Giveaway Announcement

Hello, world.

I have a haul post coming up. And since it was a haul and I got a bunch of stuff, I plan on having a giveaway!

However, I do want to get to 50 subscribers first so this is an incentive for you to get your friends and followers to follow my blog!

You wouldnt want to miss out on this giveaway. Its a pretty large collection and Im still adding to it.

You wont regret it. (;

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January 2013 Birchbox Review

Hello, world.

It is that time of the month again! It is time for a review of my monthly Birchbox, not THAT time of the month.

This is my first Birchbox for the year, and it is disappointing. Come on, Birchbox, you can do better than this! If you remember, I mentioned that if Birchbox disappoints me three times in a row, I will unsubscribe. They received two strikes for the October 2012 and November 2012 boxes, but managed to redeem themselves through the December 2012 box.

I guess this is back to Strike One.

But I will let YOU be the judge.

DDF Wrinkle Resist Plus Pore Minimizer

$24.99; 1.7floz; EBay.com

This is a serum that fills in pores and wrinkles that also contains peptides and vitamins that provide long-term antiaging benefits.

I love this sample! I use it as a primer for my face makeup and it is awesome! It is true to its word; it does fill in pores and wrinkles, and it gives you a smooth canvas for your foundation to stick.

Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy

$34.99; 3.4oz; ECrater.com

My sister is obsessed with Juicy Couture fragrances but I dont consider myself a fan. It was nice to have a sample of this to try for myself. Its a lovely fragrance but its not me.

Kerastase Elixir Ultime

$44; 125ml; Buy.com

I use this oil to my toweled-dry hair and it makes it super smooth and manageable. When my hair is wet, it is very difficult to control; it twists and tangles and its just not fun to work with. But with the help of this hair oil, I just run a few pumps through my strands and my hair is immediately smooth and soft and tangle-free!

TheBalm Cosmetics Hot Mama

$20; 7.08g; Birchbox.com

Personally, this blush is too light and subtle for me. Its a shimmery blush so I use it as a highlighter instead and it looks pretty. I was excited to get this in my box because this brand is one of the reasons I subscribed to Birchbox in the first place and Im SO glad they finally threw in a sample for me!

Kerastase Nutritive Nectar Thermique - Protect

$37.99; 150ml; EBay.com

This months Beauty Extra is this leave-in conditioner type thing. It pretty much works like a conditioner but has heat protectant qualities in it. I use it whenever I decide to blowdry my hair, which is a few days now so far because it means I dont have to wake up as early when I have class at 9:30AM.

So, yeah, Im not too thrilled with this months box. It did come with a poster thing of 13 things to do to improve your lifestyle for the new year since thats the theme of the January Birchbox, but it was all redundant information and things that we already know so really not too thrilled.

I have a feeling next months box would have some Valentines theme or whatever so Im looking forward to it.

Thank you for reading!

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New Shoes 2

Hello, world.

It has been a while. Classes started on Monday so Ive been busy trying to keep up with 18 credits as well as have forms submitted to switch back to being an English major as well as attend informational sessions on a few positions that Ive set my sights on as well as apply for scholarships as well as catch up on reading for class.

So, as you can tell, I havent had much free time on my hands. I havent been to work in a while too because of that and the next time I'll be back at work is actually on Saturday which will be my first ever shift as a supervisor. It may sound strange, but I miss being at work. Training for my other job is on Sunday and students will probably soon start getting tutoring from me on top of that so my days are only going to get busier.

But if I have time to get on my computer and get online, I dont see why I cant take a little more time to blog, especially since I have so much to talk about!

For today, I'll actually be writing about my new shoes.

Youre probably thinking, AGAIN?! Because I just bought new shoes not too long ago. Im not really a shoe person. I may have a lot of shoes but they all fill specific needs. Like, I wont have two pairs of wedge heels or two pairs of high boots. Does that make sense? Oh, well.

But so this pair is actually for work. Since I have to be all formal dressy now for work, I realized that I dont have anything thats appropriate. I do have my "interview heels" as I like to call them but this new position requires A LOT of standing and walking so I decided to get flats instead. How in the hell have I never owned flats before this? It escapes me.

And also I dont do spur-of-the-moment purchases with shoes. I do it a lot with makeup and clothes but not shoes. Refer above for why. So I actually take time to contemplate whether I really need them or not and then I'll start hunting for cheap pairs (or reasonably priced pairs).

Ive heard a lot about ASOS but Ive never really checked it out. Well, I eventually did and it was a great decision because I found this pair.

