From My Vanity

Beauty, Skincare, and a bit of Lifestyle

Hairstyling with NuMe – My Review of Titan3

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It’s Friday, and you know what that means, right?

Another new addition to the Hairstyling with NuMe series! 😀 for those who’ve been keeping up, we’ve learned how to do curls, twisted updos, and waterfall braids using the NuMe Titan3 Curling Wands. Check out the links below if you need to catch up…

 

For today, I’m actually going to take a quick break from the tutorial’s to bring you my review of NuMe’s Titan3 curling wand set. I’ve been able to use it a lot over the past several weeks, and I feel like I have accurate and honest feedback to give on this set now. (Don’t worry, I will resume next week with another hair tutorial 🙂

So let’s dive in, shall we? 🙂


My Review…

First Impressions… 
The NuMe Titan3 curling wands arrived packaged up very securely — definitely didn’t need to worry about anything getting scratched or broken on the way to my house. 🙂 Along with putting the wands inside of a heavy-duty, sturdy round box, they’re also all kept separate with foam dividers that gives each barrel and the base a place to sit without touching each other. I was impressed with the care NuMe took to package up their items, and loved the quality of the round box it came in — I put it in my closet to use to transport my wands when I move next month. 🙂

Packaging/Quality…
Everything about the Nume Titan3 curling wand just screams professionalism and high quality. The feel of the base is really neat — it’s almost soft… It’s really hard to describe! But it’s certainly not the usual finish and feel of a curling wand. It feels very luxurious. 🙂 The barrels are well made and, because they’re made with titanium, they’re really light. And I mean really light! Which is wonderful, as my arms easily and quickly tire out when holding a heavy item above my head for any length of time.

The cord is really thick and feels really strong and sturdy. The barrel of this wand is able to rotate all the way around, which is really nice when I’m using it — I never have to worry about the cord getting all twisted up on itself (which is often the problem I have with my regular curling iron). I’ve used it several times and have noticed the fact that I don’t have to sit and untwist the cord halfway through my curling, like I usually have to do. Definitely a plus, in my book!

Performance…
Once you know which of the three barrel you want to use, all you have to do is line up the holes and snap the barrel into place. It’s pretty easy and very quick to do. Then you turn it on, select your temperature setting, and give it about 10 or so seconds to heat up. That is seriously all it takes to heat up! I love that this can get hot so quickly. I can be pretty impatient at times, and too often I forget to plug in my curling iron ahead of time and then I end up waiting on the barrel to heat up before I can start. But with NuMe’s Titan3 Curling Wand, I can start curling almost the moment after turning it on. It’s wonderful!

It takes a little while to cool down, but when I compared it to my regular curling iron that I own, the Titan3 does cool down more quickly. Pretty sweet! One particular day I curled my hair with both the smallest and medium sized curling wands (to give a variety of curl sizes) and it actually wasn’t too bad, switching between wands. I had to give it a minute or two to cool down, but during this time I was able to section off the next part, so it wasn’t time wasted. And since I had the glove that NuMe includes with all their curling wands, I was actually able to get a pretty good hold on the wands when I went to take it off, even though it was still slightly warm.

Major Dislikes…

When I go to take a barrel off of the base, I often have a few moments of struggle as I try to click the two buttons on either side of the base and pull on the barrel. I’m not sure why I have so much trouble (maybe I need to work out? lol!), but it often takes me several tries to get both buttons pressed down sufficiently at the same time in order to be able to pull the barrel off of the base. I’ve watched several YouTuber’s use this set and haven’t seen them have trouble, so I don’t know if I’m just really weak, or this is a flux in this particular wand. But I just wanted you to be mindful of this fact — it really isn’t too big a deal, since I can just get one of my brothers or my dad to help pull it apart, if I needed to (though I haven’t yet. I’ve been able to pull them apart on my own, after a few tries).

