Category Archives: Beauty

December’s Birchbox

Did you win the Shabby Apple necklace giveaway? The winner has yet to come forward!

I received my December Birchbox, albeit a bit late, but the company did take the time to email me and offer me a $10 discount (in the form of 100 rewards points) on purchases as an apology. I won’t be using it unless I can find something that’s exactly $10 with shipping (I use Birchbox purely to sample, not buy), but it was still considerate of them to notice my December shipment was late, acknowledge that fact, and offer compensation.

The box came with a festive card that detailed each item in the box, and its purpose and benefits.

  • Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo: I gave this to my mom because she was practically drooling over it as soon as she saw the bottle, and I have never really needed or wanted dry shampoo. I think my mom wants to use it for occasions when she has to work out and go straight out to run errands, which I do all the time – only difference is, I don’t mind doing it with gross hair.
  • Atelier Cologne Ambre Nue: Ateli-what? AKA a small sample vial of a perfume that my mom and I couldn’t figure out if we liked or not.
  • Jouer Lip Gloss: The color, a bright “Barbie” pink, is appropriately titled “Birchbox Pink”. Haven’t tried it yet, but put it in my beauty storage drawer for next time I need a new tube of gloss!
  • Nuxe Dry Oil Shimmer: Totally intrigued by this, but not sure when I’m going to use it – or how! This multi-use oil is supposed to be applied to the face or body “to give skin a silken feel and subtle glow”. It can even be worked into hair! I’m a little wary of how subtle a shimmery oil could exactly be, or how well it would blend into my hair (and what it could do to it), but when I’m feeling adventurous I’ll try it out.
  • ShowStoppers Fashion Tape: I definitely can see this coming in handy! We’ll see if it actually sticks.
  • EBoost Orange Natural Energy Booster: I’m honestly not a big fan of “energy boosters” loaded with Vitamin B12. I like to stick to my dependable caffeine, so I ditched this sample.

Which of the items in my box would you most want to try?

Maybe it’s Maybelline – Giveaway!

Have you heard of Bzz Agent? It’s a super-cool site for super-cool marketing nerds like me who enjoy getting the inside scoop on and testing out new products. If you sign up and fill out a profile, eventually you will receive occasional emails inviting you to participate in Bzz Campaigns. If you’re interested in reading more about Bzz Agent in action, some interesting articles have been written!

Image courtesy of BzzAgent.com

I was invited to participate in the Maybelline Baby Lips & Lots of Lashes campaign about a month ago, and was sent some products to test out! Bzz Agent also included a BzzGuide about the product – they like to keep their agents educated 🙂 I also realized that this campaign has just five days left, and I definitely haven’t done enough bzzing. I’m here to correct that!

I’m sure many of you recognize the classic pink and green Great Lash mascara. It’s been America’s #1 mascara formula for quite awhile, but now it’s been pumped up to create lots of lashes – even if you don’t have any! This Great Lash variation hit stores in September. Here are some more facts:

  • Easily reaches the inner and outer corners of the eye
  • Builds your lash look with no clumps
  • Available in three washable shades
  • Available at mass retailers for $6.40

The Baby Lips Repairing Lip Balm has SPF 20 and comes in a variety of colors (or lack there-of for those who want a clear balm) and flavors. The product came out in stores in October, and is made with shea butter, one of my favorite beauty product ingredients.

  • Renews lips to their natural condition in four weeks
  • Combines eight hours of hydration with an optional color tint
  • Available in 2 clear varieties (Quenched and Peppermint) and 4 tinted varieties (Cherry Me, Pink Punch, Grape Vine and Peach Kiss)
  • Clinically proven to provide comfort and relief to stressed, dry skin
  • Protects against damage from harmful UVA/UVB rays
  • Available at mass retailers for $3.99

GIVEAWAY! Ends Sunday 12/18!

I want to share the Maybelline love with my readers, so I am giving away three pairings, each containing a Baby Lips balm and a tube of Great Lash Lots of Lashes mascara. To enter, please leave a comment telling me your current mascara and lip balm brands of choice (required entry). Don’t worry, if you don’t say Maybelline, it won’t count against you! And if you do say Maybelline, it unfortunately won’t put you ahead 😉 I genuinely just want to know! I will use a random number generator to pick three winners!

