Graze Snack Box – Week of 2/8/2016

Hello friends!

I’m back with my second, and most likely final, Graze snack box. If you haven’t read up on the one I received last week, check it out ->here<- (There’s also a coupon code if you want to try Graze out for yourself!

This box came with the full number of eight different snacks packed inside. Here’s what I got, and a quick description of each! I’ve only tried one so far (aka as I type…), but I’m pretty happy with what they sent!

1. Summer Berry Flapjack – rustic rolled oat flapjack (think chewy granola bar) with berry-infused cranberries. This is the one I tried out while writing this post, and it was so good! Super soft, and actually pretty filling for what looks like a small portion.
2. Sesame Garlic Crunch – garlic sesame sticks, oat bran sesame sticks, and multigrain soy crackers. Love anything garlicky!
3. Jelly Doughnut – raspberry strings, vanilla cookie drops, raspberry cranberries, and almonds. I think this one could be good as long as you get a little of everything in each handful.
4. Caramel Apple – caramel sauce with soft, dried apple pieces. Pretty self-explanatory. I love caramel apples, so I doubt that will change just because they are dried!
5. Peaches and Cream – passion fruit white chocolate, peach drops, coconut, and yogurt seeds. This one sounds interesting…but I’m definitely going to give it a try. I’m sure I will still love it! I don’t think I’ve ever had just plain, old coconut.
6. Kettlecorn Kern Pops – sweet and salty popped corn kernels. I grew up with a love for kettlecorn, especially from the Iowa State Fair, so I know I’ll like the flavor of this snack. The kernels look a lot like those Corn Nuts you can get at the gas station.
7. Zesty Chili Lime Cashews – This snack didn’t have a little description, even though the name sums it up, but I opened them up to give them a try anyways. YUM. Just a little kick of heat, and the sweetness from the lime.
8. Herby Bread Basket – basil baguettes, garlic crostini, and oregano rice crackers. This snack reminds me of a bag of Gardetto’s, and that’s not a bad thing.

So there you have it! I love the mixture of both sweet and savory snacks in this box, and it makes me really want to keep the subscription, but I know there are other things I’d rather spend $12 a week on, that’s for sure. It was fun to check out what Graze is all about, and maybe it is something you want to try!

Ta ta for now!

The Ginger Wife ❤

 

 

Project 10 Pan – Update & New P10P!

Hello friends!

It has been quite a while since I’ve posted about my P10P progress, and to be honest, I’m ready to move on and just start fresh with a new list of products. I used up nine of the fourteen total products I wanted to use up. That’s not too bad! Especially since I sort of fell behind on using the products after getting a bunch of new stuff around the holidays. So here’s to starting anew!

If you’re unfamiliar with Project 10 Pans, check out my first post here.

Here is my new list of products that I would like to either finish up, or make serious progress on:

 

1. Pureology Colour Fanatic Hair Treatment Spray – This is one of the samples from my first sample project post, and I absolutely love this stuff so far! I spray it all over my damp hair right before blow drying, and it makes it so soft and shiny! I’m putting this product in my P10P since I’ve had it for over a year, and want to be sure to use it all up. Shouldn’t be too difficult!
2. Coach Poppy Perfume – I’ve had this perfume for the longest time, and absolutely love it, but want to make room for some new perfumes. I know this will take some work to get through, but right now the liquid level is right at the bottom of the pink ‘Coach’ label.
3. Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Perfume – I can’t believe I’m putting two fragrances in this P10P, but this is another perfume that I’ve had for multiple years. I’ve made good progress on it over that time, but hadn’t touched it in quite a while. I have about 1/4 of the bottle to go.
4. Bath & Body Works Body Cream Vanilla Bean Noel – This was in one of my recent monthly favorites posts, and I’m just putting it on my list since I have a million and a half other lotions to work through. I’m almost done with it, and it’s to the point where I have to take off the lid and really squeeze the tube to get any out. Should be an easy one to check off the list!
5. Bath & Body Works Shower Gel Jingle All The Way – This should be another easy one to finish up. I only have maybe another week or two to go on this, but it’s on my list since I have quite a few more bottles of body wash waiting for their turn!
6. Mary Kay ClearProof Acne Treatment Gel – This used to be a part of my regular skincare routine, but when I started trying out different products, it got shuffled to the back of the cabinet. I just want to start using it again, so it doesn’t go bad and go to waste! There’s not a ton of this left – maybe 1/4 of the tube?
7. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Sin – This is one product that was in my last P10P that really didn’t get much love after a couple weeks. You can tell that there’s hardly any product left, just a small ring around the edges. I just have to force myself to grab this one daily instead of reaching for my current favorite Revealed palette!
8. NYX Butter Lipstick Pops – This is the other product that I’m rolling over from my last P10P since it was a replacement for another lipstick that I just ended up tossing. I really love this lipstick, but it can be tough to get through lip products! Sometimes they seem to be bottomless…
9. Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara Jet Black – This should be another easy one, since mascaras aren’t good to keep around for long periods of time. I really like this one, but it’s getting close to drying out, especially since it is only a sample size. I have a few other mascaras that need to get some use, too.
10. Mary Kay ClearProof Oil-Free Moisturizer – Like the treatment gel, I used to use this product all the time, but it wasn’t always enough moisture for what my skin was needing. I will try using this one more in the mornings when I need something a little lighter, or on days when I’m not planning on wearing much makeup. There’s about half the tube left.