Major Likes…

A lot of things! I love the feel of the wand. It’s so smooth, almost velvety, feeling. It makes me feel really professional and like I am pampering my hair when I use it. 🙂 I’ve also noticed my hair looks shiner once I finish curling (often, after using a normal curling iron, my hair looks dull and dry), so that’s an awesome plus to this wand that I really appreciate!

The fact that it heats up fast is a wonderful bonus! I’ve already explained my reason why I love this aspect of it, so I won’t repeat myself. 🙂 Another thing that I like about this set is that it’s so incredibly light — lighter than any other curling wand or iron I’ve tried before in the past. My arm still can get tired from holding it above my head, but it would get tired even if I was holding nothing, right. But the fact that it doesn’t start hurting right away (like it would before) is really nice. Saves my arms that awful ache!

Final Thoughts…

I really love my NuMe Titan3 curling wand set! Ever since I got this in, I don’t reach for anything else when I go to curl my hair. Even if I just want a bit of wave to my hair, all I have to do is grab the largest barrel and in a few minutes — bam! I have waves! It’s so easy and I love the versatility of this wand being interchangeable. It’s so nice not to have to have 3 different curling irons sitting around my room taking up space and getting their cords all tangled up together. The Titan3 is able to be broken down to shorter sections that are really easy to slip into a drawer and be put out of sight.

I can’t say enough good things about this wand! I’m really looking forward to experiencing the long-term benefits of using NuMe’s products! As some of you know, I purchased the NuMe MegaStar Flat Iron a few weeks ago. While I haven’t gotten a ton of use out of it yet, I have used it several times and love how my hair looks afterwards. I will be doing a detailed review of that tool soon, hopefully, so be on the lookout. 🙂

If you’ve been on the lookout for a good curling wand set or just need a new set to replace your old ones, I would highly recommend you getting the Titan3 set! Or if you want more variety with your curls, the NuMe Lustrum curling set comes with 5 different wands, making the possibilities almost endless! NuMe’s heat tools are an investment, but totally worth the money you put into it! And these tools will last you a long time if you take care of them. And — above all — it helps your hair stay healthier! Which, when you think about it, is a priceless quality to these tools.

I received this curling wand set from NuMe in order to review. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this product, which I have done. I only recommend products and/or services that I have personally used or experienced and like.

 

* * *    I mentioned purchasing the NuMe Lustrum Curling Set in my review above. I just wanted to let you know that if you are considering purchasing this tool (which I highly recommend! :-), make sure you use the code “FIVECURL” when you check out to get 61% off your order! ‘Cause who doesn’t like to save money, right?!    * * *

Question to My Readers: Are you on the lookout for a new curling iron? Are you the type to invest in good-quality tools?

LORAC’s Unzipped gives you unlimited choices for rosey-hue looks! (Beauty Review)

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Today, as promised, I have the last review for the batch of products that LORAC sent me a few months ago. I’ve really enjoyed trying this brand out, and am really impressed and pleased with their products — even found some favorites to add to my makeup routine! 🙂

For those who might want to find out what other makeup products I reviewed for LORAC, here are the links below.




Get UNZIPPED and unleash your natural beauty with LORAC’S universally flattering nude eye shadow palette. Create unlimited head-turning looks with the MINI Behind The Scenes Eye Primer for long-lasting color and 10 ultra-rich, shimmering and matte shadows in a super sexy, nude palette. LORAC: UNZIPPED, UNCENSORED and UNBELIEVABLE!

My Review…

First Impressions…
I’m honestly not a very into pink — I tend to go for darker, more neutral colors. But While this palette definitely is on the pink and rosey side of the color wheel, there were still some darker colors in the palette, and I was excited to try it out. When I swatched it for the first time, I was impressed with the pigmentation and buttery-softeness of all the shadows! As you can see for yourself in the pictures, all the colors show up really well. I didn’t apply primer underneath these swatches, either — I just applied one swipe on my arm of each color.

