February Flashback

This month has been a lot of things. It's been short. It's been snowy. It's be SUPERFREAKINCOLD. However, it also has been kind of awesome. I started this year off with a revived enthusiasm for blogging, and I feel like February has been so wonderfully productive and positive for Little Blushing Birdie. Whether you're a new reader, or are in need of playing catch up, here are some of my favorite posts from the past month!

February 2015 Glambag

It's February and this month Ipsy is showing us the love with pretty makeup and pampering treats tucked inside of this adorable geometrically patterned bag. Did I end up being smitten with any of the products I received? Read more to find out.

February 2015 Favorites

Welcome to my GIANT February Favorites post! I'm kind of cheating by including things that I've been loving since the beginning of the year and haven't gotten around to gushing about yet. From haircare must-haves, to gorgeous new makeup launches, to delicious tea, I've come across some amazing products in the past month (...months...whatever) that I can't wait to tell you about!

Falling in Love with L'Occitane

When it comes to prestige beauty brands, there are many that I make googley eyes at from afar, but don't have the cash to invest in. L'Occitane is one of those brands, with its cute packaging and fancy French names that induce a sigh of longing every time I pass outside the shop. And then, as luck would have it, Sephora offered a L'Occitane Favorites 500 point Beauty Insider reward. With four adorable minis of some of the brand's best selling products all tucked inside a chic little makeup bag, I was incredibly happy I hadn't redeemed any rewards in months. Finally, a little taste of L'Occitane would be mine.

Limited Edition Fresh Start Birchbox Review

As February winds down and we move farther and farther away from that day of new resolutions, the hustle and bustle of everyday life may be starting to drag you back into old habits. If you need a little motivation to stay motivated, you may want to consider gifting yourself the latest Limited Edition box from Birchbox. The Fresh Start box has a ton of good-for-you beauty products and gym bag essentials that may re-inspire you to throw on your workout clothes and get back to it!

Makeup Remover 101: Find Your Perfect Formula

Whether you're the kind of gal that sports a smokey-eye on the regular, or a makeup minimalist, one thing remains the same for all of us. We all should be going to bed with a fresh, clean face. When it comes to bidding your lipstick and eyeliner adieu at the end of the day, there are quite a few options on the market for getting the job done. However, not all makeup removers are created equal, and some will inevitably be doomed to failure if used in the wrong situation. Need help figuring out what kind of formula belongs in your cabinet? Check out these four makeup removers and when I like to use them!

Walmart Beauty Box Winter 2014

So this post is a bit overdue, as I'm pretty sure my box arrived sometime in December. When I've got an abundance of things I want to write about, it seems inevtiable that a few posts remain in the "draft" category of my blogger page for far too long. But never fear, Walmart Beauty Box, I have not forgotten about you!

For a flat $5 fee Walmart will deliver a box of drugstore beauty goodies to your doorstep at the start of each season. If your budget is tight and doesn't have room for a monthly beauty subscription, this is a great low cost alternative. At a cost of only $20 a year it's a more-than-affordable option for getting your beauty fix. There are usually a few versions of the box that cater to particular age groups, and many times they contain at least one or two full sized items. Sound like a good thing to you? You can sign up to start getting your own Walmart Beauty Box here!

Now that you're a little better acquainted, let me show you what Walmart sent for this winter.

February 2015 Birchbox

While everyone is gallivanting around in a romantic mood this month (guilty #sorrynotsorry), Birchbox is taking a step back and reminding us to send some love and appreciation to our friends. And let's be serious, you know they totally deserve it. They've stayed on the phone with you while you've cried about some guy who's the worst (even if they tried to warn you a month ago), passed no judgment when you binged on wine and cupcakes on a Thursday night, been your "emergency" to get out of an awful date, and is totally letting it slide that you still haven't returned that dress you borrowed two years ago. Our friends are our safety nets, our partners in crime, our supporters, motivators, and much needed reality-checkers. Personally I often think to myself that I couldn't ask for better friends in my life, and all of you out there who are reading should know how much I love you <3

When it comes to my friends in the beauty world, I've also got all the love for Birchbox, which is made no less by this month's box.

Michael Todd Beauty Mask Madness Review

Winter has been INTENSE in New England this year. Giant snowstorms are apparently the new weekly thing, and the temperatures have been sustaining themselves at what feels like sub-artic levels. My poor skin feels like it's constantly taking a beating, between stuck indoors with stale, super dry air, alternating with being exposed to frostbite inducing winds every time I need to venture out of the house. Fortunately my bestie gifted me an amazing set of masks from Michael Todd Beauty for Christmas, which I've been using on the regular to keep dry, irritated, and generally cranky skin at bay.

What's New at the Drugstore: Milani Fierce Foil Eyeshines

New makeup launches are always so much fun to check out. After having seen a few swatches and hearing a little about these new quads from Milani I found myself saving up my CVS Extrabucks to make a purchase.

