January 2014 Photo Challenge!

Good mornin'! Before I go any further, Happy New Year!! I won't be talking to you all again until next year (aka later on this week LOL) but I've got a couple more posts in draft right now that will be going up later today, but they're pre-dated, so technically this is my last post of the year. I just wanted to say Happy New Year to all of you and I hope that your New Year's is full of fun, good company, good food and hopefully that elusive (well, elusive to me anyway) New Year's kiss! Don't forget to drink responsibly and be safe!

I don't have much time to post right now so this is just a quick post; it's almost 7am and my Internet signal usually goes back to being unreliable around this time so I'm trying to get this up before everything goes back on the fritz. I've also come down with a small case of the sickies (sinusitis x3.5) and I've been awake all night so I'm getting a little tired. If I'm feeling better when I wake up, I'll be able to post the other Favorites today, otherwise I'll have to wait until tonight when the signal clears back up.

Anywho, I've finally found some challenges for next month to kick off my 365-Day Photo Challenge. I have two challenges here that look like a lot of fun. The first one is from Fat Mum Slim, and the second is from Shrinking Jeans.

All of the Instagram names that I've tried out are taken, so I'm stuck as far as usernames, which is why I don't have an account to link you to yet. I'll figure it out today and include the link here next year (tomorrow--sorry, I really can't resist the 'next year' stuff on New Year's LOL). I wasn't able to choose just one; both of these challenges look really fun and I like what both of them have on the 30th, which means I'll get some fun pics for my birthday. lol I'm excited to start these challenges; I hope that I can keep up with this throughout the year. Which one looks like more fun to you? Will you be taking part in any photo challenges in 2014? If so, let me know and send me a link below; we can follow each other's progress!

On other notes, I've already chosen my first DIY for The Pinterest Project and bought my first box for January's Subscription Box Series; so I'm just waiting to get the rest of my materials and try everything out. I've already prepped my first review of the year; I've just gotta get some photos of the product to include in the post. Tomorrow the Historical Romance Reading Challenge begins as well; I've had to stop myself from reading a few of them so I could save some for the challenge. For once, I'm prepared!! Now let's see how long it lasts. LOL

I've been working on the new header and button for the new blog design; just ironing some kinks out now and I'll be able to start working on the background and page template. I'll be returning to my work on the radio station on Monday, so I'm trying to get as much done on the blog front as I can before then. Hopefully I'll get more done this week, provided that my Internet holds up, I get rid of the sickies and feel well enough to go somewhere with faster Wi-Fi. But anywaaay, that's about it for the photo challenge and updates for now. Other than my backlogged Favorites posts, that'll be it for the year from me. I hope you have a wonderful and safe New Year's and I'll see ya next year! (Tomorrow. Okay okay, I'm done)

*Update: Okay, I finally created my Instagram. You can either click on the badge below or follow this link. I'm missing a photo from today but only because I'm too lazy to get out of bed and get the box so I can take a picture of it. I've still got this case of the sickies and it's made me lazy as hell. lol 

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Book Review: Scherzo by Jim Williams

*Disclaimer: Brief spoilers are revealed in this review. 

I received this book a few weeks ago from LibraryThing as part of a program that I am enrolled in called Early Reviewers. I have always thought that those who get to review books for a living had a pretty cushy job, unless they got stuck with a dud that they had to finish reading then still have to review, so I just prayed that that didn't happen to me. LOL When I found out about the program, I was too eager to sign up. I enjoy the concept of getting to review the books I read anyway (and will be including more book reviews on here in the future) so a program dedicated to just providing my reviews sounded like cake and I thought it would help me expand the type of books that I normally read. This is the first book I have had the pleasure of reading for the purpose of a review and overall, I wasn't disappointed. If you'd prefer a shorter review of the book, I left one up as part of the Early Reviewers program on my LibraryThing page. 

Moving on, this story was set somewhere in either the 17th or 18th centuries, told through the eyes of a young opera singer who got thrown into a murder mystery among the higher society ranks of Venice, Italy. The book begins with a rather long preface about what should and shouldn't be believed, as well as a stern warning from the narrator that he, too, is a rather unsavory character and probably shouldn't be believed either. I guess at this point that it's time for a preface/warning of my own. I'm still working out the kinks of how I review a book; I always get stuck deciding whether I should include what happens in the story as part of my review or if I should just review how I felt about it and what I walked away from it with. I'm thinking more on the latter; I don't really enjoy spoiler alert reviews and don't want to ruin it for someone who just wants to hear an opinion on the story without finding out the events. I'll figure it out. lol