That’s it! Ten more products I’d like to use up to make sure that I’m not letting anything go to waste! Sometimes the hardest part about doing these Project 10 Pans is that it disrupts the routine I was getting used to, but it also provides a little motivation to just use them up. Maybe I’ll even remember why I used to love the product so much 🙂

Ta ta for now!

The Ginger Wife ❤

Graze Snack Box – Week of 2/1/2016

Hello friends!

I recently stumbled across a code to try out a snack box from the company – Graze. They are similar to Love With Food, except the snacks come from the company own kitchen, and you can pick and choose the types of snacks you enjoy so that your boxes are more personalized. This subscription can come as often as once a week, so be careful if you sign up! Your card will be charged at the beginning of each week. You can choose to “snooze” your subscription if you need to take a break. I’m not sure if this is one I’ll stick with, but figured I couldn’t pass up a free trial 🙂

My free box came with four snacks to sample, and they all sound delicious.

Here’s what was in my first Graze box, along with a quick description of each since I haven’t given them a try yet!

1. Cinnamon Pretzel –  poppyseed pretzels and cinnamon honey almonds. Look really yummy and I love cinnamon and honey combined!
2. Apple & Cinnamon Flapjack – rustic rolled oat flapjack with apple and cinnamon. Their ‘flapjack’ appears to be similar to a soft granola bar. Can you tell my box seems to have a bit of a flavor theme going on?
3. Honey Drizzled Cashews – just what the name says. I love honey and I love cashews. I think I’m going to like this one!
4. Eleanor’s Apple Crumble – soft apple pieces, raisins, and cinnamon honey almonds. Sooo more cinnamon and honey, but I’m excited to try the apple pieces in this one. Yum!

Overall, I’m still trying to decide if the overall value for the full-size Graze box (8 snacks at $11.99) is really worth it, but if you’re wanting to try out some healthier, more natural snacks, this might be something you want to try! If you’re curious, head over ->here<- to sign up, and use my code ‘DKXQRNT2B’ to get your 1st and 5th boxes for free with no commitment, and you can cancel at anytime 🙂

Happy snacking!

Ta ta for now!

The Ginger Wife ❤

Walmart Beauty Box – Winter 2016

Hello friends!

Here with a new beauty subscription box that is a little different from the others I’ve shared with you. This one is from…WALMART?!

Yep, Walmart has their own beauty box that delivers samples of some of the newer products they carry right to your front door. This is a seasonal box, so there are only four a year, but they’re only $5! You’re pretty much just paying for it to be shipped to your mailbox. I gave this box a try about a year or so ago, and wasn’t all that impressed, but thought I’d give it another go!

