Target Beauty Box Summer 2015

I just got my Target Beauty box Summer 2015 in the mail. I am so excited. I missed the last box and was kicking myself, because it's such a good deal. This box was a little more money than previous Target Beauty boxes- $7 versus $5.

If you are not familiar with the Target Beauty box it is an affordable small box of glamor goodies that Target sells exclusively on Target.com. It includes anything from skincare, haircare, and of course cosmetics.The Beauty Box is usually sold on a quarterly basis until they run out. Every box has free shipping. If you have a Redcard like me it will also take the 5% off too! Lately, they have been offering other boxes at the same time but with different themes. For example, there is a 'Father's Day' edition box also being offered. It's only $5 and is a great deal for any man. As of now this box is still available!

http://www.target.com/p/target-beauty-box-father-s-day-15-value/-/A-17366778#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=target+beauty+box

Unfortunately, the Target Beauty Box is no longer available but I will link it anyways just so you get a better idea of it.

 http://www.target.com/p/target-beauty-box-summer-40-value/-/A-17366779#prodSlot=medium_1_2&term=target+beauty+box

Now onto the box!

                     

               


The box was pretty good quality to the point I found myself questioning "Should I throw it away? It's so nice." It rivaled the quality of Birchbox's packaging. It came with the products wrapped in simple and classy red tissue paper and a card stating 'Hello Beautiful'. Why, thank you . On the back of this card lists everything you have received and how to apply it. There was also a $3 off $15 beauty purchase at Target.


My box included:

• One full size bottle of Sinful Colors nail polish in 'Thimbleberry' In the pictures it comes off more muted, but in-person it's a bright coral/red/pink color. This would look great on someone with a tan or a darker complexion. On me (I'm fair skinned) it is not flattering. I wish I would've received the blue color that others had gotten in their box instead. This bottle is roughly $2 at Target.

Revlon HD lipstick in 'Gladiolus '. My thoughts about this lipstick are similar to the nail polish. Target would've been better to send a more classic or wearable shade for all skin shades.  It didn't have the feel of a normal lipstick which was nice, but application was almost, dare I say, streaky. It doesn't go on opaque the first time. Even when you apply a few times and it appears to be even that doesn't last. Simply pressing my lips together made it patchy again. I wonder if a more neutral shade would wear better. This is a full size and retails for $8 at Target. 

• Cutex Advanced Revival Nail Polish Remover Pads (3 ct) which is not full sized. They claim each pad can clean nails both hands. I haven't tried these yet. I have tried this formula in liquid form and really liked it. It was much more gentle on my nails than traditional nail polish remover.

0.5 fl oz Olay Regenerist Luminous Dark Circle Correcting Hydraswirl Eye cream. I'm excited for this product because I have such bad dark under eye circles (It's genetic). The good size sample comes with a convenient pump that really lets you control how much product is dispensed. A little of this product goes a long way. I just started using this and hope to see results, but I am so impatient! 

• Last but not least is my favorite product I've received in the box-Fekkai Soleil Professional Haircare St. Barth's beach waves tousling spray. Once again, a little goes a long way. I spray into my damp hair and blow dry. I do not get much tousling action, but it makes my hair so soft and shiney! I have had good experience with Fekkai products. 

Final thoughts...

Overall, I would recommend this box for future re-purchase! You get the $7 back and plus some. I wonder if Target will offer future boxes for $5 or $7? Either way it's worth your money. I would LOVE for Target to offer the Beauty Box as monthly subscription box (This would be on of the cheapest on the market besides Walmart's quarterly subscription which is glorified samples). It would definitely give Birchbox and Ipsy a run for their money!

Do you agree? 

What was your favorite product?

Battling back acne? I got your back

With warmer weather comes sweating and for some back acne (aka: bacne). I have dealt with my share of bacne, especially during my teen years and early 20's. I was incredibly nervous to wear my prom dress senior year of high school because of the dreaded bacne. Back breakouts can be embarrassing and painful. Anyone had a breakout around the bra straps? Ouch :(

It's a problem for both genders face. One of my guy friends disclosed he was too embarrassed to remove his shirt at the pool because of his back acne. Someone who is usually so confident was crushed. I felt bad for him and I told him my trick to controlling and eventually getting rid of bacne. It is easy and pretty affordable and only adds a few seconds to your showering routine.

What you need:

-A back brush. You can find these about anywhere. I've tried some from the dollar store and they were too flimsy. Target and Walmart have a good selection. Walmart is where I buy mine since they are firm enough and are cheaper than Target's selection.  

-A scrub of some sort. I would recommend a mild-to-moderate grit scrub. Nothing that leaves you back in pain. I use an apricot scrub, which is cheap and easy to find at just about any store. St. Ives makes good scrubs. I am fond of Walmart's brand, Equate, apricot scrub. It's comparable to St. Ives and only cost $2.00! 

How to banish bacne:

• After washing your hair let the water hit your back for a few seconds.
• Squirt enough scrub to cover the back brush head. Sometimes it helps to pat into the brush so it doesn't just fall off in the shower. 
• Now scrub your back! Pretty simple, eh?
• Thoroughly rinse your back off.

If possible I would do the following every night before going to bed if you have been outside and active or every other night. This way you aren't going to bed all sweaty and sleeping in the day's filth. For the ladies out there, try to make sure you are washing/changing your bras often. 

Well I hope this quick tip helps people battle back acne and regain confidence to wear a tank top or go the pool :)

My Clarisonic Mia 2 Saga: Where to get one and for cheap!

