Young At Heart Mommy

Managing Motherhood Through Love & Laughter

Starlooks: October Starbox Review

It is nearing the end of the month and this is the time I often end up with a special delivery at my door. This week I received my October Starbox from Starlooks. If you are stopping by and jumping right in, you may want to take a look at my September review to see what the service is all about. As a quick reminder, Starbox is a beauty subscription service that includes full sized samples for around $15 each month. 

Continue Reading

Starlooks: September Starbox Review

Just when I think that there are no beauty boxes left to review, I realize that the list may in fact be endless! For all of the subscription box junkies, this is the newest edition to my collection. The Starbox is a monthly subscription service brought to you by Starlooks. Starlooks is a website that captures all things beauty including makeup artist secrets,  interviews, and how-to videos. What makes the Starbox so different from similar boxes is it comes with FULL SIZE products!

Continue Reading

Julep Maven Review + GIVEAWAY

They say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but for some of us nail polish is the equivalent! As a girly girl who loves makeup, clothing, and getting glam- I can’t be without a good nail polish. I know I am not the only one out there so that is why I am introducing you to Julep! There are many reasons Julep stands out from the rest. All of the Julep nail colors are “4-free” which means they do not contain the carcinogens, formaldehyde resin, toluene, or DBP. Through numerous amount of testing in their own Julep Nail Parlors, they have been able to create a chip resistant and long lasting formula. Their polish goes on smooth and dries quickly, leaving your nails sleek and refined. In participation with the Julep VIP program, I had the opportunity to try one of their introductory boxes and share my experience with you. There is also a special surprise for my readers at the end!

Continue Reading

Influenster: Naturals VoxBox Fall 2012

Another Influenster box arrived this week! WOOT. I love getting these boxes and when they get here I can’t wait to take a look at everything inside. This Fall, Influenster sent out the Naturals Voxbox packed with products that are organic, pure, and chemical free. You can take a look below at the items I received and a small snip-it of each!

Continue Reading

HBL Hair Care Review + GIVEAWAY

I consider myself to be a hair junkie. While I do have a short list of favorite hair care products, I am always open to trying something new and innovative. When a box of HBL products arrived on my doorstep, I was ready to give them a test drive. HBL hair care was developed by Patrick Dockry who was determined to create a new experience encompassed in 13 premium products. They are free of any harsh sulfates or parabens that often strip your hair of its protective layer. All of the HBL products are pH balanced and formulated with high quality ingredients to keep the hair healthy. These hair care products offer gentle, color-safe cleansing, conditioning and styling solutions for EVERY hair type. The taller sleek packaging makes the products easy to store and tuck away in your shower or cabinet.  Here are a few of the products I was sent and their description.

Continue Reading

Beauty Bash In A Box: Glossybox Review

If you are a fan of the monthly subscription beauty boxes you may have recently heard about the grand and girly- GlossyBox! While GlossyBox has been available in 19 other countries, it has just made it’s appearance here in the United States recently. Each month a curated box of 5 deluxe sized luxury beauty samples will be delivered at your doorstep for you to indulge and pamper yourself with. After creating your beauty profile and selecting your subscription plan, your personalized samples will be on their way. I have read a lot of positive reviews from other beauty box lovers in the U.K and once I received my own GlossyBox I realized what all the hype was about.Yes, another box of beauty-ful goodies to feed my addiction!

If you follow GlossyBox on Twitter you may know that this month they held an Olympic themed giveaway in which you could win on of their popular boxes. I tweeted my entry and was lucky enough to be one of the winners chosen. Last week I received the July Summer Nights Glossybox and could not wait to see what was inside this pretty pink box! 

 

The Summer Nights Glossybox contains everything you need including essentials to help show off your sun kissed skin and hair while enhancing those sultry eyes. There were 5 expected deluxe samples but also one special surprise bonus. I’ve never actually received a subscription box in which I truly felt I could utilize every single item it came with. Glossybox must be the first because I loved every single sample that I received, especially the Sebastian duo for color treated hair. Not that I need another shampoo or conditioner to add to the 10 bottle collection lining my shower…but seriously- I have to buy the full size of both of these products!

