Rocksbox Subscription Service Review

One day while on the treadmill at the beginning of December I was working off my previous night's  cookie binge and watching Tati's video for the day. Tati, AKA GlamLifeGuru, is a major Youtuber/Beauty Guru that I have been a fan of for many years now. While watching her do a PR unboxing (showing all the free goodies she gets as a major Youtuber) she opened a box from a company that contained jewelry. In it there was a code from the company named Rocksbox and it had a code for a free 3-month trial subscription. 

I instantly paused the video and somehow while still maintaining my speed on the treadmill I looked up the company and signed up for the free 3-month trial subscription. I may not be skilled at everything, but I am the Michael Phelps of multi-tasking.

Rocksbox is a monthly subscription service that costs $21 and you get to try out 3 jewelry pieces that are sent to your door. When you first sign up you fill out a style quiz and get assigned to a stylist that will pick each piece based on your quiz results. Once done with the quiz you can then go through their MASSIVE data base of all the pieces that are available for the service on their site and you "like" whichever ones catch your eye. When you "like" an item it lets your stylist know to pick pieces like that or you might get that exact piece in your month's set.

Once you receive the items they come in their own individual pouches in a beautifully presented box. Inside the box there is a pre-paid return label and the white bubble envelope the box came in you save and reuse to send the pieces back at the end of the month.

If you wish to own an item from the box then you just package up the other two or one, send them back, and once they're received Rocksbox will charge your card for the piece or pieces that you kept and the $21 you paid for the month gets applied to your purchase. If you decide to own the whole set you get a nice discount.

There are numerous designers to chose from, and the nice thing is is that you can exchange your sets as many times as you'd like each month. There is no limit to how many times you change a set each month.

Pros

My experience with the service has been amazing because it has pushed me to try new jewelry and style my outfits in different ways. It's sparked some new creativity in my wardrobe that has been much appreciated. 

It makes it really easy to buy jewelry. Once you send the items back that you don't want to purchase, you don't even have to think about it. They do everything on their end and then next comes another set for you to play with.

Receiving any subscription each month, whether it's makeup, clothing, or jewelry, is an exciting thing to look forward to and feels a bit like a surprise gift to yourself.

Cons

There is a sale section on the website of items that have slight signs of wear from previous users. If you don't want to use your $21 towards anything from your month's set, you CAN'T use it towards the sale section. Any purchase from their sale section has to be a separate purchase.

Overall

If you like to play with new jewelry trends or if you feel like your wardrobe could use some fun accessorizing, try this service out! It will push you out of your comfort zone and you won't regret it!

Balmain x H&M + Favorites

H&M, one of my favorite stores in the same price range and all-around awesomeness as Target, has recently teamed up with the celebrity-favored powerhouse Balmain. Known for their heavily embellished designs, they've been showcased on Kim Kardashian many a times as well as many other big-name celebrities.

The collection that was unveiled about a week and a half ago has over 100 pieces at more affordable prices than their usual line with items ranging from $17 all the way up to $650. While the more expensive items are pricier than usual for the H&M racks, it's still a steal compared to Balmain's usual $2,000 and up price tags.

My Favorite Pieces

$50 or less

(While the collection is available for purchase in stores, you can only view the collection online)

 

 Balmain + H&M Women's Tee: $34.99

I've come to that point in my style evolution where I love a basic tee that I can pair with pretty much anything and still have it look stylish and professional. While this has wording, it's one part basic, one part cool and all parts need to have, now.

 

 Balmain + H&M Sunglasses: $49.99

Really amazing sunglasses are pretty much a necessity in everyone's wardrobe, no matter where you live. Nobody wants boring sunnies: enter these beauties <.3

 

 Balmain + H&M Bra: $24.99

I love bralettes. I adore them. However, my D cups don't allow me to partake due to gravity (straps are my lifesaver). I live vicariously through everyone who can wear bralettes, so go my children, be free, and wear strapless bras for those who can't (me).

