Spa Day! and a Discount!

Hey Beauties!

I was scrolling through my email this morning and saw a 50% off coupon code for spa services from Groupon. This is GREAT way to get pampered and discover new treatments without breaking the bank.

New to Groupon? Here's a few tips:

• Sign up via our link and get an additional perk (usually $10 off your first Groupon.)
• Use Ebates to visit Groupon's website, and get cash back in the form of a quarterly rebate check!
• If you don't have an Ebates account, we have you covered there too. The link is at the top right of our blog and here. You can select a gift card as a reward for signing up. Yeah!

Sign up, get your discounted services, and say ahhhh.... Time to relax at the spa.

Update: Here's an extra coupon code for $10 off a massage or facial. Find a provider in your area, and let the pampering begin.

Enjoy!

March 2016 - BirchBox

Happy March! It's always a pleasant day at the mailbox when our BirchBox arrives. (It beats getting a bunch of bills!) Here's a look at what we received:

March 2016 BirchBox
Number 4 Restore & Repair Oil, Coola Makeup Setting Spray, theBalm Stainiac, treStiQue Shadow Crayon,
Wilma Schumann Collagen Eye pads 

• Number 4, Elixer Restore & Repair Oil - Faint perfumed scented oil to add shine to the dry ends of our hair.
• Coola, SPF 30 Organic Makeup Setting Spray - One last spray for added SPF protection, hydration, and makeup setting glory.
• theBalm, Stainiac - Beauty Queen shade lip and cheek stain - Dual use, light stain. (See our full review of theBalm Stainiac.)
• treStiQue, Color & Smudge Shadow Crayon - Aspen Pine color - Shadow and liner in one!
• Wilma Schumann, Hydrating Collagen Eye Pads - Our eyes can't wait to try the 100% pure collagen pads. Plump and prevent fine lines around the eyes, PLEASE! ;)

Overall, this is a good BirchBox! If you are interested in signing up to get your own, our money saving tips are linked here.

Thanks for reading! Find us on Facebook at Glambo. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @GlamboGirls if you are on those platforms. We generally follow back.

theBalm - Stainiac - Beauty Queen

We normally review full-size products here on Glambo because we like to use the product many times with it's original dispenser. We tried theBalm Stainiac in the Beauty Queen shade via sample sizes received from our March 2016 BirchBox.

theBalm, Stainiac, Beauty Queen
lip and cheek stain

The results are neutral. Overall, Stainiac cheek and lip stain is good. We like the dual purpose. It leaves a hint of color as both a blush and lip shade. Don't be intimidated by the color in the bottle. It goes on lighter and sheerer than it appears in the container. It looks redder or pinker depending upon the lighting.

The Balm, Stainiac, Lip and Cheek Stain

Personally, Stainiac isn't a product we are likely to buy again. I'm not sure we are lip and cheek stain people. You can layer the lip color to get a darker hue. However, it reminds us of a long wearing lipstick that has been worn for several hours. The lip stain is slightly drying in nature. The faint color and dryness make us want to apply a moisturizing lipstick over it.

We're not a fan of applying anything drying to the cheek area. The 'hint' of color isn't worth it. Maybe we just don't completely understand the stain concept because it seems easy to apply blush and lipstick. Again, the dual purpose of Stainiac is nice, but we're not sold. We would purchase two products we already like to do the job better.

The great part of receiving a smaller size of theBalm Stainiac is that it's perfect for the travel bag or desk drawer cosmetics bag. It will be used again, but not likely in it's entirety.

See the other contents of our March 2016 BirchBox here.

BirchBox - February 2016

Hello Again! It's BirchBox time! We have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the second box of our subscription. Here's a picture of what's inside:

BirchBox - February 2016

This box contains:

• hey honey, Take it Off - This was the item we picked for the month. The hey honey brand is new to us, but the peel-off mask sounds like retro beauty fun!
• Pop Beauty, lipstix -  Full size lipstick in Satin Rose shade and 'matte velvet' finish.
• Klorane, Dry Shampoo - We are dry shampoo fans, and were happy to see a new brand in our BirchBox. However, this product leaves more white residue than any we have tried. FYI.
• Juara, Candlenut Body Crème -  A silky smooth lotion with a light floral fragrance.
• Revive, Cooling Cheek Tint - Our first cheek stain. The color compliments the Pop Beauty lipstick included in this month's BirchBox.

