Earth Day is every day for OCC!

There has never been more eco-friendly, vegan, and organic products on the market so don't be shy - try something new! I for one am flipping over the Lip Tar and Concealer from OCC or Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. Your eyes and lips are the most delicate parts of your face - not to mention the most fabulous! It feels so good to treat them right and show them just how beautiful they can be. OCC's products are 100% Vegan and Cruelty-Free and the range of shades is outstanding.

(l to r) OCC Lip Tar in "NSFW" and OCC Skin: Conceal in "Y2"

Choosing just one Lip Tar seemed unfair but with "NSFW" a "True, Balanced Red", I feel like I made the right choice. It's light in texture but saturated with color. Made with castor seed oil, hemp, peppermint and Vitamin E, its also surprisingly moisturizing.

Silicon-free concealers are very hard to find - especially in a shade that's perfect for me. OCC Skin: Conceal has it covered on two fronts, incorporating skin undertones (Red or Yellow) as well as your shade (0 is the palest, 5 is the darkest). It gentle but long-wearing - a new staple in my makeup bag.

So today, in addition to papering yourself, do something nice for Earth - she works hard for us but she can always use a little help. Any little bit counts so even is it's installing a smaller garbage bin in your house for recycling, always leaving a reusable tote in your car so that you don't have to use paper or plastic ones when running errands, or buying a reusable self-filtering water bottle instead of another case (one filter saves 300 plastic ones!!) There are so many things but I feel like these are easy to incorporate into anyone's routine. Start something today and stick with it tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that. Change starts with you and so why not say thanks by showing you do care.

Nailing it: butter London Spring 2013 Nail Lacquers

Spring is my favorite season so when it came to looking for new nail hues, I wanted colors that were fun, flirty and mirrored my excitement.  There was no shortage of collections to choose from - everyone from Essie to O.P.I. to Zoya attempted to catch my eye but the best shades seemed to come from across the pond. butter London's Lacquers may all be pastels but they seem to have popped right out of a pretty box of delectable macaroons. Aptly named Sweetie Shop, the collection includes (from left to right): Fiver (the prettiest mint you ever did see) Fruit Machine (a true bubblegum pink) Molly Coddled (a lovely lavender) and Kerfuffle (very cantaloupe-esque).

butter London Spring 2013:
(l to r): Fiver, Fruit Machine, Molly Coddled, and Kerfuffle

Having tried butter before, I know to expect a smooth, shiny finish with none of the bad stuff. Their 3 free formula and über pigmented polishes make them a guilty-but-actually-good-for-me pleasure.

(l to r): Molly Coddled, Fruit Machine, Fiver, Kerfuffle

Two additional shades that I did not purchase are Cuppa (yep, its coffee colored) and Jasper (a bright, sunshine yellow). Both are cute but not as fab as the other four - I had to have them! Could. Not. Leave. Them. There. The summer collection is about to debut in stores but this Sweetie Collection will be a tough act to follow.

Goodebox - The Subscription Beauty Box That's Actually Good For You

My favorite Goodebox samples from my last five boxes

It is sooooooo difficult to resist the temptation that is the subscription beauty box. Birchbox, Sample Society, Ipsy, Beautyfix - there are too many to just choose one! I had finally resolved to abstain completely as each box would most likely contain products that I could not use due to my silicone allergy UNTIL I stumbled upon Goodebox. For a reasonable $16 a month, 6-7 beauty, health, and wellness samples are delivered to my door from companies that are conscious of what we are putting into our bodies. Products are usually all-natural, organic, vegan or all of the above making silicone rare and me a happy girl. What's really great is that there are new and upcoming companies as well as already well-established ones like Pacifica and Weleda. After reflecting on six month's worth of boxes, here are some breakout stars:


Sugared Beauty's Happy Face Foaming Scrub Cleanser - This was in my first box back in October. It's a multitasking wonder that cleanses, polishes and leaves your face soft and naturally moisturized. At first it was confusing to think that this little pot packed with sugar could do all that but I was pleasantly surprised. Sugared Beauty combines the healthy benefits found in nature with with the joy of dessert and the result is definitely sweet.

Bar Beleza Multi-Use Beauty Bar from Me and The Girls - In the spirit of multitaskers, this organic bar can do anything - no seriously - ANYTHING! Its a cleanser, moisturizer, primer, and conditioner all in one twist up tube that makes it super portable. The secret is Cupuacu Seed Butter which melts from a solid to a liquid on contact. It could replace half of the items in my medicine cabinet...which is terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

Sweet Libertine Cosmetics' Mineral Eyeshadow in Dragonfly - It's not all that common to find makeup in this box (one of my only complaints) so it was a surprise to finds a versatile mineral eyeshadow in the holiday box. It's subtle iridescence was perfect for the season but also natural enough for everyday. The vegan darling is sadly discontinued but there are plenty of other shades to choose from.

Lavender Whipped Shea Butter from Metropolis Soap - Lavender is my weakness so this vegan whipped shea butter from Brooklyn, NY was bound to become a quick favorite. Made by hand from only 4 ingredients this is perfect for my seriously dry skin. It really doesn't get any better than this!

Moom Hair Removal Kit - Last but certainly not least is a certified organic, heatless sugar wax that is honestly the least painful hair removal system hat I have ever tried. When it came in last month's box, I was super skeptical  I have had one too many bad eyebrow waxing experiences that have left me looking like a surprised cartoon character (my sister's words, not mine). So, we decided to let sleeping dogs lie and test this product on our upper lip. Neither of us have ever waxed or threaded our ladystaches but we were surprised by how easy it was to render our lips virtually hairless. This is something I would definitely repurchase even though the sample will last me a loooooooong time.


Overall, Goodebox does a great job of elevating lesser known brands and keeping their boxes fresh. While I'm sure everyone would like a little more say as to what is in their boxes, I am looking forward to what new brands the next box will introduce me to.

Does anyone have a subscription box they really love? Let me know in the comments section below!