Beauty | Empties #7

Here we are with another round of empties. In case you're new to these parts, I collect all my beauty products until I get nice group of them and then I give a bunch of mini reviews about them. Pretty interesting stuff, right? Most of these products are samples that I got from Birchbox so, let's get to the good stuff.

I'm going to go through the products from left to right, in case you want to follow along.

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

This spray is part dry shampoo and part texturizer, meant to soak up the oils in your hair and give your hair some texture and volume. In my opinion, and my hair's, it fell flat. Get it? Hair joke. Maybe my hair has super power oils or something, but this spray did not 'soak' it up or add lots of volume. 

It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product

This product boasts a load of different benefits: eliminates frizz, restores shine, protects from heat and prevents split ends. I'm not sure it did all that, but it worked pretty good. Still not up to par with my all time favorite spray, but a decent contender.

Wet n Wild MegaProtein Mascara in Very Black

I really think I bought this because it was like $2. It's supposed to condition your lashes and make them fuller and thicker. It didn't do that, at all, but it's okay because it only cost TWO DOLLARS.

Let The Good Times Roll Face and Body Cleanser

Made with maize flour, polenta and popcorn, yeah that's right popcorn. It smells ah-mazing and works like a dream. It's so gentle that even my sensitive, pale skin isn't bothered by the scrubbing. It brightens and cleanses - this product is great and if you even find yourself in Lush try it!

W3LL PEOPLE Expressionist Mascara

This is an all natural beauty product and it even has a clump resistant wand. Plus, the packaging is pretty sleek. This mascara definitely lifts and separates the lashes, but unfortunately it transfers and causes some under eye smudging. My quest for mascara continues.

Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk

This dry shampoo does actually soak up some of my super power hair grease, and it even feels great afterwards. My hair felt super hydrated, silky smooth and clean. Miracle.

Rusk Texture Spray

Claims to do the same as all other texture sprays, but it didn't. It actually made my hair feel greasy (greasier) and limp. No thank you.

Radha Beauty Vitamin C Serum

The link is a little bit different than the product pictured, the one pictured is a pump dispenser as opposed to a dropper. I much prefer the pump dispenser - so much simpler to distribute. My issue with vitamin c serums is that they can be quite sticky when applied. This one does not have that issue and it definitely brightens up your skin and helps reduce the appearance of dark spots. Two thumbs up from me.

In retrospect, this post is kind of heavy on the dry shampoo/texturizing sprays - so sorry about that. Hope that it was helpful and see you on Friday!

Recipe | Cheeseburger Pasta

This recipe probably has no health value, but it's so easy. Literally only five ingredients - it's quite pathetic. But sometimes, a quick and easy meal - that makes a good amount for lunch leftovers - is just what is needed. So, in case you're ever in the situation that requires a meal with little health value, is super easy and makes a ton - here you go. You're welcome.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (I used venison)
• 1 can cheddar cheese soup
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 2 cups uncooked medium shell pasta

Instructions

• Cook the beef in a 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned. Pour off any fat.
• Stir the soups, water and pasta into the skillet.
• Heat to a boil. 
• Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender but still firm.

There you go. Don't judge me for this recipe. I know it's lame, but seriously it was so tasty. I ate it for lunch the next day and it was still good. That's a winner in my books folks.

Book Review | The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll

Of course right on the cover of this book it says, "With the cunning and verve of Gillian Flynn..." Because all suspense books must now be on the same level as Flynn, or at least they need to say they are so that people will read it. I will admit, it got me to read it. So that propaganda must work. Before I started reading this book though, I read some reviews on Goodreads about it and was not too impressed. People seemed to think it was not Flynn-esque (which I was already assuming) but a decent read. I closed out of the reviews and decided to form my own opinions.

 

This book follows Ani ,formally TifAni FaNelli, and she is now living the New York with a glamorous job, expensive wardrobe and rich fiance. But she is hiding something, a huge secret from her days at the prestigious Bradley School. While attending school there she was humiliated; which has caused her to reinvent herself now as an adult. But, there is even more hidden just beneath the surface. 

So, I don't want to give stuff away because I was honestly surprised by the turn this story took. I will say, it is upsetting and quite graphic. So if those types of scenarios are bothersome to you, I would recommend steering away from this book. A lot of it is the usual teen pressure to be "cool" and fit in. Ani comes from a family she is embarrassed by and tries so hard to play it cool and fit in with the "right" crowd. Then something terrible happens and it's incredibly hard to read - and frustrating because I wanted to throttle the adults and her lack of guidance from them. 