The Packaging…
The thing that I liked the most about the LORAC Unzipped Palette
is how slender and sleek it is. It’s really compact and has a strong magnetic closure – so no worries about it accidentally opening on you. 🙂 The palette is decorated in a very attractive way, with a neat gold zipper that surrounds the palette — it isn’t raised or anything, but still really attractive, sleek, and shiny. For having so many large eyeshadows in this palette, I think it’s really compact and very travel-friendly. Not only will it be secure during your travels, but you can get a light, every day look as well as a darker, smokier evening look. Very versatile!

Eye Look using Unreal and Unbridled

The Product & Application…
As I already mentioned, the shadows are all very soft and almost have a ‘buttery’ feeling to them. They kind of remind me of the Wet ‘n’ Wild Color Icon trios…but better! 🙂 It’s really easy to create a simple but attractive look in just a few moments – like this eyelook on the right – or create a more elaborate evening look.

There can be a bit of fall out with these shadows, if you really try to pack it all on at once. But I found that when I build up the colors with thin layers, there isn’t as much fall-out. Either way, the fall out doesn’t me at all, as I always do my eye makeup before applying foundation.

Major Dislikes…
Nothing really stands out that I don’t like about the Unzipped Palette
. I do wish it had it’s own black color in the palette — it does have a dark maroon shade, but no black. And for me, I usually like to have my outer V to be really dark. So, for travel, I always feel like I need to include a black eyeshadow along with this palette in order to have a complete look. But this is just for me, personally — you might find that the dark maroon color in this palette is perfect for what you like.

Eye Look using Undercover, Unreal, Untamed,
and a black(not included in palette)

Major Likes…
I like a lot of things about this palette, from the compact design to the large size of the eyeshadows. The pigmentation is great, as I already mentioned. Oh, and I also really liked the names of the shadows in the Unzipped Palette
.

Starting at the top left and ending at the bottom right — “Undercover, Unbelievable, Unattainable, Unconditional, Unbridled, Undiscovered, Unreal, Uncensored, Unspoken, and Untamed.”

Final Thoughts…
This palette is a great one to have in your makeup collection. It has all different hues of rosey neutrals that you can use for a variety of different looks. I’ve heard it compared to the Naked3 palette, and while I haven’t used the new Urband Decay palette, I do know that this LORAC Unzipped can give me looks just like the ones the Naked3 palette gives. 🙂 So if you don’t have a palette that focuses on neutral pinky colors, the Unzipped Palette
is a great way to go!

I received this product from LORAC for free in order to review. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this product, which I have done. I only recommend products and/or services that I have personally used or experienced and like.

LORAC has your eyes taken care of with their Behind the Scenes Eyeshadow Primer! (Review)

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Good Friday afternoon, everyone! I hope your week has gone well, and I’m sure y’all are looking forward to the weekend like I am. 🙂 February is going by soooo quickly, it’s crazy to think that there’s only one week left in this month.

So for today I’m featuring another LORAC product review. 🙂 These have been really fun and I’ve really enjoyed putting all these products to the test. For reference – and those who are new to my blog – below are the links to the LORAC products I’ve reviewed in the past few months. 🙂

Crazy enough, I only have one more review to bring to you next week, and it’s for LORAC’s Unzipped palette, so be sure to stay tuned! I know when I did my First Impression’s post, I also received the foundation. Unfortunately, something happened during shipping and the foundation leaked and the pump was broken. But! I hope that these past reviews have given you a good feel for LORAC’s products and their quality/performance, even without the foundation review. 🙂

So, enough talk, let’s dive right in!

About LORAC Behind the Scenes Eye Primer…

Get LORAC’s Behind the Scenes Eye Shadow Primer and all eyes will be on you! This gentle, lightweight, oil, fragrance and paraben-free formula keeps your eye shadow picture-perfect from daytime to Prime Time. Created by Celebrity Makeup artist Carol Shaw to be used Behind The Scenes on photo shoots and on the Red Carpet, this unique eye shadow primer easily glides on for crease-resistant, silky-smooth color that lasts!

My Review…

First Impressions…
I received a deluxe sample size of this product (0.19 oz compared to the full size tube of 0.53) with the Unzipped palette. I was really excited, as the few drugstore eye primers I’d tried in the past never held up on my super-oily eyelids. So I was all about putting this product to the test, even if it was just a deluxe sample size.