We discovered last month that you can earn points for completing BirchBox reviews. They currently equal $1 per review for a total of up to $5 per month to spend in the BirchBox store. Yay! Discounted make-up. Woo-whoo!

Stay tuned for more beauty reviews and next month's BirchBox reveal.

Gray Silver Locks

For anyone that has been surprised to see a gray hair peeking through their tresses, the silver gray hair trend may seem shocking. Why would anyone young want to dye their hair silver when those with gray hair spend so much time and effort to cover it up? The answer is that the color is striking on a youthful face, especially when paired with darker roots.

Celebrities have adopted this trend.

Left: Rihanna with gray hair. Right, Kylie Jenner leaning gray.



Gaga Gray: Lady Gaga sporting gray hair with darker roots.

 

Instagram models with gray hair will stop you mid-stream.


Gray hair curls. (original source unknown.)

Young model, gray hair, red lips



Rocking gray hair

We especially like the style with purple roots. If you are considering a gray hair transformation, know that this color comes with a lot of maintenance. The look isn't designed to let your grey streaks flow. It takes a lot of lightening on the ends, dark root upkeep, and specialized shampoos so that the color doesn't turn to a  brittle blonde hue. Heavier eye makeup and / or darker lips prevent an overall washed-out appearance.

They're Back!!! ... Block Heeled Shoe Trend

We knew they would come back around! We haven't seen block heels emerge as a trend since the late 1990's. Now, this shoe style is popping up in stores with more frequency.



Tahari Ava Leopard Pump

If done right, they can look cute. What we love is the level of comfort. Kitten heels and thin, high heel designs are beautiful eye candy, but they don't help the feet if you have to do a lot of walking. (Vegas, anyone?)



Tahari Mary style shoe

Steve Madden Adelphie, available at DSW

We've seen the trend on boots. We know it's a thing when it becomes more popular on flats and mid-heel heights.



Michael Kors Joy Slide Sandals

Youngsters will appreciate the comfort. Our moms will be able to wear a higher heel height with this design. #Spoonies will love it too. If you have fatigue or balance issues, but still want to be on trend, block heels are the shoes for you!

BirchBox - Jan. 2016

What a great way to start the new year! I recently subscribed to BirchBox. My first one was received January 2016.

The BirchBox arrived with this packaging, including a set of stickers to customize it. Fun, right? The stickers bring out the little girl in all of us, and combines it with our personalized, empowering vision for the new year.

January 2016 BirchBox with Stickers

The contents of my box are shown below. I'm still in the process of trying and reviewing the beauty samples.



Contents of January 2016 BirchBox
amica: Bombshell Blowout Spray, Supergoop CC Cream, whish body butter,
Vasanti BrightenUp!, Cargo Swimmables Shadowstick
 

• amica: Bombshell Blowout Spray - I'm excited to try this and review the amica brand. It will be hard to give up my Moroccan Oil though! I'm a loyal user due to my dry, coarse hair.
• Supergoop CC Cream - I received the Fair to Light shade per my color preferences. This product states it is self adjusting. It also has a 40 SPF sunscreen, which I love.
• whish body butter - I started using the almond scented body butter immediately. I still need to try it on my legs, but I keep using it on my hands and arms due to winter dryness. This entire sample is sure to be used.
• Vasanti BrightenUp! - I love a good Exfoliating Cleanser. Vasanti's version includes micro-crystals and aloe. I plan to apply this by hand and using my Clinique Cleansing Brush prior to posting a full review.
• Cargo Swimmables Shadowstick - The Sunkissed color was delivered in my box. It's neutral color with pizazz. This stuff is durable! I can't wait to try it in the surf this summer.

Overall, I am very pleased with my first BirchBox. It's a fun surprise for beauty lovers like me!

Star Wars CoverGirl Nail Polish - Golden Opportunity

We have acquired another polish from the Star Wars line from Covergirl. It's #230 Golden Opportunity, a pretty nude metallic. The shade is golden, but not CP30 brassy in shade.



Star Wars CoverGirl Outlast Nail Polish, Golden Opportunity

Two coats covered well. No free edge was visible. We've swatched it on a pale skin tone, but will add photos once we try it on our Hawaiian Glambo Girl. It's a color that should look good with any complexion.

If you haven't picked up any Star Wars cosmetics yet, there's still time to shop and get a rebate. Details are listed in our Revenge Red nail polish post.

May the Force Be With You, Glambo Beauties!