  • Alessandro International Pedix Heel Rescue Balm: This foot cream oil imported exclusively from Germany provides intensive protection and nourishes skin, leaving it soft and supple.
  • Sebastian Color Ignite Multi Tone Shampoo: Smart color moisture complex that targets your color-treated strands, to deeply moisturize and restructure hair fibers wherever needed moist.
  • Sebastian Color Ignite Multi Tone Conditioner: This micro-bubble conditioner whips, wraps, and wows your strands leaving your hair with long lasting color and shine.
  • Figs & Rouge Lip, Face, & Body Balm:  This gorgeous tin is filled with a 100% pure and natural skin balm, a multi-use wonder product that will keep your skin feeling soft and beautiful throughout the day.
  • Senna Cosmetics Mineral Eyeshadow Trio: This silky pressed mineral eye shadow trio in metallic or matte colors gives you a hypnotic yet polished finish with amazing dimension. 
  • *Bonus* – Blushed Fragrance by Ruddy Water: Features notes of bright red currant and rich vanilla, wrapped around subtle sweet lemon, slightly spicy ginger, and kissed with a hint of sugar. 


After giving each sample in the box a few tries, I can say I am honestly satisfied with my first Glossybox experience. For $21 a month, the value is there and I feel you are getting what you pay for. The full size eyeshadow trio alone retails for $24 making the box already worth it. This box compared to others, contains products that are higher end and recognizable. Some of these brands include O.P.I, Burberry, Ole Henriksen, Zoya, & First Aid Beauty. I also like that you can cancel anytime without any fuss or frustration. I didn’t think I would ever say this but Birchbox may have met their new competition! Glossybox has got it all- presentation, delivery, and a variety of exciting beauty products.

Disclosure: I received the products above  from GlossyBox as a winner in their Twitter promotion. I am taking it upon myself to share my honest opinion and experience. I am under no obligation to post a positive review on them. I will not be compensated for this review. As always, opinion are my own!

Flat Iron Experts Review

Recently I was sent a few goodies from Flat Iron Experts to try and review. The hair straightener they provided me with is the Avanti Ultra Ceramic Flat Iron. This is a 1 inch iron that reaches up to  430 degrees. This is one of the most popular products sold in their online store.  The Avanti Ultra Ceramic Iron consists of top quality Korean Ceramic combined with Ceramic and Tourmaline technologies to provide extremely hot plates that will protect your natural shine. The infrared heat seals in natural moisture. They also sent me a flat iron stand and KQC Thermal Shine Spray. The iron holder fits the average sized 1 inch appliance and has suction cups on the bottom to grip onto smooth glossy surfaces. I have never owned a flat iron holder before but wish I had. This keeps your hot iron off of your counter and out of harms way. The suction cups also prevent it from moving or sliding around, holding it firmly in place.

The KQC Thermal Shine Spray can be used on all hair types whether it is normal, oily, or dry. It helps to prevent any damage or breakage from the heat while you are straightening, curling, or blow drying your hair. It also prevents frizz, split ends, and tangles. Since it is a light weight spray, your hair won’t get greasy or slick from application. I found it worked best sprayed on towel dried hair that has already been combed through. I made sure the product was distributed evenly and then worked it through with my fingers. I could already feel how soft my hair was and this stuff smells really good! Using a heat protector on your hair is very important especially if you are like me and have to straighten your hair everyday so you don’t look like a Chia Pet. This kept my hair healthy and shiny looking minus any brittle split ends.

Overall, I liked the Avanti flat iron. I took a before and after photo to demonstrate how well it straightened my hair and how shiny it made it. I have no idea why my hair looks two different colors in the photos but I didn’t dye my hair for this! I am assuming it’s because of the lighting in my bathroom. My hair is not naturally straight and if I do not flat iron it everyday it gets very wavy and frizzy. The Avanti iron combined with the Thermal Shine Spray kept my hair soft and minimized the fly away hairs. It also allowed me to cut down on my drying time, I only spent about 10-15 minutes straightening and styling.
Flat Iron Experts sell a vast variety of hair tools, products, and even cosmetics at a discounted price. If you are looking to invest in a new hair straightener they have a huge list of different brands and types to help assist you in finding what you are looking for. To connect with Flat Iron Experts and learn more about their products you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclosure: I received the products above  from Flat Iron Experts for my consideration and to share my honest opinion and experience. I am under no obligation to post a positive review on them. I will not be compensated for this review. As always, opinion are my own!

