March Flashback 2015

It's hard to believe another month has come to an end. I'm not going to lie, the fact that it still feels like winter despite the fact that it's technically spring has made the beginning of this year feel a little draggy, but I'm trying not to let it get me down. Here's a quick look back at all the ways I've been channeling those spring time vibes in March!

March 2015 Favorites

I can't believe March is already coming to a close! 2015 is seriously flying by, although I think my desire for warm weather has probably been responsible for some of it. I tried to keep my round up a little more manageable than last month's, although there are a ton of products that I've been testing and enjoying lately that I hope to be able to talk about soon. In the meantime, let's get down to business and take a closer look at some of the stand out products I've been using in the past month!

Instalove

Of all the social media outlets I've joined, Instagram is by far and above my absolute favorite. First off, who doesn't love perusing pretty pictures? Second, while you can quickly look through content, it feels way less overwhelming than Twitter (which to me is just an information overload on my brain). I also love that it's incredibly easy to find new people to follow, and to spread the love. If you're also an instagram addict, you can follow me @littleblushingbirdie (or click here to go right to my page). I've been trying to be more regular about posting, sharing little snippets of my everyday looks, manicures, and shopping hauls. I also think it'd be fun to share some of my favorite instagram accounts that I currently follow, so be on the look out for that post coming sometime next month!

March 2015 Empties

I don't know what it is about looking at other people's trash, but empties videos and posts are some of my absolute favorites in the blogging world. I find it incredibly interesting to see what products people are loving enough to use to the very last drop and hear their sort of final thoughts. I'd never been very good at hoarding my own empties, but since the beginning of the year I've been determined to make some headway through my stash and document my progress along the way. It's been a few months since my last post, and with a lot of mostly empty products in use, I thought it'd be a good time to clear out the bag and start fresh.

You may notice the significant lack of makeup in the picture above. I don't know about you, but I find it incredibly difficult to actually finish most makeup products before they go bad. I recently did a small purge of my eyeliners and cream shadows which I unfortunately didn't photograph. However, I do have a few mascaras that are starting to turn funky that will probably appear in my next empties post along with hopefully some more makeup goodies.

Anyway, let's say a final farewell to some of the stuff I've been using lately!

Lilly Pulitzer for Target

Who loves a good collab? This girl. On April 19th Target is going to be launching an exclusive collection in partnership with Lilly Pulitzer that is absolutely perfect for spring. Cheery floral patterns, bright whites and gold accents strike the perfect balance between sophistication and fun. The collection contains beautiful products for the home, as well as some extra stylish fashion and beauty picks. As you can see, I've already started my wish list, and you can do the same here! I'm sure this limited edition collection will sell out quickly, so if there's something you absolutely adore, I'd make plans to pick it up as soon as the line launches.

Will you be shopping the Lilly Pulitzer for Target collection? What product are you most excited about?

March 2015 Glambag

Spring has sprung over at Ipsy, with this month's theme being inspired by the colors and textures delicate flowers and lush blooms. Did the products I received have me feeling fresh as a flower? Take a closer look!

Best of Becca Review

Sometimes in life you have a moment where you hear a song, or taste a food, or in this case, try a particular makeup item, that you just IMMEDIATELY fall in love. There's no moment of being on the fence, no gradual process of garnering appreciation. It's all wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am head over heels obsession from the very first second you become acquainted. Friday night, I had one of those moments.

Hello Becca. Where have you been all my life?

I should start out by paying some credit where it's due to Vivianna at Vivianna loves makeup, who first piqued my interest about the brand by writing this post. Basically I laid eyes on Beach Tints and immediately put them on my wish list. A few weeks later, as if somehow the universe knew, I'm perusing my ULTA catalog and see an exclusive Best of Becca set. With a full sized Beach Tint. An impulse buy ensued (along with a few other things...the evidence of which can be seen from my instagram feed) and within a week I had my hands on this gorgeous collection.

March 2015 Birchbox

Happy Saturday, friends! Today has been one of those lazy, snuggly, curl-up-and-watch-Netflix kind of days. There's a fresh coat of snow on the ground, despite the calendar telling me that spring has officially begun, which means I'm staying huddled under a blanket in my sweats for the rest of the night. Of course, such nights are perfect for catching up on blogging. First up on the agenda is taking a peak at my March Birchbox.

Rose Gold Glow

I adore soft, feminine makeup. Sheer washes of color, glowing skin - nothing too overdone or overly complicated. Pinky nudes and rose gold hues lend themselves perfectly to this kind of look, warming up your natural features while still managing to look natural. Here are some of my favorite products to do the job.

Spring Pastels - My Nail Polish Picks

Somehow, magically, the temperature has decided it was going to go from the teens everyday to the 40s.