And if you think about it, even with a deluxe sample, it still gives you a LOT of uses. You only use a pea-size on each eyelid — I’ve been using this eye primer almost on a daily basis for the past 4 months, and there’s still a lot left in it. So I’m totally happy with the size, and that it comes with the palette when you purchase it on the LORAC site.

The Packaging…
As a disclaimer, let me again mention I only have the deluxe sample size, not the full-size one you can purchase from LORAC. But they appear to be very similar — the full size just being bigger. 🙂

So, all that being said, I really like the packaging! It’s a squeezable tube with a small opening at the top, which makes it easy to only dispense the exact amount that I’ll need. The tube is really sleek and visually appealing, I think. The top also twists on really tight, which is nice to know that it won’t dry out or leak or anything. 🙂

The Product & Application…
As I mentioned it above, I have incredibly-oily eyelids. If I ever put on eyeshadow without primer, there will be major creases on my lids after only an hour. I’ve tried primers from Elf, mark., Essence, and L’Oreal before this one, and none of them held up that well. They did make my eyeshadows last longer, but only a few hours. And for me, when I do my eyes, I want them to last from the time I put them on (usually mid morning) until I take them off at the end of the night. So some days that can be around 12 hours! And the ones I’d tried just didn’t work.

And then I used the LORAC Behind The Scenes
Eye Primer.

And I haven’t used any other eye primer since! This product is so great! It varies just a little bit, depending on the quality of the eyeshadows I put over it (for example, if I use a cheaper, not as pigmented brand, it might only last 8 or 10 hours. But when I use the LORAC eyeshadow colors on top of this, my eyes last for more than 12 hour — without creasing! And my eyeshadow still looks as pigmented as when I first put it on that morning.

This fact totally sold me on this product. It has carried me through so many long, busy days keeping my eyes looking as fresh as when I first applied it. For me, I’m really all about the eyes when I do my makeup — I love taking the time to make them look just the way I want them. So for me, a primer that will last is really important — there’s no way I want to put all that energy into a dramatic eye look for it to last only a couple of hours. This primer is outstanding for me!

Major Dislikes…
I honestly can’t think of any. I love everything about this product! The price is slightly high — $21. But LORAC is known for being high-end and, really, when you think about it, it isn’t really that bad. You get 0.5 oz of product, and so far my 0.19 oz has last me 4 months and counting. Well worth the money, in my eyes, to spend $20 once a year or so. 🙂

Major Likes…
That it lasts for hours! I know I’ve already said a ton about it, so I won’t go into any more detail. 🙂 The product itself is more of a lotion-y texture and feels nice when you smooth it over your eyelids. I really like that the primer isn’t think or cakey — the Behind The Scenes
almost melts into your skin.

Final Thoughts…
I’m pretty sure this goes without saying — after reading my review so far — but I LOVE this product! Everything about it is outstanding! There’s no smell to this product (I forgot to mention), and a little bit goes a long way. Oh, I forgot to mention, I think LORAC has so many cute names! (like Front of the Line for their eyeliner, and now Behind the Scenes for their eye primer.) It’s really neat and, maybe I am weird, but I enjoy using products with fun names. 😀 If I am ever putting on my makeup at the beginning of a long day, Behind The Scenes is the primer I always reach for.

I received this product from LORAC for free in order to review. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this product, which I have done. I only recommend products and/or services that I have personally used or experienced and like..

You don’t have to be a Pro to enjoy LORAC’s Pro to Go Palette! (Beauty Review)

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Today’s time for another LORAC review. 🙂 If you missed my original post or the review’s I’ve done so far, click on links below to catch up. If you’ve already read them, then just dive right into today’s review.

About LORAC Pro to Go Eye/Cheek Palette…

Go PRO with LORAC! Created by celebrity makeup artist Carol Shaw, this PRO artistry palette is packed with 3 Shimmer & 3 Matte Eye Shadows, 2 Blushes, a Bronzer and 2 Brushes, everything you need to look glamorous on the go. 