For additional entries (please leave a separate comment for each or it won’t count!) you can:

  • Like Cait Plus Ate on Facebook
  • Like Maybelline New York on Facebook
  • Follow CaitPlusAte on Twitter
  • Follow Maybelline on Twitter
  • Subscribe to this blog
  • Tweet “I just entered to win @Maybelline mascara and lip balm from @CaitPlusAte the #bzzagent!”

That’s seven ways to enter – remember, the comment about your brands of choice is the only required way. If you only leave one comment, even if you do all seven entry options, you only get one entry. So comment separately!  Good luck guys! You have until Sunday, 12/18 at 11:59PM EST to enter! US Residents only please – sorry!

Birchbox Love

Have you guys ever heard of Birchbox? I found out about it through a fellow blogger, and I am bummed to realize that I cannot even remember who it was – UGH! If it was you, I apologize.

Image from birchbox.com

Basically, you go onto Birchbox.com and sign up to receive your monthly Birchbox, or a box that contains several beauty samples (based on questions you are asked at sign-up), for $10/month. I think this is a good deal considering I love to try new beauty products, but do not love buying them at full-size at the drug store and watching them stockpile in my bathroom as I rarely use them. With Birchbox, my urge to try new products is satisfied monthly, and there’s also the fun element of surprise because I don’t know what I’ll be getting each month!

I also receive periodic emails throughout the month with beauty tips and deals that correspond to what I received in that month’s box. These emails are not too bothersome, pushy, or frequent. I believe you can customize which you receive, or unsubscribe completely, if you wish! I haven’t felt the need to though.

To give you an example, below is my October Birchbox and its contents:

  • Pandea Organics Facial Scrub
  • Redken Shine Flash 02 Glistening Mist
  • Blinc Mascara
  • BeFine Lip Serum
  • Tea Forte Mints (not pictured)
To give you an example of how I typically use the contents of a Birchbox: I stored the facial scrub for use in travel and for when my current scrub runs out. Same deal with the lip serum and mints. However, I have been using the hair mist and LOVE IT. It smells so awesome – honestly the best smelling hairspray I’ve ever used. And I’ve also been using the mascara daily. It supposedly encases your eyelashes in “tubes” of mascara, and it works. I can tell because when I remove my makeup, it comes off very easily in little tube form! So cool, and so much lessy of a removal.
Out of all the products in the above Birchbox, I’d say the one I recommend you actually purchase is the Blinc Mascara. I have really never used a mascara that wonderful!

And November’s Birchbox…

I haven’t really had a chance to try any of these products yet, but check out the chocolate – it’s chipotle dark chocolate! I can’t wait to sample that. In fact, I’m not sure why I haven’t yet. I also received a funky green nail polish that would be perfect for St. Patty’s Day. And I’m curious as to how the whitening toothpaste will work – I’m opening it when my current tube runs out!
I totally think the sample of beauty supplies, plus the experience of getting the Birchbox, is worth the $10/month. They didn’t give me any reason to do this post – I just wanted to share a cool find with you all!
What do you think of Birchbox? Anyone else do it? Let me know if you sign up and what goodies you get – everyone gets different samples each month based on their preferences!

Meet Caitlin

I’m a 28 year old full-time working girl living in Boston (previously lived in Connecticut). I’m passionate about food/drink, restaurants, self-love, fitness, and the ever-present search for balance. I write about that journey on this blog – I hope you enjoy!

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Design Credit

My header was originally designed by Mai Le and later tweaked by Chris Roggi to match this theme, which he helped me customize. He also moved me over to self-hosting! Both can be contacted through their sites for design & development work!

Disclaimer

I am not an RD and do not have any official training, certifications, or degrees in nutrition or fitness. This blog is a way to write about my life. Any views I express are mine alone, based on what works for me, and should never be taken as medical advice. Always talk to your doctor or a trained professional before starting a new diet or fitness plan. In addition, this blog and its content are in no way affiliated with Kate Gosselin, “Kate Plus 8”, TLC, or any related affiliates.

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