February 2015 Julep Maven Box

Happy Sunday, friends! I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day. The boyfriend and I had a lazy afternoon, started watching Girls (and are subsequently addicted), and went out for a ridiculously delicious dinner at Max Fish (good seafood makes my tastebuds do a happy dance). It was a cozy, lovely day.

Speaking of feeling the love, that's exactly what I got from this month's Julep Maven box. With a brand new makeup launch to try, some pretty new polishes, and a special extra gift thrown in there, it was enough to make me all warm and fuzzy inside.

Tea Time - Mighty Leaf White Orchard Review

If you checked out my post from Monday you'll know that I struck a gold mine in my most recent Birchbox order. I received not one but TWO sampler packs from two amazing tea brands. I'm just about as crazy for tea as I am for beauty products, so I was understandably excited as a kid on Christmas to suddenly have 9 (or 10 counting the box I ordered) new flavors to try. Needing a reminder of warm weather and summertime, I decided to start off with Mighty Leaf's White Orchard.

Lips & Nails to Match Your Valentine's Day Mood

Whether you're going out for a night on the town with your girlfriends this Valentine's Day or heading to a fancy restaurant with your hubby for dinner, I've got four amazing nail polish and lipstick pairings to suit your mood.

Confessions of a Beauty Blogger Tag

All right, people. It's about to get real.

I've somehow managed to go all this time without ever doing one of these "tag" posts. I see them all over the place, and always think how much fun they'd be, but somehow fail miserably at actually taking the initiative. Thankfully, Sammi over at College Beauty Buff I've been put to the challenge!

Birchbox Aces Sale Picks

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you probably know how much of an avid Birchbox fan I am. Being a subscriber has so many amazing benefits, and I never regret the $10 I spend each month to stay one! In the last year Birchbox rolled out a new loyalty program, called Birchbox Aces. Becoming a Birchbox Ace comes with all kinds of perks - from having early access to your monthly sample choice, to getting special gifts and treats, to receiving exclusive promo codes you can use on your shop orders. To obtain Ace status all you need to do is earn 500 Birchbox points in a calendar year, which you can do from referring friends, reviewing the products in your monthly box, or making purchases from the Birchbox shop.

Last week Birchbox had a special Ace exclusive sale, with over 300 products available to purchase at 40% with free shipping! I mean, seriously. How could I not resist picking up a few things?

January 2015 Glambag

A fresh start. I certainly applaud the idea, Ipsy. The beginning of a new year is for most of us the perfect time to mentally start a new chapter in our day to day life. Most of the time I'm not really sure how the products I get in my Glambag relate to the monthly theme, but I think this time it's a much more understandable fit. Let me show you what I got!

Say I Love You to You With a Rose Scented Retreat

Valentine's Day.

It can be a touchy subject.

For those happily involved in relationships it may be something you're eagerly anticipating as a time to celebrate each other. But for the lonely-hearted, the recently single, the long distance lovers, or anyone without someone to snuggle with that night, the thought of said holiday might be hitting a sore spot. I've been there, and I know how much it sucks. And while it's tempting to mope around or wear black or post depressing statuses on Facebook, you deserve better than that. Valentine's Day should be a celebration of love, and not just towards a significant other. One of the people you should first and foremost be loving and taking care of is yourself, so I say, regardless of your relationship status, make some time next Saturday to show yourself some love and appreciation!

Here's my guide for an hour of rose inspired, ultra pampering me-time. Whatever you do in your day to day life, I'm sure you work hard and you've earned it! I personally am a fan of the sweet and floral scent of roses, but you can easily take these product ideas and trade in something suits your nose better.

January 2015 Birchbox

Holy snow, Batman! Here in the Northeast we just can't seem to catch a break with the weather. Since I'm home from work a little early and stuck inside for the rest of the night I figured it was a perfect time to catch up on blogging. I was all about playing catch up last month after having taken a break for some me-time back in December, and I'm still a little behind on my subscription box reviews. I will say, though, that the delay in writing is in no way a sign that I was disappointed with what I've gotten. My January Birchbox was a pretty solid one, and I can't wait to show you what's inside!

MAKE Calypso Eyeshadow Palette Review & Tutorial

Good morning, friends! It's Super Bowl Sunday, and for the athletically apathetic like myself, today is a day all about eating delicious snack food, socializing with friends, and critiquing commercials. Truly, I'm like the Switzerland of sports. Complete neutrality. It is fun to watch everyone else get all riled up, though.

Anyway, before the day's festivities begin, I've got a review and tutorial that I've been working on over the past few days to share! For those of you who splurged on the LE Vanity Affair Box from Birchbox you may already be well acquainted with this palette. And if not, let me introduce you to the MAKE Calypso Palette.