Rocksbox Review Vol. 003!

Rocksbox Review Vol. 003

This week I received my third Rocksbox and I couldn't wait to share my goodies with you!

I can't deny that receiving a mystery package in the mail isn't crazy fun. Although so many companies have come out with these monthly subscriptions for surprise packages filled with fun beauty or fashion related items, the concept never really gets old if you're receiving items you'll love. I look forward to each time that I send my Rocksbox package back and I'm on pins and needles until I receive my next one.

My box contained:

• Isharya Mirror Gems Libra Earrings (retail price $48)
• Sandy Hyun Pink Deco Collar (retail price $120)
• Gorjana Lena Ring (retail price $65)

I'm really happy with everything I received. I was secretly hoping for CC Skye, but my last two boxes already contained CC Skye, and I know the whole point of the service is to explore different designers and styles. My favorite pieces are the necklace and earrings. I've already worn both, and I'm pretty sure I'll be keeping the earrings (only $38.40 w/ the member price). They're so simple, but I love the mirror effect - they catch light really well and provide a lot of contrast with my dark hair. I love the style of the necklace, but not all bib style necklaces work with me because I have a high breast bone and it sits raised on my chest. I have a new designer to admire now though, I'm really loving Sandy Hyun's designs.

What is Rocksbox? Rocksbox is a fashion jewelry based subscription service where members pay $19/month to rent an unlimited amount of designer jewelry. A stylist will handpick (3) pieces suited to your taste (based on your style survey & preferences) and will be promptly mailed to you. You can wear your items as often as you'd like up to 60 days. Whenever you feel like it, you can place the items in the prepaid enclosed padded mailer, and drop it in your nearest mailbox. In no time, a new package will be sent your way! There's no minimum amount of time you have to wait before sending your items back. If you decide that none of the items are for you, you can send the package back right away and you'll receive a new selection. If you love any of the items and can't give it up, you can purchase any of the items for 20% the retail price. To read more about the service, check out the FAQs.

Sandy Hyun Pink Deco Collar 

Sandy Hyun Pink Deco Collar

Isharya Mirror Gems Libra Earrings

Gorjana Lena Ring

I think it's a really fun company, and it's one that I'm going to stay subscribed to. It's a really cool way to stay trendy and feel glam without much commitment (besides the membership fee, that is.) I don't want to repeat myself in each Rocksbox post, but if you're interested, check out my previous posts for more of my thoughts.

As always, to rack up some purchase credits with the company, you can share photos of your Rocksbox jewels on your social media pages and tag Rockbox to receive a $5 credit. You can build up quite the tab to purchase items that you may want to keep!

iFabbo and Rocksbox is providing my readers with an awesome discount code of 50% OFF your first three months ($9.50/month) by using the promo code FABB. If you feel that Rocksbox isn't for you, don't worry, you can cancel your membership at any time.

MAC Nice 'n' Spicy Pro Longwear Lip Pencil Review, Photos, Swatches!

MAC Nice 'n' Spicy Pro Longwear Lip Pencil

MAC Nice 'n' Spicy Pro Longwear Lip Pencil ($19.50) is a soft, rosy-brown with a warm, spicy terracotta undertone. It's a great shade for warm skin tones, and it's light and neutral enough to wear with most lipstick colors. It's long-wearing and transfer-proof.

MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencils are my absolute favorite lip pencils - my favorite shade is Staunchy Stylish, which I've talked about prior on my blog. I couldn't get enough of it, so I stopped by a MAC store for another everyday neutral liner in the Pro Longwear line and left with Nice 'n' Spicy. Although I find that Staunchy Stylish is a bit more wearable for me (because it's a bit more rosy w/ less red and I wear pink lipstick most of the time), I love Nice n Spicy and use it just as much. More so when I'm wearing peachy, coral or neutral lipsticks.