LORAC’S velvety-smooth, shadows and blushes are ultra-pigmented and packed with long-lasting PRO power so you can easily shade, shadow, line and define your eyes and color and contour your cheeks, just like a PRO!

My Review…

First Impression…
I really liked the idea behind this palette — there’s everything you need to create a look on the go, besides the foundation, liner, and mascara. It makes packing your makeup for a trip very easy, especially if you like nude and brown colors on your eyes.

It’s got great, basic colors, but you can still get looks from every day to sultry. I was able to put this palette to the test when I went out of town New Years week and brought this palette along. I really liked it! I used this palette for the days I just stayed around the house and I also used it when I went to an evening wedding. I’m one who always likes to pack light, so this was a huge plus for me.

The Packaging…
LORAC PRO To Go
is packaged very well. It’s kind of like they stuck two palettes back to back — one side is for the eyes and the other side is for the cheeks. On both sides there’s a magnet that is really strong. I’ve never had a problem with the cover opening unexpectedly. There’s a clear plastic insert on both sides that serves a few different purposes, I found out. Mainly, it ensures that the eye and face products don’t dirty the cover and it also comes in handy when I want to do a really sharp winged look with my eyeshadow — because it’s both bendable and see-through, it works perfectly! Even better than using tape. 🙂

The Product & Application…
The quality of the eyeshadows are really pigmented and buttery-soft — as you can tell from the picture on the right. Which, by the way, all of the swatches are done without primer underneath — which proves just how intense and pigmented they are. This really impressed me! I like that I don’t have to work hard to get the colors to show up on my lid.

These colors are so pigmented, you really just need to barely tap your brush into the shadow in order to get enough color for both eyes, oftentimes. The black is awesome — I do not own a black that’s this intense, and I find myself always picking up this palette to use the black when I want to darken the outer V, no matter what other eyeshadows I’m using. I like how they include a variety of shimmery and matte colors in this palette, as I don’t always like to have shimmer on my lids. The cream color is the perfect brow highlighter for me, and I love using it in the inner corner of my eye, too, when I want to brighten things up.

The bronzer and two blushes, on the other side of the palette, are really great, too. In fact, they’re the only blushes I’ve been using since I got this palette! At first, I’ll admit that I didn’t use the middle, pink blush, just because I thought it was too pinky for my skintone. But actually it gives a very natural blush for me, when used with a light handy. The coral plus (al the way on the right) has little flecks of sparkle in it, which I am not too big a fan of. But it doesn’t show up too much when applied to the cheeks. The bronzer is great! It gives me a really natural warmth to my face, and I’ve really enjoyed working it into my every day makeup routine.

Major Dislikes…
Because they are so pigmented and soft, it can be easy to cause fall out on your cheeks when you do your eyes. But tapping your brush off before applying to your lid helps keep the fall out to a minimal. The LORAC PRO To Go
palette also comes with two brushes, and while I like the angled liner brush to put shadow right against my lash line, I really don’t care for the other brush. It’s too small to really get good use out of. I suppose it would work well if you just wanted to apply color in the outer V, but for my eye shape it’s too small to do that.


Major Likes…
Obviously, because they are so crazy pigmented! I love it! It makes doing my eye makeup so much more enjoyable and easy, as the colors just glide right on. And they blend out really well, too. You don’t have to spend a lot of time building up the colors or trying to blend them out softly. LORAC knows how to make their eyeshadows!

The way the palette is put together is really nice, too. It’s not super thin, but it’s small and compact, making it easy to fit into my purse or makeup bag. The mirror on the eyeshadow side is great, too — the perfect size for if you are applying your eyeshadow on the go.