So as I said before, the main plot point is the murder of a high profile member of Venice society that throughout the course of the novel brings every person's character (no pun intended) into question as the 'whodunnit' thread is explored. Ludovico, a gay castrato who performs as a soprano opera singer/actor to the elite of Venetian society, serves as our main pair of eyes throughout the story, getting thrust into the thick of the plot but maintaining the viewpoint of outsider. It is mainly his narration and experiences that we have to go on although there are memoir entries from one or two of the characters as well as sprinklings of correspondence between several people, identities anonymous of course, which adds on to the mystery. At first it's easy to look past these seemingly meaningless letters as the plot initially has not yet introduced any helpful clues, but about halfway through the novel the letters begin to make sense and the authors (or recipients) start to slide into place like puzzle pieces. At that time things become much clearer, as the plot has since successfully set up certain things that your eye is now looking for. However, you have to keep in mind that our narrator cannot be trusted either, and his retelling of the events may or may not be factual. It really brings up how much we as readers trust the narrators of the stories we read. We trust them to tell us the truth; usually the narrator is the person who has decided that they will fully and truthfully enlighten the reader, but Ludovico does not fully do that. Instead, he plays games and decides what we will be privy to know, being so bold to tell us when he is withholding something but not always saying why. At the end, you realize you can no more trust Ludovico than you can his story, which then calls every single thing you have read into question, therefore putting the 'joke' on you. 

At first, the murder looks to be a matter of robbery, but takes a religious turn as fanatics and Masons are exposed and it is uncanny how, when the bad person is bad but not for the reason believed and the good is actually bad as well due to his/her intentions, the two can irreversibly blur the lines between good and bad. The book explored all of that and added in the extra boost of mystery due to the masks everyone wore out in public, which brought forth bits of dialogue that initially you don't put any further meaning to. It's funny how many people think that if their faces are concealed, their secrets are easier to spill. However, is this no more different than confessing at church? I found the religious parallels with the unsavory practices implementing much of the same concept pretty intriguing, although I don't know if this was the author's intent. One complaint I had with the book was the language. It was very complicated, sometimes seemingly for the sake of being so, and took 30 words to say something that could have been easily summed up in 12. I'm not sure if this was how people really spoke during this time or if this was just for the book, but either way I could have easily done without it. Another reviewer called the language 'bloated,' which I'm inclined to agree with. It is mainly because of how complicated the language was that I started losing interest in the book and initially put it down. I guess I just prefer more straight-forward books. 

In the end, you'll have to draw your own impressions as to who committed the murder, as it is not cleanly resolved. And such is the nature of the 'joke,' both the one played on the reader by the narrator, and in an Inception like theme, the one played by the author on the reader, since he created the narrator. But within the book, you will get to explore the nature of the joke in its entirety as the narrator's inquisitive nature calls everything into question and forces you to do the same. The finish, such as it is, is pretty anticlimactic and I didn't like that at all. Scherzo was far out of my comfort zone and while I didn't hate the book, I can't say I loved it either. For all the hype in the preface about the events to follow, I thought leaving so many ends open to speculation didn't really allow it to live up to said hype. I found myself eager to figure out the mystery but rather bored with how slowly it unfolded. While the story was good, it wasn't great. 

Bitchy Rating:

*** (out of 5)

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December's Birchbox

I received this month's Birchbox on Wednesday and I needed a couple of days before I posted the review so I could try everything out. Here's what was in my box this month:

Image courtesy of Birchbox

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1. Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensee Cologne Absolue

$115 for 100ml

Normally, I detest vanilla-based things. Except for ice cream. You can't go wrong with vanilla ice cream. Okay, that's not entirely true. I only like vanilla ice cream when it's mixed with something else; the aftertaste of vanilla ice cream by itself is kind of nauseating to me. lol Other stuff though, like candles, body sprays, hair/skincare products or chapsticks, I hate them. The primary note in this cologne is, well obviously, vanilla, so I thought I was going to hate it. But underneath that is this crisp, citrusy scent mixed with a light floral undertone and surprisingly, it mixes together very well. The initial vanilla wears down, but the remainder mixes in with the lime and jasmine secondary notes and creates a scent that is light and classy without being overpowering. It's very fragrant so the scent payoff is not a problem at all, which is another thing that's surprising because it's a light scent but holds up very well over time. You don't have to apply very much at all. It's a very sophisticated smell that I was kind of surprised to realize I liked as much as I did. I didn't like it much at first because I got hit with the vanilla, but it grew on me pretty quickly. The vanilla eventually mellows out and it takes on more of a musky scent. The scent notes don't really fit who I am personally but I do like how it smells so I think I'm going to start taking the sample with me so it can perfume my purse. LOL


2. Number 4 Non-Aerosol Hairspray

$30 for 200ml 

The first thing I noticed about this spray was how freakin' wonderful this stuff smells. It is so fragrant and light that I'm tempted to use it as a body spray and not a hair spray. LOL It's very light on the hair, doesn't make it feel crunchy and didn't feel sticky when I sprayed it on my hand (I usually do that with hairsprays to feel it out because how they feel on my hand is most times how they feel in my hair). I think I could get away with wearing this on a light-maintenance day. The smell absolutely blows me away though. It has a beautiful, floral scent that doesn't have that lingering alcohol smell which I think is great. It's really feminine and the scent payoff does last awhile in the hair. I'm in absolute love with it.



3. Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre Moisturizer (24-Hr Miracle Cream)

$28 for 75ml

At first, I was not sold on this moisturizer at all. I had already washed my face awhile before applying it the first time and I hated the way that it dried on my face. My cheeks felt a little sticky and it felt like it had settled on top of my face instead of sinking underneath, if that makes sense. I was getting ready to say I hated it. I decided to try it the following day fresh out of the shower and those results were much better. My skin was soft for hours afterward, I didn't feel the stickiness or the layer of film on top of my face, and I still didn't find the scent pleasing but it doesn't remain fragrant for long. The formula is cooling on the face, it does sink into the skin and it does moisturize, but it's best applied fresh out of the shower. It doesn't leave a greasy sheen to the skin either so it would probably work well enough under makeup. I don't love it, but I like it enough to finish the sample.


4. LAQA & Co. Lil Lip Pencil

$18 for 1 full-size, or click the photo
to get 5 minis for $32

I received the shade Ring of Fire, which is a vibrant red, and the first thing I noticed was how velvety and smooth the texture is. It rolls on so easily and it's extremely buildable which I like a lot. You can either lightly color your lips or you can go for the full-on va va voom lip with this lip pencil. Another thing that I like is that unlike a lot of pencils in this style nowadays, this has a twist up bottom so there's more to the pencil than just what you can see. I had that complaint with the Mirenesse lip pencil I got earlier this year but this one twists right up. It's very portable and I like the versatility. It'd be a good color to use with winter and the holidays looming. I can't tell if it smudges yet because I haven't worn it for a longer period of time yet but otherwise, no complaints here!


5. *Lifestyle Extra* Chuao Chocolatier in Pop Corn Pop

$6 for a 2.8oz bar or click the photo
to get an asst of 8 mini bars for $9.95

Oh. My. Freaking. Goodness. I love this chocolate bar!!! The minute I tried this I was immediately angry that I didn't get a larger sized bar because this was hands down one of the best pieces of chocolate I have ever eaten in my life. I got the Pop Corn Pop bar and it was such a fun experience to eat. It looks a little like a Crunch bar and when you first bite into it it definitely has the texture of one as well...until you open your mouth, then you get a little Pop Rocks effect because of the popping. Each time it pops you get a little burst of chocolate in your mouth and I loved it. It reminded me of when I was a kid, eating Pop Rocks on my porch with my mouth hanging open so I could hear and feel all the little popping in my mouth. LOL It was a light chocolate flavor and didn't have a thick or strong aftertaste but still had all the wonderful decadence of chocolate, so I was immensely surprised to read the label and find out that not only was it 100% natural, it had no hydrogenated fats, artificial preservatives, colors, flavors or sweeteners, and was only 60 calories. I'm in love. There are other flavors to these bars that you can buy too so I'm excited to try them all.

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The Fave:

The Pop Corn Pop bar was my favorite, but out of the regular monthly samples, I'd say the LAQA Lip Pencil was my favorite. I'm always ready to sample new lip products, especially if they're the vibrant red that I like and they're versatile. The LAQA is very versatile in its color payoff which is good at any level you apply it, it's smooth and moisturizing on my lips, it's small and portable, and I like that it's a twist-up bottom instead of just the pencil tip. 

The Dud:

Hmm. I hate to say it, but the Embryolisse moisturizer is probably the dud here. I can't feel any of the benefits it provides unless I apply it fresh out of the shower; it doesn't feel good at all if you apply it to a completely dry face. The benefits are nice, but 1-can you find these same benefits in something that costs less, and 2-how does this work for different skin types if it works differently whether your skin is damp or dry? It didn't feel like anything particularly special on my face, so I'm more prone to think that I can find something just like it for a cheaper price. I don't dislike it, but I don't love it either. Other than that, the prices this month are definitely the duds here. I was going to say that the price for the Atelier was way overpriced for 3oz., but I paid around $40 for my 1oz. of Clinique Happy so if you triple that, for 3oz. I'd pay $5 more than what they're asking for the same amount of Atelier. Okay I can take that. But $18 for 1 pencil, or $32 for 5 minis? Ehh. The prices are a little steep this month. Maybe I'm just cheap though. It's probably both. 

