Beauty Box 5

It may be springing up flowers outside, but Team BB5 is still trying to treat our just-outta-winter skin inside, and the one thing we want to soft, smooth, and ready to be Instagrammed holding cute things all year round? Our hands, of course!

Since your digits go through a lot- texting, driving, high-fiving, manicures, and just generally, LIFE- it’s important to keep them happy and hydrated. The skin on your hands shows aging quicker than many other parts of your body, so take matters into your own hands- literally!- and treat them to some of our favorite applause-worthy remedies.

Our current favorite soothing lineup includes:

1. Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Intensive Hand Cream in Vanilla Apricot

If you’re scarred from ever moisturizing in public and having someone turn up their nose at the smell of your lotion, this rose gold tube is your new savior. Not only is the fragrance absolutely divine, but it contains miracle-status argan oil to hydrate deeply.

2. Skinclinical’s Extreme Healing Repair Concentrate

Rough hand patches are no match for this amazing intensive treatment that heals chapped skin without ever feeling greasy. Bonus: use it all over - elbows, knees, arms - as its formulated for all skin types, from dry to sensitive to eczema and psoriasis-prone complexions, too!

3. Jaqua’s Buttercream Frosting Luscious Hand & Body Lotion

Have a sweet tooth? Beware: this rich lotion smells good enough to eat! Enriched with Vitamins A & E, it’ll soothe your dry skin while giving a seriously just-like-frosting aroma. (No, really…you’ll be convinced there’s a cupcake at the bottom of the tube.)

4. Red Carpet Manicure’s Cuticle Elixir

Forget Murphy’s Law- it’s Mani’s Law: you’re never near a salon when your nails start chipping or looking less-than-perfect. Luckily, this magical oil goes to work quicker than an appointment at softening cuticles and the sensitive skin around your nailbeds to keep your fingers fresh.

5. BODIPURE’s Keratin Gloves

These little lifesavers were a hit in our January Beauty Box, and we have the soft results to prove it! Just slip them on for 20 minutes (they’re touchscreen friendly, so you don’t even have to stop tweeting during use!), massage the solution in, and treat yourself to major moisture for your hands and nails.

6. Elite Therapeutics Rosemary Eucalyptus Body Crème

Organic rosemary and eucalyptus oils make this lotion smell so fresh while helping improve circulation and cellular regeneration wherever applied, too! Added to the fact that it’s paraben-free with no artificial flavors or colors, and it’s a real all-around all-natural winner.

7. L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream

If you’ve read any beauty blogs in the past, then you may be rolling your eyes, but hear us out! This silver tube is a cult classic for a reason! The silky texture, 20% rich shea butter formula, and superfast “soak-in” time make it a must-have in your purse.

8. Rachel’s Plan Bee’s Original Bee Cream

We’ve expressed our love for RPB before, and our crush keeps on growing! This amazing balm-like consistency of this cream melts into your skin- a little bit goes a long way! A hint of vanilla combined with organic beeswax and essential oils lock in moisture while smelling oh-so-nice.

What holy grail hand treatments did we miss, babes? Let us know in the comments!

Our last February face makeup look is here! 

Felicity used 4/5 items in this month’s box to create this simple mauve makeup look, plus, some of our other new discoveries and old standbys!

Here’s the product breakdown:

• Elizabeth Mott’s Thank Me Later Eye Shadow Primer (February Box fave!)
  
• Manna Kadar Cosmetics’ Day-Dream Palette 
  
• Manna Kadar Cosmetics’ 3-in-1 Blush, Highlighter and Eyeshadow in Fantasy (February Box fave!)
  
• Starlooks’ Luxe Longwear Eyeliner Pen in Plum (featured in our August 2015 box!)
  
• Geri G’s Ultra Plush Mascara (Spoiler Alert: it’s featured in our Indie Makeup Limited Edition Box!)
  
• Starlooks’ Longwear Mechanical Lip Pencil in Sultry Sangria (February Box fave!)
  
• Epic Blend Hemp Lip Balm in Coconut (February Box fave!)
  

What looks do you want to see next, babes?

The Beauty Box 5 shop is having a major sale just in time for spring! All of our lovely Bellapierre Eye Kits are half-price! That really is a major steal and with the upcoming season change it’s definitely time for some new additions to that makeup collection. 

In this video, Elisa at Team BB5 is modeling a fun, gorgeous look created with Bellapierre eye and lip products - and we couldn’t forget to prime her eyes with Elizabeth Mott “Thank Me Later” primer from February’s beauty box to prevent creasing. Here’s what we used: 

Eyes: 

Elizabeth Mott “Thank Me Later” Eye Primer

Bellapierre Eye Candy in Champagne

Total Intensity Eyeliner in Deepest Black

Styli-Style Line & Seal Twist Mechanical Eye Liner in Lapis

Bellapierre Shimmer Powder in Cocoa

Bellapierre Shimmer Powder in Snowflake 

Bellapierre Shimmer Powder in Haha 

Geri G. Mascara in Black - Found in BB5′s Indie Makeup Box (spoiler alert!)

