Showing posts with label benefit countdown to love advent calendar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label benefit countdown to love advent calendar. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Advent Blog: Christmas Eve!


Christmas Poem

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

~Clement Clarke Moore

Christmas Song

Christmas Comes But Once A Year by Max Fleischer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeMeBhkYGlg

Benefit Countdown to Love

Day 24: Benefit Blush in Dandelion





This is a very light pink blush. It reminds me of the Coralista Blush only that one was peach. It has the same orange candy smell. It is so light it barely shows up on my skin.

This is the last of the advent calendar. Overall, I'm happy I got it. It was fun to have a surprise for every day. I also enjoyed reviewing everything. My favorite things I got were The Porefessional, the Bad Gal Eye Liner, and the Bad Gal Mascara.

Lush Shoot for the Stars Bath Bomb




This is the last of my Lush products. It was cool that I ordered it, and it arrived just in time in December so I had enough products to countdown to Christmas, just like I had a Lush Advent Calendar! It was my first time having anything from Lush, and I really enjoy the products. It was a fun way to celebrate the holiday. They have products for Easter and Halloween too. I think I will look into getting them again. My favorite product I got was the Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub. That is the best lip scrub I've ever had. It's also fun to have products to put in the bath to make your bath experience more interesting. It reminded me of being a little girl at bath time. I have taken more baths this month, than I have all year! My skin is so soft! After using these products, I don't even need lotion! That is saying a lot for me because the skin on my body is usually so dry after taking a shower or bath.

This is what the website has to say about this bath bomb, "We know just how much you love the honey toffee fragrance in our best-selling Honey I Washed the Kids soap so we wanted to make a little something special for you this holiday season. Here's a brand new Bath Bomb with our worldwide favorite, mouthwatering caramel fragrance. Drop it in the tub to create an enchanting bath. The bomb spins while stars shoot out; a lining of luster coats the core of the bomb, sending out shimmer and sparkle in all directions. Swirls of pink, purple and silver make it seem like you're bathing in outer space. A truly magnificent bomb to behold."

That is what I thought of the last bath bomb, Twilight. I thought it was like stars shooting out. I'm excited to try this bath bomb. I wonder if I will have bath withdrawal? I will have to take daily baths after this!

Review: I love this! This was my favorite bath bomb of all of them I tried! It had purple, blue, pink, yellow shooting out. It was frothy with bubbles. I couldn't smell the caramel, but it smelled good. There were little purple stars that sank to the bottom. The silver glitter floated to the top. My skin is covered with silver glitter, but I kind of like it! It ended in a dark purple blue bath water, with swirly white clouds. At the very end I saw little pink stars floating on the top, maybe they came out at the end. It was so cool!

I hope you all have a happy Christmas Eve! Remember you have to go to sleep before Santa will come!

Monday, December 23, 2013

Advent Blog: Marley's Ghost, Cha Cha Tint, and Twilight


Christmas Quote

"'But you were always a good man of business, Jacob,' faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself.

Business!' cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. 'Mankind was my business, charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all my business. The deals of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!'" ~Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol.

Christmas Song

Do You Hear What I Hear? by Whitney Houston http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svo17Dgs3PM

Benefit Countdown to Love Calendar

Day 23: Benefit Cha Cha Tint



This is a coral lip and cheek stain. I don't think I recommend these tints. They don't show up very well on my skin or lips. I was excited at first to get them, but now that I've tried them out I realize they don't seem to work very well. When you blend them out, they blend into the skin or lips.

Lush Twilight Bath Bomb




This bath bomb is so pretty! It has a moon and stars on it. It sounds like it will be nice. "Peaceful lavender bathing under the stars. Recreate the magic of a starry night in your bath water with clouds of lavender and tonka absolute to fight the demons of insomnia and soothe your stressed out body and mind. Our most relaxing Bath Bomb yet, Twilight is our gentle, reassuring hug for the bath to transform you from worn out to warm and fuzzy. It changes color like the sky at dusk, from pinks to purples and darker still. Lay back in the comforting herbal waters to soak your troubles far, far away. Lavender acts as nature's melatonin to relax your mind for a more restful sleep." Doesn't that sound nice? I will wait for bedtime to take a bath.