Final Thoughts…
I think LORAC’s PRO To Go
palette is a real winner! It would also be a really good gift for a girl who is just getting into makeup, in my opinion — the colors are easy to work with and the blush and bronzer that it comes with will save newbies from stressing over the multitude of blush and bronzer choices at the drugstore. It’s compact and easy to grab and throw in your purse for the day, and the brushes that it comes with (while I’m not crazy for one) would suffice very well if you had to use it for touch up. If you’ve never given any of LORAC’s products a try before, I highly encourage you to purchase this Pro to Go palette. It’ll give you a good taste of the quality of their products and you won’t regret it!

I received this product from LORAC for free in order to review. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this product, which I have done. I only recommend products and/or services that I have personally used or experienced and like..

LORAC’s Eyeliner is on the Front of the Lines! (Beauty Review)

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I know it’s been a while since I reviewed the first LORAC product – which you can see my review HERE – but I’m back with another review on a product that I received from LORAC. 🙂 For those of you who missed it – or are new followers – I did a ‘What’s In My Mailbox? LORAC!‘ post a few months ago showing you what they sent me to review. And today we are looking at the awesome eyeliner they send me. 🙂
About LORAC Front of the Line Pro Eyeliner…

This high-performing no-smudge, no-budge, water-resistant liquid eye liner boasts a unique automatic delivery system that provides a clean, precise application. The flexible tip provides ultimate control, accuracy and smooth strokes, so you’ll never miss your lines. From very fine to dramatically bold, this versatile pro will take you to the front of the line every time!

Create any eye makeup look you desire with LORAC’s eye shadows and eyeliners! For more eye makeup techniques take a look at the LORAC Close Up Real Life To Red Carpet Eye Tutorial. The Eye Tutorial Kit comes with step-by-step instructions for applying makeup like a pro and remember: practice makes perfect!

My Review…

First Impressions…
I’ve seen this liner on the LORAC website before and was really intrigued. I always like finishing off my eyes with at least a thin winged liner, if not thicker/bolder. 🙂 I’m sure every girl out there has a feature on their face that they love to play up — and mine is most definitely my eyes. So when I saw that this finely-tipped liner was included in the package of things to review, I was thrilled! They sent me the Front of the Line Pro
 in brown.

The Packaging…
The packaging for this product is great! Really sleek and thin, compared to most liquid eyeliners I have tried. The cap has some sort of spring in the top and when you want to close it you have to make sure you hear a little snap. Once you hear that, you know the lid is on tight and there is no worries of it trying out!

There’s some kind of loose object inside that you can hear when you shake it — and I can really tell that this helps to keep the eyeliner going strong. Each time, before I use LORAC’s Front of the Line Pro
, I give it a good shake and it’ll give me a dark, intense brown line.

The Product & Application…
The liner is very liquidy, but because of the super-fine tip, it glides on like a dream. You have to give it a few seconds to dry before messing with it, but once it’s set it doesn’t go anywhere! The tip, as you can see, is very long, thin, and pretty flexible — which makes for easy applications whether you’re just lining your upper lash line or creating a wing.

While the tip is really fine, this doesn’t prohibit you from doing a thick line if you want to. How thick your line ends up being depends on how much pressure you apply. So this Front of the Line Pro
 liner is totally an all-in-one eyeliner! As I mentioned above, I received this in the color brown. Now I want one in black and I’ll be set! 🙂

Major Likes…
I like everything about it! Maybe I’m a little biased because I love a good eyeliner, but, seriously, this Front of the Line Pro
 is seriously ON the front lines when it comes to good eyeliners. 🙂 I like that I can get a really thin winged liner (for every day looks) and also get the really thick, dramatic lines (for special occasions). I usually have a difficult time getting both my winged eyeliners to look the same for both eyes, but not with this liner! It’s really easy to handle and just glides right on.

Major Dislikes…
There’s really only one minor thing that comes to mind, when I think of what I dislike about it. If you don’t give this liner a good shake before you use it, the liquid will be pretty watery and thin. But this isn’t really a fault of LORAC — that’s why they put the little ‘mixer’ in the tube. So just be sure to give it a shake before you use it!

