CBB in a Year: 2014 in Review

Hi friends! I apologize for my brief absence; the holidays have been a hectic time. Today I am back to ring in the new year with you! I was inspired by Kriselle's post over on Livin' and Lovin' to do a "Best Of" post for 2014. Let's have a look, shall we? 

Review & Thrifty Find: Dollar Shave Club (and How to Get Their Products Cheaper!)

Hey, friends! Yesterday I posted a link on my Facebook page about how women's shaving/deodorant/etc products are almost always significantly more expensive than men's. Today I'm sharing with you a shaving subscription box that's actually directed at men (I was recommended it to try it by my older brother!). It's a lot cheaper than many other women's razors you'll find at the drug store!

I haven't done a Thrifty Find in awhile, but today I've included a dupe on how to get these products even cheaper than they already are. Crazy, huh?

I pulled out the green holiday towel again, because 'tis the season...ho ho ho. 

Birchbox: December 2014 Review

Hi, friends! The holiday season is upon us, as I'm sure you know (stores started carrying Christmas stuff in OCTOBER--gross). To show some holiday spirit and not be Sammi Scrooge, I'm photographing my December Birchbox on a green background. And who said I'm not festive? :)

Beauty Buff Holiday Wishlist 2014

Hi, friends! I hope you're surviving finals week. Today, the Beauty & Fashion Blog Community is sharing their holiday wishlists. The holiday season isn't about the presents, as well all know, but it's always a little fun to be shallow and dream. This isn't necessarily a gift guide, because we're all strapped for cash and I could only dream of being able to afford these products (plus they're really not necessary to achieve happiness or nirvana or whatever). But, if you're an older person you're looking for a gift for the beauty buff in your life, feel free to let this serve as a gift guide. This is essentially my dream list, if I had a forest of money trees growing in my backyard and it meant nothing to me. Let's get started!

Under $25

As college students, we're all strapped for cash. Even though this is my dream world, there are still some products that have a relatively low price tag but still deliver huge results.

This or That? (Tag)

Hi friends! Today I have a fun tag for you, called the "This or That" tag. I love doing tags, because they're a great way for us to get to know each other! I was tagged by the lovely Vivienne over at Jolie Pagaille to do this. Check her out--she refers to her blog as "a beautiful mess" since there's a little bit of everything on there.

This or That Tag Rules (but if you break any of them I promise I won't sic the beauty police on you)
1. State who tagged you (provide a link to their blog).
2. Answer all of the questions.
3. Select one "This or That" question for all your subscribers to answer.
4. Tag 4 people to answer ALL the this or that questions on their blogs (provide links). They say you really get to know people when they’re put in tight situations. Today’s “This or That” is going to do just that!

1. Blush or Bronzer? 
Blush. I only usually use bronzer in the summer. I own my pale-ness for the rest of the year!

Physicians Formula Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Blush in Natural (September 2014 Favorites)

Review: Modere Beauty Box

Hey, friends! Today I wanted to share with you a cool new beauty box by Modere. They make a little bit of everything, from skincare to vitamins to laundry products, and they've just launched a beauty box program. I've never seen anything like it before, so I wanted to share!

Giveaway and Reader Survey

Hey, friends! I had a real post scheduled for today, but due to some technical difficulties, I had to postpone it. Until then, I just wanted to shoot a reminder out about two exciting things happening on my blog right now.

#GirlsCan with CoverGirl + GIVEAWAY

Hi, friends! Today I have partnered with CoverGirl to talk to you about something near and dear to my heart. This month, CoverGirl is donating $50,000 to Dress for Success, which for those of you who don't know, is an international not-for-profit organization that helps women who have been struggling get back on their feet. They do this by providing women with a professional wardrobe that can help them get back into the workforce, as well as teaching them the skills they need to find jobs and support themselves. Since their founding in 1997, they have helped more than 775,000 women around the world. They're truly amazing. Check out Dress for Success' website to learn more.

Birchbox: November 2014 Review

Hello, friends! My Birchbox actually arrived last week, but I've been buried in the usual pre-finals workload, so my schedule has been packed to say the least. But I'm really happy to be sharing my box with you today, so let's dive into everything! 

Rather than the usual pink box, this month's Birchbox came packed in a red box due to their collaboration with the organization (RED). This was their way of being thoughtful and giving back for the month of Thanksgiving. In case you don't know, (RED) is an organization that was founded to help fight against AIDS and HIV. The box is covered with HIV statistics on it. One phrase on my box says that "in 2002, 1,500 babies were born with HIV each day. Today, that number is down to 650." Thanks, (RED)!