Review: I didn't wait until bedtime. I was too curious. I think I can smell the lavender. The colors did change. It reminded me of shooting stars or Van Gogh's Starry Night painting. It is taking a long time to dissolve. There is a ton of glitter in it too!

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Advent Blog: Cats, Star Charm, and Cinders


Cat Quote

"What greater gift than the love of a cat." ~Charles Dickens

Christmas Song

Joy to the World by Nat "King" Cole http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oACW4nzBZco

Benefit Countdown to Love Calendar

Day 22: Benefit Star Charm Necklace




This is cute, but the chain is flimsy. It isn't a solid chain. Also, it is too little for me. I'm going to see if my cousin wants it.

Lush's Cinders Bath Bomb




This seems like a fun one. The website says, "Heat up your holidays with this sweet and spicy bomb inspired by fireside gatherings with family and friends. We combine crackling vegan candies with stimulating cinnamon leaf oil to recreate the warmth of the hearth. This spicy soak also has hydrating almond oil to keep your skin super soft and smooth. With a bathtub so inviting you can skip the open fire and curl up with this fizzer instead. Cinders contains vegan popping candies to make your tub sound like a crackling fire."

Review: This turned the bath a pastel yellow, which is kind of gross to look at, but the product was nice smelling and everything. It sunk to the bottom and little bubbles came up. I had trouble hearing it crackle. It didn't feel like a fireplace to me. The product did soften my skin, like the other bath bombs have done. I wouldn't repurchase this though. Maybe I was expecting fireworks. I was expecting too much I guess.

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Advent Blog: Friends, Coralista Lip Gloss, and So White


Friendship Quote

I didn't realize I picked so many friendship quotes. I guess friendship is important to me.

"The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Christmas Song

White Christmas by The Drifters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfZPtkqXQIA

Benefit Countdown to Love Calendar

Day 21: Benefit Lip Gloss in Coralista



This is so cool to get the lip gloss to match the blush! I love the color. It looks good on me. It feels good on the lips too. It has a coral color, just like the blush.

I wanted to compare the blush with the lip gloss.



They don't really match when you swatch them, but the lip gloss doesn't look that orange on the lips. It looks like a regular lip gloss to me on my lips, just a little bit coral, but hardly noticeable. You can barely see the blush, but it is to the right, a very light orange. That is good for a blush because you don't want to have clown cheeks.

Lush So White Bath Bomb




This is what the website says, "The fairest apple of them all! A LUSH Christmas favorite, So White is back this year to bring the crisp, fresh aroma of a juicy apple to your tub. Pop it in the tub and watch it fizz, releasing softening baking soda and the uplifting oils of bergamot and neroli. The white exterior slowly gives way to a secret pink center that fizzes and foams, creating a snow-like froth to cover your tub in a glorious blanket of apple-scented snowy bubbles. If you're feeling like a bit of fun, try making snow angels in the fragrant froth!" This sounds like a fun bath time. I want to catch up on some reading when I take a bath today. Hopefully, I won't get my book wet!

Review: This is weird, Lush keeps telling me it will smell a certain way, but to me it never does! For example, this bomb doesn't smell like an apple to me. I actually put the bomb up to my nose to smell if it was like apple, and it doesn't. Maybe something is wrong with my sense of smell. It smells really nice. It started out being white and fizzy, and then it turned pink. I like it. I can see why it has been people's favorite. I would get this again.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Advent Blog: Winnie-the-Pooh, Ooh La Lift, and Avobath


Friendship Quote

"You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes." ~A.A. Milne, Wiinnie-the-Pooh

Christmas Song

Run Run Rudolph by Chuck Berry http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCTeXUkTFwQ

Benefit Countdown to Love Calendar

Day 20: Benefit Ooh La Lift



This is supposed to brighten up under the eye and give your eye an effect like an eye lift. You dot it three times under your eye and blend it out. I did this, but I didn't see any change. I don't really need an eye lift. Maybe I will give this to my mom.

