Julips

This latest beauty product by Lush was given to me as a present a while ago, and I'm finally getting around to writing about it. Lip scrubs have always been a staple in my beauty routine, so I was very excited to try this scrub by one of my favorite brands. Of all the scrubs I've tried, this one is definitely at the top of my list. 

First of all, the smell is amazingly delicious. I'm wary of products that highlight their smell of foods because they usually end up being a sickeningly sweet version of that food. However, this scrub has the aroma of fresh mint and warm brown sugar.  It's simply intoxicating.  

While it feels slightly strange and grainy when applied, after you finish massaging it onto your lips and wiping it off, they are left feeling plump, smooth, and soft, and slightly tingly.  I would absolutely reccommend this product!

xx j   

Ultraflesh Panthera

I got this mini mascara sample from Sephora as a free gift a while ago and was instantly blown away. I had never tried any products from the brand Ultraflesh, so I was not expecting anything special. As it turned out, this mascara has the potential to be the best one I've ever used! It makes lashes incredibly long without a hint of clumping and adds a shiny black gloss that makes eyes sparkle. I know, I know, every mascara CLAIMS to have those effects, but trust me! This one does! I also love the rubber wand that reaches every single lash including the inner corners and its great for bottom lashes as well. 

I truly believe that this is the holy grail of mascaras (of the many I've tried) and is many times better than any drugstore brand I've tried. You can find the normal sized product at Sephora. I'm not sure exactly how much it is, but I'd say it's worth the price.

xx j 

Day Dreamer

I received this Stila DayDream Palette as a Valentines' Day gift, and have barely put it down since.  Stila has been one of my favorite makeup brands for years now, and I had been hearing great things about this palette, so I was not surprised to instantly fall in love.  However I had not predicted that it would become my new everyday go-to palette! This gorgeous eyeshadow palette has made me more experimental with colors, because although they appear bright, they are also very wearable, and add so much life to my eyes!  I also love love love the stain-glass/floral display of the colors!  This is a definite spring must-have.  

xx i 

Ulta-Sheer

These Cuccio Lyte ultra-sheer body butters were given to me as a gift, and I have since neglected all my other body lotions, of which I have many.  As soon as I rub this lotion on my skin, I can feel it immediately absorb, leaving my skin super-hydrated and subtly fragranced.  For those cold days that leave your skin feeling similar to sandpaper, this lotion never fails to soothe and restore your dull, winter skin. 

xx i

SPD Video

Untitled from Justine Edward on Vimeo.

Liquid Metal

We've noticed that metallic cream shadows have been a major trend this season on the runway, in shades ranging from neutral to bold.  I love how these instantly add a burst of life to any eye color, and if you're feeling uninspired this winter, shiny metallics are a sure way to light up your eyes and get you noticed.

xx i

Santa Monica

Just rediscovered this old lipstick I had bought a long time ago in my makeup collection. I had been looking for a new color to spice up my winter pallet of grays and blacks, and when I found this the coral color it was oddly perfect. Its nicely subtle enough to wear everyday with a hint of color to brighten my pale complexion. This color reminds me of the hue of flowers, coral, or earth found in the summery tropics, images that make me happy as I try to hibernate through our snowy winter. 

Just goes to show everything old enough can be refreshingly new sometimes. 

xx j  

Skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood

(J Crew shirt, Victoria's Secret bra)

This beautiful, rare light can only be produced by the perfect glint of sunlight on the first snow of winter. When the world is coated in an icy, white blanket I crave that perfect pop of color in the form of a bright red lip (or neon pink bra strap) Its days like this that gives me the courage to play up the eyes and lips against my frighteningly pale winter skin.
I hope everyone is staying warm until the snow melts,

xx j  

January Birchbox

I have been fascinated for some time by beauty's latest hot trend: beauty boxes. I first learned about Birchbox in a bridal magazine, as a gift for bridesmaids. For those who don't know, beauty boxes are generally all based on the same concept: you pay $10 (give or take) a month to be sent (free shipping) a box filled with all different brands of beauty goodies for your hair, skin, nails, etc. Most of the boxes available today are only sold in the UK, but Birchbox is one of the few available in the US. What makes these boxes so exciting, is that you don't know what your going to get until it arrives in the mail monthly, like a magazine subscription. You will find (as pictured above) 4-6 samples from different brands, based around a common theme (Januarys theme was "clarity"). The surprise ball of the beauty world. This was my first box, so I thought I would do a post on its contents for those who had never heard of beauty boxes, or were hesitant to try.

Overall I would say I was pretty impressed with what I received from Birchbox. The soap smells wonderful, as well as the small Juicy perfume sample. The nail polish by Zoya was a very pretty color (although more of a spring shade in my opinion), but best of all was the Stila eyeliner. The color was a beautiful dark purple, which appears almost black in low light but in the sunlight shines sparkly maroon. This is what truly makes the box worth it for me, because, as you can see on the second card included, the full size eyeliner alone goes for $20.

Hope this helps inspire others to try Birchbox out!
xx j

Glamour To Go

Review: Too Faced Glamour To Go

I got this mini pallet a while ago on a whim at Sephora. I was looking for a mini eyeshadow pallet with lots of color options, but that was small enough to keep in my purse. This one seemed to fit the bill and had blush and lip glosses as an added bonus. I love the eyeshadow colors because they are just subtle enough to be worn during the day. The blush is a beautiful peachy coral with a hint of shimmer. The shadows are not as pigmented as I would have liked and I find that I really have to apply a generous amount to have them show up at all. Its small size is great for travel and I adore the packaging (as with all Too Faced products). Overall I would rate this product highly for anyone whose on the go allot, but wants to keep looking day time glamorous.


xx j