My Mia 2 Saga

Clarisonic devices have been deemed as a must-have in the beauty world. The more rave reviews I encountered the more I wanted a Clarisonic Mia 2.  Unfortunately, they are costly devices. The Mia 2 usually retails for $150. Yikes! That's really pricey for the average Jane. Not knowing if it would work for me, I took to Ebay to find one for a cheaper price. I was so pleasantly surprised to find LOTS of Mia 2s new in box for half the cost! I placed a bid and about 1 week later I had a cute, pink Mia 2 to call my own. Or so I thought. Immediately upon opening and holding the supposed Mia 2 I knew something wasn't right. The more I went through the included items the more I was disappointed I became. Everything felt 'cheap'. I unscrewed the cap of the cleansing gel to see the small safety seal was already opened and mold (yes, mold) was forming around the opening of the bottle and the cap. Appauld I emailed the seller ASAP. I began to think how do people pay so much money for this kind of quality and rave about it?! Crazy. Then what really sent me over the edge was the enclosed authenticity code included. Every Clarisonic device comes with an unique code that the consumer uses to register their device on the Clarisonic website. Easy enough. Took not even 5 minutes to go to the website and enter the code given. Except the code automatically was returned as unable to register. Hello, I'm a big red flag! Once again I quickly messaged the seller confused while slowly starting to catch-on.

Soon after I went to Macy's and saw a Clarisonic display. I picked-up an almost identical Mia 2-same color. Immediately I noticed a huge difference- the weight was heavier, the color was brighter. Overall, it didn't have that 'cheap' feel. Then it finally clicked for me- I didn't buy and receive a Clarisonic Mia 2 from the seller off Ebay. It was a knock-off. Proving the old adage "if it's too good to be true then it probably is..." right. I began researching the market of fake Clarisonics and the tell-tale signs of a fake and was shocked to see my exact fake Mia 2 plastered all over the internet as the fake poster child.

A long story short the seller played coy, but they really knew it was a fake. I opened a case and won it. I also reported the seller because he continued to sell these fakes. Nothing, as far as I know, was done pertaining to him selling counterfeit Clarisonic devices. Armed with more knowledge I returned to Ebay hoping to find a real Mia 2. I was once again shocked to see how many of the Mia 2s listed on Ebay were indeed the same fake pink knock-off. After becoming frustrated and slightly paranoid, I started to search for cheaper Mia 2s but from reputable business (e.g. Sephora, Ulta, QVC, etc). I found what I consider a great deal. It was still a splurge, but was a safer bet altogether. I will offer tips of where to get the best Clarisonic deals so keep reading!

Get educated about the Mia 2

It comes with a charger, sensitive brush head, and one bottle of Clarisonic refreshing cleansing gel. The differences between a Mia and a Mia 2 are few. The Mia is about $25 cheaper than the Mia 2. The Mia 2 is slightly more money because it has two speed options and a built-in timer. The timer is a beep: 30 seconds for your forehead and nose/chin area respectively, and 10 seconds for each cheek respectively. For a grand total of 60 seconds (1 minute) of cleansing.

•  I HIGHLY recommend getting a hands-on experience with your desired Clarisonic device in-store. Sephora and Ulta are both great places that usually have the Clarisonic line on display. Don't be afraid to pick employees' brains about the device. I have found Sephora's employee to be some of the most knowledgeable when it comes to these kind of purchases. Also, Ulta and Sephora both have great return policies. Keep your receipt, even if the device works!

           Here's Sephora's return policy per their website:  http://www.sephora.com/customerService/customerServiceTemplate.jsp?mediaId=10800030

     Here's Ulta's return policy per their website:
http://www.ulta.com/ulta/guestservices/guestServicesCenterDetails.jsp#ReturnPolicy

•   Register the code inside the included booklet as soon as you decide you are going to keep your Clarisonic device so it will be under warranty. 

Where to buy a (real) Mia 2 and save $$$

So you have saved up and decided you are going to buy a Mia 2. Great! Congrats!

 I am all about getting the most 'bang for your buck'. Given my previous saga and hours of research I am can tell you what to expect and where to buy.

• You are going to spend at least $130 to $150 easy. Don't forget to include tax into your total cost.
• Look for a bundle type deal. I purchased mine around November from QVC.com for about $125 + tax. I was shocked to see such a good deal. It was their Today's Special Value. QVC offers the great bundle everyday, not just around the holidays. It's everyday QVC price is $149 + tax and shipping. It's $213 worth of product! Score!! The best part for all of you saving up for one is that QVC offers a payment plan with multiple payment installments. Plus they offer a good variety of cute designs, such as zebra and leopard prints. I got mine in purple leopard print :)

• ·         Sephora and Ulta also offer great deals and bundles. Sephora seems to have some of the cutest bundles. Go check out their websites for all the deals. 

·         If you purchase your Clarisonic from Ulta, Sephora, or even QVC online then shop through ebates.com. You earn a percentage of cashback on each purchase. If you you spend $25 in your first month then you get a free $10 giftcard from select stores of your choice. I've gotten about $100 cashback just from online shopping. This is great for holiday online shopping.

      Here's a referral link: http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=LBNqV0PPCHrrKFh2gQ4fjw%3D%3D

If you take one thing away from this long rant please do not risk wasting your money and time on a fake Clarisonic device!! Buy it from a reputable store. The counterfeit Clarisonic Mia 2s on Ebay are so convincing upfront that seeing them on a listing is too risky.

Comment down below if you want more posts about the keeping/ care of the Mia 2 or how to spot a fake.

Hope this all was informative and helpful!

UPDATE:2 YEARS LATER 
http://buckeyebeaut.blogspot.com/