Green Grab Bag Review

To all of my monthly subscription box lovers, let me introduce you to the Green Grab Bag! As part of this eco friendly program each month you will get at least 6 beauty samples that are natural, organic, and vegan. These samples will include skin or hair products, makeup, fragrances, and more. Unlike many of the subscription programs floating around, the Green Grab Bag is known for keeping their service 100% natural. Not only are their products organic, BUT their packaging is even eco-friendly! This includes their bag, shredded filler paper, tape, and even their wrapping materials. It’s refreshing to see a company that is truly devoted to providing the greenest of the green! I have read a numerous amount of positive reviews on the Green Grab Bag and was thrilled when given the opportunity to experience it myself. 

The August edition of the Green Grab Bag embraces the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall. The samples provided are meant to assist in hydrating, exfoliating, and replenishing for a fresh fall look. In my bag I received six different generous sized samples. Taking a quick look at everything, most of these products remind me of things I would find in my local Whole Foods or natural food store in their cosmetic section.  

  • Selma Valentines Whipped Body Butter: soothe dry skin with this decadent body butter, made from moisture rich coconut oil.
  • Green Tea Skin Anti-Aging Cream: it’s never too late to reverse & repair, and this multi-use, antioxident rich cream does the trick on face, neck, hand and eye areas.  
  • Emtage Hair SILKtage Rejuvenating Serum: turn your dry, parched hair into silk with this amazing product that offers 30 benefits in one bottle. 
  • Moody Sisters Organic Eye Cream: fight those fine lines and deflate those bags with this luxurious cream, loaded with vitamins and essentials oils. Great for nails and cuticles too.
  • Tierra Mia Organics Raw Goat Milk Soap: baby and nourish your skin with one of these delicious smelling soaps. Everything your skin needs and nothing it doesn’t.
  • Scrubz Natural Skin Care Lipz Shea Butter Lip Balm: you should crack a smile, not your lips. Keep them soft and smooch ready with pure shea butter and eight botanical oils. 
 I can’t say that there was one sample that I did not enjoy using from this bag. My favorite product was the whipped body butter because it smelled amazing and was the perfect size to keep in my purse. Even the eye cream has become a staple in my nightly routine. Green Grab bag allows you to try new products and their deluxe samples can even be used more than once. This is a great way to try before you buy. The upcoming September Green Grab Bag is currently being curated by the Whole Body Department of Whole Foods Market. It’s going to feature deluxe samples of some of their most popular national brands that are being hand selected for next month’s bag. With that being said, you will not want to miss out on September!

If you are interested in subscribing to Green Grab Bag, they offer two different subscription options. You can pay $15 a month or you can purchase their yearly membership with a 20% discount attached. If you are someone that enjoys trying natural, organic, and vegan products then this program is something you will probably enjoy. For more information you can visit the Green Grab Bag website or stop by their Facebook to see what other fans are saying about their experience!
Disclosure: I received the products above from Green Grab Bag for my consideration and to share my honest opinion and experience. I am under no obligation to post a positive review on them. I will not be compensated for this review. As always, opinion are my own!

Summer Time Beauty: Pacifica Review


While shopping at Sephora last year I came across the Pacifica product line and was curious to see what all the hype was about. While there were many scents to choose from, I have always been a sucker for anything orange. Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter in a tube was the very first Pacifica product I ever used, and quickly became my favorite. Not only does it smell amazing but it keeps your skin soft and moiturized with its anti-oxidant rich ingredients. It is described as a delectable blend of juicy and spicy Blood Orange offset by Strawberry and Raspberry notes grounded in fleshy  Mandarin and Italian Sweet Orange. As Pacifica states, “It’s An Orange Connoisseur’s Dream.” I have never smelled anything like it and have yet to find an orange infused body butter that compares. This is one of those products that you have to try for yourself and i can guarantee you will love it! Did I mention it’s paraben free also?

While Pacifica was generous enough to send me a full sized tube of my favorite body butter, that wasn’t all! They also sent me their new Color Quench Lip Tints. The trio included  Guavaberry, Coconut Nectar, and Blood Orange lip tints. These contain natural coconut oil that helps to keep your lips soft and moisturized while leaving behind a sheer sexy glow. I was very excited to try these because they are a new product and the colors are beautiful. The lip tints are sold individually but if you purchase the trio pack, you are getting three for the price of one. You get a lot of product in each stick and they are also lightly scented which makes it more enjoyable to wear on your lips. The packaging also makes these the perfect gift or stocking stuffer for the holidays!

