Redbox Reviews: Oscar Winner The Theory of Everything

After ten minutes of watching The Theory of Everything until the very end, I cried and cried. They were mainly "sad" tears, the ones that roll down your face when the characters' lives seem so hopeless that it's difficult to watch. But other tears were happy, the ones that happen when you're reminded that life goes on despite adversity.

The Theory of Everything is based on a memoir written by Jane Hawking, Stephen Hawking's first wife. It tells the story of Stephen's ALS diagnosis, his marriage to Jane, their divorce, and Stephen's many professional successes along the way. At the heart of the movie is the love story between Stephen and Jane, played brilliantly by Eddie Redmayne (who won the Oscar for his performance) and Felicity Jones (who was nominated for an Oscar for her performance) respectively. Redmayne's transformation into Hawking is completely believable but Jones's subtle and powerful performance is the one that stayed with me after the movie ended.

The movie is also beautifully shot and the script is well-written, but the material is heavy, heavy stuff. Part of that is the nature of ALS itself and the stress it puts on its victims and their families. But even more than that, because we see the progression of the characters' love and their roller coaster marriage, their divorce and the trials they face are that much more emotional and difficult to watch. That's my only complaint. I didn't get a lot of relief from the grief. I give The Theory of Everything an 8 out of 10.

Have you seen The Theory of Everything? What Redbox movies should I rent next? Let me know in the comments section below. :)

-Greer

Beauty Review: Biore Charcoal Pore Strips

I don't think there is any beauty issue more frustrating than skin problems. At 15 years old I was blissfully unaware of the chronic acne that would plague me for the next seven years. Now, at 22, my acne has died down a bit, but I still have a lot of trouble with blackheads, especially the ones on my nose and my chin. I've used Biore Pore Strips for years, but since I'm a sucker for new things and convincing ads, I decided to try the new Biore Charcoal Pore Strips to see if they were as effective as the original.

The first thing I did before buying the the product was to check and see if there was actually charcoal in it. After all, they're called "charcoal" pore strips. And sure enough charcoal powder was the ninth ingredient listed on the back of the box. I bought a box of six strips for around $6.49 at Walmart, which is a little more expensive than a box of eight of the original strips. But hey, they're new.

There's not a lot of visible differences between the original and charcoal strips, except for the fact the original are white and the charcoal are black.  I followed the directions, which was the usual "wash your face, dry it, then wet your nose and stick the strip on your face" type of thing you usually do with pore strips. 

After removing the strip from my nose (15 minutes later) I noticed that there was a larger amount of residue left on the strip than I've experienced in the past. Did I have more blackheads and dead skin on my nose this time around? I don't think so. Did the charcoal powder make that much of a difference? I don't know that either. Perhaps everything was just easier to see on the black strip versus the normal white. 

So, all in all, I'm a little torn about the new Charcoal Pore Strips because I'm not sure if they really worked any better than the original. But I may be addicted to the satisfaction in what seemed like a really deep clean. 

Have you tried the new Biore Charcoal Pore Strips? What do you think of them? What are your go-to skin products right now? What product should I test next for a "Beauty Review"? Let me know with your comments below! :)

-Greer

Perfect Weekend

Perfect Weekend by grecbarn featuring a tea mug

Topshop crop tee / RVCA pants / Boohoo nightgown / Multi colored socks / Sperry Top-Sider Paige Slipper / Bedroom Athletics Jessica Slipper Boot, $30 / Tea mug / H&M Eye mask, $4.44

Ipsy Unboxing!

Finally! Yesterday my pink package arrived in the mail for the first time. After four months of waiting I was finally taken off the Ipsy waiting list. I think there are a few different ways you can get off the waiting list early (follow Ipsy on Instagram, follow Ipsy on Facebook, etc.) but I decided to take the long route to avoid having to post anything (Plus I don't have Instagram anyway.)

I had already peeked at my glam back on the Ipsy website, so I knew what I going to receive this month.

The theme for the bag is "Floral Fantasy" so all of my products came in very cute bright blue, and of course, floral bag.

• One of the products I'm most excited to use and probably will get the most use out of is the Crown Brush Infinity Shadow/Crease Duet Brush. From the get-go I could tell this is a quality brush. When I swatched the Pixi eyeshadow [I also received] the bristles felt really soft on my skin and no brush hairs came off. Fingers crossed after more use this brush will still hold up well!
• I tried to take a photo of the Pixi by Petra Mesmerizing Mineral Duo in Apricot Glow after I swatched it, but the colors are so light they don't show up well on camera. But in person the colors are really pretty, light, and very shimmery, which is perfect for spring and summer. The formula felt really smooth on my skin too.
• I love, love, love NYX products. They're affordable, and often they're comparable to more expensive brands. As much as I love NYX, however, I have yet to try any of the NYX lipsticks. I like the matte lip creams and the lip liners a lot so I'm sure I'll enjoy my NYX Cosmetics Butter Lipstick in Hunk. The tube is more purple in person, and the color of the lipstick itself is fuchsia and moderately sheer. I think this lipstick will be good for layering as well as wearing by itself. I'm excited to try it.
• The Coolway Glow Oil Treatment is a leave-in oil for hair. I always like a good hair product especially something that can help my dry hair during the cold months. You're supposed to use it before and after blow drying your hair, but I hardly ever blow dry my hair, so we'll see what happens.
• My favorite skin products are ones like the Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels. It doesn't matter your skin type or your age; anybody can appreciate something that gives you that being-in-a-spa feeling, even if it's for only ten minutes. I am wearing the eye gels right now and there's an awesome, cool sensation that makes me feel pampered and refreshed. Two pairs of the eye gels came in my Glam Bag.