Lush Avobath Bath Bomb




Can you see the print of Lush on the top of it? I know I love to eat avocado, but I don't know what a bath will be like with it. This is what the website has to say about it: "Skin softening lemongrass and avocado soaker. Our bold green Avobath Bath Bomb is not for lazy days lying back in the tub. On the contrary, it's for gray days and mornings (afternoons and evenings too), when you just can't shake your brain fog. Pop one into your bath for an instant jolt of invigorating, lemongrass-scented energy and fizz. Splash about in the shimmery green waters and let the fresh avocados and olive oil soften you up and leave you with softer, supple skin, as well as a brighter outlook. Next time you need a zesty refresher; all you need to do is Avobath." I know that the smell of grass gives me an invigorating sort of feeling. When the grass is being cut, I love that smell.

Review: It doesn't really smell like grass or avocado. It smells citrusy like so much of what I tried of Lush smells like. I don't mind the smell. The water is a pastel green. I don't know if it gives me energy. Baths actually relax me.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Advent Blog: Charlotte's Web and Girl Meets Pearl


Friendship Quote

"'Why did you do all this for me?' he asked. 'I don't deserve it. I've never done anything for you.' 'You have been my friend,' replied Charlotte. 'That in itself is a tremendous thing.'" ~E.B. White, Charlotte's Web

Christmas Song

Merry Christmas, Darling by The Carpenters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR1ujXx2p-I

Benefit Countdown to Love Calendar

Day 19: Benefit Girl Meets Pearl



This is a highlighter. It's really pretty, and natural looking. I put it on the top of my cheekbones and browbone today. I didn't swatch it because I assumed you wouldn't be able to see it. I like this!

Lush

Today I'm going to use the Snowman Bath Bomb that I've already talked about, so I'm not going to review it again. It came with the set "The Night Before Christmas", and with the "Christmas Friends."


Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Advent Blog: Friendship, Benefit Sun Beam, and Golden Wonder



Friendship Quote

"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend." ~Albert Camus

Christmas Song

Christmas by Mariah Carey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9FixKBZZl0

Benefit Countdown to Love Calendar

Day 18: Benefit Sun Beam


This has a brush like Benetint and Posietint, but it is a highlighter. You put it on top of your cheekbones and under your brows. It gives a pretty golden glow. It reminds me of a liquid version of The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer.

My dupe I heard for this was Hard Candy Glow Away in Maui the bronzer side. It has two sides, one is bronzer and one is highlighter. I swatched Sun Beam on the left and Maui on the right.



These look like dupes to me. Hard Candy Glow Away in Maui is $6 at Walmart, while the full version of Benefit Sun Beam is $26! To be honest the Hard Candy one has a really bad smell. It might have gone rancid, and I should throw it away. I don't know if they still make this because it isn't available on the Walmart website. It is on the Hard Candy website, but not for sale.

Lush's The Night Before Christmas

This is a package I got at Lush. It comes with a bunch of bath bombs. It suggests using one bath bomb per night for the seven nights leading up to Christmas, so that is what I'm going to do. Did you know Christmas is only seven days away! It has been fun for me to countdown the days. This is what the package looks like. It has a lot of pictures on the top, bottom, and all along the sides.










Isn't that a cute hat box? This is what the Lush website says, "This inventive limited-edition hatbox features seven Bath Bombs including a mixture of seasonal inventions and year-round favorites to keep your tub festive and bright this holiday season. Designed by artist Serge Seidlitz, the illustrated hatbox tells the story of how Santa prepares for a hard night's work of delivering gifts around the world. Lucky for us, we just need to sit back and enjoy! We've chosen a mix of relaxing and energizing Bath Bombs to match your mood, whether you're hoping to calm your nerves for a restful nights' sleep or the evening's just getting started!