Here’s what I received in my Winter 2016 Walmart Beauty Box:

1. Vera Wang Eau de Toilette Spray Embrace –  This scent is supposed to be a combination of green tea and pear blossom. I was intrigued by this because I do love green tea, but wasn’t sure how it would come across in a perfume! I was pleasantly surprised by how light and fresh the scent is, and think it will be perfect for the spring.
2. Pantene Pro-V Extra-Strong Hold Hairspray – To me, unless it has a crazy scent or makes your hair feel like you sprayed cement on it, hairspray is hairspray. I haven’t tried this one out yet, but I’m hoping this ‘extra-strong hold’ doesn’t leave that crunchy feeling/look behind. I like hold without the crunch.
3. Goody SlideProof Soft Touch Silicone Elastics – I own plenty of Goody hair elastics, but none with these little non-slip grips on them. I’m not usually a fan of using a hair tie that doesn’t at least attempt to blend with my hair color, but these could be nice for lounging around the house or at the gym when I don’t care so much! Hopefully they don’t also rip my hair out…
4. Aveeno Skin Relief Gentle Scent Lotion Nourishing Coconut – Another lotion sample to add to my collection, but lately I’ve been applying and reapplying lotion like it’s going out of style. I recently started a new job that has me washing my hands a minimum of 30 times in an 8-hour span (not even an exaageration), so my skin has been getting extremely chapped and dry. Not fun. I’m curious about the “as gentle as fragrance-free” claim, since lotions with a strong fragrance in them only increase the stinging I’m already feeling.
5. Aveeno Skin Relief Gentle Scent Body Wash Nourishing Coconut – The companion to the lotion above, I might also give this a try for washing my hands to see if it is a little more gentle. If not, it will be perfect to use for shaving my legs!
6. St. Ive’s Blemish Control Apricot Scrub – I love a good face scrub, so I will definitely get some use out of this. Another product to add to my sample project! Eek…
7. NSPA Exotically Creamy Coconut Rich Body Butter – So another lotion, but I love that this one is a body butter. They are my favorite to slather on my legs after shaving. Body butters are just so much more luxurious feeling than normal lotions. EDIT: I tried this out later on, and I will say that something about this scent just doesn’t do it for me. It smells like chemicals for some reason? Might have to toss this out.
8. Swisspers Leopard Print Paper Stick 100% Cotton Swabs – How stinking cute are these? I can’t wait to use these when I’m taking off my makeup tonight, even if the leopard print design has no effect on whether it works well or not. It still makes it a little more fun! This little pack will be perfect for traveling. Or maybe I’ll just display them…
9. Ken Paves You Are Beautiful Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner – If you read my recent review of Pantene’s Sheer Volume set, you’ll know I’ve found a shampoo and conditioner that I really like, so I will have to give this foil packet sample a try. I probably won’t get much more than two uses out of these dinky samples, but still might be enough to show what it can do! We’ll just have to see! But in the future, I could do without foil packets, Walmart.
10. Crest 3D White Brilliance Toothpaste & Whitening Gel – Another foil packet set that I doubt will show much result with only a couple uses, and products like this make me a little nervous anyways. I mean, I’m all for a whiter smile, but I hate how sensitive things like this make my teeth. I might be willing to give it a try…maybe.

And that, my friends, is all for the winter Walmart box! Ten products is a great value for just $5.00, so if you want to give this one a try, head on over ->here<- to sign up! The spring box starts shipping out the second week of March so you have plenty of time.

I know I’m just adding more work for myself to my sample project, but at least I get to try some fun new stuff I might not have picked up before 🙂

Ta ta for now!

The Ginger Wife ❤

January 2016 Favorites

Hello friends!

How are we already through the first month of the year?! January was an interesting month with some big changes in my life, but keeping an open mind and positive outlook is really helping. How is 2016 shaping up for you so far?

I have so many new favorites right now, most of which I got right around the holidays as gifts from my family. I’ve been dying to share them, and I’ve hinted at a couple in previous posts. I just wanted to hold off and include them in this month’s favorites so that I could really get some use out of them and share my thoughts! I’m sure these will all continue to be heavily used over the coming months!

Here’s what I couldn’t get enough in January 2016:

