It’s that time of the month again! Okay, head out of the gutter people, I got my September Topbox!
As always, I couldn’t resist doing a quick Google search to see what other people got and it seems like there were two boxes this month, one for newer subscribers that contained items from previous boxes, and then a perfume-centered box.
Here is what I got this month:
- Benefit They’re Real! mascara – 3 g (full size – 8.5 g, retails for C$29)
- Balenciaga Paris L’Essence by Balenciaga Paris – 4 ml (full size – 50 ml, retails for C$110)
- Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser – 30 ml (full size – 90 ml, retails for C$13)
- M.Asam Perfect Teint primer – 5 ml (full size – 50 ml, retails for C$42)
- Voucher for a Balenciaga Paris cosmetic pouch from Holt Renfrew
Alright, so it was a smaller selection this month with no full-size products, however, I really liked this box. There are always items that I feel like I would never use (*cough* lotion samples *cough*), but for me, this box was spot on. I have been wanting to try Benefit’s They’re Real! since it came out because I have always loved Bad Gal Lash so this product is definitely the highlight for me this month. As for the other samples, the perfume sample is very generous so I will probably carry it around in my purse (plus it actually smells really nice… and expensive), I’m always happy to get a foundation primer, and the Philosophy facial cleanser is perfect for my gym bag. As for the voucher for the Balenciaga cosmetic pouch, I made a beeline to my nearest Holts which is only personal shopper suites and a small cosmetic section (AKA the world’s worst Holt Renfrew location), and as I expected, the sales associate gave me a blank stare when I showed her the voucher. She asked her boss about it and they think it may just be for the larger Holt Renfrew locations, which is super unfair. I did pick up the Deborah Lippmann nail file from a few month’s back from that same location and there wasn’t a problem…
Overall, I personally loved this box mostly because I will use each and every one of these items. I did read on other blogs that some people were unhappy with it, but I guess it all depends on personal preference. Sure, it’s not as many items as last months for example, however, I would take quality over quantity any day.
Did you receive this month’s Topbox? If so, what were your thoughts?
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I have a love/hate relationship with glitter nail polish. It is so pretty to wear and look at but a pain to take off. In my opinion, Deborah Lippmann does glitter like no other, so when I was in Vegas in August I had to pick up a shade (they are cheaper in the U.S. than in Canada). I picked up Just Dance because I couldn’t resist the beautiful aqua glitter colour made up of micro and larger glitter.
Just Dance goes on quite opaque so there isn’t really a need to layer it over another colour. I believe I used two coats to get perfect coverage. It is very fast drying, but once it’s set it is quite grainy to touch.
This is a beautiful colour on and sparkles and catches the eye when the light hits it. As always, it’s a bit difficult to get off, but actually not as bad as other glitter polishes I have used in the past. I was worried that it would be too similar to Lippmann’s Across the Universe, but Across the Universe is a navy and made up of holographic glitter.
In the shade
This shade is perfect for the holiday season coming up, but also pretty enough to wear all year round.
Have you tried Deborah Lippmann’s Just Dance? If so, what were your thoughts?
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I decided to launch a fitness series with every Friday dedicated to a wellness blog post. Fitness and health has been a big part of my life since basically university. When I was growing up I never really ate well. I loved sugary foods (still do actually) and whenever I would indulge in fatty foods (which would be often) I would just tell myself “I’ll deal with it when I get older.” Well, when I reached high school I weighed about 180 pounds and was wearing sizes 14 and XL (I’m now anywhere from a four to an eight depending on the brand, and a small or medium). Whenever I hear people in diet commercials say “I wish I had my high school body” I can’t help but majorly disagree. I am at a point right now where I am the thinnest I have probably ever been since I was maybe six or seven.
I’m going to share my workout plan in another post, but I wanted to share a recipe for my go-to breakfast at the moment. For the past week and a bit I have been drinking strawberry kale smoothies for breakfast. I found the recipe online at Tablespoon, but not only are these yummy and filling, but they are also incredibly good for you as well.
Kale is generally known as a superfood thanks to it’s many benefits. Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium. Best of it, among other things, it has anti-cancer properties. So mix the kale with strawberries, bananas, and plain yogurt, and you get a yummy fruit smoothie that is not only good for your diet, but for your health as well.
From Tablespoon:
- 1 cup chopped fresh kale, stems removed
- 1 cup Cascadian Farm frozen strawberries, thawed slightly (doesn’t really matter on the brand, I’ve been using Kirkland Signature Frozen Strawberries from Costco)
- 1 frozen ripe banana
- 1 cup Yoplait plain yogurt (I usually just buy whichever yogurt is the cheapest)
- 1 cup crushed ice
I highly recommend leaving the strawberries overnight in the fridge in a Ziplock to defrost them, so by the morning they are nice and soft and blend nicely. Usually I blend the strawberries first with the yogurt. I then throw in the kale little bits at a time so it doesn’t all just sit at the top. I then throw in the banana in pieces, then add the ice to finish it up. I do not recommend blending it all at once because it would just be too much for your blender to handle (I did this the first time, it took forever to make).
On average it takes around five minutes from start to finish. If you make the recipe as shown it’s usually enough for two servings. I pour it in a tumbler so I can bring it to work but I usually have enough left for another cup (which I also drink).
As for calories, it depends on the brands you are using. I have been using Kirkland Signature Frozen Strawberries and the yogurt brands change every time. On average I would say it would be around 300 calories, but it’s packed full of a number of really good stuff.
Let me know if you try out the recipe or if you make any modifications to it, I would love to try it!
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