My First Birch Box of June 2015

In the box was included:

-Keratase Elixir Ultimate ($15)
-Laura Geller Blush ($13)
-LA Fresh Makeup Remover ($0)
-Marcelle BB Cream Golden Glow ($0)
-Vasanti Cosmetics Face Rejuvenator ($5)
- Bonus: Deepa Gurani Hair Tie ($10)

Average Total Price of the box is around $43, which is a good price compared to the $10 that I paid for the box. They sent a pretty good valued box with really good products that I have been wanting to try on my hair and skin.

Before making this purchase, I was unsure about whether or not to re-subscribe to Ipsy or to try something new. I chose the latter because I did not want a lot of makeup products since I had already been supplied with similar products during the time that I was subscribed to Ipsy. This time I wanted beauty products that would help my skin and hair feel and look better, so I opted for my second option.

Birch Box did not fail me in sending me products that I needed and I think that part of it is because of the quiz that subscribers are required to complete about their beauty preferences, before signing up to their box. I think I will try another month and see how it goes. 

I have learned that the major difference between Ipsy and Birchbox is that Birchbox sends beauty products (creams, exfoliants, masks, etc.) while Ipsy specifically sends makeup products only (lipsticks, blushes, foundation, makeup brushes, etc.) And because of this, I will be sticking with Birch Box for another month and leaving Ipsy behind for a while until I empty my makeup products, or until I feel like I want to experiment with new products.

If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions, please feel free to comment down below. I would be happy to answer to them. 

Mayu Girl :)

March 2015 China Universal Yums Subscription Boc

Universal Yums is a monthly subscription box that delivers snacks from different parts of the world. This month's country was China, which I wasn't much excited about because they are not that known for their snacks although thwy are known for their exotic cuisines.

Inside the box, there's this card that tells you facts about china and the snacks are listed in the back, along with next monthe's clue. 

I believe that next month will be Switzerland, what do you think?

White Rabbit (2)

This was the hardest handy I have eveer eaten. In the description, it says that it's similar to a tootsie roll, but no it is not. It's like a rock, and barely tastes like milk. 

Shelly Senbei Sweet Rice Crackers

These crackers were really light and mildly sweet. I really enjoyed they because thay are the perfect little dessert for when you are not craving much sweetness but yet want somethihg to satisfy your desert portion of the day. 

Shelly Senbei Hot & Spicy Rice Crackers

These were my absolute favorite of all the box because they are not only sweet like the ones above, but at the same time, there is a delicious spicy kick to them at the end. Absolutely loved them!

Amay's Almond cookie

Totally disappoined about this one. I mean come on, these cookies are everywhere!

Pineapple and Tangerine Hard Candies (4)

These were okay. Not impressive. 

Edo Blueberry Pie

In the description, they say it's like a Fig Newton, but it is definitely a lot more chewier and thicker. But it was still very good. 

Butterfly Cookies (4)

These I was surprised about because I've had them in Mexico before, but I wouldn't have thought that they were made in Taiwan as well. 

By the way, the box included snacks from Taiwan and Hong Kong. 

Assirted Crispy Candy

(Blue-Almond, Yellow-Peanut, Orange-mixed nut)

These were pretty good. They tasted like marzipan or Mazapan, really flaky but nutry flavored.

The orange one was my favorite because it had nut chunks inside it. It was delicious!! The other two were not that interesting...

Wasabi Potato Crispy

These crisps were awesome because of the wasabi flavor. And specially because I'm into spicy flavors. I would not recommend it for people who cannot handle spicy things because these have a pretty strong wasabi flavor. Definitely recommend to those who enjoy savory snacks. 

Peach Milk Ball Soft Candy (2)

These candies looked kind if weird. I was expecting them to be perfectly rund, but instead just looked like an imperfect ball of candy. They tasted okay. The inside had a chewy center that was pretty hard to eat because it would stick to my teeth. 

Overall this box was interesting and fun to explore all of rhe different flavors. The price of this box was $13 and I am pretty sure it's not worth even half of it but I guess the experience is worth it and it's cool to explore new and interesting flavors every month. 

February 2015 Ipsy Subscription Box Review

Ipsy is a monthly makeup and beauty subscription box for $10. It sends you 4 to 5 products, both full and sample size, personalized depending on your preferences. 