1. Coastal Scents Revealed Palette – While I haven’t tried the actual Urban Decay Naked Palette, I don’t think I need to when this Coastal Scents palette has even more shadows that are super soft, pigmented, and easy to work with. I only paid $21 for this one too! That makes each shadow just over $1 each, and is much easier to swallow than the $54 you pay for UD. I reach for this palette every single day. I wish the shades had names, but I especially love the third, fifth, & sixth shades in the top row (left to right) and the fifth and seventh shades in the bottom!
2. NYX Matte Lipstick Tea Rose – I mentioned this lipstick in my winter essentials post (here), but since it is one of my current favorites, I had to include it today! This NYX lipstick was a Christmas gift from my younger sister, and she did a great job of picking out a berry shade that was in my go-to range, but was also a little brighter than some others that I own.
3. Maybelline ColorSensational Matte Lipstick Touch of Spice – Also a winter essentials mention, this lipstick is the perfect color for me. It’s a little bit darker than the NYX one, and is super soft on the lips! I definitely want to check out more from this collection.
4. Clarisonic Mia 2 – This was a Christmas gift from my parents, and I’m totally obsessed. It has completely changed my skincare routine, and has made a big difference in how my face looks. My face feels so much softer and cleaner after I use ths, and it doesn’t add that much time to getting ready for bed. My skin just seems so much healthier lately, and this is a big part of why that is. Highly recommend it!
5. realTechniques Multi Task & Domed Shadow Brushes – The other half of my Christmas gift from my younger sister. These brushes came in a little travel case along with a foundation brush, (also great, but haven’t used it as much as these two) and I reach for them every day. You can tell from the pink tint to the multi task brush that I use it for blush. I love how evenly it distributes the pigment on my cheeks. The shadow brush is what I use to put shadow in the crease of my lid, and it is super soft and great for blending with. I can’t wait to add to my realTechniques collection.
6. thebalm Shadow/Blush FratBoy – I was on a bit of a blush kick this month after getting tired of the sample I was trying to use up, and this one I first saw at the PX here. The powder is super soft, and the color is super light for days when I want a more natural look. I snagged this one on Amazon for much cheaper than if I would have bought it at the store! I don’t think I’ll ever use it as a shadow, but I love it on my cheeks 🙂
7. tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush Fearless – This was another Christmas gift from my parents. I had told my mom that I wanted to try one of the tarte blushes, but let her pick the color since it is nearly impossible to get an accurate idea of the shades online. She picked the perfect one, which doesn’t apply nearly as bright as it looks in the pan. It’s just a gorgeous pink flush that is easy to build up and lasts all day.

Not gonna lie, I already have a couple products I know will be in my February favorites, and I probably could have included them in this month’s post, but since I didn’t start using them until the end of the month, I figured I could hold off. It’s easy to love a product right away, but sometimes you don’t really know if it works for you until you give it some more time!

Ta ta for now!

The Ginger Wife ❤

Pantene Pro-V Sheer Volume Review

Hello friends!

This post is a little different from anything I’ve shared before. First a little background on where the review below is coming from.

Influenster is an online community that finds everyday people with social media outlets such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, blogs, etc. to receive complementary products to give their honest opinions on. People all over have reviewed hundreds of products, and others can then search the Influenster site to decide if they would like them, or not! So far, I’ve shared my opinion on products from Pond’s, Nivea, and now, Pantene!

Pantene sent me these huge complementary bottles of their Sheer Volume shampoo and conditioner to test out and review! I was so excited when I received my VoxBox (the boxes that Influenster sends the testers everything they need to create their reviews), and couldn’t believe how heavy it was. I had assumed that I would just be receving sample-sized tubes, or maybe a regular full-size bottles. Nope! Definitely not the case…

These bottles are going to last me forever, and that’s saying a lot with the amount of hair I have. Hairs for days. Plus, I’m loving this shampoo and conditioner set so far! The formula is super thick, and I love how the shampoo really lathers up in your hair. I let the shampoo sit in my hair for a minute or two before rinsing out, and give the conditioner 4-5 so that it has time to sink in.

The first few times I tried these out, I wanted to make sure I was getting a 100% clear picture of how they affect my hair. I normally use a repairing hair mask and/or a leave-in conditioner to help with tangles, but I was curious if this conditioner would take care of that step on its own. For the most part, my hair was relatively easy to comb through, but I did have to use a little detangling spray to help out. My hair has been pretty finicky lately, so I’m sure on more well-behaved hair, it would have been a little easier to comb out. This might be the one problem area I ran into, but again, my hair hasn’t been easy to deal with in the past few months.

As far as the volume boost that the shampoo-conditioner combo claims to give your hair, I’m pretty impressed! I notice that my hair has a thicker feel to it and a little extra va-va-voom once it is blown dry. The extra volume lasts all day, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Overall, I think this is a great product! I’m so happy I was able to try out these complementary bottles Pantene sent me, and this review was definitely my honest opinion. If you’re in the market for a shampoo and conditioner duo that will add some extra volume to your ‘do, I highly recommend giving Pantene’s Sheer Volume set a try 🙂

Ta ta for now!

