when spritzing this upon my face is that not only does it feel refreshing, but it also smells refreshing. My skin instantly appeared brighter and it made me feel more awake and ready to go. As a hint on the products website they say to refrigerate this product in the summer months for an even more refreshing sensation, and I can not wait till it's warm enough to test that theory. This product in itself has me browsing through Juice Beauty's website and wanting to make a little order of my own, so stay tuned. 

Overall this month's bag seems to be disappointing people because of the small amount of products, but I have decided I will just look at the positives. 

1. I have never tested anything from any of these companies before, and they all turned out quite well. 

2. We finally received a printed bag after asking for months, and I love nautical prints. 

3. Ipsy attempted to compile a bag that would leave us happy in hopes that we were planning a spring getaway. 

Coastal Scents Sweetheart Collection Review

Hello Lovelies!

 As you can see I recently received a lovely package from +Coastal Scents which included the Sweetheart Collection. I didn't plan on making any big purchases of makeup anytime soon, but I just couldn't pass all this up for just $34.95. Plus, my lovely daughter decided to attempt to eat my favorite eyeshadow palette so I needed to find a replacement. Now the only products I have used from Coastal Scents in the past were eyeshadow samples I received in my monthly subscriptions, so I decided I definitely had to post a thorough review of everything.

These little samples were extras and not included in the collection. I love that Coastal Scents provides such wonderful samples. I used the "Butterfly Garden" sample set to create the look pictured below, along with the brushes, blush too palette, and liquid eyeliner from the collection.

I fully believe you can never have enough good brushes so I was excited to test this little set, but they didn't really leave me wanting to purchase any more brushes from Coastal Scents. Personally I thought that all the brushes were a little too stiff and that they were cheaply made, as I was applying my makeup I had little hairs from the brush left all over my face. Sold separately for $1.95-2.95 each.

My first blush palette! I just recently really started to experiment with different shades of blush, and this palette has a great range of shades. Now, I am not a fan at all of the orange blush, but I bet there are women out there that can pull it off, I tend to lean to the lighter pinks on a regular basis. Sold separately for $19.95.

Yay for more eyeliner! This liquid eyeliner has a standard stiff applicator that makes it easy to get a good straight line and create a winged eyeliner look, and at first I absolutely adored it. The liner is highly pigmented and dries quickly, but I find it flaking off after a couple hours of wear. Sold Separately for $2.95.

I have never really been a fan of these gloss lip quads, mostly because they typically don't provide enough pigment for my liking, and because the gloss normally leaves my lips feeling waxy yet dry. This lip quad is pretty much just like the rest in my opinion, they do work well though for travel and on-the-go makeup. Sold separately for $6.95.

Now onto the biggest most important part of the collection that makes it worth it, the eyeshadow palette. This palette includes 88 jewel toned shadows, and inlcudes more natural shades than any of my other palettes. These shadows blend well and are highly pigmented, especially when paired with a good eyeshadow primer/base. I have been using the shades of blues/greens the most and have been loving this palette. Separately this palette is $24.95.

Overall I think the collection is a pretty good one, and separately everything adds up to about $65.

Walgreens Haul

Hello Lovelies!

About a week ago I had a little time to spare between when I got out of work and when I had to pick up the kids so I decided I would take a little trip to +Walgreens, I wasn't sure what I planned to purchase, but I just was in the mood to browse. Now, I don't often head to Walgreens considering I work at Walmart, but when I do I almost always find something I just have to have, and this was one of those days.

New Nail Addiction

So while browsing I happened to stumble across (almost literally) a display of nail polish by Sinful Colors and was amazed by the beautiful selection of shades they offered so I decided to pick up a few, at only $2 a polish they are DEFINITELY worth it. I was not sure what to expect, but I absolutely loved the colors and wanted to try it and I am glad I did. I purchased six different shades, and so far every one only takes one coat and dries quite quickly. Pictured above from left to right is Lush Life, Kissy, and Rise & Shine (Matte). After doing a little research about the company I also found out that they are made right here in the United States, which is always a plus in my opinion. Pictured Below from left to right is sweet nothing, sweet tooth, and sugar sugar. Another reason I absolutely adore Sinful Colors is because every polish from them has a wonderful name.

Where to Buy:

Walgreens

Walmart (not in all)

Target

Meijers

Rite Aid

On my way out of the beauty section of Walgreens I happened to spot this little beauty from Wet N Wild's Fergie Collection called Make Them Boys Go Loco.

Now, I have been curious about blending sponges since the release of the Beauty Blender, but I never seen the point of paying $20 for a sponge I wasn't sure I would like. So, when I came across this blending sponge by Studio 35 Beauty for only $6 I knew I had to try it. Now when opening the package the first thing I noticed was that it didn't include any instructions, so before I could even use the sponge I had to do a little research. I noticed some people use the sponge wet, and some use it dry, so I decided I had to test it both ways. The first time I applied foundation with the sponge dry and although I did get an even application I felt that the sponge was absorbing up too much of my foundation. The second time I tested it wet and it worked so much better, the sponge didn't absorb my foundation and the application looked smoother, and I didn't have to work at blending as hard as I do when using a brush. Now to get the sponge wet I ran warm water and just placed the sponge underneath until it filled with water, afterwards I squeezed as much of the water out as possible leaving the sponge only damp, you do not want the water to be able to drip out while applying your makeup. These sponges can be used for all sorts of makeup applications and they have the big rounded end for larger areas, and the small pointed ends for smaller areas. I have been using this sponge for a couple days now and I do like it much better than any previous applicator I have used.

I have heard many other drugstore hauls mention Revlon's Just Bitten Lipstain and Balm, but I have no clue what they seen in it, I purchased it in a pink shade called Desire and I wasn't that impressed. For starters the lip stain took quite a few applications before you could even see a hint of color, and it made my lips feel extremely dry (maybe that is why they include some lip balm). The lip balm is just a generic simple balm that didn't last long, but did give my lips a little shine.

I have been searching for some peel-off facial masks in a couple local stores so when I seen this I just had to grab it. I have tested a couple products from Freeman's before and liked them, so I wasn't hesitant at trying the brand, and I like the scent of cucumber. This mask is suppose to clarify and renew skin, and it leaves my skin feeling refreshed, soft, and clean.

 For the past about eight months I have been a rocking a lovely shade of natural red called Hot Tamale, and it takes A LOT of upkeep, so I bought this John Frieda Radiant Red Shampoo and Conditioner in hopes that it will help prolong my color. I have been using this for about a two weeks now and I have noticed that I have A LOT less washout of color, and my hair has more shine to it. This shampoo and conditioner also has a wonderful scent and leaves my hair softer, and less frizzy. They offer this shampoo for all hair colors and I would especially recommend it to women who have problems with washout.