April 2015 Flashback

April was a pretty jam packed month here at Little Blushing Birdie. I filmed the first video tutorial I've done in ages, made a few sizable hauls, and even won a giveaway. I've dished on some of my favorite lipsticks, beauty essentials for surviving a music festival, and what's worth purchasing from one of my favorite drugstore brands. Whether you're new to reading LBB,  a loyal regular, or coming back to say hello, here's a quick recap of my favorite posts from the past month!

April 2015 Favorites

It's hard to believe April is already coming to an end! Life has been crazy busy, so I feel like time just has a way of magically disappearing on me. Amid the hustle and bustle I've been able to play with lots of awesome beauty products, and have a few favorites to share. Many of these I've already been raving about all month, so I suppose my choices won't come as a huge shocker to any of my regular readers. Let's dive right in.

April 2015 Empties

Another month has past and it's time to sift through my trash and all the fond memories that come along with it. Here are my final thoughts on all of the products I've finished up in the month of April!

Limited Edition Lovely Day Birchbox

Mother's Day is right around the corner, and Birchbox has released another amazing Limited Edition collection that would make a perfect gift for a hardworking mom in your life (or even a special treat for yourself). The Lovely Day Birchbox has a lovely assortment of pampering goodies guaranteed to make even the most stressful of days feel a little brighter. Let me show you a closer look!

VIB Chic Week Haul 2015

One of the perks of spending an embarrassing amount of money at Sephora each year is that you get elevated to VIB status (Very Important Beauty, that is). Being a VIB comes with a number of special little perks, including early access to new product releases, specials sales and promo codes. One of the most buzz-worth VIB happenings in the year is Chic Week (typically held in the spring) where all VIB and VIB Rouge members can get 15% off their Sephora purchases. Even though it's not a huge discount, everyone tends to go nuts splurging on long wanted items and everyday essentials. I myself tried not to go to overboard, but I did pick up a few things that I really wanted.

April 2015 Glambag

Spring is the perfect season to sport breezy, funky, flowy bohemian fashion, so Ipsy is totally on point with their April Glambag theme. With all the hype around Coachella I'm sure that more people are taking trips to Free People and Anthropologie than ever. While my personal style is more "Bohemian Light", I'm totally loving this month's bag (even if I have sort of mixed feelings about the stuff that's packed inside of it).

La Bella Figura Nourishing Body Elixir & Travel Therapy Botanical Mood Booster Reviews

Happy Friday, friends! It's been a loooong week and I am more than ready for 5:00pm to get here. On a slightly happier note, I wanted to share something awesome that happened last week. There are tons of amazing giveaways happening constantly on Instagram, and I try to enter as many as I see. I figure, even if the chances are small, you can't win if you don't try! However, fortune was apparently smiling up on me because I was lucky enough to win a prize from BeauTeaBar during one of their recent loop giveaways! First off, I think it had to be fate that this particular shop was the one I ended up winning from because they are all about natural, good for you beauty products and tea. You know, just two of my favorite things on the planet. I had never heard of BeauTeaBar before learning about them through the loop, and I'm so glad that I did! I've been perusing their website and everything about it is fabulous. They have a great selection of products for sale that will please any ingredient conscious shopper, and Marissa, the shop's founder, seems fierce, fantastic, and totally down to earth. I'd have tea with her any day!

The prize I won from the BeauTeaBar shop was a duo of La Bella Figura goodies valued at $140! I felt so lucky to have received such a generous prize and couldn't wait for it to arrive.

April 2015 Wantable Accessories

Fellow accessory fanatics, today's post may be of particular interest to you. If you're itching to spice up your collection of jewelry, scarves, sunnies and the like, and are also feeling a little bit adventurous, Wantable may just be your new best friend. A subscription box company unlike any other, Wantable has five different categories that you can pick from - makeup, fitness, intimates, style, and (you guessed it) accessories. After creating a customized profile, one of the Wantable stylists will hand pick items based on your personal preferences to send to you. I've seen some great collections from other bloggers (Rebs, I'm looking at you), so I decided it was worth giving a try! Here's a closer look at my first foray with Wantable Accessories.