Birchbox? What's that? - Birchbox is a monthly beauty and lifestyle subscription service. It sends 4-5 deluxe samples that are curated to your beauty profile. It is $10 a month, and has a wonderful rewards program, in which you can earn points for reviewing products and making purchases in the Birchbox Shop. You can then redeem those points for full-sized products! It's probably the best rewards program out there, in my opinion, which was one of the big draws in me signing up. If you're interested in subscribing to Birchbox, I would love it if you used my referral link. Thank you!

5 Products I'm Thankful For

Hi friends! This month's blog hop with the Beauty & Fashion Blog Community is all about stuff we're thankful for. And yes, we're thankful for our family and friends and food and everything, but today we're going to be a little shallow and talk about our favorite material possessions. Because it's almost Thanksgiving, and people always forget about it in favor of Christmas, which just isn't fair. So, without further ado, here are the five products I'm most thankful for this month. 

Review: Boscia Luminizing Black Mask

Greetings, friends! I have another review for you today. Today I'll be talking about the Boscia Luminizing Black Mask. You might have seen it in my Total Beauty Mystery Collection for June 2013 unboxing (aka The Total Crapbox), but like many products that I receive, they go into the stash until I'm ready to take them out and give them a good, solid try. I used a skincare regimen from Boscia awhile back, so I was excited to try this mask. Without further ado, let's get on to the review! 

Review: Adovia Intensive Anti-Wrinkle Cream

Hello, friends! I hope you had a nice Halloween. Now that it's starting to get cold in Boston (we went from having a prolonged summer to living in 46 degree weather), it's time that I start changing up my skincare routine. Usually, in the colder months, I like to be armed with a heavier moisturizer that can restore some hydration to my dry skin. After testing this product out daily for two weeks, here are my thoughts on it:

(Psst: I did a review of one of Adovia's eye creams back in July, so check that out if you're interested.)

My Favorite Things: October 2014

Happy Sunday, friends! It's the end of the month, which means it's time for me to talk about what new products I've discovered, rediscovered, and undiscovered(!?). Included here are some new goodies, some stuff I started using again after neglecting them for awhile, and some products that I tried and just plain disliked. But enough about that--let's get to the good stuff!

Birchbox: October 2014 Review

Hi, friends! My Birchbox arrived a few days ago, which means it's time for my monthly unboxing! I'm really happy with my box this month, so I can't wait to share it with you.

Birchbox? What's that? - Birchbox is a monthly beauty and lifestyle subscription service. It sends 4-5 deluxe samples that are curated to your beauty profile. It is $10 a month, and has a wonderful rewards program, in which you can earn points for reviewing products and making purchases in the Birchbox Shop. You can then redeem those points for full-sized products! It's probably the best rewards program out there, in my opinion, which was one of the big draws in me signing up. If you're interested in subscribing to Birchbox, I would love it if you used my referral link. Thank you!

The Lazy Girl's Guide to Halloween

Hello, friends! Over at the Beauty & Fashion Blog Community, we're excited about Halloween, and we wanted to take the time to share our ideas with you guys. I know I'm personally a Scrooge (you can call me Sammi Scrooge), so I'm always out for how to get a festive look without spending a ton of money. Really, I aim to not spend money at all--it's more fun to taking on the challenge to use what I already have. Plus, I usually wind up having to work on Halloween, so I typically have about 15 minutes to change into my costume and get ready before hurrying off to whatever plans my friends and I have made.

Review: It Cosmetics Tightline Full Lash Length Black Mascara Primer

Hi, friends! It's been a little while since I last did a full review of a product, so today we'll be talking about the It Cosmetics Tightline Full Lash Length Black Mascara Primer. Phew, that's definitely a mouthful! As I'm typing this, I'm trying to say it out loud and I keep getting tongue-tied. I'll be referring to it as the It Cosmetics Mascara Primer for the rest of this review, just because who's got the time to say (or type) all of that?

Disclaimer: I received this as a gift from my mother. Not sponsored or affiliated with any mentioned brands. Then again, I might be sponsored by the mother, considering she gives me money sometimes. This post is quite possibly sponsored by my mother. 

My Favorite Things: September 2014

Hi friends! It's the end of the month, which means it's time for me to talk about what new products I've discovered, rediscovered, and undiscovered(!?). This is some new things, some things I started using again after neglecting them for awhile, and some products that I tried and just plain disliked. But enough about that--let's get to the good stuff!  