This month, I got six products because I accumulated enough points to get an extra freebie, which was the pink bottle or the "mane tamer" cream. I was really surprised by what I got this month because I really liked everything and I thought that everything was quite on point with what I personally prefer using and experimenting with. 

1) Eva NYC Volumizing Spray (1 oz) $3

I used this spray before straigtening my hair and it definitely helped my hair stay moiturized and volumize my hair. I really noticed the difference because my hair is very thin and when I straigten it, it looses al of the little volume it has, but this time it preserved it and helped my hair look better.

http://eva-nyc.com/products/up-all-night-volumizing-spray-8-oz

2) Mitchell and Peach Fine Radiance Face Oil (10 ml) $22

http://www.mitchellandpeach.com/collection/products_id/15/cPath/0

3) Emite Professional Eye Curler $25

I have to say that I am a little disappointed with this one because it came a little unaligned, but fortunately I was able to bend it enough to straighten the curler. We actually received an email from Ipsy asking if we had received an unaligned curler so that it could be replaced.

So my assumption is that this curler is usually not that great since it bends easily, which could also mean hat it breaks easily too. I wouldn't recommend this curler because of that and because it is pricey.

http://www.emitemakeup.com/2/professional-eye-lash-curler

4) City Color Cosmetics Creamy Lip Stain $5

When I first saw this, I thought that I would hate it as much as I hate wearing lip glosses, but I was wrong. This lip stain is not as sticky as lip glosses. It starts out sticky but eventually dries to a beautiful pink lip stain. 

http://citycolorcosmetics.com/lips/lip-gloss/creamy-lip-stain/#.VPx-4vnF-So

5) BLUSH Cheek Powder Sample

http://www.modelcocosmetics.com/shop/cosmetics/face/face-bronzer-and-blush/blush-cheek-powder

6) FREE Eva NYC Hair Tamer (100 ml) $8

I got this additional product for free because I accumulated enough point to redeem a reward of my choice and I chose this hair cream for 500 points. I was able to get these points through reviews and other tasks on Ipsy.

Glam Bag Value : $63

Tell me what you thought about this month's poduct in the comments!

For mor reviews, subscribe thorugh email or Bloglovin'

You can also follow me thorugh Instagram and Twitter for updates @ mayu girl 1

Rubio's Mexican Grill Review

The Original Fish Taco with Rice and Beans - Two taco Plate with Two Sides

Two Classic Steak Tacos - With Rice and Black Bean Sides. 

Rubio's is a Mexican style restaurant that sells many different types of burritos and tacos. On Tuesdays, it usually holds the Taco Tuesdays, where each taco costs less than usual. 

When I went there for the first time I was honestly overwhelmed with the variety of options available because I coulnd't choose. But in the end ordered two steak tacos because I personally love steak anyways. 

I thought that the tacos were quite good tasting, but I must say that they were pricier than I thought they would be. 

I liked the fact that they have a variety of salsas and sides to choose from. It kind of felt like a taco/subway kind of thing; but not. Haha. 

Overall I can say that because of the price, I wouldn't go again, but it is definitely worth it if you are craving some good tacos or Mexican food!!

Sincerely,

Mayu Girl

Instagram.com/mayugirl1

Twitter.com/mayugirl1

Charlotte Russe Butterfly Print High-Low Skirt

After a couple of years, I finally decided to wear this skirt. I don't know why I hadn't used it before because it's gorgeous and I love it. I actually bought it during "Happy Hour" at +Charlotte Russe, which is the time where the store gives random discounts to costumers for a limited amount if hours during the weekend. I think I got this skirt for half the price or so, and I also got myself another orange/lace high low skirt that I haven't used yet...

Outfit Info:

Top +Styles For Less 

Skirt +Charlotte Russe 

Hair +Evalectric 

Don't forget to subscribe!

Thak you,

Mayu girl.

INSTAGRAM @mayugirl1

TWITTER @mayugirl1

Rita's Italian Ice and Custard Cone Review

Rita's is an Italian Ice cream place where they have a variety of frozen dessert options. They range from water based to egg based ice creams, delicious toppings, waffle cones, and even custard cookie sandwiches. 

We decided to go just because we had a coupon for "buy one get one free" for any product at Rita's. We got the Sugar Free Dragon Fruit Italian Ice With Vanilla Custard Gelati, and the chocolate and Vanilla Flavored Custard Cone. 