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Bitchy Review:

I liked this month's box, but I didn't love it. Other than the chocolate bar and the lip pencil, I wasn't necessarily crazy about any of my samples. I don't often use hairspray but my favorite quality about it isn't even its ability to hold curls in my hair, it's the scent. The perfume has a wonderful scent, but I don't know if it's my thing. If my house smelled that classy or even my purse as I said earlier lol, I'd be fine. But for my body, I'm not sure. It doesn't strike me as an 'everyday' perfume, so I'd feel weird wearing it to Dollar General. LOL Good for the holidays and special occasions, though. On the flip side, though, I do think that there was an array of products and it wasn't narrowed down to just one category, which I have always loved about Birchbox. I do wish there had been a little something extra or something a little more holiday-centered since this was the December box, but I'm okay with the regular box as well. This will be my last Birchbox review for awhile as the Subscription Box Series starts next month, but I adore Birchbox so I will definitely be returning to it soon. If I could fit it into my budget along with the new box, I would. I think it would be nice to have something to compare the other boxes to. But for this to be my last Birchbox for awhile, I wish it'd gone out with a bigger bang. I really liked the box, but I didn't love it. 

Bitchy Rating:

*** .5/5

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Video Reviews and Upcoming Changes

With a few of next year's videos, I decided to change things up a bit by posting my reviews as videos and just including the links in the post underneath. I just want a little more variety in the way that I post my reviews of things and I've been eyeing something with YouTube for over a year, so I figured I could post a few of these things as video reviews instead. I'm going to start out with this month's Birchbox and post both a video and print review, and I'll let you decide how I should continue doing them. I'll be posting the video and print review on the same day, and you can leave a comment underneath either post telling me which format you prefer. If I don't get an answer, I'll probably keep doing both.

I'm also in the process of redesigning the site. I'm doing this mainly by myself, so it might be some time before it's up and fully functional. I'm new to the world of web design so figuring out the codes and stuff has been a little difficult. I'm working on a new header and blog button now, then it's time to move on to the actual site design. If you know of anywhere I can get some good icon vectors for free, let me know in a comment!

Other than that, I guess that'll be all the changes for now. I just wanted to let you all know about the video reviews, the upcoming web design, and a couple of personal projects that I'll be taking on next year. I'm in the process of creating a radio station at the moment so when I'm not posting on any of my blogs that's probably what I'll be doing, but I still took on a few side projects to fill up empty time. I'm starting something called the Pinterest Project, where every month I'll complete a project from my DIY board and see how close I get to the pictured results. I'm also taking on the Photo a Day challenge for a year; I was trying to get the little daily challenges as well but I think that might be a bit much, lol. I'm also working on something in the DIY area but I'll need a little help before I can get to that one. I'll be able to talk more on it when I can figure out if it's a go. And of course, I'll still be doing my normal reviews. There are some great video games coming out next year and I can't wait to cover some of them, but if you have any other ideas for things I should review, you already know what to do.

I'm hoping I can stick to all this stuff; I might be taking on more than I can chew. I still have activities and whatnot to follow through with on my vintage blog, so bear with me if I fall off. I think it'll be okay though; time management is everything. And I need a schedule like nobody's business. lol Hope you like the changes to come!

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No Mo' Daytime Suds!

Well, as the title says, the daytime portion of this blog has ceased entirely because I no longer watch soap operas, hence the name and URL change (finally!). My love for soaps is in a 'the way they were' kind of way now, and I haven't watched them in so long that I'd be completely lost if I tried to start back up again. I have no interest in testing that theory out, however, so I figured it was time I removed soaps from the description and URL entirely as I won't be going back to them. As cheesy as it probably sounds, soaps have played an integral part in my life for most of my life. They got me through some tough periods within the past few years and gave me a much needed escape. I relied on them as a normal part of my day. I felt like a large part of me grew with the characters. But times have changed and I just don't find them exciting anymore. With the chain-yanking that I feel us fans had to endure with Prospect Park as well as the upcoming cancellation of SoapNet, I don't even want to bother trying to get back into soaps again. It's just not the same. For some, the change is a good thing. For me, though, it's the dynamics of the soap that I feel have changed and that's what I miss, not necessarily certain characters. It was the dynamic and the atmosphere that got me watching some of them in the first place, and even if I took small breaks because certain storylines were boring, it was always the feeling that brought me back. I just don't feel that when I watch them now. A few too many faces are gone now and while I did say earlier that it was the dynamics I miss, it's difficult (for me anyway) to remain as attached when it feels like a completely new soap every time you go back. It's kind of like a bad relationship. When what brought you there is gone and there isn't anything equally intriguing to take its place, it's time to go. I'm sure this all sounds melodramatic, but sue me. I've been watching soaps since I was 2. I got very attached to the familiar faces, the rollercoaster storylines and the soaps being in my life over the many years that I watched them. I saw many faces come and go, I saw some come back to stay while others dipped in and back out just as quickly, I spent many an evening watching SoapNet in tears, crying like I knew these people. Don't judge me. I know I'm not the only soap fan with Overly Attached Syndrome. LOL

I don't want to make this some long, overdrawn story. The point is that because I no longer watch soaps and have no intention to start watching again, I decided that it was finally time to change the URL of the blog and explain its new focus. I swear at the end of almost every year I end up changing something on this blog. lol This one was important, however, because the URL no longer applied and became misleading. So as of today, there will be no more soap opera coverage of any kind on this site. If it's something big like a cancellation or a death, then I'll probably mention it. Otherwise, the Daytime Suds category of this site will be shut down and I will no longer be covering any of the soaps.

