Holiday Gift Guide: Easy Gifts Under $50 for Him ;)

Okay, so first off, sorry for the lack of proper posts, my life has been sucked into the black hole of holiday madness and job hunting. Oh my gosh, I’m tired already…

Anyways, in case the world doesn’t go poof! in the following days – hehehe,  my apologies to the Dec 21 doomsday prepper’s on high alert, but I find it mildly amusing 😉 – so, back to it, you may be like me, in that you are still holiday shopping, especially for some of the most difficult of the bunch – guys!

So, just as before with my Holiday Gift Guide: Easy Gifts Under $50 for Her ♥ I gathered some easy – under $50 – gift ideas for the men in your life.

1. For the man that loves books

Whether he’s into crime, mystery, history or fantasy, if he likes to read and its a topic he loves – a good book is always appreciated. Maybe get him a new one he hasn’t read or perhaps an old favorite that he’s lost somewhere between high school and a life full of moving boxes.

Men are fairly transparent in their interests, but when in doubt cross reference the NY Times, Amazon and Barnes & Noble Bestsellers lists.

Featured Books Above: The Millenium (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) Series by Stieg Larsson, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand,  On the Road by Jack Kerouac and The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien.

2. For the scent conscious guy 

If he likes to smell good, cares for his place enough to own cleaning supplies, and isn’t afraid of a dash of feminine, then he might love a man-friendly scented candle to warm up his place.

Bath & Body Works have had some yummy candles lately that really do smell like men’s cologne!

Featured Candles Above: Mahogany Teakwood, Fireside and Black Pepper Bergamot.

3. For the guy in need of a little pampering

Guys often neglect their skin and especially their hands, unfortunately, so sometimes they need a little push – next thing you know – they’re hooked!

Nowadays, there are some great men’s skincare lines and around this time – gift sets galore!

Featured Items Above: Kiehl’s Men’s Refueling Kit and Helping Hands Essentials.

4. Movie/TV Junkie?

Easiest thing ever! His favorite show’s latest season or perhaps a special edition blu-ray.

Featured Item Above: The Dark Night Trilogy Blu-Ray Limited Edition (just got this exact one – thanks to my awesome brother – for $27!!)

5. The Gamer

If he is a gamer, no doubt he has been raving about the latest game out that he just has to have, but maybe just can’t afford at the moment.

If you’re unsure – get him a points/gift card for his most used game console.

Featured Games Above: Call of Duty Black Ops II and EA Sports Madden NFL 13.

6. For the workaholic and the traveler 

Whether he commutes, or just has that never ending job that requires him to mainline coffee – a quality insulated travel mug that could take a beating and his favorite coffee is guaranteed to be welcome!

Featured Items Above: Starbucks Blonde Veranda Blend Whole Bean Coffee and Stainless Steel Insulated Travel Mug.

7. For the sports fanatic

No brainer – his favorite team gear!

Featured Items Above: San Antonio Spurs T-Shirt and Chicago Bear Cap.

8. For the musician 

Why not opt for the unexpected, but totally awesome gift! Maybe hunt down a vintage record shop, or a bio on his favorite musician, or maybe just a nerdy novelty gift you know he would just love.

Featured Item Above: DIY Guitar Pick Punch from ThinkGeek.

9. Guy friendly Coziness 

Whether he is unprepared for the cold/dry weather or maybe you just want to spruce up his winter wardobe, pick up some non-holiday guy-friendly gear.

Featured Items Above: Lightweight sweater from Old Navy and Scarf from Gap.

10. And for the man who loves a good beer

If he enjoys the beer craft and is practically on his way to becoming a beer connoisseur, why not get him a new beer sampler?

This isn’t for the drunk guy in the bar, who you should NOT encourage with more beer, this is for the man that likes to buy 2 very good beers at the bar with a quality steak; and enjoys discovering new brews.

Featured Sampler Above:  World Market’s Winter Brews 9-pack Seasonal Beers.

Well guys – and ladies – hopefully that helps out, in case you are still in need of a few gift ideas 😉

x Sam

Holiday Gift Guide: Easy Gifts Under $50 for Her ♥

The holiday shopping season is in full force – seriously, I almost died 4 times driving to the area of the city one of the major malls is located in.

Anyways, I survived the chaos, and I know sometimes its easy to get stuck shopping for someone, so I came up with a quick list of easy (and nearly fool proof) gift options – all under $50!

