December Glam Bag - Ipsy

Ipsy is a monthly subscription that offers deluxe samples and full size products of all the latest and greatest trends in the beauty world all wrapped up in a cute makeup bag, all for $10 a month.  This was my first Glam Bag and I was really impressed with everything I received and the best part...all 5 of my products were full size!!

Mai Couture - Highlighter Papier: Add radiance to desired areas of your face and body. The shimmering highlighter paper from Mai Couture will illuminate any dullness for a glowing complexion.

My Impression: I liked this product, and I use it in combination with a matte finish bronzer just to add a little contrast and to soften my final look.  It comes in a booklet and the highlighter is on a sheet; simply tear one sheet out and lightly press it on your skin to add a slight shimmer to any desired location. I usually apply to my "T" zone and my check bones.  The only downside I saw to this product is a lot of it goes to waste unless you plan on resuing a sheet later.  Other than that it is quick and easy to use and is great if you need a little freshening up on the run.

Be a Bombshell Lip Gloss - Hot Mess: The perfect holiday “true red” lip gloss that goes on sheer! Layer for a more opaque look. This formula instantly creates the look of fuller more voluptuous lips with luminous shine. This maximum-shine, moisturizing gloss will be perfect for any haute holiday party. The applicator features a soft sponged tip that picks up a generous amount of gloss.

My Impression: I was a little nervous to test this one out as I generally stick to a more natural hue or if I am feeling adventurous a darker red.  This gloss however is a bright bright red, and when I applied it to my lips it went on streaky and it was a little sticky.  I have paired it up with a darker red lipstick and then put a "top coat" of this gloss on and I like it more, though it still feels a bit sticky.

NYX Loose Pearl Shadow - Copper Penny: It’s not hard to sparkle with one of NYX’s ultra-shimmering loose shadow powders that can be used on eyes, cheeks, even lips. These finely-milled mineral eye shadows are high-impact, long-lasting and a little addictive!

My Impression: I have used this product in the past, and though the pigments are vibrant and of great quality it is a bit difficult to use unless you have a container is which to put it in.  The bottle offers a small opening only large enough to get a slender lip or eyeliner brush in.  It is long lasting though, I may use mine to make a nail polish with however.

Urban Decay - 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil:  The best Eye Pencil ever, ever, ever! Never before has a pencil this creamy and brilliant been waterproof, too. Velvety-soft, this never-before-seen formula stays soft and creamy for blending (about 30 seconds), then dries down to a long-lasting finish that WILL NOT budge.

My Impression: I am a big Urban Decay fan, they make a quality product, and needless to say I was thrilled when I got this in my bag! It does exactly what they say it will do. It goes one so smooth and I find myself using less of it because it is so easy to apply.  It is easy to finish too, and it lasts all day.  Team it up with Urban Decay's eye primer and you're good to go!

Mirabella - Prime for Face and Eyes: Prime for Face and Eyes weightless, oil-free formula glides onto help promote long-wearing makeup. Vitamin E works as an antioxidant to smooth out lines as it moisturizes and protects skin. Prime provides a silky feel to the skin as it aids in repairing cellular damage.

My Impression: I like primers for your face and eyes because it means your makeup will go a lot further and you can use a lot less. This is the 4th face primer and second eye primer I have tried and unfortunately it didn't compete as well, because it would have been great to get both in one product. I am not sure if it is because it is more of a gel where as my previous primers have been more of a cream. I prefer Urban Decay's eye primer and it makes your eye shadow really pop and helps keep it on for longer, and as for a foundation primer I prefer either benefits Porefessional or Mary Kay, as they seem to even out the texture of my skin better.

Overall I am pretty happy with my first Glam Bag and am super excited to see what awaits me in January's bag!!

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December BirchBox

Birchbox is a monthly subscription to try out the latest new trends in beauty and health products.  For $10 a month you get a box with 4 to 5 deluxe samples and in most cases a full size product is included, which generally is worth more than the membership fee.  You are also given the opportunity to give feedback for the products that are sent to you and in return you earn points; for every 100 points earned they give you $10 to spend how you please in their store.  Also, for every dollar spent you earn one point.