This is the ASOS LULU Ballet Flats and they sell for $21.11. HOWEVER, when I bought them, theyre on sale for $10.55. Thats a pretty good deal for flats. So thats why I made my first purchase from ASOS.

And that is all for today.

Thank you for reading!

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Updates

Hello, world.

I havent been posting much and those of you whove been following me since Day One would know that I post pretty much every day so Im just here to tell you that Im still very much alive.

Im an International Orientation Leader, have been since Summer 2012, so Ive just been swamped with doing that since Monday. Ive been having to wake up at 4AM and going to bed at 9PM so I really didnt have much time to do anything else. Even if I did, my ten-hour days had me completely exhausted by the time I get home anyway.

BUT I do just want to tell you guys that I still have a bunch of things lined up.

I finally checked out ASOS and bought some stuff so that post will be coming up probably tomorrow. I also have my ELF haul. There was a huge mixup with my order so itll have to be postponed but I'll definitely blog about it because I mean it when I say HUGE mixup. Also, I recently got promoted at work so I'll probably have OOTDs and FOTDs coming soon.

See, I havent forgotten you guys!

Thank you again for reading, for following. Talk to you soon! (;

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BNBN Guest Post

Hello, world.

When I started ExtraExtravagant, I mentioned that my sister is also a beauty blogger. Her blog is pretty established and she also has a YouTube Channel to go with everything (Subscribe to her!) while Im still trying to get on my feet. This is all still fairly new to me.

So, shes given me the opportunity to write my very first guest post!

Its about my favorite products that I use every day.

Check out my post at Beauty Nerd by Night. Follow her for everything makeup, nails, and hair!

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La Fresh Nail Polish Remover Review

Hello, world.

I have finally gotten around to writing a review for the final sample from my December Birchbox. It isnt that I have been putting it off. What happened was that I was going to post this on New Years Day but I decided that thats too insensitive. So, the plan was actually to post this the following day on the 2nd.

But I forgot.

It wasnt until my sister asked about it that I was like OH SHIT.

So here you are, LOL.

This is a nail polish remover tissue by La Fresh.

To be honest, I didnt really like it. Its acetone-free so it takes forever to remove your nail polish, especially if you use base/top coats. Although, as promised, one tissue is enough to clean all ten of your nails. It also boasts conditioning properties, which is true to its word because even though it took forever to remove my nail polish, it did leave my nails and cuticles feeling soft. With normal nail polish remover, you can sorta feel like your nails and cuticles were damaged almost and this product doesnt make them feel that way.

Overall, if you have the patience for it, I definitely recommend this product.

The full-size product (20 individual packets) sells for $9.99.

Have you tried this product? What did you think?

What is your favorite nail polish remover?

Thank you for reading!

If you enjoyed this post, follow me to be notified of new posts.

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New Shoes

Hello, world.

I always promise myself that I will stop spending. Despite that, I always, always, ALWAYS find a way to rationalize in my head that I need it. This time, I bought myself some booties.

This is the Tiktok-26 by Bamboo. I bought it from Urbanog.com. If you havent heard of this website, you should check it out RIGHT NOW. Their prices are comparitively lower than all other similar places. It says on there that this pair of booties costs $27.90, but for some reason, I feel like I bought it for a little less.

I usually wear a size 8, but I have NO IDEA why I bought these in 7.5. I want to say that 8s were sold out, but looking at it now, they arent so it really is beyond me at this point.

Theyre pretty as you can probably tell (If youre into these kinda booties, that is). Theyre kinda uncomfortable to walk in, probably because theyre half a size too small, but we'll see if I can stretch it out. Other than that, it doesnt hurt or anything so yeah.

If you enjoyed this post, follow me to get notified of new posts.

Thank you for reading!

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St Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub Review

Hello, world.

Oh, my God! I need to tell you all about this.

This is a face scrub from the Fresh Skin collection by St Ives.

The Fresh Skin collection comprises a few other products, but there is only one face scrub, and it is the apricot one. I bought mine from Target, and it came in a 7.5oz bottle because of the 25% bonus. It usually comes in 6oz, and according to Target.com, it sells for $3.04.

Let me begin by saying that $3.04 is an extremely cheap price to pay for this product because it works wonders. Ive heard a lot about this product, and since Im in the market for a new face scrub, I decided to give it a try to see what all the hype is about.

The directions on the bottle recommend that you use it three to four times a week. Since my face leans more towards the sensitive side, I only use face scrubs twice a week. I tried this product for the very first time last night. On damp skin, I squeeze a little of it on my palm, then massage the product in with my fingertips. You can actually feel it working. It also smells heavenly, which is always a plus. Once done, rinse your face thoroughly with water. You dont need a face sponge to do this because it rinses off completely with just water.