*Does happy dance*

If it doesn't snow again until November I would TOTALLY be okay with that. If you haven't noticed my griping about the sub-arctic temperatures around New England, the long story short is that I am a summer baby, and I am counting the days to when I can be reunited with my flip flops.

For now, though, 40 degrees feels like a heat wave and I am ready to welcome spring with open arms. Open arms with perfectly manicured hands, that is. Nothing says springtime to me like soft, creamy pastel shades. Whether you're a fan of lilac, coral, or mint, I've got a rainbow of dreamy nail polishes to share that are perfect for setting the mood for spring.

Save or Splurge? Budget Beauty vs. Hyped High End Makeup

Truth. If I've had a stressful day, perusing the aisles of Sephora or ULTA will generally always make me feel better. Most of the time I just browse, swatch, and oggle all of the pretty things around me, and only on rare occasion to I let myself splurge and make a purchase. I'm not going to lie, I love me some high end makeup, but if I took everything I wanted home with me I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to afford to eat. In the end I've realized it's all about balance. Sometimes spending those extra $10 or $20 (...or $50) is totally worth it for a knock-your-socks-off-one-of-a-kind-amazing product that performs like no other. But other times you can find an equally great alternative (maybe with slightly less pretty packaging) at the drugstore for a fraction of the cost.

Hence, the topic of today's post.

My recent experimentation with some newer drugstore launches has led me to a few promising finds that I wanted to put to the test against some of my favorite (and currently hyped) high end makeup products. I've got three pairs to compare: the Benefit Roller Lash with the Maybelline Lash Sensational, the Benefit Gimme Brow and the L'Oreal Brow Stylist Plumper, and the Make Up For Ever Lip Line Perfector with the Rimmel Moisture Renew Universal Transparent Liner. How do these budget beauty products measure up? I'm dishing out all the details.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Review*

If you've got oily skin, finding a decent moisturizer that doesn't turn you into a grease ball by noon time is no easy task. Out of the many different formulas I've tried over the years, there's only been a handful that have truly impressed me. That being said, a true beauty enthusiast never tires in the hunt for a holy grail, so I'm always up and ready for moving on to the next thing. That being said, I was pretty darn excited when I found out I was going to be getting a Vox Box from Influenster with the new Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel. This brand new hydrating gel offers continuous hydration throughout the day while also promising to be oil-free, lightweight, and non-sticky. Was it everything I hoped it would be? Yes, and maybe then some.

March 2015 Julep Maven Box

When the reveal for this month's Maven box went up a few weeks back, I found myself even more excited than usual about the amazing choices we had to pick from - gorgeous pastel polishes, an entirely new line of lipsticks, liquid liner, an eye brightener and a makeup erasing pen. While I would have loved to have purchased add-ons galore, I decided to try and keep it simple and stick to the standard three products that come in my box. What did I decide to take home from the POP! Collection? Just you wait and see.

Spring 2015 Wish List - Prestige Makeup Picks

After yet another snowy morning commute to work, I am SO ready to welcome any sign of spring. Given that there are still mountain high piles of slush and ice everywhere I turn, I have a feeling it might be a while before I see any flowers budding or greenery growing. My solution? To distract myself with pretty pastels, sheer shimmers, and petal hued cosmetics that have me daydreaming of sunshine and warmer weather.

IT Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Celebration Palette Review

You spot a new launch in the stores. Maybe it's a killer pair of shoes. Maybe it's a perfect LBD. Or maybe it's a limited edition eyeshadow palette. You think to yourself, is this really worth paying full price for? Maybe it'll go on sale. Maybe it'll sell out before it goes on sale! It's a risky game to play. Buyer's remorse goes both ways, both in splurging on something only to find it 50% off a few months later, or putting off a purchase for a few weeks to come back and find your coveted item is no longer available. In the end I've learned to go with my gut. If it's something truly unique that I absolutely can't stop thinking about, then sometimes it's worth just taking the plunge and making the purchase. But (as is the case with this eyeshadow palette from IT Cosmetics) if you aren't going to lose sleep over not having whatever you're coveting, you've just got to walk away and say, if it's meant to be, it'll be. Lucky for me in this particular instance, meant to be it was!

This palette was in my hands while shopping at Ulta around Christmas time. Did I want it? Of course. Did I need it? For $42 probably not. So I sadly put it back on the shelf and walked away. And then one of my fellow Birchbloggers clued me in to a sale IT Cosmetics was having last week, and I was able to snag this palette for $20 with free shipping (wahoo!!). While the sale is over, there are still limited quantities of this palette available on the IT Cosmetics website if you're interested in purchasing it. But first, let me show you a closer look.