The new name of the site reflects things perfectly. Random Reviews 'n Things covers both the random reviews that I already do (makeup, subscription boxes, tv shows, movies, video games, etc.) and the other things that I decide to post about. All of it forms this spontaneous collage of content that doesn't have just one area of focus because I am incapable of making just one thing my focus. lol So basically, I just switched one thing out for another.....again. I'm going to keep posting reviews (if you have any ideas for things I should cover, email me or send me a comment!) but random posts like DIY projects that I'm doing will pop up from time to time. I'm starting a new thing next year called the Pinterest Project, where I'm going to try to cover one DIY a month from my DIY board. I'm covering a lot of things with the next year. I'm going to do a 365-day photo challenge as well as a small daily challenge for myself and I'm going to blog about it on my primary blog if you'd like to follow along or just check my progress, and I'm also going to take part in a historical romance reading challenge, which I'm covering on my vintage blog. That's some of what I'm doing, but they're all small things I can integrate into my day. Wanting to mention those things on here is what brought me to change the name of the blog; I already have two other blogs but they have a set purpose. One is for anxiety, while the other is for the vintage lifestyle. The things in my life that don't fit either of those categories don't have anywhere to go, so the "Things" part of the blog will now cover all that stuff. I am yet again trying to change the design up for the blog so it's going to look pretty plain Jane and simple for a little while. Either way, I hope you stick around!

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Firmoo and Me

I had originally written a post that was supposed to be about my hunt for glasses but it turned into a kinda long, personal experience that got me away from the reason I started the post in the first place. So I scrapped it and started over.

Anyway, I've been a member of the four-eyed fan club since I was 7, but if you're familiar with glasses in the '90s, you already know the options were limited unless your parents bought your frames themselves. I was a gubment baby, so Medicaid paid for mine. At that point I also became a member of the Urkel glasses club and was stuck with them until just before my freshman year. Big frames bring back bad memories for me, so the fact that they're trendy today makes me just a little salty. Fortunately though, today's version of big glasses are more streamlined, sophisticated and thinner (in terms of frame width). They're not quite the embarrassment that they were 20+ years ago. I wish that had been the case back then, but I digress. I've since upgraded my frames and have been sporting what I call the "modern librarian" look for about 5 years. They're pretty similar to these Fendi reading glasses.

I'm getting kind of bored with them though, so I've been on the hunt for a new pair of specs. That brings me to Firmoo, an online optical retailer that sells a number of glasses online and even allows you to order a free sample pair before purchasing. I first came across the company through YouTube, where one of the beauty personalities I watch mentioned it in one of her videos. The recommendation came at just the right time because I had been striking out looking for some good frames on my own. So I checked the site, and had a little bit too much fun looking at glasses. I like that you can either look at the glasses on someone with a face shape similar to your own, or you can upload a photo of yourself and try out the frames that way. Once you upload your photo, you select the proper width of your face, which the site calls a PD (I don't know what that means) and above each pair of glasses, it'll specify the PD that the glasses would suit best, which is another good thing. I like that you are allowed as many options to customize the process as possible and ensure you get glasses that are a good fit for your face, something that is often left out when ordering things online. Either way it's not cold ordering, which I like. They've got an array of colors and varieties in terms of both size and frame design; some are simple and classic, others are retro, some are slim and chic, others are modern and then there's some kooky prints and colors for those of you with more courage than me. lol I think it makes the process of selecting a frame a little more interesting than looking at a bunch of identical frames at the doc's office. Or is that just with my eye doctor? LOL Anyway, the price of the frames is also very affordable, especially compared to the price of designer and other name brand frames. I'm still looking for a pair that I'd like to sample, but here are some of the frames that I've been peeking at:

The #F03 model is $39

These frames are a good deal larger than mine and round whereas mine are square, which of course starts the bad memory parade again lol but I do like these frames. 

The #F017 frames are also $39

These frames are much more "retro librarian" and much more my style. I've always been partial to cat-eyed frames though; my sunglasses are this exact shape. I've been trying (and failing) to find some affordable cat-eyed or similar frames for years; I think they give me some individuality and flatter my face. 

The #DBSN62096 frames are $39 as well

These frames are much more today's "nerd" version. I see them everydamnwhere. What I do like is the difference in color; the top part of the frames are simple black, while the bottoms are I believe some tortoise-shelled color. I do like that part. They remind me a bit of aviator glasses with the shape, kind of squared off at the top and rounder at the bottom. 