The Ginger Wife ❤

Pizza Rolls – Super Easy!

Hello friends!

I’m always trying to find new recipes to try out when making weekday dinners for my husband. We love pizza, but since ordering can get expensive, and is not the healthiest choice, finding alternatives that we can make at home is a lot of fun. These pizza rolls turned out awesome, and were SO easy!

Everyone needs that go-to no-brainer that is sure to please any picky eaters in your family. Well…as long as they like pizza 🙂

These would also be fantastic as an appetizer or snack at your next party. Super Bowl 50? Yes, please!

Ingredients:

• 1 tube refrigerated pizza crust dough
• mozzarella string cheese snack sticks (about 5-6), unwrapped & cut into fourths
• turkey pepperoni slices
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• pinch of parsley flakes
• 2 tsp minced garlic

1. Preheat oven according to pizza dough directions (about 400-425º). Lightly grease a square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Roll out pizza dough, and using a pizza cutter or knife, cut the dough into about 16-20 squares. Don’t worry about having them all the same size or shape!
3. Place 1-2 pepperoni slices (depending on how much you’d like) in the center of each dough square.
4. Top the pepperoni slices with a piece of the quartered mozzarella sticks.
5. Gather the four corners of each square of dough, and pinch them together around the pepperoni and cheese to form a ball. Place, seam side down, in a lightly greased square baking dish.
6. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, and parsley. Brush a small amount of the mixture onto the top of each pizza roll. Don’t worry about using it all up! A little dab with do, but all depends on your taste.
7. Bake in oven 12-15 minutes, but keep an eye on them – time will vary slightly depending on the dough you use.
8. Serve with your favorite pizza sauce for dipping! 🙂

(Recipe adapted from Inspired Dreamer)

It would be fun to change up the filling, or to add a few of your favorite pizza toppers. Italian sausage, onions, green peppers? Yum!

Ta ta for now!

The Ginger Wife ❤

My Winter 2016 Skincare Routine

Hello friends!

As I shared in my past post about my goal for 2016 (here), I really want to nail down a skincare routine that makes me feel more confident about my bare face. I know that this will involve a bit of trial and error, but I thought it might be helpful to keep track of what I’m trying out, and the products I’m enjoying.

A few of the products in my current routine are close to running out, or are sample-sized, so they aren’t permanent, but samples are a great way to try out a variety of products before committing to the full-size.

Here is my current skincare routine as of January 2016: This is obviously not a skincare product, but I almost always have an audiobook playing while I’m washing my face before bed. Keeps the routine from getting too boring. Right now I’m listening to Baby Proof by Emily Giffin, the same author of the first book I read for my reading project!
These Neutrogrena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes are my favorite makeup wipes! They are incredibly gentle on the skin, and do a great job of removing both face makeup quickly and easily.I follow the wipes up with the liquid Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover on a cotton ball. Again, takes off my makeup quickly and easily without irritating my eyes at all.This is my favorite part of my routine! I put a good amount of my AcneFree Oil-Free Purifying Cleanser on my new Clarisonic Mia 2 Facial Cleansing Brush, and get any leftover makeup and dirt out of my pores. This brush leaves my skin feeling so ridiculously soft and clean! I’ll talk about it more in my January favorites for sure 🙂I follow up my cleanser with a toner. I just ran out of the AcneFree toner that I’ve been using most of the winter, but decided to try out the Clean & Clear Essentials Deep Cleaning Astringent. I love the size of the product, and that you get a lot of product. I believe the product does what it’s supposed to, but I’m worried that this formula is a little too harsh for my skin. It also has an extremely strong smell. I know they have a sensitive skin version, so I might see if I can track that one down and give it a try. *Update: I bought the sensitive skin version, and it is so much better for me!*After using toner, I put about a nickel-size amount of the AcneFree Repair Lotion all over my face. This doesn’t do much as far as moisturizing, but I feel like it gives my skin a little TLC after the sting you can get from toner. This product’s formula also has a continuous-release of micro-benzoyl which keeps it working all night.Moisturizer is another product that I also just ran out of, so I’m digging into the samples of moisturizer I have piling up. Not pictured is one that I absolutely loved, but only had an extremely small sample of – Avene Soothing Moisture Mask. I’m almost done with my sample of eco-beauty good night. night cream. and like this one, but I have to use quite a bit to get the amount of moisture my skin is needing right now. Next up will be Nourish Organic Argan Face Serum. I’ve tried this one once before, and I think it will be the perfect amount of moisture for the dry, winter air! I will be interested to see how it does under makeup.Next up, is a super thick eye cream. I’ve been noticing that my under eyes have been a little dry, but so far, I’m really liking the Burt’s Bees Radiance Eye Cream with Royal Jelly. I was a little unsure about the sound of the royal jelly ingredient, but I really like this one, and a little product goes a long way. This little jar should last me quite a while.Last, but not least, is a product that was recommended to me by my younger sister. She’s had a lot of luck with the AcneFree Drying Lotion, and I wanted to give it a try. This product is interesting…There is a pink sediment that settles to the bottom of the jar. You dip a cotton swab straight down through the yellow-ish liquid into the sediment, and pull straight back up. The pink lotion is what then goes onto any blemishes, and it dries them out over night. I don’t know if I’d recommend this for people who already have very dry skin, but if you’re only using it on a couple small patches, it shouldn’t be too bad. This isn’t the most attractive product to wear, but it dries clear and basically disappears over night. So far, I’m really glad I added this to my skincare routine.