Final Thoughts…
If you haven’t been able to tell yet…I absolutely love this liner! I know I am going to be very sad when I finally use this tube up. It’s so easy to use and makes winging your eyeliner out a breeze! (Which is really nice when you have issues with doing a winged eyeliner!) If you’ve been looking for a nice, high-end liquid eyeliner to try, I highly recommend you try this liner out for yourself!



I received this product from LORAC for free in order to review. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this product, which I have done. I only recommend products and/or services that I have personally used or experienced and like..

Mia Mariu is releasing a new line of perfume! (Review & Giveaway)

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It’s a new week and I’ve got some great posts scheduled for this week. I hope you stay tuned. 🙂 Don’t forget, my End-of-the-Year giveaway is almost over — get your entries in before the 16th! And make sure you stick through till the end of this post…as there’s a new giveaway! 😉

For today, I’ve got a perfume review for you. I don’t think I’ve ever reviewed perfume on here before for y’all. Let me know if you like these kinds of reviews and I’ll be sure to repeat them in the future. 🙂

Cosmetic company, Mia Mariu, sent me a women’s fragrance from their new perfume line. The fragrance is called Magia.

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

“enchanting, flirty, sensual…deliciously unforgettable” 

This deliciously flirtatious fragrance invigorates the senses, creates a mood and sets the scene for unforgettable fun, romance and pleasure. With a medley of juicy strawberry, mandarin, peach and pear that play sweetly atop dewy blooms of jasmine, plum, magnolia and flirty frangipani; makes the perfect playmate and ideal soul mate for smooth and sensual base notes of rich vanilla, musk, tonka bean and warm and enchanting golden amber.

My Review…

The Packaging…
The fragrance is packaged in a very simplistic and sophisticated way. As you can see from the picture, it’s just a clear, glass bottle with a square lid and the Mia Mariu name brand on it along with the fragrance name. All the lettering is in pink, which makes for a very cute and girly bottle. I think it’s pretty! The lid doesn’t snap on very tightly, but it is pretty secure…as long as you don’t pick the bottle up by the lid. This bottle is 1.7 oz, which is a fairly good size for a perfume. All in all, I was very satisfied with the packaging.

The Fragrance…
I am terrible at describing scents (which is why I made sure to add the fragrance description above for your benefit), but the Magia is a lovely smell! I’m always leery of getting a fragrance online, because I don’t know if I’ll like it — I have to physically smell it. I’m the type of person who likes light, floral scents with maybe some touches of citrus in them, so it’s always hard for me to order fragrances online. If you are similar to me in your fragrance preferences, then let me highly encourage you to purchase this fragrance! It is a delightful scent! Definitely reminds me of a floral scent, but I can get the hint of the citrus-y side of it, too. Mia Mariu has come out with a perfect blend that will thrill many women!

Major Likes & Dislikes…
Well, my major like is that I love the scent! (Haha, that’s pretty important in a fragrance, huh? 😉 I love wearing this and, as you can see in the pictures I took, I’ve put a pretty decent dent in this bottle already. The lasting power of Magia is awesome — I can spritz my wrist in the morning, and several hours later in the afternoon I can still smell it on my wrist. The nozzle of the bottle kind of spritzs out a lot for one area, but that might just be my preference. But that’s really the only dislike that I can think of — which isn’t a big problem, in my opinion. 🙂

Final Thoughts…
Magia is a wonderful fragrance that will delight and please a wide variety of women. The fragrance does a great job of clinging to your skin and the scent will last for hours. I don’t know what more you could ask for in a fragrance! 🙂 Mia Mariu did a fabulous job in creating this perfume and I look forward to what they bring to their fragrance line next!

For those who are not aware, along with Magia, they have three other fragrances — two, of which, are for guys! 🙂

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.


The Giveaway…

Mia Mariu has kindle offered to sponsor a giveaway! I am so excited that one of you will be able to try out their new perfume for themselves! The winner will be able to choose from three of their fragrances in their MM line — MM Aqua for Men, MM Caoba for Men, and MM Magia for Women.