Firmoo has the frames separated by the ones you can order for the free trial and then the frames you can purchase, but as you can see the prices aren't too bad at all. I do wonder how much it would be to get mine done to the level I need it at; my eyesight is the pits so I have really thick lenses that I usually get shaved down, I have astigmatism in my left eye and it's weaker so it also tends to overcompensate. Creating my lenses is neither easy or cheap and this affects the types of frames that I am able to order because the frame has to be strong and wide enough to hold my entire lens. I also have a tendency to fall asleep in them....or just fall...in them, so they need to be too legit to quit. I would like to try a sample though, and if nothing else I can see if Medicaid has a similar frame when it's time for my eye appointment next May. I really like the third frame I included here, but I'm probably going to go for the cat eyes. They've become my self-imposed signature. If you're in the market for specs as well, I suggest checking out their site. You can check out the free trial frames, the regular frames, or the discounted frames (although this list is pretty small). These links are for the women's frames, but there are some for males as well. I'll do an updated post once I've tried the frames out for a couple of days. 

*Have you heard of Firmoo before or tried out their free samples? If you have, what did you think of the frames? Let me know in a comment!

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Random Bitchy Review: Wet 'n Wild MegaLast Lip Color

I'm new to the world of lipstick. I actually didn't start wearing lipstick until this year. New Year's Eve, as a matter of fact. I just thought I looked like a....erm, "lady of the night" with lipstick on, so I never bothered with it. I stuck with paler lip colors, lipliner and colored glosses. Things have massively changed within the past year, though, because now I wear it all the time. I'm addicted. I haven't tried many lipstick brands out this year, but the one lipstick I've been using as my go-to is the Wet 'n Wild MegaLast Lip Colors. I'm in love with them, so I wanted to do a quick review and show you what some of the colors look like.

Yes, that bony thing is my arm. LOL
From l to r: Cherry Bomb, Cherry Picking, Stoplight Red, Wine Room, Smokin' Hot Pink, Mauve Outta Here, Bare It All

Pros:
-These colors are very buildable, so you can apply a light or heavy coat and create your own level of intensity
-The colors are also very pigmented, so a little goes a long way.
-They mesh well with glosses and lacquers without coming off
-They also mesh well with lipliners applied as a stain
-They don't dry out my lips
-They come off easily with makeup remover
-The color swatch on the bottom of the tube is pretty accurate to the actual color
-The wide array of colors guarantees that there will be something for virtually every complexion
-The versatility of the lipsticks makes it look good as both its natural matte and a glossy look

Cons:
-The website describes application as 'velvety,' but I found application of several of the colors to be a little hard at first unless I had Chapstick on first
-These are definitely not smudgeproof; one of my biggest complaints is that the lipstick smudges rather easily
-The cap can be a little difficult to remove, which made it a bit tricky to remove the cap without scratching the lipstick on the bottom of the lid
-The cartridge holding the lipstick, however, is easier to remove than I thought
-The formula is a little prone to cracking at the base; a few of my colors have beginner cracks (although this could have come from handling by the store or in transit) so I try not to put a lot of pressure on it when I'm applying the lipstick


Bitchy Review:
All in all, I like these lipsticks. The color swatch on the bottom of the tube is pretty accurate for the color in the tube, which I was relieved to find; one of my biggest complaints with lipsticks in general is that many times the color swatch isn't true to the color that actually hits my lips. The pros of these lipsticks outweigh the cons, there is an array of colors as the full collection has 26 lipsticks, and they're affordable. I picked these up at my local Dollar General for $2, but Walgreens' website has them listed at $1.99 or 3 for $3.98. Not bad, if you ask me. That might have just been the online price at Walgreens though, I'm not sure. Either way, they're worth their price. As for the cons, one way that I have found to get rid of some of the smudging around the border of my lips is to outline them with a little bit of concealer; this also in some weird way makes my lips stand out more. I get the color to stand out even more by putting concealer on my lips first, then staining them with lipliner. I read to dust them lightly with a little loose or pressed powder, but I haven't tried that method yet. I prefer a matte look with my lipsticks, but if you prefer a glossy finish I have found that the colored glosses from Sally Girl complement a lot of the lipsticks perfectly.

Now overall, could the lipsticks be better? Yes, there are things that can be improved upon. But do they get the job done? Absolutely. Wet 'n Wild has really stepped their game up in the past few years and I like the changes so far. The eyeshadows and lipsticks are now much more pigmented and have more color payoff than older products, they do stay on awhile longer than they did before, and they're all pretty buildable. The price has always been up my alley and I'm glad that part hasn't changed. I'll have to go to another store to find more of the collection since my local Dollar General only carries about 10 of the colors and so does Walgreens, but for the colors I do have so far, I'm extremely pleased with my purchases.


*Have you tried any of these lip colors? What did you think? Shoot me a comment and let me know!

