Tomson Testing: Organic Matcha Powder

I received this via Tomson to test, which is perfect for me because my latest and greatest hobby is making ice cream. My boyfriend's favorite is green tea! I also have been making green tea cupcakes, so let the green tea craze continue. I enjoy using this powder for making various sweets. I have yet to use it for a smoothie or latte, but I plan to! This green tea is similar to the ones I buy in Asian Supermarkets. The taste is similar. I honestly will go with whatever is easiest for me to get and price wise. I usually get around 2oz for $9.99 at the supermarket this retails for $25 on amazon. So pricing is close, but I can get a better deal at the market.

Birchbox Bookclub

As part of BirchBloggers, I can enter into monthly drawings for Birchbox's Book Club! In October I received Gillian Flynn's series of Gone Girl (now a motion picture), Dark Places, and Sharp Objects. I read really slowly so I'm only 1/4 of the way of Gone Girl (that and my boyfriend said we should watch the movie before I read the book). I'm so excited that Birchbox has these offers for their blog members! It just makes me love Birchbox even more!

I'm so happy to be reading again!

Birchbox November

Birchbox keeps arriving sooner in the month for me! I don't mind I love being the first to discover what products they picked for me this month! 

• Amika Nourishing Mask - Full size, $28 (Choice product)
• What: Paraben-free treatment that conditions and repairs with superfruit sea buckthorn berry.
• How: Once a week, smooth onto lengths and ends of damp hair. Leave 5-10 minutes before rinsing.
• Gilchrist & Soames Spa Therapy Body Wash - Full size $15
• What: Infused with marine extracts, this gentle wash leaves skin hydrated and freshly scented.
• How: Squeeze onto loofah or washcloth, and work into a rich lather. Apply to skin, then rinse.
• Perlier Absolute Comfort Body Butter - White Almond, Full size $34.46
• What: From the Italian skincare brand, this richly noruishing cream improves tone and elasticity.
• How: Massage the velvety treatment into skin, focusing on dry spots.
• Red Flower Illuminating Rose Collagen Renewal Face Serum, Full size $86
• What: Nutrient-packed, hydrating treatment that boosts elasticity and helps prevent wrinkles.
• How: Using fingertips, blend a few drops onto clean face, neck, and decolletage.
• theBalm cosmetics Cindy-Lou Manizer, Full size $24
• What: This shimmery, soft pink highlighter perks up your features with a natural-looking glow.
• How: Sweep onto cheekbones or eyelids, or lightly dust onto face for a luminous look.
• Bonus: Chocolate Almond Butter for a decadent, all natural treat, Full size $12.99

Influenster: Resource Water

I had the pleasure of being chosen for a ModaVoxBox from Influenster. Within the box had a Resource Water which was perfect given that I was planning on doing a 7 mile hike at Ricketts Glen State Park, PA. Resource Water has electrolytes which is exactly what you need after lots of sweat. The trail was moderate difficulty at some points because it was a lot of uphill & downhill. But the trail is gorgeous there was many beautiful waterfalls and it was well marked. I didn't drink much during my hike and felt fine after. I did finish up the Resource Water (which tastes like water with a little extra taste) its not noticable, but I'm really all about weird tasting waters and knowing a difference (for ex. I always know which water is Danon's). But I am super thankful for Resource water cause I'm the type that gets dehydrated easily so this helped me survive the hike!

resource water with electrolytes!

chilly fall day but still beautiful

Ricketts Glen State Park (1 of many water falls)

Influenster: ModaVox Box

All items in this post were provided to me to review by Influster.

I love Influenster. I love getting products to be able to test them out to see whether I would be willing to purchase it. I hate when you spend money to purchase something and you realize that you don't like it. (For ex. those funky flavors of Lays chips). This week I received my Moda Vox Box.

Resource water (water w/ electrolytes which I am bringing on my hike this weekend!)
Swiss Miss Simply Cocoa Hot Chocolate will be trying this soon since it's gotten chilly!

Rimmel: Scandal Eyes, Moisture Renew Lipstick, And a Moisture Renew Lip Liner
PS Rimmel is one of my favorite drug store brands! (LOOVE Scandal Eyes Liners)

Love the color and the feel. It's like lip balm on the lips!

Hair Food - This smells amazing. I tried it last night
Jergens - also bringing this on my camping trip!

Puffs - is this not perfect for the car? I always keep a box of tissues in my car and it gets beaten up so this is perfect!

Sephora currently has its 20% off F&F sale going on now (until 10/31/14) through Sephora.com. I decided to cash in and buy a few things!

• Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette ($58)
  -3 x 0.11 oz Cheek shades in Luminous Flush (champagne rose), Incandescent Electra (cool peach), Mood Exposure (soft plum) 
• Origins Best Sellers ($38)
  - 1 oz Checks and Balances™ Frothy Face Wash 
  - 0.5 oz Clear Improvement™ Active Charcoal Mask To Clear Pores 
  - 1 oz High Potency Night-A-Mins™ Mineral-Enriched Renewal Cream 
  - 1 oz GinZing™ Energy-Boosting Moisturizer 
  - 0.5 oz Plantscription™ Youth-Renewing Face Oil 
  - 0.5 oz GinZing™ Refreshing Eye Cream 
• Tarte Pigment of Imagination Deluxe Cheek Set ($10)
  - 0.05 oz Amazonian clay 12-hour blush in Mirage (soft peachy pink) - 0.17 oz Cheek stain in Fantasy (champagne highlighter) 
• Sephora Express Nail Polish Remover ($5)

My Sephora F&F Haul

Package for Ambient Lighting Blush Palette

Isn't it beautiful?!

Swatches as you can see it barely shows on my
NC35 skin (medium), but this is the kind of blush I like

Tarte Set It's really small but what did I expect for $10

Love the stick color - beautiful!

Physician's Formula Powder Palette Mineral Glow Pearls in Bronze Pearl

Yesterday I ventured to CVS because Physician's Formula had another $7 Extra Card Bucks deal when you purchase $10 in Physician's Formula. I wouldn't buy Physician's Formula (PF) without this sort of deal because PF never has coupons online nor in the paper. I decided to halt my blush obsession for a bit and venture to a highlight. I currently only use Benefit's Watts Up samples (which lasts me forever). I really love Watts Up and would purchase a full sized one when I run out of the two sample tubes. (Hopefully never!)

I used to think highlighting the cheek bones was a totally unnecessary step (same with blush), but after playing with it. I really like how it lights up my face. I was skeptical about this product because I have read a lot of reviews saying this is too shimmery or too light. So I went for the darkest color they have for medium skin (bronze pearl) because I hate it when cosmetic items make me look like a ghost. I'm not into that Asian-trend.  

This highlighter comes out to $13.99 so after the ECB, it's half priced at $7 + tax. Overall between testing it yesterday and wearing it today, I really like it. I mean its not as convenient to bring around like the Watts Up sample, but it definitely does the trick and seems to be the right color on my skin to give me that glow finish I want.

Don't you wish blogger could rotate pictures?

Mirror + Brush on the bottom

You can barely tell its on but its shimmering a bit!