 

Balmain + H&M Men's Blazer: $49.99

No matter how old I get, I love wearing men's jackets with a t-shirt and jeans. The more embellished the jacket the better.

 

Balmain + H&M Headphones: $49.99

I'm a sucker for great headphones, and these are the most embellished I've seen yet without looking tacky.

Balmain + H&M Pouch: $34.99

This would make a perfect little pouch to slip into your purse or carry as a clutch.

30 Days of Lips + Looks: Day 30 "Inner Demons Recreation"

Day 30 "Inner Demons Recreation" - Calvin Klein

(Original Image)

Calvin Klein One Color Pure Color Lipstick: $16.00

I saw this movie a little while ago and I fell head over heels in love with the main character's makeup. I've never done a black smokey eye on myself before, and I really don't use black eyeshadow often to begin with. This was definitely stepping outside of my comfort zone, but I wanted to really push myself for the last look of my challenge. I hope you lovelies enjoyed my challenge!

30 Days of Lips + Looks: Day 29 "Israeli Cut Crease"

Day 29 "Israeli Cut Crease" - Too Faced

 

Too Faced La Creme Color Drenched Lipstick: $22.00

This is the most dramatic eyeshadow look I think I have ever done. It actually wasn't as involved of a process as I thought it would be, surprisingly. I decided to call it an "Israeli" cut crease since the Arabic cut creases I've seen use silver/white or pink on the eyelid while I used gold. Not that I'm trying to create a new look, I just thought it would be fun to use gold and whenever I think of Israel I think of the golden sand and beautiful shimmering building topped with gold in Jerusalem where we visited.

I did repeat this lip color but it felt like the only one that would truly pair well with this eyeshadow look since it's SO dramatic.

30 Days of Lips + Looks: Day 28 "Purple Rain"

Day 28 "Purple Rain" - Lime Crime

 

(Inspiraton photo)

Lime Crime Velvetine "Rave": $20.00

 This was another inspiration photo that was sent to me that I thought would be really fun to attempt. The pink lip color I have isn't the baby pink like in the photo, and I don't have a bright purple eyeshadow like in the picture, but I decided to attempt it with the limited range of purples that I have. I actually have 2 different kinds of glitter on top of the purple eyeshadow, it just didn't pick up the glitter on my lid, only under my lid. This was actually the easiest look I've done so far. Maybe I'm getting faster?

30 Days of Lip + Looks: Day 27 "Red Lady"

Day 26 "Red Red Wine" - J Cats

J Cats Big Lip Pencil : $3.99

So I decided to attempt the strobing trend along with my bright red lip for work. I feel like my makeup held up really nicely, I'm a little shiny despite re-applying powder after getting home, but my skin looks nice which is always my main focus. I actually really love this lip pencil because it's so hydrating and pigmented that I actually wear it by itself as like a lipstick. It lasted all night through eating and drinking with just one little touch-up. I need to wear this more often because this is one of the best red lip products, EVER.

The New Foundation/100% Pure Review

Since my beloved Buxom foundation is close to being empty, I decided to take the initiative a few weeks ago and purchase a brand new foundation ahead of time. I decided to try one from the company called 100% Pure: their products are vegan, cruelty-free and 100% organic. 

The problem was that I was torn between 2 shades since I can only order their products online. They have "Creme", which is a light shade with warm undertones, or "White Peach", which is more my color, but with pink undertones. My skin has yellow undertones, which means that if I put pink on top of my yellow, it will make my skin look ashy. I ordered the "Creme" shade, hoping for the best. It came in today and I tore into it immediately for my makeup routine.

(100% Pure Foundation)

(Buxom Foundation)

Left: Buxom/Right: 100% Pure

As you can see, there's a big color difference between the two foundations, however, with my photos and makeup application, I couldn't see much of a difference once on my skin. 

