Hello my friends!  I hope that so far 2016 is treating you well.  My blog was started a little over a year ago and with it, certain subscriptions.  I also started Boxycharm in 2015.  These are a few of my favorite items those bags and boxes.


Luxie Brush from the February Ipsy bag it's the Luxie Large Angled Face Brush 504. It retails for $16.00. Originally I tried it with blush and it did better than the brush I was using, but what I like it best for is highlighter or under eye powder.  I probably use this every day.


From the March Birchbox was the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser.  It came with a .5 oz cleanser and a muslin cloth.  The cleanser was thick and creamy.  I really loved how my skin felt after the whole process.  The full size starter with a muslin cloth and the cleanser is $25.50 for a 3.3 oz.  I would definitely buy this again.

Also from the March Birchbox was the It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product.  A 4 oz bottle is $18.00 at Ulta and a 10 oz bottle is $36.00. I use this a lot, but I spray this into my hands rather than directly into my hair because I have fine hair and I don't want to take the chance at being a grease ball.


From the May Birchbox was the Aruba Aloe Luxe Foot Créme.  It says it has a mint smell but I didn't get that, I really just smell the shea butter I think.  It has aloe, shea butter and vitamin e.  It is $18.00 for 2 oz of product and when I run out I know I'd like more.


The It Cosmetics Universal Brow Pencil is $24.00 from the June Ipsy Bag.  This is something I like to use when I'm in a hurry and just need my brows done fast.  I am not a lucky person with pretty, dramatic brows.  Mine are dark, but finely shaped and they benefit from a little filling in.  I still love my pomade the most, but this is great for those days I'm running late.  Using pressure, you can effect how dark it is.

The Bellapierre Kabuki Brush, it's a full size and sells for $29.99.  It's from my June Boxycharm.  It's soft and dense with synthetic bristles.  I use this daily to buff in my powder.  It does a great job for that.  I'm still not certain I'd pay $29.99 for a new one, but getting it in my box has made me use this all the time.  I haven't had any issues with shedding on any of the brushes I mention.


The L. Erickson Grab and Go Ponytail Holder is $18.00 for a full size container with 15 ponytail holders.  It was from the June Birchbox. They are comfortable and hold my fine hair very well.  The material is soft and strong and doesn't feel like it's tugging on my hair.  I did end up giving the rest of my hair ties to the cat and these are mine.  They hold up really well and I am still using the same few that I pulled from the top of the tube I bought.  I went for the black and silver ones.  Silly me for originally making fun of getting hair ties in my bag.

The July Boxycharm held a few favorites for me.  First off was the yourMinerals Transparent Veil Setting Powder in the full size of medium (4 g), which retails for $26.00.  I use this daily with the previously mentioned Kabuki brush to set my foundation.  The other item was the Vasanti Professional Blush Brush and is $29.00.  This has become my daily blush brush.  I like how it applies blush as I like a light hand with blush.  It lets me build product to the application I prefer.  Again, with brushes like Morphé out there, I'm not sure I would pay $29.00 for a brush, being Broke Woman and what not.  But I do love having this brush.


Coola Setting Spray from my August Birchbox.  I was a naughty Broke Woman in August and didn't review my August boxes (it's a real shame because the August box was adorable).  I had just started a new position at work and really had to focus on that plus all sort of other stuff.  This setting spray was a favorite simply because it allows me to reapply sunscreen without messing up my makeup.  I am very aware that one should apply it every two hours and this makes it possible.  It does contain a lot of alcohol, so it can be drying, but I'll suffer through that when I know I'll need this.  It's $36.00 for a 1.7 oz full size of this and I am glad to see more companies coming out with things like this.



My August Boxycharm there were three items that really stood out.  First on the list was the Mica Beauty Gel Eyeliner in black.  I had been using the MAC Tracks eyeliner and I liked it.  But it was getting older, so I decided I might as well give this a go.  I was impressed at how creamy, pigmented, and long lasting it was.  However, it was also a whopping $39.95 for 4 grams of product.  As much as I love this, that's very expensive.  It does have a reason to be expensive though, it's because it's a mineral product and is made of 100% natural ingredients.  It also has antioxidants and doesn't contain fillers that many people are sensitive to.

The next item I loved from the box was the Seta Eyeliner Brush.  This has a fine tip and is great for those times you want a thin line.  It's $16.00 and a good buy.  The last item that impressed me was the Nios Shield Leave in Conditioner.  It's $26.00 for 4 oz of product.  It has an SPF of 15 and while this isn't a daily thing I wear because of my fine hair, this is a product I love for if I have to go in the sun.  If you've ever had a sun burn on your scalp, you'd invest in this too.  It feels like my scalp drinks this in and I often wear it over night in the winter or if I'm camping or something. It smells good and it feels moisturizing for your hair as well.



 Another bad time for being a broke woman.  I didn't review my November boxes.  That month in the Ipsy bag I received Novex Brazilian Keratin Extra Deep Hair Care Cream.  I love this stuff.  The rare times I straighten my hair, this helps it last longer.  It also makes my hair feel like silk.  The price for this is also really good and when I run out, I do plan on getting the largest size of 35 oz for $16.99.


The Pur-lisse Blue Lotus Eye Adore Serum came in the November Boxycharm and taunts me.  I love this.  A small dot will moisturize both eyes and it feels wonderful.  I use it morning and night, it does take a time little to set, so if you use it during the day, make sure to set it. The taunting or rather daunting part for me is the price.  It's $65.00 for the .5 oz.


Polar Express fun time in November one of the many busy times in November was spent riding the Polar Express in Golden, Colorado at the Colorado Railroad Museum.  It was a lot of fun and I think I enjoyed it as much as any of the kids.  Plus, super cute nails.  I did paint those myself!


The Kopari Coconut Sheer Oil  came from my December Birchbox and I really liked it.  The full size is $38.00 for 1.7 oz.  It has a nice scent, not so much coconut though, which could be good or bad, depending on your thoughts on coconut scent.  It absorbs well and has enough coconut oil that it will solidify under 50 degrees Fahrenheit. I love using this at night on winter scalp, at the ends of my hair, as a cuticle oil, mixed in with my lotion, and anything else I can think of at the time.

There were many other products that I liked, but for various reasons, these items really stood out to me.  There were also items that were blah, but in the end, with so many items from all three boxes/bags that I liked, I will be continuing my subscriptions for the foreseeable future.  I have thought about trying the Sephora Box or the Glossybox, let me know if you would like to see that as well.

If you would like to try any of the boxes, my referral codes will be listed as well.  I haven't had anyone do so, but who knows what 2016 holds.

Boxycharm referral link.
Ipsy referring link.
Birchbox is here.

Those were my favorites, what were yours?