Sulfate-Free Haircare: 

Coolway Cool Cleanse & Hydrate Shampoo/Conditioner ($20 each for 8.6 oz each)

Number 4 Shampoo/Conditioner ($34 each for 8.5oz each)

Yes, I am on a sulfate-free hair kick again (cue Throwback Sunday, or whatever). I received these in my Beauty Box 5 May 2014 and Birchbox May 2014. May was a month of good hair care for me, I guess! In typical Beauty Buff fashion, I'm just getting to both of these now, but I'm glad I tried them! Since I cut 10 inches off my hair, I've been going through conditioner so much more slowly, but my shampoo usage is still going strong. I finished my Number 4 Conditioner and Coolway Shampoo, so now I'm using what's left. I think I prefer the Number 4 line, but to buy full-sizes of their shampoo and conditioner would cost me $68! Yikes! I'm in this phase where I'm using up all of my sample/subscription-service-size shampoo and conditioners, so my sulfate-free kick will end when these samples do. It's nothing personal, because as much as I love how soft and flyaway-free these products leave my hair, they also require use of dry shampoo on Day 2. 

Birchbox: September 2014 Review

Hi, friends! My Birchbox is here, which means that it's time for my monthly unboxing and review! Are you excited? I'm excited. Hmm. Maybe if you received your own Birchbox every month, you would be as excited as I am. (To-do: look up synonyms for "excited")

Birchbox? What's that? - Birchbox is a monthly beauty and lifestyle subscription service. It sends 4-5 deluxe samples that are curated to your beauty profile. It is $10 a month, and has a wonderful rewards program, in which you can earn points for reviewing products and making purchases in the Birchbox Shop. You can then redeem those points for full-sized products in the Birchbox Shop! It's probably the best rewards program out there, in my opinion, which was one of the big draws in me signing up. If you're interested in subscribing to Birchbox, I would love it if you used my referral link. Thank you!

Guest Post: Back to School Checklist: Beauty Edition

Hi, friends! Today I'd like to share with you the guest post I did for Kriselle, a fellow HCBN member, on her blog Livin' and Lovin'. It's a beauty post (wow, shocker) titled, "Back to School Checklist: Beauty Edition." It's kind of the updated version of last year's Back to School Beauty Essentials, because I'm always trying new things and want to give you guys the best of the best from my experiences!

What's on your beauty back-to-school checklist this year?

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin' | Google + | Email Newsletter

Fortune Cookie Soap: "Witch, Please" Fall 2014 Review

Hi, friends! Today I have a different subscription to unbox for you today: The Fortune Cookie Soap Box! I received this box in the middle of August, but I wanted to have the ability to get retail values of the products and do some research on the company before I wrote a post about it. Without further ado, here is my first review of FCS!

Fortune Cookie Soap? What's That?: Fortune Cookie Soap is a bath and body company that also sells a quarterly box of new (seasonal) products for $20 each. The boxes contain 8-9 generously-sized sample products as a preview to the new seasonal line that will launch on their website and in their store. With your box you will also receive a code for $10 off any order on their website, so you can basically score your favorite product in the full-size for free! Their product names and descriptions are often snarky, themed, and/or slightly inappropriate, which brings me way too much joy. Everything smells amazing, and there's something in it for everyone, because who doesn't bathe amirite?

My Favorite Things: August 2014

Hi, friends! It's the end of the month, which means it's time for monthly beauty favorites! I'm back at school, and between packing, unpacking, and getting back into the college routine, I haven't had much time to try many new things. Some of these are old favorites that I've continued recognizing my love for them, while a few others are newly discovered goodies. But enough about that, let's get to the good stuff~

WHISH Coconut Milk CC Body Cream ($38 for 5oz)

I received this in my Birchbox this month and I've really been enjoying it! It has a nice, coconut-y scent, and the iridescent shimmer almost makes your skin sparkle in the sun (in a good way, not the weird Twilight way, I promise it won't turn you into a vampire). I don't think I would purchase the full size--especially since, as a CC Cream, it does no real color correcting for me--but I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts. 

Birchbox: August 2014 Review

Hi, friends! It is time once again for my monthly Birchbox unboxing! Are you excited? I'm excited. Maybe you would be more excited if you got a monthly Birchbox. Do you get one? Because you should.  

Products I've Used Up: August 2014

Hi, friends! It's been a little while since I've done an Empties post, so I figured it was about time we took another look through my trash. Plus, I always find these kinds of post so interesting to read; I don't know why. Without further ado, here is my beauty garbage and what I thought about it!

