Redbox Reviews: Whiplash

If you're looking for something unique to watch, something a little different from your average DVD rental, Whiplash (R)*, the story of a nineteen-year-old drummer and his overbearing music teacher, should be your next pick at Redbox. Starring the fresh-faced and talented young actor Miles Teller and screen veteran J.K. Simmons (who won the Supporting Actor Oscar for his role), the movie is part drama and part suspense. No, there's nothing particularly ghostly about the story, though Simmons' searing performance is enough to give you chills. The suspense comes from not knowing whether Andrew (Teller) will be able to take the emotional abuse he faces at the hands of Terence Fletcher (Simmons). And Fletcher's controversial teaching methods beg a question: is great talent learned through teaching and by willing to never give up or is it something a person is born with? With issues like bullying getting more attention in the media, this question seems more relevant than ever. How far should someone be pushed before they hit their breaking point? 

Besides the social issues Whiplash brings to light, the movie is audibly and visually engaging. The fun, punchy jazz music that inspires Andrew to be a great is just as inspiring to the viewer, and the "whiplash" effect of the camera in the more intense scenes allows the viewer to empathize with Andrew as he emotionally and physically hurts himself (by literally playing the drums until his hands bleed) to achieve his dream. 

I give Whiplash an 8 out of 10. It's compelling, surprising and it'll keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. 

*The movie is rated R for the strong and sometimes sexual language used throughout, so if that stuff offends you I would definitely skip it.

Have you seen Whiplash? Do you agree/disagree with my review? What Redbox movies should I review next? Let me know in the comments section below. :)

-Greer

On the Fringe

On the Fringe by grecbarn featuring ankle strap sandals

MANGO purple top, $45 / Boohoo fringe bikini / Express ankle strap sandals / Milly leather crossbody handbag

Ipsy Unboxing! April 2015

I received my second Ipsy glam bag two days, and I'm finally getting the chance to share it. This is definitely my favorite Ipsy bag so far and one of the best of the boxes/bags I've received so far from either Birchbox or Ipsy.

The theme for April is "Beautifully Bohemian" so all of the products came in a tan woven-looking bag with different colored stripes across it. It's pretty adorable.

• My first product is full-size--the Hikari Cosmetics Blush in "Tango", which is a really pretty coral-pink shade. I haven't used it yet, but the color looks really wearable for a lot of different skin tones. It's received good reviews on the Ipsy website, so I'm excited to use it. 
• The Nude Dude Eyeshadow Single in "Fit" from theBalm Cosmetics is a mini version of the shadow that comes in the palette. It's a shimmery copper shade that can be used in either wet or dry. It comes in cute book-like packaging which makes it easy to stash in your makeup bag or purse. I've been really into nude shimmery eyeshadows since the weather started to warm up here in Tennessee so I'm sure I'll get some good use out of it.
• I actually wore this next product under my makeup yesterday as a primer and I really, really liked it. It's the Good Morning Honey Silk Facial Serum by Hey Honey. When I applied it, my skin instantly looked brighter and smoother. Good stuff.
• My fourth product is definitely the best fragrance sample I've ever received in terms of size. It's 8.8 ml and comes as a roll-on. The Jor'el Parker perfume in the scent Femina is what the name suggests--a very feminine scent. With notes of lemon, mandarin, vanilla and musk, it's really light and would be a good everyday fragrance, especially when you work in a conservative environment and don't want anything too strong. 
• My last product is one that I'm not as sure about. I don't wear a lot of nude-colored lipglosses, which is what the Starlooks Satin Finish Lip Gloss in Cuddle is. It seems in a little sticky in the tube, but when I applied it on my lips they did feel hydrated. I think I may use this as a top coat over a nude lipstick if I want to add a little sheen to my lips. 

Overall, I'm really excited to play with my Ipsy bag this month! So far I'm really impressed with Ipsy, and I definitely think they give Birchbox a run for their money.