Pacifica sells several products and not only luscious body butters and pretty lip tints. They also offer perfume, solid perfume, body washes, scrubs, roll-on fragrance, candles, diffusers, and value sets of your favorite scents. To sum it up, I have been a huge fan of Pacifica since I was first introduced and will continue to purchase their products because in all honesty, I haven’t found anything better! 


To connect with Pacifica and get the latest news on upcoming and existing products, follow them on Facebook and Twitter. You can also head over to the Pacifica website and browse the selection for yourself.

Disclosure: I received the products mentioned from Pacifca for my consideration and to share my honest opinion and experience. I am under no obligation to post a positive review on them. I will not be compensated for this review. As always, opinion are my own!

Beautybox Five Review

Beauty Box Five is a monthly beauty subscription service that provides members with 4 to 5 cosmetic samples each month to try. Each box is $12 a month, $30 quarterly, or you have the option of purchasing it for $100 to cover a full year. Some of the brands that Beauty Box Five works with are Weleda, Freemans, Blinc Cosmetics, and Tree Hut. Beauty Box Five also has a referral program in which you refer 5 friends to join and you will receive one month for free!

In my box I received 5 products to try:
  • Blush from Everyday Minerals ( Girl Friday )
  • Makeup primer from Bodyography
  • Makeup Geek Eyeshadow pan (Sensuous )
  • Dry Shampoo from Pssssst
  • 2 Freeman  anti-stress facial masks

Out of all five products I have only used one previous to receiving my Beauty Box Five. I am a huge fan of the Freeman’s facial masks but was happy to see that the other products we’re new to me. It’s always nice to try something you never have before.  

The Everyday Minerals Blush came in the color “Girl Friday” which is described to be a soft plum berry shade. This color is matte and won’t leave your cheeks glittery. I hate when mineral blush makes my face look shiny. This is very subtle but a little goes a long way. If you apply to much you could overdo it very easily. ($6.99 for the mini size)

The Makeup Geek eyeshadow in Sensuous was the first sample I was eager to try. I have always loved deep plum eyeshadow colors and this looked to have a good amount of sparkle to it. The texture was soft and it was easy to blend. I wore it a few days to test its staying power and to my surprise I didn’t have any issues with it creasing or disappearing during the day. Not really feeling the refill pan because I have no wear to stick it after I throw the packaging away. ($5.99)

The Freeman’s Anti Stress Mask is one of my favorite things to use when my skin goes completely crazy on me. I have the full size in my bathroom right now so I decided to save these packs for traveling or over night stays. It’s made with natural ingredients and is very gentle on the skin. I’ve always found it to be helpful in calming down breakouts. ($1.99-$2.99)


I really wanted to like the Bodyography primer but I am still on the fence about it.  It goes on very smooth but I couldn’t help but feel like it made my skin oily. I usually stick to oil-free foundation primers and the texture is a lot different. It did hold up during the day and it didn’t make me break out, so that’s a plus. I am going to keep using this and see if it grows on me. ( $30 for Full Size )

The Psssst Dry Shampoo was the last product that I tried. I have used my fair share of Dry Shampoos and this is by far the best smelling one. It also doesn’t leave your hair feeling dry or chalky. You can’t even tell that this is in your hair after spraying. While giving you body it also gives you a freshened up look. The 1.76 oz bottle is also air travel friendly! ($3.99)

With Beauty Box Five being $12 a month I wanted to calculate the retail value of each sample received. It does appear that you would get your moneys worth with the products provided but in some cases it could be a hit or miss. Most of the products I did like with the exception of being iffy about one. But then again you have to remember this is a subscription program and the point is to try new things and see what you like or dislike. I am going to keep up with Beauty Box Five because I think they do have potential. I hope that in the future they add more well known brands to their beauty boxes like other competing companies.

Disclosure: I received this products reviewed from Beauty Box Five for my consideration and to share my honest opinion and experience. I am under no obligation to post a positive review on them. I will not be compensated for this review. As always, opinion are my own!

Everywhere