This book definitely had twists and turns, but Ani is a character I do not like and was not rooting for. Which considering what has happened to her, makes me feel like a terrible person. I gave this book 3 stars.

Five Things Friday

Five Things I Did:

1. Our community library had a book sale on this past Friday and Saturday, so we hit it up right after it opened on Friday. We got like 20 books for $7! Just what we needed, right? More books. (If you've never seen our place, it's kinda library-esque with all of our shelves of books)

2. I'm so lucky that A and I both work in town so we can meet for lunch weekly. 

3. Wednesday was A's birthday, he's not a huge fan of his birthday so it was just a low key evening.

4. We watched the debate, we always watch the debates. This isn't a political space, so I won't delve into my thoughts but I enjoy watching both parties debates.

5. We finally watched Undateable Live. I love Ron Funches.

Five Things I Ate:

1. Made my world famous Chicken Tortilla Soup! It's a crowd pleaser.

2. Warm apple cinnamon Danish for breakfast on a Saturday morning = utter perfection.

3. Made some White Chicken Chili on a balmy 70 degree day. Sometimes you need to will the cold weather to come in by eating cold weather foods.

4. Lentil Nachos were made. I received a request to blog my recipe for that, so stay tuned!

5. Lots and lots of lemon poppy seed muffins. I'm obsessed. Seriously obsessed.

Five Things I Read:

1. Nice little story

2. For all the kids with divorced parents

3. A Girl Is A Half-Formed Thing by Eimear McBride
I received this book to review on here, so I suppose you can expect that at some point.

4. Stones for Bread by Christa Parrish

5. I read a lot of articles about Lamar Odom and I'm not proud of getting sucked into it. But I do hope he's okay...

I am linking up over at High Five for Friday with Coffee with Caitlin, Cup of Tea, Bright on a budget and Della Devoted.

Travel | Minneapolis, Minnesota

I don't want to assume you know much about me, but my partner-in-crime and I like to do little road trips. I'm not the best road trip companion, at times, due to my blinding headaches and tendency to get car sick - but for some reason we still manage to have a good time and we continue to partake in them. Some highlights are the Iowa State Fair, Detroit Institute of Arts and the dog sled races in Marquette, Michigan. So now since we're in a new area, we figured we better get to traveling around these parts. I have some things in the works for places to visit in our little Iowan town, but first up is our recent trip to Minneapolis, Minnesota.

We left town around 11:00 am on a Friday morning, and with a few breaks we made it to our hotel (right downtown) around 3:30 pm. After checking in, admiring our beautiful street views and adding on a few layers we headed out to find a place to eat around 6:00 pm.  We had tickets to the Twins - Royals game, which started at 7:05 pm. I figured it would be nuts downtown and it would be hard to find a place to eat. I was wrong. Minneapolis had clearly given up on October baseball and was not bustling with fans. We stopped into Hells Kitchen where I had some lemon ricotta pancakes with a locally brewed cider and Alan had a burger with peanut butter and bacon on it or something else crazy. After that we headed out to Target Field where we got free (!!) beanie's and got to see the beautiful skyline. I know, I'm talking about all this but I am not putting any pictures to back up my claims. Sorry about that. Then we went back to our hotel and crashed.

After a decadent night of sleep and an incredible breakfast, we headed out onto our adventures. First up, was Minnehaha Falls.

As you can see, they're awesome. It totally sneaks up on you, it would be so easy to not even realize that they are there. I absolutely love waterfalls, and A surprised me by taking me to see these ones. Absolutely amazing and I highly recommend.

After the falls, we drove over to Lake Calhoun to take in the views and relax by the water for awhile. In Iowa, there is not a lot of water and being from Michigan that can be an issue at times. So it was nice to just sit by the water and take in the peacefulness. 

 

After the lake we went by Sebastian Joes for a quick pre-lunch dessert. I had strawberry  basil sorbet and it was INCREDIBLE. Seriously. The flavor. Oh my. Then we headed out to the Mall of America. As we were walking in, I noticed there was an aquarium. I happen to love aquariums and paused to admire some sea life. A asked me if I wanted to go, and I immediately declined because it's rather expensive. He encouraged me to get go down to the ticket booth with him anyway, and I agreed - but was curious why. It turns out he had purchased tickets online for us because he knew I loved aquariums! Yay! 