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Subscription Box Hunt--A RBR Experiment

As I am sure I've mentioned in quite a few of my previous posts, I love subscription boxes. I think that they're a great way to get exposure to new companies and brands, it's a great way for new companies to receive exposure and feedback on their products, and it's an affordable way for consumers to find more options for beauty and lifestyle products. I had started on this earlier in the year but I ended up liking Birchbox so much that I stuck with it instead of finishing out my test. LOL The test was to try out different subscription box services throughout the year and see which ones I liked and which ones I did not. So far I have only tried out ipsy and Birchbox; I was going to try out another one but the month I was going to sign up they closed their business down. I forget the name but it ended in 'box.' How helpful, right? I'm sorry. lol

Birchbox and ipsy are both $10 a month for 5-6 samples, which I think is pretty affordable considering that most of the time, you're receiving high-end samples that normally retail for 3x that amount or more. I want to see what else is out there, so I looked on other sites that rounded up a list of different subscription box companies and I picked out a few I want to try within the next 6 months. I had no idea that the world of subscription boxes was so large; there's one of these services for almost everything! Food, pets, DIY, kids, even your man can get involved. I like that there's so much variety in what I can look at so I've decided to resume experimenting and yammering to you all about it once I've tried it. Below are some links to those that I'll probably be trying within the next year or so. I've included links to the subscription pages so you can look at the companies' descriptions as well. I went to Broke Beauty Blogger and Ramblings of a Suburban Mom because they had extensive lists of all kinds of subscription box services so if your tastes are different from mine you should go peruse their lists; they're pretty similar but categorized down the page differently. Just keep in mind that these lists were compiled awhile ago and some of these businesses have since gone dark.

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I set my budget at $15; there are a couple on here that are more than that but I consider those to be 'splurge' boxes. lol
1. Madd Cat--This site here (I just betrayed my country roots right there LOL) will send out either full-sized or deluxe sample sized products with every box. The site promises that each user will receive 2 full-size eyeshadows and at least 2 deluxe samples as well as random surprises, like discontinued or overstocked items. I like that concept and I also like that the company is aware that many users of subscription boxes would like to receive more full-sized products with their boxes.
(Monthly Price: $12)

2. Beauty Army--This one is kinda cool in that it begins with a simple quiz to figure out your body type. I believe I went through a similar quiz with ipsy but I still like that we have the option to personalize our options a little bit. This creates a profile and based upon your answers determines what type of samples you'll probably receive. It's very interactive because you get to select your samples, whereas Birchbox and many of the other subscription boxes prefer to surprise us.
(Monthly Price: $12)

3. Beautybox5--This service provides between 4 and 6 samples every month from luxury to well-known brands and can include makeup, skin care, hair products, fragrances and accessories. I think I even saw a mention of some vegan companies being included and I don't think I've ever tried any organic beauty products so that might be interesting.
(Monthly Price: $12)

4. Love with Food--Speaking of organic foods, Love with Food sends eight+ organic/natural snacks or samples every month and an added bonus of purchasing boxes from this company is that boxes are also donated to food banks and related charities like Share Our Strength, which I think is awesome. I also like the idea of being able to try out new foods and snacks.
(Monthly Price: $10)

5. NewBeauty TestTube--This company markets itself as the 'ultimate' program for sample box subscriptions and you pay $30 six times a year. I don't know what exactly is offered in these particular boxes, but I'm imagining that the number of items you receive is probably more than the regular box and that there are probably more full-sized products. It's about $60 more than you'd pay for a $10 subscription over the course of a year, but I would figure that it has to offer more. Is it worth it though? Ehh. I don't know.
($30 six times a year)

6. YokoTea--I like this idea. I'm not really a tea person normally, but one of my business plans involves tea and I'm open to trying new brands. Each month, you get between three and five varieties of tea. In terms of actual cups of tea, the company amounts it to around 30. That's not bad if you're not an everyday tea drinker. The company also says that rare teas will also be included, so that's another plus if you're looking to expand your beverage horizons a little.
(Monthly Price: $10)

7. BuluBox--Now this is interesting. This is a subscription service that focuses on weight loss management and fitness. Each box will include between four and five samples with various health, nutrition and weight loss items. After sampling the products, filling out surveys and subscribing can get you points, which amounts to money that you'll be able to save on regular sized products. I believe this is a normal thing for many subscription box companies though.
(Monthly Price: $10)

8. Treatsie--What I like about this box--besides the fact that it's a subscription box for nothing but snacks--is that you can get a sampler box for $5 to see if you like it before upgrading to the full monthly subscription. That's really interesting; other than Julep, who offers their first month free, I don't know of any other subscription services yet who offer discounted samples of their boxes. If you want to check out the types of things they send out, you can go here to see what's been included in the monthly boxes since June. I took a look at them and I like how strategically they put together their boxes. All of the products per month seem to be in line to form a theme of some kind, which I like. And the treats sound like they'd be fun to try. I'm hungry.
(Monthly Price: $15)

