Darphynia's Diary

I absolutely LOVED the spring edition of FabFitFun (I should probably finish my review), and was equally impressed with the summer box.  Since I don't subscribe annually, and I probably should, I never know which designs will be in my set.  Everyone knows I hate pink, with the exception of the Cheshire Cat.  The summer box had pink in three of their items:  bkr bottle, Michael Stars ruana, and travel tag/passport set.  Luckily, I received the blue bkr and blue ruana.  I also received the Salted salt kit, necklace from kris nations, a collagen pack from Vital Proteins, Cargo HD bronze highlighter, Juice Beauty Smoothing Eye Concentrate, Way of Will massage oil, and Eau Thermale Avene SPF lotion.  I love that these items are travel-friendly, especially since we will be traveling quite a bit. Image courtesy of mybkr.com

I should start by saying that this post should have been up long ago... about four months ago.  So, I extend my apologies to Sun Bum.  I can't believe that (1) it's November, and (2) it still feels like summer.  Since it is, I've been spending some extra time at the beach.   Before getting into my beach day with Sun Bum, there are some [awesome] things you need to know about their company.  All of the information came from their website ( trustthebum.com ), so all credit goes to them: Sun Bum (est. 2010) has created a top-of-the-line suncare, made for those who love (and live) in the sun.  In order to minimize the risk of skin cancer, Sun Bum has a wide array of sprays, solids, and liquids to protect every inch of your body (including your hair!).  You can even get awesome gear. All suncare products are, "... tested, approved, and recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation ," ( trustthebum.com ). Products courtesy of Sun Bum. Sun Bum at t...

I am always on the lookout for a high quality SPF brand, and I really love COOLA .  COOLA is an organic suncare company that focuses on quality suncare free of phthalates, parabens, petroleum, and paba.  COOLA also donates to the Melanoma Research Alliance and Healthy Child Healthy World .  To learn more about the company, click here .     They were amazing, and sent me a couple of products to try out.  One has the scent of plumeria (body), and the other is unscented (face).  Plumeria reminds me of strolling up and down the beach in Waikiki when my family and I went a few years ago.  Don't you just love when scents bring back happy memories?  The unscented face suncare is great because it absorbs fast and is not sticky.  Because it is unscented, it does not irritate my nostrils.  Sometimes, scented face products can be a bit nauseating, don't you think?     Plumeria SPF 30 for Body Unscented SPF 30 for Fac...

There is a plethora of lip care out in the world.  Lip balms, serums, scrubs, lipsticks, colors...and the list continues.  This first collection are my five favorite lip balms.  Some may not be the best in terms of scent or flavor, but I take something that works over those two any day.  The products mentioned are not ranked in order of favorite to least favorite.  They are listed in the order in which they came into my head. 1.   fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Image courtesy of Sephora.com My friend introduced me to fresh nearly 10 years ago.  She said that I had to try their lip balm because it was the best she had ever tried.  At the time it was about $20.00 (it's $22.50/0.15oz now), and I thought paying that much was insane.  But then I tried it, and I was blown away!  Right away, my lips felt smoother, and the product lasted all day.  It also contains SPF 15, which is great.  Your lips need protection, too!...

There are so many subscription boxes and programs out there now that it is hard to keep track.  Recently, I purchased the FabFitFun box to see what $49.99 could really get me.  I also used a promo code that got me two extras, but one has not arrived yet.  For first-time subscribers, they have other promo code incentives, such as $10.00 off your first box. I had seen the FabFitFun ad plastered all over my Facebook page , so I decided to see what others thought about it.  The reviews were generally positive, so I signed up, and my box was shipped 10 business days after I placed my order.  The site does mention that boxes will ship 10 business days after payment, unless (1) you have signed up before, or (2) the box is sold out.  In that case, you have to wait until the next season's box.  You can upgrade your membership as well, which will allow you to customize your box, for $20.00 more/month. When the box arrived, I thought, "Damn, this is heavy!"...

So I walked down to the mailbox, and was greeted by the July Birchbox.  I started my subscription last year, and after the June box had seriously considered cancelling.  Boy am I glad I didn't.  The July box features the following:   A benefit mini they're real mascara, mini Stila liquid lipstick (I received the shade Venizia), a travel-sized Oribe dry hair texturizing spray, a deluxe sample of COOLA 's cucumber SPF 30 sunscreen, and a deluxe sample of Dr. Brandt 's microdermabrasion (one of my favorite exfoliators!). I haven't had an opportunity to try everything just yet, but as soon as I do, I will have a review.  Did you receive the July box?  I would love to know your thoughts on which product(s) did or didn't work for you. Also, if you haven't subscribed but would like to, click here to sign up.  It's easy and you can cancel at any time. Stay beautiful!  

It's nearly time for summer vacation, and what better way to protect yourself than with the Sun Safety Kit from Sephora?  The 16 pieces of SPF fun are encased in a hot pink and clear train case, perfect for traveling.  Find your new favorite SPF product with the deluxe samples in the kit.  Because of their size, each product fits perfectly in any bag, whether you are driving or flying.  The best part is that $20.00 of the purchase price has gone to benefit The Skin Cancer Foundation !  One of my all-time favorites products is in the kit-- fresh  sugar lip treatment, because your lips need protection, too!  Questions?  Leave them in the comments below, or shoot me an e-mail .    How to Enter: 1.  Like the blog page. And that's it!  An easy step for one great gift, and of course, shipping is included.  The winner will be chosen at random and announced on June 22nd.  Good luck! Side 1. Image courtesy of seph...

I look forward to the Sun Safety Kit every year, and this year's set was especially nice since there was only one tanning product.  The Sun Safety Kit is not yet available online, but most (if not all) of the stores have them now.  I apologize for the glare; I should have probably taken a photo of just the products...but I didn't. This year's kit features SPF products from:  fresh (one of my favorite lip balms!), Peter Thomas Roth, Josie Maran, Supergoop!, Korres, Origins, Ole Henriksen, Amore Pacific, and more.  All of the products are wrapped up in a clear plastic train case trimmed in pink.  I will post the complete list following the pictures.  Using an SPF, even when it's overcast, it so important.  Your skin is constantly exposed and deserves to be protected.  This kit is great for you or as a gift.  The variety allows you to try out different brands and textures/consistencies so you can figure out what best suits you. Side ...