Spring 2015 Drugstore Haul

I had a little episode of spring cleaning fever over the weekend and completely reorganized my beauty product stash. Maybe it's just me, but something about the process of pulling things out of drawers and boxes, sorting through it all and putting it back is incredibly enjoyable and stress relieving. As I was going through stuff I realized I've acquired quite a few new products that I haven't had a chance to blog about yet. I've picked a few things up here and there over the past several weeks and am in various stages of trying everything out. So, I thought it might be fun to give you a glimpse at my most recent discoveries and see if there are any products that you'd like to read a more in-depth review about.

April 2015 Birchbox

When I first heard that Birchbox was going to be collaborating with Rifle Paper Co. this month I'm pretty sure my face actually turned into one of those heart-eyed emojis for a split second. I first discovered Rifle Paper Co. a while back (I think from one of their botanical calendars) and my already ample love for floral basically exploded exponentially. Everything they design is SO FLIPPIN PRETTY. However, their products are a little luxe price-wise, so I've had to reel myself in a bit from buying random stationary and other pretty office goods. Needless to say, thanks to Birchbox I've now been able to satiate a little of my Rifle Paper Co. craving without making my wallet cry. Much like a small child, I'm almost more distracted by the pretty box than I am with what's inside it. I shouldn't shortchange the samples I ended up receiving, because a few of them were great. Let me show you a closer look.

Sumita Must Have Brow Kit Review

In sitting down to write this review I realized something. Eyebrow products are the serious underdogs of the makeup world. Let's be real. I'm pretty sure if you ask someone to list off lust-worthy makeup, most people will probably ramble on about buttery lipsticks, creamy eyeshadows, or the most flawless looking foundation. Eyebrow pencils, creams, and mousses just don't get the same kind of love. But truly, good brows are SO important. You can spend 15 minutes blending out the perfect smokey eye, but if your eyebrows are invisible your face is just not going to look pulled together. Now, I cannot speak to whether or not my brows are on fleek, but I at least generally try to keep them looking reasonably well groomed. And this set I picked up from Sumita will definitely help me to up my eyebrow game.

Festival Essentials

With the coming and going of Coachella, the festival season is finally underway! As a latecomer to the party (as I so frequently am) I had never been to a music festival until my boyfriend/partner-in-awesome and I decided to spontaneously buy tickets to Firefly last year. It was an exhausting and exhilarating experience, and the only reason we aren't going back this year is because we weren't too enthused about the lineup. Alas, even with only one festival under my belt I definitely learned a thing or two about what to pack. While a lot of the fun of attending a festival like Coachella or Firefly is in sporting flowy, skin baring clothing and fun, colorful makeup, there are also some practical necessities to consider. Like how to not feel absolutely disgusting after four days in the sun without a shower. Or end up with a horrific sunburn. So, before you start picking out eyeliners and flash tattoos, consider these total lifesaving beauty products that, while perhaps a little less glamorous, will totally help you to look and feel your best during your trip!

Disappointing Products

All right, it's time for some real talk. I've tried A LOT of beauty products in my lifetime. I wish I could say that I loved them all, but alas, not everything out there is a winner. To some extent I know whether or not a product is a fail can be based on personal taste, skin type, and other factors that vary from one person to the next. So if one of these products is something you love, I promise I don't intend to offend! In fact, I'd love to hear about your experience and why that particular product worked so well for you. In the meantime, here's a collection of duds I've accumulated lately that I personally would not recommend.

Get your Chocolate Fix with Arnott's Tim Tams*

Anyone who knows me well is probably aware of my serious sweet tooth. Honestly, I'm convinced that I have a second stomach specifically designed to consume anything chocolate regardless of how full my regular stomach seems to be. It should be no surprise, then, to understand my thorough excitement over my first ever BzzAgent campaign - Arnott's Tim Tams. Never heard of a Tim Tam? Neither had I! Don't worry, we haven't been living under a rock (at least not for that reason). Unless you've been lucky enough to travel to the land down under, you may not be familiar with this Aussie treat. Tim Tams are a seriously chocolately cookie that just recently became available in the US and are currently being sold exclusively at Target.

Were they as good as they seemed? I'll let the next picture speak for itself.