Cheeks and Lips:

Bellapierre Cheek and Lip Stain in Coral 

Babes, we have a confession to make: we’re kind of absolutely obsessed with being exclusive. You know, like, giving you products you can’t find just anywhere. So, that being said, we went a little liner crazy this month, but we think you’ll love the outcome. 😋

With February being our birthday month, we couldn’t resist celebrating in every way possible- and customizing is one of our favorite things to do! Any time we can making a one-of-a-kind beauty fave for you, babes, we jump at the chance and this time around, Starlooks made our lip pencil dreams come true!

We picked a mauve shade to feature in every February box because, well, Kylie was onto something with her mauve obsession, no? It’s the shade of the moment, while serving as the perfect color for transitioning from winter to spring and looking oh-so flattering on every skin tone. 

Of course, naming is everything, so while we’re celebrating our 4 years of existing (all thanks to you, by the way!), we thought we’d pop a bottle (responsibly, of course) and call it Sultry Sangria. And, while we were naming, we thought it only appropriate to share a fave sangria recipe to share and pair with this lovely liner, because, well, duh, right?

So, if you’re feeling festive, here’s our own spin on (drinkable) Sultry Sangria!

BB5′s Sultry Sangria 

• 1 lime
• 1 cup strawberries
• ½ cup raspberries
• 2 cups watermelon juice
• A bottle of your fave Rosé wine
• Ginger Ale to taste
• 1 Starlooks Sultry Sangria Longwear Mechanical Lip Pencil, of course!

Gather all your materials, photograph them cutely, and maybe give a good hairflip for some extra sass because you are about to become a Sangria master. Proceed.

Core and slice your strawberries in half. Place them and the raspberries in a pretty pitcher and then muddle the berries in the bottom of the pitcher. (’Muddling’ is just a fancy word for ‘smooshing’, by the way.) We left a few pieces intact for presentation.

Next, add your watermelon juice. If you’d like, you can substitute really any fruit juice that suits your fancy- we just went with watermelon to make the best mauve-matching shade of sangria. ;)

Pour in Rosé to your liking. Not a wine gal? No problem! You can sub in another fruit juice (pineapple or cranberry would be divine!) or just add in more of that A+ watermelon juice, too.

Finally, cut your lime in half. Squeeze in the juice of one half (be careful- those seeds can get away from ya!) and slice the other half to place into the pitcher, too.

Once you’ve added everything, give it all a gentle shake and then place it in your fridge to let all those flavors combine for at least 12 hours. (We left ours in for closer to 26 because we’re rebels like that.)

When you’re ready to serve, add ice to your glasses and fill halfway with the sangria mixture, making sure some of that marinated fruit makes it into each glass! Top each glass off with ginger ale and sip gorgeously, babes!

The best part? Your Sultry Sangria lip pencil will last through a (or 4, who are we to judge?) glass of this concoction without smudging, so cheers, babes!

XOXO,

The BB5 Team

[Oh, and don’t forget, this pretty pencil is custom and limited in run, so snag another for you or a gal pal while supplies last!]

This is Jenny, back to bring you part three of the 2016 Skin Spa!

At this point, we’ve already rid the wrinkles of holiday stress and started correcting our skin tone with a splash of vitamin C just in time for smooth skin season. While my skin is repairing its owner-induced hyper-pigmentation, I decided to give my great cover-up jobs a little boost with Kaleidaskin’s Color Solve Primer in Red, featured in the Indie Makeup Limited Edition Box (spoiler alert!).

Kaleidaskin’s Color Solve corrects different difficult pigments by layering colored minerals on your skin. Certain colors of light then refract off the primer. For instance, I have pale skin, and I often need the reds and pinks corrected in my skin. By using a red-corrector, reds are refracted off my skin to make my pale complexion look luminous and dewy.

Kaleidaskin makes several different primers like the red corrector. They base their product off the color wheel. So a person with yellow skin tones would want to use the violet corrector because they’re opposite of each other on the color wheel.

Now I’ve noticed that my fine lines are getting a bit atrocious with the color correcting primer; it’s a lot thinner than what I’m used to. I consulted our in-house makeup artist about my issues, and she gave me some great insight (as always). She reminded me that it’s ok to mix product, but be careful to leave some setting time before applying makeup. Be sure to use your products from thinnest to thickest. My regiment now looks like this:

1. Juice Beauty Serum
2. Moisturizer
3. Kaleidaskin Color Solve Primer in Red
4. Line Filling Primer
5. Makeup
6. Setting Spray

Another great attribute of this product is that you don’t even have to apply makeup with it; wear it alone for a great natural glow. I would love to try the Dynamic Line Filler and the Color Correcting Primer in Green, as well. I love my glowing pale skin when I use Kaleidaskin; I feel like I’m finally starting to belong to the skin I’m in!

Snag your own Color Solve Correcting Primer in Red as part of our Indie Makeup Limited Edition Box, while supplies last!