 

That starfish is just the cutest little thing. After the aquarium we wandered around the mall and shopped for a bit until I had a mini panic attack and we left. But not before admiring the large Peeps store.

 

I actually don't like Peeps, but I am an appreciator of all things candy. I think the MoA would have been something teenager Esther would have loved but adult Esther was overwhelmed and stressed out. I appreciate my little Iowan town more and more after trips like that. I did love Minneapolis though - there were people out everywhere on bikes, walking, jogging - it was awesome to see. I could definitely live in a city like that - and no, I'm not hinting at anything.

Beauty | October 2015 Birchbox Review

This month I actually chose one of the curated boxes, mainly because there were a few products I wanted to try and a product I already knew that I loved. It seemed like a win-win. The box is all about breast cancer awareness, which is a cause near and dear to my heart. All of the brands in this box help support breast cancer research, which is a great thing.

 

 

1.  Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

Full size $36

This is one of the products I wanted to try, so that is why I chose this particular box. To say I'm disappointed in the sample size would be an understatement. It is tiny. .25 fl oz tiny. I have a rather big face I mean, don't we all? I hope I can at least see if it's worth the $ to buy a regular sized one. This is a primer that is oil free and is supposed to create a nice, smooth, flawless finish for your foundation/tinted moisturizer/whatever. 

2. Clinque Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief

Full size $39

This is super lightweight cream-gel that is meant to soothe and plump skin, along with hydrating it. It's very creamy and sinks right into the skin, not leaving any sort of oily, greasy residue on your skin. It's also very cooling, it feels really nice when you apply it. The price is a bit much for me, personally, but I think this sample is perfect and should last awhile. 

3. Clinque Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Color Balm in Mega Melon

Full size $17

I already have the Clinque Chubby Stick Baby Tint Moisturizing Lip Color Balm in Coming Up Rosy and to say I love it would be an understatement. Also what is with the long names Clinque?! This tinted lip balm is full of shea butter and other hydrating products. I already know that I love the formula, just from using the other one I own. I'm particularly excited about the color because it's a nice, natural, nude-pink shade that will look great for everyday use.

4. Darphin STIMULSKIN PLUS Multi-Corrective Divine Cream

Full size $295

This is a luxury product, as evidenced by the price. I will never spend that much on a beauty product, but I'm happy to try a sample for next to nothing. This is a rejuvenating corrective cream that claims to visibly soften lines, nourish and brighten your skin. It's definitely a dream to apply, it's super creamy and soft - it feels really nice. But the scent is reminiscent of a flowery grandmother perfume - which is not my cup of tea. I will definitely use up this sample, and then move on to my more affordable products.

5. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum Synchronized Complex II

Full size $65

This a highly potent overnight eye serum that is supposed to dramatically reduce all signs of aging. That is some mighty big claims. I won't see results with the tiny little sample size I got, but I like the packing with the pump dispenser. The product itself is incredibly light, which is great for under the eyes - but I like to apply something heavier at night and really let it soak in. Also, the price point is way out of my range again.

I would consider this box a success because I got to try some products I have been wanting to try, I got a product I already knew I loved in a new color and I got to try some high end products that I would never be able to afford otherwise. This is just a small reason as to why I'm incredibly pleased with my Birchbox subscription! 

Recipe | Mexican Lasagna

 Ingredients 

• 1 pound ground beef (turkey would work too! I used venison)
• 2 cups of your favorite salsa (I used Momma Theresa's, it's local and fab!!)
• 16 oz refried beans
• 15 oz black beans, rinsed and drained
• 10 oz enchilada sauce (I prefer green, so that's what I used)
• 4 oz chopped green chilies
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 6 flour tortillas
• 3 cups, divided, shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 2 cups crushed tortilla chips

Instructions

• In a large skillet, cook the meat over medium heat until no longer pink. 
• Drain and then stir in the salsa, beans, sauce, chilies and taco seasoning.
• Once heated through, spread about 1 cup of meat mixture in a greased 13 x 9 baking dish.
• Layer with two tortilla's, a third of the meat mixture and 1 cup of cheese.
• Repeat layers.
• Top with remaining tortilla's and meat mixture.
• Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with tortilla chips.
• Bake another 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

This made a lot of leftovers, which I am personally enjoy cause it means easy lunches for me! It was really delicious and cheesy, which is pretty much all I need in a meal. Happy eating!