I love these liners for a few simple reasons. For one, the texture is amazing. It's velvety smooth and the tips never becomes dry and tugs on the lips. The pigmentation is fantastic - it's completely opaque in one stroke. The product dries quickly and is almost instantly transfer-proof. And lastly, when I apply a really emollient product on top (such as a lipgloss), the liner still doesn't budge. A standard lip liner would typically smear or blend in with any product added on top, but not these. Which makes these liners perfect for over-lining your lips to make them appear slightly fuller. The finish is matte and it's super long lasting - that outline isn't going anywhere!

I don't have a very distinct lip line; especially my top lip and cupids bow, so these pencils for me are a daily necessity. I highly recommend checking these out if you haven't already!

Swatches from left to right: MAC Nice 'n' Spicy Pro Longwear Lip Pencil, MAC Staunchly Stylish Pro Longwear Lip Pencil, MAC Spice Lip Pencil and MAC Subculture Lip Pencil.

Rain Cosmetics Private Jet and With the DJ Glam Lipsticks Review, Photos, Swatches!

Rain Cosmetics Private Jet and With the DJ Glam Lipsticks

Rain Cosmetic Glam Lipsticks ($20) are described as having extreme color and moisture that will stay put throughout the day for all-day glam. Combined with moisturizing mango butter, grape seed oil, and Vitamin E. Available in (15) shimmery and matte shades.

Private Jet is a sheer nude-beige with pink undertones and a shiny finish. Because it's sheer, it's a very easy nude to wear without the "concealer lips" look. Even when layered, the natural shade of my lips still shines slightly through. It reminds me a bit of the discontinued Revlon Soft Nude Lipstick, which was one of my drugstore favorites.

Because of the moisturizing formula and sheer color pigments, this shade didn't emphasize dryness or settle in my fine lines like many nudes tend to do.

The lasting power seems pretty average with this shade.

With the DJ is a vibrant fuchsia pink with a shiny finish. It's more opaque than Private Jet, and provides some seriously long wearing power. Even after the color and shine has worn off, it leaves a bright pink stain behind that lasts for hours (until you remove it of course). I absolutely love this shade. It's such a fun, bright shade when you want to extra glam, and also looks beautiful toned down with a lighter pink or nude. I even like mixing it with Private Jet to create a more wearable, vibrant light-medium pink.

The texture of the lipsticks are very slick and smooth. They feel initially really firm for the first couple of uses, but once you break them in, they are quite creamy and balm-like. I love the way they feel on the lips. I find them to be fairly moisturizing and I typically won't need to wear a lip balm underneath.

Rain Cosmetics Private Jet and With the DJ

MAC Up the Amp Lipstick Review, Photos, Swatches!

MAC Up the Amp Lipstick

MAC Up the Amp Lipstick ($15) is described on the MAC website as a "lavender violet". I think that's a really good description for it - it's a purple lipstick, but more violet (blue-toned purple) rather purple (even tone of red and blue). It's medium in tone, but it has that hint of lavender that lightens it up and brings a milkiness to the color. On tan/darker skin tones, it gives off a beautiful lilac pink hue.

It's definitely not an everyday color and is a bit edgy and daring, but when I'm in one of those moods where I want to look a bit fierce, I always reach for purple lipstick.

It actually took me a few wears to get use to this color - at first I thought it was too dull and dark. I was initially mixing it with lighter lilac shades (such as MAC Saint Germain, etc) to tone it down, until the point that I just started wearing it solo. It's one of my favorites now!

It's the "Amplified" formula, which I think is one of the best. It glides on smooth, creamy and the color is opaque. It has a shiny finish and doesn't dry out my lips.

When I wear purple-toned lipstick, I like to keep the rest of my makeup simple as the main focus is the lips. A simple winged-eye always looks great. Also, to keep my face from looking too cool-toned and dull, I always make sure to wear a warm-toned bronzer and a peachy blush. (Pink is a great pair for cool skin tones, but I love peach/orange blush on warm skin tones with purple lips.) I also never skip highlighter as I want to put some light back in my face since the lipstick darkens up my look.