Honestly, I thought that the custard was the sweetest thing I have ever tasted. Don't get me wrong, it was really delicious but it gets to the point where it is just too much. Maybe Rita's  should consider having smaller sizes or serving less custard on the gelati. Or maybe it's just me. I don't know. I just got really tired of the sweet custard. But I really enjoyed the Sugar Free Grapefruit Italian Ice. 

I think that the Italian ice is simply perfect because it is no too sweet and you can enjoy lots of it. The grapefruit flavor tasted more like some kind of red gummy, not really natural flavored, but it was still good. 

Overall it was a great and overly sweet treat for me. If you have a sweet tooth, you should definitely try the custards, but if you can't handle too much sweetness like me, go for the water based flavors, unsweetened ice or the Italian ice. 

Hope you liked this review blog!

Mayu Girl

Instagram.com/mayugirl1

Twitter.com/mayugirl1

Sept. 2014 - Ipsy Subscription Box Review

Ipsy is a makeup monthly subscription bag for $10. Every month Ipsy sends its subscribers a small makeup bag along with four to five full and sample products that match your preferences. These preferences are different for every person, since you have to complete a survey at the beginning of the process to personalize your Ipsy bags. For example you can choose to mark as favorites eye shadows and facial masks, while leaving off lipsticks and mascaras. Of course this does not mean that you will never get these products, but instead  Ipsy will try to provide you with the product you prefer and sometimes introduce you to products that you thought you would never like, but end up liking (like me).

Also after sending their monthly bags, Ipsy provides their subscribers with special discount coupons for the products of the month!

So in the following images, I will show you each product I have, along with its retail price, and calculated price (if the product I received was sample sized).

I loved the color of the lipstick and how smoothly it can be applied. It is not a really pigment, which perfect for those people who don't like bold lips.
 This nail polish is the bomb. It dries pretty quickly and it doesn't smell like nail polish usually smell like. And the color is gorgeous. In love!

Overall I LOVE this month's Ipsy bag. I couldn't have been more satisfied with what I got. Everything is good quality and goes beautifully with my skin. The price that this bag would have cost me is around $50. I can't beleive how much I got with only $10. I truly recommend you to try this monthly subscription because you will not regret it!

Thank you, and I hope you liked my blog. For more, please follow my other social media sites;

Twitter.com/mayugirl1

Instagram.com/mayugirl1

And don't forget to subscribe!

Mayu Girl <3

August 2014 Ipsy Subscription Review

Ipsy is a makeup monthly subscription bag for $10. Every month Ipsy sends its subscribers a small makeup bag along with four to five full and sample products that match your preferences. These preferences are different for every person, since you have to complete a survey at the beginning of the process to personalize your Ipsy bags. For example you can choose to mark as favorites eye shadows and facial masks, while leaving off lipsticks and mascaras. Of course this does not mean that you will never get these products, but instead  Ipsy will try to provide you with the product you prefer and sometimes introduce you to products that you thought you would never like, but end up liking (like me).

Also after sending their monthly bags, Ipsy provides their subscribers with special discount coupons for the products of the month!

So in the following images, I will show you each product I have, along with its retail price, and calculated price (if the product I received was sample sized).

Beautiful eye shadow, I loved it!

So overall, the bag I received for the month of August was pretty good. It has the value of around 30 dlls, compared to the $10 I had to pay. I say it was totally worth the try, and I think that you should definitely give it a try. Besides, if you don't like it, you can cancel your subscription, or 'pause' it so that you don't have to get it each month.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed my review. If you have any comments or suggestions, please comment down below.

Follow my other pages

instagram and twitter @mayugirl!

Love, Mayu Girl <3

Three Healthy Breakfast Ideas

In this blog, I will show you three different breakfast ideas that vary in amount and content because I realize that everyone has different breakfast preferences. For example I like to eat a well rounded breakfast while other people I know, don't really like to eat breakfast at all. So in these choices I will be showing you, you will be able to see that they are healthy and will keep you energized for the rest of your morning. I will start from the lightest breakfast and then I will continue to the sweetest one. Hope you enjoy!