1. For the Book Lover 

If you know she loves books and you can’t afford to buy her a new Kindle, then opt for a couple she doesn’t have yet; and when in doubt cross reference the NY Times, Amazon and Barnes & Noble Bestsellers lists for some that just her style.

Amazon and Barnes & Noble gift cards work too, especially if she already has an e-reader!

Featured Books Above: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins and The Millenium (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) Series by Stieg Larsson.

2. A Little Luxury Gloss

MAC has some genius little holiday sets out, with lovely packaging, for the make-up lover. I don’t think I know a make-up lover that would be disappointed!

Featured Set Above:  MAC Guilty Passions Lavish Rose Lip Gloss Set.

3. Pamper your lips

One of the best products I have come across for all day lip love is the Korres Lip Butter. They smell great, feel great, look gorgeous with just great flushes of color, and keep your lips healthy all day.

Sephora offers two sets – perfect for the holidays and a non-lipstick/lip gloss girl!

Featured Sets Above: Korres The Lip Blockbuster Volume II and Lip Butter Collection.

4. Something to keep her warm

It’s December!! Almost every girl I know loves a new pair of cozy socks, or a cute beanie and scarf, and of course – don’t forget the gloves!

Featured Items Above: Scarf and beanie from Banana Republic. Socks and Gloves from Gap.

5. For the body

A little sexy, a little sensual, but oh so amazing! The Victoria’s Secret Love My Body collections of body lotions, creams, sprays and oils. Perfect for a winter bath.

Featured Set Above: Jasmine & Water Lily (in my opinion the best fragrance of all the LMB scents) Lotion, Oil and Body Mist.

6. For the body… again 😉

For the girl that prefers the fresh and clean scent over the sexy and sensual. Soap & Glory body and hand products are some of the best out there and Sephora offers some awesome Soap & Glory sets – complete with travel totes!

Featured Set Above: The Best Things In Life Are Three Set.

7. Great for the home, great for the hostess

If she loves her place to smell lovely and inviting, Bath & Body Works 3-wick candles are great options. They offer some warm and fun scents for winter and they often have 2 for $20 sales – just make sure you smell them in-store. It is always best to avoid online ordering of candles, in  my opinion.

If you’re not sure what scents she prefers – gift card!

Featured Candles Above: Hot Buttered Rum, Spiced Apple Toddy and Frosted Cranberry.

8. Something a bit more personal

As many of you may know, I sell Chloe + Isabel, and we released some gorgeous holiday pieces – one of the most popular being the Pave Inital Disc Charm Necklaces! I have picked up a few myself for me and as gifts – so pretty in person!

Featured Initials Above: Pave Inital Disc Charm Necklaces in Gold-plated “M” and Silver-plated “S” (available in the 12 most popular letters).

9. For the true fashion and art lover

Coffee table books are awesome, but most people don’t buy them for themselves – they tend to be a bit pricey. Fashion and Art books are often beautifully put together and contain some very interesting/exclusive behind-the-scenes type content.

Perfect for fashion and art nerds!

Featured Book Above: Vogue: The Editor’s Eye.

10. Foolproof jewelry

Seriously, C+I’s Petite Rhinestone Open Bangles Sets are some of they most popular pieces selling as gifts for the holidays!

Four flexible rhinestone covered bangles, available in four different sets. I can wait to order mine!

Featured Sets Above: Deep Sea, Starry Night and Cha Cha Cha.

11. Something sweet

Fine chocolate and good wine! Need I say more.

Featured Items Above: Chuao Chocolatier Chunky Honeycomb Bark and Risata Moscato d’Asti.

12. For the TV addict 

Sometimes my life is run by my favorite TV shows schedules and I’m not the only one, so why not give her a season or two of her favorite show! Perfect to hold her over for the winter show hiatuses 😉

Featured Sets Above: The Walking Dead Seasons 1 and 2!!

There you have it Hopefully this inspired a few gifts for you – after doing this I think I’ll be back with a Gift Guide for Him in a few days!

♥

Influenster Beauty Bloggers VoxBox 2012

Hi lovelies!

So a couple weeks ago I was sent the Influenster Beauty Bloggers VoxBox and I always love getting VoxBoxes! They aren’t like Birchbox or MyGlam, one they are free – you simply need to be an Influenster, qualify and be selected and two – they almost always include full size products to try out. Then you share and report back what you loved, liked, disliked and even hated.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Influenster, check them out here.