EDIT: This post was down momentarily and underwent some changes on September 9th because of an error with Blogger.

Adapalene Gel 0.1% 

My skin is already missing this prescription cream! I used this on my t-zone to keep acne at bay, and I found it really effective. I started using this last August. It took a long time to work (around a month and a half to two months), but by the time I went home for Thanksgiving break, my blackheads were gone. And now my nose is already starting to look clogged again. It's a sad, sad day. I'll have to go back to the dermatologist to get more. If you have mildly acne-prone skin and are interested in learning more about it, talk to your dermatologist (as I am not one, nor do I have any sort of medical degree that makes me certified to tell you what prescriptions to get. Disclaimer: over). 

Birchbox: July 2014 Review

Hi, friends! There was some problem with the shipping of my Birchbox last month, so I wound up not getting it until last week. I'm pretty sure it's my fault, since I'm in the process of moving, I might have gotten the zip codes messed up. Granted, people who work at the post office should know which town is what zip code, but apparently Quality Control and that sort of thing was nixed with budget cuts from the government, so I guess no one checks for that anymore. The people at Birchbox customer service were kind enough to send me a replacement box, and it was filled with the same products I was supposed to get in my original box! I'm very pleased that my box made it to me, because I'm really excited about this month's!

Birchbox? What's that? - Birchbox is a monthly beauty and lifestyle subscription service. It sends 4-5 deluxe samples that are curated to your beauty profile. It is $10 a month, and has a wonderful rewards program, in which you can earn points for reviewing products and making purchases in the Birchbox Shop. You can then redeem those points for full-sized products in the Birchbox Shop! It's probably the best rewards program out there, in my opinion, which was one of the big draws in me signing up. If you're interested in subscribing to Birchbox, I would love it if you used my referral link.  Thank you!

Hot Weather Staples

Hi, friends! It's the first of the month, and you know what that means: The Beauty & Fashion Blog Community blog hop! This month, we're sweating up a storm (isn't that a lovely image?) so we're sharing tips on how to keep looking fresh-faced. Let's get started!

I have combination skin, so in the summer months I like to switch to a lighter PM moisturizer (for my T-zone's sake). Right now I've been using EVOLOGIE's Stay Clear Cream ($62 for 1oz) to keep the acne at bay, because blackheads are loving me right now and it's just not cool. This is the sample size from their duo pack. It has 2% salicylic acid, and they don't advertise what the pH level is, but it must be somewhere around the right mark because it seems to be working. I use this everywhere else but my cheeks, since my cheeks have enough trouble staying hydrated and I never have a problem with acne there. My dry cheeks are divas and get a separate night cream. Wow, I never thought I would become the person that uses two separate night creams, but combination skin is a pain in the butt. (Read more: April Favorites, May Favorites)

EVOLOGIE's Stay Clear Cream

Something about the sweltering hot weather makes me incredibly lazy, so I use products like SOLSCENTS Angelica SPF 30 Sunscreen ($14.95 for 8oz) to combine steps in my daily routine. This is not only a sunscreen, but also a lotion and fragrance. It smells great, leaves my body feeling nice and soft, and it has SPF 30! It's affordable, too, so it pretty much fills all requirements on the checklist. (Read more: Full Review, Beach & Pool Bag Essentials)

My Favorite Things: July 2014

Hi, friends! It is time for my monthly favorites post! I can't believe next month is August, and I go back to school in less than a month. My next favorites post will be written at school in Boston! Whoa!

Anyway, let's get on to the good stuff~

AQUAPHOR Lip Repair ($5 for .35oz)

This has become my new nighttime lip balm, since I used up my Vaseline Lip Therapy (see Lip Balm Bonanza: Part 1). This got a mention in my Part 2, because it really does provide immediate relief to chapped lips. I'm perpetually dehydrated (oops) so this is really nice to have on hand. I especially like using it before bed, since that's 8+ (we wish) hours spent not drinking water! And for those of you who don't like using lip products with petroleum since you're habitual lip-lickers, have no fear; this is petroleum free!

Review: Adovia Dead Sea Mineral Eye Gel

Hi, friends! I haven't done a legitimate review on this blog in a stupidly long time (I blame the tags -- they're so addicting!) so today I bring you a skincare review. I'm always on the lookout for an affordable eye cream, since whenever I look at department store prices I kind of want to vomit. After testing the Adovia Dead Sea Mineral Eye Gel for two weeks, here are my thoughts on it.