Spring Formal Makeup Tutorial

As Spring is well under way, the season of all things formal has also started to begin - weddings, prom, showers of various sorts. Whether you've got a single event on the calendar, or months jam packed with back to back weekends of dress wearing occasions, it's nice to have a simple, elegant go-to makeup look to rely on. The tutorial I'm sharing today is basically a notch above an easy everyday makeup look. So, if you're looking to look a little more pretty and polished than usual without being overly glam, this might be right up your alley!

April 2015 Julep Maven Box

Paradise is a state of mind indeed. It certainly hasn't been feeling tropical in this neck of the woods, but I am always up for channeling those summer vibes (especially with the help of my latest Julep Maven box). This month I went straight for the polish, choosing two vibrant shades as well as the new Bonding Base Coat. Base coat was the one manicure essential I was missing in my Julep collection, so I definitely had to jump at the chance of snagging one at a discount!

Walmart Beauty Box Spring 2015

A new season is here and so is my latest Walmart Beauty Box! This ridiculously affordable subscription is an excellent way to sample some of the newest launches from the drugstore, and is often well worth the $5 investment. Here's a closer look at the goodies I get to try out this time around.

Brand Focus: Maybelline

Over the past year I've started testing and trying a lot more drugstore makeup. While the aisles of Sephora and Ulta are filled with lust-worthy, luxurious products, my budget just doesn't afford me the ability to buy high-end beauty on the regular. With the aid of coupons, sales, and general shopping savvy I've been able to snag a lot of drugstore beauty products at ridiculous prices, allowing me to test and try at my leisure without breaking the bank. That being said, I have also quickly learned that just because you got a good buy doesn't necessarily mean you made a good purchase. While there are disappointing products at all price points, budget beauty is by far the most inconsistent. To help you avoid buyers remorse, I thought it would be helpful to take a closer look at some of the most popular brands at the drugstore, discussing what I think they do well, and what I think isn't worth your heard earned cash.

Starting on a positive note, let's talk all things Maybelline. Maybelline is a brand that has quickly won me over, with an ever growing range of products that easily rival their high end competitors. I'll be sharing all of the products I've tried recently, and whether I love it, like it, or recommend you leave it out of your shopping bag.

Spring Cleaning

If you haven't already noticed, Little Blushing Birdie has been undergoing a refresh just in time for spring. With much thanks to this handy article from Ashley over at Nose Graze, I was recently introduced to The Hungry Jpeg and am now happily in possession of some amazing digital artwork to play around with. I'm still a bit of a newb when it comes to Photoshop, but I love to learn through experimentation. I can barely contain my excitement at the thought of being able to create my own custom images, buttons, and the like, especially with artwork that so perfectly reflects my own personal style.

Truly, the entire process of blogging has been such an incredibly fun creative and intellectual endeavor. I've always been a huge do-it-yourself-er, and I take a lot of pride in being able to teach myself the necessary skills to be able to create and perfect whatever project I'm currently working on. I've dabbled in HTML and CSS, learned how to get comfortable behind the lens of my DSLR, taught myself a thing or two about photo editing, and started to demystify web analytics. Sure, Little Blushing Birdie is a continual work in progress, and there are always things I can make a little prettier or organize a little more efficiently. But when I look back at my first few posts I feel pretty proud of how far I've come.

So thank you all for reading and supporting my adventures in the beauty world! I hope you're as big a fan of the way things are headed as I am. As always, I love to hear feedback from my readers, so if there's a particular type of post you enjoyed, or type of product you'd like to hear more about, or a tutorial that I could create, shoot me a comment or an email or a tweet and let me know. Hearing from you seriously brightens my day in a way that I can't fully express.

Lots and lots of love,
Lauren

Not Quite Nude - Lipsticks for Spring

Good morning lovelies! I hope you all had wonderful weekends. Mine consisted of an epic Easter egg hunt, lots and lots of delicious food, and binge watching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (hilarious). While I've been plenty busy with holiday festivities and work and whatnot, I've found a new appreciation for effortless, your-lips-but-better lipstick shades that I can apply and reapply with minimal effort. Personally I find true nudes a little difficult to wear, as they can often make me look washed out (and zombie is not a look that I tend to rock all that well). A hint of pink seems to make a world of difference. Here are five of my favorite not entirely nude lipsticks that perfectly embody that light and carefree feeling of springtime.