Xo,

Jenny

Unless you have been living under a rock you have seen Beyonce’s new video Formation and you have already formulated your own opinions over the song topic. We also have all seen her Super Bowl Halftime Show with Coldplay and Bruno Mars. Beyonce’s performance was certainly memorable (hello backround dancers rockin’ afros) and the ladies at BB5 thought her make-up was absolutely flawless. Time to recreate! 

One thing we did notice was that her make-up looked different at every angle. When she first graced the screen it looked like Queen Bey had a mauvey look and then in the next shot her make-up looked all copper. She for sure had strobed and highlighted skin that illuminated the entire stage even while she was about to fall (sorry Bey we had to) and a halo eye. It really takes a lot to be Beyonce and we don’t have her resources or Sir John, so keep in mind this will be an imitation and not an exact duplication. So, here’s what Erin at team BB5 used to imitate Yonce’s show stopping look:

Eyes:      

Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Brown

L’oreal Paris True Match concealer in medium/deep

Elizabeth Mott Thank Me Later Eyeshadow Primer

MAC Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Saddle

MAC Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Espresso

MAC Cosmetics Extra Dimension Eyeshadow in Amorous Alloy

MAC Cosmetics Irresistibly Charming Glitter and Pigments in Gold - Blonde’s Gold

MAC Cosmetics Eye Pencil in Coffee

False Eyelashes #747 Medium

Duo Eyelash Adhesive Dark Tone

Benefit Bad Gal Lash  

Face:

MAC Cosmetics Prep+Prime

MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Foundation in NC45

Mirabella Perfecting Powder in Translucent 

Manna Kadar Cosmetics 3-in-1 pigment

Nars Bronzing Powder in Laguna    

Lips:

MAC Cosmetics Lip Liner in Cork

MAC Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in Persistence

MAC Cosmetics Irresistibly Charming Glitter and Pigments in Gold - Blonde’s Gold

Begin this look by filling in your eyebrows and sculpting them with a concealer. Then begin your shadow process. One word to keep in mind for this look is BLENDING. Beyonce had no harsh lines and everything was blended to perfection even on her lips. The halo-like eyeshadow cannot be recreated without intense blending. I used a brush from MAC cosmetics #224 to buff the shadows in my crease, brush #135 to create the halo, and brush #252 to pat the pigment in the center of the eyelid. Of course always use an eyeshadow primer before applying eyeshadow. I used one from Elizabeth Mott that came in the February Beauty Box 5- Thank Me Later. Also, it didn’t appear that Yonce had on false lashes but, to me, no look is complete without some full eyelashes. So, I got a very natural pair of lashes, #747 in size medium, and used a dark adhesive. The great thing about #747 falsies is they come in different sizes like XS, S, M, and L. So they are really perfect for any eye shape.  

Beyonce had a bronzed cheek and crazy highlight. So instead of using a blush, I used a bronzer, which keeps the look warm. Then I added Manna Kadar 3-in-1 pigment in Fantasy (which came in the February Beauty Box) as my highlight to get the same strobed skin. Beyonce’s skin could be seen from space, so I added a lot of highlight.

Finish this look with a dark brown liner and a nude lipstick. Everyone’s shade of nude will be different, so I recommend testing a lot of shades before deciding on the perfect nude lip. Once the lip is applied, press the same pigment used on your eyes into the center of your lips to create the cyber look.      

Okay, ladies now let’s get in formation!! #swag

Hello beauty babes, it’s Jenny and I’m back to let you know how my second step in my skincare journey is going. I’ve now been using Juice Beauty’s Stem Cellular Repair Booster Serum for about three weeks, and it’s been a really gratifying jigsaw puzzle to figure out.

My skin was looking pretty clear from my wild spin with Palmetto Derma; my fine lines were hardly noticeable. Although I hadn’t used the entire bottle yet, I was satisfied with the results after a month and moved on to Juice Beauty. Like a kid in a toy store, I was just too thrilled to pass up the shiny new package.

Juice Beauty’s label promptly caught my eye. I already knew it was organic because I ordered it based on that biasedness for my finicky skin. The label says, “decreases DNA damage and improves cellular turnover.” The cellular turnover bit already had me eager to experiment. I’m always wishing for new skin, which I know is impossible, but it seemed like this little bottle had granted me a personal miracle.

At first, I followed the bottle’s instructions: apply night and day to a clean face. I would give it five minutes to absorb and go on about my routine. I began to notice my fine lines weren’t as faded with Juice Beauty as they were with Palmetto Derma. More importantly, I noticed my face seemed red and irritated when I took my makeup off at the end of the day. The reason I ordered this specific serum was because I wanted to reduce redness with Juice Beauty’s high concentration of Vitamin C.

I spoke to our in-house makeup artist about my concerns. She informed me Vitamin C can cause photosensitivity, or inflammation of the skin induced by sunlight. We came up with a solution that works with my skin flawlessly. In the morning, I use Palmetto Derma to plump my fine lines so my makeup won’t crease on my forehead. At night, I apply Juice Beauty to correct my skin tone from acne and eczema scars. I’m typically hesitant to use too many things on my skin for fear of it yelling at me. However, this combination makes me feel like I’m not using as much product, and my face loves my new power couple.

Xo,

Jenny