Then, oh, my God! My skin was immediately smoother and softer, and I mean IMMEDIATELY! I knew that its bad to touch your face too much, but holy shit, my face was SO soft and smooth.

It also makes it easier for your face to absorb your moisturizer. I was using a gel moisturizer, but still, it aborbed it very easily.

When I woke up this morning, my face was still soft and smooth.

So, guys, if youre looking for a good face scrub that gives you bang for your buck, you should definitely try out this product. I dare you to tell me that it doesnt work. (;

Have you tried this product? What did you think about it?

What is your favorite face scrub?

Let me know in the Comments section below!

If you emjoyed this post, follow me to get notified of new posts.

Thank you for reading!

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January 2013 Wishlist

Hello, world.

It has probably been made obvious by now that I will not be sticking to a weekly schedule after all. When I first decided to start this blog, I didnt think that Id have this much stuff to blog about. So, now, I'll be posting whenever I have something to blog about. There will, however, not be more than one post per day.

Todays post is my January 2013 wishlist.

It is a really small wishlist mainly because I just bought a bunch of stuff from ELF. I'll write a haul post once I get them.

1. Lancome Hypnose Star mascara in Noir Midnight: This is a fairly new product from Lancome. It boasts both volumizing and lengthening properties, things that everyone looks for in a mascara. Im interested in trying it out for an embarassing reason. I really like the design on the tube, LOL. Of course, I also look for the properties in the mascara but come on, you have to admit that its kinda pretty.
2. Maybelline Baby Lips tinted lip balm in Pink Punch: So, Ive heard a lot of good things about this tinted lip balm. My lips have been acting out lately because of the below-freezing temperatures so wearing lipstick has been taking serious tolls on my lips. Because of that, Ive been wearing tinted Chapstick. Speaking of which, Chapstick does wonders, you guys. Its amazing. When my lips are super chapped, I just coat (And I mean COAT) my lips in the original one before bed and I'll wake up to completely healed lips. True story. Anyway, digression aside, I want to try out Baby Lips because I need the moisturizing property that my lipsticks/stains lack.
3. OPI Liquid Sand nail polish in Get Your Number: The reason this nail polish is called Liquid Sand is because it supposedly is made up of tiny particles that give it the glitter. Get Your Number is a blue shade. This product promises super glitter on your nails so I definitely want to try it out.

Before I end this post, there is one other product that Ive been wanting for a while.

This is Ianti nail polish in Natural Red. You may not be able to tell from the (shitty) picture but its just a normal red.

In 2010, before I started college, I was working full-time at a financial advisory company. One of my colleagues was selling these so I bought this shade from her to show support. Little did I know, this is the BEST NAIL POLISH EVER. Even now, two (three?) years later, I still love it. I regret not having bought more shades from her because I cannot find these anywhere! I even tried EBay but theyre just nowhere to be found.

So, one other thing that I want to get my hands on is more Ianti nail polishes. Why do I love them? They have the easiest application, highest pigment, shortest drying time. Im serious, Ianti is the nail polish of all nail polishes.

Aaand this concludes my January 2013 wishlist post. Thank you for reading. Follow me if youre waiting on that ELF haul post. (;

Do you have a January 2013 wishlist? Put your link in the Comments section and I'll check it out!

Have you tried any of the products in my wishlist? Tell me what you think!

Also, if you know where I can get some Ianti nail polishes, let me know!

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2013 Resolutions

Hello, world.

In all honesty, it doesnt feel like a new year. I grew up having school start in January and end in November so Im usually really excited about new years because its a chance to renew everything. Now that Im in college in the United States and school starts in August and ends in May, the new year is starting to feel like it begins in August. I used to still be excited about new years but three years into college starting in the middle of the year, Ive grown nonchalant towards new years.

I also dont believe in resolutions. Ive never stuck to any of them. 20 years of not following my resolutions has turned me into quite the skeptic. Besides, if theres something about yourself that you want to change, you dont have to wait for a new year. If you want something done, do it. Dont wait.

HOWEVER, I do realize that with a new year comes a determination that only new years can bring, which makes it the perfect time for some people to turn over a new leaf.

This year, after some thought, Ive decided that I want to change my lifestyle. If you know me, you know that Im too inactive for my own good, I eat unhealthily, and I laze around too much. My resolution is to change all of that. I feel like changing my lifestyle will give me more energy to get things done, to give me a more positive outlook on life.

So there you have it. I made resolutions. When 2014 rolls around, we'll all see if I stuck to it.

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