#1
Light Small Breakfast:
1 Cup of fruit
1/2 Cup of cereal or oats
1/4 Cup of mixed nuts
1 Cup of milk

 

#2

Sweet and Salty Breakfast:

1 Strawberry Milkshake (cup of milk, some strawberries, oats and honey)

2 or 3 Quesadillas

Some Mini Bell Peppers

#3
Sweet Breakfast Delight:
2-3 Banana Pancakes (Blend one egg, half a banana, oats)
1/2 cup of fruits
1 tbsp of mixed nuts
Optional: drizzle some honey on top!

For more please follow my Instagram and Twitter accounts @mayugirl1
Thank you for reading!

Summer Reading Reviews 2014

I got these books for 25 cents each at a bookstore that had its books for sale. I have never seen the movies for any of the books except for the 127 Hours, which I thought was good but not really amazing. 

1. 127 Hours (Between A Rock And A Hard Place) by Aron Ralston
2. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
3. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
4. The Help by Kathryn Stocket
5. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

My Book Reviews:

127 Hours (Between a Rock and a Hard Place) Review

Once I read the book, I thought that Aron Ralston's adventure was really amazing. His story has so much to teach and is so inspiring. 

The story is not all about the arm amputation, but rather about how he grew mentally and spiritually as a human being and how he became to appreciate his life, his loved ones, and even himself more than ever before. 

I would recommend this book more than the movie because it is more insightful about Aron Ralston's life and how he grew as a person and how he became to appreciate life. I think that by reading this book, I have learned the importance of appreciating the people who care about us and to simply appreciate all that we have.

Sarah's Key Book Review:

This book was really moving; it will not leave your mind. It is a story joins the past and the present to uncover really sad and awful secrets that connect to families together. 

The past takes place during the Holocaust, in France, where a Jewish girl named Sara is arrested, along with her parents. In the present, an American journalist investigates the roundup and discovers how she is linked to Sarah and uncovers the devastating secrets that tare her marriage apart. 

I really recommend this book because it is packed with so many themes, such as the Holocaust, the family, lies, deaths, abortion, and strength. I was really impressed that the story started and ended really strong, leaving me a bitter sweet sensation in the end that really imprinted my mind. 

The Lovely Bones Book Review:

This book was not what I expected; it was too tragic and gruesome. I thought it would have something more to it, like a twist of some kind, but the plot was too plain and there was nothing that hooked me to the story. 

The Help Book Review:

This is a beautifully written book. It is one of those books that you just can't put down. It lures you to keep reading because of the secrets involved and the thrill of wanting to know what is going to happen next. 

The Help is a story told through three different voices. Two black women named Minny and Aibleen, and a white woman named Skeeter. Chapter after chapter the narrarators switch out to tell the story from their view. 

Their stories take place in Jacksonville, Mississipi druing the 1950s, where they are about to make a major decision that risks their lives and of their families, since there is nativism and racism going on through that time. 

I would definitely recommend this book because it is a really enjoyable book that is hard to put down. It is a great story that makes you feel intrigue to know what their story is about and how it is going to tie up in the end. 

I hope you find these reviews helpful in choosing wether or not to read these books. If you are planning on buying a book, I would definitely recommend Ebay or Amazon. 

For more, follow me through Twitter and Instagram @mayugirl1

Subscribe to my blog through e mail, Google, or Bloglovin'. 

Thank you!

MayuGirl :)

What's in my First Free Graze Box?

Top Left: Morning Energizer (dried pears, cherries, and walnuts) - 140 kcal

Top Right: Toffee Apple (Toffee sauce with granny smith apple slices) - 70 kcal

Bottom Left: Raspberry and Coconut Muffin (Amaretti drops, raspberry infused cranberries, almond slices, and coconut flakes) - 140 kcal

Bottom Right: Japanese Nori Crackers (Japanese seaweed rice crackers) - 60 kcal

I must say that I was pretty happy with what I got in my first free graze box. Everything was really good and most of all healthy. The best part about Graze is that you get to choose from a variety of snacks (more than 90) that range from granola bars and dried fruit, to tortilla chips with salsa and pretzels with peanut butter.

If you order a box from graze ($6) they will randomly select four different snacks that you have previously selected as your "try" options, and discard the ones that you have marked as "trash". For example I marked as "trash" a snack that had spicy walnuts and also another one that has unsalted popcorn because I don't really like any of those. But I did click on "try" on snacks such as pretzels with peanut butter and dark chocolate drops with walnuts and dried fruits.