So here is what the Beauty Bloggers VoxBox included:

1. NYC New York Color Individual Eyes – Brown Eyes Compact Palette
2. Kiss Ever Pro Lashes Starter Kit #05
3. Bath & Body Works Mini Candle
4. EBOOST Health Booster Drink Powder
5. Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin
6. Not Your Mother’s Smooth Moves Frizz Control Hair Cream

NYC New York Color Individual Eyes – Brown Eyes Compact Palette

My thoughts:

• Includes 2 matte shades (vanilla and soft warm brown) and 2 satin shades (soft bronze and cool toned plum).
• The eyeshadow colors are lovely in the pan, very soft, but have low pigment payoff when applied alone.
• The shadows also have poor staying power when applied alone and can be easily wiped away.
• The palette also includes a cream primer (bad, bad, bad!) and cream illuminator (nothing great).
• The primer doesn’t even set, with the illuminator being very light and fading quickly.
• I opted to use MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study as my base and for the purpose of this review I applied the shadows according to the “instructions” on the back of the compact, plus added a bit of the plum along my lower lash line.
• Using a Paint Pot instead of the included primer, the shadows applied more pigmented and stayed on well for hours!
• When the plum shadow is applied to the outer corner over the matte brown and satin bronze shadows, the resulting look is more of a deep copper than plum, but looks gorgeous.
• The look wasn’t photographing so well, with the reflecting particles in the satin shadows, but I did included the following photos where the colors came out most true to life.
• Final Verdict: For $4.99, the palette/compact is a good value, BUT invest in a quality base to get the most out of the product!!

Kiss Ever Pro Lashes Starter Kit #05

My thoughts:

• The kit included a single set of 05 lashes, lash glue and lash applicator.
• The lashes were good, but had a solid black seam, meaning you need to also wear black liner to hide the seam.
• The lashes were decently flexible, but the seam was a bit stiff for my liking, but not uncommon with solid seam lashes.
• For the purpose of reviewing, I did use the glue included 😦 The glue was horrible!! Not surprising, but honestly, probably the worst lash glue I have tried.  Bits stayed stuck on my eyes and took a bit more effort to remove than should be necessary. Make sure to always spend a few extra dollars a buy a quality lash glue, rather than relying on the included lash glues.
• The plastic applicator was okay, but I still preferred just using my tweezers.
• Up close photos below, and you can see my normal lashes in the above pictures.
• Final verdict: Lashes are good quality, with a slightly stiff seam, though not unbearable for me, but there are equal quality and more comfortable out there for the same price ($5.99).

Bath & Body Works Mini Candle (and 3-wick candle coupon)

My thoughts:

• I received the Black Pepper Bergamot scented mini candle and love it!!
• I had actually already bought the 3-wick candle in this scent and it smells of men’s cologne with a bit of spice.
• If you enjoy the smell of a man, or are a man that enjoys cologne, you would love this scent – though I believe it was part of their Fall collection and may not be available anymore, or at least in limited quantities.
• Final verdict: For me Bath & Body Works candles are always a good buy, with frequent sales and coupons. They have so many scents, many of which give off a subtle aroma without even having to burn them. I have a large 3-wick and mini candle collection, and always buy some during their 2 for $20 sales.

EBOOST Health Booster Drink Powder

My thoughts:

• Bleh!! This is a power dietary supplement/health booster with an “all natural orange flavor” that you add to water.
• Tastes as you would expect it to.
• Final verdict: Ehh… not too appealing for me.

Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin

My thoughts:

• LOVE these spin pins! I actually had bought a pack and guarded them closely, because they were a little pricey ($7.29) for two pins.
• I had actually lost one of my 2, when these came in the mail, so I was super excited to receive these.
• Great for securing your hair quickly and easily, without the hassle of multiple pins or tricks.
• Make sure just not to interlock them, if you are wearing two in your hair at once, since they can get locked together in your hair and be a hassle to remove.
• Final verdict: Worth it, if you’ve been interested – buy them!

Not Your Mother’s Smooth Moves Frizz Control Hair Cream

My thoughts:

• I think this one is more suited to wavy/straight hair, since it says to apply and blow-dry or air dry to reveal straight, frizz-free hair. Frizz-free – somewhat, straight -no.
• I had to use quite a bit, as my hair is past my waist and curly and it initially left my hair feeling a little sticky.
• It also left my hair feeling a bit dry and my ends felt horrible, like I dipped them in alcohol and they dried up!
• Smells like coconut, which is expected considering it has coconut and silk extracts.
• After sleeping on my hair, the feel of my hair has improved a bit.
• Final verdict: Not a great product for me at all and would not bother buying it, many other products out there!

