Target Beauty Box - Best of Boots Review

I haven't gotten a Target beauty box in quite a while. This one, though, featured some of Boot's (a UK pharmacy) bestsellers from top British brands. 

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter Body Butter: This body butter is okay. It's a bit greasy (which I expected) and really creamy, but it was the strong scent that I didn't like. I put some on at night and the next morning it was still just as strong.

Soap & Glory Sexy XXL Lip Gloss: I don't really care for lip gloss in the first place as I don't like the greasy slimy feeling of it, but I did not like this lip gloss at all. When a lip gloss has a CAUTION: THIS LIP GLOSS WILL TINGLE on the back I was a bit skeptical, but I was not expecting to feel like I just rubbed hot peppers all over my lips. It felt more like a burning sensation than tingling. I don't know why anyone would like that? Not for me.

Sleek MakeUP Eyeshadow Palette: I liked this eyeshadow palette. I've actually never had a palette with this many colors. Reason being the cost vs. assortment of colors I would actually use doesn't typically work for me. I actually liked almost all the colors in this one and it has been fun to play around with. The colors are bold and long lasting. I also haven't really noticed any creasing after wearing all day.

When I ordered this I wasn't expecting some giant full sized palette, but I was not expecting it to be so tiny either! I had to get a picture with something for reference because it's practically doll sized.

No7 Restore & Renew Face & Neck Multi Action Serum: I liked this serum okay. The formula is creamy and it rubs in well. It felt nice and light on my skin and didn't irritate my skin at all. I probably wouldn't pay full price for it, but I liked the sample.

No7 Airbrush Away Primer: I thought this primer did a pretty good job. I am always interested in primers that will reduce the appearance of pores and this worked well. I've been using the Maybelline Instant Pore Eraser and I just don't care for it. This one is much better! It's not quite as good at minimizing pores as I would like, but it's not too bad. It's more of a cream instead of a gel and doesn't have a nasty smell like the Maybelline one does.

Botanics Shine Away Iconic Clay Mask - Willowbark: This mud mask was super runny! Like, trying to rub water on your face. It was running all down my hand and was very messy. I was not expecting that as most mud masks are, you know, mud consistency. That said, I did like the mask. It did seem to work well and was gentle on my skin. It wasn't drying either. I also liked that you only have to leave it on for 10 minutes, so it's great if you want to just put it on before a shower or don't have a lot of time.

Five for Friday

Hello and welcome to my Five for Friday! I am linking up with Cup of Tea , Bright on a Budget, Della Devoted, and BYBMG!

1. I stopped by Trader Joe's earlier this week and I had to pick up some flowers! We have pretty much been having spring weather around here lately (we're already had a couple of days in the 60's which is weird!) so a nice bouquet of spring flowers seemed appropriate! These were too pretty to pass up!

2. I placed an Amazon order yesterday. It's pretty nice you can just order a bunch of random things and have it show up in two days. Haha. I did order the mini waffle maker I talked about last week. It was only $10 and I think they will be the perfect size to make, freeze, then pop in the toaster. Have you ordered anything fun from Amazon lately?

3. Did you watch the start of the Olympics last night? We always enjoy watching. The opening ceremonies are tonight and I always find that interesting. What are your favorite Olympic events?

4. I finally got around to updating my About Me page. It's something I've been meaning to do for quite a while and just kept putting it off. I don't know if it's still quite done, it's hard trying to write about yourself!

5. In case you missed it I shared a book review on Monday and a review of my January Ipsy glam bag on Wednesday!

Hope you have a great weekend!

January Ipsy Glam Bag Review

ABSOLUTE NEW YORK Eye Artiste Single Shadow in VIP: This color was okay. I didn't really like it at first glance, but once I put it on and blended it with another eyeshadow it looked fine.  

CAKE BY CAKE BEAUTY Heavy Cream Intensive Body Balm: I wash my hands a lot which means my hands tend to get a bit dry so I am always looking for lotions that actually work. Since this is a balm it is a bit oily and doesn't rub in super well, but it is very moisturizing. It has a nice scent, although not a true vanilla. But overall I liked it.

CIATÉ LONDON Fierce Flicks Liquid Eyeliner: I didn't really care for this eyeliner. The brush is a bit long which makes it hard to be precise when using as it and it tends to want to make more of a squiggly line instead of a straight line. Basically it's just harder to use than it should be. 