Aerie - Shimmer Fragrance: Light as air blend of bergamot, peony and vanilla. Full-size $14.95 - $39.95

My Impression: This scent is not one of my preferred fragrances. This reminds me of something an older lady would wear. I prefer a dainty citrus or floral scent. When I applied the perfume to my wrists to let it meld with my body chemistry it did not get any better.  The vanilla was very overwhelming.  On the plus side it does have lasting power; I was able to still smell it after hours of wear, always a good thing when it comes to perfume.

Amika - Obliphica Nourishing Mask: Packed with omega acids and vitamin C, this lush conditioning mask boosts shine and even helps repair split ends. Full-size $12.00 - $40.00

My Impression: I was really excited when I received this product.  I have extremely thick and dry unruly hair that is prone to split ends and breakage.  When I opened the packaged I was delighted by the light floral scent.  Since it is a mask it is thicker than a standard conditioner and is required to stay on the hair for 3 to 5 minutes before being rinsed out.  Be sure to thoroughly rinse out the mask otherwise you risk your hair being weighed down and get oily quickly.  I was really impressed with the immediate results I saw after only one use. My hair remained softer for longer and there was a very noticeable sheen to my hairs complexion.  Also, after I styled my hair I noticed that my hair was able to maintain the style for longer as well.  Not to mention my hair smelled wonderful too!

Lashem - Measurable Difference Lash Gel Serum: Made with nourishing goji berry extracts and fortifying biotin, this derm-approved gel gives you longer, lusher lashes with no irritation. Full-size $70.00

My Impression: I was intrigued when I saw this in my box, as I have sparse lashes and am always in the market to make them look fuller.  I generally try to make my lashes seem fuller with mascara products, but what better way to get fuller lashes than by actually producing more lashes. So far after about 2 weeks of using this I have not seen any changes in my current lashes.

TheBalm Cosmetics - Mary-Lou Manizer: Play up your best features with this three in one highlighter, shadow and all over shimmer. Full-size $24.00

 My Impression: I really enjoy this product, for me I use it more as a shadow versus an all over shimmer or highlighter.  It has great coverage and it gives just enough shimmer for a softer more natural look.  I pair it up with my darker shadows just to take a little bit of the edge off and it really brightens up my eyes and helps them pop. I imagine it would work just as well if you were to use a little on your cheekbones.

Chuao Chocolatier - Chuao Chocolatier Assorted Chuao Pods: Instead of settling for plain ol’ milk chocolate, we’re satiating those cravings with these decadent treats, which are handcraft from Chuao’s premium house blend . This set of miniature bars includes exotic flavors that will knock you off your fuzzy-slippered feet (in a good way).  Full-size $7.95 per pack of 7

My Impression: I as most women do absolutely LOVE chocolate, and I like trying new types, so this was right up my ally.  I was expecting to get the maple bacon covered chuao pod, and was actually a little disappointed when I received the Spicy Maya (a spicy blend of pasilla chile, cinnamon, and cayenne in dark chocolate).  Nevertheless I tried it out anyways. I liked the hint of spice you got as an after taste, but I am not a big dark chocolate fan and it didn't really melt in my mouth like milk and white chocolate do.  It does give good flavor and I would be willing to try the entire line. Each pack you purchase comes with 7 pods, one in each of the flavors. All in all I would have preferred to try the bacon one ;)

I had mixed feelings with this month's box. Upon first arrival I was not thrilled at all, the chocolate left something to be desired, the highlighter was at first the only memorable item, until I tried out the hair mask which is now my favorite and can not wait to purchase a big jar of it, but as far as the lash serum I have not seen any results and I rarely like the perfumes sampled.  Hopefully BB will step it up next month and start off the new year with a bang!