So, what did you get in your Ipsy bag (or any beauty box) this month? If you subscribe to Birchbox, check out my February Birchbox post here. :)

-Greer

The Best TV Show You Haven't Seen: Broadchurch

If you're British then I don't have to tell you how awesome British television and films can be. You know. But it seems like Americans and the rest of the world are just realizing this fact. When British movies like The Theory of Everything and The Imitation Game picked up Oscar nominations left and right, everyone took notice. And with great recent shows like Sherlock and Luther it seems like the UK has taken over television as well.

I stumbled across Broadchurch on Netflix a few months ago. I was familiar with the two lead actors, David Tennant of Doctor Who fame and the always likable Olivia Colman. The premise seemed interesting enough: two detectives investigate the mysterious murder of a child in a secluded town. But I didn't anticipate how good the show would be. My mom, sister and I binge-watched the first season (the only one available on Netflix at the moment) in two days. It's got mystery, suspense, superb acting, and the small town atmosphere makes the drama that much more intense because everyone is forced to take responsibility for the events that lead to the boy's death. 

From the first episode of the second season, you can feel how the tone of the show has shifted. Everything is still gloomy, everyone is still frowning, but people are angrier. The town thought that because the mystery was solved the criminal would be prosecuted. Wrong. And now the accused is saying that he/she is not the only person guilty. Hmmmm...

The second season has already aired in Britain but only the first two episodes have been shown on BBC America, so we poor Americans are forced to await the outcome of season 2. But the show was picked up for a third season, so it looks like everyone has something to look forward to from Broadchurch.

What shows have you been binge-watching lately? Let me know with your comments below. :)

-Greer

70s Style

70s Style by grecbarn featuring real leather handbags

MiH Jeans long shirt dress / Delicious tan wedge shoes / Cut N Paste real leather handbag / MARC BY MARC JACOBS curb chain bracelet / Tortoise shell sunglasses, $130

How I Feel About My February Birchbox...3 Weeks Later

I think February's Birchbox has been my favorite of the three I've received so far. This month's box is especially cute with its friendship theme and neon orange and purple colors. Along with the normal five samples, Birchbox users received codes for $30 off an order of $75 or more from Rent the Runway and a free Benefit Porefessional Primer Deluxe Mini with any full-size Benefit Purchase. 

Now for the rundown on the samples I received...

Excuse the bad lighting in this picture, but these are the samples I received in my February Birchbox. Why I didn't take a picture of the adorable orange box they came in, I have no idea.

• DAVINES MINU SHAMPOO - Full-Size, $25. This light blue shampoo, made specifically for color treated hair, came in a pretty big sample size. I've used the shampoo once and probably have enough for about seven or eight washes left in the bottle (And I have lots of hair.) The smell is not very distinctive, but that's kind of refreshing when it seems like every other shampoo has some kind of overly fruity smell. My scalp tends to get really dry in the winter, but when I used this shampoo I didn't have issues. It's also eco-friendly like lots of other Birchbox products. A foil packet of the DAVINES MINU HAIR SERUM came with the shampoo, but I used it as a regular hair conditioner instead of as leave-in product. I guess I just completely misread the directions, but for what's it worth, it worked pretty well in that capacity. 
• EYEKO SKINNY LIQUID EYELINER - Full-size, $16. I may be mistaken but I think this product came full-sized which was a nice surprise. Applying eyeliner has never been my strong suit. I've tried every liquid and gel eyeliner out there, but never have I found the perfect one. This one may be the best yet. The felt tip on this pen-style applicator is much easier to use than the usual brush applicator. I finally mastered a good cat eye (with a little help from my ELF makeup remover pen) with this eyeliner. I usually only wear black, graphic eyeliner on special occasions, but I'm looking forward to trying some Twiggy-inspired looks with this eyeliner in the future.
• JUICY COUTURE HOLLYWOOD ROYAL - Full-size, $72. I usually really like Juicy fragrances, but this scent is too overpowering. There's a lot going on; notes of apples, pears, flowers, and wood are all fighting, making it hard to distinguish what the perfume is supposed to smell like. Also, I'm not really into super fruity smells, and that's what I smell the most. But fragrances are really subjective. Everyone likes something different and perfumes smell different on different people. Let me know in the comments if you've tried this fragrance yet and what you thought.
• SUPERGOOP! DAILY CORRECT SPF CC CREAM IN LIGHT/MEDIUM - Full-size, $32. I like stuff so much I've already ordered a full-size version. I had never tried a CC cream before this one. I always thought that a CC cream would never be enough to cover my breakouts, but this product completely blew my mind, and I have been wearing it everyday since I tried it. The formula stays on my face all day while covering most of my trouble areas, plus it has SPF 35. I've read other reviews of this product and when it comes to the medium/dark and dark shades, people have had issues with the color being too orange on their skin tone. That wasn't an issue for me (though the cream did give my usually sallow skin a little boost), but be wary of that if you want to try it and you have medium or dark skin. I tried to order the full-size version from the Birchbox website, but it was only available in medium/dark. Luckily Supergoop! also sells on Amazon and I bought it for $25.60 plus free shipping 
• JUICE BEAUTY GREEN APPLE CLEANSING GEL - Full-size, $26. If you can't stand scented facial cleansers this is definitely not your product. This cleansing gel, as the name suggests, has a very fruity smell. It is supposed to brighten and smooth skin, but using it once was not enough to see any real results. My skin felt a little dry after cleansing, and the next day I noticed small bumps forming around my chin, so I'm not sure if the gel dried out my skin too much and that's what caused my skin issues or if it was just a coincidence. I have been slacking a little on my skin regimen lately. Perhaps this cleanser would work better for women who specifically want a brightening face wash. 