That’s that! I’ll post an update in a couple months when I hopefully have made some changes and found products that I like more than these!

Do you have an holy grail skincare items? Any toner or moisturizer recommendations?

Ta ta for now!

The Ginger Wife ❤

My Winter Essentials

Hello friends!

Winter has fully set in here in southeastern Missouri. Our temperatures have been fluctuating quite a bit, but we’ve had some chilly days and even a couple blankets of snow! I love winter weather as long as I don’t have to go anywhere, but I’ve caught myself dreaming of a sunny, 70°  day plenty of times! In the meantime, it’s nice to curl up on the couch with a good book and the heat on full blast 🙂

I was inspired to create a list of my winter essentials by one of my current YouTube favorites – RachhLoves! She recently posted a video all about her favorite things to have around during the winter, and it got me thinking about my winter must-haves as well!

I’d love to know what you consider your winter essentials, let me know below!

• Food: Soups! Nothing makes me feel cozy and full like a big bowl of a hearty soup, or some chili. I love how they warm you from the inside out, and there are so many different recipes you can try depending on your taste. Plus you can make them as easy as dumping a few ingredients into a big pot, and letting it simmer. I shared my favorite chili recipe a few weeks ago, and you can change it up however you’d like. Check it out here.
• Candle: During the winter, I love warm scents that smell like you have something delicious baking in the oven. I’ve burned a couple B&BW Vanilla Bean Noel candles that I absolutely love, but have really fallen in love with their Cinnamon Spiced Vanilla candle. So yummy smelling! Once warmer temps roll around, I’ll get back to the lighter, fruitier, “clean” smells.
• Clothing/Accessory: Big chunky knit sweaters, leggings, scarves, vests, and boots! I know that’s an entire wardrobe right there, but it’s pretty much all you’ll catch me wearing on the coldest days. Depending on accessories and shoes, you can dress a sweater up, or keep it more casual! Cozy and keeps you toasty 🙂

• Nail Polish: Now that the holidays have passed, I lean more towards darker reds/purples (CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Wine To Five), nudes (Essie Topless & Barefoot), and gray tones (Essie Cocktail Bling). If I want to do a fun accent nail, I’ll add in some silver glitter, or a metallic polish. A little more monochromatic, but I save the brighter colors for the spring and summer!