Fruit Pigmented Healthy Skin Foundation: $42.00

While it felt comfortable on the skin, it didn't dry down matte on me - it still seemed a little shiny after my initial application. It's without a doubt a full-coverage foundation. Using a lesser amount than I do my Buxom covered more than I've seen a foundation do. It lasted through a long day and night an it was still 100% on when I got home. The Buxom foundation is $34 for 1.5 oz while the 100% pure is $42 for 1oz. The price for the amount is different, but after taking off my makeup tonight my skin actually looked a little healthier. Also, in the bottle the foundation smells like cinnamon toast, which to me is a plus.

Verdict: I like it, but I'm going to order another vegan, cruelty-free organic foundation from another company for a future face-off out of curiosity.

30 Days of Lips + Looks: Day 12 "Nothing comes between me and my Calvin"

Day 12 "Nothing comes between me and my Calvin" - Calvin Klein One High-Shine Gloss "Tender"

Calvin Klein High-Shine Gloss "Tender":$15.00

My obnoxious duck face is there so it doesn't seem like I take myself too seriously, because honestly, for every serious picture I've taken for my blog, I've taken about 25 goofy ones right after it. (Also the duck face is to hide that I'm wicked sunburned under my makeup) I got this gloss in my Ipsy bag a few months ago and have worn in less than a handful of times. It smells very pretty, and is a bit of a thicker gloss. I like it because it's long wearing and doesn't leave that awkward residue on your lips that some glosses do. It's a very pretty, soft shimmery pink. 

30 Days of Lips + Looks: Day 11 "Colorblock Effect"

Day 11 "Colorblock Tango" - J Cats/Kat Von D/Covergirl/Cailyn

J Cat Wonder Lip Paint "Red Potion": $4.99

Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm "Acid Pink": $19.00

Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick "A-Go-Go": $21.00

Covergirl Lip Perfection Lipstick "Divine Divine": $10.47

I did an ombre lip the other day, so today I thought I would do a colorblock lip. I've always wanted to try one and I thought this would be really fun. The Covergirl lipstick is a deeper purple in the tube, but once on the lips it softens to a purplish-pink. The Kat Von D orange lipstick has sadly dried out after less than a year of ownership, so I'm going to turn it into an orange lip gloss by crushing it and mixing it with vaseline. This was my first time using the J Cat color and I am in LOVE. The lip paint from J Cat is awesome. I love Cailyn's tinted lip balm, but I don't go for this one as often as I do my other color, even though I feel super confident in this acid pink color.

30 Days of Lips + Looks: Day 10 "Baked and Bronze-y"

Day 10 "Baked and Bronze-y" - Smashbox "Copper Remix"

Smashbox Heat Wave Lip Enhancing Gloss "Copper Remix": $12.99

This was my first time in my life attempting to bronze: I've watched countless tutorials, I can practically recite them in my sleep about which products, how to apply and where to apply, and yet I've never used it because quite honestly, bronzing has never appealed to me. I've never held a tan very well in my life so I embrace my paleness and I don't feel the need to fake a tan. I did however wanted to push myself and so today I decided to do all-over bronze: bronze eyes, bronze lipgloss and bronze face. I'm a "Go big or go home" kind of a girl, so I sort of bathed in the bronze-ness today. 

The ironic thing though is that this gloss gives the slightest hint of sheer bronze - it's not very pigmented once on the lips, so it just looked like a natural clear gloss. The bronzer I used was Bare Minerals and I feel like it warmed up my face nicely. One the eyes was a smudge of two colors from Too Faced.

30 Days of Lips + Looks: Day 9 "Naturally Simple"

Day 9 "Naturally Simple" - L'Oreal Collection Privee "Julianne's Nude"

L'Oreal Collection Privee The Perfect Nudes "Julianne's Nude": $7.99

Today was really simple, I just used two different shades of shimmer on the corners of my eyes. I wanted the main focus to be this pretty pinky-nude by L'oreal. It's so pretty that I decided to rotate it to the front of my collection since it was hidden in the back. I got a lot of compliments at work today because of this shade. It is a bit more sheer, I need at least 2-3 layers for it to be really pigmented.