So that sums up the Beauty Bloggers VoxBox 🙂 

Influenster: The Spring Beauty VoxBox

So last month I received the Influenster Spring Beauty VoxBox! A FREE box full of full size products to test, evaluate and possibly recommend. I was so excited! This was my 3rd Influenster VoxBox and this ain’t no Birchbox honey…

So first off, a bit more about Influenster:

What is an Influenster?
Community of trendsetters invited to share their lifestyles and show off their influence to qualify for personalized product shipments, special rewards and exclusive deals from the brands they love. Members love testing the latest products, giving insightful feedback, and spreading the word on their favorite finds!

REGISTER. UNLOCK BADGES. GAIN ACCESS. REVIEW. SHARE. 

Member Benefits

• Get the inside scoop on the latest products and brands to hit the market
• Receive invites and deals that are personalized to your lifestyle
• Opportunity to earn free VoxBoxes that reward you for being influential
• Give feedback that sways product development catered to your needs
• Be the trusted voice for top products picks, tips and recommendations

and a bit more about VoxBoxes:

How Does It Work?

Qualify

• Members selected based on badges, demographics and internal influence scores

Receive

• Members who meet qualifications for a program receive official notification

Evaluate

• Qualified members test products and give feedback on testing experiences

Recommend

• Members spread the word for brands they enjoy and rate positively

Who gets a VoxBox?
Influensters are selected for themed shipments based on the badges they have unlocked and individual demographics, ensuring members receive products that match their lifestyles and interests. Members with high ‘Influenster scores’ – within the specific consumer groups we are targeting for that program – are prioritized, so make sure to connect and unlock as many Influence Badges as you can!

When am I getting a VoxBox?
All new shipment announcements are made on our Facebook and Twitter pages, so make sure to Like and Follow Influenster on social media to stay in the loop!
Note our programs are themed and designed to target various consumer groups throughout the year. When you meet the specific requirements for an upcoming VoxBox campaign, we send a program invitation a few weeks in advance so that you can officially confirm your participation. Please note: we do not ship to Hawaii or Alaska at this time.

So the Spring Beauty VoxBox came with 6 items, plus a bonus item – which was quite a bonus for a shoe loving girl!

So onto what I loved and hated about everything…

Sheer Cover Duo Concealer (shade: light-medium)

Value: $29.95 (one month supply 6 product kit + 3 bonus products)

LOVED:

• Creamy
• Non-drying
• Duo concealer lets you mix your own perfect shade
• Good for fading blemishes

HATED:

• Only sold in supply kit with other products
• Light coverage
• Slides into lines and creases, even after setting with powder
• Would avoid the under-eye area

VERDICT: PASS

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash

Value: $6.99 to $8.99

LOVED:

• Light natural scent
• Non-drying
• Moisturizing
• Doesn’t leave residue on your skin

HATED:

• Had to use more product than expected, as it does not lather as well as others, as it is “soap-free”

VERDICT: RECOMMEND! 

ChapStick Lip Shield 365

Value: $1.89 to $2.39

LOVED:

• SPF 50+
• Smooth application
• Smells like lemonade

HATED:

• Leaves a sheer white tint on the lips
• Tastes okay

VERDICT: PASS

Sally Hansen Salon Effects (style: Frock Star)

Value: $9.99

LOVED:

• Easy to apply
• Long-lasting
• Wide range of styles
• No waiting/drying time

HATED:

• A bit pricey

VERDICT: BUY 🙂

Bath and Body Works Fine Fragrance Mist (scent: Sweet Pea)

Value: $14.00

LOVED:

• Packaging
• Scent
• Light Mist
• Good quality for the price

HATED:

• Scent does not last all day, will need to re-mist throughout the day

VERDICT: BUY 🙂

SOYJOY Bar (flavor: Blueberry)

Value: $0.99 to $1.29

LOVED:

• All natural
• Healthy snack
• Tastes quite good for a snack bar, and very good for a healthy soy bar

HATED:

• Blueberry bar needed just a little extra spice

VERDICT: RECOMMEND!

BONUS: Dr. Scholl’s For Her Ball of Foot Cushions

Value: $5.74

LOVED:

• Gel cushion
• No glue = no damage to your shoe
• Removable but doesn’t move
• Cushions your toes in those sky highs!

HATED:

• Toes can slip a little on the rubber

VERDICT: RECOMMEND!