• Lipstick: Now, I don’t usually stray far from my usual go-to mauvey nude shades no matter the season, but I especially love these in the late winter months. I’m past the festive, Christmas red lip, and this shade adds a nice flush of color without going outside of my comfort zone. My current favorites are theBalm Cosmetics Matte Liquid Lipstick Committed, NYX Matte Lipstick Tearose, and Maybelline Matte Lip Color Touch of Spice.
• Skincare: I’m still nailing down a skincare routine that really works 100% for me, but as far as giving my dry skin some extra TLC, I’ve been relying heavily on a good exfoliator (Clarisonic Mia 2), a soothing eye cream (Burt’s Bees Royal Jelly Eye Cream), and a thirst-quenching moisturizer (eco-beauty’s Good Night. Night Cream).
• Comfy At Home Must-Have: I almost always have on a pair of slipper socks, and my new favorite fleece. I’ve also been loving to snuggle up under this super soft and warm throw from Target along with a good book. I’m currently reading The Fame Game by Lauren Conrad.
• Drink: I still can’t get enough of the caramel apple spice from Starbucks, which became a new favorite during the fall, but you also can’t go wrong with a mug of decaf coffee with some vanilla creamer! Anything that warms you up from the inside, and keeps your hands toasty at the same time!
• Activity: As much as I really don’t mind the winter months, I prefer to enjoy them from indoors. My husband and I have been guilty of spending quite a few nights curled up on the couch with a Netflix marathon underway. We just finished watching all seven seasons of Parks and Recreation (so funny!), and are a few episodes into Making a Murderer (something we just had to watch after all the hype surrounding it!) We laughed about having a mission to watch every episode of every season of every show Netflix has to offer…#lifegoals

Are you a winter lover, or are you dreaming of springtime? Stay warm!

Ta ta for now!

The Ginger Wife ❤

ipsy – January 2016

Hello friends!

Sorry for the major delay on this month’s ipsy bag! On the 16th, I checked the tracking information for the package since it was already running a little late, and my package was all the way in Des Moines! Now if I still lived there, that would make sense, but that’s not the case. My ipsy bag took a tour of the Midwest, traveling from North Carolina, to Chicago, to St Louis, past our house and on to Springfield, then a small town  on the opposite side of the state named Sarcoxie, then up to Iowa before making its way to Kansas City and finally, southeastern Missouri. Phew! Luckily, everything inside was still intact…

This month’s bag isn’t high on my cuteness scale, but the theme for the month is ‘All Eyes on You’, so I get the reason for the design. Also, as you probably guessed, most products I received are for the eyes.

Here’s what ipsy sent me this month:

1. Hey Honey Skincare Open Your Eyes Eye Contour Lifting Fluid – I had to do a little research on the ipsy website to know exactly what this product was, but it sounds like it’s basically just a firming undereye serum. I’m working on another eye cream at the moment, but will give this one a try and put it in my ‘samples to use up’ bin.
2. Lasting Smiles Lip Balm Peppermint Cream – I’m not overly excited about receiving a lip balm, but this particular brand supports a great cause, so that’s a major plus. It gives your lips that minty tingle, so I will make sure to not use this before stepping outside during these chilly days! The formula feels very moisturizing on the lips, and the scent isn’t overpowering.
3. City Color Cosmetics Eyeshadow Trio Falling Leaves – This is a really pretty trio of eyeshadows that are right up my alley. The pigmentation on the colors isn’t fantastic, but they’ll still be nice to try out on days when I want a more subtle look. The darkest shade is very soft, and a unique color. The pale shimmer could work nicely as a highlight. Just an ‘eh’ kind of product, if I’m 100% honest.
4. PEEK Beauty Natural Stain Brow Powder – I’ll have to do some playing around with this brow powder to be sure that it’s the right color for me. I have been leaning towards using a powder versus the pencil I use right now because I feel that I’d be able to better manage the intensity of the color. I’ve never heard of the brand PEEK, and the little tin packaging is really cute!
5. theBalm Cosmetics Mr. Write(Now) Eyeliner Pencil Jack B Bronze – I’ve been loving theBalm products lately (there will be a few in my January favorites, spoiler alert) so I’m happy to add another to my collection. This eyeliner is a gorgeous dark bronze color, and will be great to line the bottom lash line with! Probably the product I’m most excited about from this month’s bag.

I’m going to give this month’s ipsy bag a B+ (tied with Birchbox). The eyeliner, brow powder, and eye serum are the better products in the bag, and while the lip balm is nice, it’s nothing I couldn’t have picked up at the drugstore. The eyeshadow trio is nothing to get excited about. I’m still debating between canceling one of my beauty subscriptions, but neither was truly awful this month. I’ll probably give them through February or March, and then make my decision. I just know that the second I cancel, the next month will be awesome! Hmmm…decisions, decisions!

How would you rate my ipsy bag this month?

Ta ta for now!

The Ginger Wife ❤