Sooooo did you like your February Birchbox? Did you get any of the same products in yours? Let me know. Also, I'm receiving my first Ipsy bag this month. What do you think of Ipsy? Let me know with your comments! :)

February Favorites

It's hard to believe February has come and gone. It seems like we celebrated Valentine's Day only yesterday and Christmas last week. But before we get too far into March I wanted to share some of my favorite beauty products/clothing items/random things from February.

• Batiste Dry Shampoo in Floral and Flirty Blush. I had been looking for a new dry shampoo to try and Marshall's had this baby on clearance for $5.99 . I haven't tried a lot of dry shampoos, but I think this one works pretty well. Sometimes I'll spray some of this into my clean hair for extra body and texture. Plus, the scent is so so good; it's floral without being too flowery (if that makes sense).
• The next two products are moisturizers. The first is one that came as a sample in my January Birchbox, the Perlier Intensive Nurturing Body Balm in the scent Shea Lavender. I get more and more obsessed with this stuff every time I use it. I take a daily antibiotic to control acne and it leaves my skin, especially my hands, really dry. This is the only cream I've tried that has come close to keeping my cuticles decent looking and hydrated. The lavender scent is light, clean, almost powdery. When I run out, I will definitely buy the full size version from the Birchbox website.
• My other favorite moisturizer is Ye Olde Vaseline Deep Moisture Creamy Formula Petroleum Jelly Cream. I have been using this stuff for almost six years. It's the only lotion my dermatologist lets me use on my face. It's heavy duty stuff but it doesn't clog pores, and the creamy formula is much easier and less messy to apply than regular Vaseline. I always appreciate this stuff more in the winter time, and lately I've been applying it every night before bed. It's also really reasonably priced. I get my 4.5 ounce bottle at Walmart for about four dollars. 
• Apparently I've really been on a lavender kick lately because this favorite, like the Perlier Body Balm, is also lavender scented--Calgon Lavender Vanilla Fragrance Body Mist. I bought my mom a Calgon gift set for Christmas and the same body mist was in the set. I liked it so much I bought myself a full size version for about five bucks. Body mists always get the short end of the stick when compared to perfumes probably because bad ones smell too much like alcohol or the overall scent is too much. But the lavender vanilla mix of this spray is really nice, not too little and not too much.
• I had been looking for a kimono to wear around my house for about two years when I finally spotted this Gilligan and O'malley floral one at Target. You would think kimonos would be a lot easier to find than they are considering every woman in every chick flick ever has a scene where they're trying to decide what to wear and they hold up different outfits while wearing their chic, silk kimonos. Well, my Target kimono is definitely not silk, but it's pretty, soft and makes me feel a little more dressed up when I'm lounging at home.
• My grandmother has been wearing Clinique for years and she gets tons of samples, most of which she gives to my sister and me. One of the samples was two products in one--the Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara and the Different Lipstick in Glazed Berry. I HIGHLY recommend both of these products. The lipstick is the perfect balance of color and sheerness. It's hydrating and I can wear it with or without a face full of makeup and it looks good. The mascara really does make your lashes look longer and you can layer it without getting the dreaded spidery look. (I had that problem when I tried out the Benefit Roller Lash Mascara in my latest Beauty Review.) I tried to find a version of this two-in-one on the Clinique website but I guess it only came in sample form...

So, what are your February favorites? Let me know know in the comments section if you've tried any of these products. :)