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Sweet Potato Chili - Yummy Goodness

I found this recipe via Pinterest, which is every girls best friend.  It was created by Andie Mitchell, and is posted in her blog, Can you stay for dinner.  Generally when I am pinning foodie items I am fully intending on testing the recipe out in the future. What better time to test a chili recipe than when it's in the 30's and 40's, and in Houston that is Arctic Tundra weather.
I selected several soup, stew, chili recipes and let my husband decide on which one he wanted to have, as soon as he read the ingredients for the Slow Cooked Sweet Potato Chili he knew it was "the one."  Boy was he right!
I have recently been on a sweet potato kick, and I don't mean the usual sweet potato casserole stuff with the cinnamon and sugar and marshmallows; which I am actually not a fan of. No, I mean roasted balsamic sweet potatoes, whipped cream cheese mashed sweet potatoes, sweet potato fries, so it was only a matter of time before I made a stew with it...honestly!
Anyways... This chili was absolutely amazing! Thick and hearty, it really warms you to the core as well. I have my own chili recipe that is always a hit yet you can eat a couple of bowls before you are completely stuffed, but with this chili one bowl was PLENTY! It is stocked with black and kidney beans, diced and crushed tomatoes, garlic, onion and of course sweet potato. There is a little extra sweetness with brown sugar, then kick it up with some spices; cumin, chili powder, paprika and a little salt and pepper to taste.  The best part of this recipe is that you throw it all together in the crock pot set it on low for 10 hours and go, and by the time your home from work dinner is waiting for you, painless and delicious.
When I try out new recipes I like to follow it verbatim the first time then go in and tweak it to make it my own in the future. Although this was a huge hit in our house, next time we plan to add more vegetables to it, jalapeno, bell pepper and corn.  Needless to say we are looking forward to more "chili" winter nights...see what I did there ;)
Follow the link below to get the full recipe and directions.  This is a definite contender for dinner!
Can you stay for dinner? - Sweet Potato Chili

Mia Bella Trattoria

The husband and I took my dad out to dinner for his birthday last night before we caught the Rush concert and we went to a cute little Italian Bistro, Mia Bella Trattoria.

The food is very reasonably priced for a gourmet Italian restaurant, prices ranging from $15 to $30 a plate, depending on what you are looking for to wet your appetite.  It is quite a small restaurant, and with it being a concert night I don't think they were expecting to be as busy as they were on a Sunday night, so it was a bit loud inside, but much more tolerable than the House of Blues located next door.

We went in and were seated right away, which is always nice.  Our server took our drink order and upon delivery he informed us of their specials, and also what he recommends off of the menu.  For starters we ordered Torta di Granchio, a jumbo lump crab cake served with a sweet potato balsamic chutney and saffron wine reduction. Once it was served I was quite surprised at the size of the crab cake, most restaurants serve a tiny cake that it is mostly breading, but it was quite a different story at Mia Bella.  The crab cake was about the size of my Husbands palm, which is pretty large, and the presentation was stunning.  It sat in the middle of the wine reduction with the balsamic sweet potato chutney on top and finished off with a beautiful basil leaf.  The chutney was by itself was amazing, the sweet potato was basically caramelized by the balsamic vinegar and added a deliciously sweet aspect to the crab cake.  The saffron wine reduction held well on its own as well and added tangy notes.  The crab cake itself was all fresh crab with hints of herbs and spices and very little breading and just melted in your mouth.  Combine all the individual aspects of the appetizer it was almost sinful.  I can honestly say that was the best crab cake I have ever eaten.

For dinner I ordered Pollo all Mia Bella, sauteed Chicken breast layered with a medley of sauteed vegetables, spinach, roasted red peppers and portobella mushrooms, in a jalapeno cilantro pesto broth topped with goat cheese and roasted leeks.  My dad ordered Parmigiana di Pollo, Oven roasted and breaded chicken breast stuffed with spinach, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese; served on a bed of angel hair pasta with spinach and roasted red peppers and topped with a tomato basil cream sauce.  Finally my Husband ordered Capelleni di Mare, angel hair pasta tossed with shrimp, sea scallops, mussels and clams tossed with fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil and hint of crushed red pepper. It all sounds delicious right?

Every bit of our meal was delicious.  The amount of time and care the staff puts into laying out each plate and the serving to each table is wonderful, and it makes the experience that much more enjoyable.  They have really made great use out of different ingredients and their flavors all compliment one another. Even though the restaurant was busy, the staff remained calm and picked up their efforts to ensure that each patron had an enjoyable experience.  While our waiter was behind the bar helping with drinks we were visited by several other servers to ensure we were doing well.

I really enjoyed myself and the food and plan on making more trips to Mia Bella in the future.  There are four locations in and around the Houston area; Downtown Main, Downtown Pavilions (Off of San Jacinto St and the location we went to), Vintage Park and Sugarland.

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