Golden Wonder Bath Bomb



Today/night I'm going to try out this present in the bath. When you shake it, you can hear something is in it. Sometimes they put glitter or rose petals etc in the bath bomb, so it comes out in the bath. This is what the website says about it: "Golden Wonder is back again this year and we can't wait to hop in the tub with this fizzy golden gift! It simply wouldn't be a LUSH Christmas without soaking in its soft citrus fragrance; a gorgeous, uplifting blend of sweet orange, lime and cognac oils. Drop this bestseller in your bath and watch it put on a colorful show as the vibrant gifts inside reveal themselves and leave you with soft, champagne-scented skin." I don't want to read anymore because I don't want it to give away the surprise that is inside.

Review: These bath bombs are really fun! This was yellow and blue with gold glitter and little yellow stars! It smells citrusy. I recommend it.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Advent Blog: Friendship, Benefit Sugarbomb, and Figs and Leaves


Friendship Quote

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: 'What! You too? I thought that no one but myself...'" ~C.S. Lewis

Christmas Song

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by The Carpenters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAkN3nRht7Y

Benefit Countdown to Love Calendar

Day 17: Benefit Lip Gloss in Sugarbomb


This is another lip gloss. It is based on the best selling Benefit Blush called Sugarbomb that is in the matching color. It is a pink nude. It just looks glossy on my lips.

I wanted to compare this lip gloss to the other two lip glosses I got in the calendar (A-Lister and Dandelion).



I was surprised at how different they were swatched. A-Lister is the most pink. Dandelion looks peach compared to the others, and Sugarbomb is more nude. On the lips it doesn't look dark, like it does on my hand. I have so many lip glosses, I really don't need any more. But it is nice to get a high quality one. I will carry this around with me today. It feels moisturizing.

Lush's Figs and Leaves Body Soap



I was surprised to get this with my Lush package. It is a free sample. This is what the full-size looks like:


What is cool is, it has a grape leaf on the soap. This is what the website says about it, "Fruity, exfoliating figgy scrubby soap. Sophisticated, and subtly sexy, our Figs and Leaves soap is understated in appearance and effect. Modestly draped in grape leaves, and demurely creamy beige in color; it's the scent of this soap that draws you in: alluring orange blossom and juicy figs, with an undertone of eastern exoticism. Figs are incredibly nutritious and good for your body, and their scrubby brown seeds exfoliate and really get to work getting you clean. Wonderfully suited for irritated and sensitive skin, organic aloe vera is calming and gentle. Seductive, nutritious, scrubby, and soothing - what are you waiting for?"

Review: I love this! It smells so good, and makes your skin soft. It isn't as crumbly as the other Lush things I got, so I still have some left after the bath. I would recommend this.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Advent Blog: Stars, Benefit Hoola Bronzer, and Rose Jam


Happiness Quote

"Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Peter Pan quotes make me happy. Her is another one.

"Stars are beautiful, but they may not take an active part in anything, they must just look on for ever. It is a punishment put on them for something they did so long ago that no star knows what it was. So the older ones have become glassy-eyed and seldom speak (winking is the star language), but the little ones still wonder." ~J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him,the son of man that you care for him?" ~Psalm 8:3-4

Christmas Song

We Three Kings by Cambridge Cathedral Choir at King's College http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xutKC8mqPEg

Benefit Countdown to Love Calendar

Day 16: Hoola Bronzer


I was so happy to get this bronzer! People always talk about it. I use a dupe for it NYC Sunny Bronzer. I wanted to see how they compared.


In the pan the colors are a little different.


In person the colors look the same. The difference is NYC Sunny isn't as pigmented as Hoola. NYC Sunny is on the left. But I like that it isn't pigmented because I am fair. On the swatches it looks like NYC Sunny is more orange, white Hoola is more yellow. They both are matte. NYC is really inexpensive at the drugstore. I like them both on my skin.