What did you think of your April Ipsy? Let me know with your comments below. :)

-Greer

Why Late Night TV is Worth Watching

For years it seemed people had a roller coaster relationship with late night TV. Maybe a host said something controversial, a network feud soured viewers' thoughts on particular shows, or maybe they just stopped being funny. My memories of late night TV are vivid. Sure, I didn't get many of the jokes when I was a kid (Some of them were probably not very appropriate for younger viewers.), but I did see how a relaxed setting and easy conversation could make for some good entertainment--sometimes fairly wholesome, other times edgy, but always fun to watch. As I started middle and high school, however, I got bored with it. It was the same every night. A guy in a suit would stand on stage, say a few (sometimes tired) jokes, talk to someone famous, and a band would play. It wasn't until college that I really fell in love with the magic of late night television again.

The undisputed king of late night is Johnny Carson. Liked by everyone and loved by his viewers, Carson was the whole package. For years it seemed that no one would be able to match or even replicate Carson's humor...until SNL alumnus Jimmy Fallon came along to shake up Late Night. As a college student I would watch clips from or episodes of the show on my laptop (usually after my morning classes) while eating my usual panini for lunch or after a bland cafeteria dinner. I felt like I was part of some exclusive club that no one but young people knew about. With the talented band The Roots on stage with him and every night and a group of writers with a wacky sense of humor banging out jokes geared toward a young audience, late night TV seemed new and relevant. When he took Jay Leno's place on The Tonight Show everyone took notice of Fallon and late night TV was reborn. 

Despite having a good run on network television, Conan O'Brien seems to have found even more success with satellite. Clips from the prerecorded parts of his show, like his Uber ride with Kevin Hart and Ice Cube and his conversations with his odd associate producer Jordan Schlansky, have gone viral and prove O'Brien is better than ever. Despite being on the air for over ten years, Jimmy Kimmel's tongue is sharp enough to keep his audience on their toes. Other current hosts include Seth Meyers from Late Night and British actor-turned-host James Corden from The Late Late Show. I'm especially excited to see what he does next. Just watch "Crosswalk the Musical: Grease" on his channel on Youtube. It's exactly what it sounds like: people perform musical numbers from Grease while cars are stopped at a crosswalk in LA. Yes, it is genius and also really funny.

Perhaps the best part about late night TV is that there doesn't seem to be too many rules when it comes to format. Chelsea Handler's show was mainly a bunch of comedians talking about current issues. Andy's Cohen's Watch What Happens Live! is a celebration of pop culture, especially housewives and millionaire matchmakers. With the variety of late night shows on television, there's probably one out there for you. And you don't even have to watch it late at night.

Do you watch late night TV? What are your favorite shows? Let me know with your comments below. :)

-Greer

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

This post is coming a little late since I received my April Birchbox yesterday, but I thought I'd share my products with you anyway since I liked the variety of products I received this month.

When I opened my box I realized that there were only four products and five were listed on the information card you get with every package. I messaged Birchbox, told them my Embryolisse 24-Hour Miracle Cream didn't come in the box and within 48 hours I received a message back. They still had some of the cream samples in stock so within a few days I received another package with the sample in it. From the time I messaged them to the time I received the sample was only about seven days so Birchbox's customer service, based on my experience, is pretty darn good.

Here's the rundown on what I received this month:

• I had heard of the Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle Leave in Conditioner (Full-size, $21.95) before but had never had the chance to try it. I love that, like a lot of Birchbox products, this one wears a lot of different hats: it detangles hair, protects it against heat damage, and it smells really good. I found myself applying it as a leave-in conditioner after I wash my hair and as a heat protectant before I curl my hair for the most part. 
• Like the leave in conditioner the Embryolisse 24-Hour Miracle Cream (Full-size, $16-28) is supposed to be a multipurpose product--a primer, moisturizer, and makeup remover. Since I received it a little later than my other products I haven't played with it as much yet, but I have been applying it before I apply my foundation. It makes my skin feel silky smooth, but it's definitely not a "heavy duty" lotion, so when my skin is really dry I have to use a different moisturizer.
• I had never used any kind of highlighter other than the powder kind before I tried the Jelly Pong Pong Glow Getter Highlighter (Full size, $12.75). I don't really love or hate this product; it's not great but it's not terrible either. It's a little too shimmery for daytime, especially if you're not wearing a full face of makeup, but it does have good staying power. 
• I don't know if everyone would like the Harvey Prince Sincerely (Full 50 ml, $55) scent because it's a little strong and smells a tad like men's cologne but that's why I really like it. Sometimes women's fragrances can be too sweet or fruity, but this one isn't. It has notes of Freesia, Orange Flower, Moroccan Rose, Cedarwood, and Sandalwood (all listed in the info card that came with the sample).
• The last product I received (and my favorite) is the Mirenesse Glossy Kiss Lip and Cheek Stain in Starlet (Full-size, $22). The color is sort of burgundy like the matte lipstick I wore in a beauty look post recently, but it goes on really easily and has the look of a gloss or a matte lipstick if you blot it. I didn't know how it would look as a blush, but it blends really well and looked even better when I applied bronzer as well. 