Below are the rules to enter this giveaway and, as always, the Rafflecopter is how I will keep track of entries. 🙂 

Rules: This giveaway is only open to GFC follower of Legacy of a Writer, so be sure you are a follower! There are many chances to earn extra entries, so be sure to come back every day to take advantage of them. 🙂 This giveaway will run for three weeks, ending at midnight on Monday, February 3rd. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

There’s a new hair oil coming soon from Birchbox! (Beauty Review)

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Have you ever heard of Birchbox? It’s an awesome monthly subscription box that sends you new (or just-released) products to you at so that you can try new things at an awesome, low price! Well, I was given the opportunity to review a product that hasn’t even been released yet! I was super-excited to get to do this! I’ve heard such great things about Birchbox and am thrilled to try out one of the products that they offer on their website (or, in this case, will soon offer! 😉

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So when the box arrived, I opened it to find a new addition to the Beauty Protector line that Birchbox sells on their website! This new product is called ‘Protect & Oil’ and it’s an Argan Oil for your hair. The Beauty Protector line’s moto is, “Never sacrifice condition for style” and the back of the bottle reads…

Keeps hair healthy, shiny, and happy. Beauty Protector Oil will guard against UV rays and heat, while it’s smoothing and strengthening qualities work tirelessly.

My Review…

The Packaging…
Beauty Protector did an outstanding job with the packaging for this new product. It’s in a beautiful black rubberized bottle with gold writing and designs. It has a little black pump handle on the top that allows you to get just the right amount of product out at a time. Not only do I not need to worry about this bottle breaking, but it’s also mess free and the pump assures me that I’ll be able to use every last drop of this amazing argan oil!

The Product…
I’ve been hearing a lot about Argan Oil recently and the magic it can do to your hair. Which made me even more excited to review Beauty Protector’s Protect & Oil, since I’ve never had the chance to use Argan Oil on my hair. 😀 The first thing I noticed when I used it was the fragrance of the oil. I don’t know what fragrance they use in this oil…but, wow, it smells amazing!! Every time I go to use Protect & Oil, I have to smell it. I can’t but a firm finger on the type of fragrance, but it reminds me of cotton candy! Sugary and sweet…the smell instantly sold me on this product! Haha, I know the argan oil will do wonders for my frizzy hair, but any time you can find a product that works great AND smells great…you’ve struck gold!

I’ve only been able to use this product twice since receiving it early this week, but I can already see the difference it makes on my hair. Usually, when I let my hair air dry, it’s super frizzy by the time it has dried. When my hair was still damp from my shower, I used two pumps (I have long hair) of this Protect & Oil and distributed it evenly throughout my hair. When my hair finally dried (it usually takes a while!), I could see the difference right off! It wasn’t as frizzy any more and the ends didn’t look as bad (I’ve got some split ends”. It looked really healthy!

The oil isn’t a thick or sticky oil and I am easily able to distribute it throughout my hair. It doesn’t leave my hair looking greasy or shiny at all. For those of you who are not aware of the amazing benefits, Argan Oil is very hydrating to hair and rich with a lot of vitamins and nutrition that your hair needs. If you have damaged or unruly hair, look into Beauty Protector’s Protect & Oil!

Major Likes & Dislikes…
I’m sure you guessed this, but my major like about Protect & Oil is the smell! Oh my goodness! I wish I had a candle that smelled like this! It almost smells edible! 😀 I also really like the effects of Protect & Oil on my hair. Not only do I use it after washing my hair, but I also use it to add just a little shine to my hair when I’m styling it. And also a good amount on my ends to keep them healthy. 🙂 Honestly, there’s nothing negative about this product. I’m not sure the price of this, but it’s really good size bottle for hair oil — 4 oz.

Final Thoughts…
I love Protect & Oil! It smells amazing, makes my hair look amazing, and I can’t wait to see what the long-term results do for my hair! If you have damaged or frizzy hair, this will do wonders for it, giving you beautiful styles and healthier hair.

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I received this product from Birchbox in order to review. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this product. I only recommend products and/or services I have personally used or experienced and that I believe will be good for my readers.