Quick-e drying drops (Essie)

Hello beauty lovers,

I have been using this Essie Quick-e drying drops for a few months now and I think it's time to review it. I was a bit skeptical when I purchased this because of all the good and bad reviews online. I wasn't sure if this would work at all, so I wanted to see it for myself.

I usually apply a few coats of nail polish which makes the drying time longer. Also, just a few minutes after I apply my polish I always remember something extremely urgent (!) to take care of, which cannot wait until my nails are dry, so I usually mess up my manicure :) 

I use 2-3 drops on each of my nails right after applying my top coat and stay still for just 5 minutes at the end of which my nails are completely dry. The trick here is to do not touch anything for these 5 minutes after applying the drops, because this is how long the drops take to work their way.

All in all, I think it's a good product that I would recommend.

You can find Essie Quick-e drying drops in Essie's online shop under nail care and top-coats category and cosmetics stores (like Sephora) as well as drugstores (like RiteAid) for MSRP $10.00  

For more information you can check the official product page here. 

Disclaimer: I am not paid for this review. All opinions in this review and all of the other reviews in this blog are my own.

My November 2014 Birchbox

Hello beauty lovers,

My November Birchbox is shipped out quite late actually on November 11 and arrived on November 17.

I received the samples of:
* Jouer Matte Moisture Tint
* Chuao Chocolatier Assorted ChocoPod
* TONI&GUY Classic Shine Gloss Serum
* Gilchrist & Soames Spa Therapy Body Lotion
* Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Supreme Mascara
* Royal Apothic Cuppa Cuppa Firming Tea Treatment Mask

I am quite happy with my November 2014 box. Luckily, I did not receive any foil samples this month. I received one full size hair gloss serum which works great, one mascara sample in black, an effective antioxidant mask that I picked during sample choice, a body cream sample which is so so, and a chocolate sample which is yummy. This box definitely worth the 10 bucks I paid, even the serum alone is $15 and I got $6 back on BB points by filling out sample reviews.

Jouer Matte Moisture Tint is an okay tinted moisturizer. It does not cake during the day and does not create an uneven, streaky look. The coverage is not full, but other than that it is fine.

Chuao Chocolatier Assorted ChocoPod is YUMMY! I love the combination of dark chocolate, honey, and rice-crunch. I also like the tasteful packaging and the shape of the chocolate.  

TONI&GUY Classic Shine Gloss Serum is the full size product in pump bottle. It's the first time I tried this product and I like it. I will probably order the full size when I finish the sample. I can't get over the amazing fact that I got this $15 full size product (and more) by paying just $10 for my Birchbox :)

Gilchrist & Soames Spa Therapy Body Lotion looks and feels completely generic. The scent is not so special, packaging reminds me of the cheap hotel toiletry, and it hydrates okay. I will save this sample for the next time I travel, but I don't think I will order the full size product.  

Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Supreme Mascara is good on paper but it made my lashes fall while taking it off and it's never a good sign. I don't know what is wrong with it but I am not going to risk my lashes by trying to figure it out. I did not notice any lengthening or volume-boosting effect when I tried.  

Royal Apothic Cuppa Cuppa Firming Tea Treatment Mask is a winner by all means. I love the sample packaging. It smells and feels great. It leaves my face feeling so soft and fresh. One tube is good for 5-6 times maybe, which is a good amount. Although it is a bit pricey, I might actually purchase the full size product when I finish my sample. 

For those of you who are not familiar with Birchbox yet: It is a monthly cosmetics&skin care subscription service that costs $10/month (including shipping). They usually send 4-5 deluxe samples (and sometimes regular foil ones :/ ) of usually new and trendy brands.

For more information you can check the official page here.

Disclaimer: I am not paid for this review. All opinions in this review and all of the other review in this blog are my own.