You can also cancel your order before they have sent your healthy snack box (which takes them about a week) or you can postpone your order for later without any fee.

I got my first Graze box for free by using a code that I got from a magazine that I am subscribed to. I think that it was the best thing that I could have done because I got a box totally free and I got to enjoy four different healthy snacks of my choice along with my mom (I shared).

If you want to get a Graze box for FREE, feel free to use my code : MAYUT9Y9P

Just go to www.graze.com and enter the code before ordering so that you can get the box for FREE!

https://www.graze.com/us/p/MAYUT9Y9U

I really hope you will be able to get your box because it is totally worth it! It will make me really happy if you use my special code and get your box for free just like I did.

That is all for now, and thank you!

For more, please subscribe through email or follow my other channels:

Instagram and Twitter @mayugirl1

Oasap Review

 This is the first time that I have ever made a purchase at +OASAP and I was a little bit disappointed because of the material of the clothes. It is not a soft and comfortable material as clothes on +Choies that are really high quality. I think that the obvious reason is the pricing. While +OASAP has lower quality on the fabric of their clothing than +Choies , it is definitely a lot more cheaper in price. I was really satisfied with the fact that I could get this amazing shirt that I am wearing in the picture, I truly loved it and I think it was definitely worth its price, although it could have a better fabric.

 

I am also pleased witht he fact that +OASAP actually uploaded my picture to their website. If you would like to see I will provide you the link down bellow:

http://www.oasap.com/t-shirts-vests/39158-cat-patchwork-plaid-blouse.html

It is in the bottom left of the page and you just have to click on the right arrow where a video is being displayed and wait for a few seconds for the picture to load!

 

Overall I think that Oasap.com is a good place to purchase casual clothing that is not pricey for your wallet. They were pretty quick in their delivery and you get benefits from buying from them such as points that can be used for your next purchase and discount coupons. I do not think that it's a great place to buy clothing that will have a lot of use because of the quality of the fabric, which I believe would not as last that long. I would recommend sites such as +Choies,@chicwish and +Sheinside StreetFashion (these are my favorites) that are similar to Oasap, but do deliver clothing that will have longer wear

.

Outfit Info:
Top: +OASAP >Cat Patchwork Plaid Shirt
Skirt: +Charlotte Russe  > Black Skirt
Socks: +Urban Outfitters > Black Socks
Boots: Book Off Japan
Sunglasses: +JCPenney



For more, please follow me and subscribe via email !
Instagram.com/mayugirl1
Twitter.com/mayugil1

How to make a Layered Smoothie or Milkshake

This was my first attempt doing a layers smoothie, and it actually came out pretty good. I didn't use any recipe or anything, I just went with my instincts and hoped for the best. But I will list everything that I used and how I did it. 

Ingredients: 

1 cup of soymilk

1/2 cup of plain oats

1/2 banana 

4 strawberries

1 tbsp honey or sugar (optional)

Steps: 

1. Blend half a cup of milk, oats, and banana. (Pineapple is optional for color)

2. Pour everything in cup or jar. 

3. Blend the rest of the milk, oats, and strawberries. (Beet is optional for color)

4. Pour on top of banana milkshake. 

5. Decorate with a strawberry. 

Don't worry about how the milkshake will taste with the beet because you cannot even tanste it since you only need a small piece of it to give a lot of color (they are really pigmented and stain a lot!). 

I hope you enjoyed my original recipe for making a layered smoothie or milkshake. If you make one, please tag me and/or hashtag #mayugirl so that I can see how yours came out!

 Love, Mayu Girl

For more;

Instagram: @mayugirl1

Twitter: @mayugirl1

No Breakout Make Up

From left to right: 

- Physicians Formula Natural Look Kit (Foundation, bronzer, and blush)

- Almay Clear Complexion Foundation 300

- Physicians Formula Black Organic Mascara

- Revlon Water Proof Black Eyeliner

- Almay Smart Shade Coral Blush

I think I have finally found the best foundation make up for my face that doesn't clog my pores and make me break out. 

I use both the powder and the liquid foundation and they do not feel heavy nor cakey at all. It looks really natural and feels good on my skin. I definitely recommend it if you've had problems with breaking out or if you just want to prevent acne break outs from wearing make up on your face. 

Love, MayuGirl

Instagram: @mayugirl1

Twitter: @mayugirl1