Lush's Rose Jam Shower Gel



I think this will last longer than the other Lush things. I like the container. This says on the container, "Sweet, tart and wonderfully fresh, this indulgent blend of rose, vanilla and lemon will leave you smelling purely blissful." I smelled it, and it has the pie smell I don't like. I had my mom smell the body conditioner, and she thought it smelled like pie too, but she likes pie. I let her have it. Usually, people like pie. The website says, "You begged and pleaded with us to make Rose Jam available for Christmas and we listened: it's here for a limited time! A decadent, rosy shower gel made with vanilla pod infusion, goji berry juice and nourishing argan oil. Rose Jam leaves your skin soft, hydrated and sweetly-scented. Lovers of our Rose Jam bubbleroon and Ro's Argan body conditioner will recognize its gorgeous rose absolute and lemon fragrance. Lathering up with this shower gel is a truly indulgent way to wash!"

You know what I wanted this to smell like? The Herbal Essences Rose Shampoo. Didn't they use to have a body wash?


Review: It still has that weird pie smell to it, but I can smell the roses more with this. This I can use sparingly. I put a little on a loofah and it will lather up and go on my whole body. I'm glad I'm not wasting the product. It is more like a soap, so I feel like I need to put lotion on afterwards. This is probably why they say to use the body conditioner afterwards.

I hope people are enjoying my advent blogs. I can't believe I've done one every day this month! This is the most I've ever written on my blog.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Advent Blog: Fairies and Benefit Posietint


Happy Thoughts Quotes

"The pleasantest things in the world are pleasant thoughts: and the great art of life is to have as many of them as possible." ~Montaigne

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." ~Philippians 4:4-9

I figured out what quotes I wanted for each day, but then I realized I forgot Peter Pan. (There are so many Peter Pan quotes I love, and wanted to include.) So I went back and added Peter Pan. Since this is about happy thoughts, I thought I ought to make you have them by thinking of fairies. Does that make sense? I hope so!

"When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies." ~J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

"Fairies have to be one thing or the other, because being so small they unfortunately have room for one feeling only at a time." ~J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Christmas Song

Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8At8zfh_o3E

Benefit Countdown to Love Calendar

Day 15: Benefit Posietint



I was so happy to get this because I had heard people talk about it, and for some reason I wanted it too. It is supposed to be like Benetint, but instead of it being a red tint, it is a pink tint for your cheeks and lips. It is supposed to stain them. Unfortunately, when I tried it out it disappeared into my skin and lips. It must match because I can't see it. It is invisible. :( Maybe I need to put more of it on. It has a brush like a nail polish. I like the Benetint better because I can see it and it is a pinkish, rosy color anyway, it isn't as red as it seems in the bottle.



Review: When I swatched it on my hand, I could see the pink. Maybe because the skin on my hand isn't as red as my face or lips.

Lush's Sugar Plum Fairy Body Scrub




Since today I keep talking about fairies, I thought I should put this into the "fairy blog post". It doesn't really look like a fairy, but there is supposed to be the imprint of fairy on it. I don't know how much I will like it, because the last sugar scrub I tried from Lush only lasted for one scrub, and I didn't get my whole body with it. This is probably going to be the same thing. I should focus on what I want scrubbed the most. (That has to be my feet!) This is what the website says, "Our limited edition fairy sugar scrub first paid us a visit a few years ago for the holiday season. Named after the famous ballet 'The Nutcracker,' this beauty contains plum kernel oil which is full of vitamins A and E to help restore moisture to the skin, along with Fair Trade sugar to exfoliate and brighten. The fragrance is a blend of jasmine absolute, ylang ylang and orange blossom, a beautiful light floral scent suitable to this Sugar Plum Fairy."

Review: I broke this in half to use a half for each foot. It wasn't good enough for fixing my feet. I think I would need a pumice stone for that. When I used it on my arm, it was painful! I don't like these scrubs. I like the kind I have that come in a tube. I've mentioned them in favorites of the month. They are less harsh, so you can use them on your body, and a little goes a long way. I feel like I just wasted this product. It dissolved away so fast, and it wasn't that effective. It was the same as with Lush's Fairy Tail. I like the colors though.