9. Soap-Of-The-Month Club--I love natural and organic soaps. I think they smell fresher, they smell nicer, and they aren't as rough on the skin as regular soaps that have chemicals and other derivatives in them. This club sends out a soap a month. and I've seen natural soaps for about $5 in my local area so this monthly price isn't too bad. I wish it was more than one but that could just be greed. lol
(Monthly Price: $6.50)

10. Green Grab Bag--Now this one I'm really interested in. I haven't seen any other subscription box service like this before; they offer three types or sizes of boxes. You can get the smallest box for $15, the regular for $25 and the largest box for $35 a month. You get to select a number of products from two columns, which will put you in the corresponding box according to the proper weight, size and type of product. I kinda like that; you can sorta choose by the types of things you order (all organic and vegan stuff, of course) which box you'll get. Nice.
(Monthly Prices: $15, $25, and $35)

11. Pretty Power Box--Now this one I'm interested in trying out because it's not like any of the other boxes I researched. This subscription box is just for female entrepreneurs, with each box providing office or entrepreneurial items in addition to the health and beauty products, which I think is cool. The company describes this box as being a help for female entrepreneurs so that they can achieve a healthy balance in their lives between work and family, and that's a different focus from many of the other services I've seen. I like that a lot.
(Monthly Price: $15)

12. The All-Natural Face--I like this box because in addition to the monthly contents of the box every month, each user will receive free samples as well. I like this because it seems like they're committed to giving a little more than the normal box and while you really get to try out the larger products you get, you're also exposed to a few more via the free samples. This box service also specializes in natural beauty and skincare products.
(Monthly Price: $15)

13. Sahshe--This company is for women of color (like meself) and different skincare, lifestyle, haircare and cosmetics products that we may be interested in. This service costs $12 a month and 4-5 luxury samples are delivered with each package. It's a little less than some of the other box services offer, but I'm interested to see if the 4-5 items will be worth it.
(Monthly Price: $12)

14. Skoshbox-- My sister would love this box. This is chock full (I really love saying that lol) of Japanese snacks and other goodies that are sent out every month for $12. If you like Japanese treats, you can check out the boxes from August to November here and see if it's up your alley. I think that this is a really neat box to help expand one's pallet.
(Monthly Price: $12)

15. MunchIt--I know I've been focusing on a lot of natural and vegan-based boxes but I think I've found more variety in those and I've also been really intrigued by a lot of them. I like this box because you get to choose from a number of different food mixes, hot and cold tea mixes and even gum flavors. This is a weekly subscription; the only thing I'm unsure of is how many products come in each weekly box.
(Weekly Price: $3.58; monthly price around $16)

16. OneRadiant--I've checked out this site before but I couldn't afford the $36 price tag so I put it on ice. Fortunately, it's not $36 per box, it's $36 for three boxes. The good thing about these boxes is that it is nothing but skincare, personalized to address your individual concerns and help you improve the condition of your skin through the 4-5 monthly samples.
($36 every three boxes)

17. Fancy Pants Food--This is pretty much the American equivalent to the Japanese Skoshbox I mentioned above; a box full of different kinds of American snacks that vary from month to month. They've shipped out different kinds of nuts, popcorn, chocolate, fruit caramels and teas, just to name a few.
(Monthly Price: $10)

18. Her Fab Box--I believe this one is also for women of color but it too has something that makes it a little different from some of the other boxes. What makes this different is that it has different sized boxes as well but there are different things offered in each box. The smallest box is called the 2+1=Cute and Edgy Package, costs $10 a month and comes with two pieces of jewelry and a surprise. The Two for Fab, the box I was looking at, costs $15 monthly and includes 6-9 samples of different sizes and a couple pieces of jewelry or accessories. The jewelry differs between boxes which I also like. The largest box is the Fabulous Box One, which includes some full-size products in addition to the regular sample and deluxe sized products. This one costs $25 a month and also includes jewelry and accessories. I'd go with the Two for Fab.
(Monthly Prices: $10, $15, $25)

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All in all, I'm excited to start on this little experiment. I would like to keep my subscription to Birchbox while I do it so that I could have a small basis for comparison, but I already have two Spotify Premium subscriptions, a Netflix and a Hulu Plus subscription in addition to my other bills so I just can't swing it. One subscription at a time for me. OAN, I'll probably be cancelling the Hulu Plus though; I hardly use it. But that's beside the point. lol Anywho, I'll do a different subscription per month and see how I like it, then come back and review it. At the end of the year, I'll have more than enough products...and "research" (LOL) to see which ones I like the most. I'm easily excitable so this lil' experiment has me really looking forward to January. 

*Are you part of any subscription service? Have you tried Birchbox? If you have, what'd you think? Shoot me a comment and tell me about your experiences or if you want to take part in this little experiment with me!

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