What did you think of your Birchbox products this month? What subscription boxes do you get? Let me know in the comments section below. :)

-Greer

Black and Blue

Black and Blue by grecbarn featuring jean shorts

BCBGMAXAZRIA crop top / Topshop top, $18 / H M clothing, $30 / H&M jean shorts, $15 / Windsor Smith black wedge sandals / Converse black sneaker

The Best Drugstore Neutral Eyeshadow Palette: L'Oreal vs. Maybelline

With the success of the Urban Decay Naked palettes and the current "no makeup look" trend going on right now it's not surprising that there are some drugstore neutral eyeshadow palettes available. At $54 the Urban Decay palettes are definitely a splurge, and I love awesome drugstore makeup alternatives so I decided to test out Maybelline's The Nudes Palette and L'Oreal's Colour Riche La Palette Nude to see which one (or if both of them) were worth the money.

I've seen the Maybelline palette on the market for some time now, but it was only the other day that I spotted the L'Oreal palette at Ulta. How long has it been on the market? I haven't seen it in drugstores or Walmart. The Maybelline palette comes with 12 shades and I bought if from Ulta for around $10. The L'Oreal palette comes in 2 different versions, one for light to medium skin tones and one for medium to dark skin tones. I got the one for light to medium skin tones. It costs around $19 to $20 and comes with ten different shades. I haven't tried a lot of different L'Oreal eyeshadows, but I do like the Maybelline Eye Studio makeup. It's really pigmented and the color range is good. 

The first six shades in the Maybelline The Nudes palette.

Shades 7-12 in The Nudes palette.

As you can tell from the pictures above, the last six shades are the darkest and most pigmented. Some colors are shimmery and others are matte. I like that, like the Urban decay Naked palettes, the colors are not just different shades of brown; there's a navy-gray color (the last one in the bottom picture). Also, the colors aren't exclusively warm, so I can see them working with a lot of different skin tones.

The con? I was disappointed with the lack of pigmentation, even in the darker colors. I had to apply a lot of layers of product just to get something that would show up on camera.

The first five shades in the L'Oreal Colour Riche La Palette Nude.

The last five shades in the L'Oreal palette.

Like the Maybelline palette the last five shades are the darkest ones. Though the lightest colors don't show up on camera well, I think they were a little less work to apply than the Maybelline shades. These shades are warmer than the Maybelline ones, but there's not one "true" dark color so if you wanted to do a heavy smokey eye or something like that you would probably need some darker colors.

The cons? Because these shades are warmer, I'm not sure if this palette would work on every skin tone. Also, the shades are a little powdery, but I found that applying the product with a damp brush helped. Another thing: this palette is significantly more expensive than the Maybelline one and has less color options. 

All in all, after playing around with both eyeshadow palettes, I like them both. Even though they're both "neutral" palettes, the colors are very different so I think I will be using both of them a lot in the future. With spring and summer coming soon, I'll probably reach for the L'Oreal palette a little more because the colors are a little warmer. If you like drugstore makeup and you wear a lot of natural makeup, I think both of these palettes are good buys. 

Have you tried these palettes? What do you think of them? Let me know with your comments below!

-Greer