VOID 5-Free Polish in Mauvelous: I wasn't sure about the color on this nail polish but once I put it on it looked nice. I did have to use about three coats for it to not look streaky. The brush was quite small and didn't apply quite as smoothly as I would have liked. While nail polish tends to have a very strong odor, I found this one to not be as strong as most others. I've had this on for almost a week and it just started chipping, which is quite rare for me!

PREVENTIVE MEASURES 101 After Hours Lip Balm: I liked this lip balm. The flavor wasn't my favorite (I don't dislike it, I just don't really like passion fruit all that much.), I have trouble finding lip balms that actually work. I find that most of them really don't do anything except dry your lips out more and I thought this one worked really well. I would definitely recommend this if you have dry lips.

Overall this was a pretty nice bag. It isn't very often I get a bag where I like almost all of the products so that was definitely nice! 

In Bloom: Trading Restless Insecurity for Abiding Confidence by Kayla Aimee Book Review

In Bloom: Trading Restless Insecurity for Abiding Confidence
Description from Amazon: 
Every woman is intimately acquainted with feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. Whether fueled by a culture of makeover shows, by the lingering memories of mean girls, or by events much more wounding to the soul, we can become so conditioned by self-doubt that it becomes our inner monologue.
What we want is to be free of shame and comparison, to turn our uncertainty into a bold confidence. But to flourish in our own skin, we first have to rewrite the narrative.
In this fearless, funny, and refreshingly relatable chronicle of her own metamorphosis from the insecurity that once held her captive, author Kayla Aimee unfolds the blueprint for women to:
 
• Identify the deep-seated sources of our assumed inadequacy and replace them with steadfast truths of scriptural affirmation
• Replace our need for approval with the enduring promise of acceptance
• Uncover our purpose, unlock our potential, and celebrate the God-given gifts in our unique personality
 
To every woman who longs for belonging, this journey through Kayla’s inviting prose, biblical promises, and journaling prompts will help guide her from restless insecurity to a beautiful becoming.

                                -----------

I have been lucky enough to be part of the launch team for this book and have so enjoyed reading it along with Kayla and the rest of the women in the group. 

I've been following Kayla and her blog for quite a few years now, since first hearing about her and Scarlette's story through a message board after Scarlette was born. (Which, if you haven't read her first book Anchored: Finding Hope in the Unexpected you should check that out too!)

So when I received the email looking for people to be part of the launch team, I signed up not really knowing much about the book but knowing if Kayla wrote it I would certainly enjoy it!

Little did I know how much this book would really resonate with me. Insecurity, feeling inadequate or inferior are feelings every woman of every age deals with, and I have definitely had my struggles with them. This book will force you to dig up past hurts, disappointments, and insecurities and help you to learn to see yourself as God sees you. 

This book had me literally laughing out loud at some of Scarlett's antics (like when she thought her new baby brother was a robot), cringing at other moments, and nodding along with the biblical truths found within this book.

I just felt like Kayla really put into words so many things I've felt but didn't know how to say. So many times she talked about  situations that felt so personal and close to things I've gone through or thought about some of the mixed messaging found within the church and society. 

The bible verses throughout the book are used well and come across naturally without sounding forced or in a beat-you-over-the-head-with-a-bible kind of way.

Overall, there is a lot I could say about this book! This book had discussion questions in the back and can easily be used in a book club or bible study. Kayla Aimee is someone every reader can easily relate to and I think this book is a great first step towards overcoming our insecurity and helping us to live and see ourselves how God wants us to.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come. (2 Cor. 5:17)

I received an e-book copy of this book from NetGalley and B&H Books in exchange for an honest review.

Five for Friday

Hello and welcome to my Five for Friday! I am linking up with Cup of Tea , Bright on a Budget, Della Devoted, and BYBMG!

1. I got some new Valentine's sprinkles last week so I had to bake some Valentine's cookies! 

2. I stopped by H&M yesterday and picked up this cute shirt! I wasn't able to find it online otherwise I would have linked to it! I am always on the lookout for a nice floral pattern, so this was a win for me!

3. I also stopped by Target where I got these boots for only $8! For some reason the online listing has a much higher price, but all of the boots in store were $8 (they had quite a few different styles all on clearance.). They had some really great clearance prices on tons of stuff. Unfortunately the store I was at was pretty picked over. But I did get the boots, so that was nice! I have a pair from a few years ago that I wear all the time that really need to be replaced, so it was nice to find these so cheap!

4. Did you know they make mini waffle makers? I keep seeing them popping up all over the internet and I kind of want one. That's not to say I don't already have a full sized waffle maker, but mini waffles would be fun! 

5. In case you missed it, earlier this week I shared some of my favorite pictures from 2017 and a book review!